Thursday, August 5, 1999
|
P U N J A B | |
Thursday, August 5, 1999 |
weather  spotlighttoday's calendar |
 |
||
|
Tohra
meets PHRC chief |
 |
|
|||||||||
|
Director not being shielded:
counsel Punjab suspends top official
No change in PM's rally venue Campaign to check liquor smuggling Locking horns over transfers
Transfer tehsildars, EC tells
Punjab Develop Patiala as tourist centre:
CM Netaji Party launches poll
campaign |
|||||||||||
 |
||||
Protest against curb on rights CHANDIGARH, Aug 4 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, here today met Justice V.K. Khanna (retd), Chairperson of the Punjab Human Rights Commission (PHRC), to lodge a complaint against Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal and the Punjab Police authorities. Urging the chairperson to take action against the state government at the earliest, Mr Tohra narrated the whole story as regards detention of his three senior party colleagues who had come to take part in a protest march at Fatehgarh Sahib today. Mr Tohra said the on Mr Badal's instructions, police authorities detained vehicles belonging to his supporters and detained senior leaders at various places to prevent them from participating in the march, which was organised to urge the government to release Sant Darshan Singh Dhakkiwale. Mr Tohra said although no ban orders were in force anywhere in Fatehgarh Sahib district, but on the instructions of Mr Badal, the police authorities laid siege to a gurdwara at Fatehgarh Sahib where people had gathered to pay their obeisance before joining the procession. Mr Tohra said the Punjab Government was curbing the freedom provided by the Constitution to move freely, hold protest marches and participate in a democratic process peacefully. If the state government continued to use police force against political opponents it would be impossible for his men to take part in the poll process, and it would be slap on the face of democracy. The Akali leaders urged Mr Khanna that the Punjab Government had tried to snatch the rights of people — to move freely and hold protest marches — and it was serious violation of the human rights. The state government should be asked to explain its stand immediately. To stop people from entering a gurdwara was also violation of human rights, he added. A spokesman of the party
said Mr Tohra would lodge a similar protest to the
Election Commission of India to urge it to ensure freedom
of movement and to hold rallies in Punjab during the
poll. Sources said though Mr Tohra lodged a protest
verbally today, a written complaint would follow soon. |
||
Praneet starts canvassing PATIALA, Aug 4 — Even though the Congress high command is yet to officially announce its candidate from this seat, the die seems to have been cast in favour of Mrs Praneet Kaur, wife of the Punjab Pradesh Congress President, Capt Amarinder Singh, who has starting canvassing for votes. There was an intense tussle for this seat in the state Congress with former MPs Sant Ram Singla and Surinder Singla, besides PPCC General Secretary Birdevinder Singh and former minister Prem Gupta, also being in the race. All remaining four aspirants for the seat had formed a separate group against Mrs Praneet Kaur and had requested the All-India Congress Committee observer for the state and the high command to give the ticket to any of them. Even as reports emanating from Delhi have confirmed that Mrs Praneet Kaur is being fielded from here, the latter has also started actively canvassing for votes. She addressed a meeting convened by local leader Ajay Thapar here yesterday evening where she was presented as the official Congress candidate. During the meeting, Mr Thapar thanked the Congress high command for giving the party ticket to Mrs Praneet Kaur and assured support of the Congress workers to her. The meeting also saw Akali workers, including the Patiala Fisherman's Association chief Amarjeet Singh, join the Congress, besides workers of the Eklavya Sena. Meanwhile, the Congress candidate has convened a meeting of party workers and office-bearers on August 7. District Congress committee chief Ved Prakash Gupta said the formal programme would be framed during the course of the meeting. Meanwhile, the dissident
group which has allegedly been denied the party ticket is
meeting here tomorrow to chalk out is line of action.
Sources said the dissidents were feeling ignored after a
completely one-sided decision taken by the high command. |
||
Director not being shielded:
counsel CHANDIGARH, Aug 4 — The Punjab Government today informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Mr Mewa Singh Sonar, Director of Agriculture, who was given current duty charge, was being put under suspension for his involvement in the fertiliser scam. The information was furnished by the Punjab Advocate-General in reply to the allegations made by Mr R.S. Bains, counsel for the kisan wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), who alleged that the Punjab Chief Minister and the Agriculture Minister were protecting Mr Sonar and not allowing any action to be taken against him. Earlier the Bench, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice M.S. Gill, called the file relating to the scam and Mr Sonar. The Advocate-General while producing the files, strongly refuted the allegation that Mr Sonar was being shielded by the Chief Minister and others. In fact, he said the Chief Minister was doing whatever was expected of him. The government was pursuing the matter diligently and all necessary steps were being taken. The minister had signed the file on August 3 and the Chief Minister concurred and signed the order to suspend Mr Sonar the next day. Orders to that effect would be issued today itself, he submitted. The Bench after perusing the files was satisfied that the government had taken "appropriate steps in the right direction". The kisan wing of SAD(A) had alleged that more than Rs 300 crore of super-phosphate fertiliser had been misappropriated by a few industrialists, dealers and officers of the Agriculture Department on the basis of fictitious records without even a single gram of fertiliser having been produced or sold. The Bench adjourned the case to August 23 for further hearing. In the meantime Mr
Justice K.S. Kumaran adjourned the anticipatory bail plea
of Mr Sonar to August 10. |
||
Poll campaign by Jathedars AMRITSAR, Aug 4 — The decision of extending direct or indirect support to Lok Sabha candidates by sacked Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh and Giani Puran Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht, respectively, has virtually baffled the Sikh voters. The Sikh voter feels it is 'unprecedented' in the annals of Sikhism that the Jathedar of Akal Takht (Bhai Ranjit Singh claims that he is still Jathedar, Akal Takht) opted for launching poll campaign for candidates. Even as the sacked Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh has announced that he will openly campaign for the BSP, the AISAD (Tohra), the SAD (Democratic) and the SAD (Amritsar) candidates, Giani Puran Singh, in a written statement, has criticised the leadership of newly floated All-India Shiromani Akali Dal,led by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. The supporters of Bhai Ranjit Singh say he should not have opted for campaigning openly as "real Jathedar" of Akal Takht. With this decision, he will lose the claim of being a "real Jathedar" as never in the history of Sikhism any Jathedar had himself campaigned for the candidates. On the other hand, the "ill-drafted" press note issued by Giani Puran Singh has surprised the Sikhs. Though he has not mentioned the name of Mr Tohra, yet it is clear that he has criticised Mr Tohra and supported Mr Badal. It will be real test for the Sikh voter this time, many Sikhs feel. Bhai Ranjit Singh, who has already launched election campaign to 'oust' the SAD (Badal), has made Akal Takht an election issue. The sacked Jathedar alleges that Mr Badal and his supporters have been responsible for denigrating the institution of Akal Takht, the Badal camp alleges that Mr Tohra and Bhai Ranjit Singh has on divided the Sikh community by misusing their respective positions in the past. The election campaign for the Tarn Taran Parliamentary Constituency will be interesting. Both Bhai Ranjit Singh and Giani Puran Singh belong to Tarn Taran. It is an Akali-dominated parliamentary constituency. However, it is yet to be seen whether the Sikh voter will be swayed by the 'religious' agenda or 'economic' agenda. It is pertinent to mention here that during the general house election of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee in 1978, the voters routed the candidates of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwala, when militancy was at its peak. On the other hand, Sikh
intellectuals are of the view that the forthcoming Lok
Sabha elections will certainly decide which Akali Dal is
'real Akali Dal' and who is 'real Jathedar. |
||
Christians’ call to boycott
PM’s visit LUDHIANA, Aug 4 — Despite the on-going controversy about the site for the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s rally slated for August 7 at the local S D Government College for boys, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and the Bharatiya Janata Party are busy making preparations for the rally. In a joint press statement, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema of the SAD and Mr Satpal Jain of the BJP, said that they were also making arrangements for food and water, besides parking arrangements for party workers attending this rally, which would mark inauguration of canvassing for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, the Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, Punjab Public Relations Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan and Prof Kirpal Singh supervised preparations at the venue of the rally. Senior BJP leaders like Balramji Das Tandon — local Bodies Minister Madan Mohan Mittal — Food and Civil Supplies Minister and member Rajya Sabha, Lala Lajpat Rai held meetings with party workers and asked them to mobilise people for the rally. The Alumni Association of the S D Government College for Boys has condemned the forthcoming rally of the BJP-Akali combine on August 7 in the cricket grounds of the SD Government college, to be addressed by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. The association has also conveyed its protest to the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr M.S. Gill and requested him to get the rally shifted to some other venue, informed Mr P C Gupta, senior president of the association. Meanwhile, a joint Election Action Committee of the various Church organisations and Christian leaders from Amritsar, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur and Ludhiana formed here yesterday has decided to boycott the visit of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee scheduled for August 7 as a mark of protest to his lukewarm attitude towards Christians and Christian organisations. The committee has also
decided to oppose all BJP candidates in the state
alleging that the BJP had failed to safeguard rights of
Christians in the country. Mr Augustine Das who was
elected unanimously chairman and leader of the action
committee, also appealed to Christians not to voice
support for any political party until a clear, bold
commitment was made by it in its manifesto in favour of
the Christian community with respect to safety, equality
of rights and freedom to preach and practise religion. |
||
No change in PM's rally
venue LUDHIANA, Aug 4 — The Punjab Government has no plans to change the venue of the Prime Minister's rally scheduled to be addressed here on August 7. This was announced here today by the Punjab Minister for Food and Supplies, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, who is also supervising the arrangements for the Saturday's rally. Talking to TNS here, the minister said several sport organisations which had objected to the holding of the rally in the sports grounds of the local Government College for Boys had been mollified. They had been assured that all efforts would be made to minimise the damage to the cricket pitch and players would be provided with alternative grounds in the adjoining PAU campus. The minister said the ruling SAD-BJP alliance had originally selected a spot at Samrala Road for holding the Prime Minister's rally but the security agencies were of the view that the venue of the rally should not be at a distance from the spot where the Prime Minister's helicopter would land. The present venue for the rally was selected by the security agencies. He pointed out that the
Prime Minister would be visiting the state for the first
time after the victory in Kargil. He had no doubt in his
mind that the Punjabis would accord a hero's welcome to
Mr Vajpayee. |
||
Punjab suspends top official CHANDIGARH, Aug 4 — The Punjab Government today ordered the suspension of the Director, Agriculture, Dr Mewa Singh Sonar. The suspension order has been issued in view of alleged irregularities committed by Dr Sonar in a distribution of fertilisers, an official press note released here today said. Dr Balkaran Singh has been appointed the new Director, Agriculture, Punjab in place of Dr Sonar. He was earlier heading the Punjab State Seed Certification Authority. Mr Deep Singh Sahota,
Joint Director (Plant Protection), Department of
Agriculture, has been posted Cane Commissioner, Punjab. |
||
Army fund: roadways staff
give 1.20 lakh ROPAR, Aug 4 — More than 600 employees of the Ropar depot of Punjab Roadways, have contributed Rs 1.20 lakh to the Punjab War Heroes Family Welfare Fund by donating one day's salary. A draft for this amount was handed over to Mr K.B.S. Sidhu, Director State Transport, Punjab, by Mr Jagdip Singh Gulvatti, General Manager, Ropar depot, along with leaders of different employees unions of the depot yesterday. The local unit of the Bharat Vikas Parishad has also contributed Rs 11,000 to the Army Central Welfare Fund. According to Mr Harish Chopra, president of the unit, this amount has been contributed by 22 members. AMRITSAR: Teaching and non-teaching staff of the local Khalsa College on Tuesday decided to contribute Rs 1 lakh to the Kargil relief fund. The Principal, Dr M.S. Dhillon, at a meeting announced that the college had offered free education to the children of Army officers and jawans who had laid down their lives in the Kargil conflict. The All-India Women Conference has sent a draft for Rs 11,200 to the Army Central Welfare Fund. Contributed: The teaching and non-teaching staff of G.G.D.S.D. College, Hariana, have contributed their one-day salary to the Army Central Welfare Fund. The R.S.S. unit of Garhshanker has also contributed Rs 5000 to the ACWF. SAMRALA: Staff
members of the local ITI have donated Rs 17,850 for
Kargil martyrs. |
||
Campaign to check liquor
smuggling BATHINDA, Aug 4 — To check the incidents of inter-state smuggling and illicit distillation of liquor in this district bordering Haryana, the Excise authorities has launched an extensive campaign. In the past four months, the district excise authorities have recovered 2054 kg "lahan", 101 litre Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and Punjab medium liquor (PML) and seven "bhattis" (working still) in the district. Official sources said 112 cases of smuggling of liquor and illicit distillation had been registered with police by the excise officials against the 63 cases registered in the last financial year in the corresponding period. The smuggling of liquor from neighbouring Haryana has always been a problem for the district excise authorities, who always found it difficult to check smuggling due to availability of inadequate manpower and vehicles. Apart from it, the differences of prices of different types of liquor in Punjab and Haryana had been encouraging inter-state smuggling. At many places, the Haryana excise authorities had allowed the opening of illegal liquor vends opposite legal liquor vends of Punjab in villages of this district. The sources said the campaign, which included regular and random nakas, general and specific raids and cultivation of informers had yielded the desired results. Mr Jaskaran Singh Brar,
Excise Officer, when contacted, said the excise
authorities were making sincere efforts to check the
smuggling of liquor so that economic interests of state
and duly appointed liquor vend owners could be protected. |
||
Locking horns over transfers CHANDIGARH, Aug 4 — The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Punjab, and the Punjab Irrigation department have locked horns over the issue of staying the transfers of Junior Engineers. In a letter sent to the Chief Engineer (Drainage) of the Punjab Irrigation department, the CEO has stated that action had not been taken on the letters sent by his office with regard to staying of transfers of Junior Engineers. The CEO has directed the Irrigation department to take immediate action on the letters sent by him and submit a compliance report at the earliest. The CEO has said that the report would be submitted to the Election Commission of India by him for information. A copy of the letter written by the CEO, has been sent to the Principal Secretary of the Punjab Irrigation department for getting the orders issued by him implemented. The CEO has stated that as per the instructions issued by the Election Commission no transfer order could be implemented after July 11. Earlier on July 20, the CEO has written a letter to the Chief Engineer concerned of the Irrigation department to stay the transfer of Mr K K Guru, Junior Engineer, Phagwara Drainage Division. Mr Guru submitted a complaint to the CEO that his transfer had been ordered, violating the election model code of conduct. However, the Chief Engineer (Drainage) in a letter sent to the CEO on July 26 stated that the transfer of Junior Engineer Guru, was ordered from the Phagwara Drainage Division to the SYL Canal, Chandigarh, on July 9 before the enforcement of the model code of conduct. As he has been attached with the Drainage circle at Jalandhar, the Chief Engineer had pleaded that no model code of conduct had been violated as the JE had been kept at Jalandhar. However, the CEO was not convinced with the reply of the Chief Engineer (Drainage), and he shot back a letter to him on July 30 for compliance of the earlier orders. According to information available to the TNS, several Junior Engineers were transferred after the enforcement of the model code of conduct but their transfer orders were issued on July 9 when the code of conduct was not operative. However, transferred Junior Engineers were relieved from their place of postings after the enforcement of the model code. For instance Mr Jagtar Singh was relieved on July 29 and Mr K K Guru was relieved on July 20 and Mr Balraj Singh was relieved on July 16. As per the orders of the Election Commission it was violation of the model code . In fact a number of Junior Engineers had sent a detailed complaint to the Election Commission, the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, and Chief Secretary, Punjab, with regard to transfers of Junior Engineers. In the complaint they had stated that transfers were ordered on July 14 to 16 but the date put on the transfer orders was July 9. They had stated that transferred Junior Engineers were either considered relieved on July 16 or after this date. Again Junior Engineers
has urged the Election Commission to get the orders with
regard to their transfers stayed and cancelled and to ask
the authorities concerned in the Irrigation department to
obey the orders of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab. |
||
Transfer tehsildars, EC tells
Punjab CHANDIGARH, Aug 4 — The Election Commission of India has asked the Punjab Government authorities to transfer to other districts all Naib Tehsildars, Tehsildars and police officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or above who are posted in their home districts. Besides, the authorities have been also told to transfer all such officers who have completed a stay of four years at one station. Informed sources said the instructions had been conveyed by the commission to the state authorities through the Chief Electoral Officer. The sources added that the Election Commission office in Delhi was flooded with complaint as regards use of official machinery in the poll campaign. Sources said several
complaints had been lodged with regard to certain public
relations officers. Complaints had also been made that
certain PR men in some districts were virtually
performing the duty of campaign managers of the SAD-BJP
candidates. The commission authorities have been
requested to appoint special observers to keep watch on
the activities of certain public relations officers. |
||
Develop Patiala as tourist
centre: CM PATIALA, Aug 4 — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has said the government would take up the issue of declaring Patiala a habitat city with the Central Government. Addressing a meeting of the Patiala Citizens Forum here yesterday, the Chief Minister said the proposal had been sent earlier also to the Centre. He said the state government would initiate steps to remove obstacles in this regard. Mr Badal said there was need to develop the city as a tourist centre. He said Baradari Gardens should be developed on the pattern of Mughal Gardens of Kashmir. Finance Minister Kanwaljit Singh said permission had been given for setting up an advance cardiology centre in the city. Forum convener Ajit Singh Kooner criticised the non-development of the North Zone Cultural Centre and also resented the shifting of major parts of the National Institute of Sports (NIS) to Bangalore. He demanded that the state archives and museum should be maintained properly. He also called for effective tackling of the problems of floods, sewerage, town planning, traffic and encroachments and demanded setting up of an advisory committee of prominent citizens to advise the municipal corporation on various developmental projects. Earlier, at Mr Bal
Krishan Singla, president of the Federation of Arhtiya
Associations presented a draft worth Rs 16 lakh to the
Chief Minister for the welfare of the families of Kargil
heroes. |
||
Netaji Party launches poll
campaign ROPAR, Aug 4 — The All-India Netaji Revolutionary Party today launched election campaign of its candidate for Hoshiarpur Parliamentary Constitutency, Mr V.P. Saini by opening an election office of the party here. Major Sohan Singh of the INA performed the opening ceremony at a simple function. Addressing the gathering Major Sohan Singh said founding of a party after the name of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was need of the hour to make sincere efforts to dig up real fate of Netaji and send a representative in Parliament. He said the leaders of the ruling parties at the Centre had not made sincere efforts, so far, in this direction. He called upon the people to cast their votes in favour of the candidate of the Netaji Party so that he (candidate) could question the government in Parliament why the Netaji Inquiry Commission had, so far, not been set up despite the announcement made by the government in March this year. Mr Tarloki Nath Gupta, national convener of the All-India Jai Hind Parivar, said the members of the parivar from all over India would participate in the election campaign of Mr Saini to spread Netaji’s ideology and work for Mr Saini’s victory. Mr V.P. Saini, who is
also Chairman of the Netaji Research Foundation,
emphasised that political battle, started by his party,
would go on for ever or at least till the nation was
accorded the highest place among nations and the
revolutionaries were assured their rightful place in the
history of India. |
||
Tohra detained, released FATEHGARH SAHIB, Aug 4 — Mr Parkash Singh Badal has lost all his senses and started arresting and implicating saints in fake cases alleged Mr G.S. Tohra, President, Sarv Hind, Shiromani Akali Dal, here today at the start of a protest march from here to Chandigarh to seek the release of Sant Baba Darshan Singh Dhakki Sahib Wale. But they were detained by the police. Mr Tohra said the only fault of Sant Darshan Singh was that he refused to recognise Giani Puran Singh as Jathedar of Akal Takht. The police also detained Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli, President, Youth Akali Dal, and other leaders. Later, they were
released by the police, according to PTI. |
||
Wadala to contest from
Jalandhar JALANDHAR, Aug 4 — Mr Kuldeep Singh Wadala, President, SAD (Democratic) has announced his candidature for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections from the Jalandhar constituency. Talking to newsmen here today, Mr Wadala said that Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann and Mr Jasbir Singh Rode, all from All India Shiromani Akali Dal will support him in the elections, while the BSP has also backed them. He said on the other hand, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, sitting MP from the Patiala constituency, will contest from Patiala the second candidature which their front has announced was of Ms Balbir Kaur Khalsa from the Ropar Lok Sabha constituency. Mr Wadala said a big rally would be held here on August 11. BSP supremo Kanshi Ram, Bhai Ranjit Singh, former Jathedar of Akal Takht and Mr G.S. Tohra, former SGPC president will address the rally. He said that Akal Takht and "Badal’s misrule" would be the major issue in the elections. He said their front will
provide a secular state and would defeat the Congress and
SAD-BJP alliance in the constituencies in the state. |
||
JD leader’s plea to EC LUDHIANA, Aug 4 — In an open letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr M.S. Gill, the Senior Vice-President of the Janata Dal, Mr Harish Khanna, has demanded the Election Commission to initiate action against the SGPC Chief, Bibi Jagir Kaur, and former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh for allegedly vitiating the calm and peaceful atmosphere of the state. Mr Khanna alleged that
both Bibi Jagir Kaur and Bhai Ranjit Singh had openly
stated that they would canvass for the candidates fielded
by the SAD (Badal) and the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal
respectively. He said they were working on the same lines
as the Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was a few years ago
for which he had been disenfranchised. He demanded a
similar line of action against Bibi Jagir Kaur and Bhai
Ranjit Singh. |
||
Photographer's death sparks off protest PHILLAUR, Aug 4 — Hundreds of irate residents of Goraya town in this subdivision, today blocked vehicular traffic on G.T. Road for about three hours and observed a strike in the town. They held a rally near the bus stand, in protest against the death of photographer Om Parkash who was killed in a roof collapse at Goraya on July 31. They suspect a foul play and alleged that landlord Inderjit and his son Gurdip had damaged the wooden roof with acid due to which the roof collapsed. The blockade was lifted only after an assurance from DSP, Mr Upinderjit Singh Ghuman. The SHO, Mr Harpreet
Singh said Gurdip has been arrested under Section 304/34
of the IPC, but his father Inderjit was still at large. |
||
Show-cause notice to City
father MALERKOTLA, Aug 4 — The Punjab Government has served show-cause notice under Section 16(1)E of the Municipal Act, 1911, as amended in 1994, to Mohammad Ismail, Municipal Councillor, as to why his membership of Municipal Council should not be cancelled for trying to encroach municipal land in his own ward. The notice issued by the
Chief Secretary Local Government, Punjab is based on the
enquiry report of Deputy Director, Local Government,
Patiala who in his report said that Mohammad Ismail, a
member of municipal council, Malerkotla had been
harassing officials of the municipal council as well as
the officers of the Local Self Government Department by
filing case in courts for encroaching municipal land. The
government had sought reply to the show-cause notice
within 3 weeks. |
||
 |
||
 |
| Nation
| Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu & Kashmir | Chandigarh | | Editorial | Business | Sport | | Mailbag | Spotlight | World | 50 years of Independence | Weather | | Search | Subscribe | Archive | Suggestion | Home | E-mail | |
