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Tuesday, August 31, 1999
Chandigarh Tribune
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Clarify stand on UT, Sharma asks Bansal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — Mr Krishan Lal Sharma, Senior Vice-President, Bharatiya Janata Party and candidate for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, today asked his rival and Congress candidate, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, to clarify his stand on Chandigarh .

Talking to newsmen after releasing his local election manifesto, Mr Sharma said the Congress stand on Chandigarh was clear in the form of the Rajiv-Longowal accord. Mr Bansal must clarify that whether he would quit only the Lok Sabha seat or also the membership of the party in case Chandigarh was transferred to Punjab.

He said that when the Rajiv-Longowal accord was signed, Mr Bansal was General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. He did not resign then and never made it an issue. At that time he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab but he never took up the issue of Chandigarh at any level. He must clarify his position as to whether his stance on Chandigarh has changed from what it was during his last tenure as Rajya Sabha member.

Mr Sharma also wanted the Congress to clarify its position with regard to its possible coalition partners in case it came to power. The BJP and its partners in the National Democratic Alliance have stated their programmes in their election manifesto.

Talking about Chandigarh, Mr Sharma said that there may be a difference of opinion on Chandigarh as was evident that the Punjab unit of BJP had a different stand on the subject than that of Chandigarh unit of BJP. Mr Bansal must clarify whether Punjab Congress also supported his stand on Chandigarh.

Mr Sharma said that now when the Congress has also started talking about a coalition government, it must clarify whether the Rashtriya Janata Dal of Mr Laloo Yadav and AIADMK of Ms Jayalalitha will be its alliance partners. The Congress has an alliance with the Muslim League in Kerala, he added.

Mr Sharma said that since the election manifesto is for promising things to be achieved in a full term of five years, some of the promises made in the last two manifestoes could not be achieved because of paucity of time.

A five-year plan for the multifaceted development of Chandigarh; permanent solution to all problems of both rural and urban areas besides colonies; more rights to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation to make it effective and efficient; overall development of Chandigarh, amendment of defective laws, end to red-tapism and a responsive administration to solve problems of the residents'; permanent solution to problems pertaining to water and power supply; priority to problems of villages and colonies and grant of power and water connections to all; to maintain status quo on Chandigarh and to upgrade it as "A" class city and improvement in working conditions of UT employees are the main clauses of the election manifesto, Mr Sharma said.

Mr Sharma also talked about several other issues, including amendment to building bylaws, fourth phase of water supply augmentation scheme, simplification of leasehold system, simplification and rationalisation of taxation structure, one rank one pension for ex-servicemen, lowering of stamp duty to bring it at par with Punjab, increase in income tax limit to Rs 1 lakh; compensation for land acquisition on the Delhi pattern, strengthening of the local transport system; increase in quota for UT in various professional institutions, new rail connections from Chandigarh; construction of more roads, flyovers and bridges and more rehabilitation schemes for slum dwellers.

Mr Dharam Paul Gupta, President of the local unit of BJP, and Mr Gian Chand Gupta, a former mayor, also talked about various achievements of the party MP for the past two terms, including start of work on the new Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link, new DD studio; grant of new LPG connections to make it available on demand, photo identity card for those engaged in informal avocations, simplification of ration card system; rehabilitation of more than 5,000 slum dwellers, and a new 100-MW captive power generation unit for Chandigarh.Back



 

Work on vital road begins
By Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Aug 30 — Work has started on a vital link road passing through the township, which would provide a direct connectivity between the Zirakpur—Patiala national highway and the Chandigarh—Ludhiana highway.

Apart from decongesting traffic in Chandigarh, the link road will serve as an alternative entry point for the SAS Nagar-bound traffic from Delhi. It will also serve as an alternative entry point to SAS Nagar from Ludhiana side. At present, the traffic bound for Chandigarh and this township has to cross a narrow bridge on Patiala Ki Rao, a seasonal rivulet, near Balongi village.

Planners in the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), the nodal agency executing the job, say that the existing narrow bridge on Patiala Ki Rao was burdened due to the heavy volume of traffic on the Ludhiana—Chandigarh road. The new road will provide direct access to the buses bound for the local bus stand and to the proposed railway station near Kambala village.

The Additional Chief Administrator of PUDA, Mr Dipinder Singh, says that the link road after taking a turn near Balongi village will cross a bridge, to be constructed over Patiala ki Rao, before it joins an existing road passing between Sectors 61, 68, 69, 70, 71 and Industrial Area. At present, the SAS Nagar-bound traffic has to pass through populated areas of the township.

In the first stage, PUDA is constructing about 1.04-km long and 100-foot wide stretch of road to a point near the cremation ground. A part of the ground falls in the proposed alignment of the road. The stretch from the ground to the local bus stand has already been constructed. The estimated cost of the road under construction is around Rs 98 lakh. It is likely to become operational by June, 2000 \The engineering wing of PUDA has prepared a rough estimate for the proposed bridge over Patiala Ki Rao at Rs 1.88 crore. The length of the bridge will be 116.9 metres and it would have seven spans.

Officials of PUDA say that though the alignment of the road stretch from Sector 65 to the Zirakpur— Patiala highway, which will also include constructing a flyover over the proposed Chandigarh— Ludhiana railway track, was yet to be finalised, it would meet somewhere near Chhat village, known for Chhat Bir Zoological Park.Back


 

Rehabilitation scheme falls flat
By Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — A scheme of the Chandigarh Administration to rehabilitate jhuggi-dwellers — largely migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar — by providing them with alternate, organised and planned housing on the outskirts of the city has fallen flat.

Several allottees allegedly sold their units, resulting in a loss to the exchequer as the land was given to them on rent while an open auction by the administration by demarcating bigger commercial or residential plots could have netted crores, sources said. They confirmed that the issue of underhand sale of plots in Mauli Jagran was in the notice of senior officials.

Close to 50 per cent of the 2,565 plots in the second phase of the Mauli Jagran rehabilitation colony, allotted less than an year back, were sold out on premium while the jhuggi-dwellers might have moved on to new sites once again to set up shanties in the hope of another rehabilitation scheme. Property dealers in Mauli Jagran, Panchkula and Mani Majra had a long list of probable sellers.

Each plot, measuring 220 square feet, was allotted to persons who had jhuggis in Sector 31. The allotment by the estate office was made on a rent of Rs 100 per month for providing peripheral services. The collection of rent was left to the Municipal Corporation (MC). The colony is spread over more than 20 acres of prime land.

The premium is between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh, depending on the location. The plots close to Chandigarh or Panchkula command highest premiums. This colony in Mauli Jagran is located behind the valued commercial property on the Chandigarh-Panchkula road. It is west of sectors 17 and 18 in Panchkula, while Shivalik enclave in Mani Majra is nearby.

this correspondent was showed many sites for sale and photocopies of allotment letters by a property dealer. The dealer promised to give the original allotment letter, carrying the photograph of the allottee, as and when the sale was finalised.

When authorities check the list of residents or allottees, they are told that the allottee has gone to his native village for a few days. The occupant claims to be a relative of the allottee, looking after the house in his absence.

This is not the first rehabilitation scheme for migrants that has failed to take off. Over the years, starting with the original scheme at Bapu Dham, followed by schemes in Ram Darbar and Palsora, a large number of sites have been sold on hefty premiums. The allottees, more often than not, have moved back to the shanties, putting pressure on the administration to run more schemes.

The number of migrants keeps on multiplying. The same is evident in the revised voters' list for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. As of now, the idea is that the MC will inform the estate office as when they notice that underhand sales have been effected.Back



 

DPI seeks explanation from school
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — The DPI (Schools), Mr D.S. Saroya, has sought explanation from the headmaster and a JBT teacher of Government High School, Mauli Jagran colony, about the unsatisfactory state of affairs in the school.

As part of the ongoing surprise checks, Mr Saroya visited the school in the afternoon today and observed general indiscipline, dirty surroundings, foul smell and negligence of duties. The school, which was functioning in two shifts due to the large number of persons living in the area, was found lacking in various aspects, particularly hygiene.

Sources revealed that during his visit, the DPI found dogs sleeping on the staircase and in one of the classrooms, a dog with a skin disease was sleeping adjacent to the teacher's chair, while more than 80 students were taking lessons in a small room. While the teacher blamed the negligence of the chowkidaar for letting the dog in, the DPI, who took a serious note of it, planned to take stern action, following her explanation to check such malpractices. He observed general indiscipline as students were sitting in an haphazard manner and were writing by keeping the notebooks on their bags and not on tables.

Mr Saroya also asked the Headmaster to explain about the untidy surroundings at the main gate and the entrance to the school and the general indiscipline. Another primary school in Kishangarh had children attending classes amidst cow dung and foul smell.Back



 

Irregularities’ in purchase of medicines
From Kulwinder Sangha

SAS NAGAR, Aug 30 — The Punjab Health Systems Corporation has detected alleged misappropriation and misutilisation of funds and irregularities in the purchase of medicines and other items at the local Civil Hospital and has sought the comments of the SMO in charge on the matter.

Sources said an internal audit of user charges of the hospital was conducted for the period beginning from the inception of the corporation to May 31, 1999. The audit team comprised Mr Rajiv Gupta, Section Officer (Audit), and Mr Sanjeev Goyal, Auditor, under the supervision of Mr J.P. Dhir, Assistant Manager (Audit).

A large number of patients at the hospital come from the poor sections and villages and pay charges (user charges) for various facilities.

The sources said the audit team found in the exercise conducted in July that medicines valued at Rs 2,48,632 were purchased during the period October, 1997, to May, 1999. The report said the SMO split up the demand for medicines to keep each purchase within the competence of the SMO on the ground of emergency. Many bills were kept below Rs 2,000 in violation of the instructions of the head office. It said although the demand for medicines was raised by the SMO from time to time, no proper sanction had been sought from the Deputy Medical Commissioner.

The report, according to the sources, said mostly the demand for medicines had been raised by the storekeeper without mentioning the actual demand/ stock position of the wing/doctor concerned and surprisingly the demand did not exceed Rs 2,000. The SMO, it said, made purchases of medicines only from one chemist shop, Medicine Centre, Sector 39, Chandigarh, being an emergency purchase which was a “clear cut manipulation”. On certain bills the storekeeper, the report said, had written the words “Not purchased by me”, indicating that the demand was got raised after the purchase.

The sources said the report indicated that in all purchases it had not been certified by any of the officers concerned that the rates were the lowest in the market and were reasonable.

Similarly, in the case of X-ray films and laboratory equipment, the SMO had split up the demand just to keep various bills below Rs 2,000 to avoid sanction of the higher authority. The report said in another case the medical equipment had been purchased from National Pharmaceuticals, Manimajra, which was far away from SAS Nagar.

The report further pointed out that how could such a purchase be termed as an emergency purchase. Moreover the purchase had been made without calling any quotation and the firm was also not an authorised dealer.

During September, 1997, X-ray films were purchased from M/s Hindustan Photo Films (a Government of India enterprise), Sector 22-D, Chandigarh. It was a single purchase for Rs 1,172 (one packet containing 50 films). Later from September 30 onwards X-ray films were purchased fortnightly from Shri Imaging and X-ray Films, Sector 22-C, Chandigarh, at the rate of Rs 1,250 plus sales tax, ignoring the government enterprise despite the fact that the quantity and the size of the film remained the same. Later, similar X-ray films were purchased at Rs 1,450 per pack from M/s Balwant Singh and Co without inviting quotations and without seeking proper sanction.

The sources said the audit team also found while checking medicine stocks on July 2, 1999, that medicines like Vitamin B complex and ferrous sulphate tablets, which were lying in the store, were having different batch numbers than the ones that were shown in the purchase bill.

The sources said the audit team also found that the present and the former SMOs had unauthorisedly made payments for residence telephone bills out of user charges. It also found that the present SMO, Dr Tirath Ram Goyal, had paid four telephone bills totalling Rs 11, 712 out of user charges for a telephone in the name of Mr B.D.Gupta of Panchkula.

The SMO was asked to explain the “misutilisation” and “misappropriation” of usercharges and deposit the remaining amount (a part of the money had already been deposited by Dr Goyal) with the officials concerned. Recovery was also ordered to be made from the former SMO, Dr Harinder Rana.

Dr Tirath Goyal could not be contacted for comments as he has gone abroad for training.

The Managing Director of the corporation, Mr S.S. Channy, was also not available for comments as he was reported to be on tour.Back



 

Scrapping of ISTC test resented
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — Students who had appeared for the entrance test for admission to a diploma course at the Indo-Swiss Training Centre, CSIO, Sector 30, and their parents have expressed shock and resentment at the sudden declaration of its results as null and void. They have have alleged that the notice with regard to the scrapping of the entrance test results was put up yesterday, just 24 hours before the admissions today.

Parents of some wards have alleged that following the declaration of the result of the entrance examination held on August 8, nearly 70 successful candidates were asked to join the course after submitting the fees, report of the medical board and migration certificates from their existing schools or colleges. However, when these selected candidates reached the venue today along with the required documents for interview, they were informed that the entrance test results had been scrapped and they would now have to reappear in the examination. The classes for the course were scheduled to begin on September 1.

Agitated parents were not able to get any satisfactory reply when they contacted the authorities concerned. One of the parents rued that now when students had got their migration certificates from their existing instutions, they were unable to attend even their previous classes. Moreover, admissions to all such courses in various institutes and universities had already been completed and this would mean a loss of one academic year for these students, said another parent. Official sources said they were forced to cancel the result due to detection of some serious error at the last minute and this would have a bearing on the results of certain selected candidates. In order to avoid any confusion, they plan to hold the entrance test again.

Parents have appealed to the Adviser to the UT Administrator to intervene in the matter and admit these students in this course without any further delay. Authorities should not play with the future of these students who would otherwise be forced to knock the doors of the court, they said.Back



 

Footpath workers hold rally
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — Members of the Footpath Workers Rozgar Bachao Samiti staged a rally here today in support of their demands.

The protesters, which included washermen, old book sellers, cobblers and tandoorwalas, assembled at the Sector 20 labour roundabout and marched in a procession towards the municipal corporation. They sat on a dharna and raised slogans against the indifferent attitude of the corporation towards their problems and also against the enforcement staff of the civic body.

The protesters alleged that the staff had consficated their goods and imposed stiff fines on them. They condemned the administration for not fulfilling its promise of allowing them to run their trade and not providing them with identity cards.

They alleged that at times they were ill-treated and harassed by the beat staff of various police stations. They resolved to continue the agitation if their demands were not met.Back



 

Pawan weighed against coins
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 —The Congress candidate for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, was weighed against coins at Raipur Khurd and Daria villages yesterday as he continued his door-to-door campaign.

Mr Bansal continued to emphasize the need for providing more funds to villages so that community centres, sports stadia and sanitation facilities could be provided. He also addressed election meetings in Sectors 15, 24 and 27-D besides other places. Mr Bansal also addressed a rally of footpath vendors.

In Sector 21-C, residents appreciated the efforts of Mr Bansal for getting "pucca" booths for auto mechanics. In Sector 30, Mr Bansal while addressing an election meeting stressed the need for need-based amendments to building bylaws.

Meanwhile, Baba Avtar Singh appealed to his followers to vote and support Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal who was determined to fight for retaining Chandigarh as a Union Territory and that Mr Bansal was an honest and intellectual politician.

A large number of office-bearers and activists of the Congress(S), including Mr P.D. Garg, Mr Jaspal Singh and others also announced their decision to join the Congress and work for Mr Pawan Bansal in the coming elections.Back



 

More support for BJP
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 —- The North Zone Ex-Defence Personnel Sangthan, which met here today under the chairmanship of Air Marshal Randhir Singh (retd), discussed various issues like pension, medical facilities at par with Central Government retirees and rehabilitation of war widows and decided to vote for the BJP and its allied candidates in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

The Sangthan has become the second organisation of ex-servicemen to support the BJP and its allied candididates. Earlier, the Indian Ex-Services League also decided to support the local BJP candidate.

In a pressnote, Air Marshal Randhir Singh said that after deliberations, assessments of the present political scenario in the country and to safeguard the interests of ex-servicemen in the foreseeable future, it was unanimously decided that all members of the Sangthan, their families and friends must vote for the BJP and its allied candidates in the coming elections.

Meanwhile, the local unit of the Janata Dal decided to extend its full support to the BJP in the comng Lok Sabha electuions. Talking to newsmen here this afternoon, Mr Surinder Bhardwaj, President of the unit, said that the Dal condemned the double standards of the Congress and demanded a clear stand on Chandigarh.

"While the President of the Congress, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, has announced to follow the Rajiv-Longowal accord after coming to power, Mr Pawan Bansal is saying that he will resign if Chandigarh goes to Punjab. Now the question is who is to be believed — Mrs Sonia Gandhi or Mr Pawan Bansal," Mr Bhardwaj said.

Mr Bhardwaj further said that the election manifesto of Mr Harmohan Dhawan in 1984 clearly said that Chandigarh must go to Punjab and in 1985 when the Rajiv-Longowal accord was signed, Mr Pawan Bansal was then a Rajya Sabha member from Punjab. "If Mr Pawan Bansal was supporter of Chandigarh, why did he not resign then. Now both these leaders are trying to mislead the people," Mr Bhardwaj said.

Mr Bhardwaj said that the question of "outsider" was not relevant as the Congress must answer about Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Dr Manmohan Singh, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad from Maharashtra, Mr Buta Singh from Rajasthan, Mrs Meera Kumar from Delhi and several others. Can Congress leaders say to which state Mrs Sheila Dixit belongs ? Mr Bhardwaj asked.

Mr Darshan Singh, Sarpanch of Behlana, today quit the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Meanwhile, Mr Krishan Lal Sharma, BJP candidate, yesterday visited Makhan Majra, Raipur Khurd, Behlana and Hallomajra villages where he assured the electorate that he would make sure that at the time of land acquisition, the farmers get suitable compensation and in addition a plot from the land acquired for his personal use.Back



 

‘Need to follow Vedic systems’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — Present education system was the biggest hurdle in the development of the nation, said Dr Girish Chandra Varma, Prime Minister of the Maharishi Global Administration Through Natural Law, while addressing a special convention here today.

Dr Varma is on a nationwide tour to create awareness among the masses about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's programme of consciousness-based education, Veda-based health programmes, agriculture, Indian defence and administration. He said incorporation of consciousness-based education in the curriculum would not only help in reforming the education system but also in establishing problem-free administration based on laws of nature.

The consciousness-based education system had the ability to develop creative potential of individuals and make them perfect human beings, capable of doing anything and achieving every goal in their lives, he said.

He said several commissions had been set up by the Government of India from time to time to reform the education system but no concrete and acceptable system had come forth so far. Since all these commissions were conceived by policy makers educated through the western system, they did not look towards the Vedic system of consciousness-based education.

The convention was organised by Maharishi Vidya Mandir to propagate Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Vedic science which aimed at making India supreme power in the world and establishing world peace through India.

Dr T.C. Pathak, Director of Public Relations and Communication of the Vidya Mandir Group, said since political parties were reluctant to implement Vedic principles, Ajeya Bharat Party was flouted just before the Lok Sabha elections in 1998. The party had contested 200 Lok Sabha seats in the country, including the Chandigarh seat, where it had fielded Mr Dilbagh Singh.Back



 

'Refrain from remarks against Sonia'
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, Aug 30 — The President of the Haryana Congress farmers and youth welfare committee and former technical education minister, Mr Chatter Pal Singh, yesterday warned the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders to refrain from making derogatory remarks against Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Chatter Pal Singh said if leaders like Mr Pramod Mahajan and Mr George Fernandes did not stop making such utterances, a situation would arise where peace and law and order in the country would be threatened. He accused Mr Vajpayee of being party to such remarks because of his silence on the issue.

Mr Chatter Pal Singh said he had visited Hisar, Faridabad, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Sonepat, Kurukshetra and Ambala during his campaign. He was confident that the Congress would win these Lok Sabha seats.

He claimed that the traditional vote bank of the Congress — scheduled castes and other backward classes — were returning to the Congress. Criticising the BJP over the Kargil issue, he said it was a lapse on the part of the BJP to have allowed intruders safe passage from the Indian side of the Line of Control.Back


 

Corporation meeting adjourned
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 —The 32nd meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC), which was scheduled for today, has been adjourned to September 7.

As soon as the meeting started, a former Mayor, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, and Mr Prem Sagar Jain, both from the BJP, were on their feet saying that the meeting should be adjourned as the model code of conduct was in progress and no new taxes could be levied.

Even as the Mayor, Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, wanted that the minutes of the last meeting be passed, the Congress councillors — Mr Gurcharan Dass Kala, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal and Ms Kamlesh — wanted that the letter written by Mr Gupta to the Chandigarh Administration seeking permission to levy property tax during his tenure as Mayor should be made public. Mr Gupta, however, denied that he had written such a letter.

The Congress leaders also wanted the Mayor to make clear the MCC's stand on the letter written by the Adviser to the Administrator, Mrs Vineeta Rai, regarding imposition of taxes such as property tax and sewerage tax and revision of water tariff to raise resources for the corporation.Back


 

SNIPPETS

Ayurvedic doctors raise demands
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — The Chandigarh Ayurvedic Doctors Association held their general body meeting at Maloya today, presided by its President, Dr Anwar Ali.

A charter of demands was released on the occasion. It stated that all ayurvedic doctors should be enrolled with the Chandigarh Administration and not with other states of the country, as was prevailing practice.

The association demanded that the medical certificates and bills prepared by them be approved by the Chandigarh Administration, which was not being done at present. The demand charter also asked for loan facilities and identity cards to be issued to them.

'Plexus 99' begins
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — Students of Government Medical College, Sector 32, began their four-day intra-college function 'Plexus 99' today afternoon on the college premises.

The function, which included various competitions between different batches of the college, was inaugurated by Prof N.K. Goel, In Charge of the Academics and Head of the Department of Pharmacology.

Students today participated in singing competitions, collage making, 'Ad-Fad' and 'Pictionary'. The events for tomorrow include 'mehndi' competition, 'antakshri' and dumb charades.

Nagar kirtan on Sept 8
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — At a meeting of the Nagar Kirtan Tal Mel Committee which was held yesterday at the Sector 34 gurdwara under the chairmanship of Major N.S. Rangi (retd), it was decided to organise a nagar kirtan procession crossing different parts of the city on September 8 to mark 'Parkash Utsav of Guru Granth Sahib'. The procession will start from the Sector 26 New Colony gurdwara and move through Sectors 28, 27, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 before terminating at the Sector 37-C gurdwara.

Complaint lodged
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — Members of the public waiting in a queue to deposit their telephone bills at the cash collection counter of the Telecom Department in sector 8 have alleged that the person manning the counter closed it before time and asked the public to come after 2 p.m.A complaint was lodged with the authorities.

Congress organised '84 riots: Tohra
From Our Correspondent

DERA BASSI, Aug 30 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President,Sarav Hind Akali Dal (SHAD), held the Congress responsible for the 1984 riots and Operation Bluestar and said the Congress had done nothing for the welfare of Punjab and Punjabis whenever it was in power.

Mr Tohra was addressing an election rally for Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra,SHAD candidate for the Patiala Lok Sabha seat, here today.

He also criticised Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, for creating differences among Akalis in the name of religion. He said Mr Badal had invited trouble for himself by interfering in the conduct of Sikh religious affairs. He also criticised the Akali government for not fulfilling the promises made before the last elections.

Arush, Sachin first in debate
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30 — Teams from 10 schools participated in a debate "India is entering the third millennium with lots of politicians but no statesman", organised by Vivek High School, Sector 38, here yesterday.

Arush Chopra and Sachin from St. Kabir School, Sector 26, got the first prize. Karan Bansal and Mehar Shergill bagged the second prize.Back



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