Friday, February 12, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Friday, February 12, 1999 |
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Sikhs,
Punjabis won’t ‘forgive Badal’ Life
convicts’ bail pleas rejected |
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Violence
won’t be allowed: PYC Kushabhau's
visit on Feb 19 No
takers for opening Abohar's ITI Bar
council decision on advocates Admission
eligibility relaxed Stress
on overall health of animals |
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Sikhs,
Punjabis won’t ‘forgive Badal’ CHANDIGARH, Feb 11 — Punjabis in general and Sikhs in particular will never forgive the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for the manner in which he got Bhai Ranjit Singh, Jathedar of Akal Takht, removed, said Mr G.S. Grewal, a former Advocate-General of Punjab. Mr Grewal in a signed statement said: "Mr Badal got Bhai Ranjit Singh treated as a third-rate employee of the SGPC. He ought to have kept in mind that Bhai Ranjit Singh was the head of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs". Mr Grewal added that it was unending ambition and wrong priorities of Mr Badal that led him to a direct confrontation with the institution of Akal Takht. "He gave an importance to the Jathedar of Akal Takht in planning various projects which the state wanted to initiate at the 300th birth celebrations of the Khalsa Panth". Instead, Mr Badal chose to give importance to those people whom Bhai Ranjit Singh abhorred. As Chief Minister of the state Mr Badal also wanted to dominate the religious body with the help of ‘tainted men’. The conflict is inevitable". Akal Takht occupies a unique place in the minds of the Sikh community, said Mr Grewal. He added that "mighty kings like Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Chief Ministers like Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, took pride in humbling themselves before Akal Takht. However, Mr Badal adopted a different path which would prove suicidal for him and the state". Mr Grewal said in 1994 Mr Badal had challenged Akal Takht and all other leaders. At that time he rode the horse of a popular democratic wave and Akal Takht Jathedar, Bhai Ranjit Singh, was interfering in political matters. The people of Punjab extended Mr Badal all possible moral support and the Jathedar of Takht avoided a direct conflict with him. The former
Advocate-General said now Mr Badal is the Chief Minister
and he has himself chosen to humiliate the institution of
Akal Takht and humble its incumbent. It is Mr Badal who
is intruding into religious affairs of the Sikhs. |
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Life
convicts’ bail pleas rejected CHANDIGARH, Feb 11 — Mr Justice V.K. Bali and Mr Justice A.S. Garg today refused bail to Gurdial Singh and Sunil Kumar convicted and sentenced for life imprisonment for murder of Khub Chand Mahant and Ravinder Pal Singh, alias Rubi. Co-accused Daksh Parajapati, son of Mahant Kalayat Dass, Jaswinder Singh and Pattu allegedly kidnapped and murdered Khub Chand Mahant and Ravinder Pal Singh and destroyed evidence of the murder on October 28, 1993. The complaint over the disappearance of the deceased was lodged by Mr Hardial Singh Baggi, a correspondent of Samana, besides the father and father-in-law of the deceased. Mahant Khub Chand had a property dispute with his brothers, Gurparshad and Darshan Lal. The recovery of some
stamped papers with thumb impressions, a wrist-watch were
clues to the murder. After trial, the applicants were
convicted. |
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4
arrested for cheating bank FEROZEPORE, Feb 11 — Four of the seven-member gang, who allegedly defrauded the city branch of the State Bank of Patiala of Rs 42.17 lakh in 1998, have been arrested by the district police. The SSP, Mr Gurcharan Singh Pherurai, told newspersons here today that the police had recovered Rs 6.92 lakh from the arrested. He said besides, currency notes, the police had recovered two Maruti cars, a Yamaha motor cycle and two mobile phones. These were purchased out of the defrauded money by the alleged accused, he added. The arrested had been identified as — Deepak Kumar, alias Pardeep Kumar, alias Bittu of Faridkot, now a resident of Panchkula, Sukhjit Kumar, alias Sonu, alias Raj Kumar, a resident of Faridkot, Surinder Kumar, a resident of Ferozepore cantonment and Surinderpal Singh, a resident of Faridkot. Their accomplices who were yet to be arrested were Surjit Singh, alias Bhalwan, alias Doctor, a resident of Ghungrali village under Samrala police station, Kashmir Singh, alias Happy, alias Harpreet Singh, a resident of Faridkot and Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Faridkot, he said. The SSP said an FIR against the accused was registered under Sections 420/467/468/471 and 120-B of the IPC on February 18 last on a complaint lodged by the bank's branch manager, Mr Varinder Kumar, who informed the police that Deepak Kumar of M/s Singla Construction Company, Basti Balochan, Ferozepore city opened a current account by depositing Rs 1,000 on April 24. Mr Pherurai said Deepak Kumar in connivance with certain bank officials, including Surinder Kumar, clerk, State Bank of Patiala here, got encashed 19 fake cheques worth Rs 42.17 lakh. The modus operandi of Deepak Kumar was that he deposited fake cheques issued on the State Bank of India, Mohali by M/s Pal Enterprises Co. Mohali, in his account here. These cheques were to be sent to SBI, Mohali for clearance by post. But, Surinder Kumar, clerk-cum-cashier, used to give these cheques to Deepak Kumar personally and Deepak Kumar returned these cheques, by post, to the SBP here, with the fake stamps of the SBI, Mohali, showing clearance. The SSP said on November
16, Deepak Kumar got his current account closed. And,
when branch manager of the SBP, Ferozepore city,
contacted SBI, Mohali, he was told that no account
existed in the name of M/s Pal Enterprises Co., Mohali. |
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Violence
won’t be allowed: PYC BATHINDA, Feb 11 — The Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) President, Mr Devinder Singh Babbu, today said the Congress would not allow anybody to disturb peace in Punjab which was established by late Chief Minister Beant Singh. Addressing a press conference here, he said the Punjab Government should take legal action against all those who were trying to disturb the law and order situation. He added if the Punjab Government failed to take action in this regard the PYC was ready to make sacrifices for maintaining hard-won peace in Punjab. He alleged to promote the political career of Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had ignored the interests of the state. The SAD-BJP combine government of Punjab had failed to deliver the goods. He said under the poverty eradication programme, the state government seemed to have started finishing the poor and not poverty. He disclosed office-bearers of the state body and district presidents of the PYC would be nominated by the end of this month. He added that merit would be followed while making these appointments. He said it had been made clear to every Youth Congress worker that no money or gift could get them any post in the organisation. He said he would try to give 33 per cent representation to women and 20 per cent representation to SCs and OBCs in the state body and district units. Mr Babbu said the Youth Congress workers would launch a campaign from March 1, 1999, against obscene posters of movies, chemists selling intoxicants and other social evils. He added that the Punjab Youth Congress would organise five big blood donation camps from April 13, 1999 to April 13, 2000, to celebrate the tercentenary of the birth of the Khalsa. He said one such camp would be inaugurated by the AICC President Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Mr Babbu said PYC workers
would join the kar seva at Durgiana Mandir on February 22
at Amritsar. He said the PYC workers would also take part
in large numbers in the Deg Teg Fateh Sarbans Danni
Shardha Yatra being taken out by the party on the eve of
the tercentenary of the birth of the Khalsa. |
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DCC
expels 6 members PATIALA, Feb 11 — The District Congress Committee (Urban) has expelled six senior Congress leaders of the party from its primary membership for six years on charges of indiscipline. Disclosing this here today DCC (Urban) president Ved Prakash Gupta said a decision to this effect was taken at an executive committee meeting which was attended by block Congress presidents and heads of different frontal organisations of the party. The meeting discussed the reply of the six Congressmen to the show-cause notice issued to them and found that the reply was unsatisfactory. The DCC had earlier issued notices to the six leaders following a joint statement made by them in defence of former minister Brahm Mohindra who had questioned the PPCC decision to organise a march to celebrate the tercentenary of the birth of the Khalsa. The leaders had also pointed out that certain members of the disciplinary action committee of the PPCC were themselves facing charges of corruption. They had also allegedly misused their official position in the party while issuing the statement. The leaders expelled are
Raj Kumar Malhotra, a former senior vice-president of the
DCC, Mr Jagdeep Singh Deepa, a former organising
secretary, Mr Bhupinder Bhupi, a former general secretary
of the Kisan Cell. Mr Sant Lal Banga, vice-president, Mr
Mahesh Malhotra, general secretary and Mr Sharanjit
Singh, a former Municipal Commissioner. |
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Kushabhau's
visit on Feb 19 PHILLAUR, Feb 11 —
The All-India BJP President, Mr Kushabhau Thakre, will
now visit Punjab on February 19. Earlier Mr Thakre was
due to visit the state on February 20. This was stated
here today by Punjab Food and Supplies Minister Mr Madan
Mohan Mittal. The change has been effected due to Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's programme of Pakistan in
a special Indo-Pak bus on February 20, Mr Mittal added. |
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No
takers for opening Abohar's ITI ABOHAR: The government has not been able to start classes at the ITI here even two years after the building being ready. This was one of the major demands of the people here, Mr Sajjan Kumar Jakhar, a former minister, pointed out at a press conference earlier this week. He said Mr Beant Singh had sanctioned the ITI for this subdivision. The project was implemented when Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal took over as Chief Minister. The then Secretary for Technical Education, Mr P D Vashisht, had not only cleared it but decided that classes should start from June 1997, but after the change in government no effort was made to implement the decision. Accusing the SAD-BJP combine government of adopting an indifferent attitude towards this subdivision, Mr Jakhar, who is the DPCC chief, said the district planning board had cleared scores of development projects when the Congress was in power but non no development works were visible in the rural or urban areas. Entry roads to this town were in the same condition that prevailed in 1992, when the Congress took over. The Municipal Council had not bothered to improve the condition of slums. The bus stand had a shabby look. Neither the sewerage system nor the water works functioned properly. If the council was not in a position to run the water supply and sewerage, it should hand it over to the PWSSB. The council, too, had not been given grants. The police worked under financial and political strain. The authorities had failed to pay the telephone bills of police stations. Employees, pensioners and contractors visiting banks to encash government cheques were denied payments. Ministers were not available in their offices as they were busy only in securing SGPC members support for the Chief Minister. In the past the state governments were busy with budget proposals, but now the ministers had no time for this exercise. They were engaged in the factional feud. Mr Jakhar described the campaign against corruption as a farce. He said those booked by the vigilance officers had either not been suspended or had been reinstated for a "consideration". "Corrupt" employees were working in their original seats ignoring transfer orders. People had started stating that corruption had been "nationalised" in the state. He observed that the drain
constructed in this subdivision was proving to be a curse
allegedly due to improper digging and designing. In fact
the Akalis' rule had proved to be unfortunate for
farmers, he said. |
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Bar
council decision on advocates CHANDIGARH, Feb 11 — The Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana has decided that henceforth no judicial officer or government employee either retired prematurely or dismissed from service would be enrolled as an advocate. A press note issued by the Bar Council said that those advocates who had not been affixing welfare stamps on the memorandum of appearance would be liable to penalty. While the first time defaulter would be let off with a warning, the second time defaulter would have to pay five times penalty. The third time defaulters would be required to pay 10 times, the amount of stamps by way of penalty. And if an advocate did not adhere to the decision of the Bar Council even after the third time warning, his case would be referred to the disciplinary committee for necessary action. The press note added that out of the collections made under this head, a sum of Rs 7 lakh was disbursed to families of deceased advocates who deserved financial help. The Bar Council appealed
to all advocates to extend their cooperation in this
matter for the welfare of advocates. |
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Admission
eligibility relaxed CHANDIGARH, Feb 11 — The Punjab Medical Education Department has relaxed 50 per cent marks eligibility condition in P.G. entrance courses in medical colleges to 40 per cent, while the condition has been totally waived for P.G. admissions in Basic departments. Dr M.S. Randhawa, Dr D.S. Gill and Dr Manjit Singh, Patron, President and General Secretary, respectively, of the PCMS Association said today that this was stated by the Secretary Medical Education and Research Punjab during a meeting with the Association today. The Association has urged the Secretary Medical Education Punjab to implement the recommendation of Health department to give weightage of length of rural service for Post Graduate courses to encourage the doctors to serve in rural areas. The Association also
conveyed to the Secretary, strong resentment prevailing
among the PCMS doctors over the failure of the Medical
Education Department in implementing these
recommendations even last year. |
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Stress
on overall health of animals LUDHIANA, Feb 11 — To improve the reproductive capacity of animals, good quality semen is very important. This vital aspect is currently neglected in the artificial insemination programmes as the reproductive defects are usually attributed to female animals. These views were expressed by Dr M.L. Madan, a former Deputy Director-General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Delhi, while addressing the annual convention and national symposium on biotechniques in optimising fertilising in farm animals organised by the Indian Society for the Study of Animal Reproduction (ISSAR) here yesterday. More than 400 delegates from all over the country are attending the symposium. Dr Madan emphasised that veterinarians must have skills in production of heat, pregnancy diagnosis and solving problems related at the time of delivery of new born calves. He also advocated stress on the overall health of animals rather than an isolated discussion on different subjects. In view of the increasing population and decreasing per capita availability of land, the livestock held the key to future economic development of the country. Dr G.S. Kalkat, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, in his presidential address, suggested that scientists should come out with a concrete solution for the systematic culling of unproductive animals which were putting a great burden on the already scarce resources. He also suggested that specific objectives should be set in order to achieve the overall aim of improving the production efficiency of the livestock through improved healthcare, proper nutrition, scientific reproductive techniques like biotechnology and efficient management. Earlier, Dr S.N. Maurya,
Secretary, ISSAR, highlighted the achievements of the
society since its inception. Dr Mehar Singh, president,
ISSAR, while welcoming the delegates said it was not only
the genital diseases that affected reproduction but most
systemic, metabolic and deficiency diseases also resulted
in reproductive failures. |
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