• Remarks on yatra decried

Calcutta 'lowered' Takht dignity
TALWANDI SABO, Jan 6 — There is a resentment among the people of this region against the statement of SGPC secretary, Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, that Damdama Sahib is not a recognised Takht.

Bakers cane-charged
CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — Agitating bakers and sweetmeat sellers of Punjab were subjected to a mild cane charge and the local police burst tear gas shells to disperse the agitators near the Parade Ground in Sector 17 here this evening.

• Hydel projects: 132 stations identified

End alliance with BJP, Badal urged
PATIALA, Jan 6 — The Punjab unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party today urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to end his party's alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in view of the latter's indifferent attitude towards the demands of the state.

"Inaccuracies" in SGPC calendar
CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — The World Sikh Intellectual Council, a wing of the SGPC, said here today that it would hold a meeting with the SGPC authorities for removing inaccuracies in a calendar published by the SGPC.

3 held for theft of iron rods
GURDASPUR, Jan 6 — The police has busted a gang of thieves involved in stealing of iron rods and other construction material from Ranjit Sagar Dam and arrested Surinder Singh and Joginder Singh, both residents of Samana and Narinder Singh, a resident of Shahpur Kandi in this district.

Manhandling of SHO: case against 9
FATEHGARH SAHIB, Jan 6 — The Gobindgarh police has registered a case under various sections of the IPC against Mr Rajinder Kumar Titu, Municipal Councillor, and eight others for allegedly misbehaving with the manhandling the SHO of Mandi Gobindgarh police station.

Denial of visa condemned
AMRITSAR, Jan 6 — The denial of visa to the Jathedar of Akal Takht here, Bhai Ranjit Singh, by the US Embassy at New Delhi has evoked wide spread condemnation by Sikh religious leaders, social activists and various Panthic organisations.

RC Sharma dies in accident
HOSHIARPUR, Jan 6 — Mr RC Sharma, Principal of the local J r Government Polytechnic and international cricket umpire, and Mr Jasbir Singh, Junior Assistant, died on the spot and six other employees of the polytechnic seriously were injured when a bus hit their jeep at Jaitpur near Mahilpur early morning today.

Prohibitory orders
HOSHIARPUR, Jan 6 — Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, District Magistrate Hoshiarpur, has passed an order prohibiting the use of military colour jeeps, vans and military uniforms by civilians throughout the district.

Plea to remove pay anomalies
MALERKOTLA, Jan 6 — The Gazetted School Officers Association, Punjab has demanded that the anomalies in grades of school officers be removed by the government immediately.

USA feared trouble in Takht chief's visit?
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — The cancellation of visa of the Akal Takht chief, Bhai Ranjit Singh, by the United States Embassy in Delhi yesterday is being viewed differently in political circles in Punjab.

While no one commented on record, it was stated clearly that both the Governments in USA and Canada feared that his provocative speeches could lead to trouble among the Sikhs in those two countries. Already, schism on the manner of partaking of langar has led to violence. One editor, Mr Tara Singh Hayer of the Indo-Canadian Times was killed, in Vancouver, while two Sikh youths had died earlier in Miami, USA.

Another Takht chief Bhai Manjit Singh from Kesgarh Sahib (Anandpur Sahib) is also slated to go to the USA and Canada and they do not see eye to eye on several issues.

It is also learnt that the Canadian Government had shared its concern with the US Government on the issue.

But the argument is that Bhai Ranjit Singh was given visa for 10 years earlier, an official here said. He asserted that there was no Indian hand in this since visa rules are very strictly followed by the governments and the security concerns rule all other considerations.

Reports also suggest that the SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, now fighting a big battle against the Akali Dal President and Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had rushed to Delhi to persuade Bhai Ranjit Singh not to leave Punjab for three weeks at the juncture.

There is some bending agenda — like summoning of Ajit's Editor, Mr Barjinder Singh Hamdard, for having published the news story about a banned book and also the crucial meeting tomorrow at Anandpur Sahib. Apparently, his job became easy with the US Embassy denying Bhai Ranjit Singh a visa.

There is also a section here which feels that a high dignitary like Bhai Ranjit Singh should not have been denied the visa.

Brahm Mohindra sticks to stand
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — Former Punjab Minister and a senior Congress leader, Mr Brahm Mohindra today reiterated his stand that the Congress, being a secular entity, should not organise religious marches.

Mr Mohindra here said that some leaders have misunderstood what he had stated. "I have the greatest respect for all religions and Sikhism is much more dear to us. We should celebrate the great event that is the tercentenary of birth of Khalsa, but not as a political party, only as individuals and in a very befitting manner. I had also suggested that some constructive programmes be launched," he said."I still strongly feel that a secular party like Congress should not be competing with a religion based political party like Akali Dal. We would be getting into the quagmire of communal politics. There shall be no end to this competition" he said.

Mr Mohindra said there had been just one meeting of the Congress party's state executive. That too was held at the residence of the president at Patiala. "At no point of time the issue of party organising a march and requesting the heads of Takhts of Sikh Gurdwaras was discussed. This decision was taken by the president alone at or at best by some other leaders with him," he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, PPCC general secretary said that Mr Mohindra should not make the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations or the ideology of the Congress a victim to his narrow personal policies and his own peculiar brand of district politics. "Not having received any place in the Pradesh Congress Committee, he was resorting to such outbursts in a sense of frustration. The Congress can do without such petty negativism," he said.

He said that the PPCC President, Capt Amarinder Singh held a meeting of the PCC Executive in November 1998, wherein a decision to this effect was taken. "The Congress believes in religion as a source of strength for mankind but does not believe mixing it with politics, as the Akalis do. That is our strength and the Akalis' weakness," he said.

Mohindra's remarks on yatra decried
From Our Correspondent

ABOHAR, Jan 6 — In a joint statement issued today, Mr Bal Mukand Sharma, Vice-President of the PPCC, Mr Gurnaib Singh Brar, Mr Mohinder Rinwa (Fazilka), Mr Hans Raj Josan (Jalalabad) and Mr Babu Ram Chawla Balluana, (all former MLAs), condemned the 'irresponsible' remarks of Mr Brahm Mohindra against the 'sarb-bans' yatra to mark the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations.

Mr Mohindra's objections to the celebrations, they alleged, revealed his own 'anti-secular' attitude. They demanded that he should admit the reasons for not raising these objections when the matter was discussed at the PPCC executive meeting chaired by the party President, Capt Amarinder Singh, in December.

The senior Congress leaders took exception to the former Medical Education Minister's statement that Mr Jagmit Singh Brar was 'reprimanded' by Capt Amarinder Singh for his initiative to organise the Degh-Tegh-Fateh march. Mr Mohindra's remarks were 'totally false' and 'baseless'. On the contrary, they claimed, the party president had appreciated and lauded the efforts and initative of Mr Brar to mobilise party workers for the march.

They alleged that Mr Mohindra's action of going to the Press to air his differences amounted to indiscipline.

Several other senior functionaries of the party have urged the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, to immediately refer the matter to the disciplinary committee.

Calcutta 'lowered' Takht dignity
Tribune News Service

TALWANDI SABO, Jan 6 — There is a resentment among the people of this region against the statement of SGPC secretary, Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, that Damdama Sahib is not a recognised Takht.

Residents of this town and surrounding areas say Takht Sri Damdama Sahib does not need recognition by any government or other institution. Mr Gopal Singh Mittal, advocate, whose ancestors stopped cutting their hair and added "Singh" to their names after the visit of Guru Gobind Singh here, talking to TNS, said the statement by Mr Calcutta had hurt the sentiments of many Hindu families who followed Sikh rituals on every occasion.

Mr Daljit Singh Brar, president, Shiromani Akali Dal, Bathinda, said certain leaders were raising controversy over the Takhts for political end which was not good for the Sikh community.

According to historical accounts, Guru Gobind Singh stayed here for nine months and nine days and got Bhai Mani Singh to complete the written version of the "Damdami beed". The Bani of the ninth Guru, Teg Bahadur, was inducted into Guru Granth Sahib at this place. The town was called as "Kanshi of Sikhs" and "Guru ki Kanshi".

According to historians, more than 20,000 persons were administered 'amrit' at Anandpur Sahib when Baisakhi was first celebrated here. On the second occasion, the number of followers reached more than a lakh.

A senior SGPC member pleading anonymity alleged that while the SGPC was making efforts to make Damdama Sahib a seat of learning by opening education institutions here, Mr Calcutta by his statement had tried to lower the dignity of the Takht. The Punjab Government was planning to open a medical college and university here, he said.

LUDHIANA (PTI): Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said here on Wednesday that Takht Damdama Sahib in Bathinda district "is a regular Takht, which is one among the five (Sikh Takhts)."

"Takht Damdama Sahib is a regular authority and accepted by the SGPC", he said, commenting on the statement of certain Sikh leaders that the Takht was not a regular one and the presence of its Jathedar was not mandatory at the time of issuance of "Hukamnana".

Mr Badal said as per established tradition, the Head Priest of Takht Damdama Sahib participated in the meetings of five Sikh Head Priests.

Without commenting on whether the party or the SGPC was supreme , he said an overwhelming majority of SGPC members had won elections to the SGPC on the Akali Dal ticket.

He said a joint meeting of office-bearers of the two bodies would be held at Anandpur Sahib on Thursday to take stock of the progress of the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa.

Mr Badal described the recent utterances of SGPC Secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta, who was among the five ministers who resigned from the ministry recently, as "totally uncalled for, irresponsible and illogical."

Mr Jagroop Singh Gill, organising secretary, PPCC, said the religious and historical importance of Takht Damdama Sahib was unquestionable.

Mr Kewal Singh, Jathedar, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, could not be contacted despite repeated efforts.

State to be surplus in power: CM
Tribune News Service

PAYAL (Ludhiana), Jan 6 — The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today said that Punjab would soon become surplus in power with the commissioning of Ranjit Sagar (Thein Dam) and several other power generation projects.

Addressing a big gathering here, the Chief Minister said the Ranjit Sagar dam would be completed by next month and would be inaugurated by the Prime Minister or some other VVIP in February. The project would cost around Rs 3000 crore and would supply 600 mw of power to the state grid besides providing irrigation to 3.84 lakh hectares of land. He said two units of 210 mw each of Lehra Mohabbat thermal power plant had been completed. Another power plant of 700 mw capacity had been cleared and work would start soon.

Mr Badal said that Rs 16,000 crore oil refinery being set up in Bathinda would revolutionise the Punjab economy and the present government had been able to bring investment of Rs 40,000 crore in the last two years. He pointed out that only Rs 14,000 crore was invested in this state since Independence in the industrial field in the private as well as the public sectors.

The Chief Minister said successive Congress governments had ruined Punjab socially, economically and religiously. He alleged that the Congress had proven to be more inimical to the interests of Punjab than the Mughals.

He exhorted farmers to diversify the cropping pattern and grow more vegetables and fruits.

Prominent among those who addressed the meeting included Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal, MP, Mr Jagdish Singh Garcha, Mr Sadhu Singh Ghudani and Mr Bachan Singh Cheema, MLAs.

Hydel projects: 132 stations identified
From Our Correspondent

FARIDKOT, Jan 6 — The Punjab Government has identified 132 stations for setting up mini hydel projects to generate more electricity in the state. Work on the projects would start in April and be completed by the end of 2000 A.D.

The hydel projects would produce 300 mw of power, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Minister of State for Industries said at a press conference here today.

The second unit of the Lehra Mohabbat Thermal Plant and the Thein Dam near Bathinda and Pathankot, respectively, would be commissioned in the next two months. These would generate 1800 mw more power in the state. Steps were also being taken to streamline the Goindwal Hydel Project.

Mr Sukhbir Singh said the state would earn Rs 700 crore through sale tax after the completion of the Indian Oil refinery project at Phoolkheri village near Bathinda.

The Union Minister said the Centre had granted approval to various multinational companies to install 200 food processing units in the state. In reply to a question, he said a high-level meeting would be held here on January 27 to give a final shape to the plan to construct Baba Farid University of Medical and Health Sciences.

Mr Sukhbir Singh said the state government had granted Rs 2.30 crore for more facilities to the local Guru Gobind Singh Medical Hospital. Later, he inaugurated a rural water supply scheme at Memoana village.

Protesting bakers cane-charged
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — Agitating bakers and sweetmeat sellers of Punjab were subjected to a mild cane charge and the local police burst tear gas shells to disperse the agitators near the Parade Ground in Sector 17 here this evening.

As many as four persons were detained by the police and several others who received injuries in the cane charge were discharged after first- aid from the Sector 16 General Hospital.

Hundreds of protesters assembled near the Parade Ground, braving the downpour and chilly winds from various parts of the state since morning. The protesters were carrying black flags and banners, condemning the levying of 5 per cent sales tax on their products. They also raised slogans against the state government.

The agitators have been carrying on with their protests over the past few weeks and had been putting up the shutters of their shops.

This is the second phase of the agitation and in the next phase they will from now on, gherao the Chief Minister at all official functions in the state.

A call to this effect was given by the Punjab Bakers and Halwai Association here today after passing a resolution, according to Mr Sudesh Vij, spokesperson of the sangharsh samiti set up by the association in this regard.

A deputation was later called to meet the Finance Minister but on reaching the place minister's staff said he was busy elsewhere. Subsequently the members after waiting for two hours returned to the venue of the sit- in and passed the above resolution.

According to the protesters, the police suddenly swung into action and cane-charged them while they were returning to the ground opposite the Parade Ground where they had parked their vehicles. They alleged that they were forcibly taken out of their vehicles and beaten up. The panes and windscreens of many vehicles were smashed by cops.

Many of their members were also missing, they claimed. The police impounded many vehicles, they said.

"Urja gram" inaugurated
From Our Correspondent

HOSHIARPUR, Jan 6 — Union Coal Ministry Secretary Swarn Singh Boparai inaugurated the first "Akshay Urja Gram" in Punjab at Bassi Kaso village, 15 km from here, today.

He distributed solar devices such as solar lanterns, solar home lighting systems and solar cookers to all 54 families in the village.

Under the scheme, all houses in the village will have solar appliances for meeting their daily energy needs. The entire village has been covered to provide these solar devices at a cost of Rs 12 lakh.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Boparai stressed the need for adopting non-conventional devices — in a big way as these were non-polluting and environment friendly. He said the Union Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources had been promoting the use of non-conventional energy by providing liberal fiscal incentives under various programmes since the past two decades.

Mr Janak Ram, general manager, IREDA, spoke on the soft loan incentives being provided by the organisation. Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, encouraged the people to adopt non-conventional technology for solving energy problems of the country.

Mr SS Sekhon, Director, Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), spoke on the activities of PEDA in the area of renewable energy.

Youths being ferried to Greece drowned
From Our Correspondent

PHAGWARA, Jan 6 — The Malta boat tragedy has not dampened the craze among youths of Doaba region for seeking greener pastures in foreign lands.

It was learnt here last evening that five youths including, Rampal of nearby Athouli village, were drowned after their boat was rocked by sea waves near Greece when they were being illegally ferried from Lebanon to Greece in December last year.

The boat had 75 persons, including 30 Indians and 27 Pakistanis.The five persons jumped into the sea in panic .

However, others stayed in the boat and were saved as the boat got stuck up in silt. Narrating the tale, Ramlal, the brother of deceased Rampal, said while three bodies were found two could not be traced.

Ramlal, who lives in Italy, brought the body of his brother to Athouli recently for cremation.

Rampal is survived by his wife, two children and aged parents.

End alliance with BJP, Badal urged
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Jan 6 — The Punjab unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party today urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to end his party's alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in view of the latter's indifferent attitude towards the demands of the state.

Addressing a press conference here, BSP General Secretary Avtar Singh Karimpuri and former MP Harbhajan Singh Lakha said the demands of Punjab, including the transfer of Chandigarh and sharing of river waters, were still not accepted even though the Akali Dal was an alliance partner of the BJP at both the Centre and the state.

They said the BJP had even taken upon itself the task of working against the interests of the Akali Dal. Even though the Akali Dal stand on the status of Udham Singh Nagar was clear, the Uttar Pradesh Government had decided to disband the newly created district and merge it with Nainital ensuring it became a part of the proposed Uttaranchal state.

Mr Karampuri and Mr Lakha said the party had taken stock of the Adampur defeat and had decided to mobilise party workers for an "apni shakti banao" campaign to gather the Bahujan Samaj under one banner. They said the campaign would also prepare party men to fight for the implementation of a six point programme including the enactment of a reservation act, implementation of the Mandal Commission report in totality and strict implementation of the SC/ST atrocities prevention Act.

"Inaccuracies" in SGPC calendar
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 6 — The World Sikh Intellectual Council, a wing of the SGPC, said here today that it would hold a meeting with the SGPC authorities for removing inaccuracies in a calendar published by the SGPC.

Mr Baldev Singh Baluana, President of the Council said that the dates of "gurpuravs" and other Sikh festivals were inaccurate in the calendar.

He said that he had received complaints that certain persons were misusing the name of his organisation which was a registered body. He said that he would initiate legal action against those found misusing the name of the organisation.

3 held for theft of iron rods
From Our Correspondent

GURDASPUR, Jan 6 — The police has busted a gang of thieves involved in stealing of iron rods and other construction material from Ranjit Sagar Dam and arrested Surinder Singh and Joginder Singh, both residents of Samana and Narinder Singh, a resident of Shahpur Kandi in this district.

Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, said stolen iron rods worth Rs 30,000 had been recovered from their possession.

The theft was detected by a police naka party headed by Mr Rattan Singh, Station House Officer, Dhar Kalan, during checking of vehicles on Dalhousie Road last night.

The district police chief said during preliminary interrogation the accused confessed that they had stolen the iron rods from the dam. The rods were being carried in a truck to Pathankot where these were to be sold to scrap dealers. The police has registered a case under Sections 379 and 411 of the IPC.

The police has registered several cases of theft of iron rods, spare parts and cement from Ranjit Sagar Dam since 1996 and recovered stolen goods worth over Rs 5.5 lakh.

Manhandling of SHO: case against 9
From Our Correspondent

FATEHGARH SAHIB, Jan 6 — The Gobindgarh police has registered a case under various sections of the IPC against Mr Rajinder Kumar Titu, Municipal Councillor, and eight others for allegedly misbehaving with the manhandling the SHO of Mandi Gobindgarh police station.

Mr Paramraj Singh Dhaliwal, SSP, told media persons that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident and the SP(D) had been deputed to submit a report in this regard within three days.

Meanwhile, the SHO concerned has been transferred to Patiala on the direction of Mr Sanjeev Gupta, DIG, Patiala Range. Mr Gupta denied that he had blamed any MLA for the incident.

Earlier, the SSP held a meeting with senior residents of the town yesterday. He appealed to them not to take law into their hands and criticised the 'manhandling' of the SHO by Mr Titu and his supporters.

Denial of visa condemned
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, Jan 6 — The denial of visa to the Jathedar of Akal Takht here, Bhai Ranjit Singh, by the US Embassy at New Delhi has evoked wide spread condemnation by Sikh religious leaders, social activists and various Panthic organisations.

Political observers here link the denial of permission to visit the USA to the ongoing feud between the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and the SGPC Chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra.

A former honorary secretary of the Chief Khalsa Dewan Mr Dilbir Singh, described the US Embassy's decision as 'deplorable'.

Interestingly, only two days ago the Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Prof Manjit Singh, left for his US visit. Religious leaders suspect that certain Akali leaders inimical to Bhai Ranjit Singh may have pulled strings to get visa denied to him.

RC Sharma dies in accident
From Our Correspondent

HOSHIARPUR, Jan 6 — Mr RC Sharma, Principal of the local J r Government Polytechnic and international cricket umpire, and Mr Jasbir Singh, Junior Assistant, died on the spot and six other employees of the polytechnic seriously were injured when a bus hit their jeep at Jaitpur near Mahilpur early morning today.

The injured were taken to the local Civil Hospital. The injured employees have been identified as Mr VP Bagga, Mr Baljit Singh, Mr Ajit Singh, Mr VK Aggarwal and driver of the jeep. The jeep was on its way to Chandigarh when the mishap occurred.

Prohibitory orders
From Our Correspondent

HOSHIARPUR, Jan 6 — Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, District Magistrate Hoshiarpur, has passed an order prohibiting the use of military colour jeeps, vans and military uniforms by civilians throughout the district. He has also banned the playing of tape recorders and screening of video films in passenger buses of private transport companies.

The District Magistrate has reimposed Section 144 CrPC in the district and has banned the assembly of five or more than five persons, taking out of processions, raising slogans and carrying of all types of weapons and use of loudspeakers in public places.

House owners have been instructed to provide complete information regarding their tenants to the nearest police station. All these orders will remain in force till March 2.

Plea to remove pay anomalies
From Our Correspondent

MALERKOTLA, Jan 6 — The Gazetted School Officers Association, Punjab has demanded that the anomalies in grades of school officers be removed by the government immediately.

In a press note issued here today, Mr Joginder Singh Aulakh, President of the Association demanded a grade of Rs 18699-22100 for DPIs of Rs 14300-18600 for Deputy Director, of Rs 12000-16350 for DEOs and also a special allowance of Rs 1000, Rs 800 and Rs 600 respectively for all these posts.

Mr Aulakh also sought the grade of Rs 10025-15100 for all categories equivalent to school principals and a special allowance of Rs 500 to all these categories.