Saturday, May 15, 1999
|
P U N J A B | |
Saturday, May 15, 1999 |
| weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
 |
||
|
Badal,
4,000 others baptised CM's baptism a fraud, says Tohra
camp |
 |
|
|||||||||
|
Farmers
may face DAP shortage
Bhoma stakes claim to SAD ticket Cong-Left tie-up likely States let down BBMB
Aviation club staff not paid 15
months' arrears, bonus HC summons HPSC record 'Drop cases against agri officers' Self-destructive step: Chandumajra
Ramoowalia flays SAD, BJP Medical students hold dharna |
|||||||||||
 |
||||
Badal, 4,000 others baptised ANANDPUR SAHIB, May 14 — Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Dr Rattan Singh and Mr Sucha Singh Langah, all Punjab ministers; and Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Mr Raj Mahinder Singh Majitha, all members of the Rajya Sabha, today, go themselves baptised at a mass baptism ceremony, at the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and at four other places in the Takht complex here. More than 4000 persons, including women and children were administered 'amrit' at the ceremony. Besides the Chief Minister, ministers and members of the Rajya Sabha, Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal, a member of the dissolved Lok Sabha; Master Tara Singh Ladhal and Mr Vir Singh Lopoke, both MLAs, were also baptised by the Panj Piaras. Besides, Mr Parkash Singh Bada, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Mr Dhindsa and Mr Bhunder, the remaining eight Akali leaders were baptised for the first time. Mr Badal, for violating the code of conduct of an "Amritdhari' Sikh, on medical grounds or inadvertently, was given a religious punishment by the Panj Piaras and asked to do the 'Path' of Japji Sahib one more time a day for some days. Today's mass baptism ceremony was held especially for the top Sikh leadership on the directive of the Jathedar Akal Takht, Giani Puran Singh. The direction was issued on April 29 last at a thanksgiving function, held at the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib here. It is worth mentioning here that by getting themselves baptised today, senior leaders like Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Mr Dhindsa and Mr Bhunder had blunted criticism, by Mr Tohra and his supporters that they were apostates. Later, Mr Badal, in reply to a question said that he had not got himself baptised under any political compulsion. Giani Puran Singh, Jathedar of Akal Takht, talking to TNS here, said that he also felt happy at Akali leaders and a large number of common Sikhs being baptised, today. He expressed the hope that those, who had so far not got themselves baptised, would take steps for becoming Amritdhari Sikhs soon. Regarding a new date for such a mass baptism, the Jathedar said, he would not announce a fresh date for the purpose. After the baptism ceremony, Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, presented siropas to Mr Badal, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Mr Dhindsa, Mr Bhunder, Mr Langah, Mr Aliwal and others at the Takht. Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Giani Bhagwan Singh, head granthi of Sri Akal Takht, Sant Baba Kashmira Singh and Bibi Jagir Kaur, President of SGPC were also present here. The police presence, though intended to be unobtrusive with policemen in plain clothes including Mr Jagdish Singh Kahlon, SP (Detective), Ropar struck a jarring note when they started searching the bodies of Amrit seekers before their entry into the room where they were to be baptised along with the Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal. When Prof Manjit Singh,
received information of the body search, he immediately
rushed to the site and stopped the policemen from
continuing. |
||
CM's baptism a fraud, says
Tohra camp JALANDHAR, May 14 — Tohra loyalists have termed baptism of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal a charade to assuage hurt Sikh sentiments affirming that he would not be accepted as Amaritdhari Sikh till his wife was also got initiated into the Khalsa order according to the Sikh rites. Three Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee members Surjit Singh Cheema, Sarup Singh Desi, and Sarabjit Singh Bariana, addressing a press conference, said that the entire charade of baptism was a damage-control exercise to win back the traditional vote bank, which was against the "victimisation of Bhai Ranjit Singh and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. The Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Puran Singh, the Jathedar, Keshgarh Sahib, Prof Manjit Singh, and Giani Kewal Singh of Damdama Sahib had done disservice to the Panth, by indulging in such a "hypocritical baptism", they added. Demanding Mr Badal’s resignation on moral grounds after losing the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee elections the SGPC members, said "he has no right to be the party president". They also demanded that he should tender an apology to Bhai Ranjit Singh, for which was deadline May 20. Meanwhile, the SGPC members said, if Mr Badal defied the deadline, he would be signing his "defeat" in the coming Parliamentary elections. A close Tohra aide and member of the SGPC Mr Surjit Singh Cheema who heads the 51-member "struggle committee" formed by the Tohra camp to fight for reinstatement of sacked Jathedar Ranjit Singh said the senior clerics present the Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib today where Mr Badal and a number of ministers and legislators partook of Amrit were all "frauds". "Under the Sikh code of conduct sanctity of the Amrit is violated if the spouse is not Amritdhari, Mr Badal cannot be considered a true Sikh as his wife has chosen not to get herself baptised" Mr Cheema said. Former Akal Takht
Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode said if Mr Badal was really
serious about today's baptism, the first thing he should
do is to reinstate Ranjit Singh as Jathedar of top
temporal seat of the community. |
||
Badal holds talks with Baba
Ajit Singh FATEHGARH SAHIB, May 14 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, yesterday denied that there was any political or financial crisis in the state. He was talking to The Tribune at the dera of Sant Baba Ajit Singh Hansaliwale, 15 km from here. He had gone there to pay obeisance to Baba Ajit Singh. He held a closed-door meeting with the Baba for over half an hour. Political observers term the meeting as religious-cum political keeping in view the role of the Sant Samaj could play in the mid-term elections. Reacting to the demands of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra that he should appear before Akal Takht if he wanted to avoid a split in the party, he said Mr Tohra had no authority to ask to appear before Akal Takht. He said if anyone wanted to leave the party, no one could stop him. The party was supreme and not an individual. He alleged that Mr Tohra had been trying to weaken the SAD at the behest of the Congress. But people of the state were well aware of the designs of Mr Tohra. He said his party would launch its election campaign from May 16. The main issue would be whether people wanted Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee as Prime Minister or Ms Sonia Gandhi, who was a foreign national. Mr Badal alleged that the Congress had not only been deceiving the electorate but various political parties. It had brought the down fall of several government by withdrawing support to them. Most of the Prime Ministers of previous Congress governments had been facing corruption charges. The Chief Minister said his party was ready to have an alliance with any other party which was opposed to the Congress. He said his alliance with the BJP was an alliance of principles. He hoped his party would
win all 13 seats in the state. He called upon people to
vote and support the Akali Dal as it was the only party
which stood for the Hindu-Sikh unity and for the
development of the state. |
||
Farmers may face DAP shortage BATHINDA, May 14 — Even as farmers have started sowing kharif crop they are likely to face a shortage of DAP fertiliser. Official sources said that against the demand of 2.2 lakh mt of DAP in Punjab during the current kharif season only 87000 mt was available at present. The state Agriculture Department, worried about the situation, has written a number of letters to the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers for arranging the remaining quantity of DAP. The sources said DAP was required by the farmers in Punjab upto the end of June as it was used immediately after the sowing of cotton and transplantation of paddy. As the paddy transplantation had not started in Punjab on a large scale, the demand for DAP at present was less but it would go up in the coming days. About 50,000 mt of DAP had been arranged by Markfed and about 37000 mt DAP by other government and private agencies for the current kharif season. More DAP could not be arranged so far by the Punjab Government as importers in India had cancelled deals for 16 lakh mt of DAP with foreign firms recently when the Union Government imposed custom duty on it and cut the subsidy to Rs 3000 per tonne from Rs 3400. Though the BJP government at the Centre was thinking of restoring the Rs 3400 subsidy on every tonne of DAP imported and abolishing the custom duty, no concrete step has been taken in this regard so far. Mr Narinder Mittal a fertiliser dealer of this region, said the delay on the part of the Union Government would adversely affect the farmers all over India as they would not be able to get required quantity of DAP in time. Dr Mewa Singh Sonar,
Director, State Agriculture Department , said he had
conveyed his anxiety to the Union Ministry of Chemicals
and Fertilisers time and again. The Punjab Government had
also taken up the matter with the Central Government. |
||
Plugging of Bhakra canal breach
on SHATRANA (Patiala), May 14 — For the cluster of marooned farm houses bordering the Bhakra Main Line here the canal is a curse capable of wiping out means of their livelihood at any time. This is the second time that this has happened in the past two years, say villagers about flooding caused due to blocking of the RD 430 head by trees following a storm. In 1997 also it had happened, but nothing was done to solve the problem, they said. Now we want the problem to be solved on a permanent basis instead of only reassuring us of compensation for damage to our crops", said villagers to Punjab Minister of State For Agriculture Sikander Singh Malooka who visited the breach site today. The outlets at the head should be reduced immediately said a villager Anup Singh, he said this would ensure that trees did not get easily entangled in them. The villagers also demanded proper 'girdwari' alleging that genuine persons were not able to avail of any compensation. Mr Malooka said immediate assessment of the loss caused to farmers would be done when the water receded. The flow in the Bhakra canal has receded greatly and is expected to recede completely only in the evening. The civil and Army authorities are expected to start plugging of the 100 feet wide breach late in the evening even as Army bulldozers are making a passage for heavy equipment to reach the breach. Irrigation Department Superintending Engineer P.K. Singla said there was no money for the repair of the canal on a regular basis as the Haryana and Rajasthan governments did not pay dues for their share of water in time. He said most of the money collected was spent on establishment charges only. Shatrana Legislator and Tohra loyalist struck a discordant note when he said the government had not given anything to the people of Khanauri whose paddy crop had been destroyed by flooding last year even as it had announced to pay Rs 10,000 per acre as compensation to farmers of the cotton belt of Muktsar, Moga and Faridkot districts. Talking to The Tribune he said even girdwari of the loss due to floods in the area last year had not been done. Mr Sidhu alleged all this was being done as part of a political vendetta against him for siding with former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra. He said he however would not allow injustice to be done to his constituency and organise 'dharnas' and gherao the Deputy Commissioner if immediate relief was not given to the people who had suffered due to breaching of the canal. Meanwhile people of the area, including former Congress legislator Brij Lal Goel who visited the site today, called for tackling the issue of flooding in the area by allowing flood water to flow through an underbridge at Khanauri from where it can join Ghaggar. Additional Deputy
Commissioner Capt R.S. Randhawa told The Tribune the
district administration had decided to remove all dead
wood along the sides of the canal. He said the Forest
Department officials had been asked to conduct a survey
in this regard. Subdivisional Magistrate Kuldeep Singh
said girdwari would be made public at the panchayat-level
before being submitted to the government so that there
was no cause for complaint in this regard. |
||
Bhoma stakes claim to SAD
ticket AMRITSAR, May 14 — In a written appeal to Giani Puran Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht, All-India Sikh Students Federation (Badal group), led by Mr Manjit Singh Bhoma urged him to summon the supporters of Bhai Ranjit Singh and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, former Jathedar and SGPC chief, respectively at Akal Takht for provoking violence at the election of the executive board of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) on May 12 in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. The federation said Giani Puran Singh who was himself present at the elections and had witnessed the violence. Citing precedent, Mr Bhoma said Prof Manjit Singh, the then Acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, had summoned Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and Mr Ranjit Singh Chhajalwadi, both senior Akali leaders at the Takht, for explaining their position when they exchanged blows at a political conference at Khadoor Sahib (Amritsar) a few years ago in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. When asked whether Bhai Ranjit Singh and Mr Tohra should also be summoned. Mr Bhoma said, "all those responsible for the fisticuffs" should be summoned. The AISSF alleged that Mr Tohra was "hand-in glove with the Congress and had reached a secret understanding with it to damage official candidates of the SAD in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. He said Ms Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister, Delhi was approached for "muscle power" used during the DSGPC poll. He urged the Chief Minister and SAD President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to allocate the Tarn Taran seat to Ms Purneet Kaur, (daughter of Mr Badal) and that the Amritsar seat be given to him. He alleged that both Mr Tarlochan Singh Tur and Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, state BJP chief, who were elected Members of Parliament from Tarn Taran and Amritsar, respectively, had failed to raise the demands of their constituencies on the floor of Parliament. He claimed that the SAD
and the BJP would lose the election from Tarn Taran and
Amritsar if both candidates were not changed. |
||
Punjab poll analysis CHANDIGARH, May 14 — If all goes well, the Congress and the Left parties would contest the coming Lok Sabha poll jointly. "We have the capability to go it alone and give Akalis a crushing defeat, but would very much like the Left parties to be with us in the fight. Nothing should be left to any chance", the state Congress president, Mr Amarinder Singh, told TNS. A Talk with other leaders confirmed that the Congress may leave Sangrur, Bathinda or some other seat in lieu of these parties and seek the support of the two Communist parties in the coming elections. While Sangrur is considered a stronghold of the CPM, Bathinda has a good CPI following. The Congress party's assessment is that while CPM has influence in some areas of Malwa, Doaba and some pockets in Majha, and the CPI influence is more evenly spread through out the state. "If the total vote strength of both the parties is considered around 50,000 in each Lok Sabha seat, it is considerably given the chances of sometime victories by margin of less than 25,000. Also, these two parties have committed cadres and could be used as good canvassers", a senior Congress leader assessed. The Congress is also watching with added glee the split in the ruling Akali Dal and the tensions building up between the Akali Dal and the BJP. The state BJP president, Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, has been very assertive and has even alleged that certain Akali leaders made good money during liquor auctions. He has also succeeded in forcing the government withdraw certain taxes. The Badal-Tohra feud which is now leading to an open split would benefit the Congress, the party has assessed. Mr Amarinder Singh who asserted that his Congress unit is more cohesive and strong now as against the Akali Dal, sought to play down the differences in the Congress party. "Most of the problems with the leaders have been sorted out and we would present a united face before the people", he quipped. Congress sources said that Mr Amarinder Singh had long meetings with a former Chief Minister, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal here as well as in Delhi. Several senior leaders like Mr Parnab Mukherjee, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ms Meira Kumar were involved in these discussions and the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi was kept posted of the deliberations. Mrs Bhattal is unhappy as she was removed first from the presidentship of the state unit and later as leader of the Congress Legislature Party. Now in order to prick Mr Amarinder Singh, she has made a claim to the Patiala Lok Sabha seat. Her claim rests on the fact that her Vidhan Sabha constituency of Lehra Gaga falls in the Patiala Lok Sabha seat. But the supporters of Mrs Parneet Kaur, wife of Mr Amarinder Singh who has been active as much her husband at least in Patiala say that the Congress lost in that segment by 32,000 votes. So what kind of logic is this? Mr Amarinder Singh has reportedly told her that she could contest from Sangrur, her home district, and he would support her candidature. Mrs Bhattal is not convinced so far. The dispute with the other leader from Patiala, Mr Brahm Mohindra, a former minister too is said to have been resolved. Mr Amarinder Singh claimed here today: "I had a meeting with Mr Mohindra, whom I hold in high esteem the presence of some Central leaders. In fact except small problems we never had any differences", Mr Amarinder Singh said. Mr Mohindra was not available for comments. But it seems that the issue is far from over. The Punjab Congress
which is now debating the probable candidates is likely
to field at least eleven candidates. Some names being
mentioned are Mrs Parneet Kaur or Mrs Bhattal from
Patiala; Mr S.G. Galib from Ludhiana; from Sangrur there
are three names in case it is not left to the CPM. They
are Mrs Bhattal, Mr Arvind Khanna and Mr Gurcharan Singh
Dadahur, Mrs Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder from Gurdaspur, Mr
Ragunandan Bhatia or Mr Raj Kumar Soni from Amritsar.
There are three names from Jalandhar, Mr Balbir Singh, Mr
Umrao Singh and Mr Iqbal Singh. And even the hockey
Olympian Pargat Singh could be the final choice. Mrs
Santosh Chaudhry's name is being mentioned for Phillaur.
From Ferozepore there are several names like former Union
Minister Bal Ram Jakhar, a former Rajya Sabha member, Mr
Varinder Kataria; and a former state Congress president,
Mr Mohinder Singh Gill. In addition leaders like Mr Sant
Ram Singha, Mr Surinder Singla and Mr Gurinder Singh
Karion are also keen on contesting the poll, and nothing
could be ruled in the final run-up. |
||
Employee share NANGAL, May 14 — The employee share of partner states has dramatically declined since the establishment of Bhakra. As per the annual administration report of the BBMB, out of a total of 15631 employees serving here, 11656 are of the BBMB cadre and only 3975 of all other partner states. According to the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966, Rajasthan has a share of 15.22% in the BBMB. Out of the remaining, 60% is of Punjab and 40% that of Haryana. Of late Himachal has been allocated a share of 2.5%. Earlier, it had a share of 2.5% in power generation only. Owing to the apathy of the states to protect their share, the BBMB through a resolution at a board meeting in 1974 made a provision to recruit its own cadre in Class III and Class IV posts up to a maximum limit of 20 per cent. However, today the strength of the BBMB employees here has increased to about 77% whereas the total strength of the employees from all partner states is just 23%. The BBMB also has its own cadre of Class I and Class II officers for which there is no provision in the board rules and regulations. At present in the irrigation wing of the BBMB out of a total of 8685 serving employees, 6953 are that of the BBMB cadre, including 24 officers of all ranks and 6325 other officials who are regular employees, 39 work-charged and 553 BCB workers, 12 ad hoc employees. The total number of employees of the Punjab State is 1103 vis-a-vis its share of 4430 employees. Similarly, the strength of Haryana State employee is 505 against their share of 2953. The total number of Rajasthan employees is 22 against their share of 1302 and the strength of Himachal employees is 66 against their share of 217. The remaining 36 are Central Government and state electricity boards employees. In the power generation wing, out of a total of 6352 employees, 4504 employees are of the BBMB cadre, including 21 Class-I and Class-II officers, 3881 other officials, 82 work-charged, 22 ad hoc and 498 BCB employees. Here too the total strength of Punjab Government employees, including those of the P.S.E.B., is 1215 against Punjab's share of 3239. The total number of Rajasthan employees, including those of the R.S.E.B. working here, is 81 and that of Haryana and Himachal 533 and 20, respectively. However, the share of employees of these states comes out to be 953 of Rajasthan, 159 of Himachal and 2160 of Haryana. In the finance department, out of a total of 594 working employees, 199 are that of the BBMB's own cadre, 243 of Punjab against its share of 303, 130 of Haryana against share of 203, 10 of Rajasthan against 90 and six of Himachal against a share of 29. Despite repeated
communications, these states do not send more officials.
The BBMB has to recruit its own cadre to keep the
organisation functioning. |
||
CM, Tohra ‘harmed’
Sikh institutions GURDASPUR, May 14 — Mrs Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder, senior Congress leader talking to mediapersons here yesterday, said the people of Punjab had been provided with the opportunity of discarding both Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, former president of the SGPC, in the ensuing Lok Sabha poll for the harm caused to Sikh institutions. Mrs Bhinder accused both leaders of creating confusion among the Sikhs as to who was the chief of Akal Takht. Sikhs all over the world had been pained at the activities of these Akali leaders. She cited the example of exchange of blows over election of the Delhi Gurdwara Management Parbandhak Committee president between supporters of Mr Badal and Mr Tohra in Delhi recently. Mr Bhinder said the Government of Punjab, which claimed to be "pro-farmer", stood exposed in view of its failure to protect the interests of farmers. Due to untimely rains last year Punjab had suffered huge losses on account of damage to crops. The Central Government ordered a survey and the loss to farmers estimated at Rs 1000 crore. But no compensation had been paid to the farmers so far. Later, addressing Congress workers at Kalanaur, Mrs Bhinder said the SAD-BJP government had failed to fulfil its electoral promises made to the people. Due to "non-performance", development activity in the state was at a standstill. Instead of abolition of Octroi as promised, it had been increased manifold. Mrs Bhinder said the
employees instead of being given incentives had been
deprived of several facilities. She said the former BJP
MP, Mr Vinod Khanna, who had got votes in the last Lok
Sabha elections on the promise of bringing about
development in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency had
miserably failed to do so. |
||
Aviation club staff not paid 15
months' arrears, bonus PATIALA, May 14 — The Patiala Aviation Club workers are facing serious financial problems as they have not received for 15 months arrears of revised pay scales of 1986 and bonus payment according to revised scales. In a press statement here yesterday, Mr Virender Kumar and Mr. Rupinder Singh office bearers of the union claimed that it had become difficult for the workers to run homes. Even school fee of children could not be paid. They said the employees had not received salary for certain months in past years and now the number had become 15 months. The statement also said that the government had all along ignored all aviation clubs of the state. In 1997 after a long struggle by the employees the government announced a relief of Rs 2 crore for the improvement of all aviation clubs in the state but till date nearly Rs 50 lakh had been released which was not of much benefit. The statement also
appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to
intervene in the matter and redress grievances of the
aviation workers. They demanded immediate release of
salary and implementation of the revised pay scales. |
||
HC summons HPSC record CHANDIGARH, May 14 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has summoned the record of the Haryana Public Service Commission about the examination of the Haryana Civil Service (Executive branch) and other allied services conducted in 1996. Mr Justice V.K. Khanji and Mr Justice Amar Datt, who handed down this order on a petition filed by Mr Jagdish Chander, who had applied against the ex-servicemen's quota, also issued notice to the commission for May 25. The petitioner alleged that he was awarded the lowest marks in the interview so as to lower his position in merit to accommodate someone else. He brought to the court's notice that he was given only 43 per cent marks in the interview, while other selected candidates were given up to 80 per cent marks. This showed the mala fides on the commission's part. He stated in his
petition that he had obtained 69 per cent marks in the
written test. |
||
'Drop cases against agri
officers' AMRITSAR, May 14 — On a call of the Agricultural Technocrats Action Committee (AGTAC) Punjab, agriculture technocrats, held a protest rally in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner in support of their demands.The demands include the withdrawal of 'fabricated' cases against officials of the Agriculture Department by the Vigilance Bureau last year on the pretext of the verification of indigenous phosphatic fertiliser done by agriculture officers. It was reiterated at the rally that the agricultural officers would not verify fertiliser, seeds, insecticides, gypsum and agriculture implements which were supplied on subsidy till the false cases, registered against them were withdrawn and the method of verification was not rationalised. Leaders of various associations addressed the rally. GURDASPUR: Agriculture officers Action Committee held a dharna on Thursday in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office in protest against the implication of officials of the Agriculture Department regarding subsidy relating to indigenous phosphatic fertilisers by officers of Vigilance Bureau. Later they presented a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, copies were forwarded to the Chief Minister, the (Agriculture Minister), the Financial Commissioner (Development) and Director (Agriculture). Dr Satnam Singh, general
secretary and Mohinder Singh Chahal, convener, demanded
the immediate withdrawal of cases against officials of
Agricultural Department registered by the Vigilance
Bureau. These leaders said unless verification of subsidy
on phosphatic fertilisers was not made logical officials
of the Agriculture Department would not verify these
fertilisers. |
||
Self-destructive step:
Chandumajra CHANDIGARH, May 14 — Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, a former MP, reacting to the expulsion of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra by the SAD's Political Affairs Committee said tonight that the step was "self-destructive" for the party as well as its president. Talking to TNS from Patiala, Mr Chandumajra said that Mr Tohra was a very old Akali who "has deep roots in the Panth". Such an action against him would prove to be "counter-productive" and "it will enable us call a meeting soon of Akali workers who constitute the 'real' Akali Dal." Mr Chandumajra said the priority agenda was now to "free" the SAD from the clutches of "family" rule of Mr Badal. There could be nothing more "thoughtless" than the expulsion of Mr Tohra, he added. A close confident of Mr
Tohra, he himself enquired if any action was being
contemplated against him or not. With the expulsion of Mr
Tohra the Akali Dal had now "become "Khali
(empty) Dal", he chided |
||
Cong leader Goel suspended CHANDIGARH, May 14 — The chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Harcharan Singh Hero, today suspended a senior Congress leader, Mr Brij Lal Goel, from the party. Mr Hero said Mr Goel had been served a show-cause notice in connection with violating the party discipline and for criticising the party leadership and its programmes and policies. He said that Mr Goel had been asked to submit his reply of the show-cause notice within 15 days otherwise he would be expelled from the party. Mr Hero said that Mr Goel issued statements to the print media on May 11 and 14 "which tantamount to breach of party discipline". He said no compromise would be made as far as maintaining discipline in the party was concerned. "I have made clear to all senior functionaries of the party not to discuss party matters through the media". If any one had any complaint or any grievance, he or she should take up the issue with the party president or with the disciplinary committee. But going to the print media with a statement would not be tolerated. Mr Pranab Mukherjee, who
is in charge of the Punjab party affairs on behalf of the
All-India Congress Committee, had written recently a
letter to the PPCC, asking for maintaining discipline in
the party at all costs. |
||
Ramoowalia flays SAD, BJP BATHINDA, May 14 — The Lok Bhalai Party president, Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, today flayed the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for raising the issue of citizenship of the AICC President, Ms Sonia Gandhi. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Ramoowalia alleged that Mr Badal had exploited the people on the basis of religion. He said the Punjab government had threatened the panchayats that their grants would be stopped if they did not support the SAD candidates in the coming elections. He said he would meet the Chief Secretary tomorrow regarding the registration of a criminal case against a reporter of Punjabi Daily of Sardulgarh, Mr Balbir Singh Parmar, by the Mansa police recently. He also demanded action against Gurjit Singh, SHO, Sardulgarh, against whom two murder cases had been registered. Later, he addressed the
party workers. |
||
Medical students hold dharna PATIALA, May 14 — Students of the local medical college today held a dharna and blocked traffic in front of the college for sometime to protest against hike in college fee as well as 'threatening' behaviour of college authorities. The Medicos Action Committee claimed that college principal Dr S.S. Sidhu, and other faculty members manhandled a few students when they were on way for a peaceful agitation this morning. They also claimed that the principal had postponed the ongoing internal examinations and ordered students to vacate hostels by the evening even though university examinations were round the corner. It said students had refused to vacate the hospital and decided to go on fast in front of the medical college. Meanwhile medical college principal Dr S.S. Sidhu when contacted said the students had torn examination sheets of the orthopaedic paper besides misbehaving with a woman lecturer of the Anatomy department. He said when he and other faculty members went to the Anatomy Department they were manhandled. Dr Sidhu said some 'miscreants' had been identified and the college authorities were contemplating taking action against them. He said the students were sent home today as their preparatory vacation was to start from tomorrow. He said however, students who wanted to stay in the hostels, including postgraduate students and those of the bachelor of dental surgery, were being allowed to stay in the hostel. Dr Sidhu said there was
also no question of postponing the internal examinations,
he said most of the papers had already been held and that
only papers of a few courses remained. |
||
Gang which robbed drunks
busted LUDHIANA, May 14 — The Ludhiana police has arrested a gang of three persons which specialised in robbing and killing drunks. According to Inspector Gurinderjit Singh, SHO, P S Model Town, who cracked a blind murder committed near the bus stand flyover on the night of April 8 and 9 leading to the arrest of three persons, the gang included a rickshaw puller who would go from liquor vend to liquor vend at night offering to drop home inebriated persons coming out of ahatas. He would then take them to a lonely spot on his rickshaw while the others would follow. Once there they would rob the victim of his valuables, beat him up and escape. Their victim on the night of April 8 was well-built and grappled with one of the culprits. Who, feeling threatened, struck the victim in the head with a stone lying nearby, killing him. After committing the
crime, the trio escaped. The culprits were produced in
the court today. their interrogation could provide clues
to many other such crimes in the city as they had been
active in the city for many years. |
||
5 killed, 7 injured in
squall SANGRUR, May 14 — As many as five persons, including two women, were killed in Sangrur district by high velocity dust storm that lashed the area on Wednesday evening, according to the police. The deceased include Muni, wife of Tony, and Rajinder Singh, residents of Sunam, Gurcharan Singh Bhullar, a resident of Sheron village, Sandeep Singh, a resident of Batuha village, and Kartar Kaur a resident of Himatana village. As many as seven persons
were also injured. |
||
Varsity staff hold rally AMRITSAR, May 14 — Employees of the Guru Nanak Dev University (non-teaching) Employees Association held a rally in protest against the attitude of the university authorities and the state Government towards their demands. Mr Sukhminder Singh
Randhawa and Mr Amarjit Singh Bai, president and general
secretary of the association, respectively, demanded that
the vacant posts should be filled immediately, ending
'contract system' in the varsity and release of DA
instalment. |
||
GND varsity BA I exams from
May 17 AMRITSAR, May 14 — Guru Nanak Dev University has clarified that the examinations of BA I for private candidates would start, as per revised datesheet, from May 17 with first paper of English (compulsory). According to the Registrar, Dr R S Bawa, the candidates
should contact the centre |
||
Customs official arrested AMRITSAR, May 14 (UNI) — Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have arrested a Customs Superintendent and two local residents on charges of smuggling mobile telephone sets from Sharjah, yesterday. According to Customs officials here today, a DRI team intercepted the car of the Superintendent in which the phones were being allegedly transported from Rajasansi Airport to the city. As many as 39 mobile sets were recovered from the car. The Superintendent who was driving the car and two local businessmen, Lally and Ashwani Kumar, have been arrested in this connection. The phone sets had been purchased by Lally at Sharjah and were smuggled on board the Sharjah-Amritsar-New Delhi Indian Airlines flight.
|
||
Two quit council of PAU
staff union LUDHIANA, May 14 — Mr Jila Ram Bansal senior vice-president, and Mr Gurpreet Singh Bhinder, secretary, have resigned from the Executive Council of the PAU Employees Union (recog). The two were elected in the union poll held in 1997. They have levelled
serious charges against the president of the union, Mr
D.P. Maur, and others in connection with the submission
of accounts of the special fund collected during an
agitation amounting to Rs 80,000. |
||
3 member panel to hold RJD
poll JALANDHAR, May 14 — The Punjab unit of the Rashtriya Janata Dal has set up a three-member committee to hold party elections in the state. Mr Kesar Singh, state
president, RJD, in a press note issued here yesterday
said that Mr B.D. Sharma had been appointed returning
officer for the elections to be held in June. The members
of the committee are Mr Amar Handa, Mr Narinder Pal Singh
and Mr Narinder Pasricha. |
||
Police torture of Cong man
denied SANGRUR, May 14 —
Mr Arpit Shukla, district police chief, in a press
statement here today refuted the allegation of Mr Jagpal
Singh, a Congress worker of Fatehgarh village that he was
tortured by the Lehra or the Daska police. Mr Shukla
stated that Mr Jagpal Singh had a dispute with his
brothers over the distribution of ancestral property and
all his brothers were on one side while Mr Jagpal Singh
alone in the dispute. The district police chief added
that the property dispute had been pending in a court.
The police does not come into the picture in court cases
added Mr Shukla that the land of Mr Jagpal Singh was in
his possession and he had cultivated it. The district
police chief added that there was no danger to his life
or property as alleged by Mr Jagpal Singh. |
||
 |
||
 |
| 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 | |
