Congress dissension boon
to Akalis
CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — Confident of retaining the Patiala Lok Sabha seat, Akali campaigners are depending heavily on dissension in the Congress and on increasing popularity of Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee.

Pakistanis root for Vajpayee
WAGAH, Sept 2 — Pakistanis feel that Indian democracy is much more mature than Pakistan's as the Indian voter would vote fearlessly in the general elections.

Different rules for different parties
PATIALA, Sept 2 — Academic ethics and politicisation of the academic atmosphere are words which apply only to one political party as far as Punjabi University is concerned.

Kanshi predicts hung Parliament
PHAGWARA, Sept 2 — "That the Bharatiya Janata Party was forced to form the National Democratic Alliance underlined the fact that even the BJP knew it won’t get a majority, that this Lok Sabha poll would again see a hung Parliament and a mid-term poll would again take place in November next year."

Elaborate security in Punjab
CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The Punjab Police authorities today claimed that elaborate security arrangements had been planned in the state to conduct the poll on September 5 in a peaceful atmosphere.

Nursing college ties up with foreign university
NAWANSHAHR: The Guru Nanak Mission College of Nursing, Dhahan Kaleran (Nawanshahr), has become the first nursing college in the state to have entered into a partnership with the University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada.

Lance Naik Ranjodh Singh cremated
ROPAR, Sept 2 — Lance Naik Ranjodh Singh of 7 Dogra Regiment, who sacrificed his life while fighting Pakistani intruders on August 31 in the Chhambh-Jorrian-Pallanwal sector in the Jammu region, was cremated with full military honours at his native village, Tewar, near Kharar, today.

1 killed in attack at farmhouse
KAPURTHALA, Sept 2 — One person was killed and two were seriously injured when more than 12 persons struck at a farmhouse at Bahul village near here last night.

Pirated books racket busted
JALANDHAR, Sept 2 — The economic offences wing of the Jalandhar police has busted a racket in printing of pirated text books under the MBD brand name. SSP Mr Gaurav Yadav, stated here today that a case was registered on the complaint of Madan Lal Sharma, legal advisor of the MBD group that certain persons were illegally printing books under the MBD brand name.

Hoshiarpur Telecom plans to expand
HOSHIARPUR, Sept 2 — The Hoshiarpur Telecom has planned to expand the capacity of telephone exchanges from 62,684 lines to more than 1 lakh lines with the installation of seven new exchanges during this financial year.

Patiala seat
Congress dissension boon to Akalis
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — Confident of retaining the Patiala Lok Sabha seat, Akali campaigners are depending heavily on dissension in the Congress and on increasing popularity of Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee.

According to the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, who is in charge of the elections, the Congress is divided and the former Maharaja as usual is not trusting the old guard Congressmen and hence the sharp division. On the other hand, he felt that the impact of the former SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra had been minimised and his candidate would not claim more than 5 per cent of the traditional Akali votes.

Capt Kanwaljit Singh said here today that the Akali Dal's campaign was well-organised and depended heavily on the Akali rank and file. "Maharaja Sahib has organised the campaign for his Maharani with the help of his family and trusted friends. There is no Congress. Where are leaders like Mr Brahm Mohindra, Mr Bhagwan Das, MLA, and several others?", he asked.

Asked at least four sitting MLAs from Patiala are supporting Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mr Tohra's candidate and the sitting member, and how could he be so sure of the success of the Badal candidate, he said: "Our candidate is honest and is well known in the area. Mr Surjit Singh Rakhra is also known for his philanthropist work. Mrs Parneet Kaur, on the other hand, has done very little for the constituency. Mr Amarinder Singh is an absentee leader, who has just crossed from our side".

Counting other factors Capt Kanwaljit Singh said: "It is a national election and the fight is between Mr Vajpayee and Mrs Sonia Gandhi or the BJP-led coalition and the Congress. Here we have a very clear edge and the urban and rural areas are responding well".

Capt Kanwaljit Singh, who has been in the thick of the campaign, was asked when everyone is witnessing some kind of anti-incumbency factor, what impact would it have on the elections, he said: "No government can satisfy all constituents. We have done our best. But in Patiala Mr Tohra was the de facto chief minister. Mr Badal gave him full freedom. If he and his MLAs have not succeeded then it is his fault. We tell this to people and they understand this. We promise total development and they can trust us".

Pakistanis root for Vajpayee
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

WAGAH, Sept 2 — Pakistanis feel that Indian democracy is much more mature than Pakistan's as the Indian voter would vote fearlessly in the general elections.

Most Pakistanis returning to their country after spending time in India through Pakistan Tourism's 'Lahore bus' yesterday evening said the trend of electioneering in India showed that polling in various parts of the country would be peaceful.

Farad Yasin, who had spent more than one month with their relatives at Asansol in West Bengal, said that despite the Kargil conflict, most Pakistanis would like Mr Vajpayee to become Prime Minister again as he was instrumental in strengthening ties between the people of the two countries through bus diplomacy. They said few Pakistanis knew of Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Sayyad Shahid Hussain, driver of the Pakistan Tourism bus, also confirmed that bus diplomacy had a positive impact on the minds of the Pakistani people.

He, however, felt that there ought to be two buses so that one could depart every day.

A young girl Gulshan (20) who returned to Islamabad after spending about a month with her relatives at Mumbai, said she was happy that the Kargil conflict did not spoil relations between the people of both the countries. "I was afraid of visiting India due to Kargil conflict. However, when I reached Mumbai, nobody even mentioned the issue".

Punjab order
Bank accounts with ‘govt funds’ ordered closed
By Sarbjit Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The Punjab Government has directed drawing and disbursing officers and other government functionaries concerned to close all those bank accounts which are being operated by depositing state government fund.

In a lengthy letter to all officers concerned, the Department of Finance of the Punjab Government has stated that it had come to the notice of the state Government that drawing and disbursing officers and other government officers have deposited government funds in bank accounts, violating the Punjab Treasury Rules.

The authorities concerned in the Finance department have said that no government officer "can operate a bank account as regards any funds drawn from the state treasury or any funds provided for in the budget of the state government except with a special permission of the Department of Finance.

All Deputy Commissioners have been directed by the government to immediately ensure that all drawing and disbursing officers and other government functionaries posted in the districts close bank accounts opened without the permission of the government. They have also been told to ask the officers concerned to deposit government funds in the Treasury forthwith. The DCs have been given three days' time for implementing the orders.

The DCs have also been asked to furnish a detailed report to the state government as regards officers who were operating such accounts in banks. They have been asked to give details such as when such accounts were opened and what were the reasons for doing so. They have been directed to certify that no bank account was being operated by any government employee in contravention of the Punjab Treasury Rules after getting these orders implemented. The drawing and disbursing officers have also been asked to submit such certificates.

Officials of local bodies have also been told that no funds related to the state's budget should be deposited in bank accounts. They have also been asked to furnish details about the bank accounts operated by them by depositing funds related to the local bodies.

Any interest earned on the deposits kept in bank account would be treated as government receipt and should be deposited into government treasury under a prescribed head.

Different rules for different parties
From Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Sept 2 — Academic ethics and politicisation of the academic atmosphere are words which apply only to one political party as far as Punjabi University is concerned.

The university authorities did not allow pradesh Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh to address a meeting in the campus yesterday citing the model code of conduct, but turned a blind eye to a meeting organised by SAD candidate Surjit Singh Rakhra in the university cafeteria lawns on August 12 after the elections had been notified.

The university authorities have even written to Punjab Chief Election Officer, Dr Barjindra Singh to ask whether any action was warranted against teachers and employees who attended the election rally of the Congress, which was eventually held outside the university gate.

It has also asked whether any action could be taken against any employee actively organising, speaking or participating in election rallies during office hours.

The authorities, in their note to the Election Commission, said that all employees had been informed that the use of any government or semi-government premise for election purposes would be violative of the election code.

According to a press note released by Mr Rakhra's poll office, Mr Rakhra addressed a 'massive' rally in the campus on August 12 which was attended by teachers, employees and students.

A section of the teachers said rallies had always been held in the university earlier, with Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra holding a rally in front of the administrative block during the last parliamentary election and Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur holding a political meeting during the assembly elections in the campus.

PUTA secretary, Dr N.S. Atri said the Congress rally should have been allowed in the campus during lunch time. He said the university authorities should not have any problem with teachers including him, who had attended yesterday's rally, as it was held during lunch time.

Dr Atri said if there was any inquiry, the earlier meeting held at the campus and campaigning being done by other staff members should also be taken note of.

Kanshi predicts hung Parliament
From Our Correspondent

PHAGWARA, Sept 2 — "That the Bharatiya Janata Party was forced to form the National Democratic Alliance underlined the fact that even the BJP knew it won’t get a majority, that this Lok Sabha poll would again see a hung Parliament and a mid-term poll would again take place in November next year."

This observation was made here today to newsmen by Mr Kanshi Ram, president of the Bahujan Samaj Party before addressing an election rally here for the BSP and the third front candidate, Mr Avinash Chander.

Continuing the tirade, the BSP chief claimed that every party in the country knew that the 13th Lok Sabha would see a hung Parliament. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was so unsure that the BJP was having hush-hush deals for having post-poll bargains with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Samajwadi Janata Party President Malayam Singh Yadav, alleged Mr Kanshi Ram.

Under the secret deal, Mr Sharad Pawar might even be made the Deputy Prime Minister, asserted Kanshi Ram. However, he hastened to add that the BJP won’t be able to form the next government.

When asked that in that eventuality what would be the role of the BSP, Mr Kanshi Ram said "our target is to win 10 per cent seats out of the total contested and to get 10 per cent votes out of the total votes polled".

The Prime Minister in 2002 would be from the Bahujan Samaj i.e. a Dalit and deprived sections of society, he predicted. When asked whether that Prime Minister would be Mr Kanshi Ram, he said it would be decided by voters and their elected representatives.

He predicted new forces would emerge and new alignments would come up after the poll. The BSP would win over 55 seats while the BJP would get less than 150 seats, said Mr Kanshi Ram.

When asked whether the BSP would support the Congress in the formation of the government, he quipped it would be the Congress which would have to support the others.

Addressing the rally, Mr Kanshi Ram said the BSP’s movement for social transformation and economic emancipation had picked up and it would soon become the number one party from the present third national party.

Elaborate security in Punjab
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The Punjab Police authorities today claimed that elaborate security arrangements had been planned in the state to conduct the poll on September 5 in a peaceful atmosphere.

Mr Sarabjit Singh, Punjab Police chief, in a statement here today said as all major parties were in the fray, the election was going to be a keenly contested affair. Available information has indicated that there was a strong possibility of disorder being created by militant elements.

Infiltration by militants from across the border and building up stocks of arms and ammunition by such elements have been reported extensively, the statement said.

The security arrangements have been divided into three phases — pre- poll period, polling day and post-polling to counting day.

There are 10,071 polling stations in the state and 1,934 of these have been identified as "sensitive" ones from law and order point of view. Additional forces will be deployed at such places. Extra patrolling parties will be made available in such areas to provide security cover to sensitive polling stations.

Security to all candidates has been provided. After polling ballot boxes will be stored in strong rooms till October 6.

All SSPs have been asked to be vigilant and special night operations have also been planned. The communication network has been strengthened at the police station level. The police control rooms at district headquarters and at the state level have been geared up fully.

As many as 50,000 personnel of all ranks of the Punjab Police, 33 companies of paramilitary forces and all SPOs and Home Guard jawans will be available for deployment in the state on poll-related duties.

Rishi Kapoor sees foreign hand
From Our Correspondent

GURDASPUR, Sept 2 — Mr Rishi Kapoor, a popular Bollywood actor, addressing an election rally here last night to garner support for Mr Vinod Khanna, an actor-turned-politician and the BJP candidate from here, said the Vajpayee government fell due to machinations of foreign powers. It was a dangerous trend for the country against which the people needed to be vigilant, he said.

Mr Kapoor said he was not concerned with who became the Prime Minister of the country after the Lok Sabha poll. His only interest was that who ever was elevated to the post should have a mandate from a majority of the people so that his government lasted a full term and he got enough time to plan for the development of the country.

Mr Kapoor said he had no aspiration to join politics and was least interested in contesting any election in the future. He said he was here to seek votes for his friend, Mr Khanna.

He said Mr Khanna was a well-meaning person with a commitment to service. In his previous term, he got only 13 months to serve his constituency, a period not long enough to show results.

There was a large audience to greet Mr Kapoor, though surprisingly, public gathering during film actors' meetings this time has been thinner than it had been during the previous Lok Sabha elections.

There was lot of police bandobast on the occasion in view of an assault on Mr Khanna at Pathankot on Tuesday. Mr Kapoor condemned the attack and said violence had no place in politics.

Nursing college ties up with foreign university
From Parmod Bharti

NAWANSHAHR: The Guru Nanak Mission College of Nursing, Dhahan Kaleran (Nawanshahr), has become the first nursing college in the state to have entered into a partnership with the University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada.

The partnership, signed on May 22 at Vancouver, besides facilitating educational and cultural exchanges between the two institutions, would make the degree provided by the college recognised in foreign countries and its graduates would not face any problems while seeking employment abroad. The college is being run by the Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Educational Trust.

Stating this at a function organised to mark the celebration of two major achievements of the trust — signing of a partnership deed with the University of British Columbia (UBC), and topping of the state matriculation examination this year by Savita Mall, a student of a sister institute, Guru Nanak Senior Secondary School, Mr Budh Singh Dhahan, president of the trust, said before signing the partnership deed as many as three delegates of the UBC, had visited the college to inspect and study the infrastructure available at the college.

He revealed that under this agreement, within two years the syllabus of the UBC and the college would be made uniform and graduates passing out from the college would not have to go for further studies to get nursing jobs in foreign countries. They would just have to pass a test as is required for their own (UBC) graduates to get themselves registered as nurses.

As many as four special guest-houses would be constructed on the college premises where the staff members of the UBC, could stay during their visits to the college. Besides, as per the partnership, education would be imparted through videos, computers and Internet.

Dr Livtar Singh Chawla, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid Medical University, Faridkot, who was the chief guest at the function, while terming the agreement as a milestone in the history of nursing education, lamented that Punjab had only two nursing colleges while there were as many as 33 nursing colleges in Karnataka.

He said nursing had a great potential in India because there were only 3,50,000 qualified nurses as against an estimated requirement for about 16 lakh nurses.

He called upon social organisations to follow the footsteps of the trust to spread vocational education to enable youth to get employment in this era of competition, as the government alone could not do much in this regard.

Mrs Jasvir Kaur, principal of the college, said no capitation fee was being charged from students and admission was done purely on merit. Moreover, as the trust had also been running its own 300-bed hospital, nursing students did not face any problem in getting practical training.

PM to visit Punjab today

MOGA, Sept 2 (UNI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will address two election rallies in Punjab tomorrow.

Mr Vajpayee will address rallies in support of SAD-BJP alliance candidates union minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Daya Singh Sodhi at Moga and Amritsar, respectively, according to party sources here today.

Meanwhile, Punjab Director-General of Police (DGP) Sarbjit Singh reviewed the security arrangements at Faridkot last evening for peaceful polling on September 5 in the state.

The DGP had directed the police authorities to take all possible steps for peaceful, free and fair polling, the sources said.

Rakhra promises investments
From Our Correspondent

PATIALA, Sept 2 —Mr Surjit Singh Rakhra the SAD-BJP candidate, today staged an impressive rally on two-wheelers and four-wheelers through the bazaars of the city in an apparent show of strength on the penultimate day of campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.

The march, covering almost the entire walled city later ended at Adalat bazaar, where a rally was organised in a last minute bid to woo undecided urban voters.

Mr Rakhra later addressed a number of outer colonies in the city. He said he would bring investors from the USA to develop the district, especially the city which had the potential of becoming a major tourist centre.

Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister and main campaigner for Mr Rakhra, said he had been touring the constituency extensively for the past several weeks and could say that the voter will vote decisively for the SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress and SHSAD candidates will be wiped out from the political scene.

Notable among those who actively took part in today's campaign was Mr Moosa Khan, president Muslim youth wing.

Tiwari flays BJP attitude
From Our Correspondent

FATEHGARH SAHIB, Sept 2 — Mr Munish Tiwari, President of the Indian Youth Congress, while addressing a largely attended election rally at Bhadal Thuha village in Amloh subdivision in support of Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, Congress candidate for the Ropar (R) constituency, criticised the BJP for calling Mrs Sonia Gandhi "videshi." He said various high courts in the country had dismissed writ petitions filed against Mrs Gandhi by BJP workers calling her foreigner. Hence there was no logic in calling her a foreigner.

He said Mrs Gandhi belonged to the Nehru family which sacrificed a great deal for the country. He said the Congress form the government at the Centre. He said the country had witnessed a number of Prime Ministers come and go within a short span. He criticised those BJP leaders who indulged in character assassination.

Mr Tiwari also made it clear that Mr Harinder Singh Bhambri was the President of the District Youth Congress.

Mr Devinder Singh Babby, State President PYC Dr Sikander Singh, President, DCC and Mr Harinder Singh Bhambri, President District Youth Congress, also addressed the rally.

Lance Naik Ranjodh Singh cremated
Tribune News Service

ROPAR, Sept 2 — Lance Naik Ranjodh Singh of 7 Dogra Regiment, who sacrificed his life while fighting Pakistani intruders on August 31 in the Chhambh-Jorrian-Pallanwal sector in the Jammu region, was cremated with full military honours at his native village, Tewar, near Kharar, today.

Abhishek, the seven-year-old son of the martyr, lit the pyre while a military contingent reversed arms to pay tributes to the martyr. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr K.S. Sidhu, the SSP, Mr Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, the Deputy Director, Sainik Welfare, Mr Pishaura Singh, and others laid wreaths on the body of the martyr. Major Hardev Singh of Western Command also laid a wreath on behalf of the Chief of the Army Staff.

Ranjodh Singh is survived by his parents, wife and two sons.

1 killed in attack at farmhouse
From Our Correspondent

KAPURTHALA, Sept 2 — One person was killed and two were seriously injured when more than 12 persons struck at a farmhouse at Bahul village near here last night.

The robbers severely beat up labourers living there and threw them into a well. One of them, Raju, later died.

Mr Iqbal Singh, SSP, told reporters that the injured had been identified as Mukesh and Munshi and had been admitted to the local Civil Hospital.

The police registered a case under Sections 459/460 of the IPC.

Pirated books racket busted
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, Sept 2 — The economic offences wing of the Jalandhar police has busted a racket in printing of pirated text books under the MBD brand name. SSP Mr Gaurav Yadav, stated here today that a case was registered on the complaint of Madan Lal Sharma, legal advisor of the MBD group that certain persons were illegally printing books under the MBD brand name.

Raids conducted by the economic offences wing led to the recovery of 3896 duplicate books worth about Rs 1.5 lakh and one Abdul Mazid of Anantnag was arrested yesterday in this context. Abdul Mazid admitted that he was duplicating MBD text books along with one Ghulam Hassan of Srinagar after obtaining negatives used by MBD publishers. The books were printed and sold as genuine MBD products.

Hoshiarpur Telecom plans to expand
From Our Correspondent

HOSHIARPUR, Sept 2 — The Hoshiarpur Telecom has planned to expand the capacity of telephone exchanges from 62,684 lines to more than 1 lakh lines with the installation of seven new exchanges during this financial year.

This was disclosed by Mr Mohan Lal, General Manager, Telecom, here while talking to mediapersons after inaugurating a 1,000 lines C-DoT exchange at Mehatpur Ollandini village, 45 km from here, yesterday.

He said the laying of cable ducts had been started in Hoshiarpur and the work would be carried out shortly at Garhshankar, Balachaur, Mahilpur, Tanda, Dasuya and Mukerian.