Left plans gherao of Parliament
Govt has no national perspective
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 20
The leader of the CPI group in Parliament and General Secretary of the All-India Trade Union Congress, Mr Gurudas Das Gupta, said here today that his party’s differences with the Manmohan Singh led government had deepened further over the pro-rich, anti-poor, policies being followed by it.

The leader of the CPI, which is one of main supporters of the Congress led coalition government at the Centre, said AITUC in collaboration with other trade unions had decided to take the battle against the Union Government to the streets.

He said AITUC, CITU and the Hind Mazdoor Sabha would gherao Parliament on November 23 to protest against the policies being pursued by the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram and the Commerce Minister, Mr Kamal Nath. These organizations had given a call to observe general strike in the country on December 14 against the policies of the Centre. He has urged the Bharti Mazdoor Sangh and the INTUC to join the struggle.” We want balanced economic growth with social justice”, he added. He was here to mobilise party workers for the gherao of Parliament.

“The Manmohan Singh Government has no national perspective. The Government is busy in making nuclear bombs while the number one enemy is poverty and unemployment in the country”, he said, adding that the “country was being run by substandard politicians”.

Farmers were committing suicides in supposedly prosperous states like Punjab. As many as 38 crore workers employed in factories and the unorganized sector were being ruthlessly exploited by the corporate sector. Millions of people went to sleep in their shanty dwellings or on pavements without food. Labour, factory and industrial laws were being blatantly violated and the government had no qualms in claiming that the country was on the threshold of being a world super economic power.

“We almost daily see the Prime Minister and Mr Chidambaram talking about the coming up of malls and shopping complexes, rising sensex, increasing direct foreign investment, Indians going abroad for vacation, people eating out in five star hotels, automobile sales going up but never about those millions of Indians who are without jobs, without food and without any place to take shelter or live”, said Mr Das Gupta.

“Dr Manmohan Singh and Mr Chidambaram and their think tank are out to create a civilisation of malls and automobile prosperity. There are promoting American culture which flourishes in Malls and starred hotels”, he added.

Asked whether the CPI would withdraw support to the Manmohan Singh Government, Mr Gupta said: “How long the Manmohan Singh Government lasts I cannot say. I would not say whether this government would complete its full term or not. But in a given situation we are exploring the possibility of securing more concessions for poor sections of society. We, the Left parties are taking advantage of the situation to expand our base because of the anti-poor and anti labour policies being pursued by the Union Government”, he added.

He said the special economic zones would be run as independent republics in the country. Owners of such zones would have to pay no taxes, no duties and obey no labour and trade union and other laws. Such zones would jeopardize the integration of the country, he said.

Ludhiana, October 20
Taking a strict note of a Tribune exposure on how an alleged criminal got an arms licence despite cases against him, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Ludhiana Range, has issued orders making SHOs responsible for any such serious lapse or wilful ignorance in helping a tainted man.

DIG Parag Jain has also put under suspension Head Constable Paramjit Singh, former munshi with the Focal Point police station, for not telling the senior officials about the criminal record of the applicant , Sambhu Kumar Singh.

More heads can roll in the case as an ASI of the police station had also submitted report that there was no criminal case against Sambhu.

The action was taken on the basis of an inquiry conducted after a news report revealing the issuance of the Arms Licence to Sambhu despite four FIRs against him was published in Ludhiana Tribune on September 30.

The DIG said while in this case the blame had so far been pinned on the Head Constable, it would be proper to hold the Station House Officer of the police station concerned for any such lapse in giving clearance to the arms licence verification as well as the for the purpose of issuing a passport.

He said though the SHOs were supposed to verify earlier also, the pressure of work was probably not giving them time to go through each application. As the probability of some other considerations behind the ignoring of criminal record was also high, the new orders would ensure that the SHO would have to take extra care now or face stringent action.

A cloth merchant-turned financier-turned-accused in seven FIRs was given arms licence of a .32 bore revolver on the basis of a ‘No Objection Certificate’ by the city police in 2005, which was issued despite the registration of cases against him.

However, the Focal Point police, dated August 9, 2005, that ‘there was no criminal record of the accused in the focal point police station’. But three FIRs were already registered against him in the same police station by August, 2005. Further, just a month after that, another FIR was lodged in the same police station against him.

A Station House Officer (SHO) is required to submit a form about the criminal record of an applicant. The form submitted by the then Focal Point SHO in August, 2005, said the ‘the applicant Sambhu Kumar Singh had a good character and there was no criminal record’

The form was recommended by the then DSP of the Industrial Area and the stamp of ‘No Objection Please’ was issued by the then SSP of the city police. The police did complete the formality of a police report and incorporating the statement of a civilian known to Sambhu.

ASI Baldev Singh of Focal Point, who testified the statement of Noor Alam, wrote his report on the application form too. He said Sambhu Kumar was a man of good company and good character, ‘‘ The police has no objection on the issuing of an arms licence against him.’’ he states. 

Chandigarh, October 20
India’s top otolaryngologists will come together on a common platform at the end of this month to share their experiences in restoring voice and hearing to the physically impaired and to discuss new techniques in clinical research that could turn the deaf and the dumb into able-bodied persons.

For two days, eminent surgeons from Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh will deliberate on new surgical procedures and medical advancement under one roof, finding ways that will provide hope to millions.

To be held at Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, on October 28 and 29, the Conference of Association of Otolaryngologists of India, (NW zone) will boast of India ‘who’s who’ in the field of ENT. It is for the first time that a conference of this magnitude is being organised at Ludhiana.

During the scientific session, Dr Vijayendra - a renowned surgeon from Bangalore - will perform a live surgery on ear, demonstrating new skills, while a live functional endoscopic sinus surgery will be demonstrated by Dr Davender Rai from Delhi and Dr Ashok Gupta from the PGI, Chandigarh. Dr Alan Kerr from the UK, Editor of Scott — Brown, will deliver the oration.

A significant moment during the two-day medical conclave will be the installation of Dr Naresh Malhotra as president of the prestigious Association of Otolaryngologists of India, (NW Zone) for the year 2006-2007. Distinguished surgeons have to compete hard for this coveted slot.

The panel discussions will be conducted on snoring and sleep apnoea and its linkages with medical conditions like heart diseases. Free research papers and award-winning papers will form part of the scientific deliberations. The Punjab Medical Council has granted eight hours credit points for this meet. Normally, such meets are granted only six hours.

Dr Naresh Malhotra, an eminent ENT surgeon from Ludhiana, who is also organising chairman and president of the ENT and HNS Forum, Ludhiana, said Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Medical Education and Research, will inaugurate the conference.

Dr AS Khurana and Dr Vineet Gulati, co-chairman and organising secretary, said 300 
delegates would attend the conference.

Bathinda, October 20
PRTC will connect all places of religious importance through its bus service apart from modernising its fleet in near future, stated PRTC Chairman Ved Parkash Gupta while addressing a press conference after a function to mark the corporation’s golden jubilee celebrations here on Wednesday.

He said they had already launched buses connecting Patiala-Manikaran and Malerkotla-Ajmer Sharif in their attempt to link religious destinations.

He said 150 new buses of PRTC would hit the road by December.

He said their night bus service had received an encouraging response from the commuters.

Earlier, a cultural programme and a blood donation camp were organised at the local depot of the PRTC. PRTC MD Shivdular Singh Dhillon gave away the prizes and appreciated the services of the workers adjudged the best from various depots of the region.

Mr Gupta flagged off the new bus services, which included Bathinda-Shri Jawala Ji, Bathinda-Hamirpur and Bathinda-Hoshiarpur.

Hoshiarpur, October 20
Harassed by repeated demands of District Transport Officer (DTO) Chander Gaind for monetary favours, a local transporter, Harvinder Singh Lally, has carried out a sting operation against him.

In the operation, Lally recorded his conversation with the DTO in which the officer made demand for money from him for organising a function at the local Services Club.

In the copy of a taped conversation, available with The Tribune, Lally requested the DTO to reduce the amount of Rs 20,000 being demanded from him.

However, the DTO retorted back saying that the amount was nothing for someone who owned 25 trucks.

A dance troupe from Mumbai had been engaged at the cost of Rs 5 lakh and food had been arranged from a restaurant in Jalandhar for the function, the DTO told the transporter.

However, on repeated requests from the transporter, the amount was settled at Rs 15,000.

Talking to The Tribune, Lally alleged that the DTO had been extorting money from transporters.

He alleged that the DTO took away loin’s share from their earning, with each transporter paying Rs 2,000 per truck to the DTO every month.

The truckers who paid off transport officials were given a card or sticker to avoid harassment on road.

While those who did not oblige were harassed by officials, he alleged.

“I carried out the sting operation against the DTO only after all other options had exhausted. The demand of the officer to organise a dance party for officers of the district proved a last straw for me. I am willing to close down my business but will not let corrupt officials escape,” he said.

Lally has submitted a complaint against the DTO along with the transcript and the recorded tape to SSP R.N. Dhoke.

He has demanded the registration of a case under the CrPC against the official.

Mr Dhoke, when contacted, said he would inquire into the matter.

Apprehending threat to his life, Lally has filed a complaint with the Punjab Human Right Organisation, the Chief Minister Punjab, the Chief Vigilance Officer, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.

He has also sought security for his family.

DTO Chander Gaind, when contacted, denied the charges. He said the expenditure for the function was being borne by Sonalika group of industries.

“I have not demanded or collected money from any of the transporters,” he claimed.

When asked about his taped conversation with a transporter, he said: “I don’t know anything about the tape.”