Philanthropist Oberoi is Seborga’s Consul General in India

Surinder Pal Singh Oberoi, a Dubai-based construction magnate and philanthropist, has become a cult figure in Punjab for the charity he is doing particularly during the Covid-19 outbreak. A fact unknown to many is that he donates a mind boggling 95 per cent of his earnings, running into several crores of rupees, every month to “Sarbat-Da-Bhala”, a charitable organisation set up by him. Oberoi is a man who has seen it all and done it all. He has earned his Dirhams in the UAE and is now spending them to ensure that the needy live with dignity. He is now full-time into charity and rarely gives time to his businesses. The other unknown trivia about him is that he is a diplomat. That distinction has been conferred upon him by Seborga, a tiny town in Italy, barely 14-sq km in area and having a population of just 300, which has been accorded the status of “Principality of Seborga” by the UN. This gives it the identity of a separate state within Italy. It has its own flag, currency and its very own Prince. Oberoi was appointed by Seborga as its Consul General to India in 2014 by virtue of which he is entitled to the diplomatic status. With it comes the privilege of having a diplomatic passport and enjoying diplomatic immunity. It is another matter that he never uses the travel document as he is comfortable using his Indian passport. “Yes, I am Seborga’s Consul General in India. I am entitled to all the benefits, including a Corps Diplomatique (CD) vehicle, which is reserved only for envoys. However, being a diplomat gives me less satisfaction as compared to what I get by doing charity. I have found that among all the benefits of charity, one is that giving liberates the soul of the giver. To me, service to others is the rent you pay for your room on earth.”

Autorickshaws from outside can’t ply in Pathankot

Not long ago, illegal auto-rickshaws plying on the streets of Pathankot were considered its Achilles heel as these had destroyed the soul of the once scenic township lying in the foothills of Dhauladhar mountain range. Vehicles from as far as Gurdaspur, Sujanpur, Dinanagar, Kathua and even Jammu plied on narrow roads. This gave harrowing time to residents who often complained that the roads got so congested that it was difficult for them to travel without barging into another vehicle. Accidents had started occurring with monotonous regularity. Trade unions having support of politicians backed this illegal activity. A few months ago, the then SSP, Deepak Hilori, ordered that vehicle bearing Pathankot registration could only ply. A DSP rank officer was tasked with bringing normalcy back on the streets. Slowly but steadily, the exodus of these autos from other towns into the municipal limits of Pathankot stopped. Now, the situation is somewhat different. Things have come to such a pass that it is difficult to sight even a single auto on the road. Reason: Cops do not allow for more than three people to be seated in an auto as per health norms. Owners complain that there is no longer a profitable venture. “It has become difficult for us to pay our bank instalments. Instead of ferrying passengers, we now sell vegetables and fruits in different parts of the town,” said Jagir Singh, an auto-rickshaw owner. In a city where there was once a surplus of three-wheelers, now it is indeed difficult to spot, especially near the bus stand and railway station.

Pandemic dents development works

Renowned surgeon and chairman of the Gurdaspur district planning board, Dr Satnam Singh Nijjar, is not a happy man. Not long ago, when he was appointed to the plum post, he had charted out elaborate plans on how to make the border district a better place. Normally, planning board chiefs are political appointees and hence do not get along well with bureaucrats. However, the doctor got his equation right and enjoyed a fairly good rapport with officials, including Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ishfaq, who is the board’s member secretary. Right from day one, Nijjar had grandiose plans. He had brought out a vision document outlining the various activities they would do. However, then came the Covid-19 pandemic and all his plans got disrupted. He has now called a meeting of officials wherein the agenda is to push development projects. How far the doctor succeeds is anybody’s guess, but at least he is giving it a try.

Congmen at loggerheads in Batala

Batala, which is the eighth largest city of Punjab in terms of population, is a perennial political hotbed. The city has also been accorded the status of a police district and is surrounded by the Assembly segments of Fatehgarh Churian, Qadian, Sri Hargobindpur, Dera Baba Nanak and Batala. Interference of legislators in functioning of civic body and the police is too well known to be documented. Here the police chiefs get their tenures cut short at the drop of a hat. A prime example is that of Harpreet Singh, who remained as Senior Superintendent of Police for just 49 days before politicians shunted him out into oblivion. These days, the city is hogging into the limelight for reasons, which are totally political in nature. Former three-time MLA Ashwani Sekhri has got a sore throat crying hoarse over the alleged intrusion into his political space by Cabinet minister and MLA of Fatehgarh Churian Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa. He has been claiming that the minister is needlessly meddling in the city’s affairs. Bajwa has denied the allegations and says he is ushering in the development works as he is the Rural Development Minister. Bajwa’s repeated presence in the city lends credence to the theory that he is eyeing seat, which not long ago was Sekhri’s domain and where his writ ran large, for either himself or for his son, Ravi Nandan Bajwa, who is also the Gurdaspur zila parishad chairman. Last week, while on one such tour, he was taken aback by the way some historical sites, including Sheranwala Gate were being defaced. He immediately ordered Sub-Divisional Magistrate Balwinder Singh to get the encroachments and posters removed. “People’s relationship to their heritage is the same as a mother’s relation to her child. We should preserve such projects. If we do not do, a time will come when we will be left with none. When we reject our origins, we become a product of whatever soil that we find ourselves planted. The colours of our leaves change when we consume borrowed nutrients. As a result, preservation of such sites is a must,” he said. Residents are indeed happy for the initiatives the minister has taken, but Sekhri is not. The MC polls will be a test of strength for both the leaders. The one who gets the maximum number of tickets for his respective supporters will be the winner. And in politics, it is the winner who takes it all “Jo Jeeta, Wohi Sikandar”.

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