Tarn Taran Diary: Eyeing 2024 LS poll, AAP opens door to others

The AAP is gearing up itself for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and for which it has kept its doors open for the leaders of other parties and organisations. The district unit of the party organised a meeting in Tarn Taran in which Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar and the three MLAs from the district participated. The district office-bearers of the party and the representatives of other wings of different sections too participated in the meeting. The three MLAs — Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal (Tarn Taran), Manjinder Singh Lalpura (Khadoor Sahib) and Sarwan Singh Dhunn (Khemkaran) — Gurwinder Singh Beharwal, district president and Baljit Singh Khehra, in-charge of the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency were among others present in the meeting. After the landslide victory in the district, it was the first district-level meeting of the party to interact with party workers. While addressing on the occasion, the leaders called the grassroots leaders to contact commoners (public) and resolve their problems. The leaders called local-level leaders to apprise people of the policies of the party, including the move of the Punjab Government to eradicate corruption and other welfare schemes. The leaders claimed that the helpline against corruption launched by the Chief Minister had started showing results and work in offices was being done as per the schedule without causing any harassment to people. The party had decided to continue convening such meetings to get feedback from the party cadre. The elected MLAs were honoured on the occasion. The party has appealed to the officials and the employees of the departments to be sympathetic towards the people who visit offices for their works. The issues of the border and Mand area farmers were also discussed. They discussed problems in the education, health, transport, etc, sectors in the meeting.

Resentment over adding turncoats to AAP

The joining of AAP by five former municipal councillors from Tarn Taran town recently raised many eyebrows within the party itself. Active workers of the party said these former councillors had opposed the AAP in the recent Vidhan Sabha elections. Moreover, they have never been loyal to any party. The leaders opposing their joining the AAP said just to secure their future these former councillors had joined the AAP and it would affect the political career of those who worked day and night in their respective wards and the elections for the (Tarn Taran town) municipal council are expected this year.

Harwinder gets justice through graft helpline

The helpline launched by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann against corruption has helped known social worker Harwinder Kaur, a resident of Dial Rajputan village, get justice. Harwinder had been moving from pillar to post for justice in the shape of action against ASI Amarjit Singh, posted at the Sadar police station in Tarn Taran, who had taken Rs 10,000 as bribe from her. The ASI had taken the bribe a year ago in connection with a challan, so she had lodged a complaint with the police. The accused ASI had taken the bribe on October 5 last year and the whole episode was captured in a mobile video. The next day the video was uploaded on social media by Harwinder Kaur. The district police had suspended the ASI for a few days and later reinstated him, so Harwinder Kaur had been demanding the registration of a criminal case against the ASI. Repeated requests of Harwinder Kaur made to higher police officials had fallen on deaf ears. She had been denied justice on one pretext or other excuse since then. Harwinder also submitted the video with her written complaint to the helpline. After verifying the contents of the complaint, the accused ASI, Amarjit Singh, had been booked under Section 7 of the PC Act, 1988, as amended by the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018, on March 31. Harwinder Kaur is happy to get justice by getting the accused booked in the case. Harwinder Kaur has called upon on women to be aware of their rights, including their fight against social evils.

Helping out needy persons his mission

Noted social worker Satinder Singh Hundal, a resident of Bundala (near Tarn Taran), calls upon needy families to approach him in case of any requirement. Belonging to a middle-class family, he went to the UAE about 20 years ago to work and managed to establish his well-reputed transport and other businesses there. His parents are living in Bundala village. Satinder Singh Hundal organises mass marriages with his own money every year and distributes articles of daily need to newly-wed couples on the occasion. Being a sports promoter, he distributes sport kits and other equipment to players. He helps intelligent and needy students in their study too. Satinder Singh had financially helped over 400 persons return home from Dubai after hiring a plane during the Covid-19 pandemic from UAE. Satinder has been involved in multiple social works. He has been honoured in the area and in the UAE by NGOs.

(Contributed by Gurbaxpuri)

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