This BDPO fires through social media

Muktsar: Lambi Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) Baljit Kaur Dhillon is hogging the limelight through her Facebook posts. Earlier this month, she targeted Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal by raising questions over development works in Lambi. Later, she targeted the police by suggesting that calls of all cops must be recorded to keep a check on the drug menace. And then she hit out at the district administration for “dumping” the replica of Mukte Minar (a monument built in the memory of 40 ‘Muktas’) in a room. Now, Dhillon has targeted the government for not transferring relatives of SAD-BJP leaders serving on prime posts. She says, “This is my personal Facebook account. Anyone can write whatever he or she wants on Facebook. If someone has any objection with my posts, he or she can express it in the comment box.”

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Where is Maharaja’s khunta?

Chandigarh: Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring was all praise for Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in the House for being benevolent towards his political opponent from Lambi, Dyal Singh Kolianwali. He said the Maharaja had hidden his khunta (stick) somewhere. Though Kolianwali is a political opponent, his security has not been withdrawn. “But the kind-hearted should not be taken for granted. Any wrongdoing will attract strong action from the CM saab,” Warring was quick to point out.

Queen’s honour for Oz-based immunologist 

Jalandhar: Rajiv Khanna, a Jalandhar-born immunologist, has been honoured with the Companion of the Order of Australia. He is the only Indian to receive the honour for distinguished services in the field of immunology. He has been recognised by British Queen Elizabeth II on her birthday honour list. Khanna, 55, who resides in Brisbane, is the founding director of Australian Centre for Vaccine Development (now named as QIMR Berghofer Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development). Khanna studied at Sainik School, Kapurthala, from 1972-79. Talking to The Tribune over the phone, Khanna said, “I fondly remember my school friends and teachers. I miss Punjab.” 

Sidhu-Sandhu camaraderie 

Chandigarh: A fuming Local Bodies Minister, Navjot Singh Sidhu, was frantically moving up and down in the Assembly hall last week, trying to cool down after a round of verbal spat with SAD leaders when he suddenly came face to face with AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu. Instinctively, the cricket-turned-politician bent down to touch Sandhu’s feet. Sidhu had a long chat with the AAP MLA about why he reacted strongly to the SAD’s tactic of not allowing him to speak in the House.

Focus on global Sikh studies

Chandigarh: The annual International Sikh Research Conference, held at the University of Warwick, Coventry (UK) on Saturday, highlighted the contribution of international scholars to Sikh studies. It was organised by Gurinder Singh Mann and Harjinder Singh Lallie. Researchers from UK, Canada, Ireland, India and Pakistan presented their papers. The speakers included Dr Jaswinder Kaur Dhillon (University of Worcester), Harjinder Lallie (University of Warwick), Katherine Joy Dowds (Trinity College, Dublin), Vijayta Mahendru, (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi) and Dr Robina Shoeb, (University of the Punjab, Lahore). An exhibition on the Anglo Sikh Wars was organised by the Sikh Museum Initiative.

Abohar college principal bags award 

Abohar: Urmil Sethi, the principal of the DAV College of Education, Abohar, received the Best Educationist Award by the International Institute of Education and Management (IIEM) in New Delhi last week. Sethi reiterated her vision and commitment to ensure that the college maintained a lead in exams conducted by Panjab University. Besides pursuing excellence in academics and cultural activities, the girls’ team of the college had won the 12th National Yoga Championship last year in Kolkata. “I have been an educationist for several years. I endorse the pivotal role of an educational institution in society,” Sethi said.

Contributed by Archit Watts, Rajmeet Singh, Aakanksha N Bhardwaj, Sanjeev Singh Bariana, Vikramdeep Johal and Raj Sadosh