Jitters post review

Dera Baba Nanak: Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa is grappling with life’s many uncertainties. He is Punjab government’s pointsman to oversee the supervision of the Kartarpur corridor in his capacity as the MLA of Dera Baba Nanak. He often climbs atop one of the security towers installed by the BSF at the International Border (IB) and is pleased at the progress of the work on the Pakistan side, but the same is not true back home. The NHAI and the Land Ports Authority of India are lagging far behind. The Integrated Check Post (ICP), an integral part of the corridor, is not even half complete. Time is fast running out for the October 31 deadline and so is minister’s patience. “Pakitanis are running like a hare while we are walking like a snail. It is time we pick up speed to beat the hare.” The minister probably forgot that when it comes to running, there is no match between a hare and a snail.

Forgotten heroes

Abohar: Twenty-five years ago when Gurcharan Singh Gill was serving with Punjab National Bank, he formed an NGO, Punjabi Sabhyachar Manch, and sought to celebrate martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. He, however, couldn’t find a portrait of any freedom fighter at local shops. He then took a pledge to observe the birth and death anniversaries of freedom movement heroes/leaders and motivated booksellers and stationers to arrange their portraits. Supported by retired PCS officer BL Sikka, Gill raised a team of social activists and started observing these days in different schools. The NGO distributed hundreds of mementoes among students and teachers, each carrying pictures of freedom heroes. “The impact was so deep that many families even replaced filmstars’ posters with the mementoes gifted by us,” his associate Kulbhushan Hiteshi claims.

No reconciliation

Amritsar: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu did not take part in the cremation of his political mentor and BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley in Delhi. Jaitley was instrumental in convincing Sidhu to join politics. A resident of Patiala, Sidhu was fielded as the BJP candidate from the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat in 2004. Sidhu successfully ousted Congress veteran RL Bhatia. Almost a decade later, Jaitley replaced Sidhu to contest the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, after the latter expressed his displeasure with the alliance partner SAD leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia. Sidhu had not canvassed for Jaitley, who eventually lost the election to Capt Amarinder Singh.

Diet break

Ferozepur: During his two-day thanksgiving tour of this constituency after being elected as MP, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal suddenly dropped in at a local sweet shop ‘Ramu Puriwala’ where he enjoyed delicious ‘samosas’ and ‘malpuas’. Seeing the sudden influx of security personnel, the owner, Manoj Kumar, initially thought that it was a raid by some government department, but then pleasantly surprised to notice Sukhbir arriving at his shop to grab a bite of his snacks. Not only the unexpected VIP visit left the owner spellbound, even it made the Akali supporters wondering whether their “boss” is actually on dieting or was it just farce.

Green warriors

Fazilka: Graduates Welfare Association, Fazilka, honoured those who contributed in the town to grow trees in different categories under Anan Utsav, an annual environment festival. Municipal council president Rakesh Dhuria, association patron Dr Bhupinder Singh, general secretary Navdeep Asija, environmentalist Prem Babbar and others felicitated residents of Jattian Mohalla and Shakti Nagar street number 2, Baba Namdev Nagar, MR Enclave and Panchayat Samiti Green Market. In individual category, Subhash Tinna (Railway Road), Subhash Nagpal (Railway Park), members of Radhe Radhe Morning Club (Pratap Bagh), members of Nanki Baghichi and sanitary inspector Naresh Khera were also given appreciation certificates. 

Humbling experience 

Jalandhar: Except for the tractor-trailers carrying relief material to flood-hit villages, another reason for traffic jams in rural areas is the stream of visiting politicians and bureaucrats. Jalandhar MP Santokh Chaudhary and Shahkot MLA Hardev Singh Ladi, besides administrative officials, recently bore the sweltering heat during their visit. Accustomed to all the comforts of life, the VIPs stayed for long hours, travelled in boats and ate langar in disposable plates under trees. Another common sight is environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal, who is seen taking ration on boats or sitting by the bank on a plastic chair with followers constantly fanning him with a hand fan.