Punjab Diary: Dinanagar MLA draws first blood

Gurdaspur: When it comes to filing election related complaints, Dinanagar MLA Aruna Choudhury has drawn first blood. Seeing that her rival and AAP halqa in-charge of Dinanagar, Shamsher Singh, was always moving around with a posse of cops, she petitioned the Chief Election Officer. Two days later, three cops were suspended, including the munshi at the Police Lines. The guillotine fell on him because as per the roaster the two cops were at the Police Lines. Once again, senior officers conveniently found a way to get out of the line of fire.

Y-plus security over farmers’ threat

Amritsar: Taranjit Singh Sandhu, a former bureaucrat and BJP candidate from Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency has been given Y-plus security comprising CRPF personnel. This is apparently in view of the threats by farmer organisations who had announced to oppose BJP candidates in Punjab and Haryana. Several instances came to light in Haryana where vehicles of BJP candidates were stoned. Nevertheless, no such incident has been reported from Punjab till now.

‘Damage done’ despite apology

Amritsar: The Aam Aadmi Party may have to pay a heavy price in the General Election after its minister and nominee for the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat Laljit Singh Bhullar made casteist remarks during a party meeting in Patti. He apologised later, stating that these were made against former Congress MLA Harminder Singh Gill and never intended to hurt any community. The video in which the minister is seen passing the remarks in chaste Punjabi has gone viral on social media. Political observers are of the view that though Bhullar apologised, the damage had been done as a sizeable number of the community whose sentiments were hurt resides in Amritsar and Tarn Taran.

Cine awards for son of patwari

Chandigarh: Simranpreet Singh, son of a patwari, has brought laurels to his family and the state as his maiden short film ‘RehSpray’ has been creating ripples in domestic and international film festivals. The film shows the incessant use of pesticides and other chemicals in food production in the state and the resultant soil and food toxicity and its impact on human health. Simranpreet says that when he came back to Punjab after a seven-year stint in Mumbai, he was shocked to find many farmers suffering from diseases due to consumption of toxic vegetables and grains. He then decided to explore the reasons for this and the solution to remove toxins from the food chain by making a film, which would then reach out to a larger audience. The 18-minute film has received the Best Asian Short Film Award at the Sittannavasal International Film Festival and Indo-Singapore International Film Festival. On being asked what next, he says, “I wish to tell stories in my mother tongue and communicate through filmmaking.”

‘Gaddar’ or ‘inquilabi’

Jalandhar: Former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, hot contender for the Congress ticket from Jalandhar seat, was on a roll during conversation with the media on Saturday. Speaking on Jalandhar MP and BJP LS poll candidate Sushil Rinku, he said, “Rinku da kya pata, tin jagah tapp ke aaya, kal nu ohne kya karna?” (What do we know about Rinku, he has party hopped thrice, and how do we know what he will do tomorrow.) Referring to speculations on AAP’s pick for the LS polls, he said, “They may bring whoever they may want. When someone leaves them, they call him ‘gaddar’ (traitor). When someone joins them, they call him ‘inquilabi’ (revolutionary). Now, let’s see which new ‘inquilabi’ they get, who might turn a ‘traitor’ tomorrow.”

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