Friday, October 2, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Friday, October 2, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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SAD MPs to
vote Purchase
agencies Juvenile
delinquency to be checked |
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 Badal has lost moral
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Rs 79,000
relief for colony resident Plot
to kill CPI MLA alleged Ambulance
service inaugurated Tributes
paid to Dograi war heroes Petrol
dealers' strike on October 8 Golden
jubilee of battle honour celebrated |
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SAD MPs to vote against Bill AMRITSAR, Oct 1 — The Shiromani Akali Dal, led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal has reiterated that it would recall its two ministers, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala and Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal from the union ministry if the BJP-led coalition passed a Bill in the Parliament for inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed state of Uttaranchal. The SAD MPs would also vote against the proposed Bill if tabled in the Lok Sabha. Addressing a press conference, here today, Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, senior Akali leader and Minister for Public Relations said that the SAD would stand by its decision taken in the political affairs committee (PAC) on Udham Singh Nagar issue. He denied that the PAC of the Akali Dal had taken a decision to pull down the Vajpayee-led coalition government if the Udham Singh Nagar was included in Uttaranchal. He clarified that he was signatory to the decision taken by the PAC at Chandigarh and it was nowhere mentioned that the SAD would pull down the Vajpayee government on the issue. Mr Sekhwan said Mr Amarinder Singh, president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, should resign from his post as on the one hand he had been supporting the demand of the Punjabis who dominate Udham Singh Nagar while on the other hand the Pradesh Congress Committee of Uttar Pradesh had demanded the inclusion of the Udham Singh Nagar in Uttaranchal. He said Mr Amarinder Singh had failed to clarify the stand of his party on the issue. Mr Sekhwan said that Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, a Member of Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh should also resign on the issue. Ridiculing the statement of Mr Amarinder Singh that Ms Sonia Gandhi would visit the families of those farmers who had committed suicides he asked whether Ms Sonia Gandhi had ever visited the families of those who had lost their bread earners in the anti-Sikh riots in 1984? If she was really sincere towards Punjabis she should first visit houses of the victims of the anti-Sikh riots, he said. Mr Sekhwan alleged that
there was a conspiracy to break the SAD-BJP alliance. |
Badal
has lost moral right to rule: CPI BATHINDA, Oct 1 — The Communist Party of India's Punjab unit today demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on moral grounds as his government had failed on all fronts. Addressing a joint press conference here today, Mr Joginder Dyal, state secretary, CPI and Mr Hardev Arshi, Leader of the CPI in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, alleged that farmers were being "looted" in grain markets in the purchase of paddy due to the absence of government procurement agencies. Law and order situation in the state had worsened and corruption had become rampant in all government departments. They alleged that the setting up of "People's Commission" was a negation of Constitution of India and central government should act according to the provisions of the Constitution as the Punjab Government had failed to ban it. They alleged that the setting up of Constitution of "People's Commission" was the fall-out of backtracking of the SAD-BJP government on the setting up of the judicial commission to probe different aspects of terrorism. They alleged that paddy growers were suffering heavy losses as their crop was not being procured by government agencies. They alleged that the state Chief Minister and the Food and Supply Minister, had taken "huge money" from the traders and rice shellers to keep government agencies out of grain markets. They pointed out that traders were buying paddy at a price lower than the fixed minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 470. They alleged that the Chief Minister and minister had not visited any grain market purchase centre to hear grievances of farmers. They disclosed that an all-party rally would be held at Kot Kapura on October 7 to press the government to waive all the loans of small and marginal farmers. The Akalis would also be invited to the rally. They demanded special girdawri in the next two days so that suitable compensation could be given to the farmers for the loss of their crop. They demanded that as the specifications laid down for the purchase of paddy had become very old so these should be revised as per the current situation to benefit paddy growers. They also demanded a CBI probe into poor upkeep of grain markets by the Punjab Mandi Board. They demanded that the government should arrange loans for farmers for agricultural purposes through cooperative sector on four per cent rate of interest. The government should ensure that all farm equipments should be given to farmers on 'no profit-no loss' basis. The government should set
up high technological agrobased industry in Punjab as
agriculture had ceased to be a profitable venture. They
demanded loans for youths to set up business. |
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Purchase agencies buy little paddy AMRITSAR, Oct 1 — Notwithstanding the tall claims by the Punjab government that its various procurement agencies in the state had entered mandis in a big way but their claim had been belied by statistics available here. Thus of total arrivals of 3.68 lakh tonnes at different mandis in the district, state agencies purchased only 12649 metric tonnes while private traders picked up 2.93 lakh tonnes and the FCI over 61600 tonnes. A senior mandi officer told TNS here today that storage problems and the ongoing strike by the rice millers association in the state were the main reasons behind the poor offtake of the state's half-a-dozen agencies. It may be pointed out that rice shellers in Punjab have been demanding more remunerative price for milling paddy and the strike has been going on for the past over one month. According to reliable sources, the storage problem with the state agencies has been so acute that they totally depend on sheller owners to provide space for their stocks of paddy and the prolonged strike of the latter has acted as damper on the former. The latest figure of procurement were Department Civil Supplies 421 tonnes, Markfed 1846 tonnes, Punsup 4256 tonnes, Punjab Warehousing Corporation 2509 tonnes and Punjab Agro 4366 tonnes. According to FCI officers here all payments to the farmers had been cleared within 72 hours of purchase and the corporation was buying paddy within the specification of upto 18% moisture content. The Food Corporation of India has however achieved its target of 85 per cent of paddy procurement in the district since the agency entered the market on August 15. According to information collected by The Tribune from different mandis, the state government agencies including Punjab Agro, Punsup, Punjab Warehousing Corporation, Department of Food and Civil Supplies, Markfed and others were expected to buy 60 per cent of paddy. On the other hand the
large quantity bought by traders can be attributed to the
government's direction to millers that all the paddy
bought in September would remain out of the ambit of
levy. This date was later extended to October 10. |
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Name the brand, Amritsar makes
it AMRITSAR, Oct 1 — After Ludhiana, Amritsar has now acquired the dubious distinction of manufacturing counterfeit products. The recent arrest of manufacturers of 'duplicate cloth' in the name of reputed firms like Raymonds, Vimal, Grasim, Gwalior and Essma suitings by the Amritsar seems to be just the tip of the iceberg. The summer capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Amritsar has become a boom town for industry as after partition the city witnessed tremendous progress in the field of industry. However, unscrupulous elements have taken undue advantage of the city's emergence as a major market to manufacture and palm of cheap duplicates which, incidentally, also are in great demand in the 'black market'. Thus Amritsar's emergence as a flourishing market encouraged businessmen of Amritsar to set up a number of textile units among other industries. It also encouraged a thriving counterfeit industry. Mr Gurdev Singh Sahota, district police chief, talking to TNS said that on August 20 the Amritsar police arrested a manufacturer of 'duplicate cloth' selling his products in the name of reputed brands like Raymonds, Vimal and Gwalior. The police registered a case under Sections 420, 467 471 of Indian Penal Code and 52, 52-A, 68, 68-A Copywriting Act of 1957 against one Atul Puri, Ashok Kumar and one Surat, a resident of Nepal. The police also recovered a huge quantity of 'duplicate cloth' from the possession of the alleged accused. The police is now preparing a list of names of the manufacturers of brands so that suitable action could be taken against the accused. The sources said that there are a number of factories indulging in manufacturing 'duplicate' suiting cloth of well established and famous brand names. According to a rough estimate, over ten lakh metres of such fake brand suiting cloth (mostly blended suitings) is being manufactured for the last over 10-15 years with impunity. Although there are a number of associations of both weavers and processors in Amritsar along with the Textile Committee of the Ministry of the Textiles here, however, they are unable to detect and check the huge quantity of such 'suitings' being manufactured here mainly due to lack of teeth to book such unscrupulous elements. The sale of duplicate products has forced suiting companies to insert advertisements in leading newspapers which stated that the local weavers association and the printers and processors association had given a solemn assurance to the manufacturers of reputed brands to not palm of their cloth under the registered trade marks. News of the raids spreading and police action has resulted in dumping of huge stock of such fabrics worth crores of rupees. Close on the heels of the
first set raids conducted by the police at the
intervention of the reputed companies, come reports of
another manufacturer of duplicate woollen cloth having
unearthed. |
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Juvenile delinquency to be checked FATEHGARH SAHIB: For a bright future it is imperative to provide better facilities to children. Teachers, parents and social organisations can play a vital role to achieve this goal. If they are not nurtured properly, they may become delinquent, juveniles and create serious law and order problem in the country, so said Jagir Kaur, Minister for Child and Women Development while delivering a keynote address at a state-level seminar on the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986, held at Mandi Gobindgarh. She said at present there were so many laws about the welfare of women and girls but these were not implemented properly. She said it was unfortunate that the girl children were being murdered before their birth. If this trend continued in society, we could not expect a healthy society because women played a vital role in creating good families and societies. She called upon the parents not to neglect their children because some time due to socio-economic deprivation, destitution and neglect most of the juveniles become delinquent. She said 12 delinquent homes had been opened in the state where 365 children were being given training. She appealed to all to identify delinquent juveniles and admit them to these homes. Mr RL Kalsia, Director, Social Security Child and Women Development, said the Social Security Department was endeavouring to generate awareness among the public and the police for effective implementation of the Juvenile Act, 1986, so that the neglected and delinquent juveniles were properly housed in homes instead of police stations. He said that on the directive of the UNO, the Government of India had enacted this Act. Mr Kalsia said that the department would also seek active cooperation of voluntary agencies and organisations engaged in the welfare of neglected or socially maladjusted children. He said that it would be ensured that a juvenile boy who has not attained the age of 18 years and girl below 16 years were not kept in police stations. He disclosed that the department had set up seven observation homes, two juvenile homes, one special home and two state after-care homes in the state. Mr TR Sarangal, Deputy Commissioner, said that the administration would implement all those schemes sanctioned by the department in the district.
Mr PM Dass, DIG, Patiala
Range, also emphasised that the police should consider
the cases of delinquent juveniles sympathetically and
they should not be treated like other criminals. |
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Procurement agencies staff threaten
stir PATIALA, Oct 1 — The co-ordination committee of the Punjab State Foodgrain Agencies comprising employees of Markfed, Punsup, the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, Punjab Agro-Industry Corporation and the Food and Supplies Department today threatened to go on strike if the government did not accede to the demand of doing away with joint custody of paddy in private rice mills. Releasing proceedings of the meeting of the committee its spokesman Ashwani Kumar and conveners Bhupinder Singh (Markfed), Krishan Sangruri (Punsup), Pawan Mittal (state warehouse) and Hardev Singh Rosha (Food and Supplies Department) stated that the present policy of paddy stocks was not practicable. Employee leaders alleged the government and management of the agencies always misused the so called joint custody scheme to victimise employees for irregularities committed by rice-millers. The leaders said employees had been served with charge sheets alleging Rs 18 crore bungling which spoke volumes about its correctness. They alleged suspensions, dismissals and compulsory retirements were being handed out to employees of foodgrain agencies. They said now police cases are also being registered regarding paddy shortage against employees whereas actual responsibility of sale custody and maintenance of quality and quantity of stocks as per agreement was the prerogative of the miller. They said the government as well as the management were hesitant to take action against defaulting rice mills. Employee leaders demanded the invoking of the Punjab Public Money Act against defaulting millers as in case of banks. The present system of initiating arbitration cases against the millers served no useful purpose since no criminal case can be framed under arbitration provisions, they said. The co-ordination
committee re-iterated to purchase paddy as per
specification without succumbing to pulls and pressures.
They demanded stop in procurement in the event of
accumulation of unlifted purchased paddy stock in a
particular mandi for want of storage space. |
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SAD to move for Article 356
abolition PATIALA, Oct 1 — Akali Dal parliamentary Party Chief Whip Prem Singh Chandumajra today said his party would introduce a resolution calling for the abolition of Article 356 in the next parliamentary session. Talking to newsmen here, Mr Chandumajra said the Akali Dal would argue for an amendment in the constitution so that Article 356 was scrapped and would persuade all parties to agree to this view. Mr Chandumajra also welcomed the suggestion of Home Minister L.K. Advani for a debate in Parliament on the use of Article 356 in Bihar. The MP said his party would prove during the debate that Article 356 was undemocratic and that it was used for vested interests by successive Congress governments. "The Akali Dal has also suffered due to arbitrary use of this article", he said. Mr Chandumajra said the Congress would be exposed if a debate was held on this issue. He said while the Congress was now saying that it was wrong to use the Article in Bihar, it thought it fit to be used in other states. He said President K.R. Narayanan had, however, cleared a lot of confusion by refusing to give his accent for the imposition of President's rule in Uttar Pradesh and now in Bihar. While this had proved that the article was not needed it had also proved the futility of the Governor's post, he added. Mr Chandumajra said the earlier Congress regimes had thrown all norms to the wind while carving out new states. He said the culture, language and tradition of the people were most important while defining new boundaries. This was not done resulting in Punjab being discriminated with regard to Punjabi speaking areas as well as its capital. He said same aspects were being ignored while carving out the new state of Uttaranchal in which the district of Udham Singh Nagar, which had no cultural or social links with the hill areas, being included. The MP said the need of
the hour was a federal system of governance. Various
problems plaguing the country would have been nipped in
the bud if the country had possessed a federal system, he
added. |
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Rs 79,000 relief for colony
resident BATHINDA, Oct 1 — The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered the local Health Department and the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) to pay Rs 79,000 as compensation to Mr Girdhari Lal, a resident of housing board colony because of damages to his house caused by the bursting of underground water pipe on December 2, 1995. The Consumer Forum has also ordered to the Punjab Health Authorities to lay down a separate pipeline and to disconnect the old water supply line passing through the housing board colony. According to the copy of orders the consumer forum held that the complainant suffered a loss to his house due to the bursting of underground water pipe. Cracks developed in floors of house and the foundation of his house was also weakened due to inundation with water. The forum held that the
Health Department was charging for water supply and
sewerage from complainant so he was consumer of the
department. The PUDA was duty bound to construct the
colony and allot the houses to the public, including the
complainant, at the place where there was no underground
water supply line or sewerage line, it held. |
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Plot to kill CPI MLA alleged BATHINDA, Oct 1 — Mr Joginder Dyal, secretary, CPI, Punjab, today alleged that some anti-national forces had made a plan to eliminate Mr Hardev Arshi, MLA, and leader of the CPI in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Addressing a press conference here, he said for the past few months rumour were being spread that Mr Arshi had been shot down in his constituency. He said this was being done by the anti-national forces to judge the reaction of people to his death. He urged the state
government to ensure full security to Mr Arshi and his
family members. |
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Ambulance service inaugurated LUDHIANA, Oct 1 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal launched an ambulance networking scheme by inaugurating an emergency health services control room in the Civil Hospital here today. The emergency health services control room will be manned round-the-clock by qualified doctors and wireless and telephone operators. The control room will have 39 ambulances belonging to 25 organisations and the Health Department available on call. A person in need of an ambulance can either directly call up the emergency control room at 102, or, in case of any difficulty, call up police help at number 100, from where the call would be conveyed to the control room over the wireless. Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated new traffic lights system at Dhandari crossing by switching on the lights, marking an important step towards the management of traffic in Ludhiana. This system, fully
financed through private participation, will help in
improving traffic regulations and infrastructure in the
industrial town. |
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Tributes paid to Dograi war heroes AMRITSAR, Oct 1 — Major-Gen Avtar Singh, General Officer Commanding, Panther Division, yesterday laid wreaths on the Dograi War memorial here. A commemorative function was organised to pay homage to the war heroes on the 33rd Dograi day. Dograi is a flourishing Pakistani township on the Amritsar-Lahore GT road located at the eastern bank of Ichhogil canal between Wagah and Lahore. During the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war the Panther Division was given the task to launch offensive in the Lahore sector. Accordingly, ‘A’ brigade crossed the international border and advanced towards Lahore. The Pakistanis were taken by surprise and Dograi was captured with little opposition by early morning of September 6, 1965. However, owing to logistics constraints. Dograi had to be vacated on September 8. This gave an opportunity to the enemy to reinforce Dograi with 16 Punjab (Pathan). At 3 a m on September 22 Dograi was recaptured by the gallant troops of the Panther Division and the Indian national flag was hoisted in Dograi. Dograi was a brilliant
success primarily to good leadership and valour of the
men who fought the battle. The enemy suffered 372 dead as
also left behind 15 serviceable Sherman tanks which were
organised into a squadron and employed by us against
their ex-masters. The Dogra War Memorial was constructed
in memory of martyrs of the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war who
displayed exemplary bravery. |
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Hepatitis
camps disallowed HOSHIARPUR, Oct 1 — Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, here has disallowed holding of Hepatitis B vaccination camps to all schools in the district under the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, with immediate effect. However, he has allowed vaccination for Hepatitis disease with the permission from the District Health authorities. He has instructed that the vaccination should be done under the supervision of qualified para-medical/medical officer only. No school will be allowed to grant permission to hold such camps to any private doctor or social organisation. Earlier Mr Sidhu had a meeting with Civil Surgeon, Senior Medical Officer, Hoshiarpur, SDMs Dasuya Principals of public schools in this connection. It was reported that the
Hepatitis vaccination was got done in some public schools
of the district on very high price. |
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SAD stand on Article 356
vindicated BARNALA, Oct 1 — Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, secretary-general, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and MP while addressing a press conference here today said President's decision to send back Cabinet's recommendation to impose President's rule in Bihar for review had vindicated the Shiromani Akali Dal stand on the misuse of Article 356. Mr Dhindsa reiterated the SAD stand that Shiromani Akali Dal support to the BJP government was issue based. He said if the government again dared to recommend the dismissal of Bihar Government SAD would oppose this move in Parliament and not hesitate to withdraw support from the Vajpayee government. He said SAD still stuck to its decision that if Udham Singh Nagar district was not excluded from the proposed Uttaranchal, the party would withdraw its support from the Vajpayee government. Mr Dhindsa appealed to all national and regional parties to join hands together to get Article 356 scrapped from the Constitution. He said a meeting of SAD
working committee would be held on October 6 at
Chandigarh to hold parleys on issues of scrapping of
Article 356. |
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Case
against cable operator LUDHIANA, Oct 1 — The Indian Media Protection Against Copyright Theft (IMPACT) raided the control room of a cable operator of Krishna Nagar here, last night when he was showing "Anth", a film whose cable TV rights vest with M/s Bombino Video Pvt Ltd, Mumbai. The owner, however, escaped. A case under the
Infringement of Copy Right Act, 1957 (as amended), has
been registered. |
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Petrol dealers' strike on October 8 JALANDHAR, Oct 1 (PTI) — Petrol stations would remain closed throughout Punjab on October 8 in protest against the "non-payment" of arrears of dealers' commission and marketing discipline guidelines by the Centre, among other things. The closure call has been
given by the Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association to
press for its demands, Mr Manmohan Sehgal, president of
the association's local unit, said in a statement here. |
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Accountants
want test cancelled FEROZEPORE,
Oct 1 — There is resentment among unadjusted
qualified accountants working in various Municipal
Councils in Punjab against the way the Directorate of
Local Government was going to fill 287 posts of
accountant and other categories by holding written test
on October 4 and 5. They alleged that the test for different categories including, accountants, stenographers, sanitary inspectors, executive officers and draftsmen would be similar, which was not justified. It should be given according to qualifications of the candidates who were about to appear in the written examination, they added. The Punjab
Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal and the Local
Bodies Minister, Punjab, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon were
appealed to cancel the written examination. |
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Funds
for Beant memorial not being released PATIALA, Oct 1 — Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress, president, Gurkanwal Kaur yesterday claimed that the Akali-BJP government was refusing to release funds for the Beant Singh memorial to be built at Chandigarh. Talking to reporters here, Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, who is a daughter of slain Chief Minister Beant Singh, said Rs seven crore had been sanctioned for the Beant Singh memorial by the Punjab Government. She said no money had been released after Rs two crore released earlier during Congress rule. Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur said she had attended a meeting of the committee on the issue two days back which was presided over by the Adviser to the Union Territory Administrator. She said she had been conveyed at the meeting that the Punjab Government was refusing to release the Rs five crore already sanctioned for the memorial. The Mahila Congress president said Mr Beant Singh had sacrificed his life for peace and development of the state and it was unfortunate that the present government was taking such a view towards the construction of a memorial in his name. Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur said she would take up the issue with Punjab Governor Lt-Gen BKN Chhibber and urge him to intervene in the matter so that construction of the memorial was expedited. Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, who is
to take over office of the Mahila Congress on October 6,
said she would select her team of office-bearers after an
extensive tour of the state. She said an attempt would be
made to bring socially aware and dynamic women to the
forefront while adding that block and ward-level units of
the Mahila Congress would also be made. |
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Truck
fired at, 1 injured FEROZEPORE, Oct 1 — Four unidentified persons opened fire on a truck on the Kot-ise-Khanri Zira road yesterday, injuring the cleaner of the truck. The incident took place near Longowind village. The cleaner, Sukhmander Singh of Tehna village in Faridkot district, has been admitted to the Zira Civil Hospital. A case under Sections 304 and 34, IPC, has been registered. The local Civil Surgeon,
Dr V.K. Bassi, however, said the injured was the driver
of the truck. |
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Spread
message of truth: Chhibber CHANDIGARH, Oct 1 — The Punjab Governor, Lt-Gen B.K.N. Chhibber (retd), today called upon the people to spread the message of truth and non-violence as propagated by Mahatma Gandhi. Felicitating the people on
the eve of Gandhi Jayanti. The Governor said under the
leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, India had set an example
before the world by attaining freedom through non-violent
struggle. |
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Golden jubilee of battle honour
celebrated CHANDIGARH, Oct 1 — The first battalion of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment, one of the oldest battalion of the Indian Army, previously known as first Madras Battalion, celebrated the golden jubilee of its battle honour "Tithwal" somewhere in the Western Sector today. The battalion was raised in 1776 and has numerous battle honours and gallantry awards to its credit, giving it an enviable distinction of being one of the finest battalions in the Army. The battle of Tithwal was fought in the summer of 1948, from May to July, against the Pakistani troops in Jammu and Kashmir. The capture of Tithwal was the nadir of a heroic saga of bravery, determination, steadfastness and exceptional courage displayed by the gallant 'Thambis' of the battalion under extremely harsh conditions. The golden jubilee
celebrations were attended by a large number of war
heroes, including officers, JCOs and jawans who had taken
part in the battle of Tithwal. |
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