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| Thursday, July 13, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
59 SHSAD men ‘join SAD’ Autonomy — Badal ducks
leadership role Cong activist stabbed in police
station
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| Judge’s order in rape case
overturned CHANDIGARH, July 12 — Convicting a three-wheeler driver for raping a five-year-old girl, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has sentenced him to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment after allowing an appeal filed by the state of Punjab challenging his acquittal by an Additional District and Sessions Judge of Ludhiana. The orders were passed by Mr Justice H S Bedi and Mr Justice A S Garg.
Ferozepore DCC office-bearers
BKU threatens stir against graft PRTC to build 3 bus sheds 3 pilgrims die as bus overturns Jaitley to take up ’84 riots
issue
Proposal to declare Moga a green
city
Wife, paramour, held for murder
Admissions postponed
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59 SHSAD men ‘join
SAD’ CHANDIGARH, July 12 — The Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal claimed here today that the president of the Ropar district unit of the Sarab Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD), Mr Ujjagar Singh Wadali, and other office-bearers had joined the SAD at a brief function held at the residence of Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Punjab Finance Minister. Before joining, they called on Mr Badal at his official residence. Capt Kanwaljit Singh told media persons that it was a big setback for the SHSAD headed by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. Among the others who joined the SAD were Mr Ranjit Singh Dumna, vice -president of the SHSAD, Mr Balwinder Singh Sandhuan, senior vice-president of the Ropar district unit , and Mr Major Singh Mangat, general secretary of the Ropar district unit. As per the list circulated by the SAD, 59 office-bearers and activists of the SHSAD had joined the SAD. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the leaders and activists who joined the party would be given due respect and status in the SAD. Mr Ujjagar Singh, who
was at one time close to former Punjab Chief Minister
Surjit Singh Barnala, had quit the SAD a few days before
the last Vidhan Sabha elections as he was denied
nomination in the election by the party. He contested as
a rebel candidate against the party nominee. His village
falls in the constituency of Mr Ravi Inder Singh. The
party is likely to promote him against Mr Ravi Inder
Singh, who has emerged as a major rival to Mr Badal. |
Autonomy — Badal ducks
leadership role CHANDIGARH, July 12 — Thanks to the opportunity provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, the Akalis of all hues are back to their pet subject, being eloquent on autonomy. It is now daily reference to autonomy. If Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, who heads the largest Akali faction, sings about the Ludhiana conference resolution of 1978, others come out with their own interpretation of autonomy. Interestingly, Mr Badal does not go beyond saying that the Ludhiana resolution is their Magna Carta. He sticks to that. He neither discusses the details with journalists who ask him on a daily basis nor makes any attempt to clear the mist around that grandiose idea of greater or smaller autonomy or decentralisation of power. As far as the Anandpur Sahib resolution is concerned, Mr Badal wishes to forget, little realising that the Ludhiana resolution of October, 1978, declares that the Akali Dal is only reiterating what it has said in the resolutions passed at Batala and Anandpur Sahib. So it was left to the party General Secretary, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, to have a long chat with journalists to clear some mist. His version of autonomy is to have more fiscal powers and decentralisation of decision-making. “I want the Akalis to play a leading role in making the Centre agree to more fiscal powers to the states and to restore the State List in the Constitution. It has considerably shrunk in the past”, he said. He would not want the Akalis to depend on the committee formed by the BJP-lead government to review the Constitution. “We shall get nothing out of that. Let all states join hands and create an atmosphere to have a true federal structure,” he said. Evidently Mr Badal has greater faith in this committee. Not to be left behind, another Akali MP and party general secretary, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, has come out with his version. “We want greater autonomy and have nothing to do with the resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly,” he declares in Delhi. Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who has beaten Mr Bhunder in the race for a Cabinet berth at the Centre, does not like to be left out. And, Mr Dhindsa moves a step ahead and declares that the Akali Dal stands by the old Anandpur Sahib resolution that clearly demarcates the powers of the Centre and the states. The Centre has to confine itself to defence, foreign affairs, currency and communications. Mr Dhindsa also differs with Mr Badal regarding the Jammu and Kashmir resolution. For the first time he disclosed that he differed with the Union Cabinet when it rejected that resolution. He wanted the issue of greater autonomy and federalism to be debated in detail. Also, he wanted the Centre to limit itself to four major areas — defence, foreign affairs, communications and currency. But in this game of one-upmanship the Akalis are conveniently giving a burial to their declaration made at Moga in April, 1995. While talking about complete autonomy of the states in a true federal structure, the Akalis travelled an extra political mile when they declared. “The Akali Dal is committed to strengthening the spirit of Punjabiat”. From “Khalsa da bol Bala” to “sarbat da bhala”. It unequivocally declared that “the Akali Dal is committed to projecting the problems and issues of the entire Punjabi people” rather than “a section of the state”. From Dharam Yudh to Lok Lehar, a “to protect the rights of the Sikhs and the Punjabis as a whole”. From the creation of such an autonomous region, Punjab where the Sikhs could enjoy the glow of freedom to a Punjab where Punjabiat blossoms. It, of course, talked about a division of powers on the pattern of the Anandpur Sahib resolution. It was this pledge that projected Mr Badal as leader who could rule Punjab. The people responded and the Akalis won a massive victory. Why is Mr Badal forgetting his promise and the verdict? The Akalis’ struggle for autonomy since 1970 in the political and fiscal fields has often lacked the political will. It is at best a fitful effort. But still it is very much relevant. Also, there is no harm in Mr Badal joining hands with Mr Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, in demanding more powers to the states , which have the burden of development. Over the past decades, the Centre has assumed vast powers, but Mr Badal blames only the Congress for this and he is less than charitable. The BJP, the party Mr Badal adores, has not cared to implement its decentralisation promise or even to give a second look to what it told the Sarkaria Commission. The states have been made to run errands and do what they are bid to do. All elastic sources of revenue like income tax, excise and custom duties and other taxes are with the Centre. The Centre provides crumbs to the states after going through a great exercise of the Finance Commissions every five years. While the burden to provide education, roads, electricity, water supply and health care and all rests with the states, the Centre tries to keep these under leash. Hence any demand for autonomy is viewed by many as something anti-national. Here the Akalis’ role becomes politically very important. The clamour for autonomy is a rebellious call for the reversal of the discredited residual theory. A throwback to the Mughal mindset reinforced by the British colonial necessity for a tight Central control over the administration. The theory first established Delhi’s control over subjects that it considered a must for its supremacy and left the rest to the “provinces”. But then it was a colonial arrangement. The freedom movement and independence changed all that. True, the Centre still retained preponderant power but the states, the federated units, were not as marginalised as before. Powers began to flow towards the states until the early seventies when Indira Gandhi abruptly put a brake on the process. The weakened states silently accepted the suzerainty of the Centre and real political power began to flow in the opposite direction. Today’s political reality has established the authority of regional parties, giving them a genuine share in the federal power structure. Andhra Pradesh or West Bengal ( Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress ) is able to shape the policies, heralding the rule of the state satraps. The past and the present have coalesced to shape today’s reality. The states want to apply a reverse residual theory. They say, give us our powers and retain the rest. Punjab has been in the forefront in articulating this position. The liberalisation and globalisation policies have added to this momentum. The Indian nation-state (the Union Government in popular parlance ) has surrendered its sovereignty in shaping the country’s economic policies. The multilateral agreements it has signed have vastly abridged its policy-making powers. Now new projects will come up as an arrangement between the big business and the states with the Centre being facilitator, or just an interested spectator. If economic power has
shifted away from the Centre, how can political power
remain with it? Once again, Punjab’s Finance
Minister Kanwaljit Singh has given voice to this. The
gradual erosion of the financial powers of the states by
the Centre has to be reversed and the changed political
equation between the Centre and the States has set the
stage for it. It is a historical change and hence is
unstoppable. |
Cong activist stabbed in
police station FEROZEPORE, July 12 — A Congress activist was stabbed to death inside the city police station complex here last night. The deceased Kapil Saluja (35) was allegedly stabbed thrice by Rajesh Mehta, the brother of a BJP activist, in the presence of the SHO, Mr Amritpal Singh. Mehta stabbed the victims in the chest. His brothers, Ashwini Mehta, alias Tiddi, a BJP activist and a Beopar Mandal leader and Satpal Bajaj were also involved in the attack. While Kapil died on the spot, the three assailants managed to escape after grappling with the police. It is learnt that the three assailants who have been booked for the murder, were accompanied by a dozen odd supporters. While the accused are still at large, the police has found the dagger that was used in the crime. The incident occurred around 11.30 p.m. The deceased was called to the police station in connection with a complaint lodged against him by Ashwini Mehta. Following a heated exchange, Saluja was caught by Ashwini and Satpal Bajaj, while Rajesh allegedly stabbed him. According to the DSP
(City), Mr Rachpal Singh, the SHO fired in the air to
control the situation. However, the assailants managed to
escape along with their supporters, he added. |
Advocates working from temporary
shelters PATIALA, July12 — Advocates in Patiala continue to sit in temporary shelters in the open and the judiciary lacks sufficient space six years after a multi-storey judicial complex was started to tackle this problem in the city. Only one and a half to two storeys of the proposed six-storey complex have been completed till now . Presently work has been at a standstill since March 1999. Due to this lawyers have to function from cramped sheds in the present complex. Bar Association President Kundan Singh Nagra said the delay in completion of the new judicial complex was causing inconvenience to the advocates , litigants and the Judges. Other advocates said they had a harrowing time in the monsoon season as their entire seating place became slushy and they were not able to perform their duties effectively. Mr Nagra said at present 700 advocates were registered with the Bar Association and that many could not be adjusted in the little space available at the present site. He said there was a provision of chambers, booths and dormitories in the new building which could cater to all the practising lawyers in the city. Speedy completion of the new complex would make the administration of justice more honourable, he added. The foundation of the new complex was laid by former Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1994. Following that construction has been always erratic. Sources said construction was always done in bits and spurts according to the availability of funds. This kind of building activity has only resulted in a manifold increase in its construction cost. The complex has also been plagued with controversy after doctors and other staff of the adjoining Mata Kaushalya Hospital formed a ‘Hospital Bachao Committee’ alleging that the complex was being built on land belonging to the hospital. This also led to stalling of work for some time before the go ahead for the construction was given at the highest level. However, funds have apparently been the bane of the complex. Sources said funds were released piecemeal on most occasions due to which construction could not really take on. The Bar Association had tried its best to hasten the construction work and had also invited State Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh to a function at the site more than two and a half years ago so that work could be speeded up . However this too did not have its desired result. Public Works Department (Building and Roads) Executive Engineer T B S Gill said last year the department had only been allotted Rs 40 lakh for the project against the projected demand of Rs 2.30 crore. He said no money was given to the project after the first quarter last year. He said presently Rs 11 crore more were needed for completion of the project. The department had projected a demand of Rs 4 crore for the project this year. He said a decision for allocation of the money was likely to be taken at a high level Planning meeting next week. Currently even if the
government gives a grant of Rs 3 to 4 crore every year to
the project, it will be another three years before it is
completed. Deepinder Singh, a litigant feels, money
should be given en block for the project so that it is
completed within two years. |
Judge’s order in rape
case overturned CHANDIGARH, July 12 — Convicting a three-wheeler driver for raping a five-year-old girl, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has sentenced him to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment after allowing an appeal filed by the state of Punjab challenging his acquittal by an Additional District and Sessions Judge of Ludhiana. The orders were passed by Mr Justice H S Bedi and Mr Justice A S Garg. The accused — Anil Kumar of Dholewal Chowk in Ludhiana — was booked for rape and attempt to murder by the Punjab Police under Sections 376, 342 and 307 of the Indian Penal Code on October 30, 1985. According to the prosecution, the girl’s father, searching for the victim after failing to find her in the house, had discovered the accused trying to rape her in a vacant plot. The accused, the prosecution had added, escaped after hearing the alarm raised by the father leaving behind the semi-conscious girl bleeding from her private parts. Anil Kumar was later acquitted by the trial court after being given the benefit of doubt. Pronouncing the orders on May 6, 1986, the Judge had observed: “On the basis of evidence produced in the court, the case against Anil Kumar can not be said to be free from doubt and giving him the benefit of doubt, I acquit him of the charges framed against him”. The Judge had also observed: “The accused was medically examined on October 30, 1985, and the doctor is categorical that his private parts do not have any injuries thereon. This too would rule out the possibility of Anil Kumar having participated in the incident in which the girl had received injuries on her person”. Challenging the orders, the state had stated that the lower court’s findings “were based on mere surmises, conjectures and assumptions and were thus not tenable in the eyes of the law”. Arguing before the court, the state counsel had added that the prosecution had “proved the case to the hilt and the acquittal of the accused had caused a grave miscarriage of justice”. Notice to AGs on jail overcrowding The High Court issued notice of motion to the Advocate Generals of Punjab and Haryana, besides the Standing Counsel for Chandigarh, after taking notice on its own motion of “deficiencies”, including overcrowding and poor quality food, at the Gurdaspur Central Jail. The notices for August 29 were issued by Mr Justice V.M. Jain after Mr Justice Amar Dutt’s surprise visit to the jail. Taking notice of the prevailing conditions, Mr. Justice Dutt had observed: “On May 1, when I went to the Gurdaspur Sessions Division, I visited the prison again. According to the Jail Superintendent, the jail could have a maximum strength of 500 inmates whereas the prisoners’ strength on May 1 was 600”. Mr Justice Dutt also observed: “The chapatis were not up to the mark and the persons preparing them explained that it was on account of poor visibility due to the presence of smoke in the kitchen. There was no provision for removing the smoke emitted from the chulas”. Mr Justice Dutt had also observed: “All the irregularities, in my view, prima facie require appraisal on the judicial side so that adequate directions can be issued to the government after giving them an opportunity of hearing to improve the living conditions of the inmates of Gurdaspur jail in particular and of inmates lodged in other jails of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh in general”. The appraisal, he added, was essential also “to improve the condition in which the food was being cooked as well as to bring to an end the smuggling and pushing of narcotics in the jail and to enquire into the circumstances leading to the death of Tarlok Singh”. In his detailed order,
Mr Justice Dutt had also observed: “It has been
found that the government and the jail authorities have
been negligent in complying with the directions given by
the Judges while inspecting the jails from time to time.
There was non-compliance of directions given by Mr
Justice R.L. Anand on May 18, 1999”. |
Ferozepore DCC office-bearers CHANDIGARH, July 12 — Capt Amarinder Singh, president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, today appointed Master Jagir Singh and Col C.D. Singh Kamboj vice-presidents, Maj Harminder Singh Bhullar secretary and Mr Sajjan Kumar Jakhar president of the District Congress Committee, Ferozepore. A separate press note
issued by the party said a meeting of the PPCC would be
held on July 15 at Punjab Congress Bhavan in Chandigarh. |
BKU threatens stir against graft MOGA, July 12 — The president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Punjab, Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, and the secretary general of the union, Mr Manjit Singh Kadian, in a joint statement issued here yesterday levelled corruption charges against all government departments, and added that if no necessary steps were taken to curb it, the people would start an agitation. They further added that works of the people of the state, were done only after the officials of the department concerned were suitably bribed. They said the union would also launch a campaign against corruption, rising prices, unemployment and to eradicate poverty if the government failed to redress people’s complaint. Both leaders further added that the education system in almost all schools in the state had worsened and the managements of these schools were forcing parents to pay up huge donations for admitting their children. The government had
failed to take action against them. They demanded that
government should pass an effective legislation on the
pattern of Maharashtra government, so that public was not
harassed. |
PRTC to build 3 bus sheds PATIALA, July 12 — The Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) has decided to construct bus sheds at Bahadurgarh, Urban Estate and Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib, three strategic points where traffic flow is maximum, informed Mr Vikas Pratap, Managing Director of the PRTC. Funded by District Planning Board, the sheds are expected to be constructed in a couple of months. However, according to District Town Planner S. Singh only three bus sheds are not going to cater to the entire population. A fleet of 1175 PRTC buses ply regularly, carrying nearly one lakh commuters. Every day the PRTC generates a revenue between Rs 30 to 35 lakh. “Taking the distance and traffic flow into consideration the university, the two PRTC workshops and the Thapar College area also need bus sheds”, Mr Singh added. “In this hot and sultry weather we have to take shelter in the nearby shops”, said Mr Gurdeep Singh who travels from Sirhindi Gate to Bahadurgarh everyday. “There are no fixed
sites for a bus to stop at small stoppages. If a bus
stops at one place, next time it will stop somewhere
else, thus making us run from one place to another,”
said another commuter, Mr Amarjit Singh Sidhu. |
3 pilgrims die as bus
overturns FEROZEPORE, July 12 — Three pilgrims died and seven were injured when the truck in which they were travelling over-turned due to overloading on the Zira-Makhu road, near Malsian village in this district today. According to information received here, two of the deceased have been identified as Arjan Singh and Major Singh. The third died at the Zira Civil Hospital. The injured have been identified as Ranga Singh, Chanan Singh, Dayal Singh, Satpal Singh, Lakhbir Singh, Baljinder Kaur and Harjinder Singh. All pilgrims belonged to the Mamdot and Guruharsahai areas. They were going to a gurdwara at Tarn Taran. Harjinder Singh has been referred to DMC, Ludhiana, and others are admitted to the civil hospital at Ferozepore. Meanwhile, the SDM, Mr
D.P.S. Kharbanda, said the truck was carrying over 100
pilgrims. |
Jaitley to take up ’84
riots issue HOSHIARPUR, July 12 — The Punjab unit of the Samata Party today urged the families of all those who were killed during the anti-Sikh riots in November, 1984, to approach the party head office here, and assist Mrs Jaya Jaitley, president of the party, in taking up their cases with the commission, set up to probe the massacre of innocent Sikhs afresh. Mrs Jaitley is a member
of the committee set up by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr
Parkash Singh Badal, to assist the commission. Mr
Inderjit Singh Saini, president of the state unit of the
party, said no serious effort had been made to punish the
culprits. |
2 officers shifted CHANDIGARH, July 12
— The Punjab Government today ordered Mr R.L.
Kalsia, Director of Social Security, Women and Child
Development, and ex-officio Special Secretary, and Mr
B.R. Banga, Special Secretary, Department of Irrigation,
to swap places. |
Proposal to declare Moga a green
city MOGA, July 12 — The
Deputy Commissioner, Moga, Mr Kanwalbir Singh Sidhu,
yesterday announced that a proposal was under way to
declare the city a green city. Mr Sidhu, addressing a
gathering of select residents, said the Forest Department
would supply saplings of trees at normal rates to persons
interested in growing those in schools, colleges, and
kitchen gardens. The increase in the number of vehicles
and industrial establishments entailed the planting of
more saplings to meet the challenge of pollution, he
said. |
39 LPG cylinders recovered PATIALA, July 12 —
The District Food and Supply Controller in collaboration
with the Indian Oil Corporation raided the premises of
various hotels, dhabas, and other outlets and recovered
39 LPG cylinders meant for the domestic use. These
cylinders were being used for commercial purposes,
according to a press note issued by the controller. |
Wife, paramour, held for
murder JALANDHAR July 12 — He was lured into a taxi, and chilli powder was thrown into his eyes before being stabbed, and in Bollywood style acid poured over face of the dead body, which later was thrown in the fields, to conceal the identity of the victim. The gruesome act was done by none other but his wife, her paramour and accomplices, in a running van. An unidentified body, with a disfigured face and with dozens of stab marks, which was recovered from the fields of Avtaar Singh, in nearby Sammipur Village on January 10, remained a puzzle for the police for six months till the case was solved and the mystery behind the murder of Surjit Kumar, a 28-year-old resident of Basti Danishmandan was unfolded and five of the six accused, including Kulwinder Kaur alias Pinky, wife of the decease, were arrested. Their confessions unveiled indifference and infidelity on the part of a wife towards her husband and children, due to her alleged illicit relations with one Deepak Kumar, alias Tehla, and her going to the extent of murdering her husband when he got a wind of the affair and tried to stop her paramour from meeting her. An infuriated Kulwinder discussed the issue with Deepak and both of them hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Surjit, for which the latter sought help from four of his friends, in a way that it did not look like a murder at all. Under a plan, Deepak went to Surjit Kumar’s place on January 9 and offered his help in getting the latter’s jailed brother released before taking him and Kulwinder Kaur away on his scooter. As it had been planned, Deepak, halted his scooter near a parked van, which was occupied by his accomplices, Bobby, Kapil Sharma, Davinder Pal, alias Bhupi, who forced Surjit into the van after throwing chilli powder in his eyes. While Kapil kept vigil while following the van on his scooter, others stabbed Surjit with sharp-edged weapons in the van till he breathed his last. The accused stopped the van near Sammipur village, where they poured acid over the face of the body, which then was thrown into fields. Even after committing the crime, no one knew the fate of Surjit Kumar for about six months, primarily due to the role played by Kulwinder, who misinformed her parents that her husband had gone missing and had even inserted advertisements in this regard in newspapers. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP,
said the reality behind the missing of Surjit Kumar, came
to light after the accused were arrested while they were
travelling in the same van which was used in the crime
near Puar village last evening. The sixth accused
Bhupinder Singh, a resident of Abadpura locality, is
already in jail. He was booked for an assault on DSP
Chanchal Singh during an anti-demolition drive launched
by the local Municipal Corporation on June 27. He will be
arrested formally after obtaining production warrants,
for which an application has been moved by the police. |
Admissions postponed PATIALA, July 12 — Due to the non-declaration of results of Class XII by the Punjab School Education Board, Punjabi University has postponed the admission process in the colleges affiliated to the university. Giving this information,
Dr Janak Raj Gupta, Dean, Colleges, Punjabi University,
said that the new schedule would be finalised as and when
the results would be declared. |
Dean appointed PATIALA, July 12 —
The Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Dr Jasbir
Singh Ahluwalia, has appointed Dr Janak Raj Gupta, a
professor in the Department of Economics, as Dean,
College Development Council, Punjabi University. This was
stated in a press note issued by the university here on
Wednesday. |
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