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Only 10 women in fray
Chandigarh, April 27 Though the number of candidates has increased from 120 during the last polls, more women candidates are staying away from the contest. In 1999, 13 of them had contested as against 10 in 2004. Just one woman had succeeded during the previous polls. That could be a reason behind the less number of women candidates, political analysts assume. She had polled the highest number of votes, but that did not encourage other women to come out of their homes to fight the political battle. More and more youngsters are now coming forward to contest — that is a fact. A large number of candidates between the age group of 28 and 40 are trying their luck in the elections. They may raise issues like female foeticide and illegal abortions, in the absence of women candidates, experts claim. In Ludhiana, the Election Commission of India will have to arrange for approximately 1500 additional electronic voting machines (EVMs) as 18 candidates are contesting from the industrial hub. The need for extra EVMs stems from the fact that each machine has symbols of 16 candidates. Additional machines will be required for accommodating spare symbols, authorities concerned say. Ludhiana has the highest number of polling booths in the state. Out of 15,623 stations, 1446 booths are located in the constituency. Otherwise, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with 13 candidates tops the list of contestants, followed by 11 of the Indian National Congress (INC) and 10 of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded just three candidates. Ten candidates from Bharatiya Gaon Taj Dal (BGJD) are in the fray. Two candidates each from Samajwadi Party and Samta Samaj Party are contesting the polls. The number of independent candidates is 69, including two women. Twentynine candidates belong to national parties, while 16 contestants are from state parties. Twentyseven candidates are from registered unrecognised parties. Out of total 141 candidates, just 10 are women. As many as 25 had initially filed their nominations. Fourteen were rejected and one was withdrawn. In all, 198 papers were filed, 48 were rejected and 11 withdrawn. Eightythree-year old Raghunandan Lal Bhatia of the INC — contesting elections from Amritsar — is the oldest contestant. Just 25, Sarabjeet Singh of SAD (M) is the youngest. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, the state was represented by eight Congress members, one BJP member, two SAD members and one SAD (M) member, besides one CPI member. The SAD had secured the second position in seven seats, INC in three seats, BJP in two and Bahujan Samaj Morcha in one. Among the three SC constituencies, Phillaur and Ropar were held by the INC. Bathinda was represented by a CPI candidate. |
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SAD (A) extends support to Tur
Amritsar, April 27 Bhai Ram Singh, one general secretary of the SAD (A), announced support to the rebel Akali candidate in the presence of Mr Tur, Mr Prem Singh Lalpura, a former MLA, Mr Lehna Singh Tur, a former MP, and Mr Mohan Singh Matia, a senior leader of the SAD (A). Mr Balwant Singh Ramuwalia, president, Lok Bhalai Party, and Mr Ravi Inder Singh, president, SAD (Ravi Inder), have already announced their unconditional support to Mr Tur. With this, the constituency is set for a triangular contest with Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala of the SAD (B) and Mr Sukhinder Sarkaria of the Congress pitted against Mr Tur. Bhai Ram Sing alleged that Dr Ajnala was an outsider for Tarn Taran and was out on a bail from High Court in a corruption case.
He said Dr Ajnala had nothing to show in name of development even in Ajnala constituency from where he was a minister in the Akali government. He criticised the Congress government as well as SAD (B), which had “failed to protect the interests of farmers and the people”. He alleged that the Panthic issues had disappeared from the
manifesto of the SAD (B). He said both the SAD (B) and the Congress forgot the main issues like water dispute, Anandpur Sahib resolution, Chandigarh issue and inclusion of Punjabi-speaking areas in Punjab when they came to power.
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Regulate exit poll system, says ex-CEC
Jalandhar April 27 Talking to mediapersons at Jandiala village near here, Dr Gill, who was here to address a rally in support of Ms Santosh Choudhary, a Congress nominee from Phillaur, said during his tenure as CEC, it was recommended that all political parties and parliamentarians should sit together to “I feel that the media should collect samples for the exit polls after every phase of polling, but its results should be declared only after final round of polling. The current practice impinges on calm and fair choice of the voters, the former CEC said. He said, Mr Soli
J.Sorabjee, Attorney-General, had also recommended to Parliament to regulate the exit polls system instead of banning it. Commenting upon voters’ concern over criminalisation of politics, Dr Gill maintained that it was the main task before the Election Commission to explain and educate people about the candidates. “There is a need to enact a law to stop entry of persons, having criminal backgrounds, into Parliament. Besides, the media should come forward to expose the true face of the candidates to ensure better choice before the electorate,” Dr Gill asserted. Regarding the ongoing controversy about complete waiver of a term loan of Rs 8,500 crores that was given to Punjab for fighting terrorism by the then Prime Minister, Mr Inder Kumar Gujral, Dr Gill said the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh had placed facts before the people of the state. “It is very much clear that there was never complete waiver of the loan even as some instalments were waived and a moratorium was imposed for the recovery of balance amount,” He added. Commenting upon the need to boost Indo-Pak trade, Dr Gill said the Central Government should start Amritsar-Lahore bus service for the benefit of the border state. He also expressed concern over the delay in expansion and modernisation of international airport at Amritsar. |
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Local issues will get priority, promises Badal
Jhumba (Bathinda), April 27 Addressing a rally in the rural area falling in this Assembly segment, he said his government had tried to solve local problems on a priority basis and would do the same if voted to power again. He said though Capt Amarinder Singh had promised the moon to the people during the last Assembly elections, he had withdrawn the pension and shagun schemes. He said the Congress government had also withdrawn the facility of free 100 units of power to members of the Scheduled Castes extended by the previous SAD-BJP combine government. Mr Badal, who listened to the grievances of people and visited several houses in this and neighbouring Bir Talab village, was weighed against coins at many places. He promised a section of the residents of the village that they would be given the right of ownership of land being cultivated by them after they migrated from Pakistan in 1947 if his party came to power. |
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Bhatia had mediated between Indira, Bhindranwale
Amritsar, April 27 Talking to TNS here today, he said had he met Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as an emissary of Indira Gandhi, Operation Bluestar could have been avoided. He said the issue was about to be solved. Indira Gandhi wanted him to talk to Bhindranwale on phone to work out the solution. However, Mr Bhatia said he told her that such sensitive issues could not be discussed on the phone. She had deputed him to meet Sant Bhindranwale and he had flown from New Delhi to meet Bhindranwale and Bhai Amrik Singh. Security and intelligence agencies had told him that they could not provide security to him for holding such a meeting on the Golden Temple premises. Mr Bhatia said he should have ignored the advice of the security agencies to defuse the situation which unfortunately resulted in the Army storming the Golden Temple. He claimed that being the MP from Amritsar, he had condemned Operation Bluestar. He said Indira Gandhi visited the Golden Temple to offer her regrets. He said his election as MP even after the operation showed that the Sikh voter had faith in his efforts to solve the problem at that time. |
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CM to address rally in Dullo’s support
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 27 Dr Harbans Lal, MLA, addressing a meeting after opening an election office at Sadhugarh, said the Congress candidate had been getting an overwhelming response, particularly in rural areas. Farmers, panches and sarpanches were coming forward to extend support, he claimed. Mr Surjit Singh Sahi, sarpanch, along with the sarpanches of adjoining villages, assured support to the Congress candidate. Other election offices of the party were opened at Kotla Bajwara, Nogawan, Nandpur Kalour, Hamayunpur, Badali Ala Singh and Ambey Majra. Addressing a gathering at one of the rallies, Dr Lal lashed out at the NDA government as well as the SAD(B). Ridiculing the “feel good” factor of the BJP, he said the “feel good” factor was only for the rich. He said the “feel good” was for Pramod Mahajan as his wife, who is the chief executive officer of Reliance, had benefited from the “feel good”. When the Opposition raised the issue, he had to loose the Telecommunication Ministry. He said the Coffin Scam, sale of BALCO unit, which was running in profit, and sale of Santoor hotel in Delhi had nothing to feel good about them. He said the rates of petrol, diesel and kerosene oil had been increased manifold, whereas the rates of farmer’s produce had not increased.
Among others who spoke included Vaid Hari Krishan, president DCC, Mr R. N. Sharma, Secretary DCC, Mr Surjit Singh Sahi, Mr Subhash Sood, Mr Naresh Kumar Sharma, Mr Sadhu Ram. |
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NDA has conceded defeat: Ashwani
Amritsar, April 27 Talking to newsmen here today, the Rajya Sabha member said the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had already given clear indications during the past few days that there might be a change in the post-poll alliances. He said one could easily infer from the changed stance of the Prime Minister that the NDA partners were likely to suffer a setback. Mr Ashwani Kumar said the latest exit polls had clearly indicated that the Congress and its allies were gaining and had upset the calculations of the NDA poll managers. The spokesman said Congress President Sonia Gandhi had proved that she could give a tough fight to the BJP and its allies. Mr Ashwani Kumar categorically said in case Congress got majority in Parliament, Ms Sonia Gandhi would be the Prime Minister and in case the Congress and its secular front comes into power, the decision on the prime ministerial choice would be taken collectively. Predicting that the Congress would win at least eight seats in Punjab, he claimed that Mr R.L. Bhatia, the party candidate from Amritsar, would win without any problem. Talking about the candidature of Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, he said politics was not a game. Regarding the role of Congress MLA Om Parkash Soni, who has been opposing the candidature of Mr Bhatia, Mr Kumar said he would look into the matter. |
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Disqualified candidate
cries foul
Hoshiarpur, April 27 In a press conference here today, he said his nomination papers had been rejected on the ground that he had been disqualified by the commission for not providing details of his expenditure when he had contested from Kom Kalan (Ludhiana district) during the 2002 elections. He said he had submitted a statement of expenditure soon after the state Assembly elections but in August, 2002, he had received a letter from the Election Commission in which the detail, of the expenditure along with the bills had been sought. He submitted the details along with the bills but did not receive any letter from the commission. On April 24, he came to know through some newspapers that he had been disqualified. He had approached Mr Noor Mohmad, Deputy Chief Election Commissioner and submitted a protest note to him in this regard. He had reportedly assured him that he would give a decision on April 28. He demanded the stoppage of the election process on this seat until the decision of Mr Noor Mohmad was not received. He criticised the district police for compelling him to close his election office. |
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Defacement of public property rampant
Bathinda, April 27 By doing so the SAD-BJP not only showed scanty regard for the place but also violated the Model Code of Conduct. Interestingly, the local leadership of SAD lodged a complaint against the CPI-Congress alliance to the Election Observer for defacing public property. Taking prompt action on the complaint of SAD, the observer ordered the removal of all flags and poser of the CPI-Congress combine from electricity poles, roundabouts and other public buildings. Not only walls of public buildings, the SAD leadership has also written slogans on main road of the city. Posters can also be seen pasted on the government and a section of private properties. A round of the city and its surrounding areas revealed that a number of other political parties had also been using the government premises for election publicity. Mr S.K. Singla, Assistant
Returning Officer, Bathinda, said videography of walls of the Government School for Girls would be done and subsequently notice would be issued to the erring party for the violation of poll code. He added that the Municipal Corporation authorities would be asked to whitewash the walls again. |
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Elections lead to labour shortage
Patiala, April 27 “They will start returning in the next few days”, said a contractor in Zirakpur. “If you ask me to spare even one labourer today, I would not be able to do so as the position is so tight,” he added. Siaram, who hails from Chapra village in Bihar, said a large number of labourers had gone to their villages and would return after the elections. Usually, during the harvest season, the labourers engaged in construction moved to villages to earn money by harvesting crops. “ Labour saves more by harvesting crops than from construction work”, he said. A lot of political pressure was also built on their families back home to call their people from Punjab for voting. Asked why he had not gone, he said: “I don’t have money to buy a rail ticket. I had recently come to Punjab and have not earned much. Earning livelihood on a daily basis was more important than going hundred miles to vote,” he said. Another labourer Joginder, said. “ We are poor and can’t afford to leave work.” Asked about rigging in Bihar, he said it was not widespread. “ At least, I have never witnessed any violence in my village during election time”, he said. |
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Bank employees to back Cong, Left
Jalandhar April 27 Addressing a rally of the bank employees here today, the secretary of the federation, Mr Amrit Lal, alleged that the NDA government was pursuing anti-people policies, which was evident from the fact that the government had introduced a Bill in Parliament to reduce its stake in public sector banks from 51 to 33 percent. Besides, the government had decided to allow foreign direct investment up to 74 per cent in private
banks. |
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AISSF dissolved following Gill’s exit
Jalandhar, April 27 By joining the Congress which was responsible for Operation Bluestar and the 1984, riots, Gill has betrayed the panth, said Bhai Manjit Singh, who is also Gill’s brother-in-law. Ruling out any adverse impact on the prospects of the Akali Dal in the elections following the exit of Gill, he said the Akali Dal was a party of masses. The AISSF had been dissolved to elect new office-bearers for which a meeting would be held in Amritsar on May 3, he said. |
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Jagmeet Brar’s video van impounded
Jalalabad, April 27 According to information received the vehicle was plying without permission from competent authority. The vehicle fitted with a TV and video player, was showing footage of the Congress and its candidate. According to guidelines of the Election Commission, separate permissions are required for showing election-related advertisements by electronic media and for the plying of vehicle. Dr Ashwani Midha President of Bharatiya Janata Party, local unit had said that video footage of Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar speaking in Parliament being played in this vehicle was fabricated, because he had never spoken in Punjabi in Parliament. |
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Industrialists to support Khanna
Sangrur, April 27 Mr Vijay Gupta, President of the SDIC, said the members of the SDIC should vote for Mr Khanna so that he and his party could plead the case of industry. |
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‘India Shining’ card losing sheen, claims Preneet
Patiala, April 27 Lashing out at the ‘unkept’ promises made to the electorate by the NDA government, she said every segment of society was disillusioned with the saffron brigade. Speaking at different political rallies in the Dakala assembly segment, she said the exit poll results were a clarion call that the NDA was on its way out. She said there was nothing in the state exchequer when the Congress came to power two years ago. She said the wrong policies of the NDA had made life expensive for the common man as basic commodities had seen a sharp price hike. Meanwhile, addressing political rallies with Ms Preneet Kaur former MP Charanjit Singh Walia alleged Mr Badal had failed to protect interests of the state and was supporting the BJP for his own petty political gains. |
SAD workers join Congress
Patiala, April 27 Those who joined the party included Patiala SAD vice-president, Kanwaljit Singh Kapoor, and general secretaries of the Youth Akali Dal, Tarvinder Singh and Tejinder Singh. General secretary of the youth Akali Dal, Gopi Rangila and Circle President Jatinder Singh Bobby also announced their support to the Congress. OC |
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Fresh order leaves BBMB staff fuming
Nangal, April 27 The letter has also directed the BBMB not to pay additional allowance to employees of Punjab posted in the organisation after 1996. The order has created panic among about 4,000 Punjab Government employees serving in the BBMB. Earlier also the department had issued a letter, directing the department concerned to withdraw their employees from the BBMB who had either completed five years service in the organisation or had two years left for retirement. Under the criteria, almost all employees could have been repatriated from the BBMB. The employees had given a representation to the government, after which the Finance Department had said besides retaining control over the vital irrigation and power project, the state was saving about Rs 8 crore annually in salaries due to the presence of its employees in the BBMB. The move to withdraw the employees was then dropped. The Punjab Government is a major share-holder in the BBMB with 55 per cent shares. The BBMB had raised its own quota of 3,713 employees. Irrespective of its employee share, Punjab has to contribute 55 per cent share in the budget of the BBMB. The
president of the Punjab and Haryana Employees Joint Action Committee,
Mr Ashok Rana, said they had been lobbying with the government to send
surplus employees from the SYL and the Ranjit Sagar Dam in the BBMB to
fill the state’s quota. This would help the Punjab government save
about Rs 10 crore that it was paying to the surplus employees without
getting any work from them. However, instead of sending more
employees, the Department of Personnel had issued the letter afresh,
he said. |
Ban follows burning of wheat stubble
Bathinda, April 27 As farmers have been burning the stubble since the start of this month due to early harvesting of the wheat crop and many have cleared the fields of the stubble by burning it in the past 25 days. The ban on burning of stubble is likely to fail to bring desirable results. District Magistrate K.A.P. Sinha has also asked the police to take necessary action against the farmers burning of wheat stubble. After harvesting of wheat started, thick clouds of smoke could be seen in the district. This pollutes atmosphere by increasing the suspended particulate matter and carbondioxide in it. The soil also deprived of micro-nutrient. This affects fertility and moisture of the soil. Burning of wheat stubble in this region so far had damaged thousands of trees growing in the fields and on the sides of main and link roads in the district. Burnt particles of wheat stubble could be seen in the air causing nuisance for residents of the city. The environment experts pointed out that burning of wheat stubble resorted to by majority of farmers, had been affecting the atmosphere and the state had been witnessing a climatic change. They added that due to pollution in the state in the past decade or so had disrupted weather including the duration and time of seasonal rain and wind patterns. The city and surrounding areas had been witnessing an increase in the number of patients complaining of respiratory problems, irritation in eyes, skin problems and cough in the past few weeks. A section of farmers, whom The Tribune talked to, pointed out that burning of stubble was an easy way to clear the fields. They claimed that other methods including
disposing of the stubble biologically was cumbersome and time-consuming and delayed sowing of next crop. |
Check terrorism for better ties, Jaitley asks Pak
Amritsar, April 27 He said Pakistan had to end cross-border terrorism to continue to maintain this cordial atmosphere. He said the present thaw was acquired after the initiatives taken by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Condemning terrorism in all forms, he said terrorism had no place in a progressive world. Talking
to mediapersons, Mr Jaitley, who was here to attend an intellectuals’
meet said that there was a wave in favour of Mr Vajpayee and the
voters wanted to give the NDA government another five-year term. Attacking
detractors of the BJP candidate from this constituency, Mr Navjot
Sidhu, terming him an outsider, he asserted that the star cricketer
was a Punjabi and Indian who brought laurels to the country. Counter
attacking this, he said the only outsider was Ms Sonia Gandhi. On a
bevy of film and other personalities inducted by the party for the
poll, he said they were ‘achievers’ whom they were bringing in
public life. Contradicting claims of hung Parliament as predicted by
certain news channels and agencies, the Union Minister said the NDA
was all set to win with a comfortable majority. He also predicted that
the BJP-SAD alliance would clean sweep all 13 Lok Sabha seats. |
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Pervez’s effigy burnt
Amritsar, April 27 The activists raised slogans against the Pakistan government and its President for their support to terrorists. They organised a rally which started from Congress Bhavan and culminated at Hall Bazar where they burnt the flag and the effigy. |
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Shiv Sena burns Pak flag
Phagwara, April 27 The protesters asked the Vajpayee Government to end the ceasefire with Pakistan and take stringent steps against terrorists. |
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Laxmi flays police brutality
Amritsar April 27 “The recent death of a truck driver in Jalandhar and killing of a farmer in Manawale during a rally are incidents of police brutality. In another incident, one person was killed in custody in Barnala,” said the press note of the BJP leader. Ms Chawla demanded that the human rights commission should open its full-fledged office at Tarn Taran since incidents of police cruelty was evident in many cases. |
HIGH COURT
Chandigarh, April 27 The writ was disposed of after counsel for the Punjab Government said that the government was ready to provide a car to the MLA. The court was also told that the MLA had been provided a vehicle but he had refused to accept it on the ground that it was not roadworthy. The Bench directed that the government should give a vehicle to him. |
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Custodial death case: bail pleas of 2 dismissed
Sangrur, April 27 The case was registered against Kulwinder Singh, the then SHO of the Sherpur police station, and the police party after the death of Ravinder Singh, a resident of Kala Bula village. |
38 wheat purchase centres closed
Faridkot, April 27 The remaining produce would be procured in the next two to three days. After achieving their targets the Markfed, the Warehousing Corporation and the Punjab Agro state agencies had stopped procurement due to the non-arrival of produce in the centres said the Deputy Commissioner. He said the payment of Rs 134.43 crore had also been made to the farmers for the wheat procured. |
Sinha orders probe into fund collection
Bathinda, April 27 Mr Sinha while talking to TNS said he asked Dr S.K. Goel, Civil Surgeon, Bathinda, today to conduct the probe and submit the report within 24 hours. He said the inquiry was ordered on the basis of a news item appeared in a section of the Press. Dr Goyal said Dr Jagjit Singh, District Family Planning Officer, had started the inquiry pertaining to the collection of funds allegedly by the Senior Medical Officer, Dr
J.S. Sandhu. Meanwhile, the Punjab State Human Rights Committee, an NGO, while demanding a high-level probe, has sent a representation to the Central Vigilance Commissioner to take action in this regard. |
Young couple dies in mishap
Barnala, April 27 They were identified as Mr Daya Singh and Mrs Sarbjit Kaur. According to reports, Mr Daya Singh and his wife Mrs Sarbjit Kaur were travelling in a Maruti car. Their car collided with a private bus near Pakho Kalan Bus Stand. Daya Singh was from Maur Kothe Jhal Waale village died on the spot. Mrs Sarbjit Kaur a staff nurse at Mansa succumbed to her injuries on way to Barnala Civil Hospital. |
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Two arrested for Minia clash
Moga, April 27 As many as 13 Congress workers had been injured in the clash and the police had fired shots into the air to maintain law and order. |
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One killed in road accident
Kharar, April 27 According to the police, Mr Harchand Singh, a resident of Gharuan village, died on the spot. The deceased was going on a bicycle towards Morinda around 11 a.m. when a car hit the bicycle from behind. The body of the deceased was brought to the Civil Hospital where a post mortem was done.
The police registered a case against the driver of the car under Sections 279 and 304-A of the IPC. |
Punjabi University
condones lectures
Patiala, April 27 The authorities says that the decision has been taken in anticipation of the approval by the academic council. The authorities further added that the Vice-Chancellor, as a gesture of goodwill, has decided to permit the students to appear in the annual and semester examination being held this year. In case of examinations which have already been held, the students who could not appear on the account of shortage of lecture will be allowed to appear in the annual and semester examinations next time without attending additional lecturers. On being contacted, the Director, Public Relations, Dr B.S. Sandhu, said the decision had been taken following a written request made by the students. He added that more than 60 students would benefit. He further said the decision was a tribute to the Guru who propagated education for all. He denied political motive behind the decision. Meanwhile, the Forum for Educational Action and Reform (FEAR) has described the decision as religious populism. The president of the forum, Mr Amarjit Singh Dhillon, alleged that the decision had been taken in view of the coming Lok Sahba elections as no such condonation had been allowed during the 300th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in 1967, 500th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in 1969 and 300 years of formation of Khalsa 1999. He added that the decision had put at stake all academic norms. |
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Ban on entry of two former
students goes
Patiala, April 27 Their entry to the campus had earlier been banned due to their involvement in an incident of indiscipline. They had later assured the authorities that they would not indulge in any indisciplinary or unlawful activity in the future. These students had made a written request to the Vice-Chancellor that they were appearing in university examination as private candidates.
They had pleaded that if the ban on their entry to the campus was lifted, they would be able to consult the university library and department faculties. |
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