Jalandhar, January 31
Was the PTU clerk, Rajinder Kumar who, created a flutter on the PTU campus yesterday by consuming celphos tablets, a frustrated man and was he planning to kill the Vice Chancellor, Dr S.K. Salwan before he committed suicide?

The answer is in the affirmative if one goes through the suicide note, purportedly written by Rajinder Kumar, and if the theory of the police is to be believed.

One side of the one page signed suicide note, addressed to “Respected CM. PB” and written in Hindi, is scribbled with a normal ball pen while the other side is with a sketch pen. The deceased was it seems in double mind, as the wording of page one suggests that it was written by him prior to his coming to PTU and the second page scribbling was written after he came to the office.

On the first page, Rajinder Kumar, states that he had exposed corruption in PTU and had turned approver and due to his efforts the previous VC H.S Gurm and the Director (Outreach) Mr Grewal had gone to the jail. “ To avenge the exposure of corruption by me, the then Akali minister Jagdish Singh Garcha threw me out. As the university people are not ready to reinstate me, I am committing suicide. The Vice Chancellor and the Registrar will be responsible for my death,” said the note.

The second page reveals the murky plans of Rajinder Kumar about murder of the Vice Chancellor Dr. S.K. Salwaan. “The VC has told me to join at the university’s Chandigarh office on Monday. But if he delays this time also, I will not waste a single moment to shoot him. Earlier, I had thought to kill him, but, later I changed my plan and decided to end my own life after thinking the predicament of my family, in case, I killed the VC…….,” said the suicide note.

The disjointed thoughts in the note point out that before taking the extreme step, Rajinder Kumar was in a dilemma and confused. Senior police officials said they could not say anything with surety at this stage and prior to full-scale investigation.

Chandigarh, January 31
Mr Charanjit Singh Gill, a young progressive farmer of Sudhar village and founder-member of the Malwa Vigyanik Kisan Club, was felicitated by the Punjab Government at the state-level Republic Day function in Ludhiana on Republic Day.

Mr Gill, who took to farming at the age of 19, has diversified into the production of seeds of various vegetable crops, including radish, turnip and cauliflower, besides flowers.

“I am yet to start organic farming,” says Mr Gill, who has also taken to vermi compost for organic farming. “I not only got encouragement and support from the Chief Agricultural Officer of Ludhiana but also from Punjab Agricultural University,” he says, adding that to change from the conventional wheat-paddy cultivation was a difficult decision to take.

“But once I decided to diversify, there has been no looking back,” he adds.

Mr Gill, with cultivable land of 26 acres, has been using only 2 acres for growing fodder for his milch cattle.

“The rest of my land is for producing the seed of radish, turnip and cauliflower. Radish has a big market. The demand is so much that I cannot meet it on my own,” says Mr Gill.

“When we started the kisan club, we were only five members.

Within a year, our membership has grown to 65. Some of our members are planning to diversify and go into the organic production of vegetables and flowers. A few may venture into fruit growing as well.

“ We diversified primarily to preserve shrinking natural resources, including depleting level of sub soil water.

And I feel we have been greatly successful in motivating at least 65 other farmers to change from the conventional wheat-paddy rotation to more remunerative farming,” adds Mr Gill.

He grows radish seed on 14 acres and turnip on four acres.

He has earmarked five acres of his holding for growing only different varieties of popular flower seeds and just one acre for growing cauliflower seed.

Hoshiarpur, January 31
After being uprooted from their profession by the Maharashtra Government, scores of bar dancers have found countries in the Gulf and South-East Asia as their next destination.

After leaving Mumbai and Bangalore, hundreds of bar dancers, a majority of whom belonged to Punjab, scattered in different parts of the country in search of work. A number of “bar-balas” landed in towns and cities of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

While in cities like Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Bathinda, they earned their livelihood dancing in marriages and private functions.

But with a lean marriage season and lack of opportunities here, they are now turning towards Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Muscat and Singapore in anticipation of a bright future there.

An investigation by The Tribune in cities of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, including Chandigarh, Shimla, Ambala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala, revealed that certain show organisers from these countries, after learning about the uprooting of these girls from their business, started contacting Indian organisers running shows in different hotels in Mumbai and Bangalore.

Assuring a big start to the bar girls, certain organisers visited India and after selecting some of them offered work at different hotels in their respective countries.

Rajinder Kumar, an agent of bar girls who was contacted in Jalandhar, said: “There is a great demand of bar dancers in the Gulf and South-East Asia. Countries like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Muscat, Malaysia and Singapore have a great demand for good artistes. Rich men prefer to entertain their guests at hotels and restaurants there.”

“After closure of dance bars, a number of dancers have shifted to these countries to earn their livelihood. Besides providing good business, the organisers offer safety as they keep them in different hotels,” added Mr Kumar.

Subodh Kumar, another agent, claimed that these countries offered better workplace for bar dancers as a majority of hotels had luxurious dance floors and show organisers were better paymasters.

“Dancers have been suffering huge loses due to the closure of dance bars in Maharashtra. They had been earning very little there as compared to what they have been earning now in these countries,” he added.

A 25-year-old dancer, Kajal, expressed happiness at shifting to Abu Dhabi. While talking to The Tribune, she said: “After closure of dance bars, I worked in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala and even Shimla. I earned barely enough money to fulfil the needs of my family.” She said she was comfortable working at Abu Dhabi.

Another bar dancer, Arti, who had just returned from Dubai, said it was a good destination as organisers there were better paymasters.

“A large number of Indian bar dancers have already moved to Dubai and many more are on their way. This is all due to the closure of dance bars in Mumbai,” she pointed out.

Another bar dancer, Kajol, said her agent had offered her a chance to work in Dubai. Though she was not aware of the working conditions there, she was keen on undertaking the journey in search of greener pastures.

Chandigarh, January 31
At an age when so many men are climbing the rungs of professionalism on the ladder of social success, he has been playing with the colours of patriotism, literally. Influenced by the grandeur and authority at the Wagah border with men-in-olive greens marching up and down the Line of Control, the 28-year-old Delhite, into paint business, decided to go saffron and paint the entire “border”.

Not stopping at this, Akhil Bansal then went ahead and used the latest technology fiber texture paint to beautify the Hussaniwala border at Ferozepore. The investments included not only lakhs of rupees but six months at the Wagah border where Akhil got the minutest touch up done in his own presence. Of course he did not charge even a single penny. His priceless possessions, however, is an appreciation certificate from the Border Security Force.

In Chandigarh, to launch his documentary on the BSF, Akhil fondly remembers the Swaran Jayanti Gate, the grills, the conference room and the quarter guard which are now not only shining with high texture paint coating but are also dampness-free and water-proof. “After I returned from the Wagah I was determined to beautify the whole area and so met the then IG, Administration, MR RP Singh, and Mr GS Gill, the then IG, Punjab,” tells Akhil.

Narrating the entire experience, as a story Akhil started with the conference room and gradually was able to paint everything, including pillars, walls and the grills, and ensured crack control and reinforcement. With a sense of nothing less than the pride and love for the nation, he then tells you that after seeing the beautification done at Hussaniwala border, the Pakistani forces not only asked him to do a similar job for them, but on being refused used the similar paints to decorate their side of the border.

With plans to do a management course, a visit to Amritsar once in a fortnight is almost a ritual now for this Delhite. Doing as many as 50 projects in Chandigarh, including Sagar Ratna and the likes, Akhil after having made a documentary on the BSF is now doing a similar job on Jadugar Samrat. As for his family, the initial resistance did last but not for long and the kith and kin are also regular visitors to the Wagah. In love with City Beautiful, the young lad has plans for Chandigarh as well.

Chandigarh, January 31
The ongoing tussle between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the ruling Congress party in Punjab has taken a new turn with the Finance Minister, Mr Surinder Singla, announcing, “I am ready to contest the byelection by resigning as MLA even today provided the former Finance Minister and General Secretary of the SAD, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, agrees to contest against me after resigning as MLA”.

The Assembly elections are due after 11 months from now.

“Let us both, I and Capt Kanwaljit Singh, resign as MLAs and contest the byelection,” said Mr Singla, accepting the challenge of the Akali leader. Capt Kanwaljit Singh has been saying that if the ruling Congress wanted to test its popularity, it should conduct the Assembly elections in the state now.

Obviously, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, who is MLA from Banur, would have to contest from Bathinda Assembly segment, said Mr Singla. “ We will be both outsiders in that constituency. There could not be any other better way to establish that which political party was popular in the state at present,” said Mr Singla.

The Finance Minister said that the fear of losing the coming Assembly elections had already gripped the SAD. “ It was evident from the statements made by the SAD President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, that he was ready to enter into alliance with any political party to defeat the Congress in Punjab,” said Mr Singla. “ The clear meaning of these statements was that the SAD could not win the Assembly elections on its own in the state. It wanted the support of other parties to win elections,” Mr Singla added.

“Our party has already announced that it would contest the elections alone in Punjab. We are sure to win the elections,” he said. Mr Singla said that forsaking all political principles Mr Badal was now ready to shake hands with any political outfit, that may even not be agreeable with the programme and policies of the SAD, to contest the coming Assembly elections. He said that earlier the SAD leadership used to claim that it had certain principles, which could not be compromised at any cost.

Mr R.R. Bhardwaj and Mr Rampal Daipai, both senior Congress leaders, also expressed similar views and said that Mr Badal and his son, Mr Sukhbir Badal, had become so desperate to win next elections that they were ready to shake hands with any organisation for electoral tie-up.

Sangrur, January 31
Dr Joginder Dayal, a member of the national executive of the Communist Party of India (CPI), today demanded an inquiry by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court into the case of self-immolation in broad daylight by Gopal Krishan Kashyap, president of the Rajiv Gandhi Prontha Rehri Market Association, Patiala at Patiala on January 24.

Dr Dayal was here today to participate in the 80th foundation anniversary celebrations of the CPI.

Dr Dayal said as Gopal Krishan Kashyap had named two influential persons for their miseries, so an inquiry by the SDM was merely an eyewash. He said in view of this the CPI rejected an inquiry by the SDM in this case.

Dr Dayal said the CPI would hold a protest on February 21 at the all-India level against the rising prices of the essential commodities like flour. Besides the CPI would also observe “anti-Bush” week from March 1 as the President of the USA was coming to India in the first week of March. He said the CPI was of the view that the USA was a biggest terrorist in the world in the light of its policies towards Iraq and Iran.

Dr Dayal said the CPI would organise functions from March 23, 2006, to September 27, 2007, (birthday of Shaheed Bhagat Singh) at the national level in memory of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

Fatehgarh Sahib, January 31
The government has chalked out a 19-point programme to provide facilities and amenities to all sections of the society and it is going to implement it shortly. The people would see its results within three months and the SAD(B) will be left with no issue to go to the people, said Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Deputy Chief Minister, while talking to The Tribune here today.

She had come to preside over the meeting of district planning board and district grievances committee.

She said that it is the duty of the government to work for the welfare of the people.

She said the recruitment process in all the government departments would start shortly and the “recruitment policy” of the government would be finalised by February15. All the government departments have been asked to send their requirements and those lists would be sent to scrutiny committee.

She disclosed that the government has introduced a Punjab Nirman Scheme for the overall development of rural as well as urban areas. Under the scheme, various construction works would be initiated in rural and urban areas simultaneously. There would be no houseless person in the state as all the houseless would be given plots to construct their houses.

Presiding over the meeting of district planning board, she said that Rs 8.83 crore would be spent on the various development projects in the district. Out of this Rs 6.35 crore would be spent in rural areas. 

Sangrur, January 31
Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa local MP and secretary general of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), today flayed the Amarinder government for allegedly not issuing development grants, worth Rs 5 crore for each block, to the blocks represented by MLAs of the SAD. He said if the discrimination continued then the party would approach the court of law to get justice.

Talking to mediapersons at mastuana Sahib, near here, Mr Dhindsa said the approach of the Congress government was against the democratic setup. he further said even development grants were not being given to those panchayats that were governed by SAD sarpanches.

he said the state government was issuing grants to defeated Congress candidates for development works while opposition MLAs were being left out.

Mr Dhindsa also criticised the state government’s decision to increase the limit of discretionary grants for the Chief Minster and ministers. He said instead of increasing th discretionary development grants, development funds should be made available to

Deputy Commissioners and the same should be spent with the consent of the MLSa. With regard to filing a defamation case against Capt Amarinder Singh for the allegations levelled against him, Mr Dhindsa said his lawyers were preparing the case and taking opinion in this regard.

Sangrur, January 31
Mr Daljit Singh Bittu, president of the Shiromani Khalsa Dal, today declined to disclose his party’s plans about participation in the ensuing Assembly elections by saying that the party would think about contesting the elections only when these come near. He said the party would also discuss whether it should extend support to any party in the elections. Mr Bittu was here today in connection with strengthening the Dal in the state.

He also said his party would make efforts to bring closer all parties and persons dedicated to the state and the Panth. He said there was a need to launch a campaign for creating awareness among the masses to face challenges being faced by Punjab.

Patiala, January 31
The Amar Shaheed Baba Moti Ram Mehra Memorial Charitable Trust, Fathegarh Sahib, today demanded that state government to appoint a retired judge to conduct a probe into the incident pertaining to the self-immolation carried out by a Congress activist and President, Rajiv Gandhi Parontha Rehri Union, Patiala, Gopal Krishan Kashyap on January 24 in full public view near local bus stand.

Mr Prem Singh Diwana, senior vice chairman of trust, in a press note issued here today said that members of the trust, who observed a two-minute silence to pay their homeage to deceased, also demanded that his statue should be installed in the market.

He said that Trust had also demanded that Rs 20 lakhs should be given as grant to the family members of Kashyap instead of Rs 10 lakhs announced by he Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

The family should be given a house by the state government apart from giving a job to one of its family members.

Bathinda, January 31
It was a journey down the memory lane for the descendants of the founder as well as former British Commanding Officer of the third battalion of the Sikh Regiment at the ongoing celebrations of the battalion’s 150th Raising Day.

Overjoyed at the hospitality he received in India, Mr David CB Rattray, great grandson of the battalion’s founder Thomas Rattray, termed his participation in the celebrations as the most precious moments of his life. His three siblings - James, Thomas and Hugh also accompanied him to participate in the 150th Raising Day of one of the most decorated battalions in India.

Col P.H. Rattray, another member of the Rattray clan, was the last British Commanding Officer of the battalion in 1947.

It was also great pride for Mr Mick Stanley, great grandson of Col Mcrae who was the CO in 1905. His wife Sara and son Robin too didn’t miss the opportunity to be part of what they called an unforgettable experience. They expressed their desire to catch a glimpse of history and said they would try to get some pictures of Col Mcrae from persons associated with the battalion. Another member of Mcrae clan, Mr Robin Stanley, said it was his first visit to Punjab and being a professional photographer he thought he had too much to shoot with camera.

Engaged with advertisement agencies and fashion magazines, he said Punjab and Himachal Pradesh presented him with a unique opportunity to arrest vibrant colours of rich culture and different hues of nature during his maiden visit. 

Abohar, January 31
Shiromani Akali Dal MP Zora Singh Mann had to cut short his three-day tour of the villages located in Balluana Assembly segment here as some of the sarpanches were not ready to accept cheques from him for development of their respective villages, party sources said today. Mr Mann now plans to visit the remaining villages on February 9 and 10. Senior SAD workers have reportedly been asked to pacify the sarpanches by then.

Sources said Mr Mann was to lay the foundation stone at Dhaani Sucha Singh village, 4 km from here, for a small development scheme funded by him under the MP Local Area Development Fund. A few bricks had also been laid at the site, but Mr Gurmail Singh, sarpanch, refused to accept a cheque for Rs 1 lakh from the MP. The sarpanch was stated to be associated with the Congress, sources added.

Mr Gurdeep Singh, sarpanch of Malukpura village, also declined to accept a Rs 1 lakh cheque from Mr Mann. He was unhappy over the apathy shown towards Jodhpur village regarding development. Those close to the sarpanch claimed that he had been instrumental in pursuing some prominent Congress workers of Jodhpur to support Mr Mann during the last Lok Sabha elections. But a former SAD MLA reportedly frustrated the move to release funds from the MP Local Area Development Scheme because the same group of Congress workers had earlier opposed him during the Assembly elections, sources said.

The SAD sarpanch at Jhurarkhera village reportedly regretted that the SAD MP had released only 1 lakh for his village, though the party polled 3000 votes during the Lok Sabha elections. Contrary to this, more funds had reportedly been provided by the MP to a comparatively small village, Khatwan.

Even the urbanites are unhappy over the unbalanced distribution of funds by the SAD MP. 

Hoshiarpur, January 31
Mr B. C. Gupta, president, District Consumer Forum, Hoshiarpur, has ordered the Life Insurance Corporation of India to make payment of Rs 25,000 along with a compensation of Rs 4,000 and Rs 1,000 as litigation expenses to a complainant Mr Om Parkash of Dholbaha in Hoshiarpur district.

Mr Om Parkash in his complaint stated that his wife got herself insured from the LIC of India on June 2, 2002 for Rs 25,000. Unfortunately his wife died on July 27, 2003. When he sought recovery of the aforesaid amount, the LIC of India repudiated the claim on the ground that she was suffering from cancer. — OC

Chandigarh, January 31
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice of motion for April 19 on a PIL filed by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MPs seeking an impartial investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged hawala transactions involving Raninder Singh, son of Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

A similar petition by the same MPs had last year been dismissed by the High Court on the ground that the petition “at this juncture is misconceived”. It had also observed that the “intervention of this court at the present stage is not warranted”.

Now, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal and six other MPs have again sought setting aside of the Punjab Government notification of January 2, 2004, by which it had set up the Justice B.S. Nehra Commission of Inquiry to look into the alleged Punjab Intranet Scam.

Maintaining that the Punjab government could not have appointed the Nehra Commission as it related to an alleged crime of illegal hawala transactions, which is a central subject as per the Seventh Schedule, the petitioners have also sought setting aide of the report of the Nehra Commission.

The Nehra Commission was constituted by the Capt Amarinder government to inquire into the truthfulness or otherwise of the allegations about the alleged involvement of Raninder in hawala transactions and violation of foreign exchange law.

Saying that the findings of the Commission are without any basis and cannot be justified, the petitioners have alleged that they seem to be tailor-made to exonerate the Chief Minister and his son.

Pointing out that the report of the Commission was presented in the Vidhan Sabha on March 21, 2005, the petitioners have said the action taken report (ATR) by the government was tabled only on October 12, 2005. They have also questioned the ATR.

The previous PIL was dismissed by the High Court, which expressed the view that since allegations which prompted the government to appoint the Commission are going to be discussed when the report of the Commission is taken up for consideration by the Vidhan Sabha, at the present juncture, parallel investigation by the CBI or Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) would lead to an avoidable conflict, even undermining the supremacy of the Assembly.

The fresh petition too seeks investigation into the alleged transaction of $ 1 lakh via a Singapore-based firm and a Mauritius firm by Raninder to his Dutch friend, Leonard A. Freeke, for investment in a project named Punjab Intranet Company in August 2003.

Basing their allegations mainly on media reports, the Akali MPs alleged that Punjab Intranet had sent the money to Singapore-based firm SMX, which forwarded it to Mauritius company Esquare. The Mauritius firm had then sent $ 55,000 to the Dutch company, the petition alleged. The petitioners have also stated that the Commission formed its opinion without examining Freeke.

Today, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mr Justice D.K. Jain and Mr Justice Surya Kant, while issuing notices, adjourned the matter to April 19.

Abohar, January 31
Officials of the Forest and Wildlife Department here have arrested Kaka Singh, a poacher, who had disappeared after the seizure of blackbuck hides and bones from his farmhouse near Bishanpura village in the wildlife sanctuary area a few months ago.

Official sources today said Kaka Singh, son of Balbir Singh, was arrested by a joint patrolling party of the department and the local police around 12 noon while moving on a muddy road linking Bishanpura with Bazidpura villages in the Seeto sub-tehsil area here.

Inspector Kundan Singh of the department said three hides and bones of blackbuck were seized from the farmhouse owned by the accused on a tip-off in November.

Two persons who had sneaked in the area from Rajasthan to buy the meat were arrested with the help of volunteers of the Akhil Bharatiya Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha within 48 hours of the seizure.

Kaka Singh had been killing endangered blackbucks for the past few years, defying the ban on consumption of animal’s meat besides trading. — OC

Tarn Taran, January 31
A drug-addict, Gurmukh Singh (26), killed his mother Gurnam Kaur (65) at Gaggobua village late last night with a sharpedged weapon.

Ms Manjit Kaur, daughter-in-law of the deceased, in a complaint to the police said that last night Gurmukh demanded money from his mother as usual but she denied to oblige him .The angry Gurmukh attacked her with a sword. Gurnam Kaur was injured and she succumbed to the injuries on the way to hospital.

Police sources said that a case had been registered against Gurmukh, who has been arrested.