Jalandhar, November 11
Workers of sugar mills of Punjab held a dharna in front of the residence of the Punjab Cooperative Minister, Mr Amarjit Samra, on a call given by the Sugar Mill Workers Joint Action Committee, Punjab. The leaders, Mr Karnail Singh Lakhmipur, Mr Tejinder Singh Nanni and Mr Harpal Singh Sra, had alleged that the Punjab Government had adopted an indifferent attitude towards their demands.

The protesting workers demanded that the government should take back the decision to privatise sugar mills and announce a package for them. “Liquidators should be removed and sugar mills at Patiala, Jagraon, Zira, Faridkot, Tarn Taran, Budhladha should be made operational and the staff which, was transferred from there should be put back on duty,” said Mr Lakhmipur.

The protesting employees also demanded the release of salaries and arrears of seasonal labourers. Apart from this, they sought implementation of the ‘Haryana pattern’ in respect of payment of money to farmers. They also demanded that alcohol plants of certain mills of Punjab should be made operational and allowances of field and other staff should be enhanced.

Kapurthala, November 11
In a lapse on the part of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), liaison agent of different industrial houses succeeded in entering the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) premises at Hussainpur in Kapurthala on Thursday despite a ban on his entry.

Section Engineer Mr Brij Mohan, also the Joint Secretary of Staff Council, blamed the RPF for not implementing the ban order issued by the Chief Material Manager (CMM) on November 1.

The RPF Senior Security Commissioner (SSC), Mr Baldev Raj said he was allowed to enter as he had been called by the authorities for a meeting, adding that the RPF had taken the best possible action under the circumstances.

Mr Satpal’s was banned as he was stated to have misbehaved with Mr Brij Mohan in the office of the CMM on November 1.

The CMM, Mr Ram Lal, said Mr Satpal was part of a group of the Chamber of Commerce (CoC), a body of the representatives of the industries supplying material to the RCF.

Mr Satpal termed the allegations against him as baseless and said the ban was part of a conspiracy as he hadn’t succumbed to Mr Brij Mohan’s pressure to stop installing material supplied to the RCF during their agitation some months back.

Jalandhar, November 11
The BJP Beopar and Udyog Cell criticised the Punjab Government for ‘ignoring’ small-scale industrialists and traders by creating hurdles in their business.

Talking to mediapersons, the district president, Mr Ravindra Dhir, said while small-scale industrialists and traders were being given relaxation in neighbouring states of Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttaranchal, Amarinder Singh in Punjab was doing entirely the opposite. Mr Dhir further flayed Amarinder government for providing facilities to big industrial houses in the name of setting up SEZ while ignoring small-scale industries.

Jalandhar, November 11
Mr Manoranjan Kalia, former Punjab minister and senior BJP leader, who had complained to the Deputy Commissioner about ‘serious anomalies’ landed in a tight spot as the Congress retaliated with proof indicating that 23 votes had made in Mr Kalia’s Central Town house though, he was staying alone.

Mr Raj Kumar Gupta, District Congress Committee chief, came out with copies of voter lists, which, showing that eight of the 23 votes had also been made twice in Jalandhar (North-31) constituency.

All 23 votes were alleged to be of relatives of Mr Kalia, who, were ‘not living with him’, said Mr Gupta and Mr Varinder Sharma, media in charge, District Congress Committee (I).