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Mud-slinging contest on Martyrdom Day

Khatkar Kalan (Nawanshahr), March 23
Though almost all the big political parties held conferences and prominent leaders visited Khatkar Kalan to mark the martyrdom day of Shaheed-E-Azam, the gathering lacked the spirit of dedication which was conspicuous on the martyr’s birth anniversary (September 28). Residents raise patriotic slogans to mark the Martyrdom Day of Shaheed-E-Azam in Khatkar Kalan on Sunday.
Residents raise patriotic slogans to mark the Martyrdom Day of Shaheed-E-Azam in Khatkar Kalan on Sunday. Photo: S.S. Chopra

Plot Fight
Attack on Khalwara village woman: DSP initiates probe
Phagwara, March 23
Phagwara DSP HPS Khakh initiated an inquiry into the allegations levelled by Sarbajit Kaur Virk of Khalwara village that she had been attacked by her aunt Harpreet Kaur and others on the evening of March 12.

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	Mud-slinging contest on Martyrdom Day Parmod Bharti Khatkar Kalan (Nawanshahr), March 23 Though almost all the big political parties held conferences and prominent leaders visited Khatkar Kalan to mark the martyrdom day of Shaheed-E-Azam, the gathering lacked the spirit of dedication which was conspicuous on the martyr’s birth anniversary (September 28). As soon as tributes were paid, the politicians quickly took to playing the blame-game. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, while addressing the state level function to commemorate the martyrs, declared that Khatkar Kalan would be soon developed as the 'Mecca of the Martyrs'. “The museum would be given a facelift. The portraits of all the freedom fighters and the artifacts belonging to them would be displayed to apprise the younger generation with our supreme legacy of nationalism and patriotism,” he said. He lamented that though the martyrs had sacrificed their lives for the independence the country, their dreams of developing independent India into a country sans poverty, starvation, illiteracy, unemployment etc. are yet to be realised. Badal attributed all the ills being faced by the country (and Punjab in particular) to the policies of Congress government at the Centre as well as at the state level. "It is an irony that the Congress which remained at the helm of the affairs at the centre for most of the time after the country's independence had not made far-sighted plans for ameliorating the sufferings of the people. Rather, it preferred to further the British policy of 'divide and rule' and indulged into dividing the people on the basis of region, language etc. just to consolidate its rule in the country,” he said. The CM lambasted the policies of the successive Congress governments at the Centre and said Punjab had always been meted out step-motherly treatment. “The state was in a shambles when we took over. During the past one year, we have been successful in initiating measures to ensure overall development. Special efforts have been made in power and education sectors,” claimed Badal. The CM asked the Congress to analyse the factual position and to ponder on its 'wrong policies' which led to the farmers being burdened with such a huge debt. On the other hand, union tourism minister, Ambika Soni and PPCC president, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal came down heavily on the SAD-BJP combine for its divisive and vindictive policies. "The Badal government has no vision and no programme. It has just created a fiscal mess in just one year of its rule", said the Congress leaders adding that the people of the state have become disillusioned with the SAD-BJP combine as it has belied all their hopes. All its pre-poll promises like cheap Atta Dal and other welfare and development schemes proved to be just hollow slogans. The Congress leaders said it was the Congress which had waived loans of the farmers in the country. Besides, it was the Congress which had been pleading the case of the state at the centre level and had succeeded in getting huge funds sanctioned from the Centre for the development of the state.
	Plot Fight Attack on Khalwara village woman: DSP initiates probe Dharmendra Joshi Tribune News Service Phagwara, March 23 Phagwara DSP HPS Khakh initiated an inquiry into the allegations levelled by Sarbajit Kaur Virk of Khalwara village that she had been attacked by her aunt Harpreet Kaur and others on the evening of March 12. Khakh said he himself started a probe into this case after reading a news-item published in this regard in The Tribune on March 16. Meanwhile, Virk’s aunt Harpreet Kaur visited The Tribune office on Thursday and claimed the allegation of attack levelled by Virk was baseless. Harpreet was accompanied by Virk’s husband Charanjit Singh, a panchayat member of Khalwara village Paramjit Singh and ex-sarpanch Sarup Singh. Showing documents signed by Virk and her late mother Surinder Kaur, Harpreet said she had purchased Virk’s 20-acre land for Rs 23,15,625. While an earnest money of Rs 7 lakh was paid to them two years back, the remaining amount was paid on May 29 this year, she added. Earlier, talking to The Tribune, Virk alleged that her aunt Harpreet Kaur along with her sons Barjinder Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, her daughter Rano and daughter-in-law Sarabjit pelted their house with stones. Virk claimed that she was attacked on Wednesday when she withdrew the general power of attorney made in Harpreet’s name, concerning 20 acres of land. Fearing a threat to her life, Virk said she was the only eyewitness to the incident of looting and her mother’s murder last year by Bhoria gang at their previous house at Apra village under Phillaur police station. Terming her claim as baseless, her husband Charanjit Singh said he was also an eyewitness to the incident.
	Cantt residents to get TB testing lab Kusum Arora Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 23 Keeping in mind the increasing number of deaths due to tuberculosis (TB), the cantonment general hospital has introduced a state-of-the-art microscopic laboratory. The facility would be inaugurated tomorrow by sub area commander Brig B.B. Patil to mark the World TB Day . The project, which is a part of “Revised National TB Control Programme” (RNTCP), is being funded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank in association with the district TB Control Society. Talking to The Tribune, medical officer (tuberculosis) Dr Kewal Ram said, “There is one microscopic lab for every one lakh population and we have 22 RNTCP centres in the district.” He said earlier the treatment was available at the civil hospital and private hospitals. But with the functioning of the laboratory, it would be easy for the residents of cantonment and nearby villages like Sansarpur, Khusropur, Dheena to avail the facility free of cost. District TB officer Dr J.S. Cheema said, “In India, nearly 18 lakh people get infected by TB every year and out of them around 4 lakh die annually. Over the years, there has been a sharp increase in the disease.”
	Burglars strike at Palm Avenue house Our Correspondent Batala, March 23 Burglars struck at a house in Palm Avenue here and decamped with cash, gold and silver ornaments worth Rs eight lakh. The owner, Neeraj Bakshi, said he had gone to Delhi in connection with some work and when he returned on Saturday, he found the house ransacked. The thieves took away five gold necklace along with ear rings, four bangles, five chains, two gold karas, four rings, some silver utensils and cash. A case has been registered.