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Clarion Call
Just quota won’t uplift weaker sections: BSM
Nawanshahr, August 4
The Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM) has planned to mobilise people belonging to the weaker sections of society to strengthen them into a formidable political entity so that issues concerning their social and economic conditions in the wake of policies of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation could be raised forcefully.

Cash boost for Batala devp
Batala, August 4
Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu handed over a cheque for Rs 65 lakh to Jagdish Sawhney, local MLA (BJP) and chief parliamentary secretary, Punjab, for the development of the industrial town at Mahant International Palace here today.

CPM to support anti-privatisation struggle
Jalandhar, August 4
The CPM Punjab today reiterated its decision to extend full support to the ongoing struggle launched by 17 organisations of industrial labourers and farm workers against inflation, privatisation of educational institutions, hospitals, drinking water, roads and the Punjab State Electricity Board.

Verification cards move draws flak
Nawanshahr, August 4
Though the matter of issuing “verification cards” to the migratory population here by charging Rs 70 has invited severe criticism from various trade unions, sarpanches and municipal councillors of the area have welcomed the move.

2 run over by train
Hoshiarpur, August 4
Two persons were run over by an Express train (2491) bound for Jammu from Jalandhar, near an under-construction railway over-bridge at Tanda on the Jalandhar-Pathankot section, 32 km from here, today.

One arrested for killing peacock
Hoshiarpur, August 4
The forest department arrested Mohinder Singh of Chohal under sections 49, 50 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act for killing a peacock last evening.

Woman kills self
CM’s effigy burnt

	N-deal: Bir resorts to Badal-bashing Tribune Reporters Jalandhar/Kapurthala, August 4 With the Congress getting ahead with its Indo-US nuclear deal, the Punjab unit of the party has started spreading awareness among masses about the pact. As part of its awareness campaign, public rallies were organised by Jalandhar and Kapurthala district Congress committees here today. Addressing the rally at Kapurthala, Congress spokesman and former deputy speaker Bir Devinder Singh claimed that nuclear power plants were the only answer to the acute power shortage in the state. He said various sectors, including industry and agriculture, had been adversely affected by power cuts, and nuclear plants would give a relief to ailing industry of the state. He criticised Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD chief Sukhbir Badal for opposing the nuclear deal in Parliament. Explaining the importance of the nuclear deal, MP Rana Gurjit Singh said the Badal government had failed on every front. Power was a necessity and no one could imagine life without it. District Congress Committee chief and Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira said Badals’ claimed that the SAD was a “panthic” party, but had it been so, they would have not opposed the Indo-US nuclear deal in Parliament. Meanwhile, addressing a rally at Jalandhar, Bir Devinder Singh said the issue of power was connected to all Indians. “Punjab is one of the most progressive states of India, but badly short of power. The state is producing only 6,000 MW of power against the demand of 12,000 MW,” he added. “Though Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had promised to make Punjab power self-sufficient within three years, he has failed to generate even one MW of power for the state during the one-and-a-half-year rule,” claimed the Congress leader. Singh ridiculed SAD for claiming to be a ‘Panthic’ party. “The Akalis claim that they are the sole representatives of the Sikhs all over the world, but they did cut a sorry figure when they opposed a Sikh Prime Minister in the Parliament,” said Bir.
	Faith Matter Ban sought on ‘Singh is Kinng’ Tribune News Service Jalandhar, August 4 The Sri Guru Granth Prachar Dal (international), while advocating for a Sikh intellectual as a member of the Censor Board of Film Certification, has demanded a ban on the film “Singh is Kinng” for hurting the sentiments of the community. The dal has also asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti to constitute a board of Sikh intellectuals to clear such films for release which had Sikh characters in their scripts. Outfit chairperson Giani Jagtar Singh Jachak said the central and state governments should not allow the screening of the film since it mocked the Sikhs and there had been protests against the erroneous depiction of the community. “We will be forced to seek legal recourse if the movie is cleared by the censor board for screening across the country,” he warned. He said a five-member committee, which had given the green signal to the film earlier, should not have taken such hasty decisions that could create problems for the panth later on. It was a matter of concern that most of the characters depicted in the movie were caricatures of the community and were a crude attempt at buffoonery. Not only films, such characters were common even in TV serials, he pointed out. Jachak also said in view of the 300 years of the gurtaa of Guru Granth Sahib, the dal had decided to visit villages of Punjab to start a “gurmat chetna lehar” against anti-Sikh activists.
	Clarion Call Just quota won’t uplift weaker sections: BSM Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, August 4 The Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM) has planned to mobilise people belonging to the weaker sections of society to strengthen them into a formidable political entity so that issues concerning their social and economic conditions in the wake of policies of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation could be raised forcefully. This was stated by former MP and Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM) chief Satnam Kainth while addressing a district-level meeting of morcha activists at Swarankar Bhavan here on Saturday. “Merely stressing on the reservation policy is not a panacea for the ills being faced by the Dalits, backward classes and weaker sections. Rather, we should concentrate more on the economic issues to strengthen ourselves politically so that these sections of society could not be swayed by the hollow slogans of sops like cheap atta-dal,” said Kainth, while exhorting the morcha workers to create awakening among the weaker sections that they should not let the political parties use them just as a vote bank. “The weaker sections should be galvanised into a formidable political force so that they can get their due share in power and the decision making process. Only then the issues like providing better education, healthcare facilities, job opportunities, etc. would be addressed by the governments,” Kainth added.
	Cash boost for Batala devp Our Correspondent Batala, August 4 Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu handed over a cheque for Rs 65 lakh to Jagdish Sawhney, local MLA (BJP) and chief parliamentary secretary, Punjab, for the development of the industrial town at Mahant International Palace here today. Sidhu announced that a cheque for Rs 35 lakh would be handed over to Sawhney within next month. A total grant of Rs 1 crore would be given for the development of the industrial town. Later, he attended a public meeting in the hall of the palace. He said Lal Krishan Advani would be the next Prime Minister and during his regime he would bring Rs 20 crore for the beautification of the town. Sidhu disclosed that Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister, had given Rs 177 crore for the development of the areas falling under the Amritsar Municipal Corporation. But at present Rs 260 crore were lying in the account of the corporation. Sidhu and Sawhney honoured the councillors of the local municipal council, block samiti members and sarpanches of various villages by presenting siropas to them. Bhushan Mahajan, alias Gora, who won the municipal council election as an independent candidate, joined the BJP and was also honoured by Sidhu with a siropa. Sawhney presented Sidhu with a sword. Harbans Lal Mahajan, Naresh Mahajan, Ashok Modgil, Balbir Singh Bittu, Harjit Singh Bhalla, Ambika Khanna, Suman Handa and Madan lal were present.
	CPM to support anti-privatisation struggle Tribune News Service Jalandhar, August 4 The CPM Punjab today reiterated its decision to extend full support to the ongoing struggle launched by 17 organisations of industrial labourers and farm workers against inflation, privatisation of educational institutions, hospitals, drinking water, roads and the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB). State secretary Mangat Ram Pasla said the party was of the firm view that the present inflationary trend was the direct outcome of the pro-business policies and the privatisation drive being pursued both by the central and state governments. He maintained that the CPM would hold tehsil-level dharnas on August 8 and at the same time extend full support to all-India strike of the CPM to be held on August.
	Verification cards move draws flak Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, August 4 Though the matter of issuing “verification cards” to the migratory population here by charging Rs 70 has invited severe criticism from various trade unions, sarpanches and municipal councillors of the area have welcomed the move. Initiated by the SSP two months ago as a measure to curb crime, various trade unions like the All-India Federation of Trade Union, the Pendu Mazdoor Union and the Parvasi Mazdoor Sangathan had held a rally earlier too and said they would again organise a protest on August 5. Leaders of trade unions said charging of Rs 70 for a verification card was a burden on the poor labourers and this was being done without any directions from the Punjab government. They demanded issuance of cards free of cost. Talking to The Tribune, SHO Raj Kumar said, “The trade union leaders are trying to mislead the people, especially the migratory population, because they understand the importance of the verification cards.” He said the municipal councillors and sarpanches of the adjoining villages had met him and ensured their cooperation for the move.