Patiala, August 8
Capt Amarinder Singh said here today that he would convene a meeting of party leaders at Chandigarh in the coming two-three days to chalk out a plan for organising rallies and meetings all across the state.

He said he was happy that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had reposed trust in him and said he would strive to come up to her expectations.

He expressed optimism that the party would win all 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab, adding that the popularity graph of the Akali Dal had plummeted and was now at its lowest ebb.

Talking to mediapersons, Singh said his endeavour would be to take along all sections of the party.

He said he would seek support of all partymen in Punjab to ensure that the Congress fares well during the parliamentary elections.

Patiala, August 8
Former Punjab DGP Sarabdip Singh Virk, in the soup for “amassing” money running into crores of rupees, had allegedly opened as many as 37 accounts in different banks by changing the abbreviated form of his name and that of his family members to stack “unaccounted” money worth Rs. 5.15 crore in cash in these accounts.

Not only this, Virk’s contention that he had just got the old structure of his Chimney Heights Resort renovated has allegedly been proved to be false.

An assessment conducted by the Investigating Officer (IO) in the Virk disproportionate assets’ case and the Patiala SSP S.K. Asthana has also revealed that Virk had got the building of the Chimney Heights Resort without obtaining prior approval from the department concerned.

Asthana has also taken records in this connection into his possession and a supplementary challan regarding this unaccounted money has been produced in the court by him.

An FIR (No 10, dated September 8, 2007) under Sections 3 and 4 of the Benami Transaction Probation Act, 1988 and sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act already stands registered against Virk at Vigilance Bureau’s police station at Mohali.

The supplementary challan presented in the court revealed that of a total “unaccounted money” of Rs 16,86,39,110, an amount of Rs. 3,02,34,919 was found to be deposited in different bank accounts in cash by Sarabdip Singh Virk and he had allegedly “not explained” as to from where this money came from.

“Sarbdip Singh Virk got opened 37 bank accounts in various banks by changing the abbreviated form of his name and also the names of his family members. He got unaccounted money worth crores deposited in these accounts. The records regarding these accounts have been collected from different banks and further investigation is being conducted,” confirmed Asthana when contacted.

Virk, the supplementary challan pointed out, also purchased land in villages Nabha, Dyalpura, Chhat, Sekhan Majra, and Bishanpura in his name and in the name of his family members.

“He got the sale deeds executed on prices much below the market prices by abusing power and position. Virk got merged his Chhat village based 15 bigha and 7 biswas of land in Notified Area Committee of Zirakpur by abusing his power and position”.

Chandigarh, August 8
Punjab is set to start a Centre for Performing Arts with friends and relatives of noted theatre artiste-director Harpal Tiwana persuading state Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to support the move to build an auditorium in his name in Patiala.

Noted actor Om Puri, who described Harpal Tiwana as the person who gave him
his first break, said the late actor-director had seen him perform at the Khalsa
College in Patiala.

“He asked me if I would like to perform for his Kala Manch. I said yes but told him I was working as a laboratory assistant for Rs 125 per month and could not let go of the pay.” Puri said Tiwana immediately took him on as an assistant at Rs 150 per month. “The National School of Drama (NSD) and films came much later,” he added.

Puri, who was here along with Gurdas Mann, Hansraj Hans, Pammi Bai, Dolly Guleria, Bhagwant Mann and other members of the Harpal Tiwana Foundation, impressed upon the Chief Minister to fund the construction of an auditorium as well as Centre for the Performing Arts to give an appropriate tribute to a person who exemplified Punjab and Punjabiyat.

Besides a number of noted singers, the Chief Minister’s brother in law Amarjit Singh Sidhu and Akali leader Surjit Singh Rakhra also backed the issue.

Sidhu said how Tiwana was like his elder brother and how he took the responsibility of managing the stage during performances at the Mohindra College in Patiala.

Tiwana’s wife Neena and son Manpal, the force behind the Foundation, spoke about the need to have a theatre of international standard in Punjab.

They said the Punjab government needed to come forward to make this possible, adding governments in other states had helped theatre groups establish auditoriums.

The Chief Minister surprised everyone on the occasion by saying the government was ready to construct the entire auditorium at its own cost.

“We will spend the entire money,” he said, adding he had been feeling for some time that the performing art was not getting its due in the state.

While urging the Harpal Tiwana Foundation to make a project report for the new centre, the CM also requested acclaimed singer Hans Raj Hans to form a committee to lay the ground work for the creation of a Sangeet Academy in Ludhiana in memory of late ‘Voice Of India’ star Ishmeet Singh. He also released a book “Oa Jo Si - Harpal Tiwana, Kala ate Zindagi” on the occasion.

Chandigarh, August 8
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called upon Punjabi writers, intellectuals and artists to extend wholehearted support and cooperation to the state government in eradicating social evils from the society on the one hand and promote the cause of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat not only in the country, but across the globe on the other.

Addressing the Shiromani Sahitkar Puraskar function organised by the Punjab Languages Department held at the Law Auditorium of Panjab University here, Badal said the government would introduce a bill for the legislation of the amended Punjab State Languages Act in the forthcoming monsoon Assembly session to make it more effective, besides to take steps to ensure working in Punjabi in all government
offices and take punitive action against errant officials, from top to bottom,
violating these guidelines.

Presiding over the function, education and language minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur highlighted the role of Punjabi in Indian literature and underscored the need to translate Punjabi literature in all foreign languages recognised by the UNO.

She complimented the Chief Minister for acceding to the request of the state languages department to be named after its first director and a noted Punjabi writer Giani Lal Singh.

She also utilised the opportunity to clear the airs about the recent controversy that had erupted regarding these awards. She clarified that the advisory board had cleared all names after much deliberations and with everyone’s consent.

Twentyeight literary personalities from different fields were honoured for 14 Shiromani Awards for the years, 2007 and 2008. The name of Punjabi Sahit Shiromani Award had been rechristened as Punjabi Sahit Rattan.

The prize money for the Punjabi Sahit Rattan had been doubled from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh and for other Shiromani awards it had been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.

The Punjabi Sahit Rattan Awards for 2007 and 2008 had been presented to novelist Jaswant Singh Kanwal and writer Dr Dalip Kaur Tiwana, respectively.

Kartar Singh Suri and Pargat Singh Sidhu had been honoured for Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar Award for 2007 and 2008, respectively. Dr Chander Trikha (2007) and Virender Sandhu (2008) for Shiromani Hindi Sahitkar Award. Prem Kumar (2007) and Dr Nashir Naqvi (2008) for Shiromani Urdu Sahitkar Award. Dr Brij Bihari Choube (2007) and Dr Ravinder Kaur (2008) for Shiromani Sanskrit Sahitkar Award. Dr Harinder Singh Mehboob and Sukhwinder Amrit had been honoured for Shiromani Punjabi Kavi (poet) Award for 2007 and 2008, respectively.

Dr Karnail Singh Thind (2007) and Dr Jaswinder Singh (2008) for Shiromani Punjabi Gyan Sahitkar/Alochik Award. Parminder Sodhi (Japan) (2007) and Janab Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan) (2008) for Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar (overseas) Award. S. Saki (2007) and Chotu Ram Moudgil (2008) for Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar Award (out of Punjab). Sukhwant Kaur Mann (2007) and Jasbir Singh Jass (2008) for Shiromani Punjabi Bal Sahitkar Lekhak (writer) Award.

G.S. Sidhu Damdami (Punjabi Tribune) (2007) and Paramjit Singh Sasan (Ajit) (2008) for Shiromani Punjabi Patarkar Award. Bhai Banta Singh Ragi (2007) and Bhai Gursharn Singh Ragi (2008) for Shiromani Ragi/Dhadi/Kavishar Award.

Gurmeet Bawa (2007) and G.S. Sachdev (flute) (2008) for Shiromani Punjabi Singer/Musician Award.

Amrik Gill and Jatinder Brar had been honoured for Shiromani Punjabi TV/Radio/ Theatre/ Natak/ Actor/Producer/Writer Award for 2007 and 2008, respectively.

Gurdaspur, August 8
In a significant development, the SAD has started wooing members of the Scheduled Castes of Punjab to bring them into the party’s fold so as to reduce dependence over its alliance partner the BJP to prepare for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The Scheduled Caste (SC) wing of the SAD (Badal), which is headed by Punjab minister Gulzar Singh Ranike, has launched an aggressive campaign to woo SC in a big way so that party could turn them into its permanent vote bank as the Congress had done in the past.

Harjinder Singh Jakhu, general secretary, SAD’s SC wing, who along with its president Ranike, addressed a district-level meeting here today, said the main aim of the campaign launched by the party was to bring a major size of the SC population, which was 40 per cent of the total population of state, into the party's fold.

“If we manage to bring a major section of the SC population of Punjab into the SAD fold, we will be able to change the political scene of the state,” he said.

In the meetings, the SC members were being educated that they had already been used as a tool by the Congress despite the fact that the Congress had done nothing for them.

He said on the other hand, the members of the SC community were being made aware of the fact that the facilities, which they had been enjoying now, were extended to them only when Badal became Chief Minister of Punjab.

He disclosed that by September 15, all districts of Punjab would be covered by such meetings and all SC wing units would be made functional. After this, four big rallies of the SC wing would be held in Malwa, Majha and Doaba regions of Punjab.

They were being convinced that they enjoyed honour, equality and facilities whenever Badal headed the state.

Ranike, while addressing the meeting, said Guru Gobind Singh accorded respect to the members of the SC and Badal had been making tireless efforts to raise the standard of living of the poorer sections of the SC.

Des Raj Dhugga, chief parliamentary secretary, and Gurbachan Singh, MLA, Gurdaspur, were also present in the meeting.

Amritsar, August 8
As part of a damage-control exercise, SGPC president Avtar Singh and Daljit Singh Cheema paid a surprise visit to the residence of Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti who was forced to quit here today.

Both of them were deputed by the CM to pacify Jathedar Vedanti who was planning to mobilise leaders of rival Akali factions for a united fight against the ruling SAD.

A day after his forced resignation, Vedanti visited the residence of Manjit Singh Calcutta, a veteran SGPC member.

However, during their visit, Vedanti and his personal assistant Prithpal Singh Sandhu had done plainspeaking to the visitors.

Both Cheema and the SGPC president assured the former jathedar that he would be honoured at Akal Takht in the near future in recognition of his “services” as jathedar and granthi, Golden Temple.

They also assured Vedanti that his security, official vehicles and residence would not be withdrawn and he would be adjusted in the SGPC.

An offer was made to him to head the proposed institute for the study of rare
Sikh manuscripts.

But Vedanti was forced to quit on “health grounds” and in such circumstances, he could not do another job.

Sources said Vedanti was offered the headship of the proposed Sikh institutes by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and many institutes being run by rival Sikh institutes.

The offer of political asylum by some USA-based radical Sikh organisations had also sent alarming signals to the ruling SAD.

The close confidants of Vedanti had alleged that he had been punished for supporting the demand of a separate Sikh state while addressing the Sikh parade in Washington DC in April this year or for describing Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as “true Sikh”.

The Coalition of Gurdwaras of California and the Sikhs for Prevention of Sikhism, headed by Baljit Sahi, expressed shock over the unceremonious removal of Vedanti.

In a statement, e-mailed to The Tribune, Sahi said the forced resignation by Vedanti came as a surprise and shock to the Sikh community of California.

He said the SGPC had denigrated the institution of Jathedar, Akal Takht, with the unceremonious removal.

Amritsar, August 8
The much-hyped Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif-starrer “Singh is Kinng” opened to a full house in two cinema halls here this morning, but armed Sikh youths, brandishing swords and sticks, stormed Aanam theatre in the Civil Lines area in their bid to stop the show.

After a brief showdown with the tight security cordon, the armed youths managed to damage windowpanes of the cinema hall and tore the posters.

The police arrested four persons for rioting with cops. A case was also registered against 12 youths.

A group of about 15 to 30 activists of the Sikh Student Federation of India (Jatha Bhindrawala Mehta) assembled outside the hall and entered the complex, which was being guarded by a small posse of the police.

It managed to open the gate and ran straight towards the entry gate and the ticket window. They tore off the posters and broke some windowpanes.

A case under Sections 452, 427, 148, 149, IPC, was registered against the accused. SP, city-II, Sukhminder Singh Mann said they were arrested for creating nuisance at public place.

Before the arrest of the four activists, workers of Damdami Taksal said the portrayal of Sikhs in the film was insulting, adding that the main character had been shown dancing with semi-nude girls, which had hurt the sentiments of the community.

However, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) had given a clean chit to the producer of the film Vipul Shah and the main star Akshay Kumar during their meeting with Paramjit Singh Sarna in Delhi yesterday.

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said since the DSGMC had already cleared the film for screening across the country, he had nothing more to say.

He said they would not interfere in film shows, as the committee constituted by the SGPC had found nothing objectionable and had nothing to do with Sikh tenets.

He added that the SGPC had left the matter with the general public and in case anybody had any objection about the film, he had the right to contact film makers.

Chandigarh, August 8
Senior Congress leader-cum-former Cabinet minister Jagdish Tytler’s petition seeking transfer of a defamation case against him from Ludhiana to the State of Haryana was today dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

It means that Tytler will now have to appear before a Ludhiana court to face proceedings in a defamation case filed by Supreme Court senior advocate-cum-author H.S. Phoolka.

In his complaint, Phoolka had accused Tytler of making defamatory remarks during a discussion being aired on a national channel.

At that time, Tytler was a Cabinet minister. He was, subsequently, summoned by the Ludhiana court in the matter.

Phoolka is a designated senior advocate in the Supreme Court and has been providing honorary legal aid and assistance to families affected during the anti-Sikh carnage in Delhi.

In his petition for transferring the case to State of Haryana placed before Justice Sham Sunder of the High Court, Tytler’s counsel had contended the atmosphere in Ludhiana was not conducive for purpose of holding legal proceedings against him.

As he was accused of being involved in the 1984 riots, several people were against him. In any case, he had been provided with “Z” plus security and it was difficult for him to attend the proceedings in Ludhiana because there was threat to his life, his counsel had contended.

He had added the case, as such, should be transferred to Gurgaon, or some other place near Delhi.

Opposing the plea, human rights activist Navkiran Singh, on Phoolka’s behalf, had contended that the accused did not have a right to get the case transferred to the place to his choice.

Navkiran Singh had asserted the complainant had no objection if the case was transferred to Chandigarh. The city, he had added, was directly linked to Delhi and would be convenient to Tytler.

It was further added that Tytler was an accused in the worst genocide and was already facing a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Chandigarh, August 8
Taking up a petition accusing Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development minister Gulzar Singh Ranike of harassing his sister-in-law Rajpinder Kaur Ranike, Justice Nirmal Yadav of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed her arrest.

Rajpinder Kaur Ranike is the widow of former Akali MLA Dalbir Singh, who was gunned down by militants. She was apprehending arrest in a cheating and forgery case registered on July 17 at the Sadar police station in Amritsar.

Seeking the grant of anticipatory bail, the petitioner had contended that she was being harassed by her brother-in-law and the case against her had been registered under his influence.

Going into the background of the matter, the petitioner, through counsel Hemant Saini, had contended that she had employed Raj Kumar in a gas agency allocated after her husband’s death. In May 2006, she had informed the police about certain irregularities at the gas agency.

She claimed Raj Kumar, subsequently in October 2007, got a “false” case registered against her alleging the issuance of threats and other offences.

Arguing on her behalf, counsel Ranjivan Singh had contended the petitioner retired in 2003, yet her pension was not released for about four years.

He had added her retiral benefits were released only after the petitioner filed the
writ petition.

Jalandhar, August 8
Members of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Building Committee will be visiting Jalandhar shortly to inspect the new judical complex, besides visiting the site selected for shifting the existing courts.

A delegation of District Bar Council appeared before the committee and submitted a representation on why the courts should not be shifted to the new location.

On July 30, The Tribune highlighted that lawyers and litigants were up in arms over the proposal to shift the courts to a site more than 7 km from the existing location.

Prubjyot Singh Sidana, secretary, District Bar Association, said they had submitted their objections to the new proposal and had been asked to appear before the committee yesterday.

The committee, under the presidentship of Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill, listened to their side of the story and assured them that it would visit Jalandhar shortly.

The members would inspect the existing building besides going to the new location at Chokha and Shama Nangal villages on the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur road, he added.

He said they has also called on Mr Justice Jasbir Singh and asked for his support in the matter in view of the former’s long-standing association with the city.

What the bar has been protesting is that if the courts were shifted, it would not cause hardship to them and the litigants but the step would also be a sheer waste of public funds.

The authorities should take steps to rectify the shortcomings in the existing building rather than shift to a far-off location.

At present the courts function from a spanking four-storeyed building that was occupied in 2004 and given the haste shown by the authorities, crores of tax-payers money would go down the drain after just four years.

This site was selected due to its proximity to the DC, SSP and other government offices and the local bus stand.

What the planners overlooked was the space constraint and also no provision was made for lawyer’s chambers, stamp vendors, typists and other allied services. The planners did not leave space for parking.

The move to shift started after judicial officers informed the HC building committee that the complex was at a congested location, the building had no proper lighting.

Mohali, August 8
Punjab’s Health and Family Welfare Department has claimed to have seized habit-forming medicinal drugs worth Rs 3 crore in the past one year.

According to a press note issued by the department, drugs worth Rs 60 lakh have been seized during the past 10 days.

The campaign launched by minister for health Lakshmi Kanta Chawla is likely to continue in the coming days.

Chawla said that a majority of these drugs seized during the past 12 days were “habit forming” and contravened the provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetic Act.

She added that in Sangrur district alone, habit-forming drugs worth Rs 20 lakh had been seized during the past 12 days, followed by Ludhiana and Jalandhar districts.

Drugs worth Rs 2 lakh each had been seized in the districts of Ropar and Barnala.

Chawla said the department of health and family welfare had initiated a special drive throughout Punjab to check the sale of habit-forming drugs, under which surveys and raids are conducted at the suspicious places by officials of the Drug Control Wing of the department to check the violation of the Drug and Cosmetics Act.

She lauded efforts of Kamal Kamboj, drug inspector, Sangrur, to check the menace.