The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

Kapurthala celebrates Sheila Dikshit’s hat-trick
Kapurthala, December 8
The erstwhile princely state of Kapurthala joined in the celebrations of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s third consecutive victory in state assembly polls. She spent a few years of her adolescence at her maternal parents’ house in Kapurthala and also did her studies during that period.

Registering FIRs a click away
15 police stations computerised
Hoshiarpur, December 8
For the instantaneous registration of first information reports (FIRs), computerisation of all 15 police stations in the district has been done. Disclosing this here today, SSP Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill said the manual registration of FIRs in city, Sadar, Tanda and Mahilpur police stations had completely been stopped.

Flag Day: Tributes paid to war heroes
Jalandhar, December 8
The District Sainik Welfare Board (DSWO) and Vajra Corps jointly observed Armed Forces Flag Day at the Punjab State War Memorial here today. GOC of Vajra Corps Lieut-Gen V.S. Tonk laid a wreath at the memorial and paid homage to the war heroes of Punjab.

An army officer takes a nap during Armed Forces Flag Day celebrations at War Memorial in Jalandhar Lieut-Gen V.S. Tonk presents a tricycle to a physically challenged person

An army officer takes a nap during Armed Forces Flag Day celebrations at War Memorial in Jalandhar on Monday. (Right) Lieut-Gen V.S. Tonk presents a tricycle to a physically challenged person. Tribune photos: Pawan Sharma

Semi-nude protest against admn
Jalandhar, December 8
Activists of the Democratic Bharatiya Samaj Party (DBSP) today held a semi-nude demonstration against the district administration for not taking any action against senior deputy mayor Kamaljit Singh Bhatia and deputy mayor Parvesh Tangri.
DBSP activists hold a demonstration against the administration in Jalandhar on Monday. A Tribune photo

NREGA workers submit charter of demands
Hoshiarpur, December 8
Activists of the local NREGA Workers Union in their charter of demands alleged that card holders working under the NREGA scheme were not getting 100 days of assured employment in all villages of the district and no sarpanch or panchayat is receiving their applications for granting unemployment allowance to them.

	STANDOFF Bar, admn stiffen stand P.K. Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 8 Daggers have been drawn in the ongoing agitation by the warring District Bar Association and the officers and the ministerial staff of the administration as both sections declared not to withdraw from the original stand and to continue their strike till their demands were met. The bar association today gave a call for a two-day strike from December 9 to press their claim to restore their chambers which, they alleged, had been illegally demolished by the civil administration. The high-level committee constituted by the state government, including the commissioner Jalandhar division, the IG border range, the DIG border range and the ADC to work out an amicable solution through dialogue had failed to break the impasse. The District (DC) Office Employees Association and the Revenue Officers Association supported by the all state sister associations said a state-level protest rally would be held here on December 10 in support of the employees of the district administration who were on the receiving end of the lawyers’ unruly behaviour. The association said they would continue their strike till the registration of case against the group of advocates who had vandalised the office of the local administration. They criticised the police administration for not taking any action against the advocates. Meanwhile, the bar association alleged that during the demolition drive, the advocates had reported the theft of their briefcases and other belongings. The police had failed to initiate any action against the erring staff of the administration on their complaints, they added. However, the ministerial staff headed by state president Sukhraj Singh in a press conference here today denied the allegations of the bar members and added that the police teams had accompanied during the demolition of illegal chambers. He said they had not lifted any of their belongings. District police chief Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh said both the sides had levelled allegations and counter-allegations of serious nature against each other while the police had already lodged the complaint besides deputing an SP-level officer to inquire into the matter. He said he had urged the deputy commissioner to appoint a magistrate along with the police officer for a proper inquiry.
	Gurdaspur Bar demands transfer of civil judge Chander Parkash Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, December 8 Members of the District Bar Association, Gurdaspur, today said they would continue to boycott the court of civil judge (senior division) Rakesh Gupta till he was transferred from here. The members of the bar had been boycotting the court of Rakesh Gupta since December 3 to lodge their protest against his alleged misbehaviour with them and the litigants. A resolution to this effect was passed on the same day, a copy of which was also sent to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Association president Gurmeet Singh Jandey said members did not boycott Rakesh Gupta on the pretext that he had asked them to wait for two minutes. Jandey said the issue of Rakesh Gupta misbehaving with bar members was brought to the notice of the district judge time and again and even before passing of the resolution against him, but nothing was done to sort out the problem. A meeting of the bar would be convened at the earliest to discuss the future course of action to intensify the agitation, he added.
	Lucky group sweeps YC poll Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, December 8 The organisational election of the Youth Congress (YC) remained a low-key affair in the district. Today the results were announced. The group of present district Youth Congress chief Rajwinder Singh Lucky has won most of the seats. As many as 50 delegates out of the 80 elected today reportedly belong to Rajwinder Singh Lucky group. Out of total six blocks, Youth Congress workers having allegiance with Lucky have succeeded in becoming presidents of four blocks - Nawanshahr (urban), Nawanshahr (rural), Banga and Balachaur. Besides Lucky, Angad Singh and Rajwinder Kaur are reportedly in fray for the post of district president. The elected delegates will elect the district Youth Congress president on December 16. B.D. Tripathi, district returning officer, nominated by the Congress high command, announced the results of the organisational poll. The elected district delegates are Balwider Kumar, Balwinder Kaur, Amandeep Singh Saini, Satish Kumar, Rakesh Kumar Lucky, Karan Khosla and Rajwant Kaur (Nawanshahr urban block); Angad Singh, Ankush Joshi, Rita Rani, Jinder Pal, Manoj Kumar and Harish (Nawanshahr rural block); Sukhpal Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Harjinder, Mandeep Kaur, Harwinderjit, Kamaljit Kanwar and Rajinder Kaur (Banga block); Mandeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Kulwinder Kaur, Jasvir Lal and Rajwinder Kaur (Aur block); Ram Kumar, Dharamvir, Rajwinder Singh Lucky, Jaswinder Singh, Gurdev Singh, Paramjit Kaur and Neelam (Balachaur block); Suresh Kumar, Jasvir Lal, Rinku Chaudhary, Balvir Singh, Manjit Kaur and Paramjit (Saroya block). In block-level organisational election Anil Kumar Rana and Kaldhar Diwan polled 97 and 46 votes, respectively, in Nawanshahr urban block. They were elected president and vice-president, respectively. Kuljit Kaur, Harpreet Chana, Manjit Singh, Rakesh Kumar and Pooja were elected secretaries. In Nawanshahr rural block, Subash Chander and Harjit Singh polled 134 and 76 votes, respectively. They were elected president and vice-president, respectively. Bhupinder Singh, Desh Raj Kumar, Harpreet Kaur, Nishan Singh and Sukhwinder Kainth were elected secretaries. In Banga block, Ranjit Singh and Davinder Singh Gill were elected president and vice-president, respectively. They bagging 86 and 24 votes, respectively. Baljit Singh, Sunita Rani, Hardeep Kaur, Gundeep Singh and Kamaldeep Singh were elected secretaries.
	Kapurthala celebrates Sheila Dikshit’s hat-trick Dharmendra Joshi Tribune News Service Kapurthala, December 8 The erstwhile princely state of Kapurthala joined in the celebrations of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s third consecutive victory in state assembly polls. She spent a few years of her adolescence at her maternal parents’ house in Kapurthala and also did her studies during that period. Talking to The Tribune, Sheila Dikshit’s maternal uncle Vishawnath Puri said she studied in ninth class at Hindu Putri Patshala in Kapurthala in 1950s. If she becomes the chief minister for the third consecutive time, Sheila Dikshit would be the first woman to do so. She came to Kapurthala last in 2004, Puri said, adding that apart from coming to her paternal house, she also went to Hindu Putri Patshala, Hindu Kanya College and Devi Model Senior School. Busy in celebrations, Sheila’s cousin Sandeep Puri said she liked Kapurthala very much and kept on coming to Kapurthala quite often. Sandeep, who is in the floriculture business, said he would invite her to Kapurthala soon and expressed she would come as soon as possible.
	Registering FIRs a click away 15 police stations computerised Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, December 8 For the instantaneous registration of first information reports (FIRs), computerisation of all 15 police stations in the district has been done. Disclosing this here today, SSP Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill said the manual registration of FIRs in city, Sadar, Tanda and Mahilpur police stations had completely been stopped. Though the computers had also been installed in the remaining police stations, but the registration of FIRs would be done manually in these police stations up to December 31. The complete registration of FIRs through computers would be started from January 1, 2009. All police stations and his office would be e-connected from January 1. This would enable the investigation officers to immediately collect record of any of the case from any police station relating to the case. Keeping in view the heavy traffic and frequent traffic jams in the city, a special drive was being observed from December 10 to 17 to motivate drivers of two wheelers and cars, etc, to ply their respective vehicle below the speed of 30 km/hour. Speedy and drunken driving would also be checked during the week. One-way traffic from Phagwara Chowk to New Raj Cinema Chowk via Clock Tower would be introduced to reduce the traffic load on the route, said the SSP, appealing to people to cooperate with the district police in this regard.
	Flag Day: Tributes paid to war heroes Tribune Reporters Jalandhar, December 8 The District Sainik Welfare Board (DSWO) and Vajra Corps jointly observed Armed Forces Flag Day at the Punjab State War Memorial here today. GOC of Vajra Corps Lieut-Gen V.S. Tonk laid a wreath at the memorial and paid homage to the war heroes of Punjab. Addressing the gathering, General Tonk said the contributions made to the Flag Day fund were utilised by the sainik boards for the empowerment of the war widows, ex-servicemen and their families. General Tonk presented a cheque for Rs 25,000 to the welfare board on behalf of Vajra Corps. Nawanshahr: Paying rich tributes to the martyrs of armed forces, deputy commissioner Nilkanth Avhad exhorted the people to donate generously to the Flag Day Fund at the district level function held here to mark Flag Day on Monday. Money worth Rs 75,000 was distributed among 15 beneficiaries.
	Semi-nude protest against admn Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 8 Activists of the Democratic Bharatiya Samaj Party (DBSP) today held a semi-nude demonstration against the district administration for not taking any action against senior deputy mayor Kamaljit Singh Bhatia and deputy mayor Parvesh Tangri. The DBSP activists led by its president Vijay Hans gathered at the Press Club and took out a procession to the district administrative complex. He said Bhatia and Tangri had allegedly used casteist remarks against Maqsoodan SHO Surinder Pal.