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EC bound by court ruling on model code, says CEC
Capt bats for Khaira, says govt may frame more Cong leaders
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North’s first advanced vet lab opens in Jalandhar
Bhattal loses cool, reprimands party workers at rally
Badals looking for safer seats: Cong
SGPC rejects Cong chief’s deficit charge
Unending wait for ‘Parshuram Chair’
Doctors’ strike enters 3rd day
Two industrial units found violating pollution norms
Four IPS, 2 PPS officers shifted
Probe begins into stamp duty evasion scam
Badal mourns death of GIS Bhullar
Attack on Hawara condemned
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EC bound by court ruling on model code, says CEC
Chandigarh, November 12 Opposition parties have been told not to send complaints to the EC as the commission is bound by a directive of the Supreme Court that says “ongoing development cannot be stopped on the pretext that elections are being held somewhere”. SY Quraishi, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, made this position clear to politicians of different parties who met him in Ludhiana today. Spokesperson of the SAD, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema while confirming the development, said the SAD representatives were told by the CEC that a huge number of complaints had been received by the EC against the ruling SAD-BJP alliance from the opposition parties. But Cheema said Quraishi clarified that the EC was bound by the directives of the apex court and it had no powers to respond to various requests of imposing President’s Rule in Punjab prior to the elections. Though the Congress leaders, who attended the meeting, claimed that Quraishi had hinted that the model code of conduct would be imposed after the ongoing Kabaddi World Cup, the SAD leaders, including Cheema, refuted the claim and said that the code would come into place only 21 days prior to the poll. Meanwhile, the SAD today also lodged a complaint with the EC against the Congress, accusing it of vitiating the atmosphere in the state before the assembly elections. SAD general secretary Maheshinder Singh Grewal, who met Quraishi along with Cheema, urged him to ensure that unnecessary fear of model code of conduct should not in any way hinder developmental activities in the state. In a memorandum submitted to the EC, the delegation also apprised the commission of the statements of the Congress leaders, particularly state Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh, exhorting his party workers “to pick up lathis against the Akalis” and said these actions of the Congress could create law and order situation before and during the forthcoming assembly elections.
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Capt bats for Khaira, says govt may frame more Cong leaders
Referring to yesterday's recovery of over Rs 3 crore unaccounted money that, the Rajpura police claimed, was meant for Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Amarinder said the Badals were now allegedly using illegally amassed wealth to target the Congress leaders. Amarinder claimed he was sure that the names of more Congress leaders could figure in such "false" cases so as to tarnish their image. Addressing a party rally for four assembly segments, including Samrala, Khanna, Payal and Sahnewal, here, he said the Congress was "shocked" to know that Khaira's name was being dragged into the hawala money controversy allegedly at the instance of Badals. The rally was held as part of the Congress' Punjab Bachao Yatra. The PPCC chief claimed the state government had even shifted IG (Lokpal) who had been entrusted the job to check irregularities, if any, in various projects. He said the present Punjab Lokpal was "powerless" and the Chief Minister and other senior ministers and officials were not abiding by his (Lokpal's) directions. Amarinder said the SAD leadership was not only "terrorising" the Congress workers, but also those of Manpreet Badal's People's Party of Punjab. "The Congress workers will not succumb to such pressure tactics of the Akali Dal and will take to roads if the SAD leaders didn't mend their habits," he said. Meanwhile, ticket aspirants from the four assembly constituencies could be seen vying to present their case before Amarinder Singh.
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Prove allegation or say sorry: Khaira to police
Rajpura, November 12 According to the police, a middleman in a property deal has named MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira. Though income tax officials have named Sukhpal Singh, son of Gurchet Singh, as the person involved in the case, the cops didn't give clean chit to the MLA even today. In a verbal confrontation with the Rajpura cops, including SP Manmohan Sharma, Khaira demanded an apology or concrete action based on the facts. He also held a dharna against the SAD-BJP government’s alleged high-handedness. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who was in the city today, when asked to comment on the matter, said, "I can’t comment as of now as investigations are going on. Maybe in a couple of days, clear picture will emerge. What I can assure is that our government has never indulged in unleashing political vendetta on opposition party leaders." “The claims of the police are based on revelations by a property dealer Bhim Sen, who has said that the money was for Sukhpal but even he was not sure if it was the Congress MLA or someone else”, sources said. “I challenge the police to prove its claim and arrest me right now or seek an unconditional apology”, Khaira said. However, senior officers confirmed that the police could not find any clues today that could prove Khaira’s direct role in the entire deal. “The property dealer concerned is still naming Khaira and his name is still not clear”, claimed Patiala SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill.
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Deputy CM dares PM to deny Capt has Swiss bank account
Talking to mediapersons here after laying the foundation stone of the Rs 15 crore Sports Complex being built in Ranjit Avenue by the Improvement Trust, Sukhbir said he along with all SAD MPs would call on the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister requesting them to make the list public and bring back Rs 400 crore money stashed in Captain's account to Punjab so that it could be used for the development of the state. The Deputy CM claimed it was no more a secret that the Union Government had received specific information from Swiss banks about Indian citizens, including senior Congress leaders, having accounts in these banks and they had been issued notices by the Income Tax department. He claimed the Centre was trying to save the skin of Captain in view of the coming assembly polls by deliberately concealing the names. He claimed the names of many senior Congress leaders figured in that list. He challenged that instead of issuing hollow denials, Captain should ask the PM to make the list public that would clarify the whole situation.
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North’s first advanced vet lab opens in Jalandhar
Jalandhar, November 12 The laboratory, which was inaugurated by Minister for Animal Husbandry Gulzar Singh Ranike, is said to be the second most-advanced veterinary disease diagnostic facility in the country after Bhopal. Two similar facilities are coming up at Kolkata and Bangalore. Ranike also inaugurated a veterinary polyclinic, the ninth in Punjab. “All districts will get veterinary polyclinics.The existing polyclinics will be upgraded and Rs 1.30 crore spent on each clinics,” said Ranike. Referring to a large number of vacancies in his department, Ranike said the recruitment process for 125 veterinary doctors and 400 veterinary inspectors had been concluded. In order to improve the quality of livestock, the department was importing three lakh units of semen from different countries.
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Bhattal loses cool, reprimands party workers at rally
Ludhiana, November 12 She lashed on the party workers while delivering the speech. “We did a mistake that we allowed you to come close to the stage. Now, you don’t dare to raise slogan during my speech.” After few minutes, the party workers again started raising slogans during her speech. She lost her cool and said, “Kindly show them the door, those who are ill-mannered cannot be the Congress supporters. The ideal Congress workers are those who listen to the leader and do not create ruckus.” She did not even spared yoga guru Baba Ramdev and said the man who was caught in woman clothes while trying to escape from the pandal in Delhi cannot save the SAD’s sinking ship. “The SAD is going gaga over Kabaddi, but I can assure you even that would not prove handful in winning elections for Akalis,” she said.
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Badals looking for safer seats: Cong
Ludhiana, November 12 Addressing a rally on the arrival of his Punjab Bachao Yatra at Dana Mandi here, he said people were feeling unsafe with each passing day, especially women. The state economy was in a shambles as the debt burden on the state had risen to Rs 1,76,000 crore. Amarinder asserted that they had antagonised all sections of the society. “When the aggrieved youth try to meet Badal at his Sangat Darshan, they are mercilessly beaten up with lathis,” he pointed out. He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced Rs 2,000 crore for the city under the JNURM scheme. “What happened to that money?” he asked, claiming they might also have embezzled it. He said, during his tenure as CM, he had got Rs 3,000 crore loan sanctioned from the World Bank for clean drinking water but there was no account of that money also. Lashing out at the Badals, CLP leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said, “They were ‘golak chors’ and had always exploited the name of the Sikh Panth for their political motives”. Ludhiana MP and party national spokesperson Manish Tewari said,” The Badal government had destroyed Punjab and brought it down to 19th position from the first position”. Party incharge for Punjab Thakur Gulchain Singh Charak said people had made up their mind to get Congress back to power.
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SGPC rejects Cong chief’s deficit charge
Amritsar, November 12 Addressing a press conference here today, SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh Khatra said the former CM had been wrongly projecting Rs 23 crore loss to Darbar Sahib in 2010, as it was the figure taken from budget estimates. On the contrary, he said, they saved Rs 12.33 crore in the budget for the fiscal 2010-11, which led to increase in their fixed deposits from Rs 92 crore to Rs 104 crore. Khatra claimed the allegation that the earnings of Darbar Sahib have been going down since 2007 was also incorrect. He said the earnings had, in fact, been increasing with each passing year. “It increased from Rs 86 crore in 2007-08 Rs 122 crore in 2010-11”. He, however, admitted that the expenses on siropas had gone up due to increase in prices from Rs 16 per metre in 2007-08 to Rs 32 per metre now.
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Unending wait for ‘Parshuram Chair’
Chandigarh, November 12 “Earlier, Guru Nanak Dev University was told to set up the Chair. Later, Punjabi University was directed to do the job,” said Sadhi. “We were told that the Punjabi University demanded Rs 4 crore from the state government for setting up the Chair. The government wants the sum to be brought down to Rs 1 crore”, added Sadhi. The amount to be given for the Chair was to be settled between government and the university, he rued. “We want that the Chair should start working at the earliest,” he urged the CM.
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Doctors’ strike enters 3rd day
Patiala, November 12 In view of seriousness of the condition, Director of Medical Education and Research, Punjab, Dr Jai Kishan met the representatives of the Junior Doctors Association (JDA) but no definite conclusion could be drawn. The president of the JDA further said: "We will intensify our strike till our demands are met. We have been called by Arunesh Shakar, Minister for Medical Education and Research, for further talks.” The Rajindra Hospital authorities admitted that the situation was critical but they were helpless as the issue pertains to senior authorities. Due to strike, patients had to face lot of inconvenience as doctors were not available. OPD halls were seen vacant. Most patients were forced to go back unattended or referred to other hospitals. Those already admitted to the wards were given compulsory discharge and asked to come later on as no doctors were available to treat them. All the operation theatres also did not function. The Rajindra Hospital has nine operation theatres but none of them is functioning smoothly. Meanwhile, the doctors carried out a peaceful candle march in the city. They also threatened to intensify their agitation and said they would completely shut down the hospital if their meeting with the minister also turns out to be non-conclusive.
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Harpal Tiwana arts centre opened
Patiala, November 12 The centre has been constructed on the Nabha road with an investment of about Rs 14.5 crore and is spread over an area of 1.5 acres. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said the setting up of this auditorium would not only cherish the aspirations of the foundation but also further propagate the Punjabi theatre movement in every nook and corner of the country and abroad. Creative director of the centre and son of the late Harpal Tiwana, Manpal Tiwana said his father was a true custodian and champion of the Punjabi theatre movement whose legacy would continue to inspire future generations.
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Two industrial units found violating pollution norms
Dera Bassi, November 12 During a raid on another unit, Punjab Chemical and Crop Protection Ltd., Bhankharpur, was also found emitting dark black smoke. Heaps of boiler ash were found dumped in the open. Meanwhile, KS Pannu, PPCB chief, said strict action would be initiated against these units.
— OC
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Four IPS, 2 PPS officers shifted
Chandigarh, November 12 According to a spokesman of the Punjab Government, Jatinder Jain has been posted as IG (Economic Offences wing) Punjab, Chandigarh. Paramjit Singh Grewal has been posted as IG/IRB, Patiala, whereas Paramjit Singh Gill has been posted as IGP/Local, Punjab, Chandigarh. Shashi Prabha Devedi, IPS, has been posted as IG (Modernisation) Punjab, Chandigarh. The spokesman further said Ashok Bath has been posted as SSP Fazilka and Rajinder Kumar Sharda has been posted as SP/in charge, SC and Weaker Section Crime Punjab,
Chandigarh.
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Probe begins into stamp duty evasion scam
Moga, November 12 The director of land records of the revenue department based at Jalandhar has issued notices dated October 31 to many deed writers and some officials of the revenue department seeking explanation from them within 15 days. It may be mentioned that a scrutiny of the records of deed writers in an audit in the sub-registrar office revealed that one person made an agreement of sale of land measuring 68 kanal 10 marla on February 26, 2008 with a coloniser for a consideration of Rs 5.99 crore and received the full consideration. This instrument (agreement) for sale was not got registered with the registering authority though the same was required to be registered under Article 5 (cc) of Schedule 1A (for Punjab) of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899. The seller instead executed and got registered another instrument of power of attorney on the same day February 26, 2008 authorising the purchaser to develop the land for all purposes or sell it to any other person for consideration and get the land (in full or part) registered as deeds of conveyance.
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Badal mourns death of GIS Bhullar
Chandigarh, November 12 Bhullar was cremated with full state honours at Sector 25 cremation ground here. — TNS
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Chandigarh, November 12
Jalandhar, November 12
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