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Akali sarpanch roughs up protesting teacher
Vets threaten statewide protest
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Manpreet a selfish man: Harsimrat
No oppn, SAD to have a free run
Badal comes out openly against FDI
No payments to retd staff
Panel for scrapping semester system
PPP assures insurance for poor
SAD leader Channi skips Badal’s Sangat Darshan
CM: No truth in vendetta charge
Capt Amarinder’s chopper drawing crowds too
Cong’s ideology a sham, says Sukhbir
UPA govt most corrupt: Jaitley
Fatehgarh Sahib Ticket aspirants begin touring
We will bring strong Lokpal, says Dayal
PCMS docs to hold protest
in Chandigarh on Dec 9
Resident docs step up stir
More funds for health services sought
Need to strengthen health services, say pathologists
RTI plea on expenses during
Gobindpura stir turned
Keshopur Chambh to be on eco-tourism map
Air travel to be part of poll expenses: EC
Mukt-e-Minar in state of neglect
Man arrested with heroin worth Rs 5 cr
BDPO held for fraud
Travel agents dupe Jhulka resident of Rs 4.65 lakh
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Akali sarpanch roughs up protesting teacher
Gidderbaha, December 4 As the activists reached the venue, they were told by Akali workers to leave. But adamant delegation members decided to wait for the MP outside the venue. At this, a few policemen thrashed their leader Jarnail Jalandhari. “Angered by the police action, we began raising anti-government slogans. At this, village sarpanch Balwinder Singh ‘Toti’ slapped EGS teacher Varinder Kaur a number of times and pulled her by the hair,” alleged Pritpal Singh, president, EGS Teachers Union. When the delegation tried to stage a protest march, senior officials, including the local DSP, intervened to hush up the matter. “The police officials have now assured us to arrange a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in a day or two,” Pritpal claimed. Gidderbaha SHO Avtar Singh claimed that he was informed of the teacher and the sarpanch having had heated exchanges but “none has reported about the slapping incident.” The EGS teachers have been on a protest demonstration at Gidderbaha since November 29, demanding permanent jobs.
Vets threaten statewide protest
Lambi (Muktsar), December 4 Demanding the release of 138 activists who were arrested under various sections, including attempt to murder, the vets have threatened that if the activists are not released, they will launch a statewide protest. Sandeep Singh Sra, general secretary of the association, said: “We were holding a peaceful protest outside the CM’s residence last evening when the police cane-charged us and arrested the activists, including our president. This is undemocratic. ” He said hey would boycott the annual Charik Animal Fair to be held in Moga on December 10. The police justifies the cane-charge, saying the protesters had tried to barge into the CM’s residence. The security agencies have intensified vigil around the CM’s residence to prevent any such incident in future. —
TNS
Manpreet a selfish man: Harsimrat
Muktsar: Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal continued her tirade against brother-in-law Manpreet Singh Badal, PPP chief, during her visits to various villages in Gidderbaha on Sunday. She described Manpreet as “selfish and narrow-minded” who had “forgotten the sacrifices of his uncle Parkash Singh Badal.” She visited Kotli Ablu, Kothe Dhaban Wale, Dhurkot, Guri Sangar, Surewala, Wada Kishenpura, Kothe Himmatpura, Daula, Peori and Gidderbaha, where she distributed grants —
TNS
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No oppn, SAD to have a free run
The ruling SAD had swept the SGPCpoll in September , winning 157 of the 170 seats. Out of the remaining 13 seats, six went to the Independents, most of whom rebel SAD leaders. The rest of the seats were shared by the Panthic Morcha, the SAD (Panch Pardhani) and the SAD (Amritsar). The Opposition needs at least 12 members to co-opt one member into the House. Though its combined strength just touches the magic figure, there is hardly any possibility of the opposition getting a single member co-opted as it stands disunited. Similarly, the Opposition will not get any berth in the SGPC executive. Therefore, the Opposition will be out of the co-option process as well as the formation of the SGPC executive. In the previous House, the Opposition was able to co-opt its three members and had also representation in the executive. Sources said the SAD’s alliance partner Sant Samaj’s Jagtar Rode, (brother of former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode) may be co-opted as a member. The Sant Samaj is seeking two seats in the new SGPC House. The first meeting of the newly elected SGPC members will be held at at Teja Singh Samundari Hall here tomorrow. The new House will finally come into being after various twists and turns over the past almost two-and-a-half years. While this was not the first time that the SGPC elections were not held on time, the ruling SAD continued its tirade against the Congress-led UPA government, accusing it of deliberately delaying the poll. Later, when the SGPC elections were announced, a controversy on the voting rights of the Sehajdhari Sikhs broke out. On September 2, the Centre withdrew the October 2003 notification debarring the Sehajdharis from exercising franchise in the SGPC elections, contending that the notification had been issued “without application of mind”. The following day, an embarrassed Union Government scurried to assure Parliament that it had no intention of withdrawing the notification .
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Badal comes out openly against FDI
Chandigarh, December 4 The SAD decided on a U-turn on the issue at its Political Affairs Committee meeting on Thursday. For the first time, the Chief Minister clarified his party’s stand at a public meeting at Jalandhar today. In his address he said: “the SAD has taken a decision to oppose the FDI in the retail sector to safeguard the interests of the common man”. The announcement has once again brought the Congress and the SAD-BJP alliance in a conflict. Earlier, barring BJP traders, all parties were in favour of the FDI. Former BJP Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia, during his meeting with US Ambassador Albert Peter Burleigh, had said that the BJP was opposed to 51 per cent FDI in retail. He had said that this should be below 50 per cent. As opposed to the SAD’s earlier stand on the FDI, the Chief Minister today said the FDI in retail was not in the interest of the poor and the SAD-BJP alliance was committed to the welfare of the poor and the downtrodden. On the contrary, at a rally at Dhuri in Sangrur, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh said today that FDI in retail would boost the state’s agricultural economy. He said organised multi-brand retail stores were in the interest of producers, retailers as also the consumers. These would pose no threat to the small retailers, he
emphasised.
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No payments to retd staff
Bathinda, December 4 According to information, the Finance Department authorities have ordered treasury officers not to make payments of GPF, leave encashment and gratuity to retiring employees. Besides, the treasury officers have also been told not to make the advances from the GPF to the serving employees. As a result, in the treasury offices at Bathinda, Nathana, Rampura and Talwandi Sabo of this district, more than 100 bills of the retired employees are pending. Sources said even as the retired persons had been making rounds of the treasury offices, there was no information that when these payments would be released. Gurbans Singh, district general secretary of the Class IV Government Employees Union, said the bills of about 50 retired Class IV employees were lying with the treasury offices. Meanwhile, Jagdish Rai Bansal, general secretary, Government Pensioners Welfare Association, has urged the government to allow the treasuries to make payments to the retired employees.
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Panel for scrapping semester system
Mohali, December 4 In its recommendations to the Punjab Education Minister, the committee, headed by Dr SP Singh, former vice-chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, has stated that while implementing the semester system, scientific methodology had not been adopted. About eight lakh students, both in matric and senior secondary classes, are presently appearing through the semester system that was introduced two years ago. Dr SP Singh confirmed that the recommendation on putting on hold the semester system had been forwarded to the Education Minister. “Ever since the semester system is introduced, the expenditure of the board has doubled. Besides publishing double the quantity of answer books and question papers, other expenditure on the conduct of exams and checking of questions papers has also doubled. While the chairman has been spending his ‘secrecy fund’ on the publication of answer books, the board is spending around Rs 3 crore on other exam-related expenses,” he said. The Committee has also recommended that while the chairman should be an educationist, the vice-chairman and secretary of the board should have adequate experience in school education. The committee has also recommended that the board should focus on improving the format of question papers and accountability while evaluating the answer books. A senior official in the PSEB said so far there was no communication from the state government regarding the scrapping of the semester system. The next exams through the semester system would be held as scheduled in March 2012.
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PPP assures insurance for poor
Chandigarh, December 4 The PPP chief said if voted to power, his party would offer health insurance up to Rs 3 lakh to poor patients suffering from dreaded diseases. Manpreet said they would spend Rs 200 crore on the project which would be termed as “Netaji Subhash Chander Bose health insurance scheme”. He said in certain belts of Punjab, especially Malwa, a large number of people had been suffering from diseases like cancer mainly due to contaminated water. The PPP would not only offer health insurance but also ensure that the menace of contaminated water was checked, he added. Earlier, the PPP chief had promised to offer one lakh jobs to youths each year under a scheme that would be termed as “Shaheed Bhagat Singh rozgar yojna”. He had also promised that the PPP would give a 20-year fixed deposit of Rs 5,000 to the parents of newly born girls. Manpreet said if Punjab had to rise, its people needed to be empowered and made self-dependent. He said besides providing jobs to the youth, the PPP would endeavour to make the people self-dependent by providing them small business opportunities.
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SAD leader Channi skips Badal’s Sangat Darshan
Jalandhar, December 4 Channi, an associate of Parkash Singh Badal for more than three decades, is a key contender for the SAD ticket from the Jalandhar (Cant) constituency. Among others in the race are Phagwara-based Jarnail Singh Wahid and Paramjit Singh Raipur, a confidant of former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur. Wahid has been projecting himself as the SAD candidate from the constituency. While Channi, chairman of the District Planning Board, was not seen at the Sangat Darshan, Wahid, chairman of Punjab Markfed, and Raipur were with the CM all through the programme. When contacted, Channi said he could not attend the function as he was “not well”. Badal tried to explain Channi’s absence, saying as he was the party’s urban unit chief, his presence was not required. When pointed out that Jalandhar cantonment fell under the urban unit, Badal said: “Workers getting annoyed before the elections is not new. The party is yet to decide on the candidates.” The Jalandhar Cant seat was won by SAD’s Jagbir Brar in 2007, who is now with Manpreet Badal’s PPP. Channi, party sources say, has been pushing the case for non-Jat Sikh candidates to consolidate the party’s position in the Doaba region, particularly Jalandhar. Hailing from Phagwara, Wahid is already a well-known face in Jalandhar and surrounding areas.
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CM: No truth in vendetta charge
Shahpur (Jalandhar), December 4 Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a Sangat Darshan programme for Jalandhar cantonment constituency here, Badal said the SAD was yet to take any decision on the allotment of party ticket for the coming assembly elections. “The ticket allocation will be purely on merit basis. So far, we have not even appointed in-charge for different constituencies in the state and if anyone is projecting himself as one, party workers need to be wary of him,” he said. —
TNS
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Capt Amarinder’s chopper drawing crowds too
However, the police has been finding it difficult to put the onlookers to flight in view of security concerns when Amarinder’s chopper lands. Such a situation is being faced by the policemen at every venue where the PPCC chief reaches by air to address political rallies in run-up to assembly elections. After Amarinder Singh’s rally in Barnala yesterday, the police had to chase away the crowd that advanced to have a closer look of the helicopter at the grain market while it was taking off. A similar problem was faced by the police a few days ago at Mehraj village in Bathinda where Amarinder Singh addressed a rally. On the other hand, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his Deputy Chief Minister-son Sukhbir Badal have also been flying places in helicopters to address rallies and hold Sangat Darshan programmes.
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Cong’s ideology a sham, says Sukhbir
Ludhiana, December 4 Sukhbir alleged that PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh was time and again provoking his party workers to take to violence while dealing with the SAD leadership. “Amarinder Singh is not only using foul language against the Akali leaders but is also provoking Congressmen for indulging in violence. Moreover, Capt’s ‘khoonda’ (a weapon of defence), which he has been telling his workers to use against the Akalis, is not even close to Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘dangori’ (lathi). The use of such language also shows the double standards of the Congress, which is based on the ideology of non violence,” said Sukhbir while speaking to The Tribune after a rally here. Asked would the Akali Dal move court against such statements, the SAD chief said, “When someone loses his mind, he is not even punished by the court. Moreover, we are not even bothered by what Capt Amarinder Singh says because we believe in development and non in violence.” Drawing a comparison between Amarinder and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir claimed the former was in the habit of getting up around noon and getting drunk by 5 pm whereas the latter gets up at 5 am and keeps visiting different parts of the state till midnight. “The voters are wise enough to choose their leader,” he said. The SAD leader was addressing the rally organised at Detwal village for the four constituencies of Dakha, Jagraon, Raikot and Gill. Youth Akali Dal president Bikram Singh Majithia also took a dig at Capt Amarinder Singh. “Amarinder knows that he will be defeated in the coming elections and that is why he is now visiting different parts of the state and is requesting the people to save him from defeat,” Majithia said.
UPA govt most corrupt: Jaitley
Amritsar: Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley has said FDI in retail is not in the country’s interest and the UPA government must not go ahead with it.
Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a party function here today, Jaitley said the levels of corruption had broken all records under the Congress-led UPA regime and the government’s intent on the Lokpal Bill was not clean. He said the country was passing through a critical phase for which the UPA government was responsible. He said there was lack of leadership in the Union government and the people had lost faith in the Congress-led alliance. The government had also failed miserably to initiate concrete measures to resolve the Kashmir problem, he added. Earlier, he inaugurated a memorial built in memory of BJP leader Harbans Lal Khanna. MP Navjot Sidhu and Mayor Shwait Malik were also present on the occasion. — TNS
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Fatehgarh Sahib Ticket aspirants begin touring
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 4 Today, Jagdeep Singh Cheema, district president, attended a meeting organised by Inderjit Singh Sandhu, president of the Rice Millers’ Association at Sirhind. In the meeting, suppoters urged the party high command to allot party ticket to Cheema. Similarly, sitting MLA Didar Singh Bhatti undertook a tour of villages and held a meeting with shopkeepers at Sirhind. Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, senior party leader, also attended various functions in the constituency and interacted with prominent people of the area.
—OC
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We will bring strong Lokpal, says Dayal
Bathinda, December 4 Dr Dayal said due to “wrong policies” of the Congress, the gap between the rich and the poor had been widening. Due to unemployment and price rise half of the country’s population was unable to meet its both ends. He claimed that there were 47 lakh unemployed youths in the state and the Sanjha Morcha would focus on providing jobs to them. Dr Dayal said while the Sanjha Morcha would contest all seats in the coming assembly elections, the CPI and the CPM would contest 30 to 35 seats, respectively.
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PCMS docs to hold protest
in Chandigarh on Dec 9
Patiala, December 4 Notably, the demands include raising of retirement age of the PCMS doctors equal to their colleagues working in medical colleges, cadre review, which includes creation of specialist cadre on the pattern of the Central government, re-fixation of pay by calculating the NPA on Dearness Pay (DP), restoration of the status of civil surgeon at par with district judge and deputy commissioner, creation of post of Director General of Health Services and designation of administrative SMOs as Deputy Civil Surgeons among others. Talking to the Tribune, Dr MS Randhawa, patron, and Dr Manjit Singh, general secretary of the PCMSA, said the decision to this effect had been taken in an emergency meeting of the association against backtracking by the government. Dr Randhawa said, "PCMS doctors are perturbed over deferring of the implementation of their accepted demands twice by the state cabinet.” Association maintained that decisions of ignoring public sector in health and education to promote private sector by successive governments had virtually crippled these services thereby depriving poor patients and children of whatever treatment and education was earlier available to them. Dr Manjit Singh said that due to shortsighted decisions, the government had miserably failed to contain even available experienced doctors and teachers in state-run services, which would lead to ever increasing shortage, when young talent prefers private sector. He said out of 1,295 posts of specialists in PCMS, 574 were lying vacant. “Specialties like anaesthesia, radiology, paediatrics, gynaecology, TB, chest and pathology have just one to five specialists in 15 of the 20 districts in the state. Therefore, most of the government hospitals are ill-equipped to provide even required emergency care to the needy," added Dr Manjit Singh.
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Resident docs step up stir
Patiala, December 4 Due to strike, patients had to face a lot of inconvenience and they were forced to visit private doctors. Those already admitted in wards were asked to go back as no doctor was available to treat them and as operation theatres were also not working. Emergency services were highly affected and even routine patients had to be referred to PGI and GMCH-32 in Chandigarh, due to lack of services in Rajindra Hospital here.
More funds for health services sought
Patiala, December 4 Addressing the gathering, committee convener Vidu Shekhar Bhardwaj said that Rajindra Hospital was just keeping 0.74 per cent of the total income for upkeep and was using the rest of the income for other purposes. He further said that the government was allocating only 3.8 per cent of the total budget for medical education and research. “If the government actually wants to improve health services in the state, it should give at least 12 per cent of the budget for health,” added committee member Dr Darshanpal Singh.
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Need to strengthen health services, say pathologists
Patiala, December 4 Stressing upon the need to strengthen health services in the state and develop resources for improving various disciplines in the medical field, Dr Vinay Kumar, a pathologist working as chairman of the department of pathology, University of Chicago, USA, said the government must make health its top priority. He said the root cause of cancer in 75 to 80 per cent of patients globally was still not known and it was very important to understand the genetics and the root cause of the deadly disease before starting proper treatment for its cure. "Many pathological advances are going on worldwide for proper diagnosis of different types of cancer in human beings. The cause of cancer differs with body systems of different regions and population groups and some types of cancer like Herpes cancer can be detected in advance and can be cured easily. Moreover, eating habits of human beings can affect the outcome of some types of cancer like colon cancer. Therefore, it is important to lay stress on proper diet," he added. Throwing light on the problems being faced by medical colleges, Dr KK Talwar, chairman, Board of Governors, Medical Council of India (MCI), said the medical education system in the country was at a crossroads. “With a number of medical colleges coming up in the country, inexperienced faculty has entered in the medical education system, leading to decline in the standards of education,” said Talwar. “Exposing students to the best teaching environment, development of latest infrastructure, putting and end to unethical practices, sufficient funds and training and attracting the best talent are some of the challenges for the medical fraternity of the country and the MCI," he added.
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RTI plea on expenses during
Gobindpura stir turned
down
Mansa, December 4 The Public Information Officer of the Mansa police, in its letter (2243/CPRC) dated November 15, cited security reasons for not revealing the information. A Bathinda resident had sought information about the number of policemen deployed during the three-month-long agitation. Information was also sought regarding the expenses incurred on food and lodging of the policemen, their transportation and the source of the money. The farmers were protesting against the setting up of a thermal power plant. They were demanding back their land acquired by the Punjab Government for a private company to set up the project. Hundreds of policemen from all over Punjab were deployed around Gobindpura then. The services of senior police officers, SHOs, police and private vehicles, fire brigades, ambulances, doctors, paramedic staff and other government machinery were availed. Mansa SSP SPS Parmar had claimed that the funds for the food and stay of policemen were provided by the Punjab Government, but the villagers said the private company setting up the project bore the expenses. The agitation was resolved a few days ago after a compromise was reached between the farmer bodies and the state government.
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Keshopur Chambh to be on eco-tourism map
Keshopur Chamb, December 4 The ADB, the district administration and the state government’s Cultural and Tourism Department have joined hands to make the venture a success. Wildlife Department Sources reveal that once the eco-tourism area status is given, the place will attract tourists who can study the flora and fauna of the wetland which has already been declared a Community Reserve, which means that the area is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Kainth said he had released some money for the construction of a bundh. On its completion, water would accumulate within the Chamb, following which migratory birds would arrive in a big way, he said, adding that labourers under NREGA would be engaged for the purpose. The district administration has urged the government to set up a check post at the wetland, besides a children’s park, a parking area, guard huts, a presentation centre, watch towers and fish ponds. Scores of fish ponds already exist, which have been leased out to villagers.
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Air travel to be part of poll expenses: EC
Moga, December 4 The CM, Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and former CM and PPCC president Amarinder Singh have been using helicopters to attend poll rallies.. Also, UP CM Mayawati whose party BSP has announced to contest the elections in Punjab, is also likely to use aircraft/helicopter and so aree CMs of other states and leaders of most political parties during campaigning. —
TNS
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Mukt-e-Minar in state of neglect
This structure, with the tallest khanda (double-edged sword) in the world, was raised using 150 tonnes of concrete and 13 tonnes of stainless steel girdled with 40 ringlets to symbolise the 40 Muktas. The Mukt-e-Minar faces neglect, only because it was raised by the Congress regime. To compete with the ruling Congress, Parkash Singh Badal and SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur had laid the foundation stone of another monument on May 4, 2005, in memory of Mai Bhago and the 40 Muktas. The SGPC had spent huge funds on the stone-laying ceremony amidst an impressive gathering of Akali workers. For the past over six years, no work has been done on this project either. Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC president, said he did not remember any such project.
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Man arrested with heroin worth Rs 5 cr
Nawanshahr, December 4 SSP Narinder Bhargav said the Banga police got information that some smugglers were to deliver a consignment of narcotics in the Banga area. A police party, comprising DSP Jagwinder Singh Cheema, and SHO Banga Ravinder Singh, put up a naka near bus stand of Khatkar Khurd village and succeeded in nabbing Surinder Singh. The police has registered a case under sections 21/61/85 of the NDPS at Banga police station and started further investigation. The police has also recovered some documents, including documents of bank transactions worth Rs 9 lakh, from the accused. Notably, Pardhan is the 12th drug peddlers belonging to the Majha region nabbed by the district police this year, which indicates that the smugglers from the border districts get consignment from Pakistan for selling it to the youth here. The district police has already recovered about 3 kg of heroin by nabbing 11 drug smugglers in six different cases registered at Banga, Nawanshahr and Behram police stations.
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BDPO held for fraud
Fazilka, December 4 The two have been booked under sections 420, 465, 468, 471 and 409 of the IPC. The case has been registered on the instructions of Fazilka ADC. It states that both officials allegedly disbursed 310 cheques worth Rs 31 lakh to 310 beneficiaries directly for constructing service latrines in different villages of Fazilka block. According to rules, the cheques were to be handed over to the panchayats concerned who in turn were to construct service latrines for the beneficiaries.
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Travel agents dupe Jhulka resident of Rs 4.65 lakh
Patiala, December 4 “The agents promised to send my son Gurpreet Singh to Italy and I paid the money to them. But neither they sent him abroad, nor returned my money”, said Sucha Singh. The accused travel agents have been identified as Sukhraj Singh, Gurjinder Kaur, Deedar Singh and Bobby. More than 300 such travel agents had already been booked in the past for fraud, but easy money that these agents make is driving more such agents to open shops in all corners of the state. “There is hardly a day when a travel agent is not booked in Punjab for cheating his clients on the pretext of sending him/her abroad. With hardly any kind of license required, these agents shift base from one city to other once booked by us”, said a senior police officer.
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A sarpanch of the ruling SAD allegedly slapped a woman activist of the EGS Teachers’ Union at Daula village here this afternoon.
Chandigarh, December 4
Jalandhar, December 4
Not only PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh but his helicopter too has become a crowd puller in rural areas this time round, with a large number of curious villagers turning up to have a glimpse of both their leader and his mode of transportation during his “Punjab Bachao Yatra” rallies.
Accusing the Congress of adopting double standards, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today said on one side the party claims it follows the Gandhian ideology of non-violence whereas on the other its leadership has been allegedly preaching violence.
Amritsar, December 4
Bathinda, December 4
Muktsar, December 4