B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Kotkapura residents decide to boycott poll
Kotkapura (Faridkot), December 31
With the beginning of the poll process, the political leaders are busy with intense campaigning, participating in public meetings, roads shows and are engaged in door-to-door canvassing, never mind the shivering cold.

Distribution of bicycles
Show-cause notice issued
Muktsar, December 31
In yesterday’s incident pertaining to bicycles for distribution among the schoolgirls under the SAD-led state government’s Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme, reaching Muktsar district, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer Arshdeep Singh today issued show-cause notices to the returning officials of the Lambi and Gidderbaha constituencies.

CM urges people to vote for right candidate
Bathinda, December 31
Addressing his first election rally in the Bathinda district after the declaration of the state assembly polls at village Jandawalan in the Bhuchho constituency, the CM Parkash Singh Badal today appealed to the people to elect their representatives with caution as they are elected for a long period of five years.

148 cartons of country liquor seized
Muktsar, December 31
In the politically volatile Lambi constituency, the police and officials of the Excise and Taxation Department today seized 148 cartons of country liquor, being allegedly smuggled for the coming Assembly polls. A load carrier vehicle was also seized and an accused Harpinder Singh, a resident of Mallowal village in the Bathinda district, has been arrested. The Lambi police said the accused along with the liquor was going from village Sikhwala towards village Pathrala.

Sealing of shop evokes protest
Abohar, December 31
The city police had to cut a sorry figure over the sealing of a medicine shop, located outside street 6, on Friday on the circular road here. The police action against the shop, run by a close relative of a senior BJP functionary under the pretext of checking the sale of drugs under the guidelines of the Election Commission, evoked strong protests from the ruling BJP as well as the faction-ridden Chemists Association.

Kotkapura residents decide to boycott poll
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Kotkapura (Faridkot), December 31
With the beginning of the poll process, the political leaders are busy with intense campaigning, participating in public meetings, roads shows and are engaged in door-to-door canvassing, never mind the shivering cold.

However, in some localities in the Kotkapura town of Faridkot, the residents are slamming their doors in the face of the politicians saying that they are boycotting the elections. No vote or support for any candidate this time.

To shoo the politicians away, some mohallas in Kotkapura have even placed big hoardings and banners on the entrance of their streets.

“We are boycotting the poll as there was no development work in the last five years. We do not want any political leader to approach us for votes,” reads a big flex board on the entrance of the Sahibzada Fateh Singh Nagar in Kotkapura.

Pointing a finger at the heap of garbage, filth and the overflowing sewage, the residents of wards 18 and 19 in Kotkapura also seek to draw the politicians’ attention toward ‘Raj Nahi Seva’ (Service not Rule), the prominently written ' phrase' of the ruling SAD (B) on the walls.

“Akalis or Congress, there is no difference. Like the migratory birds, they descend only during the elections, making a beeline, seeking our vote and support. However, once the election process is over, these leaders are inaccessible,” said Gurbachan Singh, a resident of ward 18.

“The Akalis boast of bringing unprecedented development in the last five years while the Congress promises to bring more development but most of the residents in Kotkapura still want potable water. However, political parities are raking up the issues which do not concern us,” said Vivek Kumar, a resident.

“The desperate effort of the political leaders to whip up euphoria over the state of development is just an election stunt. Under the shadow of ‘Punjab Shining’ and their personal mud-slinging, the real issues of the the public have been lost in the din,” said Gurmail Kaur, a resident.

“Politicians run after the voters during the elections and forget them later,” said Sadhu Singh, a resident of Sahibzada Fateh Singh Nagar in Kotkapura, capturing the political leaders’ hopscotching during the election time.

“Sewage has flooded our streets. We do not have potable water supply. All our requests to the politicians and bureaucrats in the last five years went in vain,” rued the residents.

On the other hand, Jaswinder Kaur, councillor, ward 18, said, “The boycott of election is a stunt to tarnish my image as I have spent over Rs 20 lakh for various development works in my ward.”

Distribution of bicycles
Show-cause notice issued

Muktsar, December 31
In yesterday’s incident pertaining to bicycles for distribution among the schoolgirls under the SAD-led state government’s Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme, reaching Muktsar district, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer Arshdeep Singh today issued show-cause notices to the returning officials of the Lambi and Gidderbaha constituencies.

He has sought the reasons in detail as to why the bicycles reached even after the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the Assembly polls. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clearly stated that no bicycle would be distributed to any schoolgirl till the election process is over. — TNS

CM urges people to vote for right candidate
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 31
Addressing his first election rally in the Bathinda district after the declaration of the state assembly polls at village Jandawalan in the Bhuchho constituency, the CM Parkash Singh Badal today appealed to the people to elect their representatives with caution as they are elected for a long period of five years.

Campaigning for his party's nominee and the SAD-BJP alliance candidate Pritm Singh Kotbhai, the CM said the duty of a government is to ensure justice, amenities and development and the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre had failed to do so.

Launching a frontal assault on the Congress, Badal said the reign of the UPA Government had only seen rise in prices, corruption, He also said the Centre should take a strong stand on the black money and bring back the illegal wealth stashed abroad. He also claimed credit for granting proprietary rights to the farmers in Jandawalan village, which was done during the tenure of the present SAD-BJP Government.

On the occasion, an old Congress leader of the area, Sardar Mahendra Singh, and two PPP leaders, Buta Singh and Binder Singh, joined the SAD along with their supporters in Badal’s presence.

Badal was accompanied by the district BJP (rural) president Dyal Singh Sodhi.

148 cartons of country liquor seized
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, December 31
In the politically volatile Lambi constituency, the police and officials of the Excise and Taxation Department today seized 148 cartons of country liquor, being allegedly smuggled for the coming Assembly polls. A load carrier vehicle was also seized and an accused Harpinder Singh, a resident of Mallowal village in the Bathinda district, has been arrested. The Lambi police said the accused along with the liquor was going from village Sikhwala towards village Pathrala.

Gurpreet Singh, SHO, Lambi police station, said, “It is yet to be confirmed as to whether the accused had any affiliation with any political party or not.” A case has been registered and further investigation is in progress.”

Sealing of shop evokes protest
Our Correspondent

Abohar, December 31
The city police had to cut a sorry figure over the sealing of a medicine shop, located outside street 6, on Friday on the circular road here. The police action against the shop, run by a close relative of a senior BJP functionary under the pretext of checking the sale of drugs under the guidelines of the Election Commission, evoked strong protests from the ruling BJP as well as the faction-ridden Chemists Association.

It was alleged that the police was supposed to raid some other medicine shop that functions only after 5 pm on the same road and had earned a bad name for its dubious functioning. The association, besides other NGOs, resented action against the shop that recorded low sale due to fair functioning.

Social activists criticised the police for its failure in checking high incidence of chain and purse snatching from women on the main roads and markets besides eve teasing and drug trafficking.