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Would have suggested a better replacement: Amarinder
New PPCC chief faces uphill task
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State being run on Central funds: Bajwa
Punjab Govt unlikely to impose fresh taxes
Preparations on for Bajwa’s installation
School vehicles flout norms in Patiala, authorities unmoved
Women unsafe in Punjab: Karat
Admission scam: UP police raids medical college
ASI found dead hours after raid on farmhouse
Pre-emptive arrest of leaders derails ‘Rail Roko’ agitation by farmers
Tarn Taran Police Assault Case
Room for lawyers inaugurated at Sub-divisional court in Guruharsahai
Jalandhar school bus mishap: Truck driver arrested
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Would have suggested a better replacement: Amarinder
Chandigarh, March 6
The former CM said had he been consulted before Bajwa was appointment Pradesh Congress chief, he would have suggested a better replacement. “Had I been consulted, I may have suggested somebody else for the post,” he said. That, however, does not mean that he will defy the party decision. He said everyone needed to rally together against the common enemy and “we should honour the decision of the Congress president”. Asked about his future plans, the former CM said that depended on the Congress president. Asked whether he would like to make a comeback, he said: “My first love is Punjab. If I can come back, I will be very happy”. Amarinder Singh said he had not retired and that he was only passing through a temporary phase. He maintained he still had a lot to contribute to his state and the country. Amarinder Singh knew a month back that he was on the way out. He said the Congress president had rung him up before the Moga byelection, asking him whether he would "like to come to Delhi." It seems Amarinder Singh had requested that he be allowed to continue in office, arguing that during the 2014 parliamentary elections he would be able to "pay back to the party". The Congress president apparently agreed to consider his request. But yesterday, she rang up to tell him that his resignation had been finally being accepted. Amarinder Singh said the party president had invited him for a discussion on his future plans. “ It was she who made me PCC president and Chief Minister. Whatever she decides will be acceptable to me”. He has requested the party high command that a meeting at this juncture be put off so that he can be with his ailing mother. Sources said Amarinder Singh would be adopting a wait and watch policy to gauge the support he still has in the party. The sources said that Bajwa had been given the PPCC responsibility at the worst possible time and if he was not able to carry everyone along, the leaders were likely to drift back to Amarinder Singh. However, it will be a tough job making a comeback. Partap Bajwa is much sharper than the earlier PCC chief, Mohinder Kaypee, whose failure to do his job had paved the way for Amarinder Singh's comeback in October 2010. Capt's OSD quits Amarinder Singh's OSD, Major Amardeep Singh, has quit as Pradesh Cong Secy
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New PPCC chief faces uphill task
Chandigarh, March 6 He would have to especially reach out to activists in the countryside where they have been facing a tough time at the hands of the supporters of the ruling alliance. The other big task before Bajwa is to bring about unity among senior party leaders. It is an established fact that the Congress, like other political parties, is riddled with factionalism because of which it has suffered several setbacks in recent years. Bajwa will have to take all factional leaders along to make the party an effective organisation in the state. As the PPCC chief, he will be pitted against Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Singh
Badal, who has emerged a skillful political strategist who believes in doing his home work well. The Congress used to be a force to reckon with in cities like
Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar. However, there has been considerable erosion in its base in most of the urban areas. In the last two Vidhan Sabha elections, the party performed poorly in the cities. The challenge before Bajwa is to bring back the business community to the party fold. He will have to devise a well-thought-out strategy in this regard as the SAD has made major inroads in urban areas, especially in the Malwa region. The Congress support base among Scheduled Castes has also weakened in recent years. Bajwa will have to work hard to win back the support of weaker sections, by no means an easy task. The outgoing PPCC chief, Amarinder Singh, was known for taking a bold stand on various issues because of which he had become popular among a sizeable section of Jat Sikhs.
Bajwa, who belongs to the Majha region, will have to maintain a delicate balance while taking vital decisions. He will have to involve party leaders from all three regions -
Majha, Doaba and Malwa. With the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for next year, he would have to act fast to strengthen the party in the state for a good showing at the hustings under his leadership. The party high command has appointed him as PPCC chief only to ensure that the party performs well in the Lok Sabha elections.
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State being run on Central funds: Bajwa
New Delhi, March 6 "The
SAD-BJP Government has empty coffers and cannot deliver,” he claimed while talking to the Tribune today. “Punjab is surviving on Central funds. We will get material published in Punjabi and send it to every house in Punjab, informing the people about the Centre's major flagship
programmes, ” he said. In a dig at Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and minister Bikram
Majitha, he said: “They feel that votes can be purchased and opponents browbeaten. This is a misperception. We will come up with brilliant results in the coming Lok Sabha
elections." Bajwa said that in order to galvanise the party, he would meet party workers for tow days at the Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh. Asked how he would deal with two former Chief Ministers, Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur
Bhattal, who had their own group of loyalists, Bajwa said: “I enjoy a good rapport with Capt Amarinder Singh and have worked under him for five years. I have also worked under
Bhattal. I have no issues with either.” He said both would be given due respect and taken into confidence whenever the party launches a
programme. “I have spoken to both of them and also to Jagmeet Brar. They have all assured me that their primary mission is to revive the Congress fortunes in Punjab," he said.
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Punjab Govt unlikely to impose fresh taxes
Chandigarh, March 6 Sources in the Finance Department told The Tribune that the Punjab Government was not in a mood to impose fresh taxes on the people in the Budget to be presented on March 20. The Budget focus will be on increasing the revenue receipts through better tax compliance and getting more people in the tax net. Punjab has been floundering on meeting its committed liabilities and has already exhausted all options to raise additional loans from the market through selling of the state development loans (SDLs). Though Punjab had undertaken an additional resource mobilisation exercise in August 2012 to raise an additional Rs 2,400 crore by raising electricity duty and collectorate rate, imposing property tax, increasing the VAT rate and imposing social infrastructure cess, it has not helped the state tide over the crisis. Since these measures were introduced only for the last six months of the year, the state has earned Rs 1,000 crore through these measures. The trouble for Punjab, as it readies to present a Budget with no direction to raise additional resources, is not just in the rising debt of the state, which will go up to Rs 87,000 crore this year ( a jump of Rs 10,000 crore over last year). In the next financial year, Punjab’s limit to raise loans from the market will also be reduced. Till March 2013, for two consecutive years, the state was allowed to raise state development loans up to 3.5 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). But beginning April this year, the limit of raising loans from the market has been reduced to just 3 per cent of the GSDP. This means that as against the state’s limit to raise Rs 9,500 crore from the market this financial year, the limit to raise loans in 2013-14 will be reduced to Rs 9,200 crore, thus squeezing the state’s finances further. Punjab has not been able to pay salaries to its employees this month, nor disburse old-age pension for the month of February. The state’s monthly salary bill is about Rs 1,100 crore, which the state does not have as of now. Also, bills of various departments and old-age pension worth Rs 1,500 crore are still pending . Officials in the Finance Department said that they would be able to clear the payments by the end of this week. It is learnt that like in the past, the state government will go in for a Budget without imposing new taxes. But an additional resource mobilisation drive will be undertaken again next year. The state is studying the impact of levying professional tax, imposing VAT on readymade garments and levying a local body tax (as in case of Maharashtra where octroi was abolished and local body tax imposed). Corrective steps An additional resource mobilisation drive will be undertaken again in the next fiscal year 2013-2014 The state is studying the impact of levying professional tax, imposing VAT on readymade garments and levying a local body tax The state debt will go up to Rs 87,000 cr this year, a jump of Rs 10,000 cr over last year
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Preparations on for Bajwa’s installation
Chandigarh: Preparations have begun for the installation of the newly appointed PPCC chief at the Punjab Congress Bhawan here. Partap Singh Bajwa is expected to take over his new assignment over the weekend.
The present office-bearers did not attend office at the bhawan with leaders inimical to them present there in strength. Former Planning Board vice-chairman RR Bhardwaj said Amarinder Singh's lack of accessibility as well as centralisation of power in the hands of non-political persons had left the workers demoralised. Others present included Ferozepur legislator Parminder Pinky, Rampal Dhaipi and GS Bali. The PCC president’s brother Fatehjang Bajwa distributed sweets on the occasion. Fatehjang had been an Amarinder loyalist. He said the new PCC chief would have to win the confidence of all party workers. Amarinder Singh chose to remain at his Sector 10 residence where he hosted a lunch for leaders and party workers who had participated in the Moga election campaign. — TNS
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Ranike to be back in Cabinet today
Chandigarh, March 6 Ranike had earlier held the Welfare for SC/BC, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development Ministry. He tendered his resignation on September 16 following allegations that his personal assistant, Sarabhdayal Singh, had embezzled government funds. However, Ranike was given a clean chit by the State Vigilance Department which inquired into the case on the directions of the Chief Minister. Sources said Ranike is likely to get back his old departments. But he is unlikely to be allocated the Welfare of SC/BC portfolio. There was speculation that the Chief Minister may fill all the three posts lying vacant following the resignations of Ranike, Agriculture Minister Tota Singh and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Jagir Kaur last year. — TNS
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School vehicles flout norms in Patiala, authorities unmoved
Patiala, March 6 Overcrowded school buses, vans and autorickshwas ferrying children to school and back are a common sight on the city roads. With the traffic police nowhere in sight, particularly during the morning hours, transport operators openly flout the norms by carrying students more than the vehicle's seating capacity and by not following the speed limit. Even when the traffic police personnel are on duty, they are ill-equipped to check overspeeding by vehicles. Though the traffic police has issued 115 challans to autorickshaw operators and 248 challans to school bus operators in 2012, there has not been any major improvement in the situation. On can see up to 15 students in an autorickshaw whereas the maximum number of students it can carry is seven. Even parents in this case do not seem to bother. When questioned, most parents said they had no option as there was no other means available to send their children to school. Hardeep Singh Badungar, Traffic Incharge, Patiala city, said the district administration and the traffic police had sent a copy of the guidelines of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this regard to all schools. "The school authorities cannot express ignorance when caught violating the norms," he said. A senior official of the district administration said though they were doing their best to check violation of traffic rules, ignorance and indifference on the part of parents was proving a major hurdle. HC guidelines on school transport School bus shall possess a certificate of fitness and insurance Every vehicle carrying schoolchildren shall hold a valid permit The driver should have at least five years of experience The driver should not have been challaned more than 3 times All buses shall have a conductor or a trained attendant The driver shall not exceed the speed limit of 50 km per hour Children shall be dropped inside the school premises All vehicles shall have a first-aid box and a fire extinguisher Vehicles shall bear the name of the school, route and timings Conductors/drivers shall be subjected to a refresher course Drivers shall undergo medical examination once in 5 years All drivers and conductors shall wear proper uniform No vehicle shall carry children in excess of 1.5 times of its registered seating capacity The school shall man the traffic on their own in and around the school premises
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Women unsafe in Punjab: Karat
Patiala, March 6 Karat visited the city today with her Sangarsh Sandesh Jatha. She said: "It is shameful that the police is shielding criminals in the state. Instead of helping the victims, it is suppressing them due to which people do not want to take help from the police". Emphasising that 15 rape cases have been reported in Punjab in the past few days, Karat said: "It seems that the Punjab Government has not learnt any lesson from Delhi and Badshahpur gang-rape cases. It is still not making efforts to provide proper security to women." She also condemned the state government for improper implementation of the atta dal and other welfare schemes. Taking a dig at the Central Government, Karat said unemployment, corruption and poverty had touched new highs in the country.
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Admission scam: UP police raids medical college
Ludhiana, March 6 After registering a case against six persons, including CMC principal SM Bhatti and additional finance officer Valentine, the Muzaffarnagar police today conducted a raid at the CMC and questioned Valentine in this connection. The other accused are Vivek Vishnoi, Pardeep Kumar, Subodh Mondal and Anup Prasad. While Anup was arrested a month ago, raids are on to arrest the remaining accused. Prabhat Pawar, a complainant, was accompanying the raiding team. SI Komal Singh said: "Valentine has sought anticipatory bail and the matter is sub-judice". Williams, a former colleague who was accompanying Valentine, claimed: "Being a finance officer, he (Valentine) received the donation amount and deposited it. He had no inkling that on what grounds the money was collected. He has been dragged into the controversy". Pawar said: "I came in contact with Vivek Vishnoi of Bijnor in May last year, who introduced me to Pardeep Kumar of Murradbad. The duo further arranged my meeting with Anup Parsad, a priest in Ghaziabad. After some formalities, the deal was struck for Rs 20 lakh. As per the deal I gave a demand draft of Rs 3,76,000 while the remaining money was given in cash". "My son Karan stayed in CMC for three days. I came in contact with Valentine when the medical test of eight students was conducted by the CMC authorities. My son met principal Bhatti and even attended classes. I learnt about the fraud when my son along with seven other students was left stranded at a private accommodation in Ludhiana in September 2012," Pawar said. Bhatti termed the allegations as baseless. He said it was a deliberate act to tarnish the image of the prestigious institution. "Our admission process is foolproof. I came to know that the Muzaffarnagar police was in the city in connection with a fraud case. I was anticipating their visit to the institution. But no one came," Bhatti said. On the stay of youths in the CMC, he said: "Valentine introduced me to some youths saying they wanted to stay here for sometime to observe the functioning of the institution".
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ASI found dead hours after raid on farmhouse
Tarn Taran, March 6 The police officer was posted at Manochahal post and is survived by his wife, son and daughter. While there are reports that the ASI may have died of cardiac arrest, the police said it will wait for the postmortem report before commenting on the exact cause of death. The police, however, said there were no external injuries on the body. But, the ASI’s family members, including his wife, daughter and sister, along with the residents of his native Bundala village staged a dharna in the heart of the town. They demanded that the farmers who allegedly created a situation that led to the ASI’s death be booked for murder. They resorted to sloganeering against the state government and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal. Deputy Inspector General Paramraj Singh Umranangal visited the dharna site on the main road and tried to pacify the family and the villagers. Umranangal said the family was seeking action under Section 302 (murder). Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Dinkar Gupta also reached the spot and persuaded the protesters to lift the dharna, promising early necessary action. There are reports that the police has detained a few persons, though it was not officially confirmed. Talking to The Tribune at the local Civil Hospital, the ASI’s brothers Sukhwinder Singh and Tarsem Singh demanded that they should be told as to how their brother lost his life. Alleging that he was killed, the duo raised a question as to where the police party was when their brother died. On the other hand, farmer organisations have sought a judicial probe into the incident. Farmer leader Rattan Singh Randhawa said they also wanted the government to bring out truth in the case. "We have sympathy with the ASI's family, but farmers are not to be blamed for his death," he said. Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police KS Dhillon said nine persons had been booked in connection with the ASI's death under sections 304, 332, 353, 186, 148, 149, and 120-B of the IPC. He said they had been booked by name, though he could not reveal their identities at the moment. Midnight raid and the death At 2.15 am on Wednesday, seven policemen led by ASI Kulbir Singh raid a farmhouse at Jeobal village in Tarn Taran Police party knocks at the door and asks the family members of farmhouse owner Amrik Singh to open it The family members inquire as to who is at the door, but the police doesn’t answer After they refuse to open the door, a policeman scales the boundary wall and opens the door from inside (as claimed by Amrik’s wife Bibi
Kanso) Bibi Kanso objects to the police entry on the pretext that Kulbir Singh is in an “inebriated” condition The police picks up her son Palwinder Singh and takes him to their vehicle parked outside Within no time, a mob, comprising the family’s neighbours and acquaintances, gather at the spot They lay siege to the police vehicle, not allowing it to move As the word spreads, activists of various farmer bodies start converging there Goindwal Deputy Superintendent of Police Harpal Singh also reaches the spot Harpal Singh initiates talks with the farmers but the remain adamant on Kulbir Singh’s medical examination After some time, the ASI goes missing from the spot His body is later found lying a km away from the farmhouse Fearing registration of a case of murder against them, the farmers continue their protest DIG Paramraj Singh Umranangal reaches the village and manages to pacify the farmers
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Pre-emptive arrest of leaders derails ‘Rail Roko’ agitation by farmers
Patiala, March 6 Police parties conducted raids at about 319 places and took 155 activists into preventive custody. As a result, the train traffic mostly remained unaffected.
Prominent among those arrested were Darshan Lal, state secretary of Dehati Mazdoor Sabha (CPM Pasla); Ruldu Singh, president of Punjab Khet Union; Harmesh Malri, state president of Pendu Khet Mazdoor Union; Kanwalpreet Singh Pannu, state convener of Kisan Sangharsh Committee (Piddy); Nirbhai Singh Dhudike, Moga president of Kirti Kisan Union; Gurmeet Singh Bakhtupura, AICTU state president and Darshan Pal, Patiala president of BKU (D). During the day, another 1,353 persons were rounded up so as to ensure law and order and minimise inconvenience to the public. The farmers have been demanding an increase in the MSP of wheat by Rs 2,000, as per the Swaminathan Committee report, more subsidies for the poor and checks on the hike in prices of diesel and other farm inputs. Patiala, Rajpura: There was heavy police presence near railway stations. 'Nakas' had been put up since last evening to check the movement of farmer leaders. Amritsar: Farmer activists blocked rail traffic at Butari, Kathunangal, Khasa and Tarn Taran railway stations for two hours. This, despite the police having arrested 40 farmer leaders and more than 400 of their supporters in the morning while they were on their way to rail tracks. A large number of barricades had been set up at various points in the city to prevent the entry of farmers. Kisan Sangarsh Committee president Satnam Singh Pannu claimed the police raided the houses of various leaders around 2 am today. He said while most of the union leaders had preempted police action, a few unaware were caught by police. He criticised the government for trying to "sabotage a peaceful protest". "But, the farmers were not intimidated by police action and a large numbers of men and women participated in the agitation," he said. Though no major incident of violence was reported, farmers accused the police of using force at Butari railway station. The farmers who were taken into preventive custody were released around 4 pm. Fazilka: The police rounded up 68 activists of different farmers unions en route to railway tracks to participate in the agitation at the district headquarters here. District police head SS Kahlon said the arrests were made from various parts of the town. It is stated that the police had rounded up 87 farmers out of which 9 farmers over the age of 65 were released by the police without taking any action against them. After the arrests, the 'Rail Roko' agitation virtually fizzled out as all the trains arrived and departed as per schedule. Barnala: The police arrested 15 activists in the town. Senior Superintendent of Police Snehdeep Sharma said the arrested persons were produced before the SDM who sent them in judicial custody. Rampura: Heavy police presence today prohibited the members of various farmer unions from blocking train services in Rampura. All entry and exit points to the city were barricaded to check the entry of protesting farmers. Male and female police personnel were seen rounding up the farmers amidst raising of slogans by the latter. BKU (Ekta-Ugraha)'s Rampura block president Sukhdev Singh Jawanda said they will hold two state-level dharnas for three days in Bathinda and Amritsar starting from March 10. Sangrur: The police today arrested over 30 farmers from different parts of the district. They were produced before a magistrate who sent them in judicial custody.
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Tarn Taran Police Assault Case
Usma (Tarn Taran), March 6 The Chief Minister today visited the neighbouring Ferozepur district and the speculations were rife that he may come to the village, though it was not scheduled. Interestingly, the Chief Minister visited Amritsar and paid obeisance at the Golden Temple, besides attending a marriage ceremony, before flying back to Chandigarh. Usma village is around 45 km from Amritsar. The move by the local authorities to set up a helipad near the neighbouring Naushehra Pannua town sparked speculations about Badal's visit, which also led to strong media presence at the village. The helipad was apparently set up as the Chief Minister intended to take Kairon along with him to Chandigarh, sources said. Village Sarpanch Sukhraj Singh said they were hoping that Badal would come and express solidarity with the family, but that didn't happen. He said ADGP (Law and Order) Dinkar Gupta visited the family and assured justice. Earlier in the day, Kairon visited the family and assured that justice will be done once the inquiry was over against the policemen who perpetrated excesses on them. He said the state government had already given clear instructions to the police to deal sensitively in cases related to women, but it was unfortunate that his incident took place despite that. He said no policeman had the right to raise his hand on a woman. He also formed a four-member committee at the local level to "resolve" the issue. In a statement, IG (Border range) RP Mittal said ADGP (Crime) Jasminder Singh, who is being assisted by him in the matter, will submit a factual report on the entire episode to DGP Sumedh Singh Saini tomorrow.
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Room for lawyers inaugurated at Sub-divisional court in Guruharsahai
Ferozepur, March 6 Speaking on the occasion, the Judge said the construction of a new judicial complex, which will include chambers for lawyers, was on the cards. In December last year, Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice AK Sikri, accompanied by former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Justice SS Sodhi, had inaugurated the Guruharsahai Sub-Divisional Court. In the absence of any Sub-Divisional Court, the residents had to traverse a long distance for justice. Guruharsahai Sub-Divisional Judge Barjinder Pal Singh, Bar Association president Rajinder Monga, Deputy Superintendent of Police Baljit Singh and several senior lawyers were among those present on the occasion.
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Jalandhar school bus mishap: Truck driver arrested
Jalandhar, March 6 Jagjit Singh was arrested last night from Dharamkot village, said Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajinder Singh. During questioning, Jagjit Singh, a resident of Kadial village near
Dharmkot, claimed that the van was being driven rashly, the SP said. The police had booked Jagjit Singh in a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and an FIR under Section 304 of the IPC was registered against him at Nakodar (City) police station. Meanwhile, the district administration, as part of its drive against schools buses violating traffic rules, today impounded 13 vehicles and challaned 59 others.
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He may be down, but is certainly not out. Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh does not think new Pradesh Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa is the best choice to lead the party in Punjab.
The most difficult challenge before the newly appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress
(PPCC) president, Partap Singh Bajwa, is to re-energise the party. The party's second successive defeat in the assembly elections last year has left the party cadre dejected and
demoralised. Bajwa would have to walk the extra mile to revive the self-confidence of its workers.
Lashing out at the Punjab Government for its "failure" to provide safe environment to women in the state, CPM Politburo member Brinda Karat has said incidents of crime against women are on a rise and the government machinery is inactive due to the involvement of influential persons.
Mystery shrouds the death of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Kulbir Singh whose body was found on the outskirts of Jeobala village near here a few hours after a police party led by him conducted raid at a farmhouse to make preventive arrests of farmer leaders ahead of their ‘Rail Roko’ agitation today.
Patiala, March 6
While Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon visited the family of the police assault victim here today, the daylong talk of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal visiting the village turned out to be a mere speculation.
