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HC: Lokpal can only recommend complaint against public figure
Bajwa’s Delhi rally leaves Cong divided
Demand for Sarkaria’s ouster
State wants to buy its own fresh wheat stock
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Missing after submarine inferno, kin to conduct sailor’s last rites
Tension after boy burnt alive in Malerkotla
Chief Minister gives grants to 86 Fatehgarh Churian panchayats
Cong workers allege frame-up, hold dharna
Modi to address rally on CM’s birthday
All panchayats to go hi-tech soon, says Union Minister
SGPC flays insult of US Sikh driver
5 of escort vehicle hurt in mishap
Plan to set up community centre on hospital premises opposed
Not covered by civic body, Sirhind village faces neglect
Dera Sacha Sauda clash
Sultanpuri Killings
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HC: Lokpal can only recommend complaint against public figure
Chandigarh, September 30 The ruling by Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa came on a petition by Harvinder Singh against the State of Punjab and other respondents for issuing an appointment letter to him for the post of Carpentry Instructor. He had appeared before the Subordinate Services Selection Board for an interview in 1998. His counsel claimed that “certain persons lower in merit were selected by the board and as such the petitioner had been discriminated against”. His counsel further argued that information provided under the Right to Information Act indicated that certain recommendations were made by the Lokpal to the state government in his favour on his complaint. Taking up the matter, Justice Dhindsa observed: “It is on the strength of such recommendations made by the Lokpal that the present writ petition has been instituted. But having heard counsel for the petitioner at length, I am of the considered view that the present writ petition deserves dismissal on two counts”. Justice Dhindsa elaborated the selection to the post was made way back in 1998 and there was “an inordinate delay of almost 15 years in having approached this court by filing the instant writ petition”. Justice Dhindsa said his counsel had not been able to show whether the complaint filed by the petitioner was against a “public man” defined under Section 2 (k) of the Punjab Lokpal Act, 1996. “In the absence of the relevant pleadings, the recommendations made by the Lokpal on a complaint that has not been directed against a 'public man' would be without jurisdiction,” Justice Dhindsa said. Quoting the observations by a Division Bench in case of Sukhdeep Kaur versus the State of Punjab, Justice Dhindsa said: “Under Section 9 of the Act, the Lokpal may inquire into any matter involved in, or arising from, or connected with any allegation of misconduct against a public man made in a complaint under the Act”. He said public man, defined under Section 2(k) of the Act, included a person who held or had held the office of a minister, member of Legislative Assembly, chairman/member of a board constituted by or under the state or central Act, chairman of any government company and chairman/member of any non-statutory committee nominated by the state government.
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Bajwa’s Delhi rally leaves Cong divided
Chandigarh, September 30 A senior leader said certain members had complained of being taken for a ride. They were promised a meeting with party high command Sonia Gandhi but the latter was away to Hyderabad. Another leader said it was ironic that thousands of farmers from Punjab were ferried to Delhi for Gujarat farmers’ cause when they themselves were not getting justice in their own state. Talking to The Tribune, the PPCC chief said: “We did not give detailed information about the programme because we did not want the information to be leaked. Gujarat Bhavan is located in a high-security zone in the vicinity of the PM’s residence. Some buses were scheduled to come through Majnu ka Teela and certain others via Punjabi Bagh. “The buses, that came in a convoy, were stopped and asked to park at Pragati Maidan. To make matters worse, it rained heavily.” The PPCC, in a press note, claimed credit for the “success” of the rally in highlighting “discrimination and injustice done to members of the Sikh community in Gujarat”. Among senior leaders at the rally were leader of the Congress Legislature Party Sunil Jakhar, Vijay Inder Singla, MP, Lall Singh, MLA, PPCC vice-presidents OP Soni, Tarlochan Singh, Charanjit Singh Channi and Gurpreet Singh Kangar and secretaries Ashwani Sekhri and Kuljit Singh Nagra. Nagra maintained it was wrong to say that the farmers had been taken for a ride. The programme was deliberately kept a low key affair and there was no intention to storm Modi's rally, he added.
Demand for Sarkaria’s ouster
Amritsar, September 30 In a joint statement, PPCC vice-president OP Soni and other leaders alleged that Sarkaria was hobnobbing with Bajwa's detractors, including SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal. "His business interests with Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majitha are no longer a secret. He is keen to join the SAD," they claimed. Accusing Sarkaria of running with the hare and hunting with the hound, they said his criticism of Bajwa was an attempt to jeopardise the party's prospects in the coming Lok Sabha elections. The leaders described the MLA's utterances as an "assault on the party high command." They questioned Sarkaria's contribution to the party even though Congress had "awarded him with more than he deserved, making him Chairman of Punjab Mandi Board even after his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections from the Tarn Taran seat. Praising Bajwa, they said he was a man of substance and that the PPCC chief's mass contact programmme had been a huge success. They accused Sarkaria of trying to sabotage workers' meetings in his area and openly asking his supporters to join the SAD.
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National Food Security Programme
Chandigarh, September 30 As Punjab is a wheat surplus state, it can afford to procure wheat on its own and distribute it. Punjab Food and Supply Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon will raise this issue at the "National Food Security Conference" in New Delhi tomorrow. Besides Union Ministers and the officials concerned, Food Ministers from all states will be present. Punjab Food and Supplies Secretary DS Grewal said the state wanted to be allowed to procure and store the entire stock of 8.70 lakh tonnes of wheat for distribution among depot-holders.Punjab has 297 main distribution centres run by PUNSUP. These centres supply atta-dal to 17,000 depot owners for further distribution to targeted families. Other goods such as kerosene and sugar are also distributed through these depot holders. “Our earlier experience of lifting the wheat stock from the FCI for further allocation to depot holders under the PDS has been bitter. The FCI has a set formula for issuing “first in-first out” (FIFO) wheat stock for distribution under the PDS”, said Grewal. He said under this formula, the FCI had been issuing old wheat stock to the state. “But beneficiaries refuse to accept such old stock,” said Grewal. Minister Kairon will impress upon the Centre that the best option would be to allow the state to procure and distribute fresh wheat under the food security programme. Another issue that Kairon is scheduled to take up with the Centre is related to reimbursement of transport cost at the rate of Rs 1.50 per kg. Earlier, depot-holders would lift the stock from the PUNSUP's main distribution centres and the transport cost was borne by them.
Procurement begins Chandigarh: Paddy procurement in the state will begin on Tuesday. DS Grewal, Secretary, Food and Supplies, said: “ More than 7 lakh bales (each containing 500 gunny bags) have been received.”
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Missing after submarine inferno, kin to conduct sailor’s last rites
Amritsar, September 30 Posted as a seaman in the Navy, 22-year-old Atul had joined government service two years ago. It was only recently that he was posted, following a promotion, on the ill-fated submarine. Says his father Hem Raj Sharma, a Sanskrit teacher at a local school: “My son was ambitious and got his first promotion in just two years of service. He had a bright future ahead. But, destiny had something else in store… Our lives have been shattered.” The family now awaits Atul’s belongings, which are expected to reach the Amritsar airport on Wednesday. “We have been informed telephonically that Atul’s belongings will reach here day after tomorrow. That’s all we have of him now,” says an inconsolable Hem Raj, with tears welling up in his eyes. The people close to the family say they have decided to hold Atul’s cremation even though his body could not be traced. They say the cremation will be done using his clothes and other belongings that will arrive here in two days. The Navy had earlier released a list of 18 sailors, including three officers, who had gone missing after the mishap. While 10 bodies were found and identified, the remaining eight remained untraced.
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Tension after boy burnt alive in Malerkotla
Sangrur, September 30 Senior Superintendent of Police Mandip Singh Sidhu said the deceased told his father, who runs a shop, that the accused had had an argument with him over the purchase of a kite string a few days ago. Station House Officer Parminder Singh said the boy was on his way to deliver lunch box to his brother at his school when the accused waylaid him at a secluded street. A huge police force was deployed in the town after the incident. As a mark of protest, local shopkeepers downed their shutters and took out a rally, which culminated in a road blockade at Jarag Chowk. Similar protests were reportedle held in nearby Dhuri town.
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Chief Minister gives grants to 86 Fatehgarh Churian panchayats
Batala, September 30 In a shrewd move, Kahlon, who is not keeping good health, handed over the reigns of the function to his son Ravi Kiran Kahlon, a former Chairman of the Punjab Tubewell Corporation. It was Ravi Kiran who conducted the stage and selected panchayats to be given grants on the first day of the two-day Sangat Darshan. Sources say Kahlon is carefully grooming his son as the party candidate for the next assembly elections. The helicopter carrying the CM and his entourage, including Principal Secretary Gurkeerat Kirpal Singh, could not land in Batala because of inclement weather. The chopper flew back to Amritsar from where the CM travelled by road to the steel town. Significantly, it was the second such programme chaired by the CM in Gurdaspur, the hometown of sitting Member of Parliament and PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa, in the past one month. He will be holding the third Sangat Darshan in Batala in the mid-October. Batala is a part of the Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency and the CM is reportedly sparing no efforts to undermine Bajwa in the area. Describing the PPCC chief as a non-entity, the CM said he did not have "enough ammunition to damage to the SAD-BJP combine." The DIG, Border, Lok Nath Angra, supervised the security apparatus. Speaking on the sidelines of the function, the CM said AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi had aggravated matters for the ruling UPA by openly criticising the Prime Minister. "By his utterances, Rahul Gandhi has belittled the post of the PM. He should not have spoken in such a blatant manner against the country's executive head," Badal remarked. To rebut criticism that Congress-backed panchayats were ignored at the Qadian Sangat Darshan held earlier this month, Deputy Commissioner Dr Abhinav Trikha said: " Grants were distributed to panchayats today, irrespective of their political affiliations. This was done on the instructions of the CM." Shrewd move
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Cong workers allege frame-up, hold dharna
Nangal, September 30 The workers raised slogans against the police and the state government. Pamma said the workers who had campaigned for the party during the last assembly elections were being targeted. Criminal cases have been registered against several Youth Congress workers, he said. Quoting a recent incident, Pamma alleged Rajesh Kumar of the Youth Congress was shot at in Maujuwal area six months ago. The police had registered a case but not under the Arms Act. Later, the FIR was cancelled. Now, the police was raiding his shop to arrest him, he alleged. Nangal Station House Officer Kesar Singh denied the registration of any false case. There were complaints that immoral activities were being allowed at an eatery run by Rajesh due to which the police wanted to question him, he said.
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Modi to address rally on CM’s birthday
Chandigarh, September 30 President of the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kamal Sharma said: “After consultations with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), we have sent a formal invite to our Modi." The party has started preparations for the rally. Talking to The Tribune, Subhash Sharma, state BJP secretary, said: “An elaborate exercise to activate party workers is being carried out at the booth level. The Modi rally will send out a clear message to workers of all parties constituting the NDA”. Arrangements are also being made by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the special occasion. Party spokesperson DS Cheema said: “The party is in the process of finalising a special event on the CM's birthday."
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All panchayats to go hi-tech soon, says Union Minister
Mohali, September 30 In the city for a workshop, Deo apprised the representatives of panchayats, zila parishads and block samitis of Punjab and Haryana of the initiatives taken by the Centre in the field. Deo said the budget for panchayats had increased to Rs 3,000 crore from a mere Rs 200 crore some years ago. “As funding no more is an issue, we have planned to computerise all panchayat houses. These will also be connected through broadband connections,” he said. In all, there are 2.4 lakh gram panchayats in the country. The Union Minister said the government had also been constructing a ‘Panchayat Ghar’ in every district. “About 60,000 such buildings have already come up across the country,” he said. Deo told the representatives to prepare developmental projects for their areas and submit these to the government for funding. Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra said they had already submitted some projects related to the development of villages and rural areas to the Centre. Death during workshop The chairman of Karnal zila parishad, Angrej Singh, died of a heart attack while he was attending the workshop in Mohali on Monday. He was shifted to a private hospital where he passed away after some time.
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SGPC flays insult of US Sikh driver
Amritsar, September 30 In a statement, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said there had been repeated instances in foreign countries in which disrespect was shown towards Sikh religious symbols. However, the governments in these countries had failed to take serious note of these incidents despite repeated appeals. He said it was a matter of concern that the Sikhs were being insulted in such a manner.
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5 of escort vehicle hurt in mishap
Amritsar, September 30 The car driver, Balwinder Singh of Ibban Kalan, also sustained injuries while his two children had a miraculous escape, the police said.
As Sada-e-Sarhad bus has become a soft target for the protesters, extra police personnel now escort the bus.
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Plan to set up community centre on hospital premises opposed
Bassi Pathana, September 30 In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner and State Health Minister, they urged the government not to build the centre as it would relegate the hospital to a dispensary. Social activist Manoj Kumar Banda said the 50-bed hospital catered to residents of over 200 villages in the area. Banda said the various functions that would be held at the community centre would disturb patients and students of the adjoining school alike. He warned if the government went ahead with its current plan, they would move court.
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Not covered by civic body, Sirhind village faces neglect
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 30 Since the area is neither classified as a rural nor does it fall in the Municipal Council, no funds have been allocated to the area. Residents claimed they could not even vote ever since the notification was issued. Barring the said locality, neighbouring areas have witnessed development. Residents also complained that they could not get any loans from banks due to ambiguity over who has jurisdiction over the area. Even though the Municipal Council had passed a resolution to include the area in its ambit, the matter still stands unresolved. Social activist Renu Bithar said they had recently submitted memorandums to Sub Divisional Magistrate Puja Syal and senior Akali leader Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra on the issue. SDM Syal said that she had sought a detailed report from the civic body Executive Officer in this regard.
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Dera Sacha Sauda clash
Sangrur, September 30 In a heavily guarded court, the judge in his order criticised the prosecution for failing miserably in building a strong case against the guilty. He then gave the accused the benefit of doubt and acquitted them. The acquitted persons are: Satpal Singh (Khadial), Sukhwinder Singh (Sunam), Ajaib Singh (Khadial), Megh Singh (Neelowal), Jagseer Singh (Jakhepal), Kala Singh alias Rajveer Singh (Chathe Sekhwan), Kala Singh (Dharamgarh), Ram Parkash (Kanakwal Bhanguan), Rajesh Kumar (Sunam), Mohinder Singh (Sunam), Jeet Singh (Sunam), Bhola Singh (Jakhepal), Bhajan Singh (Sunam) and Harnek Singh (Sunam). Another accused in the case, Sadha Singh (Bhutal Khurd) died during the trial. The accused were booked under Sections 302of the IPC and Sections 25 of the Arms Act on May 17, 2017. Following the pronouncement of the judgment, Kamaljit Singh’s father Bant Singh, a retired ASI, said he would move Punjab and Haryana High Court to seek justice. On May 17, 2007, several people armed with swords proceeded towards Naam Charcha Ghar in Sunam and clashed with Dera Sacha Sauda followers. Shots were fired and several vehicles were burnt and in this melee, Kamaljit Singh died.
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Sultanpuri Killings
Arguing before a Bench comprising Justices AK Patnaik and JS Khehar, Sajjan Kumar’s senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi said his client had been acquitted of inciting rioting mobs in respect of about 60 killings and he could not be tried for the same offence again in connection with the Sultanpuri incidents. Further, the CBI had told the trial court that it was pressing its case in respect of only one of the six killings, Rohatgi said. Pending disposal of his petition, Sajjan has sought a stay on the trial court proceedings and the Delhi High Court’s July 16, 2013, verdict rejecting his plea for quashing the charges. After hearing the arguments, the SC Bench posted the case for October 4 as it wanted to go through the petition. The HC had held that the evidence given by the accused would be examined only during trial and “not at the stage of framing of charge.” The co-accused in the case are Brahmanand Gupta, Peru, Khushal Singh and Ved Prakash. Besides the charges of murder and rioting, they are facing trial for spreading enmity between communities. Gupta and Prakash had also approached the HC, challenging the charges. But their pleas were rejected. The CBI had filed two charge sheets against Sajjan and others in 2010 on the recommendation of the Nanavati Commission.
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The family of sailor Atul Sharma, who went missing after the Indian submarine Sidhurakshak caught fire at the naval Dockyard in
Mumbai, seems to have lost all hope of his survival or even the recovery of his body.
Around six weeks after the mishap on August 13, the family has decided to perform his last rites.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal presided over a Sangat Darshan programme in former Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon's assembly segment of Fatehgarh
Churian. He distributed grants among 86 panchayats.
Mohali, September 30
New Delhi, September 30