Amritsar, April 17
Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress candidate from the Amritsar parliamentary constituency Captain Amarinder Singh has favoured confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan to establish Amritsar as an important trade centre not just from the domestic point of view but across Central and West Asia.

Addressing a function organised by the Rotary Club, Amritsar, here last evening, Amarinder also called for a comprehensive national drug policy to fight the scourge that is eating into the vitals of the young generation in Punjab.

He pointed out that Amritsar had been a flourishing trade centre prior to partition. "It is essential to have friendly relations between Pakistan and India as only then can trade routes open. If it happens, the trade routes will open right up to the Central and West Asia and will not be confined to Pakistan alone," he said.

The former Chief Minister cautioned that both the countries need to be careful as past experience has shown that whenever there is any attempt at taking up confidence building measures, serious acts of terror take place and the entire process gets derailed.

“While we need to tackle such incidents with an iron fist, at the same time, we must not let peace between the two countries become a casualty. Whenever that happens we, the people of Punjab and particularly those living in border areas like Amritsar, are the worst affected,” he pointed out.

While hoping that the Congress-led UPA government will come to power at the Centre, he cautioned against the jingoistic rhetoric from the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi saying, "His approach is not aimed at fostering peace as it looks like war mongering. "That would be the worst thing to happen for the people of Amritsar as any possibility of the trade route opening up will end," he warned.

Answering various questions from the members of the Rotary Club, particularly related to the menace of drugs, he called for a National Drug Policy. He said there were three prime factors involved. One was the smuggling of drugs like opium from Afghanistan through Pakistan. The second was the flow of drugs from states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where certain drugs can be traded after getting government licence. The third and the most dangerous was the synthetic home-made drugs in Punjab manufactured with the patronage of the ruling family, he alleged.

Amarinder said firm laws need to be enacted and there must be exemplary punishment like continuous imprisonment for 25 years at least for drug trafficking. Sharing the grave concern of the members of Rotary Club, he said, “I understand that an entire generation is being ruined and we can’t sit as silent spectators.”

Referring to a question on the non-availability of sand in Punjab, Amarinder said he had already announced that if a Congress government is formed in 2017, it will deregulate sand mining. “We will ensure that sand which belongs to the people is used by them only and the government has nothing to do with it,” he remarked amid applause from the audience.

Amarinder also referred to other major problems including the closure of the industry, availability of drinking water and rising unemployment. He said these were long-pending problems and will need top priority so that they could be solved with urgency.

The function was presided over by the District Governor of the Rotary Club, Amritsar, GS Sekhon and attended by SS. Batra, Rajesh Arora, Rakesh Kapoor, Ravi Pathania and Pankaj Kapoor, among others. 

Amritsar, April 17
The seizure of unaccounted money and liquor continues in the poll season. The static surveillance teams have confiscated around Rs 18 lakhs from a local resident, identified as Jaswant Singh alias Raju of Moon Avenue area. It is suspected that the money was to be used to woo the voters. He was travelling by the city bus service when he was intercepted by the static surveillance team during checking near the Court Chowk.

It gives an indication that with the rigorous drive launched by the city police of searching private vehicles by the flying squads on the roads ahead of the ensuing General Elections, the unscrupulous elements have apparently devised a novel way of using public transport for transacting the cash. Ravi Bhagat, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer said they were investigating the source and the purpose of the money seized from Jaswant Singh.

Meanwhile, the amount has been deposited with the District Treasury Office, he added. He said the Deputy Commissioner, Income Tax Department, has been informed. Earlier, on March 23, the security staff of Guru Ram Dass International Airport, Amritsar, confiscated an amount of Rs 17 lakh from a passenger reaching here.

As per the directions of the Election Commission of India, a passenger cannot carry along cash exceeding Rs 10 lakh to avoid the misuse of money in elections. Officials said that during checking, an amount of Rs 17 lakh was recovered from an Amritsar-based resident Shushant Kumar of Green Avenue, who reached here by the Air India flight number 461 at 9.05 am under suspicious circumstances. The checking was conducted by the airport officials, Rashpal Singh and Jagbir Singh, besides the other security staff. The accused also could not justify his claim of carrying such a huge amount of cash.

Amritsar, April 17
Amid the high-pitch campaign of high-profile candidates like Arun Jaitley of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Captain Amarinder Singh of the Congress in Amritsar, 79-year-old noted eye surgeon and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Dr Daljt Singh ventures out on foot into the narrow lanes of the holy city daily, seeking votes from the people over the issues concerning the common man.

Seen as an ophthalmologist who is down to earth with an impeccable reputation and a lot of goodwill in his decades of practice in Amritsar, Dr Daljit Singh starts his day early, moving around in the city along with his supporters to garner support through his door-to-door campaign. He usually campaigns in the morning and evening, reaching out to the people and mingling with them. He also presents AAP caps and at times, roses to the voters so as to lend a personal touch to the campaign.

Unlike his heavyweight rivals, there is neither a cavalcade of vehicles nor security personnel surrounding him. "I am thoroughly enjoying my canvassing. The people greet me warmly as I walk through the streets and shake hands with them like I am one of them. They connect to me instantly. Many of them also offer me tea at their house, though we don't have much time," he tells The Tribune.

Despite nearing 80 years in age, he walks around six to seven hours daily during his election campaign. He reveals that there is huge disenchantment among the people towards the political parties and they are now looking for a change. "At times, they even ask me as to why I have come to seek their votes," says the doctor.

He said the people do not pinpoint any political outfit, but they are certainly upset with the current state of affairs in terms of rampant corruption and rising inflation. His decades-long career as a doctor in Amritsar also helps him a lot, as he says there is hardly any area where he doesn't find his patients or their relatives. He revealed that they are receiving equally good response from the urban educated class and the lower strata of society.

Dr Daljit Singh says his candidature has given him an opportunity to acquaint himself with the ground reality. "I am shocked to see the people living in hell-like conditions in the city with open drains and heaps of garbage around their homes. The overall deterioration in their standards of living can't be described in words," he avers. On his agenda for the people, he said they cannot paint a rosy picture but they certainly tell the people that it is the beginning of a revolution and things will change. He said a lot will also depend on how much seats the AAP wins in the Lok Sabha elections.

On his high-profile rivals, Dr Daljit Singh says, "They are hardly carrying out any campaign. What they are resorting to is merely hollow talk. Both of them are banking heavily on their party organisation. It is beyond my comprehension as to how they will attract the voters." He said neither Amarinder nor Jaitley have visited the city areas where the people are grappling with lack of civic amenities. "I move among the people and that is my strength." 

Amritsar, April 17
As the BJP unleashed its star campaigners with full force, Bollywood actor Viveik Oberoi followed celebrities Suniel Shetty, Kirron Kher, Preeti Sapru and Bharti Singh as he took out a roadshow in Amritsar. Urging voters to support Arun Jaitley, the actor was picture perfect, waving his hand throughout, meeting and greeting people, even hugging some kids.

His procession in the open jeep started from Putlighar in the afternoon, with hordes of fans and admirers gathering just to meet the actor. Oberoi, who has been campaigning for the BJP candidates, General (retd) VK Singh and Ashok Nete, voiced his support for Jaitley and the BJP. Taking the mike, Viveik laid emphasis on development issues, visiting several villages along the border and campaigning in villages near Gumtala. Forgetting the political nature of his visit, his star power thrilled people more. In between, announcements were made to invite people to "come and meet their favourite star".

The high stakes contest in Amritsar has had the BJP adding consistently to the glam quotient with celebrity faces. While the other parties have till now remained "star-less" in their campaigning, the voters feel that it is just another strategy for publicity.

"These celebrities have political affiliations owing to their personal connections with the leaders. While most of them act as brand ambassadors for a political brand, it is not fair to vote just because your favourite actor or actress is endorsing a particular party," shares Jyoti Bawa, who runs Punjabi Samvaad, an NGO. "It is more of a marketing gimmick and one should not take it seriously," she says.

Agrees Mohit Kukreja, a businessman from the city. "Urban voters are aware of the fact that Bollywood actors endorse political parties just like a product. It is a strategy to woo the rural voters, as most rallies take place in the villages. It is a sure way to cash in on a particular actor's popularity for political gains."

With stars attracting attention, the BJP has been at the forefront in getting Bollywood faces to campaign for them. Next on their list are actors Sunny Deol, Ajay Devgn and singer Gurdas Mann.

"It is a win-win situation for the political parties. Their motive during the campaigns is to pull crowd, which these star rallies achieve to do. Also, the rural voter gets easily influenced by star power. But I believe the rules seem to have changed now. People know their facts and vote accordingly. It might help woo some voters, but the fact remains that it is all part of a winning strategy," shares Kanika Arora, a city-based freelance writer.

Amritsar, April 17
A senior resident in the Paediatrics Department of the local Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Gurpreet Singh, has invited trouble by allegedly campaigning in favour of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) candidate from Amritsar, Dr Daljit Singh, for the ensuing General Elections.

The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) has lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in this regard. The PPCC has sought an action against Dr Gurpreet.

In his defence, Dr Gurpreet maintained that he had close family relations with Dr Daljit and had gone on a personal visit to meet him.

“My sister is married to Dr Daljit Singh’s younger son Dr Kiranjit Singh. I go to their house in personal capacity and have never participated in any of his rallies or campaigning. It’s a false propaganda against me.

All the allegations are frivolous and I have never violated any code of conduct,” he said.

On the other hand, the legal convener of the PPCC, Sandeep Gorsi, claimed that Dr Singh had been actively participating in canvassing for Dr Daljit.

Gorsi said he had been misusing his position as a government doctor, thereby defeating the ethics and violating the election code of conduct.

“Dr Gurpreet Singh can be seen sitting in the office of the AAP during duty hours. The picture speaks volumes about his active participation in the party’s poll affairs. The table on which he was sitting in the picture has been wrapped up with publicity material. How can he deny his participation? We are adamant on our stand that he has been influencing the people at large and his colleagues in the office to vote for the AAP candidate,” said Gorsi.

Earlier, the PPCC had submitted a complaint with CEO, Punjab, against an Amritsar Municipal Corporation superintendent, Vishal Wadhawan, levelling similar charges. Wadhawan was transferred to the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation. 

Amritsar, April 17
The CPI and CPM’s joint candidate, Amarjit Singh Asal, has called upon the electorate of the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency to give mandate to a local like him.

Calling both Capt Amarinder Singh of the Congress and Arun Jaitley of the BJP as outsiders, Asal said neither of the two would be seen once the elections concluded. They would retire to their luxury houses, he said while addressing a gathering.

He said a local candidate would be easily accessible to the people of the constituency and solve their problems and contribute to city’s development.

Addressing another public rally, Aam Aadmi Party candidate, Dr Daljit Singh, paced up his tirade against prevailing drug trade, sand mafia, politicisation of the police and goondaism in the border district as he toured the bastion of Bikram Singh Majithia amidst huge turnout for the second time within last three days.

“The massive and overwhelming response by the residents of Majitha is a testimony to the fact that people are fed up with the anti-public policies of both the Congress as well as the SAD-BJP alliance and are eager to bring a change by voting for the party, which has launched a nation-wide crusade against the corrupt politicians, who have formed nexus with the criminals and capitalists to exploit the financial, human and natural resources of our motherland,” said Dr Daljit.

He said it was unfortunate that both Badal and Modi were passing the buck to the BSF authorities for not stopping drug trade and demoralising the honest soldiers defending international borders while the truth regarding flourishing drug trade was well known to everybody. Dr Daljit asked the Chief Minister (CM) to have pity on the youth of Punjab. Instead of pushing them into the darkness of drugs and employment, the CM should create avenues to channelise their energy and promote sustainable development at least for the remaining period of his government, he added. 

Amritsar, April 17
The Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHARA) is issuing an advisory to all hotels, restaurants and dhabas affiliated to it regarding the District Election Authority's move to award 30 per cent discount to the first-time voters in restaurants and 24-hour stay in a hotel after they exercise their franchise on April 30.

The move was initiated to pursued the youngsters to come to the polling booths to cast their ballots in the coming Lok Sabha elections. However, in addition to this, the beneficiaries can also avail 30 per cent discount for their outstation relatives within a span of 30 days applicable from the day of polling.

According to an estimate, there are 24,103 boys and 13,183 girls among the 37,286 new voters aged between 18 and 19 years.

Though the hotel industry has already been reeling under the burden of heavy taxes, the AHARA has made an appreciable gesture in offering these freebies.

President, AHARA, APS Chattha said it was an encouraging move to attract the youngsters' attention towards exercising their right to vote in the elections and the association would fully cooperate with the decisions of the Amritsar administration.

"This could be taken as our little contribution towards the administration's efforts to encourage the voting graph. It is interesting that the district administrations of Bathinda, Jalandhar and Ludhiana too have adopted this novel step taken by the local administration.

This would also, to some extent, channelise the energy of our youth in the right direction and they would contribute to nation-building. The meeting was held with the representatives of a handful of hotels, restaurants and dhabas of the city, but we are now going to issue a circular to all our members to religiously implement the move. Besides, we would be intimating our members through social networking sites," he said.

Excise and Taxation Officer Harmeet Singh, who has been coordinating the move for the administration, said the first-time voters would be awarded letters of appreciation by the district administration, which would make them eligible for discount for a day at the city eateries. "If they want to avail the 30 per cent discount, applicable on food items, the same day, they will have to show the imprint of the indelible ink on their finger, along with the appreciation certificate and their voter's card, If they want to pass on the offer to their outstation friends or relatives by offering them discounted accommodation in the holy city, they can avail this offer within a month from the date of polling," he said.

Dipika Shinghari, a BBK DAV student who would be casting her vote for the first time, said, "It is a welcome gesture. We now feel like being responsible citizens of India. The appreciation letter from the administration would be an official document to testify it," she said.

Shubham Arora, a B.Tech student of Amritsar College of Engineering and Technology, said, "We have a group for whom it would be its maiden attempt to exercise the right to vote.

The evening could be a bash to celebrate the occasion and that too at such a lucrative rate," he said.

Amritsar, April 17
Several students of BA (political science-part II) today lodged a protest against the Guru Nanak Dev University authorities for allegedly putting them on the failure list. The protesting students under the banner of Punjab Students Federation staged a dharna outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor today. They stated that the GNDU authorities had now been forcing them to apply for re-evaluation while burdening the majority of students who belonged to the underprivileged section.

Vatandeep Kaur, an activist of the Punjab Students Federation, said the GNDU authorities had been cheating the students and adopted tactics to garner money from them. — TNS

Amritsar, April 17
The World Heritage Day will be celebrated tomorrow, but neither any political party nor any political leader seeking mandate from the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, has raised the issue of protecting its heritage.

The demand for granting heritage status to the city was renewed by some sections of society close on the heels of Lok Sabha elections.

The city is known as a religious centre all over the world, but its residents need to give a serious thought to how much they themselves value the treasure of history, wrapped up in its old lanes. The day is celebrated as Heritage Day, but the efforts of the local administration and the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) till now had limited effects.

Owners, occupants and tenants of the heritage buildings have frequently been noticed altering structures, thus tampering with the original composition and design. The PHTPB launched the Heritage Walk at the fag end of 2011. It included 14 structures of heritage value for sight seeing. However, owners and caretakers of these buildings were found tampering with these structures.

Glaring anomalies were noticed when two-and-a-half century old Udasi cult centre, Chitta Akhara, near Harmandar Sahib, was undermined as one of its walls made of Nanakshahi bricks was rebuilt. Extremely dilapidated condition of the wall, which could have fallen any time, was cited as the reason behind make the change. The frescoes of the Akhara have been damaged to a great extent as they have been painted. Intricately-carved doors and windows have also been brightened up with green paint.

Another vital spot on the heritage walk route is Thakurdwara Dariana Mal, situated near Patel Chowk. Its unique wooden channel system installed at a window on the first floor to draw out water from the well beneath the ground floor has been lost as a concrete roof and walls have been raised around it. It is being taken care of by Shri Durgiana Temple Committee.

Heritage conservation specialist, Dr Balvinder Singh, from Sri Guru Ram Das School of Planning in Guru Nanak Dev University, said if this continued, soon the city will lose many private structures with heritage value falling on the route of the walk.

He said the rules of the local bodies must be amended to consolidate civic laws regarding repair and construction in heritage buildings.

A heritage cell must be formed in the municipal corporation especially in Amritsar, where many such buildings were located, he added.

The state government has kicked off two walks to lure tourists to visit these places.

Dr Balvinder said it was a good sign that the government invested heavily on conserving the historic sites like Gobindgarh Fort, summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Pull Kanjari associated with the maharaja, heritage village in Guru Nanak Dev University, Bunga Ramgarhia and frescos in Harmandar Sahib.

However, inordinate delay in opening these sites for the tourists was letting the business opportunity slip out of the hands of the local industry, said Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHARA) president APS Chatha. One of the most potential tourist projects being delayed is Gobindgarh Fort, raised during the Sikh misl period, which was extended and developed during the reign of legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The fort is an example of special defence mechanism initiated by the Sikh army against artillery attacks.

The summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Ram Bagh is also under preservation for the past many years. The complex includes the summer palace of the maharaja, fountains and Baradari Gardens replicating the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore (Pakistan). The Union Ministry of Culture has reportedly approved Rs 200 crore to make Amritsar the tourist hub by undertaking projects to restore monuments to original shapes.

Ram Bagh also houses Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama, which recreates the life of the maharaja. Through rare pictures and mannequins, the panorama recreates the glimpses of various battles (spread over 40 years) fought by the maharaja. Interestingly, this panorama is larger and technically superior to that at Kurukshetra. However, the government failed to popularise it among the tourists due to lack of promotion.

Heritage village, to showcase traditional Punjabi rustic life, culture, cuisine, is still under construction in Guru Nanak Dev University.

Amritsar, April 17
The police have arrested four persons, who were involved in stealing belongings of the pilgrims visiting the Golden Temple. The accused have been identified as Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Sur Singh village, Tarn Taran, Hira Singh, a resident of Bale Chak village, Tarn Taran, Gurwinderpal Singh, a resident of Ludhiana and Tarsem Singh, a resident of Gurdaspur. A case under Section 379 of the IPC has been registered with the E Division police station in this regard.

Investigating officer (IO) Sub Inspector Bhagwan Singh of the Galliara police post said traps were laid on a tip-off on suspected spots and the culprits were nabbed. “We received secret information about their nefarious activities. They used to steal purses and mobiles of the devotees who came to the Golden Temple to pay obeisance. We have recovered six mobiles of different brands from their possession. Further investigation is on,” said the investigating officer. — TNS