 |
|
|
1984 riots
Awaiting justice, victims fail to get Red Card
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
MBBS seat: Fraudster dupes two of
Rs 12 lakh in Bathinda
National Unity Day observed in city
Ring Road project: Sukhbir directs traffic police to divert routes
Zila Parishad to take up community college scheme
Central Jail security under scanner
Cong men end silent protest
Woman booked for abetment to suicide
Immigration fraud: Two duped of Rs 29.76 lakh
Awareness camp on state govt schemes held
Sale of subsidised seeds begins One held on charge of rape
Two commit suicide
|
|
30 yrs on, victims still in penury
Bharat Khanna Tribune News Service
Bathinda, October 31 More than compensation, they are fond of justice and exemplary punishment to those who brutally burnt their family members and the many Sikhs, including children, with burning tyres around necks in their locality in 1984. Satwant Kaur (60), with her two sons and a daughter, kept herself locked in her house in Delhi after hearing the broke out of the riots following the assassination of the then PM Indira Gandhi in 1984 by her Sikh body guards. But her husband, who had gone on work, in the morning on November 1, 1984, never returned. “I was informed about the death of my husband on November 2 by one of our neighbours. I, along with my children rescued ourselves along with our relatives from the mob and reached Bathinda. Now, my both sons Gurdev Singh and Harpreet Singh are working as ‘Paathi’ in Gurdwaras in Amritsar and Delhi, respectively. The state government has not given us any compensation or job yet. More than any compensation, I need justice by giving exemplary punishment to those guilty so that no woman loses her husband and children their father,” she said. Recalling the horrible tale with tears in her eyes, Laxmi Kaur, a victim of riots that took place in her locality in Rohtak, now near Indira colony in Haryana said, “The horrible scenes do not fade away and many a time, they appear in my dreams. I cannot forget the day I saw our neighbour Sikhs being killed like animals at a meat shop. There were children also, who were burnt alive with burning tyres tied around their necks. My aunt, Bacchi Kaur, now living in Ludhiana, then turned insane after the identification of her son Mengha Singh, who was killed by pouring boiling oil on him. The deceased was identified following a body mark on his hand. My husband, Mohinder Singh, turned insane and died some years ago. I had been given compensation of Rs 2 lakh, a few years ago. Here, too, we aren’t having any hope after long 30 years as the state government has failed to give any job to one of my three sons who are working as labourers.”
|
|
Awaiting justice, victims fail to get Red Card
Bathinda, October 31 There are about 525 such families of riots victim holding Red Cards’ in Bathinda and Mansa district whereas a number of deserving applicants have not been issued the Red cards depriving of which they failed to get any compensation amount besides justice. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced a compensation amount of Rs 5 lakh for the victims of 1984 riots. Earlier, in 2006, the UPA government under the former PM Manmohan Singh, announced a package of Rs 717 crore, which included monetary compensation of Rs 3.5 lakh to the kin of each person killed in the riots besides financial assistance to the injured and those who had lost property. Out of this package about Rs 200 crore could not be distributed because of disputes over claimants. State government
Demanding justice, a 1984 Danga Peerat Pariwar Committee was formed one year after the riots. The union has been demanding the issuance of Red cards for the deserving applicants who had not been issued the Red card by the state government. Just a few years ago, the committee, on request of Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, had changed the name of their committee as the 1984 Sikh Parivar Sangharsh Committee. Amarjit Singh, district president of the 1984 Sikh Parivar Sangharsh Committee, said, “After 1986, only 16 riot victim have been issued the Red cards, including 2 victims in 2008 and 14 in 2010. Files of about 697 applicants are pending with Bathinda district administration but, however, some of them were turned non-deserving after the state government issued fresh notification about the conditions of Red card holder. Now, at least, there are more than 300 applicants who are genuine and their files are pending with Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, but they are not being issued the Red cards.” “The state government has also failed to disburse the amount of compensation came from Central government in 2006. Around 445 crore was given to the Punjab government then but the state failed to disburse as it had not issued the Red cards to many deserving victims. More than Rs 100 crore was taken back by the Central government,” he added. Deputy Commissioner, Mansa, Parveen Kumar Thind, said, “In Mansa, there are only 53 riots victims who have been issued Red cards while not even a single case is pending with us.” Kuldeep Kaur, a riot victim said, “We ran from pillar to post for the Red card but despite fulfilling all our formalities with proofs submitted, the district administration did not make our card. My husband, Dilip Singh, is a railway employee and even then, he was employed in railways in Haryana. Following the riots, we had then left house in Rohtak and reached here by hiding ourselves in a toilet of a train. We submitted all our documents, including the transfer of my husband, due to riots but all it gone on deaf ears of the state government.” Surjit Singh, who faced anti-Sikh riots in Alwar district of Rajasthan, also failed to get the Red card issued and thus the compensation. “We lost everything in November 1984, all our business and property. My all sisters and a younger brother had submitted of not willing to get the Red card issued on their name as the card is to be issued one of the kin of victim family. I was just 10 years old when the riots broke place and our parents brought us safely here in Bathinda then. Had the state government issued us the Red card in time we would have compensated by the Central government.” |
|
MBBS seat: Fraudster dupes two of
Rs 12 lakh in Bathinda
Bathinda, October 31 The accused have reportedly fled to Ghaziabad after taking the money. A case under Section 420 of the IPC has been registered against the accused Kiran Kumar Prasad, a resident of Uttar Pradesh at the Cant police station. The case was registered after an inquiry conducted by the economic offences (EO) wing into the case. In September this year, the victims have submitted a written complaint to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, and he has directed the economic offences (EO) wing to conduct an inquiry into the incident. In a complaint, Satish Kumar, a resident of Model Town and Harbans Singh, a resident of Dhobhiana Basti, stated that in April this year, they came across an advertisement on guaranteed MBBS seats in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in a newspaper. They phoned on the number given in the advertisement and a resident of Ghaziabad, Kiran Kumar Prasad, received the call. Prasad told them that they could provide as many MBBS seats as they wanted and for each seat, they would have to pay Rs 18 lakh. In May, Kiran came to Bathinda, where they paid him Rs 7.50 lakh for three students, out of which Rs 5 lakh was for the two sons of Harbans Singh and Rs 2.5 lakh for the daughter of one Satish Kumar. He confirmed that all the three students would get admission in the Nasik medical college. Harbans Singh said after some days, when they rang him up and enquired about the admission, they were told that they needed to pay Rs 1.5 lakh more per student. So, they had to pay Rs 4.50 lakh and gave him the certificates of the students. The accused came to Bathinda again and took the money along with the certificates. He also gave them an advanced dated cheque for the amount which they had given to him and told them that they should get it cleared in case their wards failed to get admission in the medical college. Later, neither did the students get admission nor could they reach the accused on the phone. The accused had even left the office the address of which was given to them. Investigative officer, Major Singh, said after an inquiry by the economics wing, they had registered a case against the accused.
|
|
National Unity Day observed in city
Bathinda, October 31 “ Sardar Patel was a person dedicated to the national unity. He played a pivotal role in unifying the cultural, geographical and linguistic diversities,” she added. The employees pledged to maintain unity and integrity of the country. The Assistant Commissioner (General), Dr Narinder Singh
Dhaliwal, Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), Dr Charumita, District Development and Panchayat Officer
(DDPO), Rajinder Batra, were also present among others on the occasion. The District Education Department also organised a function to observe the day. Addressing the gathering, District Education Officer, Dr Amarjit Kaur
Kotfatta, elaborated on the importance of the day. Block-level painting, declamation and other competitions were organised on the occasion. Students participated in the Run for Unity organised at Guru Kashi Public Senior Secondary School. The winners of the district-level competitions were felicitated by Deputy Education Officer Sukhbir Singh. Government Rajindra College also organised a function during which the students and faculty took oath to serve the nation and rise above caste, creed and religion. A blood donation camp was also held to mark the day. Principal of RBDAV Senior Secondary Public School and Jatinder Kaur Sethi principal of Guru Harkrishan Public School, who have been assigned the duty of coordinating the celebrations, organised Run for Unity, poster making, collage making, debate and online quiz competitions. The Run for Unity was flagged off by Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla along with several others from Multipurpose Sports Stadium. Students from 51 schools participated in the rally that concluded at the stadium. The NSS Department of Malwa College also organised a function to celebrate the day. Dr Satnam Singh, Prof Punjabi Department, Regional Center Punjabi University, Patiala, was the key speaker. In his welcome speech principal Dr Shardev Singh Gill stated that students should rise above narrow considerations of caste, colour and creed and work for the progress of the country. Dean Prof NK Gosain appealed to students to be an Indian first and a Punjabi, Haryanavi or
Himachali, later. NSS volunteers and teachers took a pledge to safeguard the unity and integrity of the country. Programme officer Ramandeep Kaur thanked the guests.The stage was conducted by assistant Prof Manpreet
Tiwana. College management congratulated the NSS Department for organizing the function. Staff and students of Guru Kashi University also celebrated the day and held the Run for Unity from the campus covering some villages. Dr Ravider
Sumal, head of the department, physical education, flagged off the rally. A seminar was also held on the campus during which Dr Balwant Sigh Sandhu threw light on Sardar Patel’s life. Dr NS
Malhi, Vice-Chancellor, GKU, delivered an address. |
|
|
Ring Road project: Sukhbir directs traffic police to divert routes
Bathinda, October 31 Expressing concern over the ever rising road accident the Deputy CM take strong note of the rising number of road accidents and not issuing challan to the over speeding vehicles. The traffic wing of the police is directed by the Deputy CM to make the truck drivers of oil tankers plying between Bathinda, Ludhiana, Malout, Abohar, Muktsar and Fazilka to ensure that they should not enter their vehicles inside on city roads. SSP Gurpreet Bhullar and DSP (city) Gurjeet Romana expressing hope of decongesting the city traffic movement said they have already worked out on the modalities to divert the route for heavy vehicles. “We will try our best to move out as many heavy vehicles from the city as we can. We have already deployed our men at particular points to make the truckers aware of the new route and encourage them to use the newly built ROB,” Romana said. The Ring Road Phase II is a 7-km long stretch, while the length of ROB on it is 660 m. It has 7.50 m wide two spans and 1.20 m wide central verge. Of the 660 long ROB, the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) has completed Ring Road II and ROB at a cost of total Rs 75 crore. The BDA had laid Ring Road, Phase II, at a cost of Rs 23 crore and readied it by February 2011. The BDA has constructed its 583 m portion of ROB on time, while the 77 m of portion lying in railways’ jurisdiction lay pending for some time. After the MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal intervened and took up matter with the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, the railways completed its portion. Now, after the completion of Rs 42 crore ROB, the Ring Road, Phase II, has been commissioned. Chief Administrator of the BDA, Varinder Sharma, said the work of the another flyover to be constructed on Bathinda-Malout-Goniana Road too is likely to start soon for further decongestion of the city traffic.
|
|
Zila Parishad to take up community college scheme
Bathinda, October 31 Prof Sushil Kumar Manjit Singh of Government Polytechnic College were also present during the meeting and suggested that the community college scheme be taken up in association with the panchayats of the villages. They added that the scheme would help add to the skillsets of the unemployed youth since they would be able to undergo the short-term courses such as mobile repair, four-vehicle repair, etc, at the Government Polytechnic College. They added that apart from being offered free-of-cost, the USP of this scheme will be that there will be no age limit for the candidates interested in taking up the courses. Giving his nod for the idea, Maluka directed the ZP members to spread awareness about the scheme in their respective areas. During the meeting it was also decided that Zila Parishad will collaborate with the youth welfare clubs to hold camps to spread awareness about social issues such as female feoticide, drug menace and dowry. It was also stressed upon that the dispensaries functioning in villages under the Zila Parishad should ensure that they have adequate supply of basic medicines to ensure that the patients are not left bereft of basic medical facilities. It was also decided that the deeds, under which lands owned by Zila Parishad was leased out, which are about to expire will have to be renewed. Nuances pertaining to the design and construction of the new building of Bathinda Zila Parishad were also discussed. Other issues which were discussed during the meeting included payment of pensions, increasing the daily wages of labourers, expediting the developmental works, filling the posts of doctors and pharmacists at hospitals under the Zila Parishad and ensuring increase in quality and quantity of services being offered at dispensaries under Zila Parishad. Also present during the meeting were, secretary Zila Prishad Baljeet Kaur, Mahesh Garg SDO Panchayati Raj, Sukhmander Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Gurpratap Singh, malkit Singh, Rachhpal Singh, Karnail Singh, Manjeet Kaur, Rattan Sharma and Sandip Jandawala. |
|
Central Jail security under scanner
Bathinda, October 31 In the past, too, drugs and mobiles were recovered in the jail. On October 21, a mobile phone and an active SIM card were recovered. On October 18, a box containing two mobile phones, two chargers and two packets of bidis were found lying along the wall. The Civil Lines police station had registered a case against the unidentified accused under Sections 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 52 A of the Prisons Act 1894. 300 capsules were recovered from a prisoner Monu Kumar, a resident of Maur Mandi, on August 20. A mobile was found hidden in a soap dish of Kuljit Singh, alias Ruby, a resident of Jalandhar in July. A mobile phone battery was recovered from an inmate on May 30. Another mobile was recovered from a prisoner on May 10. The problem is on the rise in all prisons across the state. Cell phones help criminals to threaten witnesses, besides planning their escape from the jails. Sometime, they extort money while staying in the jail. The issue had come to the fore when two groups clashed inside the Bathinda jail on May 15. They blamed each other for using mobile phones and supplying drugs in the jail. Sources inside the Central Jail said, in many cases, relatives of the prisoners gave mobile phones to them. Similarly, narcotics and other communication devices were found in cement blocks and bricks in the past. |
|
Cong men end silent protest
Bathinda, October 31 Addressing the protesters, general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and former MLA Harmander Singh Jassi said the party members had decided to continue the dharna even after Jhumba was released in both the cases he was booked for. “The party has decided to observe a silent protest against the nexus between the state government and the police. The SAD leaders are making the police department toe the line drawn by them, thereby pulling them off their real task of tightening the noose around criminals.” added Jassi. DCC president Mohan Lal Jhumba also sat on the dharna. He said he was arrested in fake cases and called it a ploy of the SAD leaders and workers to defame the Congress before the Municipal Corporation elections. “The party will not accept the defeat at the hands of police personnel who are working in tandem with the SAD leaders,” added Jhumba. Party workers also accused the state government of preparing ground to rig the MC elections, the way they did in the Lok Sabha polls and then in the bypolls held inTalwandi Sabo. |
|
Woman booked for abetment to suicide
Bathinda, October 31 He stated that they had told Kirna to stay away from his brother but she did not listened to
them. We had fixed the marriage of our brother for November 3 but she started threatening his brother that she
would not allow his marriage to take place at any cost, he added. Due to which the victim ended his life by consuming poisonous substance two days ago. The police said on the statement of the victim’s brother, they had registered a case against the accused under Section 306 of the
IPC.
|
|
|
Immigration fraud: Two duped of Rs 29.76 lakh
Bathinda, October 31 They allegedly acted as agents and promised to arrange visa for him and his friend. However, they did not keep their promise once they received the money, he added. The Kotwali police station has registered a case against the accused under Sections 420 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
|
|
|
Awareness camp on state govt schemes held
Bathinda, October 31 District Programme Officer Jagmel Singh said during the camp people were told about the schemes of the Police, District Legal Services Authority, Health Department, Social Security Department and others. Speaking on the occasion the Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Bathinda, Jasbir Kaur, told about the legal aid clinics that provide free counselling and advice. The Assistant Commissioner (grievances) Charu Mita said, "We should not differentiate in the upbringing of a son and a daughter and should consider them equal." The Manav Kala Kendra Manch from Mehraj also presented a play during the camp. |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Waiting for justice for the last 30 long years, a 60-year-old Satwant Kaur, who lost her husband in Delhi in the 1984 Anti-Sikh pogrom, is living in abject poverty in a colony named as Danga Peerat (riots victim) Colony, but, however, only three riots victim families have been living here since many years.
The birthday of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel was celebrated as the National Unity Day by several educational institutions here today.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Sonali Giri administered the oath to government officers and employees. She said Sardar Patel unified the small princely states scattered all over the country, thus creating unity in diversity the country is known for.
School dropouts and unemployed youth residing in villages of Bathinda district will soon be means of updating their educational and employment status. During a meeting conducted by the Zila Parishad chairman Gurpreet Singh
Maluka, it was decided that the community college scheme of the central government.
Indian soldiers’ role in World War I highlighted
