Tuesday, August 24, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Tuesday, August 24, 1999 |
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‘Badal
has pact on SYL with Chautala’ Now Cong rally at SD cricket
ground |
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Dal
Khalsa leader in Amritsar Teach Congress a lesson: Badal Ajnala village to get facelift Sensitive districts to have
control rooms BJP "committed" to
national security More VIP kin trouble for SAD Subedar Ajit Singh cremated Subedar Tarlok Singh cremated BKU men hold rally for Cong
candidate Gang busted; 6 held |
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‘Badal has pact on SYL with
Chautala’ BHAIRUPA (Bathinda), Aug 23 — The AISAD President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, today alleged that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had struck a secret deal with the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala for starting the SYL canal in lieu of a plot of land for a hotel near Indira Gandhi International Airport. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Tohra pointed out that the statement of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee that the SYL issue would be solved after the Lok Sabha elections was a proof of the secret deal. He said Mr Badal should make it clear whether his government would allow the water to flow to Haryana through the canal after the elections. He alleged that Mr Badal was not speaking on the issue because he (Mr Badal) had asked Mr Chautala to clear the case of land for hotel in lieu of the start of the SYL canal. Mr Tohra who made a whirlwind tour of this reserve constituency for addressing election rallies of party candidate. Mr Gurdeep Singh Deep at Nathana, Bhikhi, Ralle, Talwandi Sabo, Rampuraphul and Kot Shamir in Bathinda and Mansa districts said Mr Badal became Chief Minister in 1997 after taking the mandate of the electorate against corruption and police excesses but had been promoting these ills for his vested interests. He pointed out that by not dismissing the state Agriculture Minister, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, from his government for the involvement of a close kin of the minister in the "sex slave" case, the Chief Minister had proved that to remain in power he could even ignore the blunders committed by his associates. Mr Tohra claimed that people of Punjab would never forgive Mr Badal for lowering the dignity of Akal Takht by removing Bhai Ranjit Singh. He alleged that Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, who claimed himself to be an honest man had got corruption cases withdrawn from the CBI against the Congress ministers. He added that Mr Badal had so far failed to book any minister of the previous Congress government in corruption cases. Mr Tohra was accompanied
by former Akali minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhillon and Mr
Ishtpal Singh Khialiwala, Chairman, Primary Agriculture
Development Bank. |
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Now Cong rally at SD cricket
ground LUDHIANA, Aug 23 — After the Prime Minister's election rally here on August 7, now the Congress is organising a rally at the same venue — the cricket ground of S.D. Government College. The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, will address an election rally here on August 25. During the preparations for Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee's rally, the cricket pitch was ruined as 'pandals' were erected over it. The Ludhiana District Cricket Association (LDCA), which maintains this ground, had protested to the organisers against the misuse of the ground. After receiving former Test player Yashpaul Sharma's letter the Prime Minister had assured the LDCA that government would undertake all necessary steps to repair the damage caused to the ground and the pitch, following the rally. The pitches had been dug out and would have to be relaid afresh. Now with Congress rally scheduled to be held on August 25, the repair work undertaken by the LDCA for the last five days would be hampered. The LDCA has lodged a protest with the organisers of this rally as it will further damage the ground and also delay the repair work of the pitches. Mr Harminder Singh, MLA and President, District Congress Committee (rural), and Mr Parminder Mehta, Senior Vice-President, Punjab Youth Congress, who were at the ground this evening supervising the arrangements, promised the LDCA officials efforts would be made to protect the pitch area during this rally and a compensation would be paid if any damage is caused to the cricket pitches. The Punjab Agricultural University Students Association today staged a demonstration at the campus against the use of playgrounds and public places as venues for political meetings. The students council of Government College for Women also passed a resolution appealing to the principal not to allow any political party to use the college premises for holding rallies. meanwhile the LDCA in a
fax message sent today to the Chief Election
Commissioner, Dr M.S. Gill, has urged him to intervene
and prevent the political parties from further
vandalising the playground at S.D. Government College. |
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Dal Khalsa leader in
Amritsar AMRITSAR, Aug 23 — Mr Satnam Singh Paontasahib, Vice-President of the Pakistan-based Dal Khalsa, said here today that his organisation still favoured a separate state of Khalistan for Sikhs and would continue to struggle for it. Addressing a press conference on his first visit to Amritsar from Pakistan, where he spent more than 13 years in jail on a charge of hijacking the Indian Airlines Boeing to Lahore on September 29, 1981, he said the Dal Khalsa would strictly adhere to 'peaceful and democratic' norms to achieve their aims. "Neither the Dal Khalsa believed in violence in the past nor will it do so now. Our aim is to make the Sikh community safe and secure", he added. In a reply to another question, he said, the Sikhs had to decide whether to 'remain in India or outside'. He said his party would release election manifesto shortly at Chandigarh. Mr Satnam Singh is the second of the five hijackers who returned to India after spending life imprisonment in Pakistan jails. Tajinder Singh was earlier expatriated from Canada by the Indian government. He refuted the allegation that the late President Giani Zail Singh and a former President of the Punjab Congress, was in any way responsible for establishing the Dal Khalsa to oppose the Akali Dal. "We fought the SGPC elections but we were not having patronage of Giani Ji," he asserted. He disclosed that his organisation would neither support the Akali faction led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal nor the former SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, as they had given up their struggle for the Punjab issues and Sikh cause. Regarding the formation of the Pakistan Gurdwaras Prabandhak Committee (PGPC) to manage the Sikh shrines and Gurdwaras in Pakistan, he said, it was the right of the Sikhs in Pakistan to have their own body to manage Gurdwaras in Pakistan. He said the Pakistan
Government had asked the SGPC to extend cooperation to
the new body and even offered to have its three
representatives in the body but the SGPC rejected this
offer and insisted on having control of Sikh shrines
which they had never controlled earlier. |
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Teach Congress a lesson: Badal NATHANA (Bathinda), Aug 23 — The SAD president and Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal today urged people to teach the Congress a lesson for thrusting mid-term poll on the country. Addressing the election rally of the party candidate Mr Chitan Singh Samao, from the Bathinda reserve constituency Mr Badal alleged that the Congress party’s move to grab power at the Centre by undemocratic means had led to the dissolution of the 12th Lok Sabha and people should punish the party for its misdeeds. He said it was the testing time as the electorate had to choose between Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, who had laid the foundation of a self reliant India for the next century and the AICC President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, who did not know the language and culture of the country. Mr Badal, who did not touch any local issue said the Congress in its 45-year rule had brought the culture of corruption in the country and added it was the Congress Government which had deprived Punjab of its water, territory and Chandigarh. Lashing out at Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann and Mr Jasbir Rode for creating a split in the Akali party, he alleged that the three were Congress agents and were working to ensure the victory of Congress candidates in the coming elections. He pointed out that Mr Tohra, President, AISAD, knew that no candidate of the AISAD-BSP alliance would win in the coming elections but he had fielded the candidate for damaging the prospects of SAD-BJP candidates. He told people that if they wanted the overall development of Punjab, they should vote for the SAD-BJP candidates. He added that the Punjab Government had brought a number of projects worth Rs 22,000 crore in the state in the past two years and same pace would be continued. Mr Badal also addressed
election rallies at Sangat, Maur Mandi, Mansa,
Sardulgarh, Chau Ke, Rampura Phul, and Bathinda in Mansa
and Bathinda districts. |
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Badal promoting family:
Ramoowalia SANGRUR, Aug 23 — Former Union Minister and President of the Lok Bhalai Manch, Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia has charged the SAD-BJP alliance government led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal with total non-performance on every front. He said the Badal government had forgotten about all its pre- poll promises. Mr Ramoowalia was addressing an election rally at Pheruman Chowk here last night in support of the CPM candidate, Mr Ajit Singh, who is contesting for the Sangrur Parliamentary seat. The rally was organised jointly by the CPM, CPI, Lok Bhalai Manch and the Congress. He accused the Chief Minister and SAD President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal of promoting family rule and rampant corruption. He also criticised Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, who is seeking re-election as SAD nominee, for his anti-farmer policies. He said the distress sale of paddy had led to heavy losses to the farmers because of wrong policies of Mr Barnala. Mr Ramoowalia also criticised the United Front candidate for the seat, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, for his pro-Khalistan and anti-Hindu attitude. Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, while addressing the rally said Mr Badal was involved in factional fight to promote his self interests and the interests of his family and relatives. Mrs Bhattal accused Mr Badal of completely ignoring development of the state. She accused Akalis of encouraging terrorism in the past and claimed that the Congress had restored peace and communal harmony in the state. She urged the people to reject the candidates of these communal forces. Mr Balwant Singh, state secretary of the CPM, said both the BJP and the SAD (Badal) were communal in their approach. The BJP was anti-minorities and the unity and integrity of the country would be endangered if the BJP and its allies came to power at the Centre. Mr Balwant Singh urged the gathering to reject the communal forces led by the BJP. Prominent among others
who addressed the rally were Punjab Minister Jasbir Singh
and Mr Gurcharan Singh Dirba, district president of the
PCC. |
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Ajnala village to get facelift CHANDIGARH, Aug 23 — Bhindi Saidan, an obscure village in Ajnala tehsil of Amritsar district will not be the same again. Reason:The Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) and the Punjab Government has decided to give it a facelift and develop it as a model village. To be developed under a special scheme launched by the Government of India as part of the golden jubilee of the country's independence, the village will have all the modern facilities such as roads and drainage, social and cultural facilities , cremation ground, smokeless chullahs, augmentation of water supply, solar streetlighting, schools and hospital and duck-weed based waste water treatment plant. Work on the project, which is being coordinated and implemented by the District Rural Development Agency, Amritsar, has already started, informed Mr PS Khurana, Regional chief of HUDCO here. Under the government scheme, HUDCO was to sanction a grant assistance of Rs 35 lakh each for the development of model villages and "model" basties in the country. The rest of the amount was to be borne out by the state governments from its own resources. It is learnt that HUDCO has sanctioned a grant of double the amount-—Rs 70 lakh-—keeping in view the large size of the village for its development. The Punjab Government will spend Rs 5.19 crore for providing necessary infrastructure before the construction of the cost-effective houses in the village. Mr PS Khurana said construction of the low-cost dwelling units in the village will be done with the help of the locally-available material acceptable to the residents of the village. The concept of the low-cost housing will be such that it could be replicated in other parts of the state since low-cost housing had not really caught up in Punjab, he added. In fact, HUDCO has sanctioned a building centre for the village where various low-cost techniques designed by HUDCO and other government agencies will be demonstrated. The concept of "aided self-help" to ensure the active participation of the prospective allottees will be the highlight of the project. Mr Khurana said so far
HUDCO had sanctioned Rs 22.64 crore for the development
of 33 model villages and 31 model "basties" in
the country. Model "basties" in Bhiwani and
Faridabad and Rori village (Sirsa) have been selected
from Haryana. Two "basties" from Srinagar and
Kurmandal village (Jammu) will be from other areas of the
region, he added. |
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Sensitive districts to have
control rooms ROPAR, Aug 23 — In view of the Lok Sabha elections in the country and Legislative assembly election to some states, the Election Commission has directed to the Chief Electoral Officers of all the states and union territories to set up control rooms in their respective offices. The commission had also directed setting up control rooms in the offices of District Election Officers wherever necessary. The Commission had already issued instructions about the setting up of hot lines in the Officers or Chief Electoral Offices, Returning Officers and the District Election Officers. The Hot Lines will start functioning two days before polling dry until after polling is over. Similarly, for counting, these would be manned round the clock from three days before the date of counting till one day after the counting was completed and results declared. Meanwhile, a District Election Control Room with telephone number 25401 has been set up here. Any written information regarding polls can also be provided through fax, number is 01881-21180, to the District Election Officer here. Mr K.S. Sidhu, District Election Officer here, has directed heads of departments to ensure that public property is not defaced by pasting of election posters, writing of slogans, painting of election symbols etc. All pamphlets or posters must also indicate the identity of the printer and number of copies printed. As many as 6875
presiding and polling officers, besides 180 supervisors,
have been appointed for holding poll in the nine assembly
segments of the Ropar (Reserved) Lok Sabha constituency. |
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BJP "committed" to
national security GURDASPUR, Aug 23 — Narendra Modi, General Secretary, BJP, talking to mediapersons here today said 13 months performance of the BJP government at the Centre had won the confidence of the electorate in the country. He said this would enable them to form the government at the Centre. Mr Modi said in 1996 elections electorate of the country felt that the BJP cannot form the government. However, in 1998 elections the voters formed the impression that the BJP could form the government but due to lack of experience it would not be able to run the government efficiently. He said during their rule the inflation had declined by 2 per cent and the BSE index has touched all-time high mark showing sound economic growth. "If the BJP is voted to power it will not compromise on the national security and will enhance the defence Budget to equip the Army with latest weapons and communication systems. Immediate measures will be taken to cater to the needs of the Air Force and Navy, he asserted. On Kashmir issue he accused the Congress and the Janata Dal for their lack of interest in solving the Kashmir problem. "If the BJP will be given an opportunity to form the stable government at the Centre it will solve the Kashmir problem with determination", he added. "The BJP is
committed to the three contentious issues of Ram Mandir,
abrogation of Article 370 and the Common Civil
Code", he added. |
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More VIP kin trouble for SAD AMRITSAR, Aug 23 — Close on the heels of the alleged involvement of the kin of a Punjab minister in the abduction and rape of a young Ludhiana girl, the non-registration of rape case against a senior police officer of Amritsar who is the son-in-law of an Akali Rajya Sabha MP given two weeks after the alleged incident, has put the ruling party in a spot in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Mr Justice T.H.B. Chalapathi of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had in his orders directed Senior Superintendent Police Amritsar to register a case against DSP Sukhminder Singh Mann, ASI Gurinderpal Singh, and Baldev Singh and G. Singh, both on the basis of a complaint filed by Ms Suman, of Gali Devi Wali head constables at police station "C" division. Mr Jatinder Jain, SP (City) when contacted said that the police had not yet received the orders of the High Court officially so far. On the other hand, Mr Mann, DSP said he would file a review petition in the high court. In her complaint the
petitioner had alleged that she was raped in the police
chowki by the alleged accused persons. |
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Subedar Ajit Singh cremated BATALA, Aug 23 — The funeral of Naib Subedar Ajit Singh was performed today at his native village, Dakoha, 22 km from here. The deceased belonged to the 305 Medium Regiment Battalion and was martyred in Leh-Ladakh sector on August 20. The body of the soldier
was brought to Chandigarh by air from Leh and was later
taken to his native village yesterday. The Deputy
Commissioner of Gurdaspur paid homage to the soldier and
laid a wreath on the body on behalf of the Governor of
Punjab. The SDM, Batala laid a wreath on behalf of the
Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. Large number of
people of the area attended the funeral. The funeral pyre
was lit by the father of the deceased. Ajit Singh is
survived by his wife, four daughters and a son. |
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Subedar Tarlok Singh cremated AMRITSAR, Aug 23 — Subedar Tarlok Singh of 7 Infantry Rashtriya Rifles, who was killed in Pathri village in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, was cremated at his native Ranowali village in Ajnala tehsil with full military honours. On behalf of the Army
Chief, General V.P. Malik, Col Satpal Singh, Commanding
Officer, Major H.S. Gupta, Mr Baljit Singh, Additional
Deputy Commissioner, and Mr Ajmer Singh, SDM (Ajnala),
laid wreaths on the body of Subedar Tarlok Singh. |
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BKU men hold rally for Cong
candidate MOGA, Aug 23 — Several hundred workers of the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, yesterday held a rally through the main bazars of Baghapurana town 15 km here with Congress flags, raising slogans against the ruling BJP/SAD government. President Moga unit of the BKU, Mr Hardev Singh led the rally. It may be recalled that the Punjab unit of the BKU an early meeting held at Moga recently and chaired by its state president Ajmer Singh had decided to support BJP/SAD alliance during Lok Sabha elections on 11 out of the total 13 seats in Punjab. Members of the BKU later
reached the election office of Congress candidate and
asked people to cast their vote in favour of the Congress
candidate. |
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Gang busted; 6 held FATEHGARH SAHIB, Aug 23 — The district police has busted a gang of robbers with the arrest of six of its members. The police also recovered one .12 bore gun, 2 pistols, cartridges and stolen goods worth Rs 5 lakh. Mr Paramraj Singh Umranangal, SSP, disclosed this while addressing mediapersons here today. He said the police intercepted a Tata Sumo, and a motorcycle at Sirhind and arrested them. He said on interrogation they revealed that they had committed crimes in Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar and Mohali. He said Gurdeep Singh, a resident of Bassi Pathana, was the leader of the gang. With their arrest the police has solved a murder case of Ramesh Kumar, a lottery seller of Khanna and a robbery case of booking clerk of railway station Sirhind. Mr K.S. Sandhu, SP(D), said the other members of the gang would be arrested soon. The arrested have been
identified as Gurdeep Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Randhir
Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Anand Kumar and Ajaypal. |
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Iraqi delegation visits PAU LUDHIANA, Aug 23 — A seven-member delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Iraq, visited Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today to explore the possibilities of exchange of scientists between the two countries and training students from Iraq at PAU in different fields of agriculture. The delegation took keen interest in the technology developed by the PAU during the meeting with the acting Vice-Chancellor, Mr A. Vennu Prasad. The meeting was also attended by senior university officers, including Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Director of Research and Dr Jaspinder Singh Kolar, Director of Extension Education. The delegation later
visited departments of farm power and machinery, soils
and bio-technology, crop museum and the dairy and poultry
farms. They evinced a keen interest in manual seed drill,
paddy transplanter and irrigation and processing
equipment. The delegation comprised Dr Sami Noori al
Sadoon, expert, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Suleman Saad
Suleman, Director Agriculture al Tameen, Mr Jala Mohmad
Rashid, Mr Mukhlis Barkat Rami, Naseer Mohmed Ali Kasim,
Mr Arvind Sarin and Mr Hassan S. Mejie. |
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ITI staff hold rally PATIALA, Aug 23 — Employees of the Industrial Training Institute, Model Town, here held a rally on the premises to protest against the police "inaction" in arresting certain persons for attacking an instructor. Mr C.R. Dhiman, president, ITI Employees Union, said on July 22 that Mr Mansa Ram, an instructor of the institution, was attacked and beaten up by a group of anti-social elements led by a student of the institution who had some personal grouse against the instructor. A deputation of the
employees had met SP (Headquarters) and urged him to
arrest the culprits. Even though a case under Sections
353, 506 and 186 was registered the same day, the police
had made no arrest so far. |
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I won't run away abroad:
Rakhra PATIALA, Aug 23 — Mr Surjit Singh Rakhra, SAD candidate said here today that his rivals were spreading false and baseless rumours against him. In a press note, Mr Rakhra said Congress candidate Parneet Kaur and AISAD candidate Prem Singh Chandumajra have been spreading rumours that after winning the elections he would run away abroad and not fulfil the promises made to the voters. Mr Rakhra said he had been living here since the last many years and working hard for the upgradation of the area. Even though his family had a lucrative business in the states it had never broken from its roots by settling permanent in the foreign country. Mr Rakhra also
criticised Mr Randhir Singh, a sitting sarpanch of the
village for parting ways with him saying the sarpanch had
attained power due to the backing of the Rakhra family
but had now joined his rivals. |
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Embassy officials meet SGPC
chief AMRITSAR, Aug 23 — Miss Geeta Passy and Miss Gerewik, two US embassy officials, met the SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur, and the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal General Secretary, Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, here today and apprised themselves of the political situation arising out of the coming Lok Sabha elections. The SGPC in a Press statement said Bibi, Jagir Kaur assured them the elections, in Punjab would be peaceful like the previous occasions. The two officials conveyed the sentiments of the Sikhs living in the USA. They were presented a model of Golden Temple and literature on Sikh religion after they paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum and performed service in Guru ka langar. The SGPC said both the
officials had been touring Punjab and meeting political
leaders to exchange views with them on the Lok Sabha
elections. |
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Man, son murdered TARN TARAN, Aug 23 — Mr Baj Singh (45) and his son, Amandeep Singh (23), residents of Rajoke village, were murdered last night with sharp-edged weapons. They were employed as farm labourers with the village sarpanch, Mr Nirmal Singh, who reported the matter to the police. The police has
registered a case under Section 302, IPC. |
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Former Jathedar addresses
rallies TARN TARAN, Aug 23
— Former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh
addressed election rallies in favour of Ms Paramjit Kaur
Khalra in village Thatti Khara, Khadoor Sabib, Chohla
Sahib, Sheron and Dhotian. He sharply condemned Mr
Parkash Singh Badal for dividing Sikh votes in the
forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Mr Prem Singh Lalpura,
rebel Akali MLA, Mr Major Singh Uboke, ex-MP, Ms Paramjit
Kaur and others also addressed the rallies. |
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