Sunday, February 14, 1999
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Sunday, February 14, 1999 |
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Sikh sangat
demands probe into "misdeeds" of SGPC members Badal
out to ‘finish Panthic ideology’ |
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Tohra writes to PM again on
US Nagar NEW DELHI, Feb 13 — The SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, MP, has written another letter to the Prime Minister to exclude Udham Singh Nagar district from the proposed State of Uttaranchal. Wagah to be
given face-lift A
post that saves many a life Amarinder
‘inducting’ non-Congressmen Statewide
strike by school staff Pre-natal
law 'not being' implemented Doctors
wear black badges Durgiana
Temple kar seva begins today Truck
driver, companion found murdered Information
theory conference at GND varsity |
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Sikh sangat demands probe into
"misdeeds" of SGPC members BATHINDA, Feb 13 — In a resolution passed at a meeting of heads of various gurdwara, religious organisation and Khalsa Diwan Shri Guru Singh Sabha held here today, Bhai Ranjit Singh, suspended Jathedar of Akal Takht, has been urged to conduct a probe into alleged misdeeds of those SGPC members who had violated the Sikh tenets by forming a committee of five true Sikhs. In a press note here today, Mr Harpal Singh, president of the sabha, said most of the SGPC members were indulging in 'social evils' banned under the Sikh religion and should be excommunicated from the Sikh Panth. He said in another resolution, the Sikh sangat appealed to Bhai Ranjit Singh to summon and punish the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Managing Editor of Ajit, Mr Barjinder Singh, Bhai Manjit Singh, Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib and 10 executive members of the SGPC who had sided with Mr Badal to save the principle of "miri" and "piri". He said in the third resolution, the Sikh sangat described the suspension of Bhai Ranjit Singh by the 10 executive members of the SGPC by holding a meeting at the Circuit House, as unconstitutional. He said the Sikh Panth still recognised Bhai Ranjit Singh as the "real" Jathedar of Akal Takht and described the appointment of Bhai Puran Singh as its Acting Jathedar as "anti-panth". Meanwhile, senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders and ministers are making hectic tours to all villages of the Malwa region comprising Moga, Mansa, Bathinda, Faridkot, Muktsar, Sangrur, Ferozepore and Ludhiana districts for mobilising the maximum number of people for a function to be held at the Golden Temple, in connection with the installation ceremony of Bhai Puran Singh on February 15. The SAD leaders, including ministers and MLAs, are also holding meetings at the grassroot level to whip up a positive public opinion regarding the appointment of Bhai Puran Singh. Private buses and taxis went off the road in the entire state due to apprehension among owners of these vehicles that the state transport and police authorities might impound their vehicles for transporting the people to Amritsar for the ceremony. Reliable sources said the Punjab Government had asked the Information and Public Relations Department to use its resources to make a positive opinion regarding the appointment. Sources said officers had been directed to cooperate with the SAD leaders in this regard. A senior state transport official, on the condition of anonymity, talking to TNS on phone, said they had no alternative other than to follow the ‘diktats’ of the ministers. He said in each district, the transport authorities had been allocated 50 to 70 buses for the transportation of party workers at Amritsar. Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Food and Supplies Minister, who held a meeting with the MLAs, SGPC members, circle Jathedars and party workers of this district, in a press note said citizens would reach Amritsar on their own. Mr Bhupinder Singh Khudian, former state executive member of the Youth Akali Dal (Badal), meanwhile, alleged that SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra was trying to revive militancy in Punjab by giving a boost to anti-social elements. In a press note, he alleged that Mr Tohra was responsible for the decade-long militancy in the state was again trying to bring back "black" days in his list for power. He said Mr Tohra, who had
adopted a dictatorial attitude against the tenets of the
Sikh religion, should resign from the presidentship of
the SGPC as the majority of the SGPC members were against
him. |
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Badal
out to ‘finish Panthic ideology’ CHANDIGARH, Feb 13 — Making a counter-attack, the SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, said today that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was creating a "Congress culture" like congress grass in the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Obviously he was reacting to Mr Badal's statement at Patiala yesterday, alleging that Mr Tohra was a hand in glove with the Congress Party to move the government led by him (Mr Badal). In a signed statement here today, Mr Tohra said he would answer the allegations against him at appropriate time. He said after consolidating the grip of his family over the Punjab Government, Mr Badal was now "out to make Akal Takht, Panthic traditions and Panthic concepts a property of his family. All Punjabis and democratic forces should come out in the open to frustrate the attempts of Mr Badal. The SGPC chief alleged that Mr Badal was finishing Panthic ideology. He also said that Mr Badal had put the SAD on a path of confrontation with Akal Takht and trying to control religion by using state power. "It was a conspiracy. Answering an allegation of Mr Badal, Mr Tohra said that the whole world knows the "fact" that who had the "lust for power". Even after "death" he would not enter into a compromise with the Congress Party. Attacking Mr Badal, the SGPC chief, said that those who were having an ideological and political equation with Congress would be exposed soon. PTI adds: Lok Sabha MP Prem Singh Chandumajra told reporters here that Mr Badal, who earlier spearheaded the campaign for decentralisation of powers, was himself trying to centralise everything within his hands. Mr Chandumajra, who is the key spokesman of the SGPC chief, in his two-month-old feud with Mr Badal, said the "one-man one-post" criterion should be adopted for all leaders. The Akali leaders holding different ministerial, SGPC or other organisational posts should hold only one post. He said Mr Tohra, who was addressing rallies in Punjab, had denied Mr Badal’s allegation that he (Tohra) was ganging up with the Congress and trying to bring back militancy in the border state. "Our war is not against the Akali Dal or the alliance government, but against the family rule sought to be promoted by Mr Badal", Mr Chandumajra said. Mr Chandumajra said in its two-year rule the Badal Government had failed to get various inter-state, territorial, including the transfer of Chandigarh and Punjabi-speaking areas, and water disputes solved. He charged Mr Badal with
creating tension in the state by calling upon people to
reach Amritsar in large numbers on February 15 when Giani
Puran Singh is to be installed acting Jathedar of Akal
Takht by Mr Badal's loyalists. |
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Kewal
Singh chooses own men as SPOs TALWANDI SABO, Feb 13 — Jathedar Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh, has got his five confidants recruited as special police officers (SPOs) in the Home Guards from the state police authorities for his security. Police sources said Giani Kewal Singh, who became ‘most threatened person’ in Punjab after he sided with Mr Parkash Singh Badal, State Chief Minister in the SAD-Akal Takht dispute, had also been given a Gypsy by the Bathinda police on the directions of higher authorities. Mr H.S. Sran, SSP, when contacted said the SPOs had been given three days training in the handling and use of fire arms. They belong to the Majha region. The trend of getting recruited personal confidants as SPOs has started for the first time since the installation of SAD-BJP combine government in Punjab. This trend was more prominent during the days of militancy in Punjab when police officers, bureaucrats and politicians used to get their own confidants recruited as SPOs for their security. On the other hand, the Punjab Government has brought the 10 executive members of the SGPC who had suspended the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh and appointed Bhai Puran Singh as acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, under the security cover. These 10 members had been given escort vehicles with guards at their residences also, while other members of the SGPC had been given two guards each, police sources said. The police was bearing the expenditure on the fuel and maintenance of the vehicles provided to the executive members of SGPC. A senior Punjab police
official preferring anonymity told TNS that SGPC members
who had acquired VVIP status had also demanded the modern
weapons for their guards. He said the police was finding
it difficult to fulfil their demands. |
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Tohra writes to PM again on US
Nagar NEW DELHI, Feb 13 — The SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, MP, has written another letter to the Prime Minister to exclude Udham Singh Nagar district from the proposed State of Uttaranchal. Mr Tohra, who mentioned about his letter at Amritsar yesterday, has in it urged the Prime Minister to attend to this matter and take a "positive decision" on it. The SGPC chief said the high-powered committee appointed by the Centre under the Chairmanship of the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, had arrived neither at any conclusion nor submitted any report so far. The Committee which also includes the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and the UP Chief Minister, Mr Kalyan Singh, met twice, so far, since its constitution last year. It was to submit its report by November 30. Mr Tohra in his letter, a copy of which was available here, said he was confident that the decision to keep Udham Singh Nagar district in UP "will help both the parties in the future’’. "This will certainly enhance the sense of security among 35 lakh Sikhs residing outside Punjab and in other States of India, and they will become strong supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party. This decision will be a very concrete and only achievement of our alliance so far", he said. Mr Tohra said he
considered it necessary and urgent to remind the Prime
Minister on the issue because the proposal sent to him by
the UP Vidhan Sabha for the creation of Uttaranchal,
included Udham Singh Nagar district. |
Wagah
to be given face-lift AMRITSAR, Feb 13 — Even as the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit to Lahore on the inaugural Delhi-Lahore bus service has generated a lot of hope for improving relations, Pakistani officials manning the Indo-Pak border at the Wagah check post are finding it difficult to accept the process of normalisation. During a visit to the Wagah checkpost this morning to receive 16 Pakistani Rotary members it was found that they were sent back by senior officers of the Sutlej Rangers much to the disappointment of both hosts and guests. The delegation had been issued visas by the Indian Embassy at Islamabad. Talking to this correspondent, Mr Riaz Ghaur, district rotary governor, who led the delegation, said he wanted to offer prayers at the Golden Temple and later attend the annual rotary conference, but the unyielding attitude of the Pakistani authorities had turned his "dream sour". Mr Ghauri, who expressed his dismay at the attitude of his government in seeking "reconfirmation" of their already valid documents, had led him to believe that while the people were willing to welcome one another with open arms, the mindset of bureaucrats needed to be changed to usher in cordial relations. Meanwhile, the BSF customs
and immigration officers and other agencies have taken up
the facelifting of the Wagah checkpost for Mr Vajpayee's
historic summit with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
on February 20. Two senior diplomates of the Indian Embassy in Islamabad, Mr Rakesh Sood and Mr Vinod Katjoo, would come to Wagah this evening to coordinate the arrangements in this regard. The rotary governor, Mr Arun Kapur and his counterpart from Pakistan, Mr Ghauri, welcome the decision to start the bus service. FEROZEPORE (UNI): A number of prominent citizens, representing various political, social and religious organisations of the city on Saturday urged Mr Vajpayee to go via the Hussainiwala checkpost instead of Wagah border. Before entering Pakistan, the Prime Minister should pay homage to and lay wreaths at the samadhi of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and B.K. Dutt near the checkpost, they urged. On return to Delhi,
accompanied by his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Nawaz
Sharif, they should jointly pay tributes to the great
martyrs, a faxed letter addressed to Mr Vajpayee said.
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A
post that saves many a life SANGRUR: The Barnala police has done a commendable job by setting up a traffic aid post at Handiaya Chowk, about 3 km from Barnala on the Mansa-Bathinda road. According to Mr Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, Barnala district police chief, the purpose of the police traffic aid post is to provide first aid to victims of accidents on roads leading to Sangrur-Bathinda-Mansa-Raikot and Ludhiana and to shift the accident victims to the nearest hospital, after giving them first aid. Another purpose of the post is to clear the road for vehicular traffic soon after an accident. An ambulance van, one recovery vehicle and one patrolling vehicle have been provided at this police traffic aid post. The ambulance is fitted with oxygen, first aid box and a wireless set, he added. As soon as police control room in Barnala or patrol vehicle informs the traffic aid post about an accident, the officer in charge of the post sends three men in an ambulance to the site of the accident followed by a recovery vehicle, if required. This traffic aid post, opened on September 4 last year, is manned by an ASI, two head constables, seven constables and four SPOs. The post works in two round-the-clock shifts — from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The ambulance driver knows the location of the hospitals in Barnala police district so that the injured may be shifted to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. The ASI at the post informs the SHO of the police station in whose area the hospital falls where the injured are being taken to make the necessary arrangements at that place. In case the accident victims are in a position to give their address, the ASI informs the next of kin of the injured through the SHO concerned so that they may take them to their home, if desired. The doctor at the Barnala police lines checks the medicine stock with the ambulance once a week. The ambulance staff reports to the traffic aid post after admitting the accident victims to hospital. This traffic aid post has
been put under the direct supervision of the DSP, who
makes surprise visits at this post to ensure efficiency,
says Mr Sahota.
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Amarinder
‘inducting’ non-Congressmen PATIALA, Feb 13 — The recently expelled leaders of the District Congress Committee (Urban) and supporters of the former minister Brahm Mohindra, have accused Punjab Pradesh Congress (PPCC) president, Capt Amarinder Singh, of inducting non-Congressmen into the district unit and alleged that the district unit president was giving patronage to the Akali forces. Talking to newspersons here today, the six Congress leaders who were expelled from the district unit two days ago, said they had submitted a representation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi in which they had accused Capt Amarinder Singh of inducting those leaders who had opposed official candidates in the Assembly elections. The leaders, who include senior vice-president Raj Kumar Malhotra, former vice-president, Sant Lal Banga, former general secretary Mahesh Malhotra, former organising secretary Hardeep Singh and former municipal councillor S.S. Ranjha, alleged that he had dissolved the elected district body without assigning any reason after taking over. They said several office-bearers who had worked as election and polling agents for rebel Congress and Akali candidates had been given appointments. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Brahm Mohindra said he was not against the Congress celebrating the Khalsa tercentenary, but was against the party teaming up with any other political party or organisation to celebrate it. He said the Congress should stick to secularism and not try to ignore communities on the plea that it was observing the Sikh "maryada." He said the Punjab
Government should think of opening a university of
information and technology at Anandpur Sahib to mark on
the celebrations. |
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Statewide
strike by school staff ROPAR, Feb 13 — More than 10,000 employees of about 500 aided schools today observed a stay-in-strike in the state on a call given by the Punjab State Aided School Teachers and other Employees Unions. The teachers also refused to accept any duty in connection with the middle standard examinations starting from February 16. The heads of aided school also refused to accept the bundles of question papers and did not agree to act as controllers. Stating this here today, Mr Manohar Lal Chopra, general secretary of the union, said an emergent meeting of the state action committee held yesterday at Chandigarh, decided that the teachers would observed an indefinite stay-in-strike and hold demonstrations against all Punjab Ministers visiting various towns in the state. He said as a part of the revised programme, the teachers from Hoshiarpur, Faridkot, Muktsar, Mansa, Gurdaspur, Ferozepore, Kapurthala and Nawanshahar would hold a demonstration at Chandigarh on February 15 and court arrests in front of the residence of the Punjab Chief Minister. He said over 5,000 teachers, including, 3,000 women teachers, had already offered to court arrests at Chandigarh on February 10, 11 and 12, but the Chandigarh Administration had released them as directed by the Punjab Government. He threatened that the teachers would now court arrest at district headquarters throughout the state, if the state government failed to implement the demands accepted by the Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, on September 5, 1997, and Finance Minister Kanwaljit Singh on August 27, 1998. The union also ridiculed the claim of the Chief Minister that his government had fulfilled the promises mentioned in the Akali Dal manifesto. BATALA: Staff members of government aided schools took out a procession here on Saturday in support of their long-standing demands. They held a rally at
Khalsa Senior Secondary School and took out a procession,
which culminated in a dharna at Gandhi Chowk. |
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Pre-natal
law 'not being' implemented BATHINDA, Feb 13 — The state unit of the Peoples Union for civil Liberties (PUCL), has alleged that the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act has not been implemented by the state government so far though it was brought into force in Punjab on November 24, 1997. In a press note issued here today, Mr Ved Parkash Gupta, general secretary of the PUCL, said the Act, which was brought into force for maintaining the balance in the male-female ratio by stopping female foeticide, had not been implemented the state health authorities. He said under the Act, all clinics conducting pre-natal sex determination were required to get themselves registered within six months of the issuance of notification of the Act. In case of no registration within the stipulated time, the clinics would be barred from conducting such tests. He said only
30 applications were received by the health authorities
from private clinics for their registration and only
seven applications could be processed so far. From
Bathinda district, where more than 100 clinics conducting
these tests were located, not a single application had
been received. |
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Doctors
wear black badges PATIALA, Feb 13 — PCMS doctors of Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital today wore black badges in protest against the "callous" attitude of the Union Government in not implementing the pay scales recommended by the Baksi Committee for doctors of the PGI, Chandigarh, and AIIMS, New Delhi. Stating this here today, association president D.S. Bhullar and general secretary Ashok Kumar said it was unfortunate that highly-qualified specialists of the country had to resort to extreme steps to get their demands implemented. In a separate
press note, the Punjab Medical Officers and Punjab
Medical Staff Association of the Punjab State Electricity
Board claimed it would send a deputation to New Delhi to
express solidarity with the striking doctors. |
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Durgiana
Temple kar seva begins today AMRITSAR, Feb 13 — The kar seva at the Durgiana Temple will commence here tomorrow on the Mahashivaratri day. Amidst tight security, in view of a bomb blast in the nearby Shree Lakshmi Narain Ayurvedic College. The foundation stone of the temple was laid in January 1921. The installation of the idol of Shree Lakshmi Narayan was done six years later in 1927. The first kar
seva took place in 1975. The parikarma around the main
temple was paved with marble and the turrets were gold
plated at that time. |
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Truck
driver, companion found murdered KAPURTHALA, Feb 13 — Mr Balwant Singh, a truck driver, and his companion, Kuldeep Singh, (16) both of Amritsar, who had been missing since January 12 along with their truck near Desal village were found to have been murdered by three persons belonging to Peirewal village and Desal village of Kotwali police station. Mr Paramveer Singh Parmar, DSP, told newsmen yesterday that a truck was hired by Balwinder Singh and Lakhwinder Singh, both of Peirewal village and Harjinder Singh of Desal village for the transportation of potatoes from Desal village to Uttar Pradesh. They administered some intoxicant in the tea given to the driver and Kuldeep Singh as a result of which both fell unconscious. Later, they were strangulated and their bodies were thrown in the Beas. The accused drove the truck to Uttar Pradesh. The police has arrested Lakhwinder Singh and teams have been dispatched to Uttar Pradesh and Assam for the arrest of the remaining accused. The police
has registered a case under Sections 302 and 201 of the
IPC. |
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Information
theory conference at GND varsity AMRITSAR, Feb 13 — More than 40 research papers were presented by scholars on the second day of the third annual national conference of the Indian Society of Information Theory and Applications here today at the Physics Department Auditorium of Guru Nanak Dev University. The conference is being hosted by the Mathematics Department of the university for the first time in this region. On the penultimate day of the conference, Dr R.S. Bawa, and eminent economist and registrar, while presenting his research paper on "Empirical research on Industry and Trade — A Survey" pointed out that economics and management provided the best areas for the applications of mathematical, statistical and econometic techniques. He said many technological, environmental, market-related, demand and supply-related and other such factors affected the decision making in business and industry. He said the affect of these factors could be captured with appropriate mathematical models, estimated of future demand and proper deployment of resources. Dr D.S. Hooda, general secretary of ISITA and professor of Mathematics at CCSA University, Hisar, delivered a talk on some generalised measures on information which have found applications in crop production, export and industries. He also developed a model for military strength and defence budget with respect to other neighbouring countries. Dr K. Pal and
Dr N.R. Pal, professors of Indian Statistical Institute,
Calcutta, in their research paper proposed the scheme for
automatic generation of human interpretable rules. |
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