Tuesday, January 12, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Tuesday, January 12, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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New panel
takes over, old hangs on Promises
yet to be fulfilled |
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Mohindra's
supporters join war of words Govt's
plea to rice millers Poultry
farm closed for want of funds PUTA
splits, chief in minority Conference
for more linguistics research |
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New
panel
takes over, old hangs on AMRITSAR, Jan 11 — Even as all three members of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission took charge and formally elected Mr Manmohan Singh Brar an advocate and former MLA as their Chairman and decided at least six cases at the commission's office here today, the sacked members described the act of the new members as illegal. Interestingly, two notices were put up by the new and old panel of the Judicial Commission simultaneously. A notice put by the old panel, (dissolved by the state government) reads: "the court on Monday and Tuesday stands adjourned". The second notice put up by the new panel reads that six cases were today decided by the Judicial Commission. Earlier, three judicial members, Mr Manmohan Singh Brar, Mr Amrik Singh Randhawa and Mr Ajwant Singh Mann today took charge after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple. The three sacked members, Mr Kashmira Singh, Mr Raghbir Singh and Mr Dara Singh who claimed that they still continued to be members, did not attend court today. Mr Raghbir Singh had described the act of the state government as illegal and stated that the old judicial panel held court on Friday and decided at least ten cases. However, talking to the press, the three new members said their nominations were legal as per the Gurdwara, Act of 1925. Mr Manmohan Singh said that the newly nominated panel had nothing to do with the feud between Mr Tohra and Mr Parkash Singh Badal. The commission would decide the cases and that they were appointed out of the seven members list forwarded by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in 1997. MOGA: The All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) has strongly condemned revocation of the Gurdwara Judicial Commission by the Punjab Government and said this was a clear violation of Akal Takht edict issued on December 31 last year. Announcing this here yesterday AISSF president Harminder Singh Gill and secretary general Karnail Singh Peermohammad in a written statement said that the Akal Takht Jathedar had directed both Akali factions to maintain status quo up to April 15 in view of tercentenary celebrations. They charged that whereas the Tohra group was honouring the edict the other faction was trying to sabotage it. They said that prime responsibility of implementation of an Akal Takht Hukamnama (edict) wrests with the SGPC and 10 executive members of the SGPC had done unprecedented damage by challenging the "hukamnama". Both leaders said that a
high power delegation of the federation would soon meet
Bhai Ranjit Singh and appeal for strong action against
all those violating the "hukamnama". |
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Sikh panel members' change
challenged CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — Mr Amarinder Singh, a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, today contested in the Punjab and Haryana High Court the removal of three members of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission and the appointment of three new members in their place by the Punjab Government. Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Iqbal Singh, before whom the petition came up for hearing, issued notices to the Punjab Government, the Union Government and the three new appointees for January 28. The Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission members removed were Mr Kashmir Singh, Mr Dara Singh and Mr Raghbir Singh. The new appointees are Mr Manmohan Singh, Mr Amrik Singh Randhawa and Mr Ajwant Singh Mann. The removal and appointment was made on January 7. The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had made the announcement at Anandpur Sahib the next day. The petitioner's stand was that the SGPC was an inter-state corporation as envisaged under Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act. This statute also made Panjab University Chandigarh, and Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana, also inter-state corporations. He claimed that members of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission could be appointed by the Punjab Government on the recommendations of SGPC until 1966. However, after the reorganisation of the state, the Central Government had become the appointing authority for members of the Sikh judicial commission. Therefore, the Punjab Government neither wielded the power to remove any member nor was it competent to appoint any member. In support of his stand, the petitioner quoted a ruling of a Full Bench of the High Court made when Mr Lachhman Singh had become Chief Minister of the state. He had then removed one member and appointed another member of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission. The SGPC had assailed the removal of the member and the appointment of the new member. In its April 1968 verdict, the Full Bench of the High Court had held that the Punjab Government did not have the power to appoint or dismiss any member of the Sikh judicial commission. The Bench had also struck down Section 79(4) of the Sikh Gurdwara Act which stipulated that if a member had completed two-year term of the commission, the government had the power to remove him. This section was described as arbitrary and declared ultra vires. The petitioner submitted
that the Punjab Government had removed three members of
Sikh judicial commission under Section 79(4) which had
been declared unconstitutional by the High Court. In the
light of this provision of the Act the removal and
appointment of members were illegal and liable to be
struck down. |
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Promises
yet
to be fulfilled CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — If politics is at the centrestage in Punjab, the promises the SAD-BJP Government so often makes have been put on hold. Most of the promises yet to be fulfilled relate to money matters. The state treasuries have already been directed to "go slow" on payments, barring essential ones. Much of the blame for the financial crisis, which persist and which the government repeatedly denies, is apportioned to the acceptance and implementation of the recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission. The pending promises also relate to promised pay scales. Neither the teachers of the State Government medical and dental colleges have got what they were promised nor has the state shown any inclination to take action on the notification of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development in respect of revised pay scales for university and college teachers. Unimplemented promises and repeated assurances, expressing sympathy, notwithstanding, the fact is the teachers are showing signs of restiveness. For the pay scales three lakh teachers across the country spread over 207 universities and 9,278 colleges had gone on a 26-day strike (August 11 to September 5) last year. Despite an agreement having been reached between the Centre and the All-India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation with clear directions to states and the union territories nothing tangible had resulted. Neither Punjab nor the Chandigarh Administration have released the promised pay scales. The latter says it will follow Punjab, which seems to be in financial straits. Why have teachers been singled out for denial of pay scales while other categories of employees (including bureaucracy) are enjoying the same effective January, 1996? The Centre promises to meet up to 80 per cent of the additional burden to be borne by the states, the central assistance being restricted to revision of pay scales in respect of only those posts which were in existence and filled up as on January 1, 1996. According to Mr Charanjit Chawla, a former President and General Secretary of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, the University Grants Commission had also sent the following schemes to the HRD Ministry for consideration — incentives to lecturers for professional development, creation of posts of professor in colleges; super-time scale to meritorious teachers who do not have M.Phil. or Ph.D. qualification, and super-time scale to professors. There has, however, been no action in any of the schemes. The teachers union, meantime, is planning demonstrations in the state and at Chandigarh for implementation of the notification on pay scales already issued by the HRD Ministry. In fact pay scales is not the only bone of contention. The issues yet to be implemented include pension-cum-gratuity scheme, which stands cleared by the Punjab Council of Ministers since January 3, 1996; review of posts; the last review having been done in November, 1981; and stoppage of commercialisation of higher education. The union holds the bureaucracy responsible for the growing unrest among the teachers. The government's view is that though the private colleges received up to 95 per cent grant it did not have any control over them. On the contrary, it had been taking over liberally non-viable educational institutions from the private sector. Moreover, the private institutions were not raising their own resources. The Finance Department has already communicated to all the universities in the state that the non-Plan budget for 1999-2000 will not be higher than that of the present financial year. The universities must mobilise their own resources. As an incentive, the state will allow the universities to utilise the additional resources mopped up during the year without making any cut in the grant. The idea is that each university must draw up a plan of gradual reduction on dependence upon the government. While the government will
respect "autonomy" of the universities and
allow filling of "teaching" posts, in respect
of "non-teaching" posts the government's
approval will be mandatory. |
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News analysis CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — In the daily run-up, victories are a short-lived affair in the murky world of Akali politics. Two days back, the Tohra group seemed to have won a tactical victory against the Badal camp. It produced a statement signed by 92 of the 175 elected members of the SGPC, challenging the Akali Dal President and Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, on two counts. First, the statement said, he had violated the sacred territory of religion by disbanding the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial tribunal and secondly he should be concentrating on the affairs of the Government. Remember the fate of the late Partap Singh Kairon and the late Darbara Singh, the two Congress Chief Ministers who tried to interfere in the affairs of the Sikhs and had to eat humble pie, he was warned. Interestingly, an Akali Chief Minister who now leads the Akali Dal was lined up with the Congress Chief Ministers. It was a severe charge and it unnerved the Chief Minister. But two days later, the signatures of at least seven members were found to be forged and 47 members disowned the statement. In an unprecedented move, Mr Badal, who had mostly worked behind the scenes, paraded 112 SGPC members at Jalandhar. It was a clear no-confidence motion against the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. "It is now all written on the wall and that great leader, Mr Tohra, cannot miss reading it". This is how one Badal supporter summed it up. It is another matter that Mr Badal had to use the services of some Deputy Commissioners and close aides to line up the members. What exactly does it mean? One, Mr Badal today rules supreme. He had collected MLAs, MPs, district jathedars and SGPC members at Anandpur Sahib on January 7 who announced that he would lead the historic celebrations of the tercentenary of the birth of Khalsa. The feud between the two stalwarts of the Akali politics had its genesis in this. Who leads the religion celebrations? Mr Badal has not only successfully entered the space of Mr Tohra, but has nearly replaced him. He would soon see him out of the SGPC. Two, it means while admitting the supremacy of Akal Takht and its edict that the two sides should stop the verbal war and action and till the celebrations begin in mid-April, the war goes on. In fact, it is moving towards a decisive stage. Already, 10 of the 15 Executive members of SGPC have virtually asked Mr Tohra to quit. This is a clear signal to Akal Takht Jathedar, Bhai Ranjit Singh. In fact, the Akal Takht chief is acutely aware of this reality. He had declared that once Mr Tohra is out, he would be the next target. How would the duo of Mr Tohra and Bhai Ranjit Singh react in the coming days is yet to unfold. But Mr Tohra's comments that there was no freedom of expression in the Akali Dal is a measure of his state of affairs. Already, due to a wrong tactical move, five Ministers who supported him had resigned and thus lost the power leverage. Mr Tohra had only asked Mr Badal to quit as Dal President and concentrate on the government. In other words he wanted him to leave the religion affairs and the celebrations agenda to the SGPC president. This was not acceptable to Mr Badal. Today, Mr Badal has a dominant position in the Akali Dal legislature Party. He leads the SGPC, the Dal and the Government. The SGPC, Akali MLAs and MPs and the Punjab Government would once again meet here on January 18 to assert this fact and chalk out a detailed programme. But here begins Mr Badal's
real problems. When a political leader become all
powerful, he becomes more weak. This power becomes a
shackle since it cannot be used in its entirety. In the
Chief Minister's saddle, for the third time Mr Badal
knows this fact very well. Already, his performance in
the domain of governance is disappointing even his
well-wishers. The Government's kitty is empty and the
ambitious development schemes are getting grounded. The
agenda for fiscal and other reforms awaits his attention.
Here Mr Tohra cannot upstage him, but Mr Badal himself
can. Agrarian crisis is knocking at the doors and the
unemployed youth is dismayed. The Tribune survey clearly
showed that people do not mince words. If they disliked
the interference of the Akal Takht and the role of the
SGPC chief, they also stated that Mr Badal must govern,
must answer the development needs. By merely pushing a
religious agenda, the government cannot answer the
socio-economic agenda and keep Punjabiat, the slogan
raised passionately at the Moga conference of the Akali
Dal, a live instrument for charge. |
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Sharif assures bus will have
smooth run WAGAH (Amritsar), Jan 11 — Mr Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Pakistan has expressed an earnest desire that a regular bus service between Lahore and Delhi (650 km) be started by the end of this month the initial opposition by the Pakistani Army notwithstanding. This was disclosed by a 19-member team led by Mr G.S. Cheema, Chairman Delhi Transport Corporation, (DTC) which had an half hour meeting with the Pakistani Prime Minister during their three-day stay at Lahore and Islamabad after the ‘dry run’ of the much talked about Lahore-Delhi bus which crossed the Wagah border on January 8 after 51 years. The team members were impressed by the hospitality of Mr Nawaz Sharif who promised that the final "dry run" from Lahore would be conducted on January 14 as scheduled. Mr Cheema said they had not expected such a warm reception from the people and officials during their stay. "We were given siropas (robe of honour) at Gurdwara Dera Sahib too. Mr Cheema said that the team members had requested the Punjab Chief Minister to personally receive the Lahore-Delhi bus at the Wagah border on January 14 to reciprocate the gesture of Mr Nawaz Sharif who expressed the desire that there be "people to people" contact for normalising relations. The team members said that residents of Lahore and Islamabad had asked them questions about the damage to the cricket pitch caused by activists of Shiv Sena at Delhi. They said that before reaching Lahore the Pakistani security men led the bus due to unknown reasons. Mr Cheema said both
countries were very particular about ensuring foolproof
security for the passengers. |
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Mohindra's
supporters
join war of words CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — The ongoing war of statements between Mr Brahm Mohindra, a member of the AICC, and supporters of Capt Amarinder Singh, President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, took a crucial turn today as supporters of Mr Mohindra have hit back at the members of the Disciplinary Committee of the party. In a signed statement issued here today, supporters of Mr Mohindra, including Mr Raj Kumar Malhotra, Senior Vice-President, Mr Sant Lal Banga, Vice-President, of the District Congress Committee, Patiala, Mr Hardip Singh Deepa, Mr Sharanjit Singh Ranja and Mr Bhupinder Singh Bhupi, a General Secretary of the Kisan Cell of the party, said that corrupt Congressmen had gathered around Capt Amarinder Singh. Requesting Mrs Sonia Gandhi, President of the AICC, to direct Congress leaders to stop statements against Mr Mohindra, these leaders said that Mr Mohindra had made statements with regard to the Tercentenary celebrations to promote the secular policies of the Congress party. Inviting the holding of an open inquiry by an independent agency against Mr Mohindra if anybody had specific proof that he had amassed property through corrupt means, these leaders said Capt Amarinder Singh should get rid of corrupt Congress leaders. These leaders said that certain Congress leaders taken on the Disciplinary Committee of the party by Capt Amarinder Singh were facing various charges of corruption. The committee has been set up by Capt Amarinder Singh to take disciplinary action against Mr Mohindra after going through the statements made by him allegedly violating the party discipline. Supporters of Mr Mohindra said that two members of the committee, Mr Lal Singh and Mr Bal Mukand Sharma, both former Congress Ministers, were facing corruption charges in the court of the Punjab Lok Pal. They said that already a report about them had been submitted to the Punjab Governor by the Lok Pal for necessary action. Another member of the Disciplinary Committee, Dr Kewal Krishan, also a former Minister, was facing a case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in connection with selling three Government sugar mills to private parties. Mr Mohindra's supporters further said that Mr Birdevinder Singh had not submitted the account of Rs 26 lakh which was handed over to him by Mr Rajiv Gandhi in connection with the "Sarbat Khalsa" convened for the construction of Akal Takht immediately after Operation Bluestar. They said that Mr Buta Singh, a former Union Home Minister, and Mr Vincent George, personal assistant of Mr Sonia Gandhi were knowing this. Mr Birdevinder Singh should submit the accounts to Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Attacking Mr Sant Ram
Singla, General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress
Committee, supporters of Mr Mohindra said that when Mr
Sant Ram Singla was a member of Parliament, Chandraswami,
the controversial godman, had visited Samana township on
the invitation of Mr Sant Ram Singla to perform a
religious ceremony. |
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Govt's plea to rice millers CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — The Punjab Government has urged rice millers in the state to expedite the process of milling paddy into rice for contribution to the central pool. For discussing this issue a meeting was held by the Punjab Food and Supply Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal and senior officers of his department with rice millers here today. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Mr Mittal said that the process of milling paddy into rice was going on at a very slow pace. Millers had been told to speed up the process. He said that millers were demanding relaxation in the rice specifications with effect from September 15 last year where as the Union Government had allowed it from October 27 last. He said that already a request had been made in this connection to the Central Government for accepting the demand of the millers with regard to relaxation in rice specifications but the decision on this issue was delayed as the Food Secretary to the Union Government was admitted to hospital following a heart ailment. He said that now the case was pending with Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, Union Food Minister, and as decision in this connection would be taken soon. According to informed sources only a few lakh tonnes of rice had been prepared from paddy procured during the current kharif season although about three and half months of milling season had passed. About 59 lakh tonnes of paddy is to milled into rice on behalf of the State Government and central agencies. Mr Mittal said that he had told millers as 33 lakh tonnes of paddy was procured after October 27, the date with effect from which relaxation in specification had been given in case of rice, there should be no problem for them to mill rice from the paddy. He said that the State Government would be releasing 75,000 tonnes of wheat to flour mills and 90,000 tonnes of wheat to depots for keeping the prices of wheat flour under check in the open market. This process would continue for three months when the new wheat would start arriving in markets. He said that the rate of the flour prepared from wheat to be distributed through the PDS system would be fixed by the Deputy Commissioner in the respective districts. For the wheat flour to be prepared by flour mills, a 90 kg bag of flour would be priced at Rs 715 while a 10 kg bag would be available for Rs 76.50. For keeping watch on the proper distribution of wheat to mills and the flour prepared from it, committees under the Deputy Commissioners had been set up in all districts. Mr Mittal said that for eliminating the possibility of diversion of wheat from one state to another the Union Government had fixed an uniform rate at Rs 645 per quintal of wheat in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan. He said that no officer found guilty by the inquiry committee probing into alleged bungling in the procurement of paddy in Punjab would be spared. He said the inquiry committee was expected to give its report within one month. He said that fixing of
family photograph on ration card had been made mandatory
in the state as it had become a very important document
and used for many purposes like getting driving licence
etc. There would be no possibilty of bogus ration cards
once the family photo was affixed on them. |
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Poultry farm closed for want of
funds GURDASPUR: The poultry farm here, which was established in 1925 and had earned the reputation of "mother poultry farm", is lying closed since the beginning of 1995. The farm supplied nursery for poultry for several years in North India and had a record of selling 1.5 lakh chicks (one-day-old birds) per year. According to insiders, the bills of the Punjab Poultry Feed Corporation accumulated and the farm tried its hand to rear broilers and Japanese quails, but failed to meet the increased expenses. The farm management repeatedly demanded funds from the Directorate of Animal Husbandry but failed to obtain adequate funds to maintain the poultry farm. As a result 1,500 birds stock with the local poultry farm had to be transferred temporary to the State Poultry Farm, Malerkotla, in 1994. But when the situation could not recover to enable the farm to be run on profitable lines, the said stocks were sold off and the poultry farm here was closed in 1995. The farm is spread over 8 acres of valuable land and ideally located in the suburbs of the town. It was all the infrastructure in terms of equipment, sheds and houses for the staff. The capacity of the sheds available in the farm here is enough to house 5,000 parent flock, for each parent bird space required is 3 sq ft as compared to 2 sq ft required for per bird for running a poultry on commercial lines. The growing demand of the people of the area is to modernise the farm and equip it with a cage system with provision for automatic watering and feeding. An environmental control system is the latest which enables the poultry farmers to control the operation of the farm from outside. There is a suggestion that the poultry farm here may be turned into a training centre for prospective aspirants interested in taking up poultry farming as a side business to augment their income. The protagonists of this suggestion cite the example of the recently set up American-based Wed Cock Poultry Corporation Ltd, Ludhiana, which has controlled 70 per cent of the poultry demands of the country. They hold that the poultry farm here with available government patronage and infrastructure should be equipped with enough funds to compete the American firm. The poultry farmers of the area complain that the private poultry farmers having provision for hatchery, including the said American firm charge more than Rs 15 per one-day-old bird which if government poultry farmers in the state are reactivated will be available for Rs 8 per one-day-old bird. Moreover, the poultry farms of the state will enable the vast army of unemployed youth with limited resources to take up poultry farming as a side business along with farming. The spokesman of the young
farmers in the district said the waste of the poultry
birds could be used as manure to increase production. The
waste of three poultry birds had enough strength to match
the dung of one cow in terms of manure. The waste of the
poultry birds could be utilised for the manufacture of
certain chemicals also, they added. |
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PUTA splits, chief in minority CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — The rift in the Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) today came out in the open with five of the seven Executive Members and its Secretary splitting the organisation by disassociating themselves from the President, Dr Surinder Singh Khaira. The revolt against Dr Khaira's leadership and "authoritarian" style of functioning is led by PUTA Secretary N.S. Atri. The group led by Dr Atri has six of the 11 members of the body. Earlier, both groups were evenly balanced with Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar of the Democratic Teachers Forum maintaining a neutral stance. However, with Dr Brar joining the Atri group, the tables have been turned on the other side. The PUTA President now enjoys the support of only the Vice-President, Dr H.S. Boparai, the Joint Secretary, Dr Manjit Singh and the Executive Members, Dr S.K. Sharma and Dr H.S. Pannu. The division also means that now the anti-Vice-Chancellor lobby represented by Dr Khaira is in a minority. The group led by Dr Atri is perceived to be pro Vice-Chancellor as it wants PUTA to take up the cause of teachers and not specific cases of victimisation. The move also represents a setback for the United Teachers Front (UTF) convener, Dr Kehar Singh, who was the moving spirit behind the victory of the group brought together by him at the hustings. Last year, Dr Kehar Singh had been elected President of PUTA along with Dr B.S. Nanda in a tie. Both persons had been given a term of six months each. However Dr Kehar Singh had refused to serve his term and adopted a stringent anti Vice-Chancellor stance which was reflected in the team's campaign this year. Dr Atri and the five executive members of PUTA, Prof A.L.J. Rao, Mrs Malkiat Kaur, Dr J.S. Brar, Dr S.K. Verma and Dr B.S. Cheema, said they had disassociated themselves from Dr Khaira as he was making politically motivated and "anti-teacher" statements. They said the PUTA President was using the organisation's letterhead to make political statements in which he had also alleged that SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra and CPM Secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet had held a meeting in the university to topple the Punjab Government. They said never in the history of PUTA had its President openly associated himself with a particular political party or political leader. Moreover, they alleged, Dr Khaira was harming the interests of the university and its teachers by advocating a ban on recruitment and opposing extension for all ad hoc lecturers. They said while the majority of the PUTA executive stood for granting extension to the ad hoc lecturers, Dr Khaira had called for granting extension only after the rationalisation of posts. The PUTA members also criticised Dr Khaira for refusing to convene a meeting of the general house. They said they had submitted requests to him regarding this several times and that even 50 teachers had signed a requisition calling for a general meeting on December 9. According to norms, a meeting of the general house should have been convened on December 16 but this was not allowed by the President, they added. Dr Atri said following
this, he and other members of the executive had no option
but to go to the faculty . He said a meeting of the
faculty would be called by his group next week and the
faculty would be asked to decide upon the issue. |
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Conference for more linguistics
research PATIALA, Jan 11 — The second International Conference on South Asian Languages (ICOSOL) today called for more planning and research to establish the basic linguistic structures of languages in the subcontinent. Speaking at the valedictory function of the conference, Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor Joginder Singh Puar said there was also need for enhancing the scope and prestige of regional languages. Dr Puar said it was heartening to note that young scholars were participating in the conference from all over India. This would give, a much needed boost to linguistic research, he added. Earlier during the day, Dr K.V. Subbaroo from Delhi while speaking on internal relative clauses in Tibeto-Burman languages, said in some of these languages, only an internally headed relative clause was permitted in certain positions. The corresponding externally headed relative clause was not permitted. Dr M.J. Warsi of Alligarh in his paper on code-mixing in the language of English News media described it as a communication strategy of Indian English newspapers which had now become a reality and which could not be overlooked. Dr U.N. Singh dwelt at length on the factors that disturbed the signifying system, while Dr Sumanpreet of Punjabi University was of the view that the use of language in non-literature had not received adequate attention in practical research. Dr V. Sailaja and Dr Usha Rani from Osmania University discussed about means to investigate as to how children in early syntax would perform the language with double dative constructions. Dr Chanchal Singh Kamboj,
Head of the Department of Anthropological Linguistics in
Punjabi University, spoke about the referential cohesion
in Punjabi. He was of the opinion that in linguistic
communication, humans do not use isolated simple
sentences in a vacuum. On the contrary, communication was
done in a test-forming discourse comprising two or more
clauses. |
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Netaji
foundation
assails Centre ROPAR, Jan 11 — Accusing the BJP-led government at the Centre of doing nothing concrete to propagate the ideas of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Netaji Research Foundation here that even one year after the completion of the birth centenary of Netaji, the Vajpayee regime has done nothing to solve the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the INA leader. Talking to this correspondent here yesterday, the Chairman of the foundation, Mr V P Saini, also charged the Central Government of not implementing the proclamation and promises made by it during the birth centenary celebrations of Netaji. He lamented that two important projects — the formation of a Netaji foundation and the development of Netaji's birthplace in Cuttack (Orissa) and his house in Calcutta as national monuments — had apparently been abandoned by the government. The setting up of Netaji foundation would have resulted in a permanent forum for pursuing the ideas, and principles of Netaji. Despite the fact that members of Netaji's family the All-India Forward Bloc, research scholars, members of the INA and many followers of Netaji had already met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Home Minister L K Advani to seek the setting up of another high-powered inquiry commission to unearth and finally settle the controversy surrounding Netaji's disappearance, nothing had been done in this regard, Mr Saini said. The judgement of the
Calcutta High Court directing the Government of India to
inquire into the matter and the observations of the
Supreme Court in this regard were being not honoured by
the Central Government, he alleged. |
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Dam oustees await compensation GURDASPUR, Jan 11 — Several hundred oustees of Ranjit Sagar Dam Whose land and houses fall in the Ranjit Lake area are a worried lot as the government has still to pay them compensation of nearly Rs 50 crore. The villages whose land is being merged included Phangota, Garnoi, Darkua, Bangla, Marwan and Dukhniali. The land measures 1245 acres and is still to be acquired though the villages have been got vacated. Dam oustees of Punjab lament that they have been paid compensation varying from Rs 8,000 to Rs 35000 per acre for their much superior land against their counterparts in Jammu and Kashmir who have been paid Rs 1.25 lakh per acre for their inferior lands. The schools whose buildings are to be submerged in the lake include Government High Schools at Phangota, Dukhniali, and Garnoi and middle schools at Marwan and Darkua. The filling will start in the coming rainy season but so far, no alternate arrangements for the students have been made. The career of 2000 students of the area is at stake. Mr Kuldip Singh, Sarpanch
of Phangota, said though the oustees had been promised
employment per family, only the few who exercised their
political influence have got jobs. |
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SAD
set
to repeat history: Cong PHAGWARA, Jan 11 — The Punjab Pradesh Youth Congress President, Mr Davinder Singh Babbu, today said that the SAD government was on the verge of repeating history by collapsing under the weight of infighting among Akali leaders. The war of attrition among Akalis was at its peak, he said. The previous Akali governments fell before completing two-and-half year in power and the present government was likely to meet the same fate. The people of Punjab,
particularly the youth, were disillusioned with the
SAD-BJP government as it had turned a blind eye to their
problems, he alleged. |
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SAD "playing with"
people's sentiments BATHINDA, Jan 11 — Mr Darshan Singh Jeeda, president Samajwadi Janata Party, Punjab, today alleged that the SAD was playing with the sentiments of people by challenging the authority of Akal Takht. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Jeeda alleged that the SAD was trying to change the conventions of Akal Takht for its vested interests. He warned that if the SAD did not stop challenging the authority of Akal Takht and lowering its dignity then the peace in the state might be disturbed. He pointed out that leaders of Punjab belonging to different parties had always respected Akal Takht. He said the SJP had always
apprehended that if the BJP came to power, the minorities
would not remain safe in the country. |
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Protest against Ajit JALANDHAR, Jan 11 — A crowd of more than 80, tried to burn the copies of Ajit, in protest against its publishing extracts of the 'controversial' book Vanity Incarnate. The demonstration at the Company Bagh Chowk was held under the leadership of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee executive member Sarjit Singh Cheema, SGPC member Mr Sarup Singh Dassi, SAD leader and Mr Sarabjit Singh Warrina today. The protesters, raised slogans against the Editor of the 'Ajit'. However, a police party led by the DSP (City) R.K. Bakshi and the SDM reached the spot and retrieved the copies. The demonstrators, marched
to the Deputy Commissioner's office and submitted a
memorandum, demanding registration of a case against the
editor of the Ajit for hurting Sikh sentiments. |
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Free Net-based mail service JALANDHAR, Jan 11 — Punjabis settled all over the world will now be able to communicate with their kin back home fast and for free. A recently launched website from Jalandhar, www. Punjabtoday. com is offering a free mail service called 'Dakiya'. To make use of the service NRIs will log into the website and fill an online form. The NRI will write a message which will be received in India as e-mail retrieved each morning and sent on by regular post. The service will be
offered free to the sender and the receiver with its
expenses borne by sponsors, a large number of whom have
come forward to support the project. |
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Protest by bank staff FATEHGARH SAHIB, Jan 11 — In response to a country-wide call given by the United Fourm of Bank Unions, more than 250 bank employees, including officers, gathered here today in front of Punjab National Bank, Sirhind branch, and held a demonstration-cum-rally in support of their demands. Mr B.K. Jethi, Zonal
Secretary, Punjab National Bank Employee's Federation,
flayed the Indian Bankers' Association and the government
for adopting an "adamant" attitude towards wage
revision, pending since 1997. He said the stay would also
participate in the all-India strike tomorrow. |
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MLA
attacked AMRITSAR, Jan 11 — Mr O. P. Soni, an Independent MLA and former Mayor, Amritsar Municipal Corporation, escaped un-hurt while his two gunmen sustained serious injuries when they were allegedly attacked with stones by un-identified persons in Putlighar area here this evening. The injured were rushed to
hospital. Personal enmity is said to the cause of the
attack. |
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