Thursday, September 2, 1999
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Thursday, September 2, 1999 |
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Congress will
‘dismiss’ Badal govt RAJPURA, Sept 1 — Punjab Pradesh Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh today said the Parkash Singh Badal government would be dismissed on grounds of financial mismanagement if the Congress was voted to power at the centre. Badal calls it Vajpayee wave GURDASPUR, Sep 1 — Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, while addressing election rally here yesterday in favour of Mr Vinod Khanna, BJP candidate from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, said the wave was in favour of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee who would get comfortable majority in the coming Lok Sabha poll. |
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Scheme
for martyrs’ children New party floated YC
men to guard booths in Punjab Council
to adopt pricing mechanism Punjab
plans to promote angling Kargil non-issue in Punjab: Kanshi |
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Congress will ‘dismiss’
Badal govt RAJPURA, Sept 1 — Punjab Pradesh Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh today said the Parkash Singh Badal government would be dismissed on grounds of financial mismanagement if the Congress was voted to power at the centre. Addressing a large public rally here, Capt Amarinder Singh said the Pradesh Congress Committee had already submitted a memorandum regarding the state's financial situation to the president, who had forwarded it to the Prime Minister, but no action had been taken on it. "If our government is formed at the Centre we will ensure the document is looked into and action taken into it", he said. The PPCC chief, while talking to newsmen after the rally, said the Akali Dal would also break up after the elections. Visualising a complete sweep for the Congress in the state because of the non-performance of the Badal government, he said this was the main issue rather than "Sonia versus Vajpayee" or Kargil. The rally, a series of many addressed by the PPCC chief in favour of his wife Praneet Kaur, the Congress candidate from Patiala constituency, was also attended by Mr Raj Khurana. He is part of a group of senior Congress leaders who had opposed Mrs Praneet Kaur's candidature. Talking to TNS, Mr Khurana said he had formally joined the campaign today after misunderstandings were cleared. Capt Amarinder Singh put up a brave front on senior Congress leaders of Patiala who were still not campaigning for the party candidate saying he had stopped bothering about the matter as the people were supporting the Congress overwhelmingly. He went to say anyone wanting to work for the party was welcome and those who did not were welcome to sit at home. Dwelling on the subject of financial emergency, he said the Punjab Government had a salary overdraft of Rs 300 crore at present. The situation had become grave as nobody was ready to finance the overdraft to pay salaries. He said the Akali-BJP
government had failed on all fronts as welfare schemes
initiated by it could not take concrete shape and sops
like free electricity for farmers had become
counterproductive, for while farmers did not get free
electricity for their fields they had to pay exorbitant
bills for household consumption. |
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Badal calls it Vajpayee wave GURDASPUR, Sep 1 — Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, while addressing election rally here yesterday in favour of Mr Vinod Khanna, BJP candidate from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, said the wave was in favour of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee who would get comfortable majority in the coming Lok Sabha poll. All opinion polls held by various agencies also endorsed this view point, he said. Mr Badal said if the Vajpayee government comes to power in the Centre, then the demands of the Punjab include settlement of dispute regarding river water distribution and merger of Chandigarh and other Punjabi areas into Punjab. He said the Sonia factor had damaged the Congress image. The damage had started with the exit of popular leaders like Mr Sharad Pawar and Mr P.A. Sangma, he added. Attacking Mrs Sonia Gandhi, he said Punjabis living in Italy for the past 50 years had not been granted citizenship of the country. He asked how India granted Indian citizenship to Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Mr Badal appealed to the
voters to vote for Mr Vinod Khanna in the coming Lok
Sabha poll. Vote for Khanna will be the vote for Mr
Vajpayee, he added. |
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‘black’ sheep for Pakistan WAGHA, Sept 1 — "Sheep a symbol of meekness and ‘blind following’ are not considered suitable gifts for visiting dignitaries. Which is why I had served an ultimatum on Mr Parkash Singh Badal to return these unusual gift to our enemy (Pakistan) by July 20. Otherwise, I would return five times that number with blackened faces to Pakistan." With those soul-stunning words Mr Gurinder Singh Kairon, the Congress candidate from Tarn Taran, tried to push in as many as 25 sheep with blackened and reddened faces towards Pakistan side of the border here. However, to his chagrin, the black sheep were stopped by the Border Security Force and ironically returned to their original owners. When asked why the faces of some sheep were painted red while the others were black Mr Kairon said the red sheep were a symbol of blood-shed in the Kargil sector shortly after the bus diplomacy. The owners’
reaction to the return of their sheep is not known. |
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Withdraw candidates, 10 MLAs urge
Badal CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — As many as 10 pro-Tohra MLAs of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Chief Minister and party president, Mr Badal to withdraw the party candidates from the arena in support of candidates put up by the Panthic Front (led by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra) to put an end to chances of the Congress returning to power. The statement has been issued on the letterpad of the Sarab Hind Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Tohra. The MLAs are Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, Mr Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, Mr Harmel Singh, Mr Surjit Singh Kohli, Mr Hira Singh Garbaria, Mr Bikramjit Singh Khalsa, Mrs Daljit Kaur, Mr Jagtar Singh Rajla and Mr Gurdev Singh Sidhu. The statement signed by Mr Grewal, Mr Zira, Mr Calcutta and Mr Gabaria says there is a wave in support of the Panthic Front candidates patronised by Bhai Ranjit Singh in the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. They are in a position to give a crushing defeat to the Congress candidates in the state. It further says candidates put up by the SAD-BJP alliance were creating division in Panthic votes and such a situation could provide an opportunity for the Congress candidates to win. For eliminating even 1 per cent winning chances of Congress candidates, Mr Badal should retire its candidates from the contest. Though these MLAs are staunch supporters of Mr Tohra but technically they were members of the legislative wing of the SAD headed by Mr Badal. They have carefully timed the statement to ruffle the feathers of Mr Badal, who is facing the toughest challenge in the Lok Sabha elections from rival parties. Alleging that Mr Badal had politicised religion, officialised Akal Takht, familiarised the party, commercialised the politics and Congressised the SAD, the statement said there was resentment against Mr Badal. Mr Badal had
"betrayed" the faith of people by not
fulfilling the promises made to them during the last
Vidhan Sabha elections. |
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SSP
told to file case in death of Jathedar’s kin CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the S.S.P. of Bathinda to register a case and entrust the inquiry to a senior officer, not below the rank of D.S.P, into the death of Mrs Sarabjit Kaur, daughter-in-law of Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, under mysterious circumstances. Mr Justice T.H.B. Chalapathi, who handed down this order on a petition filed by Mr Amarjit Singh Sandhu, brother of the deceased, directed that the inquiry would not be entrusted to D.S.P. Darshan Singh Sandhu, who had filed a reply in the case. The petitioner stated that his sister died within one year of her marriage under suspicious circumstances. The judge observed that it did not appear from the report filed by D.S.P. Darshan Singh Sandhu that he recorded the statements of any witnesses under Section 161, Cr P.C. No names of persons who had been examined had been mentioned in his reply. The petitioner had demanded registration of an FIR and a CBI probe. CSIO cancellation of admission contested A Division Bench headed by Mr Justice V.K. Bali today issued notice to the respondents for September 13 on a petition filed by the parents of certain candidates questioning the decision of the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) to cancel its entrance test and result for admission to a diploma course at the Indo-Swiss Training Centre. The petitioner-parents
stated that children were selected for admission to this
course. They were informed about the cancellation of the
test and result only after they had reached the venue to
pay the dues. They also questioned the decision of the
CSIO in holding a fresh entrance test. |
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Scheme for martyrs’
children FATEHGARH SAHIB, Sept 1 — The Government of India has relaxed rules and norms for admitting children of defence and para-military personnel who sacrificed their lives during Operation Vijay. In a press note issued here today Mr V.K.Janjua, Deputy Commissioner, said the children admitted under this scheme would be eligible for all facilities extended by Kendriya Vidalaya like free boarding, lodging, and uniform. He said the children of martyrs would be selected and given admission. HOSHIARPUR: Paying rich tributes to Rifleman Vijay Singh of 10 J and K Rifles, who laid down his life on August 16, at his native village Koi, near Dasuya, on Sunday. Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, said he would personally review the facilities being provided to the families of the martyrs at the quarterly meetings of the District Sainik Welfare Board, here. He handed over a cheque for Rs 2 lakh to his family members. JAWALAMUKHI: Tension prevails among residents of the town against demolition of concrete sign board erected in memory of a martyr Yoginder Singh of 16 Grenadier. Meanwhile, the Deputy
Commissioner, Mr B.K. Aggarwal, said the administration
would investigate and take action against the culprits. |
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New party floated CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — A group of Punjabi migrants from Pakistan have formed a new political organisation on the style of the All- India Punjabi Settlers Party under the chairmanship of a former member of the Haryana Public Service Commission, Mr Gopi Chand Bhalla. A former Deputy Director of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Mr A.R. Lamba, is the general secretary of the party. Mr B.B. Katyal of Dera Bassi is the secretary, public relations. Mr Bhalla, who is a former general secretary of the Haryana Congress, said here today that the party had been launched because all parties had given a raw deal to the Punjabi settlers by not nominating a candidate from the community in Haryana despite the fact that the Punjab settlers constituted nearly 30 per cent of the state's population. He said all displaced
persons from West Pakistan settled in Haryana, Chandigarh
and Delhi could become its members. |
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YC
men
to guard booths in Punjab PHAGWARA, Sept 1 — The Indian Youth Congress President, Mr Munish Tewari, yesterday threatened direct action against Union Defence Minister George Fernandes in case the latter repeated objectionable remarks against Ms Sonia Gandhi, AICC chief. Talking to newsmen here last evening before addressing an election rally for Congress candidate Santosh Chaudhary, Mr Tewari said since Union Minister Parmod Mahajan had withdrawn his undignified remarks against Ms Gandhi, the controversy would not be raked up in his case. He demanded that the Election Commission which had taken exception to the offending remarks should ensure the implementation of model code of conduct. He declared that Youth Congress activists would guard booths in Punjab to forestall any attempt by ruling Akali-BJP combine to rig polls or to misuse government machinery on the day of elections. Any such attempt will be thwarted. Senior Congress leader
Ch. Jagjit Singh, Devinder Singh Babbu, Punjab Youth
Congress president, and Mrs Chaudhary addressed the rally
besides Tewari. |
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Council to adopt pricing
mechanism CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — The Punjab State Council for Science and Technology will evolve a pricing mechanism for technologies and services supplied by it to enable it work for financial self-sufficiency. According to Principal Secretary, Science Technology and Environment, Mr Rajan Kashyap, all four wings of the council — environment, biotechnology, popularisation of science and construction and building materials technology — have been asked to act accordingly. Against the council's annual expenditure of Rs 1.5 crore, the Environment division earns Rs 50 lakh every year from consultancy services for pollution control supplied to industry. The council would raise resources by charging for its other technologies. A number of institutions as well as non-resident Indians have expressed keen interest in associating with the activities of the council. At a meeting of the council's executive, several other key decisions were also taken regarding the adoption of information technology in its functioning, and in establishing a patent cell to advice and encourage young scientists and inventors. The council is to establish a website of its activities and technologies before December 31, and also links with other scientific institutions in the state through a wide area network (WAN). Eventually the council would have a paper free office. Mr Kashyap as chairman
of the executive committee of the council said that the
Department of Science and Technology, Government of
India, had recognised the council as a "regional
institute of excellence". The council is to host a
conference of science and technology, involving all the
leading states in the country on October 12 and 13, in
Chandigarh. |
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Punjab plans to promote angling CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — The Punjab Government has taken a number of measures for promoting angling in a large-sheet of waters available in the sub-mountainous region in the state. Nangal Lake is being developed as an angling resort, says Dr S.C. Agarwal, Director and Warden of Fisheries, Punjab. The lake is situated on the downstream of the Sutlej near the Bhakra Dham. While the Government of India had constituted a high-level committee to develop the lake for angling, the state government plans to develop it from the viewpoints of angling, sports and tourism, besides commercialising the fishing. One lakh fingerlings of Mirror Carps brought from Maharashtra, have been released in the lake. The Fisheries department, says Dr Agarwal, has also decided to hold a national-level angling competition in the first week of October to inculcate the habit of fish consumption among the people. The Fish Farmers
Development Agency, Ropar, has made arrangements for
marketing Tuna, Sardine and Makrel fish as per the
demand. Two fish marketing complexes have already been
built at Ludhiana and Patiala. |
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Kargil non-issue in Punjab:
Kanshi PATIALA, Sept 1 — BSP President Kanshi Ram today said non-performance of the Badal government would lead to its downfall and projected an upsurge in favour of the third front. Addressing an election rally at Ghanaur town today evening in support of Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, common candidate of the SHSAD-BSP-MCPI, Mr Kanshi Ram said local issues were dominating the election campaign and any attempt to harp on the "Vajpayee-factor" or the "Kargil-victory" would not entice voters. He urged voters not to get swayed by the flow of liquor and money, as rival candidates, in a last ditch effort, were trying to buy votes with money and liquor. Referring to the problem of floods caused by Ghaggar each year, Mr Kanshi Ram said the SAD-BJP government had every opportunity to talk over the issue with the Government of Haryana, but Mr Badal failed to solve the annual problem. Mr Chandumajra, speaking
on the occasion predicted the fall of SAD-BJP government
immediately after "its rout" in the elections. |
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Tandon evasive on govt’s
performance SANGRUR, Sept 1 — Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Punjab Minister for Local Government and Employment, while talking to mediapersons here last evening, claimed that the Vajpayee wave was sweeping through the country. When questioned about the people’s charge of poor performance of the SAD-BJP alliance government of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Tandon retorted that he was not apologetic and the performance was satisfactory. However, he evaded further discussion on the issue of saying had it been the assembly elections, the performance of the state government would have been the main issue. Reminded about the poor
performance of Mr Surjit Singh Barnala as Union Cabinet
Minister, Mr Tandon obliquely admitted that the farmers
whose paddy was damaged due to untimely rains did face
hardship in selling it. |
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Bhai Ranjit Singh seeks
CM’s apology MALERKOTLA, Sept 1 — Bhai Ranjit Singh former Jathedar of Akal Takht, today said if Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Mr Barjinder Singh, Managing Editor of Ajit, did not apologise before Akal Takht for their illegal interference in the affairs of Akal Takht, then after the Lok Sabha poll, he and his supporters would force them to do so. Addressing a rally here in support of Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, he appealed to voters to punish Mr Badal by defeating all candidates of the SAD-BJP alliance. Addressing the rally, Mr Mann termed the BJP and the RSS as enemies of the Muslim community and said both parties were responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya. Addressing the rally, Mr
Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president, Sarb Hind Shiromani
Akali Dal, accused Mr Badal of not fulfilling even a
single poll promise. |
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Punjab CPI raps BJP CHANDIGARH Sept 1 — Dr Joginder Dayal, Secretary of the Punjab State Council of the CPI, in a statement here criticised the BJP for making indecent statements against the Congress president, Mr Sonia Gandhi. Women had always been held in high esteem in India and the BJP should not have stooped to such a level. The alliance among
secular forces in Punjab was getting a good response from
people and it would win all seats, he claimed. |
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Booking of RMPs condemned PATIALA, Sept, 1 — Congress candidate Praneet Kaur today condemned the registration of cases against 250 registered medical practitioners by the Akali-BJP government. In a statement here she
said the rural people and economically weak urban
citizens were availing themselves of medical facilities.
Treatment in government hospitals had been made beyond
the monetary sources of common people. She stressed that
false cases registered against RMPs should be withdrawn
without further delay so that the weaker section of
society could heave a sigh of relief. |
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Amarinder expels office-bearer CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — The Punjab Congress President, Capt Amarinder Singh, has expelled a Makhu-based organising secretary of the party, Mr Naresh Kataria, for six years from the party for anti-party activities. A party spokesman said that Capt Amarinder Singh's action follows complaints that Mr Kataria had been openly canvassing in support of the SAD candidate, Mr Zora Singh Mann, in the Ferozepore constituency. Capt Amarinder Singh has
warned all concerned that if any party functionary is
found opposing officials candidates he or she will be
thrown out of the party for anti-party activities. |
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Santosh weighed against coins PHAGWARA, Sept 1 — Mrs Santosh Chaudhry, Congress candidate from the Phillaur (reserve) Lok Sabha constituency was today weighed against coins on the premises of a leading industrial house here. Satpal Sethi, Managing
Director of the firm, Mrs Chaudhry and several other
leaders addressed the election meeting. |
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