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| Saturday, May 27, 2000, Chandigarh, India   |
SAD for autonomy to states: Badal Disqualification case deferred to June 19 Land grab scam: probe begins Bibi: PM to be approached Crime on the rise in Punjab
Shiv Sena activists refused meeting with undertrials 40 lakh UGC grant for PU colleges
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Sodhi not for another term Councillors come to blows
Sikhs have ‘separate identity’ Badal to take up anti-dumping duty
issue with PM Reunion with kin in Pak after 53 years 'Save old gurdwaras from demolition' Twins win Punjab millennium
baby contest Punjabi small papers ‘stop’ publications Power, complaint centre phone
fail together
Direction to SSP J & K, Punjab cops to launch joint
operations: DGP
Proclaimed offender arrested Jail official
booked
11 make
it to IAS from Patiala academy Ex-MP’s son caught cheating in exam
Rally against import
of milk held Milkfed plant increases commission to retailers
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SAD for autonomy to states: Badal CHANDIGARH, May 26 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal today said a committee of legal and other experts would be set up soon to present the state government’s view before the Constitutional review committee set up by the Union Government. Speaking at the meet-the-press programme organised by Chandigarh Press Club in its premises, Mr Badal said his party and the government was strong votary of the federal structure. “Our party was the first to raise its voice for autonomy to States and now all other regional parties have joined us”, he added. About the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat controversy, Mr Badal said Sikhs had a separate religious and cultural identity and there was no dispute in this connection. He appealed to media to refrain from raising such controversies as these could lead to trouble again in the State. Talking about the Sikh reference library, Mr Badal said he would take up this issue with the authorities concerned in the Union Government for bringing back all books and other literature to the Golden Temple. The party MPs would like to move a privilege motion against the Congress party in the next session of the Lok Sabha for misleading the House repeatedly on this issue. Elaborating further, he said that the Congress party had stated in Parliament that the Central Government did not possess Sikh manuscripts and books etc. After Operation
Bluestar, large material from the Sikhs reference library was taken away. Mr George
Fernandes, Union Minister, has recently disclosed that it is lying with the CBI. Commenting on not sending Sikh jathas to Pakistan by the SGPC , Mr Badal said Pakistan had set up Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee with a view to dividing Sikhs. This was not acceptable, he
emphasised. He said that the SGPC was a supreme religious body of the Sikhs and it should have all rights and powers for the management of the gurdwaras in Pakistan. “I had taken up this issue with the Pakistan Government when I accompanied the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to Pakistan”, he added. He was of the view that the SGPC should be allowed to handle kar seva and associated work in Pakistan. Mr Badal made it clear that he had no objection to the inquiry to be ordered by the Union Food Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, in a paddy scandal related to 1994-95. Earlier impression was given that Mr Badal was blocking the inquiry though the scandal had taken place during the Congress Government. Mr Shanta Kumar is for holding the inquiry by the CBI. Asked about the allegation of corruption against his family members, Mr Badal emphatically denied the allegations and said that he would face firing squad in public if such allegations
were proved. Certain politicians were in habit of making false allegations against him and his family, he added. Talking about inter-state disputes, Mr Badal said that he had taken up all issues with the Union Government. He said that in the past three years he had to some extent set right the wrongs, committed by the previous Congress Government.
Disqualification case deferred to June 19 CHANDIGARH , May 26 — In the case pertaining to disqualification of 11 Akali MLAs from membership of the Vidhan Sabha, the Speaker, Mr Charanjit Singh
Atwal, today fixed the next hearing for June 19. On that day or by then the petitioners would file their replications. They were today handed over the copies of written replies submitted individually by the dissident MLAs to the Speaker on May 5. The Speaker is to declare the next course of action. All
MLAs, except Mr Ravi Inder Singh, along with their lawyers were present in the Chamber of the Speaker. Among the petitioners were Mr Ajit Singh
Kohar, Mr S.S. Maluka and Mr Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur and their lawyers. The Shiromani Akali Dal Secretary, Mr Kirpal Singh
Badungar, was also present. In a totally relaxed atmosphere, Mr Inderjit Singh
Zira, one of the MLAs facing disqualification, came out with a box of “ladoos” and distributed the same, beginning with the Speaker. When asked what had prompted him to do so, he replied amidst laughter that he had come prepared to face disqualification. “The ‘ladoos’ were to celebrate that. But now another date has been given. We can not take these back”. Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal told newsmen that rather than getting into such processes the SAD President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, could have asked for our resignations and we would have been done so right away. “There is no grace left in politics”. The dissident MLAs present were Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, Mr Mahesh Inder Singh
Grewal, Mr Harmel Singh Tohra, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, Mr Gurdev Singh
Sidhu, Mr S.S. Kohli, Mr Bikramjit Singh Khalsa , Mr Jagtar Singh
Rajla, Mr Hira Singh Gabria and Ms Daljit Kaur.
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Land grab scam: probe begins JALANDHAR, May 26 — A high-level team of revenue officials today conducted the first phase of the probe into a multi-crore land grab scam and the alleged nexus between some middle-rung officials — an SDM and a kanungo and property dealers including Charanjit Singh, one of the accused in the case in which a person was shot dead on the premises of Maqsudan police station early this month. The probe, according to official sources, was ordered by the Financial Commissioner (Revenue) following a complaint by a local resident that some officials, including an SDM, and a kanungo and some city-based property dealers, were in hand in glove and had virtually been running “property business” by “usurping” prime land, particularly central government land and joint land holdings in villages in the outskirts of the city. A team of revenue officials comprising Mr Anurag Verma, Additional Secretary (Revenue) and an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Financial Commissioner (Revenue) Mrs Shayama Maan had been camping in the city since yesterday, while Mrs Maan reached here this morning and held a round of meetings with district officials, including Deputy Commissioner, Som Parkash, in this connection sources said. What transpired in the meeting could not be ascertained, however, it was learnt that the team also met Mr Bublani, SDM, whose name figured in the inquiry conducted by the ADC. Mr Som Parkash and Mr Bublani was not available for comments. Earlier, an inquiry into the case was conducted by Mr Harbhupinder Singh Nanda, the then Additional Deputy Commissioner, who had submitted his report to the Deputy Commissioner on March 14. Partially holding the SDM and the kanungo responsible for their involvement in the scam and helping property dealers, he had given details of the land, which had either been sold off or was in illegal possession of the land mafia. The Deputy Commissioner then asked Mr Parveen Kumar, ADC, to conduct another enquiry on the basis of which an action taken report (ATR) was prepared. But what happened thereafter is best known to officials concerned. Mr Nanda in his March 14 report to the DC, had observed that despite encroachments on a 35 kanal and 16 marla land near Basti area (Khasra no 3760) by certain people, including a councillor of the local municipal corporation, kanungo Sanjay Kumar Sharma and patwari failed to act and bring the mattur to the notice of the higher officials. He said that during his spot inspection of a seven kanal seven marla land in Avtaar Nagar area on February 2, he found that Sanjay Kumar Sharma, had himself constructed a 14 marla house on the land in question about eight to 10 years ago. Mr Nanda observed that though it appeared that the complaint against the officers seemed to a handiwork of some disgruntled officials to tarnish the image of SDM Vinay Bublani and some of his “loyal” officers certain lands of “mushtarka malkans” (joint land holdings in villages) were being disposed off or usurped in a systematic manner by some colonisers in connivance with some halqa patwaris and Chief Revenue Officers in a clandestine manner. The beneficiaries in most of cases were Mr Charanjit Singh and some big property dealers and colonisers of the city. Mr Nanda had suggested a further probe. Mr Vinay Bublani, the SDM and, Mr Som Parkash, the Deputy Commissioner, were not available for comments.  Bibi: PM to be approached AMRITSAR, May 26 — The SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur, said here today the SGPC would approach Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and the Ministry of Personnel for an early return of the historic books, documents, manuscripts of Sikh Gurus for reinstallation in the Sikh Preference Library in the Golden Temple complex. With the disclosure by Union Defence Minister George Fernandes that these historic contents of the library were not burnt during the Operation Bluestar when the Army stormed the Golden Temple complex in 1984 but were handed over to the CBI for safe custody had given rise to the hope that these precious contents would once again become part of the Sikh history, she said in a statement. She observed that the Sikh community would remain grateful to Mr Fernandes as the previous Congress government was not ready to admit that the library contents were safe. It had been repeatedly saying that these were burnt when the library caught fire on the last day of the
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Crime on the rise in Punjab CHANDIGARH, May 26 — For fake currency, narcotics, and sophisticated arms Punjab border is once again becoming porous. Basing its observations on the interrogation of arrested smugglers criminals and militants and reports from counter intelligence agencies, the police in the state finds the criminal activity on the rise. “What we strongly suspect from the arrests and the seizures in the past some weeks is that the new nexus rooted in Dubai, Pakistan, Nepal and even
Malaysia is once again very active”, says Punjab intelligence Chief Mr M P S Aualukh. He also asserts that the police operative net-work was as active as before. These catches prove this. Other police officers assert that the catches are a tip of the iceberg. The Union Home Ministry has made an in-depth assessment. Information culled from these and other reports from the field say that with the arrest of the Parvez Tanda three days back, Punjab is once again on the underworld map. “With the exposure of a highly organised group of underworld having the blessings of Dawood group, known as D Company in smuggling circles, which was on an assassination mission in Phagwara after receiving a supari of Rs 10 lakh from a Nepal-based relative of the potential victims, the State of Punjab is on the map of the underworld,” the police said. The initial investigations in this case have revealed the vast net-working of the underworld in several states and even in countries like Nepal, Dubai, Malaysia and Pakistan. Parvez Khan Tanda, the kingpin behind the Phagwara conspiracy, one of the most wanted killers in UP, Nepal and Maharashtra has also revealed the intricate net-working of the underworld in Kathmandu through ISI agents like Mirza Dilshad Beg, who was later killed in inter gang rivalry after the killing of Vicky Goswami, the killer of Gulshan Kumar of T-Series fame. This operation was also executed by Parvez Tanda. Parvez along with half a dozen of his associates had very silently and minutely recorded the house and movement pattern of his potential victims with the intention of targeting them. “This exposure has also revealed the mischief potential of mercenaries and the contract killers, who also pose a big challenge to the police forces, thanks to the anonymity in their operations, their vast striking areas and the lethal of weaponry which they carry. Parvez’s gang was equipped with small sophisticated weapons, thanks to the availability of weapons through various internal and external channels with arms runners all over the country facilitating such transactions as also with low explosives with which they intended to blow up the house of the target with the intention of giving the impression of this crime having been carried out by the terrorists”, reports suggested. The police alleged that this exposure of Parvez Tanda’s group was preceded by the arrest of a top underworld operator Madan Singh Brara by the Banglore police, a couple of days ago in Ludhiana. Brara, a top industrialist was well on the suspect list of the police for his underworld links since the mid nineties. Starting his career as a petty porter at Bombay Dock, Brara also known as ‘Dock Rat’ in smuggling circles had developed special equation with top smugglers like Haji Mastan and Hazi Annis to emerge a top smuggler. Thanks to the powerful networking of smugglers of Bombay in Dubai where they are also controlling Hawala trade, indirectly through the financiers, the underworld has for various reasons been trying to consolidate its base in and around major financial and industrial sectors in Punjab. The reports also said another case throwing light on the underworld linkages in Punjab is the mysterious murder of a top militant turned extortionist Rajbir Sandhu in Pune two months
back. Rajbir was at one stage a top hitman of Sukha-Jinda gang, killers of Genl Vaidya, who later on came in contact with KLG operators Davinder Pal Deepak during their hiding in Bombay in the early 90’s and planned the kidnappings and extortions of rich and influential persons.
There are several other instances where the underworld connection with Punjab criminals extortions had surfaced. The most glaring case in hand is of underworld links with Prabjinder Singh Dimpy. He was in jail for his alleged involvement in a kidnapping of a top industrialist in Bangalore in 1997. Dimpy’s alleged involvement in the kidnappings of Rajinder Aggarwal, a top industrialist of Bathinda, who had business interest in Baddi near here, kidnapping of Raungta, a top industrialist of Benaras, who was killed after claiming huge ransom in the kidnapping of a producer of a TV Channel while working for Ansari gang of Gazipur fame had figured apart from his linkages with other top criminals like Bablu Srivastava, Pappu Yadav” the police here said. PATIALA, May 26 — High drama and frayed tempers came to the fore at the Central Jail here today with the staff hoodwinking members of the Shiv Sena that they would be allowed a meeting with police undertrials lodged there and later reneging on the promise which led to slogan-shouting by Shiv Sena activists. The Shiv Sena activists were promised that they would be allowed to meet the undertrials by Jail Deputy Superintendent, Capt S.P. Singh, when they collected at the gate to protest against not being allowed a meeting despite waiting for one hour. The activists had collected at the gate of the Central Jail at 11 a.m. and were told by a staff member at 12 that the meeting time was over and that they should come again. However, the Jail Deputy Superintendent assured them a meeting when the activists decided to lodge their protest with the Inspector General of Prisons, who was inside the jail since long and was scheduled to come out soon. However, soon after the IG, Prisons, left the jail premises the Assistant Superintendent came out of the main gate to tell the activists that the meeting time was over and they should come again at 3 p.m. Following this the activists led by Punjab Shiv Sena President Vijay Kapoor started arguing their case with the officer and when their pleas for a meeting went unanswered, they shouted slogans against the jail administration before dispersing. Later, the state Shiv Sena president disclosed that they had come to the jail at 11 a.m. and sought a meeting with the seven undertrials lodged there. He said the jail officials had promised them a meeting. However, a little before 12 the jail officials said the detainees did not want to meet them, and at 12 a person informed them that the meeting time was over. He alleged the Deputy Superintendent hoodwinked them to ensure they did not gherao the IG, Prisons, who had come to visit the jail as immediately after the IG ‘s departure they were told they could not meet the undertrials. Deputy Superintendent of Police Jaspal Singh, who is an accused in the Khalra case, was also denied a meeting with the undertrials today. Mr Kapoor and other members of the Shiv Sena, including its Senior Vice-President Sanjiv Kakkar later held a press conference and demanded that the Deputy Superintendent be given the marching orders for his high-handedness. They said the party would hold a meeting to discuss the issue and chalk out its further line of action, besides meeting Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday. They said they would impress upon the Chief Minister to advise the Central Government to first take back cases registered against state policemen with regard to the role during the period of terrorism in the state. They said all policemen should be granted a general amnesty and the state government should not take up any case regarding the militancy period on the pattern of the Assam government. They said the party would also give legal help to the undertrials. The Shiv Sena activists also said the jail authorities should allow a meeting of the undertrials so that their exact state of health could be known. They said the jail authorities were saying that the undertrials were in good health but at the same time denying people from meeting them. The jail authorities today reiterated that the undertrials were absolutely normal. A meeting of the undertrials with newsmen of the some vernacular papers two days back revealed that they were in good health then.
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40 lakh UGC grant for PU colleges CHANDIGARH, May 26 — In a commendable development, Panjab University has managed to get a sanction of grants worth nearly Rs 40 lakh from the University Grants Commission for developmental activities in affiliated colleges in the coming session. The grants are exclusively meant for books, journals, laboratories, equipment related to teaching aids, construction of classrooms, canteen buildings and hostel buildings besides other academic purposes under different heads. Talking exclusively to The Tribune, Dr Deepak Manmohan, Dean, College Development, said the UGC had assured a one-time grant to colleges for books and equipment during the ninth plan. This grant of Rs 7 lakh each is meant for colleges affiliated to the university for over 75 years and women colleges affiliated for over 50 years. Colleges which have received response from the UGC include the Government College for Women, Ludhiana, RSD College, Ferozepore and Dev Samaj College for Women, Ferozepore city. The letter say: “Colleges should agree to implement the scheme of commission in accordance with terms and conditions of the scheme.” The college will have to refund the money in case the policy is not followed according to the terms and conditions, or if the college is disaffiliated or the required documents are not furnished. The accounts of the grant will be subject to inspection by the UGC Northern Region office . GGS DAV Centenary College, Ferozepore has been sanctioned a grant of Rs 2,00,000 for construction of classrooms. Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, has been sanctioned a grant of Rs 6,34,800 for construction of a canteen building. The share of the commission will be limited to Rs 4,50,000. The local GGDSD College features on the list with a sanction of Rs 2,00,000 for construction of a boys’ hostel. The allocation of UGC grant is shown as Rs 5,00,000. A total of Rs 4,50,000 has already been cleared. Lajpat Rai DAV College, Jagraon, has been allocated Rs 10,09,363 for construction of classrooms. The college has to submit the date of starting the work and also the latest progress. The other prominent institutes on the list include GTB National College, Dakha, with Rs 1,40,000 for canteen building; Ramgarhia Girls College, Ludhiana, with Rs 1,60,000 for construction of a seminar hall; Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Model Town, Ludhiana, with Rs 1,60,000 for construction of classrooms; Arya College, Ludhiana with Rs 2,20,000 for laboratories and an office; Rs 2.50 lakh for DAV College for Women, Ferozepore for library building grant. Dr Deepak Manmohan said the grants would reach the colleges immediately. The university would closely monitor the development aspects expected from the grants. The grants had been sanctioned separately, he added. |
Sodhi not for another term AMRITSAR, May 26 — The state BJP chief, Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, today categorically asserted that he was not a contender for the post of the President, the election for which is slated to take place on May 28. Talking to this reporter here, Mr Sodhi said that he had already conveyed his decision to step down from the post of the state chief to the party high command, but as a loyal party worker he was available to serve the party in any capacity. He pointed that as per the convention of the party, in a majority of cases, the party cadres prefer unaniamity and select persons through consensus and claimed in the ensuing state party chief’s election there was a strong possibility of the party evolving a consensus. On persistent query on the possibility of his getting another term, Mr Sodhi said that in case the party leadership thrust this responsibility to lead the party in Punjab again he would accept with all humility. Answering a question about the reported resignation offer made by the organising general secretary of the state BJP, Mr Jagmohan Kaura, Mr Sodhi pointed out that he was surprised to read in the newspapers only but declined to comment on the issues raised by him in the press. Mr Sodhi also feigned ignorance about the resignation having been received at the party office in Chandigarh. He claimed that he had not received any communication as yet. |
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Councillors come to blows KOTKAPURA, May 26 — Turbans were seen flying and fisti- cuffs exchanged by municipal councillors at their meeting convened for electing the vice-president of local municipal Council here today. The supporters of two candidates namely Mr Bhupinder Singh and Mr Gurbachan Singh, who were backed by different factions of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), exchanged blows after the trouble started on the status of a vote of one of the illiterate woman Municipal Councillors. Supporters of Mr Bhupinder Singh were pressing the observer, Mr Jaspal Singh, appointed by Deputy Commissioner, A. Venu Parsad, for not cancelling the vote of illiterate municipal councillors while the supporters of Mr Gurbachan Singh were pressing that vote of illiterate women Municipal Councillor should be cancelled as she could not cast her vote in a proper manner. On this point, a scuffle took place and suddenly the members started exchanging blows. Turbans of some of the members fell on the ground. Reliable sources said that Mr Jaspal Singh, observer, in a report submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, pointed out that some of the Municipal Councillors had also torn the ballot papers. He has also reported that out of total 24 votes, Mr Gurbachan Singh got 12 votes and was elected as vice-president while Mr Bhupinder Singh polled 11 votes. One vote was found invalid. Mr Bhupinder Singh Khatra, DSP, when contacted, said that the police had not received any complaint so far from any municipal councillor or the observer regarding the snatching and tearing of ballot papers by any one. Mr A Venu Parsad, Deputy Commissioner, when contacted said that he was yet to read the report from observer Mr Jaspal Singh. He added that definite action would be taken as per the report of the observer. |
Sikhs have ‘separate identity’ AMRITSAR, May 26 — Senior Punjab state BJP leader Balramji Dass Tandon today asserted categorically that Sikhs had a “separate identity” and anyone trying to create a controversy over the issue was doing with an ulterior motive. Talking to reporters here at the improvement trust office Mr Tandon felt that the BJP was absolutely clear about this issue and added that he would request all not to raise any doubt over it. Answering questions about the statements being made by Congress leaders about the plan of his government for going for midterm polls in the state the Minister for Local Bodies denied any such plan and pointed that the people of Punjab had given the SAD-BJP combine a clear verdict to rule the state. He dispelled doubts of their coalition government going in for snap poll and added that the government would last full term of five years. The minister spelled out some of the progressive measures being adopted to streamline the working of the Improvement Trusts in the state and added that the chairman had been authorised to settle minor issues pending in the courts for many years. The government was bringing about a new enactment to empower the elected representatives of the municipal corporations and the committees and document proposing the changes in the act have already been forwarded to the Union Government. The minister pointed that it would be implemented as soon as it was received back, might be within next two or three months. The law would provide sweeping administrative and financial powers to the Mayors and the presidents of the local bodies managing the affairs of big and small cities in the state. Mr Tandon elaborating on the main features of the new Act said that the Mayor and the presidents would be authorised to write the annual confidential reports of the Commissioners and the executive officers besides, having powers to execute development projects and other welfare schemes. The project to launch “night sweeping” has already made a headway with Ludhiana having started this concept. He added Jalandhar where some minor hurdles were created by the employees which have not been sorted out and the night sweeping would begin very soon. Such projects in other cities including at Amritsar would soon be undertaken. |
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Badal to take up anti-dumping duty
issue with PM CHANDIGARH, May 26 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal will urge the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee for imposing anti-dumping duty on imported dairy and poultry products to save the dairy farming in the country. Talking to mediapersons in this connection, Mr Badal said that the dairy farming was a major part of the Indian economy and its collapsing would be a great danger to millions of people who survive on dairy farming across the country. It may be recalled that The Tribune had highlighted this issue in national perspective in its columns this week. Mr Badal said that he had got the reports that prices of milk products manufactured by the milk unions in Punjab had started falling and there was a great fear among milk producers and milk industry on this count. I would discuss this issue with the Prime Minister in detail, he added. Punjab is a largest milk producing state. In its 6000 villages, there are 44 lakh members in the cooperative milk producer societies. There are 11 milk plants in the cooperative sector and almost equal number in the private sector. At present daily arrival of milk to cooperative plants through cooperative societies is near 7.5 lakh litres. With the arrival of milk products from abroad, the prices of desi ghee produced by Milkfed had crashed by Rs 20 per kg in the recent months. Milkfed authorities had approached the State Government for taking up the issue of import of dairy products with the Union Government. |
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Reunion with kin in Pak after 53 years BHULLAR (Amritsar), May 26 — It was a dream come true. “We never dreamt to meet our near and dear ones who were separated from us 53 years ago at the time of Partition. Khurshida (now Gurnam Kaur), who returned from Pakistan after meeting her relatives, said that she could not express in words the love and affection she got in Pakistan. She said she was grateful to the Jatti Umra Trust, headed by Maj-Gen Himmat Singh Gill, which helped her to meet her near and dear ones during this lifetime. “Our relatives in Pakistan too did not except that we would meet them at the fag-end of our lives,” she said. Alla Din (now Diwan Singh), Khurshida (Gurman Kaur), Natia Bai (now Mohinder Kaur) and Sardar Ali, were four persons who returned after a 21-day tour from Pakistan. The Jatti Umra Trust took the responsibility to bear all expenses of their visit to Pakistan. Diwan Singh, who led the group, said that he was overwhelmed by the affection of the people of Pakistan who gathered to meet them. Maj-Gen Gill, chairman of the trust, said that it was for the first time that the group of four persons who returned from Pakistan were given a 30-day visa by Pakistan. They were allowed to move freely.
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'Save old gurdwaras from demolition' PATIALA, May 26 — "Save what is left" was the opinion of eminent citizens on the demolition of the Deori of the gurdwara at Bahadurgarh near here when they were interviewed. A similar fate awaits the six Chaubaras surrounding it. Both structures are the lone remnants of the construction done 200 years ago. The Deori and the Chaubaras are being removed to make space around the gurdwara constructed in 1986 after the old one which was much smaller, was demolished. While the work on the demolition of the Deori is already on, the Chaubaras is next. "Nothing can be done about the Deori which has been partially demolished by kar sewaks, but, an effort should be made to prevent the Chaubaras from meeting a similar fate," said Major Pardaman Singh Sidhu, a retired Army officer. He said injustice had been done to the Sikh religion by the kar sewaks who did not know what they were destroying in the name of religion. He said it was unfortunate that old gurdwaras were being demolished in Punjab by self-styled sants in the name of beautification. He said Guru Tegh Bahadur had stayed in the Bahadurgarh gurdwara according to the Suraj Prakash written by Bhai Santokh Singh. ''The Deori and the Chaubaras with their painted murals are a testimony to this. What will we tell our future generations when they ask us about the old building," he added. Kar sewaks should be made to see sense, said a former college Librarian, Mr Gurchaman Singh Gill. He said it was necessary to maintain historical buildings rather than demolishing these. He said old structures if restored could even now outlast modern constructions. Mr Gill said by destroying old architecture and design, we were responsible for spoiling reflections of history. He said, ''We are custodians of historical and religious monuments. Coming generations will not forgive us for any act of destruction done without logic." Mr Sanjeev Garg, a businessman and political personality, said the administration, architects and conservation experts should be taken into confidence by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee before it allowed the demolition and reconstruction of any gurdwara in the state. He said gurdwaras represented the heritage of Punjabis and had a unique Sikh-style architecture. He said these architectures were also a blend of the trends in the past. He said the mass-scale destruction of old gurdwaras would mean the end of an architectural style. He said it was also surprising that the SGPC did not even know about the demolition allowed by it even ten to twelve days after the kar sewa had begun. Brig Sukhdev Singh, a Mahavir Chakra winner who is also known as the 'Hero of Zoji La', said there was a need to preserve the murals in the Chaubaras around the new gurdwara. He said modern conservation tools could be used to transplant the murals onto the walls of any modern building being constructed around the gurdwara if the SGPC felt that the old buildings had to go. |
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Twins win Punjab millennium
baby contest AMRITSAR, May 26 — The “fair little baby girls” have won the millennium baby contest hands down. The country-wide contest was the brainchild of a company that manufactures baby care and utility products. Mr Vivek Kumar, organiser and senior product executive of the company, explained that the criteria was only the timing of the birth for selecting six winner babies at a district-level contest. Except for one all babies who won were females. There were 539 entries from Amritsar district collected after painstakingly scouting nursing homes on prospective babies who were likely to be born around the new millennium from December onwards. The criteria for selection was the five babies born closest to the midnight hour on January 1, 2000. The first prize was bagged by twin baby girls Ravneet and Ramneek born at 1:23 a.m. on January 1. The twins were also winners of the state-level contest held on Tuesday at Chandigarh. More than 5,500 entries had come from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Each district-level winner was rewarded with an education bond or Rs 2,500 maturing at the end of five years besides other gifts. The twin girls got an additional educational bond of Rs 25,000 maturing at the end of 10 years. The bond money is to be shared among the twins The winners of the national-level contest would be announced in July. |
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Punjabi small papers ‘stop’ publications AMRITSAR, May 26 — Many Punjabi small newspapers in various districts of the state have discontinued their publications due to ‘indifferent’ attitude of the State Government. In a press statement issued by Mr Santokh Singh Tapasvi, secretary, All-India Small Newspapers Council and editor, ‘Mansarover’ weekly, has alleged that many small newspapers have stopped their publications as the state government has stopped releasing advertisements to them for more than one year, so much so that the state government refused to release advertisements to these newspapers on Republic Day and other such occasions even. Mr Tapasvi said if the state government had stopped the advertisements to these newspapers on the pretext of ‘financial crunch’ it could reduce the advertisement space of big newspapers to accommodate the small Punjabi newspapers. |
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Power, complaint centre phone
fail together JALANDHAR, May 26 — As soon as power supply eludes residents, telephone of the Civil Lines complaint centre of the Punjab State Electricity Board goes off the hook. Residents of Civil Lines area, having many offices and houses said that as power supply is disrupted they could not approach the P.S.E.B. authorities. Reason apparently to avoid the “incovenience” caused by telephone rings, officials of the complaint centre put the receiver of the phone off the hook till power supply is resumed. “No one picks up the complaint centre phone No 59841 for hours together, which is nothing but harassment act on the part of the official concerned. When contacted, Mr Iqbal Singh Mann, SDO Civil Lines, said “The phone is working, somebody might be attending some call,” but he failed to explain how a complaint centre phone could remain busy for about an hour. |
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Direction to SSP CHANDIGARH, May 26 — Issuing directions to the Gurdaspur Senior Superintendent of Police to look into a Kathua district resident’s complaint regarding an attempt to outrage her modesty by the Pathankot Superintendent of Police, Mr Justice Amarbir Singh Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday asked him to take necessary steps under the law. Seeking the registration of a first information Report against the SP and another respondent under Sections 354, 342 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, the petitioner had earlier alleged that the SP, under the influence of liquor, had tried to outrage her modesty, besides misbehaving. The petitioner, her counsel had stated on her behalf, had resisted the attempt and managed to escape. Counsel had added that the petitioner had gone to the SP’s residence on April 14 with a complaint against her separately living husband. Claiming the petitioner to be a “helpless lady,” counsel had stated that no action was taken against the SP even though the petitioner wrote letters to the Punjab Chief Minister along with the Gurdaspur SSP. Counsel had added that the petitioner was subsequently threatened with dire consequences by an Assistant Sub Inspector “if she tried to pursue the application for registration of a case against the SP”. |
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J & K, Punjab cops to launch joint
operations: DGP PHILLAUR, May 26 — The Punjab Police and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir may soon launch joint operations to combat the threat posed by coming together of a number of Kashmir and Punjab militant organisations. Plans about joint exercises to subvert terrorist activities in the state, especially along the Jammu and Kashmir border, have been initiated after receiving “threat perception” reports from intelligence agencies in the state. Stating this to mediapersons here today after inaugurating a two-day course on “personal
effectiveness” for the Punjab police officers organised by the Punjab Police Academy here, Mr Sarbjit Singh, DGP, said according to intelligence agencies a number of terrorist organisations of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab were joining hands to plan terrorist activities. He said recent bomb blast in a bus near Gobindgarh town and recovery of RDX from Pathankot indicated the renewed terrorist threat in the region. |
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5 IAS officers
shifted CHANDIGARH, May 26 — The Punjab Government today transferred five IAS and one PCS officer. Mr Sanjay Kumar, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, goes as Special Secretary of the Cooperation Department, while Mr V.K. Janjua, Additional Registrar (Administration), Cooperative Societies, becomes Director, Rural Development and Panchayats and ex-officio Special Secretary. Mr R. Venkatratnam (awaiting posting) has been posted as Joint Development Commissioner, IRD, relieving Mr Jaswant Singh of the charge, while Mr Bidhi Chand, Director, Rural Development and Panchayat, will be the new Commissioner of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation. Mr Raminder Singh (awaiting posting) will take over as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Jalandhar.
Mr Gopal Krishan, PCS (awaiting posting), has been made Principal Staff Officer to Commissioner of Jalandhar division. Lathi
charge on farmers flayed SAMRALA,
May — 26Mr Balbir Singh Rajewal, General Secretary of the Bhartiya
Kisan Union, talking to reporters here on Thursday, strongly condemned
the brutal police lathi charge on farmers and women at Chandigarh who
were protesting against the land acquisition for Anandgarh. |
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Compound wall
collapses PHAGWARA, May 26 — The compound wall of a factory collapsed due to high velocity winds and dust storm which lashed the city last evening. A child was also injured. The whistling wind followed by downpour uprooted big trees on the
G.T. Road disrupting traffic. The power supply broke down and telecommunication was disrupted. |
Proclaimed offender arrested LUDHIANA, May 26 — A team of the CIA staff has succeeded in arresting a proclaimed offender in a rape case that was committed in February 1998. The team, led by ASI Satnam Singh, arrested Kamal Singh, who had raped the 20-year-old daughter of his landlord more than two years ago, from his native village, Salla in Chamba district on May 24. He is presently under police remand till May 28. It is learnt that Kamal Singh had raped his landlord’s daughter in her house, while the rest of the members were away. Mr Baldev Singh Brar, in charge of the CIA staff, said “the accused had taken a room on rent in the official quarters of a railway employee, Mohinder Singh on February 2, 1998. Mohinder Singh and his wife left for Ferozepore early in the morning to settle the marriage of the 20-year-old victim. The younger child, a 14-year-old girl, was away to school. Seeing the victim alone, Kamal raped her.” Kamal Singh, while talking to TNS during her police remand, said that after raping the victim, he ran away and went to Jalandhar, where his brother was a taxi driver. “But my brother, Brij Lal, was not there. So I went to Mandi, where I worked as a bus conductor for almost a month.” Thereafter he worked in the Army canteen at Pathankot for more than three months and then went to his native village. “By the time I reached there, the police had already conducted a search in the village and left.” He then ran away from the village to Delhi where he worked as an assistant to a truck driver for almost one and a half years. For the past few weeks, he was operating a taxi in his village from where the police arrested him. |
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Jail official
booked AMRITSAR, May 26 — On the direction of Additional Sessions Judge, an FIR has been registered against Gurbax Singh, Deputy Jail Superintendent, Central Jail. The order to register a case against the Deputy Jail
Superintendent was issued on the basis of the complaint of an Afghani undertrial Faryad Sayyad, a resident of Momnabad (Jalalabad). Mr Parmpal Singh Sidhu, SSP, confirmed that a case under Section 330 of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act was registered at Sadar police
station after seeking legal opinion. Mr Sidhu said that the Afghani undertrial had alleged that he was tortured by another undertrial when he had refused to sell ‘smack’ in the jail. |
11
make it to IAS from Patiala academy PATIALA,
May 26 — Sharma’s IAS Training Academy here has again blazed a trail of glory with eleven of its candidates making it to the merit list of the Union Public Service Commission’s IAS and Allied Services examination . According to Institute Director Venod Sharma the 11 candidates who took training at the Centre and made it to the merit list were - Salil Mishra, Ekroop Caur, Chetan, Niten Bansal, Preeti Joshi, Sandeep Malik, Sachin Mittal, Manoj Kaushik, Ashim Kumar, Poonam Rai and Rahul Dhawan . Meanwhile, five trainees of the I A S and Allied Services Training Center of the Punjabi University have succeeded in the UPSC examination, according to its Director G. S. Bajwa. |
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Ex-MP’s son caught cheating in exam SAS NAGAR, May 26 — An examination unfair means case has been recorded against a son of Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, former MP. According to reports, Harinder Singh, a second-year student of Shaheed Udham Singh College of Engineering, was appearing in an examination at the institution in Tangori village. The supervisory staff suspected that he was indulging in unfair means. On checking, he allegedly tried to run away. His answersheet was sealed and despatched to the Punjab Technical University. Meanwhile, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, who was in the town to take part in a procession of the SHSAD, denied that his son Harinder Singh was caught cheating in the examination. He said his son had shifted from one chair to another, as there was no fan over it. That’s all, he said. |
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Rally by teachers AMRITSAR, May 26 — In response to a call given by the Amritsar unit of Government Teachers Union, Punjab, more than 1000 govt school teachers’ union from various parts of Amritsar district assembled in front of the office of the District Education Officer
Amritsar. Mr Sucha Singh, general secretary of the union, Mr Nirmal Singh Gill, Mr Nazar Singh, Mr Joginder Singh Gill and Mr Sarbdyal Singh Kang addressed the rally. |
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Students seek
grace marks PATIALA, May 26 — The local Khalsa College students today gave a representation to Punjabi University saying that the B.Sc (part two) mathematics (A) paper and physics (A) paper had questions which were out of syllabus. The students said there were also a few misprints in the mathematics paper. They said the mathematics (B) paper was too difficult to attempt for most students. The students have demanded grace marks. |
Rally against import
of milk held AMRITSAR, May 26 — On a call given by Punjab kisan sabhas five kisan associations today observed a ‘chakka jam’ protest rally. The rally started at 12 noon and continued for two hours during which buses, trucks and other commercial vehicles were prevented from proceeding at “adda kuraawala”. The rally was in protest against the import of foreign milk and ghee from Scandinavian countries besides pressing other demands which included loan-waiver for farmers and farm labourers, provisions of free electricity connection to the agricultural sector, prevention of power theft, proper provisions for mandis where farmers could sell their produce, reduction in the rate of interest, lowering prices of fertilisers, seeds and insecticides. |
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Milkfed plant increases commission to retailers PATIALA, May 26 — The local Milkfed milk plant has increased the commission of its retailers from the earlier 60 paise per litre to 85 paisa with immediate effect to help them face the perceived threat from
multi national dairy operators. This was decided at a meeting with retailers presided over by Plant Managing Director S.S. Sandhu. A release said Mr Sandhu impressed upon the retailers to change from transaction oriented marketing to a relationship oriented marketing to compete with the present scenario. He said the customers today needed value for their money which could be provided by delighting the customers in several ways. He said the milk plant would take a lead in this matter . The release said around 150 retailers participated in the exercise which also educated them on the importance of relationship in marketing, adding value through retailing and other aspects of modern marketing network. It emphasised that retailiers were ambassadors of the milk plant and needed to play a vital role in
strengthening the relationship between the customers and the milk plant. |
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