EDUCATION

NAAC makes it a hurried affair
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 17
The NAAC visit seems to have created quite a ruffle in Panjab University with the university trying its best to put its best foot forward. Every department, the library, the hostels have an absolutely fresh and clean look.

The team visited more than 30 departments today in the university. But in their extremely brief visit of less than 20 minutes in each department the students who had been called to interact with the team were left high and dry. Many of the students had been called specially for the visit. The research scholars too were made to wait for an hour before the arrival of the team which interacted basically with the faculty and returned.

“If they are charging Rs 5,000 per department, they can at least spend half an hour in the department? How are they going to assess a department and its working effectively in barely 15 minutes?’ was the question being asked by the students.

Students of the English Department of the university have reported that some of their faculty members have been asking the students to fill forms regarding the courses and the teachers and “our maam even told what to write.”

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Produce detained bus drivers, SHO told
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 17
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Station House Officer of a police station in Pathankot to ensure that three bus drivers, allegedly detained at the behest of an MLA, were located and produced in the court on April 24.

In his petition before Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar of the High Court, transporter Kamal Kumar Garg had earlier stated that the three — Jaimal Mohammad, Bhinder Singh and Bakshish Singh — were being confined to an isolated place since April 6 at the instance of a local MLA, his business rival.

He had added that the buses were forcibly driven away on April 4 and were now parked at a filling station situated on the Gurdaspur road.

After hearing counsel for the petitioner, Mr Justice Nijjar also directed the SHO to ensure the presence of the filling station proprietor in the court on the next date of hearing.

Liquor vends’ reauction barred
A Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Nirmal Singh, today allowed a petition against the re-auction of liquor vends in Jhajjar district.

In its petition, Bharat Singh, Kamlesh Kumar Vijay Singh and Company had earlier contended that the re-auction was ordered even though its bid had been approved. Arguing before the Bench, counsel for the petitioner had claimed that the company’s bid of Rs 27 crore was the highest.

Plea against cops’ selection dismissed
Our Legal Correspondent adds:
A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Mr Justice Amarbir Singh Gill and Mr Justice V.S. Aggarwal today dismissed two writ petitions challenging the appointment of constables in the Haryana Armed Police for Faridabad district.

The Judges, however upheld the petitioners’ right to be put on the waiting list in case their number came.

Plea for MBBS seat in sports quota fails
Mr Justice R.L. Anand today dismissed the writ petition of Jagroop Singh of Guru Nanak Dev University who sought admission to the M.B.B.S. course in the sports quota, challenging the action of the Director of Department of Sports revising his sports gradation certificate, issued on March 10, 2000. The certificate was reissued on August 7, whereby one of the events of participation of the petitioner had been deleted from consideration.

The Judge observed that taking note of the affidavits and other documents, it is noticed that no benefit could be given to the petitioner for 44th National School Games as 15 teams did not participate in the fencing event and the teamwise also the number was shorter than the prescribed one. The certificate, which was against the parameters of policy, had no meaning in the eyes of law, the Judge noted.

BHATNAGAR CASE
Arguments on parade statements
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 17
The relevance of producing parade statements as evidence dominated the proceedings of the general court martial trying Major Maneesh Bhatnagar today. The defence wanted the Commanding Officer of 5 Para, Col A.K. Srivastava, to produce the parade statements of his unit pertaining to certain dates, which was objected to by the prosecution.

During the cross-examination of Colonel Srivastava, which began today, the defence wanted him to produce the parade statements of June 8, 9 and 10, 1999, but the prosecution contended that these could not be brought on record and could only be produced in support of a statement.

When asked by the defence about the parade statement of June 9, Colonel Srivastava replied that on that day nine officers, 19 JCOs and 418 other ranks were on duty. On being further asked whether there could have been totalling errors while compiling the statement, Colonel Srivastava replied in the affirmative.

On this, the defence demanded that the parade statement should be produced in court. It was then pointed out by the defence that the pages pertaining to the parade statements of June 8, 9 and 10 were torn out and re-pasted. Colonel Srivastava replied that the pages had been torn out by his second-in-command, Lt Col A K Dhar, in order to get these photo-copied for producing at the summary of evidence (SOE).

The witness also stated that he did not recall if the said pages were actually produced at the SOE, but added that these had been called for by the officer recording the SOE. On being shown a copy of the SOE, the witness conceded that the pages were not a part of the exhibits of the SOE.

Earlier, the court declined to accept a written reply from the defence. The defence was, yesterday, replying to the prosecution’s contention, when the court declined to record the defence’s statement, instead asking it to give its reply in writing.

When the defence forwarded its written reply today, the court refused to accept it, saying that the defence could send its reply to the GCM’s convening authority.

DISTRICT COURT
Remand for criminal intimidation
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, April 17
The UT Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Ashok Kumar, today remanded Sunil Malik for one day, in an alleged case of criminal intimidation. The case against the accused was registered under Sections 427, 452, 506 and 34 of the IPC on April 7.

The complainant, Mr Ravinder Pal, a resident of Sector 27, had alleged that the accused, along with other entered his house and assaulted him. Meanwhile, the magistrate had issued a notice for April 18 on the bail plea moved by the accused.

Cheating case
The UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class) on Tuesday sentenced to three-days police remand to Partap Singh, a resident of Sector 45, in case of cheating and forgery. The case against the accused was registered under Sections 419, 420, 467 and 468 of the IPC on April 16.

It was alleged that the accused had printed duplicate receipt of the Red Cross Society and was issuing duplicate receipts.

Judicial remand
Nazim Salmani, allegedly involved in several murder cases, was sentenced to judicial remand till May 1, by the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class) on Tuesday.

The accused was held by the city police in Mani Majra and had recovered country-made revolver from his possession.

CULTURE

Wattal to team up with Malkit

THE star maker, Jawahar Wattal, after successfully launching Shubha Mudgal, Baba Sehgal, Daler Mehndi, Hema Sardesai, Bhupi Chawla, Shweta Shetty, Poornima, Ali Haider, Shankar Sahni and Karan Jasbir, is now working with the “King of Bhangra”, Malkit Singh, for a new album. After having produced most of his albums in London, Malkit had a burning desire to work with the most successful producers and music director of Indi-pop in the subcontinent. After the release of the album, ‘Kudi Patoley Vargi’, an instant chemistry worked between Malkit Singh and Jawahar Wattal.

Malkit Singh has been recording in Jawahar Wattal’s Ad Camp Studio at Hauz Khas in New Delhi. The Bhangra king’s group “ Golden Star’ is booked one year in advance by non-resident Punjabis all over the world, be it Canada, the USA, England, Singapore or Malaysia.

Malkit’s is a powerful stage performer and he has held live shows in many countries. He has set foot on some of the renowned stages world wide.

“My international recognition was consolidated with the release of ‘Tootak Tootak Tootiyan’ ( Hey Jamalo). This album was awarded “ the most outstanding track in the Bhangra era in 1993. My popularity continued in the 90s with record selling albums such as Midas Touch, Forever Gold and Akh Larr Gayee.

When asked about his style of music, Malkit said that he combined Punjabi folk with western music to make it palatable to the Punjabi youth abroad. But the youth at home lapped it up too.

Dharam Pal

Harmonising Euro-Indian customs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 17
To term this project a puppet show and end the matter at that will amount to undermining its international significance. Staged in New Delhi thrice before being brought to Chandigarh today, the Indo-French-German production Jaimatadi is all about cultural assimilation and artistic interchange.

Structured by a team comprising a French, a German and three Indian artists, Jaimatadi provides a wide base for cultural dialogue. As the viewer assimilates the traditions of a foreign culture while watching the show, he also remains rooted to his religious, artistic and aesthetic values.

While the people behind the project were setting up the sets for the evening show at Bal Bhawan in Sector 23, they spoke to Chandigarh Tribune about its conception and execution. The project has been directed by French actor Christophe Gayral. It also comprises Puran Bhatt, a puppeteer from Rajasthan, and Bettina Vielhaber, a German puppeteer. Narration has been done by Christophe and Sudha Jagannath. A French voice narrates the Indian tale and an Indian voice narrates the French tale. Music is by Kishore Bhatt, a folk musician from Rajasthan.

The foundation of this concept was laid in 1998, when Bettina and Christophe visited Udaipur to attend a puppet workshop by Puran. Said Christophe, “We were impressed with the warmth of Indian marionette tradition and wanted a blend with the European element. Since then we have been thinking of ways to celebrate the two marionette traditions.”

While Puran narrated Indian folk tales, Bettina and Christophe narrated the European stories. Said Bettina, “We found similarities between Indian and European tales, which formed the basis of our production.”

After hours of story-telling and many commentaries on each tale, the team selected Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and Rajasthani folk-tale Dhola aur Maaru. Said Puran, “These stories were chosen because of their popularity and for their scope for dramatic presentation.”

The final print of the effort was evident today. The artists had blended the two tales towards the conclusion. The production uses French and Indian languages to put across the theme. The scenic presentation of Jaimatadi provides a contrast between the underwater world of the mermaid, using table marionettes of plastic and metal, and the earthy world of Prince Dhola and his beloved Maaru, using the kathputli string marionettes of wood and coloured fabrics.

The show establishes the two languages independently and blends the two, along with blending the tales. It provides a beautiful contrast between cold and warm music. Where the cold sounds of the marine world dominate The Little Mermaid story, warm Indian melodies bring home the traditional lore of Dhola and Maaru. Wonderful technique has also been employed.

In the end, the tales blend. The mermaid leaves her marine world to fall in love with Dhola, who finds a strange resemblance between the mermaid and his childhood sweetheart Maaru. Dhola fights the demon commissioned by his queen to kill the mermaid.

All that remains in the end is love and cultural harmony. The show has been sponsored by the Embassy of France in India, the Max Mueller Bhawan and the Alliance Francaise.