Indian soldiers take part in a memorial service for their colleagues who died in a land mine blast in the frontline border village of Mahwa in Punjab on Saturday. At least 18
persons, mostly soldiers, were killed on January 5, 2002 when their vehicle went over landmines.
— Reuters |
Who
was ‘Dawood’ of selection process?
Ludhiana, January 19
While the dust raised after the
announcement of candidates for various assembly segments by the
Congress is yet to settle down, the party workers in general and the
ticket aspirants in particular wonder as to who acted Dawood during
the selection process. Dawood was the code name, obviously drawn from
the underworld, for the “invisible” authority who would decide on
the final fate of candidates.
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Poll
champs promised berths
Bathinda, January 19
The Punjab Chief Minister and
President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today
while comparing the February 13 elections with a one-day cricket match
and laying down the procedure for the next cabinet, said the victory
margin of SAD-BJP candidates in the coming Assembly elections would be
a key factor in deciding their portfolios in the next government.
Maharaja
yet to make appearance
Patiala, January 19
Even though it has been more than
one week since the Congress released its list of candidates for the
forthcoming Assembly elections and the nominees have opened their
election offices and started campaigning, the Pradesh Congress
President, Capt Amarinder Singh, who is referred to as Maharaja in the
city because his family ruled the Patiala riyasat in the princely
days, is still to make a public appearance in the town.
DISTRICT PROFILE
FARIDKOT & MUKTSAR
This
small belt has given three CMs
Chandigarh, January 19
The districts of Muktsar and
Faridkot located on the south-western of tip of Punjab may be small in
size. But they have been making a hefty contribution to the economy as
well as the politics of the state.
Punjab chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal addresses a gathering (from atop a special vehicle) of party workers after inaugurating the election office of Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, SAD-BJP candidate from
Bathinda, on Saturday.
— Photo Kulbir Beera |
Mohindra
accepts challenge
Patiala, January 19
Senior Congress leader and former
minister Brahm Mohindra today inaugurated his election office at
Samana, near here, claiming that the Congress high command had thrust
the responsibility of fighting from Samana on him and he had accepted
the challenge as a loyal Congressman.
Setback
to Cong as Nagpal enters fray
Abohar, January 19
All office-bearers of the city
Congress committee and president of the Youth Congress block-1 today
submitted their resignations to the party high command and endorsed
the decision of the outgoing block Congress president, Mr Sudhir
Nagpal, to contest the Assembly elections as an Independent candidate
from the Abohar constituency.
Sibia
bows to Cong wish
Barnala, January 19
Bowing to pressure of the
Congress high command, Mr Surinderpal Singh Sibia, Punjab Pradesh
Congress Committee secretary who is the Congress nominee from Barnala,
today very reluctantly decided to contest from Barnala. He launched
his poll campaign with a large number of his well wishers from Sangrur
supporting him.
Badungar asks people not to vote for ‘outsider’
Patiala, January 19
The Shiromani Akali Dal led by Shiromani Committee President Kirpal Singh Badungar urged the people not to vote for an “outsider” in the forthcoming elections while inaugurating the office of Samana party candidate Surjit Singh Rakhra in Samana town.
SAD supporters oppose Kharar nominee
SAS Nagar, January 19
Supporters and party workers of the SAD and the BJP gathered here today in protest against the decision of the allotment of the SAD ticket to Mr Kiranbir Singh Kang from the Kharar assembly constituency.
SAD
candidate denies charges
Fatehgarh Sahib, January
19
Mr Didar Singh Bhatti SAD
candidate from the Sirhind Assembly constituency, while addressing a
press conference here yesterday, denied the allegation that he had
purchased the party ticket.
Pahara
RRD nominee for Gurdaspur
Chandigarh, January 19
Mr Kartar Singh Pahra, a
Shiromani Akali Dal MLA from Gurdaspur joined the Rashtriya Raksha Dal
here today. Mr Pahra was denied party ticket for the coming Assembly
elections. Col Harsharan Singh Sandhu (retd), President, Rahtriya
Raksha Dal (RRD), said that Mr Kartar Singh Pahra would be the RRD
candidate from Gurdaspur replacing the earlier announced candidate,
Hav Narinder Singh (retd).
HC
censures Sessions Judge
Chandigarh, January 19
The Punjab and Haryana High Court
has come down heavily upon a District and Sessions Judge for granting
anticipatory bail to an accused in an assault case after “showing
gross judicial indiscipline and impropriety”.
Build-up:
villagers start returning
Bathinda, January 19
Residents of border villages who
had migrated to safer places in the wake of the buildup there, have
started returning to their native places. Information gathered by TNS
revealed although fear had gripped the villagers due to the laying of
mines by the Army in the border areas, they had started coming back
with their belongings. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner,
Ferozepore, when contacted said about 25 per cent of those who had
migrated to safer places in the last week of December has come back.
Threats:
SGPC team to visit J&K
Talwandi Sabo, January 19
The SGPC has decided to send a
three-member fact-finding committee to Jammu and Kashmir to look into
the matter pertaining to the threats being held out to members of the
Sikh community living in the trouble-torn state.
Two-year
RI for ASI
Moga, January 19
An ASI of the Punjab police has
been sentenced to undergo two years of rigorous imprisonment, eight
years after he allegedly illegally confined a woman and her driver in
prison for a day. Additional District and Sessions Judge J.S. Chawla
yesterday convicted and sentenced ASI Gurcharan Singh and imposed a
fine of Rs 6,000 on him.
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Nagar
kirtan taken out
Samana, January 19
Religious and educational
institutions took out a nagar kirtan on the eve of Guru Gobind
Singh’s birth anniversary today. Thousands of villagers from various
villages participated. A procession led by the Panj Piaras started
from Gurdwara Ramgarh and passed through the main bazars of the town.
Sweets and fruits were also served at some places.
Swiss
national on cycle tour
Amritsar, January 19
A Swiss national has adopted a novel method to raise money to create
awareness for leprosy patients in Asia — cycling a distance of 9,000
km. Christoph Von Toggenburg, popularly called Barli, is on a 9,000 km
long journey from New Delhi to Switzerland.
Three
convicted for rape
Ferozepore, January 19
Additional District and Sessions
Judge G.K. Dhir has convicted three persons, including two schoolboys
for dual jail terms of 10 years to two and five years to one along
with a fine of 9000.
Parties’
hoardings removed
Bathinda, January 19
The district election authorities
have launched a campaign to save the public property from being
defaced by the political parties. The authorities have removed
hoardings and flags of various political parties from telephone and
electricity poles and walls of institutes in past two days.
More
poll observers appointed
Gurdaspur, January 19
The Election Commission has
posted five observers — Mr Munish Johri, Mr R.P. Samadhar, Mr C.R.
Biswal and Mr M.R. Mohan, all IAS officers, and — Mr J.C. Pegu, IRS
officer at present posted as Additional Income Tax Commissioner to
conduct free and fair elections in all 11 constituencies of this
district for which elections are being held on February 13.
EC
order followed in case of one IGP
Chandigarh, January 19
Only one of the four
Inspectors-General of Police is being shifted in Punjab in accordance
with the guidelines of the Election Commission, a spokesman for the
Punjab Police clarified today. He said that Mr Rajdeep Singh Gill, IG
(Zonal), has been at Patiala for more than four years. He will now
swap positions with Mr S.M. Sharma, Inspector-General, India Reserve
Battalions, Bahadurgarh. Mr Anil Kaushik has been posted as IG,
Commandos of India Reserve Battalions, SAS Nagar.
Shiv
Sena district chief booked
Mansa, January 19
The Bhikhi police has registered
a case against Raj Kumar of Bareta town and Vijay Kumar Singla,
district president of the Shiv Sena, under Sections 406, 420, 467, 468
and 471 of the IPC and Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act,
1955, on the complaint of Mr Gurnam Singh, District Manager, Punjab
Agro-Industries Corporation.
Rs
15.91 lakh looted from PNB branch
Hoshiarpur, January 19
In a daring daylight robbery,
four armed persons with muffled faces today looted Rs 15.91 lakh from
Punjab National Bank’s Miani branch. Confirming the incident police
officials said here that the robbers came on two Hero Honda motor
cycles.
Forensic science symposium
Patiala, January 19
Punjabi University’s Department of Forensic Science will hold a symposium on the latest trends in forensic research from February 14 to 17, 2001.
Several research scholars and scientists from around the world, including Prof Stephan
Cordner, Director, Victorian Institute of Forensic Science, Australia, President of the Indo-Pacific Law Medicine and Science, Australia, and those from Japan, Malaysia and England will participate.
Forum demands action against VC
Patiala, January 19
The Forum for Educational Action and Reform (FEAR), at its meeting here today, demanded an immediate action by the Chief Election Commissioner of Punjab against Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, for his "violation of the model code of conduct".
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