The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

JAC protest over Chancellor’s ‘inaction’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 20
The Punjabi University’s joint action committee (JAC), spearheading the agitation for the ouster of the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, held a protest dharna against the Chancellor, Lieut Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), here today. Teachers from Patiala arrived here at 11 a.m. to participate in the dharna. They were stopped by the police at the crossing leading to Raj Bhavan.

They raised slogans against the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor. Speakers at the dharna expressed dismay at the Chancellor’s “silence and inaction” with regard to the Ahluwalia issue. They said the university had suffered because of Dr Ahluwalia against whom the police had registered cases in the recent past. They said now recording his conversation with senior bureaucrats and releasing it to the Press was sufficient evidence to show the extent to which Dr Ahluwalia could stoop to. But he was still in his seat that showed that he was being protected by high-ups.

The speakers demanded that Dr Ahluwalia be immediately removed for remaining absent from the office for three weeks. They also demanded a CBI inquiry against Dr Ahluwaila to probe allegations levelled against him by certain girl students and regarding grant of affiliations, allocation of franchises to private companies and running various courses.

The JAC later submitted a memorandum to the Chancellor. The speakers included Dr Balwinder Singh, Prof P.P. Arya, Dr Charanjit Chawla, Prof Satpal Gautam, Prof V.K. Mittal, Dr Parminder Singh, Dr N.S. Attari, Mr Sukhwant Singh Sidhu and Prof U.C. Singh.

Classes yet to start at upgraded school
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, April 20
Even as the Punjab Government has upgraded a primary and a middle school in the township, classes are yet to begin at the primary school in Phase 5 which had been upgraded to a middle school six years ago. Despite efforts, residents of the area have failed to get the infrastructure for the school.

Sources in the Education Department reveal that the Phase 5 primary school had been upgraded to a middle school with 500 other schools in the state. Mr Albel Singh Shyan, general secretary of the House Owners Welfare Society of Phase 5, said the society had arranged funds to construct another room in the school complex, but the department had not started the classes.

Aeronautical society holds painting contest
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 20
As a part of its annual interaction with schoolchildren, the Chandigarh chapter of the Aeronautical Society of India organised a painting competition on aviation-related topics for students here today. As many as 186 students from 36 schools based in Chandigarh, SAS Nagar and Panchkula participated in the competition.

The vice-chairman of the society, Gp Capt H.S. Padam, told TNS that the aim of holding the competition was to inculcate awareness about aviation and space among school student. The results would be announced within a week.

The competition was held in three categories — seniors (Classes IX-X), juniors (Classes VII-VIII) and sub-juniors (Classes IV-VI). A caption contest was also held for teachers accompanying the participants. In addition, all participants were presented a booklet, “Mera Bharat Mahan”, highlighting India’s achievements through the ages.

COURTS

DISTRICT COURTS
Defamation case against Amarinder adjourned
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, April 20
The UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L Mohal, today adjourned hearing in a defamation complaint filed against the Chief Minister of Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh, by Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal for allegedly defaming him and his family through the publication of “defamatory” advertisements in newspapers (before Assembly election) till June 15.

Meanwhile, the magistrate accepted the plea moved by the complainant to grant him exemption from personal appearance in the hearing today. Mr Badal stated in the plea that he was in Delhi regarding some personal work and unable to attend the case.

In his complaint under Sections 499 and 500 of the IPC, Mr Badal had claimed that the advertisements had wrongly conveyed that the former Punjab Chief Minister had mortgaged the interest of the state and farmers in the SYL canal, issue in favour of the Haryana Chief Minister in lieu of a gift of 22 acres in Gurgaon worth Rs 500 crore.

Claiming that the contents of the advertisement were false, malicious and contrary to facts on record, he said the advertisement had shown Mr Om Prakash Chautala handing over an allotment letter regarding 22 acres in Gurgaon to Mr Parkash Singh Badal while he, in return, passing over a mortgage deed concerning “SYL water”.

He further stated that the advertisement had been issued to mislead public in the hope of getting votes and to lower Mr Badal’s esteem and damage his saviour-of-farmers image. Hearing adjourned

In another defamation complaint filed by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), against, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, President of the SGPC, Mr Kirpal Singh, and general secretary of the local unit of the SAD (Badal), Mr N.S Minhas, hearing was adjourned on Saturday by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, till May 18.

The Congress, had alleged that these four had defamed the party through statements and publication of advertisements in newspapers. Mr R.R. Bhardwaj former general secretary, had moved the complaint on the behalf of the PPCC and the National Congress under Sections 499 and 500, IPC, read with Section 199 of the Cr Pc. In his complaint, Mr Bhardwaj had alleged that earlier SAD (Badal) had filed two cases — a criminal complaint and a civil suit— against the Congress to mislead public and create a bad image of the congress and, Capt Amarinder Singh. He said the publication of the complaint in newspapers had adversely affected the name and fame of the PPCC and its office bearers.

Accused granted bail

An accused, Vikas, allegedly involved in a case of manufacturing of illicit liquor was granted bail on Saturday by the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S Bhalla. He was granted bail on furnishing a bond of Rs 1 lakh.

The other accused in the case, Harinder Pal Singla, a well- known liquor contractor, has already been granted bail by the Supreme Court.

On July 24, a fire that broke out in a factory in Industrial Area, Phase- I, had revealed that the factory owned by Harjinder Singh was actually an illicit liquor manufacturing and bottling plant.

Around 3,500 litre of liquor pouches had been recovered from the factory a apart from thousands of litres of rectified spirit (ethyl alcohol used for making liquor), artificial flavours and labels of famous brands.

CULTURE

Pattar holds audience spellbound
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, April 20
"Sikhan, Musalmana ate Hinduan di bheed vich,

Rab tuadda firda mera banda kiddar gaya"

What could have a simple assembly of words took the hue of soul-searching poetry when recited by Surjit Pattar, eminent Punjabi poet, leaving everybody spellbound during a poetry recital session at the ICSSR Complex, Punjab University, here today.

During the programme called "An Evening with Surjit Pattar" organised by the Institute of Punjab Studies, Chandigarh and Sheikh Baba Farid Chair, Panjab University, the poet recited a number of old and new poems from his latest book "Lafzaan di Dargah" and others.

Prof Surjit Pattar, who teaches Punjabi at Panjab Agricultural University and is the president of Punjabi Sahit Akademi, is in town in connection with a seminar called "History, Literature and Society: Treatment of Social problems in Punjabi Fiction during the Twentieth Century" organised by the institute.

The poet, who is inspired by the basic paradoxes of life, has written a number of poems and ghazals. His first poetry collection "Hawa vich likhe harf" was published in 1979 which was followed by three more books, "Lafzaan di Dargah" being the latest.

"Two more collections are about to be published," confides the poet. And interesting part of it is that Surjit Pattar has for the first time written a lyrical play which he has named "Urvashi".

30 take part in dance contest
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, April 20
As many as 30 participants took part in “Dance Dhamaka”, a dance competition based on Bhangra, film and Western dance numbers which was organised by the Western Star Group in collaboration with All Art Cultural Association and Citi Entertainment Network at Tagore Theatre in Sector 18 here today.

The competition was conducted in five categories that included children in 5-14 year age group and above. There were different categories for duet songs as well as group dance.

Classical dance exponents like Ms P. Punita from Panjab University, Ms Rajni Bajaj from Delhi University and Ms Rashmi Shyam, a music teacher from YPS, Mohali, judged the event. Mr S.P. Arora, SDM (East) Chandigarh Administration was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

FILM REVIEW
Weak plot, weaker presentation
Sanjeev Singh Bariana

‘Aap mujhe achche lagne lage’ (Nirman Chandigarh and KC, Panchkula) is a telling remark that larger than life screen images even like Hrithik Roshan cannot hold the future of a film with a weak plot and a weaker presentation.

Director Vikram Bhatt has toyed with hackneyed movie-making ideas to package a below average presentation. The tringle of love-opposition-ultimately realisation of love does not invoke any significant emotions which hold the key to the future of any love story. The pleasant face of Amisha Patel is fit into a poorly crafted role.

Amisha is daughter of Kiran Kumar, a mafia don, executed by Mukesh Tewari, who shouts too much not realising that even strong vocal chords fail to make any impression till the character comes from the heart and affects those around him. The rest of the gang are ‘yes-boss’ cronies who contribute nothing more.

Amisha is an overprotected girl who has never ventured out of her home. On one such journey she is cornered by members of the rival gang who want to shoot her down. Hrithik saves her. Both fall in love. Hrithik finds an excuse of the ‘navratre’ festival to go to her place daily during the festival for about nine days. Both, as expected fall in love. Kiran, meanwhile has decided to fix the marriage of her daughter to a friend in London to keep her away from the underworld.

Both are forced to run away and Kiran and his cronies begin a hot chase.

The film is full of too many super-heroic acts which seem to be more than needed overdoing of simple narratives. The magic of Hrithik-Amisha pair in ‘Kaho naa pyar hai’ is likely to fail this time. Rather average lyrical notes are set to an average music as well.

The film has been produced by Rohit Kumar which is a Gautam Kumar production and a Mohan Kumar presentation. The film has screenplay and story by Robin Bhatt and Sanjeev Duggal; cinematography by Pravin Bhatt; dialogue by Girish Dhamija; choreography by Ganesh Acharya, Ganesh Hegde and Raju Khan; action by Abbas Ali Mughal; lyrics by Dev Kohli and Ibrahim Ashq and music by Rajesh Roshan.

The film also features Nishigandha Deolkar, Jimmy Moses, Alok Nath and Shahbaz Khan.

‘Bharat Bhagya Vidhata’ (KC) has lost much of crowd expectations on account of the rather long delay in the release. Puru Raj Kumar and Shadab Khan in the lead roles offer nothing exciting nor do Chandrachur Singh, Jaya Prada or Shatrughan Sinha.

The film depicts the struggle of the new generation in the context of the experience of the seasoned elderly which often appears to be hampering their aspirations. The film is a T.P Aggarwal presentation and has been directed by Osho Raja. Hriju Roy has composed the music but does not win any significant accolades.