The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Patriotic fervour marks KV-47 function
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 2
As many as 88 prizes were awarded for excellence in academics and co-curricular activities at the annual prize distribution function of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 47, held at LECMA Hall, here today.

Gurnur Kang bagged the maximum number of prizes, most of these for standing first in various swimming contests while Rajni was awarded for her performance in Hindi (elective).

The cultural programme staged at the function began with a “vandana” followed by songs and dances of patriotic fervour, national integration and glimpses of the rich Indian culture.

After nursery rhymes by tiny-tots of the school, the whole stage was a riot of colours as children played Holi while “Yeh Hindustan Hamara”, an action song, was highly appreciated.

Later, girls from Himachal danced to Pahari folk music, followed by the Kalbelia of Rajasthan. Bhangra and giddha items were a hit with the crowd.

A Hindi play titled “Parivartan” presented a true picture of communal harmony characteristic of Indian society where a Muslim comes to the rescue of a poor Hindu child wanting to make it big as an artist.

The chief guest, Air Cmde VS Govindarajan, Chairman VMC and AOC, applauded the efforts of the students. He also inaugurated a crafts exhibition put up by the students while his wife, Ms Geetha Govindarajan, gave away prizes to the winners.

Earlier, the Principal, Mr MP Mahajan, read out the school report, highlighting the achievements of the school and its future plans.

Meanwhile, a colourful cultural programme marked the annual day function of the Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1 at Chandi Mandir on Thursday. Brig S C Sharma, Commander 12 Singnal Group, was the chief guest on the occasion.

The programme which started with Kala Pradarshiniand was followed by paying tributes to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. Other highlights of the programme were a performance by tiny-tots and an English play emphasising communal harmony and folk dances. A western dance on Brazilian music was also presented.

The school annual report was read out by the Principal, Ms Bushra Ahuja. Later, prizes were given by Mrs Amita Sharma to students for performances in academics, sports and co-curricular activities.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Cancel report with caution, Judges told
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 2
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a significant judgment, today ruled that a judicial officer, while scrutinising a cancellation report, should ensure that the investigating agency was not trying to magnify or minimise the misconduct of persons involved in an offence.

In a ruling, Mr Justice Amar Dutt of the High Court ruled that a judicial officer, while going through the cancellation report, was required to bear in mind the seriousness of the offence alleged to have been committed by the persons involved. While discharging his duties, the magistrate was not only required to ensure that no injustice was done to the accused, but also that the complainant was not having any valid grievance of excessive latitude on part of the investigating agency”.

The Judge concluded: “In a case where the investigating agency was giving a definite opinion regarding administrative misconduct committed by persons involved, the magistrate was required to prima facie address the question whether a thin line separating administrative misconduct from criminal misconduct had not been actually crossed”.

Notice to Mann’s plea on POTA

In a petition filed before the High Court, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, MP today sought directions to the Union of India, besides the states of Punjab and Haryana, to quash the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002.

Taking up the petition, a Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice N.K. Sud, fixed May 10 as the next date of hearing.

Mann, in his petition, stated that a perusal of the Act showed that its draconian provisions infringed the basis rights of the citizens. It was against their right to life and liberty as enshrined in Article 21 of Constitution. Giving details, he claimed that an accused, booked under the Act, could be arrested and convicted for life imprisonment, besides being fined Rs 10 lakh. For the purpose, a confession made before the police was also admissible in evidence as the Act gave absolute powers to the cops.

Patiala Judge to hear PCA case: HC
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 2
Setting aside an order passed by Chandigarh’s Special Judge accepting the cancellation report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation in Punjab Cricket Association case, Mr Justice Amar Dutt of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ruled that Patiala’s Special Judge had the jurisdiction to decide whether offence had been committed by PCA President I.S. Bindra and the Punjab Chief Secretary R.S. Mann.

Delivering the verdict, Mr Justice Dutt also ordered that the documents pertaining to the case should be sent to Patiala’s Special Judge “who shall proceed to decide the case in accordance with law”. The CBI had initially registered a case against “unknown officials and others” under Sections 120-B and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, and under the Prevention of Corruption Act, on February 25, 1997, on the basis of a notification issued by the Punjab Governor on February 7, 1997.

The agency was required to investigate the transfer of about 15 acres of government land in S.A.S. Nagar by the Sports Department to PCA, besides looking into “other matters connected with the utilisation of land and funds granted by the government to the PCA”. The CBI was also required to “see if any culpable offence or attempt, abetment and misuse of official position had been made for private benefit”. The investigation was ordered “despite the fact that a cricket stadium, with ambience matching that of any stadium in the world, had already been built on the transferred land”. However, soon after the initiation of investigation, there was a change in government and efforts made to withdraw the notification. In its final report, the agency had stated that no evidence was forthcoming to prove criminal misconduct hence regular departmental action for major penalty was recommended against one of the officers.

Today, allowing the revision petition filed by well-known lawyers, Karam Chand, Mr Justice Dutt ruled that a perusal of the judgement revealed that the Special Judge had merely reproduced the cancellation report forwarded by the CBI. “In my opinion this was not sufficient discharge of obligation conferred on him by the relevant rules.... A perusal of the order shows that the Special Judge was oblivious of the task he was required to perform, “ the Judge further ruled.

In his detailed order, Mr Justice Dutt observed: “The present case brings into focus a sad unfortunate situation which has come into existence on account of internal rivalries in between the various members of the bureaucratic set up in the state of Punjab.... Professional investigators, instead of submitting a clear-cut report on whether a criminal offence had been committed or not, arrogated upon themselves the task of a judicial officer who was to take cognizance thereon by suggesting that the circumstances indicated an administrative misconduct calling for major penalty rather than a criminal misconduct. This type of procedure, in my humble opinion, is totally uncalled for”.

Regarding the jurisdiction of Chandigarh courts, Mr Justice Dutt held: “We find that the investigation in the present case was started at the behest of the Punjab Government which had the apprehension that criminal misdemeanour had been committed by certain officers connected with its property situated at SAS Nagar. The fact that some decision regarding its transfer was made in Chandigarh would not take the crime, which was ultimately committed at SAS Nagar, out of Punjab’s territorial jurisdiction for it is not the proposal of transfer which was illegal but the actual act”.

Accusing the CBI of filing the cancellation report under “political pressure”, Mr Karam Chand, in his petition, had stated that the premier investigating agency and “the officers responsible for the probe had apparently been asked to go slow or else drop the issue by finding a way out”. Claiming subtle attempts were made to close the investigation in favour of certain officers, the petitioner had also stated that the stand regarding the whole transaction having the oral sanction of the Punjab Governor was “never in existence”.

Challenging the Special Judge’s orders, the petitioner had stated that the court had “failed to take into consideration political mala fide and lack of political bona fides to faithfully conduct the inquiry into the transaction”. The inquiry, he had added, would have revealed embezzlement of large sums of money, besides “private benefits” derived by the officials concerned”. He had also stated that the court had failed to take into consideration the state government’s efforts “to protect the officials against whom the inquiry had been marked to the CBI”.

Giving details, he had stated that two writ petitions had also been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court as “the investigation of the case was not being conducted seriously and political masters wanted to scuttle it”. The reason for the same, the petitioner had added, “was that the then Chief Secretary R.S. Mann and Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs I.S. Bindra were accused”.

Allowing the closure of the case, the UT Special Judge-cum-District and Sessions Judge had earlier observed: “On conclusion of the investigations, the CBI has reported that no evidence is forthcoming to prove criminal misconduct of I.S. Bindra (PCA President).... Similarly, the CBI has reported that no irregularity on part of R.S. Mann has come to light during the investigations”.

CULTURE

Lack of maturity blurs artist’s impressions
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 2
The metamorphosis of a sportsperson to an artist is not complete for Mahesh Dalal, whose first solo exhibition in the city came as a disappointment for the art lovers here. The works that include about 25 paintings in oil based on the beauty of village life, have failed to strike a balance between reality and the artist’s imagination.

Dalal’s creations that are on displayed at IndusInd Art Gallery look more like replica works rather than original pieces. Thus the pictorial representation of “Haryanvi Nritya” or “Sundarta” or “Basuriwali”, painted in bold and too many contrasting colours have failed to leave a lasting impression.

The paintings are not lacking in visual appeal but in clarity of thoughts . For instance through one of his paintings, “Jansankhya”, the artist has tried to portray the population explosion but his justification on the search of life forms on the Moon and Mars had no significance with the original idea on which he had worked upon.

This Haryanvi artist who has recently completed his Masters in Fine Arts from Jivaji University, Gwalior, needs to hone his technical skill as well as sense of aesthetics and observation before he is in a position to hold a show on his own.

Mahesh Dalal began his career as a wrestler but painting was always his hobby. After he was declared unfit for wrestling painting became a passion that drove him to go for MA in Fine Arts after doing his a masters in History.

Ironical it may sound but Mahesh Dalal took up painting seriously after he got encouragement from people associated in this profession who helped him to exhibit his works in places like International Trade Fair, New Delhi, All India Fine Arts and Craft Society, Maharashi Dayanand University, Rohtak and Haryana Bhawan. Mahesh has also been awarded by Jat Education Society Rohtak and Ministry of Rural Development India.

A tale of trials and tribulations
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 2
Trials, tribulations and trauma....any story revolving around the character of a woman is invariably anchored to these three basic dimensions of life. And even though as a viewer one might feel a pressing urge to raise a finger and plug the hole filled with sadness, one retracts on being faced with the reality.

Kewal Dhaliwal’s projection of reality in Shayri, the play staged at Tagore Theatre this evening, was crisp and haunting. Nothing portrayed on the stage through the well-drafted story by Dr Swaraj Pir was new to the eyes, but an element of fresh presentation was carefully sustained through the over two-hour-long presentation.

Though a bit too long drawn, the story of a Muslim telan Ayesha went through many moulds and finally took a tragic shape. Enacted by Sukhi, the central character of this girl, who dares to run away for the sake of love, is full of vigour and hope. Although a low caste girl, there is nothing that succeeds to consign Ayesha to the abyss of hopelessness. Nothing except destiny of course.

She creates a spiritual aura whenever she reads out her qalaam; she falls in the divine ocean of love and drinks the poison of betrayal at the hands of her first lover Rehmat (Pawel Sandhu); she again rises in love and offers her purity to Ilahi Baksh, who measures her against money; dejected by the riches of a meaningless world, she returns home only to face rejection; she then treads the path of renunciation and finally falls in love with her satguru Gulab Das (enacted by Rajinder Nagi)....

The relevance of the title is maintained in the story which builds up Ayesha for her poetic acumen and also makes a mockery of the male-dominated society, which cannot digest her skills. Finally, the jilted woman finds her way to peace, but is again driven to ashes by her own blood. The climax has Ayesha sold back to Ilahi Baksh by her own father.

In a subtle and convincing manner, the director has succeeded in telling a sensitive tale of the human heart. Music is the soul of this drama, knit with rhythm and tempo.

The play was also staged during the National Festival of Theatre held in New Delhi recently.

NEW RELEASE
Old wine in new bottle

WHEN it is chi chi (Govinda), it’s gotta be a fun film. After ‘Kyonki Mein Jhooth Nahin Bolta’, Govinda returns with producer director Kirti Kumar’s ‘Pyar Deewana Hota Hai’. The film opens today at Batra, Chandigarh.

Govinda must be hoping that this film will take him back to his days of glory. With Rani Mukherjee in company, he has every reason to be optimistic.

The film is yet another typical entertainers which revolves around Govinda and Rani Mukherjee. It is based on favourite Bollywood formula of hero trying to be something that he is not so that he can get the love of heroine. The film is an old wine in new bottle. S. M. Ahale is the script writer of the film.

It is a ‘fun film with lots of songs and dances’, promises the director. Surely Rani and Govinda must be keeping their fingers crossed lest it should turn out to be another ‘Hadh Kardi Aapne’. The film also stars Apoorva Agnihotri, Om Puri, Johny Lever, Deepak Tijori, Smita Jayakar and Navin Nischal. ‘Gadar’ fame Uttam Singh has composed music for the film and lyrics are by late Anand Bakshi. DP