The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Gujarat riots case: Tangri’s son gets police remand
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 7
Sunil Tangri, son of former Shiv Sena leader Jagdish Tangri, was today remanded in police custody for one day in connection with the Gujarat riots case. He was produced in court from jail on production warrants. The police arrested him with the permission of the court and secured remand for interrogation.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Jasbir Singh had granted him bail in connection with the case of allegedly instigating Shiv Sainiks for launching a murderous attack on the police party in case the latter conducted a raid on Gur Mandi. His counsel filed an application before Additional Sessions Judge Jaspal Bhatia for accepting the surety bonds, in view of the bail orders passed by the High Court.

But he could not be released on bail as he was remanded in police remand in the riots case. He was not named in the FIR lodged on the complaint of the SP, Amritsar. Initially, only Jagdish Tangri was named in the FIR.

Duty Magistrate Sanjay Agnihotri passed orders for the police remand of the accused, after hearing both parties. Public Prosecutor Sanjeev Kochhar sought his remand on the grounds that the prosecution wanted to recover the Tata Sumo, using which the accused allegedly supplied arms to a particular community which were used in the Gujarat riots.

The defence counsel pleaded that the police was harassing his client. He submitted that the SHO, Division No. 3 police station, Mr Anil Joshi, had already filed the cancellation report in this case and there was no point in arresting the accused.

He also submitted that his client remained in police custody in connection with several cases, why they not arrested or interrogated him then. “The motive of the prosecution is only to make sure that he may not come out of jail”, said the defence counsel, with the plea not to remand the accused in police custody.

Crescendo begins at GGNIMT
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 7
Crescendo, a two-day inter-college cultural festival, began at Gujranwala Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology here today.

The festival was inaugurated by Mr Gurdev Singh Lapran, president, District Congress Committee. Shabad kirtan was recited by a group of the host college, following which teams from 40 technical and eight management colleges of Punjab participated in various events, including sargam (duet), case presentation, quiz, rangoli, sketching, mehndi, choreography and Western group dance. Results: Sargam: Government College for Boys 1, Punjab College of Technical Education 2, and Institute of Management Studies, Guru Nanak College 3.

Case presentation: Rashleen and Harshpreet of Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology 1, Aabha and Gautam of Punjab College of Technical Education 2, and Vikrajeet and Kunal of Government College for Boys 3.

Quiz: Sikander and Dhauraj of CMT, Patiala 1, Nitin and Guatam of Punjab College of Technical Education 2, and Rajat and Mohit of Government College for Boys 3.

Rangoli: Ramgarhia College 1, DD Jain College and Punjab College of Technical Education 2, and Apeejay College, Jalandhar, and JMS 3.

Bindaas Bol : Punjab College of Technical Education 1, Government College for Boys 2, and Apeejay, Jalandhar 3.

Western group dance: Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology 1, Institute of Management Studies 2, and Punjab College of Technical Education 3.

TODAY IS WOMEN’S DAY
Women come and go talking of rights...
Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, March 7
As the nation prepares to celebrate Women's Day, much is required to be done for the uplift of women in the country. While a privileged few will share a cup of tea with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at his residence, others will continue to struggle for existence. Women’s empowerment continues to remain only on paper more than 50 years after Independence.

According to Ms Rakhi Bhandari, Administrator, Improvement Trust, Ludhiana, it is unfortunate that except for a few, women in India are not aware of their rights. “The main reason for the lack of awareness is illiteracy. Women are not being educated properly in the country. They are not aware of various Acts which support them. The traditional society does not permit women to come out of the four walls of the home. The lucky ones, who get the chance to prove themselves, should take the initiative and become beacons of inspiration for the ignorant lot”, she says.

Mr S.K.Sharma, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, feels that Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history. He says that the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men should come to an end now. “Women like Sonia Gandhi and Najma Heptullah have created a niche for themselves in this male-dominating society. Today, women are ruling the scene. Society should give due respect to working women as well as housewives. They should not feel awkward at the workplace”, stresses Mr Sharma.

A social activist, Ms Pappo Abnash, feels that women should be given the right of equality. “Unfortunately, in India people think that women are emotionally as well as physically weaker than men. They are not being educated by parents. People are indulging in the unethical practice of female foeticide because they think that girls are a burden. But in some cases, women are taking undue advantage of their rights, like in fake dowry cases. For a prosperous society, men should cooperate with women in all spheres. Women should be given a chance to prove themselves”, she opines.

Ms Ruby Fernandes, Principal, Ludhiana Public High School, feels it is very difficult for women to be successful in a male-dominating society. “Women are not lacking in anything but it is men who are not giving them any chance to come forward. Women are being exploited by men at the workplace, they are not being given their rights. They are considered a burden on the family. If we are given opportunities, we can come up very well in every field”, she believes.

Rebels may eclipse Cong candidates
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Jagraon, March 7
Rebel candidates are threatening the poll prospects of at least 10 Congress candidates in the municipal committee elections scheduled to be held here on Sunday.

If the District Congress Committee Ludhiana (rural) president Gurdev Singh Lapran is to be believed, all rebel candidates are being supported by former minister and senior Congress leader Darshan Singh Brar.

There are 19 wards in the Jagraon Municipal Committee. Elections are being held for 17 wards as two Congress candidates have been elected unopposed.

Mr Lapran claimed here today that he had received representations from several party candidates, levelling charges against Mr Brar that he was supporting the rebels.

Mr Lapran said he had written to state Congress chief H.S. Hanspal, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and AICC general secretary and in charge of Punjab Mohsina Kidwai, seeking action against Mr Brar.

The DCC president warned that in case the rebels were not tamed, they could harm the prospects of party candidates.

Mr Brar, a former minister, had been expelled from the Congress during the last Assembly elections after he contested from Jagraon as an Independent candidate.

He had polled the second highest number of votes, which led to the victory of the SAD candidate. The Congress candidate had forfeited his deposit. Mr Brar had been later readmitted in the Congress.

Mr Lapran said he had received written complaints from party candidates Atma Ram Bawa from Ward 1, Surjit Kaur from Ward 2, Purshotam Khalifa from Ward 16 and others that Mr Brar had fielded rebel candidates from their wards.

They had urged Mr Lapran to take up the issue with senior leaders.

Party sources maintained that the rebellion by Mr Brar was not unexpected.

They said it reflected the factionalism in the party as Mr Brar was opposed to Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, Ludhiana MP, who commanded influence in the area.

Mr Brar is reportedly undeterred by the threats of action since he feels that this is the time when he can make his presence felt.

If his supporters manage to win in significant numbers, he may get someone of own choice appointed president of the municipal committee.

Elections are scheduled to be held to the municipal committees of Ludhiana, Khanna, Samrala, Raikot and Jagraon.

Campaigning ends for MC poll
Bhushan Sood

Mandi Gobindgarh, March 7
With the campaigning coming to an end from 4 p.m. today political parties held extended meetings, which were addressed by the top brass of their respective parties in support of the candidates fielded by them for the civic elections here.

Addressing a meeting organised by the BJP at Loha Bazar here yesterday Mr Balramji Das Tandon, a former minister, cautioned the people against being trapped in the false propaganda of the congress regarding the abolishing of octroi collection.

Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, state president, BJP, said people in the state were dissatisfied with the performance of the Congress government. He alleged that to cover up its failures the government with the help of bureaucracy had rejected nomination papers of SAD-BJP candidates in many towns for the civic elections.

Mr Dalip Singh Pandhi, former minister, apprehended booth capturing, rigging in MC poll in certain wards. Mr Swaran Singh Chinarthal, district president, SAD, Mr Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, member, SGPC, have been addressing meetings in support of their candidates who are contesting as Independents.

Interestingly two reporters are directly contesting the elections while the third, Mr Ram Chet, has put up his wife Sunita Rani from ward No. 2 on the BJP symbol.

Mr Gurkirpal Singh Ashak, reporter and an Independent candidate from Ward No. 1,addressed a meeting along with Mr Surjeet Singh Marjara, a Punjabi writer.

However, six rebel Congress candidates contesting against the Congress' official candidates pose a threat to the latter.

Mr Dharam Pal, former Vice-President of the council, in a complaint to the SDM, Amloh, yesterday accused that a relative of a MP along with his supporters had threatened voters not to vote in his favour. When contacted, Mr Amarjeet Singh Shahi, SDM, Amloh, today said the complaint had been forwarded to the police for necessary action.

The families of the candidates have also come out to ensure their success. Relatives of voters from out side are also pouring into the town to get the votes polled in favour of their candidates. Free distribution of liquor has become a common thing in some wards.

Mr Shahi told the mediapersons said 44,000 ballot papers had been supplied to the presiding officers-cum-assistant returning officers along with book of instructions.

Meanwhile, in Samrala Ms Malkiat Kaur Dhillon, wife of MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon, along with many women went from door-to-door last evening for Congress candidates while the SAD-BJP unit of Samrala distributed pamphlets in the city in which 11 interesting questions were asked.

Objections raised on voters’ lists
Our Correspondent

Khanna, March 7
In the process of preparing new voters’ lists of the Khanna Municipal Council the residents today raised objections against the new voters’ lists. The new voters’ lists were published for which the objections were to be lodged by March 6.

For 27 wards of the Khanna Municipal Council total 2,507 objection have been lodged saying that these votes were bogus while 1,522 claims have been lodged as their names in the lists have not been registered.

According to SDM, Khanna, 251 claims for the registration of new votes have been lodged in ward No. 8, while objections for bogus votes are 537. In ward No. 1 total claims are 140, in ward No. 2 number of objection for bogus votes are 40, in ward No. 3 total claims for registration of new votes are 30 and objections for bogus votes are 81. In ward No. 4 total claims are 71 while objections for bogus votes are 16, in ward No. 5 total claims are 30, in ward No. 6 34, in ward No. 7 2, in ward No. 9 260 and objections are seven and in ward No. 10 total claims are 4. In ward No. 11 no claim or objection has been lodged, in ward No 12 total claims are 54, in ward No 13 51 and objections are 150, in ward No. 15 only one claim has been lodged.

In ward No. 16 79 claims and six objections have been lodged, in ward No. 17 192 claims and seven objection have been lodged, in ward No. 19 266 claims and 61 objections have been raised, in ward No. 20 45 claims and 48 objections have been lodged, in ward No. 21 total 277 claims have been registered, in ward No. 22 total 237 claims have been made and 429 objections have been lodged, in ward No. 23 total 66 claims and 69 objections have been lodged, in ward No. 24 151 claims lodged, in ward No. 25 31 claims lodged, in ward No. 26 19 claims and five objections have been lodged and in ward No. 27 69 claims have been lodged and seven objections have been registered . Total 52 claims for correction of the names of the voters have been lodged to the SDM office, Khanna.

After verification of the claims and the objections the final voters’ lists would be published on March 17.

Khanna MC poll on April 5
Our Correspondent

Khanna, March 7
The election to Municipal Council Khanna will be held on April 5, according to the State Election Commission. A message in this regard was received at the SDM’s office here today. According to the message, the nomination could be filed till March 27, scrutiny of the nomination papers would be done on March 28 and the last date for withdrawal of papers would be March 29. Voting would be held on April 5 and the counting would be held on the same day.

Grow more cane, millers to farmers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 7
A seminar on “Recent advances in sugarcane cultivation technology” was organised on the premises of Jagraon Cooperative Sugar Mills Ltd. at Jagraon, around 40 km from here, today. Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, MP, was the chief guest and Mr Malkiat Singh Dakha, MLA, was guest of honour.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr A.N. Singh Chauhan, Managing Director, said the sugar mill required 35 lakh quintal of sugarcane every season for crushing and at present productivity level almost 20,000 acres of land was needed for the crop. “Although, there has been an enormous improvement in cane crushing from 5.35 lakh quintal in 1998-99 to 23.50 lakh quintal in 2001-02 and sugar recovery from 6.98 per cent to 9.06 per cent during the same period, yet further improvement is required for the survival of the mills, which can only be attained by increasing sugarcane productivity per unit area and sugar recovery from the crushed cane.”

Mr Chauhan observed that a few years back, a new technology was developed at the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, known as “ring system” of sugarcane planting. “Under this technique, cane is planted in pits, seed rate is increased, only mother shoots are allowed to form cane and optimum utilisation of water and nutrients are ensured resulting in two to three times increase in sugarcane yield per unit area.”, he said. The system could not gain popularity with farmers as it was labour and cost intensive.

However, efforts to bring further improvement had led to development of a mechanical pit digger locally, which had reduced the dependence on labour to a large extent. With this development, it was expected that the system would be adopted by the farmers of the area in the best interest of the sugar industry and cane growers.

Mr Chauhan further said the Punjab Government had entered into one-time settlement with financial institutions and as a result, the sugar mills had been benefited with a sum of Rs 7,366.13 lakh. The government had converted the RDF loan and its accrued interest amounting to Rs 126 crore into grant-in-aid and had further provided a sum of Rs 261.00 lakh for payment of arrears of cane price of last season 2001-2002.

The cheques for a sum of Rs 261 lakh were distributed among farmers by Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib and Mr Malkiat Singh Dakha. The management also asked the farmers to collect the balance amount from the mill. With disbursement of this amount, the mill has cleared the arrears of cane price for the season 2001-02.

Mr Charanjit Singh, Deputy CCDO, and Mr Darshan Singh, ACDO, also addressed the function. A large number of farmers attended the seminar. The technique of ring system of sugarcane plantation was also demonstrated.

Punjabi literary magazine released
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 7
“Bol Punjab De”, a literary magazine, was released by the PAU Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh, here last evening. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Aulakh said the media had a big role to play in social change and progress. “Although the electronic media has cast a considerable influence on society, the print media is still a force to reckon with,” he said.

He said Punjabi literary magazines had always been held in high esteem by the people. “Every Punjabi author takes great pride in getting his writings published in Punjabi magazines. These magazines are easy to launch but difficult to continue. I hope ‘Bol Punjab De’ will maintain a high standard,” he said.

Dr Surjit Patar, president of the Punjabi Sahitya Akademi, said “Bol Punjab De” included literary pieces, articles related to education and culture, and even information regarding agriculture. “It is a complete magazine and will have a long innings,” he said.