Amritsar, February 17
The Foreign Secretary of Britain, Mr Jack Straw, has complimented both India and Pakistan for taking a historic decision of starting a bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad describing it as a “fantastic decision”.

“Since I have a lot of Kashmiris in my constituency of Blackburn, I will be carrying home good and pleasant news for them,” said Mr Jack who arrived here last night from Afghanistan on a three-day visit to India.

“Our job is to encourage the peace process and negotiations between the two countries and offer support wherever asked,” he said. “Though we have strong interests in the region because of our historic connections, we respect sovereignty and independence of both India and Pakistan.

Accompanied by other members of his delegation, Mr Jack Straw paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and visited the Jallianwala Bagh before flying to the union Capital for the official engagement.

The visiting Foreign Secretary said his visit to Islamabad had nothing to do with the subsequent visit of Foreign Minister K. Natwar Singh, to both Islamabad and Kabul.

Talking about the sale of nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea by Pakistan’s A.Q. Khan, Mr Straw hoped that there would be a diplomatic solution to the problem. Along the German and French Foreign Ministers, Mr Jack Straw is a member of a European Union troika seeking to defuse the dispute over Iran’s alleged covert ambitions to build atomic weapons.

“We have to believe that there can be a diplomatic solution to this problem,” he said. The whole story, he said, was yet to emerge. “Personally I have no doubts about President Musharraf’s commitment to make Pak nuclear capabilities fare. We achieved a major breakthrough in December, 2003, following an agreement with Libya.

Besides the International Atomic Energy Agency, if need be, we would take the matter of nuclear proliferation to the Security Council. President Bush is supportive of our diplomatic initiative.

Mr Jack Straw had a big “no” on whether Iran would go the Iraq way.

He said it was the decision of the Action Group of Ministers of Commonwealth to ask President Musharraf to shed his uniform. “Never before any Parliament in Pakistan has completed a full term in office. People are very hopeful that the present Parliament would complete the full term to strengthen democracy in Pakistan.

Mr Jack Straw agreed that “forced marriages” and “honour killings” were a major problem, which had turned into transnational crime. “It is these forced marriages with which abductions go. We are trying to bring police forces of Punjab and Britain together. The problem is also there in Pakistan because of its large number of immigrants in Britain. Affected families need to be helped and awareness created,” he added.

He said Britain, United States and India were united in recalling their Ambassadors from Nepal. “Our Director for South Asia will be heading for Nepal for high level negotiations this afternoon. The developments in Nepal are unfortunate, as we had been extending all help to the King, including security forces, for fighting Maoists.

“Problems in other South Asian countries are primarily because of poverty and other social factors. Once the standard of living is improved, such problems will tend to disappear. In Bangladesh, the confrontation between the Government and the Opposition is unfortunate. We are trying to make them sit together and negotiate,” Mr Straw added.

Jalandhar, February 17
Holding the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, responsible for crumbling of the political system and economic infrastructure in Punjab, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, MP and secretary general of the Shiromani Akali Dal, has observed that Capt Amarinder Singh was not liked by most of the Congress MLAs and if he wanted to test it, he could do it himself anytime by holding a secret ballot poll.

In the same breath, Mr Badal alleged that law and order had deteriorated in the state, for only those police and other officials were being posted at key posts who had paid “hefty amounts” to their political masters.

Dubbing Capt Amarinder Singh “hankari raja” (egoist king), Mr Sukhbir Singh alleged that the Chief Minister was hated by most of the Congress MLAs and other leaders of the party, and Congressmen were tolerating him only as he had not only been “paradropped” by the AICC chief Ms Sonia Gandhi, but has also her blessings. “We know that Capt Amarinder Singh is not liked by Congress MLAs, ministers and other leaders.

If he (Capt Amarinder Singh) doubts my challenge, he can hold a secret ballot poll among his party MLAs and he would come to know about it,” asserted Mr Badal.

Lambasting the Congress Government, Mr Badal, who was accompanied by Mr Babbi Badal, a young Akali leader, said nothing had been done to improve the state of basic amenities and as a result the economic infrastructure in the state had got crumbled. “Roads are virtually non-existent in Malwa and Majha areas. Similarly, farmers, businessmen and employees are in a pitiable state and if they protest against it, they are beaten up by the police.

Certain police officials are hand in glove with criminals, who have created chaotic condition resembling to the ones prevailing in Bihar. On the other hand, Capt Amarinder Singh thinks that he could crush people’s voice and any opposition with the help of the police. It is bureaucracy and police which, in fact, are running the state nowadays,” alleged Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Mr Sukhbir Badal said his party was equipped with a large number of “proofs” of corruption by the Congress government. “We have all the information and we will unveil it at a later stage as we don’t want to exhaust our ammunition at once.”

Turning to Ajnala, Mr Badal said his party would win the poll with a big margin despite that SAD panches and sarpanches were being implicated in false police cases. Cautioning officials against playing any “unfair” role during the poll, Mr Badal said the SAD was busy making lists of those officials who would coerce people and force them to vote in favour of the Congress.

Referring to the Nanavati Commission report and the stance of the SAD towards it, Mr Badal said all the NDA constituents would sit and make a joint strategy soon.

Meanwhile, three senior leaders of the Lok Bhalai Party (LBP) joined the Shiromani Akali Dal along with “hundreds of workers” here today in the presence of Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Announcing this, Mr Parmjit Sidhwan, a former senior leader of the LBP, said he along with Mr Jagjit Singh Lopo, Mr Bhola Singh Virk and hundreds of their supporters had joined the SAD.

Chandigarh, February 17
The legendary Sir Swraj Paul has been flirting with British politics for the past nine years after he chose to retire from active business but enterprise continues to be his first love. Being a Punjabi and an Indian, Lord Paul is concerned at the pace of economic growth in India, which by world standards is ‘phenomenal’, but ‘slow’ in his opinion.

“Economists do realise India’s potential, but their talks of India reaching places in two to three decades is what I question? Given the potential of Indians, we are capable of achieving in the next five years what the world expects us to do over the next 20 or 25 years. The three million youngsters who graduate each year must realise that opportunities that has emerged with globalisation will not wait, there are others out there, waiting to grab every opportunity that arises”, Lord Swraj Paul said while talking to The Tribune, here today.

“India has a great future, but the world does not wait for you. We have the ingredients. Let the economy not take 20 to 30 years to get there, let us do it in quicker. I know we can do it and if we miss this opportunity, it will be bad news for all of us”.

A strong advocate for promoting ‘manufacturing engineering’ over the service industry, Lord Paul said, “The question is not really about choosing between the services or manufacturing industry. India is the only country that can take on China in the manufacturing sector; there is no other country in the western world that can compete with the China”.

A man with conviction, he has decided to set up a “School of Excellence in Manufacturing” in collaboration with the Punjab Technical University (PTU). He said “I will build the school, run it, bring technology from abroad and train people for the world”.

Reacting to India’s preparedness for globalisation, he said, “You have to look at the world as a market, India was reluctant in adopting this viewpoint and it kept the country back. Globalisation is the acceptance of the people as equal, sharing their aspirations, achievements, values, frustrations etc. Now mindsets are changing and we can all look forward to growth and prosperity”.

It is during the last decade that numerous names like N R Narayana Murthy (Infosys) and Mr. Azim Premji (Wipro) have emerged on the India’s economic scenario. “Before that we would only hear the names that we continue to hear from childhood,” he said. But he warned that it was a highly competitive global market where small obstructions could lead to major setbacks to economic growth.

Having deep attachment to the soil of his origin, Lord Swraj was instrumental in pushing Punjab in general and his native town Jalandhar in particular for British investment. Over a year ago he led a British trade delegation to Jalandhar and even announced the opening of a UK visa office there. This, he said, had led to several companies giving the region a serious thought in terms of setting up establishments here.

Lord Swraj emphasised that India had a big advantage of having a large population of young people compared to other countries of the world. “Rest of the world has a work force that is growing old, China too, due to its birth control policies will have substantially smaller work force compared to India over the next 25 years. If we can manage to impart world-class training to our youth, there is good news all the way. We need to spot talent and encourage it. When I first met Dhirubhai Ambani, I could predict that he will go places and despite the government hounding him, he did make it to the top”.

The industrialist, educationist and philanthropist when asked how he prefers to be addressed was categorical, “Swraj Paul” he said. But he did not hide his love for children, “In fact I have a weakness for them”, he said disclosing that he chose to be associated with the London Zoo because he knew that the place would be full of children all the time.

He has made a donation of Rs 1 crore for educating children who got orphaned after the tsunami hit costal areas of India.

He said he hated giving advice, but when pressed repeated what he said 15 years ago at MIT, his alma mater, “never asks an old man for advice, his frustrations come with it, make your own challenges and make your own mistakes, as you learn only from your own mistakes. And I still believe in what I said”.

Mohali, February 17
Lord Swraj Paul, NRI industrialist and chairman of UK-based Caparo Group of Companies, announced a donation of Rs 5 crore for setting up of a Centre of Excellence in Material Manufacturing at Jalandhar, his birth place.

Lord Swraj was delivering his acceptance speech after Punjab Technical University (PTU) conferred a PhD degree on him in recognition of his contribution to the field of manufacturing industry, education and philanthropy here today.

The degree to Lord Swraj was conferred by Punjab Chief Secretary and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the University Jai Singh Gill. The Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh handed over the certificate to Lord Paul during the third convocation of the university held at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education Research, (NIPER) here today.

“I have no doubts that as far as manufacturing is concerned, India can become a world leader, leaving behind China. And manufacturing is my passion. I would help build a world class school dedicated to manufacturing in the city of my birth,” he said.

Stating that he had always believed in dignity of work, Lord Swraj encouraged the students to restore faith in India’s potential and at the same time have an understanding of the international dimensions.

“Compromise with integrity has been the source of the nation’s downfall. We lost direction when the world moved towards globalisation. But I am delighted that we have begun to understand that boundaries between what is national and what is international are fast blurring,” he said.

“Each one of us has a role to play in the wind of change that is sweeping the nation. Each one of us has to excel in what we undertake. You have obligations towards your family, society and the country but the most towards yourself,” he said addressing the students.

Patiala, February 17
He supped with the Devil. He claims he was party to a “great sin” — the killing of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. He heard two shots allegedly fired at Khalra and saw blood oozing out of the activist’s chest when he was thrown into a van by two police personnel who held his arms and legs. The same method, he maintains, was used to throw the body in a canal near Harike. The de-humanisation of Special Police Officer Kuldeep Singh was complete when he drank liquor with the perpetrators of the “crime” after the “act”.

Kuldeep Singh claims that today he is a changed man. Nine years after the disappearance of Khalra he is the main witness of the CBI. The CBI has charged six police personnel with having murdered Khalra on the basis of the confession made by Kuldeep before the agency. Kuldeep recorded his deposition in a local court yesterday.

How did the transformation of a man, who did not report the alleged murder for three years after it occurred take place? Kuldeep maintains in his deposition that his conscience troubled him after he heard a human rights activist speak about Khalra during an election speech in 1997. But he also mentions that he kept approaching the police to get a permanent commission but failed in this endeavour.

When asked whether he would still have spilled the beans if he had got a permanent commission, Kuldeep said “God would have forced me to speak the truth even if I had been given a permanent commission”. Asked further during an interview as to why he had remained quiet for so long after the alleged act, he replied forthrightly, “I kept quiet because I was mortally afraid of Ajit Singh Sandhu (then SSP) and only decided to speak up after he committed suicide”.

Kuldeep’s is a difficult story to relate as it has a whole lot of twists and turns. Born in a family which had only two acres of land in Bachrrey village in Tarn Taran police district, he went to Himachal Pradesh after Class X and got a job as a pump operator at the Nathpa Jhakri Power Project. It was here that he got in touch with the Ropar police and its then SSP A. S. Sandhu who recruited him as a Special Police Officer (SPO) when he gave vital information which led to the arrest of six Kashmiri militants. This association with Sandhu, who took him on as a gunman, brought him into Khalra’s life, he claims.

The SPO says Sandhu took him along to Tarn Taran where he looked after Khalra when he was brought to the Jhabal police station, walked an injured Khalra when he was taken to meet K. P. S. Gill, witnessed his “execution” and also witnessed how his body was disposed of. He claims his conscience was pricked when he learnt what Khalra stood for and this made him decide to speak up.

“Trying to speak the truth has been the most difficult decision of my life”, says Kuldeep. “After I deposed before the CBI in 1998, the accused police officials met me and claimed the CBI officials who had recorded my deposition had already apologised to K. P. S. Gill for the same. This, as well as a false case registered against another witness in the case, shook me and I gave a statement that Khalra’s widow had paid a witness’’. The star witness maintains that only when he was able to get CRPF security did he pick up the courage to speak the truth.

“I have remained steadfast since then”, he claims adding that as late on February 13 this year his father-in-law was picked up by the Adampur police from Jalandhar. “My father-in-law told me the police was pressurising him to request me not to name K. P. S. Gill in my deposition before the court. When I and others approached the Jalandhar police they denied having done any such thing.

Now with the deposition over Kuldeep says he feels immense relief. “God has given me a chance to tell the truth”.

Does he feel afraid?. “Not so much as my wife and children”, he says “because they do not have any security when I am away from home”. Being unable to provide for his wife who has opened a kiryana shop in the village to make both ends meet worries him. “I told the truth, give me a job so that I can look after my family”, he adds.

Amritsar, February 17
Cricketer-turned politician Navjot Sidhu is unhappy on being misquoted on the Nanavati Commission report, saying that he could never imagine describing the 1984 riots as “street riots” as he himself had undergone the agony and pain of this “black chapter” of Indian history.

Talking to The Tribune at Ajnala here this afternoon, Mr Sidhu, who is campaigning here for the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, Mr Amarpal Singh, said that he wants that the entire Nanavati Commission report should not only be tabled in Parliament but all its details should be made public.

“How can I forget the harrowing time I had undergone when I was away with the Punjab team playing a cricket match when the riots broke out. We — myself and our pace bowler Rajinder Singh Ghai — were lucky to escape the fury of the mob at Morena because we were in the reserved compartment.

“My father was so upset and worried that he could not even drink a glass of water till I reached home safely. From Morena when I reached Delhi, the situation was very tense and explosive. I had to wear a long hat to reach the home of my cricket friend Yash Pal Sharma with whom I stayed for a few days before I could safely travel to Patiala,” recalls Mr Sidhu.

Not only that, says Mr Sidhu, I refused to get my team introduced to Mr Jagdish Tytler in a major cricket tournament. I have been the only BJP MP who has been regularly joining Shiromani Akali Dal MPs in staging walkouts from Parliament as and when any of the Congress Ministers accused of engineering anti-Sikh riots rises to speak or answer questions. “How could a man like me describe the 1984 riots as mere street riots?” he asked.

Mr Sidhu is a star attraction at election rallies being held in villages and small towns. He spares no opportunity to lash out at the UPA Government at the centre accusing it to be anti-people and anti-farmer.

“This government came to power on the slogan that it would be a common man’s government. But see what results it has produced in nine months. Sugar prices have skyrocketed to Rs 23 a kg. If sugar prices are rising, farmers should get good price for their sugarcane. But it is the other way. Sugarcane prices have not been revised. Not only that, farmers are yet to be paid arrears for the sugarcane they supplied in the previous years.

“The LPG cylinder has become costlier by Rs 80 in nine months. Fertilisers are sold in the black market. Power supply has been tottering.”

Accompanied by former Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, and former Punjab Ministers, Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla and Mr Ranjit Singh Ballian, Mr Sidhu has been addressing 10 to 12 rallies a day.

Ludhiana, February 17
For the Bangalle tribe, crime seems to be the only way of life. They do not believe in family planning, indulge in polygamy, relish meat daily, especially claws and heads of wild animals, have eight children on an average and continue to bear more, as long as their bodies are fit to produce.

Untouched by the lofty claims of successive governments regarding their rehabilitation, the tribe’s survival on crime was reaffirmed today by the Ludhiana police which announced the arrest of 13 allegedly hardcore members of the notorious tribe.

The list of the suspected acts of crime is long but so far they have admitted to committing dozens of robberies in North India in which they killed six persons, injured 16 and ruined many families in the process. The police took the accused to the scenes of different crimes where the latter showed how they had entered into a house and where they killed the victims.

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed at the media briefing when the relatives of those killed by the accused bayed for their blood in revenge.

The accused do not know the difference between days, weeks and months. If you ask them in which month they had come to Ludhiana, they answer Tuesday. They do not also believe they murdered a person, “A person pays for his good or bad deeds. We just hit them so that they cannot resist,” they believe.

Their notoriety was further highlighted when a police official thundered that they (accused) should also be killed. The gang members requested with folded hands, “Sahib ab chhor do, aage se mareinge nahin chori chakkari kar lenge”.

SSP Narinderpal Singh said the detective wing of the city police, headed by SP Gurpreet Singh and his team, worked for more than two months to trace the whereabouts of the gang members and finally succeeded in arresting them from the Prem Vihar colony here yesterday.

The accused have their base in Kangra in Himachal Pradesh with some members settled near Tarn Taran in Punjab. Some groups also live in Uttar Pradesh. The arrested accused were Fakiria, alias Fakir, alias Hari, Subash, alias Balli, Kharkana, alias Sony, Soorti, alias Mental, Sanyasi, alias Deepak, Birju, alias Dina, Saana, alias Sohan, Balkar, alias doori, Surjit, alias Katti, Mittar, alias Mitri, Makhni Nath, alias Pappu, Anju, alias Ajju and Bhakan, alias Bhano.

They had brutally murdered a teacher couple in Mullanpur last year, killed a karyana merchant, Sohan Lal, in December 2004, clubbed to death a father and son in Rajjowal in September 2003 and killed a Sewadaar, Maghar Singh, in Virk village last year.

The Bangalle tribe is listed as a professional criminal tribe in the Punjab police records and elaborate studies were done on them by British officers two centuries ago. The tribe comprises nomads who pose as snake charmers. These alleged criminals were considered more dangerous than the Bauria and Padris, as they struck during moonlit nights.

SSP Narinderpal Singh said SP Gurpreet Singh had done in-depth study on their criminal activities and found that committing crime was a matter of not only survival but pride for these people. He said it was a subject of sociology as to why the tribes had remained untouched by the development around them.

12-year-old boy goes missing
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 17
Satish, alias Kala (12), working as waiter in the marriage palaces, today went missing under mysterious circumstances from Danga Pidit Colony of this town.

Yesterday, four unidentified persons kidnapped a schoolboy from the urban estate area of this town in the late evening. However, the boy escaped from their captivity.

Mr Ajay Pal Singh, in charge, police post, Civil Lines, said that though the parents of Satish, alias Kala, had lodged no formal complaint in connection with his disappearance under mysterious circumstances, efforts were on to trace him.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that Satish, son of Mr Surinder Kumar, a car driver, had been friendly with one youth, Inderjit Pal, for the past few years. Inderjit Pal was a bad character and used to indulge in the anti-social activities.

Information revealed that Satish was last seen with Inderjit Pal before he went missing in the afternoon.

Police sources said that a boy, who was suspected to be aware of the whereabouts of Satish, was rounded up by the police for questioning. The policemen also contacted the parents of Inderjit Pal, who had claimed that they had disowned Inderjit Pal a few years ago because of his illegal activities.

Meanwhile, the worried parents and other kin of Satish had been making efforts on their own to find out their boy.

Bathinda, February 17
The attendance in various schools in the town and its surrounding areas remained thin today as panic spread in the area following a bid to kidnap a school student. Four unidentified persons had tried to kidnap a child in the Urban Estate area here late last evening.

Not only this, most of the parents who normally sent their children to schools on auto-rickshaws, rickshaws or on foot preferred to drop and pick up their wards from schools today.

According to reports several students of higher classes, who were taking private tuitions, had stopped attending tuition classes at odd hours. However, some of the students going for tuition classes were accompanied by their family members.

Mr Jaswinder Singh, Principal of a local school, said as many as 150 students were absent from the school today as against 60 absentees on a normal day. He added that school authorities had verified the reason behind the absence of these students by making calls to their respective homes.

The Principal of the local Mahant Gurbanta Dass Deaf and Dumb School pointed out that entry of strangers and kin of the students living in hostel had been banned after the school working hours. Visitors were being allowed only during school hours and that too after verifying their credentials.

Some school managements have been started making lists of the students belonging to rich families.

Information revealed that the parents, who could not accompany their wards to their respective schools, remained in contact with them through other family members. The students had been asked to move in groups during recess period and were directed not to leave the school premises during school hours.

“Can we risk the lives of our children by allowing them to go to schools alone at the moment? We will have to accompany our children to avoid any unpleasant incident,” said Ms Manpreet Kaur, a concerned parent who took her two children to school in the morning and also picked them up after school in the afternoon.

Some parents, however, pointed out that the recent wave of fear among the students would play havoc with the children’s preparation for annual examinations.

Mr Kapil Dev, SSP, said a meeting of principals of different schools of the region had been held by DIG, Faridkot range, and the principals had been instructed to supervise security arrangements in their respective schools. He said the students should also be more cautious.

The auto-rickshaw drivers, rickshaw-pullers and drivers of other vehicles involved in the transportation of students to their respective schools from their houses should also be kept under watch, said the SSP.

The police also said principals and teachers of schools in rural areas should keep a watch on the movement of strangers. Students have also been instructed not to take lift and accept eatables from anyone.

PATIALA HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Handicrafts win hearts
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 17
Jagjit Singh and his music have evolved through ages, much like siblings trying to match each other. Now as the twilight beckons, it is testing time for both the melody and its master.

Ask Jagjit Singh what it takes to live a lifetime of romance with music and he smiles reassuringly, “It takes simplicity and a world of patience. My music has had its share of adornments. There was a time when I decorated it with technique and vigour. Now I need not go through the ritual of wooing my art. I like keeping it peaceful now…more basic and simple.”

Caught in an unusually obliging mood yesterday Jagjit Singh poured his heart out, touching on aspects he never acknowledged earlier. He, however, appeared perturbed by film music trend that has no space for his kind of music.

“No one in the film industry wants me because my kind of music does not sell anymore. Perhaps the listeners have more expectations than I can meet but that doesn’t keep me from being myself. I will never resort to gimmicks to boost sales.

“Also, music must have its phases. It can’t be technically-remarkable all the time. The process must be balanced lest it becomes exacting both for the music and its maker,” said the legendary ghazal singer who was in Patiala yesterday to watch the staging of Harpal Tiwana’s production “Sirhind di Deewar”. Jagjit Singh has made music for the play and has rendered three shabads.

The singer’s philosophy is reflected in his works which are more inspired by earthiness than glamour. He has charted his own course, has sung “Marasim’ with Gulzar, released devotional albums and has created videos for Gulzar’s works.

“I am making another album with him, and this one is better than the last. There is another one with Bashir Badr due for release,” said Jagjit Singh while denying that there is any dearth of writers.

“There is dearth of composers, not poets. There is so much fine talent waiting to be discovered, but no one has a daring heart,” he rued, while recalling his association with Harpal Tiwana.

“He was an unusually fine director and my participation in the “Sirhind di Deewar” is my tribute to him. The play is well-structured but it has grey areas which I will improve upon.”

As the next musical milestone, Jagjit Singh has created an album featuring bhajans of Sai Baba. Meant to raise funds for the Tsunami struck, it will be released by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on February 21. The initial corpus of Rs 11 lakh has been raised by Jagjit Singh who is also playing an active role in the Harpal Tiwana Foundation.

A part of the foundation’s activities is the establishment of a performing arts academy. The academy will be named after Jagjit Singh’s son Vivek Singh who passed away about a decade ago.

Patiala, February 17
Aashish Khan represents the glorious Senia Beenkar and Rababiya tradition inspired by none other than Mian Tansen. Nurtured by legends like Acharya Allauddin Khan and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Aashish Khan has blossomed into a fine musician who can blend the classical and the contemporary with admirable ease.

On the one hand he is reputed for incredible handling of the “adi sarod” (which has eight strings as against the six-stringed sarod commonly used), on the other he is celebrated as the pioneer of fusion. He was the first to blend world music in 1969 through ‘Shanti”, an Indo-American group that featured him and Zakir Hussain, besides three foreign musicians. The band, however, disintegrated in the absence of management.

But its split did not prevent the onward march of Aashish Khan, who recently formed an Indo-Jazz group called ‘Shingaar’ in America. “The objective is to revive a lost tradition. I am now creating “new jazz’ based on Indian ragas,’ said the maestro on his return to Punjab after 20 years. He came here last to perform at the Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan. He will sit in the concert during the Patiala Heritage Festival celebrations tomorrow.

Although a purist, Aashish Khan does not believe in trammelling the enterprise of music with too much logic. “Everything classical has to lend itself to contemporary. That’s why I managed to collaborate with the best musicians of the world. I have performed with George Harrisson, John Barham, Neil Sidel etc and have worked for labels like Warner Brothers and Electra,” he says.

I have composed music for Hollywood films, including Clint Eastwood’s “Breezy’, David Lean’s last film ‘A Passage to India’, Richard Attenborough’s ‘Gandhi’ and others. In all pursuits, the knowledge of classical music came to my rescue,” says the musician, who was recently bestowed with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

Aashish Khan has also composed music for Indian classics like Satyajit Ray’s “Apur Sansar”, ‘Paras Pathar’, Tapan Sinha’s ‘Aadmi Aur Aurat”, apart from composing a piece for ‘Sholay”. The range of his work has always been formidable. He is now documenting the works of Acharya Allauddin Khan.

Recalling his association with grandfather and guru Allauddin Khan, Aashish Khan says, “We were pushed into music. I remember how lonely and helpless I felt. Winter or summer, we were supposed to strike the first melody on the sarod as the clock struck 6 am. But gradually in life, we realised the value of discipline. I even tried playing sitar, but it is a very painful instrument. Sarod is peaceful and painless.”

Having dedicated his life to sarod, he has now modified it to suit the modern audiences. His contribution in string alignment by altering the bridge structure has yielded a fine tonal quality to the instrument. Says the musician, ‘Ours is a traditional sarod and we like to keep it updated. It is unlike the sarod which Ustad Amjad Ali Khan plays. What he plays is a modification of kabuli rabab.”

Chandigarh, February 17
The non-availability of cheap anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) in government hospitals and health centres in Punjab is enough to drive the victims mad. For a vaccine earlier costing a nominal Rs 20 for a dose, they now have to shell anything between Rs 270-300 for a dose of the expensive alternatives of the vaccine available in the market.

Sources in various district hospitals confirmed that vaccine doses of cheap anti-rabies vaccine, Semple, are no longer available in the OPDs of their anti-rabies clinic and they are simply prescribing costly modern vaccines available in the market. The situation has arisen following the Central Research Institute, Kasauli, not manufacturing the cheap vaccine any more in the wake of the apex court ruling, forbidding the use of sheep goat brain for the manufacture of ARV.

Inquiries reveal that stocks of these vaccines with the hospital had been already exhausted and the common man, who was the main beneficiary of this vaccine, is now forced to spend Rs 1,500 for getting as many as 5-6 doses of the new vaccines, including Rabipur, Verorab, Vaxirab or Rabivax.

Even as these modern tissue culture vaccines are more safe and potent, it is not within the reach of the masses, moreso if two or three members of a family get dog bites in one go, said Dr A.S. Padda, In-Charge of anti-rabies clinic, Civil Hospital, Amritsar. However, we do help the poor patients by making asking an NGO pay for the same or impressing upon the wholesaler stockists to supply him the same at subsidised rates, he added.

Data available in these hospitals also brings out an increase in the incidence of dog bite cases due to the growing stray dog menace. With the dog population increasing, there is about a 10 per cent increase in the incidence of these bites every year, said a senior doctor. But since most patients do not get back to us after taking the prescription, we have no proper figures of the dog bites reported in the clinics every day also the recovery rate. “We are not even sure if they take the vaccine prescribed or not once they find out the cost of the same,” said another doctor. But the cheap vaccine, being administered earlier, had to be phased out because of its local and systemic reactions, including paralysis.

The Managing Director of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation Ltd, Mr T.R Sarangal , said till a few months ago the modern tissue culture vaccines were being made available to the patients inflicted with dog bites at a subsidised cost of Rs 100 per dose under a World Bank project. But now since there is no increase in the budgetary allocation, it is not possible for us to provide the patients with these costly vaccines.

Sangrur, February 17
Despite the tall claims made by the Amarinder government that it has brought the derailed economy of the state back on the rails during the past three years of its regime, non-payment of pensions for the past 19 months to more than 63,000 beneficiaries of old-age pension, widow pension, dependent children pension and disabled pension schemes of the Social Security Department in this district has been exposing the on-going financial crisis in the state.

These 63,000 pensioners have not received their pensions from July, 2003, while the last payment of the pensions to these pensioners was made in March, 2004, for the months of April, May and June, 2003. However, the state government has “failed” in making allocation to the department to release the pensions for nine months (July, 2003, to March, 2004) in the financial year 2003-04.

Sources said the office of the District Social Security Officer here had submitted bills worth Rs 3.81 crore to the District Treasury Office here for the months of April to June, 2004, in August, 2004, to pay the pensions to the more than 63,000 beneficiaries, but these bills had neither been passed nor returned to the District Social Security Office by the District Treasury Office even after more than six months, despite the fact that the state government had already released Rs 5 crore for the current financial year to the district for this purpose.

As the previous pension bills for the months of April to June, 2004, have not been passed by the District Treasury Office so far, the District Social Security Office could not submit pension bills for the next months.

Sources said due to continuous increase in the number of pensioners, at present the number of pensioners of various pension schemes was nearly 70,000 in the district, of which more than 50,000 persons were old-age pensioners.

When The Tribune contacted Mr Piara Lal, Treasury Officer, here today, he admitted that pension bills worth Rs 3.81 crore had been pending with the District Treasury Office for the past six months. He said as and when the state government would give its nod to pass the bills, the same would be passed without any further delay as the bills had been kept pending on the directions of the government. 

Patiala, February 17
Railway Board Chairman R.K. Singh yesterday said the Railways would install “train active warning” devices at 90 ultra sensitive crossings in the country which would provide warnings about approaching trains 3 km away.

Talking to newsmen after inaugurating the rolling out of the 1000th modernised locomotive engine of Diesel Modernisation Works here, the Railway Board Chairman said the device would emanate radio signals to warn about approaching trains.

The Chairman said there were a total of 19,000 unmanned crossings out of which 1282 had been identified for manning on an urgent basis. He said permission for manning 700 crossings had been given and work on the others would also be initiated.

Mr R.K. Singh claimed the Railways had increased both its passenger load and freight load this year. He said while passenger load had increased by 8 per cent, freight had increased by 6 per cent. He said the Railways was expected to surpass its target of carrying a freight load of 580 million tonnes this year.

The railway official said a wagon impact load detector was also in place following collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology. He said besides this, the Railways was exporting locomotives and other equipment to Sudan, Tanzania, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Patiala, February 17
For someone who claims “mein bachpan dekhiya nahi hai” while talking about the hardships faced when he had to sell vegetables along with his father, who was uprooted by Partition, Dr Mohanjeet does not hold any rancour against anyone. Coming across as a mild Mannered man who is firm in his convictions, one learns his poetry is sober and aesthetic but firmly rooted in its ideas.

Dr Mohanjeet learned Urdu at his village school and continued his studies when his father shifted to Amritsar. The boy first read books in Punjabi language available in his school library and later those in Moti Lal Nehru and Bhai Ram Das Libraries in the city.

This quest for knowledge led him to poetry. “I was forced by circumstances to appear as a private student for all examinations after matric,” he says, adding that he went on to do post-graduation as a private student in both English and Punjabi. The young boy, who was also a member of the Lok Lekhak Sabha, used to invite poets like Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Shiv Kumar Batalvi to its meetings, was by then making the dons of Guru Nanak Dev University uncomfortable with his ideas. “I then decided to go to Delhi for my Ph.D and a job as a lecturer in Delhi University.”

On when he realised poetry was his chosen field, he says the “ehsaas” came when he was studying in Class X level, but it was a nazm recited by him at a meeting of the Lekhak Sabha which got printed in Preet Larhi which buoyed him up. “After that there was no stopping him. Several of his nazms were published in Panj Dariya.

The poet has always supported the progressive movement in the state. He has also brought both his contemporaries and famous poets and writers of the country closer to his people by going in for sketches of their life and philosophy in Punjabi. Krishan Dobti, Amrita Shergil, Begum Akhtar and Amrita Pritam, besides others, have been covered under this exercise.

Patiala, February 17
Irate farmer unions yesterday blocked the Mall Road in protest against the adamant attitude of the Punjab State Electricity Board authorities towards their long-pending demands, including privatisation of the board under the garb `unbundling’.

Thousands of farmers started gathering here since early morning to register their protest due to which the entire stretch of the Mall Road from the busy Fountain Chowk to Kali Mata Temple remained out of bound for the residents.

Farmers of the BKU (Sidhupur), the Punjab Kisan Sabha, the Kirti Kisan Sabha and the Kheti Vikas Front were in the forefront of the two-hour-long agitation.

The local police had placed diversions at important points of the road but this did not prevent the residents of the town from having a harried time.

The main demands of the farmers was to prevail upon the Board management to not to implement the Electricity Act-2003 and to also prevent the privatisation of the Board.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Pishora Singh Sidhu, president of the BKU (Ekta), said the overall position of the state’s farming community was deteriorating with every passing day as the management had failed to respond to the needs of the farmers.

He added that it was imperative upon the farmers to borrow loans as the MSP offered for both wheat and paddy by the Central Government was insufficient.

Fatehgarh Sahib, February 17
Keeping in view the failing of milk samples and positive reports of adulteration in the milk being

supplied to the public, Mr S.K.Ahluwalia, Deputy Commissioner here today directed all SDMs to launch a campaign against adulteration. He also asked them to organise milk-testing camps. He was addressing a monthly meeting of district officials.

He also directed the DFSC and the District Health Department to take samples of eatables and ensure adulteration free supply of essential commodities.

He said the Punjab Government was celebrating its completion of three years in power. Week-long celebrations would start in the state from February 27. On March 2, functions would be held at Fatehgarh Sahib. During these function, various development projects would be initiated. He said the district administration had launched a campaign to recover loans extended by various government departments. He directed all revenue officials to speed up loan recovery.

He also directed executive officers of all municipal councils to file applications in respective courts to get stay orders vacated in various cases relating to encroachments.

He asked MC officials not to work under any political pressure. He called upon them to do their duty honestly and serve the people with dedication. He said discipline and punctuality should be ensured at every cost.

He directed the district officials to send the utilisation certificates as regards government grants sanctioned from time to time, so that all development projects could be completed in planned manner. He called upon the officials to plant trees in their offices, residences and at public places so that the district could be converted into a green district. He also urged them to involve Sarpanches and other social organisations in this noble cause.

Later, monthly progress reports regarding the implementations of various rural development schemes, was submitted to Mr Mohinder Pal Arora, ADC (G).

Ajnala, February 17
All the entry and exit points to the historic gurdwara, Baba Budha Sahib (Samadh), in Ramdas village of Ajnala tehsil have been sealed by the Punjab police since yesterday.

To prevent the members of Elementary Teachers Training Union (ETTU) from holding a protest rally against the Congress, a virtual siege has been laid around the gurdwara. The road leading to Ajnala from Amritsar has been barricaded. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), with a view to take advantage of the situation, has been sending its leaders to address the agitating teachers. Langar (community kitchen) has also been arranged for the agitating teachers.

The teachers reached Ramdas village on February 15. Mr Jagsir Singh Sahota, senior vice-president, ETTU, said the police did not allow them to enter Ajnala. Therefore, they decided to board DMUs from Amritsar and Verka railway stations in small groups.

Mr Sahota said the Punjab Government had arranged a meeting between the representatives of the union and the Education Minister this evening in Chandigarh.

He said they had already sent protesting teachers in small groups to nearby villages to show CDs to the voters. These CDs contained the speech of Capt Amarinder Singh promising them jobs during the earlier byelections—a promise he had not fulfilled.

He said a DSP-rank officer had conveyed to them yesterday that the Chief Minister would like to meet them at Othiyan village. However, he said, they decided not to meet him as they were suspicious of his intention.

Nearly 300 teachers are staying in the gurdwara and partaking of langar. He said no teacher was allowed to go out of the gurdwara.

Moga, February 17
While a large number of government schoolteachers are being deputed for annual examinations, the state government has also decided to engage them in the fifth economic survey. This has caused resentment among the teaching community here.

Talking to The Tribune here today, some schoolteachers, on condition of anonymity, said that the state government went back on its word of not taking non-educational work from them.

On the other hand, the school heads are busy preparing lists of teachers to forward these to the District Education 
Officer.

It seems that amid the economic survey and examination season, the state government has forgotten about its directive to the schools to ensure a high rate of admissions in the new academic session.

According to sources, the government officials have to collect data relating to the economic condition of people from about 1.75 lakh homes of the district.

It is not an easy job keeping in mind the fact that the economic survey proforma has 18 
columns.

The sources said about 28,000 posts were lying vacant in the government schools across the state, of which 8,000 were vacant in primary schools alone for long.

In this situation, deployment of teachers in the economic survey may take a heavy toll on studies as well as the examination process.

They said the state government had also asked the schools’ staff to start the admission process from Standard I to VI from March 1 and put in all efforts to ensure a high admission rate.

Similarly, they have been told to kick off the admission process from Standard IX to XI from April 1 on a war 
footing.

Expressing resentment on the issue, Mr Surinder Singh, a Democratic Teachers’ Front leader, said that Punjab Education Minister Harnam Dass Johar had, at a meeting with the representatives of various teachers’ bodies on November 10 last year, promised that the teachers would not be engaged in non-educational work.

He demanded that the teachers should be not deputed for the economic survey so that schools could function 
smoothly.

The DEO, Mr Ashok Sachdeva, said that at present only teachers’ names had been sought for the economic survey and that it would take some time to start.

He said the admission process to Standard VI would start from March 1 this time instead of the usual date of April 1.