 |
|
|
|
|
|
PPCC recommends action against Jagmeet Brar
Amritsar, February 26 Mr Brar had criticised the Chief Minister for widespread violence during the Ajnala byelection, which compelled the state party chief to refer his case to the party high command. Being a member of the AICC, the PPCC can’t take direct action against Mr Brar. The letter has been faxed to Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister and in-charge Punjab Affairs, by the PPCC chief, Mr H.S. Hanspal. According to highly placed sources in the PPCC, Mr Hanspal has pleaded that the party candidates had won the Kapurthala and Nawanshahr byelections with thumping majority, as the party had given a united fight to the Shiromani Akali Dal. The fax further reads that except for Mr Brar, entire Congress party had put up a united face during the Ajnala byelection. The PPCC chief has reportedly asked Mr Mukherjee that Mr Brar was spoiling the congenial atmosphere by making public statements through the press instead of resolving his differences at the party platform. Earlier, Mr Hanspal had warned Mr Brar to restrain himself from highlighting his grievances in the media. Meanwhile , Mr Brar met senior leaders of the AICC at New Delhi to apprise them of the alleged ‘irresponsible statements’ made by the Chief Minister while canvassing. It may be mentioned here that Mr Brar had criticised SAD chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and Capt Amarinder Singh. It is learnt that Mr Brar had to rush to New Delhi, as he was already apprehending action against him for his public statements against Capt Amarinder Singh. Mr Brar had already stated that the PPCC had launched a signature campaign against him.
|
|
|
Brar sends letter to Sonia
Amritsar, February 26 Talking to The Tribune from New Delhi on phone today, before meeting Mr Parnab Mukherji, Defence Minister and in charge, Punjab affairs, Mr Brar alleged that his phone lines were being tapped by the CID and the Intelligence at the behest of the Chief Minister. He said he was being followed like a shadow by the state intelligence. He alleged that the state machinery had been used against him when he contested election from the Ferozepore Lok Sabha constituency. In his letter, he alleged that Capt Amarinder Singh had been shielding his son, Mr Raninder Singh, and other Congress leaders, including Mr Rana Sodhi.
|
|
Indo-Pak panel mooted to remove ‘distortions’
Amritsar, February 26 Addressing the two-day national conference on media and Punjabi language hosted by Dhani Ram Chatrik Punjabi Literary Society and Heritage Club organised by BBK DAV College for Women, Mr Zaman said history books in both the countries had outlived their utility and had produced a lot of suspicion among the people. Mr Zaman said the historians with pre-conceived notions had turned heroes into villains and vice-versa. He said Punjabis had made sacrifices in large numbers during the freedom struggle and some of them became legends, including Shahid Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Madan Lal Dhingra and Gadri Babas. He felt their historians had failed to give due credit to them in the history books though these freedom fighters were revered in both countries. He said the Punjabis had been in the forefront of the freedom struggle and had played a pivotal role in forcing the British rulers out. He added that in the past 57 years Punjabis had faced the brunt but he asserted that the new millennium belonged to Punjabis who would transform this region. He strongly pleaded for forgetting the past and moving forward. He said both the Punjabs would provide leadership to both the countries while emphasising that the young generation would take the lead in charting a new course. Strongly favouring the establishment of an exclusive Punjabi University to promote Punjabi language and culture, Mr Zaman said this university would be set up in Lahore for which he had made a fervent appeal to Punjabis to contribute generously. He said Punjabi language had been able to create a new identity and the new generation was proud of its mother tongue. Earlier, the conference was inaugurated by the Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Education) Dr Raj Kumar. Prominent Punjabi writer Satinder Singh Noor and Ms Nisha Sarad, DPI Colleges, spoke on Punjabi language, art and literature. The Principal, Ms J. Kackaria, while welcoming the Pakistani and other delegates, said it was a historical occasion when people had jointly moved to create a new movement to cement the bond between the two nations.
|
|
|
Conference moots Punjabi varsity in Lahore
Amritsar, February 26 The chairman of the World Punjabi Congress, Mr Fakhar Zaman, while summing up the two-day International Conference on Media and Punjabi Language jointly hosted by the Dhani Ram Chatrik Punjabi Literary Society, and the Heritage Club and organised by the BBK DAV College for Women, told The Tribune that they planned to establish an exclusive Punjabi university in Lahore for preserving the rich Punjabi art, culture and literature. Mr Zaman said it was the initiative of the Punjabis on both sides of the border, which had forced the nations to usher in an era of peace and amity in spite of many hurdles. He urged both governments to forget the acrimonious past and forge a new bond for the welfare of the people of this region. Coming down heavily on the past historians who had a narrow perception of the historical events, Mr Zaman strongly recommended the setting up of a joint commission of India and Pakistan for the removal of distortions in history text books, which had generated a lot of bad blood. Mr Zaman said the historians with pre-conceived prejudice had turned many heroes into villain and vice-versa. He said Punjabis had made supreme sacrifices and gave up their lives in large numbers during the freedom struggle and some of them became legends, including Shahid Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Madan Lal Dhingra and Gadri Babas. He felt that Pakistani historians had failed to give due credit to them in the history books though these freedom fighters were revered in his country. Strongly pitching for the establishment of an exclusive Punjabi university, Mr Zaman said this proposed university would be set up in Lahore for which he had made a fervent appeal to Punjabis to contribute generously. Ms J. Kackaria, Principal of the college, said the conference had passed seven significant resolutions. The conference suggested that the trade between the two Punjabs should be opened up without any hurdle for improving the economic lot of this region. In the end the conference decided to preserve rich architectural heritage in both Punjabs. Ms Kalkaria that more than 80 delegates from diverse literary field from India and Pakistan attended the two-day meet.
|
|
Plan to enhance advt support to vernacular media
Ladhewali (Jalandhar),
February 26 Announcing this at a function organised by the Guru Nanak Dev University’s regional centre here today, Mr B.I.S. Chahal, Media Adviser to the Punjab Chief Minister, said with a view to strengthening vernacular, small and medium newspapers of Punjab, the state government was planning to extend more advertisement support to them. “Although, advertisement support has already been enhanced to these classes of newspapers, we are planning to do a bit more in this direction as the state government was keen to see the growth of vernacular small and medium newspapers as well,” said Mr Chahal. Referring to the meeting of the State Accreditation Committee, Mr Chahal said Captain Amarinder Singh would hold the meeting of the committee in March, where all pending accreditation cases would be processed. Dr S.P. Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, said the regional campus needed more land for building residential area for the staff. He said the campus was marching ahead on expected lines and it was showing the desired results. “Our students are well placed, especially in print and electronic media,” he said.
|
|
Warrants against CBI witness in Khalra case
Patiala, February 26 Kuldeep had on February 16 claimed that he had seen Khalra being tortured and also heard two bullets being fired which resulted in Khalra’s death at the Jhabal police station in Taran Tarn. The Special Police Officer (SPO) had claimed that he had seen Khalra’s body being loaded into a Maruti van and disposed off into a canal near
Harike. Kuldeep was summoned for cross examination in the case on February 18. He did not appear on that date. He was again summoned on February 22. Kuldeep had sent a medical report stating that he was not well and should be excused. Following this he was summoned on February 23 and then on February 26. But he did not appear before the court on both dates. With the SPO not presenting himself before the court even today, Additional Session Judge S. P. Bangarh issued non-bailable warrants against him. Now the CBI has been entrusted with the responsibility of presenting Kuldeep before the court on March 2. Meanwhile Kuldeep’s lawyer Brijinder Singh Sodhi when questioned said he did not know why his client had not presented himself for cross examination. “We have not received any word from him and even today there was no message from him that he was not presenting himself before the court”, Mr Sodhi added.
|
|
Crowds throng to see Aamir play Bhagat Singh
Amritsar, February 26 Narrow road to a multi-storied houses overlooking the Golden Temple galiara selected to shot for the film made crowds curious as they stood on roads and rooftops of adjoining houses to take a look at the star. Aamir dressed in white kurta and khadi jacket with slicked back hair in 1940s style, an upturned moustache, a sacred thread ‘mauli’on his wrist and ‘tilak’ on forehead, looked like Bhagat Singh. White pigeons on a traditional “chhaj” in the background added to scene that saw Aamir in a ‘fiery’ mood. Character actress Kiron Kher left this morning after completing her schedule. Bantoo Khanna incharge production, said it was difficult to work in crowded areas. Aamir was seen discussing scenes with director Rakesh Om Mehra. According to reports, the film would be shot with Hindi and English dialogues with a name “Paint it Yellow” in English. A foreign crew for the film is also camping with the stars here to assist them in English diction and acting.
|
|
Extension sought for panel on Netaji
Sangrur, February 26 The further term will enable the commission to visit Russia to collect evidence about Netaji, as a lot of proofs were still lying in the archives of Russia. Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Mr V.P. Saini, national secretary of the All-India Forward Bloc and Chairman of the Netaji Probe and Research Foundation, said the extension to the Justice Mukherjee Commission for six more months was needed after the sensational disclosure by the Government of Taiwan that there was no evidence of any air-crash at Taihoku on August 18,1945. So question did not arise about the Netaji’s death in the alleged air-crash on August 18 at Taihoku, he added. Mr Saini also said the Maryland-based National Archives and Record Administration of the USA in a five page letter had also informed to the External Affairs Ministry of India that there was no evidence of any air-crash at Taihoku on August 18,1945. He claimed that the Netaji was destined to go to the USSR and on reaching there instead of getting any help from the USSR, he was detained to keep him away from India under an international conspiracy. Mr Saini also complained that the Central Government had not been cooperating with the commission, which reflected that the government was not serious towards finding the truth about the Netaji’s disappearance. He also questioned the findings of the Shah Nawaz Inquiry Committee and the Khosla Commission, which had declared that the air-crash had taken place and the Netaji had died because of the injuries suffered by him.
|
|
Suicide by couple: groom had ‘soured’
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 26 “The two halted at Floating Restaurant for some time and then Kuldeep took Ranjit for a walk on the banks of the canal. He then forcibly pulled her into the canal. A migrant labourer heard her cries,” alleged Dharm Singh, father of Ranjit, while talking to Chandigarh Tribune at the Civil Hospital, Fatehgarh Sahib, where the body of Ranjit is kept for a post-mortem examination. He alleged that the family members of Kuldeep knew that he would take some extreme step and had thus rung him up to confirm if they had reached, an hour after the couple’s departure from their house for Faiden village. Dharm Singh said Kuldeep had rung him up on February 16 to tell him that he would visit him the following day. Kuldeep took cash, jewellery and clothes from the house and turned his mobile off after leaving the house. Dharm Singh then got a call from Kuldeep’s elder brother to enquire about their arrival. He claimed that the Kuldeep’s elder brother along with his few friends later visited his residence and alleged that Kuldeep had stolen around Rs 50,000 and
jewellery after breaking open the lock of his almirah. He also warned him against telling Kuldeep about his visit. In the evening, the sister of Kuldeep also rang Dharm Singh up claiming that Kuldeep had stolen some jewellery. He said after marriage the couple had gone to Chandigarh for outing, but the family members of Kuldeep were averse to their outing. He said when he visited the house of Kuldeep’s family he found that no lock of any almirah was broken. He claimed that all this indicated at the straining of relations between Kuldeep and his family members. He also alleged that there were signs of Ranjit being forcibly pulled into the canal. “Also a relative of Kuldeep had revealed to me that on the day of marriage, Kuldeep had had heated arguments with his family members,” Dharm Singh alleged.
|
|
NHPC to review Shahpur Kandi designs
Shahpur Kandi (Gurdaspur) February 26 The team also visited the Ranjit Sagar dam and Madhopur head work sites. While talking to The Tribune the team members said that the design of the Shahpur Kandi dam would be reviewed by the corporation. After reviewing the design a detailed report would be sent to the Punjab Government for starting construction works. The team, however, got a feel of the resistance they might face from workers of the project in starting the construction work. After the team reached the office of the Chief Engineer Ranjit Sagar Dam, Mr Bhalinder Singh, yesterday, the activists of the joint action committee formed by the workers gheraoed them. About 200 activists of the joint action committee formed by the workers to stop the transfer of construction of the Shahpur Kandi project work to the NHPC gheraoed the NHPC team.
|
|
Lieut-Gen visits Khadoor Sahib gurdwara
Tarn Taran, February 26 Lt-Gen Raman, along with Brig C.S. Sandhu, Colonel Bhullar and Colonel Shekhon, who had come here by two helicopters and were brought to gurdwara Khadoor Sahib by cars, paid obeisance at the gurdwara. They also took keen interest in the “touch screen”, which tells about the events of the Sikh history on touching. Lt-General Raman, while talking to this correspondent, said that he had read much about township Khadoor Sahib and Guru Angad Dev last year in the newspapers during the 500th birth celebrations. Since then he was keen to visit the township. He also wrote his remarks at the visitor’s book. He appreciated the services of Baba Sewa Singh.
|
|
1 killed, 2 hurt in roof collapse
Jalandhar, February 26 The police said that the roof of the room collapsed all of a sudden when Mukhtiar Singh, owner of the dairy farm, along with his son Babloo and two workers was watering mushroom plants in a room. While Mukhtiar moved out of the room swiftly, the remaining three persons were trapped under the debris. People of the area immediately rushed for help and pulled the two labourers out of the debris. They were identified as Vinod and Surinder. However, Babloo died in the incident. Police sources maintained that the recent rain spell might have weakened the temporary roof of the room causing collapse. Meanwhile, the injured persons were admitted to the local Civil Hospital, where their condition was stated to be out of danger.
|
|
National policy for disabled demanded
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 26 In the first session six papers were read. Mr
G.C. Patnaik, international co-coordinator Asia Pacific Region Meet said in his paper that they were not physically disabled but they were physically challenged and they accepted every challenge. Earlier the conference was inaugurated by Dr Harbans Lal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary yesterday. More than 150 delegates from various states and UTs are participating. Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, Deputy Commissioner, presided over the function Lieut Col
H.R.S. Mann was the guest of honour. Dr Harbans Lal said a national policy for the welfare of physically challenged was needed. He offered to organise an all-India physically handicapped sports meet at Fatehgarh Sahib. He said the state government would provide them funds. He also announced a grant of Rs 51,000 to the physically handicapped association. Mr Ahluwalia also spoke. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Director Social Security Department presided over in the second session. Mr Kashmira Singh, convener and Mr Balwant Singh
Dardi, co-convener, Mr Ran Singh Kalsi, chairman organising committee, Mr Charnjeev
Channa, President MC Sirhind, Ms Amrit Bala, District Social Security Officer, also addressed.
|
|
|
Visa seekers cautioned
Jalandhar, February 26 This was stated by Mr Dominique Collinge, Canadian Immigration Counsellor, who opened the Canadian High Commission’s Visa Application Centre here on Thursday. Mr Collinge was accompanied by Mr Alok Singhal, unit manager of VFS (India) Private Limited, which, has been selected by the Canadian Government for operating the new Visa Application Centres in Jalandhar, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. These centres, other than in Jalandhar, would open on March 9.
|
|
Mock exercise to check police alertness
Ropar, February 26 Police sources informed that a message of incident was flashed to all the police stations and also informed that the accused after a committing crime have escaped to Anandpur Sahib. Thereafter the police set up nakas on the national highway and also in all the internal roads of the district. Especially in Anandpur Sahib, the police personnel were seen checking the vehicles. After getting information, several police officials and reporters rushed to the spot. But the villagers denied any such incident. When contacted the SSP, Ropar, Mr Surinder Pal Singh, informed that this was a mock exercise to check the security arrangements in
|
|
|
12 gastro cases detected in Tibbi
Phagwara, February 26
|
|
Kidnappers’ remand extended till Feb 28
Hoshiarpur, February 26 After the
expiry of the second seven-day police remand today, the district police produced the accused, Vikram, alias Vicky Walia, Jasbir Singh and his wife Sonia in the court of Mr Avtar Singh, Duty Magistrate. The magistrate granted further police remand for all the accused up to February 28. It may be recalled that Abhi Verma son of a jeweller, Ravi Verma, was
kidnapped while he was going to school in the morning on February 14 and his body was recovered from a sugarcane field next day.
|
|
Two granted bail in rape case
Barnala, February 26 Sheela along with Meera is listed as co-accused in a case of rape of a deaf and dumb girl of Barnala by her sons Harwinder Kumar and Narinder Kumar on September 5 last year. The mother of the victim had alleged that the crime was committed by the two brothers in connivance with their mother Sheela Devi, their sister Meera Rani and father Shiv Ram. They were arrested along with Harwinder Kumar.
|
|
Two held in kidnapping case
Sangrur, February 26 They had allegedly kidnapped Mr Devinder Singh Banni (20) of Ahmedgarh in a Maruti car on December 17 last and later released him on December 20. A case was registered on December 20 at Ahmedgarh under Sections 364-A, 506, 120-B of the IPC and Section 25 of the Arms Act against the alleged kidnappers. Mr Malhi said during interrogation the accused revealed that one Kulwinder Singh, who had a studio in Mumbai, contacted Daljit Singh and convinced Sohan Sikandar for kidnapping a person on the pretext that his cassette would be released after the receipt of ransom money. The accused then kidnapped Devinder Banni from Ahmedgarh on December 17 and allegedly demanded Rs 1.50 crore from his parents for his release.
|
|
Flesh trade racket busted, 5 held
Phagwara, February 26 A press note today said on a tip-off a police party, headed by DSP, Phagwara, Jaspal Singh and accompanied by city SHO Nirmal Singh, raided a house in New Model Town. Gurdev Singh, alias Rinku, of Kaulsar mohalla had rented the house for running flesh trade. Two couples were found in an objectionable condition. They were arrested under Sections 3/4 of the Immoral Traffic Act. Besides Gurdev Singh, others who were arrested included Hardip Singh of the local Subhash Nagar, Raj Pal, alias Shama, of Shaheed Joginder Singh Nagar and two girls belonging to Basti Sheikh, Jalandhar, and
Surjian, Goraya.
|
|
Man held for supplying drugs in jail
Amritsar, February 26 Capt S.P. Singh, Jail Superintendent, while talking to mediapersons said the accused was to deliver the intoxicants to Pargat Singh of Ghoga village, who was convicted in a murder case. However, Pargat was already shifted to Bathinda Jail due to doubtful activities, he added. He said Harjit had also spent three-and-half years in jail.
|
|
|
One held, liquor seized
Kharar, February 26 According
to the police, the liquor was being smuggled from Chandigarh in a car
by Surinder Singh, alias, Sunny, a resident of Jalandhar, and
Sunil. While Sunil managed to run away, Surinder Singh was arrested.
He was produced in a court today and remanded in police custody for
two days.
|
|
GND University to transmit lectures
Jalandhar, February 26 Dr S.P. Singh, Vice-Chancellor, disclosed during his visit to the regional campus of the university at Ladhewali here today that the university had already been recognised as a transponder of “Edusat project” in north India by its director, Mr B.S. Bhatia. The VC said a team from the project would be visiting the university before March 31 to assess the site and discuss various technical systems that were required for the purpose. He said while the main campus of the university would function as the nodal centre, independent studios were also likely to be set up at three regional campuses of the university situated at Jalandhar, Gurdaspur and Niari. Dr Singh said since the transmission would reach anywhere within 500 km from the nodal centre, it would also cater to the needs of the university students in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, New Delhi and parts of Uttaranchal and Rajasthan. He said though it would primarily be used for academic purposes, it would also cater to the administrative needs including official conferences and meetings. The university has proposed to hold live programmes in the form of guest lectures for nearly eight hours daily. Besides, recorded programmes and CDs on various subjects available from IGNOU would also be played for the benefit of students. Entertainment programmes would also be relayed for hostellers in the evenings. The VC said select colleges and distance education centres would be made nodal points, each with a range of 60 km. He said two-way communication would be possible in 40 to 50 nodal points so that students could get answers to their queries turn by turn. The VC said it was being observed that the benefits of guest lectures could be reaped only in colleges falling near the main campus or those in urban areas. He said students residing in rural or remote areas, especially girls, had limited opportunity to attend such lectures and they were largely dependent on guides or private academies located in their vicinity. He said some recorded lectures and CDs might also be dubbed in Hindi or Punjabi for better comprehension. The VC also added that a course in B.Sc (geography) would be introduced from this year onwards in which students would have three main subjects, including geography, geophysics and computers. He said some self-sustaining certificate and diploma courses were also being planned on
cyber laws and other demanding subjects. He said 50 per cent of the collection made from such courses would be used as staff salary, 25 per cent would be utilised for maintenance of existing infrastructure and the rest would go to the department.
|
|
|
Dhani Ram House win Champion House Cup
Patiala, February 26 “When in Doon I came to YPS for a cricket tie in which I scored the highest score in my life in this very stadium. Navjot Sidhu had then come to see me although later in life the roles were reversed”, he said while stressing upon the need for all round development for which he said attention needed to be paid to sporting activities. Mr Guha said he also felt very few Schools paid attention to the Art and Culture which should be made an integral part of teaching in all Schools. He was also impressed while going around the exhibition put up on the occasion by the students of the School in the company of Rajmata Mohinder Kaur, Indian Olympics Association chief Raja Randhir Singh and School Principal R.P. Devgan. He said making projects on various Science, Sports and Literary events was great, but doing live enactment of literary events alongside the project was something he had yet to see anywhere. Students enacted King Lear and other plays and literary events during the exhibition. School Principal R.P. Devgan said it was essential to encourage children to pursue extra curricular activities like music and art and sporting activities. Talking about Mr Guha, he said the writers interest in cricket had led him on to write the book “Wickets in the East” even though his forte was in historical writing. Programme began with a prayer song “Lab Pe Aati Hai” which was followed by an entertainer “Whispering Hope”. Later girls of the Middle School danced to Bengali song “Dhitam Dhitam Bole”. At the end there was a “Naga” dance which saw young boys and girls dancing in traditional Naga dress. The prize distribution function saw the Dhani Ram House walking away with the Champion House Cup for the best all round performance. The Yadavindra Medal for the Best All Round Student of the year was won by Megha Goel of the class twelve batch. The Aitchison Yadavindra Old Boys Medal for standing first in ISC was also won by Megha Goel while Suneer Verma got the same medal for standing first in the ICSE examination. The first Armoured trophy for the best all round sportsman went to Damanjit Singh Mann. The trophy for the best academic result in Middle School went to Aditya Aggarwal while the trophy for the best academic result in Senior School went to Suneer Verma.
|
|
Dr Aulakh is Honorary Colonel
Chandigarh, February 26 He was "pipped" by the Governor, Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd), and the Deputy Director- General, NCC, Brig D.S. Dhillon. He is the ninth Vice-Chancellor in the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh NCC Directorate to have been given this honour. Speaking on the occasion, General Rodrigues impressed upon Dr Aulakh to keep up the traditions of the armed forces and said the rank put an additional responsibility on him. Asking him to give a stimulus to the NCC activities, the Governor also expressed the hope that Dr Aulakh, who is a distinguished agricultural scientist, would also contribute to make the NCC an instrument of giving a fillip to community development programmes and human resource development in PAU.
|
|
Workshop on media ethics held
Jalandhar, February 26 The workshop was sponsored by the US Embassy. Mr Bob Richards, Director of Public Affairs Division of the embassy, Dr Shakuntala Rao, visiting Fulbright Senior Lecturer, and Dr Navjit Singh Johal, Reader, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Punjabi University, interacted with local mediapersons and students.
|
|
Class X, XII examinations from March 2
Hoshiarpur, February 26 He appealed to people not to assemble near the examination centres as Section 144, CrPc, had already been enforced in and around the centres.
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
