J A L A N D H A R

The baba of wannabe immigrants
Bhikhowal (Hoshiarpur), December 11
It might have been an ordinary Sunday morning for Bhikhowal villagers, but for the thousands of people who came from far and near to the dera, this day was special. For, in this village, immigration seems to be working on divine intervention every Sunday.

Baba Charan Singh blesses a devotee at his dera in Bhikhowal village near Hoshiarpur. — Photo by S.S. Chopra

Tuition is a booming business in Phagwara
Phagwara, December 11
It can easily be termed as the biggest and the most lucrative industry in this Doaba area of Punjab. With Rs 80 crore per annum as revenue—an income no other industry here or in neighbouring districts can boast of—-the tuition industry is booming in Phagwara.

‘Govt forgets about martyrs as soon as war ends’

Kapurthala, December 11 “War heroes are given high regard in western countries but our government forgets about them as soon as the war ends,” Lieut-Gen Surjit Singh (retd) said here today. He was speaking at a function organised by local Jai Jawan Welfare Society on the premises of Sainik School to honour the gallantry award winners of the country. Capt Bana Singh (Right), a Paramvir Chakra winner, being honoured by Gen Surjit Singh (retd) during a function in Kapurthala on Sunday.

SAD (A) for introspection by HC judges
Phagwara, December 11
A day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court celebrated its golden jubilee, Shiromani Akali Dal (A) said it was time the judges did some introspection. In a statement issued here today, the party’s president, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, said the High Court had not lived up to its name, the aspirations of people or of the founding fathers of the Constitution.

A volunteer administers polio drops to an infant during the nationwide Pulse Polio Drive in Jalandhar on Sunday. Over 21,3366 children between the age of 0 and 5 years were vaccinated at 1327 booths in the area. — Tribune photo by Pawan Sharma

Manhandling case: ASI shifted to Kapurthala Lines
Phagwara, December 11
The Chaheru Police Chowki In-charge, Mr Paramsunil Singh Randhawa, who had allegedly been manhandled by a Jalandar Zila Parishad member, was today shifted to Kapurthala Police Lines.

Police Suvidha Camps get good response
Kapurthala, December 11
The Police Lok Suvidha Camps held in three subdivisions of the district here got a good response. The camps were organised to enable people to get complaints redressed.

The baba of wannabe immigrants
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service

Bhikhowal (Hoshiarpur), December 11
It might have been an ordinary Sunday morning for Bhikhowal villagers, but for the thousands of people who came from far and near to the dera, this day was special.

For, in this village, immigration seems to be working on divine intervention every Sunday.

Men and women, numbering over 3000, carrying sweets, fruit and gifts were here to meet their “babaji”, attend his 15-minute sermon and take blessings for the fulfillment of their dream to move abroad.

There are makeshift shops on either side of the road leading to the dera, all selling photos of the baba and his dera, agarbatis, flowers and other items used at holy places.

Inside the dera is a large parking area where vehicles flashing stickers with the maple leaf and the US flag are parked. Before entering the gurdwara to bow their heads before Guru Granth Sahib, majority of the devotees make it a point to pay obeisance before the baba, who sees people at his residence within the dera.

Before entering his house, the visitors bend down to gather some dust from the floor and apply it on their foreheads. As you step in, you find a tastefully decorated drawing-cum-lobby. A man deputed there directs you to move towards the right. And there in front of the door, you see Baba Charan Singh, in his nineties, sitting on a cot, with photos of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh as a backdrop. His disciples sit down on mattresses.

Dressed in a spotless white kurta pyjama, sporting a white, round and roughly-tied turban, Baba keeps a close watch on every visitor through his tiny but glaring eyes.

He greets some, even asks few regular devotees about their health but frowns on others he does not know or somehow dislikes.

As a mark of respect, most devotees bow their heads before Baba’s feet. Baba touches the head of the children and even men doing the act but shoos away women doing the same. The disciples offer him sweets, fruits, cloth pieces and other gifts. While Baba Charan Singh accepts most of these items, he uses his own discretion to reject a few. The only thing he does not refuse is cash. The amount varies from Rs 10 to Rs 1000.

People usually put the money on his cot, and he consciously picks it up and puts it in his pocket or alternatively gives it to his confidant.

People sit down before him for some chat but he answers occasionally and in an unclear voice, interspersed with snubs.

Some ask him about their chance of moving overseas, others request him to offer prayer that would make their sons return to India.

Those impatient at not being answered to are asked to meet at a discourse scheduled in the main hall in the afternoon.

It is five minutes to 1 pm and the hall is jam packed with over 3000 people. Soon Baba Charan Singh enters, mounts on a stage and asks, “Among you all gathered here, how many are first-time visitors? Please get up.”

Twenty to thirty-odd people stand up and Baba moves his hands as he tells them, “God bless you all.” This most people say is unusual. “When Babaji is in mood, he pinpoints persons who would get nod for immigration.”

Next he asks, “How many of you wish to move abroad?” More than half of the people get up and Baba Charan Singh tells them, “May God fulfill your desire.”

Then comes another question, “How many of you have successfully sent your children abroad?” Again 20 to 25 people get up.

There is a also call for issueless couples, couples seeking blessings for getting a male child, women not being able to find able matches, people suffering from cancer and other ailments and even those having nightmares.

After everyone is showered with a common blessing, the baba gets back to his Tata Indigo and leaves for home.

Tuition is a booming business in Phagwara
Anil Jerath
Tribune News Service

Phagwara, December 11
It can easily be termed as the biggest and the most lucrative industry in this Doaba area of Punjab.

With Rs 80 crore per annum as revenue—an income no other industry here or in neighbouring districts can boast of—-the tuition industry is booming in Phagwara.

According to an estimate, over 70 coaching centres and 30-odd institutions are engaged in the business here, catering to over 3,000 students every year, who come to get coaching for various entrance examinations including CET, IIT/JEE and CBSE (PMT).

However, along with it have also come the evils of the trade—tax evasion, many government teachers running the tuition business and fake enrollments in schools, to name a few.

A recent survey by central excise department says that the tuition business is around Rs 80 crore per annum, which should fetch the department Rs 8 crore as service tax.

But, due to high evasion, the department is getting returns of only Rs 15 lakh per annum.

Interestingly, almost all the students getting coaching here are enrolled as regular students in various private and government schools in Punjab.

It is a kind of nexus between parents and schools, where parents are paying fee to get regular attendance for their wards, so that they face no difficulty while appearing in board exams for plus one and two exams.

“Instead of wasting time in schools for plus one and two classes, we prefer to admit our wards in the academics or coaching centres immediately after matriculation exams, so that they can prepare well for the entrance exams in various fields,” said a parent here on the condition of anonymity.

When contacted, a senior official of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) said, “It is the responsibility of the principal of the respective schools to ensure whether a student is a genuine one or not.

We can only take action against any school if a complaint comes against it.”

‘Govt forgets about martyrs as soon as war ends’
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, December 11
“War heroes are given high regard in western countries but our government forgets about them as soon as the war ends,” Lieut-Gen Surjit Singh (retd) said here today. He was speaking at a function organised by local Jai Jawan Welfare Society on the premises of Sainik School to honour the gallantry award winners of the country.

“In Britain, biennial functions are held to honour their gallantry award winners, but there is nothing like this in our country,” said the retired General.

Thirty-five soldiers and families of martyrs were honored during the event. Prominent among them were Captain Bana Singh, Paramvir Chakra, Captain Amol Kalia, Vir Chakra (Posthumous), Subedar Nand Singh, Victoria Cross and Mahavir Chakra, Teja Singh, Azad Hind Warriors.

Lauding the efforts of the Jai Jawan Welfare Society for organising such a function for the third consecutive year, Gen Surjit Singh said such functions boosted the morale of the soldiers and the war heroes.

Speaking on the occasion, Brigadier Sant Singh (retd) said the Central government had not given sufficient incentives to the gallantry award winners of the Indian Army. “Though the Punjab Government has taken care of the cause of these brave soldiers from the state by announcing some respectful incentives to them.”

“A total of 309 gallantry award winners in the Indian Army belong to the state of Punjab, which consists of 20 per cent of the total award winners in the country,” said Brig Sant Singh, adding that, “due to the neglect by the Centre, the winners living in the other states were not rewarded substantially.”

The uniqueness of the function was that no political leader was invited. The highest district administrative and police officials also did not bother to attend the ceremony in the honour of war heroes.

Mr Manu Dev Gautam, a member of the society, said that there were only three living Paramvir Chakra winners out of total 21 in the country. He demanded that they should have been treated state guests as the Victoria Cross winners were treated in Britain.

“The government should take some remedial measures to redress the problems of sharing the ex-gratia and other incentives between the widows and parents of the martyrs,” said Mr Gautam.

Brigadier Rajesh Singh (Station Commander, Kapurthala), Brigadier G.J. Singh (retd), Brigadier M.P.S. Bajwa (retd), Colonel Ajit Singh Judge (retd) were also present.

Students of Little Angels School, Baby Model School and BST School, Beharipur presented a cultural programme and plays on the occasion.

SAD (A) for introspection by HC judges
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, December 11
A day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court celebrated its golden jubilee, Shiromani Akali Dal (A) said it was time the judges did some introspection.

In a statement issued here today, the party’s president, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, said the High Court had not lived up to its name, the aspirations of people or of the founding fathers of the Constitution.

“It had never struck down draconian laws like MISA, NSA, TADA, or POTA which robbed citizens of their fundamental rights, civil liberties,” Mr Mann added.

“The tapestries designed by Le Corbousier had been torn, tainted judges nurtured and wards of the judges allowed to practise as lawyers,” he further alleged.

Mr Mann also criticised the Punjab and Haryana High Court judges saying it was the first High Court of the country whose judges went on a strike and whose Chief Justice was shuttled from one court to other another because he wanted to enforce discipline and probity among fellow judges.

It was not the architectural beauty of a court that brought out its character but integrity and impartiality in delivering justice that earned it credibility, the SAD (A) president added.

He said he also opposed the move to bring jails under the purview of police. It would tantamount to perpetuity of the police remand of under-trials even in the judicial custody as well as a contempt of the court, Mr Mann said.

Traffic lessons for special kids

Phagwara: Physically-challenged inmates of the Guru Nanak Nettarheen and Birdh Ashram situated along the G.T. Road in Sapror village were given lessons on maintaining safety while crossing roads by the Phagwara Traffic Police today.

The traffic in-charge, Mr Sucha Singh, and the head constable, Mr Baldev Singh addressed the inmates.

In particular, the visually-challenged persons were taught how to safely cross the road with the help of touch and sound vibrations. — OC

Manhandling case: ASI shifted to Kapurthala Lines
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, December 11
The Chaheru Police Chowki In-charge, Mr Paramsunil Singh Randhawa, who had allegedly been manhandled by a Jalandar Zila Parishad member, was today shifted to Kapurthala Police Lines.

Police officials say the assistant sub-inspector was shifted as he was the complainant in the case. “Requirements of a fair probe enjoined that the complainant should be stripped of his post of power so that he could not influence anyone,” the police authorities clarified.

But the move is seen by many as a result of political pressure.

Sukhinder Singh Sukha, the Zila Parishad member, against whom Mr Randhawa had lodged a complaint at Phagwara City Police Station on December 9, is said to be close to the Punjab Transport Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh Kaypee and had accompanied him to Phagwara on the day of the incident.

Meanwhile, the Zonal IG, Mr Hardip Singh Dhillon, said he had completed probe into the matter and would submit his report tomorrow.

Police Suvidha Camps get good response
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, December 11
The Police Lok Suvidha Camps held in three subdivisions of the district here got a good response. The camps were organised to enable people to get complaints redressed.

Most of the complaints were on police clearance certificates, service verifications and passport enquiries.

Most were vocal about the inaction of police in solving their cases. According the police release, 20 complaints were redressed on the spot at Kapurthala and Sultanpur Lodhi and more than 100 cases of passport, service verification and police clearance certificate cases were disposed off in Kapurthala Subdivision.