Jalandhar/Phagwara/ Kapurthala, May 25
Patients and common people for far flung areas found themselves in a lurch as medical services remained paralysed in all private hospitals, nursing homes and private clinics of Jalandhar, Phagwara and Kapurthala during the Medical Bandh by private doctors.

Members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Punjab), PCMS Association, Jalandhar and Indian Dental Association (IDA), Jalandhar Chapter held a rally and raised slogans against the Union Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh for introducing reservation for OBCs in medical institutes.

The protesting doctors also submitted a memorandum to the Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Verma.

Addressing the doctors, Dr G.S. Gill, IMA President, Punjab, Dr Ashok Sharma, President, IDA (Jalandhar) and Dr Satish Sharma of NIMA alleged that the Arjun Singh was trying to divide the people on the basis of quotas.

Dr Gill said admissions to top institutes should be done on the basis of merit and the institutions must ensure upliftment of the backward classes through free education.

Dr Ashok Sharma demanded that further reservation should be stopped immediately and police officials who had lathicharged the protesting medicos be booked.

Students of Dayanand Ayurvedic College and doctors associated with NIMA also participated in the rally.

In Phagwara too, health services were badly hit with the Phagwara unit of the IMA observing a complete Medical Bandh. All private hospitals, nursing homes and clinics remained closed in support of the bandh.

Over 200 doctors, wearing black badges, assembled near the Blood Bank Society in Hargobind Nagar and marched through the city opposing the increase in reservations for OBCs.

Among the protesters were Dr Davinder Chhabra from IMA, Dr Sameer Kaura from IDA, Dr Jawahar Dheer from NIMA and Mr R. Vij from Chemists’ Association.

Later, the protesting doctors submitted a memorandum to the Phagwara SDM, Mr Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal.

Private hospitals in the town of Kapurthala too remained closed in support of the Medical Bandh.

Jalandhar, May 25
After over 24 cases of fatal attacks on Punjabi businessmen living in the Philippines by miscreants, the Punjab government has received directions from the Central government to stop youths, especially from the rural areas, from going to that country.

Confirming this here today, the Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Verma, said the modalities of implementing the order at the district-level were being worked out.

He said the youths from the district would be made aware about the dangers of getting involved in criminal activities with the Philippines mafia through the business of money lending. The parents of such youths, he added, would also be made cautious in this regard.

The decision of the state government follows a complaint received by the Centre from the Philippines High Commission about youths from Punjab increasingly getting involved in criminal activities and unauthorised money lending.

The Philippines government has reportedly said the killing of youths form Punjab was a result of their association with the mafia in the Philippines.

The state government has now directed the district administrations to stop youths in their area from going to the south Asian country and also warning those wanting to go there of not getting involved in crimes.

According to the Philippines government, Punjabi youths living in the country were mostly involved in unauthorised money lending and also had nexus with the mafia and anti-social elements there. It claimed that being involved in money lending, these youth usually take to crime to make the recoveries.

In its request, the Philippines government had alleged that the youths, taking advantage of the vulnerable situations of the hard-pressed citizens there, first lend them money and then resort to crime to make the recoveries at the behest of the mafia gangs for whom they work. This, the Philippines government said, had resulted in bad press for Indians living there, as the media was accusing them for anti-social activities.

Following are the names of the persons from the region murdered in the Philippines over a period of one year. Kultar Singh Toni (33) of Gill village killed on April 26; Atma Singh (23) of Rahimpur village killed on March 26; Charanjit Singh Tona (35) of Kala Sanghian village killed on December 31; Avtar Singh of Gill village killed on November 7; Rajwinder Singh (32) of same village killed on October 25; Sukhjinder Singh Dhillon (22) of Appi village killed on October 13; Sukhwinder Singh (24) of Pandher village; Inderjit Singh (30) of Kalyanpur village; Karnail Singh of Kular village and Amrik Singh of Kartarpur village. All the victims were reportedly engaged in money lending. 

Jalandhar, May 25
The Department of Posts opened its first Postal Finance Mart at Basti Nau Post Office here today.

The department’s new initiative will offer financial services in addition to regular postal services, Mr N.R. Meena, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, said.

He added that the post office in the area had been given a facelift besides adding a customer-friendly ambience.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by local officials of the department including Mr K.P. Dutta, Assistant Superintendent of Posts, and Mr Shadi Lal, Superintendent of Posts (Headquarters).