Ludhiana, July 6 
The BJP will take the issue of rising prices of essential commodities to the people. The party feels that both state and the Central Governments had failed in their duty to keep the prices of essential commodities like the pulses, wheat, sugar, and fuel under control.

The state president of the BJP, Mr Avinash Rai Khanna, said here today that the party would be organising cycle rallies across the state to highlight the issue. He alleged that the Congress government had remained indifferent to the issue. Referring to the rise in the prices of diesel, he claimed that this had put an additional financial burden to the tune of Rs 220 crore on farmers of Punjab. He said, this had pushed the prices of other essential commodities to all-time high.

A cycle rally was flagged off here yesterday by the party president, Mr Rajnath Singh. The next rally will be organised in Amritsar.

The BJP leader pointed out that life had become too difficult for the common man. He said small farmers, daily wage workers and the low income people were facing the worst impact of the rising prices.

He said the BJP would continue to raise the voice for farmers and other “exploited” sections of society.

Mr Khanna was accompanied by the state general secretary, Prof Rajinder Bhandari, the state secretary, Mr Anil Sarin, the leader of the BJP in the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, Mr Praveen Bansal and others. 

Ludhiana, July 6
The city SSP has suspended four cops for the dereliction of duty, promised promotion to about 10 others and announced replacing of 25 old bikes.

DIG Parag Jain and SSP A.S. Rai conducted surprise checking and raids at PCR beat system spots, nakas and their patrolling exercise last night to make the cops pull up their socks.

The officials found four cops not at the places where they should have been. Some were caught talking endlessly over the mobile phone away from their motorcycles.

The city has been suffering a serious wave of crime for the past 10 days. The police is blaming the laxity on the part of the PCR cops as a major problem area. The PCR cops were directly connected with the control room . They were supposed to reach the crime spot within three to seven minutes after receiving orders from the control room.

But for the past some time and especially in the last 10 days, the cops were always reaching quite late. They were at the centre of the public ire for the late arrival at the house of jeweller Darshan Singh, who was murdered on July 4 with his wife on the Dasaundha Singh road.

The SSP said the checking also found that at least 25 motorcycles of the PCR unit had outlived their age. He said the DIG was taking up the matter of replacing the vehicles with new ones at the earliest.

Noorpura, July 6
At least 51 persons of this village in Ludhiana district were arrested by the Raikot police for allegedly interrupting official work, threatening board officials and damaging public property yesterday. They were later released on bail.

Pleading innocence, a majority of them have appealed for leniency as they had not wilfully attacked the office.

The Raikot police has, however, initiated investigations into the complaint lodged on the statement of Executive Engineer of the PSEB.

According to Mr Gurtejinder Singh Aulakh, DSP, Raikot, demonstrators, numbering 51, have been booked on the statement of Mr Sushil Singh, Executive Engineer. “Besides interrupting our official duty and damaging articles in our office the demonstrators threatened us of dire consequences,” Mr Sushil Singh told the police. Certain records and documents were also torn in the process. Demanding security of life and property of officials of the board office, the Executive Engineer urged the police to initiate stern action against the accused.

Referring to information received from Mr Ranjit Singh, SHO, the investigating officer Mr Aulakh claimed that majority of the accused had pleaded that they had been instigated to attack the office. He said the accused, besides requesting the police to take lenient view, had also approached the PSEB authorities in this regard.

However, the police team led by the SHO has already started investigations into the case. “Instead of waiting for the two parties to arrive at some compromise we would submit our report to the higher authorities and act according to their advice,” said Mr Aaulakh.

The villagers had protested against the alleged callous attitude of the board officials towards their complaints. They had alleged that the poor power supply to the village had affected all services, including drinking water and sewage disposal.

The irate villagers had come to the office and requested the authorities to do the needful. When the authorities showed inability to provide these services some of the protesters started pelting them with stones and damaged articles of the office, including certain records.

Ludhiana, July 6
Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Gupta has stated that under the Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana subsidised loans ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh each would be advanced through the district industry centre (DIC) to the unemployed to start ventures in 2006-07. The required sanction from the government has already been received.

The Deputy Commissioner said during 2005-06 the DIC had got the loans advanced through the banks in 968 cases under this program against the target of 940.

The subsidy amount has also been released to the beneficiaries.

He said under the scheme these loans were being given to the unemployed in the age group of 18 to 30 years and beneficiaries should have passed at least middle standard. Annual income of the family should be less than Rs 40,000 p.a. He said the Government of India had made a provision of 15 per cent subsidy or maximum of Rs 7,500 per case under this scheme.Mr Vishaw Bandhu, general manager, DIC, stated that the applications had already been invited from the unemployed youth. The district-level task force committee holds regular meetings every Tuesday and Thursday to clear the cases.

Ludhiana, July 6
Eighty-four-year old Sarjeet Kaur, an INA veteran’s wife died a dissatisfied woman. In her last days she was a pained woman as her country did not recognise her and her husband’s sacrifice for the nation’s independence.

Waiting for at least five decades to get pension, Sarjeet Kaur, wife of an INA veteran, Hazoora Singh, who was imprisoned for several months in Singapore pre-Independence, passed away at her Bhaini Aroran village near here on Monday.

She had broken her hip bone after a fall in her bathroom a month ago. Doctors had asked for Rs 45,000 for her operation. She was not able to arrange for this money and breathed her last in her bed only.

Thanks to bureaucratic wranglings and red tapism she was not given pension although she had highlighted her fight at various platforms, including the State Commission for Women, Punjab, Punjab and Haryana High Court and at union and state government level. The judgements of commission and court had gone in her favour one after the other but still she did not get her due and died.

The Tribune had been highlighting her plight and struggle from time to time. She had all evidence to support her claim but was still helpless.

Sarjit Kaur’s husband had been declared a freedom fighter after the former Deputy Commissioner’s report confirmed that he was with the Netaji’s army at Singapore, along with newly married Sarjeet Kaur. The couple had to abandon their newly born son in Singapore as they did not want him to be a subject of British army’s cruelty.

A recent disclosure by the Ministry of Home Affairs at New Delhi that her case had not been forwarded by state government despite a direction by the High Court had broken Sarjeet Kaur all the more.

The revelation had come in the wake of an order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the ministry asking them the status of her case. The state government had presented before the HC that her case was with the Union Government and the delay was not at their part.

In fact Sarjeet Kaur was unfortunate in life and death as well. Her husband died waiting for recognition as an INA veteran. After his death her fight yielded some fruit and he was declared a freedom fighter but she was not given a pension.

‘‘I had no money to get her treated. Had she got her pension and arrears, I would have taken her to the doctor. I was waiting that she would get her dues but the call of death did not listen to anyone of us. She has left us all, dejected at the treatment meted out to her, ’’ said Mr Jarnail Singh, her son.

‘‘There was no need of any delay in providing her pension. Her case was clear and all inquiries were in her favour,’’ said her son. The SDM, Raikot, in his inquiry report had submitted that her husband, late Hazoora Singh Chahal should be declared as a freedom fighter and Ms Sarjeet Kaur must be given due financial help.

According to the documents produced by Sarjeet Kaur, Hazoora Singh had joined the Indian National Army on February 23, 1944. He worked as a Havildar with 1/8 Guerrilla, First Battalion, A.Coy no. 34451. His area of operation was Ipoh Perak, Malaya and Capt Bhaskar C.Com of Maharashtra was his Commander under whom he had served. The documents also said that he was imprisoned for seven months at various jails at Ipoh and Bidda Dari Camp in Singapore. 

Ludhiana, July 6
An infant girl who was abandoned by her parents for not being able to get her congenital defect treated for want of money, found a new home at Nishkam Seva Ashram at Daad village here today.

She was handed over to the ashram authorities by the Sadar police after she was discharged by the doctors at the PGI, Chandigarh after being treated for her defect.

Named Taranjeet Kaur by the Sadar police, the girl would stay at the ashram now. Mr Kuldeep Singh, Additional Station House Officer (ASHO), Sadar, said the girl would live there till her mother demands her back.

Her demand would also be scrutinised by the Abandoned Children Welfare Committee, who would make sure that the girl would be passed on to her only if it would be established that she was not involved in abandoning her, said the ASHO, claiming that the police was also investigating her role in the entire episode.

Taranjeet was abandoned near Sidhwan canal by his Samrala-based father in mid-June, from where two youths had rescued her.

Her father Baljit Singh was arrested by the Sadar police in this connection. He had claimed that he had left her to her fate as he was unable to arrange money for the treatment of a congenital defect. A beldar with a warehouse in Samrala, Baljit said he had abandoned the girl in the canal without the knowledge of his wife.Gurdev Kaur.

The girl was their third child. They have a son and a daughter.

Baljit has been booked under Section 317 of the IPC (Exposure of a child under 12 years of age by parent or any persons with intention of abandoning it).

Additional SHO, Sadar, Kuldeep Singh spent from his pocket to get Taranjeet treated for her congential defect. While the PGI, Chandigarh, operated her for free, Mr Kuldeep Singh paid for her medicines. 

Ludhiana, July 6
‘Naya zamana andaz purana’, a dance competition was organised here today by the members of Aastha Ladies club. Dressed up like actresses of yester years, the participants presented various dance numbers on the hit songs between 1960-1980.

First prize was bagged by Ms Pammi Sidhu who danced on ‘Dekho kasam se’. Second prize was won jointly by Ms Gauri and Ms Kusum Bhalla who danced on ‘Nimbuda nimbuda’ and ‘Main ka karun Raam’ respectively. Third prize was given to Ms Anju.

The judges of the competition were Ms Maria and Ms Vijay Sharma from Kaya Skin Clinic. Ms Rama Shorie compeered the programme. One minute games and tambola was also played on the occasion. The winners were given prizes.

Ludhiana, July 6
The former chairman of Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana Mr Gurcharan Singh Grewal, a resident of Sangat Road, Civil Lines expired today morning following illness.

He was 84. He was the first lawyer from the city to become the chairman of bar Council in 1987.

He had also served as the president of District Bar Association in 1982.

He is survived by his son — Mr Gurmit Singh Grewal.He was cremated at Civil Lines cremation ground around 1 p.m.