Jalandhar, July 8
President of the Punjab Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM) Satnam Singh Kainth today challenged the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Mayawati’s recent claim that her party’s vote bank had increased from 3.8 per cent in 2002 to 8 per cent in 2004.

Mr Kainth and Mr Ramesh Chohkan, Secretary, BSM, alleged that Dalits in Punjab were not a priority for Ms Mayawati.

They claimed that she would take a decision on a poll alliance in Punjab that “suits her the most in Uttar Pradesh”.

“Ms Mayawati is using Punjab as a laboratory to practice her own genre of politics,” the leaders alleged.

“BSP’s base in the state increased because of a merger of BSM from 2002-2004. The situation is not the same as being projected by Ms Mayawati,” they claimed.

Though the BSM had merged with the BSP in the previous Assembly elections, a wedge was created between Mr Kainth and Ms Mayawati and they had parted ways.

Expressing his concern over the “increasing economic problems” of the Dalits and the poor belonging to other communities, Mr Kainth alleged that both the Congress and the SAD-BJP combine had “failed” to come out with any solution for the problems of the backward communities.

“Whatever facilities are being extended to these classes are nothing but a political stunt. Dalits and the poor should not pin their hopes on either the SAD-BJP combine or the Congress,” the BSM leaders said.

They added that the party would hold five regional rallies in Punjab in September “to highlight problems confronted by these classes”.

Jalandhar, July 8
Not only humans but birds and animals too are reeling under the heat wave. With heat and humidity increasing to unbearable proportions, hundreds of birds are either getting grounded temporarily or falling prey to the persistent heat wave in the northern region daily.

While birds of almost all species are suffering, livestock has also not remained untouched. The milk yield in cattle has reduced to quite an extent. Among the birds, eagles, parrots, crows and chickens have been found to be the worst affected.

A large number of birds have died during the past three weeks — the time when temperature hovered above 45 degree Celcius. There was a slight respite, for three days during the last week, but the situation has turned out to be the same once again. According to Punjab Animal Husbandry Department sources, a large number of poultry birds have also succumbed to the heat. Dr Amar Iqbal, a veterinarian, who has treated a number of afflicted birds, says a bird suffering from heat stroke first falls to the ground and becomes completly listless. They have to be moved to a shady or moist place.

“Actually, this is the worst time for birds. Maximum danger for birds getting a heat stroke can be between 12 at noon to 6 pm. If they venture out during this period they have very high chances of getting a heat stroke. Though, nature has given birds a system which drives them to safer places during this time, but still a large number of them defy this, venture out and get killed,” said Dr Chander Bhushan Jairath, Assistant Director (Poultry), Animal Husbandry Department, Punjab.

Referring to poultry, Dr Jairath said the heat wave had an adverse affect on poultry birds in case proper preventive measures were not taken. “ Between 5 to 10 per cent birds generally die during the heat wave,” he said.

Phagwara, July 8
Congress councillor Kusum Sharma was seriously injured when some miscreants attacked her with sharp-edged weapons on the Hoshiarpur Road here today. The victim has named one Gurjit Walia, son of senior Congress leader Harjit Walia, as one of the attackers. The councillor is under treatment at the civil hospital.

Kusum Sharma told the police that the incident occured while she was going along with her neighbour on a motorcycle. When they were near the City Heart Resort, five persons riding motorcycles and a scooter attacked her with sharp-edged weapons.

She claimed to have identified four of the five miscreants— Gurjit Walia, Vicky, Munish and G.C. Mishra—all from her ward. They have been booked. Meanwhile Gurjit Walia refuted all the allegations levelled against him by the councillor. 

Phagwara, July 8
The police arrested three motorcycle-borne persons on charges of injuring and looting five residents of different localities in Phagwara yesterday night.

The accused had first attacked a resident of Sukhchain Nagar. They then created ruckus on the Banga Road and Khilwara Gate localities and inflicted injuries on four other persons. The injured had to be hospitalised.

The accused have been identified as Harjinder Singh, Harjit Singh and Amar Dutt, all residents of Bhabiana village. — TNS