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Leaders see opportunity in missing man’s saga
Elections in sight, politicians
come calling
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Govt may prefer NCC certificate holders for jobs
SGPC to set up research, de-addiction centre
Elderly woman killed in clash
PO nabbed
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Leaders see opportunity in missing man’s saga
Authaula (Jalandhar), July 17 Demanding to know the whereabouts of Sanjiv Kumar, his family members, villagers and leaders of political parties blocked the Jalandhar-Kapurthala road today. Raising slogans against the government, they demanded prompt action for locating him and assuring his safety. Passengers, mostly in buses, remained stranded in scorching heat for 40 minutes around noon. While the family members remained silent throughout the protest, Mr Ramandeep Singh Bharowal, secretary, Lok Bhalai Party (LBP), and Akali leader, Mr Rajinder Singh Nagra, vied with each other to take the centre spot. To score free brownie points, Mr Bharowal announced that he, along with his party men, would go on a hunger strike in front of the Deputy Commisioner’s office in case the government failed to provide Sanjiv’s whereabouts by the evening. Not to be outdone, Mr Nagra tried to announce his own programme. As Mr Nagra tried to address the gathering, the LBP secretary interrupted and started raising slogans. He blamed the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh and Ch Jagjit Singh, Minister of Local Bodies, for not coming to the support of the family. “Had he been their son, they would have made all efforts to get him back,” he said. Falling to new lows, both leaders tried getting their photographs with the family, grabbing an opportunity for suitable media coverage. The Akali leader followed Mr Bharowal, who was already been getting himself photographed with the family. He sat down on the other side, not to be the one to miss an opportunity. Not satisfied with this, the two also squabbled over the question answer session. While the LBP leader was asked details pertaining to the incident, the Akali leader started answering the question. At this, Mr Bharowal left in a huff saying, “Let him answer your questions.” During the political drama, Sanjiv Kumar’s family members sat quietly. His distraught wife, Sandeep Kaur, said, “My husband was employed with the KGL as a truck driver. In May end, he was sent to Iraq with a consignment, after which we have not had any contact with him. His last call came on May 26.” Sandeep’s father, Mr Avtar Singh, said they were upset for the past one month, as there had been no communication from Sanjiv’s side. “We came to know that he had been missing along with four other Indians through the media”, he said adding that he was not sure if Sanjiv was stuck up somewhere or had been abducted. |
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Elections in sight, politicians
come calling
Jalandhar, July 17 During a brief halt in the city today, he talked about various measures that the Akalis had in the pipeline. To relieve the burden of the debt-ridden farmers, the SAD (B) proposes to set up direct marketing opportunities for the crop produce. Capt Kanwaljit revealed that the SAD would also propose to set up a nuclear power plant in the state to generate more power. The area has not been decided as yet. At present, the state is reeling under a severe power crisis, as the supply is about 30 per cent lower than the demand. The party has already included the proposal in their election manifesto. Refusing to tow the populist measures line before the elections, he also categorically stated that it would be impossible to write off the debts of the farmers. Instead, the party would look to measures that would help the farmers to reduce the costs of inputs, like providing diesel and fertilizers at lower rates, besides bank loans. The move would work a long way in breaking the hold of the commission agents in the state as most of the farmers are reeling under debts due to loans taken from them at astronomical rates. BSP to finalise candidates by July 29
Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) national general secretary and Punjab in-charge today said the party would finalise its list of candidates from all the 117 constituencies by July 29. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Narinder Kashyap, said a meeting in this regard had been convened by the BSP president, Ms Mayawati, in New Delhi where the candidates would be asked to launch the campaign in their respective constituencies. Mr Kashyap added that a new policy had been formulated regarding allotment of seats where SC candidates would be fielded from reserved seats, BC candidates for majority of the general category seats while some seats would be allotted to candidates from higher castes, including Khatris, Brahmins and Rajputs. He also said that the selected party candidates will follow the ‘one man-one post’principle. Sarna says no to Badal, Capt
President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) and former chief of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee Paramjit Singh Sarna today said he would support neither the SAD (Badal) nor the Congress in the forthcoming Assembly elections. He said he would campaign for a panthic party other than the SAD (B). Even though ousted SAD (Badal) leader Manjit Singh Calcutta expected to formally join the Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) at the press conference here today, no event of the sort was took place. Mr Sarna said Mr Calcutta had already joined the party. On other issues, he criticised the public address of BJP leader Sushma Swaraj at Tarn Taran on the occasion of the 400th martyrdom day of Guru Arjun Dev where she had said that “Chandu could not be blamed for the fifth Guru’s martyrdom”. Mr Sarna also termed the hukumnama issued against members of the SAD (A) for the recent clash at Manji Sahib as “one-sided”. He alleged that members of the SAD (B) were also involved in the incident. |
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Govt may prefer NCC certificate holders for jobs
Phagwara, July 17 The state government has, in principle, decided to give an additional weightage to candidates from the NCC as and when new recruitments for various departments take place. The decision would be implemented from 2007 onwards. According to sources, the NCC top brass in its meeting with government functionaries proposed that the Punjab government should provide certain incentives to cadets so that students of educational institutions were encouraged to join the NCC. The NCC Directorate said an additional weightage — at the rate of 10 per cent, 7 per cent and 5 per cent for ‘C’, ‘B’ and ‘A’ certificate-holders, respectively — should be provided to cadets for joining the police force and other government jobs. Admission benefit in medical, engineering, graduation and post-graduation courses was also sought. Cash incentives ranging between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000 for cadets, who win medals and awards, were also demanded. Punjab government also agreed with the NCC proposal to increase the budgetary allocation for the force. NCC had sought funds to the tune of Rs 2.70 crore in this year’s budget. Also, the NCC plans to increase its cadet strength in Punjab from the existing 50,000 cadets to 90,000 by 2008. Around 20,000 more cadets have been recruited this year. |
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SGPC to set up research, de-addiction centre
Phagwara, July 17 Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Makkar said the SGPC was “actively working against social evils like female foeticide and drug addiction”. He added that the committee would celebrate the centenary of Shri Guru Granth Sahib on August 30 at Damdama Sahib. The SGPC President criticised SAD (A) President Simranjit Singh Maan saying “true Sikhs have started leaving his company since he is playing into the hands of the Congress”. Mr Makkar said the SGPC would provide better cultural education to the new generation. SAD leaders Jarnail Singh Wahid Advocate and Gurmit Singh Walia were also present.
— TNS |
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Elderly woman killed in clash
Jalandhar, July 17 Kamla Rani (75), the deceased, was the mother of the house owner, Kiran Kochhar. According to the police, the woman was killed after the tenants attacked the house owners with sharp-edged weapons when they were asked to vacate the house. The house was recently purchased by Ms Kochhar. It earlier belonged to an NRI.A case in this regard has been registered under Sections 302, 307, 342, 324, 323, 596, 148 and 149 of the IPC. In another case, an inmate of the Central Jail succumbed to asthma in the Civil Hospital here today. Bhukan Shah, a native of Bihar, was arrested under the NDPS Act recently. He had been living in Garha locality of the city for the past 10 years. Jail Superintendent Jagdeep Singh said the victim had been suffering from asthma and had recently been admitted to the hospital. |
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PO nabbed
Phagwara, July 17 Rajwinder Singh, a resident of Raipur Pharala in Jalandhar district, was wanted on charges of smuggling smack, the police said. He was declared a proclaimed offender by the court in 2001. The same year, he had fled to the Philippines and had been evading arrest ever since. Acting on a tip off, a police team, headed by Chaheru police station in-charge Sikander Singh, on nabbed the accused who had returned to India two months ago. |
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