Jalandhar, August 9
Nearly a month after Israeli forces began bombing Lebanon to destroy the Hezbollah, killing, injuring and displacing in the process hundreds of people, including Indians, workers and office-bearers of five Left parties burnt an effigy of the US President George W. Bush in the city today to protest the “unjust” war being waged by Israel against the Arab nation.

The protesting parties included the CPI, CPM (Punjab), CPI (ML)-Liberation, Forward Block and RSP. The parties also observed the 64th anniversary of the ‘Quit India Movement’ at the Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall.

Addressing the rally, secretary of CPM, Punjab, Mr Mangat Ram Pasla, said India was passing through a “deep crisis”. 

“It’s ironical that 64 years back, the Congress had given the call of “Quit India” against the British, but the same Congress is now inviting imperialists to exploit the country. MNCs are exploiting our natural and human resources and amassing profits to send back to their countries. Central and state governments are adopting policies that are increasing unemployment and agitators are being beaten up by the police,” Mr Pasla added.

Mr Bhupinder Sambhar, CPI’s Central Council member, said on the one hand, the US and the UK were providing full support to Israel to attack and kill innocent people in Lebanon, and on the other hand, the MNCs are looting resources of developing countries and are exploiting the people there.

Secretary of Punjab unit of the CPI (ML)-Liberation, Mr Rajwinder Singh Rana, called for a struggle against the “anti-people” policies.

Others who addressed the rally included Mr Kulwant Singh, a former CPI MLA, Mr Kulwant Singh Sandhu of the CPM (Punjab) and Mr Harjinder Mauji of the CPI.

Phagwara, August 9
Tension prevailed in Phagwara town yesterday night after more than 100 pilgrims, returning from Shri Amar Nath Yatra, blocked traffic on the National Highways 1 and 2 for more than one-and-a-half-hours in protest against the alleged highhandedness of traffic police here.

It was alleged that the Phagwara traffic in-charge had demanded bribe to allow the return journey of the pilgrims. After “taking bribe” from one bus driver, the traffic police personnel allegedly asked for more bribe to allow the journey of another bus. 

This “angered” the pilgrims, who along with activists of the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Delhi units, headed by Mr Roop Singh Chauhan, divisional secretary, and Mr Sham Garg, secretary, BJP, blocked the traffic.

The pilgrims raised anti-police slogans and sat in dharna in the middle of the GT Road, blocking the entire traffic towards Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Nakodar, Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur.

In the confusion, someone pelted stones on a Nawanshahr-bound private bus, and windowpanes of the bus were broken. 

However, no one sustained any injury. When The Tribune team reached the blockade site, the protesting pilgrims alleged that the traffic in-charge had challaned their buses when a few pilgrims had resisted the demand for bribes. 

The Phagwara ASP, Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill, reached the spot and assured the protestors of stern action against the “guilty” traffic personnel, and returned the documents after cancelling the challans of the buses. The road blockade could be lifted only after 90 minutes amid tension. 

“The blockade caused inconvenience to the public, especially to children and women going to their brothers’ homes on the eve of Raksha Bandhan,” a commuter said.

Meanwhile, the ASP confirmed today that the traffic in-charge had been suspended.

Jalandhar, August 9
Keeping in view a growing number of incidents related to the cheating of gullible people on the pretext of sending them abroad, the Jalandhar police booked as many as 178 travel agents in 92 travel cases registered in different parts of the district this year.

“The investigation of these cases was monitored at various levels, and result-oriented efforts were made to apprehend travel agents responsible for cheating people. Thirtyfive of them have already been arrested till date. The process to declare certain persons as proclaimed offenders has also been initiated in certain cases,” said Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP.

He also urged people to be aware of risks involved in engaging an unauthorised travel agent and adopting illegal means to go abroad. “People who aspire to go abroad must check the professional antecedents of the person offering to send them abroad. They should not fall prey to seemingly-lucrative offers extended by travel agents,” he added. 

Jalandhar, August 9
Blowing their own trumpets, senior Congress leaders during the Mass Contact Programme of the Punjab Congress here today left no stone unturned to magnify the achievements of the Congress party, and at the same time to downplay the role of the Akalis. They made an effort to project “development” as the key poll issue in the wake of the forthcoming Assembly polls. 

While Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, the Punjab Minister for Local Bodies, said the Congress party had helped in “unparallelled” development in rural areas, Mr Avtaar Henry, the Punjab Minister for Industry, dubbed the Akalis as a “bunch of corrupt people”, who “forced farmers to resort to distress sale of their paddy crop”.

“The ongoing development in rural areas is unprecedented as our government has enhanced the amount of development fund of each MLA from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 5 crore. More than 14 lakh youngsters would get jobs from mega projects worth Rs 70,000 crore that are underway in the state. On the other hand, the Akalis did nothing for the state. Even now, they are busy fighting with each other as the chief objective of Mr Parkash Singh Badal is to see his son as the next Chief Minister of Punjab,” claimed Chaudhary Jagjit Singh.

Mr Henry went a step further and alleged that the previous SAD-BJP government had been a “complete failure” on every front. “They could not even disburse pensions to eligible beneficiaries on a regular basis. The previous SAD-BJP government had earmarked an amount of Rs 264 crore for providing drinking water, but our government has already spent Rs 700 crore for the same. Is it not a big difference?” he questioned.

Ms Gurkanwal Kaur, the Punjab Minister for Culture, said that since the Akalis had been left devoid of any issue, the people of Punjab would vote the Congress to power once again. 

Mr Ramesh Dogra, Technical Education Minister, and Mr Tejinder Bittu, chairman, Improvement Trust, Jalandhar, also addressed the gathering.

Jalandhar, August 9 
Raksha Bandhan was celebrated at Frontier Headquarters, BSF, Jalandhar Cantonment, today. Rakhis were tied on the wrists of BSF officers and men by Brahma Kumaris. Brahma Kumari Rekha delivered a lecture on “Better living” as she urged everyone to shun vices like lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego. 

Mr G.S. Sandhu, Additional Deputy Inspector General, Frontier Headquarters, was the chief guest on the occasion.