Jalandhar, October 26
With an increasing possibility of mid-term parliamentary polls, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal utilised the birth anniversary of Maharshi Valmiki for wooing the Dalit voters by announcing a bagful of sops for them.

The religious function seemed more as a pre-election rally with the CM announcing Rs one crore for a Valmiki bhawan, Rs 12 crore for reconstruction of pucca houses, Rs 5 lakh for instituting a state-level poet award in the name of Valmiki. He also promised position of a community representative in the board, opening up of adarsh school for poor and starting a new skill centre with Larson and Toubro for imparting vocational training to the youth.

“You have voted us back to the power. We are bound to support you for your community’s development. I would have been behind bars if you had not helped me”, he lambasted the previous Congress government.

After a long discussion with the Adhi Dharam Samaj Darshan chief Ram Rattan, with whom he was sitting on the stage, the CM came on the dais and announced, “I assure you a grant of Rs one crore for the bhawan”. He gave the break-up, “I wish to dole out Rs 50 lakh from my own funds, Rs 5 lakh each from the five MLAs sitting here and at least Rs 15 lakh from Rajya Sabha member Naresh Gujral.”

“The poet award, carrying cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, will be given to the deserving poet in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu or English. There will be a high-level committee for screening the suitable candidate,” the CM added.

Over the long-pending demand of the representatives on dissolution of mohalla sanitation committees, Badal said, “It has just been brought to my notice. I have asked the local bodies minister to send across the file. It will take another 10 to 15 days for me to decide on the matter. But it will be done soon.”

It was perhaps not easy for the CM to bear the anguish of some Valmiki leaders as Vijay Danav, a prominent activist, spoke from the stage. “Your officials do not give us any hearing and we often face a lot of discrimination. We are either not given time or told to wait for long hours. Why these differences?” he questioned publicly as the SSP, DC and a bunch of officials stood close.

Samaj chief Ram Rattan said, “People from our community working as sewer man risk their lives daily. Ever since they have been employed by the MCs, only three men have retired till date. The rest passed away before attaining the age of their superannuation either due to accidents or illness”.

He said, “The governments have never been serious regarding accidental deaths of sewer men.” Demanding a judicial inquiries of such cases he asked registration of complaints against the officials responsible for sewer men deaths”.

Amritsar, October 26
The state government would establish around 200 new primary schools to upgrade primary education. Out of these 30 would be in Majitha constituency.

This was stated by the information and public relations minister Bikram Singh Majithia, while inaugurating Jathedar Sunder Singh memorial building at Pandher village here. The minister, who also holds portfolio of public health, said the schools would be set-up with the help of Airtel.

Meanwhile, during his visit to the villages Nag Nawa, Nag Khurd, Nangal Panwan and Pandher, the cabinet minister said the state government with the help of World Bank would spend Rs 1,280 crores for providing portable water to the rural belt.

Under the scheme panchayats with more than 40% population of schedule caste would share 5% of the cost, while others would deposit 10% of the amount. A survey has already been initiated to identify priority village, the minister added.

Disclosing about the state’s plan for road infrastructure, the minister said Rs 1,500 crore have been sanctioned by the World Bank, while Rs 275 crore have been allocated this year by the state. For the development of road and communication network the state government has hiked the grant to Rs 605.10 crore, said Majithia.

Moreover, Rs 260 crore have been provided under NABARD aided project for widening of roads and construction of bridges. With the help of central government, Rs 126 crore would be spent to develop border districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Ferozepore.

Talking about thermal power projects at Talwandi Sabo and Nabha, the minster said efforts were being made for biding out these projects to increase their capacity to around 3000 MW. Besides, the government was trying to improve power transmission and distribution.

Phagwara, October 26
Phagwara police today arrested Bhupinder Kumar, his father Anokhi Ram and mother Lila Devi of Kaleen village in Solan in Himachal Pradesh for duping a Phagwara couple of Rs two lakh on the pretext of marrying their daughter.

Bhupinder in connivance with his parents posed as a commandant in 36 Batalion of the Border Security Force posted at Shri Ganga Nagar. He had sent his photographs in BSF uniform in response to a matrimonial advertisement by former Phagwara senior medical officer Dr Buta Ram Gill. DSP H.P.S. Khakh said Gill, in his complaint, state d that he gave his consent to the match after which the accused started seeing his daughter. After some days, the accused made a call to Gill from Shri Ganga Nagar and narrated a false story of the accidental death of his entire family in Goa and expressed urgent need of Rs 1.5 lakh for their last rites.

Gill immediately rushed to Shri Ganga Nagar and handed over the amount to Bhupinder. However, the former got suspicious when Bhupinder demanded Rs 50,000 after a week and Rs 4 lakh there after. The probe revealed that he was not employed with BSF. When truth came into the open, the Bhupinder started sending threatening SMSes to Gill.

Meanwhile, the parents of the accused came to Gill and assured return of their money. But they failed to fulfill their promise. The DSP said all accused have been nabbed and booked under various sections of the IPC.

Jalandhar, October 26
It seems to be a tough going for SAD (A) president Simranjit Singh Mann after 18 party today tendered their resignations from their respective posts.

In a signed press note issued by the 18 members, it has been stated that they will remain in the party, but would work as ordinary members. They would also alienate themselves from the party’s decision-making in future.

The members including general secretary Anup Singh Minhas, Kapurthala district president Jagir Singh Wadala, Jalandhar president Dr S.S. Kahlon, have written, “We are upset with the developments taking place in the party for the last three to four months. These developments have caused a great loss to the Sikh panth and SAD (A) in particular.”

Certain vested interests in the party did not cherish the party’s rising graph and had started poising Mann, creating ripples in the party, they added.

Nawanshahr, October 26
The town witnessed dharnas, demonstrations and traffic blockades by different unions of teachers, students, brick-kiln workers and children of jhuggi dwellers on Thursday. They were protesting the indifferent attitude of the administration towards their demands.

Activists of the district unit of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) held a protest against the alleged arbitrary suspension of its state president Bhupinder Singh Warraich. The DTF has been opposing the district administration for allegedly violating state government orders on exempting teachers from non-academic duties.

The deputy commissioner has taken “revengeful” action against him, alleged Warraich. He said though he was on leave still the DC ordered his suspension. He also criticised the district education officer for remaining a mute spectator to the arbitrary action of the DC. Narinder Singh Urapur and Paramjit Dehal, president and secretary of the district unit of DTF, among others, threatened to intensify the agitation and expose the district administration if the suspension of the DTF state president was not revoked immediately.

The district union of the EGS Centre Union accompanied by children of jhuggi dwellers held a protest yesterday. They were demonstrating against the closure of EGS centres meant for providing education facility to the children of deprived sections of society. Kulwinder Ram, president of the union, and Sarup Singh, vice-president, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujwan Sabha, Punjab, while addressing the dharna, demanded reopening of the EGS centres.

Hoshiarpur, October 26
Kuldip Singh (36) of Jandi village committed suicide by hanging himself with a tree in his house today. He had gone to Malaysia three months back by ‘borrowing’ money to earn his livelihood there.

But reasons for his return are yet to be ascertained. Today morning, at about 4 am, he committed suicide by hanging himself with a tree in his house.

No suicide note has been found, said SHO of Buhlowal police station Paramjit Singh.