Ferozepur, December 3
Following a call given by the state sector bank employees association, the employees of the State Bank of Patiala (SBOP) here observed a complete strike today. A demonstration was also held in front of the SBOP branch in Ferozepur. Employees from nearby branches also participated in the demonstration and raised slogans against the proposed move to merge associate banks with the State Bank of India.

Sukhdeep Bhardwaj, organising secretary of the All India State Bank of Patiala Employees Federation, said the federation was opposing these mergers on the ground that the subsidiary banks being merged with the State Bank of India had grown and evolved over a period of time into strong and vibrant banking institutions themselves, particularly at a time when they were catering to the banking needs in the regions concerned.

He said that the federation did not see any logical reason behind these mergers. Mansa: Protesting against the merger of associate banks with the State Bank of India, the employees of the State Bank of Patiala (SBOP) held demonstration in front of the main branch of the State Bank of Patiala. Addressing the employees, P. N. Pannu said this step would result in the closure of branches and affect consumer services. —OC

Faridkot, December 3
Punjab’s first institute to impart B.Ed degree to teachers for educating special children was dedicated to its people on the International Day for Disabled Persons here today.

V.K. Meena, deputy commissioner, dedicated the institute to the people of state during a ceremony, which was also an attempt to highlight the work of disabled persons. The institute is named Umang Red Cross Institute of Special Education for running B.Ed. special education (mental retardation).

Meena said the degree course would be conducted by the Punjabi University, Patiala. The institute would provide trained teachers for teaching mentally and physically-challenged persons. The one-year B.Ed. course has 20 seats.

The exhibition organised on the occasion showcased not only the talent of mentally and physically challenged persons but also their will to stand on their feet. Their hand-made items included file cover making, manually prepared cards, candles, pots, book binding, etc. Items of daily need prepared by them were enough to draw the attention of visitors.

Recipient of the 2002 National Award for outstanding contribution towards the welfare of physically-challenged people, the B.Ed college will be another feather in the cap of local chapter of the Indian Red Cross Society.

The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), a statutory body under the ministry of social justice and empowerment, has given approval to the Umang Red Cross Institute of Special Education, Baba Farid Cultural Centre, for running the B.Ed. special education (mental retardation). Approval was subject to the conditions that the RCI standard syllabus and nomenclature were followed and facilities in the training institute were maintained in accordance with norms prescribed by it from time to time.

Bathinda, December 3
In a bizarre incident, two teachers of a government girls school, Malooka, have been accused of objectionable behaviour.

Parents of some students at the school located in Malooka village today staged a dharna outside the school protesting against the alleged illicit relationship of a male teacher there with a lady teacher who was his colleague.

Some of the girls studying at the school further alleged that one of the teachers had tried to force them into developing relationships with boys. They also alleged that the teacher made them watch pornographic visuals on her mobile phone.

Local leaders intervened to calm down the parents of the students and the villagers who had gathered there. They demanded that the services of teachers concerned should be terminated. The teachers in question were, however, not present at that time. 

Gidderbaha (Muktsar), December 3
The menace of corruption would continue to prevail unless and until the people are sensitised by the intellectuals and throw an open challenge to the present form 
of political system existing in society. 

With this consensus, the writers, government employees, social workers and journalists gathered here yesterday at a seminar in which certain personalities were honoured for distinguished services in their respective fields. 

The role of literature and media in society, the accountability of government employees, the present lot of writers and other intellectuals became the topic of discussion at the congregation, which was organised by the ‘Sahitya Samagam Parbandhak Committee’. 

The individual personalities honoured for “their courage in functioning” included senior journalist Charanjit Bhullar of Punjabi Tribune, school teacher Dinesh Kumar, Patwari Nirmal Singh, PRTC driver Gurdeep Singh, Sarpanch Gurmeet Singh Bhalwan, social workers Gurcharan Singh Sodhi and Hansraj Mittal. 

Former Punjab Public Service Commission member Paramjit Singh Lalli also delivered a lecture on the “role of multinational companies and the brain drain’ on the occasion. 

Abohar, December 3
Tension mounted over the control of the historic Panjpeer Mazaar located in the deserts on the outskirts of this sub-divisional town. Some persons claiming to be new leaseholders allegedly broke open the locks of the complex to grab its control on Sunday even when the police was present there.

They reportedly attacked Bool Chand Sama, caretaker of the holy place, his wife Krishna Devi and daughter-in-law Suman Rani. All of them were admitted to the civil hospital. On the other hand, Mohinder Singh of the same locality, who claimed to have the lease deed transferred in his name for two years, also sustained injuries.

The incident put the Punjab Wakf Board in the dock for changing the lease of the historic Panjpeer Mazaar complex here.

Police force had been deployed here in June this year to avert any clash between the family, which had been taking care of the mazaar for the past 55 years, and the new lease holders, as hundreds of devotees had thronged the area to pay obeisance at the venue.

According to the information, the board had issued a lease document in favour of Mohinder Singh for one year, reportedly against a payment of Rs 2.62 lakh. He claimed having given a “donation” of Rs 50,000 in addition to the lease amount.

On the other hand, Bool Chand Sama said his family, after migrating from Pakpattan, the sacred land of Baba Farid in the western Punjab province, had been in lawful possession of the complex and took all pains to ensure its development. The mazaars are located in a desert area.

Bool Chand said he had offered to increase the annual lease amount from Rs 1.70 lakh to Rs 2.62 lakh, at par with Mohinder Singh, who had otherwise no association with the place of worship.

There was no locality around the complex a few years ago, but certain people, in connivance with the officials and the Waqf Board allegedly got the land transferred in their names and developed a colony without proper planning, leaving it to the municipal council to provide all amenities.

As the Panjpeer Mazaar complex gained reference in websites globally, the state government in 2005 initiated a move to bring it on its tourism map, but no progress was visible even after the visit of director of tourism, Jagjit Puri.

Now the Punjab Wakf Board, by changing the lease, has opened a Pandora’s box. The Board, in a letter to the tehsildar here on May 31, wanted that physical possession of the complex, along with 20-kanal land in the surrounding area, should be transferred to Mohinder Singh.

However, Sama claimed that the matter was sub-judice as he had challenged the illegal transfer of lease by some “vested interests in the Waqf Board.”

Abohar, December 3
A depute of the Zila Kumhar Sabha will shortly meet the Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal to press the demand for registering a case against the policemen involved in the Choohriwala Dhanna episode.

The Sabha, during a meeting chaired by Dev Raj Nirania here today, condemned in the strongest possible words the role of the district police. It also warned that the officials and political heavyweights, who were allegedly backing the cops after the ghastly act, would not be spared.

The meeting accused a DSP of the neighboring area and SHO of the Khuikhera police station for leading the cops in committing atrocities on innocent members, including women, of the Kumhar community in Choohriwala Dhanna village on Diwali.

“They chased residents, forced entry in to their houses, unleashed inhuman treatment, abused women by caste using filthy language”, a resolution adopted at the meeting lamented.

Nirania said senior police officials from the district headquarters, during a visit to the village a day after the act of terror, had promised to take stern action against the guilty policemen but till date nothing had been done. Atmosphere in the meeting was charged with high tempers.

Senior activists including, Bhagwan Dass, Bal Ram, Mohan Lal, Om Parkash, Sheopat Ram and Sunil Malethia reportedly said the administration had challenged the dignity of the community which had more than 28 thousand families in the district alone. “We would have to give a befitting answer,” they said.

Chiman Lal Dhundara, general secretary of the organisation, alleged that those cops had even damaged some sacred idols inside the houses after beating the inmates with sticks. False cases were registered against the victims of the police atrocities later, he added.

Those present at the meeting sought to send a warning note to some persons in the corridors of power also. These elements would be taught a lesson at an appropriate time, they warned.

The meeting left it to the action committee to decide the next course of the agitation after consulting senior functionaries of the Technical Services Union, Bhartiya Kisan Union and Lok Sangram Manch, a press release said.

Barnala, December 3
At least three persons died while one was seriously injured in a head-on collision between two vehicles at Pakho Kanchian, about 12 km from here today. The accident took place in the morning when a Tata-407, bearing the number RG-31G6873, loaded with fruits and vegetables, collided with a Tata Qualis, bearing the number HR-36D 0080. Both the vehicles were badly damaged in the accident. However, the driver of Tata-407 managed to flee from the accident site.

The deceased have been identified as NRI Roop Singh, a resident of village Phulewall (Bathinda), who was going to Delhi to receive his wife who was coming from Canada. The other two are Jasbir Singh and Karmjeet Singh, both residents of Chappali village.

Jagmail Singh, who was critically injured , was admitted to the civil hospital in Barnala.

The bodies of all three persons have been handed over to the relatives after the post-mortem. A case has been registered in this regard.

The main reason behind the accident is attributed to the absence of a round-about at Pakho Kanchian Chowk, where four main roads cross each other, leading to Barnala, Moga, Bhadaur and Shaina, respectively. The vehicles cross each other at high speed, resulting in accidents. The panchayat of Pakho Kanchian village has approached district authorities many times demanding the construction of a roundabout, but results are still awaited in this regard.

Fazilka, December 3
The judicial department and the Bar Association of Fazilka jointly organised a seminar on the World Handicapped Day here today and informed about different facilities available for handicapped persons.

Judicial magistrate Jarnail Singh disclosed that under the Free Legal Aid Act, handicapped persons are entitled to free legal aid but this is only possible, if it is carried out in spirit also.

Bar Association president Anil Jain said that observing the World Handicapped Day was worthwhile only if a pledge was taken to serve the handicapped persons. He said that in Jalandhar and Amritsar districts, training centres had been set up to provide employment opportunities to handicapped persons. He said that handicapped persons should be sent there to secure a bright future.

Orthopaedic surgeon Sandeep Gilhotra said that the physically challenged could be treated successfully to a large extent only if the affected persons were keen on it. 

Bathinda, December 3
Balwinder Singh Bhundar, general secretary of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), today said that the criticism of installation of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s portrait in the museum at the Golden temple was politically motivated.

Bhattal warned Bathinda, December 3 Balwant Singh Nandgarh, Jathedar’, Takht Shri Damdma Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, on Monday issued a press note warning Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, against issuing statements regarding the installation of the portrait of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale at the Akal Takht. He accused the Congress president of taking a wrong step when unanimity was needed. He threatened that if Bhattal did not stop politicising what was mainly a religious issue, she would be summoned for an explanation. —TNS

Bhundar, who was here to finalise arrangements for the SAD-BJP rally here on December 8, accused the Congress of unnecessarily creating a controversy on the issue.

He said that in the light of controversy on the issue raised by the Congress leadership, installation of portraits of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in Parliament was also an objectionable step as the two were “responsible for massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi” following the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

Bhundar said that Bhindranwale’s portrait has been installed in recognition of his services towards the religion. He said that the coalition government headed by Parkash Singh Badal has decided to initiate several development projects in the Malwa region. These projects are expected to be announced by Badal during celebration of his birthday here on December 8.

The SAD leader said that some top BJP leaders and allies of the SAD are expected to come here to participate in the function.

The SAD activists were disappointed as Sukhbir Singh Badal, working president of the SAD and a MP, did not reach here to preside over today’s meeting in the Gurdwara Haji Ratan.

However, Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, MP and Jagdeep Singh, parliamentary secretary, were present besides several other office-bearers who discussed arrangements for the joint rally. 

Widow manhandled Bathinda, December 3 There was commotion at the meeting venue when SAD (B) workers reportedly manhandled a widow, Gurwinder Kaur, who had come along with her father Master Hari Singh (retd) and was insisting on meeting Balwinder Singh Bhundar. The lady, with her daughter and father, wanted to request Bhundar to help her in a property related dispute that she was facing with her in-laws. She alleged that her in-laws enjoy political patronage. When queried by the media, Bhundar is learnt to have assured that he would look into the matter. — TNS Gurwinder Kaur along with her father at the venue of the meet.

Abohar, December 3
Women chanted bhajans as Ram Shilas were taken out today in a procession to temples in different localities here today.

Earlier, people from all walks of life accorded a rousing reception to the vehicle that carried Ram Shilas. Teachers and students of Shri Gurunanak AV Girls College pay their obeisance as the procession moved from Geeta Mandir located in the old walled city to the residence of the VHP Mahila wing president Sudesh Paruthi, where another reception was organised.

Those present at the main reception included, a former MLA Arjun Singh Siyag, Prem Parkash Arya and Jagdish Nagpal, working president of North India Arorvansh Sabha and its state president respectively, Sugan Chand Singhal of the RSS, Prem Balana, district secretary of the VHP and Sita Ram Sharma, state secretary of the Rashtriya Suraksha Samiti.

Bathinda, December 3
Altogether four out of five candidates, believed to be having the blessings of the Shiromani Akali Dal (B), faced defeat in the managing committee elections of a religious body, Gurudwara Sahib Sangat, in the Civil Lines, here.

President: Harjagwant Singh 1102, Manohar Singh 1098, invalid votes 60 Vice president: Jeet Singh 1072, Gurjeet Singh 1064, invalid 124 Secretary: Bhupinder Singh 1071, Chanan Singh 1048, invalid 141 Joint secretary: Baldev Singh 1089, Hazara Singh 1070, invalid 101 Cashier: Hardeep Singh 1086, Surjit Singh 1038, invalid 136

The lone candidate from this group to have emerged the winner was Harjagwant Singh who defeated his rival Manohar Singh for the president’s post by a narrow margin of four votes. The elections were held on Sunday.

The elections remained a topic of discussion among religious and political groups. Contestants were in the fray for the posts of president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary and cashier of the managing committee.

One of the groups that contested elections reportedly used photographs of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the SAD (B) acting president Sukhbir Singh Badal on election pamphlets to lure voters.

The group, believed to be having the blessing of Badal family, used the posters and banners to create an image that the Badal family was very close to them. But they failed to achieve the desired aim. Only Harjagwant Singh of the ‘Badal-blessed group’ was able to defeat Manohar Singh in a nail-biting finish. Manohar managed to secure 1098 votes while 60 votes were declared invalid.

Jeet Singh of the rival faction defeated Gurjeet Singh of the ‘Badal blessed’ group for the vice-president post. The rival group also bagged the posts of cashier, secretary and joint secretary, respectively. 

Bathinda, December 3
On the occasion of Bathinda Book Fair, a state-level Kavi Darbar was organised by the Punjabi Sahit Sabha, Bathinda, at Government Rajindra College, here today in the evening. The function, in which more than 20 poets participated from across the state, was organised with the help of National Book Trust of India (NBTI) under the chairmanship of Baldev Singh Badhan, joint director and editor, NBT.

Gurdev Singh Khokhar, president, Punjabi Sahit Sabha, Bathinda, welcomed the chief guest Dr Ravinder Singh Mann, principal, Dashmesh Public Senior Secondary School, Bathinda, and all the poets taking part in it.

One of the participating poets, Satish Gulati, presented his poem from his book `Chup, Nadi Te Main’, ``Mere supne vich ik darvesh aave, te aakhey, dishade toan paar jaavi, hamesha jitt di rakhi tamanna jadon jittan te aave, haar jaavi.’’ Urdu poet Pritpal Singh `Betaab’ presented, ``Main dekh raha hoon teri tasveer ko beshak, main soch raha hoon, teri tasveer se aage.’’

Noted Punjabi poet Surinderpreet Singh Ghania recited his poem, ``Ghar lagda hai pinjra ohnu, jeehde mann vich ambar ne, jo ambar nu bhul chukeya, ohnu pinjra vi ghar lagda hai.’’ Ajaib Kamal presented, ``Aj kal kise nal dushmani vi ki kariey, aj kal ta dushmani da myar vi digda janda hai.’’

Other participating poets included, J. S. Anand, Ravinder Sandhu, Ranvir Rana, Ranjit Gaurav, Janak Raj Janak, Balwinder Chahal and many others.

In rememberance of punjabi poets, Ram Singh Chahal, Nirbhai Singh Sandhu, Mangal Madaan and critic Jaspal Mann, a two minutes silence was observed by all. In the end, Jaspal Singh Mankhera, senior vice-president, Punjabi Sahit Sabha, Bathinda, proposed a vote of thanks.

Bathinda, December 3
When a seven-year-old class II student Geetika walks past a poster displayed at a book fair in the city, her tender mind catches its fancy. She stops at the bookstall, tries to figure out the person in the poster and asks her father Surinder Kumar, ``Dad, isn’t this person Saddam Hussein who was executed in Iraq? Why is his poster displayed at a book fair?’’ Her father has no answer to her daughters’ question. He changes the topic and instead picks up Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s poster and shows it to her.

This was the scene at the Bathinda Book Fair where the posters of executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and Shaheed Bhagat Singh are sold on the same counter. Price of the posters: Rs 10 each.

While Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s posters are a hit amongst the youth, Saddam’s posters are also selling like hot cakes.

Saddam Hussein’s poster also bears poetic lines written by Ludhiana-based Punjabi poet Satish Gulati in Punjabi, Hindi and English. The Punjabi lines are ``Saadi hosh de andar eh pehli vaar hoya hai, ki mujrim ne nahi, jallaad ne chehra lukoya hai.’’ (First time we have seen in our lives, the guilty unmasked, the loser has covered his face).

Sale of literature, especially the progressive one, written by Paash, Lal Singh Dil and many others, is maximum in the Malwa region of Punjab.

Satish Gulati, owner of Ludhiana-based Chetna Parkashan, who has got this poster printed, said, ``When Saddam Hussein was executed, I was visiting the US at that time and when I saw on TV the way he was executed, I really felt bad. The idea of printing this poster came into my mind at that time. On reaching India, early this year, I downloaded Saddam’s photograph from the Internet and got 5,000 copies of this poster printed. Since then, I have been selling these posters at all major book fairs across the country.’’

``It was at the All India Students Federation conference at Sirsa (Haryana), where I sold the maximum number of these posters (around 2,000 copies). And a majority of people who bought them was from south Indian. Even 500 odd copies were sold at a book fair held at Jammu from October 10 to 20. Even at this book fair, I have sold more than 500 copies and now only 200 copies of this poster are left. All the buyers of these posters are in the age-group of 20 to 40 years. I will be giving the next print order for these posters soon,’’ Gulati informed.

When asked that whether any government official or agency stopped him from selling this poster, Gulati said, ``India is a secular country and all of us have our right to express our thoughts. Though many of my friends stopped me from getting these posters printed, I went along with this idea because it is just a way to perceive things in ones own way.’’

Bathinda, December 3
One and a half years after the submission of the inquiry report by the Assistant Commissioner (Grievances)— the investigating officer in the case— the alleged illegal building of the Civil Lines club remains to be vacated by its occupants.

The attitude of the authorities themselves is under the scanner as on the one side, the illegal encroachments of the poor were razed to ground during a demolition drive recently, but the violation of rules by the well-heeled still goes unnoticed.

It was only after protests by some Sikh organizations on the issue, that attracted media attention, was an inquiry initiated by the administration into the matter. But even after writing to various department, the then deputy commissioner was not able to procure the master plan for the Civil Lines. The inquiry into the alleged illegally raised building of the Civil Lines club was initiated in 2006 on the orders of the then deputy commissioner Rahul Bhandari.

After the inquiry was conducted by the investigating officer, Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), the then DC sent a letter to Karan Singh Avtar, secretary to the Government of Punjab, Department of PWD (B&R), vide D.O. no. 5129, dated August 23, 2006. “ The club is situated on prime land and loss worth crores of rupees to the state exchequer is involved in the whole affair,” the letter says.

“The land was given by the government way back in the year 1970/1971 for setting up of the library and earlier there was a library in the name of Guru Nanak Dev. With the passage of time, this library was converted into a club. The club has a beer bar and non-vegetarian eatables are also served there. Regarding the grants, no actual situation has been ever disclosed to the VIPs as they just come on invitation and issue grants. Now, entry to the club is restricted to the members only and they charge a membership fee ranging from Rs 8,100 to Rs 31,000,” the letter goes on to mention.

It has been clearly mentioned in the report that in 1969, the then minister, Teja Singh, laid the foundation stone of the library. The land has been on lease from the PWD (B&R) since 1958. In the records of the Municipal Corporation, Bathinda assessment register, it still mentions the name of the library.

It may be mentioned that in 2003, a badminton club was set up at the club, which was also reportedly an illegal activity as no permission was sought for that.

When contacted, DC Bathinda, Rahul Tewari, expressed ignorance about the matter. 

Bathinda, December 3
The Northern Railway Mens Union (NRMU) has taken a clear-cut lead over the other unions in the Ambala division in the polls held to elect railway employees union.

The three-day polling was held between November 26 and 28.

According to the assistant secretary, NRMU, Northern Zone, D. K. Singh, the NRMU had cornered 5,088 votes, which was the 42 per cent of the votes while the Uttar Railway Mazdoor Union (URMU) and the Uttar Railway Karamchari Union (URKU) had secured 4,051 and 4,040 votes respectively in the division.

As far as the position of unions in the Northern Zone is concerned, the NRMU had secured 49 per cent of the votes while the URMU and the URKU had managed to bag 27 per cent and 23 per cent votes respectively, till the filing of the news on Monday evening, sources said.

The clear picture would emerge only after the declaration of the results of Delhi division, sources said.

According to sources, 35 per cent votes are required by a union to be recognised in the Northern Zone.

Upbeat over the latest trend, members of the NRMU of Bathinda are gearing up for the celebrations. 

Bathinda, December 3
In a precautionary measure against fog, the Northern Railway (NR) and the North Central Railway (NCR) have decided not to run several trains on many routes from December 8, 2007 to January 31, 2008. The decision of this effect was taken during the board meeting of the NR and NCR held in Delhi on Monday. The 4723/4724 Kalindi Express has been cancelled between Delhi and Kanpur; the 4217/4218 Unchahar Express will remain suspended between Chandigarh and Allahabad while the 3111/3112 Lal Qila Express will not run between Mughalsarai and Delhi.

The 3007/3008 Toofan Express has been cancelled between Mughalsarai and Sri Ganganagar; the 4307/4308 Mughalsarai -Bareilly Express will not run from Allahabad to Mughalsarai and the 3039/3040 Janata Express will remain suspended between Mughalsarai-Delhi. —TNS

Mansa, December 3
Famous Punjabi writer Ram Singh, who was unwell for the past few days and was admitted to the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana, died today.

His body was brought to his native village Alisher Khurd where the last rites were performed. Apart from being a poet, Ram Singh was known for translating Punjabi in other languages.  President, Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, Ajmer Singh Aulakh, Punjabi writer Ram Saroop Ankhi, editor of Punjabi Tribune, Sidhu Damdami were present at the cremation. —OC