P U N J A B

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TOP STORIES

Pregnant woman abandoned by husband, in-laws
Clothes, jewellery taken away, house sold to property dealer
Ludhiana, February 23
A man, his mother and brother have allegedly abandoned his five-month pregnant wife. She has just the clothes she is wearing sans grocery, cash and jewellery. The house they all lived in at Ram Nagar near Mundian village has also been sold off.

Victim Amarjit Kaur shows drug injections and empty jewellery boxes. — Photo by Inderjeet Verma

SAD chief for Adarsh colleges at district headquarters
Mohali, February 23
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal today criticised Congress president Rajinder Kaur Bhattal for suddenly “waking up” to the needs of the state. Referring to a statement of Bhattal on sorry state of farmers in the state, the SAD president said he was surprised the Congress had realised the problem now.

First Patiala feeder opened
Manpur Headworks (Ludhiana), February 23
The first Patiala feeder opened here today after 37 days of closure for maintenance and upgradation work to increase the water carrying capacity, prevent water seepage and strengthen the banks.

‘1984 riots a blot on nation’
Chandigarh, February 23
The functioning of judiciary came under the scanner this afternoon at a panel discussion on “Impact of 1984 carnage on Punjab”. Eminent speakers like Justice S.S. Sodhi made startling revelations on how the career of at least one judicial officer was jeopardised for coming out with the truth about the torture of prisoners for finding out if they were terrorists.

Justice S.S. Sodhi addresses a gathering at a panel discussion on “Impact of 1984 carnage on Punjab” in Chandigarh on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

 

POLITICS

SAD’s Delhi rally: Congress posers to Badal
Chandigarh, February 23
The Insaf Rally of the SAD-BJP alliance on February 26 in Delhi with the objective of initiating fresh debate on the Centre-state relations has acted as strong catalyst for many in the Congress party. While the SAD-BJP leaders are preparing for the rally, the Congress has launched a tirade to checkmate the ruling alliance with questions that “call for introspection rather than protest”.

COMMUNITY

Bhindranwale’s Portrait in Sikh Museum
BJP to appeal to SGPC for its removal
Amritsar, February 23
National secretary of the BJP Balbir Punj said his party would appeal to the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee to remove the portrait of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from the Sikh museum.


Balbir Punj, national secretary of the BJP and in charge of Punjab affairs, along with Navjot Sidhu, MP, and Manoranjan Kalia, minister for local bodies, addresses a press conference in Amritsar on Saturday. — Photo by Vishal Kumar

COURTS

High Court
Notice to Punjab govt
Chandigarh, February 23
On a petition for initiating action against authorities responsible for allowing construction of commercial building in Patiala residential area in alleged violation of municipal building bye-laws, the High Court on Friday issued notice of motion for April 28 to the Punjab government and others.

EDUCATION

Passing Maths in class X
‘For better pass percentage fill vacancies of teacher’
Muktsar, February 23
The state government’s move to make it mandatory for class X students to pass in mathematics in order to qualify in matriculation is fine. But who will teach students in the absence of mathematics teachers as hundreds of posts are vacant across the state?

Be rational, the mantra for Education Dept
Student-teacher ratio betters national average
Ropar, February 23
Much hue and cry is being raised about the shortage of staff in government schools in the state. However, the latest data retrieved by higher officials of the department have brought to fore some startling facts.

Adarsh Schools Board to meet on Feb 25
Chandigarh, February 23
The Adarsh Schools Board, headed by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, will meet to take vital policy decisions with regard to the setting up of such schools in Punjab at Kapurthala House in Delhi on February 25.

Rs 150-cr plan for medical college: Sud
Amritsar, February 23
Reiterating their commitment to uplift and development of medical education and research in the state, Tikshan Sud, minister for medical education and research, said today that the government would soon fill 57 seats of lecturers at various medical colleges in the state.

Pass concession sought
Sangrur, February 23
The Punjab unit of the All-India Students Federation (AISF) has asked the Punjab government to implement student bus pass concession facility in private buses of the state also to save them from harassment at the hands of owners and staff of these buses.

AGRICULTURE

Farmer body’s memo to Dhindsa
Sangrur, February 23
A seven-member deputation of the Punjab unit of the Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations led by state unit president Satnam Singh Behru today met Sangrur MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa here and submitted a memorandum to him, enlisting demands of the farmers.

CRIME

Sekhwan, Butter men clash, fire in air
Kahnuwan (Gurdaspur), February 23
Workers of two groups of the Shiromani Akali Dal clashed this morning for over 4 hours. They were supporters of Sewa Singh Sekhwan and Yadwinder Singh Butter.

Safai worker foils bid to loot bank
Hoshiarpur, February 23
A safai karamchari foiled the attempt of a gun-toting youth to loot the agriculture branch of the State Bank of India on the bus stand-Jalandhar road here this afternoon and helped in arresting him.