Doomwali (Bathinda), July 27
To prevent any untoward incident today during the ‘bhog’ ceremony of Harmander Singh, who was killed in the recent Dera-Sikh clash at Dabwali, the Bathinda police remained on toes and established a number of check points on Bathinda—Dabwali road. With the high security arrangements, the day passed off almost peacefully.

Though all hardliner Sikh leaders had to assemble at the ceremony in Dabwali, the police maintained vigil on the Punjab-Haryana inter-state border and all deras of the Sacha Sauda in the district.

During a visit to the Doomwali barrier, the road leading to Dabwali was seen barricaded at several points.

Major ‘nakas’ were set up on the Bathinda bye pass, Sanagat bye pass, at the diversion point to the Guru Gobind Singh Refineries limited and the Dabwali bye pass.

Besides checkpoints, deputy inspector general of police (DIG), Faridkot Range, Jitendra Jain, and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bathinda, Ashish Chaudhary, personally inspected the security arrangements on the road.

Police officers deputed at the check points were observed to be more focused towards the movement of hardliner Sikh leaders, as their movement was completely scanned. Due to tension prevailing over the issue, vehicle-movement on the Bathinda-Dabwali road was very less.

While talking to a number of persons, it was observed that the tension hit the tax collection barrier as well as petrol pumps, dhabas and other business points existing on the road.

On the other hand, taking no chance with regard to security measures, all five deras of the sect, namely dera Salabatpura, the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda in Punjab, Maur, Lehra Mohabbat, Kaile Bandar and one existing at Malout road, were cordoned off.

Due to a monthly religious discourse of the Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa was declared high alerted so most of the hard liner Sikh leaders proceeded to Dabwali via Bathinda.

Speaking over the issue, DIG of police Jitendra Jain said, “Though there was no call from any organization for protest in Bathinda, we tried our best to ensure fool-proof security arrangements in the district up to Haryana border.”

Bathinda, July 27
Accusing Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and his followers for the alleged atrocities on the Sikh and Hindu communities, state president of the Shiv Sena (Bal Thakeray) Sanjiv Ghanauli today announced that to put an end to the matter they would not shrug from preparing human bombs if need arises.

Ghanauli was here to inquire the well-being of the Shiv Sena activists. The activists had alleged that on Friday, they were assaulted by dera followers on the issue of supporting the Punjab bandh call given by various Sikh organisations.

Giving two days time, Shiv Sena activists warned the administration to book the dera in-charge of the districts under section 307 of the IPC for assaulting their activists.

While addressing media persons, they said the Shiv Sena would form a seven-member committee to chalk out the further strategy on the issue.

The leaders cautioned that if the dera followers did not tender apology, they would launch a mission to inspire the Hindus following dera principles to leave dera.

Replying a query regarding their relations with Sikh organisations, Ghanauli stated that they were together on the common cause of national prosperity. But if Sikhs raised demands for ‘Khalistan’ or brandished swords to lodge a protest, the party would not support them.

Expressing displeasure, the leaders said although they had lent full support to the Sikh organisations during the Punjab Bandh, the leaders of the organisation did not reciprocate when their activists were assaulted.

Ghanuali was accompanied by Yogesh Bathish, state vice-president of the party, and Suraj Ahluwalia, state president of the youth wing besides other dignitaries.

When contacted, SSP Bathinda Ashish Chaudhary said, “The police is investigating the case and action would be taken according to the facts. Meanwhile, we will not allow anyone to take any advantage by creating disturbance in the area.”

In a separate incident, the district police arrested some Sikh protesters, who were about to burn the effigy of the dera chief at the local bus stand today.

Bathinda, July 27
It was looking like a venue of inter-cultural discourse at Rajindra College here. Everybody was dressed in traditional attire, right from children to adults.

The Diamond Welfare Society organised a cultural competition, where 300 students of around 30-35 schools of the Malwa region participated in the carnival. The participants, who were from 1st to 10th class, tested their mettle in fancy dress, bhangra, group dance and gidda competitions.

This is for the fourth time the society is organising such a competition. The programme was inaugurated by senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal. The guest of honour was mayor Baljeet Singh Bir Behman and chief guest was Jagdeep Singh Nakkai.

In the group dance: (1) Mahindra Public School (Chak Fateh Singh Wala), (2) Sarvhitkari Narayan Vidya Mandir ( Mansa), (3) Holy Heart School. In the writing competition: (1) M.H.R.Model School and Arya Model School (2) Government Girls School. In the Gidda: (1) Mata Sahib School, (2) Holy Heart School. In bhangra: (1) Sarvhitkari Narayan Vidya Mandir( Mansa) (2) Mata Sahib Kaur School (3) Arya Model School.

Bathinda, July 27
The local chapter of the Punjabi Sahit Sabha organised a function at the Teachers’ Home here today where three books, namely ‘Bhai Roop Chand’, ‘Chandan Rukh’ and ‘Chitte Khamba Da Bharam’ authored by Bhai Harcharan Singh, Sukhdarshan Garg and Amrik Singh Kanda respectively, were released.

The first book has been edited by Gurdev Khokhar, president of the Sabha. Labh Singh Kheeva, Navrahi Ghugianwi and Surjeet Brar apprised those present at the function about the respective contents of the three books.

Besides the book releases, a discussion on ‘Satluj Vehnda Reha’, a novel penned by Baldev Singh, was also held.

Earlier, Surinder Kumar Daveshwar (from Panjab University, Chandigarh) and Gurdev Khokhar read papers on the novel that was based on the life and philosophy of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. The novel marked the birth centenary of the martyr. Those who took part in the discussion were Balkar Singh, Satnam Singh Jassal, Surjeet Brar and Rajpal Singh. At the function, Amarjeet Painter presented Baldev the sketch that he had drawn of the author.

While the chief guest on the occasion was Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal, MD, Baba Farid Institute of Higher and Foreign Studies, Deon, Dr T.R. Vinod presided over.

Famous playwright and novelist Dr Ajmer Singh Aulakh along with Satnam Singh and Paramjeet Romana were among the prominent personalities present on the 
occasion.

Barnala, July 27
In absence of a Schedule Caste (SC) panch, the village Bika Sooch Patti is facing difficulties in getting a sarpanch for it. The village has been accredited for five-member panchayat, comprising two women, two men and one member belonging to SC community, for the first time.

As per information gathered by The Tribune, the election to this panchayat was held as per the schedule. But in a house of five, only four members got elected, including two women and two men.

The member panchyat, belonging to SC, was not elected. As per the villagers, there is not even a single SC voter in the village. So no one filed the nomination paper for election to SC panch.

The other interesting point is that as per notification, the sarpanch seat is reserved for woman in Bika Sooch Patti. But both the female members have expressed their unwillingness for the post. They have also submitted a written consent to returning officer in this regard. Both the women and one male panch are supporting Hardev Singh Kala for the sarpanch. Despite the members' unanimous decision on sarpanch's name, the retuning officer failed to get the elections conducted due to one vacant seat of the panchayat.

The returning officer went to the village last week for the election for the sarpanch. But in the absence of complete quorum, they were unable to make the election.

As per the state election ruling, any by-election can be held only after six months of the main elections.

DC-cum-district electoral officer R.L.Mehta, when contacted, told that the matter had been brought to his notice. He said that according to the high court ruling, if the seat for member panchayat was vacant then the election for post of sarpanch could be held only after filling the vacant seat.

DC Mehta further added that he would himself verify that whether there was any SC voter inside the village. He assured that if it was found true, then he would write to rural panchyat department of Punjab to undo the reserved seat of sarpanch for this village and make it a general seat. 

Abohar, July 27
“Elections for sarpanch in more than six villages of the Abohar and Khuyiansarwar blocks is being delayed as legislators of the ruling SAD (B)-BJP alliance are adamant in getting elected the people of their choice by hook or crook,” former Congress MLAs Mohinder Rinwa and Parkash Singh Bhatti said here today.

They alleged that another MLA of the ruling alliance was misusing the administration to stall the election of a senior Congress worker as sarpanch in his native village Katehra. While producing five members of the panchayat before the media, the former legislators said that a meeting of the elected members was initially fixed for July 22, but was postponed to July 25 as 6 of the 11 members had already declared that Congress worker Bhim Sain Jyani would be elected as sarpanch. Later, one of themwas missing from the village. — OC

Abohar, July 27
Shaheed Udham Singh Park, located opposite to municipal bus stand here, remains in state of neglect even when the sub-divisional town gears up to observe the 68th "Balidan Divas" of the great national hero, falling on July 31.

Udham Singh had sacrificed his life to teach a lesson to the mentors of the Jalianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar on Baisakhi in 1919.

Scores of citizens gather in the park on birthday and martyrdom day of one of the great revolutionaries of Punjab. They have been expressing resentment over the way the authorities had given a free hand to shopkeepers and rehriwalas to encroach upon the park. The encroachers had virtually made it a garbage-dumping place. One can find bones thrown by non-vegetarians, besides wrappers of eatables remain littered around the statue of the hero who had fought for freedom from the imperialists.

Interestingly, the officials, who have been joining the citizens in garlanding the statue twice a year, always promise that the memorial will be given a face-lift by removing all encroachments but nothing tangible was ever done.

The representatives of three organisations, which coordinate in the celebrations on the Balidan Divas and birthday of the martyr, today submitted a memorandum to the sub-divisional authorities. A similar memorandum was submitted last year also. It demands establishing of a chair in the name of Shaheed Udham Singh, acquiring of the revolver that had been used by Udham Singh in UK and dedicating the International Air Port in the name of the martyr at Amritsar. But no mention to the state of neglect of the memorial was made there in. 

Abohar, July 27
The state government had allocated Rs 95 lakh for different rural development projects in the Abohar Assembly segment, former MLA Ram Kumar Goyal said on Saturday.

He said as per discussions held with CM Parkash Singh Badal at Chandigarh recently, construction of a nine-km link road would be taken up and special repair of 41-km link road at a cost of Rs 344.75 lakh, along with patchwork on a 20-km old road, which had been left over in 2002, at a cost of Rs 8.75 lakh, had also been recommended.

Giving details of the plans, Goyal said under another scheme the roads that links Gumjal village with Panniwala Mahla and Shergarh with the Rajasthan border would be repaired by the Punjab Mandi Board with an allocation of Rs 91 lakh.

An allocation of Rs 22.48 lakh to repair small stretches of roads linking Abohar-Sriganganagar road to Dhaani Radha Ram, Abohar-Hanumangarh road to Brahm Rishi Mission School and Kandhwala Amarkot village to Amarpura and Dhaani Mahavir had also been made.

Bathinda, July 27
The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Bathinda has condemned bomb blasts that rocked Bangalore and Ahemdabad during the last 48 hours.

The explosions claimed several life in the two major cities of the country.

Members of the parishad said that there was need to check infiltration from Bangladesh. — TNS

Bathinda, July 27
President of the All India Sikh Student Federation( AISSF), Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad said that there were 38,000 families in Punjab affected in the 1984 Sikh riots.

“Around 10,000 families don’t have cards and are also not covered under the centre’s grant of Rs 260 crore,” he said.

The riot victim families held a meeting at Khalsa Diwan gurudwara and resolved to fight for justice.

The AISSF is organising a protest in New Delhi on August 26. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi have been urged not to give parliamentary tickets to those leaders accused in the riots.

Karnail Singh said that their fight would go on till they get justice. 

Bathinda, July 27
The Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre Limited (EHIRCL), Delhi has decided to start monthly paediatric Out Patient Department (OPDs) at the Jindal Heart Institute and Infertility Centre in Bathinda.

The EHIRCL today announced the commissioning of the OPD at the opening ceremony of Jindal Heart Institute and Infertility Centre.

Speaking on the occasion, chief guest Dr T.S.Kler, executive director, Cardiac Sciences at EHIRCL said, “We are happy to bring high quality cardiac care to the doorsteps of Bathinda residents who would no longer have to travel to Delhi for advance cardiac care.”

Head of the Jindal Heart Institute, Dr Rajesh Jindal said, “We are feeling proud to be associated with the leaders in cardiac care. Our patients requiring regular cardiac check-ups now have the Escorts assurance.”

Mayor of Bathinda Municipal Corporation, Baljeet Singh Bir Behman, dignitaries of the city, doctors and staff of the Jindal Heart Institute and Infertility Centre were present at the opening ceremony of the institute.

Bathinda, July 27
Having started a nursery school 15 years ago, Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal has fulfilled his dream of establishing a hub of education in the outskirts of the city near village Deon on Mukatsar road.

Named after Baba Farid, Dhaliwal has established seven professional colleges in the sprawling complex and upgraded the school to senior secondary level.

Keeping in mind the present day needs and to keep the youth abreast with modern technology at the global level, besides other institutions he established colleges of engineering and technology, college of management and technology, college of computer science and information technology and a global innovation centre.

Dhaliwal said that the response from the local populace was tremendous and all 60 seats each in the newly introduced courses in computer science and information technology were filled even before the last date.

He said that to provide wider exposure to the students the Baba Farid Global Innovation Centre has signed a MoU with the Australian Science Academy where students would be sent for two years to pursue studies after completing first year here.

Dhaliwal says that to imbibe discipline among the students, carrying mobiles on the campus has been strictly banned. A strict action was taken against those indulging in copying as a result of which the pass percentage of these institutions was quite high.

Courses in BA, B.Com, BBA, BCA, post-graduation in various subjects, M.Sc; Biotechnology and B.Sc. (agriculture), besides a host of other subject choices, were being run by his institutions.

He said that stress was being laid on career guidance not only to the students of his institutions, but also free of cost to the youth in the nearly 50 square kilometer area around the campus. Assistance was also being provided in placements even at the under-graduate level.

He said that tuitions by the faculty of these institutions had been banned and a classroom culture had been created.