Talwandi Sabo, February 13
“We are firm on our stand to get the Anandpur Sahib resolution implemented. It is the Congress that is making an issue out of it in its own interest,” said Avtar Singh Makkar, chief of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), here today. Makkar was here to attend a seminar dedicated to the tercentenary celebrations of the Gurta Gaddi Diwas held at Mata Sahib Kaur Girls’ College.

“There is nothing wrong about the issue as we want that the state should be independent enough to utilise its resources for its own development. The allegation of the Congress leaders terming it as a ‘separatist’ move cannot be accepted as the resolution is not only confined to Punjab but to all states,” he claimed.

Talking to TNS, Makkar said he had formed a committee to probe the inconvenience faced by devotees during the lathicharge at Sri Harimandir Sahib on Thursday. He condemned the incident saying it was against the sanctity of the religious place.

When asked about the allegation against the SGPC over shifting the burden of the Nanhi Chhaan campaign to the forest department, he said, “The SGPC and the forest department have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), following which they have now been assigned the duty of distributing saplings.”

Makkar strongly criticised the Shiv Sena and Sri Rama Sene for the violent steps against Valentine’s Day celebrations.

“One must protect one’s religion and culture in a right way and not through violence,” Makkar said.

When asked about the ‘diktat’ of the jathedar, Akal Takht Sahib, to Sikhs against asking for votes from the Dera Sacha Sauda followers during the Lok Sabha polls, he said, “Being the president of the SGPC, I follow the Hukumnama and other Sikh leaders must also follow it.”

Meanwhile, various religious-cum-intellectual personalities marked their presence at the seminar and motivated students to follow the principles of Sikhism.

Among others, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, general secretary of the SAD, Amarjeet Singh Sidhu, Talwandi constituency in-charge, Gurnek Singh, Jaspal Singh, K.S. Dhillon, Kuldeep Singh Dhir, Loknath Sharma, all eminent educationists, and principal of the college, Inderjeet Kaur, were the main speakers.

Lalu has left Malwa crestfallen.
Finding no room for themselves in Lalu’s Poll Express, most importantly, the second time in a row, the residents of Malwa, particularly Bathinda, accused Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav — who tabled the Interim Rail Budget in the Parliament today — of extending step-motherly treatment to them.

People of the region, this time, had pinned high hopes on Lalu as this was an election year, said Hamuman Dass Goyal, vice-president of the Railway Passengers Association, North Zone. “We thought that Lalu would certainly offer some sops to Malwa. But he dashed our dreams,” Goyal added. “For the last five years, he has been concentrating only on areas around Bihar. This is nothing but sheer step-motherly treatment,” he alleged.

Sources in the railway said that during the last five years, the region had got only one new train while three trains were extended. Peoples’ demands for Jan Satabadi Express and other facilities failed to find place in Lalu’s plans during the period.

The 338/339 Bikaner-Bathinda train was extended upto Abohar in September 2004. The 9225/9226 Ferozepur/Jammu Express was extended upto Bathinda in July 2006 and the 5609/5610 Guwahati-Delhi train got extension upto Bikaner via Bathinda in December 2006.

One new train was introduced three-and-half-year ago in July 2005 in the form of the 4525/4526 Ambala–Sriganganagar.

Residents of the region have been demanding trains between some important stations of Punjab, including between Sriganganagar-New Delhi via Jhaka and between Sriganganagar- Amritsar via Dhuri and Ludhiana.

People’ demand for Jan Shatabadi Express, proposal of which has also been sent by the Ambala division to the headquarters, also did not find mention in the Railway Minister’s speech.

President of the Railway Passengers Welfare Association, A.K Garg, is also not appeared amused with Lalu’s plan. “Reduction in fare is okay but what about other amenities? The region badly need new trains, particularly between Bathinda and New Delhi,” Garg said, and added that passengers at Bathinda like every stations had been facing problems for eights months due to lack of porters, but the minister did not announce any policy regarding hiring porters or issuing licences.

Not only passengers, but the traders here were also disappointed. “Nothing for the traders of Malwa,” said Raman Watts, president of the Bathinda Chamber of Commerce and Industries. He added that businessmen of the area need at least one more train between Bathinda and New Delhi.

Bathinda, February 13
Nothing can stop love. It is this that makes Valentine’s Day (V-Day) so special. Most lovers are busy planning for the day, what to gift, where to meet and what to do to make the day more romantic.

The business of flowers, candies and cards have taken a big leap and the markets are flooded with gift items, including sweetheart lockets, bracelets, rings, musical couple of Titanic, lovebirds and others. Chinese chocolate cards are the main attraction among the youngsters.

Amit, owner of the Archies gallery in Dhobi Bazaar, said people of almost every age group are buying gifts to express their love to their near and dear ones.

Rajender Goyal, running a gift shop here, said the sale of gift items is at its peak.

V-Day gifts are ways to express what one perhaps finds difficult to say in words. Yet, come what may, nothing can replace the charm of rose on this day, for it blooms amid thorns and thus symbolises that love has to conquer pain.

To add to the lovers’ pain, the price of rose has gone up this year as well.

Dharmender Kumar, a florist on the stadium road, said the rose which is otherwise available for Rs 10, costs Rs 25 on this day. “However, the price has not affected its sale. Roses are selling like hot cakes.”

Vijay, another florist, said, “Roses are more in demand than bouquets. Mostly, young couples are buying it irrespective of its cost.”

Rajneesh Kumar, sales manager, ICICI, Chandigarh, is going to propose to his girlfriend Baljeet Kaur for marriage on the V-Day as he feels the day is different from rest of the 364 days. “One can go to extra length to extend one’s wishes to someone they love.”

Pooja, who got married recently, bought lovebirds for her husband Vishal Sethi and a greeting card for her best friend Amanjot. She said the day is meant for all and is about sharing love with your loved ones.

Nidhi, a radiologist here, takes pride in saying, “My husband Dr Ajay Gupta, a paediatrician, had proposed me on V-Day.”

Prof Neeru Garg said, “It is a misconception that youths are under western influence. Love is the natural desire of a person and pure happiness that God ever gave to men. On this loveable day, hatred takes a backseat and one thinks only of love.”

A person sans a life partner is like body without soul, says Pankaj Sharma, manager in a BPO at Delhi. He got married on V-Day with a belief that it would keep their relationship longer and stronger.

Living alone gets difficult at times, stated Yagya Dutt, a Convergys employee at Gurgaon, who is looking forward to patch up with his ex-girlfriend Neha. “The day provides an opportunity to correct one’s mistakes as well,” he added.

Lucky are those who are loved and cared for. However, the day depresses those who do not have a partner. They feel rather more lonely than alone on this day.

Neetu, a teacher at Delhi, said, “A loveless life is not worth living. The day upsets me and it sets me to feel more alienated when somebody asks me, what are your plans for the day?”

Gursharan Singh, a doctor, comments, “Why to get confined to bitter moments of one’s life. Leaving behind the dead weight of past, one should take a step forward to welcome life and make the most of it.”

Bathinda, February 13
The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has released new varieties of cucumber, pumpkin, coriander, turmeric and cauliflower. It has also introduced a sowing technology. This was stated here today by Dr D.S. Cheema, head, vegetable department, PAU.

Cheema said the new variety of cucumber was rich in Vitamin C. The new pumpkin variant would mature early and would be rich in vitamin A. It would also be moderately resistant to the mosaic virus, yielding 165 quintals per acre, he said.

He also advised for planting direct cabbage seeding for early crop yields, having ridges at 60 cm apart from maintaining a distance of 15-20 cm between plants.

“It would be ready for harvesting about two weeks earlier than the transplanted crop,” Cheema said. 

Moga, February 13
Two bank employees were awarded three years of jail by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) for criminal breach of trust and forgery here, on Friday.

Lakhvir Singh, additional public prosecutor of the district, said that a clerk-cum-cashier, Joginder Singh and Ram Singh, a peon, employees of the local branch of Punjab National Bank fraudulently withdrew a sum of Rs 1,50,000 from the bank account of Kulraj Singh by forging his signatures on November 29, 1996 during the banking hours.

After an informal inquiry by the bank authorities Pavitter Singh, senior manager of the bank, lodged an FIR against the said bank employees, under sections 409, 467 and 468 of the IPC, at the local police station.

The APP said that the CJM, Karunesh Kumar Kakkar agreed to the arguments of the prosecution side, sentenced both the bank employees to three years of imprisonment and also imposed a penalty of Rs 2,500 on each of them. 

Fazilka, February 13
Body of mother of two kids, Indira Devi, a resident of village Nihal Khera was recovered from village pond on Thursday evening.

Girdhari Lal, father of the deceased, said in the FIR, that his daughter was constantly tortured by her in-laws ever since she got married to Shankar Lal, some five years ago.

He has further stated that intervention of Panchayat elders was sought many times. But torture to her daughter continued.

On the basis of statement of Girdhari, police has registered cases under sections 306/34 of the IPC against Shankar Lal, his mother Guddi Devi and father Hanuman Dass. — OC

Moga, February 13
The police on Thursday arrested two quacks for illegally vaccinating Hepatitis-C injections to common public, however, one registered practitioner managed to escape from the police net.

As per sources, Manjit Singh and Jaspreet Singh in association with Satish Kumar Thukral, a registered practitioner, were vaccinating the injection without valid permission from the health department. — TNS