Amritsar, February 15
The fact-finding team of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) today found that the ongoing renovation of Jallianwala Bagh was not up to the mark. The team members found a number of glaring discrepancies.

Punjab state INTACH convener Dr. Sukhdev Singh emphasised on the need of a consensus on preserving sites like Jallianwala Bagh.

He said work must be carried out with sensitivity and knowledge which matched the significance of the site. Jallianwala Bagh had a unique place in the history of the Indian freedom struggle and it was unfortunate that for long we could not pay proper attention to the site despite the fact that the chairperson of the national committee on the site was the Prime Minister of India.

“Now when the government of India has earmarked some money for its upkeep, we must take care that these funds do not become an instrument to damage the originality and character of the site,” he said.

Its upkeep should not mean its beautification in the modern popular sense, explained Dr. Sukhdev Singh.

Describing the recent incident of controversy around the site unfortunate, he said the management of the bagh could have invited suggestions from various organisations and individuals.

Citing an example, he said, the use of incorrect Punjabi to write signage and information maps was a mockery and an act of irresponsibility. Even a 
primary school student will write all that in a better manner. How can 
seriousness be expected in other matters which were of more technical nature, he said.

A committee of architects, engineers, social scientists and language experts, constituted by the Amritsar chapter of INTACH, visited the bagh and found many glaring drawbacks in the work.

It would not be in the right spirit if many structures were raised at the site which originally was a vacant piece of land at the time of tragedy in April 1919. By building new structures, the original character of the site ws being changed, said P.S. Mahoora.

“The bagh should not be used for entertainment of the public. People should visit the bagh for paying homage,”, said INTACH team member Harkamaljeet Singh.

Jalandhar, February 15
Karakush in Champagne, an Afghan Hound, stole the show after being adjudged the best in the 37th and 38th dog show organised by the Kohinoor Kennel Club (KKC) here today.

In the 37th show Brighton gq and Shady Crks Masasurday Nite Special were adjudged second and third, while Bar-none on the prowl to avatar and Grand. Pampard Please Explaine were the second and third, respectively, in the 38th show.

According to KKC general secretary Harjinder Singh Waraich, 33 breeds of dogs from northern India participated in the show with great enthusiasms. For the order of their judgement, there were two rings for the participating groups of dogs.

Earlier, Jalandhar Zone IGP Sanjiv Kalra inaugurated the show and said that the club was providing excellent service to the dog lovers in the region. International dog judge Theo Horchner from Australia and Jagteshwar Singh from India adjudged the pets during the show.

Hundreds of dog lovers thronged the venue to have a look at different species of pets. There were stalls also for kennel-related queries.

Amritsar, February 15
Sycophancy brought a gap between the Deputy Chief Minister and the Chief Minister when leaders of the local unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) went a step ahead and declared Sukhbir Singh Badal as the Chief Minister of Punjab on banners and billboards.

They declared Sukhbir as Chief Minister on billboards and banners put up in various parts of the city while welcoming his arrival to lay the foundation stone of the world-class business district centre.

The posters had the photograph of Sukhbir in the middle, while those of his father Parkash Singh Badal and brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia on either side.

However, the posters do not contain the names of Parkash Singh Badal and Bikramjit Singh Majithia. All posters were in Punjabi and read that “Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Sukhbir Singh Ji Badal, president SAD, is welcomed on his arrival at Amritsar”.

Below were written the names of persons who issued billboards along with their designations. They were Upkar Singh Sandhu, senior vice-president, SAD (Urban), and Dawinder Singh Dhillon, national vice-president, Youth Akali Dal.

Jalandhar, February 15
The state government was competent to get the parliamentary poll conducted in a peaceful manner and there was no need for central forces in Punjab.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was here to lay the foundation stone of a wing for old-age persons at the destitute centre, near Burlton Park.

Badal alleged that the politics of vengeance had been started by the Congress and the law and order situation was pretty bad during its rule.

Commenting on the charges of a large-scale murder of Congress activists during the panchayat elections by his party cadres, he said he was yet to come across a single such incident.

“I always urge mediapersons of the places I visit to bring such incidents to my notice so that the needful could be done,” he added.

Replying to a query on the ban on public gatherings at Jallianwala Bagh, he said he had nothing to do with it since the centre had constituted the committee.

Playing down the propaganda of the Congress that he was distributing the centre’s money in sangat darshans, the CM said he was just ensuring that the state achieved all round development. He said he would ask the PAU vice-chancellor not to directly seek grants from the centre since the varsity belonged to Punjab.

Badal announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for the construction of the old-age home wing. On the occasion, cricketer Harbhajan Singh also pitched in with a grant of Rs 5 lakh.

Later, at the sangat darshan programmes at Jamsher Khera and Nakodar, Badal distributed cheques for Rs 8 crore for various development projects.

He said the state had started an insurance scheme in which a poor family of five members would have to pay a yearly premium of Rs 30 to avail healthcare worth Rs 30,000 annually at identified hospitals.