Bathinda, February 22
The police had to resort to lathi charge twice to quell protests by various unions representing EGS teachers and rural doctors among others, who were demanding redressal of their grievances by the state government here today.

Six persons were injured in the lathi charge while 24 protesters were rounded up.

More drama unfolded when seven EGS teachers, including three women, climbed atop a 70-foot high water tank at Gol Diggi in the heart of the city and four of them doused themselves with petrol. However, they relented after five-and-a-half hours when the state government accepted their demand through a written assurance.

At around 5.30 pm, Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tewari received a letter from the Chief Minister’s office under the notification number OSD/CM/268, which mentioned that all former EGS (Employment Guarantee Scheme) teachers stood admitted to the ETT course and it would be ensured that the course began June this year.

The protesters belonging to various unions, which have been on the warpath in Bathinda claiming non-acceptance of their demands by the state government, today staged a protest again and planned to burn an effigy of the state government outside the place where Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal was addressing a gathering.

Policemen encircled them and forced them to burn the effigy under their cover. Later, when they attempted to break out of the cordon, the police lathicharged them and detained around 10 of them.

The police also resorted to lathi charge again near Hanuman Chowk. Ten protesters were detained. Meanwhile, the SSP ordered the deployment of cops on rooftops in the city, including malls. 

Attari, February 22
After the 26/11 Mumbai strikes, a peace delegation led by veteran journalist and former Rajya Sabha member Kuldip Nayyar went to Pakistan here today at the invitation of the South Asian Human Rights Organisation. The delegation will meet Asif Ali Zardari Pakistan, president, Nawaz Sharif former Prime Minister, Imran Khan and leaders of other political parties to seek help for restoring peace in the country, besides giving message of peace to the common people.

Nayyar pointed out that the Taliban were the root of terrorism and people should support the steps of American President, Barack Obama to eliminate terror organisation. He said the delegation would impress upon Pakistan politicians and social organisations to punish those behind Mumbai strike restore confidence of Indians and revitalise peace process. He refused to comment on recent truce between the Taliban and the Pakistan government in the Swat valley in NWFP, saying it was an internal matter of Pakistan.

He said war was no solution of any dispute. Talks were the only way to resolve the issues between two countries and bring peace in the region.

Swami Agnivesh, president, Arya Samaj, pointed out that the recent visit of a Pakistan peace delegation to India had broken the ice attack in Mumbai. He said the delegation would meet social and political bodies and common man to convince them to punish the accused of 26/11.

Mahesh Bhatt, Bollywood director and producer, said the visit would help push the stalled peace process after attack in Mumbai. He said Bollywood people were avoiding a joint venture with Pakistan artistes as people here, especially Mumbaikars, were very angry at Pakistan.

The delegation condemned the killing of Pakistan journalist Musa Khan by fanatics. Barely three days back Pakistani journalist Imtiaz Alam, secretary general of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) was attacked by unidentified persons in Lahore. The Indian delegation also comprises Justice Rajinder Sachar, Ramesh Yadav, president ,Folkelore Research Academy, Salman Haidar, former diplomat, etc. 

Bathinda, February 22
In another milestone on the path to Bathinda’s development, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today laid the foundation stones for a super speciality cancer and cardiac care hospital besides a five-star hotel here today. Sukhbir also laid stones for four hospitals under Urban Slum Area Health Programme.

Addressing the gathering, Sukhbir reacted to Raninder Singh’s statement terming the SAD a family party. The Deputy Chief Minister said it was actually the Congress, which was following the dynastic principle with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi emerging as power centres in the country. In Punjab, the same principle was being followed by Capt Amarinder Singh, who has been focusing more on promoting his own family, he added.

PSEB Chairman HS Brar and Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla accompanied Sukhbir. Chawla spoke about the menace of female foeticide in Punjab and exhorted people to check it.

Dr Pervez Ahmed, CEO-cum-MD, Max Healthcare Limited, who is going to develop the super specialty cancer hospital and Puneet Beriwala, MD, Vipul Hospitality Limited, who will develop the five-star hotel, both hailed the government for giving them such chances.

SAD volunteers put in all efforts to make Sukhbir’s rallies successful but BJP leaders were not present, to build pressure on the police to lend its support in a case in which the district BJP president was allegedly beaten up by his own party men. Sukhbir, however, expressed his ignorance over the matter.

The police was frisked at various points and commandos were deployed in large numbers.

Ludhiana, February 22
Setting aside all kinds of speculations rife for several days, senior vice-president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, former MP and MLA, Gurcharn Singh Galib resigned from the Congress party, after being a leader for five decades, here today.

He faxed his resignation to AICC supremo Sonia Gandhi stating he was dismayed that the democratic functioning of the party was captured by a “coterie.” The state leadership had no role in the decision-making.

All this had resulted in a culture of corruption, nepotism and sycophancy in the party. He was feeling suffocated and despite having given his prime and five important decades of his life to the party, he was forced to quit. He refused to divulge the details whether he would join the Shiromani Akali Dal or about his nomination as the next candidate for the LS elections from Ludhiana. Though by the evening his posters with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal dotted the city.

“I rose from the grass-root level in 1960s. I started with the panchayati raj, remained with samities, contributed a lot for the cooperative movement in the state and later took peoples’ issues to the Assembly and Parliament on Congress platform. But time has come when I cannot take up my matter with the high command,” he rued, adding that he was quitting with a heavy heart, but after a well thought after decision.

Claiming that he was not greedy for a ticket, Galib argued he would have quit the party during last LS elections had it been like that. “I helped Mansih Tiwari, Congress nominee last time. Still I was charged with getting him defeated. Senior leader Mohsina Kidwai wanted me to explain,” he said.

Taking a dig at Tiwari and terming him to be groomed in a five star culture, Galib said if he was the candidate this time too, he would loose. “He is an outsider and visits city on weekend when offices are closed. What has he done for the district,” he asked. During tomorrow’s SAD rally, to be addressed by Sukhbir Badal, Galib is expected to join the SAD. He is also expected to join the party with his several supporters.

Amritsar, February 22
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today touched the feet of Brahmarishi Shri Kumar Swami at the 188th Prabhu Kirpa Dukh Niwaran and sought blessings his blessings to win all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

The Swami blessed the CM and assured him all his problems, including health, would be sorted out and he would continue to rule the state as long as he was alive through recitation of “mantras”.

The Swamiji also assured Navjot Singh Sidhu that he would win the election as he had already performed “mantra” for him. The Swamiji asked people to bank upon Gurbani which was panacea for all sufferings. He said earlier developed countries like the USA did not believe ailments could be cured through “mantras,” but with the passage of time they have started believing in such “therapies”.

Eulogising Badal, Swamiji said he was not merely the Chief Minister, but a saintly person who had dedicated his life to the welfare of people.

Master Mohan Lal, Transport Minister, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Satpal Gosain, Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Anil Joshi, Bhagwant Singh, the Deputy Commissioner and district police chief Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh were also present.

Badal said it was great day for Punjab that Swamiji organised such function to remove sufferings of the humanity. He assured that the Punjab government would extend all help to establish an institute in the state to remove sufferings of residents on the basis of Gurbani.

BJP MP Sidhu said if any institute based on Gurbani was set up in Punjab, he would donate Rs 50 lakh from his pocket and Rs 50 from the MPLAD Fund .

Bhai Ram Singh, general secretary, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) criticised Badal for attending such functions. Earlier, the Tarksheel Society, Punjab, had announced to give Rs 5 lakh to Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami if he cured a person by reciting mantras.

Amritsar, February 22
The meeting of the Sikh clergy will discuss the alleged disruption of “aarti” in the sanctum sanctorum of Takht Hazur Sahib on February 18 by former presidents of the Takht management committee, Deputy Mayor of Nanded (Maharashtra) and others.

Jathedars of Akal Takht and Patna Sahib, Giani Gurbachan Singh and Giani Iqbal Singh, respectively, said the meeting would be held at Akal Takht shortly to discuss alleged “hooliganism” by certain members of the Hazur Sahib Management Committee. The Akal Takht Jathedar said he had learnt that the former presidents and certain members of the Takht management indulged in blasphemy which could not be tolerated.

SGPC president Avtar Singh has also sought action against the members who tried to denigrate the institution of Jathedar.

Sher Singh Fauji, former president of the Takht management, said they would defy any edict if Dr PS Pasricha, former DGP Maharashtra and chairman of the management, was not summoned at the Takht. He wanted Dr Pasricha to apologise before the Sikh clergy and Sikh sangat for distorting Sikh history by saying that Guru Gobind Singh went to the South to seek Marathas’ help which was incorrect.

He denied disrupting “aarti” in the sanctum sanctorum. They had tried to submit a memorandum against Dr Pasricha as per the Sikh Maryada, they claimed. Instead of accepting the genuine demands of the members, the Sikh clergy levelled “baseless charges” against them. He alleged that Giani Kulwant Singh, Jathedar, and certain other Sikh high priests were obliged to Dr Pasricha who allotted big houses to their families in an elegant colony of Nanded after demolishing old houses in the periphery of Takht Hazur Sahib. 

Chandigarh, February 22
The Union government has agreed to review the blacklist of non-resident Indians (NRIs) of Punjabi origin and as an immediate measure short-term visas will be given to blacklisted persons on the guarantee of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee (DSGMC).

DSGMC president Paramjit Singh Sarna has decided to approach the state government to persuade it to request the Centre to remove the state from the list of states, which have been declared as disturbed areas.

Both issues were taken up by the DSGMC recently during a meeting with Union Minister for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal as well as senior functionaries of the ministry. According to Sarna, the Home Ministry has agreed to give short-term visas to 15 persons immediately on his guarantee.

Sarna said here on Friday that as many as 210 NRIs had been put on a blacklist and were being denied visas to visit India for the past 15 years. He said the list included people who had been put on the list for three, five and 15 years, but their cases had not been reviewed.

He further said these persons included those who had been put on the list following complaints by Indian high commissions abroad as well as those whose names had been submitted to the Centre by the state government.

The DSGMC chief said the ministry had told him that the list would be done away with automatically if the state government moved the Centre to take it out of the disturbed-area category. He said he had earlier requested for a meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on the issue, but had been denied the same.

He said he had written to the CM on the issue again and requested him to grant a meeting to discuss this “urgent” issue.

Sarna also disclosed that the ministry had decided to award citizenship to all Sikh and Hindu Afghan refugees presently staying in India. The DSGMC had already forwarded more than 8,000 forms to the ministry in this connection and the process of granting them citizenship had been started.

He also disclosed that Law Minister HR Bhardwaj had assured him that the proposed Anand Marriage Act would be approved by the cabinet soon, following which it would be presented before Parliament.

Sangrur, February 22
In protest against the joining of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) by Akali leader Naranjan Singh Bhutal in the presence of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal at Kanjhla village yesterday, leaders of the SAD from the Lehragaga Assembly constituency today served an ultimatum on the party to oust Bhutal from the party within seven days, otherwise they would be compelled to chalk out an agitation programme. This ultimatum was given at a meeting held at Moonak village, 60 km from here, today.

Prominent among those who reportedly attended the meeting included Jathedar Garja Singh Khandewad, a senior SAD leader who contested the Assembly elections in 1997 as SAD candidate from the Lehragaga constituency against the then Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal; Rampal Singh Behniwal, SGPC member; Gurdeep Singh Makror Sahib, SAD working committee member; Malkit Singh Ballran, Zila Parishad member; Nachhattar Singh Dhindsa, Zila Parishad member; and Krishan Dev Singh Bhutal, a former chairman of Market Committee, Lehragaga.

Talking to The Tribune over the phone, Khandewad said Bhutal had “stabbed” the party in the back in the February 2007 Assembly elections in the Lehragaga Assembly constituency, due to which party candidate Prem Singh Chandumajra had lost to Congress candidate Bhattal by a margin of only 248 votes.

Chandigarh, February 22
The Department of Local Government, Punjab, would host the first ever exhibition on “municipal machinery”. The exhibition, to be held in a fortnight, would showcase entire range of machinery being used by the various municipal bodies across the state.

“We want to gather all municipal bodies at one place and ask them to bring their machinery along. This would help in an exchange of technology among the municipal bodies,” said Manoranjan Kalia, Minister for Local Government. The exhibition would also have on display the kind of municipal technology available. “The latest machines and technologies, that we do not own but are now available, would also be showcased. We are inviting companies which manufacture such equipment to put up their machines on display,” said Kalia.

The minister has also mooted the idea of “cooperative optimum utilisation of resources among municipal bodies” in the state. “The whole concept is based on the aim that we should be able to utilise the limited resources available with these municipal bodies in the best possible way. We have allowed these bodies to share their machines among themselves,” he said.

In case a set of two or three local bodies located next to each other geographically decide to purchase a big machine, they would be asked to pool their resources and purchase it. The machine would then be shared among these bodies.

“The driver and other staff needed to operate the machine would be paid according to the number of days the staff worked for a particular body,” said Kalia.

Though the exhibition would have on display a range of sewer cleaners, vacuum road cleaners, stray animal gatherers, fire tenders, the star exhibit expected in the show would be a 100-feet ladder which the department is procuring to handle fires in high-rise buildings. All municipal corporations would share the ladder. It would be stationed at Ludhiana and cater to the buildings which are beyond 70 feet high.

Ludhiana, February 22
Residents of Garhi Sheru and adjoining villages were promised a bridge by Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal before the elections, but they still make do with an old ferry to cross the Sutlej to reach Nawanshahr.

The village in Machhiwara block has remained untouched by development even 60 years after independence. The villagers wish Sukhbir visits them and sees how they are ferried in a boat to Nawanshahr, neighbourhood villages and back.

Residents of Begowal, Phambra, Tajpur, Bhalta Khurd, Bhalta Kalan, Aurr, Darriyapur and many other villages depend on the boat to cross the river for nine months in a year. The river route saves them 15 km through Ghumana village that is connected to Rahon with a bridge.

''Before elections Sukhbir had visited the village and promised a bridge to people. Nothing has happened till date,” Balwant Singh Mattewara, former sarpanch, said.

He added that they took up the matter with Minister of Jails Hira Singh Gabria also during his visit. ''He too said it was on the cards. But we have not heard anything about it''.

Villagers carry vehicles in the boat when they cross the river. Jatinder Pal, a mill worker, visits Mattewara every day from Nawanshahr.

Earlier a bridge was constructed at Ghumana village connecting Rahon. But for the villagers residing 20 km from this village, taking the river route is a better option. 

Chandigarh, February 22
Several senior civil servants of the state, including Director-General of Police NPS Aulakh, are waiting with abated interest for clearance of their appointment on central deputation.

While a number of appointments, mostly of the rank of joint secretary in the union government, were cleared at the last meeting of the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet, none of the state officers figured in the list of new appointees.

The only officer from the region to get clearance has been Amit Jha, a 1987 batch officer of Haryana, who becomes joint secretary in the National Disaster Management Authority. Also awaiting her appointment is Punjab’s Anjuly Chib Duggal, a 1981 batch officer.

State’s Samant Kumar Goel, 1984 batch IPS officer, however, has been cleared for appointment as joint secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He, however, has to wait for appointment in any wing of the Home Ministry.

Punjab’s major interest for the time being is appointment of its DGP Aulakh. Though he looks the strongest candidate to replace JK Dutt of West Bengal as the next chief of prestigious National Security Guards (NSG), all will depend upon the clearance at the highest level.

At one stage, even the Army had put a claim on the position saying that the NSG chief should be from amongst its senior generals or an officer of the rank of Lieutenant General. But the proposal did not find the approval of the Home Ministry even after it received a panel of three officers for the position that will be vacant on February 28 when the present incumbent retires.

Aulakh, who is already on the select panel for the post of DGP of a CPO, had earlier worked as Special Director-General of Police, Border Security Force, before he was recalled by the state government for heading the state police.

Interestingly, the post of Special DGP, BSF, has now gone to UK Bansal, a 1974 batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh. The current BSF chief is also due for superannuation later this year.

Also awaiting to go on central deputation are Tejveer Singh and his wife Jaspreet Kaur Talwar. While Tejveer belongs to the 1994 batch, Jaspreet belongs to the 1995 batch. Their names are also considered for the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy at Mussoorie.