Moga, April 3
The legal counsel of the key witnesses and adviser of the “Sikhs for Justice”, a US-based human rights group, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, and president of the All India Sikh Students Federation, Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad, who are advocating the cases of 1984 anti-Sikh riots have announced that their legal fight to get justice for the riot victims would continue even after the clean-chit given by CBI to Jagdish Tytler, whose role in the riots was investigated by the agency.

In a communiqué to The Tribune over the telephone and e-mail, they announced filing of separate PILs in the High Courts of all the states affected by the riots demanding a judicial probe.

"We are also considering filing a PIL in the Supreme Court and approaching the Election Commission to debar Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, Kamal Nath and Arjun Singh, all Congress leaders from fighting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections,” Pannun said.

Pannun had claimed that they had solid proofs establishing the role of the CBI in giving a clean chit to Jagdish Tytler. He presented a record of his conversations and correspondence with SP Ratn Sanjay and DSP Kishore of CBI (a copy of which is with The Tribune), who were in the United States from December 22 to December 26 to record the statements of the two key-witnesses.

The correspondence shows that these CBI officers were made aware of the additional witnesses against Tytler but their statements were not given due importance.

Adding that “all the pleas to record additional witness’ testimony fell on deaf ears of the CBI, who proved to be hell bent on giving clean chit to Tytler before the parliamentary elections,” he said,

"The CBI’s intention and collaboration with Tytler is also evident from the fact that days before the CBI’s official announcement of the clean chit, Tytler openly declared and announced to the media that the CBI has decided to give him a clean chit.”.

He termed the CBI probe a “hoodwink in the name investigation,” as the CBI's approach in questioning the witnesses, Jasbir Singh and Surinder Singh, was so preposterous that most of the time was spent by the officials on questions as to the colour of clothes, besides, size, number and colour of the shoes worn by the accused and such other irrelevant, rudimentary and mundane details.

Pannun further stated that Jasbir Singh and Surinder Singh, the individuals whose statements were recorded by the CBI, Ratn Sanjay and DSP Kishore, time and again threateningly told these witnesses that “you are lying” and “will file charges against you instead for lying to the CBI.”

Mansa, April 3
Finance Minister of Punjab, Manpreet Singh Badal, pointed out here today that unlike other states, the global economic meltdown has not affected Punjab much, as it is an agriculture based state.

He said that agriculture was less affected because it has the capacity to face economic ups and downs. Along with this, Punjab had increased its revenue income from taxes and other resources, he informed.

Talking about the Fifth Pay Commissioner report of Punjab, he clarified that the pay commission was an independent body and it could not complete its report till now, which was the reason why the government had not implement its report.

He assured that after receiving the pay commission’s report, it would be implemented within 10 days. He further said that the salary of the employees of the Punjab government is higher than the employees of the Central government at present.Sincere efforts were being made to tackle the economic crises in the state, he added.

Manpreet informed that his party, the SAD (B) had offered him election duty in some constituencies including Mansa and Budhlada and during this period, he would try to understand the problems of the people and this preparation would be valuable in preparing for the Vidhan Sabha elections in Punjab.

He addressed public meetings at different villages in the Mansa area. Ex-MLA Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh, Paramjit Singh Sidhwan and Gurpreet Singh also addressed the meetings. 

Abohar, April 3
The district administration is again in the dock for having released cheques against grants to the Panchayati Raj Department and Block Development and Panchayat Offices (BDPO) for development works in the rural areas, while the Punjab and Haryana High Court had twice held that such grants should be deposited in the account of the respective gram panchayat.

As per available information, sarpanches/panches of 28 gram panchayats had, during a recent meeting with Gurdas Singh Badal, younger brother of the CM Parkash Singh Badal, expressed resentment over the alleged violation of the provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act 1994 allegedly at the "behest" of two senior leaders of the BJP and the SAD. They were told on Sunday that the Chief Minister has taken notice of it. Interestingly, the cheques were handed over to the sarpanches by the CM himself during a function held in December last here but some of them later found that these were not in the name of their panchayat.

The latest civil writ petition no. 4367 of 2009 was filed under article 226/227 of the constitution in the HC by gram panchayat Patrewala of block Khuyiansarwar. Justice Ajai Lamba, while deciding the petition referred to the judgment rendered in the CWP No. 9417 of 2006. A double bench of the HC had on August 21, 2006 had directed that all the grants sanctioned, whatever may be the source and scheme, be credited to the funds of the respective gram panchayat for utilisation.

The affected panchayats had stated that they had been making repeated representations to the government for sanctioning grants for the development of the villages. But even after the formation of the present government the authorities had continued to pursue wrong practice of releasing the grants in favour of the XEN Panchayati Raj and Executive Office of the Panchayat Samitis.

The HC again held that the officials of the department (Panchayati Raj) have got no jurisdiction to execute those works in the village, directly under their own supervision. They would be entitled to guide the panches and sarpanches, if need be. 

Bathinda, April 3
Despite being prohibited by the CBSE and the PSEB, several schools in the city allow dummy admissions to students for classes XI and XII. In this regard, The Tribune spoke to several persons associated with the education business to know their viewpoints on the ongoing practice.

“I have given my class X boards and plan to take a dummy admission so that I don’t waste my time attending regular classes. Most of my seniors, now in class XII, took dummy admissions and many of them are in Kota (Rajasthan) preparing for medical and engineering entrance tests,” said Barkha (name changed) of a leading convent school here. A student from DAV School here said, “A dummy admission allows a student to prepare at home. He is considered as a regular student and is allowed to sit in the boards.” A teacher from the same school, however, said, “Our students do not miss the practicals.”

Sarakshi Handa, a student of the Army School, Bathinda Cantt, said, “A lot of schools are doing this which is wrong. Regular guidance by teachers is a must to do well in boards and thereafter. Dummy admissions should be checked.”

Garima Singh, another student of the school, said, “Regular students fare much better in exams than those taking dummy admissions.”

Arun Jee, principal of the Delhi Public School, Bathinda, said, “The CBSE does not approve of such admissions but parents and students are being misguided. There is hardly any student getting through to IIT from Bathinda in spite of taking a dummy admission. Money goes waste in coaching. When I was a teacher in Bokaro, I taught students who were regular and they have topped IIT exams.”

M.L. Arora, MD, St. Kabir School, said: “We take dummy admissions but we take in writing from the parents that if anything happens regarding shortage of attendance or anything else then the student would be held responsible.” The principals of St. Xavier’s and DAV school could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

D.R. Yadav, regional director of the CBSE, Panchkula, said, “It is a wrong practice. Almost all schools are doing it. The CBSE does not approve of it. We would initiate an investigation if someone reports the matter and the student would be rusticated.”

DEO (Secondary) Baljinder Singh Mann said, “Government schools do not allow dummy admissions and this is a major reason for students not taking admission in classes XI and XII in our schools. Almost all private schools are following this but there is no check.”

Bathinda, April 3
Due to the prestige of the two arch-foes in Punjab politics at stake in Bathinda, many senior national leaders are scheduled to land here to boost the campaigns of their respective parties and allies turning the constituency into a royal battlefield.

Rajnath Singh, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with all top guns of the party namely, Lal Krishna Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, would be in Bathinda to support Harsimrat Kaur Badal, daughter-in-law of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and wife of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal.

Being the election of a candidate from the ruling family, all top SAD (B) leaders of the state would keep visiting the constituency by turn.

Though the schedules have not yet been finalised, party sources informed that many of the SAD-BJP state leaders would willingly camp here to take up the responsibility of arranging mass contact programmes.

The name of former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje, a family friend of the Badals, is also in the list of star campaigners.

To leave no stone unturned, Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, has herself taken the overall charge of Bathinda district. She has slated an hour-to-hour schedule for door-to-door interaction with as many voters as possible.

The SAD-BJP has arranged a booth-level meeting of party workrs at Bhucho in Bathinda on April 6, where state BJP president Rajinder Bhandari, party general secretary Kamal Sharma along with senior leader Balbir Punj are scheduled to arrive along with Sukhbir Badal.

On the other hand, Congress candidate Raninder Singh, who is the son of 
former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, has also put his best foot forward as far as election campaigning is concerned.

During his campaign marked by a rousing road show, Raninder was accompanied by his friend from Bhutan royal family Jigme Wangdi Wangchuck.

As per the reports available, he would be seen here till the elections.

Some close confidant of Raninder informed that besides the erstwhile royals of Nalagarh and Bharatpur, many women family members of Raninder Singh, namely Mahima Kumari, Shagun Khanna and others have planned to lend their support in his elections.

Raminder Singh Richi, Raninder’s brother-in-law, it is said, would hold the charge of campaigning in Mansa district. Malwinder Singh, brother of Captain Amarinder Singh, would also be part of electioneering here. Sensing the battle royale here, it is being speculated that Raninder and Harsimrat, who are being called greenhorn in politics, are just being used as front-runners but the real fight is between Captain Amarinder Singh and Sukhbir Badal, who are known for their political rivalry.

Bathinda, April 3
To lodge their protest against the CBI’s clean chit to Jagdish Tytler, activists of the Youth Akali Dal (1920) and other religious organisations, including the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP), held a protest march from the Quila Mubarak here today.

The demonstrators burnt an effigy of Tytler at the Sadbhavna Chowk and raised slogans against the Congress, the CBI, Tytler and other senior Congress leaders like Sajjan Kumar, who is contesting from the South Delhi constituency.

Addressing the gathering, Yadvinder Singh Brar, senior vice-president, Youth Akali Dal (1920), alleged that the two Congress leaders were involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and their nomination should be withdrawn to respect the sentiments of the Sikh community.

Brar charged that by giving tickets to the duo, the Congress has ignored the suffering that the Sikh community underwent during the riots in which several people were killed and left homeless.

“Sikh community considered the Congress as a secular party but the nomination of Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler had hurt them deeply,” he added.

“Our faith in the investigation agency has been shattered. We believe that the CBI was working hand in glove with the accused,” said Brar.

He added that despite the move by the CBI, “we will continue our fight against the accused till our last breath”.

Bathinda, April 3
The Chetak Corps organised a remarkable Aero Show at the Bathinda military station today. The show began with a magnificent view of a colourful 77,000 cubic feet hot air balloon lift piloted by Major P. Siwach, who took the balloon to a height of over 200 feet. 

It was followed by an aerial fly past by microlight aircraft piloted by Major Arun Balhara and Major Ranjiv, who enthralled the gathering with their flying prowess and welcomed the spectators by showering flower petals on them.

Meanwhile, the sky divers left the gathering spellbound with their 300 feet per second free fall followed by their precession landing.

Havildar Sandeep displayed his skills in the form of aerobatics by an aero model, which was controlled by a remote and captivated all present.

The most awaited event of the show was para motor gliding in which paratroopers Mahadik and Hardip displayed their unflinching skills.

The event was attended by many senior and junior officers, along with their families. Junior commissioned officers and other ranks were also present to witness the grand show. Lt-Gen D.S. Chauhan, GOC, Chetak Corps, felicitated the participants at the end of the show.

Abohar, April 3
Running of some trains will remain affected on Sriganganagar-Abohar-Bathinda section on Saturday and Sunday due to traffic works to be carried between the Malout and Gidderbaha stations, an official spokesman of the North-West railway informed today. As per the information, the 336 Dn Sriganganagar-Ambala passenger train will leave Sriganganagar on April 4 and 5 by 2 pm instead of its scheduled departure at 11 am.

The 335 Up Ambala-Sriganganagar passenger train will halt at Bathinda for 1.30 hours from 1.10 pm to 2.45 pm. The 3 SHB/4 SHB Sriganganagar-Bathinda passenger trains have been suspended for these two days. The 4525/4526 Sriganganagar-Ambala Intercity Express train will not run on Bathinda-Sriganganagar section on April 4 and 5. 

Fazilka, April 3
Unidentified thieves broke open a jeweller’s shop, located at a stone's throw from the City Police station and robbed ornaments worth Rs 1,50,000. The thieves also damaged the shop.

According to Ramesh Kumar, owner of the shop, he closed his shop on Thursday night and some passer-by informed him of the theft by phone around 5 am.

He immediately rushed to his shop and saw that the steel shutter of the shop had been bent and the thieves had broken the steel almirah and removed about 4 kilogram of silver and about 50 grams of gold.

The steel almirah had been thrown at a secluded place near railway station near his shop. The police have pressed sniffer-dog squad to locate the thieves.

It is stated that the shopkeepers of the market had earlier deployed a watchman but of late, the watchman had left the job. No clue has been found so far. — OC

Abohar, April 3
Archer Parveena of Gopi Chand Arya Mahila College has been adorned with colour by Panjab University. She was felicitated by principal Dr Neelam Arun Mittu and Anita Singh in-charge sports wing.

Parveena brought laurels by winning silver in the team as well as personal category events during the Inter-University Archery Championship held recently in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. She had excelled in 30 and 50 metre events.

Bathinda, April 3
Diksha Gulati, a local 15-year-old pugilist, brought laurels to the city when she won a bronze medal at the National Boxing Championship held in Goa on March 26. She defeated Annapurna of Madhya Pradesh to clinch the medal in junior category.

 She has now been selected by the Sports Authority of India academy at Hisar. Earlier, Diksha had bagged gold at state-level and silver at national level in sub-junior category events. Organising a small function, Vijay Kumar, a former MC, welcomed her at Paras Ram Nagar, this evening. — TNS

Amritsar, April 3
In what could become an election issue, the Khalra Mission Committee (KMC) in a press conference here yesterday sought action against state BJP chief Rajinder Bhandari and Punjab Technical Education Minister Chaudhry Swarna Ram for their alleged involvement in an attempt of grabbing prime government land.

However, Bhandari refused to comment adding that this was a politically motivated move to tarnish his and party image. Moreover, he said, he had nothing to do with the case as it was against his brother. It was an old case, he added.

Meanwhile, the KMC, led by chairman Jasbir Singh Padri, said they would meet BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Lal Krishan Advani and party president. — TNS