Bathinda, April 19
Opting for the crucial election time, the Khalra Mission Organization (KMO) has
decided to confront the SAD and the Congress by accusing both of them of
pursuing inhuman policies.

At a press meet held here today, KMO activists raised the issue of Davinder Pal Singh Bullar of Dialpura Bhai Ka village in Bathinda, who was convicted in the 'Bitta Bomb Tragedy' and has been lodged in Tihar jail for the past 12 years.

KMO activists alleged that he had been awarded death sentence even after no evidence against him could be substantiated.

Giving details, they said that Davinder Pal Singh Bullar was falsely implicated in a case for attempting to kill Maninderjit Singh Bitta, then president, All India Youth Congress, in which several security persons were killed in a bomb blast.

They added that they had been awaiting a reply over the application filed before the President of India to quash his punishment but Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, in order to shield his loyalist police officer, had taken a stand against them.

Lashing out at Badal, Paramjeet Kaur Khalra, patron of the KMO said, "CM Parkash Singh Badal in an affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court, tried his best to shield a senior police officer Sumedh Singh Saini, who was accused of mass killing, in the probe. Moreover, he had pleaded to execute the death sentence order passed against Davinder Pal Singh Bullar accusing him to be a terrorist."

They said that Bhullar wanted to be a witness in a case of his father having gone missing but the CM, in his affidavit, alleged that with such a plan, Bhullar wanted to escape the death sentence.

After accusing the Badals, they pinpointed at the slain CM Beant Singh for being a killer of the innocent youths.

They urged all to defeat SAD (B) candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal, daughter-in-law of the Chief Minister, from the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency and the Congress candidate from Anadpur Sahib, Ravneet Singh Bittu, grandson of former CM Beant Singh, for the "inhuman and malafide intentions of their families."

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, grandson of Indira Gandhi, who is now general secretary of the AICC, they urged people to defeat his handpicked candidates to give befitting reply to the atrocities that took place in her regime.

The KMO activists also distributed pamphlets bearing the sequence of allegations against the Congress and SAD (B) leaders.

Bathinda, April 19
“Gajj Ke Fateh Bulao — Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh,” is what deputy chief minister-cum-SAD (B) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal starts his election speech with.

Immediately after, wasting no moment, he tries to check the pulse of the audience, cursing the Congress for being apathetic towards the problems of commoners despite remaining in power for more than half a century.

Campaigning in Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, from where his wife Harsimrat Kaur is contesting the polls, he keeps on saying, "Now, you people have a choice between two families who are representing or have been the chief minister. On the one side, Amarinder Singh had been in power for the last five years and the other, Parkash Singh Badal, who just in the initial two years of his government, has set number of examples of development."

Recounting the development poll plank, he names a number of targets achieved or under progress like, drinking water, Atta-Dal scheme, pension scheme, sewerage projects, power supply, approval of Central University, oil refinery, airport, five-star hotel, roads and various others.

Just after making the claims about his achievements, he says, "Bound by the model code of conduct, I cannot issue any grant but after polls, everything will be yours."

Stepping up his rhetoric against Amarinder further, he says, "He does not know about Bhucho, Goniana, Nathana and other mandis of Bathinda but ask him about Lahore, from where his Pakistani friend Aroosa hails, and he will immediately start narrating even the features of the city."

Speaking of Raninder's home town, Sukhbir said, "Being a Patialavi, he is an outsider, but you know me and my family, which remain with you people 24X7."

Trying to bound all in a spell of sentimentality, he terms the poll fight as not one involving his family but of the "common men against the egoistic kings of Patiala."

During his recent couple of speeches, people have been missing one thing-his sharp one-liners against Captain and his family-- which were quite common in the past.

Before leaving the public meetings, he says, "Finally, I do not want to say anything more but request you to take a paper and pencil in hand and evaluate the candidates and their families and then cast your vote."

One thing that stood out at the rallies of Sukhbir was that almost one-third of the total crowd at all the rallies remained the same.

Many keep following his vehicle and some are so excited that they leave one rally even before it ends and rush to the next venue to ensure a good gathering.

Bathinda, April 19
Rishma Kaur, who had arrived in the city to be with her husband Raninder Singh, Congress candidate from Bathinda, and is now on a campaigning spree here, said she had come just to see what her husband was doing as it was his first election.

"I wanted to see what was going on and how Raninder was handling things as it is his first election," an excited Rishma told The Tribune today.

This is Rishma's fifth election campaign. She has, in the past, campaigned for her mother-in-law Preneet Kaur and father-in-law Capt Amarinder Singh. The first time she campaigned was in 1997 for Capt Amarinder.

When asked whether she had any plans of joining politics in future, Rishma said would never be interested in joining active politics.

After obtaining a BSc. (Hons) degree in Business Studies from University of Buckingham, United Kingdom, in 1994, Rishma worked as a trainee with Deutsche Bank for six months before marrying Raninder in January 1995.

Rishma said she knew that Raninder was from a political family when she had got engaged to him but she could not register the importance of being a part of Capt Amarinder Singh's family until she got married.

She has also worked as director, Berger Paints India Ltd, for two years and also headed the Paint Council of India under CAPEXIL for two years.

Rishma is busy visiting the various wards of the city and the response according to her is overwhelming.

When asked if she was a better competitor for Harsimrat as compared to Raninder, she smilingly said no.

"I think Raninder is the right person because he belongs to this area, Mehraj village, and he has worked in this area. He can associate himself with the local people."

A lot of craze has been seen among the people for her and reacting to this, she said that people have already seen Raninder and want to see her now, especially the women folk who are showing a lot of interest.

Before leaving Bathinda on April 22, Rishma wants to make the best use of her time here and wants to visit as many places as possible. She is being assisted by Jeet Mohinder Singh's wife Nimrat Kaur.

Mansa, April 19
On the eve of the Lok Sabha elections, residents of this district with the lowest literacy rate are feeling the pinch of unfulfilled promises and incomplete development projects that were initiated by the Parkash Singh Badal led SAD-BJP ruling combine.

They claim that leaders of the ruling coalition have been making promises to complete these projects, but nothing has been done so far.

Be it the stadium in the main town or the road passage under the rail line, these projects have come to a grinding halt further increasing the problems of the people. This district falls in the Bathinda parliamentary constituency.

Residents complain that potable drinking water was not being regularly supplied in the taps resulting in high level of incidence of cancer in villages around Aklia.

Even the basic civic problems have not been solved either by the municipal committee or the state government.

The sewerage system was generally choked and stagnant water in the drains in the lanes emits foul smell.

Kirpal Singh, an elderly resident, pointed out that the town was given the status of district headquarters about 18 years ago, but basic amenities were not upgraded.

He lamented that at night it is pitch dark on the roads, as the streetlights have
not been installed.

The totally insensitive municipality has turned into a garbage dump the half-built stadium and the place earmarked for rose garden for recreation of the people.

Filthy water from the households flows into the two places and has become a virtual hell for residents of the adjoining localities.

Another resident pointed out that the staff position in government schools was the worst here as compared with rest of Punjab.

More than 90 percent posts of principals and head masters in schools were lying vacant resulting in degradation of the education standards and the literacy rate was as low as 52 per cent. This includes a large section of those who were able to only write their name.

Balwant Singh, a youth, said that the district was being provided stepmotherly treatment as all the three MLAs of the segments falling in the Bathinda parliamentary constituency belong to the Congress.

Not a single professional institute has been opened for the youth in the district. The two degree colleges here and at Sardulgarh were catering to the higher education needs of boys and girls from the 242 villages of the district.

The two industrial units, a sugar mill at Budhlada and a cotton mill here, were shut long ago and its employees were rendered jobless. No other medium or large scale industrial unit has been established in the district, he said.

Mansa, April 19
SAD candidate from Bathinda constituency Harsimrat Kaur Badal today criticised Congress leaders for sending false complaints to Election Commission against her.

Talking to this correspondent at Mansa, she said that charges of threatening voters levelled against her were baseless and it was the sign of frustration of Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh.

She said that election commission should take action against those who were sending false complaints.

Addressing public meetings in villages of Mansa, she promised that all problems of people would be raised and solved on priority basis. Women issues would be raised in the Parliament, she added.

She addressed public meetings in Bhainibagha, Herewala, Farmahi, Barnala and Kheeva. Former MLA Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh and political secretary to deputy chief minister Paramjeet Singh Sandhwa also spoke in the meetings.

Mansa, April 19
Congress candidate Raninder Singh today said that sincere efforts would be made for the development of Mansa and Bathinda.

Addressing public meetings in Sardoolgarh area, he said if he was elected to parliament, schemes would be brought to provide basic facilities here like education, healthcare and job opportunities.

He admitted that absence of industries was also the main reason for the problems, so preference would be given to setting up of industries here.

He claimed that SAD leaders had been making false promises during election campaign. He appealed to the people that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should be given more chance for the welfare of country.

He addressed public meetings in Jawaharke, Heerke, Tibbi Hari Singh, Khaira Kalan, Khaira Khurad, Aalopur, Krandi and different wards of Sardulgarh.

Congress MLA Ajitinder Singh Moffar, Jeevandas Bawa and Bikram Moffar also addressed the meetings.

Meanwhile, party leader Raminder Singh Richi and district youth Congress president Gurpreet Singh Vicky campaigned in Mansa city.

Mansa, April 19
CPI candidate from Bathinda Hardev Singh Arsi today said that chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and former chief minister Amrinder Singh had been encouraging dynastic rule and corruption in state politics.

Addressing public meetings in Budhlada area, he said both SAD and Congress parties were not raising the real issues belonging to the problems of people.

Their fight was limited only to the family fight which was not in public interest and not a good sign in politics, he added.

He said his fight was against two rich families of Punjab and support of people would defeat them. He informed that CPI would hold a big rally at Budhlada on May 3.

Bathinda, April 19
The EGS teachers who had been staging protest here for quite some time today said they had decided to lift their dharna.

The EGS union lead by Prithpal Singh union today extended support to the Badals, Kulwant Kumari's union stated.

Kulwant Kumari, state president of the EGS Teachers' Union, said, "Our party completed 100 days of dharna today. SAD (B) area in-charge Saroop Chand Singla came to us today and tried to pacify us. He was asking for our support. He told us that our training would be started in June, as promised."

Singla, according to Kulwant, said that the SAD (B) manifesto was already ready which includes the EGS issue also.

The members of the union also stated that their dharna had not been lifted completely, it had merely been put off by two months.

“We have just put off our dharna till June 15 because the Badal government promised us that our issue was included in the party's manifesto. We would conduct a meeting on June 16 and take a decision on what is to be done next," Kulwant said.

Sources also stated that Sukhbir Badal or Harsimrat Kaur have not visited them personally till now.

“Sukhbir Badal went to meet Prithpal Singh's union, which broke away from us and reached a compromise, to garner support from them, and they are supporting the Badals now. We are not because we are struggling for our rights,” a member said.

The union made it clear that they were not supporting any party. "The party that helps us would get our support," another member chipped in.

The union also mentioned that even Capt Amarinder Singh had come to meet them personally and had asked them about their problems.

Bathinda, April 19
The Punjab Human Rights Organisation today held a discussion in the city about awareness among people regarding the forthcoming elections.

Ashwani Kumar, general secretary of the commission, and Madan Lal Bagga, district president of the commission, presided over the discussion.

They were of the view that an awareness rally should be taken out in all the villages in which people should be informed about their rights regarding voting. They said that voting should not be based on caste and religion.

The main aim of voting should be to select the right candidate, i.e., a leader who can think of overall development, including industrial development, good water supply, road construction, quality medical facilities for the poor etc.

Bathinda, April 19
Goodwill Hospital, Parasram Nagar, would make quality healthcare accessible to people in small towns and villages in the district.

This was stated by Vijay Bareja, founder member and president of the hospital here today. He observed that lack of awareness amongst the masses about the diseases made the people easy prey to quacks.

Since most victims were unaware of approach to common ailments like headache, they would keep getting unnecessary investigations without specific treatment whereas most such ailments could be cured through economical treatment.

A team of super specialists, comprising Dr Amit Taneja, cardiologist, Dr Darshan Goyal, ENT, Dr Rajinder Garg, orthopaedics, Dr Jot Ram Jain, paediatrician, Dr Gurdev Singh, orthopaedics, Kalpana Goyal, dentist, Sangeeta Aggarwal, gyenacologist, Purshottam Singh, BAMS, Dr M.S. Brar and Dr M.P Singh, ophthalmologists and Dr R Maheshwari, gastroenterologist, conducted the medical check-up of the patients at the hospital's premises.

Anil Aggarwal, proprietor, Aggarwal & Company, while inaugurating the camp, lauded the hospital for bringing healthcare to the doorstep of the people.

A team of doctors examined around 500 patients of various diseases at the camp and rendered follow-up advice on a variety of health problems.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, April 19
Congress which had suffered due to defections of some senior workers yesterday, has got a shot in the arm.

Ram Krishan Bhakar, former president of the district Hanumangarh BJP, former vice-president Babu Lal Bharti, Chatargiri president of the rural unit of the BJP in Nohar, general secretary Dr Daya Ram Neol besides 12 members of the Nohar panchayat samiti, 22 sarpanches and 11 former sarpanches along with nearly 24 other office bearers of the saffron party joined the Congress late last evening.

They were greeted by education minister Bhanwer Lal, former MP Narinder Budania, legislators Jaideep Doodi (Nohar), Ganga Jal Meel (Suratgarh) and other leaders.

Notably, Bhakar had served as district president of the BJP for ten years. He had contested Assembly election from Nohar in 2003 as party candidate and polled 29,000 votes. Hanumangarh forms a part of Sriganganagar Lok Sabha constituency.

Another interesting development- Prithipal Singh Sandhu, district president of Sriganganagar Congress committee, has joined Agriculture Marketing Minister Gurmeet Singh Kunnar in campaign for the party candidate Bharat Ram Meghwal.

Sandhu and Kunnar had been denied party ticket from Srikaranpur constituency during the recent Assembly elections. Kunnar contested as an independent and won.

Since then they had been making their differences public many a time and refused to campaign together.

Both were not only today found campaigning with Congress candidate Bharat Ram Meghwal in their home segment but also exchanged pleasantries.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, April 19
Brigadier P.S. Sanwal, commander of the 15 Infantry, Colonels Suresh Bhambhu and Sanjeev Patiyal and social activist Ravi Chander Sharma performed havan on the eve of installation of idols of Bhagwan Mahabir and Hanuman Ji and Shivlingam in Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir located on Padampur-Jaitsar road on Sunday.

Large number of women from the army including Ritu Patiyal and civilians were also present. Col Patiyal informed that Ram Nam jaap had been going on for last four days to celebrate completion of the temple.

Free kitchen was run for the devotees. Rituals were performed by Rajni Kant. Lok Sabha member Nihal Chand Meghwal, former minister Surinder Pal Singh, Hans Raj Poonia, others visited the temple to seek blessings.