Dharamkot (Moga), May 1
Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has alleged that the BJP-led NDA, of which Punjab’s ruling SAD party is an alliance partner, is responsible for disturbing communal harmony of the nation.

He was addressing a public rally in favour of party candidate from Faridkot Sukhwinder Singh Danny here today.

Dubbing the BJP and its alliance partners as power hungry, he said it had tried to vitiate communal harmony and divide people with their hatred-oriented politics. Likewise, its alliance partner SAD was responsible for the black days of terrorism and the social unrest, presently prevailing in the rural areas of the state.

He said there were several sorts of threats and crises during the previous NDA regime, but the Congress led UPA government, on assuming power at the Centre in the last general elections, had taken on those challenges and strengthened nation’s unity and integrity.

“The atrocities being committed on Sikh families in Pakistan by Taliban terrorists were the result of weak and wrong policies of the previous NDA government. Had the NDA government not released the terrorists at that time, Sikhs in Pakistan would not have faced this situation,” he added.

Hailing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Capt Amarinder Singh described him as a strong leader, who was not even bothered of losing PM’s chair while signing the nuclear deal with the United States for the benefit of the nation.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, he alleged that the CM had made the government and the Akali party a family affair.

Later, Amarinder also addressed a public rally at Baghapurana in the district. 

Chandigarh, May 1
Describing news reports about razing of houses of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan’s troubled Aurakzai tribal region, as “highly disturbing”, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Manohar Singh Gill wants the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take up the issue at the highest level.

“I have talked to foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon this morning and wanted him to bring it to the notice of the government at the highest level,” said Gill, while seeking immediate intervention not only of the United Nations, but also from other democratic countries.

“Forcible collection of illegal jazia from both Sikh and Hindu citizens of Pakistan can lead to serious implications,” said Gill. “It is not only an issue of severe violation of the human rights of the legal minority communities, who enjoy as much rights as their Muslim comrades in a country that is a member state of the United Nations,” he added.

It may be pertinent to mention here that the earlier reports suggested that members of the minority Sikh and Hindu communities had to pay crores of rupees to get their houses vacated that were forcibly occupied by Taliban.

Amritsar, May 1
Expressing serious concern over the razing down of houses belonging to Sikhs families in the Swat valley in Pakistan, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Avtar Singh today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to immediately intervene and pressurise the Pakistan government to issue immediate directors to protect its minorities who are under The SGPC president, in a communiqué to Prime Minister, said the Sikh diaspora were extremely upset with developments in Pakistan where houses of Sikhs were pulled down after they refused to give jazia to them. He said the matter should be given priority as its backlash in other countries could disturb the communal balance of the world.

The Sikh community living in the NWFP area have been under tremendous pressure to give jazia as protection money to Taliban and now they are under extreme threat to continue with the payment otherwise they would be in deep trouble.

Meanwhile, the Dal Khalsa has written a letter to Pak High Commission in New Delhi to convey community’s concern on the dismal plight of Sikhs living in the Swat valley and has expressed solidarity with Pakistan in its fight against Taliban forces.

In a communiqué address to the Deputy High Commissioner the party secretary for political affairs Kanwar Pal Singh has urged the Pak government to take stern measures against the culprits.

Fatehgarh Sahib, May 1
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal ruffled many feathers terming those people as traitors, who shifted loyalties from one party to another for political gains.

He was addressing a rally held in support of SAD candidate from the Fatehgarh Sahib Lok Sabha constituency Charanjit Singh Atwal here today.

Badal called upon people not to vote for Congress candidate Sukhdev Singh Libra, who was the sitting MP of SAD from the Ropar constituency. Libra did not vote against the nuclear deal and left the party to join the Congress and contest on its ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib.

Interestingly, Congress rebel Bir Devinder Singh, who recently joined SAD, too, shared dais with Badal. Many supporters of Bir Devinder were seen reacting to this statement.

His supporters opined that Badal should not have used such words, which put Bir Devinder to discomfort. Another section of the SAD workers said Badal did not intend to aim Bir Devinder and was delivering speech as usual against Libra.

Devinder’s supporters even argued that Bir Devinder had left the party at his own will, while protesting against the Congress’s decision to give tickets to Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said the Congress was now out of the race to form the government at the Centre after its former allies in the UPA have left it.

He said the Congress was dreaming of forming the government at the Centre, but its dreams were shattered when Lalu Parsad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan formed a joint front, after which its newly found ally Mulayam Singh Yadav and Sharad Pawar left the UPA to contest separately and now the Left parties have clearly told the Congress to forget their support post elections. He said in this situation the NDA would form government under leadership of LK Advani.

Sangrur, May 1
Former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and acting president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Lal Singh today campaigned in favour of Congress candidate from Sangrur parliamentary constituency Vijay Inder Singla at Sunam, 13 km from here.

On the occasion Bhattal and Lal Singh urged people to vote for Singla to form the government of Manmohan Singh once again. They said the Congress party would win all 13 Lok Sabha seats from Punjab to make Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of the country again.

They also asked people not to believe in the false promises, being made by the SAD-BJP alliance. They said Akalis made only promises, but did not fulfill the same. They said it was the only Congress which had sympathy with people and worked to solve their problems.

Singla sought votes from people in the name of development. He said if he won he would bring big projects to the constituency. Meanwhile, some victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots today morning staged a demonstration in front of the residence of Singla at Sangrur. They demanded the arrest of the murderers of Sikhs. 

Jalandhar, May 1
At a time when smear campaigns against political rivals are the order of the day, Congress nominee from Jalandhar reserved seat Mohinder Singh Kaypee is a class apart.

The suave and affable contestant believes that campaigning should be purely an issue-based affair not to be used to run down one’s opponents. Hence, no mention of his rival, folk singer Hans Raj Hans of the SAD.

All this is reflected in his campaigning style where the focus is on issues before people and the good work done by the UPA and the able governance provided by PM Manmohan Singh.

As a Tribune team on his campaign trail reaches his residence at 7 am, there are already scores of supporters milling on the well-manicured lawns.

Everybody is on their feet as PPCC chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee, dressed in a white, steps into the room. Pleasantries over, he goes out and is mobbed by workers who point out what more needs to be done in their areas. He patiently listens to them and asks them to get in touch with their respective area managers.

A quick look his watch is a signal for his security guards and driver that they are running late. Everyone piles into vehicles and the convoy leaves for its first public meeting at Parjian village.

Talking to TNS while traveling on dusty village roads en route, Kapypee exudes confidence and reiterates that personal attacks against the PM are an issue in Punjab and every time the BJP does it, they end up losing more votes.

He also lists out the poor financial health of the state, poor power situation, rampant corruption, the atta-dal scheme sham, stoppage of shagun and other social schemes for the poor and the inability of the SAD-BJP alliance in coming out with industrial and sports schemes even after two years in power.

As the convoy nears the rally venue, cries of “Congress zindabad” rent the air as he takes the mike. This scene is enacted in Pipli, Mullewal Khera, Bahmanian and Billi Chau villages where his rapport with villagers is instant.

As we head for Jalandhar, its well past 8 pm and Kaypee seeks the list of rallies he has to address in the city before he turns in for the day.

Sangrur, May 1
President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Simranjit Singh Mann claimed that today’s proposed visit of BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate LK Advani to Sangrur and other towns of the state for campaigning in favour of SAD-BJP alliance candidates had been cancelled due to his party’s pressure as it had made a strong propaganda against Advani’s recent book, “My Country My Life”, in which he had written that the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had made an attack on Harmandir Sahib in 1984 under their pressure.

Talking to The Tribune today, Mann further said due to the propaganda, made by his party, Advani had to cancel his visit to Punjab as he knew he would have to face a strict opposition from Sikhs.

Mann also said due to the pressure of his party and propaganda against Advani, the SAD candidate had also withdrawn the photograph of Advani from election posters and advertisements to avoid anger of Sikhs in the Lok Sabha elections. He further said, however, the SAD had not withdrawn the photograph of Advani from its advertisements in the newspapers, projecting him as leader of the NDA. He said, thus, this was a contradiction on the part of the SAD.

Chandigarh, May 1
Congress candidate from Bathinda Raninder Singh has in a complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India alleged that Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, held a meeting with government teachers and presiding officers, who are on poll duty for the Bathinda constituency, in a gross violation of the model code of conduct.

Raninder has demanded action against the heads of departments and senior officers, who are assigning unofficial duties to their subordinates in Bathinda.

In a letter written to the CEC, Raninder has stated that Surinder conducted a meeting with government teachers at Jeet Place in Bathinda on April 27. A CD containing the recording of the meeting has also been sent to the CEC.

He alleged that most of the teachers had been assigned election duty in the 11 Bathinda Parliamentary constituencies. “You are requested to change all these teachers and officers from election duty, who had participated in the meeting,” requested Raninder in the letter.

He added that the death of the two employees from Ludhiana in Mansa had established the fact that employees from other government and different government bodies were being used in the Bathinda Parliamentary constituency. He said a case should be registered against the senior officials who had sent the two employees from Ludhiana to Mansa.

Patran (Patiala), May 1
Deputy Chief Minister and SAD (Badal) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal today called upon the people of the state that they should think before casting their vote, as their elected representatives would form a government at the Centre, which will in turn decide the prices of their crops, farm inputs and other essential commodities.

Sukhbir said the SAD candidate from the Patiala constituency, Prem Singh Chandumajra, is undoubtedly competent enough to undertake such a responsibility for the people of the state. “As our candidates know people at the grass root levels, therefore they are abreast of the problems faced by the people in the state,” he added.

At the same time, Sukhbir reminded the electorate that if the NDA comes in power at the Centre, for which the victory of Chandumajra was a must, the farm labour, farmers and industry would get several facilities and concessions, including raising of tax exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh, waiving of agriculture loans and distributing of highly subsidised “atta” and “daal” to the poor. “The decisions with this regard would be taken within a month,” he added.

Sukhbir was confident that the Congress would be a “big loser” in the current Lok Sabha elections, as it had suffered a humiliating defeat in the panchayat and the municipal polls only a few months back. But, in an exuberant tone, he added that the Congress candidates in Patiala and Bathinda would lose their security deposits, as a storm has been blowing in favour of the SAD-BJP alliance. Chamdumajra claimed that he had fulfilled whatever he had promised to the people. “The ongoing work on the Ghagar is the glaring example of that,” added Chandumajra.

Ferozepur, May 1
It is Re 1 versus Rs 1.50 lakh promise and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s alleged word given to Congress candidate Jagmeet Singh Brar against a pre-poll announcement made by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that is emerging as an important poll issue in this constituency.

Jagmeet Brar has queered the pitch for the SAD and its candidate Sher Singh Ghubaiya by claiming that if is elected he will ensure that the farmers get ownership rights at the rate of Re 1 per acre. Brar during his tour of border areas in Guruharsahai today, with legislator Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, repeatedly announced that he had already discussed the issue with the Prime Minister, who will address a Congress rally at Jallalabad tomorrow.

“No announcement can be made during elections, but rest assured, this is one announcement that will come immediately after the formation of the UPA government at the Centre,”  he added.

Farmers, particularly those belonging to Rai Sikhs as well as the other Backward Castes, are eagerly waiting for the Prime Minister to make a similar announcement tomorrow.

“Jagmeet is known to make a lot of promises because of which we will feel better if the Prime Minister assures us the Congress is committed to give us ownership rights for Re 1 per acre”, said Manga Singh of Guruharsahai.

Earlier, following an initiative by the CM, the Punjab Cabinet decided to give ownership rights at the rates of Rs 25,000 per acre for land between the fencing and the international border, Rs 75,000 for land between the fencing and the Sutlej and Rs 1.50 lakh per acre for land near the towns.

A clearly stunned SAD is trying to convince people that Jagmeet will not be able to deliver his promise, as “he has not fulfilled his earlier promises,” said irrigation minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon. In fact, Jagmeet is being referred to as “Jagmeet Gappi” at all Akali stages.

The offer, which was first made by Congress leader Parminder Singh Pinky and has been lapped up by Brar, has caught the fancy of border farmers and also the Rai Sikh community, otherwise firmly behind their community leader and SAD candidate Ghubaiya.

Chandigarh, May 1
Can the service provided by the maintainer of sugar’s buffer stock be termed as offering “storage and warehousing” to the government, making it taxable in the process? — is the vital question of law before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The precise question of law raised in a bunch of five petitions is: Whether the service provided by a party in maintaining certain buffer stock of free sugar for a stipulated period on which the cost of storage, insurance and interest on the stock is reimbursed by the government in form of subsidy, amounts to providing storage and warehousing to the government, which is taxable under Section 65 (105) (zza) read with Section 65 (102) of the Finance Act, 1994?

This is the second question of law before the Division Bench. Earlier, the commissioner, central excise, had questioned whether service tax was chargeable on buffer subsidy claimed from the Centre for storage of free sale sugar. Both sets of petitions have now been tagged together and will come up for hearing on May 19.

In its petition against Fatehgarh Sahib-based Nahar enterprise limited, the commissioner had contended the company was involved in manufacturing sugar and was directed by the Centre to maintain buffer stock of free sale sugar for a specified period.

The government allowed buffer subsidy towards storage, interest and insurance of the buffer stock. The petitioner contended the company had been paid buffer subsidy for storage of free sale sugar.

This way, the company provided “storage and warehousing service”. The gross amount received for the purpose was taxable under the provisions of the Finance Act 1994, the petitioner said.

Chandigarh, May 1
In a scam of sorts, an educational institute managed to get ground adjoining the school building allocated at concessional rates, only to sell it at profit. Taking a serious view of the attempts aimed at personal gain, Justice Ranjit Singh of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed with Rs 10,000 costs the management’s petition against cancellation of allotment In a strong-worded order, Justice Ranjit Singh asserted: “An educational institution has been used to advance personal interest by a person controlling management of a school. A plot measuring approximately an acre of evacuee land, got allotted at concessional rate from the government, has been sold to make personal gain.

“The justification offered is that money was needed to get repairs of the school building. Cancellation of the allotment followed, which is under challenge”.

Going into the background of the controversy, Justice Ranjit Singh observed: “SS Harbhagwan High School, Samana, Patiala district, has filed this writ petition, challenging the order cancelling the land allotted to the school for playground….

“The total price of the land allotted was Rs 1,04,600, which was settled after negotiations. Upon payment of this amount, the conveyance deed was executed in favour of the petitioner school. The petitioner school would, thus, claim that it is an absolute owner of this property….

“Soon after buying this land, the school suddenly seems to have suffered shortage of funds…. The management unanimously passed a resolution that part of the school land meant for playground be sold to raise funds…. It is claimed that the management decided to construct a modern building keeping in view the requirement, which was not possible because of paucity and shortage of funds and hence this novel method to create funds. Why would the school think of modern building if it did not have funds?

Justice Ranjit Singh added: The state of affairs, as revealed, would show the petitioner school and its secretary and management in poor light. The submissions made by the counsel for the petitioner for sympathy due to old age of the secretary are totally misplaced….

The allegations of false representation in this case are writ large. The secretary not only sold the plots, but sold some plots to his own sons, who further sold the same on profits. The secretary realised substantial sum of amount from the sale proceeds as his salary. It appears that purpose of this allotment was nothing but to sell the same further”.