Hazipur (Hoshiarpur), May 8
BJP star campaigner and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi addressed a series of rallies in favour of SAD-BJP candidates in the state today.

Addressing a rally in favour of the BJP candidate from Hoshiarpur, former IAS officer Som Prakash, in Hoshirapur, Modi targeted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the persecution of Sikh families at the hands of Taliban in Pakistan. He said despite being a Sikh, the Prime Minister was mum over this serious issue.

Modi said the Taliban government had been demanding money from Sikh families for paying homage in gurdwaras in Pakistan, but the Indian government 
had turned a blind eye to their plight.

“I don’t say Manmohan is a weak Prime Minister. His decisions and policies as part of the UPA government are weak and directionless,” he added.

Modi said in the UPA rule, 8,000 farmers had committed suicide and 6,000 poor people had fallen prey to terrorism. Projects initiated by the NDA government had been shelved.

Listing the manifesto of the BJP, Modi claimed if the BJP forms government at the Centre, the poor would be provided wheat and rice for Rs 2 per kg. The scheme had already been introduced in Gujarat.

Akali leaders were not provided space on the dais.

Pathankot: Addressing another rally in favour of SAD-BJP candidate from Gurdaspur Vinod Khanna, Modi said threat from inflow of drugs and counterfeit currency from neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan were greater to the youth of Punjab than from the smuggling of explosives, arms and ammunition. He alleged Congress leaders were involved in the trades and had links in those countries.

He observed that the vote bank politics had ruined the administrative set up of the country. Its recent example was a statement from UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi that Muslims had the first right on the resources of India.

Jalandhar: Seeking votes for SAD nominee Hans Raj Hans here, Modi said skyrocketing sugar price was the biggest scam of the UPA government and the NDA would conduct an inquiry into the scam if it was voted to power.

“The government decided to export sugar in December following excess domestic production. But, after exporting sugar at Rs 12-15 per kg, the government suddenly felt its shortage and decided to import it at a price of Rs 25-28 per kg”, he said.

Attacking the Prime Minister, he said when the former was the Finance Minister, the stock market scam took place and now the Satyam scam has taken place in which investors lost thousands of crores, he said.

Chandigarh, May 8
Sikhs in the US have taken up the issue of safety of Sikhs living in Pakistan and Afghanistan with US President Barack Obama. Asking for immediate US intervention to stop religious persecution of Sikhs, the Sikh community based in and around Washington have held meetings to discuss attacks by Taliban and conveyed their concern to the US President.

Dr Rajwant Singh, Chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, in a letter to Obama has said, “We bring before you our deepest concern about the safety of lives and property of Sikhs in Pakistan.

Recently their religious freedom has been threatened and various happenings around them are troublesome. They are being harassed and their property damaged and plundered by Taliban”.

The letter, a copy of which has also been sent to The Tribune, also stated: “The barbaric acts of Taliban have been in practice since mid-April and the Pakistan government’s reaction has been too little too late.”

Sikhs in the US, numbering over 5,00,000, are planning to meet officials of the State Department and congressional leaders to ensure intervention by the US. They have told Obama that the Pakistan government has already rejected Indian concern about the plight of Sikhs in the 
Pakistan tribal area, saying the issue was being over exaggerated.

They have also appealed to the Pakistan government to intervene on behalf of the Sikhs and other minorities and protect them from any atrocities committed by Taliban or any other group.

Chandigarh, May 8
The Punjab government and the Punjab Public Service Commission have locked horns. The government wants demotion for a Bathinda civil hospital doctor, who is allegedly involved in issuance of false certificates to the kin of convicts for enabling them to secure parole.

The commission, on the other hand, wants Dr Ajitpal Singh to be dismissed from service. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has now asked the government to take a final decision, latest within six weeks.

Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Hemant Gupta have observed: “On proof of a charge that the respondent had committed misconduct as he had issued false certificates regarding the illness of the relatives of certain convicts released on parole, the state government appears to have made a reference to the commission for imposition of a major penalty by way of his reversion to the post of medical officer from the post of senior medical officer….

However, the commission was of the view the charge framed and proved against the respondent was severe in nature and he did not deserve to serve the government any more. The commission, accordingly, appears to have recommended his dismissal from service.”

Aggrieved, the doctor appears to have made a representation to the Chief Minister, who directed a de nova enquiry. Upon examination, it was pointed out such an enquiry was not legally permissible in view of the fact a regular enquiry had already been conducted into the charges framed against the respondent.

The matter was referred to the commission once again in January, with a view to persuade it to reduce the punishment from dismissal from service to reversion…. The commission after reconsideration once again recommended he be dismissed from the service, keeping in view the gravity of allegations proved against him.

The government is, according to the counsel, now seized of the matter. Since there is a conflict between what the government proposes and what the commission has recommended, the same is to be placed before the cabinet.

Fixing July 23 for hearing, the Bench added: “The allegations relate to 2001-02. The enquiry itself was completed in 2006. It is high time the government takes a final decision, instead of procrastinating the same unnecessarily.”

Chandigarh, May 8
If a projected voting percentage of 68 per cent was being considered commendable yesterday, official figures today revealed a voting percentage of 73.2 per cent in the four seats in the Malwa region which went to the polls yesterday with Bathinda recording the maximum turnout of 78.75 per cent.

Bathinda was followed by Sangrur, which recorded a turnout of 74.64 per cent followed by Ferozepur with 71.43 pc and Patiala with 69.87 pc.

While the SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress, which were pitted with each other in all four seats, are claiming the high percentage goes in their favour, what is significant is that people in rural areas have come out in force to cast their ballot compared to urban areas.

In the high-profile seat of Bathinda, the polling percentage was most in Budhlada (84.34 pc) followed by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s assembly segment of Lambi (81.47) and Talwandi Sabo (80.29). In comparison Bathinda Urban segment recorded the lowest voter turnout of 66.52 pc.

The same trend was visible in Patiala where the highest voter turnout of 74.75 pc was witnessed in the completely rural seat of Shatrana, while the Patiala urban seat recorded the lowest turnout of 61.82 pc despite the fact that Congress candidate Preneet Kaur resides in this segment. The urban Rajpura constituency also recorded a comparably low turnout of 66.75 pc.

In Ferozepur, the highest turnout of 79.21 pc was recorded from Ferozepur rural seat followed by Jalalabad (reserved) with 78.21 and Muktsar with 74.64. In comparison the urban segment of Abohar recorded a low turnout of only 55 pc.

In Sangrur, Dirba (reserved) segment polled the maximum voter turn out of 79.80 pc followed by Sunam with 78.33 pc. Here the comparatively urban segment of Barnala witnessed a turnout of 68.33 pc.

According to sources, a number of factors are responsible for the high voter turnout. They said the fight for supremacy in the Malwa region had become one of pride for both the principal families of Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh, which enthused the voter to come out in large numbers. Besides this, the SAD had also indulged in micro management to ensure a good turnout even as followers of Dera Sacha Sauda as well as other marginalised sections made it a point to cast their ballot.

(With inputs from SP Sharma, Sushil Goyal, Attar Singh and Anirudh Gupta)

Chandigarh, May 8
Despite widespread reports of his being present in the Bathinda constituency yesterday, former minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia today claimed that he was not even in the area when the alleged firing incident, of which he was being accused, took place.

Majithia took on the Election Commission, saying it was playing a “brazenly partisan role” in the ongoing parliamentary polls “and was a disgrace to Indian democracy”.

The Election Commission had interceded yesterday after Congress workers staged a dharna at Leelawala village, near Talwandi Sabo, demanding a case be registered against the former minister for allegedly firing in the air from a rifle of one of his gunmen. The Bathinda district police acted late last night and registered an attempt to murder case against the former minister.

Majithia, in his statement today, claimed that the EC had failed to take cognisance of the incident in which Congress candidate Raninder Singh and his gunman had opened fire in Dana Mandi, Bathinda, yesterday.

The former minister claimed that the law enforcing machinery on the spot was in the best position to assess the situation but was pressurised by the EC to register a case against their own better judgment.

“The EC stubbornly overlooked the fact that even the presence of Sucha Singh Chhotepur (an outsider), a recent Congress convert, and several others involved in the incident was in defiance of the EC’s own orders and was illegal”. He also said the EC had presumed that there had been a unilateral assault whereas official and independent reports told a different story.

The minister said the district police had taken cognisance of Harsimrat’s polling agent Simmer Bains, who had alleged that the trouble started when he questioned Congress leader Suchha Singh Chottepur (an outsider) what he was doing in the area.

Majithia said Bains had told the police that the Congress workers flared up after this and resorted to indiscriminate firing. He disclosed that fresh remarks of crossfire had been added to the case now.

Ludhiana, May 8
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today termed AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi as “jinxed” for the Congress, saying that wherever he campaigned for his party, it was doomed.

Sukhbir was in the city today before addressing a function at Phillaur. Reacting to Rahul’s visit in different parts of the state tomorrow, he said he wished Rahul went to all constituencies so as to spell doom for the Congress.

He said the NDA would end its countrywide campaign in Ludhiana on May 10 with a galaxy of senior NDA leaders campaigning for SAD candidate GS Galib in the city on that day. Having a dig at former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Sukhbir said he had lost his “mental balance” as he was calling them names.

Ropar, May 8
In one of a case of its kind, the Election Commission (EC) today served show-cause notice to Independent candidate from the Anandpur Sahib Constituency Manjit Kaur, who is not pursuing her campaigning and has extended support to Congress candidate Ravneet Singh Bittu.

Returning Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti has served this notice to Ravneet Singh Bittu as well.

The EC has stated that expenses incurred in Manjit’s campaigning so far will be added to that of Bittu’s. Both candidates have been given asked to reply to notice by tomorrow (May 9).

Taking serious note of news reports carried on May 5 stating that Manjit Kaur had extended support to Bittu and declared that she would not contest elections. As per the rules of Election Commission of India, such candidate is covered under the term of “dummy” candidate. She has also resigned from the post of chairperson of the Democratic Samaj Party.

It is pertinent to mention here that as per ECI rules, the expenses incurred on elections by a candidate should not exceed Rs 25 lakh. If the candidates do not reply to the notices, one-sided action will be taken. 

Chandigarh, May 8
The parliamentary elections seems to have benefited farmers with the Punjab government taking extraordinary measures to ensure efficient procurement as well as payment to farmers and is now even ensuring lifting of wheat from 
the ‘mandis’.

Unlike hiccups in procurement of paddy six months ago, wheat procurement has been smooth this time. Government agencies have been prompt in purchasing wheat. They have already purchased more wheat than that purchased in the entire season last year. The state still has a fortnight to go before the procurement season comes to an end.

According to Mandi Board figures, 106.75 lakh tonne of wheat has been purchased till now, while last year the total procurement was 105 lakh tonne. The Mandi Board figures said last year 68 lakh tonne of wheat had been procured till May 4.

This year Markfed has made the most purchase (24.78 lakh tonne) followed by Punsup with 23.57 lakh tonne and the state food and supplies department with 18.40 lakh tonne.

The FCI has also increased its procurement figures from 7.23 lakh tonne last year to 10.72 lakh tonne this season till now. Private traders have procured 4.09 lakh tonne.

Sources said farmers were being given payments within 20 hours of the purchase, while the normal waiting period is 48 hours, indicating how sensitive the government has become towards this aspect in the election year.

Meanwhile, sources said even as the procurement season was nearing end, the problem of foodgrain storage remained though steps were being taken to move accumulated stock out of the state.

Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Darbara Singh Guru said as of March 31 there was 85 lakh tonne of foodgrain lying in godowns in the state. He said since April 1, 260 special trains had been deployed to move foodgrain out of the state.

Guru said additional storage of 115 lakh tonne foodgrain had been created before the start of the procurement season so that the state could deal with all eventualities.

Patiala, May 8
The increasing habit of tobacco and other intoxicants is afflicting women with mouth related diseases, including cancer.

Sources in Chest and TB Hospital here confide that after teenagers, now it’s the turn of migrant woman folk to get addicted to the scourge of tobacco.

They said the migrant women, who travel to the state, are now in the grip of tobacco products. Doctors reveal that this was primary reason why migrant women were reporting more and more cases of mouth-related diseases, including cancer.

Not only this, these women are also falling prey to passive smoking. The sources said these women also suffer from lung cancer due to the influence of passive smoking, mostly by their husbands, a majority of them are Bihari labourers. The most common forms of diseases caught by these women are those related to the lungs and mouth.

Statistics of the cancer department in the Government Rajindra Hospital point out that almost all migrant women admitted there were having lung and oral cancer. Apart from this, these women, most of whom work in agricultural fields in and around the town, are also found to be suffering from chest cancer.

Statistics reveal that in the year 2005, 2,620 men were found to be suffering from cancer from tobacco related products as compared to 255 women. 90 children were also found to be suffering from cancer, most of them due to passive smoking.

In the year 2006, this figure among cancer in men, rose to 2,855 as compared to 272 women and 95 children. In the year 2007, there were 3,105 men who were found to be suffering from oral and lung cancer as compared to 310 and 92 children.

This year as many as 448 women were admitted to the hospital with cancer while 3236 men too were found to be suffering from cancer.

Sources revealed that earlier there were few incidences of woman being admitted to the hospital with cancer-related diseases.

However, statistics now revealed that there was sharp increase in women having cancer related diseases.

A senior doctor at the cancer department of Government Rajindra Hospital said there was increasing incidence of cancer among women; mainly due to passive smoking and the use of tobacco. 

Patiala, May 8
Over 120 patients were examined at a free eye check up camp organised at the Patiala Eye Hospital and Lasik Laser Centre in celebration of the World Red Cross Day today.

A team of doctors led by Dr Sukhdip S Boparai, chief consultant of the hospital, which included Dr Anuradha Raj examined the patients and identified the patients who needed a surgery.

Dr Boparai said there were special arrangements for the check up of diabetic and hypersensitive patients who were more prone to eye ailments.

He said the camp was organised to make available specialised medical treatment to the patients who could not afford to go to the hospitals for paid check ups.

Chandigarh, May 8
The Punjab and Haryana High Court believes Faridkot District Magistrate has committed a mistake. The District Magistrate was duty bound to look into an application placed before him against the sealing of a unit.

Failure to decide the matter was a “mistake” requiring rectification, the Bench of Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Hemant Gupta has ruled.

In its petition against the state of Punjab and other respondents, Faridkot-based AV Industries had asserted that they were into furniture manufacturing, and had installed a wooden cutter.

The petitioner was aggrieved by an order dated May 15, 2006, passed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board’s environmental engineer. He had requested the District Magistrate to take appropriate action against the petitioner under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules.

It was asserted that the Senior Superintendent of Police, subsequently, sealed the unit and forwarded the case to the Deputy Commissioner. Aggrieved, the petitioner claimed it had filed an application before the Faridkot Deputy Commissioner for the removal of the seals and permission to carry on the business. But the application was not disposed of.

The Bench asserted once an aggrieved party had moved an application for the modification of the order, the District Magistrate was duty bound to look into it and pass an appropriate order in accordance with law after hearing the parties concerned.

As the District Magistrate had not done so, even after a lapse of six months, he had committed a mistake, which required correction with the issuance of appropriate direction.

The Bench asked the District Magistrate to expeditiously, but not later than four weeks from receiving the order’s copy, hear and dispose of the application. He has been asked to pass appropriate orders on the application, in accordance with law.

Ludhiana, May 8
On the direction of the Election Commission, Punjab, the District Magistrate, Ludhiana, Gurkirat Kirpal Singh has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident involving an attack on Congress nominee from Ludhiana Manish Tewari’s mother Amrit Kaur Tewari by several Akali leaders here recently.

The inquiry has been entrusted with the ADC, Kuldeep Singh, who has been asked to start the probe with immediate effect.

The action follows in the wake of a complaint to Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla by Tewari himself, who had alleged that his mother and several other Congress women were attacked by Akali leaders led by Councillor Kamaljit Singh Karwal a few days ago, when they were trying to canvass in the Shimlapuri area, considered to be the citadel of Akalis.

Meanwhile, Kuldeep Singh has summoned the warring parties on May 11.

The Akalis have termed the ordering of inquiry as an outcome of “biased attitude” of the commission. They said when a case was already registered there was no need for an inquiry. They had made a counter allegation that the Congress workers had injured their worker.

Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), May 8
Hours after former Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia was booked in a case related to attempt to murder late on Thursday night, the Talwandi Sabo police today slapped two criminal cases, including one related to attempt to murder and wrongful confinement of a policeman, against Talwandi Sabo MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu.

Majithia is the brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal while Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu is a close confidant of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Sidhu was leading a mob protesting outside the polling station demanding that Majithia be booked for attempt to murder. The police later booked Majithia under Sections 307, 148 and 149, IPC, and 25, 54 and 59, Arms Act, for opening fire at the polling station.

Sidhu has been booked under the same sections (307 and others of the IPC), following the cross version of SAD polling agent Simarjeet Singh, who alleged that after receiving the information that Sidhu and others were buying votes outside the polling booth, he ran towards them. Simarjeet said seeing him, they abused, threatened and opened fire at him. He mentioned that he managed to save his life by jumping over a wall.

In the second case, Head Constable Gurcharan Singh lodged a complaint against Sidhu and 300 others for wrongfully confining him in a room till their demand for registration of an FIR against Majithia was accepted by the administration late at night. Further, he alleged that before locking him in a room, his uniform was also torn off.

Sidhu and others, including SGPC member Gurtej Singh, former MLA Sucha Singh Chhotepur, former vice-chairman market committee Avtar Singh, former policeman Babu Singh, advocate Sukhdev Singh Sidhu, Balwant Singh, Bahadur Singh, Saudagar Singh, Balveer Singh and Bir Davinder Singh, were booked under Sections 341, 342, 353, 186, 188, 148 and 149, IPC, and Sections 25, 27 and 59, Arms Act.