Butter Kalan (Gurdaspur), July 7
In a significant development, which could have far-reaching consequences, a section of the SAD leadership today raised a banner of revolt against Sewa Singh Sekhwan, the prospective candidate of the party for the coming byelection of the Kahnuwan assembly segment of Gurdaspur district.

A section of the SAD leadership has openly announced here that if the party leadership would nominate Sewa Singh Sekhwan, former minister, as its candidate for the Kahnuwan assembly segment, they would be left with no other option than to fight against him tooth and nail.

A workers’ meeting organised by Yadwinder Singh Butter, former member of the working committee of the party, became a big rally due to heavy turnout of workers. The workers, braving blistering sun, kept sitting under the pandal for hours together.

The workers said as Sekhwan had humiliated workers repeatedly, they had urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and party president Sukhbir Singh Badal not to nominate him (Sekhwan) as party candidate for byelection, to be held on August 3.

Those who addressed the rally included Jasbir Singh Ghuman, former president of the All-India Sikh Student Federation (AISSF) and son of former Akali MLA Harbans Singh Ghuman, Sub-Maj (retd) Partap Singh Tatla, Harbans Singh Sidhwa, Kirpal Singh Butter and Chain Singh Butter (all senior Akali leaders).

A large section of youth Akali leaders also participated in the rally. Butter said they had urged the party leadership to direct Sekhwan to take rest by not contesting the coming assembly byelection as it was Sekhwan who had facilitated the victory of Congress candidate from this seat in the last two assembly elections.

Even during the last two Lok Sabha elections, the Congress candidate polled more votes than the SAD-BJP candidate in this assembly segment despite the fact that people in the area were traditionally Akalis as Chotta Ghallughara (small holocaust connected with massacre of Sikhs) took place in Kahnuwan town during the Mughal rule in the country.

He said people of the area had been angry with Sekhwan as Sekhwan had dishonoured, humiliated and harassed the Akali workers apart from committing atrocities on those who worked for the party with dedication. He said their fight would continue till its logical end was met.

Ghuman, former president, AISSF, demanded that the SAD leadership must start “one family-one post” principle in the party so that all workers could be accommodated in various organisational and governmental setups.

He said the party leadership must also rethink over the nomination of Sekhwan as candidate for the Kahnuwan assembly byelection.

Sekhwan, when contacted, while claiming that Butter was not even a primary member of the SAD, alleged that the show was organised by some vested interests at the behest of the Congress.

He added that all those who attended the rally were not from the Kahnuwan assembly segment. He said the allegations levelled against him in the rally were baseless and false.

Amritsar, July 7
Installation of Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, secretary of the state BJP who was expected to take charge of the all-important post of Chairman, Improvement Trust, has again been postponed due to the unbending stand taken by Navjot Singh Sidhu, party’s MP from Amritsar.

Fissures in the rank and file in the local BJP had come to the fore much before the parliamentary elections.

However, the differences between Chhina, who is also secretary of Khalsa College Management Committee, and Sidhu had widened after the Lok Sabha elections.

Sidhu had a grouse that he got about 20,000 votes less in the Amritsar (West) assembly constituency represented by Chhina.

The plain-speaking by Sidhu at the Jalandhar meeting in which he blamed the state leadership for the dismal performance of the party in the Lok Sabha poll had also irked senior leaders.

However, despite the direct intervention of the party high command, Sidhu refused to bury the hatchet so far as question of installing Chhina as Chairman of the Improvement Trust is concerned.

However, Chhina told The Tribune that he was likely to take the charge as Improvement Trust Chairman in the next couple of days. He said Manoranjan Kalia told him that the matter would be resolved shortly.

On the other hand, Navjot Sidhu maintained a stoic silence and refused to air his views about the appointment of Chhina.

A BJP leader from New Delhi on the condition of anonymity said party President Rajnath Singh and L.K. Advani discussed the matter. Till the filing of this report in the evening they had not arrived at any decision.

Meanwhile, the Akalis put their weight behind Chhina as they visited his residence to congratulate him for his elevation to the coveted post.

Inder Bir Singh Bolaria, Dr Balbir Singh Verka, both Akali MLA, Bawa Singh Gimanpura, district President, SAD, and Akali councillors led by Senior Deputy Mayor Ajaybir Pal Singh Randhawa welcomed the appointment of Chhina.

Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla and BJP MLA Anil Joshi had also visited the house of Chhina to congratulate him upon his elevation.

Principals of colleges being run under Khalsa College Management Committee also honoured Chhina at a gurdwara located inside Khalsa College yesterday.

Hoshiarpur, July 7
A protest was sparked up by the residents of Mehmowal village at the local civil hospital here today when police failed to take action regarding the death of one Ajit Singh at the civil hospital today.

Some dispute arose between Ajit and his employer Narinder over some payment to the former and when he demanded the amount on June 27, 2009, Narinder allegedly beat him up, on account of which Ajit got injuries and was admitted to the local Civil Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries today.

The residents, led by general secretary of the state unit of the BSP Onkar Singh Jhamat, along with deceased Ajit Singh’s wife Nirmal Kaur, demonstrated and raised slogans against the police at the local Civil Hospital for not registering a case against Narinder Singh.

Later, while talking to mediapersons, Onkar Singh Jhamat said Ajit Singh had been working for Narinder Singh for the last about six years.

Nirmal Kaur, along with the inhabitants of the village, demanded the registration of a murder case against Narinder Singh.

The Senior Medical Officer of the Civil Hospital, Dr Gurdev Singh said during the time of the admission of Ajit Singh, no one had told the hospital authorities about the beating up incident.

However, a board of doctors constituted by him would conduct post-mortem examination of Ajit’s body, he added.

Hoshiarpur, July 7
The district police yesterday claimed to have unearthed a robbers’ gang and arrested six of its members who were plotting a dacoity.

SSP Parmod Ban said some persons were preparing to commit a dacoity, the police raided the complex of the central government bank, Nasrala, on Sunday evening.

Nand Lal of Ravidass Nagar, Chetan Sharma of Mount Avenue, Adamwal, Rajinder Kumar of Banjarbagh, Rajwant Singh of Patti, Shivdeep of Piplanwala and Harpreet of Nasrala have been arrested.

However, their accomplice Hunny Chander fled. The police also seized various weapons. A case under sections 399 and 402 of the IPC has been registered at the Sadar police station.

Nand Lal along with some other persons had recently kidnapped a girl and made a murderous assault on her grandfather.

A case under sections 307, 341, 148 and 149 of the IPC had been registered in the Model Town police station.

As many as 10 cases have been registered against Nand Lal but he was absconding in some of them and was also sentenced in some of them.

Batala, July 7
The police arrested Mohan Singh of Kohali village and seized 300 gm of intoxicants from him here yesterday.

SSP Naresh Arora said the police laid a naka near Kotli Surat Malhian police station. On seeing a youth roaming under suspicious condition, the police intercepted him.

During investigation, the police seized intoxicants from him. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act.