Patiala, September 1
Advocating the need for an enhanced vision to take Punjab forward on the fast track of development, Gen SF Rodrigues (retd), Governor and Chancellor of Punjabi University, called upon academicians and intellectuals to develop action-oriented and progressive programmes to encourage the youth to achieve academic brilliance. He suggested setting up a panel of educational experts to suggest ways to foster the socio-economic development of the state and revive its status as the leading state of the country.

Addressing a function of the 2nd All-India Punjabi Conference on the university campus here today, General Rodrigues said our existing education system was tailored by the British suiting to their own needs. It did not encourage our students to think for themselves and apply their own mind for tackling various societal and national issues. Sharing his worries over an alarming increase in the cases of drug addiction and female foeticide in Punjab, the Governor said action-oriented programmes launched through the Red Cross in the state had brought positive results.

Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor, emphasised the need for exploring the possibilities to expand Punjabi in all its dimensions. This effort of the university, he said, included associating Punjabis living abroad and settled in states other than Punjab and sensitising all Punjabis towards their duty to promote their mother tongue.

Sidhu Damdami, former Editor of Punjabi Tribune, said, “We should make ourselves compatible to new changes happening as a result of information explosion with the tightening of geographical boundaries and socio-economic parameters”.

Tarlochan Singh, former Chairman, Minorities Commission of India, said a collective effort was needed to save Punjabi from all types of internal and external onslaughts.

Jalandhar, September 1
Farmers of Punjab have suffered a loss of Rs 62,000 crore over the years because of non-linking of the MSPs of wheat and paddy to the price index by the Centre. This is one of the findings of a high-level committee set up by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to look into the losses suffered by farmers because of unremunerative MSP in four decades.

The three-member panel of Prof Ranjit Singh Ghuman, Punjabi University (chairman), Prof PS Rangi, consultant to Farmers Commission, and Dr MS Sidhu from Economics Department of the PAU presented the report to Badal this morning. The panel has taken into account the period starting from 1967 to 2007.

The panel had been set up on a demand of Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of the Bharti Kisan Union.

The members of the panel, who interacted with Badal this morning, have opined that the fixing of remunerative MSP will certainly help farmers in improving their economic condition, but it alone is not enough to pull out small and marginal farmers from the economic crisis.

Remunerative MSPs of wheat and paddy will not make agriculture viable for a farmer having a land holding of three-five acres. The MSP is a tiny factor and several other steps will have to be taken to supplement the income of farmers and to make farming viable for them.

The panel wanted that the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices should change the formula regarding cost calculating to give a substantial surplus to farmers in the form of MSP, especially in those states which made big contribution to the national food grain pool.

The panel has recommended measures to better the lot of small and marginal farmers, whose number is more than 70 per cent in the state. Among the recommended measures are engaging the farmers in allied activities related to agriculture. To do so, public investment and R and D in allied agriculture sector is an important factor. The panel has urged to strengthen the institutional loan advancing system and to eliminate the dependency of farmers on non-institutional loans. It has asked for introducing a licence system for private money lenders. The committee is for the vertical integration of the agriculture produce with industry for processing and value addition at various levels.

Shift of a substantial population from agriculture to non-agriculture sector, diversifying not only the agricultural economy but also the entire rural economy and developing rural non-farm sector are among other important recommendations of the committee.

Chandigarh, September 1
Punjab Director-General of Police and three other police officials are in dock for ordering multiple inquiries in a rape case.

Justice Mahesh Grover of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought an explanation from the state DGP, Mohali SSP, Dera Bassi DSP and another official. They have been asked to explain how multiple inquiries “came into existence and what was the justification for the same”.

The cops are also is trouble for the practice of helping out, or implicating, individuals in criminal cases by holding such multiple inquiries. Justice Grover wants to know what action is the state taking against the cop found fibbing in case of conflicting investigating reports by two officials.

The directions follow the ordering of a second inquiry after the first indicted the alleged rapist. Acting on a petition filed by the victim for directions to the state and the police functionaries to arrest the accused, Justice Grover asserted that in the reply “it has been submitted that the DSP concerned has fairly inquired into the matter and found the allegations against Vinod Kumar are correct.

“However, in the meantime, an inquiry has been marked to the SP, crime, Punjab, Chandigarh, by the state DGP, who is now conducting the inquiry in the present case”.

Justice Grover further asserted: “The court is concerned in the manner in which the inquiries are being conducted by the police officials of state of Punjab…. This court on numerous occasions has deprecated the practice of conducting inquiries into a case. It indicates that either the first inquiry, which is supposed to be conducted by the investigating officer, is false or the subsequent one is false, and if that is so, why these officials are being let off without any action being taken against them. “It is the sacred duty of the police officials to take notice of the allegations which may surface before them by way of an FIR, and look into the same efficiently.

“Since the action of resorting to multiple inquiries result in obvious delay and destruction of evidence/material, this affects the criminal justice system of the state prejudicially”. The case will now come up for further hearing on September 11. 

Chandigarh, September 1
The Punjab government has decried “double standards” of the Centre with states having non-Congress governments. After venting displeasure in a letter to the Central Water Commission (CWC) over “uneven sanction of funds”, senior state government functionaries will meet CWC members in Delhi tomorrow to point out “discrimination in sanctioning funds for repairing canals in Punjab”.

Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon said the Centre had sanctioned Rs 967 crore to Punjab for re-lining of Rajasthan canal in south Punjab. Out of sanctioned amount, the Centre had agreed to bear 90 per cent of expenses leaving 10 per cent to Rajasthan’s share. But in sanctioning Rs 463 crore for the repair of Sirhind canal, the Centre has asked Punjab to contribute 75 per cent of this amount (nearly Rs 350 crore).

The Centre has been told Punjab used water water to produce foodgrains for the nation, but the Centre was discriminating against the state when it needed help to maintain the infrastructure like irrigation drains, simply because it was non-Congress ruled state.

The minister leading a delegation will hold consultations with Central Water Commission members on September 2. The CWC initiates and coordinates in consultation with state governments, schemes for control, conservation and utilisation of water in the country”.

The Rajasthan canal, that carries water to that state, passes through Punjab, has been damaged at many places in south Punjab due to waterlogging in Muktsar and adjoining areas. One of the longest canals in the country, out of the 650 km, 167 km fall in Punjab and 37 km in Haryana. Starting from the Harike Barrage, a few kms below the confluence of the Sutlej and the Beas in Punjab, carrying water from the Pong Dam, it runs south-southwest in Punjab and ends near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

Punjab has protested for identical work, repairing of two canals, one state got 90 per cent grant , while the other 25 per cent.

Punjab is also upset with Rajasthan seeking more say in the functioning of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) that controls release of water to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has been for disbanding the BBMB for, “its failure to judiciously distribute water from Bhakra and Pong dam reservoirs to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan”.

The BBMB drew flak recently for releasing more water to Rajasthan than its share from the Bhakra Nangal Dam reservoir. The BBMB has denied it.

Jalandhar, September 1
Eminent citizens of the state have urged the Union government to review the blacklist which has banned several Punjabi NRIs from visiting India. “There should be an urgent and objective review of the cases of Punjabi NRIs blacklisted in the 1980s and debarred from visiting the country,” said former engineer HS Jatana.

“The period of the 1980s was of grave concern to every well-meaning Indian, but many NRIs were blacklisted on the basis of suspicion and their offence remains unsubstantiated,” said Jatana. “All of them have family members and relations in India and would like to visit them for social and other functions. Not being able to visit and join family for functions is very traumatic,” said Amrik Singh Gill, former agriculture expert to governments in many countries.

“They are denied visa to visit India because their names figure in the black list of individuals. No other reason is given for denial of visa to them. It is arbitrary, irrational and unjustifiable refusal, a violation of their human rights,” said Gill.

There was an urgent need for the Union government to review the blacklist and remove the names included in the list on the basis of suspicion and without evidence, he added. “They must review the black list,” said Sqn Leader SS Walia (retd). “Most of these cases have suffered an unmerited emotional trauma all these years. Reviewing such cases will be legally, socially and politically a move in right direction,” said AS Bains, another notable.

“The Union government must come out with a working plan to remedy the situation,” said Gurcharan Singh and RS Preeti, social activists.

“Since the 1980s, time has changed for the better; so should the approach of the Centre to this humane issue. It calls for alleviating pain and hurt inflicted on the blacklisted individuals without proving their offence, if any,” said Gill.

Moga, September 1
Waking up from slumber after 25 years, the government has given a sum of Rs 1.12 crore as ex-gratia grant to as many as 56 families of victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, who had migrated from the affected states and are presently residing in Moga district.

Cheques of Rs 2 lakh each were presented to these families by senior SAD leader Jathedar Tota Singh in the presence of officials of the local administration at a function held in the district administrative complex here, today.

Earlier, an ex-gratia grant of Rs 2 lakh each was provided to 193 victim families in April 2006 and 13 families in February 2009, who are presently residing in the district.

While distributing the cheques, the SAD leader termed the 1984 riots as one of the biggest tragedies faced by any community after the partition of India.

Tota Singh said the Punjab government and the SAD, in particular, were committed to providing ex-gratia relief to families of the victims. “The state government has instructed the respective district administration to complete all formalities of left-out families so that they can get financial assistance,” he said.

On the recent order of a Delhi court giving life imprisonment to three accused persons involved in the riots, he said all culprits named in these cases needed to be punished as per the law on the basis of evidences of eyewitnesses.

Patiala, September 1
Amidst nostalgia and societal issues, began a celebration of all that encompasses Punjab and its essence, Punjabiyat, during the Second All-India Punjabi Conference at Guru Teg Bahadur Hall in Punjabi University here today.

Five eminent personalities belonging to Punjab were honoured on the occasion, which had been specifically held to mark the founders’ day of the university. Punjab Governor General (retd) SF Rodrigues, who was the chief guest on the occasion, honoured film actor Om Puri, editor-in-chief of The Tribune group of newspapers HK Dua, novelist Gurdial Singh, Prof Kirpal Singh Kasel and singer Surinder Singh (Singh Bandhu).

While addressing the gathering, HK Dua emphasised on the eradication of female foeticide, unemployment and education for all. Citing the unproportionate sex ratio in Punjab, he expressed concern over killing of unborn daughters.

Dua also said the mother tongue should never be disowned. “Punjabi is a rich language and the epic literature of Punjab has been eminently described by Bulley Shah, Baba Farid, to name a few. But, the degradation of politics in the state has ruined its heritage,” he said.

Journalist Kuldip Nayyar added, “Ours is a rich literature with the likes of Amrita Pritam, Shiv Batalvi, Manmohan Waris, but after that no literature is recognisable”.

Actor Om Puri advocated that the language needs vehicle like films to get popular, since this means has been the most powerful medium. “But, the damage is not yet the irreparable one. Now the trend of Punjabi movies is catching up with the efforts of personalities like Gurdas Mann, Harbhajan Mann, Manmohan Singh etc,” he said. 

Chandigarh, September 1
Cricketer Harbhajan Singh is on a safe turf. Taking up his petition, Justice Mahesh Grover of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today quashed the complaint case filed against him for hurting feelings by dressing up as Ravana in a dance reality show.

Allowing Bhajji’s petition, Justice Grover also imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on the complainants. The details are not yet available.

The high court had earlier issued notice of motion to complainant-respondents advocate-cum-chairman of Global Human Rights Council Arvind Thakur and spokesman of Punjab Vishwa Hindu Parishad Vinod Singh Bhardwaj. The high court had also stayed further proceedings in a complaint case against him.

The respondents had on October 10, 2008, jointly complained that Bhajji’s action in dressing up like Ravana for taking part in a dance reality show had hurt the sentiments of the complainants.

Petitioner Bhajji, on the other hand, had submitted he had tendered unconditional apology.

Not only that, the matter was amicably settled with the complainants, who had agreed not to pursue the matter further. Soon after the pronouncement of the order, Bhardwaj said they would move the apex court against the judgment.

Chandigarh, September 1
In an eyebrow raising decision Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today allowed the Punjab School Education Board to publish books for the Sarv Sikhya Abhiyaan (SSA) authority, besides publishing books for its students.

The SSA authority had last year published its own books, as the books published by the board were of low quality, more expensive and had on many occasions failed to reach the students on time. The books published by the SSA authority were of better quality and had cost the government at least Rs 5.5 crore less and had also reached the students well in time.

Instead of appreciating the remarkable achievement of the SSA and allowing it to continue to publish its own books, the Chief Minister has given the entire work back to the board.

However, the Chief Minister has directed the board chairman DS Dhillon to improve the book’s quality and also ensure that these are delivered on time.

Board chairman DS Dhillon today, however, assured the CM that the shortcomings both in the production and distribution in the textbooks would be removed.

Moga, September 1
Pritam Kaur, mother of Indian-born Canadian citizen Jagdev Singh, who faces charges of murdering former MLA Nachattar Singh Gill, father of Paramdip Singh Gill, DGP, died at the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, this morning.

The 70-year-old woman was also booked under Sections 302, 307, 120-B and 34, IPC, and 25, 54 and 59, Arms Act, and Sections 5 and 6, TADA Act, in the murder case in 1991 along with her two sons and a daughter. But, she was acquitted by the Supreme Court a few years ago.

When her elder son Jagdev was again booked in two cases of fraud, just a few days after Paramdip took over as DGP, she had filed two writ petitions against the state government and the DGP in the Punjab and Haryana High Court last week, in which the court had issued notices to them.

Hardev, her younger son, and Raja, a family member, told The Tribune that Pritam was admitted to the DMC on August 14 in a state of acute depression. “The doctors attending to her told us that the process of formation of red blood corpuscles had weakened her body”, they said adding that last week she went into coma.

Raja said the last time when she spoke to them, she talked about Jagdev, at present in judicial custody. “Mere put Jagdev nu kuchh ho na jave....”

Her body has been kept in the DMC mortuary as two bail applications of Jagdev were pending for September 2 and 3 before the sessions court.

Amritsar, September 1
Foreign-based new generation of Sikhs and people from other religions having faith in Guru Granth Sahib will hardly have any problem in comprehending the meaning and message in the holy book as the SGPC has initiated work on preparing the first “authentic and widely-accepted” annotative version (Teeka) of Guru Granth Sahib.

The annotative version of Guru Granth Sahib is being prepared under the guidance of renowned Sikh scholars. The project was initiated by SGPC chief Avtar Singh at Guru Granth Sahib Research Centre in the Golden Temple complex here today.

Several Sikh organisations, taksals, panthic organisations and Sikhs based in different parts of the world have been asking the SGPC to come out with an “authentic” annotative version of Guru Granth Sahib for an easy comprehension of the message of the Gurus. Upon completion of the first phase of the “Teeka”, it will be translated in English, Russian and French languages. “The translated versions will be helpful in sending the message across the world. It will be particularly helpful to the young generation of the Sikhs, who are educated in different countries and the scholars who were seeking to comprehend message enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib in a better way,” said Avtar.

He said to supervise the project, the SGPC had appointed former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti and former secretary of the SGPC’s Dharam Parchar Committee Waryam Singh as chairman and director of the research centre, respectively.

Ludhiana, September 1
A close aide of the Indian National Army (INA) supremo Subhas Chandra Bose and noted freedom fighter Kirpal Singh Hans (87) died at his native Hans Kalan village in Jagraon subdivision here today.

He was cremated with national honours and people from all walks of life attended his funeral procession. Distinct freedom fighter of the district Jagjit Singh Lyallpuri was present on the occasion. With his death the state has lost a freedom fighter, messiah of farmers and seasoned leader.

Kirpal’s life was a saga of struggle and sacrifice for the country. As a teenager he had gone to Singapore in search of greener pastures. There he found a different motive of his life - to get his country freed from the clutches of British.

He worked as Captain of INA and remained imprisoned for three years in different jails in Singapore. After India attained freedom, he worked under the leadership of Gen Mohan Singh as a Forward Bloc worker and afterwards as a Congress worker.

He was appointed sub-registrar at Jagraon during the regime of Partap Singh Kairon, Chief Minister of the state. He, however, left the Congress and joined the CPM in early ’70s and worked as a Communist worker.

He was imprisoned several times when he raised his voice for peasantry. Hans also played a leading role in the forming of the MCPI (U) and remained a member of its highest body central committee and member of control commission. Comrade Hans, as he was popularly known in the district, remained the elected sarpanch of his village for many years.

Prominent among those who attended his funeral included Kuldip Singh, Prem Singh Bhangu, Lakhwinder Singh Boani, and Mukand Singh, SDM, Jagraon.

Show-cause notices

Chandigarh, September 1
Punjab has issued show-cause notices to 44 constables and head constables, dismissed from service for wilful absence from duty, only to be reinstated later.

The notices have been served through the Punjab Director-General of Police to explain their position within 20 days as to why their cases be not reviewed. In an affidavit submitted before the Bench of Justice JS Khehar and Justice SD Anand, Principal Secretary in the Department of Home Affairs and Justice AR Talwar said the notices were issued on August 20.

Taking up the reply, the Bench disposed of the petition filed by head constable Ramesh Verma.