Chandigarh, October 26
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today expanded his Cabinet to include Sewa Singh Sekhwan, a SAD MLA who recently won byelection from Kahnuwan in Gurdaspur district. Sekhwan was administered an oath of office and secrecy by Punjab Governor Gen SF Rodrigues (retd) at a ceremony held at the Punjab Raj Bhawan.

Later in the day, Badal also make Sohan Singh Thandal, his party MLA from Mahilpur, as Chief Parliamentary Secretary. He was administered the oath by the CM at a function held at the Punjab Civil Secretariat.

Interestingly, most of the leadership from the BJP, which is an alliance partner of the SAD, remain conspicuous by their absence at Sekhwan’s swearing-in function. No BJP leader was visible in the “pandal” where the oath was administered.

However, state BJP president Rajinder Bhandari and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tikshan Sud were seen arriving when visitors were having tea after the entire event was over and the Governor had left the venue.

A party functionary, however, said Technical Education Minister Swarna Ram and Arunesh Shakir, BJP MLA from Mukerian, were present at the time of the swearing-in, but had left early.

The absence of the BJP become significant because of the “perceived edgy relations” between the two parties on subsidies and other issues like “BJP’s allegation of an equal participations in the government”.

Besides, the BJP’s absence is unexplainable at Sekwan’s swearing-in, as his home district of Gurdaspur is perceived to be a BJP stronghold.

The Chief Minister, however, refused to drawn any meaning into the BJP’s absence saying “in such events it is generally the supporters of the leader who come”.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, too, was absent during the ceremony, but arrived just before people had begun to leave.

Badal said the BJP’s top man in his Cabinet and Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia, had not come because he was “unwell”.

Sekhwan, a member of the SAD core committee, has been put into the slot in the Cabinet that was vacated due to the death of Captain Kanwaljit Singh in March. He was the cooperation minister at the time when he met with a fatal accident near Kharar.

Initially, it was believed that Captain Kanwaljit’s Singh son Jasjit Singh Bunny may be adjusted in the Cabinet in place of his father. Bunny had recently won byelection from Banur, the seat that fell vacant due to his father’s death.

However, Sekhwan had been selected on basis of his merit and seniority, the CM said, adding that Sekhwan had also been Cabinet minister in the previous SAD-BJP government from 1997 to 2002.

The inclusion of Sekhwan has taken the number of ministers in the SAD-BJP government to its maximum limit of 18.

Badal told mediapersons at the Raj Bhawan that Sekhwan would be allotted a portfolio by tomorrow. He, however, ruled out the possibility of any major reshuffle in the Cabinet saying, “There may be a slight adjustment, but no major reshuffle.”

TNS adds from Amritsar: Sekhwan paid obeisance at the Golden Temple here today. He thanked the Chief Minister, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and the people of his constituency for reposing faith in him. “I will fulfil all responsibilities which, I owe to the party and to the people of the state,” Sekhwan said.

He was accompanied by chairman of the Akal Akhara International Mohan Singh Bhagowalia, who honoured him with a siropa.

Chandigarh, October 26
Jasjit Singh Bunny, son of former Cooperation Minister Captain Kanwaljit Singh who quit from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) only to relent later, failed to get any one of the various posts doled out to loyalists in the past fortnight.

The appointment of various chairmen of boards and corporations, which has been going on for some time, culminated today with senior leader and Kahnuwan legislator Sewa Singh Sekhwan being sworn-in as Cooperation Minister.

Bunny, who was never considered for this post, was not even considered for the post of Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS), which was also up for grab. Instead Sewa Singh Thandal was sworn in as the CPS.

Earlier, the party had adjusted a number of party leaders to give a clear signal that loyalty and work done for the party would count.

Former Ludhiana MP Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, who was refused the party ticket from Ludhiana in the last parliamentary elections, was appointed chairman of the Punjab Agro.

Senior leader Alwinder Singh Pakhoke was appointed chairman of the Punjab Warehousing Corporation. Recently, the party appointed former Shiromani committee president Kirpal Singh Badungar as chairman of the Backward Classes Commission while Onkar Singh Thapar was appointed chairman of the Punjab Industrial Development Corporation.

It seems Bunny’s erratic behaviour is the main reason why the party has given him a short shrift.

In fact, sources said the party was reluctant to adjust him from Banur, but gave in, as Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal did not want to send the message that wards of senior leaders would not be adjusted in the party in case they passed away in such tragic circumstances.

Bunny has also lost out because his resignation as chairman of the Punjab Cooperative Bank, to which post he was elected during his father’s time, was also accepted some time back and the post has since been filled.

With the party not bestowing any responsibility on him, he may face difficulty in taking the legacy of his late father forward in an effective manner.

The going may become difficult for the young leader in his constituency also. This is because Banur ceases to exist as a constituency after the last delimitation exercise.

The new constituency, Dera Bassi, has become more or less a Hindu seat and party leader N K Sharman, who is a close confidant of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, is likely to stake his claim to the seat in the next Assembly elections.

Sharma has recently been made chairman of the Mohali District Planning Board and given Cabinet status. 

Chandigarh, October 26
After pulses, it’s now wheat flour prices which have been on the upswing. In spite of a bumper wheat stock available with the government, the price of wheat has gone up by Rs 120 per quintal in the past month, leading to an increase of Rs 150 per quintal in the price of wheat flour.

The reason for this increase in the prices of wheat and wheat flour is that there is no marketable surplus of wheat (wheat available to flour millers for converting into flour) available. Since a major portion of the wheat produced during the last rabi marketing seasonwas procured by the government agencies, farmers and private traders did not keep enough stocks themselves to release in the open market. This has led to a shortfall in wheat for the millers, leading to a price rise.

Another reason for the price hike now has been the announcement made by the Government of India regarding the release of five lakh tonnes of wheat in the open market. When the decision was announced by the government to release wheat in the open market at the rate of Rs 1,300 per quintal, the prevailing market price was around Rs 1,100-Rs 1,150 per quintal. With the government announcing a higher price for wheat, the prices in the open market shot up to Rs 1,360- Rs 1,380 per quintal now. This even as the government is yet to release wheat in the open market.

Talking to TNS, Naresh Ghai, president of the Punjab Roller Flour Mills Association, said that since the government had announced to release just five lakh tonnes of wheat in the open market, it had created a fear of scarcity as this quantity is too less as compared to the requirement.

“The government already has 28.18 million tonnes of wheat stocks , which is much above the buffer stock norms of 11 million tonnes. If only the government were to release more wheat in the market and at a reasonable price, the rise in price can be contained,” he added. 

Amritsar, October 26
SGPC chief Avtar Singh is all set to stage a comeback for the fourth time when the committee goes to polls on November 25 to elect its 15-member executive. In the absence of any visible opposition from any quarter, Avtar Singh is likely to head the religious body again.

The 185-member General House is dominated by members owing allegiance to the Shiromani Akali Dal (B). The party boasts of an absolute majority with a dominating presence of around 160 of its loyalists as members in the House. Even six of 11 SGPC members from Haryana are learnt to support the SAD(B). The rest were either Independents or owing allegiance to relatively smaller parties like the Simranjit Singh Maan-led SAD(Amritsar).

The only other potent contender for the top SGPC post was former SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar. But of late Badungar, who had also worked as Badal’s Officer on Special Duty, has already been adjusted as chairman of the Punjab State Backward Classes Commission. The exercise was apparently undertaken to pave way for the re-election of Badal’s staunch loyalist Avtar Singh for the fourth time in a row. The factors that go in favour of Avtar Singh were that he had the backing of the Chief Minister and also his tenure as the SGPC chief was without any major controversies.

The only contentious issue that could work against him was allegations levelled against him by SGPC member and veteran Akali leader Manjit Singh Calcutta and former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh that he had leased out more than 20,000 acres of Gurdwara land to his “favourites” for peanuts. But as no concrete proofs had been put forth, the opposition was hardly likely to carry any weight. The decision to hold the election for the SGPC executive was taken at a meeting at Chandigarh today. 

Bathinda, October 26
Nearly 91,000 beneficiaries of old age, widow/destitute women and handicapped pensions here have been awaiting their due for the months of July, August and September.The beneficiaries get their pensions from the Social Security Department.

Sources in the department said the pensions for the months of March, May and June were released in October while the pension of April was released in September-end.

The sources added that the department released Rs 2.27 crore a month to the district pensioners, which included about 67,000 old-age persons, 12,000 widows/destitute women, 6,000 disabled persons and 5,000 dependent children.

The pension to old-age persons and financial assistance to widows/destitute women, dependent children and disabled persons is disbursed through panchayats in villages while in cities, it is deposited in bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

Many pensioners also seem to be annoyed with the government, as they said leaders had promised in the last Assembly elections that their pension/financial assistance would be increased to Rs 400 per month, but nothing had been done so far.

Phul (Bathinda), October 26
Five Congress MLAs yesterday accused the police of unreasonably detaining them at the Phul police station when they accompanied one of their workers to make him join police investigation into a recently registered criminal case.

Accusing the SSP, DSP and SHO concerned for acting as a tool in the hands of a former Akali minister, the MLAs said they would lodge their complaint with the Privileges Committee of the state Vidhan Sabha, and also the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The MLAs, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Makhan Singh, Ajit Singh Shant, Joginder Singh Panjgarain, and district party (rural) president Narender Singh Bhaleria, along with their supporters, visited the Phul police station in the morning.

The drama started when two youths of one Sadhana group, said to have the patronage of an Akali leader, gheraoed the police station and raised slogans against Gurpreet Singh Kangar for “shielding” accused Jagsir Singh, who was recently booked for attempting to kill one of them.

To avert a clash, the police locked the main gate of the police station from inside.

The situation turned worse when waiting for about two hours, the MLAs took the matter seriously and raised objection over the “callous” attitude of the police. They asked the SHO, Phul, to open the gate and let them leave.

Expressing his helplessness, the SHO asked them to wait till the DSP, Phul, arrived. Meanwhile, the MLAs tried to contact the IG, Patiala and the state DGP, but in vain.

Irked over his reply, the MLAs started accusing the cops of acting on the directions of the former minister, as they had come in support of Jagsir Singh, for assaulting whom, in 2004, the former minister’s son was recently convicted by the Faridkot court.

Later, the DSP arrived and two of the youths, who were leading the protest outside, accompanied him to the SHO’s room. Denying the mediapersons entry, the DSP arranged a meeting of both parties there.

During the meeting, the youths, Amandeep and Lakha, objected the arrival of the five MLAs in the support of a man, who was one of the accused booked for opening fire at Amandeep and his friends.

After coming out of the SHO’s office, the MLAs alleged that Amandeep and Lakha allegedly used derogatory language with them in the presence of the DSP and other policemen.

“It is a matter of shame for the whole system that some goons, enjoying the patronage of the former Akali minister, used some derogatory words to the sitting MLAs and the police remained mute spectators. Moreover, the police has showed its wicked role as cops made us to wait for couple of hours as they were running short of force to arrange our safe exit,” alleged the MLAs.

“We are now going to draft a complaint against the negative role of SSP, DSP and SHO, which will be submitted to the Privileges Committee of the Vidhan 
Sabha. Further, we will move the high court also,” they said.

However, the police officials present at police station refuted the allegations, saying they were performing their duty in a fair manner.

Amritsar, October, 26
Local BJP MLA Anil Joshi held a dharna here today along with his supporters to seek the transfer of Amritsar SSP Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh. He displayed scant regard for the opposition put up by BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, his supporters and other senior BJP leaders.

Joshi alleged that the police top brass had made all-out efforts to scuttle his dharna programme by putting up nakas at different intersections. The police officials not only “harassed” his supporters, but also stopped them at these nakas to prevent them from participating in the dharna. Despite this thousands of BJP workers reached the dharna site.

On the other hand, supporters of Sidhu, including the senior vice-president of the Amritsar BJP, Jugal Kishore Gumtala, and other senior BJP leaders, claiming to have patronage of top BJP leaders like Laxmi Kanta Chawla, held a separate meeting at Khanna Samarak. They termed Joshi’s dharna programme as a “flop show” and an “uncalled for” event.

“Joshi has breached the party discipline by holding the dharna. He was advised not to resort to such acts by the BJP national General Secretary, Balbir Punj. The party high command should take disciplinary action against him,” said Gumtala, while talking to The Tribune over the phone.

Joshi, however, claimed that he had held the protest with the consent of Punj. He alleged that the SSP was instrumental in implicating his supporters in false cases. “We will sit on a relay fast till the SSP was transferred. The workers, sitting on a relay fast between 10 am and 5 pm, will only take water during this period. We are holding the protest to restore the dignity of our party workers and leaders. The SSP is acting in a dictatorial fashion,” said Joshi.

Joshi and his supporters, including senior BJP leaders Rajinder Mohan Singh Chinna, BJP spokesperson Tarun Chugh and Kewal Krishan converged in front of the Circuit Hosue at around 10 am. Thereafter, they marched to Hall Gate in a procession.

Joshi’s supporters not only raised slogans against the SSP, but also carried placards seeking transfer of the SSP.

Earlier on Sunday, Punj, it was learnt, had advised Joshi not to go ahead with his dharna programme and had assured him that efforts would be made to hammer out a solution to the problem.

Moga, October 26
Another scam regarding the release of funds to beneficiaries under the Indira Awaas Yojna (IAY) has come to light in Madarpur and Sanghera villages of the district.

Seven people of Madarpur village, living below the poverty line, had filed an affidavit before the district administration that they had not received grants under the IAY scheme. Interestingly, the official records show that they had already been given the grants of Rs 25,000 each.

Similarly, seven people of the adjoining Sanghera village, living below the poverty line, had filed an affidavit before the district administration that the village sarpanch and two members of the panchayat had taken Rs 5,000 each from them to get their houses repaired under the IAY scheme, but so far they had not done the work.

Madarpur village came under the panchayat of Sanghera village until its bifurcation in April 2008 just before the panchayat elections. The grants under this scheme were received by the joint panchayat of Sanghera vide a cheque worth Rs 7,75,000 for Sanghera village and another cheque worth Rs 25,37,500 for Madarpur village.

This money was to be distributed by the village panchayat among the beneficiaries. Even as the panchayats of both villages were constitutionally divided in May 2008 after the general panchayat elections, the Sanghera panchayat only was asked to distribute money among the beneficiaries of Madarpur village.

A few residents of Madarpur village, Balwinder Singh, Puran Singh, Santokh Singh and many others, have now alleged that they had not received the money for constructing pucca shelters. Investigations revealed that the Sanghera panchayat had got advance affidavits and signatures on receipts from the poor innocent residents of Madarpur village and allegedly “robbed” them of their grant money. At that time, a grant of Rs 25,000 was being given to the BPL families to build their own pucca houses.

Ram Chand, block development officer of Kot-ise-Khan, admitted that certain complaints in this regard had come to his notice. These had been forwarded to the senior authorities for a formal inquiry. “The district development and panchayat officer is holding an inquiry into these complaints,” he said.

According to the details available from the office of the district development and panchayat officer, he had summoned 11 complainants and the village panchayat of Sanghera on November 5 to record their statements.

Similarly, as many as six complainants of Madarpur village had been called on November 8 to record their statements.

Meanwhile, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Moga, Mohinder Singh Kainth, was yet to begin a regular inquiry into the previous IAY scam that came to light in the adjoining Melak Kangan village, which was highlighted by The Tribune in its columns on June 6 and 7 this year. 

Patiala, October 26
A hoarding having photographs of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Udham Singh and Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, along with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, went missing today.

Though it is not known that who removed the hoarding, a visit to Ranbirpura (Korajiwala) village on the Sangrur road revealed that only frame of the unipolar stands tall and the flex sheet having the photographs of the martyrs, along with Bhindranwale, has been removed. A report in this regard was published in these columns today.

Besides villagers, the district administration and the police expressed ignorance in this regard. “When the SHO, Sadar police station, went there, the hoarding was missing,” said DSP (D) Ashish Kapoor.

Meanwhile, members of the Hindu Suraksha Samiti staged a demonstration against such hoardings. “We strongly condemn that such kind of hoardings, equating the martyrs with Bhindranwale, have come up in Punjab. We demand that the state government and the administration must ensure that all such hoardings should be removed immediately”, said general secretary of the samiti.

Ludhiana, October 26
The Gurmat Sidhant Parcharak Sant Samaj today asked the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh, to summon the Jathedar of Takht Shri Damdama Sahib, Balwant Singh Nandgarh, and issue a warning to him for hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs by issuing a statement against Takht Shri Hazur Sahib.

Passing a resolution after a two-hour long congregation of the sant samaj held at Gurdwara Gur Gyan Parkash at Jwaddi today, the Sikh religious leaders said Jathedar Nandgarh was out to torpedo the Panthic unity and he should be asked to refrain from issuing such statements in future so that no other leader dared to do so either.

Jathedar Nandgarh had recently created a furore by stating that the Sikhs should not visit Takht Hazur Sahib and Patna Sahib as these two seats of religion did not follow the Akal Takht maryada in letter and in spirit.

Announcing the resolution passed after the congregation, president of the sant samaj Giani Harnam Singh Khalsa Bhindrawale demanded that the Nanakshahi Calendar should be amended before December 24 and released. Otherwise the sant samaj would call a congregation of religious heads to decide the future course of action on the issue.

The religious leaders gathered today said it was unfortunate that whenever an issue confronting the Panthic unity was taken up, the Sikh high priests made controversial statements, thereby derailing the entire process.

Giani Harnam Singh said the issue of Nanakshahi Calendar had acquired sensitive proportions and even the Sikhs were now divided over it.

The Nanakshahi Calendar, which was prepared by Canada-based Sikh scholar Pal Singh Purewal, had caused some confusion in the minds of the Sikhs and so amendments were required to make it more acceptable. The Sikh leaders had been debating over the issue and had recently directed the SGPC to remove the 'discrepancies' soon so that the calendar could be released on the auspicious occasion of the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh on January 5. 

Bathinda, October 26
Cotton plucking season might have helped poor people earn some money, but it has also come as a blow to children studying in government schools here. Attendance at the government schools of Bathinda and surrounding areas like Muktsar, Talwandi Sabo and Maur has drastically come down because the children are being made to pluck cotton.

Laxman Singh Sevewala, general secretary of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, stated that one could see around as many as 50 children between 10-17 years of age in every village plucking cotton.

“Earlier, cotton plucking used to start in winters and the season was apt for labourers to spend the entire day in fields but with BT cotton being sowed now, the plucking season arrives in September and children find it difficult to tie a sack on their back and pluck cotton. BT cotton is warmer than the normal variety that worsens things for children,” Sevewala said.

Teachers of local government schools, said parents had started coming to them in September asking for a month’s leave because they wanted to take their children to Rajasthan for plucking cotton.

“There are parents who have taken their kids to Rajasthan. In Punjab, machines are being used to do most of the work but in Rajasthan labour is still used, which makes it easier for these families to earn money. When we refused that a month’s leave cannot be given, the parents said the school authorities could strike off the child’s name as food was important for them than education,” Jagseer Sahota of Government Elementary School, Burjgill, said.

It is learnt that BT cotton causes itching while being plucked, which means that the children not only 
losing out on education but also compromise with 
their health.

“There are many children who go to fields for plucking cotton after school hours. Earlier, earning of one plucking season used to run households for atleast five months, but with rising prices the parents have started pulling children out of schools to help them for sustaining households,” said Daljeet Singh of Government Elementary School, Nathana.

According to sources, cotton is not a preferred crop any more so the families depending on these earnings want to earn as much as possible within their limited means. Hence, they are not left with any other choice but to involve their kids in the task.

Chandigarh, October 26
Nearly six months after the Punjab Vigilance Bureau claimed a tehsildar, pocketing as much as Rs 7.5 lakh a day, was passing on Rs 2 lakh to Ludhiana’s then Deputy Commissioner-cum-IAS officer Sumer Singh Gujjar, a vigilance inquiry has been initiated against the bureaucrat.

Two more vigilance inquiries have been initiated against ex-Additional Deputy Commissioner Kamalpreet Kaur and ex-Sub Divisional Magistrate Surinder Mohan Sharma. In an affidavit submitted in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Superintendent of Police (economic offences wing), Jalandhar Vigilance Bureau, Mukhtar Singh Dhaiya said inquiries had been initiated after a discreet inquiry.

In the affidavit placed before the Bench of Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Mahesh Grover, Dhaiya said Arun Kumar Oraon, DIG, economic offences wing, Vigilance Bureau, conducted a discreet inquiry on disclosure made by tehsildar-cum-registrar Arvind Parkash Verma. On the basis of the inquiry, vigilance inquiries were initiated.

In another affidavit placed before the same Bench, deputy secretary in the revenue department Bhag Ram said Verma had been reinstated, subject to the outcome of the vigilance case. He was currently posted as a tehsildar at Dhol Baha Dam in Hoshiarpur. Bhag Ram added prosecution sanction had been granted.

Joint Director (Crime), Punjab Vigilance Bureau, Balkar Singh Sidhu had earlier elaborated: “Verma disclosed that on every working day, he used to collect about Rs 7.5 lakh by way of illegal gratification. He further divulged that out of this ill-gotten money, 25 per cent was shared by the office staff. Out of the remaining 75 per cent, he used to give Rs 2 lakh to Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, Sumer Singh Gujjar, Rs 75,000 to ADC, Ludhiana, Kamalpreet Kaur Brar and Rs 50,000 to SDM Surinder Mohan Sharma.

A non-governmental organisation (NGO) had earlier claimed fair investigations into the alleged payment of illegal gratification to Punjab Revenue Minister and three other high-ups was not possible, till the minister was shifted. Seeking judicial probe into the rampant corruption in the Revenue Department, the Amritsar-based Khalra Mission Organisation had referred to media reports on Verma being caught red-handed.

Patiala, October 26
Entertaining a complaint filed by two Patiala residents, accusing the district police of helping some persons to establish their illegal possession over their piece of land, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has sought a report in that regard from the ADGP (Crime).

As per the orders issued by commission chairperson RS Mongia and member Baldev Singh on October 1, the ADGP (Crime) has been asked to submit the report by November 11, the next date of hearing.

In September, two Patiala residents, Leelawati and Brij Lal, had filed a complaint with the PSHRC complaining against around officials of the police department. As per the complaint, the plaintiffs had mentioned that they were the owners of land measuring 2 kanal 2 marla in Abadi Deh, Sahib Nagar village, Patiala. “Karamjit Singh Mander, his son-in-law Jimmi Dhaliwal and his friend Yadav are trying to establish their possession over our plot since August this year,” the complainants have alleged.

They had also alleged that instead of taking action against Mander and his accomplice, the police stood by them. “Cops at the Urban Estate, Patiala, police post and senior police officials came to our plot on September 20. Besides abusing us, they threatened and pressurised us to vacate the plot,” the complaint reads.

Brij Lal and Leelawati had prayed before the commission that a case should be registered against Karamjit Singh Mander and his accomplice, police officials involved in the matter and instructions should be issued to protect the life of the complainants. They have also requested the commission to direct the police that they should not resort to implicate them in any false case.

Taking cognisance of the complaint, the PSHRC said, “Serious allegations have been made against police officials. It calls for a report from the ADGP (Crime), Punjab. Before finalising the report, the statement of the complainants should be recorded.” The orders also mentioned that the ADGP (Crime) would also look into the threat perception and provide security to the complainants if the circumstances so warrant.

Chandigarh, October 26
The Kapurthala’s SSP is in the dock for slow progress of a “mob violence” case.Asking the police officer to be present in the court on the next date of hearing “to apprise the court about the reasons for the slow progress of the case”, Justice Rajesh Bindal asserted: Counsel for the state submitted FIR was registered on September 7 regarding mob violence on National Highway 1, where blockade continue for four hours.