Chandigarh, December 7
Even before the Punjab Vidhan Sabha held its first sitting of the winter session this afternoon, a debate over ever-reducing sessions of the state Legislature left Congress representatives on the Business Advisory Committee unhappy after Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon informed them of a holiday on December 9 thus reducing the session by a day to four days.

Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Randeep Singh Nabha, representing the Bholath and Nabha Assembly constituencies, left the meeting in protest after presenting before the Speaker a long list of important issues facing the state that they held needed to be debated on the floor of the House.

Meanwhile, the House at its hour-long sitting, the first of the session, paid tributes to 22 eminent persons, including former Chief Minister of Punjab and former Governor of Haryana Harcharan Singh Brar, former Chief Minister of Haryana Rao Birender Singh and the late Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y.S.R. Reddy, former Union Minister Sher Singh, former MLA Gopal Chand and 15 freedom fighters. The House also paid tributes to the late Governor of Rajasthan S.K. Singh who was earlier India’s Foreign Secretary, and Saroop Singh, former Speaker of Haryana. Tributes were also paid to Bakshish Singh, Bhagat Singh, Mohan Singh, Amar Singh, Som Parkash, Mehar Singh, Ujjagar Singh, Teja Singh, Mukand Singh, Masta Singh, Dalip Singh, Deepa Singh, Amar Singh, Harnam Singh and Sohan Singh (all freedom fighters).

After Leader of the House Parkash Singh Badal, Leader of the Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia and Independent Charanjit Singh Channi paid tributes to eminent personalities who had passed away since the last (budget) session of the House, the Speaker had the condolence resolutions endorsed. The House observed two minutes’ silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls.

While paying tributes to Harcharan Singh Brar, Chief Minister Badal recalled how he helped him get transferred as Governor of Haryana from Orissa after seeking the intervention of the then Prime Minister Morarji Desai.

“Though we were politically opposing each other in almost every election, we never nurtured any ill-will against each other,” he added.

Congress legislators held at the Business Advisory Committee meeting that sessions should not be called only to meet the Constitutional requirement of at least one meeting in six months but also to take up major or important issues facing both the state and its people.They argued that shrinking sessions of the legislature were detrimental to democratic norms.

They further held that the first day of the session was used for obituary references while Thursday would be for non-official business, leaving only two days for official legislative business.

In the letter given to the Speaker they held that the deterioration in law and order in general and incidents of violence in Ludhiana in particular were serious enough to be discussed. Besides, the worsening power supply situation, tardy procurement of paddy, arrest of farmers for their failure to pay monthly instalments of their loans, alarming increase in deaths on roads in the state, growing incidence of cancer were among some of the major issues that needed to be discussed in the Vidhan Sabha.

They demanded that the winter session be extended to a minimum of 10 days to facilitate discussions on all important issues. Congress MLA Ripjeet Singh Brar also submitted a letter to Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon demanding that the House should pass a resolution mourning the death of Darshan Singh, an autorickshaw driver who was killed in police firing on Saturday.

Ripjeet Brar held that the family of Darshan Singh should be suitably compensated as he made the supreme sacrifice on an emotive issue. When the obituary references were being made in the House, no reference was made to the incidents of violence and arson in Ludhiana.

It also did not come up for discussion at a subsequent meeting of the Congress Legislature Party where the strategy of the party for the remaining part of the winter session was discussed.

Amritsar, December 7
In response to the “Punjab shutdown” call given by Panthic organisations today, the city witnessed complete bandh, which passed off peacefully barring a minor tension at Bhikiwind town, 20 km from here.

To protest the death of Darshan Singh in Ludhiana on December 4, various Panthic organisations and radical groups carried out a march and also burnt an effigy of Divya Jyoti Jagran Sansthan (DJJS) chief Ashutosh Maharaj outside the Hall Gate. Heavy security was deployed at sensitive areas to avoid any untoward incident.

The Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) also burnt the effigies of the head of the DJJS, BJP MLA Harish Bedi and BJP state president Rajinder Bhandari.

The SGPC office and its educational institutes remained closed, as its president Avtar Singh had endorsed the call. However, tension gripped Bhikiwind town in the morning when agitators and some shopkeepers, who had opened their shops, came face to face. The timely intervention of the police brought the situation under control. The agitators did not stop buses and trains, but there was a marked decrease in a number of passengers.

SSP PK Rai said a company of the BSF had been arranged to beef up security at certain locations. The protesters were cooperative and peaceful, he added.

Addressing the protesters, Khalsa Action Committee convener Bhai Mohkam Singh and Dal Khalsa secretary Kanwarpal Singh Bittu alleged the police resorted to unprovoked firing.

SSP (R) Gurmeet Singh Chohan said no untoward incident was reported from rural areas.

BATHINDA/MUKTSAR: There was a partial response to the call, as business establishments remained open in many areas of Bathinda and Muktsar districts. However, no untoward incident was reported till late evening. Rail and road traffic movement also remained normal. Almost all commercial banks were open.

Sikh protesters held a march in the markets of Bathinda. Liquors vends near the railway station remained open, but were later forcibly closed down by police personnel. Talwandi Sabo also observed a complete bandh.

The situation was, however, normal at the Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan located at Mallo Ke village, near Malout. The bandh was poorly observed in Gidderbaha.

PATIALA: The bandh call, which passed off peacefully, evoked a mixed response here on Monday. Almost half of the commercial establishments, including corporate offices, here remained closed. In the Arya Samaj and Arnabarna Chowk areas, many commercial establishments remained open.

The functioning of government schools was normal. Most of the private schools announced a holiday on Monday morning. Though Punjabi University remained opened, the examinations were cancelled as a precautionary measure. Bus and rail traffic was normal. Meanwhile, as a preventive measure, some Akali leaders, including Municipal Councillor Kanwaljit Singh Gona, were arrested in the Anardana Chowk area. It is learnt that persons owing allegiance to various Sikh organisations, including the Sikh Students Federation, forced some shopkeepers in different city areas to close their establishments.

MOGA: There was a mixed response to the bandh call in Moga and Faridkot districts. Shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed while banks, government offices and hospitals/clinics were open in the districts.

Bus and rail traffic was normal. In Moga, hardliners gathered at Gurdwara Bibi Kahan Kaur and took out a march through the main market. They stopped traffic on the national highway. However, no untoward incident was reported from the districts.

SANGRUR: The bandh call also evoked a mixed response in Sangrur and Barnala districts. Educational institutions remained closed. Various Sikh organisations held protests across Sangrur and forced the closure of business establishments and shops. No untoward incident was reported from Sunam, Malerkotla and Lehra Gaga. The call also evoked a partial response in Dhuri.

Ludhiana, December 7
Following the recent incidents of violence, hundreds of labourers from Bihar and UP have started leaving the industrial city. If not permanently, the migrant workers along with their families are leaving for their native villages till the situation stabilises in the city.

Many of them feel that if they continue to stay here, false cases may be registered against them by the police. There are several others who have taken shelter in local gurdwaras.

Hundreds of migrant workers living in Basti Jodhewal, Shivpuri and Dhandari left early in the morning for the railway station to go back to their villages. Feroz Master, who has been living in the city for 15 years and comes from Sitamari district of Bihar, said it was unfortunate to see 50 or 60 migrants in Basti Jodhewal (Street Number 1-Mani Singh Street) leaving. He said, "The city has given us our bread and butter. We are not in favour of leaving it because we know that in Bihar we will live in miserable conditions without any work.Many of us fear a threat to our lives, at least in the present situation", said Feroz.

Another migrant worker, Nagina from UP, said he had been in the city since 1984.He said the city had given him a respectable standard of living. "I worked here for several years. Now I have my own small woollen hosiery unit. This kind of situation has never arisen before. But due to the recent incidents, we have started feeling insecure. Many of our fellow workers have been thinking of leaving the city. They are waiting for December 10, when their salaries will be given. Some of us have been given shelter in Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib here. We want nothing but a safe living environment", said Nagina.

President of the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry P.D.Sharma said to save the economy of the state, migrant labour had to be kept in a secure environment. Apart from industry, agriculture was also highly dependent on the migrant population. If industry was to be saved, the state government must ensure security to the migrant workforce 

Ludhiana, December 7
A special delegation of officials from Bihar, which was sent by the Bihar Government after the violence in Ludhiana, today told the migrants that they overreacted on a rumour and took the entire episode too far.

Joint Labour Commissioner and Deputy Labour Commissioner of Bihar R.P. Mandal and A.V. Singh held a meeting with officials of the administration and migrants in Ishwar Colony in the Dhandari area, where the voilence took place on Friday.

Refusing to give details to the media, the two officials called upon the migrants to maintain peace and harmony. They told them that no incident of snatching took place on that day and they reacted and made matters worse.

While talking to the migrants in different groups, the two officials assured them that they would convey their sentiments to the authorities concerned back home.

The migrants, however, demanded action against the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP stating they were responsible for ‘‘atrocities’’ on them on Friday.

Dr Roshan Kumar, a migrant, told the officials that they were concerned about their security after the incidents. He also apprised them of the latest development of many migrants leaving Ludhiana as a fear psychosis had gripped them.

Another migrant told them that their houses were vadalised by locals on that day and the police did not do anything. In fact, the police “encouraged” the locals to scare them away. They demanded compensation for the damage to their property.

The two officials refused to talk to the press stating they would submit their report to the Bihar Government. 

Ludhiana, December 7
Former National Commission for Minorities (NCM) chairman Tarlochan Singh today flayed the Punjab government for granting permission to the Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan (DJJS) for holding satsang at Ludhiana on December 5, which violated the decision of the NCM.

The NCM had prohibited the DJJS from holding satsang outside its dera at Nurmahal in view of apprehension of breach of peace in the state. It was asked to confine its activities to the dera 
premises only.

Tarlochan Singh said today that Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann had moved an application to the commission seeking ban on activities of DJJS guru Ashutosh Maharaj, as his preachings were “against” the Sikhism.

Tarlochan Singh, who was then the Vice-Chairman of the NCM, said a meeting of representatives of the state government; DJJS, Simranjit Singh Mann and the former Akali Dal (Amritsar) general secretary, Prof Jagmohan Singh, was held at the commission office under the leadership of then Chairman of the commission SM Qureshi on August 27, 2002. Mann and Jagmohan Singh had demanded ban on activities of the DJJS. The commission did not accept the plea of Mann, but directed the DJJS to confine its preachings within the premises of the dera at Nurmahal. DJJS representatives had assured that they would restrict their activities within the dera precincts. He said even Captain Amarinder Singh, then Chief Minister, had endorsed the decision of the commission and assured that the state government would adhere to the decision of the commission.

Expressing concern over the present situation in Punjab, Tarlochan Singh said he failed to understand why the Sikh religion, which was a religion of minority community, was attacked by such deras.

Hoshiarpur, December 7
To gauge the standard of ongoing training to unemployed rural youths in the Punjab Security Training Institute (PSTI) at Police Recruitments Training Centre (PRTC), Jahan Khelan, a four-member team yesterday visited the institute and witnessed the ongoing security training and interacted with trainees.

The team consist of Paul Shinider, former Deputy Secretary for Home Land and Security of the USA, Jonethan Tol, Trainer for Industrial Security Training in the USA, Rafi Rahavi, Security Expert in Israel and Allan Blavery, Security Training Expert in the UK, along with Inspector General and managing director of Punjab Police Security Corporation M K Tiwari and president of the Central Association of Private Security of Industry (CAPSI) Capt Vikram Singh.

Later, talking to mediapersons, Capt Vikram Singh said more than 70 lakh security guards were working in various institutes and industrial houses in the country. There was an annual demand of 25 per cent of security guards.

Muktsar, December 7
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) was intended to create jobs for the rural unemployed, but the much-hyped scheme has failed to produce the desired result. At least in Punjab, the scheme has partially failed with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal admitting that there should be a re-look into the scheme to ensure that the benefits flow to those people for whom the scheme is meant. Even BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu has criticised the ruling alliance in the state for the improper implementation of the scheme.

The consensus among officials of the Rural Development Department till now is that NREGA has not tasted much success in the state. Because it is a government scheme, not many officials were willing to speak on the failure of the mission. A senior Muktsar-based official admitted that, “The Punjab Commissioner of NREGA, Dr Karun S Raju, has asked for fresh details pertaining to the scheme from all districts of Punjab. Questions are also being asked about the slow pace of the scheme and why it has not picked up in the state. The Commissioner has also asked officials to go to rural areas to see for themselves what ails the scheme. An amount of Rs 300 crore was sanctioned by the Central Government, but just Rs 80 crore have been spent so far. This means that the scheme is not being implemented properly at various levels.”

Shiv Charan Singh Brar, a noted social worker engaged in the implementation of the scheme in Muktsar, said, “There is a lot of discrimination in the distribution of job cards. These cards are being given to rural masses who have voted for the SAD-BJP combine. Job cards to rural people aligned with the Congress are being denied.

This is a totally transparent scheme and sarpanches are not willing to take the scheme ahead because there are no chances of making money. It is high time that the government abandons the idea of fooling people with grand schemes of social welfare and poverty alleviation. Instead the people will be better off if the government concentrates only on creating durable infrastructure like roads and electricity. ”

Ludhiana, December 7
Sikh organisations today got divided over the issue of ‘‘ensuring justice’’ to a protester who was killed in police firing when these bodies were protesting against a discourse session of Ashutosh Maharaj.

Claiming that the Sant Samaj became indifferent to his ‘‘sacrifice’’ yesterday, the Panthic organisations, known to be close to DSGMC president Paramjit Singh Sarna and SAD (A) supremo Simranjit Singh Mann, said they had dissociated themselves from the Sant Samaj in the fight.

Representatives of these organisations, including the Shiromani Tat Khalsa, the Shan-e-Khalsa, the Gursikh Family Club, the Gurmat Prachar Council and several others said they would start the fight afresh as the heads of the Sant Samaj had failed to get them justice.

‘‘They worked at the instance of the district administration by lifting the dharna and getting the body of firing victim Darshan Singh cremated without getting their demands met, ’’ said Jarnail Singh, a leader.

He demanded that a case of murder should be registered against MLA Harish Bedi, his son, Honey Bedi, Ashutosh Maharaj and the police officials who fired at the activists. They also demanded the suspension of the SSP, Dr S.S. Gill, and DC Vikas Garg. They also demanded a ban on the holding of discourses by Ashutosh Maharaj.

If their demands were not met, they said, they would hold a meeting in Ludhiana on December 13 to decide the future course of action.

Patiala, December 7
The eighth annual conference of the Punjab Academy of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (PAFMAT) on "Clinical, medico-legal and social update in poisoning" was organised at Government Medical College here today.

Dr JS Dalal, patron-in-chief, Ex-DRME, Punjab, state medico-legal adviser and now Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine here, declared the conference open.

During the daylong academic deliberations, medical experts of various specialities highlighted latest developments in the investigation, treatment and management of a variety of poisoning cases.

The speakers included Dr OPS Kande, anaesthetist and poison treatment expert, Dr RK Gorea, Professor and Head Forensic Medicine from Gian Sagar Medical College, Dr LS Rana, a retired deputy director toxicology from the state Forensic Science Laboratory, Dr D Harish, Professor and Head of the Forensic Medicine Department at Government Medical College, Chandigarh, and Dr MM Gupta, gastroenterologist and Head of the Medicine Department, Patiala. A special session on drug abuse and alcohol was also organised.

Dr DS Bhullar, president of the state academy of forensic medicine, stressed on the need to open separate poison treatment wards in big hospitals and medical colleges. He highlighted various aspects of drug abuse investigation and said the family physicians and general practitioners in general and forensic toxicologists in particular could play a significant role in curbing the menace of drug abuse.

Patiala, December 7
With a view to have better interface between the district administration and the people, Patiala Divisional Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir has issued instructions that the Deputy Commissioners will not operate from their camp offices. Bir has issued these instructions to all 13 DCs, coming under the Patiala, Ferozepur and Faridkot divisions.

“When they (DCs) have been provided proper offices, why they should operate from camp offices”, questioned Bir. He further said DCs had also been asked to ensure that in case they could not come to office for any reason, the respective ADC must sit in the office of the DC.

Bir further told that the DCs have been instructed to ensure their presence in the office from 12 noon to 1 pm.

“I will myself check the presence of the officials by calling them at their office landlines randomly. Likewise, DCs will check the presence of other officials by calling them at their office 
landlines”, he said.

Apart from this, the Divisional Commissioner has also asked the DCs to keep a tab on the complaints submitted by the general public. 

Chandigarh, December 7
With the state of Punjab and the public service commission failing to hold a competitive examination for recruitment to Punjab Civil Service (PCS) for the past 11 years, a petition has now been filed seeking directions for relaxation “as much as possible” or at least 10 years in the upper age limit for the candidates appearing for the PCS combined examination, 2009. The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has on November 28 advertised 143 posts and invited applications for the same.

Chandigarh, December 7
Bharti Sehdev may eventually be united with her one-year-old son on Wednesday. As the Amritsar resident’s case alleging kidnapping of her only son by the man she had agreed to rent her womb to came up for hearing this afternoon, Justice Ajay Tewari of the Punjab and Haryana High Court assured her of an amicable solution to the problem.

Justice Tewari, in an open court, asked her to be patient till day after tomorrow, when orders would be passed in the case. The assertion came soon after the alleged kidnapper, Parminder Singh Oberoi, was brought to the courtroom amid pandemonium.

Bharti had allegedly agreed to rent her womb to Oberoi for bearing a test tube baby. But, had later alleged kidnapping of her one-year-old son Abhi, who was born to her from her “lawful wedlock”.

Bharti claimed policemen were called in after she and her husband spotted Oberoi near a canteen in the high court. A contingent of lawyers, their clerks, litigants and other onlookers followed Bharti and her husband as they pushed their way through the jostling crowd towards the courtroom of Justice Tewari. Bharti claimed the police wanted him as a case had been registered on their complaint.

Faced with the situation, Justice Tewari asked both parties to maintain cool and not to aggravate the situation; and verbally asked the police not to intervene for the time.

In her petition, Bharti has asserted that they came to know from a newspaper ad in November, 2007, that Oberoi was interested in having a test tube baby. As they were suffering from financial crisis, she, with her husband’s consent, agreed to the offer. “No amount was fixed by the petitioner,” it was added.

Bharti claimed she went with Oberoi to a Sector 43 hospital for necessary tests for the procedure. During the tests, it was revealed that Bharti was already pregnant from her husband. As such, she promised Oberoi of help in the coming year after giving birth to the first child. However, Oberoi kidnapped Abhi on the eve of his birthday on October 25, Bharti added.

Patiala, December 7
An unidentified person today assaulted a 32-year-old woman employee of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) with a sharp-edge weapon, injuring her seriously.

The incident occurred today afternoon at the PSEB Headquarters in Patiala. As per information, at around noon, a middle-aged person entered in the PSEB Pension Section, situated on sixth floor.

The accused went to Senior Assistant, Pension Section (Mobile) Mandeep Kaur and inflicted serious injuries on her face and neck. The accused also managed to flee.

Mandeep was immediately taken to Government Rajindra Hospital, where her condition is stated to be critical. After the incident, SP City RK Sharma, DSP (Detective) Ashish Kapur and Police Station Kotwali cops went to the spot to took stock of the situation.

Since PSEB chairman HS Brar was not present in the office at the time of incident, a delegation of the board employees met Administrative Member of PSEB Gurbachan Singh Bachi, who expressed his concern over the incident and assured to ensure the security of the PSEB staff.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, an employee of PSEB has committed suicide by consuming celphos tablets in his office.

The deceased has been identified as Arjan Lal (43). He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared brought dead.