 |
|
|
Religious Congregation
State’s annual plan compliance 10 pc
News Analysis |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Dismiss SAD-BJP govt: Cong
House Ruckus
Capt: Will back Sarna if he contests SGPC poll
Mohan Lal Paruthi stands outside the war memorial in
Fazilka. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma
Anganwadi workers stage protest
Anganwadi workers stage a protest outside the Punjab Chief Minister’s residence in Chandigarh on Wednesday.
Tribune photo: Vinay Malik
Patiala jail to have de-addiction centre
LIC denies info for paying more
Deed wins best production award
HC: Trace woman who accused Capt of rape
SAD (A) moves HC against SGPC
Judges (Protection) Act upheld
|
|
State’s annual plan compliance 10 pc
Chandigarh, December 9 Last year the plan expenditure was Rs 6,868 crore against an outlay of Rs 6,210 crore. The annual plan for 2009-10 had been increased by Rs 2,415 crore, a leap of 39 per cent over the previous year. While the state government had managed to show over 100 per cent compliance of the annual plans in 2007 -2008 and 2008-2009, it seems almost impossible for Finance Minister Manpreet Badal to be able to maintain his record this year. The state has already borrowed over Rs 3,800 crore this year selling off government securities to stay afloat. Just to keep itself from falling into a financial abyss the state would now be borrowing Rs 600 crore each month till the end of the financial year, hitting the upper limit of its annual borrowings of Rs 6,200 crore. Despite these borrowings the coming months are, however, bound to be tough on the state’s pocket. Punjab’s monthly expenditure on salaries and pensions is over Rs 1,000 crore and it has to spend another Rs 1,000 crore to pay for the subsidies and the interest amount on borrowings. On the inflow side, other than the Rs 600 crore of borrowings, the state is expecting to get Rs 1,000 crore from VAT and Rs 200 crore as its share of central taxes each month. That still leaves a shortfall of Rs 200 crore which the state has nowhere to get from. Sources add that the state government has been resorting to diverting funds from the grants received from the Government of India for various projects to pay salaries and this unhealthy practice is likely to continue. “Development works are expected to come to a screeching halt in the coming days with no money left to do anything. It would be a miracle enough if we are able to get our salaries in the coming months,” admitted a senior state official.
|
|
News Analysis
Chandigarh, December 9 They hold that difference of opinion is the essence of democracy, but throttling strong parliamentary conventions, irrespective of the intensity of the provocations, cannot be condoned. They wondered if taking turns on speaking on an important issue like law and order can flare up passions so much, then how would the present-day legislators respond to sensitive or emotive issues. Statements from leaders of both the ruling alliance and the Opposition parties even today smack of blame game only. Even Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, known to be a mature and seasoned peacemaker, has held the Opposition responsible for yesterday’s fiasco. Statesmanship appears to have taken a back seat as confrontational politics has been at the centre stage. Throughout the 15-minute chaotic drama, no senior political leader from either the treasury benches or the Opposition tried to play the peace card. The only exception perhaps was Punjab Transport Minister Mohan Lal who was seen separating the warring legislators, urging them to return to their seats. Abrupt disappearance of peacemakers in the Vidhan Sabha became noticeable only yesterday when almost everyone, including the Leader of the House as well as the Leader of Opposition, remained mute spectators to the developments. At one stage, before the well turned into a free combat zone, Chief Minister Badal was seen gesticulating to his party legislators not to come to him and return to their seats. But once it started, there was no stopping anyone. “Proceedings of the Vidhan Sabha for those 15 minutes in which the decorum was shredded to bits is in fact a true reflection of what is happening in the rest of Punjab,” is how senior Communist leader Joginder Dyal sums up the darkest chapter of the Punjab legislature. President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Paramjit Singh Sarna went to the extent of suggesting that all those involved in the turban fiasco should be summoned at Akal Takht as the ‘turban was the pride of a Sikh’.
|
|
Dismiss SAD-BJP govt: Cong
Chandigarh, December 9 The Congress legislators, who marched to Raj Bhavan here this evening, held that even their leader was not permitted to exercise her sovereign right to speak in the House during zero hour. They also questioned the legality of summoning the House by giving it post facto Cabinet approval. “As a matter of fact the present Punjab Government itself is not caring about and following the well-established mandates in respect of the procedures to be followed in the Vidhan Sabha. “The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of speech to every citizen but in Punjab the voice of the Opposition as well as of the common man is being suppressed with an iron hand,” alleged the delegation. The Congress legislators claimed that there were numerous political murders and other heinous crimes being committed in Punjab every day. Referring to the cases of Dera Sacha Sauda and Dera Sach Khand, they held that these sects were being denied their Constitutional freedom to follow, worship and practise their own religion or faith without any hindrance. They also referred to incidents of violence that rocked Ludhiana last week. Describing yesterday’s incident as “extremely unfortunate and unprecedented in the history of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, it immensely pains me to see that the Opposition is not being allowed to raise its voice against the atrocities being committed on the people of Punjab,” wrote Bhattal in the memorandum given to the Governor. She further held that the SAD-BJP combine was responsible for protecting and sheltering antisocial and bad elements by tacitly giving encouragement to violence, murders and other heinous crimes for creating tension and panic among the masses thus causing unrest and instability in the state. “Owing to an emergency-like situation, the total collapse of the government machinery and law and order crisis prevailing in the state, I, on behalf of my party, demand the imposition of President’s rule and appropriate legal action against the guilty members of the House belonging to the ruling SAD-BJP combine who were entirely to blame for this sad incident,” she said. She also requested the Governor’s intervention to restore the faith of the common man in governance and democracy, to take harsh measures so that Punjab does not fall back to the dark days of terrorism during which the state had suffered immensely. Peace was restored after great sacrifices and it must be maintained at all costs, the memorandum said.
|
|
Majithia for action against Cong MLAs
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, December 9 These views were expressed by former state minister and MLA from the Majithia constituency Bikram Singh Majithia while talking to mediapersons here today. He also called for a stringent action against them. He said earlier, they attempted to attack the Speaker’s podium but were stopped by marshals after which they climbed atop the treasury Benches. “Their actions reflect their intention of making a mockery of the sanctity of the House and their intentions to avoid a debate and hear views of the government,” said Majithia. He further said the ruckus created by Congress leaders in the Assembly had brought to the fore their “ill-intentions and false propaganda of poor law and order situation in the state”. “The MLAs indulged in vicious abuses and even came to blows, thereby, violating parliamentary procedures,” Majithia added.
|
|
Capt: Will back Sarna if he contests SGPC poll
Amritsar, December 9 Amarinder also flayed the Punjab Assembly Speaker and said the latter played a “partisan role” which, in turn, led to ruckus in the Assembly yesterday. “It is unfortunate that the Speaker had not played a free-and-fair role. In fact, the treasury Benches are responsible for the unprecedented acrimonious scenes in the House,” he alleged. Regarding the continuation of PPCC chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee in his present slot, he said: “Sonia Gandhi is our leader. It is up to her to make anyone as the president. I will continue to work wholeheartedly and guard interests of the party in the state”. He said he had nothing personal against Kaypee. “The Akalis are looting the golak money and are using it for their vested interests. We want to save it and that is why we have decided to support Sarna in the next SGPC polls, likely to be held in June 2010. Moreover, Sarna is a good man and we will be doing whatever possible to oust Badal and his team from the SGPC,” said Amarinder, who is currently busy mobilising Congress workers in the Majha region. Amarinder addressed a workers’ meet at the DCC (Rural) office here today. He had already organised a similar meeting at Tarn Taran yesterday and was scheduled to hold a rally at Gurdaspur tomorrow. He was accompanied by his OSD Major Amardip and senior Congress leaders, including, Jasbir Dimpa, Sukh Sarkaria, OP Soni, DCC (rural) chief Sukhjinder Raj Singh ‘Lally Majithia’, and Prof. Darbari Lal. When asked what had made the PPCC to show-case itself as a divided house, Amarinder said the Congress was a united force and that he had no differences with senior Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. “ The SAD-BJP is there for three years and people of the state are perturbed to see three major violent incidents in Dera Sacha Sauda clash, post Vienna murder violence and most recently Ludhiana violence. There is no rule of law,” he alleged. Amarinder alleged that certain Punjab police and administration officials were working as “Political Wing” of the ruling SAD-BJP combine and were tormenting Congress workers in “false” cases. “We are busy making lists of such officials and will be dealing with them when we came to power,” he added.
|
|
Fazilka war memorial under renovation
Fazilka, December 9 This is being done with the donations of residents of the town who enjoy the distinction of having established the country’s only war memorial by raising funds from the public. Mohan Lal Paruthi, a prominent person of the area, who was among the few who collected the mutilated bodies of 82 soldiers of the 4 JAT and cremated them at the war memorial in Asafwala village, was himself supervising the renovation works. The war memorial committee had also set up a high school, a primary school, dispensary and community centre in the 5-acre complex. A war museum was also under construction. Paruthi recalled that 82 soldiers laid their lives at Grumikhera while preventing advance of the Pakistani troops towards the Fazilka town. A couple of residents on December 18 collected the mutilated remains of the soldiers from 7am till 3 pm and thereafter performed the last rites in a mass pyre. The war memorial was initially established on 1-acre land and later expanded to 5 acres. The state government was approached for setting up a school that has now been upgraded to high school. The pillar on which the names of martyrs have been inscribed was also being renovated. Paruthi said the memorial had become an attraction for not only residents of the surrounding towns, but also for visitors from outside who also come here to pay respect to martyrs. He said portraits of the martyrs and pictures of the war would be displayed in the museum. Shashi Kant, who is also involved in renovation works, had published a booklet on the heroic deeds of soldiers.
|
|
Anganwadi workers stage protest
Chandigarh, December 9 The drama went on for about one-and-a-half-hour during which the traffic on the road was disrupted. Agitating protesters raised slogans against the apathetic attitude of the state government. Protesters reached near the CM residence in a clandestine manner dodging the intelligence agencies. The OSD to the CM, who arrived after about an hour provoked the agitating protesters by asking them in an indifferent manner to hand him over their “paper”. The protesters objected to his behaviour and made him understand that it was not a paper, but the last memorandum to the authorities concerned. The matter was resolved following the intervention of DSP (central) Jagbir Singh, who assured them to facilitate a meeting with the CM. The union is protesting against the adjustment of surplus employees of the Punjab State Social Welfare Board in the Social Welfare Department. They were demanding cancellation of the orders alleging that the surplus employees adjusted in their department were under qualified to supervise matriculate Anganwadi workers. Around 100 protesters reached the city from various parts of the state last night. The women shouting slogans sat on a dharna blocking the road. Seeing the tempers rising, the security personnel began making futile promises of arranging a meeting of the representatives of the union with the authorities. After getting information about the agitation, two police personnel reached the spot on their private scooter at 10.30 pm, and later police personnel, including women, started to come in small numbers. After a gap of 30 minutes, a PCR Gypsy followed by the SHO of the Sector 3 police station arrived. The SHO told the protesters that he would arrest them for violating prohibitory orders. President of the union Usha Rani made him speechless by asking about the police action regarding the ruckus in the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. To which the SHO said the Assembly did not come under his jurisdiction. At last, the police arrested 83 protesters, along with their president, under preventive measures and released them later after producing before the SDM.
|
|
Patiala jail to have de-addiction centre
Patiala, December 9 The DC also announced that since the building of the hospital in jail is almost 100 years old, the district administration would be sending a detailed project for the construction of the new hospital building to the state government. He was speaking after inaugurating a PCO set up on the jail premises. After interacting with jail inmates, Dipinder said no one was a criminal by birth and many a time circumstances push a person to commit something wrong. “Hence, we must adopt a humanitarian approach towards the inmates and they must be given the opportunity to reform and live a respected life after completing their jail sentence”, he asserted. “The objective to open the PCO is to facilitate the jail inmates to share their joys and sorrows with their family members”, said the DC. He said officials of the PWD have been instructed to prepare a report for the new hospital building. Once the project report is ready, it would be sent to the government for the approval. He also said that a separate psychiatry ward would be opened for the jail inmates. Meanwhile, he has announced that the barrack in which Sewa Singh Thikriwala, a leader of the Praja Mandal movement was lodged, would be conserved as a historic place.
|
|
LIC denies info for paying more
Jalandhar, December 9 In a letter sent to the applicant, Dolly Sadera of Phagwara on December 3, the manager (CRM) of the LIC, Jalandhar, asked her to send Rs 10 only. SK Mittal, an RTI activist, said, “No doubt the basic fee for getting information under the RTI Act is Rs 10, but usually an estimated fee, including postal charges and Rs 2 per page, is sent to different government departments for seeking information. I have got information from different departments by paying an estimated fee of over Rs 10 in advance.” In her application sent to the senior divisional manager, LIC, Jalandhar, on December 1, Dolly Sadera, who is widow, had sought the detail of the status of a claim filed by her for a policy issued in the name of her husband, Rajesh Kumar, who died two years ago.
|
|
Deed wins best production award
Jalandhar, December 9 Working here as an assistant station director, Doordarshan, Deed was given this award at a function held recently in Hyderabad. The best cameraman award has gone to Satyan and Jeet Raj, who were associated with Deed to produce the programme. This is for the seventh time that Jaswant Deed has won such an award.
|
|
HC: Trace woman who accused Capt of rape
Chandigarh, December 9 Clearly unconvinced regarding the authenticity of the allegations of rape, Justice Ranjit Singh also asked the SSP to submit his report. The directions came on a petition for protection filed by Shamsher Singh Jagera. Describing himself as president of organisation for protection of human rights, he had moved the high court expressing apprehension regarding his personal safety on the ground of being attacked by the ex-Chief Minister’s supporters as he had held the Press conference where the allegations of rape were levelled. Capt Amarinder Singh had earlier claimed before the media that Jagera had been booked for rape in 2003. He had also claimed the woman had earlier made a similar accusation against a sitting judge. As the petition came up for hearing this morning, the Judge observed: “It is not understandable as to how the petitioner is concerned with the allegations of rape made by a stranger woman. It appears that the petitioner is resorting to mudslinging by making allegations just to defame respectable persons”. “Sometime ago, allegations of this nature were made against a judicial officer, who was dealing with some case. These allegations were subsequently found to be false. The woman, who made the allegations, was later not available and not traceable”, the Judge said. “Perhaps, the same woman has been made to stand to make these allegations, which the petitioner is wanting to highlight through Press. He is now abusing the process of the court by filing the petition. These modes and methods need to be discouraged.” Issuing notice to the Punjab advocate-general for December 15, the Judge also directed the SSP to take appropriate legal action against the petitioner, if it was found that the allegations were false and made with oblique purpose or motive.
|
|
SAD (A) moves HC against SGPC
Chandigarh, December 9 Mann also prayed for restraining SGPC office-bearers from incurring expenses on different projects, floating new projects, giving grants, etc. excepting making payments of salaries and other expenses till the new general body is constituted.
Submit revised affidavit, AG told
Finding deficiencies in an affidavit submitted by the state of Punjab in response to Punjab’s former DGP’s plea Sarbdeep Singh Virk for grant of blanket bail, Justice H.S. Bhalla today directed additional advocate-general Reeta Kohli to submit the revised affidavit by way of reply. The case will now come up tomorrow.
|
|
Judges (Protection) Act upheld
Chandigarh, December 9 The Bench also imposed a cost of Rs 20,000 on the petitioner, a Jalandhar-based advocate, for making a frivolous claim. The petitioner, Sat Paul, had earlier sought directions to the Union of India and other respondents for declaring the Act ultra vires of the Constitution. In his petition, Paul asserted that he had filed a complaint on October 27, 2009, in the court of Jalandhar chief judicial magistrate against district judge. But the complaint was not entertained by the CJM on the ground that it was not maintainable in the view of Section 3 of the Act. According to Section 3, an additional protection has been extended to judges for any act committed or anything done by them in the course of acting, or purporting to act, in the discharge of official or judicial duty or function. Speaking for the Bench, Justice M.M. Kumar asserted they did not know what object was sought to be achieved by the petitioner by levelling irresponsible, baseless and frivolous allegations. The conduct of the petitioner was contumacious.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Members of the Anganwadi Workers Union today caught the Chandigarh police and Punjab intelligence napping and staged a protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence here today.
The drama went on for about one-and-a-half-hour during which the traffic on the road was disrupted. Agitating protesters raised slogans against the apathetic attitude of the state government.
