• City Centre case adjourned

Sangrur, July 31
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today cautioned the people not to be swayed by the “false” propaganda of the Congress, which was deliberately resorting to cheap tactics to take over the control of the SGPC.

Addressing a gathering on the 71st martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed Udham Singh at a state-level function organised here at the local grain market, Badal urged the Congress not to interfere in the affairs of the SGPC with an eye on its forthcoming general elections. The Chief Minister further said the Congress was bent upon capturing the control of the SGPC. He said it was ironical that the Congress, claiming to be a party with secular credentials, was trying to interfere in Sikh religious matters.

Badal also recalled the “derogatory” role of the Congress in Haryana on the issue of having a separate gurdwara parbandhak committee for the state at the behest of the Centre.

Paying floral tributes to great martyr Shaheed Udham Singh, Badal said the history of the Indian freedom movement was replete with the saga of numerous sacrifices made by Punjabis during India's freedom struggle but, he added, it was a matter of great regret that Punjab had never been given due recognition by the Central Government.

"Our freedom fighters dreamt of an independent India free from the maladies of illiteracy, unemployment and starvation, but their aspirations are yet to be realised," he said. He said such sordid conditions prevailed throughout the country and it was shocking to note that even 63 years after Independence over 40 per cent Indians lived in penury, earning less than Rs 60 per day. He said the planners of the country should be sensitised on these issues for improving the lot of the disadvantaged sections of society. The Chief Minister urged the Centre to revise the norms under the Calamity Relief Fund to compensate the farmers adequately.

Badal announced that a memorial to Shaheed Udham Singh would be constructed at Sunam. He also announced a grant of Rs 6 crore for the completion of sewerage in the town.

Bathinda, July 31
The BKU (Ugrahan) today refuted an allegation being levelled against it and other farmer organisations that Maoists were leading the BKU (U) and other organisations besides taking decisions about their activities.

Terming the allegation as baseless, state general secretary of the BKU (Ugrahan) Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said today that the government had been compelled to make such an allegation due to the unity of 17 farmer organisations. He said by making such an allegation, the government wanted to weaken the unity of farmer bodies.

Kokri Kalan alleged that the government wanted to take away facilities and subsidies from farmers, workers and the common people provided to them in the fields of education, health, power, drinking water etc.

He further alleged that the government was preparing ground to crush the BKU (Ugrahan), as it had been protecting farmers’ interests in a big way.

The farmer leader said everyone knew that the elections to the units of the BKU (Ugrahan) at all levels were held in a democratic manner as per the constitution of the union. Besides, the elected committees took all decisions at their own level so question did not arise to take the union’s decisions by any outside force.

The union leader also appealed to farmers, labourers and the masses to join the struggle of the 17 farmer organisations to get their interests protected.

Ludhiana, July 31
Not ruling out the possibility of revival of terrorism in the state, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today asked the government to act with added caution in the wake of arrests of many former militants recently.

“Though there is no such problem (terrorism) as of now, their (the terrorists) aim is to once again create trouble in the state. The government must deal with the issue firmly,” he told reporters here today after appearing in the sessions court in connection with the Ludhiana City Centre case. Amarinder said Pakistan and the ISI would always try to create trouble for India. “Given the situation in Pakistan, they will always try to get attention shifted to India. Hence, the need for caution,” he said.

Amarinder also asked the state to coordinate with the Centre as it was already seized of the matter. “I had met the National Security Adviser recently and discussed the issue (terrorism) with him,” he said.

To a question about the alleged links of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee president PS Sarna with some arrested Khalistani militants, Amarinder said that he did not believe the Punjab Police claims. “The Punjab Police was often being used by the Akali Government to settle personal and political scores. To get to the bottom of the truth, the probe should be handed over to an independent agency,” he said, adding that Sarna’s name was being dragged in ahead of the SGPC elections.

Amarinder strongly condemned the reported conspiracy to eliminate the head of the Radha Soami sect, as recently revealed by the Vienna Police. “It is highly condemnable and we condemn it,” he said, blaming the state government for its failure to maintain law and order. “This government has failed in maintaining law and order and the result is that we have frequent reports of terrorists and smugglers sneaking in with drugs and weapons,” he said, adding that the state needs to do a lot more on the front.

The former CM, who is awaiting his elevation as the PCC president, said that the election process was on and soon a proper organisational set up would be put in place.

He also slammed allegations that the Congress had failed to serve as an effective Opposition in the last three years. “We played a responsible role all these years and we are placed comfortably to come to power in the next elections,” he said.

Ferozepur, July 31
The transfers of officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department ordered by its secretary, SP Singh, on July 29, his last working day in the office as he is superannuating on July 31, have snowballed into a major controversy.

While Arunesh Shakir, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, Punjab, dubbed the transfers by Singh as “unjustified”, he said he would take up the matter with the minister concerned, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, to review the transfers.

SP Singh claimed that the transfers were ordered on the administrative ground.

“I was never consulted by SP Singh, who ordered the transfers of 23 officers of the ranks of deputy director, district food and supplies controller, additional district food and supplies controller and district food and supplies officer on July 29. I came to know about the transfers from the newspaper,” pointed out Shakir.

Shakir said he had already received a serious complaint in connection with the “malfunctioning” of the department and that he would submit this before Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal shortly so that appropriate action could be taken.

It is learnt that for a significant section of officials of the department, transfers have become a periodical feature as they have been transferred four times ever since the SAD-BJP combine came to power. Even the women officers were transferred after every six to seven months from one place to another.

Amritsar, July 31
Darshan Kaur (55), a resident of Indira Colony, Kot Khalsa here, was killed when the kutcha roof of her house collapsed during the heavy rains that lashed the city in the wee hours today.

Her son, Dilbagh Singh, narrowly escaped with minor injuries while Baldev Singh, her husband, was sleeping in the adjoining room. The victims remained trapped under the debris for about two hours.

Baldev Singh came to know about the incident at 6 am when he woke up. He raised an alarm immediately and residents of the area helped take out the body of the woman and a trapped Dilbagh, who is mentally deranged, said Lalli, a relative of the deceased. — TNS

Chandigarh, July 31
If Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla is to be believed, there is a sea change in the female sex ratio in Punjab — from 798:1000 in 2001 to 896:1000 now.

Sustained efforts, a public awareness programme and strict action against those conducting sex-determining tests on the child in the womb and zero tolerance for female foeticide, she says, has helped the state to achieve satisfactory results in the past years.

Laxmi Kanta Chawla presided over a meeting of the department where implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PC&PNDT Act) was reviewed. During the just-concluded month of July, she said two ultrasound centres in Mohali had been sealed while two other such centres in Gurdaspur had been issued show- cause notices.

Action was also taken against ultrasound centres in other parts of the state. In Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr), two centres had been suspended while show-cause notices had been served on two such centres in Patiala. One ultrasound centre in Taran Tarn had been sealed.

Of the 1,327 ultrasound centres in the state, nearly one- third had violated various provisions of the PC&PNDT Act and are facing action. Licences of 22 centres had been cancelled so far. Prosecutions were launched against 109 centres in various courts of the states and 21 had already been convicted. The courts acquitted forty-six centres while proceedings were still on against 42 centres, she added.

As of now, 86 panchayats had achieved 1000:1000 ratio in the 0-6 years age group and had been given a cash incentive of Rs 1.5 lakh each.

Ludhiana, July 31
Joining hands to refrain the Centre from implementing the Clinical Establishment Bill, doctors from across the state today gathered under the Punjab chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and submitted a memorandum to Ludhiana MP Munish Tewari.

Doctors convened a meeting here, wherein they called upon the MP to put forward a word to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to “freeze” the Bill and initiate a national debate on it so as to make amendments to make it more doctor and patient-friendly.

Amritsar, July 31
Concerned over attacks on the minority Sikh community by some fundamental elements in certain pockets of Jammu and Kashmir, the SGPC has sent a three-member committee to the trouble-torn Valley.

Comprising of SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh and additional secretaries Satbir Singh and Roop Singh, the team will visit the families of two persons who were allegedly beaten up in Pulwama district and Gaddpura Taral village. The hair of the two young boys was also allegedly shorn.

The team would not meet the victims’ families and monitor the overall Valley scenario vis-à-vis Sikhs. “The committee members would be landing in the Valley tomorrow. They will keep us informed and updated on an hourly basis,” SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said here today.

Apart from urging J&K CM Omar Abdullah to ensure foolproof security of the community in the Valley, the SGPC chief has also offered to host families of Sikhs here. “The J&K Chief Minister has assured us that nobody would be allowed to harm the Sikh community in any way. We are going to meet Omar Abdullah shortly,” he said.

Kotla Sultan Singh (Majitha), July 31
Nostalgia laden with melody engulfed the air as the son of the soil, Mohammad Rafi, was remembered by one and all at his birth place here today. The sleepy village cries for a memorial even after 30 years of Rafi’s death.

The legendary playback singer who was born here on December 24, 1924, had immortalised the Bollywood film music by rendering more than 25,000 songs and by winning nearly two dozen Filmfare awards before his demise on July 31, 1980.

Rafi’s unparalleled achievements in the field of film music notwithstanding, no government ever thought it fit to pay a befitting tribute to him by setting up a suitable memorial to the inimitable singer at his village or at Amritsar.

Former Punjab minister and patron of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) Bikram Singh Majithia who is also the area MLA and some of ardent fans of Rafi have now planned to set up a memorial at the village. As for now, only a few dilapidated rooms stand here in the name of a memorial. One of Rafi’s nephews, Mohammad Aziz Rafi, is also making efforts to revive Rafi’s nostalgia in his own small way.

“I remember him as a playful child who was full of energy and who used to hum songs all the time. We used to play together. Then he shifted to Lahore where he worked at a barber’s shop before leaving for Mumbai. We were good buddies. He used to dream big though he came from an ordinary family,” reminisced Rafi’s childhood friend Bakshish Singh (95).

Bakshish said the government should set up a hospital in the memory of the great singer of the century.

Some fans of Rafi led by Dr Dilbag Singh, Harinder Sohal and Jodh Singh Samra paid tributes to Rafi by rendering some of his most popular songs. Rafi was also remembered at Amritsar-based Punjab Naatshala where rich tributes were paid to him.

He said the auction of sand mines lacked transparency. In a statement issued here today, he said the auction of land mines at Pathankot yesterday was the latest example of the blatant use of muscle power by Akali Dal leaders to keep other bidders at bay. — TNS

Fatehgarh Sahib, July 31
Scribes of Fatehgarh Sahib here have demanded an immediate action against those who created fake e-mail identities of three scribes and sent news reports to their respective newspapers for publishing.

They complained that some unscrupulous elements prepared fake e-mail IDs in the name of three local scribes and e-mailed news items about a SGPC-run educational institute to three newspapers. The news reports read that some management quota seats were filled in the institute after the management took huge bribes. Incidentally, the afore-said news items got printed next day in two vernaculars as these were sent by the scribes’ usernames.

The Journalists’ Association has filed a complaint but to no avail. They said the matter was also brought to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner who assured to look into matter. However, they had not reached at any conclusion so far.

The scribes will hold a meeting on August 3, wherein all journalists of Fatehgarh Sahib and adjoining areas will ask the police and the administration to look into the matter.

Ranjodh Singh, one of the affected scribes, alleged that the police had taken no action hitherto as the accused were suspected to be close to a local politician.

Chandigarh, July 31
In a significant judgment delineating the contours of powers of the State Election Commission, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that the authority can countermand election before the declaration of result.

And, the gram panchayat polls can be countermanded, postponed and deferred, but the State Election Commission has to detail the reasons to support its action.

The ruling by Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Jasbir Singh came on a bunch of 14 petitions by Rajpreet Singh and others. The issues before the court were: “Whether the Election Commission, when exercising the powers of superintendence, directions and control regarding conduct of the gram panchayat elections, can countermand elections at any stage?

“And, whether an election to the gram panchayat can be countermanded on any ground other than the one mentioned in the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994 or not?”

The issues were raised after the gram panchayat polls were held in Punjab on May 26, 2008. In one of the petitions, it was contended that the petitioner started canvassing after filing the nomination papers for panch on May 16, 2008. The final list was displayed and election symbol allotted, but the election was countermanded a day before it was scheduled to be held. The writ was filed after fresh schedule was ordered to be notified.

In some petitions, the election was countermanded after declaration of the result; in some others aggrieved candidates came to the court, when nomination papers were rejected “arbitrarily”.

Referring to the apex court and other judgments, the Bench concluded: “The State Election Commission, when exercising the powers of superintendence, directions and control regarding conduct of elections, can countermand that election before declaration of the result. Once the result is declared in Form 5 or 9 of the Forms annexed with the 1994 Rules, the only remedy available to an aggrieved candidate is to file an election petition under Section 89 of the EC Act.

“An election to the Gram Panchayat can be countermanded, postponed and deferred in terms of the EC Act and 1994 Rules. To exercise that power, the State Election Commission has to detail the reasons to support his action under any provision of the aforesaid Act and the Rules.”

The Bench also held as justified the EC’s orders in the petitions countermanding the election before the date of poll; and due to disturbance in the polling booth.

Amritsar, July 31
Acting on information revealed during interrogation by the five Babbar Khalsa International terrorists arrested on Wednesday, the State Special Operation Cell of the Intelligence Wing today recovered 15 kg RDX, three detonators and some arms and ammunition.

On of the arrested — French national Pal Singh — told investigators that he had kept a cache of explosives, arms and ammunitions near his residence at Dhandowal village near Shahkot. He himself led the police party to the spot and handed over the consignment — 15 kg RDX, three detonators, three packs of fuse wire, one battery switch, a .45 caliber sub-machine gun, 150 cartrides, AK-47 magazine and cartridges of AK-47.

SP Counter Intelligence Mandeep Singh said that Pal Singh had confessed that this consignment was handed over to him by absconding terrorist Narain Singh Chaura of the Dera Baba Nanak area. It is suspected that Chaura had supplied the RDX found in a car in Amritsar recently. The SP said that the five arrested wanted to revive terrorism in the state and were working on Chaura’s directions.

Amritsar, July 31
The police today seized 1 kg of heroin from a car belonging to former SAD councillor Gurvinder Singh. His mother Kailash Kaur, is the present SAD councillor of ward number 40.

The police has arrested two persons, Balbir Singh and Rajesh Kumar alias Commando, both residents of Gilwali Gate, in this regard while two of their accomplices, Bhupinder Singh of Gilwali Gate and Sunil Kumar of Gujjarpura, gave a slip to the police.

During preliminary investigations, it was found that the car (PB-25-C-6789) belonged to former SAD councillor Gurvinder Singh, alias Vicky.

“We are still investigating the role of Gurvinder Singh as to how his car having two plates with councillor written on it was being used by the accused in committing the crime,” said Varinder Kumar, Commissioner of Police.

It is learnt that acting on a tip-off, the police that had laid a naka at Gali Murabeya Wali on the Tarn Taran road intercepted a silver-coloured Accent car being driven by Balbir Singh. On seeing the police party, Bhupinder Singh, alias Kangla, and Sunil fled. During search, the police team recovered 1 kg of heroin. Wrapped in a polythene bag, the contraband was concealed beneath the rear seat of the car, said the police authorities.

“The accused were notorious drug peddlers of the city and had a number of similar cases registered in various police stations,” said the Police Commissioner, adding that a case under the NDPS act had been registered at Sultanwind police station in this regard. He said raids were being conducted to arrest the remaining accused.

Fazilka, July 31
Seeto (name changed), an MSc student at a local computer centre, was allegedly raped by the brother of her friend, Ramandeep Kaur, and another person. They also made a film on a cellphone when they raped the victim, taking turns. Police sources said Ramandeep played an active role by facilitating the accused, identified as Ravinder Singh and Major Singh, in committing the crime. Both Ramandeep Kaur and Ravinder Singh were siblings and had absconded along with the third accused, Major Singh, after a case was registered against them at Sadar police station today.

Sources said on July 7, 2010, when Seeto went to her village Rana, Ravinder Singh, Major Singh and Ramandeep Kaur chased her in a car and reached her village. Ramandeep managed to make Seeto s it in the car.

The accused drove the car back to Fazilka and reached near the Clock tower. Ramandeep Kaur along with the accused offered tea laced with sedatives to Seeto and she fell unconscious.

“When I regained consciousness, I was naked and was being raped by Ravinder Singh while Major Singh was driving the car. After some time, Major Singh, too, raped me and Ravinder Singh drove the car. Both accused also captured the whole thing on the camera of their cellphones,” she alleged in the statement to police.

She alleged that the parents of Ravinder Singh held out a threat to her parents that if they raised this issue, they would put the entire film of the rape on the Internet. The SHO of the Sadar police station said the accused had put the entire film on the Internet as per his information. He said raids were being conducted to arrest the accused. A case had been registered against the accused. A medical examination of the victim had confirmed that intercourse had taken place.