The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Ex-FM’s followers join back their parent party Manpeet’s ‘doublespeak’ on subsidy has disillusioned them, claims SAD (B) Chander Parkash/ TNS Abohar/Fazilka, December 9 A sizeable section of the SAD (Badal) leaders and other prominent workers, who joined Manpreet’s bandwagon immediately after he resigned from the cabinet and openly announced to launch his campaign to restore economic glory of the state, have again started returning to their parent party (SAD). In the past two days, a large number of Akali leaders, some of whom have shared stage with Manpreet Badal in his rallies addressed in various parts of Malwa region, have met SAD President and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal in his sangat darshan and at his residence at Badal village to express their loyalty to him and also to the party. Reliable sources said a large number of the party leaders of Muktsar and Ferozepur district, who were being considered as instrumental in making Manpreet Badal on firm footing in the Malwa region, had met Sukhbir Badal with the pledge that they would work as true soldiers of the SAD (B). Balluana MLA Gurtej Singh while claiming that almost all the workers were feeling relieved after Manpreet Badal left the party said earlier they had been cornered by his (Manpreet’s) associates. He added that even those party workers, who had been at their respective homes after getting disappointed at the state of affairs, which prevailed in the Ferozepur district before Manpreet’s exit, had started taking part in the party's activities prominently. He claimed that this was the main reason that meetings and rallies being addressed by Sukhbir Badal in this area had been attracting an unexpected rush of workers. Moreover, the doublespeak of Manpreet Badal on the issue connected with stopping of subsidies to every section of society despite the fact he himself had taken subside of Rs 19 lakh on transportation of kinnow, had exposed hollowness of his campaign. Sukhbir Badal, when contacted, said people of Punjab were mature enough and would vote for development in the coming assembly elections as was witnessed in Bihar assembly elections. He added that the SAD (B) was meant to fulfill collective aspirations of the people of Punjab and not meant for fulfillment of any individual’s ambitions.
	Gidderbaha still trusts me: Manpreet Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Ajitwal (Moga), December 9 The former Finance Minister of Punjab Manpreet Singh Badal, who toured the Nihal Singh Wala assembly segment of the Moga district as part of his ongoing Punjab Jago Yatra has reiterated that he would continue his efforts to bring back the lost glory of the state and restore the number one status in the country. Having nothing new in his kitty to tell the public, he just repeated his statements talking on corruption, environmental degradation and other social evils dogging the state. He said people do not like Manpreet but his ideology touches the common man’s pulse and that is why people support him, he claimed. On being asked about the Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal’s tour in his home constituency (Gidderbaha), he kept mum and said, “To move anywhere in the country is the fundamental right of every Indian and people of Gidderbaha know the reality and no one can affect the trust of people on me.” Addressing a public gathering at Ajitwal, he said due to the poor functioning of the past governments, the state had failed to strengthen its economy. He addressed three rallies at Ajitwal, Nihal Singh Wala and Kussa village, today.
	Sukhbir takes a dig at Rahul for Bihar debacle Tribune News Service Dabwali Malkon Ke (Muktsar), December 9 Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal today asked the Punjab Congress to be ready for observing ‘Banwas’ (exile) for the next 25 years as the people of the state had already made up their mind to repeat the SAD-BJP government during ensuing Assembly elections on the basis of its development initiatives. The Deputy Chief Minister was today on a visit to eight villages, namely Mahni Khera, Rasulpur Khera, Bhai Ka Khera, Kangan Khera, Dabwali Malkon Ke, Phullo Khera, Arniwala Wazira and Fatehpur Mannian of the Lambi Assembly constituency for holding sangat darshan programme in every village. The Deputy Chief Minister also distributed cheques for ` 2.5 crore for various development works in these villages. He also laid foundation stones of two roads, Malout to Abohar via Pucci Tibbi, and from Dabwali Malkon Ke to Phullo Khera, to be strengthened and widened at a cost of ` 13.5 crore. Speaking about general secretary of the All India Congress Committee Rahul Gandhi, he said his charisma has failed to work as the Congress Party had disappeared from the electoral map of Bihar as it got only four seats there. “Let Rahul Gandhi come to Punjab and contribute in decimating the Congress from Punjab’s electoral map also,” he said. Referring to former Finance Minister Manpret Badal’s stand on subsidy issue, Sukhbir said the SAD-BJP government was fully committed to fulfilling all the promises, made to the people in its election manifesto. So he would prefer to go to any extent to fulfil them rather than retract from the promises made to the people. Talking about various development initiatives and welfare schemes of the SAD-BJP government, Sukhbir said two more proposed thermal plants in Amritsar and Jalandhar region would meet the uninterrupted power requirements of the state for three decades. Besides, the setting up of Suvidha Kendras for providing 27 services under one roof, police outreach centres and e-gram kendras would be completed through out the state within next six months. He said ` 6669 crore road projects were in advanced stage of completion and would ensure four/six lane connectivity to all major cities and towns of the state. Sukhbir also visited the Primary School, Dabwali Malkon Ke, and interacted with students there. He directed the education authorities to immediately provide the required desks and benches to the school as demanded by the students. VB to probe faulty soil conservation works Lambi (Muktsar), December 9 Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal today ordered a vigilance inquiry into the allegation of poor execution of soil conservation works at Kangan Khera village in Muktsar district. During the Deputy CM’s Sangat Darshan programme, a delegation of the villagers brought to his notice that disposal pipes laid by the department were of very poor quality and were leaking at many points. On this, Sukhbir Badal asked the Muktsar SSP to ask the Vigilance SP to immediately initiate a vigilance inquiry into it and submit the report to him within a week, so that an action could be taken against the guilty persons. — TNS
	Warrant issued in another case Kulwinder Sandhu/ TNS Moga, December 9 Local additional district and sessions judge Raj Shekhar Attri on Thursday issued warrants against a sub-inspector of the police Raman Kumar, already facing charges in the infamous Moga sex scandal, for having failed to appear in the court to record his evidence in another case. This controversial cop was terminated from service three years back after he was named as one of the accused by the CBI in the sex scandal, for allegedly extorting money. Early this year, he was again taken back in service. As per the details available, the police registered a criminal case under the NDPS Act against two chemist brothers Krishan Kumar and Pawan Kumar in 2004 when Raman Kumar was the SHO of City-II police station. The trial of the case is pending before the sessions court, here. He was to record his evidence in the case but he failed to appear in the court due to which the additional district and sessions judge Raj Shekhar Attri issued bailable warrants against him, confirmed Ramesh Grover, the defence counsel. Earlier, in August this year, the court had issued warrants against him and attached half his salary for having failed to appear in the court. Later, he appeared before the court and his salary was released by the court.
	Irregularities surface during surprise raids DC for action against erring officials Tribune Correspondents Ferozepur/ Fazilka/Abohar, Dec 9 A number of teams led by the senior civil officials including Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav today carried out surprise checking of the offices of different departments of the state government. Official sources said raids, which were conducted in Abohar, Fazilka, Ferozepur and Zira sub-divisions of this border district by the Additional Deputy Commissioner and sub-divisional magistrates, found that about 61 employees of different department were absent from their respective duties. The office of the Child Development and Project Officer (CDPO), Mamdot, was found locked by Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav. The functioning of office of the secretary, Market Committee (Mamdot) was not found satisfactory. It was also found that number of posts, which were lying vacant in the Senior Secondary School (Mamdot) were very high. Yadav said first the reply of show- cause issued to 61 employees would be awaited. If the explanation is not found satisfactory, departmental authorities would be written to take proper action against them. He said raids would continue. No one who was found negligent in their duties, would be spared. Meanwhile in Fazilka, the office of Child Development and Project Officer (CDPO) was found locked during the surprise raid conducted by the local SDM Ajay Sood. He conducted surprise checking in 16 different offices following the directions of Ferozepur DC KK Yadav. Besides CDPO office, some employees were found absent in the offices of Block Development and Panchayat Officer and Employment Exchange. He disclosed that the report regarding the raids has been sent to KK Yadav. During the surprise raid in Abohar, five employees, one each in the market committee and horticulture office, while three in the office of Khuyian Sarwar BDPO were found absent as SDM Jagdeep Singh Aulakh inspected scores of offices and schools on Thursday, sources said. SSP Kaustab Sharma reportedly found in-charge of the police post as he visited municipal bus stand while three PP cops were found on duty without uniform. Departmental action against the erring cops has been initiated, sources added.
	Addl district judge’s court sought at Abohar Chander Parkash/ TNS Abohar, December 9 The Bar Association (Abohar) has urged the chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to set up a court of additional district judge and special court for narcotics cases in the town where the required infrastructure was already available. A delegation of the Bar members comprising Ranjit Phore, Gurpreet Singh Bhai Ka, Gurpreet Tony and Mohinder Kumar led by Narinder Kumar Garg, president, met the chief justice today, said most of the narcotics cases, pending in the special courts of Ferozepur, belonged to all the five police stations falling in the Abohar sub-division. Garg said in a memorandum submitted to the chief justice it was mentioned that Abohar was located in the close vicinity of the Indo-Pak border and also shared its boundaries with neighbouring Rajasthan, where sale of narcotics was permitted. As the narcotics were being smuggled into Punjab from Rajasthan areas, a large number of cases under the NDPS Act were being registered at all the five police stations of this sub-division. Even the authorities concerned had established a narcotics cell in Abohar to check the menace. Now, a special court for such cases needs to be set up in this area, he added.
	Man gets BSF I-card illegally, booked Ferozepur, December 9 A criminal case has been registered against Balwinder Singh, a resident of this city, for his alleged involvement in getting identity card from the Border Security Force (BSF) authorities concerned to cross the cobra fencing erected on the border, by submitting false revenue documents in connection with the land, which was to be tilled by him. A case was registered on the directions of Romila Dubey, Financial Commissioner (Revenue), who had conducted an inquiry into the complaint. Sources said a case under sections 420, 465, 466, 471 of the IPC was registered against Balwinder Singh at the Sadar police station (Ferozepur). No arrest had been made in this connection so far. — TNS