B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Corruption in Punjab
Raninder asks Anna to tread with caution
Bathinda, October 30
Congress leader Raninder Singh today asked Anna Hazare to keep in mind the rampant corruption in Punjab.



Congress leader Raninder Singh interacts with media persons in Bathinda on Sunday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Thin crowd forces ex-FM to skip public meeting
Fazilka, October 30
Chief of People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) Manpreet Singh Badal received a severe setback here today as he had to return without addressing a scheduled public meeting due to the thin gathering. The organisers of the PPP and the third front in Fazilka failed to muster any crowd at the venue of the meeting. Getting information about the thin gathering, Manpreet reportedly left for Chandigarh without attending the meeting at the local Pratap Bagh.

Artificial limbs to be distributed
Fazilka, October 30
The maker of the famous ‘Jaipur foot’, Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayati Samiti, Lala Durgacharan Artificial Limb Centre, Jaipur, and Parvati Devi Trust, Ambala, would provide artificial limbs to 40 needy persons in Fazilka. The artificial limbs would be prepared in the workshop of the Samiti at Jaipur.

PU youth heritage fest held
Bathinda, October 30
The Panjab University Zonal-level Youth and Heritage Festival 2011-12 was organised by the Dasmesh Girls College of Education, Badal. The festival began on October 28 and would conclude on October 31. On the second day of the festival, S. Rajinder Singh Jakhar, member of the management committee of the Baba Bhag Singh College Kala Tibba, Abohar, was the chief guest.
College girls presenting a folk dance during the Panjab University Zonal-level Youth and Heritage Festival 2011-12 at the Dasmesh Girls College. A Tribune photograph

Corruption in Punjab
Raninder asks Anna to tread with caution
SP Sharma
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 30
Congress leader Raninder Singh today asked Anna Hazare to keep in mind the rampant corruption in Punjab before accepting the invitation of either Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal or the PPP chief Manpreet Singh Badal to address the rallies against corruption in the state.

Raninder told the media here that Anna is welcome in Punjab but he should be aware of the mining and other mafias that were operating in the state under the patronage of the ruling SAD.

The regional parties were not serious about strengthening the institution of the Lok Pal while the Congress has completed the exercise to take up the Bill in the coming session of the Parliament. The Lokayukta in Punjab exists only on paper as the institution has not been provided the basic infrastructure for its functioning.

He accused Manpreet of ‘crying wolf as people in his Gidderbaha segment know well the type of governance he provided when he was the finance minister before parting ways with the SAD’.

He denied any groupism in the Congress, in which, everyone had the freedom to express his views but the final decision was in the hands of the party leadership.

Raninder said the winning prospects would be the main criterion for granting the party ticket to any candidate as the Congress was hopeful of replacing the SAD-BJP combine government in the elections in February next. The effort would be to field such candidates who have the potential to uproot the stalwarts of the ruling Badal clan.

He was hopeful that the Congress high command would announce the party candidates for the assembly elections in Punjab well on time as it has done in the case of Uttar Pradesh (UP) where 73 candidates have already been named.

He said instead of spending a hefty amount of Rs 4.50 crores on inviting film star Shahrukh Khan to dance for a couple of minutes during the inaugural ceremony of the ‘World Cup Kabaddi’ here on November 1, the government should have first paid the cash awards to those players, who had participated in the international sports. Raninder said the launching of the ‘Punjab Bachao’ campaign of the Congress at Talwandi Sabo on November 1 would be a challenging task as the farmers were busy sowing paddy and cotton crop.

Even then, over 30,000 people were expected to participate in the rally that would be addressed by the PPCC chief Captain Amrinder Singh, CLP leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and the party in-charge of Punjab Gulchain Singh Charak. Congress MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu said the legislators belonging to the Congress have not been invited to the inaugural ceremony of the Kabaddi World Cup here.

Thin crowd forces ex-FM to skip public meeting
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, October 30
Chief of People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) Manpreet Singh Badal received a severe setback here today as he had to return without addressing a scheduled public meeting due to the thin gathering. The organisers of the PPP and the third front in Fazilka failed to muster any crowd at the venue of the meeting. Getting information about the thin gathering, Manpreet reportedly left for Chandigarh without attending the meeting at the local Pratap Bagh.

Later, the local leaders of the PPP and left front addressed the moderate crowd, which had swollen to some extent. Mehtab Singh, a three-time CPI MLA from the adjoining Jalalabad constituency and aspirant for the third front ticket from the Fazilka assembly segment presided over the meeting.

He said since the villagers could not reach the meeting on time due to the harvesting season and other reasons, Manpreet could not wait for the people as he had to go to Chandigarh due to urgent reasons. Repeated calls made to Manpreet Badal remained unanswered.

Addressing the gathering, Mehtab Singh held the SAD-BJP government was responsible for the financial crisis in Punjab.

He alleged that the ruling party leaders have amassed huge wealth and were allegedly forcing the PPP leaders to joint the SAD fold as the ruling party leaders are afraid of their defeat in the ensuing Assembly elections in the state.

Artificial limbs to be distributed

Fazilka, October 30
The maker of the famous ‘Jaipur foot’, Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayati Samiti, Lala Durgacharan Artificial Limb Centre, Jaipur, and Parvati Devi Trust, Ambala, would provide artificial limbs to 40 needy persons in Fazilka. The artificial limbs would be prepared in the workshop of the Samiti at Jaipur.

The experts in fixing artificial limbs, under the guidance of Capt RL Handa, examined 85 physically handicapped persons, of which 40 were selected for artificial limbs in the fourth mega prosthetic and ENT check camp held by an NGO, Social Welfare Society, at the local Aroravansh Bhawan here, today. The camp was organised in the memory of local philanthropist Purshotam Lal Periwal by his son Kirti Kumar Periwal. Fazilka DC Dr Basant Garg inaugurated the camp. — OC

PU youth heritage fest held
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 30
The Panjab University Zonal-level Youth and Heritage Festival 2011-12 was organised by the Dasmesh Girls College of Education, Badal. The festival began on October 28 and would conclude on October 31. On the second day of the festival, S. Rajinder Singh Jakhar, member of the management committee of the Baba Bhag Singh College Kala Tibba, Abohar, was the chief guest. He inaugurated the festival. Principal Dr SS Sangha honoured the guests and principals who came from different colleges.