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High drama as protests mark Advani's Golden Temple visit
Poor response to yatra in Malwa has BJP worried
Lokpal orders inquiry against CM, minister
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Brar, Bhattal’s kin weak candidates, reveals Cong survey
For kabaddi buffs, it was hic hic hurrah!
Sanjha Morcha to contest all 117 seats
Cong men being targeted: Capt
TN-cadre Praveen Kumar is additional electoral officer
Finally, govt moves to halt death on roads
Commuters at receiving end, educational institutes shut
Farmers protest ‘low’ cotton prices
Pak PM positive about Nankana Sahib university
Pollution board orders closure of brick kiln
Director (Primary) fined Rs 40,000
Nurses protest at Rajindra Hospital
Nursing home sealed for violating PNDT Act
Students’ strike on Nov 21
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High drama as protests mark Advani's
Amritsar, November 15 The impact of the protest was clearly visible, as the SGPC didn't present 'siropa' (robe of honour) to the former Deputy PM inside the sanctum sanctorum. He was given a 'siropa' and a set of books at the SGPC's Information Office instead. Normally, whenever a VVIP visits Harmandar Sahib, a 'granthi' (priest) presents a 'siropa' to him. But Advani got one when he made an offering of Rs 500 at the sanctum sanctorum, which is a practice followed with all the devotees offering Rs 100 and above.
The SGPC top brass was also conspicuous by its absence. Darbar Sahib manager Harbans Singh Malhi said Advani was felicitated by presenting a 'siropa' at the Information Office. The BJP leader didn't talk to the media while his family members urged mediapersons to "leave them alone". Mann had conveyed it to the police authorities that if Advani was honoured inside Sri Harmandar Sahib, his party would vehemently oppose it. Mann and his supporters gathered between the Darshani Deodhi and the Akal Takht early in the morning. When Advani reached the shrine around 10 am, he and his party activists started raising slogans like 'Advani Murdabad', 'Advani Go Back' and 'Khalistan Zindabad'. The protest prompted the SGPC task force and policemen in civvies to cordon off the protesters, which led to some manhandling between the two sides. Later, Advani faced another round of protests outside the Information Office, this time from SAD (Delhi) activists. SAD (Amritsar) and SAD (Delhi) were protesting against Advani's visit as they alleged that he "provoked" the government to launch Operation Bluestar in 1984, a charge which they attribute to some references made by the BJP leader in his autobiography, 'My Country, My Life'. Meanwhile, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar has accused Mann of violating the 'maryada' (code of conduct) of the shrine by raising slogans. Advani also visited Jallianwalla Bagh and Durgiana Temple.
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Poor response to yatra in Malwa has BJP worried
Bathinda, November 15 Top central leaders of the party, including general secretary JP Nadda, is learnt to have taken note of the thin attendance of BJP activists at Doomwali to receive Advani. The show there was virtually stolen by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) whose cadres turned out in large numbers to welcome Advani throughout the 45 km route between Doomwali and Bathinda. This has sent a wrong message about the party’s strength on the eve of the assembly elections. Even as SAD MPs Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Balwinder Singh Bhundar turned up at Doomwali to receive Advani, BJP state unit chief Ashwani Sharma was there with only a handful of party activists. Industries Minister Tikshan Sud, who belongs to the other faction, also turned up at Doomwali but was cold-shouldered by Sharma’s supporters. Nadda, who is looking after the party affairs in Punjab, is learnt to have conveyed his displeasure over the embarrassment caused to the party leadership which was told that Advani would be greeted by at least 5,000 BJP activists at Doomwali. The central party leadership had reportedly been informed by the dissidents that Advani’s reception could turn out to be a fiasco. It would have been a great setback for Advani’s yatra had the SAD not mobilised its activists for the reception ceremony, say the dissidents. It is learnt that Ashwani Sharma and Ajay Jamwal, organising secretary, virtually sidelined general secretary Kamal Sharma and his supporters during the yatra. The poor show in the Malwa belt is likely to upset the BJP plans to contest the Bathinda assembly seat. Neeraj Tayal, incharge of Bathinda district, has been projecting himself as the prospective party candidate for the seat.
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Lokpal orders inquiry against CM, minister
Chandigarh, November 15 The inquiry has been ordered on the complaint of an NGO which has alleged that 282 acres of common land at Badaphul village in Ropar district had been illegally taken over by the two. The complaint says that the Chief Minister and the minister had ignored the government notification-2007 with regard to transfer of village common land. It says Badal had taken over the land and had begun plantation in violation of rules and regulations. The Lokpal recorded the statements and evidence by the NGO in support of its contention. It asked IG Lokpal IPS Sahota to inquire into the complaint and file a report by December 20. Media adviser to the CM Harcharan Bains said that the complaint was motivated as it had come on the eve of the assembly elections. This is the second case against the Chief Minister in the past few months. In September, the Lokpal had ordered an inquiry against Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal in connection with the “transport scandal”. The Tribune had exposed how the Badals had manipulated the transport policy to benefit their family-run transport business. The inquiry into this “scam” against the Badals was headed by IG Lokpal SL Ghakhar who was transferred before he could submit his report, creating a hue and cry The Congress had criticised the move, saying that the IG had been transferred to “scuttle the probe.”
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Brar, Bhattal’s kin weak candidates,
Chandigarh, November 15 Sources say the exhaustive survey, running into several volumes, may dampen the chances of the kin of CWC member Jagmeet Singh Brar and Congress Legislature Party Leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal of getting the party ticket. Brar, Bhattal and Bajwa are seen as contenders for the CM’s post if the Congress returns to power, though Bajwa recently gave up his claim in support of PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh’s candidature. The survey report, speaking about Jagmeet Brar’s brother and Kotkapura legislator Ripjit Brar’s victory chances, says the legislator has been absent from his constituency and his popularity is at an all-time low. The report says Ripjit has been politically inactive. Stressing on the need for a suitable candidate, it says another leader from the Kotkapura constituency, Upinder Sharma, has turned politically active after a long gap. On the party ticket for Bhattal’s son-in-law Vikram Bajwa from Sahnewal, the report says Bajwa is a weak candidate and that the Congress is bound to lose the seat if he is given the party ticket. It recommends that Jagjivan S Gill, who has the support of Ludhiana Member
of parliament Manish Tewari, should be considered for the allotment of the party ticket. Though Gurdaspur MP Partap Bajwa has yet to decide on whether to field his wife or his brother Fatehjang Bajwa from Qadian, the seat held by him earlier, he is unlikely to be given the option of two seats for his family members. The survey for Fatehgarh Churian rates Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa as the best candidate for the seat. It says Fatehjang Bajwa can win the seat if his brother Partap Singh camps in the constituency throughout the election campaign.. The report is critical of known Amarinder supporters too. It suggests that the son or daughter-in-law of senior leader Chaudhary Jagjit Singh could be given the party ticket from Kartarpur. However, it says the senior leader, being a grassroots man, could not be ignored and could help garner the ‘dera’ votes. Another Amarinder supporter, Barnala legislator Kewal Singh Dhillon, the report says, does not have the support of Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla and the Hindu community. Claiming that Dhillon can pull through with the support of Sangrur leader Arvind Khanna and the PCC chief, it also avers that a Hindu candidate with a clean image can win the seat. About Bholath legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira, the report says the leader has lost ground in the constituency because of his arrogant behaviour. It says that the youth, who had once made him an icon, were now bitterly disappointed in him.
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For kabaddi buffs, it was hic hic hurrah!
Bathinda, November 15 Despite it being a Tuesday, when people usually do not consume liquor, spectators returning from the venue were seen queuing up outside liquor vends and ‘ahatas’ on the way to the match venue. “People purchased beer bottles while entering the venue in the afternoon and demanded hard liquor in the evening”, said one of the liquor sellers in Mansa, on the condition of anonymity. Similarly, today a heavy rush was witnessed in vends at Mansa Kenchiyan, Tinkoni, bus stand, Thuthianwali and near the flyover on the Barnala-Sirsa road. Those consuming liquor also thronged roadside eateries selling eggs and non-vegetarian food. A visit to an eating joint near Mansa Kenchiyan revealed that people occupied every table of the joint. The workers at the joint said there was such a rush of customers after a long time. “The sale is bound to increase as more than 20,000 spectators arrived here from far off places”, said Avtar Singh, a teenager from Sirsa, while buying liquor at Mansa Kenchiyan. He said that he along with five of his friends had purchased seven beer bottles during the afternoon and two bottles of hard liquor in the evening. Munish, a Mansa-based owner of a liquor vend, admitted the brisk sales in vends near the venue of kabaddi matches. He said the actual sale would be ascertained tomorrow morning.
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Sanjha Morcha to contest all 117 seats
Chandigarh, November 15 The Morcha is hopeful of a poll adjustment with the Bahujan Samaj Party. “We have spoken to the BSP in this regard”, said Manpreet Singh Badal, Chairman of the Sanjha Morcha. “As far as sharing of the seats among existing coalition partners is concerned, we have complete understanding with each other”, he said. Manpreet said if the Morcha formed the government, it would post a village development officer, with a degree in B.Sc or M.Sc in agriculture, in each of the more than 12,000 villages in the state.
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Riki Dullet’s Murder
Sangrur, November 15 “I will not settle for anything less than a CBI probe as the accused are influential persons and have a say in the police administration. We have been receiving threats to back off ,” said Rajinder Kaur. While the police claimed that the accused, Sukhwinder Singh and Sultan Singh, had been admitted to DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, with injuries, Rajinder Kaur said her son did not get a chance to fire at the accused in self-defence. “We were brought to a halt by two vehicles. As my son stepped out of his car, he was dragged, thrashed and shot by a gang. He could get use his licensed weapon that was lying inside the car. “Riki told me before he breathed his last that the accused had inflicted wounds on themselves ,” said an inconsolable Rajinder Kaur as her grand-daughters Japji (3) and Sahib (5) played nearby. Meanwhile, doctors at the DMC Hospital said the condition of both the accused was stable. “Though Sultan had a bullet injury in his abdomen, his condition is stable,” they said. Official sources said it had been established that Dullet had died of multiple injuries, including bullet injuries.” The police has registered an FIR against Sultan Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, DSP Sangrur Kuldeep Sharma, additional SHO, Sangrur city, Surinder Bhalla and SAD worker Amanvir Singh Cherry. The latter is closely associated with a Punjab Cabinet Minister. The victim’s sister, claimed that the police was yet to visit the crime scene. SSP, Sangrur, HS Bhullar said: “We will arrest the accused at the earliest and it is not a politically motivated murder.”
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He said Congress workers were being targeted on the eve of the assembly elections. On Monday, the Congress office at Batala was attacked and Batala Youth Congress president Sanjeev Sharma and Sunny Sekhri were injured. Some weeks ago, Congress workers revising poll rolls were assaulted.
— TNS
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TN-cadre Praveen Kumar is additional electoral officer
Chandigarh, November 15 Official sources said Praveen Kumar, an IAS officer of 1987 batch of the Tamil Nadu cadre, had been appointed to assist the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kusumjit Kaur Sidhu, who is known as a strong officer. The Commission has purposely selected him for this task because as a Chief Electoral Officer in Tamil Nadu he had played a crucial role in detecting the huge sum of money during the assembly elections there, some months ago. Sources said that during a recent visit to Ludhiana, Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi was accompanied by Praveen Kumar. There is an impression that black money would be used in a big way in the coming assembly elections.
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Finally, govt moves to halt death on roads
Alarmingly, Punjab has the second highest road fatality rate (90 per cent) after Nagaland. In over 5,000 accidents in the state during the past one year, 3,600 lives have been lost. Rash driving, inadequate road safety measures, indifference to accident victims and poor safety measures for the ongoing widening of the highway between Jalandhar and the Shambhu barrier are said to be responsible for the road deaths. The ongoing six-laning of the highway was to be completed by the Soma Construction Company by November 11. Now, the Ministry of Surface Transport has set the new deadline for May 2012, on the company’s plea that heavy rains had hampered work on the project. The Punjab Road Safety Council has initiated an exhaustive probe to determine the reasons behind the high accident rate in the state. The council has identified 230 accident-prone spots on the Jalandhar-Shambhu stretch and 375 such spots in the entire state. “We will complete our probe by November-end. We don’t rule out negligence on the part of the road construction company in undertaking adequate safety measures,” said Dr Kamaljeet Soi and Gursharan Jeet Singh, vice-chairman and member of the Punjab State Road Safety Council, respectively. They were here on an inspection of accident-prone areas. The company officials assured Dr Soi, Gursharanjeet Singh and council co-ordinator Surinder Saini that the company would undertake corrective measures such as removal of potholes, installation of cat eyes and reflectors and crash barriers by November 30. Large potholes were the major cause of accidents on the highway between Bidhipur to Paragpur in Jalandhar, Saini said. Road rage and lack of road etiquettes were also to blame, said Dr Soi. He said a preliminary probe indicated that absence of highway patrolling, inadequate equipment and semi-trained ambulance staff were some of the factors responsible for the high mortality rate of accident victims.
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2 brothers shot dead in Manila
Hoshiarpur/Phagwara, November 15 A pall of gloom descended on Panam village in Garhshankar sub-division of Hoshiarpur district as news of the murder of two brothers, Manjit Singh (28) and Sukhwinder Singh (26), reached there. The duo was shot dead by unidentified persons and the cause behind the shootout was yet to be ascertained. According to family sources, the brothers were doing money lending business there. Panam sarpanch Balwinder Singh said efforts were on to bring their bodies to the village for performing last rites. Meanwhile, a Phagwara resident, Vikki Talwar, was also shot dead in Manila last night. Ajay, the deceased’s nephew, said his uncle went to Manila two years ago and was doing finance-related business there.
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Commuters at receiving end,
Mansa, November 15 While people coming from Bathinda and Barnala had to travel 5 km extra to enter the city, those coming from Sirsa side covered 5 to 10 km extra to cross the city. More than 25,000 people thronged the city to enjoy kabaddi fixtures between US-UK (girls), Nepal -England, India-Afghanistan and Canada-Germany. A heavy police force was deployed in the city and many roads leading to the venue of the Kabaddi World Cup were dotted by cops and their vehicles. As many as 36 DSPs and 2,000 cops have been stationed in the district. Bus passengers too were at the receiving end as they did not find buses for their desired destinations. Government offices also wore a deserted look as officials were busy with the Kabaddi World Cup.
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Farmers protest ‘low’ cotton prices
Gidderbaha (Muktsar), November 15 The state government, market committee officials and the textile mills in Punjab have a tactical understanding, allege farmers, to discourage cotton traders from other states from purchasing cotton from local markets. After purchasing their cotton at much lower prices, in the absence of any competitive buyers from other states, local traders and textile mills earn huge profits. “Cotton growers in this region are being looted. They are incurring huge losses due to heavy rains, waterlogging and floods in this area”, said Major Singh Khalsa, a senior member of the BKU (Ekta). They alleged that the state government is charging the highest inter-state purchase tax on cotton in the country. Therefore, cotton traders and textile mills from other states shy away from making purchase from Punjab mandis as Punjab charges the highest purchase tax in the country. While all other states are charging 2 per cent tax, Punjab levies 4.4 per cent, thus discouraging the export, alleged farmers. However Gurpiar Singh, the market committee secretary, Gidderbaha, denied the allegations. Cotton traders from other states were also making purchase from local mandis but as cotton prices were running low over the country in comparison to last year, no one can be blamed, he said. After a record high of Rs 7,050 per quintal in February, cotton farmers are disappointed with the current prices of Rs 3,800 per quintal. Most of the big farmers are withholding their cotton stock, expecting an increase in the price in the coming months. However, most of the small farmers are being forced to sell their crop to settle accounts with commission agents, said Baltej Singh, a farmer.
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Pak PM positive about Nankana Sahib university
Amritsar, November 15 Addressing a seminar on Sikh-Muslim ties organised by Dayal Singh Research and Cultural Forum in Lahore today, Gilani said he would lay the foundation stone of the university at the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev. SGPC spokesperson Ram Singh, who is accompanying a 634-member SGPC jatha to Pakistan, shared this information with The Tribune.
— TNS
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Pollution board orders closure of brick kiln
Mohali, November 15 An official of the PPCB said Rajinder Singh and Sons had been directed to close down its operations as it was found burning used tyres as fuel in the kiln, an unauthorised fuel since the burning of rubber in any form in the kiln has been banned by the State Government as it generates highly toxic gases. District Food and Supply Controller has also been directed under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, to cancel the licence of the
brick kiln. In another surprise raid at Alchemist Food Ltd, Bannmajra village, Kurali, it was found that the unit was discharging untreated industrial effluent into the Siswan river through a flexible pipeline. The industry is engaged in the business of slaughtering chicks and meat processing and has been granted consent to operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, for discharge of its treated effluent into land for
plantation. Thus, the industry has been found violating the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, intentionally and deliberately. PPCB chairman KS Pannu said strict action, which may include closure of the plant, has been initiated against this industry under the provisons of the Water Act, 1974.
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Director (Primary) fined Rs 40,000
Chandigarh, November 15 Aggrieved at the inadequate compensation of Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 as cost of litigation besides non-grant of interest on the delayed reimbursement amount of Rs 2,03,707 paid to her on May 20, 2011, on the directions of the District Forum-I, Parkash Kaur (73) of Mohali had filed a complaint with the state commission. The commission comprising Justice Sham Sunder and Neena Sandhu observed: “A period of four months could be said to be sufficient for settling such a claim, but the officers/officials sat on the matter for a long number of years, hardly bothering about the plight of the complainant, a retired employee, and finally woke up from deep slumber on May 20,2011, when a sum of Rs 2,03,707 out of Rs 2,59,199 relating to the medical reimbursement claim was paid to the complainant. For more than three years, the complainant was made to run from pillar to post for settlement of her legal claim”. Parkash Kaur, who retired on January 31, 2006, had lodged the medical reimbursement claim after she incurred an expenditure of Rs 2,59,199 on the treatment of her husband’s knees.
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Nurses protest at Rajindra Hospital
Patiala, November 15 Staff nurses and Class IV employees, under the leadership of Ram Kishan, president of the Joint Action Committee, and district president of the Nursing Association, Paramjeet Hundal, staged protest on the hospital campus and took march in the city. Talking to mediapersons, Ram Singh said they are demanding filling of 300 vacant posts of Class IV employees.
— TNS
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Nursing home sealed for violating PNDT Act
Patiala, November 15 Civil Surgeon Dr Varinder Singh Mohi said a team comprising District Family Welfare Officer Dr Surinder Pal, Medical Officer Dr Kiranjot Kaur and Dr Jagbeer Singh raided Sharda Nursing Home today and found that it was openly flouting various norms laid under the PNDT Act. “There was no gynaecologist in the nursing home. Moreover, the hospital failed to provide proper record of various patients. There were no reference slips by doctors for ultrasounds and Dr Renu Sharda, owner of the nursing home, was doing self references and doing ultrasounds,” he added. He further informed that he had received some complaints regarding the nursing home that it was indulging in sex-determination tests and lack of records certainly hint that Dr Renu might be directly or indirectly involved in this practice. Therefore, we have sealed the centre for six weeks, he said. Only few days ago, a team from the Health Department had found that Rajan Nursing Home, located at the Rajbaha Road was found violating various norms of the PNDT Act and was subsequently sealed for a month.
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Students’ strike on Nov 21
Patiala, November 15 Talking to The Tribune in this regard, state president of the union, Gurmukh Singh Mann said the colleges were charging various funds from students, including PTA Fund, Building Fund and Student Welfare Fund, which was unjustified.
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Amritsar, November 15
Chandigarh, November 15
Ironically, contrary to Punjab Government’s claims to reduce drug addiction by introducing kabaddi in Punjab, the six liquor vends, situated within a 5-km radius of the venue of kabaddi matches, did brisk business today. Four kabaddi matches between different countries were held today at the Nehru Memorial College on the Barnala-Sirsa road.
Riki
Dullet’s Murder
Chandigarh, November 15
Jalandhar, November 15