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Turncoats don't matter to us: Manpreet |
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Prove allegations or face suit, says Bhagwant
ANALYSIS
A relaxed CM with BJP leader Shanta Kumar at the Moga rally. A Tribune photograph
Constituency
Watch: Samana
Poll Snippets
Failing to get heard, two EGS teachers slit vein
More sops: 4,342 teachers promoted
Rakhra Sugar Mill A view of the Rakhra Sugar Mill in Patiala. A Tribune file photo
Need to build pressure, says Sarabjit’s Pak lawyer
Action committee to protest poor services at Rajindra Hospital
Punjab School Education Board Chairman DS Dhillon addresses mediapersons in Mohali. A Tribune photo
Install CCTV cameras within 15 days: PPCB to industries
Fake degree racket busted in Patiala
HC rap for Punjab rights commission
HC verdict on Sehajdhari voting rights case today
Woman clubbed to death by lover
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Turncoats don't matter to us: Manpreet
Chandigarh, December 19 Asserting that he would be happy at the exit of other such black sheep, Manpreet claimed the PPP was not a party of leaders but a movement of the people committed to the cause of Punjab. "We will break the monopoly of power-hungry traditional parties, including the Congress and the Shiromani Akali
Dal," he said. The PPP chief said what mattered to the party were the masses and not those who treated themselves as leaders. "Our party has forgiven and forgotten both Brar and
Dhillon. But the state people will never forgive them for having failed to follow the ideals of martyr Bhagat Singh despite taking an oath at the Golden Temple," he said. Rubbishing statements that the PPP would support the SAD in case of a hung assembly, Manpreet said he had made it clear on several occasions that both the parties could not sail on the same boat. "In that scenario, the PPP will approach the Governor for a re-poll," he added.
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Prove allegations or face suit, says Bhagwant
Chandigarh, December 19 Mann said before going abroad, PPP chief Manpreet Singh had issued strict instructions to all concerned that not a dollar would be accepted from the NRIs towards party donation. He alleged that it was Dhillon who had accepted money from some NRIs on the sly. Mann said he was earning in lakhs as an artist and had joined politics for a cause and not to make money. “I was one of the highest income tax paying artists in the state before entering the political arena?, he claimed. He showed letters by Manpreet requesting NRIs not to give money to any PPP leader. Sitting alongside Mann, Manpreet offered to show mediapersons his party’s account books. “When Dhillon and Brar were in the PPP, they had the authority to spend money on rallies and other party functions and were never asked about the expenditure,” Mann said, adding that such was the public outrage against Dhillon and Brar for deserting the PPP that they had been forced to go off Facebook.
— TNS
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ANALYSIS
Chandigarh, December 19 Though Sukhbir Badal is the SAD president, his father is certainly more acceptable to the senior party leadership than him. Locked in a tough electoral fight, the party does not wish to lose this goodwill. Sukhbir’s political acumen is always compared with that of his cousin Manpreet Badal and projecting Sukhbir as the chief ministerial
candidate can split the Akali vote bank, which could prove disastrous in a triangular contest. The SAD’S Moga rally, perhaps not as big as planned, has set the tone for canvassing. Bogged down by the blame game with the Congress and the PPP, the SAD has now realised that it must correct its strategy and stick to the development agenda while cashing in on the anti-Centre sentiment. Projecting Badal Senior as the chief ministerial candidate indicates that he is indisputably the best person to garner votes for the coalition. The CM has opted for a Panthic agenda, inaugurating four Sikh memorials and earning for himself the title of Panth Rattan. Hence, he will be able to garner Sikh votes in a way Sukhbir will not. Sukhbir had recently told The Tribune that he wanted his father to remain active in politics for as long as possible as his mother’s death had left him lonely. One need not read too much into the turnout at the Moga rally. The Akalis are known to be good organisers and the turnout cannot be a barometer of the party popularity.
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Constituency
Watch: Samana
With sitting Congress MLA Brahm Mohindra interested in shifting to the newly carved out Patiala (Rural) constituency (a large number of Samana villages are now under the new constituency), the Congress may have to look for another candidate here.
Though Brahm Mohindra has applied for the Congress ticket from both Samana and Patiala (Rural), he has told the party high command about his preference.The MLA has contested six elections on the Congress ticket, winning four times.The primary reason for his losing interest in this constituency is the fact that post-delimitation, the constituency now comprises Akali-dominated areas which have the maximum number of Jat and urban Sikh votes. The SAD has already finalised the candidature of former MLA and Chairman of the Patiala District Planning Committee Surjit Singh Rakhra for this constituency. Promises: As in most constituencies represented by Congress leaders in Patiala, Brahm Mohindra could also not deliver much. Still, he made efforts to ensure that the people in his constituency had access to drinking water and proper roads. He also raised issues pertaining to his constituency in the Vidhan Sabha. Development of backward areas will certainly be the main election issue these elections. Vox Populi:
The people of the constituency are all praise for the sitting MLA who has been accessible to them throughout the tenure. "Brahm Mohindra has been visiting the constituency at regular intervals and has been instrumental in spreading awareness among the people on social evils like female foeticide and drug abuse", said a group of youths discussing the coming elections. Looking Back:
In 1980, Congress candidate Sant Ram defeated SAD's Kirpal Singh by a margin of 11.33 per cent votes. However, Congress lost the seat to the Akali Dal in 1985 with Hardyal Singh Rajla defeating Sohan Lal Jalota of the Congress. In 1992, Amarinder Singh was victorious. In 1997, Jagtar Singh Rajla of the SAD defeated Brij Lal of the Congress by a margin of 30 per cent votes. In 2002, Rakhra of the SAD defeated Brahm Mohindra, who was shifted to Samana with the Congress fielding Capt Amarinder Singh from Patiala City. In the 2007 elections, Brahm Mohindra defeated Rakhra.
— TNS
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Poll Snippets
Tarn Taran: Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma today said the proposed seat swapping between the ruling alliance partners would “benefit” both the parties. Interacting with mediapersons after addressing party workers here, Sharma said all their decisions were aimed at boosting the poll prospects of the alliance. “We will sort out issues, if any, resulting out of the seat-swapping deal between the SAD and the BJP,” he said.
Sharma claimed the BJP was capable of playing a “significant role” in all 117 assembly seats in the coming elections. Rejecting corruption charges against the BJP leaders in the state, he said the CBI didn’t have any proof to corroborate the charges. He alleged the investigating agency had become a tool in the hands of the ruling Congress, which had been “misusing” it to target its rivals. The BJP chief said the party would contest elections from 23 seats and would “repeat its performance of 2007”. The state BJP chief was in the town to mobilise party workers for the BJP's December 24 rally in Jalandhar.
— OC SAD-BJP leaders race against time
Fazilka: The SAD-BJP coalition leaders seem to be in haste and trying to make the best out of every passing day by highlighting their achievements and distributing freebies from the government exchequer to the needy to woo them before the implementation of the election code of conduct. Local BJP MLA and Transport Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani along with his wife Nirmala Jyani disbursed 1,049 sewing machines to widows and 200 tricycles to physically challenged persons at a programme here on Monday. A galaxy of local BJP and SAD leaders, including Market Committee chairman Ashok Jairath and Municipal Council president Anil Sethi, were present.
— OC
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Failing to get heard, two EGS teachers slit vein
Husnar (Gidderbaha), December 19 Demanding regular jobs for EGS
members who had completed elementary teachers' training course, the
protesters also wrote anti-government slogans in blood. Identified
as Kulvir Singh and Birbal Singh, the duo allegedly tried to commit
suicide around 11:30 am after no senior government official turned up
to listen to their demands. Kulvir had been hospitalised at Muktsar,
where his condition was stated to be critical, while Birbal was still
protesting atop the tank refusing requests to descend. Six activists,
including four females, of the EGS Teachers' Union have been
protesting atop the tank since Saturday afternoon. The union members
have met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Deputy Chief
Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal a number of times but their demands still
remain unmet. Badal, it has been learnt, had invited the agitating
EGS teachers for a meeting in Bathinda today but he could not reach
there due to foggy weather. The meeting, therefore, has been
postponed. Pritpal Singh, EGS Teachers' Union president, said,
"We have intensified our stir as the government is not paying any
heed towards our demand. Two of our activists today attempted to
commit suicide only to show that we will not budge till our demands
are met."
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More sops: 4,342 teachers promoted
Chandigarh, December 19 Sekhwan said 3,822 master cadre employees, including those of science, math and social studies, had been promoted as lecturers after their cases were found fit for promotion. Similarly, 208 lecturers and 312 from master cadre had been promoted as principals and head masters, respectively. He said another DPC meeting was being called in day or two to clear the cases for 463 promotions of principals from head masters. The Minister said the newly promoted teachers would be allotted their new places of postings in coming days. He said the State Education Department had already promoted and posted 842 head masters from master cadre and 252 principals from lecturers. He pointed out that with this, 5,901 promotions had been done over the past three months.
Sekhwan said the SAD-BJP government had already recruited a large number of teachers and that too by ensuring "transparency and merit".
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Rakhra Sugar Mill
Patiala, December 19 Unable to manage their household expenses, the aggrieved employees have urged the Government to release their salaries without further delay. Due to financial crisis, on account of non-disbursal of salary, one of the Mill employees Harbhajan Singh had allegedly committed suicide in January this year. The employees of the Rakhra Sugar Mill include clerical staff, supervisors, skilled and unskilled labourers. Some months back, the State Government had accepted the demand of the employees to give them voluntary retirement. "Only 128 employees were covered under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and relieved from duty on November 25. Funds to the tune of Rs 14.53 crore were sanctioned, but the amount to be given to VRS beneficiaries has not been released", said Faqir Chand and S Yadav, both mill employees covered under the VRS. Secretary general of the Cooperative Sugar Mills Employees' Action Committee, Rakhra (Patiala), Balwant Singh said that the State Government should have extended the option of the VRS to all the 192 mill employees. "The 64 employees, who have been left out from the VRS benefit should be given the same before the imposition of the election code of conduct. The VRS money should also be disbursed at the earliest", he demanded. The affected employees of the Mill also said that while the State Government was claiming that thousands of crores had been pumped for the development of the State, but the reality was that the Government had failed to even pay the salaries to the employees. "In case, the State Government does not cover the 64 mill employees under the VRS, then the salary for the 42 months should be disbursed among these employees without any further delay", said Balwant.
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Need to build pressure, says Sarabjit’s Pak lawyer
Amritsar, December 19 Interacting with mediapersons after meeting Sarabjit's family here, Sheikh said the relations between India and Pakistan were improving and it was high time that both the countries took a sympathetic view of the plight of prisoners languishing in each other's jails for years. Sheikh also brought with him the letters written by Sarabjit to PM Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and BJP stalwart LK Advani seeking their intervention in securing his release. Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur, who was also present there, said they were contemplating to move the International Criminal Court in connection with the case. On Sarabjit's condition, Sheikh said his health was better and morale high. "He is getting proper medicines. Sometime back, the jail authorities had kept him in isolation in the aftermath of media hype surrounding his case, but now things are getting back to normal." He dubbed Sarabjit a "victim of politics being played between the two countries in the name of prisoners". He, however, said the chances of his release were bright. He said he had ample evidence against the real culprit, Manjeet Singh, whose name figured in the case in which Sarabjit was falsely implicated.
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Action committee to protest poor services at Rajindra Hospital
Patiala, December 19 Demanding immediate intervention of the State Government to improve services and infrastructure at the 1,000 bedded hospital, the Rajindra Hospital Bachao Action Committee (RHBAC) has decided to launch a series of protest by organising a state-level protest in front of the hospital on December 21. Dr Darshan Pal and Jagmohan Singh, district President and state general secretary, respectively, of the Bhartya Kisan Union (Dakaunda), which is the major constituent of the committee, said the committee was left with no other option but to announce agitation as previous two rounds of negotiations with the hospital authorities had failed to move the latter to take positive steps in this direction. Stating that the health issue is equally important like other issues, including farm sector, leaders added that the BKU (Dakaunda), in its district committee meeting had decided to push all its cadre force in the agitation. "Once considered as a lifeline for patients of the entire south-west Punjab, the hospital, today, is not able to even attend the emergency roadside accident cases, leave alone the breakthrough research and tertiary level medical care," they added. "Despite persuasive efforts, ranging from eminent medical professionals up to various social organisations, the quality of service is going down with each passing year. Therefore, agitation is the only alternative with the masses", said the leaders. When contacted, Dr KD Singh, Principal, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, said he had done best possible within his limits to improve quality of health services. "Ours is a government institute and it takes a little time to change certain things. Still, we have already improved a lot of things, including upgrading infrastructure and creating new wards for adolescents," added Dr Singh.
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Board to grant affiliation, upgrade schools
To clear the backlog of applications that have been pending, the Association of the PSEB Affiliated Schools had been knocking at the door of the State Government for the past many years. In July last year, the Education Minister had decided to grant permission for affiliation or upgradation, but the decision was not implemented due to certain reasons. Irritated over the issue, an association of the affiliated schools had recently held a demonstration outside the office of the PSEB. To clear the air on the issue, Dr Dalbir Singh Dhillon, PSEB Chairman, said that subject to fulfillment of the laid down norms that had been relaxed on certain parameters, the inspecting teams of the board would inspect all the schools in the next few weeks and schools would be accordingly granted affiliation. He said pressure tactics adopted by a group of the affiliated schools to get affiliation, without paying any fee, was not acceptable to the authorities. "It involved financial loss to the board", he added. Dr Dhillon said that the Board was ready to grant more time to the schools for meeting the requirements of affiliation. He said that he had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of a retired session judge along with decentralisation of Board's various activities at the district-level. On the issue of about 3,500 private schools being granted associate status at a nominal fee and on the other hand the affiliated schools paying heavy fee and follow strict norms, the Chairman said they were two separate categories of schools. Once the Right to Education (RTE) Act was implemented, all the schools could be categorised into one class and follow same set of rules. Rajinder Sharma, President of the Association of Punjab School Education Board, said decision of the government to affiliate or up grade such schools was pending since the past four months. "We have been fighting on the issue since 2007. On the pattern of government schools, the affiliated schools have been demanding affiliation", he said.
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Install CCTV cameras within 15 days: PPCB to industries
Patiala, December 19 Confirming this, PPCB Chairman KS Pannu said that the industries, which would be covered in the first phase, include distilleries, pharmaceuticals/bulk drug manufacturers, paper mills, sugar mills, meat plants and the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) for electroplating industries at Ludhiana and for the leather complex at Jalandhar. The PPCB Chairman said that all these industries had been directed to get these cameras installed inside
the industry premises at prominent locations like bio-reactor to monitor regular operation of aerators, outflow channel/electro magnetic flow meters, chemical dozing tanks, stacks for checking the release of smoke and any other specific site as per requirement. "Though, it is duty of all the industrial units to install and regularly operate the pollution control devices in order to bring down the pollution level within the prescribed limits, but they are not regularly operating them, due to which the purpose of pollution control gets defeated", he said. Pannu said that with the installation of the online CCTV cameras, with backup recording of 60 days, the Board would monitor these polluting industries through Internet. "The right of monitoring through CCTVs has also been given to the concerned Assistant Environmental Engineers, Environmental Engineer, Senior Environmental Engineers and Chief Environmental Engineer", he said. Pannu also said that the industries' owners had been directed to install the CCTV cameras and DVR at their own cost, which would be around Rs 40,000. "The industrial units have been directed that CCTV/DVR should be installed within next 15 days for making the connectivity to the central server of the Board for continuous monitoring at any moment of time", he said, while adding that this step would help in bringing down the pollution level drastically. Controlling pollution
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Fake degree racket busted in Patiala
Patiala, December 19 The Model Town police started investigations and found that the gang members were also operating from Haryana and distributing certificates to anyone in the country for money. Following a tip-off from Delhi, the city police laid a trap and after getting vital details, rounded up a person in a late evening raid. "The accused had prepared a certificate for a student who was caught by the Singapore Embassy while trying to get a visa on fake documents. It was found that the student got the documents from a Patiala-based person", claimed ASI Guriqbal Singh. The accused has been identified as an MBA student from a private university. The police recovered a computer, scanner and some more certificates from him. Sources confirmed that the gang members charged between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 per certificate. Certain stamps used in the fraud have also been recovered and a computer centre in Gurbax Colony has also been sealed.
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HC rap for Punjab rights commission
Chandigarh, December 19 The ruling came on a petition filed by DSP Balwinder Singh, Barjinder Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar Goel against the State of Punjab and other respondents. In the petition placed before the Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Rajiv Narain Raina, challenge was thrown to the order dated November 12, 2009, passed by the Punjab State Human Rights Commission. In its order, the Commission had rejected the defence pleas of the three police officers and recommended to the State Government to initiate department action against them. An interim compensation of Rs 25,000 was also recommended for Vishal Kumar, the victim of police harassment. Challenging the order, counsel for the petitioner submitted: “Once the commission decides that the defence raised by the three petitioners was rejected, this would certainly prejudice their rights before the regular courts of law where they may have to face criminal or civil proceedings.” The counsel added the rest of the order was recommendatory and there could not be “any possible objection”. After hearing the rival contentions, the Bench asserted that it was of the view that the submission made by the petitioner’s counsel on the offending portion of the order deserved to be accepted. “Once the commission is found to be a recommendatory institution by the Division Bench of this court and the commission is only to act as a catalytic body, it would not have any jurisdiction to reject the defence version posed by the petitioner before the commission.” “If such a course is adopted, it would amount to adjudication of the rights of the parties and their case before the regular courts might be prejudiced…. The following portion of the order is set aside: The commission rejects the defence pleas of the three police officers. The writ petitions are partly allowed. However, rest of the recommendations would stand”. The rulebook
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HC verdict on Sehajdhari voting rights case today
Chandigarh, December 19 A three-Judge Bench of the High Court is scheduled to pronounce the orders on a bunch of three petitions filed by the Sehajdhari Sikhs Federation and other petitioners. They are seeking directions to the Union of India and other respondents for quashing the impugned notification issued in on October 8, 2003. The notification debars Sehajdhari Sikhs from voting in the SGPC elections was issued.
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Woman clubbed to death by lover
Patiala, December 19 The accused later tried to commit suicide, but was overpowered by the cops, who admitted him to a hospital in a critical condition. The deceased has been identified as Harpreet Kaur, a resident of Arya Samaj locality of the city. The accused has been identified as Ranjit Singh, a resident of Pedna village. The victim was already fighting a divorce case in Ludhiana with her husband and was staying in
Patiala for some years, where she developed relations with Ranjit Singh, the police said. Onlookers said the incident took around 5 pm when the two were sitting in the garden and suddenly Ranjit allegedly took out an axe and slit the throat of the victim and stabbed her several times, leaving her in a pool of blood. “They were shouting at each other and what we could make out was that the accused was angry with Harpreet for not cooperating with him. He seemed to suspect that she was having another affair,” an eye witness said. “After he finished hitting the victim, he tried to commit suicide by slitting his throat, but could not do so as onlookers rushed to save him. However, by the time he was overpowered by the crowd, he had partially cut his throat,” said Devinder Singh, SHO, Lahori Gate, . “We have recovered the weapon used in the crime, though Ranjit has been admitted to a local hospital in a very critical condition,” he added. The police has registered a case under section 302 and 309 of the IPC against the accused. "The accused is under observation and his condition is still very critical. We have sent the body of the victim for postmortem and will record the statement of the onlookers and the accused by tomorrow", the SHO said.
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Chandigarh, December 19
Chandigarh, December 19
Chandigarh, December 19
Husnar (Gidderbaha), December 19
of the defunct Rakhra Sugar Mill from the past 42 months despite making tall claims of initiating unprecedented development in Punjab.
Mohali, December 19