B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Remove media monitoring committee chief: Cong MLA
Moga, January 10
Congress MLA from Moga Joginder Pal Jain has alleged that Dr PC Mittal, chairman of the media monitoring and certification committee for the elections in Moga district, is a family friend of Paramdeep Singh Gill, former DGP, who is a candidate of the ruling SAD and is helping Gill in his poll campaign at odd hours.

Bogus tubewell scam in Bhagta sub-division
Six PSEB employees convicted by court
Bathinda, January 10
Six employees of the erstwhile Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) were among the seven convicted and sentenced to imprisonment under 2005 bogus tube well scam in the Bhagta sub-division.

Political flip-flops
PPP offers ticket to PA of Kushaldeep Dhillon
Faridkot, January 10
In a striking development in the area, the PPP has fielded the PA of a senior leader on the Faridkot seat, a month after this leader left the PPP to join the Congress.

Security personnel deployed in Bathinda ahead of the Assembly polls on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Residents feel disappointed as Sidhu misses BJP roadshow
Abohar, January 10
Cricketer, TV laughter challenge star and parliamentarian Navjot Singh Sidhu disappointed hundreds of fans by missing the road show here that was organised after the filing of the nomination papers by the BJP candidate Vijay Laxmi Bhadu, chairperson, State Social Welfare Board.

‘Krishi Pandit’ Balwant Singh cremated
Abohar, January 10
The mortal remains of Balwant Singh Thind (89), recipient of the ‘Krishi Pandit’ award and holder of national record in per acre wheat produce, were consigned to flames at the Padampur road cremation ground last evening. He was also known as an eminent homoeopath, who treated thousands of patients free of cost,

DEO receives over 30 poll related complaints
Ferozepur, January 10
Over 30 election related complaints have been received by the District Election Officer (DEO) here so far. Of these, 25 complaints have been disposed of while an inquiry was in progress in the rest of the complaints.

SAD to oppose diesel price decontrol
Bathinda, January10
Harsimrat Kaur Badal, SAD MP, today announced that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) would strongly oppose the proposed move of the Congress led UPA government to raise the price of diesel coupled by its decontrol as indicated by the Petroleum Minister Jaipal Reddy. In a statement here, she said that decontrol of the pricing of diesel, on petrol pattern was a deliberate attempt by the Centre to stifle the economy of Punjab agriculturists and transporters.

Rajwant files nomination from Nihalsinghwala
Moga, January 10
Rajwant Kaur, a woman candidate of the ruling SAD, today filed her nomination papers from the Nihasinghwala (reserve) constituency.

Col Veeresh Thapar visits Asafwala war memorial
Fazilka, January 10
Commanding Officer, 4 Jat Regiment, Colonel Veeresh Thapar, accompanied by his wife and senior officials of the unit, visited the 1971 Indo-Pak War Memorial at village Asafwala.

Remove media monitoring committee chief: Cong MLA
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, January 10
Congress MLA from Moga Joginder Pal Jain has alleged that Dr PC Mittal, chairman of the media monitoring and certification committee for the elections in Moga district, is a family friend of Paramdeep Singh Gill, former DGP, who is a candidate of the ruling SAD and is helping Gill in his poll campaign at odd hours.

Dr Mittal is a native of the Moga town and has been residing here for the last many decades. He was working as a deputy director in the Animal Husbandry Department here for the last many years.

He was promoted as joint director and transferred in the head office at Chandigarh, just a few weeks before the announcement of the elections. Jain said, "The SAD party has managed to keep him at Moga by giving him an additional charge of the office in his home district in violation of the model code of conduct of the elections.

He further alleged, “Dr Mittal organises a dog show with the help of the Animal Husbandry Department and local organisations every year at Moga in the memory of former DGP's father Nachattar Singh Gill, which shows he enjoys friendly relations with the Gill family."

While demanding the removal of Dr Mittal from the media monitoring and certification committee, Jain also asked the Election Commission to take stern action against him as per the law for hiding the facts from the district election authorities that he is a native of Moga and enjoys friendly relations with the SAD candidate.

Jain, while showing a few copies of the advertisements (available with The Tribune) of the SAD candidates published in the vernacular newspapers, revealed that the media monitoring and certification committee has hidden these facts from the Election Commission committing dereliction in duty, which amounts to criminal as well as departmental action.

Meanwhile, Dr Mittal denied the allegations of hiding the facts on advertisements saying that if any advertisements had been published in the newspapers, they were in violation of the poll code as no candidate has so far got permission from him to publish advertisements related to the poll campaign, adding that he has already given in writing to the district magistrate-cum-district election officer that he has been posted in his home district.

“It is now up to the Election Commission to transfer him out of this district,” he said.

Bogus tubewell scam in Bhagta sub-division
Six PSEB employees convicted by court
Megha Mann
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 10
Six employees of the erstwhile Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) were among the seven convicted and sentenced to imprisonment under 2005 bogus tube well scam in the Bhagta sub-division.

The court of the district and sessions judge SK Aggarwal today awarded sentence to seven accused and acquitted three from the case. Ten persons, including eight PSEB officials and two private people were booked on August 22, 2005 at the Dialpura police station under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120 B of the IPC, 39 of the Indian Electricity Act and Sections 13 (1) d, 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

From 2001 to 2005, the accused had allegedly issued bogus tube well connections to the residents of village Bhagta Bhai Ka without any authority to do so. The then Director, Enforcement, PSEB, Bathinda, constituted eight teams and marked an inquiry into the scam. After the receipt of preliminary reports, Deputy Chief Engineer, Enforcement, Bathinda, Karnail Singh Mann and Additional SE, Enforcement, Moga, Gurdas Singh Dhaliwal compiled reports of all the eight teams.

In all, 46 tubewell connections were found to be illegal, which were consuming power of the PSEB, but no security, service charges were deposited in the department against all these 46 illegal connections.

The court has convicted junior engineers Gurbax Singh, Jagdev Singh alias Jaggi and Sucha Singh, LDC Ramesh Kumar and assistant JE Mohan Lal.

They have been awarded three years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) each under Sections 467 of the IPC and 120 B, one year each under Sections 420, 465 and 471 of the IPC and for two years under Section 13 of the PC Act. Revenue accountant Krishan Kumar and private person Sukhpal alias Satpal alias Pappu has also been convicted. Three years RI each was awarded under Sections 467 and 120 B of the IPC. One year RI each has been awarded under Sections 420, 465 and 471 of the IPC.

The court has acquitted private person Parma Nand, PSEB employees Sarabjit Singh and Bachittar Singh. They were found innocent and acquitted of the charges framed against them.

Political flip-flops
PPP offers ticket to PA of Kushaldeep Dhillon
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, January 10
In a striking development in the area, the PPP has fielded the PA of a senior leader on the Faridkot seat, a month after this leader left the PPP to join the Congress.

The PPP has fielded Bhupinder Singh Sangatpura on Faridkot seat. Interestingly, just a week back, Bhupinder Singh was the personal assistant (PA) to Kushaldeep Dhillon, the former MLA and the PPP founding member, who deserted the party a month back to join the Congress.

A month back, before Kushaldeep Dhillon jumped on to the Congress bandwagon, this former MLA was being perceived as the PPP candidate on Faridkot seat.

However, once he joined Congress, it upset the PPP’s applecart in the area and the party started search for a new candidate, finally zeroing in on Dhillon’s PA.

However, Dhillon said contesting or not contesting the election, it was Bhupinder’s independent decision. “I have nothing to do with it. Bhupinder was my PA for many years but his joining active politics is his independent decision,” added Dhillon.

Residents feel disappointed as Sidhu misses BJP roadshow
Our Correspondent

Abohar, January 10
Cricketer, TV laughter challenge star and parliamentarian Navjot Singh Sidhu disappointed hundreds of fans by missing the road show here that was organised after the filing of the nomination papers by the BJP candidate Vijay Laxmi Bhadu, chairperson, State Social Welfare Board.

Scores of rickshaws fitted with sound system roamed for the last two days making an appeal to meet Navjot by joining the show.

In fact, the saffron party had decided to pitch Sidhu to pull crowds and listed him as star campaigner.

He enthralled the gathering at Fazilka on Monday. He could not turn up here this morning.

However, Sidhu visited the town this evening and addressed the media.

‘Krishi Pandit’ Balwant Singh cremated

Abohar, January 10
The mortal remains of Balwant Singh Thind (89), recipient of the ‘Krishi Pandit’ award and holder of national record in per acre wheat produce, were consigned to flames at the Padampur road cremation ground last evening. He was also known as an eminent homoeopath, who treated thousands of patients free of cost,

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot’s deputy principal secretary Pardeep Bohrad, BSF commandant RK Arora, BJP legislature Radheyshyam, former CPM MLA Het Ram Beniwal, Sriganganagar, Municipal Council, president Jagdish Jandu, Improvement Trust chairperson Jyoti Kanda and Mahila Congress state secretary Bhupinder Kaur Turna offered wreaths and garlands at the pyre. — OC

DEO receives over 30 poll related complaints
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, January 10
Over 30 election related complaints have been received by the District Election Officer (DEO) here so far. Of these, 25 complaints have been disposed of while an inquiry was in progress in the rest of the complaints.

DC-cum-DEO S Karuna Raju said, "The report regarding the action taken in most of the complaints have been sent to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEO), Punjab.”

Most of the complaints hailed from Gururharsahai assembly segment. One of the complaints was sent by Lal Singh, vice-president, PPCC, regarding action being taken by the district administration in case of very sensitive and sensitive booths in Guruharsahai assembly segment. Four complaints have been filed by the sitting MLA and Congress candidate from Gururharsahai, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, which includes complaints related to harassment and intimidation of voters by some police officials besides the use of panchayat funds for the construction of a Dharmshala at village Chuga in violation of the model code of conduct.

Vardev Singh Mann, SAD candidate from Gururharsahai, has also lodged a complaint against Sodhi. Raju said all the complaints have been looked into and the necessary action has been taken, adding that the pending complaints would also be sorted out within a day.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India has appointed four election observers for this district, including two general observers besides one expenditure observer and another police observer.

Raju said the two general observers, who have been appointed, included Laima Choza from West Bengal and C Parthasarathi from Andhra Pradesh.

Laima Choza would also look after Zira and Ferozepur City assembly segments while Parthasarathi would be the observer for Ferozepur (Rural) and Guruharsahai seats.

SAD to oppose diesel price decontrol
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January10
Harsimrat Kaur Badal, SAD MP, today announced that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) would strongly oppose the proposed move of the Congress led UPA government to raise the price of diesel coupled by its decontrol as indicated by the Petroleum Minister Jaipal Reddy. In a statement here, she said that decontrol of the pricing of diesel, on petrol pattern was a deliberate attempt by the Centre to stifle the economy of Punjab agriculturists and transporters.

Harsimrat said that the SAD would not allow decontrol of diesel till the UPA government links the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of agriculture produce with price index, accepting the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. She said that on the one hand, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was making statements that UPA government was taking steps to bring down inflation but on the other, his minister was suggesting diesel price hike, that would have a cascading effect on inflation.

Harsimrat said on the one hand, the Centre has admitted in Parliament that out of 89.35 million farmers in the country, 43.42 million were neck deep in debt and 65.4 per cent farmers of Punjab were trapped in debt cycle and on the other, the decontrol of diesel without linking agriculture MSP with price index would further push them deeper into debt.

Questioning the deliberate silence of Captain Amarinder Singh on such a sensitive issue, Harsimrat said that Captain Amarinder Singh, since 1975, had been working overtime to help the multinational companies at the cost of farmers. During 2002-2007, Amarinder gave away precious village common land worth crores to an MNC company under the farm-to-fork scheme, robbing Panchayats of their source of income. He deliberately scuttled the construction of the the Bathinda refinery for five years to help a multinational refinery and now his silent support for diesel decontrol was meant to support the multinational oil lobby, she alleged.

Rajwant files nomination from Nihalsinghwala
Tribune News Service

Moga, January 10
Rajwant Kaur, a woman candidate of the ruling SAD, today filed her nomination papers from the Nihasinghwala (reserve) constituency.

A total of four candidates had filed their nomination papers from this constituency till Tuesday evening.

The BSP candidate Sukhdev Singh and his wife Daljit Kaur as covering candidate and Kuldip Singh Dhose of the PPP had filed their nomination papers from the Baghapurana and Dharamkot constituencies, respectively.

The District magistrate-cum-District Election Officer B Purushartha has revealed that a total of 13 nominations had been received till Tuesday evening in the four constituencies of the Moga district.

Col Veeresh Thapar visits Asafwala war memorial

Fazilka, January 10
Commanding Officer, 4 Jat Regiment, Colonel Veeresh Thapar, accompanied by his wife and senior officials of the unit, visited the 1971 Indo-Pak War Memorial at village Asafwala.

During his maiden visit to the memorial, Thapar and members of the Shaheedon Ki Samadhi Committee led by president Sandeep Gilhotra laid wreaths at the sanctum sanctorum in the memorial complex.

Colonel Thapar lauded the efforts of the committee members. — OC