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Entrenched Badals have it all
Belgium Murders |
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3 Akali leaders quizzed
3 panchayat secys suspended for
Rs 50-lakh bungling
Militant held in Jalandhar
Recasting of Boards
No decision on Bathinda seat yet : Manpreet
Four killed in ambulance crash
State govt approves Contract Farming Act
Complaint lodged against Majithia
CM approves new service rules
Army written test to have negative marking
‘Tankhah’ for Bhandal for using chairs at langar
Cheque Bounce Case: Plea against Sri Sri quashed
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Entrenched Badals have it all
Chandigarh, October 1
The 23 portfolios shared between Badal and his four relatives, including Sukhbkir Singh Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon and Janmeja Singh Sekhon, form the cream de la cream of the ministry. These include the most important portfolios of Home, Revenue, Excise and Taxation, Agriculture, Food and Power. Badal’s son and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal is in charge of seven portfolios including Home, Excise and Taxation, Investment Promotion and Sports. The CM’s son-in-law, Adesh Partap Kairon, holds the portfolios of Food and Civil Supplies, Food Processing and Information Technology. Sukhbir’s brother-in-law Bikramjit Singh Majithia holds Revenue and Public Relations besides two other portfolios. A distant relative, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, is in charge of Irrigation. The CM holds eight portfolios, including that of Power, Agriculture and General Administration. After the forced resignations of ministers Tota Singh, who held the Agriculture ministry, Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was Minister for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation, Defence Services Welfare and Pensioners' Welfare and Gulzar Singh Ranike, who was Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and SC/BC Welfare, the CM has kept with himself the portfolios held by Tota Singh and Jagir Kaur. He has allocated the portfolios held by Ranike to Sarwan Singh Phillaur. This has sent out signals that the CM is in no mood to re-allocate the other portfolios, indicating the Cabinet will continue to be family-centric. Despite this, there is not a murmur of protest in the SAD. This is because the Badal family has emerged even more powerful than it was during its earlier term in office. Sources say there were initially some rumblings that a few family members enjoyed too much power. But the SAD-led coalition's return to power in March this year changed that. Sources say several leaders are not happy with the present setup. But is the absence of an alternative leadership in the party, they have no choice but to keep mum. With senior leader Capt Kanwaljit Singh no more, veteran leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa both physically and politically weak and Majha veteran Ranjit Singh Brahmpura unable to retain his assembly seat, the Badal family now has complete control over the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee too. Party spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema claims that members of the Badal family have made it to the ministry on merit. Sources said even among the family members, there has been a re-alignment of forces. Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal has been given a larger role than before. His brother-in-law Bikram Majithia, who was made minister in the last government, despite being a first-time MLA, has been rewarded for the work done by him in the Majha belt and for the successful stewardship of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD). Adesh Partap Singh Kairon retains the same portfolio, but his political importance has diminished. Janmeja Sekhon has been rewarded for standing with Sukhbir in the latter’s war with Manpreet Badal. Sekhon was a protégé of Manpreet’s father Gurdas Singh Badal.
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Belgium Murders
Doraha, October 1
Rajvir Kaur along with her three children Manraj (6), Karman (4) and Navjot (2) was found murdered at their residence while her husband Jasvir Singh Jhajj was away at work on Friday night. Jasvir Singh Jhajj, alias Gora, had shifted to Belgium 20 years ago and married Rajvir Kaur of Sihar village in Rara Sahib on March 6, 2005. Three children were born to them in Belgium. The family had visited India to celebrate Lohri at Buani village this year. The deceased’s relatives contended that the family had been receiving threat calls for quite some time. On Friday night, Jasvir had left for work while his wife and children were at home. “Jasvir used to regularly call his family to check on them, especially after they had started receiving threat calls. When his calls went unanswered on the fateful night, he rushed back home and found his wife and children dead. A man, who worked near their residence, has been missing since the day of the murders. The Belgium police has sealed their house and is investigating the case,” said Jaspreet Singh Jassi, Jasvir’s brother. Jasvir’s cousin Gurpal Singh, who also lives in Brussels and is on a visit to India, said: “The family in the village learnt about the incident on the third day of the incident. Jasvir was so taken aback by the murders that he could not muster courage to inform his family back home. I learnt about the incident from my sources and confirmed the news from Jasvir. I am flying back shortly. We are yet to decide on whether or not the last rites will be performed in India.” Jang Singh, who lost three grandchildren in the incident, wishes to see their last rites performed at their native village. “I fail to understand the motive behind the killing of my daughter- in-law and innocent children. I wish to see them with my own eyes for the last time,” he said.
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3 Akali leaders quizzed
Faridkot, October 1 Tracing the calls made by him days before committing the crime and thereafter, the police questioned three Akali leaders last evening, according to a senior police officer. Sources said the police had also raided the houses of Nishan Singh's relatives. Residents of Deep Singh Wala, Golewala, Jhand Sahib and Sadiq towns in Faridkot district observed a bandh today to express solidarity with the Action Committee constituted to get justice for the kidnapped girl, Shruti. Meanwhile, Kulwinder Singh Sekhon, Nishan Singh's counsel, today withdrew the application for anticipatory bail for his client. He had claimed that Nishan Singh had been implicated in a false case and that he was innocent. However, with the police record showing as many as 16 criminal cases registered against Nishan Singh in the last three years, Sekhon withdrew the plea, fearing that it would be dismissed by court. Police records show that Shruti was first kidnapped by Nishan Singh on June 25 and a case of kidnapping and rape was registered against him.The teenager was again kidnapped on September 24 from her house by a gang of seven youths who also assaulted her parents. A terrified Shruti, a Class X student, had stopped going to school.
CM's visit off Fearing public ire, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has reportedly abandoned his plan to visit Faridkot on October 2 for the launch of a month-long awareness campaign for early detection of cancer. The Health Minister and the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, are scheduled to reach Faridkot for the launch.
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3 panchayat secys suspended for
Rs 50-lakh bungling
Mohali, October 1 Balwinder Singh Multani, Director, PRDPD, said: “We have suspended the three panchayat secretaries of Bhaini Bagga whose names had surfaced in the embezzlement of Rs 50 lakh in panchayat grants, while a 10-day notice has been served on sarpanch Mandeep Singh, who was also involved in the fraud.” Multani said the sarpanch would also be suspended after the notice period. The Mansa district administration had detected a fraud of Rs 50 lakh in Bhaini Bagha village and Kahangarh. Sarpanch Mandeep Singh, a relative of a former Akali MLA, three panchayat secretaries of Bhaini Bagga and a panchayat secretary of Kahangarh village were booked for cheating and embezzlement. Two separate cases were filed against them. Deputy Commissioner Amit Dhaka said the accused had embezzled money meant for various development works at the two villages. He said the cases had been registered on the recommendation of the block development and panchayat officers of Mansa and Budhlada. He said Mandeep Singh along with Harbans Singh, Jagwinder Singh and Vijay Kumar had allegedly embezzled Rs 45.40 lakh by producing bills for works that were never executed. They had also furnished inflated bills for works undertaken in the village. Dimple Kumar, panchayat secretary of Kahangarh village, allegedly pocketed Rs 4.23 lakh of the Rs 5.79 lakh received for leasing out the village land to a farm contractor. The Deputy Commissioner said a former sarpanch of the village had brought the matter to his notice, claiming that Dimple had neither deposited the money in the account of the panchayat nor submitted a receipt of the money received. Mansa SSP Narinder Bhargav said two cases under Sections 408, 409 and 120-B had been registered against the accused.
Fake bills
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Militant held in Jalandhar
Religious leaders like Baba Ashutosh Maharaj, Gurmit Ram Raheem Singh and Baba Bhaniara Wala and some renowned politicians were on his target, the police said. A native of Duhre village, Azad has confessed to his links with banned terrorist outfits like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), Special Staff, Diljinder Singh Dhillon said Azad had actively financed militants and kin of deceased terrorists to unite them. Dhillon said Azad visited Pakistan in 1989 where he met prominent terrorists like Daljit Singh Bittu, Wadhawa Singh Babbar, Paramjit Singh Panjwar and coordinated with them to revive terrorist activities in the state.
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Recasting of Boards
Bathinda, October 1 Significantly, at a rally in Maur town a fews days ago, Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon had asked the Chief Minister not to entertain requests of party leaders to appoint their wards to the more than 30 boards and corporations in the state. Sources said the Chief Minister realised the need to encourage party workers with the Shiromani Akali Dal becoming an ‘extended’ family of the Badals. The Akalis in the past have opposed dynastic rule and often criticised the Gandhi family on that ground. Sources say the Chief Minister may have to please some leaders who have joined the SAD recently by placing them as board/corporation heads. Wards of several Akali leaders are already holding one post or the other. Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka’s son is heading a co-operative bank in Bathinda. Rajya Sabha member Balwinder Singh Bhunder’s son Dilraj is chairman of the Mansa Zila Parishad Mansa. The wards may argue that they have been elected to the posts. But the influence of their powerful fathers can’t be ignored.
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No decision on Bathinda seat yet : Manpreet
Manpreet said: “The elections will be held in 2014 and to talk about the names of party candidates at this stage holds no relevance”. Moreover, he said, his party had an alliance with the Left parties and anyone could be interested in contesting from Bathinda. On reports that he would start campaigning in Bathinda soon, he said he would hold political meetings all over the state. On his difference of opinion on FDI with the Left, Manpreet said there was no harm in having a different stand on certain issues. “I am in favour of FDI because I think it will be good for people of the state. In Punjab, farmers, producers and consumers, especially poor sections, will benefit from it because of their enhanced purchasing power. New jobs will also be created,” he said. During his visit to Jalandhar today, Manpreet criticised Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for “toeing the NDA on FDI instead of watching the interests of Punjabis, especially farmers.” In reply to a question, he did not rule out the possibility of an alliance with the Congress in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Manpreet was accompanied by PPP district president Dr Navjot Dahiya.
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Four killed in ambulance crash
Amritsar, October 1 The victims were on their way to a private hospital in Amritsar from Fatehgarh Churian when the ambulance was hit by a speeding Mahindra Bolero. While Sharajit
Kaur, Rajbir Kaur and the newborn died on the spot, the ambulance driver, Raghu
Raj, died while being shifted to the hospital. The two who sustained injuries included Arvinder Singh, newborn’s father and a resident of Chak
Mahima, Gurdaspur, and a doctor. Sources said Arvinder’s wife had given birth to a child at a private hospital in Fatehgarh Churian but her condition deteriorated the following night and was referred to a private hospital in
Amritsar. The driver of Bolero fled the scene, leaving the vehicle behind. The Jhander police has registered a case under Sections 304-A, 279 and 427 of the
IPC. Jhander police station SHO Jaspal Singh said the bodies had been handed over to the family members after a post-mortem examination.
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State govt approves Contract Farming Act
Chandigarh, October 1 The Chief Minister gave a go ahead for the enactment of this act which would be instrumental in the “Farm gate purchase” thereby benefitting both the maize growers and the prospective processing entrepreneurs. Badal hoped this act would help the farmers by supplementing their income. It would also ensure high-quality produce for processing by private entrepreneurs. Highlighting the significance of direct marketing of agriculture produce, Badal directed the Agriculture Department to immediately effect necessary amendments in the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Act. The Chief Minister also directed the officers of the Agriculture Department to provide subsidised high-yield seeds, weedicides and pesticides so that the production of maize crop in the state could be increased manifold. He underscored the need to provide 25 per cent subsidy on the highly mechanised agricultural inputs used for maize cultivation so that a majority of farmers could be diverted from paddy cultivation, which depleted ground water.
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Complaint lodged against Majithia
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 1 Bir Devinder alleged that Majithia let Youth Akali Dal volunteers enter the Diwan Todar Mal hall with their shoes on. —TNS
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CM approves new service rules
Chandigarh, October 1 They said even the UT administration, which had been following Punjab service rules, could implement the new rules. But it would have to take the nod of the Union Government in this regard. —
TNS
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Army written test to have negative marking
Sangrur, October 1 A recruitment rally will be held at the local War Heroes Stadium from October 3 to 10. Around 30,000 candidates are expected to participate. Col Sanjay Kapoor, Director, Recruitments, said the Army would also accept candidates having small traditional tattoos on their hand or on the arm below elbow. —
TNS
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‘Tankhah’ for Bhandal for using chairs at langar
Amritsar, October 1 Addressing mediapersons after holding a meeting with Sikh high priests here, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said Bhandal had tendered a written apology in this regard on September 14, which was discussed in the meeting. Subsequently, he was awarded “tankhah” of washing utensils at the langar facility and performing sewa at “jora ghar” at Golden Temple for a day. Besides, he would also do the same for four Sundays at the gurdwara in Canada. The Sikh high priests decided that the martyrdom day of Baba Deep Singh would be observed on November 18 and asked the Sangat to participate in the programmes being organised to mark the 28th anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots from November 1 to 3.
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Cheque Bounce Case: Plea against Sri Sri quashed
Chandigarh, October 1 The orders by Justice MMS Bedi came this afternoon after hearing at length Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s counsel ML Sarin. The orders were pronounced in an open court by Justice Bedi less than a fortnight after a Mohali court issued bailable warrants against the spiritual guru-cum-Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The warrants were issued by the Mohali court against seven persons, including the guru, while taking up a complaint filed under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The court had also fixed October 3 as the next date of hearing
in the case. The warrants were issued after the complainants, including a tent house owner, alleged non-payment of their dues on account of making arrangements for a congregation. Countering the arguments, Sarin asserted that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had nothing to do with organising the event as the entire exercise of making the arrangements was carried out by an events management company.
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A pall of gloom descended on Buani village after the news of the brutal murder of a married woman and her three children, belonging to the village, in Brussels (Belgium) broke last evening.
A week after a 15-year-old girl was kidnapped from her house by a gang, the Faridkot police has begun interrogating some local Akali leaders who are related to the kingpin of the gang, Nishan Singh.
The Badal family has the lion’s share of 26 portfolios of the 45 held by the SAD. Its alliance partner, the BJP, has 10. 
With senior leader Capt Kanwaljit Singh no more, veteran leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa both physically and politically weak and Majha veteran Ranjit Singh Brahmpura unable to retain his assembly seat, the Badal family now has complete control over the SGPC
Jalandhar October 1
Chandigarh, October 1