The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Cong MLA, SAD MP to jointly flag off Shatabdi in Moga today
Moga, December 7
Cutting across party lines, Lok Sabha Member of the Shiromani Akali Dal from Faridkot constituency Bibi Paramjit Kaur Gulshan and the local Congress MLA Joginder Pal Jain have agreed to jointly flag off the Shatabdi Express train from Moga to New Delhi on Saturday.

Gidderbaha MLA marches against kabaddi extravaganza
Doda (Muktsar), December 7
Concerned over the huge expenditure being incurred on the third edition of the World Cup Kabaddi by the state government and the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab, Congress MLA from Gidderbaha, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring today staged a protest, riding a donkey cart and a 'rehri' loaded with sand and gravel, outside the stadium at Doda village in Muktsar district.

Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh “Raja” Warring rides a donkey cart at Doda village in Muktsar district as a mark of protest against the state government on Friday. A Tribune photograph

‘Declare ’84 riots as genocide’
Moga, December 7
Over 27,000 Sikhs living in the US have signed a petition prepared by the Sikhs for Justice, a US-based human rights advocacy group demanding the 1984 anti-Sikh riots be declared genocide. In a press release, the group said the petition would be presented before the Administration of US President Barack Obama on December 15.

Badal college win PU shooting championship
Bathinda, December 7
Students of Dasmesh B.Ed. College, Badal, brought laurels to the institution by winning the Panjab University (A Division) Shooting Championship for the session 2012-13. The B. Ed. College was declared joint winner with Dasmesh Girls College, Badal, securing seven points each.

Cop dies as rifle goes off
Sangrur, December 7
Punjab Police Head Constable Harwinder Singh (47) died on Friday at Bhindran village near here after a rifle went off accidentally while he was cleaning it.

	F’pur gets new judicial complex Anirudh Gupta Ferozepur, December 7 Reminiscent of the British times, the old and majestic sessions court, which had been functioning from its present location on the Mall for over hundred years will finally get a new address when the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice AK Sikri will throw open the gates of the imposing structure of the new judicial complex tomorrow. Thousands of people coming from far and wide for judicial work will heave a sigh of relief once the new district judicial complex starts functioning from its new location. "Earlier, the courts were scattered at different locations. But now, the people will be able to avail of all services relating to court work under one roof," said Satish Sharma, a senior advocate, whose grandfather Pandit Girdhari Lal Sharma used to practice in the old sessions court during the pre-partition era. "The new complex would enhance the efficiency of the judicial officials. It would also save the time and money of people who had to travel from distant places," said Manoj Bajaj, another lawyer practicing here. As per the information, around 19 courts will be established in the new judicial complex on which an estimated cost of Rs 55 crore will be incurred. "Of the budgeted cost, an amount of Rs 36 crore would be spent on the building and the remaining amount will be utilised for furniture and fixtures," revealed an official, adding that the construction work was going on war footing. Sources said Justice AK Sikri, Chief Justice, Punjab and High Court, along with Justice Jasbir Singh, Chairman, Punjab Legal Services Authority, will also lay the foundation stone of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre here tomorrow. Sources in the judicial department said that in the first phase, four courts and a record room would be shifted to the new complex and the rest will be shifted subsequently after the entire structure is completed.
	Cong MLA, SAD MP to jointly flag off Shatabdi in Moga today Tribune News Service Moga, December 7 Cutting across party lines, Lok Sabha Member of the Shiromani Akali Dal from Faridkot constituency Bibi Paramjit Kaur Gulshan and the local Congress MLA Joginder Pal Jain have agreed to jointly flag off the Shatabdi Express train from Moga to New Delhi on Saturday. Naresh Chand Goyal, the Divisional Railway Manager, Ferozepur, in a letter sent to Jain on December 6 requested him 'to kindly grace the occasion and flag off the train'. But the SAD MP Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, who is also a member of the railway advisory board, reportedly influenced senior authorities of the northern railways to give her opportunity to flag off the train. Because of this, Union railway Minister Pawan Bansal reportedly toyed with the idea of postponing this train service but the Congress MLA insisted that they go ahead with the plan. "We have been demanding a direct train service to New Delhi for many decades and now when the time has come for the local people to enjoy the journey, I do not want them to suffer because of petty politics," Jain said. The Congress MLA said the people of his constituency know that he has struggled hard to get a direct train service to Delhi from his government at the Centre. "I don't think the leaders of the opposition party can take credit for the work done by my government," he said. Efforts made to contact Paramjit Kaur Gulshan proved to be futile. However, the local Akali leaders claimed that the train service has because of the efforts made by the SAD MP. Meanwhile, the DRM revealed that the train will arrive at Moga on Saturday at 14.05 hours and will leave at 15.00 hours from here. Two flags have been prepared by the railways, which will be waved by Jain and Gulshan, separately, to flag off the train from here. For the time being, it has been proposed to extend the frequency of the existing New Delhi-Ludhiana Shatabdi train from Ludhiana to Moga for two days only, on Saturday and Sunday. This long-pending demand of the local residents to link Moga with New Delhi by a direct train was met by the then Union Minister for Railways Dinesh Trivedi in the 2012-13 rail budget. Jain claimed that Bansal had assured him that if the trial of extension for two days meets the minimum requirements of fiscal viability, then the train will run daily between Moga and New Delhi from the next financial year. Earlier, the Shatabdi Express was scheduled to begin from July 2 this year but it could not begin its journey due to technical problems.
	Gidderbaha MLA marches against kabaddi extravaganza Tribune News Service Doda (Muktsar), December 7 Concerned over the huge expenditure being incurred on the third edition of the World Cup Kabaddi by the state government and the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab, Congress MLA from Gidderbaha, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring today staged a protest, riding a donkey cart and a 'rehri' loaded with sand and gravel, outside the stadium at Doda village in Muktsar district. Accompanied by a large number of supporters, he also blocked the Muktsar-Bathinda highway for some time and burnt the effigy of revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia, demanding his resignation in connection with the murder of an ASI in Amritsar, who died while saving his daughter from eve-teasers owing allegiance to the SAD. Raja Warring accused Majithia of shielding the "goons" in his area. The Giderbaha MLA first observed two-minute silence to pay homage to the slain ASI and thereafter, appealed to the people to boot out criminals. Raja Warring also targeted the Badal brothers - Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Gurdas Singh Badal - for taking the people for a ride. "The Badal brothers are misguiding the people by saying they are politically estranged. If they are estranged, then why did Gurdas share the couch with the chief minister while watching the kabaddi matches held at Doda stadium on Wednesday?" The MLA had also installed some hoardings at the venue of the dharna, which had cartoons of the Badal brothers. In one of the cartoons, the younger Badal is seen saying, "Pash ji, dekhya main kaisi khed rachayi, tuhanu Mukh Mantri di kursi dobara davayi" and the elder Badal, saying, "Dass ji, taan hi main tuhanu ditti kabaddi cup di vadhayi." Raja warring also showed his annoyance at not been invited to the matches of World Cup Kabaddi held in his constituency. He said that on the one hand, the state government did not have the money to pay salaries to its employees and on the other a huge amount was being spent on organizing kabaddi cups. "The driver provided to me by the state government has not got his salary of the last six months. The government has not given any fuel allowance to run my official vehicle," alleged Raja Warring, adding that the Badal family was not concerned about serious issues.
	‘Declare ’84 riots as genocide’ Moga, December 7 Over 27,000 Sikhs living in the US have signed a petition prepared by the Sikhs for Justice, a US-based human rights advocacy group demanding the 1984 anti-Sikh riots be declared genocide. In a press release, the group said the petition would be presented before the Administration of US President Barack Obama on December 15. It said as per the US Government policy, a petition requires at least 25,000 signatures to warrant an official response from the President’s Administration. The petition has urged the Obama Administration to fulfill its obligation under Article 1 of the UN Convention on Genocide by recognising the 1984 riots as ‘Sikh Genocide’. — TNS
	Badal college win PU shooting championship Tribune News Service Bathinda, December 7 Students of Dasmesh B.Ed. College, Badal, brought laurels to the institution by winning the Panjab University (A Division) Shooting Championship for the session 2012-13. The B. Ed. College was declared joint winner with Dasmesh Girls College, Badal, securing seven points each. The college pistol team comprising Lakhvir Kaur, Gurpreet Kaur and Amandeep Kaur won gold in the 10 meter air pistol event and Gurpreet Kaur won the individual bronze medal in the same event. The college rifle team comprising Preeti Tomer, Babbandeep Kaur and Amandeep Kaur won bronze in the 10 m air rifle event. Babbandeep Kaur also clinched the individual bronze medal securing 388 points out of 400. Principal Dr SS Sangha congratulated the team and coach Veerpal Kaur, Rampal Sir and in-charge Sukhdeep Kaur for their hard work. Meanwhile, the National Armed Forces Day was celebrated at the DGCE, Badal today. A programme was held to mark the day. Homage was paid to the departed soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country.