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Operation Bluestar was a wrong decision: VK Singh
moga
bypoll
On final day, unity show by Akali Dal;
Tota Singh, Gill attend Sukhbir’s rally
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Groupism in Cong will be its undoing: Badal
Jagmeet wants all ministers moved out of Moga segment
Additional forces deployed in Moga
Strike Day 2: Transactions worth
Rs 1,600 crore affected
Villagers’ battle against liquor vends hits roadblock
Home Department revokes DIG Umranangal’s suspension orders
UNESCO experts to visit Qila Mubarak today
Staff helping students cheat will be booked
Wagon of goods train derails
Former Dy Registrar of High Court dies at 91
Court exempts dera head from personal appearance
No third-degree, High Court issues warning to state police
More charges against Tota Singh’s son
HC reprimands cop for dressing improperly
Notorious smuggler nabbed with 8 kg heroin
Brawl between schoolboys gets bloody, 4 injured
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Operation Bluestar was a wrong decision: VK Singh
Amritsar, February 21 The retired General, who has joined hands with social activist Anna Hazare, was in the city to garner support for the "Jantantra Morcha", a camapaign against corrupt practices, to be launched on March 31. He paid obeisance at the Golden Temple. Asked if Operation Bluestar was a hasty decision, he said: “I was a Major at that time, but I am cent per cent correct in saying that the Army’s point of view could never be against its own people and the then leadership should have opted for another alternative to get things done.” He said the then Army Chief had said ‘no’ to the operation ‘but when it was ordered, he had no choice but to obey.” He emphasised that the operation was solely a political decision. On the alleged kickback in the AgustaWestland deal, he maintained: "The Services’ role has always been miniscule and there could be negligible corruption at that level." He said for arms procurement, the ‘lowest bidder requirement’ was not right as the "lowest may not be the best." On Indo-Pak relations, he said: “ India should review its approach. Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a proxy war. It is not an indigenous movement, but is financed and abetted by inimical forces across the border."
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moga
bypoll
Moga, February 21 A former Chief Minister, the PPCC chief was an immediate hit with the locals who came out of their shops and houses to shower petals on him. A few of them even got a chance to shake hands and pose for a photograph with him. Talking to The Tribune, he said, “If the love and affection bestowed by people in today’s road show is any indication, the Congress will win by a comfortable margin.” Also, he did not rule out simultaneous elections to the Punjab assembly along with that of the Lok Sabha, scheduled for 2014. “The victory in Moga bypoll will change the course of politics in the state,” he claimed. Addressing party workers and leaders while wrapping up his three-week campaign, the Punjab Congress chief exhorted them to keep their momentum alive and show the same enthusiasm in the run-up to the parliamentary elections. “The disintegration of the Akalis will start once the bypoll result is declared (and Congress wins). Subsequently, the state government will also fall. So, do not think your job is over. Rather, it has just begun,” he told his workers repeatedly during the road show. Amarinder Singh also hit out at Sukhbir Badal and Bikramjit Singh Majithia: “Do not take it for granted that you (Badals) are going to rule for full five years.” The Pradesh Congress president claimed that even a large section of the Akali leadership and workers were “feeling suffocated under the dictatorial, autocratic and arrogant attitude of Sukhbir and Majithia and all of them were waiting for the right opportunity to settle their differences”. “Sukhbir will realise after the bypoll result that the local Akalis themselves defeated their candidate. The local BJP leadership is also unhappy over Jain’s induction in the SAD,” he said. Citing the “hostile” response that Sukhbir got from lawyers during the Moga Bar Association function yesterday, Amarinder Singh said the behaviour indicated the angry mood of the public, “which would be reflected in the by-election on the polling day”. While seeking votes for Sathi, he urged the electorate to compare for themselves as to who was a better candidate. “On one side, you have an honest and sincere worker in Sathi who owns just a five-marla house and has never used politics to accumulate wealth. On other side, you have Akali candidate Jain whom even Sukhbir used to describe as a smuggler till recently,” he said.
On final day, unity show by Akali Dal;
Tota Singh, Gill attend Sukhbir’s rally
Moga, February 21 SAD candidate Joginder Pal Jain and Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia also accompanied Sukhbir in the road show, which saw participation of a large number of supporters of the SAD and the BJP. Vehicular traffic on the GT Road and in the main bazaars of the city remained disrupted for a long time as Sukhbir’s road show was followed by that of PCC president Capt Amarinder Singh. Supporters of both the SAD and the BJP gathered near the bus stand early in the morning. They put up an impressive show by showering flower petals as the cavalcade passed through the bazaars. Sukhbir made supporters of both the SAD and the BJP line up in an orderly manner and follow the cavalcade. Addressing those in the procession, Sukhbir said, “If the love and affection shown to them by the people of this constituency is any indication, the Congress should think of quitting the electoral battle.” He claimed Jain was all set to win by more than 51,000 votes. He said the ruling alliance was secular whereas the Congress was following a communal agenda. Jain said he would work earnestly to ensure speedy development of
Moga.
Groupism in Cong will be its undoing: Badal
Addressing a gathering while concluding his campaign, he said, “We would have won handsomely anyway on the development plank, but the tribal warfare within the Congress has meant that we will romp home with a huge margin. The Akali Dal will script a new record in terms of victory margin, something that will fuel disintegration of the Congress in Punjab.” Badal spiced up his speech with rugged anecdotal humour, for which the SAD veteran is famous. Referring to what he described as “internal street fights within the Congress”, he said, “Warring leaders of the Congress are known for working overnight to ensure the defeat of their own candidate to weaken each other in the eyes of their high command. This spectacle is on display even in the current bypoll.”
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Jagmeet wants all ministers moved out of Moga segment
Moga, February 21 The Congress leader also claimed that the district administration was helping the Akali ministers and MLAs to stay in private houses in Moga town and adjoining villages. “I have got information that in each village and ward, there are at least 20 to 25 outsider Akalis who will try their best to bribe and lure voters,” he said. Brar has asked all his party MPs, MLAs and other senior leaders not to leave the constituency till the district administration ensured that all outsider Akalis had left. “If election observers fail to implement their legal and constitutional obligation, we will stage a protest against them on Friday morning. If need be, we will court arrest against the biased attitude of the district administration in shielding the Akalis under pressure of the state government,” he said.
Additional forces deployed in Moga
Chandigarh, February 21 He said now a total of 10 companies of the paramilitary forces had been deployed in the constituency. —
TNS
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Strike Day 2: Transactions worth
Rs 1,600 crore affected
Chandigarh, February 21 The PRTC and the Punjab Roadways, too, suffered a loss of about Rs 3.5 crore in two days. With ATMs running out of cash, people had to face inconvenience. The call for strike was given by various trade unions for a hike in wages. “Our loan repayments were delayed due to the strike. Now, we will be asked to pay penal interest, which is not justified. Interest on loans for the strike period should not be charged,” said Badish Jindal, president, Federation of Punjab Small Industries Association, Ludhiana. Parmod Sharma, general secretary, All India Bank Officers Federation, said officers and employees of public sector banks took part in the strike and there was no transaction in these banks for two days. In Ropar, members of trade unions staged a dharna on railway tracks delaying the Nangal Dam-Ambala train for an hour. Similarly, buses of the PRTC and Punjab Roadways remained off the roads for the second day, leaving commuters in the lurch. PRTC Managing Director DPS Kharbanda said: “The corporation suffered a loss of Rs 1.5 crore due to the strike. Since we don’t get any financial assistance from the government, the loss caused due to strike was big”. Meanwhile, private bus and other passenger vehicle operators made the most of the strike. Almost all the private buses, taxis and three-wheelers were seen overloaded with commuters. Reports of strike in banks and certain other sectors have also come from Amritsar, Jalandhar, Bathinda, Sangrur, Mansa, Moga, Barnala and
Faridkot.
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Villagers’ battle against liquor vends hits roadblock
Chandigarh, February 21 Panchayat representatives from the three districts of Barnala, Sangrur and Patiala, who were summoned for a hearing at the Commissioner's office, were told that even if one case under the Excise Act was registered in a village, a vend in that village could not be closed down. The panchayat representatives were seen arguing with officials. They complained that the government was not helping them in their war against liquor. "If a few residents are booked under the Excise Act, it did not mean that the entire village must be made to suffer. We do not understand this logic," said Amarjeet Singh of Kila Hakima village "We have caught 10-year-old in our village school carrying liquor botttles. Yet the officials seem to be unconcerned," remarked sarpanch Lal Singh. The officials said all they could do was to re-locate the vends in villages. Residents of Rurki in Amargarh, Sangrur, who had forced the closure of a vend after a protest, were among those at the Commissioner's office to say a vehement no to vends for the next fiscal year. Panchayats of as many as 119 villages this fiscal year had resolved not to allow a vend in their areas. Last year, 89 such objections were received. Of these, 32 were overruled. But 30 vends were closed and 28 were relocated. Anurag Verma, Commissioner, Excise and Taxation, said they would strictly go by the Panchayati Raj Act. "If we have received an objection by a panchayat within the stipulated time and if no case has been registered. under the Excise Act against any village resident in the past two years, we will close the vend," he added.
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Home Department revokes DIG Umranangal’s suspension orders
Chandigarh, February 21
According to the orders issued by the Home Department, Umranangal will continue as DIG (Border Range) till further orders. He was suspended on the charges of causing indiscipline in the border belt. However, it was not explained as to how he had done that. Home Secretary DS Bains, when contacted, said a decision had been taken to revoke the officer's suspension as no inquiry had been held in the case. Nor was any charge sheet issued to the officer. “Hence, we thought it fit to revoke the suspension instead of ordering his reinstatement,” Bains said. The Home Secretary said he did not know why no inquiry had been held in the case. The state Director-General of Police (DGP) , Sumedh Singh Saini, was not available for comment. Umranangal, too, did not give any details when contacted. Reliable sources said Umranangal had been suspended because he was caught in the turf war between two senior Akali ministers of the Majha belt. The police officer was accused of going soft on an Akali leader booked in an attempt to murder case.This Akali leader was said to have supported rebel candidate Lally Dhalla against the SAD candidate, Harmeet Sandhu. The sources said while one Akali minister defended him, saying he had not been at the crime scene, the other wanted him arrested forthwith. Although the rebel Akali leader was able to get anticipatory bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, there was intense pressure on Umranangal from one of the ministers during the one month span before the bail was granted to the accused. This minister is said to have complained to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who holds the Home portfolio, following which Umranangal was suspended. The sources said that DGP Saini was of the view that there was no breach of discipline. He explained his viewpoint to the Home Minister. The sources said it was decided in December itself that Umranangal’s suspension should be revoked. But the fact that the officer was under a cloud in the Faridkot abduction case and that the suspension took place immediately after the murder of an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) by an Akali worker in Amritsar made it difficult for the government to reinstate him immediately. The government has chosen to reinstate Umranangal on the eve of polling in Moga to ensure it does not become an issue again.
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UNESCO experts to visit Qila Mubarak today
Patiala, February 21 Patiala-based NGO “Patiala Our Pride” has invited the ICOFORT delegates, who were at present touring Rajasthan to advise the government on better preservation of forts. “The team will visit Qila Mubarak on Friday. We will discuss the restoration work and get some guidance on how to get funds for preserving the heritage monument,” said NGO member Amarjot Gill. NGO’s founder member HMS Rosha said the three-member team is on a 15-day visit to forts of India, mainly of Rajasthan. “With its help, we will try to formulate a policy for maintenance of forts,” he said.
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Staff helping students cheat will be booked
Chandigarh, February 21 The Punjab Education Department has already deleted names of tainted teachers and other invigilation staff from the list of examination duty staff. The pruning comes following an official circular to Block Education Officers (BEOs) and District Education Officers (DEOs). The circular has directed them not to recommend names of “any teachers who have had dubious track records”. The circular has clarified that teachers and other staff of the private schools, too, will be under close scrutiny to ensure that the board examination is conducted smoothly. The staff will also be held liable in case any material, which could help students cheat, is stored in the toilets or anywhere else on the examination block. Official sources said the circular was sent soon after Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka had a meeting with the officials concerned that no staff with a bad track record be appointed on duty. The list of the teachers who have opted for duty is being pruned to delete tainted names. “Interestingly, a large number of names were removed from the list. This issue will definitely be handled later,” sources said. The meeting was also attended by Tejinder Kaur Dhaliwal, chairman of the Punjab School Education Board, and KS Pannu, Director, General School Education. The DEO has been made the overall in charge of the examination in his area. Schools have been told that examination centres will be located on the ground floors and first floors of the examination centres. The Deputy Commissioners and the district police chiefs have been told to enforce Section 144 of the CrPC near the examination centres so that people cannot assemble near the premises and disturb the students taking the exams. They will also be sent a communication regarding sensitive examination centres in the state.
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Wagon of goods train derails
Ropar, February 21 He said the train loaded with coal for JP Cement arrived from Bathinda. Driver Ganeshi Singh was reversing the train to offload the stock and in the process, one of the wagons got derailed and hit a generator set and some furniture items, he added.
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Former Dy Registrar of High Court dies at 91
Chandigarh, February 21 Walia had joined the Pepsu High Court at Patiala in the 50s. This was before the state of Pepsu was merged in the state of Punjab following the States Re-organisation Act of 1956. Later, Walia came to Chandigarh as a reader. A Bench of the Punjab High Court also existed at Delhi since 1952, and Walia soon found himself serving as a reader for a year in the National Capital before coming back to the Punjab and Haryana HC. As computers were not there for placing the cases before the Benches as per the roster, Walia was entrusted the task of marking the matters - a mammoth job considering the manual nature of the work and the number of cases being filed for adjudication daily. Walia continued to function as Deputy Registrar till his retirement in 1981. But Walia’s ties with the High Court continued even after his retirement as one of his two daughters Rampa Bajwa and the only son Hemant Singh Walia were employed there. Walia’s cremation, held this afternoon in Sector 25, was attended by the HC staff and advocates.—TNS
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Court exempts dera head from personal appearance
Bathinda, February 21 Chief Judicial Magistrate Harjit Singh exempted the dera head from personal appearance. The hearing in the case will take place as scheduled tomorrow. District Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) had also moved an application seeking six weeks' time to arrange for video-conferencing of the accused, citing threat to law and order in the district. The city was tense since yesterday and 10,000 policemen were deployed to maintain law and order in case the dera chief appeared before the court. The police had sealed the state's borders and erected barricades around the judicial complex in anticipation of dera followers thronging the place. The police had received reports that there was a likelihood of a clash between Sikh organisations and dera followers. The wary administration had shut down schools as a precautionary measure. The dera head is accused of hurting the sentiments of Sikhs by wearing an attire similar to one worn by the Tenth Sikh Guru. The FIR against him was lodged in May, 2007. The local police had recommended cancellation of the FIR three days before the assembly elections last year.
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No third-degree, High Court issues warning to state police
Chandigarh, February 21 Taking up a petition by Ranjit Singh Rana seeking an independent probe into detention and torture while in the alleged illegal custody of the Tarn Taran CIA Staff a decade ago, Justice Ranjit Singh said the allegations of committing an offence did not give the police the licence to keep the accused in illegal custody and use third-degree methods. The warning comes nearly 15 years after the High Court ordered a ban on third degree after a petition, a criminal writ petition (No. 27, 1997) was filed in public interest. Deciding the petition, Dr Vineeta Gupta versus the State of Punjab on April 29, 1998, Justice RL Anand stated: “I dispose of this petition with directions to the respondents to ensue that no third-degree methods should be adopted in various police stations, CIA staff offices, police posts or such other places where a suspect or criminal can be detained or taken for the purpose of interrogation … “The directions of this court should also be complied with not only by the State of Punjab but also by the State of Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.” Referring to Rana’s petition, Justice Ranjit Singh observed: “The petitioner may be accused of committing an offence but that will not give licence to the police to keep the petitioner in illegal custody and then to torture him by use of third-degree methods. The investigating agency has no right to use third degree while investigating an offence”. Rana had alleged he was picked up on February 2, 2003, and kept in illegal custody till February 7, 2003. He was tortured and allegedly sustained 11 injuries. The Punjab State Human Rights Commission had initially ordered an inquiry, which found substance in the allegations. But the report was not accepted and another probe was ordered which found the complaint to be false. The case came to an end in 2006, but the present petition was filed in 2010. Disposing of the petition by giving him liberty to file a complaint, Justice Ranjit Singh added: "It is not understood as to why the petitioner remained silent for about nearly four years."
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More charges against Tota Singh’s son
Patiala, February 21 The charges in the case have been framed against Barjinder Singh, four police officers and four other accused. During the hearing, Justice Hemant Gupta agreed to additional charges against all the accused. The next date of the hearing has been fixed for April 1. The scandal came to the fore in 2007. It was a case of immoral trafficking wherein two women Manpreet Kaur and Manjeet
Kaur, in connivance with police officials and Barjinder, allegedly extorted money from innocent people by threatening to frame them in sexual abuse cases. It was also alleged that the policemen and Barjinder had blackmailed prominent businessmen of Moga by making them fall in the trap of call girls. The scandal was exposed by one of the victims of the extortion racket. The four accused policemen are the then Moga Senior Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh
Garcha, Superintendent of Police Paramdip Singh Sandhu; Deputy Superintendent of Police Raman Kumar and Station House Officer Amarjit Singh. The other accused include Manjit
Kaur, Sukhraj Singh and Karamjit Singh Bath, both residents of Moga, and Ranbir Singh alias
Ranu, a resident of Ajitwal, Moga.
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HC reprimands cop for dressing improperly Chandigarh, February 21 The reprimand, and the subsequent warning, assumes significance as the policemen, investigating officers in particular, time and again appear before the Courts in casuals. More often than not, they appear before the Court without donning uniform. The problem is worst in the districts. The reproof came during the hearing of an anticipatory bail filed by a government employee, Harbilas Mathan, in a corruption case. During the course of hearing, Justice Ranjit Singh found the investigating officer to be dressed up inappropriately. Taking cognisance of the act, Justice Ranjit Singh made clear his disapproval to the Punjab State counsel. As the case came up for resumed hearing, the State counsel told the Bench of Justice Ranjit Singh that “a warning has been issued to the investigating officer for being improperly dressed, while appearing in the Court and that he would remain careful in future.
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Notorious smuggler nabbed with 8 kg heroin
Amritsar, February 21 Preliminary investigations revealed that this was the third consignment that Malkeet Singh had handed over to Sukhjinder Singh for distribution in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Delhi. Rashpal Singh, Additional Inspector-General (AIG), counter-intelligence said they were informed that the two would meet near the Amritsar-Attari bypass for striking a deal. “Both Sukhjinder Singh and Malkeet Singh reached the spot in their cars (Zen PB-10-AM-8821 and Santro HR-51L-1011 respectively). But the latter noticed the raiding police party and fled,” said the
AIG.
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Brawl between schoolboys gets bloody, 4 injured
Patiala, February 21 All the four injured have been admitted to a local hospital with serious injuries. Two of the four have allegedly received stab wounds. Till the filing of this report, police were yet to register a case, even as both parties accused each other. Investigating officer Parkash Masih said none of the school students were injured in the clash. Those injured included Harinder Singh (21), Vikram Singh, Paramjodh Singh (23) and Iqbal Singh (20). Masih said, “Harinder stabbed one of the injured. We are investigating the matter.” Police said a Class nine student of the school had a tiff with one of his seniors during the function at the school premises. “After school, both the boys called in their friends from outside to sort out the matter. But tempers soon ran high and the fight ensued,” they said. Though police officials were tightlipped about those who got injured, relatives gathered outside the hospital said two of the injured had stab wounds in the abdomen and thigh while one boy had fractured his leg. However, the extent of their injuries could not be verified from the doctors, who were busy attending the injured. — TNS
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Former Army Chief General VK Singh today said that Operation Bluestar was a wrong political decision and that the then Chief of the Army Staff had declined to attack the holy shrine.
Chandigarh, February 21
A local court today exempted the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram
Rahim, from personal appearance in a case (hurting religious sentiments) against him.
The dera head pleaded that he may be given time to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court for revision of orders by an Additional Sessions Judge.
Amritsar, February 21
Moga, February 21