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Calendar controversy to fore again
Sikh activists hold march in Khalsa’s support
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Govt seized of the matter, says Chief Minister
Mohali resident moves HC on release of Sikh detainees
Justice demands that they be freed, says Capt
Sikh youth in Singapore charged with murder
NRIs, politicians involved in drug racket, claims Bajwa
PPCC list held up, Rahul for greater Dalit representation
Panthic issues likely to dominate Shaheedi Jor Mela rallies
3 temporary bus terminals set up
EcoSikh chief to visit state
Cong to approach PM if state doesn’t take charge of PIMS
State govt may hand over sick PIMS to Fortis
Police to probe arrested ASI’s link with druglord Bhola
Medical costs of acid attack victims to be reimbursed
Power tariff likely to go up by 63 paise per unit
PAU grants approval to 3 new varieties of fruits
‘Raagi’ barred from ‘kirtan’
Polytechnic student drives jeep over teacher
State govt to revoke 4% tax on food items
naunihal
case
Move to transfer PSPCL land to GLADA stayed
Attack on cops: 2 0 dera activists among 46 let off
Minister Joshi surrenders in court, bailed out
Former CPS’ bail plea rejected
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Calendar controversy to fore again
Amritsar, December 20 Members of the Sant Samaj had recently met Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, demanding that Bikrami Calendar should be implemented to resolve differences within the community as it was acceptable to all. The Bikrami Calendar is based on lunar charts and under it, the dates of 'gurpurbs' and 'sangrands' keep on changing every year. However, the original Nanakshahi Calendar, which came into being in 2003, is based on solar charts, and it had fixed the dates of all major 'gurpurbs' except for three and all 12 'sangrands'. Following reservations expressed by the Sant Samaj in 2010, amendments were made in the Nanakshahi Calendar. As per these, the Sikh community reverted to the Bikrami Calendar for observing all 'sangrands' and four gurpurabs — Gurta Gaddi Diwas of Guru Granth Sahib, Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev and birth and death anniversaries of Guru Gobind Singh. Therefore, the amended version is basically a mix of original Nanakshahi Calendar and Bikrami Calendar, but now the Sant Samaj is demanding that the community should fully revert to the Bikrami Calendar. Their demand has already divided the Sikh community. Even as radical outfit Dal Khalsa has termed the demand made by the Sant Samaj as an attempt to derail the agitation launched by Gurbaksh Singh, a group of Sikh organisations recently met the Akal Takht Jathedar and urged him to revert to the original Nanakshahi Calendar, which is purely based on solar charts. The issue has also given some tough time to the SGPC, which has been grappling to get the amended Nanakshahi Calendar implemented among all Sikh organisations in the world. Among the organisations that continue to stick to the original Nanakshahi Calendar are Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. It is due to the calendar row that Pakistan had denied visas to the members of an SGPC jatha for observing the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev in 2011 and 2012. On the other hand, the SGPC says, “We introduced changes in the Nanakshahi Calendar for the unity of the community and these have been accepted by the Sikh Sangat world over.”
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Sikh activists hold march in Khalsa’s support
Amritsar, December 20 Led by Sikh Youth Federation (Bhindranwala), the procession passed through the city’s main areas before culminating at Akal Takht. The participants raised slogans against the Union Government for its “bias” against the Sikh detainees. A delegation of Sikh Students Federation (Garewal) led by Gurcharan Singh Garewal met Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh on the issue. Talking to mediapersons, Garewal said the Jathedar had told him that the SGPC was in touch with the state government to resolve the matter at the earliest. Meanwhile, noted journalist Kuldeep Nayar and senior Supreme Court lawyer HS Phoolka have sent a representation to the Governor of Gujarat for the release of Sikh detainee Lal Singh languishing in jail for 24 years. He was arrested by the Gujarat Police in 1992 and awarded life imprisonment by a Gujarat court. “The continued detention of Lal Singh who has served his sentence is unjustified. He has not committed any murder or any other heinous crime. “He was awarded the sentence under TADA for recovery of arms and explosives. “The High Court recommended the state government thrice to consider the request for his release. “The High Court also took note in its judgment that he was released on parole six times and had surrendered within time and there was absolutely no allegation of his involvement in any criminal activity or disturbance of peace during the period of parole,” reads the representation. Supreme Court lawyer Phoolka, who has also been fighting the cases of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims, said similar representation would be made to other state governments on receipt of information about such prisoners.
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Govt seized of the matter, says Chief Minister
Muktsar, December 20 Addressing a gathering on the second day of his sangat darshan programme in the Lambi assembly segment, Badal said the government was taking up the matter with the respective state governments to ensure the detainees were released at the earliest. “The Congress leaders in Punjab as well as and the UPA Government at the Centre have always resorted to political gimmickry whereas the SAD-BJP government has served the people in the true sense,” he said. The Chief Minister claimed Sangat Darshan was playing a pivotal role in addressing the grievances of the state residents.
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Mohali resident moves HC on release of Sikh detainees
Chandigarh, December 20 Directions have also been sought for compensating the detainees and initiating legal action against “guilty officials”. Referring to a news report carried in these columns, Mandeep Kaur through counsel Dalip Mahajan, said Gurmeet Singh, Lakhwinder Singh and Shamsher Singh were lodged in the Burail jail since 1995. “They have already served a jail sentence of 18 years, and have no criminal background.” The other three Sikh detainees, Lal Singh, Waryam Singh and Gurdeep Singh Khera, had spent over 20 years in jail, she said She said many more prisoners were languishing in Punjab jails though they had completed their jail term and their further detention was illegal. “The act and conduct on the part of the respondents has been in violation of Article 21 and 14 of the Constitution of India”, the petitioner argued. Claiming that the detainees were entitled to be released with immediate effect as they had completed their term, she said detention after undergoing the prescribed sentence was “illegal”. Counsel Mahajan said the law points involved in the matter were whether the prisoners who had completed their term were not entitled to be released and whether the detainees were not entitled to exemplary compensation. The petition is expected to come up for hearing during the winter vacation.
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Justice demands that they be freed, says Capt
Patiala, December 20 In a statement today, he said the issue must not be viewed in partisan or sectarian terms, but on the basis of law and justice. “It is a matter of law and justice that all thosewho have completed their sentence should be released forthwith. These detainees may be of different religions. The fact of the matter is that when they have completed their sentence they must be released,” he said. The former Punjab Congress chief said the CM could have taken steps to release the Sikh detainees languishing in Punjab jails and take up the cases of others lodged in jails outside the state. —
TNS
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Sikh youth in Singapore charged with murder
Singapore, December 20 The accused was identified in sub courts as Gursharan Singh, 25, who the police had previously said was a friend of the victim Jasvinder Kaur’s husband Harvinder Singh. All three are Indian nationals. Gursharan allegedly killed Kaur with the help of another man who is on the run, The Strait Times reported today. The murder of Kaur, who worked as a beautician here, took place between December 10 and 12. The case will be heard again on December 27. If convicted, Gursharan, who worked as a fork-lift driver, faces capital punishment. The police found Kaur’s trash bag-wrapped body floating in a canal on December 12. The deceased's head was missing and the hands were severed at the wrists. The police have searched through thrash at an incineration plant but are yet to find body parts. Kaur’s identity was established through forensic means on Wednesday, the report said. —
PTI
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Tribune
special
Bathinda, December 20 As per information sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, four former Vidhan Sabha Speakers from 1997 onwards made as many as 215 regular appointments on the basis of a 60-year-old notification. The jobs doled out included those of clerk, translator, record restorer, copy holder, telephone attendant, sanitary inspector, assistant librarian
and research assistants. At present, 12 posts remain to be filled. Vidhan Sabha officials said former Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon (2007 to 2012) appointed 72 persons, 51 of them on regular jobs. Kahlon recruited 20 persons from his home district of Gurdaspur, of which 12 were from his own constituency of Fatehgarh Churian. Just before his term came to
an end in 2011, he appointed 37 persons. When the late Kewal Krishan was Speaker from 2002 to 2007, he recruited 78 persons on a regular basis. He recruited 29 persons from his home district of Hoshiarpur, of which 25 were from his constituency, Mukerian. Earlier, Charanjit Singh Atwal (1997 to 2002) recruited 36 persons on a regular basis, including eight from his home district of Ludhiana. He again became Speaker in 2012 and appointed 29 persons, including 12 from his district. Four persons are from his own constituency, Payal. Two persons have been appointed on compassionate grounds. Former Chief Secretary Nawab Singh had issued a notification on April 11, 1953, giving unfettered appointment powers to the Speaker. Interestingly, no state government or Vidhan Sabha has thought it fit to withdraw or amend the notification since then. When contacted, Atwal said the office of Speaker was liberal and unbiased. “He (Speaker) is all-in-all in the Vidhan Sabha and can recruit persons as
per the requirement,” he said, adding that now appointments could only be made on compassionate grounds or against
a vacancy. But there are some who disagree. Said Kamal Anand, president of People for Transparency: "The 1953 notification should be revised to enable not only favourites but all those eligible to stake claim to the jobs. A law-making
body like the assembly should be the epitome of transparency." Interestingly, residents of Ropar, Mohali, Fatehgarh Sahib and Patiala have benefited the most from the discretionary powers of the Speakers. There are very few Vidhan Sabha employees from Bathinda, Mansa, Faridkot, Muktsar, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur or Barnala districts of Malwa. This may be so as
there has not been a Speaker from this belt in recent years.
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NRIs, politicians involved in drug racket, claims Bajwa
Ramgarh (Bholath),
December 20 The PPCC chief alleged that Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal was trying to hush up the matter by giving a clean chit to his Cabinet colleagues. "I met Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde in this regard but since the police department is a state subject, the Centre cannot order a probe by the CBI or the Narcotics Control Board. Now, we have decided to take up the matter in the High court," he said. Bajwa said since several NRIs and politicians were allegedly involved in the scam, the CBI was the best agency to probe the matter and expose the guilty. On Sikh activist Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa's demand that six former militants languishing in jails despite having completed their sentences be released, Bajwa said his party was of the firm opinion that those who had completed their jail term be released on humanitarian grounds. Bajwa said he would submit a list of probable candidates for the 13 parliamentary constituencies to the Congress high command in New Delhi on December 24. Among others who addressed the function were Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Santosh Chaudhary, former Punjab CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and PPCC spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira.
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PPCC list held up, Rahul for greater Dalit representation
New Delhi, December 20 Party vice-president Rahul Gandhi has referred the list to the chief of the Congress’ Scheduled Caste panel to suggest changes as required. Top sources in the Congress said Rahul wants the Dalits represented at every level of leadership in the state unit and the state committee, not just for Punjab but for all other states. Admitting to have reviewed the list and made suggestions for due representation to the marginalised Dalit sections, K Raju, who heads the Congress’ SC panel, said: “Our endeavour is to ensure equal participation of all sections in the political decision-making process. The AICC vice-president has given us a clear mandate to find ways to achieve such representation. One way of doing so is to have Dalit representation in the state Congress committees at all levels of leadership, from vice-presidents and general secretaries to executive committee, in proportion to the SC population in that state.” In Punjab, the Dalits comprise 35 per cent of the population, which is what the Congress seeks to achieve. “The endeavour is to see if we can have 35 per cent Dalit leaders at all levels in the PPCC as also other state committees. It may be a difficult task to achieve, but it is not impossible,” said a Congress functionary. The overall representation of the Dalits in PCCs is not the only issue under discussion. Rahul has also asked the SC panel to see that all Dalit sub-castes are represented and the Dalit women given their due. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had earlier approved the list of more than 260 PPCC members to accommodate the concerns of leaders of all factions, Punjab Congress head Partap Singh Bajwa, former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, senior leader Rajinder Bhattal and Congress Legislature Party Leader Sunil Jahkar. The PPCC is due for constitution since March this year when Capt Amarinder Singh was replaced with party’s Gurdaspur Lok Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa as PPCC president.
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Panthic issues likely to dominate Shaheedi Jor Mela rallies
Patiala, December 20 The forthcoming Shaheedi Jor Mela at Fatehgarh Sahib, scheduled for December 25, 26 and 27, is likely to be a show of strength. Various political conferences are scheduled for the second day. Analysts say various panthic issues, including the release of Sikh detainees, will dominate the proceedings. The annual fair is organised to mark the martyrdom day of the Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh and lakhs of devotees turn up to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup. A couple of years ago, the Sikh high priests had appealed to politicians not to politicise the occasion but the plea seems to have fallen on deaf ears. As the ruling SAD-BJP’s Jagraon rally for December 21 had to be cancelled at the eleventh hour, the coalition would now be using Jor Mela to exhort its workers for the Lok Sabha elections. The Jagraon rally was to be addressed by BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. SAD leaders are leaving no stone unturned to make the conference a success. SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said elaborate preparations had been made for the event. “We will focus on issues concerning the Sikhs, including the Operation Bluestar and justice to the victims of the 1984 riots,” he said, assuring that the Akali Dal would abstain from political mudslinging. The opposition Congress too wants to make the most of the occasion, though its primary focus, said sources, would be on bringing all its leaders on a common platform. The Congress claims to have shot off invites to the entire state leadership. Partap Singh Bajwa, PPCC president, said: “We have sent invites to all our leaders. We expect a huge gathering.” On political speeches during the function, Bajwa said their party never flouted the Akal Takht directives, and that “it was the SAD leadership that always delivered political speeches”. Fatehgarh Sahib SSP Gurmeet Chauhan said 3,000 policemen would be deployed.
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3 temporary bus terminals set up
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 20 Buses and other commercial vehicles transporting devotees to the fair from Ropar, Morinda, and Kurali would be parked at the bus terminal set up at Baba Moti Mehra Gate near Bahadargarh village on the Sirhind-Bassi Pathana road. Buses coming from Chandigarh, Mohali and Landra side would be parked at temporary bus stand set up at Attewali village. — TNS
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EcoSikh chief to visit state
Chandigarh, December 20 He will interact with different societies and attend consultative sessions to promote EcoSikh’s programmes Eco-Amritsar and Sikh Environment Day. EcoSikh was launched in June 2009 in collaboration with the UN to highlight Sikh environmental thought and activism based on Sikh teachings.
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Cong to approach PM if state doesn’t take charge of PIMS
Jalandhar, December 20 Doctors, paramedical and clerical staff at PIMS have been on strike for non-payment of their salaries for the past six months. State Congress Committee chief Partap Singh Bajwa has also threatened to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court if PIMS is sublet to Fortis. He alleged the Badals had already handed over government land worth thousands of crore to Fortis in Amritsar, Mohali and Bathinda. “We know the Badals have 50 per cent share in all big private hospitals. Now, I wonder why they are planning to hand over the institute worth over Rs 2,000 crore to Fortis when the state government is capable of running it,” alleged Bajwa while hearing the grievances of striking employees. Santosh Chaudhary, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, said the ministry had summoned PIMS management to New Delhi on December 23. “We have warned them of serious consequences if the employees are not paid in a week. They are playing with the future of our youth. We won’t let it happen,” said Chaudhary, who accompanied Bajwa and other senior Congress leaders including, Sukhpal Khaira and Anil Datta. Students of PIMS told the Congress leaders that though they had paid Rs 20 lakh in fees in the management quota, they had not been provided with hostel accommodation. Dr SS Sidhu, an employee, said, “The PIMS management had assured us of paying our salaries by today but failed to keep their promise.” Bajwa said he would discuss the issue with Prime Minister during his December 30 visit to Mullanpur and also speak to Punjab Governor.
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State govt may hand over sick PIMS to Fortis
Chandigarh, December 20 The PIMS Medical Education Charitable Society had been handed over a fully constructed PIMS on a 99-year public-private partnership (PPP) lease. The institute is faced with a virtual closure with doctors, nurses and students not attending the institute and nearly all patients of the 450-bed hospital shifted to alternative places. Sources quoting Fortis said the commercial aspect of the hospital was “inbuilt” in the original PIMS papers. Even if the hospital is commercialised, it can continue to ensure subsidised care for the needy and follow the MCI’s norms on the number of beds, hostel facility for students and related services. Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health, said: “We have receined a proposal from Fortis. We are studying the provisions in the original tender and whether it can be handed over to Fortis.” Dr Vimal Sikri, PIMS director, had told The Tribune that “allowing the entry of Fortis is under government consideration”.
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Police to probe arrested ASI’s link with druglord Bhola
Ludhiana, December 20 The police are investigating as to from whom the ASI had procured the contraband. Sources said Gurwinder was hooked to drugs and had procured the contraband from his native village in Tarn Taran district. “Besides Bhola, the police will probe into other links of Gurwinder,” anti-narcotics cell in charge Harbans Singh said. Bhola had served as the Deputy Superintendent of Police when he turned a drug peddler and made huge money. The Patiala police had recently caught him. It is not the first time that the ASI has landed in trouble. He is facing several departmental inquiries. He was posted at the Shimlapuri police station a few months ago, but suspended for dereliction of duty and sent to the Police Lines.
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Medical costs of acid attack victims to be reimbursed
Chandigarh, December 20 As the case filed by Poor Patients Relief Society for free treatment, compensation and rehabilitation of acid attack victims came up for resumed hearing this morning, the Punjab Government filed an affidavit by the Principal Secretary, Home, DS Bains. It stated that the provision for “cent per cent medical reimbursement of all treatment, including plastic surgery” and "compensation of Rs 5 lakh due to death from acid attack,” was proposed to be included in the Punjab Government policy. The Haryana Government also filed an affidavit by Chief Secretary PK Chaudhary, claiming that the Haryana Government’s policy now included a clause that “victims of acid attack would be given preference for allotment of shops”. Appearing for the petitioner, advocate HC Arora insisted that two vital issues raised by him with the state Advocate-General were included in the consolidated policy. These were payment of a monthly financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to the victims and horizontal reservation in jobs. He told the Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih that the Advocate-General had assured him that the issues would be included in the government policy.
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Power tariff likely to go up by 63 paise per unit
Jalandhar, December 20 The current average tariff for all categories is 577.75 paise per unit. Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has submitted its annual revenue requirement (ARR) to the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) for the fiscal 2014-15. SC Arora, PSPCL Director, Finance, said the projected revenue gap stood at Rs 15,550 crore. The total power subsidy for different categories of consumers had been projected at Rs 5,961 crore: Rs 5,037 crore for farm pump sets, Rs 877 crores for SCs/STs and 47 crore for BPL families. The revenue gap of Rs 2,595 crore for 2014-15 has increased more than three times.The PSPCL has assessed the net revenue requirement at Rs 25,350 crore for 2014-15, whereas the revenue available based on the current tariff will be Rs 25,755 crore, a gap of Rs 2,595 crore. The cost of power purchase in 2014-15 has been assessed at Rs 9,247 crore, an increase of Rs 1,542 crore. The employees’ cost has jumped by more than Rs 1,044 crore from Rs 4,306 crore to Rs 5,350 crore. The PSPCL has assessed a 9.24 per cent rise in the total metered supply. It expects the supply for 2014-15 to be 29,176 million units
(MU).
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PAU grants approval to 3 new varieties of fruits
Ludhiana, December 20 ‘Red Lady 786’ of papaya, ‘Bhagwa’ of pomegranate and ‘Brown Turkey’ of fig (anjeer) have been approved for general cultivation in Punjab during a meeting of the State Variety Approval Committee for Horticultural Crops held today under the chairmanship of LS Brar, Director of Horticulture, Punjab. Dr Gurkanwal Singh, Director, National Horticulture Mission, was present. Giving details about the papaya variety, SS Gosal, Director, Research, said its plants were fruitful and vigorous having height of 238 cm. “Fruit-bearing starts from a height of 86 cm from the ground level,” he said. Its fruits are medium, oblong to oval, and its flesh is reddish orange having excellent taste and flavour. Gosal said its TSS (total soluble solids) is 11 per cent and its average yield is 50 kg per plant. “The plants are free from disease and pest incidence under protected conditions,” Gosal said. Referring to the pomegranate variety, Gosal said: “Its tree is medium in size and its fruit is medium to large in size, rind, smooth, glossy and red in colour.” “The main crop matures between mid-August and mid-September,” the Director said, adding that “its average yield is 14.6 kg per plant.” Gosal said the fruit of ‘Brown Turkey’ fig is of medium to large size, delicious with deeply coloured ribs, and a medium-sized eye. “Its fruit skin is purplish brown and lighter at the stem end, and the flesh is pinkish brown with an excellent flavour,” he highlighted. Its tree is prolific and crops yield 53 kg fruit per tree.
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Religious books seized from transport company’s godown
Amritsar, December 20 Committee member Nishan Singh said they had received information that the books were kept in a “sacrilegious manner” in the godown, following which they raided the premises. He said the transport staff initially denied having them, but subsequently admitted to it. “We found nearly 50 religious books lying amid unclean surroundings and immediately took them in our possession.” He said they had also reported the matter to the police and would initiate legal action if the transport owner did not admit to the lapse and apologise for it. He said it seemed the books were lying in the godown for long as they were published way back in 2005.
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‘Raagi’ barred from ‘kirtan’
Amritsar, December 20 A few residents of a locality near Golden Temple intimated Sarabjeet Singh, member of the Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO), about the ‘raagi’ being present with a woman in a house. He then intimated SGPC officials about it. Subsequently, the SGPC officials raided the premises and allegedly found the ‘raagi’ with the woman in an objectionable position. The SGPC officials are mum on the issue.
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Polytechnic student drives jeep over teacher
Hoshiarpur, December 20 The victim, Pankaj Chawla, was taken to the Civil Hospital from where he was referred to a private speciality hospital where his condition was stated to be critical. The police said it was yet to register an FIR as investigations were underway. In their complaint against Arjun Bagga, a first semester student, Chawla’s colleagues alleged that it was a deliberate attempt to take revenge on the victim after not being allowed to bring outsiders to the polytechnic. For his part, Arjun claimed that he did not know how to drive, and that when “he was joking about driving a friend’s jeep, it accidentally started and rammed into the lecturer standing nearby”. Assistant Sub-Inspector Pardeep Singh said the accused had been detained for questioning.
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State govt to revoke 4% tax on food items
Sangrur, December 20 “The Punjab Mandi Board had recently issued a notification with regard to imposing 2 per cent market fee and 2 per cent Rural Development Fund on pulses, gur (jaggery) and some other items. When the matter was brought to the notice of CM Parkash Singh Badal, he instructed the board to cancel the notification,” the minister said. He said the government would take steps to open at least one bank in a village for improving economic condition of the rural masses.
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naunihal case
Chandigarh, December 20 The police told Justice Daya Chaudhary that the threat perception was yet to be gauged. Taking note of the assertion, the justice disposed of a petition with a direction to the police to gauge the threat perception and decide as per rules. Walia claimed that he came in contact with Naunihal in connection with a copyright case while working with a private company in 2002. Naunihal was then posted as the Ludhiana SP. With the passage of time, he and Naunihal had a bond of camaraderie, as a result of which Walia shifted base to Chandigarh in 2012. He stayed in an accommodation provided by the former SSP. Walia said Naunihal allured him to invest money with him in a multi-crore land project. He further said that photocopies of 21 sale deeds executed in Tamil Nadu by the SSP’s special power of attorney were being annexed. “To palm off the responsibility and accountability of being a nouveau riche cop, he played smart and purchased another set of properties through his brother Roopwant Singh, working as Collector in Bharuch, Gujarat….. These sale deeds executed in various parts of the State of Tamil Nadu go on to show the wealth that has been amassed by Naunihal Singh during his official tenure,” the petitioner submitted. The petitioner said he, too, acting in good faith, purchased properties in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in his and wife’s name. He, however, realised that “he was being used as a scapegoat by Naunihal to cover up misdeeds” when the SSP “bluntly denied” to hand over the title deeds of hundred acres of land purchased by him, and refused to give share from the proceeds. When he asked for the title deeds, he was threatened with dire consequences.
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Move to transfer PSPCL land to GLADA stayed
Chandigarh, December 20 The directions by Justice Ajay Mittal and Justice Jaspal Singh came on a civil writ petition filed by the forum and two other petitioners. They had challenged the decision dated August 13, 2013. It was taken by a committee headed by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister directing the PSPCL to transfer around 100 acres to GLADA The petitioners said the decision stipulated that PSPCL hand over the land to GLADA by December 31. No arrangements were, however, made for the construction of residential houses for 600 families of PSPCL employees in the residential-cum-commercial complex.
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Attack on cops: 2 0 dera activists among 46 let off
Sangrur, December 20 While 26 of the accused belong to Ek Noor Khalsa Fauz sect, the remaining are Dera Sacha Sauda followers. The case was registered on March 15, 2009. The acquittal came as the prosecution failed to prove the charges. As per the case of the prosecution, Dera Sacha Sauda 'premis' had gathered at the village on the day of the incident. At some distance were some activists of Ek Noor Khalsa Fauz and both the sides took to sloganeering against each other. The FIR mentioned that police personnel were attacked with bricks and stones when they tried to intervene to defuse the tension. Among those injured was a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
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Minister Joshi surrenders in court, bailed out
Amritsar, December 20 The court had issued bailable warrants against him in two defamation cases filed by Congress leader and advocate Sandeep Gorsi and advocate Vaneet Mahajan. Besides, there was a case of alleged illegal demolition of a hotel located on Batala road. Gorsi said he surrendered in the court of Hem Amrit Mahi and applied for the bail, which the court granted after filing surety bonds to the tune of Rs 1.50 lakh (Rs 50,000 in each case). In another case in Tarn Taran, 11 alleged supporters of Joshi were booked for attacking a health department employee.
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Former CPS’ bail plea rejected
Sangrur, December 20 Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Krishan Kumar Panthey said the investigation against Dhuri was in progress and he would be arrested soon. The CPS, who was elected legislator from Dhuri in 1985 on a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) ticket, was booked along with four others, including his wife Inderjit Kaur and nephew Aman Singh, on December 5 under Section 61 of the Excise Act.
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Ramgarh (Bholath),
December 20
