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Capt wants ‘fact-finding panel’ on Operation Bluestar
Amarinder’s stand full of contradictions, |
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Badals didn’t want me to win fourth time: Sidhu
Badal contradicts Modi stand, favours dynastic politics
Rebel queers pitch for SAD in
Faridkot
Poll pot
Sukhbir: Bajwa will sabotage Capt’s campaign
Sukhbir lying, never tried to join Akali Dal: Bhagwant
Report sought on ‘age’ remark against Soni Poll panel okay with free books
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Capt wants ‘fact-finding panel’ on Operation Bluestar
Amritsar, March 29 “While the Operation Bluestar was carried out by the Congress Government, Badal and LK Advani were equally responsible as both had recommended it. Advani has mentioned it in his autobiography ‘My Country My Life’ how he led a protest march, seeking military action in Darbar Sahib. Badal sought military action during a secret meeting with the then Union Home Minister,” he
said.
The Congress leader asked Badal and Advani whether they were prepared to apologise like Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had done. He also lashed out at SAD general secretary Harcharan Singh Bains for saying that Sonia had not apologised for the Operation Bluestar while pointing out that it was well recorded and anybody could verify it from news archives. Replying to a query, Captain said, “Punjab needs to move ahead. But at the same time, Badal should respond to my charge that he had recommended military action in Darbar Sahib during his secret meeting with the then Union Home Minister PV Narsimha Rao on March 28, 1984.” He quoted from the government’s white paper about the secret meeting. Amarinder has warned Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia against alleged arm-twisting and victimisation of Congress workers. “Enough is enough. Don’t be under any illusion that you will be in power forever,” he said. Replying to a question as what will be the issues in the ongoing elections, he said he would focus on lawlessness, drug addiction, intimidation of people and closure of industry and consequent problems. The former Chief Minister alleged that the Akalis had pushed Punjab into a trap of drug addiction and had ruined almost an entire generation. To another question whether he expected booth-capturing during the elections, the Congress leader shot back, warning, “Don’t underestimate us that we will allow all that to happen.” He said booth-capturing may be possible in a seat where results were close, “but in Amritsar it is going to be a one-way affair and it will not be possible for the Akalis to resort to those tactics of intimidation.” Amarinder also recalled his connection with Amritsar, saying his great grandfather contributed to setting up the historic Khalsa College while his grandfather established a school for girls in Kairon village. He said he was deployed as an Army official in this area during the 1965 war.
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Amarinder’s stand full of contradictions, says Jaitley
Amritsar, March 29 “We have the statement of UK Prime Minister David Cameron. But our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has not uttered a single word,” he said. Jaitley reiterated that Captain was “in the company of those who were responsible for the Operation Bluestar and the 1984 massacre”. He said “if you aggressively say something, it can’t be termed truth”. On Captain’s charge against LK Advani, he said he didn’t know that Amarinder Singh had “so much poor impression of Indira Gandhi that she was acting under Advani’s pressure in 1984”. On Amarinder’s statement that Jaitley was fielded from Amritsar to get him “politically murdered”, the BJP leader said he should concentrate on himself. “Such language doesn’t suit a senior politician with a legacy and family background. I am enthused in the elections. The only disappointment in Punjab is that I had expected a better level of politics from Captain Sahib. He represents a particular legacy, forget politics. There is a grace to be maintained in politics,” he said. On the charge that the SAD-BJP alliance was resorting to “arm-twisting”, he alleged that the Congress should look inward as it had exploited the CBI to the hilt in the past 10 years. Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma also flayed Amarinder for his language, saying it was “unbecoming of a leader of his stature”. He said, “It shows his feudal mindset that cannot reconcile with democratic values.”
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Badals didn’t want me to win fourth time: Sidhu
Amritsar, March 29 Talking to The Tribune on phone from Bangladesh, Sidhu said, “Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal did not want me to contest and get elected as an MP for the fourth time. He was dead against me. So why should I campaign in Punjab now?” He wondered if he could not be a good candidate for the ruling SAD-BJP alliance from Amritsar, how could he be a good campaigner for them. “They didn’t want me to be their candidate from Amritsar without any rhyme or reason. I kept the interests of the coalition above mine by fulfilling the wish of Badal sahib,” he said. Referring to Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, he said if some individuals in Amritsar would hold a press conference to state that they didn’t want him as the alliance candidate, and wanted him replaced by a particular leader, then how could he campaign for the coalition in Amritsar. In political circles, Sidhu’s move is being seen as a jolt to Jaitley as the BJP was hoping to placate the former MP’s supporters and fans who were upset after he was denied the ticket. Besides, the BJP was looking forward to counter Amarinder Singh with the most popular Sikh face it had in the form of Sidhu. The cricketer-turned-politician could have garnered crucial support for Jaitley in the Sikh-dominated constituency of Amritsar. Sidhu said he had sacrificed everything for the party and the coalition, and that he only spoke out when “they crossed the limits”. “They cold-shouldered me, while holding meetings to review development works and launching projects envisaged by me.” Earlier in the day, Jaitley chose to tread cautiously on the issue by simply restricting himself to saying, “When Navjot had left for Bangladesh he had conveyed to me a different impression.” He denied any comment as to whether Sidhu’s absence will affect his poll campaign. Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma, too, merely said: “I hope he will come.”
Capt bats for former Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu has found support from unexpected quarters, with Congress candidate Capt Amarinder Singh targeting the SAD-BJP Government on the issue. “Why did Sidhu leave? He was a good MP and was also liked by the people in Amritsar. He did his best. He kept asking for money, but the state government didn’t give him anything. There is no development in the holy city,” he said.
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Badal contradicts Modi stand, favours dynastic politics
Samrala, March 29 Badal stated this while talking to mediapersons at the residence of former Samrala MLA Jagjivan Singh Khirnia after conducting a rally in favour of SAD-BJP Lok Sabha candidate Kulwant Singh. Clarifying his stand on dynastic politics, he said, “This trend should favour those leaders whose children are working hard to mobilise people in support of their respective parties.” However, he said, “Rahul Gandhi is inexperienced, incapable and unfit for politics.” He criticised the Congress for “ill-treating” the state and termed its rule “worse than that of the British and Mughal rulers”. Badal said, “The Congress is fighting a lost battle in the state as no leader is ready to contest the elections from here. The party has made its big leaders scapegoats.” He claimed that the Akali Dal- BJP combine would win all 13 seats in the state with a thumping margin.
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Rebel queers pitch for SAD in
Faridkot
Faridkot, March 29 The Akali Dal has fielded sitting MP Paramjit Kaur Gulshan against Congress's Joginder Singh Panjgraian (Jaitu MLA) and AAP's Sadhu Singh. Sheetal was elected MLA consecutively in 1997, 2002 and 2007 from Dharamkot, which forms part of the Faridkot parliamentary constituency. After the delimitation of various assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies, the reserved Dharamkot segment changed into a general category seat. In the 2012 assembly elections, the SAD replaced Sheetal with Tota Singh. Sheetal had been feeling dejected ever since. "I was sincere soldier of the party for three decades. But what did I get in return? Several inconsequential leaders have been honoured with chairmanship, I, a three-time MLA, was not considered worth," he rued. He said as he was only a worker, and not an Akali office-bearer, he had the right to contest as an Independent. Sources said not only Sheetal but his father-in-law Gurdev Singh Badal and his son Suba Singh were also demoralised for not being "accommodated" by the party after Gurdev Singh lost the 2012 assembly election from Jaitu. Known as the SAD Dalit face and for his long association with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Gurdev Singh was facing a challenge in Jaitu with the emergence of Paramjit Kaur in Faridkot. It is said Paramjit was promoting her son-in-law on Jaitu seat as a replacement for the octogenarian Gurdev Badal, thus creating a political hiatus between the two. While the party leadership has been trying to broker truce between the two groups, Sheetal's decision has queered the pitch for Paramjit Kaur. Gurdev Singh said: "I have nothing to do with Sheetal's decision.” Sources said Paramjit could face a challenge in Dharamkot and Jaitu segments with Sheetal jumping into the fray. Facing dissent
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Poll pot Ferozepur: Ending days of speculations, miffed Congress MLA from Guruharsahai Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, who was peeved over the denial of the party ticket from Ferozepur, has finally decided to support party candidate Sunil Jakhar. He pledged unconditional support to him in front of thousands of his supporters who had gathered at his native village Mohan Ke in Guruharsahai. Rumours were rife that Sodhi may contest as an Independent or switch over to the SAD, which was reportedly trying to lure him in its fold to bolster its electoral prospects in this constituency. Sodhi said he had taken a decision to support Jakhar in larger interest of the party. He said his support was “unconditional”. Overestimated ‘India Shining’: Shanta Phagwara:
Senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar has said that the party would not repeat the mistake of 2004 when it overestimated the success of the “India Shining” campaign. “This time, the BJP is focused on Delhi,” he told the media here on Friday. He inaugurated the election office of Vijay Sampla, party’s candidate from the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat. The veteran leader hit out at the UPA Government for scams in defence deal, coal blocks allocation and railways and made pitch for corruption-free governance. He claimed that the BJP would win more than 272 seats to form a stable government. As for Congress, Kumar said it would win only one-fourth of seats. Cong: CM once called Kulwant corrupt Chandigarh:
Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Saturday said the SAD’s nominee from the Fatehgarh Sahib Lok Sabha seat was once referred to as a “corrupt businessman” by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The SAD has fielded Kulwant Singh from the Fatehgarh Sahib seat. In a statement, Khaira said that in 2006, Badal had submitted a memorandum to then Punjab Governor, demanding a CBI inquiry against Kulwant for his alleged involvement in the ~1500-crore land scam.
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Sukhbir: Bajwa will sabotage Capt’s campaign
Chandigarh, March 29 “Partap Bajwa is the PPCC president and he would never want that Amarinder wins from Amritsar. Amarinder’s campaign is destined to be sabotaged by Bajwa,” Sukhbir Badal said in a press statement released today. “Bajwa became jittery after being forced to contest from Gurdaspur and mooted the idea of fielding all heavyweights of the party. The purpose was to guard his flanks as he knows he will lose the election. He did not want to lose his the PPCC presidentship and that is why he conspired to make all senior leaders fight the elections,” Sukhbir said. — TNS
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Sukhbir lying, never tried to join Akali Dal: Bhagwant
Sangrur, March 29 Also, Bhagwant alleged that the SAD had a group of non-political persons whose only job was to poach leaders from other parties. At a rally here yesterday, Sukhbir had alleged that Bhagwant had sent him a message that he wanted to join the Akali Dal, a proposal he rejected. “It’s a baseless allegation. Being part of a group that aims to change the political system, I can never think of joining the SAD,” he said. Bhagwant also said the day Sukhbir revealed the name of the person through whom he sent a message, he too would disclose the identity of those who approached him. The AAP leader also dared Sukhbir to repeat his claim under oath at Sri Harmandar Sahib if there was any truth in it. He said the SAD had been passing through a critical situation in the Lok Sabha elections, due to which it had been levelling allegations on leaders like him.
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Case against RTI activist is politically motivated: Kant
Ropar, March 29 “The charge of attempt to murder (Section 307 of the
IPC) was slapped on Chadha before the investigation was carried out. The police did not take the opinion of a doctor regarding injuries of the complainant,” said Kant, who along with singer Jassi Jasraj visited the city today in support of
Chadha. The criminal case against Chadha and others was registered on the complaint of Amarjit Singh, an employee of a mining contractor. He alleged that eight persons attacked him on the night of March 20/21. He was attacked at the behest of
Chadha, Amarjit alleged. “The police need to investigate into the involvement of suspects in attacking the complainant before booking them for attempt to murder,” the Aam Aadmi Party
(AAP) leader Kant said. The inquiries have brought out that the police did not take medical opinion regarding the nature of injuries. Assistant Sub-Inspector
(ASI) Ravinder Kumar, who registered the complaint, said the accused were booked under Section 307, among other sections, as the complainant had alleged that they attacked him with an intent to murder. The complainant’s statement has, meanwhile, confirmed that illegal mining was rampant in the area during night and the sand mafia collected “goonda tax”.
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Three-time MLA from Dharamkot Sheetal Singh jumps into fray as Independent
Ferozepur: Ending days of speculations, miffed Congress MLA from Guruharsahai Rana Gurmit Singh
Sodhi, who was peeved over the denial of the party ticket from Ferozepur, has finally decided to support party candidate Sunil
Jakhar. He pledged unconditional support to him in front of thousands of his supporters who had gathered at his native village Mohan Ke in
Guruharsahai. Rumours were rife that Sodhi may contest as an Independent or switch over to the SAD, which was reportedly trying to lure him in its fold to bolster its electoral prospects in this constituency.
