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4 youths die of electrocution in Patti
2 top guns skip meeting of disgruntled Hindu Cong leaders
Badal hits back, denies role in Sidhu’s ouster
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Harsimrat hails Capt for calling PPP a spent force
Capt likens Majithia to Masood, tells Jaitley to spell out agenda
Amarinder trying to disturb peace, says CM
NDA govt will help revive industry in state: Sukhbir
But show of unity in Fazilka
Dal Khalsa lashes out at Cong, BJP
Cong win in Amritsar to begin SAD end:
Daughter, relatives pitch in for Jaitley
State Dalits continue to face discrimination: Study
Badals do not vote in local elections
Orbit bus crushes man
Cong men clash at Malout...
Stuck in Riyadh, youths want travel agents booked
Khaira seeks Preneet’s help
Three of family commit suicide;
parents, SDM under suspicion
Govt boost must for diversification: experts
Tale of two crumbling schools in Nangal
Police knock door to door to collect licensed weapons
Diarrhea outbreak in Faridkot village
Hit by breaches, Gang canal repair all set to begin
The Gang canal enters Sriganganagar district through Abohar.
Tribune photo
SAD (A) candidate for classless society
Enhanced vigil on inter-state border ahead of elections
Pak sanctions Rs 55 lakh for
renovation of temples in Sindh
EDI system to simplify exports to Pakistan
HC raps Centre for having multiple counsels
multiple chances for exam
Paramour among 2 booked for murder
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4 youths die of electrocution in Patti
Tarn Taran, March 30 The victims were on their way to pay obeisance at Baba Sher Shah Wali Mazaar in the village where an annual fair was under way. The deceased are Chhinda Singh (28), Roshan Singh (18), Harpal Singh (18) and Nishan Singh (18), all residents of Sabhran village. Among the injured are Sukhdeep Singh (16), Joban Singh (12), Sanamdeep Singh (14), Robinpreet Singh (18), Rana (23) and Gurnishan Singh (12) of the same village. Joban has been referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar. The victims were reportedly sitting on the tool box of a truck (PB-46-J-5999) driven by Sardool Singh of Mugalchak village. The incident occurred when the truck took a turn and one of the youths came in contact with the suspending 11,000 KV power line. The current spread from the victim to the other persons sitting atop the truck. All the victims sustained critical burn injuries and were rushed to the Patti Civil Hospital. Chhinda, Roshan, Harpal and Nishan died during the treatment while the condition of the remaining injured was also stated to be critical. They have been kept under observation. Cabinet Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon (Patti MLA) and Congress leader Harminder Singh Gill visited the spot and met the aggrieved families. Police teams headed by Bhikhiwind DSP Harpal Singh reached the spot and took the bodies into their possession. The local administration has announced a compensation of Rs 10,000 to the next of the deceased and Rs 5,000 for the critically injured, besides financial help in the treatment of other injured persons. Fatal end *
The deceased are Chhinda Singh (28), Roshan Singh (18), Harpal Singh (18) and Nishan Singh (18) *
All of them were residents of Sabhran village in Patti * The victims were headed to Baba Sher Shah Wali Mazaar where an annual fair was under way *
The injured are Sukhdeep Singh (16), Joban Singh (12), Sanamdeep Singh (14), Robinpreet Singh (18), Rana (23) and Gurnishan Singh (12) *
All the victims were seating atop a truck when one of the youths contacted a high-tension wire
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2 top guns skip meeting of disgruntled Hindu Cong leaders
Patiala, March 30 The leaders are perturbed over the "step-motherly" treatment meted out to them by the party high command. They have decided that they would oppose their party candidates if their demands are not met. Over 24 leaders from various parts of Punjab attended the meeting held in Patiala to discuss their future course of action and have decided to announce their poll strategy in coming few days. The meeting of these Hindu leaders from Punjab was on the cards ever since the faction of these Hindu leaders led by former Batala MLA Ashwani Sekhri, Sangrur AICC member Aman Arora, former Patiala Mayor Vishnu Sharma and Ludhiana MLA Rakesh Pandey had allegedly “expressed displeasure over the party ignoring their community”. Sources said that Sekhri and Arora skipped today’s closed-door meeting. The leaders, who attended the meeting hosted by Vishnu Sharma, claimed that they did not turn up due to prior engagements. Later, a senior leader said that Sekhri had been sent to Daman and Diu by the All-India Congress Committee for election duty while Aman Arora had to attend a personal function. Meanwhile, the leaders at the meeting today said “that they were ready to revolt and take some harsh steps, including opposing official candidates, in every constituency they represent”. “We had met Shakeel Ahmed, Congress incharge, Punjab affairs, twice in the past fortnight and he has assured that some concrete steps would be taken to ensure the dignity of Hindu leaders within the Punjab Congress where we, at present, are feeling suffocated,” said Vishnu Sharma. No Hindu leader from Amritsar turned up for the meeting. When asked, Vishnu Sharma said, “As all the leaders there are busy campaigning for Capt Amarinder Singh, they did not turn up but we have their support." Others who attended the meeting were KK Sharma from Bathinda, Anish Sadana from Jalalabad, RR Bhardwaj from Derabassi, Balwinder Narang, Prem Kumar from Patran and Hardeep
Goyal.
‘Step-motherly’ treatment *
Batala MLA Ashwani Sekhri, Sangrur AICC member Aman Arora skipped the meeting *
Hindu leaders in the state Congress have expressed displeasure over the party ignoring the community *
They have decided to oppose their party candidates if their demands are not met
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No role in Sidhu’s ouster from Amritsar: Badal
Majitha (Amritsar), March 30 Talking to mediapersons here today, Badal said, “It was Jaitley who had brought Sidhu into the BJP and the latter has got immense respect in the party. Therefore, Sidhu should not show his back to the senior BJP leader when he is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar.” He denied the allegation that he was behind the denial of ticket to Sidhu from Amritsar. “These decisions are taken by the national BJP leadership and we never interfere in their internal party matters. Neither they tell us whom to allot ticket nor do we tell them.” Badal said both Sidhu and his Chief Parliamentary Secretary-wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu were respectable figures in the SAD-BJP alliance. He said they would have helped Sidhu as much as they were helping Jaitley if he had contested from Amritsar. He said he was never upset with Sidhu. To a query, he said it was neither Jaitley’s nor Sidhu’s elections. He said it was the people’s election and they would choose who was best suited for them. He said he would not mind if Sidhu campaigned for the ruling alliance in Punjab, denying the charge that he didn’t want the sitting MP to campaign here. While Badal chose to speak on the controversy, Jaitley continued to tread with caution. He stuck to what he had stated about Sidhu’s move yesterday. “I have already told you that when I last met him before he left for Bangladesh, he had conveyed me a different impression. I don’t want to say anything more on the issue,” he said. When asked whether his absence will make a difference, he simply said “the election result will tell you”. A couple of days back, Jaitley had visited Sidhu's residence here and met his wife who is also the BJP MLA from Amritsar East. She too had said Sidhu would not campaign for Jaitley as the Akalis didn't want to work with him. Sidhu had been on a collision course with the top SAD leadership after he accused them of scuttling his pet projects in Amritsar. Subsequently, the BJP “declined” him the ticket from Amritsar without giving any credible reason for his replacement. However, Sidhu and Jaitley are portraying contrasting pictures of what led to the cricketer-turned-politician’s ouster from Amritsar. While Sidhu had been saying he was denied ticket by the party from Amritsar, Jaitley said it was Sidhu who persuaded him to contest from the seat. "These (ticket allotment) decisions are taken by the national BJP leadership and we never interfere in their internal party matters. Neither they tell us whom to allot ticket nor do we tell them "— Parkash Singh Badal, chief minister "I have already told you that when I last met him before he left for Bangladesh, he had conveyed me a different impression. I don't want to say anything more on the issue." — Arun Jaitley, bjp amritsar candidate
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Harsimrat hails Capt for calling PPP a spent force
Chandigarh, March 30 "We as well as the people of Bathinda and Punjab knew this all along but this public acknowledgement by Capt Amarinder -- which has been published in a section of the press -- is indicative of what the Congress, to which Manpreet has hitched his horse to fight me, thinks of him," she said. She said the very fact that this statement had been issued by Amarinder, who had publicly termed Manpreet as a "summer storm" that would die its natural death in the run-up to the last Assembly elections, proved that the Congress leader had held fast to his earlier views on the PPP chief. In a statement here, the Bathinda MP said the stand taken by the Congress leader had left Manpreet Badal high and dry. "Earlier, he tried to fool the electorate of Bathinda by issuing a statement that he had met Capt Amarinder over breakfast at Chandigarh and that the Captain had promised to support him in Bathinda. However, Amarinder had denied the breakfast meeting, exposing the PPP leader's lie."
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Capt likens Majithia to
Masood, tells Jaitley to spell out agenda
Amritsar, March 30 In a statement, Amarinder said, “I condemn what Masood said about Modi and he must be given exemplary punishment. You (Jaitley) should have the courage to condemn Majithia for a similar outburst when he said if CM Parkash Singh Badal orders, he will chop my head and put it in Badal’s feet.” He also advised Jaitely to “stop cribbing and complaining about everything and instead spell out his agenda for Amritsar”. In a statement issued here today, Amarinder said, “So far, the only thing Jaitely has done is continuous cribbing and complaining that I did this and I did that and particularly that I am not talking nicely to him.” He said ideally a leader of Jaitley’s stature “should not take such things to heart and feel demoralised as in real time politics you are always confronted by such harsh realities, which you do not encounter while making backdoor entries into the legislature”. The Congress leader told him there was enough of cribbing and complaining and he must come out with his vision and agenda for the people of Amritsar as it happens to be the prime city of Punjab. “And I am sure that it will generate a healthy debate, which you have been missing and complaining about all these days,” he remarked. He also asked Jaitley to tell the people of Amritsar whether he would give up his lucrative legal practice in the Supreme Court for which he required to be in Delhi most of the time. Amarinder also told Jaitley that he would like to grant him his cherished wish of a healthy debate if only he came out with healthy ideas, and not those “dictated to him by his Akali patrons”. He alleged the Akalis had done no good to any of the BJP leaders so far, “and that he could ask Navjot Singh Sidhu if he had any doubts”. “Jaitley appears to be suffering from a persecution complex, which sprouts from his ignorance about electoral politics. I have a habit of calling spade a spade which, even if I wish, I can’t change. I am sorry I have disappointed you on that. This is just the beginning as Jaitley has a long way to go till April 30. It reminds me of famous Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir’s couplet, “ibtida-e ishq hai rota hai kya, aage aage dekhiye, hota hai kya...,” he said.
Says Sidhu is Jaitely's Eklavya
Dwelling on Navjot Sidhu issue, Captain said, “The treatment meted out to the outgoing Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu reminds me of the famous Eklavya story in Mahabharata. Here in Amritsar also, Jaitley appears to have taken his ‘gurudakshina’ from his ‘shishya’ (student) Sidhu, who seems to have gladly handed it over. Probably Jaitley has found a new ‘shishya’ in Bikram Majithia.”
Cong victory in Amritsar to begin SAD end:
Fatehgarh Sahib, March 30
“The Congress victory in Amritsar will mark the beginning of the SAD-BJP coalition’s downfall, and the Congress’ rise, in Punjab,” he said. Bir Devinder here today addressed his first press conference after joining the Congress. He also paid obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib.
The Congress leader said in Punjab people were reeling under the alleged misrule of the SAD-BJP government. “The Akalis are facing huge anti-incumbency… The Congress has fielded its top leaders who will ensure victory by a record margin,” he said.
On why he switched over to the Congress from the People’s Party of Punjab, he said “Rejoining the Congress is like homecoming for me. Whosoever leaves his house is supposed to return one day.”
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Amarinder trying to disturb peace, says CM
Majitha (Amritsar), March 30 Addressing a public rally organised by Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia in support of BJP candidate Arun Jaitley here today, Badal said: "Amarinder is trying to divert the people's attention from real issues like corruption and inflation by raking up Operation Bluestar. His charges against me are white lies. Tomorrow he may even allege that the Congress orchestrated the 1984 riots on my advice." He accused the Congress of trying to create a wedge between the Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab. "Today there is communal harmony in the state. But the Congress wants to ruin that," he said while terming Amarinder a troublemaker. He alleged the Congress, which was behind Operation Bluestar and the 1984 riots, had now sent Amarinder to Amritsar to add insult to injury. He said Amarinder was wont to raising such issues and using threatening language while campaigning. He said he had no objection to setting up of a 'fact-finding commission' but asked Amarinder as to why he did not do so when he was in power in the state. Jaitley said none of Amarinder's charges were corroborated in PC Alexander's memoirs, by far the most authentic account of what had happened before Operation Bluestar. Addressing the rally earlier, Jaitley took on his rival for the kind of language he had been using during campaigning. "Whenever he speaks, he uses bitter words and foul language against me. I have not seen Badal Saheb speak ill of anybody whereas Amarinder has never spoken anything good about anyone." He said Punjab needed a strong voice at the Centre and if elected, he would make all efforts to accelerate development in the state, particularly Amritsar. Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia and Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma projected Jaitley as the son of the soil, saying that Punjabi blood ran in his veins. Sharma said Amarinder was a "serial loser" who had been rejected time and again by the people of Punjab and that he was inaccessible. He claimed that Amarinder was suffering from "Majithia phobia".
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NDA govt will help revive industry in state: Sukhbir
Ludhiana, March 30 He was in the city to induct former district Congress president Jagmohan Sharma into the Akali fold. Batting for the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Sukhbir said an NDA government at the Centre would augur well for Punjab. "Modi and Parkash Singh Badal share a good rapport. Modi cannot refuse Badal's request (for the development of Punjab). Besides, Arun Jaitley, the BJP leader contesting from Amritsar, will be number two or three in the NDA government at the Centre. Isn't this a profitable proposition for the people of Punjab?" With an NDA government at the Centre, the Punjab Government could insist on a special industrial package for the state, said Sukhbir. "Punjab is a border state that has had to wage a war against militancy. The Punjab Government will make an all-out effort to get an industrial package for the state that will revive the industry here." Projecting Modi as the leader who can take tough decisions, Sukhbir Badal said Modi could lead India to progress. He blamed the UPA government for the "financial crisis" in the country. He dismissed the Third Front formula as a failure. Sukhbir's speech, which was high on rhetoric, claimed that the Congress ignores its workers. Taking a dig at the Congress, he said the Congress itself was its biggest enemy. In an exercise in self-praise, Badal credited the Akali Dal with being a worker-friendly party. He said, "Unlike the Congress in which even a party legislator finds it tough to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, the SAD is a party whose workers can meet the leaders without any restriction." Meanwhile, some local leaders of the BJP, including district BJP secretary Sangeeta Bhandari, expressed their displeasure at being "ignored" by the SAD. As soon as the programme was over, Bhandari, along with other women members, rushed to meet Sukhbir. She told mediapersons that the meeting was for something personal. Later, a visibly-perturbed Bhandari said she was not invited on stage during the
programme.
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But show of unity in Fazilka
Fazilka, March 30 The programme was organised by former Congress MLA Mohinder Rinwa. Prominent among those present were Punjab Congress general secretary Mehtab Singh, Davinder Sachdeva, Bunty Bedi, Kewal Krishan Kamra, Parmjit Singh Pammi, Ranjam Kamra, Kaushal Kumar Bouk, Surinder Kalara, Roshan Lal Khunger and Jaipal Singh Sandhu. Addressing the gathering, Jakhar lambasted Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for his propaganda of “pseudo development”. “The state government has been taking credit for the Union Government’s schemes and welfare projects,” he said. Highlighting the “failures” of the state government, Jakhar said Badal had announced a hike in old age and widow pension and Shagun Scheme and unemployment allowance but “nothing as such had happened so far”. “The government has only extended the tenure of liquor vends,” he said. Jakhar said the Ferozepur parliamentary constituency was a “Congress bastion” held by his father and former Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar till 1985. “In the last 30 years, no Congress candidate has been able to win from here. Now, I will carry forward the legacy of my father. After winning the elections, my priority will be to resolve the problems of the border area people,” said Jakhar. Taking a dig at the BJP, Jakhar termed Amritsar candidate Arun Jaitely as a “good person”, but maintained that it was the saffron party’s strategy to “sacrifice” him by fielding him from Amritsar where he had locked horns with former Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh.
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Dal Khalsa lashes out at Cong, BJP
Amritsar, March 30 In a statement released here, Dal Khalsa chief HS Dhami and spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said as the elections were around the corner, both the parties were playing "petty" politics around Operation Bluestar and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. They said the "complicity" of the British government and the "dubious" role of Parkash Singh Badal and Surjit Singh Barnala in the Army assault had given a jolt to the trust of community members. "On the one hand, Sikhs are in pain because the perpetrators have not been brought to book even after 30 years of carnage and on the other, the Congress and the BJP-SAD were cashing in on their emotions," they added.
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Cong win in Amritsar to begin SAD end:
Fatehgarh Sahib, March 30 “The Congress victory in Amritsar will mark the beginning of the SAD-BJP coalition’s downfall, and the Congress’ rise, in Punjab,” he said. Bir Devinder here today addressed his first press conference after joining the Congress. He also paid obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib. The Congress leader said in Punjab people were reeling under the alleged misrule of the SAD-BJP government. “The Akalis are facing huge anti-incumbency… The Congress has fielded its top leaders who will ensure victory by a record margin,” he said. On why he switched over to the Congress from the People’s Party of Punjab, he said “Rejoining the Congress is like homecoming for me. Whosoever leaves his house is supposed to return one day.”
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Daughter, relatives pitch in for Jaitley
Amritsar, March 30 Sonali along with BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh started canvassing from the streets of Katra Jaimal Singh area. They went on a door-to-door campaign.
Talking to mediapersons, Sonali said, "It feels great to be in the city having our ancestral roots. I have been meeting people who are treating us like their family and showering love and affection on us." She alleged they had met a number of residents who were fed up of the rising inflation under the UPA regime. “They also realise that the need of the hour is to vote the NDA to power under Narendra Modi. I have requested them to vote for my father so that Modi can lead the country." She said she also tied friendship band to the residents who had promised her to vote for her father. She declined to make any comment on sitting MP Navjot Singh Sidhu's decision to not campaign for
Jaitley.
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Chinks to fore Bassi Pathana: Infighting in the local unit of the Congress came to the fore as two leaders clashed during a meeting held in the presence of party candidate Sadhu Singh Dharamsot.
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State Dalits continue to face discrimination: Study
New Delhi, March 30 The study was conducted by a team led by academicians Ajay Gudavarthy of JNU and Ashutosh Kumar of Panjab University for the Hyderabad-based People's Pulse research organisation. The respondents in the two Punjab constituencies of Fatehgarh Sahib (reserved) and Anandpur Sahib were of the view that besides corruption and unemployment, welfare schemes like the Atta-Dal Scheme, the Shagun Scheme and the bicycle scheme for schoolgirls did not reach the intended beneficiaries, mainly Dalits. Many felt the food distribution system was not functional. As for central schemes like MNREGA, the response was mixed. The issue of some villages receiving money and others not and the inaccessibility of upper-caste sarpanches during non-election days figured prominently. Sanitary problems owing to poor drainage and lack of toilets was another problem. Interestingly, the role of money and liquor during campaigning was acknowledged by the respondents. A few of them admitted that despite the freebies, they did not feel compelled to vote for a particular candidate/party. The study observed that the Dalits in rural Punjab were more cautious in revealing their choice and were “fearful of the powerful landed peasantry on whom they are economically dependent… Community does matter as the voters seem to take a decision collectively, sometimes openly and sometimes clandestinely.” In Chandigarh, as in the two constituencies in Punjab, the Dalit voters had a good opinion of AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal, citing refusal by Kejriwal to use a beacon on his vehicle and his transparent funding methods. The report said there was a sense of dependency on the government. “Patronage rules the mind of poor illiterate Dalit voters. They seem to have not much expectation about the change in the system. So they remain contended with whatever they get during the election campaign from the party and the candidates,” the study noted. It also observed that poor drainage and bad roads remained a problem in Chandigarh's
Dalit-colonies.
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Badals do not vote in local elections
Muktsar, March 30 During the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in 2008, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Badal and Manpreet Badal did not exercise franchise. During the gram panchayat elections too the three did not cast their vote. Nobody from the CM's family or from PPP chief Manpreet's family cast their vote during the gram panchayat elections in 2013. Last year, the Badals did not cast their ballot for the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections. Sukhbir was reported to be out of the country.
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Orbit bus crushes man
Barnala, March 30 Station House Officer (SHO) of Tapa police station Baljinder Singh Pannu said Ramesh Kumar was returning home from his petrol pump when his scooter and the bus collided on the Bathinda-Barnala road in Tapa. He said the driver of the bus fled from the spot. The police took the bus in their possession. The bus was going towards Sangrur from Bathinda, he added. However, he said a case would be registered against the driver of the bus after recording the statement of Ramesh's kin.
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Cong men clash at Malout...
Muktsar, March 30 The scuffle reportedly broke out between the supporters of district Congress president Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and another senior leader Jagpal Singh Abulkhurana. Congress' former president of Malout town Baldev Kumar Lali Gagneja was allegedly slapped when he showed resentment on not getting a chance to address the public. The incident took place near the stage where all senior leaders of the Congress were seated. Later, Jakhar and some other senior leaders intervened and pacified the workers. Talking to The Tribune, Baldev Kumar Lali Gagneja said, "Our district president first told me to shift to the second row on the stage, which I refused. Later, I was not allowed to address the party workers. When I showed my resentment, some people
standing there thrashed me. I also retaliated to the assault." Lali said that after today's incident, he would not seek votes in favour of any Congress candidate. Lali has been the local president of the Congress for a long time and his wife is also a former municipal councillor. When some mediapersons asked Jakhar about the incident, he parried the query saying, "This shows the enthusiasm among the workers." Later, Jakhar addressed the public at Muktsar where he was welcomed by Gidderbaha MLA Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on the outskirts of the town. In the public meeting, all senior leaders including Muktsar MLA Karan Kaur Brar, Guru Har Sahai MLA Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Ripjit Singh Brar, Bhai Harnirpal Singh Kuku, Chaudhary Nathu Ram and Mahinder Rinwa were present.
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Stuck in Riyadh, youths want travel agents booked
Hoshiarpur, March 30 In their complaint, the boys have alleged that they had come to Saudi Arabia through travel agents based at Jalandhar for the jobs of drivers. "On reaching here, we got to know that the documents and licences given by the agents were not valid in Riyadh. Now, the company here is forcing us to do labour". They have requested the Government of India to ensure their return. They have also sent a video of their statement to the NRI cell along with shots of the licences given to them by the agent. Meanwhile, the boys are being contacted by the travel agents. Jagmeet, a youth stuck in Riyadh, has been contacted by the "main" agent in Mumbai who assured to resolve his problem in two weeks. "The Mumbai agent promised to pay us, but wanted us to continue staying there. He said he would provide us with new licences. He offered to pay me a handsome amount if I keep mum and not talk to the government or the media. But we have no faith in him. We just want to get back," wrote
Jagmeet. The case details *
In all, 38 Punjabi youths sent as drivers to Saudi Arabia by a Jalandhar-based travel agent have allegedly been forced into bonded labour *
They have been hired to collect garbage; they are paid poorly * The international driving licences provided by the travel agent were declared fake by the Saudi Arabia Transportation Department *
The garbage collection company has impounded their passports * The youths are from Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Nawanshahr and Jalandhar districts
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Khaira seeks Preneet’s help
Chandigarh, March 30 Khaira said, “As many as 38 Punjabi youths, in the age group of 18-30 years, have been held captive by Al Twaik Company Ltd in Riyadh. The boys were lured on the false promise of jobs there by certain travel agents including Sumit Impex (Lamma Pind Chowk, Jalandhar), Sharanjit Singh (Babbehali, Gurdaspur), Davinder Singh (Baba Bakala), Sri Ganesh (Jalandhar) and Gopi. The youths were promised jobs and also provided "driving licences and other travel documents" which turned out to be fake. “Authorities at their current places of work have impounded their passports. They are being held captive and are being forced to do hard labour. They have been tortured too. As some of these boys belong to my constituency Bholath and the Doaba region, they have approached me for help through email." Showing a letter written by one Jagmeet Singh from Riyadh, Khaira said that Jagmeet "had gone there with a driving licence provided by the Jalandhar-based agent. It turned out to be fake. He was being made to do a menial job and that wanted to return to India." The list of other captive youths supplied by him contains the names of Jagjit Singh, Jagdeep Singh, Himmat Singh, Baljinder Singh, Rajdeep Singh, Arjan Singh and Gurluv Singh. Meanwhile, Sukhpal Singh Khaira has managed to talk to Jagmeet who hails from Hamira village in Kapurthala district. Khaira asked the MoS to take up their case with the Saudi Arabia Government and secure their release and ensure their return. He has also demanded that the police should nab the suspect travel agents.
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Three of family commit suicide;
parents, SDM under suspicion
Ferozepur, March 30 The deceased has been identified as Nirmal Singh (27), his wife Gurpreet Kaur (26) and their five-year-old son Harmanjeet Singh. They were residents of Varpal village. In the suicide note that the police found, the deceased Nirmal has accused his father Karam Singh, step-mother Kashmir Kaur, Shavinder Singh (uncle), Joginder Kaur (aunt), besides government officials, including Zira Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Charandeep Singh, for taking the extreme step. Nirmal’s brother Kulwinder Singh said his brother was under trauma due to property dispute. His motorcycle was found along the bank of the canal. The bodies could not be retrieved till the time of filing of report. Sources said the Karam had remarried recently and Nirmal had a strained relationship with his step-mother. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manminder Singh said the police were inquiring into the matter and nothing could be said till the bodies were recovered. About the charges levelled against the SDM, the SSP said the police would take necessary action after taking into consideration all aspects behind the incident. The SDM, Charandeep Singh, said the Karam had filed a case in his court, alleging that his children were not taking his care. The next date of hearing was April 4, said. “If the deceased had any grievance, he should have contacted me or the senior officials,” the SDM said. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Manjit Singh Narang said there was no apparent involvement of the SDM in the case. He would inquire into the matter to ascertain the veracity of the facts, the DC added.
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Govt boost must for diversification: experts
Chandigarh, March 30 He was speaking at the 8th Progressive Farmers’ Meet on “Opportunities and Challenges for the Indian Food Processing Industry” organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Mehram Publications Private Limited here today. “Unless we develop sound cold chains and food processing industry across Punjab and Haryana, the thrust on crop diversification to save depleting water table will bear no result. This is so because farmers will not cultivate vegetables and fruit instead of wheat and paddy if they are not guaranteed assured procurement at good prices,” Lal said. Punjab State Farmers Commission chairperson GS Kalkat said, “Ludhiana’s PAU has suggested that of 68 lakh hectares under paddy and wheat cultivation in Punjab, 28 lakh hectares should be put to the cultivation of fruit and vegetables, considering the fast-depleting water table.”
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Tale of two crumbling schools in Nangal
Ropar, March 30 Though the Nangal Municipal Council (MC) has passed the budget of Rs 270 crore, the two schools run by the civic body have been facing shortage of teachers. And those employed are being paid as low as ~1,500 per month. The schools — Shivalik Model Senior Secondary School, Ajouli Morr, and Shivalik High School, Mojowal, have nearly 2,000 students on roll. According to information obtained under the Right To Information (RTI) Act by MC councillor, Advocate Paramjit Singh Pamma, Shivalik Model Senior Secondary School has 57 teachers. The school has no regular principal for the past 10 years, and the 31 teachers are employed on contractual basis. Some of them are paid from the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) funds. Moreover, all but one postgraduate teacher, required to teach higher classes, have left the school. “The only teacher still working is of biology employed on basis of PTA funds,” Pamma said, adding that the student of senior secondary classes were left without teachers. The situation is no different at the Mojowal school. The school is functioning without a regular head teacher for 10 years. Science and computer teachers, whose monthly salaries are between ~1,500 and ~1,700, receive the remuneration from the PTA funds.
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Police knock door to door to collect licensed weapons
Faridkot, March 30 Following the Election Commission (EC) directives to the police and the civil administration to ask the firearm licencees to deposit their weapons last week, they made public announcements in this regard. But several licensees failed to surrender their arms and hence the move. There are nearly 3.27 arms licensees in the state and they own more than 3.35 weapons. More than 31,500 arms licences have been issued to women and one among them is a sitting parliamentarian. The police are taking the help of private gun dealers to stock the weapons and allowing them to charge monthly deposit fee for it. The issue of depositing firearms at the time of elections has always been a contentious one with licensees refusing to surrender their weapons and approached the courts. The weapon owners, residing in the outskirts of cities or in fields, claim that without the firearms there is a threat to their life and property. “Courts across the country have ordered the authorities several times not to force the licence holders from depositing their weapons,” Mangat Arora, an advocate in Faridkot, said. “If the competent authority finds that there’s a chance of the misuse, only then the firearms need to be deposited,” he said. Faridkot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varinder Paul Singh said the police and civil administration were working as per the EC directions. “We got the instructions to ask the licencees to deposit their weapons last month,” he said. “People keep licensed weapons for safety. What’s the point of having a weapon if it’s to be deposited? The police or the administration does not give surety of no untoward incident taking place. When proper verification is done prior to issue of an arms license, why the harassment?” asked Amrik Singh of Kameana village in Faridkot district.
In Fatehgarh Sahib, 70% arms deposited Fatehgarh Sahib: About 70 per cent of the arms licensees have deposited their firearms in the district so far. The last date for surrendering the weapons is April 2. According to information, 5,579 arms licences have been issued in the district and 6,249 firearms are registered with the licence-issuing authority. In view of the Lok Sabha elections on April 30 in the state, 4,406 weapons have been deposited with the police so far. The police said they had been directing the SHOs to make repeated announcements in their respective areas, asking licensees to deposit their weapons in time. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said, “The police will recommend cancellation of arms licences of those not following the instructions, besides initiating criminal proceedings against the violators.” — Sanjay Bumbroo
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Diarrhea outbreak in Faridkot village
Faridkot, March 30 Four of them, who were in a critical condition, were taken to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot. “Suspecting that the diarrhea outbreak was due to consumption of contaminated water in the village, the Health Department has collected samples of water and advised residents to use only boiled water,” said Dr Surinder Kumar, Civil Surgeon, Faridkot. The residents have been told not to take a chance even with the RO-treated
water being supplied in the village. The department is also examining samples of food, which was being consumed by some poor people in the village. The stale food is remnant of a feast in a function in the village, which was held four days ago. Faridkot Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Tayyab said the cause of the problem would be ascertained only after
the examination of the collected samples. Almost all of the affected persons, including a two-year-old and four women, belong to poor and Dalit families. “They are responding well to medication. Four children admitted to Jaitu hospital and two at the medical college have been discharged,” said Dr Surinder Kumar.
Water, food samples collected n Thirty residents of Behbal Khurd village of Faridkot, mostly children of Dalit families, were rushed to hospitals with symptoms of vomiting and acute pain in abdomen n The Health Department has collected samples of water. The team is also examining remnant food, which was consumed by these people, of a function held four days ago
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Hit by breaches, Gang canal repair all set to begin
Abohar, March 30 Initially, the authorities had decided to defer the closure for a year fearing that it might annoy farmers in the election month. Elections in Sriganganagar Lok Sabha constituency are scheduled for April 17 and in Punjab on April 30. Experts had recently warned that the dilapidated headworks might collapse if not repaired within two months. Breaches in three canals in the Abohar region recently had already wreaked havoc due to accumulation of hyacinth around road bridges and walls recently. Since April is considered the most suitable month to take up annual repairs besides lining work, the expert found no wisdom in deferring rhe closure. Farmers' organisations, too, said wheat crop
did not require water for irrigation. Gang canal Superintending Engineer (SE) KL Jakhar said lining spread over 23 burjis of the Gang canal feeder would be completed within the prescribed period and the contractors had already started removing silt using JCB machines. The irrigation department
will also take up construction of headworks on Z, Y and D minors (sub canals). The steps will help making water available at
the tail ends besides checking seepage. As the canal now runs with 2,450 cusecs supply of water, the Water Resources Department has been told to ensure filling of all rural and urban water reservoirs by Monday evening to make potable water available for drinking during the one-month closure. The Water Users Association has also been requested to take up cleaning of the canal. To meet shortage of staff, the Chief Engineer has directed seven more junior engineers from other departments to report at the Gang canal office immediately for a month.
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SAD (A) candidate for classless society
Hoshiarpur, March 30 Talking to mediapersons, he said his main issue for these elections was to make a classless society, so that each one gets his due share in development. On Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s statement that the SAD (A) was the “B team” of the Congress, he said, “Who is Badal to comment this way. He himself is a product of the Congress. He contested his first elections on a Congress ticket and remained an MLA of the party. He’s trying to fool people, which he has been doing throughout his political career.” “We are the party with a real panthic philosophy and we need no certificate from anyone,” he said. Maloya — the eldest brother of Beant Singh, the assassin of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and a former Chief Judicial Magistrate — said, “The state had been facing debt, narcotics, diseases and lack of better education and unemployment for youth. These are the four key factors which make or mar any state.” Maloya said, “For India to develop and flourish, we need to understand the real issues. The division in society needs to be eradicated and if we do not act wisely now, the situation will become difficult to control.” “In 1947, only one Pakistan was made but If Modi comes, India would be divided into many parts,” the SAd (A) candidate said.
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Enhanced vigil on inter-state border ahead of elections
Ferozepur, March 30 Paramraj Singh Umranangal, Inspector General of Police, Bathinda Zone, said special nakas had been put up at sensitive places in the region and illegal weapons had been seized. He said 82 per cent of licenced weapons had been deposited in various police stations in seven police districts under the zone. He said that four companies of the CISF had already arrived, out of which two companies had been deployed in Bathinda and one each in Faridkot and Ferozepur. “We are also keeping track of Proclaimed Offenders and the execution of warrants is also being reviewed,” he said. The IG said a fresh survey of hypersensitive and supersensitive booths in the zone was being carried out, following which the entire mechanism for deployment of forces would be worked out. He said the police had beefed up security of
VIPs placed under Z plus and Z categories following specific Intelligence inputs.
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Pak sanctions Rs 55 lakh for
renovation of temples in Sindh
Abohar, March 30 Speaking on the sidelines of a function at Krishna Mandir located on Ravi Road in Lahore recently, Dr Chand said the renovation of Sir Ganga Ram Memorial has also been taken up. Earlier, the government had in 2011 taken up repair of temples as part of a welfare programme for the minority community of the country. The temples which were repaired or renovated by the government are Krishna Mandir in Lahore, Jhuley Lal Mandir in Karachi, Gurpat Mandir Siro Ghat in Hyderabad, Bhagat Ram Mandir and Sant Thawar Das Mandir in Dadu and Krishna Mandir in Rawalpindi. Earlier, the idols of deities sanctified
in India were installed in Krishna Mandir, Lahore, in 2007. Chand said Rs 35 lakh were released by the government for the renovation of the Sadhu Bela shrine at Sukkur. The renovation of 100 rooms in Aggarwal Dharamshala at Lahore is also in full swing. A dispensary has also been added. "Earlier, Hindu pilgrims from India were accommodated in a school near the Ravi Market area. The ETBP now makes lodging and boarding arrangements for them at Dera Sahib Gurdwara, the martyrdom place of Guru Arjun Dev," Chand said. Since the number of Sikh pilgrims has been higher, they are accommodated in Aggarwal Dharamshala also. A round-the-clock security, water and electricity is ensured at all such places, he claimed.
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EDI system to simplify exports to Pakistan
Amritsar, March 30 Talking to The Tribune, leading exporter Rajdeep Uppal said, "The EDI system will make things easier for the exporters as they can track the movement of their cargo online from their cities. Besides, the traders can file their documents sitting from their offices or homes." He said the system has been started for exports at present, while it will take some time before it is initiated for imports. The trading community has hailed the installation of the EDI system at the ICP, as they feel it would not only bring in efficiency but would also curtail the possibility of frauds which are often perpetrated during manual operations.
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HC raps Centre for having multiple counsels
Chandigarh, March 30 Taking up a petition filed against the Centre and other respondents through counsel Anil Malhotra, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli ruled: “In the end, we must note the fact that we have three counsels appearing for three different Ministries of the Government of India, which causes more confusion than clarification as it seeks to give an impression that each Ministry wants to put its own stand before the Court and not that an unanimous stand is taken by the Ministries concerned after discussion inter-se the Ministries.” The bench added: “The Union of India does not consist of different parts insofar as reflection of stand is concerned, as the stand of Union of India has to be one. We are of the view that this aspect be examined and be placed before the Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, Government of India, who will look into the matter for better and more appropriate representation.” This is the second time in about two months that the High Court has admonished the Centre. It had earlier this year censured the Centre for setting at naught the very purpose behind adopting the mechanism of alternate dispute resolution. The admonition came after the High Court took note of the fact that seven arbitrators had been appointed over 14 years without much progress in a case of a dispute between the Centre and a builder. The reprimand by Chief Justice came at a time when the courts were stressing on arbitration and other modes of alternate dispute resolution to bring down the pendency of cases. Taking up the arbitration case filed by Amit Builders against the Centre and other respondents, the Chief Justice had asserted: “This is one more matter dealing with the government departmental lethargy, where arbitrators after arbitrators have been appointed without even commencing the arbitration proceedings.”
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multiple chances for exam
Chandigarh, March 30 Taking up Rahul Kapoor’s appeal, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli ordered: “We also cannot lose sight of the fact that pursuing education and its costs is not an easy task in our country.” His counsel Deepak Sibal submitted that the appellant took admission in five-and-a-half year Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery course. He sought mercy chance to appear in three papers, but was informed on November 29, 2013, that his request had been rejected. Subsequently, he filed a petition before the High Court, alleging disparity. Two students, he alleged, were given mercy chance to clear papers. The respondents, on the other hand, admitted that the university Vice-Chancellor (V-C) could grant mercy chances to the students. Taking up the matter, the Bench asserted that there was no reason why he should not have been granted a mercy chance by the V-C “and the discretion exercised against him was not proper”. The Bench asserted: “It is not in dispute that if the appellant does not clear the remaining three papers in the mercy chance, he has no future. That is for him and his fate…. The appellant has spent two-and-a-half years in his education and another year since then. It would be a dead loss of three-and-a-half years. “Should not in such a case the Vice-Chancellor have exercised the discretion for the mercy chance? In our view a more sympathetic attitude was expected, the power having been vested with the Vice-Chancellor. It is a case where there has been failure on the part of the Vice-Chancellor to exercise the discretion of giving mercy chance to the appellant which the appellant is entitled in the given facts and circumstances of the case discussed aforesaid.” Setting aside the impugned order passed by the single judge, the Bench directed that the appellant should be granted the last mercy chance. The case *
The appellant took admission in five-and-a-half year Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery course *
He sought mercy chance to appear in three papers, but was informed on November 29, 2013, that his request had been rejected *
Subsequently, he filed a petition before the HC, alleging disparity *
The Bench asserted that there was no reason why he should not have been granted a mercy chance by the V-C ‘and the discretion exercised against him was not proper’
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Paramour among 2 booked for murder
Abohar, March 30 A case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the accused. Sources said the weapon was reportedly thrown in a pothole on the Kandhwala road. Sandeep Kaur (24) of Kala Nangal, Gurdaspur, was allegedly stabbed near the Dargah of Peer Baba in Rajiv Nagar in Nai Abadi and thrown on a road on Friday night. Some passersby took her to the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital, there she died. Kuldeep Kaur of the same locality told the police that Sandeep and her lover Devinder Singh, an electrician of Kothi Faiz, had an altercation on Friday night. Thereafter, both allegedly left together. Investigations revealed that Devinder had taken her to the dargah and attacked her with a knife with the help of a friend, Dheera Singh.
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Tarn Taran, March 30
A day after sitting MP Navjot Singh Sidhu said he will not campaign for BJP candidate Arun Jaitley in Amritsar, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said Sidhu should not turn his back towards his senior party leader.
The Congress strategy of fielding party heavyweights would not work in the elections, said Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal in Ludhiana today.
He was in the city to induct former district Congress president Jagmohan Sharma into the Akali fold.
Batting for the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Sukhbir said an NDA government at the Centre would augur well for Punjab.
Sinking their differences, various factions of the Congress put up a united face and shared the dais with party candidate from Ferozepur Sunil Jakhar during his to the town here today.
BJP candidate Arun Jaitley's daughter Sonali Jaitley and other relatives today kicked off their campaign in the walled city area here.
Sonali along with BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh started canvassing from the streets of Katra Jaimal Singh area. They went on a door-to-door campaign.
Talking to mediapersons, Sonali said, "It feels great to be in the city having our ancestral roots. I have been meeting people who are treating us like their family and showering love and affection on us."
The water supply in the Gang (Bikaner) canal will be suspended on Monday midnight for a month to take up the third phase of brick lining.
Initially, the authorities had decided to defer the closure for a year fearing that it might annoy farmers in the election month.
