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IndiaVotes 2014 Punjab
Manpreet tops in rally code violations
Jakhar aims to do a repeat of ’80 LS poll
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Water pollution not on poll agenda
Punjabi singers change their tune
Potholed patch work stuck in blame game
Badal on Jakhar's turf
Why mum on state issues, Capt asks Jaitley
Supporters left high and dry as leaders shift loyalties
Cong poll panel to chalk out action plan today
Surge in demand for poppy husk due to poll
Akali workers 'allow' vendors to encroach upon Faridkot market
Will deregulate sand mining: Amarinder
Preneet Kaur, Deepinder spar over Modi
Poll
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Candidates’ wives enter Sangrur campaign ring
In affidavit, namesake gives cell no. of Dy CM’s cousin
HC Bar Association seeks NOTA option; elections on April 24
Senior AAP leaders asked to canvass in state
Cong: Weird way to respect Ghadarites
Cong leader Libra joins Akali Dal
Sukhbir : Sand crisis only a Cong hype
SAD: Bhattal patronised militants
Army celebrates war veteran’s 100th birthday
PU reschedules examinations
Naming alcohol brand after Ghadar flayed
Charges framed against Chahal in assets case
Gangster, accomplice held for threatening jail official
In police custody: Gangster Jagtar Singh (left) and his accomplice Gurjit Singh in Amritsar on Tuesday. Tribune photo
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IndiaVotes 2014 Punjab
Abohar, April 15 Notably, Badal had not reacted to Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s letters sent to
him on February 3 and to New Delhi on February 5, urging the Centre to ensure their state due
representation on the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). In a letter to the Central government, Scindia asserted that one of the two whole-time members of the Board be appointed from Rajasthan. She expressed displeasure over the fact that BBMB Secretary was not appointed from the state since 2007. Raje stated that the issue was discussed in the meeting at New Delhi on July 29-30 and August 6, 1992, and it was decided that the post of Member, Irrigation, in the BBMB would be on a rotational basis from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan with a two-year term commencing January 1, 1992. The Chief Ministers of
all the three states had also participated in this meeting. However, this decision had not been implemented even after two decades, she mentioned. Raje also sought an early constitution of a Special Bench in the Supreme Court on the Presidential reference for the Ravi-Beas water issues. She had on February 3 sent another letter to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal over the unchecked flow of polluted water through the canal system originating from Ferozepur. Vasundhra said industrial units in Punjab were discharging hazardous waste into the Sutlej and its tributaries. She had urged Badal to initiate strong measures against the industry and civic bodies as untreated water had “polluted river waters beyond proportions”. Vasundhra had expressed concern over the poor quality of water being released into the Indira Gandhi feeder through the Harike barrage as millions of people in eight districts used this water for drinking. Vasundhra Raje’s letters
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Manpreet tops in rally code violations
Chandigarh, April 15 The Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has compiled a report of 32 such code violations. Contesting on the Congress symbol, Manpreet Badal along with his son Arjun Badal have been charged for holding rallies without permission, among other places, at Balluana (March 20), Bir Rehman (March 24), Teona (March 25) and Jai Singhwala (April 8). The father-son duo has also been charged with misuse of vehicles and speakers and also holding a rally before the scheduled time at Khhatra Rice Mill. Ayali allegedly held three rallies without permission. His AAP rival HS Phoolka has been charged with violating the code by distributing pamphlets inside Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Supreet Singh Gulati, Additional CEO, said, “These reports have been forwarded to the Election Commission. We will wait for its orders for further action.”
Ajnala DSP shifted
Following orders from the Election Commission, Ajnala DSP Sohan Singh has been transferred pending inquiry in a case of alleged house demolition at Gaggomahal village. Gulati said, “Besides the transfer, a magisterial inquiry has been marked into the case. The case pertains to police inaction despite public knowledge about demolition of houses of poor under the influence of workers of the ruling party.” The CEO’s office has recommended Ketan Patil, ACP (Headquarters), Amritsar, to take the charge of Ajnala DSP. The issue was thought to have ended earlier with the transfer of the Chowki In charge and the Station House Officer concerned. In response to a peculiar development of election observers expressing dissatisfaction with the working of DEOs of Ludhiana and Fatehgarh Sahib, Gulati said inquiries had not found anything discriminatory with the election process there. He said one of the complaints pertained to the constituency not having identified sensitive polling booths. To this, the CEO’s Office replied that under rules, the task was performed under the supervision of observers. More paramilitary staff
Punjab will get at least 147 companies of paramilitary forces for election duty by April 26, Gulati said. With an average strength of 100-125 personnel per company, 35 companies were deployed at different places in the state currently, he said.
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Jakhar aims to do a repeat of ’80 LS poll
Ferozepur, April 15 Thirty-four years later, Sunil Jakhar, Balram Jakhar’s youngest son, is confident that the alleged anti-incumbency against his rival, Sher Singh Gubaya, would help him wrest the seat from Akalis. Sunil Jakhar is not just banking on his father’s legacy, who had been the Lok Sabha Speaker twice but is also invoking what he reminds people here of the “Akalis’ poor governance”, as he seeks their mandate. Be it talking about the “poor” financial condition of the state or the “inability” of the Akali government to make available the Congress-led Union Government's grants for the poor, he strikes an emotional chord with the people as he goes about addressing meetings. “I was not keen on the contest. In fact, I feel I have got much more than I wanted or deserved after becoming the Congress Legislature Party leader. I am not among those who want to grab every opportunity. After my brother Surinder Jakhar passed away, I was reluctant as I don't have the manpower to run this kind of campaign,” he says. Jakhar avers that as the Akali MP from here remained “unavailable” to the people, it were the Congress MLAs who worked hard and got central projects sanctioned for the area. He quotes a few: “Parminder Singh Pinky was instrumental in getting the PGI satellite centre and getting better rail connectivity for Ferozepur, Karan Brar was instrumental in meeting the Planning Commission and getting grants to clear waterlogging in Muktsar while Rana Gurmeet Sodhi had met Nawaz Sharif to seek opening of more border routes.” He claims these works are not to be done by MLAs, but by MPs. “So these three MLAs are anyway much more qualified than me to be considered for the ticket. But when the party high command asked me to contest, I agreed and am giving my best shot," he says. Jakhar is banking on the support of MLAs Karan Kaur (Muktsar), Pinky (Ferozepur) and Sodhi (Guruharsahai). Karan Kaur has been actively campaigning with him and organising rallies in Muktsar to seek votes for him. Though Sodhi himself was a contender for the ticket and annoyed initially, he is now backing Jakhar. On the other hand, Jakhar’s SAD rival Sher Singh Ghubaya has reluctant supporters in prominent Akali and BJP leaders from here. The sitting MP has been facing the ire of the constituents because of alleged poor utilisation of his MPLAD funds and for remaining “unavailable” as an MP. It was only after directions from SAD supremo Sukhbir Badal that SAD leaders have started moving along with Ghubaya, though reluctantly. Not a Cong seat traditionally Ferozepur has traditionally not been a seat that sent a Congressman to Parliament. The last time a Congress candidate won from here was in 1985 -- Gurdial Singh Dhillon. The seat was represented by BSP in 1991 and in 1996. Since 1999, when Zora Singh Mann was elected from here, the seat has remained with the Akalis. Interestingly, former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, too, had contested from Ferozepur on the Janta Dal ticket in 1989. Though he lost from here, he won from Sikar (Rajasthan) and Rohtak (Haryana); he had contested from three seats then. The history link In 1980, then Congress president Indira Gandhi had asked Balram Jakhar to contest the elections, though he was reportedly not in the fray for the ticket. Alike his son, Balram too was then the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Similar to his father, Sunil too had not applied for the party ticket and he was reportedly pushed into the poll arena by the Congress high command. Balram Jakhar had won the seat with a record margin of 1.86 lakh votes.
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Water pollution not on poll agenda
Moga, April 15 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, provides that the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) should frame a comprehensive policy for the prevention, control or abatement of pollution in streams and wells and to secure the execution of the policy. The National Environmental Policy, 2006, also provides that each state government will formulate stricter environmental standards based on local considerations for addressing pollution-related issues. But the PPCB has neither prepared the policy except for Ludhiana and Mandi Gobindgarh nor formulated environmental standards based on local considerations. The state government has not assessed the risks to human health from water-borne diseases. The number of cases of water-borne diseases have increased significantly (595 per cent) from 39,781 in 2008-2009 to 2,76,393 in 2012-2013. Nearly 40,000 people have died of cancer in the past five years. A “leaked” report of the CAG for the year ending March 2013, which is likely to be tabled in the state assembly in the coming Budget session, has noticed from the records of the PPCB that Budha Nullah in Ludhiana, the industrial hub of the state, is carrying about 550 million litre daily (MLD) of effluents to the Sutlej river, out of which 200 MLD is trade effluent, mainly from dyeing industries, and the rest is domestic sewage. A perusal of records of the PPCB and the Industries Department have shown that two Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) were to be installed in Ludhiana on the Bahadurke road and Tajpur road for the treatment of effluent discharged by 243 medium and small dyeing industries with the capacity of 15 MLD (for 18 industries) and 117 MLD (for 225 industries), respectively. The CETP on the Bahadurke road has started working from January, while the one on the Tajpur road has yet to be commissioned. Thus the harmful effluents of 225 dyeing industries are either being discharged into Budha Nullah or reaching the sewage-treatment plant in the Jamalpur area. Under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme, the PPCB has observed that the quality of Sutlej water has degraded in the entire stretch from 2008 to 2013. The CAG has pointed out that 1,022 industries were established without the PPCB nod from 2008 to 2013. Environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal says it is high time that people ask leaders, particularly of the SAD-BJP alliance, to come out with a policy for sustainable development.
In deep waters
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Punjabi singers change their tune
Chandigarh, April 15 Gippy Grewal's contrite message to his fans was: “Sariyan ton hath jod ke mafi mangda jinna da dil tutiya commercial advertisment de naal. Main kissae vi party de naal attached nahi aa. Mainu ajj iss mukam te kissae party ne nahi, tusi sariyan ne pounchiya. Main agge ton iss gal da dhyan jaroor rakhugan ke tuhada vishvas bania rakha. Umeed aa tusi mainu chhota veer samaj ke maaf kar deo ge. Tusi vote poun jarror jao, but jitthae tuhada dil karda. (Hands folded, I seek an apology from all those that I have hurt. I am a celebrity not because of any political party, but because of my fans. I am not attached with any party. In future, I will make sure that I don’t betray your trust in me. Please vote for any party that you may support." The actor-singers have not only been flooded with hate mails from Punjab, Canada, Australia and Norway, but have also been criticised by the Punjabi music industry. Diljit too has updated his Facebook page with a long explanation: “Ajj ton kuch 6-7 mahine pehlan mainu police de ADGP ji da fone aaya c te ohna ne dasseya c k Punjab Police lokaan di sahuliyat layi saanjh kendar khol rahi hai ate ossdi ad o mere ton karvauna chauhnde ne. Main iss nu ik changa kamm samjhde hoye bina koi paisa leyaan free ch eh ad kiti c. Oss vele mainu eh v andaaza nai c k eh ad elections vele v telecast kiti jayegi. Par hun mahaul edaan da ban gaya hai k mere saare fans nu, mere saroteyaan nu te mere saare punjabi bhaen bhraavaan nu eh lag reha hai k main ad vich ona nu kisey 1 party nu VOTE paun lai kiha hai ...” (Almost six months back, when approached by the ADGP, Punjab, I appeared in an advertisement on the Saanjh Kendars. I did the assignment free of cost. I had no idea that it would be telecast during the time of the elections. I haven’t asked anyone to vote for a particular party in the advertisement.) Punjabi singer Harbhajan Mann has posted a hand-written letter, explaining the reasons for appearing in the advertisement in which he talks about Badal Government's good governance. The explanation has invited strong reactions from his fans. Most have commented that the damage has already been done.
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Potholed patch work stuck in blame game
Moga, April 15 The residents who have their houses along the stretch are the worst hit as they have been forced to breathe dust that floats in the air. While the locals blame the SAD-BJP government, the latter prefers to pass on the buck to the Centre for non-release of grants. Says Jagir Singh, a resident of Killi Naubad village, “We are not only breathing dust but it is also passing into our food cycle. If a bowl of curd if left uncovered, it gathered a brown layer (of dust) within a few hours. The people have started developing breathing problems.” Jagir claims politicians come and go but their problem continues to remain unaddressed. Satwant Kaur, an elderly woman, says, “My cough refuses to go despite prolonged treatment. The dust is the only cause.” Tarsem Singh, a villager, complains, “I travel to Moga daily for my job. Our Akali sarpanch says the Centre is not releasing funds whenever we approach him. But he parries queries when we ask him why can’t the state government repair it?” The public is also bearing the brunt of delayed projects on another 800-metre strip in Daulewal village on the same road. The project is held up because the contractor claims that the Centre has not released his due amount of Rs 10 under the Centre Roads Fund. Contractor Vikram Bansal claims, “We have received Rs 6.5 crore of the earmarked Rs 10 crore for the project. Delay in funds because of different parties in power at the Centre and the state has been an issue since the project began… We have commenced the work and will complete it soon before moving the court for payment.” Junior Engineer (Roads) Sukhdev Singh says, “The locals approach us daily but the matter is beyond our reach. The Punjab Public Works Department is only a supervisory agency in the project.”
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Badal on Jakhar's turf
Abohar, April 15 Although BJP leaders tried to put a united show, SAD halqa in charge liquor baron Shiv Lal Doda was not present on the dais. He organised a separate meeting at his residence on the outskirts of the sub-divisional town. Badal addressed the gathering there also. However, none of the senior BJP leaders accompanied Badal to the Doda’s meeting. Hundreds of villagers were ferried in vehicles to make the rally at North Circular Road a success. However, the presence of urban populace was negligible since a strong “resentment” prevails among them over “neglect in development works”. The state government had released funds to improve the sewerage and water supply system only when the Punjab and Haryana High Court entertained the public interest litigations (PILs) filed by Congress councillors and Jakhar. Residents said the BJP had failed in providing basic amenities, specially when the party reined the Municipal Council for five years. Former president of BJP’s Mahila Morcha and halqa in charge Vijay Laxmi Bhadoo said she had lost the “security deposit” of her own party men as the party candidate during the 2012 Vidhan Sabha elections, but the workers had now realised that they should not have turned saboteurs. BJP national council member Prof Brij Lal Rinwa, Health Minister Surjit Jyani, Balluana SAD MLA Gurtej Singh, former MLA Parkash Singh Bhatti and MP Sher Singh Ghubaya sought people’s support for the NDA. Parkash Singh Badal said Pakistan had become fond of opening fire at the zero line due to the weak Union government led by Manmohan Singh. Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Inder Kumar Gujral had attended to Punjab’s problems affectively, but Manmohan Singh did not come up to the expectations of Punjabis, Badal said. Infighting to the fore Although BJP leaders tried to put a united show, SAD halqa in charge liquor baron Shiv Lal Doda was not present on the dais. He organised a separate meeting at his residence on the outskirts of the sub-divisional town. Badal addressed the gathering there also. However, none of the senior BJP leaders accompanied Badal to the Doda’s meeting.
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Why mum on state issues, Capt asks Jaitley
Amritsar, April 15 He asked Jaitely to spell out his stand on the crucial SYL Canal and interlinking of state rivers. On his agenda about developing Amritsar as a trade and tourism hub, Capt advised Jaitley: "Your colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu knows it better but he was not allowed to do anything. Better seek his opinion before committing anything, lest you cut a sorry figure." On employment, Captain told Jaitley: "You probably don't know that 18,700 industrial units were shut down in Punjab in seven years while your party was in power in alliance with the Akalis". He informed Jaitley that Punjab's debt had already crossed Rs 1 lakh crore and it was further multiplying. "Your government is taking loans to pay interest on this debt and now the RBI has refused any further overdraft to the state resulting in delayed salaries and pensions by over three months," he told Jaitley while hoping he will answer his queries. Jaitley hit back, saying: "I only talk about issues and he only talks of persons. Even when I presented my vision for Amritsar, he resorted to personal attacks". He said Amarinder could not escape national issues like rampant corruption, rising inflation and a decade of misrule of the Congress-led UPA Government. On Punjab issues such as SYL Canal and Chandigarh, he merely restricted himself to saying: "Whatever is Punjab's stand is our stand on these issues". Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia came to his rescue and said both the SAD and the BJP had the same stand on these issues. On the state's rising debt, Jaitley said every state was under debt. "The Union Government too is under debt. High debt also shows the credit worthiness of a state," he said.
Jaitley moves into new house Arun
Jaitley, BJP candidate, and his family moved into their new house at 343, Green Avenue, here on Tuesday after 'grah pravesh', Sukhmani Sahib's path and a "havan yagya." Noted journalist Swapan Dasgupta, santoor maestro Shiv Kumar Sharma, SAD's Naresh Gujaral, former Delhi Mayor Arti Mehra, Punjab Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi and Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma were present on the occasion. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu visited the house later.
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Supporters left high and dry as leaders shift loyalties
Faridkot, April 15 Two weeks ago, Sheetal Singh, a three-time Akali MLA from Dharamkot in the Faridkot parliamentary constituency, raised the banner of revolt and filed his nomination papers as an Independent. But three days later, he backtracked and declared his support for the Akali candidate, leaving his loyalists bewildered. Supporters of another dissident, former Akali MLA from Dharamkot Gurdev Singh Gill, held a meeting and thereafter announced that Gill would contest as an Independent from Faridkot. But he did not enter the poll fray, leaving his supporters in an awkward situation. Supporters of Congress's Sukhwinder Singh Danny met the same fate. Danny filed his nomination papers as an Independent but later withdrew from the contest. He claimed he had been directed by AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi's office in New Delhi to poll out of the race. Hoping to get the party ticket, Ajit Singh Shant, a former Congress MLA, joined the SAD some time ago. His hopes were dashed to the ground when the ticket was allotted to incumbent MP Paramjit Kaur Gulshan. Shant is not actively campaigning for the Akali candidate. His supporters are confused whom to vote for. In 2009, Gulshan got the maximum votes from the Gidderbaha segment (63,833 votes against 37,113 votes polled by her rival). Manpreet Badal, her campaign manager at that time, is credited with engineering this huge swing in her favour. Now that the sitting Congress MLA and Manpreet have joined hands in Gidderbaha, a large number of Manpreet's supporters seem undecided as to whom to vote for.
Turncoats galore
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Cong poll panel to chalk out action plan today
Chandigarh, April 15 “All committee members would campaign for the party candidates in Majha, Malwa and Doaba, irrespective of their differences. We will chalk out a detailed action plan and our election strategy at a meeting in Chandigarh tomorrow,” said Bhattal on the phone. Asked if she would campaign for senior party leaders Capt Amarinder Singh and Partap Singh Bajwa, she said: “The chief objective of the party at this juncture is to ensure a victory at any cost. We will do all to achieve this target." Bubbling with confidence, campaign committee member Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi said: “I will campaign in Amritsar, Ferozepur and Anandpur Sahib. The party is receiving a good response from the people who are fed up with the SAD-BJP's 'tyrannical'. Although scared of the Akalis, they are in a rebellious mood and want to teach the rulers a lesson.” Asked if he say factionalism as a big hurdle in campaigning, Sodhi claimed there was no groupism in the Congress as of now. “We are in the middle of the Lok Sabha elections. How can any party leader or worker think of groups at this juncture,” he asked. Rajput leader leader Capt Vikram Singh, also a member of election campaign committee, is micro-managing the campaign in the Majha region, particularly in Gurdaspur. There are more than two lakh Rajput votes in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency. |
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Surge in demand for poppy husk due to poll
Abohar, April 15 In a similar incident, Resham Singh (45) died at a hospital in Gharsana on Friday as he had not been able to arrange poppy husk for a week. Sources said there had been a recent increase in demand for poppy husk due to parliamentary elections and beginning of the wheat harvesting season in the twin districts of Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar and the neighbouring area in Punjab. Some of the persons who were recently nabbed while smuggling poppy husk from Rajasthan to Punjab belong to Tarn Taran, Moga, Muktsar and Jalandhar, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts. Most of the contracts for licensed retail outlets for poppy husk in Rajasthan had expired on March 31. New incumbents have yet to find suitable buildings to run these outlets. There are complaints that black marketing of poppy husk was on its peak. A deputation of addicts told the administration that the contraband was being sold at Rs 1,200 against the MRP of Rs 500 per kg these days. “We were told to collect poppy husk from some tea stalls or roadside eateries,” said an addict of Dhaulipal village said. For the past few days most of the vends
in Sangria segment of Hanumangarh district had shut doors, forcing buyers to traverse a 30-km distance to make a beeline for Sadulshehar. Another addict said a small pouch of poppy husk powder weighing 100 gm was last week available for Rs 60 at tea stalls and grocery shops and the price had now jumped to Rs 150 each. “This loot is possible
only with connivance of the administration,” a buyer from Roranwali village said. Addicts said many
buyers had been coming from Punjab. Raisinghnagar’s former MLA Sohan Lal Nayak urged the authorities today to find a suitable solution as some of the consumers, who had arranged contraband from Sriganganagar, were taken in police custody. Sources said as the Hanumangarh district administration had launched an anti-drug campaign, involving women and children in awareness rallies, addicts had started thronging vends in
Sriganganagar. Black marketing at peak
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Akali workers 'allow' vendors to encroach upon Faridkot market
Faridkot, April 15 Shopkeepers alleged these rehriwalas were making the life tough for them as they left rotten fruits and vegetables in the open, which attracted stray animals, leading to unhygienic surroundings and traffic congestion. Thereafter, the district administration and municipal authorities shifted the rehri walas to another location. However, in the run up to the elections as every vote counts, to keep these rehriwalas in good
humour, some ruling party leaders yesterday asked rehriwalas of the local Sanjay Nagar locality to choose the place of their choice to park their rehris with a solemn oath of giving their vote to the Akali candidate. The rehriwalas parked their carts in front of Raj
Mahal, the historical building in the town. Poonam Bhatnagar, executive officer, Municipal Committee,
Faridkot, said she was not aware of the encroachment by the rehriwalas. “There is no permission to park rehris and carts on Thandi
Sadak,” she said. “It will pose inconvenience to us yet again. Due to heavy rush and rehris parked along the roads here, it becomes difficult to even walk on this path," said Tarsem Lal, a shopkeeper in the area. “The district administration is very strict on encroachments. Rehris are not supposed to be stationed along the roads. Rehriwalas walk through roads across the town to sell their stuff. However, if any such violation is
being reported, I will look into the matter,” said Poonam Bhatnagar. Deep
Malhotra, SAD MLA, Faridkot, feigned ignorance about the incident.
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Will deregulate sand mining: Amarinder
Garshankar, April 15 Addressing a well-attended public rally in support of party candidate from Anandpur Sahib Ambika Soni, Amarinder also promised to “end the reign of terror let lose by the Akalis” in the state. Referring to the skyrocketing sand prices in the state, Amarinder said, “Sand prices were deliberately increased as the Akalis, particularly Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, had monopolised the sand business by having total control over it.” On the “lawlessness” in the state, Amarinder said, “The only thing the Badals are interested in is looting and robbing the state and amass personal wealth, while pushing the state towards bankruptcy. Amarinder said Badals had grabbed everything, be it sand mining, transport, liquor trade, cable distribution or hotels, adding, “That is why Punjab is getting poorer and poorer and the Badals are getting richer and richer.” He appealed to people to ensure that Soni gets elected with a record margin. He said there was “no Modi wave” in Punjab and the Congress was set to sweep the entire state. Ambika Soni, too, addressed the rally and urged people to give a befitting defeat to the SAD-BJP alliance. Amarinder also addressed a rally at Nawanshahr.
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Preneet Kaur, Deepinder spar over Modi
While Dhillon claims the people want to get rid of the Congress and see a Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Preneet maintains that the Gujarat’s developmental model is a “mere hype”. Modi had hit out at Capt Amarinder Singh (Preneet’s husband) and his family for allegedly holding foreign bank accounts. In today’s public meetings in Patiala villages, Dhillon concentrated his speeches on “how the country electorate had made their mind to punish the Congress for betraying them by pursuing anti-people policies”. For her part, Preneet countered that the “Modi model of development was more of hype than reality, and that the Congress had always stood for all-inclusive development”. “The biggest SEZ in India is Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat, which accounts for roughly half of all exports from new SEZs and a tenth of the country’s total exports. It was commissioned before Modi came to power in Gujarat,” she told a gathering. Deepinder said at another rally: “A latest national survey shows that a there is a pro-NDA government wave in the country… The UPA ministers robbed the country and stashed their money in foreign countries.”
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Muktsar: The troubles for SAD-BJP alliance candidates in Muktsar district are mounting day by day as a number of unions have been opposing them. The district having four assembly constituencies is divided into three parliamentary seats — Ferozepur (Malout, Muktsar); Faridkot (Gidderbaha) and Bathinda (Lambi). SAD-BJP candidate from Faridkot Paramjit Kaur Gulshan was shown black flags in a Faridkot village two days ago by the activists of Khet Mazdoor and Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan). The protest is against the “inordinate delay” in allotting and handing over of free plots. Activists of Naujawan Bharat Sabha had earlier displayed a banner on the entry of Kotli Sanghar village, banning on the entry of any SAD-BJP leader. On April 1, teachers and other employees had protested delay in salary. More resentment brewing in Congress
Phagwara: After former PPCC chief Shamsher Singh Dullo, who has now been adjusted in the campaign panel, two senior leaders have expressed resentment against the party high-ups for “ignoring” them. Among them are Ludhiana (North) MLA Rakesh Pandey and former PPCC secretary Parminder Mehta. The duo have written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders for allegedly ignoring them in the party’s organisational set-up. Pandey, son of former minister Joginder Pal who was assassinated by terrorists, has complained that he was being “sidelined”.
Cong’s new slogan ‘Mein Nahi, Mom’
Amritsar: Arun Jaitley has said desperation in the Congress camp was evident from Sonia Gandhi deciding to lead from the front. He said the new Congress slogan now is "Mein nahin, mom (Not me, Mom)". In his latest blog, Jaitley wrote: "The Congress campaign is too abstract and confused. The message is not clear. The Congress changed track yesterday. The Rahul Gandhi-led campaign and the accompanying advertisements were given the backseat. Congress president Sonia Gandhi herself decided to lead from the front. This message will not click".
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Candidates’ wives enter Sangrur campaign ring
Sangrur, April 15 Their wives and women relatives not only go door to door, but also address small gatherings to convince the electorate. Sukhdev’s wife Harjeet Kaur Dhindsa, daughters Mandeep Kaur and Ramandeep Kaur Brar, and daughter-in-law Gagandeep Kaur Dhindsa are holding fort for the SAD candidate. They tour various parts of the constituency, telling people: “Sukhdev is a development-oriented person, so vote for him.” Not to left behind are sitting MP Singla’s wife Deepa Singla, mother Usha Singla, and sisters — Kamal Aggarwal and Radhika Gupta. They are seeking votes on the development plank and make it a point to mention his major projects — PGI’s satellite centre (cancer hospital) at Ghabdan Kothi (near Sangrur), the introduction of several new trains and renovation of railway stations — in the past five years. As for Bhagwant’s campaign, his wife Inderpreet Kaur, mother Harpal Kaur, sisters — Rajinder Kaur and Manpreet Kaur — and relative Harpreet Kaur project AAP as an alternative force that would wipe out corruption and check price rise, poverty and unemployment. For Communist Party of India’s Sharma, his wife Atma Sharma, daughter-in-law Reshma Sharma and sister Sukhwinder Kaur are leaving no stone unturned. They project Sharman as a common man who would work for the uplift of the downtrodden.
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In affidavit, namesake gives cell no. of Dy CM’s cousin Muktsar, April 15 Manpreet Singh (33), a labourer and a native of Badal village, has mentioned the phone number of Pawanpreet Singh 'Bobby' Badal in his affidavit submitted to the election authorities. A cousin of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, Pawanpreet is even learnt to have accompanied the namesake candidate when he filed the papers. Investigations by The Tribune found out that the cell phone number (ending with ‘00555’) mentioned in the affidavit belongs to Sukhbir Agro Energy Limited, a firm that runs a biomass plant at Channu village in Lambi area. When a call was made on the number mentioned by Manpreet Singh in his nomination papers, Bobby Badal picked up the phone. He said: “This number is mine and Manpreet had mentioned it in his nomination papers by mistake.” Interestingly, the Independent candidate has been allotted “kite” — the PPP symbol — as election symbol. Sources said Manpreet Singh had a different phone number, which allegedly did not match the one mentioned in the affidavit. They said Bobby's phone number was deliberately mentioned so as to avoid Manpreet Singh from media queries. Manpreet Badal, the joint candidate of Congress, PPP and CPI, has been contesting on the Congress symbol (open hand). He has accused the Akalis of adopting cheap tactics by fielding a namesake candidate and then allegedly getting him allotted the kite symbol. Manpreet Singh's affidavit mentions that he is a matriculate and has
Rs 50,000 cash in hand. His wife, a housewife, has Rs 10,000. The couple owns gold worth
Rs 1.8 lakh. The duo has a 1,000 sq ft house in Badal village (worth
Rs 5 lakh). The couple has not taken any loan. Enjoys SAD backing?
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HC Bar Association seeks NOTA option; elections on April 24
Chandigarh, April 15 Advocate Ajay Jagga has written to the chairperson of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association Election Committee to provide the NOTA option in the ballot papers. The Bar Association elections are scheduled for April 24. Jagga said the Election Commission (EC) had told the Supreme Court in 2009 that it wished to offer voters the NOTA option, something the government had opposed. On September 27, 2013, the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of the right to register a negative vote. “Democracy is all about choices and voters will be empowered by this right of negative voting,” the order passed by the Bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam stated. The ruling came in the case titled “People’s Union for Civil Liberties and another versus the Union of India and another”. The apex court also directed the EC that it should make necessary provision in the ballot papers and electronic voting machines for the NOTA option. As such, the EC announced the provision of NOTA in October 2013. Jagga said the Law Commission of India, in its 170th report on reform of the electoral laws, recommended the implementation of negative vote concept. “It is requested that a provision of the NOTA option in the ballot papers of the Bar Association elections to be held on April 24 be considered,” he added.
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Senior AAP leaders asked to canvass in state
Chandigarh, April 15 “The party has renewed its campaign strategy and will reach out to the maximum number of people in the coming days,” said Prof Manjit Singh, member of the party’s campaign committee. The AAP leader, Yogendra Yadav, will arrive in Punjab on April 24 and campaign in various constituencies for four days. Rakhi Birla, former Minister in the Kejriwal Government, arrives tomorrow. She will campaign in Fatehgarh Sahib and Ludhiana on April 16, Jalandhar and Anandpur Sahib on April 17 and Hoshiarpur and Patiala on April 18. Jarnail Singh, AAP candidate from New Delhi, will also campaign in the state. the party's Chandigarh candidate, Gul Panag, has been told to focus on Patiala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ludhiana districts.
Re-drawing strategy
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Cong: Weird way to respect Ghadarites
Chandigarh, April 15 “IN the process to raise revenue, the Badal government forgot that the term ‘Ghadar’ was associated with the Ghadar Party, which led the Indian freedom struggle from the US soil,” said Rajanbir, also a member of the newly constituted Congress campaign committee. He said it was mainly a party of the Punjabis who had migrated to foreign countries in search of greener pastures more than 100 years ago. “Many of them attained martyrdom while a number of them were incarcerated in Andaman jail, known as Kalapaani,” he said. Rajanbir alleged it was evident that the state government had scant regard for those who sacrificed their life for the freedom struggle.
— TNS
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Cong leader Libra joins Akali Dal
Amloh, April 15 Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh
Badal, who was in the town to canvass for SAD-BJP candidate Kulwant Singh, welcomed Amrinder into the party fold. He claimed the Congress would be wiped out from Punjab as the people were fed up with "anti-people" policies of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance
(UPA) Government at the Centre. He said NDA Government was certain to return to power and the Punjab would benefit the most from it. He urged the people to vote in favour of realtor-turned-politician Kulwant Singh. Sitting MP Sukhdev Singh Libra, SAD candidate Kulwant Singh and SAD district president Jagdeep Singh Cheema were among those who addressed the rally. Local leaders presented Sukhbir a gold scale
(SAD's party symbol). Sukhbir arrived late by an hour. He left soon after he had addressed the rally.
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Sukhbir : Sand crisis only a Cong hype
Khanna, April 15 “There is no sand problem in Punjab. Moreover, the Congress will never be able to decontrol the prices as it will never return to power in the state,” he said while addressing a gathering of commission agents. Sukhbir assured the agents that all their problems would be solved after the formation of the NDA Government. On the occasion, Punjab Arhtiya Association president Ravinder Singh Cheema announced the support of commission agents to all SAD-BJP candidates in the state. Addressing rallies at Payal and Raikot, the Deputy Chief Minister alleged that the Congress had dragged the nation into a vicious cycle of poverty and economic instability.
— TNS
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SAD: Bhattal patronised militants
Ropar, April 15 Alleging that Bhattal had patronised militants, Panjoli claimed that when her brother was kidnapped by militants in 1992, she had secured his release by promising the kidnappers a safe shelter. Bhattal denied the allegations. She said Panjoli should do his home work before levelling such allegations. "My family stood against the militants and had to pay a price for it," she claimed. "Panjoli must know that I stood trial on misappropriation charges and that I was proved innocent," she added.
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Army celebrates war veteran’s 100th birthday
Jalandhar April 15 The Army officers bowed in respect and then gave a thunderous applause when the ex-serviceman, who had fought the 1947 India-Pakistan war 1962 India-China war and 1965 India-Pakistan war, was brought out of his living room towards the verandah in a wheelchair. The Vajra Corps rolled out a red carpet in his house to give a rousing welcome to the veteran war hero. The entrance to his house was bedecked with tall stands bearing his old pictures dating back to wartime. Major Singh had an illustrious career spanning almost three decades during which he held important staff and unit appointments. After marrying Joginder Kaur in 1931, he became the father of three sons and two daughters. Four of them are settled abroad and could not turn up for the birthday function. One of her daughters, Surinder Kaur, married to Air Commodore (retd) JS Jaswal and settled in Noida, had come down to the city for her father’s 100th birthday. As Major Singh was suffering from fever today, he did not talk much. Her daughter, however, interacted with everyone. “My father still considers himself an Army officer. At this age, he is quite independent and follows the discipline of an Armyman. In spite of turning 100, he can read newspaper without spectacles. He wakes up at 6 am and, after a taking bath, he recites various hymns,” she said. “I feel honoured to be the daughter of a brave man, who made the Indian Army proud with his illustrious career”. Lt General Bakshi, “It is a privilege for the Vajra Corps to wish Major Singh on his centenary birthday. It is a rare occasion for me as I haven’t seen an officer celebrating his 100th birthday,” he added. One of his subordinates Havildar (retd) Dev Raj Dogra (75) was effusive in his praise. “I haven’t seen an officer like him in my life, who was so strict but accommodating as well,” Dogra said while saluting Major Singh.
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PU reschedules examinations
Chandigarh, April 15 The paper-IV of business economics of B Com second year will held on May 3, paper-II: (Group-A) banking law and management of BBA third year will held on May 8. The exam for mathematics for BCA first year will be rescheduled on May 5. The time and venue of the examinations will remain the same.
Mark the date
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Naming alcohol brand after Ghadar flayed
Jalandhar, April 15 The Ghadar Party played a key role in the freedom struggle. Besides, the mutiny of 1857 is also known as “1857 da Ghadar”.
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Charges framed against Chahal in assets case
Patiala, April 15 Vigilance officials said Chahal had moved the Supreme Court a few months ago to get relief. The SC had ordered that the trial be completed within six months. The case was registered against Chahal soon after the SAD-BJP came to power. The prosecution had claimed that Chahal during his tenure as media adviser to the former CM acquired assets worth Rs 10,02,95,076 whereas his total income during that period was Rs 1,87,33,881. The Vigilance Bureau had also booked Chahal's wife Jaswinder Kaur, son Bikramjit Singh and Dr Parveen Puri among others. A senior Vigilance official said: “The court has done the right thing as the case was pending for long. We have submitted evidence in the court, although our supplementary challan which exonerated Chahal’s wife and another accused was dropped by the court, which had ordered framing of charges against all the accused.”
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Gangster, accomplice held for threatening jail official
Amritsar, April 15 Jail Superintendent RK Sharma had lodged a complaint with the Cantonment police station yesterday after Jagtar abused him over phone and threatened to eliminate him. Jagtar made the threat call as he has alleged that Sharma was “lenient” towards his rival gangsters Ankur Likhari and Sanjeev Babba, serving life imprisonment, as they have been provided with facilities in jail. Nonetheless, Cantonment police station SHO Gurbinder Singh confirmed that Jagtar and his aide Gurjit Singh, a resident of Sunder Nagar in Mir Kot Chowk, were arrested for threatening the Jail Superintendent. A police party led by Cantonment police in-charge Gurbinder Singh conducted a search operation and arrested both of them from near Chowk Mahal. “They were traveling in a Polo car (PB-02-BW-7376). During interrogation, they confessed to have threatened the Jail Superintendent. The cash was concealed in the car dashboard. The pistol and cartridges were seized from Gurjit, whereas 500 gm of intoxicant powder was in Jagtar’s possession,” he said. A case under Sections 506 and 34 of the IPC, Sections 66-A and 67 of the IT Act, Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act and Sections 22, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered with the Cantonment police against the duo. Jail Superintendent Sharma said he had received the call from mobile phone number 97816-80343 around 4.30 pm yesterday. “He used vulgar language and threatened to kill me for allegedly favouring his rivals Lakhari and Babba lodged in jail, which is not true. The phone call disturbed me for quite some time and I reported the matter to the police. Jagtar has an old rivalry with the Lakhari gang,” he said. Police Commissioner Jatinder Aulakh said Jagtar was a proclaimed offender in a firing instance in a gang war registered in 2013 and was out of bounds since then. In all, 41 cases are registered against him. He has served a brief sentence in some of them, while other cases are still pending. Members of both gangs have various cases of extortion and murder against them and have clashed with each other in the past. Lakhari and Babba were sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Raju Chikna. The incident had occurred in January 2010 when Jagtar was being produced for a court hearing and Raju Chikna accompanied him. Likhari and Babba opened indiscriminate firing in the court complex. The bullets probably missed the intended target (Jagtar) and, instead, hit Raju Chikna in the head.
Stray incident changed his life The Jagtar Singh alias Boxer, an international boxing champion, was pushed into the world of crime when a rival boxer threw red chilies into his eyes in early nineties, spoiling his sports career. The feeling for revenge made him form a gang that came to be known as "Boxer Gang". He committed several crimes. He had also floated a party to launch a drive against drug abuse and had political patronage, sources say. What’s the matter
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Former Chief Minister and Congress candidate Captain Amarinder Singh today questioned the "silence" of BJP candidate Arun Jaitley on crucial issues concerning Punjab, alleging that he was "trying to evade these issues deliberately".
Captain said, "For the last two weeks, we have been reading your monotonous monologues that smack of self-righteousness and arrogance, touching almost everything under the sun, but Punjab."
At 100 years of age, veteran war hero Major (retd) Kashmira Singh may not be as agile as he was during his service in the Indian Army, but he definitely is lively.
In a rare gesture, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Vajra Corps along with his team went to Major Singh’s house in Model Town here today to celebrate his 100th birthday today. Lt General Ashwini Kumar Bakshi, GOC, and senior officers of the Vajra Corps presented Major Singh him a memento.
A notorious gangster, Jagtar Singh alias Boxer, and his accomplice were arrested today on the charge of threatening the Amritsar Jail Superintendent on phone.
Jagtar is a proclaimed offender in several cases. The police have seized Rs 3.86 lakh in cash, a 315 bore pistol, two cartridges and 500 gram of intoxicant powder from the two.
Gippy's fans responded with magnanimity. In their comments, most sympathised with him for being dragged into the controversy. 
Patiala, April 15