VOICE OF EX-SERVICEMEN PUNJAB

INDIAN POWS LANGUISHING IN PAKISTAN JAILS

Ex-servicemen conduct march to sensitise govt

Members of the Ex-Servicemen United Front hold a candle light march during a protest against the Union Government at Hall Gate in Amritsar on Friday. PHOTO: RK SONI

Abhilasha Kapoor

Amritsar, June 17

A group of ex servicemen today held a candle march to sensitise the nation about the plight of the 54 prisoners of war (PoWs), who are languishing in Pakistani jails since the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The march started from Hall Gate and went up to Jallianwalla Bagh. It will be held in every city of Punjab and continue till July 23.

“Warriors and soldiers of the Indian armed forces have been neglected so far and politicians have forgotten the struggle of the soldiers and their families,” the ex-servicemen resented.

Election in charge, United Ex-Serviceman Front Punjab, Capt CS Sidhu (retd) said the warriors, who were languishing in Pakistan jails for the past 40 years should be released.

“We are protesting against the government that they should bring the warriors back from the prisons, instead of visiting Pakistan for cutting cakes or attending other ceremonies”, he said.

“We are holding this candle march to awaken the government. If they do not wake up from their slumber, we will intensify our protest,” he added.

He said, “After July 23, when the paddy season will end, the protest will reach up to the Wagha border. We will not refrain from stopping the Samjhauta Express and nothing will be allowed to enter Punjab from Pakistan till the soldiers are released from the Pakistan jails.”

While expressing concern, Baljinder Kaur, daughter of a PoW Balwinder Singh said the Indian Government had declared her father as dead, but it was not true as they did not get any proof in terms of his body or anything. The government had failed to give due respect to soldiers and her protest to get back her father would continue, she added.

Indian Army[edit]

1. Major SPS Waraich IC-12712 15 Punjab

2. Major Kanwaljit Singh Sandhu IC-14590 15 Punjab

3. 2/Lt Sudhir Mohan Sabharwal SS-23957 87 Lt Regiment

4. Capt Ravinder Kaura SS-20095 39 Med Regiment

5. Capt Giri Raj Singh IC-23283 5 Assam

6. Capt Om Prakash Dalal SS-22536 Grenadiers

7. Maj AK Ghosh IC-18790 15 Rajput

8. Maj AK Suri SS-19807 5 Assam

9. Capt Kalyan Singh Rathod IC-28148 5 Assam

10. Major Jaskiran Singh Malik IC-14457 8 Raj. Rifles

11. Major SC Guleri IC-20230 9 Jat

12. Lt Vijay Kumar Azad IC-58589 1/9 G R

13. Capt Kamal Bakshi IC-19294 5 Sikh

14. 2/ Lt Paras Ram Sharma SS-22490 5/8 G R

15. Capt Vashisht Nath

16. L/Hv. Krishna Lal Sharma 13719585 1 JAK RIF

17. Subedar Assa Singh JC-41339 5 Sikh

18. Subedar Kalidas JC-59 8 JAKLI

19. L/Nk Jagdish Raj 9208735 Mahar Regiment

20. L/Nk Hazoora Singh 682211303

21. Gunner Sujan Singh 1146819 14 Fd Regiment

22. Sepoy Daler Singh 2461830 15 Punjab

23. Gnr Pal Singh 1239603 181 Lt Regiment

24. Sepoy Jagir Singh 2459087 16 Punjab

25. Gnr Madan Mohan 1157419 94 Mountain Regiment

26. Gnr Gyan Chand Gnr Shyam Singh

27. L/Nk Balbir Singh S B S Chauhan

28. Capt DS jamwal 81 Field Regiment

29. Capt Washisht Nath Attock

Indian Air Force[edit]

30. Sq Ldr Mohinder Kumar Jain 5327-F(P) 27 Sqn

31. Flt Lt Sudhir Kumar Goswami 8956-F(P) 5 Sqn

32. Flying Officer Sudhir Tyagi 10871-F(P) 27 Sqn

33. Flt Lt Vijay Vasant Tambay 7662 –F(P) 32 Sqn

34. Flt Lt Nagaswami Shanker 9773-F(P) 32 Sqn

35. Flt Lt Ram Metharam Advani 7812-F(P) JBCU

36. Flt Lt Manohar Purohit 10249(N) 5 Sqn

37. Flt Lt Tanmaya Singh Dandoss 8160-F(P) 26 Sqn

38. Wg Cdr Hersern Singh Gill 4657-F(P) 47 Sqn

39. Flt Lt Babul Guha 5105-F(P)

40. Flt Lt Suresh Chander Sandal 8659-F(P) 35 Sqn

41. Sqn. Ldr. Jal Manikshaw Mistry 5006-F(P)

42. Flt Lt Harvinder Singh 9441-F(P) 222 Sqn

43. Sqn Ldr Jatinder Das Kumar 4896-F(P) 3 Sqn

44. Flt Lt LM Sassoon 7419-F(P) JBCU

45. Flt Lt Kushalpal Singh Nanda 7819-F(N) 35 Sqn

46. Flg Offr. Krishan L Malkani 10576-F(P) 27 Sqn

47. Flt Lt Ashok Balwant Dhavale 9030-F(P) 1 Sqn

48. Flt Lt Shrikant C Mahajan 10239-F(P) 5 Sqn

49. Flt Lt Gurdev Singh Rai 9015-F(P) 27 Sqn

50. Flt Lt Ramesh G Kadam 8404-F(P) TACDE

51. Flg Offr. KP Murlidharan 10575-F(P) 20 Sqn

52. Naval Pilot Lt. Cdr Ashok Roy

53. Sqn Ldr Devaprasad Chatterjee

54. Plt Offr Tejinder Singh Sethi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_missing_54

Rising farm suicides fail to stir govt into action

Forums to settle debt disputes yet to be set up under new law

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh,June 17

Even as cases of suicide in the agriculture sector continue to be reported almost every day, the Punjab Government has made little headway in settling debt disputes involving farmers. The matter needs to be dealt with right away. Farm suicides have been especially on the rise after the failure of the cotton crop in the Malwa belt. The burden of institutional and non-institutional loans on farmers is estimated at Rs 69,000 crore.

After a hue and cry by farmers’ organisations and other pressure groups, the state government had enacted the Punjab Settlement of Agriculture Indebtedness Act-2016 in March. But there have been no efforts to implement the Act at the ground level.

The Act lays down that forums are to be set up at each district headquarter to settle disputes regarding debts up to Rs 15 lakh within a span of three months while a state-level tribunal is to hear appeals against the decisions of the district forums. The decision of the tribunal is to be final.

The process of setting up the forums and the tribunal is yet to begin. It will take weeks to select the members. They will then have to be given offices and staff. A notification will have to be issued with regard the constitution, powers and jurisdiction of these forums. For transferring disputes pending in various courts to these forums, the state government will have to approach the authorities concerned, perhaps the Punjab and Haryana High Court too.

As things stand now, it could take months to complete this exercise. By then, the code of conduct for the Assembly elections would come to force and the issue of farm indebt

Minister’s take

• Agriculture Minister Tota Singh said the CM had on Thursday approved the proposal to set up a tribunalas well as a forum in every district to settle farmers’disputes regarding debt
• A committee headed by Chief Secy Sarvesh Kaushal would start work in this regard soon
• “It was suggested that the forums should be set up at the divisional level. But the CM wanted these at the district level,” the minister added

edness would remain unaddressed.

Youth succumbs to drug overdose

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 17

As Udta Punjab was released today after much controversy, a 21-year-old Gujjar youth from Mallewal village in Balachaur died of drug overdose.

The deceased, Manjinder, was a matriculate and had reportedly quit drugs about a year back and was working as a mechanic in Ludhiana.

On Wednesday evening, he visited his native place and had left home after taking Rs 500 from his father Om Narain to go back to Ludhiana. Instead, he went with his two friends in a car and reportedly took some drugs again. As his condition worsened, his friends dumped him in the fields at Garhshankar and fled. The family kept looking for him till they found his body yesterday. After an autopsy, he was cremated this afternoon.

SHO Baljeet Singh said, “The boy had reportedly taken some drugs and died of an overdose. A case has been registered against the two boys who had accompanied him.”

Om Narain, a driver in Ludhiana, said, “As Manjinder was about to leave the day before, two of his friends came and said that they too were going to Ludhiana and offered him a lift. Later, we kept calling Manjinder to confirm if he had reached but there was no response on his phone. Worried, we began looking for him and found his body at Garhshankar yesterday.”

‘Udta Punjab’ clicks in Badal’s district

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 17

The much-hyped film “Udta Punjab”, which highlights the impact and menace of drug abuse on society, particularly in Punjab, won hearts on the first day of its release in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s home district Muktsar today.

Except the first two morning shows, all other shows remained houseful here. The viewers, mostly the youths, appreciated the film crew for “portraying the true picture of state”.

Karan Kumar, a youth, said, “The film has nothing objectionable as was being said before the release. Though some dialogues are abusive, it is the need of the story and doesn’t look odd. It is a must-watch movie especially for the youth.” Another youngster Prince said, “This movie is close to reality. It has presented the reality of Punjab. The nexus of drug smugglers, cops and politicians have been presented in the movie, which is a fact.”

Meanwhile, Gurjeet Singh, an elderly man, said, “The movie carries message on drug de-addiction. It would have been better if abusive dialogues had been removed from the movie.”

No response from govt, farmers sweat it out to clean sub-canal

Raj Sadosh

Abohar, June 17

Failing to get response from the much-publicised Sangat Darshan of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal held in the subdivision last month, a section of farmers has started “Kar Sewa” to clean the Abohar minor (sub-canal).

Villagers had told the CM that the authorities had not taken up cleaning of canals and drains lamenting that budget allocations had not been expedited so far.

Farmers of Dhaani Roor Singh, Dhaani Chiragh and Dhaani Maseet requested Aam Aadmi Party activists to visit the sub-canal and listen to their grievances.

As a team led by senior activist and Bar Association president Rajneet Phore reached the site, farmers, including a sarpanch and members of the panchayat, said supply of water to the sub-canal was suspended by the authorities last week indicating that it would be cleaned to ensure water in sufficient quantity, but no work was initiated even after eight days.

Efforts to contact senior officers of the Irrigation Department at Canal Colony went in vain. They were advised by Agriculture Department officers to expedite sowing as per schedule but canal water is not available.

They planned to explore the other option to irrigate fields with tubewell water, but electricity supply was also lying suspended for the past three days.

The AAP activists alleged that the state government had been befooling people by claiming that the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd would ensure at least eight-hour uninterrupted supply to tubewell, but farmers were facing problem as usual. Supply was not available to provide even drinking water through rural water works. The officials concerned, when contacted, were unable to offer suitable explanation, they added.

Sans salaries, teachers do manual labour to make ends meet

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Shekhupur (Phillaur), June 17

Kulwant Rai, a teacher, works in paddy fields at the Shekhupur village in Phillaur, braving the midday heat of June in Punjab. Immersed knee deep in muddy waters – Kulwant, who is an MA Economics, BEd, MSc IT qualified teacher, has been working in fields of a local landlord at Rs 250 per day for the past five days. Before that, he served as a construction labourer for some days – then too, earning Rs 250 to 300 per day.

A teacher at the Government Primary School Kutbiwal, Kulwant is joined by an associate teacher – who teaches at Government Primary School, Partapura – who also tills land for Rs 250.

Earning meagre salaries of between Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,500, a number of teachers in the state - sans salaries for the past six months – are forced to pursue manual labour to make ends meet. The aforesaid duo – among dozens of other associates in neighbouring villages – have been pursuing manual labour to make ends meet in the summer holidays.

Teachers of 5178 union het even lesser –a mere Rs 6,000 per month.

Sources say especially in Doaba and Majha many teachers depend on manual work to make ends meet.

Kulwant says, “I have five mouths to feed. While during jobs we are sapped in holidays we do labour to run our finances. It’s been especially difficult for the past two years. Our salary is all we have got and that also we haven’t got for past six years. I joined the education department as education provider nine years ago with BA BEd qualification and later did MA Economics and MSc, while working. I had hoped to up my qualification and get better paying job but here I am, tilling others’ land. There are matric-pass JBT teachers who are serving as BPEOs in the department. But qualified teachers like us are forced to do menial jobs to take care of families.”

Avtar Darapur, an education provider at Government Primary School, Pratapura, also joins Kulwant in the fields. With four family members at home, doing daily wage labour becomes imperative. “I pursued paint jobs for some time. Now I took up a job in the field. This will go on for another 15 to 20 days. Evn during school I took a contract at a construction site where I earned merely Rs 1000 in a month.”

Kulwant says, “At times when we fall short of money, we ask for work in the village. Kisi de ghar mitti chka denne aan (we work for picking up soil during construction work at someone’s home) or do other works.

While Phillaur alone has six male teachers indulging in labour during holidays and other times to earn money, many other teachers across villages Khaira, Bath, Nurmahal, Khurlapur, Parjian among others in the district indulge in manual labour to make ends meet.

Education provider Harjinder Khaira, who teaches at Government Primary School Mianwali, says, “I have a little farm land through which at least my family manages. But still I cut costs by servicing my own vehicles and pursuing odd jobs. There are teachers – especially women teachers - who can’t even pursue labour like us. PhD qualified teachers are sitting at home or some are borrowing from villagers to make ends meet.”

ਨੌਕਰੀ ਘੁਟਾਲਾ: ਬਾਦਲ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਨਵੀਂ ਭਰਤੀ ’ਤੇ ਖ਼ਤਰੇ ਦੇ ਬੱਦਲ

Posted On June - 17 - 2016

ਦਵਿੰਦਰ ਪਾਲ
ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ, 17 ਜੂਨ
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਵਿਭਾਗਾਂ ’ਚ ਨੌਕਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ‘ਨਿਲਾਮੀ’ ਦਾ ਪਰਛਾਵਾਂ ਬਾਦਲ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਨਵੀਂ ਭਰਤੀ ਮੁਹਿੰਮ ’ਤੇ ਪੈਣ ਲੱਗਾ ਹੈ। ਪਟਵਾਰੀ ਦੀ ਅਸਾਮੀ ਦੀ ਬੋਲੀ 10 ਤੋਂ 12 ਲੱਖ ਰੁਪਏ ਤਕ ਲੱਗਣ ਦੇ ਤੱਥ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਆਉਣ ਬਾਅਦ ਮਾਲ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਨੇ ਪਟਵਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਭਰਤੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ ਰੱਦ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਫੈ਼ਸਲਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ। ਵਿਜੀਲੈਂਸ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਦੇ ਸਕੱਤਰ ਵਿਵੇਕ ਪ੍ਰਤਾਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨਗੀ ਹੇਠ ਹੋਈ ਮੀਟਿੰਗ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਪਟਵਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਭਰਤੀ ਦਾ ਮਾਮਲਾ ਵਿਚਾਰਿਆ ਗਿਆ, ਜਿਸ ’ਚ ਹਾਜ਼ਰ ਵਿਜੀਲੈਂਸ ਬਿਓਰੋ ਦੇ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਪਟਵਾਰੀ ਦੀ ਅਸਾਮੀ ਲਈ ਵੀ ਕਈ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸੌਦੇਬਾਜ਼ੀ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਤੱਥ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਆਏ ਹਨ। ਵਧੀਕ ਮੁੱਖ ਸਕੱਤਰ (ਮਾਲ) ਕੇ.ਬੀ.ਐਸ. ਸਿੱਧੂ ਨੇ ਵਿਜੀਲੈਂਸ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਨੂੰ ਰਿਪੋਰਟ ਦੇਣ ਲਈ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਵਿਜੀਲੈਂਸ ਸਕੱਤਰ ਨੇ ਭਰਤੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ ਰੱਦ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾਣ ਦੇ ਫੈਸਲੇ ਦੀ ਪੁਸ਼ਟੀ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਫੈਸਲੇ ਮੁਤਾਬਕ ਜਿਸ ਵੀ ਭਰਤੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੈਸਾ ਚੱਲਣ ਦੇ ਠੋਸ ਸਬੂਤ ਮਿਲਦੇ ਹਨ ਉਹ ਭਰਤੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ ਮੁੜ ਆਰੰਭੀ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ।
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਮਾਲ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਵੱਲੋਂ 1230 ਪਟਵਾਰੀ ਭਰਤੀ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਕੰਮ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ ਨੂੰ ਸੌਂਪਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ। ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮੁਢਲੀ ਪ੍ਰੀਖਿਆ ਲੈ ਲਈ ਸੀ ਤੇ ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰੀਖਿਆ ’ਚ 10 ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੁੱਖ ਪ੍ਰੀਖਿਆ ਲਈ ਛਾਂਟੀ ਵੀ ਕਰ ਲਈ ਸੀ। ਸਥਾਨਕ ਸਰਕਾਰਾਂ, ਪਨਸਪ ਅਤੇ ਪੂਡਾ ’ਚ ਨੌਕਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਨਿਲਾਮੀ ਦੇ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਆਉਣ ਬਾਅਦ ਮਾਲ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਨੇ ਜਦੋਂ ਪਟਵਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਭਰਤੀ ’ਚ ‘ਨਿਲਾਮੀ’ ਬਾਰੇ ਤੱਥ ਜਾਣਨੇ ਚਾਹੇ ਤਾਂ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ ਹੈਰਾਨ ਰਹਿ ਗਏ। ਸੂਤਰਾਂ ਮੁਤਾਬਕ ਵਿਜੀਲੈਂਸ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਨੌਕਰੀ ਘੁਟਾਲੇ ’ਚ ਗ੍ਰਿਫਤਾਰ ਕੀਤੇ ਵਿਅਕਤੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਪੁੱਛ ਪੜਤਾਲ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਮੰਨਿਆ ਕਿ ਪਟਵਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਭਰਤੀ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਨੌਕਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਖੁੱਲ੍ਹ ਕੇ ਬੋਲੀ ਲੱਗੀ ਅਤੇ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰਾਂ ਨੇ 10 ਤੋਂ 15 ਲੱਖ ਤਕ ਦੇ ਸੌਦੇ ਕੀਤੇ। ਪਰਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਾਮੀ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਨੇ ਤਾਂ ਇਕਬਾਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ 10 ਤੋਂ ਜ਼ਿਆਦਾ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰਾਂ ਤੋਂ 1-1 ਲੱਖ ਰੁਪਏ ਪੇਸ਼ਗੀ ਵਜੋਂ ਲਏ ਜਾ ਚੁੱਕੇ ਹਨ ਤੇ ਬਾਕੀ ਦੀ ਰਕਮ ਭਰਤੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ ਮੁਕੰਮਲ ਹੋਣ ਬਾਅਦ ਲਈ ਜਾਣੀ ਸੀ। ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਤੱਥ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਇੱਕੋ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਦੀ ਤਫ਼ਤੀਸ਼ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਆਏ ਹਨ।
ਵਿਜੀਲੈਂਸ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਨੇ ‘ਪੰਜਾਬ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ’ ਦੀ ਥਾਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਹੋਰ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ ਜਾਂ ਸੰਸਥਾ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਭਰਤੀ ਕਰਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਪਟਵਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਭਰਤੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ ਰੱਦ ਹੋਣ ਤੋਂ ਸਪੱਸ਼ਟ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਨੌਕਰੀ ਘੁਟਾਲੇ ਦਾ ਅਸਰ ਬਾਦਲ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਨਵੀਂ ਭਰਤੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ ’ਤੇ ਵੀ ਪੈਣ ਲੱਗਾ ਹੈ। ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਸਵਾ ਲੱਖ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨੌਕਰੀਆਂ ਦੇਣ ਦੀ ਯੋਜਨਾ ਬਣਾਈ ਗਈ ਹੈ

Ministerial staff to show black flags to Jaitley

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 17

Two days before Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley is scheduled to visit Bathinda to attend a function to celebrate the BJP government completing two years at the Centre, members of the Punjab State Ministerial (DC Office) Employees Union today announced that they would show black flags to the minister in case their demands were not heeded by the state government.

While the announcement made by district president of the union Megh Singh Sidhu earned him applause from the protesters, it also sent the district administration, police department, local BJP and SAD leaders into a tizzy as the union minister is scheduled to be in Bathinda on June 19.

The ministerial staff members observed a pen-down strike for the third consecutive day today in favour of their long-pending demands. Stalling all public works, the staff members sat on a dharna inside the District Administrative Complex and raised slogans against the state government.

While addressing the protesters, Sidhu said: “The union members will show black flags to the union minister and other senior BJP and SAD leaders who will be present in Bathinda on June 19. We will even submit a memorandum of demands with the union minister so that BJP’s senior leadership also gets to know the way its alliance partner in Punjab is running the affairs in the state.”

The union leaders also shared that a Joint Action Committee has been constituted which includes employees from various government departments. A meeting of this committee will be convened in Bathinda on June 22 during which the employees will chalk out their future plan of action against the state government.  Sidhu said this was not the first time that the ministerial staff was observing a pen-down strike. The state government was not only cold shouldering their demands for long but also completely ignoring the inconvenience caused to the common man.  The protestersa said the state government itself was responsible for having the public at the receiving end because of such strikes in government offices.  

Also present during the protest were Kulwant Singh, Didar Singh Brar, Moharjitinder Singh and Surinder Dhir, among others.  

SAD steps up campaign in Capt’s home dist

Assembly poll 2017: Promotes young faces backed by senior party leaders

Manish Sirhindi

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 17

In a first, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has stepped up its campaign in the home district of PPCC chief Capt Amrinder Singh by promoting young faces backed by senior party leaders.

The party, which has appointed two young halqa in-charges in Patiala, has also asked senior party leaders to build up party’s political prospects in view of the 2017 Assembly elections in eight constituencies of the district, which has otherwise been a ‘leaderless’ district as far as the party is concerned.

The party named Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra, a former MD of the cooperatives societies, as halqa in-charge of the Sanour segment and Satbir Singh Khatra of the Patiala-II Assembly segment. While Chandumajra has replaced senior Akali leader Tejinder Pal Singh Sandhu in Sanour, woman Akali leader Kuldeep Kaur Tohra made way for Khatra in Patiala II. Khatra is the son of DIG Ranbir Khatra and had unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly elections as Independent after the SAD had denied him ticket.

Party insiders said the SAD was most likely to give tickets to these two leaders to contest the next elections. From Patiala I, the son of present halqa in-charge Bhagwan Das Juneja, Harpal Juneja is eying to contest on the party ticket.

The party is working out to field either Harinder Pal Singh Tohra, another young leader, or his mother-in-law, Harpreet Kaur Mukhmailpur, from Ghanaur. While some reshuffle in the Shutrana segment is expected, which at present is represented by Vaninder Kaur Loomba, Makhan Singh Lalka is hoping to get the party ticket from Nabha.

The sources said on the insistence of its alliance partner BJP, the Akali Dal is likely to contest the next elections from Rajpura, where BJP’s Raj Kumar Khurana had contested the last elections unsuccessfully. The BJP on the other hand is likely to contest from Barnala. SGPC executive member Surjit Singh Ghari and Jagdish Kumar Jagga are vying to get party ticket from Rajpura. From Samana, Cabinet Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra would retain the party ticket. 

The party has already deputed Charanjit Brar, who is OSD to Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh and considered close to party leadership, as party’s convener for the eight Assembly segments of the district and now they have asked one of their senior most leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra to camp in eight constituencies.

The founder president of the Youth Wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal in 1982, Chandumajra is known for having defeated both Capt Amarinder Singh in the Lok Sabha elections of 1998 and vice-president of PPCC Lal Singh in the Assembly elections of 1985, when he had contested from Dakala.

The party sources said the presence of these two leaders was likely to dent the Congress prospects in the eight constituencies. They said Chandumajra, who is quite vocal against Capt Amrinder Singh, had been asked to form strategies to curtail the PPCC chief in his home district. 

New halqa in-charges

• The party named Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra, a former MD of the cooperatives societies, as halqa in-charge of the Sanour segment and Satbir Singh Khatra of the Patiala-II Assembly segment. While Chandumajra has replaced senior Akali leader Tejinder Pal Singh Sandhu in Sanour, woman Akali leader Kuldeep Kaur Tohra made way for Khatra in Patiala II.

Sukhbir removes Tohra’s daughter as halqa in-charge of Patiala rural segment

Sukhbir is hell bent on writing off Tohra family from Punjab politics. It was Sukhbir who had got Tohra family members defeated in 2007 and 2012 polls, by propping up our opponents. HARMEL SINGH TOHRA, son-in-law of Gurcharan Singh Tohra CHANDUMAJRA’S SON HARINDERPAL APPOINTED AS HALQA IN-CHARGE OF SANOUR

PATIALA: Setting the tone for the 2017 assembly polls, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday removed Kuldeep Kaur Tohra, daughter of former Akali stalwart late Gurcharan Singh Tohra, as halqa (constituency) in-charge of Patiala (rural) assembly seat.

Satbir Singh Khatra, who had contested as a rebel party candidate against Kuldeep Tohra in the last assembly polls, has been appointed as new halqa incharge. Satbir is son of deputy inspector general (DIG) Ranbir Singh Khatra.

The SAD chief has also replaced Tejinderpal Singh Sandhu as halqa in-charge of Sanaur by appointing Harinderpal Singh, son of Akali MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, as the new in-charge.

These changes were made after taking feedback from workers, which was in sync with the survey got conducted by deputy CM Sukhbir Badal for each and every constituency in the state, party sources said.

Angry over the decision of the party, former state minister Harmel Singh Tohra, son-in-law of Gurcharan Singh Tohra, said, “Sukhbir has again taken an autocratic decision and preferred persons with deep pockets against the loyal party workers. He (Sukhbir) and the Akali Dal will face consequences of keeping Tohra family out of the Akali politics as it happened in 2002.”

He said it is more humiliating that Tohra’s political heir has been replaced by such a person who was instrumental for her defeat in 2012.

“Sukhbir is hell bent on writing off Tohra family from Punjab politics. I have no hesitation in saying that it was Sukhbir who had got Tohra family members defeated in 2007 and 2012 polls, by propping up our opponents,” said Harmel while talking to Hindustan Times.

Harmel Tohra, who had become a minister in the SADBJP government in the state, had floated a separate party in 2002 and was instrumental in the SAD-BJP defeat in 2002 assembly elections.

He said he will soon hold a meeting with Tohra supporters and will decide the future course of action.

Meanwhile, party sources said the non-performance was the reason behind the removal of Kuldeep Tohra and Tejinderpal Singh Sandhu as halqa in-charges. The decision was taken on the basis of a survey conducted by a private company, which had suggested that these leaders would prove to be weak candidates in their respective constituencies, they added.

The first indication that Kuldeep Tohra was no longer in the good books of Sukhbir came when the deputy CM called up Patiala deputy commissioner (DC) Ramvir Singh and asked him to not to give cheques of grants to the Tohra family members for distribution in Patiala (rural) constituency.

Similarly, Sandhu was found a weak candidate against Congress heavyweight Lal Singh. As Anandpur Sahib MP Prem Singh Chandumajra has represented Sanaur (earlier Dakala) seat in 1985 and twice remained MP of Patiala by defeating Sant Ram Singla in 1996 and Captain Amarinder Singh in 1998, the Akali Dal has decided to bring his son Harinderpal Singh Tohra to Sanaur to check the influence of the Congress in Patiala.

While Satbir Khatra is currently on a foreign tour along with his family, Prem Singh Chandumajra said, “The Akali Dal has given Harinderpal a big responsibility and he will try to live up to the expectations of the party.”

He said his son will start touring Sanaur from Sunday.

Meanwhile, SAD spokesman and cabinet minister Daljit Singh Cheema said, “In view of the coming Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections, the party has started deputing hard-working and young leaders in different assembly segments and accordingly these announcements have been made.”

The party president has asked both the new appointees to stay round-the-clock in their respective assembly segments and work for the betterment of the area residents, he added.

Politically connected dealers bought notified land at throwaway prices

I don’t know who sold and purchased the land. There is no order available with us that says the land cannot be purchased or sold before the final payment of the compensation. ANAND SAGAR SHARMA, SDM, Hoshiarpur ANINDITA MITRA, deputy commissioner, Hoshiarpur How can sale or purchase be done when the land is owned by National Highways Authority of India? The entire acquisition process needs to be probed. RAJIV VASHISHT, Right to Information activist Only a few days ago, I heard these rumours (about notified land being purchased) doing the rounds. After this I checked all the registries and prima facie, it appears that nothing illegal has happened. My office has not received complaint about any discrepancy.

HOSHIARPUR: Even after the Punjab government notified over 100-acre land for acquisition in 2015 to carve out the Jalandhar-Chintpurni four-lane road on the outskirts of the city, the politically well-connected land sharks bought the notified land at throwaway rates and received the hefty land acquisition compensation, it has emerged. When the land acquisition process was set into motion, a fear psychosis that the government will pay very less compensation was created among those whose land was to be acquired.

For example, 442 marla land was acquired in Khwaspur revenue circle of village Piplanwala. One property dealer, along with ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) councillor Harpinder Singh Gill, who is close to a senior BJP leader, bought notified agricultural land.

Farmers showing their agricultural land, which was purchased at throwaway rates, along the main road at Piplanwala village in Hoshiarpur.

The duo started purchasing the notified land on June 23, 2015, a day before the first notification to acquire the land was issued. They purchased land on an average of `52,000 per marla in the names of members of their families, according to official documents. Ten days after the duo in question purchased the land, it was acquired on April 30, 2016, and the SDM paid `7 lakh per marla compensation, including `3.25 lakh per marla as solatium through ICICI Bank, Sutheri Road, Hoshiapur. In another case, as per documents, the agricultural land bought recently by Gill and his family was shown as “residential colony” to hike the compensation.

Adjoining to this “residential colony” where nothing exists, except a brick boundary wall, agricultural land in Dagana Kalan village was acquired at a rate of `12,500 per marla. This has been the modus operandi in other area as well. A senior Akali Dal leader of Hoshiaprur, Satwinder Pal Singh Datt, purchased notified big plots in the name of his son and wife and pocketed huge compensation.

Datt, when contacted, however, denied these charges and said he has not done anything illegal. Hoshiarpur market committee chairman Avtar Singh Johal also purchased plots in the name of his son and wife. As per revenue records, all these purchases were made between February 9, 2016 and April 29, 2016 on an average of `70,000 per marla.

A day after these purchases were made, the SDM made all payments to these leaders on April 30 and the compensation was to the tune of `6.5 lakh per marla.