VOICE OF EX-SERVICEMEN PUNJAB

RSS leader shot at in Jalandhar, critical

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 6

Punjab’s Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) vice-president Brig Jagdish Gagneja (retd) was shot at near Jyoti Chowk here late this evening. He was rushed to hospital with three bullet injuries in the abdomen. 

Gagneja, who was accompanied by his wife Sudesh, stopped his Maruti Swift car (PB08BG0460) while returning home from the market. As he got out, 

he was shot at thrice by two youths on a motorcycle. 

Parmod Kanojia, an eyewitness, said the assailants had their faces covered. “I raised an alarm and with the help of nearby shopkeepers took the victim to Satyam Hospital where the doctors referred him to Patel Hospital,” he said.

The assailants reportedly fired two shots into the air while fleeing to intimidate bystanders. 

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal condemned the dastardly attack. He directed state DGP Suresh Arora to form a special investigation team (SIT) to track down the attackers. Deputy Chief  Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal too promised prompt action.

PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh said, “Such attacks do not portend well for Punjab. Such nefarious designs must be nipped in the bud, lest Punjab is pushed into anarchy.”

As instructed by the CM, a team of surgeons from Ludhiana arrived at the hospital here. Shocked by the incident, BJP national vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna, state president Vijay Sampla, Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, CPSs KD Bhandari and Som Parkash, MLA Manoranjan Kalia and Mayor Sunil Jyoti besides SAD minister Ajit Singh Kohar and former Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur rushed to the hospital. 

No govt resignation on SYL issue: Dy CM

ASKED IF GOVT PLANS TO RESIGN IF SC VERDICT ON SYL COMES AGAINST PUNJAB, DY CM SAYS PUNJAB WATERS CAN BE PROTECTED WHILE REMAINING IN POWER

POJEWAL (SHAHEED BHAGAT SINGH NAGAR): Making it clear that the SAD-BJP government will not resign if Supreme Court verdict on the Satluj-YamunaLink (SYL) canal issue comes against Punjab, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday said waters of the state can only be protected while remaining in power.

‘REPLYING TO PARGAT’S CHARGES DOESN’T SUIT MY STATURE’

“We as a government can only stop anybody from entering into our territory. We don’t want to finish the government and lose our control over the state. By resigning, we don’t want to finish our authority at this crucial juncture,” said Sukhbir, when asked over the alliance’s strategy over the SYL canal issue on the sidelines of a sangat darshan programme in this village of Balachaur constituency.

Taking a dig at state Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh for his statement that all Congress MLAs and MPs will resign if the SYL verdict comes against Punjab, Sukhbir said Congress would lose nothing if the party’s three MPs out of the total 40 resigned. “As far as we are concerned, we will fight hard and will not allow any drop of water to other states,” he said. On the allegations made by suspended SAD MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment Pargat Singh against him, Sukhbir said replying to Pargat’s “baseless” charges doesn’t suit his stature. “I don’t want to give him importance. Main te bade bade bundeyan te ghat comment kardan, Pargat te kyun bolan? (I hardly comment even on big personalities, so why should I speak on Pargat?),” he quipped. On the media’s repeated queries on Pargat’s charges, he said, “Only I made him what he is in politics at present”. He added, “Pargat is a nice man and I have always been fond of him. I gave him everything. I made him director, sports, in the last tenure of our government. I made him MLA. I offered him the post of chief parliamentary secretary and he even agreed to it in a closed-door meeting. But later he refused. Why should I comment on a man nurtured by me only?” About the MLA’s charge that he was not even issued a suspension letter, the deputy CM said, “Pargat can get it from the party headquarters.” He claimed that Pargat is targeting him only to get into the limelight.

Data grounds ‘Udta Punjab’ rant as 1.36% found positive for drugs

POLICE RECRUITMENT 1,524 of the 1.12-lakh youths who underwent the test during the first 10 days of the drive caught on the wrong foot; 900 others found using performance-enhancing drugs

By the end of the drive, we will have data of almost 4-lakh men. If the Punjab Police permit us to use the data, we can conduct a seminal work on the problem of drug addiction in the state. Dr Arvind Sharma, head of psychiatry dept, BFUHS

CHANDIGARH: Creating a record of sorts in the country, the Punjab Police have tested 1.12-lakh youths of the state for dope in the past ten days, as part of its ongoing recruitment drive for posts of constable. The results of these tests have put the drug addicts at 1.36%—1,524 of the 1.12 lakh who underwent the test. Nearly 900 others have been found to be using performanceenhancing drugs.

Conducted by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, the tests to detect five types of drugs (see box) were made mandatory for the selections by the state government.

The recruitment drive for 6,000 male constables began on July 27 and will see almost 4.7lakh youths below the age of 28 years vying for the government job. Other than the dope test, the aspirants are undergoing the routine physical-ability trials.

The police recruitment dope test comes at a time when the Akali-led government is facing acute criticism over the issue of ‘rampant’ drug addiction in the Punjab. Politically, the results of these tests could end up either providing additional ammunition to the opposition or support the Akali stand that the drug issue has been blown out of proportion.

However, the initial results seem to be shattering the opposition’s rant on the extent of drug abuse in the state. The figures till date are nowhere near the oftrepeated statement that “70% Punjab youth are drug addicts”. Leaders of the Congress as well as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have been contending that the state’s youth is in the vicious grip of state-sponsored narco chains. The SAD has, however, held that the opposition is defaming Punjabis for petty political gains and the problem in Punjab is comparable or even lower than some states in India.Other than the Punjab Police recruitment drive, the figures from the ongoing army recruitment camps in the state complement the government’s claim. Since August 1, the army has tested nearly 8,000 men for dope and found only 9 of them positive.

Brigadier JS Samyal, deputy director general (recruitment), Punjab and J&K zone, said it was mere “media hype” that Punjabi youths indulge in drugs. “In my personal experience, I have noticed the problem is not as much as it is being projected in the media,” he said.

The sample size of the police recruitment dope tests has researchers excited. “From research point of view, this kind of sample is not available with any state in the country. By the end of the recruitment process, we will have data of almost 4-lakh men, the age group, districts where the numbers are highest and the kind of drugs being consumed. If the Punjab Police permit us to use the data, we can conduct a seminal work on the problem of drug addiction in the state,” said Dr Arvind Sharma, professor and head, department of psychiatry, BFUHS, Faridkot.

The results till date show that out of the 1,524 substance abusers, almost one third are hooked to cannabis (marijuana), followed by opium derived drugs.

Among the districts, Batala, Mansa and Barnala are throwing up the highest number of those failing the dope test. Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Nawashahr have reported the least number of abusers.

The dope test sample is not just unprecedented in terms of the size, but has been culled out of the general population. The three studies done on the subject in the past ten years have used a limited group of drug addicts as subjects and based on the information gathered from them, tried to explain the multi-faceted problem of drug addiction in the state.

I haunt Sukhbir Badal in his dreams, quips Bhagwant Mann

LUDHIANA: Taking a dig at deputy chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Aam Aadmi Party MP from Sangrur Bhagwant Mann remarked on Saturday, “It seems [Sukhbir] is so scared of AAP that he has started to see me in his nightmares. I haunt him every night.”

Mann was in Sahnewal constituency of Ludhiana to take part in the road show of AAP candidate and youth wing chief Harjot Singh Bains.

He made the remark in response to media queries on the recent statements by Sukhbir on the AAP. On the issue of state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur objecting to tickets to some candidates, Mann said he should meet the party’s national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.“AAP is a democratic party and everyone has the right to agree or disagree on any decision taken by the party. But the decision that gets the assent of the majority would be final,” Mann said.

He denied that there is infighting over ticket distribution. “We are here to work for the common people and not to taste power.”

He also said that neither he nor Kejriwal could bring a change in Punjab unless people stand for themselves themselves and come out in large number to show support for the party.

Six SSPs among 32 police officers shifted

SSPs OF SBS NAGAR, GURDASPUR, AMRITSAR (RURAL), MOGA, FEROZEPUR AND FARIDKOT SHIFTED; NINE IG-RANK COPS RE-POSITIONED

CHANDIGARH: In a police shake-up involving 32 officers, the Punjab government on Saturday transferred six senior superintendents of police (SSPs) – posted at SBS Nagar, Gurdaspur, Amritsar (rural), Moga, Ferozepur and Faridkot – and re-positioned nine inspector general-rank cops.

Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Naveen Singla will be the new district police chief of SBS Nagar, replacing Snehdeep Sharma of Punjab Police Service (PPS), who has been posted as Moga district SSP.

SSP Amritsar (rural) Jasdeep Singh has been posted as SSP Gurdaspur vice Jagdip Singh Hundal, who has been appointed as commandant, 4th India Reserve Battalion (IRB). Hundal replaces Harkamalpreet Singh, who will be SSP Amritsar (rural).

Ravinder Kumar Bakshi is the new SSP Ferozepur, appointed against a vacant post, and Darshan Singh has been posted as SSP Faridkot vice Sukhminder Singh Mann, who goes to Amritsar as Commandant of 5th IRB.

Moga SSP Harjit Singh Pannu’s will now be AIG (intelligence) at Chandigarh. IPS RESHUFFLE

Parampal Singh, IPS, who was posted in Pathankot as IG (special narcotics cell), will now hold the post of IG (policy and rules) at Chandigarh; SK Asthana has been transferred from Chandigarh to Bathinda as IG zone vice Jitendra Jain, who will hold the post of IG (intelligence and counter intelligence) at Bathinda.RN Dhoke is new IG (headquarters) whereas Dr Naresh Arora IG-cum-director special security group (SSG) will also hold additional charge of IG border at Amritsar.

Promod Ban is another senior IPS officer who has been transferred from the post of IG (counter intelligence) to IG (modernisation) and IG financial intelligence unit.

MF Farooqui, who was awaiting posting, has been posted as IG (counter intelligence) Amritsar.

The government has appointed Nilabh Kishore – on promotion – as IG (counter intelligence); Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who was posted as DIG border range, as IG (Special Task Force-intelligence) after promotion. Shive Kumar, on promotion, has been re-designated as IG (economic offence wing) of vigilance bureau (VB).

AK Mittal, who was DIG (investigation), goes to Amritsar as DIG, border range. PPS TRANSFERS

The new postings of other PPS officers reshuffled are as follows: Raghbir Singh (AIG Punjab Armed Police-PAP Jalandhar); Ashok Puri (commandant 3rd IRB Ludhiana); Kashmir Singh (AIG,NRI, Patiala); Jaspal Singh (AIG, counter-intelligence, Patiala); Randhir Singh (AIG CI,Patahankot); Gurinder Singh (SP zonal, CID, Patiala); Paramjit Singh (assistant commandant AC, 3rd IRB Ludhiana); Satvir Singh (AC, 3rd IRB Ludhiana); Gurtejinder Singh (SP traffic, Chandigarh); and Gurpreet Kaur (SP, control room, Ludhiana).

‘Party dropped 7 names from candidates’ list on my suggestion’

KIRATPUR SAHIB (RUPNAGAR): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur said the party dropped names from the candidates’ list at his insistence.

Chhotepur, who was at Kiratpur Sahib to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Baba Gurditta on Saturday, said initially the party had a plan to release a list of 26 candidates. “The allotment of tickets is done by party’s political affairs committee I am not its member. But being a state convener, I had suggested to drop names of seven candidates and it was accepted,” he said.

Chhotepur said he felt that senior party workers should not have been ignored in ticket allotment. The AAP leader said he would meet party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal to ensure that the deserving party workers get tickets on the remaining seats. Chhotepur said that he was a loyal soldier of the party and would remain so.

Chhotepur also met Dr RS Parmar, who was denied ticket from the Rupnagar assembly constituency.

Pargat is a nice man, I’m fond of him, says Sukhbir

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Nawanshahr, August 6

A day after the suspended Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh criticised the style of functioning of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal in a letter to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the junior Badal rather chose to shower some praises on him.

Instead of hitting back, the Deputy CM called Pargat a “nice man”. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the second day of Sangat Darshan at Pojewal in Balachaur constituency, Sukhbir went on to compliment the MLA he recently suspended. He said, “I have always been fond of him. I made him Director, Sports. I brought him in the Akali Dal and gave him the ticket. I offered him the post of Chief Parliamentary Secretary. I did so much for him. I do not want to comment on him. He can say whatever he wants to. I do not want to get into any low level of politics.”

Asked if Pargat had not been issued any formal suspension letter like he claimed, Sukhbir said, “He is saying so just to hog limelight in media. His name will come in papers only when he flays me. I do not want to give him importance. I do not exactly know when the letter was sent to him. The party office must be having the details.”

Over the stand of his party if an adverse judgment came in the Supreme Court, Sukhbir hinted that there were no plans of his MLAs resigning like the Congress legislators. “We can protect the waters of the state if we remain in the government. We would not let our authority finish at that crucial time.”

Malwinder: Will back Cong, but not Preneet

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 6

Royal scion Malwinder Singh, who had parted ways with his elder brother and PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh just before the last Assembly polls, only to rejoin him in 2014, today raised many eyebrows when he shared the stage with Patiala MLA Preneet Kaur during a rally at Shutrana.

"I addressed the rally despite not being officially a Congress member on the request of party workers," he said. "I shared stage with Preneet Kaur, but I will not work with her as she had insulted me and I cannot forget that. I worked in Samana and Shutrana for almost 40 years and that's why I decided to be part of this rally, but working with Preneet Kaur is next to impossible," he said, adding that he would only help Congress leaders and any candidate who approached him, especially in Shutrana and Samana.

During the 2011 Assembly elections, Malwinder wanted to contest from Samana, but he was denied the ticket which was given to Preneet's son Raninder Singh. Irked over it, Malwinder had joined the Akali Dal, but returned to the Congress fold in 2014.

Villagers protest ‘open’ sale of drugs

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, August 6

A day after an overdose of drugs led to the death of a Dalit youth and four others of Maani Singh Wala village were hospitalised, villagers protested the open sale of drugs in their area.

Accusing some police officials of being hand in glove with the drug peddlers, villagers today submitted a complaint to Faridkot SSP SS Mann. In this complaint, the protesters even named five persons, who were allegedly doing brisk business in narcotics and drugs in their area.

The protesters alleged that due to the easy availability of drugs in their village, the addicts from the adjoining areas too visited Maani Singh Wala village.

Bhupinder Singh, SHO, Sadiq, denied the allegation of the police patronising the drug business in the village.

Sukhdev Singh, sarpanch, Maani Singh Wala, said after the price of drugs quadrupled in the last six months, some politically well-connected families, living on the outskirts of the village, were doing brisk business in drug trade and their village was attracting addicts even from faraway villages.

Selfies, snacks, speeches – all there at Capt show

Ruchika M. Khanna

Tribune News Service

Nabha, August 6

His charisma can’t be ignored, but Capt Amarinder Singh’s admirers insist that it’s the ‘achhe din’ Punjab saw during his five-year rule that are pulling crowds to his interaction programme, ‘Halke Vich Captain’.

Even in this stronghold of the ‘Maharaja’, as he is fondly called by his supporters, Congress hoardings have been put up sparingly. As the winding road from Patiala leads to this town, we see just a handful of cops deployed for security, and it’s only when one nears the venue that the crowd comes into the picture.

Interestingly, the crowd includes not just Congress supporters and IPAC volunteers (his campaign team) but also young Akali loyalists and Aam Aadmi Party volunteers - both of whom have come to gauge his popularity and strategy for engaging with the voters.

Laying bare his political leanings, Ravi Kumar of the local Ravidassia Mohalla says, “Both the Congress and the Akalis have promised to develop our colony. They come begging for votes before the election, but never return to redress our problems. We have been forced by our community leader to come here, but we will give the chance to a new party this time.”

It’s already noon — two hours past the time given to the people — but the PPCC chief is yet to arrive. Capt Surjit Singh from Sidhsar Colony, Nabha, quips, “Hun ton hi inna late han... Je mukh mantri ban gaye tan kinne late aunge (He’s so late. How late will he arrive when become the CM?)” But ask him why he is supporting the Congress and Amarinder and pat comes the reply: “He was a very good administrator. The bureaucracy was under his control. The common man was not troubled, unlike now.” A few people standing next to him nod in agreement.

As these people treat themselves to tea and snacks – the latter distributed in a box with Amarinder’s photo – or click selfies with his life-size cutouts, Amarinder’s small cavalcade arrives. People rush inside the marriage palace, where he first screens a movie about the problems being faced by the farmers, industrialists and socially deprived sections in the state. The grandiose decor is in sharp contrast to the people gathered here — most of them daily wagers, labourers and small traders — who are keen to have a look at the Congress’ governance model. Wasting no time, Capt goes through the forms filled by the people — highlighting the issues they want him to redress — and takes out the slips one by one. People want to know his take on a wide range of issues: Improving efficiency in governance, delivery of government services, disbursal of social security pension, the exodus of industry, and sops skewed in favour of the elite rather than the needy. He patiently outlines his plans to deal with the issues, amid frequent sloganeering by IPAC volunteers: ‘Captain Liao, Punjab Bachao’ or ‘Captain Liao, Majithia Bhajao’.

However, as soon as emotive issues such as the SYL canal and the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib come up, Capt is at his venomous best. Announcing to order a fresh inquiry into the cases of sacrilege and threatening to put his bête noire, CM Parkash Singh Badal, in jail if found guilty, he draws cheers from the crowd. He thunders on SYL: “We won’t ever allow it to be built.”

The former CM outlines how he will finance social security schemes. “I will impose cess on liquor. This will be a separate dedicated fund for the social security pension. Disbursal will be made within the first week of each month,” he promises.

This is his 15th show under the ‘Halke Vich Captain’ programme and the leader has got used to striking a chord with the audience. How it will impact his prospects — in what he says is his last election — only time will tell.

Admn plans to demolish ‘Kos Minars’ of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s era

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 6

Two Kos Minars of Maharaja Ranjit Singh era are under threat due to the Bus Rapid Transport System as the administration plans to demolish them for the purpose of the widening the road.

The Kos Minars, presently located near the railway station, were built during the Sikh rule from Ajnala to Gobindgarh fort and then to the old city. However, as most of the minars were lost during the years, only two had survived so far.

While Kos Minars of Mughal era built on the original Grand Trunk road built by emperor Sher Shah Suri have been preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India, the relics of Ranjit Singh era have so far been neglected.

It was in 1994 that the local administration began the restoration of the two Kos Minars after renowned conservation expert Dr Balwinder Singh had talked about them in a seminar organised on old heritage and conservation.

Former head of Sri Guru Ram Das School of Planning at Guru Nanak Dev University, Dr Balwinder Singh, while talking to The Tribune said, “From the heritage point of view, the Kos Minars of Maharaja Ranjit Singh era are very important as only two of them have survived so far.” He said before planning the BRTS corridor, the authorities should have considered their importance.

“Now, the best option is to relocate these Kos Minars to the side of the road. It is also necessary that a plaque explaining importance of these is displayed so that people are made aware. Presently, not many local people know about them,” he said. Dr Singh said he had already made a representation before senior district officials and requested them to save the relics.

Owners march towards Majithia’s residence, stopped at Lawrence Road

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 5

At a time when the Punjab Government is claiming to revive medium and small scale industries, marriage palace owners are running from pillar to post to get justice.

Their marriage palaces were declared illegal by the district administration following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana Court while citing that there were a number of irregularities in these palaces and norms were not followed during their construction.

“If the state government can give reprieve to illegal hotels and inns surrounding the Golden temple, then why it cannot provide relief to the illegal marriage palaces in the district. We are even ready to pay the penalty and make necessary amendments. However, due to lack of clear policy matters on part of the government, a large number of marriage palaces were sealed in the past one month,” said KS Narula, president of the Amritsar Marriage Palace Association.

Narula said huge farmhouses having political shelters were not sealed by the administration after taking huge sum as fine, but small marriage palace owners were made the easy target. This had resulted in unemployment to hundreds of persons attached with these palaces. He said till now, 232 ‘illegal’ palaces all over the district were sealed by the administration.

“What should the marriage palace owners do? After paying huge taxes to the government and various government departments for 30 years, now they have been termed illegal. Why were the administration and the government sleeping for all these years,” Narula asked.

The association carried out a march and tried to gherao the residence of Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia at Green Avenue to lodge their protest and submit a memorandum to the minister. However, they were not allowed to go beyond Lawrence Road Chowk by heavy police force. Earlier, they had gathered at Company Bagh here.

Later, 10 members of the association were taken to Majithia’s residence where they handed over a memorandum to the personal assistant of the minister. Majithia was not present at his residence. In the memorandum, the association demanded reopening of the illegal palaces sealed by the administration till now by making necessary amendments in the Marriage Palace Policy, 2012.

Harsimrat Badal gives Rs 50 lakh to District Bar Association

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 6

Union Food Processing Minister and MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal today gave a cheque for Rs 50 lakh to the District Bar Association (DBA), Bathinda, for the construction of the chambers for advocates.

While addressing to the advocates at the bar room, Harsimrat Badal said, “The state government is committed for the welfare of every section and all-round development. The government is running various welfare schemes for each and every section very successfully for the past nine years.”

She also assured that the state government was taking steps to provide world class infrastructures for courts.

Guriqbal Singh Chahal, president of the District Bar Association, thanked Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and MP Harsimrat Badal for the grant.

Later, she distributed cycles to girl students of Ram Nagar village in Maur under the Mai Bhago Scheme.

Talking to mediapersons, Harsimrat Badal lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress. She said the release of first list of 19 candidates has triggered revolt in AAP and when they would announce their CM candidate, then their whole party will fall apart.

Harsimrat Badal said the Congress was indulging in cheap tactics and malicious propaganda to mislead the people of the state but the ground reality was that Punjab had witnessed massive development in the past nine years.

ASSEMBLY POLL

Ex-Cong MLA Makhan to contest poll

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 6

Two-time former MLA from Bathinda (rural) Makhan Singh had unwillingly boarded the ‘Congress bus’ again after he decided not to contest the Assembly elections in 2017 from the Bathinda (Rural) constituency where a 27-year-old law graduate, Rupinder Kaur Ruby, has been fielded to contest on the AAP ticket.

While addressing mediapersons, the former Congress MLA in a dramatic way claimed to fight the elections at the behest of PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh.

Earlier, Makhan was claiming to not contesting the elections following his annoyance over Congress coordinator and in charge of the Bathinda (rural) constituency Jagdish Singh Dhaula, who is also the PPCC general secretary.

He claimed that he had lived his entire political life with honesty and would support the Congress candidate from this constituency decided by the party. However, he later claimed that Amarinder had called him and asked to fight the elections, besides promising a solution to problems. Following this, he had taken a call to fight the poll.

Narinder Bhuleria, district congress president, claimed that the former MLA was annoyed after Bathinda (rural) constituency in charge, who belongs to Barnala, held meetings with workers but did not involve Makhan in the same.

Makhan claimed that there was no factionalism in the party and annoyance against anyone.

He said: “I had contested elections four times and have won twice. Hence, I thought that now, I should give chance to somebody else. But now, Captain Sahib had called me and asked to fight the elections this time too. I would obey him and contest the poll.”

He said Amarinder would visit Jassi Bagh Wali village in Bathinda to meet public directly on August 8.