VOICE OF EX-SERVICEMEN PUNJAB

Protests erupt after Badals’ bus crushes man, son in Ludhiana

LUDHIANA: A private bus belonging to Dabwali Transport Company, Bathinda, owned by deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and his family, mowed down a 60-year-old man and his 28-year-old son on Ludhiana-Ferozepur road near Baddowal village here on Thursday.An irate crowd set the bus afire even as the driver fled the spot. The traffic on the road remained disrupted for over an hour.The mishap occurred at about 2pm. Hardev Singh of Baddowal and his son Manjit Singh were going to Ludhiana on a motorcycle when a speeding bus coming from the opposite side hit their two-wheeler.

An eyewitness, Joginder Singh, said after hitting the motorcycle, the bus dragged the victims for about 50 metres. The driver fled the spot, leaving the bus behind. The father-son duo was rushed to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), where they succumbed to their injuries.

Passersby gathered at the spot and the angry crowd set the bus afire. Fire tenders from army area in Baddowal reached the spot and took half an hour to douse the flames. Police reached the spot and resumed the traffic after much struggle. Later, as the news of victims’ death spread, angry people blocked the Ludhiana-Ferozepur road again.

Dakha deputy superintendent of police Ajayraj Singh said the victims’ motorcycle was on the wrong side when hit by the bus. He said an FIR has been registered against the unidentified bus driver. “We are trying to identify him,” he said. Senior superintendent of police (Ludhiana rural) Opinder Singh Ghuman said the bus belonged to Dabwali Transport Company, Bathinda.

Koi kamm di gal karo yaar

(Talk something worthwhile). SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL, deputy chief minister, when asked about Ludhiana accident

Baba Bakala becomes political battleground

RAKHAR PUNIA DA MELA Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party take potshots at one another at the fair organised on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan

Battle between pro, anti-Punjab forces: BadalPunjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal addressing a rally during Rakhar Punia Da Mela at Baba Bakala near Amritsar on Thursday.

BABA BAKALA (AMRITSAR): Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said 2017 polls would be a direct fight between pro and anti-Punjab forces.

Addressing a gathering at Rakhar Punia Da Mela here on Thursday Badal said: “If the SAD-BJP alliance is voted to power again, it will give a fillip to state’s development, but if anti-Punjab forces such as the Congress and the Aam Aadmi party get a chance, it will be suicidal for Punjab.”Accusing the Congress for adopting anti-Sikh stand, Badal said it was the same party behind the 1984 riots and the Operation Bluestar.

Taking a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party, the CM said: “The AAP was nothing more than a band of gossip mongers. People should not to get swayed by the malicious propaganda of such people, who were anti-Punjab from core of their heart.”

Coming down heavily on AAP convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said he wanted to attain power in the state just to settle score with the Union government. “If AAP was voted to power, there will be a direct clash between state and the Centre, which will be disastrous for Punjab,” he said.

Attacking state Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh, the deputy CM said he had done nothing for the state and it was on record that even MLAs of his party could not list even single achievement of his tenure during state assembly session.

Meanwhile, revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that both the Congress and the AAP were “anti-Punjab” and “anti-Sikh”.

Cautioning the people to be beware of the AAP, he said Kejriwal was a conman who was habitual of duping people by showing them green pastures

Every death due to drugs is murder: Amarinder

BABA BAKALA (AMRITSAR): Saying that every death due to drugs was a murder, Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh reiterated his resolve to send all those responsible for spike in the drug trade in the state to jail if the Congress government comes to power.

Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh flanked by Ambika Soni to his right and Asha Kumari to his left during a rally at Baba Bakala on Thursday. Former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal (second from left) is also seen.

Addressing a gathering at Rakhar Punia Da Mela at Baba Bakala near here, Amarinder said: “I promise that the drug menace will be wiped out within four weeks of the Congress forming the government in the state, and all responsible for pushing the state into drug trap, including revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia, will be sent to jail.”The former chief minister said the Badals had also destroyed Punjab economically with a debt burden of `1.25 lakh crore. Warning Badal against playing “dirty and dangerous” game for his vested interests, Amarinder accused that attacks on RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja and Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, besides sacrilege incidents were aimed at polarising people.

He also cautioned people against the “misleading and alluring” promises made by the Aam Aadmi Party.

Meanwhile, Congress’ Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa said he would resign from all posts if Majithia was not sent to jail if the Congress is voted to power.

“There is no use of being in power if such people continue to roam free,” he added.

Punjab Congress affairs in-charge Asha Kumari, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and state Congress campaign committee in-charge Ambika Soni, besides party MLAs were also present.

Turncoats, teachers on AAP 2nd list of 13

CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR: The 13 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates declared on Thursday for the Punjab assembly elections are a mixed bag of turncoats, teacher-union leaders, professionals, and social workers. Most are in their thirties and forties, and many will be first-time contestants.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann announced the list in Amritsar, yet again in the absence of Punjab party convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who has not fully happy with the first set of 19 names. The AAP leaders claimed Chhotepur was stuck in traffic jam on his way from a rally at Baba Bakala in Amritsar district.

English teacher Baljinder Kaur (30), party’s women’s wing president, will contest from Talwandi Sabo. Her name was withheld in the first announcement, following the allegations of land grab and protests within the party.

Anu Randhawa, the other woman on the list, is daughter of former Punjab minister and late Congress leader Jasjit Singh Randhawa. She joined the AAP in March. The other Congress turncoat is Aman Arora, fielded from Sunam, who has failed to win the seat in both 2007 and 2012.Former People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) secretary general and Manpreet Singh Badal aide Gurpreet Singh Bhatti is AAP candidate from Amloh. The former Akali leader join the AAP when Manpreet moved to the Congress early this year.

Samrala candidate Sarbans Singh Manki is also a former Akali, who resigned from Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) over the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib last year.

Ludhiana East candidate Daljeet Singh Grewal “Bhola” was with Team Insaaf of independent legislator brothers Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains. Two-time municipal councillor Bhola was accused of attempt to murder in a 2013 clash between his group and the supporters of legislators Ranjit Singh Dhillon. Bhola claims the “politically motivated charge” of attempt to murder was dropped.

Jaswinder Singh Jahangir (Attari) and Master Baldev Singh (Jaito) both head teacher unions, while teacher Baldev Singh Azad (Malout) is also a writer. Dr Ravjot Singh (Shamchaurasi Reserved) runs a private hospital and holds free medical camps.

Court slams Punjab govt for stalling admission of slain Major’s daughter

HC RAP Also imposes a fine of `20,000 on Govt Medical College, Patiala

OBJECTIONS WERE RAISED ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF CERTIFICATE OF BATTLE CASUALTY SINCE IT WAS ISSUED BY ARMY HEADQUARTERS AND NOT COUNTERSIGNED BY SAINIK WELFARE OFFICER

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has deprecated the role of the Punjab government and imposed a fine of `20,000 on a Patiala college for “unnecessarily” trying to stall admission of a daughter of former army Major, who was killed in anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir, to the MBBS course.

“Unnecessary objections had been raised by respondents, putting the petitioner and her family to hardships despite the sacrifice her father had made for the country,” the high court bench said while confirming the admission and imposing a cost of `20,000 on a Patiala medical college. The student’s father was killed in an encounter with militants in October 1999 and was recognised as battle casualty.

The girl, now a student of Government Medical College, Patiala, had qualified the Punjab Pre Medical Entrance Test (PMET 2015-16), but at the time of admission in September 2015, several objections were raised about the validity of certificate of battle casualty since it was issued by the army headquarters and not countersigned by district sainik welfare officer and the director, defence services, Punjab.The girl had got the counter signatures on certificate of the secretary, Zila Sainik Board, Panchkula, since her father was a native of Haryana. At one point, she was told that if objections were not removed, the seat allotted would be offered to the student in waiting list. Left with no option, she approached the high court, which gave direction of provisional admission on September 24, 2015.

In court, the Punjab government took a stand that the reservation was only meant for the candidates who were dependents of the defence personnel belonging to Punjab and not to the other states. But the high court observed that the girl studied from SAS Nagar (Mohali) and her mother belonged to Sangrur in Punjab. “There should be no dispute that she would be entitled for admission on the strength of having passed her Class 12 and her mother owned property in Punjab,” high court said.

Army headquarters had sent all requisite certificates, which were objected by respondents and certificate being issued by army headquarter was not required to be countersigned, the high court bench said, adding that it was unfortunate that ward of a exserviceman, killed in terror operation was put to such a hardship and put in a zone of uncertainty for one year.

Sukhbir halting development in my constituency: Navjot Kaur writes to CM

Alleges administration officials instructed to ignore her, asks Parkash Singh Badal to intervene

In a democracy, I have every right to voice my opinions concerning social issues which may or may not be against the government. But you cannot overrule the rights of an elected MLA by letting any person inaugurate works in my constituency. NAVJOT KAUR SIDHU, MLA

AMRITSAR: Member of the legislative assembly from Amritsar east constituency and former chief parliamentary secretary of health and family welfare Punjab, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wrote a letter to Punjab chief minister (CM) Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday.

In her letter, Sidhu accused deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of SAD, of interfering and halting the ongoing development works in her constituency by ordering the administration officials to not cooperate with her.

“Being an elected MLA of Amritsar east constituency, I have been working with dedication. Off late, some self-styled leaders on the instructions of the deputy chief minister are hindering the development works in my area. The contractors are being given road maps for recarpeting of roads in lesser-needed areas and are being removed from the most needed areas,” wrote Sidhu.

She also wrote that she is surprised to know that the administration has been instructed to ignore her and get work done through other designated people.“This has led to a social repulsion because the machinery is being shifted from partially-made roads in congested areas to those areas where there is hardly any habitation. The chairman of improvement trust, Sandeep Rishi, says he has been directed by your good self to delay/stop all development projects in my constituency.”“It is totally unbecoming of a person of your stature to let such things happen with your elected representatives. Because it is not justifiable to let public suffer,” she wrote.The letter further reads, “In a democracy, I have every right to voice my opinions concerning social issues which may or may not be against the government.But you cannot overrule the rights of an elected legislator by letting any person inaugurate works in my constituency.”In the letter Sidhu has asked the CM to a prompt corrective step from his side.The letter has also been marked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab chief secretary Sarvesh Kaushal, Vidhan Sabha speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, All India Organisational secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party Ram Lal and president of Punjab BJP Vijay Sampla.

Panel probing Mann videography issue gets another extension

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, Aug 19

The parliamentary panel probing Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann’s alleged act of filming security sensitive areas of Parliament complex and uploading the video on the social media site has got an extension till the first week of next (winter) session of Parliament, which usually begins in the first week of November.

Informing about the decision, panel chief and BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said, “Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has extended the tenure of the committee to complete its probe into the conduct of Mann till November, which is the first week of the winter session of Parliament.”

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The panel was earlier given a two-week extension and was to submit its report on Thursday. Last week, the panel had heard security personnel deployed at the gate from where the AAP MP entered the high-security zone while making the video.

The purpose behind calling these personnel was to find out if there were any loopholes in the security apparatus and what actually transpired that day when the AAP MP entered the complex.

Somaiya has said earlier that the committee will submit its report in two parts--one related to the role of Mann in exposing the Parliament security and the other suggesting corrective measures.

The nine-member committee was set up to probe the incident termed by many as a “serious breach” of security of the Parliament House complex.

A cross-section of MPs had questioned the “improper conduct” of Mann in filming the Parliament House complex and posting “critical footage” on social media.

In view of the seriousness of the matter, the AAP MP from Sangrur has been asked by the Speaker not to attend the sittings of the House till a decision had been taken. But a defiant Mann has maintained that he did no wrong and his intention was to make people aware of the parliamentary procedures.

Besides Somaiya, the panel has members Meenakshi Lekhi and Satyapal Singh (BJP), Anandrao Adsul (Shiv Sena), B Mahtab (BJD), Ratna De (TMC), Thota Narasimham (TDP), KC Venugopal (Congress) and P Venugopal (AIADMK).

Dharamvira Gandhi announces new political forum

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 19

Dharamvira Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party's suspended Parliamentarian from Patiala, on Friday announced a political forum to counter the Shoiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance, the Congress and the AAP in Punjab.

Gandhi claimed several politicians were joining the new forum. Their names will be announced at a press conference in Chandigarh on August 23.

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Gandhi, who was suspended from the AAP in August last year for indiscipline, also accused the party of engaging in “petty politics for power”.

I was told my family did not have money for elections: Tohra

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 19

A former Akali minister has accused party president Sukhbir Badal of denying him a ticket to contest elections because of lack of money.

Harmail Singh Tohra, who has served as minister under Chief Minister Parkash Badal, said on Friday that Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal refused to give him a ticket to contest assembly elections next year because his “family did not have enough money”.

The development comes a few days after the Aam Aadmi Party accused SAD of accepting money for contesting elections.

Tohra is believed to be unhappy with the way the party was treating him. His wife, Kuldeep Tohra, was recently replaced as ‘halqa’ in charge of Patiala II segment by a former Akali rebel, Satbir Khattar.Punjab is due to hold elections next year.

 Majithia deserves jail for drug mess: Cong

Baba Bakala, August 18

Punjab Congress leaders today declared a war on drugs at a rally here. 

In one voice, they held Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia responsible for spreading the scourge of drugs in the state and destroying an entire generation. For which, they said, he deserved to be sent to jail. 

The sentiment was summed up best by PPCC chief Capt Amarinder when he said, “I want to see the sparkling smile back on every Punjabi’s face. One generation is already lost. We have to save the next generation.” He promised that he would finish the problem of drugs within four weeks. The former CM said that not only had the Badals and Majithia pushed the state into drugs, they have also destroyed it economically, pointing to Rs 1.25 lakh crore debt that the state owes. 

He said the Badals had accumulated personal wealth. Through hotels, transport, cable, sand mining, liquor trade and other profit-making ventures, they have grabbed everything. —TNS

Cong in dilemma as senior leaders miss ticket deadline

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 18

Senior leaders of other parties who joined the Congress in recent past have failed to meet the deadline (August 15) to apply for party ticket.

Even as party stalwarts, including Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh and former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, have applied well in time, prominent faces who missed the deadline have left the party leadership in a fix.

Singer-turned-politician Hans Raj Hans, who had quit the SAD to join the Congress, said: “I wanted to send a clear message to the masses. I am working for the party. I will contest the elections when there will be no division on the basis of caste.”

Hans, whose name was recommended for nomination to the RS but was dropped at the last moment, said: “Fighting elections does not matter. While other leaders are in the queue, I want to remove the caste tag from politics.”

Similarly, the estranged nephew of the CM and the force behind the People’s Party of Punjab that merged into the Congress, Manpreet Badal said: “It is up to the party leadership to give me ticket from wherever it wants.”

The PPCC chief has expressed surprise over non-submission of application by both leaders. “If I have applied, they both should have applied before the deadline,” he said. On the contrary, multiple members of senior leaders such as Lal Singh, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Amrik Singh Dhillon have applied for party ticket.

A senior leader said it was not the end of the selection process. “The party leadership can add or remove anyone, depending upon winability and other factors,” he said.

Many other leaders who had joined the Congress unconditionally have applied. They include former SAD leaders Harinder Singh Mann, Satvinder Kaur Bitti and Deepinder Dhillon. They have applied for Samana, Sahnewal and Dera Bassi ticket, respectively. Former AAP leader Balkar Singh Sidhu has applied for Maur ticket. After merging with the Congress, SAD (Longowal) leaders Simarjit Singh Barnala and Baldev Singh Mann have applied for Dhuri and Sangrur ticket, respectively. Manjeet Singh Jalbuti, who had deserted rebel Congress leader Jagmeet Brar, has applied for Mansa ticket.

I'm not in fray: Hans

• Jalandhar: Amid speculation that Congress' new face from the Valmiki community, Hans Raj Hans, was seeking a ticket from Kartarpur constituency, the Sufi singer on Thursday clarified that he had not applied from anywhere as he was not in the fray this time. Ever since his name was withdrawn at the 11th hour from among the Rajya Sabha nominees, a sulking Hans had even put up a show of strength, exclusively for his community from Doaba, raking up the issue of giving more tickets to leaders of the community. However, Hans has once again made a u-turn and said that he had categorically told PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh that he would not like to contest the Vidhan Sabha elections. — TNS

149 schools in dist have only single teacher

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 18

As many as 149 elementary schools in the district are languishing as single-teacher schools.

Even after promises of recruitment of teachers in schools in the state, there is a massive gap in the student-teacher ratio in Jalandhar schools, which is more pronounced, especially in the rural areas and in the elementary schools.

Apart from 149 elementary schools, five middle schools in the district are run by single teachers.

While a recent report on single-teacher schools across the nation, tabled in Parliament, listed as many as 1,05,360 schools across the country being run by single teachers, in Jalandhar the malaise of skewed student-teacher ratio hits the Shahkot, Lohian, Phillaur blocks hardest out of the 19 blocks in the district.

Notably, there are 900 elementary and 136 middle schools in the district.

In some of these schools, a single teacher caters to the needs of as many as 150 students – taking as many as five classes across the five sections in the schools.

Incidentally, while officials have often called teachers with poor results of high or senior secondary schools to Chandigarh to answer for their poor performance, these single-teacher schools have never had the “honour” of the visit of state officials to laud the teachers for the work they take on or even to inspect their needs.

Among elementary schools Government primary/elementary Schools Ashahoor (Phillaur), Beghumpura (Phiallur), Ajtani (Nurmahal), Nahal (Lohian Khas), Mundi Kaso (Lohian), Boparai Khurd, Dharmival, Chak Dhodhar, Palpur Rami are single-teacher schools.

Among middle schools - Kakar Kalan, Kotha, Govindpura – among others are run by double-teacher schools. However, thankfully, none of the high or senior secondary schools in the district are single-teacher schools.

A teacher from a single-teacher school in a rural area said, “We are teachers, peons, librarians, postmen, you name it. Every single responsibility of the school is single-handedly borne by us. Handling 100 to 150 students across five classes is not an easy task. On top of it, we don’t even get leave. While other teachers can hand over the school to other teachers, we are stuck with handling the schools alone.”

Some of the teachers have also been languishing in their respective schools for the past many years, complaining that teachers from schools near them have been transferred elsewhere but despite being burdened with so much work, the department had failed to provide them posting at another place.

However, as asilver lining in the single-teacher cloud, the department officials say with the state government and the Education Department announcing a massive upgrade in the education system, with recruitment of thousands of teachers across the state being promised in about a month or two, the crisis in a majority of these schools is soon going to get eased.

DEO (E) Massa Singh, “There are 900 elementary schools in the district and only 149 of these lack teachers. These posts, too, shall be filled pretty soon by the department. While the ETT to Master Cadre promotions have already taken place, within two weeks, we expect information on the future appointments as well.”

DEO (S) Harinder Pal, said, “There are just a few middle schools in the Shahkot block which lack teachers, but none of the rest – high and senior secondary schools – are single-teacher schools. Apart from that, while recently, the appointment of lecturers was made in the Education Department, as many as 52 lecturers have been recently appointed, 146 promotions of lecturers have also recently taken place. Within a month we also expect recruitment of at least 700 to 800 master cadre teachers in Jalandhar, the process for which has already begun.”