VOICE OF EX-SERVICEMEN PUNJAB

केजरीवाल की सभी कोशिशें नाकाम, पंजाब में पार्टी को लगा एक और बड़ा झटका

नई दिल्ली : अरविन्द केजरीवाल के नेतृत्व वाली आम आदमी पार्टी में शामिल होने के संबंध में कई सप्ताह से चल रही अटकलों को विराम लगाते हुए नवजोत सिंह सिद्धू ने पंजाब में एक राजनीतिक मोर्चा के गठन की घोषणा की है। इस घोषणा से आप को झटका लगा है। पिछले महीने राज्यसभा की सदस्यता से त्यागपत्र देने वाले भाजपा के पूर्व नेता सिद्धू को लुभाने का आप ने बहुत कोशिशें की, लेकिन बात बन नही पाई।
सिद्धू द्वारा नए मोर्चे के गठन की खबर एेसे वक्त में आई है जब आप राज्य संयोजक सुच्चा सिंह छोटेपुर को पार्टी से निकाले जाने के कारण विभाजन के खतरे से जूझ रही है। छोटेपुर को रिश्वत लेने के आरोप में पार्टी से निकाला गया है। आम आदमी पार्टी के लिए पंजाब में यह दूसरा बड़ा झटका है।  

 आप के पंजाब प्रभारी संजय सिंह ने कहा, ‘‘हमें सूचना मिली है कि सिद्धू ने राजनीतिक मोर्चे का गठन किया है। इस पर वही टिप्पणी कर सकते हैं कि वह पार्टी का गठन करेंगे या नहीं।’’पंजाब मेंं आप के नेता हिम्मत सिंह शेरगिल ने कहा कि राजनीतिक संगठन बनाने का फैसला सिद्धू का व्यक्तिगत है। यह पूछने पर कि क्या इससे अगले वर्ष होने वाले विधानसभा चुनाव में आप को नुकसान होगा, शेरगिल ने कहा, ‘‘आम आदमी पार्टी विचारधारा आधारित पार्टी है, व्यक्ति आधारित नहीं। लोग हमारे साथ हैं।’’  

 अकाली-दल के कुछ बागी नेताओं के साथ मिलकर पूर्व क्रिकेटर नवजोत सिंह सिद्धू अपना राजनीतिक मोर्चा ‘आवाज-ए-पंजाब’ गठित करने को पूरी तरह तैयार हैं। दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री अरविन्द केजरीवाल ने पिछले महीने सिद्धू को आप मंे शामिल होने की ‘‘अफवाहों’’ का खंडन करने का प्रयास करते हुए कहा था कि उन्होंने कोई पूर्व शर्त नहीं रखी है और उन्हें ‘‘सोचने के लिए बस कुछ वक्त चाहिए।’’

AAPset: Fourth front takes shape in Punjab

Sidhu, Pargat in Awaaz-e-Punjab; Chhotepur may join

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 2

Pargat Singh (L),simranjit bains, Navjot Singh Sidhu (2R) Balwinder bains.

Politicians, cutting across the political spectrum, have joined hands to create a fourth front, Awaaz-e-Punjab, giving a new dimension to Punjab politics as it heads for the Assembly poll in early 2017.

Former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, suspended Akali MLA Pargat Singh, Independent MLAs Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjit Singh Bains (earlier associated with SAD) and the breakaway faction of AAP, Democratic Swaraj Party, have formed the outfit “to save Punjab from those who have destroyed it through corruption, deceit and moral turpitude”. 

Sidhu has floated the front despite AAP’s overtures to bring him into its fold. This has left AAP leaders stunned. 

News of the new front was broken on the social media. Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who has been removed as AAP’s state convener, is likely to join the front. He has been approached and may make an announcement after consulting AAP volunteers  who have backed him in his fight over the dominance of non-Punjabis in AAP.

The suspended AAP MP from Patiala, Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, who had recently announced he was willing to be a part of any front comprising non-Akali, non-BJP, non-Congress and non-AAP players, is learnt to be in touch with the front leaders. 

However, Jagmeet Singh Brar, who parted ways with the Congress recently, said he would be aligning with the AAP.

Pargat Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu and the Bains brothers held separate press conferences today, promising to clean up the political system in Punjab. Labelled as rebels by their parent parties, they claimed they were together for a common goal and not to fulfill personal ambition.

Interestingly, they claimed Awaaz-e-Punjab had not yet been turned into a political party. This may be a tactical move, say observers. Pargat Singh and Navjot Kaur Sidhu have not resigned as MLAs. Nor has Dr Gandhi quit as MP, they point out.

These leaders, known for  social activism, have held a series of meetings over the past one week. It was the recently formed Democratic Swaraj Party that reportedly floated the idea of a fourth front. “As of now, we have formed a forum of people who believe in clean politics. Awaaz-e-Punjab is not the party name that we intend to go ahead with,” Pargat Singh told The Tribune.

Awaaz-e-Punjab: Front will fill political void: Bains

To be formally launched next week | To contest all 117 seats

Minna Zutshi

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 2

Awaaz-e-Punjab, launched by former BJP MP Navjot Sidhu along with suspended Akali MLA Pargat Singh and Ludhiana’s Independent legislators Bains brothers, is all set to make the high-stakes Assembly elections a four-cornered contest.Awaaz-e-Punjab is a political front “by the tried and tested watchdogs (parkhe hoye chowkidaar) of Punjab,” Independent  MLA Simarjit Singh Bains told The Tribune here today. The front, to be led by cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, would fill the political vacuum in the state, he said, stressing that “honest and dedicated individuals” would be its members.

“Awaaz-e-Punjab’s mission is drug-free Punjab and corruption-free governance,” said the Ludhiana legislator, who parted ways with the SAD in March 2014 when he contested the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat as an Independent.  “Punjab is in dire straits. Our focus will be to push for economic growth and development,” he said. The new front will be formally launched next week. “Details on the formation of the front were finalised in Delhi on Wednesday. I met Sidhu Sahib (Navjot Singh Sidhu) for the first time. With our views and ideology similar, it seemed I had known him for ages,” the MLA said.Asked if rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including its ousted Punjab convener chief Sucha Singh Chhotepur, would join the front, Bains’ replied: “Wait for a couple of days.”He said the front would contest all 117 Assembly seats in the state. “Only those who are untainted will be allotted the party ticket.  Unlike AAP, there will be a stringent check on the credentials of the candidates,” he added.

BJP mum on awaaz-e-punjabJalandhar: BJP leaders, including party national general secretary Bhupinder Yadav and state chief Vijay Sampla, remained mum over Navjot Singh Sidhu launching a fourth front for the Assembly elections on Friday. Yadav also refused to comment on the attack on RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja last month and on BJP’s stand over Punjab’s claim on Chandigarh. Many other senior leaders, including party MLAs and state executive members, too, distanced themselves from the media present at the venue.

Pack of disgruntled politicians, says Badal

Chandigarh: Reacting to the formation of Awaaz-e-Punjab, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said in Muktsar district that the front was a pack of ‘disgruntled and opportunistic politicians’ without any ideological commitment. “Rather than being another front in the political arena, it will hardly have any impact on state polity,” said Badal. SAD general secretary and spokesperson Harcharan Singh Bains said the formation of the front symbolised confusion in opposition ranks caused by the success of SAD’s agenda of development, social welfare and governance. TNSThe more people in the fray, the merrier. It is for Punjabis to judge who can give them a stable government. — Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC chief

Sidhu has formed a front. It is up to him to comment whether he will launch a party or not. —Sanjay Singh, AAP state in-charge

When all others have betrayed Punjabis, the fourth front, like true saviours, will restore the state’s lost glory. —Prof Manjit Singh, Democratic Swaraj PartNot keen to join: Jagmeet

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, September 2

Former Congress MP and Punjab Lokhit Abhiyan leader Jagmeet Singh Brar said today that he was not keen to join the newly-formed Awaaz-e-Punjab. He claimed that the AAP leadership was in touch with him.

Speaking on the phone, Brar said, “At this juncture, any new political party will not cut much ice. There will be a division of votes which will benefit the Akalis or the Congress. There is already a challenge to the Congress and the SAD from AAP.”

Praising Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Bains brothers and Pargat Singh, he said, “They are big names in state politics. They are credible and good people.”

About the name of the fourth front, Jagmeet, who is also known as ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’, said, “While finalising the title of my movement, I had made a logo of Awaaz-e-Punjab, but then decided to go for Punjab Lokhit Abhiyan. They have copied it.”

Sidhu, Pargat stump AAP, float new front with Bains Brothers

To be formally launched on September 8, will contest all 117 assembly seats

CHANDIGARH/JALANDHAR/ LUDHIANA: In a move set to shake up the political landscape of pollbound Punjab, key anti-Akali Dal voices — led by former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, suspended Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) legislator Pargat Singh and Independent MLAs from Ludhiana, Simarjeet Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains — on Friday floated a new political front, ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’.

The new front, to be formally launched on September 8 in Chandigarh, will contest all 117 assembly seats in the state that until now was going to see a three-corner contest among the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance, the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party.

The dramatic announcement came via the Facebook post of former Indian hockey skipper and Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh, putting an end to all speculation of him and Sidhu, who had resigned as Rajya Sabha MP on July 23, joining the AAP.

In Amritsar, Sidhu’s wife and BJP MLA Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who had been showering praises on the AAP recently, said: “The fourth front has emerged just because the AAP-led third front has failed to impress the people of Punjab.”

The fourth front is a surprise stroke from cricketer-turnedpolitician Navjot Sidhu, 53, whose tense equation with the saffron party was clearly visible after he was denied the BJP ticket in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar.

With Pargat, who was suspended in August for raising a banner of revolt against deputy chief minister and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, on board, the new political formation is set to emerge as a rallying pivot for breakaway factions of the AAP, Akali Dal and Congress.

Equally formidable is the combination of Bains brothers, the well-known Badal baiters. The two Ludhiana MLAs had also sent feelers to the AAP. But their marriage with AAP could not see the light of the day. “Awaaz-e-Punjab will contest all 117 seats. All those who love the state and are passionate to serve Punjab will be inducted. What the AAP has done till now is in front of everyone… their objective is to use the state for vested interests,” said Simarjeet Bains in Ludhiana.

The four leaders met in Delhi on Wednesday to give final shape to the new outfit. Pargat posted a poster of the party showing him, Sidhu and the Bains brothers in arms. Pargat, who is being seen as having played a key role in bringing Sidhu and the Bains together, said the former Amritsar MP wanted to give a “strong and credible” alternative to the people of Punjab.

“This is just the beginning. We have discussed the strategy on how to go ahead. Many other credible faces are in touch with us,” Pargat said. CHANDIGARH: Hardly six months before Punjab goes to highstakes assembly polls, a new political landscape has emerged in the state. On Friday, a troika of political renegades — Navjot Singh Sidhu, Pargat Singh and the Bains brothers — dramatically unveiled themselves as a rallying pivot for a fourth front in the electoral slugfest, which had so far been taking the shape of a three-horse race among the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine, the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).Cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu’s latest political stroke comes as a sequel to his ambitious move to seek a new innings with the AAP. That had come to a naught. After a rather hasty resignation as a Rajya Sabha MP, the firebrand BJP leader found himself left in the lurch. For, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, sure of Sidhu’s diminished bargaining chips and options, played hardball, spurning his demand to be designated as the face of AAP in Punjab.

But, just when the former opening batsman seemed to have done a hit-wicket, he has sprung this surprise, rolling out a loaded dice that is set to unleash new alignments and reshape the contest.

In his quest to forge a regional political force — grandiosely christened ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’ or ‘Voice of Punjab’ — Sidhu has roped in former Indian hockey captain and a sitting Akali MLA Pargat Singh, who was recently suspended by his party for a stand against deputy chief minister and SAD boss Sukhbir Singh Badal; and the Bains brothers, Independent legislators who had rebelled and fallen out with the SAD before the 2012 polls.

A thread that binds Sidhu’s partners is their reputation as trenchant street-fighters against the ruling Badals. Another thing that’s common is that they were all secretly and separately bargaining for a place on the AAP bandwagon which until recently seemed unstoppable. Not surprisingly, ‘anti-Badalism’ will be their ringtone to tap into the anti-incumbency ire dogging the Akali-BJP regime after two consecutive terms.

Right now, however, it’s not for the Akalis to really worry. Truth be told, the new formation has sent shivers down the spines of both the AAP and Congress.

Sidhu has carefully chosen the timing of his gambit, aimed as much at extracting a sweet revenge on the AAP as it is at positioning himself as the lynchpin of fresh alignments. He has struck vengefully when the AAP in Punjab is virtually imploding and has lost much of the steam it had gathered from a deep-seated popular disenchantment against traditional players.

Worse, Sucha Singh Chhotepur’s suspension as Punjab AAP convener — in the wake of an internally-orchestrated, cash-packet sting — has led to a vertical split in the rookie party. The Chhotepur-led rebel faction is highly likely to make common cause with the Sidhuled formation. With this, AAP is staring at more desertions as the breakaway group plans to pitch itself as the “real AAP” in Punjab.

Even for the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress, the emergence of a fourth front is a potential boat-rocker. Already unnerved by the AAP challenge, the Congress fears the new front would further slice away the anti-Badal vote, which the Grand Old Party is majorly counting on to not only come to power in Punjab, but also for a broader, national rebound strategy.

That’s precisely the reason for the Akalis to smile. The ruling alliance smells an opportunity in multiple vote-splitters. “A division in anti-Badalism is our ultimate hope to stay in the game,” admits an Akali strategist and aide to CM Parkash Singh Badal.

Sidhu has credibility and charisma on his side. A rabblerouser, he can fire up the poll scene and even emerge as the third, not fourth, force in terms of optics and decibels.

On the downside, none of the founding quartet of Sidhu formation has a pan-Punjab mass base — at best, they are local leaders. Nor do they have organisational muscle and committed cadre.But, the moot question is: Will it be a mega-challenger or a mega-spoiler? After all, Punjab’s electoral history is strewn with epitaphs of failed third fronts.

Attack on tehsildar Benipal condemned

Express News Service , Express News Service : Ludhiana, Sun Jun 21 2009, 01:38 hrs

The widely condemned brutal attack on Ludhiana (Central) Tehsildar Major (Retired) Gurjinder Singh Benipal by alleged supporters of SAD councillor Kanwaljit Singh Karwal saw a major development with Karwal's surrender on Sunday.

Karwal surrendered here before the Deputy Commissioner Vikas Garg following the articulation of deep anguish against the incident across all sections of society.

Terming the attack on Benipal as extremely unfortunate, various represenatives said there was no place for such incidents in civilised society. In a meeting of the Democratic Employees' Front held under the chairmanship of its president Ramanjit Singh Sandhu, the employees demanded stern action against the accused who mercilessly beat up the Tehsildar.

The Universal Human Rights Organisation (UHRO) also convened a meeting condemning the incident. Expressing his concern, UHRO president Satnam Singh Dhaliwal said the incident confirms the possible fate of a common man in face of the government's failure to provide security to its officials.

S S Channa, president of the Federation of Pollution and Park Management Committees, strongly condemning the incident stated, "In fact the councillor should have set an example for other people by coming to the Tehsildar's office in queue that too on his terms.

Being an elected representative of the people, councillor should lead the people by example than throwing his weight on the government officials and pressurising officers to do their work out of turn."

The Colonisers and Property Dealers' Association President Kultar Singh Jogi and General Secretary Jatinder Pal Singh Saluja, though condemned the alleged attack but stated the behaviour of some government officials towards general public was not good. Jogi and Saluja said certain officials harrassed the general public and this incident is an indication that people are fed up of the government officials' attitude.

Benipal assault case

GS Benipal stripped of his clothing and assaulted by Akali Workers

Major Gurinder Singh Benipal, a former army official, who is well known for his integrity, has exposed many corrupt deals in the revenue department where he works as a tehsildar. He was allegedly assaulted and stripped by a mob led by a few Akali activists in Ludhiana, because he refused to act on the diktats of various party leaders. The Major had dared to expose fake stamp papers used by the Akali dal to register properties at Ludhiana.

Major Benipal, a whistle- blower in the fake stamp paper scam and the main complainant, was resisting some illegal registries that Akali councilors Karwal and Simrajit Bains often pushed for. It is common knowledge that ruling party councilors are invariably involved in shady land deals. The official reason given by Karwal and his men for the fracas was that Beniwal did not give them preferential treatment! The Akali hoodlums beat up Beniwal who sustained a fracture in his right leg and was badly bruised. He was admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital. He was beaten with sticks and rods, stripped naked, and was even fired at.

Duty comes first

Gurinder Singh Benipal had unearthed an alleged fake stamp paper scam in May 2009. The scam is claimed to have costed the state exchequer crores of rupees.

Outrageous Attack

In an outrageous attack on a sub-registrar, a bunch of SAD workers beat up Gurninder Singh Benipal at his office on 19 June 2009, Friday morning. In an ugly show of might amounting to lawlessness, a mob led by a few SAD councillors and local leaders assaulted the sub-registrar and tore off his clothes in front of the office staff.

Significantly, the incident occurred minutes after minister for tourism and jails Heera Singh Gabria left the sub-registrar’s office. It is an open fact that Heera Singh Gabria and SAD councillor Simranjit Singh Bains have differences over political issues. Sources revealed that an associate of Bains had gone to the sub-registrar office for some administrative work. However, Benipal refused to entertain him, stating that he was busy with Gabria at that time. Following this, a large number of SAD workers entered the office and started thrashing Benipal.

"A bunch of 40-50 people enterted the office and started beating up Benipal," an official said, on condition of anonymity.

Several colleagues of the sub-registrar witnessed the violent scene, while Kuldeep Singh, additional deputy commissioner, sustained a minor injury after he tried to intervene. Subsequently, the injured sub-registrar was shifted to DMC Hospital, where he is still undergoing treatment.

Notably, deputy commissioner and senior superintendent of police reached the spot to take control of the situation. However, the hooliganism of Bains’s supporters did not end there allegedly, as the DC and SSP, who were trying to leave the spot, were stopped on their way by the miscreants.

Staff protest brings work to a halt

Shocked by the entire incident, staff posted at the registrar office went on a protest, bringing work to a halt. "Until an action is taken against the culprits, we would continue with our indefinite strike. Patwari and Kanugo unions are also lending their support to us. We have also received feelers from IAS and PCS cadres of their supporting us," said KS Randhawa, patron, Revenue Officers’ Association.

Responding swiftly to the incident, Ajit Singh Kohar, state revenue minister, met the injured sub-registrar and assured justice. Kohar informed that a case under sections 307, 332, 353, 186, 148, 49 and 392 of the IPC and sections 25, 27, 53, 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against eight people — Jagjeet Singh, Harbans Singh Raju, Gurpreet Singh, Dippy, Reeka, Matota, Nonna and SAD councillor Karamjit Singh Karwal. Significantly, Benipal had recently requested the police to provide him security.

Youth Akali Dal Claims

Suspecting foul play in the episode of SAD councillors Simarjit Singh Bains and Kanwaljit Singh Karwal, who have been arrested for assault on Tehsildar G.S. Benipal, the executive committee of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) has urged the Punjab government to order a judicial probe in this matter.

The demand was raised at a meeting of the district executive committee of Youth Akali Dal. The YAD office bearers showed their concern over SAD councillors being “treated like petty criminals.” They said that these councillors were not being provided basic facilities in the police lock up.

The YAD members alleged that while in past, the police did not seek a week-long police remand of any other accused in a political case, but in the case of Bains and Karwal, the police had taken seven-day remand of both the councillors. The YAD leaders alleged that in the Benipal case, charges had been framed against Bains and Karwal. They said that even the video footage of various TV channels had shown that Bains and Karwal arrived very late at the spot while Benipal was beaten up by the mob. They claim that it was not the SAD councillors who had thrashed Benipal but it was angry public who had beaten up the Tehsildar due to his alleged high-handed style of functioning and foul language used against a man from a scheduled caste community. The YAD leaders said that some people with vested interests were behind the registration of a case against Bains and Karwal. They said that everything could become clear if the state government ordered a judicial inquiry into this episode.

Stopping Wearing Turban

Radical Sikh groups of Punjab Monday presented a turban to state revenue official G.S. Benipal, who had stopped wearing one after being assaulted and stripped by youth Akali Dal activists and councillors in June. Representatives of various Sikh bodies like Damdami Taksal, Dal Khalsa and Akal Federation went to Benipal’s home in Kharar town in Punjab, around 10 km from here, Monday, to express support for him.

Bhai Mohkam Singh of Damdami Taksal said, “It is quite shameful that men accused of the attack are still moving freely. The miscreants have insulted the whole Sikh community and degraded the sanctity of the turban by removing Benipal’s turban and taking it away with them. He is hurt both physically and emotionally… that is why he has refused to wear a turban till his stolen turban is returned. We want the Akali Dal government, SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) and Akal Takht to intervene in this matter and to make sure that Benipal gets justice”. Singh claimed Benipal was in depression, as the government was mounting pressure on him to close the case.

Condemning the incident, Congress legislature Sukhpal Singh Khaira said, “It’s a matter of great shame for Punjabis all over the world that a senior Sikh officer has chosen to attend office sans his turban. Benipal was targeted by unscrupulous elements and his decision of not wearing a turban is a strong slap on the face of the Akali government. It is meaningless to take up the issues of French government banning turbans or the US Army not allowing Sikhs to wear their headgear, when we cannot save the turban in our own state”.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had condemned the assault on Benipal, saying that the government would not tolerate such acts. However, no action was taken against the accused.

Attack on TehsildarSuspension of DC, SSP sought Kanchan Vasdev
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 22

Activists of the joint action committee set up to seek justice for tehsildar Major GS Benipal today demanded the suspension of the Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police for not acting to protect the tehsildar despite repeatedly making urgent calls to administration officials.

The activists also demanded dissolution of a special investigation team formed to look into the fake stamp paper racket and handing the case over to the CBI. They sought the probe into the assault too be handed over to an independent agency.

After a four-hour-long meeting attended by employees and officials of various organisations, the committee’s spokesman, tehsildar KS Randhawa, demanded the immediate arrest of SAD councillor and Youth Akali Dal leader Simarjit Singh Bains. Noting the latter was a prime accused in the case, he said because of the police inefficiency and helplessness that he had yet not been arrested even though he was present at the DC's residence and also in Sadar police station premises. ‘‘This clearly shows their intention - they don’t have the guts to arrest him (Bains), ’’ he added.

Producing copies of six letters written to the DC by Benipal during the past seven months seeking protection, Randhawa said the committee members wanted to know why the DC had not done anything about the case.

Stating both Bains and SAD councillor and prime accused Kamaljit Singh Karwal had been booked by the police several times in the past, he said they were “roaming freely” and no action had yet been taken against them. ‘‘As many as four FIRs have been registered against Bains for threats and assault, besides three against Karwal, during the past five years.

The committee activists said they would go on leave en masse for an indefinite period. They added they would every day sit on ‘sharnas’ in front of the respective DCs’ offices from 11 am to 2 pm till they were “delivered justice”.

Bains hit me with lathi, says Benipal In a bigger trouble for SAD councillor and Youth Akali Dal leader Simarjit Singh Bains, Major GS Benipal, tehsildar, today named him as a prime accused in his additional statement to the police. Stating that on the day of the incident he was in a semi-unconscious state and could not give a statement properly, Major Benipal said Bains was first to hit him. Bains hit him under his eye with a lathi, inflicting a grievous injury, the tehsildar added. Major Benipal said he was amending his statement today and it was strictly in accordance with the rules. Bains, however, denied all allegations. He said he was not present at the spot at the time of attack and reached there later when he was called up to stage a dharna there.

SHO suspended for offering AC room to Karwal The police today suspended SHO, Sadar Police Station, Mandeep Singh for extending hospitality to prime accused in the tehsildar assault case and SAD councillor Kamaljit Singh Karwal at the police station on Saturday. He was sent to the Police Lines. The DIG, Dr Sharad Satya Chauhan, told The Tribune that Mandeep was sent to the Police Lines following a complaint that he had offered an air-conditioned room to Karwal. Revenue officials had alleged that Karwal was provided an AC room used to house computers at the police station. He was also served with samosas and jalebis.  Rights panel seeks report   Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 22 The Punjab State Human Rights Commission has taken a suo motu notice of the thrashing of Major GS Benipal, tehsildar, Ludhiana, at his office on June 19 and called for a report from the state government through the SSP, Ludhiana. The orders of the full bench of the commission, headed by Justice RS Mongia, issued today stated the report had to be submitted by July 30, the next date of hearing. Meanwhile, the Punjab State IAS Officers Association has expressed concern over the incident. “Deterrent steps must be taken in order to give justice to Major Benipal and to maintain a congenial atmosphere for work and discharge of official duty for all officers of the government in the state. It is in public interest to ensure that such incidents do not occur and the civil servants are allowed to function smoothly in their official capacity,” stated the resolution passed by the executive committee of the association that met under the chairmanship of association’s president Tejinder Kaur today. PCS officers to wear black badges All PCS officers in the state would bear black badges from tomorrow as a sign of protest against the inadequate punitive action taken against the accused by the police in tehsildar bashing case. This was decided in the meeting of the executive committee of the PCS (EB) Officers Association here today. Members of the executive committee pointed out that the police has arrested only two of the accused out of a total of 24 perpetrators. The main accused has been moving freely in the DC and SSP offices and the police station concerned openly declaring that nobody can arrest him. Another accused, who was made to surrender at DC residence showed highest degree of arrogance without an iota of remorse. The culprits of the crime do not have any fear of the law rather they are openly declaring that they care two hoots for the rule of the law. It demanded that all the accused must be arrested within 48 hours positively. It must be ensured that challan is presented in the court within 15 days. Two of the accused councillors must be suspended from their posts immediately. All the Executive Magistrates must be provided adequate security to deal with such elements. The Executive Committee feels these steps were required, if the government wants to regain the trust of the officers of the state. Probe attack on tehsildar: Union Amritsar: The Punjab State District (DC) Offices Employees Union, led by its president Sukhraj Singh Sandhu, today condemned the recent attack on Major GS Benipal (retd), tehsildar, Ludhiana. Sandhu said the incident showed that either “elected representatives” did not know how to get due regard or they were not competent to be regarded. He urged the state government to get the probe into the attack conducted by any government agency on a priority basis. Ex-servicemen to bear expenses on HC case by Benipal  Kanchan Vasdev Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 22 The Punjab and Chandigarh Ex-servicemen League today announced to bear the expenses of a case to be filed by Major GS Benipal, tehsildar, in the High Court regarding the fake stamp paper racket. Col Bhag Singh, an office-bearer of the league, said they would hire four award-winning lawyers of the High Court to fight this case and take it to its logical end. The Tribune today highlighted in these columns the wish of Major Benipal to fight the case in the High Court and not bow to any pressure. Col Bhag Singh said seven lakh ex-servicemen of the state were with Major Benipal. “Though Major Benipal is very well off, we want to tell him that we stand by him,” he added. A resident of Bathinda, Ravinder Singal, who is also a complainant in a similar stamp paper scam, said he, too, would fight for the cause along with Major Benipal. “I have spoken to him today and I will also move the HC along with him,” he added. Curious case of Bains brothers LUDHIANA: Independent legislators and brothers Balwinder Bains, 54, and Simarjit, 43, have come to be known for their aggressive style of politics: they take on the state government head-on, pitch their demands vociferously, and have had their share of run-ins with the law — the latest being their self-styled 'Satyagrah' against illegal mining and proliferation of drugs in Punjab, leading to the duo's arrest. If they claim that they help the poor by running what they call a 'Suvidha' centre outside their house in Kot Mangal Singh, the brothers have also courted controversies, among them being the alleged assault by Simarjit and his supporters on an MC employee, Major (Retired) Gurjinder Singh Benipal, on June 19, 2009. Simarjit was charged with attempt to murder for the incident. Detractors and rivals however describe the brothers as "opportunist". The SAD councillor from Ward 75, Sarabjeet Garcha, describes them as "goons". "They threaten people and had tried to do the same with the SAD government, but things did not work," Garcha said. "They had damaged the walls of a Suvidha centre being constructed at Dhandari in February this year. It is tough to understand why they call themselves the 'messiahs of the masses'." Once members of the SAD (Badal), the brothers' first public disagreement with the party took place ahead of the 2012 assembly elections. Simarjit and Balwinder — propelled by their growing popularity — had demanded the SAD ticket from Vidhan Sabha constituencies of Atam Nagar and Ludhiana South. Refused by the party, they contested independently and defeated SAD stalwarts Hakam Singh Gyaspura and Hira Singh Gabria by margins of 28,000 and 30,000 votes. The duo, however, rejoined SAD as associate members and supported it in the assembly.The arrangement was short-lived. The Bains brothers again parted ways with the SAD after being denied the ticket for contesting the Lok Sabha elections. Simarjit contested the parliamentary elections independently, but lost. For the duo, the road from there on has been that of a fight against the SAD. The brothers gradually became the party's biggest critics in Ludhiana. But, for the likes of Shepur resident Manjeet Singh, the brothers are a "godsend". "Simarjit has been paying my child's school fee for two years. I was going to take my child out of school and had no money. But, they came as a big help. They have also got me a job in a factory," Manjeet said. Tell your woes to Modi too: Badal to ex-addict Had complained about unavailability of de-addiction pills at civil hospital Archit Watts Tribune News Service Lambi (Muktsar), September 2 Surinder Singh, a resident of Fatuhikhera village, narrates the plight  of drug addicts to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during a  Sangat Darshan programme in Lambi on Friday.  A Tribune photo Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was today taken aback during his Sangat Darshan programme in Lambi Assembly segment when a drug addict publicly narrated his grievance and asked him to think about drug addicts as well. “Badal sahib, I have stopped consumption of poppy husk. However, when I go to the Civil Hospital at Badal village, the doctors there don’t give me de-addiction pills. When I told the doctor that I will lodge a complaint with the CM, he dared me to complain to the Prime Minister. Now, you please think about us,” said Surinder Singh, a resident of Fatuhikhera village. On this, Badal smiled and said, “You have informed me. Now, go and inform Modi sahib as well.” Later, the policemen sent him out of the ‘pandal’. Earlier too, an addict had approached the CM to legalise the sale of poppy husk in the state. At Panjawa village, some Dalits -- Malkit Kaur, Jaswinder Kaur, Desa Singh, etc – had to return without meeting the CM. They claimed that local SAD leaders did not allow them to meet the CM. They said they would not vote for SAD. At Bhagu village too, some people aired their grievance that only influential people were allowed to meet the CM. Reacting to the formation of new front “Awaaz-e-Punjab”, Badal said that the front was a pack of ‘disgruntled and opportunistic politicians’ without any ideological commitment. “Rather than being another front in the political arena, it will hardly have any impact on state polity,” said Badal. On AAP, the Chief Minister said that AAP was like an empty vessel which was just making loud noise. He dared the party leadership to list even a single pro-people initiative taken by their government in Delhi. “AAP is a band of entertainers who are least bothered about respecting the basic ethos of democracy,” said Badal. Badal claimed that the people of Punjab would never forgive the Congress for hatching a conspiracy to rob the state’s waters by planning and executing construction of the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal. “Amarinder Singh always issues baseless statements. During his stint as CM, he has done nothing for preserving our culture,” said Badal. CM lying on SYL go-ahead: Capt Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 2 Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh today lashed out at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for allegedly lying about his role in approving the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal. He reiterated his challenge to Badal to swear before the Akal Takht that he — as the Chief Minister — had not cleared the file regarding the acquisition of land for the SYL in 1978. Reacting to Badal’s outright denial about having signed the file clearing land acquisition for SYL in Punjab, Capt Amarinder said that facts and records do not lie. “It is very much part of history and record that he signed the file,” he asserted. “Badal is a congenital liar and he is trying to hide his faults with his lies,” he said. “Even his party’s general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra admitted publicly that Badal had signed the file and that it was an ‘innocent mistake’ committed by him (Badal)”, Amarinder said. “Neither Badal nor his party denied it…Nor could they deny it since they cannot undo history and wipe out records,” he said. Amarinder suggested to Badal that instead of continuing with his lies and denying his role, he should apologise to people of Punjab for this betrayal which he committed to please his friend and the then Haryana Chief Minister Devi Lal by not only clearing the file, but also accepting money for the construction of the SYL. Reacting to Badal’s statement made at Adampur yesterday that getting Chandigarh transferred to Punjab was like bringing alive a dead man, Capt Amarinder said it was unbecoming of a Chief Minister to speak like that. He said Punjab has a right over Chandigarh as it is also part of the Rajiv-Longowal accord. “Our legal position is quite strong,” he said, while advising Badal not to make such senseless statements that would convey the state’s lack of will. Protests erupt over AAP leader’s candidature Protesters allege that party’s state women’s wing in-charge Baljinder Kaur was involved in corruption Tribune News Service Bathinda, August 31 Volunteers and dissenters of the Aam Aadmi Party today protested against the AAP candidate and state women’s wing in charge Baljinder Kaur over corruption in Talwandi Sabo. They said she was involved in a land grab case. They claimed that the AAP leader, in a short span of time, had managed to get about four new luxury cars and a bungalow. Expelled from AAP a long time ago, Jassi Jasraj had earlier taken a jibe at AAP leaders on social media. He has levelled same allegations against Baljinder Kaur. He raised objections over AAP candidates, including Mohan Singh Falianwala, Anu Randhawa from Ghanaur, whose father Jagsir Singh Randhawa was a Congress leader. Jasraj has alleged that Chhotepur went to a function of Sanjay Singh in Delhi by air but during his return, he uploaded pictures of travelling by train to project himself as ‘aam aadmi’. Jasraj also took a jibe at Gurlabh Mahal, who allegedly conducted a sting on Chhotepur, maintaining that Mahal was expelled after he slapped another AAP leader but later he was made a joint secretary. He added that Baljinder Kaur was facing many allegations that were also doing rounds on social media but even then she was allotted a ticket. While speaking over phone, Jasraj said, “Baljinder Kaur doesn’t deserve the ticket. Arvind Kejriwal had always said that common and honest men should come and fight elections to bring nepotism to an end. But there is a huge difference in the statements and reality as near and dear ones of politicians are being allotted party tickets.” Jasraj Singh Jassi fought 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Bathinda against MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and PPP-turned-Congress leader Manpreet Badal. He alleged that no one, including Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal, came to his support then, despite Bathinda being known as Badal’s citadel. “AAP has made Bhagwant Mann a pawn in Punjab. The people of Punjab are hurt with as they wanted a third front but now, they feel cheated after people who are on the radar of suspicion are getting party tickets,” he added. Baljinder Kaur said, “People who are protesting against me are not volunteers of the party. They are either expelled from the party or planted by rivals. If they are party volunteers then they should follow the party directions. It’s very easy to level allegations and say anything but they should prove it. Everyone knows about my property and I have made it public. All I want to say is that they have personal interest behind the protests or the social media campaign launched against us.” AAP volunteer Nahar Singh said, “We staged a protest today against Baljinder Kaur, who is allegedly involved in corrupt practices. We chose AAP to get rid of both Akalis and the Congress, who had looted Punjab, but AAP is no different.”