VOICE OF EX-SERVICEMEN PUNJAB

Akali councillor booked for journalist’s murder

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, October 21

victim

The district police today booked an Akali councillor on the charge of gunning down a journalist.

The victim was identified as Kewal Krishan (50), who also worked as a financier. He was shot dead late last night. The accused, Karamjit Pammi, is yet to be arrested.

As per the FIR registered at Dhuri police station on a complaint by Krishan’s son Neeraj Jindal, the journalist left home at 7 pm, saying that he was going to meet Pammi to demand the repayment of Rs 10 lakh.

“When I reached the spot, I saw Pammi abusing my father. Then he fired from his .32-bore gun,” Jindal said.

The FIR was registered under Section 302 of the IPC and Section 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.

Police officials said the accused and the victim were friends and had a tiff after drinks. Sangrur SSP Pritpal Thind said a probe was being conducted.

Cong condemns killing

Chandigarh: Condemning the murder, the Punjab Congress on Friday accused the Akalis of criminalising the state. “The incident has again proved that the Akalis have no respect for the law. They are not only patronising criminals but also themselves indulging in criminal activities,” said party leaders Avtar Henry, Amarjit Samra, Rana KP Singh and Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa.

Capt meets Rahul; Sidhu not discussed

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 21

Amid the suspense over the political future of former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Congress today held a high-level meeting here to discuss the ticket distribution timeline for poll-bound Punjab and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s campaign schedule for the state.

At the meeting between Rahul, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh and party incharge for Punjab Asha Kumari, no discussion was held on Sidhu.

While Awaaz-e-Punjab leaders again reiterated they were in talks with the “Congress high command”, Asha Kumari told The Tribune, “The Congress high command is party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Neither of the two is talking to Sidhu. He has never approached the Congress. The Congress is not in talks with him.”

The Congress, however, said Sidhu was welcome to join the party, but like the others who joined in the recent past, he would have to come unconditionally. The Manpreet Badal-led PPP, SAD (Longowal) and Akali lawmaker Inderbir Bolaria all joined the Congress unconditionally. Amarinder said, “We had a good meeting with Rahul. Sidhu was not on the discussion table. We debated our strategies. We have made it clear that the Congress will not discuss seat-sharing with individuals.”

The Congress, meanwhile, moved ahead on ticket distribution today with the Punjab Election Committee list being sent to Sonia for approval.

“We are seeking an early constitution of the state ticket-screening committee, state manifesto committee and Punjab manifesto drafting committee,” Asha said.

She said the Congress was planning a meeting of senior Punjab leaders in Delhi to chalk out Rahul’s state campaign schedule. The meeting may be held on October 23.

Awaaz-e-Punjab yet to take call

• Sidhu met his Awaaz-e-Punjab colleagues in Delhi onFriday evening and decided to continue discussing whether to join the Congress or AAP. Front leaders said they would decide in some days which side to join.

Another front on the anvil

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 21

Former Speaker Ravi Inder Singh of the Akali Dal 1920 announced today that a new Panthic front or a party would be formed ahead of the elections to “trounce” the ruling alliance.

He held a press conference where former Akali leader and SGPC general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, Ram Singh of Damdami Taksal and Balwant Singh Nandgarh, ex-jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, offered their support. Ravi Inder Singh said he was hopeful of getting more support from Panthic organisations in the next few days.

“We will finalise the structure of our forum/party after a meeting in Chandigarh on October 25,” he said.

After Cong, AAP hands out debt waiver forms

Tribune News Service

Moga, October 21

Sensing a positive response to the Congress’ ongoing campaign ‘Karza-Kurki Khatam, Fasal Di Poori Rakam’, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has also started distributing forms to farmers to fill their loan and debt details. They are going door-to-door in the villages across the state.

The AAP had already released the party’s 31-point manifesto for farmers and the farm-sector, promising loan waiver and various other benefits to uplift farmers. Sangrur AAP MP Bhagwant Mann said the forms would not only help in direct interaction with farmers but also help in securing their contact details. This database could be used to convey party messages during the election campaign.

They can’t match us, says state Cong

Chandigarh: The Punjab Congress has called AAP’s debt waiver plan pathetic. Congress leaders said the move by Kejriwal’s party was a futile attempt to match the Congress’ promise. Unlike the Congress’ debt waiver campaign, which was aimed 

at all debt-ridden farmers in the state, AAP’s farm manifesto promises debt waiver for only poor farmers and farm labourers as well as loans of SCs and BCs. For the rest, only interest on farm loans would be waived, the PPCC leaders pointed out. TNS

Suba celebration insult to martyrs, says Dal Khalsa

Jalandhar, October 21

Terming the Punjabi Suba celebrations an “insult” to the martyrs of the struggle, the Dal Khalsa, along with its alliance partners Sikh Federation UK and the All-India Sikh Students Federation, today declared that it would organise a press conference on November 1 at Pheruman, near Amritsar, to counter the state government’s “rhetoric”.

Blaming the Union Government for treating Punjab as its colony, party president Harpal Singh Cheema and ex-president HS Dhami said though the state government was celebrating Punjabi Suba with aplomb, the Dal Khalsa had decided to present the “real picture” of the state. — TNS

Jakhar hails U’khand CM for apologising to slain Dalit’s kin

Tribune Reporters

Abohar, October 21

Punjab Pradesh Congress vice-president Sunil Jakhar has appreciated Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat for apologising to the family of a Dalit youth killed by an upper caste man in the state recently.

On October 12, CM Rawat met 28-year-old Meena, wife of a Dalit labourer, who was killed allegedly by a member of the upper caste community and said he was ashamed and asked for her forgiveness.

In a letter to Rawat on Thursday, Jakhar said “I have been touched by your demeanour that you have shown as a leader and the CM. I want to salute you for the grace, humility and modesty that you have shown in apologising to the family of the Dalit youth.” 

Spare time for youth’s

kin: Jakhar to Badals

Muktsar: PPCC vice-president Sunil Jakhar visited the bereaved family of Dalit youth Ajay Singh ‘Pahwa’on Friday. Ajay was murdered on October 7 allegedly for refusing to sell liquor on his 17th birthday.  The deceased was a rickshaw-puller’s son.

“Two weeks have passed since Ajay was beheaded, his eyes taken out, nose, ears and fingers chopped off just because he refused to sell liquor for some persons involved in illegal liquor trade and that too in the ruling Badals’ home district. However, none from them has so far spared a little time to visit the bereaved family and console them,” said Jakhar.

He said if the police failed to arrest the remaining accused in this case in the next three or four days, the Congress leadership would lodge a protest. 

Rs 55 lakh , arms seized from YAD leader

Mansa, October 21

The police have recovered Rs 55 lakh ransom amount and a 22 bore weapon and seven live cartridges from YAD Malwa general secretary Kalyan Singh. The amount includes £13,035, 10,000 euros and Rs 16.1 lakh.

The police claimed that four cases — two at Bareta police station, one each at Bhikhi and Dhuri police stations — are already registered for dacoity, cheating, and under Sections of the Arms Act against Kalyan Singh and Gurpreet Singh, son and nephew, respectively, of SGPC member Sukhchain Singh Dharampura.

The police had yesterday claimed to have recovered Rs 22.5 lakh from these two accused. They had allegedly kidnapped a Budhlada businessman Chiman lal on the night of August 4. — TNS

‘Chitta Ravana’ clash: Bail for YC leader

Ludhiana, October 21

Additional Sessions Judge JPS Khurmi today granted bail to Youth Congress leader Parvinder Lapran in a kidnapping and attempt to murder case. Lapran and others were booked following a clash between Congress and Akali workers over burning a “Chitta Ravana” effigy here on Dasehra eve. Additional public prosecutor ML Bathla opposed the grant of bail. He alleged that the accused may intimidate the witnesses. Defence lawyer and Akali ex-MLA Harish Rai Dhanda said the accused was wrongly booked. — OC

44 police officers shifted

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 21

On the instructions of the Election Commission, the state government today transferred 44 IPS and PPS officers. Among the IPS officers, Vivek Sheel Soni has been posted as SP (Headquarters), Kapurthala; Sandeep Kumar Garg as ADCP (traffic), Ludhiana; and Gaurav Garg as ADCP-3, Ludhiana.

Sandeep Kumar Sharma has been posted as DCP (Investigation), Jalandhar; Amrik Singh Powar as SP (Headquarters), Hoshiarpur; Ratan Singh as ADCP, industrial security, Ludhiana; Harjit Singh as ADCP (Crime), Jalandhar; Harpreet Singh Benipal as ADCP (traffic), Jalandhar; Paramjit Singh Goraya as ADCP-1, Ludhiana; Kuldeep Sharma as ADCP-2, Ludhiana; Jagmohan Singh as ADCP-2, Jalandhar; Gursharandeep Singh as ADCP-4, Ludhiana; Harvinder Singh as SP, Phagwara; Balraj Singh as SP Abohar; Harmeet Hundal as SP, investigation, Hoshiarpur; Jaskiran Jeet Singh Teja as SP (investigation), SAS Nagar; and Amarjeet Singh as SP (investigation), Sangrur.

Playing debt politics

Farmers being led up the garden pathThe Congress and AAP still seem to believe that they can win over farmers in Punjab on the promise of a debt waiver. Making use of agrarian distress for votes has been an old, overused practice but now political parties are stretching things to unreasonable, even ludicrous levels. When in 2014 the BJP promised to implement the Swaminathan Commission report of giving farmers 50 per cent profit over input costs, it was something hard to achieve but not impossible. What the Congress and AAP are doing now is unbelievable and undoable.  

Farmers have taken loans from national banks, rural or cooperative banks and arhtiyas. There is no credible, evidence-based number of farmers under debt. A state government has no power over national banks. At best it can take up the responsibility of repaying farmer loans, which is different from a loan waiver and which means a state bailout for better-off farmers because only they have access to banking. Cases of banks auctioning farmer land to recover outstanding dues are rare. Small farmers rely on exploitative arhtiyas for their emergency financial needs. It is this politically well-connected section that humiliates farmers, often with police complicity, and forcibly takes over the lands of defaulters. How can the state waive loans taken from arhtiyas when there are no legally valid records of borrowings? 

Pulling agriculture out of stagnation requires a well thought-out plan. No political leader has a case to present. None talks about boosting agricultural research, building a scientific storage and supply chain to cut waste of agricultural produce and improving marketing, soil health and water resources. It is politically more rewarding to focus on farmer suicides than logically argue ways to help needy farmers. With the state treasury near empty and the debt load sky high, running a government itself will be a challenge. Politics of appeasement has bankrupted Punjab and all are in it together — the giver and the recipient of benefits. You either borrow more or hike taxes to fund freebies. The Centre is unlikely to bail out the state. Neither the Congress nor AAP is willing to say it will raise taxes.

After meeting Rahul, Capt lowers anti-Sidhu pitch

I am not in touch with them (Sidhu and his wife). Anyone who believes in the policies of the Congress is welcome to join, but without conditions. CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, Punjab Congress chief

PATIALA: Two days after terming Navjot Singh Sidhu a clown, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh has softened his stand on the former cricketer’s inclusion in the party, after meeting the All India Congress Committee vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Friday.

Though Amarinder claimed that Sidhu was not discussed in the meeting with Rahul, but he appeared softer while replying to media queries on the issue. “I am not in touch with them (Sidhu and his wife). Anyone who believes in the policies of the Congress is welcome to join, but without conditions,” said the former CM as he briefed the media.

Sources said during meeting with Rahul, Amarinder came to know that Congress high command was in touch with Sidhu, and the shift in his stance was an obvious outcome“The backchannel talks are on with Sidhu, but nothing is final,” confirmed an AICC office-bearer, requesting anonymity. “No leader from Punjab is coordinating, but the parleys are on. A meeting of Rahul and Amarinder will be held on October 26 in the presence of Prashant Kishor, who, too, wants Sidhu in the fold,” he said.

Significantly, the timing of Amarinder diluted stand also coincides with former PPCC president and Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa’s raising pitch for Sidhu’s inclusion in the party.

Terming Sidhu a youth icon, Bajwa has appealed to the high command to take him on board to consolidate the antiAkali votes, citing Manpreet Badal’s Punjab People’s Party that divided anti-Akali votes in 2012, resulting in Congress’ missing on forming the government. “Victory in Punjab will revive the Congress in the entire country, thus there is no need to take chances. We should join hands with anybody and everybody to bring together anti-Akali votes,” Bajwa told Hindustan Times.

He said he had made a similar appeal in October 2010 to the party high command to take Manpreet (Badal) on board, but due to the overconfidence of some leaders, it didn’t materialise.

Sukhbir invokes data to trash rampant drug-abuse theory

CLEARING AIR Says opposition misused drug issue to show Akali-BJP govt in poor light; claims percentage of positive cases in Punjab was lower than national average

SUKHBIR BADAL, deputy chief minister I want to caution anti-Punjab duo of Amarinder (Singh) and Arvind (Kejriwal) to stop defaming the state. If they still brand our youth as drug addicts, this will prove that they are enemies of Punjab. This dope data is authentic and unbiased. The sample size of 3.76-lakh youth is a historic task performed in a thorough professional manner. This data is as credible as is my professional standing. Dr RAJ BAHADUR, V-C of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences

CHANDIGARH: Attempting to knock down “anti-Punjab forces’ propaganda” that most border state youth are “drug addicts”, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday said recent police recruitment dope tests proved that substance abuse among the Punjab youth was lower than the national and global average.

“Only 1.27% (4,501) of 3.76 lakh youth, who underwent dope test, were found positive. The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) branded our youth drug addict. This forced us to put our youth through the dope test to bring out the truth,” Sukhbir, flanked by Dr Raj Bahadur, vice-chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) and police chief Suresh Arora, said in a crowded press conference here.In a bid to counter the nationwide perception about the drug menace in Punjab, Sukhbir, who has the home portfolio with him, used the recent police recruitment to ascertain the “truth”.

The BFUHS V-C Dr Raj Bahadur was tasked to conduct the dope tests on which over `3 crore were spent in buying the test kits and different teams of BFUHS doctors took about twomonths to complete the exercise.

Nearly 5-lakh youth had applied for police constable recruitment and 3.76-lakh aspirants underwent the dope test. At least 283 youth from other states were found positive.

Sukhbir said about 14,000 Punjab youth had appeared in the army recruitment, of which only 10 were tested positive.

“I want to caution these political parties and the anti-Punjab and anti-youth duo of Amarinder (Singh) and Arvind (Kejriwal) to stop defaming Punjab. If they still brand our youth as addicts, this will prove that they are enemies of Punjab,” he said.

The BFUHS V-C Dr Raj Bahadur said, “This dope data is authentic and unbiased. The sample size of 3.76-lakh youth is a historic task performed in a thorough professional manner. This data is as credible as is my professional standing. The dubious perception of drug-addiction is far beyond the truth. The statistics prove that the incidence of drug abuse in Punjab is less than the national and international average.”

The deputy CM said to show the Akali-BJP government in poor light, the political opponents used the drug issue and declared youth as addicts. This propaganda, he said, was fraught with “dangerous repercussions” and the government took the challenge head-on.“Rahul Gandhi, Amarinder and Arvind must tender an unconditional apology to the people of Punjab for committing a dangerous image distortion and fraud against them by branding the youth of the land of the Gurus as drug addicts,” Sukhbir said.

AAP to announce all candidates in a month

AFTER UNVEILING THE 21-POINT TRADERS’ MANIFESTO IN LUDHIANA ON SUNDAY, KEJRIWAL WILL HOLD FIVE OTHER MEETINGS WITH INDUSTRIALISTS DURING HIS 3-DAY STAY IN STATE

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party will announce all its candidates within a month.

Announcing this, chairman of AAP’s Punjab Dialogue Committee, Kanwar Sandhu, said on Friday that the party will release the remaining manifestoes within the same period. The part has already announced 61 candidates in Punjab.

Sandhu was addressing a press conference here to give details of Arvind Kejriwal’s three-day visit to Punjab starting Sunday (October 23).

He said after unveiling the 21-point trader’s manifesto in Ludhiana on Sunday morning, Kejriwal will hold five other meetings with traders and industrialists during his stay in Punjab, explaining the manifesto.

On Sunday evening he will address traders at Mandi Gobindgarh. On Monday, he will pay obeisance at Gurdwara Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo and then interact with the trader community at Bathinda and Jalandhar. On Tuesday, Kejriwal will visit Batala in the morning and later in the day meet industrialists in Mohali.Accompanied by the party’s head of trade and industry wing Aman Arora, Sandhu said the party received suggestions from people dealing in different trades and the manifesto was finalised keeping in mind the aspirations of all sections. 

NO TALKS WITH SIDHUS FOR 10 DAYS: SANDHU

When asked about the possibility of getting Navjot Sidhu and his wife into the AAP, Sandhu said he had met Sidhu twice and also talked to Pargat Singh several times. “But for the past 10 days, there has been no talk with them,” he said. ‘AKALIS’ CAPITAL PROMISE HOLLOW’

Reacting to the deputy CM Sukhbir Badal’s statement wherein he committed to get Chandigarh as Punjab’s capital, AAP on Friday termed it as “hollow and misleading” to befool the people of the state. AAP’s state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich said, “Sukhbir must reveal what steps he and his party took in 10 years to get back Chandigarh? Did he take up this issue with the Centre? Did any Akali MP take up the issue in the Parliament?”

Jakhar accuses SAD of shielding ‘Jihadi Johns’

MEETS FAMILY MEMBERS OF DALIT YOUTH AJAY SINGH, WHO WAS FOUND MURDERED ON OCTOBER 8, AT HIS HOUSE IN MUKTSAR

MUKTSAR: Congress leader Sunil Kumar Jakhar, on Friday, visited the family of Ajay Singh alias Pahwa, an 18-year-old Dalit youth, whose body was found in a vacant plot on the Bura Gujjar road on October 8. He had reportedly refused to sell liquor to some ‘smugglers’ of his locality, who are suspected to be behind the murder. The victim had even lodged a complaint with the police, alleging threats to his life just a day before his killing.Jakhar alleged that the SADBJP government was shielding the liquor mafia and anti-social elements of society. He added that these goons were 'Jihadi Johns', who commit murders in a most gruesome manner. Jihadi John was an infamous terrorist of the ISIS, who beheaded a number of captives and western journalists. Jakhar stated that liquor, transport, mining and cable business were run by these goons on behalf of their political bosses.Expressing concern on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, he said that such murders were unheard of in Punjab and cities were generally peaceful after the end of terrorism.

He said that the SAD was unleashing a reign of terror in Punjab to threaten voters, but people of Punjab would surely give a befitting reply to them in the forthcoming polls.

Citing the example of Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat, Jakhar stated that Rawat apologised to a family of a Dalit youth, who was killed by members of an upper caste in Uttarakhand. He said chief minister Parkash Singh Badal should take cue from him and apologise to family members of the people, killed by goons of the SAD in various cities of Punjab.

Judge Singh, father of the deceased, said, “Sagar and Rohit are murderers of my son, but Rozy is protecting them. The police are unable to arrest them. The accused are nephews of local councillor Rakesh Chaudhary, who is running an illegal liquor trade.” Kanwarjit Singh ‘Rozy Barkandi’ is SAD’s Muktsar constituency in-charge.