VOICE OF EX-SERVICEMEN PUNJAB

Capt Amarinder does a U-turn on Sidhu's forum joining Congress

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Raja Sansi (Amritsar), October 13

Former BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu’s negotiations for a merger of Awaaz-e-Punjab with the Congress appear to be inching towards reality, if Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh’s sudden soft stand on the issue is an indicator.

A few days after Amarinder’s blunt reaction over Sidhu’s possibility of joining the Congress, he did a U-turn on Thursday.

On the sidelines of his visit to the Attari border grain markets, Amarinder said, “Not just Sidhu, but all those who have secular approach and accept the programmes and policies of the party are welcome. Earlier, we had to act against Jagmeet Brar as indiscipline cannot be tolerated.”

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The former CM had earlier said, “The Sidhus are the most indisciplined people and there could be no alliance with them.” He had rather welcomed Sidhu’s aides Pargat Singh and the Bains brothers in the party fold.

Amarinder said, “We invite all anti-Badal forces to strengthen us for the betterment of Punjab and in the interest of promoting positive governance we welcome them with open arms, but without any terms and conditions. We’re already seeing a pro-Congress wave in the state, which is drawing many people from different parties to show their solidarity with the Congress.”

The coming together of all anti-Badal forces ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections would pave the way for the betterment of Punjab, which had been thrown into a state of apathy and backwardness by the current Akali regime, Amarinder said.

Meanwhile, sources say the formula on which Sidhu and his aides have zeroed in on is that if the Congress is voted to power, the deputy CM’s post and a cabinet berth would be reserved for Awaaz-e-Punjab.

Sidhu’s wife, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, had said that talks with the Congress high command were on and the state leadership was not involved in the “possible merger”.

On the Aam Aadmi Party’s prospects in the forthcoming Assembly polls, Amarinder dismissed the AAP as a “party of crooks who want to use Punjab for their vested political interests”. 

After playing their “dirty games” in Delhi, which is already suffering from the AAP’s “misgovernance”, they are now trying to do the same in Punjab, he said.

Oppn takes on govt, seeks CBI probe

Tribune News Service

Mansa, October 12

The Congress today demanded a CBI probe into the Dalit youth’s killing, accusing the ruling SAD-BJP government of “letting loose a reign of terror” against the underprivileged sections. 

PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh said: “I have exhorted party workers to extend all possible help to the victim’s family. Dalits are feeling insecure in the state and the Badal-led government is trying to create social upheaval in the state. The liquor mafia is being patronised by the Akalis.”

Sunil Jakhar, senior Congress leader, who visited the victim’s family at Gharangana village today, alleged that the raiding parties engaged by the liquor mafia under the SAD patronage were responsible for most of the crimes against the Dalits. “We demand a CBI probe under the supervision of a sitting High Court judge not only to investigate this incident but also to investigate the nexus between liquor mafia and the SAD leaders, who are allowing their henchmen to coerce the 33 per cent Dalit electorate of the state to toe their line or face the heat,” he alleged.

Congress Legislature Party Leader Charanjit Singh Channi demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. “The Congress stands by the Dalit community in their fight for justice. This barbaric act has once again exposed the anti-Dalit face of the Badal regime under which the state had turned into mafia land,” he alleged.

Workers of the CPI and BSP today staged a protest march and gheraoed the Mansa DC office. They demanded the arrest of all accused and Rs 10 lakh compensation and a job for the victim's family.

Meanwhile, Mansa SSP Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar said: "There is no political pressure on us. We are performing our duty as per law and all accused will be behind the bars soon."

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Sampla asks DGP to act tough

Chandigarh: Taking note of the attacks on Dalits in Mansa and Sangrur districts, Union Minister and state BJP chief Vijay Sampla on Wednesday called up DGP Suresh Arora and demanded stringent action against the accused. Terming the incidents as unfortunate, he also directed party leaders to visit the aggrieved families. Earlier, Sampla said: "Our alliance with the Akali Dal was not merely political. The bond of trust was built on the foundation of social understandings, mutual respect and commitment for serving the people".  TNS

BSP for Rs 10 lakh relief, job to family

Mansa: Workers of the Left parties and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Wednesday staged a march in protest against the brutal killing of Dalit youth Sukhchain Singh, in Mansa on Wednesday. The protesters gheraoed the office of the Mansa Deputy Commissioner and demanded immediate arrest of the remaining accused. They said atrocities on Dalits were on the rise in the state. They demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation and a government job for the victim’s family. TNS

Funeral van turns up to collect SAD booklets!

Our Correspondent

Mohali, October 12

Quite a sensation was caused near the office of the Kharar SDM today when a funeral van turned up unexpectedly and people wondered who had died.

The driver of the van, which had come from the office of the Kurali Municipal Committee, told enquirers that all was well and he had come to collect booklets of the SAD. When people present there objected to the use of a funeral van for such work, the driver drove away in double-quick time from the spot.

The SAD is distributing such publicity booklets from door to door describing the government’s achievements during the past nine years.

It is learnt that 5,000 such booklets were to be sent to the Kurali civic body for distribution. The booklets were lying at the office of the Kharar SDM. These were later picked up in another vehicle.

Jagjit Singh Shahi, Executive Officer of the Kurali civic body, said he was attending a meeting of the ADC at Mohali when he got a call from the Kharar SDM’s office for collecting the booklets. He gave the number of Rajesh Kumar to the SDM’s office and asked the caller to contact him. Shahi said Rajesh Kumar told him that 5,000 booklets could not be transported on a scooter and, as such, he asked a sanitary inspector to send a vehicle. However, he was later surprised to know that a funeral van was sent for the work.

Shahi further said that he would go to his office tomorrow and enquire into the matter after which action would be taken against the guilty.

Residents decide to boycott SAD-BJP in elections

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 12

Residents of Patel Nagar, Green Avenue and other areas today announced to boycott the SAD–BJP alliance in the upcoming Assembly elections as the Bathinda Improvement Trust (BIT), after the Supreme Court orders, has served them notice to pay extra amount for the land acquired from farmers in their colonies 30 years ago.

Presidents of four colonies held a press conference here today under the leadership of Hardev Arshi, CPI state secretary.

Land of some areas, including Patel Nagar, Green Avenue, Tagore Nagar, and Manmohan Kalia Enclave was acquired around 30 years ago by the BIT for the ring road.

As farmers were not satisfied with the compensation given by the state government through BIT, they filed litigation in the court that ordered the trust to pay surplus compensation of Rs 166 per sq yd, along with interest for last 30 years.

However, BIT, demanding the same amount of surplus compensation, gave a notice to all the allottees who got plots for residential and commercial purposes.

The beneficiaries who were allotted these plots claimed that BIT was a trust, based on no profit no loss motive and hence it should not charge the amount of interest of 30 years.

The allottees are willing to pay the enhanced compensation of Rs 166 per sq yard.

Tagore Nagar and Green Avenue residents were served notices by BIT in May 2016 after the court had ordered for paying compensation in 2014.

The residents alleged that BIT had not mentioned the details about the interest being charged from them, along with the enhancement of Rs 166 per sq yd.

In Tagore Nagar, out of 25.21 acres total land acquired by BIT, around 10 acres is yet to be sold whereas in Green Avenue, out of 16.44 acres, huge area of land is lying vacant and yet to be sold out.

The price of this land is worth crores. The BIT can easily pay the interest charged out of this income.

“We purchased the land for Rs 1,250 per sq yd for plot above 250 sq yd, whereas the amount of per sq yd was Rs 850 for plots below 250 sq yd. But now, the amount we have to pay per sq yd is Rs 2,500, which is almost double. Even BIT has not given us the details of the charges being levied on us. We have filed RTI applications and will also move the court,” said Tagore Nagar president HK Kapur.