Centre says state didn’t adhere to R-Day theme

Tribune News Service

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Chandigarh, December 31

Continuing his tirade against the Centre over the rejection of Punjab’s tableau for the Republic Day parade, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today refused to send the state’s tableau for display at Bharat Parv saying the martyrs who featured in the creation didn’t deserve a place in the “rejected category”.

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Mann’s reaction came in response to the Centre’s communication dated December 30, which said that the “state/UT not selected for the Republic Day parade will be given an opportunity to display its tableau during Bharat Parv, being organised separately at Red Fort from January 23-31”.

The CM maintained the martyrs of the stature of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat Rai, Udham Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Mai Bhago and Ghadari Babe didn’t need any “no-objection certificate from the BJP to prove their national standing”. “We will not allow Punjab to figure on the list of rejected states, which are being given a chance to display their tableaux separately, thereby getting second-class treatment. Punjab is capable of paying worthy tributes to its heroes and showcasing their legacy independently,” said Mann. The Ministry of Defence, meanwhile, issued a statement clarifying that the tableaux of Punjab, Delhi and West Bengal were not included in the Republic Day parade as these were not aligned with the broader themes adopted this year for the event. Their criticism on not being selected for the parade is unfounded,” the communication read.

Thirty states and UTs, including Punjab, West Bengal and Delhi, had shown interest to participate in the parade. As is the norm, nearly half of them were selected. The Punjab tableau was shortlisted for the parade six times over the past eight years between 2017 and 2022, the communication read.

The issue took an ugly turn after Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar maintained that the tableau was rejected as the state government insisted on carrying pictures of CM Mann and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal on the tableau. The charge has been denied as “baseless” by Mann.

3 metre high tsunami expected to hit Niigata and other prefectures on western coast of Japan

Tokyo, January 1

Japan issued tsunami alerts and ordered evacuations following a series of earthquakes on Monday that started a fire and trapped people under rubble on the west coast of its main island.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported more than a dozen quakes off the coast of Ishikawa and nearby prefectures shortly after 4 p.m., one of them with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6.

The agency issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of the island of Honshu, as well as the northernmost of its main islands, Hokkaido.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV warned torrents of water could reach as high as 5 metre and urged people to flee to high land or the top of a nearby building as quickly as possible.

NHK said the tsunami waves could keep returning, and warnings were continuing to be aired hours after the initial alert. Several aftershocks also rocked the region.

Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said it was critical for people in coastal areas to get away from the oncoming tsunami.

“Every minute counts. Please evacuate to a safe area immediately,” he said.

A tsunami of about 3 metre high was expected to hit Niigata and other prefectures on the western coast of Japan, and the waves were confirmed to have reached parts of the coastline.

At least six homes were damaged by the quakes, with people trapped inside. A fire has broken out in Wajima city, Ishikawa Prefecture, and electricity is out for more than 30,000 households, Hayashi said.

He said no reports of deaths or injuries had been confirmed, saying the situation was still unclear. Japan’s military was taking part in the rescue efforts, he said.

Japanese media footage showed people running through the streets, and red smoke spewing from a fire in a residential neighborhood. Photos showed a crowd of people, including a woman with a baby on her back, standing by huge cracks that had ripped through the pavement.

Bullet trains in the area were halted. Parts of the highway were also closed, and water pipes had burst, according to NHK. Some cell phone services in the region weren’t working.

The Meteorological Agency said in a nationally broadcast news conference that more major quakes could hit the area over the next week, especially in the next two or three days.

More than a dozen strong quakes had been detected in the region, with risks of setting off landslides and houses collapsing, according to the agency.

Takashi Wakabayashi, a worker at a convenience store in Ishikawa Prefecture, said some items had tumbled from the shelves, but the biggest problem was the huge crowd of people who had shown up to stock up on bottled water, rice balls and bread.

“We have customers at three times the level of usual,” he said.

Tsunami warnings were also issued for parts of North Korea and Russia. Russian officials issued a tsunami alert for the island of Sakhalin, warning that areas across the island’s west coast could be affected by the waves.

In nearby South Korea, the weather agency urged residents in some eastern coastal towns to watch for possible changes in sea levels. Tsunami waves that hit later can be bigger than the initial ones.

The Japanese government has set up a special emergency centre to gather information on the quakes and tsunami and relay them speedily to residents to ensure safety, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.

He reiterated the warning for immediate evacuation in affected areas.

Japan is an extremely quake-prone nation. In March 2011, a major quake and tsunami caused meltdowns at a nuclear plant. Government spokesman Hayashi told reporters that nuclear plants in the affected area had not reported any irregularities on Monday. 

ਆਗੈ ਸੁਖੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਮੀਤਾ ॥ ਪਾਛੈ ਆਨਦੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਕੀਤਾ ॥
ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਮੁਬਾਰਕਾਂ ਦਿੰਦੇ ਹੋਏ
ਅਰਦਾਸ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ (੨੦੨੪) ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਅਤੇ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਲਈ ਖੁਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਖੇੜੇ, ਤਰੱਕੀ ਅਤੇ ਸਿਹਤਯਾਬੀ ਲਿਆਵੇ।
ਆਪ ਜੀ ਜਿੱਥੇ ਵਸੋ ਉੱਥੋੰ ਦੀ ਮਿੱਟੀ, ਪੌਣ, ਪਾਣੀ ਸਭਨਾਂ ਜੀਆਂ ‘ਤੇ ਮਿਹਰਵਾਨ ਰਹਿਣ।
ਪੁਰਾਣੀਆਂ ਯਾਦਾਂ ਤੇ ਬੀਤਿਆ ਵੇਲ਼ਾ ਆਪ ਦੀ ਤਾਕਤ ਬਣੇ। ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਸਮਾਂ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਦੇ ਤਮਾਮ ਖੂਬਸੂਰਤ ਰੰਗ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਆਵੇ।🙏🏻
🙏ਕੈਪਟਨ ਖੁਸ਼ਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ 🙏ASST SECY SANJHA MORCHA

ਵਜ਼ੀਰ ਖਾਨ ਬਹਿਰੂਪੀਆ ਥਾ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ਨਹੀਂ | Muslims ☪️ Talking About Chote Sahibzaade shaheedi & wazir khan

Over 30 lakh devotees expected to pay obeisance

Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib, December 26

The three-day annual Shaheedi Jor Mela to commemorate the sacrifices of the Sahibzadas and other Sikhs began here today with religious ceremonies amid great fervour. To mark the beginning, ‘akhand path’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib was started at Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup Sahib, which stands at the site where the Sahibzadas were cremated. Harpal Singh, head granthi of Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib, performed the ‘ardas’. Deputy Commissioner Parneet Shergill, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Isha Singhal, SDM Arvind Kumar, SGPC member Gurpreet Singh Randhawa, SAD leader Jagdeep Singh Cheema and a large number of devotees were present on the occasion.

On the first day of the Jor Mela, a sea of devotees thronged the gurdwaras and long queues were witnessed at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup Sahib. Approximately 30 lakh devotees are expected to pay obeisance in the Jor Mela.

DC Shergill inaugurated an exhibition highlighting public-oriented schemes initiated by the state government. She also flagged off a fleet of mini-buses and e-rickshaws to ferry senior citizens and ladies free of cost from different destinations to gurdwaras. Apart from the transportation facility, night shelters, toilets and samadhan centres have been set up for the pilgrims, the DC said.

Defying the diktat of SGPC to prepare simple langar, over 500 community kitchens here are serving a variety of dishes.

SSP Dr Ravjot Grewal said the district police have made fool-proof security and traffic management arrangements. Twenty free parking sites and three temporary bus stands have been set up. Four thousand police officials and personnel have been deputed, and 54 nakas and 13 observation posts have been set up. Moreover, CCTV cameras have been installed at various spots and drones are being used to watch out for any untoward incident, the SSP added.

Preparations for the pilgrims

Twenty free parking sites and three temporary bus stands have been set up. Four thousand police officials and personnel have been deputed, while 54 nakas and 13 observation posts have been set up. Moreover, CCTV cameras have been installed at various spots and drones are being used to watch out for any untoward incident. — Dr Ravjot Grewal, SSP

Mahesh Sharma

Malerkotla, December 26

As a token of gratitude for Guru Gobind Singh’s blessing of peace at this historic town, the Muslims of the region are making efforts to make the visit of the pilgrims at Shaheedi Jor Mela comfortable.

With an intent to promote intra-religious brotherhood, volunteers from the Muslim community are organising langars, seminars and distributing literature on communal harmony at Machhiwara, Fatehgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib and Sirhind, besides Malerkotla.

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Maintaining that Muslims from Malerkotla town and surrounding region have special respect for Guru Gobind Singh, Dr Naseer Akhtar, chairman of Sikh-Muslim Sanjh Organisation, said: “Though we started organising langars and events during nagar kirtans and Sikh festivals about five years ago, our organisation has been working for communal harmony for over two decades.”

“As Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan had opposed Wazir Khan’s decision to brick younger Sahibzadas alive in a wall, Guru Gobind Singh blessed the Nawab and the people of Malerkotla with everlasting peace,” Dr Akhtar added.

Wasim Sher, an office-bearer of Muslim Sikh Front of Punjab, lauded the fact that organised steps have been taken to instil a feeling of fraternity among Sikhs and Muslims.

Salim Mohammad, a local, said volunteers associated with him had been organising langars at Machhiwara every year during Shaheedi Jor Mela and Sabha days.

Guru’s blessing

As Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan had opposed Wazir Khan’s decision to brick the younger Sahibzadas alive in a wall, Guru Gobind Singh blessed the Nawab and the people of Malerkotla with everlasting peace. — Naseem Akhtar, chairman, Sikh-Muslim Sanjh organisation

Reviews security situation along LoC, meets families of civilians found dead in Poonch

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, December 27

Days after the killing of four soldiers in a terrorist ambush in Poonch and subsequent death of three civilians allegedly in Army custody, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said it was the responsibility of the troops to win the hearts of the people while performing their duty towards the security of the nation.

Rajnath, who was on a one-day visit to Jammu and Rajouri to review the security situation, urged the soldiers to not make any such “mistakes” that might hurt the citizens of the country.

“You are the guardians of the country. Apart from the responsibility towards the security of the country, winning the hearts of citizens is also a big responsibility on your shoulders. You are making efforts in this direction as well, but sometimes there does happen a mistake. Such mistakes, that may hurt any citizen of the country, should not happen,” Rajnath told troops during an interaction in Rajouri. The minister met the families of the deceased civilians and also visited Government Medical College to enquire about the health of four other “torture” victims.

Fight terror, but win hearts

It is your responsibility to win hearts of people while keeping the nation safe… But sometimes such mistakes do take place, which should not happen. —Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister

He was accompanied by Army Chief General Manoj Pande and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi.

He took stock of the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and carried out a first-hand assessment of the prevailing situation as well as counter-terror operations in Rajouri and Poonch.

He was briefed by Army commanders on the prevalent security situation, counter-infiltration grid and operational preparedness. The aspects associated with the operating challenges were discussed by the minister with the commanders. He called for professional conduct and due diligence while carrying out operations.

Interacting with the soldiers, the minister asked them to be actively connected with the people and gain their trust.

“The Indian Army is not an ordinary army. We have to win battles, eliminate terrorists, but the bigger objective is to win the hearts of people,” he said, while exhorting the troops to remain extra vigilant so that no untoward incident occurred in future.

He described the recent incidents in the sector as “unfortunate” and asked all ranks to undertake operations based on hard intelligence in accordance with established procedures aided by niche technology. Rajnath assured the troops that the government stood with them and the nation “will forever be indebted to the unparalleled valour and sacrifice of the soldiers”.

Masarat outfit declared illegal

The Centre on Wednesday declared Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (Masarat Alam faction) or MLJK-MA as an ‘unlawful association’ under Section 3(1) of the UAPA, 1967, Home Minister Amit Shah said in a post on X

Dehradun/Kanpur, Dec 25

The mortal remains of three Army soldiers — two from Uttarakhand and one from UP’s Kanpur who were killed in a terrorist attack in Poonch four days ago — were consigned to flames in their hometowns with full military honours and a large number of people in attendance on Monday.

Naik Birendra Singh (33) was cremated on the banks of Triveni Sangam — the confluence of three rivers — in Narayanbagar while Rifleman Gautam Kumar (28) was consigned to flames at Muktidham on the banks of the Khoh river in Kotdwar. Their elder brothers lit the funeral pyres. Kumar was to get married in March next year.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami laid wreaths on the mortal remains of the two soldiers at the Jolly Grant airport here and said, “The sacrifice made by our soldiers for the defence of the nation will continue to inspire us all.” Consoling the bereaved family members, he said the state government stood with them in this hour of grief.

Before the cremation, Naik Birendra Singh’s mortal remains were kept at the GIC courtyard in Narayanbagar and Rifleman Gautam Kumar’s body was kept at his house in the Shivpur area of Kotdwar for people to pay their last respects.

Kotdwar MLA and Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri visited Gautam Kumar’s home to lay a wreath on his coffin wrapped in the national flag.

Meanwhile, last respects were paid to Naik Karan Kumar in his native place in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The mortal remains of Kumar of the Army’s 48th Battalion of Rashtriya Rifles reached Kanpur this afternoon. The streets of the hometown of Naik Karan Kumar were flooded with people keen to be part of the last rites.

Four soldiers were killed and two injured when heavily armed terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles in Poonch district on December 21, officials said, adding the bodies of two of the slain soldiers were mutilated. — Agencies

Three civilians were found dead after they were picked up by Army for questioning following a terrorist ambush on two Army vehicles in Poonch last Thursday

Srinagar, December 26

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said shunting out Army officers will not address the Poonch civilian deaths case and called for an investigation to find out why innocent people were “tortured” to death.

He also favoured talks with Pakistan, saying that otherwise “we will face same situation as is happening with Palestinians in Gaza”. However, it was not clear why he compared the situation here with that in Gaza.

Three civilians were found dead after they were picked up by the Army for questioning following a terrorist ambush on two Army vehicles in Poonch last Thursday that killed four soldiers.

“Peaceful citizens, eight of them, were taken away and three were beaten so mercilessly and chilli powder rubbed into their wounds. Three of them could not bear the torture and succumbed. Five others are in the hospital. The brother of one of the victims is in the BSF and has been serving for the past 24 years … now he says that he has got brother’s death in return to his services to the nation,” Abdullah told reporters here.

He added, “The Army Chief has taken Northern Commander also from here to the academy in Dehradun but it will not resolve the problem. There should an investigation into why this happened?” If innocent people who have nothing to do with terrorism are killed “which India are we living in”, he asked. “Is this Mahatma Gandhi’s India where we can live in peace? The hatred has spread so much that Hindus and Muslims think they are enemies of each other.” The former chief minister trashed the BJP claims about end of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Four years ago, the Home Minister made a speech in Chennai where he said Article 370 was responsible for terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Now terrorism will finish in JK and development is being done.

“Four years later, he made a speech in the Parliament and said he had not said anything like that. This is how much they are lying. Terrorism has not ended, it is increasing. Trained (terrorist) people are coming in and they are not caught. Innocent people are being targeted,” he said.

“I am once again saying that this (terrorism) will not end unless an atmosphere is created where talks can be held for finding a way to end it,” he added.

On the suspension of opposition MPs from Parliament, Abdullah, who is one of the suspended members, said all they were asking for was a statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the Parliament security breach.

“Two persons came in (the Parliament). They raised the issue of unemployment …. However, they came in. How did they come in? Tomorrow, someone can come with a gun. The way they sprayed the gas, it could have been poisonous. Everyone is under threat. We had asked for the home minister to make a statement. We were not to fight him, just wanted to hear from him,” he added.

In response to a question on whether India should hold talks with Pakistan, Abdullah referred to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s famous statement that “we can change friends but we cannot change neighbours”.

“If we live in friendship with neighbours, we will both prosper but if we live in enmity, then we cannot progress rapidly. Modiji also has said war is not an option now and issues have to be resolved through dialogue. Where is that dialogue?”

He further added, “Leave aside Imran Khan. Now Nawaz Sharief is going to be the PM of Pakistan and he has been saying at top of his voice that they are ready for talks. Why are we not talking? If we do not resolve it through talks, I am sorry to say that we will face same situation as happening with Palestinians in Gaza who are being bombarded every day. Anything can happen. May Allah have mercy on us!” he added.

Asked if the release of former Pakistan premier Imran Khan from jail will impact the situation, Abdullah said it is welcome thing.

“Thanks to Almighty, he (Imran) was not killed. I hope that he takes part in the elections and work for betterment of people and Pakistan. They are our neighbours,” he said.