His remarks came a day after the Pakistan army admitted that seven of its soldiers were killed. PTI file photo

Islamabad, November 15

Prime Minsiter Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said Pakistan cannot be bullied by Indian “tactics” and its restraint should not be “misunderstood” as weakness, warning that his country was fully capable of defending against “any belligerence”.His remarks came a day after the Pakistan army admitted that seven of its soldiers were killed in firing by Indian troops across the Line of Control (LoC) in Bhimber sector.“Pakistan cannot be bullied by such tactics as we are fully capable of defending our soil against any belligerence,” Sharif said while chairing a high-level meeting to review the situation along the LoC.He said Pakistan was exercising “maximum restraint” in the face of Indian firing, which should not be “misunderstood as our weakness,” The Express Tribune reported.Expressing grief over the death of the seven soldiers, Sharif said deliberate escalation of tension along LoC by Indian forces is a threat to regional peace and security.“It is also a futile attempt of the Indian authorities to divert the world’s attention from the worst kind of atrocities they are committing” in Kashmir, he said in a statement.He called on the United Nations to take notice of the ceasefire violations along the LoC. “Our armed forces do not initiate fire but will always respond in a befitting manner to any aggression,” Sharif said.Yesterday, Army chief General Raheel Sharif ordered troops to “effectively” respond to firing by India across the LoC.Earlier, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz briefed Nawaz Sharif on the increased firing and shelling by India.He said the recent incidents of firing have led to 26 deaths and 107 injuries in complete violation of the 2003 ceasefire understanding and international law. — PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe bow to national flags as they review an honour guard before their meeting at Abe’s official residence in Tokyo on Friday. Modi is on a three-day visit to Japan. AFP

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 11

After almost six years of intense negotiations, India and Japan today signed a landmark civil nuclear cooperation deal which will allow Japan to sell nuclear technology, fuel and equipment to India. The deal was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan. When Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited India in December last, a broad framework agreement was reached between the two countries but several technical issues remained. Today, the deal was finally inked, marking India’s emergence in the region as a counterweight to China. The only caution remains a clause in the agreement allowing Japan to terminate the pact if India conducted a nuclear test.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)There had been major resistance within Japan to the deal primarily on two counts. One, Japan is the only country to have suffered a nuclear attack and the public was wary of exporting any such technology. Two, the fact that India has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was a stumbling block. The deal bestows on India the unique honour of being the first non-NPT nation to have a nuclear deal with Japan. The deal will give a boost to the 2008 India-US nuclear pact under which US-based Westinghouse Electric, which is owned by Japan’s Toshiba Corp, is in talks for building six nuclear plants in India. Japan confirmed its support to India for its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. “I wish to thank Prime Minister Abe for the support extended for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group,” Modi said. 

What the agreement means

• The deal will give a boost to the 2008 India-US nuclear pact under which US-based Westinghouse Electric, owned by Japan’s Toshiba Corp, is in talks for building six nuclear plants in India

Terrorism condemned by Modi, Abe

• A joint statement issued at the conclusion of the Modi-Abe talks called for stopping ‘cross-border’ movement of terrorists
• India and Japan called upon Pakistan to bring perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attack and the 2016 Pathankot attack to justice
• They sought implemention of UNSC Resolution 1267 while referring to India’s bid to get JeM chief Masood Azhar designated as a ‘global terrorist’
• China, a veto-wielding permanent member of Security Council, had blocked India’s move to put a ban on Azha

The blast hit the peacekeepers while they were out on a morning run. PTI file

Kinshasa, November 8

An explosion killed a child and injured 32 Indian peacekeepers in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city of Goma on Tuesday, the UN mission there said.The blast hit the peacekeepers while they were out on a morning run in the western Goma neighbourhood of Keyshero, the mission added. The cause was not immediately clear.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Ismael Salumu, an imam at a nearby mosque, said three peacekeepers were killed. “We just heard the explosion and the cries. We then ran over to see,” he told Reuters.About 18,000 uniformed UN personnel operate in Congo, where millions died in regional conflicts between 1996 and 2003 and dozens of armed groups continue to operate. Reuters

Two soldiers killed in Nowshera shelling

Amir Karim Tantray & Shyam Sood

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Rajouri, November 8

The day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meet with all three Service chiefs and had a detailed discussion over the situation after surgical strikes, two soldiers were killed when a shell exploded near their vehicle in the Nowshera sector on the Line of Control (LoC).The martyred soldiers have been identified as Naik Pritam Singh of 55 Rashtriya Rifles and Naik Harvinder Singh.Sources said the mortar shell from Pakistani side hit the Army vehicle near Manglamata when the vehicle was on the way to Nowshera. Violating the ceasefire agreement, Pakistani troops had since Tuesday morning resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling in the Nowshera and Krishnaghati sectors. They fired 120 mm, 82 mm mortars and automatic weapons.“Pakistan resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in the Nowshera and Krishnaghati sectors and the Army responded befittingly,” said Lt Col Manish Mehta, PRO, Defence Jammu.“Heavy mortar shelling has been taking places in many forward villages in the Nowshera sub-division since 8.30 am. No loss of life of any civilian was reported till afternoon. However, a soldier has died and another critically injured,” said Harbans Singh, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Nowshera, on Tuesday evening.With today’s incident, four soldiers have died in three days. On November 6, two soldiers — Gursewak Singh and Rajinder Narayan Tupare — were killed in the Krishnaghati and Poonch sectors. So far five Army personnel have been killed on the LoC in the Jammu region after the surgical strikes.The sources said in the retaliatory fire, the Pakistan army had incurred heavy losses and many posts had been destroyed. “There is also loss of life to the Pakistan army but the number is not known. Ambulances were seen taking the injured and dead people,” said the sources.The situation on the LoC has deteriorated since September 18 Uri attack when 19 soldiers were killed and the Army was forced to carry our surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on terror launch pads. After that the Pakistan army in desperation has been repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement and targeting areas on the LoC and International Border.

Many Pak posts destroyed

• Two soldiers were killed when a shell explodes near their vehicle in the Nowshera sector on the Line of Control.
• Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling in the Nowshera and Krishnaghati sectors since Tuesday morning. They fired 120 mm, 82 mm mortars and automatic weapons.
• Army responded to ceasefire violation. Pakistan incurred heavy losses and many of its posts were destroyed.

A file photo of Gursewak Singh

PK Jaiswar & Gurbaxpuri

Tarn Taran, November 6

Warana village plunged into grief as it was told its valiant son Gursewak Singh, 24, had been killed in cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir. Betrothed to a girl of Nagoke village in July, he was to get married on February 13 next. An excited Gursewak had booked a marriage hall and selected his wedding attire while on a month’s leave recently.Gursewak’s mother Baljit Kaur looked numb with grief. His two sisters were inconsolable. But his father Balwinder Singh put up a brave front. “We are proud of our son’s supreme sacrifice in the line of duty,” he said stoically as he consoled mourners who thronged the house. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)When Gursewak, a matriculate from the nearby Government Secondary School Nauragdabad, joined the Army on March 25, 2013, there were celebrations at home. His recruitment meant regular income for the family that had struggled to make both ends meet. Balwinder owns half an acre land. He and his elder son Jasbir work as farm labourers. Today, the family is devastated. With Gursewak has died hope too. “It’s a nightmare,” murmured Jasbir, fighting back tears. “My brother had made all arrangements for the wedding. We were all so happy,” he kept repeating to himself. The cremation will take place tomorrow. 

Tarn Taran soldier among 2 dead as Pak troops open fire in Poonch 

Unprovoked ceasefire violations in Poonch sector continues. Two of our brave soldiers have been martyred and two others are injured. Indian troops are responding befittingly

JAMMU/TARN TARAN: Two army jawans were killed and four others, including a Border Security Force (BSF) officer and a woman, were injured as Pakistan army opened unprovoked firing at Indian posts and forward villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on the intervening night of November 5 and 6.

HT PHOTOThe grieving family of sepoy Gursewak Singh (inset), who was killed in cross-border firing, at Warana village in Tarn Taran on Sunday.

Pakistan army opened fire in a bid to facilitate two infiltration bids, killing a soldier, an army officer said, adding that the attempts to push in infiltrators have been foiled.

“Vigilant troops observed suspicious movement and challenged the infiltrators in Krishna Ghati sector on Saturday night. In the ensuring gunfight, sepoy Gursewak Singh (23) of the 22 Sikh Regiment suffered gunshot wounds and succumbed to his injuries while being evacuated,” said the officer.

Gursewak was a resident of Warana village in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district and was to get married in February next year. He is survived by his father Balwinder Singh, mother Baljit Kaur and elder brother Jasbir Singh.

Gursewak’s mortal remains will be airlifted to Amritsar and last rites will be performed at his native village with full state honours on Monday.

Another army jawan, identified as Naik Tukpare Rajendra Narayan of Maharashtra, was killed as Pakistan army resorted to indiscriminate shelling in LT COL MANISH MEHTA, defence spokesperson the Poonch sector. BSF subinspector Nitin Kumar, two jawans and a woman, Tasleema Akhter, 29, of Salotri village in Poonch, were injured in the firing at Saujiyan sector. “Kumar sustained a splinter injury was airlifted to the army hospital. His condition is stated to be stable,” said a BSF officer.

Intelligence sources say while Pakistan targeted Victor post of the Indian Army, their Kopra post across the LoC caught fire in a retaliatory fire by the Indian troops. Pakistan has also suffered some casualties, though the exact number could not be known, said sources.

Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta said: “Unprovoked ceasefire violations in Poonch sector continues. Two of our brave soldiers have been martyred and two others are injured. Indian troops are responding befittingly and have caused heavy damage to Pakistan Army posts.”

Sunday’s ceasefire violation came after a lull of four days. Pakistan has violated ceasefire 100 times along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir after India’s surgical strikes on September 28

Strap: Defence authorities reject site proposed in UnaNod given four years ago— At present, there is no CSD depot in the state and the serving and retired personnel of the armed forces have to go to the CSD depots situated at Jalandhar or Chandigarh.— Defence authorities had given their consent for setting up a CSD depot in the state about four years ago.— Since Una district has a direct broad gauge rail link, the depot was proposed to be set up here.

Rajesh Sharma

Una, November 4

The finalisation of land for setting up the state’s first Canteen Stores Department (CSD) depot — hanging fire for the last four years — is set to be further delayed with the defence authorities rejecting the site proposed by the district administration in Samoor Kalan village.Consequently, the district administration is looking for alternate land in Upper Kutheda Khairla and Kadd villages.The CSD depot directly caters to the needs of the serving and retired defence personnel regarding purchase of items like vehicles and electronic goods, besides being a source of supply of liquor, provisions and consumable goods to the various CSD canteens in its area.At present, there is no CSD depot in the state and the serving and retired personnel of the armed forces have to go to the CSD depots situated at Jalandhar or Chandigarh. About four years ago, the defence authorities had given their consent for setting up a CSD depot in the state and since Una district has a direct broad gauge rail link, the depot was proposed to be set up here.The land proposed during the BJP regime at Barnoh village near Una city was rejected after the Congress government took reins of the government. Subsequently, the second site at Samoor Kalan village was transferred in the name of the defence authorities. The latter have rejected the offer on the plea that the land was prone to floods.Efforts were made by the district administration to search for suitable land in Palkwah, Bathadi and Rampur villages, but these could not materialise.Additional District Magistrate Rajesh Kumar Maria said since about 300 kanals of land was required, such a huge chunk of government land having an approach road and suitable geographic contours was difficult to trace. He, however, said the revenue records of Upper Kutheda Khairla and Kadd villages were being scrutinised as there was adequate government land in these villages.Meanwhile, at a recent meeting of the District Sainik Welfare Board, Deputy Commissioner Vikas Labroo directed that the process of land identification and allocation for the CSD depot be speeded up.Director of the Sainik Welfare Board SK Sharma said as soon as the district administration demarcates suitable land for the depot, senior defence authorities will visit the proposed site to finalise the issue.

BRO official visits Rohtang tunnel

Manali, November 4

Anil Kumar, Deputy Director General (DG) Tunnel at the HQ DG BRO, New Delhi, visited north and south portals of the Rohtang Tunnel to take stock of the progress of the tunnel.Chief engineer Brig DN Bhatt briefed him about the present position and various issues regarding the tunnel, including non-allotment of quarry at the north portal.Kumar, who is a graduate in Civil Engineering and postgraduate in Earthquake Engineering from the IIT Roorkee, gave suggestions to improve the progress of the tunnel and appreciated the approach adopted by the chief engineer to run multiple activities concurrently.The chief engineer assured him of a breakthrough in July 2017 and completion of the tunnel by the second half of 2019. — OC

Mountaineer selected for expeditions in Europe

A file photo of Ashwani Kumar receiving Raksha Mantri Commendation Card in 2013.

Our Correspondent

Chamba, November 4

Local lad Ashwani Kumar (25) has been selected in a special group of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), New Delhi, to move to Switzerland in Europe for mountaineering expeditions.Ashwani, who left for Switzerland on Monday, through an email informed he had scaled the Mount Everest along with a group of 13 mountaineers of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) on May 19, 2013. He also received a certificate for the same from the Nepal government.Besides, he has received several awards, including a gold medal in mountaineering. The Raksha Mantri Commendation Card (RM Padak) was conferred on him by the Director General, NCC.Ashwani completed the advance course from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling,from April 4 to May 1, 2016.

They said the deceased former soldier had not sought an appointment with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar either at his office or home. ANI

New Delhi, November 2 Ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal, who allegedly committed suicide over OROP, was one of the recipients of benefits under the revised pension scheme, Defence Ministry sources said on Wednesday as his death sent political temperature soaring in the national capital.However, Ministry sources said Grewal had received a lesser amount as part of the One Rank-One Pension scheme under the 6th pay commission due to an error in calculation by the SBI bank branch in Bhiwani district of Haryana, a matter which was being looked into.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)They said the deceased former soldier had not sought an appointment with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar either at his office or home.Meanwhile, Parrikar today asserted the government was committed to the welfare of ex-servicemen and said a total of Rs 5,507.47 crore has been disbursed under the scheme.Giving details of the OROP implementation so far, Parrikar said there were 20,63,763 beneficiaries before July 2014.He said 19,12,520 pensioners have been paid the first instalment and 1,50,313 cases are pending verification and authentication of beneficiaries.Tweeting the details of the OROP, Parrikar said Rs 3,886.88 crore had been disbursed as the first installment. He said 11,33,100 people have received the second installment of Rs 1,604.59 crore has been disbursed.

View image on Twitter

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Manohar Parrikar

✔@manoharparrikar

OROP implementation status as on September, 2016. Govt. is committed to ex-servicemen welfare. http://www.desw.gov.in/sites/upload_files/desw/files/pdf/OROP_Report_15.9.2016.pdf …

6:25 PM – 2 Nov 2016

“The government is committed to ex-servicemen’s welfare,” he said.Meanwhile, the group of ex-servicemen, which has been leading the protest at Jantar Mantar over OROP, distanced itself from Grewal’s suicide and said the issue should not be politicised.They also said all politicians, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has tweeted on the issue, should stay away and the government should sort out the OROP “mess”.“The suicide did not take place at Jantar Mantar. His friends had informed the police about the suicide bid but it was too late. He was taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital from where they wanted to bring the body to Jantar Mantar, which we refused,” Col Anil Kaul (retd), media adviser to United Front of Ex-Servicemen Movement (UFESM) said.He said the group did not believe in violence. — PTI

Lt Gen DS Hooda, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command, on his visit to Kashmir on Saturday. A Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 19

Lt Gen DS Hooda, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command, accompanied by his wife Rashmi Hooda, visited Chinar Corps here today.Earlier in the day the Gen Hooda visited troops deployed in forward areas and reviewed the security situation. He exhorted all ranks to continue to work with the same zeal and motivation to overcome the challenges of terrorism, volatile internal security situation and external threats along the LoC.At Srinagar, Gen Hooda interacted with all ranks at Badami Bagh Cantonment. He complimented them for their professionalism, steadfastness, dedication and loyalty. He also appreciated the excellent synergy between the Army, CAPF, JK Police and civil administration of J&K in pursuit of the common goal of establishing “peace and normalcy” in the state. Gen Hooda also awarded commendation cards to soldiers for exemplary dedication and devotion to duty.Meanwhile, Rashmi Hooda visited the facilities at Badami Bagh Cantonment. Lt Gen DS Hooda was to retire at the end of the month after 40 years of service to the nation, an Army spokesman said.

Lt Gen SK Sinha

New Delhi, November 17

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha passed away at a local hospital this morning after a brief illness. He was 92. He was admitted to the base hospital on November 1 with a fracture in the femur bone and ribs and was shifted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital.He is survived by his wife, son and IFS officer YK Sinha, current Indian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, and three daughters. His funeral will take place tomorrow noon at the Brar Square crematorium here.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Sinha led the first batch of Indian troops that entered Jammu and Kashmir when Pakistan raiders invaded in 1947. He later served as the Governor of the state.He quit service after the government superseded him and appointed General AS Vaidya as the Army Chief. Lt Gen Sinha also served as India’s Ambassador to Nepal and Governor of Assam.President Pranab Mukherjee on Twitter wrote: “Lt Gen Sinha will be always remembered for his distinguished service to the nation.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Had the opportunity of meeting Lt Gen (retd) Srinivas K Sinha just a few days ago. His service to our nation will always be remembered.”NC leader Farooq Abdullah and son Omar Abdullah also mourned his death. — PTI

Had Indira taken his word, Punjab wouldn’t have bled

Lt Gen SK Sinha 1926-2016

Sandeep Dikshit

Lt Gen Sinha was all of 21 and India a two-month-old nation when their destinies intertwined. As a young Major, he was among the first Indian Army officers to land in Srinagar when the momentum was with the Pakistani raiders. Lt Gen Sinha marshalled the airlift of troops from Delhi. In his words: “We flew in 800 sorties in 15 days. About 5,000 troops with stores and equipments were flown to last the winter. I was shuttling between Delhi and Srinagar, often overstaying nights in Srinagar.”(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Had the Indian Army, with then Major Sinha as a key participant, not established the air bridge, the entire state would have keeled over to Pakistan.  Army officers of that time were cut from a different cloth. Lt Gen Sinha dazzled in his post-Independence tenures and was slated to take over as Chief of the Army Staff. He would have got that coveted post had his truthfulness and candour not come in the way.The year was 1983 and India’s charismatic though authoritarian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was planning two misadventures with the Army in the lead role. Indira Gandhi wanted to dispatch a mix of Intelligence and armed force personnel to intervene in Mauritius. The Indian military was divided with Navy Chief Admiral OS Dawson backing the idea. But Lt Gen Sinha, who was the Deputy Army Chief then, said a firm no. The second is part of Punjab’s lore when Lt Gen Sinha counselled Indira Gandhi against storming the Golden Temple. She rejected the advice and Punjab along with parts of India suffered a decade-long trauma as a consequence.Indira Gandhi found Lt Gen Sinha too contrarian for her taste and decided to supersede him. The soldier quit the job but kept his dignity intact. A statesman was born when he said he did not question the decision of the Government and had chosen to fade away from the Army.As Lt Gen Sinha kept himself occupied as a columnist and on the lecture circuit, New Delhi realised it would be better off with the former Army officer in the governing arrangement. India-Nepal ties were on the rocks because of a blockade and democratic impulses were on the rise. In that difficult situation in 1989, Lt Gen Sinha was sent to mend the fences. By all accounts, he did well. India and Nepal returned to the negotiating table and democracy began taking roots.New Delhi then drafted him to help douse the fires of anti-immigrant movement in Assam. As Governor, he was credited with ideating a hearts and minds policy that helped neutralise the sentiments of secession. Once again, Lt Gen Sinha was to give an advice that the Centre was to regret for not taking it on board. He was ridiculed for recommending the scrapping of the Illegal Migration Detection by Tribunal (IMDT) Act, but vindicated several years later when the Supreme Court invalidated the legislation.The General was then drafted to helm Jammu & Kashmir where the situation was undergoing a metamorphosis after a ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC). But the complexities of the dispute have proved too much for statesmen of much greater calibre. Lt Gen Sinha tried his best but the Mumbai attack proved to be the final nail.With his first and last official posts in Independent India centred around J&K, the General gave two more counsels. He felt not allowing the Army to chase the enemy up to Muzaffarabad in 1947 was a strategic blunder. “We lost an important opportunity. If Indian army was allowed to advance beyond Uri, then Muzaffarabad would not have been under control of Pakistan,” he was to comment later. But Lt Gen Sinha was a realist to the core. His personal view after stepping down as Governor of J&K was that both sides should give up on occupying each other’s territory and instead settle for the LoC as the international border.

Rattled by the latest Supreme Court advisory to the President, the Punjab Government has denotified the SYL land for the second time in eight months, exercising executive powers. The earlier legislative effort was thwarted by the Governor who did not give consent to the Bill passed. Opposition cooperation, available then, was missing now as the Congress dubbed it “political gimmickry” and stayed away from the Assembly session which passed a resolution against the construction of the SYL Canal and in favour of collecting a cess from the states using river waters passing through Punjab.Citizens as well as political leaders understand that inter-state disputes cannot be settled through unilateral action. The 2004 water agreement termination Act was passed with fanfare; but Capt Amarinder Singh did not get the expected political mileage in the ensuing election despite a massive show of misplaced boldness. That presumably bold action, in fact, delayed efforts towards an acceptable solution as Punjab was dragged to a needless, costly legal battle. This time fortunately the Governor put his foot down, denying Chief Minister Badal a chance to go on a similar legislative misadventure. Irrational remedies Badal is trying these days are bound to be challenged in court. Punjab has lost thrice in the Supreme Court despite having a strong case on its water rights. As expected, Haryana plans to move the Supreme Court for SYL Canal construction and an NGO has filed a contempt plea against Badal. It remains to be seen whether the Centre helps Badal gain political martyrdom he is seeking by doing what appeals to sentiment more than reason. Months before the Supreme Court ruling he had been trying to work up passions with disappointing results. It will be clear only after the 2017 elections whether people see him as a protector of Punjab waters or a dated politician trying old tricks. Political parties in Punjab are divided on SYL. At the end, solutions have to be workable and agreeable, in compliance with the established constitutional, judicial and democratic norms, not the ones that pit one state and its people against the other.

Chandigarh, November 13. 2016

By the time of the1962 Assembly battle, the electoral chess board had been redone. The Akali Dal, which had subsumed itself under the Indian National Congress during the 1957 polls, was now a contestant and was fighting on the plank of a Punjabi Suba, contesting 47 seats. Nehru, predictably, led the Congress charge.  During his campaign speeches made during these elections in January 1962 while a three-day visit to the state, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru reiterated his vision of “building a new India of our dreams, both economically and socially.” Like in the previous elections, the Congress had fielded candidates in each of the 154 Assembly seats. The number of candidates put up by the Communist Party decreased from 67 to 47, but for the Jan Sangh, the candidates increased from 62 to 80.  The Republicans fielded 26 and the Praja-Socialist Party 10. Speaking at Basic Training College, Chandigarh, Congress leader and Planning Commission member Shriman Narain sounded prophetic when he said: “if we fail to link our educational programme with developmental schemes in different sectors of national economy, we shall be sowing the seeds of friction and even disaster in our social and economic life.”Developmental high notes aside, Punjabi language and Punjabi Suba dominated the loudspeakers at the state level. In order to assuage those who blamed his government for not implementing the ‘Regional Formula’, Jawaharlal Nehru appointed a Commission of inquiry headed by S R Das, a former Chief Justice, to ascertain if there was any injustice in the delay in implementing the formula. In his election speeches, we find him defending the Commission he had set up. As for the Akalis, two leaders — Sant Fateh Singh and Master Tara Singh — continued to push for the Punjabi Suba movement. Many SAD workers courted arrest and these leaders undertook “fast-unto-death” but broke the fast after they got some assurances. This eventually cost them and the movement its sheen.