Birender Singh Dhanoa takes charge as the new Air Force chief
I was in my second year History (Hons) in 1950 at St. Stephen’s College that 26th Jan. What a parade it was!
ON midnight of 14-15 August 1947, India attained independence, but as a Dominion, accepting the British King as the Emperor of India. This changed on January 26, 1950, when India became a Republic and the King was no longer Emperor of India. Incidentally, the resolution of the Congress Working Committee accepting the Partition was sent to the AICC. On Gandhiji’s pleading, the AICC passed the CWC resolution supporting the Partition by 157 for, 29 against, 32 neutral. That is how history is sometimes made.The Republic Day Parade this Thursday was threatened by thunder and menacing dark clouds. The gods held up the torrential rain till after the parade. I was in my second year History (Hons) in 1950 at St. Stephen’s College that 26th Jan. What a parade it was! President Dr Rajendra Prasad sat in the ceremonial coach escorted by the President’s Bodyguard (my elder brother was adjutant). The coach rode through Connaught Place, and finally, arrived at Irwin Stadium (now Shivaji Stadium) where a parade was held. Thanks to my brother I got a pass both for the parade and the President’s Reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan — no longer the Viceregal Lodge. I was most excited to see at close quarters President Prasad, the PM and Deputy PM, Maulana Azad and others. Is the Republic Day parade necessary? Crores are spent and it is over in 90 minutes. Apart from a grand and colourful spectacle, the parade has immense symbolic value. Also, it is a reminder that what is right with India is infinitely greater than what is wrong with India. Above all, it is a joyful day. The night glows with the illuminated Rashtrapati Bhavan, South Block, North Block, Parliament House and India Gate. It is wonderful sight.To organise such a vast undertaking involves thousands of people. They do a splendid job, working round-the-clock. We must not forget them. CRRID – the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development — has its office in Chandigarh. The man behind establishing CRRID was PN Haksar, a man of towering intellect and luminous integrity. I looked upon him as a Guru.I am a member of the executive committee of CRRID. I infrequently attend the meetings of the executive. When I do, my interventions are not memorable. A few months ago, I sent my resignation to the energetic Rashpal Malhotra, the moving spirit behind CRRID and a friend of longstanding. He promptly turned down my resignation. This is a good example of the rigorous enforcement of the wishes of the Director General.CRRID does admirable work, invites scholars from various parts of the world to lecture and participate in CRRID seminars. I read the magazine, Man and Development regularly, partly to educate myself and on very rare occasions, use it as a sleeping pill (No offence meant).In the December 2016 issue, Manmohan Singh’s address to the IASSI (Indian Association of Social Science Institutions) is reproduced. Manmohan is not only erudite but a gentleman-politician and an inspiring teacher. He takes a lot of interest in the activities of CRRID. As I write this our Pekinese has put his front legs on the right arm of my chair and pulling at my sleeve. We have named him Li Po after the great Chinese poet. We acquired him when he was six weeks old. He was like a woolly little doll. Utterly irresistible.Now he is almost in his sixth year. Disobedient, it overeats, sulks when denied some eatables he wants. In some ways the little fellow runs our lives. Actually he is adorable, loyal and affectionate. And also sensitive. When he sees members of our staff packing a couple of suitcases, Li Po immediately knows that his masters are going somewhere, leaving him alone. He becomes almost tearful and immobile. It is painful to watch him suffer. When abroad, we telephone our private secretary to enquire how ‘master’ Li Po is? He is doing fine. He is taken for a walk in the park where he wants to take on dogs three times his size. Their indifference deflates him.He has now taken to catching pigeons in our little garden. Most of the time, he fails to catch even one. The other day he did. He walked into our sitting room, triumphantly with a pigeon in his mouth. By now Mr. Pigeon was the late Mr. Pigeon. Lip Po has breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner with us. He has not yet learned to use forks and knives. He is a strict vegetarian (he does not eat the birds he kills) a teetotaller (so we think). He hates being bathed. The ritual is performed twice a week.We have installed a lift in our home. Li Po insists in using the lift with us. Sometimes he refuses to get out and has to be bribed with a biscuit. Whatever would we do without Li Po?Alexander Sasha Kadakin was an outstanding, warm-hearted and skilful diplomat. He served the Soviet Union as a loyal diplomat and Russia with great distinction. Yes, India was his second home. Fluent in Hindi and English, he mixed with ease in diplomatic and non-diplomatic gatherings. We had known each other for over 32 years. It was a friendship I deeply cherished and valued (Kadakin died in Delhi on Thursday).
TWITTERATI and the electronic media is currently abuzz with accounts of self-appointed experts on food being served to troops in security forces. I also got caught in one such skirmish where considerable time was devoted to deciding if puris are ‘beloed’ or rolled, with the former winning the debate. There was also a suggestion to have the word ‘beloed’ included in the Oxford Dictionary. This debate has been triggered by Tej Bahadur, the langar crusader from the BSF, who, instead of keeping an eye on the Pakistanis across, seems to be focused on the dal and its ingredients. While the issue is being examined, it is simply not kosher to link a food-related complaint to his aberrant disciplinary track record. The simple maxim that I have learnt is that the bestest (sic) food has to be served to men, including prisoners. A defaulter has to be given good food and equally rigorous punishment.I am reminded of an incident during my command that I am very proud of and take it as a proof of a successful command. Two defaulters who were to undergo treatment at MH Patiala were asked the choice of unit for attachment. They opted for my regiment, 63 Cavalry, despite their unit people serving in my Brigade HQ, because food of my regiment was reputed to be the best in the entire station. Like they say, the Army marches on stomach and units take pride in their food and cookhouses, referred to as langars, as they have their own camaraderie, culture and even syntax.Now for an eternal lesson in secularism learnt in a langar, which relates to an old and famous regiment, 18 Cavalry. This regiment has three pure caste-based squadrons — Alpha-Jats, Bravo-Musalman, including Kayamkhanis, and Charlie-Rajputs. Following a violent storm, the roof of the cookhouse of the Jat squadron collapsed and they had to share it with another squadron. In the Armoured Corps, Jats follow the logic of the movie, Dangal — non-vegetarian food is not cooked in their cookhouse though die-hard ones manage to eat it on the sly in other langars, once in a while.Jats had traditional rivalry with Rajputs because of keen competition in sports, so they chose to share the cookhouse with the Musalman squadron. This obviously got my Commander worried and he deputed me, Brigade Major, to check if all was well. I went to the langar in the evening, on a meat-dish day, to take stock. I saw no problem with both squadrons cooking and sharing food under the same roof. When I asked the Senior JCO of the Musalman squadron if all was well, he told me not to worry as Islam had taught him to let everyone practise his own deen (religion) faithfully. He would ensure that the Jats remained vegetarian and followed their Vedic Dharma in the langar. Do we need any other proof of the Indian Army’s secular ethos?
Tribune News Service
New Delhi/chandigarh, Jan 14
The Congress today queered the pitch in Punjab with state party chief Capt Amarinder Singh announcing he was keen to contest against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from Lambi. In that case, a source said, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu may take on Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal in Jalalabad. Meanwhile, former BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to join the Congress on January 16.Capt Amarinder, who is also fighting from Patiala, phoned Rahul seeking his approval to take on Badal Senior. The ball is now in the high command’s court. The announcement provoked a terse reaction from Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who asked whether he would fight from one segment or two. “If you are fighting two, people will call you a coward,” he tweeted.January 18 is the last date of filing nominations. Re-strategising, the Congress is thinking of fielding bigwigs against the Badals to blunt the AAP rhetoric that the Congress and Akalis have a tacit understanding. The original plan was to field Bittu from Lambi and Sidhu from Jalalabad. The latter is learnt to have declined the proposal. He might contest from Amritsar East. After Bittu came on board “to fight from wherever asked”, Capt Amarinder today offered to contest from Lambi. Gidderbaha candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said he too was ready to contest “from any seat”.Meanwhile, Phillaur candidate Karamjit Kaur has been replaced with her son.
CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR: It’s an idea whose time had come. After first refusing to accept the dare of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal to contest against Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, state Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh seemed to have realised that it’s a masterstroke worth a shot.
Amarinder on Saturday declared to take the fight to the Badal den, Lambi, while also contesting from home seat Patiala.
It would be the first time in the history of Punjab that a former CM will take on an incumbent one, that too in the latter’s bastion.
“I want to fight the CM on his home turf to defeat top Akali leaders responsible for destroying the state through their drugs, mafia and goonda raj, and guilty of ruining its trade, industry and agriculture. It would free Punjab from the vicious and destructive rule of the Badals,” Amarinder said in Amritsar. He later tweeted that he would make the formal announcement soon.
Meanwhile, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu has agreed to take on the CM’s son and deputy, Shiromani Akali Da (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, from Jalalabad. The Congress is, however, persuading Navjot Singh Sidhu to fight Sukhbir to further elevate its challenge.
Though Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was keen to field top guns against the ruling Badals, Amarinder had his reservations, mainly that it would confine him to one seat.
Now, behind the Congress strategy to pitch its tallest leader against CM Badal is also to checkmate the AAP, the third challenger in poll fray, which has been alleging a “Badal-Amarinder nexus”.
The Delhi CM and other AAP leaders have been citing that Amarinder opposed transfer of investigation into the multi-crore drug scam to the CBI after alleged kingpin Jagdish Bhola named Sukhbir’s brother-in-law and revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia. The AAP has fielded former Delhi MLA Jarnail Singh against the CM, and Amarinder had called him “small fry”.
CAPTAIN TO KICKSTART CAMPAIGN FROM NATIVE VILLAGE
BATHINDA: Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh will kickstart the party campaign for the February 4 assembly elections from his native village Mehraj in Bathinda district on Sunday.
After paying obeisance at the village gurdwara, Amarinder willl address a rally in support of Congress candidate from Rampura Phul assembly constituency, Gurpreet Singh Kangar. Mehraj village falls in this segment. Later, he will address another rally in Talwandi Sabo in support of local party candidate Khushbaz Singh Jatana.Party sources said Capt, who had been camping in Delhi for the past several days for deliberations over ticket allotment, will soon try to give a boost to the Congress campaign.
Sidhu looking for best deal: Badal
Our Correspondent
Garhshankar, January 14
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu a wheeler-dealer. “He will join a party when the best deal is struck,” Badal told reporters. He was here to address a rally in support of Akali candidate Surinder Singh Bhullewal Rathan.The CM said everyone wanted to contest against him from Lambi or against Sukhbir Badal from Jalalabad. “It’s just a gimmick to befool the people. Does it matter who contests from where? I don’t mind even if Rahul Gandhi is fielded from Lambi,” Badal added. He said AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal planned to oust Punjabi leaders by making them contest against senior leaders of other parties. “When they will lose, he will show them the door,” the CM said.
Ex-AAP leader joins Cong
Calls Kejri an anarchist, a threat to national security
GS Paul
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, January 14
Noted eye surgeon and former AAP leader Dr Daljit Singh joined the Congress here today in the presence of PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh.Dr Singh had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections against Amarinder and BJP’s Arun Jaitley from Amritsar on the AAP ticket. He was expelled in 2015 for alleged anti-party activities.He said today, “Arvind Kejriwal is a threat to national security. He is an anarchist who should be refrained from grabbing power and disturbing peace. His success would be our failure.”Dr Singh, who had accused senior AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Durgesh Pathak of trying to ruin the party, said he was disillusioned by the way the party was being run.Amarinder said Kejriwal had been running a New Delhi-based NGO that was funded by the Ford Foundation which, in turn, received funds from US spy agency CIA.On when Navjot Singh Sidhu will join the Congress, Amarinder said, “Talks between him and AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi are in progress. I can assure you that Sidhu will contest from Amritsar East on the party ticket.”
Vikramjit to replace mother in Phillaur
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 14Punjab Congress incharge Asha Kumari told The Tribune today that the party had decided to replace Karamjit Kaur, the candidate from Phillaur, with her son, Vikramjit Chaudhary.“The decision was taken after Karamjit met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and expressed her unwillingness to contest, being a housewife. She requested that the ticket be given to her son instead. The party has agreed.” Vikramjit, former president of the Punjab Youth Congress, is the son of party MP from Jalandhar Chaudhary Santokh Singh. His cousin, Chaudhary Surinder Singh, son of former minister late Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, is contesting from the Kartarpur seat on the Congress ticket.
Property dealers’ body to back Cong
Our Correspondent
Hoshiarpur, January 14
The Colonisers and Property Dealers Association has decided to go with the Congress in the Assembly elections.A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting held here today. The meeting was chaired by state president of the association Kultar Singh Jogi.Jogi, addressing the meeting, said, “Under the current government, the drop in real estate business has hit property dealers, colonisers and the people. Business has come to a halt and people are facing difficulties. Due to the wrong policies of the SAD-BJP government, business is on the verge of ruination. So the association has decided to go with the Congress.”It was also decided to help their colleague and Congress candidate Sunder Sham Arora win from Hoshiarpur.
TROUBLE BREWS IN CONGRESS
Ticket aspirants boycott Dutti’s candidature
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, January 14
With the Congress fielding Sunil Dutti from the Amritsar (North) constituency, the party has clearly tried to check opposition from within for its probable candidate from South Navjot Singh Sidhu, but at the same time has agitated the ticket aspirants from north.One of the aspirants, Karamjit Singh Rintu, who had unsuccessfully contested last elections, has already announced to boycott the candidature of Dutti.Giving a one day ultimatum to the Congress leadership, supporters of Rintu stated that they might take a big decision if the party did not correct its mistake.During previous election, Dutti had unsuccessfully contested from the South constituency against Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu. However, with Sidhu already joining the Congress and her husband expected to follow suit, the party is expected to field him from south.Other aspirant from the constituency, Ashwani Kumar Pappu, has decided not to support Dutti.Talking to The Tribune, Pappu said his supporters would not support Dutti. Pappu said he would chalk out his next strategy after consultation with his supporters. The three main aspirants from the constituency — Rintu, Pappu and Joginderpal Dhingra — also had a meeting last night to discuss their plans as they felt that an outsider was given the party ticket.While Captain Amarinder Singh was in the city and most Congress leaders from the city were present in his meeting, but the trio — Rintu, Pappu and Dingra — were conspicuous by their absence.During the 2012 Assembly elections, the party had first announced the name of Ashwani Kumar Pappu from the constituency. However, his name was dropped few days later and Rintu was announced as party candidate. The political observers in the constituency stated that opposition from within for the official party candidate may prove lethal as probable BJP candidate Anil Joshi was already on a strong foot due to large number of development works completed in the area.
Chhajjalwaddi’s move changes equation in Baba Bakala
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, January 14
The political scene in Baba Bakala constituency changed after rebel Congress leader Ranjit Singh Chhajjalwaddi today announced to contest Assembly polls as an independent candidate in protest against ticket to Santokh Singh Bhalaipur.Poll experts have been observing that SAD candidate Malkit Singh AR may benefit from the current situation. The anti- incumbency vote will be divided between the Congress, Aam Adami Party and Chhajjalwaddi. Also in 2012, the position was same. It favoured Manjit Singh Mianwind, the Akali candidate.Although there is factionalism among SAD activists, it is not on the forefront. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has transferred sitting MLA Manjit Singh Mianwind from Baba Bakala to Shri Hargobindpur, but his group in the constituency is yet to support Malkit Singh AR. Meanwhile, Baljit Singh Jalalusma, the SGPC member and Akali leader, is not on good terms with Malkit. He may not extend support to AR.The Congress candidate will again suffer due to the factionalism in the party. In 2012, Akali leader Manjit Singh Mianwind had defeated Chhajjalwaddi, the rebel Congress leader, who had contested independently.Only one political party, which is not facing any factionalism, is the Aam Adami Party (AAP). Although, AAP candidate Dalbir Singh Tong is not a popular face in the party, people are supporting him.Master Arjan Singh, a retired government teacher from village Nagoke said,” The Congress will defiantly suffer due to factionalism. Everything is not good in Akali Dal too, but there is no open opposition to its candidate. The AAP candidate is getting good response from towns and villages.”Harnek Singh, an activist said, “The Congress has announced the ticket after much delay. The party candidate has no time to visit all villages in the constituency.”
BATTLE FOR PUNJAB
Blow to SAD as senior leaders join Congress
Senior vice-president of district, other SAD leaders say they were feeling ignored; 500 families may join Cong soon
Sukhmeet Bhasin
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, Janaury 14
In a major blow to the Shiromani Akali Dal, its leaders Chamkaur Mann, senior vice-president, Bathinda district, Bhupinder Singh Bhullar, former municipal council president and Pirthipal Singh Jalal, along with their supporters, today joined the Congress in the presence of Gurdas Badal and Manpreet Badal at the residence of Pirthipal Singh Jalal.While addressing a gathering, Pirthipal Singh Jalal said he was with SAD since 1962. He said he had even remained in jail.“Veteran leaders had been ignored by SAD for the last five years. We are feeling suffocated due to which we have decided to join the Congress,” he added.He also appealed to the people to vote and support Manpreet so that if Congress formed the government then Manpreet Badal would be the deputy chief minister.Chamkaur Mann and Bhupinder Singh Bhullar claimed that Sarup Chand Singla was surrounded by four-five aides and because of them SAD had lost ground in the city.They said for their personal gain, these aides had sidelined veteran SAD leaders in the city.Mann said in the coming days, 500 families in the trans-railway line area, previously supporting SAD, would join the Congress.The first case of infighting in sad surfaced when Sarup Chand Singla and SAD city president Sudhir Bansal released a list of new office-bearers of the Bathinda unit on September 16, 2015.In the list, SAD Canal circle president Chamkaur Mann was made the vice-president of the city unit.As Nirmal Singh Sandhu was made the Canal circle president in his place, a large numbers of SAD office-bearers from five wards lodged a protest over this and tendered their resignations.Chamkaur had even announced not to accept the new responsibility assigned to him by the party.At that time, they held a meeting in which they announced to boycott Sarup Chand Singla and submit their resignations.In a joint statement issued by them, they had alleged that all senior posts were being given to businessman, rich, Congressmen and non-SAD workers.They also alleged that CPS Sarup Chand Singla was directly responsible this situation.They had appealed to SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal to rein in the situation or the party would have to face huge loss in the upcoming 2017 Assembly elections.Later, things were resolved as Sarup Chand Singla held a meeting with Chamkaur Mann and appointed him district SAD senior vice-president.
Ex-SAD leader joins Cong
Harmeet Pathanmajra joined the party in presence of Preneet Kaur
Tribune News Service
Patiala, January 14
After quitting the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) a few months ago, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, a youth leader from Sanaur, joined the Congress here in the presence of Patiala MLA Preneet Kaur.Welcoming Pathanmajra into the party fold, Preneet Kaur said the joining of the young Turk, who had a strong base in Sanaur would improve the Congress prospects in Patiala. With Lal Singh’s son Rajinder Singh getting ticket from Samana, the Congress could opt for a new leader in Sanaur, the home constituency of Lal Singh. Preneet further said the inclusion of the former SAD leader indicated that not only the people of Punjab but Akali leaders and workers were also feeling suffocated under the misrule of the Badals. “The way senior Akali leaders are deserting leaving their party to to join the Congress vindicates the fact that only the Congress, under the leadership of Capt Amarinder Singh can bring Punjab back to the path of progress,” she added.Expressing full faith in the leadership of PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh, Pathanmajra said he joined the party unconditionally. Pathanmajra, who was a member of the Youth Akali Dal Core Committee before quitting the party in September last year, said the Badals had been looting Punjab with both hands.“Only Capt Amarinder Singh can bring back the heydays of Punjab,” he said, after his formal induction into the Congress at the Moti Bagh palace. Along with Pathanmajra, hundreds of his supporters also joined the Congress.Associated with SAD for two decades before quitting the party, Pathanmajra was the former Patiala Youth Akali Dal president and had also been chairman of the Bhunerheri Bock Samiti.
Amir Karim Tantray
Tribune News Service
Jammu, January 5
On his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after taking over as the 27th Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat called for evolving a dynamic strategy to handle the proxy war and defeat the enemy’s nefarious designs.He doesn’t want the Army to be reactive to events but to think two steps ahead of the enemy and terrorists so that their plans are shattered before they are implemented, said sources.“The Army Chief emphasised the need for evolving a dynamic strategy to handle the proxy war and defeat the enemy’s nefarious designs,” the defence PRO said, giving details of the visit.Commending the soldiers for strongly reciprocating the unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan, General Rawat said every soldier of the Army played an important role towards the security of the nation and it was the contribution of every soldier that made the Army efficient and strong, the PRO added.The Army Chief today began his three-day visit to the state by visiting Jammu, Northern Command headquarters at Udhampur, Army formations in Rajouri and Poonch and 16 Corps headquarters at Nagrota. He was briefed on operational preparedness by top Army officers.Sources said the Army Chief was also briefed on the November 29 fidayeen attack in Nagrota, LoC situation and the ceasefire violations in the past few months.Within a week of taking over as Army Chief, General Rawat chose the Northern Command for his debut visit, making his priorities clear. “General Rawat lauded the role of the Northern Command in restoring peace and normalcy during the recent unrest in the Valley,” the defence PRO said.General Rawat will be visiting 15 Corps headquarters in Srinagar, and formations at Kupwara, Anantnag and Siachen during his tour.The Army is fighting Pakistan-sponsored proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir since the early 1990s and many of its soldiers have laid down their lives fighting militants in the hinterland and the Pakistani army on the Line of Control.
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CHANDIGARH: It is a poll ritual. All the 1,600-odd Congress ticket applicants had signed a ‘loyalty’ pledge to accept the official candidate announced by the party and not unfurl a banner of revolt.
In 2017 elections too, the Congress is battling more of its same old woes. After a delayed distribution of tickets, the Congress is once again at war with its own as withdrawal of nominations ends on Saturday.
In a remake of 2012 elections, when Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh had inadvertently announced a “qatal-e-aam” (massacre) of rebels at a rally, Capt on Friday again issued an ultimatum to party rebels to “toe the party line or face expulsion from the party for life”.
Before the stick, Amarinder had dangled the carrot — by promising to accommodate in key positions those who withdrew from the fray in support of the party nominees, after the Congress came to power.
But with many of them still defiant and the party worried by unconfirmed reports of deputy chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal again propping Congress rebels with “funds”, Amarinder said in a statement on Friday that he and general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Asha Kumari have successfully quashed rebellion in most of the 20-odd constituencies where there have been reports of rebel trouble. The unofficial list has nearly 29 rebels, some of them with potential to cause major damage.
LOYALTY MATTERS?
But the bushfires are far from over. And party insiders believe much of the Congress woes are self-inflicted. “Banga MLA Tarlochan Soondh and Gurbinder Singh Atwal were denied tickets not owing to surveys but for being close to Amarinder’s known baiter, Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Dullo. Both are now contesting as rebels from Banga and Nakodar, respectively, and will dent party’s prospects there,” party sources said.
Party spokesperson Nimisha Mehta denied she has agreed to withdraw from the race from Garhshankar seat. “Asha called me up on Friday asking me to withdraw. I challenge her to show me the surveys that show Luv Kumar Goldy as a winner from this seat. It was she who played favourites in the ticket game,” Nimisha said.
Some Congress MLAs also question if surveys decided the candidates of Ludhiana South and Sunam seats. “The surveys were just an excuse to adjust loyalists. And while Amarinder wanted enough of his own to ensure he can be the CM, other MPs and screening committee members too have served their own interests. Surveys and ‘one family, one ticket’ rule were used as elimination round for others,” a senior MLA said.
PAST REBELS WHO GOT LUCKY
Though the Congress has loyalty affidavits, if you rebel, you stand a greater chance of being rewarded with a ticket in the next election.
Past rebels who lost elections but dented the party prospects, such as Sukhjinder Singh ‘Lalli’ Majithia, Madan Lal Jalalpur and Deepinder Dhillon, have been allotted tickets this time. So has been Rajnish Kumar ‘Babbi’, who won as a rebel from Mukerian.
CHANDIGARH: Cricketer-turnedpolitician Navjot Singh Sidhu kick-started his poll campaign from Chandigarh with the bashing of the Badals. He accused the state’s first family of “looting” Punjab in excise collection, tourism and transport sectors during SAD-BJP’s 10-years rule.
“The Badal family’s intention was to become richer with people’s money. Punjab has suffered a lot due to the never-ending greed of the Badal family, which has a direct conflict of interest with the state exchequer,” he said.
Sidhu, who addressed the media here in the presence of Congress in-charge for Punjab affairs Asha Kumari on Friday, will fight as a Congress candidate from Amritsar East constituency for the February 4 elections.
Comparing the excise collection figures of Punjab and Tamil Nadu, he said Punjab has 12,500 liquor vends and the annual revenue collection from these stands at ₹5,610 crore as against Tamil Nadu’s ₹26,188 crore from its 6,323 vends. “Punjab has the highest per capita alcohol consumption. This trade has been monopolised by the Badal family for the last 10 years. Indirectly, every bottle in Punjab is sold by the Badals,” Sidhu said.
He said due to poor implementation of policies during the 10-year rule of the Akali-BJP government, Punjab lost ₹1.5-lakh crore. “Had this money used, the state could have been free of debts, which rose from ₹44,000 crore to ₹3-lakh crore in 10 years,” he said.
He said government-run hotels in Punjab have been closed and put on sale on the excuse that they were loss-making ventures. “The Badals sold government hotels and resorts to their associates at throwaway prices. A hotel built by the Badals in the periphery of Chandigarh reportedly charges up to ₹5 lakh per night,” he said.
“Before coming to power in 2007, the Badal family owned 50 buses, but now the number stands at 650 and the number of transport companies owned by the family has risen from two to eight,” he said, adding, “Government companies having larger fleets are running in huge losses, but Badal family’s buses are profiting.”
On his joining the Congress, Sidhu said, “I joined the party without a condition. I will have a role in campaigning to make the party win the polls,” he said .
Attacking the opposition in typical Sidhu style, he said: “Pagri sambhal jatta, bairian ney lutt liya sara maal oye (It’s time to save the turban… enemies have looted the riches),” he said .
Friday saw a ferocious war of words between the ruling Badals and Navjot Sidhu. Sample this:
SIDHU’S STRIKES
They (Badals) sidelined me in Amritsar. Jealousy is jaundice of soul.
The loss of Punjab is directly proportional to Sardar Badal’s gain.
Badal saab, tu kar kar hera-pherian, charr baitha teesi (Mr Badal you made it to the top by wrong-doings).
BADALS’ BARBS
Sidhu has changed so many mothers … First, it was BJP, then AAP and now Congress.
SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL
Sidhu betrayed BJP. He is now a paid agent of Congress and can’t be trusted.
PARKASH SINGH BADAL.
Sidhu’s oratory is limited to laughter shows. In Lok Sabha he rarely opened his mouth.
NO SHOES, NO BLACK!
Cautious after a shoe attack on CM Parkash Singh Badal recently, the police on Friday asked attend- ees to remove their shoes before the CM’s daughter-in-law and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal arrived for the Akali workers’ meeting in Mansa’s Bhikhi town. Black clothes were also banned, lest these be used to mark protest.
SIDHU’S TAKE
OnCMcandidate: “I met Rahul Gandhi (AICC vice-president) a few times and never demanded anything. I have no personal agenda”.
On BJP: “Before leaving BJP, I met all its leaders and requested them to save Punjab. I would have easily left Amritsar and contested from Kurukshetra if it was in Punjab’s interest.” On AAP: “I met Arvind Kejriwal and told him that I don’t want anything. They didn’t want me to contest the polls.”
President’s daughter slams AAP
LUDHIANA: Lambasting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, a senior Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of President of India Pranab Mukherjee, claimed that there is no truth in claims made by AAP of development in Delhi.
While addressing a press conference in Ludhiana on Friday, Mukherjee said that AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal is misguiding the people of Punjab by making false claims about development works in Delhi. District Congress president Gurpreet Gogi and Ludhiana West Candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu were present during the press conference.
Mukherjee claimed that no development has taken place in Delhi while liquor vends have been opened at various places. While attacking on SAD-BJP alliance, Mukherjee said that the SAD-BJP government is responsible for drug menace in Punjab.
SAD office-bearers join Congress
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, January 20
In another jolt to the SAD-BJP alliance in the city, many SAD office-bearers today joined the Congress in the presence of Manpreet Singh Badal at a function held in the trans-railway line area in Ward number 40 and 41.The leaders who came into the Congress fold were SAD vice-president (city) Gurcharan Singh Aulakh, SAD women’s wing vice-president (city) Baljit Kaur Bhullar, SAD women’s wing vice-president (city) Poonam Verma, organising secretary circle canal Bhola Singh, youth president of Ward Number 43 Dr Resham Singh, youth wing circle canal vice-president Anil Yadav and others.Congress candidate Manpreet Badal assured the new entrants that they would get due respect and honour.He claimed that after coming to power, record development would be undertaken in the trans-railway line area and this area would benamed new Bathinda.
