Bajwa joins Jakhar’s campaign

Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa (left) with Sunil Jakhar (2R) and other party leaders in Qadian on Monday. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Qadian (Gurdaspur), Oct 2Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa finally joined the campaign of Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar, addressing a party rally today in his home town, Qadian.Bajwa, a former Gurdaspur MP, had sought the ticket for his wife, former Qadian MLA Charanjit Kaur, but the party opted for Jakhar.The MP recalled the close ties between his family and the PPCC chief’s father, Balram Jakhar. “Sunil Jakhar is like my brother. He is the ideal candidate to take up all issues of the people of the border belt in Parliament,” he said.AICC secretary Harish Chaudhary, legislators Fateh Jung Bajwa, Balwinder Singh Laddi and Darshan Singh Brar were also present.The BJP had threatened to make Bajwa’s absence a major talking point in its rallies scheduled for later this week. Sources said Chaudhury had persuaded Bajwa to take part in campaigning.

Cong denies hand, but says will expose ‘erring’ Akalis

Sukhjinder Randhawa

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 2

Even as Punjab Congress chief and party’s Gurdaspur candidate Sunil Jakhar remains evasive over the allegations regarding the timings of the rape charge against Akali leader Sucha Singh Langah, he does not rule out more such cases coming to the fore to expose “offending” Akali leaders.He also disassociated the party and its leaders from the video leak in the case.Jakhar alleged that the victim was being exploited by Langah for long and the video was recorded much earlier. It was just that the victim felt confident during the Congress rule to come forward and expose the Akali leader, he said.Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa said: “Why should we do the sting? It is for the Badals to explain the act of their leader. It is not an issue of timings when the act is unpardonable.”When asked about his old rivalry with Langah, he said: “Why is everybody suspecting me? Did I send him to that woman’s house where he committed that sin?”The Congress leaders indicated carrying forwarding the party’s agenda to expose the Akali leaders in Majha, including Bikram Singh Majithia, and BJP candidate Swaran Salaria.Already 40 MLAs led by Randhawa have been pressing upon Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to act against the Akalis who had got “false” cases registered against Congress workers.Sources said local Congress leader in Gurdaspur were using the situation to divert the attention of the voters from issues concerning development.“The base of the Akalis is eroding in Majha. Local SAD leaders are already joining us. The public outrage against the Akalis is visible in rallies,” claimed Randhawa.At loggerheads since 2012

• Sucha Singh Langah contested the Assembly poll from Dera Baba Nanak in 2012, against the Congress’ Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. Hence began an intense rivalry between the two.
• Langah lost the poll and the SAD government designated him as the halqa incharge. He did not allow Randhawa, the sitting MLA, to function properly.
• Sukhjinder Randhawa alleged: “Langah had instructed the SSPs of Gurdaspur and Batala that they should not take my calls. On several occasions, I raised the issue of Langah’s corrupt practices.”
• When Randhawa was re-elected in 2017, he became a powerful legislator of Gurdaspur district. There were rumours that his victory would turn out to be disastrous for Langah, although Randhawa has always denied indulging in political vendetta.

Chhotepur’s APP likely to support Cong candidate

Chandigarh: Sucha Singh Chhotepur’s Aapna Punjab Party (APP) is likely to support Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar. Sources said Chhotepur convened a meeting with senior party leaders last week. “Various options were discussed, but eventually we agreed to back Jakhar,” said a senior party leader who attended the meeting, wishing not to be named. “Whether we will support him openly or ask our supporters to silently vote for Jakhar will be taken at a meeting later this week,” he said. When contacted, Chhotepur said the final decision would be taken in a couple of days. Chhotepur was elected MLA twice from Gurdaspur district, once as an Akali candidate and the other time as an Independent. He contested on the AAP ticket from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency in 2014 and bagged 1.73 lakh votes to finish a creditable third. However, he received only 1,740 votes as the APP nominee from the Gurdaspur seat in this year’s Assembly elections. TNS

Gurdaspur cops initiate probe

Gurdaspur, October 2

The police have started an inquiry into the leak of the video clip involving Sucha Singh Langah and the woman who has accused him of rape. The video had gone viral hours after the victim, a government employee, handed it over to SSP HS Bhullar on September 28. Bhullar denied any lapse on their part. “I had ordered a DSP-rank officer to seal the pen drive. It is impossible that it was leaked from our end,” he said. An officer said they had asked a social networking site to probe the source of the video. “We have zeroed in on certain suspects. Once identified, they will be booked under section 228 A IPC (whoever prints or publishes the name of the rape victim),” said the SSP.  — TNS

Video in poor taste: Jakhar

Chandigarh, October 1

Even as PPCC chief and party’s Gurdaspur candidate Sunil Jakhar today questioned SAD president Sukhbir Badal’s silence on the rape charge against Sucha Singh Langah, he demanded that the video of the Akali leader be taken off the social media sites as it was not in good taste.“While the perpetrator of the act shall face action as per the law of the land, circulation of videos on the social media sites was in bad taste. There is no place for such obscenity in our culture,” said Jhakhar.Targeting BJP candidate Sarwan Salaria’s for defending the Akali leader, Jakhar said this did not absolve Langah of the heinous crime.In Sangrur, Akali MP PS Chandumajra accused the Congress of spreading misinformation about Langah to divert the attention of Gurdaspur voters from development issues. — TNS

 

Its a high time Maj Gen Satbir to stop his Claim as  the only Messiah for OROP and State Govt King Maker during elections. He has forgotten that  majority of ESM from all over India Participated in the initial agitation to give it a concrete momentum along with contribution of  hard earned money  to make it a success but Maj Gen Satbir has no love lost for anyone except his own Balle Balle.  It was by default that Mr Natish became the CM of Bihar not any miracle done by Maj Gen Satbir Singh  as Claimed by him with his collar high.

He himself  w2as never  on a firm footing  to support which  Political Party.  A wavy mindset to chose AAP/BJP/Congress/Akali. Where does  he stand now with his Fauji Janta Party (FJP) as a creator and Patron of the same.  Where is he now for Gujarat and Himachal State elections and his followers. ESM came to  Jantar Mantar as all organisation of ESM big or small joined the agitation , and all weree efefcted ,its not Satbir Leadership or his personality which attracted ESM fro all over India . Maj Gen Satbir seeing donation coming in lakhs which  commutative in crores , he took the lead as usual and as per his personality traits and slowly and steady isolated himself from all other ESM organisations along with his ever green team and took over the central stage.

He has prolonged the agitation and stretched too far that non of the Govt agencies at any level including Top brass of Services  wants to discuss  any issue regarding OROP with him . He himself need to be blamed for his isolation and today he wants MahaRally of ESM  at Janatr Mantar on 29 Oct 2017.  Further he has damaged the cause of agitation by giving a  political angle to the whole agitation .He is now holding on to JM for sake of self pride as  he has no way to get out from Jantar Mantar Now, which will be his personal defeat..

In Punjab also he just came to Jallander in  Feb a month before elections  afyter his negotiations with APP and Akali’s failed he wanted to cash on Congress seeing the wave of public and ESM . At Rally and did not allow Capt Amarinder to speak to the ESM and convert the Jallander rally to Jantar Mantar  Slogans “ SADA HAQ ATHE RAKH”

The latest fiddle was his  support APP candidate of his equivalent rank during Gurdaspur By Elections, totally overlooking the fact that now ESM know s what he wants . He wants A Rajiya sabha Seat , which is the only point he gave to Capt Amaninder Singh else or other 12 points had been included in the Congress manifesto handed over by Sanjha Morcha and discussed at length during a meeting with S.Manpreet Badal ,Lt Gen TS Sher Gill,Lt Gen Jasbir Singh Dhaliwal,Maj Gen SPS Grewal, Brig JS Jaswal,Brig Indermohan Singh,Col Bhag Singh,Col Ranjit Singh Boparai and Col Charanjit Singh. The points he gave were the repetition of Points after knowing what points Sanjha Morcha has given from its  Gen Secy.

No rental will be charged from security forces from Thursday. Tribune file

New Delhi, October 18

Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha today said paramilitary and armed forces would be able to make calls to their families using satellite phone at Re 1 per minute from tomorrow.The current call rate for most such connections was Rs 5 per minute, although some subsidised ones cost Re 1. “On the eve of Diwali, we are announcing that armed forces and paramilitary forces stationed in remote areas and tough terrains on borders will be able to make satellite phone calls at Re 1 per minute. This will enable them to talk to their families for longer duration,” Sinha said.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The minister also announced that no rental would be charged from security forces from tomorrow. “At present, Rs 500 monthly rent is charged for satellite phone connections,” he said.Satellite phone service was earlier being provided by Tata Communications, but now it would be provided by the state-run telecom firm BSNL. The call charge was Re 1 in 2009-10 to begin with, to be revised every five years.At present, there are 2,500 satellite phone connections operational in the country. “We have a capacity of 5,000. We are informing the defence and home ministries that more connections can be given,” Sinha said. — PTI

CAPT AMARINDER CELEBRATES VIJAY DASHI WITH ESM AT PATHANKOT

CM vows to help students of Salaria’s medical college

हिमालयन रेंज में मौजूद सियाचिन ग्लेशियर दुनिया का सबसे ऊंचा बैटल फील्ड है। यहां से एक चीन-पाकिस्तान पर नजर रखी जाती है।

BSF DETECTS 14-FOOT TUNNEL NEAR BORDER IN ARNIA SECTOR

LOC के पास मिली 14 फीट की सुरंग, हथियार और खाने-पीने का सामान बरामद

RAJNATH CELEBRATES VIJAY DASHMI WITH ITBP JAWANS

NIRMALA INAUGURATES KEY BRIDGE IN LEH PRATHAM-SHYOK BRIDGE WILL CONNECT THE REGION TO KARAKORAM IN NORTH-EASTERN LADAKH

PAKISTAN ARMY SAYS 3 PEOPLE KILLED IN FIRING BY INDIAN TROOPS

JOSHI AT HELM AS ANDAMAN TRANSFORMS INTO MAJOR BASE

NEW GOVERNORS IN 5 STATES ADMIRAL JOSHI ANDAMAN L-G; PUROHIT ON CHENNAI POST

The combined cost of the LMGs, assault rifles and carbines will be in excess of Rs 40,000 crore. PTI file

New Delhi, October 29

The Army has finalised one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernisation under which a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines and assault rifles are being purchased at a cost of nearly Rs 40,000 crore to replace its ageing and obsolete weapons.

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

The broad process to acquire around 7 lakh rifles, 44,000 light machine guns (LMGs) and nearly 44,600 carbines has been finalised and the Defence Ministry is on the same page with the Army in moving ahead with the procurement, official sources told PTI.

The world’s second largest standing Army has been pressing for fast-tracking the procurement of various weapons systems considering the evolving security threats including along India’s borders with Pakistan and China.

Apart from kick-starting the procurement process, the government has also sent a message to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to expedite its work on various small arms, particularly on an LMG.

The sources said a fresh RFI (request for information) to procure the LMGs will be issued in the next few days, months after the defence ministry scrapped the tender for the 7.62 calibre guns as there was only one vendor left after a series of field trials. The plan is to initially procure around 10,000 LMGs.

The Army has also finalised the specifications for a new 7.62 mm assault rifle and the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the defence ministry’s highest decision making body on procurement, is expected to give the go-ahead for the much- needed procurement soon.

“The General Service Quality Requirements (GSQR) for the new assault rifle has been finalised. The procurement plan will soon be placed before the DAC for approval,” said a senior official, who is part of the acquisition process.

In June, the Army had rejected an assault rifle built by the state-run Rifle Factory, Ishapore, after the guns miserably failed the firing tests.

The procurement of assault rifles has witnessed significant delays due to a variety of reasons including the Army’s failure to finalise the specifications for it. The Army needs around 7 lakh 7.62×51 mm assault guns to replace its INSAS rifles.

The Army had issued RFI for the rifles in September last year and around 20 firms responded to it. An RFI is a process whose purpose is to collect information about capabilities of various vendors.

In June, the Army had kick-started the initial process to procure around 44,600 carbines, nearly eight months after a tender for it was retracted, also due to single-vendor situation. Around half a dozen firms including a few global arms manufacturers have responded to the RFI.

Army sources said various specifications for the LMGs and battle carbines were tweaked to ensure that the problem of single vendor does not recur.

The combined cost of the LMGs, assault rifles and carbines will be in excess of Rs 40,000 crore, said an official.

On DRDO missing a number of deadlines in finalising the LMG, an official said the defence secretary has called a meeting this week of all stakeholders to discuss the project.

“The infantry modernisation plan is a major initiative of the Army and it will significantly bolster the overall capability of the foot soldiers,” said a senior army official.

The issue was extensively discussed at the recently-concluded Army Commanders conference which felt modernisation of the Army must be in tune with the evolving security threat facing the country.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman conveyed to the Army during the conference that modernisation of the force was a priority for the government and all its “deficiencies” will be addressed to strengthen its combat capability. PTI

Northern Command chief Lt Gen D Anbu salutes martyrs on Infantry Day at Udhampur. Tribune Photo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 27

The Army today celebrated 70th Infantry Day across Jammu region with major functions being held atthe Northern Command Headquarters at Udhampur and the 16 Corps Headquarters at Nagrota.At Udhampur, Lt Gen D Anbu, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, complimented all ranks of the Infantry for their devotion to duty and indomitable spirit while working under trying and difficult conditions.He commended their tremendous contribution in maintaining the sanctity of the nation’s borders and fighting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.The celebrations at the Northern Command, Udhampur, were marked by a wreath-laying ceremony at the ‘Dhurva Shahid Smarak’. On this solemn day, the supreme sacrifices made by the Infantry fraternity in defending the honour and integrity of the nation were remembered by all.At White Knight Corps (16 Corps), the day was marked by laying of wreath by GOC, White Knight Corps, Lt Gen Saranjeet Singh at the Ashwamedh Shaurya Sthal and remembering the martyrs.Serving officers and men paid homage to the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty for the glory of the nation.