Monthly Archives: August 2018

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Chandigarh, January 11

A day after the Supreme Court’s decision to set up a fresh SIT in the 186 anti-Sikh riot cases, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday said it was high time that justice be provided.He also said that justice continued to elude victims even more than 30 years after the incident.”It is high time that justice be provided in these cases,” the chief minister said here, welcoming the court’s decision to constitute a fresh Special Investigation Team (SIT) to monitor the probe. Singh, who had quit as MP in protest against the riots, said, “More than 30 years have passed since the gory violence, which claimed many lives and left many others homeless, and while various commissions had been set up to investigate the cases, justice continued to elude the victims.”                “Several names had cropped up in connection with the riots, and it was now up to the SIT to verify the allegations and bring the investigation to its logical conclusion,” he said.The Supreme Court yesterday had said it would constitute a fresh three-member SIT, to be headed by a former high court judge, to monitor the probe into 186 anti-Sikh riot cases, that followed the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, in which investigations were closed.To a question on the ban announced by certain elements on entry of Indian officials in gurudwaras in Canada and the US, the chief minister said anyone, be it Sikh or non-Sikh, can enter the ‘guru ghar’ (abode of the Guru) to pay his respects or partake the ‘langar prasad’.It was against the ‘Sikhi’ (tenets of Sikhism) to stop anyone from entering the gurudwaras, he said, condemning the ban as “totally” wrong.It was for the management committees of the gurudwaras, as well as the Sikh community, in these countries, to put a stop on such acts, he said, pointing out that never had any person been barred from entering a gurudwara.On the issue of political conferences at Shaheedi Jor Melas, Singh said the precedent laid in the case of the Fatehgarh Sahib Jor Mela should be followed for all other such melas, like those in Maghi and Chamkaur Sahib.Political parties had acceded to the Jathedar Akal Takth’s call not to hold any political conference in Fatehgarh Sahib, he said.They should now follow the same tradition for similar melas. If the SAD has planned to hold political conferences there, it was up to them to explain and justify their act, the chief minister said.Singh, however, made it clear that he was not against holding of political conferences at other Jor Melas which were not related to martyrdom. PTI

ਸਿੱਖ ਕਤਲੇਆਮ: 186 ਕੇਸਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੁੜ ਜਾਂਚ ਦਾ ਸ਼੍ਰੋਮਣੀ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸਵਾਗਤ

ਟ੍ਰਿਬਿਊਨ ਨਿਊਜ਼ ਸਰਵਿਸ
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ, 11 ਜਨਵਰੀ
ਸ਼੍ਰੋਮਣੀ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਲੌਂਗੋਵਾਲ ਨੇ 1984 ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋਏ ਸਿੱਖ ਕਤਲੇਆਮ ਦੇ ਬੰਦ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ 186 ਕੇਸਾਂ ਦੀ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਨਵੇਂ ਸਿਰਿਓਂ ਜਾਂਚ ਦੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ ਦਾ ਸਵਾਗਤ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਕਈ ਦਹਾਕੇ ਬੀਤ ਜਾਣ ‘ਤੇ ਵੀ ਇਨਸਾਫ਼ ਨਾ ਮਿਲਣ ਲਈ ਅਫ਼ਸੋਸ ਵੀ ਜ਼ਾਹਰ ਕੀਤਾ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਦੇ ਇਸ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ ਨਾਲ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਇਨਸਾਫ਼ ਮਿਲਣ ਦੀ ਆਸ ਜ਼ਰੂਰ ਬੱਝੀ ਹੈ ਪਰ ਇਨਸਾਫ ਵਿਚ ਹੋਰ ਦੇਰੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਣੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ। ਸਮੇਂ-ਸਮੇਂ ਸਰਕਾਰਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਜਾਂਚ ਕਮਿਸ਼ਨ ਬਣਾਏ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਨਵੇਂ ਬਣੇ ਕਮਿਸ਼ਨ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਪਿਛਲੇ ਕਮਿਸ਼ਨ ਦੀ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਂਚ ਨੂੰ ਦੁਬਾਰਾ ਨਵੇਂ ਸਿਰਿਓਂ ਕਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਲੰਮਾ ਸਮਾਂ ਲੰਘਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਸ ਕਤਲੇਆਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ਜੱਗ ਜ਼ਾਹਰ ਹਨ ਪਰ ਇਸਦੇ ਬਾਵਜੂਦ ਕਥਿਤ ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਸਾਲਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਆਜ਼ਾਦ ਘੁੰਮ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਭਾਰਤ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਤੇ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਤੋਂ ਮੰਗ ਕੀਤੀ ਕਿ ਪੀੜਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਜਲਦ ਤੋਂ ਜਲਦ ਇਨਸਾਫ਼ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਾਵੇ।

ਕੈਪਟਨ ਅਮਰਿੰਦਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸਵਾਗਤ
ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ (ਟ੍ਰਿਬਿਊਨ ਨਿਊਜ਼ ਸਰਵਿਸ):  ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਕੈਪਟਨ ਅਮਰਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ 1984 ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਵਿਰੋਧੀ ਦੰਗਿਆਂ ਦੇ 186 ਕੇਸਾਂ ਦੀ ਨਵੇਂ ਸਿਰਿਓਂ ਪੜਤਾਲ ਕਰਵਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਨਵੀਂ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਜਾਂਚ ਟੀਮ ਕਾਇਮ ਕਰਨ ਬਾਰੇ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਦੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ ਦਾ ਸੁਆਗਤ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਆਸ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਾਈ ਕਿ ਇਸ ਕਦਮ ਨਾਲ ਪੀੜਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਇਨਸਾਫ਼ ਮਿਲੇਗਾ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਦੰਗਿਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਸਬੰਧਤ ਕਈ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਂ ਕੱਟ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਗਏ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਹੁਣ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਜਾਂਚ ਟੀਮ ਦੇ ਹੱਥ-ਵੱਸ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੋਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੀ ਤਸਦੀਕ ਕਰਕੇ ਜਾਂਚ ਨੂੰ ਫ਼ੈਸਲਾਕੁਨ ਸਿੱਟੇ ਤੱਕ ਪਹੁੰਚਾਵੇ। ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਅਤੇ ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਦੇ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਜਾਣ ’ਤੇ ਪਾਬੰਦੀ ਲਾਉਣ ਦੇ ਐਲਾਨ ਬਾਰੇ ਪੁੱਛੇ ਸਵਾਲ ਦੇ ਜਵਾਬ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਕੋਈ ਵੀ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਭਾਵੇਂ ਸਿੱਖ ਹੈ ਜਾਂ ਨਹੀਂ, ਗੁਰੂ ਘਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਤਮਸਤਕ ਹੋਣ ਜਾਂ ਲੰਗਰ ਛਕਣ ਲਈ ਜਾ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਪਾਬੰਦੀ ਦੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ ਦੀ ਆਲੋਚਨਾ ਕੀਤੀ।

In this handout photo released by Indian Air Force is seen a team of IAF mountaineers during ‘Mission Seven Summits’. — PTI

New Delhi, January 11

Air warriors fly high, but some of them prefer to kiss the sky without being in the comfort of a cockpit.A team of five air warriors of the Indian Air Force (IAF) summited Mt Vinson in the icy Antarctica in the last week of December. The force also claims to be the first defence body to summit all major seven peaks across seven continents.Before Mt Vinson, different teams of the Air Force had summited Mt Everest (Asia), Mt Carstenz Pyramid (Indonesia- Australisa continent), Mt Elbrus (Russia-Europe), Mt Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mt Aconcagua (Argentina-South America), Mt McKinley/Denali (Alaska-North America) over the last two decades.Led by Captain R C Tripathi, the only air warrior to be part of all the seven expeditions, the team was flagged off by Air Chief B S Dhanao in December last.Trekking on a huge barren landmass, which is a continent in itself, is a daunting task, admits Tripathi.”Summiting every peak is different. You have different challenges in terms of topography, climate and logistics,” he said.From snow storms that piled up a huge mass of snow outside their tents to the sun which refused to get weary even after shining all day, or the sub-zero temperatures to the arduous treks, the five Air Force personnel saw it all.”This trek was particularly challenging because we had sledged our luggage, which we had not done before for any of our treks,” Tripathi said.On their arrival in Delhi, Tripathi, Wing Co S S Mallik, Squadron Leader Rajesh Mookhi, Sergeant R D Kale and Corp Pawan Kumar– were felicitated by the Air Force chief, both for their feat and for returning back safely.”When you conquer all the six peaks and you have the last one left, you tend to do mistakes. My only worry was your safety,” the Air Force chief told the mountaineers.The fear seems justified as the force lost two of its personnel during a 2005 expedition to summit Mt Everest.”We dedicate our success to Sqdrn Ldr S S Chaitanya and Sgt Shantanu, whom we lost during our Mt Everest expedition in 2005. We dedicate this achievement to all our martyrs,” Tripathi said.But how does it feel to summit the peaks in all continents?”Mountaineering is a sport where nobody is there to clap for you or cheer you. No one can see the pain and agony. You are on your own in the wilderness. You just have to feel the achievement,” Tripathi added. — PTI 

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 6

Uttarakhand Chief Minister TS Rawat today stirred up a hornet’s nest by urging madrasas in the state not to oppose the government order. The govt had asked these to put up the photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Terming the resistance by the madrasa authorities unjustified, Rawat said, “There has been a practice to display the pictures of Prime Minister. They should come out of the rigid mindset. A madrasa is also an educational institution.  It is not proper to oppose the decision of displaying the picture of Prime Minister in the institutions,” said TS Rawat to mediapersons.

On August 18 last year, the BJP government had issued a circular asking all educational institutions to put up pictures of Modi. While most of the educational institutions had displayed the pictures, these were not displayed by the madrasas.  It later emerged in the media that there was opposition to the decision.

However, the madrasas had not adhered to the decision, “Our religion does not permit display of pictures of human beings or animals. So we did not do so. Moreover, the madrasas are part of the mosques,” said Akhlaq Ahmed, Deputy Registrar, Madrasa Board.

Ahmed said none in the government was interested in focusing on the issues affecting the madrasas such as providing furniture and computers so that children are able to study in a proper environment,” he said.

There are around 300 madrasas that are recognised by the Uttarakhand Government and receive assistance by the state and Central Government. After the  BJP government came to power, an announcement was also made about introducing Sanskrit in the madrasas.

Meanwhile, the Congress criticised the Chief Minister for issuing an irresponsibile statement. “They should focus on issues that are affecting the madrasas instead of imposing their decisions,” said Indira Hridayesh, Leader of the Opposition.