ਪੀ.ਪੀ. ਵਰਮਾ
ਪੰਚਕੂਲਾ, 10 ਨਵੰਬਰ
ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਾ ਪੰਚਕੂਲਾ ਤੇ ਟਰਾਈਸਿਟੀ ਨਾਲ ਸਬੰਧਤ ਵੱਡੇ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ‘ਇਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ’ ਨੂੰ ਪੂਰੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਲਾਗੂ ਨਾ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਅੱਜ ਇੱਥੇ ਪੰਚਕੂਲਾ ਪ੍ਰਸ਼ਾਸਨ ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਤਗ਼ਮੇ ਵਾਪਸ ਕੀਤੇ। ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਇਕ ਘੰਟੇ ਤੱਕ ਡੀਸੀ ਦਫ਼ਤਰ ਪੰਚਕੂਲਾ ਦੇ ਬਾਹਰ ਆਪਣਾ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਜਤਾਉਂਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕੀਤਾ।
ਇਸ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਇੰਡੀਅਨ ਐਕਸ ਸਰਵਿਸਮੈਨ ਮੂਵਮੈਂਟ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜੇ ਵੱਡੇ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਤਖ਼ਤੀਆਂ ਤੇ ਬੈਨਰ ਫੜੇ ਹੋਏ ਸਨ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਾਰਿਆਂ ਨੇ ਬ੍ਰਿਗੇਡਅਰ (ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ) ਕਿਰਨ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਤੇ ਲੈਫਟੀਨੈਂਟ ਕਰਨਲ (ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ) ਐਸ.ਐਸ. ਕਾਲੀਆ ਦੀ ਅਗਵਾਈ ਹੇਠ ਪੰਚਕੂਲਾ ਦੇ ਡੀਸੀ ਵਿਵੇਕ ਅੱਤਰੇ ਨੂੰ ਮੰਗ ਪੱਤਰ ਸੌਂਪਣਾ ਸੀ ਪਰ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਦੀ ਆਮਦ ਕਾਰਨ ਡਿਪਟੀ ਕਮਿਸ਼ਨਰ ਮੰਗ ਪੱਤਰ ਲੈਣ ਨਹੀਂ ਆ ਸਕੇ। ਏਡੀਸੀ ਪੰਚਕੂਲਾ ਹੇਮਾ ਸ਼ਰਮਾ ਨੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਮੰਗ ਪੱਤਰ ਤੇ ਤਗ਼ਮੇ ਹਾਸਲ ਕੀਤੇ। ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਮੰਗ ਕੀਤੀ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਤਗ਼ਮੇ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਕੋਲ ਪਹੁੰਚਾਏ ਜਾਣ। ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਤਗ਼ਮ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਜਾਨ ਦੀ ਬਾਜ਼ੀ ਲਾ ਕੇ ਹਾਸਲ ਕੀਤੇ ਹਨ ਤੇ ਇਹ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਇਜ਼ੱਤ-ਮਾਣ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਕਿ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਰ ਦੇ ਫੈਸਲੇ ਖ਼ਿਲਾਫ਼ ਵਾਪਸ ਕਰਨੇ ਪੈ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਵਾਅਦਾ ਪੂਰਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ ਜਦੋਂਕਿ ਭੁੱਖ ਹੜਤਾਲ ’ਤੇ ਬੈਠੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਮੰਤਰੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਵਾਅਦਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਮੰਗਾਂ ਪੂਰੀਆਂ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ ਜਾਣਗੀਆਂ। ਹੁਣ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਮੰਗਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪੂਰਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰ ਸਕੀ।
ਅੱਜ ਵੱਡੀ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀ ਸਵੇਰੇ ਸੈਕਟਰ-2 ਦੇ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਮੇਜਰ ਸੰਦੀਪ ਸ਼ਾਂਖਲਾ ਯਾਦਗਾਰੀ ਚੌਕ ’ਤੇ ਇਕੱਠੇ ਹੋਏ ਤੇ ਫਿਰ ਰੋਸ ਮਾਰਚ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਡੀਸੀ ਦਫ਼ਤਰ ਪਹੁੰਚੇ। ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਬ੍ਰਿਗੇਡੀਅਰ (ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ) ਕੇ.ਐਸ. ਕਾਹਲੋਂ, ਕਰਨਲ (ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ) ਬੀ.ਐਸ. ਉੱਪਲ, ਬ੍ਰਿਗੇਡੀਅਰ (ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ) ਰਾਜਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਰੇਵਾਲ, ਕਰਨਲ (ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ) ਆਈ.ਬੀ.ਐਸ. ਕੰਗ ਤੇ ਹੌਲਦਾਰ (ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ) ਪਰਮਿੰਦਰ ਕਪੂਰ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਮੌਕੇ ’ਤੇ ਹਾਜ਼ਰ ਵੱਡੇ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਿਰਾਸ਼ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ‘ਇਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ’ ਦੇਣ ਦੇ ਝੂਠੇ ਲਾਰੇ ਲਾ ਕੇ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਾਨ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਵਾਅਦੇ ਤੋਂ ਮੁਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਨਾਲ ਫੌਜ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੰਮ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਮਨੋਬਲ ਵੀ ਡਿੱਗ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ।
ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਅੱਜ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਏਡੀਸੀ ਹੇਮਾ ਸ਼ਰਮਾ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਤਗ਼ਮੇ ਜਮ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਰਵਾ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਹਨ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ੲਿਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਵਨ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦਾ ਵਾਅਦਾ ਠੀਕ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਪੂਰਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੀ ‘ਇਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ’ ਦੀ ਨੋਟੀਫਿਕੇਸ਼ਨ ਤੋਂ ਉਹ ਨਾਖੁਸ਼ ਹਨ ਤੇ ਭਵਿੱਖ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੀ ਉਹ ਆਪਣਾ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਜਾਰੀ ਰੱਖਣਗੇ।

To observe Black Diwali, abandon medals if no one comes to collect these
JALANDHAR: In protest against the recently notified ‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP) scheme that they find “diluted”, exservicemen have prepared to return their war medals on Tuesday across the state.
The veterans said they would observe Black Diwali and, in case the authorities didn’t come to accept the awards back, they would abandon these medals to the care of the district administrations. “More than 100 exservicemen from Jalandhar will return their war medals to the Union government through the deputy commissioner,” said Jalandhar district ex-servicemen association president Col Balbir Singh (retd), adding: “We hold the medals dear as our children, since they remind us of our contribution to the country, but we have no option but to return these, since the Centre has implemented a diluted version of the OROP scheme.”
The war medals are being returned on the call of veterans such as major general Satbir Singh (retd), chairman of the United Ex-Servicemen Front of India (UESFI). Ex-servicemen have accused the Centre of leaving flaws in the scheme to create a rift between the serving and retired soldiers.
“The government has not accepted out demand for an annual equalization of revised pension, for pegging it to the maximum of current pensioners, and for appointing an expert commission with serving and retired military personnel on it,” said Col Balbir Singh. The veterans disagreed with the government’s decision to revise the pension after five years instead of annually.
In Amritsar and various other districts as well, the medals would be returned on Tuesday, and in a few districts, including Hoshiarpur, it will be done after Diwali, the colonel has said.

Chennai, Nov 09: Furthering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India mission, Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) recently flagged off the first two numbers of L70 upgraded guns. Designed, developed and manufactured by BEL, the guns were flagged of from the company’s Chennai facility. BEL had won the Rs 575-crore order for the L70 gun upgrade in a global open tender issued by the Indian Army. Later, the systems cleared a series of field trials ahead of the user finally accepting them. BEL claimed that the guns were rolled out ahead of the stipulated timeline of nine months

The Company, along with the Ordnance Factory Board, is expected to deliver 200 upgraded guns in the next three years. Gun boasts of fusion of technologies “The L70 gun upgrade is a fusion of the latest technologies in the areas of electrical servo drives, electro optical fire control system and video tracking, which only a few global companies have mastered,” says a BEL official. He said the BEL stuck to the order plan right from the beginning, to ensure timely delivery. “Right from designing the upgrade to establishing a production line, the project was meticulously executed,” the official added. Among the systems designed in-house included, processor and interface boards, power amplifiers, stabilized pedestal, high precision mechanical subsystems, video tracker and fire control solutions. BEL deputed a cross functional team of engineers from all disciplines for the speedy delivery of L90 guns. OneIndia News

ISLAMABAD: War with India is not an option, as the use of force could only worsen the situation, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said on Friday, adding that his country “has always been for talks” to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries.
Sharif said this during a meeting with President Mamnoon Hussain, reported Pakistani newspaper The Nation, quoting a senior government official who cited the conversation between the two leaders. Sharif said his government desired friendly ties with India, all its neighbours, and the world at large for sustainable development.
Tariq Fatemi, special assistant to Pakistan PM on foreign affairs; and Asif Kirmani, special assistant to Sharif on political affairs, attended the meeting. “They (Sharif and Hussain) discussed the regional situation and the LoC (Line of Control) violations by India,” an official statement said, adding: “Sharif told Hussain he had raised the issue with the US on his last visit to Washington to meet President Barack Obama.”Sharif said the US and world powers also wanted IndiaPakistan dialogue but alleged New Delhi was not cooperating, according to the official. “We have always been for talks,” he was quoted as saying. Another official said the Premier was concerned about the “US discrimination on the civil nuclear deal”. Sharif pledged to continue to convince the US for an India-like agreement.

Chandigarh, November 18

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation today allotted the work of showcasing a tableau of unique initiatives of the Model Burail Jail at the Republic Day parade on Rajpath to a company for Rs 20 lakh.

MC officials said on November 22, the company would first showcase the project to the Defence Ministry and submit its entry on the theme. A committee, which will select entries submitted by the states and union territories, will decide the fate of the same.

“Model jail tableau is not final. If the committee decides that some other thing should replace it, we will work on that,” a senior MC official said.

Burail Jail is the country’s first jail where inmates prepare food for thousands of children of anganwadis. All jail inmates have their bank accounts. It has already been declared plastic-free with ban on use of plastic items on its premises.

Instead of the traditional LPG cylinders, about 60 per cent energy needed for cooking at jail is fulfilled by biogas plants. The jail has its first exclusive outlet, Srijan, at Sector 22, where all products made by jail inmates are sold. One can get a variety of items from furniture to food products at the outlet. — TNS

Rajnath Singh. Tribune file

Bum La (Arunachal Pradesh), November 15

Despite differences in perception between India and China on the boundary issue, the armies of the two countries had been sensible enough to reduce tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said here on Friday.

He also said that there had been no tension at LAC near Bum La.

During a visit to the forward post of Bum La on the India-China border, Singh congratulated the Indian Army for showing “great maturity” in all situations.

“I have got the opportunity to interact with jawans here. I am very happy to be informed by my jawans that at this India-China border, which is LAC, we are working very sensibly and Chinese PLA (People’s Liberation Army) is also operating sensibly. There is no tension here at LAC that is near Bum La,” he told reporters.

“During my Bumla visit I have come to know that despite perceptional differences on the boundary issue both the Indian Army and the PLA have been sensible enough to reduce tensions on LAC,” he said in a tweet.

He also visited the memorial of Paramvir Chakra winner Subedar Joginder Singh.

“At the time of the war of 1962, he sacrificed his life and showed indomitable courage and valour,” he said in a tweet in Hindi. PTI

Kulbhushan Jadhav. — File photo

Islamabad, November 14

Pakistan on Thursday ruled out any deal with India in death-row convict Kulbhushan Jadhav’s case and said any step taken to implement the ICJ’s decision will be according to its Constitution.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal’s remarks came a day after Pakistan Army said the government was considering various legal options for the review of Jadhav’s case.

Jadhav, 49, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “espionage and terrorism” after a closed trial in April 2017. India has maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.

In a major victory for India, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 17 ruled that Pakistan must review the death sentence given to Jadhav.

Faisal in his weekly press briefing in Islamabad said, “There will be no deal…all decisions will be as per local laws.” He said any step taken to implement the decision of the ICJ regarding Jadhav will be according to the Constitution.

During Jadhav’s trial in the ICJ, India had argued that consular access was being denied to its national in violation of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Rejecting Pakistan’s objection to admissibility of the Indian application in the case, the ICJ in its 42-page order held that “a continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable condition for the effective review” of the sentence of Jadhav that had strained relations between the two neighbouring countries.

The bench, however, rejected some remedies sought by India, including annulment of the military court’s decision convicting Jadhav, his release and safe passage to India.

After much dilly-dallying, Pakistan on September 2 granted India consular access to Jadhav under the direction of the ICJ.

Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran.

Faisal also condemned the recent verdict by India’s Supreme Court to award the site of the Babri Masjid to the Hindus.

He said the mosque was in possession of Muslims for over 450 years.

“The Babri mosque verdict has shredded so-called secularism in India,” Faisal said.

He said Pakistan would do “everything” to highlight the “injustice” in the case.

He said about 12,000 Sikhs visited Kartarpur on the opening day of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.

He also said anybody from Pakistan can to Kartarpur but the media would need special permission for coverage.

The historic Kartarpur corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan. — PTI

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Sultanpur Lodhi, November 11

A sea of devotees from across the country thronged the historic Gurdwara Ber Sahib here on Monday, a day ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

The highly revered Gurdwara Ber Sahib is where Guru Nanak gained enlightenment at the end of the 15th century.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will pay obeisance at the shrine later in the day. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will also be present.

President Ram Nath Kovind will address the celebrations on Tuesday.

A majority of the pilgrims are coming from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Bihar and Maharashtra. Even devotees are coming from abroad, largely from Britain, Canada and the US.

“For the past one week, we are getting an average of 4-5 lakh devotees at the gurdwara every day. Today and tomorrow, we are expecting over 25 lakh devotees,” an official at the shrine told IANS.

Ninety langars or community kitchens are running round-the-clock in the town to serve the visiting devotees.

A grand light and sound show is being conducted every evening here to sensitise the masses about the teachings and philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev. The show will continue till November 15.

Security has been beefed up and closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed to manage the crowd in all the prominent places, a senior police official told IANS.

Organisers say the desire of devotees is to pay obeisance at the historic Gurdwara Ber Sahib and to have a ‘shnaan’ (dip) in Kali Bein. The devotees are feeling fortunate to have achoola’ (sip of water) from the holy Bein.

It is believed that Guru Nanak disappeared into the waters of the Bein rivulet, reappearing three days later as the enlightened Guru. The ground of Gurdwara Ber Sahib marks the spot, where Guru Nanak entered the rivulet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 9 morning paid obeisance at the Ber Sahib Gurdwara, before heading for Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to inaugurate the Kartarpur Corridor and flag off the first lot of pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

The three-storey Gurdwara Ber Sahib was built by the ruler of Kapurthala in the mid-20th century and features slender octagonal pillars, a marble sanctum and stucco designs at the entrance.

Sultanpur Lodhi, some 200 km from Chandigarh, is dotted with gurdwaras commemorating events from Guru Nanak’s life.

Along with Gurdwara Bebe Nanaki, built to honour Guru Nanak’s sister, is the Gurdwara Sant Ghat, about two km upstream of Ber Sahib, where he emerged from his three-day immersion in the Bein.

Hatt Sahib honours the grain store, where Guru Nanak was employed; and the 13 weights, used by the Guru Nanak to measure provisions are preserved here.

The prison cell, where the Guru was imprisoned under false charges is Gurdwara Kothri Sahib; and Guru ka Bagh is where Guru Nanak lived with his wife, Sulakhni, and their two sons, Baba Sri Chand and Baba Lakhmi Chand. IANS

A Pakistani national takes a selfie with Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu at Kartarpur on Saturday. Photo by writer

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Kartarpur (Pak), November 9

After lying low since his resignation as a Cabinet minister in July, Navjot Singh Sidhu was the cynosure of all eyes as he crossed over to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib through the Kartarpur corridor along with other devotees today.

Absent at the official function on the Indian side at Dera Baba Nanak, he was the centre of attraction on other side of the border.

Not only did he share the main stage inside the gurdwara with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol, he was literally mobbed by devotees, who were a part of the first jatha that went through the corridor and those who had crossed through Attari to be a part of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak.

Imran Khan credited Sidhu for the Kartarpur corridor. Earlier, as soon as Sidhu reached the Integrated Checkpost at Dera Baba Nanak before passing through the corridor, party MLAs, cutting across party lines, congratulated Sidhu on the opening of the corridor.

During his address at the inaugural ceremony, Sidhu said the completion of the corridor within 10 months was nothing short of a miracle. He thanked Pakistan PM Imran Khan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for realising the dream of the Sikh community.

“I am thanking Modi ji also, it doesn’t matter if we have political differences. I am sending a Munnabhai MBBS-style hug to you Modi sahab for this,” said Sidhu. Taking a swipe at those who had criticised him for hugging Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa during Khan’s swearing-in ceremony last August, he said the hug has worked. He called for opening up the India-Pakistan border for trade, saying “Yeh dil maange more (This heart wants more).”