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Rajouri: An Army man died in the Nowshera sector when the bunker, which he was manning on the Line of Control, collapsed due to heavy rain on Sunday night. Sources said Naik Tripandey of the 54 Rashtriya Rifles along with another jawan was manning the post at Sarya in the Bhawani forward area when the bunker collapsed due to heavy rain. Tripandey succumbed to his injuries while on the way to a nearby health centre. The Bhawani police handed over the body of the soldier to the unit officials for sending it to his native place in Tamil Nadu. — OC

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 5A Delhi-based lawyer has moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre Government to create district-level branches of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) for dispensing speedy justice to defence personnel who often have to wait for years for disposal of service matters.In her petition, advocate Kudrat Sandhu sought to highlight that Army men have to travel to AFT benches from far-flung areas to contest cases and pendency has gone up from 9,000 to 16,000 cases. She also requested the top court to direct the government to fill vacancies of judicial members in various benches of AFT at the earliest to make them properly functional.She submitted before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar that the government should put in place the necessary mechanism for timely selection and appointment of the members of AFT Benches to ensure their effective and regular functioning.Sandhu wanted the government to take “appropriate legislative and administrative steps” for creating tribunals at the district headquarters with original jurisdiction over service matters of armed forces personnel and conferring appellate and revisional jurisdiction on AFTs.“What you are asking is a three-tier system on the lines of consumer courts,” the Bench commented on Friday while asking her to amend the petition accordingly.In her amended petition, she demanded that AFT orders should be allowed to be challenged before the high courts and power of civil contempt be conferred on AFTs.She said a clear-cut procedure should be prescribed for execution of orders or there should be some other coercive means available for implementation of the orders of the AFT and the proposed district-level tribunals and to place the AFT and the proposed district level tribunals under the Ministry of Law & Justice.Citing a letter written by AFT Bar Association Rajiv Manglik in September last year to the then CJI TS Thakur regarding the problems faced by defence personnel and their families due to non-appointment of judicial members of the AFT, the petitioner said quicker dispensation of justice in the AFT was a myth.

SRINAGAR:Five soldiers who went missing after a pathway cleared in the snow caved in in Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday have been rescued, officials said, as the Valley reeled under unprecedented snowfall over the past few days.

PTIA child lights candles during a special prayer ceremony for the soldiers killed in avalanches, in Jammu, on Saturday.

An army spokesperson said the soldiers who were on patrol near a camp in Machhal sector when they were buried under several feet of snow are undergoing treatment. Snow tracks are pathways carved out through snow to facilitate movement of men and vehicles.

The fresh incident came two days after two avalanches killed 14 soldiers in the Gurez sector near the border between Indian and Pakistan.

Separate avalanches buried a military post and swept away a patrol on Wednesday night in Gurez, burying a total of 21 Indian soldiers. Seven soldiers were rescued. Earlier, an army major was killed in an avalanche in Ganderbal district.

Several civilians have also been killed in the recent incidents. Kashmir has been witnessing one of the most severe winters in recent decades, with heavy snow across the territory and temperatures dropping to minus seven degrees Celsius.

Authorities have issued avalanche warnings, advising residents in mountainous areas not to venture out.

Meanwhile, the arterial Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the only all-weather road link between Kashmir and rest of the country, remained closed for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday, choking supply of essentials to the Valley where prices of commodities have more than doubled in the past week.

“The Srinagar-Jammu road continues to remain closed for vehicular traffic in view of landslides at many places along the 294-km road. The road is slippery in certain snowbound areas,” an official of the traffic control department said. He said inclement weather was hampering efforts to restore traffic on the arterial highway. The official said as soon as the road is trafficworthy, the stranded vehicles along the highway will be cleared for movement

PANCHKULA: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Republic Day announced free coaching facility for the wards of defence personnel and paramilitary forces to prepare for all competitive exams, including those conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC).

The chief minister was speaking in Panchkula during a statelevel function.

While paying tribute to the freedom fighters and martyrs, the chief minister said the government had prepared a scheme with budget provision of ₹3 crore for providing free coaching facility for competitive exams of IAS, IPS, RCS, HPS, engineering, medical, NDA and banks to the children of serving soldiers as well as the ex-sevicemen.

Reiterating his government’s commitment for the welfare of the ex-servicemen and serving soldiers, Khattar said brave soldiers and martyrs had laid down their lives for the unity and integrity of the country. The state government has also set up a separate ‘department of sainik welfare’ to provide various services to ex-servicemen of the state in a more efficient and effective manner.He said that the present state government had so far given ex-gratia employment to 101 dependents. Also, the government had revised scholarships for cadets studying in Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun, from ₹35,000 to ₹50,000 per annum, he added. He said the present government was ensuring all-round development in the state with the mantra of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’. The government has introduced 170 e-services of 23 departments so people can get various services at their doorstep. The CM also took salutes from the contingents of police, home guards and NCC among others who participated in the Republic Day parade.

4 more bodies found, Gurez avalanche toll touches 21

Army spokesperson says search operation has ended as all soldiers stuck under heavy snow following the avalanche in Gurez sector of Bandipora have been traced

From page 01 SRINAGAR: Bodies of the four more soldiers who went missing after avalanches struck an army camp and patrol in Gurez area of Jam mu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district have been recovered, taking the death toll to 14. The overall toll has now reached 21 in the Valley.

PRO DEFENCE(Left) The avalanches swept away an army camp of 51 Rashtriya Rifles taking the lives of three soldiers. Kashmir has been witnessing one of the severest winters since 2006 and 1992.

Army spokesman Rajesh Kalia said the search operation had been stopped .“Were covered four more bodies which were part of the army patrol. Every soldier has been accounted for,” he said.

A series of avalanches struck army installation sand residential houses in Bandipora on Wednesday after Kashmir valley received record snowfall in a decade in the month of January.

The avalanches swept away an army camp of 51 Rashtriya Rifles taking the lives of three soldiers. A J CO( junior commissioned officer) and six soldiers were rescued from the camp.

Another avalanche struck an army patrol in the same region from which seven bodies were recovered on Thursday. Four member sofa family were killed in the district after their house collapsed due to heavy snowfall.

In a separate avalanche in Gan de rb al district, an army major also lost his life on Wednesday.

Kashmir has been witnessing one of the severest winters since 2006 and 1992, with heavy snow across the territory and temperature dropping to minus 7 degrees Celsius. But conditions are expected to improve from January 27, said director meteorological centre, Sonam Lotus.

Police said heavy snow damaged 13 houses, three shops and a shrine in Budgam and Ganderbal districts. About 150 people were evacuated on Wednesday from avalanche-prone Khadiyall and Ismarg villages of Gurez.

Since the beginning of heavy snowfall on Tuesday, at least seven civilians have died in the Valley including four members of family in Bandipora.

SOLDIER WAS TO GO ON LEAVE, SAYS FAMILY

With his leave sanctioned, soldier Devendra Soni was waiting for a replacement to arrive so he could proceed for home when an avalanche struck his Army camp in J&K and claimed his life.

Now the family of the 24-yearold Soni, attached to 51 units of National Rifles, awaits his mortal remains which are expected to arrive Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday.

“I was informed by the National Rifles headquarters about Devendra’s martyrdom yesterday (Thursday) evening. His mortal remains would be brought tomorrow (Friday) to Jabalpur and then to Shahdol,” Devendra’s father Vijay Soni said. Soni was among the 14 soldiers who were killed after avalanches struck their post on Wednesday in Gurez sector of Kashmir.

The dead soldier’s father recalls that he had tried to talk to him on January 20 but failed to get through due to inclement weather.

“I tried to call him on January 20 as his leave was sanctioned. But, he could not be contacted due to bad weather,” he said.

23 civilians injured as Pak escalates shelling, firing at hapless villagers

A girl injured in firing from the Pakistan side being shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital by volunteers and family members in Jammu on Tuesday. PTI

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 1

In stepped-up shelling by Pakistani troops along the International Border (IB), eight persons were killed and 23 injured today. Six civilians died in Ramgarh sector of Samba district. Among them were two children and two women. In Tarkundi area of Rajouri district, two women were killed. The firing was so intense that it took three hours to evacuate the injured from their houses.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Ravinder Kaur (19) of Jerdi village in Ramgarh sector was cooking when a shell exploded near her house, killing her on the spot. Rishav, Abdhi and Anju Devi (29) of Rangoor Camp village in Ramgarh sector were celebrating Bhai Dhooj when a shell exploded inside their house. Marha Ram (60) of the same village was  killed likewise. Three of his family members received splinter injuries. Swarn Singh (32) of Govindgarh village reportedly died of shock during shelling. Sultan Begam (70) and her 28-year-old daughter-in-law Maqbool Begam, who were working in their fields, were killed in multiple explosions. Nine persons were injured in Ramgarh sector, four in Arnia, three in Nowshera and seven in Poonch sector. With Pakistani Rangers and troops continuing to target civilian areas, two shells exploded near the Mendhar sub-district hospital and police station, triggering panic. Residents of Arnia town were forced to keep indoors because of heavy shelling.The Pakistani army fired 120 mm and 82 mm mortars in Nowshera, Balakote and Mendhar sectors in Rajouri and Poonch. Border Security Force DIG Dharmendra Kumar Parekh said the Pakistani Rangers fired 82 mm mortars in Ramgarh and Arnia sectors at 6.30 am.“At 7.10 am, three mortar shells landed in Pindi village of Arnia and injured four civilians. In calibrated retaliation to unprovoked firing and shelling, the BSF targeted posts of Pakistani Ranger, damaging 14 of them,” the DIG said.At the Line of Control, the Pakistani army fired 120 mm and 82 mm shells and also used small arms. “The Pakistani army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Nowshera (from 5.30 am) and  Balakote sectors (from 9 am) by using 120 mm and 82 mm mortars. The Indian Army gave a befitting reply and hit them where it hurts the most,” said Lt Col Manish Mehta, PRO, Defence, said.Meanwhile, as civilian killings mount, anger is brewing among border residents, who feel they have been made “sitting ducks” by not making elaborate arrangements for safety of their lives and that of their livestock. “After the surgical strike, it was clear Pakistan would resort to firing on civilians but the state government failed to take any steps to provide security to us,” said Arvind Kumar, a resident of Chanana village of Bishnah.Choudhary Balwinder, a BJP supporter, regretted that the state leaders had left them at the mercy of Rangers. “Killing of civilians has become routine in the border areas but state ministers have failed to convince the government to provide financial assistance. There has been no policy.”(Inputs from Vishal Jasrotia, Shyam Sood, Dinesh Manhotra and DK Sudan)

BSF claims eight pakistanis killed

• New Delhi: With the cross-border firing escalating, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday reviewed the situation at a meeting attended by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag and other top officials. The Border Security Force, meanwhile, said it had destroyed 14 posts of Pakistan Rangers in retaliatory action in Ramgarh and Arnia sectors of Jammu frontier on Tuesday and claimed eight Pakistanis, including troopers, had been killed. tns

60 truce violations since surgical strikes

• The situation along the LoC and the IB has deteriorated since the September 18 Uri terror attack and subsequent (September 28-29) surgical strikes by the Indian Army inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. There have been more that 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistan since the surgical strikes. tns

An absence of cross-border attacks with links to militant presence in Pakistan and a more visibly stringent approach towards these actors are necessary prerequisites for any US President to consider an out-of-the-box approach to Pakistan’s liking

THE Indo-US strategic partnership has been a source of constant tension in Pak-US ties in recent years. The US has pursued ‘de-hyphenation’ ie dealing with Islamabad and New Delhi relatively independently of each other. Central to this has been its hands-off approach on contentious Pak-India issues.Donald Trump has excited the Pakistani policy space by hinting at his willingness to reconsider the US line. Pakistani officials in touch with Washington have been trying to determine if Trump will actually consider a more proactive effort to improve Pak-India ties.While there’s no definitive answer, one can point to factors that will influence the Trump White House’s final policy. President Obama’s experience is a starting point. Candidate Obama was explicit in promising a regional approach to South Asia during the 2008 campaign. His reasoning confirmed an appreciation of the link between Pak-India tensions and their fallout on Afghanistan: to solve Afghanistan, one needs improvement on the Pak-India front. India shot down his idea and US policy recoiled to its de-hyphenation default.The Trump administration will confront the same set of challenges — and more. First, the Washington policy establishment is even more solidly committed to opposing US involvement in Pak-India issues than it was eight years ago. I have challenged the wisdom of this stance given that it contradicts US interest in South Asia. But few accept the proposition. Still, some in Pakistan hope that the Trump team may be less worried about defying Washington’s establishment. Perhaps. But a new administration with multiple policy positions seemingly at odds with this establishment would have to pick its battles carefully. Non-priorities like Pak-India may be ones to sacrifice.Second, Trump’s position on China will complicate things. If Sino-US competition accentuates, India will be even more important as a counterweight to Beijing. India’s leverage over the US would increase, and it will demand that Washington put Pak-India back in cold storage. Pakistan’s backing of China would strengthen India’s case.Third, Afghanistan will influence Washington’s approach. A tougher US line on the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network is on the cards. Pakistan’s likely resistance to fresh US demands to ‘do more’ would imply added tensions in ties, creating more space for critical voices in Washington to oppose US engagement on Pak-India issues.Fourth, Pakistan continues to be its own worst enemy. The state’s policies on anti-India militant outfits can’t win it any champions. The world cannot be expected to reach but the most sceptical conclusion when it sees leaders of anti-India outfits floating around freely and when it finds the Pakistani state trying to avoid sincerely prosecuting those charged with committing terrorism in India. Perhaps nothing has aided India’s global push to isolate Pakistan more than the latter’s mishandling of the Mumbai trials.Finally, any US leader must ask: what is the probability of success? Washington’s bureaucracy is hesitant to put the US president out on such issues without a real possibility of success. The prognosis for Kashmir is anything but. Indeed, it is no coincidence that while Pakistan’s position articulates the need for US involvement, it explains little on how this would lead to a realistic resolution. Even the most committed Trump White House won’t want to set itself up to fail.What could change this calculus? India’s management of its ties with the US is a factor to watch. New Delhi could damage its case by refusing to play counterweight to China. India has been hanging in the balance on the issue but that may not be good enough for Washington going forward, especially if Sino-US tensions heat up. Second, Prime Minister Modi has been presenting the US stance on his efforts to isolate Pakistan as a litmus test of US sincerity to Indo-US ties. If he overplays his hand, Washington may push back, and find more space to invest in trying to improve Pak-India ties.Also, if Sino-US ties do not sour under Trump, the two sides can cooperate in the Af-Pak-India theatre. Both want a stable Afghanistan and Pakistan, absence of Pak-India crises (if not improved ties between the two), and economic integration in South Asia. Theoretically, they could coordinate a policy aimed at incentivising a change in policy attitudes regionally. The US could take the lead in convincing India and Afghanistan while China could work with Pakistan to achieve a transformed regional architecture.That said, no one is likely to go to bat for Pakistan in Washington unless there is a discernible change in the former’s approach towards anti-India and anti-Afghan militancy.

By arrangement with Dawn

7 fresh faces on Congress list

Dalvir Singh Goldy

Candidature of 12 party MLAs withheld; Pargat, Navjot await ticket too; First-timers in the fray: Angad Saini youngest at 26

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 15

The Congress today withheld the candidature of 12 sitting MLAs while releasing the first list of 61 candidates for the Assembly elections.There are seven new faces: Angad Saini (Nawanshahr), Gurpreet Singh GP (Bassi Pathana), Kuldeep Singh Vaid (Gill), Amar Singh (Raikot), Khushbaj Singh Jatana (Talwandi Sabo), Kulbir Singh Zira (Zira) and Dalvir Singh Goldy (Dhuri).Vaid, a former Moga Deputy Commissioner, recently took premature retirement. Amar Singh is a former IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre.

 The red flag raised by Rajya Sabha MPs Partap Singh Bajwa, Ambika Soni and Shamsher Singh Dullo against giving the ticket to former Akali/BJP leaders is reflected in the list.

The party top brass has treaded cautiously regarding “outsiders” Inderbir Bolaria, Pargat Singh, Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Navjot Kaur Sidhu. No candidate has been announced for contentious seats such as Jalandhar Cantonment, Amritsar South and Amritsar East. The names of sitting MLAs whose seats are likely to be swapped or those who were rated poorly in surveys have been withheld.

The top names missing from the list are: Lal Singh (Sanaur), Tarlochan Singh (Banga), Jagmohan Kang (Kharar), Sukhjinder Dimpa (Amritsar East), Amrik Singh Dhillon (Samrala), Rakesh Pandey (Ludhiana North), Amrinder Raja Warring (Gidderbaha), Karan Kaur Brar (Muktsar), Joginder Singh (Jaitu), Ajaib Bhatti (Bhucho Mandi) and Mohammed Sadique (Bhadaur).

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and other top leaders were flooded with requests for seats as well as warnings that those refused the ticket would rebel against the official candidates.

Ex-CM Bhattal among six women candidates  

•  Dinanagar- Aruna Chaudhary

•  Qadian- Fateh Jang Singh Bajwa 

•  Batala- Ashwani Sekhri

•  Sri Hargobindpur- Balwinder Singh Laddi

•  Fatehgarh Churian- Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa

•  Dera Baba Nanak- Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa

•  Raja Sansi-  Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria

•  Majitha- Sukhjinder Lalli Majithia

•  Jandiala- Sukhwinder Singh Danny

•  Amritsar West- Raj Kumar Verka

•  Amritsar Central- Om Parkash Soni

•  Attari- Tarsem Singh DC

•  Tarn Taran- Dharamvir Agnihotri

•  Patti- Harminder Singh Gill

•  Khadoor Sahib- Ramanjit Singh Sikki

•  Kapurthala- Rana Gurjit Singh

•  Sultanpur Lodhi- Navtej Singh Cheema

•  Jalandhar Central- Rajinder Beri

•  Mukerian- Rajnish Kumar 

•  Urmar- Sangat Singh Gilzian

•  Hoshiarpur- Sunder Sham Arora

•  Chabbewal- Raj Kumar

•  Nawanshahr- Angad Saini

•  Anandpur Sahib- Rana Kanwarpal Singh

•  Chamkaur Sahib- Charanjit Singh Channi

•  SAS Nagar- Balbir Singh Sidhu

•  Bassi Pathana- Gurpreet Singh GP

•  Fatehgarh Sahib- Kuljit Singh Nagra

•  Amloh- Randeep Singh Nabha

•  Khanna- Gurkirat Singh Kotli

• Ludhiana Central- Surinder Kumar Dawar

• Ludhiana West- Bharat Bhushan Ashu

• Gill- Kuldeep Singh Vaid

• Payal- Lakhvir Singh Lakha

• Raikot- Amar Singh

• Baghapurana- Darshan Singh Brar

• Dharamkot- Kaka Sukhjit Singh Lohgarh

• Zira- Kulbir Singh Zira

• Ferozepur City- Parminder Singh Pinki

• Ferozepur Rural-  Satkar Kaur

• Guru Harsahai- Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi

• Abohar- Sunil Jakhar

• Faridkot- Kushaldeep Dhillon

• Rampura Phul- Gurpreet Singh Kangar

• Bathinda Urban- Manpreet Singh Badal

• Talwandi Sabo- Khushbaj Singh Jatana

• Sardulgarh- Ajit Inder Singh Mofar

• Budhlada- Ranjit Kaur Bhatti

• Lehra- Rajinder Kaur Bhattal

• Dirba- Ajaib Singh Rataul

• Barnala- Kewal Singh Dhillon

• Mehal Kalan- Harchand Kaur

• Malerkotla- Razia Sultana

• Dhuri- Dalvir Singh Goldy

• Sangrur- Vijay Inder Singla

• Nabha- Sadhu Singh Dharamsot

• Patiala Rural- Brahm Mohindra

• Rajpura- Hardial Singh Kamboj

• Ghanaur- Madan Lal Jalalpur

• Patiala Urban- Capt Amarinder Singh 

• Shutrana – Nirmal Singh

Wait & watch

• The names of Indian Youth Congress president and Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Punjab Youth Congresschief Amarpreet Singh Lali, a contender from Garshankar, are not on the list

• Speaking on the phone from Delhi, Warring said,“I will contest from Gidderbaha, Lambi or both. My first preference is Gidderbaha and I don’t want to leave it because I am representing this constituency. However, I will go by my party’s decision.”

• No candidate has been announced from Lambi and Jalalabad, represented by CM Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, respectively

• The youngest candidate on the list is Angad Saini (26), while the oldest is Capt Amarinder Singh (74). The other septuagenarian nominees are Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Brahm Mohindra (both 70). Dalvir Goldy, Khushbaj Jatana, Kulbir Zira and Satkar Kaur are in their 30s.

 Cong first list out, sticks to ‘one family, one ticket’ rule

CHANDIGARH: The Congress created history of sorts on Thursday by releasing its first list of candidates before the announcement of polls in Punjab. But it has played it safe by declaring names on just 61 seats out of 117, steering clear of ones where a consensus still eludes the party, including seats where MLAs who have quit the ruling SADBJP are vying for tickets.

One of the big surprises is absence of names of cricketerturned-politician Navjot Singh’s wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, and former Indian Hockey team captain Pargat Singh, who were BJP and SAD MLAs from Amritsar (east) and Jalandhar Cantt, respectively. The duo had joined Congress after Sidhu’s front Awaaz-e-Punjab had split following Bains brothers of Ludhiana allying with the AAP. The announcement of names on both the seats has been kept on hold, party sources said. Amarinder is rooting for former MLA and party candidate in 2012 polls, Jagbir Brar, from Jalandhar Cantt. Kaur’s seatwill also be announced along with Pargat’s, they said.

The only new entrant to get a place in the first list is former Punjab finance minister and CM Parkash Singh Badal’s estranged nephew Manpreet Singh Badal who has been fielded from Bathinda (urban) — the bastion of the ruling Badal family. The seat falls in the Bathinda parliamentary constituency of CM’s daughter-in-law and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

In another first, the political dynasties have given way to new rule of ‘one family, one ticket’. Three women MLAs have made way for men in the family owing to the new rule. Amarinder, who has resigned as Amritsar MP, will return to his seat Patiala (urban), won by his wife Preneet Kaur in a bypoll. Rajya Sabha MP Partap Bajwa’s wife Charanjit Bajwa has opted out for brother-inlaw Fateh Bajwa in Qadian and Nawanshahr MLA Guriqbal Kaur for son Angad Saini, 25, the youngest candidate on the list. The first list has six women candidates, including three sitting MLAs.

But the rule has also delayed a final decision on seats where it has to decide between fatherson and grandfather-grandson. Sanaur MLA Lal Singh is willing to give up his claim for Samana seat for his son Rajinder Singh.

74-year-old Samrala MLA Amrik Dhillon is more “winnable” in party surveys than his 26-yearold grandson Karanvir Dhillon.

Other than the five sitting MLAs who have opted out for family, the party has renominated 31 sitting MLAs out of 43 in the first list, including Rajnish Singh Babbi of Mukerian, who had won as a independent after being denied the Congress ticket.

Former MP Vijay Inder Singla, a part of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s team, will contest the state polls for the first time. He had won the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat in his debut election in 2009 but lost it to AAP’s Bhagwant Mann in 2014. Of the six new youth candidates on the list, half are “son-rises”, including former state minister Sardool Singh’s son Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Angad Saini son of MLA Guriqbal Kaur and Kulbir Singh Zira, son of former state minister Inderjit Singh Zira.

Other party stalwarts will contest their traditional seats — former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal from Lehragaga, former Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar from Abohar and incumbent CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi from Chamkaur Sahib.

The seats where the sevenmember screening committee headed by former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has still to finalise names are the ones where Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh wants to have his say such as Ludhiana (east) seat from where he is keen to field former Ludhiana MP and Union minister Manish Tewari but sitting Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu is opposing the move.

The party has also skipped announcing names of candidates in assembly segments where it is trying to pacify rebels or swap or drop sitting and former MLAs.

The 61 candidates on Cong’s first list

Twist in the tale of nine sitting MLAs not on list

CHANDIGARH: The screening committee of the Congress headed by former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot for Punjab elections is treading cautiously on seats that can trigger bushfires. Adopting the policy of “minimum damage”, a majority of names or seats in the party’s first list of 61 are “non-contentious”.

The list, however, betrays party’s own discomfort at the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal’s rhetoric that it is “accepting its rejects and has no winnable candidates of its own” at a time there are differences within the Congress on fielding “turncoats” from the ruling alliance.

All the six MLAs, who have joined the Congress in last one month, have been kept out of the list, including Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Pargat Singh, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Rajwinder Kaur Bagike and Maheshinder Singh.

Those who had joined the Congress from the Akali Dal early this year, also have been kept in the waiting list. These include Deepinder Dhillon, who is eyeing the Dera Bassi seat, and Harry Mann who wants Samana. But the fact that the seats they represent as MLAs or are vying for are yet to be decided shows the Congress will try to pacify rebels to humour the “turncoats”.

While Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has assured Navjot Kaur and Pargat tickets from home seats, the announcement of Pargat’s name from Jalandhar Cantt could cause former MLA and candidate Jagbir Brar to rebel. Mann’s candidature will face revolt by none other than senior MLA Lal Singh, who is eyeing Samana seat for his son Rajinder Singh. The result? Both Samana and Lal Singh’s own seat, Sanaur, have been kept on hold.

Like Lal Singh, there is twist in the tale of the eight other MLAs not on the first list. Of its 43 sitting MLAs, including Rajnish Kumar Babbi, who has remained an independent member of the state assembly from Mukerian after he won as an independent after being denied a Congress ticket, the party has fielded 31.

Kharar seat of MLA Jagmohan Kang is not on the list. Party sources claim Kang is “not looking good in the party surveys but he is defiant”.

And it is not just another seat for Amarinder, who would do all it takes to ensure Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Kanwar Sandhu is defeated.

Likewise, in Samrala the party has yet to decide whether it should go for its sitting MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon, who is 74, or his grandson Karanvir Dhillon who too has applied for the seat. The popularity rating of the grandfather is “higher” in the surveys.

In Ludhiana, there is a tussle on the Ludhiana north seat of MLA Rakesh Pandey. Dropping Pandey, a loyalist of Bhattal, will not hurt Amarinder but “harmless” Pandey has many sympathisers among the Ludhiana team of the Congress.

The Gidderbaha seat of MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring is also not on the list. Warring, party insiders said, is interested in the Muktsar seat. Which also partly explains why neither Muktsar seat nor its MLA Karan Brar, is not on the list. The other part is that Amarinder was interested in fielding Bhai Kuku from here.

Jaito MLA Joginder Singh too is not on the list. He fits into the “swap of only reserved seats” formula of Amarinder. Another SC MLA Mohammad Sadique too finds no mention and may be shuffled around in the second list. A big surprise is in MLA Tarlochan Singh Soondh also not finding any mention .

The MLA, who has gained popularity as the “shoe-hurler” in the last assembly session represents Banga, a reserved seat. The remaining four sitting MLAs are Preneet Kaur, Guriqbal Kaur, Charanjit Bajwa and Gurcharan Singh Boparai who have opted out for family. Boparai’s brother, Dr Amar Singh, is the Raikot candidate.

EX-MOGA DC GETS TICKET FROM GILL

In the first list, names of candidates for 17 out of Punjab’s 34 reserved seats have been announced. Former Moga DC Kuldeep Singh Vaid has got the ticket from the Gill reserved constituency.

Of the six women on the list, four have been fielded from the reserved constituencies, including sitting MLA Harchand Kaur, Aruna Chaudhary, Ranjit Kaur Batti and Satkar Kaur.

Friends turn foe: Once right-hand man of Bains, Karwal to contest elections against him

LUDHIANA:Once a right-hand man of firebrand leader Simarjit Singh Bains, SAD councillor and a turncoat leader Kamaljeet Singh Karwal is likely to contest elections against Bains, as he is all set to join Congress shortly.

HT PHOTOEx­Akali leader and Bains brothers’ aide Kamaljit Karwal (green turban) meeting the PPCC president Captain Amarinder Singh in Ludhiana on Thursday.

Karwal met state Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh at New Delhi, after which the latter made an announcement that Karwal will soon join the party. Congress is likely to field Karwal from Atam Nagar constituency, which is a stronghold of Bains.

Till recently, Congress was clueless regarding which candidate to field from Atam Nagar as all applicants from the area, including Kulwant Sidhu, KK Bawa and Parvinder Singh Lapran, were not considered a match to Bains. However, Captain had hinted in the past that he will provide Bawa an opportunity.

Being a close associate of Bains brothers, Karwal is considered privy to all their loopholes and thus is the best bet for the Congress party, in this area.

Karwal, who contested 2012 MC polls on SAD symbol, left the party after sometime after the Bains brothers left the party. Thereafter, he joined SAD again in January 2015 in the presence of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Interestingly, in 2009, Karwal and Simarjit had allegedly beaten up, the then tehsildar GS Benipal.

Following this, both were booked under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (manhandling public servants), 332 (deter public servant from official duty), 394 (causing hurt in committing robbery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and many Sections of the Arms Act. They even remained in jail for some time.

Earlier in 2014, the Supreme Court handed the matter over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the investigation has been pending since then.

Karwal was re-elected as the councillor from ward number 45 in 2012. Sources said that the Congress leaders aspiring to contest from Atam Nagar were lobbying in Delhi on Thursday, trying to persuade Captain Amarinder Singh, not to allot a ticket to Karwal for the constituency.

Kamaljit Karwal said that SAD has not fielded a capable candidate from Atam Nagar constituency due to which he decided to join the Congress party. “I will officially join the party in the coming days,” he said.

SAD has fielded city industrialist Gumeet Singh Kular from Atam Nagar who has no political background and is considered to be a weak candidate in front of Simarjit Singh Bains.

 

 

Capt, Bittu to fight Badals; Sidhu from Amritsar East and Pargat from Jalandhar Cantt

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 15The Congress on Sunday shifted to top gear in poll-bound Punjab with former BJP stalwart Navjot Singh Sidhu joining its ranks and the party approving fielding of bigwigs to fight Badals in the elections.

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Also read: Capt up for Badal fight

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh will file his nomination from Lambi against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu will take on Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal in Jalalabad.Sidhu will contest from Amritsar East where his wife is the sitting MLA right now.Former Olympian Pargat Singh will fight from his own segment Jalandhar Cant. These announcements will be made soon as January 18 is the last date for filing of nominations in Punjab.Earlier today, Sidhu met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s residence after which the party issued a statement welcoming the former cricketer into its fold.Sidhu will mark his formal entry into the Congress tomorrow at 11 am at party headquarters in Delhi.He will address the media in the presence of state Congress in charge Asha Kumari. Kumari said Sidhu met Gandhi today as Gandhi will be away to Uttarakhand for an election tour tomorrow.“Navjot Sidhu will formally address the press tomorrow. I will be there. We have decided not to disturb Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh who is now canvassing in Punjab,” Asha Kumari told The Tribune.Sidhu didn’t want to join before Makar Sankranti as he believes in stars, which were unsettled pre -Lohri. Sidhu’s wife along with ex-Akali Pargat Singh had joined the Congress on November 28.Sidhu had resigned from the BJP in September 2016.Sidhu, who had represented Amritsar in the Lok Sabha between 2004 and 2014, had accused the BJP of using him as a “decorative piece” and trying to keep him out of Punjab.After resigning from the BJP, Sidhu had also formed a new political front in Punjab with India’s former hockey captain Pargat Singh and Punjab MLAs Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwant Singh Bains called “Aawaaz-e-Punjab”.

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Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir were handing over information to Akhtar about security forces deployment in the Sir Creek area and Kutch region when they were arrested on Friday. PTI file photo

New Delhi, October 28The Pakistan High Commission official accused of spying may have been trying to gather classified information on Indian security forces along the western coast for a militant strike similar to the 2008 Mumbai attack, an official of the Home Ministry said on Friday.(Also read: Pak spy racket: Visa agent from Jodhpur arrested)Mehmood Akhtar was trying to gather information pertaining to deployment of security forces along the western coast, Sir Creek and Kutch areas and also about military installations in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa, a Home Ministry official said.”There have been intelligence inputs that Pakistan’s ISI was planning to send terrorists through the sea route to carry out a Mumbai-type terror attack in India. Akhtar’s activities and his interests to gather information about the western coast buttress the intelligence inputs,” the official said.

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More than 160 people died when 10 gunmen struck mayhem for three days in Mumbai in November 2008. The gunmen had come to Mumbai from Karachi by sea.Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir were handing over information to Akhtar about security forces deployment in the Sir Creek area and Kutch region when they were arrested on Friday.The Pakistani official was to hand over the duo Rs 50,000 for getting information, the official said.Before being let off because of diplomatic immunity, Akhtar confessed to police about his role in the spy ring.Delhi Police also had a recorded video of his statement.In his statement to police, Akhtar admitted that he was part of the spy ring for more than a year.He has named a few officers of the Pakistani High Commission to whom he had reported the information he collected but police have no direct evidence and therefore have yet to take action.Acting on a tip-off, Delhi Police on Friday nabbed Akhtar, along with Ramzan and Jangir, at Delhi Zoo while a visa agent from Rajasthan, Shoaib, had managed to escape.Shoaib was detained near Jodhpur last evening and after being brought here, he was arrested.India declared Akhtar persona non grata on Thursday. Subhash and Maulana have been arrested on charges of passing on sensitive information and defence documents and deployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border. They were sent to 12-day police custody.A local court remanded them to police custody for 12 days. Akhtar enjoys diplomatic immunity but has been asked to leave India. — PTI