The New Moti Bagh Palace residence of PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh on the eve of the result of the Assembly elections in Patiala on Friday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 10

A guarded silence prevails outside PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh’s New Moti Bagh Palace here.A handful of supporters are waiting to greet Preneet Kaur. A day before counting, the palace is back in focus with Congress leaders hoping to bounce back after being in the political wilderness for a decade.March 11 is also Amarinder’s birthday and every Congress worker and leader hopes that it will bring good tidings as the ageing scion of the Patiala royals has declared that “this would be his last political battle”.With the PPCC chief deciding to watch the result at his Chandigarh residence, it is left to Preneet and other relatives to camp in Patiala. The family is expected to be together tomorrow evening to seek the blessings of Rajmata Mohinder Kaur, Amarinder’s mother.With everyone at the palace keeping their fingers crossed, no arrangements for a celebration are being made as of now. No tents have been pitted nor bouquets ordered if the Congress wins, as is being predicted in the exit polls.“Capt Amarinder Singh turning 75 is a big occasion for the family and we are sure of forming the government. A victory looks most likely. The family will be together and there would be double celebrations at our residence in the evening,” says an upbeat Preneet.Till then, a handful of Congress workers are keeping guard as laddoos and sweets are on hold. “This time, there would be celebrations only after the results are out officially. Though we have arranged for sweets and crackers in advance, no one will accept it on record,” says a veteran Congress leader.Capt’s son Raninder Singh says that the party cadre in Punjab has worked hard and they are all sensing a victory.“Though I am more of a sportsman, I am pretty hopeful that the Congress will pull through to form the government,” he added.Meanwhile, the mood in the royal city is upbeat with a majority of the people predicting a Congress win.“We are eager to celebrate the victory of Congress on Saturday and crackers, sweets, and dhol beats would be heard everywhere,” said party leader KK Sharma.

Spends time with familyChandigarh: A day before the results, state Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh spent the day with his family members and friends at his Sector 10 residence here today. Capt Amarinder played hosted a family get-together for his newly wedded grandson Nirvan Singh and his wife Mriganka Singh, granddaughter of senior Congress leader Karan Singh. “It was a family affair with a few Congress leaders seen around. Nirvan was actively involved in campaigning with Capt Amarinder,” said party sources. He will remain stationed at his residence here tomorrow. Unlike the “grand” arrangements made on the day of the 2012 Assembly poll results, the party leaders are treading cautiously this time. With some of the exit polls indicating a close finish between Congress and AAP, the Congress leadership is keeping its fingers crossed. Similarly, there was hardly any activity at the party headquarters in Sector 15 here. TNS

President Pranab Mukherjee. AFP file photo

New Delhi, March 9

President Pranab Mukherjee has called for “urgent collective action” in order to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from which no country is immune.

Mukherjee said this while interacting with visiting Chief of Royal Court of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Fayez Al-Tarawneh who called on him on Wednesday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The President said India attaches great value to its ties with Jordan.

“India appreciates Jordan’s proactive role under the leadership of King Abdullah on regional issues, especially towards resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and addressing the scourge of terrorism that has affected our regions and the world,” he said.

Mukherjee added no country is safe from terrorism and urgent collective action is needed to eradicate it.

The President said India lauds Jordan’s exceptional humanitarian assistance in hosting refugees from its war-torn neighbourhood despite the tremendous strain on its socio-economic resources.

He said India was happy that it could make a contribution to help mitigate the crisis adding he had warm memories of his recent visit to Jordan, the first-ever visit by an Indian head of state to Jordan.

Mukherjee said India-Jordan bilateral trade which was at USD 1.35 billion in 2015-16 is expected to touch new heights.

“India is happy that Jordan is interested in cooperation in security and defence, space, and fertilisers among others,” he said. — PTI

ANOTHER SOLDIER DENOUNCES ‘BATMAN’ SYSTEM, POOR FOOD AND THE REALITY ABOUT THE DISGRUNTLED SOLIDIER

THIS IS WHAT THE ARMY IS ALL ABOUT !::VEER NARI

SLAIN MAJOR’S WIDOW TO DON ARMY UNIFORM

‘EXPLOSIVE’ WOMEN FORCE BEHIND KEEPING SOLDIERS SAFE, PROTECTED

365 FEET HIGH TRI COLOUR FLAG FLYING AT WAGHA BORDER:  VEDIO

2 ARMY BRIGADES OUT OF KASHMIR

A NEW WEAPON FROM DRDO LABS WAS BEING TESTED AT BORDER; PAKIS WERE SO SCARED, THEY STOPPED ARTILLERY FIRING

NEW C-130J SQUADRON COMPLEX INAUGURATED AT PANAGARH

INDO-NEPAL MILITARY EXERCISE STARTS

GURMEHAR ROW ROCKS DELHI ASSEMBLY

GURMEHAR VIDEO PLAYED IN DELHI ASSEMBLY

NAVY’S FOUR-ENGINE ‘ALBATROSS’ TO RETIRE

TERROR SUSPECT HOLED UP, ATS OPERATION UNDERWAY ON LUCKNOW OUTSKIRTS

Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur. File photo

Ananya Panda

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 7The issue of violence at Ramjas College and rape threats to Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur rocked the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday.Aam Aadmi Party played a video clip featuring Gurmehar Kaur on record in the House to back its attack on RSS-linked ABVP, prompting Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta to oppose it.Interestingly, the instance (playing a video clip on record of any House) is understood to be first in the legislative history of India.Last year, AAP minister Kapil Mishra had played an audio recording over his phone of an alleged case of “snooping”.Initiating a short discussion, AAP legislator Alka Lamba today alleged Ramjas assaults and Gurmehar controversy was another example of how under a “conspiracy” students were being “targeted” for speaking their mind if they refuse to toe the line of the right wing extremists.“Gurmehar’s fault was to raise voice against RSS’ goondagardi (hooliganism),” she said.Lamba said like Hyderabad Central University where Rohith Vermula, a Dalit PhD scholar, was pushed to suicide and JNU where few Left-leaning students were “dubbed” “anti-nationals”, Ramjas College witnessed “yet another instance of hooliganism” of RSS-affiliated ABVP.Lamba also criticised Gurmehar’s detractors, including Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta opposition to the playing of the video was overruled by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel.Goel said soldiers’ morale goes down due to such remarks by traitors.In response, Water Minister Kapil Misra retorted saying soldiers morale goes down when a martyr’s daughter is threatened with rape, a soldier demanding OROP commits suicide and soldiers posting a video demanding proper meals.Launching a scathing attack on the RSS and the ABVP, he noted the politics of finding traitors within the country should come to an end.On the playing of a video during a session of the Delhi Assembly, a senior official said, “Times are changing. The Speaker examined the content and found nothing objectionable in the video.“There was nothing unparliamentary and he had watched the clip in advance that was related to something being discussed in the House.”

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 5

Napalese porter Sandeep Sharma, attached with 2 Ladakh Scout in Jammu and Kashmir who had sustained a serious hand injury in a landslide, has got a fresh lease of life as Army has come forward for help.Taking notice of the report published in The Tribune, the Army swung into action and provided him medical and financial assistance. Some NGOs and individuals have also come forward for help.A detailed medical examination was conducted at military hospital at Shimla where his minor wounds and injuries were treated and he thereafter was shifted to the IGMC Shimla. The Army sources revealed that Sandeep was diagnosed with forearm nerve paralyses but there was no need for amputation and he was taken to Base hospital, Delhi Cantonment and was under treatment since February 4. Sandeep, who returned after treatment, said that he had been called for a check-up after three months and thanked the Indian Army for providing him free medical treatment. He said that the Army has also offered him the job of a supervisor in Leh and asked him to report by March 13 but he is apprehensive to join as the doctor has told him that cold weather can hamper his recovery. However, the Army sources could not be contacted for confirmation.“I had requested the Army authorities to provide some funds so that I could start something of my own but they turned down the request and offered me a job in Leh”, says Sandeep who plans to approach the Army chief for help.

THE CASE

• The incident dates back to January 13, 2015 when Sandeep Sharma (in pic) was on his way to a forward post from Berchok post in third glacier navigating a heard of mules when a massive landslide occurred and four mulesdied on the spot while his hand was broken.
• “I was told that the injury was minor and I need not worry but later when my hand stopped working I was discharged from duty with a token payment of Rs 5,000 and wasleft to fend for myself”, he said.
• It was then that the Tribune team spotted that hewas shelter less and spending nights in the open inbus stand and railway station.

Villagers cannot be made to suffer for the criminal negligence of panchayat and nagar council representatives who failed to pay bills CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, Punjab Cong chief

Expressing concern over water shortage across hundreds of Punjab villages triggered by disconnection of power supply to the waterworks, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday demanded strict action against panchayat members and nagar council presidents concerned for defaulting on electricity bill payments.

In a statement issued here, Amarinder said residents of 650odd villages where power to the waterworks had been disconnected could not be made to suffer for the “criminal negligence” of panchayat and nagar council representatives. Demanding immediate restoration of power supply to the waterworks, the Congress chief ministerial candidate said people could not be deprived of their right to safe drinking water, which he said was part of the constitutional right to life.

Promising stern action against those responsible once the Congress assumes power in the state, Amarinder said the situation was yet another example of the Badal government’s misgovernance in the state. “While PSPCL is well within its rights to take necessary steps to secure payment against outstanding bills, it could not be allowed to unduly harass innocent villagers,” he said.

Amarinder said groundwater in many affected areas, including Mansa and Muktsar, was unfit for human consumption, and things could get out of hand if water supply was not restored immediately. Coming close on the heels of the SYL Canal row, this development could lead to escalation of water tension in Punjab, he said.

In what seems to be the news of the day, it has been found out that it was Barkha Dutt who trained Gurmehar Kaur and even wrote script for her. In short, it is yet another trick played by the Leftist liberals and the presstitutes to make the Right look like the troublemakers.

Such theatrics have been the way of the world since 2014 – from Christians under attack in Vermula and the Dadri issue to Intolerance and Award Waapsi fiasco. And now, we have yet another liberal among us – Gurmehar Kaur.

But how can we say that Gurmehar Kaur is a part of the anti-BJP squad just based on one video? How can we say that the liberals and the presstitutes planted her? Here’s furnishing proper evidence to back our statement:

When the Dadri fiasco happened, the Bihar elections were just round the corner. And with the entire Dadri issue, intolerance debate and award waapsi fiasco, BJP lost the Bihar elections.

Cut to February, 2017. UP elections are going on and despite Congress and other parties, like SP and BSP, campaigning hard over numerous months, people are keen on having a new state government – a BJP government. In fact, according to the exit polls, BJP is leading in the elections. So, all the lefties and commies needed was a reason to defame the Right and Gurmehar Kaur have amazingly filled in this gap.

So, when the whole country was wondering who’s this Gurmehar Kaur and how did she suddenly come in and grab the limelight, the Right wingers knew who planted her and why! And while you were still getting to know her motive, there was Rana Ayyub pinpointing at this girl as the “ambassador for peace”!

Now, coming back to our point, let’s give you some evidence that she was planted by Barkha.

On May 2, 2015, Barkha Dutt interviewed Gurmehar Kaur and immediately sensed that she’s the perfect person who could be pitched against the Right. The talent that Barkha is, she must have simply assessed the little girl’s emotions and sentiments, and found in her the perfect ‘bakri’ to launch against the Right. In fact, she had done things like these before as well – through Pappu, Pappini, Kanhaiya, Hillary and even Udhav Thackeray – but failed to evolute anyone.

On May, 2016, Gurmehar Kaur was interviewed on Twitter by NDTV. Just have a look at the lines from the 2016 interview. Don’t these absolutely resonate with the lines of the video that Kaur came up with just a few days back? Needless to say, she was nicely trained by the leader presstitute:

Furthermore, we hear that Gurmehar was only 6-year-old when she tried to stab a woman in Burqa. Now, no matter what happens, a girl will never wish to kill anyone from other religion lest her family detests that religion wholeheartedly. So, looking from this point of view, doesn’t the video – where she feels sorry for her hatred as a 6-year-old – absolutely showcases Captain Mandeep Singh and his family in negative light as a family completely intolerant to the other religion? In short, Gurmehar’s family taught her to be anti-Muslim but it was Barkha who taught her to feel compassionate towards all! We are not saying this, here’s a proof of the same:

Anyway, we just think it is a fabricated story by Barkha – after all, sentiment is the best weapon to lure people!

Gurmehar’s heartfelt adoration for Arvind Kejriwal is not anything unknown also. Here’s a proof of the same:

Now, we can dismiss this as sheer fun but her favouring the leftist goons and slighting off ABVP as goons and perpetrator of violence on campus is something absolutely unacceptable. With placard in her hand promoting amiability between India and Pakistan, she was favoured by many. However, when a placard read “Pak didn’t kill my dad – war did”, she was slammed by many, and for liable reasons. Celebrities like Virender Sehwag, Yogeshwar Dutt and the likes stepped in as well but they were branded as “abusers” by the sickulers in Indian media.

Now, the oppositions are trying to promote Gurmehar as another Kanhaiya. But it is absolutely unfortunate to see the child of a martyr to be pushed into such a political war. Minister Kiren Rijiju asked the right question to all:

Now, claiming that Pakistan did not kill her dad and slyly implying through Gurmehar that Hindus are intrinsically intolerant towards Muslims is a “card” amazingly played by the presstitutes and the sickulars involved in the fraud. And all these, just to make the UP elections go out of BJP’s hand. From using a little girl’s ignorance to concocting stories of alleged rape threats, the oppositions have done it all this time to defame Modi and BJP.

BSF soldier Tej Bahadur Yadav.

New Delhi, March 2An inquiry for reported breach of discipline instituted against BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, who alleged bad quality food was given to soldiers, is in its final stage and a report would be submitted soon.Officials said the Staff Court of Inquiry (SCoI) would soon wrap up its investigation and submit its recommendations to the Border Security Force DG here.Meanwhile, the Home Ministry has taken strong exception to a fresh video of Yadav and has asked the BSF to look into it as part of the inquiry.A senior Ministry official said Yadav has crossed the line of discipline and broken service rules by posting the second video.In the fresh video, Yadav alleges that he is being “mentally tortured” and that his attempt to post the first video was to bring to light the alleged prevailing corruption in his organisation.”The Prime Minister had said so (eradication of corruption)…I was doing the same. Is this (inquiry) what I should be getting in return?,” he said in the short video claiming he surrendered his phone to the authorities on January 10 and it has been “tampered with”.In the earlier videos uploaded on social media, Yadav had alleged that while government procures essentials for the soldiers, the higher-ups and officers “sell them off” in an “illegal” manner in the market and they have to suffer. — PTI 

India”s Ambassador to UN, Ajit Kumar addressing the 34th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. — ANI

Geneva/New Delhi, March 1Pakistan created terror outfits against India and the “monster” is now devouring its own creator, India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva said on Wednesday.Addressing the 34th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), Ambassador Ajit Kumar hit out at Pakistan for destabilising the situation in Jammu and Kashmir by promoting infiltration and cross-border terrorism, inciting, promoting and glorifying violence.Asserting that terrorism is the “grossest violation of human rights”, he said members will recognise the irony of a nation that has established a well-earned reputation of being a “global epicentre of terrorism holding forth on human rights”.”Pakistan has created terrorist outfits against India.This monster is now devouring its own creator,” Kumar said, adding that in the last two decades, the most wanted terrorists of the world have found “succour and sustenance” in Pakistan.The fundamental reason for disturbances in parts of Jammu and Kashmir is cross-border terrorism aided and abetted by Pakistan, he said, noting that for many years now, Islamabad has been carrying out an intense campaign to destabilise the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.He further emphasised that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the situation there is an internal matter of the country.The Central government and democratically elected state government have led a system-wide effort last year to restore normalcy in the state in the wake of Pakistan-supported violent unrest, he said in the session’s ‘General Segment’.India would also like to point out that Pakistan’s unwarranted references to UNSC resolutions are “grossly misleading as Pakistan was required to vacate the parts of the State of J&K under its illegal and forced occupation,” Kumar said. — PTI