Youths throw stones at security personnel during clashes in Srinagar. PTI

The Army has woken up to the reality that increasing public support to militants in the Valley poses a greater threat to its objective of establishing and maintaining peace in Kashmir. On Feb 14, when the Army lost four soldiers, including a Major, in two separate encounters in north Kashmir’s Bandipora and Kupwara districts, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat termed the militant supporters as “over-ground workers”.More baffling is the fact that public support is visible in areas where the anti-insurgency campaign has been most effective. In Hajin area of Bandipora, which was the home of counterinsurgency king Kuka Parray, hundreds of youngsters came on streets during the raging gun-battle to help the holed-up Pakistani militants escape. This was not the first time — at least five times, militants were helped by local supporters to escape the cordon.“It (the people gathering at the encounter sites) is a difficult situation for us,” admits J&K Police Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid.This trend began much before the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8 last year. In the much highlighted Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) encounter in Pampore on Srinagar outskirts last year, which left three commandos, including two officers, dead, people gathered around the encounter site, played songs in mosques and tried to hamper the 3-day-long operation.Such crowd behaviour started from south Kashmir — a virtual breeding ground for militants: youth would march towards the gunfight sites to help militants escape. In many cases they succeeded. The trend is gaining ground in north Kashmir districts, the region that lies close to the Line of Control.All this is despite curbs of people’s movement – such as imposing prohibitory orders — before an encounter begins. In reality, such measures yield little. “They throw stones to distract the forces,” says Inspector General (IG) Operations of the CRPF in Kashmir, Zulfiqar Hassan. “In recent two encounters — Frisal Kulgam and Hajin Bandipore — even though we killed five militants, the mob helped the militants to escape.” Hassan, however, says militants pressure people to help them to escape. “These days forces want to wind up anti- militancy operations as quickly as possible to avoid law and order situation. Besides, it is the hiding militant that keeps an eye on forces’ movement and it is he who has the initial initiative. That’s the reason forces are suffering casualties in the first push during the operation,” the officer said. “In a few cases civilians are used as human shields by militants to escape.” The villagers have their own version. A resident of Arwani Anantnag, Riyaz Ahmed, says people facing frequent clampdowns have become immune to the fear of security forces. “There is a lot of anger among the youth. There is no political dialogue. All this causes frustration, which leads people to help the militants. Also, most militants are locals, so, they enjoy support and sympathy,” he said. Whatever is happening is in sharp contrast to the initial anti-militancy campaign launched by the Army. During the early years of 1990s, militants when trapped in a house, were all for themselves. The people would either flee or submit to the orders the men in olive green, till the encounter was over.Another trend is picking up: youngsters go live on social media during their attempt to reach out to militants. The social media, officials said, help militants and separatists to garner support. In Kashmir, the power of social media became evident, after Burhan Wani’s death that triggered a five-month-long unrest and left nearly 90 people dead. 

Militant strength

• 250 approx Total militants
• 225 approx Listed militants
• 130 Locals
• 95 Foreigners
• 110 Lashkar-e-Toiba(foreigners as well as locals)
• 90 Hizbul Mujahideen(all locals)
• The rest are associated with Jaish-e-Mohammad and Al-Badr

Water accumulated in the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal near Patiala’s Sarala village on the Punjab-Haryana border on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MANOJ MAHAJAN

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 22

“Ithay ton kisse ne nahi aauna. Tusi patarkaar vi kabrao na (Nobody will come from this side. Journalists should not worry),” said Haryana’s Harjit Singh, who owns land in Ismailpur village. He claimed that no political outfit could dig the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.Ismailpur is the first village in Haryana’s Ambala district and borders Kapoori village in Patiala district.Water flows in the canal near the Haryana border with Irrigation Department officials claiming that part of the canal in Punjab gets water from Bhakhra, but it is too less to flow to Ambala.The SYL canal at almost the entire stretch near Kapoori passes along the Bhakhra Main Line, which is full of water.Roads and two bridges in Ismailpur had no police presence in spite of an alert, and there was no restriction on the entry of vehicles as a team of The Tribune visited the site today afternoon. The police, however, have put up a naka 2 km inside Punjab.A group of five elderly farmers sitting on the outskirts of Kapoori said that the INLD and for that matter any other party could not dig the canal. They pointed to water in the canal to prove their point.“Whatever little water flows in it is because of monsoon and nearby Bhakhra channel. Can you believe that anyone can dig it with tools or machinery? The announcement to dig the canal is just to hog the limelight,” one of them said. Others nodded.Two of them — Sarbjit Singh and Ram Kishan — were from Haryana, while the rest were from Punjab.They were worried that calls for a march over riverwaters had disturbed camaraderie among people, who were one once.“The dispute is among two states, and not two countries. There has to be a solution. Communities cannot be divided over a matter that does not suit one political party,” a farmer said.Villagers in Kapoori, where the foundation stone of the canal was laid, said the canal had turned fellow villagers, who were once neighbours, into enemies. For this, they blamed political leadership of the two states.“The INLD’s announcement is a political stunt. As the party is fighting for its survival, it dawned upon its leadership to safeguard Haryana’s interests,” Kapoori resident Baldev Singh said. “In Punjab, the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress did nothing for years. Now, they are issuing statements that they won’t allow water to flow out of Punjab.”Some villagers said political outfits were raking up the matter to settle scores. “It is like playing a political football for vested interests,” said Gurjant Singh, who got back 3 acres acquired for the canal.“The Punjab Government tells the Supreme Court that land was returned to actual owners and it was difficult to re-acquire the land. It’s a disputed land and owners do not know whether or not they own it. Further, the land has been dug deep. At some places, the depth is more than 20 ft. I do not have resources to fill the land and start irrigation,” he said.

From conception to conflict

• 1981: The CMs of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan sign an agreement for the allocation of surplus Ravi-Beas waters in the presence of then PM Indira Gandhi.
• April 8, 1982: The foundation stone of the controversial SYL canal, envisaged in 1976, laid by Indira Gandhi at Kapoori village in Patiala. The SAD launches a morcha against the SYL soon after the stone laying.
• 1984: The digging for
• the canal begins
• July 24, 1985: The Rajiv-Longowal accord signed. With the formation of the government under the command of Surjit Singh Banala, the canal construction expedited.
• 1990: Most of the digging completed. However, work had to be suspended — first owing to the killing of labourers and then due to the killing a chief engineer and a superintending engineer associated with the canal.
• January 2002: The SC directs Punjab to complete the canal in a year.
• July 2004: The Punjab Assembly unanimously passes the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, for which Presidential Reference was sent to the Supreme Court, which declared the Act invalid in 2016.
• 2016: The Punjab Assembly passes the Punjab Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal (Rehabilitation and Revesting the Property Rights) Bill, 2016, to return SYL land to farmers. tns

Sonia didn’t speak to Capt for 6 months

Chandigarh, February 22

State Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh has said his government in 2004 had passed the state law terminating the Punjab’s water-sharing pact with neighbouring states without consulting the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and had acutely upset her.An upset Sonia did not meet him for six months after his government passed the law, said Capt Amarinder during the launch of his biography “The People’s Maharaja” here on Tuesday.The Supreme Court had last November struck down the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, as “unconstitutional”.“Mrs Gandhi wouldn’t see me. She didn’t see me for six months as the Chief Minister. The friends then told her either sack him (Amarinder) or see your CM. So, she eventually called me and, sitting across the table, asked me ‘why did you do this (passed the Termination Act)’. I said this was necessary for Punjab.“Then she said why didn’t you ask me, to which I said had I asked you, would you have said yes. To this, she said no… Then I told her I did it because it was in the interest of Punjab,” the Congress leader said.The former CM said he told the Congress president that he passed the Act because he did not want the Gandhi family to suffer more from the malady of terrorism.

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Maharashtra Legislative Assembly building. (PTI)

Maharashtra neta Prashant Paricharak with his shocking comment on the Indian Army, stirred controversy. While addressing a rally, Paricharak talked about how army wives are unfaithful, he said, “Baby despite husband being away. Husband at border, wife has baby”, according to an India Today report. This comment comes in the wake of the stone pelting clash in Kashmir. Two days after Army Chief Bipin Rawat issued a stern warning to all the stone pelters in Kashmir when the operation against militants, where three soldiers were heavily stone-pelted at Parray Mohalla of Bandipore in the northern part of the region.

Prashant Paricharak. (Twitter)

On Friday, clashes erupted in Jammu and Kashmir’s capital Srinagar just days after the warning of army chief Bipin Rawat. The protests broke out after the days prayers as the youngsters waved the ISIS flags. This incident took place near Jama Masjid in Srinagar after the prayers were over and people were captured raising Pakistan’s flag and also pelted stones.

An Islamic State suicide bomber on Thursday struck inside a famed shrine in southern Pakistan killing at least 75 people in the deadliest attack in the country in more than two years. The incident was condemned at the international level including United Nations and the United States. Since the clashes in Jammu and Kashmir took place just one day after the attack, it is a big concern of the Indian government.

Navjot to have ‘larger’ role in Punjab politics?

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 12

Former BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu today met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the Capital. Sources said during the 30-minute meeting, the two discussed modalities on the former cricketer joining the Congress.“Sidhu did not join all these days as he considered the pre-Lohri period as inauspicious,” said a party activist. By inference, he may join on or post-Lohri. However, the Congress did not give any date.A Congress leader said Sidhu may join the party in Chandigarh. He claimed he would have a “larger” role in Punjab politics and that Rahul would “carve out” that role. The indications came a day after Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh said it was up to the Congress high command to decide whether to make Sidhu Deputy CM, should the Congress win the Assembly poll. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The Congress has withheld the Amritsar East seat in its third list. Sidhu’s wife Dr Navjot Kaur is a sitting MLA from here. The Congress is likely to field one of them from here.

Five former Akalis in Cong’s third list, local cadres seethe

Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike, Deepinder Singh Dhillon and Davinder Ghubaya

Aditi Tandon and Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 12

A day after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi publicly acknowledged at a national convention here that nominees in the Congress are often foisted from outside, his party fielded several newcomers in Punjab, leaving the local cadres seething. In the third list of 23 candidates announced today, the Congress cited “winnability” to nominate five former Akalis. They are Kamaljit Singh Karwal from Atam Nagar; Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike from Nihalsinghwala, sitting Akali MP Sher Singh Ghubaya’s son Davinder Ghubaya from Fazilka, Pritam Kotbhai from Bhucho Mandi and Deepinder Dhillon from Dera Bassi.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Most of these former Akali leaders had joined the Congress in December last year —Kotbhai and Bhagike on December 6, Karwal on December 15 and Ghubaya on December 21. Deepinder Dhillon had joined the Congress in February last.Among the others nominees are kin of state leaders, including former minister and Sanaur MLA Lal Singh’s son Rajinder Singh (Samana), former Jagraon MLA Gurdeep Singh Bhaini’s son Major Bhaini (Dakha), former Punjab minister Ramesh Dogra’s son Arun Dogra (Dasuya), Lok Sabha MP Santokh Chaudhary’s wife Karamjit Kaur (Phillaur), Ludhiana-based hotelier Jassi Khangura’s relative Bhupinder Sidhu (Ludhiana South)  and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Ram Rahim’s relative Harminder Singh Jassi (Maur).Sitting Ludhiana North MLA Rakesh Pandey managed to get the ticket despite massive resistance from a section of central Congress leaders with Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh stoutly backing the five-time MLA.The nomination of Tejinder Bittu from Jalandhar North, where ex-minister Avtar Henry was seeking a ticket for his son, has triggered a revolt. Trouble is brewing in areas like Sham Chaurasi with the Congress denying the ticket to former Union Minister Santosh Choudhry’s family and fielding district leader Pawan Adhia. The nomination of newcomer Amit Vij, son of Pathankot leader Anil Vij, is also causing problems.Senior Pathankot Congress leader Raman Bhalla, a contender for the seat, said: “I am shocked that the party has fielded Amit Vij who lives in Delhi. In Bhoa they have named Joginder Singh who runs a mining business and is known to be Bikram Majithia’s partner. I am writing a protest letter.”In Ludhiana, there’s angst over Karwal’s nomination. Also, local leaders are surprised over the nomination of Bhupinder Sidhu, who mainly lives in Canada. Ludhiana Congress leader Pawan Dewan questioned Sidhu’s nomination, claiming the latter was not even an applicant.Santosh Choudhry said she was hurt at the denial of the party ticket to her daughter. “Wards of other leaders have managed the ticket. Why?” she wondered.By giving the ticket to Bhai Harnirpal Singh Kuku from Kotkapura, the party has prevented the damage that he may have otherwise caused to Muktsar candidate Karan Kaur Brar. Kuku was seeking the ticket from Muktsar. Likewise, by fielding Karwal from Atam Nagar, the party has tried to counter Simarjit Singh Bains of the Lok Insaf Party. Karwal is a former associate of the Bains brothers.

 

A poll laced with shoes

Punjab deserves a better discourse

Yet another shoe has been hurled. Unlike on most previous occasions, this time it hit the target, and it was none less than the Chief Minister of Punjab. This is an abominable act that goes not only against all norms of civilised behaviour, but also, in the political context, is a direct assault on certain firm assumptions in a democracy. No matter what the provocation, no one may in an ordered society take recourse to violence — real or symbolic — to convey his anger, frustration or set right any injustice. For any immediate cause, there is the recourse of the police and courts. For anger against an elected government, there is the ballot, the ultimate weapon in the hands of even the least empowered.Punjab is going through an extremely impassioned election. Up against Parkash Singh Badal is an AAP candidate who came into the limelight only after having himself hurled a shoe at a Union minister. That act of gross misbehaviour was applauded in certain political quarters; the AAP even rewarded him with a nomination. Over the past few days, AAP MP Bhagwant Mann has referred to a possibility of people stoning SAD leaders. After the shoe incident SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur has mentioned how AAP workers may come to harm in case Akali workers turned violent. This is messaging of the worst kind. There have been incidents of party workers clashing, villagers acting hostile towards leaders, or candidates themselves using intemperate language. It is very unfortunate that top party leaders have not condemned such incidents in the strong terms expected of them.The Election Commission is now in charge of law and order in the state. It must respond to all such incidents with such alacrity and severity that political parties and their workers may not find it profitable to incite anyone to violence. The parties too need to reconcile what they do in the heat of the moment. They will have to live with the consequences — for themselves as well as the state — once the elections are over. No one would want a disturbed state to take over.

We have had enough, say angry Jalalabad residents

A milestone being used by a butcher to support his chicken cage near Kandhawala Hazar Khan village in Jalalabad. Tribune photo

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Kandhawala Hazar Khan (Jalalabad), January 12The GPS fails as we near the destination. A man points towards a milestone used by a butcher to support his chicken cage. It is empty. An arrow directs right for Kandhawala Hazar Khan. Five minutes on the narrow straight road dividing young wheat fields, we are among a group of men. It is this Dalit vehra on the periphery of the village where Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s cavalcade was stoned three days ago.“Akalis are facing the wrath here,” Sunil Kumar, a young labourer, cracks the conversation. He says not long ago, the entire village had voted for the Akalis. But people are now fed up. He tells how Dalits have not been given benefits of government schemes and the sarpanch is working only for the landlords.He asks us to come with him. Almost every Dalit woman shows a pit in her house which was dug as they were promised a grant of Rs 15,000 for the construction of toilets. If someone says her calf died after falling in the pit, another says her husband was injured as he toppled after stepping on it.The houses are of mud, but the village roads are concrete. They are called “bomb-proof roads” in this side of Punjab and Sukhbir is often ridiculed for these.We enter Gurbans Singh’s house, a mud, windowless darkroom. He points to an elderly paralytic woman crawling on the cold floor. “She is my wife. They don’t give her share of wheat as she doesn’t have an Aadhar card.” He points at her crippled fingers. “Officials say she can’t have the card as they can’t get her finger prints.”Go further into the village and farmers complain how they were not given compensation for the cotton crop damaged in 2015 or how Akalis in connivance with local arhtiyas duped them when it came to procuring their paddy. Babu Singh, who owns 16 acres of land, tells that before him all his four generations were Akali supporters. “This time we will not vote for the Akali Dal,” he says.If someone talks about not getting atta-dal, others talk about unfulfilled promise of providing 5-marla plots. That the money is being siphoned off by the Akali henchmen in various schemes is a common allegation.It was an election rally of 10 surrounding villages on Sunday. The rest of the story is known. Dalit men and women were not allowed to go near Sukhbir. They started raising slogans and were beaten up by the police. When the cavalcade started moving away from the village, stones were pelted.Late night, the police came in large numbers. “As far as I could see, there were only police vehicles on the entire street,” says Kala Ram. They were looking for his son Gulab Ram. They forced their way into the houses and hurled abuses at the women, says Simbo, whose son hasn’t returned since Sunday evening.After the incident, most of the youngsters left the village. “More than 20 still haven’t returned,” says Kumar, adding that sarpanch Gurdeep Singh has threatened them with social boycott.Kumar then takes us to the periphery of the village. In the middle stands a tall dark green dome. Punjabi couplets are written almost on every wall. He says this is one of the biggest dargahs of 18th century Sufi poet Bulleh Shah built after the Partition, when a man brought a brick from his dargah from Pakistan. “Jhooth aakhan ta kuj bachda aey. Sach aakheya bhambar machda aey,” reads one of the couplets on the wall.Five minutes on the road, the same milestone guides us back to National Highway-10. The afternoon sun is shining upon us; the cage is now filled with chickens. It seems the butcher has arrived.

Badal family grew richer by Rs 13 cr in five years

None owns a car | Sukhbir richest at Rs 32 cr | 3 tractors worth Rs 9.4 lakh | Cash Rs 82,500

Minister Bikram Singh Majithia after filing his nomination papers from Majitha in Amritsar on Thursday. PTI

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, January 12

Chief Minister P

arkash Singh Badal’s family is worth Rs 76.87 crore and among all the members, his deputy-son and SAD president Sukhbir Badal is the richest.  Sukhbir, as per the nominations filed today, has declared his total net assets (after deducting liabilities) worth Rs 32.69 crore. His wife and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has shown her total assets worth Rs 29.68 crore. At Rs 14.5 crore, the Badal Senior owns the least among the trio. The combined assets of the Chief Minister, his son and daughter-in-law and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal have shown an increase of Rs 13.1 crore over the past five years. During the 2012 Vidhan Sabha elections, Parkash Singh Badal had declared his total assets worth Rs 6.75 crore while Sukhbir’s net worth was Rs 45 crore. Harsimrat had declared her assets worth Rs 12.02 crore during the 2014 Lok Sabha poll (total previous worth is Rs 63.77). Surprisingly, the family does not own a car, though they have three tractors worth Rs 9.4 lakh. Two tractors are owned by Sukhbir (worth Rs 5.5 lakh) and one by Parkash Singh Badal (worth Rs 3.9 lakh). Harsimrat doesn’t even own a tractor.They have total bank balance of Rs 1.12 crore, which includes Rs 34.7 lakh with Parkash Singh Badal, Rs 65.27 lakh of Sukhbir and Rs 12.66 lakh of Harsimrat.The trio owns immovable property worth Rs 67.76 crore, including agricultural land worth Rs 15.78 crore. This comprises Parkash Singh Badal’s land of Rs 8.53 crore, Harsimrat’s of Rs 5.59 crore and Sukhbir’s land of Rs 1.65 crore. The total movable assets are worth Rs 48.8 crore.Sukhbir has liabilities of Rs 39.7 crore while his wife’s are of Rs 5 lakh. The CM has none.Their worthMajithia’s assets: Rs 11 crore

• Total assets: Rs 11,89,66,30
• Cash in hand: Rs 15,000 with his wife Ganieve Kaur: Rs 12,500
• Fixed deposits: Rs 21,46,393 his wife’s: Rs 24,66,007
• Investments in bonds, debentures: Rs 11,11,42,977 his wife’s: Rs 1,40,22,265
• Wife’s insurance policy/postal savings: Rs 14,72,100
• Jewellery & valuables: Rs 26,50,000 his wife’s: Rs 30,15,000

Sodhi owns Rs 7-lakh guns 

• Watches: Rs 6 lakh
• Guns: Rs 7 Lakh
• Vehicles: Honda Accord, Cheverolet Cruze
• Gold: 700 gm worth  Rs 21 lakh
• Movable assets: Rs 35.57 lakh his wife Tina Sodhi’s Rs 22.67 lakh
• Immovable: 13 acres agricultural land at Mohan Ke Utar village worth Rs 1.5 cr, 4.3 acres at Kotbilia village worth Rs 2.5 cr; house in Sector 4, Panchkula, worth Rs 4.5 cr; commercial building in Ferozepur worth Rs 70 lakh
• Fixed deposits:  Rs 16 lakh

Warring ‘poorer’ by Rs 2.2 cr

• Total assets: Rs 1.69 cr
• Movable assets: Rs 1.15 cr
• Immovable assets: Rs 1 cr
• Liability: Rs 45.92 lakh
• • Cash in hand: Rs 60,000
  • Jewellery: Rs 2.6 lakh
  • Vehicle: Toyota Innova
  • Assets in 2012: Rs 3.9 cr

Twenty-six of 117 MLAs kept mum in House in their five-year tenure

Cong MLAs Balbir Singh Sidhu, Sardoolgarh Ajit Inder Singh raised max questions

Gurminder Singh Grewal

Samrala/ Khanna January 12

Political parties are busy declaring their candidates from various seats for the upcoming Assembly elections and people are also hopeful that the MLAs concerned will raised their issues in the Assembly, but 26 of 117 MLAs have failed to take up any single issue in their 5-year tenure. Out of ministers apart from Tota Singh and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, other 16 ministers kept mum. This was the information gathered under RTI from Punjab Vidhan Sabha Secretariat provided on January 3 by the Under Secretary-cum-Public Relations officer. As per the information, 17 MLAs of Akali Dal, seven of BJP and two of the Congress failed to take up any issue during their tenure. Of these, about 12 managed to get tickets again while ticket of five had been dropped. Some others were still waiting to get a ticket. The MLAs who didn’t take up the issues also include two times and three times elected MLAs. Congress MLA from Mohali Balbir Singh Sidhu topped in raising questions. He raised 89 questions, including eight in writing, while Congress MLA Sardoolgarh Ajit Inder Singh Mofar raised 77 questions. Akali ministers Tota Singh and Daljit Singh raised 23 and 25 questions, respectively, while most others kept mum in the Assembly. Darshan Singh Shivalik topped from Akali Dal with 61 direct and two written questions. Akali Dal MLAs who did not speak in the house at all were Amarpal Singh from Ajnala, Ashwani Kumar from Pathankot, Avinash Chander from Phillaur, Balvir Singh Ghunas from Dirba, Des Raj Dhuga from Sri Hargobindpur, Dinesh Singh from Sujanpur, Bibi Farjana Alam from Malerkotla, Gurbachan Singh Babehali from Gurdaspur, Harmit Singh Sandhu from Tarntaran, Indervir Singh Bolaria from Amritsar South, Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu from Talwandi Sabo, KD Bhandari from Jalandhar North, Manoranjan Kalia from Jalandhar Central, Mantar Singh Brar from Kotkapura, Bibi Mohinder Kaur Josh from Sham Churasi, NK Sharma from Dera Bassi, Nand Lal Chaudhry from Balachaur, Bibi Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Parkash Chand Garg from Sangrur, Pawan Kumar Teenu from Adampur, Sarup Chand Singla from Bathinda, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Som Parkash from Phagwara, Surinder Singh Rathan from Garhshankar, Virsa Singh Valtoha from Khemkaran did not raise any question about their area, while two Congress MLAs including Amrik Singh Dhillon from Samrala and OP Soni from Amritsar Central also did not raise any question during their period.Meanwhile, women members including Karan Kaur Brar, Aruna Chaudhary and Bibi Guriqbal Kaur raised 44,47 and 38 questions, respectively, including direct and written questions. Interestingly Captain Amarinder Singh also did not raise any question during his tenure before his election as MP from Amritsar. At present, the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat had removed the website on which this information and RTI is the only way to give information about it.What RTI says

• As per the information under the RTI, 17 MLAs of Akali Dal, seven of BJP and two of the Congress failed to take up any issue during their tenure. Of these, about 12 managed to get tickets again while ticket of five had been dropped. Some others were still waiting to get a ticket. The MLAs who didn’t take up the issues also include two times and three times elected MLAs.
• Congress MLA from Mohali Balbir Singh Sidhu topped in raising questions. He raised 89 questions, including eight in writing, while Congress MLA from Sardoolgarh Ajit Inder Singh Mofar raised 77 questions.
• Akali ministers Tota Singh and Daljit Singh raised 23 and 25 questions, respectively, while most others kept mum in the Assembly.
• Darshan Singh Shivalik topped from Akali Dal with 61 direct and two written questions.

Donning new role, General goes door to door

Former Army Chief and SAD nominee General JJ Singh campaigns in Patiala. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 12

“Without pity, without remorse” is how former chief of the Indian Army General Joginder Jaswant terms the poll battle against Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh.Ensuring to reach at every gathering at the scheduled time, the former Army man is finding it tough to go by the clock as was the case in the Army where punctuality was a key factor to success.Walking through the dusty lanes in the inner heart of the city, guided by his local SAD workers as navigators, former Army chief and Akali Dal candidate from Patiala Gen JJ Singh promises “to be a de facto” MLA from Patiala and not like Capt Amarinder and his wife Preneet Kaur, incumbent Patiala MLA, whom he terms as “dummy leaders”.Talking about the state politics and his stint as Army chief JJ Singh has a lot to talk about his battles fought in the past and his being a tough task master. “I will ensure that the people of Patiala see development and get rid of corruption,” he says as he skips talking about the local issues that are haunting the city for the past few years.“Battle has just started and I am happy with the crowd response. Door-to-door campaigning is something which is new for me but I have started liking it,” says the 71-year old.As a former Army chief, Gen JJ Singh gets some curious onlookers in the gathering who wants to have a glimpse of his. “I will stay here, roam the streets like a commoner and despite being in the Army and then a Governor, I assure you that you would see me often,” he says.Addressing a gathering in the Sher-e-Punjab market, majority consisting of urban Sikhs, the talking point is the cut beard supported by Gen JJ Singh. A few Akali workers are seen smiling at each other on their party now fielding a Sikh with his beard trimmed. “Times have changed. Liquor traders, Sikhs with trimmed beard, realty tycoons and parachute candidates are all making hay in SAD. We have little choice but to accompany them as the party wants it,” they said.To a query, Singh claims that all is well within the party and the local Akali workers are now standing like a wall with him. Whatever be the case, the Patiala voters have an interesting choice to make.

Congress list of 23 candidates

Badal ‘bahu’ inciting violence, says AAP

• AAP has demanded removal of Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur from the Cabinet and registration of a case against her for “inciting violence”. It also complained to the EC.

Black flags shown to Sukhbir in Jalalabad

• Sukhbir was shown black flags at Jalalabad Tehsil by lawyers for “not attaching” 44 villages in Jalalabad police circle for works relating to criminal cases and police matters.

He denied CM siropa, now backs Jarnail

Balbir Singh

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 12

Former Golden Temple ‘ardasia’ Balbir Singh has given up the idea of challenging Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from Lambi and would instead support AAP nominee Jarnail Singh.Balbir, who shot to limelight after denying ‘siropa’ to CM Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Badal at the Golden Temple, said his decision was based on the feedback he received from ‘Sikh Sangat’. He had announced to take on CM Badal, alleging that the state government did little to check sacrilege incidents.He subsequently uploaded a video on the social media seeking advice from the Sikh community on whether or not to enter the poll arena. “My sole aim was never to see Badal in power again. The Sikh population from across the world supported my cause overwhelmingly. But a majority of them calculated that my candidature could divide anti-Badal votes and defeat the purpose,” he said.Balbir said he would support Jarnail and even campaign for him. “He is fighting for the cause of Sikh panth and anti-Badal policies,” he said.

Manpreet files nomination papers on Day 2

Congress candidate Manpreet Badal files his nomination papers along with his family members in Bathinda on Thursday. Photo: Vijay Kumar

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 12

Congress candidate Manpreet Singh Badal today filed his nomination papers from the Bathinda Urban constituency with Returning Officer, Bathinda, SDM, Sakshi Sawhney on the second day of the nominations.Manpreet was accompanied by his son Arjun Badal, daughter Rhea Badal, nephew Mannat Johal and Rajan Garg inside the SDM office. Manpreet’s family has total assets worth around Rs 40 crore that includes properties in Chandigarh, Haryana and Rajasthan.As per the affidavit filed before the Returning Officer here, Manpreet declared assets of around Rs 40 crore, with movable assets to the tune of around Rs 3 crore and immovable assets worth around Rs 38 crore.He has declared his gross total value in the form of cash, vehicle and jewellery at Rs 3,17,005, Rs 18,54,484 of his wife Venu, Rs 18,487,551 of Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), Rs 1,48,940 in the name of his son Arjun and Rs 3,98,884 in the name of his daughter Rhea.Manpreet owns nine vehicles, including Fortuner, Honda CRV, three jeeps and two tractors.The Manpreet family owns a house in Chandigarh which is worth Rs 17 crore and it also owns a house in Gurgaon, worth Rs 1.25 crore. They also have three commercial buildings in Chandigarh. The family also has a liability or loans of around Rs 7 crore.After filing the nominations, Manpreet said the Congress would address issues of people after coming to power. He condemned the incident in which a shoe was thrown at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in a village of his constituency. But he claimed that he was not shocked as the “misrule” by them has led to anger in the public.

Total assets worth Rs 40 crore

• Manpreet Badal’s family has total assets worth around Rs 40 crore that includes properties in Chandigarh, Haryana and Rajasthan. As per the affidavit filed before the Returning Officer here, Manpreet declared assets of around Rs 40 crore, with movable assets to the tune of around Rs 3 crore and immovable assets worth around Rs 38 crore.

Balbir Singh Sidhu seeks PUDA chief’s transfer

Congress candidate from Mohali Balbir Singh Sidhu addresses a press conference in Mohali on Thursday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Our Correspondent

Mohali, January 12

In a complaint to Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, Congress MLA from Mohali Balbir Singh Sidhu sought the transfer of the Chief Administrator, Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA).Releasing a copy of his complaint to CEC Nasim Zaidi at a press conference here today, Balbir Sidhu accused PUDA Chief Administrator (CA) Manvesh Singh Sidhu of using his office for campaigning purposes and pressuring the staff and others to support SAD-BJP candidate TPS Sidhu.Balbir Sidhu sought the immediate transfer of the PUDA Chief Administrator to some other state for a free and fair elections.In the complaint, the Congress candidate said the CA was a close relative of the SAD-BJP candidate, who was also from the IAS cadre and was contesting the election after resigning from the post of Secretary, Punjab Mandi Board.Balbir Sidhu said the PUDA CA had been on the same seat for the past five years due to the blessings of political high-ups, who were also very close to him.Copies of the complaint have also been sent to the Punjab State Election Commissioner, Chandigarh, and the District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Mohali.

‘SAD candidate an outsider’

At the press conference, Balbir Sidhu also termed SAD-BJP candidate TPS Sidhu as an “outsider”. He said residents of Mohali could not trust TPS Sidhu as he was not even aware of their problems. He was now promising everything in the world to the residents. He wondered why TPS Sidhu did not do this when he was the Mohali Deputy Commissioner. The SAD-BJP candidate was only making false promises to ensure his win, he added.Balbir Sidhu said he had spent half his life serving the people of Mohali and vowed to serve them till his last breath. The misuse of power and the fleecing of people would not work here, said the Congress candidate.

Deepinder Dhillon is Cong candidate from Dera Bassi

Deepinder Singh Dhillon

Satinder Pal Singh

Dera Bassi, January 12

Congress National president Sonia Gandhi today ended all speculations about the party ticket for the Dera Bassi seat. Sonia Gandhi made it amply clear that Deepinder Singh Dhillon is the party candidate from Dera Bassi. An announcement to this effect was made by the Congress high command today.Deepinder Singh Dhillon is all set to take the electoral plunge in the Assembly elections to be held on February 4. He is the party candidate from the Dera Bassi Constituency.Dhillon would thus be fighting against SAD-BJP candidate and sitting MLA NK Sharma, and AAP’s Bibi Sarabjeet Kaur, wife of late Capt Kanwaljit’s Singh, a former SAD minister.Dhillon is seen as a candidate who can make the going difficult for SAD-BJP candidate and sitting MLA NK Sharma given that he knows the ‘ins and outs’ of the SAD-BJP in the Dera Bassi Constituency and could manage to bring in more party members into the Congress fold.Party insiders said the decision to field Deepinder Singh Dhillon from Dera Bassi was a deliberate one in view of his close association with this Constituency and the special bond that the people here shared with him.The party also expects that an overwhelming public response to Deepinder will send a strong signal to potential allies that the Congress is not a spent force.“We are more than happy to welcome him. He is a local face and it is more a homecoming for him. Now, the Congress will be taking Akalis with a bang,” said a local Congress leader.

About Deepinder Singh Dhillon

Deepinder Singh Dhillon, a confidant of former Minister of State for External Affairs, Preneet Kaur, quit the Congress in 2012 after he was denied Congress ticket for the Dera Bassi seat. Dhillon contested the 2012 Assembly elections from the Dera Bassi Constituency as an Independent candidate. He was just second to NK Sharma in the last elections and had got 51,248 votes as an Independent.Dhillon was expelled from the Congress before the Assembly elections on January 22, 2012, after he announced to contest as an Independent candidate from Dera Bassi. Later on, he joined the SAD and was appointed the District Planning Board Chairman, Patiala.Dhillon’s elevation to the plum post had left many a senior SAD leaders of Patiala district red-faced. Notably, the names of most of the SAD leaders were missing from the hoardings installed to congratulate Dhillon.Dhillon even contested the Lok Sabha poll in 2014 against Preneet Kaur and AAP candidate Dharamvir Gandhi. He had finished third in a three-corner contest where Congress candidate Preneet Kaur was the runner-up and AAP’s Dharamvir Gandhi won.In 2016, Dhillon was expelled from the SAD for his alleged anti-party activities. Deepinder blamed Akali MLA from Dera Bassi NK Sharma for leaving him with no option but to quit the SAD and join the Congress.

Tough ride for Congress candidate Tajinder Bittu

Avtar Henry, Raj Kumar Gupta set to oppose him

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 12

It will not be an easy ride for Congress candidate Tajinder Bittu, who has got ticket from Jalandhar (North), as he is sure to face dissidence not just from former Congress minister Avtar Henry but also former MLA Raj Kumar Gupta.As the news spread, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, son of Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit, went to Henry’s place and tried to placate him, but failed in doing so. The party workers, who had gathered there in large numbers, gave him two-day time to get the decision reverted. Henry has so far maintained that he would go by what majority of workers would suggest.Workers, however, continued to allege that Bittu was an outsider in this constituency. He is an agent of the SAD. If the ticket is not changed in two days, we will plan future course of action. There have been reports of Henry mulling plans to shift to the AAP or contest independently. The AAP ticket currently is with businessman Gulshan Sharma.Four MC councillors, PPCC secretary Balwant Shergill, ex-councillors Mahesh Puri Pappi, Gian Chand Sodhi, Avtar Singh, Haripal Sondhi, Nirmal S Nimma, comrade Raj Kumar, Rakesh Kumar Gannu, Desh Deepak, Om Parkash and Surinder Kaur were among those who resigned today in support of Henry.Likewise, former MLA Raj Kumar Gupta (80), who too was a claimant of the seat has called a meeting of his supporters tomorrow noon to discuss his plan. His son Pawan Gupta (51), who is two-time party councillor, said, “The entire Aggarwal community associated with us is angry at ticket not coming to my father. This will affect the party in two constituencies –Jalandhar (Central), where my father was MLA in 2002, and Jalandhar (North), where we had been waiting to get ticket. Our community has 20,000 voters in both the constituencies.”He further rued, “We were hoping that we would be adjusted in Jalandhar (North). But today, the party announced ticket for Tajinder Bittu, which is not acceptable to us. If our supporters suggest us to contest independently, we may go by them.”

Cong bet on Mann in Phagwara

Our correspondent

Phagwara, January 12

The Congress today declared Joginder Singh Mann as its candidate from the Phagwara Assembly constituency. Mann, who belongs to the Valmiki community, is the nephew of veteran Congress leader and former union home minister Buta Singh.A former state minister himself, Mann has won the seat three times and lost twice since 1985. The AAP have nominated Jarnail Nangal while BSP has announced Surinder Dhadhey as its candidate. Sitting MLA Som Parkash and Mohan Lal are seeking the BJP ticket.Meanwhile, no nomination paper was filed in Phagwara on the second day of filing nomination papers today, Returning Officer and SDM, Phagwara, Balbir Raj Singh said this evening.

Cong leader Chaudhary Surinder banks on his legacy, aims to focus on jobs

Chaudhary Surinder Singh meets residents during a door-to-door campaign at a village of Kartarpur in Jalandhar. A Tribune Photograph

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

“I am the grandson of Master Gurbanta Singh, son of Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, and I want to serve people.” This line was posted on the Facebook wall of Chaudhary Surinder Singh which is enough to tell about his proud lineage which residents of Kartarpur can swear on!

One may assess the political importance of the Kartarpur constituency that right from the government of former Chief Minister Partap Singh Kairon in mid-1950s, incumbent MLAs from there remained important ministers. Political standing of the family may be judged from the fact that whosoever defeated Master Gurbanta Singh and Chaudhary Jagjit Singh became a minister in recognition of the fact that he defeated a political heavyweight.Piara Ram Dhanowalia of the Republican Party defeated Master Gurbanta Singh in 1967 and became a minister in Justice Gurnam Singh’s first non-Congress government. Avinash Chander of the SAD, a political novice at the time, was rewarded with the position of the Chief Parliamentary Secretary by Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, on defeating political stalwart Chaudhary Jagjit Singh. Again, Sarwan Singh, an Akali, defeated Chaudhary Surinder and became a minister in recognition of his success in trouncing a strong opponent.Having been promised the ticket from Kartarpur by PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh following the death of Chaudhary Jagjit Singh in August 2016, an official announcement for Chaudhary Surinder Singh’s candidature came recently.So what are the top agendas? “The major focus will be made on providing employment to youth here. We would make strenuous efforts to bring some corporates to further enhance the employment opportunities in the constituency,” said the Dalit leader, who is a fitness freak.Will he be able to revive the lost glory of the historic furniture market of Kartarpur?”I don’t think there is a need to do that as a majority of the manufacturers had already shifted to other professions after facing tough competition from the Chinese market. However, we will encourage entrepreneurship efforts in the area,” said the Congress leader.As Kartarpur had always remained a constituency where a candidate has only won by a mere margin of 500 to 1,000 votes, what impact it will have on the Congress prospects after the arrival of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which is reported to have attracted around 10,000 to 15,000 persons from a database of 1.5 lakh voters?”No, I am hopeful that our traditional vote bank has remained intact and will not be disturbed with the arrival of other political parties in the area. All that which ensure my win is my proud legacy and my will to serve people,” claimed Chaudhary Surinder.

Chaudhary Surinder Singh

• Party: Congress
• Qualification: MA History
• Constituency: Kartarpur
• Poll record: Contesting for the first time.
• Focus: To provide employment to every family in the constituency. Will make strenuous efforts to bring some corporates to further enhance the employment opportunities

It’s Kaypee-Tinu face-off in Adampur after 15 years

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 12

It will be a repeat of 2002 as former minister Mahinder Singh Kaypee, whose candidature from the Congress was announced today, will contest against sitting MLA Pawan Tinu from the Adampur Assembly segment.Kaypee and Tinu had come face-to-face 15 years back as both of them had then contested from Jalandhar South seat (now Jalandhar West after the last delimitation). Tinu, who was the BSP candidate then, had lost to Kaypee by 13, 485 votes.The situation was different in the constituency. “Tinu was a candidate from a weaker party. He is now a sitting MLA of the Akali Dal and is riding on party’s achievements, including the foundation stone laying of airport in the constituency, laying of sewage works and upgrade of Bhogpur sugar mill. Kaypee was then banking on the fact that his father and five-time Congress MLA Darshan Singh Kaypee, had been killed by militants just 10 years back. Kaypee, who has been out of power for 10 years, has now come on a different turf,” said a political observer from Jalandhar.There are other factors on which the fight will depend. It is believed that Pawan Tinu has been facing dissidence within the party with Akali leaders including councillor Darshan Singh Karwal and his two brothers, and SGPC member Gurcharan Kaur Kalra, while political observers say Kaypee has no such dissidence as two other claimants from the party have got adjusted well. Satnam Kainth, who contested the last time, is now the candidate from Banga while Seth Satpal Mal had joined the Akali Dal and is now the candidate from Kartarpur. The presence of the AAP and the BSP candidates from the reserved seat too would be other deciding factors.

Says can’t accept Supreme Court ruling as 10 lakh acres in southern Punjab will go dry if SYL project completed

Sutlej -Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal issue has the potential of taking Punjab back to square one. There are people already waiting in the wings and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) will ginger them up.” Punjab Congress chief and former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh delivered this warning at the launch of his biography, ‘The People’s Maharaja’, written by Khushwant Singh.

SANJEEV SHARMA/HT(From left) Author Khushwant Singh, Hay House Publishers India chief executive Ashok Chopra and Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh at the launch of the former chief minister’s biography, ‘The People’s Maharaja’, in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

The event was attended by the who’s who of the region, including Amarinder’s close friend Aroosa Alam from Pakistan.

Amarinder cautioned that 10 lakh acres will go dry in southern Punjab if the canal is built. “Six lakh families will have to go without food. Do you think people will sit back? The youth will draw weapons,” he said.

In a free-wheeling interaction moderated by Hindustan Times senior resident editor Ramesh Vinayak, Amarinder said that the ruling SAD-BJP Government had not pursued the case well. “They should have at least told the court about the quantum of water available in the state. I can’t accept the ruling at all,” he said, telling how he had circumvented the canal during his tenure as chief minister.

“I asked the secretary, irrigation, how we could avoid it, and he said there is a way but you might get sacked,” Amarinder recalled, while narrating the sequence of events that led to the Bill terminating all water agreements.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi was so miffed with him that she refused to meet him for six months.

THE 1984 CHAPTER

Dwelling on the run-up to Operation Bluetsar, Amarinder recounted how he used to make 10 trips to Amritsar every month from 1980 to February 1984 in a bid to resolve the Punjab imbroglio. “Ravinder Singh of Akali Dal and I worked very hard and many a times we thought a solution had been found, but either (Parkash Singh) Badal would drop it or Prime Minister Indira Gandhi would.”

Amarinder said he opted out of the negotiations in February 1984, saying he had done his bit. Amarinder recalls how he was caught unawares by the military operation as he was always told that it would be the last option. “I told the PM even then, that I would quit if it took place.”.

ALWAYS A SOLDIER

Amarinder said though he had enjoyed every phase of his life, his stint in the army was his favourite. “I would have stayed on had circumstances not intervened,” said Amarinder, who continued his tryst with the forces by authoring three books on military history in the past five years.

Khushwant recalled how shocked he was when he visited Amarinder in October last year and found him contemplating a book on the Battle of Saragarhi. His book on the 1965 war earned him accolades from none other than the son of Gen Ayub Khan of Pakistan, who went on record to praise it as the most credible book on the war in which he too had taken part as a young officer.

POLL PREDICTION

Coming to March 11, incidentally his 75th birthday and the first time in 15 generations that a scion of the Patiala family has crossed this mark, Amarinder said he expected the Congress to bag 65-odd seats as people wanted stability and good governance.

He gave around 40 seats to the Aam Aadmi Party and the remaining handful to the Shiromani Akali Dal.

“There is a groundswell of anger against the Akali misrule, that’s why I opted to fight from Lambi,” he said.

Amarinder signed off saying he hoped the book will see many more updates and chapters.

New Delhi, January 7

A special court on Saturday issued fresh summons against three accused in a money laundering case related to the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper deal in which it had earlier issued an open-ended non-bailable warrant (NBW) against British national and alleged middleman Christian Michel James.Special Judge Arvind Kumar re-issued the summons against India-based firm M/s Media Exim Private Limited and its directors R K Nanda and J B Subramaniyam while asking them to be present in court on February 22. The firm was set up by James, Nanda and Subramaniyam.The court passed the order after advocate N K Matta, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, informed it that the summons issued against the three accused on the last date of hearing could not be executed.It had on November 31 last year issued an open-ended NBW against James and summons against other three accused in the case, saying, “There is prima facie evidence against the accused.”The NBW was issued against James after ED had told the court that the alleged middleman was out of India and pressed for an arrest warrant against him to bring him here to face the trial. An open-ended NBW (arrest warrant) does not carry a time limit for its execution.In June last year, ED had filed a 1,300-page prosecution complaint (equivalent for charge sheet) in connection with its money laundering probe in the case.It had said the agency’s investigation into the case had found that James allegedly received Euro 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from M/s AgustaWestland which was nothing but “kickbacks” paid by the firm to execute the deal for sale of 12 helicopters to India in favour of the firm in “guise” of genuine transactions for performing multiple work contracts in the country. — PTI

The couple in custody for the murder of Indian Air Force corporal Vipan Shukla (inset) in Bathinda on Tuesday. Photo: Pawan sharma

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 21

The chopped body of Indian Air Force (IAF) corporal Vipan Shukla, who had gone missing on February 8, was found today in the staff quarters at the Bhisiana air force station.The police arrested IAF sergeant Shailesh Kumar and his wife Anuradha, who is eight months’ pregnant, for the murder. A co-accused, Shailesh’s brother-in-law Shashi Bhushan, is absconding. A preliminary investigation revealed that Shukla had illicit relations with Anuradha. On getting pregnant last year, she allegedly asked him to marry her as she was prepared to divorce her husband. However, he rebuffed her and told her to get an abortion done.Sources said Anuradha and her husband later hatched a conspiracy to murder Shukla. Her brother, who works in the Merchant Navy, became their accomplice.Police sources stated that around 10.30 pm on February 8, when Shukla was taking a walk, Anuradha sought his help to pack her luggage. He entered her house, where Shailesh and his brother-in-law hit him fatally on the head with an axe and hid the body in a trunk.On February 19, they chopped the body into pieces and packed it in 16 packets. They then kept the parts in the refrigerator and a cupboard in their new quarters, the sources added.The police said Kumkum Shukla, the victim’s wife, had registered a complainant at Balluana police post on February 9 about her disappearance.A police team, along with IAF officials and a dog squad, searched the quarters and recovered the body parts.

Tribune News Service

Hamirpur/Bilaspur, December 25

Ex-servicemen of Hamirpur and Bilaspur districts are happy with the implementation of “one rank, one pension” (OROP), but want the issue of parity in status with IAS and IPS officers sorted out.However, shrinking job opportunities for ex-servicemen after they are discharged from the service or voluntary retirement is a major issue and as the number of ex-servicemen seeking jobs is much higher than the jobs available.“No doubt, though ex-servicemen have been benefitted financially after the implementation of OROP but the key issue of parity in status with IAS and IPS officers remains to be sorted out,” said Brig BD Dogra.Julfi Ram of Lehri village in Bilaspur, who retired as a Sepoy, said he had received two instalments under “one rank, one pension” in March and August 2016 and was benefited to the tune of Rs 1.13 lakh.Kaur Singh of Domahar village in Ghumarwin, who took retirement as a Subedar, said though the instalments had been received, the revised pension benefits from January 2006 had not been given. “The basic pension was raised to Rs 10,400 after 2006, but I am getting basic pension amounting to Rs 8,425 and in case this anomaly is not rectified, we will have to approach the court”, said Rajender Prasad, who retired as a Havildar in 1996.Two widows of Domahar village, Vyasa Devi wife of Nardev Singh and Parvati Devi wife of Budhi Singh, said they had not received the enhanced pension after the implementation of OROP. “We have not even been told how much pension will be disbursed under OROP,” they said.The ex-servicemen, based in their villages, were not in touch with developments taking place with regard to the implementation of OROP and other issues concerning them. They said a quarterly newsletter should be published and circulated among ex-servicemen to keep them abreast with the latest developments.“While in service we were told that there were so many jobs for ex-servicemen, but the ground reality is different. There are fewer jobs for ex-servicemen and even the Sainik Welfare Boards are not able to do much and we are facing problems in bringing up our children and meeting other liabilities after leaving the Army,” said another ex-serviceman Dyal Singh of Hamirpur.Ranjit Singh, who retired as a Havildar and takes care of the Sainik Welfare Board at Ghumarwin, said there would be difference as the arrears would be decided as per the length of the service but at least the Modi government had fulfilled the promises made to ex-servicemen.

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has reiterated its advice to local youth against running towards the site of gun-battle and issued prohibitory restrictions of up to three kilometers around an encounter site in the three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Shopian.

The advisory came amidst a political war of words on the army chief ’s recent statement that such people will be dealt with harshly.

“District administrations of Srinagar, Budgam and Shopian advised people not to move towards or assemble near the places where encounters take place between security forces and militants to avoid loss and injuries to precious human lives,” the advisory, released on Thursday evening, said.

It added, “However the restrictions shall not apply to the movement of ambulances, medical, paramedical staff and Government employees.”

The government advisory comes after a year since it first issued such a notice in Pulwama district, following the increasing cases of locals rushing towards the site of a gun-battle to allegedly distract security forces and help the militants in escaping.

Speaking to HT, J&K director general of police, SP Vaid said, “We can advise and if someone still wants to jump into the fire, then what can we do?”

HT had reported exactly a year ago about this trend and experts had observed in the story that “common people openly putting their lives at stake to save militants” was an emerging reality in Kashmir.

Army chief Bipin Rawat has recently commented that those who hinder counter-insurgency operations or display flags of Pakistan and the Islamic State in Kashmir will be considered as “anti-national” and would “face action”.

Asked about why people are continuing with this trend despite knowing the dangers, Vaid said: “Vinasha kale viparith buddhi (When one’s doom approaches, then one’s mind, one’s intelligence works perversely),” he said.

Reacting to Rawat’s statement, senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said, “The issue of internal security of the country is a serious one and there can be no compromise on it. But as I had said during the last Parliament session, atrocities should not be inflicted on innocents. Action should be taken against those involved in wrong doings but there is need to adopt restraint.”

Encounter sites in J&K tohave3km no­go zones

Officials say move is to stop civilians from risking lives

The Jammu and Kashmir government has reiterated its advice to local youth against running towards the site of gunbattle and issued prohibitory restrictions of up to three kilometers around an encounter site in the three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Shopian.

WASEEM ANDRABI/HTKashmiri protesters throw stones at police and paramilitary soldiers during a demonstration after the Friday prayers in Srinagar.

The advisory came amidst a political war of words on the army chief’s recent statement that such people will be dealt with harshly.

“District administrations of Srinagar, Budgam and Shopian advised people not to move towards or assemble near the places where encounters take place between security forces and militants to avoid loss and injuries to precious human lives,” the advisory, released on Thursday evening, said.

It added, “However the restrictions shall not apply to the movement of ambulances, medical, paramedical staff and Government employees.”

The government advisory comes after a year since it first issued such a notice in Pulwama district, following the increasing cases of locals rushing towards the site of a gun-battle to allegedly distract security forces and help the militants in escaping.

Speaking to HT, J&K director general of police, SP Vaid said, “We can advise and if someone still wants to jump into the fire, then what can we do?”

HT had reported exactly a year ago about this trend and experts had observed in the story that “common people openly putting their lives at stake to save militants” was an emerging reality in Kashmir.

Army chief Bipin Rawat has recently commented that those who hinder counter-insurgency operations or display flags of Pakistan and the Islamic State in Kashmir will be considered as “anti-national” and would “face action”.

Asked about why people are continuing with this trend despite knowing the dangers, Vaid said: “Vinasha kale viparith buddhi (When one’s doom approaches, then one’s mind, one’s intelligence works perversely),” he said.

Reacting to Rawat’s statement, senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said, “The issue of internal security of the country is a serious one and there can be no compromise on it. But as I had said during the last Parliament session, atrocities should not be inflicted on innocents. Action should be taken against those involved in wrong doings but there is need to adopt restraint.”

“Congress is falling to this temptation of politicising the army chief’s statement… This party can go to any extent for political benefits. It is speaking the voice of separatists for lowly political gains,” Union minister Jitendra Singh retorted.

The Global Times article says New Delhi should accept tht olive branch extended by Pakistan

Beijing, December 23

After a top Pakistan general surprisingly invited India to join the USD 51 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, state-owned Chinese media has advised New Delhi to accept Islamabad’s offer, pitching that such an opportunity could be of benefit to all involved.“New Delhi should consider accepting the olive branch Pakistan has extended in a bid to participate in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, said an article in the Global Times, adding that there is a possibility that the open attitude toward India joining the CPEC would quickly be overwhelmed by opposition voices from Pakistan if India did not respond in a timely manner.

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It said that since India’s primary strategy was to promote economic and social development in the Kashmir region, the best way to reduce hostilities was by establishing economic cooperation based on mutual benefits to put aside what could not be reached by a consensus.It claimed that China had no intention of using the CPEC as strategic leverage to intervene in Pakistan and India’s dispute and that it would rather adopt an open attitude towards New Delhi joining the CPEC.It said that as India is ramping up efforts to integrate itself into global manufacturing chains, the country could boost its exports and slash its trade deficit with China via new trade routes that would be opened up by the CPEC. ANI