THE Punjab Assembly became a sorry spectacle on Thursday. An attempt to storm the well of the House led to AAP MLAs being evicted. In the process, some were hurt. Turbans of four members were knocked off, and some were injured. It is a sorry state of affairs when the chambers where laws are meant to be discussed and made become a battleground, literally. Marshals assigned to the House are being blamed for the rough handling of MLAs. There is a view that they have not been adequately trained. This may well be correct. The Speaker, too, is being accused of partisan conduct. Political posturing has reduced the legislative business to a farce. The day after again brought together the legislators of AAP, the Lok Insaaf Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal. Why is it that political debates devolve into chaos, often with a physical element? Why should there be a need to physically evict lawmakers? Should they not follow decorum and remove themselves if asked to do so by the Speaker. Surely, they can plead their case later, or others can do so on their behalf. The harm done to the institution, the vitiated atmosphere and extreme polarisation — all are part of the avoidable damage done when such things happen. Not much debate takes place in the Punjab Assembly anyway, and nearly all of the Budget session has been lost to noise-making. Slogan-shouting was followed by a walkout, and thus some important legislative matters could not get debated. This is an unhealthy trend, and those who walk out do no favour to the voters who elected them. Those in the government and those sitting on the Opposition benches will do well to be reminded that their primary duty is towards the voters who want them to work towards improving their lot. Negotiation, give and take, and building bridges are the bedrock of politics. A precondition to all is civil behaviour. A sad day if people who could be role models need to be reminded of this.
Fastway evaded Rs 684-cr tax: Sidhu
Asks Capt to act against SAD-BJP ‘cartels’
Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. File photo
Ruchika M Khanna & Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 23
Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today egged Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on to act against business cartels allegedly allowed to flourish under the Akali-BJP rule, claiming his department had uncovered tax evasion worth Rs 684 crore by Fastway Transmission Private Limited.The multi-system cable operator (MSO) is believed to be linked to former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, though its managing director is Gurdeep Singh Kohli. While Sukhbir has denied he has any business or other interest in Fastway, Kohli has termed Sidhu’s allegations baseless.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Speaking in the Vidhan Sabha, Sidhu said while his department had issued notices to the company for the alleged violations, it was now for the Chief Minister to register an FIR and order a Vigilance probe against the company that had caused huge losses to the state exchequer.“If we do not act now, we will be cowards,” he exhorted the Chief Minister, who was not present in the House.Several Congress MLAs have been demanding action against the Badals over alleged “sand, cable and drug mafia” that thrived under the previous government.All through the Budget session, many Congress MLAs, including Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Kuljit Nagra, have been gunning for the Badals over “illicit drug trade”. Sukhbir had even dared the government to order a probe against him.Randhawa had on Monday said in the House that the government was going soft on them, especially former minister Bikram Majithia.Sidhu today alleged the cable network business ran full throttle after the Akali-BJP government assumed power in 2007. “It was expanded with the intent to carry out loot of Punjab and finish all small businesses through monopoly,” he said.The minister claimed the company evaded service tax worth Rs 227 crore (by paying just Rs 23 crore against a liability of Rs 250 crore); entertainment tax worth Rs 184 crore, sales tax worth Rs 100 crore (Rs 220 crore if interest and fines are included); Rs 83 crore as unpaid charges towards digging of roads for laying cables; and Rs 100 crore as charges and interest for using poles of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) for running the cable.“Isn’t it strange that the company that started with Rs 25 lakh capital made a profit of Rs 30 crore immediately and gave nothing to the treasury in 10 years of the Akali-BJP rule? My department has already started serving notices on Fastway Transmission for violations and unpaid local government taxes,” he said, adding that one lakh persons would be out of job once the “cable cartel” was broken.He also demanded a separate probe into alleged under-reporting of the total TV connections and cable operators engaged by the company. “Only 1.25 lakh cable connections were shown, but 80 lakh connections actually exist. They even used Reliance to lay their cable, while the telecom giant was laying its own underground optical fibre network,” said the minister.Congress MLAs Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Harminder Singh Gill, Kuljit Nagra, Fatehjung Bajwa, Inderbir Singh Bolaria and Kushaldeep Dhillon backed Sidhu, saying they would dig out Fastway cables in their constituencies.
Firm denies charge
Gurdeep Singh Kohli, managing director of Fastway Transmission Private Limited, claimed the allegations of tax dues or under-reporting subscriber base were false. “Most of the cable operators fall in the income bracket of less than Rs 10 lakh and so they are exempt from paying service tax. The entertainment tax at the rate of Rs 15,000 that the government alleged we did not pay, is payable by cable operators, not by multi-system cable operators like us. With regards unpaid charges for laying underground cables, nothing is due from our side. Permissions from the railways, forest department, local bodies and oil marketing companies have been taken for laying cables. While they allege we were showing just 1.25 lakh connections, against 80 lakh, the fact is our total connections are 22 lakh,” he said.
AAP MLA backs Sidhu
- I had been raising this issue of monopoly of cable business for several years, when they blocked my channel from their cable network. I was a victim of this mafia and Sidhu’s expose has proved how they were patronised by the then government —Kanwar Sandhu, AAP’s Kharar MLA
Sidhu for war on ‘cable mafia’, will probe Fastway
COMPANY DENIES CHARGES, SAYS IT HAS TAKEN UNDERGROUND OPTIC NETWORK ON LEASE BY PAYING DUES
CHANDIGARH: A prime poll promise of the Congress did not get fulfilled in the budget session of the Punjab assembly that concluded on Friday. The government failed to bring in a law to end the hold of Fastway, allegedly owned by the Badals, on cable network, though minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday announced to probe what he termed the “Fastway scam worth Rs 500 crore”.
After passing of 11 bills in the absence of the opposition, Sidhu dished out figures on alleged tax evasion by Fastway, a company he said enjoyed “patronage” of the Badal family. He was replying to Congress’ Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa in Question Hour.
“It is a miracle,” he remarked, “A company started with Rs 25 lakh as capital showed profit of Rs 30 crore in its first year. Like a big fish, it ate away the small fish. It created a monopoly by intimidating cable operators. It rendered over 1 lakh youth jobless.”
He added, “Fastway evaded taxes of crores. There are 8,000 cable operators in Punjab — 6,000 directly under Fastway and 1,500 indirectly. But the company declares just 1,500… There are over 80 lakh TV connections, but it shows 1.25 lakh. It evaded sales tax on set-top boxes, gave no security refunds, and only 150 of the operators paid entertainment tax.”
He then claimed that Fastway had “bullied Reliance Communications, which was laying cables for 4G services, to lay its cable too, for free”. A company has to shell out Rs 500 for every metre of roadcutting, and Rs 1,000 for every manhole, he said. “But Fastway paid nothing.”
“We will uproot their network,” he said. “We have served them notices for taxes.”
AAP SUPPORTS SIDHU
AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu, who as a TV channel editor had made allegations of “bullying” by the cable network, came out in support. “I’d sought CBI inquiry into the cable mafia. I had also written to Union minister Arun Jaitley. Rising above party lines, I support Sidhu for a policy to regulate the cable business.”
WHAT FASTWAY SAYS
In a statement, Fastway said operators and the company are separate entities. “The company has nowhere and never declared that it has only 1.25 lakh connections. All connections/subscribers are declared with regulatory authority TRAI. The company is regular in paying service tax.”
It added that of the 10,500 km of underground cable, “FW has taken 6,500 km on lease from companies such as Connect, Airtel, BSNL and Reliance Communications. FW owns the balance 4,000 km… Charges have regularly been deposited.”
As row with Cong reigns, SAD steals AAP’s thunder
HANDIGARH: Politics was out in all its conflicting hues in the Punjab assembly session that concluded on Friday. Turbans were tossed, MLAs manhandled, and at least two were hospitalised — it appeared that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was fighting a direct war with the Congress.
From providing “shield” to AAP MLAs in forcibly entering the House after they were suspended on Thursday, to escalating the issue with former CM Parkash Singh Badal’s hospital visit, the SAD led by Sukhbir Singh Badal used its experience.
It appeared ironic, yet symbolic of what happened, when Sukhbir got three top men of the AAP — HS Phoolka, who is leader of the opposition, journalist-turned-MLA Kanwar Sandhu, and Punjab unit co-president Aman Arora — to accompany him in his car to visit the AAP MLAs. Bikram Singh Majithia, whom the rookie party had promised to jail if it had come to power, was driving. The stated common issue was the “pride of the turban and Sikh Panth”.
Within the AAP too, there are conflicting voices. “Before the polls, we were terming Majithia responsible for the drug menace,” reminded an AAP MLA outside the House, “But our leaders sat in a car driven by him. It was wrong to use SAD MLAs as shield to re-enter the House too. A trap was laid, and we fell into it.”
On Friday, when AAP leaders held a mock session after boycotting the proceedings, MLA Sukhpal Khaira repeatedly said in his speech that the SAD was “equally responsible” for woes of Punjab. “Our fight with the SAD will continue to be the same as it was.”
Phoolka later claimed, “It was the AAP’s trap against the SAD in which they fell! The Shiromani Gurdwara Parabandhak Committee and the Akal Takht would not have issued notices to the speaker against the tossing of turbans. The SAD did it for us as it has a say in these organisations.”
Sukhbir, when asked what led to supporting the AAP, said, “It was an issues of Sikh pride… If Congress MLAs had met with the same treatment, we would have done this for them as well.” The SAD’s strategy to hold protest on Friday, too, was relatively more organised, as the party’s MLAs wore black robes and even the non-Sikh MLAs wore turbans.
No ‘sand’, yet Cong on slippery ground
Govt escapes attack on mining auctions but faces firing from doublebarrel Opposition
FOR FIRST TIME, A WOMAN ASSEMBLY STAFFER LODGED MOLESTATION PLAINT AGAINST AN MLA
CHANDIGARH: It is not just a numbers game. Even with nearly two-thirds majority in the Punjab assembly, the Congress was fearing its maiden budget session to be a washout over sand mining controversy that had embroiled one of its nine ministers in just two months of coming to power.
So the party had planned its strategy well — keep the enemy divided and be on the offensive from the first day. The Congress was waiting for the right time to strike at the AAP’s firebrand leader Sukhpal Khaira who was leading the mining war against his old-time rival, Punjab irrigation and power minister Rana Gurjit Singh whose name had surfaced in the mining row. And Khaira served it on a platter by live streaming a video of jostling Congress-Akali MLAs on Facebook and inviting a suspension from the assembly.
A day before him, the AAP’s ally Lok Insaaf Party’s Simarjeet Bains, too, had managed to get a suspension from the session. With a “sympathetic” speaker in Rana KP Singh, the government was on a roll.
Khaira and Bains were out and no one from the AAP was questioning it. The Badal clan was keeping out on its own — former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son and SAD president Sukhbir Badal and the latter’s brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia — gave the debate on governor’s address a miss.
When the party tried to corner the government on farm debt waiver, CM Captain Amarinder Singh had his ammunition on sand mining stakes of Akali leaders ready. All he had to do was wave a “list” in the House.
UNEXPECTED BONDING
During the budget debate, too, Sukhbir-Majithia kept a low profile and AAP almost seemed like an ally. But simmering discontent between Bains and AAP’s legislature party leader HS Phoolka over their suspensions was threatening to boil over. The party was also getting divided in the Phoolka versus Khaira war.
Sukhbir, too, party sources said, was banking on Khaira to lead the mining attack. But he realised it was advantage Congress in their battle of one-upmanship with the AAP. So before his estranged cousin, finance minister Manpreet Badal, could score some brownie points in his concluding speech on budget on Thursday, he threw his lot behind AAP when it protested speaker’s diktat of not allowing Sukhpal and Bains entry into the assembly. An “ailing” former CM Badal too came into the play, paying a visit to hurt AAP MLAs at the hospital.
But the bonding happened over tossing of turbans and trading of charges and counter charges between AAP MLAs against the assembly marshals. In power, the Congress is not as tolerant to the liberties it took as Opposition when it too drove roughshod over assembly staff, who are sitting ducks whenever any party’s MLAs decide to go on a rampage.
Punjab voted for change. It seems to have got one. For the first time, a woman assembly staffer has lodged a complaint of “molestation” against an MLA and two of the AAP’s legislators have lodged cases for assault against assembly marshals and were hospitalised.
Ideologically as different as chalk and cheese, the AAP and SAD may not be able to hold hands for long. The AAP had dubbed Congress of being “in cahoots” with the Akalis and the Akalis had called AAP the B-team of Congress.
The Congress is relieved the “sandstorm” has blown over, for now. But the ground beneath its feet remains slippery.
Punjab govt transfers 31 IAS, 19 PCS officers
CHANDIGARH: Punjab government on Friday transferred 31 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and 19 Punjab Civil Service (PCS) officers with immediate effect.
Himmat Singh has been given the additional charge of special chief secretary, food processing. DP Reddy has been given the additional charge of additional chief secretary (ACS), cooperation. G Vajralingam has been posted as ACS, technical education and industrial training, whereas SK Sandhu is now ACS, higher education and languages, as per orders issued at night. Viswajeet Khanna is ACS, social security and development of women and children.
Roshan Sunkaria goes as principal secretary, science and technology and environment, whereas Kirpa Shankar Saroj has been posted as principal secretary, general administration and coordination. Vijoy Kumar Singh has been given the additional charge of principal secretary, irrigation. Anurag Verma is now secretary, rural development and panchayats, whereas Rakesh Kumar Verma has been posted as secretary, industries and commerce. JM Balamurugan has been posted as secretary, sports and youth services, with additional charge of secretary, personnel. Jaspreet Talwar is now secretary, water supply and sanitation. Krishan Kumar is the new secretary, school education, and in addition secretary, employment generation and training. Kahan Singh Pannu has been posted as secretary, revenue.
Zirakpur, Kharar sans fire station; Mohali lacks in men, material
10 YEARS UNDER SAS NAGAR DISTRICT To tackle fire incidents in Kharar, Kurali, fire tenders are rushed from SAS Nagar station
Modern fire tenders is the need of the hour. I will raise the issue with Punjab government. GURPREET KAUR SAPRA, deputy commissioner, SAS Nagar
SAS NAGAR: About ten years ago, Kharar, Kurali, Zirakpur and Dera Bassi were brought under SAS Nagar district but when it comes to providing an essential facility like fire services, Zirakpur and Kharar have had no fire station units and have been forced to take the fire emergency services from SAS Nagar and Dera Bassi stations.
In Dera Bassi, there are four fire tenders but no hydraulic platform. Municipal Council president, Zirakpur, Kulwinder Singh Sohi said, “Fire station was needed but we have inadequate funds to manage it.”
SAS Nagar deputy commissioner Gurpreet Sapra said, “It is required because of immense congestion. The modern fire tenders should be taken as it can easily be moved in the congested areas . I will take up the issue with state government.”
COMPROMISING ON RESPONSE TIME
Even in the case of fire in Kharar or Kurali, fire tenders are rushed from the SAS Nagar fire station. The stipulated response time is seven minutes but the distance makes it impossible for the firefighters to meet the deadline. An official from Kharar council told that around four years ago the council had made a final proposal for the fire unit but was dropped at last moment.
An official said that fire station required a well-trained staff, vehicles that cost around ₹30 lakh and also high maintenance, that’s why MC was not putting efforts in this project.
‘SHORT ON FIRE SAFETY MEASURES’
President of resident welfare association, Kharar, Prithviraj Shukla said fire safety measures need to be adopted. In SAS Nagar, fire station has just 14 firefighters who function round the clock. Out of the total, only four are confirmed. The required strength at the fire station is 44 but usually, there is five personnel, including a telephone operator, on duty. Only four staff members are provided with uniforms while the others are on contract.
Moreover, the firefighters are not provided with any safety equipment or dress. They have to function without mask and fire safety suits, which are essential under the relevant rules and guidelines. In SAS Nagar, the fire station has one hydraulic platform and fire vehicle has the capacity to deal with the multiple stories up to 15 while they have nine fire brigade vehicles.
Privilege motion against Sukhbir Badal passed
Former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and other SAD-BJP MLAs wear black robes during a press conference in the Vidhan Sabha on Friday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan
Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 23
The Vidhan Sabha today passed a privilege motion against SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, even as Akali-BJP MLAs continued their protest against Speaker Rana KP Singh over his allegedly biased conduct yesterday.The motion was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra, alleging that Sukhbir had used derogatory language against the Speaker yesterday. It was unanimously passed by the House in the absence of all Opposition MLAs, who had walked out earlier.Sukhbir led his MLAs to the Governor later in the evening, demanding action against the Speaker for ordering the use of force against MLAs, the tossing of turbans of Gursikh legislators and the manhandling of women MLAs by the watch and ward staff. They also handed over a memorandum to the Governor.
Short-lived bonhomie
Yesterday’s bonhomie between SAD-BJP and AAP MLAs was missing today, with Leader of the Opposition HS Phoolka calling the Akalis corrupt and Kanwar Sandhu welcoming the expose of the cable mafia. Sukhbir later said that he had taken up the case of AAP MLAs yesterday as he was upset at the use of force on elected representatives.The alliance’s Hindu MLAs — Dr Sukhwinder Sukhi, NK Sharma, Pawan Kumar Tinu and Som Parkash — too wore turbans today.Tinu said this was a gesture in defiance of the “anti-Sikh” Congress government.
Shot in the arm for Punjab
The budget proposal to cut stamp duty rates is being seen as a life-saver for the realty sector
Geetu Vaid
The first budget presented by the Congress government in Punjab has brought happy tidings for the tottering realty sector in the state. A proposed cut of three per cent in stamp duty will serve as a shot in the arm for the sector that has been plagued by low sales, delays and a significant price correction in the state.
The 9 per cent stamp duty in urban centres, which was on the higher side, was the main reason that made a large number of owners defer getting the registries of their properties. As a result the state coffers were also denied the revenue earned in the form of stamp duty. Higher stamp duty also led to registries being done on a lower value than what was paid actually to the seller as the buyers wanted to save some money. This meant an increased percentage of cash component (black money) in property deals. “One direct consequence of lowering of stamp duty will be that more properties will now be registered at the actual sale amount, which is a healthy trend for the realty market,” said Dipin Preet Singh, Director of Mohali-based Westcoast Investment Solutions. A large number of buyers who had purchased apartments in projects by different developers in the state had not got their properties registered after taking the possessions because of the high stamp duty rate.
In order to boost affordable housing, Minister for Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation M Venkaiah Naidu had urged state governments to reduce stamp duty a couple of months ago. Punjab is one of the few states that have responded positively.
The move has got a positive response from industry mavens also. “As such, the stamp duty in Punjab was on the higher side as in most of the other states it currently ranges between 4 and 7 per cent. With the budget announcement it is now on par with other states. This move will reduce the purchasing cost for end users and will go a long way in achieving government’s mission of Housing for All by 2022”, said Rohtas Goel, CMD, Omaxe Ltd.
Echoing a similar sentiment Tejinder Pal Setia, Chairman, Mona Townships Pvt Ltd., said, “The state government should be complimented for presenting a budget which has addressed the concerns of the real estate industry. The decision to reduce stamp duty for urban areas bringing it on a par with that in the rural areas will work to the advantage of buyers, who will now be able to save Rs75,000 on a registry of Rs 25 lakh”.
Terming it as another step towards creating a positive eco-system for end users an official spokesperson of Emaar India group said, “The stamp duty reduction, along with implementation of RERA, will help in improving buying considerations, which will lift mood in the subdued realty sector; especially for organised players.”
Congress government is generally seen as a real-estate friendly one in the state and with such moves the stakeholders are now expecting better days for real estate growth in the state. “The reduction in ownership transfer fees for plots and houses is also a step in the right direction. The move to formulate the NRI Property Safeguard Act and appoint an ombudsman to protect NRI properties will encourage more and more Indians settled overseas to invest in Punjab”, added Setia.
“This rate cut which has been proposed only for one year will inspire a large number of such owners to get the registries done. This way the falling graph of revenue earned by the state from this source will also improve. Thus, it is a win-win move for the buyers, developers as well as the state government”, added Dipin Preet.