Liquor shops sealed, but sale on; Owners use service doors to hoodwink authorities

Liquor shops sealed, but sale on

Owners use service doors to hoodwink authorities

Liquor being sold to customers through the window of a sealed shop at Doda village on the Muktsar-Bathinda highway in Muktsar district on Thursday. Tribune photo

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, November 19

Although 27 liquor vends located on national highways in the district have been sealed, vend owners reportedly continue to sell liquor. On the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Excise and Taxation Department sealed the liquor vends. But vend owners are reportedly opposing the move.

For instance, a liquor vend at Doda village on Muktsar-Bathinda highway was sealed in the morning, but its owner was reportedly selling liquor in the afternoon. One of the liquor vend employees reportedly broke a windowpane to enter the building and then opened the service door for others.

Department officials were unaware about this development. GS Sandhu, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC), Muktsar, said, “I am sending a team to assess the ground reality. If someone has opened the liquor vend again, we will take action against him. We sealed 27 liquor vends in the district for flouting norms.”

The high court on Monday gave the state government two days to remove all liquor vends from national highways. On October 19, the petitioner, NGO ArriveSafe, presented to the court photographs of 32 liquor vends operating on national highways against high court orders. In 2014, the high court passed an order that no liquor vend should be accessible or visible from the national highways or service lanes.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Paddy lifting: Better facilities in Badals’ home district

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, November 17

Even as a large number of farmers are angry with the state government over various issues, it is laying special emphasis on the ruling Badals’ home district Muktsar in this paddy procurement season.

For example, as many as five IAS officers from the state headquarters, a PCS officer posted as officer on special duty (OSD) to Deputy CM and both OSDs to CM have visited grain markets of the district in about one-and-a-half months to review the situation.

C Roul, Secretary, Education Department, who is nodal officer for the procurement season, visited the district twice on September 26 and October 11. Manish Kumar, OSD to Deputy CM, visited the district on October 12.

Thereafter, KJS Cheema, Special Principal Secretary to CM, visited the district on October 26 and 27. Shivdular Singh Dhillon came here to inspect the situation on October 31. SK Sandhu, Special Principal Secretary to CM, along with Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, MD, Milkfed, visited the district on November 16 and 17.

Both OSDs to CM Gurcharan Singh and Balkaran Singh, too, are touring villages in the Lambi assembly segment to monitor the procurement process.

Sources said a senior officer, who recently visited the district, even faced the wrath of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for not taking the visit seriously and “returning immediately after getting some photographs clicked”.

Farmers from other districts flock to Muktsar

With the better arrangements, faster lifting of paddy crop in Muktsar district, farmers from neighbouring districts, too, have been selling their produce here in the district. A farmer from Kundal village in Fazilka district said he sold off his crop at Karam Patti village in Lambi assembly segment in Muktsar district. “The procurement facilities are much better in Muktsar district in comparison to other districts and so, I made my mind to sell my produce here,” he said.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Muktsar man accuses Akal Takht Jathedar’s son of land grab

Muktsar man accuses Jathedar’s son of land grab

Highlights matter at November 10 Sarbat Khalsa, gets support on social media

Tarsem Singh at his residence in Muktsar on Friday. Tribune photo

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, November 13

A 65-year-old baptised Sikh, Tarsem Singh from Muktsar, has alleged that his three-marla prime commercial land on the Kotkapura road here has been under illegal occupation by Akal Takht chief Giani Gurbachan Singh’s son and a local Akali councillor since 2000.

Tarsem Singh was even present at Sarbat Khalsa held at Chabba village in Amritsar on November 10 to highlight his grievance. He had carried a placard reading: “Jathedar ton meri jagah chhudao (get my land freed from Jathedar)”.

The man got space on social media. Since then, he is getting calls from Sikhs settled in various parts of country and abroad as well.

Tarsem Singh said he had given his 8-marla land on lease to Giani Gurbachan Singh’s son Manjinder Singh Bittu and councillor Gurmeet Singh Jeeta for five years in May 2000 to open an automobile workshop.

“They forcibly took possession of the entire 16-marla plot. When I tried to construct a wall for partitioning land and separate two plots of 8-marla each, they thrashed me. I met then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal who had directed the police to look into the matter, but nothing happened. Later during Capt Amarinder Singh’s tenure, I met him too. I also lodged a complaint to the then SSP, but to no avail. Even local MLA Karan Kaur Brar once wrote a letter to the Chief Minister on the matter,” alleged Tarsem Singh.

Tarsem said he was getting huge support from Sikh activists. “I want my land back, which is now worth nearly Rs40 lakh. I have everything in black and white to substantiate my claim. They (Manjinder and Gurmeet) have somehow managed to get the land registration done in their name, but it is illegal as the address shown on it does not match with the land under their possession,” he alleged.

Manjinder Singh claimed: “The land dispute was resolved amicably. I have no connection with that land. The land taken on lease was given back to Tarsem Singh. He is trying to tarnish our image.”

Gurmeet Singh said: “Nearly 2.25-marla land belongs to me now. We had opened a workshop taking land on lease from Tarsem Singh about 15 years ago. We spent Rs3.14 lakh on construction, which he had agreed pay, but he did not. Later, we both reached to a compromise, in which he decided to pay the amount and we give him the possession of the land.”

He added: “The land, which is now owned by me, was not in his name. Its owners sold off the land to me and I have all relevant documents.”

Courtesy: The Tribune

Malwa remains on the edge, residents observe ‘black’ Diwali

Sikh activists take out a protest march, hold black flags and appeal to people to observe ‘black’ Diwali at Gurusar village in Muktsar district on Wednesday. Tribune photograph

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, November 12

The announcement by radical Sikh organisations to observe “black” Diwali had its effect in Malwa region. Activists carried out protest march in rural areas, holding black flags and urging people to “black” Diwali this year.

A huge protest was witnessed at Gurusar village, falling in Gidderbaha sub-division yesterday. A large number of residents took out a march in support of the radicals’ call.

The protesters said the recent incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib had hurt their religious sentiments and it was not appropriate for them to celebrate Diwali this year.

Festivities were missing in a major part of Muktsar district. Some people had even put up black flags atop their houses. There was complete darkness in some villages and not even a single lamp was found lit anywhere.

Even in urban areas, where on an average five of total 10 houses in every street were lit up during Diwali every year, just one or two houses were seen illuminated.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Akal Takht Jathedar’s aides support him on social media, begin drive

Tribune News Service
Muktsar, November 12

Rejecting the decisions taken by Sarbat Khalsa of changing the Takht Jathedars, aides of Akal Takht chief Giani Gurbachan Singh’s sons and their personal staff have started a campaign on social media.

They are not just uploading information regarding the definition of Sarbat Khalsa and the authority to call it being with the Akal Takht, but also challenging the qualification of the newly ‘appointed’ jathedars.

Jaspal Singh, personal assistant of Gurbachan Singh’s son Manjinder Singh ‘Bittu’, has challenged the qualification of newly ‘appointed’ jathedars Bhai Amrik Singh Ajnala, Dhian Singh Mand and Baljit Singh Daduwal on his facebook account.

A friend of Bittu has uploaded on a site that the decision taken by the radicals had no legality. “Just anybody can’t appoint or remove the jathedars. There is a formal procedure which has to be followed,” he has posted.

Similarly, a number of such messages are being circulated through WhatsApp too.

On the other hand, another social media campaign in favour of Sarbat Khalsa and the decisions taken during it is also active.

Earlier in protest against sacrilege incidents, a number of activists had changed their profile pictures to black flags.

Besides, some groups and pages were formed, seeking justice for such incidents. A youth said: "It is a peaceful method to lodge protest. It doesn't even cause any kind of inconvenience to anyone. We are demanding strict action against the culprits.”

Courtesy: The Tribune

SAD leader held for Rs 5 lakh fraud

‘Promised job to victim’s son’

• A woman from Lalpura village in Gurdaspur district had lodged a complaint against him with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on October 1 during his public meeting at his residence
• She had alleged that SAD's Sahib Singh (pic), zila parishad member from Fatehpur Manian zone, had duped her of Rs 5 lakh on the pretext of assuring a job for her son and, that too, after using Sukhbir's name

Tribune News Service
Muktsar, November 12

A zila parishad member from Fatehpur Manian zone in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s home turf Lambi was arrested today for a fraud of Rs 5 lakh.

A woman from Lalpura village in Gurdaspur district had lodged a complaint against him with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on October 1 during his public meeting at his residence. She had alleged that SAD’s Sahib Singh, zila parishad member from Fatehpur Manian zone, had duped her of Rs 5 lakh on the pretext of assuring a job for her son and, that too, after using Sukhbir’s name.

Sukhbir had marked a probe to the Muktsar SSP, but nothing took place even after a month. Thereafter, the accused SAD leader, Sahib Singh, gave five cheques of Rs 1 lakh each to the woman in an attempt to escape legal proceedings. However, the cheques bounced.

The woman again appeared before Sukhbir at his residence on November 9. A case was finally registered against Sahib Singh and who was arrested today.

The Tribune had reported the matter on October 2. Thereafter, another report was published on October 3 that the accused held two elected posts – zila parishad member from Fatehpur Manian zone and gram panchayat member from Khudian Gulab Singh village — which i illegal. Even State Election Commissioner SS Brar had termed it illegal, but no action has been taken against him to date.

He allegedly has the patronage of an aide of the ruling Badals from the Lambi area.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Post sacrilege, CM, Harsimrat staying away from state

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, November 10

 

Under fire for various reasons, especially after the killing of two Sikh activists who were protesting the sacrilege incidents in Faridkot district last month, the ruling Badal family has adopted a fresh strategy to deal with the situation.

Now, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is spending maximum time in Chandigarh to run the government. He is keeping an eye on every minute political development.

His son and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal is moving around to re-connect with the masses, meet religious leaders. His wife Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal is camping at Delhi to stay connected with the national BJP leadership and Union ministers. A perusal of the records of the past month suggests that the Chief Minister did not visit his stronghold — the Malwa region — even once. SAD chief-cum-Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal came here five times. Harsimrat failed to make even a single appearance.

Though she attended the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit held on October 28 and 29 at Mohali, she did not come even once to this area or her native village falling in her Bathinda parliamentary constituency since the unrest started in the state. In the past, the Badals made frequent visits to Muktsar, Bathinda and Mansa districts.

An aide of the Badals, on condition of anonymity, said, “The Deputy CM has been given the task to move around to boost the morale of party activists, seek suggestions from people from different walks of life to come out of this situation. He is even holding talks with religious leaders.

“On the other hand, the Chief Minster is spending maximum time in Chandigarh to keep a close tab on the prevailing situation and stay connected with all senior officers and leaders.

“The Badal daughter-in-law has been given the task of staying in Delhi and to keep meeting all senior national leaders of coalition partner BJP.”

He said that Sukhbir was in his native village on October 1, 8, 21, 22, 23 and November 2, 3, 8 and 9. “During this period, he not only visited the neighbouring districts, but also held meetings of party workers at his residence,” said the SAD leader, who is close to the ruling family.

Meanwhile, top sources in the SAD said that though the Chief Minister had earlier planned to hold sangat darshan in his Lambi Assembly segment last month, he — due to the prevailing situation — changed his mind and deferred it indefinitely.

Similarly, Harsimrat last visited Mann village, located next to Badal village, adopted by her under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), on September 4.

Remote control?

A perusal of the record of the past month suggests that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal did not visit his stronghold — the Malwa region. Harsimrat Badal also failed to make even a single appearance.

Courtesy: The Tribune