ਫਿਰੋਜ਼ਪੁਰ: ਸੁਨੀਲ ਜਾਖੜ ਨੂੰ ਟਿਕਟ ਬਾਰੇ ਵਿਚਾਰਾਂ

ਫਿਰੋਜ਼ਪੁਰ: ਸੁਨੀਲ ਜਾਖੜ ਨੂੰ ਟਿਕਟ ਬਾਰੇ ਵਿਚਾਰਾਂ

Posted On March - 22 - 2014

ਕਾਂਗਰਸੀ ਨੇਤਾ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਤਲਬ; ਅਕਾਲੀ ਕੈਂਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਫ਼ਿਕਰਮੰਦੀ ਵਧੀ

ਅਰਚਿਤ ਵਤਸ/ਟ.ਨ.ਸ.
ਮੁਕਤਸਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ, 22 ਮਾਰਚ

ਸਾਬਕਾ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਕੈਪਟਨ ਅਮਰਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਕੇਂਦਰੀ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਅੰਬਿਕਾ ਸੋਨੀ ਨੂੰ ਚੋਣ ਮੈਦਾਨ ਵਿੱਚ  ਉਤਾਰਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ, ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਹੁਣ ਫਿਰੋਜ਼ਪੁਰ ਲੋਕ ਸਭਾ ਸੀਟ ਤੋਂ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿਧਾਨ ਸਭਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਿਰੋਧੀ ਧਿਰ ਦੇ ਆਗੂ ਸੁਨੀਲ ਜਾਖੜ ਨੂੰ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰ ਬਣਾਉਣ ਬਾਰੇ ਸੋਚ-ਵਿਚਾਰ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਸੀਟ ਤੋਂ ਸੁਨੀਲ ਜਾਖੜ ਦੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਮਰਹੂਮ ਬਲਰਾਮ ਜਾਖੜ ਕਾਫ਼ੀ ਸਮਾਂ ਨੁਮਾਇੰਦਗੀ ਕਰਦੇ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ।
ਹਾਲਾਂਕਿ ਸੁਨੀਲ ਜਾਖੜ ਨੇ ਲੋਕ ਸਭਾ ਚੋਣ ਲਈ ਦਾਅਵੇਦਾਰੀ ਪੇਸ਼ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤੀ ਸੀ ਪਰ ਪਤਾ ਚੱਲਿਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇਸ ਮਹੀਨੇ ਦੇ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋਈ ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਵਰਕਿੰਗ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਦੀ ਮੀਟਿੰਗ ਵਿੱਚ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਂ ’ਤੇ ਵਿਚਾਰ-ਚਰਚਾ ਕੀਤੀ ਗਈ ਸੀ। ਫਿਰੋਜ਼ਪੁਰ ਸੀਟ ਤੋਂ ਟਿਕਟ ਦੇ ਇਕ ਦਾਅਵੇਦਾਰ ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਆਗੂ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਪਛਾਣ ਜ਼ਾਹਰ ਨਾ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਰਤ ’ਤੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ, ‘‘ਸੁਨੀਲ ਜਾਖੜ ਇਕ ਨਿਰਵਿਵਾਦ ਅਤੇ ਪੜ੍ਹੇ-ਲਿਖੇ ਆਗੂ ਹਨ। ਜੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਟਿਕਟ ਮਿਲਦੀ ਹੈ ਤਾਂ  ਪਾਰਟੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੋਈ ਧੜੇਬਾਜ਼ੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਵੇਗੀ ਅਤੇ ਹਰ ਕੋਈ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਹਮਾਇਤ ਕਰੇਗਾ।’’ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਨੇ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਸਿਟਿੰਗ ਵਿਧਾਇਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਟਿਕਟ ਨਾ ਦੇਣ ਦਾ ਫੈਸਲਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੀ ਪਰ ਹੁਣ ਕੈਪਟਨ ਅਮਰਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੂੰ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਤੋਂ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰ ਬਣਾਉਣ ਕਾਰਨ ਇਹ ਬੰਦਸ਼ ਟੁੱਟ ਗਈ ਹੈ।
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਜਾਖੜ ਨੇ ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਤੋਂ ਫੋਨ ’ਤੇ ਇਸ ਪੱਤਰਕਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਦੱਸਿਆ, ‘‘ਪਾਰਟੀ ਜੋ ਵੀ ਫੈਸਲਾ ਕਰੇਗੀ ਮੈਂ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਪਾਲਣ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ।’’ ਉਹ ਅਬੋਹਰ ਤੋਂ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਤੀਜੀ ਵਾਰ ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਬਣੇ ਹਨ।
ਉੱਧਰ, ਸਾਬਕਾ ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਹਰਨਿਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੁੱਕੂ ਜੋ 2012 ਦੀਆਂ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਤੋਂ  ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਅਕਾਲੀ ਦਲ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹੋਏ ਹਨ, ਨੇ ਹਲਕੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਪ੍ਰਚਾਰ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ, ‘‘ਮੈਂ ਕੁਝ ਨਵੇਂ ਖੇਤਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ। ਜੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਟਿਕਟ  ਮਿਲੀ ਤਾਂ ਇਸ ਮਿਲਣੀ ਦਾ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਲਾਭ ਹੋਵੇਗਾ ਅਤੇ ਜੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਦਾਅਵੇਦਾਰੀ ਰੱਦ ਹੋ ਗਈ ਤਾਂ ਵੀ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਦਾ ਲਾਹਾ ਮਿਲੇਗਾ।’’ ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਸਹਾਏ ਹਲਕੇ ਤੋਂ ਤੀਜੀ ਵਾਰ ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਬਣੇ ਰਾਣਾ ਗੁਰਮੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੋਢੀ ਵੀ ਟਿਕਟ ਦੇ ਦਾਅਵੇਦਾਰ ਮੰਨੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਗਿੱਦੜਬਾਹਾ ਦੇ ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਅਮਰਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਰਾਜਾ ਵੜਿੰਗ ਅਤੇ ਸੀਨੀਅਰ ਆਗੂ ਜਗਮੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਰਾੜ ਵੀ ਫਿਰੋਜ਼ਪੁਰ ਤੋਂ ਟਿਕਟ ਦੇ ਦਅਵੇਦਾਰ ਹਨ।

Congress may field Jakhar from Ferozepur

Cong may field Jakhar from Ferozepur 

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, March 22
After its surprise move to field Capt Amarinder Singh from Amritsar and Ambika Soni from Anandpur Sahib, the Congress is now considering to field its legislative party leader Sunil Jakhar from Ferozepur. Though Jakhar has not sought the ticket, there is a possibility of his contesting from Ferozepur, a constituency that his father, former Governor of Madhya Pradesh Balram Jakhar, had won in 1980. 

A senior Congress leader told The Tribune that Jakhar’s name was discussed in the Congress Working Committee meeting held recently.

“Jakhar is a non-controversial and well-educated politician. There will be no opposition to his nomination,” says the leader, who is also a strong aspirant for party ticket from Ferozepur. “The Congress had earlier decided not to field any sitting MLA in the parliamentary poll, but with Amarinder getting the ticket, the party may make another exception.”

Talking to The Tribune on the phone from Delhi, Jakhar said: “If the party decides to field me from Ferozepur, I will abide by the decision."

Jakhar, who won three consecutive assembly elections from Abohar, said he was getting phone calls from party leaders and workers asking about his candidature with some even congratulating him. On the other hand, former Muktsar MLA, Bhai Harnirpal 'Kuku', who had joined the Congress by leaving the SAD in 2012, has started his election campaign hoping to get ticket for Ferozepur.

Sitting MLA from Guruharsahai Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Gidderbaha MLA Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former CWC member Jagmeet Singh Brar and former minister Hans Raj Josan are among ticket seekers. The SAD has fielded its sitting MP Sher Singh Ghubaya from Ferozepur.

Muktsari ‘kurta-pyjamas’ high on demand in election season

Muktsari ‘kurta-pyjamas’ high on demand in election season 
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, March 21
With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the tailors in Muktsar are working overtime to meet the increased demand for “Muktsari kurta-pyjamas” by leaders and youth alike.

The politicos’ trademark dress is slim-fit kurta with collars and pyjama tight from the bottom, making it look like a slim pant.

The rise in demand can be gauged from tailors giving almost a month’s time to stitch a pair of kurta-pyjama.

The traditional Punjabi dress is a favourite of many politicians

The tailors, Manpreet Singh and his father Sukhdev Singh, credited with popularising “Muktsari kurta-pyjama”, say: “Earlier, kurta-pyjama was nothing more than a night suit, but we made it stylish. The slim-fit kurta pyjama is as comfortable as the normal one.” They charge Rs 700 for stitching a kurta-pyjama. It is double the amount of the normal kurta-pyjama.

Manpreet adds, “This poll season, we have received double the orders than from the 2012 assembly elections. We receive orders across the state, but a few persons from Haryana and Rajasthan, too, approach us.”

“Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal wears kurta-pyjama stitched by us. In the past few months, we have stitched nearly 50 kurta-pyjamas for him,” Manpreet claims. He adds that university and college students in Chandigarh have a fancy for “Muktsari kurta-pyjama”.

Other tailors in the town, too, are flooded with orders and hiring more employees to deliver in time.

Who’s donning it

Among politicians having a liking for “Muktsari kurta-pyjamas” are Sukhbir Badal, Jagmeet Brar, Ripjit Brar, Avtar Brar, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Darshan Shivalik, Sukhdarshan Singh Marar, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Naresh Kataria. Besides, religious leaders, policemen and bureaucrats like to dress in “Muktsari kurta-pyjama”.

CM’s Sangat Darshan wields power, literally

CM’s Sangat Darshan wields power, literally 

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, January 29
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) knows how to pull strings for a Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s function. The authorities supplied power to the venue of Chief Minister’s Sangat Darshan programme, organised here today, through a “kundi” connection. As the Community Hall, the venue for the programme, does not have an electricity meter, the power was drawn from Goneana village near the city.

The administration had put up a tent, where the electricity wires were connected with the main wires on a pole, to bar the entry of people.

PSPCL Sub-divisional Officer (SDO) Gurwinder Singh confirmed that the Community Hall did not have the electricity meter. “The authorities concerned have applied for the electricity meter. For today’s function, the power supply was drawn from an adjoining dispensary.” When confronted with the photographs of the illegal connection to the venue, he turned evasive.

On being shown the photographs, PSPCL officials at the Muktsar circle office said the connection was illegal. They added that if electricity was drawn from another building, as per the SDO’s statement, it tantamount to an illegal act. As per rules, no one can draw electricity from another building.

Goneana residents said “kundi” connection from the village was a regular practice at the time of organising functions in Community Hall. Minor boys were employed to serve snacks in programme. 

Rules not followed

 The PSPCL authorities supplied power to the venue of the CM’s Sangat Darshan programme through a ‘kundi’ connection

 As the Community Hall, the venue for the programme, does not have an electricity meter, the power was drawn from Goneana village near the city

Courtesy: The Tribune

In Muktsar hinterland, it’s Punjab CM’s native village that glitters

In Muktsar hinterland, it’s Punjab CM’s native village that glitters

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Badal boasts ofEducation: 5 schools, 2 colleges, a polyclinic, a nursing and paramedical sciences instituteHealth: Civil Hospital, Red Cross training & production centre Sports: State-of-the-art stadium, SAI training centre, shooting range Govt centres: IFFCO’s Kissan Sewa Kendra, Markfed’s office, Forest Range Officer’s office, Verka milk chilling centre, PSPCL’s rest houseOther amenities: 3 banks with ATM booths, BSNL telephone exchange, 132 KV power sub-station, 2 fuel stations, an RO plant, 3 overhead water tanks, an LPG agency, bus stop with two rooms

Badal (Muktsar), January 19
Driving through a four-laned road dotted by date palm trees, solar light poles and an impressive array of buildings — one can easily mistake the setting for a plush modern township. Make no mistake. You are entering Badal village, the native place of five-time Chief Minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal.

Mata Jaswant Kaur Memorial School at Badal village. Photo by writer

While a number of Punjab villages lack even basic facilities such as a primary school, Badal’s village in Muktsar district boasts of five schools, two colleges, a civil hospital, a district-level polyclinic, a nursing and paramedical sciences institute, a state-of-the-art sports stadium, a Sports Authority of India training centre, a shooting range and a host of other facilities.

Badal residents ascribe the extraordinary progress of the village to the Chief Minister’s affection for them. The village was awaiting the official nod to be declared a township, they said.

But residents of the nearby villages allege bias, which, they say, has kept their villages from developing.

They point out that even the historic town of Muktsar, which is now the district headquarters, looks like a poor cousin of Badal village.

(Top) An ultra-modern stadium coming up in the Punjab CM’s village; The sports department building at Badal village in Muktsar district. Photos by writer

“Not only are Muktsar roads in poor condition, even the garbage lifting system has almost failed. As for our villages, the less said the better,” said Shivcharan Singh, a resident of a nearby village.

The list of amenities showered on this village includes a state-of-the art sports stadium. The village with a population of 5,000 has a Milkfed Verka’s milk chilling centre, BSNL telephone exchange, a reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment plant, three overhead water tanks, a government ITI building, three banks with ATM booths, 132 KV power sub-station, PSPCL’s rest house with a meeting hall, village community centre, gram suwidha kendra, government flats and a new building of panchayat ghar.

The village has a newly built bus stop with two rooms, Markfed’s office, IFFCO’s kissan sewa kendra, office of the Forest Range Officer, LPG agency, two fuel stations and Red Cross’s training and production centre.

A boundary wall rings the two village ponds and the MGNREGA workers regularly clean them.

The Chief Minister has done some charitable work in the village.

He has opened two schools up to class X in the memory of his mother Jaswant Kaur.

These schools, managed by Chaudhary Devi Lal Memorial Trust, provide free education, including school uniforms to students.

As chairman of the Chaudhary Devi Lal Memorial Trust, Parkash Singh Badal has opened an ultra-modern 24-room old-age home and a gurdwara with dispensary.

The Chief Minister has also opened two girls’ colleges - Dasmesh Girls’ College of Education, offering BEd and MEd courses, and Dasmesh Girls College, offering courses such as BCA, BSc and MA - besides Dasmesh Girls’ Senior Secondary School.

The village also has a government primary school and a senior secondary school.

Residents say both Parkash Singh Badal and his son Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal often interact with them to get their feedback.

The Deputy Chief Minister is reportedly planning to reclaim the village pond land and convert it into a marketplace.

Local resident Raju said: “Most of the development works in the village were carried out way back in 2001.”

Among the beneficiaries of the facilities at the village include Olympian shooter Avneet Kaur Sidhu, now a Deputy Superintendent of Police. She graduated from Dasmesh College where she also learnt shooting.

Others prominent figures from the village include Chief Minister’s brother Gurdas Badal and his son, Punjab People’s Party chief Manpreet Singh Badal besides Chief Minister’s estranged cousin Maheshinder Singh Badal of the Congress.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Maghi Mela 2014: Bajwa’s photo missing from party hoardings in Muktsar district

Maghi Mela 2014

Bajwa’s photo missing from party hoardings Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, January 6
Facing a near-revolt, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa’s photographs have disappeared from hoardings installed by party workers in Muktsar to greet people on the occasion of Maghi Mela.

A hoarding with picture of former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh at Lambi village in Muktsar district. A Tribune photograph

At the same time, his predecessor, Capt Amarinder Singh’s pictures have been displayed prominently on these hoardings.This has had local Congress leaders worried who fear that “ fissures” at this juncture may have an impact on the party’s Maghi Mela conference on January 14.

The ruling SAD has made arrangements for an impressive rally. A senior Akali leader said sarpanches in the Malwa belt had been told to bring a bus of supporters to the rally. Rumours are rife that some Congress leaders, including sitting MLAs, may join the SAD at the Maghi Mela.

A rather cross Gurdas Girdhar, newly appointed PPCC executive member, a former Muktsar DCC president, said that Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, “who has always backed the SAD in a clandestine manner,” had been made coordinator of the party conference at the Maghi Mela.

The newly appointed DCC president, Gurmeet Singh Khudian, when asked why Bajwa’s photographs were missing from party’s hoardings in the district, refuse to comment , saying he had just returned from Chandigarh after attending the first meeting of the new PPCC.

Meanwhile, former Malout MLA Nathu Ram has resigned from the PPCC executive.

He said: “Seniority has been ignored. Hindus and SCs, who comprise the party’s main vote bank, have not been represented properly in the PPCC.”

Courtesy: The Tribune

Now, Badal’s photo on health insurance card; Legend after whom scheme was named fails to find space

Now, Badal’s photo on health insurance card 
Legend after whom scheme was named fails to find space

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, October 19
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, the Parkash Singh Badal-led state government is going to start another welfare scheme, Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojana, that it had promised in its assembly poll manifesto.

Like other welfare schemes in the past, this time too the state authorities have kept a slot on the top of the health insurance cards for the picture of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The scheme entails Rs 30,000 health insurance to 15.4 lakh people enrolled under the state government’s atta-dal scheme.

Though the scheme has been named after Bhagat Puran Singh, the founder of Pingalwara who worked selflessly all his life for the cause of mentally and terminally ill patients, his photograph has failed to find any space on the smart card to be issued among beneficiaries.

Hussan Lal, Managing Director, Punjab Health Systems Corporation, said, “The scheme will be started across the state on November 11. Two insurance companies have been engaged to cover all blue card holders… As the scheme is entirely state sponsored, the cards will carry the Chief Minister’s photograph.” The Health Department has even uploaded the final design of the card on its official website.

Earlier, the state government had put Badal’s photos on ‘108’ ambulance vans, bicycles distributed among girl students under Mai Bhago Vidya scheme, ration cards and portal of Direct Benefit Transfer scheme.

The Chief Minister’s pictures on the ambulances — the scheme was partially funded by the Centre — had led to a war of words between the Akalis and the Congress leaders.

A senior official said there was nothing wrong in using Badal’s pictures on any state government-funded welfare scheme but these would have to be removed once the election code of conduct came into force.

Even during the 2012 assembly elections, the pictures had to be removed from the ambulances.

Thrown out of frame

* The Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojana was part of the SAD’s assembly poll manifesto

* Bhagat Puran Singh, founder of Pingalwara, worked selflessly all his life for the cause of mentally and terminally ill patients

* The scheme entails Rs 30,000 health insurance to 15.4 lakh people enrolled under atta-dal scheme

* Badal's picture already appears on '108' ambulance vans, bicycles distributed among girl students under Mai Bhago Vidya scheme and ration cards