15022021-ATR-01.qxd 2/14/2021 11:36 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar TRIBUNE DISGUSTING TO SEE ABLE-BODIED PEOPLE SURVIVING ON ALMS PAGE 2 A physically challenged destitute can be spared, but poverty of a fit cupping his hand for change irks residents. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY KHAN MEETS KHAN: SALMAN TO BE PART OF SRK’S PATHAN PAGE 3 Salman Khan will be making a special appearance in Pathanand he confirmed that he will soon begin working on it. MAX 23°C | MIN 10°C | YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 10°C SUNSET MONDAY 6:17 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:11 AM Elections were held for two municipal councils —Majitha and Polling passes Jandiala Guru , three nagar panchayats — Ajnala, Ramdas off peacefully and Rayya, besides bypoll for Ward No. 37 of the Amritsar MC Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Voters queue up at a polling booth in Jandiala Guru near Amritsar on Sunday; and (below) police personnel check identity cards of voters outside a polling station at Majitha. SUNIL KUMAR, VISHAL KUMAR HOW VOTERS FARED Municipal Councils ■ Majitha ■ Jandiala Guru 76.50 % 74.10 % Nagar Panchayat ■ Ajnala ■ Ramdas ■ Rayya 78.76 % 81.82 % 63.27 % SENIOR CITIZENS, FIRST-TIME VOTERS TURN FLAG BEARERS Senior citizens and first-time voters exercised their franchise in civic body elections. The residents were seen helping elderly and physically challenged persons to the polling booths. Ajit Singh (90), a resident of Kota Atama Singh, was chanting "Waheguru Waheguru" while sitting on the chair For a total of 67 wards — Majitha (13 wards), Jandiala Guru (15), Ramdas (11), Rayya (13) and Ajnala (15) — and one ward of Amritsar Municipal and returning to home after casting vote. He forgot when he casted his vote first time. Karandeep Kaur of Majitha, a first-time voter, said: "Our area is deprived of basic amenities such as road and sewerage. I hope that next councillor will make efforts to provide these faculties". Corporation (bypoll), a total of 295 candidates are in fray. Congress has fielded candidates in all 68 wards, SAD and AAP nominees in 66 wards each, the BJP has fielded candidates in only 22 wards while the BSP is contesting only from one ward. A total of 72 Independents are in fray. PAGE 4 Vartika Tiwari opened up about Rajesh Tailang-directed short film Trivediji which is written and acted by Vartika. Dist registers 71.2% turnout Amritsar, February 14 In Amritsar district, 71.2 per cent voter turnout was recorded for the municipal council elections in 67 wards of two municipal councils, three nagar panchayats and one ward of Amritsar Municipal Corporation (bypoll) for which elections were held on Sunday. The elections were held for two municipal councils — Majitha and Jandiala Guru, three nagar panchayats — Ajnala, Ramdas and Rayya, besides bypoll for Ward No. 37 of Amritsar MC. Ramdas nagar panchayat has reported a maximum of 81.82 per cent polling followed by Ajnala with 78.76 per cent. Majitha municipal council reported 76.50 per cent, Jandiala municipal council 74.10 per cent and Rayya nagar panchayat has recorded 63.27 per cent polling. The lowest poll percentage of 52.74 has been reported from Ward No. 37 of Amritsar MC (bypoll). The voting began at 8 am and concluded at 4 pm. At 10 am, Majitha had reported 16 per cent polling, Jandiala recorded 8 per cent polling, Ajnala 15 per cent, Ramdas 18 per cent, 17 per cent and MC Ward No. 37 reported around 13 per cent polling. At 2 pm, the district authorities reported a total of 55.50 per cent polling at all stations. With Ramdas reporting a polling of 71 per cent, Jandiala reported 58 per cent, Majitha 56 per cent, Ajnala 55 per cent, Rayya 51 per cent and Ward No. 37 reported a lowest of 42 per cent polling. VARTIKA TIWARI IS ALL PRAISE FOR DIRECTOR RAJESH TAILANG Amritsar, February 14 The nagar panchayat and council polls remained peaceful by and large in Amritsar district on Sunday. Heavy police bandobast was at place to thwart any untoward incident in five nagar panchayat and municipal council polls at Jandiala, Rayya, Ajnala, Ramdas and Majitha and security of each was entrusted by an SP-rank official. SSP Dhruv Dahiya said polling in three nagar panchayats of Ajnala, Ramdas and Rayya and two municipal councils of Majitha and Jandiala remained peaceful with police officials remained on toes and personally looked after the arrangements at each and every polling booth. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Jagmohan Singh Gill said that polling in municipal corporation Ward No. 37 remained peaceful with no violent incident was reported at any polling booth. However, senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that the state government had failed to conduct free and fair poll. He said the Congress government had already made elctions onesided by rejecting the papers of opposition candidates at about 40% seats. “At remaining seats, the government misused the police and the Excise and Taxation Department for intimidating and pressurise the opposition candidates,” he alleged. Nevertheless, he also appreciated the officials who worked honestly and did not bow under the government pressure. MONDAY | 15 FEBRUARY 2021 | AMRITSAR Only 52.74% come out to cast vote in Ward No. 37 MC BYPOLL Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 14 The bypoll at Ward No. 37 of the Municipal Corporation witnessed low turnout here on Sunday. Only 52.74 percent voters cast their votes, which is far less than the turnout in nearby towns of the district. Out of 14,560 voters only 7,680 exercised their franchise. Only 3,509 women and 4,171 men cast their votes. There was no violence or major technical glitch reported in the Ward No. 37. Only one EVM machine started working with a delay of one hour. The polling officials gave one more hour in the evening to accommodate the voters. There were multiple reasons for low turnout. The residents claimed that a number of wedding functions were also scheduled on the weekend in the area. “Residents don’t show much interest in bypoll. The election campaign was also calm. There is a perception that ruling party candidate wins in the bypoll so people become reluctant to make extra efforts,” said Harbahjan Singh, a resident of Tej Nagar. “The turnout this time is lower than the previous MC elections in 2017. It was a lowkey affair. The city always witnesses low turnout as compared to rural areas. The voters belong to low income groups and daily wagers in most of the areas of the ward. Daily wagers are reluctant to let go of a day’s wage for elections. Dense fog in the morning could be one of the reasons. But we are happy that election went peacefully,” said another resident Gurdev Singh. Activists of the Kisan Sangharsh Committee keep a check on all 12 polling stations at the Ward No. 37 in Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR Farmer activists ensure no BJP help desk set up outside polling stations Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 14 In wake of the ongoing protest against the BJP-led Centre Government, activists of farmer unions ensured no BJP help desk was set up to assist voters outside the polling booths in ward number 37 during the by-election here today. BJP candidate Manohar Singh claimed that senior party leadership had already instructed him not to set up any help desk to avoid any conflict. So he didn’t make such arrangements. Despite this, a number of activists from Kisan Sangharsh Committee (Kot Budha) checked all 12 polling booths of the Municipal Corporation’s Ward No. 37 to make sure that the BJP candidate had no help desk. More than 25 farmers from nearby villages, led by Sonu Mahal of Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, visited the ward on motorcycles to BJP’s Ward No. 37 candidate Manohar Singh says the party had instructed him against setting up help desks check the movement of the BJP candidate around 11 am. They held a demonstration at Kot Atma Ram and also raised anti-BJP slogans. Jagtar Singh from Sultanwind village said: “We wanted to give feedback to the BJP’s high command for enacting the farm laws. It’s not only about this poll. We will fight till next Assembly elections if the government doesn’t repeal the new laws.” Manohar Singh said: “The party had already issued instructions to avoid such conflicts. We were aware that the action was planned by rival political parties. So we didn’t establish any help desk.” Family ties, personal connections at play CIVIC POLL Political disenchantment over farm laws fails to deter voters Amritsar, February 14 Though there was disenchantment among voters for several political parties amid the ongoing farming protest, a fairly good turnout was witnessed at all four nagar panchayat and municipal councils, where elections were conducted on Sunday. “In local government elections in rural areas, including village panchayats, nagar panchayat and municipal councils, as the constituencies are comparatively small, each candidate knows the voters in his area personally. The personal relations in these elections are very important,” said Joginder Singh, an elderly at Jandiala Guru, while explaining the relevance of personal relations in rural elections. In many areas, the voters reported that they had especially come from Delhi border to cast their vote. “My cousin is contesting from Ajnala, so I could not say no to him when he asked me to come back. I would go back again to the protest site,” said Sukhwinder Singh from Jandiala. The residents reported that though voters were not happy with the political parties they could not afford to strain their relations with the candidates who were mostly a part of their extended family. “Usually the local government elections in rural areas are not fought on issues. Factionalism and interpersonal rivalries play a deciding role in the victory or defeat of a candidate,” said a veteran journalist from Ajnala. The residents revealed that many of the girls who were recently married but their votes are listed in the area of their paternal homes came along with their families so that they could cast their votes. “The victory margins in these elections are usually very small and so every vote counts. The candidates and their supporters make sure that each and every vote is polled which also explains the good turnout,” said Rattan Singh, a voter from Ramdas. — TNS People queue up to cast their votes at a polling station at Ajnala on Sunday. VISHAL KUMAR Tributes paid to Pulwama martyrs Mohali outplay Asr, lift AGA Gold Cup Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 14 Members of farmer unions and general public on Sunday paid tributes to the martyrs of Pulwama attack and those who had died during the ongoing farmer protest to get the three controversial agriculture laws repealed. A large number of activists gathered at Bhandari Bridge and paid homage to the martyred jawans and kisans. The farmer leaders stated that around 235 farmers have lost their lives during the ongoing agitation. The members of different farmer unions and members of many social and progressive organisations were present on the occasion. Members of different organisations participate in a candlelight march in the memory of Pulwama martyrs in Tarn Taran. They also took out a candlelight march to pay s to the martyrs. Speaking on the occasion, prominent farmer leader Rattan Singh Randhawa said that common masses were being deprived of their basic needs to benefit the corporate houses. Tarn Taran: Activists of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha on Sunday paid tributes tributes to the security personnel killed in the terrorist attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. Farmers, mazdoors, employees and other trade unionists organized a candlelight march in the town. Pritihipal Singh Marimegha, Baldev Singh Pandori, Tara Singh Khehra and Gurpreet Gandiwind, representatives of mass organisations, condemned the government for allegedly using the martyrs name for political motives. Meanwhile, workers of the Kisan Mazdoor Sanghrsh Committee,Punjab, also paid tributes to the martyrs at Manochahal Kalan village. Satnam Singh Manochahal said they paid the highest sacrifice to save the integrity of the country. — OC c m y b Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 14 Mohali lifted the AGA Gold Cup under-19 cricket tournament by defeating Amritsar by six wickets. The ground covered under the thick fog in the morning compelled the organisers to reduce the 40-over match to 35. The hosts were all out for 124 runs in 34.3 overs. Earlier, they won the toss and elected to bat. However, their decision proved wrong as the fog-assisted pitch helped the pacers of Mohali. Their batsmen were no match in front of the pace attack mounted by the visitors. Chasing the target, the winning team scored 125 runs for four wickets in just 28 overs. Mohali cricket team in a jubilant mood after winning the under-19 cricket tournament in Amritsar on Sunday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR The visitor team was handed over the prize money of ~1.50 lakh and the host team ~75,000 by the AGA. Mohali’s Jashanpreet Singh was adjudged man of the match as he scalped three wickets by giving 19 runs in six overs, which included one maiden over. In this Punjab Cricket Association-approved tournament, eight teams of the state — Jalandhar, Patiala, Amritsar, Mohali, Malwa Heroes, Majha Heroes, Ludhiana and Doaba Heroes participated. Trident and Amandeep Group of Hospitals, which funded the tournament, gave gifts to the players to encourage them. Sukhchain Singh Gill, Commissioner of Police, who was the chief guest in the final said: “The quality of cricket being played across all formats and levels has increased drastically. With such tournaments becoming a regular feature, more talented players are bound to come forward who would shine in the future.” All Ranji Trophy players present on this occasion were awarded a memento by Dr Himanshu Aggarwal, ADC, Secretary, AGA.