22052024-ATR-01.qxd 22-05-2024 00:24 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune REVIEW OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS PUT ON HOLD DUE TO LS POLLS MAJHA HOUSE REMEMBERS POET SURJIT PATAR Schools of Happiness will have well ventilated classrooms, dedicated play areas and resource rooms. P2 Majha House hosted a programme to pay tribute to late Dr Surjit Patar, the beloved bard of Punjab. P2 » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY DIALOGUE WRITER ROHIT K SHARMA UNDERLINES IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPT Sharma, whose film Santoshwas appreciated at Cannes, discusses the importance of a film’s script. P4 » » MAX 45°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 43°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.25 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5.29 AM WEDNESDAY | 22 MAY 2024 | AMRITSAR Babbu hits the road in Bhoa, says will use BADP funds for repair Mobilises support for PM’s rally at Dinanagar on May 24 Ravi Dhaliwal Bhoa (Pathankot), May 21 BJP candidate Dinesh Singh Babbu today raked up problems pertaining to the Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency during a tour of the Bhoa assembly segment. Bhoa is widely perceived to be among the most underdeveloped areas of Punjab. It is well known that the illegal mining mafia has wreaked havoc on the roads in the entire assembly seat which are in a poor condition. Babbu, who was on a visit to Bhoa which is adjacent to Pathankot city, today told a gathering that “if elected as an MP he would bring in , funds from the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) to ensure that the old roads are re-carpeted and new ones constructed.” People also informed him about the acute problem of drinking water that they have been facing for the last many decades. “I have assured the people of Bhoa that the problem of water supply will be Over 3 kg heroin, arms seized from smuggler’s house Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, May 21 In a joint search operation, Punjab Police personnel and BSF jawans raided the house of drug smuggler Jaswinder Singh Kaka, a resident of Rajoke village, and seized heroin and arms and ammunition here on Tuesday. Joint search op by cops, BSF jawans BJP’s Dinesh Singh Babbu campaigns in Bhoa. TRIBUNE PHOTO resolved from the BADP funds. Actually, the AAP government has done absolutely nothing for the betterment of the local people despite the fact that this was the home seat of Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak. The area also needs better health facilities that are being provided to the people by the state government. Any person who falls sick has to be taken to either Pathankot or Amritsar for treatment because government hospitals are either under-staffed or lack proper facilities,” he said. Babbu asked the gathering whether the candidates of AAP Congress or SAD had , raised local issues. Local leaders told him that no candidate had even visited them, leave alone taking up issues concerning their welfare. The BJP candidate was on a tour of the area to mobilise party workers for the Prime Minister’s rally to be held in nearby Dinanagar on May 24. Bhikhiwind DSP Preetinder Singh said the accused is already in the custody of SOC (Special Operation Cell, Amritsar). During the raid, 3.124 kg of heroin, two electronic weighing scales, ~3 lakh cash, one pistol, six magazines and 111 rounds of different bores were seized. The DSP said the Khalra police have registered a case under Section 21-C of the NDPS Act and Section 25 (6) of the Arms Act in this regard. The DSP said teams of the Khalra and Bhikhiwind police stations were involved in the search operation. We believe in walking the talk: Dhaliwal CAMPAIGN TRAIL Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 21 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Amritsar Lok Sabha seat Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal is banking upon his party’s governance and commitments made to the people that were honoured since it assumed power in the state. Starting his poll campaign with a nearly two-hour-long meeting with voters at his house in Jagdev Kalan village, he devotes the rest of his time to a segment chosen by his aides. With the help of party volunteers, he attends at least 10 rallies in that segment. During his address in the rallies, he takes pains to familiarise the electorate with works done by his government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He elaborated that poll promises like free of cost power supply up to 300 units, upgrade of education and health facilities, BJP’s Dinesh Singh Babbu campaigns in Bhoa. TRIBUNE PHOTO were delivered. He categorically stated: “I do not talk about future vision as my party believes in delivering results.” For this, he said over 800 Mohalla clinics, including 70 in Amritsar, were set up. Schools of Eminence were established and 43,000 government jobs offered. A diabetic, he does not forget to take along his medicines and food during campaigning. Salted lassi is his favourite to beat the heat. His campaigning halts during the hot hours in the after- noon to avoid hassles to people. In the given constituency, his poll campaign winds up by 8 pm. Then he returns home to hold some more meetings at his residence. In addition, the AAP has pressed in 250 teams of volunteers who visit door to door to inform the voters about the promises on which their party has delivered after forming the government. The AAP has chosen to field again its Minister for NRI Affairs Dhaliwal from Amritsar where he had lost in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, bagging just 20,087 votes, a mere 2.34 per cent of the total votes polled. Gurjeet Singh Aujla of the Congress had comfortably won the election, securing over 4.45 lakh votes. However, riding on the AAP wave, Dhaliwal had won the 2022 assembly election from Ajnala assembly seat. In the early years of his political career, he was associated with the Congress. Before contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Dhaliwal reportedly gave up his American citizenship for contesting the election. At that time, Dhaliwal had claimed that he had promised party supremo Arvind Kejriwal way back in 2015 that he would make sacrifices for the party. After spending 13 years in the US, he returned home in 2014 to join active politics. Before moving to the US, Dhaliwal claimed that he was elected Sarpanch of Jagdev Kalan village. He had passed his matriculation from a government school in his village. Rail traffic back on track as farmers end blockade Movement of trains back to normal in city, vendors relieved Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service and 14603 Saharsa to Amritsar. Travelling by train had become an ordeal for passengers with farmers laying siege to the railway track for nearly a month. Disruption of train schedule upset the lives of commuters and impacted business. Vendors at the railway station earning their livelihood by selling eatables and necessary articles demanded compensation from the railways to meet their fixed expenses. They stated that frequent blockades upset their accounts making them unable to make both ends meet. A similar blockade in February had caused them losses. Now, they are against staring at losses. They state that each vendor pays a monthly rent between a minimum of Rs 15,000 to a maximum of Rs 27,000 to the railways besides 18 per cent GST over it. Apart from this, their other standing expenditure include about Rs 11.79 per unit commercial power tariff, salaries to employees, maintenance and other charges. Amritsar, May 21 A day after farmers lifted over a month-long blockade of the railway track at Shambhu border with Haryana which caused disruption of rail traffic, movement of over 30 trains was restored at Amritsar railway station on Tuesday. A majority of these trains were daily in nature. About 23 daily trains that were earlier diverted were back on their original track and seven that were cancelled also resumed service offering respite to the beleaguered passengers. It also brought a sigh of relief from the vendors at the Amritsar railway station who had been feeling the pinch of low sales. The seven pair of both Up and Down trains which had been cancelled and were restored today included 12497 and 12498 between Amritsar and New Delhi, 12459 and 12460 between Amritsar and New Delhi, 12053 and 12054 between Amritsar and Howrah, 14653 and 14654 between Amritsar and Hisar, 12411 and 12412 between Amritsar and Chandigarh, 14506 and 14505 between Amritsar and Nangal Dam, 12241 and 12242 between Amritsar and Chandigarh. The 23 pairs of diverted trains which were today back on their original track included 13151 KolkataAmritsar, 18237 Chhattisgarh Express, 13005 Howrah-Amritsar, 15707 Katihar-Amritsar, 11057 Dadar-Amritsar, 12029 New Delhi-Amritsar Swarn Shatabdi, 04651 JaynagarAmritsar, 14617 Purnea Beldar caught taking ~10K bribe by VB Goods destroyed in fire at garment shop LS polls: Admn to send special invites to voters Amritsar, May 21 The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has apprehended Nirmal Singh, posted as a beldar in the District Forest Office at Khasa, Amritsar, while accepting a bribe of ~10,000 here on Tuesday. The accused, Nirmal Singh, has been arrested on the basis of a complaint lodged by Jobandeep Singh. He said the complainant approached the Vigilance Bureau (VB) and informed its sleuths that he wanted to set up a wood-cutting unit (aara) and the accused demanded bribe to facilitate issuance of the licence for the purpose. A VB team laid a trap during and arrested the accused red-handed in the presence of two witnesses. — TNS Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 21 In a unique push to increase voter participation, the district administration will send special invites to people to come and vote on June 1. For the purpose, invitation letters are being prepared in the English and Punjabi languages and these will be sent to voters via social media, election-related mobile applications and through special events to be held across the district. Passengers were a relieved lot as services of 30 trains were restored in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR Amritsar, May 21 A fire broke out in a readymade garment showroom adjoining Khalsa College for Women on Mehnga Singh Saini Marg here this evening. On receiving the call at 6.40 pm, the Fire Brigade rushed two fire tenders to the spot and started controlling the flames. A huge quantity of garments and wooden furniture was lying in the double-storied showroom. High flames led to panic in the area. The firemen kept struggling to douse the flames which could spread to other shops adjacent to the showroom. Besides, the narrow streets and encroachments Court-Amritsar, 14649 Jaynagar-Amritsar, 14673 Jaynagar-Amritsar, 22487 Delhi-Amritsar, 12715 Sachkhand Express, 12203 Garib Rath from Saharsa to Amritsar, 20807 Vishakhapatnam, 12013 New Delhi to Amritsar, 12903 Golden Temple Express from Mumbai Central to Amritsar, 12357 Kolkata to Amritsar, 19325 Indore to Amritsar, 12483 Trivandrum Kuchuveli to Amritsar, 12379 Sealdah to Amritsar, 04653 New Jalpaiguri to Amritsar, 22125 Nagpur to Amritsar Fire engulfs the garment shop in Amritsar on Tuesday. proved a hurdle in the movement of fire tenders. Five fire tenders, including two from the Sewa Samiti, kept working to control the fire till late evening. Garments worth lakhs of rupees were gutted in the fire. THE TRIBUNE INTERVIEW: MANJIT SINGH MANNA MIANWIND, BJP KHADOOR SAHIB CANDIDATE ‘I am no less Panthic than other candidates, Sikhs are with BJP’ W HEN all other poll candidates are advocating resumption of trade ties with Pakistan through the Punjab border, BJP candidate Manjit Singh Manna Mianwind from Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency has been claiming that cross-border smuggling of drugs and drone movement should be a major concern. He terms himself a “Gareeb Sikh”, who was unfit for SAD, being run by elite dictators. Manna who switched over to the BJP from Akali Dal in 2022, is a three-time SAD MLA. He represented Khadoor Sahib Vidhan Sabha seat twice, in 2002 and 2007, and won once from Baba Bakala, in 2012. After joining the BJP , Manna contested from Baba Bakala assembly constituency but failed to succeed. Khadoor Sahib is now a hot seat and instead of local issues, the candidates are contesting the election on Panthic sentiments. On the sidelines of a busy campaign schedule, Manna took time out to speak to Charanjit Singh Teja. Excerpts from the interview: ■ What is the main issue in the constituency as per your pinion? Khadoor Sahib is a border area constituency. We are facing narcoterrorism from Pakistan. The police recover drones and drugs regularly. Drug addiction is one of the major issues in the constituency. Villages in the border area witness poverty and unemployment. It is also linked with drug addiction. I have been visiting the villages where people reside in mud houses and spend nights under the tarpaulin. I am contesting on the issue of employment. Unemployed youth ❝ Khadoor Sahib is a border area constituency. We are facing narco-terrorism from Pakistan. The police recover drones and drugs regularly. Drug addiction is one of the major issues in the constituency. Villages in the border area witness poverty and unemployment. get easily trapped in drugs. I am not against the trade with Pakistan but drug smuggling can’t be tolerated at any cost. ■ You are facing protests from farmers who reach your venue c m y b and oppose you and your party. What is your take on farmers’ agitation and their call against BJP candidates? I am always with the farmers and never speak a single word against them. They are agitated over some issues and I always welcome their representatives to come, sit and talk them out. Even I support some of their demands, which are justified. But it is unconstitutional to give a call saying they will not allow BJP candidates to enter the villages and set up polling booths on election day. ■ You shifted your loyalty from Shiromani Akali Dal to Bharatiya Janata Party. What is the difference you observed in both parties? SAD is being run by an elite family. Earlier, there was great respect for the activists in the party and their leaders were humble. Now, the Badal family is running it as a dictatorship. Being a “Gareeb Sikh”, I was a misfit in SAD, being run by elite dictators. As far as the BJP is concerned, they respect the cadre. ■ Apart from SAD, AAP and Congress, Independent candidate Amritpal Singh is also in the field. Who is your competitor? I am a three-time MLA and dedicated to the service of the people. Being a humble Sikh, I am not in competition with anyone. The candidates contesting on Panthic issues are not more Panthic than me. Even the BJP and Prime Minister Modi are making great efforts for the Sikhs. They opened the Kartarpur corridor, observed martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur all over, started observing Bal Divas and ended the black list of Sikhs. Sikhs are with the BJP! The invitation card. District Election Officercum-DC Ghanshyam Thori said to ensure maximum voter participation in the upcoming LS polls on June 1, invitations will be sent asking voters to celebrate the biggest festival of democracy. “Just like invitations are sent for weddings and other events, the move aims at engaging voters to participate in this very important exercise of voting for our next democratic representatives. The number of invitation cards being printed in Phulkari design will be sent to 51,032 young first-time voters, who will be part of this exercise for the first time. Apart from this, our senior voters, who are above 80, will also be given invites,” he said. The invites will also have a QR code and voters can get the details of their assigned voting booths by scanning it. — TNS
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