09072024-JTR-01.qxd 08-07-2024 22:44 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune MEMBERS PROTEST POOR CONDITION OF ROADS ACTRESS NEETU CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY IN SWISS ALPS TAHA IS NOT THE NATIONAL MAN-CRUSH FOR NOTHING Symbolically sow paddy on damaged stretch of a road and burn an effigy of the local administration. P2 Veteran actress Neetu Kapoor celebrated her 66th birthday on a vacation in the Swiss Alps. P4 His career may have sky-rocketed after Heeramandi, but his humility is intact, and so is the twinkle in his eyes. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7:27 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:29 AM TUESDAY | 9 JULY 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF Caution, men & machinery at work in Jalandhar West ahead of bypoll FARMER SHOT AT IN FIELDS, CRITICAL Phagwara: A farmer was shot at by three unidentified motorcyclist-borne assailants at Sunnar Kalan village near Zandiala-Manjki on the Phagwara-Nakodar road here on Monday. The victim, identified as Resham Singh, was working in the fields when the incident took place. The suspects managed to flee after the incident. The victim was shifted to the DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, where his condition is stated to be critical. The Nurmahal police have registered a case and initiated investigations into the matter. OC Rivals accuse CM of misusing administrative and municipal resources Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service BSF jawans take out a flag march in Jalandhar West Assembly constituency on Monday. MALKIAT SINGH Curtains down on campaigning JALANDHAR WEST BYPOLL MAN ARRESTED FOR CHEATING Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 8 As the campaigning for the Jalandhar West bypoll ended here this evening, all parties held events to conclude their canvassing for their respective candidates. While the Congress organised a foot march through the markets of the area, CM Bhagwant Mann held public meetings in some wards of the constituency. BJP candidate Sheetal Angural, who had been holding roadshows for the past few days, concluded the campaign with meetings. Ahead of organising the foot march, PCC chief Phagwara: The Nakodar City police have arrested a person for cheating and conspiracy. Investigating officer (IO) Dilbag Singh said the suspect had been identified as Manjit Kumar, a resident of Bath Kalan village falling under the Mehat Pur police station. Sukhjinder Singh, a resident of Mudhan village, told the police that the suspect tampered with land records and sold land mortgaged in his name. The IO said a case under Sections 406, 420 and 120-B of the IPC was registered. OC Amarinder S Raja Warring and LoP Partap Bajwa held a press conference alleging that the state government had been misusing power to have an edge. Around 4 pm, Warring, accompanied by candidate Surinder Kaur and party leaders and workers, took out a foot march. Warring remained engaged with the electorates, who turned out to see them. Surinder Kaur thanked them saying, “I am grateful to be showered with love and affection during my campaign. I assure you that I will work for the betterment of the constituency. Turncoats of the AAP and the BJP have created a mockery out of politics. It is time for actual work to be done for the people.” Bhagwant Mann held public rallies in ward nos. 75 and 36 falling in the Basti Peer Daad and Bhargo Camp areas, respectively. He was accompanied by Ashok Prashar, AAP MLA from Ludhiana. Mann urged people to vote only for AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat. BJP candidate Sheetal Angural and his family remained engaged with some meetings. Angural was also active on FB where he levelled more allegations against the AAP this evening. He talked of curbs and controls that the party exercised even on MLAs by giving them scripts for every speech which they were made to follow strictly. EMBEZZLEMENT OF PANCHAYAT FUNDS Machinery deployed in the Jalandhar West constituency. PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH SUCTION, SWEEPER TRUCKS STATIONED Several suction and sweeper trucks were seen stationed along the stretch from Babrik Chowk to Babu Jagjivan Ram Chowk. While some of these trucks bore number plates indicating they were from Amritsar and Ludhiana, others had no number plates, with their original district, municipal council or Municipal Corporation that it belonged to painted in black. original district, municipal council or Municipal Corporation that it belonged to painted in black. A suction truck driver, who preferred anonymity, revealed that they had been instructed to claim that their vehicle belonged to the Municipal Corporation of Jalandhar and refrain from answering any further queries. When asked about the presence of this machinery and why trucks from Amritsar and Ludhiana were there in Jalandhar West, MC officials Continued on page 2 Panchayat secy, former sarpanch land in Vigilance Bureau dragnet AAP, BJP playing fixed match, says Rana KP WATCHMAN HELD FOR AXING TREES Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a watchman for cutting trees halfway from the cremation ground. Investigating officer (IO) Kewal Singh said the suspect had been identified as Shingara Singh, a resident of Nimaji Pur village. The Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), Lohian Khas block, told the police that the suspect cut trees halfway from the cremation ground of his village. A case under Section 4 of the Punjab Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act 2014 and Section 409 of the IPC was registered against the suspect. OC Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 8 During its ongoing campaign against corruption, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) today arrested Mukhtiar Singh, panchayat secretary and a resident of Sona village, and Harbhajan Kaur, former sarpanch, Hiala village in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, for misappropriation of panchayat funds. Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson for the state VB said the case had been registered against both suspects and others following an inquiry. Sharing further details, the spokesperson said during the investigation of a complaint filed in 2017 at SBS Nagar, it was found that the Hiala Gram Panchayat received grants totalling ~16,45,000 from year 2008 to year 2013 for execution of development works in the village. Then sarpanch Surjit Singh, acting sarpanch/member panchayat Bakhshish Ram, who died in September 2021, acting sarpanch/member panchayat Harbhajan Kaur and panchay- at secretary Mukhtiar Singh committed grave irregularities in the grants by submitting fake bills/receipts and incomplete muster rolls for payment to the labour. He said based on the enquiry, a case under Sections 420, 406, 409, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC and Section 13(1)(a) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against the suspects and others at the VB police station, Jalandhar range, today. The duo would be produced in the court tomorrow. Further investigations were on in the case. Jalandhar West and its love for Bastis & Kots Deepkamal Kaur PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 8 As one enters the bypollbound Jalandhar West area from near Babu Jagjivan Ram Chowk, an iconic landmark reads in Punjabi, ‘I love Bastian’. The landmark gives outsiders a slightly different impression as ‘Basti’ generally means an overcrowded slum locality. There certainly are several slum dwellings in Jalandhar West, but Bastis here imply 12 settlements created in the city’s outer areas by the Muslim community and Pathans in the pre-Independence era. The elderly in the city say the place was then generally confined around the old GT Road and these localities, including Basti Nau, Basti Sheikh, Basti Danishmandan, Basti Guzan, Basti Bawa Khel, Basti Mithu, Basti Shah Kuli and Basti Ibrahim, were then considered to be distantly located. If Bastis were largely Jalandhar, July 8 With the Jalandhar West Assembly constituency scheduled to hold byelection on Wednesday, political parties are intensifying their efforts to garner the support of voters. Accordingly, the Municipal Corporation authorities have also mobilised their machinery to ensure that civic services function smoothly in the constituency ahead of elections. Sources reveal that JCBs, suction and sweeper trucks have been brought in not only from Jalandhar but also from neighbouring cities such as Amritsar and Ludhiana, along with Nakodar and other nearby towns that have a Municipal Council. The extensive mobilisation of men and machines aims to pre-empt any potential civic complaints that could emerge before the bypoll. During a recent visit to the Jalandhar West area, several suction and sweeper trucks were seen stationed along the stretch from Babrik Chowk to Babu Jagjivan Ram Chowk. While some of these trucks bore number plates indicating they were from Amritsar and Ludhiana, others had no number plates, with their An iconic landmark, ‘I love Bastian’, near Babu Jagjivan Ram Chowk. FASCINATING STORIES OF PARTITION Jalandhar West has several fascinating stories of Partition as Sandeep Bhagat, who has served as Professor in Lyallpur Khalsa College, says: “Our ancestors came from Pakistan. They were first brought to a refugee camp in Burlton Park here. From here, they were allotted plots in Bhargo Camp, which was established in the name of Gopi Chand Bhargav, who was the first Chief Minister of undivided Punjab in 1947.” Muslim pockets, Kots were Hindu dominated. These settlements were also located on the city’s outer fringes. Out of 12 Kots then, there is now just one left in Jalandhar West - Kot Sadiq. All others like Kot Pakshian, Kot Kishan Chand, Kot Lakhpat Rai and Kot Badal Khan are parts of Jalandhar Central area. Sports goods manufacturer Ravinder Dhir, who maintains his family record of 500 years, says he has his roots in Basti Sheikh. “My parents told me that at that time, the area was called Basti Sheikh Darvesh, after its founder. This Basti was founded in 1614. At that time, my ancestors were engaged in making tobacco products. Some Hindu families like ours lived in this Muslim area and they all shared an amicable relationship. The Muslims left the area during the time of Partition and Hindus coming from Pakistan occupied it,” he said. Jalandhar West has several fascinating stories of Partition as Sandeep Bhagat, who has served as Professor in Lyallpur Khalsa College, says: “Our ancestors came from Pakistan. They were first brought to a refugee camp in Burlton Park here. From here, they were allotted plots in Bhargo Camp, which was established in the name of Gopi Chand Bhargav, who was the first Chief Minister of undivided Punjab in 1947.” c m y b Tribune News Service ‘A UNIQUE EXAMPLE’ Jalandhar, July 8 Rana KP Singh, chairman of the Punjab Congress Campaign Committee, today alleged that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (AAP) were playing a fixed match and had ganged up together against the Congress. “The two parties have a hidden alliance between themselves against the Congress,” he said, while alleging that “Bhagat Chunni Lal, father of On the last day of the campaigning for the Jalandhar West Assembly bypoll, Rana KP Singh, chairman of the Punjab Congress Campaign Committee, said: “It is a unique example and may not have any parallels in electoral history of India that the two parties - AAP and BJP - have literally swapped their candidates for the Assembly bypoll”. AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat, continues to be a senior leader of the BJP”. On the last day of the campaigning for the Jalandhar West Assembly bypoll here, Rana said: “It is a unique example and may not have any parallels in electoral histo- ry of India that the two parties - AAP and BJP - have literally swapped their candidates for the Assembly bypoll”. He pointed out that AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat contested as the BJP nominee from Jalandhar West in 2022, while BJP candidate Sheetal Angural was AAP nominee that time. “It is not just the reversal of roles, but the classic case of political opportunism,” he remarked. The former Punjab Legislative Assembly Speaker maintained that both turncoats must be taught a good lesson so that nobody would dare to resort to such political opportunism. The Chairman of the Campaign Committee urged people to vote for the Congress to defeat the “hidden coalition” between the AAP and the BJP .
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