The Tribune – Golden Temple plaza work finally begins

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 3. The construction work of the prestigious Golden Temple Entrance Plaza has finally begun and if all goes well, the project would be ready by the end of the next year.

Prior to this, the pre-construction activities like shifting of underground cables and pipelines from the construction area consumed a lot of time. However, the construction work has begun on a swift note with JCB machines and trucks being pressed into service for digging and shifting earth at the green belt right in front of the main gate of the Golden Temple.

The entire area where the work is on has been encircled with tin sheets. The agencies engaged in the work have also constructed two “jora ghars” (shoe keeping facility), one each on the either side of the shrine’s main gate to facilitate the devotees while the construction work is on.

Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal said a deadline of 15 months, starting last week, had been set for construction work of the prestigious project, which means the plaza will take final shape by December 2012. In the upcoming plaza, apart from a spacious ‘jora ghar’, all amenities would be underground, including a state-of-the-art interpretation and information centre for tourists. As there is a lot of VVIP movement at the Golden Temple, the plaza will have a separate lounge to accommodate dignitaries and their entourage.

An auditorium with a seating capacity of 100-150 persons would be built so that a visiting dignitary could address the media.

A bank, ATM, airport and railway inquiry booth would also be set up. The plaza, spread over 1.75 acres, will have a flooring equipped with radiant cooling and heating system so that devotees could walk barefoot without any discomfort during extreme weather conditions.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111004/punjab.htm#11

The Asian Age – BJP woos dalits, ignores their leaders

Amita Verma, Asian Age Corespondent

Lucknow, 4 October 2011. The Bharatiya Janata Party is now trying to make a conscious effort to woo dalits and OBCs in Uttar Pradesh but the party does not have an acceptable dalit and backward face to project and promote in the coming Assembly elections.

The party, at a recent Dalit and OBC Sammelan in Lucknow, discounted the efforts made by UP chief minister Mayawati for dalit upliftment and promised to give dalits and OBCs the due credit if the BJP came to power in UP.

The party made spirited efforts to project itself as a dalit and OBC friendly party and cited its support to Mayawati as an example.

The BJP leaders delved into history, picked up dalit leaders like Uppaiya, Banke Chamar, Uda Devi, Jhalkari Bai, Chetram Jatav and Veeran Kori — all of whom had been ignored by the Mayawati government — and promised to give them due credit.

“When the BJP is voted to power in UP, we will include the contribution of these dalit and OBC leaders in the text books so that our children can learn about the role and contribution of dalits and OBCs in the country’s freedom movementand development,” promised Rajnath Singh.

Ms Uma Bharti, in her speech, recalled how she had convinced her party leaders to support Mayawati as chief minister in 2002. “After that, Mayawati forgot me and also the dalits,” she said.

Interestingly, the BJP in UP does not have any recognised dalit face in the party that can address and win over dalit voters. Leaders like Bangaru Laxman and Ramnath Kovid have faded into the background and so has Ramapati Shastri — once known as the dalit face of the party. Another senior dalit leader, Sangh Priya Gautam, has already left the BJP.

Interestingly at the OBC Sammelan, last week, BJP’s prominent OBC leaders in UP like Vinay Katiyar, Om Prakash Singh and Premlata Katiyar were conspicuous by their absence and it was left to Ms Uma Bharti, again, to hold the torch at the function.

A senior backward leader, while talking on condition of anonymity, said, “When it comes to major decision making in the party, it is the upper caste leaders who call the shots. We are not showpieces meant to be displayed during elections only. And it is because of this that we kept away from the sammelan. The dalit leadership in the BJP has also wilted due to the same reason.”

http://www.asianage.com/india/bjp-woos-dalits-ignores-their-leaders-686

My visit to Italy from 18 July till 5 August

All pictures taken in the San Bonifacio Gurdwara on 4 August 2011 

Kashmir Singh standing and Giani Naginder Singh sitting

Young girl struggling with the names of the 5 piare

My naughty little friend thought she knew the 5 names … 

Giani Naginder Singh adjusting the clothes of small Singh

Associazone Guru Nanak, Mission Seva Society
Via Ritonda 81b
37047 San Bonifacio
Verona province, Veneto region

More Italy pictures to follow !
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Mean Parenting; Lure for extra bucks sees parents pushing kids into drugs

Balwant Garg, Tribune News Service

Kotkapura (Faridkot), October 3.  Ever heard about parents pushing their children into drug addiction? Eleven kids of Kotkapura, all below 13 years, were made to take synthetic drugs by their parents and some adults so that they don’t face any inhibition in begging, stealing, snatching or rag-picking. It is probably the worst form of child labour.

The District Red Cross Society, Faridkot, came across these children 40 days back following a tip-off.

“The informer disclosed that a group of small children in the railway station area of Kotkapura were hooked to some dangerous synthetic drugs and they were indulging in various crimes like pick-pocketing and purse snatching,” said Roshan Lal Goel, secretary of the DRCS.

The information was shared with Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat. Following this, the administration sent a van to Kotkapura and 11 such children were brought to Faridkot on August 16. The kids underwent treatment at the Red Cross De-addiction Centre. Addicted to various synthetic drugs, these children told the counsellors that they were encouraged to start taking drugs by their own parents and some adult drug addicts. Once addicted, they were given the drug dose only after they met certain demands of the adults. The demands were to bring more and more money, indulging in pick-pocketing, rag-picking or purse snatching, said DC Ravi Bhagat.

“We summoned the parents of these children and warned them of serious legal action if they pushed the children back into drugs or any other crime. We have also written to the district police to identify and arrest the drug addicts and chemists who were providing and supplying drugs to such children,” said the Deputy Commissioner.

After their treatment at the de-addiction centre, the DC met these children on Friday. “We have handed over the custody of these children to their parents and asked them to send the children to schools,” said the DC.

Sources said the DRCS and the district administration would keep a constant watch on these children and the activities of their parents. The parents of these small children were poor migrants from Bihar and some of them also indulge in rag-picking.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111004/punjab.htm#9

BBC News – Afghan President Karzai begins key visit to India

4 October 2011

By Sanjoy Majumder

BBC News, Delhi. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is due to hold key talks in India.

The two countries are expected to sign several strategic agreements, including ones on development aid and security.

India is a major player in Afghanistan and has already pledged $2bn (£1.3bn) in assistance.

Mr Karzai’s visit comes at a critical time for his country, following a series of high-profile attacks and Kabul’s deteriorating relations with Pakistan.

In a recent statement, Mr Karzai said his government would work closely with the US, Europe and India to plan Afghanistan’s future.

Many in India see a key role for the country in the light of these developments.

Delhi is also very concerned about the security situation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, specially as foreign troops begin to withdraw from the region.

During his visit, the Afghan president will hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and sign a series of agreements mostly related with Indian-funded development projects.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-15161776