The Tribune – Dera chief exempted from court appearance

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of the Sikhs by dressing up as Guru Gobind Singh

Megha Mann, Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 26. The court of Additional Sessions Judge DS Johal today granted relief to Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by staying a lower court’s order that had directed him to appear before the Judge on May 10.

Dera chief’s counsel had yesterday moved an application in the court of District and Sessions Judge S K Aggarwal challenging the decision of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Harjit Singh who had summoned him to appear in the court on May 10. The next hearing in the case has been fixed on May 25.

On April 2, the CJM court had dismissed a Bathinda police report seeking cancellation of an FIR lodged against the Dera chief for allegedly dressing up as Guru Gobind Singh and hurting religious sentiments of the Sikhs in 2007.

Refusing the police’s plea, the CJM had directed the government witnesses to depose before the court on May 10.

A Dera spokesperson had contended that the police had failed to produce a challan in the court within the three-year stipulated period and in this case more than four-and-a-half years had passed.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120427/punjab.htm#12

The Tribune – Trade volume at Attari doubles

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 26. Notwithstanding traders’ protest over “excessive handling charges”, the new Integrated Check Post (ICP) has given a major boost to trade between India and Pakistan. The volume of trade has almost doubled since April 13 when the ICP was inaugurated.

Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) Manager at the ICP Rameshwar says the number of trucks coming from and crossing over to Pakistan has increased. “As far as imports are concerned, the highest we have recorded so far is 192 trucks from Pakistan in a single day. Similarly, talking about exports, the highest number of Indian trucks crossing over to Pakistan has been 175.” This is almost double the number of trucks which used to enter India and cross over to Pakistan via the old check post. On an average, 100-150 trucks arrive from Pakistan daily, though the exports have declined over the past couple of days it being a lean season.

Apart from longer trade timings (7 am to 7 pm), better infrastructure has contributed to the increase in the trade volume. At present, India is primarily exporting tomato and soyabean to Pakistan via the Attari-Wagah land route while the import list comprises cement, coal, gypsum, dry fruit, dates, soda ash and chemicals. In the import list, cement and coal are the new additions.

Earlier, traders would import cement through a goods train from Pakistan as the old check post at Attari lacked adequate infrastructure to facilitate its import through road.

Randeep Singh, a leading cement importer, said the ICP would certainly help boost cement imports from Pakistan. “Through the Attari ICP, we can get cement within a week while the rail route took a couple of months,” he said.

Now, trucks carrying goods are parked inside the ICP premises.This has come as a major respite for tourists who throng the border every evening for The Retreat.

The process of computerisation and laying of communication lines at the ICP is underway and will take some time. Similarly, banking facilities are yet to take shape. Traders and porters lament that the labour charges have reduced even though the volume of trade has increased. “We are being paid Rs 1,600 per truckload of tomatoes as against Rs 2,070 paid earlier,” a porter said.

Touching new heights

The highest number of trucks entering into India from Pakistan in a day after the inauguration on the new ICP is 192 while the maximum count of trucks that crossed over to Pakistan stands at 175

This is almost double the number of trucks which used to enter India and cross over to Pakistan via the old check post

On an average, 100-150 trucks arrive from Pakistan daily, though the exports have declined over the past couple of days due to lean season

Apart from longer trade timings (7 am to 7 pm), better infrastructure has contributed to an increase in the trade volume

Traders to halt trade from today

Upset over the “excessive handling charges” at the ICP, the traders today held a meeting under the banner of Confederation of International Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CICCI) and decided to halt the entire bilateral trade between India and Pakistan via Attari-Wagah land route from Friday onwards.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120427/punjab.htm#3

The Asian Age – Bofors boom disrupts Houses

Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 27 April 2012. The ghost of Bofors returned to haunt the Congress yet again with both Houses of Parliament rocked by a matter that first hit the headlines nearly 25 years ago. Both Houses witnessed adjournments with the Opposition, led by the BJP, attacking the government on the issue of alleged pay-offs made in the purchase of Bofors guns when the late Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister.

In the Lok Sabha the issue was raised by senior BJP leader and former defence minister Jaswant Singh just as Zero Hour began. He was largely heard in silence by the Treasury benches as he launched a scathing attack on the government on the recent charges made by a now retired Swedish police chief regarding pay-offs.

Later, as the Congress’ Sanjay Nirupam responded to the Opposition’s charges on Bofors, BJP members trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans. They continued their sloganeering and yet Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the House only after Mr Nirupam had completed his speech.

Jaswant Singh told the LS: “The correct weapon was acquired but it was acquired in a wrong manner … You (Congress) have paid, we have paid. The nation continues to pay.”

http://www.asianage.com/india/bofors-boom-disrupts-houses-610

29 March 2012 – Brussel, Balwant Singh Rajooana manifestation

I only took pictures at the start of the manifestation.
There were more people and there were many more women then shown !

Brussel, Luxemburgplein
Balwant Singh Rajooana manifestation

Brussel, Luxemburgplein
Balwant Singh Rajooana manifestation

Brussel, Luxemburgplein
Balwant Singh Rajooana manifestation

To see more Belgium (mostly Limburg) pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622046344528/

More Belgium pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Cabinet clears India-Pakistan visa agreement

New Delhi, April 26. The move to ease travel between India and Pakistan for certain categories got the nod of Union Cabinet today amid growing ties between the two countries.

The Cabinet gave its approval to signing of an agreement that would allow common people from either country to visit three earmarked cities, sources said. Businessmen with multi-entry, non-police reporting visas can now visit five cities instead of three, as at present.

The provision will apply to businesspersons whose credentials are certified by the chambers on the both sides. From India, the certification will have to come from FICCI and from the Pakistani side, it will be from the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Elderly people would be exempt from police reporting, as per the proposed agreement.

The decision comes ahead of the meeting of Home Secretaries of the two countries, which is expected to take place in Islamabad in the last week of May. The agreement could be signed at that meeting if the Pakistan Cabinet also approves it.

The two countries decided to ease visa regulations during the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari here on April 8. (PTI)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120427/main6.htm

Dawn – Down but not out; Gilani’s contempt of court case

Islamabad, 27 April 2012. In a ruling that added more chaos than clarity to an already messy and murky scenario, the Supreme Court handed down a symbolic punishment lasting less than a minute to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday, making him the first ever chief executive to be convicted for committing contempt.

Wearing a black ‘sherwani’ instead of the suits he has usually preferred for his previous court appearances, the prime minister walked to the Supreme Court along with his son Musa Gilani, members of his cabinet and a crowd of supporters.

Pushed and shoved as well as showered with rose petals, the prime minister made his way to Courtroom 4.

The ruling convicted him for contempt and sentenced him “until the rising of the court”. The time period lasted only 37 seconds, after which the now convicted prime minister exited the premises.

Blue-clad officers stood hand-in-hand, encircling the prime minister and his supporters as he inched his way toward his car in an area overrun by local and foreign journalists as well as the PPP walahs.

Moment of truth

The ruling passed by the seven judges comprising the bench was short. The entire affair lasted only a few minutes.

“Can the respondent (Prime Minister Gilani) come to the rostrum?” asked Justice Nasirul Mulk, who had been heading the bench hearing the contempt case for over three months, before he read out the judgment.

“For the reasons to be recorded later the accused Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Prime Minister of Pakistan/Chief Executive of the Federation, is found guilty of and convicted for contempt of court… after our satisfaction that the contempt committed by him is substantially detrimental… and tends to bring this court and the judiciary of this country into ridicule.

“… (W)e note that the findings and the conviction for contempt of court… are likely to entail some serious consequences in terms of Article 63(1g) [disqualification] of the constitution….

“He is, therefore, punished under Section 5 (punishment) of the Contempt of Court Ordinance (ordinance V of 2003) with imprisonment till the rising of the court today.”

Only moments after the short order, the bench rose, and despite repeated efforts by Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan to attract the attention of the court, the judges exited the room. Ahsan repeated, “My lord, my lord, my lord,” but to no avail.

Soon after the court was adjourned, the bench released the following statement:

“The respondent appeared in person with his learned counsel. The short order passed in the matter of contempt of court was read out in open court. After that, the respondent/convict remained in the custody of the court till his release upon rising of the court for the day.”

Barrister Aitzaz, who represented the prime minister in the contempt case, later announced that an appeal would be filed against the decision.

http://dawn.com/2012/04/26/pm-arrives-at-sc-for-contempt-verdict/