The Tribune – ASI cremated; shock, anger among mourners

Tribune News Service

Rampura (Amritsar), December 7. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ravinderpal Singh, who was shot dead on Wednesday by youths harassing his daughter, was cremated at his native village today with state honours.

Senior police officials, including IGP, Border Range, RP Mittal, Deputy IGP Paramraj Umranangal and Amritsar Police Commissioner Ram Singh, attended the funeral. The pyre was lit by the ASI’s daughter Robinjeet Kaur and son Navpreet Singh.

An inconsolable Robinjeet pledged to avenge her father’s killing. She fainted repeatedly as the last rites were being performed. A wailing Paramjeet Kaur, the deceased’s wife, demanded justice. There was shock and anger among the mourners.

Former minister and Attari legislator Gulzar Singh Ranike was the lone SAD leader to attend the cremation. Former SAD legislator Veer Singh Lopoke and district SAD chief Upkar Singh Sandhu were also present. Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia was conspicuous by his absence.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Navjot Kaur Sidhu was with the bereaved family all through the cremation ceremony. Amritsar Mayor BR Arora and district BJP chief Naresh Sharma were the other BJP leaders present. Sidhu said it was time for introspection for all political parties.

“The parties should identify its members with a criminal background and shunt them out while the police should not brook political interference,” she said, adding that the incident had hit the image of the SAD-BJP government.

Talking to the mediapersons, a devastated Robinjeet said she would join as Sub-Inspector with the Punjab Police “so that nobody dares to do what Rana and others did to my father.”

A shocked Navpreet Singh could not utter a word. He had returned to Australia only 20 days back after getting engaged.

A number of Congress leaders attended the cremation. Among them were Amritsar West MLA Rajkumar Verka, former Deputy Speaker Prof Darbari Lal, District Rural Congress chief Harpartap Ajnala, Rajasansi MLA Sukh Sarkaria, former Amritsar Mayor Sunil Dutti and Amritsar Urban Congress president Jugal Kishore Sharma. Gurdaspur MP Partap Bajwa and Punjab Youth Congress chief Vikamjit Chaudhary visited the family after the cremation.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121208/main2.htm

The Tribune – Bill introduced in Lok Sabha for full religion status to Sikhism [Article 25]

Aditi Tandon, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 7. The Lok Sabha today saw the introduction of an important private members’ legislation seeking to amend the Constitution of India to accord the status of full-fledged religion to Sikhism.

Shiromani Akali Dal member from Khadoor Sahib Ratan Singh Ajnala introduced the Bill this evening.

The legislation reflects a long-pending demand of the Sikh community, which has been seeking amendment to Article 25 of the Constitution that grants freedom to citizens to profess religion.

Though the Article guarantees this right to all, a particular clause in it says that a reference to Hindus would be construed as including a reference to Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists and likewise a reference to Hindu places of worship would be construed to include places of worship of Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. The Bill is seeking omission of this clause, which literally implies that the three aforementioned religions are either part of the Hindu religion or associated with it.

“The clause creates avoidable confusion on the independent identity of these three religions,” states the Bill titled ‘The Constitution Amendment Bill 2012′. It draws strength from the recommendation of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, which was set up during the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance regime.

The Commission had asked for deletion of the said clause in Article 25, adding that it be rephrased to acknowledge the independent identity of the three religions.

Ajnala argues, “Sikh Dharma was established as a separate religion with its own code of conduct by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. During the British rule in India, Sikhs were given separate seats.” The Sikhs have also been recognised as a separate minority (alongside Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Parsis) under the National Minority Commission Act.

Earlier, Ajnala had written to former Law Minister Salman Khurshid asking him to pilot the amendment.

A private members’ Bill, not being a Government Bill, is not part of the government’s legislative agenda and the government is free not to heed to it.

In the past, however, the government departed from norm by accepting a private members’ Bill seeking an amendment of the Anand Karaj Act 1909 to allow registration of Sikh marriages.

The Bill was moved by MP Tarlochan Singh in the Rajya Sabha. The government later brought it as its own Bill, allowing the Sikhs to register marriages under the amended Anand Karaj Act instead of the Hindu Marriage Act, as was the practice earlier.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121208/punjab.htm#5

The Asian Age – Centre wins vote, FDI Raj to begin

Yojna Gusai, Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 8 December 2012. The government is set to go full steam ahead with the reforms process after it secured a 21-vote victory in the Rajya Sabha on the issue of FDI in mutli-brand retail on Friday.

The Opposition-backed motion against FDI in multi-brand retail got 102 votes, while the government got the votes of 123 of the total 225 MPs present in the Upper House; 19 MPs, including nine of the SP, did not vote. The total strength of the Rajya Sabha is 244.

Yet again the combination of Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav came to the rescue of the government in the Upper House.

On December 6, following walkouts by the Bahujan Samaj Party, led by Ms Mayawati, and the Samajwadi Party, led by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, the government won the vote on FDI in retail in the Lok Sabha.

While the Samajwadi Party, with nine Rajya Sabha MPs, walked out, the BSP, with 15 MPs, voted with the government.

On Thursday, during the debate on the motion in the Rajya Sabha, Ms Mayawati had declared her intention to vote with the government.

However, after the initial round of voting, there was some confusion.

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Rajiv Shukla sought a re-calculation of votes as he felt that the 109 votes displayed as “ayes” for the motion appeared to be on the higher side.

The initial figure showed 123 members voting against the motion and 109 voting in its favour.

The final results were declared late Friday evening.

The Opposition, led by the BJP, held Ms Mayawati and Mr Mulayam Singh responsible for the government’s victory.

BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member M. Venkaiah Naidu took a dig at the outfits, saying, “Din mein kushti, raat mein dosti (They fight with the government in the day, then join hands at night).”

For his part, Union parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath said the “victory in Parliament means defeat of the BJP’s brand of politics.

http://www.asianage.com/india/centre-wins-vote-fdi-raj-begin-757

17 till 27 August 2012 – Visit to London UK

24 August 2012, Manor House Grounds
Havelock Road Gurdwara behind the bushes

24 August 2012, Manor House Grounds
Havelock Road Gurdwara and the Blue Man

24 August 2012, Manor House Grounds
Havelock Road Gurdwara and the Blue Man

24 August 2012, Havelock Road Singh Sabha

Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha
Havelock Road
Southall UB2 4NP

25 August 2012, Hayes & Harlington Station
Heathrow Connect EMU

To see more World and UK Gurdwara pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/4304661200/in/set-72157611278213681

To see more UK Trains, Underground and Buses pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157611244941713/

More UK pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Golden Jubilee Celebrations; PAU gears up for PM’s visit today

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 7. The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has high expectations from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the campus tomorrow. The Prime Minister would be the chief guest at the university’s golden jubilee convocation.

PAU Employees Union president Paramjit Singh Gill said as the Union Government expected the university to play a key role in bringing about the “Second Green Revolution”, the Centre must issue grants for research and innovation.

He said the funding would help in filling vacant posts of scientists and inducing new scientists for research work.

Gill said the university was at the forefront while ushering the country in the Green Revolution earlier as well.

While gearing up for the high-profile visit, Vice-Chancellor BS Dhillon said the Prime Minister’s visit would have “positive ramifications”. He said he, however, did not have any specific expectations from the Prime Minister’s visit.

Counting the university’s achievements, he said taking agriculture to the next level was the next task cut ahead of the university.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121208/punjab.htm#6

Dawn – Phoenix rises from the ashes; PM Raja Pervez Ashraf

Islamabad, 8 December 2012. With President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani – the two people who held the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) together for the last five years – out of active politics, the charge to lead the next election campaign has fallen on to the shoulders of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

For most politicians within and outside the PPP, the change in roles and duties has been fast and unexpected.

Mr Zardari has been barred by the Supreme Court from politicking while in office, while Mr Gilani, the vice-chairman of the PPP, is lost in political wilderness ever since he was disqualified from contesting elections for five years.

In view of the changes, according to a top PPP source, Mr Ashraf has been asked to focus more on politics by Mr Zardari, and so he will be using most of his remaining time in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat to campaign for the next general elections. He has till March 17 to do all possible because on that day the charge will be handed over to the caretaker set-up to conduct elections within 60 days just as the current assemblies complete their five-year term.

About his original job as chief executive of the country, the PPP source commented: “Mr Ashraf fills in the role when and where required, otherwise, it’s on auto-pilot mode with President Zardari the captain of the plane.”

Another PPP leader told Dawn that a series of meetings have taken place in recent weeks both at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and the Presidency on how to approach the general elections.

In the first leg, the source said, it has been decided that Mr Ashraf would address rallies throughout the country.

Hence, every week in the month of December has PM Ashraf making a public address: on December 8, he will be in Faisalabad (Punjab), December 16 he will be in Haripur (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), December 22 in Fatehjang (Punjab) and on January 5 in Chakwal, near his home constituency of Gujar Khan.

At a time, when the country is facing serious threats from the Taliban and other extremist forces, “there will be stringent security measures, which of course will not be possible when we are out of the government. Hence, the prime minister of the day as a chief guest, always carries an added advantage,” remarked the PPP leader.

The PM has also instructed his staff to give priority to meetings with sitting as well as potential lawmakers. And hardly a day passes when the media wing of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat doesn’t release handouts of his meetings with other politicians.

When enquired whether other party leaders were happy with Mr Ashraf leading the election campaign, the PPP source said, “Many in the party had objected to his election as Prime Minister after Mr Gilani was sent home by the Supreme Court but they remain unaddressed. For right or wrong reasons, Mr Ashraf has been given this new role to lead the party as a sitting prime minister.”

Indeed, Mr Ashraf’s rise in the ranks closely resembles the political rise of his benefactor Mr Zardari.

In terms of power and influence, Mr Ashraf was a virtual political non-entity as the federal minister for information technology.

His popularity had taken a sharp dip earlier for his alleged role as minister for power in the rental power projects, under investigation by the National Accountability Bureau.

In fact, his nomination as a premier by Mr Zardari was once described as “a phoenix rising from the ashes.”

Meanwhile, under the new Code of Conduct introduced by the Election Commission, public office holders are barred from taking part in election campaign. But that clause only comes in to effect once the schedule of general elections is formally announced.

“Until then, there is no such restriction on the sitting prime minister or ministers from addressing public rallies or gatherings,” said an official of the Election Commission on the request of anonymity.

“It is clearly understood that these public meetings are basically meant to prepare ground for next general elections, however, under the existing laws we cannot take any action,” he added.

It’s been a good innings for the lowly rated President Zardari and it remains to be seen if PM Ashraf comes up to his expectations as the cheerleader for the PPP in coming general elections, and lands the party another five year term in the government.

http://dawn.com/2012/12/07/phoenix-rises-from-the-ashes-2/