The Tribune – Farmers protest case against leaders

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 18. The sudden blockade of rail traffic on the Amritsar-Delhi railway line by farmers to protest against registration of a “false case” against their leaders pertaining to the mysterious death of ASI Kulbir Singh in Tarn Taran delayed the arrival and departure of many trains today.

Various farmer organisations under the patronage of the Kisan Sangarsh Committee (KSC) blocked the railway lines at the Jandiala Guru Railway Station, about 20 km from Amritsar, at about 4 pm. As the Tarn Taran railway line does not have the facility of power, diesel engines were pressed in to cover up for the loss, which increased the cost of travel.

Ferozepur Division Railway Manager Naresh Chander Goel said five trains were routed through the Amritsar-Tarn Taran-Goindwal Sahib route to reach Beas.

KSC leader Satnam Singh Pannu said various farmer organisations, including the Bharitya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugraha) and the Kirti Kisan Union, had extended their support for the agitation. He said following the death of ASI Kulbir Singh on March 6, the police had registered an FIR against their 44 leaders. Of these, 11 had been locked up in the jail, he said.

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The Tribune – Man who set family ablaze held, failed in his attempt twice earlier

Jupinderjit Singh, Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 18. The main accused in the case in which six members of a family were set on fire in Jattawali village did not commit the crime on the spur of the moment but was planning it for over three months. The accused, Lakhwinder, made attempts to commit the crime twice earlier but could not succeed as all the family members were not asleep both the times.

This was revealed by Lakhwinder to the police following his arrest from Ambala this morning. A police team of Ferozepur district nabbed him near the Ambala railway station.

Ferozepur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varinderpal Singh told The Tribune that the cold-bloodied planning and the way the accused set six sleeping persons on fire suggested how cruel he was. “I have not seen such a ghastly act in my life. The accused did not think twice before setting the aged mother of his enemy Balwant Singh on fire along with others. Such criminals need to be psychoanalysed,” he said.

He said the accused was not remorseful even though the two families had no major enmity. Lakhwinder confessed to the police that he had visited Balwant’s house on Lohri (January 13) this year and had a tiff with him, following which he had decided to kill him and his family.

The SSP said, “When he (Lakhwinder) threw a bucket full of petrol and lighted the match, his hands, too, caught fire.” The police said the role of Lakhwinder’s father and brother was being looked into.

While Balwant’s mother Bachan Kaur (70), daughters Jasbir Kaur (17), and Tasveer Kaur (15) died in the attack, Balwant, his wife Veerpal Kaur and his son Satveer Singh (10) are under treatment.

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The Tribune – Preneet Kaur, Raninder Singh make up for Captain’s absence in Patiala

Aman Sood, Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 17. With local MLA Captain Amarinder Singh opting to stay away from campaigning, his wife and MP Preneet Kaur and son Raninder Singh have been working hard to fill the void. The mother-son duo went on a whirlwind tour of Samana constituency and addressed a series of rallies in support of Congress candidates.

Winning the elections on her home turf would be crucial for the Union Minister (Preneet) as these would set the tone for next year’s parliamentary elections.

Raninder appeared leaving no stone unturned while trying to infuse confidence in the party cadre. He had lost the assembly elections from Samana to Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra.

“The National Rifle Association of India working kept me busy in Delhi, but I was in constant touch with the local leaders in the constituency,” he said.

Lashing out at the Akalis, he said: “You voted for them (SAD-BJP) but what did you get in return? Theirs is a government of liars. So, get ready to teach them a lesson on May 19 (polling day).”

The next to target the ruling coalition was Preneet Kaur: “We will take the Akalis head-on and make sure they are not able to succeed in their evil designs to win the elections by rigging.”

At some distance from the Congress rally, Rakhra quipped that voters in his constituency would not even recognise the Congress leaders “who only turn up on poll eve”. “I have been working round the clock and despite my engagements as a Cabinet Minister, I make it a point to attend each and every person from Samana on a priority.”

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The Tribune – Pre-poll violence unabated; 2 killed in Amritsar village clash

P K Jaiswar, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 17. A day after the killing of a Peoples Party of Punjab (PPP) leader in Bathinda, two persons were shot dead in an exchange of fire between two groups at Chak Mishri Khan village in Lopoke near here this morning, pushing the toll in the run-up to the May 19 local body elections in Punjab to four.

The deceased are Congress worker Gurjinder Singh of the Master Manjit Singh group and SAD worker Balkar Singh, an associate of Chak Mishri Khan village Sarpanch Jagir Singh. The injured has been identified as Major Singh, also an associate of Jagir Singh. He is admitted to the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here.

Tension was brewing between two groups of Chak Mishri Khan village over a consensus to elect the village panchayat, without polls. Both groups were preparing for Panchayat elections though members of the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti were elected unanimously after the Congress decided not to contest. The SAD leader wanted unanimous election to the village Panchayat, but Manjit Singh was opposing the move, it is learnt.

Today, Jagir Singh and his armed companions, who were camping in the house of his associate Shinder Singh in the village, moved towards Manjit Singh’s house with an intention of attack. On the way, Congress worker Gurjinder Singh tried to stop them and asked them to settle the dispute with “mutual understanding”. Jagir and his group were in no mood to relent and reportedly opened fire, killing Gurjinder.

Jagir Singh and his men then reached Manjit Singh’s house, where they were allegedly fired upon. Major Singh said Manjit and 20 others attacked them. Balkar Singh suffered a gunshot injury in the firing and died on the spot.

However, Border Range IG Ishwar Chander Sharma and DIG Paramraj Singh Umranangal, in a hurriedly convened press conference, said the incident was the outcome of personal enmity between two groups.

“There was a controversy between two groups in the village over possession of land measuring over two kanals between two groups headed by Jagir Singh and Manjit Singh. This was the reason behind today’s firing and subsequent killing of two persons” said Ishwar Chander.

On the statement of Gurjinder’s son, the police have booked 14 persons, of which three persons — including Jagir Singh, Mangat Singh and Major Singh — have been arrested. Narinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Nirmal Singh besides others are at large and a manhunt has been launched to arrest the remaining accused, he said.

As many as 15 police parties headed by SHOs from Batala and Amritsar Rural police have been conducting raids at various places to nab the accused. Senior police officials including SSP Amritsar rural police district have been stationed at Lopoke to supervise the operation.

The firing incident has raised a question mark, as the police administration had already launched a drive to deposit licenced arms. The arms used in the crime belonged to Narinder Singh, a former sarpanch of the village. He is affiliated to Jagir Singh, present Akali Sarpanch from Chak Mishri Khan village.

DIG Border Range Paramraj Singh Umranangal said till today morning, 85 per cent licenced arms had been deposited with respective police stations in police districts falling under the Border Range. He said the remaining weapons would be in police custody by the evening.

District Rural Congress president Harpartap Singh Ajnala condemned the incident and said it had nothing to do with the ongoing Zila Parishad polls and was the result of tension between two groups regarding forthcoming Panchayat elections.

Killing fields

May 16: One person killed in a shootout at a PPP-Congress rally in Adampur in Jalandhar; Congress worker Rajwinder Singh injured
May 15: Nine persons belonging to two groups of the ruling SAD injured in a fierce hour-long clash at Mianwala village in Tarn Taran
May 8: Youth Congress leader Sukhraj Singh shot dead in Tarn Taran
May 7: Personal assistant of Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi , Guruharsahai legislator, attacked

Both killed by same weapon

The death of SAD worker Balkar Singh has become a mystery for the police. Investigations pointed out that the same weapon was used to kill both Gurjinder and Balkar, which raises a question mark on the theory of Balkar being killed in crossfire. DIG Border Range Paramraj Singh Umranangal confirmed doubts over whether crossfiring had taken place, adding that the firearm used in the crime has been recovered.

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The Tribune – Pakistan appoints judge to probe Sarabjit’s murder

Lahore, May 17. A serving judge has been named by a Pakistani court to probe the murder of Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who died earlier this month after being assaulted within the Kot Lakhpat Jail here.

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial appointed Justice Syed Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi to investigate the matter and submit a report to the court.

However, no deadline has been given to Naqvi to complete the probe. Earlier, caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Najam Sethi had written a letter to the Chief Justice, asking him to appoint a judge to conduct the probe.

Five to six prisoners had brutally assaulted Sarabjit in a well-coordinated attack on April 26. After being comatose for nearly a week, Singh died at Jinnah Hospital in Lahore on May 2. Police registered a murder case against two death row prisoners Amer Aftab and Mudassar for allegedly assaulting Sarabjit.

Both men told police that they wanted to kill Sarabjit as he was involved in killing innocent Pakistanis in bomb blasts. (PTI)

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530. The Man in Blue – Panj Ab = Five Waters

I wrote this article after hearing a lecture at the KU (Catholic University) of Leuven, Belgium, by Christophe Masson, India Desk Officer at the European Commission. He mentioned a water related project in Rajastan, which made me think of the Indira Gandhi Canal, and from there of the ever lower groundwater level in Panjab. Man in Blue

The historical Panjab, from the river Indus in the west to the river Yamuna in the east, was called the Panj-Áb, the five waters after the five rivers that flow from the Himalayas to the Indus.

Panjab is not as dry as Rajasthan, but without the five rivers most of its territory would be a dry steppe, fit for grazing but no good for arable land.

Since the green revolution the standard crop pattern in the Indian Panjab and in Haryana is wheat – rice. Wheat is the early crop and after its harvest most of the arable land is converted to paddy fields. Panjab became the rice provider of India.

Due to the paddy fields the farmers were using more water than the rivers could supply and they started to pump-up ground water to irrigate their fields. This costs money, as hand pumps are not adequate for the job. The Panjab state government decided to supply the farmers with free electricity for their tube-wells.

As the state government has the habit of either not paying or late paying the state electricity provider, one semi-state company has already given up the ghost, and its successor is struggling. Somebody has to foot the bill !

But the most alarming result of this scheme is that the groundwater table is going down fast, the tubes are getting longer and with that the energy use goes up too.

At Harike, in the south-west of the Indian Panjab starts the Indira Gandhi canal, which takes vast amounts of river water to Rajasthan. This water is obviously no longer available for either the Pakistan or the Indian Panjab. How much of this water evaporates before it gets to the Jaisalmer area I do not know.

Whether it is useful to infiltrate this water in a desert area I do not know either. I have heard reports of salinization of the irrigated fields, which does not surprise me at all.

But my main issue is with the madness of having paddy fields in a dry area like Panjab. After independence it made some sense as the rice eating states were not able to grow enough rice for their needs. Now these states have become self-sufficient and it is high time for a new green revolution in the Panjab.

The farmers are reluctant to change, but if the Panjab is to survive as at least the main provider of wheat, the paddy fields have to go. Alternative crops, dairy farming, market gardening (growing of vegetables) are the answer.

On the rich clay soils of Panjab many crops will thrive. With temperatures ranging from a minimum of near 0 degrees in December/January to a maximum of 50 degrees in May/June both crops that we know in Western Europe and subtropical to tropical ones can be grown.

In view of the above and the diminishing flow of water from the Himalayan glaciers, continuing with the present practice just is not an option.

The Tribune – One killed, three injured in firing at Congress-PPP rally; Prohibited US carbine used Jakhar, Manpreet blame SAD; Police says it was out of old rivalry

Jupinderjit Singh, Tribune News Service

Adampur (Bathinda), May 16. One person was killed while three others sustained injuries when armed assailants, allegedly owing allegiance to the ruling SAD, opened fire at a joint Congress-People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) rally here today.

The deceased, Jaspreet Singh Jassa, was an aide of Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana, a PPP leader who was among those injured. Over 60 rounds were reportedly fired from various weapons, including a .30 US carbine (a prohibited weapon), a .30 pistol and a .12 bore gun. Sources said the target was Lakha as the firing took place just minutes before he was to get into his car.

Lakha had addressed the rally in favour of Congress candidate Malkiat Singh, who is contesting the zila parishad election from Bhai Rupa zone. Malkiat’s son Rajwinder Singh alias Raju was also wounded.

The Congress and the Sanjha Morcha have been contesting the zila parishad elections on a seat-adjustment basis.

Lakha suffered four gunshot wounds in his abdomen, shoulder and ankle. He was operated upon at a Bhucho Mandi hospital where his condition was stated to be serious. The third injured, Balbir Singh, was also Lakha’s associate.

Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police Ravcharan Brar, however, denied the attack was out of political rivalry. He said Balbir had identified one of the assailants as Jagseer Singh alias Seera. He said Lakha and Seera were old rivals. “The assailants chose an election rally for the attack to avoid suspicion. But, we have identified them and they will be arrested soon,” the police officer said. He said Lakha himself was booked in 11 cases, including attempt to murder.

An eyewitness said, “When the assailants opened fire, Lakha managed to get out of his car and hid behind a cement platform. But, Jaspreet could not run to safety… Lakha and his supporters were armless.”

District Magistrate K K Yadav said the security of candidates would be upgraded. Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S S Brar said he had sought a report from the police.

Wake up Mr Badal, says Manpreet

PPP chief Manpreet Badal termed the incident as “murder of democracy”. He appealed to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal “to learn from Nawaz Sharif’s experiences in Pakistan who returned to power despite being hounded by Pervez Musharraf for years”. He said Badal should leave his ‘Dhritrashtra’ stance and take tough decisions for the safety of the state people. He said today’s attack proved that Badal, his son
and other SAD leaders “could go to any extent to remain in power”.

Reeks of political terrorism: Jakhar

Congress Legislature Party leader Sunil Jakhar has alleged that the attack was scripted by Akali goons. He, however, claimed Congress leader Gurpreet Kanger was the target. Demanding a judicial probe into all incidents of attacks on Congress leaders, Jakhar alleged that political terrorism was prevailing in the state at the behest of the SAD-BJP leadership. Jakhar appealed to the Election Commission to intervene and send
outside observers to ensure free and fair elections.

Was PPP leader Lakha the target

Eyewitnesses said Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana, a People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) leader was the target. Lakha was booked about a week ago for illegally possessing a .315 bore gun. PPP district president Jagtar Singh, however, claimed the case was false as the weapon was owned by Lakha’s mother. Once considered close to Akali leader and Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka, Lakha had unsuccessfully
contested the assembly election against Maluka from Rampura Phul constituency. Jakhar, though, claimed Gurpeet Kanger was the target.

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The Tribune – Gruesome attack in Ferozepur village; Family of six set on fire, 3 succumb to injuries

Jupinderjit Singh, Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 16. Lakhwinder Singh, his father and brother allegedly poured petrol on six members of a family of Jattawali village near Malahwali in Ferozepur while they were asleep last night and set them on fire.

The accused entered Balwant Singh’s house by scaling the outer wall. Balwant Singh’s mother Bachan Kaur (70) and daughters Jasbir Kaur (17) and Tasveer Kaur (15) died in the gruesome attack.

Balwant Singh, who suffered 70 per cent burns, his wife Veerpal Kaur and their son Satveer Singh (10) are undergoing treatment in a Ferozepur hospital.

Lakhwinder Singh was Balwant Singh’s neighbour till he shifted to Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala a few months ago after distrust grew between them. Balwant Singh was booked in a liquor smuggling case and he blamed Lakhwinder Singh for the same.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Balwant Singh said his wife’s relative had finalised a matrimonial alliance with Lakhwinder Singh’s kin. “Lakhwinder Singh called us up several times, threatening to kill us if the marriage was not called off.” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ferozepur, Varinder Pal Singh, said all the three accused had been booked for triple murder and attempt to murder. Raids were on to nab them.

Deputy Commissiner Manjeet Singh Narang said he had ordered the District Red Cross to pay for the medical expenses of the injured.

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The Hindu – Awais Sheikh, the Pakistani lawyer of slain Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, has told police that the armed men who abducted him and his son were “Pashto-speaking”.

According to the FIR registered by police, Mr. Sheikh and his son Shahrukh were intercepted by four to five men travelling in a red pick-up truck and a motorcycle yesterday morning.

The armed men then bundled them into the pick-up.

Mr. Sheikh said the kidnappers did not talk to him or his son while they were in captivity.

The men, who were armed with sophisticated weapons, assaulted Mr. Sheikh and dumped him on Sheikhupura Road, 40 km from Lahore.

The abductors did not harm Shahrukh and dumped him several kilometres from the point where his father was thrown out of the pick-up.

Mr. Sheikh told police that the kidnappers were wearing ’shalwar-kameez’ and were fluent in Pashto. They also spoke Urdu.

“They didn’t talk to me and my son,” Mr. Sheikh said.

He further said police that he did not suspect any intelligence agency or anyone else was involved in the kidnapping.

Mr.Sheikh needed six stitches for a wound on his head.

Police registered a case against unidentified men under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which relates to kidnapping a person with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine him.

Mr.Sheikh and his son were abducted when they went to a village near Burki Hudaira area to buy land for a farmhouse.

Mr.Sheikh was the lawyer for Sarabjit, who died on May 2 after being comatose for nearly a week following a brutal assault by other prisoners in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail.

The lawyer recently said that he had been receiving threats for defending Sarabjit, who was sentenced to death for alleged involvement in a string of bomb attacks in Pakistan’s Punjab province in 1990.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sarabjits-lawyer-says-his-kidnappers-were-pashtospeaking/article4723811.ece

Sikh clergy fails to arrive at decision on memorial row; Takht Damdama Sahib chief, Golden Temple Head Granthi favour retaining Bhindranwale’s name on plaques

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 15. The meeting of the Sikh clergy ended on an inconclusive note here today. Terming the controversy over Operation Bluestar Memorial as an internal matter of the Sikhs, the high priests said nobody should be allowed to publicly air views on the matter.

Addressing mediapersons, Akal Takht chief, Jathedar Gurbachan Singh said nobody had the right to issue “unnecessary statements” on the row.

He said the SGPC and the Damdami Taksal would be asked to sit across the table and resolve the issue. He said they had received suggestions from various quarters which too would be discussed before a decision was arrived at.

The chances of the matter being resolved before Operation Bluestar anniversary on June 6 appear slim. On the demand by some political parties that plaques with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s name be removed, he said: “It is our internal matter and we will decide on it.”

Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh and Golden Temple’s Head Granthi Giani Mal Singh, expressing their personal views, said they were in favour of retaining plaques with Bhindranwale’s name.

Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh refused to comment on the matter. He, however, said the young generation of Sikhs was in favour of retaining Bhindranwale’s name.

Asked about the Operation Bluestar anniversary, the Akal Takht chief said it would be observed at Akal Takht and not the memorial. There would be ‘Gurbani path’ at the memorial, which is in the form of a gurdwara, but akhand path would not be held there. He ducked queries on the memorial row apparently, hinting that the clergy did not want another controversy before June 6.

The SGPC and the Taksal have been at loggerheads for the past fortnight over Bhindranwale’s name on plaques installed at the memorial. Earlier, the Dal Khalsa had submitted a memorandum, requesting the Akal Takht Jathedar to resolve the memorial row “keeping the collective will of the community and historical traditions in mind.” Dal Khalsa leader Kanwarpal Singh blamed SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar for creating the controversy with his “unnecessary statements.”

The Sikh clergy also discussed the demand by non-Sikh communities that they be allowed to perform marriages as per the Sikh rituals (Anand Karaj). The Akal Takht chief said they would put forth the matter before Sikh intellectuals before taking any decision.

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