The Tribune – Improving ties rekindle hope for more routes; Kartarpur Sahib corridor a long pending demand

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 14. With Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal renewing the demand before India and Pakistan governments, the issue of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor connecting Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur with historic Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan is back in the limelight.

The historic Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara holds great significance for Sikhs as first Sikh master Guru Nanak Dev spent the last 18 years of his life there. The distance between Dera Baba Nanak and Kartarpur Sahib is a mere 3 km and Sikhs have for long been demanding unrestricted access to the historic shrine through a visa-free corridor connecting the two places. The corridor, when constructed, would be an important channel of hassle-free pilgrimage for the devotees as compared to the long, strenuous journey through circuitous route via Wagah, Lahore and Narowal.

Most of the devotees who are unable to visit Pakistan are left with no option but to bow their head in reverence towards the shrine while standing at the “darshan sthal” (viewing facility) constructed by the BSF along the Indo-Pak border at Dera Baba Nanak from where they can catch a glimpse of the shrine. The BSF also provides them with binoculars so that they can have a clear and closer view of the shrine.

On June 28, 2008, the then Union Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee had visited Dera Baba Nanak and said a group of Indian experts would conduct feasibility study for the construction of barbed corridor, but no forward movement was made after it.

SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh said, “Now that the Chief Minister has renewed the demand, the SGPC will definitely follow it up.” The DSGMC chief, Paramjit Singh Sarna, claimed the Pakistan government was almost ready for the construction of the corridor in 2003, but the then NDA government didn’t agree to it.

Senior SAD leader Kuldeep Singh Wadala, who has also been pursuing the matter, said they have been performing ‘ardaas’ at the “darshan sthal” on a particular day every month since April 13, 2001, praying before the Almighty to facilitate the corridor for the devotees.

Significance of the corridor

- Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara holds great significance for the Sikhs as first master Guru Nanak Dev spent 18 years there

- The distance between Dera Baba Nanak and Kartarpur Sahib is a mere 3 km and the Sikhs have been demanding unrestricted access to the shrine through a visa-free corridor

- At present, devotees have to undertake a strenuous journey through circuitous route via Wagah, Lahore and Narowal

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120415/punjab.htm#4

The Tribune – Facilities to Bibi; No major violations: DIG Jails

Deepkamal Kaur, Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 9. Even as DGP Jails Shashi Kant today said he was yet to receive a copy of the inquiry report on the alleged VIP treatment being given to Bibi Jagir Kaur in the Modern Jail, Kapurthala, he said the brief given to him on the matter did not point to any major violation.

Hinting at a clean chit to jail officials, the DGP said the inquiry did not bring to forth any major violation by the Jail Superintendent and other staff members.

Regarding the use of a private vehicle for transferring Bibi Jagir Kaur to the jail, he said: “ The IG has put on record certain letters from the security wing which say that Bibi being a dera leader had to be provided security personnel.

The Jail Superintendent has stated that he had asked the local SSP to send force and a vehicle which, perhaps, he did not.”

On the LCD and dish facility for Bibi, he said a jail employee had bought these items for his own self. Kant said the IG had quoted the jail manual which, he said, gave special powers to the Jail Superintendent to facilitate meetings with the convict anywhere in the premises under his supervision.

On the supply of food items, the DGP said: “Since we have allowed it to other prisoners as part of welfare measures, Bibi is no exception.” The IG Jails, Jagjit Singh, said he had submitted his inquiry report to the DGP.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120410/punjab.htm#16

The Tribune – Weather shield at Golden Temple doesn’t wow heritage lovers

SGPC says causeway shed to benefit devotees, detractors assert it will disturb shrine’s character

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 29. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s move to install a fire and water-resistant fabric shed on the causeway between Darshani Deori and the sanctum sanctorum at the Golden Temple to protect devotees from the vagaries of weather, has not gone down well with heritage lovers.

Darbar Sahib manager Harbans Singh Malhi says Rs 1 crore will be spent on the retractable shed, which will be operated with the help of a motor. This will protect devotees from the harsh summer heat and rain. “Infrared lights will keep the passage warm in the winters,” says Malhi. The new facility will be in place within a month.

Heritage lovers, however, feel that the shed would disturb the original character of the shrine. Balvinder Singh, Head, Guru Ram Das School of Planning, Guru Nanak Dev University, says: “The original character of the holy shrine should be maintained at all cost.” Singh, who is also member of the SGPC’s Heritage Advisory Committee, said he had also protested against the installation of ACs inside the sanctum sanctorum. “Now the ACs are damaging the frescoes inside the shrine”, he claimed.

Sikh scholar Bhai Ashok Singh Bagaria says the shed will block the view of the sanctum sanctorum. “How can you call it Darshani Deori when ‘darshan’ is blocked from there?” he asked. Bagaria said it is a shrine not a place for entertainment where facilities should be given a priority. “People have been visiting the shrine for centuries and will continue to do so irrespective of amenities,” he added. Rawal Singh, assistant professor, Department of Architecture, GNDU, said the move will destroy the character of the front façade of the shrine.

Interestingly, even the SGPC Secretary Dalmegh Singh feels that the shed will block the view of the shrine. He, however, said he was not much aware of the exact details of the project. Another SGPC official, pleading anonymity, said the traditional look of the shrine should be preserved.

On the other hand, the move has evoked a mixed response from the devotees. Joginder Pal Singh, a pilgrim from Kuwait, said, “It would be a big relief for the devotees who visit the shrine in summers or rainy season.”

Kuldeep Singh Arora, a local SBI official, said the SGPC should preserve the shrine in original form and avoid tampering with it. Amarjit Singh, another pilgrim from Delhi, said he would like to see the SGPC continue with the traditional ways like using the ‘shamiana’ or watering the floor to comfort the devotees during summers. “Though at times we find it difficult standing in queue in extreme weather conditions for long, but somewhere down the line I feel it increases our faith,” he added.

Makkar backs project

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said the authorities used to erect a ‘shamiana’ fitted with fans earlier, but there was always a threat of short-circuit in case of sudden rainfall. “This new facility will pose no such hazard,” said Makkar. “Moreover, the foldable shed will be about a feet away from Darshani Deori and the sanctum sanctorum. Hence, it will not obstruct the view

of the shrine from Darshani Deori,” he added.

The shed is set to replace the shamiana over the causeway leading to the sanctum sanctorum

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120301/main6.htm

The Hindu – Advani’s yatra to end in Delhi today

Ghaziabad/New Delhi, 20 November 2011 Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani’s Jan Chetna yatra is slated to culminate in Delhi on Sunday where party leaders claim that they would stage a massive rally at the Ramlila Maidan.

The party’s “whistleblowers” in the cash-for-vote scam — Ashok Argal, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagora, along with Mr. Advani’s former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni and party worker Suhail Hindustani — will participate in the rally.

The party on Saturday felicitated the four to highlight the corruption issue and demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi clarify their stand on the matter.

Earlier, Mr. Advani reached Ghaziabad on Saturday on the last phase of his yatra.

Distinguishing his present journey from earlier ones he had undertaken, Mr. Advani said that in the earlier five, the guidance was given by his mentor Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but this time he had borne the load himself, adding he had however sought blessings from the former Prime Minister, a day prior to commencing the yatra.

The BJP leader said his decision to on the yatra was spontaneous, and came when two former BJP MPs were arrested in the cash-for-vote scam.

Asserting he had permitted them to go ahead with the plan to display the bribe money in Parliament, he said that he was shocked when they were arrested during the investigation.

He said the Delhi High Court’s decision to release all the arrested accused was a vindication of the purpose of his yatra.

Slamming the United Progressive Alliance government, he said it had signed a U.N. proposal to bring black black money from foreign countries but taken no action on it.

He said he had come to know that the French government has disclosed 700 names of those who had deposited black money in foreign banks but the government was not inclined to make them public.

Advani said the government of India has disclosed those names to the Supreme Court of India in a sealed envelope, but urged the names be made public.

“2010 and 2011 were years of corruptions and black money but 2012 will the year of accountability,” he said, saying the BJP would commit itself to removing corruption and bringing back black money to make a new India. (PTI IANS)

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2643681.ece?homepage=true

The Asian Age – Happy to share Teesta: Mamata

Kaushik Pradhan, Asian Age Corespondent

Kolkata, 17 November 2011. The Teesta water-sharing issue would not strain cordial relations between West Bengal and Bangladesh. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced this while addressing a joint press conference with Bangladesh foreign minister Dipu Moni at the state secretariat, the Writers’ Buildings, on Wednesday.

She also informed that the state government has formed a study group under the chairmanship of river expert Kalyan Rudra to find out the implications of sharing Teesta water.

India and Bangladesh were supposed to sign the Teesta water-sharing accord in September during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh, but the Union government had to back out from signing the agreement after Ms Banerjee raised objections to it.

“We will be happy if Bangladesh gets more water from Teesta. But the state had some objections regarding the way the agreement was framed because it would hamper the Teesta Barrage project and some thermal power plant projects,” Ms Banerjee informed.

She added, “An expert team will review the entire situation and would guide us on the way the agreement has to be made. Bangladesh is our friend nation and we are not against giving water to it. The two countries will resolve the matter through discussions and there will neither be a problem nor any controversy. But water has to be shared in such a formula so that North Bengal doesn’t face a water crisis, the projects are not hampered and Bangladesh’s interest is also kept.”

Ms Moni said since the matter of sharing Teesta waters was a bilateral issue, it has to be negotiated between the Bangladesh and Indian governments. “West Bengal’s concern regarding Teesta water is an internal affair of the state and the Union government and so I have nothing to comment on it. But the cordial relations between West Bengal and Bangladesh will remain and will be further strengthened,” Ms Moni said.

She also invited Ms Banerjee to visit Bangladesh for attending two programmes in December and March. The chief minister accepted the invitation and assured that she would visit the neighbouring country depending on her other engagements.

The Bangladesh foreign minister Moni also informed that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accepted the invitation to attend the Calcutta University’s convocation.

During the meeting, the chief minister also proposed the Bangladesh foreign minister to form a task force between the two countries on cultural industry.

http://www.asianage.com/india/happy-share-teesta-mamata-674

Dawn – PTI pins great expectations on Lahore rally

By Ahmad Fraz Khan

30 October 2011

Lahore: The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) is all set for a much-awaited show of power in Lahore, which will, in all probability, set the tone of provincial politics till the next general elections.

The PTI leaders hope the rally would set direction for “national rather than provincial politics” because the series of rallies being arranged by the party is part of ‘agenda for change’ for the whole country, not only Punjab – as being project by the PPP and some political analysts.

Most of the analysts, however, think that it will be hard for Khan to immediately dent the PPP vote bank because of his political leanings. So, the PML-N could be the immediate victim of Khan’s politics. In the longer run, PTI may rob the PPP of its voters, but certainly not at this stage.

Some of the political analysts and the PPP have been projecting and pitching Imran Khan as an “alternative right winger” who can challenge Sharifs in, what is generally perceived to be, their secured political fortress – Lahore and the Punjab.

The Sunday rally will largely decide, at least in people’s perception, whether Imran Khan becomes the much-trumpeted “alternative” or not. The rally will thus not only impact the PML-N politics, but also, some say decisively, politics of Imran Khan and the PTI itself.

The most nervous watcher of the rally will certainly be the PML-N, which faces first ‘credible’ political challenge on its own turf since its inception. If the rally turns out to be a “well attendant event,” it will provide fodder to those analysts who think that Imran Khan factor has grown enough to give sleepless nights to Sharif brothers.

Some analysts believe the PML-N made a mistake of taking out a rally just two days ahead of Imran Khan’s and erroneously pitched itself against him. The ‘mistake’ has only blown the PTI rally out of political proportion, and made it a straight contest between Imran and Sharif brothers.

The provincial and local leadership of the PTI was confident on Saturday that “the historic rally would change political and governance landscape of the country.” Imran Khan will present his “roadmap for change” at the rally which, the PTI and its sympathisers expect, will attract hundreds and thousands of people. The party on Saturday reviewed all arrangements for the rally, where it has put up separate enclosures for females and families.

“The party is expecting a huge attendance of its female supporters and families and made separate arrangements for them,” Umer Cheema of the PTI told Dawn.

He said the party had also been most sensitive about security arrangements for the event and engaged a large number of its workers for the purpose. “The party assures all participants a smooth and secure attendance,” he said.

According to plan, all 27 circles of the party in the city will lead different rallies to Iqbal Park and Imran Khan will directly reach the venue.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/30/pti-pins-great-expectations-on-lahore-rally.html

The Hindu – Amicus report lays the ground for chargesheeting Narendra Modi

Rejects SIT’s decision to close case against Gujarat CM

Vidya Subrahmaniam

New Delhi, 23 October 2011. The report of Raju Ramachandran, the amicus curiae in the Zakia Jafri case, has laid the ground for Narendra Modi to be charge-sheeted for his alleged role in the 2002 anti-Muslim Gujarat pogrom.

The report is still confidential, though it has now been shared with the Special Investigation Team set up by the Supreme Court to investigate and prosecute cases stemming from the 2002 violence in which more than 1200 persons were killed.

According to informed sources in Ahmedabad, who briefed The Hindu on the report’s contents, the report strongly disagrees with the SIT’s view that no case against the Gujarat Chief Minister was made out. It says that only the cross-examination of senior Gujarat police officers, including Sanjiv Bhatt — who stated that he was present when Mr. Modi instructed police officials to allow Hindus to vent their anger — could establish whether the Chief Minister was innocent or guilty.

Significantly, the report also says that Mr. Bhatt’s statement was made probable by the presence of two Ministers in the Ahmedabad Police Control Room (PCR) at the time Muslims were being attacked.

If the trial court accepts Mr. Ramachandran’s view, the sources said, the stage will have been set for the prosecution of the Chief Minister under various sections of the IPC, among them, 153 A (statements promoting enmity between communities), 153 B (imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration) 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 166 (public servant disobeying a direction of the law with the intent to cause injury).

Under Section 166, any public servant who disobeys a direction of the law as to how he should conduct himself as a public servant and knowing the act will cause injury is liable to be punished with imprisonment for a term extending to one year. As the chief executive in control of the administration, Mr. Modi was especially under obligation to quell the riots, the sources said.

The SIT was tasked by the Supreme Court to investigate Ms. Jafri’s complaint against Mr. Modi and 61 others. The Court subsequently asked Mr. Ramachandran independently to evaluate the reports filed by the SIT by interacting with witnesses.

The sources said the SIT recommended closing the case against Mr. Modi on the grounds that police officer Bhatt, who was vital to fixing blame on the Chief Minister, was a controversial and unreliable witness. The SIT also concluded that there was no material on record to show interference by the two Ministers who were present in the PCR when Muslims were being attacked across Ahmedabad.

In his testimony to the SIT, Mr. Bhatt had said he was present at the February 27, 2002 meeting where Mr. Modi instructed top police officials to allow Hindus to “vent their anger” against Muslims. The meeting was held late in the evening at the Chief Minister’s Gandhinagar residence. The SIT said none of the other officers present at the meeting had corroborated Mr. Bhatt’s presence.

The sources said the amicus disagreed with the SIT’s conclusions, arguing that evidence has to be weighed and not counted, and this can happen only when Mr. Bhatt and others present at the meeting are cross-examined in the trial court. The amicus’ view was that it would be premature and presumptuous to close the case against Mr. Modi without an adversarial party putting the other officers to rigorous questioning: Mr. Bhatt could turn out to have lied. Equally, other officers present could turn out to have lied.

The amicus was in fact credited with the view that the presence in the police control room of two Ministers unconnected to the Home portfolio probablised Mr. Bhatt’s statement. More so because the SIT had itself suggested that the Ministers had the Chief Minister’s blessings (Tehelka magazine which scooped the SIT report quoted Mr. Raghavan as saying that the presence of the two Ministers fuelled speculation that they were there with Mr. Modi’s blessings.)

If the view of the amicus is rejected by the SIT, Ms. Jafri and her co-complainant Teesta Setalvad will have the option to contest it in the trial court. The court can also form its own, independent opinion on the views of the amicus.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2563188.ece?homepage=true

Sikhs for Justice – Kamal Nath’s Presence in Belgium draws protest from Sikhs

Several hundred Sikhs gathered and protested in Leuven, Belgium in front of the Central Library where India’s Minister for Urban Development attended 5th EuroIndia Summit on Thursday. The protest rally was organized by Sikh organization of Europe including Sikh Council of Belgium and management committees of European Gurudwaras.

Sikhs who came from UK, Italy, Holland, Germany and other parts of Europe were protesting Nath’s presence in Belgium and demanding that Nath be criminally prosecuted under Belgium’s law for leading an attack on Gurudwara Rakab Ganj on November 1, 1984 in which many Sikhs were burnt alive. Nath’s action amounts to Genocide and Crime and Against Humanity and Belgium’s law provides for prosecution of these crimes in Belgium even when the crime is committed in another country.

According to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), since Belgian Government has not initiated criminal prosecution against Nath, SFJ will start the process of private prosecution against Nath in Belgian Court and will force the Belgian Government to take stand against Nath, a known human rights violator.

In spite of sufficient evidence of Nath’s involvement in the killing of Sikhs in November 1984, PM Singh’s government is letting Nath represent India abroad which undermines the claims of democracy by India. To invite the attention of the world towards apathy of India towards human rights violations and PM Singh’s silence on Nath’s role in the massacre of Sikhs, SFJ will hold a justice rally in Cannes, France on November 02, where PM Singh will be participating in G-20 Summit, added attorney Pannun.

In April 2010 the US Federal Court has issued summons under Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) & Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) against Kamal Nath for his involvement in November 1984 massacre of Sikhs. The suit against Nath has been filed by victims of November 1984 and plaintiffs have asked for a “jury trial”.

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The Tribune – ‘Operation High Court’ a Captain stunt: Deputy CM

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 4. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal today alleged that the failed “Operation-High Court” was a typical Amarinder stunt based on brazen lies and a daring bid to befool even the judiciary and the Union Government with a clumsily enacted drama over withdrawal of Centre’s notification on Sehajdharis.

Sukhbir, in a statement here, asked PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh to get a CBI or judicial inquiry ordered by his party’s government at the Centre to prove his sincerity on claims about his non-involvement in the “drama” in the Punjab and Haryana High Court over the SGPC elections.

The SAD president scoffed at Amarinder’s “self-contradictory” claims on having no interest or stakes in the SGPC poll outcome. He said the Congress leader must explain to the Sikh masses why he was so hell-bent on siding with the Panthic Morcha if he had no interest or stakes in the SGPC polls.

About who was really the force behind the High Court conspiracy, Sukhbir said: “Does Amarinder really want everyone to believe that his personal favourite and former Advocate General Harbhagwan Singh was acting on our instructions?

And will the man who likes to be addressed as a Maharaja explain his sudden fondness for the Sehajdharis right in the thick of the SGPC poll campaign. If he is not interested in the SGPC poll or has no stakes in its outcome, then why is he losing his sleep on the subject and issuing hourly statements on the Sehajdhari issue.”

Sukhbir said Amarinder was even contradicting his own party high command’s claims that the Congress was a “secular” party and would stay clear of all religious issues. Meanwhile, Amarinder said it was strange that the Chief Minister and the Deputy CM first wanted a CBI inquiry into the Sehajdhari voting issue and when he endorsed their demand, they were asking him to use his influence for getting a judicial probe done. He said he would welcome a judicial probe provided it probed his role as well as that of the CM and Deputy CM.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110905/punjab.htm#4