The Asian Age – In Delhi, death politics begins

Rajnish Sharma, Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 3 May 2013. Hours after Sarabjit died in mysterious circumstances, a full-blown political slugfest erupted in New Delhi, with the Opposition, including the BJP and the Akali Dal, leaving no stone unturned to embarrass the government.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi was quick to criticise the government for “failing Sarabjit”. He said: “The Indian government had all the time to mobilise the world … it left the matter to Sarabjit’s family themselves to handle.”

At a Mangalore election rally, Mr Modi said Sarabjit’s death was a clear case of “extra-judicial killing”. Realising the issue could snowball into a huge political controversy, the government swung into damage control mode, with home minister Sushilkumar Shinde meeting Sarabjit’s family members early Thursday.

The MHA arranged for a helicopter to fly the family from Delhi to their native village Bhikiwind.

This was followed by an emotionally-charged meeting of family members with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who promised all possible help to them. Rahul Gandhi hugged Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur while offering his condolences.

http://www.asianage.com/india/delhi-death-politics-begins-909

The Tribune – Akali Dal softens stand on FDI, Sukhbir for consensus on issue

Jupinderjit Singh, Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 25. The Shiromani Akali Dal seems to be softening its stand on the burning issue of allowing FDI in retail with party president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today saying that a consensus should be build on the issue.

Talking to reporters after a political rally in Mansa today, he said that SAD might look for consensus on the issue.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had categorically refused to allow FDI in Punjab saying SAD was with the NDA “whether it suffered profit or loss”.

The BJP-led NDA is against the introduction of FDI in the country. “FDI is a complicated issue. The Centre should have consulted all stakeholders before introducing FDI in retail and aviation. If a consensus can be built on the issue now, no one will have an objection. But a consensus in the entire country is a must,” Sukhbir said today at Mansa.

Sukhbir was known to be a votary for FDI earlier, but changed his stand later due to political compulsions of the party to support the BJP on the issue. The Akali Dal has drawn flak from farmers and experts who question its stand arguing that FDI in retail would be beneficial for farmers. SAD has always portrayed itself as the champion of the farmers’ cause. Earlier, addressing a rally today in which former Congress MLA Mangat Rai Bansal along with his supporters joined the Shiromani Akali Dal today, Sukhbir said the days of the UPA government were numbered.

He said that the minority UPA government had no right to take any major policy decision as it had lost the right to govern the country.

Lashing out at the Congress-led UPA government for ignoring the claim of Rs 5,112 crore drought relief for Punjab farmers, Badal said that even the final figures of monsoon released by meteorological department pointed out that Punjab was the worst sufferer of the drought with rain deficiency of 42 per cent — the maximum in the country. He questioned the silence of Captain Amarinder Singh, Punjab Pradesh Congress Congress Committee president, on this grave injustice to the farmers of the state.

Badal parried the question regarding the expansion of the Punjab ministry saying that it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister.

Speaking on the occasion, Mangat Rai Bansal said that he was feeling relieved to bid adieu to a party that does not recognise its sincere leaders who were being forced to beg before the ‘cronies’ of Captain Amarinder Singh.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120926/main3.htm

The Tribune -Women candidates riding high on gender-centric issues

Gagan K Teja, Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 2. With main political parties of Punjab – SAD and Congress – all set to increase the number of women candidates in the ensuing assembly elections, women-centric issues are expected to dominate the campaign in the assembly segments from where women candidates would be trying their luck. Akali Dal has fielding three women candidates in Patiala district, the maximum from the royal city in the past five decades.

Akali leaders said the SAD would be announcing more women candidates in the next list to be announced shortly.

Though, Congress is yet to announce the names of candidates, but Punjab Mahila Congress president Malti Thapar said that she was rigorously pursuing the party high command in New Delhi that at least one woman candidate from each district of the state should be given Congress ticket.

Meanwhile, the women Akali candidates – Kuldeep Kaur Tohra from Patiala (Rural), Harpreet Kaur Mukhmailpur from Ghanaur and Vaninder Kaur Loomba from Shutrana (SC), are mainly focusing their election campaign on women-centric issues. While canvassing, all the three candidates are listening patiently to women about problems being faced by them.

“Being a woman, it is easier to understand the problems of the women. Though development is our main agenda throughout the state, but I will certainly work for the uplift of women in society”, said Kuldeep on the sidelines of an election meeting in Patiala (Rural) segment.

Expressing similar views, Harpreet Kaur was assuring people of Ghanaur assembly that if elected, she would work for the uplift of women besides taking pains to ensure all-round development of the areas in the constituency.

Vaninder Kaur Loomba said that she was inspired by the work done by Akali MP Harsimrat Kaur against the social evil of female foeticide and would try to follow in her footsteps.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120103/punjab.htm#12

The Tribune – Don’t campaign for Akalis, Captain to Kejriwal

Rajmeet Singh, Tribune News Service

Mohali, November 13. PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh today advised civil society activist Arvind Kejriwal to not to campaign for the Akalis while spearheading the anti-corruption campaign during the forthcoming assembly elections in Punjab.

Referring to the recently held Hisar elections, where the civil society held an aggressive anti-Congress campaign, the PPCC chief claimed that the campaign rather helped the HJC and the INLD. “If Kejriwal wants to come to Punjab, he should be aware of the Akali government from where four BJP ministers were removed for facing corruption charges,” the former CM said while addressing a rally as part of the Punjab Bachao Yatra at the Dasehra Ground here.

“I am warning the Akali leadership to stop harassing Congress workers. If the police is not performing its duty, we have to take the law and order in our own hands and reply in the same fashion,” he said, while trying to strike a chord with party workers as ticket aspirants had ensured a heavy turnout and could be seen jostling to sit near the former CM.

Captain Amarinder also questioned BJP leader LK Advani’s moral authority to lead an anti-corruption yatra in Punjab where his party had “crossed all limits of corruption”. The Akali leadership had grabbed the sand mines, liquor trade, transport business and the cable operations, he alleged.

Thakur Gulchain Singh Charak, Punjab Congress in-charge, said if voted to power, the Congress would bring a strong Lokpal.

Minister of State for External Affairs Perneet Kaur claimed that the people of the state had already made up their mind to bring the Congress back to power.

Congress Legislative Party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and senior leader and CWC member Jagmeet Singh Brar also spoke on the occasion.

Those present included Mohinder Singh Gill, Balbir Sidhu, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Lakhwinder Kaur Garcha, Deepinder Dhillon, Rajbir Singh Padiala and Jagmohan Singh Kang.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111114/punjab.htm#1