The Tribune – Central Government meddling in Sikh affairs, says Badal

Tribune News Service

Amritsar/Tarn Taran, October 20. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has accused the Union Government of meddling in the internal affairs of the Sikh community. Badal was here to attend a religious conference organised at Bhurakona village in Bhikiwind to mark the birth anniversary of former Damdami Taksal head Sant Kartar Singh.

Criticising the proposed amendment by the Delhi Government to facilitate direct elections to choose the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president, Badal said, “The move is aimed at installing a Congress loyalist on the post.” He said he would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.

Making a jibe at Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, he said, “The Congress lost elections because of its anti-people policies.”

Badal also inaugurated the Punjab Institute of Technology, a branch of Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121021/punjab.htm#6

The Tribune – Rs 25 cr for restoration of Gobindgarh Fort

G S Paul, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 20. For restoration and conservation of the historic Gobindgarh Fort at Amritsar, the Punjab Government today allocated a sum of Rs 25 crore. After completion of the first phase of renovation, the mid-18th century fort would be opened for public by mid of 2013.

At present, conservation work under the supervision of the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board to the tune of Rs 26 crore was under progress. Funds have been arranged partly from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Central Government.

Officials said the on going conservation work would require at least Rs 5 crore for the boundary walls of the fort, Rs 2.5 crore for the Darbar Hall and Rs 3 crore each for four bastions and other part of the fort, which has rich cultural and monumental values.

After completion of the first phase, visitors would be able to visit the legendary building of Maharaja Ranjit Singh distinguished by its 20-foot high circular plinth, which has already been restored.

The British had constructed a colonial-style bungalow after demolishing some of its floors. The building, erroneously shown as the residence of General Dyer, would be restored as an artifacts based museum which would showcase defence equipments of the Maharaja’s army, which was termed as Asia’s only modern army at that time. Apart from this, a historical narrative showing defence strategy of the Maharaja in decimating Afghan rulers and preventing invasions from uncertain western border would also be on display in this section.

The ADB had already provided Rs 7 crore for the second phase of restoration. This phase would see two-acre parking at the entrance of the fort, landscaping, construction of moat walls, four gates, northwestern bastion, rampart walls and the Toshakhana.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120621/punjab.htm#12

The Hindu – Explain delay over Bhullar’s mercy petition, Supreme Court tells Centre

Supreme Court to hear petitions of Bhullar, his wife on October 19

J. Venkatesan

New Delhi, 28 September 2011.  The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to explain why it took eight years for the President to dispose of the mercy petition filed by convict Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, which sought a commutation of the death sentence to life imprisonment.

A Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and S.J. Mukhopadhaya asked Additional Solicitor-General Harin Raval, appearing for the Union Home Ministry, to file the affidavit by October 10 and fixed October 19 for further hearing the petitions filed by Bhullar and his wife Navneeth Kaur.

Senior counsel K.T.S. Tulsi, appearing for the petitioners, said the Delhi government’s affidavit in response to the notice issued in May was very vague. It was silent on the query about the reason behind the delay.

Mr. Tulsi said the convict had been in the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences since December last.

Justice Singhvi told Mr. Raval: “It seems the North Capital Territory of Delhi has forwarded the mercy petition to the Union Home Ministry in 2003. What happened between 2003 and 2011? Anybody will be anxious to know that. We cannot close our eyes altogether and pass an order without going into the reasons. Unfortunately, we have not stopped reading newspapers, which talked about the pendency of mercy petitions of 20 people sentenced to death. Some of them are getting support from certain sections of society and some are represented. We are concerned with some others not having any godfather, how to deal with them.”

Justice Singhvi said: “One way is to decide the cases strictly on Constitutional and legal issues, uninfluenced by other issues. But at a time when many people are facing the gallows, these issues become relevant. But ultimately, it is left to the court.”

When the court’s May notice to the Centre on the mercy petition was rejected by the President, Bhullar’s wife Navneeth Kaur filed another writ petition, and both these were being heard together. Bhullar was sentenced to death by a designated TADA court on August 25, 2001, for his role in the bomb blast in Delhi on September 10, 1993, which targeted a cavalcade of cars carrying the then All-India Youth Congress president, Maninderjit Singh Bitta.

While Mr. Bitta escaped with serious injuries, nine security personnel were killed.

Ms. Navneeth Kaur said the prolonged delay was a dehumanising act and amounted to depriving a person of his life in an unjust, unfair and unreasonable way, thus, violating Article 21 of the Constitution.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2494205.ece