Amritsar | SilverScorpio.Com

Pak pigeon has police in flutter

May 29, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Amritsar, May 29 — This gives a whole new meaning to cross-border infiltration, but it’s not clear if it will add a feather in the cap of the Punjab police. In an era of spy planes and satellites, the Amritsar (rural) police have detained a white pigeon that could have been – the police claim – used as a Pakistani spy.

The pigeon was reportedly spotted in Ramdas, a tiny town close to the Indo-Pak border, with a Pakistani stamp imprinted and a Pakistani phone number written on its feathers. Excited residents took the bird to the nearest police station.

The pigeon’s fate will be decided once officials there decide what to do with it. With news of the low-tech ‘spy’ spreading, the police have kept the bird in a special cage.

It was earlier simply locked in a room. “The people of the area had come with the pigeon that had a Pakistani stamp and telephone number on it,” said Jagjit Singh, station house officer of Ramdas police station.

Pigeon races are known to be held across the border, and it was possible that this particular pigeon took a longer route in one such race and lost its way, a police official suggested.

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Pakistani Hindus urge India to relax visa norms for pilgrims

April 1, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

By: Ravinder Singh Robin

Amritsar, Apr. 1 (ANI): Pakistani Hindus have urged India to relax visa norms for pilgrims.

“The visa norms are a problem. We should be given more chances to come here. People in Pakistan wait for visas to be issued. If visa rules are relaxed, more delegations will come every year,” said Pawan Kumar, a pilgrim.

The 250-member group, which arrived on March 3, is currently on a month-long pilgrimage tour of India.

The pilgrims have paid obeisance at various temples across the country before reaching Amritsar.

“Yes, the visa rules should be little softer. I have come to India after 10 years. I had applied for visa twice before, but could not get it. But this time, I got the visa. Otherwise, we have received love and support from the people of India,” said Arjan Dass, a pilgrim.

The group will leave for Pakistan on Saturday. (ANI)

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Another honour killing in Punjab

March 31, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Amritsar (Punjab), Mar 31 (ANI): In yet another case of honour killing, a couple was shot dead in Punjab on the orders of the girl””s father for marrying against his wishes.

It has been reported that the victims Prabhjot Kaur and Pradeep Singh from Ferozepur, both students of Class 12 were shot dead by five unidentified gunmen, when they arrived at a local school in Amritsar for their board examinations.

The killers fled the spot after the murder and snatched the carbine of a security guard accompanying the couple. The victims were provided police protection on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court after their marriage.

There are reports that as many as 15 bullets were fired at the couple, who died on the spot.

“This incident should not have happened. But the boy””s behaviour was not correct. He had left his first wife and also has a child. He married his wife””s niece. It is a case of personal enmity,” said Sukhdev Singh Brar, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Firozepur.

“A number of cases were registered against him. The girl is from the same family. We will round up those involved soon,” added Brar.

It has been reported that the government is now contemplating to include the crime in the IPC (Indian Penal Code).

The government had earlier said that a proposal to amend the Indian Penal Code to deal with honour killings is under consideration. However, it was not clear by when will the amendment come into practice.

In a landmark judgement, the Karnal sessions court on Tuesday awarded death sentence to the five accused and life-term to the leader of the Khap Panchayat for murder of a newly married couple. (ANI)

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Shiv Sena activists burn Pakistan national flag in Amritsar

September 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar Sep. 13 (ANI): Outraged over the rocket firing incident by Pakistan on Friday night in Attari Sector of Punjab’s Amritsar district, a group of Shiv Sena (Hindustan) activists on Sunday burnt Pakistan’s national flag here.

The Shiv Sena (Hindustan) is a local outfit.

A number of activists assembled at the Hathi Gate Chowk of Amritsar and burnt Pakistan’s national flag.

The protestors said that they burnt the Pakistan’s national flag to express their anguish and register protest against the rockets lobbed from the Pakistani soil into Indian Territory.

Carrying a banner in their hands, the activists shouted anti-Pakistan slogans.
Protestors demanded that the Government of India should force Pakistan to stop anti-India activities immediately.

Ajay Seth, President of the Shiv Sena (H), condemned the anti India activities of Pakistan and said that Pakistan’s nefarious designs always have an effect on the peace initiatives. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)

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Foreign beauty academies explore the scope in Punjab

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Ludhiana, Sep. 11 (ANI): A large number of students from Punjab prefer going abroad for advance studies. But, in a reverse trend, foreign academies are now venturing into Punjab to provide quality education to Punjabi students.

Orane Beauty academy from Canada, located in Ludhiana is one such institution.

Olga Arefyeva has come from Canada to take a look at how Orane Beauty Academies in Punjab are functioning. She is responsible to ensure the working and standards of the Orane Beauty Academy, the subsidiaries of Orance Incorporation, Canada. meet a certain standard.

The company runs three academies in Ludhiana, Jalandhar,and Amritsar districts for students from Punjab.

They provide an opportunity to students to gain skills that will stand in them in good stead when they look for jobs across the world.

“Beauty industry is growing from year to year and by this date about 500 million dollars are spent for beauty salons and for beauty. From our point of view India people are more willing to study beauty and as we can see there are lot of beauty salons are opening all over the world,” said Olga Arefyeva, Franchise Development Officer, Orane Incorporation, Canada.

“As most of the Punjabi people, they want to go abroad. After getting this certificate, they will be able to work in good positions like beauty therapists. They can open their own salon. They need not to go for any other certification to work in any country, so this is the benefit for the people of Punjab and I hope students will get certificates and work all over the world. The kind of attitude Punjabis have, can work according to that,” said Dinesh Sood, Director, Orane Beauty Academy.

Aestheticians and beauty professionals have never been so well paid as they are today and such international academies have come as boon to those who want to make a career in these areas.

Foreign trainers regularly visit the academies to update the students on latest beauty trends and styles.

The foreign Academies in Punjab aim at enabling their students find suitable jobs anywhere in the world.

They even assist students by providing Visa Consultancy services and provide training in Public relations and International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

The entire process makes the students optimistic and confident about getting jobs in the beauty industry across the world.

“A large number of people have opened beauty salons in India these days. However people give preference to international academies as they teach advanced techniques, which are used internationally,” said Nisha, a trainee, Orane Beauty Academy.

“These days beauty is a very upcoming field, you can very well see all over in our country. You can never imagine beauty will go on and on throughout our lives, so its very important level also, so this is the line that we should know, learn and our future and career totally depended on it. In this field you will never see any recession, it will go on and on,” said Simmi Kumar, Trainee, Orane Beauty Academy.

These students are also excited about the existing opportunities in the domestic market.

Jobs are widely available at beauty salons and spas mushrooming across India. And with the arrival of the international chain of beauty salons like L’Oreal and Lakme – aestheticians and beauty professionals are extremely happy. By Karan Kapoor (ANI)

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Phulan Rani, the ageless painter of Punjab

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar, Sep.11 (ANI): Defying her age, octogenarian Phulan Rani today stands as a tall figure that inspires the youth by her love for painting and deep urge to give creative expressions to her thoughts and observations of the world around her.

A resident of Amritsar, Phulan Rani works in both oils and water colour and paints realistic landscapes and portraits of local leaders.

“I was born on Dec 12, 1923 and have seen various ups and downs during my life span. I have been inspired to paint from all good things in life and the thoughts and the preaching of the gurus that I have heard,” said Phulan Rani, the painter. She is a nature lover by heart.

“Nature is like an open book as we can see many beautiful things through it. Like honeybees collecting nectar from the flowers and then constructing hives. It inspires an artist to paint. The inspiration also comes from beautiful faces, flowers, landscapes and the teachings of the gurus,” she says.

Phulan Rani is full of pride when she realizes how her work has reached in different parts of the world.

“A person can be successful in any sort of work if he or she gets full support from his life partner and children. You can imagine the work done by me through the paintings hanging on the walls of my house. I have sold a number of paintings, but I had enough time to paint replicas of those sold paintings to keep at home. My paintings have reached across the world,” says Phulan.

The sixth President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, had released Phulan Rani’s book of ‘Painting visions of beauty’ in 1981. By Ravinder Singh Robin(ANI)

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Saving the historical monuments to preserve cultural heritage of Punjab

September 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar, Sep.10 (ANI): An endeavour is underway to preserve various heritage buildings of Punjab State in a bid to treasure the cultural heritage including historical monuments, which can help in boosting tourism in Punjab.

The palaces and Havelis across Punjab bespeak glorious heritage. These historically important buildings include religious places belonging to different faiths and can attract tourists to Punjab.

The Sheesh Mahal and Qila Mubarak at Patiala, Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s summer palace at Amritsar or ancestral home of Shaheed Bhagat Singh at Khatkar Kalan – they are important sites that need to be preserved for the coming generations.

“Every community, society has a very precious heritage which has to be and can be transferred to the next generation and this is the responsibility of any civil society to transfer that heritage to the coming generation if you don’t perform that duty, that is a sin, that’s crime,” said Dr. Sukhdev Singh, Punjab State convener, Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

To spread awareness about preservation of these heritage sites, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage recently organized a workshop on the theme ‘Cultural Heritage and Media’ in Amritsar.

The event highlighted the fact that popularizing existing heritage buildings and protecting sites of cultural importance, presently in ruins due to negligence and development activities, ought to be the main priority.

There were proposals to convert heritage sites into museums and heritage hotels for tourists to get a glimpse of Punjab’s rich cultural heritage.

It was suggested that the restored monuments could be commercially used on public-private partnership basis.

“Nuclear families have become more common than joint families and it has resulted in a big change in the whole system. Like in our system, the kids are taught to respect elders and follow the path of honesty. People get equal share in all institutions like in home, office and agriculture but today they are aware of especially one aspect of their lives,” said Paramjeet Singh , Prof. Of Architechture, Gurunanak University, Amritsar.

“There is a significant relation between tourism and the heritage sites because some tourists surely have some interest in what’s the history of people and what’s the culture of people. They don’t come here just to see the huge marble buildings. They don’t want to see the modern architecture, which infact is mostly western, they come here to know about the past of this place, so it surely encourages tourism,” said Dr. Sukhdev Singh.

Amritsar is the heritage city of Punjab. The city is known globally for the revered Golden Temple, one of the pilgrimage centers, which stands intact and was built nearly 400 years ago.

The heritage tour in Amritsar remains incomplete without visiting the old city, known for its traditional market and centuries old residential houses.

Be it the historic Jallianwala Bagh or the Summer Palace, the royal residence of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, they take every visitor here to the era they stand testimony of. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)

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Poultry farmers in Punjab lament J and K Govt’s high import duties

September 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Bale Chak Village (Tarn Taran) (Punjab), (ANI): Poultry farming in Punjab, which suffered heavy losses and closures during terrorism days and recently following the Bird flu scare, is now faced with another problem in the form of heavy tax duties.

The Jammu and Kashmir state has imposed heavy tax duties on the import of the poultry birds from other states, as it has increased Tax on Poultry birds from Rs. 2 per bird to Rs. 7.50 per Bird. It was 60 paisa per bird in 2006.

However, the poultry farmers in the border area of Punjab say that this high rate of tax will ruin the poultry farming in Punjab, as it does not even cover the cost of production.

Nearly 90 percent of the poultry farmers of the Border belt of the Punjab are dependent on the supply to J and K, as there is huge demand of poultry products throughout the year in the state.

G. S. Bedi, President, Amritsar Poultry Industry Association, said that this high rate of tax levied by the J and K Government would directly hit the poultry industry of Punjab.

“We have made a request to the Jammu and Kashmir government to lower the tax rates. Such heavy taxes are imposed on the inter- nation export and not on the exports between the neighbouring states. If they want to improve the condition of the poultry farmers in Jammu and Kashmir, they should take steps on the technical front and not levy taxes on poultry farmers like us and ruin our business, “said G S Bedi, President of Amritsar Poultry Industry Association

Bedi informed that poultry traders in Punjab supply over half a million eggs and 40,000 to 50,000 chickens per day to meet the demand within the J and K state that cost nearly 50 million rupees per day.

He said that J and K government by providing technical help would improve the condition of poultry farmers of their State but this type of step shall increase unhealthy competition among own states that are dependent on each other.

Sumit Chawla, a leading Poultry farmer of the border area, said that all most 30 percent farmers have already closed the Poultry farms due to high cost of feed ingredients, chicks and labor, thus giving a rise to rural unemployment that is too when economic recession is prevailing.

“The government has imposed tax on the outset of the season. The tax imposed is very high and will affect the farming as most of our production is supplied to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It will affect the poultry business in Punjab and unemployment will creep in. The Government should think over it before taking any action which will affect the poultry farmers, “said Sumit Chawla.

“This tax will further increase the closure of poultry farms in Punjab,” said Chawla.

The farmers have urged the State government to take appropriate steps through Central government to prevent J and K government from imposing high taxes on the import of the poultry products from others states, failing which it would spell a doom for poultry farmers here. By Ravinder Singh Robin(ANI)

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Punjab authorities launch drive to uproot “Congress Grass”

September 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Nag Khurd (Amritsar), Sep.5 (ANI): Farmers in Punjab are confronted with an unusual problem these days. A weed described as “Congress Grass” has covered all soil-bunds in the fields here and the administration is taking up measures to educate farmers about how to obviate it.

The “Congress Grass” is said to be a major biological pollutant of the environment. It is described as one of the seven most destructive weeds of the world.

Locally known as ‘Gajar Buti’, the Congress Grass has become an ecological nuisance especially on sides of link roads and other waste lands. It causes Asthma, Allergy and skin diseases to humans and also the animals.

It becomes a host for dangerous insects. Nowadays the vast growth of this weed can also be seen on roadsides and other wastelands.

Observing its harmful effects on the fields, the agriculture department has decided to pull out the “Congress grass” from its roots.

It is a mechanical technique in which fodder cutter machines attached to tractors are to be used to clear the area covered up by Congress Grass.

The novel technique of mechanical removal of this weed from the sides of link roads and wastelands in Amritsar district was started on Thursday.

Authorities are spreading public awareness among farmers through demonstrations about the new technique with the help of fodder cutting machine by eradicating Congress Grass.

With the help of the machines, the farmers are able to get rid of this menace of “Congress Grass” more effectively and rapidly.

The idea to use fodder cutting machine for this purpose has been conceived by Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, Kahn Singh Pannu.

On Thursday, Pannu demonstrated to farmers by driving a tractor in Nag Khurd village in Majitha area about how to pull out the “Congress Grass”.

Talking to ANI Pannu said, this is first time in Punjab that they are cutting the hazardous weed “Congress Grass” with fodder cutter machines and it is giving god results.

According to Pannu, Congress Grass is not only harmful to the crop but also causes severe skin problems like rashes and itching and some time cause respiratory diseases.

“Through demonstration, we are creating awareness and educating the farmers to get rid of this unwanted weed by applying new methods,” Pannu said.

With the help of department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Rural Development, about 20 Fodder Cutter Machines in the district will be employed for the removal of the Congress Grass from the berms and the waste lands in the district.

The farmers, who own these machines, will operate them to remove the weed and they will be paid for their services by the Panchayats (village councils).

“Since these day we have ample time so we would pull out the Congress Grass by applying the new method,” said Satnam Singh, a farmer, while adding that it is more convenient as there has been always a shortage of labour in Punjab.

“Apart from the damage to crop through reduced yields, Congress Grass is weakening the strength of the land,” said Inder Preet Singh, another farmer.

Appreciating the efforts being made by administrative authorities, Singh said he feels that agriculture department should organize more camps so that the more farmers could benefit by eradicating the Congress Grass from their field. By Ravinder Singh Robin(ANI)

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Brand consciousness grips Punjab

September 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar, Sept 4(ANI): Growing awareness and rising incomes have brought about greater brand consciousness in Punjab, as people of all ages are now willing to pay extra for the brand mania, which has taken the State in its grip.

Many people identify branded clothes with better social status and believe that there is no harm in spending on them.

“Branded clothes have become status symbols and the person who doesn’t wear branded clothes, doesn’t attract girls but everyone appreciates people who wear branded clothes. The people who wear simple clothes are looked down upon. It doesn’t look nice but this is fashion these days,” said Richa Aneja, a young college students.

Mahima, a customer, believes that Bollywood brings in another angle to brands. She says that just the fact that stars endorse them and wear them gives a sort of encouragement to buy these stuff.

“Brands like Ed-Hardy, they are worn by stars like Saif Ali khan and Kareena Kapoor, so one feels better that I am wearing a brand which was worn by Kareena Kapoor. Well students like me, we save our pocket money. Even if we buy one jean, we carried off for two years but you are wearing a Levis or Ed-Hardy jean, so that is like a status symbol. One feels good that yes I am wearing an Ed-Hardy jeans. Even if you have to spend few more pennies, its okay,” said Mahima.

The notion of ‘brand consciousness’ is also being cashed upon by uptown shopping malls and numerous international brands, as the craze in simply unbeatable.

While, store owners and managers link all the craze with the hype that has been created around brands, and say that everyone knows about brands, so they want to own it as it has styling, fitting and is affordable.

“Branded obviously, the styling and fitting is there and let’s say media, the awareness about the brands. Earlier nobody used to know Lee, Levis or Ed-Hardy or Benetton but now everybody, every single person, even the kids they know about the brands, so that’s the brand awareness which has come and plus they are almost affordable,” said Sachin, Senior Sales Manager of No Exit store. By Ravinder Singh/Savinder Singh(ANI)

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Punjab police seize four kilograms of heroin

September 1, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar, Sep 1 (ANI): Sleuths of Special Operation Cell (SOC) of Punjab have seized on Monday four kilograms of heroin estimated to be worth around rupees 200 million rupees in the international market and also arrested five men.

This was disclosed by P K Rai, Senior Superintendent of Police, Special Operation Cell, (SOC), Punjab.

Acting on a tip off, the police arrested Amanpreet Singh, Sandeep Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Jarnail Singh and Tehal Singh when they were going to deliver the consignment of heroin to a drug runner.owever, one of their accomplices Gulsaab Singh managed to give a slip to the raiding posse of policemen.

P K Rai revealed that apart from heroin, they also recovered a Maruti Alto and Splendour motorcycle from them.

The Special Operation Cell also registered a case under sections 21/25/29/61/85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic (NDPS) Act of 1985 and filed FIR (First Information Report) vis-à-vis the seizure.

Drug seizures are often reported from Punjab, bordering Pakistan, and narcotics agencies say the border state is a major route for drug supply to the West from Afghanistan-Pakistan region.eroin is derived from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. It usually appears as a white or brown powder. (ANI)

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“Blight” may play spoilsport for farmers’ hope of good crop in Punjab

September 1, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar, Aug.31 (ANI): Punjab farmers were full of optimism of harvesting a bumper crop of paddy despite a delayed monsoon, but now they fear crop damage due to attack of “Blight”, a bacterial disease.

Worried farmers allege that the agriculture department is not guiding them how to protect their crop from Blight. owever, at several places, the farmers, who had transplanted paddy, which was in good shape earlier, seem to be fighting a fast losing battle because of the widespread attack of “Blight”.

In various affected villages in the border districts of Amritsar and Gurdaspur, the farmers today estimate nearly 50 percent of damage to paddy due to “Blight”, if it’s not controlled in time.

“The disease appeared as yellowish green stripes running from tip downwards and the affected leaf started drying from the margins. Since most of the farmers are unaware about the remedies so agriculture department should come forward to educate the farmers to tackle this problem,” said Jagdev Singh, one of the farmers.

Mangdev Singh, Sarpanch (village head) of Chiina Pati Village said, “Blight has dashed our hopes. We were expecting very good returns from paddy. In all the 500 acres of village paddy was transplanted. “Blight” attack has started in patches. If we fail to control, this could cause damage of al the crop here.

Singh said that they have contacted the department. Though the Agricultural Department accepts the damage to crops, it is not prepared to quantify it as yet.

In Amritsar district alone, of the nearly 183,000 hectares of land, Basmati was transplanted in about 90,000 hectares of land and in the rest of the farming land other variety of paddy was transplanted.

According to Gurdeep Singh, an Agriculture Development Officer, the disease has been noticed in all varieties of paddy grown in the areas of border belt.

“Since the disease develops more in high humid conditions, farmers should not allow stagnation of water in the fields.

Farmers should not spray pesticides to control the disease, as these are not effective against it,” said Gurdeep Singh. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)

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Pak announces governing body of Baba Guru Nanak International University

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar. Aug.28 (ANI): In a step to give shape to a proposed Baba Guru Nanak International University (BGNIU) the Government of Pakistan has announced the name of its members of the governing committee for project management unit on Friday.

The first meeting of the governing committee is likely to be held in Islamabad in September this year. The Chairman of the PETPB would head the Committee.

The then Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz assured a delegation of the Sikh Diaspora headed by Dr. Pritpal Singh, convener American Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (AGPC), to set up set up a university on Sikh religion and culture at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak.

Besides the chairman of PETPB, Mian Imran Masood as a executive director, Zafer Saeed Padhiar, MNA, Rai Shah Jehan Bhatti, MPA, President PSGPC, Dr. Pritpal Singh, USA, Manmohan Singh, UK, Azhar Ehsan Advocate, Tahir Azam, Faqir Syed Saif Uddin, Sham Singh Former president PSGPC, Bishan Singh and Mastan Singh are the members of the committee.

In 2007, in a meeting with heads of the various Sikhs organizations, including Avtar Singh Makkar, president of SGPC, PS Sarna the president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managemnet Committee (DGGMC) and Bishan Singh President of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee were asured by PETPB Chairman that the proposed university would have the best architecture, curricula and research center on Sikh and other religion and culture.

It is pertinent to mention that none of the members was taken from India, neither from the SGPC, the premier body of the Sikhs or from DSGMC. However, DSGMC chief Sarna said: “I am happy that the work is on progress to build the University and it makes no difference to me whether they have not gave any representation in the committee.”

He said that whatever duties they give us we will do voluntarily.

Makkar registered his anguish and said that it is unfortunate that PETPB has not given any representation to the SGPC in the governing body.

He said that the SGPC not only represents Sikhs living in India, but also embodies all Sikhs living around the world and that includes Pakistan. He said that without the representation of the SGPC the governing committee could not be called a complete body.

According to sources, the university would be constructed in 2500 acres of land in Nankana Sahib. The foundation stone of the university would be laid in the month of September or November this year.

Talking to ANI, Dr. Pritpal Singh said that the AGPC would bear all the expenses occur on establishing the course related to Gurmat Sangeet facility.

He said that we would invite scholars from all over the world to join the university. It will be planned University that to be modelled on the great universities of Oxford and Cambridge and te University will allow to get Admissions for the Students of all over the world. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)

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Indian farmers along Pakistan border in Punjab resent restriction

August 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar, Aug 28 (ANI): Anguished Indian villagers in Punjab, whose farms lie across the fencing along the Pakistan border have staged a protest over problems faced in tilling their fields.

The protest was staged under the banner of the Jamhuri Kisan Sabha (Democratic Farmers Council) and the Border Area Sangharsh (Struggle) Committee.

Hundreds of agitating farmers gathered in Bhindi Saiydan village of Amritsar on Thursday, saying that the Border Security Force has enforced stiff restrictions, giving them little access to till their land and tend the crops.

“We are facing a lot of difficulties. The gate opens at 9 in the morning and around 1 to 2 pm in the afternoon, they ask us to go back. If any farmer has work left, they even ask those farmers to leave,” said Balbir Singh, a farmer.

“We also demand that close relatives of these border farmers be given employment opportunities,” said Satnam Singh Ajnala, president of Jamhuri Kisan Sabha.

Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts alone have about 170-kilometre long border with Pakistan.

India began setting up a long fence along the disputed border with Pakistan in the mid-90s to stop militant groups and illegal immigrants from sneaking into Indian territory.

Pakistan initially objected to the fence, but India hurriedly set it up at least 2-4 km away from the border line in some places, saying they were coming under heavy firing from across the border.

As a result, vast areas of fertile land in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, were left outside the fence, leading to protests from Indian farmers. (ANI)

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Kalam rejects Santhanam’s Pokhran II failure claims, my stand reaffirmed says Jaswant

August 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug.27 (ANI): Former President Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam on Thursday rejected senior DRDO scientist Dr. K. Santhanam’s claims that the Pokhran II nuclear tests held in the month of May 1998 were partially successful.

Dr. Kalam told a private television channel that the tests were successful and that a thorough review of these tests had been taken with Dr. K.Santhanam present.

Expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh said that he completely agreed with the statements issued by former National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra and former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on L.Advani being in the know of all developments and key decisions related to the Kandahar hijack.

” This is a reaffirmation of what I have been saying. I found Advani’s comments on Kandahar strange. I don’t know if someone had a lapse in memory. Terrorists could not have been released without Advani knowing. Grateful to Yashwant and Brajesh for standing by facts,” said Jaswant Singh.

Singh’s comment to a television channel came as Sinha said that he completely backed Mishra statement that Advani was aware of all key decisions related to the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane IC-814 to Kandahar in Afghanistan.

Confirming that Advani was present at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on December 31, 1999, Sinha said: “The truth should be spoken. Advani must come out and clarify events. The CCS minutes of that day need to be examined for clarification. I completely back Brajesh Mishra on L.K. Advani. IC-814 is a matter of recent history, not a party matter.”

Mishra rebutted Advani’s contention that he was unaware about IC-814 being taken from Amritsar to Kandahar by terrorists. He also rejected the view that Advani did not know that a Cabinet Minister would be flying to Kandahar to secure the release of the hostages in exchange for the three most wanted terrorists.

“L.K. Advani knew all about the IC-814 hijacking. Advani agreed to send the plane to Kandahar to free the hostages. The terrorists had threatened to kill all the 160 passengers onboard. Advani knew that Jaswant (Singh) was on the plane with the terrorists. It was one of the most difficult decisions we took,” said Mishra.

Mishra’s views on the Kandahar hijacking comes days after Jaswant Singh embarrassed Advani by saying that he (Jaswant Singh) “covered” up for him (Advani) when he said that the former Home Minister was not aware that he was going to Kandahar with three terrorists in 1999.

He also said Advani was aware of the decision to release of the terrorists in exchange for freedom of over 160 hostages kept in the Indian Airlines plane that was hijacked.

“Yes, he did,” Singh told the NDTV news channel last Friday when asked whether Advani knew that Singh was going to Kandahar with three terrorists.

It maybe recalled that Advani had claimed a few years ago that he did not know that Jaswant Singh was on the plane with the three dreaded terrorists to Kandahar.

Singh was asked why he said during the election campaign that Advani did not know that he was going to Kandahar with the terrorists and whether he covered up for Advani.

“I”m sorry I did. I tried to cover it. I treated it as part of my continuing sense of commitment and loyalty,” he said.

Asked whether he regretted covering up for Advani, Singh told NDTV: “I don”t regret because that is the step I had taken. But it was part of an election campaign. How should I put it? I was being very conservative with truth.”

He said Advani could not have not known about the decision to fly to Kandahar.

“I announced it in the Cabinet. Yes, Advani was there, how can they (terrorists) be released from prison without the Home Minister consenting and signing pieces of paper? he asked.

Singh said he felt very hurt when Advani said what he did and he went.

“I went and told him. I was really hurt. Look I have travelled this route to Pakistan in every possible fashion, the Lahore bus, to Kandahar, to Agra, Chhatisinghpura, Parliament attack. But I have never tried to transfer responsibility. I have never spoken, it was very hurtful,” he said.

Singh also made a veiled criticism of Advani when he asked why the aircraft was allowed to leave Amritsar because once it left the “game was lost”.

“Who would be responsible for the aircraft leaving Amritsar. For 45 minutes the aircraft was on ground at Amritsar. All of you are fixated on Kandahar. I didn”t go to Kandahar because there was a good night club there. I went there because 166 lives were involved and the officers there asked me to consult if a decision was to be made,” he said.

He even asked Advani what the latter wanted him to say.

“He said you say whatever you want to,” Singh said.

Asked whether he would have expected Advani to stand up for him, Singh said “He (Advani) was not required to cover any misdeed. My going to Kandahar was not a misdeed. And I was not going on a holiday jaunt. 166 lives were involved.”

He said it was a sense of commitment to India that required to save whatever another colleague has done.

“You know what the comment means. I didn”t know. It”s a comment not on Jaswant Singh. It”s a comment on Atalji because there is a sense of collective responsibility of the Cabinet. We forgot essentials.” (ANI)

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MiG 29 intercepts Air France plane over Amritsar

August 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar, Aug 27(ANI): An Air France plane was intercepted by an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG 29 aircraft over Amritsar on Thursday morning as it crossed into Indian airspace.

IAF radars picked up the aircraft, flying at a flight level of 37,000 feet, as it entered Indian airspace on an established border entry point on the ATS route.

The aircraft was not in communication and also the secondary radar response code or the Squawk code of the aircraft, was not correct. The aircraft was then identified as ‘Unknown’.

Immediately, an IAF MiG-29 fighter jet was scrambled to intercept and investigate the identity of the ‘unknown’ aircraft.

It was only later that the aircraft started transmitting correct secondary radar response code and was picked up and identified by AD radar as civil airliner (A-343) of Air France (AFR-164), which was on its from Paris to Bangkok.

The MiG-29 fighter aircraft was given instructions to break off and return to base. A formal report of the incident has been forwarded to Airports Authority Of India (AAI). (ANI)

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Now, Yashwant Sinha backs Mishra on Advani’s role in Kandahar Hijack

August 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug.27 (ANI): Former External Affairs and Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on Thursday said that he completely backed former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra statement that senior BJP leader L.K.Advani was aware of all key decisions related to the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane IC-814 to Kandahar in Afghanistan.

Sinha’s reaction was in response to former National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra saying that Advani was aware of all the key decisions taken with regard to the 1999-2000 hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Mishra’s views on the Kandahar hijacking comes days after former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh embarrassed Advani by saying that he (Jaswant Singh) “covered” up for him (Advani) when he said that the former Home Minister was not aware that he was going to Kandahar with three terrorists in 1999.