BBC Apologizes for Calling Hindu Festival Holi “Filthy”

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has apologized for labeling Hindu festival of Holi as “filthy festival”, which had upset the Hindus worldwide.
In an email to Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, BBC News’ Editor On Demand Mark Barlex wrote: “…we apologise for any offence that was caused.”
BBC News website posted a short video on March 29 under its “week’s weird videos” in “Newsbeat’s odd box” showing youth playing Holi in Utah (USA) and titled the segment as “Filthy festival”.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, had complained to BBC saying that terming the “festival of color” celebrated by Hindus and others worldwide as “filthy” was very insensitive and belittling of the entire community.
Admitting “original headline was an error” and saying “we are sorry”, Barlex informed in the email that they have changed the headline to “Festival of colour”. I understand your concern that the use of the word “filthy” in our headline, in the context of this festival, could offend some audiences, Barlex added.
Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended BBC for showing maturity and responsibility in immediately removing the inappropriate terminology used for the Hindu festival Holi, which hurt the feelings of one billion Hindus spread around the world. It was a “step in the right direction”, he added.
Zed suggested BBC to provide training to their editorial staff in world religions as religion was powerful and complex and world was becoming increasingly diverse. Stereotypes, prejudices and caricatures passed on to us from previous generations needed to go. Journalism should take religion more seriously, help us build interconnections and create harmony instead of adding to religious conflict, confusion and bigotry.
Rajan Zed pointed out in his earlier complaint that although under its “our values”, BBC claimed “we respect each other and celebrate our diversity”, but describing a festival of world’s oldest religion as “filthy” was highly “disrespectful”. Was calling Holi “filthy” BBC’s way of educating and informing the world correctly; whose “mission” was listed as: “to enrich people’s lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain”? Zed had asked.
Founded in 1922, headquartered in Westminster London, and established under the Royal Charter; world’s largest broadcaster BBC (autonomous public service broadcaster) has been blamed in the past for racism, imperialist stance, Indophobic bias, anti-Hindu bigotry, anti-American bias, etc. Mark Thompson is BBC Director-General, Helen Boaden is Director of BBC News, and Lord Patten of Barnes and Diane Coyle are Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively of BBC Trustees.
Joie de vivre festival of Holi welcomes the beginning of spring and starts about ten days before the full moon of Phalguna. The ceremonies include the lighting of the bonfires, during which all evils are symbolically burnt. Holi also commemorates the frolics of youthful Lord Krishna; celebrates the death of demoness Putana, burning of demoness Holika, and destruction of Kama by Shiva. Holi fell on March eight this year.
Webster’s New World Dictionary describes “filthy” as “full of filth, disgustingly foul; grossly obscene; morally vicious or corrupt”.
Hinduism is the third largest religion of the world and moksha (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

IIT-Delhi country's top ranked institution

Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi is the country's highest ranking institution in world with a global rank of 218, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of state for HRD D Purandeswari said during Question Hour that as per the Quacquarelli Symonds global system of ranking of higher education institutions for 2011, IIT-Delhi is the overall highest ranking institution in India at serial number 218.

"As per the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2011, IIT-Bombay is the highest ranked institution at serial 317, while the Academic Ranking of World Universities has ranked Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore at serial 321," she said.

As per the 2011 QS Engineering & Technology Rankings, IIT-Bombay is at serial 43, IIT-Delhi at 50, IIT-Kanpur at 59 and IIT-Madras at 60 in Computer Science and Information Technology.

In the same ranking system in Civil and Structural Engineering, IIT-Bombay is ranked at serial 30, IIT-Kanpur at serial 38 and IIT-Delhi at serial 43.

As per QS Global Business School Report, 2012, Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad has been ranked second in the Asia Pacific region, next to INSEAD (Institut Europeen d Administration des Affairs), Singapore while IIM-Bangalore, Indian School of Business, IIM-Calcutta and SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai figure in the top 20 institutes.

According to Financial Times London Global Buiness School rankings, IIM-Ahmedabad is at serial 11 and Indian School of Business at serial 13.

India Supreme courth refuses clemency plea for Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to pass any order on a plea for clemency to Balwant Singh Rajoana, awarded death penalty for assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.

A bench of justices T.S. Thakur and Gyan Sudha Misra said it cannot pass any direction as the convict has not filed any petition before it and the petitioner Abhinav Ramakrishna has no locus standi to plead on his behalf.

The apex court also allowed an NGO, Lawyers for Human Rights International, to withdraw its petition filed with a similar plea.

The bench told Abhinav Ramakrishna, an advocate, that since petition was filed under Article 32, it cannot be entertained as in no way, any fundamental right of the petitioner was violated.

In other words, the bench said, Article 32 provision could be invoked only by a person whose fundamental right is violated.

The NGO had contended in its petition that Rajoana was not properly represented during the trial of the case and he had also not filed any appeal in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against his conviction and capital punishment awarded by the trial court.

The NGO was seeking stay on the execution of Babbar Khalsa militant Rajoana’s death penalty, which was slated for March 31 but has already been stayed by the Centre. Rajoana is presently lodged in Patiala Central Jail.

The NGO had challenged the March 22 order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which had dismissed a PIL against the lower court’s order convicting Rajoana and awarding death penalty to him.

It had said the decision in the case has not attained finality as the CBI has challenged in the apex court the commuting of death sentence to life term of co-accused Jagtar Singh Hawara.

“That it is submitted that the judgement by which the death sentence has been confirmed, is under appeal before the Supreme Court at the instance of the CBI.

“The special leave has been granted in an appeal against the conviction of Hawara. So the decision has not attained finality, therefore, the death sentence can not be executed,” the NGO had said in its petition.

Rajoana, a police constable and a close friend of another assassin Dilawar Singh Babbar, was the second human bomb to be used, in case the first one failed to kill Beant Singh on August 31, 1995.

The special CBI court had awarded death sentence to Rajoana and Jagtar Singh Hawara on August 1, 2007. Other co-accused Lakhwinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Shamsher Singh were sentenced to life imprisonment for hatching conspiracy to kill Beant Singh.

Rajoana did not appeal against the judgement. The death penalty of Hawara, who filed an appeal against it, was commuted to life term.

Bibi Jagir Kaur gets 5 years’ rigorous imprisonment,while acquitted of murder charges

Patiala, Punjab: Punjab minister Jagir Kaur was today convicted for conspiring in forcible abduction, kidnapping and wrongful confinement in connection with the killing of her daughter Harpreet Kaur 12 years back but was acquitted of the murder charge.

The minister was on Friday sent to Patiala Central Jail after a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court sentenced her to five years of imprisonment in three cases relating to Harpreet’s mysterious death in April 2000.

Jagir Kaur, who had been accused of getting her daughter murdered in an apparent case of honour killing, was found guilty of forcing Harpreet to abort her baby days before she died. She was also found guilty of abduction and wrongful confinement.

She was given five-year rigorous imprisonment in one case, three years in another and one year in a third case. All sentences are to run concurrently.

Harpreet was found dead under mysterious circumstances on April 20, 2000. She was cremated in a hurry without post mortem examination. Jagir Kaur had then said that her daughter died of severe food poisoning.

Later, her son-in-law Kamaljit Singh accused Jagir of plotting the murder of Harpreet as she did not approve of their marriage. He also claimed that a pregnant Harpreet was forced to abort her baby, days before she was killed.

Harpreet had married Kamaljit secretly against the wishes of Jagir, who was then the chief of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the Sikhs’ highest religious body. The allegations forced her resignation from the post.

The case against Jagir was registered after Kamaljit approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which consequently ordered a CBI probe. Earlier this month, Kamaljit had written a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal claiming that he and his family were being threatened by the police.

Rajoana clemency row: Gurdaspur remains under curfew

New Delhi: Gurdaspur will continue to remain under curfew on Friday after communal clashes that broke out in the city on Thursday over the issue of Rajoana execution that left one dead and one injured in police firing.

Two groups clashed on Thursday over clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the assassination case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.

Curfew was clamped following tensions between Shiv Sena activists and Sikhs.

"Curfew has been imposed in Gurdaspur City after tension mounted between some Shiv Sainiks and other youths, including Sikhs," Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Mohinder Singh Kainth said.

He said that the Shiv Sainiks had given a call for Gurdaspur bandh on Thursday in the wake of registration of cases against some persons following clashes during Punjab bandh on Wednesday.

During the Gurdaspur bandh, most of the establishments owned by Hindus were closed whereas those belonging to Sikhs were open, sources said, adding that resisting the move of Sikhs, the right-wing Hindu activists came face to face with them mounting tension in the city.

In order to disperse the two groups, police allegedly opened fire in which one person died and another was injured, sources said.

However, Kainth said that police resorted to firing to disperse the two groups in which one person was injured.

"We are verifying the facts whether the person was injured during the firing," he said.

The right wing organisations were protesting against the registration of cases against 14 Hindus following a scuffle during Punjab bandh on Wednesday, sources said adding that the police opened fire in air to disperse the mob in Hanuman Chowk in the heart of the border town.

Police also cane-charged and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob of both the communities, sources said.

During the Punjab bandh on Wednesday, 14 Hindu youths had opposed the Sikh organisations to shut down the shutters of their establishments resulting in clash between the two groups. Normal life was crippled across the state which witnessed sporadic violence during the day-long shutdown, called by radical Sikh outfits, to protest the scheduled hanging of Rajoana.

Meanwhile, Kainth said that the situation was "under control".

Badal orders probe into Gurdaspur firing incident

Chandigarh, March 29,2012 - Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today ordered a magisterial inquiry into an incident of alleged firing at Gurdaspur, in which one person was killed and another injured. Stating this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said Mr Badal directed Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Mohinder Singh Kainth to get the magisterial inquiry conducted at the earliest in a fair and impartial manner. The Chief Minister also appealed people of Punjab to exercise restraint and maintain peace, communal harmony and amity at all cost. Meanwhile, Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner had entrusted the inquiry to the SDM Tajinder Pal Singh Sandhu and asked him to submit the report at the earliest.

Jim Balsillie resigns from RIM board

Jim Balsillie, the brash, hockey-loving executive who helped build Research in Motion into a global force with the BlackBerry smartphones, is retiring from the struggling technology company as its new CEO attempts to rebuild RIM.

The announcement, symbolic of the changes afoot at RIM, came along with a financial report that fell short of analysts’ already low expectations on Thursday. The company announced a loss, rather than the reduced profit that many had expected, and fewer BlackBerrys were sold than anticipated.

While Balsillie’s retirement from RIM’s board of directors at age 52 will have little real impact on the company — he and company founder Mike Lazaridis had were replaced as co-chief executive and co-chairman in January — his departure is another indication that Canada’s premier technology company is in trouble.

Thorsten Heins, who has the job of steering the company as its new chief executive and president, told analysts Thursday that RIM’s management and board would consider a sale if an offer came forward but added, “it’s not the main direction we are pursuing right now.”

Heins didn’t deny what many outside observers have been saying for months — that RIM needs a new approach in a world where Apple’s iPhone, iPad and devices using Google’s Android operating system are winning market share, especially among consumers.

“I did my own reality check on where the entire company really is,” Heins said. “It’s now very clear to me that substantial change is what RIM needs.”

He said Research In Motion now will put more attention on its core business users: “We plan to refocus on the enterprise business and capitalize on our leading position in this segment.”

Balsillie had become one of Canada’s best-known businessmen both because of his role at the company, but also because of his failed attempts to use his personal fortune from his part ownership of RIM to bring another National Hockey League team to southern Ontario.

He often frustrated analysts who cover RIM, who privately griped about Balsillie “overpromising and underdelivering” and just talking too much. Some of Balsillie’s favourite expressions on conference calls were: “Just you wait and see. Just wait until you see our roadmap. It’s very exciting.”

Balsillie issued a brief comment in RIM’s announcement.

“As I complete my retirement from RIM, I’m grateful for this remarkable experience and for the opportunity to have worked with outstanding professionals who helped turn a Canadian idea into a global success.”

Heins said RIM won’t release its BlackBerry 10 smartphones — the next-generation of BlackBerry smartphones with a new operating system based on the system in PlayBook tablet computer — until later this year. That leaves the company with few new products to sell.

William Blair & Co. analyst Anil Doradla said RIM will be better off without Balsillie on the company’s board.

“We don’t want his invisible hand out there,” Doradla said from Chicago.

RIM is now going to focus more on its business customers after not being totally successful in the consumer market, he said.

They’re saying, ‘Let’s focus on our core strength. Let’s focus on enterprise. Once we get that stability on that front, then we will start looking at the consumer side,’” Doradla said.

It shows that RIM is willing to have partnerships and “not fight battles it can’t win” and the company will support iPhones and Android devices in the workplace, he added.

Activist shareholder Vic Alboini and chief executive of Jaguar Financial, who had been pushing for Balsillie to leave the company, said the departure of the former co-CEO was expected.

He also said the decision to pursue a strategic review has been a long time coming and could help push up the company’s value.

“This is the key to creating shareholder value,” Alboini said in an email.

“Jaguar believes selecting and implementing smart strategic opportunities could result in an overall minimum share value of $30,” Alboini said.

That’s more than twice the current value of RIM’s stock.

Research In Motion announced from its headquarters in Waterloo, Ont., that it had a loss in the final quarter of its 2012 financial year, rather than the profit that had been expected, as a result of writing down some of its assets.

Sales of the BlackBerry were also below many analysts expectations and the company, which usually provides guidance about where it expects revenue and profit will be in the near future, said it’s not continuing that practice.

Heins also said the BlackBerry maker can’t excel in every field, noting the consumer market.

“We believe that BlackBerry cannot succeed if we try to be everybody’s darling and all things to all people. We will seek strong partnerships to deliver those consumer features and content that are not central to the BlackBerry value proposition, for example, media consumption applications.”

RIM, known for its technical strengths, produces its own hardware, software, operating system and applications such as the BlackBerry Messenger Service, a popular instant messaging service that is exclusive to BlackBerry users.

While this has been an advantage for RIM in the past, the company has seen software developers choose to focus on applications for more popular iPhones and Androids.

The company said two of its senior executives are out. Chief technology officer for software David Yach will be retiring and RIM’s chief of global operations, Jim Rowan, is leaving “to pursue other interests.”

Heins also said his message was simple: “We’re making the necessary changes at the company.”

In its financial results, RIM reported a loss for its latest quarter of US$125 million or 24 cents per share as it took a $355-million charge to goodwill.

The loss compared with a profit of $934 million or $1.78 per diluted share a year ago. Revenue fell to $4.2 billion, down from $5.6 billion.

During the quarter, RIM shipped approximately 11.1 million BlackBerry smartphones and over 500,000 PlayBook tablets.

Excluding one-time times, RIM reported an adjusted profit of $418 million or 80 cents per share.

The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 81 cents per share and revenue of $4.54 billion, according to estimates compiled by Thomson Reuters.

Analysts had expected the company to ship 11.5 million BlackBerrys in the quarter.

Indian Gold medalist archer Nisha Rani sells archery equipment for poverty

RANCHI: Succumbing to "abject poverty",Bangkok Grand Prix medallist Nisha Rani Duttahas sold her world-class archery equipment for money. 

"I went to her house at Bundu in Ranchi district and spoke with her. She said that she had sold her bow because of poverty," said Sub-Divisional Officer Rajesh Rai. 

"She had been trained by Tata Archery Academy and won gold medal at international archery championships, but discontinued the sport because of poverty," he said. 

Rai said Dutta had told him that a world class bow cost more than Rs one lakh and Rs 20,000 for a quiver of 20 arrows. 

"She has requested the government to help her to take coaching in archery from NIS, Patiala. Because it can land her a job and financial security," the SDO said. 

Dutta, an archer in her early twenties, also told the SDO that she was released after completing training at Tata Archery Academy but could not move on due to lack of money. 

Tata Archery Academy's chief coach Dharmendra Tiwari said Dutta was with them before switching to another group. 

"She won a few medals, including at Bangkok grand prix archery championship," Tiwari said.

Punjabis against capital punishment: Wadala

Jalandhar, March 29
Veteran SAD leader and SGPC member Kuldip Singh Wadala today said that the overwhelming response to the Punjab bandh call yesterday showed that all communities were against capital punishment.

“It is for the first time that irrespective of their religious or social affiliations, people belonging to all communities have come forward to oppose capital punishment. The success of the bandh clearly indicates that the Punjabis are united on the issue of capital punishment,” Wadala said while addressing mediapersons here today. He said he was thankful to the Akal Takht Jathedar, the CM, the Deputy CM, the PPCC chief and Beant Singh’s kin for opposing the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana. “Even the BJP did not oppose it. I am specially thankful to the Home Minister,” Wadala added.

Russia’s largest Hindu temple faces closure

New Delhi, March 29
While the Russian President is in India for the ongoing BRICS summit, the Hindu community in Russia is once again on the edge.

This time the issue involves a possible closure of Russia's biggest Vedic culture centre and the largest Hindu temple in that part of the world. The temple is facing prospects of eviction in St Petersburg, the hometown of Vladimir Putin, the President-Elect of Russia.

Owners of the eight-storey building leased for 49 years to the Centre for Spiritual Development which manages the said culture centre and the temple, is seeking to terminate the lease deal and recently got a court order for its eviction.

The Vedic Society appealed against the said order and the appeal is coming up for hearing tomorrow in the Upper Court of Arbitration in St Petersburg.

“The move could lead to the closure of Russia’s largest Hindu temple and we are hoping for the Indian Government to support our case. This is the second time we are facing a challenge in Russia. We have still not fully recovered from the threat we faced over the row involving the demand of a ban on the Bhagwad Gita,” Kamal Omer, India Representative of the Vedic Society for Spiritual Development today told The Tribune.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Centre Suren Karapetyan has issued an appeal for India’s help. “Vedic culture centre is involved in promoting the ancient Indian traditions, including Sanskrit and yoga studies,” he said.

The chairman feared the latest development involves the same factions that had earlier led an unsuccessful campaign for the ban on Bhagwad Gita.

“This could be the part of the anti-Hindu campaign by a section of Russian Orthodox Christian Church zealots after their demand to seek the ban on Bhagwad Gita, otherwise I don't understand the move for pre-mature termination of the lease,” Karapetyan added in a signed letter issued today.

The Vedic Centre said the Hindus of Russia had repeatedly requested the intervention of Prime Minister Putin in January but the request had gone in vain.

Tension grips Gurdaspur, one killed, one hurt in police firing

Mar 29, 2012,

GURDASPUR: Tension gripped Gurdaspur town after one person died and another was critically injured reportedly in police firing.

According to reports a group of organisations of Gurdaspur had given a call for bandh after police had registered cases against members of another group during the call for Punjab bandh on Wednesday.

On Thursday, police intervened when one group tried to close the establishments of another group and they entered into an altercation. Trying to bring the situation under control, police opened firing when members of a group began pelting stones on it following which one person was killed and another seriously injured.

While downplaying the incident deputy commissioner Gurdaspur Mohinder Singh Kainth said, "One person has died but so far we don't know how he died or who brought him here." He, however, said police was probing the incident.

CBI court convicts Punjab cabinet minister Jagir Kaur in Harpreet case

A special CBI court in Patiala today convicted Punjab cabinet minister Bibi Jagir Kaur in the murder case of her daughter Harpreet Kaur, who died under mysterious circumstances in 2000.
The court held Bibi Jagir Kaur guilty under Section 120-B, 313, 365, 344 of IPC but acquitted her under section 302.She was sentenced to 5 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000.

Accused Paramjit Singh, Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi and Nishan Singh were held guilty under Sections 365 and 344. Dalwinder and Paramjit were also convicted under Section 313. Accused Harminder and Satya Devi were acquitted of all charges.

Bibi Jagir Kaur and other convicts were later arrested and sent in judicial custody for 14 days after the pronouncement of the court order.

Bibi Jagir Kaur is the only woman in the state cabinet and holds the charges of three department, including rural water supply and sanitation.

The CBI had registered an FIR in the case following Punjab and Haryana high court orders, after Kamaljeet Singh of Begowal approached it accusing Bibi Jagir Kaur of conspiring the murder of Harpreet.

Harpreet had a love affair with Kamaljeet of Begowal village, where Bibi Jagir Kaur runs a dera. The former SGPC chief was against their marriage.

According to Kamaljit, he and Harpreet had secretly married and the latter was six-month pregnant when she was murdered at the behest of Jagir Kaur at Phagwara.

Last week, Kamaljit had written to Punjab chief minister, seeking security in view of the upcoming verdict.

Several witnesses turning hostile as the case progressed in CBI court. Even complainant Kamaljit Singh turned hostile, only to reaffirm the charges later.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the prosecuting agency in the case, had framed charges of criminal conspiracy, abortion without woman's consent, wrongful confinement, kidnapping, murder and destroying evidence against Bibi Jagir Kaur, Dalwinder Kaur, Paramjit Singh, sub-inspector Nishan Singh, Satya, Harvinder Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar, besides others.

According to the CBI, Dalwinder poisoned Harpreet by mixing phenobarbitone into her food. As per the prosecution, Bibi Jagir Kaur asked Dr BS Sohal, a medical officer at the Sant Baba Prem Singh dispensary, Begowal, to suggest a poison to kill Harpreet after she allegedly failed to persuade her daughter to leave Kamaljit.

Timeline

April 20, 2000: Bibi Jagir Kaur's daughter Harpreet Kaur dies mysteriously; cremated a day later without post-mortem examination or inquest

April 27, 2000: Kamaljit Singh files petition in Punjab and Haryana high court, alleging that his wife Harpreet was murdered

September 2000: High court orders CBI probe into case October 2000: CBI arrests Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi and Paramjit Singh Raipur, a Phagwara-based couple, on the charges of forcible abortion, conspiring to murder and destruction of evidence

November 2008: Accused-turned approver Dr BS Sohal dies in road accident at Amritsar

March 17, 2012: Court completes trial

March 30: Bibi Jagir Kaur held guilty

Nod to Panchayat Amendment Bill

Now, sarpanches to be elected directly by voters, earlier panches used to choose them
Chandigarh, March 28
The Vidhan Sabha today passed the Punjab Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2012, to provide for "wardbandi" and reservation of panches offices by deputy commissioners.
The elections to gram panchayats next year would now be held under the amended provisions. By doing so, the state government has reverted to the old system where the villagers directly used to elect a sarpanch.
The old system had been altered and the panches were given the power to elect a sarpanch from among themselves. As a result, at times even a person who did enjoy much support in a village used to become a sarpanch. Minister for Rural Development Surjit Singh Rakhra said the amendment had been necessitated as the previous system of indirect elections had been leading to factionalism in villages, which was hampering development.
The Bill, the last item of the day's agenda before the House was adjourned sine die, was passed without much debate. Only Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa of the Congress rose to make a suggestion that reservation in panchayats should also be provided for categories other than women and Scheduled Caste. But, Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal overruled it saying such an amendment could not be brought at this stage. Earlier in the day, the House passed the vote-on-account approving Rs 14,245 crore as expenditure for three months from April 1 to June 30.
Finance Minister Parminder Dhindsa presented the supplementary demands and the vote-on-account before the House. He assured the House that the promises made in the elections manifesto would be taken care of in the regular budget.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jhakhar pointed out that the SAD-BJP government had promised unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000, increase in old age pension to Rs 500 and an enhanced Shagun Scheme. But the vote-on-account did not have any provisions for this. He said provisions should be kept and an additional Rs 120 core should be added for unemployment allowance, Rs 150 crore for increased pension and Rs 90 crore for Shagun Scheme as these people should not be made to wait for three months if the government was serious about implementing its promises.
Congress legislator Ashwani Sekhri said the Punjab Government must also keep aside Rs 142 crore as 1 per cent matching grant contribution to get central funds under the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) for 138 cities in Punjab that required repair of roads, sewerage, etc. But, Atwal said it was not possible to make any amendments at this time.

Patiala Judge Murder Case

Lady doc among 2 convicted 

Accused Ravdeep Kaur and Manjit Singh come out of the district courts in Chandigarh on Wednesday.

Chandigarh, March 28
After seven years of trial in the case relating to murder of a senior Patiala judge, Chandigarh Court today convicted two accused including a lady doctor.
The Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge VP Sirohi convicted Dr Ravdeep Kaur and Granthi Manjit Singh under Section 302 of the IPC. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on Friday.
The murder occurred on October 13, 2005 when Vijay Singh, who was the Additional District and Sessions Judge, was attacked with swords while he was on a late night walk in the high-security area of the Polo Ground in Patiala. He was stabbed repeatedly by the accused. Vijay (42) was holding the charge of presiding officer of the Chandigarh Labour Court at that time. He was son of former chairman of Punjab Public Service Commission Amarjit Singh.
Four days after the murder, the Patiala police had arrested two persons — a lady doctor working with a private hospital, Ravdeep Kaur, for masterminding the murder and Manjit Singh, who was a contract killer and executed the crime. He was paid an amount of Rs 5 lakh for executing the murder, police had said. The trial was transferred from Patiala to Chandigarh Court as no counsel in Patiala was willing to represent any of the accused in the case pertaining to murder of the judge. The case was transferred to Chandigarh in February 2006.
While establishing the motive behind the crime, the prosecution stated Dr Ravdeep had an affair with Vijay and was compelling him to marry her and divorce his wife. Vijay had three children and he refused to tie the knot with Ravdeep, following which she turned bitter against him and hatched a conspiracy to kill him.
Public prosecutor from Punjab Vijay Singla said strong circumstantial evidence led to the conviction. Call details of Ravdeep proved that she took an add-on connection three months prior to the murder, which was used to maintain contact with Manjit. She was in touch with him before and after the murder. Bloodstains and DNA samples of the victim matched with the blood stained clothes of accused Manjit.
The prosecution also stated Ravdeep made anonymous complaints against Vijay to the Chief Justice. It was proved that the anonymous letters were written by Ravdeeep. The police had also recovered Rs 4 lakh cash hidden in the harmonium of Manjit.

Rajoana hanging stayed

New Delhi, March 28
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday stayed the hanging of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassin, Balwant Singh Rajoana.
The convict was supposed to be hanged on March 31 at a jail in Patiala. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal announced the decision of the MHA by showing the letter they received from the ministry to the media. Earlier, the Chief Minister called on President Pratibha Patil and sought clemency for Rajoana.
The MHA acted on a plea filed by the Shiromani Gurdawara Parbandhak Committee and has informed the Principal Secretary, Home (Punjab) about its decision. The SGPC cited Article 72 of the Constitution to seek clemency for Rajoana. The President has powers to grant pardons, to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases under this Article.
Joint Secretary (MHA), JL Chugh, in his orders passed tonight, said: “As per the procedure regarding petitions for mercy in death sentence cases, the execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana is stayed till the order of the Supreme Court in the matter of the criminal appeal no 2277/2022 and 1464/2011 or till the order of the President on the said mercy petition, whichever is later”. Rajoana’s case is unique as he has not sought clemency for his act. The special CBI court had awarded death sentence to Rajoana and Jagtar Singh Hawara in the Beant Singh case on August 1, 2007. Three others - Lakhwinder Singh, Gurmit Singh and Shamsher Singh - were sentenced to life imprisonment for hatching the conspiracy to kill Beant Singh. A Chandigarh court had issued death warrants to Patiala jail authorities earlier this month, asking them to hang Rajoana on March 31. Rajoana did not appeal against the judgment.
The death penalty of Hawara, who filed an appeal against it, was commuted to life term. Sukhbir Singh Badal told reporters that clemency for Rajoana was not a political issue. The residents of Punjab want him to be pardoned, said the Deputy CM of Punjab.

Rajoana village celebrates

As soon as news of the stay on Rajoana’s hanging reached his native village Rajoana Kalan, a wave of joy swept through the village. The villagers were seen bursting crackers and congratulating one another. Village sarpanch said, “We are very happy about the stay. We thank all those who supported the cause”.

Decision in interest of peace: Gurkirat

Chandigarh: Gurkirat Singh Kotli, Khanna MLA and grandson of the late Beant Singh, said the stay on the execution would ensure long-term peace in Punjab. “The hard-earned peace achieved after several sacrifices, including that by martyr Beant Singh, cannot be jeopardised and any step in the interest of peace and harmony will always be supported by us”, he said.

Capt lauds decision

Chandigarh: Appreciating the stand taken by the UPA Government, PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh said the decision will go a long way in maintaining the hard-earned peace in Punjab. Appealing to the people of the state to maintain peace at all costs, he pointed out that the Congress-led UPA Government respected the sentiments of the people of Punjab.

Khalsa March put off

Amritsar: Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh has stated that the Panthic outfits have postponed the Khalsa March which was scheduled to start on Thursday in view of the stay on Rajoana’s hanging. A group of Panthic outfits had given a call to start a march from all three Takhts in Punjab to Patiala on March 29. Meanwhile, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has hailed the Centre’s move to stay the execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana.

Near-total bandh in Punjab over Rajoana’s hanging

Chandigarh, March 28
Punjab was in the grip of a saffron wave in support of former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana with a near-complete bandh having been organised to demand clemency for Rajoana on a call given by the Akal Takht and various panthic organisations.
Patiala witnessed tension and even violence after the district police failed to prevent youth, raising pro-Khalistan slogans, from moving into the Hindu-dominated inner city around the Arya Samaj chowk. This resulted in injuries to four persons besides a police commando.
In Jalandhar, members of a radical outfit assaulted a head constable with a sword. They also tried to damage a statue of Beant Singh at the BMC chowk but thwarted from doing so.
State Home Secretary D S Bains claimed that the bandh passed off peacefully except for sporadic incidents of violence.
Bains said the police had to resort to mild lathi charge at Jalandhar and also in Deena Nagar. Trains were stopped at eight places, including Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Patiala and Tarn Taran districts.
Sources said though the bandh was, by and large, peaceful, fear psychosis had been created at some places with the impression gaining ground that the administration, particularly the police, was giving kids glove treatment to radical groups engaged in the protest. At most places, police personnel remained mute spectators and were even reluctant to intervene when shopkeepers were forced to down shutters.
Meanwhile, Congress legislators accused the government of supporting the bandh. Banga legislator Tarlochan Singh Soondh said the people’s attention was being diverted from real issues.
Patiala legislator Brahm Mohindra said a legal matter was being turned into a religious one. Congress legislator Sukhpal Khaira said the government was empowered to commute any sentence, including the death penalty under Section 433 of the CrPC and there was no need to approach the Centre on this account.
SAD spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema derided Khaira’s statement as gimmickry, saying Khaira should realise that it was for the Centre to act in the matter as the incident pertained to the union territory that is controlled by it. He refuted allegations that the government had supported the bandh, saying it was spontaneous in nature.
The BJP broke its silence on the issue, with State BJP President Ashwani Sharma saying peace should be maintained at all costs. Senior leader Balramjidas Tandon was more vocal.

Clashes in Patiala leave five injured

(Left) Protesters block railway tracks at the Patiala railway station; (Right-above) security personnel at Chaura Bazaar in Ludhiana; and (Right-below) a jawan of paramilitary forces quenches his thirst.

Chandigarh, March 28
Apart from a police lathi charge on protesters in Patiala, Jalandhar and Phagwara, the statewide bandh passed off peacefully today.

Students stranded at the Patiala bus stand

Tension gripped Patiala after five persons, including a police commando, were injured in a clash when some youths brandished swords and raised pro-Khalistan slogans.
Sikh radicals had declared a Punjab bandh today to demand clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana convicted in the Beant Singh assassination case.
The clash occurred in Arya Samaj area at 11.30 am when some youths took out a procession and raised pro-Khalistan slogans. Area residents objected to such sloganeering and a clash ensued which soon turned bloody with a mob of over 100 youths thronging the locality, attacking policemen on duty and damaging two cars and a two-wheeler.

Closed shutter of a bank in Amritsar

For some 10 minutes, area residents threw stones from inside their houses while some youths on the streets were thrashed by a mob. The policemen on duty, most of them young recruits, ran for cover instead of taming the mob.
The youths brandishing swords and sticks challenged the cops. Patiala SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill, who reached the site, suffered minor injuries when pushed around by the mob. The police then resorted to a mild lathi charge. Additional force was summoned and the situation was brought under control.
Commando (constable) Gurcharan Singh was injured and admitted to a private hospital.
Patiala DC Vikas Garg, who reached Arya Samaj area, faced a barrage of complaints and he left within minutes. Patiala IG Paramjit Singh Gill and DIG LK Yadav also visited the spot. Later in the evening, Garg said that the administration would pay the medical bills of the injured.
Patiala SSP Gill said they are trying to identify the culprits through video-recording and an FIR would be registered thereafter. Most business establishments in the city remained shut. Some trains were stopped. A group of radicals blocked the national highway near Rajpura for a few hours, causing inconvenience to commuters. A report from Sangrur said members of Sikh organisations clashed with shopkeepers in Lehra. Two persons received minor injuries.

Trains held up

In Jalandhar, the police resorted to a mild cane charge after activists of various Sikh outsfits assaulted head constable Harpreet Singh at a railway crossing. He received injuries on his hand. The armed activists also tried to damage the statue of Beant Singh at BMC Chowk.
Brandishing swords, the activists smashed the windows of a bank at Bhagat Singh Chowk and forced Central Government offices to shut.
More than 1,500 protesters gheraoed the Amritsar-bound Shan-e-Punjab train and the Jammu Tawi Express for almost 45 minutes.
Holding saffron flags, the activists, including women, took to the roads in open jeeps, SUVs, motorcycles and tractors. They forced the lawyers to close their chambers.
Some shops were ransacked in Attari Bazaar as also two banks at Phagwara Gate and the Mandi road.

Phagwara tense

Tension prevailed in this industrial town after a clash between Sikh radicals and activists of Hindu organisations near the old sabzi mandi on the Phagwara-Banga road this evening.
Over 12 persons- three cops, two scribes, four Sikh youths and three Hindu activists- sustained injuries. A car was damaged by some unidentified persons even as its occupants fled to save their lives. The police resorted to a mild lathi charge to disburse the mob. The police also opened fire into the air.
In Amritsar, the bandh crippled life with almost all commercial establishments, schools and colleges remaining shut. Activists of various outfits carrying sticks and swords ensured that the bandh was successful. The entire city wore a deserted look with government and private buses and auto-rickshaws off the road. The residents had a tough time getting LPG, petrol and diesel as all the filing stations and gas agencies remained shut. The police and paramilitary forces remained on their toes throughout the day. Government offices and hospitals also wore a deserted look. Dal Khalsa and Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) activists held separate marches in support of Rajoana.

Roadblocks

In Bathinda, the daylong bandh crippled life and disrupted public transport services in the district. Sikh leaders held a protest march in the city. A group led by Rajinder Sidhu, president of Khalsa Diwan Gurdwara Singh Sabha blocked GT Road outside Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Colony.Police commandos, riot vehicles and senior police functionaries were deployed there in strength.
The protesters, however, made way for the ambulances and the ailing. They squatted on the road chanting “Satnam Waheguru. There was a similar blockade near the Goniana mandi. The protesters performed ardas at Gurdwara Qila Mubarak. In Gurdaspur, various Sikh organisations forced a complete bandh in the town. State-owned and private buses remained off road. Banks too remained closed. A group of Sikh radicals tried to block the Gurdaspur-Pathankot road. However, SSP Varinder Pal Singh intervened and the protesters agreed to lift the blockade after brief negotiations.

Tibetan man dies from self-immolation in protest against a visit by China's president to India

New Delhi, 27 March 2012 - A Tibetan man died on Wednesday after setting himself on fire earlier this week in New Delhi to protest Chinese rule of the Himalayan region, activists said, hours before Chinese President Hu Jintao was due to arrive in India for a summit of emerging market nations.
Thirty Tibetans, mostly Buddhist monks and nuns, have set themselves on fire, mostly in southwestern China, in the past year, according to Tibetan rights groups. At least 20 have died.
Jamphel Yeshi, 27, set himself ablaze on Monday at a protest criticizing President Hu's visit. He died in a local hospital from his injuries, the general secretary of the Tibetan Youth Congress said in a statement.
"The fact that Tibetan people are setting themselves on fire in this 21st century is to let the world know about their suffering," Yeshi wrote in a handwritten statement found in his room.
Pictures taken by a Reuters photographer showed the activist running down a street enveloped in flames on Monday. He suffered burn injuries across 98 percent of his body.
Born in Tibet but living in exile in India, Yeshi was an activist with the youth organization, which seeks independence for the Himalayan region, under Chinese rule for more than six decades.
Hu is due to arrive in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon to take part in a one day summit between Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- known collectively as BRICS.
Indian police have arrested a number of Tibetans in recent days, activists say, in an apparent bid to prevent protests marring Hu's visit.
India hosts large community of Tibetans - including exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama - one of the main sources of friction with neighbouring China, which accuses the Dalai Lama of stirring unrest.

Hanging of Beant Singh assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana stayed

The hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, assassin of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, was on Wednesday stayed by the Centre following a mercy petition.

Sources in the government said that the hanging, which was scheduled to be carried out on March 31, has been stayed following a petition filed by SGPC, the Sikh religious body.

The sources said the decision to keep the hanging in abeyance was taken since a petition was filed in line with the guidelines followed in such cases.

The scheduled hanging of Rajoana had got the politics of Punjab in a turmoil with the ruling Akali Dal campaigning against his execution while its coalition partner BJP disfavouring such a course.

The state Congress leaders at a personal level had been favouring clemency.

Punjab bandh: Tension at Lehragaga, members of Sikh-Hindu organizations indulged in stone pelting

SANGRUR: Tension reigned at Lehragaga in Sangrur on Wednesday afternoon when members of certain Hindu and Sikh organizations indulged in stone pelting over the call for Punjab bandh against the upcoming execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana. Rajoana, who is co accused in the killing of then Punjab CM Beant Singh on August 31, 1995 is to be hanged on March 31. Both sides tearing apart the peaceful fabric threw stones at each other. Lehragaga is represented by former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal in Punjab assembly.

According to sources it all started when some shopkeepers were playing cards in a market after downing the shutters. When members of some Sikh organizations objected to it and asked the shopkeepers to vacate the place, altercations took place between members of both sides. The slogans of pro and against Khalistan(separate Sikh state) started renting the air.

"When tempers ran high both groups took sides and threw stones at each other but somehow no one was injured", said an eyewitness." We were simply playing cards when members of Sikh organizations torn apart the cards and abused us, this provoked us to get back", said Sat Pal of the town.

"We just had asked them to put the shutters down and not sit before their shops that the members of Hindu organizations got provoked and situation became tense", Harpal Singh, member of a protesting Sikh organization.

Sangrur SSP Harcharan Singh Bhullar "some problem had cropped up over playing cards but police has took the situation under control and peace has returned to the place".

On the other hand working on call by certain Sikh organizations, the Malwa hinterland witnessed complete bandh on Wednesday. All the business establishments downed shutters and even banks put its shutters at half down. The markets at Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa, Moga wore a deserted look and life was put out of gear. The road traffic too was badly hit.

Members of Sikh organizations Dal Khalsa, Khalsa action committee, Khalra mission organization took to streets in some areas carrying flags as security personnel patrolled sensitive areas to maintain peace.On the directions of Shri Akal Takht, prayers were held at different places in the state in support of Rajoana.

Bandh hits life in Punjab; Akal Takht appeals for peace

A day-long bandh called by Sikh outfits to protest the proposed execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the Beant Singh killing case, disrupted normal life in Punjab on Wednesday. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has meanwhile appealed for maintenace of peace and harmony Reports from Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Tarn Taran, Bathinda, Ropar and Patiala said that the bandh hit normal life. Sikhs in Jammu also observed a bandh during the day, with reports saying that protesters had blocked the Jammu-Pathankot road.

In Patiala, the call for bandh evoked total response in the city where Rajoana is lodged in the local central jail awaiting his execution on March 31 as per Chandigarh sessions court orders.

The situation in the industrial town of Ludhiana was peaceful. Restaurants and eating houses were open while commercial establishments in some markets were partially open. Government offices were open  but the attendance was thin, a report said.

A report from Bathinda also said that roads were deserted in the city as people observed a bandh. Protesters had blocked the Bathinda-Mansa road, the report said.

A report from Amritsar also said that bandh call evoked good response from people, with shops in the walled city downing their shutters. Reports said people were also unhappy over disruption of normal public transport services in the state.

Bandh was also observed in Jalandhar and Kapurthala, with security forces patrolling the streets to prevent any violence in the two places.

In Jalandhar, a few Sikh activists tried to barge into State Bank of India and Oriental Bank of Commerce of branches. However, timely intervention of police and paramilitary jawans brought the situation under control.

In Phagwara, the bandh was complete in the city located on the Delhi- Jalandhar national highway. Road traffic was plying normally though passengers using public transport were few.

Section of Sikhs took to streets in some areas carrying flags as security personnel patrolled sensitive areas to maintain peace.

Hardliners Dal Khalsa, Khalsa Action Committee and Khalra Mission organisation had urged the Sikh community to voluntarily shut down their business establishments and observe the day-long bandh peacefully.

Security forces have been conducting flag marches at key locations in the state to instill confidence among the people. Security around Patiala central jail where Rajoana is lodged had been beefed up with erection of additional security points.

Special control rooms have been set up in the districts to keep an eye on the movement of protestors.

On the directions of Akal Takht, prayers are being held at different places in the state in support of Rajoana.

In Kapurthala, a complete bandh was observed today as all commercial establishments remained closed, a report said adding Pepsu roadways and private buses remained off the road.

Tension prevailed in Gurdaspur town when some shopkeepers at Bata Chowk asked the police to provide security to them to open their shop but members of a Sikh organisation forced the shopkeepers to close their shops.

They also forced the authorities of Axis bank to close the bank. The tension was defused when the police disperse the agitators, a report from Batala said.

In Mohali, normal life was badly disrupted following the bandh call.

All shops and commercial establishments, private schools, colleges and banks were closed as the protesters took out marches through various parts of Mohali, Kharar and other parts of the district.