Tribune News Service

Mandi, May 21

Inclement weather has hampered the snow-clearing work on the Manali-Leh National Highway till Sarchu Pass (14,500 feet), the border of the state and Jammu and Kashmir, where the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is struggling hard to open the route.The highway is strategically important in the region which is used by the Army to supply goods to its forces in Leh and Ladakh.According to a BRO official, the workforce has reached near Baralacha Pass (16,043 feet) where heaps of snow were observed and it was struggling hard to move ahead towards Sarchu Pass.Earlier, the BRO was hopeful to clear the highway till Sarchu Pass by May 25 but the inclement weather has marred the hope of accomplishing the task in a stipulated time.BRO Commander Mayank Mehta said, “Due to bad weather in last two days, there was snowing in the region, however, our workforce continued in the snow clearance operation.”“We have reached Baralacha Pass where heaps of snow was observed and it will take more than one week to clear the route up to Sarchu,” he added.

Tourists throng Manali

Manali: To beat the scorching heat of the plains, a large number of tourists are visiting Manali every day. Tourist vehicles are allowed up to Marhi, 35 km from here, on the Manali-Rohtang road.Marhi and Beas Nullah, which is known as the snowpoint, has turned into an attraction for tourists.Marhi, about 15 km short of the Rohtang Pass, lies one of the most picturesque places in the region.A large number of tourists were also seen thronging the nearby tourists places like Hidimba Devi temple, Manu temple, Buddhist monasteries and Vashisht hot water springs. — OCHighway  strategically important

• The Manali-Leh National Highway is strategically important in the region as it is used by the Army to supply goods to its forces in Leh and Ladakh.
• Earlier, the BRO was hopeful to clear the highway till the Sarchu Pass by May 25, but the inclement weather has marred the hope of accomplishing the task in a stipulated time.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation Asia’s longest bi-directional road tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on Sunday (April 2). The Chenani-Nashri all-weather tunnel has been built at a cost of over Rs 2,500 crore in about five years.

Built at an altitude of 1,200 meters, the 10.89 km tunnel would cut the travel distance between Jammu and Srinagar by about 40 kilometres, and is expected to save passengers over 2 hours in travel time as it will bypass snow- and landslide-prone Kud, Patnitop and Batote on National Highway 44. According to estimates, it also promises fuel savings of over Rs 27 lakh per day and will also provide better connectivity to people in Kishtwar, Doda and Bhaderwah in the Jammu region.

The work on the twin-tube tunnel, which is part of National Highway Authority of India’s (NHAI’s) 286-km-long four-lane project on the highway, started on May 23, 2011, in the lower Himalayan mountain range. The project forms part of the proposed widening of NH-44 (old NH-1A) from Jammu to Srinagar.

Hailed as an engineering marvel, this marks significant roadbuilding firsts in India, including an unprecedented stress on user safety. Amongst its host of intelligent road tunnel features are:

Integrated traffic control system
Entrance Detection Control System
Active Firefighting System
Electronic Surveillance System
Evacuative Broadcast System
Tunnel Ventilation System

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Simran Sodhi

tribune news service

New Delhi, May 19

The present India-Pakistan situation is “untenable”’ and “pre-conditions” to talks don’t work, Abdul Basit, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India, told The Tribune today.Pointing to the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, he said: “Pakistan as a responsible country, never flip flops on principles to cater for temporary benefits. And like all other states, we do not compromise on issues related to national security.”(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Reiterating Pakistan was willing for a “meaningful engagement with India,” he emphasised the only way forward was dialogue. On India’s contention that “talks and terror can’t go together”, Basit said sooner or later, Pakistan and India would have to come to the negotiating table, “either now or five years down the lane.The envoy urged India to return to the 2009 Sharam al Sheikh Statement wherein the two countries had decided to keep the issues of terrorism and talks apart. “We need to revert to that statement,” he said, stressing Pakistan was willing to discuss all issues, from Jammu and Kashmir to terrorism.Consistently referring to Jadhav as “Commander Jadhav,” he spoke of the “limited reprieve given to India”  by the  International Court of Justice (ICJ) while giving a stay on Jadhav’s execution, which the envoy pointed out was of no consequence as “he (Jadhav) was not being executed yesterday.” He was non-committal on whether the ICJ verdict was legally binding on Pakistan “I don’t see how Commander Jadhav can be executed over the next month. There is a process which will take its course.”On consular access/ visas to Jadhav’s family, the envoy said these would have to be decided on merit. “Pakistan is not really worried; we believe that as far as Commander Jadhav is concerned, Pakistan is on terra firma (solid ground). The case is also a testimony to the fact that terrorism in Pakistan is not without external dimensions.”Referring to the lack of progress in the Mumbai and Pathankot trials, Basit stuck to his earlier argument that progress could not be achieved till the two countries talked to each other.   “On Pathankot, how can you achieve results without cooperation? We agreed to send our investigators, we extended full cooperation. It is important to retain the spirit of cooperation.”On the speculation that Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif might meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai meeting in June, Basit said there was no such proposal yet from either the Indian or the Pakistani side.“Pakistan’s stand has always been that back-channel diplomacy without front-channel diplomacy is irrelevant,” he added. 

 

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 29

The normal life in Kashmir was disrupted today due to a shutdown call by the separatists to protest the killings of three youths in Budgam district.Apprehending trouble, the authorities today imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar city besides suspending the rail services on the Banihal-Baramulla route.To maintain law and order situation, the authorities had deployed additional forces in the volatile parts of the city and other major towns even as clashes were reported from Palhalan in north Kashmir and several parts of Srinagar city.The joint call for a “complete shutdown” was given by three separatist leaders — Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, who have also warned of mass protests if the “targeted killings of civilian protesters” near the encounter sites is not stopped by the authorities.Three youths — Zahid Rashid, Aamir Fayaz and Ishfaq Ahmad — were killed and more than 24 persons were injured when the security forces opened fire on protesters in the Chadoora area of Budgam in central Kashmir near an encounter site, which ended with the killing of a Hizb militant. The protesters, hurling stones, tried to move towards the encounter site to help the holed-up militant inside a three-storey house.Owing to the call for shutdown, shops, business establishments, banks and educational institutions remained closed in Srinagar even as public transport was also off the roads. The courts also remained closed as the lawyers boycotted the proceedings in protests.Early morning clashes between the protesting youths and security forces were witnessed in the Rawalpora area in uptown Srinagar as one of the three slain youths, Ishfaq Ahmad, hailed from the adjoining Rangreth locality.There were similar reports of complete shutdown from other district headquarters with inter-district transport services also getting disrupted.In north Kashmir, the security forces were deployed in the volatile Palhalan, Pattan and Sopore areas to maintain law and order situation.In the wake of the shutdown, the authorities also suspended the daily rail services between Banihal and Baramulla stations, as the railway line passes through several potential hotpots in the Valley.On the other hand, all examinations scheduled to be held today were postponed by Kashmir University, Central University, and the Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, in the wake of the shutdown.Militants attack police station in Kulgam  Srinagar: Militants on Wednesday opened fire on a police station in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district but no one was hurt in the attack, the police said. The gunmen fired five to six rounds towards the police station at Yaripora in the district at around 5.50 pm, a police official said. He said the militants fled from the spot, mingling with protesters who were demonstrating against the killing of three civilians in security forces’ firing in the Chadoora area of Budgam district on Tuesday. There were no reports of anyone getting hurt in the firing incident, he added. — PTI 

Hundreds attend slain ultra’s funeral

Suhail A Shah

Kulgam, March 29

Amid a complete shutdown over the civilian killings at Chadoora in Budgam district on Tuesday, hundreds attended the funeral prayers of slain Hizbul Mujahideen militant Tawseef Wagay in the Yaripora area of Kulgam district on Wednesday.Wagay was killed in a day-long encounter with security forces in Budgam on Tuesday. Three civilians were also shot dead allegedly by security forces as clashes erupted around the encounter site. The joint separatist leadership had called for a shutdown against the civilian killings.In the wake of a huge gathering, five separate, back-to-back, funeral prayers were held. Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani addressed the gathering over the phone and urged people “to remain steadfast in our struggle to attain freedom”. “We, our children, our resources and our honour, nothing is secure unless we get freedom. Our youth should hold the freedom struggle dearer than anything else,” Geelani said in his telephonic address.Following the funerals and the burial, amid pro-freedom and anti-India sloganeering, intense clashes rocked the area and continued for most part of the day. Youth from the area threw stones at security personnel who used tear-smoke shells to quell protests. Several people were injured during the clashes. The rest of south Kashmir remained calm.

 

Srinagar, May 17

Amid a spurt in ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat held a security review here today and discussed measures for countering the street violence in the Valley as well as militancy.Jaitley, who also holds Finance portfolio, is on his first visit to Kashmir after taking over the additional charge from Manohar Parrikar. “The Defence Minister was apprised of measures to strengthen the robust counter-infiltration grid along the LoC. He was briefed on the close coordination among all agencies towards bringing back normalcy in the region,” defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Also at the security review meeting were Sanjay Mitra, Defence Secretary-designate,  and top Army officers. Lauding the valour, sacrifice and patriotic fervour of soldiers, Jaitley urged them to ensure safety of the innocent. — TNS

OATH­TAKING The joy on Day 1 was marked by warm hugs, handshakes, and the unmistakable festive colours of the ‘pagris’ sported by Sikh assembly members

CHANDIGARH: From an assembly awash with the Akali blue for 10 long years, the 15th Vidhan Sabha on Friday sprang up with all festive hues as the ‘Congress 77’ settled themselves on the treasury benches. Many dressed in spotless white kurtapyjama, the joy was marked by warm hugs, handshakes, and the unmistakable festive colours of the ‘pagris’ sported by the Sikh members.

PHOTOS: KESHAV SINGH/HT(From right) Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh with cabinet ministers Brahm Mohindra, Navjot Singh Sidhu and other Congress legislators occupying the treasury benches on the first day of the 15th Vidhan Sabha in Chandigarh on Friday.

Congress MLAs have long given up the tradition of wearing white ‘pagris’ and on Friday they had chosen more “sacred” colours for their headgear. Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh wore a beige ‘pagri’, a shift from his favourite light pink or light blue. There were others who completed the palette — Sukhjinder Randhawa chose light peach, Rana Gurmeet Sodhi chose bright pink, Pargat Singh donned dark purple and Balbir Sidhu chose magenta. Charanjit Channi sported a red ‘pagri’ and some even wore orange.

Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu dressed to the tee in a suit, wore a rust shirt with a matching ‘pagri’. Manpreet Badal wore his blue blazer today (he is mostly seen in either a white one or a school uniform blue) over his shirt-pant combination sporting a white ‘pagri’. The most colourful of Congressmen, Rana Gurjeet Singh, was dressed as expected, white kurta-pyjama, yellow jacket and purple ‘pagri’

Most of the youngsters had chosen to don kurta-pyjama, giving the true politician look but some wanted to look more fashionable. Amrinder Singh Raja Warring looked strapping in a blue blazer-shirt-pant combination, and newbie AAP MLA from Barnala Meet Hayer following suit.

Most of the Sikh Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs chose to wear ‘Basanti’ (bright yellow) turbans, the party’s campaign colour, symbolic of revolution, with Sunam MLA Aman Arora having found a jacket of the same colour. Leader of opposition, HS Phoolka, stuck to his usual blue. Most of the Akali MLAs too stuck to blue or black (two of three colours emblematic of Sikhism), only Parminder Dhindsa wearing his favourite light yellow.

Acutely missing from the new assembly was the glam quotient visible in the last House, thanks to its women members. Ministers Aruna Chaudhry and Razia Sultana wore subtle shades of white and beige, not wanting to stand out, lending a graceful tinge to the treasury benches. All six women MLAs kept their heads covered with ‘dupattas’.

UNUSUAL BONHOMIE, HUMILITY MARKS DAY

Lok Insaaf Party’s Simarjeet Singh Bains, allied with the Aam Aadmi Party, shared a warm hug with Navjot Sidhu Sidhu, reliving the bonhomie of the Awaaz-e-Punjab days before the group split to support different parties.

 

Bikram Singh Majithia, the Congress’ and AAP’s bugbear, shook hands with chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and leader of opposition HS Phoolka after taking oath. Many legislators also bent to touch the floor of the House on their way to taking oath.

Capt govt to push CPS bill on last day of assembly session

WILL CHALLENGE GOVERNMENT MOVE, STATE LAW CANNOT MAKE APPOINTMENTS LEGAL, SAYS FORMER PETITIONER

CHANDIGARH: A sleek nine-member cabinet may not be enough to meet the aspirations of the 77 Congress MLAs. Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has hinted at expansion of his cabinet after the budget session in June. But his government is readying to push a legislation on the last day of the current session (March 29) to get the appointment of chief parliamentary secretaries (CPSes) passed by the House.

Government sources contend the appointment of CPS, per se, is not unconstitutional. “The Punjab and Haryana High Court had stuck down the appointments in Punjab, holding that there was no law to mandate it. Once the assembly ratifies a law, the appointments should not face any legal hurdle,” government sources added.

The previous SAD-BJP government had appointed 23 CPSes without passing any law in the state assembly. The Congress government is likely to ensure that it keeps the appointments on a par with the 15% ceiling on size of the cabinet. In the 117member Punjab assembly, the cabinet can have not more than 18 ministers. So, the number of CPSes to be appointed also would be restricted to the figure of 18 under the state legislation.

Other than Amarinder loyalists, young turks of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi could be appointed as CPS to “groom” them for the future. Neighbouring Himachal, too, is bringing a law to appoint CPSes.

But advocate HC Arora, petitioner in the case before the Punjab and Haryana high court, said any new state legislation on the matter will be challenged. “The constitutional mandate is of appointing ministers, which should not be more than 15% of the total number of MLAs. A state legislation cannot make the appointments legal as it will be against the constitutional mandate,” he said.

“There can’t be anybody else between the minister and administrative secretary of the department, through whom files can be routed. If a CPS comes in between, the oath of secrecy by minister goes. The HC had also pointed out that they were acting like junior ministers, which is against the law,” Arora said. “We shall definitely challenge the government move. We won’t let go the battle, which we have won after years of efforts put in by a large number of people,” Arora said.

The HC had quashed all the CPS appointments made by the previous Parkash Singh Badal government on August 12, 2016, along with six others made later. The state government had moved the Supreme Court but it had refused to stay the high court order. The HC bench had decided the matter on two petitions filed in 2012.

‘Fine if CM keeps urban development ministry’

CHANDIGARH : Local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday toned down his demand for housing and urban development ministry when he said it was fine with him if chief minister Amarinder Singh continues to hold the portfolio and he only wants to be involved in discussion and decision-making process.

“I have no problem if CM keeps the housing department,” said Sidhu while talking to a select group of journalists after taking oath as an MLA in the 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha. His comments came a day after a clean chit from the government that he can continue to be a part of “The Kapil Sharma Show”.

Last week, Amarinder had raised apprehension that in case of conflict of interest, Sidhu’s portfolio (tourism and cultural affairs) could be changed. On Thursday, advocate general Atul Nanda made it clear that Sidhu “faces no legal bar in continuing with his work on the show”.

Sidhu had been demanding housing and urban development department along with the local bodies assigned to him saying all the issues related to urban development are in control of one department.

“My request is to call me periodically to discuss the issues, so there is coordination in all development works in state,” he said, reiterating that the development had to a joint effort of the two departments. Many programmes run by the Centre have involvement of both housing and urban development and local bodies department of the states, he said.

 

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 23

With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today rejecting the seats allocated to its MLAs and its ally, the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP), a confrontation seems inevitable on the opening day of the newly constituted 14th  Vidhan Sabha tomorrow.Pro tem Speaker Rana Kanwar Pal Singh will take a decision on the matter in consultation with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh before the start of the session.   AAP will decide its course thereafter.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The conflict is regarding the 12 seats in the first row. AAP legislators are upset that no seat has been allocated to the Lok Insaaf Party in this row. The party has two MLAs — Balwinder Singh Bains and younger brother Simarjit Singh.The House has seating arrangements in three blocks — treasury benches on the Speaker’s right,  where the 77 Congress MLAs will be seated; the opposite block for the Opposition MLAs and the block facing the Speaker’s chair for other parties/Independents or members of the ruling party, in case there are not enough seats in the main block. AAP has 20 MLAs, the second highest, while the Akalis have 15. Both will get seats in the Opposition rows but AAP’s HS Phoolka, being the Leader of the Opposition, will be seated opposite the CM. AAP has been allotted five seats in the front row, the Akalis four and the BJP two. One seat is reserved for the Deputy Speaker. The LIP has been allotted two seats in the third block. The Bains brothers had occupied seats in this block as Independents in the last House as well.Phoolka told The Tribune he had rejected the seat arrangement. “The Lok Insaaf Party  had a pre-poll alliance with AAP as had the Akalis with the BJP.  If they can be seated together and their senior leaders allotted seats in the front row, why not AAP and LIP leaders?” he asked.Phoolka, contending that AAP and it ally would have a joint House strategy, said: “We have demanded that the Speaker allots the LIP seats to us.” Sources said in view of the Bains brothers’ tenacity to dominate House proceedings, AAP was keen on seeing at least one of them on the front seat.“We have allocated seats as per the party position. The seats are not allocated as per alliance or coalition,” explained Vidhan Sabha officials, who faced an unusual situation, having to accommodate the Leader of the SAD Legislature Party as also the former CM, the seniormost politician not only in Punjab, but the country too.

Parliamentary secys next on Capt agenda

Ministry expansion before June session

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 23

Barely a week after taking oath as Chief Minister and inducting nine ministers, Capt Amarinder Singh today not only announced the expansion of his ministry “before the Budget session in June”, but also said he would introduce a Bill in the Punjab Assembly to appoint MLAs as parliamentary secretaries, a clear indication that Congress MLAs have been lobbying hard with the high command for their elevation.The Punjab and Haryana High Court had in August last year quashed the appointment of 18 Chief Parliamentary Secretaries in the SAD-BJP government, ruling that they were acting as “junior ministers” in contravention of the Constitution’s intent to limit the Council of Ministers to 15 per cent of the strength of the legislature.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Capt Amarinder said he intended to attach parliamentary secretaries with various ministers to acquaint them with matters of governance. He said he would be happy to see his party appoint his successor in the last year of his tenure.Capt Amarinder said he would give due representation to all regions and communities. As of now, there is one minister from the Doaba region, three from Majha and six from Malwa, including the Chief Minister. The Congress has 77 Congress MLAs in the Assembly. There is room for eight more ministers in the Cabinet.Meanwhile, justifying the decision to retain Suresh Arora as the Punjab DGP, Capt Amarinder said he was a thoroughly professional officer while the Chief Secretary had to be changed because of his proximity to the previous SAD-BJP government.

Amarinder hails PM’s initiative on farm debt waiver

ribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 23

Reiterating his commitment to farm loan waiver, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today welcomed reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had instructed the Niti Aayog to make an assessment and formulate a plan for debt waiver.While the state government had already initiated the debt waiver process in the state, it was heartening to see the Central government also moving towards the waiver of the debts of the beleaguered farmers around the country, said Capt Amarinder.The CM, who had raised the farm debt waiver issue with the Prime Minister on Wednesday, said he had received an extremely warm response from both Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, whom he met in New Delhi.Cong finding excuses: Badal Former CM Parkash Singh Badal said by linking its loan waiver promise with the demand for a Central package, the government was finding escape routes to run away from its promise on loan waiver. “The demand for the financial package should be de-linked from the Congress poll promise as that promise was not made on behalf of the Prime Minister. The CM should have announced the loan waiver in a Cabinet decision before going to Delhi,” he said.

MCD: Cong banks on Capt

The Congress is banking on CM Capt Amarinder Singh to put up a strong show in the upcoming Assembly bypoll and the April 23 Municipal Corporation (MCD) elections.Capt Amarinder has consented to campaign and is likely to address a massive rally on March 30 in Rajouri Garden, where an Assembly bypoll is due on April 9.The seat fell vacant after AAP’s Jarnail Singh vacated it to take on former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal from Lambi constituency. — TNS

Suhail A Shah

Kulgam, May 13

General Officer Commanding (GOC), Victor Force, Major Gen BS Raju, said today that the life of Lt Ummer Fayaz, killed by militants while on holiday, would not go waste and the militants involved in the cowardly act would be brought to justice.General Raju today visited the slain Army officer’s family at Sursuna village in Kulgam district.Lt Fayaz was abducted by militants from Batpora village of Shopian district on the evening of May 9, where he was attending the marriage ceremony of a cousin.Lt Fayaz was found dead the next morning in an orchard, his body riddled by multiple bullets. The killing was widely condemned.General Raju assured the mourning parents of Lt Fayaz (and later while talking to mediapersons) that his killing would be avenged soon.“Action will be taken against militants involved in this cowardly act. The action will be taken in our way and very soon,” General Raju assured.He said the Army would take utmost care that no civilians were hurt or put to inconvenience during Army operations, targeting these militants.General Raju praised Lt Fayaz’s parents for deciding to send him to the National Defence Academy (NDA).“His fight began five years back when he decided to join the NDA and serve in the Army. He chose the unconventional and I must say he has been successful in his battle,” General Raju said.He added that despite serving the Army for only four months Lt Fayaz was already a hero to him.“He is already a hero and he has won his battle,” the GOC told the reporters.The GOC presented a cheque for Rs 75 lakh from the Army Group Insurance Fund to the bereaved family and another for Rs 1 lakh from the martyr’s regiment Rajputana Rifles.The GOC said the situation in south Kashmir was calm in general, but there was little bit of agitation in a few educational institutes.“The life is going on normally. 95 per cent of the schools are functioning normally… There are 40-50 students in four to five colleges who create ruckus. Some virus has entered them which we have to remove. I am sure that the summer will be peaceful,” General Raju said.

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Army school to be renamed after martyrThe Army has decided to name one of its “Goodwill” schools after Lt Ummer Fayaz. General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Victor Force, Major Gen BS Raju on Saturday announced the decision at Lt Fayaz’s home at Sursuna village of Kulgam district. “The Army-run Goodwill School in the Behibagh area of Kulgam district will be renamed after our martyred officer,” the GOC told the family. The school will be called “Shaheed Lt Ummer Fayaz Goodwill School” from now on. oc

There’s discontent, especially due to ‘meatier’ portfolios given to Aruna Chaudhary, Razia

I have requested the CM that the urban development and local government are under one minister at the Centre and compliment each other. It should be the same in Punjab as well. NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU, local government minister

CHANDIGARH : It’s barely a week since the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress assumed power in Punjab, but the first rumblings are already audible in the corridors of power. Reason: While wings of some leaders have been clipped, others are “flying high”.

On March 16, when Amarinder took oath as CM along with nine ministers, former leader of opposition Charanjit Singh Channi was sworn in seventh in the pecking order as a cabinet minister. Even the portfolio allotted to the three-time MLA is technical education and industrial training.

In contrast, Aruna Chaudhary, a minister of state with independent charge, has been given the meatier department of school and higher education. Another minister of state with independent charge, Razia Sultana, has been allotted PWD (B&R) along with women and child development. Razia’s husband, Mohammad Mustafa, a DGP-rank officer in Punjab, is known to call the shots in her constituency and had lobbied for either being appointed as state DGP or a plum department for Razia.

Aruna’s husband, Ashok Chaudhary, is a retired bureaucrat and Congress leader. The Chaudharys courted a controversy on Wednesday after the husband was seen perusing department files sitting next to his wife. Some Congress leaders are already asking why both Razia and Aruna were given minister of state ranks with the high-profile departments and why Channi was given a cabinet rank and a “light-weight” department.

“In the previous government, the industry minister also had department of technical education was with the department of industry. It is for the first time that a cabinet minister has been just given technical education and industrial training department that too when there are just seven ministers with cabinet rank,” sources in the government said. Channi, when contacted, said it was the CM’s prerogative to divide departments and he has no complaints.

Navjot Singh Sidhu wanted the department of urban development along with local government. “I have requested the CM that the two departments are under one minister at the centre and compliment each other. It should be the same in Punjab,” Sidhu told HT. The urban development department is presently with the CM.

Amarinder as CM has kept the department of vigilance with himself. He is facing two highprofile cases being invetigated by the vigilance department — the Amritsar Improvement Trust case and the Ludhiana City Centre scam — that came to haunt Captain’s government during his first tenure as CM (2002-07).

SCRAMBLE FOR RANKS IN CORE TEAM

Even the allotment of posts among Amarinder’s aides and core team could take place after a bitter tug-of-war over positions that come with pay and perks of a cabinet minister or minister of state, the appointment of Raveen Thukral as media adviser was made only after his former media adviser Bharat Inder Singh Chahal was rehabilitated as adviser to the CM. Both will hold minister of state ranks.

Between his three other aides — Captain Sandeep Sandhu, Major Amardeep and Karanpal Sekhon — it was decided to appoint Sandhu as political secretary and the other two as protocol secretaries, which did not go down well with them. Amarinder had to finally appoint all three as political secretaries.

Amarinder’s old friend, Lt Gen Tajinder Singh Shergill (retd), who also co-authored a book, ‘The Monsoon War’, with him has been appointed as senior adviser to CM with a cabinet rank. After MP Singh, another five were on Wednesday appointed as OSDs to Amarinder. And those raising questions over the spree of political appointments in the CM’s office are also those from his own party. “All the government’s first moves have been about symbolism, from low-key swearing-in ceremony to removing red beacons from cars of VIPs. The coterie was kept out of frame during elections but it is back with a bang in the CMO. The first casualty will once again be the CM’s accessibility, which proved to be his bane in his last term,” a Congress leader said on condition of anonymity.

It takes two to tango in the new Punjab cabinet

CABINET MINISTERS HAVE COURTED CONTROVERSY AFTER THEIR SPOUSES WERE SEEN ATTENDING TO OFFICIAL MATTERS

CHANDIGARH: There are many “better halves” in the cabinet of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh. And they are working in tandem within the government, for better or for worse.

On Monday, it was Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, a former MLA who opted out of her Amritsar East seat for him, who courted a controversy by attending an official meeting of the local bodies department. She defended it saying that as a former legislator she knows civic problems and was just sitting and listening to officials while it was husband Sidhu who was chairing the meeting.

On Wednesday, it was minister of state Aruna Chaudhary who made headlines as a TV grab of her husband, Ashok Chaudhary, a former government officer and now Congress leader from Gurdaspur, perusing official files sitting next to the minister went viral. The only distinction in hierarchy was that the back of the minister’s chair was taller! Ashok Chaudhary later described it as ‘good couples do things together’.

Razia Sultana, also a minister of state with independent charge like Aruna, is anyway seen as a proxy of her husband Mohammad Mustafa, an officer of the rank of director general of police (DGP) known for his proximity to Amarinder.

Though Mustafa has not been seen in Razia’s public works department, according to Congress sources he had lobbied hard for getting the department for his wife. Mustafa was barred by the Election Commission from entering Sultana’s constituency, Malerkotla, during the elections.

As for the CM himself, Amarinder’s wife Preneet Kaur, who opted out of Patiala Urban for the husband but managed his entire campaign as he, as the Congress unit chief, campaigned across the state, is happy issuing specifications for the CM’s new official residence.

CAPT TO TELL ARUNA TO CHECK HUSBAND’S INTERFERENCE

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh said on Thursday he will talk to minister of state Aruna Chaudhary on her husband’s reported interference in her official functioning.

Aruna, who handles higher and school education in the newly constituted council of ministers, was in news after a picture of her husband, Ashok Chaudhary, a former government officer and, perusing official files sitting next to her in her office in the Punjab secretariat went viral.

In response to a question during a television interview, the chief minister agreed that such behaviour was not proper and could not be condoned.

Captain Amarinder said he will personally speak to Aruna and was confident the minister would be able to control any such interference in future.

Manpreet exhorts youth to shun drugs, help govt in nation-building

HUSSAINIWALA : Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Friday exhorted people, particular youths, to refrain from drugs and come forward to help the government in nation- building.

SANJEEV KUMAR/HTPunjab minister Manpreet Badal laying a wreath at the martyrs’ memorial in Hussainiwala on Thursday.

Manpreet was presiding over the state-level function to pay tributes to martyrs Shaheed-eAzam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on the 85th martyrdom day here, Manpreet reached Hussainiwala, 11 km from here, accompanied by local Congress MLAs Parminder Singh Pinki, Kulbir Singh Zira, Davinder Ghubaya and Satkar Kaur besides a battery of civil and police officials.

“There are challenges before Punjab and the country. These challenges can be met only if we work together, think together,” said Manpreet.

The finance minister announced a grant of ₹4 crore to further beautify the national memorial at Hussainiwala in response to a demand raised by Parminder Pinki.

“The government, led by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh was committed to make the dreams of martyrs come true and put an end to corruption, unemployment, illiteracy and drugs,” said Manpreet, after paying floral tributes at the martyrs’ memorial.

He said that the state government would be organising a state-level function to commemorate Baisakhi at Jallianwala Bagh, Sri Amritsar Sahib on April 13.

“People of border districts have faced problems from the times of India’s struggle for freedom till today and the Punjab government was well aware of these problems,” he said.

He announced that industry will be set up in the border districts to provide means of livelihood and employment to the people here, which will also propel state’s economy.

Manpreet also honoured family members of the martyrs and freedom fighters.