Vigilant staff

Monsoon special

Independence Day celebrations at Mohali were a monsoon special and the misfortune of chairing the event fell on Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Running a high fever,poor Sukhbir stood in pouring rain as he braved through a watery speech: the tent he was under had started leaking within minutes of a downpour. The deputy chief minister could barely stand straight for even the initial 30 minutes of the function. He eventually left after the first set of schoolchildren had finished their show. The disappointed children,however,found solace in an old joke: wherever the “badals” (clouds) go they bring the rain with them.

Through looking glass

PUNJAB Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka was an uncomfortable man at a function organised by Governor Shivraj Patil during Independence Day celebrations. It had been raining through the day and humidity was at its peak. Maluka’s glasses,as a result,were getting clouded and after several attempts at wiping them,he gave up and simply put them away. With his sight compromised,Maluka began struggling to recognise people before breaking into a smile and greeting them. Considering all that he has gone through recently,he may need to look at the world through different eyes.

Credit wars

FOLLOWING a drug seizure,press releases made their ways into scribes’ in-boxes thick and fast with the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC),on one hand,claiming credit for the arrest of three smugglers with heroin worth Rs 70 crore while the Pathankot police was patting its back for one of the biggest hauls of the drug worth Rs 35 crore in the district recently. Both,however,were not that off the mark. While the SSOC initiated the operation,following a tip off,it got hold of one smuggler allegedly with seven kilograms of heroin,while two fled. It alerted the neighbouring district police and the two were eventually nabbed in Pathankot district. While Pathankot police wasted no time in listing its achievement,the SSOC made it a point to emphasise that it played the major role.

Punctuality woes

PUNCTUALITY,they say,is the politeness of princes. In Punjab’s case,however,it is the king who possesses this virtue while his son lags way behind. This was evident again recently: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was on time during the oath-taking ceremony for panchayats in Ludhiana while Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal made a gathering wait for more than three hours at a rally in Nihal Singh Wala. He arrived when people were streaming out of the venue.

A fine balance

DEPUTY Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal pulled of a delicate balancing act by placating two of his warring loyalists — MLA Tota Singh and MLA Rajwinder Kaur — during his visit to Nihal Singh Wala. While Kaur’s home was chosen for a helipad where Sukhbir also had tea and was then escorted by Kaur to the venue,it was Tota Singh who figured prominently Sukhbir’s speech and received heaps of praise. Some balancing act that.

Casual approach

THE seriousness with which the Punjab government is pursuing its appeal,in the Supreme Court,challenging the constitution of a Judicial Tribunal to probe alleged illegal properties owned by high ups in Chandigarh’s periphery was laid bare by a Punjab law officer practising in Delhi. The lawyer informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the state government has not even accepted the summons issued by the apex court. This,despite the High Court directing the state to expedite hearing of the appeal challenging the Tribunal. A shocked High Court has now directed the Punjab Advocate General to ensure that state takes up the appeal within a month. On the other hand,much to the relief of land grabbers,the Tribunal will not function for at least another month.

Prove it

THE counsel for Justice (retd) Nirmal Yadav was taken aback when a request seeking her exemption,citing health grounds,evoked an angry response from CBI special public prosecutor Anupam Gupta. Miffed at Yadav’s non-appearance for framing of charges,Gupta stoutly demanded a probe into the “sham” medical certificate issued by a doctor at PGI,Rohtak. Stunned,Yadav’s counsel stood up to rebut and claimed that he could call Justice Yadav to prove that she was unwell. “Then call her and let the charges be framed post-noon,” Gupta demanded leaving Yadav’s counsel with no option but to take his seat.

A ‘healthy’ reunion

POOR health reunited convicted Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leaders,Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Chautala,after their separate stints in Tihar jail. After getting bail in the infamous JBT scam,the younger Chautala was also admitted at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon,where his father is recuperating after heart-surgery. Ajay,who has lost considerable weight,went straight to meet his father and took his blessings before meeting up with doctors for treatment.

Key achievements

PUNJAB cadre IPS officer Naunihal Singh,who is the current Senior Superintendent of Police in Chandigarh,was awarded with the police medal for meritorious services on Independence Day. As per his bio-data sent by the Chandigarh Police,Naunihal has served as district police chief in as many as eight districts of Punjab and his achievements include community policing and organising a cricket league that has reportedly been included in the Limca Book of Records and India Book of Records. It was added that presently he was spearheading a campaign against eve-teasing.

Getting threats

OFFICIALS of various departments,dealing with developmental projects like construction of roads,sewerages,laying of water pipes,have been receiving threats from contractors who have not been paid as the government does not have sufficient money. “We have initiated development projects at large number of places in the state because both Chief Minister P S Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal wanted them ahead of elections but now both have asked the state treasury not to release any money except to pay salaries of employees. Contractors are after the lives of our officials at the district-level to get their payments,” an officer said.

Anti-party activities?

FIVE-TIME Congress MLA Amarjit Singh Samra has earned the ire of his partymen after he openly accused colleague,former MLA Gurbinder Singh Atwal,of seeking Rs 1 crore to withdraw nominations papers that he (Atwal) had filed in the 2012 Assembly elections. Many in the party feel that Samra coming out ,a year and a half after the polls,is an attempt at tarnishing the party’s image. It amounts to anti-party activities,said a senior Congress leader while another party leader feels it may boomerang on Samra.

The Godfather

ON A recent visit to Ludhiana,Cabinet Minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia was virtually awarded the Godfather moniker by Youth Akali Dal workers. Senior vice-president Meetpal Dugri specifically emphasised that Majithia was the only one who gave youngsters with no background in politics,a chance to make a mark. Such a pointed reference made many wonder if Dugri was implying that the Badals never gave the youth a leg up in the political cesspool.

Hard luck for Birender

HARYANA Rajya Sabha MP Birender Singh is once again on the verge of eating a humble pie,as it is nearly certain that Congress president Sonia Gandhi will not address his much touted rally at Jind on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Singh had made tall claims regarding Gandhi’s participation in the rally,which he announced will be the official platform to lauch the food security scheme in Haryana. In a rare gesture,he had also urged Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to implement the scheme at the rally. But the very next day,the state government announced that the scheme will be be launched from Panipat on August 20. But before it happens,sources said Hooda is likely to bring back Panipat MLA Balbir Pal Shah back to the party. Shah has submitted his resignation from the Assembly but the Speaker is yet to take a call on his fate. Panipat is likely to get new projects and money for existing schemes,as well.

Wedding bells

The family of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is gearing up for the wedding of his daughter Aparjita Singh. Aparjita,who is doing her textile designing course in the USA,on Sunday got engaged to Angad Singh Mann — grandson of former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and a former MP — in New Delhi.