No code violation 8212; Upinderjit

ROOPNAGAR, Aug 15: Denying the charge that the ruling faction of Shiromani Akali Dal SAD is violating the election code of conduct in P...

ROOPNAGAR, Aug 15: Denying the charge that the ruling faction of Shiromani Akali Dal SAD is violating the election code of conduct in Punjab, Technical Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur has offered to verify the allegations.

In an informal chat with the mediapersons, Upinderjit Kaur claimed that no SAD minister was using the official vehicle for the purpose canvassing and that all the charges pertaining to violation of the code of conduct were motivated.

Upinderjit Kaur, who is also the District Planning Board chairman, refuted the charge that back dated cheques were distributed by the party activists in the area to influence public opinion. She claimed that all the cheques issued by the District Planning Board were disbursed much before of the announcement of the election schedule. She, however, offered to verify the matter if a specific case is brought to her knowledge. She squarely blamed the sarpanches for delay in presentation of the cheques.

Replying to a query, she said that internal differences between the Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP workers in Nangal assembly segment have been settled, adding that the differences stemmed from delay in sanction of grants in several villages. The Minister said, 8220;The grants have now been released.8221;

She discounted the possibility of these differences affecting the poll prospects of the SAD-BJP candidate Kamal Chaudhry in Nangal, which is a part of the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat.

Significantly, the Minister had earlier attended a public function, where the Akali Dal workers had accused BJP Minister Madam Mohan Mittal of overlooking their interests.

Rs 5 lakh cheques presented to martyrs
Technical Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur unflurred the national flag on the Independence Day here this morning.

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Addressing a public gathering at the Nehru Stadium, the Minister paid homage to the Kargil martyrs. She later disbursed a grant of Rs 5 lakh each to some of the 11 families of the martyrs. Some of the dependents of the martyrs were also presented appointment letters by the Minister.

Deputy Commissioner Kulbir Singh Sidhu and district police chief Gurpreet Singh Bhullar were also honored for the successful handling of the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations.

Kargil issue dominated the items staged on the occasion by the school children. Among the schools, which participated in the function were Gandhi Model Senior Secondary School, Ropar Thermal Plant School and Khalsa Senior Secondary School.