Page 57 - Punjab

AAP legislators march against cancellation of Punjab Assembly session

AAP legislators on Thursday took out a march in protest against the cancellation of the special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here. Carrying placards with messages of "Stop murder of democracy" and "Operation Lotus murdabad'", the party MLAs slammed the Congress and the BJP for allegedly being hand in glove and working against holding the special session of the state assembly. However, the AAP legislators were stopped from moving towards the Governor's residence. Police had put up barricades around one km from the Vidhan Sabha complex. The protesting MLAs sat down where they were stopped and started shouting slogans against the Congress and BJP. No state minister was seen participating in the protest. The decision to take out the march was taken after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann chaired a meeting of AAP legislators at Vidhan Sabha complex Thursday morning to decide the next course of action after cancellation of the special session. The AAP legislators also hit out at Gove

CM Mann holds AAP's meeting after Punjab assembly session gets cancelled

A meeting of AAP legislators chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is here underway on Thursday to discuss the next strategy after the governor cancelled the special session of the state assembly called to bring a confidence motion. AAP legislators on Thursday morning reached the assembly complex for the meeting. A meeting of the Punjab Cabinet has also been called after the MLAs meeting, party sources said. Later, a march will also be taken out by the AAP legislators here, they said. AAP MLA Dinesh Chadha said the next strategy will be decided at the meeting. Another AAP MLA and senior leader Baljinder Kaur dubbed the governor's move of withdrawing his earlier order calling the special session as a "mockery of democracy". In an embarrassment to the AAP government in Punjab, Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday thwarted the Bhagwant Mann-led regime's plan to summon a special assembly session to bring a confidence motion. The governor withdrew an earlier order callin

BJP's expenses on assembly polls in five states up 58% to Rs 344 cr

In 2017, BJP had spent Rs 218.26 crore on the elections in the five states. In 2022, the expense was Rs 344 crore. Congress's bill rose from Rs 108.14 crore to Rs 194.80 during the same period

Punjab guv withdraws order summoning special Assembly session on Sep 22

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday withdrew his order summoning a special Assembly session on September 22 for the AAP govt to move a confidence motion. The Raj Bhavan cited absence of specific rules on summoning the Assembly for considering only a confidence motion. The decision came after Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma approached the governor, arguing that there was no legal provision to convene a special session of the Assembly to just move a 'confidence motion' in favour of the state government. The AAP government in Punjab had sought the special session to bring a confidence motion, days after it accused the BJP of trying to topple its government.

Student commits suicide at Punjab's university; peers protest on campus

A first-year student of a private university in Punjab's Phagwara committed suicide, triggering a protest by fellow students on the campus, police said on Wednesday. The student, who was from Kerala and was studying B.Design at Lovely Professional University (LPU), took the extreme step on Tuesday, they said. Soon after, other students of the university held a protest on the campus. Policemen have been deployed outside the university campus. Prima facie, the student was facing some personal issues, as was suggested by a suicide note left by him, a police official in Phagwara said. Police said the student's parents have been informed and an investigation is underway. A Kapurthala district administration official appealed to students not to believe any rumours. LPU said it is saddened by the unfortunate incident. "The initial investigation by the police, and the content of the suicide note point towards personal issues of the deceased. The university is providing full support to t

Stubble burning: Unhappy with Punjab govt plan, farmers want compensation

Farmers have indicated that they will continue with the practice unless the govt compensates them suitably for the expenses they will incur by adopting alternative methods of disposing of crop residue

Punjab CM Mann's deplaning row: Will certainly look into it, says Scindia

Amid Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann's deplaning controversy, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that he will look into the matter based on requests

Punjab prisons become first to allow conjugal visits for low-risk inmates

Prisoners in Punjab can now spend some time with their spouses as the prisons department has begun conjugal visits for inmates from Tuesday, claiming to be the first state to launch such a facility. Initially, conjugal visits will be allowed at the central jail in Goindwal Sahib, new district jail in Nabha and women's jail in Bathinda, a senior official of the prisons department said. Hardcore criminals, gangsters, high risk prisoners and inmates involved in sexual related offences will, however, not be allowed to avail this facility. The visits -- allowed for prisoners exhibiting good conduct -- will last for two hours and the department has designated a separate room with an attached bathroom, the official said. "Priority will be given to those inmates who have had the longest stay in jails," the official said. "According to the information we have, Punjab is the first state to implement conjugal visits in the country," he claimed. The department expects that this initiative wi

Students across universities in the region stand up for CU students

Student unions in universities across the state including Panjab University (Chandigarh) and others, have mobilised their cadre to raise support for Chandigarh Univesity students

Gehlot writes to Mann seeking timely completion of Budha Nullah project

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot wrote a letter to his Punjab counterpart, Bhagwant Mann, drawing the latter's attention to the issue of "untreated water" coming from Punjab into the canals of Rajasthan

Amarinder Singh joins BJP, merges Punjab Lok Congress with saffron party

Former chief minister and Punjab Lok Congress chief Amarinder Singh joined the BJP here on Monday in the presence of senior BJP leaders Narinder Singh Tomar and Kiren Rijiju. Singh also merged his newly formed Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Singh (80) had floated the PLC last year after quitting the Congress following his unceremonious exit as chief minister, but his party failed to win any seat in the state assembly polls. Singh himself lost from his home turf of Patiala Urban. The PLC contested the elections in alliance with the BJP and the Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt). Along with Singh, former deputy speaker of Punjab Assembly Ajaib Singh Bhatti also joined the BJP. Singh, the two-time former chief minister, is the scion of the erstwhile Patiala royal family. Before his joining, Singh met BJP president J P Nadda.

Considering restoration of old pension scheme, says Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said his government is considering restoring the old pension scheme for government employees. Restoration of the old pension scheme, which was discontinued in 2004, has been one of the major demands of the state government employees. "My government is considering reverting to the Old Pension System (OPS). I have asked my chief secretary to study the feasibility and modalities of its implementation. We stand committed to the welfare of our employees," Mann said on Twitter. In August last year, Aam Aadmi Party leader and incumbent Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had promised to restore the old pension system if the party was voted to power in Punjab. Punjab Civil Secretariat Staff Association chairman Sukhchain Singh Khaira welcomed the chief minister's announcement and said the state government employees have been struggling to get the old pension system restored.

Punjab CM Mann calls special Assembly session to conduct floor test

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday called a special session of the state Assembly on September 22 to seek a trust vote, days after the AAP accused the BJP of trying to topple its government. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state had earlier claimed that some of its MLAs were approached by the BJP with an offer of Rs 25 crore to each of them. "You must have heard how they tried to contact our MLAs and tried to offer money and other allurements in an attempt to topple the government which was elected with a huge mandate," Mann, who is in Germany, said in a video message in Punjabi. A few days ago, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had alleged that some BJP leaders had approached seven to 10 MLAs with money and ministerial positions under 'Operation Lotus'. "We are summoning a special session of Punjab Assembly on September 22 in which we will show how elected MLAs are determined to realise the dream of making the state vibrant...We will bring a trust vote in

Protests in CU over alleged objectionable videos of female students; 3 held

Protests rocked the campus of Chandigarh University in Punjab's Mohali Saturday night over allegations that objectionable videos of several women students were recorded by a hosteller, following which Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered a probe. The protests continued on the campus till late Sunday night with senior officials from the district administration, police and university trying to pacify the students. After a preliminary investigation, police arrested a woman student, while a 23-year-old youth, stated to be her boyfriend, was held in Himachal Pradesh and handed over to the Punjab Police. The Himachal Police also detained another 31-year-old man in connection with the case. Punjab's Additional Director General of Police, Gurpreet Deo, who reached the Chandigarh University campus to take stock of the situation after the Saturday night protests, told reporters that the woman student appeared to have shared a video of herself with the youth and no objectionable video of any

Stir continues at Chandigarh University over 'leaked objectionable videos'

Donning black T-shirts, students of Chandigarh University in Punjab's Mohali district continued to protest demanding justice over the alleged 'leaked objectionable videos' on Sunday

Chandigarh University hostel video row: Cops say girl leaked her own clip

Amid the raging controversy over the alleged leaked objectionable videos of Chandigarh University students, University authorities claimed that no objectionable video was made of the girl students

CM Mann orders probe into Chandigarh University incident after protests

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday ordered a probe and expressed anguish over the incident at Chandigarh University following "rumours" that some objectionable videos of several female students were recorded by a woman student. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty, he said. Sad to hear about the unfortunate incident at Chandigarh University...our daughters are our honour...a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident...severe action will be taken against whoever is found guilty, said Mann in a tweet in Punjabi. I am in touch with the administration, said Mann while appealing to people not to believe rumours. Students of the private university in Punjab's Mohali held protest over "rumours" that some objectionable videos of several women students were recorded, said police. The protest took place past midnight at the Chandigarh University campus located on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road. During preliminary investigation, it has come to light th

From awareness to engaging students: Punjab plans its stubble-burning fight

The Punjab government has prepared an elaborate plan involving a massive awareness drive, distribution of thousands of crop residue management machines and engaging students and religious places to fight paddy stubble burning during the upcoming harvest season. Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana after the harvest is one of the major reasons for an alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November every year. "We are launching a massive awareness drive in villages to motivate farmers not to burn paddy stubble. It will involve 2,800 camps in villages across the state to dissuade farmers from burning the crop residue," Punjab Agriculture Director Gurwinder Singh said. Punjab generates around 180 lakh tonnes of paddy straw annually. Farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear off the crop residue so that the field is ready for the next Rabi crop (wheat), given the short window between the two crops. With pollution level in Delhi shootin

Opposition slams Punjab AAP govt over promises, says faltered on key issues

The opposition parties on Friday slammed the ruling AAP government in Punjab on the completion of its six months, accusing it of "selling" dreams to people while failing to fulfil promises. The Congress took on the Bhagwant Mann government over its anti-corruption crusade, with Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa saying the helpline launched for it has remained shut for the past few weeks. Addressing separate press conferences here, Punjab BJP President Ashwani Sharma and Bajwa hit out at the AAP government over non-fulfilment of promises and law and order. Both Sharma and Bajwa said the AAP government's tall promises exist only in newspaper advertisements. On the other hand, Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal said the AAP government faltered on key issues. Referring to newspaper advertisements issued by the Punjab government on Friday, Bajwa said the Mann government immediately after coming to power sacked its own minister Vijay Singla for corruption on the basis of an a

Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh to join BJP next week; plans party merger

Former chief minister and Punjab Lok Congress chief Amarinder Singh will join the BJP next week, party spokesperson said on Friday. Singh will also merge his newly formed party with the BJP. Singh (80) had floated the Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) last year after quitting the Congress following his unceremonious exit as chief minister. He will join the BJP in the presence of party president JP Nadda and other leaders in Delhi.