Makkar re-elected SGPC chief

AMRITSAR: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Avtar Singh Makkar was today re-elected president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), defeating the combined candidate of various ‘panthic’ factions Gurvinder Singh Shampura by a large margin of 104 votes.

Jathedar Makkar polled 139 votes while his rival could muster only 35 votes in the general house of the SGPC, which met at the Teja Singh Samundri hall in the Golden Temple complex here to elect office bearers and a 11-member executive.

A total of 175 votes out of the 181 were polled, with one vote being declared invalid.

Besides Jathedar Makkar, the SGPC general house retained the same office-bearers, while inducting four new members into the executive.

Mr Raghujit Singh Virk, a SGPC member from Haryana, was unanimously re-elected senior vice-president of the SGPC and Mr Kewal Singh Badal as junior vice-president of the party. Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, a close confidant of former SGPC chief late Gurcharan Singh Tohra, was again elected the general secretary.

The four new executive members are Mr Shingara Singh and Mr Jagroop Singh of the SAD (Badal) and Mr Harbans Singh and Mr Jagdev Singh from the rival Akali factions. The other members of the executive include Mr Subba Singh Dabwali, Mr Dyal Singh, Mr Tek Singh Dhanula, Mr Rajinder Singh Mehta, Mr Santokh Singh Samra, Mr Gurbachan Singh Karmoolwal and Mr Surjit Singh Garhi.

This is the second consecutive term for the Ludhiana-based businessman Jathedar Makkar, who belongs to the ‘Bhappa’ community (business class). He is only the second member of the ‘Bhappa’ community to occupy this prestigious post, the first one being the Akali stalwart late master Tara Singh.

The victory of Jathedar Makkar was a foregone conclusion as the SAD (Badal) has a large support base in the general house. The challenge by the ‘panthic’ groups, including the SAD (Amritsar) and SAD (Longowal), could well be described as a "symbolic contest".

The name of Jathedar Makkar was proposed by former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur and seconded by Mr Mohinder Singh Romana and Mr Alwinderpal Singh Pakoke. On the other hand the name of Mr Shampura was proposed by Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli and seconded by Mr Harcharan Singh and Mr Harbhajan Singh.

After the announcement of the victory of Jathedar Makkar, election of other office-bearers and the executive was taken up. The elected office-bearers, including Jathedar Makkar, were selected by SAD (Badal) president Prakash Singh Badal who had been assigned the task by the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) and party’s SGPC members. (UNI)

Gujarat bags two IT sector awards

AHMEDABAD, Nov 25: Gujarat has bagged two Computer Society of India (CSI)-Nihilent 2005-06 awards in the "best e-governance state" and the "best e-governance projects" categories, according to an official release.

Gujarat has shared the "best e-governance state" award jointly with Karnataka.

Computer Society of India (CSI) is the largest association of IT professionals in India with over 25,000 members on its rolls.

It has instituted a series of awards for recognising the contribtuion made in the field of e-governance, the release said. (UNI)

Rodrigues inaugurates carnival

CHANDIGARH, Nov 25: Chandigarh carnival, the most eagerly awaited educative and entertaining annual event, full of festive feasting, cultural pageantry and artistic activities, got off to a colourful start at Leisure valley, here today.

The inaugural ceremony was performed by Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator, General (retd) S F Rodrigues.

The glamorous and fun-filled ceremony was marked by performances of bhangra, beating of drums, playing of bands and display of distinctive art forms by artistes from different states.

The inaugural function of this two-day extravaganza attracted many people from different walks of life including men, women and children attired in regional costumes.

Rodrigues, during his visit to various stalls, interacted with the organizers and suggested the need to utilize their service-oriented activities for the empowerment of common people.

At the stall put up by the State Legal Service Authority, he told the team managers to actively involve themselves in giving legal aid to the poor and needy and also asked the home secretary, chandigarh to institutionalise a system for ensuring effective delivery services to the people, through this novel programme.

The annual carnival event, this year, has many novelties with the focus on Singapore and Himachal pavillions and rural tourism. (PTI)

BJP to observe Krishnanand death
anniversary as martyr’s day

GHAZIPUR, Nov 25: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would observe the death anniversary of party MLA Krishnanand Rai and six others on November 29 as martyr’s day.

Sources here said tooday party senior leaders comprising Rajnath Singh, Kalyan Singh, Keshari Nath Tripathi, Kalraj Mishra and Vinay Katiyar would be present at the programme to be held in Godur village — the native place of Krishnanand Rai.

On November 29 last year, BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai and six others were shot dead on Jagdishpur-Basania Highway under Bhanvarkol Police Station area.

Later, an FIR was lodged against Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari, Munna Bajrangi, Ata-ur-Rehman, Ezaz Ansari and Fidaus.

The accused Ezaz Ansari and Afzal Ansari had surrendered before the police on December one and eight respectively. (UNI)

Chaos at IFFI over seating capacity during screenings

PANAJI, Nov 25: Dearth of enough space to accomodate the delegates and the media at the ongoing international film festival of India led to chaos and confusion everytime a major movie is screened.

The festival this year has registered almost 6,700 delegates and 450 accredited press persons, while the total seating capacity at Kala academy and the inox multiplex is only 2100, throwing the authorities in a tizzy whenever a major movie is screened.

Yesterday’s screening of the blockbuster "Rang De Basanti" and the repeat of the opening film "Volver", both of which had created a buzz before the festival, were prime examples of the confusion caused due to "overcrowding."

As delegates waited patiently in queues to catch their favourite movies, organisers refused to let them in saying the theatre was already full, which caused angry reaction among the delegates.

However, officials at inox and the enterntaiment society of Goa said the delegates’ registration was under the purview of the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) and all they could is order during the screening.

"We are not responsible for the delegate registration. All we can ensure is that there is order during the screening. Yes there are more delegates than ever before this year, but that is prerogative of DFF. Entry into screenings will be solely on a first come first serve basis," Nandini Paliwa, CEO of ESG told .

Dismissing criticism of issuing delegate passes, Festival Director V B Pyarelal said "this a norm at all festivals. Even in cannes, more number of delegate pases are issued; but with proper organisation, it can be managed." (PTI)

Deaf civil service topper denied IAS posting

NEW DELHI, Nov 25: He topped the rankings in the hearing impaired category of those selected for civil services in 2005, but there was disappointment in store for Mani Ram Sharma when he was relegated to the post and Telegraph Finance Accounts Service.

Sharma qualified in the exams with a rank of 378 and while he was denied a posting in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), a few other hearing impaired candidates who had lower ranks have been absorbed in the IAS and the Indian Foreign Services, claims Disability Rights Group (DRG), an advocacy group working for the rights of the disabled.

"By not giving Mani Ram Sharma his rightful due, for which he has qualified on merit, the department of personnel and training is obviously passing a judgement on the capacity and the capability of a deaf person," said DRG convenor Javed Adidi.

"The saddest part is that he had qualified in 2004 as well but was turned down on the grounds that he is not physically fit for any service. This is the worst case of injustice as candidates with lower ranks have been absorbed for IAS, IFS and danics but Sharma has been given the worst option," he added.

Vouching for Sharma, DRG and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) have also urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar and Minister of DOPT Suresh Pachauri to look into the matter. (PTI)

BJP Kisan Morcha to protest SP’s ‘apathy’
towards Bundelkhand

MAHOBA, Nov 25: The BJP Kisan Morcha would launch a campaign against the "step-motherly" treatment meted out by the Samajwadi Party-led Uttar Pradesh Government towards the Bundelkhand farmers.

On December 7, a large number of farmers would stage a ‘dharna’ near the Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow, state unit morcha president Sardar Singh said here today.

On December 11, a delegation of the party would also call upon Governor T V Rajeswar in this regard. (UNI)

First Haj flight takes off

KOZHIKODE, Nov 25: The first Haj flight carrying 461 pilgrims, including 256 women, took off for Madeena in Saudi Arabia from Karippur International Airport near here today.

The Air India flight was flagged off by Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmed at 1300 hrs in the presence of a large gathering of friends and relatives.

Kerala Local Administration Minister Paloli Mohammedkutty was among those present.

The Haj committee sources said the pilgrims, who would be taken to Madeena directly from Karippur, would leave for the holy city of Mecca after staying at Madena for about eight days.

The public sector carrier would fly altogether 8,223 pilgrims, including 562 in additional quota, till December nine during the season, the sources added.

After the pilgrimage, the devotees would start returning on January seven, the sources added. (UNI)

Gowda stands at verge of expulsion from party

NEW DELHI, Nov 25: Trouble is in store for former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda with moves being made by senior leaders of JD(S) for his expulsion from the party for his continued support to the Coalition Government in Karnataka in coalition with BJP.

M P Veerendra Kumar, leader of the Parliamentary Party, Surendra Mohan and Karnataka MLA P G R Sindhia, all national executive members, have now now convened a meeting of the National Council, party’s supreme policy-making body, by the end of December or January in Thiruvananthapuram followed by a National Conference to take the "logical decision" to expel Gowda from the party.

The three leaders said in a joint statement that this would be a follow up to a decision of the Feb 20 meeting of the National Committee, presided over by Gowda, which suspended the MLAs, including Chief Minister H D Kumaraswami from the primary membership of the party for his decision to ally wih BJP to form a Coalition Government with BJP.

In that meeting it was also recommended to the disciplinary committee for their expulsion which still stood, they said.

The three leaders appealed to all the members of the National Committee, state unit presidents and members of the State Commitees who oppose Gowda to join hands to make the National Council a great success.

"We have to strengthen the platform of secularism, democracy and socialism," they said.

Meanwhile, the three leaders said, Gowda openly supported the BJP Coalition Government and became a part of it and to this day he has not convened the National Committee.

"So, we were compelled to convene a National Committee on Aug 5 and 6 in New Delhi and resolved that Deve Gowda the president of the party has no legal and political right to continue as the president of the party and he has to be removed from the presidentship.

"The committee also decided to hold the National Council of the party in the end of Decembher, 2006 somewhere in Kerala. Deve Gowda has betrayed the party by joining his hands with communal forces. After that, his expulsion from primary membership of the party is the only logical course to adopt," the three leaders said.

They said they were determined to ensure the defeat of the Gowda-BJP supported candidate in the bye election in Chanmundeswari Assembly Constituency in Karnataka on Dec 4.

"We will take a decision as to whom to support after holding consultations with secular and the Left parties in Karnataka," they said. (PTI)

Heer’s retrospective at IFFI

PANAJI, Nov 25: A retrospective of award winning films of renowned Australian filmmaker Rolf De Heer, head of the jury, is one of the highlights at the ongoing International Film Festival of India.

Heer’s work to be screened at the festival includes "ten canoes", special jury prize winner at this year’s Cannes film festival and "the tracker", among others.

"Presented as part of Ausarts India, celebrating Australian Art and Culture 2006-07, the two-year cultural promotion in India supported by the Australian Government, De Heer’s films provide audiences with a snapshot of the diversity of Australia and the excellence of his filmmaking," a press release from Australian High Commissioner said here.

Australian films and the works of Rolf De Heer, will also feature at upcoming film festivals in Chennai (Decmeber 1-25) and Mumbai (January 14-28, 2007). They were also screened at the Kolkata Film Festival recently, it said.

"The two-year Ausarts India promotion is all about bringing to India the best of Australian film, literature and arts.

"Heer’s works fit the bill perfectly, being renowned as among the most captivating films to come out of Australia," it said.

Rolf De Heer is one of Australia’s most respected film-makers and his films consistently challenge conventions and push the boundaries of a filmmaker. (PTI)

An ode to a brave soldier

TIRUCHIRAPALLI, (TN), Nov 25: "Mummy, I will get you a Vir Chakra", the last words uttered by Major M Saravanan to his mother, before leaving for Kargil war, still reverberate.

To register patriotic fervour and commemorate the selfless sacrifice of the brave soldier in the minds of young, a monument is getting ready at Rountana in the city here.

Commissioned into the first batallion (infantry) of Bihar Regiment in the year 1995, Major Saravanan, hailing from Tiruchirapalli city, rose to the rank of Major for his credentials.

During the Pakistan sponsored Kargil invasion in 1999, Major Saravanan volunteered to capture a strongly held enemy point in the Batalik sub-sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

On the night of May 28, 1999, Major Saravanan and his troops launched a fiery assault on point 4268, Jubar Hills at a height of 14,229 feet on enemy position.

Though the enemy firing was intense, he led the troops, least bothered about his safety.

As he further advanced ambushing enemy points, he was shot at his chest and abdomen. Ignoring the grave injuries, the Major advanced further, before he was hit by another bullet on his head, killing him at 0630 am on May 29, 1999. (UNI)

3614 houses constructed in Bharat Nirman Prog

SHILLONG, Nov 25: Of the target of constructing 6,959 dwelling units in Meghalaya, 3,614 were built under the Bharat Nirman Programme during 2005-06.

The Centre has allocated Rs 14.35 crore for 2005-06 with Rs 9.19 crore having been released upto March this year, an official release said here today.

The Bharat Nirman Programme envisaged construction of 60 lakh houses over the next four years.

The Union Rural Development Ministry has undertaken it for the poor as a Centrally sponsored scheme where the cost between Centre and state is shared as 75:25 basis.

Grant of Rs 27,500 is provided per house in hilly areas and Rs 25,000 for the plains.

The implementation guidelines of the scheme specifically targeted rural BPL households with the selection of beneficiaries by Gram Sabhas. (PTI)