lsingh

Here is part of the Jaito Morcha story covering Shahidi Jathas, interestingly revisionist historians say that the British supported the Akalis, can't see much of that here. 'On February 9 1924, 500 Akalis marched from the Akal Takht, receiving unprecedented welcome in villages and towns through which they passed. S. Zimand, a New York Times correspondent who witnessed the jatha on the march, observed: "The Jatha was moving in perfect order and non-violence with large crowds of public on its right and left, five Nishan Sahibs in the front and Guru Granth in the middle." On 20 February 1924, the jatha reached Bargari, a village on Nabha-Faridkot border, barely 10 km from Jaito. about 150 meters from Gurdwara Tibbi Sahib stood the Nabha administrator, Wilson Johnston, with a large force of state constabulary. On 21 February, the jatha marched on towards the Gurdwara, refusing to stop or disperse as demanded by Wilson Johnston. The administrator ordered the army to open fire. In two volleys of fire lasting about five minutes, several fell dead. The official estimate of the casualties was 19 dead and 29 injured. The Akali figures were much higher. The firing on the peaceful jatha of Akalis caused resentment throughout the country. On 28 February 1924, another 500-strong Shahidi jatha left Amritsar for Jaito where it was taken into custody on 14 March. Thirteen more 500-strong jathas reached Jaito and courted arrest. Sikh jathas also came from Canada, Hong Kong and Shanghai to join the campaign. The Governor of the Punjab, Sir Malcolm Hailey, tried the policy of creating a schism in the community by having parallel Sikh Sudhar Committees representing moderate and pro- government sections. A 101-strong jatha was allowed to perform an akhand path at Jaito. But this did not conciliate the general Sikh opinion, nor did it affect the tempo of the agitation. On the issue of the Akalis being allowed to perform an akhand path at Jaito, the government was prepared to start negotiations through Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and Bhai Jodh Singh, but it was adamant on the question of making restitution to the deposed Maharaja of his state. In the meantime, the Punjab Government introduced in the Legislative Council the Sikh Gurudwaras Bill which was unanimously passed on July 7 1925. After the bill was passed, Sir Malcolm Hailey, Governor of the Punjab, announced during his speech in the Punjab Legislative Council that the Administrator of Nabha would permit the bands of pilgrims to precede for religious worship to Gurdwara Gangsar at Jaito. The announcement was followed by the release of most of the Akali prisoners arrested in the course of the restrictions on the performance of akhand path and the Akalis starting a series of 101 such recitations which was concluded on August 6, 1925.

It reminds me of the start of the the Singh Sabha movement in the late 1800's , when the Sikhs cleared the Gurdwaras of British supported Brahmin Mahants after finally having enough of their degenaracy. That is when 'Shaeedi Jathas' went to liberate Gurdwaras and often paid with their lives e.g Nankana Sahib Saka, Punja Sahib (Where a train ran over Singhs on the track), the Jaito Morcha etc.There were regular protests and Morchas starting from Akal Takht until the Gurdwaras were liberated.

The BSF is the Border Security Force, a paramilitary police force usually deployed on the Indo - Pak border, but used against Punjab and Kashmir also. They carried out hundreds of fake encounters in the 80's- 90's. here is some Times of India coverage. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/special...age/2060040.cms

BBC coverage http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6668299.stm

[ Sikhs should also protest against the other fake Babas and Deras and RSS that have sprung up in the Punjab area. What about Radhaswoamis and Namdharis with their Gurus?Sikhs should not be split by Akalis or Congress. The Sikh voters in the Malwa region of Punjab voted for Congress in the last elections, Badal may be trying to win back Sikh voters , but it looks as if even he is not in control The Police are also nervous about fake encounter investigations so may be trying to divert attention. We will have to see if the paramilitary police go back or are left to keep an eye on the Punjab.

Singhs need to be carful so that they do not fall into any traps laid by the Police or the Dera people, Badal cannot be trusted as in 1978.

This Dera originally supported the Akali- BJP party but changed to Congress at the last minute in the elections in Febuary. Sikhs need to be careful that the politcians do not use them for their games.

Also Badal has given another anti Sikh ,All-India Anti-Terrorist Front president Maninderjit Singh Bitta an official house and security in Chandigarh for attacking the Sikh movement. (Reported in the Times of India on Saturday)

A map showing the mutiny areas of 1857. The brown area shows the main mutiny area, which is onlya small proportion of india http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Indian_..._states_map.svg

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070512/aplus1.htm#1 MEHRF for CBI probe into fake encounters in Punjab Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 11 Punjab infamous extra judicial killings of innocent youth during the haydays of the militancy by the security agencies should be probed thoroughly by CBI or sitting Judge of the High Court in order to come out with the truth. Stating this to the media Col G.S. Sandhu (retd.), chairman Majha Ex-Servicemen Human Rights Front (MEHRF), said though the state government had ordered probe into the fake killings by the police itself but enquiry by any Police commission would not be transparent but a mere be eyewash. He said such a commission would spare no efforts to shield guilty police personnel as most of Punjab police officers have reaped a rich harvest by claiming huge prize money and promotions for extra judicial killings. He said that over 2,000 victims of these fake killings were cremated as unidentified in two cremation grounds of Tarn Taran and Amritsar besides the other face encounter killings in other parts of the state. Col Sandhu said that these killings were sanctified and had the approval of the state government which has resulted in the political-mafia-police nexus leading to criminalisation and communalization of the police force. He said that they would soon ask for the photographs and inquest reports from the concerned district police chiefs of the state under the RTI Act. He said that during the stage managed encounters the police had declared Ajait Singh Sandhu and former militants Gurnam singh Bandala, Gurcharan Singh, Jaspal Singh Bhatti and Sukhminder Singh as dead in police files. Instead they had killed innocent people to claim the prize money on their heads which too were declared by the police bigwigs themselves. He said once the identity of the innocent persons was established the front would pursue their cases and get suitable compensation for their families. Introducing the family members of victim Sukhpal Singh of Kala Afgana who was killed by police cat Avtar Singh Tari in a fake encounter on August 13, 1994 the MEHRF Chairman said that even after the mother of the deceased had made the payment to the accused for purchasing a car besides Rs one lakh in cash, the victim was not spared. He said the father of the victim was holding just two Kanals of agricultural land as he had to dispose off most of his agriculture land to arrange for the payment to save his son. Demanding the scrapping of the Armed forces Special Powers Act, since most of the extra-judicial killings were being carried out under its garb, Col Sandhu said the country was fast heading towards becoming a banana republic as was witnessed in South Africa where Nelson Mandela spent major portion of his life in prison fighting for the fundamental rights of the people.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2008225.cms Probe may open can of worms 6 May, 2007 l 0117 hrs ISTlRamaninder K Bhatia/TIMES NEWS NETWORK CHANDIGARH: The probe into fake killings in Punjab, ordered by its police chief NPS Aulakh, confined as it is to just three cases now, is bound to open a Pandora’s box with similar petitions on other cases almost certain to pour in. Aulakh, though, is convinced the scope of the inquiries won’t be broadened, at least as of now. "We are yet to fix the deadline and other details of the inquiry, but we are quite clear about the fact that only these three cases are to come under scrutiny," he said, adding that the probe was desired by CM Parkash Singh Badal. But the question staring at the face of the government is whether such a probe can end with three cases, especially in a state which during a bloody agitation for a separate homeland saw thousands missing. The probe itself has set off disparate reactions. While cops who were around during the dark decades — often as participants in the war against terrorism and votaries of the bullet-for-bullet campaign — feel this would open a can of worms, human rights activists and the kin of victims said this would amount to cheating “those thousands of innocent people who simply disappeared during the terrorism days”. Even former DGP SS Virk, in a sensational if somewhat unexpected disclosure, had said last year that there could be more than 300 fake-killing cases. Of course, nobody knows, or will ever know, the exact figure of innocents who died and disappeared in those days, often without a trace. There’s another issue that doesn’t seem to have gone down too well within police corridors: The aspect of cops questioning fellow cops. “How can neutrality be assured when the same force which collectively countered terrorism with mutually approved methods would now probe those officers and their tactics,” a DIG-rank officer asked, ironically voicing the very doubts human rights activists have been talking about

New Delhi, May 10: Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal today stunned President A P J Abdul Kalam and several other dignitaries in Parliament when he protested against the 1845 Anglo-Sikh war not being treated as the First War of Independence while commemorating the 150th anniversary of the 1857 uprising. Atwal and three other MPs from Punjab - Rattan Singh Ajnala, Veerendra Singh Bajwa (both Akali Dal) and Tarlochan Singh (Independent) - said projecting 1857 as the First War of Independence was a 'misnomer' as the Anglo-Sikh war preceded that. Atwal's protest came midway through the function in the historic Central Hall of Parliament which was addressed by the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister and the Lok Sabha Speaker. His brief protest came when Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat rose to address the gathering comprising MPs, Ministers and senior leaders including former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition L K Advani. Earlier, when Speaker Somnath Chatterjee started his address, the three other members created a flutter by staging the protest which caught the gathering unaware. Later, Tarlochan Singh and Veerendra Singh said the protest was against attempts to rewrite the history. They said the 1845 war, led by Sikh General Shyam Singh Attariwala, needed to be treated as the First War of Independence. (Agencies) Published: Thursday, May 10, 2007 http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsi...TEGORYNAME=NATL

THE GUJARAT fake encounter case has brought back memories of "escapes" and "encounters" involving terrorists — which, in fact, were nothing but extra-judicial killings — in Punjab. Former police chief of Punjab Julio Riberio was said to have instituted the "bullet for bullet" strategy in 1986-87, another name for encounter killings. His successors, especially K.P.S. Gill, fine- tuned the policy The . macabre result was that a number of top terrorists arrested were subsequently reported to have "escaped". They have not been heard of since; the presumption is they were shot. An additional factor was the provision of bounty anywhere between Rs 10 and 30 lakh for particular terrorists. This provided great incentive for false encounters where low-grade militants and others were killed and passed off as top terrorists. To erase telltale signs, the wide network of irrigation canals was used to dump the bodies. Besides, the cremation grounds in Amritsar and Tarn Taran were used to cremate the unidentified ones among them. During the past few months, a number of well-known terrorists, who were supposed to have been killed in encounters, with money on their head claimed, have surfaced. What now comes out is that those who were actually bumped off in their place as "terrorists" were either peripheral criminals or, worse, innocent citizens. While in Gujarat different dimensions of the fake encounter case un fold, in Punjab the real face of the "encounter killings" is popping out from police files, in many cases after great labour on the part of victims' families, courts, human rights activists and, of course, the media. The stories revisited by HT in Punjab include those of people who faced charges varying from none to terrorism. The one that stands out is that of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra from Amritsar, as it was a killing that was not only extra-judicial in itself, but also an attempt to cover up "thousands of other such eliminations". And the one string that runs through all of them is the utmost effort of the state police to keep the truth from emerging, little surprise, though.

When will the Akalis and the BJP raise the issues of the thousands of encounters in the Punjab? Times of India Gujarat fake encounter issue rocks Parliament [7 May, 2007 l 1225 hrs ISTlPTI] NEW DELHI: Parliament was rocked on Monday over the issues of fake encounter killing in Gujarat and the letter of US Senators to the Prime Minister on Indo-US nuclear deal leading to adjournment of both Houses till noon. In Lok Sabha, angry Congress and Left parties' members were on their feet condemning the fake encounter killing in Gujarat and sought resignation of Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Speaker Somnath Chatterjee asked members to raise the matter after Question Hour but members belonging to Treasury Benches, Left parties and Samajwadi Party continued to raise slogans. BJP members countered this by raising the Nandigram issue. As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon. Meanwhile, there was pandemonium in the Upper House as well. As soon as the Rajya Sabha met for the day, Shahid Siddiqui (SP) was on his feet demanding discussion on the fake encounter issue in Gujarat. Congress members raised slogans demanding the dismissal of the Gujarat government and arrest of Modi. BJP members led by Sushma Swaraj, on the other hand, tried to raise the issue of US Senators' writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Indo-US nuclear deal. Left parties, led by Brinda Karat (CPM), wanted the Prime Minister to give a statement in the House on the letter issue. Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said he had not received any notice for suspension of Question Hour and said members could raise their issues during Zero Hour.

Also on Amazon.com Editorial Reviews Review Ottawa Citizen : Praise for the first edition: "The book deals with a difficult subject and does so honestly and painstakingly. ... Its strength is that is presents the results of its investigations. Unless these are refuted, or some one comes up with a more credible explanation of these events, the book would remain as the most useful document on the subject." Calgary Herald : Praise for the first edition: "There is much documented and useful information in Soft Target, which often reads like a spy thriller. The authors weave Sikh politicians, RCMP officers, CSIS agents and Indian consuls into a fascinating story."

http://www.formac.ca/main_book.php?tabpage=main&id=1810 AVAILABLE Paperback ISBN10 1-55028-904-7 ISBN13 978-1-55028-904-6 6"x9" 192 Pages 2005 $19.95 Soft Target The real story behind the Air India disaster Second Edition By Zuhair Kashmeri & Brian McAndrew About this book A provocative look at one of Canada’s biggest tragedies On March 16, 2005, almost twenty years after one of the biggest mass murders in Canadian Aviation history, the Air-India Case concluded with a verdict that authors Zuhair Kashmeri and Brian McAndrew predicted sixteen years ago when Soft Target was first published: not guilty. In this second edition, the two offer a detailed foreword that brings readers up-to-date with some startling new information surrounding the twin bombings on June 23, 1985 in the air over the Atlantic, and on the ground in Japan, which left 331 people dead. They offer key details from the trial of Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri that took place in a specially-built Vancouver courtroom, leads that were not followed up, and more details of India’s intelligence service’s clandestine interference in Canada. They explain how their own prediction that justice would not be found because of a botched investigation came true, and that only a public inquiry will offer closure to the families of the victims.

Punjab orders probe into ‘fake encounters’ Express News ServicePosted online: Monday, April 30, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email AMRITSAR: : After The Indian Express reported the “resurfacing” of three Punjab terrorists who were said to have been killed, the state government has ordered a high-level probe into the fake killings. A special team, comprising senior police officers, has been constituted to dig out facts regarding the “killing” of these terrorists. The report is expected within a fortnight. Disclosing this, Information and Public Relations Minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia said he has spoken to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in this regard. “The necessary orders for the probe have been issued. The inquiry will also find out who were killed in place of these former terrorists. Justice will be done,” he said. The newspaper had recently exposed the Punjab Police which declared these terrorists “dead” in three separate encounters and pocketed Rs 35 lakh in awards.

In the Uk people can be convicted of having caried out toture in another country, this may apply in Canada. BBC Last Updated: Tuesday, 19 July, 2005, 11:26 GMT 12:26 UK Afghan Zardad jailed for 20 years An Afghan warlord found guilty of torture and hostage taking in his home country has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. Faryadi Zardad, 42, of Streatham, London, convicted in a landmark case at the Old Bailey on Monday, was given two 20-year terms to run concurrently. It was thought to be the first time torture offences committed in one country were prosecuted in another. The judge recommended Zardad be deported after serving his sentence. Victims traced Mr Justice Treacy told the Afghan national, who controlled a series of military checkpoints between Kabul and Jalalabad, he was "in a position of real power." "You were personally involved in these acts of torture and hostage-taking as well as authorising your men." One of the key legal challenges of the case had been to show that although Zardad did not necessarily administer torture himself he was still responsible through the men he controlled at his checkpoints. The Old Bailey jury found Zardad guilty after hearing in a lengthy retrial of numerous incidents of hostage taking between 1992 and 1996. The jury in his first trial, last year, had been unable to agree. An international convention and English law allow the trial in England of anyone who has committed torture or hostage-taking Lord Goldsmith Attorney General Zardad verdict celebrated 'No UK impunity' for warlords 'Huge challenges' of case How the BBC found Zardad The warlord, who came to Britain on a fake passport in 1998, was first tracked down at his south London home by John Simpson for BBC Newsnight. Police then mounted an investigation, which involved officers making several trips to Afghanistan under armed escort to track down the warlord's victims. The government's top law officer, Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, came to the court for the first time since his appointment to prosecute the first trial. He explained why Britain had decided to try the case, arguing that Zardad's crimes were so "merciless" and such "an affront to justice" that they could be tried in any country. ''Brutal regime' Sentencing, Mr Justice Treacy told Zardad that his crimes were so serious that they transcended national boundaries. "Their gravity is demonstrated by the fact that most unusually a person who has committed them in another country can be tried and punished for them by the courts of this country." He continued: "It is clear to me from the evidence that for a period of over three years you, as a powerful warlord, presided over a brutal regime of terror in areas under your control. "You represented the only real form of authority, law and government in the areas under your control and you grossly abused your power." The checkpoint was on the Kabul to Jalalabad road In both trials, evidence from Afghan witnesses - many in fear of their lives - was beamed into the British court via a video link from the UK embassy in Kabul. One witness said he was held for four months and beaten so frequently that his family failed to recognise him. But Anthony Jennings QC, for the defence, had urged jurors to treat prosecution witnesses from Afghanistan with care and ask whether they had an axe to grind. Zardad himself told the court he had not tortured anyone but had given orders against torture.

Good coverage of Punjab, RSS and the treatment of minorities. Well worth watching , use the link in the above mail.

Of course it makes sense where there are no Gurdwara in the area. However if the existing Gurdwaras are underutilised already , does it not make sense to try and get the community to attend these first? The Gurdwara mega projects take from 10-20 years to complete fully (raising money to buy land, building and then paying off loans to Banks). In this time all money is cut on Sikhi Parchar. This causes the sangat to suffer as they do not get to learn about Sikhi young and old. Funds to Sikh youth and education projects are cut. There are no attempts to spend resources on defending the Sikh identity at a national level e.g Kirpan or turban issues. There was hardly any money put forward to get lawyers for the turban issue in France by Gurdwaras, this is such a shame. problems facing Sikh youth growing up are never discussed. The focus should not be on buildings but what actually goes on in them regarding Sikhi.

Gatka photos and film clip shown on BBC2 Desi DNA on 26th April http://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/desidna/galleries/1151/

Rights front: Probe fake encounters Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 26 The Majha ex-servicemen human rights front has urged the Punjab government to take action against those police officials who were involved in fake encounters and the killing of innocent persons by branding them as militants. The probe should be on the Gujarat pattern which led to the arrest of three senior police officers. Adressing a press conference here today Col G.S. Sandhu (retd), chairman of the front, said Gurnam Singh Bandala, a former militant who was declared killed in a police encounter, had exposed the encounter tales of the Punjab police. Bandala, who was alive, had been declared “dead” in a police encounter near Ropar in August ,1994. Who was killed in place of Bandala? Who were the police officers who claimed Rs 25 lakh for “ killing” Bandala in 1994? These questions required to be probed, he said. “ Our front will call on Chief Minister Badal and also knock at the door of the Punjab and Haryana High court to seek justice for the families of those innocent persons who were killed by the police in fake encounters”, said Colonel Sandhu. A DGP rank officer had admitted a few months ago that 300 terrorists-turned police “cats” were rehabilitated by the Punjab police in the state. “Who were the innocent persons killed in place of these 300 police cats. Who were the government officials who authorised the extra-judicial killings?” asked Colonel Sandhu. He said all human rights activists should come together to expose the killing of innocent people in fake encounters in the state. He said it had come to light that certain senior police officials patronised “cats” and used them to smuggle drugs and arms. Colonel Sandhu also raised questions regarding the suicide near here by a senior police officer some years ago. “ We are not ready to believe that the senior police officer is no more. Our people are trying to find out whether that police officer is living in the US now along with his family members”, he said. “ That police officer, along with a Nihang chief, was responsible for killing a large number of youth in the Tarn Taran and Patti areas in fake encounters”, said Colonel Sandhu. Hundreds of youths were cremated by declaring their bodies as unidentified ones by the police in Tarn Taran in the 80s and early 90s, he alleged. He said that militancy in Punjab ended about a decade ago but the police was not ready do downsize its force and disarm its “cats”. False stories were being spread with regard to the existence of terrorism in the state. The Punjab human rights commission has stated that 80 per cent of the complaints received by it were against the police, said Colonel Sandhu. He said in the Punjab public service commission scam, the highest amount of money was paid by two police officers to get their wards recruited as officers. Govt allots 7,000 liquor vends; earns Rs 29 cr Tribune News Service Patiala, April 26 The government today allotted 7,000 liquor vends across the state through the open draw of lots. This was stated by excise commissioner, Punjab, A.Venu Prasad. He said there was tremendous response from traders for getting liquor vends’ license. The department received 47,241 applications. The fee for processing each application was fixed at Rs 6,000. The department has collected Rs 29 crore as a fee for processing the applications. This is Rs 15 crore more than what was collected last year. He further said 99 per cent liquor vends were allotted today through the draw of lots. Last year, just 74 per cent vends could be allotted. The state would collect excise duty of Rs 1,650 crore from the liquor vends this year. This is Rs 130 crore more than what was collected last year. The highest cost for the annual license of liquor vend in urban areas has been fixed at Rs 77 lakh. In rural area the lowest cost for annual license is Rs 15 lakh. The numbers of liquor vends for which license was issued is almost same. However, in some areas vends have been rationalized. The areas where sale was high have been allotted more vends. The new excise policy has attracted more persons into this trade. As per the new policy the license holder can now pick 30 per cent quota from any distillery. Besides the conversion limit for changing the quota from the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) to country liquor has also been increased to 15 per cent, the excise commissioner added. At Patiala 476 liquor vends, that included 326 country liquor and 150 IMLF vends, were allotted today. Officials of the excise department claimed that allotted vends would fetch Rs 84.42 crore during the current financial year. Last year an excise duty of Rs 83.90 crore was collected from Patiala. Punjab ‘not to allow’ release of water in Haryana canal Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service Patiala, April 26 The government will not allow Haryana to release water in the Hansi-Bhutana canal, a newly constructed branch of the Bhakra mainline. Punjab cooperation minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh stated this at a press conference here today. He was here to preside over a ‘sangat darshan’ organised at PWD rest house. He said the construction of the canal was detrimental to the interests of farmers in the Samana area of Patiala district. Due to the construction of the new canal by the Haryana government, the flood-prone areas of the Samana area would get inundated during monsoon. Presently, the natural flow of flood water in the area is in the Gaggar river. However, the newly constructed canal of Haryana would stop the natural flow of water in the area. Besides it would decrease the flow of water in the Bhakra main line. This would hamper irrigation in many areas of Punjab bordering Haryana, he alleged. The Haryana government has already completed about 75 per cent construction of the canal. The canal is being constructed to provide irrigation in the native area of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The Haryana government was maintaining that it would use its own quota of water in the new canal. The BBMB that controls the canal had earlier allowed Haryana to construct the canal. The minister, while responding to queries from mediapersons, said the Congress was not even playing its role as a constructive opposition. Instead of taking up the issues related to public, the Congress leaders were involved in blaming each other. “I would request the speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to give Congress leaders a lesson on the role of opposition,” he said. While responding to a query on the atta-dal issue, the minister said as per the reports reaching him about 40 per cent people in rural areas would benefit from the government scheme. The financial implication of the scheme on the government would be Rs 950 crore. He said the state had increased the credit limit of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) by Rs 3,000 crore to enable the board to buy power from other states during the paddy season. Paramedics, pharmacists unite for a cause Our Correspondent Fazilka, April 26 Chairman of the paramedical and health employees co-ordination committee, Punjab, Ravinder Luthra, and president of the punjab state pharmacists association (Ferozepore) Shashi Kant in joint statement issued here today disclosed that Luthra and Lal Singh Dhanaula have forged an unity for the betterment of the committee. Luthra disclosed that the both groups had decided to hold a convention on April 29 at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall, Jalandhar. During that occasion a new joint co-ordination committee would be formed. The committee would take up longstanding issues of the thousands of paramedical employees including multipurpose health workers, staff nurses, pharmacists, radiographers, laboratory technicians, sanitary inspectors, drivers and Class IV employees. The main issues to be discussed during convention were privatisation of the rural health services by Capt Amarinder Singh’s regime. As a result of which about 800 out of total 2,500 pharmacists and more than 2,000 Class IV employees have been rendered surplus.

Article on the Sikh Wars memorials in Punjab http://www.punjabheritage.org/material-her...monuments..html