Punjab

Phagwara, Jan 2 (PTI) Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday alleged that the BJP is using central agencies to arm-twist and browbeat political opponents, and trigger defections.

Addressing a rally organised by local MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Sidhu said rival political leaders are being asked to either join the BJP or be put behind bars.

The BJP resorted to "bad politics of vote polarisation and using the Enforcement Directorate and other agencies for browbeating opponents to trigger defections", he said.

Chandigarh, Dec 28 (PTI) Farmers on Tuesday lifted their blockades on rail tracks at several places in Punjab after representatives of the farm body spearheading the agitation held a meeting with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi here.

Farmers under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) had started their 'rail roko' stir on December 20 at various places, affecting the movement of several trains and causing inconvenience to passengers.

Ferozepur (Pb), Dec 21 (PTI) Demanding a complete waiver of farm loans and compensation to the kin of those who died during the anti-farm laws stir, farmers blocked railway tracks at various places in Punjab for the second day on Tuesday, affecting the movement of 156 trains.

According to Ferozepur division railway officials, 84 trains were cancelled, 47 short-terminated and 25 short-originated.

Amritsar, Dec 13 (PTI) A large group of farmers led by farm union leaders was accorded a warm welcome at different locations on their way to the Golden Temple here on Monday.

On reaching the main entry point of the city at Golden Gate, various political outfits and NGOs accorded a warm welcome to them and showered rose petals.

On reaching the Golden Temple, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) honoured leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a grouping of 40 farmer unions who led the struggle against farm laws.

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The Congress on Monday appointed the party's Punjab unit chief Navjot Sidhu as chairman of the state Election Committee.

The members of the all-important Punjab Pradesh Election Committee include chief minister and CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, Ambika Soni, chairperson of the coordination committee, Sunil Jakhar, chairman of the campaign committee, and Pratap Singh Bajwa, chairman of the manifesto committee.

Amritsar, Dec 10 (PTI) The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) will honour the farmer leaders upon their arrival to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple here.

The decision along with other important ones was taken during the SGPC's executive committee meeting chaired by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami here on Friday.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Dhami said the SGPC will be honouring the farmer leaders on December 13 at the information centre of the Golden Temple.

Chandigarh, Nov 19 (PTI) Senior advocate D S Patwalia has been appointed as the new advocate general of Punjab, said an official on Friday.

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is leant to have been pushing for his appointment.

Patwalia was appointed as the state's top law officer days after the resignation of senior advocate A P S Deol was accepted by the Punjab cabinet.

New Delhi, Nov 16 (PTI) The Kartarpur Sahib corridor to the most revered shrines of Sikhs located in Pakistan will be reopened from Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday.

The corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab's Gurdaspur district.

The announcement to restart the pilgrimage that was suspended since March 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak came three days before the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on Friday.

Chandigarh, Nov 9 (PTI) The Punjab Cabinet has accepted the resignation of Advocate General A P S Deol and the post left vacant by him will be filled by Wednesday, said Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi here.

State Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has been pushing for the replacement of Deol, who had represented former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in cases related to the 2015 desecration incidents and police firing on protesters.

Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Channi said the AG had resigned a few days ago.

Chandigarh, Nov 8 (PTI) AICC Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Chaudhary on Monday held a meeting with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Congress state unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu, amid unease between the two leaders over government appointments.

The meeting was held just a few hours after Sidhu called a press conference and questioned his party's government in the state over the status of investigation into the 2015 Kotkapura police firing incident.