Punjab

Chandigarh, Oct 3 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday sought a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry into the Hathras incident in Uttar Pradesh.

Badal, who had recently snapped ties with the BJP-led NDA, accused the Uttar Pradesh government of discriminating against the victim's family by "forcibly conducting" her last rites.

Chandigarh, Sep 27 (PTI) Described the SAD's decision of snapping ties with the NDA as unfortunate , Punjab's senior BJP leaders Manoranjan Kalia and Master Mohan Lal on Sunday asserted that the party is able to fight and also win the 2022 Punjab assembly polls alone.

The SAD on Saturday night had announced to quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the farm bills issue.

Amritsar, Sep 27 (PTI) Farmers squatted on the Amritsar-Delhi railway track here on Sunday, continuing their 'rail-roko' agitation against the contentious farm bills passed by the Parliament last week.

People from nearby villages brought cooked food and other items for the demonstrators. 'Langar' (community kitchen) has also been organised at the site by local gurdwaras.

Women wearing saffron dupattas also joined the protest, raised slogans against the Centre and said they would not allow the implementation of the three legislations.

Amritsar, Sep 23 (PTI) Punjab MLA and former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday staged a protest against the farm bills which, he said, will "ruin" the farming community.

The cricketer-turned-politician, who was accompanied by his supporters, sat on a tractor here and held placards that read, "We are united in fight for farmers", in English and Punjabi.

This is Sidhu's first public appearance after he resigned from the state cabinet last year.

Chandigarh, Sep 22 (PTI) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the BJP's oldest ally, on Tuesday announced road blockades across Punjab on September 25 to protest against the contentious farm Bills passed by Parliament.

Rajya Sabha passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 during the day. It had cleared the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 on Sunday.

The Bills had been passed by Lok Sabha last week.

Chandigarh, Sep 16 (PTI) Farmers' groups on Wednesday held protests at several places in Punjab against "anti-farmer" bills introduced by the Union government in Parliament.

They said the government should have consulted the farming community on the bills, which were promulgated as ordinances earlier, as they could adversely impact them.

Chandigarh, Sep 16 (PTI) The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday issued a whip to its members in the Rajya Sabha, asking them to oppose the Centre's farm-related legislations in the House.

It was issued by the party's chief whip Naresh Gujral.

They were directed to opposed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020; Farmers' Produce, Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; and Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.

Ambala, Sep 10 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday used a ceremony marking induction of five Rafale jets into the Indian Air Force to send a strong message to China over its belligerence in eastern Ladakh, saying national security is a major priority for India and it is determined to protect its territory

Singh said induction of Rafale jets into the IAF is crucial considering the kind of atmosphere being created along India's border

Chandigarh, Sep 5 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday tested negative for the coronavirus infection.

This was the third time that the chief minister had got himself tested for Covid-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Singh also ended his week-long self-isolation after testing negative for the contagion.

The CM had gone into seven-day self-quarantine on August 28 after he came in contact with two Congress legislators, Kulbir Singh Zira and Nirmal Singh, who had tested positive after the one-day Punjab Assembly session.

Amritsar, Aug 30 (PTI) The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, has decided to confer the "Panth Sewak" award on radical outfit Dal Khalsa founder Gajinder Singh, one of the five men accused of hijacking an Indian Airlines plane to Lahore in 1981.

India had put Gajinder's name in the list of 20 most wanted terrorists in 2002.

An official of the Akal Takht on Sunday said it was decided during a meeting of five Sikh head priests recently to confer the award on Gajinder Singh.