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Punjab to review cases of those detained on terrorism charges

Staff Correspondent

Cases of police personnel allegedly involved in excesses also under study

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Government has initiated the process of reviewing the cases of those facing prolonged spells of detention on charges related to terrorist activities and police personnel for alleged excesses as it was high time to put behind memories of the dark era and pool resources to build a brighter future.

The announcement was made today by the Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh, while replying to the debate on the Governor's address in the Punjab Assembly, which was adjourned sine die on Tuesday evening.

However, the House witnessed one of most bitter verbal duels between Capt Singh and his bete noir, Parkash Singh Badal, who heads the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Repeated advice, from the Speaker, to desist from personalising their addresses, was lost in the din.

Reiterating the commitment to maintaining the hard- earned peace Capt. Singh said that the Government would review the cases of 17 of the 51 youth who had undergone a prolonged spell of incarceration and were believed to "have paid their debt to society.'' Similarly, 13 of the 61 cases against police officials were also being reviewed. He assured that the State Government would ensure of complete rehabilitation of these individuals.

As his mother, Rajamata Mohinder Kaur, watched him keenly from the Speaker's gallery, Capt Singh flaunted a copy of agenda of the recently-held Chief Ministers' meeting on internal security, which was chaired by the Prime Minister, to rubbish the opposition criticism over the law and order situation in the State. He said that except for a mention about tardy utility of funds for modernisation of police, Punjab's name did not figure for any negative reference in the agenda.

The Chief Minister lambasted Mr Badal, who is also the leader of the opposition, for misleading the House on various accounts. Regarding the fiscal position, he said that the revenue receipts had doubled, deficit reduced by 40 per cent and expenses on salary bill brought down considerably as compared to the last year of the Government led by Mr. Badal. He said that the present Government had earned Rs 165 crore more in three years from liquor auctions as compared to Rs 158 crore during the preceding five years.

Capt. Singh said that in the last year of the previous Government, the state registered a dismal growth rate of 1.65 per cent, which had risen to 5.30 per cent presently. The agricultural produce by the end of this year was expected to cross the 30 million tonne mark as compared to 22 million tonne during the previous government, which translated into an additional Rs 5000 crore in the rural economy. Similarly, the industrial sector had grown at a rate of 25 per cent, which was expected to rise further after the Indo-Pak relations improved.

Challenging Mr. Badal to stand trial in the corruption case registered against him and his son, the Chief Minister accused the former of using the law to delay the course of justice. Claiming to be the only Chief Minister, who had instituted an inquiry against own his son, Capt Singh questioned the Akali veteran to explain the reasons for not seeking a debate on the Nehra Commission report on the alleged Punjab Intranet scandal, which had been tabled in initial days of the present session.

Regarding the various steps taken by the State Government during the last three years, Capt Singh said that the Government had created a Rs 100- crore fund dedicated to research in agriculture and diversification. Another Rs 450 crore fund had been dedicated to payment of pensions to widows, destitute women and the economically depressed sections.

Earlier, in his address in which he even criticised the Speaker, Kewal Krishan, for being partisan, Mr. Badal justified his party's boycotting the Governor's address to the House. He said that the address was prepared by Government, which lacked vision, direction and was devoid of commitment to solve the problems of the masses.

Adopting a hostile posture, Mr. Badal warned that as soon as his party returned to power in the State, it would institute an thorough probe, preferably by the CBI, into the various acts of corruption, nepotism and favouritism by the present Government which he dwelled in detailed. "Neither you nor you son would be spared,'' he thundered pointing towards the Chief Minister. Mr. Badal quoted profusely from the budget and a recent World Bank report, to point out the mounting debt burden on the State, decline in per capita income of the agriculturists, low growth rates, poor service delivery systems, low foreign direct investment (FDI), decreasing allocations and spending on the scheduled castes and rising wasteful expenditure.

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Punjab to review cases of those detained on terrorism charges

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