Amritsar: Big hoardings that surfaced at key locations of Amritsar have become the talk of the town. The hoardings, carrying a picture of South segment MLA Inderbir Singh Bolaria, have created suspense with a one-liner “Amritsar khud te phone nu rakhiyo charge, aa reha hai kuch bahut khaas, 7 September nu”. The hoardings have created curiosity among the residents. Some see it as a ‘political development’ that could emerge amid the Capt Amarinder-Sidhu camps’ friction. Some say since the hoarding was addressing Amritsar residents as a whole, a long-pending development work could be announced for the holy city. But wait till September 7, as Bolaria has refrained from revealing the ‘suspense’ before that.
Smartphone scare for politicians
Sangrur: The mobile has become a source of panic for many politicians in the area these days as after seeing a farmer or labourer talking on the phone, they get anxious and think the caller is sharing information with other residents about his arrival in the village. Many times, even when residents are talking on the call about their personal issues, politicians start requesting them not to create a trouble. Many politicians have asked their supporters to keep a watch on whether someone is keeping a vigil at them at the entry points of villages. Apart from calling, if anyone starts shooting a video of politicians, the latter request them to stop the videography. These days if anyone wants the leaders to leave the venue, he simply has to act of talking on the phone.
Race against time for bridge project
Gurdaspur: Remember how actor Sunny Deol‘s rant in Damini “tareekh pe tareekh, tareekh pe tareekh” echoed through the theatre walls into the streets? Into his third year now as an MP, he must be realising how true is ‘Cheops Law’, which states nothing ever gets built on schedule or within budget. He recently got sanctioned from the Union Government the Makkoran Pattan bridge, which will connect a cluster of 12 villages, located on the other side of Ravi, with mainland Gurdaspur. In 2018, the estimated cost of the bridge had been pegged at Rs 70 crore. Now, Deol has got the venture cleared for Rs 100 crore. However, officials in the know admit by the time the project will be completed, it will have cost the exchequer Rs 120 crore. Residents have already started guessing the ‘tareekh’ when the project will be commissioned.
Unkept promise ‘haunts’ FM
Bathinda: Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s speech pertaining to restarting the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) during the 2017 poll is going viral on social media these days. SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal also posted the video of Manpreet’s speech along with the video of dismantling of two chimneys of the GNDTP. Harsimrat said, “FM Manpreet Badal had promised to restart it while seeking votes in 2017. He is responsible for selling and demolishing this iconic plant.”
‘Dirty’ money
Ferozepur: An audio clip of a Congress MLA’s husband and a sand contractor discussing the money generated from the mining business has gone viral. The MLA’s husband is purportedly heard negotiating his share, while ruing the cut was not enough, given the risk involved in illegal mining. While the MLA’s husband later claimed it was a bid by the Opposition to implicate him, the audio has once again brought to the fore the alleged politician-sand mafia nexus thriving in the state, notwithstanding CM’s claims of taking stringent measures. While 200 FIRs have been registered in the district over the past few months, leaders owing allegiance to the ruling party continue to make “bounty”.
Contributed by Parvesh Sharma, Ravi Dhaliwal, Sukhmeet Bhasin, GS Paul amp; ANIRUDH GUPTA
Punjab Diary: ‘Suspense’ over September 7 poster
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