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THE LEGISLATION BE AIMED TO CONTROL UNAUTHORISED USAGE OF GUNS

UNITED SIKHS, a United Nations affiliated global human rights and advocacy group on Tuesday announced its firm stands against the senseless gun violence that is ravaging the United States.

At least a dozen people were killed and more than 60 injured in at least 10 mass shootings this weekend alone in the United States.

“As a global, humanitarian aid and civil rights organization working with a multitude of communities in the United States and overseas, UNITED SIKHS is deeply committed to pressing our leaders for the safety of everyone, particularly vulnerable communities. The increasing number of mass shootings and hate violence against our communities has a solution and we together must find it,” states Manvinder Singh, Advocacy Director at UNITED SIKHS.  

A study of 5 years of data by Brady Center, a renowned advocacy organization for gun regulation, revealed: “Every year, 117,345 people are shot; and among those, 40,620 people die from gun violence”.

“Similarly, every year, 7,957 children and teens between the age of 1-17 are shot in the United States; and among those 1839 children and teens die from gun violence and 992 are murdered. With the most recent Texas shooting of Robb Elementary school children in Uvalde, undoubtedly, gun deaths have become an epidemic,” he adds.  

A study published in March 2016 in the American Journal of Medicine found that Americans are 25 times more likely to die from gun homicide than people in other wealthy countries and not much has changed, since. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated official mortality data that showed 45,222 firearm-related deaths in the United States in 2020. In 2020, 4,368 U.S. children up to age 19 were killed by guns.

Mass shootings in the last decade alone include the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in Connecticut, the Sikhs Temple shooting in Wisconsin and Indiana, the 2017 LasVegas mass shooting, the recent Buffalo shooting and many others.

These are convincing evidence that we must rethink as a nation the utility of guns in our daily lives. Empirical records of the mass shootings force us to confront the fact that we have no other option as a nation except working towards finding a legitimate equilibrium between the competing and conflicting gun control ideologies, which continue to divide our nation. 

At UNITED SIKHS, while we have a conscious regard for the Second Amendment right to bear arms, we are extremely cognizant of the fact that even constitutional rights are not absolute. We are worried that the deregulation of guns in our nation may be outweighing its constitutional rationale.

“Common sense dictates that if mass shootings came to be an American epidemic because reasonable gun controls do not exist, then it may mean that we are not doing all that we can to protect ourselves and our children on a mere principle,” states Wanda Sanchez Day, a civil rights attorney with UNITED SIKHS.  

“The wave of mass shootings by persons who should never have had access to guns attests to the need to curb access,” she added.  “Leaders must encourage the use of appropriate technology to its full potential in order to ensure protection for the public; and more importantly, the public mental health epidemic in this country must also be addressed,” she states.

UNITED SIKHS joins advocates around the country to call for common sense legislation that has as a reasonable aim to control unauthorized use of guns, expands background checks on all gun possession, holds all those who possess them accountable and keeps illegal guns off the streets. We also call for addressing mental health issues that too often correlate with gun violence and the hate that underlies many of these crimes.

PUNJAB HAVE REACHED A STAGE OF NO RETURN IN SUBSOIL WATER DEPLETION

India single largest Exporter of both Basmati and Non Basmati (Export of Basmati 3.9 Million Tons and Non Basmati 7.2 Million Tons period 2021-22). Water scenario is indeed grim, and requires drastic measures as sadly thealarmingrate at which the depletion of precious Groundwater caused a huge concern for Punjab and the rest of the Country, as every Kilogram of Rice requires 2500 – 3000 litres of Water. It is a grave situation and needs urgent steps on war footing to save our Agriculture which is heavily dependent on Water and Rains.

Punjab, which had never grown Paddy as a Kharif Crop before the advent of Green Revolution in the sixties and have since been producing Paddy to feed our hungry population, during the last six decades; we have reached a stage of no return. As per the Ground Water Resources Report Published in 2017 have drawn a grim picture and the water table will fall to abysmal low level. The stage will reach one day that there would be No Water and No Agriculture.

We all have to brace this situation as the time is running out, in now and only now, together and come out with a comprehensive project and implement it on the ground.

Basmati which is a premier and heritage produce of Punjab have created a huge and large market in the world known for its flavour, length and taste due to excellent weather, soil, river and canal irrigation conditions only available in Punjab, Haryana parts of Western U.P. and some Jammu areas.

Basmati Paddy requires far less Water irrigation (only 2 or 3 times) during the period of cultivation.

The Total Basmati Rice Export from India is 4 Million Tons worth Rs.36,000/- Crores out of which Punjab contributes more than 35 to 40% of the Export and brings large Foreign Exchange to the Country and to the State.

The Indian enterprising Business Community established Big Basmati Rice Brands including World Famous Lal Qilla, Daawat, India Gate, Aeroplane, Maharani, Hello, Crown etc. to emerge world leaders.

India in its pursuit for higher yield to meet ever growing domestic and international demand, Indian Agricultural Scientists developed new High Yielding varieties as the Traditional 386 variety would give 12-14 Quintals, the farmers did not favour to plant 386 because of low yield. The new seed varieties introduced in 2010 like Pusa Basmati 1121 and later introduced 1509 and 1718 which gives 18 quintal plus yield.

This 1121 saw phenomenal growth and markets around the world accepted this variety and triggered its growth as it was readily accepted by the Iranians and Saudi Arabia. Both the nations gave a big boost to amazing export orders and Indian Exporters never looked back. The 1121 Pusa Basmati slowly found inroads in European, American and Canadian markets besides all small and big countries lined up for getting Indian Rice.

The Basmati cultivation should be encouraged with a planned road map and it should be used to discourage and dissuade Farmers from planting Non-Basmati Varieties. It would save a considerable amount of water and save Punjab from imminent disaster. At present the area under Basmati cultivation in Punjab is about 4.85 Lacs hectares, rather low, and the area under Basmati is declining because of rising MSP year after year, due to Govt. procurement of Non Basmati Paddy for buffer stocks as food security.

All the stakeholders, the State Governments, Agriculture Universities, APEDA and the Rice Milling and Exporting Industries should prepare a master plan for time bound implementation to jointly educate farmers through awareness programmes. We suggest that genuine standardized Basmati Seeds should be made available to the farmers and to provide proper training during nursery, plantation as per time schedule given by the agriculture experts during the middle and end of June and cultivation duration.

MOOSE WALA’S SINGING CAREER SPANNING SHORT SIX YEARS CAME TO A SUDDEN END

Sadly, Punjabi Singer Shubdeep Singh Sidhu popularly known as Sidhu Moose Wala, a twenty-eight years young upcoming boy from Punjab’s small town Mansa who glorified the use of weapons and violence in the songs, and even flaunted the sophisticated weapon in his music videos met his end with the same.

He was shot multiple times when he was traveling in a jeep and was declared dead at the hospital. The autopsy report revealed that his body had 25 gunshot wounds. Canada based gangster Goldy Brar who belong to Lawrence Bishnoi group has taken responsibility of Moose Wala’s killing.    

Most of the songs of Sidhu Moose Wala who was killed allegedly by the gangsters at village Jawaharke in Mansa district, talked about rebellion through gun culture and violence, which was one of the key reasons behind his massive popularity amongst the youth.

Ahead of the Punjab polls of February 20 he joined the congress party and unsuccessfully contested the polls from Mansa. 

Moose Wala was often accused of promoting gun violence and drug abuse through his songs. His musical career took off when he wrote song ‘License’, which was crooned by Ninja and released in 2016.

He was on a study visa in Canada when he forayed into singing Punjabi rap and never looked back. His six years career saw meteoric upward swing to fell down with suddenly amidst the noises of gun shots. Atleast 200 gunshots were fired from sophisticated bore weapons, public usage of which has been prohibited in Punjab.

He had faced legal challenges for promoting gun culture and using inflammatory and inciting lyrics in his songs. His violent songs allegedly promoted gun culture and led to a string of criminal cases. His pages on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter often showed him carrying weapons or in the company of people flaunting firearms. His official YouTube channel logo at one time depicted a man dressed in black, with a covered face, carrying an AK-47 assault rifle.

In February 2020, Mansa police had registered a case against Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu alias Sidhu Moose Wala and another singer Mankirat Aulakh for promoting violence and gun culture in their songs.

Punjab Police again booked Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, after a video showing him firing shots from the AK-47 of a police personnel at a shooting range went viral.

Even the Crime Branch of Mohali police had filed a case against singer Sidhu Moose Wala on charges of promoting violence and gun culture through his song “Sanju”, released on the social media in 2020 for blatantly glorifies use of weapons. In the song, Moose Wala makes explicit references to the case registered against him under the Arms Act, and the video starts with a news clip of him being booked in the said case by the Punjab police for unauthorised use of an AK-47 Rifle.

“Gabru te case jehda, Sanjay Dutt te, Jatt utte case jehda Sanjay Dutt te (the young man faces the case that (bollywood star) Sanjay Dutt faced, the Jatt faces the case that Sunjay Dutt faced.) The police then registered another case against him under the Arms Act and Sections 188 (disobedience to order) and 294 (obscene acts and songs) and 504 (provocation to break public peace) of the Indian Penal Code in July 2020 for glorifying the use of weapons and boasting about the FIRs through this song.

The singer was also booked by the Punjab Police under the Arms Act after he was charged with promoting gun culture in 2020 over his song ‘Panj Goliyan’.

Moose Wala, who learnt music during college and moved to Canada after completing his education, gained popularity for his gangster rap. His songs and the lyrics led him to make headlines, but for all the wrong reasons.

Sadly though, the 28-year-old’s musical career ended on May 30, 2022.

POWER ENGINEERS SUGGEST WAYS TO PUNJAB GOVERNMENT  

PSEB Engineers Association (PSEBEA) has made suggestions to the Punjab government to improve the financial health of the PSPCL and thus save Rs. 4000 crores per annum.

A five member delegation led by President Jasbir Dhiman and General Secretary  Ajaypal Singh Atwal met Punjab Power Minister  Harbhajan Singh ETO and explained to  him the short term and long term measures needed to streamline the working of the PSPCL.

The Association said that the power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the private generators should be reviewed   and modified to save unnecessary fixed and variable charges.

The Association claimed that higher capacity charges of Rajpura thermal and Talwandi Sabo thermal are being paid vis-a-vis similar to other power projects.

They demanded that responsibility should be fixed for forcing higher capacity charges on the state of Punjab causing a loss of Rs. 28,672 crore over the 25 years term of PPAs. This serious lapse was not covered in the White Paper issued in 2021.

The association said that all future generating plants within the state should be executed under the state sector to avoid such scandals. A solar plant of 250 megawatts capacity should be installed by PSPCL in the vacant space of Bathinda thermal.

Association also said that the coal from Pachhwara coal mine should be used to produce cheap power from Lehra Mohabbat and Ropar thermal plants. This coal can also be used to replace the imported coal being used by private generators.

Association said that Punjab is buying 2244 million units of renewable energy from RE generators within Punjab is Rs. 1536 crore annually at an average rate of Rs.6.84 per unit against Solar Energy Corporation of India’s rate of Rs. 2.83 per unit. The renewable energy power rates need to be brought down to Rs. 4.50 per unit worked out by PSERC for 2020-21 on the UP pattern.

Association said that there is a need to cleanse the power purchase and regulation organization purchasing power worth Rs. 23,000 crore

It said that the Punjab government should make timely and full payment of subsidies and this will help PSPCL to make timely payments of power purchases  and will save late payment charges.

Punjab power engineers suggest ways for the Punjab govt to save 4000 crores annually-PSEBA. Association also said that PSPCL should focus on the top 20 loss-making divisions with active political and police help to check power theft. New Power Plants in place of Rupnagar and Lehra Mohabbat thermal plants need to be executed in the state sector keeping in view the power requirement of the future.

Association said that the huge shortage of staff is affecting the working of PSPCL very badly. There is a need to fill immediately critical categories like ALM, LM, JE, AE, RA, Meter reader, and SSA.

ONCE RATED AS BEST SCHOOLS IN NATIONAL CAPITAL DELHI, ARE IN DEEP MESS

Guru Harkrishan Public School Society was formed by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) under the Societies Registration Act 1860 in the year 1971 and the first branch of Guru Harkrishan Public School (GHPS) was opened in the locality of India Gate. More branches were opened from time to time and presently 12 branches in the name of Guru Harkrishan Public Schools are running in different parts of Delhi.  

Needless to say that the alumni of these schools were conferred with various senior positions in the government departments particularly a Judge of Delhi High Court, a Sikh Minister in Delhi cabinet apart from many renowned businessmen of Delhi.  

The managements of these schools were running smoothly till year 2000 and the standard of education was so high that it was almost difficult to get admission in these schools easily.  But after this, the policy of pick & choose began to crop up leading to appointment of unqualified teaching and other non-teaching staff, due to which the level of education started going down resulting in continuous decrease in the number of students.

Illegal appointments were at peak from the year 2002 to 2013 when the erstwhile management gave a free hand to Chairmen of these schools to appoint unqualified staff and some Chairmen while breaking all previous records, continuously made numerous illegal, unqualified and unwanted staff particularly the clerical staff while there was not at all any need. Subsequently these numerous illegal appointments became bone of contention due to which these schools are now at the verge of closure.  

In the year 2014, 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC) was partially implemented for the employees of these GHPS schools whereas they were entitled for enhanced salary with effect from January 1, 2006.  

Moreover, the management due to unknown reasons continued its callous attitude for a long period of 8 years by not giving arrears to the staff despite these schools having been charging enhanced fees from students as per the 6th CPC since a very long time. During the intervening period, the Government also announced the 7th CPC with effect from January 1, 2016, but the management has not announced its implementation.  

Apart from this, the management is refusing to pay gratuity and other benefits to the retiree staff of these schools.  Due to the unwarranted attitude of DSGMC management, some employees preferred to move the court of law.  But neither the Court Orders passed from time to time directing to pay the arrears amount were complied nor the management adhered to its own affidavits regarding payment schedules filed by them from time to time in the Hon’ble Courts.  Then the process of Contempt of Court started.  

It is worthwhile to note that the Hon’ble Delhi High Courts in its Orders passed on November 16, 2021 issued directions to the management to implement 6th and 7th Pay Commission and to pay full arrears to the staff before May 16, 2022.

Due to non-compliance this time also, the present DSGMC President Mr. Harmeet Singh Kalka and other concerned Office-bearers were asked to personally present in the Court on May 24, 2022 and during that hearing the Hon’ble Justice Subramanium Prasad orally told the management to get ready to go to jail for a longer term due to their act of repeatedly doing contempt of court and also directed to file the details of the School Management Committee (SMC) along with the names of members, constituted by all the 12 branches of GHPS since 2014 and also the details of formation of GHPS School Society before the next date of hearing fixed for June 2, 2022.

The Office-bearers of the erstwhile DSGMC since the year 2000 are mainly responsible for such bad condition of the GHPS schools. Had they paid the arrears at stipulated time frame, the present reported liability of Rs. 200 crores could not have been accumulated. Whereas the callous attitude of the management has created a bad image of DSGMC, the GHPS schools are also at the verge of closure which is very unfortunate for Sikh community.

SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT MANDATES FOOLPROOF METHOD

The process for General Elections to 46 Municipalities (18 Municipal Councils and 28 Municipal Committees) in the State of Haryana has commenced today i.e. May 30, 2022 with the initiation of filing of nominations by prospective candidates which would continue till June 4.

The scrutiny of nominations would be on June 6 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 7.

 The polling will be conducted on June 19 and the counting shall take place on June 22. Pertinent that Municipal General Elections in the State are conducted by State Election Commission (SEC), Haryana.

The State Election Commissioner as well as senior functionaries of the State Government including of Urban Local Bodies Department has been requested to take an immediate call so as to ensure that the Voting in aforesaid Civic Elections, which is scheduled to be conducted via Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), as also announced by SEC, the same must be with usage of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) mechanism.

The Supreme Court of India in its judgement titled Dr. Subramanian Swamy vs Election Commission Of India (Oct, 2013) has recognized that the incorporation and implementation of a system of paper trail in EVMs is an indispensable requirement of a free  and fair elections. 

Ever since the pronouncement aforesaid verdict of the Apex Court mandating usage of VVPAT along with EVMs, the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a phased manner has implemented the inclusive EVM-VVPAT mechanism across the country during elections/bye-elections to Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies. The Central Government on its part also suitably amended Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 to  facilitate usage of VVPAT along with EVMs.

Three years ago in May-June 2019 during General Elections for the current 17th Lok Sabha, such a system was used in all 543 Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) across the country. 

Moreover, the ECI has also been meticulously complying with another Judgment of the Supreme Court titled N. Chandrababu Naidu & Others Vs Union of India (Apr,2019) wherein  Court  ordered mandatory verification of VVPAT generated paper slips out of 5 randomly selected polling stations in each Assembly Constituency/Segments after completion of the last round of counting of votes recorded in the EVMs. 

Two months ago in March, 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) through Saurabh Bhardwaj, present MLA of Delhi Assembly approached Delhi High Court by filing a Writ Petition urging the Court to give a direction to SEC, Delhi for conduct of General Elections to then three Municipal Corporations (North, South and East MCs) in Delhi which were then scheduled in  April-May, 2022 by usage of VVPAT along with EVMs. The Delhi High Court issued notice to ECI and SEC, Delhi seeking their response in this regard.  Although, thereafter due to passage of Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 by both Houses of Parliament which aims at re-unification/re-integration of aforesaid three MCs into single entity, as was the case before the year 2012, the next MCD General Elections have got delayed however the Delhi High Court is nevertheless seized of the issue pertaining to directing the SEC, Delhi for usage of VVPAT along with EVMs in forthcoming MCD Elections. The next date of hearing is scheduled for Sep 2, 2022. 

Although the Haryana Government has till date not incorporated the mechanism of VVPAT in Haryana Municipal Election Rules  even after more than 8 years of SC Judgment in Dr. Subramanian Swamy’s case (2013) due to reasons best known to it, yet the SEC, Haryana which is a Constitutional body under Article 243 ZA under Constitution of India vested with powers regarding  the superintendence, direction and control of Elections to all the Municipalities in the State, can very much on its own take a decision by issuance of an Order or otherwise for usage of VVPAT along with EVMs in  ensuing Civic Polls in Haryana which is even otherwise mandatory in terms of Supreme Court Judgment as cited above. 

WHEN THE PUNJAB GOVT EULOGISE PUNJABI LANGUAGE

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann posted a tweet in Punjabi on his official Twitter Handle i.e. @BhagwantMann which mentions –Punjab Punjabiyat first ! Mother tongue Punjabi has been made mandatory in the aptitude test for government jobs. At least 50% marks will be mandatory in the test. Mother tongue Punjabi is our identity all over the world. The aim of our government is to promote Punjabi in all aspects.

However, an Advocate at Punjab & Haryana High Court, Hemant Kumar, says that when after reading the above tweet of CM Mann, he checked the Official Gazette Notification as issued by State Government’s Department of General Administration, Cabinet Affairs Branch pertaining to dismissal/sacking of Dr. Vijay Singla, then Cabinet Minister of Punjab who was holding portfolios of Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education & Research in Mann’s Council of Ministers on May 24, the Notification of which which got published in Punjab Government Gazette Extraordinary dated May 24 itself, he was utterly surprised to see that such Notification has been issued and published only in English language.

Not only that, Hemant avers that ever since Mann got appointed as Chief Minister of Punjab on March 16, 2022 followed by appointment of Ministers in his Cabinet/Council of Ministers on March 19, and thereafter allocation of portfolios to all Cabinet Ministers by Punjab Governor on the advice of CM Mann, every such Gazette Notification has been published only in English Language as is currently available/.uploaded on official website of Punjab Government under the head E-Gazette Notifications.

Not only that, even Gazette Notification dated 4 May 2022 pertaining to election of S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan, who although got elected as Speaker of current 16th Punjab Assembly on 21 March 2022, has been issued and published in Punjab Government Gazette by Vidhan Sabha Secretariat only in English language.

One seriously wonders why such important sort of Gazette Notifications are not being issued and published in Punjabi language by various Departments of State Government as well as by Punjab Vidhan Sabha Secretariat when Chief Minister Mann is himself glorifying and promoting the usage of Punjabi language in the state.

Further, quoting Punjab Official Language Act, 1967, as applicable in the State of Punjab with effect from 29 December 1967, Advocate Hemant says as per Section 3 of ibid Act the official language of the State of Punjab shall be Punjabi.

Hence, every Notification, be it statutory or non-statutory (executive) should be mandatorily issued and published originally in Punjab Government Gazette in State’s Official Language i.e. Punjabi although it can be accompanied by its Authorized English Translation so that those who can’t read Punjabi can also understand the text of the same.

VIGILANCE BUREAU SHOULD TAKE NOTICE OF COLLOQUIAL CHARGES OF CORRUPTION LEVELLED BY AMARINDER ON EX-COLLEAGUES 

Chief Director Vigilance Bureau Punjab or Director General of Punjab Police, should take suo-moto notice of the colloquial reveals of the Former Chief Minister Punjab, Capt. Amarinder Singh, which are also prominently appearing as news reports in the media. Capt. Amarinder Singh has vehemently claimed as reported in the media that he possesses very important and analytical documentary evidence which expressively relates to the corruption and flagrant plunder of the state wealth by his erstwhile cabinet colleagues and Congress MLAs.

Undoubtedly, Capt. Amarinder Singh may have collected this classified information during his tenure as Minister for Home and Vigilance Punjab, which he is very generously willing to share with the incumbent Chief Minister. These vital disclosures apropos the corrupt practices which had been carried out by his ministers and MLAs; the startling revelation bizarrely manifests, that how incapable or beleaguered he was to check the menace of corruption, during his own regime.

During the British era the British Government used to create their private and disguised network of informers for the ground level feedback and their services were adequately compensated and rewarded by way of handouts of various kinds.

But here the Chief Minister, Punjab Mr. Bhagwant Mann is fortunate to find a highly credible ‘stool pigeon informer’ in Capt. Amarinder Singh, who himself has volunteered to reveal crucial information, that relates to the corruption of his former colleagues in the Government. Hence, there should be no hesitation or delay in receiving and using the information that may immensely help the government agencies engaged to unearth the conduits of corruption, spread all over in the vital organs of the system of governance.

It is pertinent to mention here that Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Mann has very unreservedly exhorted people of Punjab to give information regarding corruption from anywhere and whatsoever,  on the specially created  dedicated WhatsApp phone number: 950120020; but here a very high-profile informer and a former Chief Minister of the State Capt. Amarinder Singh  himself volunteers to give vital information on corruption, I wonder why thus far the incumbent Chief Minister has not taken any discernible initiative in the matter?

(Obituary Jathedar Tota Singh-1940 to 2022)

AN AGGRESSIVE LEADER WHO USED TO KEEP REVOLVER IN A WOODEN HOLSTER; A BADALS’ LOYALIST WAS VOCAL IN PARTY CIRCLES BUT DISCIPLINED OUTSIDE 

The passing away of Jathedar Tota Singh marks the end of the creed of quintessential Akalis referred as ‘Taksalis’.

Singh died at the age of 81, on Sunday, at a Mohali hospital due to deteriorating respiratory problem, and would be remembered for standing beside the party in thick and thin, his entire career spanning over 55 years and as belonging to the Badals’ camp.

He was vocal while in the company of party peers and leadership as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) deviating from the ethos it was set up upon, but was disciplined and never crossed the fine line of discipline.

He would often dismiss the toughest of situations saying, “party is aware and things will be fine soon”, choosing not to utter anything in public.

A thorough bred Akali, Tota Singh remained member of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) his entire political career, (from 1978) and won last polls of the gurdwara-body from Moga. Despite a say in gurdwara matters, he could never make up for the top post as the president, his name though was floated a number of times to set-right the mismanaged affairs. 

He was elected as MLA from Moga in 1997 and was made education minister, and later was elected to state legislative assembly in 2002 and2012. 

Jathedar’s early days’ association with the then chief minister Surjeet Singh Barnala, kick-started his politics career when he was made the chairman of Mandi board in the 1980, while he was party’s circle head of Moga. Later, during his entire career he stuck himself on Badals side.

 “I remember him as a genuine and loyal Akali who always stayed in party discipline. He was active since the days of Master Tara Singh,” said Prithipal Singh Kapur, a Sikh historian. “Punjabis in general and Khalsa panth in particular have lost a strong panthic face who possessed unflinching commitment…SAD will always be inspired by the indefatigable spirit of Jathedar Saab,” commented SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal. 

Jathedar Tota Singh used to often remember his early days in Akali Dal as driving a tractor-trolley transporting the peasants from his native village Didarsinghwala to the agitations for Punjabi suba morcha. He is remembered by old time Akalis as an aggressive students’ leader and peculiarly carrying a revolver in a wooden holster.

Tota Singh has recently penned a book on setting up of his villages, and its evolution around the partition in the 1940s. “Read about my village set up by family leaders,” he would say in pride while presenting the book. Infact all villages should have such books written to document the history, he would add.

Other than being an old-school Akali, he comes from the class of Jat-Sikh (Brars of Moga) peasant family, who believes in toiling hard in the agriculture fields and expanding the land holdings. He was known to have the pulse of agriculture in the state, however, as an agriculture minister in the tenure of SAD-BJP government (2012-2017) he was blamed to failing to handle the white fly attack on cotton crop leading to heavy losses to farmers, which many in the party say it was the bureaucracy at the helm, then, who pushed the entire onus on him.

Earlier he was charged in a recruitment scam as education minister in SAD-BJP government (of 1997-2002), by the Capt. Amarinder Singh led the government in 2003. However, later he was convicted of misusing an official vehicle. The case is pending in appeal in the High Court. As education minister he also earned criticism as anti-Punjabi, for introducing English in government schools’ curriculum, but he stuck to the stand.

His family wants him to be referred to as ‘Jathedar Ji’ and not his bare name, but personally the Akali leader used to take pride in the name given to him by his mother.

Tota Singh enjoyed strong connections among the Diaspora in North American countries US and Canada, which he often bragged about.

In 2016 when Aam Aadami party (AAP) was setting foot in the state and had sent a delegation to the foreign countries to woo non-resident Punjabis, Tota Singh who deputed by SAD to neutralize the impact. At a meeting in New York a shoe was hurled on him, but this gutsy leader held a series of meetings in the US and later in Canada.

As party’s senior vice-president he attended the last meeting of the core committee SAD’s top decision making body ahead of the state polls, and called upon everyone to fight with complete commitment. 

Tota Singh faced some tough time as his son Barjinder Singh Makhan was involved in Moga sex scandal for which followed a long drawn trial involving Makhan and his accomplices who included senior police officers. Jathedar used to say in private that he never faced such embarrassment in his entire political life.

OVER 1.5 LAKH STUDY PERMITS TO INDIAN STUDENTS IN 2021

Concerned over the trend in fatalities among the Indian students studying in Canada, India’s missions in the North American country have reached out to universities across Canada to create a database of students from India and to map their whereabouts. India’s one of the largest circulated daily (www.hindustantimes.com) reported this.

The decision by the Indian mission came after a number of fatalities involving young Indian students.

In addition, missions are also coordinating with community organisations and in particular, with students’ associations at universities, as they are the first that become aware if a student is tackling depression or behaving abnormally.

A large number of students from India and particularly north Indian state Punjab are seeking to get admission in Canadian colleges and universities.

According to data from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 156,171 study permits were given to students from India in 2021, almost double the number for 2020, which was at 76,149, which was a substantial drop due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on travel. However, the surge since last year could lead to a new record high in Indian students reaching Canadian universities and colleges in 2022, and it could eclipse the previous mark of 174,687 in 2019.

The number of Indian students studying in Canada grew by nearly 350 per cent between the 2015-16 and 2019-20 academic years. Similarly, from January to November 2021, nearly 1,30,000 Indian students were approved to study in Canada

In February this year, the high commission issued an advisory targeting students, discussing among other matters, work permits, how expensive accommodation can be, even the extreme weather. It noted, “Though Canada is a multi-cultural society, there is a vast cultural gap between India and Canada. This results in students feeling lonely and hence sick during the first months after their arrival.”

In April, Indian missions also launched a new registration portal for Indian nationals, including students in Canada, which was “triggered, and informed by problems being faced by the community including students, including the large number of casualties,” a senior Indian official said.

India’s missions in Canada are enhancing their outreach to students from India as their numbers balloon along with a spate of incidents, including accidents, suicides, even murders.

As part of the initiatives Indian mission is creating a database to track the students and registering them.

The latest such tragedy was reported on Sunday, when Peel Regional Police found the body of 20-year-old Navkiran Singh from Moga district in Punjab drowned in the Credit Valley River in Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area. No cause has yet been attributed for the death. “It’s a huge tragedy to see a young life being snuffed out,” India’s high commissioner to Ottawa said of the death of Navkiran Singh.

This is just the most recent example in a series of such casualties that have been reported in Canada this year involving students from India, including five, four from Punjab and one from Haryana, who were killed in a road mishap in Ontario in March and 21-year-old Kartik Vasudev being gunned down in Toronto in April.

Funeral home receives 5 bodies of Indian students every month

In November last year, the outlet, the Pointer reported that a single funeral home in the Greater Toronto Area recorded five dead bodies of Indian students each month. At that time, Kamal Bhardwaj, proprietor of the Lotus Funeral and Cremation Centre in Toronto, said they were handling corpses of five to six students each month. While not privy to the cause of death, some bodies turn up with ligature marks, indicating possible suicide and others bore signs of overdose. “There’s been an increase in number of young people dying,” he said whiles talking to the hindustantimes.com