BJP removes its secretary from post in Amritsar

Amritsar: Almost a month after senior BJP leader and former Punjab minister Anil Joshi was expelled from the party for six years for anti-party activities, the district unit of the BJP on Sunday removed its secretary and Joshi’s close confidant Aman Aerry. Suresh Mahajan, district president of the party, in a press statement said he was removed for misusing his position. He said he had received numerous complaints against him, therefore a disciplinary action was taken against him. He said Aerry was asked to mend his ways. However, he did not bother and it was harming the party. Earlier, a two-time MLA Joshi was expelled for six years from the party after he issued statements against the state and Central leaderships for mishandling farm protests and not giving a correct feedback to the Centre on farm laws. He also demanded the withdrawal of the three controversial agricultural laws. TNS

Protest outside Navjot Singh Sidhu’s house

Amritsar: Employees of the state government have announced to hold a dharna outside the residence of Amritsar East MLA and state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on August 14. They would urge him to restart the old pension scheme. The employees said the old pension scheme was in force till December 31, 2003, so those employees who joined the service after January 1, 2004, would be deprived of its benefits. They said the new pension scheme provided no social security to the employees retired under the new pension scheme, so most of those who joined after December 1, 2003, would not be able to live a life of dignity. Employees’ leader Jatin Sharma said a three-hour protest outside Sidhu’s residence had been planned. A state-level rally in Ludhiana was also planned for August 29. Narinder Singh and Prem Chand of the Employees’ Coordination Committee, said several issues of employees had been pending for a long time. TNS