VIP culture here to stay

Patiala: The VIP culture continues to haunt city residents in the home town of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. The son of a Cabinet minister is often seen in a luxury SUV with a VIP pilot escort vehicle following his vehicle and many times not even caring about the traffic lights. This VIP manages the office of his father and usually handles local postings for officers in his father's constituency. The traffic wing also ignores the plight of the common citizens. A traffic cop said, “We can’t challan them or even ask their staff to stop at red lights as they manage postings of our bosses, so why waste time.” In another such case, a personal assistant of an MLA is seen visiting coffee joints in the official vehicle of the MLA and accompanied by two gunmen. This PA holds his “gair sarkaari darbar”, meeting policemen and lower rung officials from the constituency and discussing business opportunities or postings. Since the MLA belongs to a senior Congress leader’s family, there is no authority to check the menace.

Nostalgia for ‘Chak De’ star

Abohar: As a student at LRS DAV Senior Secondary School, Tanya Abrol had led a contingent for Independence Day parade long ago. The “Chak De India” actress had nostalgic moments when she participated in the I-Day function organised by Punjabi Sabhyachar Manch at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk as a special guest. She enthused hundreds of participants by responding to their request to raise “Chak De India” slogans. Her mother Sarita said Tanya was at their native Panjawa village for Rakshabandhan. Breaking the stereotypes and charming the audience with just one movie was not a simple task, but Tanya pulled it off. She was selected to play the part of hockey player Balbir Kaur while she was pursuing graduation at MCM DAV College in Chandigarh.

No effigy burning, please

Jalandhar: Following the recent abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had ordered that no celebrations or protests would be allowed. So when the CPI chose to hold a protest on the issue, the CID and senior Jalandhar city cops reached the protest site in large numbers. As soon as the party workers took out an effigy and were about to set it on fire, a CID officer caught hold of the effigy, loaded it in his vehicle and took it away. The interesting scene was captured by The Tribune lensman.

FM’s message, loud and clear

Bathinda: The public representatives are custodians of public money. Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal loves to reiterate this. Be it his speech in the Vidhan Sabha or on interstate forums, this continues to be his consistent message. This time while handing over cheques for welfare works in Bathinda, he remarked, “The money I am disbursing is not my money, it is the money of the people of Punjab.” But even on this occasion, the FM brought in some pathos and a poetic touch. “This money carries the fragrance of sweat and blood of hardworking people. By sowing frugality, we reap liberty and a golden harvest.”