Punjab

SGPC Convenes Special Session on August 5 to Discuss Takht Sahibans Protocol

SGPC Convenes Special Session on August 5 to Discuss Takht Sahibans Protocol

Amritsar (National Times): The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has announced a special meeting of its members on August 5, 2025, to discuss matters related to etiquette and protocol at the Takht Sahibans, the five temporal seats of Sikh authority. SGPC Chief Secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan confirmed that the session will be chaired by SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, and formal invitations to all committee members were issued on July 11. The meeting is scheduled for 1:00 PM at the SGPC headquarters located in Teja Singh Samundri Hall, Amritsar. According to Mannan, the core focus will be to review…
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Amarjit Singh Mehta Re-elected as Punjab Cricket Association President

Amarjit Singh Mehta Re-elected as Punjab Cricket Association President

Chandigarh (National Times): Amarjit Singh Mehta has been re-elected as the President of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) following the association's Annual General Body Meeting held on Saturday at the New Chandigarh Stadium. All office-bearers for the upcoming three-year term were elected unopposed, as confirmed by Electoral Officer Rajeev Sharma (IAS Retd). New PCA Office-Bearers: President: Amarjit Singh Mehta Vice-President: Deepak Bali Secretary: Kulwant Singh Joint Secretary: Siddhant Sharma Treasurer: Sunil Gupta Among the key office-bearers, Kulwant Singh, an AAP MLA from Mohali, and Deepak Bali, adviser to the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Board, bring political and administrative experience to…
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Day 133 of Yudh Nashian Virudh: 120 drug smugglers held with 707 grams of heroin.

Day 133 of Yudh Nashian Virudh: 120 drug smugglers held with 707 grams of heroin.

As part of ‘de-addiction’, Punjab Police convince 76 persons to undergo de-addiction treatment.CHANDIGARH, July 12: With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state completed 133 days, Punjab Police on Saturday arrested 120 drug smugglers and recovered 707 grams heroin and Rs 16,300 drug money  from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 21,660 in just 133 days. The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28…
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PHDCCI in collaboration with Canara Bank organized a MSME Cluster Meet at Chandigarh

PHDCCI in collaboration with Canara Bank organized a MSME Cluster Meet at Chandigarh

Chandigarh: Haryana State Chapter, PHDCCI, in collaboration with Canara Bank, organized an MSME Cluster Meet today at PHD House, Sector 31, Chandigarh, with the objective of making MSMEs aware of the Government's Industrial policies and bank funding schemes.Sh. Lokesh Jain, Co-Chair, Haryana State Chapter, PHDCCI, welcomed the Speakers and participants, highlighting that MSMEs contribute significantly to India’s GDP, exports, and employment generation. Sh. B Ravi, Deputy General Manager, Regional Office, Chandigarh while expressing his views mentioned Canara Bank disbursement Rs. 1000 Cr last year and is all set to increase more funds this year, He also explained TAT (Turned around…
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Speaker Kultar Sandhwan’s Emotional Appeal After Assembly passes BBMB CISF Resolution: “Punjab is the Son of Rivers”

Speaker Kultar Sandhwan’s Emotional Appeal After Assembly passes BBMB CISF Resolution: “Punjab is the Son of Rivers”

Chandigarh (National Times): In a powerful and emotional moment that resonated across party lines, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan made a stirring statement after the House unanimously passed a resolution opposing the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). Though traditionally a neutral figure in legislative proceedings, Sandhwan stepped beyond the conventional role of Speaker, not politically, but emotionally, as he addressed the House and the nation with folded hands, speaking not just as a Speaker, but as a Punjabi. “A Speaker must remain neutral, but as a son of…
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Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Delivers Fiery Speech in Assembly Amid BBMB Uproar, Defends Punjab’s Water, Culture, and Artists

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Delivers Fiery Speech in Assembly Amid BBMB Uproar, Defends Punjab’s Water, Culture, and Artists

Chandigarh (National Times): Amid chaotic scenes in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during the special session, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann delivered a fiery and wide-ranging address, hitting out at the opposition, defending Punjab’s water rights, cultural expressions, and even jumping into the ongoing controversy surrounding actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh. The session saw loud protests from Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa over a remark made by Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, who had used the Punjabi expression “dadhi muhrawa.” Bajwa objected, calling it offensive, prompting Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and CM Mann to step in and clarify that such expressions are part of Punjabi…
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CM Bhagwant Mann, Partap Bajwa Clash in Punjab Assembly; ‘12 Vaje’ Remark Sparks Uproar

CM Bhagwant Mann, Partap Bajwa Clash in Punjab Assembly; ‘12 Vaje’ Remark Sparks Uproar

Chandigarh (National Times): A heated exchange between Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa led to uproar in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday, after Bajwa’s remark “12 tuhade vaje hone hai” triggered sharp protests from AAP MLAs who viewed it as an insult to Sikh sentiments. The clash began when CM Bhagwant Mann accused Bajwa of diverting attention from critical state issues. “You should raise matters that are against Punjab and Punjabis,” Mann said sternly. When Bajwa continued to speak out of turn, the Chief Minister responded, “Please sit down, it’s just 12 PM.…
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Aman Arora Hits Back at Bajwa in Punjab Assembly Over ‘Stage of Drama’ Remark, Seeks Privilege Motion

Aman Arora Hits Back at Bajwa in Punjab Assembly Over ‘Stage of Drama’ Remark, Seeks Privilege Motion

Chandigarh (National Times): The Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday witnessed heated exchanges between senior leaders as the House debated a resolution against the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The verbal showdown intensified when Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa described the Assembly as a "stage of drama," prompting sharp criticism from Cabinet Minister Aman Arora. Bajwa’s comment — “They (AAP leaders) have made this Assembly a stage of drama” — did not go down well with Arora, who immediately demanded Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to issue a privilege motion against the…
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Harpal Cheema Slams Pratap Bajwa in Punjab Assembly Amid FIR Row, Session Extended

Harpal Cheema Slams Pratap Bajwa in Punjab Assembly Amid FIR Row, Session Extended

Chandigarh (National Times): High drama unfolded in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday as Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema launched a fierce verbal attack on Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa during the announcement of the Assembly session's extension till July 15. As Bajwa and other Congress MLAs staged a protest in the House, Cheema didn’t hold back, accusing the senior Congress leader of having deep-rooted connections with gangsters and the BJP. "Who brought Ansari into Punjab? Who fed the gangsters in Punjab? You were the one. Punjab knows it all," Cheema thundered. “You gave birth to gangsterhood in the…
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Doctored Video Row: FIR Filed Against Punjab Ministers Harpal Cheema, Aman Arora on Bajwa’s Complaint

Doctored Video Row: FIR Filed Against Punjab Ministers Harpal Cheema, Aman Arora on Bajwa’s Complaint

Chandigarh (National Times): Political tensions in Punjab escalated sharply after an FIR was registered against state ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Aman Arora under BNS sections 336(4), 356, and 61(2). The complaint, filed by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, accuses the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of circulating a doctored video that misrepresented his statements in the Punjab Assembly. According to Bajwa, the edited video twisted his remarks — which were a criticism of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau’s handling of a case involving a female Congress MLA — to make it appear as if he was defending Shiromani Akali Dal…
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