Latest news with #DharampalSingh
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Kar sewa group repairs Anandpur Sahib roads in Punjab after government inaction.
Ropar: A volunteer group in Punjab has taken over road repairs in a historic Sikh pilgrimage town, highlighting growing frustration with govt inaction on crumbling infrastructure. Kar Sewa Qila Anandgarh Sahib, a religious service organisation, has begun repairing the deteriorating Agampur bridge and an adjoining smaller bridge in Anandpur Sahib, using its own funds after repeated pleas to authorities went unanswered. The town, home to the Takht Kesgarh Sahib — one of Sikhism's five temporal thrones — attracts large numbers of pilgrims, especially during the Holla Mohalla festival. Yet its roads have been left in a dangerous state, critics say. In a widely circulated video showing pothole-ridden stretches of the Anandpur Sahib–Mehatpur road, Nangal municipal council spokesperson Paramjit Singh Pamma asked: "What is the role of the govt if NGOs have to build and repair roads?" Kar Sewa sewadar Dharampal Singh said the Agampur bridge, which leads to the pilgrimage site of Naina Devi, had become hazardous. "We've repaired it permanently and are now working on the adjacent Agampur pully," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like UOL's Vision of Home, Redefined Portfolio Magazine Read More Undo The group had earlier funded a ₹2-crore project to repair and widen 12 km of the Anandpur Sahib-Garhshankar road, with 80% of the work already completed. Govt officials have offered delayed assurances. Ropar executive engineer (B&R) S S Bhullar said a proposal worth ₹6.5 crore had been sent to higher authorities for repairs to both bridges. "The damaged piers will also be addressed," he said. Meanwhile, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) executive engineer Sandeep Kumar said the central govt had sanctioned ₹2 crore on July 16 for repairs to the Anandpur Sahib-Mehatpur road, though final approval from Patiala was pending. A proposal to four-lane the Anandpur Sahib-Nangal road has also been submitted. Kumar noted, however, that the Agampur bridge was outside NHAI's jurisdiction. Following the cancellation of the Anandpur Sahib-Mehatpur toll agreement in March 2023, the road fell under the NHAI control. But with official funds still tied up in red tape, it is volunteers — not the state — keeping the town's arteries open.
Hindustan Times
28-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Bike theft ring busted, 13 vehicles retrieved
Jun 29, 2025 05:10 AM IST The Ludhiana police have recovered thirteen stolen motorbikes from two thieves caught earlier this week. The two thieves were caught on Hambran Road while riding a stolen motorcycle. (HT Photo) The thieves identified as Sandeep Singh and Dharampal Singh were arrested on June 24 by the criminal investigative agency (CIA) of the police. While Sandeep is from Shri Fatehgarh Sahib and lives in BRS Nagar, Dharmapal is from Kadahani Kalan village in Khanna. Superintendent of police (SP) Harpal Singh, addressing a presser here on Saturday, said that the thieves were caught after they were stopped on Hambran Road here on June 24 and were found riding a stolen bike upon checking. While the police had recovered one bike from the duo on the day of arrest, three bikes were recovered on June 25, and nine were recovered on June 27, as the interrogation continued. The recovered bikes include six Hero Honda Splendor, three Splendor Plus, two Hero Honda Passion, and one Bajaj and TVS each. An FIR under Sections 303 (2), 317 (2), and 3(5) of the BNS, all concerning theft and stolen property, have been registered against the duo at Division No 8 police station. Sandeep Singh is already involved in two cases of theft, one from September 2022, and the second from October 2024. He had come out on bail from the Central Jail in Rupnagar earlier in April.
Hindustan Times
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
BJP activates Dalit outreach strategy for 2027 UP polls
With an eye on regaining ground among Dalit voters, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched an intensive outreach campaign across Uttar Pradesh targeting the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. The move is part of the party's broader strategy to consolidate its support base ahead of the 2026 panchayat elections and the 2027 state assembly contest. State general secretary (organisation) of the party is reaching out to the party's SC leaders and community members across the state (Sourced) State general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh is spearheading the party's outreach strategy, engaging directly with Dalit leaders, office-bearers and workers through a series of district-level dialogues titled 'Anusoochit Jaati Samvad' (Dialogue with SC community). Since May, Singh has travelled to over 10 districts, including Ayodhya, Bulandshahr, Unnao, Chitrakoot, Lalitpur, Jhansi, Agra, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur and Kushinagar, holding meetings that are being positioned as more than routine political events. 'All party leaders of the SC cell, office-bearers and grassroots workers are attending these sessions. They are briefed about various schemes and steps taken by the BJP government for the uplift of the Scheduled Caste community,' a senior BJP leader said. Participants are also being trained to mobilise support at the local level and inform community members about government initiatives, he added. The Samajwadi Party and Congress have come under frequent criticism during these meetings. At a gathering in Unnao on May 15, Singh urged participants to recall how Congress had 'conspired to defeat Babasaheb Ambedkar' in parliamentary elections. Dr B R Ambedkar had lost both his Lok Sabha elections, first in 1952 from Bombay North-Central, and again in a 1954 bypoll from Bhandara in Vidarbha. 'Highlight the difference in approach between the BJP and the opposition. While the BJP promotes respect and welfare of Scheduled Castes, the opposition lacks a development agenda and only spreads misinformation,' Singh has said at multiple events. The Scheduled Caste population forms around 21% of Uttar Pradesh's electorate, with Jatavs (11.7%), Pasis (3.3%), Valmiks (3.15 %), Gonds, Dhanuks, Khatiks (1.2%) and others (1.6%). Notably, of U.P's 80 Lok Sabha seats, 17 are reserved for Scheduled Castes. In the 2024 general elections, the BJP's performance saw a decline, winning 33 seats compared to 62 in 2019. Party insiders attribute the fall in numbers to the shift of SC and OBC voters towards the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) alliance led by the Samajwadi Party, which secured 37 seats. Congress won seven seats, while BJP allies Rashtriya Lok Dal and Apna Dal (Soneylal) won two and one seat, respectively. Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) also clinched one seat.
Hindustan Times
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
UP BJP highlights social engineering at Ambedkar Smriti Sthal
The Bharatiya Janata Party utilised the occasion of the International Yoga Day on Saturday to take forward its social engineering initiative, roping in its scheduled caste and Other Backward Classes (OBC) leaders at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Smriti Sthal in Gomti Nagar. Neeraj, Dharampal and Brijlal (HT Photo) Most of the 5000 participants belonged to the SC and OBC communities at the venue where all BJP leaders wore T-shirts with Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar's photo. People from Lucknow slums and nearby areas also participated in hour-long yoga sessions under the guidance of yoga instructor Malvika Bajpai. A large number of people, including youth, social organisations, women and differently abled children also took part in the event. BJP's state general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh was the chief guest while party leader Neeraj Singh coordinated the programme. Dharampal Singh is also spearheading the party's OBC outreach programme across the state. Addressing a gathering after the session, Dharampal Singh stated that today, yoga has become a moral and ideological tool in the direction of equality and social justice that Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar had envisioned. Due to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the International Yoga Day is being organized in more than 171 countries today, he added. 'Yoga is not only a physical exercise, but also a medium of social balance and mental harmony. Yoga also strengthens the unity of the country and the feeling of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,' Dharampal Singh added. Neeraj Singh stated that Dr Ambedkar struggled throughout his life to eliminate social inequality and to provide social justice to Dalits, the deprived and backward classes. Assimilating the ideals of Ambedkar, a yoga programme has been organised here today with the message of 'Ek Bharat Samras Bharat', Neeraj Singh added. An exhibition was also organised where Dr Ambedkar's life and vision was highlighted through posters. Prominent BJP leaders present at the event included two former DGPs Brij Lal and Vijay Kumar, Ambedkar Mahasabha chairman and MLC Lalji Nirmal, MLA Mukesh Sharma, state president of the SC Morcha Ramchandra Kanaujia, state vice-president of the SC Morcha Devesh Kori and former IAS officer Dinesh Chandra. Others present on the occasion included Harish Kumar, Pankaj Prasun Jatav, AK Gautam, Gangaram Ambedkar, Ram Avtar Kanaujia, Vipin Sonkar and a large number of people from the Scheduled Caste community.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP SC wing's yoga event
BJP functionary and Yoga programme in-charge Neeraj Singh inspected preparations for the event at the Ambedkar Park in Gomtinagar on Friday. The event being organised by BJP's Scheduled Caste Morcha will witness participation of over 5,000 people from the SC community. State general secretary (Organisation) Dharampal Singh, SC Morcha state president Ramchandra Kanojia, Ram Avtar Kanojia, city president Vipin Sonkar, and functionaries from various districts will also attend the event.
