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Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Citing ‘disillusionment' among party, AAP councillor switches to Congress
Satnam Singh Sunny Master, a sitting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councilor from Ward 58, which falls in Ludhiana West assembly segment joined the Congress on Friday. He was inducted into the party by former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, former cabinet minister Rana Gurjit, party candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu and others. Besides, Karan Warring, a senior BJP leader and Paramvir Singh, nephew of late MLA Gurpreet Gogi also joined the Congress. Earlier, Vikramjit Singh, the social media in-charge of the AAP for Malwa region also joined the Congress in presence of the party's general secretary in charge of Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel, and the state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. Speaking on the occasion, Sunny Master said he was completely disillusioned with the AAP after seeing it from inside. He said they were all fake revolutionaries. He said he was deeply disturbed the way the AAP leadership was handing over the posts and positions, which are the right of the Punjabis, to people from Delhi and other places. Karan Warring said it was a homecoming for him as his family has been with Congress for generations. He especially appealed to the BJP and the Akali supporters, not to waste their votes and support Ashu to defeat the outsiders' party, the AAP. Welcoming them into the party fold, Channi and Rana said it was a homecoming for them. Channi said, it was not an ordinary thing that a sitting councillor had left the ruling party and joined the opposition party. He noted this shows how disappointed and disillusioned people are with the AAP. He said, this is just the beginning as more and more people were keen to join Congress after being disillusioned with the AAP. Channi in a special message to the self respecting Punjabis, who believe in Punjabiyat, said that they must come forward and ensure the victory of Congress and defeat the outsiders. He said, no Punjabi would like to vote for a Haryanvi, suggesting that the AAP was fighting this election for sending Kejriwal, who originally hails from Haryana, to Rajya Sabha. 'This is the matter of Punjabi prestige', he remarked.
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Diljit Dosanjh's regal ‘Punjabi' look at Met Gala 2025: The intriguing history behind the original ‘Patiala Necklace'
Flaunting his Punjabi roots with pride, actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh made his Met Gala debut in New York on Tuesday, wearing regal traditional attire and a multi-layered, jewel-studded necklace with a stunning emerald centrepiece—a look inspired by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, the erstwhile ruler of the princely state of Patiala. Dosanjh's Met Gala appearance oozed Punjabiyat from head to toe: a jewel-studded turban with a feather, a lion-headed kirpan in hand, an outfit embroidered with Gurmukhi alphabets and the map of Punjab, and a neckpiece inspired by the iconic 'Patiala Necklace' — created by France-based jewellery house Cartier nearly a century ago. Diljit also wore a Cartier watch to complete the look. The annual Met Gala is regarded as the grandest gathering of fashion icons from around the world. While Dosanjh's outfit was designed by Prabal Gurung, the jewels were customised by Jaipur-based Golecha Jewels. Explaining the intricacies behind the three-piece jewel ensemble, Manav Golecha, owner of Golecha Jewels, told The Indian Express: 'It took us nearly three months to create this multi-layered necklace, inspired by the original Patiala Necklace, which was a Cartier creation for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. The current neckpiece has over 50 carats of tourmalines. The emerald centrepiece alone weighs close to 130 carats. The other two elements include a choker crafted with spinels to give it a vintage charm and a Colombian emerald necklace layered with the Patiala piece.' Golecha, however, clarified: 'The necklace and turban jewels we created for Diljit are not directly connected to the original Patiala Necklace, except that they draw inspiration from it. None of the original jewels or stones worn by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh have been used. However, Diljit has worn an original Cartier watch to complete the look.' On Instagram, Diljit wrote: 'Main HOON Punjab. Inspired by the theme of Black Dandyism, I bring my turban, my culture & my mother tongue 'Punjabi' to the MET GALA.' 'Patiala Necklace' at Met Gala: Not a first This is not the first time the 'Patiala Necklace' has captured attention at the Met Gala. In 2022, American YouTuber Emma Chamberlain wore a choker resembling one from the original Patiala Necklace, sparking widespread criticism online. In archival photographs, the necklace is most often seen adorning Maharaja Bhupinder Singh's son and successor, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh—the last ruler of Patiala from 1938 until the state's merger with the Indian Union in 1948—alongside a diamond-studded choker. Diljit Dosanjh was seen wearing a Prabal Gurung creation at the Met Gala. (Photo: Diljitisvibe/Instagram) Chamberlain had credited Cartier for her jewellery on Instagram, prompting a backlash from Indians accusing the brand of showcasing a 'stolen piece of heritage.' Following the controversy, historians shared old photographs of the necklace, questioning whether it was indeed the same piece once owned by the Patiala royals—and how such a treasured artefact ended up in the West. The mysterious history of the 'Patiala Necklace' The whereabouts of the original 'Patiala Necklace', once owned by the Patiala royal family, remain unknown. Its disappearance continues to puzzle not only historians but also members of the royal household. It is believed that after 1948, the entire set—including the necklace and choker—was either stolen or mysteriously went missing from the Patiala treasury. Decades later, in the 1980s, Cartier recovered some remnants of the necklace, including the massive De Beers diamond — though many gemstones were missing. The brand attempted to restore it using replicas of the lost diamonds. The original's grandeur was unmatched. Cartier took three years to complete it. If intact today, it would be valued at an estimated $30–50 million (approximately Rs 3-5 crore). 'A diamond the size of a golf ball… worthy of a king': How Cartier made the original The 2019 book The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire by Francesca Cartier Brickell, granddaughter of Jean-Jacques Cartier, has a chapter titled 'Jewelry Spotlight: The Patiala Necklace'. She writes that in the summer of 1925, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, one of the world's richest men at the time, summoned Cartier's head Paris salesman to Hotel Claridge in Paris with a special request: to modernise his heirloom collection. Diljit Dosanjh attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' exhibition on Monday. (AP Photo) The Maharaja presented an extraordinary trove of gemstones—Burmese rubies, white, brown, and yellow diamonds (some with green and pink tints), vivid green emeralds, and a diamond 'as large as a thumbnail'. Cartier's team spent three years transforming the gems into a historic jewellery set. 'More than 200 pearls were drilled to make a single bracelet,' Brickell writes. But the pièce de résistance was the necklace: 2,930 diamonds weighing over 1,000 carats, set in platinum, enhanced by rubies, and centred around a 234.6-carat yellow De Beers diamond—the seventh-largest diamond in the world.' While not a lucrative commission — since the Maharaja supplied his own gems — the necklace dramatically elevated Cartier's image in the West, where Indian royalty epitomised opulence. Still a mystery for the Patiala royals Captain Amarinder Singh, the Patiala royal scion, former Punjab chief minister, and son of Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, told this correspondent that while he remembered his father wearing the necklace, he had never seen it in person. 'I was not even born when my grandfather died in 1938. According to family elders, the necklace was never stolen. My father wore it during Dussehra Darbar. My grandfather had 54 children—perhaps it was dismantled and distributed among them as dowries or gifts, and later sold. I never saw it myself. But it wasn't stolen. Cartier later tried to reassemble it,' he said. However, Amarinder's younger brother, Malwinder Singh, offered a different account. 'We were very young, but I last saw my father wearing it on April 13, 1948, during the Baisakhi Darbar at Moti Bagh Palace. I was four and Amarinder was six. After that, it was never seen again. I wouldn't say it was stolen or lost—but it vanished. I even asked my mother, but she didn't know anything about it,' he said. 'Around 20 years ago, I met Cartier representatives in Delhi who told me they had recovered parts of it. My father must have known what happened – whether it was sold or gifted. But we never asked. I don't believe it was split among 54 children—there were many other assets. Such jewels were only worn at Darbars. When the princely state ceased to exist, there was no occasion for it. The necklace's fate remains a mystery,' he added.
Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
In Punjab, Haryana, Delhi wars, BJP navigates treacherous waters
After a meeting of Punjab's major political parties on the water-sharing dispute with Haryana on Friday, Punjab BJP has stoutly defended the state's interests, saying not a drop of the state's water will go elsewhere. While this position is not in sync with the party's stance in Haryana and Delhi — Haryana on Friday said it would approach the Supreme Court — in an effort not to appear to be on the same page as the state's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Punjab BJP has also targeted Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for allegedly mishandling the situation. At the all-party meeting Mann chaired, state BJP president Sunil Jakhar said he was firmly on the side of the state. 'You have made a 'retired' person come out of the house when it comes to the rights of Punjab. The BJP stands with Punjab's rights always,' he told reporters after the meeting. Jakhar had submitted his resignation as state BJP chief last year, but the party's central leadership has not accepted it yet, and no replacement has been announced. Careful not to appear to be siding with the Mann administration, Jakhar said, 'The BJP has always firmly stood for Punjab's interests and maintained a clear stance that Punjab has no surplus water to share with any state. Resorting to petty politics over providing drinking water on humanitarian grounds may suit the AAP, but it goes against the spirit and principles of Punjabiyat. Punjab is a land where people give chabeels (a sweet drink typically made of milk, sugar, and water) to commuters.' He added that he would raise the matter with the party's central leadership to ensure such situations do not recur. On Friday, the Punjab BJP also tried to keep up the pressure on Mann by organising dharnas in districts to protest against his government's 'failure' to effectively represent Punjab's case before the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) that resulted in the allotment of 8,500 cusecs of excess water daily to Haryana. The party burned effigies of CM Mann at the protests. Former Patiala MP Preneet Kaur said Punjab already had '115 dark zones' due to the depletion of groundwater. 'Under such conditions, we don't have excess water for anyone else. The BJP stands tall with Punjab voters. However, we believe that the AAP's response to this issue was more drama and less groundwork. They couldn't present themselves in a better way and ended up giving excess water to Haryana. So, the one who has robbed Punjab's waters is the Punjab CM,' Kaur said on Friday. Her remarks came at a time when her husband and former CM Captain Amarinder Singh is in Delhi to meet BJP national president J P Nadda. 'Whenever it comes to the interests of Punjab, we are standing with Punjab's people first of all,' said state BJP general secretary Anil Sarin. When pointed out that the downstream states such as Haryana and Rajasthan and the National Capital Region of Delhi now had BJP governments, he said, 'We have to look for the interests of Punjab. They can look for their own interests. Our stand is very clear.' BJP leaders in Delhi criticised the AAP leadership in Punjab for the crisis while sidestepping their own state unit's stand on the issue. 'When Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann are playing dirty politics over drinking water, Nayab Saini (Haryana CM) has shown the true spirit of our nation's culture as he has said, 'Punjab is our elder brother, and if needed, we will even share our own share of water.' Every Punjabi thinks this way, we don't let even our enemies go thirsty. But Kejriwal has corrupted even a true Punjabi like Bhagwant Mann, making his thinking narrow and driven by political selfishness,' said Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa. His Delhi Cabinet colleague Parvesh Sahib Singh also accused the Mann government of playing 'dirty politics' by 'blocking water meant for Haryana and Delhi'. 'We are working day and night to provide clean water to every household in Delhi and now the Punjab government wants to take revenge on the people of Delhi like this,' he alleged. The Punjab BJP's protests came a day after the AAP held demonstrations outside the offices and residences of its leaders, accusing the BJP in Haryana and in Delhi of infringing upon Punjab's water rights. AAP state president Aman Arora and senior spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang wrote to Jakhar and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, asking them to clarify whether they stood with Punjab or their party colleagues in Haryana and Delhi. Bittu, the Union MoS for Railways and Food Processing, in response, said the AAP had failed to stand its ground during the recent meeting with the BBMB. 'Unprepared and clueless, their team stayed silent as Haryana demanded more water. Why didn't CM Mann defend Punjab's needs? BJP stands firm: not a drop of Punjab's water will go elsewhere.' BJP insiders said Punjab had released excess water to Haryana in the last three years as well after Haryana exhausted its allocated share, and the same water flowed towards Delhi. 'During those years, Delhi also had an AAP government and the AAP did not politicise the issue. However, now that the BJP rules Delhi, the Punjab CM has suddenly taken a stand for the state,' said a senior BJP leader.
Hans India
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Punjab has no surplus water to share: State BJP chief Jakhar amid row with Haryana
Chandigarh: Saying Punjab has no surplus water to share with anyone, state BJP President Sunil Jakhar on Thursday said at a time when war-like conditions persist at the International Border, the government is destabilising the state by entangling its police force in protests and demonstrations. He pointed out that for political gains Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had stated during Haryana elections that water would be provided to Delhi and Haryana and the government had told the Supreme Court that they were ready for the construction of the Satluj Yamuna Link Canal but farmers were not allowing its construction. In a statement here, Jakhar claimed this reflects the double standards of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders who are using these protests as a pretext to cover up the involvement of their leaders, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in the Rs 2,000 crore classroom scam in Delhi. He said, 'The so-called Delhi model, which the AAP boasted about, has been exposed by the people of Delhi, and now the looting of public money during their tenure is coming to light.' He accused the AAP of destroying Delhi and now attempting to ruin Punjab's education system. Addressing the water issue, Jakhar emphasised that the BJP has always firmly stood for Punjab's interests and maintained a clear stance that Punjab has no surplus water to share with any state. However, he said resorting to petty politics over providing drinking water on humanitarian grounds may suit the AAP, but it goes against the spirit and principles of 'Punjabiyat.' He urged AAP leaders to shed their duplicity and remember the promises made during the Haryana elections. Jakhar added the people of Punjab have understood and recognised that this government is leading the state towards ruin. The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which serves the irrigation requirements of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan from the Bhakra Dam, on Wednesday evening ordered that an additional 8,500 cusecs of water would be released to Haryana. Aghast at this decision, the Punjab government has stepped up security at the regulator's end of the Nangal dam and held statewide protests. During a meeting of the BBMB's three member states, the Punjab government issued a dissent note saying it did not have a drop to share with anyone, and Haryana should have used its share judiciously. While the release of water is yet to start, the government has stepped up security at the regulator end of the Nangal dam fearing a law-and-order situation.
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Know the pain': BJP Pb chief urges CM to lead all-party group to J&K
Chandigarh: Batting for a united show of solidarity from Punjab towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday urged chief minister Bhagwant Mann to lead an all-party delegation from the state to its northern neighbour. Jakhar put out a video in this regard and also issued a written statement. Expressing sorrow over the terror incident in Pahalgam, Jakhar said, "What happened in Pahalgam shook all of us, not just as citizens of this country, but as human beings." He added Punjab, being a border state, faced the scars and shadows of terrorism for decades. "We know too well the pain it leaves behind. The trauma. The loss. And more importantly, the long, silent struggle that follows, for justice, for healing, and for peace," he said. Extending his support to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah for his statement in the assembly, Jakhar lauded Abdullah's "refusal to politicise the tragedy and the dignity with which he addressed the moment of national grief". He added, "That is why I want to acknowledge and stand in solidarity with what Omar Abdullah said in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. His refusal to politicise tragedy, his respect for the moment of mourning, and his heartfelt salute to the Sikh community's role in helping victims, opening their homes, offering food, shelter, and comfort, truly reflects the soul of India." The BJP leader said Abdullah's statement "resonated with the spirit of Punjabiyat — compassion, courage, and resilience in the face of adversity". Jakhar said, "To honour that spirit and to stand with our brothers and sisters in Jammu and Kashmir in this hour of grief, I call upon the chief minister of Punjab to lead an all-party delegation to J&K."
