Today, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Minister of Information & Broadcasting, and Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, met with Rajinder Gupta, a Punjabi Rajya Sabha member and founder chairman of Trident Group.

In his first meeting after becoming a Rajya Sabha member, Rajinder Gupta asked for a pause for the newly introduced Firozpur-Delhi Vande Bharat train at Barnala. Since Union Minister of State Ravneet Bittu has also made the same demand, the Railway Minister stated that the subject is being considered.

Gupta also recommended restarting the Bathinda-Delhi Shatabdi service via Sangrur Railway Station. He was reassured by Ashwini Vaishnaw that this recommendation will be taken into account. Although it had been operating for a while, the Shatabdi train was eventually shut down.

The locals of Barnala and the surrounding areas have expressed a strong desire for the Vande Bharat train to stop at Barnala.

Malerkotla Access to be Fully Operational by End of March 2026 Remaining Work to be Completed Within the Next Three Months.

Rajya Sabha Member from Punjab, Shri Rajinder Gupta, met with the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, and discussed significant road projects relating to Punjab in detail. Shri Gadkari revealed during the meeting that Khanouri is already connected to the Delhi-Katra Expressway in Punjab.

During the discussion, Shri Gupta voiced worry over the delay in connecting the Entry-Exit Points of Bhawanigarh and Malerkotla to the Expressway, despite the connectivity work pertaining to Sangrur and Malerkotla districts being practically complete.

On this point, Shri Gadkari told Rajinder Gupta that he would personally visit the site in Punjab alongside Gupta to review the progress. He further remarked that:

The Malerkotla Access will be made completely operational by the end of March 2026.

The remaining work will be done during the next three months.

Shri Gadkari remarked that the completion of this link will bring considerable relief to lakhs of commuters in the area by saving travel time and transportation costs. Shri Gupta expressed gratitude to Shri Gadkari for his prompt and constructive reaction to the concerns brought up and for his kind approach to bolstering Punjab’s road transportation infrastructure.

A very major and comforting piece of news has emerged regarding the government bus strike that has been underway in Punjab for the previous five days. The contractual staff of PRTC, PUNBUS, and Punjab Roadways have formally proclaimed the end of their agitation starting today, Tuesday. This decision was made when the government and union officials came to an agreement that would immediately resume bus services throughout the state.

Agreement Reached on Release of Colleagues
Union leaders were told that the administration has accepted their key demand. They have been assured that their other demands would be taken into consideration and that their colleagues who were detained by the police will be released. The leaders stated that they decided to withdraw the strike, keeping in mind the convenience and difficulties faced by the common people.

A meeting with the government will soon take place.
The union has not only put an end to the strike but also outlined its future plans. Leaders claimed that a high-level meeting will soon be held with government representatives to discuss their remaining demands. It is noteworthy that passengers had been enduring tremendous difficulties due to the grounding of buses for the past five days, but today buses will be seen running on the roads again.

The Punjab Legal Services Authority, Bathinda, is running an anti-drug campaign from December 6 to January 6, 2026. This information was presented by District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Bathinda, Shri Karunesh Kumar, during a meeting. Civil Judge (Senior Division) and Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, Bathinda, Baljinder Kaur; District Public Relations Officer S. Gurdas Singh; and District Program Officer Shri Pankaj Kumar were also in attendance.

District and Sessions Judge Shri Karunesh Kumar, who presided over the meeting, said that the Punjab Legal Services Authority will educate the public about the negative effects of drugs throughout this month-long campaign. He added that in order to increase public awareness, the campaign will include a variety of events across the district, such as seminars, walking tours at schools and universities, street dramas (Nukkad Natak), and cycling rallies.

During the session, he made an impassioned request to the general population of the district to join actively in this campaign so that the following generation can be maximally sensitized to the lethal effects of narcotics.

For Punjabi rail passengers, December 5 would be a challenging day. In order to press for their demands, the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (India) (KMM) has planned a significant plan to block railway tracks throughout the state. The Morcha will organize a two-hour symbolic ‘Rail Roko’ (Stop the Trains) demonstration on December 5, 2025, from 1 PM to 3 PM. As a result, trains will be halted at 26 points throughout the state’s 19 districts.

This announcement is a protest against the Bhagwant Mann government’s claimed forced sale of public assets, the removal of prepayment meters, and the rejection of the draft of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025.

26 Locations Where Tracks Will Be Blocked

Farmer leaders have informed us that the following railway stations and tracks will be blocked during the protest:

Union leaders have threatened to escalate the agitation if their demands are not fulfilled. It is recommended that travelers consider this protest while making travel arrangements on December 5.

Wave of Grief in Bassi Pathana City and Surrounding Area After the News of Dr. Shikandar Singh’s Death.

We have heard the sad news of the loss of Dr. Shikandar Singh, the present Mahant of Dera Baba Buddh Das, Bassi Pathana, and former District President of the Congress Party, at the age of 68. Dr. Shikandar Singh had been undergoing treatment at PGI Chandigarh for some time. This afternoon, Dr. Shikandar Singh took his last breath at PGI Chandigarh and bid farewell to the world.

His wife, Mrs. Renu Happy; son, Dr. Aftab Singh; and daughter, Dr. Mausam, survive him. According to his son, Dr. Aftab, the cremation of Dr. Shikandar Singh will take place tomorrow, December 2 (Tuesday), at 12:30 PM at the cremation ground in Bassi Pathana.

Dr. Shikandar Singh’s father, the late Dr. Ved Parkash Sharma, was also the personal physician to the previous President of India, the late Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma. The city of Bassi Pathana and the surrounding area are experiencing a wave of mourning with the news of Dr. Shikandar Singh’s passing. The name of Bassi Pathana city was also known across Punjab thanks to this family.

Political, social, and religious leader Dr. Shikandar Singh began his career in politics in the 1970s with the Youth Congress. He also served as the District President of the Congress Party thrice.

The late Darbara Singh, the late Beant Singh, Captain Amarinder Singh, Charanjit Singh Channi, the former Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Rana K.P. Singh, and former Punjab Chief Minister and President Giani Zail Singh were all close relatives of Dr. Shikandar Singh. Dr. Shikandar Singh also served as a Director of Punjab Markfed.

Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former Minister Kaka Randeep Singh Nabha, Punjab BJP State President Sunil Jakhar, MP Dr. Amar Singh, BJP District President Didar Singh Bhatti, senior BJP leader Geja Ram Valmiki, AAP SC Wing State President and former MLA Gurpreet Singh G.P., former Minister Dr. Harbans Lal, BJP leader Jagdeep Singh Cheema, MLA from Fatehgarh Sahib Advocate Lakhvir Singh Rai, MLA from Chamkaur Sahib Dr. Charanjit Singh, MLA Rupinder Singh Happy, and Mahant Baba Balwinder Das of Dera Baba Pushpanand Giri (Mullanpur). People from all parts of society expressed mourning, claiming that the departure of Dr.

You Could Be the Next Victim of Cyber Fraudsters….

Do not be alarmed if your SIM card abruptly stops functioning; this could be a strategy employed by online scammers. Cyber fraudsters have gotten so smart that they can get your SIM migrated in a single day. Messages will begin to be sent to your contacts, and money will be asked for in your name, but your number will stop operating. A similar case has surfaced from Gurdaspur, although no financial loss has been reported as of yet because the victims were aware and did not fall into the cybercriminals’ trap.

Last Friday, Chandan Kumar’s SIM card abruptly stopped functioning. Chandan is the son of Rakesh Kumar, who owns a fancy goods store in Sadar Bazaar. The next day, Saturday, he went to the Jio business office. He found out that Vodafone Idea had taken over his SIM. His surprise was understandable given that he had neither applied to Jio for porting nor desired to port his number. When he went to the Vodafone Idea office, he learned that his SIM had been ported by a person named Nitesh Kumar in UP. Neither business could explain to him how his SIM was moved to someone else’s name without his authorization, without his fingerprint, and without his Aadhaar card.

According to Chandan Kumar, he quickly got a new number issued, but money is being sought from his customers in his name using his old number, and an attempt was also made to tamper with his bank accounts. Luckily, none of his clients gave in to the demands for cash, and his bank account was empty, preventing him from falling victim to fraud. He went to the bank and placed a stop on payments from his other bank account, but this is a warning sign that someone else can port his SIM without his permission. He said that because there had not yet been any financial loss or fraud, the Cyber Crime office refused to submit his complaint.

Still, he believes an investigation should be launched regarding how his SIM was ported. He added that the individual who got the SIM moved does not pick up the phone and only communicates over WhatsApp. He has, however, cautioned his friends and clients to exercise caution and refrain from making any payments if they get a call or message from his former number.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented two significant proposals to the Lok Sabha on Monday, the opening day of the Winter Session of Parliament. These proposals’ primary goal is to place a tax on tobacco products and their production.

Notably, the Finance Minister placed the “Central Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2025” and the “Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025” on the table as soon as the House session started. According to the administration, this will increase funding for public health and national security initiatives.

Cess on Machines, Security Funds to Be Raised
The Finance Minister clarified that these measures will impose a Cess (levy) on equipment and procedures used in the production of particular items. The goal is to raise more money to improve the nation’s healthcare and security systems.

Strong Opposition from the Opposition
Opposition MPs began demonstrating as soon as these bills were introduced. Both measures were opposed by Trinamool Congress (AITC) MP Sougata Roy, who said that the government only wanted to collect excise duty and that the bill made no mention of the risks associated with tobacco use.

He said he opposes any cess that will not be shared with the states and characterized the “Health Security and National Security Cess Bill” as ambiguous.

“It will burden the common man.”
The bill was also opposed by DMK MP DM Kathir Anand. He claimed that despite the bill’s apparent technical correctness, ordinary Indian residents will bear a significant financial burden as a result of it.

There are thirteen bills planned for this session.
Many of the thirteen pieces of legislation that the administration has proposed for this Winter Session have not yet been forwarded to the Standing Committee. Important laws like the “Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill,” “Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill,” “National Highways (Amendment) Bill,” “Atomic Energy Bill,” and “Higher Education Commission Bill” are among them. The Parliamentary session is set to conclude on December 19, 2025.

Home Minister Amit Shah has received a letter from senior Congressman Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.

185-3 Targeted Killing in Punjab

The National Defence Academy (NDA) in Khadakwasla, Pune, has graduated six cadets from the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI), SAS Nagar (Mohali). Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, PVSM, AVSM, NM, Chief of Naval Staff, reviewed the Passing Out Parade, a moment of pride for the young officers starting their careers in the Indian Armed Forces.

The six cadets—Gurkaran Singh (Mohali), Harmanveer Singh (Sri Muktsar Sahib), Arjun Singh Toor (Ludhiana), Ridham Mahajan (Pathankot), Akshansh Aggarwal (Sri Fatehgarh Sahib), and Gurjot Singh (Sangrur)—will now move on to Service Training Academies following three years of intense training. Within a year, they will become commissioned officers. Notably, during the COVID-19 epidemic, these cadets were trained in the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Preparatory Institute.

Punjab’s Minister for Employment Generation, Skill Development, and Training, Mr. Aman Arora, congratulated the cadets and encouraged them to put in more effort and represent the state with pride. He was pleased with the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Preparatory Institute’s excellent outcomes and commended the school’s efforts to mold these young officers’ futures.

The Institute’s Director, Major General Ajay H. Chauhan, VSM (Retired), congratulated the cadets and announced that 47 cadets will soon be going through their Service Selection Board (SSB) Interviews, and 15 cadets are awaiting call-up letters to join the NDA and other training academies for courses starting in December 2025. He continued by saying that Punjab and the Institute are proud of the cadets’ accomplishments. Additionally, he said that the deadline for applying to this institute’s new course is December 15, 2025.

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