Anti-liquor campaign

Replace transformers, say farmers

Police probe against minister's PA

Industrial technical institute set up

Thakre: no compromise on national issues
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Aug 16 — The All-India BJP president, Mr Kushabhai Thakre, has expressed satisfaction over the performance of the HVP-BJP government and relations between the alliance partners in Haryana.

Mr Thakre dropped a hint that the BJP has, at the moment, no plans to revise its policy in Haryana when he told newsmen that the "BJP will honour all its electoral promises before the term of the HVP-BJP government expires. The electorate have voted the HVP-BJP alliance to power for a term of five years."

He said that before abolishing octroi, the government would have to identify alternate source of income to the municipal committees. The Education Minister and leader of the BJP legislature party, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, intervened to say that the government would decide abolition of octroi after the ministerial sub-committee headed by Dr Kamla Verma submitted its report. The sub-committee, he said, would meet soon to finalise its recommendations.

Mr Thakre denied reports that differences existed between the Chief Minister and the state BJP chief, Mr Om Parkash Grover. The relations between the two were very cordial, he asserted.

Mr Thakre had come here to inaugurate the newly acquired office of the district BJP (urban) and to perform ‘bhoomi-pujan’ of the land where a statue of late Dr Mangal Sein would be erected.

He cancelled his scheduled meeting with party MLAs, state BJP office-bearers and district presidents due to an emergent meeting of the party high command at Delhi.

Mr Thakre reiterated that the BJP would neither compromise on any national issue nor succumb to any pressure to remain in power. He said there was no danger to the Vajpayee government from the AIADMK supremo, Ms Jayalalitha.

Hailing the performance of the Union Government, Mr Thakre said that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had succeeded in bringing an accord on the Cauvery waters issue. The Congress, which ruled the country for nearly 45 years, had failed to resolve the tangle due to political considerations, he alleged.

Mr Thakre hoped that the river water dispute between Haryana and Punjab would also be solved amicably through mutual discussions.

He ruled out the possibilities of mid-term elections and said "if again a hung Parliament is elected what will we do". He said had the BJP governments in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Haryana performed a little better, Mr Vajpayee could have been saved from helplessness on many issues. He was referring to the electoral performance of the BJP in these states during the last parliamentary polls.

Mr Thakre criticised Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Laloo Parsad Yadav, without naming them, and said these leaders had only one point agenda of toppling the Vajpayee government.

Later, a deputation of the Haryana Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (HFUCTO) submitted a memorandum to the BJP chief seeking his intervention in getting the UGC recommended pay scales implemented.

Rain hits power, phone lines
From Tribune Reporters

SONEPAT, Aug 16 — Thousands of inhabitants of this city, mostly in the Model Town and Mohalla Mashad areas, went without power for several hours on Independence Day here yesterday.

A spokesman of HSEB told this correspondent here today that a fault in the transmission system following heavy rains had led to its tripping and power-breakdowns in several parts of the city. The system control engineers were able to regularise supply by around 10 a.m., the spokesman added.

Representatives of various political parties, trade unions and women organisations held a joint meeting here today and to air their grievances against the frequent power breakdowns. The participants also extended their support to the Sonepat bandh called for August 20 by the sangharsh samiti of all parties against the erratic power and water supply.

Meanwhile, the STD system between Sonepat and Chandigarh and Jalandhar city too remained disrupted throughout the day yesterday.

BHIWANI: Three-fourths of the city part has been without power for the past two days and the remainder of the city is also facing irregular power supply after a 132 kv sub-station transformer was damaged on Friday.

Enquiries revealed that authorities were well aware that failure of the transformer could affect power supply at any time but no alternative arrangements were made.

An engineer of the department, on condition of anonymity said that the main cause of the power shortage was theft of power. He also said that the powerlines were in a dilapidated state and these needed a complete overhaul. This was important to minimise line losses.

Cheating accused denied bail
From Our Correspondent

GURGAON, Aug 16 — The Additional Sessions Judge, Gurgaon, Dr Bharat Bhushan Parsoon, rejected the bail application of six petitioners arrested under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code for cheating and fabricating false evidence, as the sarpanch and lambardar of Gokalpur village, who signed and attested the documents relating to ownership of valuable land, were still at large.

Mr Parsoon observed that an earlier bail application of the accused — Rati Mohammad, Noor Mohammad, Rashid, Abdul Gafoor, Rat Bhan and Samsuddin — was dismissed on June 26. He added that no fresh grounds for releasing them on bail had been made out as the remaining accused were still at large and investigations were progressing in a crucial stage.

Although the accused had claimed that they were innocent and were not required for any further investigation and recovery, the prosecution's version was that in a bid to usurp 28 kanals of the land of the complainant Shitabi, widow of Jamaluddin, the petitioner in association with other accused had forged a will of Joun Khan, alias Jamaluddin. The accused now forged the will antedating it to be of April 15, 1992.

The prosecution further alleged that Feroze Khan lambardar of the village, had signed as Jamaluddin, while the same was scribed by Mohammad Ibrahim, and was attested by Ayub Khan and Abdul Razak 'sarpanch'.

Further, as per the prosecution version, to divest the complainant of her ownership by succession consequent upon the death of her husband, the accused fabricated a 'divorce deed' (talaknama) which again was signed and scribed by Feroze Khan, signing as Jamaluddin (deceased), husband of the complainant Shitabi. This divorce deed was antedated as of October 15, 1983, and attested by three witnesses, out of whom one Rati Bhan has been arrested while the others are at large.

Woman, paramours kill young son
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Aug 16 — A woman killed her young son with the help of her paramours at Rattia town in this district as he was a hurdle to her illicit relations.

According to reports, Harjinder Kaur, a resident of the Employees Colony, Rattia had illicit relations with Mohan Singh of Shehnal Dhani village and Gurmail Singh a resident of Badi Tarwar village in Punjab. Gurpreet alias Reeta, the woman's son was opposed to these relations and used to ask his mother not to allow these persons into their house. This opposition resulted in his brutal murder.

According to the district police chief Mr Rajbir Deswal, Bhola Singh, a resident of the Employees Colony, Rattia had lodged a complaint with the Rattia police station, in which he had stated that on the night of August 13, he heard the cries of Gurpreet Singh, who was his neighbour. He went to the house of Gurpreet and knocked at his door. But Harjinder Kaur, instead of opening the door, asked him to go away.

At this Bhola's suspicion was aroused and he along with Sukhdev Singh, another neighbour decided to observe the house from a distance. After a while they saw Mohan Singh and Gurmail Singh coming out of the house on a scooter with a profusely bleeding Gurpreet seated between them.

Harjinder closed the door immediately after the scooter exited. Bhola and Sukhdev tried to stop the two-wheeler, but the duo managed to escape.

According to Mr Deswal, the police swung into action after the registration of a case. The body of Gurpreet was recovered from the fields of Chandokalan village. The police has arrested Gurmail Singh and Harjinder and a hunt has been launched for two others.

5 BJP MCs quit party in protest

KARNAL, Aug 16 (PTI) — Five out of eight of the BJP's municipal councillors have resigned from the primary membership of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to protest against what they termed the "dictatorial" behaviour of district party president Dharampal Gupta, they said in a statement here today.

The councillors — Vinod Sharma (ward 13), Ram Parkash (ward 16), Satinder Singh Pammi (ward 30), Mukesh Sharma (ward seven), and Shyam Vohra (ward 25) — said they were not joining any political party at present.

With the resignation of five councillors, the strength of the BJP in the 31-member council has been reduced to three.

The Congress has 21 members, HVP (one) and HLD (one) in the council.

Cop suspended for undertrial's death
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 16 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Kumar, has ordered an inquest into the alleged killing of 'serial baby killer,' Ram Babu in jail custody yesterday evening and suspended the concerned constable, Ram Mehar, for negligence of duties.

The tehsildar will hold the inquest and submit his report within a week.

Ram Babu, an undertrial prisoner was arrested nearly two years ago on charges of abducting, raping and murdering more than six minor girls in the industrial town of Bahadurgarh.

The Jail Superintendent Mr D.N. Beniwal said Ram Babu and Om Parkash were lodged in the Mental ward of the jail as they were of unsound mind. He said the doors of the cell were opened at 5 pm to let the prisoners out for a walk.

Om Prakash went out and brought back a piece of brick with him and hit a sleeping Babu on the head. Ram Babu sustained serious head injuries and died nearly one hour after the incident.

Arya Samaj plans anti-liquor campaign
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 16 — The Arya Samaj, Haryana, will soon launch a statewide campaign against the consumption of liquor and meat and rampant corruption in public life.

Stating this, the president of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, Haryana, Swami Om Anand Saraswati, said the lifting of prohibition by the state government had been unfortunate and the liquor menace had again started to affect social and family peace in the rural areas.

He said during the campaign activists of the samaj would not only educate the masses but also form organisations at the local level to check the spread of social evils.

He said new units of the samaj would be set up in about 100 villages of every district.

Swami Agnivesh and Swami Indervesh were among those who attended a meeting of the Arya Samaj here today.

HSEB staff plan demonstrations
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 16 — Members of the Haryana State Electricity Board Workers Union will observe a "protest week" from August 17. They will hold gate meetings and demonstrations in front of their respective offices in protest against the power privatisation policy.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of union leaders here yesterday. The meeting was attended by Mr S.D. Kapoor, president of the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh and former president of the HSEB Workers Union, and Mr Indra Dutt Sharma and Mr Dhara Singh, president and general secretary, respectively, of the union.

The leaders criticised the "one-sided" decision on power privatisation. They said there was widespread resentment and a feeling of insecurity among the employees as their future with private companies was uncertain.

Mr Sharma said the union's future course of action would be decided at a meeting of the action committee scheduled for August 20 at Kaithal.

Police probe against minister's PA

KARNAL, Aug 16 (PTI) — The police are investigating a complaint against Vardhan, personal assistant to Haryana Industry Minister Shashipal Meta, for allegedly threatening certain police personnel with dire consequences, police sources said here today.

Certain police personnel of the city police station have reportedly made a written complaint to their superiors against Vardhan.

In the latest case, Vardhan asked these police officials not to take cognisance of a complaint by Ranjit Lal against cement traders Rameshwar Das and Madan Lal or face the consequences, the sources said, adding that the minister's aide also allegedly abused the police officials.

Replace transformers, warn farmers
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, Aug 16 — The Kisan Sangharsh Samiti has threatened an agitation if the damaged transformers of the Badhra, Satnali area are not replaced and the construction of power stations at Tiwala, Pichopa Kalan and Dudiwala villages in Charkhi Dadri subdivision are not started by August 23.

The samiti will hold a kisan shaheed sammelan at Kadma village on the same day, its Working Committee decided at Badhra.

Kisan leaders said the farmers of this area were severely affected by the acute shortage of power and water. Moreover, the water level had been sinking due to shortfall of rain in this season.

Meanwhile, the youth wing of the Indian National Lok Dal has decided to hold a dharna on August 17 here in protest against the erratic power supply and deteriorating law and order situation in the district.

Teachers threaten to intensify stir
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Aug 16 — Teachers here threatened to take their agitation to the streets if the union government did not accept their demands immediately.

Dr K.R. Bhardwaj, general secretary of the Haryana College Phd Teachers Association, in a press release here today said that Dr Murli Manohar Joshi had been unfair to the 400,000 teachers working in universities and colleges of the country in not accepting UGC recommended pay scales.

He said that the strike was total in the universities and colleges in Haryana and millions of students were suffering because of strike, but the HRD Ministry was silent on the issue.

Dr Bhardwaj appealed to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to intervene saying the situation could take a turn for the worse.

ROHTAK: The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee has reportedly directed the Human Resource Ministry to find a solution to the nation-wide indefinite strike by university and college teachers.

Meanwhile, Mr M. Bhattacharya, general secretary of All-India Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations reiterated that the strike would continue till the acceptance of their demands. However, he hoped that talks would be started soon. The BJP President, Mr Kushabhau Thakre today assured a delegation of striking teachers that he would talk to the government to resolve the problem. A delegation of Haryana Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations (HFUCTO) met Mr Thakre today and criticised the imposition of ESMA and sought its immediate withdrawal.

Meanwhile, as the strike entered its sixth day today, the convener of HFUCTO claimed that the teachers were participating in dharnas in their respective towns despite the proclamation of ESMA.

Industrial technical institute set up
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Aug 16 — In continuation of its work towards post-retirement settlement of ex-servicemen, the Army has set up its own industrial technical institute at cantonment here which is the first such institution in the country.

A spokesman for the Army said here yesterday that the Haryana Government was supporting the venture and had already provided a financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1 crore for capital expenditure and purchase of plant and machinery for the institute. He said the institute had started functioning from a make-shift building.