 |
| Saturday, January 29, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
|
BJP defers decision on nominee |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
2 jawans attain martyrdom
|
BJP defers decision on
nominee SHIMLA, Jan 28 — While the Congress candidate Ms Krishna Mohini today filed nomination papers for the Solan Assembly constituency, where byelection is scheduled for February 17, decision on the BJP nominee was deferred by a day. The BJP could not decide on the candidate for the seat as the meeting of the State party leaders with high command slated for today, was postponed for tomorrow. The state election committee had recommended the names of Mr Mohinder Sofat, who lost the 1998 Assembly election by a names margin, and Mr Rajeev Bindal, president of the Solan Municipal Committee. The party high command deferred a decision last week due to serious differences in the state leadership on the issue. While the Shanta Kumar group was in favour of renominating Mr Sofat, who moved court and got the election of Mr Mohini quashed, the Dhumal faction is lobbying for Mr Bindal. The Shanta camp stresses that the court had given justice to Mr Sofat by setting aside the election on the grounds of malpractices, it was now the turn of the party to do justice to him. The rival camp, however, says that Mr Sofat has lost the election twice and he should make way for a new face. Mr Suresh Chandel, the party president, however, is supporting Mr Sofat, whose claim he says, is more than justified. The tussle for election has revived the factional fight within the party which, the observers feel, could blow into an open war during the ensuing organisational elections. Meanwhile, Mr Dhumal today left for Delhi and Mr Suresh Chandel has also returned to the national Capital from his tour of Sirmaur district. Certain ministers of the Dhumal camp are already camping there to lobby for Mr Bindal. The BJP and the HVC have so far failed to reach any agreement over the seat. The HVC has indicated that it would not be averse to a friendly contest if the BJP failed to leave the seat for it. However, it was likely to take a final decision after holding talks with the BJP high command tomorrow. It has constituted a three-member committee headed by Mr Sukh Ram, the state party chief for the purpose.
|
2 HP IAS men in CVC’s
corrupt list SHIMLA, Jan 28 — Two senior bureaucrats of the Himachal cadre figure in the website list of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) containing names of 87 IAS officers facing corruption charges in the country. The names of Mr K. Lal, a 1973 batch IAS officer and Mr Rajmani Tripathi, of the 1979 batch of the IAS, figure at serial number 12 and 79 in the list. The two are Commissioner-cum-Secretary rank officers but are without any department or office for the past few months. The CVC list said the prosecution of Mr Lal had been sanctioned since May 1996. He was allegedly involved in cases of misuse of his official position during the period when he was on deputation with the Centre in the Ministry of Steel as Regional Development Commissioner for Iron and Steel. The SBI has registered cases against him. The Centre had granted permission for the prosecution of Mr Tripathi, who had been accused of certain dubious land deals in Una district when he was Deputy Commissioner there. The state Vigilance Department had registered cases against Mr Tripathi and the permission to prosecute him came in February last. It is alleged that Mr Tripathi had misused his position as Deputy Commissioner and purchased land in the name of his daughter in a village in Una. The price of the land was grossly undervalued in the sale deed to save stamp duty. Another complaint
pertained to an alleged exchange of about 62 kanal of
land in violation of the rules. |
Students' fate hangs in balance KANGRA, Jan 28 — The fate of 50 students of Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College at Tanda hang in balance. According to sources the two-member team of Medical Council of India (MCI) comprising Dr Kak and Dr Bansal, who inspected the college on December 26 and 27, last year, have submitted their report to the MCI. The executive meeting of the MCI will be held on February 3 to discuss the recognition issue of the college in Delhi which will be based on the report submitted by the MCI team. The sources stated that during the inspection of the college the inspectors had said the staff appointed on contract basis in the college was a burden on the government and had sought the list of the doctors, who were appointed on contract basis last month. A doctor from Kerala, who joined the college on the day of the inspection of the MCI and left the college after three days, did not return till date. Chandigarh Medical College was not granted recognition by the MCI because the doctors in the college were appointed on contract basis. It was only after the doctors in the college were appointed through the UPSC the college was granted recognition. Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College was opened in 1997 but the first batch of 50 students under the high court's directions joined MBBS, first year, in the college in January, 1998. They lost one year when the government failed to get the college recognised by the MCI till January 5, 1999. The recognition was granted to the college for one year which has not as yet been renewed, thus sealing the fate of the students who wait for the admission to the first year of the MBBS in the college. These sources added that the MCI team had also objected to the appointment of a professor without the requisite qualification and experience. There is a disparity between the regular and the contractual staffs in the college. According to reports, the professor on contract in the medical college get Rs 40,000 salary, besides free accommodation and conveyance where as the regular professor in the same college get Rs 30,000 salary without other benefits. Some doctors on the condition of anonymity said this disparity has not been witnessed in any of the medical colleges of the country and demanded that this be ended. Viewing the objections there will be no option but to shift the first batch of the students who have passed their first year of MBBS this year, to Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, till the government manages to get recognition for the medical college. This can be done on the pattern of Agroha Medical College in Haryana where all five batches of the students were shifted to Rohtak Medical College with a special permission from the MCI. When Dr Kak, one of the members of the MCI team, was contacted by this correspondent on phone he refused to divulge anything about the report submitted by him and Dr Bansal to the MCI. When asked about the rumour that the report was adverse Dr Kak neither denied nor accepted it. Meanwhile the state government claimed that the pre-requisite conditions for the recognition of the college had been fulfilled. The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, when asked about the issue said as the college was recognised and that it was running accordingly.
|
Kagyu regents meet Dalai Lama DHARAMSALA, Jan 28 — The 17th Karmapa, Orygen Trinley Dorje, along with senior monks of the Karma Kagyu sect, called on the Dalai Lama here today. They are believed to have discussed the future course of action of the Karmapa. Regents and monks of the Kagyu sect from Nepal, Sikkim and Varanasi had been assembling here for the past few days to take a final decision about the future plans and the religious studies of the 14-year-old Karmapa. The Karmapa, who met the Dalai Lama for the fifth time today since his arrival here on January 5, spent about 20 minutes alone with him. Immediately after this the duo were joined by ten other Kagyu monks. The meeting lasted for about an hour till 12.40 p.m. Gyaltsab Rinpoche and Tai Siturinpoche, two of the four regents of Rumtek Monastery, were present at the meeting. Gyaltsab and Tai Situ Rinpoche were instrumental in the selection of Trinley as the 17th Karmapa. The four-year-old reincarnation of a third regent of Rumtek, Jamgon Rinpoche, who died a few years ago, reportedly also attended the meeting. He had been specially summoned from Nepal to take part. Today's move is being viewed as an effort to isolate Shamarpa Rinpoche the fourth regent of Rumtek, who had opposed the selection of Trinley as the Karmapa and had warned him against going to Rumtek Monastery. Sharmapa Rinpoche had questioned the selection of Trinley as Karmapa and chosen another boy, Thaye Dorji as the reincarnation. Thrangu Rinpoche, an elderly monk from Rumtek monastery, who has been a teacher to all four regents, also called on the Dalai Lama. He was accompanied by two other monks from Rumtek, Ponlop Rinpoche and Druppon Rinpoche. The issue of commencing the religious studies of the young Karmapa was also discussed. Tibetan circles had said the Chinese were not allowing the Karmapa reincarnation to pursue his studies unhindered. The Karmapa, who has been residing at the Gyuto Tantrik monastery near Sidhbari since his arrival here, met the Dalai Lama for the fifth time today despite the latter being in retreat. The Dalai Lama went into retreat on January 5 and will continue to be in till March 9. So far the Dalai Lama had made an exception only to meet the Karmapa. It is being felt that
the crucial meeting was held in the wake of the stoic
silence of the Indian Government on the question of
granting political asylum to the Karmapa. Though the
Tibetan government-in-exile has maintained that it has
not formally approached India for political asylum for
the Karmapa, unconfirmed reports said that the Dalai Lama
had personally taken up the matter with the Prime
Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. |
2 jawans attain martyrdom KANGRA, Jan 28 — Two Army jawans from the district attained martyrdom yesterday while fighting the enemy on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Col Ajit Singh, administrative commander, Yol Cantonment, today said that Daljeet Singh, a resident of Dellah village of Palampur subdivision, died while fighting Pakistani forces on the LoC. Daljeet Singh was serving with 7 Dogra. Col Ajit Singh said his body would reach military hospital, Yol, today and his last rites would be performed with state and military honours tomorrow at his native village. The Colonel said another
jawan of 12 Dogra, Subhash Chand, a resident of Sidhpur
Khard of Jawali Area of the district, also sacrificed his
life while fighting in the Poonch sector. He said his
body would be brought to his native village tomorrow for
the last rites, which would be performed with state and
military honours. |
HVC to pursue claim on Solan SHIMLA, Jan 28 — The Himachal Vikas Congress today resolved to vigorously pursue its claim on the Solan Assembly seat and authorised Mr Sukh Ram, the party’s president, to take appropriate decision as when the BJP announced its candidate. The party which met here today, under the chairmanship of Mr Sukh Ram asserted that its candidate was the strongest and it would be in the interest of the alliance if he contested as a joint candidate. Mr Sukh Ram will take a decision only in consultation with the BJP high command. A large number of party workers from Solan thronged the venue of the meeting to press the party leadership to enter the fray even if the BJP refused to leave the seat for it. Peeved over the indifferent treatment meted out by the BJP, Mr Sukh Ram has adopted a tough posture on the issue. His main grievances has been that despite repeated pleas, the BJP has not set up a coordination committee to ensure smooth functioning of the coalition government. Besides his party had not been given the due share in the government, particularly in appointments of chairpersons to various boards and corporations. The issue of sharing
will provide an opportunity to Mr Sukh Ram to discuss his
grievances with the central leadership of the BJP. |
Maitri Yatra reaches Mc
Leodganj DHARAMSALA, Jan 28 — Members of the Indo-Tibetan Maitri Yatra were accorded a warm welcome by various Tibetan organisations on their arrival at McLeodganj today. The yatra, organised by the Mahatma Gandhi Vishwa Maitri Parishad, started from Bhopal on December 10 and will terminate at Rajghat in New Delhi on February 10. The Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association, the National Democratic Party of Tibet and the Tibetan Freedom Movement welcomed the pilgrims. The members of the yatra urged the Indian Government to grant political asylum to the Karmapa immediately.
|
3 shops gutted NURPUR, Jan 28 —
Three shops were gutted at Rey under Indora police
station last night. The fire was noticed by villagers at
5.15 a.m. today and they made efforts to put it out.
Later the fire brigade of the BBMB, Talwara, reached the
spot and extinguished the fire. It is estimated that a
loss of Rs 10 lakh was incurred in the fire. The cause of
the fire could not be ascertained. |
Capt Atma Ram SHIMLA, Jan 28 — Capt Atma Ram, BJP legislator from the Rajgir constituency, has been appointed Vice-Chairman of the Himachal Forest Corporation. He replaces Mr Karm Vir, who has taken over as chairman of the Sales Tax Tribunal
|
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
