M A I N   N E W S

Mohinder Singh holds mammoth show
From S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

POANTA SAHIB, July 6 — The PWD Minister and HVC(M) patron, Mr Mohinder Singh, demonstrated his strength in this holy town today where hundreds of his supporters from various parts of the state participated in the fourth foundation day of the party.

Mr Mohinder Singh said by this show of strength he had proved that Mr Sukh Ram’s influence was confined to Mandi whereas he has succeeded in organising a mammoth rally in this corner of the state adjoining Uttar Pradesh.

Mr Mohinder Singh, a one-time loyalist of Mr Sukh Ram, also belongs to the Mandi district and represents the Dharampur Assembly constituency.

He claimed Mr Sukh Ram had converted today’s proposed rally at Mandi into a delegates session as he had failed to muster support of the people for the rally.

Most speakers on the occasion attacked Mr Sukh Ram whom they accused of considering the HVC as his “personal property”.

The town wore a festive look as hundreds descended here for the rally. Mr Mohinder Singh was brought to the venue of the rally in a large procession.

Prior to the public meeting, elections of office-bearers of the HVC (M) were held. Mr Inder Singh, was unanimously elected president of the party. Mr Mohinder Singh was elected patron-in-chief, Mr O.P. Rattan, working president and Mr Kewal Ram Chauhan, senior general secretary. Mr Ramesh Badyal and Mr Ranjit Singh Verma were elected vice-president and treasurer, respectively.

Addressing the rally, Mr Mohinder Singh accused Mr Sukh Ram of behaving like a dictator and claimed that his was the real HVC which was democratically run. He would meet the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, at Delhi shortly and explain the real position to him.

He said he would also meet the Chief Election Commissioner and explain to him that his was the real HVC as it had already completed organisational elections,wheras Mr Sukh Ram had been sticking to the chair undemocratically.

Mr Mohinder Singh said Mr Sukh Ram had been accusing the former Chief Minister and Congress leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, of functioning like a feudal lord, but his own behaviour was worse.

He reiterated his resolve to fight feudalism and autocracy. He alleged that Mr Sukh Ram, who was one of those who had formed the HVC, had joined hands with forces which had destroyed the institution of democracy and throttled the voice of dissent for fulfilment of short-term family gains.

The political resolution adopted at the rally accused Mr Sukh Ram of functioning like a dictator and occupying the post of president without holding organisational elections.

The resolution,which was moved by Mr Baldev Sharma, accused Mr Sukh Ram of trying to weaken the BJP-HVC alliance government of Mr P.K. Dhumal.

The resolution demanded implementation of the report of the Sarkaria Commission to avoid recurrence of the recent Kashmir-like situation. The Vigilance Commission should be granted constitutional status for effective functioning and checking corruption.

The economic resolution detailed several measures for improving the financial position of the state.

The newly elected president of the party, Mr Inder Singh, said by holding the organisational elections from the block up to the state level, the party had fulfilled its commitment to take democracy to the grassroots level