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11 hurt as students clash in varsity Anand Sharma elected to Rajya Sabha Pact with
HVC: Cong keeps options open Sagar’s re-induction into BJP criticised BJP alleges violation of poll code |
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BJP to organise 4 conferences Farmers need guidance in marketing: experts HC directs hotel board not to hold meeting Honorary French town citizenship for
Dalai Lama
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11 hurt as students clash in varsity Solan, March 26 Shiv Sharma, a boxer from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, while others, including Prem Sharma from GND varsity and two Himachali boxers, were being treated at the local district hospital. The general secretary of the students Central Association, Naveen Khajuria, and joint secretary, Dinesh Negi, were among those injured. The Vice-Chancellor, of Dr Y.S. Parmar University, Dr S.S. Negi, who was watching the final rounds of the championship along with other officials in the gymnasium, was taken aback when a mob of 10-15 students came to the venue around 12 noon and urged him and other officials to stop the championship midway and observe mourning for the death of their fellow student. The Vice-Chancellor’s assurance that mourning would be observed at 4 p.m. failed to pacify the students who shouted slogans against the Vice-Chancellor and the Students Welfare Officer. The situation took an ugly turn when one of the students lifted a chair to start a fight. Armed with rods, sticks, khukris and bricks the mob then started hitting the boxers, who first ran out in panic but later returned with sticks. In the free-for-all which ensued for over an hour in the gymnasium, a number of visiting and university students were injured. Two lensmen of vernacular dailies who had gone to photograph the boxing championship also received minor injuries while a group of reporters escaped unhurt. The Vice-Chancellor who managed to reach his office, asked for police assistance from Solan. With barely two policemen around, the boxers had to run for their lives to a nearby forest as more university students joined the fight. A few students then proceeded to the Vice-Chancellor’s office to protest against an FIR registered against three university students. The SDM, Mr Lokender Chauhan, ASP Prem Thakur and DSP R.C. Chhajta arrived on the scene with a reserve police force later in the afternoon. The SP, Mr Abhishek Trivedi, said police forces from all nearby police stations were rushed to the university. The situation was finally brought under control around 3 p.m. The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Negi, who suspended the final rounds of the boxing championship, said since property worth 9,000 was damaged in yesterday’s mob attack on his house, he was going to lodge an FIR. He said the students were trying to pressurise the university administration to withdraw the case. He lamented that despite having provided three buses to the students besides assigning a warden each to assist them in their journey to Jubbal for attending the cremation, such unruly behaviour was exhibited by them. Meanwhile, the classes remained suspended and the campus was modified into a cantonment with the deployment of the police. |
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Anand Sharma elected to Rajya Sabha Shimla, March 26 Mr Sharma polled 49 votes against 18 votes secured by Mr Sharma. Mr Sukh Ram of the Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) did not turn up to cast his vote. In all, 67 votes were polled in the House of 68. There were no surprises and the voting was on the expected lines. The Congress secured one vote more than its declared strength of 48, including five associate members. Mr Sadanand Chauhan, the lone representative of the Lok Jan Shakti, which has an alliance with the Congress at the national level, was expected to go with the ruling party. The BJP has 16 members and secured the vote of an Independent, Mr Navin Dhiman, who was among those who sponsored the candidature of Dr Shastri. Mr Mohinder Singh of the Lok Jan Shakti had been supporting the BJP in and outside the House. With the election of Mr Sharma, the Congress has gained representation in Parliament after a gap of two years. It lost all four Lok Sabha seats in the 1999 elections and its lone MP in the Rajya Sabha, Ms Chandresh Kumari, completed her term in April 2002. The post fell vacant with the completion of the term of Mr Anil Sharma, a son of Mr Sukh Ram, who was elected as a Himachal Vikas Congress nominee in 1998. The BJP now has two members in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Kirpal Parmar and Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, while the HVC has none. Mr Anand Sharma has been elected to the Rajya Sabha for a second time. He remained a member of the Upper House from 1984 to 1990. Hailing the election of Mr Sharma, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said his long experience in national politics would come in handy and he would be able to raise issues concerning the state effectively. Ms Vidya Stokes, the PCC chief, also hailed his election. Mr Sharma said he would focus on the problems of youth, particularly the growing unemployment, and make efforts for the development of tourism for which the state had vast potential. An advocate by profession, Mr Sharma started his political career as a students leader and remained the president of the state unit of the youth congress, the Indian Youth Congress. He was also the chairperson of the first non-aligned youth conference held in 1985, in which 82 countries participated and the international youth conference against apartheid in 1987. |
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Pact with
HVC: Cong keeps options open Shimla, March 26 Mr Virbhadra Singh, Himachal Chief Minister, told mediapersons that the Congress high command had made it clear that it could not oblige Mr Sukh Ram by offering a Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha seat to his son, Mr Anil Sharma. However, it could consider to have an electoral understanding with him on other terms. Replying to a question the Chief Minister said his wife Rani Pratibha Singh, was never in the race for party ticket from the Mandi constituency. She could, however, give a serious thought to it if the high command insisted. Mr Virbhadra Singh asserted that the return of estranged Congress men to party’s fold would strengthen the party. He said those who were opposing their entry and creating hurdles in the way of their home coming had a vested interest. He said the party had taken a decision to forge alliances with like-minded secular forces during the “Shimla Vichar
Manthan” yet some leaders were opposing such moves because of personal prejudices. He said there was no possibility of sabotage by any section of the party during the Lok Sabha poll and the party would fight
unitedly. He said he would devote equal time to each of the four constituencies. He ridiculed the declaration of the BJP that it would make corruption during the one year of Congress rule as an issue, he said the party which brought the corruption culture to hill state had no moral right to do so. He said it would boomerang on the BJP as the on-going investigations into various cases were likely to expose the BJP leaders. |
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Sagar’s re-induction into BJP criticised Kangra, March 26 Mr Jagatamba at a press conference here said that individuals rejoin the party when they fell their existence was in danger without party. He said that the executive committee of the BJP at the Mandal level here had opposed the re-entry of Mr Vidiaya Sagar. The state BJP leaders including state Vice-President Dulo Ram, Kangra district BJP chief Ramesh Bhawala, Kangra Lok Sabha seat poll in charge and former Transport Minister Kishen Kapoor at a three-hour-long meeting on Wednesday in the PWD Rest House here had failed to persuade the Kangra BJP to soften stand on the issue of the Mr Sagar’s re-induction into the party. The BJP members alleged that Mr Sagar as a minister victimised party workers. Party sources said after the meeting in the PWD Rest House, the three leaders went to Mr Vidiaya Sagar’s house at Zamanabad and met with him for two hours. Mr Rattan, Jagatamba, chief of the Zila Parishad, who contested the last Assembly poll from Kangra after he was allotted BJP ticket in place of Mr Vidiaya Sagar, said that members of the BJP Mandal had opposed the re-induction of Mr Sagar. He said that they alleged that the induction of Mr Sagar would affect poll prospectus of Mr Shanta Kumar who is contesting from here. Mr Vidiaya Sagar who is heading the Jan Hit Morcha has decided to hold a meeting of his party on March 30. Mr Sagar a power to reckon with the Other Backward Classes (OBCs)-dominated Kangra Assembly segment said that Mr Jagatamba opposed his re-induction. He said Mr Jagatamba was feeling nervous his re-entry as he had strong following. He said that the weak and isolated party leadership here was damaging the party by opposing his re-induction. Mr Sagar said his Jan Hit Morcha played the role of a responsible opposition here. With the Congress fielding Forest Minister Chander Kumar from Kangra Lok Sabha seat who hails from OBC background, the BJP is trying to keep its OBC vote bank in tact through the leaders of the OBC community. In this background that home-coming of Mr Sagar has become imperative to Mr Shanta Kumar, who is contesting from Kangra Lok Sabha seat for the third consecutive time. |
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BJP alleges violation of poll code Shimla, March 26 In a statement, here yesterday, Dr Rajiv Bindal, a spokesperson of the party, said that transfer orders were being issued in back dates and several officials had been granted extension in service after their superannuation. These included a superintending engineer, a deputy secretary, law and police inspectors. He said the number of posts of head constable in the Police Department were increased from 98 to 203 in violation of rules to accommodate favourites. Initially 98 posts were created and candidates were selected following due process. However, on March 15, 2004, 105 more constables were sent for the lower class head constable’s course. The increase in number of posts was also in violation of the code. He urged the Election Commission to take action to prevent the violation of the code. |
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BJP to organise 4 conferences Shimla, March 26 The decision was taken by the state campaign committee which met under the chairmanship of Mr P.K. Dhumal, former Chief Minister, here today. The first conference will be held at Shahpur in Kangra on April 5 at which Mrs Sushma Swaraj, Union Health Minister, will be the main speaker. The conference in the Hamirpur constituency will be held at Amb on April 6. The committee discussed ways and means to prevent the Congress from indulging in rigging and other poll malpractices. Besides the members of the committee, Mr Sanjay Joshi, national general secretary, Mr O.P. Kohli, national secretary of the party, also attended the meeting. |
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Farmers need guidance in marketing: experts Kulu, March 26 Dr R.B. Singh told the farmers at the seminar that in this ear of highly specialised farming and impending challenges and opportunities in the WTO regime, they should seek guidance and help of scientists of understand the implications of new farming technologies to maximise profit. He said the commission would extend all possible help in “eradicating unemployment in the rural areas as majority of the population is young”. Dr Tej Pratap said that Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University had taken steps to face new challenges posed by the WTO regime and open market economy. He said research and extension activities at various stations had been integrated to serve the farming community better. The farmers had been focused in all university plans and schemes. He also underlined the importance of organic farming and exhorted farmers to collectively adopt this for better results and profits. The Vice-Chancellor cautioned the
farmers against the excessive use of chemicals and advised them optimum utilisation of water resources through water harvesting techniques. An exhibition of organic products was also held. The farmers purchased quality seeds. The chief guest Dr R.B. Singh, gave away prizes to progressive farmers. Later, Dr R.B. Singh, Dr Tej Pratap and other scientists visited some progressive farms in the lower Kulu area. |
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HC directs hotel board not to hold meeting Shimla, March 26 The state government has pleaded that in the absence of an award of the arbitrator the board of directors of East India Hotel may take an important decision which may prejudice the interest of the state if the meeting was allowed to be held. Counsel for the hotel company informed the court that the meeting of the board of directors had been postponed till March 31, 2004. The court asked the management not to hold the meeting without the leave of the court. The hearing of this matter has been fixed at 12:45 PM on March 31. In case the hearing is adjourned or not held in that situation meeting will not be convened without the leave of the court. |
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Honorary French town citizenship for
Dalai Lama Dharamsala, March 26 According to a spokesman of the Tibetan Government in exile here, Mr Aschhieri and Mr Lionel Lucca, President of Tibetan group in French National Assembly are on a visit here and held discussions with the officials. The town has also decided to observe 2004 as the year of Tibet so that the Tibetan issue could be highlighted. It has also been decided to hoist Tibetan flag on March 10 every in the town to commemorate the Tibetan Uprising Day. The town of Mouans-Sartoux is located near Cannes in Southern France. |
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