Chandigarh, December 16
The Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Employees Union, Gurgaon, has in a communiqué to the Tribune said that the report headlined, ‘Garg panel probe in Gurgaon violence hits roadblock’ (December 9) carried the version of only one party.

Ever since it received the notice from the Commission, the union has fully cooperated with it. Of course, the union had faxed an application before the commission on December 5 mentioning its difficulties in appearing before it at Chandigarh. There was no demand that the government should pay for their travel from Gurgaon to Chandigarh and so on.

The difficulties mentioned in the application were because the workers are economically weak. They have serious financial constraints in organizing their boarding, lodging, etc., in Chandigarh.

Another grievance is that the inquiry is supposed to be an inquiry into the police atrocity. However, in the terms of reference, there is no mention of police atrocity. On the contrary, the workers have been labelled as “unruly” and “a mob”. The police is thus being given an escape route in this matter.

The Tribune correspondent replies: The story was based on the information received at the commission’s office at Chandigarh. It was mentioned in the story that Justice G C Garg had promised to take care of the difficulties faced by the union. 

Hisar, December 16
In a significant development, the state leadership of the CPM, which is supporting the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, has decided to launch a statewide agitation in protest against the acute power and LPG crises in Haryana.

Talking to The Tribune here today, a veteran Communist leader and state secretary of the CPM, Mr Prithvi Singh Gorakhpuria, asserted that the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government had failed to live up to expectations of the party as well as the common people.

“Apart from the acute crises of electricity and cooking gas, the condition of roads, water supply and sanitation is also critical. Despite widespread protests and repeated reminders to the authorities concerned, no effective steps have been taken to ensure the provision of even the basic amenities to the residents,” the Communist leader said.

Mr Gorakhpuria, who is also the vice-president of the state unit of the All-India Kisan Sabha, maintained that the strategy and schedule of the agitation would be finalised at a party meeting to be held here on December 20.

He said initially the protest would be launched in Hisar which would be followed by a statewide agitation. In the first phase, a “mashaal” (torch) procession would be taken out to press for various issues of public interest.

Following this, a series of public meetings would be organised all over the state, besides holding brainstorming sessions at the CPM offices. Finally, a statewide protest rally would be organised.

Mr Gorakhpuria said the tall claims being made by the Hooda regime notwithstanding, the law and order situation in the state was bad and the common people did not feel secure. “Ever since the formation of the Congress government in the state, we have been getting promises and assurances of good governance from the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues. Mr Hooda should now concentrate on getting the developmental schemes implemented,” he observed.

Panipat, December 16
Sleuths from the Vigilance Department raided Bhim Sain Sachhar Government Hospital here this morning. The vigilance team sealed several records from the office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

According to sources, there were alleged irregularities of funds allocated to the hospital. Last year, the previous Chautala regime had changed the name of the hospital to the name of Bhim Sain Sachhar and allocated Rs 22 lakh for the maintenance of the hospital campus.

Hospital sources said that the amount was allocated to maintain a park, roads and the building. The alleged misuse of funds was highlighted after a few weeks of the functions and the Chautala government marked a vigilance inquiry.

Later, the sources added that the investigations got delayed due to the Assembly elections and later change of the government.

The sources said that the vigilance team had sealed the records related to the purchase of grills and other equipment.

Chandigarh, December 16
Condemning the “brutal” lathi charge on retrenched employees protesting against the Haryana Government here yesterday, the Indian National Lok Dal(INLD) has accused the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, of going back on his promise of giving jobs to these employees.

In a statement issued here today the president of the Haryana unit of the INLD and former Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Arora, said it had become routine for the Congress government in the state to lay off employees during sessions of the Vidhan Sabha.

Mr Arora said that after coming to power on the strength of tall promises, the Congress had till now rendered more than 20,000 government employees jobless. Instead of providing employment to the unemployed the 10-month rule of the Congress had been marked by the fact that more government employees had been made unemployed.

He said during the last Vidhan Sabha session, the Congress had passed a Bill that rendered 3,500 Haryana Industrial Security Force employees jobless. The current Vidhan Sabha had continued the trend and had passed a Bill that would make 6,750 gram sahayaks jobless.

Mr Arora said the Congress had been accusing the previous INLD government of retrenching employees. He explained that no government employee was removed from service. Even in those boards and corporations which were consistently making losses a large number of employees were adjusted in other departments by the INLD government. However, the Congress had promised to reinstate all employees of boards and corporations and those removed under the directions of courts. Now, instead of fulfilling that promise, the Congress government was handling the employees in a brutal and inhuman manner.

Ambala, December 16
The Federation of Welfare Societies/Associations, Mahesh Nagar area, Ambala Cantt, has expressed resentment over the attitude of the Mahesh Nagar police towards nabbing a gang of chain snatchers.

The federation, through a letter, has requested the Superintendent of Police, Ambala, to order the Mahesh Nagar police station in charge to nab the culprits at the earliest and to restore the faith of the people in the police.

The Secretary-General of the federation, Mr N.D. Arora said menace of chain and mobile snatching has increased considerably. “The ladies cannot come out of their house alone. Even at the doorstep, chain and mobiles are being snatched.

There is a gang of two persons who move on a motorcycle,” he said.

The letter addressed to the SP states that in a week’s time, three incidents have been reported at the Mahesh Nagar police station but no FIR has been registered.

The letter states that only written application is taken with the observation that such cases are generally not traceable.

Chain and mobile snatching incidents took place with Ms K.L. Taneja of Raja Park, Ms Amandeep Kaur of Mahesh Nagar and Ms Banto Kataria, wife of former MP Mr Ratan Lal Kataria residing in Arya Nagar.

Ambala, December 16
The Fast-Track Court of Ambala acquitted the main accused of a double murder case on the ground of insufficient evidences. The accused Rajinder Kumar belongs to Mujaffar Nagar. Earlier three of the accused of this case were also acquitted on the same ground. The Additional Sessions Judges, Mr J.S. Kundu pronounced the order on Wednesday.

According to prosecution in August, 2000, four persons, including Rajinder Kumar attacked at the residence of Jaggannath, a resident of the city. They stabbed Jaggannath and his wife Saroj Bala. Jaggannath died on the spot while Saroj was rushed to PGI Chandigarh where she succumbed to her injuries.

After a thorough investigation the police registered a criminal case against Rajinder Kalu, Jeeva and Kanhiya in this regard. Three of the accused were arrested by the police while Rajinder was nabbed by the police a few months back.

Rewari, December 16
Ravinder Kaur, daughter of Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Bara Talab area here filed a dowry case against her in-laws. Ravinder Kaur, who was married to Harpal Singh, son of Kuldeep Singh of Vaishali Nagar of Ghaziabad district in Uttar Pradesh, has lodged a complaint with the city police here following which the police has booked her husband Harpal Singh, mother-in-law Surender Kaur and two others on charges of harassment for dowry, causing hurt and criminal intimidation.

A case under sections 498-A, 323, 406, 506, 34 of the IPC has been registered against them. In second such incident, on a complaint lodged by Vandana Saini, daughter of Ram Singh Saini, resident of Mohalla Saiyed Sarai here, the city police has registered a case of harassment for dowry and criminal breach of trust against her husband Ajit Saini, father-in-law Suraj Bhan Saini, mother-in-law Shyama Devi and two others - residents of New Delhi area.

It is alleged that Vandana Saini, who was married to Ajit Saini in January, 2001, had been harassed for dowry and was eventually forced to leave her husband's house.

Hisar, December 16
Acting on specific directions issued by the Haryana Director-General of Police (DGP), the district police has arrested as many as 80 fugitives who had been at large for quite some time.

Mr Arshinder Singh Chawla, SSP, said here today that in a special campaign launched on the direction of the DGP, the district police had arrested 16 persons for possession of illegal weapons.

The district police chief said eight pistols, six cartridges, a sword and six knives had been seized from the possession of the arrested persons, adding that all of them had been booked under the Arms Act.

Mr Chawla said in all, 759 pending cases had also been settled as per the directions issued by the DGP.

Rohtak, December 16
Six employees of the local District Jail have been suspended following a preliminary probe into allegations levelled by an inmate.

They were Chief Warder Balbir Singh, Warders Ramesh, Virender, Dhajaram and Subhash and ASW Pirthi Singh.

An undertrial inmate, Joginder Singh, had complained of ill-treatment of inmates and irregularities in the administration.

A deputation of the jail employees today met the district authorities to protest against the suspension.

Yamunanagar, December 16
In an apparent bid to loot passers-by, unidentified persons blocked a link road using wooden logs and attacked two motor cycle riders the moment the vehicle slowed down late last night. One of the riders died on the spot.

As per information available, Mahipal, who was riding pillion to a motor cycle being driven by Ram Chander, was hit by an object when the bike slowed down near Magarpur village on the Chhapar-Mustafabad road at around 10 pm on Wednesday. Ram Chander lost balance and also fell on the road. He raised the alarm.

He reportedly told the police that he spotted two persons running away when he started shouting for help.

To seek help, Ram Chander reached a nearby dera. But by the time help arrived, Mahipal had died, said sources. The two were returning home in Mustfabad after closing their shop near Dosadka Chowk on the Jagadhri-Ambala road.

Karnal, December 16
In view of the state-level strike, employees of all the 10 branches in Karnal district of the State Bank of Patiala observed strike today in support of their demands.

The employees gathered at the main branch of their bank situated on Railway Road here, staged dharna and raised slogans against the management.

Addressing the gathering, deputy general secretary of the SBoP Employees Union, Haryana, Mr V.N. Sharma, demanded withdrawal of the unilateral decision of the management of reducing single-window operator allowance from Rs 1600 to Rs 971.