HC vacates stay on Champion’s arrest
Tribune News Service

Nainital, September 10
The vacation of stay on the arrest of Laksar legislator Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion by the Uttarakhand High Court has paved the way for law-enforcing agencies to act against him.

Champion had allegedly opened fire on the owner of a hotel in Roorkee after he expressed his inability to make available a room for one of his relatives 12 days ago. A stay on his arrest had earlier been granted by a single Bench of Justice Sarvesh Gupta. However, the stay was vacated by the court of Justice PC Pant last evening. The counsel for the complainant, while opposing the continuation of the stay, had said that Champion had gone on to carry out a show of strength in Roorkee and he felt threatened by the accused.

The incident had taken place on August 28 even as Champion has refuted the allegations. A team of forensic experts has also carried out an investigation at the hotel, Motel Polaris, in Roorkee and is learnt to have submitted its report.

The pistol that had allegedly been used in the crime had been seized after the incident. The police had to face resentment from hoteliers of the area for not having arrested the legislator immediately after the incident despite there having been eyewitnesses and other circumstantial evidence pointing to the legislator’s alleged attempt to kill the hotelier.

The owner of the hotel, Dhruv Singh, had alleged that the legislator along with his supporters had come to the hotel late at night and had demanded a particular room. When the hotel manager refused to oblige citing full occupancy at the hotel, some of the legislator’s supporters allegedly thrashed a waiter and forcefully tried to enter the said room. Later, the hotel owner was informed about the incident and he, after reaching the hotel, tried to pacify the aggressive supporters. But instead of stopping his supporters, the legislator allegedly entered the room and opened fired from his licensed pistol. However, Dhruv Singh had a miraculous escape.

Meanwhile, the legislator has been refuting the allegations claiming that the entire episode is a conspiracy hatched by BJP leaders to tarnish his image ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Residents up in arms over slow pace of work on bus stand
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Pauri Garhwal, September 10
Though Pauri is one of the oldest district headquarters of the state and the home district of Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, it is miles away when it comes to development.

It doesn’t even boasts of a proper bus stand. A year ago, the state government had sanctioned funds for reconstruction work on the bus stand, but the slow pace of work is causing inconvenience to commuters and local residents. Such is the resentment among the people that they have now taken the agitation route. Irked, they also locked the departments concerned and nodal agencies’ offices recently.

For the past one week, residents, under the banner of the Citizens Agitation Committee, have been raising the issue of the slow pace of work on the bus stand and have also been alleging the use of substandard material in the construction work. They said if the authorities concerned did not consider their demand for the early completion of the construction work, they would resort to a bandh.

A large number of pilgrims, tourists and residents of nearby areas board buses, taxis and other vehicles from this bus stand. Owing to the debris at the construction site, a bus had overturned last week. However, there was no passenger at the time of the mishap and the driver also escaped unhurt. Sources said one of the newly built side walls of the bus stand had started collapsing, thus posing danger to nearby commercial establishments.

However, now seeing public resentment, Chief Engineer (PWD) AK Bisht has removed the Assistant Engineer and the Junior Engineer who were carrying out the reconstruction work.

Superintending Engineer (PWD) Dayanand said they had recently held a meeting with civil society representatives and listened to all problems being faced by them. He gave them an assurance that the speed of the work would be increased and they would also take steps to check traffic jams in the area.

Virendra Rawat and Kamal Kishore, members of the traders’ union, said: “We can’t see crores of rupees being misused. If our governmental departments cant reconstruct a bus stand in a year, then the responsibility should be given to the private sector.”

Now, stirs demanding Lansdowne as dist HQ
Sandeep Rawat/TNS

A fast is being observed by residents under the Sangharsh Samiti banner and the protesters are demanding a written assurance by the state government on the issue of district headquarters

Pauri Garhwal, September 10
With the carving out of Kotdwar as a separate district from Pauri Garhwal, the state government has fulfilled a long-term demand of residents of this region, but now, another agitation has begun at Lansdowne to make it the district headquarters of the new district. Agitations, processions and dharnas have become the norm for residents of Lansdowne on making the army cantonment area the district headquarters.

Youth activists Jyoti Rautella and Bam Dev Shah have been staging a dharna at the Gandhi Chowk and a large number of persons - from nearby as well as remote villages - come to show solidarity with the protesters. Sangarsh Samiti coordinator Kuldeep Khandelwal said that their agitation was getting mass support even in remote villages as residents there are staging protests at their respective villages and tehsils too.

Local legislator Shailendra Singh Rawat said, “The decision of district headquarters is an administrative matter. The state government will arrive at a decision after taking various aspects in consideration.” He appealed to the agitators to stop their protests and instead celebrate the recently gained district status for Kotdwar.

Former legislator of Kotdwar Surendra Singh Negi said that the BJP-led government should also take into account the people’s wishes as well as the importance of the place while deciding the district headquarters for the new district.

He said that people of Kotdwar have fought a hard and non-violent battle for a separate district and the idea of having the headquarters at a place which is equidistant from all areas of the district should be given priority. “Lansdowne fits into this scheme well,” he said.

Meanwhile, the demand for establishing the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) and a government medical college in Kotdwar is also gaining momentum. The city units of the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, Bar association, various trade and social organisations are pressing for establishing these two institutions in Kotdwar.

The Kotdwar Bar Association today held a meeting in which association secretary Chandra Mohan Barthwal urged all parties and organisations to come together to press for these demands. 

Luck smiles again on Khanduri
SMA Kazmi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 10
Luck has again smiled on former Army General BC Khanduri who will be heading the Uttarakhand Government for the second time after the BJP high command decided to replace Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

Maj-Gen Bhuvan Chander Khanduri (retd) is the second leader from Garhwal after his maternal uncle Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna to reach the top post of a state, that too, for the second time. Together with grit and determination, it was sheer luck that brought the former Army engineer to the forefront of politics.

Born on October 1, 1934, he joined the BJP after his retirement. In the 1991 Lok Sabha poll, Khanduri was given the party ticket to contest the elections from the Pauri Garhwal constituency but he refused to contest since his cousin, Vijay Bahuguna, was supposed to be opposing him as the Congress candidate. But at the eleventh hour, the Congress decided to field Satpal Maharaj and Khanduri defeated him to enter the Lok Sabha.

In the 1996 parliamentary elections he lost to Satpal Maharaj but was re-elected in the 1998 and 1999 elections becoming the Chief Whip of the party. He was inducted as the Union Minister of State with independent charge of Surface Transport and Highways and elevated to the Cabinet in 2003. In 2004 he was again elected from Pauri Garhwal to the Lok Sabha.

A favourite of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Khanduri was made the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand after the BJP came to power after the 2007 Assembly elections. However, unlike his smooth tenure at the Centre, he started facing hurdles from his own party men from the very beginning during his first stint as Chief Minister. It was former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari who along with party legislators revolted against Khanduri. The party legislators revolted against his style of functioning and the results of the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 in which the BJP lost all five seats, finally resulted in Khanduri’s removal.

Interestingly, it was Khanduri who proposed the name of Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Health Minister in his Cabinet, as his successor. But soon the bonhomie between the two leaders turned into bitter political rivalry as Nishank started asserting himself. With the Assembly elections fast approaching, a desperate Khanduri launched a military- style campaign to oust Nishank. It was Lt-Gen TPS Rawat (retd), a close confidant of Khanduri, who left the BJP last month to form the Uttarakhand Raksha Manch. The manch became a rallying point for ex-servicemen, who form a large population in the state and had been backing the BJP for more than two decades.

On September 4 Khanduri’s supporters within the party at a function held under the banner of a social organisation gave a call to revolt against the party to lead a third front in the state. Khanduri also assured them that he would take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time. The threat worked well and the BJP high command was forced to replace Nishank.

CD has been doctored: Darshan Bharati

Dehradun, September 10
A social activist, Swami Darshan Bharati, today said the CD aired on local channels yesterday had been doctored.

In the video, Bharati was seen alleging that former Chief Minister BC Khanduri had told him to drag CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank’s name in the Citurgia land transfer case. At a press conference today, Darshan Bharati, who is now fighting the case in the Supreme Court, said that his life was in danger and he faced a threat from the CMand government machinery. “In the CD, it appears as though I am siding with the CM Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, but it is not the case. My life is in danger and I face a threat from the present CM and government machinery as they are all involved in the Citurgia land scam case,” charged the swami. He said that he was forced to come out into the open as the state BJP was in the throes of a political crisis and he did not want any misrepresentation of his views. “I had tried to expose corruption in the Citurgia land transfer case and had pursued the matter in the High Court and won. “I had even asked for a CBI inquiry into the matter so that the guilty could be punished. Now I am fighting the case in the Supreme Court and I am confident of getting justice,” said the swami. He also denied that former CM BC Khanduri’s associate Umesh Agarwal had paid him any money in this connection. — TNS

It’s two each for ABVP, NSUI

Pithoragarh, September 10
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and National Students Union of India (NSUI) won two presidential posts each during the student union elections in five PG colleges of the district. The remaining seat was won by an Independent candidate. Candidates of the ABVP won in two students unions - at Narayan Nagar and Pithoragarh. The posts of president in Munsiyari and Gangolihat were won by NSUI candidates while in Berinag PG College, an Independent candidate was chosen president of the student union.

“The elections were held in a peaceful atmosphere and no untoward incident occurred on these campuses,” said the police. “Bhuwan Singh Saun, a presidential candidate supported by the AVBP in Pithoragarh PG College was declared winner after he defeated Basant Joshi of the NSUI by a margin of 298 votes,” said Ajay Shukla, election officer for the elections. Another ABVP-supported presidential candidate, Arjun Dhanik, won in Narayan Nagar PG College in Didihat sub-division defeating NSUI candidate Tarun Pal by 27 votes, said RM Pandey, principal of the college.

In PG College, Munsiyari, NSUI-supported candidate Dan Singh Bagri defeated Narendra Singh by 66 votes while NSUI candidate Narendra Singh defeated Hayat Singh of ABVP in Gangolihat PG College election. Narendra Singh polled 173 votes while his nearest rival Hayat Singh got 101 votes.

The presidential election for the student union in Berinag College was won by Independent candidate Neeraj Suntha defeating Yogesh Rawat by 64 votes. — OC

Tibetan Nehru School win soccer title

Dehradun, September 10
Tibetan Nehru Memorial School thrashed Welham Boys’ School 4-0 in the final to lift the RIMC Soccer Cup that concluded here today. Yesterday in the semifinal, Tibetan Nehru Memorial School beat Assam Valley School 2-0.

This was made possible by N Dorjee (35th minute) and D Namgyal (65th) who chipped in with a goal each. In the second semifinal, Welham Boys’ School had to fight hard to get past Vasant Valley School 1-0. BS Pathania (44th) was the lone scorer. 

Dhruv Pal honoured

Dhruv Pal

Dehradun, September 10
Talented Dhruv Pal of Dehradun became the champion in the singles and doubles events of the Under-16 National Championship Series organised by the All-India Tennis Association in Amritsar.

In the singles final, sixth seed of the tournament Dhruv beat top seed, Chandigarh’s Dhir Anuj Bhatti, 6-3, 6-1 to claim the title. In the doubles final, he paired Bhatti to defeat Delhi’s pair of Paras and Risham in straight sets 6-2, 6-0.

Dhruv, a ninth standard student of Doon International School, was honoured by the school authorities when he returned to Dehradun today. He was given the Star of the DIS award by Harender S.Maan, Director of the school.

“I got to work on increasing my height and am also ironing out my skills in servicing,” the smiling 14-year-old said.

Dhruv started playing at the Shanti Tennis Academy at a tennis camp when he was nine. — TNS

U’khand Police take on Adhiowala Boys today

Dehradun, September 10
Police will take on Adhoiwala Boys in the final of the district football league here tomorrow. The two teams with 24 points each are topping the chart of the league. Sunderwala, at the third position, has accumulated 21 points.

Tomorrow’s match will be followed by a girls’ friendly match.

Meanwhile, in today’s super league match, Wills Youth Club blanked Vijay Cantt 3-0 with the help of Arpan, who struck a hattrick. He scored in the 25th, 46th and 65th minutes to script his squad’s win. — TNS

GGIC defeat Kuthaal Gate club
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, September 10
A two-day 16th Jeet Rauthan Memorial Six-a-side Soccer Tournament organised by R-sports Club began at the Survey Grounds amid heavy rain in Mussoorie today. More than a dozen teams from across the region took part. In today’s fixtures, Ghanand Government Inter College (GGIC) defeated Kuthaal Gate Sports Club 1-0. GGIC took an early lead in the first half and held on to it till the end.

In other matches, Guru Ram Rai School defeated Nav Shakti Sports Club 1-0; Mussoorie Modern School C defeated Bhatta Sports B 1-0; Bhatta Sports A defeated Mohmeddan Sports 1-0; Inter-Milan Sports Club defeated All-Star Sports Club 1-0; Mussoorie Public School

A defeated MMS B 1-0; Central School for Tibetans defeated Shastri Sports Club 1-0; Khetwala defeated Young Cantt 1-0; Library Sports defeated Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy Sports Club 1-0; Mussoorie Boys and Girls defeated Mussoorie Public School 1-0; Mussoorie Boys defeated R-Club 2-1; and Mussoorie Modern School A defeated Ghanand Government Inter College (GGIC) 2-1. The tournament was inaugurated by former Mandi Parishad president Upendar Thapli. Lalit Verma, BS Negi, Roshan Chamoli, Prashant, Dhirendar, Pravesh Panwar, Surendar Singh Negi and Praveen were the officials for the day. The finals will be held tomorrow. 

Tributes paid to Pant
Tribune News Service

Nainital, September 10
Various programmes were held in the Kumaon region to pay respects to Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant on his 124th birth anniversary. The programmes were organised at the administrative and institutional levels along with those held by public organisations.

Tributes were paid to the veteran politician who was from the region and had done a lot in the social sphere. His contribution to the development of the region is unparalleled. Flowers were offered at his statues and there were talks on his life and contribution.

In Almora a programme was held in his native village of Khunt where District Magistrate DS Garbyal underlined that Pant was a true well-wisher of farmers and the weaker sections of society. He said true homage could be paid to Pant by carrying out development work in the region while keeping the rural areas at the core of policies.

Dehradun: On the birth anniversary of Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, the State Archives organised an exhibition at its Bhopalmani office. On display were photographs and records relating to the life and times of Pant.