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Bhatt-Shivanand talks fail Tazia preparations in full swing in Haridwar
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Sexual abuse allegations on Mayawati’s direction, says Swami Chinmayanand
Three killed as bus falls into gorge
BSP names 10 for poll
CPI members hold meeting
BJP National Secretaries’ Meeting
BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, Chief Minister BC Khanduri and other senior state party leaders
at a party rally in Dehradun on Sunday.
BJP to focus on graft issue in Assembly poll
Khanduri should sack Diwakar
Bhatt: MP
Students forced to buy jackets from particular shop
Roller skating championship concludes
The Aryan School team that won the overall trophy in the Sixth State-level Roller Skating Championship held at Kasiga School in Dehradun on Sunday. Mussoorie skaters excel in championship
Helex Cricker Club triumph
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Bhatt-Shivanand talks fail
Haridwar, December 4 While Swami Shivanand has demanded a total ban on quarrying on the Ganga river bed, Bhatt has categorically denied it, citing natural and economical requirements of Uttarakhand. Bhatt informed The Tribune that he would be meeting Chief Minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri tomorrow and submit his resignation so that he could launch an agitation from December 6 in Haridwar in support of quarrying. “We urged him (Swami Shivanand) to also consider the fact that at a certain level quarrying is essential otherwise there could be semi-flood-like situation in the areas close to the Ganga when the water level rises. Quarrying provides employment to thousands of people of the state and the real estate sector will get a major setback in case a total ban is imposed on quarrying,” said Bhatt who has staged many an agitation during the statehood movement in the nineties. During the talks for more than two hours, which included a 30-minute personal interaction, Bhatt and Shivanand at many points both seemed to be getting close. But on two vital issues both differed, which eventually led to the failure of the talks. Swami Shivanand demanded quarrying on at least two Ganga beds of Bishanpur Kundi and Bhogpur should be instantly banned and Khanduri should announce that quarrying with JCB machines will be totally prohibited. The Revenue Minister said at least manual quarrying should be allowed there. Bhatt sought some time citing that there are several legal formalities and procedures to be carried out before formulating a quarrying policy in the state. He urged the saint to end his agitation instantly and accompany him to meet Khanduri regarding the matter. But Swami Shivanand was adamant that until an assurance was given to him in writing he would continue with the fast. The Bhatt said now he would also be launching an agitation in support of quarrying, opposing Matra Sadan’s agitation. He told Swami Shivanand that his agitation was anti-development and affecting livelihood of the people of the state. Meanwhile, SDM Harbeer Singh said a close monitoring of Swami Shivanand’s health was being done and constant efforts were being made via talks from their side to end the agitation peacefully. |
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Tazia preparations in full swing in Haridwar
Haridwar December 4
Particularly in the suburban Jwalapur, where a sizeable population of Muslims live, dozens of tazias can be seen, with artists giving final touches, many incorporating some innovative ideas on them. Hazi Gulzaar, an artiste involved in making of tazias for more than a decade, said for the past few months they had been conceptualising and making tazias as demand was quite high in the district. But this year’s main tazia is being built at Mohalla Maidaniyan where 12 artists for more than a month are making a tazia worth Rs 2 lakh for this year’s Moharram procession. The fund is being collected by the Ansar Welfare Society from the people only and the tazia is 20-foot tall and weighing 250 kg. “People contributed voluntarily as they came to know of our efforts. Though we had collected substantial amount and were ready to pay the artists, they declined to accept it. They termed it a religious cause,” said Manzoor Ansari, a volunteer of the committee. Meanwhile, in view of the Moharram procession, adequate preparations and chalking out the route for tazia procession have been finalised. Community people are also cooperating with the administration making sure they adhere to the norms specified during carrying of the procession. Moharram is observed in memory of Imam Hussain-ibn-Ali, the grandson of prophet Muhammad, and a Shia Imam, who were killed in the battle of Karbala. The event is marked by arranging 'majalis' (gatherings) to review Islamic teachings and to commemorate Imam Hussain's sacrifice and one form of mourning is the theatrical re-enactment of the battle of Karbala, popularly known as tazia. Haridwar is a multi-religious city where people of all sects live in harmony and the city presents an ideal secular example to the world, said Kamal Johra, former municipal chairman.
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Sexual abuse allegations on Mayawati’s direction, says Swami Chinmayanand
Haridwar, December 4 He related his closeness with BJP leader Uma Bharati, who has been made UP election party in charge, as also the reason that has made the BSP leader to malign him as Mayawati is worried about the resurgence of the BJP in the state. “Even the FIR was filed on Mayawati’s direction, which itself explains the fear among the BSP due to my stature, both as a religious guru and politician” said the swami, who has been living in Haridwar for the past 40 years. Accepting the fact that he came in contact with the girl, Sadhvi Chidarpita, who is a daughter of his disciple Usha Gupta, in 2001, he said he had attached her in the Parliament office and later funded her educational expenses. “But now due to her political ambitions, particularly her desire to be a politician as she wants to contest on the BJP ticket, which I categorically denied, made her to take this route. Since past decade, she had never complained anything, but now due to a conspiracy by BSP leader hailing from Shahjahanpur and his so-called husband, I am being wrongly framed,” said the former Cabinet minister. He also claimed that till date, barring this allegation, he had never been in controversy, be it political, social, religious or personal and will give a fitting reply legally only. Relating allegations on her as a political vendetta being carried by the BSP and the Congress, the saint added that be it allegations on Swami Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi, Asa Ram Bapu, Sacha Sauda guru Ram Raheem, Ashutosh Maharaj, Swami Aseemanand, sadhvi Pragya Thakur or even Swami Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishan, the saint community was being targeted. |
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Three killed as bus falls into gorge
Dehradun, December 4 According to the police, a Van carrying four passengers that was on its way from Naugaon to Khanati fell into a deep gorge near Khanati last night. Three of the passengers were killed on the spot while the fourth who sustained serious injuries has been admitted to a local hospital. Chief Minister BC Khanduri has also mourned the deaths. He has announced ex gratia payment of Rs 50,000 to next of kin of the deceased. The CM has also directed district officials to ensure proper treatment of the injured.
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Dehradun, December 4 These candidates are Brijender Prasad Nautiyal (Yamunotri), Hukum Singh Pokhriyal (Gangotri), Dheer Singh Bisht (Rudraprayag), Ajay Kumar Sood (Raipur), Nupur Gupta (Dehradun Cantt), Gulshan Kumar Arora (Haridwar), Rajender Singh Kutiyal (Haridwar), Gobind Vallabh Pandey (Lohaghat), Devki Nandan Suryal ( Lal Kuan) and Rajesh Pratap Singh (Kichcha). — TNS |
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CPI members hold meeting
Dehradun, December 4 State secretary Samar Bhandari said the preference of their party would be to protect the state from corrupt parties. He said it was important to get unified with the democratic and secular forces in disposition. — TNS
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BJP National Secretaries’ Meeting
Pithoragarh, December 4 “If need be, the party will boycott Parliament on the issue to defend the future of thousands of retailers and farmers of the country,” said Gadkari. He termed the Congress a party of mother and son and said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had no power even to listen to the voice of his own conscious. “The Congress has deterred from the basic principles of good governance,” he added. Praising Chief Minister BC Khanduri, he claimed that his second innings in the state had filled the people with confidence in the BJP. The BJP president said the farmers were continuously committing suicides as the Centre had no sympathy for the farmers. “The government wants to secure benefits for the multinational giants at the cost of the farmers of the country,” he said. He said the Union Government had decided to invite foreign investment in the retail sector at the bidding of the world banking agencies which only wanted to exploit developing countries. “The decision will benefit the foreign retail giants by exploiting lakhs of retail vendors of the country. Therefore, the party like the BJP cannot oversee the issue related to the common man of the country,” he said. Earlier, addressing a public meeting, senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh said the prices were rising in the country due to corrupt practices of the Central Government. It was the Vajpayee government in the country for six years during which not only the prices of essential commodities were in strict control but also not a single minister was involved in corrupt practices,” said Rajnath Singh. Former Uttarakhand CM Bhagat Singh Koshiyari addressing the public meeting said it was the industrial package given to the state by Atal Bihari Vajpayee that helped huge investment in the industrial sector but when the Congress came to power it curtailed the industrial package. Khanduri and former CM Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank also addressed the gathering. |
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BJP to focus on graft issue in Assembly poll
Pithoragarh, December 4 They decided to lay emphasis on the interests of the Indian farmers and retail traders. “The party is standing with the Indian businessmen and farmers at a time when the Union Government is selling their interests to foreign retail giants,” Anant Kumar, general secretary of the party, said while briefing news persons after the meet. According to Anant Kumar, the party general secretaries have been instructed by BJP president Nitin Gadkari to draft a manifesto which could give confidence to the harassed traders and farmers of the country. “The party president, addressing the general secretaries, asked the Prime Minister to be answerable to the rising prices in the country or take retirement from politics,” said Anant Kumar. “The meeting also evaluated the programmes of the party and discussed the strategy for the coming assembly elections,” said Anant Kumar. Kiran Maheswari, JP Nadda, Vinay Goel, Vinay Sahastrabudhe, Dharmendra Pradhan and Narendra Tomar were present at the meeting. |
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Khanduri should sack Diwakar Bhatt: MP
Dehradun, December 4 On the allegation of the involvement of state Revenue Minister Diwakar Bhatt’s son in illegal mining on the Ganga river bed, the MP said the Chief Minister who had been claiming to be launching a campaign against corruption should sack Diwakar Bhatt. “He should immediately accept the resignation tendered by the minister to save his image,”
he added. Satpal Maharaj further said Swami Nigmanand had already given his life in stopping illegal mining on the Ganga river bed and now his guru, Swami Shivanand, had also started an indefinite fast on the issue. The Congress leader said Khanduri should also name the BJP minister who had allegedly demanded a bribe from yoga guru Ramdev and take action against him. He said if the Chief Minister failed to take action against such elements, then his campaign against corruption had no meaning.
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Students forced to buy jackets from particular shop
Pithoragarh, December 4 “A report has been sought on the complaint of the guardians of students as they have demonstrated before the office of the District Magistrate,” said District Education Officer Mukul Sati. According to the president of the Guardians Association, the school authorities keep demanding money from them on one pretext or the other. “This time during mid-session, the school management has asked the students to purchase jackets from a particular shop. The guardians are in no position to fulfil such demands of the school,” said Neelamber Joshi, a member of the association. “The school administration did not stop at this and went on to blame the guardians for misconduct and indiscipline against the management,” alleged Joshi. The Principal of the school, Meenakshi Pant, refuted the allegations and said they had neither expelled any student
for not purchasing jacket from the shop nor broken any law by ordering the students to purchase
these jacket from a particular shop. “We have asked the school authorities to give the details of salaries paid to the teachers and other staff, the mode of payment, number of classrooms available in the school and about other facilities like library, playing ground, etc, available at the school.
If the school authorities fail to give all these details, the department can consider withdrawing recognition of the school,” said the District
Education Officer.
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Roller skating championship concludes
Dehradun, December 4 Results: Quad skates (Boys):- 6-8 years: Aditya-1, Shalok-2, Yuvraj-3, 8-10 years: Utkarsh-1, Yash-2, Ishant-3, 10-12 years: Yash-1, Jivansh-2, Saksham-3, 12-14 years: Aditya-1, Lakshya-2, Jayesh-3, Above 14 years: Ashwin-1, Anant Johri-2, Aasish-3, (Girls):- 6-8 years: Trisha-1,Praja-2, Payal- 3. 8-10 years: Marin-1, Jayala-2, Anjali-3. 10-12 years: Simran-1, Rati Gupta-2, Paryatan-3 Above 14 years: Nancy-1, The DPS School, Roorkee, won the best disciplined team trophy while Junior Ishan Roller Skating Hockey Cup was won by Summer Valley School. Kasiga School and Asian School were declared the joint winners in the senior section of the roller skating hockey. The overall trophy was lifted by Aryan School. Patron of the association Gurdeep Singh Tony distributed the prizes. Secretary of the association Arvind Gupta also presented mementoes to those players who participated in the national and international events this year in roller skating. |
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Mussoorie skaters excel in championship
Mussoorie, December 4 Yuvraj Chauhan of the same school won four bronze in different events. |
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Helex Cricker Club triumph
Dehradun, December 4 After winning the toss, Helex Cricket Club proposed to field first and bold out their rivals at 96 runs in
19 overs. Ajay (19), Sunny (12) and Haroon (20) were the top scorers for Al-Fateh Cricket Club. Ravi claimed three wickets while Sharat, Mohit and Akshat took two
wickets each. In return, Helax Cricket Club reached 97 runs at a loss of five wickets to win the match by five wickets. Vijay (44) and Akshat (27) were the top scorers for the Helex Cricket Club. |
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In a major turn of events today, Uttarakhand Revenue Minister Diwakar Bhatt went to the Matra Sadan ashram and held talks with agitating ashram head Swami Shivanand, who has been on fast against quarrying on the Ganga river bed. However, the two-hour talks failed to reach to any conclusion.
Nitin Gadkari, BJP national president, has said his party sees a threat to the basic identity of the national economy in the move by the Central Government to allow foreign direct investment
(FDI) in the retail sector and will oppose the move in Parliament. Gadkari was addressing a public meeting at Flats Ground in Nainital after the three-hour long meeting of BJP national secretaries.
Dehradun, December 4
