New Delhi, December 16
All 150 Dalit families affected by the April 21, 2010, violence at Mirchpur in Hisar, would be provided foodgrains free of cost for four more months from November 2011 to February 2012, the Haryana Government assured the Supreme Court today.

The families, comprising 350 persons, would also get blankets free of cost to protect themselves in the winter, senior counsel PN Misra informed a Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and SJ Mukhopadhaya.

The blankets could be collected from the District Welfare Office at Hisar. Each family would be provided 100 kg of wheat and rice a month.

The victims, who had fled Mirchpur village, following the violence, are staying in tents pitched at a farmhouse in the district.

Refusing to return to their village in view of the hostile atmosphere prevailing against them, the villagers have sought their resettlement at some other place.

The state government informed the Bench that it would consider their demand for resettlement at a later stage and file an affidavit in the court. The state also clarified that it was not in a position to give them foodgrains free of cost perennially. The Bench said there was no need for this, as it would dispose of the case soon.

On October 31, a trial court in Delhi convicted 15 persons, of whom three were sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in the April 2010 Mirchpur violence.

Chandigarh, December 16
The Akhil Bhartiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS) has decided to intensify its agitation to press its demand for inclusion of the Jat community in the list of OBCs for reservation in government jobs and educational institutions.

Yash Pal Malik, president of the samiti, said activists of the samiti would launch “Rail Roko, Sadak Roko” on February 15 next in 200 districts of 12 states in protest against the “betrayal” by the Congress-led UPA government.

Malik said the supply of milk, vegetables, electricity and water to the national capital would also be blocked during the agitation .

The samiti would give a call to the Jat community to boycott the Congress during the Assembly elections in five states next year. Malik said the samiti would not appeal in favour of any particular political party but would urge the community to vote for a party in a position to defeat the Congress. The samiti , he said, had lifted their dharna from the rail tracks after the Congress government assured them on March 26 last that the Jats would be included in the list of OBCs within six months . However, the government had not done anything in this regard so far. It had only amended the Backward Castes Commission Act. Therefore, the Jats were angry with the Congress government.

Malik cautioned the Muslims that the Congress was misleading them by promising OBC status to them before the Assembly elections in five states. He said the Jats were in favour of granting OBC status to the Muslims.

Malik expressed satisfaction over the proceedings of the Punjab Backward Classes Commission. However, he said the samiti could not say so about the Haryana Backward Classes Commission, which had now decided to visit all districts to take a decision on the demand of the Jats. This, he alleged, was a tactic to delay the issue.

Announcing organisational changes in the samiti, Malik announced the appointment of Dharampal Chhot Dhariwal as president of the Haryana unit. The present incumbent, Hawa Singh Sangwan, has been made national vice-president.

Umed Singh, a former DSP, will head the UP unit. Haji Almas and Sube Singh Dhaka have been made national general secretary and national vice-president, respectively.

Chandigarh, December 16
The Haryana Backward Classes Commission, headed by Justice KC Gupta (retd) will visit Hisar district on January 11 and 12 and Jind district on January 16 and 17 for the hearing of the applications and objections already submitted to the Commission by various organisations, groups and individuals of different castes for inclusion or over inclusion in the list of Other Backward Classes.

While stating this here today, a spokesperson of the commission said the venue of hearing would be PWD Rest House, Hisar, and PWD Rest House, Jind.

The organisations or individuals should bring and submit their applications or objections in a set of five copies of each document, he added.

Chandigarh, December 16
Clouds of uncertainty are hovering over five municipal corporations of Haryana with the recently released population figures putting these cities’ population at less than the mandatory 3 lakh mark.

Since population of 3 lakh is one the criteria for the constitution of the municipal corporation according to the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, questions are being raised at the upgradation of these municipal councils into a corporation by the state government since last year.

The cities, which did not fulfil the population criterion included Panchkula (2.10 lakh), Panipat (2.94 lakh), Karnal (2.87 lakh), Yamunanagar (2.17 lakh) and Ambala (1.96 lakh). Besides these five cities, the Haryana Government had upgraded Hisar and Rohtak cities to the status of the municipal corporation.

Both Hisar and Rohtak had a population of more than compulsory 3 lakh. The state already had two corporations- Gurgaon and Faridabad. In fact, a case regarding the carving out of the municipal corporation by merging Panchkula, Kalka and Pinjore municipal councils is already pending before the Supreme Court.

In August this year, the SC had stayed an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashing the notification for the formation of a Panchkula Municipal Corporation and converting it back to a council.

Advocate Vijay Bansal, who had challenged the notification for the formation of Panchkula Municipal Corporation, had opposed the formation of the corporation on the plea that population of Panchkula was less than 3 lakh and three municipal councils could not be merged into one.

Talking to The Tribune, Bansal claimed that merger of two municipal councils such as the Ambala-Ambala city and Yamunanagar-Jagadhri was against the rules. The decision of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda Government to create seven municipal corporations last year was arbitrary and against the rules, he alleged.

However, a senior official said the government had strictly gone by the rules and regulations while forming the MCs last year.

Hisar, December 16
Tributes were paid to martyrs at a solemn ceremony at the War Memorial outside the Mini Secretariat here on the occasion of Vijay Divas today. Ashok Kumar Meena, ADC, and several armed forces veterans were among those who paid floral tributes at the memorial. A contingent of the district police sounded the last post and reversed arms in memory of the martyrs.

Meena said the nation was grateful to all martyrs who had made the supreme sacrifice for the country. He said martyrs should be role models for youth of today. He recounted tales of valour and bravery shown by armed forces personnel in different wars.

Karnal: While an indebted nation paid homage to martyrs of the 1971 Indo-Pak war on Vijay Divas, BJP workers staged a demonstration, demanding gallows for terrorists Kasab and Afzal Guru.

Karnal Deputy Commissioner Neelam P Kasani laid wreaths at the “Martyrs Memorial” and led the people in paying homage to those who laid down their lives to defend the country.

The widows of martyrs were honoured on the occasion and presented shawls and cash awards.

Six soldiers from Karnal-- Tarsem Singh from Assandh, Rattan Lal from Balah, Ratan Singh from Rahra, Jai Singh from Rahra, Gyan Singh from Nigdu, Prithvi Singh from Pada-- had laid down their lives during the war and “Shaheed Smarak” was later raised in their memory.

On the other hand, BJYM workers, enraged by the remarks of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, seeking clemency for Afzal Guru held a demonstration and burnt an effigy of Geelani.

BJYM leader Umesh and former district BJP president Chander Prakash Kathuria wanted both Kasab and Afzl Guru to be hanged without further delay.

Sirsa: Rich tributes were paid to martyrs on the occasion of Vijay Divas .

Commissioner, Hisar Division, MP Bansal, Air Commodore SP Singh, Station Commander of the Air Force Sirsa, DC Sameer Pal Srow and SP Devender Singh Yadav were among those who placed wreaths on the martyrs’ memorial here .

Jawans of the Haryana Police saluted the memorial by reversing their arms.

Gurgaon, December 16
The three-day “Rajasthan Calling" roadshow to woo domestic tourists from the NCR being organised by the Department of Tourism, Rajasthan, opened here today.

The event being held at Narsi Banquet Hall in Palam Vihar adjacent to Ansal Plaza is part of Rajasthan Tourism’s domestic tourism promotion campaign “Rajasthan Calling" to be held in 22 major cities, including Kochi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Rajkot, Mumbai, Vadodra, Surat, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana and Chandigarh, apart from Gurgaon.

“The major reason for organising this event in Gurgaon is to give a feel of Rajasthan and establish a better understanding about the state and showcasing its traditional culture and exquisite range of Rajasthani handicraft products and delicacies. Other major highlights of the show are live Rajasthani folk performances and traditional Rajasthani food court,” said Pramod Sharma, GM, Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), at the inaugural function. — TNS

Panchkula, December 16
Disposing of a case relating to the murder of Rakesh alias Lara, a Dalit of Gohana, Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge, CBI, AS Narang, today sentenced Naresh, alias Neshi, one of the accused, to life imprisonment.

The murder case had led to the statewide protests by dalits in August 2007.

The court has also sentenced him an imprisonment of 3 years with a penalty of Rs 1,000 under the Arms Act.

Other five accused in the case- Prahlad, Ashok, Dinesh Mudlana, Dinesh and Ram Niwas, have been acquitted by the court. Another accused in the case, Sanjay Butania, had been killed in a shootout in Sonepat court on December 12, 2008.

Lara was shot dead by three motorcycle-borne men on August 27, 2007. The incident had sparked off violent protests in the state, which left one dead and six injured. Following this, state chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda ordered for a CBI inquiry into the incident. Lara was named in the murder of a Jat youth, Baljeet Siwatch at Gohana, in August 2005. Following this, the houses of 50 Dalits in Gohna set ablaze. Later, Lara was discharged on November 26, 2006 by the CBI due to lack of evidence. While investigating his murder case, the CBI had arrested the seven accused. During the hearing of the case, the CBI had got a setback when all the four witnesses-Mithun, brother of the deceased, along with Arun, Vickey and Deepak turned hostile.

Chandigarh, December 16
From now on, even married daughters of ex-servicemen without independent source of livelihood will be eligible for dependent certificates for jobs in the Haryana government.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has struck down as “ultra vires of the Constitution” a clause in the state government’s policy, which limited the benefit of dependent certificates only to married dependent sons of an ex-serviceman, without independent source of livelihood.

The significant directions came on a petition filed by Jai Narain Jakhar against the state of Haryana and other respondents.

In the petition placed before the Bench of Justices MM Kumar and Rajiv Narain Raina, Jakhar through counsel Vivek Khatri had sought the quashing of the policy dated October 11, 2001, “framed by the state of Haryana for issuance of dependent certificates to ex-servicemen/their dependents for employment by the Zila Sainik Boards”.

Allowing the petition, the Bench asserted: In clause (f) of the policy, married son of ex-servicemen, who does not have independent source of livelihood is considered eligible to be treated as dependent of an ex-serviceman and entitle to such a certificate from a competent authority, whereas a daughter has been excluded from the benefit.

“There is virtually no basis of classification once various factors of both son and daughter are the same. If common factor in both cases is unemployment and lack of independent source of income, it does not make any difference whether it is a son or a daughter.

The Bench also directed the respondents to issue the dependent certificate to the petitioner.

Chandigarh, December 16
Taking the state of Haryana to task for being “insensitive” to a widow’s plight, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the release of Rs 2.5 lakh as compassionate assistance. Justice Ranjit Singh also ruled that the petitioner, Savitri Devi, was entitled to exemplary costs of Rs 50,000.

Justice Ranjit Singh ruled: “This is the case of a widow, fighting for compassionate appointment for her son or in the alternative praying for compassionate financial assistance on her husband’s death.

“Like in most cases, the state continues to be insensitive to the cry of a hapless widow that too by ignoring the rules . One technical objection after another is raised to deny the petitioner’s claim. “Why have such schemes to show compassion if these schemes are to be violated without any consideration for compassion?”

Justice Ranjit Singh asserted: “The facts would tell the tale of woes of this unfortunate widow. Rajinder Parshad, husband of the petitioner, who was working as a head constable, died on June 8, 1998. For her survival, the petitioner prayed for appointment of her son, Vinod Kumar, on compassionate grounds. Before this claim could be considered or mature, the petitioner’s son, Vinod Kumar, unfortunately died on July 25, 1999.

“The petitioner then came forward to make a claim for her appointment on compassionate grounds. It is sad to notice that the petitioner asked for appointment as a Class IV employee/sewadar in the Police Department or in the Education/Health Department. “The widow of a head constable, asked for an appointment as sewadar and even this did not find favour with state or its agents….” the judge said.

“The case of the petitioner for compassionate assistance under 2003 Rules has not been properly considered in terms of the policy instructions. There is no reason forthcoming as to why the petitioner could not be granted assistance, if she was not to be given appointment on compassionate grounds ”.

Hisar, December 16
The All-India State Government Employees Federation, which is holding its 14th national conference here, has asked the government to check price rise to provide relief to people.

A resolution to this effect was passed on the second day of the conference here today. It said the prices of food items in particular had been rising steadily due to the lopsided policies of the UPA government at the Centre.

Inflation had been on the rise and the government had tried to curb it by raising interest rates. However, there had been no change in its policies which could have provided lasting relief to the people.

The resolution was passed unanimously by over 2,000 delegates from all states and union territories attending the conference.

Through another resolution the conference criticised the frequent hike in petrol prices and other essential commodities. It said a hike in oil prices led to a rise in the prices of all items of daily use. It demanded that the government should direct public sector oil companies not to raise prices.

Seven more resolutions were passed on various issues, including making the government functioning more people-oriented and geared towards fighting graft at all levels, employees’ right to strike, privatisation of the banking and insurance sectors, anti-people industrial and economic policies of the Centre and state governments and privatisation of pension.

Earlier, addressing the delegates, Tapan Sen, MP and CITU general secretary, appealed to the workers from all vital sectors, including financial and banking institutions, to take active part in the proposed all-India strike on February 28 next, a day before the presentation of the Union Budget.

Sen said, “The UPA government is providing huge budgetary benefits to big business houses at the cost of the common man. Besides, it is also facilitating the rampant loot of financial and natural resources of the country.” He asked the people to remain vigilant against the attempts to allow FDI in the multi-brand retail sector which was put on hold as a result of widespread opposition.

Ratia, December 16
In a move to enthuse workers, demoralised after the party’s defeat in the November 30 Ratia byelection, INLD secretary-general Ajay Singh Chautala today told them not to lose heart.

Addressing a meeting organised here to thank the party workers, Chautala maintained that they might have lost the election technically, but morally it was a victory for them. “The party lost because the government used unfair means to win, as Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s chair was at stake after the Hisar loss,” Chautala told INLD workers.

Chautala termed the Rs 300-crore package announced by Hooda during his December 10 rally a mirage, which, he alleged, would never materialise. He said the projects announced by Hooda would never see the light of day. “During the last six years, Hooda has made a number of announcements, but none of these has been fulfiled,” Chautala claimed. He said bringing the SYL waters making Haryana an educational hub and providing uninterrupted power supply were some of the promises that had never been honoured in the last six years.

Rewari, December 16
The Model Town police has arrested seven persons, including the main accused Vijay Yadav, a gunman of former Haryana Minister and now Hisar MLA Savitri Jindal’s, in connection with the gruesome double murder of Om Prakash Yadav (65) and his daughter-in-law Sushila Yadav (35), wife of Kuldeep Yadav, who were mercilessly beaten to death at Bithwana village, 3 km from here, last night.

The other arrested include Vijay’s wife Ram Giri, his brother Suresh Yadav and his wife Kailash Yadav, Vijay’s another brother Naresh Yadav, his wife Guddo Yadav and his son Dharmender Yadav.

Sources said when Om Prakash’s grandson Gautam Yadav and daughter of Vijay’s brother-in-law Manju Yadav recently tied the nuptial knot, it intensified the old enmity between Vijay’s family and Om Prakash’s family.

Consequently, Vijay, along with other members of his family, first attacked Gautam and his wife Manju and inflicted grave injuries on them last evening. When they were taken by the police to the civil hospital here for medico-legal examination, Vijay and other members of his family, who were armed with lethal weapons, assaulted and killed Om Prakash.

Simultaneously, when Om Prakash’s daughter-in-law Sushila came to his rescue, she too was eliminated.

On a complaint filed by Vivek Yadav, deceased Om Prakash’s grandson, the police registered a case of murder, rioting and criminal trespass against Vijay Yadav and 18 other members of their family, including nine women.

Jhajjar, December 16
The BJP Kisan Morcha will soon launch a nationwide campaign to get the Swaminathan Commission’s report implemented for the welfare of farmers who are struggling hard to sustain their livelihood owing to apathetic attitude of the union government towards them, said Om Prakash Dhankhar, national president of the kisan morcha, while addressing a news conference here.

“The Union Government is deliberately not mulling over the Swaminathan Commission’s report handed over to the government five years ago. Even a committee comprising several Chief Ministers formed to present valuable suggestions for executing the commission’s report has also submitted its report to the government nearly a year ago but the government has so far not taken any action ,” said Dhankhar.

Applauding the Maharshtra government for extending a relief package of Rs 2,000 crore to its farmers, Dhankhar said Haryana should also follow Maharashtra for the welfare of farmers devastated owing to ‘anti-farmer’ policies .

“Farmers of Haryana are a worried lot due to the declining prices of Pusa 1121 and Muchhal varieties of basmati paddy. Despite knowing the plight of farmers, the state government has failed to come to their rescue,” said Dhankar.