Dehradun, December 20
About 4,000 employees of nationalised banks in Uttarakhand stayed away from work today as part of a nationwide agitation against the Central government move to initiate banking reforms. As a result all banks remained closed.

In Dehradun, the bank employees gathered at Ashley Hall in the morning and raised slogans against the Centre. The protesters alleged that the banking reforms would be detrimental to the future of the nationalised banks in the country and even hurt the interests of the common people.

Subsequently, the protesters staged a protest march that started from Ashley Hall and after passing through the Rajpur Road-Clock Tower route culminated back at Ashley Hall.

The employees of the State Bank of India did not participate in the strike though employees of the State Bank of Patiala and the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur abstained from work. Employees of Federal Bank and Nainital Bank also participated in the strike.

Jagmohan Mehndiratta, general secretary of the Uttaranchal Bank Employees Union, said the Centre intended to bring private investment in the banking sector that would lead to exploitation of bank employees and also hurt the interests of the people. He added the Banking Reforms Bill also calls for merger of banks, which would further lead to retrenchment of employees.

Mehndiratta said the Centre through the Bill was also trying to bail out loan defaulters, which was not in the interests of the banks. The Centre should rather allow the banks to confiscate the property of the defaulters.

The All India Bank Employees Association, the All India Bank Officers Association and the Bank Employees Federation of India had given a joint call for strike. 

Dehradun, December 20
The Medical Laboratory Technicians of Uttarakhand today boycotted work after the Department of Health and Family Welfare failed to concede to their nine-point charter of demands.

Around 250 technicians boycotted work after the Department of Health failed to fulfil their demands that include hike in salaries. The members have been demanding grade pay enhancement from the existing Rs 2,800 to Rs 4,200.

"We had decided to defer stir started in May this year after the Minister of Health and Family Welfare Surinder Singh Negi assured us of fulfiling all our demands. But the minister did not keep his word, forcing us to boycott work from today," said Manoj Kumar Mishra, General Secretary, Uttarakhand Medical Lab Technician Association.

He said in case the government failed to pay heed to their demands, they would intensify their stir and stop giving emergency pathology services in the state from December 27. The other demands of the laboratory technicians include creating a structure for technicians, a provision for risk allowance, promotions and the minimum qualification for entry level laboratory technicians should be enhanced to the level of B.Sc in medical laboratory technology. — TNS

Mussoorie, December 20
Members of women organisations today gathered in large numbers to show their outrage over the Sunday night incident of a gang-rape of a girl in Delhi.

Over 200 women today took out a march from the Library chowk to Shaheed Sthal at Jhoola Ghar. They also burnt an effigy of the accused and demanded death for them for committing such a heinous crime against humanity.

Carrying placards and posters, women demanded heftier punishment for those convicted of the rape.

Municipal Council ward member Jasvir Kaur, while addressing the gathering at Jhoola Ghar, said the incident had forced the nation to ponder over the issue of safety for women in the country.

She said the womenfolk were finding it difficult to walk the streets and the situation had inculcated fear in them. She demanded Parliament to introduce such laws which act as a deterrent for such miscreants.

Rajrani Grover, a senior citizen, said such incidents were a shame for the country. She further said women relatives of the accused should punish them and set an example in front of the civilised society.

The girl, who was raped Sunday night, is still struggling for life in a Delhi hospital. The protesters, horrified at the scale of assault, said the time had come when the women should carry with them the tools which can defend them in such situations.

Dehradun, December 20
President of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (P) Trivender Singh Panwar sat on a dharna before MLA's house and gheraoed some MLAs. They were demanding to make their stand clear on the permanent resident issue.

This protest will continue on the same spot for half day everyday till December 23. Panwar said, “The MLAs are public representatives who must clarify their stand on the permanent resident issue. They cannot sit quiet on such a burning issue and also enjoy the privileges extended by public simultaneously.”

He said the party would also lay siege to state ministers from December 26. The members would also start march on this issue and hold a statewide bandh on January 1.

Dehradun, December 20
The members of the Mafasilite Memorial Society, Mussoorie, yesterday remembered John Lange, the Australian-origin lawyer of Rani Laxmibai and unsung hero of the first war of independence, who lies buried at Camel’s Back in Mussoorie.

Paying tributes on his 196th birth anniversary yesterday, Jaiprakash Uttarakhandi, who has spent 30 years researching the life and times of Lange, said heroics of John Lange should be taught in the schools and included in the local history of Mussoorie and Dehradun.

“Born in Sydney (Australia), Lange, after studying law from Cambridge University, England, was expelled from England for writing against the British imperialism. Later, he served under Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi as a lawyer and was the architect of the appeal filed against the Lord Dalhousie’s doctrine of lapse (annexation policy) on the behalf of Rani Laxmibai’s adopted son,” said Prakash.

He said Lange also started the Mafasilite paper in 1845 in Meerut and wrote several books while residing in Mussoorie, where he settled down after the martyrdom of Rani Laxmibai. “John Lange died under mysterious circumstances in 1864 and lies buried in Mussoorie,” said Prakash.

Atul Sharma, a poet, said it was important to understand the social commitment and humanitarian that moved Lange. “It should be the job of the Department of Culture to earmark a memorial in his memory. But it would be too much to expect from the government,” said Sharma.

BJP leader and member of the society Ravinder Jugran said time had come to remember those people who contributed immensely to the history of Dehradun and Mussoorie and give them their due. “It will be a citizens-backed initiative and today we have made a small beginning,” said Jugran.

The function was held at Purv Madhyamik Rajkiya Junior High School, housed in Eden Building and built in 1816.

Principal of the School Hukam Singh Uniyal, along with RM Kala, secretary (state), Scouts and Guides, were present on the occasion.

Dehradun, December 20
The longstanding problem of flooding in Govind Garh here during rainy seasons has finally got a solution. It has been agreed to change the course of the Choti Bindal drain.

A meeting of Govind Garh residents convened by Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana was held yesterday in the presence of Dehradun Municipal Corporation officials. One of the residents, Dr Ashwani, agreed to provide a part of his land for facilitating changing the course of the Choti Bindal drain.

Councillors Dr Brijendra Pal, Vinay Kohli and Anoop Kapoor were also present at the meeting.

Dehradun, December 20
The Uttarakhand Transporters Union has withdrawn its December 23rd strike against hike in taxes on commercial vehicles.

Transport Minister Surendra Rakesh today held a meeting with uion leaders where it was decided to slash by 50 per cent the increased tax amount on commercial vehicles following which the Uttarakhand Transporters Union announced to withdraw the strike. — TNS

Dehradun, December 20
Kanpur boys won two matches against Banaras and Haryana Kings XI to enter the semifinals of the Banke Lal Shah Memorial Under-15 Cricket Tournament here today.

In the first match against Haryana Kings XI, Kanpur boys won by seven wickets. Haryana Kings XI won the toss and elected to bat first. The Haryana boys scored 72 runs all out in 13.5 overs. Opener Amrit Pal was the top scorer with 26 runs. Arun Sharma took four wickets for 19 runs. In reply, the Kanpur team scored 75 runs for the loss of three wickets to win the match by seven wickets. Opener Shivam remained unbeaten on 34 runs.

In the second match, Kanpur boys defeated the Banaras team by six wickets. The Banaras boys won the toss and elected to bat first and scored 98 runs all out in 20 overs. Opener Vishal was the top scorer with 24 runs to his credit. Arun and Shivam claimed three wickets each.

In reply, Kanpur boys scored 102 runs for four wickets in 12.1 overs to win the match by six wickets. Opener Saurav scored 39 runs while Himanshu remained not out on 20 runs.

In another match, the Little World team, Dehradun, beat Chandigarh boys by 88 runs. The Little World team won the toss and elected to bat first. The team scored 171 runs for seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Opener Vikas scored 60 runs in 32 balls. Rahul and Harshit took two wickets each. In reply, Chandigarh boys were bundled out for 94 runs. It was only Bhagat who scored 37 runs. Vikas took three wickets while Akhilesh and Saurabh took two wickets each.