Chandigarh, July 13
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his bete noire in the Congress and veteran Jat leader Birender Singh are on a collision course again.

Hooda’s announcement to launch the UPA’s flagship food security scheme on August 20, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, apparently to scuttle Birender Singh’s “show of strength” rally at Jind the same day, is likely to bring differences within the Congress to the fore and set off a war of words among different factions of the Congress.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) member, who is reportedly nursing a grudge against Hooda for blocking his entry into the Union Cabinet at the 11th hour, had already announced his intention to hold the rally at Jind on August 20. It was widely believed that Birender Singh wanted to rope in certain senior Central leaders for the rally.

Apparently rattled by the rally, which could have served as a rallying point for anti-Hooda forces within the Congress, the Hooda camp thought of a smart way to sabotage the rally by announcing the launch of the food security scheme on the day of the rally.

Sources in the Hooda camp said Birender Singh’s Jind rally could fizzle out if UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or some senior Congress functionary launched the scheme at a public function as Congress leaders and workers would flock the official function.

“The Hooda government is anxious to showcase the rolling out of the food security scheme in the presence of Central leaders as a major achievement ahead of parliamentary and Assembly elections next year to beat anti-incumbency,” the sources asserted.

One of the tallest Jat leaders in the state, Birender Singh is a known Hooda baiter. He had teamed up with another Hooda critic and Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Selja several times to launch a scathing attack on the Hooda government.

Certain political observers see Birender Singh, who has been the Haryana Finance Minister, as an alternative Jat leader to replace Hooda.

In the past, Hooda had tried buy peace with Birender Singh by addressing joint rallies. Hooda’s reported role to keep him out of the Union Cabinet seems to have soured relations between the two Jat leaders.

Congress disorder Hooda govt to scuttle Birender’s rally by launching food security scheme Hooda’s role in Birender’s exclusion from Union Cabinet soured ties between the two Along with Selja, Birender always takes potshots against Hooda govt Birender poses major challenge to Hooda in state politics

Hisar, July 13
An alleged rape victim is on a dharna at Chhotu Ram Chowk in the town and demanding the registration of case against her husband, a policeman, and six other persons. She vowed to continue her dharna until the police registered a case against the seven persons.

The police said the preliminary inquiry had not substantiated her charges. The woman, a resident of Azad Nagar, sat on the dharna yesterday. She met Inspector-General of Police (IGP) SS Kapur on July 9 in this regard.

The woman alleged in her complaint that a police post in charge in the town had recently raped her at the behest of her husband and in-laws. She also alleged that her husband forcibly entered her parental house and raped her on July 8. She alleged that her husband thrashed her and her father before leaving the house.

Rohtak, July 13
The fate of around 2,000 BTech students of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) here hangs in the balance due to the delay in declaration of results of the examination held in December last.

This delay has been mainly due to the ongoing probe in the answer sheet scam which surfaced in February. The probe had been lying in cold storage due to the police inability to nail the main accused.

The scam was unearthed on February 2, when 2,191 answer sheets of second and fifth semesters were found abandoned on the roof of the administrative block of the university.

The answer sheets might have been taken out by some persons to tamper with answers in copies of students who had not done well.

“Though several MDU employees and two teachers had been booked or arrested, the probe conducted by the SIT led by a DSP has failed to reach a final conclusion. The results of students who appeared in the exam hangs in the balance,” said a student.

He said a delegation of the students affected had met the authorities concerned, but the latter had expressed their inability as the probe was not over and the police had not provided a clean chit to go ahead with the declaration of results.

“The delay has put at stake the future of a majority of students as they have not been able to take admission to the next semester. The studies of other courses are likely to begin soon,” said another student.

He added that they would not be able to clear their semesters on time and would lose a year without any fault on their part if the situation continued for the next couple of months.

“A majority of copies had not been tampered with and many students had not resorted to unfair means, but the results were stuck due to the alleged scam by some candidates with the help of some staff members,” claimed an MDU employee. He claimed that only about 70 answer sheets were found to have been tampered with.

Admitting the delay, SSP Vivek Sharma claimed that it was perhaps due to the fact that the main suspect, identified as Ravi Gemini, was at large. He said the case would be solved as soon the kingpin was arrested.

Chandigarh, July 13
The government has decided to reconstruct the 60-year-old building of the PWD Rest House, Ekant Bhawan at Mussoorie, at an estimated cost of Rs 6.63 crore.

The building of is in a dilapidated condition. The building has three blocks, each having four rooms, one VIP suite and two single-storey structures, to accommodate the government staff.

The new building will consist of one VIP suite with two bedrooms, nine guest rooms, four small rooms for subordinate staff and two dormitories with eight beds for drivers.

Kaithal, July 13
Mahabir Kala of Kithana village, wanted for his alleged involvement in cases of murder, attempt to loot, protection money demand and possession of illegal arms, has been arrested.

He was produced in a local court on Friday, which sent him to judicial custody till July 25. — OC