M A I N   N E W S

HPSC member goes after conviction, but minister refuses to quit
Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14
The recently-appointed Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) member Dr Harinder Pal Singh -- convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment in an attempt-to-murder case by a Palwal court yesterday — sent his resignation to the Haryana Government here today. However, Haryana Sports Minister Sukhbir Kataria -- who was to be booked in fake votes case —is unlikely to step down from his position.

Sources in the government maintained that Harinder Pal Singh, sent to Neemka jail in Faridabad after the court verdict, sent his resignation to the Haryana Chief Secretary.

Addressed to the Haryana Governor, Jagannath Pahadia, the letter says that he is resigning from the post on “moral grounds”. The government will forward the resignation to the Governor’s office.

Meanwhile, sources close to Kataria said that there was no question of the minister quitting from his post since no charges had so far been proved against him. “The Gurgaon court has only ordered the police to register a first information report in the matter. It does not mean that the minister was involved. Let the investigations take place and let the truth come out,” an aide said.

While the resignation by the HPSC member blunted the Opposition’s attack against the government, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader and Ellenabad MLA Abhay Singh Chautala demanded that either Kataria should step down as minister or the government should remove him.

“The court verdicts only prove what we have been saying all along — that the government is not only shielding criminal-minded individuals, but also appointing them to high offices,” he said. The Bharatiya Janta Party, too, pressed for Kataria’s resignation.

Meanwhile, Harinder Pal Singh’s departure has created a vacancy in the HPSC since the acceptance of his resignation is only a formality now. Another position was already vacant in the now-five-member-strong Commission headed by chairman Manbir Singh Badhana. Sources maintain that two more vacancies would be created in the Commission by the mid of next year -- before Haryana goes to the polls in next October. While Jagananath, a relative of Union minister Selja -- accommodated as a member in July -- will complete his term in April next year, another member, JS Sangwan, will also complete his term next June.