Participants performing the Haryanavi folk dance at the Haryana Raj Bhavan Chandigarh on the occasion of Haryana Day celebrations on Sunday. — Photo by Pankaj Sharma

Kartik festival from Nov 15
CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — The Haryana Tourism Department has decided to promote the third Kartik Cultural Festival at the historic Nahar Singh fort at Ballabhgarh (Faridabad) from November 15 to November 21.

• Kapal Mochan fair from today
• Shopkeeper shot dead

Paddy growers blame officials
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Nov 1 — Paddy growers of Sonepat district, particularly at the Ganaur mandi, are worried because of the non-purchase of their produce by the official procurement agencies and the indifferent attitude of officials of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board and the Food and Civil Supplies Department. This has forced the growers to divert their produce to the nearby Narela market of Delhi.

Many paddy growers allege that officials of the procurement agencies are acting as "instruments" for creating a monopoly of traders and owners of rice shellers. They say they wait for the auction of their stocks throughout the day in the mandis but it is always put off on some pretext or the other. The growers have no alternative but to sell their produce at throwaway prices to traders and the owners of rice shellers.

An official of the HSAMB told this reporter today that the non-cooperative attitude of traders and the owners of rice shellers and the undue haste on the part of paddy growers to sell their produce were mainly responsible for the whole mess. If the paddy growers exercised patience and waited for the auction of their produce, the situation would improve he said.

The official also said that some owners of rice shellers and traders were patronised by powerful politicians and bureaucrats and hence no action could be taken against them. On the other hand, paddy growers said the state government was responsible for giving the upper hand to traders and the owners of rice shellers.

Meanwhile, Mr Jagdish Nehra, a former Haryana minister and general secretary of Haryana Krishak Samaj, has termed the recent visit of the Central team to rain and storm-hit villages in some districts of the state as mere the wash. The team, he said should have toured all areas where the standing crops had been ruined completely.

Mr Nehra said political leaders were not taken into confidence by the government on this issue. He blamed the central and state governments for the grim situation in the state.

He demanded the immediate dewatering of fields and medical aid to farmers and animals in the rain and flood-hit villages.

Kartik festival from Nov 15
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — The Haryana Tourism Department has decided to promote the third Kartik Cultural Festival at the historic Nahar Singh fort at Ballabhgarh (Faridabad) from November 15 to November 21. The Kartik Cultural Society (KCS) headed by Mr S.K. Mishra is organising the festival.

This was disclosed by Mr Sanjay Kothari, Commissioner and Secretary, Tourism, Haryana, here today.

He said other collaborators of the festival were: the Union Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the Department of Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports, the Department of Cultural Affairs, Haryana, the Ballabhgarh Development and Beautification Society, the National School of Drama, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the National Institute of Fashion Technology.

Mr Kothari said Indian High Commissions, embassies and tourist agencies had been informed about the festival so they inform foreign tourists about it.

He said the festival, an annual feature, would highlight fort architecture, martial arts, folk and classical instrumental and vocal music, and dances.

He said that the renovated Nahar Singh Palace was, in fact, constructed in 1739 by Rao Balram, the ancestor of Raja Nahar Singh. The fort was identified for beautification by the Haryana Government and entrusted to a team of well-known experts for restoration to its original beauty.

The ambience of the cultural festival would be historic, matching that of a Raj Darbar. Pagri- clad chowkidars and spear-holding darbans would guard the Mahal. Two raised platforms would be used as stages for performances. Seating for the public would be on the traditional durries. Mehndiwali, bangle sellers and face readers, crafts persons, astrologers, palmists and kite flyers would also be part of the festival.

Mr Kothari said food bazaars would be organised by constructing 13 shops on the Nahar Singh Mahal complexes and eight in the Panchayat Bhawan grounds. Entry to the festival would be by tickets. The festival would remain open from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily.

The Commissioner said Kalash Yatra would be on November 15, qawwali by Amrita and Anil Sabri on November 16, santoor vadan by Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma with Ustad Shafaat Ahmad Khan on the Tabla, November 17, Aditi Mangaldas Kathak on November 18, Nigerian dances on November 19, fashion show on November 20 and bharatnatyam on November 21.

Attack on ex-VC: CBI has fresh evidence
From Vipin Sharma

ROHTAK, Nov 1 — The CBI has reportedly collected more evidence regarding the murderous attack on then Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University, Mr Vivek Chand Sharma, on August 10, 1996.

The CBI is now investigating the link between the attack on Mr Sharma and the 'sudden' favour bestowed just after his retirement on certain students and employees, who were allegedly involved in the assault.

According to sources, two members of the CBI team visited the university on September 23 last and asked the registrar to provide him certain documents. All relevant documents demanded by the CBI were handed over to them on October 26. Later, the officials left for Chandigarh.

The needle of suspicion points towards a senior functionary of the university, who had granted admissions to students in the Law department by allegedly flouting all norms.

It is alleged that the functionary concerned gave exemption from panel rent to some university officials reinstated certain employees whose services had been terminated and appointed a person the director of the youth welfare department. All these 'beneficiaries' are reportedly involved in the assault on Mr Sharma. A case in this regard was registered under Section 307 of the IPC at the Civil Lines police station here.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered a CBI inquiry into the violent incidents here on May 13, 1996 and August 10, 1996.

The CBI team started the inquiry in January, 1997, and though it had completed its inquiry, not wanting to 'leave anything to chance', it has collected fresh evidence in the case.

80 pc Haryana schools sans regular heads
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Nov 1 — The Haryana government's recent decision to withdraw drawing and disbursing powers from the officiating Principals and Headmasters of the Senior Secondary and High Schools respectively, has only created several difficulties for the teachers, students and parents, but has also rendered almost three fourths of the schools in the state virtually headless.

According to sources, over 80 per cent of the Senior Secondary, as well as High Schools in the state are being run without regular heads. A large scale up-gradation of schools in the state, without commensurate recruitments of and promotions as regular heads is said to be the reason behind this. In many other cases the promotions were given when the teachers were on the verge of retirement.

In the absence of regular heads the government had given the "drawing and disbursing powers to the senior most teachers of the schools. These teachers were though not principals or headmasters in real sense of term, were still working as such for all purposes. But the recent decision of the state government has upset the whole arrangement. Through its recent order, the state government has withdrawn the "drawing and disbursing" powers from these officiating heads and handed over the administrative control of three to four schools to one regular head.

According to sources, a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court filed by nine officiating heads of the Senior Secondary Schools of Haryana has prompted the government to take this step. In their petition, the officiating heads had sought the pay scales of regular principals on the principle of equal pay for equal work. The government in turn, withdraw the "drawing and disbursing" powers of all officiating heads of schools in the state even before filing its reply in the court. This has rendered almost 80 per cent of the High and Senior Secondary Schools of the state as headless. Though the government has assigned the administrative control of three to four schools to all regular heads working in the state, this has failed to serve the purpose. The move has resulted in great administrative and educational problems. In the absence of regular heads, the schools are faced with indiscipline. The teachers have to run from one school to the other for the sanction of pay bills, arrears are other administrative matters. The students too have to run from the pillar to post for the attestation of certificates. People allege that the government has adopted an indifferent attitude towards their problems. The government has been delaying the recruitment and promotions to these posts for reasons best known to it.

Staff allege discrimination
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, Nov 1 — The HVP-BJP combine government in Haryana is adopting double standards in dealing with Trade Union Employees and IAS officers. Everyday the Chief Minister and other Ministers as well are making adverse comments against employees, particularly the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh and its affiliated Unions and Associations. The public is also being instigated against employees in general and electricity workers in particular. For every achievement of development, credits are given to the government but when government policies fail, the failures are attributed to employees.

Alleging this in a jointly signed statement released to the press here today, Mr M.L. Sehgal General Secretary and Mr Nawal Kishore, Press Secretary respectively of the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh (HKM), said that another Haryana Day passed today which disappointed the employees who were expecting announcement regarding the release of Dearness Allowance instalment on the central pattern from July 1, 1998 and Bonus for 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98.

They said that when prices of all essential commodities including vegetables, edible oil and pulses were touching the sky. The partly released revised pay scales on the Central pattern from January 1, had been nullified by this price-hike. But the government was withholding DA and Bunus payments due to the reasons only known to the authorities concerned, they added.

They said that when two senior HKM leaders, Mr Dhara Singh, Finance Secretary and Mr Amrik Singh, joint secretary were dismissed, charge-sheeted and suspended hundreds of active workers, police cases were fabricated against them for participating in lawful trade union activities but on the other hand the IAS Officers Association members were conducting union activities on government expense by utilising government infrastructure but no action had been taken against them.

They added that it might be recalled that an important meeting of all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners was convened by the Chief Minister to take stock of the flood situation in the state at Haryana Nivas, Chandigarh on October 30 last month but all IAS assembled in Haryana Nivas and conducted their associations’ State Executive Committee meeting under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Verma. They alleged that all officers were on official tour and they used office premises for Associations’ meeting without permission but the government did not take any notice of the same.

They further said that the State Executive Committee meeting of the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh had been convened at Hisar on November 4 to review preparations for a rally scheduled to be held in Delhi on November 15.

Stalling of student union poll decried
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — The Haryana unit of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) has criticised the State Government for stalling elections to various students unions.

The president of the front organisation of the Congress, Mr Mohinder Singh, said addressing a meeting of NSUI workers held here today that when an 18-year-old had the right to elect MLAs and MPs, then how he was not competent to participate in the student union elections.

Criticising the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, a front organisation of the BJP, the NSUI leader alleged that the Parishad was adopting double standard. While on one hand the Parishad was demanding elections to the student unions, on the other its parent organisation was supporting the HVP Government in Haryana.

Mr Mohinder Singh also criticised the decision of the Central Government to increase the upper age limit for entry to government service. Describing the decision as "unfortunate" he said it would lead to unemployment among the youth.

The spokesman for the Haryana NSUI, Mr Yogendra Sharma, said the "communal" education policy of the BJP Government and the compulsory recitation of "Vande Matram" was dangerous for a multi-cultural country like India. "Such saffron policy will ruin the country," he added.

Double murder for Rs 30,000
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, Nov 1 — The need for Rs 30,000 led two cousins, Abdul Rahman, a resident of Gulgam village, and Gulam Hassan, a resident of Kahiran village in Jammu and Kashmir, to commit a double murder, wherein the half-burnt bodies of two persons were found in the fields near Jirbari village, 5 km from here on February 15 last.

Stating this here today, the district police chief, Mr Y.P. Singhal, said that during interrogation, Abdul Rahman, who was arrested on October 23, and Gulam Hassan, who was arrested yesterday, disclosed that an urgent need for Rs 30,000 led them to commit the double murder. They planned to get this money by looting and selling an apple-loaded truck..

Both suspects took a lift in an apple-laden truck near Lakhanpur in Jammu and Kashmir on February 13 last. On their way, they made the truck driver and the cleaner drink liquor, killed them within Punjab territory and threw the bodies in the fields near Jirbari, after half burning them so that they could not be identified. They then returned to Malerkotla, where they sold the apples and went to Patiala and got the truck (JK-01A-4939) repainted.

They replaced its number plate with a fictitious number (JK-01-B 9361) and took the truck to Jammu, where they sold it for Rs 1.70 lakh.

Meanwhile, the stolen truck was intercepted by the police during a routine check and the police identified the suspects with the help of the purchaser of the stolen truck.

Haryana day function held
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — The 33rd Haryana Day was celebrated at a state-level function at Raj Bhavan here today.

The Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, presided. The function was also attended among others by the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, some of his Cabinet colleagues and the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Justice AB Sahariya.

Cultural troupes of the state Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department, Haryana, Kurukshetra University and the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, presented programme of folk dance and music.

Panel to decide seniority of DSPs
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Nov 1 — The Haryana Government has set up a committee to settle the issue of the seniority of about 15 DSPs.

The DGP, Mr S.K. Sethi, told newspersons here yesterday that the committee would be headed by the DGP and IGP (Headquarters) and Joint Secretary (Home) would be the other members.

He said the case of promotion of these officers for IPS had already been submitted to the select committee which would decide by December end.

Mr Sethi was satisfied with the law and order situation in Haryana. He admitted that crime rate had been on the rise but it was not alarming. He said it had been decided to introduce motor cycles for mobile patrolling. These would be equipped with the wireless sets.

He said as Haryana police has asked HUDCO to increase funds for providing housing facility to the police force.

Kapal Mochan fair from today

YAMUNANAGAR, Nov 1 (PTI) — The three-day state-level Kapal Mochan Mela will be held from November 2 at Bilaspur, 26 km from here, on the occasion of Kartik Purnima.

The district administration has made the necessary arrangements for pilgrims.

About six lakh pilgrims are likely to take a holy dip on the occasion of Kartik Purnima.

Shopkeeper shot dead

HISAR, Nov 1 (UNI) — A shopkeeper was shot dead at Pul Teliyan, near here, today.

According to the police, Kalia entered the godown where shopkeeper Har Bhagwan was playing cards. He resisted the intruder and without any provocation, Kalia allegedly gunned him down.

Shopkeepers of the area put up the shutters in protest against the murder. They also met Health Minister Mr OP Mahajan and demanded the immediate arrest of the assailant.