BJP violating poll code: Cong

SFI to block traffic on Nov 25

MLA's dharna against police misbehaviour
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Nov 21 — The Congress MLA from the Nagrota constituency, Mr G.S. Bali, spent last night, sitting on a dharna, on the road, in protest against the misbehaviour of certain police personnel.

In a fax message sent to the Vidhan Sabha copies of which were released to the Press, he alleged that when he was going to Dharamsala, last night, some police personnel misbehaved with him at Sheila Chowk. He alleged that after asking for vehicle papers, the ASI on duty, tore the MLA sticker from his car and threw away his identity card, saying it was of no importance to him.

Requesting the Vidhan Sabha Speaker, to refer the matter to the Privilege Committee, he said it was a matter of protecting the honour of the elected representatives. He said despite informing the SP, nobody turned up till 5.30 a.m., and his request for getting the ASI medically examined was deliberately delayed. he said he felt that it was the collapse of the government machinery, and the misbehaviour of the ASI and other constables accompanying him, was a grave and serious matter, which required immediate action.

The SP, Mr K.C. Sadyal, when contacted said he had already told Mr Bali, that on the basis of his allegations, the matter would be investigated by a DSP, and no erring police personnel would be spared. he added that there was no effort on his part to cover up the matter and the ASI had been medically examined.

Sympathy factor may help Congress
From Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Nov 21 — While senior political leaders, both from the BJP and the Congress, are campaigning for their candidates in a big way, Nirmala Devi, wife of Sant Ram, is trying to evoke sympathy for her son amongst the voters.

Nirmala Devi is too media shy and is visibly uncomfortable in big gatherings. Compelled by the death of her husband, Sant Ram, who was also the PCC chief, she is doing what she did not do even for him. She has never been too active in politics even at the time of her husband's elections and rarely campaigned for him.

For the past few days, she has been extensively canvassing for her son, Mr Sudhir Sharma, who is the Congress candidate from Baijnath. Accompanied by a small group of five women, in one vehicle, she goes from one village to the other meeting people, mostly women. Unlike other politicians' wives she is too hesitant to address them and rarely when she does this, it is brief and in the local dialect.

"There is a lot of regard amongst the people for my late husband, and my son Sudhir will definitely benefit from it," she says with tears swelling up in her eyes. She said wherever she had gone people told her that there was no need for her to come and as such she was confident of his victory. The Congress had been very keen to field Nirmala Devi, as the candidate, but on her refusal to jump into politics, her son got the ticket.

Even, Urmila Thakur, who is a Parliamentary Secretary, in the BJP Government agrees, that the son of Sant Ram will benefit somewhat from the sympathy factor. Mrs Thakur, who has been campaigning for the BJP candidate, Mr Dulo Ram, says one cannot totally rule out the Congress benefiting from the sympathy factor, but at the same time there are others who are heaving a sigh of relief, that goondaism has come to an end in the area.

The wife of the BJP candidate, Mr Dulo Ram, and other women from the family are also campaigning for him. Interestingly, Mrs Indu Goswami, who was a claimant for the BJP ticket from Baijnath is being accompanied by women from Dulo Ram's family, so that an eye can be kept on her, to avoid any chances of undercutting.

There are other interesting campaigners, like the Congress Seva Dal members, who took out a procession in the Baijnath market carrying oil bottles, onions and tomatoes. With another three days of campaigning left, polling will take place on November 25 and the counting of votes shall be taken up on November 28.

Primary teachers for filling of vacant posts
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Nov 21 — The Primary Teachers Federation has expressed concern over the "gross neglect" of primary education network in the state in general and Mandi and Kulu districts in particular.

Mr Mahesh Kashyap and Mr Dharam Singh Subehya, presidents of Mandi and Kulu districts, respectively, here today said that mismanagement of primary education had assumed alarming proportions with teaching in schools coming to a virtual halt.

They said over 300 posts of JBT teacher in Mandi district and 200 in Kulu district were lying vacant, as a result of which teaching had been crippled.

Ten of the 22 posts of Block Primary Education Officer were lying vacant in Mandi district. Besides, 60 posts of central head teacher and 100 posts of head teacher had not been filled, they said.

"There is not a single teacher in Sainthal centre in Jogindernagar subdivision under which four primary schools function".

They said voluntary teachers with a monthly salary of Rs 1500 per month, who were earlier posted within a radius of 5 km from their villages, were now being posted 50 km away from their place of residence, making it difficult for them to make both ends meet.

The federation opposed the proposal of the government to hand over primary education to panchyats. If implemented the move would prove disastrous, they warned. It would be ridiculous if panchayat representatives, many of whom were illiterate, were empowered to write ACRs of teachers. This happens nowhere in the country, they added.

Shanta seeks central help for ropeways
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 21 — The construction of Dhauladhar-Palampur ropeway in Himachal Pradesh will be undertaken this year, for which the Centre would release Rs 50 lakh in the current financial year, the Union Tourism Minister, Mr Madan Lal Khurana, said here today.

Mr Khurana conveyed this to Mr Shanta Kumar when the Member of Parliament from Kangra called on the Union Tourism Minister to apprise him about projects of tourist interest in the State.

Mr Shanta Kumar told the Union Minister that there was a need to construct ropeways at some of the historical places in Himachal Pradesh to boast tourism in the State. He said ropeway projects at Kulu, Mandi, Palampur and Dharamsala should be expedited. He also sought liberal financial assistance from the Centre for these projects.

Mr Shanta Kumar also requested the Centre to provide Rs two crore for the Palampur-Dhauladhar ropeway.

BJP violating poll code: Cong
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 21 — The Congress has accused the BJP of violating the election code by denying its leaders the allotment of rooms in government rest houses in the Baijnath area where poll is being held for the assembly seat.

A general secretary of the Congress, Mrs Asha Kumari, alleged that BJP leaders had occupied rooms in most of the rest houses and Congress leaders were denied accommodation during electioneering.

SFI to block traffic on Nov 25
From Our Correspondent

THEOG, Nov 21 — The state unit of the Students Federation of India (SFI) will organise a statewide traffic blockade on November 25, according to Mr Tikendra Singh Panwar, Secretary, in a statement here yesterday.

Members would protest against the hike in fee, price rise, communalisation and commercialisation of education.

Student fees of Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 100, had now increased to Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 600, respectively.

The SFI had started a signature campaign and fixed a target of 10 lakh signatures against "anti-student" and "anti-people" policies of the government.