P R A D E S H
Monday, August 30, 1999
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H I M A C H A L P R A D E S H |
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Monday, August 30, 1999 |
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3 senior HVC leaders join Congress SHIMLA, Aug 29 — Himachal Vikas Congress chief Sukh Ram's three senior loyalists today joined the Congress party. They are Mr Devinder Sharma, joint secretary (state unit), Mr Hirdey Ram Arya, senior vice-president, HVC Mandi district and Mr Besar Ram, vice-president, Nachan Block. No anti-incumbency factor: Dhumal SHIMLA, Aug 29 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, today said that the absence of an anti-incumbency wave against the state government was the biggest gain for the BJP-HVC combine in Himachal Pradesh. |
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Voter will punish Cong: Shanta DHARAMSALA, Aug 29 — For the first time today the din of elections was heard here as former Chief Minister and BJP candidate for the Kangra Lok Sabha seat, Mr Shanta Kumar, addressed a workers meeting. BJP
"saffronising" panchayats Unproductive
use of funds alleged "Cong
belittling Kargil victory" HP
medical officers withdraw strike SP,
NCP reach poll pact Mani
Mahesh Yatra from Sept 3 CPM
condemns arrests |
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3 senior HVC leaders join
Congress SHIMLA, Aug 29 — The Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) chief, Mr Sukh Ram's three senior loyalists today joined the Congress party. They are Mr Devinder Sharma, joint secretary (state unit), Mr Hirdey Ram Arya, senior vice-president, HVC Mandi district and Mr Besar Ram, vice-president, Nachan Block. They formally joined the Congress in the PCC office in presence of Mr Virbhadra Singh, CLP leader and former Chief Minister. Dr Surat Naik, president of the HVC unit of Mandi district, who recently left the party and joined the Congress, was also present. Mr Virbhadra Singh welcomed them in the party and said that the house of the HVC had started crumbling and many more HVC activists were expected to join the Congress in a few days. Dr Naik said that a large number of HVC activists would join the Congress on August 31 when Mr Kaul Singh, Congress nominee for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat, filed papers. Those HVC activists who returned to the Congress fold today said that they were disillusioned with Mr Sukh Ram who, they alleged, had betrayed them. Mr Devinder Sharma, who was a founder member of the HVC, alleged that Mr Sukh Ram had misused the party and entered into an alliance with the BJP to safeguard his personal interest and get himself freed from the clutches of the CBI. He alleged that Mr Sukh Ram did not see beyond himself and his family members and had left his partymen in the lurch. Dr Naik said that the HVC workers were annoyed with Mr Sukh Ram as he started "hobnobbing" with a "communal " party like the BJP soon after winning the assembly election. Most of the HVC workers were not inclined to campaign for the BJP candidates in the state, particularly in Mandi, on the directions of Mr Sukh Ram. He alleged that Mr Sukh Ram had all time been misleading the people by preaching regionalism on the basis of new and old areas of the state. He said that Mr Sukh Ram
was trying to survive in politics only by criticising Mr
Virbhadra Singh. |
No anti-incumbency factor:
Dhumal SHIMLA, Aug 29 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, today said that the absence of an anti-incumbency wave against the state government was the biggest gain for the BJP-HVC combine in Himachal Pradesh. Addressing a joint meeting of workers of both parties he said normally anti-establishment sentiments against the government of the day started building up within six months. But the coalition government had been in office for more than 16 months without any anti-incumbency feeling. This reflected the good performance of the BJP-HVC government, which had speeded up development without giving an issue to the Opposition to whip it with. Mr Dhumal urged the workers of both parties to remain vigilant against the attempt of the rival party to create differences between them at the grassroots level. He said over the past one year several attempts were made to create political instability in the state. But these did not succeed as the leaders of the two parties displayed proper understanding at trying times. It was now time to show such coordination and unity at the workers level. He cautioned workers not to become complacent in view of the favourable trends for the Vajpayee-led alliance adding as the senior partner the BJP had a greater responsibility to ensure victory of the Col. Dhani Ram Shandil from the Shimla seat. Mr Sukh Ram, president of the HVC, said the decision of the two parties to contest the Lok Sabha poll jointly had further strengthened the alliance. He said he had taken the BJP high command into confidence while allotting the party ticket to Col Dhani Ram. Earlier, Mr Dhumal
inaugurated the election office of the party. Mr Narinder
Bragta, the horticulture minister,a lso addressed the
workers. |
Thieves with an ear for melody SOLAN, Aug 29 — This town has been witnessing an abnormal increase in the incidence of burglaries and theft of car accessories, especially stereos, for the past few months. Outlying localities like Surya Vihar, Shamti, Kleen and Chambaghat seem to be most affected. Both burglars and car accessory thieves have been active in these areas, with citizens reporting over 30 such cases during the past three months alone. The burglars concentrated mostly on removing cash, jewellery and costly portable electronic equipment like C.D. players and colour television sets. The burglars have been targeting the homes of working couples, retired people and absentee householders. It appears that the burglars and thieves first conduct a thorough reconnaissance of the targeted homes, before actually committing the crimes. Houses having back doors, which come in handy for 'get-aways', seem to be a favourite. Realising that householders, in a bid to hoodwink burglars, normally tend to leave some lights on before going out, the present set of burglars in the town usually make sure about the presence or otherwise of the householders by simply ringing the door bell. This was exactly what happened with a woman doctor in June last. She normally slept with one light in her house left on. One night she was astonished to find that there was nobody at the gate after she went out to answer the door. Her astonishment turned into a belated 'awakening when burglars struck, in her absence a week later and made away with cash and gold jewellery despite having the light of one of her rooms still on. Perturbed at the growing number of thefts a delegation of district unit of the Women's Conference met the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police last week resulting in the intensifying of night patrols. The SP, Mr Rakesh Aggarwal, and the DSP, Mr Prem Thakur, spent a whole night supervising night patrols after the burglars struck at a house in a locality situated close to police headquarters on Friday. They also ordered preparation of a 'duly verified' list of all outsiders who had come the town as domestic help or odd-job men. While hopeful of nabbing
the culprits soon, they issued an appeal to citizens to
take certain elementary precautions, including getting
domestic servants and casual labourers employed by them
for civil constructions and repairs, registered with the
police immediately. |
Voter will punish Cong: Shanta DHARAMSALA, Aug 29 — For the first time today the din of elections was heard here as former Chief Minister and BJP candidate for the Kangra Lok Sabha seat, Mr Shanta Kumar, addressed a workers meeting. Party flags and posters could be seen flattering not only at the venue of the meeting but also atop shops in the main market. Mr Shanta Kumar had started canvassing immediately after the dissolution of Parliament. Mr Shanta Kumar lambasted the Congress for forcing another election on the people as it could not "stay out of power". Neither does the Congress have any concrete election issue nor an able leader he added. A country which had 14 crores unemployed could not afford frequent elections, which cost over Rs 10,000 crore. The electorate would punish it for this, he added. He said the BJP, when voted to power, would bring about an amendment in the constitution, making it mandatory for the Lok Sabha to complete its five-year term. Blaming the Congress for making Kargil an election issue, Mr Shanta Kumar said the way the crisis was handled had brought pride to the nation. "The credit for making India a nuclear power, goes to Mr Vajpayee, who has proved beyond doubt that the nation will take its own decision," he added. Dwelling on the achievements of the state Government, he said Mr Dhumal was able to get a special grant of Rs 300 crore, while the Congress government of Mr Virbhadra Singh was unable to get even a penny. There was special emphasis on tapping of hydel power, and big projects like the Rs 12,000-crore Parbati project had been cleared and work on the Chamera phase II started. 13 big projects, including three cement plants, had been cleared, which would provide employment to a large number of unemployed youth. The Transport Minister, Mr Krishan Kapoor, who was present on the occasion, said the BJP government in the state had undertaken "overall and uniform development of the state unlike the Congress". Mr Kapoor accused the
Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha, Mrs Chandresh Kumari, of
giving money from the MP Development Fund for the
personal work of Congress workers although the fund was
meant for the welfare of the people. |
BJP "saffronising"
panchayats SHIMLA, Aug 29 — Mr Yogendera Chandra, a Congress MLA and party spokesman, today alleged that the BJP had started "saffronisation" of panchayats in Himachal Pradesh in violation of constitutional provisions. Talking to reporters here, Mr Chandra, alleged that the powers of the Panchayati Raj institutions had been diluted and illegal committees nominated. He alleged that BJP and HVC activists had been nominated on the vigilance committees which had virtually usurped the functions and duties of elected panchayats. Constitutionally, the vigilance committees were to be elected by members of the panchayats, but the BJP had started nominating its own activists as members of these committees as most of the panchayats in the state were dominated by the Congress. He said the functioning of many panchayats had come to a standstill because of the confusion created due to these nominations. Mr Chandra alleged that the former "forest mafia" had now converted itself into the "PWD mafia" and was pocketing all contracts, particularly in the far-flung areas of Chopal. He alleged that all contracts of the PWD were being awarded to members of the "mafia" who belonged to the BJP and the HVC. He pointed out that the BJP had failed to fulfil its promise of getting the Gujjars, the Gaddis and the Labanas of the new-merged areas of the state declared as Scheduled Tribes although it had promised to do so within six months of coming to power. He said during Congress rule the matter was taken up with the Centre and the assembly also passed a resolution in this regard. He said that now that the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, was claiming to be having cordial relations with the Centre, he should get this grievance redressed. He said he led a party delegation to the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Bhim Sein, here yesterday and lodged a complaint against the violation of the model code of conduct by ministers and certain officers. A written complaint was
also submitted to him alleging that election meetings
were being addressed by BJP leaders in official
buildings. It was alleged that at least three ministers,
Mr Mohinder Singh, Mr Ramesh Dhawala and Mr Krishen
Kapoor, were misusing official cars for electioneering.
Mr Ram Lal Markandey, Rural Development Minister,
unfurled the National Flag at Keylong, his assembly
constituency, on August 15, thereby flouting the
directions of the Election Commission. |
Unproductive use of funds alleged SHIMLA, Aug 29 — The Himachal State unit of the Congress has charged the BJP-HVC combine government with diverting funds meant for Panchayati Raj institutions to unproductive use and harassing elected representatives for political reasons. In a joint statement here yesterday, Mr G.R. Musafir and Mrs Asha Kumari, both general secretaries of the party, said elected panchayat functionaries used to get honorarium regularly and the Deputy Commissioners were not releasing sanctioned funds even after completion of works. The government was starving these institutions of funds as most of the elected representatives belonged to the Congress. Consequently, development works had come to a standstill. These institutions had also not been sufficient staff. While there was an acute shortage of junior engineers, a panchayat secretary was looking after three to four panchayats. The government had sidelined the Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana, Jawahar Rojgar Yojana and Indira Gandhi Awas Yojana which were started during Rajiv Gandhi’s regime. They claimed that the
Congress government had strengthened the Panchayati Raj
system but the present regime was bent upon destroying
it. The Congress party would not allow the government to
ruin these grassroots democratic institutions which
worked for the poorest section of the society, they
warned. |
"Cong belittling Kargil
victory" SHIMLA, Aug 29 — Mr Suresh Chandel, President, Himachal state unit of the BJP, has lambasted the Congress for attempts to undermine the "first-ever decisive" victory of India over Pakistan in Kargil. In a statement here yesterday, he said under the leadership of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the country attained twin victory in the battlefield and on the diplomatic front, whereas the successive Congress negotiating governments bartered away the military gains on the table in 1948, 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars in which thousands of soldiers were killed. He said while the unilateral cease fire in 1948 allowed Pakistan to remain in illegal occupation of major part of Kashmir, the 1962 war saw China annex over 38,000 sq km of Indian territory. In 1965 and 1971 wars the conquered territory and one lakh Pakistani Prisoners of War were returned without settling Kashmir issue. Mr Chandel said in
earlier conflicts with neighbours, India suffered the
worst diplomatic defeats with the United Nations and the
Security Council passing several anti-India resolutions,
the only saving grace being the vetoes exercised by the
then Soviet Union. But this time Pakistan stood totally
isolated in the comity of nations over its Kargil
adventure, he claimed. |
HP medical officers
withdraw strike NAHAN, Aug 29 — The Himachal Pradesh Medical Officer's Association (HMOA) Sirmour, has withdrawn its week-long strike yesterday after getting an assurance from the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour, to initiate an inquiry into the Kala-Amb sexual assault case against a doctor. The HMOA state General Secretary, Dr Harmohinder Singh and the Deputy Director, Dr B.S. Raval, with a delegation of local doctors met the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police here and demanded that the case against Dr A.S. Fouzdar of ESI, Kala Amb in connection with the attempt to rape a young woman of Nagal village should be probed by a police officer of a gazetted rank. In a press statement,
the association had demanded the posting of female
attendants at the all health institutions of the state to
protect the doctors from any such allegations by female
patients. |
SP, NCP reach poll pact KANGRA, Aug 29 — The Samajwadi Party and the Nationalist Congress Party decided to put common candidate for the Kangra Lok Sabha seat and the combine would not field any other candidate from other three constituencies of the state. Disclosing this here
yesterday, Choudary Hardayal, a former Minister and
Samajwadi state chief said he was the candidate of the
alliance and would file nomination papers on August 30
for the Kangra Lok Sabha seat. He added that the alliance
would not field any candidate for Shimla, Mandi and
Hamirpur seats. |
Mani Mahesh Yatra from Sept 3 CHAMBA, Aug 29 — Mani Mahesh pilgrimage at Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh will commence on September 3 this year and conclude on September 18 on the occasion of Sri Radha Ashtami when devotees will take holy dip in the sacred waters of Mani Mahesh Lake at an altitude of 4,170 metre. The Chairman of the Mani Mahesh Pilgrimage Committee, Mr K.Sanjaymurthy (Deputy Commissioner of Chamba), said here yesterday that the holy "chhari" would start from Chamba a week before the holy dip. Set in the snow-clad Bharmour tribal valley of Chamba district, Mani Mahesh is 210 km away from Pathankot railhead, via Chamba town. Mount Kailash (abode of Lord Shiva) at an altitude of 5,656 metre is visible from the Mani Mahesh holy centre. The DC has also banned
the use of intoxicants during the pilgrimage. |
CPM condemns arrests SHIMLA, Aug 29 — The state committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has condemned arrests of Mr Rakesh Singha, the state president of CITU, and five other leaders of the organisation in the Nathpa Jhakri area yesterday. In a statement here today it alleged that the ruling BJP had crossed all limits of authoritarianism. It has got panicky over the agitation of peasants and workers of the Nathpa Jhakri area and had started resorting to such anti-democratic tactics. The party will bring out
a document to highlight the government's failure in
properly handling the hydel project which had fallen
behind schedule by more than three years. |
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