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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Monday, May 24, 1999 |
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Akalis in Haryana float
party Haryana IAS officers resent car
policy |
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VHP for
amending Constitution
Water supply plan for Kaithal JD identifies parties for alliance Residents take to streets as taps
go dry Passenger beaten up by police
officer BSP may contest all seats in
Haryana Four held for cheating |
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Akalis in Haryana float party KARNAL (Haryana), May 23 (UNI) — Taking a cue from Delhi Akali leaders, a section of Akalis from Haryana today raised a banner of revolt against their parent party chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and floated a state-level party, severing relations with the Shiromani Akali Dal. A gathering of state Akali leaders here formally announced the formation of the Haryana State Akali Dal on the lines of the Delhi State Akali Dal floated by Tohra loyalists at the national Capital a few weeks ago. The controversy over the removal of Bhai Ranjit Singh as Akal Takht Jathedar which divided the Delhi Akali leaders into two, was projected as a key issue behind the formation of the party. Formal resolutions adopted by the gathering lashed out at Mr Badal, describing him as a "renegade" of the supreme Sikh institution of Akal Takht for attempting to use it as a political instrument for vested interests. They rejected the pro-Badal SGPC-nominated Jathedar, Giani Puran Singh, as the chief of the temporal seat and announced that Bhai Ranjit Singh was the "real" Jathedar of the Takht. The breakaway leaders condemned the house arrest of Bhai Ranjit Singh in Amritsar a few days ago. The gathering also rejected the expulsion of former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra from the Akali Dal and lauded his contribution to the cause of the Sikh Panth. The new Akali Dal expressed full faith in the leadership of the Tohra faction. Mr Tohra's loyalists, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra and Mr Surjan Singh Thekedar, were special invitees on the occasion. Five out of 11 SGPC members from Haryana, besides several other state Akali leaders, including Mr Kartar Singh Takkar, joined the new party. The gathering, through a resolution, appealed to the Sikhs to sever social and political relations with Mr Badal and his loyalists as they being Sikh themselves had violated Sikh traditions. This resolution was endorsed by five SGPC members from Haryana — Mr Bhupinder Singh Acandh, Ms Daljit Kaur Sirsa, Mr Tara Singh, Mr Praduman Singh Sher Gill and Mr Bharpoor Singh and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and General Secretary Jatinder Singh Sahni and executive members Manjit Singh "Greater", who along with some Akali leaders from Delhi specially came to attend the function. Mr Chandumajra, while assuring full support of his faction to the new Akali Dal, announced that they would now expose the "misdeeds" of the Badal government and mobilise people against those who had attempted to "distort" Sikh institutions. He said they would break off ties with the BJP and try to forge a third front roping in the Bahujan Samaj Party. Mr Takkar, spokesman of the new Akali Dal, hailed the Bansi Lal government for setting up the Haryana Punjabi Academy and urged the government to take the required steps for promotion of Punjabi as a second language in the state. By another resolution, the new party rejected the reorganisation of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission by the Badal government. Meanwhile, the Ramgarhia
Federation of Haryana criticised Mr Badal for removal of
Bhai Ranjit Singh as Jathedar of Akal Takht and announced
they recognised him as the "real" chief of the
Takht. |
Haryana IAS officers resent car
policy CHANDIGARH, May 23 — Haryana IAS officers are sore over the new policy framed by the state government for the administration of staff cars. The policy was formulated on May 7 and was supposed to come into effect immediately. But the implementation is tardy. According to the new policy,only Financial Commissioners will be provided with independent cars (air-conditioned, subject to availability). Two or three officers of the rank of Commissioners will be clubbed together depending upon the location of their residences and offices. Cars would be made available to them only from a common car pool. The car club membership would be three or four for officers of the rank of Joint Secretaries or equivalent rank for getting cars from the pool. Even for tour purposes the officers using the pool cars would be provided cars from the pool only, and they would have to apply to the pool. The government says the new policy has been framed in view of the severe resource crunch in the state. However, the IAS officers say the policy, which they term as "ill-conceived and badly drafted", has been framed with the sole purpose of 'fixing" some of their colleagues who have somehow displeased the powers that be. The IAS officers point out that financial crunch is for the entire state but the car policy has been framed only for the IAS officers. The government has not touched the IPS officers, who are also members of an all-India service. No restrictions have been imposed on IPS officers on having independent staff vehicles. Similarly the government has spared technocrats, HCS officers and other category of officers from the type of restrictions imposed on IAS officers. As the letter containing the new policy has been addressed to all heads of departments, the Divisional Commissioners, the Deputy Commissioners and the Managing Directors/Chief Administrators of boards and corporations, it is presumed that they have also come under the purview of the policy. The IAS officers say it has not been explained how the policy would be implemented in the case of officers posted in the field where there is no car pool. To illustrate their point that the policy is badly drafted officers say as per the policy the Chief Secretary, who is head of the administration, is not entitled to have even a pool car what to talk of an independent car. This certainly cannot be the intention of the government. The government has also not explained how cars owned by about 100 directorates, boards and corporations will be brought in the car pool and what will happen to the existing supporting staff. There are about 180 IAS
officers in the Haryana cadre against the sanctioned
strength of 215. As many as 25 officers are on
deputation. As many as 100 officers are posted in
Chandigarh and nearly 50 officers are in the field. |
Wide support for trio HISAR, May 23 — Diverse views are being expressed on the issue of Mrs Sonia Gandhi being acceptable as Prime Minister. While a majority of a cross-section of people the TNS talked to opposed the idea of her becoming the Prime Minister, some said they had no objection as she was an Indian citizen and had adopted Indian culture. The TNS talked to several people representing different groups like teachers, doctors, lawyers and students. Most supported the action of the three expelled Congress leaders and felt that the CWC was "too harsh" in punishing them. Dr Rajinder Nain, a doctor, felt instead of expelling the three leaders, the Congress should have discussed the issue threadbare. "The CWC action (in expelling the three leaders) betrays a sense of frustration and panic", he observed. "The three must have read the mood across the country and raised the issue," he added. However, Ms Susheela Sharma, District Congress Committee president, Hisar, justified the expulsions. She pointed out it was Mr Pawar who had approached the President to invite Mrs Gandhi to form a government recently. She claimed it was personal ambition on the part of Mr Pawar that had made him rebel. She alleged Mr Pawar was playing into the hands of the BJP. Another leading physician, Dr N.K. Khetarpaul, observed since the issue had been raised by three senior Congress leaders, the party needed to think about it. He felt the trio was justified in raising the issue as it concerned the "prestige of the nation". He pointed out it was the duty of every Gongressman to ensure that the reins of the party were handed over to an experienced person. At the same time, he clarified, nobody would have any objection to Priyanka or Rahul leading the nation. He said only natural born Indians should be eligible for occupying top posts in the country. Ms Shalini Atri, a young advocate and member, state executive of the PCC, criticised all those who were opposing Mrs Sonia Gandhi only for the reason that she was not born in India. She pointed out the way Mrs Sonia Gandhi had helped the Congress to arrest the drift away from the Congress had proved her leadership qualities. But Mr Rajesh Malhotra and Dr Anu Lather, Readers, Guru Jambeshwar University, and Ms Vandana Pandey, a lecturer, had a different opinion. Ms Lather felt theatIndians were capable of governing themselves. Similarly, Ms Pandey felt that though people of the country loved Mrs Sonia Gandhi as their daughter-in-law, but when it came to governing the country, sentiments alone would not do. Ms Anita Bhandhari, a teacher in DAV school, felt that there was nothing wrong in Mrs Sonia Gandhi becoming the Prime Minister. She suggested that the issue be left to the people. Prof B.K. Kuthiala, Dean Academic Affairs, GJU, felt the Congress should have welcomed the suggestion of the three expelled leaders. He pointed out, Mrs Gandhi was being "guided and advised" by a small coterie of "spent out" leaders with no mass base. He claimed the Congress was encouraging a culture of sychophancy, which could prove disastrous for it. He said the issue needed a debate across the country without any bias or prejudice. Neelima Verma and
Geetanjali, students of GJU, who will vote for the first
time, said they wanted to see only a person rooted in
Indian culture and history as Prime Minister. They said,
they had sympathy for Mrs Gandhi for the sacrifices her
family had made for the country, but that did not qualify
her to become the Prime Minister. She had neither the
origins nor the experience to lead the country. |
Foreign origin issue AMBALA, May 23 (PTI) — Acharya Giri Raj Kishore, National President Vishav Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded an amendment to the Constitution to debar a person of foreign origin from occupying the post of President, Vice-President and Prime Minister of India. Talking to mediapersons here today he said that only natural-born citizens should be allowed to occupy these important posts. He said it was a matter of shame that a political party like the Congress could not find any one else among 98 crore Indians. "We oppose the projection of a foreign woman as a future Prime Minister," the VHP leader said. Acharya Kishore said that the VHP would not support any political party openly in the coming Lok Sabha elections but the candidate having faith in Hinduism would be given full support by the VHP workers. Criticising Mrs Sonia Gandhi, he said "Christianity has been spread" in the country since she became the President of the Congress. Regarding the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, he said it could not start before 2001. He said that the Parliament would be forced to make the amendment in the Constitution so that Ram temple could be constructed without any obstacle. Earlier, addressing a
meeting of RSS and VHP workers, the VHP leader said
instead of constructing building and roads, the
government and social organisations should work for the
character building. |
Killers at large, residents
agitate ROHTAK, May 23 — Two cases of murder in the recent past have put the district police in a tight-spot. The cases include the murder of a woman and of two schoolboys. Residents have resorted to dharnas and road blockades and approached the higher authorities on several occasions. Members of the District Bar Association submitted a memorandum to the district authorities pleading for those involved in the murder of the 22-year-old girl on April 16 last. The suspect identified as Ved Parkash, a resident of Rajendra Colony here, had thrown acid on the victim in the colony when she was accompanying her mother. The girl later succumbed to her burns in the PGIMS hospital. It is reported that the suspect, who is a painter, had proposed to her, but she had spurned the proposal. As a result the suspect threw acid on the girl. The District Bar Association has alleged that while about 35 days had passed since the gruesome incident the police had failed to arrest the suspect. The victim, a school teacher, was also the resident of Rajender Colony. The district police chief, Mr P.K. Agrawal, said the police had raided several places and interrogated certain relatives of the suspect. He said the suspect was expected to be arrested soon. The other case which shook the district was the double murder of two schoolboys at Jassia village on February 21 last. The residents of the village and nearby areas blocked the traffic on the road between Rohtak and Panipat near Gohana for at least three days. They even blocked the Rohtak-Panipat rail line for a day in protest against the inablility of the police to arrest the killers. The victims identified as Rajesh (15), his cousin, Ravinder, were allegedly abuducted and pulled by a vehicle after tying their hands and legs. A mahapanchayat of several villages and khaps was held. Later which was assured that the state government will recommend a CBI inquiry into the matter. The mahapanchayat
suspended its agitation following an assurance that a CBI
inquiry would be ordered into the case. The DIG (Rohtak
range), Mr P.V. Rathee, IPS, said that officials from the
CBI had visited the spot, several days ago. |
Water supply plan for Kaithal KAITHAL, Mr 23 — The Finance Minister of Haryana, Mr Charan Dass Shorewala , said here today that the first phase of Rs 15-crore canal-board water supply scheme for the town will be completed by the end of 2000. He said recently the government has released Rs 6 crore to expedite the construction work on this scheme. While addressaing a meeting of the District Taxation Bar Association, Kaithal, Mr Shorewala said that the state government has also agreed to provide 42 cusecs canal water for this scheme. He also announced that a scheme was being formulated to streamline the traffic. Many new link roads, including one from Coshala to old Kaithal Patiala bye-pass, would be constructed shortly. He also announced the Aggarsain Trust would construct a girls school building at a five acre plot to be provided by HUDA which would be handed over to the government after its completion. The minister also said the building of the local Civil Hospital would be expanded soon to provide more facilities to the patients coming to the hospital from different parts of the district. The President of the
District Taxation Bar Association, Mr J.C. Gupta,
Advocate, demanded the shifting of the office of the
Deputy and Taxation Commissioner from Mini Secretariat
building to some other convenient place keeping in view
the difficulties being faced by the taxation advocates
and the sales tax assessees. |
JD identifies parties for
alliance SONEPAT, May 23 — The Haryana state unit of the Janata Dal has evolved a strategy for contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and identified the political parties for seeking poll adjustments with them in the state. Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, President of the state unit of the party, told mediapersons here today that the state unit of the party had already informed its national leaders about the prevailing political situation and said that the main aim of the electoral alliance was to give a crushing defeat to the Congress and the BJP in the state. If the party failed to enter into electoral alliance it would field its candidates in 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state, he added. He said that the party would mobilise the farmers, workers and the people belonging to the Backward Classes against the Congress, BJP and the Indian National Lok Dal which wanted to grab power again in the state. For this purpose, it would hold district-level party workers' meetings all over the state. Mr Vidrohi said that the party had also finalised the dates for holding these meetings which are as under: Palwal (June 2); Sonepat (June 5); Panipat (June 6); Sohna (June 13); Rewari (June 14); Narnaul (June 15); Rohtak (June 17); Bhiwani (June 23); Hisar (June 24); Fatehabad (June 25); Sirsa (June 26) and Jind (June 27). He said that the HVP and BJP alliance seemed to be on the verge of collapse and the leaders of both the parties were trading charges and counter-charges against each other. The state, he said, was heading towards mid-term polls due to bickerings among the HVP whose legislators were opposing the style of functioning of the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal. Mr Vidrohi wondered how
some ministers remained in the Cabinet when they had
criticised the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal. These
ministers were power-hungry and they had no right to
remain in the Bansi Lal Cabinet. |
Residents take to streets as taps
go dry BHIWANI, May 23 — Local residents held a domonstration in front of the residence of the local MLA and state Minister for Home, Mr Ram Bhajan Aggarwal, here today, to protest against the shortage of drinking water. The residents of old localities of the town who have been facing this problem for the past few days earlier went round the town in a procession led by the Congress leader, Mr Shankar Dass Sharma. On arriving at the minister's residence here women broke empty pitchers. The minister's personal secretary tried to pecify them. A member of minister's family came out to say that the supply of drinking water was not adequate for them also. In view of persistence by the demonstrators the minister's family sent for the Superintending Engineer, Public Health. The demonstrators dispersed only on extracting an assurance from him that the problem would be solved soon. The worst affected areas are, Vidya Nagar, Nai Basti, Manan Pane, Lohariwala Road, Roopa Champa Street, Shanti Nagar, M.C. Colony, Bharat Nagar, Bhansi Pana, Nai Kalal Street, Naya Bazar and Jagat Colony. A demonstration was also
staged on Friday by the women of Jagat Colony on the
arrival of the Engineer-in-Chief Public Health
Department. A local resident Shanker has threatened
indefinite fast if things don't improve. |
Passenger beaten up by police
officer SONEPAT, May 23 — Mr Prem Parkash, an employee of the telegraph office, Sonepat, was allegedly beaten up by an officer of the railway police at Panipat railway station yesterday. Narrating the story of police atrocities, he said here today that he boarded DPM train from Sonepat and reached Panipat around 7.30 p.m. After alighting from the train, he sat on a bench at the platform and waited for his friend. In the meantime another passenger came there and sat on the same bench. A police officer along with a constable came there and caught hold of the passenger sitting with him. He was allegedly thrashed by the said officer of the railway police. He said the said police officer caught him and started beating. He told the police officer that he was a government servant and posted at telegraph office at Sonepat. He showed him the identity card too. He alleged that the police officer again slapped him and took him to the nearby police station where he was roughed up again. The said police, he also alleged, searched his pockets and took away Rs 545. Meanwhile, the Daily Railway Passengers Welfare Association today condemned the incident and urged the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal to order a high-level probe into the incident. It also threatened to
gherao the railway police station Panipat if no action
was taken against the guilty police officer. |
BSP may contest all seats in
Haryana KAITHAL, May 23 — The Vice-President of the BSP, Mr Amar Kumar Nagra, MP, told mediapersons here last evening that his party had yet to decide on entering a poll alliance with any party for the coming Lok Sabha elections. He said his party may contest all 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana. He admitted that many parties, including the Congress, were in touch with his party leaders but the matter would be decided by the BSP chief, Mr Kanshi Ram. Mr Nagra said his party would play an important and decisive role in government formation at the Centre, as the BSP was likely to win a large number of seats. Commenting on the Congress crisis due to the expulsion of three senior leaders, Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr P.A. Sangma and Mr Tarik Anwar, Mr Nagra said though it was an internal matter of the Congress, it would certainly affect the Congress prospects in the elections. He said no party would get absolute majority at the Centre. Lashing out at the HVP-BJP government in Haryana, Mr Nagra said the government had become "defunct" in view of political instability and worsening law and order situation. Earlier addressing a state-level meeting of party office-bearers, Mr Nagra called upon party workers to educate the voters about the programmes and policies of the party. Mr Ashok Seth,
Vice-President, and Mr Pardeep Chaudhary, General
Secretary of the state unit, also addresssed the meeting. |
Four held for cheating SIRSA, May 23 — The police arrested Banwari, his son Surat Singh and his daughter-in-law, Amrit Pal Kaur, for extorting money from various persons on the pretext of getting them jobs in the police force. Police sources said today that the arrested persons had collected Rs 70,000 from three persons and Rs 50,000 each from two others. On a complaint lodged by Mahinder and Hari of Neza Dela village in the district, a case was registered under Sections 420,506 and 34, IPC. Another man Om Parkash, a reader in the Dabwali court, is also said to be involved in this cheating case. The police has seized Rs 40,000, a car and a television purchased by the accused with the extorted money. In another case police arrested a veterinary surgeon, Ramesh Pal Malik of Narnaul under Sections 420, 323, 324, 506, 34, IPC. According to police sources, Rameshwar Dayal of Sirsa had complained that his nephew, Rajesh, was cheated by Malik and his wife. They are running Prerna Public School here. He alleged that his nephew was charged Rs 3800 in place of Rs 1200 without giving any receipt and when the nephew asled for the same, the Maliks attacked him with clubs. The police registered a
case against them and arrested Ramesh Malik whereas his
wife, a CDPO in Baragudha Block in the district, is yet
to be arrested. |
8 held for misuse of brand
name FARIDABAD, May 23 — The police has arrested eight persons, some of them from Delhi, on a charge of manufacturing and selling spurious chappals marked with the brand name of a local company. A police spokesman identified the arrested as Pradeep Shaha, Mannu Santosh, Rameshwar and Subhash (all from Faridabad) and Rajesh Juneja, Kanahiya Lal and Sudarshan Ahuja (all from Delhi). The police swung into
action after the company based in Faridabad complained
that chappals bearing their trade mark were being sold in
the market in large numbers. |
HAU caution on paddy
varieties HISAR, May 22 — Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University scientists have cautioned farmers of the state not to grow unrecommended varieties of paddy as these may cause them heavy crop losses. Paddy growers had suffered heavy losses due to attack of pests on these varieties. According to scientists, the farmers in the major rice growing areas of Karnal, Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra districts had opted for Pusa basmati,Kasturi, PR-108 and PR-III varieties of rice. These varieties though fetch good price are vulnerable to leaf blight which affects its yield. Dr B.L. Jalali, Director, Research, said farmers in Haryana should grow only HKR 120, HKR 126, PR 106, Jaya, Tarori basmati, Haryana basmati No 1, IR-64, Pusa 33 and Govind. According to him, these varieties do not easily get attacked by pests. Besides, these varieties gave a high yield he added. He advised the farmers to invariably apply green manure before transplanting paddy and adhere to the schedule of paddy transplantation. According to him, the transplantation of short-duration varieties should be done between mid-June and end of July, while mid June to first for tonight of July is the most suitable period for medium-duration varieties like HKR 120, HKR-126, PR-106 and Java similarly transplanting of basmati varieties should be completed by the first fortnight of July. It will save the crop from the attack of blast disease. Further, transplanting
the nursery with rice transplanter could prove an
economic proposition. Apart from maintaining desired
plant population in the field it saves time and energy,
Dr Jalali said. |
GJU computer course for
scribes HISAR, May 23 — The Guru Jambeshwar University is organising special computer courses of short duration during the summer vacations. The Vice-Chancellor of the university said here today that a special course was being organised for working journalists. The course content had been programmed in such a way so as to enable mediapersons to use computers for reporting, subbing and pagemaking. A two-day course on
computer purchase and maintenance would be held on June
26 and 27. The course would enable the participants to
decide on hardware and software options before making
investment in computers. |
Pensioners' plea to state govt BHIWANI, May 23 — Mr Sader Singh Aghi, Secretary, District Pensioners Welfare Association, in a statement issued here today urged the state government to implement the Fifth Pay Commission's recommendations and pay all pending allowances and 59 per cent arrears to the pensioners immediately. He complained that when
the government announced grant of dearness allowance (DA)
to its serving employees it paid them immediately but the
pensioners had to wait for such payment for months
altogether. He demanded that pensioners should also be
paid their dues alongwith the serving personnel. |
Withdraw transfer orders: union ROHTAK, May 23 — The Haryana State Electricity Board Workers Union has criticised the transfer of some leaders of the union and sought the withdrawal of the orders. In a joint statement, Mr Inder Dutt Sharma, president and Mr Dhara Singh, general secretary, of the union, alleged that the HVPN and transferred certain employees' leaders who had been spearheading an agitation in Faridabad district in connection with a murderous attack" and looting of Rs 5 lakh in Hathin sub-division recently. They said the only fault of these leaders had been that they had demanded adequate security of employees from the authorities, and had gheraoed a superintending engineer. They said the union might intensify its agitation if the nigam authorities did not revoke the transfers. They said an emergency
meeting of the union had been called at Kurukshetra on
May 29 to discuss the situation. |
Experts talk of nutrient drain SIRSA, May 23 — For maximum yield the gap between nutrient drain from soil and nutrient inputs from external sources must be reduced. This was stated by the Director, Extension Education, Haryana Agricultural University, Dr S.K. Aggarwal, while addressing a gathering of farmers in the Darbi village last evening. The function was organised by the local Krishi Gyan Kendra to acquaint farmers with the latest technical know-how in soil health. Dr Aggarwal said strained soil reduced productivity. Dr M.S. Kuchad, Head, Soil Department stressed upon the need for minimum chemicals, high-yield seed varieties and bio-fertilisers. Dr Vinod Kumar explained
to the farmers the importance of soil and water-testing
which improved the yield. Dr K.L. Chhabra, coordinator,
K.G.K., Sirsa, advised the farmers to follow the
guidelines given by the experts. |
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