Congressmen's protest march on Nov 15
CHANDIGARH, Oct 30 — Congressmen of Haryana will march to the state Vidhan Sabha in protest against the "anti-people" policies of the Central and state governments on November 15, when the House meets for the winter session.

Hatred pollutes soul, says Nirankari chief
SONEPAT, Oct 30 — Baba Hardev Singh, chief of the international Sant Nirankari Mission, said here yesterday that saints were not recognised from the clothes, they wear but from their deeds and their way of life. The saints, he observed, made their hearts abode of God and spread his message of love, brotherhood, tolerance and dedication to the humanity.

2 held in case of fraud
ROHTAK, Oct 30 — Two railway employees have been arrested by the police in connection with a case of fraud regarding booking of parcels which was detected about six months ago.

‘India 95th in women's empowerment’
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Oct 30 — The All-India President of the Mahila Dakshata Samiti and wife of the Vice-President of India, Ms Suman Krishan Kant, inaugurated a new branch of the samiti here today.

Addressing a largely attended women's sammelan, she said that branches of the samiti had also been opened in other parts of Haryana and they had been working for the All-India uplift of women and children. The samiti had been focusing on a wide range of areas such as consumer education, social and legal awareness, mass literacy, family counselling, health care, sanitation, slum development and care of the aged and the sick.

The samiti had been campaigning against social evils like dowry, child marriage, alcoholism, drug addiction, atrocities on women and child abuse. Due to the efforts of the samiti, such crucial issues had started gaining momentum and many legal provisions had been made to take care of them.

Ms Kant further said that according to the recent human development report, India ranked 95th in the gender empowerment measure (GEM), which was one of the lowest in the list. Women could not achieve empowerment unless they were properly involved in decision making.

The report also indicated that women had 8.3 per cent representation in Parliment, 2.3 per cent in administration and management jobs and 20.5 per cent in professional and technical jobs. However, certain studies had revealed that women legislators were more sensitive to the issues relating to women such as health, welfare, atrocities and crime against women, dowry and violation of human rights. Women were welcome as voters but not on direct decision-making roles, she said.

In Haryana, the urban female literacy rate was 64 per cent as compared to 82 per cent among males. In rural areas, it was merely 32 per cent compared to the male literacy rate of 65 per cent. Several measures had been taken by the government and non-government organisations to increase the overall awareness among women but a lot more remained to be done.

In Haryana, the percentage of women workers in rural areas was 13 as compared to 5 per cent in urban areas. However, the problem of measuring women's participation in subsistence agriculture and the informal sector tended to belittle the importance of their economic activity. The lack of access to land and agricultural services remained the major constraint on women's greater participation in development.

She said the new branch of the Mahila Dakshata Samiti would provide the much-desired boost to the empowerment of women of Haryana. Panipat had always played a decisive role in history and the women of Haryana were expected to play decisive role in the progress of the state. Mrs Kant appealed to the Chief Minister to constitute a women's commission in Haryana.

The Social Welfare Minister, Ms Krishna Gehlot, called upon women to send their daughters to schools for getting education. She also stressed the need for women to shed the discriminatory attitude towards girls in comparison to boys.

The Minister of State for Education and Tourism also assured the samiti of full support. Both the ministers on behalf of the Haryana Government announced a grant of Rs 31,000 for the samiti.

Congressmen's protest march on Nov 15
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 30 — Congressmen of Haryana will march to the state Vidhan Sabha in protest against the "anti-people" policies of the Central and state governments on November 15, when the House meets for the winter session.

The party men will also stage a dharna at Raj Bhavan to press their demand for the deletion of Rajiv Gandhi's name from the CBI charge sheet in the Bofors case.

The action programme was finalised at the meeting of party held under the chairmanship of Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Pradesh Congress Committee chief,here today. Dissident leaders Mr Bhajan Lal and Birender Singh were conspicuous by their absence. While most of the legislators owing allegiance to Mr Bhajan Lal, including his two sons, Mr Chander Mohan and Mr Kuldeep, abstained from the meeting, certain supporters of a former Chief Minister raised slogans against Mr Hooda, allegedly, for not allowing them to attend the meeting.

Mr Pawan Valecha, vice-president of the Panchkula District Congress Committee, alleged that the supporters of Mr Bhajan Lal were prevented from attending the meeting as Mr Hooda feared that they might demand his resignation over the poll debacle. A spokesman of the party, however, said all those invited to the meeting were allowed to attend it.

The party adopted a resolution, moved by Randeep Singh Surjewala, the party whip and spokesperson, terming the inclusion of Rajiv Gandhi's name in the Bofors charge sheet as a "political fraud and a glaring instance of personal vendetta unleashed by the BJP-led Government at the Centre." There was no evidence against the former Prime Minister and the matter had thoroughly been scrutinsed by the Joint Parliamentary Committee in which all major parties involved in the case were represented. Thus, the inclusion of Rajiv Gandhi's name amounted to a breach of the privilege of Parliament, the resolution pointed out.

Moreover, the charge sheet was not only incomplete as admitted by the government but also politically motivated. The party expressed its anguish over the comparison of a national leader of Rajiv Gandhi’s stature with the ‘murderers’ of Beant Singh.

It questioned the desirability of the unprecedented hike effected in the diesel price soon after the Lok Sabha poll and demanded immediate roll back of the hike.

Through another resolution the party flayed the Chautala Government for ordering large-scale transfers of employees on political considerations, putting unnecessary burden on the state exchequer.

It severely criticised the government for imposing power cut, particularly in view of the election promise made by the INLD to provide uninterrupted power supply. It also demanded bonus to compensate the paddy growers who were forced to dispose of their produce at throwaway prices because of the failure of government agencies to make adequate procurement. Concern was also expressed over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

Mr Hooda while briefing newsmen said the PCC was satisfied over the party’s performance in the Lok Sabha poll.

Project's progress impresses WB
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 30 — The World Bank has expressed satisfaction over the progress of the water resources consolidation project in Haryana and agreed to consider its extension beyond the stipulated period of six years ending in December, 2000.

A three-member team of the bank led by Mr Prabir Joardar which met the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, here today, gave an indication to this effect. The team earlier visited to construction sites of projects at various places in the state to inspect the works. It will attend the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Ottu Weir in Sirsa district on November 1, which is being constructed with the assistance of the World Bank at an estimated cost of Rs 28.50 crore.

The Chief Minister discussed various drainage projects with the World Bank team. These projects included a number of schemes involving an investment of Rs 770 crore.

The Haryana Finance Minister, Mr Sampat Singh, and senior officers of the government also attended the meeting.

Head Constable beaten up
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 30 — Mr Krishan Kumar, a Head Constable, was reportedly beaten up and his uniform torn by a criminal Dinesh, alias Kala, of Salimsar Majra village, on the premises of the judicial complex here yesterday.

According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred outside a judicial court where Dinesh, who was allegedly involved in a theft case, arrived to surrender himself before the court. The Head Constable who tried to arrest him, was atacked and beaten up by Dinesh who escaped and got himself admitted in a hospital.

Meanwhile the parents of Dinesh, along with some residents of the village, thronged the office of the Superintendent of Police and created a scene there. The SP is reported to have called police force from the Police Lines to control the situation.

Hatred pollutes soul, says Nirankari chief
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 30 — Baba Hardev Singh, chief of the international Sant Nirankari Mission, said here yesterday that saints were not recognised from the clothes, they wear but from their deeds and their way of life. The saints, he observed, made their hearts abode of God and spread his message of love, brotherhood, tolerance and dedication to the humanity.

Addressing a religious congregation, he said jealousy, hatred polluted human soul and it was through the words of saints that soules were purified. He advised the congregation to follow the teachings of great saints and practise them in their real life.

He said the chanting of religious hymns did not confer a right on to claim their place in the heaven. It was through pious life and renunciation of pride, hatred and jealousy that the human beings could claim reward for their service to the humanity.

Referring to the modern way of life, he said it had provided material facilities and happiness to the human beings but it could not provide spiritual satisfaction to them. Greed, ambitions and desires were the enemies of human beings.

A cultural programme was organised in his honour. Earlier, he was given a rousing reception by a large number of Nirankaris when he arrived at the venue of the samagam.

2 held in case of fraud
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Oct 30 — Two railway employees have been arrested by the police in connection with a case of fraud regarding booking of parcels which was detected about six months ago.

According to police sources, the employees, working as clerks in parcel cell of the Railways here have been remanded to judicial custody. The police has registered a case under Sections 420, 120-B and 163 of the Railways Act after, 29 parcels containing medicines addressed to the government hospital were found to be having stones and bricks only.