H A R Y A N A

Thakre for completion of SYL canal
ROHTAK, April 5 — Although the BJP President, Mr Kushabhau Thakre, favours an immediate completion of the SYL canal, he has refused to intervene in resolving the tangle on sharing the Ravi-Beas waters between Punjab and Haryana.

Poll cost Rs 80,000 per candidate!
HISAR, April 5 — The recent Assembly elections in Haryana cost each candidate an average of around Rs 80,000 only. This figure is based on the mandatory election expenses accounts submitted by candidates to the Election Commission. Interestingly, the limit on expenses is Rs 6 lakh.

1,173 new posts sanctioned
GURGAON, April 5 — The Haryana Government has sanctioned 1,173 new posts of police personnel, especially for the regulation of traffic in the state. The Haryana Police had sent a proposal to the government to this effect.

Hooda’s statement on taxes decried
CHANDIGARH, April 5 — The Additional Political Secretary to Chief Minister, Haryana, Mr Dharamvir, has ridiculed the statement made by the president of the Haryana Congress, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, regarding the imposition of municipal taxes in the state.

CM launches animal insurance scheme
HISAR, April 5 —The Haryana Government has launched an animal insurance scheme in the state. The scheme was launched by Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala here, the other day at the conclusion of a two-day livestock and poultry show organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Haryana.

Thakre for completion of SYL canal
From Jatinder Sharma

ROHTAK, April 5 — Although the BJP President, Mr Kushabhau Thakre, favours an immediate completion of the SYL canal, he has refused to intervene in resolving the tangle on sharing the Ravi-Beas waters between Punjab and Haryana.

Addressing a crowded press conference here today, he argued that pressure politics did not pay in a democracy. “But I agree that Haryana needs the river waters to sustain its agriculture and economy,” he said.

Mr Thakre also favoured inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed Uttaranchal state and pleaded ignorance about the exclusion of Hardwar from the new state. He added that it was not necessary that the Centre should agree to all the recommendations of the state government.

Explaining the purpose of his visit to Rohtak, Mr Thakre said he had come to chalk out strategies to expand the base of the BJP, particularly in the rural areas of Haryana. The party, he said, would organise meetings at the village level between April 6 to 14 as part of the foundation day celebrations. The foundation day of the BJP falls on April 6, the day the party was formed in 1980 at New Delhi. Mr Thakre said the organisational elections of the party would be conducted by the first week of June. The elections in the states would be over by the end of May except in the four states of Haryana, Bihar, Orissa and Manipur where Vidhan Sabha elections were held in February. The election schedule in these states has been extended by a month.

Mr Thakre said he was not interested in continuing as party President after the end of his present term. “I have informed the party leaders that I want to play a different role in the organisation after the expiry of my term”, he told reporters.

He charged the Congress with misleading the Scheduled Castes and the country on the review of the Constitution being undertaken by the Vajpayee government. The BJP, he said, had decided to organise a rally of Dalits, Dalit Samagam, in New Delhi on April 17 to educate them about the purpose of the Constitution review and the steps taken by the Vajpayee government to better the lot of the Schedule Castes.

Referring to the cross-voting in the recently held Rajya Sabha elections, Mr Thakre claimed that the cross-voting by certain BJP legislators in Uttar Pradesh did not pose any threat to the Ram Kishen Gupta government. He decried the role of money-power in these elections and cautioned the countrymen against such elements who use money power to grab berths in Parliament and assemblies.

Mr Thakre said the proposed ‘grand alliance’ between the Trinamool Congress and the Congress did not pose any threat to the NDA government at the Centre. “There is no reason to break the alliance with Mamta Bannerjee on this issue”, he said.

He said the NDA was not merely a crowd of MPs to muster parliamentary majority. It represented national consensus so badly needed to solve the diverse problems of the country.

Mr Thakre said Ms Rabri Devi should quit following the framing of corruption charges against her and Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav failing which the NDA would go to the people to force her to resign.

Poll cost Rs 80,000 per candidate!
From Raman Mohan

HISAR, April 5 — The recent Assembly elections in Haryana cost each candidate an average of around Rs 80,000 only. This figure is based on the mandatory election expenses accounts submitted by candidates to the Election Commission. Interestingly, the limit on expenses is Rs 6 lakh.

Every candidate is required by law to submit the accounts within 30 days of declaration of results failing which he is disqualified from contesting an election in future. The accounts are maintained in a register supplied by the Election Commission. The accounts are required to be checked by returning officers of respective constituencies every third day during campaigning. The register is maintained from the date of filing nominations till the declaration of results.

Information gathered by this correspondent reveals that the lowest expenditure incurred by a candidate was Rs 5000, that being the amount of security deposit. On the higher side in some of the fiercely contested constituencies the serious candidates officially spent between Rs 3 and Rs 4 lakh.

In the Hisar Assembly segment as many as three candidates crossed the Rs 3 lakh mark. They were Mr Om Parkash Jindal who was elected on the Congress ticket (Rs 369335.38), Dr Kamal Gupta of the BJP (Rs 335212) and Mr Hari Singh Saini, Independent (Rs 302020). Former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal who contested the Adampur Assembly seat has filed an expenditure return of Rs 205244.19.

Among the winners, Mr Jai Parkash of the Congress, who won from the Barwala Assembly constituency, spent the least amount on electioneering Rs 71533 only. On the other hand, among the losers, Mr Hari Singh Saini, an Independent from the Hisar constituency, was the highest spender. The last date for filing the accounts was in most cases March 27.

However, the expenses shown by the candidates in their official returns do not reflect even a fraction of the actual expenses incurred by them. Senior politicians agree in private that a serious candidate has to spend on an average Rs 20 and 30 lakh on campaigning. They say the expenses have been cut by almost 25 per cent as the campaign period had now been slashed to three weeks from four weeks earlier.

On an average, a serious Independent candidate and those put up by leading political parties have to hire more than 50 vehicles for the campaign period. The normal rate for a diesel vehicle, mostly jeeps and Tata Sumos, was between Rs 800 to Rs 1000 per day during the electioneering. One vehicle generally consumes fuel worth Rs 300 a day. Thus one campaign vehicle costs a candidate more than Rs 1000 a day.

At this average, the cost of vehicle alone comes to around Rs 10 lakh. The other major expenditures incurred by the candidates were on public meetings, posters, flags, banners, liquor, telephone and food for political workers. In many constituencies candidates had to spend lakhs on “buying” votes.

Election managers say the candidates generally do not account for most of the vehicles used in the campaign in their account register. They, however, take care to account for the vehicles used by them personally and by their election agents. They maintain that over 90 per cent of the vehicles used are shown as provided by supporters free of cost. This helps them keep their official expenses below the ceiling of Rs 6 lakh.

Likewise, the expenditure on food, liquor and printing of publicity material is never reflected truly in the accounts. While liquor is not mentioned at all, the expenditure on other items, too, is grossly understated.

Till the last Assembly poll, concealing expenditure on publicity material was a major headache for most candidates since the name of the printer and the number of copies printed had to be mentioned on the publicity material. This time several printing units in Delhi, Chandigarh, Panchkula and other towns printed publicity material without mentioning the necessary details.

Election managers say the Election Commission has not been as strict now as during the reign of Mr T.N. Seshan. This encouraged the printing units as well as the candidates. Besides, they say, the administration was not as strict this time as during the 1996 Assembly elections when vehicles were checked as a matter of routine during campaigning.

Officials admit in private that the returns filed by the candidates do not generally state the truth. However, they say it is not possible for them to audit the accounts of each and every candidate. Besides, most candidates use the services of seasoned election managers, lawyers and accountants to prepare their accounts. It is hard to point at a discrepancy.

They say no serious candidate can hope to win an election in Rs 80000, which is the average expenditure incurred by candidates in the February 22 Assembly elections. Candidates, too, admit this fact pointing out that even a candidate for the panchayat or the municipal poll has to spend Rs 10 lakh on campaigning.

Inquiries reveal that the filing of the expenditure statement has been reduced to a mere formality over the years. The statements gather dust in District Election Offices for years before these are disposed off as waste paper or just burnt to afford space for new records.

1,173 new posts sanctioned
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, April 5 — The Haryana Government has sanctioned 1,173 new posts of police personnel, especially for the regulation of traffic in the state.

The Haryana Police had sent a proposal to the government to this effect. The Director-General of Police, Haryana, Mr S.P.S. Rathore is said to be strongly in favour of the new posts for effective regulation of the traffic in the state.

The Inspector-General of Police, Gurgaon range, Mr Rajiv Dalal told TNS that the posts had been sanctioned,especially to regulate vehicular movements on the highways.

The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, had asked the police authorities to bring down the rate of accidents at a meeting of the DCs and SPs presided over by him on February 23. As a follow-up measure, the police top brass submitted the proposal for the new posts.

As many as 270 of the total posts sanctioned were for the four southern districts comprising Gurgaon, Faridabad, Rewari and Mahendergarh. While Faridabad will have 121 of them,Gurgaon will have 70, to be followed by 48 and 32 for Rewari and Mahendergarh, respectively.

According to observers,the posts sanctioned are large in number when considered that till now a city such as Gurgaon has been functioning with only nine sanctioned posts for the specific purpose of regulating the movement of traffic.

The urgency shown by the government in sanctioning the posts has a basis. According to the statistics available with the state police, the number of deaths in road accidents was three times more than all other crime-related deaths in the state. The number of injuries in accidents was five times more as compared to those sustained in crime-related incidents. Also, the number of accidental deaths have been rising sharply..

Apart from regulating the traffic, the increased manpower is expected to give an impetus to the police drive to curb crimes on the highways in the state. The police, especially in South Haryana connected to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan is engaged in a major exercise to prevent highway robberies and other sorts of crimes. The issue also figured prominently at a meeting of the Superintendents of Police of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Mahendergarh and Rewari convened by the IGP of the Range, yesterday.

A couple of days ago,the police in the district arrested eight members of a notorious gang having base in Mewat in a case relating to looting of goods on a truck. The case was registered in Punhana. A few days ago, the district police had achieved another major breakthrough by arresting members of a gang in Taoru after they had taken away a truck loaded with goods in the Nasik-Pune area in Maharashtra. They had managed to take away the truck after firing on the police personnel who tried to intervene.

Also, with the highways not manned by the police, the criminals from the adjoining states easily sneak in South Haryana and vice-versa following pressure on them from the police. They also escape easily after committing crimes. With the available logistics and infrastructure, especially shortage of manpower, the police was finding it difficult to keep a round-the-clock tab on the movements on the highways and the streets.

Hooda’s statement on taxes decried
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 5 — The Additional Political Secretary to Chief Minister, Haryana, Mr Dharamvir, has ridiculed the statement made by the president of the Haryana Congress, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, regarding the imposition of municipal taxes in the state.

In a statement issued here today Mr Dharamvir said these taxes had been imposed to enable the local bodies to cope up with the losses suffered by them because of the wrong policies followed by the Congress and HVP governments regarding their financial health.

He alleged that because of the persistent neglect of the local bodies by the previous governments, the people had been forced to live with substandard infrastructure in the urban areas.

He said when octroi was abolished all the parties, including the Congress, had welcomed the decision and had raised queries as to how the loss of the local bodies would be compensated. The taxes recently imposed were broad based and would not affect the common man. The newly elected municipal councillors would now be able to fulfil the aspirations of the people.

Criticising Mr Hooda for adopting double standards, Mr Dharamvir said on one hand the Congress leader had gone on record to say that the government should raise resources for the local bodies and on the other he was criticising the same.

He said Mr Hooda was unnecessarily making hue and cry to gain cheap publicity and political mileage, after having been routed during the recent municipal as well as the Vidhan Sabha elections.

CM launches animal insurance scheme
Tribune News Service

HISAR, April 5 —The Haryana Government has launched an animal insurance scheme in the state. The scheme was launched by Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala here, the other day at the conclusion of a two-day livestock and poultry show organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Haryana.

To start with, the Chief Minister distributed Rs 35 lakh among 600 farmers who have animals giving a yield of more than 15 litres of milk in a day.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said livestock had an important place in the economic development of an agrarian society. He said his government was committed to giving a boost to livestock development in the state and added that the state Livestock Development Board had recently been constituted for the purpose.

Referring to the Murrah buffaloes, a world-famous breed of Haryana, the Chief Minister said these buffaloes would also be covered under the insurance scheme. He stated that the Livestock Development Board would pay half the premium and the rest would be borne by the owner.

The Chief Minister said the government would buy male calves of good quality animals and give these away to village panchayats.

Animal Husbandry Minister Mohammad Ilyas said on the occasion the government had decided to focus attention on milk production in the state for which the genetic stock was being improved.

Boy pushed out of train, loses legs
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, April 5 — Karan, a 14-year-old boy, lost both his legs when he was pushed out from a coach reserved for women passengers was when the train was running by two policemen on duty near Rajlu Garhi railway station, 14 km from here, yesterday.

It is alleged that the policemen pushed out the boy who fell from the train and was injured seriously. Thereupon, the passengers raised a hue and cry and the guard stopped the train. The boy was brought to Sonepat by the commuters.

At the Sonepat railway station, the passengers informed Government Railway Police (GRP) officials about the incident, but none came forward to help. The passengers then approached Station Superintendent O.P. Premi who made arrangements for taking the injured boy to the local Civil Hospital.

There too no doctor was available for immediate aid. The boy remained in the emergency ward for a long time without help. According to eyewitnesses, there was no needle for stitching the wounds of the boy.

When the condition of the boy deteriorated, he was referred to a Delhi hospital by then he had lost both his legs.

Representatives of various organisations today demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident and stern action against the erring policemen and doctors. They also threatened to launch an agitation if no action was taken.

Suspension of new Sarpanch sought
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, April 5 — Inhabitants of Dodwa village today sent a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner demanding the immediate suspension of the newly-elected woman Sarpanch and holding of fresh elections to the post of the Sarpanch.

The memorandum gave the evidence of the new Sarpanch having three children and alleged that she had contested the elections in violation of the norms laid down by the Haryana Election Commission which clearly maintained that no candidate having three children could contest the elections to the Panchayati Raj institutions in the state.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner has deputed the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) to hold an inquiry and submit a detailed report to him in this regard.

2 held in double murder case
From Our Correspondent

REWARI, April 5 — The police has arrested two persons, Raj Singh and Bhoop Singh, both of Kanhori village, in connection with the double murder of Satya Van and his maternal uncle, Dewan Singh, whose bodies along with their Maruti car were burnt in a forest of Usmapur village, about 35 km from here, on the night of March 26.

Both accused have been remanded in police custody till April 6 by a local court.

The incident relates to Satwanti, daughter of Ram Mehar of Kanhori village, who was married to Satya Van, son of Chand Ram of Sarda village in Delhi about 15 years ago.

She had reportedly developed strained relations with Satya Van because of which she returned to her parents’ home on March 23.

Following this Satya Van, along with his maternal uncle, Dewan Singh, reached Kanhori on March 26. The discussions on the matter between the two parties led to heated arguments which allegedly caused the murder of Satya Van. Subsequently, Dewan Singh, who was an eyewitness to the incident, was also killed. The bodies of the victims were taken to the forest where they were burnt.

On March 27, a former sarpanch of Usmapur village informed the police which recovered the burnt bodies from the forest and registered a case.

Woman, son stabbed to death
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, April 5 — Shamma Kaur, alias Santosh (38), and her son Sonu, alias Khazan (16), were stabbed to death by certain persons of a rival group at Saidpur village, 25 km from here, yesterday.

According to preliminary reports, Mr Prahalad, another member of the family, who sustained serious injuries, was admitted to Medical College Hospital in Rohtak.

Some altercation between the members of the rival groups is stated to be the reason behind the murders. A case has been registered and the culprits arrested.

Earlier, angry villagers had held up traffic on the Kharkhauda-Delhi road in protest against police inaction. The blockade was lifted after Mr Hardeep Singh Doon, DSP, intervened.

Criminal dies in police custody
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, April 5 — Sakreen, alias Netaji, leader of the Sheikh Bengali gang which was also known the Momin gang, died in police custody here yesterday.

The victim was among the 17 members of the gang who had been arrested by the police in connection with the robbery committed in the house of Mr Ashok Chitkara, an official of the Haryana Financial Corporation on March 16. The gang members had also killed three other persons at Shadipur, Kabirpur and Fazilpur village on the same night.

Sakreen, was discharged from the Civil Hospital on April 3 after being treated for a couple of days and taken to the local district jail. His condition became serious again and he was again taken to the hospital and was being taken to Medical College Hospital, Rohtak for further treatment. However, on the way he died.

It is alleged that victim was tortured by the police.

This is the second death of a criminal in police custody during the past fortnight.

Five unnatural deaths in Jind
From Our Correspondent

JIND, April 5 — Five unnatural deaths have been reported from different parts of the district in the past 24 hours. According to reports received here today, a young couple, Narinder and his wife, allegedly consumed poison in Kalwa village. Both were admitted to a local hospital where they died. The reason for the suicide is not known.

In another incident, two unidentified persons, including a woman, were killed after they were run over by a train near the local railway station.

The Railway Police has opened an investigation into the case to ascertain whether it was a mishap or a suicide.

Another person was killed near Broda village after being reportedly run over by a train.

Youth shot at, injured
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, April 5 — Mukesh (21) of Manana village was shot at and seriously injured by two gunmen in daylight in front of the local Seema theatre yesterday.

The gunmen, identified as Mahabir and Gulab of Badoli village under the Rai police station in Sonipat district, were caught by the people and handed over to the police.

The incident took place when Mukesh was returning after appearing in a court along with his parents in a rickshaw.

Mukesh was taken to the Civil Hospital from where he was shifted to the PGI, Rohtak.

Old enmity is stated to be behind the assault.

The police has registered a case under Sections 307 and 34 of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act against Mahabir, Gulab, Chander and Partap on a complaint of Mukesh’s father.

1 dead, 6 hurt as vehicle overturns
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, April 5 — One person is reported to have died and six others were injured in a road accident near Patti Kalyana village on the GT Road last night.

According to information received, Uma Shanker, a resident of Delhi, was travelling in a Tata Sumo along with his family members. The family was on its way to the shrine of Vaishno Devi.

Due to a tyre burst, the driver lost balance and the vehicle overturned. Uma Shanker died on the spot and other occupants, including his wife Nirmala, Sonu, Munna, Ram Swarup, Rani and Shiv Charan, were injured and admitted in a private hospital.

University posts for Dalits sought
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, April 5 — The Haryana Guru Ravidas Samaj Mahasabha has demanded proper representation of the Dalit community in the matter of appointment to the posts of high functionaries of four universities in the state.

In a statement here yesterday, Mr Ram Mehar, president of the mahasabha, thanked the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, for nominating Mr Fakir Chand as a member of the Rajya Sabha and appealed to him to provide “due share” of the community regarding the posts of Vice-Chancellors, Pro Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of the universities in the state.

Watchman charred to death
Tribune News Service

PANIPAT, April 5 — The watchman of Deepak Spinning Mill on the Gohana road was charred to death in a fire late yesterday night. According to fire officials, the fire broke out in the spinning mill probably due to a short circuit.

The charred body of the watchman, Manoj Kumar of Madhuban district in Bihar, was recovered from the mill’s premises by firemen. It took them around two hours to bring the fire under control. A blow machine and a large amount of cotton were destroyed in the fire.

Car torched
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK April 5 — A Maruti car of a supporter of a candidate who won in the municipal council poll was torched by some unidentified persons in Babra Mohalla on Monday night after the results of the poll were declared.

The complainant has alleged that some persons, owing allegiance to a politically influential person, burnt the car after the candidate supported by them lost.

A case has been registered.

Meanwhile, 200 gm of charas was recovered from a prisoner lodged in a local jail.