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| Wednesday, September 20, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Discipline rebels, HVC asks
CM MLA seeks White
Paper on loans Leaders lobby for loyalists Factionalism in HP parties Make FP people’s movement:
CM |
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Rao to meet partymen Governor praises orphanage work Undertrial made to follow
judge Kulu Dasehra from Oct 8 First aid camp
for lecturers 30 drums of liquor seized
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Discipline rebels, HVC asks
CM SHIMLA, Sept 19 — The Mohinder Singh faction of the HVC has taken strong notice of the attempts of BJP dissidents to target the Public Works Minister and urged the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, to take steps to discipline them as it could not only have serious implications for the alliance but also for the stability of the coalition. The state executive of the party which met here yesterday, noted with concern news reports regarding dinner parleys to pressurise the Chief Minister to remove Mr Mohinder Singh from the Council of Ministers. It condemned the action of the dissidents and decided that senior party leaders should meet Mr Dhumal and the state BJP chief, Mr Jaikrishan Sharma, and urge them to take measures to check such activities. Mr Mohinder Singh, PWD Minister, said the presence of Dr Ram Lal Markandey, Animal Husbandry Minister, at the reported dinner had given credence to his charge that the HVC supremo, Mr Sukh Ram, had been conspiring with those trying to destabilise the government. He said his party would not allow their nefarious designs to succeed and ensure that the coalition lasted the full term. The party also decried the attempts to politicise the murder of Rakesh Thakur and urged the government to entrust the investigations to an impartial agency like the CIA or the CBI. Briefing mediapersons, Mr O.P. Rattan, working President of the party, said the deceased was not a political worker and the rival Sukh Ram faction of the HVC claimed him to be the president of the Dharampur unit of its youth wing only to malign Mr Mohinder Singh, who represented the constituency. Had it been so, Mr Anil Sharma, HVC MP, would have cancelled his programmes in the constituency on September 5. Moreover, none of the suspects arrested in connection with the murder had any link with his party. One of the suspects was a son of a BJP leader and another worked at a petrol station owned by a close friend of Mr Sukh Ram. The party urged the government to resolve the deadlock on the State Land Revenue Act as it was affecting the revenue administration. Talks should be held immediately with lawyers, who were opposed to some of the amendments, and whatever steps were required to find an amicable solution to the issue should be taken forthwith. The party demanded that the CBI inquiry into charges against Mr Virbhadra Singh, CLP leader, should be expedited. Mr Mohinder Singh said he would file a defamation case against the Congress leaders who had levelled “false and baseless” allegations against him in the charge sheet released by the party last month. Make FP
people’s movement: CM SHIMLA,
Sept 19 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, has stressed the
need for effective steps to check increasing population by making it a
people’s movement and involving non-government organisations and
Panchayati Raj institutions in a big way otherwise all efforts
initiated in the direction of socio-economic development would go
waste. He also stressed the need on instilling confidence among the people in the family planning programme. Presiding
over the first meeting of the State Population Commission here today,
Mr Dhumal, who is also its Chairman, said the government was committed
to meeting the basic needs of the people, besides ensuring better
services and quality of life but this would not be possible unless “we
succeed in stabilising the population. He said India was the second-most populous country in the world with 2.5 per cent of global land and 17 per cent of the world population. If the trend continued, India would be the most populous country by 2045 surpassing China. During the century, the world population had increased three times whereas the population of India had grown five times. Referring to Himachal Pradesh, he said the population of the state had reached 67.43 lakh according to the latest projections in July, 2000. He said the report of the National Family Health Survey, 1999, released recently, had shown that the achievement of the state in the field of family planning was quite satisfactory. It
showed that general awareness on permanent methods of family planning
and the knowledge level on spacing methods was more than 90 per cent.
The coverage of eligible couples in the state was around 68 per cent,
which was quite high. The total fertility rate (TFR) of the state was
on the decline. It was 2.97 in 1992 which had declined to 2.14 in
1998. The figure was very close to the national goal of replacement
level of fertility i.e. 2.1 to be achieved by 2010 as per the National
Population Policy 2000.
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MLA seeks White
Paper on loans PALAMPUR, Sept 19 — Mr Chander Kumar, MLA, general secretary, HPCC, today asked the state government to issue a White Paper on the loans worth Rs 2,500 crore raised during the past two-and-half years. Addressing mediapersons here today, the Congress leader said the government must tell the people where this
among was utilised. He said it was a matter of serious concern that the BJP-HVC government had taken loans of Rs 25 crore and it also received central aid of Rs 900 crore but development works in the state had come to a stand still. The former minister said the Congress during its tenure had raised loans of Rs 800 crore from the open market and this amount was spent on the development activities where as the BJP-HVC government had failed to explain the fact that where this amount of Rs 3,400 crore was spent. He said despite repeated requests Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal could not place the facts regarding the utilisation of this amount before the public. He said the economy of the state was totally shattered today. Mr Chander Kumar said most of the welfare programmes launched by the Congress had been discontinued by the present government merely on political consideration. Referring to the coming panchayat elections in the state, the former minister said no one was ready to contest the panchayat elections with the support of the BJP. He said the Congress was fully prepared to contest the panchayat elections and it had asked its workers to field honest and hardworking persons. |
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Leaders lobby for loyalists DHARAMSALA, Sept 19 —As the race for the post of Pradesh Congress Committee chief hots up, Congressmen from the biggest district of Kangra, are once again divided. As the race for the coveted post hots up, senior leaders, who are otherwise rarely seen have descended here lobbying hard to grab party posts for loyalists. With Kangra comprising 16 Assembly segments, the district will have a major say in the election of the state President and other important party posts. At present a number of senior Congress leaders have joined hands under the leadership of former Tourism Minister and HPCC Vice-President, Vijai Mankotia. This group includes DCC President and MLA, B.B.L. Butail, former Transport Minister Kewal Singh Pathania, former legislators M.R. Goma Daulat Chaudhary and Mr Vikram Katoch. This faction has been active for the past quite some time. Though a majority of the leaders in this group owe allegiance to former Chief Minister, and CLP Leader Virbhadra Singh, it appears that this time round, they are playing their own game by forming a pressure group. Interestingly, the MLA from Nagrota, Mr G.S. Bali, a diehard Virbhadra loyalist, has kept his distance from the group. His differences with Mr Mankotia are an open secret and he is maintaining a low profile, concentrating only on his Assembly constituency of Nagrota. Senior Congressman and MLA from Guler Chander Kumar, otherwise considered close to Mr Virbhadra Singh, has maintained cordial relations with the All-India Mahila Congress President, Mrs Chandresh Kumari. Mrs Chandresh Kumari, considered close to the AICC President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, is camping here to gain a major share in the party posts for her men. Though appointed by the party high command, she has failed to keep in touch with party workers here. Keeping herself confined to Delhi politics, she failed to get her son, Mr Aishwarya Katoch, who lost the last Assembly elections from Thural, elected as the PCC delegate. She was today elected as the PCC delegate from the Dharamsala constituency. The former PCC chief, Mr Sat Mahajan, is trying to keep himself away from groupism. His supporter and MLA from Jaswan Viplove Thakur seems to enjoy a good rapport with Mrs Chandresh Kumari. In the block-level party elections at Jawalamukhi and Rajgir, a major dispute has arisen with rival factions claiming majority. At Jwalamukhi, former minister Kewal Singh has alleged that fair elections are not being held and the majority is with him. On the other hand, the pro-Sat Mahajan group claims that Mr Ramesh Khola has been elected as the PCC delegate. At Rajgir, a similar situation prevails with former MLA, M.R. Goma claiming the support of a majority voters, while the other faction claims that the majority is in favour of Mr Pritam Chand. |
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Factionalism in HP parties SHIMLA, Sept 19 — The ruling BJP-HVC alliance and the opposition Congress are washing their dirty linen in public.
While dissidence has resurfaced in the ruling BJP, its alliance partner HVC has already split.
The Congress is witnessing sharp division in the organisational poll which are currently being held. Supporters of the Union Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, in the state ministry have again made news by boycotting a dinner hosted by the BJP chief, Mr Jaikrishan Sharma. The latter reacted by reportedly issuing notices to the defiants seeking their explanation for not having come for the dinner which was part of the exercise to strengthen the party. The Shanta supporters have been doing pinprick to the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, and his men time and again on various issues, including expulsion of the PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, and curbing corruption, and this is not the first time they have expressed their annoyance. In fact, the tone was recently set by Mr Shanta Kumar himself during his visit here when he called for a “self-introspection” by the leaders on the corruption issue. Following a split in the HVC, its supremo, Mr Sukh Ram, has been demanding that Mr Mohinder Singh, who has now set up a separate outfit, should be dropped from the ministry. On the other hand, supporters of Mr Mohinder Singh have urged the Chief Minister to ask the BJP dissidents and ministers to refrain from publicly speaking against Mr Mohinder Singh as such actions “are against the alliance culture”. Sharp groupism has once again come in the open in the Congress during the current organisational elections when allegations of attempts to rig the poll are being made by a major section. Unruly scenes were witnessed during these elections here yesterday and at Theog on Sunday where Mr Anand Sharma and Mrs Vidya Stokes were announced elected as PCC delegates. It was being alleged that the elections were rigged. Supporters of Mr Virbhadra Singh have alleged that the elections were being rigged by a section of the party which claims to be close to the AICC chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Apprehensions regarding rigging were expressed by this group soon after the district and assistant returning officers for conducting the poll were appointed. It is being alleged that the poll officers were “handpicked” to rig the elections and declare those leaders successful who would not have won in case of a free and fair polling. The Virbhadra Singh group was annoyed that even the high command did not take note of their complaints of rigging. Reports of irregularities in elections had so far come from Shimla (urban), Theog, Ghumarwin, Nachan, Dharampur, the group claimed. As many as 17 Congress legislators had faxed a complaint against rigging to Mrs Sonia Gandhi. On the other hand, Mr Anand Sharma, who is also a spokesman of the Congress, and certain other leaders considered to be anti-Virbhadra Singh have said that the elections are being held in a free and fair manner and the allegations of rigging are baseless. |
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Rao to meet partymen SHIMLA, Sept 19 — Following a spate of complaints regarding rigging during the organisational elections of the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, the Chairman of the pradesh election authority (PEA), Mr V. Hanumantha Rao, has decided to personally listen to the complaints of partymen in this regard. Mr Rao was expected to reach here this morning to inquire into the alleged rigging of the election for Shimla (urban) from where the AICC spokesman, Mr Anand Sharma, was elected as the PCC delegate yesterday. However, he suddenly changed his programme and left for Nalagarh. A section of the party leadership has expressed lack of confidence in Mr Rao and reportedly asked the AICC to rush observers for conducting free and fair elections. They have been irked at the functioning of Mr K.D. Sultanpuri, a member of the PEA, in a “partisan” manner. A Congress spokesman said Mr Rao would be meeting partymen at Bilaspur and Una and Hamirpur. Thereafter he would visit Kangra and Palampur. Complaints of certain poll officers having declared nominees of a particular faction elected without holding elections have been received from some places. |
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Governor praises orphanage work SHIMLA, Sept 19 — Mr Vishnu Kant
Shastri, Governor, has said that orphan children also have potential and
hopes. Mr Shastri was speaking on the occasion of 3rd annual function of Giri Vidya Jyoti Orphanage at
Kotkhai, 62 km from here, today. Quoting Goswami Tulsidass on the potential of the orphan, he said he gave a new vision and direction to India through the
Rama-charitmanasa. He said drawing inspiration from his works, Indians who went to Trinidad and Surinam as workers attained top positions. Praising efforts of the Giri Vidya Gian Jyoti Orphanage Trust, Mr
Shastri, said people of the area should come forward for the noble cause. He honoured social workers by presenting them with a Himachali cap and shawl each. He also presented Rs 11,000 to the orphanage trust and Rs 5,000 to the children who presented the cultural programme on the
occasion. Mr Mangat Ram, chairman, Giri Vidya Gian Jyoti Orphanage Trust, presented the Himachali cap and shawl to the Governor. |
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Undertrial made to follow
judge SUNDERNAGAR, Sept 19 — As a result of the negligence of the Sarkaghat police in obtaining judicial remand, an old man, Shiv Dass (75), was forced to travel a large distance of 250 km (from Mandi to Karsog and back). Shiv Dass (75) resident of Lower Bhambla, was arrested by the Sarkaghat police on August 6 this year in connection with a case under Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act for allegedly possessing 150 grams of charas. As the case can be heard by the Sessions Judge (Special Judge) so till the challan is presented in the court the police can file a request for extension of remand after every 14 days. On the said date the accused is produced in the court and case diaries are also produced before the court. On September 14 the accused was produced before the Sessions Judge for extension of Judicial remand but no request for extension of remand was filed on behalf of the police. Nor were case diaries produced before the court. When the case was called no one was present from the Sarkaghat police station so the court passed the order that judicial remand of the accused could not be extended. After passing this order the Sessions Judge left for Karsog for inspection of judicial lock-up. The police afterwards realised the difficulty and did not know where to keep the accused. Later it was decided to take the accused to Karsog (125 kms) at night. The accused was produced before the Sessions Judge at 8 a.m at the Karsog rest house. The Sessions Judge ordered the accused to be produced before him at Mandi in the afternoon. The old man was again forced to travel to Mandi on September 15. Lastly, the accused was produced before the Sessions Judge at Mandi when he returned from Karsog after inspecting the judicial lock-up. The accused was produced after 4.30 p.m and the hearing concluded at about 6 p.m. The judicial remand was extended upto September 27. The Sessions Judge has sent the copy of this order to the SP, Mandi, for necessary action as there was lapse on the part of the police in not producing the case diaries before the court. The old man was so tired as a result of the journey that when he was produced before the court at Mandi on September 15 he was not in a position to stand in the court. He sat on the floor while watching the court proceedings. Karsog is situated in the interior part of Mandi district and journey to this place is troublesome. According to counsel for the accused the custody of the accused after September 14 was illegal as there was no order of extension of remand so the police office could be penalised for illegally detaining the accused. This was a case fit to be taken up by the human rights organisations. On the other hand the police officials maintained there was negligence in producing the request for extension of remand before the court but a police official from Sarkaghat reached the Mandi court at about 2 p.m on September 14. The whole episode could have been avoided if the judge had referred the matter to the other court. A large number of relatives of the accused reached Mandi on hearing about this. They were not informed till the afternoon of September 15 where the accused had been kept. They also confirmed that the accused was not fit and was taken for a medical check-up from jail after every three or four days and such a long and |
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Kulu Dasehra from Oct 8 KULU, Sept 19 — The week-long Dasehra celebrations will begin here on October 8. Mr Vishnu Kant Shastri, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, will inaugurate the festivities and a trade fair. This was stated by Mr Maheshwar Singh, MP and chairman of the Dasehra Committee. He said a cultural troupe from Russia would perform at Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra. Folk dancers from Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana and cultural troupes sponsored by the North Zone Cultural Centre would also participate. Folk singers from Punjab, Bhupinder Chawla and Sunita Bhatti, bhajan singer Piyush Kailash Anuj and playback singers Richa Sharma , Roop Chand Rathore and Sonali would also perform, he said. |
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First aid camp
for lecturers SHIMLA, Sept 19 — A 10-day camp to impart training in first aid and home nursing to lecturers concluded at Tara Devi, near here, today. The camp was jointly organised by the Punjab Red Cross and the St. John Ambulance Association. Presiding over the valedictory function, Mr V.K. Dandona, Commanding Officer ITBP, underlined the need to create awareness regarding blood donation. Mr M.L. Bindal, camp director, said a large number of students would be trained in first aid and home nursing in due course. He said special first aid posts were being established on national highways to provide immediate medical help to accident victims. |
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30 drums of liquor seized PARWANOO, Sept 19 — The local police has impounded a truck carrying a huge quantity of spirit. According to information, during routine checking at a police barrier at Parwanoo on Sunday night, a truck which was coming from Kalka side was signalled to stop. The driver of the truck, tried to speed the truck towards Parwanoo town. The police chased the truck but the driver stopped the truck near Shivalik Hotel and the occupants of the truck fled away. The police impounded the truck and found 30 drums of 200 litres each of spirit. According to the police
the truck HR-37-3474 was registered in the name of Kewal Krishan, a resident of
Panchkula.The police has
registered a case under Section 61 of Excise Act.
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