| Sunday, December 3, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Order reserved in Ruchika case Farmers kept in dark on
WTO: experts Haryana to better
lot of handicapped Cane growers to be
paid within 14 days Governor visits
Haryana pavilion |
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Bid to loot liquor
shop, 1 hurt Striking staff to give
memo to CM today Villagers block
traffic Contractor refused anticipatory
bail Litigants urged to
approach Lok Adalat Special stamps on gems and
jewellery Gita utsav from
Dec 4 Plea to follow Vedas for
quality produce Power staff to hold
strike on Dec 12 Striking students disrupt traffic
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Order reserved in Ruchika case AMBALA, Dec 2 — The Special Magistrate for CBI cases in Haryana, Mr A.K. Tyagi, here, today reserved order on the CBI application for condonation of delay in filing the charge sheet against the Haryana Director-General of Police, Mr S.P.S. Rathore, in the Ruchika molestation case. The orders will be pronounced on December 5. Earlier, opposing the CBI application, counsel for Mr Rathore, Mr Dinesh Mathur, a Supreme Court lawyer, said the case was hopelessly time-barred. Opening arguments, Mr Mathur said if the dictum that the ignorance of law was no excuse did not apply to an investigating agency, he had nothing to say. The legal department of the CBI should have known that the condonation of delay could not be sought under Section 473 of the CrPC. Mr Mathur, who was assisted among others by Mrs Abha Rathore, a practising advocate in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, said condonation of delay in lodging the FIR and the condonation of delay for taking cognisance of an offence were two separate things. The Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court orders to the CBI to investigate the charges against Mr Rathore could not be construed to mean that what the trial court was supposed to do (condonation of delay) had already been done by the superior courts. It was the domain of the trial court to conduct the trial. Mr Mathur, who argued for over 120 minutes, said the bar on taking cognisance as provided under Section 468 of the CrPC was not a bar on investigation. By seeking the condonation of the delay, the CBI was trying to put at naught his client's legal right of not being tried by virtue of law of limitation. Raising a finger on the credibility of the CBI, Mr Mathur said he did not remember the complete list of cases in which the investigations conducted by the agency had failed to meet the judicial approval. He said the CBI contention that it had filed the charge sheet within 11 months of the registration of the FIR was no ground to seek condonation. Countering the plea of the CBI counsel, Mr Chandresh Sahai, that in a judgement, the Supreme Court had held that the courts should take a liberal view on condonation of delay in cases of serious crimes against women, Mr Mathur said to his mind, the serious crimes against women included rape and dowry-related offences (Sections 498-A and 406 of the IPC). But the framers of law had made offences under Sections 354 and 509 (relating to outraging the modesty of women) as compoundable (hence, less serious offences). He said his client's case suffered from two deprivations. First, since Ruchika was now dead, hence his right to cross-examine had been hit. Second, the FIR was registered on Mrs Ruchika's statement in the form of a memo, after her death. "How could it be done legally ?" he asked. All other signatories to the memo were not eye-witnesses to the alleged incident. Even Miss Reemu, a friend of Ruchika and daughter of Mrs Madhu Prakash, complainant in the case, was at best a "partial witness", who could not compound the case. At this, the Judge, Mr Tyagi, corrected him by saying that under law, a legal representative could compound the case. Mr Mathur, who was assisted by Mr Faqir Chand Aggarwal, Mr Adesh Kumar Jain, Mr J.S. Kohli and Mr C.L. Kohli, said a media hype had been created about the case because of the position of his client, who had to face a media trial. The lawyer took particular objections to the statement of the Punjab IAS officer, Mrs Rupan Deol Bajaj, reported in an English daily today. He alleged that the media was biased against Mr Rathore because he had filed a defamation case against certain newsmen. He said the court could condone the delay under Section 473, CrPC, in exceptional cases only and that too after considering all facts and circumstances of the case. Quoting a Supreme Court judgement, Mr Mathur said it had been stated by the apex court that the prosecution must abide by the letter of law or risk failure due to limitation. Attacking the CBI application, he said it nowhere mentioned that the condonation was being sought "in interest of justice" as provided under Section 473. Nor was it mentioned that Ruchika had complained to the police which did not register the case. The girl or her father should have gone to the police for the registration of the case or should have filed a criminal complaint before a court because she was alive till about three years of the alleged incident, when the limitation started. He also pointed out that even Mrs Madhu Prakash never asked the government to register a case against Mr Rathore. Replying to Mr Mathur's arguments, the CBI counsel, who was assisted by Mr Rajbir Verma and Mr S.K.Sud, said Miss Ruchika had given a memorandum to the highest authority of the State, the Chief Minister, hoping to get justice. Her complaint was also entered in the daily diary (roznamcha). The memorandum was signed, besides Miss Ruchika, by her father and others. He reiterated that the issue of delay was agitated before the high court and the Supreme Court, which considered it before ordering the CBI to investigate the charges. When the Judge asked him if the superior courts had specifically dealt with the issue of limitation, Mr Sahai said the role of the CBI was not over with the completion of the investigations. It had to conduct prosecution also. The CBI investigations were conducted by a senior office of the rank of DIG and if the CBI had not been fair, it would have included more serious offences in the charge sheet. Mr Sahai said the issue of cross-examination would arise only after the court had taken cognisance of the offence. The issue of locus standi of Mrs Madhu Prakash, who was present in the court, had already been settled by the superior courts. Moreover, now the CBI, which had filed the charge sheet, was the party. Taking note of Mr Mathur's objections, Mr Tyagi said the media should report objectively, which was its right, but should not make a subjective assessment of the case to influence the public opinion to pre-judge the case. He also put on record a letter received by him through the post in which some submissions about the case were made. Mr Tyagi said in future such an attempt would be seriously and a reference would be made to the high court for initiating the contempt of court proceedings. |
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Farmers kept in dark on
WTO: experts CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The expert committee constituted to study the impact of World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Punjab and haryana Agriculture and Industry, today stressed the need to involve all States at the national level in every aspect of WTO. The meeting of the Committee was held here under the chairmanship of Dr Y.K. Alagh, former Union Minister for Planning and Power. Participants in the meeting opined that although the State had a primary role to play in providing inputs, loaning and ultimately procurement of foodgrains of the farmers they were unfortunately kept in the dark about the framing of policies and guidelines relating to the WTO regime. It was also felt that the WTO negotiations and finalisations are done by the Commerce Ministry sometime without even consulting the Agriculture Ministry. The Committee was also of the view that since the States were responsible for agricultural and other developments therefore, consultation was needed with the States before the finalisation of policies. Such a mechanism would work at high level with a focus on research. The committee also decided to set up a core group for presenting a paper on the discussions and views expressed during the meeting of the Union Ministry of Commerce. the Committee also stressed on diversification of crops from paddy and wheat to fruits, vegetables, flowers, agri-forests, and dairy. It was felt that during the past two decades, farmers had resorted to growing stable and paying crops like sugarcane, paddy, wheat, cotton and potato. The committee suggested the provision of green box subsidies at the state-level under which money should be pumped for maintaining a green environment and solving the problems of salinity, alkalinity soil erosion, floods, water-logging and adjustment of cropping patterns. However, the participants were of the view that non-productive subsidies needed to be phased out. The committee also discussed at length various strategies regarding the formation of powerful coordinating groups, rationalisation of taxes, need for reducing subsidies, bio-piracy etc. The impact of WTO on Haryana agriculture and industry was also pointed out during the meeting. Agriculture in India as in Haryana occupies a special place in economy. Compared to the situation in developed nations, 70 per cent of population resides in villages and thus agriculture accounts for large share of the GDP, provides employment to a large population, represents major sources of foreign exchange and supplies bulk of basic needs. Therefore, significant progress in promoting economic growth could not be achieved without developing the potential capacity of the agriculture sector. The impacts were also being felt in the areas of exports and imports, tariff wedges, concentrations of farms, demand of quality products, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, development of synonym products by other countries and the distortions in allotment of resources to different agricultural commodities, non-competitive technologies lack of skilled- man power and neglect of agro- industries sector. |
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Haryana to better
lot of handicapped CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, today reiterated the commitment of government to improve the socio-economic status of the handicapped, blind, mentally retarded and deaf and dumb to bring them in the mainstream by making them self-dependent. In a message issued here on the eve of the International Disabled Day, Mr Chautala said the award money being given to outstanding selfemployed handicapped had been doubled from the current year. A committee headed by the Minister of State for Social Welfare recommends such awardees who are given three cash prizes and as per the enhanced award money they would now be given prizes of Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively. He added that apart from this, the employers of the handicapped were also being approached to encourage the handicapped. He reminded that the state government already had doubled to Rs 200 the pension being given to the handicapped persons. A sum of Rs 7.53 crore was disbursed as handicapped pension during the last financial year. A sum of Rs 9.29 crore was disbursed as scholarships of Rs 100 and Rs 500 among 9,000 handicapped students. Mr Chautala said 3848 handicapped were provided with artificial limbs costing Rs 33 lakh during the last year. All District Red Cross Societies and Saket Hospital at Chandimandir were providing medicare and artificial limbs free of cost to the physically handicapped persons. Rehabilitation centres were being set up in all districts to provide the facility of physiotherapy to physically handicapped through the District Red Cross Society. |
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Cane growers to be
paid within 14 days PANIPAT, Dec 2 — The Panipat Sugarmill authorities have made arrangements for the payment of sugarcane to the cane growers within 14 days through Central Cooperative Bank. The mill authorities have already made full payments to the cane growers for the last crushing season. The Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of the sugarmill, Mr M.R. Anand, said here yesterday that the mill would crush 27 lakh quintal of sugarcane during the current crushing season. The mill had crushed 1.83 lakh quintal sugarcane till November 30. The sugar mill crushed 19.50 lakh quintal sugarcane during the last season, he added. He stated that the sugarcane had been sown in 21,000 acre land as against 17,204 acre last year in Panipat district. The Deputy Commissioner said the increase in sugarcane cultivation was the result of the highest sugarcane procurement price i.e. Rs 110 per quintal being paid by the mills to the cane growers. About 4,500 cane growers of this district would earn additional income of About Rs 4 crore with this procurement rate. The Deputy Commissioner also said the sugarcane recovery was likely to be 9.50 per cent during the current season as against 8.51 per cent during last season because of efficient mill management and good cane quality. |
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Governor visits
Haryana pavilion CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — Haryana Governor Babu Parmanand today visited the Haryana pavilion at the Agro Tech-2000 organised by CII (northern region) at the Sector 17 Parade Ground here today. The Governor went round stalls put up by different departments and corporations of the Haryana Government as also by the private sector in the pavilion. He expressed keen interest in various products and development projects displayed by the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation, the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, the Haryana State Cooperation Supply and Marketing Federation, Hafed, the Haryana Warehousing Corporation, the Animal Husbandry Department, the Horticulture, Fisheries, Agriculture Departments and the Haryana Agro-Industries Corporation. The Governor evinced interest in the model of integrated marketing complex and food park being planned at Rai at a cost of Rs 300 crore as a joint venture of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation and some other concerns. The Governor suggested that a direct deal without middlemen or commission agents between the producer and manufacturer, apart from consumer should be maintained to give them more benefit of products. The commission agents took up the major share in the deal and interference by middlemen is the biggest problem in Haryana and Punjab, he added. The Governor also visited the Jammu and Kashmir pavilion and enquired about quality prices, varieties and methods of preservation of fruits and dry fruits. Dr Harbaksh Singh, Commissioner and Secretary, Tourism and Managing Director of the HSIDC, Mr Rajiv Arora, Director of Agriculture and Mr Alok Nigam, Managing Director of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board accompanied the Governor. |
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Youth hammered
to death ROHTAK, Dec 2 — A youth was allegedly hammered to death at nearby Bohar village last night. According to police sources, Molar of Jaijaiwanti village in Jind district and Suresh of Bohar village consumed liquor together. After some time they entered into a quarrel over some issue. During the scuffle, Molar hammered down Suresh who succumbed to his injuries at the PGIMS here. A case under Section 302 of the IPC has been registered following the complaint of father of the deceased Hukam Chand. No arrest has been made so far. In a separate incident, the police arrested a dreaded criminal from Jind bypass here yesterday. The accused is allegedly involved in 32 cases of murder, robbery and theft. According to police sources, Gulbadan alias Gullu was nabbed with a pistol when the police raided the spot following a tip-off. During the interrogation the suspect has reportedly confessed to have committed theft by breaking open nearly 15 shops at the local Shoury Cloth Market. |
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Bid to loot liquor
shop, 1 hurt JIND, Dec 2 — Three motor cycle borne armed youths who came to loot a liquor shop at the local Vivekanand Colony, Scheme No. 19, shot at and injured Mr Hiralal an employee of the liquor contractor last night. While fleeing their motor cycle hit a women near the liquor vend and she died on the spot. The deceased has been identified as Ms Jiyo Devi of Jind town. According to reports two of them forced their entry into the liquor vend and made an attempt to loot the cash. The employees at the liquor vend resisted their attempt. One of them caught a youth and snatched pistol from him. The second youth opened fire and after injuring Hiralal fled on their motor cycle. Mr Hira Lal was immediately rushed to the local general hospital. Later he was referred to medical college hospital at Rohtak. |
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Striking staff to give
memo to CM today CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The striking employees of the Haryana Government would give a memorandum
to Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, at Ambala tomorrow. This was stated here today by Ms Promilla Sharma, senior vice-president of the Haryana General Category and Backward Classes Employees Organisation, the body spearheading the employees pen-down strike. Ms Sharma, who is on indefinite fast for the past 12 days, said that employees would first hold a rally at Ambala following which they would present a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding reversion of seven under secretaries belonging to reserve categories. Mr Chautala would be at Ambala tomorrow to take part in the marriage ceremoney of sister of Mr Rattan Lal Kataria, Lok Sabha member and president of the BJP’s Haryana unit. All prominent employee leaders of Haryana had already left for Ambala for participating in the rally, she said. The Brahmin Sabhas of Delhi, Rajasthan and Railways, the Sajja Manch and the Punjab General Category Employees Organisation would take part in the rally, she said. She also alleged that there was no let-up in the harassment by the Haryana police of agitating employees. Last night also the police raided the residence of Mr N.K. Sharma, an employee who had gone underground following cases filed against him the ESMA, she said. About 250 agitators gathered in front of the 30 Bays Building today also and demonstrated against the state government for its alleged reluctance to implement the Supreme Court order in the Ajit Singh Janjua case. The rally was addressed among others, by Mr Shyamlal Sharma and Mr Kewal Krishan, two employee leaders from Punjab. The Haryana Government has, so far, dismissed 55 agitators from service in a bid to contain the strike which was resumed from the afternoon of November 16. |
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Villagers block
traffic HISAR, Dec 2 — Hundreds of residents of more than 12 villages of this district blocked traffic at Kanwari village on the Hisar-Tosham road for the fourth day today. They were protesting against the inadequate supply of drinking water in the area. The police diverted the Tosham-bound traffic through Hansi and Ladwa. Mr Raj Kumar, DSP, tried to persuade them to end their dharna but they refused. The villagers alleged that they had been demanding adequate drinking water supply for the past three years but the government had paid no attention to their plight. They said there was not enough water to drink and the shortage had made their lives miserable. The protesters said their agitation would continue till their demands were met. |
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Contractor refused anticipatory
bail ROHTAK, Dec 2 — The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Shiva Sharma, has rejected the anticipatory bail application of Mr Sat Pal, alias Pahari, confidant of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal, in a case registered against him by the vigilance bureau on January 8 last under Sections 406, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B IPC. According to the prosecution, Mr Sat Pal, alias Pahari, was given a contract for the digging and embankment of a drain in Rohtak, in 1996 and Rs 1,2555770 were paid to him. During checking it was found that the petitioner had done less work than mentioned in the MB. According to the technical report, three sections of earth work were checked and it was found that Mr Sat Pal had done 17.29 per cent less work than mentioned in the MB. It was found that the petitioner had put 956 cubic metres less earth on Road No 136500-139000 worth Rs 36232 and 13331 cubic metres less on Road No 160000-167450 worth Rs 443255. Therefore, Mr Sat Pal had earned about Rs 22 lakh at the cost of the state exchequer. The petitioner in connivance with officers of the Irrigation Department, had forged documents and caused loss to the state to the tune of Rs 22 lakh. Mr Sat Pal, alias Pahari, had sought bail on the ground that he was an active worker of the HVP. Because of his political affiliation, the petitioner had become a target of political wrath. Several cases against him had been revived and he was being implicated in cases by the ruling party. Mr Sat Pal alleged that he was implicated in a case registered against him on October 1994, but was granted pre-arrest bail by the Sessions Judge, Bhiwani, on October 25, 1999. He further alleged that the allegations against him were “false and politically motivated”. The prosecution case pertained to the year 1997 whereas allegations had been made against him in 2000. He pleaded that earth work could not be ascertainable after such a long time and that no action had been taken against the officers of the Irrigation Department. Rejecting the application, the Additional Sessions Judge said the allegations that the petitioner was being prosecuted because of his political affiliation did not have much substance because in the present case it had been found facie by the prosecution that the petitioner had caused a huge loss to the state running into lakh of rupees. “That the co-accused had not been arrested, in my opinion, is of no help. The state is bound to take action against them as well in accordance with the law, the judge said. |
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Litigants urged to
approach Lok Adalat HISAR, Dec 2 — The Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Authority, Mr Justice V.K. Bali, today asked litigants to take their cases to Lok Adalats for speedy disposal. Addressing a meeting of litigants here, he said these adalats would entertain all types of cases and not just trivial, matrimonial and claim cases. He said these adalats were cheaper and more effective in reducing hostility among the litigants as these functioned on the ancient Indian concept of panchayats. Mr Justice Bali claimed that Lok Adalats were getting popular because of their special nature. Over the years the public had begun to understand that these were more effective than conventional courts for settling disputes amicably and judiciously. He said these adalats were more informal than conventional courts in the sense that there were much less legal formalities in filing and getting the cases decided. This made the task of the litigants easier and the functioning of these adalats more transparent and public friendly. He appealed to the intelligentsia and the legal community to help popularise Lok Adalats. Later, several cases of different nature were decided at Lok Adalats presided over by all local judges in their respective courts. |
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Special stamps on gems and
jewellery AMBALA, Dec 2 — The Department of Posts is to issue a set of six special postage stamps on gems and jewellery. In the Haryana circle, the stamps will be available from December 7 at Ambala GPO, Ambala City HO, Ambala Sadar Bazar SO and Ambala City Anaj Mandi, besides different districts of the state. In addition to stamps, blank First Day covers and information sheets relating to these stamps will be put on sale from the date of the issue of the stamp, a release issued by the Chief Post Master General, Haryana circle, Mr TR Sharma, said. “India’s tradition in jewellery is more than 5000-year old. The Department of Posts issues a set of six stamps on Indian gems and jewellery under the series of stamps issued to launch Indepex Asiana-2000, XIVth Asian International Exhibition, the Department’s tribute to 50 years of the Republic of India and the new
millennium,” the released said. By 3000 BC, India was the principal production centre for jewellery making. Lapislazuli, turquoise, coral, carnelian, jasper and a variety of semi-precious stones were imported into the Indus Valley cities of Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Lothal and Kalibangan, where these were cut, shaped and re-exported to destinations beyond India’s maritime boundaries. The first stamp in the series portrays a bead necklace from the Indus Valley (2500 BC). The release stated that the sacred and secular terracota images of the period of the Shunga dynasty excavated for the sites such as Harinarayanpur and Chandraketugarh in West Bengal revealed fine ornamentation of early jewellery forms, bearing evidence of the art of jewellery making, the use of dyes, the skill of working in sheet gold, repousse, granulation and filgiree and gems enclosed in bezel settings. The second stamp in the series portrays a necklace with such intricate craftsmanship in gold from Taxila. Besides navratna necklace from 18th century AD having been depicted in the series, the fifth stamp in the series depicts a tali (19th century AD), a marriage from South India. The last stamp in the series depicts a kanthla necklace (18th century AD) from Rajasthan, forming part of “temple jewellery”. |
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Gita utsav from
Dec 4 KURUKSHETRA, Dec 2 — The four-day Gita Jayanti Utsav will be inaugurated by the Haryana Governor, Babu Parmanand, here on December 4. The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, will preside over the concluding function. Stating this at a press conference today the Haryana Local Bodies, Commissioner, Mr S.K. Maheshwari, said the Public Works Department was repairing the link roads leading to the area on war-footing. He said drinking water supply would be made available round the clock at Brahmsarovar, Sannihitsarovar and the nearby ashrams where bhandaras would be organised. The Public Health Department will construct 40 temporary toilets. The North Zone Cultural Centre, Allahabad, will present cultural programmes Padamshree Teejan Bai, Gafruddin Khan Mewati and Y.P. Raja of Hyderabad will perform. |
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Plea to follow Vedas for
quality produce SIRSA, Dec 2 — Indian farmers and cultivators must acknowledge the value of information condensed in the Vedas for obtaining high quality agricultural produce to compete in the international market, Mr Surinder Singh Vaidwala, a member of the delegation which recently visited Israel, said. Mr Vaidwala said it was a matter of immense regret to see India being unable to take the advantage of the Vedas which many countries had been using for preparing hybrid seeds and medicines and obtaining patent rights. On the contrary, India loses foreign exchange while importing these products, he said. Narrating his experiences, Mr Vaidwala said although the area of Israel was half that of Haryana and had similar climatic conditions but the demand of its products was high in Europe as Israel had established identity in agricultural and dairy products on the basis of research and cooperative move. He said in India, the agricultural production had increased but the indiscrete use of fertilisers and pesticides had adversely affected the quality of produce which was unable to fetch good price in the international market. |
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Power staff to hold
strike on Dec 12 FARIDABAD, Dec 2 — Employees of all state electricity boards and corporations will observe a strike on December 12 in protest against the privatisation of various state electricity boards. Stating this here yesterday, a spokesman for the All-Haryana Power Corporation Workers Union said power employees from Haryana would take part in the strike. He said a meeting of the central executive of the union would be held at Chhotu Ram Park, Rohtak, in this connection. |
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Striking students disrupt traffic KAITHAL, Dec 2 — Students of the local Indira Gandhi Mahila Mahavidyalya laid a seize to the Pehowa Chowk here and kept the traffic disrupted for more than an hour here today. They resumed their strike today, after withdrawing it yesterday, to press their demand for the removal of the college Principal, Ms Kanta Sood, and alleged that she had failed to solve their problems. |
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Dharna staged BHIWANI, Dec 2 — Activists of the local Jan Sangharsh Samiti staged a dharna on Friday in front of the SP’s office to protest against the deteriorating law and order situation. Mr Om Prakash, convener of the samiti, alleged that the cases of ransacking, chain and cash snatching, eve teasing and threats had become routine incidents but not even a single case had been solved by the police. he sought the intervention of the Chief Minister and the local MP. |
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