Monday,
February 25, 2002, Chandigarh, India
|
BJP rout : alarm bells ringing in HP Cong victory mandate against Centre: Stokes Virbhadra holds two rallies Corruption to be main poll
plank: Virbhadra CPI session begins with rally |
|
Community policing scheme extended 4 Cong Seva Dal units dissolved MP seeks funds to deal with epidemics Facilities at hospital poor Ex-Addl DC
dead HPCC to give financial
help to plague-hit
|
BJP rout : alarm bells ringing in HP Shimla, February 24 Although Assembly elections are still a year away, the adverse verdict, particularly in Punjab and Uttaranchal, does not augur well for the party in the hill state. The results have sent some ominous signals for the state BJP which has been largely banking on the Vajpayee government at the Centre and infighting in the Congress to overcome the disadvantage of anti-incumbency factor. The possibility of Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, going for a snap poll has also evaporated. Traditionally people of fund-starved hill state, which are dependent on Central assistance for survival, have been voting the ruling party at the Centre to power in the state. In this context the verdict in favour of opposition Congress in Uttaranchal is significant. It is a matter of concern for the BJP, which has been all along driving political mileage in the state by harping on the advantages of friendly BJP-led government at the Centre. On the other hand the defeat of the SAD-BJP combine in Punjab has made it clear that internal dissensions in the main opposition party matter little when people decide to oust the government of the day. The victory of the Congress in Punjab, despite infighting, has an ominous message for the BJP that it could repeat the performance in Himachal Pradesh. The party should not draw comfort anymore from the ongoing factional fight between the rival groups headed by Mrs Vidya Stokes, the PCC chief, and Mr Virbhadra Singh, Congress Legislative Party leader. The electorate, as is evident from the election results in Punjab, are not taken in by the factional differences. The most damning for the BJP is the newly earned tag of corruption, which played a decisive role in Punjab and led to the defeat of senior leaders like Mr Lal Ji Tandon in UP. The issue of corruption could well spell doom for the party in Himachal Pradesh as serious allegations have not only been levelled against the Dhumal government by the Congress but also by some BJP ministers who even raised a banner of revolt against the Chief Minister. Worse, the government failed to take any effective action against those involved in various scams and scandals and thus a general impression has been created that it has been patronising corruption. Besides major scandals like the bitumen purchase scandal in the PWD and the multicrore medical purchase scandal in the Health Department, the manner in which recruitment is being carried out by the state subordinate services selection board has also been made an issue by both Congress and BJP dissidents. The government has so far not acted on these issues in a manner that would inspire the confidence of people. While Mr Mohinder Singh, a Himachal Vikas Congress Minister who held the PWD portfolio, was removed in the wake of the bitumen scam under pressure from dissidents, similar action was not taken against Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, in connection with the medicinal purchase scam. As many as three former Directors of Health Department were arrested but no politician was held accountable. The general feeling is that BJP is not ready to take action against its own ministers. The functioning of state Subordinate Selection Board had come under a cloud after Congress and BJP dissidents accused it of indulging in favouritism and nepotism. Fingers have also been raised over functioning of some politically appointed chairpersons. While in case of the Kailash Cooperative Federation the audit has pointed out serious irregularities reflecting on its Vice-Chairman, Mr Sandeepany Bhardwaj, serious charges have been levelled by the employees union of the state cooperative bank against Mr K.K. Kaushal, chairperson of the bank. The failure of the party legislators to declare their assets despite the promise to do so within three months of the elections made in the election manifesto has made the position of the party on the issue of corruption all the more untenable. Moreover, factional fight in the BJP has been continuing unabated. The party cannot hope to retain power unless it takes decisive action against those facing charges of corruption and sets its own house in order. |
|
Cong victory mandate against Centre: Stokes Shimla, February 24 Hailing the verdict of the people as a referendum against the Centre and the state governments, Mrs Vidya Stokes, the Pradesh Congress Committee Chief, said the NDA government had lost the moral right to remain in office. The ruling alliance has lost in all states, including Uttar Pradesh, which plays a decisive role in formation of the government at the Centre. She said “lack of governance” and “corruption” were mainly responsible for the defeat of the alliance. The impressive performance of the Congress had come as shot in the arm of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, who had emerged as the undisputed leader of the party. Mr Kuldeep Rathore, spokesperson of the state unit of the Congress, said the BJP-led alliance lost despite blatant misuse of official machinery. The election results were an unmistakable indication of the impending political changes the hill state was due to witness. On the other hand, Mr Ganesh Dutt, spokesperson of the state unit of the BJP, maintained that the election results would not have any impact on the political scenario in the state. He said the ground realities of Himachal Pradesh were different from the neighbouring states. Moreover, the Congress, the main opposition, had only managed a slander majority in Punjab and Uttranchal, whereas it was no where in contention for Uttar Pradesh, the politically most significant states. The performance of the SAD-BJP combine was not all that bad considering the fact that it had been in power for full five years and as such the anti-incumbency factor was heavily weighed against it. The BJP will come back to power in the state on the basis of performance of the Dhumal government. Mr Dutt demanded a legislation to ban opinion and exit polls, which were far off the mark and only served to compound the confusion prevailing in the minds of the electorate. CHAMBA: Mr Harsh Mahajan, General Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), has described the victory of the Congress in Punjab, Manipur and Uttaranchal as ‘a triumph of secularism’. In a fax massage issued here on Sunday, Mr Mahajan said Congress would repeat the history in the forthcoming Assembly elections. |
|
Virbhadra holds two rallies Dharamsala, February 24 The former Chief Minister,who addressed two impressive rallies at Fatehpur in Jwali and in Pragpur Assembly segments of Kangra district, has tried to send a signal to the rival faction that as far as having a hold over the party workers and the masses was concerned, he was way ahead of them. The inevitable comparison in terms of the crowds at the rallies of the two factions has boosted the morale of the Virbhadra faction. Though a majority of the leaders from Kangra owing allegiance to the HPCC chief, Ms Vidya Stokes, stayed away from his rallies, but Mr Virbhadra Singh has succeeded in showing that he has a personal following in practically every Assembly segment. Having a dig at the rally organised by the Stokes faction at the Tandon Club in Kangra last month, he said it was high time that the Congress came out of rooms and club compounds as the mood of the public was clearly in its favour. As expected, senior Congress leaders of the Stokes faction in Kangra, including former ministers, Mr Vijai Mankotia, Mr Kewal Singh Pathania, the DCC chief Mr M.R. Goma, and the MLA from Jaswan, Ms Viplove Thakur stayed away from his rallies. The Congress MLA from Nagrota, Mr G.S. Bali, a one-time Virbhadra loyalist, who had been maintaining proximity with the two rival factions till recently, was conspicuous by his absence during the two rallies. A former HPCC chief and senior Congress leader, Mr Sat Mahajan, who has been advocating unity between the warring factions was not present at Mr Virbhadra Singh’s rallies. “It is his detractors within the Congress party who are harming Mr Virbhadra Singh more than even his political opponents in the BJP, who see in him their common enemy,” remarked a senior party leader from Kangra. Mr Virbhadra Singh has himself stated that it is not only the BJP regime which is trying to fabricate cases against him but his own partymen had joined hands with them. Political observers feel that Mr Virbhadra Singh, was reflecting a much more aggressive mood, indicating that he had his own following in the state, a fact which cannot be ignored by the party high command. Interestingly, both the rival factions of the Congress have already started projecting their own candidates in various Assembly segments, keeping in mind the fact that the elections were due within a year’s time. Though party loyalists admit that this would be harmful for the Congress in the elections but feel that this was the gameplan of both the Stokes camp and the Virbhadra faction. The Stokes faction, which has not taken too kindly to the rallies being organised by Mr Virbhadra Singh, has at its own level tried to put a check on these by stating that the HPCC and the smaller party units be taken into confidence as this creates confusion amongst the party workers. Despite all this, the fact remains that the two factions of the Congress continue to hold their separate rallies all over the state as unity seems to elude them. |
Corruption to be main poll
plank: Virbhadra Nurpur, February 24 It had promoted regional imbalance in the state on the issue of development. Mr Virbhadra Singh said in the coming Assembly elections, the corruption would be the main plank of the Congress despite unprecedented hike in power and water tariff rates, user charges on health services. He said the Congress would rollback user charges of hospitals and tariff hike in electricity and water if it was voted to power in the coming Assembly elections. When asked whether he had taken permission for organising rallies in the state, Mr Virbhadra Singh said the rallies were being held with the assent of the AICC. He claimed that the rallies were receiving tremendous response which had virtually unnerved the BJP. He said electorate of the state were annoyed with the anti-people decisions of the Dhumal government. |
CPI session begins with rally Mandi, February 24 Addressing the rally, Mr K.C. Bansal, member, National Council of the CPI, flayed the government for reckless privatisation and for bartering the national interests. He also warned the government against amendments in the Industrial Disputes Act. Mr Joginder Dayal, secretary, CPI, Punjab, alleged that the government was following anti-farmers policies and saffronising education. The Himachal state secretary, Mr Bhagat Ram Verma, and district secretary, Mr Desh Raj, regretted that the workers were not being regularised despite their being eligible and added that the present government had demolished the concept of the welfare state by constituting societies in the hospital thereby depriving the poor of free medical aid. The party leaders also criticised the hike in power rates, school fees and bus fair. |
Community policing scheme extended Shimla, February 24 According to an official spokesman, the scheme has made the working of the police transparent with people directly reporting to senior police official about their problems. Issuing of identity cards to members of the community policing scheme is also being considered, which would help them deliver goods in a better way. In a bid to bring down the rate of road accidents, the Himachal police has launched highway patrol vans. Three mobile patrol vans have been deployed on national highways in Southern Range, Central Range and Northern Range. These are equipped with laser doppler radars for checking speed and sensors for checking drunken driving. These vans are also fitted with first-aid boxes for emergency treatment of accident victims. The aim of the highway patrolling is to reduce accidents through effective enforcement of the Motor Vehicle Act. Nine fully trained teams of two male and two female constables each were sent to different schools in the capital. These teams have trained 402 girls and 5000 more students would also be trained during the near future. Demonstrations put up by students on the closing of the course were a clear picture of their confidence and hard work towards self-reliance. This conscious effort of the police in making the girls “samarth” capable has not only proved fruitful, but also brought the police and schoolchildren much closer. “Sanrakashan yojna” has been a launched as unique project under which protection to ailing and aged persons is being ensured. This scheme aims at looking after the senior citizens above the age of 65. This scheme has been launched in 22 urban police stations in the first stage, which will be extended to all other police stations in a phased manner. Under the scheme the lists of the senior citizens who do not have anyone to look after them are being prepared and maintained at all police stations along with their addresses and telephone numbers. Once a week, secretary of the community policing scheme or its volunteer members will visit residences of senior citizens and extend the required assistance to them. This can include buying of medicine, paying electricity, water, telephone bills and writing letters on their behalf. Senior citizens and women of any age will not be called to police stations unless they are accused in a heinous crime and their custody is necessary. The state government has decided to deploy tourist police at important tourist centres such as Shimla, Manali, Dharamsala and Dalhousie. They would be trained to function as mobile information centres, carrying information of tourism in Himachal in general and their destination in particular. |
|
4 Cong Seva Dal units
dissolved Bilaspur, February 24 Addressing mediapersons here today, Himachal Congress Seva Dal state organiser Pratap Kondal said he ended his first phase of five-day tour of several constituencies as in charge of the Congress Seva Dal and found most of the units in good shape, but there was still room for improvement in their functioning. He declared that attempts were afoot to mobilise 25,000 Seva Dal volunteers in the district. |
MP seeks funds to deal with
epidemics Shimla, February 24 In a letter to Mr Vajpayee, he said the existing hospitals at Jubbal and Rohru did not have the facilities for even routine cases what to speak of epidemics. The operating theatre in Jubbal was closed about 10 years ago for want of a surgeon and all cases were being referred to Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, located about 100 km away. He said a Central health team should be deputed to educate people and combat the epidemic. Besides, routine medical check-up of people of the area should be conducted and adequate supply of medicines be ensured. Incentives should be given to health workers for dealing with such epidemic. He also requested that financial assistance to the tune of Rs 5 lakh each be given to the families of those who had died of plague and Rs 50,000 each to those undergoing treatment after contracting the disease. |
|
Facilities at hospital poor Paonta Sahib There is lack of cleanliness in wards and toilets. Garbage is usually strewn at various places on the hospital premises. Many windowpanes are broken and elderly patients face problems in the winter. To protect themselves from the cold, patients often have to cover the broken panes with clothes. Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had announced about 10 years ago that the hospital would be of 100 beds. However, at present there are hardly 30 beds. The local Lioness Club has adopted the maternity ward of the hospital but there is no facility for Caesarean operations. There is also no blood bank. According to the BMO, Dr K.D. Bhatt, the PWD used to earlier take care of the hospital building. It is now not doing so because the Health Department has not made the necessary payments to it. The condition of the building is deteriorating. Dr Bhatt said that with the rise in the population of Paonta Sahib, there is need for specialists and modern equipment at the hospital. |
|
Ex-Addl DC dead Mandi, February 24 He was admitted to the intensive care unit on Friday when he complained of severe chest pain. When his condition deteriorated, doctors advised to shift him to Chandigarh. He was cremated on the banks of the Beas. A large number of people, including politicians and district officials, participated in the funeral procession. He was a great social worker and was associated with Mandi’s famous Shivratri Fair for the past many years. Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, former Vidhan Sabha Speaker Thakur Kaul Singh and many others expressed condolence on the sad demise of Kanwar Kashmir Singh, popularly known as
Mianji. |
|
HPCC to give financial
help to plague-hit Solan, February 24 The PCC chief, Ms Vidya Stokes, who made a brief halt here on her way back to Shimla from Chandigarh where she had to see patients suffering from plague admitted in the PGI, said the proposed help was a symbolic gesture — emphasising the Congress overriding concern for the welfare of people. She said she, for reasons of quarantine restrictions, could meet only relatives of plague patients. During discussion with them she felt that there was an acute need of removing shortages in the cadre of doctors and paramedical staff in the plague-prone areas, adding that she would urge upon the government to do the needful immediately. |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |