H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

CM being vindictive, says Virbhadra
Dharamsala, April 10
A Former Chief Minister and CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, said today that by treating his political opponents as his personal enemies, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, had introduced a political culture which was till now alien to Himachal.

Remembering Queen’s sacrifice for people
Chamba
The district administration has made the necessary arrangements for the Suhi fair to be held from April 11 to 13 on the premises of the Suhi temple located on a hillock above Chamba town. According to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S. C. Mehta, since the fair has gained much significance, the administration has made all possible efforts, with the help of residents, to ensure its smooth conduct.

Kanshi, Mayawati in Manali
Shimla, April 10
The Bahujan Samaj Party supremo, Mr Kanshi Ram and his deputy Ms Mayawati landed in Manali last evening amidst speculations of the BJP-BSP tie up in Uttar Pradesh to form the government.

HC notices to govt in Dalhousie MC case
Shimla, April 10
The Himachal Pradesh High Court today issued notices to the state government on a public interest litigation filed by two persons seeking the removal of Ms Renu Chadha, President of the Dalhousie Municipal Council , and dissolution of the municipal council for allowing unauthorised construction.

BA(II) paper repeated, has mistakes
Hamirpur, April 10
Students appearing in the English pass course of the BA (II) were taken aback last morning when they got the paper that they had read in the guess papers of an MBD book. Moreover, it was a copy of the paper that the students of the same class had attempted last year in the final examination.

• STD, Net services restored in Chamba

• 8 killed, 34 hurt in bus mishap

• Two-year jail term for ex-MLA

• Dhumal turns 58

CM being vindictive, says Virbhadra
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, April 10
A Former Chief Minister and CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, said today that by treating his political opponents as his personal enemies, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, had introduced a political culture which was till now alien to Himachal.

Addressing a press conference here today, he said the new political culture introduced by the Chief Minister would ultimately boomerang on him. “Corruption has been institutionalised while the state government is shielding corrupt officials by not granting permission to the Vigilance and Enforcement Directorate to prosecute them,” he alleged.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said despite the best efforts of the BJP- HVC regime to implicate him in false cases, he had come out clean as even the CBI had given him a clean chit. “It is strange that this government, which handed over the charge sheet prepared by the HVC against me to the CBI for investigation, has said the charge sheet prepared by the Congress against the Dhumal regime would be given to the Lokayukta,” he quipped. He added that double standards being adopted by the government made it clear that it was not serious in its fight against corruption.

The Congress leader said today even the Union Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, had admitted that all was not well in Himachal Pradesh and those very BJP MLAs who had levelled charges of corruption against Mr Dhumal were part of the government. “I demand that if the Chief Minister and his government were sincere in their commitment towards eradicating corruption they should get these allegations made by the BJP dissidents probed by the CBI,” the CLP leader said.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said corruption would be the main issue during the next Assembly elections. He said he was not the only one who was being targeted as even the panchayat-level Congress workers were not being spared.

The Congress leader said development works were being concentrated only in few areas of the state and Kangra was the worst hit as it was being neglected as it was the home district of Mr Shanta Kumar.

Commenting on human carnage in Gujarat Mr Virbhadra Singh demanded that the Narender Modi government be dismissed and President Rule be imposed in the state. “The recent happenings in Gujarat had weakened the secular, democratic fabric of our country and the dismissal of the Gujarat Government was a must to restore normalcy in the state,” he remarked.

Remembering Queen’s sacrifice for people
Balkrishan Prashar

Chamba
The district administration has made the necessary arrangements for the Suhi fair to be held from April 11 to 13 on the premises of the Suhi temple located on a hillock above Chamba town. According to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S. C. Mehta, since the fair has gained much significance, the administration has made all possible efforts, with the help of residents, to ensure its smooth conduct.

The 1000-year-old Suhi Mata temple has been an inseparable part of Chamba’s cultural heritage. It was built in memory of the saintly Queen Sunayana. It was the Queen’s sacrifice which brought drinking water to the town at a time when there was an acute scarcity of water.

According to legend, an aqueduct was built from Maloon (a hamlet along the nullah) to the town for supplying drinking water. Owing to some reason, the water did not flow beyond the village. All attempts to change its flow failed.

One night King Sahilla Verman of Chamba State (940 AD) had a dream in which he was ordered by the Goddess to sacrifice himself or the Queen consort or his eldest son at Maloon, failing which the water would not reach the town. The next morning Queen Sunayana went to the King’s apartment. Seeing the King’s restlessness, she asked her husband what had happened.

The King replied: “The time has come to alleviate the sufferings of our subjects; it is our first and foremost obligation to help them overcome such grave hardships.”

Seeing her husband’s plight, the Queen said: “I also received the same order from the Goddess last night. But I was not ordered that you alone should be sacrificed.” Both of them discussed the matter and the King resolved to sacrifice himself for the sake of his subjects.

But the Queen implored the King not to go ahead with his resolve. She said: “Your survival is indispensable for the subjects and the state as well. Similarly, if we offer our son, the future of the royal house will be endangered, as the state will have no successor. So, it will be better if I am sacrificed for the welfare of the people”.

Ultimately, the long-awaited day came when Queen Sunayana was taken to the place of sacrifice and buried alive. Immediately thereafter water flowed through the channel towards the town.

Kanshi, Mayawati in Manali
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 10
The Bahujan Samaj Party supremo, Mr Kanshi Ram and his deputy Ms Mayawati landed in Manali last evening amidst speculations of the BJP-BSP tie up in Uttar Pradesh to form the government.

The two leaders accompanied by several partymen, including some MLAs, checked into a hotel at Prini, close to the cottage of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the banks of the Beas.

While the two leaders avoided the local mediapersons, one of the persons accompanying them said they had come for a retreat.

According to reliable sources, the BSP leaders have come to the secluded hills at the instance of the BJP high command. This has been done to ensure that the BSP leadership remains “out of reach” for the Samajwadi Party which is making all out efforts to install a non-BJP government in the state. Being a BJP-ruled state they will be safe and secure in Himachal Pradesh and can finalise the deal at leisure.

The leaders spent most of their time indoors holding discussions, which on all probability focused on the power-sharing arrangement and the shape of the government in Uttar Pradesh. However, they found time to visit Kothi, about 15 km uphill, to enjoy snow.

So far no BJP leader has met them. However, there were reports that some senior BJP leaders from Delhi might land up in a day or two to hold talks with them.

The two leaders will move to the famous Span Resorts downstream tomorrow. The political activity in the valley is likely to intensify after the return of Mr Vajpayee from the foreign tour.

HC notices to govt in Dalhousie MC case
Our Legal Correspondent

Shimla, April 10
The Himachal Pradesh High Court today issued notices to the state government on a public interest litigation filed by two persons seeking the removal of Ms Renu Chadha, President of the Dalhousie Municipal Council , and dissolution of the municipal council for allowing unauthorised construction.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice W.A. Shishak and Justice L.S. Panta directed the state to file the reply within four weeks. The high court also issued notices to the Secretary and Director, Urban Development, and Director Town and Country Planning.

Petitioners Rakesh Kumar and Bishan Lal had complained against unauthorised construction. The local MLA had raised the issue in the Vidhan Sabha and an inspection had been carried out.

The petitioners had pointed out 22 unauthorised constructions. They had alleged that the constructions had been done with the connivance of officials of the council.

BA(II) paper repeated, has mistakes
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, April 10
Students appearing in the English pass course of the BA (II) were taken aback last morning when they got the paper that they had read in the guess papers of an MBD book. Moreover, it was a copy of the paper that the students of the same class had attempted last year in the final examination.

However, there were two mistakes in this year’s paper. In question number one, nothing was mentioned about the question that was to be solved. Similarly, there were many spelling mistakes in question number four of the paper.

Students of various colleges have demanded from HP University to give them grace marks for the two questions.

STD, Net services restored in Chamba
Our Correspondent

Chamba, April 10
The STD telecom services and Internet services were restored last evening after a two-day complete breakdown, causing a great loss to phone subscribers all over the Chamba region in Himachal Pradesh, thanks to the Telecom Department. Despite best efforts made by this reporter, none of the responsible authorities of the department could be contacted. However, some officials say that the collapse in the STD and Internet telecom services occurred following lightning due to bad weather in this mountainous region.

8 killed, 34 hurt in bus mishap
Our Correspondent

Chamba, April 10
Eight persons were killed on the spot and 34 seriously wounded when a private bus met with an accident near Batot in the Jammu and Kashmir area near the Pangi valley of Chamba district yesterday.

According to Mr S.R. Ojha, SP, Chamba, 13 passengers who were residents of the Pangi valley were travelling in the bus. Three of them were killed on the spot and 13 were seriously wounded. The injured were admitted to nearby hospitals in Udhampur.

Two-year jail term for ex-MLA
Our Legal Correspondent

Shimla, April 10
Former Congress legislator Kewal Ram Chauhan has been convicted by the Shimla Judicial Magistrate in a grabbing case.

The Magistrate, Mr Aman Sood, found the accused guilty of grabbing the ornaments and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000.

The accused had earlier been sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 15,000 for his involvement in illegal felling of trees in the Chopal area.

Dhumal turns 58
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 10
The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, turned 58 today. A large number of people called on him to greet him.

The Governor, Dr Suraj Bhan, also greeted the Chief Minister. Mr Dhumal’s Cabinet colleagues, senior officers and employees of the state government, leaders of political parties and social organisations also greeted him.