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Sunday,
December 15, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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It’s
politics of blackmail: BJP Sofat
ridicules CM’s ‘vishvas yatra’ New
Central scheme to strengthen panchayats Dhumal
lays college stone Expulsion
pre-planned: Dogra |
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Cong
observer claims unity in party
Oust Shanta from Cabinet: federation Suraj Bhan
hospitalised HP
lawyers to observe strike 4 get
10-yr RI for rape Hitender
Sen cremated
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It’s politics
of blackmail: BJP Shimla, December 14 Mr Ganesh Dut and Mr Khushi Ram Balnatah, both spokespersons of the party, told newsmen that it was a well-thought-out conspiracy to malign the BJP government and its leaders. The Congress had been harping on such charges for the past over two years, but had not come out with any evidence or proof to substantiate these. The two leaders maintained that if the party had proof it should file a complaint with the Lokayukta along with an affidavit. The charge of
giving jobs to outsiders was baseless and malicious. They claimed that due procedure was followed in recruitment. It was only during the Congress rule that jobs were given on recommendatory chits, as evident from reports of two inquiry committees set up by the present government. Attacking Mr Virbhadra Singh, Leader of the Opposition, the two leaders said regarding the dismissal of the appeal by his daughter in the Supreme Court the former Chief Minister had been making a false claim that he had been absolved of all charges by courts or investigating agencies. The decision of the apex court had paved the way for resumption of proceedings in the court of the Financial Commissioner (Revenue). The validity of the provisions of the state Land Ceiling Act on the ground of gender abuse was a ploy to scuttle the proceedings and tentamounted to abuse of the process of law. They said not only this case, but six other cases were pending with either investigating agencies or courts. These included cases registered on the basis the Kainthla commission and report, khair wood allotment scam. The BJP spokespersons termed Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s rally at Shillaroo a damp squib and said the strength of the crowd was nowhere near the target of 70,000 set by the party. The failure of the rally only indicated that the party had lost the confidence of the people and it was satisfied with the performance of the Dhumal government. |
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Sofat ridicules
CM’s ‘vishvas yatra’ Solan, December 14 Addressing mediapersons here today, he blamed the Chief Minister of widening regional imbalances, contrary to his claims, by according not even one ministerial berth to any MLA from Solan, Shimla or Sirmaur districts. Terming the Delimitation Commission’s proposals as politically motivated, he accused the Chief Minister of carrying out the exercise with a view to helping his henchmen and punishing those who defied him. It demanded the constitution of an appellant authority to review the shortcomings of the Act pertaining to the commission as well as its notification. appealing to four members of the commission — Mr Shanta Kumar, Mr Maheshwar Singh, Mr Dhani Ram Shandil and Mr Suresh Chandel — he urged them to initiate an appropriate process to repeal Article 329 of Parliament to enable a judicial review of the Act. Describing local MLA Dr Rajiv Bindal’s claim of having approved the Giri water scheme as a farce, he said neither the scheme been approved by the Himachal Urban Development authority nor any budgetary provision provided by the state government. Mr Sofat said he would hold a “mitra mela” (congregation of friends) on January 9, 2003 at Solan, which would decide his future course of action for the upcoming Assembly poll. |
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New Central
scheme to strengthen panchayats Chowari (Chamba), December 14 Mr Shanta Kumar said that under the scheme the work of 29 different departments related to panchayat activities would be entrusted to panchayats. As many as 2.32 lakh panchayats comprising 6 lakh villages would be covered across the country, thereby generating self-employment among villagers. He announced that in order to provide drinking water in all villages in the country, the Prime
Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee would launch a scheme, Swajaldhara on December 25. Under the scheme, 90 per cent of the budget would be funded by the Centre and 10 per cent by societies formed at the panchayat level. All villages would have drinking water by 2004. He underlined the need for people’s participation in this scheme. Regarding the rural development network in the country, Mr Shanta Kumar said the Centre was
planning to increase the current year’s budget of Rs 22,000 crore giving top priority to rain water and wasteland development and strengthening of panchayati raj
institutions. Mr Shanta Kumar said the sewer scheme for Chowri township submitted to the Centre would soon be cleared. The speakers included Mr Kishori Lal, Himachal Industry Minister, and Mr Krishan Kumar, Transport Minister. |
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Dhumal lays
college stone Dharamsala, December 14 He said the development was not restricted to selected areas as had happened during the Congress rule but was uniform in all constituencies irrespective of the fact who represented the area. Prof Dhumal was addressing a public meeting at Shahpur after laying the foundation stone of proposed Government Degree College. The Chief Minister had announced the opening of the college during his recent visit here. The gathering was addressed by Education Minister, I.D. Dhiman, Shahpur MLA Sarween Chaudhary and others. State BJP president Jai Kishan Sharma, Rajya Sabha member Kirpal Parmar, Technical Education Minister Ravinder Singh Ravi, Excise and Taxation Minister Parveen Sharma, Deputy Speaker Ram Dass Malanger and Rajgir MLA Capt Atma Ram were present. |
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Expulsion
pre-planned: Dogra Hamirpur, December 14 Mr Dogra wields much hold in the rank and file of the party in the area and this he has proved a number of times. Mr Dogra was expelled from the party after his supporters held a protest in the presence of Mrs Vidya Stokes, HP Congress chief, for not allowing Mr Dogra to address a rally at Mehre two months ago. The Hamirpur District Congress Committee had thereafter suspend Mr Dogra from the party on the recommendations of the Nadaunta Congress Committee. Supporters of Mr Dogra met Mr Rakesh Pande, Congress observer for Hamirpur district, here today and explained their viewpoint to him. They demanded immediate revocation of expulsion of Mr Dogra from the party. They told the party leaders that Mr Dogra was made a scapegoat for the faults of others. When contacted, Mr Dogra told The Tribune today that his expulsion from the party was pre-planned and stage managed. He said Mrs Vidya Stokes did not want him to remain in the party due to proximity with Mr Virbhadra Singh, former Chief Minister. Mr Dogra said he would approach the party high command and seek intervention into the matter. He said he was expelled at a time when elections were round the corner. The former Congress MLA said if the party high command didn’t give him justice, he would not join any party. “I would work independently for safeguarding the ideologies of the Congress”. He said his next course of action would be decided by the people of Nadaunta area, who according to him, were the real custodians” of democracy. Mr Dogra, however, said he would support any person from Nadaunta area for the party ticket for the next elections if the same was denied to him. However, he would not allow Mr Rajendra Zar, an outsider to get the party ticket. Mr Zar is a Stokes loyalist. The Hamirpur DCC Chief, Mr Balak Ram Sharma, on the other hand, justified the expulsion of Mr Dogra from the party. He said the decision of the party high command was a welcome step and would be accepted by all. Asked about its implication in the coming elections, he said there would be none. People would vote only for the Congress nominee. The Congress decision has brought a sense of relief to the BJP in the area. Leaders of the BJP and activists are in upbeat mood and say the party will again win the Nadaunta seat with a bigger margin. The rift in the Congress will help us” said Mr Ram Singh of Bhakreri area. |
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Cong observer claims unity in party Hamirpur, December 14 Talking with mediapersons here this afternoon, he said that he would tour all parts of the district and meet the party workers before returning to Punjab to submit his report to the party high command. He said a number of party leaders and workers met him today and last night and have submitted their applications for party tickets from all five Assembly segments of the district. He said that he would meet party workers of the Bamsan area at Lambloo on Sunday and seek their opinion for fielding a strong candidate from there against the BJP nominee and Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal. A deputation of Congressmen from Nadaunta also met and staked their claim for the party ticket to former MLA, Manjeet Singh Dogra. Earlier, Mr Pande attended a meeting of the Hamirpur DCC and sought their views about the elections. He appealed to the members to be united to oust the BJP from power. |
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Oust Shanta from Cabinet: federation Solan, December 14 Mr Verma, who met mediapersons here yesterday, said the federation had raised this demand before the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, after the national executive meeting of the federation in New Delhi on December 11. Accusing the Union Minister of having pursued anti-employee policies, he stated that the “excesses” committed by him had only damaged his image before the masses. He had failed to come up to the expectations of the people, despite getting two chances to run the government in the state. |
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Suraj Bhan hospitalised Shimla, December 14 Doctors attending on the Governor advised him to undergo various tests and are observing his insulin intake. However, Dr Bhan was better now and likely to be discharged from hospital in a day or so, the sources said. Earlier on November 29, Dr Bhan was admitted to the hospital with the same problem.
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HP lawyers to observe strike Hamirpur, December 14 The meeting decided to seek amendments to the HP Advocates Welfare Funds Act, 1996, so as to make it applicable to all advocates practising in the state. It demanded that instead of an annual fee as payable at present under the Act, a lumpsum fee should be payable at the time of entry to the fund. Regarding the issue of strikes, the meeting resolved that lawyers should abstain from work in rare circumstances. |
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4 get 10-yr RI for rape Shimla, December 14 Sessions Judge, Kangra, at
Dharamsala found the accused guilty of offence under Section 376 (G) and sentenced the four to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fixed them Rs 5,000 each. According to prosecution, on June 24, 1998, a friend of the victim came to her house and requested her to accompany her. The Division Bench comprising Mr Justice R.J. Khurana and Mr Justice M.K. Verma, dismissing the appeal of the accused, observed that the case was not of mistaken identity. The victim’s statement was “consistent and cogent.” It was further corroborated by medical evidence. |
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Hitender Sen
cremated Shimla, December 14 Earlier, wreaths were placed on the body by former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, on behalf of Governor Suraj Bhan by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and the Vidhan Sabha Speaker. Hundreds of people, including relatives and friends, attended the funeral. The Bazar at Junga, the capital of the erstwhile Keonthal state, remained closed today as a mark of respect to the former ruler.
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