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Sunday,
January 5, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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TRIBUNE IMPACT Assignments for two Hooda-dumped leaders
HPCC meeting at Narnaul on Driving away privatisation blues |
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Row over MC chief’s post
deepens In-laws booked for harassing woman Municipal council’s claim exposed BKU leader Nain denied bail
Braille Day celebrated Truck driver, cleaner die in mishap 8 injured in road mishaps 2 officials booked for being drunk on duty Ex-MLA held for irregularities
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TRIBUNE IMPACT Gurgaon, January 4 According to sources in the Congress, the Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, is contemplating a frontal attack on the INLD government and to “gherao” the official residence of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala in Chandigarh. As per the plan, Mr Hooda will launch a “padayatra” in the state, starting from the last village in Mahendragarh district in the Ahirwal belt of south
Haryana.The proposed padayatra, to be organised in February or March, will culminate in the proposed gherao. Senior leaders of the party, in favour of the padayatra, are said to be organising a meeting in the second week of January, possibly on January 8. The details of the proposed agitation will be decided in the meeting. Sources close to Mr Hooda said although the SYL would be an issue, the proposed agitation by Mr Hooda will focus on the demand for equitable distribution of the water available in the state. The faction headed by Mr Hooda is of the view that simply raising the SYL issue would be giving a latitude to the government. Party leaders allege that water from the Beas, whose water, exclusively meant for the parched fields of South Haryana, started flowing in small amount in the state in 1977.But the water was diverted to Sirsa and Hisar districts. They blame Mr Chautala and Mr Bhajan Lal for this. Meanwhile, supporters of former Haryana minister and senior leader from Ahirwal belt, Rao Inderjit, have decided to defy the authority of Mr Bhajan Lal by going ahead with their public meeting in Narnaul on January 15. Mr Bhajan Lal has been quoted as saying that action would be taken against those Congress leaders who do not take part in the gherao of the Prime Minister’s residence. Rao Inderjit Singh told TNS that his meeting had been decided much before the one announced by Mr Bhajan Lal. Mr Bhajan Lal had made “unilateral declaration” of the cancellation of his meeting which was not acceptable, he maintained. In another development, a former organising secretary of the HPCC, Mr Vinay Rathee has written a letter to the Congress President, alleging that Mr Bhajan Lal has caused an “irreparable damage” to the party’s image and belittled her authority. |
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State protecting criminals: Hooda Chandigarh, January 4 |
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Assignments for two Hooda-dumped leaders Chandigarh, January 4 According to an HPCC note, Mr Bhajan Lal has appointed Mr Krishan Murti Hooda and Mr Bachan Singh Arya as chairmen of media cell and panchayati raj cell of the party, respectively. The PCC chief has also appointed Master Prem Singh chairman of teachers’ cell, Mr Dillu Ram chairman of the bazigar-banjara cell, Mr Rahul Sethia chairman of the beopar cell, Dr Shakti Singh Rawat as chairman of doctors’ cell, Ms Sunita Dhariwal chairman of the cultural cell and Balkar Singh chairman of the sports cell. They have been asked to propose the state-level bodies of their units and send the names for the heads of district units of their cells for approval to the PCC chief. |
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HPCC meeting at Narnaul on Jan 15 Chandigarh, January 4 While Rao Inderjit Singh, MLA, and an important Congress leader of the Ahirwal belt, is stated to be the chief organiser of the rally, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Leader of the Opposition in Haryana and a former HPCC chief, is also reportedly gearing up to take part in the programme at Narnaul. Mr Shadi Lal Batra, Mr Raghbir Singh Kadyan, Mr Jay Parkash Barwal and Rao Dan Singh, Congress MLAs, are also expected at Narnaul. Meanwhile, Mr Bhajan Lal, HPCC chief, has given call for holding a demonstration in front of the Prime Minister’s residence in Delhi on January 15 to press for the demand of completion of the canal by a Central agency at the earliest. Mr Birender Singh, a former HPCC chief and an important faction leader of the Congress in Haryana, said he would take part at the Delhi demonstration. “I have always said I shall take part in any agitation launched in the interest of the state”, he told TNS on phone from Delhi. Explaining his absence in the series of public meetings organised by the HPCC in the state after Mr Bhajan Lal took over as the HPCC chief, he said those meetings were held simply to felicitate Mr Bhajan Lal. |
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Driving away privatisation blues Chandigarh, January 4 Officials here said the state government had approved the Transport Department’s proposal of recruiting 500 drivers for the roadway’s fleet of buses. It was not long before that an equal number of bus drivers were recruited by the Transport Department and the fresh drive, it was being felt, would send a message to the belligerent employees’ unions who were vigorously opposing the attempts of privatisation. The officials added that the five-member Cabinet committee, constituted by the state government for expediting privatisation of the transport sector, met here under the chairmanship of the Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Arora on December 30 and discussed the issue of liberalisation of the transport sector. The Cabinet committee had reportedly agreed to the Transport Department’s suggestion of not to add any more bus to its existing fleet of 3500 vehicles. “Since for running and maintenance of each bus, four to five persons are required, the Transport Department has decided not to acquire any more bus”, stated an official here. The state government, however, perceives that there is a huge shortage of passenger buses in the state and this shortfall is sought to be managed by opening up the sector for private sector operations. According to an official estimate, there is a shortfall of 1000 to 2000 buses in the state and an equal number of private buses will be expected to ply on various routes when the privatisation policy materialises. The Cabinet committee has reportedly asked the Transport Department to prepare a comprehensive proposal regarding routes of the proposed private services, the regulatory mechanism of such vehicles and so on. A meeting of Transport Department officials on how to draw up the routes for the private buses to make their plying an attractive proposition was held here on Friday. Eventually, the move is expected to lead to opening up of the routes meant exclusively for operations by government buses. An official engaged in the exercise said new routes could also be chalked out. Sources here said that while the Transport Department was hiring drivers, the recruitment would be confined to hiring operational staff only. At least 70 employees reportedly retire from the Transport Department every month and the posts felt superfluous were not being filled any more. |
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Row over MC chief’s post
deepens Ambala, January 4 The BJP said the agreement was rescinded two-and-a-half years back when the Vikas Parishad activists under the leadership of Mr Anil Vij had raised slogans against the BJP and the BJP president. The media in charge of the BJP, Mr Raj Singh, in a statement issued today, observed that MC Ambala Sadar president Shankar Dass was not allowed to function properly. “A delegation of the Vikas Parishad had met Mr Dass and sought his resignation. Mr Dass told them to meet the BJP mandal president but the delegation did not do so,” he said. “Despite all this, the BJP still honours the agreement. The Vikas Parishad chief and MLA, Mr Anil Vij, should contact BJP Ambala Cantt mandal president Shish Pal Bhola and talk to him about this issue,” he said. Mr Vij said we want that the change-over process was initiated at the earliest. “In case of delay, two mediators will be approached. The mediators are Mr S.P. Chopra and Mr Kamal Kishore Jain,” he said. “A seven-member committee headed by Mr C.P. Sharma is already looking into the matter. They had yesterday met Mr Dass, who told them that the party would give directions. Mr Bhola has given the statement that the party will honour the agreement,” he said. “In case a meeting is required, then the seven-member committee will carry out deliberations,” he added. Former BJP mandal president Dr K.D. Sharma said after the election for the post of president and vice-president all workers of the Vikas Parishad had demonstrated against him and the party. They had raised slogans for their supposed grievances. “One of these was that the BJP councillors did not vote for the Vikas Parishad candidate,” he said. “During these two-and-a-half years, the Vikas Parishad not only ignored but also continuously attacked and humiliated the BJP, much against the spirit of coalition. The town has been put on the last priority and everything, including a New Year wish by Mr Dass to these people, has been sadly turned into a political issues,” he claimed. “If they think that they still honour the agreement, they are most welcome to do so and we shall respond positively. They are duty bound to submit the resignation of their vice-president first to show that they really mean to stick the alliance. If they do so they will receive a proper response from us,” Dr K.D. Sharma said. Meanwhile, Mr Vij refused to comment on Dr Sharma’s observations. |
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In-laws booked for harassing woman Kurukshetra, January 4 According to Dr Dharam Pal Kataria, a resident of Urban Estate, Kurukshetra, his daughter, Pooja, got married to Amit, son of Mr Sunder Dass, a resident of Mahesh Nagar, Ambala Cantonment, November, 2000. Dr Kataria alleged that he had given dowry worth Rs 10 lakh at the time of marriage. Dr Kataria said he got his younger daughter, Saakshi, married at Rajpura in April, 2001 since then Pooja’s in-laws had been alleging that they were not given an equal amount of dowry as was given to Saakshi. They complained that they were given Rs 4 lakh less. Since then Pooja’s husband, mother-in-law and brother-in-law had been pressurising her to approach her parents and bring the money. Pooja requested her parents through letters and telephone calls to fulfil the demand of her in-laws. Dr Kataria said he gave Rs 1 lakh in cash to his daughter’s in-laws at their residence at Ambala in June, 2002, Rs 50,000 on the eve of ‘Raksha Bandhan’ and Rs 50,000 on Bhai Dooj in 2002 and invested Rs 2 lakh on RBI bonds in the name of his daughter for a fixed term. Still, he alleged that her in-laws were not satisfied and they misbehaved and tortured Pooja on December 26, 2002 and compelled her to telephone him for bringing Rs 2 lakh on December 7, 2002. Dr Kataria said when, he along with Mr Bhim Sen’s son, Rakesh, went to the residence of Pooja’s in-laws at 7 a.m. on December 27, he saw that her husband, Amit, mother-in-law, Sarla, and brother-in-law, Bobby, were torturing her and had forcibly administered some poisonous substance to her. He said both of them saved her life by immediately bringing Pooja to Kurukshetra and admitting her to a private nursing home. Dr Kataria alleged that Pooja’s in-laws had also injured him on the occasion. |
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Municipal council’s claim exposed Sirsa, January 4 Last week, under this campaign an anti-encroachment drive was carried out. Raids were conducted and challans were imposed on those who had encroached on the market roads at Rania Gate. But this move evoked a non-cooperative response from the traders and residents. Despite these claims, the winter shower three days ago washed away the claims and hopes of Sirsa’s beautification. The day-long drizzle was a welcome sight for those who had had a dry monsoon season but the impact of the drizzle on roads and streets brought more remorse than respite. With the sun eclipsed under clouds and fog, the entire city seemed to have turned into quicksand. Marshy roads not only became almost unpliable, stagnated stormwater on both sides of the newly constructed roads is sticking out like a sore thumb. The local Ghaushala Road leading to the main cremation ground of the city is the worst affected. The cremation ground has become inaccessible because of its slipperiness.
UNI |
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BKU leader Nain denied bail Ambala, January 4 Additional Sessions Judge S.K. Kaushik had reserved his judgement yesterday on a regular bail petition filed by the BKU leader. Mr Nain and the others were arrested at Shahzadpur in this district on November 25 last year for blocking the National Highway in protest against the Naraingarh Sugar Mills management for non-payment of arrears to the sugarcane growers since the last crushing season. The prosecution alleged that the BKU leader was involved in eight criminal cases and had been declared a proclaimed offender in those cases. The BKU activists who were granted bail include Roshan Lal, Banarasi Dass, Ram Kumar, Dhoop Singh, Mewa Singh, Jagga Singh, Shyam Singh, Natha Singh, Falel Singh, Madan Singh, Fateh Singh Fatua and Janak Raj.
UNI, PTI |
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Draupadi abduction case: mother shattered Karnal, January 4 She has been yearning for the truth about the whereabout of her daughter, whose abduction had caused a political flutter, alleging involvement of former Congress minister Jai Prakash Gupta, now MLA. CBI Special Judge M.M. Sharma in Ambala had convicted and sentenced the cop yesterday. The distraught mother, who lives at Bansogate, here today charged the CBI with failure to establish where her daughter was at present. “Whether she is alive or dead? If she is no more how was she murdered and where her body was?’’ she posed this questions while talking to reporters here. Draupadi, then 18 and working as a receptionist in the Karnal District Congress Committee office here, was abducted on July 8, 1995. The CBI on directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had investigated the case. Meanwhile, Mr Jai Prakash Gupta, who faced much mud sliging by his political rivals then, over the disappearance of Draupadi, heaved a sigh of relief at the CBI court’s verdict.
UNI |
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Braille Day celebrated Panchkula, January 4 He said that the state government had provided many educational and welfare facilities for the treatment, education and rehabilitation of the disabled in the forms of pension, scholarships, free traveling in the state roadways buses, conveyance allowance, reservation in government jobs etc. The Governor also complimented the Haryana Red Cross Society, Haryana Saket Council, Lions Clubs and Rotary Clubs and other voluntary organisations which had rendered commendable services for improving the lot of these physically and mentally challenged persons. |
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Truck driver, cleaner die in mishap Rohtak, January 4 The deceased driver has been identified as Samunder of Hisar, while the dead cleaner was yet to be identified. The injured tempo
driver, identified as Sandeep of Mokhra village in Rohtak, was admitted in to a local hospital for treatment. According to police sources, the mishap occurred when a truck and a tempo collided head-on the national highway no 10 and the truck overturned
under the impact of the collision.
PTI |
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8 injured in road mishaps Sirsa, January 4 In another incident a car (HR44 A 2233) knocked down a cyclist near Chatergarh Patti on the outskirts of the city. The cyclist, a Class IV employee of the Public Health Department, was going to the water works on the night shift. He was admitted to a hospital by the people. |
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2 officials booked for being drunk on duty Kaithal, January 4 According to reports available, Mr Dharamvir Bawa posted as Secretary, Municipal Council, Ambala, and Mr
Makkar, an official posted in the Haryana Urban Development Authority, Chandigarh, came to the office in an inebriated state in the evening and started abusing the Chairman and other officials present in the office. The police arrested Mr
Bawa, but Mr Makkar fled from the scene. Both were booked under Sections 353 and 186 of the IPC. |
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Ex-MLA held for irregularities Kurukshetra, January 4 Ishwar Singh owns Mahabir Gas Agency. The police said the Haryana Food and Supply Department men raided the godown of the Gas Agency following complaints and allegedly found over 36 filled cylinders extra while 24 empty cylinders short compared to entries in the stock register.
UNI |
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Electoral rolls to be out on Jan 6 Chandigarh, January 4 |
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