The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Colourful functions mark R-Day
Tribune Reporters

Shimla, January 27
Republic Day was celebrated yesterday with great enthusiasm and fervour throughout the state.

Colourful functions were organised at state, district, subdivision and block levels.

The state-level function was held here at the historic Ridge Maidan where people attired in their colourful best had assembled in strength.

Dr Suraj Bhan, Governor, unfurled the National Flag and inspected the guard of honour at an impressive march past by contingents of the police, Home Guards, NCC, ITBP and ex-servicemen. Mr Kushal Sharma, DSP, commanded the parade.

Cultural troupes from various parts of the state and the neighbouring Punjab and Haryana regaled the audience with their performances.

Tableaux depicting development in various fields of the Municipal Corporation, Shimla, forest, health, agriculture, hydel power, animal husbandry, horticulture and industry departments, Sakshrata Samitis, electricity board and Himurja were the other attractions of the celebrations.

The Governor’s wife, Mrs Chameli Devi, Mr Narender Bragta and Mr Roop Dass Kashyap, both ministers, Mr Chet Ram Negi, Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Sohan Lal, Mayor, Shimla Municipal Corporation, Mrs Rajender Bhattacharya, Chief Secretary, Mr A.K. Puri, Director-General of Police, Mr Khushi Ram Balnatah, Vice-Chairman, Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), Mr Narender Thakur, Vice-Chairman, HP Administration Tribunal, and senior Military, police and civil officers were present, among others, on the occasion.

The Governor also hosted an At Home at Raj Bhavan in the evening which was attended by the elite of the town.

Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, unfurled the National Flag and took the salute of contingents of the police, Home Guards and NCC at Dharamsala. Addressing the gathering, he urged the people to wage a decisive battle to eradicate hunger, illiteracy, poverty, social vices and help in strengthening the unity and integrity of country. He said divisive force were out to weaken the country and they must remain vigilant against them. He also stressed on combating terrorism.

He added that about 7,000 soldiers had laid down their lives during various wars after Independence in the country while over 66,000 innocent persons had fallen prey to terrorism which was a matter of concern.

The Chief Minister said the declining female population in the age group of zero to 6 years was a matter of grave concern which was bound to destabilise the male female ratio. He said the government had banned sex determination tests to remedy the situation.

The Chief Minister honoured Mr Rajinder Patial of Hamirpur district for his outstanding contribution in health-related social services, Mr Kishan Lal of Harsi village in Jaisinghpur, Mr Vipan Kumar and Mr Viknesh Chand both of Lambagaon village, Mr Manmohan Choudhary of Kabari village of Kangra district and Mr Ramesh Chand of Longni village, Hamirpur district, for showing exemplary courage in saving Mr Baldev Kumar during the floods in the Beas in June, 2000.

A cultural programme was also presented on the occasion.

Mr Kishan Kapoor, Mr Ravinder Ravi and Dr Rajan Sushant, all ministers, and Mrs Sarveen Choudhary, Parliamentary Secretary, were present at the function.

Earlier, the Chief Minister paid his respect to the martyrs by laying wreaths at the War Memorial, Dharamsala.

Mr Gulab Singh Thakur, Speaker, presided over district-level Republic Day function at Kulu. Mr Karan Singh, Minister of State for Primary Education, Mr Khimi Ram, Chairman, Zila Parishad, Mr Ram Singh, President, Nagar Parshad, and Thakur Kunj Lal were also present on the occasion.

Republic Day celebrations were also held at Banjar, Ani, Nirmand and Manali.

Presiding over the district-level function at Una, Mr Kishori Lal, Industries Minister, paid tributes to the freedom fighters who had laid down their lives for the nation. He unfurled the Tricolour and took the salute of an impressive march past of contingents of the police, Home Guards and NCC cadets.

He also honoured two teachers — Mr Ramesh Sharma and Mrs Champa Pathania — for their contribution in the field of education.

Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda, Health Minister, while presiding over the district-level function at Solan said they had made rapid strides in various fields of development after attaining Independence and emerged as a model for hill development.

Republic Day was also celebrated at Nalagarh, Arki, Kasauli, Parwanoo and Kandaghat. Mr Ramesh Chaudhary, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, unfurled the Tricolour and took the salute of the march part at Chamba.

Mr Roop Singh Thakur, Forest Minister, presided over the district-level function and unfurled the National Flag and took salute at Hamirpur.

The Forest Minister said the literacy rate in Himachal Pradesh had gone up to 77 per cent which was much higher than the national rate. He said the per capita income had also gone up to Rs 18,920.

MANDI: At the Republic Day function here, Mr I.D. Dhiman, Education Minister, took salute from the contingents of the Police, NCC and Home Guards.

He paid tributes to the martyrs who had laid down their lives for Independence.

A cultural programme was held and sweets were distributed to children on the occasion.

Nahan: The Minister of State for Cooperation, Mr Rikhi Ram Kaundal, unfurled the National Flag and took salute of an impressive march past at the Republic Day function here.

Earlier, the minister paid floral tributes at the War Memorial, Nahan.

Republic Day functions were also held at Rajgarh, Paonta Sahib, Shilai, Sangraha, Saranha and other parts of Sirmaur district.

BJP infighting a hurdle to new faces
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 27
The BJP is finding it difficult to implement its strategy to replace some of the sitting legislators to neutralise the anti-incumbency factor due to factionalism and various pressure groups working in the party.

Senior party leaders involved in the selection of candidates are convinced on the basis of feedback from party workers that the winning prospects could be improved in many constituencies if new faces are fielded in place of the legislators whose image had taken a beating or who had failed to maintain good rapport with the electorate. However, sharp differences between the rival camps headed by Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister, and Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, are proving a major roadblock in this regard. While the two leaders are keen to ensure tickets for their respective supporters, in certain seats there is a sharp division among the Dhumal camp over the choice of candidates.

Top party leaders, including Members of Parliament from the state, are holding an informal meeting at New Delhi tonight to narrow down the differences and have candidates by consensus on as many seats as possible. Mr O.P. Kohli, national secretary in charge of the state, will also be present at the meeting.

It will be followed by the meeting of the core group comprising Mr Dhumal, Mr Shanta Kumar, Mr Jaikrishan Sharma, Mr Kohli and Mr Ramesh Prakash, a senior RSS leader tomorrow morning. The Pradesh Election Committee will meet subsequently to formally recommend the names of candidates which will be put up before the centre election committee. The final list will be approved at a high-level meeting with the Prime Minister, and the Deputy Prime Minister.

The seats where it is being felt that the change of candidates is required to boost winning prospects include Banjar, Kulu, Pragpur, Nurpur, Shahpur, Shimla, Kusumpati, Kutlehar and Santokhgarh.

The Sangh Parivar is in favour of replacing Mr Karan Singh, Minister for Primary Education, in Banjar seat with Mr Khimi Ram. However, this is not easy as Mr Karan Singh is a brother of Mr Maheshwar Singh, MP, and an ex-state BJP chief. Similarly, there is serious move to replace Mr Chander Sen, the sitting legislator from Kulu, with Mr Gobind Thakur,a youth leader. However, the party might find it difficult to deny ticket to both its legislators in the district. Another possibility being considered is to field Mr Khimi Ram from Banjar and shift Mr Karan Singh to Kulu.

In Kangra district, the Shanta camp is not in favour of granting tickets to Mrs Sarveen Chaudhary and Mr Rakesh Pathania, both Dhumal loyalists. On the other hand, the Dhumal camp is not in favour of Mr Ramesh Dhwala, a Shanta loyalist who won last time. Party sources feel that it may not be possible to axe Mrs Sarveen Chaudhary and Mr Dhwala, as it could intensify factional feud in the party.

In Pragpur, the sitting legislator, Mrs Nirmala Devi, was sure to be replaced either by her son Mr Naveen or by Ms Anita Sandal, a member of the Zila Parisahd. In the adjoining Jaswan seat, two Dhumal loyalists — Mr Vikram, president of the state Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha and Mr Onkar Thakur, a former OSD in chief minister’s office — are in the race.

As Mr Narinder Bragta, Horticulture Minister, has shifted from Shimla to Jubbal-Kotkhai, the party was looking for a new face for Shimla. Mr Ganesh Dut and Mr Khushi Ram Balnatah ,both party spokespersons, and Mr Ashok Kapadia were among the front-runners for the party ticket from the seat.

The Shanta camp is backing Mr Ram Das Thakur from the Bilaspur constituency, presently held by Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister. It wants Mr Nadda to be shifted to the adjoining Ghumarvin constituency.

In Una district, the Deputy Speaker, Mr Ram Das Malanger, is likely to be replaced and the choice may fall on Mr Des Raj Modgil as RSS activist. Mr Jaikrishan Sharma, the state BJP chief, was also on a weak wicket in Santokhgarh seat but the party may find it difficult to axe him.

Meanwhile, to avoid widening of the factional divide, central leader M.L. Khurana has suggested that in case a sitting legislator of a faction has to be denied ticket, a new candidate of the same faction should replace him.

Panchayat Secys hold rally
Our Correspondent

Nalagarh, January 27
The Panchayat Secretarys’ Union of Punjab here today organised a protest rally against the alleged anti-employee policies of the Punjab Government. Contending that all efforts to seek justice had met with no success, the union, along with unions of Himachal Pradesh, endeavoured to apprise the voters here about the injustice meted out to them. The rally passed through the main areas of the town.

Addressing the rally, various union leaders highlighted their grievances relating to the termination of services of 909 panchayat secretaries on pretexts like incomplete application forms, which they said was true for only 65 applicants. They urged the people not to vote in favour of the Congress in Himachal Pradesh as its government had spelt doom for employees in Punjab.

Union leaders lamented that despite organising a number of protest rallies in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, the Punjab Government had not bothered to redress their grievances. They warned the Congress government that if their grievances were not redressed soon, they would create obstacles to Congress campaigning in Himachal Pradesh for the ensuing Assembly poll.

The unions of various organisations in Himachal Pradesh, extending their support to the union, said government employees would play a major role in the Assembly poll. They criticised the directive of the Punjab Government to abolish 50,000 employees’ posts.