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Katwal
denies releasing tape Katwal
is anti-OBC, says minister PCC
move on rebels sparks row
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Museum
of arts, religion inaugurated JBT
entrance test result: BJP seeks CBI probe Stone
laid for Mahila Mandal building Weather
conditions good for crops SC welfare board established Senior
citizens seek old-age pension at 60 In-laws booked on harassment charge R-Day
function at Shimla 
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Katwal denies releasing tape Una, January 21 He denied that he had anything to do with the BJP and said he retired as a government official and later appointed as a chairman of the SSSB. He said he had no political leanings. But whenever he issued a statement he was dubbed as a BJP agent which was totally wrong. He said whosoever circulated the tape he had nothing the to do with them. He said that he was not the lone member of the Board but the Congress after coming into power decided to target only him for making selections. He claimed that during his tenure as a member and Chairman of board there was never a complaint of question papers being leaked or selections of candidates being made on grounds other than merit. Now the written test conducted by the School Education Board for JBT courses in which 1.6 lakh candidates appeared recently has been cancelled and now the government plan to hold fresh examination after inviting fresh applications from the candidates for JBT. He said crores of rupees spent on the conduct of this examination had been wasted for no fault of candidates. He demanded that a probe should be conducted by some outside independent agency into the whole aspect. He said the state government had invited fresh applications for JBT examination and earmarked the seats district wise. JBT is a district cadre post but the advertisement did not clarify whether the candidates will apply only for the post to which district they belong or the candidates from other district could also apply. He said when his effigy was burnt by some Congressmen no case was registered nor action taken against the
miscreants. He alleged that the government was misusing the CID unit of the state police to harass him and his family. The former Chairman’s press conference coincided with Mr Virbhadra Singh’s three-day tour of the district which started today. |
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Katwal is anti-OBC,
says minister Dharamsala, January 21 Terming Mr Katwal as an anti-OBC, the Transport Minister said that an OBC youth had cleared written test for laboratory assistant, panchayat secretary and for police sub-inspector in 2001 but was rejected in interview by the SSSB chairman. It was this case that he had pleaded. Mr Bali said that the youth was later selected for HAS which proved his intelligence. Mr Bali alleged that the SSSB chairman had come twice to his residence along with his wife to seek favours. Now he was trying to blame others. He said a lie-detector test should be conducted on Mr Katwal so that his lies are nailed. He also questioned why Mr Katwal had not named any BJP politician as favour seekers during his term. Mr Bali alleged that even today Mr Katwal was dancing to the tunes of his political masters in the BJP who had been responsible for giving HP SSSB a bad name under Mr Katwal. |
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PCC move on rebels sparks row Shimla, January 21 Mr Virbhadra Singh has rejected the resolution and asserted that a few partymen could not take such a major decision in the absence of senior party leaders. Most of the senior party leaders were away to Kangra in connection with the winter move of the government. He announced that a meeting of the PCC would be convened again to discuss the issue. The Chief Minister also maintains that the PCC has no authority to debar entry of those who contested the Assembly poll against the official party candidates and only high command could decide such issues. Twenty-four rebels who contested the Assembly poll against the party candidates were mostly his supporters who were denied party ticket. Some of them like Mr Kuldeep Pathania, Dr Biru Ram and Mr Sohan Lal even got elected as Independents. Mr Virbhadra Singh views the resolution passed by the PCC, which is dominated by the rival Vidya Stokes camp, as a ploy to scuttle the entry of his supporters. Readmission of the expelled leaders would only further strengthen his position vis-a-vis the Stokes camp. The rival camps also do not see eye to eye on the issue of electoral alliance with the Himachal Vikas Congress. The Stokes camp asserts that the party was in a strong position and capable of winning the Lok Sabha poll in its own. He no longer seems to be averse to having electoral understating with the HVC, though he maintains that the issue has to be decided by the high command. The opposition BJP is also divided on the issue of re-admission of the rebels, mostly supporters of the former Chief Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, who contested the assembly poll after being denied the party ticket. Mr Shanta Kumar is in favour of a conciliatory approach and wants the expelled leaders back to strengthen the party, while Mr P.K. Dhumal, who heads the rival camp, is not enthused by the idea. Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, the newly elected state party chief, maintains that the issue has to be first discussed by the state executive committee, which is yet to be constituted, and the issue has to be decided by the high command. |
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Museum of arts, religion inaugurated Chamba, January 21 The hill State of Chamba, now a district of Himachal Pradesh, in the lap of snow-capped Dhauladhar ranges of the Himalayas is one of the oldest native states in India where Shiva-Shakti, Nag and Vishnu worship are prominently prevalent. In Chamba town, the capital of the erstwhile Chamba state, Sri Laxmi Nath temple built during the reign of Raja Sahil Verman (920 AD to 940AD) is the main temple in the district. Being the oldest temple in the town, Sri Laxmi Nath temple contains a big collection of art-objects or antiquity and importance besides other valuables. On display in a small hall in the temple complex are various antique items pertaining to rites and rituals and worship of the Lord Vishnu and other Gods and Goddesses which include water vessel, spoons, silver tumbler, sprinkler of Ganga waters, finely sculpted candle holder for ‘Aarti’, incense holder/burner, silver cups for sandal wood paste, saffron powder, vermilion, hand bells of different sizes, ceiling bells with inscription in Takri, trishl in silver, conch-shells, partly damaged idols, sleeping bed (cot) of silver for the Lord Vishnu, silver sandals (Paduka) S-shaped ran-singhas, brass flutes, damru, dhol-nagara drum, cymbals,
karnal and musical instruments. All the objects of arts exhibited in the museum are no longer in use now. Besides, a fine specimen of textiles — gold/silver threaded shawls, dhotis etc. are also on display. The Chamba Laxmi Nath Art Museum is the second temple museum in Himachal Pradesh. The first one was opened in Bhima Kali Mandir at Sarahan by the state Department of Languages, Art and Culture a couple of years ago. |
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JBT entrance test result: BJP seeks CBI probe Samirpur (Hamirpur), January 21 Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, leader of the party in the Vidhan Sabha, chaired the meeting. Thirteen out of 16 MLAs were present at the meeting. Those who were absent were Karam Dev Dharmani, Rajeev Bindel and Sukh Ram Chaudhry. The meeting lasted more than two hours. While talking to mediapersons after the meeting, Prof Dhumal said all party legislators present at the meeting were of the view that the Congress government in the state had broken all norms and was the most corrupt government in the state since independence. Mr Dhumal said the meeting took strong exception to the cancellation of the JBT entrance test result and demanded from the state government to refund the money spent by the candidates for appearing in the test. He said the party would mobilise the mass opinion on this issue and if need be services of legal cell of the party would also be taken for filing a case against the Himachal Pradesh Government to seek justice for the JBT aspirants. He also charged the Congress of discriminating with the candidates of majority hill areas of the state at the cost of a particular area while making recruitments for the post of para teachers. Candidates of lower hill areas were subjected to harassment and their certificates were torn to deny them jobs. Mr Dhumal blasted the Congress government for retrenching daily paid staff on various considerations. While there was no dearth of jobs for those having associated with the Congress, others were made to suffer, as they were not the residents of Himachal Pradesh. Mr Dhumal said the BJP legislature party would meet twice a month from next month. It was decided to hold such meetings with an aim to help the workers to have proper interaction with their leaders and to allay their sufferings. |
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Stone laid for Mahila Mandal building Kangra, January 21 Mr Shanta Kumar levelled these allegations against the Virbhadra Singh government while addressing a series of public meetings at Kachairi, Ansoli, Badiyada and Jaisai in this subdivision today. He said that disallowing the former minister and BJP MLA from Tharul constituency, Mr Ravinder Ravi, to speak at Jaisingpur function, falling in his constituency, by the Chief Minister was disgraceful for the democracy. He said general election was expected in April and listed the achievements of the NDA government. Mr Shanta Kumar laid the foundation stone of Mahila Mandal building at Ansoli and that of a community hall at Kachairi and funds for these projects would be made available from the MP fund of Mr Shanta Kumar. |
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Weather conditions good for crops Kumarhatti, January 21 During the past years the rabi and wheat crops output has been poor thanks to lack of timely winter rain. The situation is totally different this year. According to the data available from Soil and Science Department of Dr Y.S. Parmar Horticulture and Forestry University, Nauni, the rainfall in December was healthy 37 mm in region. The November month that remained dry in the past few years has recorded 4.8 mm rain this year. In January 4mm rain has been recorded till date. The temperature from October onward has remained favourable for crops. The favourable wind velocity has helped to maintain the low level of temperature. The low temperature has helped to maintain the low evaporation of water from earth. |
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SC welfare board established
Shimla, January 21 Addressing a public meeting at Mohatali in Gangath segment of Kangra district, he said the government was
committed to protect the interests of minorities, Scheduled Castes and tribes and backward classes and had already constituted welfare boards for other weaker sections. He said the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation was extending financial and technical assistance to the beneficiaries for the self-employment ventures and reservation in jobs had also been made for these sections.
— PTI |
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Senior citizens seek old-age pension at 60 Kangra, January 21 The Himachal Pensioners Kalyan Sangh spokesman, Mr Joginder Kumar Sachdeva yesterday submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at Jawali in this connection. Mr Sachdeva said that the sangh also demanded that basic pension of old people be enhanced by 5 per cent after 65 years of age and 10 per cent after 75 years. He said that the Punjab government had already adopted this procedure. Pensioners also demanded that the state government should make budgetary provision for clearing medical reimbursement bills in time. |
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In-laws booked on harassment charge Solan, January 21 Talking to mediapersons here today, Deepti said that her husband and in-laws had turned against her as she had given birth to two girls. She alleged that her in-laws had tried to set her on fire more than a year ago. She showed burn marks on her leg, which she said, had been inflicted by her in-laws. Deepti said that to add to her agony, she learnt last evening that her husband had eloped with a girl hailing from Kasauli. The girl’s family today lodged a complaint with the Solan police in this regard. |
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R-Day function at Shimla Shimla, January 21 State Agriculture Minister Raj Krishan Gaur, Tourism Minister Vijay Singh Monkotia, Cooperation Minister Kuldeep Kumar, Animal Husbandry Minister Harsh Mahajan, Transport Minister G.S. Bali, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mukesh Agnihotri and Himachal Pradesh Assembly Deputy Speaker Dharam Pal Thakur will also be present on the occasion.
— UNI |
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2 killed as
car falls into gorge Shimla, January 21 The deceased were identified as Yamuna Devi and Jai Prakash of Samroh village in Solan. The police had to seek the help of fire brigade to pull out the bodies from the gorge. |
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Insurance company told to pay Rs 1 lakh Sundernagar, January 21 Mr Nihal Singh was insured for rupees one lakh up to December 26, 2006, he died on January 8, 2002 in an accident. All documents were supplied to the company but no claim was paid. The insurance company replied that the complainant had not supplied copies of FIR and post-mortem report to that Nihal Singh died an accidental death. |
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Resentment over irregular chopper service Chamba, January 21 The association members said that the service was irregular, making residents of the area, particularly patients, suffer.
— OC |
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Booked for cutting off legs of 5 sheep Mandi, January 21 The police has registered a case under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act after medical examination of the sheep at the veterinary hospital here. |
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