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BJP lines up star campaigners BSP candidate facing criminal charges Chautala on “vijay rath” in villages Cong dividing people on caste lines, says Abhay Chautala Sikh votes will
be crucial |
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Observers appointed to check poll expenses Nomination papers of 4 candidates
rejected Papers of covering
nominees rejected
80 Indians languish in Pakistan jails Private carriers source of
nuisance for residents Cops seek registration of case against officers 31 cases decided in new Lok Adalat Hospital raided to detect
foetus test 7 years’ prison term for rapist
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BJP lines up star campaigners Chandigarh, April 24 So far the BJP is the only party which has announced an ambitious programme of fielding its star campaigners in Haryana. The Congress is yet to chalk out its campaign strategy. The ruling Indian National Lok Dal and the Haryana Vikas Party have their presidents, Mr Om Prakash Chautala and Mr Bansi Lal, as their star campaigners. Mr Vajpayee will address an election rally at Jhajjar (Rohtak) on May 2 at 11 a.m. Mr Shourie will met inellectuals at Panchkula, Yamunanagar and Panipat on April 25 at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8 p.m., respectively. Dr Raman Singh will address election rallies at Rai (Sonepat), Gharaunda (Karnal), Shahabad (Kurukshetra) and Naraingarh (Ambala) on April 27 at 9 a.m., 12 noon, 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively. Two days later, Mr Yashwant Sinha, External Affairs Minister, will seek votes for his party nominees in Bahadurgarh (Sonepat), Rohtak, Panipat and Ambala at 9.30 a.m., 11.30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., respectively. Mrs Swaraj will campaign for the party at Jagadhri (Ambala), Kurukshetra, Karnal and Sonepat on May 5 at 11 a.m, 12.30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively. Cinestar-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha will woo voters of Panchkula (Ambala), Panipat, Rewari (Mahendragarh) and Faridabad on May 6 at 10.30 a.m, 12.30 p.m., 3.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m., respectively. Mr Naidu will address four public meetings on May 7 at Kaithal (Kurukshetra), Jind (Hisar), Fatehabad (Sirsa) and Rohtak. The same day, Mr Rajnath Singh, Union Agriculture Minister, will seek votes for the BJP at Mahendragarh, Bond in Bhiwani, Safidon (Sonepat) and Ballabhgarh in Faridabad. If wrestler Dara Singh will challenge the BJP’s rivals in Haryana on May 2 at Barwala (Hisar), Tohana (Sirsa) and Julana, another “Punjab da puttar” Dharmendra will do the same at Hisar, Meham (Rohtak) and Kharkhoda (Sonepat) on May 8. Mr Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will woo Meo voters on May 3 at Hathin, Nuh and Ferozepur Jhirka, all falling in the Faridabad Lok Sabha constituency. Mr Vajpayee is likely to address another rally in Haryana on May 2, but the place is still to be decided. The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, is also expected to campaign in the state for the BJP. |
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BSP candidate facing criminal charges Faridabad, April 24 Mr Malik mentioned in the affidavit submitted by him at the time of filing of his nomination papers here on Thursday. Mr Malik has mentioned his permanent address as Azad Nagar in Haldwani tehsil of Nainital (Uttaranchal). He has stated that the cases against him are pending in various courts in Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh, but he has not been indicted in any criminal case so far. Mr Malik, who presently resides in the Okhla area of Delhi, has stated that a case (No 865-A/89) was booked against him under Sections 147, 148, 149, 307, 436, 323, and 504 of the IPC at the Haldwani police station. Another case (No 217/98) was booked against him under Section 307 of the IPC. The third case under, Sections147, 148, 149, 302, 307 and 427 of the IPC, was booked at the Bhojipura police station of the Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh. Haji also finds his name as an accused in case No 351/98 booked at Haldwani under Sections 147, 148, 149, 307, 308, 332, 353, 342, 224, 225, 511, 427, 504B and 506 of the IPC and case No 4266/03, also booked at Haldwani, under Sections 147, 148, 149, 307 and 506 of the IPC. Mr Malik has been the first and the only candidate from here who has admitted through an affidavit that some criminal cases are pending against him. The election officials have reportedly started seeking more information about him and to confirm the information given in the affidavit. Mr Malik (45) has declared that he has a cash of about Rs 22,000 in his name and about Rs 8,000 in the account of his wife, Safia. He has shown an amount of about Rs 67,000 as bank deposit and an investment of about Rs 64.32 lakh in bonds, debentures and shares in his and his wife’s name. While he has two vehicles, he has shown ownership of jewellery worth about Rs 7.95 lakh and a share, worth about Rs 16.63 lakh, in a partnership firm. He has taken a loan of about 4.46 lakh for a car and owes an amount of about Rs 39,000 to the telephone department towards bills. Mr Malik, a commerce graduate, also owns non-agricultural land worth about Rs 3 lakh. Meanwhile, INLD nominee Mohammed Ilyas and HVP candidate Devender Bhadhana filed their nomination papers yesterday. Seven candidates filed their nominations on the last day which included nominees of the RPI, the LNJP, the Samajwadi Party and the Shiv Sena. The total number of nominations for this Lok Sabha seat has gone up to 14.
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Chautala on “vijay rath” in villages Noona Majra/Jhajjar, April 24 The rath that started rolling from this village drew moderate gatherings. However, the response of party workers in villages situated on the Jhajjar road, including Dabodha, Dulhera, Kablana, was enthusiastic. The rath entered Jhajjar this afternoon. Mr Chautala did not alight from the rath in villages and addressed audience from the rath. Mr Chautala said there was no anti-incumbency wave in Haryana. “There is no resentment among the people against his government and the INLD is seeking vote on the plank of development,” he said. Briefing mediapersons at Jhajjar, he distanced himself from local MLA Dario Singh Rajora. He was never a part of the INLD and had won the election as an Independent. |
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Cong dividing people on caste lines, says Abhay Chautala Yamunanagar, April 24 Mr Chautala said Mr A.B. Vajpayee only indulged in taking but did not extend help to Haryana. Mr Chautala said the Congress was dividing people in the name of caste, community, faith and religion. He appealed to advocates to vote for the Indian National Lok Dal. Mr Rameshwar Singh, Mr Ajay Shandliya President and general secretary respectively of the District Bar Association were among the speakers. |
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Chautala most unpopular CM, says Kataria Panchkula, April 24 Meanwhile, Ms Seema Chaudhary, the Municipal Council chief, today continued her public contact programme in Sector 12-A in favour of the INLD candidate, Mr Balwant Singh. |
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Sikh votes will
be crucial Karnal, April 24 With more than one lakh votes, the Sikhs can make or maim the prospects of candidates. So far, it is not clear whom would they vote for. The BJP seems to have made some inroads into the Sikh vote bank having the advantage of an alliance with the SAD. However, certain Sikh leaders who were loyal to Tohra have not given any signals about their preference. A majority of Sikhs, both in the rural and urban areas, are inclined towards the BJP followed by the INLD. The Congress has little presence among the Sikhs. The Sikhs in the rural areas were skeptical of the Congress and held it responsible for the ‘84 riots. Sikh voters in the Assandh, Nilokheri and Jundla Assembly segments haven’t made up their mind yet. The announcement of SAD president Parkash Singh Badal to support the INLD even as the SAD alliance partner at the national level continues to be the BJP, has left them confused. Jathedar Bhupinder Singh Asandh, general secretary of the state unit of the SAD and executive member of the SGPC, said the Sikhs in Haryana had been ignored by the INLD during the past five years. Lashing out at the INLD president, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, he said the proposal to have Punjabi as the second language in the state had not been practically implemented. “Proper political representation has not been given to the Sikhs in boards/corporations and district-level committees”, he added. Blaming the BJP for ignoring the Sikhs in Karnal, Jathedar Surjit Singh Darar, president of the Haryana Sikh Sangat, and a Tohra loyalist said the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr I.D. Swami, had turned his back after winning the last elections from the Karnal constituency, the stronghold of the Sikhs. “Therefore, the Sikhs will never vote in Swami’s favour”, he added. |
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Observers appointed to check poll expenses Ambala, April 24 The political parties are of the view that the presence
of poll observers serves as a check on the candidates. However, it is
difficult for the observers to supervise the whole parliamentary
constituency spread over hundreds of kilometres. An observer may not be
familiar with the geographical layout of the constituency and he has to
depend on the guidance of the local officer of the administration
attached with him . On the eve of the polling day of the previous Lok
Sabha elections, one of the central observers in Ambala had received
information on telephone that a few supporters of a candidate had been
distributing liquor among the voters in a slum area in a remote village
of Ambala. It was difficult for the observer to reach there without the
help of the administration. After one and a half hours, when the
observer reached there, the distribution of liquor was over. A lot of
expenditure in the election is swept under the carpet. Some of the
candidates of bigger parties put up dummy candidates in the election and
later they use their vehicles and election agents for themselves.
Although it is of violation of the model code of conduct, the poll
observers cannot check it easily. The expenditure observer checks the
account books of the candidates keeping in view the ceiling fixed by the
Election Commission. Mr Radheshyam Goel, Ms Nisha Singh and Mr.Rakesh
Soori have been appointed the central observers for Ambala. The Ambala
administration has published the telephone numbers of the observers put
up in the PWD rest house. One of the leaders of an opposition party said
their mobile numbers should also be made available at least to the
candidates and to the mediapersons so that, if needed, they could be
contacted immediately. Meanwhile the expenditure observer, Mr
Radheshyam Goel, and the general observer, Ms Nisha Singh, visited some
of the polling and counting centres of the Ambala constituency today.
Later they met the District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Mr
H S Mailik, in his office. When some of the mediapersons wanted to
enquire from Ms Nisha Singh whether she had received any complaint
against any candidate, she refused to comment. She got agitated when
some of the press photographers took her photograph. She directed the
SDM, present there, to ensure that her photograph should not be
published. |
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Nomination papers of 4 candidates
rejected Ambala, April 24 The covering candidates
who were rejected today included Mr Ashok Sherwal of the INLD, Mr Naresh
Kumar of the Bahujan Samaj Party and Mr Nalin Singh of the Congress and
Mr Suresh Kumar of the All-India Jai Hind Party. There are now 17
candidates left in the fray. The withdrawal of nominations can take
place on April 26. The candidates whose nomination papers have been
accepted include the Congress candidate, Kumari Selja, the INLD
candidate, Mr Balwant Singh, and the BJP candidate, Mr Ratan Lal
Kataria. The Haryana Vikas Party candidate, Mr Aman Kumar Nagra, and Mr
Chander Pal of the Bahujan Samaj Party are also in the fray. Besides
these candidates, those who are in the electoral battle are Mr Sanjeev
Gharu of the Samata Party, Mr Hem Raj of the Lok Janshakti Party, Mr
Sunil Kumar, an Independent candidate, Mr Jaswinder Singh Tita,
Independent, Mr Arvind Sonkar of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha.The
sole woman candidate is Ms Jagwanti Devi. The Ekta Shakti party
candidate, Mr Ranbir Singh Bhumbak, Mr Raunaq Singh of the Shiromani
Akali Dal, Haryana, Mr Jagdish Chand, Independent, Mr Sunil Kumar, Mr
Rajbir Singh Dheen and Mr Ram Swaroop are also contesting the election. |
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Papers of covering
nominees rejected Karnal, April 24 Mr Doon said the nomination papers of Mr Hans Raj, covering candidate of the INLD, and Mr Sarda Ram of the BSP were rejected following some errors due to negligence in filling the forms, he added.
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80 Indians languish in Pakistan jails Kaithal, April 24 Balwinder Singh, son of Piara Singh of Bhatt Mazra village falling under Pehowa tehsil of Kurukshetra district, showed photo-copies of the letter received by him from his brother, Nishan Singh, lodged in the jail here yesterday, in which he has appealed to the Indian Government and various newspapers to highlight their plight in jails and make efforts for their release. Narrating the sequence of events, Nishan Singh, in the letter dated February 2, 2004, says that they were working in Lebanon, but left for Greece in search of greener pastures but were captured by the police there, which forcibly pushed them into Turkey. The Turkey police pushed them into Iran. Finally, they landed in Pakistan, where they were arrested on September 17, 2003. They were awarded three months’ sentence by a magistrate. They were told that they would be released and sent to India on December 20, 2003. Nishan Singh has written that soon they would start a fast unto death to invite the attention of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad towards their plight. In his letter, Nishan further said that besides 31 youths from Punjab and Haryana, who were detained simultaneously in September 2003, a number of other Indian prisoners arrested earlier, and who had completed their jail term years ago, had been waiting their release for the last so many years. Out of these detainees about 25 had lost their mental balance, while two were facing death sentence and four others had been sentenced to 25 years and seven others were facing imprisonment, ranging between seven to 14 years. The names of those detained at Kot Lakhpat Jail as per the letter are Gurmail Singh, son of Swaran Singh of Piplipot Adhoya, Hardp Singh, son of Rulda Singh plot no 4 Bakhti from Kurukshetra, Suraj Bhan, son of Jeet Ram of Rajouli village in Ambala district, Surjit Singh, son Rulda Singh village Lachowal, Bhajan Singh, son of Sohan Singh, village Kaloya, Surinder Pal, son of Rati Ram Kalewala Bhagtan from Hoshiyarpur, Amarjit Singh, son of Piara Singh Bariar Kapurthala village Kulwinder Singh, son of Harbans Singh of Landran, Jatinder Kumar, son of Sohan Lal of Lidhran village, Charan Jeet Singh, son of Hans Raj Singh Lamma Pind of Jalandhar district, Bharat Bhushan, son of Sat Pal, Aman Nagar, Ludhiana, Lakhwinder Singh, son of Balbir Singh, Ajrawar village, Patiala, Jarnail Singh, son of Banta Singh, village Bhushan, Gurdaspur, Jaswant Singh, son of Narinder Singh, village Qadian Gurdaspur, Kanwaljeet Singh son of Jagir Singh, village Qadian, Gurdaspur, Davinder Singh, son of Avtar Singh, village Auragabad, Yamunanagar, Ramphal, son of Ramdhari, village, Kakrala Anait Kaithal, Kulir Singh, son of Chaman Singh, village Sahdra Nawanshahar, Lalchand, son of Trasem Lal, village Jalwaha Nawanshahar, Manjinder Singh, son of Lal Singh, village Manatakwandi Kapurthala, Makhan Singh, son of Chaman Singh, village Kingrachowala, Jalandhar, Suresh Kumar, son of Wilati Ram, village Nakodar, Jalandhar, Manjeet Singh, son of Kabul Singh, village Uggi, Jalandhar, Tajinder Kumar, son of Ram Saran, village Shafipur, Jalandhar, Lakhwinder Singh, son of Kartar Singh, village Kala Kapurthala, Jagtar Singh son of Gurbachan Singh, village Miani Bakrpur, Kapurthala, Narinder Pal, son of Satpal Lahoria, village Nadala Kapurthala, Sukhvinder Singh, son of Gurmukh Singh, village Bala Kapurthala, Sukhvir Singh, son of Nidhan Singh, village Chawa Gurdaspur. Besides, Jagjeet Singh, son of Darshan Singh, and Rajnikanth, son of Vaithnaswamy, who also landed in Pakistan via Turkey and Iran were awarded six months imprisonment and continue to languish in Kot Lakhpat jail for the last about three years. Satish Kumar, son of Manoharlal, village Mulewal, Khaira Jalandhar, Madan Lal, son of Ragvir Singh, village Jallowal Colony, Jalandhar, Om Prakash, son of Mahinder Ram, village Behram Sarista, Jalandhar, Rakesh Kumar, son of Jeet Ram, village Pampurbilron Hoshiarpur, Sohan Singh, son of Amarjeet Singh, village Talwandikurb Kapurthala, Jaspal Singh, son of Chaman Singh, village Padori Rayyan, Kapurthala, Sarabjit Singh, son of Gurman Singh, village Padori Gurdaspur, Parshottam Lal, son of Charandass village, Chandwan Kathua, Jashbir Ram, son of Bakshi Ram, village Sanghpur Rajni Wala, Hoshiarpur, are also lodged in Lahore jail before the arrival of Nishan Singh and thirty others. Through another letter, Balwinder Singh, brother of jailed Nishan Singh, came to know that 48 other persons (whose addresses have not been given) who have already completed their sentences continue to languish in the Kot Lakhpat jail for the past many years. One Hakim Singh, son of Jalim Singh, was awarded six months imprisonment but he is in jail for the past 12 years. Similarly, Kishan Lal, son of Narain, was awarded nine months imprisonment but is in this jail since 1991. Gulam Rabbani, son of Rakimmuddin Ahmed, was awarded nine months’ sentence but he is in the jail for the past seven years, Sawarn Lal, son of Shiv Ram, was awarded 10 years’ imprisonment but he is in the jail for the past 13 years. Nishan Singh and other prisoners lament that while governments of other countries go to any extent to get their citizens released from jail, the Indian government is very slow in this regard. |
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Private carriers source of
nuisance for residents Gurgaon, April 24 This has assumed the character of public nuisance not only for the residents of the adjoining Sectors 17, 18 and 14 of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) but also the commuters. A large numbers of carriers, mostly big-sized trailers that transport cars from Maruti Udyog Ltd, buses and trucks are seen parked at any time of the day on both sides of a one-km stretch of the road connecting Atul Kataria Chowk and MDI Chowk which form part of the old bypass. There are many who feel that the genesis of the development has a definite pattern. A section of the government authorities have colluded in the exercise. The stretch between MDI Chowk and Atul Kataria Chowk belongs to the PWD. However, due to paucity of funds HUDA was assigned to upgrade the road from two to six lanes. The general impression is that the road has been widened only to benefit private operators. Maruti Udyog Ltd appears to be the main beneficiary. It is an open secret that the illegal parking has the concurrence of the authorities concerned. Earlier there was an illegal liquor shop set up on a green belt on this road. Truckers and trailer operators used to park their vehicles there also because liquor was available round the clock. However, following a public protest the shop was shifted but the practice of illegal parking continues. There are reports of private operators indulging in all kinds of recreational activities in the public domain in the area. They also defecate around the parking zone and resort to ugly postures much to the shock and horror of the residents. The unfortunate part is that only a thin wall stands between the road and the playground of DAV Public School. A number of carriers are particularly seen parked near the wall. Just a few metres away is the Management Development Institute (MDI). Sector 14 has one of the biggest and probably best-maintained parks of HDUA. The drivers and their attendants enjoy free access to the park. Some morning walkers have shocking tales to narrate regarding the behaviour of the operators. The womenfolk no more find its safe going to the park with these aliens giving them hostile looks. Also, the unauthorised parking increases security problem. Besides, there are at least two vacant plots where permanent structures have been set up on the side of the road. These areas are also used for parking of trailers. The place falls under the “controlled area” on account of an ammunition depot. There have been periodic protests from the public against these illegal structures in the controlled area. Inquiries reveal that the road is a scheduled one. The police can take suo motu action against the illegal parking and HUDA can also initiate action as it has spent money to widen the road and its residential sectors flank it. The residents of the houses in these sectors of HUDA feel cheated as their concerns go unattended. The PWD, the owner of the road, also has the jurisdiction to deal with the situation. Moreover, the Pollution Control Board, which has its office here, as well as the district administration, which have the power to intervene, appear to be caught in the inertia of inaction. The same is the story of traffic mess and illegal parking of trailers and private carriers on the Old Delhi road near the main gate of Maruti Udyog Ltd. The residents of Sectors 17, 18 and 14 as well as the parents of students of DAV Public School feel that the government should check the noise and air pollution on the road between MDI Chowk and Atul Kataria Chowk. |
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Cops seek registration of case against officers Jind, April 24 Mr Pardeep Chaudhary, state president of the
sangh, said here today that Sukhdarshan committed suicide by shooting himself with his service gun as he was perturbed over the misbehaviour by some police officers. He said Sukhdarshan was to get married on April 11, but some police officers were denying him leave. He distressed over the denial of leave, he committed suicide. He said if legal action was not taken against the police officers responsible for his death, the sangh would be compelled to take some harsh steps and the government would be responsible for the consequences. Mr Choudhary further alleged that some officers were committing excesses against police officials and were exploiting them. He said they even suspended police officials for minor irregularities. He said if these things were not checked, the sangh would bring the matter to the notice of higher authorities. |
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31 cases decided in new Lok Adalat Kurukshetra, April 24 On this occasion, of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority secretary, Shekhar Dhawan told mediapersons that 1887 Lok Adalats had been so far organised in the state and in which 4, 75, 183 cases had been decided. A total of Rs 162 crore had been awarded as compensation in 24,570 motor accident cases. As many as 16,476 persons had been provided with free legal aid services and 575 legal literacy camps had been held,Mr Dhawan added.
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Hospital
raided to detect foetus test Ambala, April 24 The raid was carried out at the hospital by a team
comprising Dr Sushma Madan and Mr J.L. Singla. The Civil Surgeon, Dr
(Mrs) Avinash Sharma, joined the team from Ambala. Dr Avinash Sharma
said that the task force had received information that a
sex-determination test would be carried out on a patient today. The
patient was from Kapoori village. Apparently, the sex-determination
test did not show the result as the foetus was only about 2 1/2 months
old. The patient was asked to come to the hospital again after a
month. The team had taken into possession certain records of the
hospital. The team had also detected certain other irregularities. A
notice would be served soon on the hospital. |
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7 years’ prison term for rapist Karnal, April 24 According to prosecution, the rapist, who too was a minor at the time of committing the crime, was convicted after his statement before the court in camera. — UNI
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