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Chandigarh, May 30 The near-perfect performance of the Haryana Congress, which won nine of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state, has temporarily overshadowed the severe factionalism which has become a trademark of the party.
Blows exchanged at Cong meeting
Key education post vacant
10-yr-old-boy reunited with family
Chautala condemned for intimidating Press
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5 killed as bus, jeep collide
Residents face water shortage
Three drowned in
Yamuna Canal
Jaimal Singh elected Bar chief
Environmental studies at college level
Rs 5 lakh cosmetics seized, truck driver held
Suicide by 3 of family
Rs 48 lakh given as compensation in Lok Adalat
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Infighting in Haryana Cong simmers
Chandigarh, May 30 The ticket distribution by the party was marred by open blackmail by certain leaders due to which the high command could not nominate its candidates in several constituencies virtually till the last moment. Many in the state felt that the delay in the ticket distribution by the Congress had given a clear advantage to its rivals. But the Congress should be thankful to Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala for generating a very strong anti-incumbency sentiment. People ignored the Congress infighting and voted for it in a big way only to ensure the defeat of the INLD nominees. So much so even those Congress candidates who were considered among the weakest either won their seats (Mr Arvind Sharma at Karnal) or nearly won them (Mr Dharam Pal Malik at Sonepat). However, the infighting continues in the Haryana Congress despite peace at the surface. The factions led by the Haryana Congress President, Mr Bhajan Lal, and the former Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, are at each other’s throat. The reason is the post of Chief Minister, which the Congressmen presume to be theirs after the next Assembly elections due within months. Mr Hooda, who has been elected to the Lok Sabha from Rohtak, still has his sights at the state post. It was not without reason when he virtually announced the party’s manifesto for the next elections immediately after resigning from the Vidhan Sabha. He wanted to checkmate not only Mr Chautala but also his party colleagues. He wanted to take away the credit from Mr Chautala in case the Chief Minister announces concessions for various sections of society, particularly farmers. At the same time Mr Hooda sent out a signal to his supporters and others in the Congress that his agenda remains the chief ministership despite his election to the Lok Sabha. It was for this reason that his supporters were not dejected when two MPs junior to him made it to the Union Council of Ministers. The Bhajan Lal faction is not taking it lying down. A former state Finance Minister, Mr Mange Ram Gupta, a close associate of Mr Bhajan Lal, was the first to announce that the next Chief Minister of the state would be from “among the MLAs”. He said Mrs Sonia Gandhi would, of course, have the final say in the appointment of the Chief Minister but she would not ignore the sentiments of the MLAs. The purport of what Mr Gupta has said is very clear : “Since Mr Hooda has been elected MP, he is out of the race for the chief ministership.” Mr Hooda’s supporters are not willing to buy this argument. They say there are several precedents in the Congress when a non-MLA was made the Chief Minister. They point out that Mr N.D. Tiwari and Mr Ashok Gehlot were made the Chief Ministers of Uttranchal and Rajasthan, though they had not contested the Assembly elections. They say it was due to the efforts of Mr Hooda in the past seven years that the Jats had shed their animosity towards the Congress, which resulted in the rout of the INLD in the recent elections. Mr Bhajan Lal’s supporters, on the other hand, say that it was due to their leader that the non-Jats rallied behind the Congress to give a crushing defeat to the INLD. They say ever since Mr Bhajan Lal has become the party chief, the Congress in Haryana has been on a comeback trail. After losing the Fatehabad Assembly byelection by a respectable margin in 2003, the party went on to pick up nine of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in 2004. Even the 10th seat was lost just by about 7,500 votes. They say the Congress performance in Haryana is more creditable because in the neighbouring states of Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the party lost badly. Informed sources say the claims and counter-claims by the two factions indicate that there will be an intense fight for the state leadership in the coming days. While the Hooda faction will try to snatch it away from Mr Bhajan Lal, the latter would strive hard to retain it. With Mrs Gandhi emerging as the unchallenged leader of the party after the Lok Sabha elections, no state leader will be in a position to blackmail her any longer.
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Blows exchanged at Cong meeting
Jhajjar, May 30 The meeting held in Chhotu Ram
dharamshala here, was also attended by Mr Ashok Gupta, state secretary of the HPCC and the Block Congress president, Mr Kuldeep
Chhikara, besides many other party workers. It witnessed some ugly scenes when a section of the party workers led by the BCC chief, Mr
Chhikara, started blaming the secretary for not providing up them with facilities, including proper meals on the day of polling. Soon, both these leaders started pushing each other while their supporters also joined them. Mr Dharampal Malik intervened and asked both leaders not to fight. Mr Malik was on thanks giving tour in the Bahadurgarh Assembly segment, which had given him a lead of 5500 votes. |
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Inside Babudom
Chandigarh, May 30 Mr R K Khullar, who was the Project
Director (PD) of the HPSPP in addition to being the Director of the Secondary Education Department, was transferred as a Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister on May 20 and none of the two offices held by him has been filled yet. But for Mr Khullar, replacements have been found for all the other officers who too were shifted on that day. The PD's office has assumed importance in the wake of Mr Sanjeev Kumar, a 1985 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre (who was also PD of the HPSSP), locking horns with the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, over recruitment of Junior Basic
Training (JBT) teachers. Earlier, the state government registered cases and inquiries against Mr Kumar on alleged anomalies by him during his stint as PD of the World Bank financed education project. An FIR pertaining to the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered by the state government against Mr Sanjiv Kumar on June 6, 2002. Earlier on April 3, 2001, the government initiated an inquiry against him for alleged misuse of official vehicles and a mobile phone by him and then lodged a criminal case against the IAS officer on these charges. On August 10, 2001, inquiry was ordered against Mr Sanjiv Kumar regarding appointment of 36 officials under DPEP (District Primary Education Programme), which was run by the HPSSP. Again on September 20, 2001, an inquiry was ordered against Mr Sanjiv Kumar for alleged financial irregularities committed by him in purchases of various items needed for the project. On September 2, 2002, an inquiry was started against Mr Kumar on disproportionate assets allegedly amassed by him. Mr Kumar has claimed in his petition to the Supreme Court that the cases were registered and inquiries started against him by the government due to his insistence to carry out recruitment as per the original list of selected candidates. Following a petition filed by Mr Kumar, the SC, while asking the CBI to look into how two lists of selected candidates had come into being, also transferred the cases and inquiries against Mr Kumar to the CBI for investigation. The office of the PD of the HPSPP has thus become a key post for the Haryana Government because the PD's role is crucial for defending the moves initiated by the government against Mr Kumar. The CBI has already carried out search operations in the houses of two close aides of the Chief Minister in connection with the alleged teachers' recruitment scam. It is believed that the posting for the PD's post is getting delayed because the state government is still on the lookout for an appropriate person who can meet the requirements of this tricky assignment. |
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10-yr-old-boy reunited with family
Kurukshetra, May 30 About one and a half years ago, Amit, a resident of Khekhra village of Bagpat district in Uttar Pradesh, was playing hide and seek with his friends near the Khekhra railway station. He boarded a train and hid himself in its toilet. Meanwhile, the train started and the boy could not get down. When the train reached Yamunanagar, he alighted from the train and started weeping. When a passerby asked him the reason for his weeping, he could not tell him anything. The passerby was the owner of a dhaba and he employed Amit there. Nobody near the dhaba had heard of Khekhra village. Unluckily for Amit, the dhaba was later closed down and he was again on the road. Amit again boarded a train, and this time he reached Ambala. From the Ambala railway station, he again boarded another train and reached Shahabad (Markanda), where policemen on patrol duty, finding him alone, carried him to police station. When the policemen on duty asked Amit about his residential address, Amit could only tell him names of Khekhra village and Yamunanagar. Amit narrated his story from Khekhra village to Shahabad (Markanda) to the police. Fortunately for Amit, only of the police employees at Thana Shahabad (Markanda) knew that Khekhra village was in Bagpat district in Uttar Pradesh. Constable Sanjeev Kumar was sent Khekhra village where he got reunited with his family amidst tearful scenes. |
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Chautala condemned for intimidating Press
Chandigarh, May 30 In a separate statement, Mr K. B. Pandit, president of the Haryana Patrakar Sangh, also criticised the Chief Minister on the same issue. In a statement issued here yesterday, Mr Hooda said, "The outbursts against mediapersons by the Chief Minister clearly indicates that he is frustrated after the utter rout of the INLD in the Lok Sabha elections". He said the Congress would always stand by journalists who were performing their duties fearlessly. He said Mr Chautala's "anti-democratic tendencies" were once again coming to the fore as was evident from his "misbehaviour" with mediapersons and his own party MLAs and ordinary party workers. Mr Pandit said in a statement that Mr Chautala, instead of reviewing his style of functioning, was holding the journalists responsible for his electoral debacle. He criticised the Chief Minister for having journalists removed with the help of the police from a meeting of INLD workers addressed by him. He said the Chief Minister did not take steps to fulfill any of the demands of the journalists during his government's more than four years' stint. Rather the journalists were subjected to all kinds of harassment by the INLD regime. He said the state government was reluctant to hand over the investigations of the murder case of journalist Chhatrapati to the CBI. Eventually, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had entrusted the probe to the CBI, he said. |
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5 killed as bus, jeep collide
Fatehabad, May 30 According to reports, eight residents of Bhuna town in this district were on the way to Agroha in the jeep. The jeep was badly damaged in the collision. The deceased have been identified as Balwinder and Verender, both brothers and residents of Agroha, Raj Kumar, a resident of Agroha, and Mohinder, son of Mr Sham Sunder, and Mohinder, son of Lakhman, both residents of
Bhuna. Surender and Sunil have been admitted to Agroha Medical College, while Kuldip was admitted to the General Hospital here. The victims were going to attend the engagement ceremony of Balwinder. Bus driver Om Parkash and conductor Satpal also injured. |
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Residents face water shortage
Fatehabad, May 30 The scarcity of potable water is not new to the town, but the problem has become acute with the advent of summer. Localities like the Ashok Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Basti Bhiwan and Tehsil Chowk are facing an acute shortage of drinking water. Even colonies like the Model Town are also not free from the problem. The authorities have failed to act despite repeated representations. They alleged that they got an assurance every time they visited the Public Health office. Meanwhile, in an appeal in the newspapers here the Public Health Department asked people to avoid plantation, irrigation lawns, washing vehicles and construction works. |
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Three drowned in
Yamuna Canal
Yamunanagar, May 30 Three boys of a family Baljore Singh, his brother Gaurav of Dhanora village, near here, and cousin Vajinder — went for a bath yesterday at Gumthala Ghat in the Yamuna Canal, near Radaur, about 25 km from here. While taking bath all three got caught in a whirlpool and they cried for help. On hearing their cries, some youths, sitting on the banks of the canal, came to their rescue. They rescued Gaurav and Vajinder but could not save Baljore Singh. The deceased Baljore Singh was studying in Sanjay Gandhi Memorial School, Ladwa, in 12th Class. In another incident, a youth, Mohammad Yasin, resident of Nasrala Garh village in Uttar Pradesh, drowned. While taking bath in the canal. A diver recovered his body. A 16-year-old boy, Karambir, of Mandoli village in Yamunanagar district drowned while taking bath with a friend in the canal yesterday. |
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Jaimal Singh elected Bar chief
Hisar, May 30 According to the election officer, Mr Laxman Singh Bajia, Mr Jaimal Singh defeated his nearest rival Mr Gauri Shankar Atre, former president of the association, by 170 votes. Mr Jaimal Singh secured 402 votes while Mr Atre polled 232 votes. Another contender for presidentship, Ajit Singh, received only 69 votes. Mr Chaudhary defeated his nearest rival Ankur by 23 votes in a multi-cornered contest. ZHe secured 190 votes against 167 polled by his rival. Two other candidates S.S.Pannu and Mandeep Singh secured 136 and 114 votes, respectively. Mr Sajjan Kumar got only 93 votes. |
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Environmental studies at college level
Chandigarh, May 30 A spokesman for the Higher Education Department said here today the government had already sanctioned 47 posts of lecturer in environmental studies to be appointed on a contract basis in government colleges. The government was making all-out efforts to provide quality education in rural colleges as well. To achieve this objective, all vacant posts of lecturer would be filled. Interviews to fill 264 posts of lecturer in various subjects had recently been conducted by the Haryana Public Service Commission and the new appointees would be posted in rural areas preferably. As many as 392 lecturers in various subjects were appointed during 2001-2003. |
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Rs 5 lakh cosmetics
seized, truck driver held Ambala
, May 30 The cosmetics of Hindustan Liver company were loaded in the truck from the C and F depot located near Maura village on the GT road close to Cantonment on April 30. The goods worth Rs 5.5 lakh were to be delivered at some stations in Haryana . Neither the goods were delivered to the dealer concerned nor the truck returned to its destination . The agent of C and F depot Mr Harpal Singh had lodged a complaint with the Ambala police. According to the police, the goods worth Rs 5 lakh have also been recovered which were sold to various shopkeepers at a cheaper rate by the truck driver. The police arrested truck driver Manoj Kumar of Jind. The police said the truck driver had changed the number plate of the vehicle after committing the fraud. |
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Suicide by 3 of family
Hisar, May 30 Vijay administered some poisonous substance to his four-year-old daughter Kiran and two-year-old son Sunny and later consumed it himself, the police said. The police suspects that Vijay took this extreme step due to domestic tension. The bodies were handed over to the relatives after a post-mortem examination, the police said and added that the matter was being investigated.
— PTI |
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Rs 48 lakh given as compensation in Lok Adalat
Bhiwani, May 30 The District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.C. Bansal, inaugurated the Lok Adalat at the judicial complex. Lok Adalats were also held at Loharu and Siwani in the district yesterday. Mr Bansal, said that 45 cases pertaining to death and injury due to accidents under the Motor Vehicle Act were decided, wherein an amount of Rs 48,52,000 was awarded as compensation. He added that 276 cases of other categories were also decided and a fine of Rs 105900 was imposed. |
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Governor releases book Chandigarh, May 30 The book released by the Governor contains 85 pages and is a biography of Satguru Sant Kanhaiyaji
Maharaj, which gives a brief account of his childhood, family life, spiritual powers, discourses, selfless service to mankind and his philosophy. |
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