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Trojan horse in Haryana CLP Hearing on MLA’s sons’ plea on July 19 Journalists’ ultimatum
to Chautala 24 HCS officers shifted Proximity to UP makes Panipat crime hub 5 of family among 8 killed in accident |
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Loan limits revised Admn told to seal handpumps IMA for right to health as Fundamental Right HCMSA seeks
non-practising allowance Haryana Punjabi award for Gasso 30 pc growth in advances for agriculture MDU reinstates teacher
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Trojan horse in Haryana CLP Chandigarh, June 29 Second, a vote cast in favour of the Congress candidate, Mrs Kiran Choudhary, was rendered invalid because of an identification mark put on the ballot paper by the voter. No second-preference vote was cast on this ballot paper (No. 00091). The circumstances under which these incidents happened indicate that the Trojan horse is none other than a Congress MLA and not an Independent candidate supporting the Congress. However, it cannot be said with certainty if there are more than one saboteurs in the party. Sources say that when the CLP met on June 16, the attendance of the members was taken on a register. The Independent MLAs, who had extended support to the party two days ago, were also present. When a couple of the Independent MLAs also marked their attendance, a Congress MLA informed the Deputy Leader of the CLP, Capt Ajay singh Yadav, that the Speaker had issued notices on a petition seeking disqualification of the Independent MLAs under the anti-defection law. It was decided to write the proceedings afresh. A Congress MLA, who had been accused in the past of maintaining close ties with the ruling family of the state, reportedly took the proceedings register and tore the paper on which two Independent MLAs had earlier marked their attendance. The party MLA kept that paper with him, instead of destroying it in the meeting itself. This was the last that paper was seen before the INLD MLA, Mr Nafe Singh Rathi, who had petitioned to the Speaker, displayed it before newsmen. Already, a demand has been made by several Congress leaders for an inquiry to find out the culprit. The AICC General Secretary in charge of Haryana, Mr R.K. Dhawan, who was here before the Rajya Sabha elections, had assured these leaders that an inquiry would be definitely held after the polling. The second incident shows that even a foolproof system can be subverted. The open-ballot system was adopted by political parties to check cross-voting. In Haryana, which has always shown the path to make politics dirty, an ingenious method was adopted to circumvent the open-ballot system. An MLA, who voted for the party candidate since he had to show the ballot paper to the authorised agent of the party, also served the cause of the rival party by rendering his ballot paper invalid. Out of 80 MLAs who voted yesterday, 11 MLAs did not show their ballot papers to any agent. They were three Independent MLAs supporting the INLD, four Independent MLAs supporting the Congress, two HVP MLAs, one BSP member and Capt Yadav. The Independent MLAs cannot show their ballot papers to anyone under the law. The HVP had not appointed any agent. Since Capt Yadav himself was authorised to see the ballot papers, there was no one else whom he could show his ballot. The BSP agent reached the Vidhan Sabha after the party MLA had voted. The person who put the identification mark on his ballot paper did so very intelligently. A small dot was put near the left bottom corner of the ballot paper just above a bold printed line. He must have put his thumb on the left bottom corner of the ballot, hiding the dot, while showing it to Capt Yadav before putting it in the ballot box. Since he had not cast his second-preference vote, it can be safely presumed that he was a supporter of the Congress candidate, Mrs Kiran Choudhary. An Independent candidate supporting Mrs Choudhary need not have taken the trouble of invalidating his vote. Since he was not to show his ballot paper to anyone, he could have easily voted for any of her rivals. The four Independent MLAs who extended their support to the Congress, stood with Mrs Choudhary. The HVP MLAs are unlikely to vote against Mrs Choudhary since she is the wife of the party’s Secretary-General, Mr Surender Singh. Her father-in-law, Mr Bansi Lal, was one of the two party voters. Capt Yadav, who could vote in secrecy, was again not required to take the trouble of invalidating his ballot paper. Moreover, since the party can officially ask the Returning Officer to disclose to whom the invalidated ballot paper was issued, Capt Yadav would not have risked his chances of being promoted as the full-fledged Leader of the Opposition. With numbers clearly in favour of the ruling party following the disqualification of six MLAs, why would anyone influence a Congress voter to invalidate his ballot paper? It was feared that the Supreme Court might restore the voting right of the disqualified MLAs. To ensure the victory of both candidates supported by the ruling party, the invalidation formula seems to have been formulated. Mrs Choudhary had 23 votes. If the disqualified MLAs had been allowed to vote, she would have emerged the clear winner with the support of 29 MLAs. Not to take any chances, someone persuaded a member of the Congress camp to invalidate his ballot paper so that Mrs Choudhary would have been left with 28 votes, equal to those expected to be polled by Independent candidate. Tarlochan Singh, who was being supported by the INLD and the BJP. The winner would have been decided by second-preference votes. In that eventuality, Mrs Choudhary would have no chance of victory because all 29 INLD MLAs who had cast their first-preference votes in favour of Mr Ajay Singh Chautala, the party nominee, had cast their second-preference votes in favour of Mr Tarlochan Singh. Mrs Choudhary had no second-preference vote. The Congress may ask the Returning Officer to disclose to whom the ballot paper No 00091 was issued. The party can do so officially under the open-ballot system. |
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Hearing on MLA’s
sons’ plea on July 19 Sonepat, June 29 The two sons of Mr Devraj Dewan, an independent MLA from here, Kamal Dewan, owner of Dewan Palace Private Ltd, and Lalit Dewan, owner of the Dewan Health Club and Centre, filed a petition in the court on Friday stating that they are the sons of an independent MLA, Mr Devraj Dewan, who has recently been disqualified by the Haryana Assembly Speaker, Mr Satbir Singh Kadian. In the petition, they have stated that the government might take action against the owners of these complexes though these were being run according to the government rules. The Government of Haryana and the Country and Town Planning Department of the state government had been made party in the petition. While accepting the plea, the vacation judge had fixed June 29 as the next date of hearing. Devraj Dewan had purchased nearly 21 acres at Ahmadpur village on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh road for using it as an agricultural farm. Later, a three-star hotel and a health club and a centre were constructed on the land. The hotel and the centre continued to function for the past two years without any
interference from the authorities of the state government. However, the problem started when Mr Devraj Dewan, who has been supporting the Chautala government for the past five years, switched over to the Congress. The Rohtak police along with the local police raided the hotel premises on June 22, ‘recovered’ a girl who was reportedly appointed as a receptionist of the hotel. Then on June 24 a vigilance team of the Bijli Nigam raided the premise to detect any power theft. And in the latest move, standing crops in three acres of land adjacent to Dewan Farm was destroyed. Now it is feared that the next target could be the Dewan Hotel. The HUDA authorities claim that legal formalities have not been completed for opening a three-star hotel; whereas Dewans reiterated that all legal formalities had been completed.
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Speaker
issues notice to two more MLAs Chandigarh, June 29 Mr Daryao Singh and Mr Mulla Ram were among the six Independent MLAs who had recently announced that they had joined the Congress but later claimed that they had expressed their support to that party. The Speaker had disqualified other four MLAs, besides one NCP MLA and one RPI member, under the anti-defection law on June 25.
— UNI |
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Journalists’ ultimatum
to Chautala Chandigarh, June 29 In a reminder to the Chief Minister, Sangh President
K.B. Pandit said today that the organisation had been pursuing the demands for setting up a state press accreditation committee, a journalists welfare fund and journalists’ pension scheme but Mr Chautala had been dithering on the matter on one pretext or the other. Mr Pandit revealed that there were over 200 journalists in the state who had been working on temporary accreditation for the past four years due to the government’s failure to set up a regular accreditation committee. In the absence of any rules and regulations for granting accreditation, correspondents working in rural areas and mofussil towns were facing immense problems for their accreditation. Mr Pandit said while the Union Government had constituted a welfare fund with an annual contribution of Rs 1 crore to help needy journalists, the sangh plea with the Chautala Government for a similar gesture have fallen on deaf ears. Similar was the fate of their demand for a pension scheme for journalists despite the fact that the Bhajan Lal Government had, in principle, agreed to it. The other demands of the sangh include free medical facilities to journalists, unlimited bus travel and the creation of a special cell in the CM Office for dealing with matters relating to harassment of journalists. |
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24 HCS officers shifted Chandigarh, June 29 Mr Bhupinder Singh becomes SDO (C)-cum-Additional Collector, Kaithal, vice Mr Sanjay Rai, whose posting orders would be issued later. Mr Dalip Singh, District Transport Officer
(DTO) Yamunanagar, and Mr Suresh Kumar SDO (C), Assandh, will swap places. Mr Ashwani Kumar has been posted as MD, Ch Devi Lal Cooperative Sugar Mills, Panniwala Mota, Sirsa, in place of Mr Jagdeep Singh whose posting order will be issued later. Mr Satbir Singh Saini will be new SDO (C) Ambala in place of Mr Hawa Singh who has been posted as SDO (C), Pehowa, in place of Mr Prem Chand
Gangal, who becomes SDO (C), Thanesar. Mr Shiv Prasad will be new SDO (C), Loharu in place of Mr Amardeep Jain who has been posted as Estate Officer, HUDA, Faridabad, in place of Mr Pardeep
Godara. Mr Godara has been posted as SDO (C), Jagadhri, in place of Mr Narhari Singh Banger who becomes Estate Officer, HUDA, Gurgaon, in place of Mr Pardeep Kumar. Mr Pardeep Kumar has been posted as SDO (C), Hisar, against a vacant post. Mrs Ritu will be new Zonal Administrator,
HSAMB, Gurgaon. Mr Sushil Sarwan has been posted as SDO (C), Palwal, in place of Mr Balwan Singh Bhakhar who becomes SDO (C), Tohana, in place of Mr Satbir Singh
Jangu, who goes as SDO (C), Dabwali. Mr Balbir Singh-II will be new SDO (C), Meham, vice Mr Rajiv Ahlawat whose posting orders would be issued later. Mr Umed Singh Mohan becomes SDO (C), Gohana, in place of Mr Munish Nagpal who goes as SDO (C),
Siwani, in place of Mr Geeta Bharti whose posting orders will be issued later. |
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Proximity to UP makes Panipat crime hub Panipat, June 29 Easy availability of the arms and ammunition has encouraged local gangs to become more active. A large number of cases of murder, dacoity and robbery are pointers to this fact. This month, four persons were shot dead, two murdered, one shot at and heavy arms recovered from local residents in separate incidents. Sources in the police and intelligence agencies said the criminals were purchasing arms mostly from Kerana and Muzafarnagar districts in Uttar Pradesh. The price of a countrymade pistol like .315 bore, .12 bore and .36 bore was between Rs 500 and Rs 2,000. The price of a China-made revolver was between Rs 2,000 and Rs 7,000. The sources added that as Kerana was about 22 km from here and Muzaffarnagar about 75 km, miscreants in the district were approaching these two districts for arms deals. Interstate gangs were using AK-47 guns available in Uttar Pradesh at prices ranging between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh. It had become evident from the gruesome incidents in the district that the various gangs operating in the district were using countrymade pistols for dacoity, murder and extortion. The continuous penetration of criminals and weapons into the district could be linked to the rise in crime. In the past nine days, six major incidents took place in the district. Terror had gripped the residents following the rise in crime since January. The district was now believed to be the safest hideout for criminals from neighbouring states and for hiding smuggled weapons. On June 20, the Hisar police recovered heavy weapons, including an AK-47, from the possession of Dilsher Singh, alleged to be a member of the inter-state gang, from Israna, about 20 km from here. On April 6, four youths seriously injured two policemen and carried away AK-47 and other weapons in a bag. The youths were believed to be members of the Tansir gang operating in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. |
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5 of family among 8 killed in accident Jhajjar, June 29 They have been identified as Rakesh, his wife and namesake Rakesh, his seven month-old son, mother Rajbala, aunt Laad Bai (all residents of Sanjharwas villlage near here), Ashok, Nar Singh and Jeep owner Kishen. Rakesh’s sister Sudesh, who was critically injured, has been admitted to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, for treatment The family was returning to their village from Gurgaon after offering prayers at Sheetla Mata temple there. As their Jeep approached Godri village it collided head on with a speeding truck coming from the opposite direction. Five of the occupants died on the spot while three others died while being moved to local hospitals. Residents of Godri village were the first to arrive on the scene. They carried the injured to hospitals. However, three of the injured died before they could reach the hospital. The only survivor, Sudesh, was immediately referred to Rohtak after preliminary treatment here. The truck driver fled away from the scene after the accident. He had not been located till reports last came in. The Jeep was totally crushed in the accident and the bodies were trapped in the wreckage. Traffic on the busy road remained suspended for several hours. |
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Loan limits
revised Chandigarh, June 29 An official spokesman said here today that in the case of personal computer loan, the employees drawing a basic pay of Rs 9000, including D.P., non-practising allowance and special pay, would be entitled to an advance with a limit of Rs 40,000 or the actual price of the computer, whichever is less, to be recovered in 100 monthly instalments. In the case of a motor car, the employees drawing a basic pay of Rs 15000, including D.P., non-practising allowance and special pay, would be entitled to an advance of Rs 1.80 lakh or the actual price of the vehicle, whichever is less, to be recovered in 100 monthly instalments. For a scooter or a motor cycle, the employees drawing a basic pay of Rs 6000 would be entitled for Rs 30,000 (motor cycle) and Rs 20,000 (scooter) or the actual price of the vehicle, whichever is less. For a moped, the employees drawing a basic pay of Rs 4,500 would be entitled to an advance of Rs 10,000 or the actual price of the vehicle, whichever is less. For a cycle, the limit of advance would be Rs 1,500 or the actual price, whichever is less and it would be recoverable in 20 monthly instalments. |
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Admn told to seal handpumps Yamunanagar, June 29 Ms Gulati, who is also the Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana, also directed the administration to seal all handpumps along the main sewerage nullah passing through the twin towns of Jagadhri and Yamunanagar. Sources said in May, the Health Department had collected 47 water samples from different places and 17 of them had failed. However, the Public Health Department reportedly refused to accept the findings of the Health Department. Now, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate would collect water samples in presence of representatives of both Health and Public Health departments. As per the order, over 400 handpumps will be sealed. The Public Health Department authorities have been asked to esnure regular drinking supply to the residents who would be affected by the sealing of the handpumps. Ms Gulati, who was here to take stock of the developmental works being carried out in the district, also asked the Civil Surgeon to send teams of doctors to the various colonies. She also asked him to take special care of children at the various anganwari centres. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Vijyander Kumar, briefed her about the development activities in the district. The Coordinating Secretary also instructed the officials concerned of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) to minimise power cuts. |
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IMA for right to health as Fundamental Right Ambala, June 29 Dr Jaspal said over the years, the priority given to health was on the wane and the health budget has been increasingly pruned. “We demand that the budget allocation for health should at least be doubled and health should be declared as a priority sector. Primary health infrastructure should be strengthened and given top priority,” he said. He stated that public private partnership models should be encouraged to run tertiary and intermediate care hospitals. “The private sector should be promoted and it should be encouraged to participate in all national health programmes,” he said. “Health care activities should be exempted from all taxes including service tax,” he added. Dr Jaspal stated that health care insurance cards should be given to people below the poverty line. “An all-India health service should be created on the lines of the IAS and IPS. Specific concessions should be given to doctors on income tax, specifically for those working in rural areas and backward areas in health,” he said. |
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HCMSA seeks
non-practising allowance Panchkula, June
29 The demands were raised by the members of the association, during the 28 th annual convention of the association held here today. The convention was attended by HCMS doctors from different parts of the state, informed the chairman of the organising committee and Civil Surgeon, Panchkula, Dr Satvir Chaudhary.
Discussions were held on increasing conveyance allowance and rural health allowance; academic allowance; improvement of working conditions; cadre restructuring and promotion avenues; and, transfer policy and specialist services
cadre. The issues concerning the medicare policy to common people who cannot afford the latest technological advancements in the field of medicine were also discussed in the meeting. Discussions on how to implement government programmes on water borne diseases, vector borne diseases, immunisation family welfare maternal and child health, tuberculosis, school health etc. were also held. The doctors also discussed on how to deliver services to the masses and implement programmes under “Swasthya Aap Ke Dwar”. A souvenir was also be released on this occasion. |
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Haryana
Punjabi award for Gasso Ambala, June
29 “I am happy after winning the first prize for my poetry collection
`Khushbuan De Kangan’,” he said. He has published a number of books including two poetry collections
`Hunar Di Mehak’ and `Gaunde Jajbe’, a book on criticism `Sabyachar Ate Punjabi Natak’ and an edited poetry book
`Baatein Karta Akash’. Dr Gasso won gold medal in BA and he has done his MA in Punjabi and Hindi. He completed his doctorate from Punjabi University, Patiala. “I have been inspired to write poetry on issues concerning the society. My father, Mr Om Prakash
Gasso, is a prominent writer of Punjabi,” he stated. ‘Khushbuan De Kangan’ has 79 poems. Dr Gasso is actively associated wiht Haryana Sahitya Kala Manch and Punjabi Sahitya Manch. |
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30 pc growth in advances for agriculture Chandigarh, June 29 This was brought out during a special meeting of state level bankers’ committee convened by Punjab National Bank to formulate strategies for doubling the flow of credit to the agriculture sector within the next three
years. A significant feature in the performance of priority sector lending in Haryana has been continuous improvement in performance in the past three years from 60 per cent in 2002 to 66 per cent in March 2004. Percentage of agriculture advances vis-a-vis total advances was 30 per cent against the national goal of 18 per cent.
The overall performance of the banking system under annual credit plan during the year 2003-04 was reported to be satisfactory as the achievement was 115 per cent as compared to 103 per cent during the corresponding period of last year.
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MDU reinstates
teacher Rohtak, June 29 He had been suspended in October last year by the then Vice-Chancellor, Maj-Gen Bhim Singh Suhag (retd), after an altercation at a meeting of the Academic Council. Several charges were levelled against him. Since he was an elected member of the Executive Council also, after his suspension he was not allowed to attend the council meetings. A panel appointed to look into the charges against him had recommended his reinstatement. |
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