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Chautala can’t be Leader of Opposition
Goons fire to intimidate journalist
HCS results: candidates want
Governor to intervene
Residents block traffic against police inaction
Panic over spate of murder cases
Tax proposals flayed
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Does PNB robbery have Ludhiana link?
‘Aim of martyrdom in Sikhism to save humanity’
BJP threatens dharna
Ex-servicemen seek action against DC
Lecture on international relations
Army jawan looted in train
3 held for attack on marriage
party
Man on parole commits suicide
4 law officers resign
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Chautala can’t be Leader of Opposition
Chandigarh, March 2 His official fleet of two Mercedes cars and one Ambassador is lying idle at the CM’s official residence. In deference to propriety, Mr Chautala has not used any of the official cars ever since he submitted his resignation to the Governor on February 27. It is possible that Mr Chautala will not get any official car for his use for the next five years unless a byelection somewhere allows him to improve his party’s tally in the Assembly. With the INLD’s present strength of nine MLAs, Mr Chautala will not get the status of the Leader of the Opposition. According to parliamentary conventions, the number of MLAs from a party should be so much as could constitute the quorum in the Assembly to be recognised as a party in the House. In Haryana’s case at least 10 MLAs are needed to constitute the quorum. The INLD is one MLA short of the required number. Having nine MLAs, the INLD would be considered a parliamentary group. Being the leader of a parliamentary group, Mr Chautala cannot be recognised as the Leader of the Opposition. Consequently, he would not be entitled to the perks enjoyed by the Leader of the Opposition such as a furnished house, car, telephone, personal secretary, etc. Earlier also the Assembly had functioned without Leader of the Opposition when the party led by Mr Devi Lal, in alliance with the BJP, had secured a huge majority in 1987. It is also unlikely that Mr Chautala will be able to win over any of the 10 Independent MLAs to obtain for himself the status of Leader of the Opposition. The anti-defection law will prevent any of the Independent MLAs from becoming a part of
the INLD. |
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Goons fire to intimidate journalist
Gurgaon, March 2 The incident took place in the Rajender Nagar police post area and the police has registered a criminal case under Sections 506, 285 and 120-B, IPC, and 25/26/59 of the Arms Act. The accused SHO, Mr Jagminder Singh, has been named in the FIR along with two youths. The journalist was on foot and returning home in Babupur village, near
here, when two youths travelling on a Hero Honda bike came from behind and stopped him. They allegedly said that he would be liquidated if he again wrote anything against the SHO. They demonstrated their threat by firing in the air from a gun. According to the journalist, sensing criminal intention on the part of the
miscreants, he ran while making a call to the police about the incident. The miscreants escaped. The incident occured late in the night at Daulatabad crossing, about 5 kms from here. According to him, immediately after the two miscreants left the scene, Mr Jagminder Singh made a call on his mobile phone. He threatened to get him liquidated. The said officer called him four times from the same telephone number. The officer was alleged to be angry on account of a news report in his daily on illegal mining in which his complicity was referred to without, of course, naming
him. The officer further threatened that he could not escape. According to the journalist, the officer also said that he had talked to the Dharamveer gang to tackle him. In
response to the distress phone call made to the police a six-member team, including two DSPs, arrived at the spot. The journalist fainted on account of the trauma and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a local private hospital. He was discharged after a few hours of medication. According to the
journalist, the SHO made threatening calls on his mobile phone three times in the presence of the police team in the hospital. Two journalists based here are said to be witness to the phone
calls. In fact on all the occasions, he handed over the phone to the police personnel present in the
hospital. One of the member of the team also talked to the accused SHO and asked him to come to his senses. The journalists here held an emergency meeting today and
submitted a memorandum to the district police chief, Mr Alok Kumar Roy. The journalists demanded immediate arrest of the SHO. |
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HCS results: candidates want Governor to intervene
Chandigarh, March 2 In a hard-hitting representation that features allegations that the “selections were made not on merit basis but on extraneous considerations”, the students have sought direct intervention of the Governor. While submitting that the “Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) had played havoc with the career of many bright students”, the respondents have requested the Governor to “direct the authorities concerned against issuance of appointment letters to the selected candidates.” They have also asked for corrective measures to stem the rot. Further while doubting the credibility of results, they have called for fresh evaluation/revaluation by a panel of examiners with impeccable integrity (either by the UPSC or by some other agency of standing). The candidates came together after The Tribune highlighted the apparent “incongruity” in the HCS (Executive) results. This newspapers investigations confirmed that the recently declared results had defied logic, with several toppers holding important academic positions in universities and colleges failing to manage even 20 per cent marks in their optional subjects, also their subjects of specialisation. It was also found that several candidates with brilliant past records had scored poorly in their optionals, casting aspersions on the process of marking for HCS examinations. After submitting the representation, Vishal Joshi, who lost the top slot in the said exams by three marks (he surprisingly failed in Hindi compulsory by three marks), told The Tribune, “The malpractice of direct marking has come handy for the HPSC which has been using it to eliminate unwanted candidates. There are many cases in which candidates who have secured well in optionals have failed in compulsory subjects. There are other cases where UGC/JRF scholars with many years of teaching experience have failed in their subject of specialisation, which they took as
optionals.” |
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Residents block traffic against police inaction
Hisar, March 2 One person was killed and several others were injured when a group of armed youths attacked a marriage party in Mahabir Colony here on Sunday night. Earlier, hundreds of people from the Surya Nagar and Mahabir Colony localities in the city and some villages in the district held a meeting at the local Jat Dharamshala. During the meeting, the elderly members wanted to wait for some more time before taking to the roads. But youths reached the Krantiman Park roundabout and blocked traffic for nearly two hours. The traffic had to be diverted through an alternative route. The protesters staged a dharna on the road and raised slogans against the police. Two brothers of the deceased, Raghuvir Singh and Anand Singh, maintained that the dharna would not be lifted until the Deputy Commissioner and the SP gave them assurance. Finally, DSP Ashok Kumar and SHO Balram Singh reached the scene and placated the protesters. The blockade was lifted only after assurances by officials of prompt action. |
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Panic over spate of murder cases
Panipat, March 2 Besides, three cases of abduction and disappearance under suspicious circumstances and several incidents of looting and theft took place in the recent past. The worries of the public is further aggravated as the police has failed to make any breakthrough in most of the crime cases. Panipat SP Suman Manjri denied that incidents of crime had increased. “Fifty per cent less incidents of crime had taken place in the recent past as compared to the same period last year,” Ms Manjri said while talking to The Tribune. Meanwhile, with the recovery of missing Naulatha youth Rakesh’s body under mysterious circumstances near a water tank in Bichpari village on Monday and murder of migrant labourer from Bihar Ram Prakash Yadav (42) at Shubha Ram Market near the refinery on early Saturday, the number of unsolved cases of killings have further risen. While the police failed to make any breakthrough in the daylight murder of housewife Shakuntala (48) at her house in Thermal Colony on December 24, it could arrest only one of the three accused in connection with the killing of Duperi village wrestler Mahender, who was shot dead on January 27. Accusing the police of trying to shield the two accused, Mahender’s parents Jaswant Singh and Bimla Devi have threatened to immolate themselves if the police failed to arrest the two accused at the earliest. Besides, the killing of Satyanaryan, a resident of Kishanpura, on February 7, the cases relating to the recovery of bodies of two unidentified persons from the bushes at Siwah village and a vacant plot of Sector 25, HUDA, on December 25 and February 11, respectively, could also not be solved. Further it is also feared that the kidnapped mechanic Narender of Chamrara village might also have been killed. However, his body could not be found as it had reportedly been thrown in the Moonak branch canal near Ghagseena village by suspected abductor on February 13. |
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Tax proposals flayed
Sonepat, March 2 Many senior citizens pointed out that with soaring prices and proportionate increase in domestic expenditure transactions of Rs 10,000 or above have become necessary. It is not right to put the extra burden on those who pay their taxes and deposit their legally earned money in banks, they said. Government employees also criticised the proposal pointing out that they get salary through banks and the Income Tax is deducted at source on the amount. if they withdraw their salary, they have to pay Rs 10 extra on very transaction of Rs 10,000. In this way they will pay tax twice on the same amount. Transporters and the owners of auto-rickshaws criticised the 50 paise cess on petrol and diesel. Their contention was that these essential commodities are already heavily taxed by government. |
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Does PNB robbery have Ludhiana link?
Ambala, March 2 The police in Ambala has got some vital leads which indicate that the robbers involved in the bank heist could have committed a similar crime in Ludhiana two days back. The police here is now coordinating with the Ludhiana police in the investigation. The Superintendent of Police, Ambala, Mr
M.R. Kiran, expressed confidence that the case will be cracked soon. “We have learnt that a similar armed robbery had taken place in Ludhiana two days back. We are now working in tandem with the Ludhiana police in this regard,” he said. Mr Kiran said that two days back an armed robbery had taken place at a private chit fund office located in Ludhiana. “There are several similarities in the Ludhiana incident and the PNB robbery incident. Firstly, a toy pistol is suspected to have been used in both the cases. Secondly, the heights of the robbers are practically the same in both the incidents. We also have certain other clues,” he said. He said that the modus operandi in the Ludhiana incident and the PNB incident is also the same. “The Ludhiana police has got some fingerprints. I have spoken with the SP, Ludhiana, in this regard,” he said. The SP, Ambala, said that after the armed bank robbery at Allahabad bank in Shahpur village on February 16, he had on his own decided to deploy police personnel at the different bank branches. “We had taken that step as we wanted to beef up security of banks so that a similar incident does not take place again,” he said. He said that despite providing security, in yesterday’s incident the bank manager had allowed the police personnel to leave the bank premises at 3.15 pm. “The robbers struck after the police personnel had left. Can the police be blamed in such a situation,” he said. Mr Kiran stated that it is the duty of the banks to provide proper security at the bank branches. “There should be a gunman at the bank branch so that such incidents do not take place. Although, I have repeatedly requested the banks to get gunmen of their own, they do not seem to have heeded our advice,” he said. “I am planning to file a Public Interest Litigation with a request for direction to all bank branches in Haryana to have gunmen. The banks must take steps to ensure safety of public money,” he said. |
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‘Aim of martyrdom in Sikhism to save humanity’
Karnal, March 2 They have assembled at Guru Nanak Khalsa College here to participate in the national seminar on “Martyrdom: Tradition of Sikhism” organised to mark major centenaries in Sikh history. In his keynote address, Professor Darshan Singh from Panjab University stressed upon the need to preserve the philosophy and traditions of Sikhism. Explaining the concept of martyrdom, he said it was not based on any religious ideology but emanated from the sovereign rights of an individual irrespective of his commitment to religion. Professor A.S. Kang from Kurukshetra University said globalisation had snatched away social bounds, religion, traditions, customs and culture. Therefore, in order to strengthen the community’s roots, one has to look back to regain lost glory. He said martyrdom in Sikhism was a fundamental concept and represented an important institution of the faith. In the Sikh form, the institution was a complete departure from the Indian tradition, and distinguished the character of Sikhism from the earlier established religious traditions. “It is significant that the concept of martyrdom was emphatically laid down by Guru Nanak, and the history of the Guru period as well as the subsequent history of the Sikhs is an open expression, in thought and deed, of this basic doctrine”, he said. Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon, Chairman of the Department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, said the concept of martyrdom was laid down by Guru Nanak. His hymn calling life ‘a game of love’ is of profound significance in Sikh thought, he said. He said the tradition of martyrdom in Sikhism was aimed at saving the very existence of humanity. He was of the view that with such sacrifices people not only learnt lessons but got motivated to keep their stand firm on ‘truth and humanism’. Dr Harpal Singh Pannu, Chairman of the Department of Religious Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala said: “In Sikhism the institution of martyrdom is an integral part of the system enunciated by Guru Nanak, and the lead in the matter was given by the fifth Guru while the sixth Guru explained how destruction of the tyrant and protection of the weak were parts of the religion of Guru Nanak, and the dictates of God. The sacrifices of the ninth and tenth Gurus were aimed at saving the identity, culture and customs of the society in existence at that time. Earlier, the chief guest, Dr A.K. Chawla, Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, gave a brief account of the Sikh history and the lessons that could be learnt by the younger generation. Dr Devinder Singh Dhaliwal, Principal, Guru Nanak Khalsa College delivered the welcome address while Dr Surinder Pal Singh from the Punjabi Department of the college coordinated the seminar. |
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BJP threatens dharna
Panipat, March 2 Addressing mediapersons here today, BJP district general secretary and president of the Municipal Council Sanjay Bhatia, threatened to stage dharna outside the DC’s office on March 11 if no concrete step was taken to fulfil their legitimate demand till then. A BJP delegation led by its district president, Ms Jyotika Saxena, also handed over a memorandum in this regard to the DC, Anurag Rastogi. In its one-page memorandum, the BJP stated that hundreds of voters of Gopal Colony, Arjun Nagar, Bharat Nagar, Kuldip Nagar, Rampura Basti, Kalu Peer Colony, Shakti Nagar, Ganga Ram Colony, Hari Nagar, Saini Colony, Sharma Nagar, Gaba Colony and Dutta Colony had been deprived of their right to vote in panchayat elections, while their names had been included in the voters lists meant for Parliament and Assembly elections for last |
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Ex-servicemen seek action against DC
Chandigarh, March 2 Addressing a press conference here today, members of the All-India Veterans Core Group and Indian Ex-services League, demanded that the Election Commission of India register an FIR against them as 60,000 service personnel at Ambala could not exercise their right to franchise due to alleged negligence and ignorance of stipulated directives on their part. “The Western Command had in March, 2004, directed all cantonment executive officers (CEO) to include the names of soldiers and their families in the electoral rolls as is done for civilians, but the CEO at Ambala failed to do so,” the group’s president, Brig H.S. Ghuman (retd), said. He said while the CEO at Ambala, a civilian officer in the Defence Ministry, had been regularly registering civilians at voters, the names of soldiers are not being included in the electoral rolls without any valid reason. The Deputy Commissioner, who is also the Returning Officer, failed to check the anomaly. He added that as per Supreme Court orders and Law Ministry directives, service personnel have a right to be registered as voters at the place of their posting. A complaint regarding denial of voting rights sent to the President earlier has been forwarded to the Defence Secretary for appropriate action, Brig Ghuman said. |
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Lecture on international relations
Ambala, March 2 He said international trade was not a new concept. “The Sumerians and Egyptians did it 5000 years ago. Dr Wiberg said the West Europeans were often unhappy about the neoliberal version of capitalism that the USA was trying to push on everyone else. The USA and the European Union were rhetorically committed to free trade, but at the same time they make a lot of exceptions for themselves. The rich states therefore have some interests in common while others compete. But their interests clashes with the rest of the world. Dr Wiberg said power had several bases, including military and economic strength, international prestige and control over communication. “Their relative weight changed over time and the end of the Cold War meant more weight to economic power, less to military power,” he added. |
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Army jawan looted in train
Hisar, March 2 The 38-year-old soldier was probably offered some eatables laced with intoxicant by the looters. After consuming it, he fell unconscious and was deprived of his belongings. Mr Madan Lal, who is still unconscious, is undergoing treatment at the local Civil Hospital. He was posted in Jammu and was returning to his village after five months. |
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3 held for attack on marriage
party
Hisar, March 2 A number of local residents yesterday blocked traffic in protest against the police inaction in this regard. Following this, the police authorities had assured them that the accused in this case would soon be arrested. The arrested persons were today presented in a local court, which remanded them in custody till March 5. |
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Man on parole commits suicide
Sonepat, March 2 According to a report, Bijender was released on parole 10 days ago and he had been living along with his wife in the house separately from other members of the family. He went to sleep last night as usual. When he did not open the door today, the members of the family broke open the door and found him hanging from a ceiling fan. They informed the police. The police sent the body for a post-mortem examination. |
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4 law officers resign
Chandigarh, March 2 According to sources, Additional Advocate-General Sukhbir Singh Mattewal, Senior Deputy Advocate-General Sanjay
Vashisth, Deputy Advocate-General Sukhraj Singh Brar and Assistant Advocate-General Rajnish Kumar Dhanda have sent their resignations to the Home Department. |
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Chandigarh, March 2
