Gurgaon, July 27
Uneasy calm prevailed here today after two days of bloody violence.

However, political ramifications of the events of Monday and Tuesday became apparent with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) coming out openly against the Congress government. The INLD submitted a memorandum to the President, Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam, vide the office of Deputy Commissioner, Gurgaon, urging for dismissal of the Congress government in Haryana on account of its “high-handed” attitude towards the industrial labour.

Local leaders of the Congress for the first time turned up in a big number in the General Civil Hospital, which has been the epicentre of action for the third day. It was clear that some Congress leaders were in a damage-control mood. A majority of the workers who were injured last Monday in the police counter-attack, were admitted to this hospital.

For the past two days activists and leaders of the INLD have been apparently thronging the hospital and making statements regarding the violent incidents.

Significantly, INLD leaders did not visit the hospital today.

The INLD has expressed lack of confidence in the retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court who has been assigned with the judicial probe into the police assault on the workers of Honda Scooters and Motorcycle Pvt Ltd at the lawns of Mini-Secretariat in which several hundred workers received varying degrees of injuries.

Soon after submitting the memorandum, the former Deputy Speaker of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Mr Gopi Chand Gehlot, who was once MLA from the Gurgaon Assembly, alleged that the retired judge had known links with the Congress party and was also related to the Principal Secretary of Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The INLD has demanded that the probe be headed by a sitting judge of either the high court or the Supreme Court.

About a 100-member INLD delegation come in a procession to submit the memorandum.

In response to a question Mr Gehlot made it clear that his party supported the call for “Gurgaon bandh” tomorrow given by the trade unions related to Left parties.

The convener of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre, Mr George Fernandes, visited the General Civil Hospital here and alleged that all workers had been injured on their heads. He alleged that this suggested that the police had definite instructions from the government to target the workers in a special way.

He further said that even on the third day, the government had not set up a “help line” in the hospital so that relatives of the workers could have free flow of information about them. He cautioned that the NDA was monitoring the situation and it would plan its strategy in case the Centre failed to take suitable action in the matter.

In another development, lawyers of the district court today suspended work in protest against their colleague Rajinder Pathak being named in the two FIRs in connection with the burning of a jeep of the SDM, Gurgaon, and a police out rider as well as the attack on the DSP, Headquarters, on Monday by the workers.

In these FIRs, 64 persons have been named, including Mr Pathak.

The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr K.C. Sharma, in whose court the bail application of Mr Pathak came for hearing, adjourned the case for tomorrow. Mr Pathak, along with all those named in the two FIRs are in judicial custody. One, however, is said to have been granted bail. Many of those booked in the two FIRs have been charged, inter alia, with Section 307 of the IPC.

Mr Pathak told newsmen in the courtroom that his only fault was that he was the legal adviser of the Honda Scooters and Motorcycle Employees Union and he had visited the hospital in the evening of Monday to inquire about the health of the injured workers. He alleged that he and other workers arrested were given third degree treatment by the police in the custody. The ill-treatment was meted out to him by the CIA staff on the day and the day after the arrest, he added.

Meanwhile, the national secretary of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Mr D.L. Sachdeva, said the Joint Action Committee, formed by all trade unions and individual unions of various firms here had called for a “Gurgaon bandh” tomorrow. According to him, a MP-CPI delegation would visit the hospital tomorrow.

A “citizens group” consisting of intellectuals, trade union leaders and academicians associated with the Left parties visited the Mini-Secretariat where the workers were beaten up to have a first hand information of the incident.

Mr Sunil Chopra of the CPM’s Kisan Sabha said the delegation would compile the details and move the National Human Rights Commission. The members of the delegation came from Delhi.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the local General Civil Hospital, Mr D.V. Saharan said that only seven workers — Mr Kishore Gopa, Mr Leela Dhar, Mr Ravi, Mr Sandeep, Mr Raj Mal, Mr Girish and Mr Gokul — were still in the hospital. The others had been discharged.

According to hospital sources, in all 65 persons were admitted. Yesterday, their number was 30 as the others were discharged. The CMO denied that any of the patients were referred to other hospitals. He also said none of those discharged was in serious condition. Also, the condition of those in hospital was stable.

The police today put up a notice in the hospital giving the names of the 64 persons arrested who had been named in the two FIRs and clarified that they were in Bhondsi jail. Even while the administration and the police maintain that they are not aware of any worker missing, some of the workers admitted in the hospital, along with the INLD say that a large number of them were missing. The INLD also apprehends that some have died in the police assault.

Mr Vipul, a worker from Bhuj of Gujarat, who was nursing an injury on account of the police assault in the hospital, said last night that the Honda Scooter management deliberately created an ugly situation. He said the only demand before the police assault was that all workers be taken back for work. The management had virutally closed the doors on the workers for the past one month. He also said that a large number of workers were missing.

Mr Avtar Singh, a native of Hoshiarpur district in Punjab, and who was in “quality control” wing, also echoed the same view. Mr Singh, along with Mr Vipul was nursing a fractured leg. Mr Singh had joined the firm about eight months back.

Chandigarh, July 27
The police handling of workers in Gurgaon has cast serious aspersions on the ‘crisis management capabilities’ of the Haryana Police. Several past and current top echelon of the police force now agree that there is need to impart training to the police force on ‘how to deal with the common citizens’. There is virtually no grounding of the men in uniform in ‘riot control measures’. People who have served at the top slot in the state and in neighbouring Punjab feel that the Gurgaon incident has tarnished the image of the state police and it would require a lot of effort to build up a ‘humanitarian image’

But at the same time officers who have served the Haryana Police portray an extremely loyal public façade and justify the action of the police personnel on the ground that they responded to crowds armed with ‘lathis’ and ‘stones’. Those who served in neighbouring Punjab are more candid and directly blame the Haryana Police for “striking out like a cornered animal”.

Punjab’s former Director-General of Police J.S. Chahal said the force should not have acted in a vindictive manner after panicking. “In the process, all good ever done by the Haryana Police over the years was washed away in one go”. Further analysing the action, he said “Both police and mob were to be blamed for incident. The crowd instigated the police force by attacking their vehicles and indulging in other acts of violence”.

He candidly described the action of the Haryana Police in Gurgaon as unwarranted, but added: “Finding them outnumbered by the mob, the police apparently panicked even though the cops are specifically trained not to lose their nerves under such conditions. Worse, they took to revenge against all norms and the laid down procedure. Anger and resentment are innate in human beings. No doubt about it. But then as members of a disciplined force, they are supposed to rise above the level of such negative emotions and act in a professional manner.”

Former DGP of the Haryana Police, Mr Hans Raj Swan, does not share the same sentiment. He has rather come out in strong defence of the Gurgoan administration by saying “you cannot paint anyone black or white, rather the ground reality needs to be studied exhaustively before the district administration can be blamed”

He says: “It was foreign elements in the procession of factory workers that spoilt the whole show very successfully. We have to arrive at the genesis of the problem before levying any charges. The Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police are a symbol of authority in any district and represent the state. The mob chose to take the law in their own hands and even beat up a DSP level officer. This cannot be tolerated by any force since the morale of the men depends on the officers leading them.”

Former Additional DG of the Haryana Police, Mr V.K. Kapoor too expressed a similar sentiment by saying, “The police is stressed out and has to carry out orders while being civil. This is a contradiction. Anyway, they are not guilty of lashing out at the protestors for some vested interest of theirs. The procession came armed with lathis and stones; they provoked and attacked the police. Mob mentality is such that if you don’t control them, they go berserk. The police just tried to control this mob”.

Mr D.R Bhatti, former Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP) blames lack of patience to be the root cause of the problem 
in Gurgaon.

“The cops should have maintained their cool to avoid the incident. In any case, they should not have acted like the mob”, he said. Referring to the Talhan incident, the former ADGP said it took him over seven days to bring the situation back to normal.

Offering a solution, Mr Chahal said “Cops guilty of acting in a brutal manner should be given a deterrent punishment. But before that, the authorities concerned should make inquiries to find out whether action on part of an individual police officer was bonafide, or carried out with malafide intentions”.

“Force has to be used to control the mob, much before it turns into a frenzy. Usually, they will not use this kind of force for it is counterproductive but senior officers on the spot must have taken a decision they thought right,’’ says Mr S.S. Brar, former DGP, Haryana. There can be no copybook response to such situations, the decision must have been spontaneous in this case, he adds. They in any case did not go beyond lathis and no deaths have been reported so far.

Sonepat, July 27
A large number of workers of the CPM, the CITU and other trade unions took out a procession here today to register their protest against the police atrocity on workers of a company at Gurgaon.

According to a report, the workers were led by the CPM leader, Mr S.N. Solanki, and the CITU leader, Mr Howa Singh.

Carrying party flags and raised anti-police and anti-government slogans, they marched through the main bazars of the city.

The processionists reached mini-secretariat and held a demonstration in front of the offices of the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police and raised slogans against the police and the state government. They submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner to be forwarded to Chief Minister and demanded registration of an FIR against the Gurgaon DC,SP, DSP and other erring officials of the police.

Meanwhile, Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, MP and national vice-president of the BJP has demanded resignation of Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The district unit of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, the Raodways Employees Union, the All-Haryana Power Corporation Workers’ Union, the AITUC, the SUCI and other trade unions also condemned the police atrocity on the workers and demanded stern action against the erring civil and police officials.

FATEHABAD: The Indian National Lok Dal today held a procession here in protest against the ‘police barbarism’ on the agitating workers of Honda Scooters Limited at Gurgaon on Sunday and yesterday. Former Finance Minister Sampat Singh led the agitating party workers. Mr Gian Chand Odh, MLA from Rattia, Ms Swatantar Bala Chaudhary, former MLA, Mr Ram Raj Mehta, Ms Krishana Poonia, Ms Suman Lata Siwach, Mr Kuljit Singh Kuleria and Mr Atam Parkash Mehta were present. The agitating party workers reached the local mini secretariat and gave a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner to be forwarded to the Governor.

Addressing party workers at the mini-secretariat complex, Mr Sampat Singh alleged that the draconian face of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government had been exposed by the Gurgaon incident. He said the incident had reminded us of the Jalianwala Bagh incident. Mr Sampat Singh said the way the police beat up agitating workers, it had put General Dyer, who ordered Jalianwala firing, to shame. He demanded the dismissal of Hooda government. He called upon the Left parties to withdraw support to the UPA government at the Centre.

He alleged that the Hooda government had proved to be anti-workers and anti-farmers. He said the government had come to power on the promise of providing jobs to unemployed but had retrenched more than 15,000 employees ever since it had come to power.

Meanwhile, the All-India Lawyers Union, Haryana, has condemned the police atrocities against the striking workers at Gurgaon. In a press note issued here today, Mr Devi Lal, convener of the state unit of the union, demanded immediate dismissal of Deputy Commissioner and SP of Gurgaon and stern action against them.

SIRSA: The workers of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) have demanded an immediate dismissal of the Hooda government on the Gurgaon episode where hundreds of workers were lathicharged on Monday.

At a dharna staged in front of the DC office, here today, the agitated workers blamed the state government responsible for the incident. They alleged that the police had hand in glove with the MNCs to keep the agitating workers away.

The activists said the Congress had failed on all the fronts in the state and acted in an autocratic way in crushing the workers’ agitation brutally.

KAITHAL: The INLD organised a procession here today to protest against the brutal lathi charge on Honda employees on Monday and Tuesday. Mr Ram Pal Mazra, a former Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Haryana, led the protest march which started from the local Jawahar Park and culminated at the mini secretariat where the demonstrators submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. They also demanded action against those responsible for the incident and suitable compensation for those who suffered injuries.

Earlier, a large number of activists of the INLD assembled at the local park where Mr Ram Pal Mazra addressed the gathering and said the police lathi charge on Honda employees at Gurgaon showed that the state government had miserably failed to understand the gravity of the situation. He said had the government taken timely action to sort out the problems of striking employees, this situation would not have arisen.

JHAJJAR: The INLD has urged the President to dismiss the Hooda government holding it responsible for the plight of the Honda motor cycles and scooters India workers and demanded registration of criminal cases against government officials who unleashed atrocities on the workers in Gurgaon during past two days.

The INLD workers led by district chief Nafe Singh Rathee took out a procession in the town and handed over a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner to be forwarded to the President today. The party has asked for a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court into the incident. They demanded compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the injured workers and immediate suspension of top civil and the police officials who unleashed brutality on the workers.

PANIPAT: While most of the organisations are condemning the police atrocities in Gurgaon, the office secretary of Berojgaari Hatao Kshetra Bachao Samiti, Mr Surender Singh Hooda, said some antisocial elements were behind the Monday incident. These elements were trying to malign the image of Chief Minister for getting political mileage, he said.

YAMUNANAGAR: The INLD has demanded a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the victims of the Gurgaon cane-charge besides action against the officials and cops of the Gurgaon district administration.

Mr Balwant Singh, INLD MLA from Sadhoura, while leading a massive rally here today held against the lathi charge, also demanded dismissal of the Congress government in the state. The INLD has also demanded that a sitting judge of the Supreme Court should conduct inquiry into the incident. According to various speakers, including another party MLA from the district, Mr Ishwar Singh Palaka, and former MLAs, Mr M.C Gambhir and Mr B.L Saini, the state government was responsible for the incident and everything should was pre-planned.

Sirsa, July 27
Unhappy over the functioning of Chaudhary Devi Lal University (CDLU), entire staff of the recently merged Government National College now named as the University College (UC) has started a signature campaign to get the erstwhile college separated from the university.

Talking to this correspondent on the UC campus, a number of teaching and non-teaching employees criticised the CDLU authorities for mishandling the affair of UC.

The staff of the UC has not been paid for the past two months since when they were sent on deputation to the CDLU.

There are 200 teaching and non-teaching employees of the UC who have jointly raised their voice against the decision of the Hooda government against affiliating the college with the university.

The staff members clarified that they were not consulted before lending them on deputation with the CDLU.

Lamenting decision of the authorities, a teacher said that both CDLU and state government had not taken any interest in keeping the professional respect while sending them on deputation.

It seems to be an autocratic decision of the state government that we had been ordered to go on deputation as in papers neither we had been relieved by the state government nor we had joined the CDLU.

This is the reason, that CDLU had not shown any interest either in paying the salary to the UC staff nor given any assurance on the issue.

This had led, rued the teachers, to the professional disrespect to the teaching and non-teaching staff of the UC who had worked with for years.

Questioning the irrational attitude of the authorities, the teachers said there were 111 lecturers in the UC but CDLU had the sanctioned posts of lecturers of just 64 and no clarification had been given.

Panipat, July 27
In a bizarre incident, an electricity employee, lineman Kartar Singh, was electrocuted when he was repairing some fault at Siwah village and two of his colleagues allegedly switched on the main switch last evening.

The Chandni Bagh police has registered an FIR under Section 302 of the IPC against his two colleagues, lineman Jagir and operator Om Prakash, on the statement of his family members.

The family members of the deceased alleged that the accused had some old enmity with the victim and they had reportedly threatened him to eliminate.