Hisar, September 21
The Union Minister of State for Urban Employment and Poverty alleviation, Ms Selja, has urged the agricultural scientists to develop technology to benefit the small and marginal farmers.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the two-day “Farm Darshan” fair on the campus of Haryana Agricultural University here today, she said with the increasing population, the farm land holdings were declining and the scientists should develop technology that helped the farmers in getting good income from small land holdings.

The minister exhorted the farm scientists to bridge the gap between the generation and adoption of technology. At the same time, she lauded the contribution of the HAU scientists in making the state self-sufficient in foodgrain production.

Ms Selja expressed concern over the excessive use of chemical fertilisers and sale of spurious farm inputs. She released two books on agriculture published by the university.

Farmers from various parts of Haryana and neighbouring states purchased seeds worth Rs 21 lakh on the first day of the fair. The Director of Extension Education at HAU, Dr R.K. Malik, stated that farm literature worth Rs 25,000 was also sold on the occasion.

The Haryana Financial Commissioner-cum-Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Ms Asha Sharma, who is also the acting Vice-Chancellor of the university, highlighted various aspects of the fair. She said the theme of this year’s fair was “Agriculture: A business” and the visiting farmers would be guided on how to earn more profit.

Ms Sharma maintained that the HAU scientists were making efforts to evolve technology to bring down the cost of cultivation so as to benefit the state farmers, 70 per cent of whom were small or marginal ones.

Earlier, Ms Selja, accompanied by Ms Sharma, took a round of the research farm of the university and sought information on the latest achievements of the HAU scientists. She also planted a sapling at the Kisan Seva Kendra.

Karnal, September 21
In a breakthrough, the district police recovered a huge cache of poppy husk in four different parts of the city yesterday and nabbed eight persons involving in smuggling.

A total of 370 kg of poppy husk put in 10 gunny bags were recovered from separate places falling under the Nissing and Asandh police stations. While the police succeeded in nabbing eight accused, two of their accomplices fled from the spot, a police spokesman said.

While Sukha Singh, his son Malkit Singh, drivers Dharampal and Major Singh different districts were nabbed alongwith six gunny bags of poppy husk by the Nissing police, Sukha’s brother Darbara Singh and Resham Singh managed to flee.

SP Sibas Kabiraj and DSP (Asandh) Jagat Singh Hooda reached the spot to supervise the operation.

In yet another case in the jurisdiction of the Nissing police station, Gurdev Singh and his son Pargat Singh were nabbed with three gunny bags of poppy husk.

Similarly, the Asandh police nabbed Satnam Singh, alias Satta, and Sonu and recovered a gunny bag with 37 kg of poppy husk from their possession.

The Taraori police also recovered 1 kg of poppy husk, however, the accused, identified as Saleem of Kheri Mann village of Indri, fled.

Sonepat, September 21
A Jat panchayat of several villages of Gohana today withdrew its call for Haryana bandh on September 23 in view of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s assurance to consider their demands.

The panchayat of 62 villages had last week threatened to call Haryana bandh on September 23 if the cases against all 23 accused in Gohana arson incident were not withdrawn till September 20.

The panchayat had also demanded the arrest of all accused in the Baljit Siwach murder case which triggered the arson attack on Balmiki Basti in Gohana on August 31.

However, the panchayat met again in Butana village today to take a final decision on the matter.

At the meeting, it was mentioned that a delegation of the panchayat had met Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who sought time till October 15 to consider their demands. The Chief Minister reportedly told the delegation that he could not take any decision on their demands in view of the September 28 byelection in Rohtak Lok Sabha constituency.

Keeping in view the Chief Minister’s assurance, the panchayat today deferred its decision on bandh call till October 15. The panchayat would have talks with the Chief Minister once again after October 15 and announce its course of action.

Till then it had deferred all its agitational activities.

Haryana Sarvkhap Panchayat spokesman Ram Mehar said the decision would thwart attempts by certain quarters to influence the Rohtak byelection in the name of Gohana incident. — UNI

Gurgaon, September 21
Frayed tempers on account of selling of country- made liquor with the brand name of “Rana” with the figure of Maharana Pratap, who fought the Mughal Emperor, Akbar, in Rajasthan, has found echoes in Haryana.

The Sanyukt Chatriya Mahasangh, having its headquarters here, today said that agitation on the issue was going on in Rajasthan and would also be organised in Haryana as well as other parts of the country. The chairperson of the mahasangh, Capt Vikaram Singh, said the fact that the “Rana” brand of liquor with the figure of Maharana Pratap, was being sold in an authorised way from liquor vends in Rajasthan raised suspicion. There appears to be some kind of conspiracy to denigrate a historical figure, who accidentally happens to be from a particular Hindu caste.

The mahasangh urged the Centre and the Rajasthan Governments to look into the matter and set things right forthwith.

According to him, the Haryana Rajput Pratinidhi Sabha has convened a meeting at Bhiwani on September 25 on the issue. The meeting would also take stock of the apparent move to denigrate historical figures of the country.

He said the North Zone Chatriya Mahasabha headed by a prominent Congress leader and MLC from Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Gulchain Singh Charak, was also trying to ascertain facts on the issue.

The Mahasangh pointed out that facts relating to Maharana Pratap and Prithviraj Chauhan, considered to be the last Hindu emperor had been distorted in history books published by NCERT for C.B.S.E curriculum. In a book prescribed for Standard X1 it had been projected that Prithviraj Chauhan fled from the battle of Tarain(1192 AD)to Sirsa where he was capture by the army of Mohammad Gazni and allowed to be king of Ajmer only after he tendered an apology to the Sultan. The author, Ms Romilla Thapar had further mentioned that Prithviraj Chauhan was later captured and beheaded by Mohammad Ghazni for hatching conspiracy against the Sultan.

In another history book published by NCERT, authored by Prof Satish Chandra, facts had been distorted relating to Maharana Pratap. In pages 53-54 of the book has pointed out that Rajputs used to give bribes to the Brahmins to declare them to be hailing from Suryavanshi and Chandravansi clans.

A delegation of the Rajput community, including Maharaja of Narsingarh and former Governor of Goa,Mr Bhanu Prakash Singh and the Maharaja of Sirohi, Mr Raghuvir Singh, met the Human Resource Development Minister, Mr Arjun Singh on August 24 and protested against the distortion of facts. The minister assured to rectify the anomalies in the history books. Also, the minister assured that in future a panel of historians would be assigned to write a history book rather than get it written by one author, Capt Vikram Singh added.

Badli (Jhajjar), September 21
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said today that there was no place for parochial politics in his scheme of things and he never raised the issue of regional supremacy (chaudhar) in his political career.

Calling upon the Congress workers to desist from harping on the refrain of ‘Rohtak ke chaudhar’ after his elevation to the Chief Minister’s post as it reeks of arrogance, Mr Hooda maintained that the entire state would move ahead on the path of development in equal proportions. He alleged that earlier governments had made lopsided development due to their narrow-minded approach. “The biased attitude of successive government not only left the southern parts of Haryana neglected and underdeveloped but also instilled a sense of indifference towards them on part of the governments. This virtually forced the people here to raise this issue”, stated Mr Hooda. The Chief Minister was today addressing a party workers meeting in Badli village here in connection with the Rohtak Lok Sabha byelection in which his son Deepender is in the fray as Congress nominee.

Coming down heavily on his detractors, who described the Congress government as non-performing so far, the Chief Minister said that even though the model code of conduct had been in force for about three months in his six-month term at the helms of affairs, his government had taken many path-breaking decisions, including waiver of Rs 1,600 crore power bill arrears of the farmers, the construction of a new canal to bring water to the Ahirwal region and enhancing the power generation capacity of the state from present 4,000 MW to 8,000 MW in three years.

Mr Hooda stated that availing of basic services like adequate power, potable water and irrigation facility, improving the law and order situation by eliminating criminal elements and industrial development were on the priority list of the Congress government. On the long standing issue of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, he said, “ People are being misled on this particular issue by the INLD, which was in power earlier as their opposition to the Rajiv-Longowal pact had raised hurdles in the completion of the canal”. He promised that it would be completed within two years now.

Chandigarh, September 21
Mr Justice S.K. Mittal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today reserved his order on the petition filed by former UT Home Secretary and suspended Haryana cadre IAS officer N.K. Jain. Mr Jain has challenged the March 12 order of the Special Judge, CBI, Chandigarh, by which his prayer for summoning of additional accused was rejected.

Mr Jain and one K.B. Goel, the then Superintendent of UT Secretariat, were booked by the CBI on April 6, 2000, under the Prevention of Corruption Act for misusing their office and accepting illegal gratification.

Among those named by the CBI as those who paid bribes to Mr Jain through Mr Goel for getting their work done are Amarjit Singh, driver in the UT Department of Weights and Measures, who was promoted Inspector after he promised to pay Rs 1 lakh as bribe. He was later reverted to his post as he could not pay the remaining amount of bribe.

The other such bribe givers include dismissed bus conductor Balbir Singh, who was reinstated after he paid the bribe.

Mr Jain’s counsel informed the court that these persons and many more claimed to have paid bribes were not booked by the CBI. “Giving bribe to get work done is as much a crime as accepting bribe,” he stated, adding that these persons never approached the CBI and continued to enjoy the fruits of bribes paid by them.

Ambala, September 21
Guardians of a student of a reputed public school demanded that the school authority to take action against a computer teacher of the school who had allegedly mercilessly beaten up a number of students of Class IV for not bringing to a book.

A student Karan sustained minor injuries on his right thumb. Karan’s father Bhusan Kumar, who is an official at the District Transport Office, met the principal of the school. The principal assured him that a strict action would be taken against the teacher concerned.

Later, Mr Bhusan Kumar said that he was satisfied with the action of the principal and he did not persue the matter further.

Ambala, September 21
The police today released the sketch of a youth who is suspected to be involved in the murder of another youth in a hotel in Ambala Cantt.

The incident had taken place about three weeks back. The sketch has been prepared with the help of inputs provided by hotel employees. The sketch is being sent to all police stations in various districts in the state.

The body of a youth had been found in a hotel room.

Police officials suspect that he was done to death by another person who had also checked in with the victim.