SPECIAL COVERAGE
CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI



THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
H A R Y A N A

Jats want removal of ‘insulting remarks’ from book
Rohtak, August 19
Taking exception to the description of Jats as a community of "lutere" (looters) in a book published by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the Yuva Kisan Manch today burnt an effigy of the council here.

Feud in Bansi family
Chandigarh, August 19
The iron man of Haryana, Mr Bansi Lal, must be turning in his grave with the way his heirs are at each other’s throats. First, it was the Delhi house in which he stayed till his last, which became a bone of contention among his siblings immediately after his 'kirya' was held.

Agrofed issue: Cong, BJP draw blood
Ambala, August 19
Agrofed issue heated up in Ambala today with a former BJP MP, Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, demanding the resignation of Union Minister Kumari Selja and Vikas Parishad activists burning the effigy of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Villagers block highway over erratic power supply
Yamunanagar, August 19
More than 1,000 villagers from 10 villages blocked the Jagadhri—Paonta Sahib National Highway here today to protest against the irregular power supply during the past few days.

Power cuts throw life out of gear
Kaithal, August 19
Power cuts in the town and other parts of the district have thrown life out of gear. The situation aggravated last week when the duration of the power cuts was increased. It is alleged by people that after a one-hour supply, a two-hour cut is being imposed. People complain that due to high temperature and long power cuts life has become difficult for them and they have to pass sleepless nights.

Protest against erratic power supply
Jhajjar, August 19
Vehicular traffic on the National Highway No. 10, near Rohad village, remained disrupted for about two hours’ today as the agitated villagers put up blockades to protest against erratic power supply.


Stories from Haryana towns falling in the National Capital Region are put in
 Delhi & neighbourhood.



YOUR TOWN
Ambala
Chandigarh
Fatehabad
Hisar
Kaithal
Kurukshetra
Karnal
Rohtak
Sonepat
Yamunanagar


EARLIER STORIES




Teachers accuse Principal of vulgarity

Kurukshetra, August 19
A private school was locked up by some members of the management after a few female teachers accused its Principal of having used "vulgar" language.

MP decries Kuldeep's outburst
Hisar, August 19
The Congress MP from Hisar, Mr Jai Prakash, has stated that Bhiwani MP Kuldeep Bishnoi’s outburst against the SEZ policy was due to frustration and not because of sympathy towards farmers.

Lawyers oppose change in RTI Act
Fatehabad, August 19
The state committee of the All-India Lawyers Union (AILU) has criticised the efforts of the Central Government to amend the Right to Information law. It has also demanded that the official fee for making an application under this law be reduced from Rs 50 to Rs 10 in Haryana.

142 discords resolved in lok adalat
Fatehabad, August 19
As many as 142 discords were resolved in a rural lok adalat organised at Chhatarian village in this district today.

Jamming of cable TV channel alleged
Karnal, August 19
In a complainant to the police, the owner of New Balaji Cable, a local cable operator, said someone is using jammers to block the cable network.

Seoul varsity students call on Governor
Chandigarh, August 19
The Haryana Governor, Dr A.R. Kidwai, today interacted with students of Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, who called on him at the Haryana Raj Bhavan. The students are on a visit to India under the CRRID Academic Exchange Programme.

Cane growers want interest on dues from mill
Yamunanagar, August 19
Thousands of sugarcane growers of the district today held a mahapanchayat here and demanded that Saraswati Sugar Mill should give interest on the pending payments of crushing season 2002-03. The matter of payment is pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Youth, uncle murdered
Ambala, August 19
A double murder took place in Nagal Ghadoli village in Shahzadpur area last night. The incident came to light in the morning.


Top










 

Jats want removal of ‘insulting remarks’ from book

Rohtak, August 19
Taking exception to the description of Jats as a community of "lutere" (looters) in a book published by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the Yuva Kisan Manch today burnt an effigy of the council here.

The slogan-shouting protesters demanded the removal of the alleged "insulting remarks" against the Jat community and the registration of a criminal case against the author of the book.

Meham Chaubisi Sarv Khaap panchayat president Surat Singh and Haryana Jat Maha Sabha president Kuldeep Singh have threatened to launch a ''massive agitation'' in case the NCERT failed to remove the objectionable remarks against the community.

Addressing the demonstrators today, former Haryana Minister and BJP leader Krishan Murty Hooda lambasted the NCERT for publishing insulting remarks against Jats.

He said that the Jat community had played an important role in the freedom movement and in defending the nation and had made a significant contribution in India achieving self-sufficiency in foodgrain production.

Mr Hooda urged Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Arjun Singh to order immediate withdrawal of the controversial book and demanded registration of a criminal case against its author. — UNI

Top

 

Feud in Bansi family
Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
The iron man of Haryana, Mr Bansi Lal, must be turning in his grave with the way his heirs are at each other’s throats.

First, it was the Delhi house in which he stayed till his last, which became a bone of contention among his siblings immediately after his 'kirya' was held. Now, it is his birth anniversary over which members of his family are quibbling.

Mrs Kiran Choudhary, widow of Mr Surender Singh, the younger son of Mr Bansi Lal and who was his political inheritor also, had planned a 'sarv dharma' prayer meeting at the Bhiwani house of the former Chief Minister, on August 26, his birth anniversary. A programme to pay flower tributes at his samadhi in Golagarh, Bansi Lal’s native village, was also planned. A drive to plant 80,000 saplings in Bhiwani district was also to be launched on that day when Mr Bansi Lal would have turned 80.

But before Mrs Choudhary could make her plans public, a controversy erupted. On August 8, Mr Ranbir Singh Mahendra, the elder son of the former Chief Minister, announced the setting up the Bansi Lal Memorial Trust with Mrs Vidya Devi as its Chairman. He also announced that the Bhiwani house in which Mr Bansi Lal used to stay would be converted into a memorial. He had also announced a function at the house on August 26.

The trust only re-affirmed the division in the family. Among the trustees are Mrs Saroj Siwach, IAS, and Mrs Savita, both daughters of Mr Bansi Lal; wife of Mr Mahendra, former MLA Ram Bhajan Aggarwal; and Mr R.D. Sheokand, Additional Principal Secretary to Haryana Chief Minister.

No one can find fault with the trust set up to keep Mr Bansi Lal’s memory alive. But what raised many eye brows was the fact that the house which was to be converted into a memorial is in the possession of Mrs Choudhary and her daughter Shruti. Both of them are not on the trust. According to sources close to Mrs Choudhary, the house was left by Mr Bansi Lal to her husband, the late Mr Surender Singh. The exact legal status of the house is not known.

Mrs Choudhary is currently the Minister of State for Forests and Tourism in the Hooda Cabinet. She was elected from Tosham after the Assembly seat fell vacant following her husband's death.

Mrs Choudhary has now planned to go ahead with the prayer meeting notwithstanding Mr Mahendra’s plans. A large number of supporters of Mr Surender Singh and Mr Bansi Lal, who have now shifted their allegiance to Mrs Choudhary, all over the state will reach Bhiwani on August 26.

Top

 

Agrofed issue: Cong, BJP draw blood
Tribune News Service

A former BJP MP, Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, wears a garland of scams, which took place during various Congress governments, in Ambala on Saturday.
A former BJP MP, Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, wears a garland of scams, which took place during various Congress governments, in Ambala on Saturday. 
Photo by Neeraj Chopra

Ambala, August 19
Agrofed issue heated up in Ambala today with a former BJP MP, Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, demanding the resignation of Union Minister Kumari Selja and Vikas Parishad activists burning the effigy of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

In retaliation, a section of Congress activists, too, burnt an effigy of Vikas Parishad chairman and former Ambala Cantt MLA Anil Vij this evening.

Mr Kataria, talking to mediapersons today, wore a paper garland containing names of scams that had taken place during various Congress governments since 1952 till 2006. The Agrofed scam was prominently displayed.

“Union Minister Kumari Selja should be dismissed as a minister as it is now clear that Agrofed scamsters had her blessings. When Mr Natwar Singh had to leave the External Affairs Ministry, then why should Kumari Selja not be dismissed? Unemployed youth have lost money in the Agrofed scam,” he said. “If Congress claims corruption-free and transparent governance, then Ambala Cantt MLA DK Bansal must also step down,” he added.

Mr Kataria said that he had briefed BJP leader VK Malhotra about the Agrofed scam, who in turn had taken up the matter with BJP chief whip Mr Santosh Gangwar. “We demand a CBI enquiry into the Agrofed scam,” he said.

Vikas Parishad activists led by former Ambala Cantt MLA Anil Vij today burnt an effigy of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Ambala Sadar to protest against the Agrofed scam. The effigy of Mr Hooda was burnt in front of the shop of the president of the District Congress Committee, Ambala Cantt, Mr Narinder Pal Singh Shera.

The activists took out a rally through different areas of Ambala, which culminated near Vijay Ratan Chowk.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Vij criticised Union Minister Kumari Selja, MLA Mr DK Bansal and Haryana Chief Minister Hooda. He alleged that the state government was trying to scuttle the Agrofed scam investigation. He said that the Ambala Cantt MLA, Mr DK Bansal was the lawyer of Agrofed chairman PS Sandhu and he was aware of the antecedents of the Mr Sandhu.

He said that when Union Minister Kumari Selja had admitted to having referred a physically challenged person for a job in Agrofed, then nobody could doubt the antecedent of the Agrofed scamsters. He said that Kumari Selja must tender her resignation on moral grounds or Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh should dismiss her.

In the evening, a section of Congress activists took out a procession carrying the effigy of Mr Vij. The procession started from Congress Bhavan. The effigy was burnt at Sadar chowk.

They were protesting against the “baseless allegations” being levelled by Mr Vij against Mr DK Bansal. They pointed out that in not a single FIR has Mr DK Bansal been named.

The District Congress Committee, Ambala Cantt, held a meeting in Congress Bhavan this evening. The Congress activists passed a resolution condemning the burning of the effigy of Mr Hooda. The meeting was presided over by Mr Narinder Pal Singh Shera.

Naggal MLA Nirmal Singh and Naraingarh MLA Ram Kishen also spoke in favour of Kumari Selja.

Top

 

Villagers block highway over erratic power supply
Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, August 19
More than 1,000 villagers from 10 villages blocked the Jagadhri—Paonta Sahib National Highway here today to protest against the irregular power supply during the past few days.

Last evening, the police had to use mild force to disperse residents of Purana Hamida who blocked the Jagadhri—Saharanpur National Highway at power subdivision-1. Residents blocked the highway at around 11 pm. Residents of Gobindpuri had also tried to block the highway near Kanhiya Sahbi chowk here. However, officials of the district administration pacified them and they returned home.

At around 4.30 pm today residents of Mukarmpur, Manakpur, Udhamgarh, Mdouwala, Ahluwala, Mundakheri, Telipura, Chaneta Gari and Panjeto villages blocked the Jagadhri—Paonta Sahib national highway using tractor-trailers near Mankpur. Villagers also blocked a link road between Jagadhri and Kharwan.

Mr Surinder Singh, sarpanch of Ahluwala, said villagers were getting very little power supply and this affected their lives as they were not able to cut fodder for cattle. The power failure had also created problems for drinking water, he added.

Mr Baldev Singh, sarpanch of Mukarpur, said power supply schedule should be revised and demanded at least 10-hour power supply to villages.

On the other hand, panchayat members and villagers of Talakor village of Mustfabad block also held a meeting today and threatened to hold a dharna at the local power station if power supply was not improved. Ms Subhash Devi, sarpanch of the village, said they organised a dharna on August 14 but they agreed to return homes after UHBVN officials promised them to improvement in power supply.

“However, the power situation has not improved and if the same continues we will hold a dharna on August 21 at the power station,” said the sarpanch.

The villagers said the panchayat had given five acre of land to the Electricity Department for setting up of a power station and the villagers were promised that in return they would get 24-hour power supply but the authorities never kept their promise.

More than five hours’ cut was imposed in the urban areas of the district till today. The power situation in villages is worse.

Top

 

Power cuts throw life out of gear
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, August 19
Power cuts in the town and other parts of the district have thrown life out of gear. The situation aggravated last week when the duration of the power cuts was increased. It is alleged by people that after a one-hour supply, a two-hour cut is being imposed. People complain that due to high temperature and long power cuts life has become difficult for them and they have to pass sleepless nights. The deficient rain during the monsoon has further aggravated the problems of the common man. At some places the departments concerned have even failed to maintain regular drinking water supply as a result of non functioning of electric motors installed at tubewells and boosting stations.

According to reports at Kaithal, Kalayat, Pundri and Cheeka towns not only the functioning of the small-scale industries has come to a standstill but also normal business activity has been effected.

The situation in the rural areas is no better. The frequent power cuts and irregular power supply have caused widespread resentment.

Top

 

Protest against erratic power supply
Our Correspondent

Jhajjar, August 19
Vehicular traffic on the National Highway No. 10, near Rohad village, remained disrupted for about two hours’ today as the agitated villagers put up blockades to protest against erratic power supply.

The IGP (Rohtak range), Mr Sharad Kumar, also got struck in the jam and the police had to resort to mild cane-charging on protesters to make way for the police officer.

About 300 villagers led by Mr Prakash, sarpanch of Rohad village, blocked the Delhi-Rohtak road at about 11 am. There was long queue of vehicles on both sides.

Later, district officials, including Executive Engineer, HBVN, Mr T.S. Rathi, and Tehsildar reached the spot and assured the villagers that power supply would be improved as soon as possible.

Top

 

Teachers accuse Principal of vulgarity

Kurukshetra, August 19
A private school was locked up by some members of the management after a few female teachers accused its Principal of having used "vulgar" language.

Around 12 teachers of Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Senior Secondary School gave a written complaint to Kurukshetra Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjay Kumar, alleging misconduct by Principal P.N. Fotedar and against the management.

The schoolteachers, at a press conference last evening, levelled the charges against the Principal and also accused the management of fraud in salary payment.

Mr Fotedar denied all allegations against him.

President of the school management board Pawan Garg said they had received no such complaint and dismissed the charges as motivated and aimed at maligning him at the behest of the political leaders of Kurukshetra and the state leadership.

Mr Garg had recently resigned as Kurukshetra district Congress president protesting against the functioning of the Kurukshetra MP Navin Jindal. He had also organised a meeting in support of Mr Bhajan Lal when he resigned as HPCC president.

The SP confirmed he had received the complaint and said it was being investigated.

He said the investigations would not be influenced by any "outside agencies". — PTI

Top

 

MP decries Kuldeep's outburst
Tribune News Service

Hisar, August 19
The Congress MP from Hisar, Mr Jai Prakash, has stated that Bhiwani MP Kuldeep Bishnoi’s outburst against the SEZ policy was due to frustration and not because of sympathy towards farmers.

“Even the farmers, whose cause he has been claiming to champion, have not supported him in the campaign,” Mr Jai Prakash said while addressing newspersons here yesterday.

He claimed that the interests of the farmers would not suffer in the process of developing SEZs as they would get good price for their land acquired for the purpose, in addition to grant of job to one member of their family.

He further stated that fertile land good for cultivation would not be used to set up SEZs, as claimed by the dissident leader.

He claimed that the monstrous problem of unemployment could be tackled only through SEZs.

Top

 

Lawyers oppose change in RTI Act
Our Correspondent

Fatehabad, August 19
The state committee of the All-India Lawyers Union (AILU) has criticised the efforts of the Central Government to amend the Right to Information law. It has also demanded that the official fee for making an application under this law be reduced from Rs 50 to Rs 10 in Haryana.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Devi Lal, state convener of AILU, said a meeting of the state executive was held here today under Mr Gian Singh, a senior Supreme Court lawyer and national president of AILU.

He said AILU had also demanded the withdrawal of court fee of Rs 100 for initiating a complaint in the consumer forums.

Top

 

142 discords resolved in lok adalat
Our Correspondent

Fatehabad, August 19
As many as 142 discords were resolved in a rural lok adalat organised at Chhatarian village in this district today.

The District and Sessions Judge, Mr Lachhman Dass Sharma, inaugurated the lok adalat while a Bench comprising the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr N. P. Dewatt, the Civil Judge (Senior Division), Mr S.K. Garg, and the Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division), Ms Ritu Y.K. Bahl, disposed of the cases through mutual compromise by the warring parties.

Inaugurating the adalat, Mr Sharma said 29 lok adalats had been organised in the district so far this year in which around 4,000 cases had been resolved through mutual compromise of the parties.

He said matters pertaining to the Hindu Marriage Act, civil matters, revenue matters and cases relating to petty crimes were resolved in the adalat. He said the adalats had been playing a vital role in resolving a large number of cases pending in our courts.

Top

 

Jamming of cable TV channel alleged

Karnal, August 19
In a complainant to the police, the owner of New Balaji Cable, a local cable operator, said someone is using jammers to block the cable network.

Priced between Rs 1.50 lakh and 2 lakh, the jammers are illegally available in the Capital, sources said. The jammer could be carried easily anywhere and operates on a 12-volt battery.

Police officials confirmed that the jammers were capable of blocking or manipulating any frequency.

An official of a satellite channel said reports of jamming the cable network were pouring in. — TNS

Top

 

Seoul varsity students call on Governor
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
The Haryana Governor, Dr A.R. Kidwai, today interacted with students of Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, who called on him at the Haryana Raj Bhavan. The students are on a visit to India under the CRRID Academic Exchange Programme.

While addressing them, the Governor talked about the political, social and economic position of the country as well as that of Haryana. He told them that in the age globalisation, all countries were interdependent upon one another. He was all praise for the people of Korea for their intellectual calibre, discipline and their success in making their country compete with advanced countries of the West in the manufacturing sector.

The visiting students narrated their experiences in India to the Governor. Mr Rashpal Malhotra, Director General, CRRID, also spoke during the meeting.

Top

 

Cane growers want interest on dues from mill
Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, August 19
Thousands of sugarcane growers of the district today held a mahapanchayat here and demanded that Saraswati Sugar Mill should give interest on the pending payments of crushing season 2002-03. The matter of payment is pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The farmers gathered at the grain market in Jagadhri under the banner of the Ganna Sangharsh Samiti. The panchayat was called to know the views of farmers regarding the payment in the wake of the meeting of a delegation of farmers led by Congress leader Ram Parkash and representatives of the mill in the presence of the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The CM had asked the mill to pay Rs 30 crore to the farmers without interest.

A small section of the farmers during the panchayat was of the opinion that the payment without interest should be accepted, but a majority was against it.

Dr Shamsher Singh Tyagi, general secretary of the samiti, told The Tribune that after the discussions it was mutually decided that the mill should also give arrears. It was also decided that the samiti would not withdraw a related case pending in the high court.

Top

 

Youth, uncle murdered
Tribune News Service

Ambala, August 19
A double murder took place in Nagal Ghadoli village in Shahzadpur area last night. The incident came to light in the morning.

A youth and his uncle were brutally done to death. Their bodies were found from different areas in the village.

Superintendent of Police (Ambala) Amitabh Dhillon said two persons had been arrested in the case while a third person was admitted to a private hospital.

Anil, 20, used to work as a driver in a company in Dera Bassi. He had come home last evening so that he could attend a fair in Gugga Madhi mela. His uncle, Des Raj Singh, 46, left home to put water in the fields in the evening.

At about 8 p.m., two youths came and asked Anil to accompany them. The family members thought he had gone to attend a mela. However, he did not return home.

In the morning, a villager, while passing near a primary school, noticed a body lying on the school ground. He raised a cry. Anil had been repeatedly attacked with a sharp-edged weapon and there were blood marks on the school wall.

Even as villagers were trying to come to terms with the incident, a villager noticed the body of Des Raj Singh lying in a field. Des Raj Singh, too, had been attacked with a sharp-edged weapon. A case has been registered against seven persons.

Top

 

Four survive house collapse

Sonepat, August 19
A couple and their two sons were lucky to survive in an incident when a two-storeyed house collapsed at Jagsi village in the wee hours on Friday. Though, they were trapped under the debris of the roof but they were rescued by the villagers. — OC

Top

 

Hooda must quit, says Ajay
Tribune News Service

Ambala, August 19
INLD national general secretary and MP Ajay Chautala today said that Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda must resign on moral grounds due to a case in a Delhi court.

Top

 

HOME PAGE | Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Opinions |
| Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi |
| Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail |