 |
|
|
Shimla MC Elections
It’s Cong vs BJP
BJP trying to buy votes: Cong
No truck with CPM: Cong
Issues: Hamirpur |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Seeking refugee status on forged papers
HRTC SCAM
Water Shortage
Few takers for JE vaccine
Jail term upheld
Research centres planned
Yog shivir ends
|
|
Shimla MC Elections
Shimla, May 22 BJP workers blocked traffic for more than two hours in New Shimla, alleging that a party councillor from Delhi and other workers had been beaten up by Congress workers. The BJP workers, led by Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Bhardwaj and state BJP general secretary Khushi Ram Balnatah, blocked traffic for almost two-and-a-half hours. The blockade of the national highway was lifted only after the police registered an FIR on the complaint of BJP workers. The FIR has been lodged in the Chotta Shimla police station by Santosh Kumar Bharti, a BJP councillor from Shahbad in Delhi, alleging that he was beaten up by Congress workers. A case was registered against two persons for rioting and beating. He alleged that he was beaten up by about 20 Congress party workers around 9.30 p.m. near New Shimla’s bus stand in Sector II. The incident reportedly took place around 9.30 p.m. when some Congress workers apprehended the Delhi councillor along with some BJP men. State Congress general secretary Kuldeep Rathore alleged that some people apprehended the BJP councillor from Delhi when he was trying to influence some labourers by giving money. The BJP also registered another FIR that a son of a vegetable vendor had been kidnapped. On the BJP complaint the police looked for the boy who was found sleeping in his house with an hour of the filing of the missing complaint. SP Ananad Pratap Singh said that in order to ensure that there is peaceful polling, five static police reserves would remain deployed at Summer Hill, Boileauganj, Central Telegraph Office, Sanjauli and Kasumpti. Adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure that there is no poll-related violence. BJP leaders meet DC, SP
State BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur said Congress workers were trying to terrorise voters by beating up BJP workers in New Shimla last night. The police did not take any action when the incident took place last night. BJP leaders met the DC and the SP today, requesting them to make adequate poll arrangements as they apprehended trouble by Congress workers. |
|
It’s Cong vs BJP
Shimla, May 22 The Congress, which has 16 councillors in the present MC, is struggling hard to retain its hold over the lone corporation of the state, which has been under its control for the past 21 years. On the other hand, the BJP, with only seven councillors in the present MC, is trying hard to gain control over the MC for the first time since it came into being in 1986. The CPM, which has only one councillor from Summer Hill in the present MC, is making its presence felt in a big way in two other wards. A total of 1,12,352 voters will cast their votes tomorrow between 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are a total of 150 polling booths in 25 wards.
|
|
BJP trying to buy votes: Cong
Shimla, May 22 Shimla (Urban) district Congress committee chief Arun Sharma today lashed out at the BJP for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices to woo voters. “Last night’s incident of New Shimla is a glaring example of the corrupt practices being indulged in by the BJP,” he said. He demanded a probe into the incident. “When Congress workers tried to prevent the BJP councillor from Delhi from distributing money, an FIR was lodged alleging that he had been beaten up,” he said. He said the BJP was trying to vitiate the peaceful environment of the town by importing BJP workers from Delhi and other places. He said distributing money and trying to influence voters by other such means was not the culture of the hill state.
|
|
|
No truck with CPM: Cong
Shimla, May 22 It asserted that the party had no truck with the Left in the municipal corporation elections. Party general secretary Kuldeep Rathore said the Congress was contesting all 25 seats and it had neither joined hands with the CPM to defeat the BJP in any ward nor it was supporting any rebel who had entered the fray as an Independent. He said such misinformation was being deliberately spread by the BJP to create confusion among the electorate. These tactics would not help the party and Congress would emerge victorious. The BJP wanted to win the elections by hook or crook as was evident from the incident in the Patyog ward last night where a councillor from Delhi, who had come for campaigning, was caught distributing money and liquor among the poor electorate. When people objected to it, BJP workers clashed with them and later staged a dharna in protest. He alleged the BJP had brought a large number of workers and leaders from outside the state and he feared violence on the polling day.
|
|
|
Issues: Hamirpur
Hamirpur, May 22 The strategy of the Congress to focus more on national issues is intended to counter the incumbency factor after being in power for more than four years now in the state, on the other hand, the BJP wants to take full advantage of incumbency factor of the state government by targeting its working. The issue of corruption is central of the campaign of both parties. While the Congress leaders are highlighting the involvement of BJP leaders like its former president Bangaru Laxman, Judeo and Babu Bhai Katara in different scams, they are also raking up the issue of unseating of Hamirpur’s former MP Suresh Chandel after being caught in ‘cash-for-question scam’. The Congress is accusing Chandel and the BJP for making this byelection necessary. They are also attacking BJP candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal for corruption charges levelled by his own party leaders in the state Assembly during his tenure as the Chief Minister and his alleged involvement in irregularities committed by SSSB chairman S.M. Katwal in recruitments, who has been convicted in the case by the court. BJP leaders are attacking the Congress for corruption charges against their Central and state government leader. Both parties are highlighting the issue of price rise. Local issues like transportation of monkey’s and closure of 319 saw mills in Hamirpur district are also being raised by BJP leaders, but Congress leaders just terming these as issues of trivial nature and claim the state government has taken steps to solve both
issues. Revenue minister and Hamirpur election in charge of the Congress Sat Mahajan has accused BJP leaders Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar of building their case to become the next Chief Minister of the state in their election campaigns. He said, “Dhumal is saying that he would be the chief ministerial candidate after becoming MP and Shanta is claiming that the issue would be decided by the high command of the party.” Taking a dig at BJP leaders, he said, “Why both leaders are getting confused; the next government in the state would be formed by the Congress and Virbhadra Singh would once again become the Chief Minister.” |
|
|
Seeking refugee status on forged papers
Dharamsala, May 22 While Tinley (27) was arrested on Monday evening, Dorje Tseten and Pema Tashee, both in their mid-twenties, were arrested this evening. Cases have been registered against them. ASP Santosh Patial said Tinley had produced a birth certificate issued by the local municipal council as a proof of having been born in India. However, he revealed during preliminary investigations that he had come to India from China through Nepal only three months ago. Patial said if it was established that the birth certificate had been issued by the MC, a criminal case would be registered against the guilty officials of the local municipal council. Meanwhile, Tinley was today remanded in police custody for two days. Two other foreigners, Dorje Tseten and Pema Tashee, were arrested this evening. Patial said more arrests were likely in this connection. "There is also the possibility of a racket operating in the area to provide fake and forged documents to the Tibetans and other foreigners for seeking refugee registration certificates and extension of stay, respectively", he added. Admn on the alert
The arrival of Tibetans in the town to acquire the refugee registration The intelligence agencies and the local police were also looking into the probability of Chinese people entering India through the Nepal border as spies, commented a senior official of the state police. |
|
HRTC SCAM
Dharamsala, May 22 Meanwhile, a local court today extended the police remand of the arrested officials for two days. Santosh Patial additional superintendent of the police said Hitendra Kumar Gupta was called to join in the investigation into the scam. When asked about whether there was any involvement of the divisional manager in the scam, he said the matter was still under investigation and nothing could be said at the moment. The divisional manager was cooperating in the investigation, he added. |
|
Water Shortage
Solan, May 22 It comprised municipal councillors of the ruling Congress as well as the BJP, accompanied by senior citizens and women. The delegation led by former municipal council president and sitting councillor Punam Grover severally criticised the water distribution system. The councillors said they would initiate a fast unto death if water distribution was not streamlined within a week. Non-availability of water for days in certain parts of the town, including ward no. 12, 13, 5, 6 and 7, today united people across party lines to come out in protest against the distribution mechanism of the local municipal committee. IPH XEN Dharminder Gill said there was a temporary problem yesterday due to the bursting of a pipe which halted water pumping for a few hours, but otherwise they provided as much as 50 lakh litres of water every day. He said the demand perked up by nearly 10 to 15 per cent due to rush of tourists in summers. The joint agitation today came as a major bolt to the BJP-led municipal council. The councillors later demanded the resignation of the municipal council president who was unavailable for comments.
|
|
Few takers for JE vaccine
Kasauli, May 22 This is despite the fact that CRI is the lone producer of JE vaccine in the country and the Ministry of Health has undertaken a project to vaccinate all children in the age group of 0 to 15 years falling in certain disease-prone districts of India. Sources in the institute said it was under the Universal Immunisation Programme Cell that the most disease-prone districts of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and some other states were to be vaccinated. Interestingly, despite being a recognised Central Government institute even the Health Ministry had given the institute a go-by. It was importing vaccines from China for this universal immunisation programme. Sources said after much wait Andhra Pradesh has now come forward to buy about 3.5 lakh doses. Sources in the institute said it was the availability of cheaper vaccine from China which had upset their sales. Since a Chinese vaccine was priced much lower than the indigenous vaccine of Rs 250 there were few takers for this exorbitant option.
|
|
|
Jail term upheld
Shimla, May 22 This order was passed by Mr Justice V.K. Ahuja on an appeal filed by the accused wherein he challenged the order of the trial court. As per the facts of the case the police recovered 750 gm of charas from the accused near Manikaran (Kullu) on April 6, 2005. The sessions court, Kullu, convicted Chunk Bahadur and sentenced him to undergo a five- year jail term.
|
|
Research centres planned
Shimla, May 22 While inaugurating a three-day long national seminar on tribal culture jointly organised by the Adivasi Academy, Language Research and Publication Centre, Vadodara, and Himachal Pradesh Arts and Culture Academy here, he said efforts should be made to preserve their culture. He expressed hope that the proposed research centres would contribute towards presentation of tribal culture. |
|
Yog shivir ends
Shimla, May 22 Addressing the concluding session of the week-long shivir at Jathia devi today, he said summer was an ideal time to hold the event as lakhs of tourists thronged the state. He said before Swami Ram Dev emerged on the scene, yogic exercises were confined to a limited section of the society and the common man was not aware of its benefits and it was due to his efforts that yoga was revived, and now not only Indians but many foreigners were practising it. He said Yog Vigyan Shivir organised under the aegis of the Patanjali Yog Kendras provided an effective tool for strengthening communal, religious and social harmony. Swami Ram Dev said he was delighted to be in the ‘land of gods’ and his aim was to make yoga an integral part of life of people’s life. He said he had been treating people and many were cured of their chronic ailments. He assured the devotees that more such camps would he held in in future and he would make trained physicians from the yog peeth render services to the people of the state.
|
|
Letters
Stray cattle are a big nuisance in the state, often it becomes difficult to drive on roads. They often lead to accidents besides causing losses to farmers as they destroy their crops.
Government officials, ministers and NGO's talk of their rehabilitation. Mere lip service is the order of the day. Owners are blamed for abandoning the unproductive cattle instead of finding reasons for the animals turning unproductive. The Animal Husbandry Department should be entrusted the task to find out the reasons for the problem with the help of experts in the field. Dr
K.K. Sharma, Palampur
|
|
| 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 | |
