Kaithal, July 10
On a call given by the Joint Action committee (JAC) of Haryana Schedule Castes group A , the members of various castes falling under this category organised a procession here today, to press for their demand of restoration of the status regarding reservation in group A and B categories, which was there before the judgement of the Panjab and Haryana High court on this issue.

The protestors were carrying placards in favour of the restoration of their previous status and decrying the role played by some leaders on this issue . They raised slogans against the state government and Union minister Ms Sailja Kumari.

They said after the reservation of SCs and STs under group A and B categories, they would get some share in jobs. They urged the Haryana government to bring legislation based on the Panjab pattern to safeguard the interests of the community.

While some other speakers said the reservation for those falling under the creamy layer should be immediately stopped as they continued to enjoy benefits of reservation even after reaching on high posts and were financially and socially well off . They said it was the responsibility of the government to ensure the well being of all castes and communities and government should bring legislation to safeguard their interests.

Later a delegation comprising former MLA Banarsi Dass Chausala, Sham Lal Kalyan, Anil Souda and others called on the CTM, Baljeet Singh, and submitted a memorandum to him addressed to the DC in support of their demands.

Fatehabad, July 10
Confusion prevailed throughout the day today about tomorrow's panthic conference at Ajeetsar Gurdwara near Ratia town in this district. Though Jathedar Akal Takht Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti had announced the postponement of the conference yesterday, a faction of Sikhs owing allegiance to Jathedar Takht Damdama Sahib Balwant Singh Nandgarh maintained that there was no question of postponement of the conference and it would be held as usual.

The organisers went ahead with the erection of tents at the venue. Sukhwinder Singh, president of the Shri Guru Granth Satkaar Sabha, told mediapersons in the morning that the Sikh conclave would be organised as usual and claimed that Jathedar Nandgarh would participate in it.

He said that there was some confusion in yesterday's announcement and Jathedar Nandgarh was in touch with the Akal Takht in this regard.

SP Saurabh Singh, when contacted in the afternoon, said the deployment of police would be made as usual.

It was only in the evening that Sukhwinder Singh informed media persons that the conclave stood cancelled. He said Jathedar Nandgarh had left for Amritsar after receiving a message from Akal Takht. He added Sikh organisations would now organise a 'kirtan darbar' at the venue.

Chandigarh, July 10
Postponement of the Ratia rally announced yesterday by the Jathedar of Akal Takht has come as a relief for the Haryana Government.

“It is not postponement. It is cancellation,” home secretary of Haryana K S Bhoria said. “It has come as a big relief” remarked Bhoria and added that the government would now focus attention on the congregation of dera followers in 
Fatehabad on July 12.

The government could avoid an unsavoury situation on an earlier occasion also with regard to the lingering problem when the court granted interim bail to the dera chief against an arrest warrant by a Punjab court.

While applying for anticipatory bail would have naturally occurred to the accused, the Haryana Government too kept a close watch on the situation and advised the dera to move the court against the warrant.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was reportedly instrumental in bringing pressure on the Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal chief Prakash Singh Badal to call off the rally.

Hooda had met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh more than once to discuss the problem in Punjab. The understanding of the Haryana Government was that only Badal could play the crucial role in finding some solution.

A chief secretary-level meeting as well as a DGP-level meeting was also held between Punjab and Haryana on the subject of the rally, which was slated to take place on July 11.

The Haryana government, instead of adopting a confrontationist stance, quietly worked for peaceful solutions for tricky situations. While the court granted anticipatory bail to the dera chief and rescued the government from getting caught in a jam with regard to the arrest warrant against the Sirsa-based chief of the dera, legal options were also considered to scuttle the rally at Ratia.

The DC of Fatehbad was told by his superior officers from Chandigarh to get locals to petition against the rally citing it as a threat to their lives and property. The plan, however, was not needed to give shape as the administration successfully manipulated the organisers to change the venue of the rally. 

Chandigarh, July 10
The Haryana government has issued posting and transfer orders of six IAS officers with immediate effect. Chhatar Singh, additional principal secretary to Chief Minister, has been given the additional charge of financial commissioner and principal secretary, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department, relieving Rajan Gupta of the said charge. Sarban Singh has been posted as commissioner and secretary, Consolidation and Rehabilitation Department, relieving Promilla Issar.

V.S. Kundu, Special Secretary Home -II, and joint commissioner, Gurudwara Elections, has been transferred as managing director, HARTRON, and director and special secretary, Electronics and Information Technology Department, vice Anurag Rastogi who goes as director and special secretary, Secondary Education Department, against a vacant post.

P.C. Bidhan, chief administrator, Housing Board, goes as commissioner, Hisar Division. S.P. Gupta, additional coordinator, Investment Promotion Centre, New Delhi, has been posted as chief administrator, Housing Board.

Rohtak, July 10
The Haryana Power Engineers’ Association (HPEA) has condemned the recent attack on an executive engineer, an SDO and a driver of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN), by a group of persons near Narwana.

An emergency meeting of the HPEA was held under the chairmanship of K.C. Gupta, chief engineer (Operation), Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), to discuss the matter today.

It was informed that the official vehicle of HVPN executive engineer S.K. Garg and SDO, Sat Pal, was attacked by a group of persons near Garhi police station on July 7. They said the officers and their driver were manhandled by the assailants, injuring all of them and damaging their vehicle in the attack.

The association maintained that executive engineer S.K.Garg had already explained to the villagers at 132 KV substation, Dhanori, that the final testing of the equipment was on and the substation was likely to be commissioned on July 9.

However, following this, when the officials were going to the Garhi police station on a call from the Narwana SDM, some persons attacked them on the way.

The association condemned the incident and has demanded a thorough probe into the matter and exemplary action against the culprits.

The meeting also resolved that it would be difficult for the officials of the state power utilities to discharge their duties efficiently under such circumstances. “Effective steps are needed to be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,” they added.

Kaithal, July 10
Two inter-state robbers armed with pistols were arrested by the Kaithal police from near Kathwar village, on the Kaithal- Kurukshetra road, last night.

Preliminary interrogation of the arrested youths revealed that they had committed crimes in some other states also. Both were produced in a local court and sent in 14 days judicial custody.

Suprintendent of Police Rajinder Singh, while briefing details said a police party of the local CIA staff led by sub-inspector Randhir was patrolling near Geong village last night, and they got information that two persons armed with pistols were planning to loot passing vehicles near Kathwar village.

The arrested have been identified as Harinder, alias Virender, resident of Patna in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pardesh and Rajnish, alias Sonu, resident of Teli Pura village under the Chilkana police station.

The police recovered 315 bore pistols and four live cartridges from them. Both have been booked under Section 398, 401, 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act.

Sirsa, July 10
The manner in which 12 dera followers who were admitted to the Civil Hospital by the police, left the hospital and got themselves admitted to the dera hospital, has surprised many.

The police had arrested these dera followers after their condition deteriorated as they had been staging an indefinite fast in front of the DC’s office against the Punjab government. The police had registered a case under Section 309 of the IPC against them.

SP, Vikas Arora, said the dera followers expressed their will to shift to the dera hospital, so they were discharged from the hospital and later were released on bail.

The dera claimed that their followers had continued their indefinite fast even though they were admitted to the Civil Hospital and were not treated properly there. In fact they were forced to break their fast by the authorities in the hospital.

This was the reason that the followers were not feeling comfortable and shifted to the dera hospital, a dera statement said.

Yamunanagar, July 10
Working in several anganwaris’ in the district remained affected as hundreds of activists of the Anganwari Workers and Helpers Union participated in a protest march and strike here today. The strike call was given by the Sarv Karmchari Sangh and the CTU.

The activists marched towards the Mini Secretariat. Union leaders Santosh Arya and Veena Arya said the main demands of the union included III Class status for anganwari workers and IV Class for helpers, honorarium of Rs 3,000 to workers and 2,000 to helpers and regularisation of their services.

Jarnail Singh Sanghwan of the sangh said the government had announced a minimum salary of Rs 3,510 for labourers, while anganwari workers were getting only Rs 1,200 and helpers Rs 600. The union members later submitted a memorandum of demands to the DC.

Ambala, July 10
A mobile jammer will be put in place in the Ambala Central Jail to render mobile phones ineffective within the jail premises.

Deputy commissioner R.P. Bharadwaj said he had issued instructions to set up a mobile jammer in the jail at the earliest.

“It will be ensured that the jammer does not interfere with the operation of mobile phones in the residential areas falling in the vicinity of the jail,” he said.

The decision to install the jammer has been taken following the apprehension that inmates may be using mobile phones within jail premises.

A jammer had earlier been installed for trial in the central jail a few months ago. However, it was so powerful that it started interfering with the mobile signals in the nearby areas.

People residing close to the jail were unable to use their mobile phones due to the jammer.

Also, motorists travelling on the national highway, which runs close to the jail, were also finding problems with mobile connectivity. It was only after the jammer was dismantled that normalcy in mobile service could return.

This time, the officials concerned have been asked to ensure that the new jammer does not interfere with mobiles outside of the jail premises.