Hisar, September 14
Khap panchayats are expanding their area of operation. Like a corporate business house, these panchayats are extending their territory, diversifying their activities and increasing their base.

Thus far, the kangaroo courts were mostly restricted to Jhajjar and Bhiwani districts though khap panchayats have been organised in Hisar and Rohtak districts also in the past. However, in recent months, these panchayats have suddenly surfaced in other districts like Kaithal and Karnal which were considered as unlikely places for such panchayats to operate. The trend is catching on in other areas too though many such meetings have gone unnoticed because thus far they did not have anything sensational on their agenda. In recent years these panchayats have been in the news mostly for opposing love marriages and handing out punishment to the families and individuals concerned. However, during the past two years or so, panchayats have been held at various places in Haryana to discuss issues as diverse as the use of DJs in marriages and whether Haryanavis should play cricket.

A khap panchayat banned urchins from playing cricket in several villages of Jind district after India’s dismal performance in the World Cup. Posters of cricketers were ordered to be removed from houses in the villages and panchayats directed not to allow young boys to play cricket on any village ground. The ban remained in force for a few weeks after which the panchayat as well as the urchins forgot all about it.

Another panchayat in Rohtak district had similarly banned the use of DJs in marriages, citing disturbance to milch animals as one of the reasons. A few families had to marry their children in relatively less noisy environs before this ban was rubbished by the rural society. However, even though the ban was projected as a step for animal welfare, the real reason behind the ban was an attempt by self-styled protectors of social mores to prevent girls from approaching the dance floors.

A Balmiki panchayat in Katlaheri village of Karnal district separated a week-old boy, Ankush, from his parents and asked the couple too to end their marriage as both hailed from the same gotra.

Although the child was restored to the parents through administrative intervention, the couple is still unable to return to the village and has gone back to the anonymity of Mumbai, fearing for their lives. The panchayat is still threatening to create problems for the administration as it did not let its diktat run in this case.

The khap panchayat business is also getting murkier by the day. In Karoda village of Kaithal district a few weeks ago, Manoj and Babli were done to death weeks after their marriage after a kangaroo court ordered them to dissolve their marriage. The high court and the administration watched as the young lovers disappeared suddenly and their bodies were recovered weeks later in a canal.

These impromptu courts have been ordering the dissolution of marriages, imposing fines and exiling villagers. However, the Karoda executions are the only incident of its kind in decades. Killings were thus far associated with honour killings. Although in Karoda too the killers were family members, their motivation came from the panchayat verdict.

Interestingly, only the negative activities of the panchayats are being imposed on hapless villagers. In December last year a khap panchayat was held at the Meham Chaubisi chaboutra near Rohtak which ruled that no khap panchayat could interfere in a marriage after the betrothal. Objections, if any, should be raised only before that. Yet, the decision is not being respected anywhere.

Much has been said on the issue of khap panchayats on social, intellectual and academic platforms. However, the political platform is not prepared to touch the issue with a bargepole. Fearing a backlash from voters no politician has ever spoken about this menace. 

Panipat, September 14
With an annual sale of about 25,000 harmoniums, the industrial township known worldwide for its trendy handlooms and sumptuous pickles has silently carved a niche for itself in the musical business which had otherwise gone completely unnoticed for years.

According to estimation, the lesser-known harmonium manufacturing industry that runs from the dingy lanes of this township does annual business between Rs 6 and Rs 7 crore and is at the thriving stage.

Panipat has emerged as the only place in the state where harmoniums are manufactured.

This musical aspect of the fast-paced township was never acknowledged at any level in the region.

There are about 40 small and big manufactures of harmoniums, which have an impressive market.

Those who have no or little knowledge of music undertake the entire process of harmonium completion at these units. Priced between Rs 1,800 and Rs 5,000 per piece, this musical instrument is quite in demand in various parts of the country, including Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Most of these manufacturing units are located around the motor market near tehsil office along the GT Road.

Impressed with the thriving business, several entrepreneurs have ventured in the harmonium manufacturing business after winding up their earlier businesses. Balbir Singh, who has been successful in pushing the family business of manufacturing harmoniums at Indra bazaar, said his grandfather had started the harmonium manufacturing unit at Gujjranwala (now in Pakistan). “It is an exciting business that offers soothing musical notes to ears of humanity,” he added.

Big players like Balbir, who manufacture over 100 pieces per month, have their own marketing network whereas others depend solely upon the local agents to run the business.

Rohtak, September 14
With the Bhupinder Singh Hooda regime having recently completed half its tenure, the stage seems all set for some hectic political activity in the state.

Even if the people of the state are not fully disappointed with the government at the moment, they are not particularly upbeat over its functioning either.

In all, an atmosphere of political ambiguity prevails in Haryana, with the opposition terming the present government as a “regime of announcements”, and the people in a state of flux over its successor.

Repeating a government has not been a tradition in Haryana, but this time, widespread confusion reigns due to the lack of a clear-cut choice.

When the state electorate dislodged Om Prakash Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) from power in the last Assembly elections, they had pinned high hopes on Hooda, who promised to end the reign of “Lals” and ensure clean and transparent governance.

Now, as the state regime has completed half its tenure and possibility of mid-term Lok Sabha poll looming large due to the growing rift among UPA allies and unrest in the Left, the people have started weighing the options before them. The outcome of the Lok Sabha elections will definitely play a crucial role by helping the electors make up their mind.

Keen to cash in on the volatile situation, the opposition parties of the state have decided to hold rallies in the coming days. While the INLD is going to hold a rally at Ambala on September 25, the BJP will hold one at Rohtak in October.

Amidst the given situation, former chief minister Bhajan Lal and his son and political heir Kuldeep Bishnoi have also announced to hold their much-awaited rally in Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s hometown Rohtak on December 2.

The unnamed party may not have anything in common with the infamous “green brigade” constituted under the aegis of the legendary Lok Dal leader Chaudhary Devi Lal, yet it is being touted as the “yellow-flag” party for the time being, as the colour of the flag chosen for the yet-to-be-born party is yellow.

With the kind of response being evoked by the yellow brigade, especially among the urban youth, it seems all set to emerge as a third alternative in the state politics. As the BJP does not have a substantial independent identity in Haryana, the power has largely been enjoyed by the Congress and the Lok Dal, with the exception of the late Bansi Lal’s Haryana Vikas Party.

However, whether the firebrand youth leader with his non-Jat legacy will be able to translate this overwhelming support into a deciding chunk of votes in the time to come remains to be seen. Politics, after all, is but a game of possibilities.

Chandigarh, September 14
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has demanded immediate dismissal of the minister concerned and stringent action against the officers responsible for questioning the existence of Lord Ram and Ramayana.

INLD secretary-general Ajay Singh Chautala and state INLD president Ashok Arora said mere removal of objectionable matter from the controversial affidavit was not sufficient.

Chautala said the Congress government had hurt the religious feelings and faith of millions of people.

The two INLD leaders said the INLD was a secular party and the party had never done the politics of caste, creed or religion. “But the INLD cannot tolerate the insult to the sentiments and religious feelings of crores of people,” they said. They said it was unfortunate that the country was being ruled by people who were unaware of the culture and heritage of India.

Chautala and Arora said the Congress party, which was not ready to acknowledge the existence of Lord Ram, had no moral right to stay in power.

Fatehabad, September 14
Dissident Congress MP Kuldeep Bishnoi’s proposed workers convention here on September 16 has assumed greater importance after his cousin and Haryana parliamentary secretary Dura Ram also announced a meeting on the same day and almost at the same time at Kajal Heri village in the district.

Kajal Heri has maximum supporters of Bishnoi and by organising a parallel meeting on the same day and at the same time; Dura Ram has dared Bishnoi to test his popularity among the Bishnoi community.

Dura Ram is a nephew of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal and has been one of his close confidents in the past.

Though he had enjoyed a fairly good clout in the government and the Congress party during Bhajan Lal’s tenures as Chief Minister, his influence started dwindling after Bishnoi’s advent into politics.

Both Bhajan Lal and Bishnoi had worked hard for the victory of Dura Ram in the last elections; the latter chose to back the Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda instead of going with Bhajan Lal.

Hooda rewarded him for his loyalty and has recently appointed him parliamentary secretary in the government.

Both Bhajan Lal and his elder brother Manphool Singh (Dura Ram’s father) hail from the district and their ancestral village Mohamadpur Rohi is quite close to Kajal Heri.

Dura Ram’s supporters have been making efforts to stop people, particularly those belonging to the Bishnoi community, from attending Bishnoi’s meeting.

Many of Bhajan Lal’s erstwhile supporters like Block Congress president Sunil Chaudhary, Beopar Mandal president Tek Chand Midha and former municipal president Usha Chaudhary are unlikely to attend the workers’ meeting of Bishnoi, as they have chosen to support Dura Ram.

Rewari, September 14
Ajay Chautala, secretary-general of the INLD and member of the Rajya Sabha, has asserted that people were disenchanted with the Hooda government and the Congress will “never be voted to power again in Haryana”.

Addressing a workers’ rally here this evening, Chautala described the Hooda government as full of hollow promises and scams which had brought misery and hardships to farmers, shopkeepers, workers, employees and other sections of society.

Citing instances of the “dismal performance” of the government, he said while remission of electricity bills to the tune of Rs 1,600 crore had “remained a mirage” for the peasantry, the much hyped enforcement of enhanced minimum wages of Rs 3,510 was also meaningless for most workers throughout the state.

Rohtak, September 14
Residents as well as physicians of the region can now heave a sigh of relief. Late diagnosis of renal disorders, which used to be the major cause of kidney failure, will now be a thing of the past. With the installation of the state-of-the-art Automated Walk Away Nephelometry System for Plasma Proteins at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) here, various kinds of kidney and other ailments can be detected at an early stage.

While the equipment has recently been installed along with a start-up kit, its functioning has been found satisfactory and an order has been placed for the whole set of kits. This was stated by Prof Veena Singh Ghalaut, head, department of biochemistry at the PGIMS, while talking to The Tribune here today.

With the help of this sophisticated equipment, the accurate quantities of a wide range of plasma proteins can be found, which is vital for the diagnosis of various disorders. A number of blood and urine tests can be done with the help of this equipment.

Now, with the installation of this equipment at the PGIMS, numerous disorders related to kidneys and other organs can be detected in the beginning. For instance, in a recent issue of Circulation, an international medical journal, it has been stated that the detection of microalbuminuria is also an indicator of coronary heart disease apart from nephropathy.

“The main benefit of early detection of kidney disorder is that in the beginning, it can be treated with medication, dietary precautions and lifestyle changes,” she adds.

Several other facilities have also been introduced recently at the PGIMS department. These include tumour markers for timely detection of cancer, drug-monitoring, hormone profile, checking of ferritin level, extended lipid profile and fluoride test.

Panipat, September 14
Suresh Kumar (45), owner of an oil firm, was last night attacked by two unidentified assailants near the local grain market.

The seriously injured trader was rushed to a private hospital in Panipat, where his condition was stated to be critical but stable.

Tension continues to grip Samalkha town, as this is the second incident of shoot out in the past four days.

Sources said the incident took place at about 10 pm when the trader was driving down on his scooter to his residence. Two motorcycle borne youths opened fire at him and fled away from the spot.

Earlier, a doctor was shot dead by certain unidentified criminals on September 10.

Local residents, particularly the traders, have shown their deep anguish over the deteriorating law and order situation in the township and demanded a strict vigil in the area.

The police has sounded an alert but no success has been achieved so far in both the cases.

Sources revealed that the police was contemplating a plan to step up highway patrolling, particularly during nights. 

Yamunanagar, September 14
Three persons, including a 24-year-old woman, committed suicide in the district during the past 24 hours.

Ritu (24) of Peeruwala Colony in Bilaspur allegedly hanged herself from a ceiling fan using her dupatta.

Her husband Tarun said Ritu was sleeping with him on the rooftop and they had an small argument. The body was found hanging by her mother-in-law in the morning.

Parents of Ritu have alleged foul play.

Shiv Kumar (25) of Jagadhri allegedly ended his life by consuming poison last evening. Police sources said he did not get along well with his wife and was living with another girl, Madhu, for quite sometime. Earlier, Madhu had also committed suicide by consuming poison.

In another incident, the body of Ami Chand (50) of Kulpur village was found hanging from a mango tree in fields. Villagers said he committed suicide. 

Chandigarh, September 14
Harbakhsh Singh, a Haryana cadre IAS officer of the 1982 batch, was today put under suspension by the state government.

The IAS officer, who is commissioner, archives, archeology and museums, did not turn up at a meeting taken by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda here recently to finalise programmes for celebration of the 150th anniversary of the 1857 revolt. The absence, considered by the government as an instance willful negligence, led to the suspension. Shortly before, the Hooda government had put under suspension an IPS officer, S.P. Ranga. — TNS