Solan, December 5
BJP president Rajnath Singh said today that the Congress government was endeavouring to divide society on the basis of religion, caste and creed. He declared that any form of discrimination against any religious group would not be tolerated.

Hopeful of coming back to power in Himachal Rajnath Singh said the Congress government had not only befooled the people of the state by making false election promises but also lost the credibility to remain in power.

Striking a chord with the people he said he would personally knock each and every door, if need be, to ensure that the BJP was voted to power in Himachal. He said the election manifesto would be released tomorrow and he had specially directed the state party affairs in charge Satpal Jain to enlist only such promises which the party would be able to fulfil.

Targeting exservicemen the BJP president said their problems would be sorted out on priority within one year of forming the government in Himachal.

Touching local issues, he said a fruit processing unit would be set up in the region and it would be ensure that the agrarian community got good returns for its products.

He emphatically supported the party’s decision to project P.K.Dhumal as its chief ministerial candidate.

KULLU: Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani today took a dig at the Dr Manmohan-led UPA government stating that the government had taken away the “Pokhran-III from India” by surrendering country’s security and right to conduct nuclear tests in the nuclear deal signed with America, undermining India’s giant stride towards leading the world in the 21st century.

Addressing a massive gathering at the Kullu Dusehra Ground here today as part of the BJP’s political campaigns in the state to woo voters for the December 19 Vidhan Sabha poll.

Advani said Finland was of the size of Himachal. It excelled in the world because of its company Nokia and good governance. It is sad that Himachal Pradesh has employment problem. It can excel in horticulture, which is not on the crop insurance scheme. But Dhumal government would ensure that it was brought on the scheme, he assured.

Advani charged “Far from ensuring security and rights of citizens and dealing with terrorists firmly the Congress-led UPA government was dividing the country on the basis of Hindu/Muslims and caste. The Congress’s politics of “votebanks” and “corruption” have become diseases thathave plagued the national fabric from top to bottom,”.

The prices of essential commodities are rocketing because of two factors-rampant corruption and poor economic management. Vajpayee government controlled prices of commodities by efficient management even edible oil was imported that time, he pointed out.

Advani said that Congress-led government has ignored the investment in the farm sector stagnating growth of agriculture and farmers were in poor condition. “Most of the investment is in industries and service sectors”, he said

Nurpur: National BJP leader and member of the party’s parliamentary board Sushma Swaraj while starting the election campaign for the BJP candidates here this afternoon lashed out at the UPA government at the Centre and Virbhadra Singh government for rise in prices of essential commodities.

Addressing an election rally at Jassur, near here, she said it was only the NDA government in the country which had kept the rising prices under control.

She asserted that the BJP had promised to increase woman reservation from 33 to 50 per cent in the panchayti raj institutions and local bodies in Himachal Pradesh like other BJP ruled states, protect the interest of the farming community in the state, facing the menace of monkeys and pigs which had become a concern to save the farm produce and provide them quality seeds for their crops for better yield.

HAMIRPUR: Former national president and BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu has criticized the Central government for failing to control terrorism and price rise in the country and narrated the achievements of previous NDA government, while addressing an election rally at Hamirpur today.

Criticizing the central government Naidu said “There have been terrorist attacks at Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Ludhiana and other places and the government has failed to check these while the UPA government had withdrawn the POTA, no new law has been enacted so far.”

NAHAN: While addressing a election rally in favour of the party sitting MLA and BJP candidate from the Paonta-Doon constituency Sukh Ram Chowdhari, at Paonta Ramleela ground this after noon, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Murli Manohar Joshi today lashed out at the UPA government on the Indo-US nuclear deal issue.

Taking a tough stand on the Ram Setu issue Joshi firmly said the BJP would not allow the destroying of the Ram Setu at any cost. He further said as per survey the 40 percent deposit of thorium of the world was in India and if the Ram Setu was destroyed the deposits would also be washed away, which would be a big loss to the nation.

Kangra, December 5
Resentment prevails among the villagers of Tharu village for the alleged deliberate delay made in dismissing the village pradhan against whom it was established following an inquiry that he had grabbed the government land and constructed a pucca shop on it violating the panchayti Raj norms.

The villagers headed by P.R.Sharma, Amar Singh Dhiman and Narinder Singh had demanded an inquiry in an alleged land grab case made by Surender Singh, pradhan of Tharu village in Rait Block, and demanded his dismissal, in December last year.

The villagers alleged that only after repeated requests, a preliminary inquiry was held and a prima facie evidence was established and further an inquiry was ordered.

It was after eleven months from the date of the submission of the complaint, the DC office directed the district panchayat officer on November 5, 2007 under establishment No 4324 /DRA that following verification by sub divisional (c) Dharamsala it was revealed that Surinder Singh, pradhan Tharu gram panchayat development block, Rait had encroached the Government land and constructed pucca shop in Khasra No 532/483 situated in Mohal Bhatechh, Shahpur tehsil, in Kangra district .

The DPO was directed to take action against the pradhan but no action was taken, the villagers said.

They said other pradhans, who were found guilty of such act were dismissed and new elections were held there. They alleged that it was a deliberate attempt to protect the guilty by the authorities.

When contacted Chain Singh, DPO, confessed that the file was not on the right official track and therefore it was delayed and added that it had been submitted to the DC for issuing a show-cause notice to erring pradhan before the dismissal orders under Section 131 of the Panachayati Raj Act were issued.

The villagers demanded action against the erring officer, who had delayed the case to protect the panchayat pradhan for nearly one year.

Shimla, December 5
The Himachal Pradesh Employees Federation has filed a complaint with the Lokayukta against former transport minister G.S.Bali, levelling serious charges of corruption.

President of the Corporate Sector Undertakings Confederation O.P.Goyal, the complainant, said he had duly filed an affidavit along with the charges running into 57 pages. Besides, there are 316 pages of supporting documents appended with the complaint to substantiate the charges. He said the confederation had earlier submitted a chargesheet against Bali to the Governor but there was no action. The confederation was left with no option but to approach the Lokayukta.

He said the charges pertained to various irregularities in the purchase of buses and construction of tourism hotels, implementation of the wet lease scheme for private transporters and grant of higher scales to some employees of the Tourism Development Corporation .

Palampur, December 5
The Congress and the BJP are likely to face a stiff competition in the constituency. Over 80 per cent rural voters comprising 30 panchayats will play a crucial role this time.

BJP official nominee Parveen Sharma faces a direct challenge from Congress stalwart Brij Behari Lal Butial, who is contesting his seventh election from this constituency. Palampur is a stronghold of the Congress.

The BJP has won this seat once in the past 25 years when BJP candidate Shanta Kumar was projected as the Chief Minister of the state by the BJP high command in 1990.

This seat was won by Congress candidate Brij Behari Lal Butail in 1982, 1985, 1993, 1998 and 2003 assembly elections. Butail being a soft spoken person and having a clean image has made deep inroads in this constituency and it is not easy for the BJP to defeat him. Even in 1998, when the BJP wave was in full swing in Kangra, he managed to win this seat.

Earlier, Shanta had expressed his desire to contest the assembly election from Palampur but when the BJP High Command decided to project Prem Kumar Dhumal as the chief ministerial candidate, he refused to contest the assembly election at the last moment. Now Shanta has fielded Parveen Sharma, his close associate. Shrama had also contested the assembly election from Palampur in 2003 but was defeated by But ail by a margin over 5,000 votes.

To get Sharma elected from Palampur has become a prestige issue for Shanta as it is his home constituency. Besides, he is also facing internal party challenges to prove his worth within the party. Shanta is working hard for the success of Sharma. He has involved even grassroot workers in the election campaign. In the past two days, Shanta addressed over 20 election meetings in the constituency in favour of Sharma.

Shimla, December 5
The BJP campaign in the Kumarsain assembly segment today got a major boost as party workers, including Sunni-Kumarsain block president, who had resigned from the party for not being allotted the ticket, decided to return home.

The BJP candidate from Kumarsain, Bhagat Ram Chauhan, today addressed a press conference along with Sandipini Bhardwaj, who was a contender for the ticket and the BJP mandal president, Dev Raj Verma.

Verma along with the entire Kumarsain-Sunni BJP mandal had resigned from the party in a protest against giving of the ticket to Bhagat Ram Chauhan. The two said after holding talks with senior leaders, all differences had been sorted out.

He said the BJP would repeat 1990 history, when Congress stalwart, J.B.L. Khachi had lost the election to Bhagat Ram. “What can one expect from a leader like Vidya Stokes, who has spent merely seven hours in her constituency in the past five years,” he said.

The BJP leaders said Stokes had failed to undertake any development work and had taken the youth for a ride.

The BJP leaders alleged that instead of upgrading the laboratory at Thanedhar, it had been converted into a rest house. “She has failed to protect the interest of the apple growers who have not got their dues under the market intervention scheme (MIS) for the past three years,” he said.

Dalhousie, December 5
After the last date for withdrawal of candidature, canvassing for votes has started gaining momentum. The leaders in the fray are busy making numerous promises to the voters

The old rivals Asha Kumari (Cong) and Renu Chadha (BJP) are pitted against each other for the third time in Banikhet . Though both are hopeful of their victory, BSP candidate Loki Nand Sharma can tilt the scales either side .

Same is the case in Rajnagar (SC-reserved) where Surinder Bhardwaj (Cong) faces Mohan Lal of the BJP. However, Ram Dass, an Independent candidate supported by the Churah Mukti Morcha, can pose a serious challenge to the Congress and the BJP. BSP candidate Dinesh Kumar and LJP candidate Karam Singh would also cut into their voters.

A survey in certain parts of Chamba district reveals that the electorate would cast their votes for a party which can secure good employment opportunities and other assistance for them.

However, many electors have raised some important issues like launching employment-generating projects like cement plant in Chamba, hydroelectric project which should directly or indirectly provide them jobs and monetary benefits. 

Shimla, December 5
Despite peripheral parties like the BSP and the LJP contesting most of the seats, there has been a significant decline in the number of candidates this time. There are only 336 contestants in the fray for the 68 seats, including the three tribal seats for which polling has already taken place in the first phase, as compared to 408 in the 2003 assembly elections. Even in earlier elections the number of candidates was higher at 369 (1998) and 416 (1993).

The number of candidates from the fair sex has also declined and there are only 24 women candidates this time as against 31 in the last poll. The number of Independents has also come down sharply from 110 in the last elections to 63 now.

Only the BJP is contesting all 68 seats. The Congress and the BSP have fielded 67 candidates each.

The LJP, SP, CPI, CPM and the NCP have put up 39, 10, nine, six and four candidates, respectively. There are only 63 Independents in the fray as against 110 in the last assembly elections. There are 324 candidates in fray for 65 seats going to the polls in the second phase. The contest is triangular in as many as 10 seats and quadrangular in 19 others. The segments witnessing three-cornered fight are Gangath, Jawan, Pargpur, Banikhet, Kulu, Una, Pachhad, Rainka, Rampur and Jubbal Kotkhai.

There five candidates in 14 seats, six candidates in 12, seven in five and eight in four seats.

Arki retains the distinction of fielding the maximum number of candidates though the number has come down from 13 to 9.The average number of contestants per seat has come down to five from six in the last poll. The number of nominations was also fewer and in all 454 nominations were filed for the two phases as against 540 in the last elections.

The Congress and the BJP, which contested all seats, polled 41 per cent and 35.38 per cent of the total votes. The only other party to secure substantial votes was the HVC whose 49 candidates polled 8.27 per cent of the votes. The 110 Independents together accounted for 12.60 per cent of the votes.

National parties like the BSP put up 23 candidates but got a negligible 0.70 per cent votes. Similarly, the NCP with 14 candidates in the fray polled 0.19 per cent votes, the CPI with seven candidates (0.20 per cent) and the CPM with four candidates (0.48 per cent). The BJP won 16 seats while the Congress, Independents won 43 and six, respectively, with one seat each going to the LJP, LMHP and the HVC.

Mandi, December 5
BJP state president Jai Ram Thakur, who is seeking re-election for the third time from Chachiot, and Congress candidate and former HP state cooperative bank president Shiv Lal have joined a mudslinging match against each other as the battle of ballot has become more intense in Chachiot. Congressmen have allegedly claimed to be working on a single agenda to oust Jai Ram, who, in turn, has said that he would win the seat by a record margin on December 19.

Jai Ram accused Shiv Lal of being an “outsider” as the fact-finding committee of the Congress headed by Veer Singh, Chet Ram Thakur, both ticket contenders from Chachiot, had submitted a report to president Viplove Thakur, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and the party high command stating that the party ticket be given to the insider who was a ‘seraji’. But tickets have been given to an outsiders showing that Chachiot Congress does not consider Shiv Lal a ‘seraji’”, he claimed citing report as the proof.

Refuting this charge Lal said he owned a house and land in Bakshiad, home panchayat of Jai Ram Thakur, and the high command had mitigated the issue. “Then Jai Ram is also an outsider”, he alleged, adding “Jai Ram is now worried this time as the Chachiot Congress had decided to oust Jai Ram, repeating history of defeats of the BJP presidents in the state.

Jai Ram said all roads were started during the BJP regime under the PMGSY initiated by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Congress claims were baseless. In fact, all development works in Chachiot were started during the Dhumal regime.

Jai Ram alleged that Lal was jailed once in Kaithu jail by Virbhadra for his involvement in the state cooperative bank scam of Rs 5 crore, when Lal was its president. The case was still pending. Now Lal is lavishing praises on Virbhadra and Pratibha, whom he had once vowed to wipe out when he contested on the Sukh Ram-led HVC ticket in 1998, but lost to him, he charged.

Clarifying on this Shiv Lal claimed that the civil suit was filed in the case and the recovery was slapped on the commission agents, who had aggred to pay back the money. There was no charge against him in the case, he claimed.

Shimla, December 5
The high court here has imposed a complete ban on felling of trees and directed the state that there would not be any green felling in the forest area of the entire state.

While passing this judgement, Justice Rajiv Sharma also imposed a ban on felling of Khair trees in the state till the necessary clarifications was sought from the Supreme Court.

This order came in the bunch of petitions filed before the court, where in the petitioners have sought permission for felling of trees under the 10 years felling programme from their private forest. Earlier, the court in its interim order had imposed a ban on felling of trees in the state. After this order about 28 persons approached the court for the modification of the interim order most of them were in the timber business.

The court after hearing all parties observed that till these applicants or the state government sought appropriate clarifications from the Supreme Court, no permission for green felling could be granted to any person in the state

The court further observed that even the fallen trees, diseased trees or any standing timber could not be removed from the government or the private forest.

The court also observed that the court could not direct the state to grant felling permission to the applicants in view of the mandatory and binding directions issued by the Supreme Court in T.N.Godavarman’s case.

Dharamsala, December 5
Massive fire broke out in the hospital building of the zonal hospital here, late this evening. Patients admitted in the wards were immediately rescued and brought into the open. No loss to life was reported, but the hospital property and some equipment were damaged. The value of the loss was yet to be estimated.

The fire broke out on the third floor of the hospital building due to short circuit. Fire tenders took more than one hour to control the fire.

Kangra DM Ashwani Kapoor and chief medical officer Dr. J.S. Chandel rushed to the spot to monitor the situation. However, the medical superintendent of the hospital did not turn up for over two hours on the spot after the fire broke out in the building.

Dr Chandel told The Tribune that no loss to life was reported in the incident. Patients admitted in the hospital and the staff members were safely rescued from the site. He said that the electricity supply was disrupted in the hospital. Alternate arrangements were being made to maintain the emergency services in the hospital, he added.

As many as 130 patients, including women and 27 children, were admitted in the hospital in various wards when the fire broke out in the building. These patients were shifted to other floors of the hospital.

Bilaspur, December 5
Brig Hem Singh Chandel (81), president of the Himachal Ex-servicemen Association, died at a Chandigarh Hospital last evening after a massive heart attack.

Though he belonged to Tihari village in Bilaspur district, he had settled at Malangar village in Una district after retirement. His funeral at Malangar today was largely attended. Col Jaswant Singh Chandel, convener, Bilaspur District Ex-servicemen Association, said today was 81st birthday of Brig Hem Singh, who spent most of his time after retirement for welfare of ex-servicemen and their families. 

Sundernagar, December 5
A female leopard, which was captured at Jangam Bagh near the BBMB colony here this morning, later died in Veterinary Hospital, Sundernagar, for want of life-saving drugs. The leopard was spotted in the house of Sudesh Thakur around 9 a.m.

As the leopard which was trapped in a room struggled to come out through a ventilator, it sustained injuries. A team of forest and police officials reached the spot.

Home Guard jawan Dharam Singh captured the injured leopard with the help of residents and forest and police officials. The leopard was immediately shifted to Veterinary Hospital, Sundernagar, in a police jeep.

As life-saving drugs were not available in the dispensary, officials went in search of medicines. However, the leopard had died before the medicines could be procured.

After a post-mortem the corpse was consigned to flames as per provisions of the WildLife Protection Act.