Chandigarh, February 18
Haryana’s looking up to principles of economists JM Keynes and Amartya Sen in dealing with recession and it is hopeful of maintaining a growth rate of 9.7 per cent in 2009-10 despite the slowdown.

In his reply to the debate on the budget in the Haryana Assembly, Finance Minister Birender Singh, who announced a hike of Rs 50 in the widow pension on repeated demand of members, said the economy would fare well with greater purchasing power in the hands of the people and greater emphasis on infrastructure development.

“At present, we have a growth rate of 7.1 per cent even in these trying times. We should pump in more money and create more employment, resulting in more purchasing power. The next year is going to be even more challenging. Against a deficit of Rs 3,400 crore this year, we will have a deficit of Rs 8,000 crore next year. The keyword is to fuel progress and we will do it with the Rs 10,000 crore annual plan,” he said while referring to the 800 billion package in America to bring the economy on track.

He said a stimulus package of Rs 1,500 crore had been announced by the government to provide physical infrastructure, improve water channels, generate employment under NAREGA and construct a medical college in Khanpur Kalan.

In his two-hour reply, Birender Singh said VAT collection, excise duty, licence fee, stamp duty was up substantially and so was allocation to the social sector. He added that Haryana was the only state along with Tamil Nadu to make provisions for the Sixth Pay Commission.

Revealing that the central assistance to the state had also increased to 11.1 per cent, he said next year, the expenditure of the state would be Rs 35,000 crore as against the revenue receipt of Rs 32,000 crore.

Birender Singh said a total of 75,100 employees would be recruited of which 43,500 youth had already been appointed, adding that the announcements made by the Chief Minister in the Assembly had everybody’s consent.

Stating that efforts were afoot for a veterinary university in Hisar, the Finance Minister said he favoured a direct subsidy to the farmers in the power sector while strongly backing creation of economic corridors in the state on the lines of Kundli-Manesar Palwal Expressway as suggested by Congress MLA Shamsher Singh Surjewala.

He said a plan size of the Irrigation Department had also been increased and efforts were on to construct Renuka Dam while the Indian National Lok Dal was only raising the issue of SYL to gain political mileage.

His reply was disrupted by INLD members, who were protesting against remarks made by BJP member RK Gautam about their leader Om Prakash Chautala. While they demanded that Gautam should seek pardon for his utterances, the Speaker expunged the remarks.

Chandigarh, February 18
Industrial Training and Vocation Education Minister AC Chaudhry, who also holds the portfolio of Urban Local Bodies, was at the receiving end, not only from the Opposition but also from his own party colleagues during question hour.

First, it was the demand for the opening of new industrial training institutes (ITIs) by Congress MLA from Bhiwani Shiv Shankar Bhardwaj. Chaudhry turned down his demand by saying that already there were adequate training facilities available in the Bhiwani area. Soon Congress MLAs Mahendra Pratap Singh and Narpinder Singh joined the issue saying that the criterion should be the population of an area and not the distance between two ITIs. Similar demands were made by Independents Tejinder Pal Singh Mann and Radhey Shyam Sharma and INLD members Saida Khan and Ishwar Palaka.

Chaudhry bought peace by announcing that next year the government planned to open 28 new ITIs and it would keep the sentiments of the members in view while deciding the locations.

Congress MLA from Gurgaon Dharambir Gauba was not happy with Chaudhry when the latter said there was no proposal to transfer PWD and HUDA roads within the municipal limits of the town to the civic body. Chaudhry said the PWD and HUDA were specialised agencies and had the wherewithal to maintain the roads.

Again, members were not happy when Chaudhry said the government could not regularise unauthorised colonies in response to a question by Sumita Singh, Congress MLA from Karnal. He said a court order was coming in the way. Gauba wanted the government to amend the law, if necessary. Even Speaker Raghuvir Singh Kadian wanted such colonies to be regularised in the public interest. When Chaudhry was answering Gauba, Congress MLA from Meham Anand Singh Dangi said something from his seat. Chaudhry snubbed him, saying that he had no business to intervene.

Ultimately, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala had to intervene. He told the House that just a day before the election notification was issued in 2004, the Chautala government issued an administrative order to regularise a large number of unauthorised colonies without making any budgetary provision. When the Congress came to power, it decided to honour the order in the public interest. However, certain elements, who were also responsible for raising legal hurdles in the construction of the Hansi-Butana canal, went to the court and obtained a stay order against the regularisation of the colonies.

Panipat, February 18
Even two years after two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) ripped through two coaches of the Samjhauta Express train near the Diwana railway station here, the Government Railway police (GRP) is yet to make a breakthrough in the case.

During the past two years, the GRP has questioned a large number of persons in various parts of the country but has failed to get further leads that could have helped the police crack the case.

The blasts had occurred on February 18, 2007, around midnight. Initial investigations revealed that bombs were set off in two carriages just after the train passed the Diwana railway station.

As many as 68 persons, mostly Pakistan nationals, were killed in the blasts and a large number of persons were injured. The victims also included some Indian civilians and Indian military personnel guarding the train.

During the preliminary investigations, the police had concluded that the bombings were the handiwork of at least five persons. The police had also released the sketches of two suspects, who the police said had left the train just 15 minutes before the explosions. Later, the state police had arrested two persons from Indore, who allegedly sold the suitcases used in the blasts. However, no charges were pressed against them.

The police had also interrogated a 25-year-old man, who was arrested in Amritsar after he jumped off a moving train under suspicious circumstances. The GRP had also brought to the city one of the top SIMI operatives in the country, Abdul Razzaq, who was believed to have helped in carrying out the blasts.

A special investigation team of the GRP had been looking into the possible involvement of all individuals whose names cropped up during the investigations of the Samjhauta blasts.

Razzaq’s name had figured in the investigations of the Samjhauta blasts during a narco analysis test conducted on SIMI chief Safdar Nagori by the Maharashtra ATS. The ATS had claimed that Nagori had admitted that key SIMI operative Abdul Razzaq was involved in the blasts. The ATS had claimed that Razzaq had helped the culprits to carry out the blasts.

The GRP had also been looking into the alleged involvement of Colonel Purohit in these blasts. However, the investigations into the blasts have so far not produced anything conclusive.

Meanwhile, state Muslims have decided to hold a ceremony in the memory of the blast victims in Maharana village tomorrow where the victims of the blasts had been buried. Some relatives of the victims from Pakistan are also expected to visit the village to pay homage to the victims.

Sirsa, February 18
A possible clash between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikhs was averted by timely action by the police in Jalalana village in this district today. The police managed to separate the Sikhs wielding swords and the dera followers and succeeded in preventing a clash.

According to reports, the dera followers had assembled in large numbers in an old dera situated in Jalalana to discuss the course of action to be adopted by them during the coming parliamentary elections.

It was a meeting of the political wing of the dera, which has been convening meetings all over the state and also in Punjab to formulate the dera's strategy for the elections.

In the meantime, a truckload of Sikhs armed with swords arrived there and alleged that the dera followers were performing “naam charcha”.

On seeing the armed Sikhs coming to the village, some local Sikhs from the village also reached there and objected to the "naam charcha".

A large police force reached the village in the meantime after receiving intelligence reports and a clash between the two groups was averted. SP Subhash Yadav and DSP Dheeraj Setia succeeded in persuading the dera followers to wind up their proceedings soon and the Sikhs were also told to return.

Gurgaon, February 18
The management of the Institute of Technology and Management (ITM) here today faxed a communication to Deputy Commissioner Deepti Umashankar claiming that the issues leading to students' unrest on the institute premises had been resolved.

Interestingly, the ITM move coincides with the decision of the Directorate of Technical Education, Haryana, to hold an inquiry into the entire episode.

An office order stating that a team comprising Additional Director NK Verma and Joint Directors Munish Jindal and Sunil Seth had been constituted to conduct an inquiry with reference to the complaint made by ITM students to the Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner was sent by the Director, Technical Education, Haryana, to the DC’s office today.

According to the order, the three-member team will conduct an inquiry into the matter on February 23.

However, on the same day, the ITM management submitted a communication to the Deputy Commissioner, stating that the matter had been resolved and the college reopened.

Nonetheless, Umashankar asserted that the ITM move notwithstanding, the probe team constituted by the state Directorate of Technical Education would go ahead with the inquiry.

"The inquiry is on," the DC said on being contacted by The Tribune, adding that the probe team would visit the ITM on February 23 as slated. ITM students had been protesting against the alleged high-handedness of the institute management for several days. The students had alleged that they were subjected to mental torture, harassment and financial extortion by the ITM management in the name of maintaining discipline.

The Tribune had highlighted the plight of the ITM students. The institute also remained closed for several days as a result of student unrest. Following this, an inquiry was ordered and the ITM management convened a meeting to resolve the issue.

The ITM communication, a copy of which is in possession of The Tribune, states that a meeting of the institute's faculty, students and management was held on February 17, during which all issues were discussed and resolved.

The letter, signed by ITM Principal Rakesh Ranjan, maintains that the matter had been settled and institute reopened. As per the minutes of the meeting attached with the letter, the ITM management has withdrawn the paid parking facility provided near the institute premises and the barber’s shop set up on the ITM campus has been closed down.

The ITM management has clarified the attendance and placement rules for the students and promised to ensure that the ITM Principal would remain accessible to the students. Besides, the duration of classes has been reduced to 45 + 5 minutes per period.

"The security personnel have been told to behave with the students in a civil and courteous manner and a system has been worked out to redress students' grievances against the faculty members," the letter adds.

Kurukshetra, February 18
Members of the District Bar Association, Kurukshetra, staged a demonstration in front of the mini-secretariat and abstained from work by observing strike at the judicial complex here today. They were protesting against the amendments in Section 41 and 309 of the CrPC as well as Section 2(e) of the Limited Liability Partnership Act facilitating the entry of foreign lawyers.

President of the association Mohinder Singh Tanwar alleged that the above-mentioned amendments in the CrPC as well as in Limited Liability Partnership Act were anti-public and anti-society.

Meanwhile, the District Bar Association in its urgent meeting held on the premises of judicial complex here today unanimously resolved that untimely transfer of Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) Narender Sharma should be withdrawn.

Tanwar and Gurtej Singh Sekhon, in a jointly signed statement released to mediapersons here today, said it had also been resolved that the association would not work in the court of Judge RK Jain and boycott his court indefinitely.

All members of the association would not hereinafter appear in the court of Jain till further decision of the association.

SIRSA: Work in the local judicial courts was badly affected on Wednesday due to suspension of work by lawyers against certain amendments in the CrPC. The decision to suspend work had been taken on the call given by the Bar associations across the country.

Chandigarh, February 18
Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ordered police protection for a Haryana-based couple.

Issuing orders on a petition filed by Yashoda Rani and her husband Arun Jain, residents of Bhudatt Colony, Ballabhgarh in Faridabad district, who had married against the wishes of their parents, Justice Ahluwalia directed the SP, Faridabad, to give adequate security to the newly married couple.

Earlier counsel for the petitioners Sagar Deswal contended that the two were adults and competent to solemnise their marriage. But their parents, particularly those of the girl, had not accepted their marriage. They apprehended danger to their life from them.

The girl and the boy are neighbours. Belonging to different castes, they had an affair for several years. On December 18 last, they married in the Najafgarh Arya Samaj temple of Delhi. After their marriage they returned to their respective parents. When they failed to persuade their parents to accept their marriage, they left their homes. During the period they were “missing” from their houses, the boy’s family accepted their relationship, but the girl’s parents were still opposed to it.

Chandigarh, February 18
Chander Mohan’s plea against security withdrawal was today adjourned sine die. As the counsel for Haryana’s former deputy chief minister did not turn up in the court, the adjournment orders were issued by Justice Ajay Tewari.

Justice Mehtab Singh Gill and Justice Lakshmi Narain Mittal upheld life sentence awarded to HUDA employee for murdering his wife. Gurgaon district resident Hari Chand was convicted by an additional district and sessions judge on November 24, 2005, for killing his wife Dil Kaur on April 24, 2003.

Sonepat, February 18
Additional District and Sessions Judge Pramvir Nijjar has sentenced Surender, a resident of Barwala in Delhi, to life imprisonment for allegedly murdering his wife Kavita. A fine of Rs 2,000 has also been imposed on him.

In her statement, Kavita had alleged that after her marriage with Surender, her husband opposed to her working in an industrial unit at Kundli. Later, she started living at her parental house in Janti Kala village. On April 25, 2006, her husband allegedly attacked her with knife while she was on the way to office.

She was referred to the PGIMS, Rohtak, where she died on June 18. The police had recorded her statement before her death. A case of murder was registered against him in Kundli police station.

In another verdict, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nazar Singh has sentenced Vikram, an employee of the Halalpur branch of the State Bank of India, to two years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 4,000 in a cheating case.

The case was registered on a complaint of branch manager Kailash Chander on October 27, 1999. He had alleged that the accused had committed a fraud of Rs 8 lakh in different bank accounts of the branch between 1997-99.

Sonepat, February 18
A 14-year-old girl was allegedly sold and then gangraped in Nandal Khurd village of Sonepat district. The girl managed to reach a police station in Murthal town of Sonepat today.

According to the information, Sanjana (name withheld) told the police that her father had expired about six months ago in Palwal town, where they were residing. As she had no other relatives to take care of, Shakuntala, a resident of Jahangirpuri in Delhi, took her to her residence. The woman assured to take care of her as her daughter.

However, the woman sold her to Jaiveer for Rs 1 lakh on January 14, who took the girl to his village.

The girl alleged that she was gangraped by Jaiveer and his friends for about a month. The police has registered a case and sent the victim to Nari Niketan in Karnal.