Gurgaon, March 21
As the poll fever rises in the state infamous for turncoat politicians famously termed “Aya Rams and Gaya Rams”, many a wannabe MP has jumped into the electoral “akhara”.

The coming Lok Sabha poll, which is certain to have a bearing on the outcome of the Haryana Assembly elections due next year, has become a do-or-die battle for Opposition parties.

The Congress, which won nine of the 10 Lok Sabha seats from the state in the last General Election, this time faces competition mainly from the INLD-BJP combine. The Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) and the BSP are also striving hard to make their presence felt.

However, thanks to the absence of a sweeping anti-incumbency wave and lack of issues to nail the Congress regime, many senior Opposition leaders are not much enthusiastic to enter the poll fray.

On the other hand, hectic lobbying is on among the ticket aspirants in the Congress. Even several members of the state Assembly, including a few ministers, are stated to be interested in getting the party’s ticket to the Lok Sabha.

According to party insiders, the Congress has finalised the names of its nominees for six Lok Sabha seats - Ambala, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Kurukshetra, Hisar and Faridabad. “The party is going to field the sitting MPs from these constituencies,” they maintain.

Nonetheless, as a formal announcement in this regard is yet to be made, many state leaders are making last-ditch efforts to get the Lok Sabha ticket.

With rampant factionalism in the ruling party now an open secret, leaders owing allegiance to different groups are leaving no stone unturned in convincing the central Congress leadership of the suitability of their respective candidates.

For instance, the ticket-seekers for Shruti from the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh constituency are facing stiff opposition from their “in-party” rivals. The Sonepat seat, which is being considered a safe bet, is one of the most sought-after ones. In Gurgaon, certain Congress groups are vying for the party ticket by trying to shift sitting MP and Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh to the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh. Certain local leaders, who are backing state Congress spokesperson Khazan Singh, recently met Sonia Gandhi to seek the ticket for him.

The supporters of Haryana Irrigation Minister, Capt Ajay Yadav, were also projecting his name for the seat, but their claim in this regard seems to have subsided lately.

Karnal, March 21
Dhanoli villagers, who blocked the Assandh-Safidon road for more than 30 hours to register their protest against the abduction of a minor girl of the village and killing of one person in police firing, lifted the road blockade this evening following an understanding reached with the administration.

The situation was defused as the administration assured prompt action to trace the abducted girl and sympathetically consider other demands of the villagers.

SSP AS Chawla said ASI Ram Phul, who allegedly opened fire on the mob, killing Sukh Chain on the spot, had been booked for murder and arrested. A magisterial inquiry, to be conducted by an SDM, had been ordered into yesterday’s incident and the case pertaining to the abduction of the minor girl had been handed over to the CIA.

The angry villagers were adamant on their demand for action against six police personnel, including the SHO, a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for next of kin of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh to each injured person, a job to one member of the victim’s family, transfer of the SSP and the DSP for the “callous attitude” of police in tracing the abducted girl and inept handling of the situation.

The villagers also demanded that that no action should be taken against the villagers allegedly involved in the act of violence and the abducted girl should be immediately traced and restored to the parents.

Gurnam Singh and Kashmir Singh Dhillon, who lead the protest of the villagers, denied the contention of the police that it resorted to firing as the mob went on the rampage and asserted that the mob went out of control after the firing and killing of Sukh Chain.

The villagers had reportedly formed a committee last night to negotiate with the administration but the suggestion to give a relief of Rs 15 lakh to the victim’s family was rejected by the mob squatting on the road. The villagers felled trees and parked their heavy vehicles to block the road. Interestingly, the police did not intervene in the volatile situation.

Meanwhile, the body of Sukh Chain was cremated after a post-mortem. Sukh Chain, hailing from Shardha village in Jind, had come to Safidon in a police vehicle and was trying to persuade the mob to keep their cool and negotiate with the authorities. However, suddenly violence erupted and the ensuing police firing took his life.

Sukh Chain is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters and possessed a small landholding.

Chandigarh, March 21
The Bharatiya Janata Party today demanded an “unbiased inquiry” into the police firing in Danoli village in Karnal yesterday which left one man dead and three others injured. President of the Haryana unit of the BJP Atam Prakash Manchanda said action should be taken against the cops guilty of the “barbaric act” and compensation should be given to the families of the victims. He said the police resorted to firing and canecharging and there had been a number of incidents involving cops in the recent past.

“The police must explain why it failed to act on the complaint regarding the missing girl which forced the villagers to resort to blocking traffic and why the guilty, named in the complaint, had not been arrested,” he said in a statement.

Ambala, March 21
Arguments on the application of the CBI for the cancellation of the bail of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh could not be conducted today. Special Judge of the CBI Court, Haryana, AK Verma adjourned the hearing on this application for April 25.

The CBI produced a witness, Balwant Singh, in the Ram Chander Chattarpati murder case, who said he had received an anonymous letter in which certain allegations were made against the dera chief. He said he was threatened by dera supporters. Defence counsel SK Garg cross-examined the prosecution witness. CBI counsel HPS Verma was also present in the court. The court also adjourned this case for April 25.

The dera chief is accused in two murder cases and in another case of sexual exploitation of dera sadhvies.

Tight security arrangements were made in the Police Lines complex where a temporary CBI court was set up for the hearing of the case. The Police Lines road was sealed for the general public. The dera chief remained present in the court for around three hours. A large number of his followers were present outside the Police Lines.

Kaithal, March 21
The government should provide social security to the members of business community in case they suffer any mishap, accident, any natural disaster or they become victims of activities of anti-social elements and criminals while carrying on their business activity. Members of the Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) at a district-level meeting held here last evening made this demand.

Sudesh Bansal, chairman, district chapter, presided over the meeting.

Anand Khurania, secretary, Kaithal chapter, said here today that members expressed strong concern over their neglect by the state and the Central government, which did not extend any support to the traders who contribute large share in taxes and duties collected and levied by respective governments.

The members wanted that they should be looked after and supported by the government like government employees, farmers and others who found support from the government in case of any natural calamity or suffered loss to life and property. Those ,who are unable to support themselves after long innings in business due to various reasons, should get pension and financial help from the government for their survival.

Delay in clearing of local as well as outstation cheques was also discussed and the bank authorities were urged to take immediate steps to improve the situation and provide relief to the businessmen. It was pointed that after computerisation the collection of local cheques was getting delayed by two days earlier it was done the same day.

Bhiwani, March 21
It is incumbent upon all private educational institutes/ schools to seek affiliation from the Haryana School Education Board after getting permanent recognition from the Education Department to facilitate their students to take the board’s examinations.

Secretary of the board A Sriniwas said a one-time fee for permanent affiliation up to class VIII was Rs 5,000, up to class X Rs 8,000 and up to class XII Rs 10,000.

He said such educational institutes/schools as had not so far got permanent recognition and had been granted temporary recognition on the basis of their applications on form No. 2 during 2008-09 as per the instructions of the department, could apply for affiliation with temporary affiliation fee of Rs 2,000 by the stipulated date. However, temporary affiliation for 2009-10 would be issued as per the instructions of the department, he added.

The institutions/schools should apply on the prescribed pro forma and their application, along with a draft of affiliation fee, should reach the office of the board by April 16.

Kurukshetra, March 21
All necessary arrangements have been made by the mela administration to facilitate the visiting devotees for annual Chaitra Chaudas - Pehowa fair, to be held from March 24 to 26, at Pehowa, 25 km from, here.

Stating this here, DC Pankaj Aggarwal said about five lakh pilgrims were expected to have a holy dip on the occasion in the sacred Saraswati tank and the state government had sanctioned Rs 5 lakh for the arrangements. All basic amenities would be provided to the pilgrims. The Haryana Roadways and the Punjab Roadways would ply special buses from different places in Punjab and Haryana for the pilgrims.

He said a religious and socio-cultural programme would be organised by the Information and Public Relations Department while an information centre had already been set up by this department to provide necessary information.

SP KV Ramna said the security had been beefed up and a strong contingent of about 600 policemen and Home Guards would be deployed so that no untoward incident could take place during the fair. Police barriers would be set up on all roads leading to fair to regulate the traffic, he added.

The area has been divided into nine sectors and each sector would be looked after by an officer, who will work as a duty magistrate to maintain peace as well as law and order during the mela.

Rewari, March 21
The police has arrested Anil Kumar, vice-chairman of the Primary Agricultural Co-operative Society (PACS), Nahar, and his accomplice Satbir in a case of cheating, impersonation, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

Yesterday they were produced in the court of the SDJM at Kosli who remanded them in judicial custody for 14 days. Main accused Sube Singh of Karoli village, who was arrested earlier, was also remanded in judicial custody by the court.

Police sources said while impersonating as Ram Autar of Bisoha village, Sube Singh recently made a bid to secure a new chequebook as well as a passbook to withdraw a hefty amount from Ram Autar’s account in the PACS.

His “forged” documents presented to the PACS authorities were attested and verified by Anil and Satbir, the sources added. However, the cashier of the PACS, who suspected foul play, thwarted their evil design.

Consequently, the police registered a case of impersonation, cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy against the trio.

Sirsa, March 21
Residents held a demonstration for the second day in succession today against poor sanitary conditions in their Chattargarh Patti locality.

The agitating residents blocked the bypass for about five hours today by putting barricades on the road.

Residents, who had blocked the bypass yesterday and had lifted the blockade after an assurance of better facilities by the Public Health authorities, today alleged that the things had gone from bad to worse since yesterday.

“A wall belonging to the Railways was earlier broken to allow the flow of filthy and stinking sewer water towards the other side of the wall, but the authorities have blocked the opening today, making the situation even worse,” alleged the irked residents.

They alleged that it had become almost impossible for them to live in the unhygienic conditions prevailing in the locality but the authorities had not paid any heed to their problems.

Later, the local SDM and the DSP reached there and persuaded the residents to lift the barricades.

Fatehabad, March 21
A large number of school students today participated in the painting and declamation contests organised in the Panchayat Bhawan by district unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) as a part of the activities in commemoration of the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.

Dilpreet, Divya and Abhilasha were adjudged the first, second and the third, respectively, from the junior category in the declamation contest, while Bir Kaur, Monika and Pooja got the first three positions, respectively, in the senior category.

Vandana, Kavita and Dinesh were adjudged the first, second and third, respectively, in the junior category of the painting competition, while Monika Machra, Monika Godara and Mangal Singh got the first three positions, respectively, in the senior category of the painting competition.