Chandigarh, March 23
Two major parties in Haryana, the Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal, are likely to announce their candidates for the Lok Sabha elections only during the navratras, which are starting from March 27. The navratras are considered to be auspicious according to Hindu mythology to start any major project.

INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala has gone on record that he would announce his party’s candidates only during the navratras. The Congress has not said so but indications are that the names of the party nominees will not be out before that.

The INLD was earlier believed to have decided to declare its candidates today. Even the names of likely candidates were doing the rounds in political circles as some of them had sounded their supporters in their respective constituencies. However, Chautala today surprised everyone that he would make the announcement only during the navratras.

The three-member screening committee of the Congress headed by Karnataka MP BK Hariprasad would meet in Delhi on March 26. The meeting will also be attended by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Haryana Congress president Phool Chand Mullana. The other members of the committee are union ministers Anand Sharma and Prithiviraj Chavan, who is also in charge of the party affairs in Haryana.

The committee has already held discussions with senior leaders of the state unit as well as those who are seeking the ticket.

It is expected to submit its report to the Central Election Committee after March 26.

Sources say hectic lobbying is on for seats like Gurgaon, Karnal, Bhiwani and Faridabad. For Gurgaon Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh and Haryana minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav are in the race. It is learnt that five MLAs, whose constituencies fall in the Gurgaon Lok Sabha seat, have supported Yadav. Interestingly, these two are also in the race for the ticket from the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh seat, from where Shruti Choudhry, daughter of Haryana Minister of State for Tourism Kiran Choudhry, is a strong contender. While Rao and Ajay Singh are Ahirs, Shruti is a Jat. Another Ahir, Rao Dan Singh, is also seeking the ticket from Bhiwani.

From Karnal, sitting MP Arvind Sharma is facing opposition from chairman of the party campaign committee Venod Sharma and party working president Kuldip Sharma. A labour leader Ram Sarup Janbaz is also seeking the Congress ticket from here.

Similarly, sitting MP from Faridabad Avtar Singh Badhana is facing stiff opposition from several MLAs of his constituency.

The party is undecided about Sonepat also, which is considered to be a stronghold of Hooda. 

Panipat, March 23
A prominent exporter and associate of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, Avinash Paliwal, who is in the race for the Congress ticket to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections from the Karnal seat, is facing tough competition from within his family for the ticket.

His younger brother’s wife, Vijay Laxmi Paliwal, a leader of the Congress, has staked claim to the party ticket from the Karnal seat.

It is perhaps for the first time here that two contenders for the party ticket have emerged from the same family of Panipat.

Speaking to mediapersons, Vijay Laxmi Paliwal said she had sent her plea to AICC president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Janardan Dwivedi and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for the party ticket.

Asked about Avinash Paliwal, she evaded a direct reply and said in case he was allotted the party ticket, she would extend full support to him.

Vijay Laxmi contended that she was demanding the ticket so that she could stand up for the women of the region who otherwise had no political representation in the Lok Sabha.

Avinash Paliwal is already reaching out to a number of local organisations, some of which have even extending support to him. Toeing his line, Vijay Laxmi also managed to get the support of some local women organisations.

A couple of days ago, Avinash Paliwal had also held a press conference in which he had expressed his wish to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Karnal seat claiming that the constituency had always been represented by an outsider in the Lok Sabha and it was high time a local contender was given the party ticket.

Placed against the Paliwals are bigwigs like sitting MP Arvind Sharma, working president of HPCC Kuldip Sharma and Chairman of the Congress campaign committee Venod Sharma, who are also aspiring for the party ticket from Karnal.

Jind, March 23
Majority of the markets, including the Grain market, remained closed today in the city in protest against the murder of a prominent trader here last night. The trader’s association has demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. This is second such incident in the city in the past three months when a trader had been murdered in his house.

The victim, identified as Manoj Kumar Jain (35), a resident of old Anaj Mandi here, was found dead in his house this morning by his neighbours. He had been clubbed to death with help of a telephone wire by some unidentified persons who reportedly entered his house late last night. The hands and feet of the victim were found to be tied with ropes and he had strangulated to death by a telephone wire, which had been disconnected earlier by the attackers. Manoj was alone at home as his wife and two kids had gone to visit their relatives on Saturday. It is reported that the deceased had come to his house around 10.30 pm after having dinner at his brother’s house in Scheme No. six, a locality here. Manoj had been working as a commission agent in the local grain market besides having a kerosene agency and partnership in a hotel here.

It is suspected that some persons had entered his house by knocking at the door around 11 pm and thrown various items of household, including breaking open the cash safe and closets in the house before escaping from the place. While it is not known if the assailants looted any cash or valuable, it is believed that they had tried to give an impression that murder had been done with the motive of loot.

The police, which requisitioned the services of a dog squad and finger print experts, also believe that the main motive could be the murder only, but the accused had tried to mislead the police by throwing the household items here and there. Senior police officials, including the SP, visited the site of the crime.

It may be recalled that an elderly trader, Ram Kumar, brother-in-law of Transport and Education Minister Mange Ram Gupta, had been murdered in a similar manner in his house about three-and-half-month back in a locality here on December 31. The police was yet to crack this case and arrest the accused.

Sirsa, March 23
Issues like the resurfaced Dera-Sikh imbroglio in Punjab, the status of second language to Punjabi in Haryana and rights to Haryana Sikhs for the management of gurdwaras in this state were raised during a function to mark the inauguration of a new branch of the Akal Academy, a chain of CBSE-affiliated schools run by Baru Sahib (Himachal Pradesh)-based Kalgidhar Trust.

Tarlochan Singh, Independent Rajya Sabha member from Haryana and former Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, inaugurated the school and also laid the foundation stone of its new building at Ellenabad town today.

Baba Iqbal Singh, a former Director of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh, and chairman of the Kalgidhar Trust, Dr Khem Singh Gill, a former Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and chairman of Akal Academies throughout the country, Malkiat Singh Khosa, secretary of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (ad hoc), Sushil Indora, INLD MLA from Ellenabad, and Harpal Singh Cheeka, a philanthropist, were among those present during the ceremonies.

Tarlochan Singh called upon Sikh organisations in Punjab to stop their confrontation with Dera Sacha Sauda as it was vitiating the atmosphere in the entire area.

“There is no denying the fact that the dera chief has committed a blasphemous act by imitating the tenth Guru of the Sikhs but the issue should be dealt with in a democratic manner and not by confrontation”, he said.

Emphasising that everyone had the right to profess the religion of one’s choice, he also urged the dera chief to send an unconditional apology to Akal Takht for the consideration of the supreme Sikh body.

HSGPC general secretary Malkiat Singh Khosa regretted that the demand of Haryana Sikhs for the second language status to Punjabi was being denied for long.

He also raised the issue of separate SGPC.

Jhajjar, March 23
The dean (Academic Affairs) of Maharshi Dayanand Univerity (MDU), Rohtak, has held Prof SS Chahal of the Commerce Department guilty of committing financial irregularity, administrative lapse and forgery, besides adopting illegal procedure in his inquiry report regarding the “study centre embezzlement” case.

A report that prepared for defining, formulating and elaborating the lapses on the part of Professor Chahal in terms of evidence of record has recently been submitted to the university authorities.

The report will be placed before the Executive Council of the university during its 203rd meeting scheduled on March 27 for consideration and necessary action.

According to the report, Professor Chahal had also made a payment of Rs 12,000 to his colleague in the name of repayment of personal loan with an intention to cover up some illegality, which amounted to bribing a public servant. Denying the claim of loan, his colleague later returned the amount to Professor Chahal.

Some MDU staffers had made written complaints to the university authorities alleging that Professor Chahal had embezzled Rs 6 lakh of the university money by taking payment against fictitious names while working as the coordinator of the study centre of MCom (Distance Education) during the session 2000-01 and 2001-02.

The university administration had constituted a three-member committee to inquire into the matter. The committee concluded in its report that the charges of misappropriation of public money seemed to be true in the sense that eight teachers of the Commerce Department admitted having received Rs 6,000 each in excess against the actual receipts whereas three other teachers, in whose names Rs 12,000 each were shown, to have been paid clearly disowned the money.

The committee also disclosed that on comparing the statements and vouchers, a sum of Rs 1,90,000 remained un-accounted for, of which only Rs 48,000 had been owned by eight teachers of the Commerce Department.

This report was placed before the Executive Council at its meeting held on December 31, 2006. The Council resolved that a chargesheet be issued to Dr Chahal and seven other teachers involved for imposing major penalty.

After contemplating over the replies to the chargesheets, the Executive Council had asked the teachers except Professor Chahal to deposit an amount of Rs 6,000 each along with 12 per cent interest per annum.

Thereafter, a two-member committee comprising District and Session Judge (retd) NS Ahlawat and Prof KS Sangwan was constituted for a regular inquiry.

Contrary to the first inquiry report, this committee exonerated Professor Chahal of all charges because the prosecution could not prove the allegations of misappropriation of money, cheating and dishonestly during the investigation.

Chandigarh, March 23
Another case of hatred for love has surfaced. It seems the entire panchayat of Dhani Mohu village in Tosham tehsil of Haryana’s Bhiwani district is against Asha Rani’s marriage with Sanjay, the boy of the same village. They too have expressed apprehensions regarding their safety.

The threat to the duo’s life comes less than a week after the alleged issuance of death warrants by a Khap panchayat against a Jind-based couple. Available information suggests, the Jind couple had eloped as they were of the same caste.

Taking cognizance of threat to their safety, Haryana has already issued orders providing security to Asha and Sanjay. Modalities are being worked out for providing adequate security to their families also.

Chandigarh Administration too has assured full protection to the two as long as they remain in the city.

The squalid side of Asha-Sanjay’s love story came under the high court scanner after the two filed a petition for safeguarding their “life and liberty”. They wanted protection against Asha Rani’s parents Ranbir and Laxmi for marrying against their wishes. During the course of hearing, it transpired the panchayat too was against them.

As the matter came up for hearing before Justice Rajan Gupta, counsel for Chandigarh Administration confirmed threats were being issued to the couple. In fact, threats were being handed down to Sanjay on his mobile phone.

Counsel said the case urgently required the court’s intervention as the danger to the lives of the two was quite apparent. Counsel for Asha Rani’s parents D.S. Bishnoi and Haryana’s additional advocate-general K.C. Gupta expressed similar apprehension.

The UT counsel said “a larger issued was involved as those getting married within the same religion, caste or sub-caste could not be allowed to be left to fend for themselves in hostile social and cultural environment”.

He insisted the entire village could not be “described as prohibited zone for marriage” and it would “impinge on the constitutional rights of individuals”.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Gupta took note of the fact that security had been provided and an advocate-general committee, on grant of protection to runaway couples, had already been constituted pursuant to the high court directions.

“In view of the fact that issue of larger public interest has arisen for consideration of this court and many cases of this nature are likely to arise, it would be appropriate if the matter is put up before the Chief Justice to be put up as per roster”. Justice Gupta also granted liberty to Asha Rani to accompany Sanjay. She was hitherto putting up in Nari Niketan, Sector 26.

Sirsa, March 23
The All-India Students Federation (AISF) today observed Martyr’s Day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev as “Rozgar Prapti Andolan Diwas” (Employment Struggle Day) and burnt the effigy of the state government for failing to protect the interests of students.

AISF activists today assembled in the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium in this morning and marched in procession towards Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk on motorbikes.

Carrying placards and posters of the martyrs, the activists burnt an effigy of the state government in the chowk.

Kurukshetra: the Students Federation of India (SFI), Kurukshetra University unit, organised a seminar on Martyr’s Day in Students Home on University campus here on Monday.

The seminar was presided over by Kurukshetra University Teachers Association (KUTA), president, Prof NS Kaushal.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), students union, former president, Dhanajay Tripathy said today the privatisation of education was going a vast scale and even the Foreign University Bill was also ready to come in Parliament. In this situation it is very important to struggle against imperialistic forces and thus it is the responsibility of youths to go ahead the way shown by Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and to fight for exploitation-free society to save sovereignty and secularity.

Faridabad: The district unit of the Congress on Monday took a decision to take out a pageant of the heroes of the Independence struggle, Raj Guru, Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev from the next Martyr’s Day.

District president of the Congress BR Ojha at a function in Saheed Azam Bhagat Singh Memorial College here announced the decision in connection with the Martyrs’ Day. This will go a long way in instilling noble values among the people, especially the youths.

Rohtak: Homage was paid to martyrs Shahid Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on the occasion of Sahidi Diwas on Monday. Activists from various organisations assembled at Bhiwani stand here under the banner of Shaheed Yadgaar Samiti and garlanded the statue of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

Paying the tributes, Inderjit Singh, state secretary of CPM, highlighted the main ideological facets of the revolutionaries for which they made supreme sacrifices of their precious lives. He said Bhagat Singh had became the symbol of all martyrs because he represented them ideologically which was rooted in transformation of society from capitalism to socialism along with national liberation.

Gurgaon, March 23
The recent demolition of certain structures near Iffco Chowk in the city seems to be snowballing into a major row. The persons whose structures were demolished staged a protest demonstration in front of the mini-secretariat here today.

The protesters claimed that their structures were demolished in an arbitrary manner by a team headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Praveen Kumar. They submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Deepti Umashankar, urging her to intervene in the matter.

Later, talking to The Tribune, the DC maintained that she had sought a report from the ADC regarding the demolition drive.

The DC had formed a joint action group under the supervision of the ADC to remove illegal hoardings and other structures encroaching upon public land or violating court orders and other rules.

Following this, a number of hoardings were brought down. However, the recent removal of encroachments sparked a row.

The protest against the demolition drive gave a welcome opportunity to Opposition parties to derive political mileage out of the residents’ resentment. Former Deputy Speaker and INLD leader Gopi Chand Gehlot hurriedly convened a press conference to cash in on the issue. Certain local leaders of the BJP were among the protesters who staged the demonstration today.

On being contacted, ADC Praveen Kumar maintained that the removal of encroachments had been carried out in pursuance of specific orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

He asserted that an eating joint, a liquor vend and an “ahata” situated at Iffco Chowk were found to be the originating point of various criminal activities and action against them had become necessary to curb the nuisance.

Regarding the report on the demolition operation sought from him, the ADC said he was preparing the report and would submit it within a day or so.