Chandigarh, April 3
What is supreme, the legal right of a citizen or the model code of conduct? The Election Commission ruled in favour of the former when it withdrew its direction to the Haryana government not to pay enhanced pension to elder citizens, widows, disabled persons and destitute children.

The commission had asked the state to disburse the pension only at old rates. The direction was a severe jolt to the Congress as it had pegged its hopes on the enhanced pension to garner votes in the Lok Sabha elections.

The Opposition was understandably happy over the embarrassment caused to the government by the commission’s directions. Sampat Singh of the INLD and Kuldeep Bishnoi of the HJC immediately welcomed the commission’s directions.

However, the happiness of the Opposition was short lived. Within 24 hours the commission reversed its order.

According to a Congress spokesman Lakhwinder Singh Lakha, the INLD had opposed the payment of enhanced pension in a letter sent to the commission on March 18. The letter was signed among others by INLD secretary-general Ajay Singh Chautala.

Lakha said on one hand the INLD was accusing Chief Minister of having played
with the sentiments of the beneficiaries by announcing enhanced pension
“merely on paper”, on the other hand it had opposed the facility to the needy
before the commission.

Chief secretary Dharam Vir and secretary, Social Welfare, Navraj Sandhu, who
had met the commission yesterday, had argued that the permission of the
“competent authority”, i.e. the Chief Minister, for the enhancement of the
pension was received on February 20 and financial and administrative sanctions
were accorded on February 27.

Therefore, the scheme had come into force from March 1, ahead of the code, which came into force on March 2.

Once, the officials argued, the enhancement came into force, it became the legal right of the beneficiaries. Just as salary for March is paid to the employees in April, similarly pension for March was to be paid in April.

The pension scheme had been in existence since long. It had been revised from time to time. This year also the government had revised it. Moreover, no new beneficiaries had been included.

The officials also pointed out to the commission that it had allowed increase in salary in many cases after the code came into force.

Therefore, it was not justified to make beneficiaries to wait for enhanced pension. The commission agreed with the contention of Haryana and reversed its decision.

Karnal, April 3
About 19-lakh Sikh votes which played crucial role in tilting the electoral balance in four Parliamentary constituencies of Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and Sirsa may not be a decisive factor this time following division among Sikhs on the issue of a separate SGPC for the state.

The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (HSGPC), spearheading the campaign for a separate SGPC was able to persuade the Congress to include its demand in its poll manifesto and muster support of Sikhs for the party in the last assembly elections but the unfulfilled promise had left a large number of Sikhs disillusioned and disappointed.

The Congress-led Haryana Government had appointed the Chattha committee for giving its recommendations on the separate SGPC issue but it took more than three years to submit the report.

Even after the submission of the report in February end this year, the Congress government dithered on the issue and set up another sub -committee to study the report and the issue was again put on the back burner.

The delaying tactic helped the government wriggle out of the situation as model code for the Lok Sabha polls was enforced but leaders of the warring factions of the HSGPC led by Jagdish Singh Jhinda and Didar Singh Nalvi had no plausible explanation to offer their supporters.

There were three different sections of Sikhs, pulling in different directions. The faction owing allegiance to SGPC controlled by (SAD) Badal was opposed to a separate SGPC, the Jhinda faction had soft corner for the Congress but siding with Congress was not possible in view of its betrayal on the issue and the decision of Congress to field Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar for the Lok Sabha polls from Delhi.

These two leaders were named in anti-Sikh riots and despite of clean chit by the CBI, the Sikhs are not reconciled to their candidature. This has put the congress Sikh supporters on the back foot.

The position of Nalvi faction is no different as it has limited option of going either with the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) or with the BSP.

Further the factionalism in the HSGPC has not only weakened the campaign for a separate SGPC but also created confusion among the Sikhs who are adopting the policy of “wait and watch” for a clear picture to emerge.

Rewari, April 3
A tractor loan racket to the tune of Rs 12.70 lakh secured from the Dahina branch of the Central Bank of India in the year 2005 by a “gang of alleged cheats” comprising some farmers, a patwari and a lawyer, has now come to light.

Following complaints filed by Rajender Saroha, branch manager of the bank, the police has registered three FIRs on charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery and criminal conspiracy under Sections 417, 420, 406, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the IPC against the accused - Rajesh of Karira village, Ram Bhagat of Gothara Tappa Dahina village, Jagdish of Karira village, Sube Singh of Gothara village, a patwari of the above circle, a lawyer of Rewari and several others.

Sources said the accused, while acting collusive, successively secured loans of Rs 4.50 lakh on May 16, 2005, Rs 4.20 lakh on August 25, 2005 and Rs 4 lakh on September 15, 2005, from the Dahina branch of Central Bank of India, for the purchase of tractors.

The papers pertaining to their agricultural land as well as the allied documents, which were submitted to the bank by the loan-seekers, have now been found “fake and forged,” sources added.

Thus when the loanees failed to repay the loan amount even after repeated requests and warnings, the branch manager recently lodged complaints.

ASI Daya Nand, in charge of the economic cell of the police department here, is now investigating the matter.

Ambala, April 3
Movie buffs looking forward to the coming long weekend to watch the latest movie flicks are in for a disappointment as the producers guild will be observing an indefinite strike starting tomorrow.

The strike, which is also supported by film distributors across India, is against the highhanded attitude of the multiplexes. So, no new movie will be released till the face off between the multiplexes and the producers and distributors is resolved.

The producers demanding 50 per cent share in revenue made by theatre owners. The producers guild and distributors are also complaining that the multiplex owners have not been clearing payments on time and also want an end to the monopoly of multiplexes demanding which movie they will release.

“We approached the Punjab government a few months ago and 30 per cent entertainment tax was exempted. However, the multiplexes are still charging it from the customers and pocketing it,” he said.

The problem does not end here the distributors accuse the multiplexes of forming a pack and bullying them into releasing prints to all multiplexes.

“We cannot release so many prints of a movie. All factors have to be considered. At times business is less at a multiplex, while at a time 3-4 multiplexes are within a 1-km radius. It does not make sense for us to release at so many places.”

Talking to The Tribune, spokesperson for the producer’s guild and president of the distributors association Ramesh Sippy stated that the strike would be indefinite and they were also seriously considering withdrawing the movies that were currently being screened.

Yamunanagar, April 3
With the onset of summer, cases of malaria and dengue are on rise in the district. The Health Department and the administration requires serious preventive measures to provide proper medical care and facilities to the patients.

Four confirmed dengue and 214 malaria cases have come to light so far. Due to lack of proper facilities in the government hospitals here the patients have to run to Chandigarh to get treatment either in PGI or in private hospitals.

Last year, four deaths due to dengue were reported in the district, while more than 900 cases of malaria and 91 unconfirmed dengue cases were came to light.

However, the actual figure could be more, as death cases due to dengue in the private hospitals remained unnoticed.

Lack of lab facility in the district, the blood samples of the suspected dengue cases has to sent to Chandigarh or Delhi for the conformation of dengue cases.

According to official sources, out of total malaria and dengue cases, 90 per cent of the cases every year reported from labourers working in mining, stone crusher zone belt most of from Khijrabad stone crusher zone belt and also from industry.

As mostly contractor did not provide real number of labours working for them. Besides it, the labourers were left helpless to live in miserable conditions and did not have the ESI facilities.

District malaria officer Vijay Atreja said we had deployed six medical team and medical officers in the vulnerable areas and he was monitoring the situation and preparing report every day.

We have already communicated to the senior officials to provide ESI facilities to the labour and industry department’s strong intervention to check to labourers.

Chandigarh, April 3
The Haryana BSP gained at the loss of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) yesterday when a prominent Muslim leader of the Ambala Lok Sabha constituency Akram Khan deserted the latter to join the former.

Khan joined the BSP after he met BSP supremo Mayawati at the airport here on her return from Himachal Pradesh. With Khan’s presence in the BSP, its candidate from Ambala Chander Pal will be a sure gain because the family of Khan has considerable influence over the Muslim votes in the Chhachhrauli belt.

At the same time, it is also set back to the Congress, which is yet to announce its candidate from Ambala. BJP nominee Rattan Lal Kataria in anyway could not have expected much of the Muslim vote.

Aslam said he decided to quit the INLD after it joined hands with the BJP, which represented communal forces in the country.

He was impressed by Mayawati’s social engineering and her firm tackling of anti-social elements in UP.

Aslam said only Mayawati could put a member of the Gandhi family behind bars for making inflammatory speeches.

BSP national general secretary Mann Singh Manhera, who was instrument in persuading Khan to join his party, said Khan had joined the party unconditionally.

Manhera claimed that within the next few days, 70 per cent of the Haryana Janhit Congress of Kuldeep Bishnoi would merge with the BSP.

BSP MLA Arjun Singh and its likely Assembly nominee from Sadhaura Ravi Choudhry were also present when Khan announced his decision to join the BSP.

Chandigarh, April 3
Less than 48 hours after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled four questions put to the candidates appearing for HCS (judicial) were wrong, a candidate has filed an appeal claiming there were “more such questions which have been ignored”.

In his appeal expected to come up for hearing before the vacation Bench of the high court, petitioner Gourav Jain has also sought directions to the public service commission against conducting the main examination till the decision on the appeal.

Jain, also an advocate, has asserted that seven questions were wrong in all and “should be removed from the question paper”.

Directions have also been sought for “fresh assessment of answer of all the candidates”, and preparation of “fresh merit”.

Going into the background, he said the respondent issued an advertisement on September 14, 2008, for 78 posts of civil judge (junior division) in Haryana.

In all, 120 questions were to be answered in two hours. Out of the total, “many questions were out of the prescribed syllabus”.

Analysis showed over 60 questions were out of the prescribed syllabus. Otherwise, over “half a dozen questions were either wrong, or the options were wrong”.

The petition was disposed of by the Single Judge with directions to the Commission to devise “some in house mechanism to ensure that wherever a syllabus is prescribed, the questions should be prescribed strictly from within its four corners”.

Jain said the Single Judge extended the benefit for future generation, but denied the same to the present, which is discriminatory and not sustainable in the eyes of law.

“The benefit extended for future, has to be given for the present petitioner as
well,” he said.

In his detailed order, the Single Judge had earlier referred to four questions in particular and observed: Counsel for the respondent-commission was not in a position to deny that these questions were palpably wrong, that is to say none of them could have a correct answer or that they were such for which there could be two or more equally correct answers.

Quoting Apex Court and other judgments, the Judge had asserted: “In view of
the dictum of law, it is directed that these four offending questions would be
deleted as regards the petitioners and their merit will be accordingly recomputed.
It is made clear that this exercise will be done only for the petitioners and will
not be resorted to either for the selected candidates or those who have not
approached this court till today”.

Fatehabad, April 3
Abhay Singh Chautala today said National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had  decided to provide interest-free loans to farmers after coming to power in the country.

Chautala, who was here to campaign for INLD candidate Sita Ram from the Sirsa parliamentary seat, was addressing party workers here today.

“The NDA has decided only last night that when subsidies worth crores of rupees were given to those setting up industries, why can’t the government provide interest free loans to farmers,” Abhay said.

He added that the NDA would see to it that no property was mortgaged while giving loans for tractors as these could also be hypothecated by the banks.

Terming the appointment of guest teachers as poor decision of the government,
Chuatala said it had not only hampered the appointment of regular teachers but
had also marred the future of guest teachers in view of the recent orders of the
high courts.

He said when the government headed by Om Parkash Chautala came to power in Haryana it would take a considerate view of the guest teachers and would provide them jobs or unemployment allowance till they were absorbed in jobs.

Kurukshetra, April 3
Dr Lalit Kishore (63), former student of SMB Gita Senior Secondary School, Kurukshetra and Kurukshetra University alumnus, has brought laurels to India in general and Kurukshetra in particular, by being honoured with a rare distinction to represent the community of science educators on the eve of the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers.

Dr Kishore, who is a recipient of the C’wealth award (2008-09), instituted by the Commonwealth Association of Science, Technology and Mathematics Educators, has been invited to chair and provide perspective to the panel entitled “Contemporary Challenges for Public Education: Lessons from Science and Technology Learning” on June 15 during the 17th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (17CCEM) scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia from June 15 to 19.

Dr Kishore has been honoured with several national and international awards for his contribution in science education.

He has worked at Sports School, Rai; Assistant Commissioner, Central Schools Organisation; Director, Lok Jumbish Project; and Consultant, UN Agencies. Currently, he is the Senior Fellow, Centre for Unfolding Learning Potentials - an NGO running an innovative Pechaan Project in Rajasthan.

This panel aims to discuss contemporary challenges for public education in the C’wealth with particular focus on science and technology learning to create a space for civil society to advocate respective governments to invest more in education.

The theme for 50th anniversary conference is “Education in the Commonwealth: Towards and Beyond Global Goals and Targets.”

Kaithal, April 3
To check the plantation of ‘saathi’ variety of paddy, which consumed huge quantity of water, the Agricultural Department destroyed Saathi nursery in Guhla subdivision.

Bharat Singh, SDO, Agriculture Guhla, said the nursery was being prepared in 10 acres in Harigarh Kingan village. The department initiated action on getting information and uprooted the nursery.

The officer said the department had been taking various steps to create awakening among the farmers about side effects of planting this paddy, which caused depletion in level of under ground water.

Basu reiterated his party’s earlier stand that the Left parties would not support any government led by the Congress after the poll results.

He claimed that the Third Front was strong enough to get sufficient number of seats to form a stable government without seeking support from the Congress.

Chandigarh, April 3
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has demanded registration of criminal cases against Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda, Congress president Phool Chand Mullana and his son-in-law and DC, Panchkula, RK Kataria for their alleged indulgence in corrupt practices and blatant violations of the model code of conduct to benefit the ruling party in the Lok Sabha elections.

In its complaint to the Chief Election Commission, the INLD has said that Deepender, son of the Chief Minister and Congress candidate from Rohtak had indulged in corrupt practices by announcing a grant of Rs 5 lakh to a society for construction of Sri Krishan Dharamshala at Jhajjar on March 29 after enforcement of the code. The INLD urged the commission to register a criminal case against Deepeneder.

The INLD said Kataria was also the chief administrator of the Shri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board, Panchkula, apart from being DC, Panchkula. It alleged that Mullana and Kataria had misused the famous religious place for political benefits and with a view to woo the voters by playing with their religious sentiments.

The Congress banner as well as a banner displaying the names of Kataria and Mullana had been displayed prominently.

The party wanted that a criminal case should be registered against Mullana and Kataria for violating the code.

At the same time, directions should issue to the state government to repatriate Kataria to his parent state, Karnataka, immediately.