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Election
Rally
‘Yeh ladka hai ji, iska khyal rakhna’, so LK Advani seems to say by putting his hand of support on the shoulders of Hamipur BJP candidate Anurag Thakur during a rally at Bilaspur on Saturday. Tribune
photo by Amit Sharma |
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BJP criticism of PM against all norms of decency: Sharma
BJP national president Rajnath Singh addressing a public rally at Chambi in
Kangra district on Saturday. Photo: Kamaljeet
‘Cong charge sheet a wasteful exercise’
Virbhadra Singh assailed
‘Need to stem decline of bureaucracy’
CM asked to order CBI probe into charge sheets
Class XII arts exam: Girls outshine boys
Cong accused of vote-bank politics
CE told to file affidavit on work allocation
Resentment among journalists
Policemen disperse SFI activists
Plea to introduce bus service
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Advani accuses PM of giving criminal face to Cabinet
Pratibha Chauhan Tribune news Servi
Bilaspur, May 9 Addressing an election rally here today in favour of BJP candidate from Hamirpur seat Anurag Thakur he said it was because of these kinds of acts that he had lost respect for the PM. “I hold him responsible for having included people with criminal records in his cabinet which he very conveniently attributed to as compulsions of coalition politics,” said Advani. He said one could hold the electorate responsible for making candidates with criminal record victorious but the onus for making such people ministers lies solely on the PM. “The last NDA regime was the perfect example of a coalition government as we never compromised on any issue and showed the door to a minister who faced serious charges,” he said. “It is not for the formation of a BJP government at the Centre that the people should vote for the BJP but to ensure that India emerges as a world power in the 21st century,” he said. Admitting that till now the farm sector and the serving and retired soldiers had been ignored, he said in its election manifesto the BJP had promised to give one-rank one pension to ex-servicemen, who constitute a sizeable section of the electorate in Hamirpur seat. He said the BJP had an IT vision, as such technological advancements would be used to revolutionise education, health and governance. “It is only the formation of BJP regime that the dream of having an imposing Ram Temple at Ayodhya can be fulfilled as it is not just the wish of the Hindus but of the entire nation,” he said. He lamented that even today India was plagued with problems like illiteracy, poverty, female foeticide with no right to safe drinking water. “In case BJP forms the government I will implement the Ladki Lakshmi Yojna launched by the BJP regime in Madhya Pradesh in the entire country,” he announced. The local MLA and forest minister, J.P. Nadda said Advani was the only capable leader who could play the role of a nation builder and make India a world leader in the 21st century.
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Sidelights
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BJP criticism of PM against all norms of decency: Sharma
Bilaspur, May 9 Desisting from launching a personalised attack on the BJP prime ministerial candidate
L.K. Advani, who also addressed an election rally in the main town, Sharma took the BJP to task for targeting a man who is respected the world over as an able economist. "He is not the Prime Minister of the Congress but of the entire nation so making such derogatory statements against him is an insult to the voters of the country and cannot be justified by any norms," he said. Aware of the fact that the BJP prime ministerial candidate Advani was to address a rally in the town, Sharma very tactfully kept the focus of his speech on Manmohan Singh, whom he termed as an able PM and economist whose advice is sought by other nations as well. "It is for people to see whether Advani was a strong home minister who ferried wanted terrorists like Maulana Masood Azhar to Kandhar or Manmohan Singh, under whom an able foreign policy forced Pakistan to admit that terrorist activities from its land were being carried out against India," he remarked. Sharma said it was only a man like Manmohan Singh who dared to put the government at stake when he faced a no-confidence motion as the interest of the nation was placed above political considerations. Sharma said it was due to the able leadership of the PM that India had been affected to a much less extent by global recession. "It is historic and positive programmes like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
(NREGA), the Bharat Nirman and the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
(JNNURM) that the common man and rural populace have got much relief," he elaborated. He also criticised chief minister
P.K. Dhumal for misleading the people of the state by accusing the UPA regime of discriminating with
Himachal. “How can the BJP level such an allegation when the central university,an
IIT, a NIFT, a passport office and an ESI hospital have been given by the UPA regime,” he quipped. Former minister Ram Lal Thakur said the BJP which claims of fulfilling 80 per cent of its election manifesto hiked bus fares and took many other anti-people decisions. |
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All polls should be held at same time: Rajnath
Chambi (Dharamsala), May 9 This was stated by national president of the BJP Rajnath Singh while responding to queries from newsmen at the Gaggal airport today. He said the elections being held at different time periods were consuming a lot of time along with resources of political parties and the country. Rajnath was scheduled to arrive in Kangra at 11am to address an election rally in favour of party candidate Rajan Sushant at Chambi. However, he arrived at 3.15 pm at the airport. Sources here told that the flight of Rajnath Singh got delayed due to some problem in the chartered plane in which he was scheduled to arrive. Besides newsmen, senior BJP leaders, including Shanta Kumar, former Chief Minister and national vice-president of the BJP, and Cabinet ministers of the state waited for him for more than 5 hours. Thousands of people also waited for Rajnath at the venue of the election rally since morning. The rally was cut short and after just a brief address by Shanta Kumar, Rajnath started delivering his election speech. But, after a few minutes the generator that was supporting the sound system at the rally venue failed. |
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‘Cong charge sheet a wasteful exercise’
Shimla, May 9 Addressing a press conference here today he said the apple procured under the market intervention scheme last season could not be transported in time because of damage caused to roads due to unprecedented rain last season. Since the fruit had deteriorated the government actually saved transport charges to the tune of
Rs 1.06 crore. He said during the Congress government lakhs of bags of apple were spoiled as a result of which the government suffered huge losses. Quoting figures he said that in all 5.74 lakh bags were destroyed during the Congress rule even though there was no heavy rain or other calamity. Bragta said that the Gumma Carton factory was being closed on the suggestion of local MLAs, including leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes, and instead the government planned to set up fruit processing plant. The Congress governments never tried to properly run the factory as evident from the fact that the annual production of apple cartons did not cross even the 20 lakh mark as against 71 lakh achieved during the BJP rule. He also alleged that the Congress government tried to sell off the valuable property of the HPMC at Kundali to a private company but it was saved as the BJP opposed it while in Opposition. The government now planned to set up marketing facility for floriculture, fruit and other horticultural products. Bragta claimed that the BJP would make electoral history by winning the Shimla parliamentary seat which it had not won even once. The Congress was in a total disarray and its candidate and sitting MP Dhani Ram Shandil had lost the confidence of apple growers by not visiting the area when rains caused heavy damage.
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Virbhadra Singh assailed
Bilaspur, May 9 Both leaders lashed out at the former Chief Minister for his alleged political victimisation and vindictive actions against scores of NGOs’ leaders during his chief ministership as they refused to toe line as other leaders close to him were doing. Addressing mediapersons here today, they said Virbhadra Singh would be known as the most hated Chief Minister by the NGOs’ of the state due to his hostile attitude towards employees as thousands of them were displaced by mass transfers of unparallel proportions. They alleged a large number of trade union leaders were transferred to far off and snow-bound areas and some of them were suspended and even dismissed
from service. They further said Virbhadra Singh did not release interim relief even after almost one year of his declaring it in the state Vidhan Sabha. They reminded the former Chief Minister that he imposed professional tax on employees, a sinister scheme by the name of employees accidental insurance was introduced forcibly and 5 per cent posts were being abolished every year, making employees bear heavy
work load. |
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‘Need to stem decline of bureaucracy’
Shimla, May 9 Delivering a lecture on “Role of bureaucracy in a democracy” here today, he said the bureaucrats were responsible for the prevailing messy state of affairs and “lack of governance” as they had willingly surrendered their conscience to the political masters to secure plum postings. It was not surprising that the responsibility of the executive was being discharged by the judiciary and that of policy making by the bureaucracy, instead of the legislature. Courts had to intervene to check ragging in educational institutions and ensure proper disposal of garbage, which was a sad commentary on the state of governance. Political bosses were having a field day and they had become the masters as ultimately it was their writ that ran at the implementation level. The situation could be remedied if a public services act was enacted. There was also a need to provide legal protection to the whistle-blowers so that they could expose the ills plaguing the instruments of governance without fear. |
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CM asked to order CBI probe into charge sheets
Shiva Badar/Takoli (Mandi), May 9 They said this while addressing public meetings at Shiva Badar, Katola and Takoli in Drang yesterday. Virbhadra Singh said BJP ministers and Dhumal were misusing power to amass wealth. “The present government has not done even a single development work during its 14-month rule,” he alleged. Kaul Singh said Dhumal did not have the courage to order CBI inquiries into the charge sheets as his own four ministers and three MLAs had levelled serious charges of corruption against him during the 1998-2003 term. Meanwhile, actor Raj Babbar said Virbhadra Singh would be a senior minister in the new Manmohan Singh government at the Centre. He delivered some filmy dialogues to strike a chord with the crowd. He said Virbhadra Singh was the “shaan” of vikas (development) in Himachal and senior leader like him would now serve the country as he would be a senior minister in the Manmohan Singh’s government. He said he felt proud addressing the people of Himachal, which had progressed to great heights under successive Congress governments. “The future of the country is secure with the Congress and its leaders,” he claimed. He urged people to vote for Virbhadra Singh for ensuring bright future of the state. |
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Class XII arts exam: Girls outshine boys
Dharamsala, May 9 Janki Gupta from Government Senior Secondary School, Rohru, topped the examination by scoring 455 marks out of total 500. She was followed by Munish Kumar from Government Senior Secondary School, Nahan, (442/500); Tsering Dorjee from Kangra Valley Senior Secondary School, Sheela Chowk, Dharamsala, (434/500); and Thilla Gyachho from Blue Star Senior Secondary School, Hamirpur, (433/500). In the commerce group, Balbir Singh Thakur from Blue Star Senior Secondary Public School emerged topper by scoring 461 marks out of total 500. He was followed by Rajesh Kumar of Government Senior Secondary School, Kullu, and Gaurav Gogna Arunodaya Senior Secondary School, Mohal (Kullu), 429/500 marks each; Devender Gupta from Kullu Valley School, Ramshila, (428/500); and Vinod Kumar Bhatia from DAV Senior Secondary School, Kangra, (427/500). In the vocational group, Mohan Lal from Government Senior Secondary School, Hamirpur, topped the examination by scoring 714 marks out of total 800. He was followed by Amti Sharma from Government Senior Secondary School, Lathiani in Una district, (705/800); Anju Bala from the same school (682/800); and Gopal Singh from Government Senior Secondary School, Bhangotu in Mandi district, (680/800). Chairman of the board CL Gupta said 69,393 students had appeared in the examination in arts and commerce groups. Out of them, 45,541 were able to clear the examination. The result in both subjects remained 66.29 per cent. In the vocational group, 740 students had appeared for the examination and 520 out of them managed to clear the examination. The result percentage was 70.27.
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Cong accused of vote-bank politics
Kangra, May 9 He was addressing a public meeting at Peehri Galoti in the Jawalamukhi Assembly segment of Kangra district last evening. He said the Congress pursued vote-bank politics to grab power, while the BJP believed in development. Accusing the Congress, the former Union Minister recalled Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a meeting of the Chief Ministers’ in Delhi and said the minorities had the first right on the natural resources of the country. Targeting the Congress, he further said the party and its leadership lacked the strong will power required to combat the increasing threat of terrorism. He described the Congress as the “mother of corruption” in the country. He also called Manmohan Singh as “weak” Prime Minister. The BJP leader alleged neither farmers nor soldiers on the border were satisfied with the policies of the UPA government. He announced that special schemes would be formulated for the welfare of farmers and soldiers and “one rank, one pension” scheme would be introduced for soldiers, if the NDA voted to power.
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CE told to file affidavit on work allocation
Shimla, May 9 Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice VK Ahuja observed that prima facie there seemed to be illegality in the allocation
of work. The court observed that if allegations of the petitioner were true then the matter was of a serious nature. The order came on a petition wherein challenge was laid to the action of the Chief Engineer for allotting a tender of four items for
Rs 4,80,000, whereas a tender for 28 items, including the four items, was called for
Rs 3,98,141. The petitioner alleged that respondents floated the tenders under the Pradhanmantri Gram Sarak Yojna for the work of the Salauni to Deotsidh road for 28 items. During the hearing of the case, the petitioner sought liberty of the court to withdraw the petition but the court declined
this plea. The court appointed an advocate to assist the court. It was alleged that the respondents cancelled the initial tender process issued for 28 items, but later without issuing any fresh tenders, work for the four items was allotted to respondent
Sandeep Chauhan. |
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Resentment among journalists
Kangra, May 9 This despite the fact that political leaders and others had free access to the arrival lounge of the airport. There was resentment among journalist over the treatment meted out to them by AAI
officials. The BJP chief was expected to arrive at 11 am, but his arrival was delayed due to a snag in the aircraft at Lucknow. |
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Policemen disperse SFI activists
Shimla, May 9 A scuffle ensued as the protesters resisted the efforts of the police to forcibly remove them. A group of protesters surrounded the police vehicle in which some of the students were being taken away. They were staging a protest against the decision of the university to rusticate two students. The police arrested seven activists identified as Naresh, Mohinder, Muneesh, Neeraj, Sanjeev, Surinder and Jasbir. Superintendent of police R.M.Sharma said that the police had no option but to use force as the protesters were bent upon creating nuisance on the Mall. A case of rioting and obstructing public servants form prefoming duty under Sections 313, 147 and 148 had been registered against the seven
students.
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Plea to introduce bus service
Chamba, May 9 Earlier, this service was followed by the Haryana Roadways but was discontinued in the wake of six fatal accidents. President of the council Hari Ram Puri said these accidents occurred owing to napping by a single driver plying bus on the Chamba-Delhi route. The reason being that the management of the Haryana Roadways could not provide a
relieving driver. Plying HRTC bus from Chamba to Delhi via Ludhiana would prove helpful to the people of Chamba region as well as to the HRTC from revenue point of view, he said; emphasising that the service should be introduced with immediate effect.
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75 donate blood
Shimla, May 9 In all 75 persons donated blood in the camp organised by the Umang Foundation.
— TNS
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One killed
Nurpur, May 9 |
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With his verbal duel with Manmohan Singh, the other contender for the prime ministerial post remaining unabated, BJP leader L.K. Advani toady accused him of giving a criminal face to the Union Cabinet by including MPs with criminal record in the union cabinet.
