The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	For now, the cat is off Khanduri’s back SMA Kazmi Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 23 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Maj Gen BC Khanduri (retd) who was in the line of fire following the shocking defeat of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttarakhand has got a reprieve. According to BJP sources, Chief Minister Khanduri would continue in office. There was a lot of suspense in the state capital as the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting got underway in New Delhi at 5 pm today to decide the fate of Chief Minister Khanduri. It was believed that the management of disgruntled party legislators and show of strength by Chief Minister Khanduri did tilt the scales in his favour at least for the time being. BJP sources said that the issue of leadership change never came up in the parliamentary board meeting. Only the two observers, who were in Dehradun on Friday to meet party legislators, gave their report to the apex party body. It was learnt that Khanduri had won over the disgruntled party legislators and also sent five of them led by Uttarakhand Health Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to meet central party leaders today. The crisis in Uttarakhand brewed following the stunning defeat of the party on all five Lok Sabha seats in the state. The situation became precarious for Chief Minister Khanduri who first took moral responsibility for the defeat but refused to resign from his position. Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, a former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and known bitter political rival of the Chief Minister, also started putting pressure on the party high command to replace Khanduri in the light of Kapkot assembly by-election scheduled to be held on May 28. Koshiyari, who was sent to Rajya Sabha by the party high command to end the bitter rivalry between the two senior party leaders of the state, had quit his assembly segment of Kapkot necessitating a by-election. Earlier, Koshiyari had led a near revolt by more than 20 party legislators against Khanduri in August 2008. Koshiyari, who is considered close to BJP party chief Rajnath Singh, argued that with Khanduri at the helm of affairs, a sure shot win in Kapkot cannot be guaranteed. Interestingly, although the BJP lost the Almora seat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections it got more votes than the Congress in Kapkot assembly segment. However, Rajnath Singh did sent in two party observers namely Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Thavar Chand Gehlot to assess the situation, prompting both the camps to win over party legislators. With two assembly segments vacant, the BJP has a strength of 34 legislators and support of the three-member Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) and two Independents. According to party sources, the anti-Rajnath Singh lobby at the centre came to the rescue of Khanduri. They argued that since none of the senior party leaders including the party’s prime ministerial candidate LK Advani or party president Rajnath Singh resigned from their post taking moral responsibility for the defeat, there was no logic in asking Khanduri to go. Khanduri may be off the hook but the crisis in Uttarakhand will continue to simmer.
	Poll battle shifts to Kapkot Umesh Dewan Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 23 After the BJP’s humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand, now all eyes are on the Kapkot by-election scheduled for May 28. Following the resignation of Bhagat Singh Koshiyari after being elected to the Rajya Sabha from the state in November 2008, the Kapkot assembly constituency became vacant. Now, with the BJP losing all five parliamentary constituencies of Uttarakhand in the general elections, the Kapkot by-poll has assumed a special significance. Both the BJP and Congress are making efforts to win this seat. Notably, with Koshiyari representing the seat, Kapkot has always been the stronghold of the BJP. Significantly, out of 70 assembly segments of the state, the BJP lost in 52 but managed to perform well in Kapkot, as the party got a lead of around 3,000 votes over the Congress candidate. But after making a clean sweep in the parliamentary elections in the state, now the Congress is making every effort to bag this seat as well. This time, there is a straight contest between the Congress and BJP. While Congress has fielded Chamu Singh Gasyal, the BJP’s nominee from this seat is Sher Singh Garia. Though the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) and NCP have also fielded their candidates but they are not expected to upset the poll equations. Though, the BSP may have made the contest triangular but following the rejection of nomination papers of the BSP candidate, Karam Singh Danu, the contest is between the Congress and BJP only. While a few days back, BJP state president Bachi Singh Rawat had claimed that despite the party’s defeat, the morale of the leaders is high and the BJP will retain the Kapkot seat, but the developments in the BJP during the past two days had certainly demoralised the party’s rank and file. The tussle between Chief Minister Khanduri and Koshiyari over the issue of Chief Ministership has not gone well with party workers. The BJP cannot afford to lose Kapkot because the party’s tally of MLAs will come down. “In case, the party loses the Vikasnagar by-election scheduled to be held in the coming months, it will be a cause for concern for the government because it may be reduced to a minority in case the UKD withdraws support,” said a senior BJP leader preferring anonymity. Party leaders feel that the BJP certainly needs to win the by-elections in order to retain its majority in the Assembly and also to give a boost to the morale of party workers that had gone down after the debacle in the parliamentary poll.
	Rules for pvt security agencies finalised Umesh Dewan Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 23 The Uttarakhand government has laid down the rules for the functioning of private security agencies in the state. The decision to this effect was taken in the Cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat here today afternoon. Giving the details, Chief Secretary Indu Kumar Pandey said that the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act 2005 was formulated by the Union Government in 2005 and the power to frame the rules was given to the states. He added that now the state government has laid down the rules for this Act. Pandey said, “In accordance with the Model Rules framed by the Indian Government in 2008, we have finally laid rules for private security agencies. As per the rules, every private security agency, existing or new, will have to apply to the state government for a licence. “While the new agencies will be allowed to start operations after they procure the licence, the existing agencies can get themselves registered by obtaining the licence within a period of one year,” he said. The Chief Secretary said that the license of the agencies would be renewed after every five years and the fee structure for obtaining the licence has been categorised in three slabs. “The license fee for operating from one district has been fixed at Rs 5000 whereas for running their operations in five districts, the agency will have to pay Rs 10,000. The fee for more than five districts has been fixed at Rs 20,000,” he said adding that the renewal fee would be the same as paid during the time of registration. Pandey also informed that the license would be issued by the state government only after the applicant fulfils the rules laid down in the Act. The agency owner will have to give all the antecedents and verification details of all its employees. “The agency owner will have to submit the fitness certificate of the employees. “Besides, agency owners have to comply with the guidelines pertaining to the training of the security guards. The employees must be familiar with identification of explosives and usage of weapons,” Indu Kumar Pandey added.
	Uncertainty grips future of 87 medicos Sandeep Rawat Tribune News Service Haridwar, May 23 With the decision by Central Health Ministry and CCIM, the governing body of medical colleges here, to not to grant accreditation and admission nod for the batch of 2008-09 session to the two Ayurvedic Maha Vidyalayas Rishikul and Gurukul Kangri in Haridwar, the future of the students seems to be hanged in uncertainty. As a result the students of both the colleges have come under one banner and have taken the route of agitation. There are a total 87 students in the session of 2008-09, 44 in Rishikul and 43 in Gurukul who are quite puzzled and uncertain about their career. The student association alleged a conspiracy behind the whole scenario. They point that if this was to be done then why the admissions for the 08-09 session were made and counselling was done through Uttaranchal Pre-Medical Test (UPMT). Sagar Pratap Singh a senior student and representative of the union termed it as a harassment of students with no fault of theirs. “This is totally unjustified and inexplicable. How can they term it a zero session while official counselling was done with full classes and fees paid,” said Pratap. The medical students have given the administration and government an ultimatum of one week of reconsidering the decision otherwise they will have to go on indefinite strike, boycotting of the classes, including OPD, emergency and other medical services at both the colleges. A letter in this regard has been received by the state government and both the college principals confirm the nullity of the current session. In March also the students had a fortnight-long agitation against the College management and Univeristy. They had also protested at University head office in Srinagar Garhwal citing alleged discrepancies in checking of the examination copies. At that time majority of students had failed in the annual examinations. But now this one seems tougher as the session 2008-09 has been categorised as null. While Rishikul college Principal Pradeep Bharadwaj replied that during the time of counselling the students were apprised of the non-affiliation of the session which the students totally deny. Notably both the colleges Ayurvedic and Rishikul are affiliated with the Central University of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal. Representative bodies MS Rana, Ravidar Kashyap, Deepa Sharma, Jitendra Pandey addressed the briefing with all 87 students of the current batch present at the protest.
	Doon kids Bond with the best Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 23 Children from various schools of Dehradun gathered at ‘Natraj: The Green Bookshop’ as part of eminent writer Ruskin Bond’s birthday celebrations. Bond turned 75 recently. While greeting the eminent writer, Ruskin Bond, on the occasion, children in big numbers purchased Ruskin’s books which were personally signed by the writer. Natraj bookshop had on the occasion made arrangements to put together a wide exhibition of all Ruskin Bond books. Several children had also come with their parents to meet Bond. Upendra Arora, proprietor, ‘Natraj: The Green Bookshop’ was also present on the occasion.
	Two youths electrocuted, one critical Akash Ghai Tribune News Service Roorkee, May 23 Two youths were electrocuted while one sustained serious injuries here today morning. The fourth youth had a miraculous escape. The victims identified as Shubham Sethi, Laksh Arora, Bhanu Partap Sharma and Manoj Kumar were between the age of 18-20 years and were riding a bike, which lost balance on a speed breaker, and subsequently hit an electric pole, carrying high-voltage wires. Twenty-year-old Shubham Sethi and Laksh Arora died on the spot while Manoj, who received about 90 per cent electric burns, was rushed to the Jolly Grant Hospital, Dehradun, where he was referred to by Civil Hospital, Roorkee. However, Bhanu Partap had a miraculous escape as he fell down away from his friends. The bike caught fire immediately after coming in contact with the pole. Shubham, Laksh and Bhanu were identified as residents of Ramnagar locality while Manoj was a resident of Maktulpur. The incident occurred around 9.30 am near Himalyan Guest House on the road along Ganga canal. The youths were coming back after taking a bath in the canal. Meanwhile, Bhanu was sent to his home after providing first-aid.