Sirsa, July 6
The exchange of land of high commercial value belonging to the Khajakhera village panchayat near the local auto market with that of much lesser value and belonging to some private individuals has raised many an eyebrow.

Terming this as a case of “land grabbing”, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has demanded immediate cancellation of the orders.

Addressing a press conference at his residence here today, Rajya Sabha MP and general secretary of the INLD Ajay Singh Chautala today alleged that a minister in the Haryana government, a senior bureaucrat and some workers of the ruling party were involved in the “scam” running into crores.

Releasing copies of the order issued on May 1 by the then Deputy Commissioner of Sirsa district, Chautala alleged that five acres and two marlas of highly commercial land of Khajakhera village bordering the newly built auto market of Sirsa town had been exchanged with six acres and one marla of agriculture land belonging to private individuals in the name of providing 100 square yards of plots to poor of the village under the Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojna.

He alleged that while the market value of the panchayat land was over Rs 5 crore per acre, the land with which it had been exchanged was not more than worth Rs 10 lakh per acre.

The orders dated May 1 said the exchange of five acres and two marlas of land belonging to the panchayat with six acres and one marla land of private individuals was sanctioned for using the land to distribute plots to poor under the basti scheme.

Saying that his party will not allow this to happen at any cost, Chautala alleged that Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had given his local party leaders free hand to grab government property. He said, to save the prime land of the panchayat, his party would take its fight to the highest level and would not allow those in power to misuse their position.

He also castigated the state government for its “failure” to provide power and water and said people would teach the government a lesson in the coming Assembly elections.

District president of the INLD Padam Jain, president of the women wing of the party Krishna Fogat and district president of the BJP Renu Sharma were also present.

Chandigarh, July 6
Taking up a petition alleging the illegal allotment of industrial workers’ residential plots at Panipat to influential individuals, Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia directed Haryana and HUDA to submit the action-taken report against the officials involved in the scam.

As the PIL of Panipat-based PP Kapoor came up for hearing, Haryana Vigilance Bureau’s Deputy Superintendent of Police Bachan Singh’s report on the investigation was placed before the Bench.

The latest report indicated that the vigilance has recommended the cancellation of residential plots allotted to three more persons, including a former secretary of the state Child Welfare Council, who had allegedly secured a plot posing to be a factory helper.

She was a leader of the INLD and had contested elections to the Haryana Vidhan Sabha from the Samalkha constituency in 1991 and 1996.

The court was also informed by Haryana Additional Advocate-General Randhir Singh that HUDA has already issued notices for the cancellation of plots to 15 persons identified and recommended by the vigilance while similar action against 37 others was expected to be completed within six weeks.

Chandigarh, July 6
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today hailed the first budget of the new UPA government presented by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, describing it as a growth-oriented budget aimed at benefiting all sections.

However, the INLD described the budget as “disappointing and dull”.

Appreciative of the 70 per cent more allocation for agriculture, the Chief Minister said the proposal to give 1 per cent subsidy to those farmers who repaid their loans in time was already being implemented by the Haryana government, which gave such a rebate at the rate of 2 per cent in the cooperative sector. He also appreciated the proposal for the extension of a loan scheme by six months for farmers.

The proposals to set up a central university in each state and implement an interest waiver scheme for poor students’ education loan would benefit students. The introduction of schemes like a health insurance scheme for poor persons, a National Literacy Mission for Women, increased budget allocation for major areas like agriculture, the Bharat Nirman Project, NREGA, the Indira Awas Yojana and several other areas would also be beneficial. He also welcomed the proposal to allocate an enhanced budget for the development of Chandigarh and Panjab University and proposals like increased investment in providing basic amenities and generating 1.2 crore jobs a year.

INLD president and former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala said people had great expectations from the first budget of the new Congress government. However, it failed to address the expectations of all sections, including employees, farmers, youth, industrialists and traders.

The INLD chief said people were expecting tax relief on income tax but the tax limit had been increased by Rs 10,000 only, implying that Class IV employees would now have to pay income tax.

Further, there was no relief by way of rollback of petrol and diesel prices. Several Congress leaders have welcomed the decision to give subsidy on agriculture to farmers directly. MP from Bhiwani Shruti Choudhry said she had met the Union Finance Minister and Agriculture Minister before the Budget and requested them to take this decision.

KARNAL: The Union Budget has evoked a mixed response from a cross-section of people with industry, corporate sector, professionals and salaried class expressing disappointment and ex-servicemen hailing it for acceptance of long-pending demand for “one rank, one pension”.

“The budget fell far short of our expectations, especially in respect of raising the Income Tax limits but abolition of fringe benefit tax (FBT) and waiving surcharge on tax was a welcome step,” said JR Kalra, president of the Karnal Chapter of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Gurgaon, July 6
“The focus of the Union Budget towards infrastructure, employability and re-institutionalising development shall act as the key factors for escalating economic growth. It will help in catalysing the overall pace of growth of industry and economy of the country,” said NK Minda, chairman, CII, Haryana State Council.

Minda appreciated the Union Government’s initiative of hiking the infrastructure investment to over 9 per cent of the GDP by 2014. He further said increase in allocation in JNNURM scheme by 87 per cent was an appreciable step towards developing basic infrastructure facilities in the country.

Minda also welcomed the initiative of allocating Rs 2,000 crore for rural housing fund under National Housing Bank. In view of the slowdown in the economy, he appreciated that the government had decided to increase public expenditure dedicated to strengthening the infrastructure by focusing on construction activities that would create additional job opportunities.

The CII also welcomed the elimination of the Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) and Commodity Transaction Tax. However, increase in Minimum Allocation Tax (MAT) received mixed reactions from the industry.

LK Jain, vice-chairman, CII, Haryana State Council, said declaration of introducing Goods and Services Tax (GST) was a long awaited commitment, which would address the issue of multiplicity of taxes. He also appreciated the government’s support in promoting businesses by maintaining the earlier lower rates of excise and service tax.

Meanwhile, responding to the Union Budget, the Gurgaon Chamber said the Budget was on expected lines, reflecting the government’s commitment of satisfying the aspirations of the common man even while striving to revive growth in the economy and address the problem of fiscal deficit.

Faridabad, July 6
Former state minister and leader of Subash Batra-led faction of the Haryana Janhit Congress, Krishan Murthi Hooda, stressed here today that his party will contest from all 90 Assembly seats in the coming Vidhan Sabha election in the state. Krishan, who was here to canvass support for the proposed July 12-Jind meeting of HJC workers, said his party would contest the election under the leadership of the former state home minister and interim president of the HJC and the party would project Batra as the next Chief Minister of the state.

He said the expulsion of Kuldip Bishnoi from the party and ratification of Batra as the new and full-fledged president of the party would be the main agenda of workers meeting in Jind.

He said Batra was getting good response from all sections of society. According to Krishan, Batra was the most senior non-Jat leader and highly respected figure, especially among Punjabis. If Bhajan Lal, whose Bishnoi community comprising only half per cent of the state's population could thrice become the Chief Minister of the state, Batra, whose Punjabi community comprises more than 33 per cent of the total population of the state, could also become the Chief Minister, he added.

He said he and Batra were illegally expelled from the party by Bishnoi as they had opposed undemocratic practices in the party. Also, they were opposed to Bishnoi and Bhajan Lal “hobnobbing” with the Congress. When pointed out that Bishnoi’s charge was that Batra was close to the Chief Minister, he shot back saying that it was the case of the “pot calling the kettle black”. He challenged Bishnoi to deny if and Bhajan Lal had not tried to get into the Congress. They are also close to senior Congress leaders like Moti Lal Vohra, Mohsina Kidwai, RK Dhawan and Salman Khursheed. It was Congress president Sonia Gandhi who shot down the move for their re-entry into the party, he added.

Krishan alleged that Bhajan Lal always tried to identify himself with the non-Jats, but always stifled their political growth. Rather, he always created situations to create a Jat leadership. He said soon the members of his party committee, which was headed by him, would meet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, and impress upon her that the HJC (BL) headed by Kuldip Bishnoi, with whom her BSP had entered into electoral alliance for the Assembly election, was a “shame”. The one headed by Batra was "genuine" and Batra was is de jure president.

Krishan’s statements against Bhajan Lal and his son Bishnoi assumes significance as he had been the family’s most trusted political lieutenant for the past about 30 years. Also, both Krishan and Batra are from Rohtak, the home district of the Chief Minister.The HJC leader asserted that he had committed the greatest blunder of his life by sticking around with Bhajan Lal and then joining the bandwagon of Bishnoi.

In response to a particular question, he said Bishnoi’s differences with the Congress, which had led to his parting company with it, was not based on the ideology but his personal grudge with Krishan. The grudge emanated from the fact that Bhupinder Singh Hooda was made the Chief Minister.

He also alleged that Bhajan Lal was instrumental in politically dividing the SCs by categorising them into "A” and “B” classes.

Kurukshetra, July 6
While discussing the important agenda for the new session commencing from July 16 at a meeting of the deans of faculties chairpersons and directors held here today, Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University R P Bajpai directed the heads of all departments and institutes to ensure that the menace of ragging should be completely stopped and measures must be taken to make the campus peaceful for study and leisure.

Prof Bajpai said it would be mandatory for all students to keep their identity cards with them on the campus and also to register details of their vehicles with the chairpersons and the chief wardens. Admission to hostels would be strictly made on the basis of the merit of the student in the admission list as this would help in keeping the unlawful elements out of the campus. All students and their parents would be required to submit an affidavit mentioning that they have read and understood necessary laws relating to ragging and the punishment for breaking these laws, he added.

He also requested the chairpersons and directors to streamline the process of admission to PhD programme in accordance with the new guidelines issued by the UGC.

Chandigarh, July 6
The Chief Administrator of Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has placed under suspension Deputy Superintendent Jagdish Chander Dua and clerks, Ved Parkash and Shamsher Singh, working in the office of Estate Officer, HUDA, Hisar, after taking cognisance of a report from the Estate Officer, HUDA, Hisar.

A spokesman for the HUDA said the Estate Officer, HUDA, Hisar, in his report had informed that these officials were involved in a conspiracy of transferring a resumed plot in the Police Lines area, Hisar.

As per the report, these officials have connived with some property dealers to get the resumed plot transferred in the name of some another person though the plot stood resumed on May 8, 2002, on account of non-payment of installments by the allottee. After about seven years of the resumption of the plot, the conspirators have succeeded in getting it transferred in the name of another person.

The preliminary inquiry conducted by the Accounts Officer of the Estate Office, HUDA, Hisar, has revealed that the alleged officials have detached the documents relating to the resumption proceedings and the orders made in the appeal filed by the original allottee from the original plot file.

An FIR has also been got registered by the Estate Officer of the organisation in Hisar. Besides, an inquiry has also been ordered by the Chief Administrator, HUDA. Harshest possible penalty will be imposed on the delinquents, if found guilty.

Rewari, July 6
Shops and other business establishments in Katla Bazar as well as Ganj Bazar remained closed here today in protest against a ban imposed by the district administration on the entry of goods-transporting 
heavy and medium vehicles in the town from 8 am to 8 pm.

Wholesalers in Gur Bazar here kept their shops closed as well.

The shopkeepers and dealers opposed the restrictions imposed on the vehicles and sought a relaxation in the prohibitory orders.

They also announced that the closure of shops would continue indefinitely till a feasible and acceptable solution to the problem was found by the district administration.

While the district authorities maintained that the restrictions on the entry of all such vehicles had been imposed to end frequent traffic jams in these busy markets, the aggrieved traders rued that the curbs had harmed their business activities.

In response to an official call, a deputation of the agitating traders met SDM Roshan Lal in his office here today.However, the talks remained inconclusive.

Fatehabad, July 6
A man, who had gone to his in-laws’ house in Dhabi Kalan village to bring back his estranged wife, died under mysterious circumstances.

Victim Balbir Singh’s brother Satish, who said he received a call from the victim’s mother-in-law that his brother was lying in their courtyard in an inebriated condition, alleged his brother was killed by his in-laws. The police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC against the victim’s wife Chunki, his mother-in-law, father-in-law and two brothers-in-law. Satish said Balbir Singh had been married to Chunki for 10 years, but she had been living with her parents for the past eight years. He said his brother had received a call from his wife asking him to bring her back to his house.

Faridabad, July 6
A moneylender here killed a person last night as the deceased was not able to pay the interest on the money lent out to him. The deceased Rinku, a resident of Dabua colony here, had allegedly borrowed a sum of Rs 60,000 from Bura to start a shop.

The shop was not doing well, hence, the deceased was not regular in paying the interest on the money he had borrowed. The accused called up Rinku at his shop, following which heated exchange of words between the two. Thereafter, the moneylender shot the victim after which he died on the spot.

Gurgaon, July 6
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda visited former Sikkim Governor and Rohtak MP Ch Randhir Singh to mourn the death of his son Narender Choudhary at Jalvayu Vihar here today.

Choudhary (59), who was an advocate at the Supreme Court, had died due to cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife Kamlesh, three daughters and a son.

Choudhary’s younger brother Surender Tonk retired as a Brigadier from the Army; second younger brother Dr Rajender is head of the department of VIP clinic at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Delhi; and the youngest brother Bijender is a civil engineer in the USA.

Gurgaon MLA Dharamvir Gauba, local Improvement Trust chairman Rao Shiv Narayan and president of the District Congress Committee (Urban) Madan Lal Grover also condoled Choudhary’s death.

Sirsa, July 6
One person was killed and 11 others were seriously injured in an accident between an oil tanker and a pick-up van near Sahuwala village on the Dabwali road last night.

The victim, Balla, belonged to Longwal village in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan. He was going towards Dabwali in the van, packed with commuters, when the collision took place.

The injured included van driver Leela Ram and two women.