Meham (Rohtak), July 18
In a major setback to the INLD, two prominent leaders of the party, including its deputy leader in the state assembly Sushil Indora, joined the ruling Congress party at a public rally here today.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was the main speaker at the “thanks rally” organised in the grain market here today.

As the steady stream of leaders from opposition parties into the Congress continues, former Education Minister Bahadur Singh, national vice-president ML Ranga and intellectual cell leader Krishan Chand also joined the bandwagon.

While Indora and Ranga joined the party at the rally, Bahadur Singh and Krishan Chand joined the Congress at the party office this evening.

Buoyed by the development, the Chief Minister claimed that people in the state had understood the reality of the opposition and showed faith in the development programmes unleashed by his government in the past four and a half years.

He said his government was committed to provide equitable distribution of water in the state so that every inch of the agricultural land get its share of water and every person get the benefit of the all-round development.

He said the achievements of the state in the past four years had been perhaps more than what had been done in the past 40 years. He said though the matter of the Hansi-Butana link canal had been dragged to court, he would like to reiterate his promise that the canal would be able to provide the water to dry areas in the near future.

Hooda said it was Haryana which took a lead in launching the scheme of providing free of cost residential plots to BPL families. He said over 2 lakh families in about 2,828 villages of the state had been benefited by the programme so far. The state government had spent Rs 2,400 crore on the project.

He said Meham town would soon get a mini-secretariat besides uplift of the basic infrastructure for which several crores were being spent.

CHANDIGARH: The Ellenabad (SC) Assembly constituency of Haryana has fallen vacant with effect from July 17, following the resignation of Dr Sushil Kumar Indora, MLA, and its subsequent acceptance by the Speaker of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.

Chandigarh, July 18
Ellenabad sitting MLA Sushil Indora and ML Ranga, who quit the INLD here today, blamed the functioning of the party for their step.

Indora said the party leadership had lost trust in him and he was not being given any responsibility for long. “The political environment in the state has changed and nobody is untouched by the progress being brought about. In the INLD, working had become very difficult. I told my party president that I am quitting and thought it best to switch to a promising party under a promising leader, Bhupinder Singh Hooda,” he added.

Indora apprehended a threat to his life from some “anti-social” elements who may not take his joining the Congress, kindly. “There are some people who are unhappy with the turn of events. They can do anything,” he said.

Ranga, too, was effusive in praising the Chief Minister and said he had joined the Congress because he realised that he would not be able to pursue his objective of social service in any other party. “The Congress, Sonia, Hooda and Mullana have left nothing undone. Moreover, the party and its leaders have left an imprint in the minds of the public that no other party can wipe away,” he stated.

Bahadur Singh and Krishan Chand, too, availed themselves the opportunity of glorifying Hooda and attributed their switchover to the Congress on account of his “pleasant personality and pleasing demeanour”.

Hisar, July 18
Former Finance Minister Sampat Singh, who recently quit the Indian National Lok Dal, did not reveal his future plans despite addressing his supporters here today. While announcing his exit from the INLD earlier this week he had stated that he would reveal his plans at a meeting with his supporters here.

Towards the end of his 30-minute-long speech he said he would meet his supporters individually over the next two days to seek their views and then take a decision about his future plans.

However, he ruled out the possibility of forming a new party of his own saying only ”raj gharanas” with unlimited resources could float and support a new political outfit but he lacked these resources.

But despite all caution, he gave oblique hints of his plans when he said the Congress government under Bhupinder Singh Hooda ”has taken some good steps to benefit the common people”. He did not elaborate on this.

Another hint of his current pro-Congress leanings came when he stated that while the INLD had given up Devi Lal’s policies, other parties were adopting the late leader’s philosophy. Once again, he left it at that only.

Sampat Singh said he had no personal differences with INLD supremo Om Prakash Chuatala. However, he felt the INLD under Chautala was not following the political philosophy and policies of the late Devi Lal.

He said the Chautalas were promoting “feudalism” whereas the late Devi Lal had joined politics to end this menace and devoted his entire life to eliminating it.

The former Minister said Devi Lal used to confide in him that his sons were not loyal to him. “He used to tell me that while I was not his son I was his most loyal follower,” he claimed.

Jhajjar, July 18
The suicide bid by Ravinder Gehlout, who is at the centre of a gotra controversy raging in Dharana village here, and the registration of an FIR against 18 persons, including representatives of the panchayat, notwithstanding, the Kadyan Barah khap does not seem to be in any mood to relent on the issue.

According to reports, remaining firm on its diktat directing the Gehlout family to either give divorce to the bride belonging to the Kadyan gotra or dispose of its property and leave the village by Sunday, the khap panchayat has reportedly decided to go to Dharana village tomorrow morning along with a large number of people of nearby villages with an intention to implement the verdict.

A decision to this effect was reportedly taken at a meeting of representatives of the khap panchayat in Beri town here today. The police action of the registration of an FIR against panchayat representatives was also condemned at the meeting.

Sources said though the district authorities had made efforts to find an amicable solution to the controversy by convening a meeting of representatives of the khap in the evening, the efforts failed to bear fruit. The police has beefed up security in Dharana village.

“The police is keeping tabs to avoid any untoward incident in the village. Stern action will be taken against those attempting to violate the law and order situation,” said SSP Saurabh Singh, adding that the police was conducting raids to arrest those against whom an FIR had been registered yesterday on charges of abetment to commit suicide and threatening. However, no arrest had been made so far, he said.

The condition of Ravinder Gehlout, who has been undergoing treatment in the PGIMS, is stated to be improving. Narender, brother of Ravinder, said, “We have decided to resist the panchayat’s verdict and will move court if the police fails to protect us.”

The Kadyan Barha khap panchayat had ordered Risal Gehlout, grandfather of Ravinder, to leave Dharana village along with his family by Sunday for marrying Shilpa Kadyan in “violation of social norms”, after the divorce plan of the khap was rejected by the bride’s parents on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Haryana unit of the CPM has described the panchayat’s diktat as “most unfortunate”. Inderjit Singh, state secretary of the CPM, said such “disgraceful” acts of khap panchayats had brought a bad name to the state.

Besides, the AIDWA, the Mahila Sabha, the All India Rachanatmak Samaj, the All India Kisan Sabha, the DYFI, the SFI, the Gyan Vigyan Samiti, the Lawyers’ Union, CITU, and AITUC have criticised the functioning of the khap panchayat.

Yamunanagar, July 18
Nineteen suspected Maoists had links with the banned CPI (Maoist), according to a challan filed against them by the police in a local court here. They were allegedly involved in writing slogans on walls in several villages in the Chhachhroli area urging villagers to boycott the recent LS elections and also pasting posters carrying derogatory remarks against the government.

Those against whom the challan has been filed include president of the suspected Maoists’ organisation in the state, Dr Pardeep Kumar, and Sanjay, Mukesh and Samrat. The police had claimed to have seized arms and publicity material from their possession.

“All suspected Maoists were associated with the banned CPI (Maoist). The police has submitted a copy of the Central Government orders regarding the ban on the CPI (Maoist), permission of the state government to prosecute the suspected Maoists and CDs of training with Jharkhand Naxalites. They were active in various districts of the state, including Karnal, Kurukshetra, Jind, Hisar, Kaithal and Yamunanagar,” DSP Mukesh Kumar, who heads the five teams constituted to arrest the Maoists, told The Tribune.

“Besides, we have also submitted classified documents revealing details about three secret conferences of the Maoists held in the state. The first conference was held in May 2006 and the last one in December 2008,” he added. The challan was filed in the local court before the stipulated period. The next date of hearing had been fixed for July 29, he said.