Chandigarh, August 24
“The obstinacy of the INLD leadership and its refusal to accept the changed ground realities have led the BJP to break its ties with the Indian National Lok Dal.”

These were the reasons cited by BJP national general secretary in charge of Haryana Vijay Goyal behind the split in the 11-month-old BJP-INLD alliance here today. He was officially confirming the break-up.

Goyal said in the last Lok Sabha elections, the two parties led in seven Assembly segments each, while none could win any parliamentary seat. Therefore, it was but natural that the two parties should have contested the Assembly elections on an “equality basis.” Since the INLD leadership was “obstinate and not willing to accept the changed ground realities,” there was no other way out for the BJP except to contest the elections on its own.

He denied that the decision to snap the ties with the INLD was taken at the “chintan baithak” of the BJP held in Shimla. He said the issue was discussed at the Shimla meeting and the party felt that it should contest the Haryana elections on “an equality basis.” Though he refused to disclose the number of seats the BJP had sought from the INLD, his repeated reference to “an equality basis” left no one in doubt that the BJP had demanded 45 seats out of the 90 seats from the INLD.

Sources say the BJP also wanted the issue of chief ministership to be decided after the elections on the basis that the top post should go to the party having a larger number of MLAs. These were two conditions to which the INLD leadership could have never agreed.

Answering a question, Goyal said the BJP was not thinking of an alliance with any party in Haryana “abhi (as on now)”, a remark which does not categorically rule out the possibility of an alliance in future.

Goyal and Haryana BJP president Kishan Pal Gurjar levelled several allegations against the Hooda government. They alleged that the law and order situation in the state had worsened; there was an electricity and water crisis; and the government was that of property dealers.

New Delhi, August 24
The Congress today set the ball rolling for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Haryana.

The All-India Congress Committee today announced a 26-member Haryana Pradesh Election Committee taking care of all factions within the state unit. It also balances the delicate caste equation as it has Jats, Punjabis, Sikhs, an Aggarwal, a couple of Ahirs and Brahmins and members of the Scheduled Castes.

The committee will include three members as permanent invitees. They are Prithviraj Chavan, who is the general secretary in charge of the state. The members of the coordination committee - BK Hariprasad and Mohinder Singh Kaypee, MP from Jalandhar, will be the other two.

The core team will be of 18 members, including Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. HPCC president Phool Chand Mullana will be its chairman. Working president of the state Congress Kuldeep Sharma has also been included.

Notably, senior Jat leaders - Birender Singh, who created a ruckus at the time of the Lok Sabha ticket distribution, and Shamsher Singh Surjewala - are also on board.

Rao Inderjit Singh, who was not re-inducted into the union Cabinet, finds a place on the election committee.

Hooda loyalists - Venod Sharma, MLA from Ambala, PWD Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav and Harmohinder Singh Chatha - also form a formidable section.

Haryana’s lone Union Minister Kumari Selja is also on board. She along with Birender Singh, Rao Inderjit Singh, Kiran Choudhry and Shamsher Singh Surjewala are seen as those who “will not toe the line of Hooda”.

Rajya Sabha MP Ram Prakash, former MP Harpal Singh, Mange Ram Gupta, Dharambir Gaba, Prasanni Devi, Jai Singh Rana and Meena Mandal are the other members.

In addition to this, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi also announced five persons who are special invitees to the committee. They are Sanjay Chhokar, president State Youth Congress; Rahul Rao, president state NSUI; Sumita Singh, president state Mahila Congress; Chhota Singh Chauhan, chief organiser state Seva Dal; and Shyam Singh Chauhan, president state INTUC.

Kurukshetra, August 24
Thousands of university and college teachers across Haryana will go on a three-day strike from tomorrow to express their resentment against “distortions and deviations” in the notification issued by the state government regarding the implementation of the revised UGC pay scales.

“The teaching work in three universities and government and aided colleges will come to a standstill from tomorrow and in case the government fails to undo the injustice, the three-day strike could be converted into an indefinite strike”, a spokesman for the Haryana Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (HFUCTO), Prof Bhagwan Singh Chaudhary, said.

The teachers are up in arms against “distortions” in the notification issued by the government which run contrary to the notification issued by Union HRD Ministry on December 31, 2008.

The government did not even honour the authentic “fitment table” released by the UGC on June 4, 2009, and came out with its own fitment table, which downgraded the pay bands of teachers in main categories.

Prof NS Kaushal, president of the HFUCTO and the Kurukshetra University Teachers Association (KUTA), categorically stated that the teachers would not accept any deviations from the UGC pay scales and the deliberate attempt of the education department to deny the teachers their due in the proposed pay structure would be strongly resisted.

He claimed besides the MDU and the GJU, teachers of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, had also decided to join hands with the agitating teachers and observe a complete strike as per the action plan of the HFUCTO.

Dr Parmesh Kumar, secretary, KUTA, said the state government had notified the revised pay scales without increasing the retirement age, new designations and creation of posts of Professor in colleges as recommended by the UGC and demanded that the recommendations of HRD Ministry should be uniformly and simultaneously implemented in toto.

Dr Chaudhary said all teachers of Kurukshetra University would assemble in front of the KUTA office tomorrow morning and march towards the Vice-Chancellor’s office in a procession.

A rally would be held in Rohtak on August 27 and Teacher’s Day would be observed as “black day”, he added.

SIRSA: Teachers of Chaudhary Devi Lal University will observe a campus-level strike on August 25 and 26 and will go to Rohtak on August 27 to participate in the agitation called by the HFUCTO in protest against the alleged “distortion” of notification of the Union Human Resources Development Ministry by the state government while allowing them the new pay scales.

An emergency meeting of the newly set up ad hoc committee of the university teachers was held on Monday to discuss the situation after the implementation of the new scales.

Chandigarh, August 24
The Punjab and Haryana High Court believes the state of Haryana and its functionaries are apparently acting with vengeance against teachers. The teachers should be allowed to perform their duties free from worries about career, the court said.

These observations came in connection with a petition filed by Ram Kumar. Though the pay scale of a principal was Rs 8,000-13,500, the petitioner was not given the scale as he was working as block education officer (BEO).

Justice Ranjit Singh asserted: “The stand of the respondents is totally unfair and unjust and, thus, cannot be sustained…. The petitioner is fully eligible to hold the post of BEO, which has since been equated with that of the principal. The pay scale of principal is Rs 8,000-13,500, which is the same for the BEO. What justification, thus, would be there to deny this scale to the petitioner once he has been promoted as the principal.”

“The stand of the respondents that he has to be posted as the principal to get the pay scale asked by him is totally unjust, inequitable and one which not only deserves to be rejected, but needs to be condemned. The respondents have failed to realise or are intentionally ignoring the fact that the petitioner is working on a post, which carries a scale of the principal,” the court observed. “Where would be a need for him to be posted as the principal to earn this pay scale?”

Allowing the petition with Rs 10,000 as costs, Justice Ranjit Singh asserted: “Teaching is a noble profession. Teachers perform a major part in building a society. They should be allowed to perform their duties free from worries about careers.”

“Respondents are not being fair to the petitioner. Rather, they are seen to be acting with vengeance. Such like impression, which appears to be vindictive, needs to be avoided…. The scale of Rs 8,000-13,500 is clearly due to the petitioner from the date he has been promoted as the principal, and the same shall be released to him within a month from receiving the order’s copy,” the court said.

Rohtak, August 24
Despite prohibitory orders, the police could not avert a clash between followers of Sant Rampal and activists of the Arya Samaj near the premises of the District Courts here today.

At least three persons were injured in the incident. The police is yet to register a case in this connection though a complaint has been lodged with it. Sant Rampal, an accused in a murder case, had deposed before the court this morning. A large number of his followers had converged on the spot.

Apprehending trouble, the district administration had imposed Section 144 in and around the court premises and had deputed policemen at barricades set up in three entry points to the court to check the entry of the followers into the area.

However, the police could not prevent a clash between followers of Sant Rampal and activists of the Arya Samaj, who had assembled there to submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.

Both sides were reportedly angry over statements issued against each other.

“Some activists of the Arya Samaj were beaten up mercilessly and the police could do nothing about it,” alleged a complainant.

Some persons who had reached near the court reportedly uprooted some plants and damaged several trees in Mansarovar Park here in a bid to get sticks for use in the clash. The Deputy Commissioner said the clash did not take place inside the prohibitory area “as no such person was allowed entry inside the court premises”.

Ambala, August 24
The Haryana government has proposed a project to provide irrigation facilities in Ambala district and the adjoining areas.

The proposal has been sent to the Central Water Commission for approval. This was disclosed today by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda while addressing a public meeting after inaugurating Rajiv Gandhi Government College at Saha, 15 km from here. Besides, the Dadupur-Nalvi canal was also being constructed and first phase of it had already been completed, he added.

Hooda said there was a plan to construct the Mewat canal and a survey for it had already been completed and forwarded to the CWC for approval. Similarly, work had already been started on the construction of the NCR water supply channel, Gurgaon. He said the construction work of BML Hansi-Butana Link Canal had already been completed.

Referring to the “unholy” alliances of opposition parties in the state, the Chief Minister said these alliances were only made to gain political mileage.

The Chief Minister assured that all schools and veterinary dispensaries in Mullana would be upgraded if they fulfilled the norms, the shed of Saha Mandi would be extended and efforts would be made to construct a mini-secretariat at Barara and a tehsil building at Saha.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated a bridge on the Markanda river in Mullana-Jharu Majra village, 30 km from here. He also inaugurated the Industrial Training Institute at Barara and Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Bhawan at Sirasgarh village.

Sirsa, August 24
Angry students blocked traffic near the Panjuana Canal bridge on the Sirsa-Dabwali stretch of National Highway 10 today, alleging poor bus services on the Bhadada Chhatarian route.

More than 200 students came on the highway in the morning and stopped traffic.

“The bus services to our villages are very poor and we have to go through an ordeal while going to school and college and on the way back,” alleged a student, Rohtash.

Joginder Singh, General Manager of the local depot of Haryana Roadways, and Ajit Singh, SHO of Baragura police station, reached there and persuaded the students to end the protest, assuring them of better services in future.

“A private bus run by a cooperative society was withdrawn by the owner some time ago without giving any notice to the authorities, adding to the passenger pressure on the only roadways bus going on that route in the morning. I have ordered the start of another bus on that route from tomorrow,” said Joginder Singh.

Ambala, August 24
Some car-borne miscreants reportedly looted jewellery worth Rs 1.5 crore from a showroom in Ambala City today.

The robbery has exposed the lax security arrangements of the police here.

Sources said around six miscreants came to MR Jewellers located in the new wholesale market at around 2.30 pm in a car. The owners and the employees of the showroom were not there as it was lunchtime. The son of one of the owners - Rahul Jain - was present in the showroom. He had bolted the glass door from inside and was taking his lunch.

The robbers reportedly broke open the bolt of the showroom and entered it. They allegedly tied the hands and legs of Rahul with a rope and also thrashed him. Later, they locked him in the strong room of the showroom. They put the entire jewellery of the showroom in a bag and fled away.

They also disconnected the landline telephone of the shop and took away two mobile phones of Rahul before fleeing. The close circuit camera fitted in the showroom was not working when the incident happened.

After some time Rahul managed to come out from the strong room and called for help. The other shopkeepers rushed there and informed the police.

The wholesale cloth market is the commercial area of the city, where a large number of buyers come everyday to make purchases.

Superintendent of Police Y Puran Kumar was in Mulana where the Chief Minister was to inaugurate some development projects today noon.

An inspector and an ASI along with a few constables reached there. The shopkeepers were annoyed with the slow action of the police.

Later, the SP visited the shop and also met Rahul, who was admitted to the local Civil Hospital. IG, Ambala range, KK Sidhu also visited the shop and assured the shopkeepers that the robbers would be nabbed soon.

Yamunanagar, August 24
The kingpin of the fake currency racket, Ram Balaf Chauhan, was today taken into custody by the district police in connection with the recovery of fake currency notes from a 38-year-old woman here.

Chauhan, a Nepali resident, who had been arrested by the Punjab police along with three other associates on August 3 with fake currency, was brought here on production warrant and remanded in police custody till August 27 by a local court.

DSP Mukesh Kumar said the main supplier of fake currency notes, Chauhan, had allegedly supplied Rs 1 lakh to Bina Devi of Ghanauli here. The police had arrested Bina Devi on August 5 with fake currency notes.

In order to find further details about the racket, the police had brought Chauhan on production warrant from Punjab, he added.

A case under Sections 498-B and 498-C of the IPC had been registered against Bina Devi, he said.