New Delhi, September 5
The BJP has all but confirmed that it is going to contest the Haryana Assembly poll, scheduled for next month, in alliance with the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal.

To a question whether the party was going to align with the HJC, BJP general secretary in charge of Haryana Vijay Goel told The Tribune here today, “We are open to talks and discussions.”

Sources, however, said talks with HJC leader Kuldeep Bishnoi were in an advanced stage and Bishnoi had already held several round of talks with important Central leaders of the BJP.

The BJP broke its alliance with the INLD, led by former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, on August 24 on the plea that the INLD was not giving the BJP its due share of seats in an Assembly whose strength is 90.

The BJP was asking the INLD for a 50:50 share, implying that the BJP be allowed to contest 45 seats and Chautala should restrict his party to just half the share amounting to the remaining 45 seats.

However, the sources said, all along the BJP was in touch with Bishnoi and was ready to change horses mid-stream.

The BSP, which was in alliance with the HJC, got an inkling of HJC prevarications, after Bishnoi asked the BSP to set aside 30 seats for the BJP.

Now, with the strategy of changing partners out in the open, the BJP is working on getting to contest the maximum number of seats.

While breaking the alliance with Chautala, Vijay Goel had announced in Chandigarh that his party would contest all 90 seats.

While that is naturally not possible in any alliance, party insiders argue that they have the chance of fielding the maximum number of their candidates in alliance with the HJC since the latter is not a very formidable force in Haryana.

However, the date for filing of nominations is fast approaching and ticket seekers in the BJP are getting anxious not knowing how long it might take and eventually which and how many seats will be left by the HJC for the BJP. Moreover, till the matter is settled, the party cannot start its campaign in Haryana.

Chandigarh, September 5
Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla said today that the commission would consider advancing the date of counting of votes for Assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra while keeping counting date unchanged for Arunachal Pradesh.

Chawla was replying to questions of mediapersons at a press conference, which he addressed after reviewing the preparedness for the elections in meetings with senior civil and police officers here today.

Chawla, accompanied by Election Commissioner SY Qureshi, said this in response to a question about the long gap between the date of polling (October 13) and counting (October 22).

He said this had been done in view of the difficult terrain in Arunachal Pradesh where re-polling might be ordered in some cases and the staff on election duty would take some time to reach and return to those places.

Chawla maintained that the full commission was satisfied with Haryana’s poll preparedness and officers had been asked to ensure strict compliance of the Model Code of Conduct.

He said arrangements had been made to deploy adequate central forces for the elections. He also urged mediapersons to inform the commission without disclosing their identity regarding smuggling of liquor, if any, for elections.

In reply to a question about “tampering” of electronic voting machines, Chawla said complaining parties had been invited twice to prove claims, but had failed to do so.

He said instructions had been issued to political parties not to deface private property and reminded that the Act in this regard was already in place in Haryana.

However, one banner and flag could be displayed on the private property and that too with the permission of the owner.

When his attention was drawn towards the posting of two senior officers of the state government, who were earlier removed from election-related duties, but were reappointed, Chawla said under the rule they would have to be removed again.

Besides appointing micro-observers at sensitive booths and video recording the polling process, the District Magistrates had been asked to retain the films for 45 days after the elections.

He said a campaign had been launched to ensure that all electors were enrolled and about 12 lakh more persons had so far been covered under this special campaign while Resident Welfare Associations have been involved for the first time.

Chandigarh, September 5
The elections are becoming an expensive affair, the problem of surrogate advertisements, distribution of money and liquor and deployment of central forces and a demand for President’s rule are some of the issues various political parties of the state highlighted at their meeting with the Election Commission here today.

Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla, along with Election Commissioner SY Qureshi, met representatives of opposition parties.

Stating that the problem of surrogate ads was emphasised by the representatives, Chawla said their grouse was that this had made elections very expensive.

“They were quoting mind-blowing figures to either propagate or denigrate particular candidates and parties. They also expressed apprehension about money and liquor distribution. While we cannot claim that this will be stopped, we have asked the district magistrates and superintendents of police to carry out night-patrolling at least 72 hours before polls,” Chawla stated.

He said one of the parties had pointed out that 2,000 names had been recently added to the electoral rolls in Kaithal. “We have asked district officials to check and report the same,” he maintained.

Complaints of hoardings, calendars and pictures were also brought to the notice of the CEC at a meeting attended by the INLD and the BJP among others.

Rohtak, September 5
While the teachers’ strike entered the 12th day today and teaching work remained suspended affecting studies of thousands of students, Vice-Chancellors of all seven universities in Haryana met here today and issued an appeal to the striking teachers to come back to work in the larger interest of students and society.

The teachers had been on strike since August 26 after rejecting the notification issued by the state government regarding the revision in their pay scales.

The Vice-Chancellors, who took part in the meeting, included MDU VC RP Hooda, RP Vajpayee of Kurukshetra University, Dr KC Bhardwaj of Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, Lt Gen DDS Sandhu (retd) of Guru Jhambeswar University, Dr KS Khokhar of CCSHAU, Hisar, HS Chahal of the Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology and the Vice-Chancellor of BPS Women’s University, Khanpur Kalan, Pankaj Mittal.

Meanwhile, the teachers of Maharshi Dayanand University here appear to be divided over the issue of strike. While one of the factions has announced to suspend the strike, the other faction has claimed to carry on the stir.

MDU Teachers’ Association president WS Nehra said though the fresh notification issued by the government had a few anomalies, the association had suspended its agitation “in the interest of students”.

Nehra said he hoped that the government would issue a notification implementing the new scales in totality as soon as possible so that teachers were not compelled to go on strike again.

The MDUTA also proposed to curtail the winter break by six days to compensate for the students’ loss.

On the other hand, the other faction led by Dr Chaudhary held a meeting of more than 100 teachers of MDU, Rohtak, in the lawn of the VC’s office here today.

The teachers resolved to observe Teacher’s Day as the “black day” in protest against the non-implementation of the HRD/UGC recommendations in toto.

The members deliberated over the proceedings of meeting held on September 4 and condemned the statement given by Nehra, stating that it was against the spirit of the teaching community.

The members resolved to continue the ongoing agitation in coordination with teachers’ associations of all other universities of Haryana.

A seven-member action committee was formed to carry forward the agitation as well as to coordinate with the teachers’ associations of other universities in Haryana.

HISAR: University teachers in Haryana observed strike for the 12th day on Saturday. Teachers of Guru Jambheshwar University and Haryana Agricultural University here observed Teacher’s Day as the “black day” in response to a call given by the Haryana Universities Ad Hoc Committee.

Rajesh Lohchab and Khazan Singh, president of general secretary of the GJUTA, respectively, led a procession of striking teachers inside the varsity campus.

The teachers carried black flags and burnt a copy of the government notification regarding their pay scales.

SIRSA: Teachers of Chaudhary Devi Lal University and colleges and government polytechnics of the district observed Teacher’s Day as the “black day” on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the non-teaching staff of local CMK National Postgraduate College continued their dharna on Saturday.

Jind, September 5
INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala’s decision to contest the next state assembly elections from this district’s Uchana Kalan constituency appears to have livened up the political scenario in this region, considered a hotbed of state politics.

In the past several top Haryana politicians have come from this district, among them three senior cabinet members of the present Congress party led government.

It is viewed as the traditional stronghold of current Finance Minister Birender Singh and, after Chautala’s announcement, a heated battle for the Uchana Kalan seat is expected between the two political bigwigs of the state.

Chautala, a former chief minister and opposition leader in the state, has not made it clear whether he would contest only from this constituency or would also be filing his nomination papers for other seats.

However, his move has revived political activities that had remained subdued since the last elections.

The development appears to have caught Birender and his supporters off guard. At a meeting here recently, the minister asserted that he was ready to take on anyone who wished to contest from the seat.

“I’m not afraid of anyone even if the entire opposition comes together. The voters in Uchana are behind me as I’ve served them with my heart for over two decades”.

Birender created a ripple when he claimed Chautala’s decision could be “part of a conspiracy” by some opposition parties including the Congress.

“It could be a move to corner me but the people have seen through the designs and would not allow such a conspiracy to succeed”, he said, daring Chautala to contest the polls from Uchana Kalan.

Though Chautala has still to react to Birender’s insinuations, his supporters in the district have welcomed his decision to contest from the Uchana seat.

“The INLD will oust the Congress from here as residents have become fed up with its false promises”, remarked Surender Barwala, a senior INLD leader.

Bahadurgarh (Jhajjar), September 5
A resident of this town was taken aback when he was asked by officials of the Bahadurgarh municipal council to deposit a whopping Rs 1 lakh for details sought by him under the Right to Information Act on development works.

Describing it as a ploy to delay the information he has decided to raise the issue with the chief information commissioner in Chandigarh.

In an application submitted on August 27 to the council’s executive officer, Ravinder Rathi, head of an NGO called Sarvahit Sangharsh Samiti, had sought details of various civic projects taken up and completed in the town between 2004 and 2009, including the amount of funds allocated and spent.

According to Rathi, the executive officer in his reply dated September 1 asked him to deposit Rs 1 lakh within a week for providing the required information, without ascribing any reason for the demand.

“I had not asked for a copy of any document to be included in the information. Hence I was immensely surprised the municipal council’s executive officer sought a huge amount of money, that too without any explanation”, Rathi said.

Describing it as an attempt to hold back information in violation of the RTI Act, he said the MC executive officer’s response gave left him with the impression that civic body officials did not want to share the details because they feared malpractices that were reportedly rampant in various development projects might be exposed. Rathi said he would take up the matter with “higher authorities” in Chandigarh.

Chandigarh, September 5
Stating that the Right to Information Act was one of the best legislations for good governance to have been brought out in the country, experts at an interactive seminar stressed that the Act requires wider awareness among the masses for it to be truly effective.

Speaking at the seminar on “Effectiveness of RTI Act”, Information Commissioner, Haryana, Meenaxi Anand said that it was an effective tool for ensuring transparency as it applied to all levels of the executive, judicial and legislative bodies as well as autonomous bodies and organisations funded by the government.

The seminar was organised by the Center for Research in Rural and Industrial Development in collaboration with the Asian Education Society (AES).

Pointing out the need to move from an era of secrecy to openness and from unilateral decision making to participatory decision making, she said the Act was making administrators more transparent in functioning and issuing speaking orders. The Act is improving the process of implementing and monitoring various schemes.

Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune, HK Dua said presently, the biggest hurdle in it to become an effective tool is ignorance about its existence among the masses.

Stressing that their should be greater awareness about the right to ask for information as it would improve accountability of public servants, he added that the RTI Act was a great measure in favour of democratic rights of the people.

He further said the bureaucracy also feared that dissemination of information could disrupt the decision-making process.

Earlier, in his address, PunjabInformation Commissioner Ramesh Inder Singh said that information officers could not sit on judgment on the purpose or application of the information being sought. Their job was to simply furnish information held by them.

He said the bureaucracy was used to withholding information from the public and their mindset needed to undergo a total change. There is a requirement for moving from secrecy to openness, he added.

AES president Ashwini Luthra said the Act was bringing about transparency, accountability and fairness in government functioning.

He said there had been large imbalances in objectives laid out by the government, their financial sanction and the actual implementation on ground.

Poor functioning and accountability is reflected by taxes going up, no let up in poverty and lack of development. RTI has given the people a means to know where their money is going, he added.

A presentation on how the RTI would impact the public interest cases and how it empowered people, exposed corruption and inefficiency and redressed grievances was made by Ankita Anand from National Campaign for People’s Right to Information.

Sirsa, September 5
Lachhman Dass Arora, the septuagenarian Haryana Minister for Industries, Commerce, Mines and Geology, today said he would contest the forthcoming elections from the Sirsa Assembly seat.

The minister had earlier been maintaining that he would field his daughter Sunita Setia in the coming elections.

Arora said today that he had changed his earlier decision after a demand from people of the constituency, Congress workers as well as his party leaders.

“Even Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda wants that I should contest the forthcoming election,” the minister said while talking to The Tribune today.

Arora has won the Sirsa seat on five occasions in the 1967, 1982, 1991, 1996 and 2005 Assembly elections and has not been keeping good health for some time now.

The 78-year-old leader had maintained on several occasions that even the Chief Minister had given his blessings to his daughter.

Sunita Setia was appointed chairperson of Improvement Trust, Sirsa, last year by the state government and was active in public life since then, though on low profile.

The minister, rarely seen in public after his election and subsequent induction into the ministry in 2004, had recently started his visits to villages in his Sirsa Assembly constituency and Sunita Setia was also seen with his during these visits.

Changing his earlier stand, Arora today said he was in perfect health and would be going to Chandigrah tomorrow and would go to Delhi from there to meet Central leaders of the party.

Arora’s decision has come as a “setback” to several local Congress leaders, who had been hoping that they may get precedent over Sunita Setia in the matter of getting the party nomination.

Sirsa/Fatehabad, September 5
A change in the profile of Assembly constituencies after delimitation and a shift in loyalty by certain leaders have necessitated a lookout for new battlegrounds by several political leaders of the area for the elections to the state Assembly.

Five Assembly segments of Sirsa district have been affected most in delimitation. The Dabwali and Ellenabad Assembly constituencies, which were earlier reserved for the Scheduled Castes, have now been opened for general category candidates.

Rania and Kalanwali (reserved) have been carved out as two new Assembly segments and Rori and Darba Kalan no more exist as Assembly seats now. The Sirsa Assembly seat has also witnessed a change in its demographic profile in delimitation.

Several influential politicians from the district have been forced to look for new battlegrounds after delimitation.

Former Chief Minister and INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala, who represented the Rori Assembly seat in the dissolved Assembly, has already announced his decision to contest from Uchana (Jind).

Chautala is also likely to contest from another seat, which may be Dabwali or Ellenabad, according to indications received from his party sources.

Chautala’s younger brother Ranjit Singh and former Minister Jagdish Nehra, who also contested from Rori in the past, are seeking the party ticket from Rania this time.

KV Singh, former OSD to the Chief Minister who contested from Darba Kalan earlier, has decided to shift his base to Dabwali now.

Darba Kalan MLA Bharat Singh Beniwal is seeking the ticket from Ellenabad, while Ellenabad MLA Sushil Indora, who quit the INLD to join the Congress recently, is seeking nomination from the newly carved out Kalanwali (reserved) in Sirsa or Ratia (reserved) in Fatehabad.

In Fatehabad district, the Bhattu Kalan Assembly seat has been abolished leaving former Minister Sampat Singh and Bhattu Kalan MLA Kulbir Beniwal “homeless”.

Sampat Singh, who recently severed his 32-year-old association with the INLD to join the Congress, has made his intentions clear by stating that he preferred contesting from Fatehabad.

Sampat Singh’s entry has caused jitters among other candidates of the Congress, including former Parliamentary Secretary Dura Ram.

Tohana and Ratia (reserved), the other two Assembly seats of Fatehabad, have suffered change in their demographic profile though their names remain unchanged after delimitation.

Atma Singh Gill, former Congress MP who was dropped in favour of Ashok Tanwar in the last parliamentary elections, is seeking the Assembly party ticket for his son, Gurdeep Singh Gill, from Ratia this time.

Fatehabad, September 5
A newly married couple has been provided police protection after directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this regard.

In a petition filed before the high court, the young couple - Parveen Kumari and Krishan Kumar - feared threat to their lives due to their families’ opposition to their marriage after they had eloped from their houses on August 21 and married against the wish of their parents in Chandigarh.

Bhuna SHO Ganga Ram, who provided security guard to the couple today, said Parveen, daughter of Jagdish Chander Maliya of Badopal village, used to reside at her maternal uncle’s residence in Kaimri village.

She fell in love with Krishan Kumar, a taxi driver from Dhani Gopal village. Both belonged to the same gotra.

Parveen’s maternal uncle Om Parkash lodged an FIR against Krishan Kumar on August 30, in which he accused him of kidnapping his niece.

DSP Suresh Kaushik today recorded the statement of the couple. The police is keeping a close watch as tension prevails in Kaimri village.

Sonepat, September 5
The police claimed to have arrested four alleged accused - Jaswant, Jasbir, Navven of Pinana village and Rinku of Harsana village in a case of enticement and gang-rape of a girl of Pinana village on the intervening night of August 30 and September 1.

According to SP Mahender Singh Sheoran, Jaswant was arrested last evening whereas the Mohana police arrested other alleged accused on September 3.

The police has arrested all alleged accused involved in the gang-rape as well as in the murder of the girl, he added.

It may be recalled that the girl was enticed and gang-raped by the alleged accused. She was threatened with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident to anyone.

However, on September 1 morning, the girl, instead of going to her house, reached the house of her uncle Jai Singh and informed him about the incident.

After knowing the incident, Jai Singh shot her dead and cremated her with the help of Dalbir, Ishwar and Anoop.

After the complaint of girl’s mother in the police station on September 1, a case was registered and the police first arrested Jai Singh, Dalbir, Ishwar and Anoop who were remanded to judicial custody by the court.

Sonepat, September 5
Former Union Minister and national convener of the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangathan Mani Shankar Aiyar said today that the 16th Lok Sabha would have 33 per cent representation of women from 11 per cent representation in the present 15th Lok Sabha.

Talking to mediapersons here, Aiyar claimed that the Panchayati Raj Act, by providing 33 per cent reservation to women, had helped in bringing out 12 lakh women in the open from the kitchen during the past 16 years after the implementation of the Act in 1992 and this number could go up to 50 to 60 lakh in the next nine years.

“There are around 20 lakh elected women and about 50,000 in the capacity of chairpersons in different layers of the Panchayati Raj institutions in the country,” he said, adding that this had helped in women empowerment.

He also opined that the duration of reservation of the particular seat or post in Panchayati Raj Institutions should be increased from the existing five years to 10 to 15 years in order to give continuity and stability to the benefits of reservation.

Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda claimed that the Congress government in the state under the leadership of Bhupinder Singh Hooda had given a positive direction to state politics.

“The Assembly elections will create a new thinking among the people and development and welfare will dominate the electioneering,” he said.

Later, Aiyar and Hooda addressed a seminar of the members of the district unit of the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangathan.