The politicians’ fear of loss of votes is misplaced. Most of the khap leaders do not enjoy much following — DR Choudhary, ex-chairman, HPSC

The Karnal verdict will encourage more and more people to come out against the khap panchayats — Jagmati Sangwan, Democratic Women’s Assn

Chandigarh, March 30
By awarding the death sentence to five persons for murdering Manoj and Babli, who dared to challenge the archaic social norms by tying the nuptial knot, the judiciary has sent a categorical message that it treats “honour killing” as the rarest of the rare crimes.

As per the dictum of the highest court of the land, death sentence can be awarded only in the rarest of the rare cases. By following this dictum, the Karnal trial court has given a clear message that the so-called honour killing deserves nothing less than the death sentence, the severest punishment prescribed in the Indian Penal Code.

Even the notorious infant killer of Bahadurgarh was treated leniently by the court. He was awarded life imprisonment.

Now the ball will move to the court of the higher judiciary as the death sentence has to be confirmed by the High Court. Till then, the Karnal verdict will have a deterring effect on the activities of the illegal khaps.

Well-wishers of society must come forward and assert themselves in isolating vested interests who were defaming the name of our state in India and abroad — Inderjit Singh, CPM

The Constitution gives the right to every citizen to live his life the way he wants and no self-proclaimed moral custodian of society has the right to take away what the Constitution has ordained — MP Manish Tewari, Cong

Such acts are beyond the tenets of Constitution. If after 62 years of Independence, society still has to grapple with such fundamentalism, the problem needs to be addressed holistically — Rajiv Pratap Rudy, BJP

In Haryana law takes its own course and anyone who violates law will have to face the consequences — BS Hooda, CM

Two progressive thinkers of Haryana, DR Choudhary, former Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission, and Jagmati Sangwan, general secretary of the Haryana unit of the All-India Democratic Women’s Association, share this view.

They say up till now the misdeeds of the khap panchayats have gone unchallenged. This is for the first time that the self-styled khap leaders have met their nemesis. Naturally, this will have a deterrent effect on the activities the self-appointed leaders in the countryside, particularly the dominant Jat community.

The khap leaders have been encouraged by politicians, who have conveniently turned a blind eye to their activities, fearing loss of votes. Choudhary, who has studied the khap panchayat system for over 20 years and visited almost all villages plagued by the malice, says the politicians’ fear of loss of votes is misplaced. Most of the khap leaders do not enjoy much following.

They usurp the leadership to make a political space for them. Those who do not agree with them, unfortunately, do not raise their voice for fear of violence.

Most of those who lend muscle power to these leaders do so to kill time because they have nothing else to do in the villages. Frequent khap meetings provide a good source of entertainment to them. Choudhary says the khap panchayats emerged during the medieval times when there was no organised law and order machinery. The primary purpose was to provide security to its members.

These panchayats would also resolve disputes among its members. Later they took up social issues too. Never did they order killings or expell a family from the village. They would, at the most, impose a fine on a violator. Social boycott was ordered against anybody committing a serious offence.

Choudhary, who is also member of the Haryana Administrative Reforms Commission, says in western UP, which is culturally close to Haryana, the “Bhaichara” concept, which prevents marriages between members of dominant gotras, is confined to one village only.

One can marry the person belonging to a dominant gotra from outside his or her native village. But in Haryana, this concept has been extended by the khap panchayats to all villages.This prohibition is impracticable in the changed times.

Sangwan says in the past “honour killings” went unreported. But in the past few years the activities of the khap panchayats have come in the open with greater media attention and organisations like the one run by her raising their voice against their activities. She says the Karnal verdict will encourage more and more people to come out against the khap panchayats.

Chandigarh, March 30
An Indian National Lok Dal leader today came under fire for issuing a diktat against a runaway couple’s family after holding a khap panchayat.

Bringing the incident to the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s notice, a human rights organisation, the Lawyers for Human Rights International, asked for the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the leader.

The application was placed before Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Jasbir Singh during the hearing of petitions against the functioning of khap panchayats.

LHRI chairman Navkiran Singh said the panchayat was held to discuss the marriage of Samspur village resident Shri Bhagwan with Anita of Makrani village in Charkhi Dadri.

Initially, the panchayat chaired by state’s former Chief Minister Hukum Singh had ordered the annulment of the marriage. But the couple did not accept the decision.

Navkiran Singh had brought the issue to the High Court’s notice during the previous hearing and the Bench had taken a “serious view” of such diktats. But on March 14 a meeting of 12 panchayats was convened. As Hukum Singh refused to chair the meeting, it was held under Bobby Fogat, INLD leader from Bhiwani. After deliberations, the panchayat asked Shri Bhagwan’s family to leave the village within a week. Directions were also issued to sell the property within three months. Describing the action as invalid, Navkiran Singh said Fogat had undermined judicial authority by holding the panchayat.

Haryana Financial Commissioner-cum-Principal Secretary, Department of Home, Krishna Mohan’s affidavit, too, was placed before the Bench. The affidavit underscored actions initiated by the government to check the activities of the panchayats.

Giving details of the criminal cases, he said two were registered in Bhiwani district for assault. Another was registered in Jind after Ved Pal was killed and a High Court warrant officer had to face the panchayat’s wrath.

In Rohtak also, a case was registered, but later it ended in a compromise. In Jhagar, too, an incident was reported, but a case was not registered, as it did not involve any criminal activity. Mohan said the investigating agency would collect scientific evidence, as most cases were ending up in acquittal due to winning over of witnesses.

Also in the offing was the creation of safe houses at the district level for runaway couples. The district chief would take personal responsibility for ensuing protection for the couples and families.

In case of elopement, their statement would be recorded by a magistrate. Mohan added that action could not be taken against the panchayat under the provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, as the activities did not come within its ambit. The case will now come up for further hearing on May 5.

Chandigarh, March 30
Dubbing rape of daughter by a father as “offence against the society”, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today gave a call for inflicting “deterrent punishment”on such fathers. The ruling came on an appeal by a Faridabad district resident, Pritam Singh, against 10-year sentence awarded to him for raping his 9-year-old daughter. Refusing to reduce the sentence, Justice HS Bhalla ruled: “Such an offence should not be encouraged. Rather deterrent punishment should be imposed on such an offender”.

Pritam Singh had moved the HC subsequent to his conviction and 10-year rigorous imprisonment by Faridabad additional and sessions judge on March 17, 2006.

He was proceeded against by the police following a complaint by his wife. A mother of four, she had alleged that Pritam Singh had raped their youngest daughter. She had added that the 42-year-old father, a former Army official, was addicted to liquor.

In his details order, Justice Bhalla observed: In the instant case, the father, who is guardian of the child, converted his daughter into a victim of sexual assault; and the animal lust of the accused has shattered the faith on the pious relationship of a daughter with her father.

The judge added: The act of the appellant is an offence against the society and such an offence should not be encouraged. Before parting with the order, Justice Bhalla asserted: A child feels comfortable under the shelter of his parents; and every child would like to enjoy the warmth of her father. But in the instant case, the daughter was sexually assaulted by her father. As such, no case is made out for reduction in the matter of sentence. The trial court has rightly sentenced the appellant.

Chandigarh, March 30
The Haryana State Election Commission has urged all Deputy Commissioners in the state to send a report regarding whether voter lists of the municipalities are in order and that there are no discrepancies and names of genuine voters are included in the lists.

The report should be sent to the commission by April 2.

While sending the report to the commission, the total number of voters in the Assembly electoral rolls used for the Vidhan Sabha elections held on October 13, 2009, pertaining to the area falling in the Urban Local Bodies concerned may also be intimated to the commission.

The final electoral rolls of Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, 10 municipal councils and 28 municipal committees have been published on March 22 and those of the Municipal Council, Palwal, on March 25.

Sirsa, March 30
Media activism sometimes causes obstacles in the dispensation of justice as in many cases the legal rights of the accused persons are overlooked due to media campaigns.

Delivering his keynote address in a declamation contest in the Lala Hans Raj Phutela College of Law here, Dr JS Jakhar, Associate Professor in the Department of Law in Chaudhary Devi Lal University (CDLU), Sirsa, today said persons accused of criminal activities too had some legal rights, which the courts were bound to protect.

“Everybody is presumed to be innocent in the eyes of law unless proved to be guilty,” said Dr Jakhar and added that in some recent cases it had been observed that the media, particularly electronic, had tried to influence courts by orchestrated campaigns.

Dr Jakhar regretted that certain television channels were guided merely by their television rating points and there comments, too, were pointed towards pleasing viewers.

He, however, said the media had also played a vital role in improving the performance of all organs of democracy, including the judiciary. He lauded the role of the media in exposing some “tainted judges”.

The college today organised an inter-college declamation contest for students, in which the students spoke on subjects - “Emerging role of media: an aid/obstacle to dispensation of justice,” “Women empowerment: a myth or reality” and “Rights of children under Indian law”.

Gagandeep Kaur and Monika of the Department of Law of the CDLU were adjudged first and second, respectively, and their department bagged the team trophy too.Both expressed their views on the women empowerment.

Vishwa Mitter from the host college bagged the third prize.

Dr RS Sangwan, a local philanthropist and patron of the Sirsa Education Society that runs the college, was the chief guest.

Jind, March 30
The Sarva Karamchari Sangh, Haryana, has announced support for tomorrow’s statewide “chakka jam” by the Haryana Roadways Workers Union in support of their demands.

The sangh, one of the leading bodies of state government employees, has also decided to hold a rally of employees at Panipat on April 4. A spokesperson for the sangh said here today that the “non-cooperative attitude” and “failure” of the state government to resolve various issues pending for the past many years had made associations, including the roadways’ union, take to the agitational path.

Claiming that though the government had announced to accept all main demands of the employees on August 24 last, it had taken no steps to implement these. He said while the state required at least 10,000 buses on various routes, the government had been able to provide only around 3,400 buses, forcing passengers to use unsafe means like private jeeps and maxicabs plying illegally in the state.

The “chakka jam” has been called in protest against the privatisation of the transport services and delay in regularisation of contractual employees.

Chandigarh, March 30
The Haryana government and its Transport Department are fully geared up for tackling any fallout of the proposed strike by a section of the Haryana Roadways employees tomorrow.

Claiming this here today, an official spokesman said the district administration and the general managers of the roadways had taken all necessary steps to keep the Haryana Roadways fleet in motion and to prevent inconvenience to the public.

He said the main issues for the strike was the implementation of the new transport policy of the government, regularisation of workers and change in service conditions of drivers and conductors and disciplinary action taken against certain employees. He said representatives of workers were explained the features of the new transport policy.

He said the scheme did not affect the growth and diversification plans of the Haryana Roadways. The scheme would provide large-scale employment to unemployed youth and also create additional safe transportation services for the public. The scheme with private sector participation had been in operation since 1993.

In case there were any objections or suggestions with regard to the scheme, the public and Haryana Roadways workers’ representatives would have an opportunity as public objections would be called on this policy and changes would be incorporated wherever necessary in public interest.

He said demands with regard to regularisation and promotion were already being dealt with.

Chandigarh, March 30
Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) has accepted the demand of its junior engineers (JEs) to re-designate them as Additional Assistant Engineer.

MD of the corporation Sanjeev Kaushal said here today that in order to motivate and encourage the JEs, the Board of Directors of the HPGCL had decided to re-designate them. He added that diploma-holder JEs with 18 years regular and satisfactory service as JE would be re-designated as Additional Assistant Engineer and those with 18 years regular and satisfactory service as JE/JE-1 shall be re-designated as Additional Assistant Engineer-1. As per the revised pay scales under the Sixth Pay Commission, a JE/JE-1 after completion of 18 years of regular satisfactory service is entitled to a pay scale of Rs 9,300-34,600.

Further, in order to encourage the JEs to enhance their qualification, the board also decided to allow two advance increments to those JEs, who would acquire AMIE/BE degree after joining the service, subject to the condition that the incumbent has completed a minimum regular and satisfactory service of five years.

Rohtak, March 30
In separate incidents, a youth was murdered in a nearby village while a trader was shot at by assailants in the town in the past 24 hours.

According to reports, a youth, Kuldeep, a resident of Baliyana village, was stabbed to death by some persons while he was on his way to his house in the village last night after attending a religious function. The incident came to light when residents noticed his body early this morning.

His body bore injury marks of a sharp-edged weapon, said the police, after inspecting the spot. Forensic experts collected evidence from the spot. Suspecting it to be a case of enmity, the police has rounded up four persons in this connection.

In another incident, a trader dealing in dairy products was attacked near Subzi Mandi Chowk here today by four youths who allegedly opened indiscriminate fire on him while he was going in a jeep towards his residence in Dairy Mohalla here. He was seriously injured after being hit by two bullets. He has been admitted to the PGIMS.

The accused, who were identified later by the victim, however, managed to flee. An old dispute is stated to be behind this attack. The police has registered a case against the four persons.

Yamunanagar, March 30
The district administration has requested the Union Rural Development Ministry to take up the matter of relaxing the condition for obtaining loans under the Differential Rate of Interest (DRI) scheme for the below poverty line (BPL) families in the district with the RBI.

The administration said the action came in the wake of a number of problems faced by the BPL families residing within the lal dora (permissible limit of the village), in getting loans and also to strengthen the government’s effort to uplift the weaker sections of society. ADC Narender Singh, in a communication with Union Rural Development Minister Dr CP Joshi, said the DRI loans for construction of houses were an uphill task for the BPL families as banks were reluctant to give them loans. Even if they owned a plot, these families, living in the permissible limit of the village, did not have any valid documents, as no department maintained the record of the plots within the lal dora.