Chandigarh, July 3
Senior Congress leader Birender Singh and Indian National Lok Dal’s Ranbir Singh Gangua were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana, here today. They were declared elected by Vidhan Sabha secretary Sumit Kumar after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended at 3 pm.

Birender Singh, belonging to the dissident camp in the Congress, had lost the last Assembly election from Uchana Kalan to INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala while INLD’s Gangua, a backward class leader, who is also the party’s Hisar district chief, had been defeated by Congress candidate Sampat Singh. The two seats from Haryana had fallen vacant due to the completion of Tarlochan Singh’s term and resignation of Ajay Singh Chautala , who was elected from Dabwali Assembly constituency.

Chandigarh, July 3
He is not known to mince words. But, today as senior Congress leader Birender Singh walked out of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha after been declared elected to the Rajya Sabha, there was a glint of mischief in his eyes, a mystery he refused to unveil though he indicated that his nomination could be the beginning of change.

Commenting on his newly acquired status of a Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana, dissident leader Birender Singh said, “This change is indicative of bigger things to come. My nomination has only set the ball rolling. The Cabinet expansion, the election of the state unit president of the party and other big things will follow.”

And, it did not end there. To another question, Birender Singh said leaders who were assuming his Rajya Sabha nomination was his passport out of state politics, needed to think again.

“The same was said for me when I was elected to the Lok Sabha but I proved them wrong. Delhi is as good as Haryana because I can hop, skip and jump right back into the state when I so desire,” he maintained. Asked if he subscribed to the viewpoint that the bureaucracy dominated the show in the Congress government, he added in a lighter vein, “Do you mean government or a particular individual? Repharase your question correctly and I will give you the right reply,” he laughed.

Then, quickly, he added that this was a myth. “Control can never be quantified. If the administration can be made responsive and efficient, it takes care of a lot of things,” he said. On the impending election of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president, Birender Singh said the party required a leader who would put his weight behind the workers and take up their issues. “If he can’t do that, the worker becomes demoralised and the party loses elections, like this recent one,” he quipped.

Speaking on khaps, Birender Singh said social sanction had its own place while adding that the state was in a transition mode, evolving from the Haryana guided by norms steeped in tradition to the new, emerging Haryana. “While Haryana is at the crossroads, nobody can be allowed to break the law and those who do should be severely punished,” he held. He emphasised that honour killings were a completely different issue which had no social sanction. “Such decisions are essentially those of the victims’ families only,” he said.

He said as a Rajya Sabha MP his priority would be to highlight the need for more funds for building infrastructure. “Also, inter-state issues can’t wait indefinitely. Though we have moved ahead in many fields, we are still lagging behind in quality education and cultural development,” he said, even suggesting that a lot of the water requirement of the state could be met by regulating the waters of the Yamuna alone. 

Hisar, July 3
The countryside in the district is partying. As the D-Day for the panchayat poll approaches, the usually sleepy villages are witnessing late night rural versions of cocktail parties as candidates vie with each other to garner votes.

Although liquor has flowed during panchayat poll in the past also, the presence of a record number of youths in the fray this time has changed the complexion of the game. Country liquor is no longer the most favoured drink. Cheaper brands of whisky, flavoured vodka, white rum and super strong beers are the in thing.

The binges begin around sunset and go on well past midnight, making a marked difference to the nightlife in the villages. Dhabas on the outskirts of villages along highways are the favoured venues. So are the backyards of liquor shops.

Even the menu of snacks has changed. Bhujia and salads are out. Usually it is mutton or chicken on offer. For the veggies, it is paneer. With country liquor out, soda bottles have pushed the ubiquitous water jugs aside.

A group of around 20 youths gather at the back of a dhaba near Dhana village of Hansi block an hour after sunset. They are comfortably perched on charpoys sporting cheap T-shrits with fancy motifs. The group leader is the brother of a candidate. He carries with him five bottles of whisky and vodka.

As the leader prepares the drinks, mutton curry and fresh paneer are served as accompaniments. The conversation begins with who is likely to vote for whom in the village. A couple of drinks later, the conversation shifts to gossip and small talk. Loud guffaws begin to attract the attention of motorists grabbing a quick dinner at the dhaba.

More or less similar scenes are enacted every night in other villages too. “This is the costliest panchayat election ever,” says Ran Singh, a 52-year-old voter from Dhana. He says candidates are spending furiously as they consider the panchayat election as a stepping stone to the larger political portal.

Rai Singh of Anipura said the teetotalers are not having it bad either. “Whenever your sweet tooth bothers, just walk over to a candidate’s house and you can have more than your normal share of desi ghee jalebis. The candidates are good hosts,” he added.

But the partying won’t last long. The first phase of poll is scheduled for July 6. The second phase gets under way on July 10. Till then - cheers to rural Haryana!

Gurgaon, July 3
The local HUDA administrator has distanced himself from his recent announcement of disconnecting the water supply and sewer connections to the house owners of builder-licensed areas of the city who have not obtained their occupation certificates.

An official press note was issued on behalf of the local HUDA administrator, Nitin Yadav, here on June 30.

In that statement, Yadav had stated that the water supply and sewer connections of those house owners of Gurgaon who had occupied the houses in builder-licensed residential colonies without obtaining the mandatory occupation certificate from the Town and Country Planning Department would be cut.

Yadav had said as per the terms and conditions of the licence, an approval of building plan must be obtained before undertaking the construction work and an occupation certificate had to be obtained before occupying the building.

However, in a fresh press note issued here today, it was claimed that the notices for disconnecting the services of the houses in licensed private colonies had been issued by the Town and Country Planning Department and not by the HUDA administrator.

In the statement, a spokesman for the department said the name of HUDA administrator Nitin Yadav was inadvertently included in the press note issued on Wednesday regarding the disconnecting of services to the houses whose occupants had not taken occupation certificate, whereas he had nothing to do with the issuing of notices.

“In fact, the notices have been issued by the Senior Town Planner on behalf of the Town and Country Planning Department,” he maintained.

Meanwhile, talking to The Tribune, RS Rathee, president of the Gurgaon Citizens Council, maintained that the HUDA administrator had distanced himself from the issue after they complained to the Chief Administrator of HUDA of the undue interference and highhandedness of the local HUDA authorities.

Meanwhile, a special cell has been created at the local circle office of the Town and Country Planning Department to attend to the colonisers and residents, who have been given two weeks’ time to obtain the certificates. 

Chandigarh, July 3
The Haryana government has issued transfer and posting orders of four IAS and six HCS officers with immediate effect.Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary Vijay Vardhan has been given the additional charge of Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Archives Department, during the leave period of RR Fuliya. 

Anand Mohan Sharan, Additional Resident Commissioner, Haryana Bhawan, New Delhi, Director and Special Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment has been given the additional charge of Administrator, Trade Fair Authority, Haryana.

RP Gupta, Administrator, HUDA (Hqrs), Panchkula, will also look after the work of Administration, HUDA, Panchkula, in place of Surjeet Singh, who becomes Director and Joint Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department. Vinay Singh, Additional Director(Admn) and Deputy Secretary, Secondary Education Department, has been given the additional charge of Member Secretary, Utkarsh Society, Haryana, Panchkula, against a vacant post. Sultan Singh Ghoswal, Secretary, RTA, Mewat and Secretary, RTA, Palwal, will also look after the work of City Magistrate, Mewat at Nuh, against a vacant post. Dharam Pal Singh, City Magistrate, Hisar, has been given the additional charge of Estate Officer, HUDA, Hisar, Land Acquisition Officer, PW (B&R), Hisar, and Land Acquisition Officer, Urban Estate, Hisar, during the leave period of Sujan Singh. RS Verma, Additional Labour Commissioner (Admn) and Additional Director, ESI, Health Centre, will also look after the work of Deputy Secretary, Labour and Employment Department.

Jagtar Singh, Additional Director (Admn), Social Justice and Empowerment and Deputy Secretary, Social Welfare Department, has been given the additional charge of Deputy Secretary, Welfare of SCs and BCs. Anurag Dhalia, Joint Director (Admn and mid day meals), Primary Education, will also look after the work of Under Secretary, Primary Education Department. — TNS

Panipat, July 3
The uproar kicked off by the suicide committed by 22-year-old Savita, who allegedly set herself ablaze after being hounded by some cops and their associates, refuses to die down as her relatives today threatened to repeat the act if further action against the guilty cops was delayed.

Speaking to mediapersons here today, Savita’s father Subhash said it was the utter failure of the law and order machinery that his daughter was forced to commit suicide by the police itself. He said the police had failed to arrest prime accused Kuldip Sharma. He said they had already met the Chief Minister, the DGP and other senior functionaries of the police department, but till date the situation had remained unchanged.

Subhash alleged that the accused cops had tried to blackmail his daughter on the premises of the Chandani Bhag police station and later she was harassed through offensive SMSes.

Before breathing her last, Savita had made a dying declaration before Additional District and Sessions Judge at the PGI, Rohtak, in which she had accused Kuldeep Sharma, his friend Rohit Chawala and three police personnel of the Chandani Bagh police station of having forced her to take the extreme step.

Meanwhile, IG (Rohtak range) V Kamraj today reassured the family members that appropriate action would be taken against the accused. Earlier, he had stated that four policemen had been placed under suspension and the case had been entrusted to the DSP (headquarters) for further investigation.

Fatehabad, July 3
A drunkard husband allegedly burnt his wife alive after sprinkling kerosene on her body at Nadori village last night.The woman died on way to Agroha and the inebriated husband fled after the crime. The victim identified as Suman Rani (27) got married to Rameshwar a few years ago and the couple had three children. Rameshwar was a drunkard and often quarrelled with his wife after consuming liquor.

The accused came in a drunkard condition at about 11 pm yesterday and had an altercation with Suman. He later dragged Suman into a room and after sprinkling kerosene on her body set her on fire. The neighbours rushed to her rescue and shifted her to the community health centre, Bhuna, where she alleged in her statement to the police that her husband her set her on fire. — TNS

Jind, July 3
Sudesh Devi was today elected as the president of the Jind Municipal Council defeating Sunita Rani by a margin of 13 votes. A total of 33 members, including 31 elected and two nominated members, cast their votes in the poll held under the supervision of the district authorities.

Sudesh was backed by the Congress while her opponent had the support of the INLD. She is the second woman to be elected as the chief of the civic body since it was upgraded to the council in 2000.

While Sudesh Devi polled 23 votes, her opponent Sunita could get only 10 votes. As 12 women were elected as members of the council, the post of the president was declared reserved for a woman this time.

However, the last tenure had been marred by problems and infighting among the members and it saw election of four incumbents as chief of the council within five years. For the vice-president’s post, Harphool Singh defeated Gurbachan Singh with a margin of four votes.

The election had assumed an importance in view of the fact that the INLD had captured all five seats of the state Assembly in the last elections and the party leadership had been claiming majority in the results of the recently held elections of the panchayati raj bodies, including the village panchayats in the district.