Fatehabad, January 7
The farmers’ agitation to save their land from acquisition for the proposed nuclear power plant at Gorakhpur has received a setback with a splinter group today announcing its support to the project.

Members of the group, claiming to possess over 900 acres of the 1,313 acres proposed to be acquired for the Nuclear Power Corporation of India plant, met DC Vijay Singh Dahiya and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Prahlad Singh Gillankhera today to express their support.

“We supported the agitation initially as we wanted fair prices for our agriculture land. But the agitation has now been hijacked by political parties opposed to the present regime,” explained Devender Singh More.

Sajjan Singh, another farmer, said he, too, had filed his objections to the notification issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act.

“Now I am ready to give my land, provided I get a fair market value for it,” he said.

Farmers claimed that they had the support of owners of 600 acres of land adjoining the land proposed to be acquired. These farmers were ready to give their land too. The farmers asked the DC to convey their sentiments to the state government. They demanded that the government should consider some rehabilitation measures.

The farmers met Gillankhera and asked him to expedite the notifications under Section 6 and 9 of the Land Acquisition Act so that they could get the award against their land soon. Gillankhera said he would arrange their meeting with the CM. Hans Raj Siwach, president of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti agitating against the proposed plant, termed the development as an attempt by the ruling party to break the morale of the agitating farmers. He said it was shameful that the government had begun to conspire to create fissures among their ranks barely days after the death of “martyr” Bhagu Ram.

Meanwhile, Sampat Singh, Congress MLA from the Nalwa assembly constituency, speaking to mediapersons here today, alleged that senior leaders of the INLD and the HJC had done nothing but shed crocodile tears for the agitating farmers. He, on the contrary, had moved a call attention motion on the issue in the assembly, upon which the government had revised its floor rates for all land acquisition.

He said the Opposition leaders, who had been trying to “instigate” the farmers, had not deemed it necessary to participate in his call attention motion.

Chandigarh, January 7
History in Haryana repeats itself. Following declaration yesterday of the civil services examination results by the Haryana Public Services Commission, the usual allegations of irregularities and favouritism have surfaced afresh. The most serious of these is that the chairman and several other members of the five-member interview board failed to withdraw or recuse themselves although close relatives of many had appeared before them for the interview.

The daughter of one, the daughter-in-law of another and the nephew of a third member are said to be among the selected candidates. The soon-to-be-son-in-law of a fourth member is also alleged to have sailed through.

The allegations have acquired a political colour with the opposition INLD releasing a list of 15 candidates, who, they announced over a week ago, would be among the successful candidates. They have been vindicated somewhat by the fact that 10 of those candidates actually figure in the list of successful candidates.

A group of unsuccessful candidates today alleged that several deserving candidates, who did very well in the written test, were inexplicably given low marks in the interview, which carried as much as 75 marks. On the other hand, several candidates who fared poorly in the written test, secured very high marks in the interview. There are of course cases of candidates securing high marks in both. The candidate with roll no. 1184 has secured 411 marks in the written test but only 18 in the interview. Similarly, a candidate bearing roll no. 2069 secured 409 marks in the written test but only 11 in the interview. Candidate ( Roll number 1011) secured 386 marks in the written test but only 17 marks in the interview.

A practising lawyer in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, who too secured high marks in the written test and low marks in the interview, wondered why states do not make the selection on the basis of tests carried out by the UPSC. “Why is it that some of us who clear the UPSC, fail to clear the state civil services exam,” he asked and suggested that recruiting people from the pool shortlisted by the UPSC would save both cost and time for the states.

Ironically, HPSC has been plagued by similar allegations for the past decade . The Congress MLA from Palwal, Karan Singh Dalal, would release names of candidates before the announcement of every result by the HPSC and claim that the candidates would be selected because of their proximity to INLD leaders. More often than not, his list would turn out to be correct. The wheel has now come full circle. It is now the turn of INLD leaders to make similar allegations. The INLD president Ashok Arora had released a list of 15 candidates said to be close to Congress leaders in the state. Ironically, two of them were said to be related to Dalal. Both seem to have got through, thus vindicating Arora.

Faridabad, January 7
The police has failed to arrest the accused, including a relative of minister Mahender Pratap, for thrashing a person here on January 1.

Several attempts to contact the minister, who represents the Badkal assembly constituency, on his mobile proved futile, his personal staff maintaining that he was at a meeting.

The victim, RMS Kundu, alleged today that persons known to the minister were threatening residents of Sainik Colony not to depose before the police.

Kundu also alleged that the staff of the local Civil Hospital refused to treat him and issue an MLR when he went there for treatment after being beaten up. The doctor on duty turned him away and he complained to the Chief Medical Officer against him. Kundu said the police had been negative in its approach from the start. It had refused to entertain his complaint against the goons. A case was registered on January 3 only after he took up the issue with a senior IPS officer.

Kundu said despite instructions from the Police Commissioner, Faridabad, PK Aggarwal, the SHO concerned had misbehaved with him. He said he had lodged a complaint with the police authorities at Chandigarh against the SHO.

He further alleged that even as the accused moved about without the fear of the law, the police had tried to intimidate him with the threat that a case would be slapped against him.

Kundu, a neighbour of the minister in Sainik Colony, said he got a call from the minister’s relative on January 1 at 11 am, saying that the eldest son of the minister wanted to see him at the site where the minister’s house was under construction. As soon as he reached there, the relative and his goons attacked him with lathis and threatened him with dire consequences if he did not leave Faridabad at the earliest.

Sirsa, January 7
Peeved at the alleged misbehaviour of a cop, a large number of Dera Sacha Sauda followers assembled outside the judicial courts complex today and raised slogans.

The incident took place after dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh entered the court complex for his appearance before the CBI court through videoconferencing from here.

Though it is a routine for the dera followers to assemble outside the court during the appearance of their chief, the turnout was unprecedented today.

The mob was so agitated that some of them even tried to break the gates of the court complex. The dera chief entered the court at 2 pm and the followers left the place only after the dera chief’s cavalcade of vehicles made their exit at 4.30 pm. The police had a tough time in controlling the angry followers. The CBI court heard the case of scribe Ram Chander Chhatarpati’s murder in which Devender Singh, SI of the Delhi police, deposed before the court.

The court has been hearing cases against the dera chief on daily basis since Wednesday. Sources in the local court said following orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, all criminal cases in which some accused were under police custody were being heard almost daily for speedy trial of the cases.

Two accused are in custody in the Chhatarpati murder case since 2002, while five accused are in jail in the Ranjit Singh murder case for the past more than five years.

The dera chief is facing trial in three criminal cases. Dr Aditya Insan, a spokesperson for the dera, said the Dera Sacha Sauda did not have any problem in the daily hearing of the cases, as they too wanted the “false cases” to be disposed of soon.

Kurukshetra, January 7
Teachers of Kurukshetra University, in response to a call given by the Federation of Haryana Universities Teachers’ Association, staged a demonstration in front of the office of the Vice Chancellor here today.

Raising slogans in support of their demands, the teachers marched towards the Vice Chancellor’s office. They also submitted a memorandum to the Vice Chancellor for early release of the comprehensive notification regarding the revised pay scales for university and college teachers in the state.

Dr Parmesh Kumar, general secretary, FEDHUTA, and secretary, KUTA, said the promotions of the teachers in the state had been kept in abeyance after January 1, 2009.

Other unaddressed crucial issues were advance increments for MPhil/PhD/MTech/MPharma, entry-level pay of directly recruited teachers and equivalent cadre recruited on or after January 1, 2006, for Readers as Rs 23,890, Professors at a scale not below Rs 43,000, re-designation of Readers and Lecturers in the selection grade after three years of service as Associate Professor and enhancement in the retirement age to that of 65 years as per the UGC and MHRD notifications. He said a meeting of the FEDHUTA would be held on January 14 to chalk out the future strategy.

SONEPAT: Members of the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University Teachers Association led by president Dr Raj Kumar staged a dharna outside the office of the Vice Chancellor of the university in protest against the non-release of the comprehensive notification of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations as per the UGC and the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) guidelines.

They also handed over a memorandum of their demands, addressed to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, to VC HS Chahal.

Secretary of the association Dr Surender Dahiya said despite giving so many appeals, reminders and memorandums to the Chief Minister, Education Minister, Education Secretary, Commissioner Higher Education and Vice Chancellors of various universities of the state, no action had been taken till date.

ROHTAK: The Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) Teachers’ Association (MDUTA) staged a dharna on the university campus here to protest against the alleged inordinate delay in the implementation of the UGC notification of June 30, 2010, regarding the revised pay scales for university and college teachers.

FEDHUTA and MDUTA president Somvir Singh Rathee said a memorandum of demands was submitted to the MDU Vice Chancellor, Dr RP Hooda. Rathee said the teachers would be forced to adopt an agitational path if their demands were not met, he claimed.

SIRSA: Teachers of Chaudhary Devi Lal University held a protest and demanded implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission in toto. The agitating teachers alleged that the government had failed to issue a comprehensive notification with regard to their pay scales despite several reminders.

Jind, January 7
At least three schools in the district have been issued a show-cause notice for violating the orders on closure of schools in view of the biting cold in the region.

The state government had asked all schools, including aided and private institutions, to remain shut till Mid-January. The three schools were found open during inspection by a team of officials of the education department this morning.The officials got the three schools located in Vijay Nagar, the Rohtak road byepass and the Hira petrol station closed.

The students were told to go back home. The principals of the schools were asked to submit a reply within a couple of days as to why they had violated the government orders.

The schools were warned of strict action if they were found repeating the mistake, said a senior official. There are over a 100 private and aided schools in the district besides those run by the government. Meanwhile, a winter training camp organised by the Education Department in the town was boycotted by the teachers. The teachers said since the government had announced the closure of all schools till January 16, holding the camp for them in such harsh weather conditions was unjustified.

A spokesperson of the Government Teachers Association charged the government with misusing their services in the name of various drives and campaigns, adversely affecting teaching.

Sonepat, January 7
The eyes of the father of five-year-old Anshu lit up when DC Ajit Joshi told him that the District Red Cross Society would bear all expenses incurred on her treatment at a public grievances meeting in his office here yesterday.

Satish Kumar of Halalpur village, holding Anshu in his arms, told the DC that the child was unable to walk because of a disability. He said doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi had told him that if the child was administered an injection costing Rs 16,000, she may be able to walk.

But Satish had no money for the treatment.

Hisar, January 7
Four members of a family were killed and another was seriously injured when a jeep carrying them collided with a truck near Choudhariwas village, 20 km from here, this afternoon, the police said.

The victims have been identified as Jagat Ram (65), his son Ramesh Kumar (28), daughter-in-law Munni Devi (36) and a relative, Sandeep Singh (30), who was driving the jeep.

Munni Devi's husband Maan Singh was admitted to a private hospital here in serious condition. The victims were residents of Bhera village in the Siwani sub-division.

A case has been registered against the truck driver who fled after the mishap. — PTI