Shimla, June 18
The cold war in the state Congress shows no signs of abating with Union Minister Virbhadra Singh making it clear that he will not be guided by the state leadership and rather abide by the directions of party supremo Sonia Gandhi.

Often critical of the state leadership, the five-time Chief Minister seems to be drifting further away. He would not interfere in the state party affairs and made it clear that he would not contest the next Lok Sabha poll. He said he had served the Congress as a disciplined soldier for 50 years and would continue to support it even after relinquishing active politics, unless he was forced to leave the party.

He maintained that he was not aware of any panels set up by the party for carrying out the election campaign and if his name had been included, it was without his knowledge. “Elections are not won by constituting committees, but by effectively raising issues and exposing the rampant corruption under the Dhumal regime before people. The party should not hesitate from launching even a jail bharo andolan,” he said.

However, Virbhadra was on the front foot while taking on the Dhumal government, and said the one-man DP Sood Commission was an eyewash and a ploy to provide time to builders to complete projects. If the government was serious about investigating the irregularities in the grant of permission under the State Apartments and Property (Regulation) Act, it should stop construction in the ongoing controversial projects, particularly the ones promoted by the Bemloe Developers and the Optima Company.

If work was allowed to continue, the projects would be completed by the time the commission submitted its report and it would become a fait accompli, which was the main objective of the commission set up under public pressure.

Hamirpur, June 18
National president of the Mahila Congress Anita Verma said the organisation would highlight the issue of crime and atrocities committed on women in the country through a campaign in the coming days.

Talking to mediapersons here last evening on her maiden visit to her home town here after assuming the charge of being head of the Mahila Congress in New Delhi she said, “The incidents of heinous crime against women, especially in Uttar Pradesh, despite it being headed by a woman Chief Minister, are a matter of concern and the Mahila Congress is going to start a campaign against such crimes. Since lack of knowledge about legal proviso among victims also leads to non-reporting of many crimes, we will start an awareness campaign on this issue,” she added.

Avoiding a direct reply on a report published recently wherein India had been reported as the fourth most dangerous place in the world for women from their security point of view, Verma said, “The police in New Delhi is not directly under the Delhi state government”.

She said, “In the light of the 50 per cent reservation provided to women in local urban bodies and other institutions, the role of women has become quite significant and the Mahila Congress will start an awareness campaign on their role in elected institutions, more so since 33 reservation to women in Parliament and state assemblies is soon going to become a reality”.

Talking about various problems being faced by women throughout the country, the Congress leader said, “A large number of women are still not aware about many government programmes like MNREGA, and our organisation will soon reach them, especially women from minorities, SC, OBC and such other categories to explain to them several government policies for empowering them through self-help groups”.

Verma said she would soon tour the country to get a feedback about the organisation and would take steps to strengthen the Mahila Congress.

Shimla, June 18
Maintaining that Baba Ramdev was being used as a front by the BJP, state Congress president Kaul Singh said today that having lost the popular mandate, the saffron party was trying to impose its agenda on the elected government by backing extra-constitutional forces.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the BJP-led government remained it power for six years, but took no initiative to curb corruption and bring back the black money. In fact, it was voted out in 2004 because of its dismal performance. The UPA government, headed by Manmohan Singh, which took over the reins of the government not only completed its term, but also won a second term in 2009 much to the frustration of the BJP. The good performance of the UPA enabled the Congress to increase its seats in the Lok Sabha from 145 to 206, whereas the BJP’s tally came down from 138 to 116, indicating a further decline in its popular support.

Further, the party’s popularity had hit the nadir over the past two years as evident from the fact that it got the worst hammering during the recent Assembly polls in five states. The Congress contested 354 seats and won 171 out of these and its allies were victorious in 243 seats. On the other hand, the BJP contested 411 seats and managed to win just five seats.

As the BJP was on a weak wicket on the issue of corruption, with its governments in Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh facing serious charges, the party had made a tactical move to push its political agenda using Ramdev as a front which had boomeranged. The party had no moral right to raise the issue of corruption as its government had undermined the authority of the Lokayukta in Karnataka and the Uttarakhand government was in the dock over the death of Swami Nigamananda who died after 114-day fast demanding action against the mining mafia. The BJP governments in other states were also promoting land and mining mafias. In Himachal Pradesh its own MP had made very serious charges of corruption against the Dhumal government. The name of the BJP had become synonymous with corruption.

The BJP high command was shielding the corrupt leaders and it had not asked any of the leader facing charges to quit. In contrast, the Congress high command had taken prompt action and asked its Chief Ministers and ministers to resign even before conducting an inquiry. Action was being taken against all those involved in scandals, irrespective of their position. Before raising an accusing finger on the UPA government, the BJP should take action against its own leaders facing various charges.

Kangra: An assistant lineman of the HPSEB was electrocuted at the Old Matour locality on the outskirts of the town on Saturday. Joginder Singh (50) of Ghana village was working at the Bagli section of the HPSEB when he tried to climb an electricity pole with using a ladder and received a shock and fell on a drain. The police said he was rushed to Dr RPGMC at Tanda in a critical condition.

Joginder had received injuries on the head and other body parts and was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, as there was no neurosurgeon available in the Tanda medical college. The police is investigating the matter. — OC

Shimla, June 18
The job fair organised by the Centum Learning Centre here yesterday evoked an encouraging response with more than 1,100 candidates taking part to explore career opportunities.

As many as 24 companies turned up for the fair which provided students a platform to explore career opportunities. — TNS

Kangra, June 18
The police has recovered the body of Sarthak (15), 10 days after he drowned in the Beas, and handed it over to his relatives after conducting a postmortem.

SDPO, Dehra, Manmohan Singh said today the body was found lying on the banks of the river at Kuarie village falling under the Dehra police station by some passerby who informed them. The preliminary autopsy report indicated death due to drowning.

Manmohan said the family belonged to Doli village in Una district and was at present settled in Delhi and had come to pay obeisance at the Kailashwar Mahadev temple.

Sarthak was taking bath in the river at the temple on June 7 and slipped into the water and got drowned. His father Susheel Kumar (45), uncles Raj Kumar (37) and Sat Prakash (37), jumped into the river one after the other to save Sarthak, but all three also got drowned.

He said the police with the help of local people and divers had recovered the bodies of Susheel and Raj on the first day, while Sat Prakash’s body was recovered after the four days of the accident. — OC

Dharamsala, June 18
Subedar Piara Singh died on Thursday morning at Takoli village in Una district at the age of 106. His wife Hansa Devi had breathed her last around two years back at Dharamsala at the age of 101. After the death of his partner, Piara Singh was not keeping good health.

Governor Urmila Singh and Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal have expressed grief over his demise.

The couple, who claimed to be the oldest married surviving couple of the world, had attempted to enter into an agreement with the Guinness World Records through their eldest son on July 25, 2007, but it was not accepted.

The Dalai Lama had also sought their blessings for his long life as per the Tibetan traditions at a special function organised on his birthday at McLeodganj in 2007.

The couple was living at Barol near Dharamsala with their eldest son Bishambhar Singh Rana. The couple was married on May 23, 1924. A family of 81 members, this couple had seen five generations and had three sons and two daughters.

Piara Singh had joined the British Indian Army in 1930. During his stay in the Army, he toured the whole world. When Britain entered into the World War-II, while fighting against Germany in 1942 in the Cherin Hills in Sudan, he received seven bullets in different parts of his body, but survived.

Strict discipline, simple living and vegetarian food were the keys to their longevity. Paira Singh, after retiring in 1942 on medical grounds with a pension of just Rs 8, was getting over Rs 12,000 per month. He was getting 100 per cent enhanced pension given by the Indian Defence authorities to the Living Centenarian Soldiers.