Hisar, August 16
Hundreds of supporters of Anna Hazare today staged a demonstration in protest against his arrest in Delhi.

Led by activists of the local chapter of India Against Corruption (IAC ) they gathered early in morning at the Aggarsen Chowk here after news of Hazare’s arrest broke.

INLD legislator Ajay Singh Chautala also joined the protesters for some time after the party announced its decision to support Hazare’s campaign.

However, the police did not arrest any of them as the protest was peaceful. IAC activists said the protests would be organises daily till the government agreed to the civil society’s demands on the Lokpal issue.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Haryana University Teachers Associations (FEDHUTA) has given a call to university teachers to go on mass leave tomorrow in protest against the arrest of Anna Hazare.

In a statement issued here, Somveer Rathee and Sandeep Rana, president and general secretary, respectively, of FEDHUTA, said the teachers condemned the government bid to curb dissent and arrest civil society leaders who were engaged in a fight against corruption.

Rewari: Activists of the INLD, BJP, SUCI, Bhartiya Shiv Sena, Rashtriya Nav Chetna, ABVP and several other outfits held a dharna and a demonstration at the district secretariat here, condemning the arrest of Anna Hazare and his associates. This action on the part of the Congress-led UPA government was arbitrary and undemocratic, they said

Satyavan, state secretary of SUCI, said it was a brazen attack on the fundamental democratic rights of the people to organise peaceful protests and demonstrations. He demanded immediate unconditional release of Anna Hazare and his associates.

Sonepat: Different sections of society, including students, have extended their support to Anna Hazare’s agitation against corruption and condemned his arrest by the Delhi Police. Volunteers of the Sai Jan Seva Samiti today sat on an indefinite dharna here at Subhash Chowk and Gandhi Chowk respectively.

Hundreds of students of Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal, today blocked the Sonepat-Murthal road for half an hour and pledged their support to the agitation.

A passenger train bound for Delhi from Panipat was stopped for around 10 minutes here by social activists of the BJP led by Municipal Councillor Vimal Kishore. The Amritsar bound Shan-e-Punjab was also forced to make an unscheduled halt at Sonepat station for a few minutes. Four protesters, including Vimal Kishore, were taken into custody by the police.

Activists of the Haryana Jan Sangharsh Manch held a protest march in Gohana and announced to observe one-hour dharna every day from 8 to 9 pm till the release of Hazare. Members of the Gohana Bar Association also suspended work today in support of Hazare’s agitation.

ROHTAK: The arrest of Anna Hazare has sparked off protests and condemnation from across the various sections of society in the district.

While an indefinite chain fast has been started by the members of a social body at the Sector 6 grounds here, several organisations, including political and non-political leaders, have condemned the arrest of Hazare and other leaders in New Delhi this morning. These organisations have pledged their support to the stir launched to curb corruption through the proposed Jan Lok Pal Bill.

Those who sat on the fast today included DR Chaudhary, a former Chairman of the HPSC, Jagmati Sangwan, Mukesh Kumari, a former MLA Umed Singh and Bhagat Singh Malik.

The Haryana State Committee of the CPM and the district unit of the INLD have condemned the arrest of Hazare.

The CPM has called upon all its units to step up the campaign to make the September 2 rally against corruption of the Left parties in Delhi a big success.

The Athgama panchayat of Chaubisi described the arrest of Hazare as a grim reminder of the Emergency. Members of the panchayat held a one-day dharna and observed a fast at Rajiv Chowk of Meham town today.

FARIDABAD: The District Bar Association along with opposition political parties on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the movement against corruption launched by Anna Hazare and demonstrated outside the mini-secretariat in protest against Hazare’s arrest.

They demanded immediate and unconditional release of Anna and other members of his team by the Delhi Police.

The district courts lawyers went on a flash strike, resorting to “suspension of work”, on a call given by the District Bar Association. A memorandum was also submitted to President Pratibha Singh Patil vide the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Faridabad, demanding rejection of the government’s Lok Pal Bill and tabling of the Bill in Parliament prepared by “Team Anna” .

Leaders of opposition parties, including the BJP and the INLD, along with various social and religious organisations in the city also staged a protest march and observed a one-day dharna and hunger strike at Neelam Chowk and BK Chowk.

Reports of protest in support of Anna Hazare were also received from Kurukshetra, Panipat and Sirsa.

Chandigarh, August 16
Haryana has recorded 1,263 mm of rainfall up to 8 am today as against 653 mm rain received yesterday.

According to a spokesman of the Meteorological Department, the maximum of 116 mm rainfall was received at Radaur in Yamunanagar district up to 8 am today as against the minimum of 1 mm rainfall received by each Kalanaur in Rohtak district, Hansi in Hisar district, Narwana in Jind district and Sirsa during the same period.

While the state had recorded 7,755 mm rainfall last month, a total of 4,682 mm rainfall has already been received this month by the state.

He said up to 8 am this morning, Taoru and Muh in Mewat district received 8 mm and 16 mm rainfall respectively. In Palwal district, the maximum of 57 mm rainfall was received by Palwal town and the minimum of 3 mm by Hodal. Similarly, in Panchkula district, Kalka recorded a maximum of 55 mm rainfall and Panchkula got 21 mm.

In Sonepat district, a maximum of 14 mm rainfall was recorded at Ganaur and a minimum of 6 mm at Gohana. Kurukshetra received 23 mm rainfall while at Peohwa it was 12 mm. Kaithal recorded 2 mm, while Guhla received 28 mm rainfall.

Similarly, in Panipat district, a maximum of 28 mm rainfall was recorded in Panipat and minimum of 2 mm in Samalkha. In Karnal district, Indri recorded 82 mm rainfall today and a minimum of 7 mm was recorded in Assandh.

In Jind district, while Narwana recorded 1 mm, a maximum of 17 mm rainfall was received in Safidon. In Gurgaon district, Pataudi recorded a maximum of 25 mm rainfall and a minimum of 2 mm was recorded at Sohna. In Bhiwani district, a maximum of 5 mm was recorded by Tosham and a minimum of 4 mm by Loharu.

In Ambala district, a maximum of 28 mm rainfall was received by Naraingarh and 27 mm by Ambala by 8 am today.

Hisar, August 16
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has announced a special remission of three months for the convicts who have been sentenced to jail for a period of five years or more.

“It would not be granted to persons convicted of rape, dowry death, abduction, murder of a child below the age of 14 year, dacoity, robbery and unnatural offences,” he said after inaugurating an observation home here yesterday.

Remission will also not be applicable to persons convicted under the NDPS, TADA, Official Secrets, Prevention of Corruption and the Prevention of Food Adulteration Acts.

The remission will not exceed one-fourth of the period of sentence. However, in case of persons convicted and sentenced for life, the special remission granted by the state government will be in addition to the remission granted as per jail manual.

The remission will also be granted to all the convicts who were on parole or furlough from jails on Independence Day yesterday, subject to the condition that they will surrender at jails on the due date after expiry of parole or furlough period for undergoing the remaining portion of the sentence. 

Panipat, August 16
Despite a clear threat perception, regular paroles being given to the convicts of Manoj-Babli murder case have not gone down well with Manoj’s family members, who had received serious threats from them.

Lamenting official apathy in curtailing the convicts, Manoj’s sister Seema said here today that last year, Baru Ram, one of the convicts in the Manoj-Babali murder case, hired Virender, a criminal who was lodged in Ambala jail along with him, to threaten her on the premises of the Madhuban Police Academy. Despite this, Baru Ram was given parole from July 5 to July 20.

She said as if this was not enough, another convict, Gurdev, was also allowed to walk out of the jail from July 29 till August 27 by the authorities.

Seema said her family was at the risk of being attacked by the convicts. Though the matter had been taken with senior police officials in April this year, it failed to convince them not to grant parole to the convicts.

An RTI query put up with the top police officials seeking information as to why the convicts were granted parole when the fact was known to all that they were nursing a grudge against the family revealed that the local police had submitted in written that they did not have any objection if the convicts were let out on parole.

Narinder, Manoj’s brother, said they had now taken up the matter with the Karnal and Kaithal police as to why the convicts were allowed to come out on parole.

Manoj (23) of Karoran village in Kaithal district, and Babli (19), who belonged to the same gotra, had married against the wishes of the girl’s family on April 7, 2007. The two were killed on June 15, 2007. The court had convicted Gurdev Singh, Suresh Kumar, Rajinder Singh and Baru Ram and sentenced them to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in the case while Babli’s grandfather Ganga Raj and driver Mandeep Singh, who was earlier sentenced to a seven-year imprisonment on the charge of kidnapping, were acquitted.

Chandigarh, August 16
Independence Day was celebrated with enthusiasm all over the state. While Governor Jagannath Pahadia unfurled the National Flag at Hisar, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda took the salute and hoisted the Tricolour at Bhiwani.

Reports of Independence Day celebrations were also received from various cities of Haryana, including Kurukshetra, Fatehabad, Sirsa and Kaithal.

Bhiwani: Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced that the state government would honour its gallantry award winners by providing them with the highest annuity in the country.

Hooda was addressing the state-level function organised on the occasion of Independence Day here on Monday.

Hooda hoisted the Tricolour and honoured nine freedom fighters and 58 gallantry awardees and war widows belonging to Bhiwani district. He announced an award of Rs 2.51 lakh for the participants of the cultural function and a holiday for schoolchildren on August 16. He also honoured 26 employees, officers, social workers and players for their distinguished services. Earlier, he visited the martyrs’ memorial, statues of Pt Neki Ram and Madan Lal Dhingra to pay floral tributes.

In his address, the Chief Minister gave an account of the development works undertaken during the past six years in the state.

Hooda said the state was making the second highest contribution to the central foodgrains pool. It had the highest per capita investment and the second highest per capita income in the country.

He said the land acquisition and rehabilitation policy of Haryana was being regarded as an example for the whole of the country. The main objective of the state government was to ensure the availability of irrigation water for every field and Bhakra Main Line Hansi-Butana Canal had been constructed at a cost of Rs 392 crore for equitable distribution of canal water for irrigation and efforts were being made to sort out the legal aspects in this connection.

Hooda reiterated the state government’s resolve to get Haryana’s complete share in the Ravi-Beas waters through the SYL canal.

He said Haryana had become a preferred destination for domestic and foreign investors and during the past about six years, as many as 107 big and medium industries had been set up besides 9,742 small-scale industries. A new industrial and investment policy 2011 had been implemented in the state to give a further impetus to industrial development.

The Chief Minister said a number of administrative and financial powers had been given to the panchayati raj institutions to ensure their active participation in rural development.

Hooda said the state government had honoured sportspersons of Haryana by giving them cash prizes of Rs 32.42 crore.

Gurgaon: Independence Day was celebrated with patriotic zeal and persistent rain could not dissuade children from performing their roles with enthusiasm at the district-level function organised at Tau Devi Lal sports complex here.

Revenue Minister Mahender Pratap Singh unfurled the National Flag and took the salute at an impressive march-past. The minister maintained that though corruption was a debatable issue, it could be uprooted by collective and persistent efforts by people.

Panipat: Chief parliamentary Secretary Rao Dhan Singh honoured 53 freedom fighters along with 60 officials and employees of the state government on Independence Day

The National Flag was hoisted in Karnal by Finance Minister HS Chatha. The minister honoured the widows of six freedom fighters on the occasion.

Sonepat: As many as 22 freedom fighters, their dependents and war widows and 82 others were honoured by Education and Social Welfare Minister Geeta Bhukkal on the occasion of Independence Day here .

Taking the salute at an impressive march past, she paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the struggle of independence. She recalled the sacrifices made by people of Sonepat district during the First War of Independence and 1942 agitation. She said the state government had accorded top priority to the welfare of freedom fighters, their dependents and war widows.

Hisar, August 16
Governor Jagannath Pahadia has appealed to the people to become active partners in solving the problems of poverty, illiteracy, indiscipline, unemployment and corruption which are threatening national unity and social security.

Speaking at an Independence Day function here, the Governor paid homage to the martyrs. He said the national freedom movement was an epoch-making event in the annals of history, epitomised by Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation and non-violence movement. On the other hand, Netaji Subhas Chander Bose constituted the Azad Hind Fauj and bravely fought he British rulers. Sardar Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Udham Singh, Chander Shekher Azad and numerous other revolutionaries also sacrificed their lives in the freedom struggle, he added.

Pahadia stated that the brave people of Haryana were also proud of their dynamic role in the freedom movement. The sparkle of first freedom movement in 1857 was ignited at Ambala in Haryana. At Hisar too, a number of martyrs sacrificed their lives. The British crushed the people under road-rollers at Hansi . Hukam Chand Jain, Munir Beg, Neki Ram Sharma, Dada Ganeshi Lal, Lala Sham Lal and many other patriots contributed a lot to the freedom movement at Hisar, he added.

The Governor said it was our humble duty to take care of the families and dependents of serving soldiers and martyrs. The state government had extended many benefits to the families of martyrs and their dependents to make their lives comfortable and respectable.

He said that Haryana, though geographically a small state, had made phenomenal progress in every walk of life and at the same time preserved its rich cultural heritage.

The Governor honoured freedom fighters and their families on this occasion. He also honoured those who brought laurels to the state in different fields. He announced a grant of Rs 1.50 lakh to schoolchildren who participated in the celebrations and an equal amount to police personnel who took part in the parade. 

Gurgaon, August 16
Four officials of the National Security Guards (NSG) have been awarded the police medal for meritorious service on the occasion of Independence Day. They are Commandant Gurshakti Singh Sodhi, Assistant Commandant Rajender Singh Khardwal, Assistant Commander-II/Min Raj Kumar and Anil Kumar Bansal.

Commandant Gurshakti Singh Sodhi has rendered more than 20 years of service in terrorist-affected areas of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Naxalite-affected states of Andhra and West Bengal and insurgency-infested Manipur and Assam in the North-East, besides his tenure with UN Misson in Kosovo.

Earlier, Rajender Singh Khardwal earned the Director-General’s commendation roll for active leadership in an operation resulting in the killing of four hardcore terrorists.

AC-II/Min Raj Kumar has earned 60 cash rewards, commendations and appreciations for his praiseworthy performance during his service career.

Anil Kumar Bansal is currently on deputation to the NSG as AC-I (PA). He was initially posted to the provisioning branch of HQ, NSG, and then to JAG Branch and later to the establishment branch. 

Bhiwani, August 16
The Haryana School Education Board, Bhiwani, has decided to appoint retired Army officers of junior commissioned officers level for smooth conduct of the Haryana State Teacher Eligibility Test, which is scheduled to be held on September 24 and 25.

A spokesman said the retired Army officers would be deputed at all examination centres for checking the cases of personification and external interference in the examination. They would be given honorarium prescribed by the board. The interested candidates should submit their application on a plain paper to the board within 10 days. — OC

Hisar, August 16
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has announced the Mukhyamantri school improvement award scheme to promote healthy competition among government schools for providing clean and healthy learning environment.

Inaugurating an observation home here yesterday, the Chief Minister said that the awards would be given to all four categories of schools - primary, middle, secondary and senior secondary. The awards would be given to one school in each category at the block, district and state levels. The selection of school would be done on the basis of parameters prescribed by specially constituted selection committees.

The purpose of these awards was to motivate and encourage different schools to ensure good and appropriate physical environment which facilitated the overall development of schools as well as students. The award money could be utilised by the schools to further strengthen the facilities and infrastructure or to meet any other need. About 500 schools will be directly benefited by this scheme. 

Chandigarh, August 16
In the controversial death of international boxer Sonu Chahal, the CBI in its closure report has maintained that the deceased’s father had lodged a false complaint against the four accused, including Olympian bronze medallist boxer Vijender Kumar’s coach and Dronacharya Awardee Jagdish Singh.

However, keeping in view the pain and agony suffered by Charan Singh Chahal in the past five years after the death of his son, the CBI has not recommended any action against Sonu’s father, Charan Singh Chahal.

The CBI closure report reads, “During the course of investigation, it was found that Charan Singh had lodged a false complaint. However, no action under Section 182 of IPC is being recommended against him because he had suffered a lot by the death of his son.

The report further reads, “Investigations from the statements of family members of deceased Sonu and his colleagues have not disclosed anything incriminating against any of the accused persons. Even as per the post-mortem report, no external injury or signs of struggle were found on the body of deceased Sonu Chahal.”

The CBI had recently filed the closure report in Ambala court terming it a case of suicide instead of murder. The CBI had also given a clean chit to four accused identified as Narender Sangwan, Pawan Rathi (both boxers), coach Jagdish Singh and Balwan Singh, watchman of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel, who were named in the FIR.

Last year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had handed over the probe to the CBI. Sonu’s father Charan Singh Chahal had filed a petition in the high court, seeking a CBI inquiry into the case.

Sonu had died on March 12, 2006, by allegedly hanging himself from a ceiling fan at his hostel room. The 20-year-old boxer from Madanheri village was training and residing at the SAI hostel at Bhiwani and had participated in several national and international competitions.

It was only after Sonu’s father repeatedly approached the higher authorities and the media highlighted the case that an FIR was registered on May 11, 2006, under the charges of murder and criminal conspiracy against the four persons.

Chandigarh, August 16
The petition filed in “public interest” against the allotment of land to the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable trust (RGCT) failed to make any headway today also.

As the case came up for hearing before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a Division Bench questioned the petitioners about the “public interest” involved in the plea.

The petition has been filed by villagers of Ullawas in Gurgaon district. The Bench also asked them to furnish an affidavit in support of their claim that the petition was filed in public interest.

August 23 is the next date of hearing in the case. — TNS