Chandigarh, August 24
If Anna Hazare’s movement got a thumbs up, a “special session” of the Haryana Assembly today unanimously passed the Jan Lok Pal Bill and forwarded it as a recommendation to the Centre to pass the same in public interest.

While the newly elected Speaker for a day, Indian National Lok Dal MLA and former minister Mohammad Ilyas, struggled to “maintain decorum” in the House, the “special session” enabled party MLAs to air the grievances of their respective constituencies.

The “House” hotly debated crucial issues of rampant corruption and levelled serious allegations against the Congress government and its ministers for taking the law for a ride and a committee was constituted to look into the allegations of amassing disproportionate wealth by a political family in power.

Amid “difference of opinion”, the “House” rejected the Haryana Ceiling on Land Holding (amendment) Bill and the Haryana School Teachers Selection Board Bill, saying that it aimed at “protecting the interest of the builders and promoting corruption”.

This free-for-all to witness open-air session was held by the roadside, outside the premises of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha and convened by the suspended INLD MLAs who were denied entry to the premises this morning.

This mock session of the Assembly became a crowd-puller in no time with on-duty cops and curious passers-by gathering to witness the “House” proceedings which began with the selection of a Speaker. The Chautala brothers, Ajay and Abhey, were the star attraction as was the Leader of Opposition, Om Prakash Chautala, who joined them a little later.

While Mohammad Ilyas, chosen as Speaker, conducted the proceedings sitting on a chair, the INLD MLAs sat on a ‘durri’ by the roadside around him. Whenever the pitch rose and members disagreed, the Speaker urged them to “behave even though the Congress MLAs had forgotten their duties”.

The mock session provided the INLD members “uninterrupted” opportunity of lambasting the Congress for its land deals beneficial to the who’s who and rampant corruption in jobs, a collapse of the law and order in the state --- something that had “eluded” the INLD in the House yesterday.

Taking a dig at the Congress for “frequently” changing portfolios of ministers, the members alleged that “money potential” guided the powers-that-be to shuffle and reshuffle departments.

Mohammad Ilyas gave “equal opportunity” to every member and constituted a committee to look into the land release carried out after Sections 4 and 6. Ajay Singh Chautala suggested a committee to manage all committees should be constituted.

Frequent “points of order” and grumblings about “running commentary” marked the proceedings. All members were unanimous that black money should be brought back to India and Parminder Dhull even submitted a list of Congressmen with accounts in Swiss banks.

Later, Om Prakash Chautala said, “The Bhupinder Singh Hooda government was raking up the matter of panchayat lands to trusts only to divert attention from their wrongdoings. We were suspended for merely demanding that the Jan Lok Pal Bill be tabled in the House and passed as recommendation to the Centre to pass it,” he stated.

Chandigarh, August 24
The Haryana Vidhan Sabha passed eight Bills, including the controversial Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Bill, on the last day of its three-day monsoon session today.

The Bill, which replaces the Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Ordinance, has been described by the Opposition as an attempt to help big real estate companies, particularly so after the Punjab and Haryana High Court held that the land holdings of such companies were subject to the land ceiling.

Chief Minister BS Hooda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala deny the opposition allegation. They said due to the fast urbanisation in the country, there was an urgent need to free the land used for non-agriculture purposes from the ceiling.

They said the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Repeal Act, 1999, was passed by Parliament in 1999. Similar laws were in existence in states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Delhi and Kerala. However, the “statement of objects and reasons” attached with the draft Bill made an oblique admission that the Bill was prompted by the recent high court judgement. It read: “To remove uncertainty about the issues which arose about the effect of ceiling laws on urban, industrial and other infrastructure projects set up in the state, there was an urgent/immediate need to address the matter by amending the Haryana Ceiling of Land Holdings Act, 1972, by excluding the land put to or proposed to be put to non-agricultural use...”

The Bill was passed by voice vote after the BJP walked out of the House. The amended law would be deemed to have come into force with effect from January 30, 1975. The House also passed the Haryana Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2011, the Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2011, the Punjab Passengers and Good Taxation (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2011, the Haryana Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2011, the Haryana Appropriation (No.4) Bill, 2011, the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences Rohtak (Amendment) Bill, 2011 and the Haryana School Teachers Selection Board Bill, 2011.

The Haryana Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2011 aimed at ensuring proper realisation of VAT on sale of petrol and diesel from retail outlets viz. the pump owners who, in turn, receive their supplies from oil companies. The Punjab Passengers and Good Taxation (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2011, has been passed to revise the fee for registration.

Chandigarh, August 24
Haryana Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala today claimed in the Vidhan Sabha that various trusts or societies controlled by former Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala and members of his family usurped government properties or panchayat land in a “completely arbitrary fashion” between 1999-2005 when the their party, the INLD, was ruling the state.

Surjewala, who was replying to two call- attention motions on behalf of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said the details of the properties usurped by these trusts or societies could be divided in categories of gifts, allotments, exchange and transfers or purchases.

On June 5, 2001, the then INLD-BJP government gifted 52 kanal, 13 marla in village Mamma of Panipat district for setting up Ch Devi Lal College to the Jat Dharmarth Sabha.

On September 25, 2001, the then government gifted 16 kanal, four marla in Karman village of Faridabad district to the Ch Devi Lal Trust.

On January 16, another two marla was gifted to the Ch Devi Lal Gaushala, Sirsa. On January 24, 2002, 20 acres, three kanal and five marla of panchayat land in Kanwarpura village of Sirsa district was gifted to Ch Devi Lal Gaushala.

In 2002, the then INLD-BJP government gifted seven acre and two marla of Khajakhera panchayat land in Sirsa district to the Ch Devi Lal Trust. On May 13, 2002, 17 acre, four kanal and four marla was gifted in Odhan village of Sirsa district to the Mata Harki Devi Memorial Education Trust.

On June 16, 2003, the then government gifted five acre in the same village to the same trust. On December 24, 2003, another nine acre, five kanal and eight marla land was gifted to the Mata Harki Devi Memorial Education Trust in the same village.

On July 5, 2004, the Ch Devi Lal Shiksha Samiti was given as gift 80 kanal, 11 marla of panchayat land in Siwah village in Panipat district.

Besides, the NDA government allotted a big plot of land in the Lodhi Road Institutional Area/Qutab Institutional Area in Delhi to the Ch Devi Lal Trust. The same government also allotted a big plot of land on Madhya Marg in Sector 28, Chandigarh, to the same trust.

On February 11, 2000, the then INLD-BJP government allowed the Jansewa Trust to exchange its plot with that of the HSIIDC.

The new plot measuring 4,500 sq mt is on the National Highway no 8 in Gurgaon and now a commercial building has been constructed on it, Surjewala said.

On December 11, 2004, the then government sold seven kanal and 14 marla of the Government Livestock Farm, Hisar, belonging to the Animal Husbandry Department to Ch Devi Lal Trust for a meagre amount of Rs 18, 63,400.

On December 11, 2004, 7110 sq mts Land belonging to the Narnaul Municipal Council was sold to the Ch Devi LaL Trust for Rs 54,74,700, Surjewala informed the House.

Chandigarh, August 24
Haryana Speaker Kuldeep Sharma today constituted a six-member House committee to go into the recommendation of the CBI to the state government to initiate action against certain trusts and societies controlled by the family of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala for allegedly violating the conditions attached with the land given to these organisations.

The Speaker was authorised to constitute the committee by the House yesterday while debating the issue of corruption. The committee will be headed by Rohtak MLA BB Batra. BJP leader Krishan Pal Gurjar; INLD MLA Gian Chand Oadh; and Congress MLAs Aftab Ahmed, Anand Singh Dangi and Dharampal will be its other members. The panel has been asked to submit its report within 45 days.

Former Finance Minister Sampat Singh withdrew his name from the committee, saying that he was part of the government when the land was given to the trusts and societies controlled by the Chautalas.

Gurgaon, August 24
Thanks to the “callous” attitude of the local HUDA authorities, Renu Aggarwal, a 71-year-old resident of New Delhi, has been making rounds of various government offices for over a year to be able to sell her own plot, but to no avail.

Even intervention by the Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner as well as the Economic Offences Wing of the Police Department has failed to get her grievance redressed.

Narrating their tale of woes, Renu’s husband, Madan Lal Aggarwal, told TNS that his wife had been allotted HUDA Plot No.724 in Sector-38 of Gurgaon. On January 8, 2010, she entered into an agreement with one Satbir of Delhi to sell the plot for about Rs 95 lakh. She received Rs 10 lakh as earnest money and the balance was to be paid within 75 days.

In good faith, she signed the form meant to obtain the transfer permission from Estate Officer-II, HUDA, Gurgaon, without mentioning the name of the transferee, as requested by Satbir.

As the elderly couple did not receive the balance payment within the stipulated time, they smelt something fishy. On March 25, 2010, they went to the office of the Estate Officer-II, Gurgaon, and filed an application, requesting that no transfer permission be issued without Renu Aggarwal’s physical presence.

However, on the very next day, one Nawab Singh, who was not even known to the Aggarwals, applied for the transfer permission for this plot. On April 16, 2010, the HUDA officials concerned granted him the transfer permission, in complete disregard of Renu Aggarwal’s written plea against granting any such permission without her presence.

The Aggarwals allege that Satbir and Nawab, along with their accomplices, Jitender Dagar and Surender Kumar, had greased the palms of the HUDA officials concerned to obtain the transfer permission despite their specific request.

Though the said transfer permission lapsed after 90 days, the HUDA officials, who had breached the trust of the elderly couple, refused to issue fresh transfer permission“They maintained that we should first produce a no-objection certificate from the previous transferee in the name of the prospective buyer, though there is no such provision in the HUDA Act or Rules,” said Aggarwal.

He alleged that the aforesaid persons were now demanding 50 per cent of the plot’s present market value to give the NOC. The Aggarwals’ repeated requests to the local as well as state HUDA officials for getting the said transfer permission cancelled fell on deaf ears. They also sought the relevant information under the RTI Act, but to no avail.

They brought the matter to the notice of the Gurgaon DC, who directed the said Estate Officer to look into the matter, but no reply has been received so far.

Sirsa, August 24
A schoolchild was electrocuted due to an electric current in rainwater in the town today and a motorcyclist was killed when a tree fell on him during rainstorm at Kukranwali in this district last night, while incessant rain for four hours today has put life out of gear in Sirsa town.

Amit Garg, a student of Class X of local GRG Senior Secondary School, was wading through the rainwater to return to his house after attending the school, when he was electrocuted due to fall of a live wire of the power utilities in water. The victim died on the spot.

Mahabir Sharma, president of the Parents’ Association of the school, alleged that the child had died due to gross negligence of the DHBVN authorities and had demanded registration of a criminal case against them.

Raj Kumar, a shopkeeper, was killed when a safeda tree fell on the motorcycle he was riding. The accident occurred near Kukranwali and another youth Jaswinder, who was riding pillion with Raj Kumar was seriously injured.

Two sheeps were electrocuted and another received burn injuries, when the they came in contact a wire of an electric pole at Bhamboor village.

Life went out of gear in Sirsa town after four hours of incessant rain in the town since morning.

The heavy downpour turned the town into a pool with the MC Colony, Parsuram Chowk, Shiv Chowk, Balmiki Chowk, Thana Road, Rori Bazar, Hisaria Bazar and Sangwan Chowk and several other areas completely waterlogged.

Advocate Pradeep Mehta, municipal councilor from Ward 29, alleged that sewer lines of his A-Block locality were lying choked for the last 25 days and the authorities had turned a blind eye to it despite their repeated requests. Mehta said the sewer mixed rainwater had started entering their houses posing a serious threat of infections.

Ambala, August 24
Former MLA and senior leader of the Ambala BJP Jasbir Malor has written a letter in blood to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in support of Anna Hazare.

Malor in his letter sent to the Prime Minister has supported the Jan Lokpal Bill and demanded that it should be resolved in Parliament by August 30. He said only this Bill could check corruption in the country.

Meanwhile, a protest rally was organised in Ambala City by BJP workers, in which a large number of youths took part on their motorcycles. The youths protested in front of the residence of Union Minister Selja. Former Deputy Speaker of the Haryana Assembly Faquir Chand Aggarwal and former MP Rattan Lal Kataria were also present in the rally.

The Haryana Punjabi Mahasabha also offered its support to Anna Hazare in its meeting here today. Meanwhile, the condition of Dharmbir, who has been sitting on fast in support of Anna for the past eight days, has become critical, as he has lost 5 kg weight.

On the directions of the Deputy Commissioner, a team of doctors led by civil surgeon examined him and forcibly brought him to the Civil Hospital for treatment.

SONEPAT: As many as 10 trade unions, including the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, All-India Kisan Sabha, CITU, Bharat Nawjawan Sabha, Mahila Janwadi Samiti, CPI, CPM and residents of HUDA, Sector-23, organised one of the largest protest marches in support of Anna Hazare in the town on Tuesday evening.

The members of the district unit of the Indian Medical Association held a candle march from the local Civil Hospital up to the house of Congress MP Jitender Singh Malik at railway road on Tuesday evening.

Besides the Dahiya and Jatrana Khaps, the Antil Khap has also extended its support to Anna Hazare and representatives of this khap have started an indefinite dharna near the GT Road. The All-India Farmers Welfare Association has also extended its support.

HISAR: Pro-Anna activists continued their protest at the Old Government College grounds here despite heavy rains throughout the day. Many of them had their ears, eyes and mouths covered in protest against the Centre’s alleged indifference towards the Jan Lokpal Bill. Students of Agroha Medical College also joined the protest.

KARNAL: The bandh call by social organisations to express solidarity with Anna Hazare evoked overwhelming response in Karnal with thousands of shopkeepers, trade establishments and commercial organisations pulling down the shutters and schools, colleges and other educational institutions also remained closed to participate in the march. People from different walks of life gathered in a large number at Sabzi Mandi and marched towards the house of Arvind Sharma, Karnal MP, carrying the Tricolour and chanting “Vande Matram”. It was completely a people’s show and no politician or star was allowed to address the rally and only members of Anna Team guided people.

The schoolchildren presented a skit in front of Nehru Palace to highlight corruption and made speeches against the evil of corruption. Members of Karnal Bar Association also suspended work and demonstrators wearing black badges gathered at the house of Arvind Sharma and urged him to support the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Anna chant: Artist says it with colours

Panipat, August 24
On an order pronounced by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the state government has ordered shutting down of all slaughterhouses and meat shops in the state in view of the nine-day Jain Paryushan festival.

The Jain Mahasabha through its president Radhey Sham Jain had moved a petition in the high court seeking strictures to the state government for closure of the slaughterhouses and meat shops across the state.

General secretary of the local Jain Community Subhash Jain and secretary Sulek Chand Jain said the financial commissioner and chief secretary of the state government had asked the civic authorities in all districts of the states to ensure that all slaughterhouses and meat shops were closed for nine days.

The two said even as the orders had been issued, members of the Jain community would ensure that these were implemented in the true spirit to maintaining the sanctity of the festival.

The youth wing of the Jain community will maintain a 24-hour vigil in the cities and towns across the state and would videograph shops that would violate these orders.

The festival ordains the Jains to observe the ten universal supreme virtues in daily practical life. 

Chandigarh, August 24
The father of international boxer Sonu, who had died on March 12, 2006, by allegedly hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his hostel room, has not accepted the CBI closure report.

Sonu’s father Charan Singh Chahal today appeared before the Panchkula CBI court and sought time to file a protest petition on the closure report.

The CBI had recently filed the closure report in the Ambala court terming it suicide instead of murder. The CBI had also given a clean chit to the four accused, including Olympian Bronze medallist boxer Vijender Kumar’s coach and Dronacharya awardee Jagdish Singh.

Charan Singh informed the court that they were not satisfied with the CBI closure report. Thereafter, the court deferred the hearing till November 16. Meanwhile, the CBI also provided a certified copy of the closure report to Chahal.

The CBI had stated that the investigation has disclosed that Sonu was in love with Seema, also a boxer, and wanted to marry her. However, his parents were not in favour of their marriage as they belonged to different castes. Moreover, when Seema developed intimacy with another youth, Sonu went into depression and committed suicide.

The CBI had given a clean chit to Narender Sangwan and 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. Chahal had filed a petition in the HC seeking a CBI inquiry.

Hisar, August 24
The police has detained Mahavir Mittal, owner of a flour mill at Barwala near here, from where six quintals of PDS wheat meant for APL and BPL cardholders was recovered on Monday.

The police said the investigations were being conducted by the economic offences cell. Efforts were on to identify the government employees involved in the scam.

The mill owner has claimed that the tractor-trailers transporting wheat had entered the mill premises to protect the wheat from rain. He said the allegation that wheat was being offloaded in a truck belonging to him was wrong. However, officials said the story had been cooked as a defence ploy.

Meanwhile, the news of the scam was read out from the stage of the Ramlila Ground in New Delhi, where Anna Hazare has been fasting.

A group of India Against Corruption activists from here led by Rakesh Aggarwal had gone there to extend their support to Team Anna.

Arvind Kejriwal was born in Hisar and he has several relatives living here. The team that went to Delhi last evening included his maternal uncle Ram Babu Aggarwal. Kejriwal asked Rakesh Aggarwal to read out the news about the scam from the stage to emphasise the need to curb corruption. 

Kaithal, August 24
Residents of Kheri Gulam Ali blocked the Kaithal-Patiala road outside the police station and raised slogans against the police and Guhla MLA Phool Singh Kheri here today.

They were expressing resentment against the police for the alleged delay in registering a case against the MLA’s son and some others for allegedly eve-teasing a girl on August 22 and later assaulting some members of the girl’s family.

The protest disrupted traffic for about three hours. Later, Guhla DSP Gurdial Singh reached the spot and informed the protesters that an FIR under Section 323, 354, 506 and 34 of the IPC had been registered against the guilty, following which the protesters lifted the blockade.

Seema, daughter of Sadha Ram of Kheri Gulam Ali, had alleged that Karan, son of MLA Phool Singh of the same village, and one Rahul met her when she had gone to the village pond. They made obscene gestures and forcibly tried to take her on their motorcycle. She resisted their attempt and rushed towards her house and informed her family members about the incident.

Seema’s family members went to Phool Singh house and informed them of the incident. However, they abused Seema’s kin and later beat them up. They even threatened them of dire consequences.

A complaint was lodged yesterday, but no FIR was registered.

Sirsa, August 24
The police has registered a case of extortion and criminal intimidation after a youth allegedly demanded ransom from the manager of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s Balasar farmhouse in the district.

Amarinder Singh, son of Kathha Singh, a resident of Kathorewala village under Malaut Sadar police station of Punjab and at present working as manager in the Balasar farmhouse of the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Rania tehsil of the district, has given a complaint in this regard, said the SP, Satinder Kumar Gupta.

In his complaint, Amarinder Singh has alleged that a youth, Sandeep, son of Satnam Kamboj, a resident of Kelnia village in Sirsa, called on his mobile on August 22 and demanded ransom money of Rs 5 lakh.

The caller allegedly threatened to eliminate Amarinder Singh and his children, in case he failed to pay the ransom money.

A case has been registered.