Fatehabad, September 6
After the death of an agitating farmer, Gorakhpur villagers sitting in dharna against the acquisition of their land for the atomic power project have demanded abrogation of Sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act before they cremate the body.

Ishwar Singh Siwach (60) was admitted to the local General Hospital with pain in the chest on Saturday.

He was shifted to the PGIMS, Rohtak yesterday, where he died early today.

The victim’s kin as well as the agitating farmers brought Ishwar Singh’s body straight to the dharna site from Rohtak to build pressure on the authorities to cincede their demands.

The farmers have paced Ishwar Singh’s body in a refrigerator, indicating that they are prepared for a prolonged battle.

“We will neither cremate the body nor take it to the village till the state government bows to our demands and frees our land from acquisition,” declared Hans Raj Siwach, President of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti spearheading the 389-day-old agitation of Gorakhpur farmers.

Ram Phal Fauji, a grandson of the deceased, said his grandfather had laid down his life for a cause and the family would not cremate the body till the government accorded him the status of a martyr and rescinded section 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act.

SDM Baljit Singh and DSP Shamsher Singh Dahiya, who went to the dharna site, were told in no uncertain terms that they would not relent till their demands were met.

Ishwar Singh Siwach is the third farmer after Bhagu Ram and Ram Chander to die during the farmers’ agitation.

Gurgaon, September 6
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) chairman RC Bhargava has categorically stated that the company management was in no mood to settle for some short-term solution to the ongoing impasse at the Manesar plant.

The latest management-workmen standoff at the company’s Manesar plant, which surfaced last Monday, continued today with the management adamant on not allowing workers to enter the plant unless they signed a good-conduct bond; and more than 2,000 workers protesting against not being allowed to work.

“The company is firm on its stance…we will not give in to instances of indiscipline like sabotaging quality of cars, not following instructions and manhandling of supervisors at Manesar, which are totally unacceptable,” he told a delegation of the Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU) in New Delhi yesterday.

It was the first meeting of elected representatives of the newly elected union at MSIL’s Gurgaon facility with the company’s chairman.

The MSIL chairman asserted that the company was determined to put an end to frequent incidents of indiscipline at the Manesar plant, which, he said, were being instigated by some workers and vested interests from outside the company.

“The company will not take a hasty decision because of the daily loss of production at the Manesar plant. While most of the workers are innocent and hardworking, there are some who are highly indisciplined and misleading the larger workforce at Manesar. We will deal with them firmly,” Bhargava maintained at the meeting with the MUKU leaders.

The president of the Manesar plant-based Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU), could, however, not be contacted for his comments.

Regarding the issue of good-conduct bonds, Bhargava made it clear to the MUKU representatives that the workers would not be allowed to resume work until they signed the bond.

CPI MP and All-India Trade Union Congress general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta, who was in Gurgaon today, maintained that the Prime Minister had been apprised of the matter and urged to get the deadlock resolved.

Faridabad, September 6
A large number of pensioners, including those covered under the old age scheme, today blocked Badshah Khan Chowk for about three hours in protest against the delay in payment of their pension money.

As the chowk falls in the heart of the city, the blockade disrupted vehicular traffic in the city in a big way. Intermittent rains added to the slow movement of the vehicles.

The pensioners lifted the blockade only after the SDM, Faridabad, Yashpal Yadav, and police officials met the agitationists at the chowk and assured them that their grievances would be redressed shortly.

The authorities have introduced a new system of payment of the pension money throughout the state. The payment would be made through designated banks in districts.

According to them, the delay was on account of the process required for the new system which entailed preparing database of the beneficiaries, verification of their identities and their photos. The Department of Social Justice of the state has already announced that the problems would be sorted out by September 10.

The agitationists, including widows, disabled persons and senior citizens, squatted at the chowk. Agitationists condemned the “apathy” shown the government. A number of pensioners alleged that they had not received the money for more than five months.

Chandigarh, September 6
The SGPC elections, scheduled for September 18, are being viewed by political observers as a referendum on the demand for a separate gurdwara management committee for Haryana by protagonists of such a body.

However, two prominent Haryana Sikh leaders, who jointly raised the demand for a separate Sikh gurdwara prabandhak committee for Haryana, Didar Singh Nalvi and Jagdish Singh Jhinda later split and formed their own groups, both of which are named the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee-Ad hoc (HSGPC). Now both are contesting the elections on their own.

While Nalvi is contesting from Kurukshetra, Jhinda is the candidate from 
Karnal.

Their main adversary is the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), which has been controlling the Amritsar-based SGPC for long.

The SAD is contesting all 11 seats of the SGPC in Haryana. The Nalvi group and the Jhinda group have agreed on joint candidates in Yamunangar and Ambala. While one seat is reserved for the Scheduled Castes, two seats are reserved for women.

About 3.5 lakh voters will decide who is their representative in the SGPC -- the SAD or the Haryana-based protagonists of the separate gurdwara management committee for the state. They will also decide between Nalvi and Jhinda, who will call the shots in the state.

Both Nalvi and Jhinda allege that the SAD, which, they say, uses the BJP to come to power in Punjab, has taken the support of the Indian National Lok Dal in the SGPC elections. It may be pointed out that the INLD and the SAD had contested the last Assembly elections jointly.

However, a spokesman of the INLD denied it. He said the INLD had no role to play in the elections to the SGPC, which is a religious body. However, he added that Sikh members of the party might be campaigning for particular candidates in their personal capacity just as some Congressmen might be doing so.

It has been the persistent demand of the Haryana Sikhs to have a separate SGPC for their state on the pattern of Delhi. The Congress had promised them a separate body. A committee was also set up under the chairmanship of the then Speaker HS Chatha. After inviting affidavits in support of the demand, Chatha submitted his report to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. It seems now the Congress has developed cold feet on the demand because the Chatha report is “being examined for legal aspects” by Advocate-General HS Hooda for the past over two years.

This is the first SGPC election after Chatha submitted his report. If the Nalvi-Jhinda combine is able to prevent the SAD victory in the SGPC elections from Haryana, their demand would gain strength.

Hisar, September 6
Haryana Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor KS Khokhar has constituted a two-member panel to probe allegations of indecent behaviour with a woman research scholar by a professor. Dr MK Garg, Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering; and Dr Sarj Jit Singh, College of Home Sciences, are members of the probe panel.

The research scholar had alleged that she was summoned to the professor’s laboratory on the pretext of discussing her project on Saturday evening. She alleged that the professor behaved with her indecently.

Girl students of the university sat in dharna outside the VC’s office till 1 a.m. last night, seeking action against the professor, who has denied the charges. The girl students continued their dharna in front of the office of the Vice-Chancellor today. They are demanding a public apology from the professor concerned. Leaders of the Haryana Agricultural University Teachers Association also demanded an early end to the controversy. The incident has left the student community divided. While girl students staged protests against the professor, their male counterparts staged protests in favour of the professor.

The police has so far refused to register a case against the professor as senior officers maintained that the girl had refused to lodge a formal complaint.

The professor, who is heading a research project funded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has been directed to vacate the official residence inside the campus. He has also been asked not to attend his office. The university has also brought the incident to the notice of the ICAR authorities.

Karnal, September 6
People of Karnal district today took a “mass pledge” to eliminate female foeticide on the appeal of Deputy Commissioner Neelam Pradeep Kasni.

This is for the first time that such a massive campaign with “total participation” of people has been launched to save the female child and completely eradicate the evil of female foeticide.

It was a unique spectacle in all parts of the district and normal life came to a halt as people gathered at different places in both urban and rural areas to take the pledge at the appointed time of 9 am.

The response was so overwhelming that it appeared like a festival with children, youth and the aged joining the initiative, kindling hopes that “girl child” would be safe in the “khap land”.

Speaking at the main function held at the mini secretariat, the Deputy Commissioner regretted that in spite of a slew of laws to end discrimination between the boy and girl child and put an end to female foeticide, the sex ratio was skewed. He asserted that the old mindset about the girl child should change.

People should be made to realise that both boys and girls are a gift of God and discrimination against the girl child was an “insult to God”, she said, adding that the present programme was just a beginning and people would be requested to repeat the oath on sixth of every month as a “reminder” to bat for the girl child.

She said Karnal was one of the districts where the female sex ratio in 0-6 age group was only 820 and the situation was worsening during the current year with only 813 girls taking birth against 1,000 boys.

Chandigarh, September 6
The government today increased the minimum monthly wages of workers by Rs.141 in the state with effect from July 1.

An official spokesman said here that the consumer price index was reviewed after every six months in January and July and the minimum wages were determined as per the variation in the index.

The price index had increased to 1603 in June from 1542 in December, 2010. The decision to increase the minimum wages would benefit over 11 lakh laborers working in factories, shops, dhabas, small undertakings and brick kilns.

As many as 7.5 lakh workers were working in about 10,500 large and small-scale industries and four lakh were working in shops, dhabas and small undertakings.

The unskilled laborers would now get a minimum wage of Rs 4644 per month semi-skilled (A) Rs 4773.89 per month semi-skilled (B) Rs 4903.89. Similarly, skilled laborers (A) would now get a minimum wage of Rs.5033.89 per month and skilled (B) Rs 5163.89 per month. The highly skilled workers would now get a minimum wage of Rs.5293.89 per month and Rs.203.61 daily.

The minimum wages of brick-kiln labourers had also been increased. Now, those of pathera brick and pathera tiles would now get Rs.264.61 and Rs.297.68 daily, respectively.

Bharaiwala (A) and (B) would get Rs.119.07 and Rs.97.90 per day, respectively. Keriwala and nikasiwala would get Rs 21.17 and Rs.87.32 per thousand, respectively. A mason would now get Rs.5033.89 per month.

Chandigarh, September 6
The four accused in the Tejas Gaba kidnapping case-- Satinder Malik, Pradeep Thakur, Ram Kumar and Rajesh Kumar- were produced before the Panchkula district court today amid tight security. They were sent in two-day police remand.

Eight-year-old Tejas was kidnapped while he was waiting with his mother, Neena Gaba, for his school bus at Paruthi Chowk, Panipat, on December 12, 2008.

Malik, Thakur and Ram Kumar were brought from the custody of the Panipat Police whereas Rajesh Kumar was brought from the Ambala Jail. The CBI had moved an application for 14-day police remand but the court of Judicial Magistrate Jaiveer Singh allowed remand for only two days.

The CBI in its remand application has stated that custodial interrogation of the accused was necessary to recover the child, weapons used in the crime and to find out the involvement of any other person in the case. — TNS

Sonepat, September 6
Jai Tirth Dahiya, Congress MLA from Rai, has urged Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda that farmers of seven villages whose land was acquired for Rajiv Gandhi Education City should get increased land compensation.

In a press statement mailed to mediapersons, he expressed confidence that the Chief Minister would favourably consider the demand for higher compensation to farmers of Jakholi, Patla, Aswarpur, Sewli, Badhkhalsa, Khewra, Firozpur Khadar villages in the Rai Assembly constituency whose land was acquired for the city.

He also appealed to Congress MP from Sonepat Jitender Singh Malik to take up the demand with the Chief Minister.

Raj Pal Sewli, convener of the Bhoomi Adhigrahgan Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti of these villages, which has been staging a dharna at Biswan Meel chowk near GT road for the past seven days, said that the samiti would not trust press statements. “Let the government give something in writing on the demands, including land compensation at the market rate”, he said.

He asserted that the government which acquired their land at the rate of Rs 259 per square yard was selling to private institutions at rates up to Rs 5400 per square yard.

Meanwhile, Virender, convener of the sangharsh samiti of farmers of Badkhalsa village whose dharna had entered its 37th day today, said the farmers would not accept anything other than the release of 282 acres of land acquired for the education city. The farmers so far had not taken land compensation.

Sonepat, September 6
Joginder (40) of Jahri village, who had strained relations with his wife Kashmiro, killed his three sons Aman (12), Ashish (9) and Prince (6) with a sharp-edged weapon and later committed suicide in his house late last night.

After receiving information of the incident, DSP Surender Malik along with a FSL team reached the spot to carry out a preliminary investigation. The bodies of the victims were later brought to the local civil hospital.

The weapon used in killing the children was recovered by the police.

On the complaint of Joginder’s cousin Ishwar, the police has registered a case in the sadar police station. In the complaint, Ishwar stated that Joginder and Kashmiro did not have cordial relations and there used to be frequent altercations between them. Kashmiro used to stay with her parents for long durations for the last many years.

According to information, when one of Aman’s classmates came to call him for going to school this morning, he saw Joginder hanging from a fan in the room. On hearing his cry, neighbourers rushed to the house and were shocked to see the bodies of the victims.

The children bore multiple injuries on all parts of their bodies.

At the time of the incident, Kashmiro was not present in the house as she had gone to her parents in Mungan village in Rohtak district yesterday. She had come to Jahri village three days back after staying with her parents for about five months.

Panipat, September 6
The local municipal corporation authorities are finding themselves in a fix as a number of owners of dairy plots at Binjol village on the Jatal road, who had allegedly managed to get plots meant for dairies allotted in their names, have refused to accept the notices that were recently served on them.

The district administration has started a fresh probe into the alleged scam of allotment of plots meant for dairy owners last year after the previous inquiry failed to reveal much.

Under the project to shift the dairies outside the city limits, the authorities had come up with a number of plots on the Bijhol road measuring 250 sq yards each. In 2005, 84 persons had applied to the civic body for allotment of plots in their names so that they could shift their dairies outside the city. After this, names of 36 more aspirants were added to the list.

According to sources, 44 persons were allotted the plots and out of these 32 persons did not own any dairy. These included some of the councillors of the local Municipal Council who managed to get the plots allotted in their names or in those of close relatives. They were given these plots at a rate of Rs 800 per sq yard and had paid around Rs 2 lakh each for a plot. As the rates of the plots went up to Rs 5,000 a sq yard, these allottees sold the land and bagged huge profits. Since then these plots have been resold a number of times to book easy profits.

Recently, the MC had issued notices to 36 plot holders to explain their position whether they owned a dairy or not. While 15 accepted the notices, 21 refused to accept the notices following which the civic authorities sent the matter to its legal wing for suggesting further action.

It was alleged that those who had got the plots allotted in their names were quite influential and thus the MC was proceeding with due caution in this regard. It is believed that the 36 persons who had been served with notices on August 3 had used unfair means to get the plots allotted in their name or in names of their close relatives.