Shimla, June 23
With the battle for supremacy for the post of Chief Minister intensifying within the Congress, supporters of Union Minister Virbhadra Singh tried to send across a signal that even today “Raja” was the undisputed king as a rally was held to mark the completion of his 50 years in politics, coinciding with his birthday today.

Even though termed as a non-political “samman samaroh” to honour the five-time Chief Minister for his contribution towards development of Himachal, the event clearly projected Virbhadra as the next Chief minister with a majority of the speakers stating that there was no alternate for him in the party.

In an oblique reference to the ensuing fight for the top chair in the state, they urged the crowd to be prepared for the political battle, which will end in his becoming the Chief Minister.

All Congress legislators barring state Congress chief Kaul Singh Thakur and GS Bali not only went to the Holly Lodge, the residence of Virbhadra, to wish him but also ensured their presence at the ice skating rink, the venue of the rally.

A large number of former ministers, former MLAs and office-bearers of frontal organisations and party office-bearers from across the state attended the rally.

Today’s rally is being considered significant for the Congress leader who began his political journey in 1962 by becoming a Member of Parliament as he faces a tough challenge of emerging as party’s choice for the post of Chief Minister.

With several contenders for the top post within the Congress itself, his loyalists demanded that he should be handed over the reins of the Congress, considering his popularity.

Terming the Dhumal government as the most corrupt regime in the state till date, he said people were fed up with their anti-people decisions and were waiting to vote the Congress back to power.

“During the past four days the Dhumal regime has acted very petty as it tried to create hurdles in the holding of this event, which is an expression of people’s gratitude and love for me and not my personal event,” he remarked.

He also rued the fact that the government denied permission to hold the event on the Ridge.

“Despite all this, we did not register any cases against the pervious Dhumal regime for its acts of omission and commission, as I do not believe in politics of vendetta. False cases were registered against me to malign my image,” he stated.

He said a charge sheet was framed against him and sent to the CBI for probe in which he was given a clean chit despite the NDA being in power at the Centre.

He also made reference of the CD case pending against him in court while stating that this was being done to tarnish his image.

Speaking on the occasion, CLP leader Vidya Stokes said Virbhadra had played an important role in charting the development journey of Himachal, the foundation of which was laid by him.

Shimla, June 23
While ruling out any factionalism in the party, Union Minister Virbhadra Singh today reiterated that the Congress must declare its chief ministerial candidate before the Assembly poll as it gives additional benefit to the party.

“It is for the party high command to decide as to who should become the Chief Minister but I personally feel that the party must review its policy of not announcing the Chief Minister before the poll,” he said when asked if he was a contender for the top post.

Virbhadra, who turned 78 today, said he did not feel age was a deterrence in his political life except that he was a much more mellowed man than before.

Virbhadra said even today he worked 18 hours a day without feeling tired and being among the public always gave him a high.

“In my 50 years of political life I have never been guided by regional, caste, religion or party considerations as the interest of the state and its people have been paramount for me,” he said.

He also remained evasive when asked whether he would prefer to remain in the Centre or return back to power in state.

“It is for the party to decide as to where my services are required and I shall abide by it whole heartedly as I have always done,” he remarked.

He vehemently denied reports that there was factionalism in the Congress.

“The party is fully united to take on the BJP and ensure the return of the Congress to power,” he said.

His supporters who had come from across the state made a beeline to his residence where he cut a 78- pound cake.

President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his ministerial colleagues P Chidambaram, Pranab Mukherjee, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Farooq Abdullah wished him on the occasion.

Several chief ministers and industrialists also sent in their wishes.

Solan, June 23
Leakage of LPG from a cylinder and its reaction with the gas let out from the refrigerator had led to a blast in the house of Bharat Bhushan in Arki last night.

This was confirmed by a team of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), which had visited the blast site today.

SP, Solan, Hardesh Bisht said the FSL team had stated this. The LPG, which had accumulated in the room, led to a blast due to the chemical reaction of the two gases.

It was for this reason that the LPG cylinder had remained unharmed.

The family had a miraculous escape as they were sleeping in an adjoining building after some guests had arrived in the house.

Mandi, June 23
The Central Government’s bid to give balm to the “sagging image of the health profession in the country” through the proposed 12-member National Commission for Human Resources for Health (NCHRH) has raised the ire of the medical fraternity and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in the state.

The grouse of doctors came hot on the heels of the expose of rampant corruption among “certain medical practitioners across the country” in the recent episode of Aamir Khan’s “Satyamev Jayate”, a TV programme.

Though the state chapter of the IMA admitted that the MCI and other bodies had brought negative publicity and degraded the heath profession, the government’s proposed NCHRH Act was no solution as the Bill would centralise and bureaucratise health and hit patient care in states like Himachal.

State president, IMA, HL Kapur, Mandi president DK Arora, state spokesperson Jainderpal Singh and secretary Kiranbir Singh claimed that the new body provided no representation to medical professionals and was a move to centralise the health system in the country.

“The state has no say in the proposed Act despite health being a state subject and, hence, we oppose this draconian Act,” they asserted.

Dr Kapur said they had a meeting with the state Health Secretary and expressed their opposition to the NCHRH. Even doctors booked could not appeal in the court of law under this Act.

They demanded that the state government should clear its stand on the new proposed Central health body to protect the integrity and autonomy of state heath institutions and management of hospitals.

When the NCHRH comes into force, the old statute bodies like the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956; The Pharmacy Act, 1948; The Dentists Act, 1948; The Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947; and The Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992; would be repealed, stated the new Act, a copy of which is available with The Tribune.

The Act is yet to be passed by Parliament.

Besides the NCHRH, the new Act will set up the National Board for Health Education (NBHE) and the National Evaluation and Assessment Council (NEAC).

To meet its demands, the Centre may appoint the new MCI, Paramedical Council of India and Nursing Council of India, all brought under the NCHRH, which will have eight directorates under it from Ayush to allopathic treatment.

Health Secretary Ali Raza Rijvi said the government had not yet taken up the issue and was seeking suggestions from various stakeholders.

Kangra, June 23
Arvind Kejriwal today charged the Prime Minister of India with doling out coal mines of the country to some people close to power during his term as Coal Minister. He said Team Anna had been requesting the UPA government to order an inquiry into the corruption charges levelled against 15 ministers of the Union Cabinet which included the Prime Minister by three Supreme Court judges or three Chief Justices of High Courts, but the government was shirking ordering such an inquiry.

Kejriwal was addressing a public meeting at the Tandon Club, Kangra, today. He alleged that the Controller and Auditor General of India had pointed out that coal per tonne which was supposed to be sold at Rs 2,000, was doled out at Rs 500 only, without calling tenders.

He alleged that 15 out of the 34 ministers were figuring in the corruption list. He expressed concern that the UPA candidate for the Presidential post Pranab Mukerjee too was among

the 15 ministers. Kejriwal alleged that among the major charges against Mukerjee was that during his term as Defence Minister, a CD carrying vital security information of the country was found missing from the Naval headquarters and for one year Mukerjee as Defence Minister kept the inquiry at the bay till people involved had left the country.

Kejriwal said after one year, a CBI probe indicated that vital information relating to the security of the country was in the missing CD. He said if Mukerjee became the President of India, he would be Commander-in-Chief of all the three forces of the country, then what would happen to the security of the country.

He said corruption had reached an acme and Himachal was also sailing in the same boat.

Kejriwal said in this hill state both the Congress and the BJP were also in nexus to sell the interests of the state to big business houses and named the JP group in this connection. He gave a call to youth and honest people of society to come forward during the coming polls to keep both the parties away from power.

Earlier, Manish Sosodia also asked people to throw the BJP and the Congress out of power. Sanjay Singh and Gopal Roy also spoke on the occasion. All the leaders asked people of this hill state to join the fight of Team Anna to the finish corruption from the country scheduled to start of July 25 with fast unto death at Janter Manter.

Kejriwal said efforts were made that he should not reach Kangra to address this rally and even was not allowed to fly here yesterday. He left for Delhi by Kingfisher plane this evening.

Intellectuals, irrespective of the political parties they belonged to, attended the public meeting. They included Dr Rajan Sushant, BJP MP from Kangra.

Dharamsala, June 23
Tibetans in exile here flayed the Milan city authorities for backing away from their plan to give the Dalai Lama honorary citizenship.

The Dalai Lama was supposed to be given honorary citizenship earlier by the Milan city authorities during his forthcoming visit there, but the move was dropped because of concerns about upsetting China.

City leaders came under pressure from the Italian Foreign Ministry and the Chinese ambassador to drop the idea, as the move could jeopardise its talks with China before Milan hosts an international exposition in 2015. The city council scuttled the move that has upset the president of the Tibetan community of Milan.

However, the furore over pulling back the honour has led other Italian cities to claim that they will make the Dalai Lama an honorary citizen in their towns.

The mayor of Matera said the city was committed to defending human rights around the world, including in China, the sources said. Hosting the Dalai Lama has been politically sensitive for European leaders hoping to maintain good relations with China.