Chandigarh, September 10
The state government has decided to initiate action on the report of the House committee after taking legal opinion on the allegedly “illegal properties” acquired by various trusts and societies run or owned by former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala.

The government will forward the report to governments of other states where such properties are located for information and action.

Speaking on a call-attention motion moved by Congress MLA Naresh Sharma, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed he was pained at the “misuse” of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal’s name for “usurping” properties. “The Chautalas seem to have the knack for making the worse seem good,” he said, adding that they had looted the state during their regime.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Chautala family had acquired land in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Chandigarh by committing irregularities through Ch Devi Lal Gaushala, the Mata Harki Devi Memorial Educational Society, the Ch. Devi Lal Memorial Trust, the Ch. Devi Lal Memorial Society and the Jan Sewa Trust.

“The state government will forward it to the Centre, the Delhi Development Authority, Punjab, Chandigarh, the Income Tax Department and other departments and demand action. We will take action in a fixed time-frame while ensuring that the properties are entrusted to the rightful owners,” he said.

Surjewala pointed out that one representative each of the BJP and the INLD was on the committee which finalised the report. “They recorded no dissenting remark which means that it is a unanimous report of the entire committee,” he remarked.

Committee chairman Bharat Bhushan Batra said the report had been put together without any bias against the Chautalas and had been based on documentary evidence.

Gopal Kanda and Anand Singh Dangi, too, took a dig at their style of functioning and sought stringent action based on the findings of the committee. The speakers expressed surprise over payments made by the trusts for land which was exorbitantly priced and demanded a probe to ascertain the source.

When, at a press conference, asked if the state governments or UTs would also take action against the defaulters, Hooda said it was for them to take a call. On the value of the land grabbed by the Chautalas, Hooda said it might well run into hundreds of crores of rupees. According to a CAG report, the plot in Chandigarh alone is worth Rs 89 crore while the report pegs the expenditure on infrastructure, as per an assessment of the Income Tax Department, at over Rs 92 crore.

Chandigarh, September 10
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s attempts to mollify the Opposition with a Lokayukta inquiry into the cash-for-CLU ‘scam’ went for a toss today with the main Opposition parties-the INLD and the BJP-rejecting the government probe.

Throwing a challenge to Hooda, senior INLD leader Abhay Chautala dared the Chief Minister to order a probe by a sitting High Court or Supreme Court judge to bring out the truth.

In fact, Chautala alleged that Hooda had limited the Lokayukta probe to just two points — if cash had been exchanged as alleged in the CDs and whether the land referred to in the CDs had received a CLU. The moot question is that the MLAs and other Congressmen had been caught on camera demanding bribe for grants of CLUs and the state government should rather see whether the CDs were original or bogus, Chautala said, adding that the party wanted a SC-monitored inquiry into the questionable land deals, including the Robert Vadra-DLF land deal.

State INLD president Ashok Arora said a party delegation would meet President Pranab Mukherjee demanding dismissal of the Hooda government for its alleged role in the land scams.

Alleging that CLU had been turned into a huge profitable business under the Hooda regime, state BJP president Ram Bilas Sharma, too, batted for a judicial probe to expose the builder-politician nexus in Haryana which had usurped thousands of acres of land of poor farmers in guise of development of SEZs.

The probe by the Lokayukta, which is not time-bound, was a desperate attempt by the Hooda Government to shield its MLAs and party leaders. “Only a time-bound probe by an independent agency, particularly high court or Supreme Court judge, could bring out the truth in the land scams,” Sharma added.

Chandigarh, September 10
Cornering the Haryana Government on the issue of 10 per cent reservation to the economically backward of the general category in the state, Congress MLA Venod Sharma pointed out to the ambiguity over the identification of such beneficiaries and sought to know if this category was being treated on a par with the Special Backward category.

In a calling-attention motion, Sharma sought to know the criteria fixed for the economically backward in the general category, various castes included and when the benefits of this reservation would start flowing to those it is meant for.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala, replying to a notice, said the government had started giving reservation in admissions to the economically backward children in its government and aided educational institutions. Besides this, reservation was also being given in jobs.

“All tehsildars and SDOs (Civil) have been asked to issue certificate to the economically backward of the general category after verification of their income. If there is any problem in a particular pocket, it can be clarified,” he said.

As per the criteria, the total annual income of the applicant should not cumulatively exceed Rs 2.5 lakh per annum from all sources to identify the beneficiaries.

Social Welfare Minister Geeta Bhukkal explained that the state government had already issued instructions on February 28, 2013, for grant of benefits of reservation to the economically backward persons in the general category.

Chandigarh, September 10
Beneficiaries under the National Food Security Ordinance (NFSO) 2013 will be entitled to food security allowance if they do not get the entitled quantity of foodgrains, Food and Supplies Minister Mahender Pratap Singh said here today.

Replying to a calling attention motion moved by MLAs Venod Sharma, BB Batra and Aftab Ahmed, the minister said the average monthly offtake of wheat would increase from 43,000 millon tonnes (MTs) to 67000 MTs.

The Ordinance classified the beneficiaries into two categories — Antodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households and priority households. The total beneficiaries under the NFSO in Haryana is 126.49 lakh out of which is 90.28 lakh in the rural areas and 36.21 lakh in the urban areas. Currently, the population covered under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is 54.41 lakh.

Earlier, Ambala City MLA Venod Sharma rued that the number of beneficiaries under the priority households was much less than the number of people under AAY and BPL scheme in the district.

To this, the minister replied that out of 1,53,980 households, 82,287 households were from the rural areas and 71,693 households were from the urban areas were covered under food security.

Chandigarh, September 10
While the Haryana Assembly debated the irregularities committed by trusts and societies allegedly run by former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala’s family members, a parallel mock assembly organised by the INLD deliberated upon various acts of omission and commission of the Hooda Government.

Several issues, including irregularities in the change of land use (CLUs), worsening law and order, Robert-Vadra-DLF land deal, IAS officer Ashok Khemka’s report and atrocities on Dalits and women were taken up by INLD members at the session chaired by Mohammand Ilyas as the Speaker.

Senior INLD leader Abhey Singh Chautala donned the role of the Leader of the Opposition while MLA from Kalayat Ram Pal Majra acted as Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

Chandigarh, September 10
The Vidhan Sabha session has been extended by a day. Unable to finish all legislative business, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala sought extension of the session till tomorrow so that several proposed Bills could be tabled and passed. He told the Speaker that the government proposed to bring 17 or 18 Bills in the House. Speaker Kuldeep Sharma announced that the House would now adjourn after the Bills and two call-attention motions were taken up tomorrow.

Some of the most significant Bills expected to be tabled pertain to the salaries, allowances and pensions of ministers, legislators, Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

It is expected that the salary of all classes would be increased by about Rs 10,000, besides enhancing the office and telephone allowances by around Rs 5,000 each for legislators. An additional Rs 10,000 as the constituency allowance is also expected. Incidentally, the salary of the Leader of the Opposition (Om Parkash Chautala) would also be enhanced by around Rs 10,000.

Further, the Vidhan Sabha is expected to bring a Bill for the development and regulation of urban areas for planned development of low-density eco-friendly colonies in the agriculture zone through grant of licences by HUDA.

The long-pending demand of Punjabi farmers that include many Sikh families to allot them panchayat land they have been cultivating for the past six decades is also likely to be fulfilled.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda indicated that he was hoping to bring in legislation to amend the law through a Bill that would facilitate the rehabilitation of landless persons.

The other Bills expected to be tabled pertain to State Finances, taxation of motor vehicles to bring in a uniform taxation policy, legislation on canals and drainage, good conduct of prisoners could get a substantial relief in their punishment terms. The Panchayati Raj Act is also expected to be amended.

Through another Bill, the Improvement Trusts are expected to be merged into the Municipal Corporations after dissolving them for the integrated and systematic development of cities.

The Municipalities and Corporations are also expected to get more powers through yet another Bill.

Kaithal, September 10
Three policemen, including an ASI, on patrol duty allegedly misbehaved with three Aanganwari workers of Kalayat late last night and passed lewd remarks, resulting in a protest here today.

Hundreds of protesters gheraoed the police station, demanding the arrest of the policemen.

DSP (headquarters) Surinder Bhoria reached the spot and assured the people that the matter would be investigated and action taken against those found guilty.

SP Kuldeep Singh Yadav said three policemen had been suspended and sent to police lines. He told mediapersons that their medical examination had also been conducted and an inquiry was on.

However, this failed to pacify the protesters who insisted on registration of a case and arrest of the accused. No case had been registered till late in the evening.

The three women stated that they had returned from Panchkula last night after attending an employee convention. Before reaching Kalayat, they had informed their family members on cellphones to pick them up from Kainchi Chowk. When they alighted from a bus around 11 pm, they found a police van parked nearby with three policemen in it. The women alleged that the policemen passed derogatory remarks against them.

In the meantime, a woman's relative came to pick them on a bike. However, the policemen chased them on their van and intercepted the motorcycle and reportedly took them to police station. They reportedly misbehaved with them.

The motorcyclist was to drop the two women at their homes and come back to pick up the third one. However, when the motorcyclist did not return for quite some time, she made inquiries from the family members of her colleagues.

She then came to know that the police had taken them to the police station. On getting information, a number of residents assembled outside the police station and forced the policemen to release them.

A large number of residents and employees of various organisations sat on a dharna and demanded the arrest of the policemen.

In the evening, the Sarvkaramchari Sangh and other employee unions served an ultimatum to the police administration to put the three behind bars by tomorrow afternoon failing which they would gherao the Mini Secretariat on Wednesday.

Sonepat, September 10
A 13-year-old girl of Indira Colony in Gannaur was raped allegedly by Shiva alias Tinu of the colony while she was returning from the fields last evening. The police has arrested the accused.

On the complaint of her father, a case of rape was registered in the Gannaur police station. After the girl's medical examination in the Civil Hospital, Gannaur, her statement was also recorded before the magistrate.

Kurukshetra, September 10
The police has arrested a man for allegedly demanding dowry.

District police chief Rakesh Kumar Arya said Meenu Yadav of Thanesar had alleged in a complaint to the police on September 4 that she was married to Kuldeep, a resident of Bhatia Colony, Ballabhgarh (Faridabad) on December 5, 2012. Since the marriage, her husband Kuldeep, father-in-law Satender Yadav and mother-in-law Susheela Yadav had been demanding dowry, the complainant stated. — OC

Hisar, September 10
Various social organisations, including the All-India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA), the Janwadi Navyuvak Sabha and the Democratic Forum, today submitted a memorandum to the district administration and police authorities demanding action against BJP ministers for laying the foundation stone of reconstruction of the Sati temple in the town recently in violation of the anti-Sati law which prohibits glorification of the Sati practice in any form.

Shakuntala Jakhar, state president of the AIDWA, informed The Tribune that they met Deputy Commissioner ML Kaushik and SSP B Satish Balan to submit the copies of the memorandum to them and urged them to take action on behalf of the administration and thwart the reconstruction of the temple.

“We have also written to the President, the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, the Governor, the Chief Minister and the National Commission for Women to take appropriate action in the case”, she informed.

Meanwhile, trust member Praye Lal denied that the temple was constructed in memory of any Sati (burning of woman with the body of her husband) and clarified that it’s the temple of goddess Sati.

Fatehabad, September 10
The police has booked a cable TV operator in Ratia town of Fatehabad after a porn film was allegedly shown on the cable network last evening.

Residents of the town were shocked when their cable network started showing a porn movie at 6.40 pm.

The movie continued for nearly 30 minutes before hundreds of residents reached the Balaji Cable TV network office and created a ruckus there.

Ratia SDM Manjit Singh also reached there and seized computers and other paraphernalia from the office.

The network owners have denied having shown any obscene video.

Karnal, September 10
Residents of Kalram and four adjoining villages today held a protest here against the alleged indifferent attitude of the authorities in rectifying their land records.

The villagers submitted a memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner highlighting their demands.

The protesters, including women and children, were joined by activists of the India Against Corruption.

The protesters alleged that a conspiracy to grab their land was hatched by the land mafia. Their land records were tampered with by the land mafia in connivance with some officials of the Revenue Department, they alleged. Their land, which measured 25 acres before demarcation, was reduced to just four acres, they said.

The demonstrators gave a 15-day ultimatum to the government, failing which they would stage a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and also seek permission for "mercy killing".

However, the district administration said the villagers had lost the case in the Supreme Court and whatever action had been taken was in accordance with the law.

Fatehabad, September 10
On the assurance of the authorities to arrest all accused in the murder of a lawyer within 10 days, members of the District Bar Association ended their nine-day-old strike today.

The role of a Naib Tehsildar will also be probed in the case.

Deputy Commissioner Saket Kumar and Superintendent of Police Shiv Charan Attri, who met the striking lawyers, also accepted their demand that Deputy Superintendent of Police Shamsher Singh Dahiya would oversee the investigation.

Bar members had been sitting on a dharna since Monday, demanding the arrest of those who killed Suresh Bansal during the auction of land at Panchayat Ghar in Bhattu Kalan on August 31.

The police has already arrested Vijay Solanki, the main accused in this case.

Gurgaon, September 10
Hundreds of students today forcibly entered the Manesar campus of Amity University. The protesting students broke open the locks of the main gate in the morning and took ‘control’ of it. They also did not allow any student or staff member to enter.

The students have been on a protest ever since the university had failed nearly 100 students.

The situation was brought under control after the university authorities called in the police.

“Amongst the troublemakers, only 5 per cent were associated with the university while the rest were members of student organisations. They broke open the gates and created nuisance,” said Savita Mehta, a spokesperson for the university.

The authorities have reportedly deployed additional force on the campus to maintain law and order.

Earlier this month, over 100 students of the first and second-year were declared failed by the university.

Last week, the university said it was not possible to take back the decision and the students, who had failed to perform up to the mark, would have to repeat the academic year.

“They had scored very less marks in the examinations. Many of them just got 10-15 per cent marks. We cannot change rules. Moreover, repeating a year is in their interests, as with this performance, they cannot pass further exams,” she said, adding that the university also offered them to take a year-long academic break and appear in the examination next year.

Accusing the university of ruining their future, the protesters threatened to intensify their agitation.

Sonepat, September 10
Activists of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) today organised a protest march in the town and burnt effigies of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ram Kishan Fauji outside the Mini Secretariat.

The activists were led by party’s district in charge and former MP Capt Inder Singh (retd). Senior party leaders, including Telu Ram Jogi, Padam Singh Dahiya, Surender Singh Dahiya, Raj Kumar Ridhau, Kuldeep Malik, Satpal Goyal and Pawan Taneja handed over a memorandum, addressed to the Governor, to Additional Deputy Commissioner SBLohia demanding an inquiry into the allegation of change of land use (CLU) scam by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Addressing the protesters, Capt Singh alleged that large-scale corruption by Congress MLAs in issuing of the CLUs and release of land from acquisition had been established in the CDs. Every section of society was feeling cheated by the large-scale corruption in day-to-day working of the government, he added.

Jind, September 10
Expressing anger over the poor services due to lack of the paramedical staff, residents of Durjanpur village in the district locked the Primary Health Centre (PHC) located at the village this morning.

The centre was unlocked after the intervention of the health department officials. The residents warned of again locking the centre here and at Uchana if the problem was not addressed within a week.

Narender Singh, a local resident, said the villagers assembled at the PHC this morning after they failed to find any staff except the pharmacist posted here. He alleged that absence of staff concerned, including, doctors had been a common feature. He said the matter was taken up with the authorities concerned several times, but the department had failed to ensure adequate staff. Finding no solution to the problem the protesters locked the PHC, he claimed. Sunil, another resident, said three posts of staff nurse had been lying vacant for the past several months.

Sonepat, September 10
Ram Chander, a retired employee of the PGI, Chandigarh, was caught by the security staff of BPS Government Women Medical College, Khanpur Kalan, on the college premises yesterday for cheating people in the name of providing them job in the college.

After inquiring that he had taken cash and other valuable articles from three persons of Kaithal, the matter was brought to the notice of Director of the medical college Dr RC Siwach. Later Ram Chander was handed over to the police and a case was registered against him.

According to information, Malkeet of Chausala village had paid Rs 2000, a gold ring and a motorcycle, Praveen of Kharak Pandava village paid Rs 1,700 and Bachani of Bandrana village had paid Rs 12,000 to Ram Chander for providing them job in the college. They had also given their complaints in writing to the security officer of the college.