New Delhi, January 28
After much delay and deliberations, the Congress high command today formed a 24-member Haryana Pradesh Election Committee to kick-start the process of short-listing candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. The first meeting of the committee has been scheduled for January 31 at Chandigarh.

Haryana’s committee is among the last to be notified among state Congress election panels.

All factions in the divided state Congress unit have been represented in the panel headed by state Congress chief Phool Chand Mullana.

The panel comprises Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, his loyalists and also leaders of the dissident camp, including Kumari Selja, Birender Singh and Kiran Choudhary.

“Utmost care was taken to accommodate all factions and segments. We face a tough electoral battle ahead and need to send a message of unity. The message has been sent through this list,” said a senior Congress leader.

The list comprises two Lok Sabha members from the state, Ashok Tanwar (Sirsa) and Avtar Singh Bhadana (Faridabad), and ministers Capt Ajay Yadav, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Geeta Bhukkal, Savitri Jindal and Aftab Ahmed.

Hooda’s confidant and former minister Venod Sharma is also in the committee.

To give adequate representation to all castes and voter segments, the party leadership has named on the panel HS Chatha, a Sikh and former Assembly Speaker, Aftab Ahmed, a Muslim, Dr Ram Prakash, an OBC leader, Suresh Gupta, vice-president of the Haryana Congress who hails from the Vaishya community, and Rajkumar Balmiki from the Dalit community.

Sources said Vaishya leadership was necessary in the wake of the Aam Aadmi Party’s proposed offensive in the state. AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal is himself a Vaishya.

To accommodate aspirations of the Punjabi community, sitting Rajya Sabha member Shadi Lal Batra, Panipat MLA Balbir Pal Shah and Jagdish Nehra have been named in the election panel.

The list also comprises four ex officio members who are presidents of the state units of the Congress’ four frontal organisations - Indian Youth Congress, NSUI, Mahila Congress and Sewa Dal. The ex officio members are Amit Sehag, Sandeep Bora, Sumita Singh and Chhota Singh Chauhan.

Speaking to TNS, a Congress leader said, “The election panel will work under the state Congress chief. By constitution, all state Congress election panels are headed by PCC presidents who are expected to take everyone along.”

Chandigarh, January 28
The dissent-driven Haryana Congress was today as divided as ever -- this time over the nomination of former Union minister Selja to the Rajya Sabha. While “dissident” leader Selja’s camp celebrated her “victory” on having secured the nomination, leaders owing allegiance to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda were undecided if the move went in their favour or against them.

Sources in the party said while Selja had seemingly won this round in the contest over the nomination against Hooda, pushing for state unit chief Mullana’s nomination, it is a move that could swing either way in the days to come.

Hooda loyalists were keen to project Selja’s nomination as a “win-win” situation for both the camps. Stating that while it had secured a six-year term as MP for Selja who was already “apprehensive” about winning the next election, it had brought good tidings for the Hooda camp as well since it meant that the Dalit leader, one of the fiercest Hooda critics, would be out of his hair for good.

In an attempt to downplay Selja’s “victory”, they pointed out that her taking the “easy way out” as a RS member had shown that she was not sure of herself and had lost the battle even before it began, thereby undermining her stature as a leader.

However, the Hooda camp’s worries are far from over with the loyalists now worried if she can be stopped in her tracks especially since she resigned as Cabinet minister before filing her nomination papers.

Sources said Selja’s nomination to the Rajya Sabha was a “regular” party decision to accommodate a senior leader wanting “rehabilitation”, what is more bothersome is whether there is more in store for her.

With talk of replacing Mullana with a new party chief doing the rounds every now and then, Selja, sources said, could now be angling for that post especially since she had already expressed her willingness to head the state unit. Leaders said given her proximity to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, she could pull that off as 
well and then it would be a real trouble.

The party made a feeble attempt to gloss over the differences among the leadership as Selja, accompanied by Hooda and Mullana, himself an aspirant for the Rajya Sabha seat, filed her nomination in the presence of party general secretary Shakeel Ahmed.

Selja, known for her attack against Hooda for lopsided development, sang a different tune and said the party would work as a cohesive unit and go to the elections. However, she was quick to add that all those who think that her nomination to the Rajya Sabha meant that she was “out of state politics”, should have no doubt about who she is.

With parliamentary and Assembly elections slated for this year, it remains to be seen if the “warring” leaders will bury the hatchet, iron out their differences or the slug-fests will intensify in the weeks to come.

Chandigarh, January 28
Union minister Kumari Selja, a known detractor of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, today filed her nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana.

Flanked by Congress state in charge Shakeel Ahmed, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Phool Chand Mullana, besides Hooda, Selja filed her papers as a Congress candidate with the election office here. Selja emerged as Congress’ preferred choice in front of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and HPCC chief Mullana.

Meanwhile, Indian National Lok Dal's (INLD) Backward Classes Cell chief Ram Kumar Kashyap also filed his papers for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats, which would fall vacant after the retirement of Congress members Ram Parkash and Ishwar Singh. Sources said January 28 was the last date for filing the nomination papers, adding that the nomination could be withdrawn till January 31. The election would take place on February 7, if needed, they added.

The 90-member Haryana Assembly has 46 Congress members, 30 from INLD, four from BJP, and one each from the BSP, SAD and Haryana Janhit Congress. There are seven independent candidates, who also support the Congress.

Currently representing the Ambala parliamentary constituency, Selja, a prominent Dalit leader, has had an uneasy relationship with Hooda on the issue of skewed development in the state and disparity with her constituency.

Panipat, January 28
Coming forward in support of the affected Sutana farmers, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) has given a 15-day ultimatum to the Hooda government to solve their problems caused due to the bottom ash disposal pond of Panipat Thermal Power Station.

BKU district president Chur Singh Rawal said: “We decided to launch an agitation in support of the affected Sutana farmers following the reports in the media on January 16, but we postponed it in view of the Republic Day.”

Carrying out a protest march in Panipat on Tuesday, Rawal said: “Now, we have given 15 days to the government to solve the problem of the affected farmers. The government should acquire over 350 acre barren land after paying its market rate to the farmers. The land has become infertile. Further, effective steps should be taken to stop seepage of toxic effluents into the fields from the disposal pond to save the remaining fertile land from turning barren.”

“If the government does not wakes up from its slumber within a fortnight, we will be left with no other option but to intensify our stir,” he added.

Farmers especially from Sutana village, including Raj Singh Sutana, Krishan Tanwar, Netrapal Rawal and Suresh Dahiya and Deep Chand Deswal participated in the protest march, which started from Kisan Bhawan on Assandh road here. The protest march culminated at the Mini Secretariat on the National Highway-1, where BKU representatives submitted a memorandum to the ADC RS Verma in the name of CM.

Nem Chand Jain head of Saman Nagrik Sanhita Abhiyan, an NGO, urged various social organisations to come forward in support of the affected farmers.

A whopping 350-acre fertile land belonging to over 100 farmers gradually turned barren in Sutana village as effluents containing arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury contaminated the fields from the bottom ash disposal pond near the plant.

Panipat, January 28
Following an argument between Panipat DC Samir Pal Srow and Karnal MP Arvind Sharma over traffic flow, the former has reportedly proceeded on two-day leave in protest.

Neither could be contacted despite repeated attempts. Rohtak Divisional Commissioner Chander Prakash confirmed that the DC had gone on two-day leave. Responding to further queries, he feigned ignorance.

Several shopkeepers were against the blocking of passes at the lal batti, bus stand and Sanauli road chowks for ensuring smooth flow of traffic on National Highway 1.

When Arvind Sharma went to meet the protesting shopkeepers, he called up the DC to get the passes opened. Sources said he felt that they they were inconvenienced because they had to cover a few extra km.

The DC was then holding a meeting in connection with Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s proposed visit to Panipat on February 2. The DC told the MP that the passes had been blocked in larger public interest and only a few persons were protesting, the sources said.

They added that Arvind Sharma was annoyed at the reply and reportedly told him that he could go on leave if he could not work in the interest of the public. Subsequently, the DC left for Chandigarh and took two-day leave.

When contacted, Panipat Superintendent of Police Sathish Balan said, “Blocking the passes was a collective decision of the district administration, including the DC and me. The decision was taken in larger public interest after taking the view of various prominent citizens. Most residents of the city heaved a sigh of relief.”

Ambala, January 28
The Ambala police have directed banks to engage security guards at their ATM centres or face legal action. Around 80 ATMs are running without security guards in the district. After a security guard of HDFC Bank was murdered on Sunday, the police have also taken measures to check such incidents in future.

Commissioner of Police Ajay Singhal said last year, seven incidents of stealing or attempts to tamper with ATMs were reported in the district. He said criminals were focused on ATMs that did not have proper security arrangements, committed the theft at night and left the spot within half an hour.

He said a high-level meeting was conducted and special measures were taken for prevention of such crimes.

He said the Ambala and Panchkula police had identified three gangs involved in such crimes in the region. These are based in Chandigarh, Muradabad and Ambala Cantt. He said the photographs of criminals captured from CCTV footage have been released and special teams have been constituted to nab other absconding criminals.

"These gangs are active in Baddi and Parwanoo of Himachal Pradesh, Ambala, Panchkula, Kaithal and neighbouring districts of Punjab," he said. As a preventive measure, ATMs without security guards have been sealed and those with security guards are duly checked by night patrolling teams.

Ambala (urban) Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul Sharma said six police teams under the supervision of an Assistant Superintendent of Police had been deployed to nab robbers involved in the security gaurd’s murder.

He said bankers had been directed to fit hooters at ATM centres and ensure their CCTV cameras were working round the clock. He said they had been directed to deploy armed security guards at their ATMs otherwise legal action would be taken against them. 

Chandigarh, January 28
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that a challenge to the grant of land for setting up a women’s university in Haryana, without payment of compensation, will be misplaced, if the same is voluntarily handed over.

The assertion came on a petition by Jai Singh Thekedar and other petitioners. They had challenged the provisions of Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwa Vidyalaya, Khanpur Kalan Act, 2006. The challenge was thrown on the ground that it deprived the owners, Mahasabha Gurukul Vidyapeeth, of land without compensation.

Taking up a petition, Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli asserted: “In our view, it can hardly be doubted that if the resolution of the mahasabha stands, the challenge laid in the present petition would be misplaced for the reason that it was the voluntary act of the mahasabha of putting the land to the university/government for setting up of the university pursuant whereto the Act has come into being. However, on the other hand, if the resolution itself is illegal or improper, the very edifice or basis for the Act would be questionable.”

During the hearing, Haryana Additional Advocate-General Ajay Gupta asserted that the issue of establishment of a women’s university was raised during the Chief Minister’s visit in February 2006. He expressed his willingness to examine the proposal, if the mahasabha’s general body passed a resolution. A meeting was then held, in which the resolution was purportedly passed, and the mahasabha voluntarily vested the land in the government.

The Bench asserted: “There appears to be a controversy to the extent whether the land was donated to the institution or the mahasabha/society, but we are not opining on the same as no material has been placed before us in the present proceedings. The counsel for the petitioners, faced with the position, contends that the meeting of the mahasabha held was irregular, illegal and improper on various grounds. He, however, fairly concedes that in the present proceedings there is no prayer made for declaration of the meeting as illegal and invalid…. The counsel, thus, seeks to withdraw the present petition with liberty to take out appropriate civil proceedings to assail the resolution passed by the mahasabha…. The writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn.”

Chandigarh, January 28
Income criteria prescribed by the Haryana State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-cum-selection committee for appointment to the posts of president of district consumer disputes redressal fora has come under the High Court scanner.

An advocate, Satish Kumar Sangwan, has filed a petition for quashing the criteria on the ground that it was illegal and irrational. Taking up the matter, the High Court put the State of Haryana and the selection committee on notice.

Going into the background, his counsel Sukhvinder Singh Nara argued that on January 20, seven posts of president in different district consumer disputes redressal fora were advertised.

The advertisement stated that the selection committees had decided that “only those candidates shall be considered who had filed their income tax returns, showing their professional income not less than Rs 5 lakh per annum, and were income tax payee for at least three years.

Nara asserted that the selection committee had no jurisdiction to prescribed the income criteria as no rules in this regard had been framed by the legislature.

In fact, the Haryana Consumer Protection Rules, 2004, nowhere prescribed income criteria. “Neither the Act, nor the rules authorises the selection committee to prescribe the criteria at its own.”

Moreover, the income criteria was not for the purpose of shortlisting the candidates, but was prescribed as minimum eligibility condition keeping in view the salary of the presidents.

Nara added the qualification prescribed for the presidents was the same as district judge. But to qualify as District Judge, minimum income was not a requirement. “The competence of a person cannot be judged from the income he earns,” he argued.

Chandigarh, January 28
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today exempted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh from appearing in person before a Panchkula special court for CBI cases. He would now appear before the trial court through videoconferencing.

Justice RC Gupta passed the orders on an application filed by the State of Haryana for granting exemption to the dera chief.

The State, through Panchkula police commissioner, requested the High Court to allow the dera chief’s appearance only through videoconferencing, as he was facing threats from militants and his arrival in Panchkula could cause law-and-order problem.

The state had moved the High Court after the trial court refused to accept the request for appearance through videoconferencing.

Nearly six years ago, the dera chief had a narrow escape in an attack on his convoy. The prosecution had claimed that a high-intensity truck-tyre bomb was used in February 2008 to attack the motorcade of the dera head at Butana in Karnal district, while he was returning after a court appearance in Ambala. Eleven people, including six security men were injured, while a vehicle caught fire. The dera chief, otherwise, enjoys a Z-plus security.

Taking cognizance of the incident, the Haryana Police had registered an FIR for attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and other offences under Sections 307 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. The accused in the case were also booked under the provisions of the Explosive Substances Act.

Pili Mandori (Fatehabad), January 28
Pandit Jasraj, the greatest exponent of Mewati Gharana of Indian classical music, celebrated his 85th birthday today with residents of his ancestral village Pili Mandori.

The maestro was accompanied by his wife Madhura, the daughter of noted film director of yesteryears V Shantaram, daughter Durga Jasraj, son Sarang and some other relatives.

He visited the village for the third time in the last 30 years today on the invitation of Yuva Club, an organisation floated by village youths.

Pandit Jasraj, who has been honoured with many awards such as Padma Bhushan, Surer Guru, Sangeet Martand, Sangeet Kala Ratna, Sangeet Natak Academy Award, Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar and Dinanath Mangeshkar Award, said every time he visited Pili Mandori, he became emotional as the village had given him the strength to exhibit his art throughout the globe.

The Yuva Club also organised a blood donation camp on this occasion.

Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar, his wife Avantika Maken Tanwar, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Prahlad Singh Gillankhera, IMA president Virender Siwach and Sirsa SDM Sant Lal Pachar were among those who were present on the occasion.

Tanwar and Gillankhera announced Rs 11 lakh and Rs 6 lakh, respectively, from their funds for development activities in Pandit Jasraj’s village. 

Chandigarh, January 28
The government has issued transfer and posting orders of eight IAS officers, including six Deputy Commissioners (DCs). While Vijay Singh Dahiya has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Faridabad, Balraj Singh is DC, Karnal, and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Karnal. Saket Kumar has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, EO for Management of Government Land in Excised Area, Ambala Cantonment, and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ambala.

KM Pandurang has been posted as DC, Palwal, in place of Atul Kumar, who is DC, Mahendragarh, at Narnaul in place of DK Behera, who has been posted as DC, Fatehabad. CR Rana, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, has been given additional charge as MD, Federation of Cooperative Sugar Mills Limited (Sugarfed), Panchkula. Vikas Yadav has been posted as Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Faridabad.

Hisar, January 28
Irate villagers protesting against the construction of a waterworks project on the village common land clashed with the police, leaving around 30 persons injured near Satrod village, located on the outskirts of the town, today. The angry villagers torched a police bus and damaged several other vehicles.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was scheduled to lay the foundation stone of a waterworks project during his scheduled visit today, but the villagers led by local Municipal Corporation member Rajpal Mandu started marching towards the town. They decided to stage a protest near the Mahavir Stadium, but the police tried to stop them at Jindal Chowk, which led to a clash. The police led by SP Mitesh Jain made efforts to pacify the mob, but it turned violent and started pelting stones on the police force.

The police resorted to lathicharge and used teargas to control the mob, which went berserk and torched a police bus and damaged around six other vehicles.

After an hour, the protesters sat on a dharna on the road. Barwala MLA Ramniwas Ghorela and senior district officers, including the Deputy Commissioner (DC), reached the spot. DC JP Kaushik spoke to the villagers and later informed the media that villagers don't want the ambitious Rs 100-crore waterworks project at the village, after which the administration decided not to move ahead with the project.

Rajpal Mandu said the villagers had been raising the issue with the administration and had even sat on a dharna four days ago, but the district officials failed to do anything in this regard.

“The state government has transferred 40 acre shamlat land to the public health department for setting up a waterworks project for the town. The villagers are against parting away with the land. Moreover, another 26-acre village common land has been taken away in a similar fashion for shifting dairies and to set up a police training center. The villagers are against this as well," he said

The police said seven cops were injured in the stone-pelting incident. “A police bus was torched while two other police vehicles were damaged. We have started the process to register a criminal case against the protesters in this regard,” he said.

Gurgaon, January 28
Three persons, including a police woman, were injured when villagers attacked a team of HUDA officials at Tigra village in the district today. The officials had gone to the village to remove encroachments from 3 acres of land.

The villagers threw stones at the officials and also blocked the Golf Course road for several hours.

Under the Gurgaon-Manesar Development Plan, the land was acquired by HUDA and given to the Central Rural Mission Commission for developing a group housing society. The villagers had allegedly encroached upon the land. The villagers started throwing stones at the officials accompanied by police personnel when they went there to take possession of the land at 11am.

Three persons, including a police woman and an HUDA videographer were injured in the free for all. The protesters chased the officials out of the village. The villagers also damaged the car of a local patwari and other vehicles.

The villagers alleged that no prior notice was served by HUDA before pulling down their structures. Refuting the allegations, the officials said numerous written and verbal warnings had been issued to the encroachers. The officials said the villagers very well knew that it was a government land but still they wanted to illegally acquire it.

The encroachers instigated the mob to attack them a complaint had been lodged with the police, they said. A heavy police force was deployed in the area.

Recently, a HUDA team met the same fate in Islampur village where an SDO was badly injured.