Chandigarh, February 13
Nearly two months after the amended Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2011, received a nod from Parliament, the Hooda Government today initiated the process to empower the 'toothless' Lokayukta.

The state government formed a high-level three-member committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary SC Choudhary to suggest amendments to the Lokayukta Act, 2002, to effectively fight corruption. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) PK Gupta and Advocate-General Hawa Singh Hooda are other members of the committee which will submit its report in two months.

With no powers to take suo motu cognisance and contempt of court besides recommendatory nature of its findings, the anti-corruption watchdog was virtually a 'toohtless tiger' in Haryana.This, coupled with no wing to conduct investigations and no mechanism to protect the whistleblowers, virtually defeated its very purpose.

Former Chief Minister Bansi Lal, who had appointed Justice IP Vashisht, a judge of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, as the state's first Lokayukta (called Lokpal then) in the late 90s, had given wide powers to the Lokayukta for fighting corruption.

However, in 2003, the Chautala Government came up with the Haryana Lokayukta Act, 2003, taking away powers of suo motu cognizance of allegations and contempt of court . The Hooda government went in for status quo and did not provide more powers to the Lokayukta.

The current Lokayukta, Justice Pritam Pal, has repeatedly urged the Hooda Government to grant him more powers.

From 'powerful' to 'powerless'

In the late 1990s, the Bansi Lal Government had bestowed wide-ranging powers on the Lokayukta (then called Lokpal) to fight corruption. However, in 2003 the Chautala Government took away crucial powers of taking suo motu notice and contempt of court from the Lokayukta virtually making the institution ineffective. The Hooda regime, too, followed in the footsteps of the Chautala Government.

Chandigarh, February 13
Rao Inderjit Singh, who joined the BJP today, had made up his mind to move out of the Congress long ago when he lashed out at the state Congress leadership accusing it of arbitrary change of land use (CLU) in connivance with a handful of builders.

He was the first Congress leader to demand a joint parliamentary committee probe into all CLUs granted in Haryana at the behest of ruling party leaders. He gave a clue to the INLD that has embroiled the Hooda Government into an embarrassing controversy.

Rao had embarrassed the Congress by taking up a CLU in a case pertaining to Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He went a step further and accused the government of changing the Master Plan of the region four times at the behest of land mafia. He wishes to go to the people with the agenda of protecting the area from the land sharks. He lashed out at the Congress government, saying that the party in the state had been turned into a “private limited company” run at the behest of the Chief Minister and his cronies.

A classmate of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rao Inderjit Singh was instrumental in pushing Hooda for the top slot. Political ambition, however, turned him into Hooda’s bête noir.

An influential leader from the Ahirwal belt, Rao Inderjit inherited the political legacy from his father Rao Birendra Singh, the second Chief Minister of Haryana. From being the Haryana Youth Congress general secretary, he rose to be the Union minister in several ministries, including Forests, External Affairs and Defence Production, in UPA-1.

Rao Inderjit traces his lineage to Rao Tula Ram, a hero of the First War of Independence, who is a revered name in the Ahirwal region of south Haryana.

A three-time MP (1998, 2004 and 2009) and four-time MLA, the Yadav leader has a considerable influence in the Ahirwal region comprising the parliamentary seats of Gurgaon, Bhiwani-Mahendragarh and at least 14 Assembly segments.

Since the BJP and the INLD do not have much presence in the Ahirwal belt, Rao Inderjit hasthe capacity to damage the Congress' electoral prospects in the region. He has said he would contest from either Gurgaon or Bhiwani-Mahendragarh seat based on the BJP high command’s wish.

Sirsa, February 13
Newly appointed state Congress president Ashok Tanwar will take charge at the party office in Chandigarh at 12 noon tomorrow.

Sakarama Somayaji, social development adviser to the Sirsa MP, said Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, state affairs in charge Shakeel Ahmed and Asha Kumari andother leaders would be present.

While Tanwar would reach Chandigarh from Delhi in the Shatabdi tomorrow, hundreds of his supporters from Sirsa would leave for Chandigarh tomorrow morning.

Somayaji said Tanwar would leave for Sirsa with a cavalcade of vehicles on February 15. He said Congress workers would felicitate Tanwar at several places on the way.

Karnal/Kaithal, February 13
Engineers of the power utilities today held a gate meeting in front of the Rajiv Gandhi Vidyut Sadan here in protest against the new promotion policy.

TK Mahajan, zonal president of the engineers’ association, said they yesterday met the CMD and MD of the power utilities and informed them about the demerits of the policy. “It would promote corruption, nepotism, favoritism, which is not good,” he said.

Ranbir Deshwal, general secretary of the association, said the new policy was in violation of the service rules as well as in contravention of the Haryana Power Reforms Act and Policy.

In Kaithal, power engineers held a demonstration here and condemned the new promotion policy.

Addressing the protesters, SK Bansal, zonal president of the association, said if the policy was not withdrawn, they would intensify their protest. A statewide protest rally would be held on February 17 at Hisar, he added.

Sirsa, February 13
Whistleblowers face retribution from the authorities for raising their voice against corruption and irregularities, particularly if the person is a government servant. Kartar Singh, an RTI activist and teacher at a government school in Sirsa, has sought protection of government service in a letter to the Prime Minister.

Kartar Singh said he had taken up the matter of irregularities by the School Education Department for Arohi Model School through a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

“The department is compelling me to withdraw the PIL. The consequences are dire since jeopardising my service as retribution is the agenda of the department,” he alleged. He sought special protection for RTI workers in such cases.

In its reply to the PIL through the Haryana Public Interests Society, the government said the society was set up by Kartar Singh, who was a public servant and hence, a PIL on behalf of the petitioner was not maintainable.

Citing several incidents of persecution at the hands of the authorities for seeking information about misdeeds of the authorities, Kartar Singh alleged that in one incident, his spouse was assaulted while she was on official duty.

The police, instead of arresting the accused, invoked provisions of the Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against her.

The intervention of the SC/ST Commission made the police cancel the fabricated FIR, Kartar Singh stated in his letter to the Prime Minister. District Education Officer Kum Kum Grover denied persecution of the whistleblower.

Panipat, February 13
With a few days to go for the seventh anniversary of the February 18, 2007, blast on the Samjhauta train, contradictory NIA reports have created confusion regarding the fate of a Pak national.

In reply to an RTI application, NIA AIG (PCA) NKD Dubey stated on September 9, 2010, that Mohammad Wakil of Dhingranwali village in Hafizabad district of Pakistan was killed in the blast near the Diwana railway station in Panipat and body 38 was his.

On the instructions of Wakil’s daughter Rahila, Panipat-based advocate Momin Malik filed a case of claim with the Railways Claims Tribunal as Rs 10 lakh was announced as compensation for next of kin of each deceased.

Momin filed a compensation claim with the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager at the DRM office, New Delhi. When the Commercial Manager sent a letter to the NIA to confirm Wakil’s fate, the agency took a U-turn.

In his reply to Deputy Chief Commercial Manager Praveen Kashyap on January 20, 2012, NIA AIG (Admn) YM Upadhyay stated, “Wakil’s name does not fall in the list of deceased.”

Surprised over contradictory NIA reports, Momin said, “I procured a copy of the latest NIA report through an RTI a few weeks ago. I will contact the NIA authorities to clear the confusion.”

“Wakil’s daughter gave blood samples for DNA test a few days after the blast for identification of the body, but did not got a report. She is ready to give blood samples again if required,” he added.

Bhiwani, February 13
Two women who have delivered newborns at the Civil Hospital here are staking claim to the male child and refusing to own up the female one.

Both Manju Devi of Sanjarwas village and Praveen Devi of Labour Colony are insisting to go home with the male child, accusing the hospital authorities of child swapping at the time of weighing newborns.

The district authorities have decided to get a DNA test conducted to establish the parentage of the newborns. Both children and the women will remain in hospital until the DNA report settles the dispute.

The women reached the hospital suffering labour pains on Sunday. Manju delivered at 12:40 pm and Praveen at 1:15 pm. Each time, the hospital authorities intimated the parents about the birth of a male child.

The staff took the newborns for weighing the second time on Monday morning, after which Manju was handed over a female newborn.

Her family created a scene at the hospital, accusing the staff of child swapping. The police were called to bring the situation under control.

The Civil Surgeon, Dr Randeep Singh Poonia, said they told the district police to get a DNA test conducted to establish the parentage.

"I have marked an inquiry into the incident and will take action if any staff member is found guilty of negligence," he added.

Station House Officer Sandeep Singh said they sent the samples for a DNA test to the forensic laboratory at Madhuban and hoped to get the report within 10 days.

Ambala, February 13
Local traders observed a bandh in Ambala Cantonment today to protest the Wednesday shootout, in which the employee of local trader Himanshu, who was under threat of extortion, was shot at. Traders blocked the Ambala-Jagadhri road for about 45 minutes.

They alleged that those who had been trying to extort money had not been arrested yet even though the police had arrested three persons. They said the law and order situation had deteriorated as two shootouts targeting traders had been reported within the span of a few days.

They said it had become difficult for them to carry out business without fear. They lifted the blockade after the police assured them of arresting those trying to extort money within 48 hours.

The police were accused of failure to arrest Tarsem Rana, the kingpin trying to run an extortion racket.

The police said they had arrested three persons who were being interrogated. The police added that sub-inspector Gursharan Singh and constable Satnam Singh had been placed under suspension for failing to catch the culprits despite being present at the spot.

The police had arrested Rishi Pal, who reportedly met Himanshu’s family a few days back and offered to help them strike a deal with Tarsem. Tarsem's father Ajmer Rana and Shelly are the other two persons arrested in connection with the case.

Rohtak, February 13
Local residents and commuters have welcomed the approval granted to run a few trains from or through Rohtak. The new trains are expected to improve connectivity with Delhi, Jaipur, Chandigarh and Rewari. The move will benefit traders, students and office-goers, apart from casual commuters to the state capital.

Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda said as per the Railway Minisry’s approval, the inter-city express train from Jaipur to Chandigarh via Rewari, Jhajjar and Rohtak would run daily. A DEMU train has also been approved for the Rewari-Rohtak route in the Rail Budget. Besides, a new MEMU train would also run between Rohtak and Delhi twice daily.

The Rail Budget has also approved the survey between Karnal-Assandh and Yamunanagar.

Work on the Jind-Sonepat via Gohana rail line was about to complete and the process of construction of the Hansi-Meham-Rohtak rail line had also been started, he added.

Disappointment in Kaithal

Kaithal: Railway Minister Malikaarjun Kharge has disappointed residents of the town. They were waiting for the launch of a direct train to Delhi.

Former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had announced the introduction of the Kaithal-Delhi train last year. They were expecting that the train would be started soon. However, no step has been taken by the Railways to introduce this train.

They have now sought the intervention of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi in this regard.

Chandigarh, February 13
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has virtually passed strictures on a subordinate court for ignoring the interest of national-level kho-kho players with “impunity” and without any legal basis.

The High Court has also upheld an order initially passed by the trial court permitting participation in forthcoming tournaments by players of the Haryana State Kho-Kho Association, which has Satpal Singh as its secretary.

The strictures came as the court took up a case of rivalry between two kho-kho associations with the same name. Initially, the Haryana State Kho-Kho Association, through its secretary Satpal Singh, filed a civil suit against the Kho-Kho Federation of India and the Haryana State Kho-Kho Association, through its general secretary Rajpal Kadyan.

For the purpose of clarity, Justice Mehinder Singh Sullar termed Satpal Singh’s association as first, and the other as second. Taking up the matter, Justice Sullar went on to observe that the first association was seeking declaration that the second association headed by Surender Singh Barwala and its secretary was illegally constituted. Directions were also sought for restraining the second association from interfering in the first association’s peaceful functioning and to allow its players to participate in the forthcoming tournaments.

The trial court permitted players of the first association to participate. But, the appellate court reversed the order and dismissed the application of the first association. “The main grounds, which appear to have weighed with the appellate court to negate the plea of injunction of the first association, were that as its term has already expired, its affiliation by Haryana Olympic Association is immaterial and the first association is not entitled to the relief of mandatory injunction. Here, to me, the appellate court has slipped into a deep legal error in this respect,” Justice Sullar asserted.

Justice Sullar added national-level players of the first association could not possibly be permitted to suffer due to a dispute between two associations. “The mere fact that the players of first association have not attended the requisite camp, ipso facto, is not a ground, much less cogent, to deny them participation in the forthcoming tournaments. Thus, to my mind, the trial court has correctly permitted the sport persons to participate in the kho-kho championship.

“The appellate court has just ignored the interest of national players. The impugned judgment of the appellate court cannot legally be maintained and is hereby set aside; and the order of trial court is accordingly restored”.

Karnal, February 13
Akhil Chauhan’s family and members of his community decided to cremate the body on the fifth day here today. The deceased’s wife and her father surrendered in court while an accused ASI was arrested.

The court sent the deceased’s wife to two-day police remand and her father to four-day remand. The police were yet to recover her mobile phone and her father’s car, in which he allegedly went to Akhil’s house to threaten him.

Suspended ASI Ram Bhajan Verma, one of the nine accused in the case, was arrested this evening. SP Abhishek Garg said Verma would be produced in court tomorrow.

Duty magistrate-cum-tehsildar Hari Om Attri and DSP (Headquarters) Joginder Rathi went to the dharna site in front of the mortuary this morning and assured the protesters about the arrest of the rest of the accused.

Following the assurance, the family decide to cremate the body. The last rites were performed in the presence of the duty magistrate and the police.

"The deceased's wife and her father have surrendered in court and are on police remand. Special teams are raiding possible hideouts of the accused. One team has raided areas in Punjab," Garg said.

Karnal, February 13
Seeking a separate Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee, members of the Haryana Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (Nalvi group), today met newly appointed state president of the Congress Ashok Tanwar at Delhi and handed over a memorandum to him.

Amrinder Singh Arora, state youth president, said all gurdwaras in the state, which were at present managed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, would come under the HSGPC. “It is the right of the Sikhs of Haryana to have its own governing body instead of being exploited by others,” said Arora.

He also demanded that the Barh Khalsa museum, located near the Haryana-Delhi border on National Highway 1, be handed over to the HSGPC.

“We have already met Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in this regard,” he said.

He was accompanied by Harvinder Singh Sarna, former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee.

Sirsa, February 13
An RTI activist and a lawyer seeking copies of the orders issued by the District Consumer Protection Forum, Sirsa, allege harassment as the authorities have been refusing to accept the requisite fees in cash despite specific orders of the government and the State Information Commission in this regard.

Advocate Avnish Kalra, who has approached the Chief Secretary and other authorities in this regard, shed alight on a letter dated December 18, 2013, issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) to heads of all departments and Deputy Commissioners asking them to accept all amounts less than Rs 99 by issuing cash receipts.

“However, none of the department has so far published cash receipts and they force us to deposit fee in the treasury,” Kalra alleged.

For a certified copy of an order issued by the District Consumer Forum, lawyers have to pay Rs 100 (the minimum amount accepted through treasury voucher) against the actual fees of Rs 20 to Rs 25.

RTI activist Kartar Singh alleged that despite specific orders of the State Information Officer, no government department had been receiving fees under the RTI Act against cash receipts.

In orders dated December 5, 2013, the State Information Commissioner, Haryana, had directed the State Public Information Officers (SPIOs) to accept cash against receipts from RTI applicants.

Sirsa SDM Sant Lal Pachar, who has additional charge as the City Magistrate, said RTI applicants often paid fees through postal orders. He said since he joined the office as the SPIO recently,he could not say why cash was not accepted.

Chandigarh, February 13
The Haryana Secondary Education Department has decided to scrutinise the documents of newly selected post-graduate teachers (PGTs) of English, Hindi and economics from February 14 to 17 and has constituted 15 committees for this purpose.

The Director General, Secondary Education, Chander Shekhar, said the documents of English PGTs would be verified on February 14 and documents of Hindi PGTs would be scrutinised on February 15. Similarly, the verification of documents for the post of economics PGT would be done on February 17.

He said the documents of all selected candidates would be verified by the respective chairman of the committees at the Shiksha Sadan, DIET building, and various government schools in Panchkula.

Chandigarh, February 13
The Haryana Government has amended the service rules for appointment to the post of driver either by direct recruitment or promotion to bring uniformity in their qualification and experience.

An official spokesman said now for the appointment to the post of driver either by direct recruitment or promotion, the candidate should be matric pass with Hindi or Sanskrit and should have a valid driving licence. He should not be colour blind.

He said it had been observed that the driver was a common category post. But in the service rules of the departments, different qualification and experience have been prescribed.

Chandigarh, February 13
The Haryana Secondary Education Department has invited application from eligible masters or trained graduate teachers (TGTs) for promotion to the post of lecturer or postgraduate teachers up to February 25.

A spokesman said the matter pertaining to promotion for lecturers in biology, chemistry, economics, English, fine arts, geography, Hindi, history, home science, mathematics, music, physical education, physics, political science, psychology, Punjabi, Sanskrit, sociology and Urdu from the cadre of masters or TGT was under consideration. The masters or TGTs, who are eligible as on January 1, 2014, can apply.

Ambala, February 13
MM College of Nursing at Mullana in the district will organise the 5th annual conference of the Indian Association of Neonatal Nurses on “Synergising technology and humanism in neonatal intensive care” from February 14 to 16 on the college campus. — TNS

Hisar, February 13
The death of an ITI student, Sandeep Kumar, in an accident sparked violent protests by students who resorted to stone-pelting and even tried to set a bus afire near the Kajla chowk, about 12 km from here, on the Hisar-Sirsa highway today.

Eyewitnesses said the deceased, along with other students, tried to board a Haryana Roadways bus at Adampur village when the bus driver sped. Sandeep had caught hold of the front door but lost the grip. As he fell, the rear wheel ran over him. Sandeep was taken to hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Enraged over the incident, students blocked the highway and pelted stones at Haryana Roadways buses. Their attempt to set a bus afire was foiled by the police.

Hisar SDM JK Abhir rushed to the spot and pacified the student.

The police have booked the bus driver.

Karnal, February 13
Relatives and friends of Amit Kumar (22), who was recently murdered, staged a dharna in front of the mini-secretariat here today.

They demanded immediate arrest of the remaining four accused.

Shiv Kumar, a brother of the deceased, said Amit was shot dead on January 21 at a relative’s rented house here.

He said six persons were booked in the case but only two had been arrested so far.

Rewari, February 13
The police have arrested Dinesh of Shahpur village on the charge of raping a woman of Bawal village.

In her complaint lodged with the police, the victim said Dinesh broke into her house on February 7 when she was alone. He then raped her and fled. The kin, along with the victim, later reached the house of Dinesh, where his brother, Pradeep, not only manhandled them, but also threatened of dire consequences, she alleged.

A case of causing hurt and criminal intimidation was registered against Pradeep, who is absconding.— TNS