|
|
|
|
|
Government rushes to beat poll code deadline, appoints 2 HPSC members
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
SAD to oppose separate gurdwara panel move
‘Tax-free’ Budget garners intense criticism
Jat outfits resume reservation agitation
3.5 lakh houses to be built in next two years:
Hooda
Guv, CM award degrees at CUH convocation
Panchayat bans DJ system in village, violators to cough up Rs 5,100
6 held guilty of double murder
AAP workers stage dharna over selection of candidate
Ex-husband kills wife’s alleged paramour
One killed, six injured in mishaps
Sixth accident victim dies
|
|
Government rushes to beat poll code deadline, appoints 2 HPSC members
Chandigarh, March 1 The two newly appointed members, Neelam Singh and Rajesh Vaid, were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Jagannath Pahadia at the Haryana Bhawan in New Delhi this evening. While official sources termed it as a routine decision, other sources claimed that the appointments and oath-taking ceremony on a holiday was planned to escape the ECI’s model code of conduct for the General Election, likely to be imposed on in a day or two. Reacting sharply to the ‘sudden’ appointment of government’s favourites on constitutional posts, state INLD president Ashok Arora claimed that the government’s decision was clearly aimed at scuttling the model code of conduct. “In fact, the last-minute appointments showed that the Hooda government was on its way out, first in the Lok Sabha elections and then in the state Assembly elections,” Arora asserted. The chief spokesman of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Rajeev Godara, alleged that such knee-jerk decisions showed that nepotism ruled the roost in appointments to constitutional posts and government jobs in the state. To escape the ECI’s model code of conduct, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had been on a sop-announcing spree for a cross-section of society in a bid to beat anti-incumbency. The HPSC had been a parking place for government’s favourites over the years. Last year, the Hooda government had appointed Harendra Pal, who later had to resign for his involvement in a criminal case. Recently, the HPSC had been in the news for wrong reasons as several relatives of senior political and administrative functionaries, including a daughter of the commission chairman, figured in the selection list of the HCS (Executive), bringing selection criteria under cloud. |
|
SAD to oppose separate gurdwara panel move
Sirsa, March 1 Addressing mediapersons at Dasham Patshahi Gurdwara here today, Balkaur Singh Kalanwali, vice-president of the state unit of the SAD, Jagsir Singh Mangeana, a member of the SGPC, and Prakash Singh Sahuwala, president of the local gurdwara committee, alleged that only a handful of Sikhs had been demanding a separate gurdwara panel. Claiming that a large section of the community was against it, the SAD leaders alleged that Jathedar Jagdish Singh Jhinda, spearheading the HSGPC agitation, was an agent of the Congress and was in the habit of raking up the issue every time elections were near. Meanwhile, Tanwar, Sirsa MP and state Congress president, met the agitating HSGPC members and assured them that a logical conclusion to the issue was expected soon. Gurmeet Singh Tilokewala, an independent member of the SGPC, today visited the dharna site where Swaran Singh had been sitting on an indefinite fast for the last two days and expressed solidarity with the demand for a separate gurdwara committee. Addressing those at the dharna site, Jhinda said Tanwar had spoken to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on the issue. Jhinda and other HSGPC activists said they would not end the agitation till a separate SGPC was constituted. Jhinda demanded that Jarnail Singh, shifted to the General Hospital by the police on February 26, should be discharged. |
|
‘Tax-free’ Budget garners intense criticism
Chandigarh, March 1 Terming the Budget as a “jugglery of statistics”, BJP chief Ram Bilas Sharma alleged that there was no relief for any section of society. The problems of rising prices, unemployment, agrarian crisis and burgeoning state debt had not been addressed, he asserted. Reacting to the Budget, CPM secretary Inderjit Singh alleged that people were already burdened with taxes, including hefty toll taxes on most of the highways. “The Budget has once again proved that the Hooda government has no vision for the inclusive development in the state,” he said. However, Prof MM Goel, professor of economics, Kurukshetra University, termed the Budget as “more than vote-centric”. The Budget size of Rs 73,301.08 crore, including plan expenditure of Rs 32,731.29 crore, was perfectly in tune with the objective of inclusive growth in the 12th five-year plan. However, the allocations on police, electricity, rural development and other crucial sectors were not sufficient for desired development. Rohtak:
The Haryana state secretariat of the CPM has described the state Budget as disappointing. In a statement issued here yesterday, CPM state secretary Inderjit Singh maintained that the Budget did not address the basic problems of price rise, unemployment and agriculture crisis. Besides, it did not present any concrete plan for improving the dismal scenario of health and education. He pointed out that merely an increased GDP was not an indicator of development and progress as there was a huge disparity under the present neo-liberal policy framework. The party has criticised the encouragement to liquor sale for revenue generation. |
|
Jat outfits resume reservation agitation
Narwana, March 1 “Meetings with the Central Government are going on. If the UPA government issues a notification, we do not have any problem in lifting the blockade,” he said. The protesting Jats converged on a restaurant and proceeded to the rail track around 11 am. They did not sit on the rail track, as announced earlier, but waited for directions from their leaders and started the blockade around 3:40 pm. “We will take the final decision after a meeting whether or not to continue the blockade,” said Sube Singh Sumain, national spokesman of the sarv-Jat khap panchayat Bharat. Hisar: Resuming their agitation on the demand of inclusion in the OBC category, Jats started a dharna along the Hisar-Bhiwani rail track near Ramayan village. Many youths blocked the rail track, leading to a delay of the Hisar-Jaipur train by about 15 minutes. Jat leaders persuaded the agitators not to block the rail track till a decision in this regard was taken. The police and the railway police were not deployed near the dharna site. Around 100 persons sat on a dharna along the rail track while senior leaders called a meeting to decide the course of action. Sandeep Singh, Mayyar sarpanch, said a meeting on the issue was called at Narwana in Jind this evening. The district authorities enforced prohibitory orders in the village as a precautionary measure. “The dharna is continuing peacefully near the rail track. We will take a decision regarding a train blockade tomorrow,” he said. |
|
3.5 lakh houses to be built in next two years:
Hooda
Ladayan (Jhajjar), March 1 Hooda was addressing a public gathering after inaugurating various development projects here today. He said the government had vowed not only to ensure houses to poor people in the state but also to provide them all other basic necessities. While inaugurating the Power Supply Scheme through Urban Mode in the village, the CM said other than
Jhajjar, the scheme would also turn out to be beneficial for over a dozen villages of Rewari and Bhiwani districts. “The state government is leaving no stone unturned for the overall development of the state as well as the society. Consequently, several public welfare policies have been implemented for the benefit of the people belonging to all sections of the society during the past nine years,” he
said. Hooda maintained that when he became the Chief Minister of the state in 2005, only Rs 200 was given as old age pension, which had now been raised to Rs 1,000 per month. "The Congress government has made it possible to provide food grains at cheap rates to the poor while farmers are also provided remunerative prices of their produce," he added. Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal said the pace of development had accelerated during the tenure of the present government. |
|
|
Guv, CM award degrees at CUH convocation
Mahendragarh, March 1 President Pranab Mukherjee was slated to be the chief guest, but he could not make it to the ceremony due to bad weather. The university authorities, teachers and students were disappointed due to the cancellation of his visit. “We have been enthusiastically making arrangements for the President’s visit for several weeks. His visit has been cancelled at the eleventh hour, which is disappointing,” said a student. The Governor and the Chief Minister gave away degrees to 113 students. PhD degrees and gold medals were also given away on the occasion. In his convocation address, the Governor congratulated the students. “Ever since its inception in 2009, the university has expanded its academic programmes in a phased manner. It has acquired a respectable place among the major academic institutions of the state,” he said. Complimenting the graduating students, the Chief Minister exhorted them to be prepared for global competition. “Be innovative and enterprising in spirit to move forward in pursuit of higher goals,” he advised the students. He also appreciated the progress made by the CUH and expressed hope that the university would emerge as a centre of excellence in advanced studies and research. Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal said the state government would like the university to be among the best 200 universities in the world. Earlier, welcoming the dignitaries, the CUH Vice Chancellor, Dr Ranjit Singh, said the university was all set to emerge as a potential centre of higher education in the region. University Chancellor MP Singh proposed the vote of thanks. Health Minister Rao Narender Singh, MP Shruti Chaudhary, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Rao Dan Singh and Anita Yadav, founder CUH Vice-Chancellor Mool Chand Sharma, Chief Secretary SC Chaudhary and DGP SN Vashisth were also present. |
|
|
Panchayat bans DJ system in village, violators to cough up Rs 5,100
Narnaul, March 1 Blaming 'vulgar songs' being played on DJ systems for nuisance in weddings, the panchayat has also decided to impose a penalty of Rs 5,100 on those found guilty of disobeying the panchayat’s verdict. The panchayat held in the village yesterday stated that DJ systems not only violated the peaceful atmosphere of the villages, but also led to untoward violent incidents. “The decision aims at checking the menace of noise pollution being caused by DJ systems in the functions. Moreover, the kind of songs which are played on DJs are promoting vulgarity and causing decay in our society," said Ghasi Ram, sarpanch of the village. He added if anyone was found violating the decision, a penalty of Rs 5,100 would be charged on the spot after getting the DJ system removed. “At the meeting, the panchayat also contemplated over another resolution, seeking a check on lavish expenses, especially by girls’ families at weddings, but no decision was taken in this regard,” said the
sarpanch. |
|
6 held guilty of double murder
Ambala, March 1 The hearing of the case was conducted through video conferencing. According to the prosecution, Ritu and her relative Ramesh was shot dead in Subhash Colony, Ambala Cantt, on September 1, 2009, when she was coming out from the house of her mother. Later, on the complaint of Parkash Kaur, Ritu’s mother, a murder case was registered against nine persons. Ritu was the sister of Rakesh alias Bobby, a gangster of Ambala Cantt, and was perusing the cases of her brother in the court. Bobby’s rival gang, led by Nishan Singh, wanted to eliminate her. After six months of Ritu’s murder, her brother Bobby was also shot dead on the court premises while coming out of the court of a CJM after appearing in a case. Being the prime witness in the Ritu-Ramesh murder case, Parkash Kaur had been provided with security guards as she had been getting threats from the rival gang. Even today, a large number of police personnel were deployed in the court complex for the hearing of this high-profile case. |
|
AAP workers stage dharna over selection of candidate
Kurukshetra, March 1 Party workers alleged that the candidate selection process of the party was not transparent and honest. As many as 32 candidates had applied for the ticket and were asked to appear before the screening committee, but Balwinder’s name was not even on the list. Allotting her ticket was against the sentiments of the AAP workers, said Satyender Gaur district president of the party. “She had been nominated just because she is the wife of the state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union Gurnam Singh Charuni,” he said. “The selection process has changed our notions about the principals of the party. There were better candidates than Balwinder Kaur and the senior leaders have ignored them. We will start a signature campaign and ask the senior leaders to reconsider their decision,” said Ram Kishan, a party member. “We will continue to register our protest until the party high command changes its decision. In case the party fails to do so, we will stage a dharna at the party headquarters,” said the district president. |
|
Ex-husband kills wife’s alleged paramour
Yamunanagar, March 1 Later, Jagtar was jailed owning to his involvement in some criminal case. After her husband went behind bars, Annu reportedly left her in-laws and shifted to Jagadhri with her daughters. The police said she had been living there with another person, Amar Singh, who also belonged to Kurukshetra. She also had a son with him. Annu told the police
that she had divorced Jagtar and had re-married. However, Joginder Singh, the sub-inspector investigating the case, said after the preliminary investigations it seemed Annu’s statement was
not true. He said suspect Jagtar had been booked on the charges of murder but he was still at large. Investigations were on and efforts were being made to arrest him,
he added. |
||
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
The Haryana unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has said Sikhs will not tolerate any move to constitute a separate gurdwara panel in the state. Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar has assured agitating members of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC) that a logical conclusion to the long-standing issue is expected soon.
