Chandigarh, March 4
Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal and MLA Shakuntla Khatak took on Opposition MLAs Anil Vij and Rameshwar Dyal Rajoria for their “unbecoming remarks”.

The House suspended BJP’s Anil Vij from the House for “misconduct”. Khatak got an apology for “inappropriate comments” made against her.

During a discussion on the Appropriation Bill, Vij raised objections to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda making announcements outside the Assembly when the session was on. “Is the House supreme or the Chief Minister?” he asked.

Bhukkal responded, saying that the Chief Minister could make announcements when Vij shot back, “How can you respond when you don’t even know ABC?” Taking strong objection to this, Bhukkal demanded an apology from Vij who flatly refused. The Treasury Benches erupted in the minister’s defence and charged him for behaviour unbecoming of a member.

Vij stood his ground as Bhukkal trained her guns on him and warned, “I will not only teach you ABC but will only accept an apology if you pull your ears.”

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala brought in a resolution for “irresponsible and objectionable remarks against a woman member” against Vij. Surjewala said such a member should not be allowed to participate in the proceedings of the House. However, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda toned it down and said Vij could continue if he expressed his regret.

The Speaker asked Vij to come into the Well of the House even as the latter explained that he only wanted to know whether the House or the CM was supreme and the minister had said the CM was supreme. To this, Hooda clarified that the House was supreme as Vij decided to walk out.

The Speaker termed this as “contempt of the House”. Vij attempted to return to his seat but Surjewala moved another resolution that he may be suspended from the House. Vij slowly made his way out of the House and waved the Speaker goodbye.

Earlier in the day, Khatak, during the Question Hour, on a question by Naresh Selvel, said INLD member Rajoria, standing outside the House after their suspension, had called her a thief and this amounted to misbehaviour. To this INLD’s Rampal Majra, after a few comments going back and forth, said they apologised if such words had been used.

Chandigarh, March 4
The last Budget session saw the Opposition on the offensive, forcing the Congress to take a defensive posture almost throughout and ruling out the possibility of extending the session.

Starting with an attack for shielding Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ram Kishan Fauji despite the Lokayukta asking the government to book him in a CLU scam, the Opposition continued to attack all, including Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's private life.

One of the shortest Vidhan Sabha sessions saw pandemonium time and again, forcing Speaker Kuldeep Sharma to expel all INLD members and then reinstate them when the session proceedings turned insipid.

The session was run in such a hurry that after the Governor's Address and debate thereon was concluded with the Chief Minister's reply within three days.

Again, after the Budget was presented, the debate thereon and Finance Minister HS Chattha's reply was wound up in two days flat. The Budget session did not have a non-official day and the entire legislative work was wound up in a single day, which included the passing of 16 bills with almost no debate within an hour and 45 minutes.

The six day session had only two morning sessions and four evening sessions with no double sitting as is done in the past. There was just one instead of four official dinners this time.

The session was full of drama and high tension. The Opposition accused the government repeatedly of making all important announcements in public rallies and outside the House at a time when the Assembly was in session. Hooda refuted the allegations and accused the Opposition of being inattentive.

After the INLD made some personal comments on the Chief Minister, the Congress got these expunged. Unwilling to let go, the INLD held a press conference where Ellanabad MLA Abhay Chautala accused Hooda of violating the Hindu Marriage Act by marrying a second time.

He also alleged that Hooda had a 17-year old son from his second marriage.

Hooda, however, was vindicated when media reports said that no such 'wife of Hooda' lived at the said address in Dehradun and the so-called lawyer of Hooda's 'second wife' had denied having filed or withdraw any case on behalf of the woman.

There was not a single new initiative or announcement that was not already known in the Budget.

People were expecting a budget full of sops in the election year. Normally, the CAG report is presented at the beginning of the session, but this time it was tabled on the last day as it indicated that the state had an outstanding liability of Rs 91,500 crore contradicting Chattha's claims the state economy was in the pink of health.

• There was not a single new initiative or announcement that was not already known in the Budget. People were expecting a budget full of sops in the election year.
• Normally, the CAG report is presented at the beginning of the session, but this time it was tabled on the last day

Chandigarh, March 4
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced to increase the minimum support price (MSP) of gram to Rs 3,100 per quintal for the ensuing procurement season.

Hooda made this announcement when an issue concerning the implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission was raised on the concluding day of the Budget Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha here today. He said the National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation of India had already approved it and the state government would procure gram on increased price in the ensuing procurement season.

The CM said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had constituted a working group of Chief Ministers under his chairmanship to increase agriculture production and to ensure sustainable income of farmers. He said the Chief Ministers of Punjab, West Bengal and Bihar were the other members of the group.

He said the recommendations of this working group were better than the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. The working group’s recommendation to slash down the interest rate on short-term crop loan from 11 per cent to 4 per cent had already been accepted by the Centre, he said. The Vidhan Sabha has unanimously passed a resolution on sending the working group recommendations to the Centre for its implementation. 

Chandigarh, March 4
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has painted a sorry picture of the state’s economy, dashing to the ground the Hooda Government’s claims that the economy was on the upswing.

In its latest report on the state's finances, which was tabled in the Vidhan Sabha on the last day of the Budget Session here today, it has been stated that Haryana’s liabilities, including guarantees and letter of comfort, are pegged at a whopping Rs 91,500 crore. “This worked out to be 25.89 per cent as against 22.7 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which exceeded the prescribed parameters of the Fiscal Responsibilities and Budget Management (FRBM), Act, 2005,” the report noted.

Contrary to the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission that the revenue deficit had to be brought down to zero by 2011-12 and is to be maintained at zero till 2014-15, it had substantially increased. During 2012-13, the revenue, fiscal and primary deficit increased to Rs 4,438 crore, Rs 10,362 crore and Rs 5,618 crore from Rs 2,082 crore, Rs 6.557 crore and Rs 4,218 crore, respectively, from 2008-09.

Refuting the Hooda Government’s claim of having created huge infrastructure in the state, the report alleged that 66 infrastructural projects, which were scheduled for completion between December 2007 and March 2013, were still incomplete resulting in time and cost overruns.

“The revenue expenditure (Rs 38,072 crore) was 86 per cent of the total expenditure (Rs 44,356 crore). Besides, the non-plan component (Rs 28,616 crore) was 75 per cent of the revenue expenditure, which was higher than the normative assessment of the 13th Finance Commission (Rs 20,360 crore),” the report asserted.

On government’s investments, the report said the average return on government’s investment in statutory corporations, rural banks, joint stock companies and cooperatives varied from 0.02 per cent to 0.17 per cent in the past five years. However, the interest outgo ranged between 7.82 per cent to 9.86 per cent.

Similarly, the interest payments of Rs 5,744 crore increased by 19 per cent during the year over 2011-12 and were pegged higher than the projections made in the Fiscal Correction Path (Rs 4,620 crore). They were even higher than the limit (Rs 4,616 crore) fixed by the 13th Finance Commission, the report added. 

Kaloi (Jhajjar), March 4
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced that retired employees of the Central Paramilitary Forces would be provided with all those facilities that were being offered to the ex-armed forces personnel in the state.

He was addressing a public gathering on the Jawahar Navodya School campus here today. Earlier, he, along with Union minister of State for Home RPN Singh, laid the foundation stone of the battalion headquarters of BSF.

The Chief Minister said four new central schools would soon be opened in the state and one of them would be set up in Matanhel village of the district.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said a central recruitment centre would be established at the battalion headquarters.

He said the Centre had also approved a CRPF centre in Jhajjar. 

Chandigarh, March 4
Just about two months after the Punjab and Haryana High Court showed the door to more than 2,800 JBT teachers appointed by Om Parkash Chautala-led Haryana Government, a Division Bench today stayed the orders.

The orders came as the deadline set by the state against their removal came to an end today. On the previous date of hearing, the state had told the court that it would not remove them till March 4. The assertion by the state had come during the hearing of an appeal filed by removed JBT teachers.

Taking up the matter, the Bench headed by Justice Jasbir Singh had earlier asked the Haryana Government to decide the fate of these teachers. The Bench had also summoned the case on the appeal filed by the affected teachers against the orders. Justice K. Kannan had earlier asserted that the selection was vitiated “though not fully”; and also rejected the argument that the selection of candidates after 13 years could not be interfered with.

Justice Kannan had also directed the government to prepare a single merit list; and made it clear that the state was not required to issue “show cause for removal” as the selected candidates were parties to the writ petitions and the High Court order was rendered after hearing their submissions.

The judgment on 80 petitions by Vijay Kumar and others came a year after the special CBI court in New Delhi convicted then Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala, two IAS officers, including Sanjiv Kumar, and 51 others on corruption charges in the selection case.

New Delhi, March 4
A local court today granted bail to former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda in the Geetika Sharma suicide case, but restrained him from leaving Delhi.

Additional Sessions Judge Yashwant Kumar also directed Kanda to submit his passport. Kanda had approached the court on February 17, seeking bail on the ground that he had to look after his ailing wife.

The police opposed Kanda's bail plea, asserting that he might influence witnesses and tamper with evidence.

Kanda’s counsel opposed the police and argued that he would abide the court’s rules if granted bail. Counsel also said that Kanda had been in judicial custody for the past 18 months and the probe into the case had been completed. The court was also informed that the Delhi High Court had dropped charges of sexual exploitation against Kanda.

Kanda had surrendered to the police on August 18, 2012. His employee, Aruna Chadha, a co-accused in the case, was arrested on August 8, 2012. She has been recently granted bail.

Kanda and Chadha have been accused of abetting the suicide of the former 23-year-old airhostess, who worked in Kanda’s company, MDLR Airlines. They have been charged with forgery for cheating and harming the victim's reputation .

Geetika had committed suicide on August 5, 2012. In a suicide note purportedly written by her, she stated that she was ending her life due to the "harassment" by Kanda and Chadha.

Sirsa, March 4
The Rajasthan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (RSGPC), a Sikh body demanding a separate committee for gurdwaras in Rajasthan, has supported the agitation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (HSGPC) in Sirsa.

Gurmeet Singh Tirlokewala, an independent member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) from Sirsa, has also joined the HSGPC.

Paramjit Singh Makha, a member of the parallel Didar Singh Nalvi faction, and the All India Students Federation (AISF) have supported a dharna outside Ashok Tanwar’s residence for the separate gurdwara panel for the state.

Hardip Singh Dibdiba, president of the RSGPC (Adhoc), today visited the dharna site outside MP Ashok Tanwar’s residence and extended his support to the movement.

Meanwhile, HSGPC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda has appointed Tilokawala the vice-president of the organisation. He included Jhinda and Sukhwinder Singh Khalsa, president of the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha, as members of the top 11-member supreme decision-making body.

Member of the HSGPC today held a demonstration outside the DC office and asked the authorities concerned to discharge Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Brar from the General Hospital, where he was admitted by the authorities after forcibly removing him from the dharna site on February 26.

Civil Surgeon Surinder Nain said the condition of Brar, who has been fasting for 12 days, was stable now.

He said though he has refused to take any food, the doctors administered him intravenous glucose.

Meanwhile, the condition of Swaran Singh, who has been fasting for the past six days, has deteriorated and he has suffered a five-kg weight loss.

Chandigarh, March 4
The government has issued the posting and transfer orders of five IAS officers. RP Chander, Additional Chief Secretary, Industrial Training and Labour and Employment Departments, has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department and Labour and Employment in place of Avtar Singh, who goes as Principal Secretary, Industrial Training Department.

Sudhir Rajpal, Director-General and Special Secretary, Information, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs and Grievances Department, has been given additional charge as Excise and Taxation Commissioner and Secretary, Excise and Taxation Department, in place of Anil Malik, who goes as MD, UHBVN and Secretary, Power Department. Malik will also function as MD, Haryana Medical Services Corporation.

Ashok Kumar Sharma has been posted as Additional Secretary, PW(B&R) and Revenue and Disaster Management Departments. — TNS

Chandigarh, March 4
The state government has promoted and transferred 13 IPS officers. Two other IPS officers were also transferred with immediate effect.

Laik Ram Dabas, on promotion in the rank of Director General of Police (DGP), is OSD, Home Guards. SS Deswal, on promotion in the rank of DGP, goes as DGP, Crime. MS Mann, on promotion in the rank of DGP, has been posted as Director, V and S, HVPNL, Panchkula. BS Sandhu, on promotion in the rank of DGP, has been posted as Managing Director, HPHC, Panchkula.

Dr KP Singh, ADGP, Prisons (H), has been posted as ADGP, Reforms, Moginand, Panchkula. PK Aggarwal, on promotion in the rank of ADGP, is ADGP, Haryana Human Rights Commission. Sudhir Chowdhary, on promotion in the rank of ADGP, has been posted as ADGP, Haryana Armed Police, Madhuban. Mamta Singh, on promotion in the rank of IGP, has been posted as IGP, RTC, Bhondsi. Dr M Ravi Kiran, on promotion in the rank of IGP, has been posted as IGP, State Vigilance Bureau.

Saurabh Singh, on promotion in the rank of DIG, is now Superintendent of Police, Sirsa. Bharti Arora, on promotion in the rank of DIG, has been posted as Joint Commissioner of Police, headquarters,Gurgaon. HS Doon, on promotion in the rank of DIG, goes as DIG, CID. Rajender Kumar, on promotion in the rank of DIG, has been posted as DIG, HVPNL. Yogender Nehra, on promotion in the rank of DIG, has been posted as DIG, State Vigilance Bureau. Sanjay Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police, Faridabad, now has the additional charge of DIG, Security, Haryana Bhawan, New Delhi.

Rohtak, March 4
A local court has convicted a girl of killing seven members of her family at Kabulpur village more than four years ago.

The court of District and Sessions Judge Sushil Kumar Gupta convicted Sonam, her companion Naveen and their accomplice Jaivir.

As per the case details, Sonam, a teenaged girl of Kabulpur village, was in love with Naveen of the same village and clan.

Apprehensive of her family rejecting the relationship, Sonam allegedly served food laced with poison to her parents, brother, grandmother and three cousins in September, 2009.

Later, Sonam allegedly strangled her family members with the help of Naveen and Jaiveer.

To mislead the investigators, the girl was found lying unconscious in a bathroom by the police. However, the police cracked the case within a few days.

Jaivir, who had allegedly arranged the sleeping pills and poison for executing the crime, has also been convicted though Omvir, the chemist from whom the pills were procured, has been acquitted. The court is likely to pronounce the quantum of punishment tomorrow.

Court to announce punishment tomorrow

The local court is likely to pronounce the quantum of punishment on Thursday

Karnal, March 4
A member of the Gram Panchayat of Kalram village of Gharaunda block, Subhash Chand (50), was allegedly murdered by his friend Bhagwan Dass in Taprana village on Monday night.

The police have arrested the accused. Sadar SHO Narinder Singh said Subhash went to the accused’s house at Taprana village on Monday night to take money. The accused attacked Subhash with a sharp-edged weapon. He was taken to a hospital but was declared brought dead.

However, Subhash’s family members and the villagers met Deputy Superintendent of Police (headquarters) Joginder Rathi today and alleged that more people were involved in the murder.

Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Subhash’s village, alleged that more persons were involved in the case.

Gurgaon, March 4
Supporters of MP Rao Inderjit Singh today lodged a complaint with the police against representatives of the Aam Aadmi Party for allegedly defaming the MP.

The tussle started yesterday when posters questioning the motive of the MP behind switching parties were found pasted at many places in the city.

Enraged, supporters of the MP tore down the posters put up at Civil Lines, Court Road and the bus stand. They alleged that AAP members were responsible for the act.

The questions on the posters included his contribution towards the development of Gurgaon and why he had been silent about corruption in the Congress.

"There should be some standards in political competitions. This party talks of high ideals, but this is what they do. They used posters to defame the MP and when we confronted them, they denied the allegations. We have lodged a complaint against them in this regard," said Mahender Singh Shekhawat, district president, Haryana Insaf Manch, an outfit floated by Rao Inderjit.

"The Kejriwal team is working as the Congress party's B-team and is trying to defame a respectable politician," said GL Sharma, the Haryana Insaf Manch spokesperson.

AAP has, however, refuted the allegations.

“We have no clue what is this about. AAP doesn’t need to do any such things to gain political momentum. We are being framed," read an official statement issued by the party.

Yamunanagar, March 4
Nearly 645 students, including 450 graduates and 195 postgraduates, received their degrees during the 51st convocation of DAV College for Girls here today.

Dr Rajbir Singh, Director Consortium for Education Communication, University Grants Commission, was the chief guest.

Dr Singh said students would start a new life after getting their degrees. "Education helps us in taking right decision at the right time and provides us a unique identity in society," he said.

Principal Dr Sushma Arya said the college had been ranked No. 1 by Kurukshetra University and was accredited A grade by NAAC.

Hisar, March 4
The police are set to give a clean chit to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) coach who was accused of sexually harassing girl wrestlers nearly a month ago.

The police said an inquiry into the allegations had found the charges “unsubstantiated”.

Inspector Bimla Devi said she had completed her inquiry into the charges.

"I have submitted the inquity report to the SHO. The inquiry did not corroborate the charges. We will submit the report in the court for cancellation of the FIR against the coach," she said.

State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) member Anita Nain had stated that the complainants had admitted that they made wrong charges against the coach.

"The girls were feeling uncomfortable in getting training under the coach and thus wanted him to be transferred. They denied that the coach ever physically or sexually harassed them," she had told The Tribune.

The police had booked coach Satbir Singh on February 1 after seven girls (aged 14-18) alleged that he had molested them. The coach was later suspended.