Chandigarh, March 28
The city is all set to witness major traffic snarls during BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally at Sector 34 tomorrow.

Though the BJP leader is schedule to reach the venue by 4 pm, the traffic restrictions around the venue are expected to come into force earlier in the day.

As the Chandigarh Administration has given permission for the rally in Sector 34, one of the most congested commercial centres after Sector 17, it is expected to cripple traffic movement on Dakshin Marg, the vital road that runs from Tribune Chowk to Sector 25.

The road also serves as a vital link to the Sector 17 ISBT. Though UT officials expect around 30,000 persons to attend the rally, police sources feel the number could be much more.

Panchkula, March 28
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, devotees visiting temples, gurdwaras and mosques won't just pay obeisance, but will also be made aware about the importance of their vote.

Chandigarh, March 28
In an attempt to allow more privacy and save victims of sexual assault from shuttling across the hospital for various tests, the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, is soon going to launch a “One Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC)".

Unlike the existing system under which a victim or a complainant is first taken to the general emergency and examined by the Emergency Medical Officer and then referred to a gynaecologist and asked to visit different counters for tests, the OSCC will provide all services in one room.

A week after the Health Ministry notified the guidelines for setting up these centres across India, the first such centre in the city is being set up at the GMCH. According to the guidelines, issued on March 19, the OSCC will provide clothes, an attached toilet, sample collection facility, psychological counselling and legal advice to the victim under one roof. The victim's statement will also be recorded at the centre.

“Our endeavour is to launch the centre within a month. We need the support of NGO volunteers and legal experts for cases that are reported late in the evening or in the wee hours so that no incovenience is faced by the victims,” said Dr Anju Huria, Head of the Department of Gynaecology.

Chandigarh, March 28
The open debate organised by the Chandigarh Confederation of Workers and Employees at Maharastra Bhawan here today turned into a political battleground as candidates for the Lok Sabha Chandigarh seat used the podium to woo voters and levelled allegations against each other.

The debate, which was supposed to focus on the demands of the Chandigarh Confederation of Workers and Employees and their issues, took a political turn as the speakers, who had earlier assured that they would not use the platform to talk about their parties and policies, backtracked on their promises.

BJP candidate Kirron Kher began the debate with a comment, “The Chandigarh Administration has been using the ‘hire and fire’ policy for recruitment in various departments. It is sad to know that the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology (CCET) does not have regular teaching faculty.”

While assuring the workers of regularising their services, the actress-turned-politician took a dig at the Congress, “Despite being in power for a decade, the Congress has failed to deliver.”

The CPI (ML) candidate Kanwaljit Singh said, “Both the Congress and the BJP have failed to deliver. They do not espouse the cause of workforce.”

The CPI (ML) leader’s address was cut short and he was made to hand over the mike to BSP leader Naresh Kumar, who too preferred to take potshots at the Congress during his short address.

The environment at the venue flared up as the Congress representative, HS Lucky, began his address. The employees interrupted his speech when he tried to highlight the achievements of his party. His address drew a sharp reaction from members of the confederation, who expressed their dissatisfaction and threw counter questions at him.

The women Lok Sabha candidates cashed in on the moment and forced the leader to shorten his speech.

Making the most of the last word, AAP candidate Gul Panag went all out to woo the voters. She said, “A contractual job means working for two or three years. However, a worker, who has given more than 10 years of his life in the same job, should be regularised.”

Gul claimed, “If you elect me and send me to Delhi, I will support your cause. However, if you feel I have failed to perform you can recall me.”

The political drama ended with high-pitched comments coming in from all ends resenting the successive governments’ apathy towards the issues pertaining to the worker class.

Chandigarh, March 28
BJP candidate Kirron Kher's sister-in-law has written an open letter to the party's prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, who will address a rally in the city tomorrow.

Kher's sister-in-law Gurindesh Sandhu, who is fighting a legal battle with Kher over the ownership of a house in Sector 8, has written that "ever since Amardeep Singh, my husband, passed away in 2003, Kirron Kher has trampled on the rights of my two young daughters and me".

Earlier, she had submitted a complaint before the Returning Officer stating that Kirron Kher provided wrong information about property details in her nomination papers. But the Returning Officer did not consider her complaint and accepted Kher's papers.

Sandhu's letter reads, "Mr. Modi, one of your party's main agenda is to give rights and protection to women as you have done in Gujarat as the Chief Minister. Your candidate Kirron Kher, however, has taken an undue advantage of my widowhood and helplessness and trampled on our rights for 10 years."

"If Mrs. Kirron Kher is a daughter of Chandigarh, does it mean the rights of daughters-in-law and grand-daughters cease to exist? Instead of being a pillar of strength to my children, she has left no stone unturned to harm them financially and emotionally and deprived them of their legal rights. She is heartless to the extent that she removed her brother's (my husband's) nameplate from our house gate," the letter further reads.

Sandhu has addressed the letter to all the candidates for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, Kirron's husband Anupam Kher and others.

Chandigarh, March 28
The villages in the UT have remained neglected despite Congress candidate Pawan Bansal's 15-year tenure as Chandigarh MP, said AAP candidate Gulkirat Kaur Panag during her door-to-door campaign in Vikas Nagar here today.

She added that the development of villages and colonies in terms of healthcare, education and sanitation would be on top of her priority list.

Later, she held a corner meeting with villagers and the sarpanch of Kaimbwala village to discuss their grievances and shortcomings in the village.

The AAP candidate said Bansal had a lot to explain for the appalling state of affairs in the villages that have subsisted during his 15-year tenure.

Chandigarh, March 28
BJP candidate Kirron Kher today addressed a public meeting at Hind Press Man Dhobi Parishad, Sector 24.

Addressing the gathering, she said, "If I get a chance to serve the people of Chandigarh, I will ensure the basic infrastructure for dhobis such as proper sheds and adequate power supply. The Congress has ignored the problems of less-privileged communities. If the BJP comes to power at the Centre, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, there would be development on all fronts."

She said employees were facing many problems due to wrong policies of the Congress government. She assured them of taking up their issues in the Parliament if she won the poll.

Chandigarh, March 28
Senior BJP leader and former MP Satya Pal Jain today criticised Congress MP Pawan Kumar Bansal for not doing anything to help the 3,930 employees, who were successful in draw of lots for allotment of flats under the self-financing scheme of Chandigarh Housing Boards.

Jain said on coming to power at the Centre, the BJP would get the flats constructed in a time-bound manner and frame a similar scheme for those who remained unlucky in the draw of lots.

Jain also posed a question to the Congress leadership whether they considered corruption as an issue in the present Lok Sabha elections. He said despite the railgate scam, the Congress gave ticket to Bansal.

Chandigarh, March 28
Reiterating that the candidates of BJP and AAP, Kirron Kher and Gul Panag, respectively, were 'outsiders', Congress candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal today said they were claiming that they were born in Chandigarh but people should understand that only place of birth was not enough.

During his election campaign, Bansal said if these actresses were so concerned about the city then why they turned up only before elections. He said he would remain in the city even after elections, but these actresses would not. "Choice is yours," Bansal told voters in Hallomajra.

The four-time MP said it was ironical that instead of participating in debates in the Parliament and suggesting ways to improve a Bill in the interest of general public, the BJP only created ruckus. "This has also been evident in the Municipal Corporation here," Bansal said.

Meanwhile, Bansal's daughter-in-law Shaina Bansal also started campaigning for him. The MP's younger son Manish Bansal's wife today carried out a padyatra in Sector 18 along with the area councillor Mukesh Bassi. She appealed to the residents to cast their votes in favour of Bansal.

Congress workers distributed pamphlets to the residents highlighting the development works carried out during Bansal's tenure.

Chandigarh, March 28
“Iss political reality show vich janta ne buzzer dabaana hai, Kirron Kher ne nahi” (now voters will press the buzzer in the political reality show and not the BJP candidate Kirron Kher). This was the point of discussion among a group of students at MCM DAV College, Sector 36 here.

While enjoying tea and samosas at the college canteen, the girls, who had come to the college to submit their dues, had a half-an-hour long lively discussion on the issue attracting attention of those present.

Arushi, a member of the group, asked, “Kya bollywood star Chandigarh seat jeet sakta hai” (can a bollywood star win the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat).

Seema countered with a question. “Toh kya Karein? Corrupt ko hi vote de deh phir iss bar!” (What else should we do? Vote for corrupt candidate again!)

The debate appeared to have a consensus that candidates from the glamour world should not be the choice of young voters as their contribution in the development of the city as its MP would be minimal owing to their other engagements.

Students of the Department of Public Administration, Panjab University (PU) having a discussion at a juice corner are in a state of confusion, if their vote is on sale or is it their ‘right’. The Election Commission and private hoteliers are offering a number of incentives to the voters in the city.

“Kya achhe candidate ko choose karke vote daalna itna asaan kaam hai”, (Is it so easy to choose a good candidate and vote for him), Sukhmani wondered.

“Oye iss baar toh vote zarur karna hai. Kya farak padhta hai, kisi ko bhi daal dena (we must vote this time. It does not matter whom we vote), as votes of first-time voters are on sale,” Ranbir Sharma rescued members of the group, who were in a fix upon choosing a good candidate for the city.’

In the common room of the university, a group of boys are debating the ticket distribution politics of national parties.

“Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tah Congress di sister concern hai jo usdi boli hi boldi hai” (AAP is a sister concern of Congress, as the former speaks the same language that Congress men do), commented Balwinder Pal Singh, a PU student.

Ankur joined the heated discussion saying, “BJP Hitler head kar reha hai (BJP is headed by a Hitler).

TNS asked them which party was fair in distribution of tickets. A group of five boys were of the opinion that Congress, BJP and APP had a similar ideology to give ticket to a powerful and rich candidate rather than the activist who works at the grassroots level.

“Kissa kursi ka hai, candidate ka nahi” ( the race is for the seat and not about the candidate), Ramneet, a student, said in a lighter vein.

While concluding the session, boys in the group said, ‘Inn political parties ke liye muddhe, candidate, manifesto, problems, voter sab kuchh dinon ka tamasha hai. April 10 ke baad na hi yeh baatein sunane ko milengi aur na candidates dikhenge”, (Issues, candidate, manifesto, problems and voters of the city are important to the candidates only till Apirl 10. After that, neither these things will be discussed nor will we be able to see the candidates.

Panchkula, March 28
Intensifying its election campaign, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) organised a road show in Barwala, about 30 km from here, and interacted with shopkeepers and local residents.

The party candidate, SP Singh, also opened an election office in Barwala and asked his workers and supporters to launch a mass contact programme and appealed to the public to come forward against corruption in the political system.

Accompanied by over 250 party workers, SP Singh also promised a corruption-free governance if he was elected to power.

During his campaign in over 12 villages, the Aam Aadmi Partycandidate interacted with local residents and listened to their problems.

Singh had started his campaign from Hussaini where residents joined his march till the Panjalsa Chowk.

The Aam Aadmi Party leaders, workers and supporters had also held public meetings in the Badagaon, Chhajal Majra and Shehzaadpur areas.

The party candidate also claimed to have stood by the party’s commitment against corruption.

He also explained the concept of ‘Swaraj’ to the people.

Panchkula, March 28
Enchanting the party’s slogan ‘Ghar Ghar Modi’, workers of the BJP, including activists of the Mahila Morcha of the party, today began a door-to-door election campaign seeking votes for Rattan Lal Kataria, the BJP candidate from Ambala. They made public aware of the vision of Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the party. While members of the morcha are holding meetings with the women folk under the leadership of Neelam Awasthi and Paramjit Kaur, Harinder Malik and Meher Singh Thakur, mandal presidents, allured voters by holding meetings at streets in various areas.

Vishal Seth, district president of the party, and Ajay Mittal, vice-president, visited houses in Sector 8 and 16, seeking votes for Kataria and Modi.Extending a helping hand to Kataria, senior BJP leader and former HP health minister Rajeev Bindal campaigned for him in the Panchkula segment of the constituency yesterday.

Bindal visited Sector 17, Abhaypur, Rajiv Colony and some other areas of the city. He reached the party office at Sector 2 in the noon and was accompanied by Vishal Seth, district president of the party; Gian Chand Gupta, a senior BJP leader and former Mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, besides other party workers.

While talking to The Tribune, Bindal claimed to have personal relations with Kataria and would campaign in favour of the BJP candidate for the next three days. He also flayed the UPA government and the Hooda regime in Haryana for rampant corruption, unemployment and price rise.

He also attacked former Congress MP from Ambala Kumari Selja for opting for the Rajya Sabha instead of contesting the general Lok Sabha elections.

Chandigarh, March 28
Around 70 girls of working women hostel in Sector 24 today held a protest against the UT Social Welfare Department for not reverting back the hostel fee hike implemented two months ago.

Girls alleged that they were assured by the authorities that the hike would be reconsidered and reduced but till date no action had been taken.

Recently, the UT Child and Women Welfare Governing Board approved the hike in the rent of the working women hostel from Rs 1,780 to Rs 3,500 per month. Besides this, the girls will have to pay Rs 1,200 for mess and Rs 75 for geyser during winters. Records of the department revealed that there are 24 rooms in the hostel in which 72 working women can be accommodated. In each room, three girls have been accommodated at the hostel.

The UT Social Welfare Department received a representation from the working women hostel to reconsider the steep hike in the charges. It was decided that in the next governing board meeting the issue about reduction in the charges will be tabled and the final decision will be taken by the body.

Panchkula, March 28
The Electricity Department has bended rules for Haryana ministers having residences in Sector 12-A, here. Though officials of the department in the city are ensuring that electricity meters are installed outside the houses of residents in order to curb power thefts as per government directions, the ministers in Sector 12A have been given "special treatment" in this regard.

Despite the fact that a new contractor, who was given the work of shifting meters to outside houses, took one month to do the work in the entire sector 12A, the houses of the ministers went unnoticed.

Residences of Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Vinod Bhayana, Haryana Health Minister Rao Narender Singh, Cabinet Minister Savitri Jindal, MLA Sumita Singh, CPS Jaleb Khan, CPS Rao Dan Singh and many other ministers of Haryana have been "ignored".

The Executive Engineer of the department, DS Dhanda, said: "Usually the chances of theft are less in these houses because the government has to pay the bill. But I will certainly ensure as to why meters of these houses were not shifted outside."

He added: "Tomorrow itself, I will send my team to imply these rules on them also."

In January this year, the government had asked that all meters at independent houses may be shifted outside. The department had also informed the residents of Panchkula that they should cooperate to get the meters shifted.

A resident of the locality, on the condition of anonymity, said: "Are the directions of the government only applicable for us and not the ministers."

Chandigarh, March 28
The Education Department will be conducting recruitment drive for 1,130 posts by mid June. This was stated by the Director Public Instructions (DPI) schools, Kamlesh Kumar, here today.

According to the information available, the 1,108 posts of teacher include 683 posts for masters, 342 posts for Junior Basic Training JBT (primary teachers) and 83 nursery teacher training NTT posts.

The DPI informed that the recruitment would be held through open and direct method and the advertisement for it would be carried out in newspapers.

Kamlesh added that a standard procedure would be followed which would include marks for experience and qualifications.

“A written test might also be conducted. The recruitment drive will be open for all eligible candidates,” he said.

According to the information, 22 administrative posts, including one post for director (school education), deputy director (school education), deputy director (Administration), deputy controller (F&A), section officer each, along with eight posts for senior assistant and clerks are to be recruited.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of School Education and Literacy, UT, has sanctioned the posts for the Education Department.

Chandigarh, March 28
Queries by a student left the panelists, including Anurag Thakur, President of BJYM, in an awkward situation at a convention on ‘The Role of Youth in Society and National Integration’ at Panjab University, here today.

The student pointed out that the speakers, who boasted of that youth could steer the nation to new heights, themselves reached the venue with a delay of over two hours keeping them waiting.

He also raised a point that: “Today youth is confused and frustrated and need socio-economic support for building their career and subsequently the nation.”

Thakur admitted the delay saying that his question contained weightage. Giving example of punctuality, Thakur, however, referred that Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal was the most punctual politician even in his mid 80’s. He has always been on time at every function.

Shri Bhaiyyu ji Maharaj, a venerable young saint, who was a prominent speaker at the convention organised by the Society for Health and Free Education (SHAFE in association with Suryoday Foundation), however, said one should have zeal to achieve his goal.

Thakur also said that 3Es (education, employment and empowerment) should be the bases of efficient governance.

“Don’t be afraid of failure. They are the pillars to success. So, try again and again to achieve the targets,” advised Kartikey Sharma, a city-based entrepreneur.

Earlier, a Sufi performance by Kanwar Grewal enthralled the audience.

Chandigarh, March 28
A national conference on ‘women empowerment- an index of human development’ started today at the University Institute of Legal Studies, Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh. Prof Mool Chand Sharma, member, Law Commission of India, inaugurated the two-day national conference.

PU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Arun Kumar Grover in his presidential address emphasised on the empowerment of women in the field of education.

Prof Grover pointed out that in the university, women have overtaken men in PhD during the past several years and 15 years down the line more women educators would be seen in higher education.

In the keynote address, Prof Mool Chand Sharma said a change had to be brought in the complex web of economic policy, politics, culture and sociology to develop women as human capital. “Twenty-seven per cent GDP is lost in the country because women are not given equal opportunity to work,” Sharma said.

Chandigarh, March 28
An annual prize distribution function was organised at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College in Sector 26 here today. Chandigarh Administration higher education director Sandeep Hans was the chief guest on the occasion. Principal MS Marwaha released and read out the annual report of the college.

About 250 students from different streams, including academics and sports, were awarded prizes. Colonel Mehboob Singh Trophy, carrying a cash prize of Rs 25,000, was awarded to all-rounder Kuldeep Singh (MSc II, Maths). Two other awards carrying cash prizes Rs 21,000 and Rs 11,000 were given to Sumeet Kumar (BSc II) and Ashish Kumar (B Com III), respectively.

Twenty students were presented with the ‘roll of honour’ and 70 with ‘college colour’ for their achievements in academics, NSS, NCC, sports, cultural activities, etc.

Sandeep Hans congratulated the students for their achievements and motivated them to work with persistence in future.

Mohali, March 28
As many as 250 students from undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma programmes were awarded degrees and certificates during the annual convocation at the Universal Group of Institutions.

Madan Mohan Mittal, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Industries, Commerce and Technical Education, Punjab, who was the chief guest, said if the 20th century was about hierarchy, the 21st was about networks. “People who have most of the opportunities today were the ones who collaborated and built the largest and most diverse networks,” said Mittal. Dr DP Singh, executive director, Universal Group, shared the progress report of the universal group. Chairman Dr Gurpreet Singh wished the graduating students all the best for their future endeavours.