Labour day
Sidcul fails to provide jobs to local youth, allege workers
Tribune Reporters

Kids at their best: Tiny-tots of Shiwalik International School celebrate Labour Day in Dehradun on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Dehradun, May 1
Sidcul, the government agency involved in the industrial development of the state, particularly in the Terai region, which was established in 2004 under the ND Tewari government, has failed to provide employment to local youth as neither the said quota of 70 per cent job for local youth is being met by the industrial units nor the quality of jobs is there according to labour laws.

Talking to mediapersons in Pithoragarh on the occasion of May Day today, the workers employed by Sidcul factories said that they were working 12 hours daily for a mere Rs 5,000 salary per month, which is not sufficient even to maintain their own self.

''The factory owners are giving wages for 8 hours after taking work for 12 hours from the workers. Even PF and ESI money is not returned to workers,” said Rajdip Bathla , president of Nestle Workers' Union at Rudrapur.

According to union leaders at Sidcul factories, most of the companies take their permanent staff from outside and keep local youth on contract through contractors, who exploit these workers badly. ''If these contract workers demand some better working conditions, they are shown the door,” said Sanjiv Kumar, another union leader.

According to Sidcul sources, out of 4500 factories in Pantnagar and Sitarganj , only 50,000 are permanent workers, out of 2 lakh working there. Most of them are recruited in bigger cities rather than at the local level. ''This has caused widespread resentment among workers in these factories as 9 factories witnessed strike at Pantnagar,'' said Ganesh Mahara, a union leader at Britannia factory. Mahara added that if some worker come forward to show discontent, either they are ousted or transferred from the plant.

According to some union leaders, even the Apprentice Act is being violated by some established industrialists at Sidcul. “This Act comes under special category of exploitation by factory owners at Sidcul,” said Mukul, coordinator of workers solidarity centre at Rudrapur.

Sidcul factory owners claimed that they kept special care of the workers working there. Sidcul MD has admitted that his department failed to get 70 per cent local youths jobs at Sidcul as well as to maintain labour laws inside factories. ''We directed several factories on this matter but these instructions have been seldom accepted by the owners,” said GP Durgapal, a manager with Sidcul, Rudrapur.

Shiwalik school celebrates Labour Day

The Shiwalik International School celebrated Labour Day here today. A special assembly was conducted to mark the occasion.

Principal Jitendra Kaur Gupta said no work was big or small and hard work was important.

She also apprised the students about the background of this day.

To celebrate the day, the school campus was abuzz with a number of activities. A fancy dress competition was organised for the playgroup to kindergarten children. The theme of the competition was ‘our helpers’. The tiny tots dressed as nurses, doctors, drivers etc and presented an impressive show.

An inter-house elocution and declamation competition was organised for primary and middle sections respectively. The theme of the competition was ‘dignity of labour’.

May Day celebrated

A function was organised to celebrate St Joseph's Day and Labour Day, commonly known as 'May Day' here today.

The programme commenced with a short prayer followed by a prayer dance. Thereafter, the choir mesmerised the audience with a song coupled with a power point presentation.

Students also presented a skit depicting the life and mission of Saint Joseph. The programme continued with the melodious and meaningful song ‘I am alive’ sung by Devika Dhondiyal, Shubangi Singh and Yovna Rai.

Keeping in mind the school motto ‘Laborare Est Orare’, the students enacted a meaningful Hindi skit illustrating the value of manual labour.

The service of the ancillary staff was acknowledged and praised through different songs sung by the choir. Gifts were also distributed to the support staff.

“Anti-people policies” flayed at Labour Day rally

A large number of workers from various unions participated in the International Labour Day celebrations and rally organised by the Centre of Industrial Trade Unions.

Addressing the gathering, the leaders said that ''anti-people policies'' of the Congress-led UPA government has increased the economic divide in society. Only the industrials and corporate tycoons had benefited from the policies, while the common man and particularly the labour class continued to suffer. The factory owners are giving very less wages to the workers even as the working hours continue to increase.

Later the members took out a rally from local bus-stand and covered various areas, including Clock Tower, Paltan Bazaar, Raja Road, Gandhi Road and Darshan Lal Chowk.

Those who were part of the rally included Jagmohan Mehndiratta, Krishan Guniyal, Lekhraj, Pradeep Kumar Dhyan, Shiv Prasad Devli, Surendra Pundhir, Shailendra Singh and Champa Devi.

Large gathering at Mala’s roadshow gladdens BJP leaders
Tribune News service

Mussoorie, May 1
Senior BJP leaders were elated to see a large gathering at a roadshow in support of Mala Raj Lakshmi Shah, party candidate from the Tehri Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency, in Mussoorie today.

A large number of BJP workers wearing masks of their prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi participated in the roadshow that started from Anupam Chowk in Landour Bazaar and moved on the Mall Road. They raised slogans in support of the party and sought votes for the party candidate. Mala Raj Lakshmi Shah in an open jeep along with Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi waved to the crowd during the roadshow.

Mala Raj Lakshmi later addressed a rally at Library Bazaar and criticised the Congress-led governments at the Centre and in the state for failing to provide relief to the people affected by the natural disaster last year.

She said former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and his son and Congress candidate from the Tehri Garhwal constituency Saket Bahuguna were not seen in the days after the natural disaster and the people were not provided compensation for the loss of livestock and livelihood.

Mala Raj Lakshmi appealed to the voters that by ensuring her victory from the Tehri Garhwal seat they would be strengthening the hands of Narendra Modi, who was set to become the next Prime Minister of the country. She thanked people for attending the rally in a large number and said it showed that a change in the government at the Centre was a certainty.

Ganesh Joshi while addressing the rally alleged that the present Congress-led state government was acting with vengeance against him and had stalled all development projects in the Assembly segment. Congress candidate Saket Bahuguna had amassed immense wealth illegally as disclosed by him in the nomination papers for the elections. Saket's income increased from Rs 99 lakh to Rs 11 crore in two years when his father Vijay Bahuguna was the Chief Minister of the state.

Joshi said Mala Raj Lakshmi was one of the few MPs against whom no corruption charge had been levelled. She had spent more than 80 per cent of the MPLAD funds for development works in the constituency during her short tenure as MP from Tehri Garhwal.

Former Lt-Genl HB Kala said the state government was misleading ex-servicemen on the issue of 'one rank and one pension' as the recommendation had not been implemented so far. He appealed to the ex-servicemen to ensure the victory for the BJP candidates from all five constituencies in the state.

Mussoorie BJP president Roop Singh Kathait, secretary Kushal Singh Rana, vice-president Mohan Petwal, senior leaders Madan Mohan Sharma, Vijay Ramola, Jyoti Kotiya, Anil Godiyal, Virendar Rana, Rajendar Rawat, Ashutosh Kothari, RN Mathur, Nafees Ahmed, Vijendra Bhandari, Sunil Raturi, Anita Saxena, Roop Chand Sharma and others were present during the roadshow and the rally.

Spouses, children help candidates woo voters
Parwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 1
With only six days to go for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand, candidates of all parties, along with their family members, have intensified campaigning to reach out to the maximum number of voters. Showing a perfect harmony and coordination, members of the candidates' families, including their spouse, siblings, children and parents, have come out in full support to ensure a stupendous success.

Divya Nautiyal, wife of Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Tehri Garhwal Anoop Nautiyal, has been actively campaigning for her husband even before the announcement of his candidature. “I prefer door-to-door campaigning and meeting people personally. Besides urging the voters to support Anoop, I am also trying to spread the ideologies of AAP. The Congress and the BJP have not done much during their tenures in the state. I am trying to make people understand that it is time for a change, which only AAP can bring,” said Divya.

Starting her day at 6 am, Divya ensures that she meets the maximum number of people while touring the nearby slums and villages. “We do not have enough funds and therefore cannot afford to have huge publicity campaigns and massive rallies. Moreover, meeting people personally helps us in getting the grasp of the real issues troubling the common man. Personal contact ensures a better communication,” she added.

“This is the last week of campaigning and we have stepped up pubic meetings, interactions and touring of the areas in the constituency. Divya, apart from aggressively campaigning for the party, is also looking after the house. She keeps a record of all my public engagements,” said Anoop Nautiyal.

Amid her dance practise and campaigning for father, Aarushi Pokhriyal, daughter of BJP candidate Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, ensures that he does not skip his meals or compromise on health.

“My father has been intensively campaigning in Haridwar. I am also going and visiting those areas where my father is not able to visit due to his previous commitments. The constituency is very big and it is very difficult to visit every nook and corner by one person alone. Apart from campaigning and meeting people, I also assure that he does not skip his meals. Being a daughter I am contributing in his struggle,” said Aarushi.

Speaking about his campaign, Nishank says he gets up at 6 am and after visiting areas in the constituency and public interactions, the day ends at 1-2 in the night.

“This is the last leg of campaigning and we are trying to reach out to the maximum people. A large number of voters who were earlier supporting the BSP and the Congress have shown solidarity with the BJP,” he added.

For Congress candidate from Tehri Garhwal Saket Bahuguna, it is his better half Gauri and father Vijay Bahuguna, former Chief Minister, who are actively campaigning and meeting people and holding rallies.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat is also actively campaigning for his wife and Congress candidate from Haridwar Renuka Rawat.

BSP chief Zaravare confident of victory in Haridwar and Nainital
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 1
BSP Uttarakahand president Megh Raj Zaravare is a busy man these days as on his shoulders lies the responsibility to ensure the party makes a powerful impact in all the five parliamentary seats in the state.

Talking to The Tribune on the sidelines of an election meeting for party candidate Haji Islam at Roshanabad village, the BSP state president said that party candidates will oust rival candidates in at least two seats, Haridwar and Nainitial (Udham Singh Nagar).

This he attributes to two factors, ill-governance by both Congress and BJP at the state level since the creation of a separate hill state and no presence or impact of Narendra Modi wave in Uttarakhand.

Besides these two factors, the grass root work and ideology of Mayawati of ''Sarv Jan Hitay'' is being liked by voters in both hill and plain districts of Uttarakhand,which can be gauged by the response the BSP election campaign and rallies are getting.

Recent controversial statement by yog guru Swami Ramdev has also worked wonders for BSP, feels Zaravare. He pointed that Swami Ramdev, who is backing BJP, has once again exposed the dual nature of Congress and BJP as they just eye Dalits as vote banks and nothing more.

“In fact yog guru Ramdev's statement has helped unite and bring back the defected Dalit voters to the party fold again. Dalits now realise fully that their interests are catered to by only one party. Be it Congress, BJP or Samajwadi Party, they all consider them inferior, lower caste people,'' remarked Zaravare.

On the question of two party legislators Surendra Rakesh and Hari Das being suspended by the party, who have a mass base in Haridwar, Zaravare said that it was better to cut the rotten portion of a fruit in time otherwise the whole fruit will get rotten.

Now left with only one legislator in Uttarakhand Assembly, Zaravare says that had these two legislators been loyal, BSP would have surely made a record win from Haridwar constituency.

“Surendra Rakesh and Hari Das are enjoying perks of power as they are supporting Congress, but they have forgotten that it was BSP only that made them legislators. This election will prove that in their constituencies they hold no substantial base as it was BJP's traditional vote bank,'' said Megh Raj.

He also cornered Congress ex-Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna for failing to provide prompt relief ,rescue measures during last year's flash floods and also questioned BJP candidate Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank for his alleged involvement in the Mahakumbh fund scam.

Veteran BSP leader also put forth the chances of Mayawati becoming the first Dalit prime minister of India.

“Key at the centre lies in a number of seats BSP gets in Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand.Mayawati can become prime minister of the third front. So we are working hard to ensure maximum number of parliamentary seats in the party's kitty from these twin states,'' said Zaravare, a close confidant of BSP supreme Mayawati.

Sadhvi Pragya flays Digvijay-Amrita Rai relationship
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 1
With former Congress Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and news channel anchor Amrita Rai accepting their close relationship, and social media abuzz with photos of the couple, firebrand BJP saint-turned-politician Sadhvi Pragya has termed the relationship as illicit.

Sadhvi Pragya ,whose controversial remarks during Muzaffarnagar riots had made headlines, said that Amrita Rai had not taken a divorce under legal provisions and was living secretly with Digvijay.

Talking to TNS at Kankhal-based ashram, Sadhvi questioned Digvijay's statements that it was his personal life, saying ''how come then Digvijay made sarcastic statements on the marital status of Narendra Modi and Jashoda Ben?'' ''Is Modi's personal life a pubic one that Singh thinks he is free to comment but terms his illegitimate affair a personal one,'' she asked.

Demanding imprisonment for Digvijay Singh as he had been having an illicit relationship with a ''still married woman,''Sadhvi said that such leaders and public figures (TV anchor) are also majorly responsible for degradation of moral values in Indian societal set-up.

''How can a parent of a daughter trust Digvijay as a politician or viewers believe the journalistic approach of Rai? Both have shown that for them love is more important than public service and journalistic ethics,'' said Pragya,who is intensely campaigning for BJP candidates in UP and Uttarakhand.

On yog guru Swami Ramdev's controversial comments on Dalits and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Sadhvi said that his comments should be taken in a broader perspective and may be the yog guru had gone too far, for which he has already offered an apology.

''Swami Ramdev has done a lot for Dalits. One of the wings of Patanjali Yogpeeth has been named after Maharishi Valmiki, while a daily mass food bhandara is provided free of cost to Dalit community people by the guru.

Some statements are not meant or intended as they are made out by rival political parties or media,but still Dalit's uplift will only be in reality when we give them full respect as is given to other communities,'' remarked Sadhvi, who did her Ph.D from Gurukul Kangri University in Haridwar.

Poll bytes
Maikhuri releases manifesto

Dehradun: Launching a scathing attack against the big national parties for overlooking the interests of the common man, Indresh Maikhuri, CPI ML candidate from Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency, said the parties were aiming to win the elections on the basis of money and publicity.Releasing the manifesto called ‘Sangarsh Patra’, Maikhuri said the Garhwal region suffered maximum destruction during the mid-June natural disaster. “Due to the callous attitude of the state government, the region has still not recovered from the destruction,” he added. “Our party is aiming to provide maximum facilities such as medical, schools, roads, clean drinking water, and electricity in the villages, in order to stop the mass migration of the locals. Also, efforts should be taken to increase the agricultural production in the state,” he added.

Ex-IAS officer flays Congress, BJP

Dehradun: SS Pangti, former IAS alleged that corruption had increased during the Congress and the BJP regime in Uttarakhand. He said the Congress-led state government was yet to take effective steps for keeping a tab on corruption cases. He said the citizens have tried the national and the regional political parties, but the political leaders failed to curb corruption in the state. He said the voters were fed-up with bad-governance, unemployment, inflation and corruption cases in Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand. Addressing the mediapersons here today, Pangti said all the five contesting candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were gaining popularity among voters across the state. He said the party candidates would win all the five parliamentary seats in the state. He said several cases of natural disaster were reported during the Congress and the BJP regime in state.

Renuka way ahead of other candidates, says Haridwar Cong chief
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 1
City Congress president OP Chauhan claimed that party candidate Renuka Rawat is way ahead in popularity and election campaign in comparison to other 23 candidates in the fray. Citing the overwhelming response being drawn by both Renuka Rawat and sitting parliamentarian Harish Rawat in their election meetings and road shows, Chauhan said it seems another record victory will be made by the party from Haridwar parliamentary constituency this time too.

“Last time Harish Rawat registered 1.27 lakh votes victory margin; the same may be repeated this time too as mass development works have been carried out during his five year tenure. Also, intense campaigning being done by his wife Renuka Rawat has upped the morale of the party workers,'' said Chauhan, on the sidelines of a meeting of party workers.

Chauhan also sought an explanation from Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Mahakumbh fair budget scam, Sterdia land scam, hydropower project scam that surfaced during his tenure as Uttarakhand CM.

He added that people of Haridwar very well knew that the Rs 755 crore allocated for the Kumbh fair was misused in the name of temporary works.Barring a single bridge at Damkoti and renovation of ghats,no other permanent infrastructure was constructed during 2010 Mahakumbh.

''In comparison during the 2004 Ardh-Kumbh under Congress-led Narayan Dutt Tewari, several bridges, Kumbh control room building, creation of new ghats and other structures were carried out. In that matter Ardh Kumbh fund was fully used, while Mahakumbh fair budget was used to fill the coffers of the BJP leaders,'' said Chauhan.

Meanwhile, district president of the party Chaudhary Rajendra Singh said that in the coming days many star campaigners will be coming to the district to campaign for Renuka Rawat. He added the final list would be finalised in a day or two ,as just five days were left for the election campaigning to conclude.

BKU (Tikait) backs Renuka
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 1
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait), which holds major influence among peasants in Northern India, has extended support to Congress candidate Renuka Rawat in the Haridwar parliamentary constituency. This support is only confined to Renuka, wife of Chief Minister Harish Rawat, as the BKU is in political alliance with Rashtriya Lok Dal of Ajit Singh.

National spokesperson Chaudhari Rakesh Tikait, Mahendra Singh Tikait’s youngest son, today announced the decision in this regard after holding a meeting with Harish Rawat.

Rakesh Tikait said that owing to pro-farmer working of Harish Rawat as well as assurance given to them regarding interests of farmers in Uttarakhand, the BKU decided to pitch in for Renuka’s candidature.

He cited no candidate fielded by RLD-BKU alliance in Haridwar as another reason for this move, though he made it clear that in Tehri Garhwal constituency the union is supporting RLD candidate.

“Harish Rawat has assured us of ensuring time bound payment of sugarcane, slightly raising the minimum support price of cane, hill allowance for farmers in hill districts of Uttarakhand, special reservation to those farmers who live within 10 km periphery of international border in the state as is being given in Jammu & Kashmir and other sops to the peasant community,'' said Tikait, who is contesting from Amroha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

Appreciating the peasant pension being initiated by Uttarakhand government, the peasant leader said that since 80s Harish Rawat had been working for the causes of farmers and Mahendra Singh Tikait liked the simple working style of former Almora parliamentarian.

Lashing out at Bharatiya Janata Party for not raising issues affecting peasants, Tikait said that the corporate sector seemed to have taken over the ideology of the saffron party, which is spending crores of rupees just on advertising and glorifying Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Vijay Kumar Shastri,state spokesperson, said that it was only in Haridwar Lok Sabha seat that Bharatiya Kisan Union had supported a Congress candidate. So there is no question of RLD-BKU alliance interests getting affected.

Poonam Bhagat, Kisan Congress Pradesh Committee vice president, welcomed the decision of BKU, claiming that this will ensure record win for Renuka Rawat.

EC airs short film to educate agitating voters
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 1
Keen to bring around voters of several villages, who had threatened to boycott the May 7 Lok Sabha polls, to protest against the absence of roads, electricity and water in their villages, the Election Commission has taken the help of visual media to ask voters to exercise their franchise for ushering in development.

Perturbed by reports about villagers threatening to boycott the Lok Sabha polls, the Chief Electoral Office (Uttarakhand) under the instructions of the Election Commission of India made a short film that will be aired on Doordarshan today.

“In the film, you will see schoolchildren questioning the elders’ decision to boycott the elections because there has been no development in their area. The schoolchildren will be seen asking important questions pertaining to their elders’ decision and whether this decision will usher in development,” said Radha Raturi, Chief Electoral Officer (Uttarakhand).

In fact the threat to boycott elections by the villagers has become a recurring problem with villagers from more than two dozen villages raising the ante. “We have been facing this problem, on and off and even in the 2012 Assembly elections, the incident had occurred,” said Raturi.

Significantly the Chief Electoral Office took the help of social organisations and freelancers for making the short film. “We have made the film on a shoe-string budget to convey the message that the boycott call after all will deprive the villagers of having a say in the democratic process,” said Soujanya, electoral officer.

Five short films have been made which will be aired today. All these films carry different messages aimed at ensuring increased voter participation in the state.

Workshop on de-addiction at SelaQui Academy
Tribune News service

Dehradun, May 1
To sensitise students on the evils of addiction and subsequent de-addiction, a workshop on de-addiction was held by Nijaat Rehabilation Centre at SelaQui Academy of Higher Education (SAHE) campus. In an age where too many expectations and a fast pace has made many young people succumb to addiction of liquor and drugs, such workshops are a necessity.

Nijaat Rehabilitation Centre is a non-profit facility that provides many services to the community in Dehradun. Beginning with little funding and staff, Nijaat was founded upon the principle of providing "Holistic healing to addicts and their families and to facilitate their reconciliation and integration in society."

Present at the workshop were eminent speakers from Nijaat Saurabh and the Director, SAHE, Dr. OP Soni, along with faculty members and student community. Dr Soni urged the students to stay away from harmful addiction of drugs and liquor, regardless of any peer pressure or situation. He enlightened the youth on the perils of addiction and the loss to the nation in terms of youth involvement.

He started with a motivating message for the students say no to drugs as drug addiction is a life destroyer. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease characterised by compulsive drug seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain. It is a state of being dependent on a substance, which is harmful or dangerous for the physical and/or mental health of the person and for his social and economic well-being.

BJP spent Rs 10,000 cr on publicity: Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 1
Union Minister of Commerce, Industries and Textiles Anand Shama has alleged that the BJP had spent about Rs 10,000 crore on publicity to woo voters across the country. He admitted that the Union Government had been unable to keep a tab on inflation, except cyclic inflation. He said hike in crude oil prices in the international market was one reason for the rise in the prices of essential commodities in the past one decade in the country.

Sharma said the “Gujarat model of development” was a complete failure and could not be implemented in any part of the country. He stressed that the Congress-led UPA government had introduced various steps for the overall development of the country, despite the economic meltdown.

While addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday, Sharma said the BJP manifesto lacked vision of development and national issues and only those issues were included in the document that were already announced or achieved by the UPA government.

He claimed that during the UPA’s one-decade regime at the Centre, the per capita income had increased from Rs 24,000 in 2004 to Rs 79,000 in 2014. He claimed Foreign Direct Investment had increased 15 times. He said Rs 80,000 crore and Rs 36,000 crore was sanctioned for education and health departments, respectively.

Sharma said the number of IIT and IIM institutes had increased from seven to 16 and from six to 13, respectively. 

BSP workers burn Ramdev's effigy
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 1
Workers of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) today burnt an effigy of yoga guru Ramdev in protest against his remarks against the Dalit community. Addressing the protesters, Ajaypal Singh "Aakash" said Ramdev should be booked under the SC/ST Act. Those who were part of the demonstration included Banti Kumar, Suryavanshi, Shyam Singh, Anita Valmiki, Usha Devi and Surjabhan.

Another police complaint filed against Ramdev

Another complaint was filed against yoga guru Ramdev in Kotwali police station here today for his controversial remarks against Rahul Gandhi and for allegedly ‘insulting’ the Dalit community.

City Congress Women's Wing president Kamlesh Raman and Chaman Lal filed the complaint alleging that Ramdev’s remarks that Rahul Gandhi used to visit Dalits' houses for picnic and honeymoon had hurt the sentiments of the community, especially women.

Members of the Dalit community demanded action against Ramdev under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act. He accused the yoga guru of acting on the behest of the BJP.

It is to be noted that a zero FIR was lodged against Ramdev in Kotwali police station in Dehradun a couple of days ago for his controversial remarks. Advocate LM Dass filed the complaint and the police immediately forwarded the FIR to Lucknow where the alleged remarks were made on April 25.

Manmohan Singh missing from Cong campaign: Ananth Kumar
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 1
Ananth Kumar, national general secretary of the BJP said here today that instead of presenting himself before the people of the country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been missing from the election campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

“The man who has been heading the UPA government for the last 10 years is no where in the campaigning. He has not appeared before the people of the country. I would like to ask my Congress friends where have they hidden him and what is he doing” queried Ananth Kumar at a press conference.

Launching an attack on the Prime Minister, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Ananth Kumar said the three of them were responsible for the poor state of affairs in the country.

Ananth Kumar, who was here to lend support to the election campaign of the BJP candidates, said there was a distinct wave in favour of the BJP.

“Due to a distinct Narendra Modi wave in the country, the battle scared Congress has restricted itself to campaigning only in Amethi and Rai Bareilly,” said Ananth Kumar.

Exuding confidence Ananth Kumar said for the first time the BJP was in a position to open it?s account in Kerala. “We will also win more than 20 seats in Karnataka and also perform well in Telangana. The Congress would be reduced to double digit numbers and it’s performance would be worse than 1999,” emphasised Kumar.

Castigating former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and Chief Minister Harish Rawat for the poor rehabilitation and relief works after the last year disaster in the state, he said, “Both are equally responsible and when the BJP government comes to power, we will take leaf from the Gujarat post-earthquake reconstruction work and carry forward in the flood devastated parts of the Uttarakhand.”

Trade unions celebrate May Day in Mussoorie
Tribune News service

Mussoorie, May 1
Various labour organisation and trade unions expressing solidarity towards workers' rights took out a rally to celebrate May Day, also known as International Workers' Day in Mussoorie today.

The rally was led by Hotel, Restaurant Karamchari Sangh along with the trade union Samnvaya Samiti that began from Anupam Chowk and concluded at Library Bazaar. The labour union affiliated to Left parties also joined in the procession, raising slogans against the policy of ''victimisation of labour class pursued by the capitalist class.''

The president of the Hotel, Restaurant Karamchari Sangh Sobhan Singh Panwar, speaking on the occasion, said that the labour class was the most victimised in the country and was facing the brunt of price rise and other anti-worker policy followed by successive governments in the country over the years. He demanded increase in the minimum wage of the workers up to Rs 20,000, considering the high rate of inflation in the country.

He also demanded effective implementation of ESI scheme for the workers and immediate allotment of houses to the employees of the MC in Mussoorie.

The All India Trade Union Mussoorie president RP Badoni speaking on the occasion said that the practice of removing the workers illegally from private institutions shoud be stopped immediately and working hours should be kept to eight hours for the workers.

He was also irked at the absence of the nationalised bank and other Central Government departments from the rally. Badoni speaking further said that it was due to their struggle that the wages for the Central Government and Bank employees were raised to the present level but the employees of these institutions after receiving the high salaries had completely forgotten the plight of their brethren who are still struggling for their rights.

YPS Mohali, Doon School register wins in hockey tourney
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 1
Yadvindra Public School, Mohali, registered a 3-0 win over Welham Boys School in the ongoing 10th SK Khadhari Memorial Hockey Tournament 2014 played at Welham Boys School, here today. Saurabh scored two goals in the 11th and 51st minutes while Youngpreet scored the third goal in the 59th minute.

In the second match, Doon School defeated Wynberg Allen School by 5-1, with Ishan of Doon School scoring a hatrick. Akhil and Angad also scored a goal each in the match for the team. Rishabh scored the only goal for Wynberg.

In a close encounter, RIMC Dehradun clinched a 2-1 victory over St Georges College, Mussoorie. Pranjal and Sachinpreet scored goals for RIMC in the 40th and 52nd minutes. For St Georges, Harmandeep scored the goal in the 48th minute.

The Doon School won its second match of the day against Mayo College Ajmer by a comfortable margin of 5-1. Ishan scored 3 goals while Rishav Raj scored 2 goals for Doon School. S Choudhry scored one goal for Mayo College.

In another match, PPS Nabha defeated St Georges College by 5-0 with Pukhraj scoring maximum 2 goals for the winning team. Harminder, Damandeep and Shehbaz contributed a goal each in the match for PPS Nabha.

Woodstock School girls corner glory in all-India b’ball tourney
Tribune News Service

Sweet victory: Woodstock School’s senior girls’ team that won the 14th All-India Win Mumby Basketball Championship in Mussoorie. A Tribune photograph

Mussoorie, May 1
The Woodstock School’s senior girls’ team won the 14th All-India Win Mumby Basketball Championship for the first time in ten years during the tournament that concluded in Mussoorie recently.

The Welham Boys were adjudged the winners in boy’s match defeating the boy’s team of the Woodstock School, who had been winning the championship four times in a row.

The Kodaikanal International School in Tamil Nadu also participated in the tournament for the first time, but lost in the semi-final against Woodstock by five points. Ajay Mark, head of sports at Woodstock School, said, the competition was the highlight of the sporting calendar at Woodstock and was as exciting as ever this year.

The 16 teams competing in the girls and boys section were Welham Girls School Dehradun, Vasant Valley School Delhi, The Shri Ram School Gurgaon, The Lawrence School Sanawar, Modern School Delhi, Doon International School Dehradun, Wynberg Allen School Mussoorie, Kodaikanal International School Tamil Nadu, Welham Boys School Dehradun, The Doon School Dehradun, Modern School Delhi, The Asian School Dehradun, St George’s College Mussoorie and Woodstock Mussoorie.

Woodstock school beat Unison team

Woodstock School defeated Unison World School ‘B’ 5-1 during a match in the Unison World School Football Challenge Cup here today.

Roya from Woodstock scored a hat-trick while Yupe Yeshi and Sarach Kim scored one goal each in the match. For the Unison team, Metari scored one goal. In the second match, KV, Birpur, defeated Doon International School 1-0 with Nisha scoring the winning goal.

Nautiyal goes door-to-door
Tribune News Service

An AAP supporter shows the way to a vehicle bearing a BJP flag in Dehradun on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Dehradun, May 1
Anoop Nautiyal, Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Tehri Garhwal, campaigned door to door here today. He assured the gathering that effective steps would be taken by him to address their grievances, if he was voted to power in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The campaign started at Govindgarh and passed through Eid-Gah and ended at Yamuna Colony. He said Congress and BJP parties had not taken any steps for improving infrastructure in mountainous areas during their tenure.

He said all villagers, who were living in higher areas of state were traversing several kilometres to fetch basic needs. Nautiyal also requested his supporters to create awareness among electors focusing on the party's ideology and encouraged them to campaign in the rural areas of the state.

Nautiyal claimed voters wanted change and party candidates would win all five seats in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Earlier, author-photographer Ganesh Saili said Nautiyal was one of the ablest contesting candidates in Tehri parliamentary constituency. Kamal Devradi, Ganesh Kala, Vinod Kumar, Amar Singh Yadav, Sunita Singh and Hemlata Pant were also present during the meeting.

Pangti claims corruption increased during Cong, BJP regimes

Dehradun, May 1
SS Pangti, former IAS alleged that corruption had increased during the Congress and the BJP regime in Uttarakhand. He said the Congress-led state government was yet to take effective steps for keeping a tab on corruption cases. He said the citizens have tried the national and the regional political parties, but the political leaders failed to curb corruption in the state.

He said the voters were fed-up with bad-governance, unemployment, inflation and corruption cases in Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand.

Pangti said all the five contesting candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were gaining popularity among voters across the state. He said the party candidates would win all the five parliamentary seats in the state.

He said several cases of natural disaster were reported during the Congress and the BJP regime in state, but both the political parties failed on all fronts for redressing grievances of the disaster-hit victims. Anoop Nautiyal, Tehri parliamentary candidate, Dr Pradeep Sakhlani, Dr SP Sati and Kamal Devradi were also present. — TNS

419 scams took place during BJP rule: Cong
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 1
Surendra Kumar, a spokesman for the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee, has alleged that 419 scams were reported during the previous BJP government in the state. He claimed that the Congress candidates would win from all five seats in the state. Surendra told mediapersons here today that former Cabinet minister Prakash Pant had admitted that of the total 419 scams reported during the BJP regime 206 corruption cases were reported in the Drinking Water Department alone.

He said sitting Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj, who joined the BJP recently, was also part of a Congress delegation that submitted a memorandum to the President of India seeking his intervention in the alleged scams reported during the BJP regime but an enquiry was yet to be ordered.

Surendra claimed that the state government had recommended a CBI probe into the NRHM scam that happened during the BJP rule. He said a memorandum highlighting 419 scams was also submitted to senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani during his visit to Uttarakhand.

Time to change ‘corrupt’ UPA govt: Sushma
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, May 1
BJP leader Sushma Swaraj has said the “corruption-ridden” government should be changed this time as the UPA lost Rs 4.5 lakh crore of the tax payers’ money to corruption in its two tenures. “The UPA government first lost Rs 76,000 crore in the Commonwealth Games scandal, then it lost Rs 1.76 lakh crore in the 2G spectrum embezzlement and finally it lost Rs 1.86 crore in the coal block allotment scandal,” alleged Sushma.

Addressing an election meeting at Tanakpur in the Almora constituency yesterday, Sushma said the UPA government had undermined constitutional institutions and kept essential commodities out of the reach of common man.

She said the state government had failed to manage the crisis arisng due to the natural disaster. “Changing Chief Minister in a short span by the Congress is an example of its failure on the governance front,” Sushma said.

She said if the BJP-led government comes to power at the Centre, a broad gauge rail line from Tanakpur to Pilibhit and meter gauge line from Tanakpur to Bageshwar and Jauljibi would be sanctioned.

Portals of Gangotri, Yamunotri shrines to re-open today
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 1
After facing the brunt of natural calamities last year, portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines will re-open for pilgrimage on Friday. The portals of Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines would be re-open on May 4 and 5 respectively.

The smooth flow of vehicular traffic along the Char Dham Yatra route could not be possible due to poor condition of roads in the higher areas of the state. Officials lamented that frequent landslides along the yatra routes are hampering their efforts to repair damaged roads in the higher areas.

As per the details provided by the State Emergency Operations Centre of Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC), highlighted that Rishikesh-Gangotri National Highway-108 and Rishikesh-Yamunotri National Highway-94 is open for vehicular traffic except at few locations, where roads are not properly repaired by the nodal agency. The vehicular traffic on Rishikesh-Kedarnath National Highway-109 is restricted till Munkatiya, around four-kilometers ahead of Sonprayag in Rudraprayag district.