Chandigarh, June 24
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said today that the Assembly elections would be fought under his leadership and the party would form the government for the third time in the state. The contest this time would be between the Congress and the BJP. He was unfazed by Rajya Sabha MP Birender Singh’s demand for his removal. He reiterated his party commitment to help realise the “aspirations of Haryana Sikhs “ as far as a separate Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee was concerned.

Addressing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Hooda took on Rajya Sabha MP Birender Singh who has been insisting on Hooda’s removal before the Assembly elections. “I don’t want to comment on his demands but the fact remains that as per Congress norms, when the party is power, the elections are always fought under the Chief Minister’s leadership. Had Birender Singh been the CM, the elections would have been fought will him at the helm charge. Also, nobody other than the people of the state, the MLAs and Sonia Gandhi can decide my fate,” Hooda said, accompanied by Power Minister Capt Ajay Yadav and Transport Minister Aftab Ahmed.

Capt Yadav took the opportunity to clarify that he did not support Birender Singh and his demand. “I have only said that all greivances must be aired at a party forum. Everybody is free to meet the Congress President and that we will go into the Assembly elections with the Chief Minister as our leader. I belong to no group and my commitment is to the group headed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi,” he said. Yadav admitted that going public with criticism was damaging the party. Yadav maintained that all leaders, including Birender Singh, Selja or Balbir Pal Shah must be heard. “I initially had differences with the Chief Minister but I kept raising my demands, especially that of a university in my area, which the CM finally agreed to. Everything stands settled,” he claimed even as Hooda maintained that there were only differences in the party but no factionalism.

Asked why he was unwilling to let go of his chair despite the party losing nine of the 10 seats in the parliamentary elections, Hooda shot back: “the party has won nine of the 10 seats twice under my leadership. The last elections had nothing to do with the policies but was personality oriented. The campaign created an impression that somebody with a magic wand was coming to solve all problems. I have been touring the state and I can feel the disillusionment of the public as also the party workers. Contrary to all promises the BJP made, oil, gas, sugar, rail fares are all either up or proposed to be increased within days of the formation of the new government,” he said.

About the demand for a separate SGPC for Haryana, Hooda claimed that the Chathha committee report was being “legally examined” and a report was expected very soon. “We will take a decision in accordance with the sentiments of Haryana Sikhs. I will go to the conference of the HSGPC (ad hoc) at Kaithal on July 6,” he said.

The CM said the Assembly session would be convened soon.

Chandigarh, June 24
It’s all about politics and administrative control and little about the better management of gurdwaras and welfare of devotees . The demand for a separate Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) by Sikhs in Haryana aims at ridding the historic gurdwaras in Haryana of direct political interference of the SGPC which is directly controlled by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

The current struggle over the control of gurdwaras is nothing more that the ongoing strategy of the Sikh leadership to exercise political influence through the control of gurdwaras. The SAD has from time to time raised the demand for an All-India Gurdwara Act that it feels may extend the party’s political influence to other parts of the country with a sizable population of Sikhs. This, in turn, would allow it better political leverage in national politics.

The charge by politicians and Sikhs in Haryana is that the SAD, being a close ally of the INLD, uses the platform of gurdwaras to influence Sikhs vote in favour of the INLD. Besides, Sikhs living in Haryana also accuse the SGPC of taking away the offerings from gurdwaras in Haryana and not giving back enough funds to manage the shrines.

Management of funds is not the only bone of contention, says Manjit Singh Calcutta, a former Secretary of the SGPC. Sikhs supported by parties other than the INLD object to political interference of the SAD in Haryana. Further, the SGPC that runs several educational institutions in Haryana hardly has any representation from Haryana Sikhs nor do state Sikhs find any place in jobs of the SGPC for running or managing educational institutions or gurdwaras in Haryana.

While the Sikhs in Haryana are demanding their own HSGMC, emboldened by the electoral success in Delhi and parts of Haryana, SAD Patron Parkash Singh Badal has in his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated its old demand for enacting an All-India Gurdwara Act to bring gurdwaras across the country under the new legislation. This will give the SAD an opportunity to assert its political influence in other states.

This move has however met with stiff opposition from committees and bodies such as Takht Hazoor Sahib at Nanded and those in Haryana, Himachal , Patna, Chandigarh etc. Giani Kulwant Singh, Jathedar of Takht Hazoor Sahib at Nanded (Maharashtra), has said that Sikhs in Maharashtra are against any such legislation. Similar reactions have come from Takht Patna Sahib in Bihar. “The legislation is primarily aimed at extending the SAD reach to Sikh shrines outside Punjab. Every independent board and committee of Gurdwaras will oppose it,” said Giani Kulwant Singh.

To strengthen this demand in Haryana, rival factions led by Didar Singh Nalvi and Jagdish Singh Jhinda have announced that they will work together and jointly organise a “maha sammelan” to seek the creation of HSGMC. In the past a committe constitueed under Finance Minister HS Chathha collected 3.5 lakh affidavits from Sikhs in favour of a separate HSGMC but the report of the committee remains to be implemented by the Hooda Government. Hooda is expected to make an announcement at a Sikh mahasammelan at Kaithal on July 6.

Karnal, June 24
Reacting over the purposed five-member committee for the Haryana Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (HSGPC), Amrinder Singh Arora, state youth president of the HSGPC, today demanded that the committee should instead have 21 members.

Amrinder Arora said the sikh community had sacrificed a lot for this cause and each section of the community should get proper opportunity. Two members from each section should be there in this committee to give them equal responsibility. — TNS

Kaithal, June 24
All hopes of any good news about the return of their young family member from Iraq were dashed by a distressing call of 57 seconds last night by their missing family member Baljinder. He called his brother and shared his tale of woes with him and requested for an immediate help as he along with 30-40 others have been living without food for the last six-seven days.

“I got a call last night around 11 pm from my younger brother Baljinder, who is stranded in Baghdad. He told me that he along with other 30-40 are packed and locked in a small room and without food for the last six-seven days. They are not getting even required water,” said Baljit Singh of Bhoona Plot village, elder brother of Baljinder, with tears rolling down from cheeks.

Baljinder, who went to Iraq in December 2013 through an Ambala based travel agent, also told his brother during brief interaction that company employees have fled after locking them there in a room, located in an unknown location of Baghdad city.

“Last time we received his call on June 15. Last night when I got a call from an international number, I expected to get some good news. But the call was disconnected midway when Baljinder started crying for help. Since then I have been trying to call back on the same number, but could not,” said Baljit.

The lack of proper information about the exact location of their missing family member and disappearance of Ambala based travel agent, who sent him to Baghdad, have multiplied the problems of family. Baljinder was sent to Baghdad city, but neither they have the details of employer of Baljinder nor they have details of Ambala based travel agent.

“Baljinder was sent to Baghdad city and he told us that he was working in Baghdad city. But we do not know the name of his company. The phone number of Ambala based travel agent is out of coverage area and we do not know to whom we should approach,” said Baljit, who has not informed other family members about the distressing call of his younger brother last night, fearing his mother may suffer serious health problems.

Ambala, June 24
Ram Sarup, father of a youth of Ghel village, who is trapped in Iraq, is not aware when his son Virender will come back.

The stranded youth’s wife Rekha and their three-year-old daughter Mahi are also awaiting his safe return.

Virender had gone to Iraq on May 27, 2014, in search of job. He was offered a job in UGSN Company at Basra. He was told that he would get a salary of 200 dollar every fortnight. However, even after one month, the company did not pay him a single penny. “When I last spoke to Virender, he told me that a security guard of the company had locked him in a room and was demanding 700 dollars from him for getting back his passport and visa,” said Ram Sarup. He said his son had told him that he was being treated like a jail inmate.

Sarup said after June 20, his son’s cellphone was coming switched off and his son had not contacted him since then. He said he was not getting any assistance either from the government or the administration. He said two days ago, former MLA Venod Sharma had visited his house and assured him all help. Around six youths of Lakhnour Sahib village, close to Ambala City, are trapped in Iraq.

Jhajjar, June 24
Touts in Haryana are running a fake arms licence racket allegedly in collusion with some Nagaland officials through a chain system. This revelation has come to light during an investigation made by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by Anil Rao, IGP, Rohtak Range.

It was constituted to carry out a probe into the racket which is likely to be operated in eight states, including Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The touts used to take Rs 1.5 lakh from their clients for getting a retainership of actual arms licensees done from Nagaland and the payment was made in instalments. However, for this the client was not required to visit Nagaland to be present before the authority concerned for completing paper formalities.

Haryana touts used to send passport size photographs of clients and other documents to their accomplices at Nagaland through courier, who later used to submit the same to the authorities concerned with the help of officials. Nagaland touts then used to dispatch the retainership card of arms licence through courier to Haryana touts, who then handed it over to their clients. The entire process took hardly one month.

As per the SIT probe, Haryana touts used to make payment either through electronic payment system (EPS) or bank account to their Nagaland counterparts, who received around Rs 1 lakh in two instalments for a single retainership for arms licence while the remaining share of Rs 50,000 was kept by the Haryana touts.

IGP Rao made it clear that the touts did not get the arms licences made, but these were the retainership card for arms licences on basis of which hundreds of retainers managed to buy firearms from gun shops.

”The Nagaland authorities did not mention retainership on the card issued. That’s why, it looked like an arms licence,” he added.

“Retainer of arms licensee is supposed to be native of the same state, but the touts used to get fake domicile certificate of Nagaland made from village panchayat and local bodies,” said Rao, adding that it was yet to be probed whether the original arms licensees had the knowledge about their retainers.

Apart from criminals, many other people obtained firearms on the basis of this retainership just for status symbol, while unemployed youths procured this with an intention of getting a job in security agencies, he added.

Sources said the touts had contacts with some corrupt babus of the local authorities and used to meet them frequently. 

Bhiwani, June 24
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is mulling a referendum on whether or not it should contest the Assembly polls in the state.

Party’s state in-charge and National Executive member Yogendra Yadav said the party was interacting with districts units across the state on the issue. “We will reach out to the people to assess their opinion on contesting the Assembly polls through referendum,” he said at a press conference.

He admitted party chief Arvind Kejriwal’s decision to resign as Delhi Chief Minister was wrong and had not gone down well with the electorate, as reflected in the results of the Lok Sabha elections. Yadav said there was a political vacuum in the state and the party aspired to step in to fulfill the aspirations of the people. “The INLD leadership is in jail in corruption cases while the Congress government has been facing several charges of scams. The people have shown their resentment by voting against the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections,” he said. — TNS

Rohtak, June 24
Elections to the Haryana Assembly may not have been announced, but political outfits of different hues have started making their moves to mobilise their respective cadres.

As per informed sources, top leaders of the INLD as well as the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) are in talks with the BSP leadership to ensure poll gains in the forthcoming battle of the ballot.

The sources maintain that the reason behind the sudden affection for the BSP is the lure of Dalit votes, which comprise a considerable chunk of Haryana electorate.

Hence, the parties except the Congress and the BJP are making efforts to woo BSP due to its hold on the Dalit vote-bank. Apart from focusing on the 18 Assembly constituencies reserved for the Scheduled Caste candidates, the parties also eye those Assembly segments and pockets which have a substantial number of Dalit voters.

Thus, the parties wooing the BSP are hopeful to strike a social engineering formula to achieve success in the coming elections to the state Assembly.

Sonepat, June 24
State BJP president Ram Bilas Sharma said today that the party would announce the name of the candidates in July and the final decision on the BJP-HJC alliance would be taken by the party high command.

Sharma was interacting with the mediapersons after he visited the bereaved family of Haryana Vidhan Speaker, Kuldeep Sharma, whose 84-year old mother Sharda Rani, wife of four-time MP late Pandit Chiranji Lal Sharma, passed away on June 20.

He indicated that everything was not going right in the alliance and from the meetings and rallies being organised by the HJC, it appeared that the HJC was parting its ways from the alliance. “We have informed the party high command about all these activities,” he added.

Sharma also claimed that the BJP would win at least 63 Assembly seats in the coming elections. He parried the question on who could be projected as the CM candidate before the Assembly elections.

Sirsa, June 24
Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar led a demonstration by the Congress workers at Sirsa against the recent hike in the railway fare by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. A similar protest was also held by KV Singh, former officer on special duty (OSD) to the CM, at Dabwali in the district today.

Congress workers demonstrated in front of the Kisan Express at Sirsa railway station to oppose the recent hike in the railway fare and freight charges. Addressing party workers, Tanwar alleged that the Modi government, which came to power on the slogan “Acchhe Din aaney waaley hain,” gave a rude shock to the public by its recent decision. He said while the hike in railway fare and freight charges was unprecedented and untimely, people dreaded the thought of the increase of Rs 10 per month in the cost of LPG cylinders as has been hinted by the government.

Meanwhile, Congress workers burnt the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the rise in railway fares outside the Dabwali railway station in Sirsa today.

Haryana CM’s former OSD KV Singh, who led the agitators, alleged that the BJP fooled people by promising them control on prices, but it has increased prices of diesel, sugar, LPG, vegetables as well as railway fares within a month of its swearing in.

Chandigarh, June 24
The Haryana Government has extended the period to avail the benefit of waiving off interest and penal interest under “One Time Settlement Scheme” of Haryana Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (HSFDC) and Haryana Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections Kalyan Nigam (HBCKN) upto September 30, 2014.

While stating this here on Saturday, Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Minister, Geeta Bhukkal said this decision would benefit about 1.60 lakh persons belonging to scheduled castes and backward classes, who have taken loan from these corporations.

She said that the scheme is being implemented to provide an opportunity of settlement of loans to those members belonging to Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes who have taken loans under different schemes from HSFDC and HBCKN. Under this scheme the entire amount of interest on their loan would be waived off, she added.

New Delhi, June 24
Taking a note of farmers’ plight in Nidani village near Jind city in Haryana due to the lack of water for irrigation, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a report from the state government.

The commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Haryana, and the Secretary, Irrigation Department, calling for the report. They have been directed to submit the report within four weeks.

It has intervened in the matter following its suo motu cognisance of a media report. It observed that the alleged lack of water supply, which has adversely affected their farmers, was a “serious” violation of human rights. The farmers of Nidani have not been getting water for irrigation as the authorities have failed to repair the dilapidated water channel for the last three years. They have been constrained to make use of ground water which is unfit for irrigation.

Reportedly, the area Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), Irrigation, claimed that the fund for repairing the channel had to be approved by the government and this would take months. — TNS

Palwal, June 24
A minor girl was allegedly burnt to death at Teherki village of the district today. The police have registered a case against a youth in this connection. He is on the run.

The victim’s mother alleged that the accused, Bhura (19), tired to molest her daughter (15) when she was alone at home. As the girl resisted, the accused set her afire. The girl suffered 90 per cent burns.

She was taken to the Civil Hospital here, from where she was referred to a hospital in Delhi. But she succumbed to her injuries on the way.

Narnaul, June 24
The Haryana Urban Local Bodies Department has suspended Municipal Council (MC) chairperson Anjana Aggarwal for misusing her position while awarding development works.

Vikas Gupta, Director (Local Bodies), issued the suspension order on the basis of an investigative report submitted by the district authorities. The report has indicted her husband, Rattan Lal Aggarwal, for the irregularities as well. The police have booked the couple under relevant sections of the IPC.

Sources said Anjana did not invite tenders for nearly 500 development works carried out last year. A committee formed to look into the matter found that Anjana sanctioned the purchase of material from unauthorised firms and misused her official vehicle for personal visits.

This is not all. The chairperson granted no-objection certificates (NoC) on her own without obtaining the consent from the officials concerned. The signatures of other officials are also mandatory to grant NoCs.

A few councillors had called on Mahendragarh Deputy Commissioner (DC) last month and apprised him of irregularities in development works. They furnished documents to back their claim.

Subsequently, the DC had marked the matter to the Narnaul SDM for investigation. The official found Anjana guilty of committing financial and other irregularities while misusing her power.

Chandigarh, June 24
The Haryana Police Recruitment Board has postponed the physical measurement tests (PMT) and physical efficiency tests (PET) for the recruitment of constables in the state police due to technical snag in network connectivity. These tests were scheduled to be held up to July 30, 2014, at the Haryana Police Academy, Madhuban.

A spokesman said the revised schedule of the PMT and PET would be notified through newspapers and uploaded on board’s websites www.hprbonline.com or www.hprbonline.in. — TNS

Faridabad, June 24
Development works in the city have come to a halt in the wake of outstanding dues of contractors hired by the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad (MCF).

The dues ranging between Rs 80 crore and 90 crore have held up since January last year, a spokesperson for the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad Contractors’ Association claims.

“It is difficult for contractors to carry on with the works in the wake of lack of funds. Members of the association met MCF chief engineer DR Yadav today to apprise him of the matter,” he said, adding that they would meet the Commissioner in a day or two.

Several reminders had been submitted to officials concerned, but to no avail, the association spokesperson claimed.

“It’s not the payment of ongoing projects that is held up, but the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, has not paid for completed projects,” association president Giriraj Singh said.

A similar situation arose in November last year. Then the contractors went on strike.

The chief engineer claimed the issue of pending payments would be resolved soon as the civic body’s annual budget had already been passed. “Funds will be made available to clear the dues, if any,” Yadav said, adding that the Chief Minister had assured to release Rs 50-crore grant for the city during his recent visit here.

In the past six months, civic body has sanctioned projects worth more than Rs 300 crore.

Rohtak, June 24
The MDU authorities have threatened disciplinary proceedings against the university staffers giving statements to the media.

The MDU notification a copy of which is in possession of The Tribune states that “the Vice-Chancellor has taken a serious note of different university personnel going to the Press and giving statements pertaining to the university; though none is authorised to give any statement to the media except the Director, Public Relations”.

The notification states the Public Relations Officer alone is authorised to issue a press statement or release on behalf of the university.

Faculty members have termed the said notification as an attempt to suppress their constitutional right of freedom of expression and decided to oppose it tooth and nail. “We condemn the gag orders and demand that these be taken back immediately or the Vice-Chancellor should be prepared to face the consequences,” said Prof Vazir Singh Nehra, a senior faculty member and former president of the MDU Teachers’ Association.

Condemning the move, several faculty members said they would put up a concerted fight to get it reverted.

Chandigarh, June 24
The Haryana Government has appointed the Social Justice and Empowerment Department as the nodal department for dealing with problems faced by the transgender community.

A notification to this effect was issued by the Chief Secretary here today. According to the notification, the nodal department will collect details as explained in a Supreme Court judgment of April 15 to suggest or direct the departments concerned from time to time. — TNS

Karnal, June 24
The Sarvjan Vikas Party (SVP) on Monday announced its state executive body and, with it, sounded the election bugle for the Assembly elections.

Party convener Rohtash Kumar told the media that Mewa Singh Bagri had been appointed state president, and Pinki Devi, Anil Kumar Gagat, Mahavir Singh, Anil Bohat, Sumit Chauhan and Sanjay Bahadur as general secretary for three years. Pawan Kumar has been appointed state media convener and Vikram Singh cashier for the same period.

Kumar said SVP was launched on May 3 in Chandigarh soon executive bodies would be formed in every district.

On the party’s agenda for elections, he said the SVP would raise voice against Dalit atrocities and fight for the basic amenities such as electricity and water. — TNS