Panipat, August 23
The Congress will kick start its campaign for the Assembly elections with its proposed state-level vijay sankalap rally in Panipat tomorrow.

Prof Birinder Singh, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s political adviser, said, “All arrangements have been made and the rally will be a historic event.”

The Congress is leaving no stone unturned to make the rally a big success. Hooda’s son and Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda has visited the rally site twice to take stock of the arrangements.

CM’s nephew Sukhinder Monu has also been camping in Panipat for several days. Aspirants of the party ticket are expected to ensure huge gathering in the rally, the sources said.

Hooda will be the chief guest in the rally. He is expected to reach the city at 11.30 am and before reaching the rally site, he will attend an inauguration function of Sombhai Marg on the GT road, DC Ajit Balaji Joshi said.

A waterproof tent spread over 2.4 lakh square feet has been erected at the site. Rohtak Divisional Commissioner Chandra Prakash, Rohtak range IG Anil Rao, Panipat DC Ajit Balaji Joshi and SP B Satheesh Balan today visited the site to give arrangements a final touch.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made to maintain law and order at and around the rally site.

Jind, August 23
Congress ticket aspirants are leaving no stone unturned to take maximum number of vehicles loaded with their supporters to the Panipat rally venue tomorrow. They are expecting that their performance in the rally tomorrow will be a huge deciding factor during the finalisation of names for the tickets for the state Assembly elections.

To lure maximum residents of their respective areas to the rally, leaders have arranged mineral water bottles, packed food and AC vehicles. Special cooks have been hired by many leaders and special food packets will be given to the supporters. These packets and water bottles will be placed in vehicles in the wee hours of Saturday and sent to various villages.

“I have arranged 140 buses and 60 SUVs. I have also hired cooks for preparing and packing food,” said Bachan Singh Arya, a ticket aspirant from the Safidon constituency.

Veena Malik Deswal, Jind zila parishad chairman and a ticket aspirant, said she had hired 35 buses and 150 other vehicles for her supporters. Congress sources said since Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda wanted to make it the biggest rally of his career, he had formed special committees of party leaders. These committees will keep an eye on all Congress leaders, their vehicles and supporters.

Balram Katwal, Congress leader from Jind city and another ticket aspirant, said his supporters had arranged 200 SUVs and cars.

All in good hope Leaders have made mineral water, packed food and AC vehicles arrangements for supporters Special cooks have been hired for the purpose A committee has been formed to keep a check on vehicles reaching the rally site

Jhajjar, August 23
Desertions continue to haunt the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leadership in Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda’s bastion. After being denied the party ticket, INLD spokesman and two-time MLA from Bahadurgarh Nafe Singh Rathi joined the BJP on Friday after resigning from the INLD.

He was carrying out a public contact programme for months in the hope of the party ticket, but the INLD announced Teja Pahalwan as its nominee from Bahadurgarh. Teja will make his debut in electoral politics.

Quitting the party, the former MLA said dedicated party workers were being ignored by top leaders. “In this situation, I have no option left but to end my three-decade-old association with the INLD,” he added.

Besides Rathi, former minister Kanta Devi, who left the INLD three days ago, today joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP Kisan Morcha national president Om Prakash Dhankar in Jhajjar on Saturday.

Kanta had unsuccessfully contested the last two Assembly elections on the INLD ticket and was a strong contender for the INLD ticket from Jhajjar (reserved) constituency. Earlier, two-time MLA Om Prakash Beri had quit the INLD after being denied the party ticket from Beri.

The INLD has fielded new faces from all four Assembly segment in Jhajjar district. Besides Teja, the INLD has fielded Santosh Dahiya from Beri, Sadhu Ram Jhamri from Jhajjar and Sumitra Gulia from Badli.

Ambala, August 23
District Trinamool Congress (TMC) president Pritpal Antal joined the BSP on Saturday in the presence of BSP leaders Madan Lal Rana and Hakam Singh. Antal claimed that the TMC had lost credibility in the state.

Malkeet Singh, media in charge of Birender Singh, resigned from the Congress and announced his decision to join the BJP in the presence of district BJP general secretary Pavitar Singh Bajwa.

Jagpreet Chadda Raju of the Congress joined the Jan Chetna Party along with his supporters in the presence of municipal councillor Pawan Aggarwal Dimpy. — OC

Kalayat (Kaithal), August 23
INLD leader Abhay Chautala today alleged that the Chief Minister had been working as a property dealer for big companies and snatching the source of livelihood from farmers. He said after coming to power, the INLD will take steps to restore land of farmers.

Abhay was speaking at INLD meeting in Kalayat Assembly segment to seek votes for Rampal Majra.

“During the tenure of the Congress, only Rohtak has seen development. Kalayat has not seen any development,” alleged Chautala.

He said Hooda had been making false claims of huge development through a false media campaign.

He did not spare the BJP and alleged that party had not fulfilled its promise.

“The BJP made big promises to improve the condition of the poor, but inflation is rising,” added Abhay.

Rohtak, August 23
Giving yet another jolt to the ruling party in the state, former Congress MP from Sonepat Jitender Malik joined the BJP on Saturday.

Malik joined the saffron party in the presence of former Haryana BJP president Ganeshi Lal at the party’s state office. — TNS

Gurgaon, August 23
A shortage of brides has forced district panchayats end the 600-year-old ban on marriage within the same “gotra” (clan) and surrounding villages “bonded by brotherhood”.

The Jat khap panchayat of Jaurasi-Fatehpur village near Tauru, which holds “chaudhar” (leadership) of 12 villages, has lifted the ban and proposed the change to Gurgaon village, which holds sway in 18 villages.

The proposal seeks go-ahead for marriage with villages like Gurgaon Gaon, Basai, Dhanwapur, Garauli Kalan, Garauli Khurd and Kadipur fall under the Gurgaon panchayat which are “bonded by brotherhood”.

“Men turn 40 but do not get suitable Jat brides. We are forced to settle for multiple marriage or marriage with huge age differenc Atalvir Kataria, panchayat member.

“A panchayat of 25 villages was held recently. It was decided to lift the ban. Now Jaurasi-Fatehpur and six other villages can marry their youth in each other’s communities,” he said.

Areas like Gurgaon and Mewat have been struggling with a skewed sex ratio, with Gurgaon having 854 females per 1,000 males.

Rewari, August 23
The entry of ‘disgruntled’ political leaders into the BJP has not only sparked a struggle to get the party ticket for the upcoming Assembly elections, but has left old-timers and grassroots workers feeling ‘ignored’ due to the ‘prominence’ of new entrants as well.

Due to the changing political scenario in the state after the Lok Sabha elections, a significant number of leaders either discontented with their party leadership or denied the party ticket had joined the BJP in the hope of party candidature for the Assembly elections.

Though the development is a positive sign for the saffron party, it has caused discomfort and insecurity among old-timers. “We hoped after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister that there were happy days ahead for BJP workers in Haryana,” said a party worker on the condition of anonymity.

“The entry of several senior leaders in the party fold has reduced our importance. They are trying to push us on the back foot,” he said. Another BJP worker said, “It is good that prominent leaders are joining the BJP, but deserving workers have to struggle for the ticket due to the list of aspirants, mostly outsiders.”

Denying that party workers were being ignored due to the new entrants, state BJP spokesman Veer Kumar Yadav said the high command had said old-timers would be given priority in ticket allotment for Assembly elections, but winability and image would be kept in consideration as well.

“Party workers are enthused as former ministers, MLAs and MPs who matter in state politics have joined the BJP. Around 50 senior politicians have expressed faith and confidence in the ideology of the BJP and many more are ready to join us,” he said.

He asserted that the party workers had been given priority during the last three major programmes held organised in Mahendragarh, Jind and Kaithal. They were invited with full respect and proper seating arrangements for them ensured, he added.

Yamunanagar, August 23
High drama was witnessed at the Employees State Insurance Corporation Hospital in Jagadhri when the interviewers suddenly announced to postpone the interviews being taken for the posts of sweepers, peons and other posts.

The irked candidates staged a protest and raised anti-government and anti-interviewers slogans. According to information, the Health Department had advertised to fill up the vacant 81 posts on contract basis for sweepers, peons and other jobs in ESI Hospital, Jagadhri, and ESI dispensaries of seven districts falling under the jurisdiction of civil surgeon, ESI Hospital, Jagadhri, Yamunanagar.

As many as 2,300 youth had applied for the said posts and the date for interview had been fixed for today. The civil surgeon of ESI, Jagadhri, had formed four teams to conduct the interviews which started at 10 am.

The candidates said the authorities of the hospital suddenly announced at about 12 noon that the interviews were postponed. Sources said a phone call came from Chandigarh informing the interviewers that the interview for the said posts was cancelled.

With the announcement, the candidates got angry and they staged a protest for about half an hour at the hospital. The hospital authorities had to call the police who handled the situation.

Dr NK Kalia, director, ESI, Chandigarh, said the interview was postponed due to administrative reasons.

Kurukshetra, August 23
Several women organisations today burnt Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s effigy for terming the Delhi gang-rape a small incident.

Members of the Congress Mahila Wing, led by member of the Haryana State Commission for Women Pravesh Rana, raised slogans against him outside the Congress Bhawan.

Rana said, “It is unfortunate that the Union Finance Minister has made such a statement. Crimes against women are increasing, but the Centre is not concerned about it.”

In another similar protest, members of the Jan Sangharsh Manch and Samtamoolak Mahila Sangathan jointly took out a protest march in town and burnt Jaitley’s effigy near the old bus stand.

Sudesh Kumari, a protester, said, “During the Lok Sabha election, the BJP had made tall claims regarding women protection, but it (BJP) is yet to take any step in this direction. He (Jaitley) has insulted the women of the country and his statement will encourage people to commit such heinous crimes.”

Jaitley, addressing a conference of state tourism ministers, had said, “One small incident of rape in Delhi advertised world over is enough to cost us billions of dollars in terms of global tourism.”

Though he expressed regret over his statement, political parties and social organisations remained unimpressed.

Yamunanagar, August 23
Deputy Commissioner Mandip Singh Brar removed the sarpanch of Kathgarh village, terminated additional block programme officer (ABPO), MGNREGA, and ordered to withhold two increments of a gram sachiv for committing financial irregularities in the panchayat funds and negligence in maintaining record of the said funds.

Besides, the Haryana government chargesheeted three block development and panchayat officers (one retired) and two junior engineers in the same case.

Sources said the action was taken on the base of an inquiry report of additional deputy commissioner, Yamunanagar against sarpanch Vinay Swaroop, ABPO MGNREGA Gaurav, gram sachiv Subhash, BDPO RK Channa (presently posted at Saha, Ambala), Kuldeep Singh Dahiya (presently posted at Radaur) and Ghanshyam Das (retired) and JEs including Joginder Singh (presently posted at BDPO office Chhachhruali) and Vikas Kumar.

Satpal Singh of Kathgarh village had filed a civil writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking action against the guilty, in 2012.

The High Court passed an order in the case directing DC to act on representation in accordance with law and DC marked an inquiry to ADC.

According to the inquiry report the sarpanch had shown an expenditure of Rs 10,45,498 for the cleaning of the Saraswati Kund under MGNREGA scheme, but an amount of Rs 5,81,391 had been paid without filing of measurement book.

The sarpanch had not coordinated with the ABPO, gram sachiv and BDPO, Bilaspur, at the time of uploading the said information on Management Information System (MIS), MGNREGA. He also failed to coordinate a social audit as per MGNREGA rules.

Meanwhile, the irregularities were found on the part of ABPO regarding labour payments as per measurement book, social audits and uploading of wrong information on MIS.

Holding the gram sachiv guilty, the report said a payment of Rs 5,63,552 had been released for de-silting of Saraswati Pond, but he didn’t fill the measurement book.

Interestingly, an amount of Rs 6,01,737 was spent for digging a new pond in Rampura village, but an amount of Rs 5,51,948 was uploaded online, accordingly an amount of Rs 49,789 was found missing.

Sonepat, August 23
Justice TS Thakur of the Supreme Court today inaugurated a newly constructed judicial complex in Gohana. He credited Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for releasing grant of over Rs 500 crore for the judicial infrastructure of the state.

Hooda, who was present on the occasion, said it had been a priority of his government to provide the best possible judicial infrastructure to its people. He also announced a grant of Rs 21 lakh for the library of the judicial complex.

Ashutosh Mohunta, acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, also praised the CM for releasing development grants for the judicial infrastructure. Justice SK Mittal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court said it was the duty of the judicial officials to provide speedy and quality justice to the people.

Justice SS Saron and Justice Rajan Gupta of the high court and District and Sessions Judge Inderjit Mehta also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, Justice Thakur inaugurated a building of the ADR Centre on the premises of district courts here.

Sirsa, August 23
The police today booked a youth for molesting a student of Chaudhary Devi Lal University and threatening to throw acid on her.

The girl alleged that a youth of Prem Nagar of Sirsa, molested her two days ago. When she and her friend protested, he allegedly threatened her with acid attack. She alleged she had given a written complaint to the police on the same day, but no case was registered.

Yesterday, her friend was arrested with a weapon. Supporter of the girl said he had been framed at the instance of the molester. They said when they went to the police to inquire about the fate of the girl’s complaint, the cop on duty demanded a fresh complaint —TNS