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An RSS pracharak, Khattar has come a long way
‘Outsider’ tag fails to stick with CM-designate
Khattar promises all-round growth
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Early Diwali for Khattar’s village
Punjabis in upbeat mood
Anil Vij’s supporters disappointed
Free-for-all at anointment meet
oath ceremony
BJP gets support of BSP, 3 Independents
Abhay to lead INLD in House
Pvt paddy purchase doubles as farmers opt for superior basmati
Hepatitis C treatment now at Fatehabad, but patients to pay
Rape victim refuses to accept newborn
Couple jumps into Bhakra, woman saved
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An RSS pracharak, Khattar has come a long way
A déjŕ vu of sorts, Khattar has lived a life very similar to that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, too, was almost unknown till he was chosen to become the Gujarat Chief Minister. Like Modi, who sold tea, Manohar, as he is known to his buddies sold clothes, would be the Chief Minister on Sunday. Early life
He was born seven years after his parents migrated in the aftermath of Partition and settled in Rohtak’s Nindana village. Early on, he showed the signs of a fighter. “His father, Harbans Lal, wanted Manohar to help him at his farm, but the little boy would sneak away and be found reading under a tree only to be rebuked and reprimanded,” recalls Parasram Yadav (91) who lives in Khattar’s neighbourhood.
Fighting odds
Khattar, now 60, may be a new face in electoral politics, but he was shown black flags when his name was announced as the BJP nominee from Karnal. But those who have known him say the CM-designate has prevailed against all odds. “He came from a humble background, but Khattar displayed his brilliance right from school. He also took active part in debates, discussions and extra-curricular activities besides excelling in academics,” says Om Prakash Kalsan, a classmate from school. Manohar was the first member of his family to study beyond matriculation. Not many know that his father wanted him to work on the farm, but he was hell bent on becoming a doctor. Keeping his father in the dark, he borrowed money from his mother and enrolled himself in Rohtak’s Neki Ram Sharma Government College. It was only after he failed to pursue his dream he went to Delhi and started selling clothes in the Sadar bazaar, he added.
Modi link
“After a meeting, when Modi came to know that Khattar was a cloth seller and that they shared a common background, they became chums,” reveals Ashok Sukhija, a fellow RSS pracharak. While doing business, he completed his graduation from Delhi University. Khattar’s family traces its roots to West Punjab, now a part of Pakistan. The family lived the trauma of partition and arrived empty-handed in India and settled in Nindana village. Manohar’s father and grandfather took up odd jobs and finally saved money to open a small shop. He was born in 1954 in the village. Once their business took off, his father bought land Banyani village and started farming. In1980, Manohar became a full-time pracharak. In 1994, he joined the BJP and was made the general secretary in-charge of the party for Haryana. He watched the political affairs from close quarters during the 1996 BJP alliance with the Haryana Vikas Party and later when BJP decided to provide outside support to Om Prakash Chautala.
Well-versed in state politics
“He is well versed with the politics of Haryana,” says fellow pracharak Pankaj Bharti, who along with Khattar ran the Hisar Branch of the RSS from 1992 to 1994. Shashipal Mehta, a close friend since 1996, says, “A bachelor who left home 34 years ago dedicated his life to serve the nation. He is an able administrator. In the aftermath of the Bhuj earthquake, Modi called him to manage elections in the Kutch district. He ensured the BJP victory on 3 out of 6 seats,” he added. Khattar’s younger brother Charanjeet, a headmaster at a government school in Madana Kalan village in Jhajjar district, says, “It was in 1996 that Manohar began working with Modi, who was the then in-charge of Haryana. By 2004, my brother found himself in- charge of 12 states. Bhai sahib ensures the thumping win of the party during the 2014 LS polls, he added. He is the eldest amongst five brothers and two sisters. Two of his brothers are businessmen while one manages the family farm.
Good days are back
Khattar’s cousin, Darshan Lal, who still resides in the village sums up the expectations of the villagers from him, “If the life of the villagers does not improve now, then they are not destined to lead a better life. A selfless soul, bhayia considers the state to be his home, so better days are surely here for all,” he added. who is he
Born: January 1, 1954 Humble beginning
The Modi connection
BJP’s strategist, planner
Similarity with Modi
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‘Outsider’ tag fails to stick with CM-designate
Karnal, October 21 The measure of this is his huge victory margin. He defeated former minister and two-time MLA Jai Parkash Gupta by 63,773 votes. It was his first election; but with this victory, he has proved his political acumen. He has the experience of managing several elections for BJP candidates in other states. In the initial phase of his campaign, a section of local party leaders had opposed his candidature. They had shown black flags to him during the Vijay Sankalp Yatra in the city. Posters describing him as an “outsider candidate” were put up in the city. Not only this. BJP’s Karnal MP Ashwini Chopra had opposed his candidature. But Khattar succeeded in pacifying all disgruntled leaders. Later, Chopra campaigned for Khattar. Khattar, who was an RSS pracharak before joining the BJP, got support from the RSS cadre of the district as well as of the state and country. All other ticket aspirants and senior leaders of the party, including former minister ID Swami, former minister Shahipal Mehta, district president Ashok Sukhija, state general secretary Chander Parkash Kathuria, state spokesperson Jagmohan Anand, Mayor Renu Balal Gupta, senior deputy mayor Krishan Garg, district vice-president Deepak Dhawan, supported Khattar, sources in the party said. Khattar said he would ensure overall development of the state, and make the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi come true.
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Khattar promises all-round growth
Chandigarh, October 21 “I want to assure people that the BJP will develop the state as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. There will be no partiality on the development front in the state that faced regional discrimination,” he told the media here. “There will be all-round development of Haryana… be it the southern or northern part,” the Karnal MLA said after being elected as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party. This move paved the way for his becoming the first Chief Minister of the saffron party in the state. “The BJP has a team of experienced leaders capable of taking the state to newer heights as far as development is concerned,” Khattar said. He thanked voters for giving the mandate to the BJP to form the government in the state.
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Early Diwali for Khattar’s village
Baniyani (Rohtak), October 21 Cutting across caste lines, villagers, who had started assembling at Khattar’s home since early in the morning, started dancing to the beats of the “dhol” and offered sweets to one another. Khattar’s family members, relatives and villagers performed a “havan” at his house here and distributed “prasad” of laddoos and fruit. A joyous atmosphere prevailed at the village and the villagers exuded happiness and cheer. “He (Khattar) has always been very humble and polite. He is like a son to me and all village elders. We are delighted at his appointment as Chief Minister,” said Parasram Yadav, a 91-year-old, who lives in Khattar’s neighbourhood. “Seeing the celebrations, it’s like the villagers are celebrating Diwali today itself.” Nindana sarpanch Naresh Kumar said the residents of his village as well as nearby villages and towns were thrilled at Khattar’s achievement. Khattar was born at Nindana village in Rohtak on May 5, 1954. His father, Harbans Lal Khattar, used to run a shop there. In 1958, the family moved to Baniyani village and purchased agricultural land there. Khattar studied in Baniyani till Class V and then went to Bhali Anandpur, a bigger village nearby, to study. His classmate Om Prakash Kalsan recalls Manohar as a disciplined and patriotic boy in school. “He was good at mathematics and was always keen to help others,” he said. After completing his school, Khattar went to Delhi and started out as a cloth merchant, but soon joined the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) where he became a dedicated “pracharak”. He did not marry and devoted his life to social service through the sangh. Khattar’s cousin Darshan Lal, who lives in the same village, said he continued to visit them after joining the RSS. “During his visits, he would wake up all the children in the neighbourhood in the morning and take them outside to play,” said Pratap Singh, Jaibir and Kam Singh, residents of the village. Locals said the village faces acute shortage of drinking as well as irrigation water. The village has a co-educational senior secondary school, but villagers want a separate school for girls and a playground. They hope that with their son being installed as the Chief Minister, their concerns will now be taken care of.
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Punjabis in upbeat mood
Fatehabad/Sirsa, October 21 They distributed sweets at several places in Sirsa and Fatehabad today. Khattar (60) hails from Nigana village in Rohtak distict and represents Karnal in the Assembly. Supporters of Swatantar Bala Chaudhary, who contested unsuccessfully from Fatehabad, distributed “laddoos” outside her house. She hoped that the Khattar’s regime end regional bias in the state. Yuva Punjabi Sena president Rahul Setia, whose wife Sunita was the BJP candidate from Sirsa, said Khattar’s appointment would ensure overall development in the state. Punjabi manch lauds BJP’s decision New Delhi: The Akhil Bharatiya Punjabi Jagriti Manch (ABPJM) has welcomed the BJP’s decision to make a Punjabi, Manohar Lal Khattar, the Chief Minister of Haryana and urged it to make a Punjabi the Chief Minister of Delhi should it come to power. “The Punjabi community lauds BJP’s choice of Khattar to head its first-ever government in the state. The decision will go a long way in endearing it to the community,” Subhash Batra, president of the ABPJM, said here on Tuesday. — TNS
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Anil Vij’s supporters disappointed
Ambala, October 21 Prior to the naming of Khattar as the next CM of Haryana, chorus amongst Ambala residents, seeking chief ministership for Anil Vij, had become shriller. A large number of non-political organisations had also thrown their weight behind Anil Vij. — TNS
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Free-for-all at anointment meet
Chandigarh, October 21 No sooner did the BJP MLA step out of the hall all hell broke loose. As supporters jostled with the mediapersons to get into the hall where the crucial meeting to seek unanimity on Khattar’s name broke up, the newly elected legislators pushed their way through the crowd waiting to celebrate the announcement. The security ring around Khattar seemed grossly inadequate since the meeting hall was bursting at its seams and finally he did not walk out of the room, but was carried out with the flow of the crowd around. As the crowd surged ahead, tables and chairs at the Guest House were broken in the melee. A lost look on his face, Khattar did not have the opportunity to relish the moment. All he worried about was keeping his balance as jostling supporters holding bouquets of roses pushed him ahead and mediapersons tried to speak to him in the lobby of the UT guest house-turned-fortress with cops swarming the place and still unable to “protect the protected”. Many more supporters, with their faces flattened against the glass doors of the guest house, tried to catch a glimpse of their leader even as the sound of the dhol beats filled the air and those outside broke into an impromptu jig. After Khattar’s cavalcade left for the Haryana Raj Bhawan adjoining the UT Guest House, the supporters’ joy knew no bounds and there was no stopping them as they went about bursting crackers and showering flowers. Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu who came to chair the meeting couldn’t help expressing his displeasure over the unruly behaviour of the supporters. First-timeer Manish Grover said the party was confident of “leading the state to prosperity” while Kanwar Pal Gujjar from Jagadhri and Latika Sharma from Kalka said they were confident of providing a clean administration. MP Rattan Lal Kataria agreed that a major chunk of the MLAs was “inexperienced”. “However, we have 50 years of experience behind us. What are we there for,” he said. Among those who attended the meeting were state unit chief Ram Bilas Sharma and senior leader Birender Singh’s wife, Prem Lata.
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Preparations in full swing
Panchkula, October 21 A high level meeting was held at the stadium in the evening. The DGP, SN Vashisht, also convened a meeting in this regard. However, due to security reasons, he did not divulge the details of the force to be stationed at the venue. Diwali leave cancelled
Leave of many civil and police officer's was cancelled after the official declaration of the ceremony. Rehearsals for the same would begin tomorrow. — TNS |
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BJP gets support of BSP, 3 Independents
Chandigarh, October 21 Prithla MLA Tek Chand Sharma, the lone BSP legislator to be elected, and three Independents — Ravinder Machrouli (Samalkha), Rais Khan (Punhana) and Dinesh Kaushik (Pundri) — handed over their letters of support to Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki when the BJP delegation went to him to stake claim to form the next government. The BJP, which wrested power by winning 47 seats in the 90-member Assembly, will now have a combined strength of 51 in the House. The Opposition would comprise of INLD (19), INC (15), HJC-BL (2), SAD (one) and two Independents. Tek Chand Sharma defeated his nearest rival BJP’s Nayan Pal Rawat by 1,179 votes from Prithla.
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Abhay to lead INLD in House
New Delhi, October 21 Singh was chosen as the head at a meeting of newly elected party MLAs held here. The party has bagged 19 of the 90 Assembly seats and has emerged the principal Opposition in the state. Top leaders of the INLD other than the MLAS, along with those who lost the election, took part in this meeting. Before considering the issue of choosing the leader, the meeting discussed the offer of the state president Ashok Arora to resign. He had tendered his resignation immediately after declaration of the poll results taking moral responsibility for the party’s defeat. Arora, who was a candidate from the Thanesar, also lost the election. The meeting rejected his resignation offer. Subsequently, Arora assumed charge of the party and presided the meeting. Giving the details of this meeting, Arora said Jaswinder Singh Sandhu has been elected the deputy leader of party’s legislative wing and Randhir Singh Gangwal as the chief whip of the party. After being elected to head the INLD in the Assembly, Abhay Chautala addressed the meeting and declared the party’s support to the BJP government.
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Pvt paddy purchase doubles as farmers opt for superior basmati
Jind, October 21 The purchase figures show basmati arrivals increased from last year’s 2,769 metric tonne (mt) to 16,322 mt this year, but non-basmati arrivals have plummeted from last year’s 45,483 mt to 8,897 mt. This has affected the total purchase figure, which has come down to 25,219 mt from 48,252 mt for the corresponding period. Sources in the Food and Civil Supply Department disclosed since rates of basmati varieties were towards the higher side in the range of Rs 2,451 to 3,231 per quintal, it was a favourite among private purchasers. Government purchase agencies mainly focus on PR (non-basmati) varieties such as Grade-A, Sharbati, Muchal, which are available in the range of Rs 1,400 to 2,400 per quintal. “We (government purchase agencies) mainly focus on low-priced varieties while private players opt for superior quality varieties of paddy. The trend is changing fast as a majority of farmers have now started growing superior quality basmati varieties to earn handsome amounts. From our side there is no problem, but non-basmati varieties are arriving in less quantity,” said Ashok Kumar, Food and Civil Supply controller in Jind. The figures according to the purchase agency show that more than two weeks after the start of official purchase, Food Corporation of India, Haryana Warehousing Corporation and Confed have not started their purchase while the Food and Civil Supply Department has purchased 2,030 mt paddy, Hafed 2,682 mt and Haryana Agro 3,709 mt. Some farmers sitting at the Jind grain market alleged the government had not increased the rates of non-basmati varieties while the input cost had increased manifold. “The government must increase the paddy price if it wants to increase production as farmers have started switching to non-paddy crops due to lack of adequate price of paddy. Many in our area have sown cotton in their fields and left transplanting paddy,” said Surinder, a farmer.
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Hepatitis C treatment now at Fatehabad, but patients to pay
Fatehabad, October 21 However, there is a catch: the patients will have to pay Rs 4,262 per injection from their pockets. They have to be injected every week for 24 - 48 weeks depending upon the genotype of the injection. Civil Surgeon Dr Suraj Bhan duly inaugurated the facility. Dr Amit Munjal, Nodal Officer for the Hepatitis C treatment centre at Fatehabad said those having genotype 2 and 3 infection needed 24 injections while those with genotype 1 and 4 have to go for weekly injections for 48 weeks. He said the government was subsidising the injections - Rs 4,262 per unit - which otherwise were available in the market for Rs 5,500 to Rs 7,000 depending upon the manufacturer. SCs and BPL families, who are entitled to free treatment, will have to go to Rohtak for it. Treatment for Hepatitis C remained a hot poll issue in Ratia in view of the abnormally higher number of patients. Following this, the then CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda had promised free treatment during his campaign for a bypoll held in 2011. In a random survey of 8000 people, a team of experts from PGIMS, Rohtak, had detected 1,748 cases of Hepatitis C in Ratia in 2012. The government released Rs 4 crore for this, but while executing the plan it decided to shift the treatment centre to Rohtak instead of Ratia or Fatehabad and declared that only SC and BPL patients would get treatment free of cost. “It is not possible for us to go to Rohtak every week as most us are daily wagers,” said Rattan Singh, whose family member is also suffering from the disease. According to official records, merely 110 patients from Ratia got treatment at Rohtak since the scheme started. Dr Munjal said BPL and SC patients could approach their centre, but the authorities will have to send them to Rohtak after verifying their status.
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Rape victim refuses to accept newborn
Hisar, October 21 The 14-year-old schoolgirl as well as her prematurely delivered baby is admitted to the hospital. The doctors attending the baby said she was underweight (905 gm) and was being take care of at the neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU). However, the rape victim’s lawyer, Vikram Mittal, said her family had decided to not accept the child. Though the High Court had directed the health authorities to terminate the girl’s pregnancy, the doctors refused to do so due to hermedical condition. Now, the victim and her family have decided to surrender the child to the district authorities. Sunita Yadav, child welfare officer, said the mother would have to surrender the child to them after which they would send her for adoption.
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Couple jumps into Bhakra, woman saved
Sirsa, October 21 Police sources said Chiman Lal (28) and his wife Raina Devi (26), residents of Purana Hanuman Mandir area of Dabwali, jumped into the canal at 2.45 pm. Some villagers, who noticed them jumping, came to their rescue and were able to take Raina out of the water. However, they could not trace Chiman, who supposedly, was swept away by the strong currents of the canal. Raina was rushed to a hospital where her condition is stated to be stable. Vinod Kumar, SHO of the Sadar Police Station, said divers were trying to find Chiman’s body. The reason as to why the couple took the step would be known only after family members gave their statements, he said.
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CM-designate Manohar Lal Khattar was termed an “outsider candidate” in the initial phase of his campaign
but people of this segment did not pay heed to the rhetoric.
Haryana Chief Minister-designate Manohar Lal Khattar today promised corruption-free governance and all-round development of the state.
Baniyani (Rohtak), October 21
Chandigarh, October 21
New Delhi, October 21
Fewer arrivals of non-basmati varieties may have slowed down the government’s purchase over the last 20 days, but it has doubled over the last year for the private purchasers, with more farmers opting for expensive basmati varieties.
The purchase figures show basmati arrivals increased from last year’s 2,769 metric tonne
(mt) to 16,322 mt this year, but non-basmati arrivals have plummeted from last year’s 45,483 mt to 8,897
mt.
Chandigarh/Karnal, October 21
After the issue haunted the Congress government during its campaign in the Ratia segment, the Health Department has started treatment for Hepatitis C at Fatehabad from today.