Sangwan to contest from Sonepat
SONEPAT, Aug 17 — Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, BJP nominee for the Sonepat Parliamentary seat, filed his nomination papers today for contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

Gold biscuits seized, 1 held
AMBALA, Aug 17 — The local police seized 25 gold biscuits and about 335 gram of gold ornaments from Vijay Kumar last night.

1,404 booths for Hisar poll
HISAR, Aug 17 — Mr Apoorv Kumar Singh, Deputy Commissioner, said here today that 1,404 polling booths would be set up for 10,25,245 voters of the Hisar parliamentary constituency which would go to the polls on September 5.

NDA manifesto ‘contradictory’
ROHTAK, Aug 17 — The state unit of the CPM has described the election manifesto of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as "old wine in new bottle".

Lok Shakti, JD (U) to back NDA
PANCHKULA, Aug 17 — The Lok Shakti, the Samata Party and the Janata Dal (United) have decided to support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh.

EC observers for Hisar

Vajpayee to visit Haryana on Aug 20
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Aug 17 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, will visit Haryana on August 20 to launch the election campaign of the INLD-BJP alliance.

The BJP, in a statement here today, said that Mr Vajpayee will address election rallies at Karnal, Rohtak and Fatehabad on August 20.

The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, and leader of the BJP Legislature Party, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma will accompany the Prime Minister.

HISAR: The tour programme of Mr Vajpayee was finalised yesterday in Delhi, jointly by the BJP and the INLD leaders. However, Mr Vajpayee will not visit Bhiwani, where the Chief Minister’s son Mr Ajay Chautala is locked in a tough electoral battle against Mr Surinder Singh, a son of the former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal.

Earlier, the INLD leadership in the state was keen on Mr Vajpayee visiting Bhiwani to address a rally in support of Mr Ajay Chautala. However, the INLD has now been claiming that the INLD is in a comfortable position in Bhiwani, so there is not much urgency. Instead, they said, the party was serious about Rohtak, where the Congress veteran Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda is in fray. He has been elected from Rohtak for three consecutive terms defeating Mr Devi Lal twice.

This time, the INLD has fielded Capt Inderjeet against Mr Hooda. The party is concentrating on this constituency to defeat the traditional rival.

KARNAL: Mr Vajpayee will address a public meeting at Nehru Stadium ground here on August 20. He will reach here from Chandigarh and later fly to Rohtak.

Meanwhile, resentment prevails among sports lovers here regarding the choice of the venue for Mr Vajpayee’s meeting. Mr M.P. Singh, general secretary, Haryana Football Association, talking to TNS today regretted that the stadium was being dug up for the visit. He said the association had to abandon a football tournament in between as the organisers had started digging the ground on Tuesday. Today’s fixtures had to be postponed indefinitely.

He maintained that the association had suggested that half of the ground should be used for the visit. But the security set up of the Prime Minister and the state CID put its foot down.

Renaming of university
Chautala touches raw nerve
Tribune News Service

KARNAL, Aug 17 —The political gimmickry of the INLD chief, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, is likely to affect the prospects of the party’s nominees on more than a couple of seats in the coming parliamentary poll.

Mr Chautala, who is also the Chief Minister of Haryana, seems to have played his political cards unskillfully by kicking up a row over renaming Kurukshetra University as Guru Gobind Singh Kurukshetra University. If the trend of the voters’ mind is any indication, the Chief Minister’s wrong calculation of the political situation in the state has already cost him the support of a good section of voters in Kurukshetra, Sonepat and Rohtak.

By making a statement regarding renaming the university, that too from an Akali-BJP conference in Ludhiana in the presence of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Mr Chautala seems to have struck a wrong cord in the hearts of voters of the Kurukshetra parliamentary seat.

Before the announcement, the INLD candidate, Ms Kailasho Saini, who is also the sitting MP, was on a solid ground. But the announcement of Mr Chautala has stirred the feelings of the people so much that even before filing her nomination, Ms Saini seems to be on a weak wicket now. She has to persistently reply to queries of the voters about the need for Mr Chautala to change the varsity’s name. Probably, Mr Chautala had his eyes on the Sikh voters in Haryana when he made the announcement. His argument was that the renaming of the university after Guru Gobind Singh would consolidate the Sikh voters in favour of the INLD candidates.

Mr Chautala, however, conveniently forgot the formation of different segments of the Kurukshetra parliamentary seat. For one, it is the only parliamentary constituency in the state where the number of urban voters is almost equal to the rural voters. There are important urban pockets like Kaithal, Dhand, Pehowa, Kurukshetra, Pipli, Shahabad, Ladwa, Radaur, Yamunanagar and Babain. A large number of urban voters, who hitherto had been the votary of the BJP, are now likely to change their loyalty. Voters point out that Mr Chautala had hurt their feelings. The very name of Kurukshetra stirs a feeling of awe and reverence in the minds of followers of the Hindu religion all over the world. How come that the Chief Minister forgot about their feelings, they ask. This section of voters include not only the Punjabi voters but Jats, Brahmins, Rors, Khatris, Sainis and even Sikhs.

After the announcement, there had been a plethora of resolutions condemning the move of the Chief Minister. How the Chief Minister would soothen the hurt feelings of these voters remains to be seen.

By conceding the Sonepat seat to the BJP in lieu of Rohtak, the INLD chief has handed over Sonepat to the BJP on a platter. Before Mr Chautala agreed to concede his seat to the BJP under a poll pact, he had already announced the renomination of Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan from there. Mr Sangwan, the sitting INLD MP, had already toured the constituency renewing his contacts with the voters before Mr Chautala quietly pulled the rug under his feet. Mr Chautala’s move naturally angered Jat voters, especially, the Sangwan Khap. Mr Sangwan as the INLD candidate was not only sure of his victory but, visibly there was no other candidate of his stature in Sonepat. This theory is supported by the fact that immediately after Mr Chautala conceded this seat to the BJP, Mr Sangwan switched his loyalties to the BJP and he was happily picked up by the BJP as the party candidate from Sonepat.

Mr Chautala may now find comfort that the BJP is a poll partner of the INLD and the likely victory of Mr Sangwan will bring credit to the INLD also. But his supposition seems to be very wrong. For one, a feeling had already gone into the minds of the Jat voters in the constituency that Mr Chautala did not want that a Jat candidate from Sonepat should achieve a taller stature in the INLD. In other words, people in this constituency openly talk that Mr Chautala was averse to allow the state leadership to slip into the hands of Jats of Sonepat, Rohtak and Jind districts.

This feeling is also likely to affect the chances of the INLD candidate, Capt Inder Singh, in the Rohtak parliamentary seat. Although Mr Chautala was keen to put up his candidate from Rohtak to avenge the defeat of his father Devi Lal on three occasions at the hands of Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, HPCC chief, yet he forgot that Jats of Rohtak have been yearning for years that the political leadership of the state should be in their hands.

HC notice to Ajay Chautala: Meham case
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 17 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice for November 1 to Mr Ajay Chautala and three former and present police officers on an application moved by Mr Anand Singh Dangi, a former minister, praying for impleading them as respondents in the murder of Mr Amir Singh, an Independent candidate for the 1990 Meham Assembly election.

The police officers sought to be impleaded as respondents are Mr Y.S. Nakai, former DIG; Mr Kartar Singh Tomar, former SP; and Mr Om Parkash, DSP (Vigilance).

Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice M.S. Gill, who handed down this order, observed that notice to all these persons was necessary as their impleadment in the case would affect their status.

Earlier, the Bench took exception to the inaction of the previous government on the Justice Saikia Commission of Inquiry report submitted on May 31, 1994.

The Saikia Commission report was later sent to the state government as also to the CBI for taking appropriate action.

Pursuant to this report the Haryana Government had constituted a special investigation team headed by Mr V.N. Rai, DIG (Railways). It had completed investigation and submitted its report on July 14, 1996, to the government. The previous regime did not take any action even on this report.

The report submitted by the special investigation report continued to gather dust with the Director-General of Police, who even did not care to submit it to the government. The DGP had observed: "This report is not relevant".

Mini zoo: a picture of neglect
From Suman Bhatnagar

AMBALA: Wild animals and birds caged in the mini zoo of Mahavira Park, Ambala city, have been living a wretched life. Their neglect is clearly discernible as one goes round the cages.

The gravity acquires a greater dimension when one comes to know that the park where they have been caged has been renamed after Lord Mahavira, an apostle of peace and non-violence and who delivered the message of "live and let live" to humanity. The treatment meted out to these animals and birds is not only inhuman but also violates the Wildlife Protection Act, 1991.

In the beginning small wild animals and birds were caged in the mini zoo for the amusement of the children and were looked after well but later they fell into neglect. At present apart from two monkeys,there are a number of birds in the mini zoo.

The Wildlife Protection Act was amended in 1991 and all zoos were brought under the control of the Zoo Authority of India. The authority has issued directions dealing with the size of the cages for different animals and birds, then feed and medicare. Later the Act was again amended and any torture of wild animals was made a criminal offence.

The instructions laid down by the Zoo Authority of India have not been followed properly in the mini zoo. The cage in which two monkeys have been kept is of a small size at the rear. Neither there is a proper arrangement for cleanliness. Heaps of rubbish are seen in the cage.

Three of the cages where animals and birds of rare species used to be kept are empty. Though it has not been officially known where these animals have disappeared, however, it is understood that these might have become victims of mismanagement and have died.

A few months back the Deputy Commissioner had visited the park and showed her concern over the unhealthy and unhygienic conditions in which the animals were living.

Municipal Council officials say that since the park has been leased out to a private contractor, it is his responsibility to look after the animals. On the other hand, sources close to the contractor says that administration has not provided him with the facilities mentioned in the contract deed. Moreover the contract expired in June and has not been extended for another five years by the Municipal Council. Perhaps the council is thinking of taking over the administration of the park!

These sources say the contractor has also lost interest in the park as he feels that it is not profitable for him to run. The Wildlife Department should also take notice of it and the administration should at least delete the word "Mahavira" from its name.

In the meantime, a number of Jain institutions have demanded that animals caged in the park should be released so that they might spend the rest of their life free like other wild animals, instead of living in bondage under such conditions.

Sangwan to contest from Sonepat
From Tribune Reporters

SONEPAT, Aug 17 — Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, BJP nominee for the Sonepat Parliamentary seat, filed his nomination papers today for contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Sangwan was accompanied by a procession of workers of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the BJP. Mr Devi Lal and the INLD supremo, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, were present when the procession started.

Mr Ved Singh Malik, former Haryana minister, Mr Suraj Mal Antil, MLA (Rai), Mr Satinder, president of the Truck Operators Union, Mr Sushil Malik and other leaders accompanied the procession.

Mr Sangwan was elected to the Lok Sabha on an INLD ticket in 1998. His candidature was announced by Mr Chautala, more than two months ago. But this seat was allotted to the BJP during the agreement between the INLD and the BJP. However, the BJP adopted Mr Sangwan and allotted party ticket to him, for contesting the elections.

Mr Sangwan has now joined the BJP and is contesting the election on the BJP election symbol.

Kataria, Nagra enter poll fray

AMBALA: Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, BJP candidate from the Ambala Parliamentary Constituency, (reserved) filed his nomination papers here on Tuesday.

He is the joint candidate of the BJP and the INLD. Prominent among those who accompanied him, were Mr Raj Kumar Saini, Mr Akram Khan (both ministers), Mr Rasal Singh, MLA from Mulana and Mr Ramji Lal, MLA from the Sadhaura constituency.

Earlier, the BSP nominee from the Ambala Parliamentary constituency, Mr Aman Kumar Nagra, filed his nomination papers in the office of the District Returning Officer here on Monday. Later, he addressed a meeting in the court complex.

Sudha Yadav is BJP nominee

REWARI: Mrs Sudha Yadav, BJP nominee from the Mahendragarh Parliamentary Constituency filed her nomination papers here on Tuesday. Besides a large number of BJP and INLD activists, the Haryana BJP Legislature Party Leader, Mr Rambilas Sharma, Mahendragarh BJP Campaign Committee Chairman, Mr Kailash Chand Sharma and the Rewari District Working President of the INLD, Mr Rajender Singh Thekedar, were also present on the occasion.

5 file papers in Rohtak

ROHTAK: The INLD nominee from Rohtak, Capt Inder Singh, filed his nomination papers here on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Mr Arvind Sharma, a former MP, who had also announced to contest from the Rohtak Parliamentary constituency, failed to file his nomination papers on Tuesday as the documents were incomplete.

Col Rampal Singh of the Ajay Bharat Party, Mr Suraj Mal Hooda of the Bhartiya Rakshak Party, Mrs Kanta of the Samajwadi Party and Mr Anoop Singh of SUCI are among the candidates who have filed nomination papers till Tuesday for the Rohtak Parliamentary constituency.

Barwala to contest from Hisar

HISAR: The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) candidate from the Hisar Parliamentary constituency, Mr Surinder Singh Barwala, on Tuesday filed his nomination papers. He was accompanied by Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, Finance Minister Sampat Singh and a large number of INLD and BJP workers.

Gold biscuits seized, 1 held
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Aug 17 — The local police seized 25 gold biscuits and about 335 gram of gold ornaments from Vijay Kumar last night.

Mr M.S. Malik, S.P. said the police had received information that Vijay Kumar, a local resident, was bringing gold biscuits from Delhi through train. A police team led by DSP Jagwant Lamba, apprehended Vijay Kumar as soon as he alighted the train who tried to escape on a scooter.

Mr Malik said the accused had concealed the biscuits weighing 2.866 kg, under the soles of his shoes. The police also recovered about 335 gram of gold ornaments from his pocket, after search.

The accused has been arrested.

1,404 booths for Hisar poll
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, Aug 17 — Mr Apoorv Kumar Singh, Deputy Commissioner, said here today that 1,404 polling booths would be set up for 10,25,245 voters of the Hisar parliamentary constituency which would go to the polls on September 5.

Out of this 152 booths would be for the Scheduled Castes and the weaker sections of society.

According to official sources, the Hisar Lok Sabha constituency has nine Assembly segments. Four of these fall in Hisar district — Barwal, Narnaund, Hisar and Gharal, while three Uchana, Jind and Narwana fall in Jind district. Two segments Kalayat and Rajaund, are in Kaithal district.

The district administration has identified 693 polling booths as "sensitive". As many as 1,104 presiding officers, 3,495 polling officers and 42 supervisors will be deputed in the constituency. The booths will be set up in various government and semi-government institutions and dharamshalas.

Meanwhile, the District Magistrate, has issued, an order prohibiting the sale of liquor of any kind in the district from September 2 to 5.

NDA manifesto ‘contradictory’
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Aug 17 — The state unit of the CPM has described the election manifesto of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as "old wine in new bottle".

The state secretary, Mr Inderjit Singh has, however, criticised the NDA for including such issues in its manifesto which were against the fundamentals of the parliamentary democracy. By promising to enact a law for making a compulsory five-year term for the Lok Sabha, the BJP wanted to implement its hidden agenda and its alliance partners would not be able to oppose it, he alleged.

He said the manifesto of the NDA was full of contradictions. While it had promised last year to create one crore jobs every year to eradicate unemployment, the Union Cabinet had, a couple of days ago, decided to reduce the strength of employees by 30 per cent besides banning further recruitment.

The allowances payable to the employees would be cut by 10 per cent as per the decision of the Central Government, he said.

Mr Inderjit Singh said NDA’s promise to eradicate hunger and poverty was a hoax in view of the concessions given to the hoarders. He said the BJP was playing in the hands of multinationals and big industrial houses as had been proved during its 16-month-old rule.

Lok Shakti, JD (U) to back NDA
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, Aug 17 — The Lok Shakti, the Samata Party and the Janata Dal (United) have decided to support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh.

Mr Bharat Raj, president of the Haryana unit of the Lok Shakti said the party would not sponsor any candidate for the two states and the union territory in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The party expressed full support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the leadership of Mr A B Vajpayee.

EC observers for Hisar
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, Aug 17 — The Election Commission has appointed three observers for the Hisar parliamentary seat for which election is slated for September 5.

Mr Apoorv Kumar Singh, District Returning Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, said here today that Mr M.S. Thakur had been appointed the expenditure observer. Mr Hans Raj Verma, Inspector-General (Registration), Chennai, and Mr Ashok Kumar, Development Commissioner, Goa, have been appointed general observers.