‘‘80 pc Haryana farmers in debt’’
FATEHABAD, Feb 14 — Due to continuous failure of crops more than 80 per cent farmers in the state have landed themselves in debt and the situation has become so grave for them that over 50 per cent of them are not in a position to repay debts by any means.

Haryana Congress a house divided
HISAR, Feb 14 — A good turn-out at the Jind rally organised by the Haryana Congress notwithstanding the party in the state appears to be a house divided. Grassroot-level workers may have managed to mobilise good support for Saturday's rally, yet the leadership does not seem to be in a mood of reconciliation.

‘‘80 pc Haryana farmers in debt’’
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Feb 14 — Due to continuous failure of crops more than 80 per cent farmers in the state have landed themselves in debt and the situation has become so grave for them that over 50 per cent of them are not in a position to repay debts by any means. These are the findings of a study team of the Haryana Kisan Sabha. The findings based on the study by a team of experts have been published in the souvenir of the Sabha which brought out the souvenir recently.

The report says that there is big crisis before agriculture in Haryana. Life of a common farmer has become miserable. More than 80 per cent farmers in the state have come under heavy debt. Over 50 per cent of these farmers are unable to repay debts. Cashing in on the situation private money lenders are thriving by lending money at a rate of interest as high as 24 to 30 per cent. These money lenders include arhtias, traders and landlords. This according to the report, was one of the biggest reasons for the hardships of the farmers.

The report also attributes the plight of the farmers to the shift in the rules by the banks. Under earlier practice, the banks used to lend money to the farmers after hypothecating the documents of farm land. Now, the bankers ask the farmers to enter in to an "Agreement to sell" before giving any loan to the farmers. Earlier, the banks used to sell the land of the defaulting farmers through auction. But now they offer the land to the Forest Department for tree plantation.

The report expresses concern at the sharp change in the water table in the state. According to the report, 52 per cent of the total of about one crore acres of farm land in the state is hit by waterlogging. Out of this, the condition of about 13 lakh acres of land is very critical, where water table has risen to less than three feet. A small amount of rain is sufficient to create a flood like situation in these areas. High salinity in the land is another big cause of concern in these areas. In the rest of 48 lakh acres of land irrigated by tubewells, water table has gone very low. In areas like Ambala, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Kaithal, Karnal, Tohana, Rattia, Loharu and Mohindergarh water table has gone as deep as 10 to 50 feet. This again is causing a lot of concern to the farmers. Excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides have also done a lot of harm to the productivity of the land.

The report has also suggested certain remedies like research in the traditional seeds, diversification of cropping pattern, lesser use of chemical fertiliser and pesticides and a remunerative price for the produce of the farmers. The report warns that in case remedial measures are not taken forthwith a bigger crisis looms large on the agriculture front in the state.

Mr Krishan Swaroop, general secretary of the Haryana Kisan Sabha (HKS) to The Tribune that the HKS was demanding total waiver of all old loans of the farmers fixing of the upper ceiling of the rate of interest on loans by private money lenders at 12 per cent per annum, provision of government loan for poor farmers at a rate of five per cent and at a rate of 12 per cent to other farmers.

Haryana Congress a house divided
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Feb 14 — A good turn-out at the Jind rally organised by the Haryana Congress notwithstanding the party in the state appears to be a house divided. Grassroot-level workers may have managed to mobilise good support for Saturday's rally, yet the leadership does not seem to be in a mood of reconciliation.

From day one, of the preparation for the rally (in the shape of kranti yatras) it was aimed at projecting Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda as the "undisputed leader" of the HPCC. The indifference, if not hostility of the Bhajan Lal group was obvious and understandable.

Mr Bhajan Lal described the rally as "not of any significance", thus betraying his feelings. By coming out openly against the rally and disputing the leadership of Mr Hooda, Mr Bhajan Lal appears to be heading for a showdown, within the PCC. He must be encouraged by the absence of another PCC veteran Mr Birender Singh from the rally. Moreover seven out of 12 Congress legislators did not attend the rally.

The Jind rally also proved that the two factions within the PCC were not just diametrically opposed to each other, but also working at the cross purposes, just to slight the rival faction.

The rally unequivocally sought the dismissal of Bansi Lal Government in the state, listing a number of reasons. But surprisingly and significantly, Mr Bhajan Lal disputed the very purpose of the rally claiming that there was no fun in organising this type of rally at this stage.

Only a month ago, Mr Bhajan Lal himself was actively involved in engineering defections within the ruling Haryana Vikas Party to oust Mr Bansi Lal from power. He openly admitted it. His supporters blamed Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda for not supporting the move. And now, when Mr Hooda himself demanded the dismissal of the Bansi government, Mr Bhajan Lal, said, "there were other means and fora to ventilate peoples grievances".

Mr Bhajan Lal's "not attaching any significance" to the Jind rally notwithstanding, he has already decided to counter it by himself launching a "mass contact programme" for mobilising the party cadre from the month of March from Karnal or Hisar. He definitely appears to be wary of the growing influence of his arch rival within the PCC, Mr Hooda.

Obviously the state appears to be headed for yet another "mass mobilisation" programme and that too again by the PCC, but this time "mobilised" by Mr Bhajan Lal. Instead of giving any pinpricks to the government, the PCC appears to be headed for an intraparty confrontation, that aims more at downgrading the rival faction, than projecting itself.

ROHTAK, (FOC): Mr Vijender Ahlawat, a member of the Zila Parishad and Indian National Lok Dal leader, has described the "kranti rally" held by the Congress at Jind yesterday as "bharanti rally" as it allegedly failed to mobilise support of the masses.

He alleged that the much publicised state-level rally proved to be a flop show despite best efforts of the Haryana Pradesh Congress president, Mr Bhupender Singh Hooda.

He said "poor" attendant and boycott of the rally by several Congress leaders had put a question mark on the continuation of Mr Hooda as HPCC chief.

Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr Mukul Wasnik, in charge and deputy in charge of Haryana affairs, in the Congress, Chief Minister of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Mr Bhajan Lal a former Chief Minister, Mr Birender Singh, a former HPCC president and eight out of 12 Congress MLAs reportedly did not attend the rally.

Rally boosts Hooda's stature
By Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 14 — The Haryana Congress-sponsored Kranti rally at Jind yesterday has added to the stature of its president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda. But at the same time the rally laid open the deep-rooted infighting in the party with senior leaders like former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal and former Congress president Birender Singh keeping away from the rally despite the presence of several senior Central leaders in Jind.

The absence of Mr Bhajan Lal is not a surprise. His camp had been boycotting the padyatras which culminated in yesterday's rally from the very beginning. But Mr Birender Singh, who initially involved himself in the preparations of the rally, suddenly decided not to show up. So far he has not explained the reasons for his absence though Mr Bhajan Lal was quick to dismiss the rally as "insignificant".

The two leaders also prevented the MLAs owing allegiance to them from attending the rally. Mr Satvindra Rana and Mr Khurshid Ahmed (belonging to Mr Birender Singh's camp) and Mr Dilu Ram of the Bhajan Lal camp did participate in the padyatras but did not turn up at the rally. Only four of the 12 party MLAs were present in Jind, prompting the Lok Dal president, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, to say that the rally was a failure in the sense that the Congress had lost control over its leaders because even the MLAs did not attend the rally.

But the Hooda camp does not seem much worried by this development. One of Mr Hooda’s supporters, who did not want to be identified, said since Mr Hooda was not instrumental in getting the party ticket to any of the sitting Congress MLAs in Haryana, he never expected their loyalty. In fact when the tickets were distributed Mr Hooda was not on the state scene.

The father and son duo of the Surjewalas, who are maintaining equidistance from the warring party leaders, were expectedly in the forefront of the rally. The acting leader of the Congress Legislature Party, Mrs Kartar Devi, whose constituency falls under Mr Hooda’s parliamentary constituency of Rohtak, and Mr Dharambir Gauba, MLA from Gurgaon, too prefer to remain on the right side of the party president. However, Capt Ajay Singh, MLA from Rewari, surprised every one by attending the rally because he has never been known to be close to Mr Hooda. He owes allegiance to Mr Birender Singh and Mr Bhajan Lal.

The success of the rally has made it clear that despite fissures among senior leaders, the rank and file has accepted Mr Hooda, and had been galvanised to take on their political opponents under the leadership of Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Hooda, who has always been accused by his opponents of being soft towards the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, kept the main thrust of his speech against the HVP-BJP Government, demanding its dismissal. He was also able to show to the Central leaders that the assertion frequently made by his opponents that he is confined to Rohtak only is no longer true.

By boycotting the rally Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Birender Singh have only helped Mr Hooda. If they had participated in padyatras and the rally, they would have been able to take some of the credit away from their bete noire. Now Mr Hooda could legitimately claim all the credit.

Why did Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Birender Singh boycott the rally? Some think that they have some thing up their sleeves which emboldens them to ignore what has been projected as the party programme by the PCC. Others, however, view their step as a result of their frustration over not being able to dislodge Mr Hooda.

Mr Bhajan Lal, with the rare distinction of simultaneously having three legislators in his family (he himself is an MP while his two sons are MLAs), may not be wrong if he thinks himself to be the tallest of the Haryana Congress leaders. But after the departure of Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao from the Central scene, Mr Bhajan Lal has consistently been humiliated in the party programmes, may be it is Gohana (under Mr Sita Ram Kesri's leadership) or Narwana or Chandigarh (with Mrs Gandhi at the helm of affairs).

So far he has also not been accommodated in the party organisation at the Central level. One cannot expect a person of Mr Bhajan Lal's standing to tolerate such a behaviour for long. But he is yet to unfold his strategy to get his rightful place in the party.

It seems Mr Arjun Singh, who has been the staunchest supporter of Mr Birender Singh at the Central level, has not liked the Haryana leader's growing closeness to Mr Bhajan Lal, with whom Madhya Pradesh Congressman has never had the best of relations. It is to be seen how Mr Arjun Singh views Mr Birender Singh's absence from the rally at which the former was one of the main speakers, if not the main.

The rally seems to have made Mr Hooda more confident of himself and also assertive. Without naming Mr Bhajan Lal and some of his supporters, Mr Hooda said today that the success of the padyatras and the rally appeared to have upset the apple cart of certain state Congress leaders because a large number of rank and file of the party participated in the party programmes despite a negative propaganda by some "vested interests within the party".

Asserting that the purpose of the padyatras and the rally was to spread the message of Mrs Gandhi, he said the "persons questioning the purpose of these party programmes, aimed at implementing the Pachmarhi declaration to go to the people, were sabotaging the party's efforts to dislodge the Bansi Lal Government".

KU degree on eighth position: VC
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Feb 14 — Kurukshetra University has been raised to the eighth position from 13 so far as its degree is concerned.

Dr M.L. Ranga Vice-Chancellor of the university announced this addressing the convocation at Guru Nanak Girls College, Santpura, near here today. He added that he was determined to bring the university to the number one position in the country.

He further stated that the university would make efforts to take higher education to rural areas. He asked the rural students to complete remedial English courses which had been started in eight colleges of the university. The project would be financed by the University Grants Commission, he added.

Dr Ranga announced that the University would grant permission to Guru Nanak Girls College to open B.Ed and LL.B. courses for women if they had infrastructure for it.

He said women should be given a respectable position in society. Quoting scriptures he said that God reside where women are respected. He stated that women need to be patronised, but not given reservation. He emphasised that women can stop brain drain.

He further emphasised the role of private management in women education. He said that in 1931 the first private university was set up by Seth Vithal Dass Thakur. He said at present there were more than 1000 women colleges.

He stressed upon the moral uplift of women so that they inculcate religious and human values in society. He stated that teachers, especially women should be vigilant so that they were not exploited by educational institutions.

Dr Ranga said special training would be given to candidates for IAS, IPS, HCS and other allied services examinations. The finance to run these courses would be made available by the Centre.

He appreciated achievements of Guru Nanak Girls College and conferred degrees on 700 students of the college.

Ms Tripat Kapoor, Principal of the college, while welcoming the chief guest gave a brief account of the college achievements.

CPI's ‘jail bharo’ stir against price hike
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Feb 14 — More than 5,000 CPI workers will take part in the 'jail bharo andolan' being launched from tomorrow in Haryana against the price rise and anti-people policies of the central and state governments.

Giving this information, Mr Daryao Singh Kashyap, a leader of the Haryana state committee of the CPI told mediapersons here today that the party workers would court arrest in front of the offices of the Deputy Commissioner in their respective districts between February 15 and February 18. In Sonepat district, party workers would court arrest on February 16 and gherao the Deputy Commissioner's office, he said.

He said the party workers would hold procession and after passing through the main bazars of the city reach the mini-secretariat the venue of the satyagraha and hold a rally.

Criticising the hike in the prices of wheat, rice, sugar, urea and the LPG, Mr Kashyap said the policies of the present government had put an unprecedented burden of loans on the farmers, the poor and the weaker sections of society. The corruption was on the rise, atrocities were being committed on the poor and the Dalits and the law and order situation had deteriorated.

The CPI leader also lashed out at the Bansi Lal government and said it had lost the confidence of the people, and it had no moral right to continue in office. Expressing concern over the instituting of false criminal cases against government employees, Mr Kashyap urged the state government to immediately withdraw such cases and reinstate all employees whose services were either terminated or suspended for taking part in the nationwide strike the call for which given by the various political parties.

Decorated soldier a disappointed man
From Our Correspondent

KAITHAL, Feb 14 — Naik Balbir Singh, who remained in the security of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi from 1984 to 1986 and was decorated with honours by the then army chief is a disappointed man today due to corruption and redtapism in government offices.

Talking to mediapersons here Balbir Singh said, to augment his income after retirement he applied for a ration depot in his native village Deahan about six months ago. He met the DFSC, Kaithal, a number of times and other officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department at Kaithal but he was asked to come after some time. The former army jawan said he gave Rs 800 to an Inspector and Rs 100 to a clerk to get his work done.

After several visits to the food and civil supplies office he was asked by the dealing hand to get his case recommended by some minister. He went to Chandigarh and got his case recommended by the Food and Civil Supply Minister, Mr Ganeshi Lal and the Finance Minister, Mr Charan Dass Shorewala but his case was yet to be cleared.

However, the DFSC, Kaithal, Mr A.K. Gaur when contacted said it was beyond his jurisdiction to allot a depot to Balbir Singh.

Unique Shivratri celebration
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Feb 14 — Shivratri was today celebrated here in a unique way with the Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, distributing artificial limbs to the disabled.

As many ass 12 disabled were given loans worth Rs 10.87 lakh under the self-employment scheme and 203 crutches, 245 callipers, 85 artificial limbs, 213 hearing aids, 130 tricycles and wheel chairs and 500 blankets were also distributed.

Mr Mahabir Prasad complimented the District Red Cross Society for coming to the help of the disabled in a big way. He wanted the society to set up night shelters for the poor.

The Governor also honoured Mr B.P. Jain, President of the Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti, officials of the red cross and social workers for organising the week-long camp for the benefit of the disabled.

Earlier Mr B. K. Panigrahi, Deputy Commissioner and President of the District Red Cross, informed, the Governor that during the past two years more than 9,000 handicapped persons were provided artificial limbs, 145 polio and 10225 cataract patients were successfully operated upon and a record 6000 units of blood was collected by the Red Cross.

Mr Mahabir Prasad also laid the foundation stone of the new building of the Career Institute of Technology and Management in Sector 49.

2 killed, 3 hurt in road mishaps
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Feb 14 — Two persons were killed and three other injured in two different mishaps in the district during the past 24 hours.

According to police sources one person died and two others were injured when their jeep hit a two-wheeler near Tilyar Tourist Complex, about 5 km from here, today.

In another accident a jeep overturned near Singhpura village, yesterday resulting in the death of an unidentified person. Two other passengers identified as Ram Kumar and Suresh Kumar of Singhpura village were injured in the accident. The jeep reportedly overturned due to rash driving by the driver. The sadar police has registered a case in this connection.

Meanwhile, in another case registered by the police at Meham, a minor girl was allegedly kidnapped from Midana village in the district by a resident of the same village.

The accused has been identified as Krishan and the police has registered a case under Sections 363 and 366 of the IPC.

Woman gangraped, 6 arrested
From Our Correspondent

JIND, Feb 14 — A woman was allegedly gang raped at Dhanori village, about 65 km from here, according to a report received here today.

The victim, a resident of Baghpur village of Kaithal district, had gone to Dhanori for purchasing a buffalo.

The police has registered a case under Sections 363, 376, 501 and 120-B of the IPC and arrested six persons in this connection.

VC distorting facts: front
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Feb 14 — Dr Ambedkar Teachers' Front of Maharshi Dayanand University has alleged that the Vice-Chancellor Lt Gen O.P. Kaushik (retd) has been putting the facts regarding the reservation policy in a 'distorted' manner and trying to misguide people about the current situation.

In a statement issued here today, the president of the front, Dr Desraj Sabharwal, claimed that the reservation policy had been violated as certain posts reserved for SC/BC candidates, were filled from among the general category by stating that 'suitable' SC/BC candidates were not found.

He said the front demanded an open debate on the issue so that the VC could clarify his position.

Protest against sack of Rabri govt
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Feb 14 — Activists of the CPM, Samajwadi Labour Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal today staged a joint dharna here in protest against the dismissal of Rabri Devi government.

Addressing the demonstrators, Mr Naresh Kumar, General Secretary of the state unit of the Student Federation of India, alleged that the move was politically motivated. He said it was a misuse of Article 356 and must be condemned at every level.

The leaders of the SLP and the RJD also deplored the dismissal of the Bihar Government and described it as an "anti-democratic" step.