Students ‘adopt’ burns victim
HISAR, Feb 20 — In a rare gesture, students of the Guru Jambheshwar University here have "adopted" Kavita who is recuperating after having suffered 80 per cent burn injuries when she was set afire by her husband on November 16 last year.

Six-laning of GT Road stretch likely
SONEPAT, Feb 20 — The Central Government is contemplating six-laning a 45 kms long stretch of the GT Road between Kundli and Samalkha, in view of the ever-increasing traffic there.

• VIII class exam centre cancelled
• Matador, tractor collide: 12 hurt
• 12 arrested in criminal cases
• Son kills father

Students ‘adopt’ burns victim
From Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Feb 20 — In a rare gesture, students of the Guru Jambheshwar University here have "adopted" Kavita who is recuperating after having suffered 80 per cent burn injuries when she was set afire by her husband on November 16 last year.

Led by Dr Vandana Pandey, lecturer in the Department of Communication Management and Technology, six students of the university — Parul Tyagi, Seema Malik, Marina, Shweta, Rachita and Ruchi — have decided to bear the expenses incurred on Kavita’s recovery.

Kavita was set afire on November 16 allegedly by her husband. Her father took her to a local hospital which referred her case to Medical College, Rohtak. He was told by doctors that Rs 50,000 would be required to save her.

The matter came to the notice of a local journalist. Assisted by social workers, including Mr Rahul Tayal, Mr Rakesh Sethi, Mr Parveen Kumar and Mr Sharat Jain, he collected Rs 70,000. Donations came mainly from abroad after the people read about the case on the Internet editions of The Tribune and other newspapers.

Kavita was admitted to a local private nursing home. She remained there for about two months. Scores of citizens donated blood and offered other kind of help.

Kavita was discharged from the hospital yesterday although she has not completely recovered. The university students gave her Rs 2,000.

"If we go on tolerating such crimes, there will be so many of us who will meet the same fate", they said and vowed to launch a campaign against dowry and for ensuring justice to victims like Kavita.

Khushwant identifies 3 ills
From K.G.Dutt
Tribune News Service

PEHOWA, Feb 20 — Noted columnist and writer, Khushwant Singh, today identified corruption, illiteracy and population explosion as three ills afflicting the country.

Delivering a convocation address at D.A.V. College here, the writer maintained that a "total revolution in our value system and priorities was needed" for solving these problems. Mr Khushwant Singh said a United nations study had ranked India the 10th "poorest, corrupt and illiterate country" in the world. He said to tackle these problems, Indians should not "waste their time in worship as it did nothing concrete for the welfare of human beings. He said every religion should have a social purpose. The government should ensure that every temple and gurdwara which was allotted government land should have a school attached to it. He wanted religious preachers to play a vital role in making the country better.

Talking about population control Mr Singh said Parliament should enact a law making sterilisation compulsory after the second child. Furthermore, all persons in public life who had more than two children should be debarred from contesting elections to Parliament, Assemblies and from holding public offices. Once this was done 50 per cent of the present members of Parliament would not be there.

Mr Singh called upon religious preachers that while solemnising marriages, they should administer a family planning vow to couples that they would not have more than two children.

He stated that at present India had a population of 950 million and if the population explosion was not checked, all its plans would go awry.

He said very little was being spent on the promotion of education in the country. Most of the country's Budget was being eaten up by the defence services.

Mr Singh added that corruption had exceeded all limits and urged the men of religion to "ostracise all corrupt men from society". This was the only way to check the rising menace of corruption. He lamented that corruption had seeped into high places and all walks of life during the regime of Indira Gandhi. The noted writer, who was once a vocal supporter of the policies of Indira Gandhi, saw no good in the late Prime Minister's regime. He maintained that there was a total degradation in social values during her regime. This continued afterwards too. The leadership in the country had totally failed to check the deterioration in the value system. He therefore, wanted the present generation to take up cudgels against all such ills.

Mr Singh also suggested that Parliament should enact a law to control pollution. It should ban the flow of effluents from cities and industries into rivers.

The unnecessary cutting of trees should also be banned. Mr Singh praised the efforts of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, visionaries Nehru, Sardar Patel and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to take the country forward during the initial days after Independence.

Earlier, the Principal of the college, S. Chaudhary conferred degrees on 140 arts and commerce graduates.

Six-laning of GT Road stretch likely
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Feb 20 — The Central Government is contemplating six-laning a 45 kms long stretch of the GT Road between Kundli and Samalkha, in view of the ever-increasing traffic there.

According to official sources, the state government is also pressurising the Centre for an elevated highway at Panipat, because heavy traffic jams in the town are a common feature.

The proposal for four-laning of Bahadurgarh-Rohtak stretch of the National Highway No 10 was under consideration of the Centre. The proposal including Rohtak bypass, between Kalka and Parwanoo (Himachal Pradesh).

As a part of a special campaign to improve and upgrade roads in the state the Bansi Lal government has decided to set up Haryana State Road Infrastructure Development Corporation. It has approached external agencies also for loan assistance to improve roads infrastructure and NABARD has already advanced Rs 22.92 crore for the purpose.

One such project has already been undertaken for the construction of a rail over-bridge at Bata Chowk, Faridabad. This project will be completed within a period of two years. Toll tax will be charged by the private entrepreneurs for 81 months before transferring it to the state government.

Besides state PWD (B and R), the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board had also spent Rs 35.09 crore on construction of new roads in rural areas and Rs 26.10 crore on repair work. The state government had also made a provision of Rs 143.38 crore for improving and upgrading the damaged roads during 1995 and 1996 floods and this amount would be spent during the current financial year.

Singla contests Gupta's charges
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb. 20 — The Haryana Industrial Training and Vocational Education Minister, Mr Brij Mohan Singla, here today ridiculed the charges levelled by a former Finance Minister, Mr Mange Ram Gupta, that the State Vigilance Bureau had lodged an FIR regarding the Rs 8 crore lottery fraud against him (Mr Gupta) and two others at Mr Singla's behest.

Reacting to Mr Gupta's statement that appeared in a section of the press today Mr Singla said he came to know about the FIR only from press reports.

Mr Singla said the case had neither been registered under pressure from any quarters nor due to any political ill-will. The Vigilance Bureau had thoroughly investigated the lottery fraud of Rs 8 crore before getting the FIR registered with the Chandigarh Police. He said now that the truth had surfaced, Mr Gupta was levelling baseless and false allegations.

The minister said that though Mr Gupta had boasted about his clean image in his statement but the people of Haryana, especially of Jind, were aware of his "so called honesty and decent behaviour." In fact people were so happy upon knowing about the lodging of the FIR that they even distributed 'ladoos'.

While reacting strongly to the remarks made by Mr Gupta regarding his relations with the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, he said that he (Mr Singla) and Mr Bansi Lal were having very cordial relations. He said there was no threat to the Bansi Lal Government.

While throwing a challenge to Mr Gupta, Mr Singla said that the committee which Mr Gupta proposed to constitute to look into the matter, might also examine whether he (Mr Singla) exerted any pressure to register the FIR or not. Mr Singla offered to quit, in case the proposed committee proved that the FIR was lodged at his behest. Mr Singla also made it clear that Mr Gupta could not wash his hands off the case of corruption against him by levelling false allegations against others.

Mr Singla said he had contested only two elections so far in 1982 and 1996 and on both occasions Mr Gupta was a minister, and was defeated by him.

Jindal announces executive panel
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, Feb 20 — Mr Om Prakash Jindal, an ex MP and president of the Sarvajati Party Haryana today announced the newly constituted executive committee and office-bearers of different cells of the party.

Mr Jindal in a press release issued here today nominated Mr Ashwani Kumar Chopra, Editor, Punjab Kesri, Delhi, as patron of the party. Dr Arvind Sharma, an ex MP and Mr Nafe Singh Dahiya both from Sonepat were nominated as vice-presidents.

The other office bearers are: general secretary — Mr Raj Kumar Vats (Hansi), secretary — Mr Charanjit Gabba (Kurukshetra), treasurer — Mr Ram Dayal Goyal (Uklana), press spokesman — Mr Shri Prakash Mishra (Kurukshetra), organising secretary — Mr Suresh Sharma (Narwana), office-secretary — Mr Fateh Singh Dalal (Bahadurgarh), president women cell — Mrs Vijay Laxmi (Julana), general secretary — Mrs Kaila Sharma (Hisar).

President (youth cell) — Mr Virender Rana (Yamunanagar), general secretary — Mr Rajesh Kaushik (Narwana), President (backward cell) — Mr Ram Kishan Verma (Alewa), general secretary — Mr Ram Kumar Sain (Kuk). President (Scheduled Castes cell) — Mr Amar Singh Chalia (Karnal), general secretary — Mr Suraj Bhan Khatak (Jind). President (Beopar cell) — Mr Hanuman Prashad Saraf (Bhiwani), general secretary — Mr Charan Singh Dalal (Jhajjar). President (kisan cell) — Mr Balbir Singh, Katleri (Shahabad), general secretary — Mr Nafe Singh Dhull (Mundhal).

President (karamchari cell) — Mr Babu Ram Gupta (Kurukshetra), general secretary — Mr M.S. Verma (Hisar). President lLegal cell) — Mr Gopi Ram Verma (Hisar), general secretary — Mr Sheo Ram Aggrawal (Hisar). President (ex-servicemen cell) — Mr Malhan (Hisar), general secretary — Mr Subedar Ram Singh.

Mr Om Prakash Jindal will be the chairman of the Parliamentary Board while Mr Pankaj Mehta of Hisar and Mr Raj Kumar Vats of Hansi will be members of the board.

Padyatris to be honoured at Hisar
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 20 — The Haryana Congress has decided to honour all those partymen who participated in the recent padyatras organised by the party in the state.

Announcing this here today the party chief, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said a special function would be organised at Hisar soon to honour the padyatris. The party would also chalk out the next programme at Hisar to dislodge the Bansi Lal Government from which the people of Haryana had been fed up.

Mr Hooda said he met the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, in Delhi yesterday and told her about the padyatra and the Jind rally held on February 13. He said Mrs Gandhi was appreciative of the response the padyatra and the rally got and felt that the Congress was regaining its vote bank of the Dalits, weaker sections, minorities and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

Describing the Jind rally as the biggest-ever rally organised by the Congress in that town, Mr Hooda, said the rally demonstrated the unity of the party. The Congress vote bank also made its public appearance after a long time. He claimed that the ruling Haryana Vikas Party as well as the Lok Dal had been frustrated by the response the Congress got at the rally.

When it was pointed out to him that two senior leaders, Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Birender Singh, along with a number of MLAs did not attend the rally, Mr Hooda said he would submit a report to the AICC General Secretary, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, who was in charge of the party affairs in Haryana. However, he hastened to add that the party was important and not the leaders. Moreover, he said he wanted to unite the party and not to disintegrate it. Everything would be done to safeguard the interests of the party.

Mr Hooda reiterated that his party would not extend support to the HVP, the BJP or the Lok Dal. However, it could support any other non-communal and non-casteist alternative. He refused to give any assurance of giving the party ticket to any MLA joining the Congress after quitting the ruling party. He said the question of assurance would come only after an MLA resigned from his party and joined the Congress.

He introduced to newsmen Mr Jaivir Bisla, a former Joint Secretary of the HVP and a member of the Haryana Agriculture University's board of management, who joined the Congress today.

BJP hints at getting elders' nod
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Feb 20 — The BJP today gave a broad hint about its strategy to get the notification, proclaiming President's rule in Bihar ratified by the Rajya Sabha, where the party is in a minority.

The national General Secretary of the party, Mr Sanghpriya Gautam, who is here in connection with the two-day national executive committee meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Scheduled Castes Morcha, which opened today, told newsmen that the Rabri Government was dismissed and Central rule was imposed in that state as an outcome of massacre of Dalits. Therefore, if the Congress or other non-RJD parties did not ratify the notification in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP would be justified in dubbing these parties before the public "anti-Dalit".

Mr Gautam said the morcha executive committee would demand, among other things, that a special cell should be created in the Home Ministry to keep watch on atrocities against the Dalits and for their welfare. He added that the demand was being made in view of the fact that though atrocities against the Dalits was a State subject, whenever such an incident took place Parliament asked the Home Minister to make a statement in this regard.

He said the special cell was also necessary because there was no proper implementation of various laws framed to check atrocities on the Dalits.

Mr Gautam said the morcha would also adopt an economic resolution, demanding proper land reforms and distribution of surplus land among the Dalits. A demand would also be made for demarcating traditional professions of the Dalits and the Scheduled Tribes exclusively for them and the big industry would not be allowed to make inroads in these professions.

This was necessary because the economic reforms and WTO had adversely affected the self-employment avenues of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

Stressing that the BJP was heading a coalition government and it had to take all allies along with it, Mr Gautam said in the recently held Assembly elections the Congress had gained because the vote banks of parties like the Janata Dal and the Samajwadi Party had shifted towards it. He claimed that the BJP vote bank had not shown any inclination towards the Congress. Therefore, it would be the compulsion of the so-called third force not to force a mid-term poll on the country.

Media consumer forum launched
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Feb 20 — The Department of Communication Management and Technology of Guru Jambheshwar University here has launched a media consumer forum for building relations among readers, viewers and listeners and the newspapers, television and radio.

The forum was launched at a seminar organised by the department on the reader management relationship. Among others the seminar was attended by Mr Vijay Sehgal, the Editor, Dainik Tribune, Udey Bhanu Hans, an eminent poet, and Mr Ajit Singh, Special Correspondent, AIR, Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sehgal pointed out the importance of readers in setting the agenda of the contents. He said, newspapers have no longer remained a one sided affair, but has become a multi-dimensional communication channel.

Hans regretted the "bias and colour" brought into reporting to influence public opinion. He underlined the need for fair and objective reporting.

Mr Ajit Singh, while narrating his two decade experience of reporting Kashmir, particularly in troubled nineties said, he had found that the listeners had a keen desire to establish live linkage with the broadcasters. He said, despite the massive expansion of cable network, the number of radio listeners had not come down.

Prof B.K. Kuthiala, the Dean Academic Affairs, GJU, revealed that the space in newspapers and the time on radio and television given to readers and audience is increasing at the rate of 15 per cent, which is a healthy trend.

Matador, tractor collide: 12 hurt
From Our Correspondent

NARNAUL, Feb 20 — In a head-on collision between a Matador van coming from the Rewari side going to Narnaul and a tractor bearing Nos HR 47-3621 and HR-35-9701, respectively, 12 persons were injured seriously near Sarai Surani village 8 km from here last night. The Sadar police shifted the victims to the general hospital Narnaul. The driver of matador fled the site. The victims were given medicines free of cost. Prabhu Dayal son of Kurda Ram resident of Huria village was referred to IGI hospital Rohtak.

Names of the injured are: Prabhu Dayal s/o Kurda Ram of Huria, Surender s/o Banwari Lal (45) of Sidhpura, Shyam Lal son of Jag Ram of Sidhpura, Kailash (40) of Mohanpur, Ajit s/o Dharampal of Khampura, Om Prakash s/o Bajrang (23) Bhalswata (Rajasthan), Bud Singh s/o Richhpal (50) of Chapra, Hoshiar Singh s/o Tota Ram (51) of Thathari village (Rajasthan), Anarli w/o Budh Ram (60) of Sidhpura, Sitar Singh of Sajanpur, Umrao Singh son of Kishori (70) of Bihali, Het Ram son of Indraj (65) of Neerpur, Narnaul Tehsil.

It is learnt the injured Surender Kumar of Moharu is serious and likely to be referred to Medical College Rohtak.

Haryana staff to hold gate rallies
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 20 — The Haryana Employee Coordination Committee for Chandigarh and Panchkula has decided to hold gate rallies on February 24, March 4 and March 10 in Sector 19, Sector 22 and Sector 17, respectively.

In a joint statement here today, the president and the general secretary, Mr Pratap Singh Sangwan and Mr Naresh Kumar Sharma, respectively, said the gate rallies would be held to mobilise the employees for the first conference of the committee to be held here on March 17.

They said the conference and the rallies would be held to highlight the unrest prevailing among the employees over the "negative attitude" of the state government towards the problems of its staff.

12 arrested in criminal cases
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Feb 20 — Twelve persons have been arrested allegedly in separate cases of looting and robbery in the district. Two country-made pistols, cartridges, a sword and a stolen scooter were found from their possession.

A police spokesman identified the arrested persons as Ajay, Rajpal, Vedpal, Ramesh, Ajaypal, Leelu, Babuddin, Sabuddin, Sabir, Subeddin, Zahurddin and Fakhruddin.

The police has also arrested Man Singh, a dismissed employee of Indian Overseas Bank in Agra and Kanchan Singh for allegedly withdrawing thousands of rupees by presenting forged demand drafts in Faridabad. Their three other accomplices are still at large.

The fraud came to light when a draft of Rs 19,000 was presented to a local bank for payment. As the draft had a number of overwritings confirmation was sought from the issuing bank, which informed the Faridabad bank that the draft was for Rs 1,000 and not for Rs 19,000. Moreover the draft had the forged signatures of the manager who had retired four years back.

VIII class exam centre cancelled
From Our Correspondent

NARNAUL, Feb 20 — Examination centre at Khanpur in Mahendragarh district for the Middle class has been cancelled and shifted to the government school at Narnaul today. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.S. Prasad. He said after a raid Mr R.S. Verma, SDM, Narnaul noted irregularities and a copying case was also forwarded to the Board of School Education, Bhiwani. In future also the Khanpur centre will remain closed and cancelled, added the DC.

The DC said, a few centres at Government School Satnali, Government School Ateli (No. 2), and Government School Centre number I and II have stated to the cancelled and a reference had been made to the Education Board, Bhiwani.

In the same manner reference has been made to the School Education Board for the cancellation of the centre for the middle class at Deroli Ahir, to stop malpractices by students during examinations, Mr Prasad added.

Malik predicts clean sweep by Congress
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Feb 20 — Mr Dharampal Singh Malik, former MP and former president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) today claimed that there was a Congress wave in the state and predicted a clean sweep by the party in the next election.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said all sections of the society including farmers, government employees, traders and workers were fed up with the present government and wanted Congress rule in Haryana. But certain Congress leaders were busy in destroying the unity of the party.

Reiterating the charge of discrimination against people of Sonepat and Rohtak districts by the present HVP-BJP alliance government in Haryana, Mr Malik said if the Congress was voted back to power, the unequal distribution of jobs, water and power, would come to an end.

He criticised the state government for its failure to pump out rain water from the fields of the farmers.

Referring to the withdrawal of support to the Vajpayee government at the Centre by the INLD, Mr Malik said Mr Chautala’s decision was an act of frustration as the Prime Minister had not given any weight to the handful MPs of Mr Chautala.

2200 cr plan to check flood menace
From Our Correspondent

JIND, Feb 20 — Mr Surinder Singh, HVP MP, has said in order to save the Julana area from floods four drains namely Bhairo Khera-Ram Kali, Gatoli-Karela, Nandgarh-Sirsa Kheri and Lijwana-Polli will be constructed in near future. He said with the completion of these drains the Julana area of Jind district will be free of floods. He said the Haryana Government had formulated a Rs 2200 crore master plan to check the menace to floods.

Mr Surinder Singh was addressing a rural gathering at Dhigana village yesterday after laying the foundation stone of a water supply augmentation scheme in the village. The scheme would be constructed at a cost of Rs 52 lakh and would be completed by the end of this year.

Mr Surinder Singh alleged that some opposition parties in the state were misleading people by promising that they would provide power free of cost to the farmers after coming to power. He said it was not possible for any government to provide electricity free of cost.

Mr Attar Singh Saini, Minister of State for Power and Mr Satnarain Lathar, Minister of State for Public Health, Haryana also addressed the gathering.

Son kills father
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Feb 20 — A person was allegedly murdered by his son in Kharhar village of the district this morning.

According to police sources, the deceased identified as Deep Chand aged 55 years was "hacked" to death by his son, Narender, with an axe, at his house in the village. The complaint lodged by the wife of deceased stated that a quarrel had taken place between the father and the son over some land dispute and the accused, in a fit of anger, attacked his father with a sharp-edged weapon. The accused later fled away.

The police has booked a case under Section 302 of the IPC in this connection.