News Analysis India

Tag: Haryana

  • Punjab’s AAP government ‘bachha party’: Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Saturday dubbed Punjab’s AAP government a “bachha party”, lacking “complete knowledge of issues”.

    Vij’s remark came a day after the Punjab assembly passed a resolution seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the state.

    Vij also termed Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann government as being at the “infancy stage” whose “milk teeth have not broken yet”.

    Chandigarh is the common capital of Punjab and Haryana.

    “The government which has come in Punjab is a ‘bachha party’. It does not have complete knowledge of issues,” Vij said reacting to the resolution passed by the Punjab assembly.

    Vij also accused the Mann government of raking the issue of Chandigarh while ignoring other related issues.

    “The issue of Chandigarh is there but it is not the only issue. There are other issues which are connected to it. There is SYL water (issue), (the issue of) Hindi speaking areas. They have not spoken on those issues. Whenever there will be a decision, it will be a single one. There cannot be different decisions,” Vij added.

    Replying to another question, Vij called the AAP a “fraud party.”

    “It was born out of deception. There was never an agenda in the Anna Hazare movement that a political party would be formed. But some mischievous elements played with the sentiments of people and formed a political party. A party which is born out of deception will play fraud at every step,” alleged Vij in Panchkula while talking to reporters.

    To another question, Vij asked the AAP what happened to it in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur as he was targeting it over its performance in these states during the recent assembly elections.

    “The situation in Punjab was different. It is not a victory of the AAP, it is a defeat of some people,” said Vij.

    The AAP stormed to power after winning 92 seats of the 117-assembly segments in Punjab.

    On Friday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said Chandigarh is and will remain the capital of Haryana and Punjab.

    Both the states have several other issues to talk about apart from Chandigarh, a state government statement quoting him had said here.

    Chandigarh is and will remain the capital of Haryana and Punjab, Khattar had said.

  • Centre making all-out efforts to return Indians stranded in Ukraine, Haryana govt assures people 

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has assured the state’s residents who are stuck in Ukraine due to a Russian military offensive that the Centre is making all-out efforts to evacuate stranded Indians. Officials of the Haryana government’s Foreign Cooperation Department interacted with some members of the Haryanvi community stuck in Ukraine and their relatives back home virtually on Friday.

    “During the meeting, the officials heard all the issues and reassured that the Haryana government is in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs for providing support to the Haryanvi community in Ukraine,” according to a Haryana government statement issued here on Saturday.

    The officials also assured the state’s residents stranded in Ukraine that the MEA is taking all possible steps and working round-the-clock to handle the situation and support the Indian community in Ukraine.

    “During the meeting, the officials shared relevant information including the latest advisory issued to Indian nationals, students in Ukraine by MEA, contact details of the Indian team at the borders of Hungary, Poland and Romania and the helpline details of the government of Haryana,” the statement said.

    The Haryanvis stuck in Ukraine have been advised to carry their passports and necessary documents in person at all times.

    ALSO READ | Andhra government in contact with 423 affected students from state in Ukraine

    With Russian troops advancing on Kyiv and other key cities, India on Saturday asked its nationals stranded in Ukraine to exercise caution at all times and not move towards any border post to exit the country without prior coordination with its officials.

    The Indian embassy in Ukraine issued a fresh advisory for the Indian citizens as the overall ground situation deteriorated further with gunfire, bombings and missile attacks continuing to rock various parts of the country, including its capital Kyiv.

    On Thursday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said that nearly 2,000 people from Haryana, mostly students, were stuck in Ukraine and he was in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on this issue. In Chandigarh, a control room has been set up by the Haryana government and people from Haryana can contact it via WhatsApp number 92123-14595.

  • Congress will ‘expose’ BJP-JJP government in upcoming budget session: Ex-Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Former Haryana chief minister and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said the Congress will “expose” the BJP-JJP government by raising several issues like unemployment, farmers’ plight and rising debt in the upcoming budget session of the state assembly.

    The budget session will begin on March 2.

    Hooda alleged that the burden of debt and corruption on people is increasing continuously due to the policies of the coalition government.

    “Haryana is facing the highest rate of unemployment, rising poverty, inequality, backbreaking inflation, deteriorating law and order, huge debt, economic slowdown, poor health facilities, falling education level, widespread corruption and also challenges like pollution,” he alleged in a statement here.

    “This government has buried the state under a debt of Rs 2.5 lakh crore,” he said as he targeted the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government over several other issues.

    “Every section of the state is feeling cheated,” he said.

    Hooda said farmers of the state are facing the brunt of bad weather as well as government policies.

    “Farmers are facing water logging and crops are getting damaged due to continuous unseasonal rains, but the government has neither compensated the farmers for the loss caused in the Kharif season nor got the full ‘girdawari’ done for the damage caused in the Rabi season,” he said.

    “Farmers faced ruin for two consecutive seasons due to water logging in large areas, but the government did not take any cognisance of the problems of the farmers,” he stated.

    The former chief minister said 46,500 posts in the education department and about 10,000 jobs in the health department are vacant which reflect the condition of the government departments.

    “Haryana is now lagging behind neighbouring states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in terms of health services. A total of 52,000 Anganwadi workers have been on strike since the last two months, but the government is not ready to give them the benefits of the announcements made by the chief minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.

    Hooda also expressed concern over the dilapidated condition of roads across the state.

  • Haryana government transfers 21 IAS, 3 HCS officers

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Tuesday issued transfer and posting orders of 21 IAS officers and three HCS officers with immediate effect, an official statement said.

    Among the IAS officers who have been shuffled is Yash Garg, Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, who has been posted as the Secretary, Haryana Public Service Commission.

    Jind DC Naresh Kumar has been posted as the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Karnal, and District Municipal Commissioner, Karnal.

    Dhirendra Khadgata, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ambala, and District Municipal Commissioner, Ambala, has been posted as Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Yamunanagar, District Municipal Commissioner, Yamunanagar.

    Ajay Singh Tomer, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Yamunanagar and District Municipal Commissioner, Yamunanagar, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Sirsa.

    Nishant Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, Karnal, Chief Executive Officer, Karnal Smart City Ltd.

    Karnal and Additional CEO, Drone Imaging & Information Systems of Haryana Ltd (DRIISHYA) has been posted as the Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram.

    Virender Kumar Dahiya, Director, State Transport and Special Secretary, Transport Department, has been posted as the Deputy Commissioner, Jind.

    Anish Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, Sirsa, has been posted as the Deputy Commissioner, Karnal, Chief Executive Officer, Karnal Smart City Ltd and Additional CEO, Drone Imaging & Haryana Ltd (DRIISHYA).

    S N Roy, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Forests and Wildlife Department and Environment & Climate Change Department has been posted as ACS, Archives, Archaeology and Museums Departments.

    Mahavir Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, School Education Department has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary, Sports & Youth Affairs Department, in addition to his present duties.

    AK Singh, Principal Secretary, Public Health Engineering Department, Sports and Youth Affairs Department, has been posted as the Principal Secretary, Public Health Engineering Department, Forests and Wildlife Department, and Environment and Climate Change Department.

    Pankaj Yadav, Commissioner, Rohtak Division, and Resident Commissioner, Haryana Bhawan, New Delhi, has been posted as the Managing Director, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd.

    Wazeer Singh Goyat, Secretary, Haryana Human Rights Commission, has been posted as the Director General and Secretary, Higher Education Department, Director General and Secretary, Haryana Technical Education Department, and the Secretary, Haryana Human Rights Commission.

    Sanjay Joon, Commissioner, Faridabad Division and Special Commissioner, Health and Nutrition, Mewat Area, and Chairman, Mewat Development Agency, Nuh, has been posted as the Resident Commissioner, Haryana Bhawan, New Delhi, in addition to his present duties.

    Bhupinder Singh, Secretary, Haryana Public Service Commission, has been posted as te Managing Director, Haryana Medical Services Corporation Ltd.

    Geeta Bharti, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Haryana, Secretary, Cooperation Department and Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, has been posted as the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Haryana.

    Ashwani Malik, Divisional Officer (Civil) and Additional Collector, Samalkha, has been posted as the Sub Divisional Officer (Civil) and Additional Collector, Panipat, in addition to his present duties.

  • Haryana doctors not to go on strike after government accepts some of their demands

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The government doctors on Thursday decided not to go on strike after being given in-principle approval to some of their demands and assurance of sympathetic consideration of their other demands by the government.

    The doctors owing allegiance to Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA) decided not to proceed on the proposed strike on Friday after a consensus over their demands was reached between them and the state government during their talks on late Thursday evening.

    The earlier decision of the doctors to proceed on an indefinite strike from Friday has now been taken back.

    “The meeting between the Haryana government with doctors of HCMSA was held in a congenial environment. After the consensus reached on various issues between the government and the doctors in the meeting, all the doctors decided to withdraw the agitation,” an official statement said after the meeting here.

    An official spokesperson said the government welcomes the decision of the doctors.

    “Doctors have a very crucial role to play in society, especially in the current Covid crisis and the government is committed to their welfare,” the spokesperson said.

    A delegation of doctors met Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajeev Arora, in which state’s Director General of Health Services, Dr Veena Singh, too was present.

    Among other issues, it was decided that a decision on the issue of direct recruitment of senior medical officers, which the doctors have been opposing, will be finalised in one week.

    Earlier on January 11, health services in government hospitals in Haryana were hit as doctors had suspended OPD work in support of their demands, prompting the authorities to declare their stir as illegal by invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act.

    The doctors are also demanding the creation of specialist cadres for them and stopping the direct recruitment of senior medical officers.

    The government had acceded to one of the key demands of the doctors with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday giving in-principle approval to the creation of specialist cadre post for MD or MS doctors.

    The doctors will also not be given any administrative work and will practice in their concerned speciality only.

    Regarding in-principle approval to the creation of specialist cadre posts for MD and MS doctors, an official statement had earlier said, “In-principle approval has been granted today wherein the government will create a special sub cadre for specialists who will be designated as a consultant or senior consultants.”

    Earlier, a doctor with MBBS qualification and MD/MS qualification used to be in the same cadre.

    Health Minister Anil Vij had on Tuesday tweeted, “ESMA has been invoked in Haryana, now for six months health workers won’t be able to go on strike. This step has been taken as a group of doctors has gone on strike which is creating obstacles in steps being taken to contain the Covid surge.

    The Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) allows the government to declare a strike illegal in the public interest.

  • Haryana government extends COVID curbs across the state

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Amid a spurt in Covid cases, the Haryana government on Thursday extended various restrictions in all over the state.

    The restrictions imposed by January 5 order in “Group A” districts, which had witnessed a big spike in cases, shall now be imposed in all districts, the Haryana State Disaster Management Authority (HSDMA) said.

    The guidelines released through orders on January 5 and 10 too shall continue to be imposed in the state, it added.

    Earlier on January 10, amid the rising COVID-19 cases, the Haryana government had banned large gatherings of people such as rallies and protests and extended existing restrictions including the closure of cinema halls and sports complexes to eight more districts.

    The order issued by the HSDMA had said the restrictions will be applicable till 5 am on January 19.

    On Monday, the eight new districts where the restrictions became applicable included Sirsa, Rewari, Jind, Bhiwani and Hisar.

    Earlier, these restrictions were imposed in eleven districts including Karnal, Panipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ambala, Panchkula and Sonipat.

    Now, all these restrictions have been extended to all the 22 districts in the state.

    Cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes shall remain closed, the earlier order issued on January 5 had stated.

    “Hence, restrictions imposed in Group ‘A’ districts (other 11 districts) vide order dated January 5, shall also be imposed in these (eight districts),” said the earlier order.

    As per earlier guidelines, the malls and markets are allowed to open till 6 pm.

    However, shops selling essential items like milk and medicine will be allowed to open at all times to enable them to serve the public at large.

    All sports complexes, swimming pools and stadia shall remain closed except when being used for training of sportspersons for participation in national and international events, the earlier order had said.

    All entertainment parks and B2B exhibitions are prohibited, it had said.

    The government and private offices, except for emergency / essential services, have been advised to function with 50 per cent staff attendance.

    Haryana has witnessed a huge spike in Covid cases over the past fortnight.

    There was no let-up in the rising trend of the COVID-19 cases in Haryana, with 7,591 fresh infections and two fatalities reported on January 13.

    The total number of active cases in the state now stands at over 35,979.

    To check the spread of the viral infection, the state government has banned people eligible for vaccination but not fully vaccinated from entering shopping malls, cinema halls, restaurants and grain markets, among other crowded places, starting January 1.

    A night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am is already in force in the state.

  • COVID-19: Haryana bans rallies, protests, other gatherings; extends existing curbs to 8 more districts

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Amid the rising COVID-19 cases, the Haryana government Monday banned large congregations such as rallies and protests, and extended existing restrictions including the closure of cinema halls and sports complexes to eight more districts, according to an official order.

    The order issued by the Haryana State Disaster Management Authority (HSDMA) said the restrictions will be applicable till 5 am on January 19.

    “Large congregations like all kinds of public meetings, rallies, protests, dharnas etc shall be prohibited in the state,” said the order.

    The eight new districts where the restrictions will be applicable are Sirsa, Rewari, Jind, Fatehabad, Mahendergarh, Kaithal, Bhiwani and Hisar.

    Earlier, these restrictions were imposed in Karnal, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Rohtak Jhajjar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ambala, Panchkula and Sonipat.

    Cinema halls, theaters and multiplexes shall remain closed, the earlier order issued on January 5 had stated.

    “…Hence, restrictions imposed in Group ‘A’ districts (other 11 districts) vide order dated January 5, shall also be imposed in these (eight districts),” said the order.

    Malls and markets will be allowed to open till 6 pm.

    However, shops selling essential items like milk and medicine will be allowed to open at all times to enable them to serve the public at large, it said.

    All sports complexes, swimming pools and stadia shall remain closed except when being used for training of sportspersons for participation in national and international events, the order said.

    All entertainment parks and B2B exhibitions are prohibited, it said.

    According to the existing order, government and private offices, except for emergency/essential services, have been advised to function with 50 per cent staff attendance.

    This is now applicable to the eight more districts.

    Haryana has witnessed a big spike in Covid cases over the past nearly a fortnight.

    Districts including Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ambala, Panchkula are among the worst-affected.

    There was no letup in COVID-19 surge in Haryana, with 5,736 fresh infections and five fatalities being reported on Monday.

    According to the health department’s daily bulletin, the state also reported 26 fresh cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 and the tally of such infections in the state rose to 162, out of which 17 are active while the rest have been discharged.

    To check the spread of the viral infection, the state government banned people eligible for vaccination but not fully vaccinated from entering shopping malls, cinema halls, restaurants and grain markets, among other crowded places, starting January 1.

    A night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am is already in force in the state.

  • Haryana gang sold girls to older men for marriage, six held: Noida Police

    By PTI

    NOIDA: The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police arrested six people, including three women, as it busted a Haryana-based gang allegedly involved in kidnapping and selling minor girls for marriage with men much older to them, officials said.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Women and Child Safety) Vrinda Shukla said the local Rabupura police team was probing the case of a missing 12-year-old girl which led it to the gang and its members were arrested on Saturday.

    Shukla said the gang would lure young girls into going away with them and then sell them off for money to men much older than them for marriage.

    “On December 26 last year, the 12-year-old girl’s mother reported to the local police that her daughter was playing outside their house but suddenly went missing,” Shukla said.

    She said an FIR was lodged immediately and searches launched by the police which, during investigation, found a gang suspected of involvement in the case.

    “The police found that some women were also members of the gang and it was a woman who had lured the girl from outside her house. The police found that the girl was sold to a 52-year-old man in Haryana for Rs 70,000. The man has been identified as Jasveer,” the DCP said.

    “As the gang was busted, five of its members were arrested, including three women. Jasveer, who had got married to the girl, has also been arrested,” she said.

    The Gautam Buddh Nagar police said the gang has been found operating from Rohtak in Haryana but picks up children from other nearby areas also.

    Five more people linked to the gang have been identified and the police have gathered evidence against them, Shukla said, adding they would also be arrested soon.

    An FIR has been lodged in the case at the Rabupura police station and legal proceedings are underway, she added.

  • Miscreants vandalise statue at Holy Redeemer Church in Haryana’s Ambala

    By ANI

    AMBALA: Some unidentified miscreants vandalised the statue of Jesus Christ at Holy Redeemer Church in Haryana’s Ambala district on Saturday night, said police.

    As soon as the information about the incident was received, the police team reached the spot for investigation. On the basis of the CCTV footage, the police are trying to identify miscreants.

    Giving information about the incident, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ambala Pooja Dabla said that information about this incident has been received in the morning, after which immediately the teams of District Superintendent of Police (DSP), Station House Officer (SHO) Cantt and CIA reached the spot for investigation.

    According to the police officials, two persons have been seen entering the church late in the night. The police suspect that the incident was carried out with the intention of hurting religious sentiments.

    “We are examining CCTV footage to identify the culprits. The miscreants will be identified and rounded up soon. A thorough investigation will be conducted,” said Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ambala Pooja Dabla.

    Father Anthony of the church said that late at night two youths came inside by climbing the wall of the church and broke the statue of Lord Jesus Christ.

    “This church is the oldest historical church in Ambala, which was built in the year 1843. To date, such an incident has not happened. Last night this incident happened around 12:30 am. The church is closed early due to the lockdown. Two youths came inside by climbing the wall of the church and broke the statue of Lord Jesus Christ,” said Father Anthony.

    Further investigation is underway. 

  • Offering ‘namaz’ in open spaces will not be tolerated: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: With several Hindu outfits objecting to Friday prayers being offered in open spaces in Gurgaon, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the practice of offering ‘namaz’ in the open “will not be tolerated”.

    He also said that the district administration’s prior decision to reserve some spots for holding prayers in open spaces has been withdrawn and the state government will now work out an amicable solution to the issue.

    “The practice of offering namaz here (Gurgaon) in open spaces will not be tolerated… But we all will sit to find an amicable solution. Everyone should get the facility (to offer prayers), but nobody should infringe on others’ rights. It will not be allowed,” the chief minister told reporters in Gurgaon, responding to a question on the objections raised by several right-wing outfits to offering ‘namaz’ in open spaces in the NCR city.

    On withdrawing the district administration’s decision to earmark some places for holding prayers in open spaces, he said, “We have told the police and the Deputy Commissioner that this issue has to be resolved…If somebody offers namaz, holds paaths at one’s place we have no objection to that. Religious places are built for this very purpose that people go there and offer prayers.”

    ALSO READ| Haryana police detain 20 protesters in Gurugram for trying to disrupt namaz

    “Such programmes should not be held in open spaces. Confrontation should be avoided by offering namaz in open spaces. We will also not allow confrontation (to build between two sides),” he said.

    Over the past some months, members of some Hindu outfits have been gathering at sites where the Muslim community offers ‘namaz’ in open space, and raising “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Jai Shri Ram” slogans.

    Three years ago, the district administration had designated 37 sites in Gurgaon city for Muslims to offer Friday namaz after which there were protests by some Hindu groups. A few months ago, one group started protests against the prayers offered in the open after which there have been protests on Fridays for the past several weeks.