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Actress Parveen Babi found dead

     Mumbai: Former Bollywood actress Parveen Babi was today found dead by the police in her suburban Juhu residence. "We opened the door of her house with the help of a duplicate key and found her body," news reports quoted Mumbai DCP Amitav Gupta as saying. Parveen's neighbours complained about the unattended milk packets and newspapers lying outside her house for the last two days, he added. However, preliminary enquiry has ruled out any foul play. The actress starred in many blockbusters such as Amar Akbar Anthony, Namak Halaal, Suhaag, Deewar, among others.

Halo around Devi Lal fading away (Go To Top)
by Pankaj Yadav

     Panipat/Sonepat: Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala erected statues of his late father Chaudhry Devi Lal all over the state. Besides, he named schools and public parks on the former deputy PM's name. Till a few months ago, people were strictly against this move of the Chautala's, but now, it seems this strong feeling is fading away. In the backdrop of sops announced by Chautala in August and November, the people have started appreciating Chautala's style of functioning. Now, the people feel erecting Devi Lal's statues hardly matters if the developmental works are done. The youth, who has been promised unemployment allowance, seem to be least bothered of the issue. They say there are better things to be discussed than debating over the issue why these statues/ busts were installed on every chowk.

     Jai Prakash, a college student in Sonepat, says, "how does these statues bother us. I think this is a non-issue, and should not be discussed at all. Chautala is the chief minister, and his father was also a respected figure not only in the state but at the national figure, how does it matter if the latter's statues are erected at road-crossings. We want employment for us........we don't want to indulge in such kinds of unnecessary debates." Surjit, another youth from Panipat, says, "there are 15 other statues put up at different crossings in the city, but nobody raises a finger at those. If one Devi Lal statue is installed in a city, it turns into a big issue......why."

     But, still there is a section of society which believes that the money spent on erecting these statues was a total waste. Satnarayan, a college student from Panipat, says, "it would have been for common good, had Chautala donated the money wasted on installing Devi Lal statues towards some dharamshala. What purpose these statues would solve......I don't understand." Similarly, Virender a school student from Panipat, says, "Chautala has put up Devi Lal statues in every city and town across the state. It's difficult to understand the objective behind this move. I feel all these statues should be removed."

No second term in Haryana  (Go To Top)

     Karnal: Haryana is jinxed with a phenomenon whereby people change the state government after every five years. The state's political history suggests and reflects this trend, as no single party has managed to return to power for a second consecutive term. This time also the general impression given is that the Congress will return to power, pushing Om Prakash Chautala's Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) to the Opposition benches. But why do Haryanvis insist on a change after five years even though they admit that the incumbent government has done nothing drastic to be thrown out of power?

     In six Assembly constituencies - Sonepat, Panipat, Samhalka, Gharaunda, Assand and Karnal - it was found that people in the state go for a change just for the heck of it. Strangely enough, even the workers of the Opposition party, the Congress, admit that the Chautala government did "unprecedented" development works in the state in the past five-and-a-half rule. It seems people in the state simply believe in the phenomenon of rotation of power between different parties. In Samhalka Assembly constituency, Rohtas Sharma, a Congressman who switched his loyalty from INLD only recently (after the last Lok Sabha polls), says, "nobody can contest the development works done by Chautala. But, the Congress is on a stronger footing ahead of polls as compared to INLD.......we simply want a change in government.....let it be without a reason." He says, "this (change in government) has been occurring in the state since it came into being. No single party has been able to resume power for second consecutive term. You remember once Ch. Devi Lal lost on both his constituencies - Ghirai and Rori - even after he announced special sops to the farmers, including the old age pension. People did not vote against Devi Lal..........they simply voted for the Congress just for bringing about a change in government." In his opinion, the people can't bear a second term for the same political party in the state. Fatia Ram, an INLD worker from Gharaunda, refuses to agree that there is an anti-incumbency wave in the state.

     While dwelling on the endless list of the Chautala government's achievements, he says, "there is no area where our party's government didn't touch as far as development is concerned. The chief minister increased old age pension, launched allowance for the unemployed youths and Kanyadan scheme of Rs 5100 for marriage of girls belonging to lower castes and economically weaker sections, decreased power tariff for the agriculturists, built roads and prepare crematoriums." The people even deny that they want to throw the Chautala government out of power because of corruption allegations leveled against it by the Congress. They say corruption is an inherent part of any state government. Balwan Singh, who hails from Gaksina village in Assand constituency, says, "corruption was there even in the previous governments headed by different political parties. In some cases it is more..........there is no parameter by which you can measure corruption. So we can't blame the Chautala government solely for corruption. This time the Congress is at an advantage only because there is anti-incumbency against the INLD......though without any solid reason."

     Meanwhile, political analysts believe that the Haryanavis always lookout for a change in government in Chandigarh because they are more politically aware than people in any other state. Dr J S Yadav, a Journalism professor at IIMC and keen observer of Haryana politics, says, "in my opinion the Haryanavis are more politically vigilant than voters in other states. In the present circumstances, I think, people are in the mood to bring in a Congress government because they are really fed up with the autocratic behaviour of Chautala and his two sons who didn't hesitate in manhandling even the MLAs and ministers." However, Dr Yadav also admits that the Chautala government carried out tremendous development works throughout the state.