Gita Mahotsav’s arrangements collapsed on concluding day

Photo—Hema Malini performing ‘Dropadi’ dance at Kurukshetra 

2) Raj Nath Singh and Haryana CM lighting lamps for ‘Aarti’ at Brahma Sarovar

3) Deep Daan by Raj Nath Singh at Brahma Sarovar 

Kurukshetra December 11---The police arrangements made for the five days Gita Mahotsav virtually collapsed on the concluding day yesterday as the vehicular traffic throughout the town remained jammed due to lack of traffic police at the crossings starting from outer-roads to the destination at Brahma Sarovar.

While the traffic around Brahma Sarovar remained chocked since 3 pm, the traffic was bumper to bumper from GT road to Brahma Sarovar. It was moving on snare speed and a distance of over 5 kms took over 2 hours. All most all the police force was deployed inside and around Brahma Sarovar inview of the visit of Union Home Minister Raj Nath Singh and other dignitaries including Haryana Chief Minister for participating in the ‘Deep Daan’ ceremony at the Brahma Sarovar.

Being the concluding day as well as the attraction of Hema Malini dance drama in the evening it drew great rush of visitors since morning. Over three lakh people are reported to have reached at Brahma Sarovar yesterday. It was anti-climax for many who could not reach Parshoutam Pura Bagh at the Brahma Sarovar to see the last cultural programme presented by Hema Malini.

Looking to the rush at the ‘pandal’ the main gate towards Parshoutam Pura Bagh were closed by the police about 5.30 PM, half an hour before the ‘Deep Daan’ ceremony. Even many journalists could not reach at the venue. These infuriated thousands of visitors who were maltreated and pushed back from the main gate by using force by the police. Visitors alleged that the cultural functions at the Purshoutam Pura Bagh had become reserved for the family members of the politicians and the officers. Many asked why the administration was inviting the public through advertisement if they could not make arrangements for them.

Superintendent of Police, Simardeep Singh said that the main doors were closed to control rush at the venue of Hema Malini’s dance, to prevent any chaos.

The people who could manage to reach the ‘Pandal’ were also disappointed as the well-advertised 'Dropadi’ dance by Hema Malini started 2 hours late than the schedule time of 6.30 pm. Chief Minister Haryana and other dignitaries kept on waiting for the dance. Mismanagement came to fore when she wanted the make the stage dry as it had got wet due to dew due to open stage. Five minutes after starting the dance, Hema stopped the dance again, as chorographer announcing that the stage is not perfect for dance and needed to be dried again so that it may not cause injury to any artist. It took another ten minutes to dry the stage and lay a carpet on it that dance could start.

Though the two and half hour Dance drama depicting the life of Dropadi from beginning to end of Mahabharta was splendid but still it left bad taste for many due to mismanagement.   

Earlier, what may pass as a rare event, global chanting of verses from Shrimad Bhagvad Gita was done simultaneously in 25 countries from 6 pm to 6.15 pm today to spread the eternal message of Gita in the entire world.
          The countries where the verses were chanted include India, Canberra-Australia, Bahrain, Vancover-Canada, Paris-France, Hong Kong, Jakarta-Indonesia, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, UAE, UK, California, Arizona, Chicago and New York in USA
          Earlier, Union Home Minister Mr Rajnath Singh, Haryana Chief Minister Mr Manohar Lal, Gita Manishi Swami Gyananand Ji Maharaj, Education Minister Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, Health Minister Mr Anil Vij, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Mr Krishan Kumar Bedi, MLAs Mr Subhash Sudha and Mr Pawan Saini had participated in the global chanting and recited the verses from Bhagwad Gita with others at sacred Brahamsarover in Kurukshetra. 
          Deepdaan and Gita Aarti were also performed at sacred Brahamsarover. Later on, the Chief Minister Manohar Lal has visited the Jyotisar Tirath where the Lord Krishna had given the celestial message of Gita to Arjuna. He performed Deepdaan and Aarti at Jyotisar alongwith Gita Manishi Swami Gyananand Ji Maharaj, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Mr Krishan Kumar Bedi, MLAs Mr Subhash Sudha and Mr Pawan Saini.

Many old-timers are not amused with present style of Gita Jayanti

By Vijay Sabharwal

Kurukshetra, December 9 --- Though the Haryana Government have spent a huge amount of Rs. 18 crores in organising the Gita Jayanati this year as ‘International Gita Mahotsav’ at Kurukshetra, where lord Krishna is believed to have delivered the immortal message of holy Gita before the beginning of Mahabharta, from December 6 to 10, many old timers especially the associates of late Prime Minister Gulzari Lal Nanda are not amused.

82-year-old Avnashi Lal Arora, a leader of Vipar Mandal and an associate of Gulzari Lal Nanda, is one such person who is cribbing that though Nanda was responsible for the restoration of holy Brahma Sarovar and other religious places in and around Kurukshetra, the present-day rulers totally ignored to remember him and are singing tunes for themselves only.

Photo- Avnashi Lal Arora sitting at the ‘Prikarma’ of Brahma Sarovar 

Avnashi Lal recalled that when they came here in the year 1947 after partition of the country the Brahma Sarovar was just like a pond where the people used to wash their cloths and cattle used to take bath. The situation remained the same till Nanda decided to shift his parliamentary constituency from Ahmadabad in Gujrat to Kaithal (as Kurukshetra Constituency was called then) to contest election here in 1967.

Haryana Government constituted Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) with Nanda as its Chairman for life in 1968 and the restoration work for Braham Sarovar, Sanehit Sarovar and other religious places was taken into hand. Avnashi recalled that grants were limited and still Nanda managed to get the work done by using his political acumen ship.

He recalled that he was made incharge of preparing food for over ten thousand persons when the ducts to put water into the newly constructed Braham Sarovar were opened by the holy Shankracharya after performing a ‘yajana’. Every effort was made to spent the world with great care. He bemoaned that now nobody bothered to even invite him and many others who remained involved in the restoration work here during 20 years of Nanda ji’s control over KDB.

He said that Nanda ji was so much vigilant about the sanctity of the place that he virtually wept when a cemented grill of Brahma Sarovar was broken to make the then Chief Minister Bhajan Lal to go into deep waters for swimming. Later, Bhajan Lal apologised for his mistake. However, now entire ‘Parkarma’ of the Brahma Sarovar have been converted into a road like by establishing over 800 stalls including eatables over it. People come here to have picnic and throw wastes after eating hither and thither. Where is the sanctity of the place left now, he asked?

He alleged that no body mentioned Nanda ji’s name at any level by the present time politicians who come here daily to use this place for their own image making. Chief Minister remembered to even highlight the name of late Vice-President of India, Bharo Singh Shekhawat for just coming here once to be chief guest at Gita Jayanti celebrations, but no mention of Nanda ji, who created it.

Former member of Rajya Sabha and Member of National Commission for Schedule Castes, Dr. Ishwar Singh said that Nanda’s dream would remain unfulfilled till the masses follow the teachings of holy Gita. He asked whether chanting of Gita Shalokas by children to make a world record and then forgetting it would bring world peace?

He regretted that the present dispensation had converted Gita Jayanti into some political rallies only by inviting BJP President Amit Shah and others. They are using this land for their own glorification. If they are really interested in making Kurukshetra a world class place they should have made an airport here instead of at Hissar, besides increasing the 100-bedded hospital to 500 beds so that pilgrims coming here do not face any inconvenience. He said that the Brahma Sarovar and Sanihit Sarovar in present form is an all-time gift by Nanda ji not only to Haryana but entire mankind.           

  

Did Haryana Minister misguided Haryana Assembly?

Kurukshetra, December 5 ---Confusion still persists over the shifting of Educational Collages of Kurukshetra University (KU) back to it from Ch. Ranbir Singh University (CRSU), Jind, while the last date for depositing the crores of University fees of the admitted students by the B.Ed Collages at CRSU, Jind is fast approaching on December 7, next.

When the Education Minister Haryana, Rambilas Sharma, was confronted by the media persons here on Friday evening about the status of 170 Educational Colleges of KU which were shifted to Jind University in July last, said that the Colleges have been shifted back to Kurukshetra University. He said that a letter in this regard had already been sent to Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University and it could be confirmed from him.

However, when contacted KU Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Kailash Chandra Sharma said that neither any such letter nor any information have been received by the University from Department of Education or Haryana Government in this regard yet.

It may be mentioned here that the last date for submitting the list of admitted students for regular two year course of B.Ed in the over 500 colleges in Haryana at CRSU, Jind and the depositing of University fees is fixed for December 7. An amount of Rs. 4000/- per admitted student is charged by the Colleges at the time of giving admission from the students as University charges. The amount comes to Rs. 20 crores for 50 thousand students. CRSU, Jind had already collected over Rs 7 crores as counselling charges from the students.  

It may be recalled that great resentment prevailed not only amongst Kurukshetra University community but the public at large here over the move of Haryana Government to shift self-finance educational Institutions from last academic session in the month of July.

After sending many delegations including Member of Parliament and MLAs to Haryana Chief Minister to reverse back the order, the residents and social organisations constituted a Kurukshetra University Bachao Manch and threatened to launch a mass agitation to get the order reversed.

Haryana Education Minister, Rambilas Sharma, assured the Haryana Assembly on August 27, last that no college from Kurukshetra University would be shifted to any other University. Later about a month back, Sharma reiterated at a College function here that a notification about the shifting back of Colleges would be issued by the State government at the earliest. However, people here are upset that nothing concrete had yet been done in this matter.

Former Member of Rajya Sabha, and at present Member of National Commission of Schedule castes, said that either the Haryana Education Minister does not know what is happening in his ministry or he is telling lies about the reversal of Colleges to Kurukshetra University. He said that he has not seen in his political carrier that nothing was done to implement an assurance given by the Minister in the Assembly. He said that Haryana government believes only in publicity and falsehood. He asked how the Chief Minister could fulfil his announcements to bring Kurukshetra to International level after shifting affiliation of 170 colleges from here to CRSU, Jind, and proposal to construct an airport to Hissar.

Madan Gopal, President of Kurukshetra University Pensioner’s Association regretted the non-fulfilment of assurance given by Haryana Education Minister in the Haryana Assembly over the shifting back of these colleges. He said that the move of disaffiliating Educational colleges had so much adversely affected the financial position of Kurukshetra University that pensions and salaries are being delayed. He said that financial position of KU would further deteriorate if State government failed to reverse back these collages beside increasing annual grants to Kurukshetra University.     

President, Indian National Lok Dal Haryana, Ashok Arora accused the ruling BJP for coming to power by telling lies and now trying to mislead the Vidhan Sabha also by uttering lies. He said that as the Education Minister had given the assurance in Assembly on the calling attention by INLD MLA from Pehowa, Jasvinder Singh, his party would raise the issue before the ‘Assurance Committee’ of Vidhan sabha soon before moving a privilege motion in the next session of Assembly against the Minister for misleading the house.