Curse the stars; Uttaranchal postpones inaugural session
SMA KAZMI

Dehra Dun, January 4: Uttaranchal government seems to be guided by celestial settings. The first ever session of the interim assembly of the newly created state has been postponed by two days on the advise of the astrologers, according to official sources.

The session of the interim assembly which was scheduled to be held from January 9 would now begin on January 11. The postponement has been madeas a lunar eclipse would be occurring on January 9.

A decision in this regard was taken at the cabinet meeting of the Nityanand Swami ministry on Wednesday. However, the reasons given by the state Chief Secretary Ajay Vikram Singh after the cabinet meeting were administrative.

Chief Secretary Singh said that the assembly session has been postponed by two days since preparations have not yet been completed. It was stated that the Vidhan Sabha building was not yet complete.

The Swami government has been under tremendous pressure from astrologers for postponing the session. The astrologers had predicted that alunar eclipse is falling on January 9 which is an inauspicious time to begin a new session.

Earlier, the astrologers had also warned about the date of the formation of the new state. They were of the opinion that November 9, 2000, the day on which the new state of Uttaranchal came into being was not an auspicious period because of ``panchak'' which is considered bad omen according to Hindu religion. CM Swami on assuming office had also alleged that a tantric yagna was performed to physically eliminate him. His supporters also organised a yagna to ward off the alleged tantric threat to his life.

Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.