Awami League backs Farooq
JAMMU, Feb 3 — Mr Kukka Parrey, chief of the Awami League today extended his full support to the National Conference Government in the state. Presiding over a meeting of the Awami League here today, he resolved to fight those trying to dislodge the duly elected government of Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Plan to form front
against NC
JAMMU, Feb 3 — After having felt choked in the National Conference the Democratic Janata Dal, which had merged itself with the ruling party a year ago, has revived.

Awami League backs Farooq
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Feb 3 — Mr Kukka Parrey, chief of the Awami League today extended his full support to the National Conference Government in the state.

Presiding over a meeting of the Awami League here today, he resolved to fight those trying to dislodge the duly elected government of Dr Farooq Abdullah.

The party criticised certain leaders for joining hands to encourage defections in the ruling party.

Mr Parrey made it clear that his party was not happy with ruling party leaders who had institutionalised corruption and nepotism in the state. However, in the interest of democracy the government should be allowed to complete its full term.

The League warned those trying to topple the government. It said "we will not allow the dismissal of the government".

Meanwhile, the Hurriyat Conference has denied reports that it is hobnobbing with Congress leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to form a united front against the ruling party in the state.

The chairman of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, in a statement, ridiculed the Chief Minister's claim that there was a secret understanding between Congress and Hurriyat Conference leaders.

Mr Geelani said the party was in favour of the right to self-determination for the people of Kashmir. "We will never compromise on it and hence there was no question of joining hands with those who do not support the settlement of the Kashmir issue through a plebiscite," he said.

He made it clear that the Hurriyat would not accept anything short of the right to self-determination and said "we will not join any other forum which does not support this demand".

Mr Geelani's statement followed reports that there was a secret understanding between a section of the state unit of the Congress and the Hurriyat conference and other groups.

Plan to form front against NC
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Feb 3 — After having felt choked in the National Conference the Democratic Janata Dal, which had merged itself with the ruling party a year ago, has revived. A majority of leaders and workers of the Dal, who had crossed over to the National Conference along with the then party President, Mr Ghulam Qadir Wani, have left the National Conference to revive the Dal in the state.

Reports said that the revival of the Democratic Janata Dal is part of the plan of forming a united front of different political organisations for measuring swords with the National Conference. The Dal General Secretary, Mr Yograj Singh, is hopeful of forging an alliance with any secular and democratic political party in order to focus the problems of the people.

According to the reports, the plan of forming a united front against the National Conference government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah has received momentum following the way a former Chief Minister and President of the Awami National Conference, Mr G.M. Shah, came out of his hibernation and revived his political activities. During the past over one month he and his supporters have been in touch with some separatist organisations and a few senior Congress leaders in the state.

The reports said that Mr Shah was trying to seek patronage from political parties in Delhi. Informed sources said that a number of separatist leader had visited Delhi frequently to remain in touch with mainstream political leaders and senior functionaries of the Union Home Ministry.

Reports indicate that a section in the state Congress is in favour of holding a dialogue with some of the moderate separatists so that they too could be warned away from the path of anti-India activities.

Mr Shah is being projected as leader of the proposed front but it is too early to say that he will be acceptable to all the group leaders. The proposed front could have assumed some contours had Delhi not been rocked by political instability.

Reports say that Mr Shah has an eye on the disgruntled MLAs belonging to the National Conference. But lack of second leadership in the ruling party and inability on the part of any senior party leader to challenge the leadership of Dr Abdullah may not allow the proposed front to pose any problem for the state government.

Observers, basing their comment on the past experience, are of the opinion that a coup against the elected government in Kashmir has never been possible without the tacit support of the Centre. Since the Central Government is in a state of flux the proposed front cannot expect any help from it when Dr Abdullah has lent support to the BJP-led government.

The dissident NC MLAs have not dared to come in the open because they know that the brute majority in the assembly has made Dr Abdullah’s position invincible. Mr Shah had expected that soon after his surfacing his party will be flooded by people from the National Conference. It did not happen. And this has been one of the reasons that forced him and some dissident NC MLAs to go slow.

Sources close to Dr Abdullah say that so long the BJP is in power at the Centre the National Conference government faced to serious threat. However, some National Conference leaders feel apprehensive if the Congress regained power at the Centre.

Militancy down to a trickle: Gen Khanna
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Feb 3 — Saying militancy in Kashmir as "reduced to a trickle and under control", Lt Gen H.M. Khanna, GOC-in-C Northern Command added that the time was "now ripe for political initiative".

Lt Gen H.M. Khanna Chief of the Northern Command was interacting with 56 young boys and girls of remote areas of Kupwara district proceeding on Operation Sangam II, an excursion tour by land, air and sea to Mumbai and Goa, organised jointly by the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Before flagging off the group of students accompanied by seven teachers, Lt Gen Khanna interacted with the students drawn from a number of schools of different areas of the Kupwara district close to the line of control.

A majority of the students were drawn from Shamshanbari range close to the LoC in Kupwara.

Answering questions from the media Lt Gen Khanna said that the militants cannot face "open confrontation" with the Army or the paramilitary forces. "They are doing hit and run exercises" targeting unguarded civilians, planting IEDs and using long range weapons.

Referring to exchange of fire on the line of control and particularly at Siachen glacier, Lt Gen Khanna said Pakistani troops were indulging in "unnecessary and futile" tactics.

This is Lt Gen H.M. Khanna's first visit to Kashmir. During his four-day visit he has visited various forward areas of Ladakh and Kashmir for an on-the-spot assessment.

A unique feature of the student tour is that it includes 22 girls who have volunteered to venture out of their villages although they have not even seen Srinagar. The resolve of the girls is backed by their parents who have entrusted them to the Army.