Congress ‘bungled on Kashmir’
JAMMU, June 4 — Torrential rain greeted BJP President Kushabhau Thakre when he entered the state's gateway, Lakhanpur, today on a two-day visit to Jammu.


PCC demands George’s sack
JAMMU, June 4 — The Pradesh Congress Committee, while holding the Lahore bus diplomacy on the part of Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, responsible for the Kargil conflict, has demanded immediate dismissal of Defence Minister, George Fernandes, for his "irresponsible" statements on the crisis.

Jammu Srinagar

HC order on NC MLCs’ election
JAMMU, June 4 — In a significant decision, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ordered sealing of entire records relating to the recent elections of Members of legislative council (MLCs) after preparing the list thereof in the presence of Registrar (Judicial) of the Srinagar wing of the high court and also admitted a petition challenging these elections of six ruling National Conference MLCs.

3 militants killed
SRINAGAR, June 4 — Three militants, were among five persons killed while the security forces captured three militants in the valley during the past 24 hours.

J&K seeks World Bank loan
SRINAGAR, June 4 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government will seek World Bank funding for tapping hydroelectric power and for conservation of water bodies, including the Dal Lake in the state.

Congress ‘bungled on Kashmir’
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, June 4 — Torrential rain greeted BJP President Kushabhau Thakre when he entered the state's gateway, Lakhanpur, today on a two-day visit to Jammu.

The local party leaders and workers felt embarrassed when Mr Thakre reached Lakhanpur an hour ahead of schedule with the result that not many were present to welcome him despite preparations having been made in advance. However, this "lapse" was made up at Dyalchak in Hiranagar subdivision where the BJP President addressed party workers and others.

Mr Thakre said India wanted to promote friendship with Pakistan and in this connection Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had initiated moves which culminated in the Lahore Declaration. He said unfortunately Pakistan "stabbed us in the back" while India was keen on developing friendly relations with Pakistan.

He said Pakistan launched an undeclared war against India in the Kargil sector after Islamabad lost its 10-year-long "proxy" war. Mr Thakre claimed that the situation in the Kashmir valley had witnessed a marked improvement during the past two years and this was a major irritant for Islamabad. To avenge it, Islamabad embarked on a misadventure in Kargil.

The BJP President said what "we are facing and witnessing today is the result of the defective policies of successive Congress governments at the Centre". He said the Congress, during its 45-year rule, had bungled on Kashmir and relations with Pakistan and "we have to face the music".

Mr Thakre urged people and political parties in the country to treat the situation created by Pakistan as a challenge and fight insurgency and war in Kargil unitedly. He said India had offered a hand of friendship to Pakistan but it was mistaken as a sign of weakness by Islamabad. Hence, the situation in Kargil and other sectors had to be faced with determination so that the infiltrators were thrown out giving another defeat to Pakistan.

When a party worker referred to the fluctuating stand of the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, on the Kargil situation, Mr Thakre said "when jawans are fighting a war one does not examine whether their shoes have been polished" adding that "we have to fight it unitedly".

On his arrival at Gajansoo in Marh block in Jammu, Mr Thakre was given a rousing reception by party workers and others. At Gajansoo he addressed a crowd, urging the people to strengthen the hands of the BJP which was engaged in rectifying the "50-year-old mistakes" of the Congress.

He said what the BJP led government achieved during 13 months of its rule was appreciable. He lamented that the Opposition simply tried to pinpoint some of the economic difficulties that were the result of international economic distress.

Mr Thakre said if the BJP was voted to power it would be able to stop Pakistan from giving pinpricks to India.

India was for friendly relations with all countries, especially its neighbours. He said the BJP government would not rest till the infiltrators were pushed back to the areas from where they had intruded into Indian territory.

Mr D K Kotwal, president of the state unit of the BJP, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, Vaid Vishnu Dutt (both former MPs) and scores of other senior party leaders welcomed Mr Thakre.

Later, Mr Thakre discussed the political situation in the state with senior party leaders. He was informed about the severe losses people of the Jammu region had suffered because of insurgency.

Mr Thakre advised party leaders to remain united and support those candidates who were selected by the party high command for contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

In principle, the BJP has decided to contest from all six constituencies in the state and concentrate on the Jammu and Udhampur Lok Sabha seats so that the party is able to retain them.

PCC demands George’s sack
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, June 4 — The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), while holding the Lahore bus diplomacy on the part of Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, responsible for the Kargil conflict, has demanded immediate dismissal of Defence Minister, George Fernandes, for his "irresponsible" statements on the crisis.

This demand was contained in a resolution adopted at a meeting of the PCC here today. The party President, Mr Mohammad Aslam, presided over the meeting and two party observers, Mr S. Surjewala and Mr K.M. Khan, were also present.

The resolution blamed the BJP-led Government at the Centre for the war-like situation in Kargil. It said that while the Prime Minister remained busy in organising the bus journey to Lahore, Pakistan was engaged in sending infiltrators to Kargil.

It appealed to the President of India, Mr K.R. Nayaranan, to use his constitutional powers and dismiss Mr Fernandes. It also requested the President to reprimand the Prime Minister for his failure to rise to tackle the situation in Kargil on a diplomatic level.

The resolution berated the BJP-led Government’s stand on the issue by favouring safe passage for the infiltrators. It said that announcing safe passage for infiltrators and Pak troops who had captured Indian posts and areas in the Kargil-Dras belt would demoralise the Indian armed forces and the people. It wanted strict measures to clear the Kargil area of the occupation of Pak infiltrators and troops.

By another resolution, the PCC pledged its support to Mrs Sonia Gandhi. It said that Mrs Sonia Gandhi had taken over the leadership of the Congress at a critical juncture and she, alone, was in a position to guide the party to victory in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. The PCC met again in the evening to chalk out programme for Mrs Sonia Gandhi, who is scheduled to visit Jammu on June 10.

Through another resolution the PCC criticised the National Conference Government for its failure to check corruption in the state. It said maladministration and corruption had touched new heights causing deep distress to people. The PCC decided to hold rallies in protest against failure of the National Conference to deliver the goods.

HC order on NC MLCs’ election
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, June 4 — In a significant decision, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ordered sealing of entire records relating to the recent elections of Members of legislative council (MLCs) after preparing the list thereof in the presence of Registrar (Judicial) of the Srinagar wing of the high court and also admitted a petition challenging these elections of six ruling National Conference MLCs.

Mr Justice Arun Kumar Goel, while admitting the election petition filed by an independent candidate, Mr Ravinder Kumar Sharma, issued notices to the Election Commission of India, Returning Officer (Secretary, J&K Legislative Assembly), and also the six newly-elected ruling party MLCs, and directed the Secretary, Legislative Assembly, to seal entire records relating to the election in question after preparing list thereof. This exercise of preparing the list and sealing will be undertaken by him in the presence of Registrar (Judicial) of the Srinagar wing of the high court. The list will be signed by the Registrar, also who shall place on record the copy of the same alongwith his report, the court ordered.

The petitioner, Ravinder Kumar, an Independent candidate, supported by different opposition parties, had challenged the election of six National Conference nominees asking for the election of these members to be set aside and the petitioner to be declared as the duly elected member of the J&K Legislative Council. Senior advocates of the J&K high court, including Mr. P.R.Bakshi, Mr. D.K.Khajuria, Mr. B.S.Salathia, Mr Ved Raj Wazir, Mr. H.C.Jelmeria and Mr. Tashi Rabstan represented the petitioner, who, too, was present.

The petitioner had challenged the election of six MLCs on the grounds that the ruling National Conference government had manipulated the election of its nominees in connivance with the Election Commission of India. Mr. Kumar stated that the notification issued by the government on March 23,1999 and those of the Election Commission of India as also the notice of the election issued by the Returning Officer conveyed that there should be one election to all six vacant seats of the legislative council. Thus any subsequent deviation from the original notification and notice of election was illegal and thus election of respondents was illegal and liable to be set aside.

The schedule of the election fixed March 31,1999 as last date of receiving nominations, April 1 as the date of scrutiny, April 3 as last date of withdrawal of nominations and April 10 as the date for election. The petitioner submitted that after the closing date of withdrawal, a final list of eight contesting candidates for the six vacant seats was issued by the Returning Officer. He said after the publishing of the final list, the Election Commission and the Returning Officer had no authority to interfere, alter,change or modify the mode and manner of election and single election was required to be held by way of single transferable vote of each member of legislative assembly as provided in Section 50(7) of the J&K Constitution. He said since the NC had official strength of 60 members in the assembly, so a ruling party nominee would have secured 10 votes each whereas the petitioner had secured 15 valid votes in his favour.

President urged to sack George
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, June 4 — Two senior Congress leaders, Mr S.S. Surjewala, and Mr K.M. Khan, have appealed to the President of India to use his constitutional powers to dismiss the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes.

Talking to newspersons here yesterday the Congress leaders said the President of India should assert his constitutional authority and dismiss Mr Fernandes who had bungled on the Kargil conflict. They said the BJP-led government had failed on all fronts to secure the interests of the country in the Kargil sector.

They said Pakistan had launched an undeclared war against India in Kargil and "our Defence Minister continued to present the Pakistan Prime Minister and the ISI as innocent." They said under the BJP-rule there had been marked failure in intelligence and diplomacy. The bus diplomacy had proved disastrous for the country because when Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee was busy in journeying to Lahore the Pakistani infiltrators were entrenching themselves in Kargil, Dras and Batalik areas.

Mr Surjewala and Mr Khan said the utterances of the Defence Minister would demoralise the armed forces and the people and hence there was no justification for him to be in office. His being in the office, they alleged, was detrimental to the security of the country.

Mr Khan demanded that the President should use his powers to convene a special session of the Rajya Sabha to discuss the Kargil situation. They said the Kargil conflict was not a party issue but a national issue and hence all parties should be taken into confidence by the government.

3 militants killed

SRINAGAR, June 4 (UNI) — Three militants, were among five persons killed while the security forces captured three militants in the valley during the past 24 hours.

An official spokesman said a security jawan was killed in an encounter with militants at Misri Behak in the frontier district of Kupwara last evening. Later the security forces recovered a disposable rocket launcher, 17 detonators, 24 kg of explosives and two boxes of ammunition near the site of the encounter. However, the militants escaped.

The security forces gunned down one militant each at Phulanwali Gali and Challar villages during two operations last evening. One universal machine gun, one AK rifle and 140 cartridges were recovered from the slain militants.

The security forces shot dead a Pakistani intruder immediately after he sneaked into Indian territory from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir at the Basantnar Nullah last evening.Two grenades, Rs 360 in cash and some Pakistani currency were recovered from the slain intruder.

Militants shot dead Feroza alias Babli, at Soura last evening. She was abducted along with her husband and son who were rescued by the security forces,the spokesman said

Militants entered the house of a village defence committee member, Mr Lachaman Dass at Heela Gool and fired at the inmates, injuring the house owner and his daughter.

Militants attacked a security forces' camp at Ranipora in Anantnag district last evening. The security forces also fired back but the militants escaped.

The security forces captured three militants and recovered some arms and ammunition in the valley during overnight operations.

J&K seeks World Bank loan

SRINAGAR, June 4 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Government will seek World Bank funding for tapping hydroelectric power and for conservation of water bodies, including the Dal Lake in the state.

The vast hydel resources are a viable base for shaping the dwindling economy of the state, the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, said in Anantnag yesterday.

The Chief Minister said he had taken up these matters with top World Bank executives in Washington.

Dr Abdullah said the state government was keen in benefiting from its water resources by executing work on various identified power projects. This would enable the state to cater to the domestic requirements besides providing much-needed power to neighbouring states.