J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Farooq eyes Vice-President’s post?
Jammu, December 2
Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, unperturbed over the delay in the restoration of peace and normalcy to Jammu and Kashmir, seems to prefer adventure to politicking.

NC insincere, allege Kashmiri Pandits
Jammu, December 2
The All-Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference has called upon all nationalist forces to fight against terrorists and the alleged plan of the National Conference to divide the state on communal grounds.

3 killed, 13 hurt as bus falls into gorge
Jammu, December 2
Three persons were killed on the spot and 13 others sustained serious injuries when a bus skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge near Thathri in Doda district this morning.

A Kashmiri woman in Srinagar burn dried chinar leaves as preparations for the winter in Kashmir are in full swing. 
— Photo Amin War

Farooq eyes Vice-President’s post?
M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 2
Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, unperturbed over the delay in the restoration of peace and normalcy to Jammu and Kashmir, seems to prefer adventure to politicking.

The Chief Minister drove his Bolero on G.T. Road here yesterday while going to Samba to play golf. His driver was sitting in a van packed with security personnel. Dr Abdullah has “Z” category security cover. His security chief and two NSG men were in the Bolero.

Two days ago, he surprised the owner and staff of a wayside dhaba on the Srinagar-Jammu highway near Udhampur when he and his security personnel halted there. What pleased people was his style of mixing freely.

Inside reports say while driving, he often concentrates on political and security problems of the state. It was during one of his driving sessions that he decided to field young candidates from the National Conference in the next Assembly elections. He himself is keen to go to the Centre either as the Vice-President or as a minister with a key portfolio. Since his son, Mr Omar Abdullah, has demonstrated his skills as a politician and an administrator, he could fill the gap once Dr Abdullah decides to be in Delhi.

The Chief Minister has already set the tone for pre-election exercise. The other party that is trying to win over the voters is the Peoples’ Democratic Party headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

The state unit of the BJP has lost much of its political hold after several party leaders started to weaken the hold of the Union Minister for Food Processing, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta. Professor Gupta alone seems to be capable enough to garner support for the party in the Jammu region. The demise of Vaid Vishnu Dutt, who represented the Jammu constituency in the Lok Sabha twice, is a setback for the party.

The Congress is ridden with factionalism.

Dissensions in the APHC and fear of the people that some separatists may contest the elections, seems to have created a favourable atmosphere for the National Conference, provided its leaders interact with people and try to mitigate their problems.

Militants and the separatists, however, are stated to be preparing to kick up violence so as to force the government to defer the elections. 

NC insincere, allege Kashmiri Pandits
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 2
The All-Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference (AKPSC) has called upon all nationalist forces to fight against terrorists and the alleged plan of the National Conference (NC) to divide the state on communal grounds.

Leaders of the AKPSC, who met here today under the chairmanship of Mr O.N. Trisal, expressed concern over the NC demand for the restoration of greater autonomy, its plan of granting regional autonomy and the scheme of executing the resettlement law.

They said regional autonomy on the pattern envisaged by the communal overtones.

The AKPSC criticised the government’s plan of implementing the resettlement law under which Kashmiris settled in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir could return to the state. They said this law would endanger the state’s security and secular traditions.

It also wanted to know what the government intended to do with over 16,000 Kashmiri Pandit youths who had applied for government jobs. It said for the past two months, there had been no action on those applications, indicating that the government was not serious on rehabilitating them.

3 killed, 13 hurt as bus falls into gorge

Jammu, December 2
Three persons were killed on the spot and 13 others sustained serious injuries when a bus skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge near Thathri in Doda district this morning.

A police spokesman said the bus was on its way from Chatroo to Batole when it skidded off near Thathri. Civil and police authorities have rushed to the spot. The injured have been admitted to the Thathri Primary Health Centre. UNI