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Greater Autonomy to State
BJP leader flays state Panchayati Raj Act
NC has legalised corruption in state: PDP
Mirwaiz for early resolution of Kashmir issue
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Dhoni keeps media guessing
Way paved for CIC’s appointment
Killing of youth in Handwara
Constable attempts suicide
NSF holds demonstration
Plan to reduce school vacation, says Peerzada
Residents protest against ‘occupation’ of hospital by security forces
Militants attack NC activist
12 per cent DA for govt employees sought
Five killed, five injured
in avalanche
Teachers’ forum to hold
rally on Feb 21
Lecturers to observe protest day on Feb 9
Hideout busted
One injured in group clash
Man crushed to death in flour mill
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Greater Autonomy to State
Jammu, February 6 During his three-day stay here, the RSS leader will convene meetings of leaders of various Sangh Parivar organisations. Even as the Union Government has not produced any road map for the solution of the vexed Kashmir problem, the Sangh Parivar, including the BJP, has started an aggressive door-to-door campaign in Jammu against the Centre’s move to grant greater autonomy to the state. Activists of the RSS have taken up the responsibility to step up the campaign.They have roped in workers of all affiliated organisations, social activists and religious leaders to approach all sections of society. Sources told The Tribune that during the past one week, RSS leaders had convened meetings of the workers and “educated” them about the move of the Union Government. The activists have been assigned the job to make the people aware about the government’s plan to appease separatists and the National Conference. “We have authentic information that the government is going to give some concessions to Jammu and Kashmir.Therefore, we have decided to launch a stir if any attempt is made to grant greater autonomy to the state,” a senior RSS leader said.
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BJP leader flays state Panchayati Raj Act
Jammu, February 6 In a statement issued here today, Gupta termed the state Panchayati Raj Act of 1989 as a farce and said it was more despotic than being democratic as it provided for more nominations than elected representations. “If the elections are held under the prevailing Act, it will not be possible to change the nominated structure and also the empowerment of the basic democracies,” he said. He added that the elections under the present Act would prove to be a futile exercise. The BJP leader said the issue of extension of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the state had been hanging fire for the past over a decade. Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a function in Udhampur had publicly agreed to the need for the empowerment of the basic democracies, including the panchayats and the local bodies, by extending these amendments to the state,” he said. He questioned the sincerity of the ruling party to democratic values by pointing out that by taking advantage of Article 370, the Congress and the NC had made a mockery of the democratic values and had deprived the people of their rights.
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NC has legalised corruption in state: PDP
Jammu, February 6 During the meeting, party leaders lambasted the National Conference-led coalition regime for its failure to bring transparency and accountability in the administration. PDP general secretary Balbir Singh alleged that legalising corruption and nepotism was the only noticeable achievement of the two-year tenure of the Omar government. He narrated examples of some cases of back door appointments in government jobs and added that the present regime had been repeating the same blunders which were committed by the previous National Conference regime from 1996 to 2002. He regretted that the present dispensation had betrayed the people of the state as all promises made with the people during the Assembly elections remained on papers only. Calling upon the party workers to educate the people about the misdeeds of this regime, he said that Government was neck deep in corruption from top to bottom and leaders of the ruling party were brazenly indulged in accumulating huge wealth by misusing their position. He added that the common masses in the state had been struggling with a number of problems, but the members of the ruling coalition had been using resources of the state for their personal comforts. Pointing towards back door appointment in the government jobs, he cautioned that such type of steps would prove disastrous for the state as the alienation among unemployed youth had been increasing. He added that the government seemed to be more concerned about hoodwinking the masses by making false promises rather than taking some concerted steps to solve their problems.
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Mirwaiz for early resolution of Kashmir issue
Srinagar, February 6 "The delegates should persuade the world powers, including the USA, to facilitate a settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state”, the Mirwaiz said in his address to the 59th National Breakfast Prayer in Washington on Friday. “We need to use the weapons of love, compassion and sympathy to overcome hatred, anger and animosity," he said. The Mirwaiz said Hindus and Muslims had lived together for centuries in Kashmir. “It is simply because the people of Kashmir believe in a pluralistic society based on fairness, justice and co-existence," he added. The Mirwaiz and his delegation met representatives of more than 40 countries, a spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference said. — PTI
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Dhoni keeps media guessing
Udhampur, February 6 Since morning,local and Jammu-based mediapersons were on the trail of the cricketer.The rumours had the mediapersons on their toes about his elusive movement between Jammu, Katra and Udhampur, throughout the day. But The Tribune learnt from sources in the Army intelligence that Dhoni visited Udhampur along with his wife and teammate Suresh Raina. They reached here by road at around 11.30 am and had lunch at the residence of an officer of 4 Para, Garhi Cantonment. The host was believed to be a relative of Dhoni. They were believed to have left for Katra around 2.30 pm, added the sources. But nobody had any idea whether Dhoni actually made it to Katra, the base camp of the Vaishno Devi shrine, to pay obeisance or not. It was rumoured that he would check in at Hotel Vaishno Devi there. But its owner, Rakesh Wazir, said: “Dhoni might have booked some other hotel, but definitely not mine,” he informed over phone. The arrival of Dhoni in Jammu was learnt to have been posted by some agencies on the Facebook, putting the media on a futile trail. Meanwhile, police sources in Jammu feigned ignorance about his visit. Reports from Katra maintained that he did not go there owing to bad weather.
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Way paved for CIC’s appointment
Jammu, February 6 The Governor, N.N Vohra, had sent back the file recommending Sufi’s appointment to the state government last week, pointing out that there was no CVC clearance with it. Highly placed sources in the state government revealed the clearance had been received and “ the file pertaining to the appointment of the CIC would be submitted again to the Governor for approval”. Once the approval was received, the State Information Commission would start working, they said. |
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Killing of youth in Handwara
Chogul (Handwara), February 6 The Army had claimed that the youth was caught in an ambush where he sustained “fatal injuries”. “At around 10:15 p.m, some Armymen came and took Manzoor away.We were not aware of what had happened.Later, we heard a gunshot.In the morning when we did not find him in his room, we started looking for him,” said Ghulam Ahmed Magray, father of the deceased. Later,announcements were made from the local mosque that a body was found dead in a nearby field. “We rushed to the field and found that it was our son who was killed by the Army.” He alleged that the body had only one bullet mark on the right foot, whereas most of the bones were broken and the body bore burns and bruise marks. “His body bore the marks of torture. We want the culprits to be punished,” said the father. Manzoor was the eldest in the family and was working as a contractor with the local Road and Building Department. “For the past five years, he had been working as a contractor; even the Chief Minister, who came here yesterday had said he was innocent and it was a target killing. I don’t need compensation but the criminals should be punished,” said Ghulam Ahmed. Speaking to The Tribune, SP, Handwara, Choudhary Mohammed Aslam, said, “What I can say is that the boy had no links with any militant outfit.He was innocent. There was one bullet mark on the right foot of the boy and the cause of the death will be ascertained once the autopsy report is submitted.” He said the reason why the boy was killed and the circumstances would come out in the course of the investigation. Meanwhile, the Srinagar-based PRO of the Army, Lt-Col JS Brar said, “The allegations are baseless and we stand by what we have already said. The boy was killed in an ambush and the Army regrets it”.
CM for zero tolerance to human rights violations
Srinagar, February 6 Presiding over a high-level meeting here today, the Chief Minister said:“Any violation of human rights at any stage while conducting security-oriented operations or dealing with any law and order situation, is required to be totally avoided in order to restore the confidence of the people.” The meeting was also attended by the commander of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt-Gen SA Hasnain, Director-General of Police Kuldeep Khoda, Inspector-General of Police SM Sahai and Inspector-General of CID B Sirinivasan. The Chief Minister said the government’s policy of zero tolerance to any human rights violation should be strictly adhered to and any individual, who was found responsible for such a violation, should be dealt with under the law, so that no civilian, at any place or in any situation, felt insecure during such operations. — TNS |
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Constable attempts suicide
Jammu, February 6 They added that the constable’s wife disagreed with him. “Infuriated over this, the constable’s wife threatened to commit suicide by consuming poison. The constable snatched the poisonous substance from her and consumed a large quantity of it after which his condition started deteriorating,” the sources added. The constable was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital here for treatment where his condition was said to be stable. His statement was yet to be recorded, Mohammad Rashid, in charge, Pallanwala police station, said.
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NSF holds demonstration
Jammu, February 6 According to a statement issued here, the protesters, led by Vikas Sharma, NSF state president, were carrying placards and raised slogans against the university authorities. “The university authorities have compelled us to adopt the path of agitation as our grievances have not been redressed so far,” alleged Sharma. |
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Plan to reduce school vacation, says Peerzada
Jammu, February 6 This was stated by the Minister for Education, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, at an Annual Day function organized by Naveen Vidya Mandir High School, Ploura, an official statement issued here said. Listing the reforms introduced to further perk up the education standards in the state, the Minister said, to meet the demands of the modern academic trends there was a need to have more class working days. He said reducing the duration of the vacation would help in broadening the scope of curricular and co-curricular activities. The Minister said the education system was being revitalised to make education available in every part of the state and enable students to compete at the national level. He further said during the past few years the results in the government schools had greatly improved and the parents now preferred to send their wards to government-run schools. Maintaining that the education sector had witnessed a major expansion, the Minister said Jammu alone had 1,000 primary schools, 337 middle schools, 110 high schools, 62 higher secondary schools, and three migrant schools, besides a number of EGS centers and Kasturbha Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. He said the Rashtriya Madhayamik Shiksha Abhyan was being implemented in the state, and so far 182 schools had been covered with the provision of spending Rs 46 lakh in each school for the development of infrastructure. Earlier, students of the school presented a colourful cultural programme depicting a composite culture of the state and conveying a message of mutual brotherhood. The Minister also distributed prizes among the students who had excelled in academic and co-curricular activities.
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Residents protest against ‘occupation’ of hospital by security forces
Sopore, February 6 “They forced the patients out of the hospital,many of whom had to spend the night in the open in cold, rain and snow,” said a doctor. As the news spread, a large number of residents started throwing stones on the police and held a protest. Although senior police officers denied reports of any protest and the subsequent use of force by the security forces to disperse the demonstrators, this correspondent,on visiting the town, found that protests were going on and the police was using tear gas shells and batons to quell the mob. “There is no protest in the town and the reports of the hospital building being occupied by the security forces are false. The building is being used by militants to target the security forces. They fire rocket-propelled grenades.The house of the former PCC chief was also attacked from the place recently,” Altaf Khan, SP, Sopore, told The Tribune. “The security forces are planning to build some bunkers on the periphery of the hospital and that is why they have entered the compound,” Khan said.
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Militants attack NC activist
Srinagar, February 6 The ultras shot Farooq Ahmad Shiekh at his native Koil village in Pulwama district soon after he came out of a mosque after evening prayers, the police said. Shiekh was hit by a bullet in the shoulder, it said, adding that he was taken to a hospital in Srinagar where his condition was stated to be stable. No militant outfit has so far claimed the responsibility for the attack. |
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12 per cent DA for govt employees sought
Jammu, February 6 He also reiterated the demand for declaring Jammu and Srinagar as B-1 cities of the state, besides a special package of Rs 5,000 crore from the Centre for implementing the state pay panel’s report. Other demands included the grant of disturbed area allowance to the state employees, the regularisation of the daily wagers and increasing the income tax exemption limit. |
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Five killed, five injured
in avalanche
Srinagar, February 6 “Two residential houses came under an avalanche at Garkone village in the Batalik sector of Kargil district in which five members of a family, including three women, were trapped under the debris,” said Amir Ali, coordinator of the disaster management cell, Kashmir. He said a rescue operation was launched and a police party along with a medical team was rushed to the village. “The five people trapped in one of the houses died.They were identified as Tashi Gasu, 38, Tsering Spalzes, his wife, Tsering Gangzum, his daughter, Karma Lama, and Tsering Ganfail,” Amir Ali said. He said five more persons were injured and shifted to district hospital, Kargil. |
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Teachers’ forum to hold
rally on Feb 21
Jammu, February 6 It urged the government to fulfil its long-pending demands. |
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Lecturers to observe protest day on Feb 9
Jammu, February 6 In a statement issued here today, HD Qureshi, president of the forum, said all district presidents of the forum would hold demonstrations across the state and submit memorandums to the Chief Minister. Qureshi regretted that the callous attitude of the government had forced the forum to start the agitation. He urged the Chief Minister to intervene and get the decision of the Cabinet, dated March 2010,implemented. Meanwhile, the president of the forum for Kashmir division said similar protests would be held in Kashmir and Ladakh divisions. |
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Hideout busted
Jammu, February 6 An Army spokesperson said during a joint search operation launched with the help of the police, the hideout was busted and a disposable rocket launcher (weighing about 10 kg), five Chinese grenades and one gas stove with cylinder were recovered. |
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One injured in group clash
Jammu, February 6 Sources said Totti, an alleged criminal, along with his associates, who were carrying sharp-edged weapons, assaulted Vijay Kumar in the main market of RS Pura. The sources further said the accused attacked Vijay with knives and swords and escaped. HS Gill, SDPO, RS Pura said: “We have registered a case against Totti and two more unidentified persons who attacked Vijay Kumar and broke his legs.” He further said no one had been arrested so far, but a hunt was on to trace the assailants. Gill added, “The injured is also facing cases registered at RS Pura police station.” Vijay Kumar was admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital.
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Man crushed to death in flour mill
Jammu, February 6 The deceased identified as Farooq, a native of Huttar village, had gone to the mill where he was crushed to death. The police said the body was taken to district hospital, Kathua, for a post-mortem. A case has been registered at Billawar police station in this regard. |
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Udhampur, February 6
