 |
| Thursday, January 13, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
|
J&K govt invokes ESMA Conversions: LBA blames govt Government to get Pak declared
terrorist state: minister |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
J&K
govt invokes ESMA JAMMU, Jan 12 — In a bid to end the 21-day strike by the government employees in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government today invoked the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) for a ban on strikes. The decision to invoke ESMA was taken by the state Cabinet which met here today with the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, presiding over it. With ESMA in force the employees on strike would be dealt with firmly and those found disrupting work were likely to be arrested. Briefing mediapersons the Chief Minister said even after the enforcement of the ESMA the government's doors were open for negotiations. He said since the state was facing a cash crunch it was not possible for it to release Rs 575 crore required for the payment of two instalments of DA and arrears under the Fifth Pay Commission. The Housing Minister, Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, who headed the Cabinet subcommittee constituted for negotiations with leaders of employees' joint action committee, said there were a series of meetings with these leaders. They seemed to be determined to continue with the strike even when the government had accepted their demands in principle and offered to pay 50 per cent of the two DA instalments and 50 per cent was to be credited to their provident funds. As far as the arrears were concerned the employees were assured that the amount would be credited to their provident funds. He said the employees demanded everything in cash and the state had no cash. Dr Farooq Abdullah said "we have shown lot of patience. Now we cannot watch the administrative paralysis like spectators. Hence we have decided to act." He said the state had to
enter into a memorandum of Understanding with the Centre
in order to secure special financial assistance. And one
part of the understanding would be to reduce the strength
of the employees |
Conversions:
LBA blames govt JAMMU, Jan 12 — The Ladakh Buddhist Association has accused the state government of laxity in checking "conversions" of Buddhist women to Islam. In a three-page memorandum to the Union Home Minister, Mr L K Advani, President, Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), Tsering Samphal, has enclosed a list of 24 Buddhist women who were taken away from their parents and husbands from Ladakh and were "forcibly" converted to Muslims. Mr Samphal has conveyed to Mr Advani that the state government's report saying that only two Buddhist women had adopted Islam was "concocted mischievous." He has suggested to the Union Home Minister to look into the list the LBA has sent to him so that the truth was unveiled. The memorandum said during the 1992 agreement between the LBA and Ladakh Muslim Association (LMA) conversions had to be stopped to restore communal amity in Ladakh. It was agreed that members of the two associations would intervene in cases of forcible conversions and ensure that women were sent back to their parents or husbands. He said, in the memorandum that this agreement had been flouted in connivance with the state government officers with the result the police did not take the desired action on the FIRs lodged with different police stations against forcible conversions of Buddhist women. Mr Samphal said between 1992 and 1999, 24 women had been forced to adopt Islam and the state government had "misinformed" the Union Home Ministry that some of the women had married Muslim youths willingly. He said some Buddhist women "had been whisked away" to Kashmir where court documents were "clandestinely" prepared to show that the Buddhist women had married the Muslim youths willingly. Mr Samphal has requested
the Union Home Minister to intervene and ensure that 39
Buddhist students who had been taken away from Ladakh by
some Christian missionaries were brought back to the land
of lamas before they were forced to adopt Christianity. |
Government
to get Pak declared JAMMU, Jan 12 — The Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, has said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance will strive hard to get Pakistan declared as a terrorist state. He said the BJP will mobilise all the resources to collect the documentary evidence in this regard so as to place the same before world community and isolate and expose Pakistan. Prof Gupta was speaking at a function here today to pay homage to the two Indian martyrs who laid down their lives on January 11, 1953 while demanding one constitution, one flag for Jammu and Kashmir. He further said that India has defeated Pakistan four times in the past but it is still bent upon creating disturbances in our country. Prof Gupta asked Pakistan to desist from carrying out subversive activities in Jammu and Kashmir and warned it of serious consequences if it persisted with its evil designs vis a vis India. Referring to the threat of Maulana Masood Azhar, one of the militant released in exchange of 155 hostages that five lakh mujahideen force will be raised to fight against India. Prof Gupta said even if 10 lakh mujahideen force is organised, no one will be allowed to enter into our territory. Our valiant jawans, guarding the borders, will be ready to give them befitting reply with bullets. He said the involvement
of Pakistan in the hijacking of Indian Airlines plane has
become evident, as one of the militants freed namely
Maulana Masood Azhar, after reaching Pakistan has started
talking of jehad against India. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
