M A I N   N E W S

Cong firm on probe into J&K massacre

NEW DELHI, Aug 7 (PTI) — The Congress today hardened its stance on the issue of judicial probe into the Kashmir massacre, insisting on an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge thereby making its confrontation with the government fiercer on the matter.

“The inquiry should be at the level of a sitting Supreme Court judge,” party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters dismissing government’s plea that legally it was not competent to order such a probe in Jammu and Kashmir as it fell within the state’s jurisdiction.

He said the Centre was competent to institute an inquiry as the matter related to cross-border terrorism and national security.

Mr Azad said that an executive inquiry would not suffice in view of “conflicting” statements of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Defence Minister George Fernandes on the issue of security lapses.

He said there was ‘’confusion’’ whether Mr L.K. Advani continued to be Home Minister or whether he has been divested of the charge of J and K affairs. This confusion has arose as the Home Minister was not in the delegation led by the Prime Minister which visited Pahalgam and neither has Mr Advani said anything on the killings since then.

Replying to a query, he said, the party would continue to raise this issue in Parliament till its demand was met.

Public debate on Dasam Granth forbidden
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Aug 7 — Jathedar Akal Takht Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti has directed Sikh intellectuals not to air their views on the Dasam Granth controversy.

In a one page press note, issued on the letter head of Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh said some Sikh intellectuals had violated the directive not to publish any material on this issue in accordance with the gurmata passed on May 14 by the Sikh conclave.

The jathedar hinted that those Sikhs who would publish articles or issue press statements could be summoned at Akal Takht.

It may be recalled that Mr Gurtej Singh, who was declared professor of Sikhism by Akal Takht, had published his article in a section of press and a reply was given to the article by another Sikh intellectual.

Giani Joginder Singh said the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee was likely to constitute a committee on the issue.