J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Govt skirts autonomy issue
SRINAGAR, Oct 20 — The Autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir legislature concluded here yesterday but without any response to the Centre’s rejection of the Autonomy resolution for which a special session of the Assembly was called here in June.

Early poll likely, says Qureshi
SRINAGAR, Oct 20 — Having worked at the grassroots level for the past over two months, the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) is “preparing itself to meet the challenges” ahead with a “lurking suspicion” of early elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Water supply augmented
JAMMU, Oct 20 — With the addition of about one crore gallons of water in greater Jammu per day, the total availability of drinking water from different sources has risen to 5.05 crore gallons per day.

Four Lashkar ultras shot
SRINAGAR, Oct 20 — The security forces killed four militants affiliated with Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) in two separate gunfights while a civilian was injured in a grenade explosion triggered by militants in the Kashmir valley since last evening, official sources said here today. The sources said two LeT Militants, believed to be foreigners, were killed in a gunfight with troops during a search operation at Dudpathri Behak in Badgam district of Kashmir last night.

Govt skirts autonomy issue
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 20 — The Autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir legislature concluded here yesterday but without any response to the Centre’s rejection of the Autonomy resolution for which a special session of the Assembly was called here in June.

Only three months have elapsed since the resolution on autonomy was passed by a two-third majority in the Assembly on June 26. This being the main plank of the NC campaign in the 1996 elections, which returned the party to power after a gap of seven years’ continues to be fresh in the minds of the masses. Even the resignation of the former Chairman of the State Autonomy Committee (SAC), Dr Karan Singh and the unilateral ceasefire by the Hizbul Mujahideen in July this year after the autonomy resolution was passed, failed to push the issue to the backseat.

The government on its part did not make any mention in the form of a resolution or otherwise in this regard and attempts at raising the issue. However, the Chief Whip of the ruling National Conference, Mr Mubarak Gul, who has now been granted the status of a Cabinet Minister, made a mention about the fate of the autonomy resolution during zero hour on the third day of the session. This did not invite any response from the treasury benches.

It figured only in the list of business in the form of a private member’s resolution by Mohammad Yusuf Tyulrigems of CPM seeking the House to express displeasure over the rejection autonomy te resolution by the Central Government. The issue did not even figure in the concluding remarks by the Chief Minister in the Assembly at the end of the session.

Reacting to the “delaying tactics” of the government, the CPM MLA, Mr Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, said it was done to “prevent any embarrassment” to the ruling party. His resolution demanded that the House “convey its displeasure to the Central Government for not accepting the resolution on state autonomy adopted by the House” in June this year.

The MLA raised two objections against the procedure adopted in the House to “sabotage” his resolution. He said the Congress member, Mr Ashok Sharma, was allowed to take up the resolution at a later stage as at the time it figured, the member was absent. As soon as he returned, the Speaker took up the Congress. Much time was also wasted in discussing whether a member could speak on a resolution. Mr Tarigami claimed that this has happened for the first time in the history of the state legislature. “We have been speaking on resolutions” he added.

Since the beginning of the session on October 9 last, which coincided with the completion of four years of the National Conference government headed by Mr Farooq Abdullah, all eyes were set on the autonomy issue. The session came to an end without any refrence to the matter. 

Early poll likely, says Qureshi
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 20 — Having worked at the grassroots level for the past over two months, the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) is “preparing itself to meet the challenges” ahead with a “lurking suspicion” of early elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

At his first press conference after taking over as the President of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) here today, Mr Mohammad Shafi Qureshi said the PCC was working for its revival during the past two months. A number of district-level conventions had been held during the period to know the problems faced by the people at the ground level.

He said people wanted “restoration of peace” but the “unsympathetic attitude” of the state government and an “insensitive bureaucracy” was creating problems for the people. This had further alienated the Kashmiri people. If elections were held, the ruling “NC would face a crushing defeat”, he added.

The PCC chief said unlike Mr G.M. Shah’s Awami National Conference (ANC), the Congress stood for a fruitful Indo-Pakistan dialogue. “We want talks to be held between India and Pakistan”, Mr Qureshi said, adding that the Centre should “keep the political parties in the state informed of the issue. He expressed “certain reservations” on tripartite talks to solve the Kashmir tangle.

Referring to the recent stand by the ANC chief and the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Mohammad Shah, the PCC chief said it “is a step towards a good beginning”. Mr Shah had last week sent letters to 57 leaders of both mainstream and the separatist parties to come to the negotiating table to deliberate on the Kashmir problem.

Referring to the ceasefire announcement by the Hizbul Mujahidden, the PCC chief said its “failure” had been because of the non-serious approach of the Central Government. There were many groups other than the Hizbul Mujahidden which mattered, Mr Qureshi pointed out.

Mr Qureshi criticised the recent statement of RSS chief K.S. Sudershan on “Indianisation” of Muslims and Christians.

Water supply augmented
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20 — With the addition of about one crore gallons of water in greater Jammu per day, the total availability of drinking water from different sources has risen to 5.05 crore gallons per day.

The additional water supply has been made by commissioning of 10 tubewells and a filter plant.

At times shortage occurs due to illegal connections and booster pumps in colonies, including Roopnagar, Ban Talab, Keran Chinore, Sainik Colony and Channi Himmat.

The Public Health Engineering Department has taken up a programme to augment the water supply affected areas by drilling a battery of tubewells at different places. For the areas of Muthi and Roopnagar, the department plans to drill at least 10 tubewells on the left side of the Jammu Akhnoor road from Udheywala to Purkhoo. This will augment the supply to Ban Talab, Keran, Cinore, Roopnagar, Muthi, Durganagar and connected colonies, benefiting a population of about 65,000.

Four Lashkar ultras shot

SRINAGAR, Oct 20 (PTI and UNI) — The security forces killed four militants affiliated with Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) in two separate gunfights while a civilian was injured in a grenade explosion triggered by militants in the Kashmir valley since last evening, official sources said here today.

The forces recovered some more arms and ammunition during overnight operations across the region. The recoveries included an assault rifle, six magazines, a wireless set, a telescope, 12 rocket fuses, a rifle silencer, 12 rockets, 27 rifle grenades, four hand grenades and over 1000 rounds.