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| Friday, February
16, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Geelani
“out of step” with APHC Gujjars’
rally to protest ‘govt apathy’ Oppn
walks out over abduction Jammu-Srinagar
highway mooted |
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Khajuria
is Dy Chairman J&K Council 
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Geelani “out of step” with APHC New Delhi, February 15 Consensus to ask the JEI Amir to drop Mr Geelani was arrived during a stormy meeting of the APHC executive held on Monday during which it was felt by majority of members that the former Hurriyat Chief was following his own personal agenda. “Geelani is following neither the Jammait line nor the Hurriyat policy. Geelani’s statements are not in tune with the established Hurriyat position”, the People’s Conference leader, Mr Abdul Ghani Lone is believed to have told the Amir-e-Jammat. It is understood that Mr Lone took the initiative of talking to Mr Butt at the behest of the Hurriyat Chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat. Differences between Mr Geelani and rest of the Hurriyat leaders have been growing for the last few months as the former Chairman was getting special treatment from Islamabad. There were reports that Mr Geelani was due to get rousing welcome when he was to reach Pakistan as part of the Hurriyat delegation which was supposed to go to Pakistan. While the Hurriyat was formed with a consensus that Kashmir was a political problem, Mr Geelani’s recent outbursts stating that it was a religious issue took the Hurriyat leaders by surprise. Mr Geelani’s stand, some of the Hurriyat leaders felt, was becoming an obstacle in their effort to carve out a role for the organisation in the ongoing process that New Delhi had launched. The Government of India, sources said, had conveyed informally to the top Hurriyat leaders that Mr Geelani’s views were beyond the scope of the initiative that was being undertaken by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. Sources said that some of the top Hurriyat leaders were not even sure as what line Mr Geelani would take once he as part of a Hurriyat delegation lands in Pakistan. Even though the APHC has asked the JeI to withdraw Mr Geelani, the Amir would have a tough time taking a decision as the former Hurriyat Chairman has considerable clout with the terrorist outfits and a section of the Kashmiri youth. Mr Lone, who has taken the initiative, would come under pressure in coming days including some threats to his life, sources said. |
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Gujjars’ rally to protest
‘govt apathy’ Jammu, February 15 This was stated by the President of the RGVM, Mr A.R. Badana, at a press conference here yesterday. He said Gujjars and Bakerwals, who constituted 30 per cent of the population of the state, had been sandwitched between the security forces and the militants. He said 15 Gujjars were massacred recently in Rajouri district but no leader visited the victims whereas several Central leaders and those from Punjab and Jammu visited Mahejoor Nagar to sympathise with the families of massacred Sikhs. Mr Badana said the communities known for their patriotism had been suffering because of the “apathy” of the government. These communities were being ignored in services, during admissions in professional colleges and in relief measures, he said. He said large number of Gujjars and Bakerwals had to migrate from their native villages because of threats from the militants but they had not been given any relief. Mr Badana urged both state and Central Government to ensure safety of more than 15 lakh Gujjars and Bakerwals living in the state. |
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Oppn walks out over abduction Jammu, February 15 Mr Ashok Khajuria (BJP), Mr Lal Singh and Mr Balbir Singh (both Congress) walked to the well of the House and protested in front of the Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil, alleging a link-up, between the kidnappers and the district authorities in Udhampur. The Opposition members were on their feet when the Minister of State for Home, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, read out a statement on the kidnapping case which had rocked Udhampur town. When Mr Lone said some hooligans had attacked the police, Mr Harsh Dev Singh of the Panthers Party was on his feet saying the Minister should not equate the demonstrators with hooligans. Mr Harsh Dev Singh was supported by Mr Lal Singh and Mr Ashok Khajuria. The minister said Meenaksi had been kidnapped on February 8 and the matter was reported to the police by her parents after two days. He said groups of people took to the streets and gathered at the police station. While they were arguing with the police over the disappearance of the girl, some started pelting stones on the police. The police resorted to a lathi charge in which several persons and policemen received minor injuries. The town was later placed under a curfew. He said all accused — Aftaab, Vikram Singh Slathia and Anup Khajuria — had been arrested. The Opposition members were not satisfied with the Minister’s statement and staged a walkout, blaming the government for “shielding” the culprits. He said the three accused were being interrogated. Later, replying to the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address, the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, announced that he would get the matter probed by the CBI. He said he would not conceal facts. The Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil, again reminded Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone of his assurance that he would visit Udhampur. He directed the minister to visit the town today or tomorrow and submit his report. The moment question hour started, two BJP members, Mr Prithvi Chand and Mr Bali Bhagat, were on their feet protesting against the police lathi charge on students demonstrating against admission of 67 students belonging to an unauthorised college in the two government medical colleges of the state. Since there was no response from the treasury benches, the two walked out of the House. In reply to a question raised by Mr G.M. Bhawan (NC), the Power Minister, Mr S.S. Slathia, said the state government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of India under which the NHPC would construct seven hydel projects in the state. When Mr Bhawan complained that the reply to his question was inadequate, Dr Farooq intervened and informed the House that he had requested the Centre that local youths be given preference while filling Class III and Class IV posts in the seven projects. He said, he had also pleaded that Grade I and Grade II engineers’ posts should also go to the local youths. He said the Government of India had conveyed its inability to do so because the UPSC selected Grade I and Grade II officers. Dr Farooq said he had broached the issue with the Union Power Minister and the Prime Minister. So far he had not heard anything from the Centre. At this juncture the Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitley, passed on a slip to the Chief Minister and he got up to inform the House that the Central Government had agreed to grant special dispensation to the militancy-affected state and recruit local youths as Grade I and Grade II engineers. The power crisis dominated question hour. Members expressed concern over power theft which they alleged was the result of a nexus between Power Development Department officials and consumers. They wanted to know what steps the government planned to check pilferage and improve power supply. When they were not satisfied with Mr Slathia’s reply, the Chief Minister again intervened and said that meter were being installed in all houses of consumers to check power theft. He said the engineer in charge of each zone would be responsible for optimum recovery of power tariff and those who failed to do so would be sacked. Mr Sadiq Ali of the National Conference tabled a call attention motion expressing concern over the continued power shortage in the state which had disrupted industrial activity and caused great inconvenience to the people in general and students in particular. Replying to the motion, the Power Minister, Mr S.S. Slathia, said as a result of a wide gap between demand and availability, the state was facing an acute power crisis. He said against the demand for 1363 MW the availability from self-generation during the winter months was 30 MW and from the Northern Grid 435 MW. Mr Slathia said as a special consideration the Government of India has allotted additional power to the tune of 100 to 200 MW at different times of the day. He said as such curtailment of power supply had become necessary. He said against the cost of Rs 1000 crore on power supply, which included distribution losses and establishment charges, revenue collected by way of power tariff did not cross Rs 200 crore. He made it clear that the state had no resources to buy additional electricity from the Northern Grid. |
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Jammu-Srinagar highway mooted Jammu, February 15 The committee examined and evaluated various alternatives proposed by the preliminary feasibility study report of M/s ILF Consultant Engineers of Australia, the consultants for the study. The committee selected one of the proposals suggested by the consultants, which seemed more feasible. Though this proposal entails the construction of a 25 km tunnel, yet it will shorten the distance between Jammu and Srinagar by 67 km. |
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Khajuria is
Dy Chairman J&K Council Jammu, February 15 The motion for the election of Mr Khajuria was moved by the Revenue Minister, Mr Abdul
Qayoom, who is also the Leader of the House. Mr Khajuria was elected through voice vote. Felicitating Mr Khajuria on his election as Deputy Chairman, the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, hoped that with his vast experience in politics he would contribute to strengthen the bonds of harmony.
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Minor
raped Kathua, February 15 The police registered a case and arrested the suspect. |
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