J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Panthers Party releases manifesto
Jammu, January 30
While the Panthers Party has made a lot of promises to the people of the Jammu region the BSP has pledged to work for the upliftment of the people belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes in their poll manifestos.

Crucial APHC meeting today
Srinagar, January 30
The Hurriyat Conference will hold a crucial working committee meeting here tomorrow to deliberate on its latest plan of action on the initiation of a “democratic process” to determine its representative character.

Role of yoga highlighted
Jammu, January 30
Haryana Governor Babu Parmanand has underlined the need for practising yoga in daily life to escape from the evil effects of tension and unrest resulting from fast modern life.

BSF officers laying a wreath on the coffin of a jawan on Wednesday who sacrificed his life during an encounter with militants at Ahmadnagar on the outskirts of Srinagar on Tuesday night. — PTI

Panthers Party releases manifesto
Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 30
While the Panthers Party has made a lot of promises to the people of the Jammu region the BSP has pledged to work for the upliftment of the people belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes in their poll manifestos.

The Panthers Party has fielded its President, Prof Bhim Singh, and the BSP its chief Sheikh Abdul Rehman to contest the Jammu Lok Sabha seat against 14 other candidates who are in the fray.

In its poll manifesto the Panthers Party has promised to fight for statehood status for the Jammu region, inclusion of Dogri language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and full rights and compensation for refugees from Pakistan and occupied Kashmir.

Releasing the poll manifesto Prof Bhim Singh said the successive state and the central governments had given a raw deal to the people of the Jammu region and if he was elected to the Lok Sabha he would force the government to undo it.

The BSP manifesto promised reservation in all spheres of political and economic activities for the SCs, STs and other Backward Classes.

Crucial APHC meeting today
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 30
The Hurriyat Conference will hold a crucial working committee meeting here tomorrow to deliberate on its latest plan of action on the initiation of a “democratic process” to determine its representative character.

Though the agenda of the meeting has not been outlined, the meeting is expected to discuss the constitution of an election commission and a committee. The meeting is being held three days after the announcement of a new plan of action by the APHC here on Monday.

The Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, told TNS here today that the nomination of the members of the election commission would be made at a proper time. He said the members would be acceptable to people of all three regions of the state in view of their prominence, popularity and trustworthiness.

Senior Hurriyat Conference leaders are tightlipped over the probable nominees.

However, it is expected that there will be a four-member commission. It is also not clear when the nomination of the members will take place. It is learnt that the meeting will decide on these aspect, taking into confidence the executive and general council members of the 23-member conglomerate.

What was noticed in the APHC’s statement declaring the initiation of “democratic process” was that it pinned hopes on global democratic entities, particularly Indian and Pakistan.

The APHC claims itself to be the true representative of people of Jammu and Kashmir. Doubts were being raised on the representative character of the Hurriyat Conference and that was why the new process was put forth, according to a senior APHC leader, adding that it represented the “historical and political aspirations” of the people.

Role of yoga highlighted

Jammu, January 30
Haryana Governor Babu Parmanand has underlined the need for practising yoga in daily life to escape from the evil effects of tension and unrest resulting from fast modern life.

Even the western countries have now started adopting it, he said at a national seminar on "Yoga, Ayurveda and naturopathy for positive and holistic health", organised by the Yoga Centre of Jammu University and the Institute of Ayurveda and Research here yesterday.

Yoga was the way of life in which body and mind were kept healthy through a number of physical and mental exercises. Ayurveda and yoga had been successfully practised by our ancient sages.

Prof R. S. Sharma vice-Chancellor of Jammu University in his presidential address complimented the Yoga Centre for organising the seminar. He said yoga was not merely a part of Indian system but its was highly acceptable in European countries for elevation of mental and spiritual faculties. PTI