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Tuesday,
June 3, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Budget session opens amid noisy scenes
Himachal showed way, says Sonia Troops zero in on ultra-held areas |
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4 ultras killed, cop hurt Gujjars caught in crossfire
Pak firing forces 100 families to migrate New GOC-in-C pays homage to martyrs Rs 3.30-cr aid for militancy-hit
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Budget session opens amid noisy scenes Srinagar, June 2
The Congress members from the Jammu region went to the well of the House and staged a walkout against alleged discrimination towards those affected in the region. The party is a coalition partner of the PDP government. The budget for the 2003-04 would be presented by the Finance Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beigh tomorrow. This would be the first Budget of the coalition government after it took over last November. The session is scheduled to continue till July 7 next. The Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had to intervene on both the issues raised before the beginning of question hour. Intervening on the demolition issue, the Mufti said that the demolition drive to remove unauthorised constructions would continue while adhering to rule of law. He said that shopping malls were being constructed for the rehabilitation of those affected. He said whatever is “under law would be implemented” the Mufti said. Intervening on the issue of violation of human rights by security forces raised by the National Conference members, the Chief Minister said that there were several human rights violations during the National Conference rule. He particularly referred to the pathribal incident in Anantnag district. He lent his voice to the demand for a full-day discussion on the issue. Earlier, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr A.R. Veeri, said that one-hour discussion on the human rights would be held in the House after a proper resolution put forth by the members from the Opposition. Congress members, joined National Conference members and alleged that affected persons had not been provided relief and rehabilitation measures judiciously. They alleged that there was discriminatory attitude towards those affected in the Jammu region. The noisy scenes over the issue continued for over five minutes, when the Congress members from Jammu troop into the well of the House and later staged a walkout. The National Conference member, Mr Shariefuddin Shariq, representing the Langate constituency of Kupwara district, who was to raise the first question of question hour, drew the attention of the government towards the alleged violation of human rights by security forces. He particularly referred to the alleged custodial killing of a Forest Department employee, Mohammad Ashraf Malik at Kupwara recently. He was supported by Ali Mohammad Sagar and Mubarak Gul, Mir Saifullah Jamshed Lone.  |
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Himachal showed way, says Sonia Srinagar, June 2 Mrs Gandhi praised Mr Virbhadra Singh, Mr Ashok Gehlot and Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde. She said that the people of Himachal Pradesh had showed way by rejecting our communal adversaries. She complimented Mr Gehlot for taking on the VHP in Rajasthan. She also praised Mr Gehlot for fighting the worstever drought in his state and said that she had already written to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, on this and will maintain the pressure. Ms Gandhi had special praise for Mr Shinde’s Maharashtra government for the Rural Employment Guarantee Act and asked other chief ministers to follow suit. Although the Chief Minister, Mufti Sayeed, was not present in the conclave, but Ms Gandhi in her press conference and later in a public meeting endorsed his healing touch policy. The Congress was committed to bring development in Jammu and Kashmir, she said. Reservation and Fundamentalism: In the two days conclave the initiative taken by Mr Gehlot on the reservation issue was appreciated. However, it was decided not to allow the BJP take credit for raising the demand for reservation for economically weak sections and highlight that the Narsimharao government had in 1991 proposed a reservation of 10 per cent for these sections. The conclave decided that the Congress ruled states particularly in the North, should formulate a coordinated policy for generation of power. The chief ministers of Himachal Pradesh, Uttranchal and Chhatisgarh were asked by Ms Gandhi to bail out Madhya Pradesh from power crisis. |
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Troops zero in on ultra-held areas Jammu, June 2 “We have zeroed in on militant-held areas at 17 different rocky vestitudes at heights in the Pir Panchal ranges starting from the Indo-Pak border in Poonch to the Shivalik ranges in Jammu for clearing heights of foreign mercenaries through “Operation Sarp Vinash” in surgical operations”, a security force official told PTI today. The first such operation in this direction was in Hill Kaka (Poonch), in which 18 militants were killed in “Operation Sarp Vinash” last month, security officials said, adding that these operations planned to clear all heights and cave hide-outs of militants in Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Udhampur and Kathua mountain ranges soon. There are nearly 80-odd rocky vestitudes, dense woodland and high altitude pasture lands besides over 120-odd natural cave hide-outs, which are housing over 1,500 to 2,000 militants, particularly foreign mercenaries in the Pir Panchal and the Shivalik ranges in Kathua, Doda, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu division, sources said. Chetak helicopters are being used to identify the militant fortifications, hide-outs and other places in hills. Borders with other states are being sealed for this operation and more security forces are being deployed on the Doda-Chamba border in the Paddar belt to stop militants from entering hills in Himachal Pradesh during these operations. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has already been deployed on the Chamba-Doda border and night-long vigil is being maintained. All passes into Kashmir are to be blocked.
PTI |
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4 ultras killed, cop hurt Srinagar, June 2 Official sources said militants shot at and critically wounded a police constable, Mr Ghulam Hassan, near Court Road, this afternoon. Mr Hassan, guard of a Sikh leader, was immediately shifted to hospital. Sources said the security forces shot dead two militants in an encounter in the Banderban forest of the frontier district of Kupwara last night. The encounter ensued after a patrol party was attacked by the militants with grenades and automatic weapons. Later, one sniper rifle with telescope, one AK rifle, one pistol and one sealed box of ammunition were seized from the slain militants. Two more militants were killed and four hideouts busted as part of the ongoing Operation Sarp Vinash. Official sources said here today that forces deployed at Hill Kaka shot dead two foreign mercenaries at Battra Wali Dhok on Sunday evening. The seizures made from the slain militants’ hideout include three AK rifles, 159 quintals of assorted rations, three AK magazines, a wireless set and three grenades. Meanwhile, a civilian was injured as the police repulsed a militant attack on their picket set up for the protection of minority community in the Handwara area of Kupwara district of North Kashmir early today. Policemen deployed at the picket retaliated and in the shootout a civilian, Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar was injured.
PTI, UNI |
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Gujjars caught in crossfire Jammu, June 2 According to the police, out of the 485 civilians killed in the Jammu region last year, 328 were Muslims, most of them Gujjars and Bakerwals. Between January and May, more than 94 civilians were killed by militants and, out of them, 79 were Gujjars. Gujjar leaders like Mr Mohammad Qasim and Mr Abdul Rehman Khatana have said that militants have started targeting their tribe because they believe that it supports mainstream politics. They referred to a series of recent killings of Gujjars in Poonch and Rajouri and said: “These barbaric acts were carried out to punish those suspected of assisting the security forces.” Field reports available with the police showed that several Gujjar families had been eliminated because they had refused food and shelter to militants. A Gujjar leader said: “If, on one hand, we are being targeted by militants, on the other hand, the security forces suspect our loyalty to the country and restrict our movement.” He said: “There have been instances when militants have sneaked into the higher regions of Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur and Doda districts in the guise of Bakerwals or shepherds. When the secret got out, some of our tribesmen were subjected to harassment by the security agencies. It is not our fault if some militants enter the forest belts in the guise of shepherds. Since we are without any security cover in the pastures, we have to obey the diktats of militants.” A senior police official said: “Gujjars living in the border areas of the state have been targeted since insurgency took roots in Kashmir because they offered no assistance to militants. After several Gujjars were killed, some of the tribesmen were forced to cross over to Pakistan to receive arms training and bring back weapons into Kashmir from across the LoC. It was impossible to give security cover to the nomadic tribesmen in alpine forests, so the Army debarred Gujjars from entering the Suru Valley in Ladakh last year. The Army had told the state government that it did not suspect the intentions of the cattle grazers.” Since Operation Sarp Vinash was in progress in the Hill Kaka area in Surankot belt of Poonch district, the Army did not want rebels to hide among the local cattle grazers. A Gujjar leader said the cattle grazers deserved compensation for the losses they had been suffering due to the restrictions. The police said a better security cover could be possible, if Gujjars and Bakerwals agreed to live in clusters. |
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Pak firing forces 100 families to migrate
Jammu, June 2 Pakistani Rangers from across the international border opened fire on the outposts at Nikowal in the R.S. Pura Sector, Alfa Machal in the Akhnoor sector Border Outpost Phadpur in the Samba Sector last night. The Indian troops retaliated and the exchange of small-arms fire continued till early today. Pakistan has been targeting border outposts where fencing work along the international border is in progress. “Nearly 100 families migrated from Bala Keri and Dhera villages in the Bhawani Sector in Rajouri district on May 31 due to firing from across the Line of Control,”. These families were, now, camping in Government High School at Khwas village and
authorities were provided them with relief.
PTI |
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New GOC-in-C pays homage to martyrs Jammu, June 2 “Dhruva” is a monument dedicated to the brave soldiers of the Northern Command. It was consecrated and inaugurated on June 17, 1997 on the occasion of the silver jubilee of the command by the then Chief of Army Staff, Gen S. Roychowdhury. Originally conceived by Lt-Gen Surinder Singh as a counter operations gallery it was to be established in a hall/room where memorabilia of Op Rakshak were to be housed. When Lt-Gen S. Padmanabhan took over, he conceived the present design at the core of which were the two walls of black granite. The front wall is a tribute to those who have laid down their lives in battle within the area of Northern Command since 1947. The numbers and names have been painted in golden letters. The rear wall is also made of black granite. The two walls have steps and walkways made of red Kota stone. The rear retaining wall has been designed in the shape of a fortress with turrets. On top of the wall flutter the flags of the Northern command and its three corps. At the inauguration there were 6244 names of those killed in action (KIA) and 1520 awardees. At present there are names of 8943 martyrs on the walls. The names of the awardees will be written on the Dholpur stone walls of Kailash, a monument being constructed opposite Dhruva dedicated to the brave sons of the soil whose gallantry has been acknowledged and suitably rewarded with decoration. |
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Rs 3.30-cr aid for militancy-hit Srinagar, June 2 Sources said the JKHRC had received 2143 complaints of rights violation by the security forces till May, 2003. The commission has completed the inquiry in 1,044 cases and recommended to the government to pay the exgratia relief of Rs 3.30 crore in favour of the victims or their next of kin, sources added.
UNI |
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New Governor Srinagar, June 2 |
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J&K gets first
limb centre Jammu, June 2 “The limb centre has been set up in Government Medical College (GMC) hospital in Jammu,” the Deputy Medical Superintendent, Dr Yash Pal Sharma, told the PTI here today. The centre would bring much relief to victims of blasts and militancy related incidents who had to go outside the state for getting artificial limbs, Dr Sharma said.
PTI |
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Stolen idol
found, 1 held Jammu, June 2 The police raided the house of Swami Raj of Dadri village in Doda and arrested him after they found the idol of Durga from the house. The idol was allegedly stolen last week from the Shari Bores hamlet.
PTI |
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Obituary
references Srinagar, June 2 Tributes were paid and two minutes silence was observed in both the Houses as a mark of respect to the departed members. The Legislative council adjourned for the day after obituary references to the two former ministers. |
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Shabir
Shah of Democratic Freedom Party says the party supports the
latest peace initiatives taken by India and Pakistan.
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