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Saturday,
June 28, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Focus on
Ladakh villages, says President President A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam waving to the crowd during the Guard of
Honour ceremony at the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy in Udhampur,
Jammu, on Thursday. — PTI photo
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49
Myanmar nationals held Pak
Rangers disappoint devotees Four
ultras among eight killed Pak
shelling kills jawan Film
units arrive in Ladakh
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Focus on Ladakh villages, says President Jammu, June 27 On the second leg of his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Kalam arrived in Leh by a special aircraft from Jammu despite inclement weather. He was accompanied by the state Governor, Mr S.K. Sinha, and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and was received at the airport by local ministers, members of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) and prominent monks. People dressed in traditional Ladakhi robes lined both sides of the road as the President drove to the circuit house. The entire town had been decorated to welcome the first citizen. Later Dr Kalam visited Saboo village, 7 km from Leh, where he spent nearly 40 minutes with the villagers to experience the lifestyle of Ladakhi people. He also played with the children, the sources said. The President asked the people of Ladakh to invest in welfare schemes for children to shape the destiny of the country and urged them to strive for ensuring road, electronic and knowledge connectivity. Interacting with sarpanches, panches, villagers and children at Saboo village, Dr Kalam said hundreds of villagers in the region needed to be connected with road, the first step to economic development. Each village should have a development council. The second important goal should be to achieve electronic connectivity through which not only these villages would be interlinked but also linked with the entire country and the world. He said connectivity through internet would unleash a new era of knowledge in the region that would unfold enormous vistas of economic development in this secluded mountaineous region. The President is scheduled to interact with students, have a discussion on economic development and visit some forward areas near the LoC in north Kashmir before his return to the capital tomorrow evening. During his interactions at Saboo, the President made a special mention about the promotion of horticulture in the area and said with the application of new technology and scientific knowledge, the region could do wonders on economic front. He said once people raise fruit, vegetable and milk production, an economic revolution would be ushered in the region. Dr Kalam saw several “Thankal”, religious scriptures of the 16th century. He evinced keen interest in these scriptures, specially miniatures paintings on Ladakh. The President also went to the historic and ancient Spithub Monastry (gompa), situated at a height of 11,300 ft, where he was welcomed by head monk Koshak Bakola and his 80 odd disciples, they said. Bakola apprised the President about the life of a lama (monk) and the history of monasteries in Ladakh. Dr Kalam also took part in ‘Tsogs prayers’ during his 30-minute stay at the monastry, the sources said. These are special collective prayers by the monks. Later, he went to gurdwara Pathar Sahib on the outskirts of Leh, where Guru Nanak is supposed to have rested. The President attended ‘Gurbani’ in the
gurdwara. |
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Traditional
Ladakhi tea for Kalam Jammu, June 27 Dr Kalam visited the traditional Ladakhi kitchen in the house of Sonam and tasted the tea made with butter. He also visited the kitchen garden. He is first VVIP to visit the remote village in the Ladakh region. It was a dream come true for the Sonam family as a number of VIPs also accompanied the President. Among them were the Governor, Lieut-Gen (retd) S.K. Sinha, Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed and a couple of ministers and top bureaucrats. The President also visited the house of Sonam Loldan, sarpanch of the Saboo village, and met his family members. He saw his collection of rare “thankas”, religious scriptures and miniatures. While addressing sarpanches, village folk and children there, Dr kalam stressed the need for a dependable connectivity by road for economic uplift of the area. He said modern techniques for promoting horticulture should be adopted. He was impressed with his visit to Saboo which reminded him of his native Rameshwaram village in Tamil Nadu. Like his native place, Saboo, too, had a harmonious atmosphere with Buddhists, Muslims and Christians living happily. He called upon all religious heads to preserve the unique character of the country. People should overcome the manmade barriers and live in each other’s hearts and minds.
* * * After running unsuccessfully from pillar to post to seek an audience with the President Usha Verma was overjoyed when the first citizen bypassed security to receive her gift of a painting at Muthi migrant camp here. Usha, who had lost her father and is now the sole breadwinner for her family of eight, said for two days she had desperately tried to seek an appointment with Dr Kalam. “When I failed to get an audience with the President, I went from one venue to the other but the security people did not allow me to meet him. “I was weeping and urging the security to allow me to meet him. When Dr Kalam saw this, he came to me and took the gift from my hands,” Usha said. The painting depicts the holy mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
— PTI |
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‘Cut strength of armed forces in state’
Srinagar, June 27 “President Kalam yesterday said he wanted to see smiles on the faces of the children of Jammu and Kashmir ... we also want the same thing but it is possible only if human rights violations and atrocities on the people of the state are stopped,” a senior Hurriyat leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, told a congregation at Jamia Masjid here. Mirwaiz Farooq urged the President to reduce the strength of armed forces in the state. He said Hurriyat decided not to give a strike call coinciding with Dr Kalam’s visit as “we want him to feel the pain and know the sentiments of the people”. Mirwaiz Farooq said the need of the hour was to start a dialogue that could lead to a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue. “We will respond positively to any such move initiated by Government of India provided it is in accordance to the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state,” he added. On the latest peace initiatives between India and Pakistan, Mirwaiz Farooq said the Hurriyat welcomed the thaw in the relations and supported all steps aimed at reducing tensions between the neighbours.
— PTI |
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Kalam’s visit: security hits school studies Jammu, June 27 The President left for Leh in the morning. Most of the roads were sealed till then by the police. Some schools had sent their students back home yesterday as vehicular traffic was prohibited on many roads. The flyover area was sealed. The town was converted into a police cantonment and people complained that the state police was overdoing things in the matter of security cover to the VVIP. People had to walk to distant places at the local mini bus, autorickshaw and taxi services remained suspended. The roads wore a deserted look as vehicles remained off the road. Motorists possessing security passes for attending various functions of the President were also stopped by traffic policemen. Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar highway was also stopped when the President was at Udhampur to present colours to the police. |
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No bandh to greet Kalam Srinagar, June 27 The separatist Hurriyat Conference, which has been of late trying to shun its image as “hartal conference”, today announced that no hartal would be observed in the Kashmir valley during Dr Kalam’s visit as the amalgam wanted “him (Kalam) to have a feel of miseries of the people of the state.”
— PTI |
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49 Myanmar nationals held Jammu, June 27 During interrogation, they told the BSF that they were promised jobs by a tout who had brought them here from Bangladesh where they had illegally crossed from Myanmar about a year ago. They stayed in Delhi for six months unnoticed by the security agencies before coming here in a train. They again stayed unnoticed at the Jammu railway station for two days and proceeded to the Indo-Pakistan border for crossing at night. Shockingly, this group of 49 foreigners was not intercepted by the police while proceeding to the sensitive border or elsewhere in the country. They were in Jammu while the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was on visit to the state when the police was supposed to have screened all such places like railway stations, hotels as a security drill. They were arrested when a patrol party of the BSF noticed them near the border. |
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Pak Rangers disappoint devotees Jammu, June 27 A large number of Pakistanis had gathered across the Ramgarh sector for receiving ‘shakkar and sherbet’ which is said to have the miracle power of curing skin diseases. However, right from the early morning of Thursday the Pakistani Rangers were seen pushing the “faithfuls” back. According
to BSF authorities, during a number of flag meetings with officers of Pakistani Rangers a request had been made to receive water and clay for distribution among the people across the
border. They said the Pakistani officers refused to receive shakkar and sherbet in protest against the fencing of the international border from Akhnoor to Kathua. One BSF officer said “the project of raising a barbed wire fence on the 187-km-long international border had become imperative for checking infiltration and arms smuggling.” He said “despite intermittent firing we have completed 80-km-long fencing and the project is expected to be completed by the end of next year. Randhir Singh (80) from Bisyhna said “we have been dismayed over the attitude of the Pakistani Rangers. Hostility should have not deprived several thousand Pakistanis from getting sacred water and clay.” He said “it is quite evident that the Pakistani Rangers and Army were under the influence of the fundamentalists and hardliners in the armed forces otherwise they should have sent a team of officers for laying chaddar on the tomb of Baba Dalip Singh, as has been happening for the past 55 years.” The BSF authorities said “last year the annual mela had to be organised a few furlongs away from the shrine because the tomb had been targeted by the Pakistani
gunners. The shrine still carries the bullet scars.” They said “the Pakistani forces did not target the shrine this time but resorted to heavy firing from across the Chak Dulma area of Samba sector yesterday. On this side of the border a large number of people had gathered near the shrine. While some carried shakkar and sherbet for treating those afflicted by skin diseases others had a bath from the well’s water and massaged the affected portion with the clay. Till 1971 people from across the border used to be permitted to visit the shrine. However, after the 1971 war the practice was suspended and officers and men of the Pakistani Rangers would cross the border and after laying ‘Chaddar’ on the tomb receive truckloads of clay and water for distribution among the devotees of the Baba across the Samba sector. Kartar Singh of Nand village of Samba said “participation by Pakistani Rangers in the annual fair at the Baba’s tomb could have eased tention between the two sides.” He said: “It seems that the Pakistani forces are not prepared to respond to the peace initiative of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.” He said “While the Indian crowd has gone back to their places those across the Samba sector continue to be seen praying with their faces towards the tomb with the hope they will get some sacred water and clay.” Kartar Singh said “people from various areas of Pakistan and occupied Kashmir will celebrate the fair for one week.” |
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Four ultras among eight killed Srinagar, June 27 A Defence Ministry spokesperson said an encounter took place between militants and troops of 9 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) at Ranghath Kulgam in the south Kashmir district of Anantnag late last night during a search operation. Three militants were killed and two soldiers wounded critically in the encounter. Both the injured soldiers died on way to the hospital. A woman Hanifa, was injured, he said, adding that three houses were also damaged in the encounter. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants, he said. Meanwhile, a report from Baramula said militants shot an alleged security force informer Mohammad Sultan Chopan at Watipora Handwara last night. An official spokesperson said a self-styled Hizbul Mujahideen company commander Manzoor Ahmad Chopan was killed in an encounter with security forces at Thamankote Dooru in Anantnag district last night. An AK rifle, four magazines, 50 rounds, eight grenades and a wireless set were recovered from the slain militant. Security forces recovered two sealed boxes of ammunition containing 1,440 rounds of ammunition, two Chinese pistols with magazines and two UBGL, near Sadhna Gali Karnah, last
night. JAMMU: Huge quantity of medicines was recovered from two hideouts in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. Acting on a tip-off, the security forces launched a search operation in the Kailan and Mahra forests areas of Rajouri district last night, official sources said here today. Though the militants managed to escape, the troops recovered huge quantity of medicines and injections from two hideouts in the area, they said. These included 1,000 paracetamol tablets, 200 amoxylin capsules, 1,300 pain killer tablets, 200 glucose bottles, 100 syringes, 1,000 band aids and 900 septran tablets, besides cotton and gauze material, they said.
— PTI |
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Pak shelling kills jawan
Jammu, June 27 The indiscriminate shelling which began at 9 a.m. hit civilian areas in Makri, Kalsian, Jhangard, Laam, Bhawani and Sher areas of Naushera sub-sector along the LoC triggering panic among the people who took shelter in bunkers. A shell landed at a forward post in the area killing an Army subedar, the sources said. Indian troops retaliated and heavy exchange of shelling and firing took place in the area. Meanwhile, BSF personnel arrested 49 Myanmar nationals near a border outpost of Akhnoor sub-sector of Jammu district along the International Border while they were attempting to cross over to Pakistan, official sources said.
— PTI |
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Film units arrive in Ladakh
Jammu, June 27 Four film units with Bollywood personalities including superstar Amitabh Bachchan have arrived in Leh district of Ladakh region and were busy shooting, tourism officials told PTI. One voice that is heard across the cold desert of Ladakh is ...“camera, ready-roll-action, amid heavy rush of tourists, particularly foreign tourists”, the officials said. Besides Amitabh Bachchan, other heroes and heroines busy shooting included Hrithik Roshan, Om Puri, Sharad Kapoor, Preity Zeinta, Twinkle Khanna and other stars, the officials said. ‘Shootings have not only provided employment to local people force but also attracted huge tourists to Ladakh’, they said. Due to shooting, 9000 tourists, 7000 of them foreigners have arrived in Leh after Sindhu Darshan festival in the middle of this month”, the officials said. Known as ‘land of Lamas’, Ladakh is a popular destination for foreign tourists, and they outnumber domestic tourists, they said. Altogether 5120 foreigners were among 8076 tourists who visited Ladakh last year. A record of 24,864 tourists, including 16,256 foreigners visited Ladakh before the onset of militancy in J and K in in 1988.
— PTI |
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Sushmita
visits Vaishnodevi
shrine Jammu, June 27 Sushmita, who arrived here yesterday alongwith her adopted daughter, Rene Sen, left for Katra, the base camp of Vaishnodevi, official sources said. She walked from Katra to Bhawan to pay obeisance at Vaishnodevi yesterday. She also took a stroll in historic Raghunath Bazar shopping area.
— PTI |
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Jammu,
June 27
In video (
