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PDP, Cong lock horns over Baramula seat Coalition
partners strange bedfellows,
says minister
Teacher held on charge of raping student |
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Hoping against hope to get crash victim’s body Pahari-speaking
people seek ST status Saleem Geelani, 13 others detained 82 Bangladesh
nationals held
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PDP, Cong lock horns over Baramula seat Jammu, March 19 On the other hand, the Congress was also facing problems because of the adamant attitude of Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed, who has refused to leave the Baramula seat in Kashmir for the Congress. The PDP has announced that it would field its candidates on all three seats of the valley. The supporters of Mr Sharma had
told the party leaders that he should not be asked to contest the Lok Sabha election as there was no other legislator of his stature who could replace him as Deputy Chief Minister. However, the election committee of the party had shortlisted Mr Sharma, Mr Madan Lal Sharma, Minister for PWD and Mr Ashok Sharma for the Jammu seat. Dr Karan Singh, Mr Lal Singh, Health Minister and Mr R.S. Chib, figured in the list for the Udhampur seat. The party had named a former PCC chief, Mr Ghulam Rasool Kar, as its candidate for the Baramula seat, but with the PDP crossing swords with its coalition partner. Congress on the issue, the problem was expected to be sorted out only after a discussion between Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Mufti. However, Mufti was adamant that the PDP should be allowed to contest all three seats of the valley, while the Congress should be contended with the two seats of Jammu and the lone seat of Ladakh. But the Congress was insisting that its presence in the valley would get marked only if it was allowed to contest the Baramula seat. The Congress had never won any Lok Sabha seat in the valley for the past about 28 years after Shiekh Abdullah came into power. The crisis had deepened with Ms Mehbooba Mufti, President of the PDP, announcing the panel of her party candidates for the Baramula seat. Her statement invited immediate reaction of Mr Abdul Gani Vakil, senior vice-president of the PCC, who announced at a press conference at Srinagar that the Congress would contest all seats in the valley if the PDP did not leave the Baramula seat for the Congress. The PCC chief, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, was trying to pacify both coalition partners and a final decision was expected only when Ms Sonia Gandhi and the Mufti met. |
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Coalition
partners strange bedfellows,
says minister Jammu, March 19 Mr Gupta, who was addressing a series of election rallies in the Udhampur constituency today, said that each party in the coalition was indulging in gimmicks to suit their political ends instead of solving the problems of the common people. Despite getting huge financial grants from the Centre for development works, the basic amenities were lacking.
Drinking water supply, electricity, education , medical care and roads were in a bad shape. He criticised the Congress and other allies for raising an army of ministers when the government was not in a position to pay the wages of even workers. Mr Gupta alleged that eruption of militancy, violence and fundamentalism in the state was the outcome of the follies and wrongs committed by the leadership of the Congress and National Conference. He said that while the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre was trying to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan, the coalition government here had taken steps that have added to the regional tensions and discrimination that were endangering the unity of the state. |
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3 militants, CRPF jawan killed Srinagar, March 19 Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces at Chamanpathri in the Shopian area of Pulwama district in south Kashmir last night, the sources said. They said the encounter took place when militants opened fire on a joint search party of 44 Rashtriya Rifles and I Para in the village. Some arms and ammunition were seized from the slain militants. In another encounter, the sources said, troops of 9 Rashtriya Rifles killed a militant during an ambush at Choulgam village in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir. Militants opened fire on a CRPF vehicle at Saidpora village of Beerwah in Badgam district of central Kashmir around 9 am today, causing serious injuries to Constable Preetam Chand of 128th Battalion, the sources said. They said the jawan was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Militants shot at and injured two persons, Arshid Hussain and Sabzar Ahmad, at Shamipora village in Anantnag district today, the sources said. Before fleeing, the sources said, the militants also chopped off the left ear of Altaf Ahmad, a local resident. All three were shifted to hospital for treatment, the sources added. — PTI |
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Teacher held on charge of raping student Jammu, March 19 Rashpal Singh, who was arrested last night after a raid at his house, had
allegedly repeatedly raped and blackmailed the victim since 2002, when he was posted at Higher Secondary School, Samba, the sources said today. The suspect, who is at present posted at Government Higher Secondary School, Arnia (Jammu), allegedly raped the girl several times at his house when she went there for tuition, the sources said, adding that he then took photographs of the victim and started blackmailing her. The victim also became pregnant and had to undergo abortion during the period. The girl narrated her ordeal to her parents last year but fearing social stigma, they did not inform the police. The accused continued to blackmail the victim and finally her parents registered an FIR at Samba police station against the teacher. The girl was subjected to medical examination and the reports were awaited, the sources said. The suspect is married and has three children, who are at present with their mother at Udhampur.
—PTI |
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Hoping against hope to get crash victim’s body Jammu, March 19 The joint operation to
trace the bodies of the soldiers who had been flying in the ill-fated AN 12 was launched in August last year following the recovery of the skeletal remains of Sepoy Beli Ram on the 16,000 ft glacier by trekkers of the Manali-based Mountaineering Institute. Sepoy Beli Ram belonged to the Akhnoor
area of Jammu district, while 2nd Lieut Banarsi Lal was from the Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua district. Capt Harbans Lal (retd), is a brother of 2nd Lieut Banarsi Lal, has been perusing the matter with the Army authorities and the family members of 2nd Lieut Banarsi Lal wonder whether his body will be traced so that they can perform his last rites. The aircraft had disappeared during its flight from
Chandigarh to Leh on February 7, 1968, and the family, residing in Kathua district, has preserved the letter dated May 12, 1972, that they received from the Army Chief, Gen S.H.F.J. Manekshaw, expressing condolences over the death of 2nd Lieut Banarsi Lal. When contacted on the telephone by this correspondent today, Col H.S. Chauhan, Director of the Mountaineering Institute, said a few teams of trekkers would be despatched to the South Dhakka glacier in the summer to again recce the area. However, he was not very hopeful of finding any more bodies or skeletal remains. He said it was just a coincidence that the skeletal remains of Sepoy Beli Ram were detected on the glacier last year when a lot of snow had melted. Only the warming up of weather might bring out the remains, as it was not possible to dig the hard snow at a height of 16,000 ft. Some wreckage of the
aircraft was found scattered at the base of the Chandra Bhaga-13 peak that it had hit. As many as 36 winters have passed since the crash and the bodies might have got buried under the glacier, he said. The trekkers had come across pieces of bones scattered there and Sepoy Beli Ram could be identified as his service book was recovered from the pocket of the long coat in which the skeletal remains remained wrapped all these years. |
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Pahari-speaking
people seek ST status Jammu, March 19 The president of the state unit of the BJP, Dr Nirmal Singh, who is contesting from the Jammu seat, had held a series of meetings with leaders of the Pahari-speaking people during his tour of Poonch and Rajouri districts. Dr Nirmal Singh had already taken up the matter in this regard with senior functionaries of the NDA government, including the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani. |
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Saleem Geelani, 13 others detained Srinagar, March 19 Mr Geelani accompanied by his supporters appeared at Lal Chowk and tried to stage a demonstration in support of his demand for a ban on liquor in the state, the sources said. They were lodged in the Maisuma police station, the sources added. — PTI |
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82 Bangladesh
nationals held Jammu, March 19 Border Security Force personnel detected the group this morning near the Indo-Pak border. The Bangladeshis tried to escape but were arrested the sources said, adding nothing incriminating was seized from them.
— PTI |
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