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Panthers Party not happy with govt’s performance
Chefs hold protest against Guest Control Order
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No communication yet on government order
Major Somnath Sharma’s statue unveiled
ASI, 3 others killed
Terrorists holed up inside mosque killed
‘Mahayagaya’ begins today
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Panthers Party not happy with govt’s performance
Jammu, November 3 A meeting of the working committee of the party that was held here today under the chairmanship of Mr Bhim Singh to review the functioning of the government that completed two years in office yesterday, observed that the CMP had deliberately been buried by the Congress and the PDP. The Panthers Party, which has two ministers, described the functioning of the government as dismal. It was pointed out that the two main partners — PDP and Congress — were not taking the Panthers Party and the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) into confidence even on major issues. Instead of implementing the CMP that was approved in the presence of Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh for betterment of the people, the Mufti government introduced the anti-people legislation like the Bill to snatch the property rights of women marrying outside the state. Terrorists who surrendered were given sops and a monthly pension, while thousands of youth were unemployed. Undesirable elements were being released from time to time, while innocent persons were rotting in the jails. The party claimed that the government had failed to check corruption and the accountability bill was passed with a crippled face. The Jammu State Morcha
(JSM) has accused the Mufti-led coalition government of discriminating against the Jammu region during its two years of regime. The JSM leader, Mr Onkar Seth, said that the major promises pertaining to stopping of step-motherly treatment with Jammu have not been implemented by the coalition government. He accused the Congress of having “cheated” the people of Jammu by not keeping up the promises that it made during the Assembly elections in 2002 and also the common minimum programme. Commenting on the two-year performance of the government, the vice-president of the BJP, Prof Hari Om, described it as a highly uninspiring and disappointing period. |
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Chefs hold protest against Guest Control Order
Srinagar, November 3 The protest at the Wazapora locality in interior Srinagar was held after a meeting of the Anjuman Behboodi Ashpazan or the Chefs’ Welfare Association discussed the issue of the recent order. The members of the association drawn from different parts of the valley also set afire a certificate and a shawl presented to the association by the state government for observing ‘dish control’ during this summer. The certificate was presented in recognition of the services of the chefs for voluntarily implementing ‘dish control’. The agitating chefs said that by taking such steps the government was bent upon “generating more unemployment”. They said that ‘dish control’ was beneficial to both people and government, while the recent order was not acceptable to the association and the people. Such steps of the government would lead to unemployment affecting two and a half lakh people associated with it, they added. Mr Taj Mohiuddin said that the government did not agree with the protesting wazas or chefs. He said that their protest was not genuine. The chefs were for dish control and not guest control, which had to be strictly adhered to. He explained that a large number of guests on the occasion of marriages led to crisis due to shortage of essential commodities. He said that poor people suffered a lot even with the guest control policy as they could not afford it. The minister revealed that even as ‘dish control’ was observed there was no difference in the consumption of mutton used in September this year as compared to consumption in September last year. Mr Taj Mohiuddin said the government was answerable to society in safeguarding its interests while the chefs were bent upon exploiting the masses. |
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No communication yet on government order
Jammu, November 3 A senior police officer of the rank of IGP said “we have not received any communication from the general department. As such we cannot ensure strict enforcement of the Guest Control Act.” The guest control regulations provide for drastic curtailment of number of guests during wedding ceremonies. Under the new regulations the maximum number of guests at the bride’s house has been fixed at 75, including 25 baratis. At a bridegroom’s party the number of guests has been restricted to 50, excluding the family members of the bridegroom. For families opting for tea parties, the limit of guests from the side of the bride is fixed at 150 persons and on bridegroom’s side 50 persons. Under the new regulations, 45 kg of mutton, chicken, and rice would be used for the marriage of a daughter and 30 kg each of mutton and rice can be cooked in a boy’s marriage party. In case of joint marriage of two daughters the limit fixed is 60 kg of mutton and rice. The menu for a tea party has been restricted to kabab, gulab jamun, cake, pastry, vegetarian pakoras etc. The guest control regulations had been framed three months ago. But following an uproar in various circles, especially among those running hotels and wedding halls, the matter was referred to a Cabinet subcommittee headed by the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma. According to a Minister of State, who wished to remain unidentified, the subcommittee framed its recommendations in a hurry without eliciting opinion from different segments of society. These recommendations were accepted by the Cabinet and that too under persistent goading from Mr Taj Mohiuddin, Minister for Food Supplies. Several Congress ministers, including Mr Raman Bhalla, have expressed resentment over the guest control regulations. He told this correspondent: “If the regulations are implemented strictly, no minister or his friends can attend any wedding ceremony.” He said he had met the Chief Minister and conveyed his feelings on the matter . “I informed Mufti Sahib that the guest control regulations would prove counter productive.” Mr Bhalla said the Chief Minister “agreed with me but expressed his helplessness.” He said “we, who had worked hard for infusing a new life into the Congress, would have to face the music because already several hundred hoteliers and owners of wedding halls were up in arms against the Act.” He blamed his senior colleagues in the Council of Ministers for initiating measures which were anti-people. In this connection he referred to another controversial matter regarding entry fee of Rs 5 for every patient seeking medical aid from the medical colleges in the state. Mr Bhalla said the order to charge entry fee had been withdrawn only after the Opposition parties raised a hue and cry. He said “this has made our position awkward.” He appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene so that the guest control order was kept in abeyance. He said the wedding season in the Kashmir valley was over with the onset of the winter and it “had just begun in Jammu and if the regulations were enforced from November 5 it would give another chance to the people to oppose us.” However, Mr Taj Mohiuddin said “the guest control regulations had to be enforced to check extravangaza during wedding ceremonies.” He said “not less than 24 courses were being served to the guests whose number ranged between 200 and 400 and this created severe problems for the poor families.” Mr Bhalla contended that the government could have restricted the number of dishes without imposing any limitation on the guests. He said “even if the regulations were implemented only the urban areas in the state would be affected.” “Who will enforce the regulations in the hilly and far-flung
arrears of the state?” he asked. |
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Major Somnath Sharma’s statue unveiled
Srinagar, November 3 The Governor was addressing a gathering after unveiling the statue of Major Somnath Sharma, first Param Vir Chakra awardee of the country, at Srinagar airport this morning. Major Sharma had laid down his life on this day in 1947 fighting the raiders in the Budgam area. The GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt Gen Hari Prasad, and GOC of the Srinagar based 15 Corps of the Army also paid rich tributes to Major Sharma, after the Somnath Sharma memorial was inaugurated by the Governor. Paying homage the Governor recalled his association with Major Sharma of 4 Kumaon in the early phase of his army career and gave a vivid account of the 1947 operations in Budgam. He said major Sharma was keen to advance to Baramula as the first company of Indian Army to take on raiders, who had created havoc in Baramulla by indulging in plunder and mayhem. He said the Major was of his age and seniority and showed a lot of enthusiasm to proceed to Badgam with his fractured arm where he attained the supreme sacrifice. “Those were the times of great stress as reports of atrocities were trickling in from Baramula and the Army expected panic to grip Srinagar city. But nothing of the sort happened and instead people’s army under the sagacious leadership of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was ready to face the challenge’, the Governor said while saluting the courage of Kashmiris in meeting the situation. He said that National Conference volunteers had taken a firm resolve to defy the raiders and there was no need to deploy the Army in Srinagar. General Sinha exuded hope in the younger generation, with whom he has been quite frequently interacting, in regaining the lost glory of this paradise on the earth. He was equally appreciative of the Army, which demonstrated high degree of discipline while combating militancy and referred to blatant atrocities committed in Wazirstan and Faluja by the forces. Others who paid homage to on the occasion included Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, and his ministerial colleagues, Taj Mohiuddin, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, G A Mir and Usman Majeed. General Hari Prasad, GOC-in-C Northern Command paying homage to Major Sharma said his sacrifice would continue to inspire young officers and soldiers of his great sense of duty and devotion. He said people of the state along with the Army fought the enemy and saved Kashmir. Referring to the ongoing turmoil General Hari Prasad said the people, civil administration and the security forces were working in synergy to restore peace in the state. In his address Lt
Gen Nirbhay Sharma, GOC 15 Corps said the Army and the people of Kashmir were jointly fighting the war against militancy to regain the pristine glory of the state. He complimented the support extended by the people to armed forces in tackling the situation and said the goodwill between the two would help in restoring peace in the valley. He referred to the jawan and awam maxim of the Army and said that close synergy between the two is necessary for bringing about normalcy and prosperity of the state. |
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ASI, 3 others killed
Srinagar, November 3 ASI Noor-ul-Amin, posted in the Pulwama district police lines, was shot dead by militants after dragging him out of his house at Zahidbagh village late last night, he said. Militants intruded into the house of PDP worker Nazir Ahmad Raina at Sarfrawgund on the outskirts of Srinagar early today and shot him dead, the spokesman said. This was the third killing in the area in as many days. Troops of Rashtriya Rifles shot dead a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Shoukat Ahmad Sheikh, during an ambush at Sirhama in Anantnag today. Militants killed a counter-insurgent associated with Ikhwan, Abdul Majid Mir, at Tang-Chak in frontier district of Kupwara today, the spokesman said. The police arrested two persons during search operations in Anantnag district and recovered a hand grenade from them. Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed in Anantnag town as residents, mostly women, took to streets demanding immediate release of all those who have been arrested in the last couple of days. The police fired tear gas shells and used batons to disperse protestors demanding release of 25 people picked up by cops as part of investigations into the assassination of former minister Safdar Ali Beig and attack on National Conference President Omar Abdullah at Sarnal last month.
— PTI |
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Terrorists holed up inside mosque killed
Srinagar, November 3 All five militants holed up inside mosque at Khilangund village, about 45 kms from here, were killed after troops stormed the place of worship which suffered no damage in the action, he said.
— PTI |
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‘Mahayagaya’ begins today
Jammu, November 3 As many as 3,000 pandits will perform the yagaya in 1,100 “havan kunds.”
— TNS |
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