 |
|
Security blanket for PM’s visit
Fotedar may get RS ticket
BJP women join fight for villagers’ security
Doda residents hold protest rally
Sahai is new IGP of Kashmir
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Quake in J&K
|
|
Security blanket for PM’s visit
Srinagar, May 22 Some stringent measures have been taken following the suicide attack at a Youth Congress rally in which at least seven persons, including two militants, were killed here yesterday. Senior security officers here described the arrangements as adequate and multi-layered to thwart any designs of militants to create trouble ahead of the conference. Qualitative and quantitative arrangements had been made to face any eventuality in view of the forthcoming meeting, the officials said. This is not for the first time that such arrangements are being made here on the occasion of a high-level meeting to be presided over by the Prime Minister. A curfew-like situation prevailed along boulevard today with all civilian traffic blocked beyond Nehru Park. There were no tourists enjoying shikara rides in the lake, while pedestrian traffic also remained restricted between Nehru Park and the Nishat area. The authorities had already issued instructions to divert traffic on the boulevard from Dalgate to Nishat for three days from May 24 when the conference begins. The venue of the conference, Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), is located on the boulevard along the eastern shore of Dal Lake. In view of yesterday’s attack at the Youth Congress rally, certain preventive measures have been taken in advance. The movement of civilian traffic was stopped from today only between Nehru Park and Nishat with the passenger traffic diverted via the Hazratbal road. No civilian vehicles are allowed between the two points as part of the security measures ahead of the meeting. The entrance to the SKICC is also restricted where vehicles with only security passes are allowed. Barricades with barbed wires have been set up at different places between Dalgate and the SKICC with heavy deployment of police personnel along the area. Movement of traffic has also been restricted on the posh Gupkar road, where the residences of a number of VIPs, including former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, his son and National Conference president Omar Abdullah and Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baigh are located. The civilian traffic on this road leading to Inter Continental Grand Palace and Raj Bhavan and linking the boulevard has also been blocked. |
|
|
Fotedar may get RS ticket
Jammu, May 22 The Election Commission has announced polling for the seat on June 15 following Azad’s resignation on April 29. It is learnt that Azad, during his recent visit to Delhi, proposed certain candidates for the seat, but there were indications that the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, was considering the name of Fotedar, who has remained loyal to the family. Although Fotedar has settled in Delhi for the past several years, but Azad’s resignation from the Rajya Sabha after becoming the Chief Minister of the state has provided an opportunity for his appearance in the Central scene. Having been pushed into the background for the past many years, Fotedar is learnt to have become close to 10 Janpath. The Central leadership of the party was inclined to give representation to the Kashmiri Pandit community by giving the ticket to Mr Fotedar. However, Mr Krishan Amla, treasurer of the PCC and close confidant of Azad, is also in the race for the ticket. His father, Mr Tirath Ram Amla, has been a member of the Rajya Sabha for many terms. Mohammad Sharief Niaz, a cousin of Azad, who had recently vacated his Bhaderwah Assembly seat to pave the way for Azad’s entry into the Lower House, has failed to muster support for the Rajya Sabha ticket. Initially, there were indications that he might be given a berth in the Rajya Sabha to keep the seat hot for Azad. The name of Ashok Bhan is also in circulation for the ticket. Janak Raj Gupta, who was once a member of the Lok Sabha on the Congress ticket, has reportedly failed to get a nod this time as he is being accused of not sticking to one party and having frequently changed loyalties. The names of Dharampal Sharma and Mohammad Aslam, Congress stalwarts, were also in the race for the ticket. On the other hand, the opposition National Conference is expected to decide on May 23 at the meeting of its working committee whether to contest the election or not.
|
|
|
BJP women join fight for villagers’ security
Jammu, May 22 People of 25 villages in Doda have been staging the dharna since the past four days demanding setting up of Army units and village defence committees in hamlets inhabited by minorities. Doda residents, according to the state president of the BJP, Dr Nirmal Singh, had been forced to shift their protest demonstration from Doda to Jammu after militants hurled grenades on peaceful protesters on two occasions in which two persons were killed and 57 injured. The protesters raised slogans “suraksha do, suraksha do” (give us protection). A senior BJP leader from Doda, Mr Swami Raj, has been heading the dharna and senior party leaders, including Dr Nirmal Singh, Prof Hari Om, vice-president, and a former Union Minister of State for Defence, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, also joined the protesters during the past three days. Professor Gupta told mediapersons here that Kashmir being an integral part of India need not be discussed in trilateral talks. He said talks could be held with people who wished to remain in India. While condemning yesterday’s attack on a Youth Congress rally in Srinagar, he said when militants carried out a massacre in Basantgarh and Kulhand which was followed by demonstrations in Doda, state Congress leaders blamed the BJP for drawing political mileage from the incidents. He said “such statements are shocking when two Hindus were killed and 57 injured in two grenade attacks on protesters by militants.” The BJP leader wanted to know from Congress leaders whether the Srinagar incident had been organised by the Congress, or by the Prime Minister, to draw political mileage. He said since the BJP worked as a responsible Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir “it is our responsibility to campaign against the weaknesses of the government and raise issues which pertain to the security and safety of the people”. He said the security scenario in Doda and Udhampur had worsened and a majority of the people had been gripped by panic. Professor Gupta said Pakistan hand in the recent killings in Doda and Udhampur was quite evident because Pakistani agencies were encouraging “ethnic cleansing” in Doda.
|
|
|
Doda residents hold protest rally
Jammu, May 22 The demonstrators, mostly kin of victims of the Kulhand massacre, accompanied by Mahila BJP unit workers, held the rally from Geeta Bhavan Chowk and paraded through the main market places of the city. Shouting slogans against Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and the ruling Congress, the participants of the rally demanded deployment of the Army in all the areas with minority population in Doda and Udhampur districts region immediately. They also demanded equipping the Village Defence Committees (VDCs) with modern AK rifles to take on the militants.
— PTI
|
|
|
Sahai is new IGP of Kashmir
Srinagar, May 22 Mr Sahai, who was recently appointed as IGP (Crime and Railway), joined his new posting soon after the government passed the order to this effect last evening, an official spokesman said. Meanwhile, the condition of Mr Rajinder Kumar, who was operated upon for a bullet injury in his thigh at the SKIMS hospital, Soura, was stated to be stable.
— PTI
|
|
|
Quake in J&K
Srinagar, May 22 It was epicentred at 34.3 degree North and 73.7 degree east near the Indo-Pakistan border. The Met office said there were no reports of loss of life or property from the area.
— UNI
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
