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Amarnath Land Row
Amarnath Land Row
Yatra suspended again
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Panthers stage protest
PDP calls for revocation of Armed Forces Act
Tourists wait outside a closed hotel in Srinagar on Friday. — Reuters
Electronic photo identity card
Pakistan worst affected by terrorism, says Rangers Col
Banda Singh Bahadur: A forgotten hero
Shifting of Fence
Don’t give into PDP, NC demands: BJP tells Guv
Azad’s bid to garner votes
Panun Kashmir: Avoid communalism
Hawala gang busted, two held
SDM calls for peace
Take quick decision: Tarigami
BJP lambasts Panthers
Weddings, exams cancelled
Jawan commits suicide
Jawan, two ultras killed
Parakaram Padak Medals
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CM, Mufti appeal for peace
Ehsan Fazili Tribune News Service
Srinagar, June 27 He said he was happy to note that the new Governor, who is also the Chairman of SASB, shared similar views. He said the issue could be resolved by the government and the board and there was some headway on this matter. The Chief Minister described as baseless and unfounded the propaganda by vested interests that buildings would be constructed on the land and non-state subjects settled there. He said there was no such thing happening as Article 370 of the State Constitution did not allow this possibility. The fact of the matter, the Chief Minister said, was that the government order issued for diversion of land to the SASB clearly mentions the purpose of the diverted land as “raising pre-fabricated structures only for camping purposes of pilgrims without going in the construction of permanent structures at Baltal and Domail by the SASB.” The proprietary status of the forest land shall remain unchanged, the order categorically says. He said violence had already taken a heavy toll of human lives in the state in the past two decades and it could not afford more spilling of blood. Meanwhile, former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has also expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. In his statement, the PDP patron urged all concerned to take measures that would prevent any further damage to the social fabric and economy of the state. He said all sections of society and political leadership must come forward to improve the situation and prevent any polarisation on the issue. Mufti said the yatra has traditionally been hosted by people of the state and arrangements for its smooth conduct were the state government’s responsibility. He said most of the amenities for pilgrims like health care, supplies, relief, security, transportation and other logistics were still provided by the state government agencies and the local masses.
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Yatra suspended again
Jammu, June 27 The step has been taken as a precautionary measure for ensuring safety of pilgrims as protests over the land transfer issue were continuing in the valley for the last few days, sources said and asserted, “The devotees were not allowed to proceed from Bhagwati Nagar base camp to the Amarnath cave shrine.” Earlier on June 20 it was suspended due to bad weather while heavy rush at Nunwan and Baltal base camps in Kashmir forced the suspension of yatra on June 25.
— UNI |
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Panthers stage protest
Jammu, June 27 The Panthers Party also demanded immediate dismissal of the Congress-led coalition government for what it claimed “conniving with the PDP to provoke sentiments of people so as to implement the ISI agenda and divide the state on communal lines.” Led by PK Ganjoo, vice-president, party activists resorted to intense sloganeering against Mufti, deputy CM Muzaffar Hussain Beig and CM Ghulam Nabi Azad. Agitating party workers demanded criminal action against Mufti. “Mufti and his party ministers first gave consent to the diversion of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and then provoked the people to grind their own axe thereby vitiating centuries-old communal harmony,” they said. Addressing the activists, party leaders said Kashmir had never before witnessed such an ugly situation. They also blamed Azad of encouraging the PDP to launch a tirade against the SASB, while accusing PDP leaders of sabotaging peace in the state.
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PDP calls for revocation of Armed Forces Act
Srinagar, June 27 Speaking at a roundtable conference on “Counter Terror with Justice, Not Torture” organised by the human rights watchdog Amnesty International in New Delhi yesterday, PDP leader and finance minister Tariq Hameed Karra said with the substantial improvement in the security scenario, concrete steps need to be taken in the state to completely end confrontation. This, he said, would encourage the civil society and the instruments of the administration in the state to assert fully and serve as effective weapon against the violence of all kinds. “This would necessarily presuppose measures like reduction of troops and revocation of the AFSPA, he said and added that the pain of Kashmiris has reached a level where the measures for dignified peace are sure to gain substantial support, a spokesman stated here. Karra said the fact that the most effective security system to Jammu and Kashmir would be provided by its people, has to be recognised and respected and their supremacy established. “Security forces have to and can help in managing a situation, but they can't be the solution,” he said and added the “healing touch” philosophy conceptualised and pioneered by the PDP was aimed at winning the hearts and minds of the people to replace the atmosphere of armed confrontation with trust and slowly remove the dependence on the security forces for maintaining law and order in the state by entrusting greater responsibility to the civil society. The healing touch, Karra said, meant a multi-dimensional process aimed at delivering the people. “It meant holding back the power of the state to enforce its writ through military means,” he said. |
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Hopes for best-ever season end as tourists flee valley
Srinagar, June 27 Some of the top hotels in Srinagar have gone through highs and lows that they have not seen in many years. Jahangir Hotel's 39 rooms were running full a week back, which, one staff candidly admits, were the best occupation in years he has seen. Today, 20 rooms were empty as tourists fled in the last three days while curfew-like situation in Kashmir showed no sign of ebbing. “Goods thing do not last for good for us,” he says, recalling how an otherwise good year 2006 was similarly hit by targeting of tourists in the fag end of season. Most of the houseboats have been vacated and there are little signs that the Dal Lake was choke-a-block only a few days back when houseboat managers were returning tourists. “I am frightened. There is sloganeering everywhere and all of a sudden I feel that I am in an alien place,” M Shiva, a software engineer from Hyderabad, told The Tribune. He and his family packed their bags last evening. Most of the bookings have been cancelled; there is not much of a hope of recovery in the business even if the situation improves. “Image or perception are important things for us. If tourists hear that Kashmir is dangerous, they will believe in it for long after things change for better,” a disappointed Tourism Department official said. Industry persons have asked the government to end the crisis as soon as possible and to not let impasse linger on. “Each day is worse than the previous day. It's like death for us. Government should take a firm decision respecting the people's sentiments,” Md Peerzada, a houseboat owner said. |
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Electronic photo identity card
Jammu, June 27 For the last two days, nobody has been able to tell him and hundreds of others voters in Jammu, where to contact the polling officers concerned. The voters in Jammu are agitated over the way they have been put through inconvenience by the chief electoral officer (CEO). Praveen Kumar and Subash Chander said today, “While the CEO has set the deadline for submitting the pictures and the datesheet to the booth polling officers between June 15 and July 5, the said notification was published in the local newspapers on June 26.” They said “We visited the CEO’s office, but nobody guided us as the clerical staff in all government departments has been on strike for the past 90 days.” The voters have requested the CEO to extend the date for submitting the pictures and the datasheet till the end of July and to identify the names of booth polling officers and the places where they could be contacted for the purpose. BJP chief Ashok Khajuria said in case the date for submitting the photos and datasheet was not extended, it would be a “mockery” because within the next one week, 68 lakh voters could not be covered under the EPIC
programme.
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Pakistan worst affected by terrorism, says Rangers Col
Chamliyal (Indo-Pak
border), June 27 Speaking to The Tribune on the sidelines of the annual mela of Baba Dileep Singh Manhas in Chamliyal sector near the border with Pakistan, he said we were also facing the problem of infiltration from the western borders. On the cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, “Terrorism has no borders.” Ahid said the ongoing ceasefire at the borders was in the best interest of India and Pakistan. When asked about the recent “ceasefire violation” by the Pakistani side, Col Ahid said, “We played no role in that attempt. We neither want, nor would support anyone who wants to create instability in our neighborhood.” “There is barbed fence, continuously manned bunkers and the watch towers. The BSF keep round the clock watch on our side, then how is it possible that anyone can cross the border without coming into their notice,” he added. After the Kargil war and post-attack on Indian Parliament, participation from Pakistani side in the mela was stopped and it got restored only when both the countries agreed to a ceasefire. “It was the government decision and we had to follow it, if government allows people to meet people from across the border, we would happily follow the orders,” Ahid said. |
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Banda Singh Bahadur: A forgotten hero
Jammu, June 27 Lachman Dev, later known as Banda Singh Bahadur, was born in 1670 in a small village in Rajouri district. Nobody has bothered to remember the sacrifices that he made for the community and the country. Not even a single memorial has been erected in the memory of the warrior who stood against the atrocities of the Mughal. Though very little has been recorded in the history about the early childhood of Banda Singh Bahadur, many believe that he was born in a Rajput family in Rajouri district. According to historians, Lachman Das while hunting killed a pregnant deer and was shocked to find two unborn deer dying in pain after he ripped the belly of the killed dear. “This incident transformed his life. He left hunting and became an ascetic. Later impressed by the visiting saints, he decided to become a sadhu himself,” said Diljeet Singh, a Sikh historian. He added: “At the age of 21 years, Lachman Das became Madho Das and attained miraculous powers. He reached Nander in Maharashtra to set up an ashram.” Later, Madho Das came in contact with Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru, and was so much impressed with him that he offered himself to the services of the Guru. “Guru Gobind Singh baptized him and renamed him Banda Singh Bahadur. He was ordered to finish the Mughal rule in Punjab,” Diljeet Said. Banda Singh Bahadur managed to organise an army and toppled the Mughal rule in Sirhind. In 1715, he was arrested along with his 740 comrades and was executed. After his death, the Sikhs kept continued the revolt. Later, Ranjit Singh united the Sikhs, captured Lahore and established the Sikh kingdom in Punjab. “Every year his birth and death anniversary goes unnoticed in the state where he was born. This year also, his death anniversary on went unnoticed,” said Manjeet Singh, a local Sikh leader.
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Cheer for border farmers
Tribune News Service
Jammu, June 27 Farmers in the Jammu region who live near the border are over-joyous to know that their land, which remained out of their reach for more than a decade, would be now be available for cultivation. To check the cross-border infiltration from the Pakistani side, India had erected the barbed fence near the international border and the Line of Control; however, the fence had to be erected few kilometers inside the Indian territory to escape the heavy fire from the Pakistani side that objected to the fence. “As a result large chunk of fertile land in the region had to be left on the other side of the fence which remained uncultivable,” said a BSF official manning a border outpost in Londi village in Kathua district. As the relations between the two countries have improved for the past few years and because of the prevailing peace on the Line of Control after the declaration of ceasefire between the two nations, the government has decided to shift the fence to the actual position of Zero Line. The farmer community in the region has protested the erection of the fence. “In lack of free movement, my land on the other side of the fence almost turned barren; I had to face huge losses,” said Bishan Singh, a farmer in Sherpur village of Kathua district. According to the officials sources, the fence in the 64-km area of the border would be shifted in the first phase, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. “Its not only in J&K but also in many parts of Punjab that the fence has divided the cultivable land, but now farmers both in J&K and Punjab would get back their land after the fence is moved ahead on the Zero Line,” the BSF official said. “We are hopeful that all the portion of our land would be returned back to us,” said Krishan Kumar, a farmer in Bainglad village of Samba district.
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Don’t give into PDP, NC demands: BJP tells Guv
Jammu, June 27 Addressing a press conference, BJP state spokesman Ramesh Arora said, “The Governor should not announce that the shrine board does not need 800 kanals transferred to it by the state government.” Adding he said, “The BJP believes that the acceptance of such demand by the Governor would simply mean that the separatists like the PDP, the NC and the Hurriyat, have succeeded in implementing their communal agenda and injuring the religious sensitivities of the Hindus across the country.” Arora said the situation in the state had turned extremely volatile and communally surcharged. “This is the result of the communal approach of the Congress-led government to the centuries-old Amarnath yatra,” Arora said. He alleged that Azad was working on the behest of the Kashmir-based fundamentalists and separatists. He urged Azad to disband the inquiring committee constituted against Arun Kumar and to take back the decision regarding the setting up of pre-fabricated structures at Baltal. |
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Azad’s bid to garner votes
Udhampur, June 27 The Chief Minister concentrated on good governance and economic issues and sought mandate of the people to accelerate developmental activities. Furthermore to corner coalition partner PDP and opposition National Conference, Azad has repeatedly highlighted implementation to the Wazir Commission and setting up of the Finance Commission to fulfill long pending demands of the people of Jammu region. As his chopper could not land at village Sinoo, the Chief Minister failed to address another meeting at his native place of
Bhalessa. Addressing meeting at Ramban, the Chief Minister said the creation of new district of Ramban had realised the three-decade-old dream of the people. He said 26 years ago, the Wazir Commission was set up but no government implemented its recommendations since then. He said it was his government that took the bold initiative of creating eight new districts in the state. He said the findings of the committee were shocking as it came to light that in the erstwhile district of Doda, area wise the third largest district in the country, there was only 7% road connectivity while some districts had as many as 85% roads.
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Panun Kashmir: Avoid communalism
Jammu, June 27 Addressing a press conference here, PKM president Ashwani Chrungoo said the recent statements of the state government authorities, including the Chief Minister, on the issue are disturbing. “Any opposition to the land transfer to the SASB or a double talk in this context is purely motivated by communal politics and Kashmiri Muslim hegemony in Kashmir. Our stand that all Kashmir-based political structures have been pursuing politics of Muslim majoritarianism is vindicated by the position taken the political and separatist groups in Kashmir. They have ultimately brought the issue of effecting ethnic cleansing of minorities on their political agenda and are dictating accordingly,” he said. Chrungoo said the Amarnath yatra is an inseparable part of the cultural tradition of Kashmir.
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Hawala gang busted, two held
Udhampur, June 27 The arrested persons were identified as Mohammed Shafi Sheikh and Ghulam Rasool Mir, both residents of Bhaarat area of Doda. An amount Rs 1.50 lakh, meant for some militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) active in Doda district, was also recovered. The security forces along with the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) along with the SSP, Doda, launched a search of vehicles, during which they intercepted a bus. Two persons travelling in the bus were also questioned. Security forces got suspicious when both of them gave contradictory statements. During the search, the police recovered Rs 1.50 lakh from their possession which was hidden in a
tiffin box. Both the persons were taken to the Doda police station. The police said more arrests were likely in the case.
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SDM calls for peace
Udhampur, June 27 Members of both the minority and majority communities attended the meeting. Earlier tension had flared up in Bhaderwah town when some activists of the Anjuman Islami forcibly tried to pull down shutters of some shops. The bandh supporters later took out a procession and reached the minority-dominated Seri Bazar. Tension flared up as bandh supporters shouted slogans against the allotment of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB). Some members of the minority community opposed these slogans which led to tension. In the meantime, a police party reached the spot and pacified both the groups and dispersed them later. Gauging sensitivity of the situation, the SDM convened a meeting of citizens to defuse tension. Representatives of various political, social and religious organisations attended the meeting.
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Take quick decision: Tarigami
Srinagar, June 27 Tarigami blamed the leaders of coalition parties for adopting a dilly-dallying approach over the issue. In a statement issued here today, Tarigami cautioned that the government was being scanned as the present situation had put the very peace process at stake. Since a serious situation has emerged which has affected the economy and day-to-day life of the masses, the government should act in a responsible manner, he added. The CPM leader asked the government to immediately rescind the land transfer order and facilitate the smooth conduct of the yatra and ensure that communal forces did not take undue advantage of the situation and mislead the people. |
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BJP lambasts Panthers
Udhampur, June 27 Addressing public meetings at Tikri and Mandh areas in the Udhampur Assembly constituency, BJP state secretary Pawan Gupta alleged that for power, the Panthers Party had joined hands with the PDP, which had been propagating agenda of the anti-national forces. He said for three years, Panthers Party MLAs remained ministers in the government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and after they were expelled from the government, the MLAs started highlighting discrimination with Jammu. Cautioning the people against designs of the Panthers Party, Pawan said it was party supermo Prof Bhim Singh, who fought the case of dreaded militant Bitta Karatey and got him released from jail. He reminded the people that Bitta was responsible for killing a number
of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley. |
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Weddings, exams cancelled
Srinagar, June 27 All marriage ceremonies were to take place in the valley before the holy month of Ramzan starting from September 1. Besides, even those who had arranged the ceremonies during the past three days, saw thin attendance of guests. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir State Board of Education has postponed the biannual matriculation examination, scheduled to start from today. No new date has yet been announced.
— UNI |
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Jawan commits suicide
Rajouri, June 27 |
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Jawan, two ultras killed
Srinagar, June 27 Based on information about hiding militants, troops of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) and the police launched a joint search operation at Kachpathri-Mawar in Kangan area, 40 km from here on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway. The militants opened fire on the forces and in the ensued encounter, which lasted for several hours, two militants and jawan Anil Kumar were killed. The identity of the militant group is yet to be established. — PTI |
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Parakaram Padak Medals
Srinagar, June 27 During the meeting nomination of the cases were examined and decision about awardees was taken with due consideration and in light of norms framed by the ministry of home affairs, state police said in a statement. The awardees include SI Rajesh Kumar, Sg Ct Sanjay Kumar and constable Bilal Ahmad.
— TNS |
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