Srinagar, January 20
After a gap of 21 years, the historic Shetaleshwar Bhairav temple located in Habba Kadal was reopened with special prayers on the occasion of Basant Panchmi here today.

The temple, which had been closed after the Basant Panchmi celebrations 21 years ago, reverberated with special prayers for the welfare of people, communal harmony and prosperity on the annual festival. A large number of valley-based Kashmiri Pandits attended the prayers.

The reopening of the temple is being regarded as indicative of the improved situation in the valley after over two decades of violence. “We are trying to step in the era of prosperity,” chairman of the Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS) TN Ganjoo said.

He sought the government’s attention towards redressing the problems of the community members living within the valley, who were not being given due consideration even as they were living with the majority community here. “We have to prove whether we are residents of this place,” members of the KPSS said.

While over 17,000 Kashmiri Pandits had stayed put in the valley after the mass migration in the wake of militancy in 1990, nearly 3,000 members of the community were presently living in different pockets across the valley, the KPSS claimed.

Talking to mediapersons on the occasion, Sanjay K Tickoo, president of the KPSS, threatened to launch fast unto death from February 15 in support of its demand for the due share of employment in the new central package.

He claimed that only the migrant Kashmiri Pandits’ community members were being asked to apply to fill 6,000 vacancies in various government departments.

The KPSS, according to Tickoo, has already taken the task of highlighting the encroachment on temples, properties by certain “unscrupulous elements” claiming to be the custodians of these properties after the “mass migration of Pandits in 1989, which is baseless, unlawful and antireligious in nature”.

Tickoo said the successive governments and political leadership ignored concerns with respect to the identity and religious sentiments of the community.

“It has decided to take locals, living around the temples, into confidence so that proper check and balance is maintained along with protection of these religious centres from the “unscrupulous elements”, Tickoo said.

The KPSS has also constituted a three-member committee to approach the managing committees of mosques in the valley to cooperate in the reopening of these temples, which includes the cleanliness and to restore the past glory of temples.

Jammu, January 20
Lying unused for two years, the state of the art new multi-storey building of the government hospital, Gandhi Nagar, built at a cost of Rs 9.5 crore, will finally be thrown open to public tomorrow.

The hospital completed in early 2008 could not be used because it could not be inaugurated. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would inaugurate it tomorrow.

The building mainly houses the out patient department (OPD) of the government hospital. The OPD will come as a breather to patients who otherwise have to visit the old and crammed government hospital. It will also provide more space to other departments in the old building once the OPD starts functioning here.

Officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC) said the Chief Minister would inaugurate the hospital building at 11 am tomorrow.

Sources said the project could not be formally inaugurated earlier due to disturbances like the fall of the coalition government led by Ghulam Nabi Azad, Amarnath land agitation and the parliamentary and Assembly elections. Now, people are expecting the new government to focus on the hospital. The project was conceived during the Azad government.

The sources said besides the inauguration problem, the hospital could not start functioning due to the shortage of staff and some unconfirmed reports about problems in the construction design.

Jammu, January 20
An unusual protest took place in the city today when activists of the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations marched behind cows, buffaloes, camel and horses, all the while beating drums and raising slogans against the state government.

They were protesting against the state government for imposing a ban on the inter-district recruitment, as they believed it would deny them their constitutionally prescribed share in state government jobs. As per the government order, a person belonging to one district cannot apply for a government job in other district.

However, members of the SC, ST and OBC categories argue that their population is concentrated in some districts and in the face of the new order they will loose surplus job opportunities as provided by the Mandal Commission.

While it was difficult for the police to cope up with the unusual protest, it was equally challenging for the protesters to manage their animals. The rally drew attention of a large number of passersby and mediapersons on its way, disrupting vehicular traffic for some time in the Bantalab area.

The protesters had planned to ghaerao the Civil Secretariat, but the police intercepted them at Bantalab. The protesters included tribals like Gujjars and Bakkerwals and members of other backward classes.

Addressing the participants, president of the confederation RK Kalsotra said, “Unreasonable and unjust demands are being raised by different groups representing affluent sections belonging to different religions, but economically, socially, culturally and academically backward communities like us are getting further marginalised.”

Kalsotra further said the state government had obliged the Pahari-speaking people of the state by granting the ST status to them without any sound basis. “Moreover, Pahari as a language can never be a criterion for granting constitutional safeguards and special privileges,” he argued.

He further alleged that Pahari-speaking people due to their majority were jeopardising the ST status granted to Gujjars and Bakkerwals through their representatives in the state Assembly and the Cabinet.

Kalsotra warned the government that in case attempts were made to dilute the ST status granted to Gujjars and Bakkerwals and ban the inter-district recruitment curtailing their constitutionally-prescribed share in state government jobs, the confederation would fight for the rights of its members.

Jammu, January 20
Charging the coalition regime with bias against the Jammu region, the BJP today regretted that the state government had been following the previous government in giving preferential treatment to the members of a particular faith and the residents of a region.

“This is not a mere allegation. Discrimination is clearly visible in the selection list of state cadre drivers issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board recently,” alleged BJP’s former president and MLA from Jammu East Ashok Khajuria while addressing mediapersons at the party headquarters here today.

Khajuria said the Service Selection Board (SSB) had released the list of drivers showing 16 candidates as selected in the open category and all of them belonging to a particular community. “Not only this, all three candidates selected under the RBA category belong to the valley.

This is the latest example of discrimination against other communities,” he alleged. He demanded the cancellation of the list and disbanding of the SSB.

Khajuria said the list had also exposed the hollow claims of the ministers and MLAs of the ruling coalition from Jammu that they were committed to ending discrimination against the region.

He asked the ministers and the MLAs from the Jammu region to clear their stand on discrimination issue.

Jammu,January 20
Terming the National Conference led-coalition regime as a failure on all fronts, vice- president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Trilok Singh Bajwa today said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had been repeating the same blunders which were committed by earlier National Conference regimes.

Addressing a function to welcome a large number of youth who had joined the PDP, Bajwa regretted that instead of taking effective steps to solve problems of the masses, the regime had been compounding miseries of the people through its wrong policies.

He observed that the present government had been repeating the same mistakes which were committed by the previous National Conference regime from 1996 to 2002. “It is unfortunate that Omar Abdullah has not learnt any lessons from the mistakes of the previous NC regimes”, he pointed out ,and added that during the last one year this government had not taken even a single step in the interests of people.

Speaking on the occasion, party general secretary Balbir Singh flayed the ruling coalition for its failure to solve the problem of the scarcity of ration. He pointed out that during his visit to the Kandi areas of Kathua, people of these areas informed him about the shortage of ration and scarcity of drinking water. “It is unfortunate that the government is only concerned about giving statements to befool the people”, he observed.

Daman Bhasin, former MLA Shanti Devi, Bashir Asad and other leaders also addressed the function wherein about 60 youth joined the PDP.

Jammu, January 20
Some persons broke into a bank at Phalaian Mandal village in Satwari late last night and burnt account books. However, they did not touch the cash lying in the strongbox.

A dog squad inspects the scene where miscreants broke into a bank in a village in Satwari on Wednesday. Photo: Inderjeet Singh

The incident came to light this morning, when employees of J&K Grameen Vikas Bank found the shutters open and the locks broken. They informed the higher authorities about the incident immediately.

A police party reached the bank and started investigations. “Initial investigations suggest no cash was stolen from the bank. But bank’s account books were found completely burnt, which hints at some insider’s hand in the incident,” the police said. A police officer said the incident took place because the bank had no security guard. A police party along with forensic experts and a dog squad reached the bank to lift fingerprints. The police seized the screw drivers used to open the locks from the bank. A case under sections 380, 457 and 511 of the RPC has been registered.

Mohammad Arif, in charge of Phalaian Mandal police post, said, “We are applying various theories in the incident and can’t rule out the role of an insider in the incident.”

However, a bank official said they were assessing the loss. But cash was not touched by the miscreants. Till the filing of the report, no arrest was made by the police.

...elsewhere, computers stolen

Some persons broke into the J&K Bank branch at Bhagat Singh Chowk in Kathua city and decamped with three LCD screens and computers late last night, the police said. It said the miscreants also tried to break open the safe, but could not succeed.

The incident came to light when employees reached the bank in the morning and they informed the police. The police said the bank did not suffer any major loss. Fingerprints and other samples had been collected from the bank and a person had been rounded up, he added. A bank official said no security guard present at the bank during the night and they were assessing the loss, if any. 

Swankha (Samba), January 20
Expressing concern over recent incidents of ceasefire violation on the International Border (IB) and the LoC, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today asked the Pakistani authorities to desist from such activities as such acts would spoil peaceful atmosphere in this region. He further said it was in the interest of Pakistan to reciprocate peace initiatives of India rather than creating hostility.

Addressing a public meeting in this border village, Omar observed, “Pakistan is not in a position to continue hostility with India keeping in view the deteriorating internal situation there.” He, however, regretted that instead of strengthening the peace process, some forces in the neighbouring country had been trying to push militants by violating ceasefire on the border. “Recent cases of firing on border are unfortunate,” he said and pointed out that during the past six years inhabitants of the border areas had been living peaceful lives due to the truce between two countries.

The Chief Minister said peace between India and Pakistan was imperative for the development of both countries so there was a dire need to avoid truce violation at any cost.

“People of Jammu and Kashmir are the worst victims of hostile relations between two neighbouring countries so I appeal both New Delhi and Islamabad to take some effective steps for restoring lasting and sustainable peace in this region.”

Reiterating commitment of his government to treat all three regions of state equal, Omar said some forces had been trying to create division among the people in the name of region or religion. “The issue of central university was raked up to create divide between two regions of the state,” he recalled.

He said it was all due to help of Centre that the issue was resolved peacefully with sanctioning of two universities for the Jammu and Kashmir regions.

Omar expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for liberal financial support to the state to accelerate developmental activities.

In the meeting, Omar announced that Panchayat elections would help to decentralise the decision-making power at grassroot level this year.

“My government is committed to decentralise the power at village level by strengthening the Panchayati Raj institutions,” he said.

Minister for Industries and Commerce Surjit Singh Slathia, Minister for Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar and others leaders addressed the rally.

JAMMU: To avoid confrontation with its coalition partner NC, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz postponed party’s rally at Vijaypur, which was scheduled to be held today. The rally was postponed at the eleventh hour and rescheduled for Friday. Both coalition partners had earlier announced to organise parallel rallies on same day in the Vijaypur Assembly segment.

Congress spokesman Ravinder Sharma, giving reasons for postponing the rally, said the function was rescheduled for Friday to ensure availability of Union Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Sources in the Congress, however, disclosed that party had decided to postpone the rally to avoid conflict with the NC. “It will give wrong impression if two coalition partners hold two parallel rallies in same constituency on same day,” a senior Congress leader said, adding that the function was postponed after proper thinking.

Srinagar, January 20
Anchal Sharma, aka Amina Yusuf, widow of Rajnish Sharma who recorded her statement in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate here yesterday alleged she was forcibly taken to Jammu by Rajnish and his three friends in August last year, where she was forced to marry Rajnish and made to sign a number of papers.

Anchal, daughter of Mohammad Yusuf living in the Nehru Park area here, said she had managed to reach her parents last week. She had approached a Duty Magistrate to record her statement on Saturday who directed her to appear before the Chief Judicial Magistrate for recording her statement.

She said she knew Rajnish Sharma and his sister as customers in their houseboat for some time. In August last year, Rajnish sent three persons to stay in the houseboat, who later met him in the Dalgate area. She was taken to the airport for going on a tour and Rajnish’s friends managed to take her to Jammu by air on August 21, she said.

In Jammu, Rajnish’s friends told her to get married to Rajnish, which she refused, Anchal said, adding that she was forced to solemnise the marriage under Hindu traditions. She was forced to sign many papers under pressure and asked to give statements before the media.

Srinagar, January 20
Employees of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation today called off their strike after the government gave them assurances that their demands would soon be redressed.

The MC employees were on strike for the past five days, demanding the implementation of the promises made five years ago during the reorganisation of the Srinagar Municipality from council to corporation.

Haji Bashir Ahmed, president of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation Employees Union, said: “We were invited for talks by the representatives of the government in which ministers, including Ali Mohammed Sagar, Nasir Aslam Wani and commissioner secretary (finance), were present. The government asked us to give them some time so that they could work on our demands.”

Bashir said the government had asked them to wait till February 28 and the government would implement its promises from March 1 this year. “We asked them to give us a counter guarantee of their promises and they agreed to come to the media as a guarantee towards resolving our demands,” Bashir said. He said the employees would end their strike from tomorrow and would resume their duties.

Meanwhile, Srinagar city wore a filthy look today as the MC employees did not attend their work. Heaps of garbage could be seen everywhere and residents of the 300 sq km area of Srinagar city had to face various hardship due to the heaps of garbage around.

“It was a hell-like situation as residents of various localities in the city had to face problems due to heaps of garbage around.

But now as the SMC staff has called off their strike we hope that the sanitation condition of the city would improve,” Ali Mohammed of posh Raj Bagh locality of Srinagar city said.

Jammu, January 20
The J&K State Commission for Women has finally got a chairperson after remaining headless for seven years. An official note said MLA Shamima Firdous would be the chairperson of the commission and would enjoy the status of a Minister of State.

The government also announced the appointment of former MLA Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari as vice-chairman of the reconstituted Pahari Advisory Board and MLA Kalakote Rachpal Singh as vice- chairman of the newly constituted Kisan Advisory Board with the status of Ministers of State.

The chief minister would be the chairman of both the reconstituted advisory boards.