Jammu, April 9
A complete bandh was observed in the Jammu region today in protest against the Inter-district Recruitment Bill with all markets, local transport, business establishments, most of the private schools and other educational institutions remaining closed.

However, the bandh passed peacefully and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the region. The bandh call was given by the BJP and supported by various political and social organisations, which were against the controversial Bill.

The functioning of government offices, already hit by the employees’ strike, was affected adversely due to the bandh as attendance was very thin.

Even public transportation, including minibuses, also remained off the roads and passengers had to face a lot of problems. Especially, parents had to face problems as they had to go to drop their children to schools. “I had to make two rounds of the school to drop my children and bring them back,” said Hardeep Singh, a local resident.

The Jammu Tawi railway station, which, otherwise, is bustling with pilgrims on their way to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, was less crowded today. The BJP supporters were seen moving on vehicles early in the morning carrying flags and asking shopkeepers to close their establishments.

Various parts of the city, including Satwari, Gandhi Nagar, Gole Market, Kach Chawni, Janipur, Parade and other areas, also presented a deserted look. The bandh was supported by various political and regional organisations, including the Bar Association of Jammu, Kashmiri Pandit Sabha, Brahman Sabha, All J&K SC/ST United Front, Anusuchit Jati Aarakshan Bachao Manch, Shiv Sena and other trade and transport organisations.

To take control the situation, a huge police posse was deployed in every nook and corner of the city. Policemen, including women constables, equipped with canes, shields, helmets and water canons, were standing on flyovers and bridges to keep an eye over the movement of bandh supporters.

Admitting the bandh was total and peaceful, a senior police officer said, “There was a complete shutdown in the city. No untoward incident was reported till the evening and it remained peaceful throughout the day.”

Besides Jammu, Kathua, RS Pura, Bishnah and Akhnoor also wore a deserted look, the sources said. Shamsher Singh Manhas, state BJP chief, said, “The bandh was total and peaceful.” He expressed gratitude towards the people of the Jammu region for observing a complete shutdown. 

Srinagar, April 9
Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has warned the state government against adopting legislation like the Inter-district Recruitment Bill that was passed by the Assembly today, as they only created a wedge between people belonging to different parts of the state.

Addressing the Friday congregation at the Jamia Masjid here today, the Mirwaiz held that the state legislature had passed several such laws earlier that were against the interests of the people. He added that these had created regional imbalance.

The Mirwaiz pointed out that the government took several steps from time to time that created a wedge between people from different regions of the state. He held that such divisive practices were already present in the form of categories in jobs for educated youths at various levels.

The Mirwaiz, reiterating the APHC stand, said it was working not only for a ‘bright political future’ of the state through political and diplomatic channels at the international level but also for safeguarding the basic rights and interests of the people. “It (APHC) would oppose any such move that is against the basic interests of people or that damages social or regional identities,” he commented.

The Mirwaiz also condemned the crackdown on the striking employees. He blamed the government for adopting a dual policy on the issue as the employees on the one hand were being invited for talks, and on the other were being harassed and arrested.

Meanwhile, other separatist organisations, including the JKLF and the Jamaat-i-Islami, have also expressed concern over the approach of the government in dealing with the employees’ strike and fulfilling their demands.

Jammu, April 9
Opposition parties today came out in support of striking government employees and raised the issue in the state Assembly today. The PDP, the BJP, the Panthers Party,the CPM and other MLAs asked the government to resolve the issue.

As the proceedings of the House started, the Opposition members stood in support of the employees and said it was the “worst-ever government in the history of the state.” They appealed to the Speaker, Mohammad Akbar Lone, to intervene and solve the problem.

They said the invoking of ESMA amounted to “dictatorship”. The members further demanded that no action should be taken against the arrested employees and they should be released immediately.

“The Supreme Court has rejected ESMA thrice, but the state government is not ready to budge from its stand. If the government really wants to solve the problems of the employees, it should find out some other option, besides invoking ESMA,” said Chaman Lal Gupta of the BJP.

The PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti, also criticised the government on the issue of strike. She said “the attitude of the government is not in the benefit of commoners. This Act is like a Marshal Law”.

She further said that if there was financial crunch, then the ministers should not make any commitment to the employees to fulfil their demands. “If one section of employees, whether senior or junior, like the IAS and IPS officers, have been given their arrears, what is the problem in giving arrears to all employees,” asked Mehbooba.

Harsh Dev, Ashok Khajuria, Ashwani Sharma and Jugal Kishore criticised the policy of the government to arrest the striking employees. They also raised their voice in support of PoK refugees, who were cane-charged by the police a few days ago at Shalamar Chowk.

Meanwhile,the strike of employees today entered its seventh day today.One arrested employee, Pardeep Kumar, was admitted to the GMCH after he had a cardiac attack.

The Supreme Court has rejected ESMA thrice, but the state government is not ready to budge from its stand. If the government really wants to solve the problems of the employees, it should find out some other option

— Chaman Lal Gupta of the BJP

If one section of employees, whether senior or 
junior, like the IAS and IPS officers, have been given their arrears, what is the problem in giving arrears to all employees

— PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti

Jammu, April 9
Reiterating the government’s commitment to pay the arrears to its employees, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today asked them to work with the government in finding a solution to the issue.

“Leaving strike culture aside and not placing the sword of lockouts hanging over, you should come and engage the government in finding out a way to settle the issue in a conductive atmosphere,” Omar told the employees, adding that the doors for dialogue are always open for them.

Speaking on the last day of current Budget Session in the Assembly, Omar expressed his gratitude to the Speaker, members, government functionaries and the Assembly staff for effective and positive conduct of the Assembly proceedings.

“During the 25 sittings of the current Budget Session, ministers replied the discussions on grants, questions and supplementaries appropriately,” he said, maintaining that there was no adjournment of the House at any time during the current Budget Session, which itself depicts the performance and seriousness of the state government.

Omar further said during the sittings, no Bill, Grant or Budget was passed without discussion in which ample time was given to members to speak.

The Chief Minister also expressed dismay over the attitude of the PDP for remaining absent from the House on the occasion of passing the thanks motion for the Governor for his address to the joint session of both the Houses, and on the last sitting of the session when the Speaker’s endeavours for conducting the House are appreciated.

Srinagar, April 9
As the strike of state government employees entered its fifth day today,work in government offices was paralysed across the state.

The functioning of schools and hospitals was also adversely affected.

The offices in the Kashmir valley remained closed for the seventh day as a faction of the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) had been on strike since Saturday last in support of their demands.

The demands include the payment of Sixth Pay Commission arrears, raising the retirement age and regularising the services of contractual employees. The week-long strike called by the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), which is spearheading the agitation, was already extended by two days up to April 13. Its leader Khursheed Alam had welcomed the government’s offer of talks, but, so far, there has been no headway in the ongoing strike, which has been adversely affecting the functioning in the government offices.

As a result of the employees’ strike, which also included those of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), the summer capital city has turned into a garbage dump. Heaps of garbage could be seen across the city as the garbage could not be cleared since Saturday last due to the employees’ strike. The authorities engaged daily-wage labourers in the cleaning operation on the main roads here today.

Meanwhile, Minister for Medical Education, Technical Education, Youth Services and Sports RS Chib visited the major hospitals of Srinagar city yesterday and took stock of the medicare facilities available in the hospitals, both for indoor and outdoor patients in view of the employees’ strike.

They visited SMHS Hospital, Bones & Joint Hospital, Barzulla, Government Dental College, SKIMS, Bemina, and SKIMS Soura and enquired about the medicare facilities available in these hospitals. The authorities of these hospitals were directed to ensure best possible medicare facilities in OPD and Emergency, and outsource the sanitation personnel to maintain neat and clean atmosphere in and around the hospitals.

Chib said most of the demands of the striking employees had been fulfilled and other genuine demands would also be considered in due course of time when resources would be available with the government.

Jammu, April 9
The Divisional Consumer Forum, Jammu, comprising its president Kishore Kumar and member Dr KD Sharma, today dismissed the consumer complaint of Daljeet Singh, who claimed a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the death of his father in a road accident in lieu of a Janta Personal Accident Insurance Policy. The consumer forum held that since the claim was filed after the prescribed period of one month, the insurance company was justified in rejecting it as it attracted the condition no. 1 of the insurance policy.

Daljeet’s father obtained a Janta Personal Accident Insurance Policy of Rs 2 lakh for 10 years on December 24, 1998. Unfortunately, his father met with an accident on November 11, 2006, and died and an intimation in this regard was provided to the insurer on April 2, 2007. However, Daljit approached the Consumer Forum, when National Insurance Co. Ltd. repudiated his claim.

The insurer justified the repudiation of the claim on the ground that the claim was lodged after the statutory period as per the condition no. 1 of the policy, especially when the complainant was under a legal and statutory obligation to lodge a claim within one calendar month after the event that gave rise to a claim under the policy.

The consumer forum referred to various judgments of the Supreme Court and the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and dismissed the consumer complaint. It observed that “there was no dispute about the fact that the loss took place on November 11, 2006, and it was reported to the insurance company on April 2, 2007. The condition No. 1 of the policy stipulates that on the happening of any loss or damage, the insured is to lodge a claim within one calendar month after the event that gives rise to the claim under the policy.”

“Since the parties are governed by the terms and conditions of the insurance policy, which forms the insurance contract, the parties have to sink or swim with the terms and conditions as laid down in the insurance contract. The claim of the complainant having been running in direct conflict with the terms and conditions as laid down in the insurance policy and forming the insurance contract was rightly not entertained. The insurer having repudiated the claim, under the insurance policy in a bona fide manner, cannot be held guilty of deficient in service.”

Jammu, April 9
In the backdrop of the Dantewada carnage, CRPF IG AS Sidhu said today that the largest paramilitary force in the world would always remember the sacrifices of its gallant men, who laid down their lives for the country.

At the same time we would also review and examine the shortcomings, like where we went wrong, and rededicate ourselves to improving our training, physical fitness and modernisation for combating forces inimical to the country, said Sidhu at the CRPF’s group centre here on the occasion of “Valour Day” celebrations.

However, countering the Chhattisgarh DG, CRPF DIG SR Panthi outrightly rejected the charge that there was any failure on account of intelligence, tactics or training on the part of CRPF jawans in Dantewada.

“A fact finding committee has already been set up, but it being a difficult area such incidents can happen. Without knowing the ground situation one shouldn’t say that there was lack of intelligence and training,” said Panthi.

Later, Sidhu recalled how on April 9, 1965, a small contingent of the CRPF had foiled a brigade level attack by the Pakistan army at Sardar Post in Gujarat. In this attack, 34 soldiers of the Pakistan Army were killed and six CRPF jawans also lost their lives, he said. Since then April 9 is celebrated as “Valour Day” every year in the memory of those martyrs, Sidhu added.

Sidhu went on to add that the burning example of bravery was once again witnessed in Dantewada. “Though money can never compensate a life (union government has granted Rs 38 lakh ex-gratia each to the families of jawans killed at Dantewada), we promise to the families of those martyrs that their children are members of the CRPF family,” said Sidhu. “We assure them that in their need of the hour the CRPF will stand by them always,” he averred.

On this Valour Day we promise that we would not allow their sacrifices go waste and the ill will and plans of these anti-national elements, either from Jammu Kashmir, Northeast or from Naxal-hit areas, would be not allowed to succeed, he said.

As far as the Jammu region was concerned, in the last three months the CRPF had eliminated 22 militants and arrested six ants, Sidhu said.

On the occasion a two-minute silence was also observed in memory of 76 jawans killed in Dantewada.

Sidhu also felicitated retired commandants and father of a slain CRPF constable for their distinguished services. Among others, DIG Kulbir Singh, DIG DK Sirohi and DIG Amar Singh also attended the celebrations.

Jammu, April 9
A man who had been witness to changing eras for the past 105 years, breathed his last in Bahadurpur village, Ramgarh, Samba tehsil today. Gian Chand Sharma was much sought after by media and historians for his eyewitness account of freedom struggle, Partition of the country and number of wars between India and Pakistan.

He was not keeping well for the past few days. He was cremated at his native place today evening.

He is survived by his two daughters and their mother.

Major-General SK Sharma (retd), AVSM, a close associate of Gian Chand Sharma, said Gian Chand was the pillar of strength for his village.

During 1920s, he had a chance to speak to Maharaja Pratap Singh 
of Jammu.

He had witnessed the Coronation of Maharaja Hari Singh during 1920s.

“I had a chance to interact with him. He used to narrate happenings of 1920s onwards very clearly,” SK Sharma said.

“Last year, when I happened to visit border villages of Jammu, he guided me to go to the Chamblial Shrine in Ramgarh on Pakistan Border.

This shrine is a symbol of communal harmony of the people, particularly of that area between India and Pakistan,” he added.