Jammu, January 20
Despite reservations of the Army about the dilution or revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the coalition government has started identifying peaceful areas to do away with the Disturbed Areas Act (DAA), which, in turn, will make AFSPA redundant once the areas under consideration are declared out of the purview of the Act.

Highly placed sources in the Home Department told The Tribune that following Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s instructions, two panels, comprising the Corps Commanders of Srinagar and Nagrota and the Director-General of Police and the Home Secretary, had already started assessing the ground situation in Jammu, Samba, Kathua,Udhampur, Reasi, Srinagar and Budgam districts where the situation had improved in recent years.

“Initially, the government focused on Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Srinagar and Budgam, but following an improvement in the situation in Udhampur and Reasi districts, the government enlarged its focus”, said the sources.

DGP Kuldeep Khoda had recently stated at a press conference that militancy had been wiped out of Udhampur and Reasi districts in the Jammu region.

The sources further said based on recommendations of the panels, the government would start withdrawing the DAA in a phased manner from the urban areas. “Once the process starts, it will obviously result into the thinning of troops from the urban areas”, said a senior officer of the Home Department.

“The Chief Minister wants to see the police at the forefront, tackling the law and order with the armed forces and the paramilitary forces in the background”, he said and added, “The Union Home Secretary, GK Pillai’s recent statement that the Centre was considering a reduction in paramilitary troops in the state by 25 per cent has given us enough hints that the Centre, too, endorses the view of the Chief Minister”.

Jammu, January 20
A faction close to Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz returned to the state after completing “Mission Delhi” that was aimed at countering a “vicious” campaign launched by dissidents.

During their stay in Delhi, leaders of the faction called on senior Congress leaders and complained about anti-party activities of the rival faction, owing its allegiance to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

A senior party leader told The Tribune that the high command had hinted that Soz would be retained as the PCC chief.

“Our Mission Delhi has yielded an encouraging result as the high command has not given any signal to change the PCC chief,” he said.

He added that the party leadership had assured to take action against anyone involved in anti-party activities.

Meanwhile, some party dissidents have started shifting loyalties.

Assuming that Soz will be retained as the PCC chief, some dissident leaders have started deserting their group for getting accommodated in the Soz faction.

Sources said besides some veteran leaders, two Congress MLAs, who earlier claimed to be staunch supporters of Ghulam Nabi Azad, had established contact with Soz.

“Some ministerial berths have been vacant. All aspirant MLAs are in touch with the PCC chief,” sources said, adding that recently, some MLAs met Soz in New Delhi.

The sources added that two former ministers, who earlier owed their allegiance to the dissident group, had asked Soz loyalists to arrange a meeting with the PCC chief.

However, leaders heading the dissident faction are finding it difficult to keep their flock together as its supporters are not satisfied with its style of functioning.

Jammu, January 20
Even as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is trying to convince the BJP not to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Republic Day, the Jammu and Kashmir police has started drawing up a strategy to deal with the situation.

The BJP’s Rashtriya Ekta Yatra has assumed significance in view of JKLF chairman Yasin Malik’s statement that “We will see who will hoist the flag and whose flag it will be”.He has also given a “Lal Chowk chalo” call to counter the yatra.

Senior police officers are holding meetings for dealing with the BJP’s plan.They are also working in close coordination with the CID and RAW.

A senior police officer told The Tribune that if the BJP leaders remained adamant, it might lead to violent reactions in the Kashmir valley.The state government would not allow the party to hoist the National Flag if it disturbed the peace.

“Though we are waiting for orders of the state government, we have also started drawing up a strategy to deal with any exigency”,he maintained.

SSP, Kathua, JL Sharma,recently visited the Lakhanpur barrier, from where the rally will enter the state, for deploying forces to deal with any situation.

Meanwhile, the BJP leadership has deputed second-rung leaders to mobilise youth in villages for the yatra which will enter the state on January 24 from Punjab.According to party leaders,so far, 77000 activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha have decided to join it.

Jammu, January 20
Without directly mentioning the threat posed by the BJP’s Rashtriya Ekta Yatra, the state government today decided that “no programme with a potential to disturb peace in the region” would be allowed and those behind it would be sternly dealt with.

At a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here, it was decided that no programme with a potential to disturb the peace in the state would be allowed.

The state government had directed the police and the civil authorities to ensure that all measures should be taken to ensure that the law and order situation in the state was not disturbed in the run- up to the Republic Day celebrations.

The meeting directed the officials that Republic Day should be celebrated with full fervour and enthusiasm and elements that were bent upon disturbing the law and order should be dealt with sternly. It added that directions should also be given to the district authorities in this regard.

The Chief Secretary, SS Kapur, and DGP Kuldeep Khoda briefed the meeting about the preparations made by the administration regarding the Republic Day celebrations.

Those who attended the meeting included Abdul Rahim Rather, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Surjeet Singh Slathia, Sham Lal Sharma, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Raman Bhalla, Mubarak Gul, Adviser to the Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana, Political Adviser to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary SS Kapur, DGP Kuldeep Khoda, Principal Secretary, Home Department, BR Sharma, ADGP, Law & Order, K Rajindra, IGP, CID, B Srinivasan and IGP, Jammu, Dilbag Singh.

Srinagar, January 20
At least five houses and two hotels have been damaged in fire incidents in Kashmir since last night.

Four residential houses were damaged in a fire in the Court Road area near the city centre at Lal Chowk here this afternoon. The fire broke out in the house of Firdous Ahmad and spread to three other houses, razing them to the ground. The cause of the fire was being ascertained, the police said.

A fire broke out in the Malabar Hotel situated at Kohankhan Dalgate here last night and spread to the fourth storey of nearby Kashmir Hotel of Mohammad Sultan Dug. While Malabar Hotel was completely damaged, Kashmir Hotel was partially damaged.

In another incident, a house and a cowshed were damaged in a devastating fire in the Dooru area of Anantnag district last night.

Jammu, January 20
State president of the BJP Shamsher Singh Manhas said today that Kashmir-centric political parties were responsible for the prevailing situation in the state. He said such parties were brazenly exploiting the sentiments of the people for their petty political gains.

Addressing a function to welcome a number of women who joined the BJP today, Manhas said the NC-led coalition government had been hoodwinking the people on false promises and hollow slogans. “People have realised that it is only the BJP that has been working with commitment for the welfare of the masses and agitating on the issues of national importance,” he asserted. He asked the newcomers to the party to spread the message of the party at the grass-roots level.

Sakina Bano, state president of the Mahila Morcha, while speaking on the occasion, said women were the worst victims of the policies of the state and Central governments. He said the government had failed to control the prices of the essential commodities.

Sakina said the Congress, the NC and the PDP were misleading people for their vote bank politics.

Udhampur, January 20
Chenani MLA Krishna Chander Bhagat inaugurated a three-day employment fair at Panchari, about 40 km from here, today.

In his address, Bhagat said the main aim of such employment fairs was to create awareness about various state and Centrally- sponsored schemes among unemployed youth in the rural areas.

He said the educated youth should come forward to avail of the benefits of such schemes.

He exhorted officers of various departments to put in efforts to create awareness among people regarding various self-employment schemes.

RC Puri, Joint Director, Employment, while highlighting the main objective of the employment fair said such fairs were being organised at different tehsils of Udhampur district for the unemployed youth in the rural areas.

Those present on the occasion included Shagun Sharma, Deputy Director, Employment, officials of various government departments and residents of the adjoining areas.

Jammu, January 20
The career counselling centre of Government Maulana Azad Memorial (MAM) College organised a lecture for the students on “career prospects in armed forces” today.

According to a statement issued here, Col KB Gupta (retd), District Social Welfare Officer, Samba, was the resource person on the occasion. Col Gupta deliberated in detail on various career options in the armed forces.

He elaborated on the main parameters imperative for the selection procedure and also the eligibility criteria.

The lecture was followed by an interactive session, wherein the students asked questions about career prospects in the armed forces.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Ajeet Angral, principal of the college, urged the students to pursue career in the defence forces and provide dedicated service to the nation. He stressed the qualities of determination, discipline and devotion, which were paramount to the life a soldier.

The programme was conducted by Dr Twinkle Suri, coordinator of the career counselling centre.

Jammu, January 20
Against the backdrop of the recent airspace violations by Pakistan in the Jammu region and close ties between China and Pakistan, Marshal of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Arjan Singh said today that, “We have to be careful with countries hostile to India”.

Addressing mediapersons at the Technical Airport here,Arjan Singh said airspace violations were of two kinds - intentional and unintentional.

“Take the speed of fighter planes today.They travel at a speed somewhat close to the speed of sound and sometimes fighter pilots don’t come to know of airspace violations. But at the same time, there are intentional airspace violations. If there was an intentional violation, then it is wrong,” he added.

“In such cases, we have to be very careful, particularly, with countries that are hostile to us,” he said, adding that response to the airspace violations depended upon height of planes, the area and radar reports. He said the IAF was prepared for any eventuality.

On persistent demand of pilots in the IAF to replace ‘ageing’ MiG-21 fighter planes, Singh said the fighter aircraft proved useful in initial stages.

However, with the passage of time, every aircraft got old.So, it would be better if these were replaced, he said.

“In the Air Force, if you do not have modern aircraft and equipments, the force is not only handicapped but also gets demoralised,” he added.

Modernisation should be a constant process in the armed forces of a country and was indispensable, he said.

On increasing closeness between China and Pakistan, he said India should be careful about hostile countries.

“Whenever we plan anything in the interest of the country’s security, we have to keep in mind countries aggressive to us,” he said.

On involvement of top officers of the armed forces in various scams, like the recent Adarsh Housing Society scandal, he said, “It is the worse thing that can happen in the armed forces, but I am glad that the Army is taking action. In such cases, the armed forces take prompt action”.

Earlier, Arjan Singh was given a traditional guard of honour at the Air Force Station on his arrival. He was in Jammu to inaugurate a newly-constructed Air Warriors’ living-in accommodation that was named after him as the Arjan Singh Block.

He also visited various units and interacted with personnel of the Air Force Station and schoolchildren.

Jammu, January 20
A five-day signature campaign of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) against alleged corruption of the Congress-led UPA government commenced at the University of Jammu today.

Ajay Sharma, state secretary, ABVP, said a large number of students marked their signature on an eight-meter-long cloth.

“We distributed pamphlets among the students in which we have informed about the corruption prevalent in the Common Wealth Games-2010, 2G spectrum allocation and Adarsh Housing Society scam.”

The signature campaign will be conducted in Government Gandhi Memorial College tomorrow.

Jammu, January 20
The University of Jammu has detected that 22 students of graduation (first year) have taken admission to 12 colleges affiliated to the university on the basis of fake certificates. Talking to The Tribune, Prof GM Bhatt, Controller, Examinations, University of Jammu, said, “We have found 22 students who had taken admission to 12 colleges on the basis of fake certificates. The process is on to cancel the admissions”.

Bhatt appealed to the students and their parents to first verify the authenticity of the universities/study centres affiliated to various universities in which they applied for admission. The university issued a notification to 78 affiliated colleges to scrutinise the documents submitted by the students of the first year at the time of admission and identify the students who had taken admission on the basis of fake certificates issued by a non-existent Delhi Board of Education.