Night curfew imposed

J&K House defers adoption of Bills
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 1 — The government faced an embarrassment when two Constitution Amendment Bills, pertaining to raising of monthly salary of Governor, Chief Justice and judges of the high court, could not be adopted in the House today. The adoption was deferred after two members, Mr Harsh Dev Singh of the Panthers Party and Mr G.M. Bawan of the National Conference said since the two Bills were money Bills prior approval was required from the Governor.

Soon after the Law Minister, Mr P.L. Handoo, was asked by the Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil, to move the two Constitution Amendment Bills for adoption Mr Harsh Dev Singh and Mr Bawan informed the House that the Bills could not be adopted without the prior concurrence of the Governor as the purpose of the amendment was to raise the salary of the Governor and the judges.

The two Bills had been introduced in the House by the Law Minister on February 23. The Bills provide for raising the salary of the Governor from Rs 11,000 to Rs 36,000 per month, that of the Chief Justice from Rs 9,000 to Rs 30,000 and in case of judges of the high court from Rs 8,000 to Rs 26,000 per month.

Half-an-hour before the Bills were to be taken up for adoption Mr Handoo was seen informing the members, who were enjoying a cup of tea in the lobby, to remain present in the House to facilitate the adoption of the Bills.

Mr Bawan said fresh Bills had to be moved for consideration and adoption after the Governor's concurrence was sought.

However, Mr Handoo said since the Bills pertained to amending the Constitution prior approval of the Governor was not required. He said the Constitution Amendment Bill had been adopted by the Legislative Council without prior approval of the Governor.

The Speaker, ruled that the two sides should ponder over the matter and avoid rushing through the Bills as they pertained to the amendment of the Constitution. He suggested to the government to move the Bills on Wednesday.

Militant attack repulsed

SRINAGAR, March 1 (PTI) — The police repulsed a militant attack on their picket established for the protection of minority belt in the Kashmir valley, while four persons, including a militant and two young girls, were killed in separate incidents since last evening, an official spokesman said here today.

The security forces arrested 12 suspects during various operations, while unidentified gunmen abducted a person in the valley, he said.

A group of heavily-armed militants fired on a police picket at Chak-Charath Ram in Baramula district in north Kashmir last night, he said.

The police personnel guarding the picket returned fire, repulsing the attack, he said, adding no one was hurt in the shootout.

In another incident, a militant, Mohammad Sharief of Chanchal, was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Zawan Nowga in the Banihal area of Doda district yesterday. A pistol, a grenade and some ammunition were seized from the slain militant, the spokesman said.

He said militants shot dead a young girl near her house at Chutan village in the Thathari area of Doda last evening.

Another woman, Shameema, who was seriously wounded in a militant firing in Anantnag on February 27, succumbed to her injuries in the hospital late last night, he added.

He said militants also shot dead Manzoor Ahmad Najar near his village at Yarkat-Baroou in Anantnag district.

The spokesman said the police apprehended a militant of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, Sajad, from the Nagani area of Kishtwar in Doda yesterday.

The security forces also seized two assault rifles, a pistol, 19 grenades and some ammunition during search operations at Rashanpora in Kupwara and Baramula forests today, he said.

The police arrested five counter-insurgents associated with Ikhwan from the Khanyar area of downtown Srinagar last evening for involvement in extortion cases in the area, official sources said.

Four members of a family — Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, Ama Bhat and Mohammad Abbass — were arrested by the army during a raid on their house at Kulgam in Anantnag district last night, they said.

The security forces also arrested two persons, Wali Mohammad Dar and Ghulam Hassan, from Chaki-Kawoosa in Badgam district yesterday. They are being questioned, the sources said.

The sources said unidentified gunmen abducted Mubarak Hussain Bhat from his house at Shipora in Anantnag district last evening.

National seminar concludes
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, March 1 — The three-day national seminar on "North-West Frontier of India" which was organised by the Faculty of History, University of Jammu in collaboration with the Centre for History and Culture of Jammu and Ladakh concluded here yesterday afternoon.

A number of important papers pertaining to the historical and political aspects of the north-west frontier of India were presented by eminent academicians from various universities.

Prof Hari Om, Head of Department, Jammu University and member ICHR, while presenting his paper favoured a plebiscite under 1948-49 UN resolutions for solution of the Kashmir issue. He said that holding a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir would not only silence anti-India lobbies in the USA and elsewhere, but also prepare the ground for the unification of PoK with the Indian part of Jammu and Kashmir.

Renowned historian Prof Sukh Dev Singh Charak said the North-West Frontier occupied an important place in Indian history.

Prof G.S. Devra of Kota Open University, Rajasthan, in his paper, said that the route of invaders to India before Babur was different and passed through the towns of Central Asia and Multan.

Other academicians who presented their papers included Prof A.R. Khan of Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, Prof Anjali Chatterjee, Delhi University, Prof Yoginder Chawla and Prof G.D. Gulati, both from Delhi University, Dr Jigar Mohammad, Dr Amita Billawria, Dr Sham Narayan Lal, Prof Rekha Choudhary, Dr Poonam Choudhary, all from Jammu University besides Ms Purnima Kak and Ms Kiran Saproo, research scholars in the history department of Jammu University.

Seminar on human rights
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, March 1 — Mr Justice V.S. Malimath, member, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has said that the existing set-up of the country was inadequate to protect human rights. There was an immediate need to develop a preventive strategy for the protection of human rights, he said.

Delivering the keynote address at the inauguration of a two-day national seminar on "Human Rights Education", Mr Justice Malimath said the worsening law and order situation presented the biggest challenge to human rights. The seminar, which commenced here on February 28, was sponsored by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and organised by the Faculty of Law, University of Jammu.

Tracing the history of human rights in India, he said some attention was given to the issue in 1982 when a committee was formed under the supervision of Justice Sikri for the development, awareness and protection of human rights. To promote human rights culture had been the sole aim of human rights education, he said, adding, that with the declaration of universal human rights by the United Nations, this aspect was attaining more significance.

The NHRC member also said that India had contributed to the protection and spreading of awareness of human rights. The inclusion of the Directive Principles of State Policy in our Constitution was a guiding force for acceptance of human rights, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof R.R. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, Jammu University, said the issue of human rights education was assuming significance in the present situation. There was need for providing proper education about human rights at the grassroots level.

Night curfew imposed
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, March 1 — In view of the prevailing law and order situation in the state, particularly in the regions neighbouring Jammu, Mr P.K. Tripathi, District Magistrate, Jammu has restricted movements from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. in all the areas west of Manwar Tawi from Chakla up to Marojian in the Jammu region.

As per the order issued here, the District Magistrate has imposed a curfew in the sector. In exceptional cases, residents can get curfew passes from the nearest SHO or post commander of the Army. The order will remain in force for a period of two months.