J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Centre seeks J&K views on autonomy
JAMMU, Jan 21 — The lid over the controversy relating to the restoration of greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir has been lifted by the Union Home Ministry which has sought the views of the state government on the matter.

4 militants killed in valley
SRINAGAR, Jan 21 — Four militants were killed and five security personnel injured as militants engaged security forces in armed clashes and attacked a security picket with a grenade in the Kashmir valley since yesterday.

Employees' strike: deadlock continues
JAMMU, January 21— Dharnas and demonstrations by striking employees of the state government continued for the 32nd day today.

Reject autonomy report: LBA
JAMMU, Jan 21 — The Ladakh Buddhist Association has decided to send a delegation to Delhi to register its protest against the state government’s move to secure greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of the report of the state autonomy committee.

Centre seeks J&K views on autonomy
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Jan 21 — The lid over the controversy relating to the restoration of greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir has been lifted by the Union Home Ministry which has sought the views of the state government on the matter.

A Senior government functionary said the Jammu and Kashmir Government had sent the Autonomy Committee report to the Centre soon after it was submitted to the government in April last year. Recently the Union Home Ministry sent a note seeking the State government's views on the issue.

He said in order to convey the opinion of the state govrenment to the Centre, a meeting of the Cabinet was convened in Jammu where the report was accepted in toto.

The state team which will talk with the Centre comprises members of the Autonomy Committee. The Committee has ministers as members besides Mr Teja Singh, a member-secretary.

The only change in the list of the ministerial team is the exclusion of Dr Karan Singh who resigned a year ago from the committee and Mr Bodh Raj Bali who dropped from the Cabinet. He has been replaced by Mr S.S. Slathia, Minister for Tourism. Molvi Rashid, MLA and former Deputy Speaker, has replaced Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, who, too was dropped from the Cabinet in December last.

The state government functionary said the ball was now in the court of the Centre. "We are not demanding anything new. We are Simply seeking restoration of the constitutional status which existed in the state till 1953," he said.

The state Cabinet's acceptance of the autonomy committee report has been criticised by several political organisations including the BJP, the Janata Dal (S) and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party which say it would endanger the country's integrity and security.

Several members of the Jammu Bar Association and the all-India Kashmiri Pandit Conference have flayed the government move to secure greater autonomy for the state.

4 militants killed in valley

SRINAGAR, Jan 21 (PTI) — Four militants were killed and five security personnel injured as militants engaged security forces in armed clashes and attacked a security picket with a grenade in the Kashmir valley since yesterday.

Three militant hideouts were smashed leading to the arrest of a militant and recovery of some arms and ammunition in the valley during the period, an official spokesman said here today.Panic gripped the Jamia Masjid area of the city when militants shot at and injured a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan at Chandpora near Nowhatta soon after the Friday prayers today.Armed with silencer-fitted pistols, the militants fired two rounds on a security jawan which hit him in the chest and leg.

The injured jawan was hospitalised.The militants escaped taking advantage of heavy rush of people who were coming out of Jamia Masjid after offering prayers.Three unidentified militants were killed in a six-hour long encounter with army at Badergund in Gazigund area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir.Three army personnel were also injured in the encounter which broke out when the troops laid a siege around the village following information about presence of the militants.Five residential houses were also damaged during the operation the spokesman said.In another encounter, the BSF jawans shot dead a militant of the Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba outfit during search operations at Tankipora in Srinagar last evening.A sub-inspector was also injured in the encounter.

A pistol, its magazine and four rounds of ammunition were recovered from the slain ultra.Militants hurled a grenade towards a BSF picket at Sopore in Baramula district. However, the grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the road without causing any casualty.Security forces apprehended a militant of the Al-Fateh force along with a pistol and some ammunition from Naman area of Pulwama district.Security forces busted two more militant hideouts, one each at Saloora-Ganderbal in Srinagar and Redwani in Anantnag district last night.

The search of the hideouts led to the recovery of an AK assault rifle, an improvised explosive device, 10 grenades and five AK magazines with 124 rounds of ammunition.A BSF search party came under fire when they entered a house at Tankipora near here last evening. It also retaliated and in the shootout one militant was killed and a BSF officer was injured.

Security forces conducted searches at three places in the city this morning but no militant could be nabbed. Militants attacked Dangsal village in Jammu district yesterday killing three persons and injuring one. The village defence committee members, who rushed to the spot, fired at the militants in which one ultra was killed while the others managed to escape.Security forces recovered 8 kg of RDX from a forest area near Bari Brahmanana during a search operation. No one has been arrested in this connection.

Employees' strike: deadlock continues
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, January 21— Dharnas and demonstrations by striking employees of the state government continued for the 32nd day today.

Work remained paralysed in the Civil Secretariat except that ministers and senior bureaucrats were able to run skeleton services with the help of personal staff. For the past one month several wards in the government hospitals have remained locked and senior doctors have been attending only emergency cases.

Efforts by mediators have failed to break the deadlock between the employees and the state government. The employees have been insisting on getting two instalments of the DA and arrears of the Fifth Pay Commission in cash. The government has agreed to give 50 per cent of the DA instalments in cash and the remaining 50 per cent to be credited to their provident fund along with the arrears of the pay panel.

The Divisional Commissioner, who has also been mediating, had submitted a "peace formula" which cost the government Rs 110 to Rs 220 crore. The Cabinet sub-committee rejected this formula on the ground that the state had no resources to go beyond its commitment.

National Conference MLA Dilawar Mir has been playing a key role in bringing reconciliation between the employees and the government. Various options were being discussed by Mr Mir which included revocation of the suspension of 25 employees and increase in the release of DA instalments in cash.

The state government is said to be willing to accept a formula under which the state may bear burden of Rs 10 to Rs 15 crore.

Reject autonomy report: LBA
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Jan 21 — The Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) has decided to send a delegation to Delhi to register its protest against the state government’s move to secure greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of the report of the state autonomy committee.

In a statement faxed from Leh, LBA president Tsering Samphel described the autonomy committee report dangerous for the integrity of the state and feared that if the report was implemented it could lead to "enslavement of the Ladakhis by the Kashmiris."

Mr Samphel requested the Centre to reject the report and turn down the state government’s demand for greater autonomy. He said the state Cabinet’s decision to accept the report in full was against the assurances given to Kushak Tagden Rinpoche, who was also a member of the committee.

The LBA chief said the delegation will meet central leaders and apprise them of the serious consequences that may flow from granting greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir.