J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

A foreign couple enjoys a siesta on the Dal Lake embankment despite an increase in militancy-related violence — photo by Amin War

NC not to ‘forcibly’ pass Bill
JAMMU, Feb 27 — The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has ruled out the use of "brute force" to pass a greater autonomy Bill in the state assembly, but said no power can stop him if he desires to do so. "If I desire, I can pass the autonomy Bill in this hall as I have the the majority," he claimed during an hour-long reply to the discussion on the Governor’s address to the House yesterday.

PDP asks Centre to initiate talks
SRINAGAR, Feb 27 — Former Union Home Minister and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said "erosion of democratic institutions" was responsible for militancy and asked the government to start dialogue with all sections of society to resolve problems plaguing the state.

NC not to ‘forcibly’ pass Bill

JAMMU, Feb 27 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has ruled out the use of "brute force" to pass a greater autonomy Bill in the state assembly, but said no power can stop him if he desires to do so.

"If I desire, I can pass the autonomy Bill in this hall as I have the the majority," he claimed during an hour-long reply to the discussion on the Governor’s address to the House yesterday.

"But I do not want to resort to brute force," he said, adding the autonomy report, sent recently to the Centre, was open for discussion at every level.

"The state government does not want to thrust it on the people of any part of the state. Every clause will be discussed at different levels and fora before a final decision," he said.

Lambasting Panun Kashmir, a body of the Kashmiri Pandits, for its demand for a ‘homeland’, he asked. "How many homelands are to be created in the country?"

Pakistan, he said, was the first such territory to be carved out of the country.

On regional autonomy, he said the issue related not only to Kashmir and Jammu regions but also to remote and far-flung hilly areas of the state.

"We will pass this report here in this assembly. But before that we want to incorporate suggestions from all quarters which will be beneficial for regional welfare," he said.

He reiterated his stand on talks with secessionist leaders and said, "I have kept my doors always open. I even offered to dissolve the assembly for fresh elections if the gun culture ends."

Rejecting the charge of rigged elections, he said the member of Mufti Mohammad Syed’s PDP from Bijbehara would not have been in the House if the NC had rigged the poll.

He said two-room tenements were being constructed in Jammu for the rehabilitation of migrants as the time was "not ripe" for their "honourable return" to the valley.

He also criticised allegations by certain quarters that the state government was engineering demographic changes in Jammu, the winter capital of the state.

PDP asks Centre to initiate talks

SRINAGAR, Feb 27 (PTI) — Former Union Home Minister and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said "erosion of democratic institutions" was responsible for militancy and asked the government to start dialogue with all sections of society to resolve problems plaguing the state.

Peaceful atmosphere and economy of the state had been shattered as a result of ongoing militancy and the only way to bring the state out of turmoil and destruction is to initiate dialogue with all sections of society, Mufti told a party convention at Baramula, 54 km from here, yesterday.

He said "bullet for bullet policy" being pursued by the Centre and the state government had complicated the problems and people of the state were further alienated.

He alleged that his regional outfit as well as other opposition parties were not being allowed to function in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mehbooba Mufti, senior leader of the PDP, also echoed his view that talks should be held with all sections of society regardless of their political affiliations.

"As per the conditions prevailing in the state the ruling National Conference has no claim to represent people of Jammu and Kashmir as vast majority of the people are against the ruling party and this majority has to be addressed to evolve a package which will lead to peaceful solution of the problems facing the people,’’ she said.

Ms Mehbooba alleged that deterioration in security situation, rampant corruption, killings, excesses on innocents, custodial deaths and tortures were the main causes for the alienation of people.

"The misdeeds of the National Conference government has turned this paradise into a hell," she said adding ‘’peace and prosperity will be restored in the state when the ruling party is replaced by the democratic process’’.