J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

8 killed in valley
SRINAGAR, March 4 — A top activist of the Ikhwan, a counter-insurgent group, was among eight persons killed in separate incidents in Kashmir since yesterday, while two houses were damaged as a result of the shelling by Pak troops in the Uri sector.

Dissidents fail to unnerve CM
JAMMU, March 4 — A National Conference MLA, Mr Khalid Najid Sohrawardhy, berated the government's performance in the presence of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, at a party meeting here recently, much to the embarrassment of the latter.

Cong to oppose division of J&K
JAMMU, March 4 — The state unit of the Congress has decided to oppose any move to divide Jammu and Ladakh regions.

3.62 lakh visit Vaishno Devi shrine
JAMMU, March 4 — More than 3.62 lakh pilgrims from various parts of the country have visited the holy cave shrine of Vaishno Devi since January this year, an official spokesman said today.

8 killed in valley
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, March 4 — A top activist of the Ikhwan, a counter-insurgent group, was among eight persons killed in separate incidents in Kashmir since yesterday, while two houses were damaged as a result of the shelling by Pak troops in the Uri sector.

Four militants whose identity was yet to be ascertained were killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Mattan area of Anantnag district late last evening. Some arms and ammunition were also recovered from the site of the Encarta, the police here said.

Militants shot dead Mohammad Amin Wani, alias Setha Gojri in Anantnag town yesterday. The police said that Wani was a top activist of the Ikhwan or in South Kashmir. Militants pumped three bullets into his head at the General Bus Stand in Anantnag. He was shifted to a hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. He is reported to have been a close associate of Hilal Hyder, chief of the Ikhwan, in Anantnag district.

Hizbul Mujahideen activist was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Nawpora Targam in Anantnag district. However, further details were awaited.

Militants shot dead Brij Nath at Brari Angan in the Achabal area of Anantnag district today. The police found Tasleema Akhtar's body from Cheerapora in the same district. The police has registered the cases and further investigations into the killings were in progress.

A police spokesman stated here this evening that two houses were damaged as a result of the shelling by Pak troops from across the border in the Telwani area of the Uri sector in Baramulla district.

Dissidents fail to unnerve CM
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 4 — A National Conference MLA, Mr Khalid Najid Sohrawardhy, berated the government's performance in the presence of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, at a party meeting here recently, much to the embarrassment of the latter.

Inside reports say Mr Sohrawardhy had been egged on by dissidents to confront the Chief Minister as his father, the late Attaullah Sohrawardhy and an associate of Sheikh Abdullah, had done.

The junior Sohrawardhy tried to follow his father's footstep but failed to unnerve Dr Farooq who dared him and others to try to dislodge him.

The Chief Minister, whether inside the Assembly or outside, repeatedly referred to the moves afoot to topple his government. He even suggested to his party colleagues to elect a new leader.

None in the National Conference has so far accepted the challenge. There is little doubt that the number of dissidents in the ruling party has further swelled after the Chief Minister dropped seven persons from his Council of Ministers. But the situation is not similar to the one that was in 1984 when his brother-in-law, Mr G.M. Shah, defected along with 13 MLAs and formed government with the support of the Congress. At that time the National Conference had 43 members in a House of 76.

This time the National Conference has 62 members in a house of 87 and the two-third majority has lent Dr Farooq invulnerability. Those who want to topple his government need the support of at least 44 MLAs. Even if the Congress and the BJP join hands, a remote possibility, those interested in the ouster of Dr Farooq need the support of 35 NC MLAs.

This is a tall order in the given scenario as the National Conference has not allowed a second line of leadership to grow.

Cong to oppose division of J&K
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 4 — The state unit of the Congress has decided to oppose any move to divide Jammu and Ladakh regions.

In a statement issued here today the party spokesman, Mr Amrit Malhotra, said that the plan to implement the Regional Autonomy Committee report would lead to division of Jammu and Ladakh regions on communal lines because the report has recommended creating of five regions in Jammu and Ladakh on communal lines.

He said such a division would weaken the integrity of the country and the state. Referring to the report of the committee, favouring restoration of pre-1953 constitutional status, Mr Malhotra said that the Congress would not allow Jammu and Kashmir to be delinked from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, Chief Election Commission, and Auditor and Comptroller General of India.

He said that there should be no deviation of the Indira-Sheikh Accord of 1975 because both Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah were the tallest leaders of their times. When they did not discuss the restoration of pre-1953 constitutional status to the State, why should political novices like Dr Abdullah and those belonging to the NDA try to reverse the arms of the clock.

3.62 lakh visit Vaishno Devi shrine

JAMMU, March 4 (PTI) — More than 3.62 lakh pilgrims from various parts of the country have visited the holy cave shrine of Vaishno Devi since January this year, an official spokesman said today.

In February, about 1.47 lakh devotees, including 1.2 lakh from outside the state, paid obeisance at the shrine, he said.