 |
| Sunday, April 2, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
|
Ration items prices up in J&K Massacre may hit tourism Karan Singh for Indo-Pak talks Mann: Indian agencies not behind
massacre Firing incident death toll up |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Two militants killed SRINAGAR, April 1 (PTI) — A village headman and two militants were killed and three persons kidnapped in Jammu and Kashmir even as the police repulsed an attack on a security picket, an official spokesman said today. Militants shot at and critically wounded village numberdar, Haji Kamal Bhat, at Palhallan, 27 kms from here, in Baramulla district last night. He succumbed to injuries in hospital. A foreign militant, Abu Riachar, resident of Baluchistan in Pakistan, was killed in a gun-battle with troops at Kaskendha near Chingas border in Rajouri district yesterday. A pistol, a rifle grenade, two hand grenades and four remote controlled-devices were seized. Another militant, an activist of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit, was killed in an armed clash with security forces at Bazipora-Ajas in Baramulla of North Kashmir last night, the spokesman said. Militants abducted one person from Laribal-Tral in Pulwama district of South Kashmir yesterday while two persons were kidnapped from Dhandi Dara in the Surankote sector in the border district of Poonch on March 29, the spokesman said. Militants attacked a police picket at Nowgam in Anantnag district last night. The security personnel returned the fire but no loss of life or damage was reported. The police and security
forces raided three militant hideouts, one each in
Srinagar, Pulwama and Kupwara and seized 10 kg of
explosives, 15 detonators, one explosive stick, four hand
grenades and some rounds of ammunition, the spokesman
said. |
Ration items prices up in
J&K JAMMU, April 1 (UNI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has hiked the prices of rice, wheat and other ration items being distributed through PDS bringing them on a par with the prices at the Centre. "Our state is under deficit in production of rice and wheat and we are dependent on the Centre to meet our demands from Food Corporation of India. The Centre has increased the central issue price of rice and wheat on March 29 and 30, 2000, Minister for Food and Civil Supply Ajay Sadhotra said in the legislative assembly today while making a suo motu statement. "The difference between the present central issue price (price on which we purchase from FCI) and the revised central issue price is of Rs 240 and Rs 200 a quintal for rice and wheat, respectively for below poverty line (BPL) category. And for above poverty line (APL) difference is Rs 275, Rs 435 and Rs 218 a quintal for rice grade-A, IR-18 and wheat respectively," he said. Mr Sadhotra said, "In case the rates of foodgrains are not hiked in the state, the state government shall have to bear a loss of Rs 70 to 75 crore per annum approximately. However, the actual loss will always depend upon the actual off-take under the APL category. The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, announced in the state assembly today that a backward Classes Commission had been set up to identify areas which should be declared as backward. In reply to a question tabled by Mr Mushtaq Maqbool Lone, NC, Dr Abdullah said that the Commission was headed by Mr Justice Mr A.Q. Parrey and it had already started the exercise of identifying communities and areas. Today’s sitting of the House began with four BJP members, Mr Shiv Charan Gupta, Mr Piara Singh, Mr Ashok Khajuria and Mr Chuni Lal, on their feet protesting against what they called the release of a Gujjar from the R.S.Pura sector by the police when he was having a doubtful integrity. The BJP members walked to the well of the House to register their protest. And while proceeding to stage a walkout three of the four members walked straight to the seat of the Chief Minister and started explaining to him the reason for their anger. At this stage Mr Chuni Lal had already walked out of the House. The speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil lost his cool and directed the Minister for Social Welfare, Mr B.A. Kichloo, to seek an apology from the officer who in reply file, had stated that members of the assembly should meet officers concerned to get details of the names of Anganwari workers and helpers appointed under expansion programme. The Speaker said "the officer has no business to suggest to the legislators to go to the bureaucrats to seek information. The information should have been furnished in the House." Mr Kichloo’s explanation that it was a voluminous task to give details of 50,000 candidates did not satisfy the Speaker. Dr Farooq Abdullah, who is holding the portfolio of Home also, was slightly upset when he read, in advance, a reply given to a question regarding foreign militants, which had been tabled by the Panthers Party member, Mr Harsh Dev Singh. He sent the file to the Chief Secretary, who was present in the official gallery. The file was returned to him. He was not satisfied and summoned the Law Minister, Mr P.L. Hando, to his seat and showed him some lacuna in the reply. As Mr Harsh Dev got up to raise the question the Law Minister got up and requested the Speaker to defer it because the Minister of state for Home, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, was not present in the House. The question was deferred till Tuesday. Mr M.Y. Tarigami of the
CPM caused a flutter in the House during the question
hour when be blamed the government for having violated
the rules by issuing fresh lease order in favour of some
parties when the earlier lease deed had not yet expired.
As he insisted that a grave irregularity had been
committed, the Revenue Minister, Mr Abdul Qayoom,
informed the House that under the instruction of the
Chief Minister the fresh lease deed order had been
cancelled. |
Massacre may hit tourism SRINAGAR, April 1 — The tourism industry in the valley may have yet another dismal season as a fallout of the Chatti Singhpora killings. A cross section connected with the tourism industry, including hoteliers, taxi drivers, shikara owners and others, are upset over the massacre. "We have been getting good tourist traffic form Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh for the past some years. We had a good start last season also. But the Kargil action broke our backbone. This year again, we were looking ahead with lots of hopes. But the killings have shattered our hopes," says Mr Bashir Ahmed, a shikara owner at Dal Lake. "In the past three years, the best season we had was in 1998. The first three months of last year were also good," adds Mr Ahmed, who has been plying shikara in Dal Lake for the past 13 years. His views are corroborated by other shikara owners. There are nearly 2,000 shikaras in Dal Lake. "During a good season, we end up with a minimum of Rs 6,000 a month while during lean seasons, our earnings drop to Rs 2,000 a month. "It is after a gap of several years, that we had a good rain and snowfall. The water level in the lake has almost touched the normal level. Now when things were looking up for us, these killings have not only upset our business but also made us sad. We have been living peacefully with the Sikhs," said Mr Ahmed. Mr Gulam Hussain, a taxi driver, says that the impact of the killings would be felt during the ensuing season. "Tourists have just started trickling into the valley. Our actual season starts now but I do not know what destiny has in store for us. How many times will our business be shattered by such major actions?" he asks. A hotelier on condition
of anonymity admitted that some advanced bookings made by
some groups from Punjab and Delhi had been cancelled
following the March 20 massacre. |
Karan Singh for Indo-Pak talks JAMMU, April 1 (PTI) — Former Union Minister Karan Singh favours resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue within the framework of Simla accord and says not only political parties but also groups like Hurriyat Conference and Panun Kashmir should be involved in the talks. "We have a strong case on Jammu and Kashmir and there is no reason why the government shall shy away from holding talks with the neighbouring country, Dr Karan Singh said at a function here yesterday. It was due to "our strong case" that US President Bill Clinton endorsed India’s viewpoints, he said, adding that dialogue could be held even with Pakistan’s military ruler General Pervez Musharraf. In this dialogue, not only recognised political parties but groups like Hurriyat Conference, Ladakh Buddhist Association, Panun Kashmir and Dogra Sadm Sabha should be involved, Dr Karan Singh said. In a democracy, the only alternative to war is dialogue, he said, adding that while Indian forces should remain alert to prevent any Kargil-like incursions, "we shall open channels of talks with Pakistan within the framework of Simla agreement". Dr Karan Singh said
turmoil in Kashmir had taken many innocent lives. The
Kashmiri Pandit community had migrated en bloc and now
the militants were targeting Sikhs as was clear form the
Chatti Singapora massacre. |
Mann: Indian agencies not behind massacre SRINAGAR, April 1 (PTI) — The Akali Dal (Mann) President, Mr Simranjeet Singh Maan, today ruled out the involvement of Indian intelligence agencies in the recent massacre of 35 Sikhs in Anantnag district. "I don’t think intelligence agencies are involved in the massacre of Sikhs. Migration of Sikhs from Kashmir will be a black dot on the white shirt of secularism of the country," he told reporters here. Favouring an impartial probe under the UN supervision into the March 20 incident, he blamed militants for the killings and urged central leaders to initiate talks with Pakistan and Afghanistan which are the "real force behind the militancy in Jammu and Kashmir". Talks with Pakistan and Afghanistan were essential to avoid carnages like the Chatti Singhpora massacre, Mr Mann said. Mr Mann said he met Hurriyat Conference’s acting chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party president, Shabir Ahmad Shah, today to seek "moral support" of the majority community towards minority Sikhs in the valley. "They assured me that they will visit 130-odd villages in the valley where Sikhs reside and urge the majority community to look after lives and properties of the minority community," the Akali Dal (Mann) leader said. Asked how the majority community could ensure the safety of their minorities when they themselves feel insecure and unsafe, Mr Mann said it could provide moral support to the minority. On the migration of Sikhs from the valley, he said Sikhs were in a crisis. "At the moment we are pinning hopes on Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Despite political differences with him, we have given him unconditional support to speak to the central leaders and the people here so that such incidents are not repeated." Asked if he would attend a meeting of Sikhs convened by Mr Badal to decide the future course of action of Kashmiri Sikhs, Mr Mann said he will attend the proposed meeting if invited. On travelling to Pakistan and Afghanistan as disclosed by him during his speech yesterday, the Akali leader said "the Indian government does not allow me to visit Afghanistan and Pakistan to meet the leaders of these countries." About the abrogation of
Article 370, guaranteeing special status to Jammu and
Kashmir, he said "it is foolish to talk against
Article 370. We are against the abrogation of the
Article, he added. |
Firing incident death toll up SRINAGAR, April 1 (PTI) — The death toll in the firing incident on a congregation outside a shrine here rose to two today with one of the two injured girls succumbing to injuries. A pilgrim was killed and two girls injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on the congregation at the shrine of Syed Mohammad Bukhari Saheb, some 27 km from here, shortly before Friday prayers. Parveena Akhter, one of
the two injured girls, died in hospital today, the police
said. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
