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| Saturday, May 27, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Qureshi promises to resurrect Cong Muslim body seeks J&K CM’s resignation More Hurriyat leaders held; Sopore tense Gen Nadkarni takes over command
of Victor Force B.C. Roy award
for Farooq
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Qureshi promises to resurrect Cong JAMMU, May 26 — Despite the rousing reception the new PCC President, Mr Mohd Shafi Qureshi, received on his arrival here today there was sign of a Congress wave having replaced the heat wave in the winter capital. Yes, after a long time, people were able to hear the old slogan of “Congress zindabad” had a reasonably large crowd greeted Mr Qureshi when he arrived to address his first public meeting after being installed as the PCC chief. It was again loyalists versus the dissidents. Today’s show was organised by the loyalists headed by Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, who had been supported by four of the six party MLAs. Three prominent dissident leaders, including Mr Madan Lal Sharma, and Mr Yashpal Khajuria, known to be Ghulam Nabi Azad loyalists, were present at the airport and at the public meeting. They watched the proceedings like passive spectators. When the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, cast her dice in favour of Mr Qureshi she had decided that all prominent leaders of the party, especially Mr Rajesh Pilot, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mr Madhav Rao Scindia and Mr Ahmed Patel, should accompany the new PCC chief on his first visit to his home state which could create an impression among the Congress supporters that the problem of groupism in the organisation had been resolved. However, when Mr Qureshi alighted from the Jet Airways plane he was accompanied only by Mr S.S. Surjewala. Others had expressed their inability to attend today’s show as they were
preoccupied. At the same time, party sources said that except for Mr Azad, other senior AICC leaders were with Mr Qureshi. Mr Mohd Aslam, who was dropped as PCC chief, was conspicuous by his absence and there were other prominent party leaders, belonging to the Azad camp, who also preferred to remain indoors, indicating that the problem of groupism in the organisation in the state is yet to end. Addressing people, Mr Qureshi pledged to resurrect the Congress and make it strong enough to gain power in the state within next two years. He was highly critical of the National Conference and the BJP, accusing both of ruining the state and of turning a blind eye to the problems of the people. He even blamed the previous alleged misrule of the National Conference for allowing militancy to take roots in the state. Mr Qureshi gave a call to all Congressmen to sink their differences and strengthen the party which was needed to remove political void in Jammu and Kashmir. He said a strong Congress was the only viable alternative to the National Conference and claimed that since the National Conference had lost its credibility it would not be able to resolve the menace of militancy. Mr Janak Raj Gupta, a former MP, who happened to be a close friend of Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad was quite active in making arrangements for the reception of Mr Qureshi. Senior Congress leaders were of the view that in case the Party High Command continued to support Mr Qureshi he would be able to infuse new life in the party, which has lost its shine in the state. Right from day one, Mr Qureshi has started discussing his future plans of reviving the Congress in the state. He has decided to talk to all group leaders, bring back to the party fold those who had left the organisation and seek suggestions from men who matter in the organisation separately. Indications are that as a shrewd politician and strong administrator Mr Qureshi would manage to keep the Congress flock together. |
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Muslim body seeks J&K CM’s resignation SRINAGAR, May 26 — Islamic Servants of India (ISI), a Chennai-based non-political organisation, has sought the resignation of the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, for his government’s failure to check the killings and harassment of innocent people of Kahmir. Talking to reporters here this morning, Mr S.M. Pasha, convener of the organisation as also the convener of the Forum of Muslim Journalists and SASKA (Society for Assisting Suffering Kashmiris), alleged that security forces had a dominating role in the Kashmir valley. He claimed that there was tremendous pressure of security forces on the common masses and the people were afraid of speaking out of the excesses and human rights violations. During his 10-day fact finding tour of the valley, Mr S.M. Pasha met a cross section of political leaders. These included Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, APHC chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and various leaders of other mainstream political parties. He also visited remote rural areas of Dangiwacha in Rafiabad area of Baramula district in north Kashmir and the tragedy stricken Sikhs village of Chatti Singhpora in south Kashmir district of Anantnag. He observed that the Sikhs had conveyed to him that they were safe in the Kashmir valley and would not “commit
blunder” of migrating from the valley on the pattern of the Kahmiri Pandits, who migrated en masse early in 1990 with the eruption of militancy. He said that Kashmiris were not anti-India but against Government of India, adding that neither they wanted to join Pakistan. Mr Pasha who formed the Islamic Servants of India (ISI) in March last, would submit his interim reports to his organisation by next month and a final report would be submitted to the government later. Referring to his meetings with senior APHC leaders, Mr S.M. Pasha said that the chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been invited to visit Chennai in June next. Mr Pasha also expressed concern over the deteriorating financial condition of the state and alleged that huge amounts of money were being pumped into the state exchequer. He held that there was no outcome of the huge sums, which could be spent on the development of the industrial sector. He held that there was no industrial sector visible in the valley, which led to the alienation of youth forcing them taking to arms. |
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More Hurriyat leaders held; Sopore tense SRINAGAR, MAY 26 (PTI) — The police today took into preventive custody Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Maulvi Umer Farooq, as he was going to address a Friday congregation in
Sopore town in north Kashmir. Umer was detained along with over two dozen activists of the conference from Pattan while proceeding to Sopore to address a congregation, the police said. A spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference, however, put the number of those detained by the police at about 100 and said the Maulvi and other senior Hurriyat leaders and activists were on way to Sopore to condole the death of six youths who were killed in an alleged encounter in
Kupwara district 11 days ago. The police fired teargas shells and used batons to disperse groups of youths protesting the arrest of
Hurriyat leaders in several areas in downtown Srinagar. A bandh was enforced in some localities as soon as news of the Maulvi’s detention reached there and groups of people held demonstrations demanding immediate release of the leaders. A complete shutdown was observed in Sopore and adjoining areas for the 10th day today to protest the killing. The police and paramilitary forces have
intensified patrolling in Sopore. The bodies of the youths were brought back to Sopore on
Wednesday leading to strong protests and forcing the authorities to enforce prohibitory orders in the town. The chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and four other senior leaders were arrested from Pattan yesterday. |
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Gen Nadkarni takes over command
of Victor Force SRINAGAR, May 26 (PTI) — Maj-Gen R.G. Nadkarni took over command of Victor Force, one of the four special anti-terrorism groups, from Maj-Gen R.K. Kaushal today. The general officer was commissioned in Maratha light infantry and has held various prestigious command, staff and instructional assignments prior to his posting to victor force. Maj-General Nadkarni, a graduate of defence service staff college and the college of defence management, has served as military attache in the Indian-Embassy at Bonn, (Germany) and was General Officer Commanding an infantry division, a Defence Ministry release said. |
B.C. Roy award
for Farooq SRINAGAR, May 26 (PTI) — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has been selected for the prestigious Dr B.C. Roy national award, 1999, for his services to the people of the state and the country. The award carries a citation and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and will be presented by President K.R. Narayanan in New Delhi on July 14, according to the management committee of the Dr B.C. Roy National Award Fund. Dr Abdullah intends to donate the award money towards the welfare of children affected by decade-long turmoil in the state. Dr Abdullah has had a chequered political career. Elected unopposed to the Lok Sabha from Srinagar in 1980, he was elected President of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference in 1981 and inducted as Health Minister in 1982. He became Chief Minister in September 1982 when his father Sheikh Abdullah died. He was elected to the assembly in 1983 and again became Chief Minister. Though his government was dismissed in 1984, he donned the mantle of chief ministership once again in 1986-87 and resigned in January 1990 to protest the appointment of Mr Jagmohan as Governor. After staying in political wilderness during central rule in the state, Dr Abdullah steered the National Conference to a massive victory in 1996 elections and became the Chief Minister. |
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