J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Hurriyat leaders differ on conversions issue
JAMMU, June 2 — The Chairman Awami Action Committee, Molvi Umar Farooq, who is also associated with the All Party Hurriyat Conference, does not agree with the Hurriyat Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani’s charge that the security forces have resorted to “forcible conversion” of Muslim youths in Doda district.

Qureshi to give NC tough time
SRINAGAR, June 2 — The National Conference government in Jammu and Kashmir is faced with a stiff opposition campaign from its arch-rival, the Congress as Mohammad Shafi Qureshi has taken over as new chief of the state unit of the party.

CM reviews Amarnath yatra arrangements
SRINAGAR, June 2 — Elaborate arrangements are being made for the smooth conduct of the Amarnath pilgrimage which begins on July 16. The registration for the yatris will commence this month.

Hurriyat leaders differ on conversions issue
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, June 2 — The Chairman Awami Action Committee, Molvi Umar Farooq, who is also associated with the All Party Hurriyat Conference, does not agree with the Hurriyat Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani’s charge that the security forces have resorted to “forcible conversion” of Muslim youths in Doda district.

Mr Geelani has been harping on the alleged conversions issue for the past several days and had recently invited several imams of different mosques to advise them to keep a close watch in their areas and report to the Hurriyat Conference if there were any forcible conversions.

Molvi Umar Farooq addressing a Friday congregation in Jamia Masjid in Srinagar today said reports from Doda had indicated that members belonging to the Muslim majority community were being forcibly converted adding that he would not comment on such reports unless “I make a separate inquiry through my sources.” This indicates that he does not support Mr Geelani’s charge.

Mr Geelani had referred to the February 27 incident in which three hardcore militants were killed by the security forces at Kaya Parna in the Chatroo police station area in Doda district. Mr Geelani alleged that these three youths were killed when they resisted conversion attempt by men of Rashtriya Rifles.

What had intrigued the government is the way a separatist leader Sitting in Srinagar has raised the issue when not a single militant outfit or separatists, had levelled this charge. People belonging to the two communities in Doda district are very volatile and any bid at conversion could have not escaped their anger.

According to the SSP Doda, Mr J.P. Singh, three dreaded militants, including Farooq Ahmed, were killed in an operation launched by Rashtriya Rifles. Three assault rifles, seven grenades, 274 rounds of ammunition and other explosives were seized. Not only this: when the troops cordoned off the hideout they came under heavy firing. He said during all these months nobody had filed any complaint against the troops charging them with attempts to carry out forcible conversions of the three youths who were killed when they resisted the conversion bid. Mr Singh said that the police stations receive complaints of varied nature from the people and had there been conversion bid people would have there and then reacted.

The Minister of State for Home, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, has refuted the allegation of Mr Geelani. Mr Lone, said, in a statement, that the government had carried out a thorough inquiry and there was no truth in Mr Geelani’s charge.

The accusation levelled by the Hurriyat chief, is part of the campaign launched by the separatists to malign the security forces, according to the government.

Mr J.P. Singh cited another incident which Mr Geelani had tried to blow out of proportion. He said the security forces has arrested Javed who was involved in the bomb blast at a bus stand. This led to the arrest of three other youths who were activists of a militant outfit. On their information a schoolteacher was arrested. The arrested youths had told the police that their schoolteacher was motivating them to join militancy.

A senior BJP leader from Doda said the turmoil in Doda district had been the handiwork of Kashmiri separatist leaders who had, through remote control, incited some youths to join militancy. He said these Kashmiri separatist leaders were trying to sow the seeds of communal trouble in Doda district after they had succeeded in carrying out ethnic cleansing in the valley.

The BJP leader thanked people for keeping communal harmony in the state.

Qureshi to give NC tough time
From Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, June 2 — The National Conference government in Jammu and Kashmir is faced with a stiff opposition campaign from its arch-rival, the Congress as Mohammad Shafi Qureshi has taken over as new chief of the state unit of the party.

The Congress and the National Conference, have mostly been at loggerheads with each other. The confrontationist attitude prevailed even as the Congress was out of power in Delhi, especially since the 1996 election when the NC regained power in Jammu and Kashmir after a gap of over seven years. The Congress in the state at the same time was faced with dissensions, although it represented all three valley seats in the Lok Sabha in early 1996, when the NC stayed away from the election process. The appointment of Mohammad Shafi Qureshi, Union Minister and Governor of a number of states, is regarded as a “serious move” by the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, towards the revival of the eroded base of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Qureshi has for the past one week, been focusing on the issues related to the “human rights violations”, the miseries of the common masses, and the “misrule” of the Farooq Abdullah government. He has also given vent to his feelings over the “imported bureaucracy” and financial constraints faced by the state. Mr Qureshi has been vociferous in raising these issues during his meetings with the party workers, various district committees and leaders. The focus of attention at these meetings held at the PCC headquarters has been suffering of masses, unemployment, financial constraints, human rights violations and other related issues.

These issues have been sharply reacted to by the ruling National Conference here. Responding to Mr Qureshi’s allegations, the ruling NC has, in turn, blamed the Congress for the ills afflicting the State. It contested Mr Qureshi’s claim that the NC was a hurdle in the restoration of normalcy in the State. Mr G.N. Shaheen, provincial president of the NC blamed the Congress for toppling many NC governments leading to present chaos and crisis. Reacting sharply to the statements of the new PCC chief, the NC leader said Mr Qureshi had no idea of ground realities as he had stayed away from the state during the turbulent years. “And when he has been given the charge of infusing life into the dead body of the Congress, he is feeling all sympathy for the people here”, he said. He referred to the role of the former Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who “outlined the bullet-for-bullet policy” in Kashmir. “This man (Mufti) has since changed his colours and is working against the people of Kashmir”, he stated.

The mainstream political activity against the ruling NC has moved ahead since the 1996 poll. The party had 60 seats in the 87-member House, enjoying an absolute majority. The main plank of the NC election campaign was the grant of autonomy, which was yet to take shape. Even if the Congress succeeds in enjoying the status of a main opposition to the NC, it has also to take care of Mufti’s PDP. Mufti and his daughter constituted PDP last year after the daughter, Ms Mehbooba resigned as CLP leader to join her father to “set in motion” an “alternative party” to the NC. The PDP has got only one out of two seats in the assembly, byelections to which held last year.

Since the new PCC chief has dissolved the state committee, it will have to devote more attention to the reconstitution of the party units from the grassroots level. Mr Qureshi has already hinted that his party has not “come out for power”. He has sought two-years’ time to win over people.

CM reviews Amarnath yatra arrangements
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, June 2 — Elaborate arrangements are being made for the smooth conduct of the Amarnath pilgrimage which begins on July 16. The registration for the yatris will commence this month.

To take stock of the arrangements being made in connection with the annual yatra, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, yesterday visited Pahalgam, the base camp of the yatra. The 30-day long yatra will continue up to August 15, when the final darshan will be held coinciding with “raksha bandhan”. The Chief Minister during his visit was briefed about the measures being taken for ensuring facilities like lodging, transport, ponies and dhandies, ration, electricity, communications etc. He asked the district administration to ensure that the yartis did not face any difficulty.

Thousands of devotees are expected from various parts of the country to join the yatra. For the past three to four years, the duration of yatra has been extended to facilitate devotees to pay obeisance at the cave shrine at an altitude of about 12000 ft. Recent years have witnessed a record number of pilgrims rush to the Himalayan shrine.

Pilgrims trek the arduous 48-km distance from Pahalgam on foot and ponies, involving various government agencies to make the arrangements. During the early nineties, the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine was around 50,000. The number rose to over one lakh during the recent years. Last year there was a record number of nearly 1.5 lakh pilgrims who visited the shrine. The government had to extend the duration of the yatra following the death of over 250 pilgrims due to rain in 1996.

The state government has to make elaborate security arrangements for the pilgrims. The traditional yatra is being conducted with the help of Pandits from Mach Bhavan and Malik (Muslim family) of Batakote en route to Pahalgam. It has been a symbol of the mixed secular traditions of the valley.

Legend has it that a Muslim shephered named Buta Malik who was given a sackful of coal by a sadhu, discovered upon reaching home that the sack, in fact, contained gold. He rushed to look for the sadhu, but on reaching there he found a cave. Eventually the cave became a place of pilgrimage for all believers.

Another popular legend is that Shiva recounted to Parvati the “secret of creation” in a cave in Amarnath. A pair of mating doves overheard the conversation and gained the secret. The two doves are reborn again and again, and have made the cave their eternal abode. It is believed that whoever sees these birds gets his prayers granted.

The yatra has been opened for pilgrims travelling via the Sonmarg-Baltal route for the past two years. The registration of yatris visiting the holy cave shrine via Baltal, commenced in advance.