J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Kotwal for three regional councils
JAMMU, Sept 3 — The state unit of the BJP has opposed the demand for trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. It has favoured three regional councils.

Involve Pak in talks: Mufti
JAMMU, Sept 3 — The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is the first mainstream political organisation in the state which is not opposed to involvement of Pakistan in the proposed talks with separatists for resolving the Kashmir tangle.

J&K transfers 10 senior officers
SRINAGAR, Sept 3 — In the fourth reshuffle effected in the state administration in over a fortnight, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued orders transferring 10 senior IAS and Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) officials.

Mazdoor union for early release of DA instalment
JAMMU, Sept 3 — The president of the National Mazdoor Conference, Mr Subash Shastri, has urged the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to take an early decision in releasing the instalment of the dearness allowance (DA) at the rate of 8 per cent which has become due both for the Central and state government employees and pensioners without any further delay.

Protest against militancy
JAMMU, Sept 3 — Several hundred activists of the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) led by Mr Surinder Sharma, secretary of the VHP marched in procession in the city today to protest against militancy-related violence in Jammu.  

Kotwal for three regional councils
From Rajni Gandotra
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 3 — The state unit of the BJP has opposed the demand for trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. It has favoured three regional councils.

Party President D.K. Kotwal said: “We are opposed to carving out three separate states in Jammu and Kashmir.” He said the demand for trifurcation or quadrification was against national interest.

Mr Kotwal told The Tribune here today that three separate regional councils would remove the discrimination faced by the people of Jammu and Ladakh regions during the past over four decades.

He said those who were raising the demand for the trifurcation of the state were trying to establish their political foothold. He said the demand was raised after the ruling National Conference called for greater autonomy.

The demand for the restoration of the pre-1953 constitutional status caused a fear among political leaders and the people in Jammu and Ladakh and they began to favour trifurcation.

Mr Kotwal blamed the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, for having raised the demand for restoration of greater autonomy simply to divert the attention of the people from the real problems. He said the Farooq regime had “failed” on all fronts.

He accused the Chief Minister of having favoured regional autonomy on “communal lines.” He said if the three regional councils had to be established, the one for Jammu should include districts of Doda, Udhampur, Jammu, Kathua, Poonch and Rajouri, including Banihal subdivision. “We are opposed to dividing the Jammu region in three segments on communal lines,” he added.

Mr Kotwal did not oppose talks with separatists. He made it clear that talks with the Hizbul Mujahideen or the Hurriyat Conference would have to be held for peace in the state. And talks with Pakistan, if at all held, had to be on the future of occupied Kashmir.

He suggested strengthening of village defence committees with better weapons and regular monthly salaries to fight militants. He said the government had not been able to utilise fully the services of VDC members because they were ill-equipped, ill-fed and their number was small.

Asked why his party had not pursued its demand for handing over Doda, Poonch and Rajouri to the Army after declaring these belts as “disturbed”, Mr Kotwal said it was for the state government to recommend it to the Centre. In addition, the government should deploy adequate troops in these areas.

Mr Kotwal said the best option was that the state handed over internal security to the Centre. In reply to another question, he said the militants had stepped up their subversive activities and Pakistani troops had restored to heavy firing and shelling on the border to create a war-like situation to influence international opinion during the UN session which was to be attended by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

He said the Home Ministry had released additional funds to the state government for equipping VDC members with better weapons. But the VDC members continued to fight with .303 guns against militants equipped with highly sophisticated weapons and explosives.

Mr Kotwal also demanded better deal for migrants from the border areas of Akhnoor, R.S. Pora and Samba. He said these migrants had been living a miserable life during the past over one year.

Involve Pak in talks: Mufti
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 3 — The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is the first mainstream political organisation in the state which is not opposed to involvement of Pakistan in the proposed talks with separatists for resolving the Kashmir tangle.

Mufti Sayeed told mediamen here today: “We have been holding talks with Pakistan since 1947. There is no harm in resuming talks with Islamabad when we claim that occupied Kashmir is part of India.”

He said people continued to be killed in militancy-related violence and if tripartite talks could result in peace in Kashmir, the “exercise would be worth it.”

He made it clear that a 10-year experience had shown that the “bullet for bullet” policy would not restore peace and normalcy. Instead of strong-arm tactics’ “we should go in for a dialogue,” he opined.

The Mufti made it clear that he had always been in favour of unconditional dialogue with the militants. He said had not vested interests sabotaged the talks which had taken off between the government and the Hizbul Mujahideen, much progress would have been achieved by now. Asked to identify the vested interests, he said: “There are many in the state and it could be the National Conference leadership too because it fears losing power if the talks with the militants succeed.”

The PDP chief, who had tried to mediate between the government and the separatists, said from the beginning of militancy, he had favoured talks. He said he was happy that now the Centre had realised that talks with the separatists were necessary.

Mufti Sayeed claimed that the ruling National Conference stood alienated from the people because of high corruption and nepotism. He alleged that a major portion of Central funds had been “misused” by the National Conference government. He said the National Conference Government had “rigged” the Assembly poll in Kashmir in 1987 which had resulted in militancy.

J&K transfers 10 senior officers

SRINAGAR, Sept 3 (PTI) — In the fourth reshuffle effected in the state administration in over a fortnight, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued orders transferring 10 senior IAS and Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) officials.

According to an official press note here, Additional Labour and Employment Secretary G.N. Wani has been transferred to the Power Department, while Excise Deputy Commissioner T.P. Singh has been posted as Joint Director in the Information Department.

Mr M.M. Khan, Joint Director Employment, will continue in his present posting. Mr G.A. Qureshi, has been posted as Sales Tax Deputy Commissioner at Jammu. Mr G.N. Sofi, Special Assistant to the Minister for Housing and Urban Development has been posted as Additional Secretary, Industries and Commerce.

Tourism Deputy Secretary Tasneem Maajid has been posted as Deputy Labour Secretary and Deputy Employment Director at Kupwara. Mr Abdul Majid Wani, has been posted as DRDA project officer at Srinagar. Mr Ajay Khajuria, executive officer, Jammu Municipality, will continue in the present post. Mr Charanjeet Singh, Special Assistant to the Minister for Transport and Information has been posted as Regional Transport Officer, Jammu. Mr M.L. Padha, has been designated as Officer on Special Duty in Jammu Municipality.

In the first major administrative reshuffle, 44 senior officials were transferred on August 18 and 35 SSPs and SPs including six police chiefs, were transferred on August 24. On August 26, as many as 73 officials were transferred. 

Mazdoor union for early release of DA instalment
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 3 — The president of the National Mazdoor Conference, Mr Subash Shastri, has urged the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to take an early decision in releasing the instalment of the dearness allowance (DA) at the rate of 8 per cent which has become due both for the Central and state government employees and pensioners without any further delay.

In a communication sent to the Mr Vajpayee yesterday, Mr Shastri said that the price index which was 1.21 in December last year had now increased to 6.27 as on June 30, 2000, it was 5.06 higher than previous price index. He said that the prices of essential commodities had risen. Hence, there was no justification for both the Central and state governments to withhold this DA instalment to their employees and pensioners. This was the 10th instalment of DA since the recommendation of Fifth Pay Commission made in January, 1996.

In the communication Mr Shastri expressed anguish over the recommendation made by the Eleventh Finance Commission for the ban on appointing such pay commissions in future. He said the Central and state governments were bound to appoint new pay commissions to revise the pay structures of employees every 10 years. He said that the recommendation of the finance commission was against the basic rights of employees, which the Constitution has guaranteed.

Mr Shastri impressed upon the Prime Minister to reject such anti-employees recommendation and to protect their basic rights.

Protest against militancy
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 3 — Several hundred activists of the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) led by Mr Surinder Sharma, secretary of the VHP marched in procession in the city today to protest against militancy-related violence in Jammu.

Activists of both parties shouted slogans against the state government. They demanded dismissal of the National Conference government led by Dr Farooq Abdullah and imposition of President’s rule in the state.

Addressing the gathering, the BJP activist, Mr Chander Mohan Sharma stated that the rally was organised to make people vigilant and not allow militants to carry on their anti-national activities in Jammu.

He asked people to come under one platform so that they would succeed in eradicating militancy from Jammu as well other parts of state also. The demonstrators protested against recent bomb blasts in which two hi-tension power transmission towers were damaged.