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| Sunday,
July 22, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Dissidents insist on Qureshi’s
ouster
Kashmir is
non-negotiable, says Farooq |
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Passing-out parade of police cadets
held 40 BJP workers hurt
in lathi charge
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Dissidents insist on Qureshi’s
ouster Jammu, July 21 “We will not accept the creation of provincial or working presidents under the over all command of Mr Qureshi,” said a senior party leader. He said when 100 out of 150 PCC leaders had submitted a memorandum to the party high command against continuation of Mr Qureshi as PCC President, “it will be disastrous for the party if it went to the polls under his command.” The dissident leader said: “We have nothing personal against Mr Qureshi but the way he has failed to forge unity among various groups and his inability to strengthen the organisation for playing the role of effective opposition has resulted in a banner of revolt against him.” In support of his contention that Mr Qureshi was “behaving like a headmaster, he cited the instance of removal of eight prominent members from the party, including the party spokesman, Mr Amrit Malhotra. Despite intervention of the Congress high command, he had neither revoked the suspension order nor maintained the status quo as far as Congress committees in several districts were concerned. The dissident leader said some among the suspended members were going to be fielded by the Congress in the next Assembly poll. He accused Mr Qureshi of “indulging in anti-party activities” which were being ignored by the party high command. He admitted that the high command was reluctant to change the PCC leadership but “we have decided to persuade Ms Sonia Gandhi to take suitable steps so as to save the Congress from a total rout in the next Assembly poll.” During a recent meeting, that some dissident leaders had with the Sonia Gandhi in Delhi, the party President reminded them that they had authorised her to take any decision on the matter. Since she had decided to maintain the status quo, “why are you opposed to it,” she had asked. The dissidents had informed Ms Gandhi that they had given her “conditional” authority. “You have every right to pick up any Congress leader for the post of PCC chief, but not Mr Qureshi,” the dissident leaders had told her in plain terms. The dissidents, claiming a majority, suggested to Ms Gandhi to hold elections for the post. “Let even Mr Qureshi contest it and in case he wins, we will accept him as our leader,” he said, adding “we do not want unsuitable persons to be installed as PCC chief”. A senior party leader advised Ms Gandhi not to favour any candidate. The dissidents have decided to take up the matter with the party command in Delhi afresh. “We will fight till the end,” one of the party leaders said. Asked whether they would quit the party if Ms Gandhi did not oblige them, the dissident leader said: “We will wait but not for ever.” He admitted that several party leaders had been approached by different political parties which were ready to admit them. “We may not like to leave our parents organisation, but if the need arises we may be forced to set up a parallel organisation,” he made it clear. However, supporters of Mr Qureshi alleged that these dissidents had launched a campaign against the PCC chief from the day he took over beause they (dissidents) had felt uncomfortable “in front of Mr Qureshi who is known for his dynamism and discipline.” Whatever may be the arguments in favour and against the PCC chief, the state unit of the Congress is in a “shambles” and this may be to the advantage of the ruling National Conference. |
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Kashmir is
non-negotiable, says Farooq Jammu, July 21 Inaugurating a bridge on the Tawi river here today, Dr Abdullah said no Chief Minister “can compromise on Kashmir.” He said Pakistan had possibly forgotten to realise that the state of Jammu and Kashmir remained a home for people of different religions. “It is not a Muslim state and Pakistan wants to have it,” he said adding that “not an inch of our Kashmir can be given to Pakistan.” |
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Passing-out parade of police cadets
held Udhampur, July 21 The Chief Minister was speaking at the attestation-cum-passing-out parade of trainee DSPs and Sub-Inspectors at the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Training Academy, Udhampur. He called upon the outgoing police officers to inculcate the spirit of courage and boldness to face the challenge of militancy. Referring to the demands of the academy for giving 15 per cent of basic pay as incentive to the and staff and the acquisition of 1,000 kanals for the academy, the Chief Minister said he would shortly convene a high-level meeting of the departments concerned at Srinagar in this connection. The Minister for Home, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, also addressed the parade. The DGP, Mr A.K. Suri, exhorted upon the outgoing police officers to translate into practice what they had learnt during their training. The Director of the academy, Mr P.S. Gill, said 264 Sub-Inspectors, including five women officers, and four DSPs had been imparted training in law and order, management and human rights. Earlier, the Chief Minister inspected the parade and took the salute at the march past of contingents of outgoing trainees. He also gave away commendation certificates and trophies to outstanding trainees. Sangeeta Slathia was declared the best in indoor activities, Shakti Sharma for outdoor activities, and Bandeshwar Singh was adjudged the all-round best trainee. The deputy chairman, legislative council, Mr Chuni Lal Khajuria, MLA Shiv Charan Gupta, former MLA Balak Ram, Deputy Commissioner, Udham-pur Mohammad Sayeed Khan, ADGP Gopal Sharma, a former Director of the academy, Mr Maqsood Choudhary, and president, Chamber of Commerce, Jammu, Mr Ram Sahai, were among those present on the occasion. |
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40 BJP workers hurt
in lathi charge Jammu, July 21 The supporters of the BJP and the BYJM held a dharna near the bridge, constructed on Tawi river and when the demonstrators tried to disrupt the proceedings the police cane-charged them. At least 50 tear-gas shells were fired to quell violence in which 40 protesters were injured. The police also took 10 agitators into custody. The city of temples became tense yesterday when the BJP and the BYJM announced their resentment over the naming of the second bridge over Tawi river after Sher-e-Kashmir (Sheikh Abdullah). A senior BJP leader said that there were number of roads, bridges, parks and buildings named after Sher-e-Kashmir in the state and it was time that the new bridge was named after Jambo Lochan, founder of Jammu. The protesters had damaged the inauguration stone yesterday. The authorities had installed a new stone at night. The BJP had given a call for Jammu bandh today which evoked total response. Main shopping centres in the town remained closed and the passenger transport services were off the road. Attendance in the government offices remained poor as the employees could not reach the offices in the absence of transport services. Protesters smashed at least 12 vehicles, including Matadors, cars and scooters for defying the call for ‘bandh’. Reacting to the agitation the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah said, while inaugurating the bridge, that had not Sheikh Abdullah joined hands with India in 1947 Jammu and Kashmir would have become part of Pakistan. He chided the BJP agitators saying that this was the reward Sheikh Abdullah was receiving today when the BJP workers were protesting against naming the bridge after the Lion of Kashmir. He said on one hand the Pakistani agencies were targeting National Conference leaders and supporters and on the other “we are being attacked by the BJP and others”. He wanted the BJP and others not to stir communal and regional passions and strengthen the bonds of unity among the people in the three regions of the state.
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