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Sunday,
April 14, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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‘Detain PM’ under POTA J&K Akali leaders seek Fauji’s release Mughal gardens come alive
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Gulf tourists keen to visit Kashmir Pilgrims
throng Vaishno Devi Panthers Party seeks statehood for Kashmir Three killed, 47
hurt in mishaps
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‘Detain PM’ under POTA Srinagar, April 13 Lashing out at Mr Vajpayee’s stand with particular reference to his address at Goa yesterday, Mr Azad said the Prime Minister himself was a greater threat to the unity and integrity of the country. There was no difference between the thinking of militants and Mr Vajpayee for the approach of both was similar, Mr Azad said, adding that while militants used bullets, the Prime Minister used anti-secular remarks. Mr Azad was addressing a largely attended workers rally at the PCC headquarters on his first visit to Srinagar after assuming charge as president of the state unit of the Congress. A large number of party workers drawn from distant parts of the state had converged at the PCC headquarters on the arrival of the PCC chief, who straightaway drove from the airport to the office. Referring to the Prime Minister’s address at Goa, the PCC chief held that it was “more communal” in nature, which did not behove of the Prime Minister of a country known for its secular and democratic character throughout the world. He added that the address hurt the sentiments of millions of people belonging to various minority communities in the country. He held that other parties, like the RSS and VHP had never connected terrorism with Islam or Christianity. Mr Azad also made an appeal to the separatist Hurriyat Conference to participate in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, adding that it would only ensure peace in the state. He said that gun was no solution to any problem in the world. It only brought death and destruction. He urged the ruling National Conference to ensure free and fair poll in the state. He expressed concern over the plight of the people living in the state, particularly in Kashmir valley, who according to him, were sandwiched between the guns of militants and the security forces. |
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J&K Akali leaders seek Fauji’s release Jammu, April 13 Stating this at a press conference here yesterday, the president of the DGPC Mr Surinder Singh, and president SAD, Mr H.S. Raina, said that Surinder Singh district president Peoples’ Democratic Party, was arrested under POTA on a “fake’ charge of his involvement in reviving Khalistan Zindabad Force activities in Jammu. The Sikh leaders took strong exception to the arrest and accused some police officials of having detained him to settle old scores” with him. They alleged that Surinder Singh was “tortured” in police custody and subjected to inhuman behaviour. Mr Surinder Singh said the Sikh leaders from Jammu would approach the Jathedar of Akal Takht with detailed report on the inhuman treatment meted out to Surinder Singh in police lock-up which was a grave ‘insult” to the Sikh religion. On the other hand the All Party Hurriyat Conference Chairman Prof Abdul Gani Bhat has berated the state and the central government for having detained the JKLF chief Mr Mohd. Yasin Mailk under POTA. |
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Mughal gardens come alive Srinagar, April 13 Famous Mughal gardens, Nishat and Shalimar, reverberated with music, folk dance and cultural programmes as a large number of people, most of them locals, thronged these gardens when these are formally opened for tourists. People from different walks of life thronged these gardens, even as many complained of chaos and confusion on account of the security stops taken on the occasion. The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, also participated in the shikari race, organised as part of the two-day long celebrations, at Nehru park, after having a dip in the waters. Top police and security forces officers also made their presence felt on the occasion. “The idea is to send a message to the outside world that Kashmir is ready to receive tourists this season”, said a senior officer of the civil administration. The event was organised by the civil administration to attract tourists to the valley, an activity that has suffered a severe setback during the recent years on account of militancy. The main event of today’s inaugural programme — a stage performance of the 33-member troupe of film director Muzaffar Ali — was held at the SKICC lawns overlooking the Dal lake. The programme scheduled to be held at Nishat garden was changed for unknown reasons and held at the sprawling lawns of the
Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Complex (SKICC). The programme was delayed by over two hours due to lack of proper stage equipment for the troupe. A kathak performance was also held by Anamika Singh and party. Cultural programmes were also
presented. |
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Gulf tourists keen to visit Kashmir Srinagar, April 13 This is because of the events that took place in the USA on September 11 last year leading to extraordinary security measures taken in these countries. Various efforts are being made by the Department of Tourism of the Jammu and Kashmir Government to attract tourists to Kashmir. With these efforts, “it is expected that the foreign traffic to Kashmir may substantially increase during the forthcoming season”, said Mr Mohammad Ashraf, Director-General (DG), Tourism. The DG said Air-India and Indian-Airlines had offered to organise familiarisation tours of some of the travel writers and tour operators from West Asia to Kashmir during the next few months “so that a beginning could be made in restarting traffic from the Gulf to Kashmir”. In its efforts to facilitate an increase in foreign tourist traffic, the department has recently published brochures on Kashmir in Arabic as well as in Chinese for distribution in the potential markers of South East Asia and West Asia. These brochures are also being translated into Japanese. “Once travellers from these markets start visiting Kashmir, the visitors from the long haul markets of Europe and the USA may feel motivated to re-start their operations to Kashmir”, said Mr Mohammad Ashraf. Over the years, the foreign tourist traffic to Kashmir has not shown any increase due to “adverse travel advisories issued by various foreign governments to their nationals regarding travel to Kashmir”, commented the DG. As against over 7 lakh tourists who visited Kashmir in one year prior to the outbreak of turmoil, tourism received a setback with ongoing militancy. It showed signs of improving in late 1990s when over 2.17 lakh tourists, including 17000 foreigners visited Kashmir in 1999. But, due to the Kargil war, there was again a decline in the flow of tourists. The flow again showed a decline over the years with 1.12 lakh tourists in 2000 and only 72,000 during the last year. |
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Pilgrims
throng Vaishno Devi Jammu, April 13 The Shrine Board authorities admitted the number of pilgrims was
less than what used to be experienced on the first day of Navratra but
the decline was marginal. They said over 12,000 pilgrims had been
registered at Katra till 3 p.m. Not more than 8,000 pilgrims had been
registered till 4 pm yesterday, but by 10 pm the number had increased
to 19,000. The authorities said prior to the terrorist strike at the
Jammu railway station in July last year between 30,000 and 35,000
yatris would be registered on the first day of Navratra.
On an average, between 10,000 and 12,000 pilgrims reach Katra
daily. During Navratra the daily arrival of the devotees used to range
between 30,000 and 35,000.
The Tourism Department, in collaboration with several NGOs,
hoteliers and traders inaugurated a three-day Jammu festival. A big
procession by school children, folk singers and others was taken out
from Vivekanand Chowk to Amar Mahal. Cultural shows were performed by
prominent artists at the palace. Hoteliers and traders have been
offering heavy concessions for pilgrims.
The Hotel Association has demanded that the duration of the
festival should be extended. |
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Panthers Party seeks statehood
for Kashmir Jammu, April 13 A resolution adopted by the working committee of the party said trifurcation of the state was the only solution. The committee expressed concern over the exploitation of youth absorbed as Special Police Officers (SPOs) and teachers under the Rehbari Taleem scheme. It said while the SPOs were paid Rs 50 per day teachers appointed under the Rehbari Taleem scheme were being appointed on a temporary basis. |
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Three killed, 47
hurt in mishaps Jammu, April 13 Two persons were killed and 35 injured when a bus rolled down into a 500-feet deep gorge while negotiating a curve at Nangali in the border district of Poonch this afternoon. The injured were rushed to the District Hospital in Poonch, where the condition of some of them was stated to be serious. In the other mishap, one person was killed and 12 others injured when a bus met with an accident at Kelar Mod in Surankote tehsil of the district past evening. The injured were shifted to the Sub-District Hospital in Surankote.
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