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Wednesday,
July 17, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Trifurcation demand
a conspiracy: Farooq
13 hurt in two J&K blasts |
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Militants targeting Muslims too ‘Give more powers’ to NCM No change in deployment
along LoC: Army Jawan killed in
freak accident
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Trifurcation demand
a conspiracy: Farooq Srinagar, July 16 Intervening on the discussion on the trifurcation of the state moved by Syed Abdul Rashid of the National Conference, Dr Farooq Abdullah said it was a conspiracy against the unity of the country. He also warned the Central leadership against “interference” by the USA. The Chief Minister said issues like the trifurcation and autonomy would be discussed with the Centre. He also expressed hope that Pakistan “will have meaningful dialogue with India”. Participating in the discussion, members of the National Conference, BJP, CPM, BSP, Panthers Party and PDP opposed the trifurcation demand. The parties, particularly the BJP, blamed the National Conference for fomenting hatred within the three regions of the state through its demand for autonomy. The Chief Minister said the trifurcation demand was a conspiracy aimed at dividing the state on communal lines, adding that the Centre had committed several wrongs as far as the state was concerned. “My government has not created hatred”, he said adding that it was the government at the Centre which had not fulfilled its promises to people of Jammu and Kashmir. Intervening during question hour Dr Farooq Abdullah asked leaders of various political parties and legislators to be cautious ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections. He said situation was out of the hand of Pakistani leadership in spite of its assurances in this regard. In this connection he referred to the September 11 attacks in the USA and attack on Parliament House, followed by suicide attack in Kaluchak near Jammu. Congress members led by the Ashok Sharma and BJP members led by Mr Bali Bhagat staged a walkout from the House over the massacre. Soon after the House assembled, it noticed noisy scenes over the incident. The ruling National Conference member, Mohammad Abdullah Mujahid from the Baramula constituency also raised the issue of the recent killings of innocent civilians in the district. The Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil introduced obituary reference to six former members of the House who had died since the last sitting of the House in Jammu. “We are not going to tolerate it”, Dr Farooq Abdullah said while referring to the massacre in Jammu. He said India would take up the issue with the visiting British Foreign Secretary, Mr Jack Straw and US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, during their visit to India. The Chief Minister gave a detailed report of the incident, as the House observed a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls and expressing sympathies with the bereaved. The state government announced and paid ex-gratia relief of Rs 1 lakh each to kith and kin of those killed and Rs 5000 for those injured. Meanwhile due to increased threat perception security was tightened in areas near the Legislative Assembly complex. All roads leading to the Assembly complex were sealed and security forces donning bullet-proof jackets and wielding automatic weapons could be seen guarding the Maulana Azad VVIP route. |
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I’m leaving active politics: Farooq Srinagar, July 16 “It is my last session... it is my goodbye to politics”, Dr Farooq Abdullah told the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly which met for a four-day brief autumn session here today. This, he said while intervening during question hour. |
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Jaitley to head team on autonomy Jammu, July 16 Highly placed sources said Mr Jaitley would be assisted by a team of constitutional experts and prominent intellectuals in discussions with the state team. The state team is likely to comprise two cabinet ministers, including Mr Abdul Rahim Rather, Finance Minister, and constitutional experts, besides the state Law Minister, Mr Mushtaq Lone. The Centre has decided to constitute the team after the National Conference leadership raked up the issue of the restoration of the pre-1953 constitutional status to the state. It was after the central government’s assurance that it would discuss the demand and constitute a high-level committee that the National Conference decided not to move a bill in the ongoing session of the state legislature securing restoration of greater autonomy. The NC leadership has been arguing that the restoration of the pre-1953 constitutional status would resolve the problem despite the fact that the BJP, the Congress, the Panther’s Party, the RSS, the VHP and separatist groups are opposed to it. While main parties, opposing the plan of going back to the pre-1953 position, have stated that the restoration of greater autonomy would weaken the state’s integration and add to the fears of people in the Ladakh and Jammu regions, the separatist oppose it on the plea that it may not, at all, lead to the settlement of the Kashmir issue. Sources disclose that Mr G.C. Saxena, Governor of the state has not been asked to either quit or informed that Mr K.C. Pant is to be sent to Raj Bhavan. According to the sources, if Mr Pant replaces Mr Saxena, the team headed by Mr Arun Jaitly, will be assisted by Mr A.S. Dulat in the negotiations with the state government on the autonomy issue. Mr Dulat’s role may be confined to securing support from a section of separatists for the devolution of more powers to the state. |
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Kar opposes Central rule in J&K Srinagar, July 16 “We are not drum-driven cattle that Governor’s rule will be imposed in the state,” he said addressing a function organised in memory of former Chief Minister Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad yesterday. The former Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief asked people to turn up in large numbers for polling so that chances of rigging recede. “Election is a democratic right of people and no non-voter should be allowed to vote”, he said expressing hope that the October elections would be free and fair as the Election Commission had decided to set up observers in each constituency instead of one observer in one district. The Centre was wooing separatists to take part in the elections, he said adding, “If they (separatists) are interested they should take an oath that they are taking part in the elections under the Indian Constitution”. Mr Kar urged the Centre to initiate talks with Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue.
PTI |
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13 hurt in two J&K blasts Srinagar, July 16 The police here said 13 persons, including 10 civilians and three security force personnel, were injured when militants hurled a grenade in the Lal Chowk area in Anantnag in South Kashmir today. Five others were injured when suspected militants hurled a grenade at a security vehicle in Bandipore town of Baramula district last evening. Two militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Kulgam area of Anantnag district yesterday. An AK rifle, four magazines, a pistol, a wireless set and tape recorder were recovered from the site of the encounter, the police here said. Militants shot dead a driver of the police at Ashajipora in Anantnag town last evening. Another person was injured in the shootout. The police recovered a body from Manzgam in Damhal Hanjipora in Anantnag district today. An official spokesman said gunmen looted Rs 7000 from Kamraz Rural Bank at Quil Muqam today. JAMMU: Militants gunned down a sarpanch in Doda district on Tuesday, where five panches resigned due to threats from militants in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said here. The militants entered the house of an elected sarpanch, Gaisuddin, a retired head master, and kidnapped him from Sirna village in Bhaderwah area of Doda district late on Monday, the sources said. He was later shot dead on the outskirts of the village and police recovered his bullet-ridden body on Tuesday, the sources said, adding that the victim’s brother’s son Fayaz Ahmed is area commander of Harkat-ul-Jehadi-Islami outfit and is suspected to be involved in the killing. An Army man was killed and two others were injured critically when a powerful landmine exploded near the LoC in Poonch district late on Monday, official sources said here on Tuesday. A patrol party on guard duty near a forward post along the Indo-Pak border walked over a landmine which exploded at Malti area of Poonch district around 1 a.m. the sources added. |
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Militants targeting Muslims too Jammu, July 16 Soon after killing him, the militants forced five panches, all Muslims, to resign in the nearby Gandhov area of Doda. According to official reports, in 2001, more than 34 sarpanches had been killed and during the past six months the number has been over 12. More than 12 sarpanches and panches have resigned out of fear, causing a setback to the Panchayati Raj system which was revived after 23 years. There are about 2,700 panchayat committees. Whenever the elections are completed, the government has to renovate or reconstruct panchayat ghars. More than 60 per cent of the panchayat ghars have been destroyed since 1991 as part of the militants’ plan to derail the democratic process. During the Lok Sabha elections in 1989, 1998 and 1999, and in the Assembly poll in 1996, the militants had asked people to boycott the panchayat elections. However, the voting percentage indicated that the voters had ignored the boycott call in the entire Jammu region. It was heeded to in some pockets of Kashmir. The militants had targeted some candidates, forcing the government to postpone the elections in some parts of the valley. According to government functionaries, the militants had intensified attacks on political leaders to create terror and force people to boycott the elections due in October. In 2000, the militants had killed 35 political leaders while the figure touched 56 in 2001. During the past six months, about 30 political activists have been eliminated in various parts of the state. Official figures also reveal that the militants are not distinguishing between Hindus and Muslims. They eliminate those whom they find a hurdle in their anti-national activities. During 2000, the militants had killed 608 Muslims against 154 Hindus. In 2001, 790 Muslims had been killed and 129 Hindus. Targeting Muslims, most of them in the valley, is said to be a calculated move to terrorise the majority population whose support is required by the militants for sustaining their armed campaign and defeat the government plan of holding Assembly elections. |
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‘Give more powers’ to NCM Jammu, July 16 In a statement issued here today, the president of the board, Mr S.S. Wazir, said the way the commission took bold steps during the recent communal turmoil in Gujarat called for equipping it with more powers so that it could take suitably steps to discourage elements keen on kicking up communal disturbances. Mr Wazir said the commission would have to act as a watchdog while monitoring the interests, safety and
well-being of the minorities and for this it needed to be given “teeth”. He appreciated the role of the commission in organising a meeting between the leaders of Muslim organisations and representatives of the VHP and other Hindu bodies which could defuse the situation and promote a better understanding between the two principal communities. He praised the bold steps taken by the chairman of the commission, Justice Shamim Ahmed (retd), and the vice-chairman Mr Trilochan Singh, for “rewriting the role of the commission.” |
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No change in deployment
along LoC: Army Jammu, July 16 “No changes in the deployment level of the Indian Army, including the striking formations, have taken place along Indo-Pak border. The buildup is as it was,” spokesman of the Army’s Northern Command Lt Col S.P.K. Singh told PTI on the telephone from its headquarters in Udhampur. He described as “baseless” a story put out by a transnational news agency saying India had withdrawn three strike divisions along the international border and the Line of Control a week ago.
PTI |
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Jawan killed in
freak accident Jammu, July 16 The sources said Lance Naik Avtar Singh was sleeping in his barrack when the weapon, kept near his bed, went off accidentally, injuring him fatally. He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to injuries. A case has been registered. Meanwhile, two constables of the Special Operation Group (SOG) were wounded critically by an accidental gunshot at an SOG camp at Surankote in Poonch district. They were identified as Sartaj Singh and Maqbool Hussain. They have been admitted to a hospital.
UNI |
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