J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Cong manifesto for ‘meaningful’ autonomy
Jammu, September 6
The Congress in its election manifesto has categorically rejected the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and said that it would initiate a dialogue with the Centre to evolve a package for “greater and meaningful” autonomy which would meet the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh consistent with the Constitution of India.

BJP-JSM impasse on two seats continues
Jammu, September 6
Stalemate between the BJP and the Jammu State Morcha continued on the issue of making the “rebels” withdraw from the Assembly seats allocated to the two parties following a poll pact.

‘ISI hand in Rajiv Nagar massacre’
Jammu, September 6
The police has found direct involvement of the ISI in inciting communal trouble in Jammu through Lashkar-e-Toiba activists. Part of the plan was executed at Rajiv Nagar in Jammu on July 13 where militants massacred 28 labourers of one community.

Cong man pushed down to death
Jammu, September 6
A Congress activist died after he was allegedly thrown out from the second floor of his hotel in Poonch during clashes with ruling National Conference (NC) party men, official sources here said today.

Cong manifesto for ‘meaningful’ autonomy
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 6
The Congress in its election manifesto has categorically rejected the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and said that it would initiate a dialogue with the Centre to evolve a package for “greater and meaningful” autonomy which would meet the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh consistent with the Constitution of India.

The manifesto was released by the PCC chief, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, here today.

The manifesto says the Congress will establish regional development boards with statutory status for the three regions to remove regional imbalances and see that disparities in the political, financial, development and administrative fields are removed.

It promises a statutory finance commission to ensure that adequate resources are provided to the three regions for balanced development within a timeframe. The Autonomous Hill Council in Leh, it says, will be given full powers.

The manifesto alleges that the approach of the BJP on the issue of autonomy has been both insincere and sinister”. The National Conference, it says, which talks of secularism is in alliance with the NDA government at the Centre led by the BJP whose basic ideology is communal.

“The National Conference claims to be a champion of autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir and yet sees no contradiction in cohabiting with the BJP which wants article 370 to be abrogated,” it says.

The manifesto alleges that the dialogue for autonomy initiated by the Centre under Mr Arun Jaitley, a former Law Minister, is a gimmick. The BJP had rejected the idea of granting autonomy to the state, but with elections round the corner, it had now sent a former Law Minister for talks. “The actions of the Prime Minister’s office and the Home Minister’s on the issue of Kashmir are contradictory and conflicting,” the manifesto says. It accuses the Centre and the state governments of inaction on the issue of “senseless killings.”

It says the trifurcation of the state proposed by the RSS goes against the multi-religious heritage of the state and any solution based on religion can neither be acceptable nor sustainable.

On the occasion, Mr Azad said it was unfortunate that the National Conference had disowned the 1975 Delhi Agreement between Mrs Indira Gandhi and Mr Sheikh Abdullah which provided the basis for return of peace to the state.

Among other things the manifesto promises inclusion of Dogri in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, a special campaign to bring back to the state Kashmiri Pandits and other communities, a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package for families affected by terrorist and alternative land on the Punjab pattern to those living close to the international border.

BJP-JSM impasse on two seats continues
Tribune New Service

Jammu, September 6
Stalemate between the BJP and the Jammu State Morcha (JSM) continued on the issue of making the “rebels” withdraw from the Assembly seats allocated to the two parties following a poll pact.

Mr O.P. Kohli, general secretary of the BJP, who is here since yesterday, put off his return to Delhi as the situation has become more complicated with a sitting BJP MLA, Mr Hans Raj Dogra, filing his nomination papers for the Jammu (West) constituency as an independent. Mr Chander Mohan Sharma, a vice-president of the state BJP, who was also aspiring for ticket has filed his papers as a covering candidate.

This is being seen as tactical move of the BJP to pressurise the JSM into withdrawing its candidate Mr Tilak Raj Sharma, from the Jammu (East) constituency to make pave things easy for the BJP nominee, Mr Ashok Khajuria.

The BJP had denied ticket to Mr Dogra, a sitting MLA of the Jammu (West), and left the seat for the JSM which has fielded Dr Virender Gupta from there.

Meanwhile, Mr Ramesh Sabharwal, vice-chairman of the JSM, alleged that the BJP was trying to damage the cause of statehood for Jammu by not leaving the Jammu (East) seat for them (JSM) and Mr Dogra filing his nomination papers for the Jammu (West) constituency.

He took strong exception to Mr Jugal Kishore, the JSM nominee for the Nagrota seat, filing his nomination as a BJP candidate.

Mr Sabharwal said that the Centre’s role in handling the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was not positive. The elections should have been postponed and the Governor’s rule imposed to provide an opportunity to Mr Ram Jethmalani to conclude his dialogue with the Hurriyat conference leaders and other outfits in Kashmir.

‘ISI hand in Rajiv Nagar massacre’
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 6
The police has found direct involvement of the ISI in inciting communal trouble in Jammu through Lashkar-e-Toiba activists. Part of the plan was executed at Rajiv Nagar in Jammu on July 13 where militants massacred 28 labourers of one community.

Giving details of the ISI operation, Senior Superintendent Police Farooq Khan told newsmen here today that the ISI guided one top Lashkar-e-Toiba functionary, Abu Umar of Surankote in Poonch who picked two Pakistani terrorists to execute the plan at Rajiv Nagar.

The operation was launched on July 11 when Master Kabir of Surankote summoned his two lieutants, Altaf Hussain Shah, Naib Sarpanch, Surankot and Maroof Khan and directed them to guide the two Pakistani terrorists to Jammu. Maroof Khan a driver was given the task of smuggling arms and explosives from Surankote to Jammu through Mohd Ahmed a Laboratory Assistant in a private clinic.

Interrogation of the two arrested revealed that Mohammed Adnan of Lahore and Mohammed Abdullah of Multan district were despatched from the forest belt of Surankote to Jammu. They reached Jammu on July 12 after crossing all check-posts on the strength of fake identity cards prepared by one special police officer working at Surankote police station. In Jammu the two terrorists were handed over two assault rifles, 10 magazines, nine handgrenades. They met at the house of Muneer Hussain a retired Girdawar at Rajiv Nagar. And on the morning of July 13 the two terrorists, after concealing their weapons and ammunition in the Raika forest belt on the outskirts of Jammu city visited Rajiv Nagar to understand its layout and identify their escape route.

Cong man pushed down to death

Jammu, September 6
A Congress activist died after he was allegedly thrown out from the second floor of his hotel in Poonch during clashes with ruling National Conference (NC) party men, official sources here said today.

On the eve of a bandh in Poonch town, Wazir Mohamad last night objected to the installation of NC flags and banners on the second floor of the hotel, which houses the Congress office.

But the NC activists allegedly forcibly hoisted their flags at the Congress office as well as on the hotel building, the sources said, adding that Mohamad was confronted when he removed them.

During the scuffle, Mohamad was allegedly beaten and thrown out from the second floor of his hotel, resulting in his death on the spot, they said.

The police has registered a case and a manhunt has been launched to nab the culprits.

Meanwhile, Poonch city observed a bandh in protest against the killing of a Congress activist. PTI

Pak soldier repatriated
Tribune News Service

Suchetgarh (Jammu), September 6
The guns fell silent as BSF officials carried a Pakistani soldier, Sepoy Owais Mustafa, to be repatriated to Pakistan today.

After the customary medical check-up, the Pakistani soldier, belonging to 647 Mujahid Battalion, was handed over to the Pakistan Rangers across this rural sector, 30 km south of Jammu.

The Indian security forces had arrested Owais Mustafa after he strayed from across the LoC into the Rajouri sector after deserting his unit.