 |
| Monday, September 9, 2002,
Chandigarh, India
|
Omar: talks on autonomy to continue Farooq flays APHC, Kashmir panel talks |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CONSTITUENCY PROFILE (LOLAB) Corruption ghost haunts NC Sikh bodies to back NC candidates NC list for Udhampur, Kathua
|
|||||||
|
Omar: talks on autonomy to continue Srinagar, September 8 “We stood by our promises on all issues, including
internal autonomy. There has been a sincere effort on autonomy for
which it took us three years to make a comprehensive report”, Mr
Abdullah said in his address on the occasion of the release of the
25-point party manifesto at the mausoleum of the founder of the
National Conference, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, on the banks of Dal
lake at Naseem Bagh here today. The occasion coincided with the 20th
death anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Mr Abdullah, who is
also the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, said not even
10 per cent of the achievements of the National Conference government,
led by his father over the past six years, could not be included in
the party manifesto. The achievements, he said, could only be included
in a huge book, “but even then unfortunately the opposition parties
discredit it”. The manifesto, at the very outset, refers to the
party’s efforts on autonomy, achievements in various fields of
development ranging from targets achieved in finance, power, public
health, industries and commerce, tourism, forests, revenue, law,
agriculture and horticulture, works, education, planning and
allocation of funds. The Union Minister also said that his party
would make relentless efforts and go ahead in negotiating on autonomy
with the NDA government at the Centre. Even as the Central Government
had rejected the autonomy resolution, the National Conference
President said the Centre “will have to talk to us”. He questioned
as to who else could talk to the BJP on autonomy, the party that was
against Article 370 and seeking trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. Commenting
on the role of the Congress, Mr Abdullah expressed concern over its
taking up the issue of restoration of autonomy. “For the past four
years, they (Congress) have never talked about autonomy in Parliament
and now they have raised the slogan only at the time of elections”,
he said. He added that only the CPM had supported the NC’s demand
for restoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. He criticised the
Congress for its stand on the resolution of Kashmir in accordance with
the Indira-Abdullah accord of 1975, adding that the party had
withdrawn its support to the NC only after the accord. Mr Abdullah also came down heavily on the defectors, particularly the two sitting members, Minister of State for Education Agha Syed Mehmood and Mohammad Shafi Bhat who were denied mandate for the ensuing elections from the Beerwa constituency in Budgam district and Amirakadal constituency in Srinagar. While Mr Mehmood has filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate from Budgam against his NC rival, Mr Bhat is contesting as a Congress nominee from the Amirakadal constituency. Mr Abdullah pointed out that doors would be closed on them in case they sought to return to the party. On the other hand, the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who also spoke on the occasion asked his party workers to keep the doors open for the defectors on their return. Mr Omar Abdullah also lashed out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of former Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for making seat arrangements with the Congress ahead of the forthcoming elections. The manifesto opens with a resolve to support all those forces at the national level that believe in national unity, brotherhood, communal harmony, stability, security and social justice, and strive hard to restore normalcy. It also promises more jobs to the educated youth by raising the number of teachers in schools. |
|
Farooq flays APHC, Kashmir panel talks Srinagar, September 8 Addressing a large gathering of party workers on the occasion of the 20th death anniversary of his father Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at Naseem Bagh (Hazratbal) today, he dwelt on a wide range of issues, including the Kashmir issue and the defection of some party leaders to other parties, especially the Congress, ahead of the Assembly elections. The occasion was chosen for the release of the party manifesto. The gathering was addressed, among others, by his son and Union Minister of State for External Affairs. Omar Abdullah, who recently took over as the National Conference President. Mr Omar Abdullah is contesting from the Ganderbal constituency, which has been represented by his grandfather and father since 1977. Dr Abdullah lashed out at the way the talks were going on between the Kashmir Committee and the Hurriyat Conference. He criticised the Kashmir Committee for seeking Governor’s rule and then postponement of election in Jammu and Kashmir. He denied reports that Hurriyat Confrence leaders were prevented from leaving for New Delhi here on Friday to hold talks with the Kashmir Committee. |
|
CONSTITUENCY PROFILE (LOLAB) Lolab (Kupwara), September 8 There are 11 candidates, the highest number in the five constituencies of Kupwara district, in the fray for election to this constituency, going to the polls in the first phase on September 16, with the sitting National Conference member and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone pitted against the Congress, Panthers Party and eight Independents. The former militant leader, Ghulam Rasool Shah, alias Imran Rahi, who recently constituted the Peoples Party is also among the Independent candidates. Only four candidates of major political parties, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone (NC) Abdul Rahim Wani (JD), Choudhary Jalaluddin (Congress) and Ghulam Mohiuddin (Panthers Party) were in the fray during the 1996 elections. There are 62,037 voters including 34,532 men and 27,505 women, for whom 88 polling stations have been set up. The filing of nominations in this constituency along with three others invited much attention following a controversy over the alleged participation by a candidate of the Peoples Conference, a constituent of the separatist Hurriyat Conference early this week. The filing of nominations by Abdul Haq Khan, Independent from
Lolab, Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi, Handwara, Abdul Rashid Mirchal from Karnah and Ghulam Qadir
Malik, Kupwara. The separatist Hurriyat Conference after a two-day long discussion on the issue dropped its plan to suspend its main constituent, the Peoples Conference, after assurances by the party. The Peoples Conference Chairman, Sajjad Lone points out that his party had nothing to do with the four candidates in accordance with its as also Hurriyat’s non-participation
programme. He said that Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi and Abdul Rashid Mirchal had resigned from PC before filing their nominations, while Abdul Haq Khan had left it long back in 1987 and Ghulam Qadir Malik had never been associated with the party. “We are between two guns — of the militants and the security forces—only because we want to solve our problems”, said Sajjad Ahmad, a close associate of Abdul Haq Khan, an Independent candidate. Supporters of various political parties, including the ruling National Conference, have joined the opposition Independent candidate, Abdul Haq Khan under the banner of “United Lolab Front”. “We have nothing to do with major issues which is the job of larger parties”, said another supporter of the Independent candidate. “Our war is against poverty, unemployment and other related issues”, said Abdul Kabeer another supporter of the Independents. The Independent supporters hold that they “cannot leave people to suffer for the next term of six years and if we boycott, that would lead to an indirect support” to the ruling party, said another supporter. The Opposition candidates are also sore over the apathetic attitude towards their demands ahead of the elections, particularly complaining of not being at par with the ruling party. They had to arrange their office accommodation on their own and have to submit the list of expenses to the concerned authorities at least thrice a week, which is “impossible” for the ongoing campaigning. Even the agents are not imparted training for the electronic voting machines, the candidates claim. Despite threats from militants, though the campaigning in interior areas has been going on, no “untoward incident” has taken place so far in the area. Facing all odds, the Lolab United Front has been engaged in arranging public meetings through deep jungles across the Lolab valley and Haihama area on the other side. Door-to-door campaign is also going on giving a festive look to the surroundings in the area most hit by militancy. |
|
Corruption ghost haunts NC Jammu, September 8 The ghost of corruption and nepotism haunts most of the candidates of the NC. The last-minute tactical move of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, to project his son, Mr Omar Abdullah, as the next Chief Minister, has not made the desired effect for him as the grievances of the common people are deep-seated. NC activists fear that the going will become tough for them in case the turnout in the polling, beginning on September 16 and to be completed in four phases, is high. A big turnout would expose the anti-establishment sentiments of the electorate, they say. The Opposition parties are whipping up the corruption and nepotism issues against the NC on whom these allegations stick. Another factor of discrimination has been added, particularly in the Jammu and Ladakh regions against the NC government. The beginning has not been good for Dr Abdullah and his son as the first results which have come for two constituencies of Leh and Nubra have gone against the NC. The candidates of the Ladakh Union Territory Front (LUTF), Nawang Rigzin and Sonam Wanchuke, have been elected unopposed as no one else contested against them and all parties except the NC joined hands to support them. The LUTF is demanding the union territory status for Ladakh because of alleged discrimination by the Kashmir-dominated governments. Reports indicate that things are not easy for the NC in the Muslim-dominated Kargil district of Ladakh. It is facing difficulties in the Kargil and Zanskar constituencies where the powerful religious Shia organisation of Imam Khomeni Memorial Trust and the Islamia School Trust have fielded common candidates. The Minister of State for Public Works, Mr Qamar Ali Akhoon, is being grilled by the electorate. It is not an easy talk for the common man to reach the Chief Minister to air his grievances. Even ministers are helpless as they enjoy ay powers as these have been usurped by a coterie of senior officers who are the right hand of Dr Abdullah. Most of the senior ministers are generally unaware of the important decisions taken by this kitchen cabinet. Dr Abdullah is mostly on jaunts outside the state. The concern of Mr Omar Abdullah about the declining graph of the NC was indicated recently when he announced at an election rally that the first task, in case he became the Chief Minister, would be to tackle the menace of corruption. Not only the NC, but certain senior leaders of the BJP were also accused of being hand in glove with some members of the coterie instead of exposing their “misdeeds” as an Opposition. The purchase of an aeroplane by the state government, giving the contract for constructing the Bagliar hydroelectric project to a company which has already earned much criticism in the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and the alleged bungling of funds for cleaning the Dal Lake are some other issues being raised in the electioneering by the Opposition parties. The NC government is also being accused of having failed to tackle terrorism. The NC candidates are also facing the allegations of their government having bent rules to benefit the kin of ministers and influential persons. The allegation in the Jammu and Ladakh regions is that of the over one lakh persons employed by the government in the past six years, only about 15,000 were from Jammu. |
|
Sikh bodies to back NC candidates Jammu, September 8 The announcement was made by President of the State Gurdwara Parbandhak Board, Mr S.S. Wazir, at a press conference. Leaders of the All-India Sikh Students Federation, the Sikh Naujwan Sabha, the Sikh Welfare Forum, the Bhai Kanahiya Nishkam Sewa Society and the Shiromani Youth Akali Dal endorsed this decision. Since Sikh voters can tilt the scales in at least four constituencies in the state their support to the National Conference is treated as a shot in the arm of the ruling party despite pronounced division in the community with a section of Akali Dal (B) having decided to remain aligned with the BJP. Others are with the Congress. Mr Wazir said that the decision to support the National Conference had been taken at a meeting of leaders of different Sikh organisations and intellectuals of the community. He said since the National Conference was the only organisation to have given party ticket to two Sikh candidates in the Jammu region “we have decided to support it.” He said the Congress and other parties had “ignored” the Sikh community. Mr Rangil Singh, a former minister and a senior leader of the community, opposed the demand raised by the Sangh Parivar for the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Narbir Singh, president of the Youth Akali Dal, said it was the moral duty of all Sikh voters to defeat those demanding trifurcation of the state or propagating regionalism on communal lines. |
|
NC list for Udhampur, Kathua Srinagar, September 8 In Udhampur district of the Jammu region, the lone party sitting member, Mr Abdul Wahid Shaan, has been again nominated from the Gool Arnas constituency. Two sitting Janata Dal members, Mr Abdul Ghani Malik from Gulabgarh and Mr Jagjivan Lal from Reasi who recently joined the NC have been nominated as party candidates from their respective constituencies. Others include Mr Kuldeep Khajurai, Udhampur, Mr Lal Chand Musafir, Chenani and Mr Subash Kudiyar from Ramnagar. In the Bani constituency of Kathua district, Mr Ghulam Hyder Malik, Deputy Speaker and sitting NC member has been again nominated. Mr Prem Lal, sitting member of the BJP from Hiranagar, has been nominated as NC candidate. Others nominated from the district include Mr Raj Singh from Basohli, Mr Ajit Kumar Sharma from Kathua and Mr Suram Singh from Billawar. Mr Prem Lal of the BJP from Hiranagar has recently joined the ruling NC." |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Video
