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Saturday,
September 14, 2002,
Chandigarh, India  
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BJP
releases manifesto Lacklustre
campaign under fear of gun Attacks
fail to act as dampener ISI
continues to run ultra camps |
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1,979
polling booths in valley ‘hypersensitive’
Geelani’s
shifting to jail stayed 800
Punjab officials deployed in Rajouri, Poonch
Officer
shifted for violating poll code Panthers stage dharna
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BJP releases manifesto Jammu, September 13 Releasing an 18-page manifesto, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, Union Minister of State for Defence said at a press conference here today that terrorism was no doubt the creation of Pakistan, but as a result of wrong policies of the Congress and the National Conference, which had ruled the state for the past 54 years, militancy had assumed serious dimensions. In the manifesto, the party has pledged to end the menace of terrorism and regional imbalance. It has blamed the successive Congress and the National Conference governments for having given a raw deal to the people of Jammu and Ladakh regions. It says if the BJP is voted to power, it will ensure equal distribution of funds for development works in all three regions and constitutional guarantees by establishing three regional councils so that financial and political powers percolate to the grass roots. It promises to raise new battalions of paramilitary forces with recruits belonging to border migrants. The manifesto also promises to include Dogri and Bodhi in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and ensure implementation of the recommendations of the Wazir Commission under which
Reasi, Kishtwar and Samba in the Jammu region and Bandipore in Kashmir will be given the district status. Declaring that it will take measures to end corruption and nepotism, the BJP has pledged itself to resolving the problem of unemployment by providing package for setting up small-scale industrial units in the rural areas. Degree colleges will be set up at tehsil headquarters and basic amenities, including uninterrupted power and better facilities in the field of education, is to be provided to the people, according to the manifesto. The BJP also has a package for the unemployed youth who are to be covered under the unemployment allowance scheme. The party will take suitable steps to rehabilitate victims of the terrorism. It promises to provide political, constitutional and security packages for Kashmiri Pandits on their return to the valley. Those belonging to the communities of
Shias, Gujjars, Bakerwals, Buddhists, Sikhs will be given adequate political, economic, religious and cultural rights along with those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and other backward classes. Refugees from Pakistan, settled in the state, will be given all fundamental rights, including the right to vote in the Assembly poll. Persons’ having been given evacuee property, land and houses are to be given proprietary rights. |
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Lacklustre campaign
under fear of gun Jammu, September 13 The seven Assembly constituencies in Poonch and Rajouri districts, where polling is slated for September 16, are in the grip of terror following the attack at the Surankot bus stand on September 11 in which 14 persons, including 12 security personnel, were killed and more than 13 wounded. The PCC and NC bosses visited the border belts because in these seven constituencies with over six lakh voters, the Congress and the NC are locked in a neck and neck fight. In Mendhar NC candidate Javed Ahmed has an edge over his rivals, but the entry of Mr Rafiq Hussain Khan into the fray as an Independent rung the alarm bells in the NC camp. If he is able to poll at least 20 per cent of the votes polled in 1996 he had polled 12.65 per cent votes, he could upset the NC applecart. The NC has fielded Mr Javed Ahmed Rana who had, as an Independent, bagged 31.95 per cent of the votes against the 34.47 per cent by the winning NC candidate, Mr Nisar Ahmed Khan. This time Mr Khan has been replaced by Mr Javed Rana. In the Poonch constituency, the Congress has fielded Mr Yash Paul Sharma, who had as the Janata Dal candidate lost to Mr Ghulam Mohammad Jan of the NC by a margin of over 5,000 votes. A poor voter turnout may help the NC candidate, Mr Jan, and heavy polling is likely to brighten the Congress victory chances. In Surankot it is likely to be a repetition of 1996 when the Congress candidate, Mr Mohammad Aslam, a former PCC President, was humbled by a lesser known NC candidate, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed, by a margin over 8,500 votes. This time Independent Abdul Manhas is said to be a heavyweight in the sense that he has the capacity to garner a sizeable number of Rajput votes. If he succeeds, it could affect the fate of NC candidate, Mushtaq Ahmed. In the Darhal constituency, an Independent, Mr Zulfikar Hussain, son of Mr Mohammad Hussain, Minister of State, who had resigned when his son was not given the NC mandate, has a definite edge over the NC candidates, Mr Liyaqat Ali. The scene has changed after Gujjar spiritual leader Mian Bashir campaigned for the NC candidate. Mr Pervez Malik of the Congress has a chance if Mr Zulfikar Hussain bags a sizeable number of NC votes due to the influence of his father in the constituency. The Congress candidate, Mr Tasaduq Hussain, had polled, 8,119 votes in 1996 out of the 36,000 votes polled. Mr Tasaduq Hussain is the PDP candidate and the NC is banking on a split in the anti-NC voters. Though there are 14 candidates in the fray in Rajouri, the contest is likely to be primarily between the NC candidate, Mr Mohammad Aslam, and the Congress nominee, Mr Qamar Hussain. Here dissidence in the NC may make the going for Mr Mohammad Aslam a little difficult. In
Kalakot, again the tie is between the Congress sitting MLA, Mr Ashok Sharma, and Mr Rachupal Singh. Mr Sharma is seen as a clean politician in the area, but the latter is seen as a major threat to him on account of his money and muscle power. In Nowshehra, the Congress expected a wave in its favour with Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s visit. But she had to cancel the tour because of security reasons, leaving many pro-Congress forces dismayed. However, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mrs Ambika Soni have been trying to infuse life into the Congress campaign. |
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Attacks
fail to act as
dampener Tangmarg, September 13 The main road leading from Srinagar to this tourist spot, 12 km short of Gulmarg, is dotted by party flags of the ruling National Conference and PDP candidates. The flags, buntings and banners are clearly visible from the main road leading to the tourist spots of Tangmarg and Gulmarg, where the first National Winter games were held in 1998. Dr Kamaal, younger brother of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, was first elected from here in 1987 and later in 1996. “I have noticed greater enthusiasm among the people after these attacks”, Dr Kamaal told The Tribune here today. He said the attacks did not affect the campaigning. He had been engaged in vigorous campaigning which would conclude on Saturday for the first phase of elections on September 16. All development works, according to Dr Kamaal, took place since 1975 when his father and founder of the National Conference, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, first became the Chief Minister. He enumerates a series of development works during his public career of over nine years between 1987 and 1990 and 1996 to 2002. These include construction of market places, setting up of a modern centrally heated club at Gulmarg and the gondola cable car project at Gulmarg. The poor residents of upper reaches around Gulmarg (Valley of Meadows) “have the advantage of tourism”, he said, while those in the rural belt were agriculturists. Dr Kamaal does not regret joining politics after quitting his medical practice. He says he did not join politics, rather circumstances forced him to “serve the people” of the area. Throughout his public meetings, Dr Kamaal’s thurst remains on the major achievements of the National Conference government, particularly in that area, ranging from upgradation of the local hospital to the gondola project at Gulmarg. Dr Kamaal’s adversary and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Ghulam Hassan Mir, a former minister and Congress leader, has been dwelling on the “misdeeds” of the National conference government. According to him, the NC has not been able to fulfil the expectations of the people in the area and elsewhere. Mr Mir alleges that the NC government has been the “biggest hurdle” in solving the Kashmir issue as its sole aim is staying in power. Mr Mir was elected as a National Conference member from the Gulmarg constituency in 1983 and became a minister in the
G.M. Shah ministry form 1984 to 1986. |
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ISI continues
to run ultra camps Jammu, September 13 A spokesman for the Northern Command said Altaf Hussain Wani, who surrendered himself to troops on the LoC in the Uri sector recently, had confirmed that Pakistani Army and ISI officers were supervising arms training programmes for the youth in several camps across the border. The
spokesman said the surrendered militant had revealed that he was one of the seven militants who were assisted in sneaking into the Uri sectors. Finding that he had been spotted by Indian troops he surrendered himself to them. Two infiltrators had been killed while four escaped back to the Pakistani territory. Altaf Hussain had stated that youths from Kashmir were being forcibly taken to Pakistan for arms training and were being pushed into Jammu and Kashmir at gun-point. The youth of the PoK were also being forced to join the camps. During 2000 and 2001, as many as 145 infiltrators had surrendered while during the first seven months of this year 97 militants had laid down their weapons. |
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1,979 polling booths in valley ‘hypersensitive’ Srinagar, September 13 While 1,979 polling stations, out of total 3,397, are ‘hyper-sensitive’, remaining 1,418 polling stations fall in the category of
sensitive, he said. On security measures of these polling stations, Mr Kumar said nearly three sections of security personnel were deployed at ‘hyper-sensitive’ polling stations, and for sensitive polling stations, two sections were detailed. This deployment was in addition to the state police. Besides, the 60,000-strong state police which mainly is looking after the election process except the skeleton staff at police stations and important establishments in the state, the state has also received hundreds of companies of paramilitary forces to check any untoward incident during elections in the valley, Mr Kumar said. The paramilitary forces, include companies of the CRPF, the BSF, the ITBP and others, the Inspector General said, adding this time the state had received reinforcements well in time which would help judicious deployment thereof at various places. On polling stations of various areas, Mr Kumar said in Kupwara, Handwara, Baramula and Kargil districts going to the polls in the first stage of the four-phase assembly elections on September 16, there were 564 hyper-sensitive and 806 sensitive polling stations. There are 711 hypersensitive and 296 sensitive polling stations in Srinagar and Budgam
districts going to polls in second phase in these districts in 758 locations. In the districts of Pulwama and Anantnag, where polling will be held on October 1 in the third phase there are 704 hypersensitive polling booths out of a total of 1,020 polling stations in 860 locations, the Inspector General said. “Manning of 3,397 hypersensitive and sensitive polling booths in 2,866 locations is not easy but this time we have received the assistance well in time from other security agencies,” he said, adding “we have taken adequate security measures to check the incidents of violence”. He also said besides hundreds of additional paramilitary force personnel called for election duty, a regular “counter terrorist group” was functional to thwart any attempt by the militants to disrupt the election process.
PTI |
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Police
fires to disperse agitators Srinagar, September 13 Elsewhere, at least six persons, including three militants, were killed and six others including a ruling National Conference activist, were injured in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday. The security forces busted a hideout and recovered 213 pika rounds, two UBGL grenades and six anti-tank fuses from an orchard in Keller area of Pulwama district yesterday. A major tragedy was averted when they detected an IED weighing 10 kg in Maisuma area this morning. Agitated demonstrators in Maisuma locality also burnt copies of some local newspapers for identifying the youth as militants having indulged in a suicide attack on security force personnel. A police spokesman said one Bilal Ahmad Sheikh alias Babar Billa , a released militant of Maisuma died in a firing incident at Maisuma chowk while Nazir Ahmad Dar of Batamaloo got injured, who later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. The demonstrators burnt tyres and pelted stones on the police and security forces in the central Lal Chowk area. They also tore off and set ablaze various party flags displayed in the area ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections in Srinagar and Budgam district scheduled to be held in the second phase of elections on September 24. A National Conference activist was injured when unidentified militants fired upon him near his residence at Nowhatta in the city this afternoon. He has been shifted to a hospital, where his condition is stated to be critical. Another person, Bashir Ahmad was injured when unidentified militants fired upon him at Rainawari here last night. Three Pakistani militants were killed in an encounter with security forces at
Krumhara, Zachaldara in Vilgam area of Handwara in Kupwara district today. In another incident, a security force jawan was injured in an explosion near
Darosa, Lolab in Kupwara district. One militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Doda district of Jammu region. Unidentified militants shot dead Nazir Hussain, a village head, at Baghote in Poonch district last night. Three CRPF jawans were injured when militants opened fire towards their camp in Rajouri district. |
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Geelani’s shifting to jail stayed Srinagar, September 13 Staying its earlier order to shift Geelani to a jail in the state, the court on Wednesday allowed the state government’s plea that counsel Ghulam Mustafa was not authorised to represent the case as Senior Additional Advocate General Ishaq Qadri had been appointed for the job, Geelani’s lawyer Zafar Shah told PTI today On September 4, the High Court admitted Shah’s plea allowing Geelani’s shifting to a state jail from Ranchi on the ground of failing health, Shah said. Shah said the court also put aside his argument that under the amendment made to the state Constitution, the residents of Jammu and Kashmir could not be lodged in jails outside the state for crimes committed in the state. Meanwhile, a Hurriyat spokesman alleged that the state government was creating hurdles in the shifting of Geelani, ignoring his failing health “We strongly condemn this action of the state government,” the spokesman added.
PTI |
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800 Punjab officials deployed in Rajouri, Poonch Jammu, September 13 The officials will be deployed in three Assembly segments of Mendhar, Poonch-Haveli and Surankote in Poonch district and four segments of Nowshera, Darhal, Rajouri and Kalakote in Rajouri for smooth conduct of the poll, official sources said here today. Bulletproof vests have been provided to the officials posted in sensitive areas, they said, adding that election material was being distributed among poll parties, they said. They will act as polling and presiding officers along with the officials of the state government under the zonal and sectoral Magistrates, who have also been assigned the task of monitoring the poll process. The training in the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for both officials and voters was nearing completion with about 80 per cent population covered. Elaborate security arrangements have been made with the deployment of additional companies of paramilitary troops in these border districts, which are prone to infiltration, they said. NOWSHER:
Six buses carrying poll officials reached this border town amid tight security from Punjab last evening. Official sources said about 250 government employees from the neighbouring state reached here by Punjab Roadways buses. Many of them would have to trek 4 to 5 km with election material in the constituency, which is the least sensitive part of the Rajouri district.
PTI, UNI |
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Officer shifted for violating poll code Srinagar, September 13 He said the Director of Horticulture, Kashmir, will hold the charge of the Chief Horticulture Officer, besides his own duties. With a view to upholding the model code of conduct, the State Motor Garages Department has directed its drivers that vehicles of the department provided to ministers and their staff will not be used for electioneering in any case. The spokesman said, “The ECI has approved the shifting of polling station for migrant voters from Government High School, Battal Ballian, to community hall at the Battan Balian camp. The commission has also approved the proposal for a temporary structure in the Rastriya Sainik Board, New Delhi, as polling station for migrants.
UNI |
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Panthers
stage dharna Jammu, September 13 The workers raised anti-Farooq Abdullah slogans and blamed the National Conference for forcing Opposition leaders to suspend their poll campaign. In a communication to the Election Commission, Prof Bhim Singh has alleged that the “Z” security provided to him earlier had been withdrawn and now he has been given an inadequate security cover. He said one of his party candidates, Mr Harsh Dev Singh, who had already won the Best Legislator Award, had not been provided any security cover. |
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Poll notification Srinagar, September 13 |
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EC notification
on Lolab Srinagar, September 13 According to the notification, the National Conference has been called upon to nominate, if it so desired, another candidate by or before September 20.
UNI |
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