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Saturday,
September 28, 2002,
Chandigarh, India  
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Repolling
ordered in 9 booths Pak firing
not to deter Kathua voters Sakina
unfazed by militants’ threat
Bid on
another NC candidate’s life |
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Amarinder
campaigns for J&K candidates Gupta
accuses NC of subverting democracy Omar
dares Gupta to order probe Warrant
against Hurriyat activist Cong
threatens to pull out of poll 
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Repolling ordered in 9 booths Srinagar, September 27 There will be repolling in nine polling booths — three in Surankote, three in Mendhar, two in Budgam and one in Gandhinagar segments — following reports of violence, rigging or faulty EVMs in these areas, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Dheeraj Gupta told reporters here today. The nine polling stations would go to the polls on October 1 along with four other districts which go to the polls in the third phase of elections. Repoll has been ordered at polling station number 43a and 44a of the Budgam segment following reports of rigging there, Mr Gupta said adding that repolling would be held in two stations in the Mendhar segment and one in the Gandhinagar constituency on similar basis. In Surankote, repoll has been scheduled after reports of violence at two polling stations and a faulty EVM at another. Giving the revised
figures of polling for the second phase, Mr Gupta said after reports from all remote areas poured in the tally stood at 41 per cent for the districts of Jammu, Srinagar and Budgam. While the final tally for Jammu was 58 per cent, it was 46 per cent for Budgam and merely 11 per cent for Srinagar, he said adding that the latest figures included the votes polled by migrants also. The Kangan segment witnessed the highest poll turn-out of 52 per cent while Habbakadal registered a little over 2 per cent for Srinagar district. The Akhnoor and Chhamb sectors registered a 72 per cent turnout in Jammu district while Chrar-e-sharief topped with 63 per cent in Budgam district. Complaints were still pouring in about various malpractices during the elections and the commission was looking into them, Mr Gupta said. Allaying fears of various political parties about possible manipulation of EVMs, Mr Gupta said the machines were locked in the strong room and there was no
possibility of the misuse. About the recovery of an EVM from a government employee in Kupwara district, he said, “the EVM was in the possession of the block development officer of the Lolab segment, who was returning from Sogam village after educating the polling staff there. Although Kupwara district went to the polls on September 16 in the first phase of poll, elections in the Lolab segment were countermanded to October 8 following the killing of state law minister and NC candidate Mushtaq Ahmad Lone on September 11.
PTI |
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Pak firing not to deter Kathua voters Hiranagar, September 27 Out of 142 polling stations over 75 per cent booths have been placed in hyper-sensitive category in the Bani and Billawar constituencies, due to militants’ threat. From across Hiranagar sector the Pakistani troops have resorted to heavy firing and shelling forcing about 15,000 persons to flee to safer places. Though residents have returned to their villages after spending four months in tented colonies and camps they fear resumption of firing from across the border. But, at the same time, they are determined to participate in polling. A voter, Kartar Singh said, “We will reply the Pakistani bullets with ballots”. At least 32 polling stations have been set up in villages close to the Pakistani border in this sector and in case the Pakistani troops resorted to firing alternate arrangements would be made to ensure uninterrupted polling. Since 1996 poll the security situation in Bani, Billawar and parts of Hiranagar has witnessed a major change. Six years ago these areas were free from militancy-related activities. Kathua district has an electorate of over 3.90 lakhs who have to decide the fate of 62 candidates. In 1996 poll there were only 44 candidates in the five Assembly segments. These constituencies registered over 58 per cent polling in 1996. Kathua has been a Congress stronghold and even when a pro-BJP wave had gripped several areas in the district voters had given a fractured verdict by electing Congress candidates from two constituencies (Basholi and Billawar) the NC, the BJP, and the BSP from the remaining three constituencies, Bani, Hiranagar and Kathua respectively. The Congress and the NC have fielded their candidates from all five constituencies.
Interestingly, all winners and most of the losers in 1996 elections are again in the field. Among prominent 1996 winners who are in the field are all five sitting MLAs, Mr Ghulam Hyder (NC), Mr Balbir Singh and Mr Lal Singh (both Congress) Mr Prem Lal (NC), Mr Sagar Chand (BSP). It is only Mr Prem Lal who has changed his political hue by resigning from the BJP to get the NC ticket from Hiranagar. In 1996, the Kathua electorate gave a fractured verdict with two seats to the Congress, one each to the NC, the BJP and the BSP. In the Bani constituency having an electorate of over 37,000 it is going to be a contest among candidates of the NC, the BJP and the Congress. The NC candidate, Mr Ghulam Hyder, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, had won this seat in 1996 by a
margin of 2,364 votes against his nearest Janata Dal rival, Mr Lal Chand. Since Mr Lal Chand has been fielded by the BJP this time he poses greater threat to Mr Hyder than the Congress candidate. Mr Prem Sagar. There are nine candidates in the field in Basholi with NC having fielded a new face, Mr Raj Singh. It is mainly a contest between the Congress and the BJP. The Congress has fielded the sitting MLA, Mr Lal Singh, and the BJP banks on Mr Jagdish Raj who had defected from the Congress. In Billawar, there are 14 candidates in the field but the main contestants are from the Congress, the state Morcha and the NC. It may ultimately end in a close contest between the 1996 fighters — as Kashmir Singh of the State Morcha, who had contest on the BJP ticket in 1996, and Mr Balbir Singh of the Congress who had won by a margin of 632 votes against his nearest rival, Mr Kashmir Singh in 1996 election. Except for the Bani constituency, where the NC candidate, Mr Ghulam Hyder, is said to have contributed to the development of the area, the anti-incumbency factor may weigh heavy against the NC in other constituencies. |
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Sakina unfazed by militants’ threat Noorabad (Anantnag), September 27 Itoo has already survived four attacks. Twice a grenade was hurled outside her house, now being guarded by a full CRPF company. Also, the security camp in Damal Hanjipora, comprising one BSF and one RR company, is just a km away from Ms Itoo’s residence. Officials informed that the area beyond the security camp in Damal had been declared a hard target, following suspected movement of militants. Even a Congress cavalcade moving towards interior Noorabad for campaigning was sent back today. Personnel on duty said the orders to send back anyone proceeding towards Noorabad had been received from the top. “This is being done in the wake of suspected movement of hardcore militants in villages of Noorabad segment, especially in Damal Hanjipora. We are cautioning everyone. Whosoever enters will do so at their own risk”, said a security personnel. It was also learnt that the militants had been moving around in villages, warning people against cutting the corn produce, which they use for hiding. Rued a local, “This is the season for clearing the corn fields, but we have not yet started the work due to militants’ threat.” No wonder 50,000 voters of this hilly segment with 135 villages get nervous when questioned about voting. The Tribune team could visit Ms Sakina Itoo’s residence only after a senior BSF official granted the “permission to proceed at one’s own risk.” When contacted, Ms Itoo said that the security situation in Noorabad had never been so bad. She said the militants wanted to repeat the history by eliminating her. In 1994 they killed her father Wali Mohammad Itoo, a former state Assembly Speaker. In 2000, they gunned down her paternal uncle, who was not even a political activist. Even after surviving two IED blasts and two grenade attacks, Sakina has not stopped campaigning for the third phase. She said, “There is no going back on the political commitment. I have come very far and I know I will go farther.” After the killing of her father, Sakina quit the MBBS course she was pursuing in Bhopal to join politics. In 1996, she contested from Noorabad, defeating her nearest JD rival by a margin of 5059 votes. This time she faces a tough contest from Abdul Aziz Zargar, a former NC minister, who joined the PDP after being refused NC mandate from Noorabad. Also in fray are candidates of the INC, the CPI, the CPM, the BJP and the Awami League. |
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Bid on another NC candidate’s life Srinagar, September 27 Militants detonated two explosives and attacked a security force picket causing injuries to 26 persons, including eight security personnel, across the valley during the period, he said. Mr Veeri and his supporters escaped unhurt when the militants hurled grenades and fired on an NC rally at Kanalwan in the Bijbehara constituency, which is going to polls in the third phase of elections on October 1. The militants also lobbed a hand grenade at security forces at Zirpora in the same constituency. The grenade exploded on the roadside without causing injury to anyone, he said. A fierce encounter took place between a joint party of the Army and the Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir police and militants at Cherwani Gulgam in the frontier Kupwara district late last night. During the night-long clash, three militants, including self-styled district commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad Shoukat War, was killed. There was a large haul of arms and ammunition after the skirmish, the spokesman said. He said the beheaded body of Mohammad Ismail Dar was found at Kathwar in the central Kashmir Badgam district while militants entered the house of Nawaz Khan at Banidpora and shot him dead. Militants also set fire to his house. Militants attacked a Jammu and Kashmir Armed police picket at Qoimuh in south Kashmir with automatic weapons causing injuries to four jawans. The spokesman said militants hurled a hand grenade at an Army vehicle at Pulwama, which goes to polls in the third phase on October 1. Twentytwo persons were injured in the attack. In another incident, an Army vehicle was damaged due to a powerful improvised explosive device blast at Arhama Kokernag in the south Kashmir Anantnag district last night. No one was injured in the blast. Meanwhile, security forces busted two militant hideouts at Mandi and Swajian in Poonch and seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition. The seizure included two AK-47 rifles with four magazines, 10 UBGL grenades and an explosive stick.
UNI, PTI |
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Amarinder
campaigns for J&K candidates Jammu, September 27 Addressing a series of pre-poll rallies in the company of the AICC General Secretary, Ms Ambika Soni, in Kathua, Hiranagar and Reasi, Capt Amarinder Singh sought voters’ support for the Congress to form government in Jammu and Kashmir under Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad. The Punjab Chief Minister’s opinion that the Congress alone could tackle militancy and corruption in the state was greeted with cheers by the crowd. Since the Kathua constituency falls on the border with Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh’s visit was organised by the Kashmir PCC to give a boost to the party candidates. Capt Amarinder Singh said militancy and corruption in Punjab had been checked only by the Congress governments. He said the same problem had afflicted Jammu and Kashmir and if voters supported the Congress these problems would be resolved. Ms Ambika Soni said the Congress had demanded holding of the polls under the Governor’s rule but Dr Abdullah opposed it tooth and nail. She said “our demand was genuine because we are for free and fair poll” and by opposing “our demand” Dr Abdullah wanted the Congress to pull out of the contest. She said the top BJP leaders, including the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister had not visited Jammu and Kashmir while almost all senior Congress leaders, including Ms Sonia Gandhi, visited the state. |
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Gupta accuses NC of subverting democracy Jammu, September 27 Addressing pre-poll rallies in Hiranagar and Billawar yesterday, Mr Gupta accused the NC of “subverting democratic system and nationalism in Jammu and Kashmir.” In this respect he referred to the first Assembly elections in the state in 1951 when the NC rejected Opposition candidates’ forms and elected a one party body to the Assembly. He said this trend had been followed by the NC, which had indulged in rigging thereby spoiling the political atmosphere in the state. The BJP leader said the Election Commission should investigate voters’ response to the call for boycott in only those areas where the NC candidates were weak. Mr Gupta equally castigated the Congress for being responsible for the militancy in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. He said whatever ills afflicted Jammu and Kashmir were the result of the misrule of the Congress and the NC during the past 55 years and appealed to the voters to reject these parties in the interest of peace and progress in the state. |
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Omar dares Gupta to order probe Srinagar, September 27 He was reacting to allegations by Mr Gupta in Jammu that the said encounter on September 23 and 24 was stage-managed by the police at the behest of the National Conference to scare away voters on the polling day. He has military intelligence at his disposal and both Corps Commanders in Srinagar and Jammu could be asked to probe into the incident, Omar said, adding that, “if he cannot do this, then he must keep quite. Accusing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mufti Mohammed Sayeed of entering into an unholy alliance with the BJP, Omar said senior BJP leaders were camping in Srinagar and Jammu to help PDP against the ruling party. Mr Gupta’s statement in Jammu had clearly indicated that the BJP would be extending support to the PDP in the next state Assembly to be formed on October 12. To a question about the allegations by the PDP that the National Conference was using militant power to threaten voters, Omar brushed aside the remarks by pointing out that his party had borne the brunt of militancy.
PTI |
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Warrant
against Hurriyat activist Jammu, September 27 The warrants were issued by the POTA court yesterday on the request of the Crime Branch of the state police. The police has produced challan against Malik, Mushtaq Ahmed Dar of Batmaloo, Shamima, alias Shazia of Srinagar and Qadri in connection with the case on September 21. The four had been booked under POTA.
PTI |
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Cong threatens to pull out of poll Srinagar, September 27 Meanwhile, alleging large-scale rigging during the first two phases of the Assembly elections, the state unit of the Janata Dal (U) said: “We warn the Centre that any attempt to repeat 1987 will further alienate people from the national mainstream.”
UNI, PTI |
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Autonomy no solution: APHC Srinagar, September 27 |
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