 |
Sunday,
September 29, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
|
It’s
neck and neck in Pahalgam Dalits
hold key in Kathua
PDP
indulging in false propaganda: Omar |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
District status for
Reasi main issue UDHAMPUR CONSTITUENCY Inderesh
justifies statehood demand NC
promoting militancy: Prof Gupta Leaders
reach out to isolated villagers ‘Confine
SOG, STF to Police Lines’ Choppers
to drop poll staff Pak
shells Kargil areas Protest
over student’s death 2
scientists hurt in accidental blast
|
|
It’s neck and neck in Pahalgam Pahalgam, September 28 The ruling National Conference, which has been representing the seat for the past four terms, has its local cadres “under pressure”, according to residents of the area. “They do not want to be identified,” hold many residents. They also claim that people are least interested in taking part in the elections for a number of reasons. Firstly, there is pressure from militants who have shown presence during the Amarnath yatra over the past several years. The ruling party representatives have hardly come to the expectations of people over the years, hold the residents. This constituency has the distinction of being represented by prominent Kashmiri Pandit leaders, including senior Congress leader, Makhan Lal Fotedar in 1967 and 1972. It has also returned the former minister and senior National Conference leader, Pyare Lal Handoo in 1977 and 1983 elections. Later he represented the Pandit dominated Habbakadal constituency in
Srinagar in 1987 and 1996. It was also represented by Rafi Ahmed Mir of the Congress in 1987, who is contesting the elections at present. Away in Aishmuqam, a part of the constituency, 20 km short of this scenic spot, on the Khannabal-Pahalgam road, there is mixed response to candidates of several political parties. The Congress had on September 22 decided to withdraw its candidates from three key constituencies of Pahalgam, Beijbehera and Homeshalibugh with a view to dividing opposition vote and thereby oust the NC. But, the Congress candidate, Mohammad Yusuf in Pahalgam seems to have not withdrawn and is engaged in campaigning along the Aishmuqam Pahalgam range. According to residents, he has defied instructions from the party. Several other parties having fielded their candidates have also been frequenting the area and holding roadside public meetings to woo voters in their favour. The PDP candidate, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, is camping here to woo voters and has been campaigning in deep jungles daring threats of militants. The National Conference president and chief ministerial candidate, Mr Omar Abdullah, addressing a public meeting at Qazigund yesterday said Ms Mehbooba Mufti had “sensed defeat in Pahalgam because the National Conference candidate, Rafi Mir is a very formidable candidate and is very popular in the area, and is now indulging in a false propaganda”. With the death of Vinod Kumar contesting candidate of the J&K Panthers Party, in a road accident on September 16, there are six candidates in the fray. They include the NC candidate, Rafi Ahmad Mir, Mehbooba Mufti, PDP, Ghulam Nabi CPM, Mohammad Yusuf, Congress, Mohammad Yusuf Malik, BJP, besides an Independent, Nazir Ahmed Khan. There is an electorate of 58,201, including 30,519 men and 27,682 women for which 60 polling stations have been set up. |
|
Dalits hold key in Kathua Kathua, September 28 With a strength of over 35,000 out of a total of 1.12 lakh voters, Dalits hold the key in Kathua district. In 1996 Mr Sagar Chand had won the seat as a BSP candidate, but two factors seem to go against him. First, a veteran, Mr Rattan
Chand, a former police officer, has been fielded by the Congress and he may not allow the BSP nominee to get a majority of the Dalit votes. Secondly, Mr Sagar Chand is being openly criticised for not having done anything for the development of the
constituency. Gurdeep Singh, a dhaba owner in Raj Bagh, said “even if Mr Sagar Chand polls 35 per cent of the Dalit votes, he will win”. However, Mr Ajit
Bawa, sarpanch of Padiyari village, said the BSP candidate might not get full support from his village voters as he had neglected the hamlet. Mr Babu Singh (Independent) has posed a serious challenge to the Congress, NC, BJP and BSP candidates as he has been drawing bigger crowds. Several buses were seen carrying banners seeking support for Mr Babu Singh. But Punjab
Chand, a senior Congress worker, said: “Babu Singh has rallied round teenagers, who are not eligible voters, to demonstrate his strength”. Mr Mohinder Paul
(Shiv Sena), who tries to prove his close proximity to Mr Bal Thackeray by showing to visitors pictures depicting him with the Sena
supremo, believes that the main contest in this constituency is between Mr Babu Singh and him. This assertion is ridiculed both by the Congress and the BJP. In this constituency and that of Hiranagar the prestige of the Union Minister of State for Defence, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, is at stake because the candidates fielded by the party are his choice. It was he who brought a Congress stalwart, Mr Lal
Chand, to the BJP fold and got the party ticket for him. Mr Lal Chand had contested the 1996 poll as an Independent when he was denied the Congress ticket and lost to Mr Sagar Chand
(BSP) by a margin of 1,129 votes. He had polled 22.91 per cent of the votes which was far higher than that polled by the Congress and the NC. Hence, he could have enjoyed the edge over his rivals, but a major chunk of the district unit of the BJP, led by the president, Mr Ranjit Singh, has not been campaigning in favour of the party candidate. The case is similar to the Congress where a section of the workers and leaders was in favour of Mr Naresh Kumar for getting the Congress ticket. The NC has fielded a new face, Mr Ajit Kumar, and the party waits for the Power Minister, Mr S.S.
Slathia, to turn the tide in favour of the National Conference as the constituency has a sizeable chunk of Rajput voters. And the BSP is hoping that the UP Chief Minister, Ms
Mayawati, may be able to perform within the next two days. Mr Rajinder Sharma, who looks after the BJP election office, believes that the tussle in Kathua is between the BSP and the BJP. But the Congress pins its hopes on a split in the BJP and Dalit votes. However, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta has managed to win back disgruntled elements in the BJP as he is influential in the area. He nursed the belt, which is part of the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, which Professor Gupta won in 1998 and 1999, by carrying out development work and providing gainful employment to many. In 1996 the NC had polled 5.63 per cent of the votes out of 63.41 per cent polled votes. On the basis of this figure, it may be a miracle if the NC wins the seat, with the anti-incumbency factor going against it. The Brahmin-dominated Hiranagar constituency has nine candidates in the field. It is a reserved constituency and here the main contest is among the candidates belonging to the BJP, the Congress and the NC. In 1996 the seat had gone to the BJP but this time the 1996 winner, Mr Prem
Lal, has been fielded by the National Conference. He faces a serious challenge from his old rival, Mr Girdhari Lal (Congress), who had lost to him by a margin of over 22,000 votes. Besides the anti-incumbency factor, Mr Prem Lal’s defection to the NC and his “failure” to carry out development work appear to go against him. In the initial stages of his campaign he received hardly any support from voters, but gradually he has started regaining ground by touching the feet of elders in the constituency. But according to Mr Vinod
Chalotra, son of the Congress candidate, Mr Girdhari Lal, “the divided BJP has lost its strength to dislodge the Congress from
Hiranagar.” Indications are that it is going to be a neck and neck race among the candidates belonging to the Congress, the BJP and the NC. The BJP has fielded Mr Gopal Das, who, as an Independent, had polled 15.53 per cent of the total votes polled (60.12 per cent) in 1996. There is no discernible wave in favour or against any party. It was the Congress all the way in Kathua and Hiranagar in the initial stages, but of late the BJP, the NC and the BSP besides an Independent
candidate in Kathua have started rocking the Congress fortress in the same way an Independent candidate, Mr Manohar
Lal, has posed a problem for the candidates of the three major parties in the Billawar constituency. |
|
CONSTITUENCY PROFILE/ BEIJBEHARA Beijbehara (Anantnag), September 28 Except for the to and fro movement of highly guarded election vehicles fitted with loudspeakers on the about 2-km stretch of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, this township has hardly any semblance of election activity. This constituency, part of Anantnag district and hometown of former Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed goes to the polls in the third phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir on October 1. “We will not participate in the elections”, said a resident, Shabir Ahmad while lamenting over the apathetic attitude of the governments following the “massacre” on October 22 nine years ago. “Only false promises have been made over the years and nobody has tried to really wipe the tears of those in trauma following the tragedy”, said another resident. The paramilitary troopers are visible not only along the highway, but are also dotted inside the marketplaces on either sides of the highway. The offices of some candidates contesting the elections, stand isolated under protection by the security forces. No party flags are seen around within the marketplace or the villages adjacent to it. This constituency which elected Ms Mehbooba Mufti in the 1996 elections as a Congress candidate, is being represented by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, Abdul Rahman Veeri, Ms Mufti had resigned from the membership of the Assembly and the Congress on July 23, 1999, to constitute the PDP with her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Veeri of the PDP got elected later in the byelections held along with the Lok Sabha elections in 1999. He seeks reelection from this constituency, while Ms Mehbooba Mufti, is contesting from Pahalgam, that was unsuccessfully contested by her mother, Gulshan Akhtar as Congress candidate in the 1996 elections. The PDP candidate, Abdul Rahman Bhat (Veeri) is pitted against seven other candidates while the ruling National Conference has fielded its old stalwart, Abdul Ghani Veeri, who has represented the constituency consecutively for three terms. |
|
PDP indulging in false propaganda: Omar Qazigund (Anantnag), September 28 Barring some roadside election rallies and movement of vehicles fitted with loudspeakers the election fervor is hardly visible in the area. The highly protected candidates of the ruling party and others have been restricting their movements in view of the increased number of attacks. The Minister of State for Tourism, Ms Sakina Ittoo, had survived four attacks on her life during this month and has been put under high security cover. “The people of the state have rejected the PDP because they have realised that the PDP has nothing concrete to offer to the people”, he said. Omar Who is contesting as a Chief Ministerial candidate from the prestigious Ganderbal constituency in Srinagar district, was here to campaign for his party’s candidate and the minister, Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Shah, seeking re-election from Devsar constituency of Anantnag district on either side of the Srinagar-Jammu National highway, 70 km from Srinagar. The National Conference President accompanied by other party leaders said the PDP was “perturbed by its rejection by the voters and is now indulging in a face saving exercise”. He
pointed out that the PDP candidate and daughter of the former Union Home Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti “sensed defeat” in Pahalgam, and was indulging in a “false propaganda”. Forest Minister, Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Shah, who is seeking re-election from his constituency of Devsar has represented the area for the past three consecutive terms. He was elected from this constituency in 1983, 1987 and 1996 elections. An electorate of 54,971 voters including 31,374 men and 23,597 women would decide the fate of the seven candidates on October 1. Other candidates in the fray are Mohammad Sartaj Madni of the PDP, Mohammad Yaqub Ganai of the CPM, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat of the BJP, Ghulam Qadir Kully of the Awami League, Mr Khalid Mushtaq of the National Congress Party (NCP) and an independent, Tribawan
Krishen. |
|
District status for
Reasi main issue Reasi, September 28 The entire Reasi area, consisting of three Assembly segments of Reasi, Gulabgarh and Gool-Arnas, is prone to terrorist activisties. Mr Jagjivan Lal, earlier has represented the constituency twice. First he won on NC ticket and became a minister. In the last election in 1996 he was a candidate of the Janata Dal and won the election. However, he deserted the party and again joined the NC sometime ago. Although Reasi has been the stronghold of the BJP, but the party failed to win the seat eversince the senior leader, Mr Rishi Kumar Kaushal, quit politics following the sabotage of an agitation allegedly by some partymen for the restoration of district headquarter status for
Reasi. |
|
UDHAMPUR CONSTITUENCY Udhampur, September 28 The Congress candidate, Mr Yash Pal Khajuria, is being challanged by Mr Rajinder Kumar, a Congress activist contesting as an Independent. Mr Pawan Kumar Gupta is the BJP candidate. A section of party’s cadre is supporting the Jammu State Morcha nominee, Mr Som Raj along with RSS volunteers. Mr Pawan Kumar Gupta exudes confidence as his predecessor from the constituency Mr Gupta senior has nursed the constituency rather well for the past over 50 years. Since young and energetic Balwant Singh, the Panthers Party nominee, is in the field, he is not taking any chances. Moreover, the Congress and the JSM have also got influence here. Interestingly, the BSP candidate, Mr Vijay Kumar, is a son of Mr Balak Ram, the District Congress Committee chief. Mr Vijay Kumar is also the district president of the BSP. There is scare in the BJP camp, particularly Lala Shiv Charan Gupta, who has vacated the seat for his son, as a senior RSS leader, Mr Inderesh, is campaigning for the JSM. Earlier, Mr Khajuria represented the Chenani constituency and stayed out of Udhampur district. Besides he had got the ticket only after the other candidates had launched their campaign. In the 1996 Assembly elections, the number of nominees was seven. Now it is 14. In the adjoining constituency of Chenani the BJP nominee Mr Prithvi Chand, is not getting enough support from party activists. Some of them are working for Mr Faquir Nath of the Panthers Party. The contest might be between Mr Faquir Nath and the Congress nominee, Mr Krishan Chander. Mr Harshdev Singh of the Panthers Party, who was given the best legislator award, is seeking re-election from the Ramnagar constituency. However, things might not be so easy for him. He had won the last election with a thin margin of 601 votes against Mr Khalil Allaha Qazi of the BSP. There are eight other candidates in the field. |
|
Inderesh
justifies statehood demand Udhampur, September 28 Mr Inderesh, who is campaigning for the JSM candidates, has given sleepless nights to the BJP which had in earlier elections been helped by the RSS. He told TNS that it was wrong to say that the JSM’s demand of statehood for Jammu would mean the communal division of the state. The
reorganisation of the state was being sought on linguistic, geographical and cultural basis. He said apprehensions were wrong that Kashmir as an independent unit would go to Pakistan on a platter. Kashmiri Muslims would never opt to go with Pakistan, he said. Mr Inderesh said the statehood movement had received support from a cross-section of society and residents of the Jammu region were feeling the pinch of continuing to be a part of Kashmir, whose leadership had always discriminated against this region. He said with the JSM contesting the elections for the first time, the aim was to carry the message of statehood to each and every household. Moreover, if some candidates of the JSM won they would be in a position to raise their voice for statehood and point out instances of discrimination against Jammu in a better manner at the right forum. All other parties had failed to raise the issue. He said that terrorism would get confined to the Kashmir valley, where it could be tackled effectively in a smaller area, if Jammu was made a separate state and Ladakh was granted Union Territory status. Mr Inderesh said although various parties and individuals had from time to time been raising the demand of statehood for Jammu, the issue had come on the agenda only after the RSS made the demand at its national-level meeting at Kurukshetra. He said the Kashmir issue was “our internal problem” and the government should not internationalise it. |
|
NC promoting militancy: Prof Gupta Jammu, September 28 Addressing election rallies in far-flung areas of Chenani, Gool and Latti in Udhampur district, where polling is to be held on October 1, Professor Gupta said despite the fact that the Centre reimbursed all security related expenses the state government revamped neither the existing Village Defence Committees (VDCs) nor set up new ones. He praised the VDC members for containing activities of militants therefore the Centre had decided to increase their number and equip them with better weapons. He charged that National Conference leadership used all means to render VDCs ineffective and exposed them to militant attacks. The Union Minister alleged that while the servants of the NC leaders drew salary from the amount earmarked for the VDC members genuine VDC members were not being given honorariums. He said due to such behind-the-scenes activities, militancy had spread to the Jammu region in the six years of NC rules. He castigated the NC and the Congress for making false promises to the people in respect of the recommendations of the Wazir Commission and the Gajendragadkar Committee. He said that the Wazir Commission report was submitted 25 years ago and that of the Gajendragadkar Committee in 1969 and wondered why the NC and the Congress governments during these years did not implement the reports. Professor Gupta also blamed the NC government for misusing central funds meant for the supply of drinking water health services and job opportunities making the people suffer. He said a vote against the NC and the Congress was a vote for the state’s political, economic stability and peace. |
|
Leaders
reach out to isolated villagers Kathua, September 28 This is what is happening these days and no wonder the Power Minister, Mr S.S. Slathia, too, found time to address a pre-poll rally in favour of the NC candidate in these cluster of villages, called the Kanyakumari of Kashmir for its isolated location. “We are part of Jammu and Kashmir but we bank on Punjab for irrigation, drinking water and communication facilities,” said a village elder, Makhan Singh. He said “whenever we have to visit Kathua district headquarters we have to travel from Punjab, an extra 45 km, as there is no direct road between Kathua and our villages.” Another farmer, Wurayam Singh said: “We had demanded a bridge over the Ravi river and politicians have been promising it during the election time”. He said “it is only when the Ravi river is dry we walk to Kathua crossing the river bed, which is a short route”. Ranjit Singh, who was busy harvesting paddy, pointed towards a dispensary and said: “The building is in a dilapidated condition. There is no doctor and medicines.” The eight villages do not have even one primary health cantre. He said: “There is only one high school. As a result 95 per cent students drop out of the school after completing the 10th standard examination. Only those who have resources send their wards to Kathua for higher studies”. Devi Lal was more bitter when he said “we do not have any telephone or a PCO in our area. We have to travel to Pathankot to talk to our friends or relation. Whenever someone falls ill we have to take the patient to Pathankot”. He said “out of 15000 people over 4500 are registered voters but some of them are eligible for voting only in the Lok Sabha poll as they are refugees from West Pakistan who had migrated to Jammu in 1947”. “We boycotted the poll hoping that our problems will be looked into. But there was no response from the government and for the last six years not a single politician or minister has visited our area” said Devi Lal. For long they will have to suffer deprivation and isolation. Nobody has an answer. “We would have starved had not we converted our area into a mini rice producing bowl. We produce superior Basmati and a portion of which was being send to other states. It is the only means of our survival”. Was the common refrain in the area. |
|
‘Confine SOG, STF to Police Lines’
Srinagar, September 28 The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh in the wake of allegations that STF and SOG personnel were helping the ruling National Conference in the Assembly poll. State’s Chief Electoral Officer Pramod Jain said SOG and STF would remain confined to the Police Lines until all electronic voting machines were deposited in their respective strong rooms after the polling on October 1. He said several political parties had cast aspersions on the role of SOG and STF in the first two phases of polling. “Most of these apprehensions were pre-emptive, though some may have justifications”, Mr Jain said. The Election Commission, however, has issued special guidelines to the state government in case of any emergency where STF’s services would be required in anti-militancy operations. The guidelines and procedures will have to be strictly followed by the state government.
PTI |
|
Choppers to drop poll staff
Jammu, September 28 This was decided at high-level meeting of state officers with Election Commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner, J.M. Lyngdoh at district headquaters in Doda yesterday, official sources said here Of the 534 total polling stations —243 hyper-sensitive and 291 sensitive, 46 such polling booths fall in the remote and inaccesible areas in five constituencies in the district. The meeting also reviewed the security arrangements of this land-locked and mountaneous district. It was also decided that every polling station in all six segments will be provided with wireless sets for better communications, the sources said adding Mr Lyngdoh emphasised the need for free, fair and transparent poll in the district. Besides, Mr Lyngdoh, the meeting was attended by two Election Commissioners— T.S. Krishnamurthy and B.B. Tandon, Chief Secretary I.S. Malhi and Director General of Police A.K. Suri.
PTI |
|
Pak shells Kargil areas
Jammu, September 28 No loss of life or injury was reported in Pakistani shelling in Mushkoh and artillery firing in Battalick yesterday, they said adding that Indian troops retaliated. Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire along the LoC in Tangdhar, Uri sector of Kashmir valley and Rajouri and Poonch sectors of Jammu division last night, the sources said. Intermittent exchange of fire was reported along the border from Kanachak, Dab-Sudan, Layal Camp, Beli Azmat, Dera Nappu, Chaddgali, Panjore, Chinore Farm, Zero Point, Kote-Kuba, S.H. Way, Budhwar, Khatmarian, Karotna Khurd, Dulmachak and Sadheychak in Jammu and Kathua districts.
PTI |
|
Protest
over student’s death Srinagar, September 28 Hundreds of people, mostly women, blocked the main road at Haft-Chinar that connects the entire Central Kashmir with the summer capital, protesting against the death of the student and injuries to the other three after they were hit by a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle this morning. The police fired several rounds in the air and also burst teargas shells to disperse the unruly demonstrators. A number of persons were injured in the police action. Earlier, demanding immediate arrest of the driver, they blocked road for more than six hours on the national highway, Srinagar-Charar-e-Sharief, Srinagar-airport and Srinagar-Yusmarg routes. Shops and educational institutions remained closed in the uptown.
UNI |
|
2 scientists hurt in accidental blast Jammu, September 28 Laboratory Director R.L. Dhar said the city police had seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition last month and the same was sent to the laboratory for test. “Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Jammu west, had sent an arms consignment which was sealed and attested by the Executive Magistrate, Jammu. It was clearly mentioned on the consignment that detonators and grenades were defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) of the state police,” Dr Dhar said. He said when the scientists opened the sealed consignment, a detonator went off accidentally, injuring two scientist. The injured have been identified as Rakesh Hangloo, scientific officer, and Rohit Koul, scientific assistant. Both were admitted in Government Medical College, Jammu. “It was negligent of the police officials to send live grenades and detonators for a test,” Dr Dhar said and added that a large quantity of RDX was also placed in the laboratory at the time of the blast. “God saved us from a disastrous blast,” Dr Dhar said. A case has been registered by the Gandhinagar police in this regard.
UNI |
 |
| 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 | |
CONSTITUENCY PROFILE/
BEIJBEHARA
In video: Omar, Farooq and Mufti Mohammad Syeed address separate
election rallies in Kashmir as campaigning reaches its peak ahead of
third phase of voting next Tuesday. (
