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Thursday,
October 10, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Kashmir panel hobnobbing with Cong,
PDP: NC NEWS ANALYSIS 800 killed during poll
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Security check for newborn Lolab (Kupwara), October 9 The threat of a militant strike loomed so large in this constituency in the elections that even a new-born baby was subjected to intense security check before her mother was allowed to enter a polling station to cast vote.
Prohibitory orders
in valley Philately in J&K schools
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Kashmir
panel hobnobbing with Cong, PDP: NC Jammu, October 9 With the Congress and the PDP making loud assertions on forming a government the National Conference leadership has started fearing a coup. The NC General Secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed, said the Central Government, its agencies along with the Congress and the PDP were scheming a repeat of the 1953 coup in which the duly elected government headed by Sheikh Abdullah was dismissed and the Sheikh put behind the bars. He said Delhi had started financing anti-NC forces in Kashmir to prevent it from forming the government. He said that the Central agencies were banking on “stooges” for dislodging the NC government the way Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed, G.M. Sadiq and Syed Mir Qasim were used in the past. The NC President has gone a step further by announcing snapping its ties with the Kashmir Committee, headed by Mr Ram Jethmalani, on the charge that the committee was hobnobbing with Congress leaders for subverting the poll verdict. He has even dubbed the Kashmir Committee as a Congress committee.” At the same time he asserted that the NC would form the government as it was hopeful of bagging atleast 50 seats in the Assembly. He said in order to prevent the NC from forming the government the Congress had started “its old games” of staging a coup on the pattern of 1977 and 1984, in case of the former the Congress withdrew its support to the government headed by Sheikh Abdullah, and the Congress manipulating defections within the NC in 1984 which resulted in the fall of the Farooq-led government. The National Conference leadership has been peeved at a series of secret parleys Prof Saifuddin Soz, a former MP, who recently joined the Congress after having been expelled from the NC four years ago, has had with Mr Jethmalani and other senior Congress leaders in Delhi besides the top brass of the PDP. The Congress and the PDP have placed the NC leadership in a state of uncertainty following the loud assertion that the Congress would form the government. However, the NC leadership has not yet lost hope as it is confident to emerge, atleast, the largest single party in the Assembly with chances to form the government with the support of some Independent candidates. It has already received a report that 15 Independent candidates, who have formed a united forum, have the support and blessings of the Congress. Congress leaders have plans of banking on these Independent candidates, in case they win the elections. Even in an atmosphere of deep suspense and uncertainty over the poll verdict the Congress-PDP combine have started discussing the names of leaders who could be the next Chief Minister and so far three names all doing round in the Congress and the PDP circles and they are PCC chief, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mufti Mohd. Sayeed, and Prof Saifuddin Soz. In case of the National Conference there is no such problem as the dice has been cast in favour of Mr Omar Abdullah, who, during his hectic pre-poll campaign, made repeated assertions on being the new Chief Minister of the state. He even spelt out the policies he would
peruse for ameliorating the lot of people. Political analysts are of the view that the Centre should respect the verdict of the voters and leave it to the elected members to decide the fate of the largest party in the Assembly as far as the government making is concerned without any group indulging in horse trading. |
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NEWS ANALYSIS Jammu, October 9 The four-phase polling rendered several hundred people destitute, many widowed and others orphaned. Though the battle between the bullet and the ballot left 262 civilians dead, since August 2, when the poll schedule was announced, it turned out to be a triumph for those who voted and for those who died while fighting for the sanctity of the poll process. Though the polling percentage was not far lower than that witnessed in 1996 (52.29 per cent) in several Assembly segments, in the state the voting percentage ranged between 60 and 76. This indicated that voters were in a mood to defy the call for boycott given by some separatists and militant outfits. Ever since the poll schedule was announced on August 2, militants carried out a series of attacks in which 88 civilians were killed in the month of August and 12 others in crossfire between rebels and security forces. As the date of polling drew near, rebels stepped up the gun and grenade fire in September, killing 129 civilians. Even during the phase IV polling, 33 civilians were killed between October 1 and 8. As many as 152 security personnel, including 29 police personnel, were killed in militancy-related violence in different parts of the state between August 2 and October 8. But the security forces’ morale was neither down nor out. From August 1 to October 8, as many as 368 militants were eliminated and 90 arrested. September was a “bloody” period for politicians of different hues and grades because during this period 32 out of 46 political activists were killed by the militants. In August only nine political activists were gunned down and during first eight days of October, five political activists lost their lives. The National Conference suffered heavily when it lost over 37 party workers and leaders, including the Law Minister, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, who was the NC candidate in the Lolab Constituency. In the rise in the rebel-spurred violence, 275 security personnel and 488 civilians were wounded. Most of the injured were from 70 explosions and 107 grenade attacks, registered between August 1 and October 8. When the poll notification was announced, many had doubts whether the state would witness polling at all. Many feared that the polling percentage may not cross 10. However, except for the eight segments in Srinagar district and some pockets of Anantnag, Sopore and Baramula, the remaining 32 constituencies in the Kashmir valley registered a voting figure ranging from 40 per cent and 44 per cent. In the Jammu region, poll analysts and political leaders had expected not more than 25 per cent polling in the troubled Doda, Rajouri and Poonch districts and the upper reaches of the Udhampur constituency. But they proved wrong as these areas witnessed between 45 per cent and 60 per cent turnout. When on October 1 terrorists attacked a passenger bus and some passersby at Hiranagar Morh, killing eight civilians, one had expected a poor turnout of voters, but more than 45 polling percentage was recorded in Hiranagar and the adjoining Kathua constituencies. People had written off polling in Doda on October 8 when militants attacked a polling station in Doda town, killing two CRPF personnel, but the constituency witnessed 48 per cent polling. Whether in the militancy-infested Kupwara district or the troubled South Kashmir, the voting percentage was reasonable and wherever it was poor, it was the result of conviction and convenience on the part of voters instead of scare because wherever the terrorists had created high voltage fear, voting was reasonable. According to the analysts the Assembly poll this time has been a more “bloody” affair than the Lok Sabha election in 1999 and the Assembly poll in 1996. In 1989 people were gripped more by scare, as militancy was in its infancy, than by violence, whereas in 1996, people participated in the poll process as there was an urge for the replacement of the Central rule by an elected government. At that stage, the security forces too had goaded and coerced voters to cast votes. This time, coercion from security agencies was limited to a few far-flung segments in the state. This time, people demonstrated an urge for a change in the guard and it is to be seen whether majority of voters were going to oblige those who were for a change. One thing which went unnoticed was that between August, when the poll schedule was announced, till the end of phase three polling, the Pakistan troops did not rock the Indian border villages and pickets with gun, mortar and artillery fire to the level that was witnessed between January and July. This was part of the strategy of Islamabad to convey to the international community that Pakistan had no intention of disrupting the poll process in Jammu and Kashmir. The Election Commission took quick note of even minor complaints. Besides ordering repoll in more than 10 polling stations, it saw to it that officers, not acceptable to the candidates, were removed from the districts they were posted. While many will have sweet memories of the poll process as it nailed the lie of the separatists that people were for a plebiscite and not for the election, others’ mouth will remain bitter with the bloodshed 45-day poll process experienced. |
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800 killed during poll
Srinagar, October 9 Giving details, Director-General of Police A.K. Suri told reporters here that state Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, Independent candidate from Handwara Abdul Rehman Shiekh and about 50 political activists were also killed by militants during the four-phased state Assembly poll. Mr Suri said the state police also lost 27 of its personnel in its fight against militants who were out to create disturbances during the poll. The DGP said more than 500 civilians and nearly 220 security personnel were injured during the period. He said the ruling National Conference (NC) bore the major brunt of militant violence as 28 of its activists were killed, followed by five workers of the Peoples Democratic Party, three each of the CPI and the Nationalist Congress Party and one of the Congress, besides five Independent candidates. Three panchayat members and one sarpanch were also shot dead by militants, he said. Of the 2,031 election rallies organised by political parties, the NC took the lead by holding 877 election meetings across the state, followed by the PDP (330), Congress (323), BJP (144) and Independents (141), he said. The DGP said militants carried out more than 50 attacks on the polling stations to scare away voters. On the successful completion of the elections in the state, an official spokesman said the overwhelming percentage of polling recorded in the four-phased elections demonstrated the victory of the ballot over bullet. The unprecedented percentage of voting proved that the people rejected the rule of bullet and favoured ballot despite heightened killings by militants, he said. He said 46 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in the four phases, giving a befitting reply to militants and their mentors across the border who did everything to derail the poll process, in Doda, a 52 per cent turnout was recorded. The spokesman said the percentage was higher than recorded in parliamentary elections but lower than the 1996 Assembly poll. In their commitment to democracy, people came out in large numbers to vote notwithstanding threats, intimidation, violence and anti-election propaganda, he added. He said 43.14 per cent polling was registered in 1998, which fell to 37.24 in 1999. In the 1996 elections, 54.04 per cent voter turnout was recorded. The number of candidates increased from 518 in 1987 to 546 in 1996. This time 710 candidates contested. The Election Commission (EC) transferred nearly 50 senior civil and police officials in the state after complaints were received against them. The officials transferred included Additional Director-General of Police (Security) K.P. Gill and Superintendent of Police Kupwara district G.M. Dar. The elections were witnessed by diplomats from the USA, Canada, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Britain, Italy, the European Commission, Luxembourg, Spain, Greece, Italy and Germany. A number of representatives of non-governmental organisations, observers and mediapersons also visited several parts of the state during the elections, which were keenly watched across the globe, he said. UNI
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Security check for newborn
Lolab (Kupwara), October 9 The baby was checked thoroughly with metal detectors and other security gadgets before the security forces allowed her mother to go inside the polling booth at Sogam in the Lolab segment where elections were held yesterday. The authorities were taking no chances and extra-precautionary measures were in place to ensure fool-proof security in this most highly-sensitive constituency of the frontier Kupwara district. “We have clear cut directions from our seniors that the voters should be checked thoroughly before being allowed to enter inside the polling booths to exercise franchise,” a woman cop said. The baby’s mother, however, did not resist the move and cooperated with the cop. “I got angry initially...A newly born cannot be a fidayeen but then they are doing it for our safety. I have no complaints,” said Zahida, the mother. “We have strict orders to conduct thorough security check of mothers carrying their babies to the polling stations. In the past militants have used innovative methods to carry out strikes in the state...They can do anything to meet their goals but we have to be alert and safeguard the lives of the civilians,” she said. She said just two days before the polling militants had detonated a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the Government Degree College complex killing four Border Security Force (BSF) personnel. Four polling booths had been set up in the college building which later were shifted to the makeshift tents in the premises, she added. A senior BSF official said despite complete sanitisation the security forces were taking no chances as the area was heavily infested with militants. “There has been a spurt in violence in this constituency after the election process was set in motion...Even the campaigning has been hit hard by the violence,” he said. The official said several people, including a Minister had been killed in the militant violence in the past several days. The polling in the constituency, scheduled to be held in the first phase, was countermanded after unidentified gunmen killed Jammu and Kashmir Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mushtaq Ahmed Lone when he was addressing an election meeting at Takipora in Sogam on September 11, four days before the voting. Even yesterday, militants to scare away the voters detonated three IEDs in the premises of Animal Husbandry Department complex in the area when the polling was in progress. UNI
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Lone’s
family unhappy with murder case probe Lolab (Kupwara), October 9 A magisterial inquiry into the killing was also ordered by the government to find why the forces, including the security personnel, deployed there failed to react. The inquiry officer was asked to furnish the report within a fortnight. Highly placed official sources said police investigations into the killing was going on and it was too early to disclose anything. However, finger of suspicion points to the involvement of militants. The killing led to the countermanding of the election here. It was re-scheduled with the fourth and final phase of the elections on Tuesday, when polling in six other constituencies of Doda district was also conducted. The Election Commission after countermanding the elections called the National Conference to nominate its candidate. Candidates of other parties remaining untouched. The ruling party later nominated Qaiser Jamshed Lone, nephew of the assassinated minister, as its candidate from the Lolab constituency. For Qaisar Jamshed Lone it was new experience to be in poll fray after the assassination of his uncle, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, for he had to leave his government job in the Forest Department. Wearing a bullet-proof jacket and protected by Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel, the young Lone had been busy electioneering in the past two weeks before polling on Tuesday. For him it was not “forced entry” into politics, but to come up to the expectations of the people of this area, whom his uncle had “served for many years”. Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, elected for the first time from this constituency in 1996, became a Minister in the Farooq Abdullah government two years later, first as Minister of State for Home and then as Law Minister, following the death of Pyare Lal
Handoo. Commenting on the progress of investigations into the killing, Qaisar said that his family was not satisfied with the investigations of the case. “We are not satisfied with the investigations”, said his father, Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone, elder brother of the assassinated leader, accompanying the younger Lone to different polling stations. They claimed that even though certain persons involved in the killing had been ‘identified’, no action was taken so far. The police, they say, had instructions not to take any step till the polling was over on Tuesday. Long queues of voters outside polling booths in and around
Sogam, a village surrounded by slopes of lush green pine trees on surrounding hillocks, demonstrated the support for the former minister. “He (Mushtaq Lone) came to our help in difficult times”, said the villagers in one voice, as they converged on polling stations. This was destpite threats from militants bent upon disturbing the poll process. Three landmine blasts in a row detonated by suspected militants in the Animal Husbandry Complex outside Sogam at 11 a.m. on Tuesday did not panic voters, men and women, who jostled to enter the polling station at the earliest. Only two days before, four CRPF jawans were killed and another injured when militants detonated a powerful IED at the entrance of Government Higher Secondary School chosen for a polling station. The polling booths were shifted into tents on the lawns of the school following the explosion, according to a security official, adding that inconvenience caused to the voters was only due to the shifting of four polling booths in the open. “We are working in tough circumstances” said a security officer, whose battalion had been specially detailed for election duty from
Tripura.
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Prohibitory
orders in valley Srinagar, October 9 The restrictions will remain in force for a period of two months, an official spokesman said. The restrictions, being imposed from time to time during the more than a decade-old militancy in the valley, were lifted during the election period to enable candidates to campaign in Srinagar, Badgam, Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramula and Kupwara districts. Under the orders, assembly of four or more persons, besides taking out processions or holding public meetings in the district are banned. The restrictions will not apply to religious functions and congregations.
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Philately
in J&K schools Jammu, October 9 Mr G.Mohana Kumar, Chief Post Master General of the Jammu and Kashmir Circle, told mediapersons here today that only 140 account holders were registered with the Philately Bureau here. Workshops will be held in schools to promote this hobby among the children. He said that of the 42 post offices closed in Srinagar because of militant violence, 23 have been reopened and the remaining could not be restarted due to security reasons. Mr Kumar said that the J&K Circle was incurring loss of Rs 16 every year for running certain post offices. Total deficit of the circle this year was about Rs 9 crore. Ten new counters for booking speed post articles will be opened in the state in the current year. |
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