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Wednesday,
August 27, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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J&K
pins hopes on PM’s visit A policeman checks the identity of a woman bus passenger in Srinagar on Tuesday, where security has been tightened on the eve of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit. — PTI Militants
kill jawan on eve of PM’s visit |
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BJP
alleges bias against Jammu region EC
unlikely to recognise People’s Democratic Forum No-trust
move was to expose NDA: Soni Restore
autonomy, demands NC Draw of
lots for cellphones on September 1 One dies
in shelling by Pak Soldier
honoured after 38 years
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J&K pins hopes on PM’s visit Jammu, August 26 The Prime Minister’s main programme in Srinagar is to preside over an Inter-State Council meeting. The Prime Minister had, four months ago, announced that measures would be taken to ensure jobs for one lakh youths within two years. The AICC General Secretary, Ms Ambika Soni, told a Congress convention here yesterday that no step had been taken to fulfil the commitment of the Prime Minister as far as employment was concerned. The educated youth want the Prime Minister to initiate steps so that a beginning is made in providing jobs to them. Rakesh Kumar, a postgraduate, has not been able to get even a petty job on the plea that there “is a ban on fresh recruitment.” He and others expect the Prime Minister to announce lifting of the ban. Those connected with tourism, including houseboat owners and hoteliers, expect a suitable relief package in view of the losses they have suffered owing to a slump in tourist traffic because of militancy during the past 13 years. As far as a majority of the people in the Jammu region are concerned, they expect the Prime Minister to announce the Centre’s nod to the inclusion of Dogri in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, the implementation of the Wazir Commission report and an increase in cash relief for border migrants, besides long-term measures for the rehabilitation of these displaced families. As far as the state government is concerned, it expects suitable job and economic packages for the people of the state, besides the Central Government’s financial assistance in completing three major power projects, including the 900 MW Bhagliar project where the work has been either slowed down because of financial constraints. |
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Militants kill jawan on eve of PM’s visit
Srinagar, August 26 A BSF jawan was fired at from point-blank range in the busy business centre, Lal Chowk around 2.00 pm near Paladium Chowk while he was on duty, official sources said. The jawan died instantly while the militants managed to escape in the chaos and panic triggered by the shooting. The militants fired three rounds on the jawan from behind, but the BSF did not retaliate to avoid civilian casualties, they said. An hour and a half later, state police constable Riyaz Ahmed Shah was injured when militants opened fire outside Soura police station on the outskirts of Srinagar. The cop, who was hurt in the neck, was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was stated to be out of danger, they said. The outlawed Jaish-e-Mohammed reportedly claimed the responsibility for both the incidents. In another strike, militants opened fire on Zainapora police station in Pulwama district of south Kashmir wounding a police guard and fled the scene with the service weapon of the injured cop, the sources said. The attacks took place at a time when security had been tightened across the state ahead of Mr Vajpayee’s visit for the eighth Inter-State Council meeting beginning tomorrow. Five persons, including two militants, were killed in separate incidents in Kashmir valley since last night, official sources said today. Two militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces during search operations at Bandi village in Baramula district late last night, they said. The encounter broke out when the troops, acting on a specific information, raided a hideout to flush out militants. Some arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain terrorists, the sources added. Militants killed three persons at Narbahak in the Tral area of Pulwama district in south Kashmir last night, they said. JAMMU: The security forces repulsed a militant attack on a police post in Jammu division, where the police arrested an alleged militant guide and busted two hideouts in separate incidents, official sources said today. Militants opened indiscriminate firing on India Reserve Police (IRP) post in Kanthi area of Udhampur district yesterday, the sources said, adding that the jawans guarding the post returned the fire forcing the militants to retreat. However, one IRP jawan, Bodh Raj was injured in the firing and was admitted to a local hospital, they said. The police arrested a militant guide, identified as Mohammad Yousaf, in Reasi area of Udhampur district, who after questioning, led the securtiy forces to a hideout from where one AK magazine, 30 AK rounds, six Chinese rifles and grenades were seized, the sources said. During preliminary interrogation, Yousaf disclosed that he was working for Hizbul Mujahideen, they said, adding that he had been sent to joint interrogation centre for further investigation. Army troops busted a militant hideout in forest area of Poonch district and recovered 60 rounds of AK ammunition, two AK magazines, 45 rounds of Pika ammunition, 3 kg of explosive, four hand grenades and 90 pencil cells, they said.
— PTI |
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BJP alleges bias against Jammu region Jammu, August 26 Prof Hari Om, a spokesman of the BJP today accused the Congress and the Panthers Party of failure to protect the interests of the Jammu region as the PDP was concentrating on the Kashmir valley only. He demanded an end to the 56-year-old hegemony of the Kashmir valley over the Jammu region. The statement is considered significant in view of the two-day visit of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here which begins on Thursday. Prof Hari Om alleged that ‘insignificant’ portfolios had been allocated to the ministers belonging to the Jammu region and sought an explanation from the Mufti for appointing to government jobs 1391 persons of Kashmir against 372 from Jammu who were victims of terrorism. He claimed that while a Rs 3 crore was allocated to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, the Jammu Municipal Corporation was provided only Rs one crore. He alleged that the entire grant of Rs 20 crore received from the Centre was diverted to the Kashmir university ignoring the Jammu university. He pointed out that Rs 6.29 crore was earmarked for development of tourism in the Kashmir valley against Rs 94 lakh for the Jammu region. Of the Rs 400 crore received from the Centre for development of water resources in the state, Jammu was allocated only Rs 90 lakh, he alleged. He said that while the government had decided to add 50 seats in the medical college at Srinagar, not a single seat was being added to the Jammu Medical College. He said that while Rs 79 crore had been earmarked for development of the Wullar lake at Srinagar, the tourist spots of
Patnitop, Sansar, Mansar and Surinsar in the Jammu region were ignored. |
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EC unlikely to recognise People’s Democratic Forum Jammu, August 26 Mr M.Y. Tarigani, CPI-M MLA, who headed the alliance of Independent legislators in the Assembly, had stayed away from the PDF. He said without evolving any common minimum programme, he could not be associated with the PDF. The chief of the PDF, Hakeem Mohd Yaseen, a Cabinet minister, while announcing the conversion of the PDF into a political party, had stated that he would write to the Election Commission to recognise the PDF. Constitutional experts said recognition to a political party was granted by the commission if the members of the party contested the election under a particular party symbol. Since none of the 11 legislators and those Independents who had lost had not contested as candidates of the PDF, recognition of the PDF was out of question. Informed sources in the ruling coalition said the PDF was floated to bind some Independent MLAs so that they were not lured by any other political party. The PDF legislators would not be governed by the anti-defection law and would have no constitutional problem in crossing sides. The sources said another idea behind floating the PDF was to increase its bargaining power when expansion of the Council of Ministers was given the green signal and at the time of allocation of portfolios. At present, four members of the PDF had been given berth in the Council of Ministers and as such, it could not expect more. At the same time, its members would not like to miss a chance in case the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohd Sayeed, buckled under Congress pressure and expanded his ministry. The Congress leadership, the sources said, had mounted pressure on the Chief Minister to accommodate at least three more MLAs into the Council of Ministers. The Mufti is also under pressure from his PDP men for giving berth to more PDP MLAs in the Cabinet. |
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No-trust move was to expose NDA: Soni Jammu, August 26 Addressing a convention of Jammu district rural Congress workers at Miralian village of the border tehsil of R.S. Pura, Ms Soni said the no-confidence motion had succeeded in informing the nation about the misappropriation of funds meant for the welfare of defence personnel by the NDA government. She said the NDA regime had been exposed during the debate on the no-confidence motion. Congratulating the people of Jammu for rejecting the BJP in the Assembly elections, Ms Soni said there was a strong wave in favour of the Congress in the country. Jammu was considered a BJP stronghold, but the way people rejected the party was a clear indication that its gimmicks had been exposed before the masses, she said, adding, “Jammu will be repeated in the entire nation and people will be informed about the nefarious designs of the BJP”.
— UNI |
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Restore
autonomy, demands NC Srinagar, August 26 This demand was made at a high-level meeting of the party held here under the chairmanship of the general secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, on the eve of the two-day Inter State Council meet which begins here tomorrow. The members expressed concern over the approach of the successive Central government in this connection. “The subsequent Central governments made unnecessary and unconstitutional interventions and made this autonomy hollow and without substance”, said statement of the National Conference. Referring to the Sarkaria Commission recommendations, the National Conference leaders demanded that various states be given more powers. This, the member held, would to end the present atmosphere of tension and acrimony in the country. |
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Draw of lots for
cellphones on September 1 Jammu, August 26 General Manager of BSNL, R.K. Kaur, said that SIM cards would be issued from September 3. He said that nearly 200 SIM cards would be issued every day at the Gandhi Nagar telephone exchange. People have started accusing BSNL of mismanagement in booking. Draw of lots for 13,000 connections in the Srinagar city will be done on September 2. BSNL has introduced only the post-paid Cell-I service in J&K and not the pre-paid Excel due to security reasons. |
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One dies in
shelling by Pak Jammu, August 26 According to reports reaching here, another shell landed in Bajnawa village of Naushera but no damage was caused. A Pakistani terrorist, Wilayat Abdullah, who was commander of the J&K Freedom Front, was killed in an encounter with security forces. |
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Soldier
honoured after 38 years Jammu, August 26 The badge and the certificate was today presented to his son, Uttam Singh, by Brig Sunil Arora, Commander 71 sub-area, at an investiture ceremony at Dansal village near here. Krishan Singh of the 3 Grenadiers laid down his life during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war when an artillery shell of the enemy landed on his bunker. He has been posthumously awarded the “Samar Seva Star” for this brave act. |
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