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Monday,
September 8, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Akshardham
attack planned at minister’s house: Lashkar activist Two
militants among 4 killed Hideouts
in Kathua identified Islamic
rebels resurface |
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Healing
touch has brought misery, says Omar Index page Popularise
Urdu, pleads Gulzar Dogri’s
entry into statute not possible, says Swami
Freedom
fighters meet Kalam over demands
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Akshardham
attack planned at minister’s house: Jammu, September 7 Information regarding Pakistani terrorists having planned the attack at the minister’s house has reportedly been disclosed by a motor mechanic of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, Shan Mian, alias Chand Khan, also an activist of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), during interrogation by the Gujarat police. On the other hand, the Agriculture Minister, Mr Abdul Aziz Zargar, has denied any links with the militants or knowledge of their visit to his house at his native village. A police spokesman today said, “The LeT militants were active in the Aharbal and Damhal Hanjipora areas of Kashmir and they had been visiting different houses, including the native house of the minister, for food and shelter etc.” “The native house is located near the forest in a remote village of Manzgam and visits of militants to different houses for food and shelter were a common feature of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, he said. “In any case, it is very clear from the militant’s statement that the group of LeT terrorists had no contact with the minister”, the spokesman said. Mr Zargar was not an MLA and was contesting the Assembly elections on the PDP ticket in September last when the Akshardham temple was attacked by terrorists, killing 46 persons. He was installed as a minister in November when the National Conference government lost the elections and the coalition government came to power. He had a Cabinet berth in the Congress regime before 1975. A police team from Gujarat reached Srinagar to verify the facts. Chand Khan reportedly disclosed during his interrogation that the terrorists had planned to attack the “sadbhavna” rally of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, but it had ended by the time they reached Ahmedabad from
Bareilly. They had then decided to attack the temple. The intelligence agencies were reportedly trying to ascertain whether the minister was aware of the terrorist activities at his house, from where the Gujarat ‘mission’ started on September 19 last. The temple was attacked five days later, on September 24. The terrorists, Shakeel and Abdullah, belonging to the LeT, had allegedly made a base in the minister’s house. Chand Khan reportedly disclosed that the terrorists had planned to attack the airport at Lucknow, but had to abandon the plan because of heavy security. The separatists had organised rallies against Mr Narendra Modi when he recently visited Srinagar to participate in the meeting of the Inter-State Council. Mr Bhim Singh, a coalition partner in the government, while reacting to the reports of the Akshardham conspiracy having been planned at the minister’s house, today demanded that the Parliamentary Affairs Committee should probe the case thoroughly so that the seeds of terrorism were dealt with at the national level. He reiterated his demand that Mr Sayeed be removed as chairman of the unified command of the Army, paramilitary forces, intelligence agencies and the police and the seniormost Army commander in the state head the unified command to effectively fight terrorism. Mr Bhim Singh alleged that all bureaucrats who had signed a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1992, seeking independence for Kashmir, had been appointed on key posts by the state government. Those high-ups involved in the anti-India campaign should be weeded out, he demanded. He demanded that the strategy to deal with terrorism be reviewed. |
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Two militants among 4 killed Srinagar, September 7 One militant was killed in an encounter with security forces at Dogarpora in the Dangiwachi area of Baramula district, the spokesman said. He said one AK rifle, four magazines and 65 cartridges were recovered from the slain militant. In another encounter, security forces killed one militant identified as Mohammad Afzal Ganai at Mir Mohalla in the Saloosa area of the district, he said, adding one AK rifle, three magazines and 23 cartridges were recovered from his person. The spokesman said constable Zahoor Hussain, who was injured in an encounter at Khoriwali in the Darhal area of Poonch district on August 18, succumbed to his injuries today. The police recovered the body of Bashir Ahmad from the Kulgam area of Anantnag district, he said. A special police officer was injured when militants attacked a police vehicle in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. The militants hurled a rifle grenade and opened fire at the vehicle carrying the bodies of a government employee and an SPO, killed in an encounter at Gursai yesterday, for burial. One person was injured in a landmine blast in the Arnia border belt, 25 km from Jammu, officials said. The explosion occurred when a middle-aged man, who was taking his cattle home, stepped on the landmine planted near his house, resulting in serious injuries. His cattle, however, perished in the explosion.
— PTI |
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Hideouts
in Kathua identified Jammu, September 7 “Sniffer dogs, high-tech mine detectors and other GPS systems were used today as search operations have been
intensified to eliminate the seven holed-up Lashker militants in the Ghatti forest in Kathua since early this morning”, official sources said. Some possible hideouts, numbering four or five, have been identified and the security forces have begun closing in on the area, narrowing down the distance to 1.2 sq km from 4 sq km, when the operation started, the sources said. “It is a difficult operation in dense forests and ravines. We want to go slow, but ensure elimination of all seven terrorists with minimum casualities on our side”, they said. The firing from the militants’ side had stopped yesterday. A chopper made at least three sorties on September 5 in the area to prepare a graphic picture of the topography and location of terrorists, which helped in identifying the five possible hideouts, the sources said. After visiting the spot, the General Officer Commanding, 16 Corps, Lt-Gen T.P.S. Brar, denied reports that militants might have slipped away from the forest belt. “We have confirmed reports that the militants are well within the Army cordon and are lying low. The operation to eliminate them will continue till the job is completed”, he told reporters. As per wireless intercepts, two or three militants were injured in the gunbattle, he said, adding that “by not firing for the past two days they want to misguide us that they have been killed”. The militants gave various wireless messages to confuse security agencies like “five Mujahideen have died, we have escaped from the area and two or three colleagues are injured, he said. Meanwhile, two more columns of 5 Sikh Regiment were sent to the area today to assist the troops. So far, one policeman has been killed and 11 others injured in the gunbattle.
— PTI |
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Islamic
rebels resurface Jammu, September 7 Increased infiltration and arms smuggling from across the border during the past four months are said to have facilitated the task of carving out bases for the insurgents, particularly in Ganderbal, Kangan, Pulwama, Qazigund, Banihal, Doda, Surankot and the upper reaches of Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Kupwara and Handwara. According to official sources, militants have managed to dump large quantities of weapons and explosives in different parts of the state. The sources said that following seizure of incriminating documents from the hideout of Gazi Baba, chief commander, Jash-e-Mohammad, after he was killed by the BSF in Srinagar on August 30 and from the possession of a couple of commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba the fortified hideouts of the foreign mercenaries have been shifted. The change in the hideouts was ordered after the security forces started raids on some of these hideouts in recent days on the basis of the information collected from the details on their satellite phones and diaries. The Syed Salahuddin faction of Hizbul Mujahideen is dominated by local youths and during the past one week its activists claimed responsibility for series of IED and landmine blasts in which more than 20 people were killed and 60 wounded. Official sources said that as a result of series of gun and grenade strikes, including four Fidayeen attacks during the past 15 days in various parts of the state, the level of scare among the people has once again increased, forcing informers and renegade militants to lie low. |
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Healing
touch has brought misery, says Omar Srinagar, September 7 Addressing a meeting at Pulwama in south Kashmir yesterday, he said apart from the increase in custodial killings and disappearances, the PDP's much hyped disbanding of the SOG was also a blatant lie which got exposed by the Rs 25 crore earmarked in the Prime Minister’s package for the modernisation of the SOG. He claimed the people of Kashmir were disappointed with the governance of the present government. He added that in the past 11 months, all development activities had come to a standstill and the government wasted more time in playing to the gallery and making tall promises rather than focusing on the welfare of the people of the state. Referring to the recent spurt in violence, he said the Union Government and the state government must realise that the ground situation was far from normal. He said if the Union Government did not take immediate steps to address the Kashmir issue, the situation was likely to worsen. He said the state Government and its law and order machinery was in total disarray and had lost control over the situation. |
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Popularise
Urdu, pleads Gulzar Srinagar, September 7 This he said in his address after the inauguration of fourth All-India Urdu Kitab Mela or Book Exhibition and the fourth conference of State Urdu academies held at the College of Education here yesterday. These functions are being held by the National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL). Senior functionaries of the Council, Urdu boards of various States, noted writers, academicians and prominent citizens were present on the occasion. Gulzar, who was chief guest at the function, said that the collection of titles displayed at the exhibition was testimony of the fact that Urdu was progressing. He said in this age of high technology, effort had to be made to modernise Urdu with the help of computer to link it with other languages. He lauded contribution of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language. Gulzar also compared the past era of book culture and modern era of computer in his composition. He said
"Kitaben Jhaankti hain band almari key sheeshon sey’.... Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in his inaugural address regretted that Urdu became victim of partition and politics, adding that the language was a living heritage of Hindustan. He made a strong plea to promote and link Urdu with socio-economic dimensions of the society. Nearly 100 stalls with 75 stalls from outside the state with thousands of books, including many new arrival ones were displayed at the nine-day exhibition. The exhibition has been organised by the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir Cultural Academy. The Chief Minister said that Urdu was language of culture and a symbol of glorious composite culture. He said participation of publishers, authors and those associated with promotion of Urdu in the exhibition demonstrated its popularity among the people. He said Bollywood too had played great role in promoting Urdu and in this connection referred to the contribution of prominent lyricists Gulzar and Kaifi Azmi. He said madrasas have also helped in preserving and promoting this native language of the country. Mufti Sayeed said that though Urdu was the official language of Jammu and Kashmir but privatisation of education with emphasis on English as medium of instruction, being a worldwide link language, had changed scenario to the extent that even government had introduced English right from standard I as a compulsory subject in view of job market requirement. Referring to the suggestions given to him for further promotion of Urdu in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said that he would examine these and take-up follow up action. Former Union Minister, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, MP who was also present on the occasion said that such a large scale exhibition of Urdu books had been organised in the valley for the first time. He urged the Chief Minister to set up a committee for the promotion of Urdu and other languages in the state and prevail upon the Union Government to provide more funds to Urdu boards. He said that computer knowing 10+2 pass boys and girls should be given preference in government jobs. Vice-Chancellor, Kashmir University, Prof. Jalees Ahmad Khan Tareen, who presided over the function, said that Urdu was passing through a phase of transition and it had future both in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country. |
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Dogri’s entry into statute not possible, says Swami Jammu, September 7 This was stated by Mr Swami in a letter to Mr Bhim Singh, Chairman of the Panthers Party, in response to his demand for including Dogri in the Eight Schedule. Mr Swami said that it had been decided to constitute a high-powered body for evolving a criteria for including more languages in the Eight Schedule. He added that the action to constitute the proposed body had already been initiated and the issue of Dogri language would be considered in the light of criteria so evolved. Meanwhile, the demand for including Dogri in the Eighth Schedule was also raised before the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, when he visited here recently. Dogri is the mother tongue of the residents of the Jammu region and is also spoken in parts of the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh. The state Cabinet had, through a resolution, recommended to the Centre that the language should be given a place in the Constitution. The demand had been made at various platforms and a number of prominent Dogri writers and supporters of the movement recently took out a procession here. While releasing a copy of letter by Mr I.D. Swami to mediapersons here today, Mr Bhim Singh demanded that the state government should grant backward status to those residing near the International Border with Pakistan. Such status had been granted to the residents of the area close to the Line of Control (LoC). Mr Bhim Singh, who is supporting the PDP-led coalition government of Mufti Sayeed, alleged that certain PDP ministers were a stumbling block in the appointment of a Delimitation Commission because it would be helpful for the Jammu region. He demanded that the Delimitation Commission should be appointed without further delay because it was promised in the common minimum programme. He warned that any attempt to dislodge the Chief Secretary, Mr S.S. Billowria, at the behest of certain “corrupt elements” would be disastrous for the Mufti-led coalition as this would be an assault on the pride of Jammu which would not be tolerated. He demanded that the tainted bureaucrats and officers should immediately be removed from plum posts so that the seriousness of the government for stemming out corruption was reflected. |
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Very few Muslims understand Koran: Srinagar, September 7 The lecture was on the significance of understanding Koran, the holy book, held in sprawling lawns of Islamia College of Science and Commerce. Earlier it was scheduled to be held in the University of Kashmir, — teachers, academics, scholars, government officers comprised majority of the audience. Dr Zakir Naik also answered questions from the audience after his 70-minute lecture. In his address Dr Naik stressed on the significance of understanding holy book, Koran in its true spirit. He said that it was the most widely read book in the world and lamented that “most of us do not really understand it”. He added that unless it was properly understood, how could it be possible for its followers to invite others towards Islam. “It gives criteria to judge right from wrong”, Dr Naik commented. Referring to the knowledge of Arabic, the language of Koran, Dr Naik said only 50 per cent of the Muslims were people from the Arab world, having it their own language. He said that very few of those outside the Arab world understood the Arabic language, adding this was one of the major reasons that Muslims did not understand Koran. For a proper understanding of the holy Koran, Dr Zakir said that it was necessary to know it through translations in other languages. He added that Koran was meant for the whole mankind, and not only for Muslims or the Arabs. |
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Freedom
fighters meet Kalam over demands Srinagar, September 7 A deputation of the organisation, led by its state general secretary, Mr G.A. Gani, met the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Congress chief Mrs Sonia Gandhi, in New Delhi last week, according to a handout issued here. They presented memoranda to the dignitaries, listing their demands, which include enhancement in the pension, transport facilities as available in other states and reservation in jobs and professional educational institutions to their kin. The President and the Prime Minister heard the delegation and assured that their problems would be looked into. In a separate meeting with Mrs Sonia Gandhi in Parliament House, she said their problems would be taken up with the state government. |
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