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Senior BJP leaders to canvass for Prof Gupta
Lashker militants killed Rain dashes hopes of
farmers Sun shines in valley after 3 days of
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Suicide by jawan,
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Senior BJP leaders to canvass for Prof Gupta Jammu, May 2 Party leaders said here today that all those who matter in the BJP in Jammu and adjoining areas have been sent along with groups of party workers to farflung areas in Kishtwar, Udhampur, Kathua, Bani Billawar to seek support for the BJP candidate. The BJP leadership in the state has pressed into service its material and manpower resources to win over estranged voters. The BJP leaders, including Mr D.K. Kotwal,a former party president, have started wooing voters of the Rajput community. Rajputs comprise more than 25 per cent of the total voters of over 12 lakh. This step has been taken after the BJP felt threatened by Congress candidate, Lal Singh,who belongs to the Rajput community. However, BJP leaders were hopeful that Panthers Party candidate, Prof Bhim, who is also a Rajput, may split Rajput votes and deny Mr Lal Singh their full support. The polling in this constituency which is the largest in terms of the area in the region, is scheduled on May 10. Hence the Congress and the BJP, which do not have any high stakes in the remaining two constituencies of Anantnag and Ladakh, have concentrated all efforts and resources in Udhampur-Kathua constituency. While Mr Jaitley will undertake campaign in Doda district, Mr Rajnath Singh has been assigned the task of wooing voters in Kathua district. Though Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, addressed two election rallies in Udhampur and Hiranagar recently he has, seemingly, not succeeded in turning the tide in favour of Prof. Gupta. As such the BJP leaders’ call to the voters “vote for Gupta is vote for Vajpayee” has begun to draw crowds to the BJP rallies. The BJP leaders have also renewed contacts with prominent Muslim voters, especially in Doda district and upper reaches of Udhampur. Since majority of Muslims are traditional voters of the National Conference and the Congress it is to be seen how much support the NC candidate, Mr Khalid Najib Sohrawardhy, receives from his community’s voters. |
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Congress govts ignored Jammu region, says
Gupta Jammu, May 2 Mr Gupta, who was addressing a series of election rallies today at Reasi and Pouni, said that the Ganjndergadkar Commission was set up in 1967, the Wazir Commission sometime in 1980s and the Sikri commission in 1979, but their recommendations have been put in cold storage. He said that the three commissions had admitted that injustice was done the Jammu region and had recommended a development board for Jammu. He alleged that the Congress supported coalition government was finding excuses for not implementing these reports. While three new districts were created in Kashmir and one in Ladakh, but the report recommending three new districts for Jammu was not implemented. Mr Gupta said that while the government had rejected the Wazir Commission report for creating three districts in Jammu on the plea that it had no funds for that, but a big ministry has been formed by Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed to silence the voice of dissent among the parties that were supporting his government. |
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Lashker militants killed
Srinagar, May 2 An official spokesman said the security forces cordoned off a village at Handwara in north Kashmir last night to nab militants. He said when the troops were sealing the village, the militants opened fire. The fire was returned and in the fierce gun battle LeT divisional commander Abu Nayeem and district commander Uqab were killed. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered. He said militants attacked a security force patrol party at Sain Samat in Rajouri district of the Jammu region. The fire was returned and in the exchange of fire security jawan Satish Chander was killed. However, the militants managed to escape leaving behind one pistol with two magazines and 60 rounds of ammunition. Revenue official Aziz Din was killed in a shootout at Dodasan Pain Thanamandi in Rajouri district last night. —
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Rain dashes hopes of
farmers Jammu, May 2 A progressive farmer of Chakroi village in R.S. Pora, Sujjan Singh, said here today, “We had, for the first time in five years, sown wheat in hamlets close to the border. We expected a bumper wheat crop. However, heavy rain during the past three days caused enormous loss to our crop.” In support of his plea for government relief, he showed heaps of harvested wheat, which had been destroyed. Some farmers were today seen trying to dry soiled plants in the sun. “Even if we are able to save some crop, we may not get more than 30 per cent of the yield,” said Ram Singh. Three farmers from Punjab had come to R.S. Pora with wheat harvesters. “We have suffered a loss of Rs 50,000 as our machines have remained idle owing to heavy rain,” said Kuldeep Singh, a driver from Punjab. He said, “We had planned to finish harvesting within another four days and return to other areas in Kathua and Punjab. We have got stuck here because harvesters cannot operate in rain-soaked fields where the downpour and storm flattened the crop.” Sandip Kumar, another farmer, said, “Wheat worth Rs 12 crore is produced annually in the R.S.Pora sector. This year, we expected to have wheat worth over Rs15 crore because sowing had been done in areas where Pakistani shelling had forced us to suspend farming for over five years.” He said wheat worth over Rs 5 crore had been lost due to rain. He demanded compensation from the government. |
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Sun shines in valley after 3 days of unseasonal rain
Srinagar, May 2 As the clouds gave way to sun, the day temperature in Kashmir valley appreciated by four degrees, reaching 13.4°C at 11.30 am yesterday, the day temperature was recorded at a maximum of 9.6 celscius and night tempertaure had fallen close to freezing point. The unseasonal snow, first in over two decades, had forced the residents of the valley into woollens which were long despatched to the not to be used sections of the wardrobes. Heavy rain across the state uprooted many trees and electric poles, causing blockades along all major roads and disruption in electricity supply. Nearly 500 big and small trees were uprooted by the rain and snow along the Kishanpur Pampore and Udhampur-Pampore transmission lines. the state government had to carry out the remedial job on a war-footing and eventually managed to restore power supply within 24 hours, an official spokesperson said. Fruit and agriculture crops worth crores have been affected by the downpour and the dip in temperature. Many orchards in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district and south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have been destroyed, he added. Reports from remote villages said many houses have been damaged by the heavy rain and resultant floods and waterlogging in the areas. However, there was no official confirmation of the reports. —
PTI |
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2 lakh nomads
trapped in snow Jammu, May 2 Mr Rahi said in case the government did not undertake rescue and relief operations, the survival of the nomads and their livestock was in danger. The Gujjar leader said most of the Gujjars and Bakerwals were facing serious problems in the forest areas of Jamia Gali, Pir Ki Marg, Upper Banihal, Wadwan, Old Mughal Road, Gurez and Zijilla, which have been lashed by heavy snow and rain. Field reports said the Bakerwals, with their livestock, had been camping in the open on heights ranging between 7,000 and 9,000 feet. These nomads had moved to the alpine pastures along with their cattle from Poonch, Rajouri, Udham-pur, Doda, Kupwara, Bara-mulla and Anantnag district. A Gujjar leader, Haji Buland Khan, demanded that the government should send relief to the people trapped in snow. He urged the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, to take up the matter with the security agencies, especially the Army authorities. He said a large number of animals had perished last year also. |
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Suicide by jawan, wife
Jammu, May 2 Patel Singh, (28) of 23 Rashtriya Rifles posted in Nachilana Banihal tehsil consumed poison along with his 25-year-old wife Archana this morning in the Ramban area, the sources said. The jawan died on the spot and his wife was shifted to Government Medical College hospital here in critical condition, sources said here. They said he, who was on leave for five days, visited Ramban market with his wife this morning. Soon after returning from the market, the childless couple consumed some poisonous substance when no one was present in the house, they said. —
PTI |
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