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Deputy CM flies to meet Sonia
Bid to blast Army vehicles
Pandit-Muslim conclave held
Farooq Abdullah hails peace initiative
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Certificates to Pak nationals: probe ordered
Universities sign MoU
Hari Prasad gets UYSM
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Deputy CM flies to meet Sonia
Jammu, April 19 Fuming with anger, Mr Sharma drove straight to the airport and flew to Delhi where he would meet the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, to apprise her as to how the PDP was “engaged” in weakening the Congress with whose support the Mufti had become Chief Minister. After walking out of the Cabinet meeting, Mr Sharma told TNS that a large number of issues pertaining to discrimination against the Jammu region had piled up and the Mufti was not taking any steps to meet the commitments that Ms Sonia Gandhi made with the people during her election meetings here. Mr Sharma, who had been keeping the Mufti in good humour for the past over two years and is known to be a calm person, reportedly got infuriated at the Cabinet meeting when his demand for regularising the services of 127 Class IV employees of the Jammu region employed in the Forest Department in 1997 was again not met. Mr Sharma pointed out at the Cabinet meeting that the services of employees engaged simultaneously in the Kashmir valley were regularised, leaving the employees of Jammu high and dry. He told this correspondent that he would meet Ms Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders to apprise them as to how the base of the Congress was systematically being eroded here even as the expiry of the Mufti’s term as Chief Minister was coming nearer. The meeting of the Cabinet was convened here this morning to finalise transfers of officers prior to the annual move of the offices to Srinagar for the summer months. However, trouble erupted even before the agenda was taken up and, thereafter, the ministers dispersed without finalising the transfers. Not a single minister belonging to the Congress reportedly came to the rescue of Mr Sharma. The issue of transfers could not be taken up even last evening when the Cabinet met for a brief period. Reports said that the tiff between the CM and Mr Sharma started when the former took exception to the later asking the Chief Secretary, Mr S.S. Bloeria, to expedite the issue of regularising the services of daily wage workers of the Jammu region. The Mufti reportedly asked Mr Sharma to talk to him directly as he was presiding over the Cabinet meeting and not directly issue instructions to the officer. Thereafter, Mr Sharma in an angry tone told the Mufti that he should not try to teach rules to him as “I am more than 13 years senior to you in politics and the government”. This was followed by heated arguments between the two after which Mr Sharma flung his files and walked out of the meeting. Mr Sharma said that he would request the party high command to relieve him as Deputy Chief Minister and let him function only as a simple legislator. Mr Sharma said that the government had pushed under the carpet various issues of interest to the Jammu region, including setting up of a finance commission and a delimitation commission to create more Assembly seats in Jammu. The issue of implementation of the Wazir Commission that recommended the creation of three new districts in the Jammu division, has also been put at the back burner. He suspected that the PDP of the Mufti was instrumental in the cross-voting during the recent elections for the legislative council that led to defeat of a Congress candidate. |
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Bid to blast Army vehicles
Jammu, April 19 The IED was detected by an Army patrol in the morning when traffic was immediately suspended on the highway. A bomb disposal squad defused the IED at 11.30 a.m. after which the flow of traffic was allowed. Militants have been trying to blow up vehicles of security personnel by planting explosive devices on the road. Troops shot a militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit at Dedu in Udhampur district. A large quantity of explosive devices was seized from Waithne and Dhorumal in the Doda and Rajouri districts, respectively. SRINAGAR: Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir today, official sources said. Self-styled divisional commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, identified as Waqas and his bodyguard Majid Peer, were killed when troops of the Rashtriya Rifles opened fire in retaliation to an attack on their search party at Kandi in Kupwara district this morning. The troops had laid a cordon around Kandi following information about the presence of militants in the wee hours. Meanwhile, unidentified militants shot dead a contractor Abdul Ahad Chak at Tangmarg bus stand on Tuesday.
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Jammu, April 19 “It is the first-ever biggest people-to-people initiative of meeting of hearts and minds of displaced Pandit and Muslim brothers in a single platform after 15 years and a move towards return of the Pandits to the valley,” Jammu and Kashmir Roads and Buildings Minister, Gulam Ahmed Mir told reporters here. Mir, who was instrumental in bringing together Muslims and Pandits of his Dooru constituency at a “Navreh Milan Sammelan” (New Year get-together) here, said “we want to restore the old-bonding between Pandits and Muslims and make their return purely a people’s affair and non-governmental.” For the first-time in the history of over 15 years of insurgency, over 500 Pandits took part in the function organised by the Pandits of Dooru assembly constituency, which was marked by emotional hugs and fine Kashmiri music. “I am here to meet my old friends and neighbours on the invitation of Moti Lal Koul, chairman of Dooru migrants and a very close friend. I am unable to control my tears after meeting them here. It was a dream come true for me as I thought I would die without meeting them,” Mr Gulam Mohideen, who hails from Verinag, said. Mohideen, who along with 100 others reached Jammu to take part in the “Navreh Milan” with the Pandits, said “we must have done some sins that is why God punished us by separating my friends, who were more close to me than my family.” “Winds of change are blowing in the valley on the lines of Indo-Pak peace process and God willing you will be again at your homes very soon”, Mr Mohideen said. Chairman of Dooru Kashmiri Pandits Migrants Moti Lal Koul said “we whole heartedly welcome our Muslim brothers, who came from various parts of Dooru constituency despite having faced death and destruction due to massive snowfall in February. “I am happy to see them and this is the ray of light from across the tunnel that one day we will be back. Our neighbours should take lead and not government to take us back,” he said. Attending the function, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Hiralal Pandita said that Kashmiri Pandits would also come to the valley and Muslims would hold such a conclave for them in Verinag health resort in May next. — PTI
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Farooq Abdullah hails peace initiative
Srinagar, April 19 Reacting to the Manmohan-Musharraf talks, Dr Farooq Abdullah held that the National Conference had always been in favour of friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Farooq claimed, had kept open all the routes linking two parts of Kashmir. After resuming power in 1977, Sheikh Abdullah had stressed the need for opening of all these links, Farooq pointed out. Farooq Abdullah, who had different views on the bus to Muzaffarabad, hailed the approach of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf. He said the two leaders by dint of their positive approach and political maturity paved the way for new vistas of peace in the subcontinent and the trouble-torn state. In his statement, NC president, Omar Abdullah expressed optimism over the improving relations between India and Pakistan. He said the younger generation in both the countries was interested in destroying the walls of hatred.
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Certificates to Pak nationals: probe ordered
Jammu, April 19 These persons came to Poonch on valid passports, but managed to stay back without permission. The Minister has asked the DC to look into the facts on which the Subdivisional Magistrate and Tehsildar of Mendhar in the border area of the district issued the state subject certificates to them. One of them, Zulfikar Ali, filed his papers for the Lok Sabha elections, but these were cancelled when objections were raised. |
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Universities sign MoU
Jammu, April 19 The MoU was signed at Juelich in Germany by Prof N.K. Bansal, Vice-Chancellor of Aachen University. The cooperation takes place in the frame of individual projects by exchange of students and scientists as well as by transfer of technology. The two institutions will also work on the use of vegetable oil from Jetropa for use in automobiles and diesel generators. |
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Hari Prasad gets UYSM
Srinagar, April 19 A defence spokesman said here that the award had been conferred on Lt-Gen Hari Prasad for demonstrating extraordinary strategic acumen and great conceptual thought in higher direction of combat forces under most trying circumstances. The President also awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) to Maj-Gen R.S. Mehta, Chief of Staff of Srinagar based 15 Corps of the Army. Maj Gen Mehta has been awarded the AVSM for distinguished service of an exceptional order while commanding the oldest division of the valley. |
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