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J&K council okays Bill on dissolving panchayats
APHC doors open for separatists: Bhat
2 separatist leaders released
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Dy CM not to quit Cabinet
2 more Sopore MC members resign
Clarity sought on resettlement issue
7 militants killed in Kashmir
5-year-old raped, murdered
BSNL to issue 1.5 lakh sim cards in Jammu region
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J&K council okays Bill on dissolving panchayats
Jammu, April 21 There were wordy duels between the Opposition and the Treasury benches during the debate on the Bill. Even Mr Bhim Singh, who is a partner in the ruling coalition, was critical of the haste with which the government was pushing through the legislation. Mr Peerzada Sayeed, Minister for Rural Development, who was also the state Congress chief, presented the report of the select committee on the Bill and urged the House to pass the Bill. More than 10 members, including those of the Congress, participated in the debate, but except Mr Bhim Singh (Panthers Party) and Mr Lal Mohammad Sabir (Congress) none other even made a reference to the suggestion that the Prime Minister had made while flagging off the first train between Udhampur and Delhi on April 13. There were heated arguments between Mr Bhim Singh and Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig, as both traded personal remarks. Mr Bhim Singh and a senior Congress legislator, Mr P. Namgial, also exchanged hot words when the former took objection to the latter having referred the Bill to a select committee. Mr Bhim Singh pointed out that contrary to rules, the report of the select committee that should have been circulated among the members three days ago was being provided just after the minister had tabled it in the House. Mr Bhim Singh said the government did not see any urgency in setting up the accountability commission to check corruption at high places, but was hurrying through the Panchayati Raj Bill. He described the government’s action as “undemocratic and illegal”. Mr Beig clarified that the amendment was not only for dissolving the panchayats, but it also aimed at providing 33 per cent reservation to women. Mr Bashir Ahmed Naz (NC) said the government had no right to dissolve the legally elected. panchayats. Such action would amount to throttling of democracy. Ms Sakina Ittoo (NC) said the NC was not afraid of fresh elections for the panchayats, but the atmosphere was not congenial for holding fresh elections for these grassroot bodies while the recently elected councillors of the local bodies were being killed and kidnapped by ultras. Mr Beig clarified that the state government did not intend to push its people towards problems and the fresh elections would be held at the right time.
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APHC doors open for separatists: Bhat
Jammu, April 21 A senior APHC leader, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, confirmed that the possibility of bringing the separatists, who have remained out of the Hurriyat umbrella, to “our fold are being explored”. He told this correspondent today, after returning from Delhi where he and his party colleagues had gone to meet General Musharraf, “our doors for the JKLF, led by Mohd. Yasin Mailk, and the democratic Freedom Party, headed by Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, have always remained open. Professor Bhat ruled out the possibility of having any unity with Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who heads the rival faction of the Hurriyat Conference. He said, “It is the battle of ideas between the moderates, represented by us, and the extremists headed by Mr Geelani and the question of unity does not arise.” He indicated that several leaders of a constituent of the Tehrik Hurriyat headed by Mr Geelani, had fallen out with the chief of the conglomerate and “we will welcome them if they wished to return to our side.” In reply to a question, Professor Bhat said, “We want to meet Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh before we visit Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.” Asked whether he and his party colleagues expected an invitation from Mr Manmohan Singh, the APHC leader said, “We are waiting for a communication from the Prime Minister’s Office.” When asked to comment on the tough postures adopted by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the alliance of four rebel outfits, including Save Kashmir Movement, on the joint declaration, Professor Bhat said hardliners like Mr Geelani were bound to get isolated.
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2 separatist leaders released
Srinagar, April 21 Shabir Ahmad Khan of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was released by a lower court today as the Jammu and Kashmir High Court quashed his eight-month detention last month, official sources said. Another separatist Firdous Ahmad Shah, Chairman of the Democratic Political Movement, who spent nearly 17 months in the Kot Balwal jail after being arrested under the PSA, was released yesterday, they said.
— PTI |
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61 travel in second bus to Muzaffarabad
Kaman Post (LoC), April 21 The bus from Srinagar left this morning without much fanfare compared to the inaugural service on April 7, with even the venue of its departure being kept a closely-guarded secret by the authorities concerned. While 36 passengers, including 11 Pakistani residents who had come by the inaugural bus, travelled from Srinagar to Kaman Post, the last territory on the Indian side of the LoC, 25 persons including 14 Kashmiris, who had gone to Muzaffarabad by the first bus, travelled back to Srinagar with only 11 new passengers, officials said. However, Deputy Commissioner of Muzaffarabad Liaqat Hussain, who accompanied the passengers, said marriage season, reopening of schools and possibility of reopening of other links, including that in Poonch, were the possible reasons for lesser passengers coming from Muzaffarabad this time. Salamabad (J&K): Eleven visitors from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), who came to meet their relatives in the first Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus launched on April 7, returned with mixed emotions. Advocate Shahid Ahmad, one of the passengers travelling back to Muzaffarabad in the second bus, said he was going back with mixed emotions. “The bus service helped us to visit historic places in Kashmir besides meeting our kin but at the same time we are sad to note that beauty of Kashmir had been eclipsed to some extent because of turmoil,” he said here. He said the Kashmir issue “is a political problem and needs political solution through meaningful dialogue”. About the ongoing dialogue between India and Pakistan, Shahid said the two countries were on the right path which was indicated in the joint statement issued in Delhi by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf. Asked how he would compare the development on either side of the LoC, he said the comparison would be unfair as Srinagar was already a 200-year-old city in 1947 while Muzaffarabad was just a small town, used as stopover between Srinagar and Rawalpindi. — PTI
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Dy CM not to quit Cabinet
Jammu, April 21 Mr Sharma has decided not to quit the Cabinet and will attend its meeting slated for Friday. He told mediamen here that the party high command asked him “to continue as member of the Cabinet and I have accepted the advice”. During his two-day stay in Delhi, Mr Sharma met AICC President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and AICC leader Ambika Soni. Mr Sharma said he had conveyed to the party high command that the Congress lost the legislative council seat because some legislators belonging to the ruling alliance had been purchased by the National Conference. He accepted that it was his and the Chief Minister’s duty to ensure that there was no cross-voting during the polling for the council seat. He said Mr Shivraj Patil assured him that “an inquiry would be held to probe the reason for cross voting and establish whether legislators had accepted money from the National Conference.” The Deputy Chief Minister aired his problems before the Congress leaders, accusing the PDP leadership of taking important decisions outside the Cabinet. He said Congress ministers were not being consulted while the Chief Minister took important decisions and the Cabinet meetings were being held after prolonged intervals.
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2 more Sopore MC members resign
Srinagar, April 21 Arshad Hussain Badroo and Mohammad Sultan Dagga, elected from Jamia Kadeem and Koshhal Mattoo wards respectively, submitted their resignation to the authorities concerned yesterday, official sources said today. Chairman of the council Ghulam Rasool Dar was among nine councillors who have resigned over the past fortnight, owing to threat by militants. Dar resigned from the post after militants kidnapped his son Mehrajuddin who, however, was let off later. Functioning of the council has come to a standstill in view of the resignations.
PTI |
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Clarity sought on resettlement issue
Jammu, April 21 In a statement here today, professor Gupta described it as a serious development as lakhs of refugees who came here from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were settled on these properties. These allottees would be badly affected in case the Pakistanis started claiming their properties here. He said such reports have alarmed the circles here because their future has been put in uncertainty. |
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7 militants killed in Kashmir
Srinagar, April 21 Two militants were killed in a search operation lasting nearly 12 hours at Mulshulla village in Badgam district today, an official spokesman said. The operation was launched in the village at around 2 am by the security forces following specific information about the presence of militants in a house, he said, adding that the militants opened fire and in the ensuing shootout the house was completely gutted. Later, bodies of two unidentified militants were retrieved from the debris of the house along with some arms and ammunition. Three militants were killed in a fierce gun battle during search operations in the Sadnar forest in Baramula district last night, the spokesman said. Security forces killed two more militants in an encounter during search operations at Naka Manjari in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district last evening. In another incident in the same area, militants barged into the house of Niyaz Hussain last evening and resorted to indiscriminate firing, injuring Hussain and his three sons. All of them were admitted to a hospital where the condition of two of them is stated to be serious, they added.
— PTI |
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5-year-old raped, murdered
Jammu, April 21 The body was found last evening. The incident sparked off protests in the area with people holding a demonstration yesterday, demanding the arrest of the accused. Police sources said Seema (5) accompanied her uncle, a shepherd, to the forests on April 17. Her uncle asked her to take care of the cattle and went to collect firewood. When he came back, he found the girl missing. The victim’s body with multiple stab wounds was found from the nearby Tawi river, the sources added. Sources alleged the victim had been raped and then murdered. The police has registered a case in this connection and started investigations.
— UNI |
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BSNL to issue 1.5 lakh sim cards in Jammu region
Jammu, April 21 The General Manager of the BSNL, Mr R.K. Koul, said today that the new connections would be in addition to the 65,000 mobile connections that were already functional here. He said the BSNL has finalised plans to cover the entire belt of the Jammu and Kathua districts, including the border areas of Bishnah, Ranbirsinghpura, Khour and other places. |
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