Jammu, April 28
In a bid to check dissidence within the ruling Congress in Jammu and Kashmir that has landed the party in an embarrassing situation, two top leaders, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mrs Ambika Soni, are coming here on Saturday to listen to the grievances of the two warring factions.

It is learnt that the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, has asked the two leaders to visit the state and short out the differences between the two groups that have caused successive setback to the party.

The two were earlier scheduled to come here yesterday, but they had to stay back in Delhi in view of certain political developments.

The PCC has organised a convention of the Jammu Committee (Urban) to provide an opportunity to the warring groups to put forth their viewpoints before the two leaders. Mrs Soni is looking after the party affairs of Jammu and Kashmir in the AICC.

Groupism in the party came into the open recently during the election for six seats of the Upper House when the Congress lost one seat due to cross-voting and shortly before that lost the election for the first-ever Mayor of the Jammu Municipal Corporation.

The PCC President, Preezada Mohammad Sayeed, and the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, faced angry activists durin a convention of front organisation of the party and also at another meeting of the party here. A large number of partymen expressed concern over the growing groupism.

While on the one hand there is concern among the partymen over the groupism, political observers point out that the ministers belonging to the Congress in the coalition ministry are also divided on major issues. Not a single minister belonging to the Congress supported Mr Mangat Ram Sharma when he walked out of a recent Cabinet meeting on the issue of “discrimination” of the government against employees of Jammu. Such developments have given an upper hand to the opposition BJP that claims to be the only champion of the aspirations of the Jammu region.

Srinagar, April 28
It was a simple but rare occasion. This remained to be a memorable day for Girdhari Lal, who was accorded a warm send off on his retirement as Headmaster of Girls High School in the remote village of Drugmulla in Kupwara district of north Kashmir. Students, staff members and residents of a nearby village, Tikkar, to which he belongs, all assembled to bid farewell to their respected teacher as he bade adieu to his colleagues on March 31 last.

Even as majority of the Kashmiri Pandits migrated from Kashmir with the eruption of militancy over 15 years ago, many of them continued to reside in different parts of Kashmir valley with the moral support of their Muslim brethren. The farewell immensely reflected the deep-rooted secular traditions and communal harmony that the valley of peers and seers is blessed with.

Unlike many others Mr Girdhari Lal had returned from Jammu after about 15 years to his native village of Tikkar on his promotion as Headmaster of the Girls High School, Drugmulla. He had spent most of his career as teacher in the area earning goodwill and respect from his colleagues, students and residents. “He is the only Headmaster who on his promotion came from Jammu to the valley without any fear and fret”, said one of his colleagues, adding that Mr Girdhari Lal was the last person who left the valley for Jammu some 15 years ago.

“His sincerity, dedication and honesty have always impressed his colleagues, superiors and neighbours”, said another of his colleagues in the school. “That is why a large number of residents of Tikkar gathered at Drugmulla High School to bid him a formal farewell”, he added.

In an emotionally surcharged atmosphere of love and passion for the teacher, Mr Girdhari Lal could not stop tears swelling into his eyes as he watched the people who had come to bid him farewell.

He was offered gifts, flowers and sweets by his students, colleagues and neighbours, who spent the whole day to honour him at the school. His message: “Hindu-Muslim-Sikh ittehad (unity) is deeply rooted and cannot perish. It is to be upheld for ever.”

Srinagar, April 28
A worker of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and eight militants were among 15 persons killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday, while a large quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered in Rajouri district.

Unidentified militants shot dead a worker of the ruling PDP, Mohammad Yusuf Magray, of DH Pora near the Wathoo bus stand in Anantnag district today.

Four unidentified militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces at the Ragni post near the LoC in the Trehgam area of Kupwara district last night, the police here said.

A teacher of Nalla Awoora Primary School, Mohammad Yaqoob Mir, was killed by unidentified militants yesterday after being kidnapped. The police said residents of the area held protests against the killing of the teacher.

Two militants were killed in separate incidents at Sofshali, Kokernag and Dahotoo Kulgam in Anantnag district yesterday. One of them was identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh of Kulgam.

Two militants were killed in separate encounters at Bharat and Drang in Doda district yesterday, the police here said. One of them, who was killed at Drang, Udiyanpur, was identified as a Pakistani national, Abu Sakir Sarsi, of the LeT.

Unidentified militants shot dead two persons in Pulwama district since yesterday. One of them, a released militant, Mushtaq Ahmad Mantoo, was killed at Litter last night, while a labourer, Mohammad Yousuf Gujjar, was shot dead at Tral Payeen.

An ASI, Ali Mohammad, was killed by unidentified militants after kidnapping him from his house at Nishat here yesterday. A constable, Bilal Ahmad Shalbaf, who was fired upon by unidentified militants at Kathidarwaza here last evening, later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Unidentified militants shot dead constable Maqbool Lone at Kachwa in Baramula district yesterday, the police here said.

The police busted a hideout of militants at Chicka Kheit in Rajouri district and recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition. The recoveries include one AK rifle, one sniper rifle, one M-16 rifle, six magazines of M-16, one RPG, two hand wireless sets, 13 RPG rounds, eight anti-personnel mines 18 hand grenades, 30 kgs of RDX, 10 AK magazines, 132 Pika rounds, five IED sticks and 970 AK rounds.

Jammu, April 28
Traders here will observe a bandh tomorrow against implementation of VAT in the state.

“We have called for a Jammu bandh tomorrow against VAT,” president of Federation of Retailers Association here Yash Pal Gupta, told reporters today.

He regretted that the government was not responding to the demands of the trading community to discuss the various provisions of VAT with it before implementing the new tax system. — PTI