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Tributes paid to martyrs of 1931
CM inaugurates first footbridge on Jhelum
Militants trapped near LoC
Shabir Shah, 50 others arrested
HC stays order on state subject certificate
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Amarnath yatra suspended due to rain
2 pilgrims die, toll 10
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Tributes paid to martyrs of 1931
Srinagar, July 13 The main memorial function was held at the martyrs’ graveyard here with political leaders cutting across party affiliations, hailed the contribution of the martyrs. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad and PCC chief, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and National Conference president Omar Abdullah were among those who paid tributes to the martyrs. The mainstream political parties hailed the sacrifices of the 23 martyrs on this day in 1931 for laying the foundation of a democratic society in which rights of the people are supreme. The separatist leaders hailed the sacrifices of these people, who lay buried at the shrine of Khwaja Bahauddin Naqashbandi in a downtown locality, for laying the foundation of “Kashmiris’ freedom struggle”. While the moderate APHC leadership paid rich tributes to the martyrs here yesterday, the hardline faction led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) leader, Shabir Ahmad Shah paid their tributes today. The APHC chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani was kept under house arrest so as to prevent him from leading a procession to the martyrs’ graveyard. The DFP leader, Mr Shabir Ahmad Shah along with over a dozen of his supporters was held while proceeding towards Lal Chowk on the way to the martyrs’ graveyard here this morning. A spokesman of the DFP later condemned the police action preventing its leader, Mr Shabir Shah from reaching the martyrs’ graveyard. A complete shutdown was observed here and across the valley in response to the separatists’ bandh call to commemorate the martyrs. Traffic was near normal here, while a complete shutdown was observed in major towns of the valley, reports reaching here said. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the first to arrive at the martyrs’ graveyard or Mazar-e-Shohda to pay homage to the martyrs. He first paid obeisance at the shrine situated in the complex. A large number of people, braving heavy downpour, had gathered on the occasion that was observed with traditional fervour. The Chief Minister laid wreaths on the graves of the martyrs and offered ‘fateha’. The neatly dressed contingent of Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police lowered arms in memory of the martyrs and the police band sounded the last post. As a tribute to the martyrs, the Chief Minister inaugurated a number of projects today. He inaugurated the first pedestrian bridge over Jhelum river near Lal Chowk. Later he also inaugurated the first ever Kashmir Haat at old Exhibition Grounds, the foundation stone for which had been laid on this day last year. It was on this day last year that the first flyover was inaugurated, completed in a record time of one year after laying the foundation stone on the same day a year earlier. It was for the first time that the Congress party paid tributes to the martyrs. The Rural Development Minister and PCC chief, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, and the AICC general secretary, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, visited the martyrs’ graveyard this afternoon. The National Conference president, Mr Omar Abdullah, and other party leaders also arrived at the Mazar-e-shohda to pay rich tributes. The party’s patron and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah and other senior leaders have hailed the contribution of the martyrs who laid down their lives fighting against the autocratic rule. Meanwhile, paying homage to the martyr’s of 1931, the Governor Lt-Gen (Retd) S.K. Sinha, today said their struggle sowed the seeds of democracy, which was now in full bloom in Jammu and Kashmir. In his message on martyrs’ day, the Governor said that the martyrs of 1931 sacrificed their lives for the just cause of people and gave vent to their feelings of self-rule. The people seethed with discontent but could do nothing due to lack of proper leadership which, however, emerged
eventually and steered the state to new era of peace, progress and development with
people’s active participation in decision making, he said. Lt-General Sinha recalled the sacrifices of the martyrs and said that by launching a peaceful movement, they were, in fact, finding ways for giving expression to the agonies of the people. |
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CM inaugurates first footbridge on Jhelum
Srinagar, July 13 This had been a long-pending demand of the people. Earlier, shikara boats were used to ferry people from one banks to the other. But owing to heavy rush, office-goers and students, would find it difficult in reaching their destinations in time. Moreover, the shikara service was not available round the clock. This led to more inconvenience for residents in wee hours and late in the evening. The presence of the valley’s only women’s and children’s hospital on one bank and Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city, on the other made this river crossing point very crowded and busy. The foundation of the bridge was laid in 1998, but the work had been going on at a slow pace. The Chief Minister, who inspected the bridge a number of times, was keen to get it completed without any further delay. He had set deadline for the inauguration as this year’s Martyrs’ Day and threw it open the same day, notwithstanding the inclement weather. The 141-metre long cable-stayed footbridge has a four metre wide walkway. Constructed by the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction, the bridge was completed at a cost of Rs.4.05 crore. There is a provision for inverter backup power supply and solar lights. The bridge at Abi Guzar is the first footbridge and the latest among the 14 permanent bridges spanning the Jhelum from Athwajan and Chhata Bal in the summer capital. |
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Militants trapped near LoC
Srinagar, July 13 This is regarded as a major infiltration bid along the LoC since the ceasefire effective from November, 2003. The Army has been maintaining that despite repeated attempts, infiltration was considerably brought down during the past about two years of ceasefire due to border fencing and strategic deployment of troops. According to defence spokesman, Lieut-Col V.K. Batra, the infiltrating militants were trapped on the glacial heights in the Tuleil area of Gurez sector on Tuesday morning. The operation was in progress, the spokesman said. The bad weather was hampering the operation against the militants, he added. The militants, according to him had been spotted about 9 km inside the LoC, and were cornered in one area. Three infiltrators were killed when the troops foiled another infiltration bid in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district in north Kashmir, the spokesman said. Militants blew up an electric tower in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, causing damage to it. However, there was no power disruption, sources said. Jammu: A man was killed by militants at Bijambri Dhram in Gool in Udhampur district last night.
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Shabir Shah, 50 others arrested
Srinagar, July 13 Official sources said Mr Shah along with 500 leaders and workers of (DFP) was on way to ‘’Mazar-e-Shohda’’ (martyrs grave yard) when the police stopped their vehicles near police station Saddar. Mr Shah and 12 other senior leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Hagroo and Narinder Singh were taken into custody. However, when the others managed to reach police station Sherigrahi, the police again swung into action. Eyewitnesses said police resorted to lathicharge to disperse Mr Shah’s supporters. Mr Shah told UNI that he and his supporters were on way to pay homage to martyrs of 1931 who laid down their lives for the freedom of Kashmir. He said about 50 of his supporters were arrested by the police for nothing. It is unfortunate that we were not allowed to offer homage to martyrs when Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, National Conference leaders and others had gone there, he said. Mr Shah said the freedom struggle launched by the people of the state will continue till the goal is achieved. — UNI
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HC stays order on state subject certificate
Jammu, July 13 A Division Bench consisting of Mr Justice V.K. Jhanji and Mr Justice Parmod Kohli has ordered the stay on operation of the instructions of the government. It is worth mentioning that the court had earlier also ordered that no conditions should be attached while issuing state subject certificates to women. However, the government on the advice of the Law Department issued a fresh order asking the concerned authorities to issue the certificates with the condition that “the certificate may be reissued after marriage to indicate if the lady has married a state subject or non-state subject”. Mr Hari Om, vice-president of the state BJP, had filed a petition in the high court challenging the discrimination of the government while issuing state subject certificates to male and female applicants. Meanwhile, Mr Hari Om today accused the PDP led coalition government of being “rabidly against women” and does not believe in gender equality. |
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Amarnath yatra suspended due to rain
Jammu, July 13 The yatra was not allowed to proceed from the base camp of MAM Stadium here towards the cave shrine from both Pahalgam and Baltal routes, they said. The pilgrims were yesterday detained at Pahalgam and Baltal due to incessant rains since Tuesday. Some of the pilgrims who have already reached other places like Chandanwari, Panchtarni, Pisu top and the holy cave have also been asked not to proceed further as a precautionary measure, they said, adding the authorities were monitoring weather situation. The yatra would be resumed only after the weather improves and tracks become fit for pilgrims to move towards the cave shrine, they said.
— PTI |
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Srinagar, July 13 Lokash (38) of Gujarat died of cardiac arrest at Sheshnag on his return after having ‘darshan’ of the naturally formed ‘ice-lingam’ at 3,880 metre-high cave shrine this morning, the sources said. They said another pilgrim Shiv Diyal Singh of Punjab fell ill at Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam last evening and was immediately shifted to hospital where he breathed his last this morning. Eight pilgrims hailing from different parts of the country have died since the commencement of the pilgrimage on June 21. — PTI
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