J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Cong ‘goes public’ on discrimination issue
Jammu, September 2
The Congress, which is a partner in the Mufti-led coalition government, is now itself reeling from the pangs of “discrimination” against the Jammu region as its top leaders have started publicly talking about the issue.

6000 militants getting training in Pakistan
Jammu, September 2
Nearly 6,000 militants were receiving training of arms in several camps in Pakistan and after completing training in armed operations they would be pushed into Jammu and Kashmir in small groups.

Militants gun down Army porter
Srinagar, September 2
Militants gunned down an Army porter inside his house in Kupwara today suspecting him to be a security forces informer, a police spokesman said.

Omar to head Hurriyat team for talks with PM
Srinagar, September 2
The moderate Hurriyat Conference today announced a five-member team which will represent the amalgam at its talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Monday.

Army jawan kills Major, self
Srinagar, September 2
In a fit of rage, an Army jawan allegedly shot dead a senior officer before committing suicide inside a security camp in Handwara township of Jammu and Kashmir early today, official sources said here.

SSP’s suspension okayed in murder case
Jammu, September 2
Acting sternly against a Senior Superintendent of Police and his wife, wanted in connection with the alleged murder of their son-in-law, the state police has recommended his suspension and issued arrest warrants against his wife for not reporting to the investigating authorities.

Cong ‘goes public’ on discrimination issue
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 2
The Congress, which is a partner in the Mufti-led coalition government, is now itself reeling from the pangs of “discrimination” against the Jammu region as its top leaders have started publicly talking about the issue.

The Congress leaders had made the commitment of removing all sorts of discrimination meted out to the region by the previous governments, but what has happened after nearly 35 months of the coalition rule in which the party was the biggest partner is that its own ministers were complaining of discrimination.

First of all, the Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma publicly complained that the voice of the ministers belonging to Jammu was not being heard either by the government and nor by the bureaucracy. The immediate provocation for him to make the statement was the refusal of the authorities to allow Janmashatmi procession from the traditional route here that put the Congress in a spot.

Thereafter, Mr Madan Lal, a Congress MP, accused the state government of sitting over grant of Rs 24,000 crore made by the Prime Minister and not allocating sufficient funds for the Jammu region.

Political observers attach significance to these statements that were being made shortly before change of the government when Mufti Sayeed completes his three-year term as Chief Minister in November.

The Congress had won a majority of seats in the Jammu region on the slogan of removing discrimination. However, hardly any steps have been taken in this direction during the past nearly three years.

The three main issues that the Congress had promised to address were, setting up a finance commission for equitable distribution of funds among the three regions of the state, appointment of a delimitation commission for creating more constituencies of the Lok Sabha and Assembly in Jammu and implementation of the Wazir Commission report for creating three new districts in the region.

However, all these promises have remained unfulfilled so far although Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, had also announced here that immediate steps would be taken to implement these promises.

The successive governments, including the National Conference, had put on hold the report of the Wazir Commission on the plea that the financial position did not allow creation of new districts and tehsils. However, three new districts were created in Kashmir after the report was submitted and the Mufti, who, earlier, turned down the demand on the reason of financial constraints, was on a spree of creating new tehsils in such areas where he wanted to make a dent for the PDP.

With a bigger area and larger population, the Jammu division has fewer number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats than the Kashmir valley. The successive governments have been evading the demand for setting up a delimitation commission to remove the injustice.

Interestingly, when the Mufti had gone to perform Haj last year, the Cabinet that met under the chairmanship of Mr Mangat Ram Sharma approved the setting up of a finance commission in the state. However, nothing has been heard after that about formal notification regarding the commission.

Meanwhile, certain ministers belonging to Jammu had confrontation with the government during the Amarnath pilgrimage when the Governor and the Chief Minister had locked horns on the issue of the duration of the “yatra”.

6000 militants getting training in Pakistan
M.L. Kak

Jammu, September 2
Nearly 6,000 militants were receiving training of arms in several camps in Pakistan and after completing training in armed operations they would be pushed into Jammu and Kashmir in small groups.

This disclosure was made by top militant Mohammad Amin Chopan, who spent nearly seven years in Pakistan during an interaction with reporters at Corps headquarters at Nagrota near here yesterday.

Chopan, belonging to Banihal, had been forcibly taken away for recruitment in the Harkatul Jihadi Islami outfit in 1998. At the time of entering into Pakistan from the Rajauri border Chopan was a class VII student. He said that “we were a group of 15 youths who were forced to enter Pakistan.”

He said one top terrorist belonging to the HUJI, Sikender Hayat, had forced him and others into joining the rebel outfit. He said after crossing the border “we were carried in vehicles belonging to the ISI and we were a group of 70 youths who underwent training in arms for 90 days at Gair Alak on the outskirts of Rawalpindi where “we were trained in the handling of sophisticated weapons, explosives.”

Chopan said that besides training in arms the recruits were given lectures motivating them to carry out operations against Indian security forces and pro-India political leaders. He said after the completion of training he did not return to Jammu as he was advised by his parents to stay put.

He said that he obtained a passport in February 2005 from the HUJI outfit under a fictitious name in Altaf Hussain and returned to India via Nepal. He travelled by train and bus to reach Banihal and at the time of leaving Pakistan he was given by outfit leaders Rs 15,000 in Indian currency and Rs 3,000 in Pakistani currency.

Rights from the day he returned to India his parents had already established contact with 12 Rashtriya Rifles for securing “my surrender”.

He said the idea of surrender came after he saw Indian movie, “Hindustan Ki Kasam”. And after series of mediation he was allowed to surrender on August 27, 2005.

Mohammad Amin Chopan said to a question, that Hizbul Mujahideen chief, Syed Salahuddin and Barkatul Ansar chief, Masood Azhar would issue instructions to the militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir on the pattern of operations they had to launch.

Militants operating in the state, he added, were told by these leaders whether explosive devices were to be used or engaging the Indian security forces in direct encounters.

He said that he had realised futility of armed struggle and decided to surrender and help security forces in eliminating rebels or in securing their surrender.

Chopan said that the ISI men and the Pakistani Army lent direct assistance to youths helping them into Jammu Kashmir for subversive activities. He also confirmed that there were several arms training camps in the occupied Kashmir also.

Militants gun down Army porter

Srinagar, September 2
Militants gunned down an Army porter inside his house in Kupwara today suspecting him to be a security forces informer, a police spokesman said.

Army portar Nabir War was killed in his house at Batapora-Haihama village in Kupwara district early today, he said.

War, a released militant, was killed on the suspicion of being an informer of the security forces.

The security forces apprehended a suspected youth during search operations at Soibugh village in Badgam district today.

The youth was arrested in connection with the recovery of two hand grenades, a wireless set and 382 rounds of ammunition from his possession, he said, adding he was handed over to police for questioning. — PTI

Omar to head Hurriyat team for talks with PM

Srinagar, September 2
The moderate Hurriyat Conference today announced a five-member team which will represent the amalgam at its talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Monday.

The delegation will be headed by Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq.

The other members of the team are Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, Maulana Abbas Ansari (both former Hurriyat chairpersons), Bilal Ghani Lone and Fazal Haq Qureshi.

While the Mirwaiz, Prof Bhat, Maulana Ansari and Bilal Lone are the members of the Hurriyat executive committee, the highest decision-making body of the separatist amalgam, Mr Qureshi represents the People’s Political Front.

The team was announced by Mirwaiz Farooq after inaugurating the building of Islamia High School this afternoon. The 100-year building was gutted in a fire last year. Significantly, Mr Qureshi was included in the Hurriyat team at the last moment. — UNI

Army jawan kills Major, self

Srinagar, September 2
In a fit of rage, an Army jawan allegedly shot dead a senior officer before committing suicide inside a security camp in Handwara township of Jammu and Kashmir early today, official sources said here.

Havaldar K. K. Giri of 21 Rashtriya Rifles opened fire from his service rifle on Major D C Chohan inside the camp at Baghatpora, 85 km from here, in Kupwara district, the sources said.

Major Chohan died on the spot after being hit by several bullets, the sources added.

After killing his senior officer, Giri allegedly committed suicide using the same weapon before his other colleagues could react and disarm him, the sources said.

The motive behind the jawan taking such an extreme step was not known immediately, the sources said, adding Giri had a heated argument with the officer over some issue and lost his temper. — PTI

SSP’s suspension okayed in murder case

Jammu, September 2
Acting sternly against a Senior Superintendent of Police and his wife, wanted in connection with the alleged murder of their son-in-law, the state police has recommended his suspension and issued arrest warrants against his wife for not reporting to the investigating authorities.

“Till today, the IPS officer (Karnail Singh) and his wife are absconding and they have not reported to the investigating officer or police station in Jammu in connection with the case of the murder of Nitin Sharma,” Inspector General of Police S.P. Vaid said, adding that his suspension had been recommended to the state DGP yesterday.

Dr Vaid said, “He had called up and we have told him to present himself before the Superintendent of Police south city today. We hope he would present himself before him today.”

“If he does not turn up, he would be declared as absconder after his suspension,” the IGP said. Karnail is posted as Dy Commandant of the 6th Battalion of India reserve Police in Rajouri.

Arrest warrants have been issued against the SSP’s wife and the police raided several places to track her down, police sources said. The SSP, his wife, four PSOs and a civilian have been named in the FIR on the alleged murder of his son-in-law. — PTI