J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Will govt recast coordination panel?
Jammu, November 25
Will the coordination committee, which was constituted in December, 2002, to act as watchdog of the performance of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, be reconstituted after the change of guard in the state?

BJYM protests entry fee in hospital
Jammu, November 25
Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) today squatted outside the Government Medical College here today to protest against the decision of the Azad government to impose an entry fee of Rs 5 on each person visiting the hospital.

2 killed, Jaish militant among four arrested
Srinagar, November 25
Two persons, including a girl, were killed while the security forces arrested four militants, including a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) activist in the Jammu and Kashmir over night, an official spokesman said.

DGP Gopal Sharma bereaved
Jammu, November 25
Mr Bala Sahay Sharma, father of Mr Gopal Sharma, DGP of J&K Police, died at Jaipur today.

Will govt recast coordination panel?
Our Correspondent

Jammu, November 25
Will the coordination committee, which was constituted in December, 2002, to act as watchdog of the performance of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, be reconstituted after the change of guard in the state?

This question is being debated in Congress and PDP circles, being the main partners in the ruling coalition, following installation of Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad as Chief Minister, who was the chairman of the coordination committee.

Not only this. Will the coordination committee be allowed to function as an effective body for streamlining the policies for the government or simply remain a paper tiger which it was during the past three years? This question too has added significance because neither Mufti Mohd. Sayeed, during the time he headed the government, was in favour of allowing the committee to function as a parallel centre of power nor Mr Azad is likely to attach importance to it even if the coordination committee was reconstituted.

It was as a result of scant respect the Mufti-led government gave to the committee that Panthers Party supremo, Bhim Singh, had resigned from it and a senior CPIM leader and MLA, Mr M.Y. Tarigami, had suggested abolition of the coordination committee. Mr Tarigami and Prof Bhim Singh had stated that the committee had become redundant because during the past 18 months it met only thrice and its recommendations and suggestions were not implemented by the government.

A senior PDP leader said that first of all the committee should have a new chairman after Mr Azad took over as Chief Minister. He said when the PDP was in the driving seat between November 2002 and October 2005, a Congress leader was the committee’s chairman. Now that the Congress leader is the Chief Minister, a PDP leader should be appointed its chairman.

He said the Congress high command should not delay reconstitution of the coordination committee and it was in the interest of the coalition rule that the committee was given teeth to carry out effective streamlining of the policies of the government and their implementation.

BJYM protests entry fee in hospital
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 25
Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) today squatted outside the Government Medical College here today to protest against the decision of the Azad government to impose an entry fee of Rs 5 on each person visiting the hospital.

A large number of activists of the BJYM sat on a dharna and raised slogans against the state government.

They described the step as “anti-people” and “anti-poor”.

The Mayor of the Jammu Municipal Corporation, Mr Kavinder Gupta, while addressing the agitating BJYM activists, said he would ask the state government to withdraw the entry fee.

The president of the BJYM, Mr Yudhvir Sethi, criticised the Congress-led coalition government for introducing the entry fee that would put a financial burden on the poor.

He said the hospitals would function smoothly only when the doctors have the will to do so and not by imposing entry fee on the visitors.

2 killed, Jaish militant among four arrested

Srinagar, November 25
Two persons, including a girl, were killed while the security forces arrested four militants, including a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) activist in the Jammu and Kashmir over night, an official spokesman said.

He said militant shot at and wounded Mohammad Rafiq at Handwara in Kupwara district last night. He was admitted to the hospital where he died.

A girl, who was injured in a grenade blast in the house of Abdul Hameed on November 23 night at Phagla, died in the hospital this morning. With this, the toll in the incident has risen to two.

He said security forces arrested a JeM militant at Pulwama while three other militants were nabbed at Ganderbal and Handwara along with some arms and ammunition. — UNI

DGP Gopal Sharma bereaved
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 25
Mr Bala Sahay Sharma, father of Mr Gopal Sharma, DGP of J&K Police, died at Jaipur today.

Mr Sharma (80), who was a retired IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, had been unwell for the past some time.

He leaves behind five sons, including Mr Gopal Sharma.

The DGP, who was at Srinagar to review the security arrangements in view of the visit of the President, flew to Jaipur this morning.