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Strike hits life in Valley
Doctors threaten mass suicide
Taxes proposed in Budget
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Congress to contest four Legislative Council seats
Lt-Col killed in road mishap
Infiltration bid foiled, 2 BSF jawans hurt
Two more J&K Haj pilgrims die
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Strike hits life in Valley
Srinagar, January 17 All shops and business establishments here were closed and there was thin traffic. There was thin attendance in government departments and banks as employees could not reach their offices due to the lack of transport. There was a total shutdown in downtown, the stronghold of the Mirwaiz, chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference. Pro-Geelani demonstrations were also held there although no untoward incident took place as elaborate security arrangements had been made. Life came to a standstill in other major towns of the valley, including Baramula, Kupwara, Handwara, Sopore, Budgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag. Shops and business establishments in these towns were also closed in response to the call. Only a few vehicles plied, according to reports reaching here. Traffic on the inter-district routes was also affected. Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, described the "massive response" to the general strike call as a "referendum of the people in favour of the freedom struggle". In a statement, he said the general strike was in "support of the movement and people’s verdict against Indian occupation". This, he said, was against the "shortcuts", and added the response "rejected all roadmaps and endorsed the support for the right to self-determination". However, the Mirwaiz faction of the Hurriyat Conference claimed that there was a total rejection of the general strike call. It also held a procession from the downtown to Dalgate here in support of the faction’s talks with the Pakistan leadership.
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Srinagar, January 17 The doctors affiliated to the association of the Indian System of Medicine (ISM) threatened that they would take recourse to the ''extreme step of mass suicide'' on January 26 if the government failed to safeguard their future and address their problems by then. At a meeting here, the association discussed threadbare the future of contractual doctors working in far-flung and inaccessible areas of the state for the past five years. ''Our doctors have served in far-flung areas and done commendable job in relief operations in snow-storm-affected Waltengu Nar and earthquake-hit areas of Uri and Tangdhar, besides serving regularly during the Amarnath pilgrimage despite a meagre salary of Rs 8,000 per month. The doctors were taken hostages and some suffered serious injuries on duty,'' the association said in a statement here. It said the situation was now turning grievous as most of the doctors had either crossed or on the verge of crossing the age limit while the state government remained a silent spectator. ''We have decided to go on mass suicide on January 26 if our grievances are not addressed soon. The authorities will be responsible for the consequences,'' the association threatened. — UNI
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Taxes proposed in Budget
Jammu, January 17 He also proposed service tax in the state. Initially, courier services, marriage and banquet halls, private educational and professional institutions, cable networks, insurance, banking and other financial services would be brought in the ambit of taxation. The minister proposed to enhance the rate of tax on services from 4 per cent to 8 per cent He proposed levy of entry tax on all goods for personal use and consumption in conformity with tax rates to fetch a revenue of Rs 10 crore. He announced that tax holiday on the tourism sector would be continued for another year. A high-level group would review the Central Government's packages of soft loan for hoteliers and guest houses announced in September 2003 for the purpose of generation of employment through the revival of tourism. He said the Rs 16,267-crore Budget proposals presented by him was a "zero" deficit Budget.
— TNS |
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Congress to contest four Legislative Council seats
Jammu, January 17 A spokesman of the Congress said here today "since we have more than 27 MLAs, we deserve to contest four of the nine seats.” He said the PDP would be given two seats. The spokesman said the remaining seat would be filled through nomination by the Governor and" in case of any hitch, we shall allow a candidate from the PDP to be nominated.” However, general secretary of the PDP, Mr Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, said "in a coalition, seats are not shared on the basis of the strength of each partner in the Lower House." He said the issue had to be decided between the Congress high command and the patron of the PDP, Mufti Mohd Sayeed. He indicated that the issue would be first discussed between Mufti Mohd Sayeed and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. In case of any problem, the issue might ultimately be resolved between the Mufti and AICC chief Sonia Gandhi. Both the Congress spokesman and the PDP leader said "the two sides will discuss the matter in a spirit of goodwill and in the interest of the survival of the coalition."
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Lt-Col killed in road mishap
Srinagar, January 17 Lieut-Col K.K. Dongai was killed and three others were injured when their vehicle skidded off the road and hit a tree at Mirgund, 15 km from here, on the Srinagar-Baramula National Highway last evening, he said.
— PTI |
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Infiltration bid foiled, 2 BSF jawans hurt
Jammu, January 17 Sub-Inspector Avinash Chander and Constable Panday were injured in a gun battle that erupted when BSF troops patrolling the frontier spotted a group of eight to 10 militants near Matkola border outpost around 2.40 a.m. The BSF lodged protest with Pakistan during a flag meeting of company commanders at Matkola, but the Pakistan Rangers said its personnel were not involved in the incident, which it described as “the handiwork of militants”. In Delhi, BSF Director-General A.K. Mitra told PTI he had “no reason to believe anyone other than militants were involved” in the exchange of fire. |
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Two more J&K Haj pilgrims die
Srinagar, January 17 Peer Mohammad Ahsan (62) died of cardiac arrest, while Ghulam Mohammad Wani (50) was killed in a road accident. Both died at the holy city of Mecca on January 13.
— UNI
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