Jammu, April 3
The Centre's decision to set up three committees for examining the demand of reduction of troops in Jammu and Kashmir has created political as well as regional polarisation in the state with Mufti Mohammed Sayeed being targeted by almost all partners of the ruling coalition and the Opposition.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and his other coalition partners have come out with strongly worded statements against the demand for pullout of troops.The PDF and the CPM have criticised the Centre for trying to "befool" the people of Kashmir.

However, the Kashmir-based parties in the coalition have in a guarded language not come out openly against reduction of troops, but their statements expose the level of their anger against the Mufti who has "stolen" the show by taking lead in raising the demand.

The Jammu-based parties were gunning for the Mufti for seeking the pullout of troops that were deployed to protect lives of innocent people. Residents of villages around Thriat, where five labourers were killed by terrorists, chanted slogans not against Azad but against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mufti and Pakistan when the Chief Minister visited there on Saturday.

The politics of demilitarisation has puzzled the common man as Azad continues to stick to his guns by announcing that there was no question of pullout of troops from the state and more armed forces would be inducted in case terrorist strikes like the one in Thriat reoccurred.

On the other hand, the coalition partners of the Congress-led government were rallying around Azad by criticising the Mufti, who made the Centre to set up the three panels, including one headed by defence minister A.K.Antony. They have described the exercise just an "eye wash" to enable the Mufti show his face to the people in Kashmir.

But there was jubilation in the PDP camp over the "victory" of the Mufti. The political affairs committee (PAC) of the PDP in its meeting at Srinagar on Saturday appreciated the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh for taking a "very sensitive, impassionate, understanding and enlightened view of the prevailing situation in the state".

The sincerity of the purpose shown by the Central leadership by establishing a mechanism that will hopefully further improve the ground realities, inspire peoples' confidence in the political processes and institutions and pave the way for a just and dignified resolution of the Kashmir issue, the PAC added.

The PDP leadership has clarified that it never demanded the complete withdrawal of troops, but was seeking their measured and responsible reduction and repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

Transport minister and chairman of the PDF, Hakeem Yaseen, described the Centre's decision as "eye-wash" and declared this yet another "humiliation and joke with people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly people of Kashmir who are being taken for granted and befooled in the garb of committees which are actually escape routes".

Hakeem said the committees constituted on the demand of the PDP would be headed by the defence minister, who has already revealed his mind that not a single soldier will be withdrawn from the state.

He claimed that the PDF was pioneer of demilitarisation slogan but “we will project this at appropriate time and not surrender after making behind curtain deals. By stealing the slogan, PDP has created difficulties for pro-people parties.”

He demanded convening of the 3rd Round Table Conference (RTC)to expose opportunists and also provide equal ground to all political parties, including separatists to put forth their viewpoint.

Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, state secretary of CPM which is supporting the Azad government, has described the Centre's decision as "rigmarole and eyewash". The Central government, once again, seems to have skirted the real issue in Kashmir, which is evident from its response to the demand for reduction of forces in the state.

Jammu, April 3
The Congress-led coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir is expected to order elections to 4146 panchayats without accepting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s three-year old advice for incorporating the 73rd amendment in the state’s constitution.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asked the J&K government to incorporate the 73rd and 74th amendments in the constitution of a public meeting here three year ago. He said by incorporating the amendment the rural areas would usher in an era of participatory governance towards realizing Gandhi’s dream of gram swaraj.

All 2701 panchayats in the state were dissolved in August last, but now their number has increased to 4146 following delimitation and creation of eight new districts.

The state government so far has not incorporated the 73rd amendment made in the Indian Constitution in 1992 when Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister. However, the successive governments in the state, including the one headed by Mufti Sayeed and was supported by the Congress, failed to incorporate these amendments.

Rural development minister, Jugal Kishore Sharma, said a committee had been set up to examine these amendments incorporation in the J&K Constitution. He was not sure how much time the committee might take to finalise recommendations.

He said the government would shortly ask the state election commission to hold panchayat elections.

The last election held in 2002 could not cover all panchayats as 900 panchayats were left out due to security reasons.

A controversy was created in April 2005 when the Governor refused assent to a bill seeking to dissolve all panchayats. The bill was moved by the PDP led government. Having voted in favour of the bill in the legislature, the Congress later developed cold feet on the issue and said it would not allow the Mufti to dissolve all panchayats in one go.

Jammu, April 3
The Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Organisation has booked a zonal education officer and two junior engineers (JEs), under the Prevention of Corruption Act for withdrawing fraudulently Rs 5.08 lakh for the repir of a school building at Darbshala in Kishtwar district.

Accused Uma Devi has also been booked under the Ranbir Penal Code along with the two JEs Abdul Majeed Bhat and Abdul Gani after investigation following a complaint, a spokesman of the organisation said here today.

The organisation made a surprise check during which records revealed the accused had withdrawn fraudulently Rs 5.08 lakh in 2005 for the renovation of a school building which was gutted in 1999, the spokesman said.

A case under Section 5 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120 (B) of Ranbir Penal Code had been registered against the accused and investigation was on, he said.

In another case, an official of the Power Department, Mohammad Akbar Wani, has been convicted of accepting bribe and sentenced to two-year rigorous imprisonment by a special anti-corruption court, the spokesman added.

Jammu, April 3
The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed a one-member commission of inquiry consisting of Justice M.L. Koul, a retired judge of the high court, to probe fake encounters in which innocent persons were killed by the security forces.

According to a government notification, the commission will fix responsibility for such killings and also recommend measures to prevent such incidents.

The commission has been asked to submit its report within three months. Killing of innocent persons by the police and security forces had triggered angry protests.

Srinagar, April 3
Three persons were injured in a grenade attack at Naid Kadal here today, while an IED was defused by troops in the Bandipora area of north Kashmir.

The police here said unidentified militants lobbed a grenade upon a moving vehicle of the CRPF at Naid Kadal Chowk here today. The grenade missed its intended target and exploded on the road, causing injuries to three pedestrians. Two vehicles passing by also suffered damage as a result of the explosion.

A major tragedy was averted at Watlab Bandipora today, when a patrolling party of 15-RR detected an IED fitted in a transistor. The IED was later defused by the troops without causing any damage.