 |
|
PM convenes third roundtable conference on April 24
Morcha flays Centre for Kashmir-centric policies
‘Rajouri Day’ observed
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
‘Kite train’ win hearts
Non-teaching staff’s stir draws ABVP’s ire
Geelani to return to Srinagar on April 22
|
|
PM convenes third roundtable on April 24
Jammu, April 13 Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, while disclosing this here today, said reports of the five Working Groups on Kashmir will be discussed in the roundtable conference. Azad, who returned here this morning after meeting Manmohan Singh, said home minister Shivraj Patil was also present last evening when he briefed the Prime Minister about the situation in J&K. He said the conference would provide yet another opportunity to representatives of political parties, ethnic groups and opinion leaders from all three regions to deliberate upon related issues also. Stressing that peace is imperative for all round development and prosperity of the state, Azad said state and central governments had started the process of composite dialogue and roundtable conferences were a part of this process. He said liberal financial assistance from the Centre had enabled the government to launch all round development in every area of the state. However, public support was necessary for success of efforts to restore normalcy. The mainstream parties in Kashmir, including the PDP, National Conference, CPM, PDF and also the Congress, were for the past some time demanding a roundtable conference in which certain contentious issues could be discussed. Meanwhile, the NC chief, Omar Abdullah, said his party would participate in the roundtable conference. The NC had boycotted the second roundtable conference to protest against increase in human rights violations in the valley.
|
|
Morcha flays Centre for Kashmir-centric policies
Jammu, April 13 Virender Gupta, president of the JMM, accused the Centre of being equally responsible for the mess in Kashmir as it had been pursuing Kashmir-centric policies to appease the Kashmiri leaders by ignoring the Jammu and Ladakh regions, that had always remained patriotic towards India. He said that not only the PDP leaders Mufti Sayeed and his daughter, Mehbooba Mufti, but also the National Conference chief, Omar Abdullah, and other Kashmiri leaders had suddenly started the rhetoric of dialogue with Salahuddin, who was supreme commander of the United Jehad Council that heads 19 terrorist groups operating in the state. He alleged that by doing so the Kashmiri leadership was supporting the agenda of Pakistan and separatist groups. These leaders should be put behind the bars as they were "indulging in anti-national activities” by raising such voices, he demanded. Gupta claimed that the Mufti had invited interference of the SAARC countries in the internal matters of India by suggesting that they should take steps for economic upliftment of Kashmir. He said it was unfortunate that the National Conference under whose regime terrorism started in the state was now demanding talks with Salahuddin. The European Union has in its report accused Pakistan of backing terrorism as a result of which residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were living like slaves, he added.
|
|
|
‘Rajouri Day’ observed
Jammu, April 13 The function was marked by wreath laying by various military and civil dignitaries. Addressing the gathering, Brigadier I.P. Singh, Deputy GoC, 25 Infantry Division, emphasised the importance of civil military cooperation in combating the menace of terrorism, which had adversely affected the peace and tranquility in the border district. It was on this day in 1948 that the brave populace of Rajouri fought along with the Indian forces and secured the town from the clutches of raiders from Pakistan. |
|
‘Kite train’ win hearts
Jammu, April 13 Pappu Bhai Rasool Bhai has come all the way from Ahmedabad to fly his unique kites in the picturesque Bagh-e-Bahu with the famous Bahu fort in the background. Tourists and locals enjoyed seeing his kites, including a 25 ft fighter aircraft and a 51 ft snake. He says that 8 craftsmen worked day and night for 15 days to manufacture these kites. However, the ‘kite train’ could not remain airborne for a long time as the flow of the wind was not as per the requirement. |
|
Non-teaching staff’s stir draws ABVP’s ire
Jammu, April 13 In a statement here, ABVP leaders, including Suresh Magotra, a member of the national executive, said the non-teaching employees had been upsetting the examination schedule by resorting to strike for the past two years. The students were suffering because of the strike as they were unable to appear in examinations for professional institutions because of the delay in the declaration of results due to postponement of examinations. The ABVP leaders urged the government not to let the employees play with the career of students.
|
|
Geelani to return to Srinagar on April 22
Srinagar, April 13 He was operated upon in a Mumbai hospital last month. He is scheduled to address a public meeting soon after his arrival at Idgah here. Greater significance is attached to Geelani’s address soon after his arrival here later this month, since he had been away from political activities for more than two months. He is expected to put forward his stand on the issues of demilitarisation and General Parvez Musharraf’s four-point formula, which have remained at the centre-stage of separatist moderate Hurriyat Conference and mainstream political parties during the last two months. According to Ayaz Akbar, a spokesman of hardline Hurriyat Conference led by Geelani, the ailing leader had himself expressed his desire to address a public meeting at Idgah. The APHC chairman would drive directly from the airport to Idgah to address the public meeting. Geelani was operated upon for kidney trouble in Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, on March 26. Earlier, doctors in Delhi had advised Geelani to get treatment in the US, but it had been delayed due to different reasons.
|
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
