Kokernag (Anantnag), May 20
The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) launched its "safar-e-azadi" or journey for freedom from here today demanding the involvement of people of Jammu and Kashmir in the "decision-making process" for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. The march led by JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, which began from Matigawran village, near here, early this morning was not allowed by the police earlier on May 6.

Senior JKLF leaders, including its general secretary Ghulam Rasool Eidie and other supporters and a large number of villagers from adjacent villages joined the march on its first leg here this afternoon, after it had covered a distance of 40 km. Scores of vehicles carrying JKLF cadres and supporters reached the public meeting here at 1 p.m. after it had started its march at 5 a.m. in the morning, with JKLF chairman Malik at the head of the caravan.

Addressing the public meeting at this tourist spot of Kokernag, 75 km south of Srinagar, Malik said the march would take six months as it would cover all areas inviting people’s support demanding inclusion of people in the dialogue process. The JKLF has already completed its signature campaign with over 15 lakh signatures of people of Jammu and Kashmir in support of its agenda. The march is yet another programme to impress upon the central government and world the need to involve people of this state in any dialogue process towards a peaceful and amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Malik made it clear the JKLF was not against the dialogue process between India and Pakistan, but sought the involvement of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in any dialogue process. He reiterated his stand that the people of this state were not being involved as they were the basic party to the dispute. He added that Kashmiris were involved only in the consultative process and not the "decision making process". He sought the resolution of Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan with the involvement of the people of this state to make the solution acceptable to the people.

The JKLF chairman last month announced to launch the "journey for freedom" across Kashmir to impress upon India and Pakistan for the inclusion of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and making Kashmiris a party in the dialogue process. The march "Peace in South Asia-Kashmir First Kashmiris First" would cover the entire Jammu and Kashmir in support of his demand, he had declared. This decision had come days before the third round-table conference was held in New Delhi in which all mainstream and separatist political parties had been invited. The separatist organisations, including the JKLF and both factions of the Hurriyat Conference, moderates led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and hardliners led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and other parties stayed away from the third round-table conference.

Jammu, May 20
Continuing his tour of Rajauri and Poonch districts, the stronghold of the National Conference (NC), party president Omar Abdullah today countered PDP chief Mufti Mohammad Syed’s “self-rule” proposal by raising the issue of autonomy report. It was passed in the Assembly during the NC regime in August, 2000.

“Those advocating the self-rule formula are actually talking of dividing Jammu and Kashmir on regional basis and our party will not allow division of the state as being propagated by some vested interests,” Omar, the son of former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, said while addressing a rally in Behrote in Rajauri district.

The restoration of autonomy in the state is the only viable solution to the Kashmir issue, Omar said, criticising the “parties playing regional cards and raising hollow slogans like self-rule to propagate their political interests”.

He stated that the autonomy document was acceptable to all as it also had “internal autonomy for equitable development” of all three regions of the state.

“This is evident as the document (on autonomy) has been passed and adopted by the Assembly”, Omar said.

The Assembly had adopted the report on state autonomy in August, 2000, during the NDA regime and the then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and sent it for the Centre’s nod. However, the Centre had forwarded it to a committee for review and its ratification.

Omar said the NC was for simultaneous development in all areas to remove the sense of alienation from the minds of people.

“We have been always in favour of equal share for all in the matters of development for a sustained economic growth of the state.”

Omar is on a week-long tour of the far-flung areas of both border districts.

Talwara (Reasi), May 20
Octogenarian Makhana Khan has already lost four members of his family in militant attacks, now his only concern is to save the lives of his six grandchildren, who are on the brink of starvation because he as a lone bread earner of this 12 members family is finding difficulty in earning two times meal for them. Neither the situation permits them to return to their native place, nor are the authorities treating them as migrants.

Due to the apathetic attitude and insensitivity of authorities at the helm of affairs, patience of this brave man, who bore the brunt of terrorists’ tyranny due to his pro-India stand, is running out. He has threatened to join hands with militants so as to save his children from starvation as he was fed up with the false promises given by the authorities.

Twelve members of Makhana’s family, including his three daughters and grandchildren, have been living in one room, which was allotted to them at this migrants’ camp which lacks basic amenities.

“Our only fault was that a few foreign militants repeatedly kept on asking us to send one of our nephews with them but we strongly opposed it”, he told The Tribune while narrating his tale. “Terrorists one by one killed three of my nephews Abdul Rashid, Ghulab Din and Abdul Karim in November 2006 and brunt our houses as we dared oppose their fatwas and refused to join anti-India forces”.

“What have we achieved from taking pro-India stand?” he asked, while pointing towards the kids, adding, “My children are on the brink of starvation. Had I supported their (terrorists’) cause I would have been living safely at my native place”.

Being the victim of terrorism, Makhana, a resident of Lancha village (considered to be a citadel of militants) of Mahore tehsil, has been moving from pillar to post to get justice, but to no avail. As militants had threatened to eliminate his son-in-law they migrated from their native place. Since then, this family has been moving from one place to another for seeking justice. First they came to Jammu, then shifted to Udhampur and after that they were taken to Ramban by authorities with an assurance that they will be given benefits provided to migrants. But these only remained on papers.

Two months ago this family was taken to a migrant camp at Talwara and dumped in tentage of one room colony for migrants.

However when contacted SDM Mahore Tanbir Iqbal Malik, told The Tribune that there was a number of displaced families of Lancha village whose cases were yet to be solved. “We have to conduct spot verification for final disposal of relief and rehabilitation but situation is not conducive”, he admitted and added that due to security reasons this process has got delayed.

Badoi (Jammu), May 20
Initially, none was prepared to believe that Shyam Singh had earned Rs 6 lakh profit by growing high-quality strawberry on the arid land his forefathers had left him near the industrial belt of Bari-Brahmanan. But now he has become a role model for others in the worst “kandis” of the districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua.

A handful of progressive farmers in these districts took to strawberry cultivation for the first time in 2004, but now their number has increased to 200. The land owned by them, that had virtually been lying barren all these years, now has started yielding good returns and they have started leading a comfortable life.

Kesar Parveen, a woman farmer, however, is critical of officers of the Horticulture Department which she blames for not lending a helping hand to strawberry growers. “These officials treat us as if we have become a challenge to the much-patronised strawberry growers of the Kashmir valley”, she laments.

Shyam Singh and a couple of other growers complained that the state government had failed to provide compensation to them for the loss suffered due to heavy rain in February and March. The loss has been assessed by Revenue officials, but no compensation has been given. On the other hand, the authorities were quick in paying compensation to almond growers whose crop was also damaged around the same time.

They said whatever assistance for strawberry cultivation had been received so far was from the National Horticulture Board (NHB). Om Prakash, another grower, alleged that the Horticulture Department had adopted the unfair practice of giving incentives to them in the shape of raw material and not in cash. Shyam Gorkha, a young grower, pointed out that he was handed over some unwanted tools by the department instead of cash incentive supposed to be provided under the rules.

The growers showed the hail-net of poor quality that was supplied to them by the department and no technical know-how was being provided.

Thakur Randhir Singh, president of the Aromatic Plants Growers Association of India, demanded a CBI probe into the handling of the grant of Rs 100 crore under the horticulture mission by the Horticulture Department.

He said more than 100 acres in the Jammu division had been brought under strawberry cultivation, but the arrogance of officers of the department was preventing farmers from diversifying crops.

J.B.Singh, assistant director of the NHB, said 58 strawberry projects had been funded by the NHB. Post-harvest technology was also being provided to the farmers. A sum of Rs 20 lakh had been released as subsidy to the strawberry growers.

Udhampur, May 20
The Reasi police today arrested a cop and recovered heroin worth Rs 1 crore from his possession. The arrested cop is deployed at Raj Bagh police station of Kathua district.

A case under Section 8/21of the NDPS Act has been registered against the cop. — TNS