J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Speed up projects, Azad tells ministers, MLAs
Srinagar, August 21
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has asked the ruling coalition to make maximum use of the inter-session period between now and the next session of the Assembly to push the infrastructure development projects taken up by the government.

House adjourned twice 
Panthers MLA suspended
Srinagar, August 21
Assembly speaker Tara Chand here today suspended Panthers Party MLA Harshdev Singh for the rest of the session of the House on complaints of misbehaviour with ministers. The House also witnessed noisy scenes leading to adjournment on two occasions on the issues of Khundroo ammunition depot fire and grant of ST status to the Pahari-speaking people of the state.

ST status to Paharis: Mixed response to bandh
Rajouri, August 21
The bandh call given by various Pahari organisations demanding Scheduled Tribe status elicited mixed response in Rajouri and Poonch districts which have highest number of Pahari-speaking people. They have been demanding Scheduled Tribe status for two decades.

Army jawan booked for rape
Jammu, August 21
An Army jawan has been booked for allegedly raping a teenaged girl in Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu district, the police said today.

Speed up projects, Azad tells ministers, MLAs
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 21
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has asked the ruling coalition to make maximum use of the inter-session period between now and the next session of the Assembly to push the infrastructure development projects taken up by the government.

He was addressing a meeting of the legislators and ministers of the coalition parties, mainly the Congress and the PDP here last evening. Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, Mangat Ram Sharma, Abdul Aziz Zargar, Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed, Tariq Hamid Karra, Taj Mohiuddin, Rigzin Jora, Haji Nisar Ali, Jugal Kishore, Qazi Muhammad Afzal, Gulchain Singh Charak, Ramesh Chander Sharma, Manjit Singh and Ajaz Ahmad Khan attended the meeting.

Azad said the next year, before the elections, was crucial for the government during which its attention should be completing development works. He said the working season for the current year was now limited to four months only as the onset of winter would hinder development activities.

Azad told the legislators to attend the session with preparation and respond to Opposition criticism with arguments and not lung power. He said the standard of debates in the Houses should be raised and legislators having command and expertise should speak on a particular subject rather than expressing ideas on every topic.

The Chief Minister said the Opposition would take up Khundroo incident in the legislature and the coalition legislators should be ready to respond with facts about the measures taken by the government for the affected people.

He recalled his meeting with the Prime Minister last week and said he had requested him to send a Central team of Defence and Home Ministries to assess damages suffered by people and pay compensation to the affected villagers. He said Dr Manmohan Singh assured him of providing compensation to them. He said he had asked for early clearance of the area of unexploded ammunition before the onset of harvesting season. He said he stressed on setting up ammunition depots away from civilian population in future and also consider relocation of the gutted ammunition depot at Khundroo.

Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh cautioned the legislators against possible efforts of the Opposition to fan regional sentiments and divide the coalition parties. 

House adjourned twice 
Panthers MLA suspended
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 21
Assembly speaker Tara Chand here today suspended Panthers Party MLA Harshdev Singh for the rest of the session of the House on complaints of misbehaviour with ministers. The House also witnessed noisy scenes leading to adjournment on two occasions on the issues of Khundroo ammunition depot fire and grant of ST status to the Pahari-speaking people of the state.

When the proceedings of the House resumed in the afternoon after two adjournments, rural development minister Jugal Kishore sought the Speaker’s attention on the misbehaviour of the Panthers Party member and former minister Harshdev Singh. Jugal Kishore said Harshdev Singh had threatened to kill him earlier today and had been misbehaving quite for some time.

Reacting to the remarks, Harshdev Singh told the House that he had not threatened the minister, but blamed him for the murder of an employee. "I told him he was a murderer", Harshdev Singh, said adding an employee was suspended by the minister who had not been reinstated. The employee had had a heart attack leading to his death due to the "selfish motives" of the minister, the MLA added.

Senior Congress member and health minister Mangat Ram Sharma moved a resolution to suspend the member for the remaining session. He said the member’s behaviour was unfortunate adding that Harshdev Singh had one and a half weeks ago also threatened to kill the minister. The resolution was passed by voice vote in the House and the member was escorted out of the House. Three other members of the Panthers Party, Balwant Singh, Faquir Nath and Yashpal Kundal, staged a walkout in protest.

Earlier, the House witnessed noisy scenes as proceedings began on the first working day, as the National Conference members sought an early discussion on the Khundroo fire incident. A short duration discussion called by PDP members Ghulam Hassan Khan and A. R. Veeri had been listed at the end of the day’s proceedings. "We will not allow the proceedings unless discussion on Khundroo is held… it is a great human tragedy", leader of the Opposition A. R. Rather was heard saying in the noisy scenes.

The National Conference and the CPM had called for adjournment motion while the ruling PDP had called for a discussion on the issue. 

ST status to Paharis: Mixed response to bandh
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, August 21
The bandh call given by various Pahari organisations demanding Scheduled Tribe status elicited mixed response in Rajouri and Poonch districts which have highest number of Pahari-speaking people. They have been demanding Scheduled Tribe status for two decades.

In Rajouri town, there was virtually no response to the bandh call as most of the shops remained open.In some rural areas, the call received some response.

However, in Poonch district, tehsil headquarters of Mendhar and Surankote witnessed complete shutdown. In Poonch town, however, the response to the call was lukewarm. 

Army jawan booked for rape

Jammu, August 21
An Army jawan has been booked for allegedly raping a teenaged girl in Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu district, the police said today.

Sepoy Ajay Kumar of 27 Rastriya Rifles (RR) raped the 17-year-old girl at Daskal village of Akhnoor tehsil on August 19, Senior Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Akhnoor, Atul Sharma said.

A case has been registered against Kumar, he said adding the jawan, who was on two-month’s leave, had left his place to join his unit.

The Army has been contacted for seeking his surrender. — PTI