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Dispersing crowd makes Omar & Co leave venue
Poll goal: Parties enter ‘cyber space’ zone
PDP afraid of releasing self-rule document: Mir
PDP changed status quo on Kashmir: Mehbooba
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PDP blames NC for backwardness in Banihal
All’s not well in ruling coalition
Sarabjit shouldn’t be hanged: Farooq
Azad working for Gujjars: Vakil
Sinha visits Shivkhori shrine in Reasi
Norwegian tourist’s body found
Package for refugees
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Dispersing crowd makes Omar & Co leave venue
Nagrota, April 21 A visibly annoyed Omar handed the microphone to a party leader and briskly walked up to his vehicle forcing the entire NC ‘elite’ including senior Abdullah to follow the suit. Earlier, addressing the gathering Farooq not only asked the people to remain vigilant from PDP’s “nefarious designs” but also claimed that the ruling coalition partner has no sympathy for them. “The PDP just want your votes,” he asserted. Continuing his tirade on the PDP, Farooq said, in election year several parties would try to woo you raking up sensitive issues. Rebuffing dual currency proposal, the former chief minister said, “People coining such proposals want to befool Kashmiri Muslims but may I tell them that Jammu and Kashmir is and would remain an integral part of the country.” Having said that it doesn’t mean that the National Conference would lower its guard on greater autonomy proposal, he claimed. Farooq said there would be no let up or change in party stand over autonomy to the state. He also castigated PDP president Mehbooba Mufti for what he claimed singing different tunes at different places. The National Conference patron also derided Mufti Mohammed Sayeed for delay in the 450-MW Baglihar power project and the fate of the Sawalakote project rife with alleged misappropriation of funds. In a bid to strike a chord with the people, Farooq then switched over to price-rise, farmers’ issues and unemployment. He, however, stuck to Omar’s promise of one government job in every house. “Elected to power we would fulfill Omar’s commitment of one government job in every house,” he said, adding that the National Conference would also relax eligibility criteria to 8th standard for Class IV jobs in the state. He also sought support of the people for party’s prospective candidate from Nagrota assembly constituency for the upcoming Assembly polls, Ajatshatru Singh, son of Congress MP Dr Karan Singh. Urging the people of Nagrota to forgive Ajatshatru Singh for his past mistakes, Farooq said, “Don’t betray him again.” On NC ticket Ajatshatru had lost his home constituency to the BJP in 2002 elections and had parted ways with the National Conference. Ajatshatru in his brief address apologised to the people After an abrupt end to the rally people resorted to sloganeering saying, “We don’t want a raja, we need a local leader.” |
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Poll goal: Parties enter ‘cyber space’ zone
Jammu, April 21 Realising the importance of cyber space and the reach of Internet these days, various political parties in the state like the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have launched their websites and would also be fighting the elections in “cyber space”. Aimed at reaching the voters, who don’t attend the public meetings of these political parties but have access to the Internet, these mainstream political parties are busy updating their sites with their latest agendas and election promises. National conference president Omar Abdullah who recently launched the official website of his party has been himself busy writing blogs for the site, the topics that he covers range from cricket to politics. “For me personally the most thrilling part in the site is the blog. I have started writing blogs few days ago,” Omar said. “My blog would be about what I think- it will be about my life, experiences and thoughts on a variety of subjects but certainly politics will be a big part of what I write about,” he adds. The ruling coalition partner in the state government, the People’s Democratic Party, had already taken the election campaign on the cyber world, as the party has been posting its “achievements” on the site. “To provide to the people of Jammu and Kashmir a viable, democratic and broad based political platform that would reflect their true will and aspirations and endeavor to realise the vision of a peaceful and prosperous future for the people of the state,” reads PDP’s slogan on the “homepage” of the party website. Political observers in the state feel that though the election campaign on cyber space would not have a major role to play in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state, however, it would be interesting to see how much help these political parties could get from the use of latest technology in impressing the educated strata of the society. “The aim of going high-tech and launching election campaign using Internet would not serve any purpose in the state like Jammu and Kashmir, which lags far behind in telecommunications revolution in the country. But still it would be interesting to see the impact of these sites on the class of the people who have access to the Internet,” said Manjeet Singh, a political observer. |
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PDP afraid of releasing self-rule document: Mir
Jammu, April 21 A senior PDP leader said today, “The document has been printed and it shall be released at an appropriate time.” He could not say anything when asked which was the appropriate time. He simply stated that broad contours of the self-rule document were already known to the people. In reply to a question, the PDP leader said the dual currency issue, raised by the party leadership, was part of the economic component of the document. He said even the dual control issue was listed in the document in the shape of joint management. Ghulam Hassan Mir, who after being expelled from the PDP floated the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Party, said whether it was the document on greater autonomy, adopted by the National Conference or the self-rule document, both had the potential of aggravating the internal turmoil. He said what was needed was self-reliance which was more important than greater autonomy or self-rule vision of the PDP. As member of the committee set up to prepare the draft on self-rule, Mir had incorporated self-reliance in the self-rule document. He said the PDP leadership does not seem to have guts in making the document public. He said, “If the document is ready why it is being kept under lock.” Asked whether the PDP had plans of releasing the document a couple of months before the Assembly poll, due in October 2008, Mir smilingly said, “At that stage people will not have time to read the document.” Another PDP leader when asked to explain if the self-rule document was different from the greater autonomy resolution of the National Conference, he said, “In several political, constitutional and economic spheres the self-rule document was much better than the autonomy demand.” He said there is no mention of dual control, dual currency and demilitarisation in the autonomy plan. Also the self-rule document pleads for greater devolution of financial powers to the grassroots level. |
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PDP changed status quo on Kashmir: Mehbooba
Srinagar, April 21 She said it brought a wind of change and slowly whispered its way across the South Asian sub-continent and had heralded unforeseen amendments to the existing political scenario in Kashmir. Addressing a public meeting in her home constituency of Bijbehara in south Kashmir today, Mehbooba expressed hope that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his forthcoming visit at the Dulhasti Power project, would announce a special employment package for unemployed youth in the state. She said till 2002, people took the state government as an “extension of the Central government.” But it was the PDP which carved a niche for itself, changing the entire political scenario of the state. Mehbooba said the Prime Minister had constituted various working groups on the issues raised by the PDP and since these working groups had presented their recommendations, the Prime Minister should announce its implementation. Mehbooba said various pro-people proposals of the PDP were criticised by some parties, but had been acknowledged both at the national and international-level. These included opening of the Srinagar Muzaffrabad road, reduction of troops, repealing of AFSPA, rehabilitation of families of militants, return of Kashmiri youth from across the border, free movement of people and goods and compensation to the state government for the loss caused by the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) by transferring powers projects to the state. Mehbooba said the status quo on Kashmir had resulted in wars between India and Pakistan. “Various political forces object to our proposal of a regional senate and dual currency as they are either unaware of the ground reality or do not want to help the people.” Elaborating on the problem of unemployment, Mehbooba said it was the biggest challenge and despite the National Conference’s (NC) agreement with the then Central government, the coalition government had upgraded thousands of schools and made recruitments. It had established colleges and universities to provide employment opportunities to the youth. “We are for a fast track recruitment plan as 70,000 to 1 lakh posts are lying vacant in different departments and they will be filled up on merit basis in a transparent way”, Mehbooba commented. |
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PDP blames NC for backwardness in Banihal
Udhampur, April 21 A meeting of the party was held today at Neel area of Banihal in which senior leaders condemned the National Conference for befooling the masses. Speakers blamed the NC for the prevailing backwardness and underdevelopment in Banihal area. Speakers said instead of solving problems of the masses, the NC leadership exploited sentiments of the people by raking up emotive issues. Banihal area lacked basic amenities due to apathetic attitude of the previous NC regimes, they added. Shoukat Ahmed Daing was the organiser of the meeting, in which zone president Abdul Ahad Wani highlighted pro-people policies of the PDP. Wani said since its inception, the PDP has been suggesting to hold dialogue with different sections of the society for restoring peace in the state. He said pro-peace policies of the PDP have been accepted by the leaders of both India and Pakistan. |
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All’s not well in ruling coalition
Jammu, April 21 The Congress had to do a lot of face saving after PDP patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed propounded the idea of allowing the use of Pakistani currency in Kashmir. The idea of allowing Pakistani currency in the state has put the Congress in an “embarrassing situation” as it has to cope up with the national sentiment that has been brewing up against
the PDP. “There has been strong resentment among people in Jammu and other parts of the country against the idea propounded by PDP patron Mufti Sayeed. People have taken it as an anti-national approach, so the Congress has to cope up with the resentment at the national-level,” said a senior Congress leader on the condition of anonymity. The Congress also faced embarrassment when president of the PDP, Mehabooba Mufti, advocated the idea of power sharing by India and Pakistan over Kashmir in the recently held Pugwash conference in Islamabad. Earlier, senior PDP leader and finance minister Tariq Hamid Karra, also said
the state should have a separate currency. Adding he said, “It has become the need of the hour for us to do some damage control, before the situation turns worst for the party.” The PDP leadership had always been vocal and has stood against its ruling alliance partner, the Congress, whenever they found that something was going against its manifesto. Last year, the coalition alliance had come to a brink of collapse when PDP patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed threatened to withdraw his party’s support to the government over the issue of troop reduction in the state. “The Congress despite being the major partner in the government had to bow down to the demand of troop reduction from the valley by relocating the troops from various places in the valley. So the PDP was always in command and the Congress does not want to displease its junior partner,”said a senior BJP leader in Jammu. |
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Mainstream parties fight over separatist agenda
Srinagar, April 21 Trying to tap into volatile Kashmiri sentiment, which still has a distinct connection with its land and people in Pak-occupied Kashmir, both the People's Democratic Party and the National Conference seem to be on a no-holds-barred course to exploit it. So much so that even separatists are left wondering. “Separatists used to support Pakistani currency and control in the state. Now the PDP and the NC are sparring to own these issues. Separatists will have to think,” Dr Sheikh Showkat of Law Department, Kashmir University, says in a forum organised for separatist leaders. The PDP, which had benefited in last Assembly elections with its sympathetic tones for militant groups who, the police officials say, asked their cadres to work for the party, has again taken lead in belittling the stated policies of an establishment, of which it has been a part for the last six years. Its president Mehbooba Mufti first called for participation of legislatures from PoK in the state's assembly, and then her father Mufti Sayeed, once the union home minister, went public with his demand for dual currency in the undivided state. The demands of the father-daughter duo are basically a rehash of Pakistani president Parvez Musharraf's four-point formula, which was given little acceptance by India, at least in public. Policy-makers say the belligerence of PDP’s rhetoric even as it is a coalition partner in the state government has very much forced the NC to match Muftis. Omar Abdullah and his father Farooq Abdullah, who have in the past spoken of bombing terrorist camps in Pakistan, have been left to prove their anti-Delhi credentials before the electorate. When Mehbooba received an audience with PPP chief Asif Zardari recently, stealing a thunder over the NC, Omar Abdullah said she had gone there as “Indian agent.” Though PDP says its demands are nothing more than what Indian and Pakistani leadership are considering to solve their difference over Kashmir, observers say things could go awry if talks between both countries fail and things falls back to square one. Voters would ask then what happened to their lofty promises and separatists would then be in best position to exploit people's disappointment. |
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Govt employees rally against price rise
Srinagar, April 21 The employees’ joint action committee touched a chord with the common man’s woes over the issue of price rise as leaders addressed hundreds of people, mostly employees, at the historic Lal Chowk. Union president Khurshid Alam said they held the rally to draw the government’s attention to the sufferings of people. “The UPA government in Delhi says they are taking steps to control the prices. We are not sure of it. Nothing is being done in this regard,” he said. Citing an example, he said the prices of iron had doubled in the past six months and market forces had benefited from it. “The government on the one hand says they have adequate food stock, and on the other hand, takes desperate measures like ban of export to control the supply,” he added. Several lower and middle rung employees said their domestic budget had gone haywire in the last few months. “I used to take my family for meal once in a week. I can’t do it any longer. Vegetables are as costly as meat,” Maqbool Dar, a social welfare department employee said. |
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Sarabjit shouldn’t be hanged: Farooq
Nagrota, April 21 “Sarabjit is important for the Indo-Pak peace process. His hanging would not only vitiate the atmosphere but would add to new disaster,” he opined. Farooq further said certain forces wanted to run their houses on the blood of Kashmiris. He said it would be a tragedy if Sarabjit was hanged. Responding to Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s formula of ‘dual currency’, Farooq said New Delhi had already snubbed him. “I don’t know how he coined the dual currency proposal,” he added. Farooq said the PDP had staked claims even at the time of opening trans-border roads with Pakistan, which was mutually decided by India and Pakistan.“However, I think he (Mufti) might have been asked by the Prime Minister to announce this before the people,” he said. |
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Strike by private operators throws life out of gear
Jammu, April 21 Around 50,000 passenger vehicles remained off the roads as the operators demanded 30 per cent increase in the fare. “We could not reach our office in time,” said Avinash Kapoor, a government employee. Various schools in the city had declared a holiday today and had informed the parents a day ahead by SMS. “When we came to know about the strike of private transport operators we immediately declared a holiday for Monday, as majority of the students of our school come by private matadors and mini busses,” said a teacher at a private school in Jammu. Though the auto operators in the city had also joined the strike, they were seen plying their autos on roads and as per commuters, the auto drivers took ‘undue advantage’ of the strike. Around 2,500 mini busses that ply on various routes in Jammu remained off the roads and commuters were forced to walk by foot to reach their destination. Meanwhile, the transporters in Jammu said they could continue their strike if the government failed to fulfil their demands and increase the fare. |
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Azad working for Gujjars: Vakil
Rajouri, April 21 He said the Congress had backed up the then prime minister on the condition of granting ST status to this community. Addressing the Gujjar and Bakarwal conference recently, he said the Azad-led government was taking steps to ensure betterment of the community so that it progressed at par with others. He also referred to the special grant given to G&B hostel at Rajouri last year, as a result of which, three of its students qualified for medical and engineering seats. Vakil said pre-matric scholarship for Gujjar and Bakkarwal students of Rajouri district had been raised to Rs 1.08 crore as against Rs 90 lakh. He said the hostel was refurbished at a cost of Rs 9 lakh last year by the
government. |
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Sinha visits Shivkhori shrine in Reasi
Udhampur, April 21 Accompanied by minister for public works Jugal
Kishore, the Governor was briefed about the infrastructure development of the area. Jammu divisional commissioner Sudanshu
Pandey, who is also the chairman of Shiv Khori Shrine Board, gave an overview of
the cave shrine to the Governor. |
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Norwegian tourist’s body found
Srinagar, April 21 Police said her body was found close to the hotel where she had checked in before venturing out for skiing. She is likely to have come under an avalanche, they added. Her body was spotted as the snow-level had receded with the rise in temperature. Rongne had arrived here for skiing at the Gulmarg resort, but went missing soon after her arrival. |
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Package for refugees
Jammu, April 21 He said the state and Centre was aware of the problems of refugees and was formulating a package to address the problems. The deputation comprised the Kashmir Pandit migrants, Pakistani refugees of 1947 and refugees of 1965 and 1971 from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
— TNS |
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