Jammu, August 13
Showing no signs of any letup in its agitation, the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti today extended the Jammu bandh till August 20. The winter capital has been observing shutdown for the past 20 days following the samiti's call over the Amarnath land row. Addressing a press conference here today, samiti convener Leela Karan Sharma made it clear that they would further intensify their agitation if the land was not restored to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board soon. He said over one lakh people would court arrest in the Jammu region as part of their 'Jail bharo andolan' on August 18. He said the samiti would hold a parallel function on Independence Day and unfurl the Tricolour at Mubarak Mandi.

Lashing out at the authorities for "inept handling" of the situation in Kishtwar yesterday, he alleged that the police and civil administration in Kishtwar "didn't act in time and allowed the situation to spiral out of control". He said the minority community there had suffered huge losses in arson and riots and demanded immediate compensation for loss of property. He also sought a judicial probe into the incident and action against the "guilty officials".

Sharma said the hue and cry being raised by Kashmiri leaders over the so-called "economic blockade" was a false propaganda. He accused them of trying to confuse the Centre on the issue and asserted the samiti would not accept anything less than the restoration of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board.

He alleged the police was harassing youth participating in the land row agitation in Jammu and "implicating them in false cases". He expressed grief over the killings in the valley over the past two days and blamed the PDP and separatists for it.

Srinagar, August 13
Union Minister for Water Resources Saifuddin Soz has urged the Governor to institute a high-level inquiry into the loss of lives in firing by the security forces on Monday.

Soz, who is also president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), met Governor N. N. Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today and urged him to seek the inquiry report within a month.

He also demanded adequate compensation to next of kin of the victims and to the injured immediately. Soz also sought compensation for the fruit growers for the losses suffered by them due to the blockade on the national highway some days ago. He also suggested to the Governor that B and C grade fruit be retained in Kashmir under the market intervention scheme.

The PCC chief suggested that the Fruit Growers Associations, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Industries be invited for discussions and their problems sorted out on priority.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and state unit of the All India Gujjar Mahasaba (AIGM) today demanded a judicial probe into the firing by security forces and the police in the valley that left more than 20 dead and 500 others wounded during the past three days.

Various political parties, social and cultural organisations have condemned the killing of 18 persons and injuries to hundreds of others during the past two days in Kashmir.

The spokesperson of the National Conference said it was unfortunate that people of Kashmir, Rajouri, Poonch and Doda were forced to look up to Muzaffarabad road “after they faced economic blockade” from Jammu.

He expressed concern over the handling of the situation in the two regions of the state, adding that the PDP had adopted “double standards” during this period.

The spokesman the assurances of the Union Home Minister should be implemented on the ground for restoration of peace and normalcy in the state.

Meanwhile, the Hurriyat Conference has paid rich tributes to its leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, at a meeting presided over by chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today.

Senior leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami, JKLF and other separatist organisations visited the house of Sheikh at Pampore near here and paid rich tributes.

Former chief minister G.M. Shah expressed shock and demanded a high-level judicial probe into the killing of Aziz.

He condemned the use of brutal force on unarmed marchers. Shah also demanded personal intervention of the Prime Minister to ensure immediate halt to the dance of death and destruction that was primarily due to inept handling of the situation and criminal negligence in reigning in of the fundamentalist forces at the very beginning.

The state would not have been on fire had timely action been taken by state and central authorities, he added. The cultural and literary organisation in Kashmir, Adbee Markaz Kamraz, has called upon the civil society to come forward and play its role.

It criticised the intellectuals, civil society and track II activists of India for remaining silent at this juncture. The members put on record their deep anguish over the killing of innocent people in the firing by the police and other forces while quelling the demonstrations.

Srinagar, August 13
Governor N. N. Vohra today reviewed the overall situation in Jammu and Kashmir and movement of essential supplies and fruit on the national highway.

Addressing a high-level meeting of senior officers, the Governor stressed the need for effectively ensuring the safety of life and property, an official spokesman said.

Vohra also reviewed the movement of supplies on the national highway and expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements made for safe vehicular movement.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra meanwhile renewed his appeal to the people to maintain calm and expressed deep grief over the loss of life and damage to property in different parts of the state in the wake of violence over the Amarnath land row.

In a televised appeal through Doordarshan late last night, the Governor attributed the prevailing unrest to unfounded suspicions and misconceptions. Vohra said he saw no justification for the 'Muzzafarabad chalo’ call.

Udhampur, August 13
Although violence-hit Kishtwar remained calm during the last 12 hours, there was no relaxation in curfew as tension still prevailed in the town after yesterday’s large-scale arson and looting in which both communities suffered 
huge losses.

The police has initiated some steps to single out miscreants, who were responsible for the violence and destruction. As the locals have shifted all blames on Hurriyat leaders, the Kishtwar police, with the help of local Muslims, have identified some persons who were instigating the mob to attack houses and shops of the minority community.

“We have already registered a case and started investigations,” DIG (Doda-Ramban range) Hemant Kumar Lohia said. Lohia, who convened a meeting of prominent citizens today, said members of both communities had admitted that yesterday’s violence was handiwork of some outsiders who had instigated the mob after Nimaz-e-Janaza of Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz. A large number of government employees were part of the mob. Mohammed Maqbool Kelam, who was killed in police firing, was an employ of the Sheep Husbandry Department.

“We will take action against those, including government employees, who were found involved in looting and arson,” the DIG said. He also informed that an abandon gun had been found and it was believed that one of the processionists was carrying it during the protest rally that was organised against the killing of Aziz.

Additional forces have been rushed to the town as senior police and civil officers were camping at Kishtwar to keep a watch on the situation. The Army has taken control of the town and special teams of the Rapid Action Force have already been deployed at the sensitive areas.

The local administration had called a meeting of prominent citizens of the area, which was boycotted by the members of the minority community, who were demanding the arrest of Hurriyat leaders responsible for instigating mob to attack shops, houses and business establishments of a particular community.

Jammu, August 13
Expressing grief over the loss of several lives in Kishtwar and Kashmir, the BJP today held Kashmir-based separatist leaders and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti "directly responsible for inciting the people to take the law into their hands" and march towards Muzaffarabad.

Addressing a press conference here, state BJP president Ashok Khajuria said the ‘Muzaffarabad chalo’ call by these Kashmir-based "communal leaders" showed that they could go to any extent to accomplish their dubious designs regardless of the fact that such actions have the potential of leading to clashes between the people and the security forces. He said that had the security forces not swung into action it would have led to more casualties as the Pakistani army would have acted tough against those violating the LoC.

Ridiculing the claims of Mehbooba Mufti and others of her ilk in Kashmir regarding "economic blockade" of the valley, Khajuria drew the attention to the statements made by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Governor N.N. Vohra that "everything has been normal all along the national highway from Lakhanpur to Srinagar".

Meanwhile, the Jammu State Morcha (P) has decided to celebrate this year's Independence Day as a "pledge day" wherein the party will ask the people of Jammu to take pledge to liberate the Jammu region from the Kashmiri dominance and strive to create a separate Jammu state. "The new state would extend from Poonch to Kishtwar and Kathua, including the Gujjar and Pahari population area of the Kashmir valley.

Gupta condemned the communal violence in Kishtwar town and blamed the Kashmiri leadership and the PDP for engineering it.

Jammu, August 13
At a time when politicians have virtually divided Jammu and Kashmir regions on communal lines over Amarnath land row, a Muslim family here has come forward to adopt two abandoned toddlers of a Hindu family.

A sweet meat seller in Kunjwani spotted the two siblings, a girl and a boy aged over two and one years respectively, outside his shop during wee hours today.

When contacted, a police officer of the Gangyal police station said: “The two children were found abandoned outside a sweet shop in Kunjwani Chowk and till further investigations they have been handed over to a Muslim family, which has come forward with a desire to adopt them.”

Ahmed Din Bhat (48), who has expressed his willingness to adopt the children, said: “After knowing about the children, I talked to my wife Salima Begum, who immediately rushed to the police station expressing her desire to adopt them.”

Salima said: “They are too young to speak properly but the girl talks to her brother in an accent similar to those of labourers from Madhya Pradesh. I don’t know what compelled their mother to abandon them but we want to adopt them.”

She further said: “I don’t want to know about their religion. I don’t bother whether they are Hindus or Christians.

All I know is that they are also children like mine and need proper attention and care.”

The couple has two sons and a daughter. Two of them are married. Originally a native of Batote, Bhat, a labourer in a sawmill in Bari-Brahmana, has been living with his family in a rented accommodation in Uttam Nagar in Gangyal from the last over two decades.

When asked how they were going to bring them up with limited sources of income, Bhat said: “I am working at a saw mill while my wife works in a convent school here.

My one son is a truck driver and another one is a mechanic. We will manage somehow.”

Recalling a similar incident, the couple said around 30 years ago it had found another abandoned child in Patnitop.

“He was around 10 at that time and belonged to West Bengal.

We groomed him and today he is settled in Nagrota,” the couple said.

Rajouri, August 13
Around 4,000 Muslims took out a protest march in this border township today in protest against what they termed as “economic blockade” and “atrocities on Kashmiris”.

The protesters also extended full support to the ongoing agitation in the Kashmir valley and vowed to fight the Hindu fundamentalists who have been trying to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the state through their communal polity.

In the morning, the protesters assembled at Talab Masjid and marched peacefully through the streets of this border town. The protesters marched through areas, including bus stand, City Chowk, Gujjar Mandi.

After reaching the DC office complex, various leaders also addressed the gathering.

“Whereas security forces exercised maximum restraint in dealing with the protesters of a particular community in Jammu and thought twice before even resorting to cane-charge, in Kashmir they opened fire without any provocation by the peaceful protesters. The state government has a bias against a particular community,” said Maulana Dil Muhammad.

“We are with Kashmiris and have pledged support to their agitation against economic blockade,” he said. Abdul Qayoom Dar said while the atrocities committed by security forces on Muslims in Kashmir and Kishtwar were condemnable but urged people to maintain communal harmony at all costs.

He warned the right wing Hindu extremists to stop attacks on Muslims in the state.

Later, the protesters submitted a memorandum to the district administration in which they condemned the innocent killings in Kashmir and Kishtwar.

There were reports of massive protests in Thanamandi, Darhal, Manjakote and Bakori areas.

At Thanamandi, protesters also urged the Governor to change Director General of Police Kuldeep Khuda who according to them had a bias against people in Kashmir.

Hundreds of activists of the Bajrang Dal and the BJP today took out a protest rally on scooters, demanding restoration of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board besides recall of Governor N.N. Vohra.

In Poonch, hundreds of people in Harni took out a protest demonstration against the “economic blockade” and “innocent killings of Kashmiri people.”

Jammu, August 13
As a result of the prolonged turmoil over the Amarnath land row, the pre-poll campaign in the state has been relegated to the background.

Earlier, several political parties, including the Congress, the National Conference, the PDP, the Panthers Party and the BJP, were holding pre-election rallies in different areas of the state.

While the PDP had decided to give a fillip to its pre-poll campaign in the Kashmir valley from August 7, the BJP was convening meetings with the party cadre at the block-level. The BSP had announced names of over 35 candidates who were to be fielded in the election. Likewise, other parties had also shortlisted the names of candidates and was to clear the names in the meetings. The Congress had communicated to its block and district units to send a panel of names from each constituency. However, all these activities have now been suspended.

While a majority of political parties, including Congress leaders in Jammu, are engaged in extending support to the ongoing agitation in the region, those in Kashmir are busy fighting against what they call the “economic blockade”. Former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is leading the party’s pre-poll campaign, could only address a couple of meetings in the Doda belt in recent days. And for all these days, he along with other party leaders has been trying to pacify the agitators, who are blaming the Congress for the present turmoil.

The BJP leadership in Jammu has confined its activities to the demand of restoration of land. The Panthers Party leadership is engaged in a chain fast and its supremo, Bhim Singh, was shifted to a hospital after he developed cardiac problems.

And many political parties have given priority to communal harmony and peace over the Assembly elections.

“It is a sin to talk about elections at the present moment,” said PDP general secretary Nizam-ud-Din Bhat.

Ajay Sadhotra, provincial president of the National Conference, said, “Our priority is to see normalcy and communal amity restored in the state. But we do not favour postponement of the Assembly election.” Ravinder Sharma, spokesman of the Pradesh Congress Committee, said, “The Congress is not for postponement of elections.”

Jammu, August 13
Call it electoral politics or plane arithmetic, Congress leaders of the Jammu region are seeking the restoration of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. Interestingly, Congress leaders like Gulchain Singh Charak and Babu Singh, who are today talking of resolving the issue as per the people's aspirations, were ministers in the then Ghulam Nabi Azad government which revoked the land diversion to the shrine board.

Former higher education minister Charak today led a peace procession from Kachi Chhawni to Raj Bhawan under the banner of the Dogra Sadar Sabha of which he is the president.

The sabha submitted a memorandum to the Governor, demanding the restoration of land to the shrine board and its reconstitution by nominating prominent citizens of Jammu.. Earlier, Congress MPs from the state - Dr Karan Singh, Madan Lal Sharma and Chaudhary Lal Singh - had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and sought the recall of Governor N.N.Vohra. When the all-party delegation came to Jammu on August 9, Udhampur MP Chaudhary Lal Singh reiterated his demand for restoration of land to the shrine board and urged the Centre to reconsider its decision of not recalling the Governor. On August 7, Congress MLC R.S.Chib and former party MLAs - Raman Bhalla, Sham Sharma, Suman Bhagat, Yogesh Sawhney and Manohar Lal - held a press conference and openly declared their support for the samiti.

However, the Congress leaders' "sudden change of heart" has given the party's arch rival, BJP, an opportunity to attack them. The state BJP wondered as to why these Congress leaders are not quitting their party as their stand is contrary to the party line. "These are the people who set the state afire and today they are demanding the restoration of land to the shrine board. One and a half months after signing the Cabinet decision revoking the land transfer to the board, these leaders are now trying to mislead the people," the BJP said.

Udhampur, August 13
The PDP received a severe jolt when the entire unit of Chenani, including some Muslim leaders, resigned from the party and announced their full support to the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti. Leaders of the Udhampur district unit of the PDP had already resigned from the party whereas a majority of the leaders of Reasi district, including city president, too had quit the party.

Announcing his decision to resign from the party Chenani district president of the PDP Rajinder Abrol regretted that instead of adopting a middle path the party leadership had been dancing to the tune of anti-national and pro-Pakistani forces.

Taking strong note of the recent statements of party chief Mehbooba Mufti Abrol said Mehbooba Mufti had launched a vicious campaign against people of Jammu during the last one month.

Another PDP leader Mohammad Latif pointed out that Mehbooba Mufti had been trying to create division between two communities in the Jammu region. People in the Jammu region had been living in total harmony and brotherhood but Mehbooba Mufti was giving confusing statements.

Mohammad Ayub Bhat, Master Bansi Lal and Dalip Kapoor, PDP leaders of Reasi district, also resigned and flayed the party leadership for playing into the hands of anti-national forces. 

Banihal (Ramban), August 13
Notwithstanding claims of the authorities to take healthcare facilities at the doorsteps of the people, the Emergency Hospital at Banihal on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway depicts a picture of mismanagement and corruption.

Although adequate staff has been "appointed" in this important health centre, which caters to over 1.5-lakh population, the hospital functioned only as a centre from where patients are only referred to Jammu or Srinagar hospitals for treatment.

Being set up on the accident-prone stretch of the national highway, this hospital has been equipped with advanced equipments to provide emergent medical facilities to the victims in case of any road accident but there is shortage of trained staff to operate these equipments.

"Even for minor treatments, patients are usually referred to Srinagar," pointed out Mohammed Abdul Wani, a resident of Banihal.

"Majority of the doctors posted in this hospital are casual visitors as most of the time they remain busy with their private practice," alleged Ghulam Nabi of Khan Mohalla, Banihal, while pointing towards a chemist shop where a doctor was doing private practice even during duty time. Bakaar Rasool, chairman of the Banihal Municipal Committee, told The Tribune that adequate staff must be appointed in this hospital to make it functional.

"Locals have protested a number of times against mismanagement of the hospital but nothing concrete has been done so far," he said.

"Despite being a trauma hospital on the highway one can hardly finds a doctor after 4 pm in the hospital," he said, adding, "Even duty register is not maintained in the hospital." Last week, a tragic road accident took place in this locality. As specialist doctors were not available in the hospital, all the victims were shifted to Jammu for treatment. "Some of the accident victims died due to non-availability of treatment in time," he said.

Stinking bathrooms, toilets, wards and casualty room reflect prevailing mismanagement in the hospital. Corruption in the hospital can be gauged from the fact that an illegal ultrasound clinic remained functional in the hospital for months together but administration was "unaware."

"As got that clinic closed as soon as we received information," block medical officer (BMO) S.B. Khan, told The Tribune while admitting that such illegal activities were going in the hospital.

The BMO, however, claimed that hospital has been functioning smoothly and adequate staff has been appointed.

Jammu, August 13
At a time when the government has extended the vacation of colleges and Jammu University till August 16, the director of school education has issued orders to open schools in Jammu region from August 11. It has created chaos among the students and the teaching faculty.

While private educational institutes of the region have decided not to open the schools till normalcy is restored, no government school of the district could conduct classes on August 11-12. Most of the schools remained closed due to the Jammu bandh call given by the Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti while in some schools students and teachers could not make it due to transporters’ strike. A majority of the parents did not allow their wards to attend the schools apprehending their safety.

Natha Ram Dingra, principal, Ranbir Higher Secondary School, Parade, said: “In compliance to the orders issued by the director, the institution was opened on August 11 but the students did not attend the school due to which classes were not conducted.”

Meanwhile, Satesh Sharma, Balwan Singh and Kulwant Singh of the JK United Teachers’ Federation, Jammu & Kashmir Teachers’ Forum and Provincial Teachers Association have described the decision of the director (education) to open the schools from August 11 as “unwise” and urged her to extend the vacation till normalcy was restored in the state. When contacted, Zahida Khan, director (education), Jammu, refused to comment.