Protesters stone the PDP office in Jammu. — Reuters

An eye opener, says samiti

The samiti expressed gratitude to the people of the Jammu region for their over-whelming response to its 'Jail bharo' call. The samiti claimed that over 3 lakh people, including 10,000 women, from Lakhanpur to Banihal came on the streets and courted arrest. The samiti leaders said the overwhelming response to the 'Jail bharo' call was an "eye opener" for those who had launched a vicious campaign against the ongoing movement to "hide their misdeeds".

The union and state governments should realise that the ongoing stir had become a mass movement, they added.

Jammu, August 18
Former union minister and senior BJP leader Chaman Lal Gupta has accused the central government of neglecting the people of Jammu who have been agitation for the restoration of forestland back to the Amarnath Shrine Board for past more than 45 days.

In a statement released here, Gupta, who courted arrest at Trikuta Nagar during the “Jail bharo” andolan today, said the Congress government was busy appeasing the separatists in Kashmir who had been contemplating to divide the nation.

"The government instead of opting for a democratic approach to accept the demands of the nationalist masses of Jammu and other parts of the country, had resorted to all methods of oppression and suppression to crush the agitation of the people," Gupta said.

He alleged that some members of the all-party delegation from the Centre headed by the Union Home Minister were least concerned about the situation in Jammu.

"The Congress is responsible for the crisis taking an alarming shape, it has failed to go by its constitutional obligations and anti-national slogans are being raised and the Tricolour is being burnt with impunity even at Lal Chowk in the very presence of the police." Gupta said.

He termed as blackmail tactics the threats of Omar Abdullah to resign his Lok Sabha seat in case force was used against " anti-national" demonstrators in Kashmir.

Jammu, August 18
Even as there has been a lot of hue and cry over the losses suffered by Kashmiri fruit growers, their counterparts in Jammu as well as the fruit sellers claim that they too have bore the brunt of the turmoil over the Amarnath land row.

Fruit Association president Praveen Kumar Gupta said: "We have paid Rs 100 crore as an advance to the fruit growers in Kashmir. However, they are not supplying fruits to us, alleging that the truckers from Kashmir are being attacked in Jammu. We have tried to allay their apprehensions, but they are simply not ready to listen." He said if the fruit growers in Kashmir could not supply fruit to them they should at least return their money. "Many of us have taken bank loans for ordering fruit from Kashmir, but today we don't know how we will repay the money," he lamented. Their dilemma doesn't end here. They would be in a spot even if the truckers from Kashmir start transporting fruits to Jammu. "Even if we get the fruit from Kashmir where we would sell it during shutdown and curfew," wondered Gupta. Trade has derailed to such an extent that even if the situation normalises today it would take them over a month to set their house in order.

"The Centre should act fast in resolving the matter as another month of this agitation and we will be finished," he added.

On the other hand, Sham Singh, a farmer from Badoi village, said: "Farmers of the Jammu region had reaped a bumper harvest of mangoes this time, but the produce could not reach the market due to a continuous shutdown and curfew in various districts of the province.

" He pooh-poohed the claims of Kashmiri fruit growers that their apples are rotting.

"Apples will take another couple of months to ripe fully and therefore the question of the fruit rotting at this stage doesn't arise," he said. Referring to the "indifferent attitude" of the successive state governments as well as the Centre, he said while the farmers of Kashmir find many sympathisers, nobody pays heed to their grievances.

Om Prakash, another farmer from Samba, said he too had sold off 60 crates of mangoes in July first week. However, he was yet to receive its payment, as the party, which had made the purchase, could not supply it further due to the land row agitation. "With no option left to market my produce, I ended up distributing mangoes among my relatives and neighbours," he said.

Ramkrishan, a farmer hailing from Kathua, said after taking a toll on their mango season, the turmoil has now hit the sale of their guava produce. "It has been over 10 days since guava has turned ripe, but there are no takers for it," he added.

Jammu, August 18
While the PDP and the separatists have been exploiting the sentiments of people in Kashmir over the "economic blockade" of the valley by the people in Jammu, there is no economic blockade and the traffic has been smoothly going on towards the valley.

Despite the assurances from the state government that normal traffic has been restored on the Lakhanpur-Srinagar highway, Kashmir-based parties like the PDP have been fuelling the agitation in the valley over the so-called "economic blockade" of the valley.

"There is no economic blockade of the Kashmir valley after the Army was requisitioned by the civil administration. There has been smooth flow of traffic on the national highway that connects the Kashmir valley with the rest of the nation," Lt. Col. S.D. Goswami, Jammu-based PRO of the Ministry of Defence, told The Tribune. "We never imposed any form of economic blockade of the Kashmir valley, it was a minute disruption on the highway as people in large numbers came out and stopped vehicular traffic on the roads.

For their petty political gains, parties like the PDP, NC and even separatists termed it as a full-fledged economic blockade of the valley by the residents of Jammu," said Jaipal Singh, a leader of the Jammu-based truckers association. According to the figures provided by the All-Jammu and Kashmir Oil Tankers Association around 3200 oil tankers have reached the valley in the past fortnight.

"The figures available with me from August 1 to August 14 show that more than 3,200 tankers have reached the valley from Jammu." Anan Sharma, president of the association, said.

He said: "The fanatics in the valley attacked our tankers and 94 of our tankers were damaged and the drivers beaten up, but still the supplies are going on without any security.'

However, he said if the government failed to solve the land row before August 20, the truckers in Jammu would stop loading their vehicles for the Kashmir valley.

Jammu, August 18
After the police reportedly thrashed his two-and-half-year-old son for “defying curfew” few days back, some unidentified people tried to terrorise Satish Babbar and his family last night by setting the main wooden door on fire and exploding a petrol bomb in front of his residence at Peer Mitha.

While giving account of the entire episode, Satish said he had been getting threats to stay away from the media regarding the incident related to his son Vansh Babbar and Vansh’s cousin Vishal (16).

On August 6, the police had allegedly fractured the forearm of Vansh, and had also beaten up Vishal, while they were out during curfew at Rajinder Bazar.

“I had earlier reported it to the police that some unknown people were threatening me of dire consequences,” he said.

Satish said the incident happened around 12:25 am when his family woke up to a bang followed by shouts of neighbours, who saw the main door on fire. He said the perpetrators had sprinkled petrol on the door and in the lane before setting on fire.

“Right now it’s very difficult to say as who could be behind all this. I have filed an FIR,” he added.

Shokat Ahmed, SHO Peer Mitha, said, “We are investigating the matter and we have provided security to the family.”

Jammu, August 18
Even as the city is reeling under a spell of shutdowns and curfews for the past over 50 days due to the Amarnath land row, the suspension of postal services has hit the residents hard here.

Talking to The Tribune, director, postal services, Kushal Vashist, said: “Due to the prevailing situation in the state, postal services have been affected adversely, particularly the local mail delivery system.”

Vashist said the department could not even send urgent speed-post articles to the people for the past over 45 days. He said people could receive their urgent mails at the National Speed Post Centre in the railway station and could also send their urgent mails.

Vashist said the department was trying to deliver mails to the people during the relaxation hours. Usha Devi, a local resident, said: “I could not send rakhi to my brother this year. He is in the BSF and posted in Assam.”

Srinagar, August 18
With the government remaining helpless in defusing the present crisis, anti-India and pro-Pakistan forces are getting a firmer grip on the common masses.

If the huge rally in Pampore was an open support for separatism, the rally held in Srinagar today, was a brazen defiance of Indian sovereignty.

Masses openly exhibited their anger against India by chanting aggressive slogans and carrying numerous Pakistani flags, something unseen in the recent past.

Many youths mounted the square near the TRC, where the rally was held and hoisted a flag, which resembled the Pakistan flag, while a large contingent of security personnel looked on.

Separatists have generally avoided Pakistani flags in public rallies, more so in Srinagar, largely due to government pressure and partly due to ideological reluctance of some of their own leaders like Yasin Malik.

But such niceties have been given a go by with pro-Pakistan and hardline leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani emerging as the clear favourite of the rallying masses.

Geelani’s arrival induced fervour among people. The religious and political extremism was also evident from the slogans shouted by groups of protesters.

Many said, “Jaag jao aye kafiron, Kashmir hamara chhor do (Wake-up you non-believers and leave our Kashmir)”. Many others chanted “Bharat ka jo yaar hai, gaddar hai gaddar hai” (Traitors are those who support India). There were slogans in support of the Taliban and the Lashkar-e-Taiba as Islamist leader Mushtaq-ul Islam, a former militant commander, reminded the crowd that they were fighting for “suppressed” Muslims like them.

“You are an Indian. You should tell your people that we have defied their rule. If India believes in democracy, then it should leave Kashmir,” Shabir Sofi, a youth told The Tribune as a number of his friends chanted, “Le lo bhai hari jhandi, hum jayenge Rawalpindi” (Take green flag brothers, we will go to Rawalpindi).

Religious sentiments ran high among the crowd, especially youths, and people heading different cavalcades hymned religious songs.

Srinagar, August 18
Life remained crippled for the 15th day today in the Kashmir valley due to strike on a “United Nations Military Observers (UNMO) office chalo” call given by both factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC).

However, the Hurriyat-led coordination committee has asked people to resume normal activities from tomorrow till Thursday and march to Idgah on Friday to offer “fateha” to chairman of the Peoples League, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, who was killed in police firing on August 11at Boniyar during the Muzaffarabad march.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in the summer capital and adjoining areas.

Educational institutions wore a deserted look as students and teaching staff stayed away. A similar situation was witnessed in government offices, banks and other government undertakings.

However, in some areas, the government-run ration depots openly distributed rice, atta and sugar among registered consumers. But people in most of the areas in the city alleged that their ration depots remained closed for the past three weeks. A report from Baramulla said all shops and other business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads.

However, hundreds of vehicles were seen on roads, ready to take people to Srinagar for participating in the UNMO chalo today.

Yesterday the situation in the district was normal with most of the shops open and traffic plying on different routes.

Similar reports were also received from Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Sopore, Budgam and other district and tehsil headquarters. — UNI

Poonch, August 18
Even as several political parties and organisations continue their fight, in the form of the agitation over the Amarnath land transfer issue, to seal an equal share for Jammu as that of Kashmir, people in Rajouri and Poonch have raised their voice against Jammu, as they feel left out of the development process.

Residents say as most of the funds go to Jammu, healthcare, roads, education and other sectors in these districts present a sorry picture.

Quoting some statistics from an economic survey of the state for 2006-07, student Saqib Ahmed says whereas the road length per 100 sq km in Jammu district is 70.81 km, it is 34.17 km and 12.66 km in Poonch and Rajouri, respectively.

He says in education sector, Jammu has 2,278 government and private run primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools, whereas in Poonch and Rajouri, the number is just 1,065 and 1,400, respectively. “As a result of which, the literacy rate in Jammu is 77 per cent where it’s 51.20 per cent in Poonch and 58 per cent in Rajouri,” he adds.

Another resident Bittu Sharma says: “Whereas the government created five model villages in Jammu, Poonch and Rajouri districts got one and two model villages, respectively.”

“In Jammu, out of around 30,000 households, about 29,000 are getting electricity, about 28,000 are getting drinking water. In our district, of around 60,000 households, just about 34,000 are supplied with electricity and about 22,000 are getting drinking water,” he adds.

“Even if you compare the budget allocation, we get meager funds as compared to Jammu and Kashmir who eat away majority of the funds,” he rues.

A local BJP leader, on the condition of anonymity, admits that Poonch and Rajouri are getting a lesser share for development activities.

He says: “I believe it is because of ministers and MLAs from our area, who have failed to get the desired funds for various development activities.” However, a senior officer in the state administration claims that all the districts are getting equal focus in various development activities and there is no question of discrimination against any district.

Jammu, August 18
The ongoing Jammu bandh and spells of curfew have badly hampered life in the region. People who are having health-related issues are worst affected s they are not able to go to hospitals regularly due to the non-availability of transport facility. They can’t even purchase medicines as most medical shops remain closed in the entire region.

Om Prakash Sharma (name changed), a resident of Rehari, said: “I am suffering from diabetics and doctors have advised me to go in for regular check-ups. Due to the non-availability of transport facility in the region, I am unable to go the hospital.”

Another resident, Kamla Devi, said: “I am a heart patient and my life depend on doctors’ advice and medicines but due to the prevailing circumstances, I have not been able to visit the doctor regularly and due to closure of medical shops, I am not able to purchase medicines.”

When administrator, Government Medical College and Hospital, Rakesh Khajuria, was contacted, he agreed that there was a problem. He said the district administration should provide transport facilities to the patients so that they could easily reach hospitals.

Srinagar, August 18
Appealing to people not to get influenced by misleading propaganda, a state government spokesperson today said India still awaited Pakistan's response to start trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road.

He said efforts had been made by some elements to try and project that there had been delays on part of the Centre in the process of commencement of cross-LoC trade.

“However, the facts are otherwise, and the Centre has been assiduously pursuing the matter,” he said, adding, India had suggested to further cross-LoC confidence building measures (CBMs) which would continue to be pursued with Pakistan.”

It may be recalled that senior Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz and several others were killed when the police opened fire during the Muzaffarabad march on August 11. The Hurriyat demanded opening of the road, following the economic blockade and attack on Kashmiri drivers in Jammu.

The spokesman said: “It is hoped that people in the Kashmir valley do not allow themselves to be influenced by misleading propaganda and in that context, allow themselves to get involved in activities which have disrupted peace, their daily lives, supplies of basic day-to-day commodities, normal business and other activities, particularly, tourism which is one of the mainstays of the economy of the state.”

For the past several days, there have been reports in the media and statements attributed to various people, particularly in the state, that on account of the alleged “economic blockade” of the Kashmir valley, the route to Muzaffarabad, across the LoC, should be opened for trade.

Particular emphasis has been given to the transportation of fruits from the Kashmir valley to the rest of the country and the shortage of essential commodities in the state.

The spokesman said, in the wake of the recent agitation over the Amarnath land row, there had been some disruptions of movement along the national highway. “Not only have these disruptions been cleared, but it has also been categorically stated that free movement along the national highway will be ensured,” he added.

At the same time the situation is being exploited to raise demands and slogans for opening the cross-LoC route for trade and movement of goods.He said as a part of the composite dialogue with Pakistan, and CBMs, inter alia, the Centre has taken the initiative to facilitate travel of people across the LoC along the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot routes. — UNI

Jammu, August 18
Farmers in Jammu are a worried lot these days as they believe that the production of the seasonal crops may dwindle considerably due to the non-availability of fertilisers as the ongoing agitation has affected the transportation.

Most of the farmers in plains complained that fertilisers were not made available to them at the time of cultivation of paddy while farmers in the kandi (dry land) belt and hilly areas of the region have alleged that they were not provided with fertilisers since the beginning of cultivation of maize and pulses.

“Farmers in Suchetgarh and other places who cultivated paddy without fertilisers in the beginning have been faced with shortage of DAP as a result of which low yield of paddy is expected this year,” Choudhary Dev Raj, president, Kisan Forum Association, said.

He said the distributing agencies had proved to be a failure and asked the authorities concerned to take cognizance of the matter. He also rued that they had to face dearth of fertilisers at the time of cultivation of wheat every year and appealed the authorities to make arrangements well in advance.

Ajeet Kumar, a farmer from Gajansoo in Marh block, also complained that there was no availability of fertilisers in the area which could affect the production of rice. Similar complaints were also received from hilly areas where maize is cultivated.

Farmers of Gurha Singhu further complained that the Department of Agriculture provided them with low quality paddy seeds most of which did not grow and resulted in heavy losses.

Meanwhile, officials, wishing not to be quoted, in the AGRO and JAKFED - prime fertilisers distributing agencies - maintained that the ongoing crisis has affected transportation of stocks from main stores to dealers.

When contacted Vinod Bala Sharma, director (agriculture) said: “We have received complaints from a few stations. We have been taking a close watch over the functioning of distributing agencies in order to ensure hassle free supply.”

She, however, outrightly rejected any shortage of fertilisers.