Jammu, August 20
The Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti today announced the launch of a civil disobedience movement with immediate effect, calling upon the people of Jammu not to pay VAT, token tax, passenger tax, electricity and water dues to the state government.

The samiti has also given a call for a complete shutdown and “chakka jam” on August 25. It has urged the people not to ply even their private vehicles like cars, scooters, cycles etc on that day. Only mediapersons and ambulances will be allowed on the road.

The samiti will also take out a funeral procession of the Central government in protest against its "criminal silence over the incidents of violence against various sections of Hindus" in Kashmir, including students, transporters, labourers and even judges, and burning of the National Flag by the secessionists.

"This clearly indicates that Governor N.N.Vohra, at the directions of the central government, is supporting these activities in order to divert the attention of the national and international community from the demand of the Jammu people," a samiti spokesman said.

The samiti has also called upon the people to participate in large numbers in the Shri Krishna Sudarshan chakra singnad yatra on August 23. Meanwhile, the Samiti claimed that on the final day of its “jail bharo” agitation, over 4 lakh people offered themselves for arrest in the entire Jammu region. "The spirit and commitment of the masses could not be marginalised by the state administration, which imposed an indefinite curfew in Jammu district.

Defying curfew, the people came out of their houses and marched towards their respective police stations," the spokesman said. Eminent poets and writers also offered arrest at Pacca Danga police station while a contingent of veteran leaders of the 1953 Praja Parishad Movement led by the hero of that movement, Om Prakash Mengi, did so at City police station, he added.

The samiti appealed to all political parties and social organisations extending support to the ongoing agitation, which is at a very critical juncture, to unitedly fight for the cause of Jammu and isolate any element "being planted by the state administration to sabotage the agitation". 

Srinagar, August 20
When the news came that the coordination committee, spearheading the separatist movement, had suspended the general strike for three days, a group of youths in Batmaloo raised slogans and demanded that the strike would continue until they achieved “azadi”.

The ongoing protests in the valley have seen a huge participation of the youth and their sloganeering and protests against India. If youths are the future of a country, then it’s not good news for the Indian authorities, who hope to win over Kashmiris one day.

“India claims to be a secular country where everyone is free to lead their life the way they want. I don’t see this India in Kashmir. We have lived a life of oppression under the security forces”, Wazir Shah, a youth living in a village in Kupwara, told The Tribune.

A majority of the youth in their 20s and early 30s have spent their formative years under the shadow of militancy. Village youths feel surcharged when killed militants, even Pakistanis, are buried with the crowd proclaiming them to be “martyrs”.

Wazir said when the security forces raided their village, they questioned everyone like a suspect. “They are outsiders for us and we are for them”.

The Kashmir University is a witness to separatist protests frequently under one pretext or the other. The students recently went on a strike alleging harassment from security forces when President Pratibha Patil visited here.

“The alienation is as deep among youths coming from well-to-do families, who are not personally affected by militancy, as among those affected by it. The reason is largely ideological”, a university teacher said on the condition of anonymity.

The old generation is much more reconciled to the prevailing order and is more interested in extracting a good deal from India than their younger lot who broke no compromises. “I believe India has done good as well bad to us but I never thought about azadi. It’s extreme and impractical. But my son will have none of it”, Feroze Qazi, a shopkeeper in Lan Mandi, said.

The difference between attitudes of the two generations is also accentuated by their take on the valley’s most towering leader till date, Sheikh Abdullah. While Qazi and many others like him praise Sheikh, fondly called Sher-e-Kashmir, for his leadership qualities, Wazir said his friend blamed the deceased leader for the turmoil affecting Kashmir since 1947.

Poonch, August 20
Following Governor N.N. Vohra’s intervention, the Border Road Organisation (BRO) has finally started work on the Poonch-Surankote road after five years. Presently the road lies in a dilapidated condition.

Sources said the BRO had started repair work on the 28-km-long stretch up to Surankote on the Jammu-Poonch national highway from the Poonch side.

Sources said the construction of drains along the road had also been taken up to prevent waterlogging on the road during rainy season.

“The BRO authorities are undertaking repairs of road from the Poonch side which includes filling up of potholes and blacktopping of the road. Drains are also being constructed on the roadsides. The idea is to check waterlogging so that there is least damage to the road”, Nazeer Hussain, a labour manager near Shindra, said.

Meanwhile, residents of the area have expressed their happiness that the repair work had finally started on the road. Residents thanked Governor N.N. Vohra and the state government for expediting the repair of this road.

“The condition of the road is worse. There are huge potholes and since there are no drains along its sides, the water gets accumulated along it. As a result, to pass the 28 km road, it takes an hour for us to travel”, Muhammad Sharief Khan, a resident, said. Muhammad, who keeps on shuttling between Poonch and Surankote for his business work, says crossing the road is an arduous journey.

Deputy commissioner, Poonch, Muhammad Afzal said: “Acting on the instructions of the Governor, the district administration had asked the BRO to start the repair work.”

“We are hoping that the BRO will complete the repair work within a month’s time. They will also construct a proper drainage system so that the water doesn't accumulate on the road”, the DC said.

Mandi (Poonch), August 20
Private medical stores located near the sub-district hospital here fight for selling medicines to the patients. As soon as the patients come out of the doctor’s room, employees of the private medical stores catch hold of them to take them to their respective medical stores. Such is the competition between the three medical stores here that there have been brawls among them over selling medicine.

According to eyewitnesses, the moment the patient comes out of the doctor’s cabin, the employees of the private medical stores catch hold of them and in some cases piggyback them to their respective medical stores. They added that employees of the three private medical stores - Baba Medical Store, Mir Medical Store and Sharma Medical Store located - outside the government sub-district hospital, Mandi have created nuisance.

“I had come here to get my father checked. As soon as we stepped out of the doctor’s room, two persons tried to snatch the prescription from our hand. They were employees of a private medical store and claimed that they would sell medicine at cheaper rates,” said Nasir Ahmed. “This is sheer nuisance. Even the police is not interested in checking it,” he added.

Sources in the hospital confirmed that employees of the private medical stores were troubling patients. They added that these employees catch hold of the patients and force them to buy medicine from their respective medical shops. “There have been cases wherein fights have taken place between these employees for sale of medicine,” sources claimed. “Recently, the police had intervened to resolve a fight between them by making the two parties to compromise. There have been reports of the police having a nexus with the owners of these medical stores,” he added.

Director (health services), Jammu, Jasbir Singh, said he was not aware of any such practice in the hospital. “However, if your findings are true, we will take action,” he claimed.

Jammu, August 20
As attacks on non-Kashmiri drivers in the valley have increased, a sense of fear has prevailed amongst the driver community in Jammu. Now they have refused to take supplies to the Kashmir valley.

Miscreants in the valley even beat up the truck drivers from Punjab and damaged their vehicles.

“The truck drivers from Jammu and Punjab, hired by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to ferry foodgrains to the valley, have refused to go there,” said Harbans Singh, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Goods Carrier Association.

He said, “One such victim is lying in a hospital in a critical condition.” Around 70 per cent of the trucks hired by the FCI belong to Jammu whereas the rest 30 per cent are from Punjab.

“On a normal day, 200 trucks of the FCI transport goods to the valley, but after the attacks on the truck drivers the number has come down to less than 20 trucks per day,” said Ashok Nanda, a leader of the transport association in Jammu.

He said, “The people of Kashmir would themselves be responsible for the economic blockade when the truck drivers won’t take supplies to the valley.”

According to Nanda, the Kashmir valley would soon be facing an acute shortage of the foodgrains as four out of the six FCI depots in the valley are running out of stock.

Anan Sharma, president of the All-Jammu and Kashmir Oil Tankers Association, said, “While the government is providing foolproof security to the Kashmiri drivers, people from this region are left on the mercy of the fanatics.”

Jammu, August 20
The BJP has alleged that the government tried to set afire the house of BJP general secretary (organization) Ajay Jamwal in Gandhi Nagar locality here.

Addressing a press conference here today, state BJP president Ashok Khajuria said, “The state-sponsored hooligans attacked the house Jamwal under the very nose of the police in Gandhi Nagar’s protected zone. The manner in which they burnt down the party’s vehicle shows that government has resorted to unfair means to quell the people’s agitation.”

Khajuria, demanding the resignation of Governor N. N. Vohra, alleged that the government had completely surrendered before the anti-national elements “who have been conducting their subversive and anti-social activities with utmost ease.”

Khajuria blamed the administration in Jammu for “unleashing a reign of terror” on the peaceful people of Jammu belonging to every religion.

“The Congress-led UPA has been forcing the state administration to adopt barbarous means against the protesters,” he said.

He said the administration was patronising the fanatics in the valley, who have been forcing the non-state subjects to leave the valley by August 21.

“A misinformation campaign has been launched by the supporters of DSP Mohan Lal Kaith against the former state president Dr Nirmal Singh. The authorities should immediately book Kaith, who perpetrated barbarities on several protesters, including the wife of martyr Kuldeep Verma,” he said.

Khajuria condemned the police beating up Dr Vipin Gupta, who was on his way to the hospital to discharge his official duties. 

Srinagar, August 20
Appealing to the people to maintain communal harmony, the Congress today said all disputes could be resolved peacefully through a dialogue.

A meeting of senior Congress leaders and workers held here at the party headquarter’s said, “Violence and agitation would not help to reach anywhere on the issue.”

“It is the discussions and dialogue process which will help find an amicable solution to the present crisis in the state”, the leaders said.

“PCC chief Saif-ud-din Soz has already made an appeal to the leaders of various parties for promoting reconciliation and understanding among various communities and regions of the state”, a Congress spokesman said after the meeting.

Regarding the statement of some Congress leaders demanding the arrest and filing of an FIR against chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference (HC) and other separatist leaders for their alleged anti-national activities, senior vice-president of the Congress, Mohammad Muzaffar Parray, said only the PCC chief had authority to issue policy statements. — UNI

Jammu, August 20
The Jammu industry is going through one of its worst phases these days.

First it was withdrawal of excise concessions. The trouble coupled when it was hit by a severe power crisis. Then it was the turmoil over the Amarnath land row.

Over the last about 50 days, as per the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), the losses have mounted to Rs 3,200 crore.

Talking to The Tribune, Association of Small-scale Industries president Rajesh Jain said the industry in Jammu was suffering a production loss of Rs 300 crore per day.

“Our factories have been shut for the past many days. The banking operations have come to a grinding halt. We don’t have the raw material and our labourers have also fled to their native places. The scenario could not have been worse for the industry in Jammu,” he lamented.

The migrant labourers who fled the state, could not cope up with the continuous shutdown, curfew, and skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.

Prior to the shutdown over the land row, he said, the breakdown in Gladini Power Grid had forced them to run their factories merely in a single shift.

“We were not even getting adequate power to run the sole shift properly. There were many disruptions in the eight-hour power supply that was promised to us,” he said.

Referring to the Centre’s “indifferent approach”, he said, “We have always been meted out step-motherly treatment. While the Centre has announced compensation for Kashmiri fruit growers whose fruit is yet to ripe, it should also consider our genuine losses.” Kuldeep Jamwal, an industrialist from Samba, said not only their factories but their offices too were shut since July 25.

He said 60 per cent of their labourers have fled the state till now. In the wake of the current situation, he apprehended that the big firms, which have set up their industry in Jammu, might not proceed on their expansion plans and instead consider shifting to some other state.

He said though they have requested the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti to allow them to resume their operations, even if they are given a go ahead it will take them another 15 days to bring the operations back on the track.

CCI president Ram Sahai termed it the worst period for the economy of Jammu. He allayed the fears that the multinational companies may shift their operations to some other state due to the ongoing turmoil.

“They have suspended their expansion plans as of now, but none of them have made their mind to withdraw it totally,” he said.

Huge losses to trade and industry notwithstanding, Sahai said being a member of the samiti, the CCI would extend full support to the agitation and would not rest till the land is restored to the Amarnath Shrine Board.

Udhampur, August 20
Thousands of children who were “arrested” in connection with the Jail Bharo Andolan of the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS) were presented chocolates and juices by cops at the Udhampur police station today.

As the numbers of “little agitators” were beyond expectation, the police pleaded some shopkeepers to open their shops so that they could purchase more chocolates and juices. In response of the call of the SAYSS, thousands of children turned up to participate in the Jail Bharo Andolan today. Expecting police high-handedness, parents also escorted their wards, who marched towards the Udhampur police station to offer themselves for court arrest.

People were surprised when cops respectfully “arrested” these children and presented each of them a chocolate and a juice. The children were taken to the makeshift jail from where they were later released.

On the third and final day of the Jail Bharo Andolan, a large number of people turned up and offered themselves for court arrest.

Jammu, August 20
Former minister of state for defence Chaman Lal Gupta has flayed the state administration for using the Army to contain the peaceful agitation in the Jammu region.

In a statement to the media released here today he maintained that inhabitants of the region had steadfastly stood with the defence forces and worked to raise their morale for fighting Pakistani intruders.

On the contrary, Gupta said the central government condoned those persons who had raised anti-national slogans at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. He condemned the imposition of curfew for days together in the region, causing umpteen problems to its residents. He held the present state administration under Governor N.N. Vohra responsible for the mess and added that its working was being dictated by certain leaders of the Congress, PDP, National Conference and the Hurriyat Conference. 

Udhampur, August 20
The Jammu and Kashmir Youth Congress today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take effective steps to restore peace in the state. The Youth Congress, however, cautioned the Prime Minister against the blackmail tactics of Kashmiri leaders.

In a message faxed to the Prime Minister, Pradesh Youth Congress (PYC) general secretary R.S. Pathania said that the ongoing turmoil had been widening the gap between the Jammu and Kashmir regions. The PYC cautioned the Prime Minister against the blackmail tactics and lies of Kashmiri leaders who have been raking up emotive issues to befool the innocent masses. The PYC also termed the issue of "economic blockade" as a blackmail tactic of the Kashmiri leadership.

Pathania also demanded compensation for farmers of the Jammu region on the pattern of Kashmiri fruit growers. He pointed out that as fruit growers of Ramnagar, Doodu Basantgarh, Majalata, Panchari, Latti, Kud and Chenani had suffered huge losses.