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Samiti extends Jammu bandh till August 31
CRPF beats up journalists
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Over 25 hurt in Poonch
Army to be pulled out of Jammu
Jammu agitation goes hi-tech Don't play with Jammu's sentiments, Samiti warns Cong NC hails
govt, Samiti talks Samiti, govt talks hailed Vaishno Devi pilgrims face hardships
Janmashtami celebrated
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Samiti extends Jammu bandh till August 31
Jammu rally on Aug
27 Making its intention clear of intensifying the agitation, the samiti has called upon the people to participate in the Jammu rally at Parade Ground on August 27. The samiti will also hold a provincial-level rally on August 31 in which Sadhu Samaj will address the people.
Jammu, August 24 The samiti said the demands that it had put forth before the panel included diversion of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board, restoring autonomy of the board, withdrawal of cases against protesters, criminal cases against "guilty police officers" and their removal, compensation to the "families of martyrs" and also to transporters, fruit growers, farmers and traders of the Jammu region. The samiti lambasted the Centre and the state government for their "failure in handling the secessionists and anti-national forces in the valley". It also flayed the state administration for "inept handling" of the recent violence in Kishtwar and Poonch districts. Meanwhile, the dialogue between the Governor's panel and the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, which started on an optimistic note yesterday, remained inconclusive after the third round of talks last night. Sources said the two sides had a difference of opinion on the terminology to be used for allowing the Amarnath Shrine Board the use of land. While the panel proposed that "the land will be allowed to be used" for three months, the samiti stressed on "diversion" of the land so that the shrine board has a legal right to use the land in a way it wants during the yatra period. The third round of talks concluded with the samiti handing over a draft of its demands to the Governor's panel. Addressing mediapersons, Governor's Adviser S.S. Bloeria said: "After three rounds of talks we have arrived at a broad understanding with the samiti members. The panel will report the outcome of the talks to the state government. It is hoped that all issues will be resolved at the earliest in the next round of talks." On the other hand, samiti member Brig Suchet Singh said: "We have given our clarifications in the final draft to the government. The ball is now in their court and it is up to them when they get back to us." The agitation, however, he said, will continue till the land is restored to the shrine board.
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CRPF beats up journalists
Srinagar, August 24 Bilal Bhat and Jan Mohammad of Sahara Channel, Khalid Hussain of IBN-7, Amir Bhat of NDTV, Amin War of The Tribune and Manoj Koul of ETV were among the journalists beaten up by the CRPF. Among them, Bilal Bhat was admitted to hospital with serious injuries. Vehicles carrying mediapersons were also damaged at some places. These journalists, a CRPF spokesperson said, did not have valid curfew passes and the district administration had asked them to strictly impose the curfew irrespective of violators’ background. When asked if it was necessary to use force, he said the department would look into these incidents. Journalists, however, objected to the use of force and said if the CRPF had any objection they could have conveyed it to them rather than treating them like any other curfew violator as they were only discharging their duties. Koul was beaten up outside his office by some
jawans. |
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Over 25 hurt in Poonch
Jammu, August 24 Though curfew remained in force there for the second day, with the Army staging flag marches, communal clashes were reported from other parts of the district, a senior police officer from Poonch said. According to available reports, defying curfew a huge mob torched nine shops and damaged 20 others belonging to the minority community in Khiniter village of Poonch. They also set ablaze three Matadors. Reports said a mob set three houses on fire. The inmates of the houses had a narrow escape. A senior officer from Poonch said: "Though he situation here is quite tense, curfew was relaxed from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.. No incident of violence was reported in the town though incidents of stone pelting took place in some areas of the district," An officer of the Poonch district administration said. According to official sources, more than 25 persons were injured in fresh violence in the district. Around 60 shops have so far been burnt and more than 30 damaged. Over 90 persons, including police personnel, have been injured in violence in the past two days. "As there was curfew in place in Poonch town, a mob from nearby villages attacked members of the minority community outside the main town," a police source said, adding that incidents of violence were also reported from various other villages of Poonch district. |
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Army to be pulled out of Jammu
Jammu, August 24 According to well-placed sources, the move has come following a high-level meeting of civil and army officers. "The army was called out in Jammu after the situation slipped out of the hands of the civil administration and people defied curfew to come out and hold violent protests," said a top army officer. He said: " As the situation in Jammu has now become much better and for the past many days no violence has been reported from any part of the region, the high-level committee reviewing the security situation here has decided to remove the Army from Jammu city." However, the officer said that the Army had been ordered to remain on a standby as the situation has not completely turned normal. The Army was called out in Jammu after people turned against the local police after the alleged desecration of the body of Kuldeep Dogra, who had committed suicide in favour of the land transfer. However, the security of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway would remain with the Army to maintain smooth flow of traffic. |
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Jammu agitation goes hi-tech Jammu, August 24 The samiti, which demands restoration of the forestland back to the Amarnath Shrine Board, plans to keep the people especially the members of the Hindu community updated over the developments taking place in the region. “Now the battle against injustice would also be fought on the cyber space,” said a samiti member. “We want to put across our views to hundreds and thousands of Hindus across the globe who are not directly associated with us but support our cause,” he added. The website, sayss.com, gives the chronology of events that led to the ongoing agitation in Jammu. It has also listed all the orders issued by the state government from the allotment of the land to its cancellation. The website also had listed the charter of demands of the SAYSS that include restoration of the 800 kanals of forestland back to the shrine board, restoration of the powers of the shrine board and removal of the Governor. Besides videos, there is also a photo gallery in the website. Meanwhile, some volunteers have also launched a website with an objective to counter “malicious propaganda and disinformation” against the Jammu region. According to the creators, the website, www.jammumatters.org, will give a platform to people of the region to shun the image of secessionists besides projecting the state as a part and parcel of Indian union. The website primarily focuses on latest news, burning issues and queries regarding the state, besides conducting polls over significant issues.
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Don't play with Jammu's sentiments, Samiti warns Cong Jammu, August 24 Reacting sharply to the statement of Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan, who described the present mass movement as "non-issue based on falsehood and lies", the samiti has termed her utterances as an insult to the nationalist people of the Jammu region who have been fighting on the streets with the Tricolour in their hands for the past 53 days for their religious rights. "Instead of giving such vicious statements the Congress leaders sitting at Delhi should consult their own local leaders who have already joined the movement," the Samiti said. The samiti asked local Congress leaders to react strongly against such utterances of their leaders sitting in Delhi or else resign from the party membership. Lambasting the state government for not taking effective measures to control fundamentalist forces in the Kashmir Valley, the samiti alleged that the Hurriyat leaders had been "instigating mobs to attack truck operators" carrying essential commodities to the valley so that they could easily exploit sentiments of the people on the issue of so-called economic blockade. "The Huriyat leaders are themselves creating hurdles in the movement of vehicles to the valley so that they can get huge financial support from the Central government," the samiti charged. Condemning the state administration headed by Governor N.N. Vohra for its "failure to protect the lives of non-Kashmiri truck operators", the samiti asked the government to locate around 100 truck operators reportedly held hostage by the secessionist forces
of the valley.
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NC hails
govt, Samiti talks Jammu, August 24 In view of clashes in Mandi and Poonch areas, the National Conference has urged Governor N.N. Vohra to initiate measures so as to maintain communal harmony in the state. In a statement issued here today, the party leaders appealed people to maintain peace. They requested the state government to provide protection to the minorities across the state and ensure that miscreants do not create communal tension in the state. NC provincial president Ajay Sadhotra said the government should devise an effective mechanism to dispel rumours and take action against the rumormongers. The leader said the state was passing through a difficult phase and it was the responsibility of people to be watchful and isolate inimical elements, irrespective of which community they belong to, as they want to create communal frenzy. The leaders demanded compensation for those in Poonch, whose shops were damaged in clashes. They also sought proper medical treatment to the persons injured in Poonch
and Mandi.
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Samiti, govt talks hailed
Srinagar, August 24 “Before arriving at any decision, the government must take all sections of the Kashmiri society, including the newly constituted Kashmir Coordination Committee into confidence,” the PDP said. “As has been decided already, the government must be entrusted with the responsibility of making arrangements for the Amarnath yatra, the environment and weather concerns, as have been pointed out by the Nitish Sengupta Committee, must be taken into consideration while arriving at any decision in this regard,” it said. However, the party welcomed the initiation of dialogue with the samiti in Jammu. “The PDP is eagerly looking forward towards resolving the crisis amicably in the larger interest of peace and tranquillity, but at the same time any decision in this regard should not be taken in isolation,” the PDP added. The samiti and the panel appointed by Governor N.N. Vohra today had yesterday held talks and both sides said the exercise was fruitful and decided to meet again.
— PTI
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Vaishno Devi pilgrims face hardships Jammu, August 24 Besides the awfully long strike coupled with often clamped curfew, the strike called by SRTC workers dealt a big blow to the journey of pilgrims, who came from various parts of the country. Although the railway authorities here has requisitioned for an alternate transport arrangement to the government for pilgrims to Katra, recently they were forced to wait for long hours at the railway station. Even before the announcement of strike by the SRTC Union from August 20, pilgrims and commuters had been facing tough time to reach the railway station for resuming their journey. Usha Rai, one of the pilgrims from Kanpur, said her family and friends had already included cave temple in the itinerary besides hill stations of adjoining Himachal Pradesh. Though they were aware of the ongoing agitation but could not resist to pay pilgrimage at the abode of goddess Durga. Moreover, no food joints were open. The travellers had no choice other than purchasing whatever eatables were available inside the railway station, she added. The travellers are forced to pay more for reaching their destination, due to the absence of normal transportation.
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Janmashtami celebrated
Jammu, August 24 People here thronged temples and performed various religious rites besides the sky remained dotted with multicoloured kites, which mark an important part of the festival. Inspite of the ongoing agitation, people celebrated birthday of Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu, by observing fast for the entire day. Devotees were witnessed in a beeline outside famous temples at Raghunath Bazaar, Panjtirthi, Rehari, Janipur, Talab Tillo and Gandhi Nagar etc. “We prayed for communal harmony in the state besides restoration of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board,” a family coming out of Panjbakhta temple in Panjtirthi said. |
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