Jammu, October 6
Differences have cropped up in the state unit of the BJP over the allotment of party ticket as veteran leaders, who were earlier disinterested in contesting the Assembly elections, have started staking claim on “safest” seats of Jammu city.

As a consensus eludes among the state unit, the party high command has deputed a team of senior leaders to finalise the names of candidates.

BJP national general secretaries - Arun Jaitely and Ram Lal - along with former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, Shanta Kumar, North zone in charge Manohar Lal and Jammu and Kashmir in charge R.P. Singh arrived in Jammu today to evolve a consensus among party leaders.

Although the BJP termed it a routine affair to chalk out a strategy for the forthcoming elections, sources said the senior leaders were finding it difficult to placate the party cadre, opposing imposition of veteran leaders on them.

As soon as the seniors leaders reached Jammu, leaders of the state unit convened a closed-door meeting.

Sources further said the state unit had expressed its helplessness in deciding candidates for more than half a dozen seats, including Jammu West, Gandhi Nagar and Basholi Assembly constituencies.

Keeping in view the overwhelming response of the people during the Amarnath land row agitation, BJP leaders are considering Jammu west as the “safest seat” for the party. Hence more than a dozen leaders, including some veterans have been staking claim on this seat.

Although the party leadership had given a green signal to mayor Kavinder Gupta for this seat two years back, three times Lok Sabha member from Udhampur-Doda Prof Chaman Lal, who remained minister in the NDA regime, has also staked claim for the seat. Now, the state unit is virtually divided on this issue.

While one group has been supporting the candidature of Kavinder Gupta, the other group is lobbing for Chaman Lal. Gupta has reasons to stake claim on this seat as he had twice given up this seat on the directions of the party high command.

Although the party has yet not taken a decision on this seat, party workers have already raised a banner of revolt and warned against “imposing any outsider”.

Similarly, the party has been finding it difficult to select candidates for the Gandhi Nagar constituency where the BJP has been facing dearth of a potential candidate, who will take on former Congress MLA Raman Bhalla.

Belonging to Gandhi Nagar, some party leaders have suggested Prof Chaman Lal’s name for this seat.

But the three times MP is more interested in contesting elections from the “safe” Jammu west seat instead of his home constituency.

Jammu, October 6
VHP general secretary Dr Praveen Togadia has strongly condemned the recent statement of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in which he said militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir were “terrorists”.

Addressing a press conference here today, Dr Togadia said Pakistan now had no right to talk about Kashmir’s “azadi”. He urged the Centre to check terrorist activities with iron hand.

“Arresting or killing militants will not rid us of this menace. The government should instead put stringent curbs on places preaching terrorism,” he averred.

Referring to the remarks made by Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh on the recent Delhi encounter, Dr Togadia said: “By raising a question mark on our valiant cop's martyrdom, people like him are promoting anti-national forces.”

He said the police should be given more powers to check growing terrorism in the country. “If terrorism has to be wiped out completely, the police must be given powers on the lines of the Army,” he said, favouring implementation of POTA.

Dr Togadia strongly advocated abrogation of Article 370 to check separatism in the valley, which he said was “Pak-sponsored”.

Raising the issue of discrimination with Jammu and Ladakh, Dr Togadia said: “A lion's share from the state's budget is spent on Kashmir, which should stop now.” He sought equitable disbursement of funds among Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions.

He also made a strong demand for delimitation of Assembly as well as Lok Sabha constituencies to facilitate political empowerment of Jammu.

Jammu, October 6
The Jammu State Morcha (P) has accused the National Conference (NC) of a criminal assault on the democratic process of delimitation by amending the state constitution during its tenure from 1996 to 2002.

“The act was no doubt a criminal assault on the democratic process of delimitation. To benefit the Kashmiri people, the National Conference amended the state constitution so as to bar the delimitation till fresh census in the state would be held after 2026,” president of the JSM (P) Virender Gupta said.

He alleged that the amendment in the state constitution was aimed at curbing the “genuine voice of the people of Jammu province,” who had been demanding to raise their share in the state legislature.

Virender Gupta asked the people of Jammu to unite and initiate a united struggle outside the legislature.

“In the state Assembly, none of the Jammu-based parties can have a two-third majority and the Kashmir-based political parties will also not allow this to happen,” Gupta said.

He said, “The best course for the people of Jammu province for getting their
political, administrative and economic empowerment is to fight for a separate
Jammu state.”

He said certain agencies, including Kashmir-based leaders, were trying to divide the people of the region on communal lines.

He appealed the people to be vigilant and protect the secular character and integrity of the region.

The Morcha has appealed to Jammu-based political parties to join together to work for a common strategy and fight untidily for delimitation of Assembly constituencies.

Gupta lashed out at the state election commission saying that only 10 per cent of the voters in the Jammu region have got their voter- ID cards.

He alleged that names of many genuine voters in the region were “deliberately” been deleted and the process of registering new voters was stopped.

Srinagar, October 6
Separatist leaders in Kashmir have resented and strongly reacted against the statement of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, wherein he had described the Kashmir militants as “terrorists” and that India was no threat to Pakistan.

The hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, said it was wrong on Zardari’s part to say that India was no threat to Pakistan.

“This is against the historical facts”, he said, claiming that the three Indo-Pak wars and the Kargil war had taken place only on “India’s initiative”.

“Friendly countries do not fight”, Geelani commented and added that India had celebrated the creation of Bangladesh after the 1971 war.

Commenting on Zardari’s remarks that Kashmir militants were “terrorists”, Geelani pointed out that it was only to “keep the US and India happy”.

The gun, he said, was the only option with people fighting for freedom, and that happened in Jammu and Kashmir where all peaceful means had failed. He also referred to India’s freedom struggle where the same option was adopted.

“It is easy to call anybody terrorist, but there is really state terrorism” in Jammu and Kashmir over the past 62 years, particularly in the past two decades.

As many as 63 peresons had been killed and 2689 injured as a result of state terrorism in Kashmir during the peaceful demonstrations for right of self- determination during the past three months, Geelani said.

Resenting Zardari’s statement, a spokesman of the JKLF said here that the ongoing “freedom struggle” by way of peaceful means and in a democratic way could not be suppressed by such statements.

Senior separatist leader Shakeel Bakshi and various other organisations also resented Zardari’s statement, who had recently soared the hopes of the people in Kashmir by saying that soon there would be “good news” on Kashmir.

Srinagar, October 6
In a rare move, people of three areas in the Kashmir valley today gave an undertaking to the authorities not to indulge in any protest marches or rallies prompting the authorities to lift the curfew imposed there since Sunday.

The residents of tourist spot Pahalgam, Kokernag and Sri Gafwara in south Kashmir met the local administration and gave the assurance in writing that they would not take out any protest rallies if the curfew was lifted.

The administration responded to the gesture by lifting the curfew in these areas, official sources said.

Shops and business establishments opened within minutes after the authorities announced lifting of the curfew in these areas, they said, adding that the situation was peaceful. — PTI

Srinagar, October 6
Describing the frequent general strikes by separatists and the imposition of curfew as “unfortunate”, state CPM secretary Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami has urged the state government not to allow the people to suffer for want of essential commodities and healthcare.

In a statement here today, Tarigami asked the government to deal with the problem politically and try its best to engage the separatist groups in a dialogue.

He also suggested to the separatist coordination committee to come forward and put forth its views on the negotiating table.

“They should realise that frequent strikes and consequent curfew restrictions bring a lot of misery to the common man”, he said.

The CPM leader expressed concern over the problems faced by fruit growers
and the student community.

He lamented that due to curfew the fruit growers and merchants were not able to harvest and transport the fruit while the closure of educational institutions was playing with the career of students.

He urged the administration and political parties, including coordination committee, to deal with the present crisis politically and shun the path of confrontation so that the economic, educational and other day-to-day activities did not suffer.

Rajouri, October 6
Despite getting instructions from Governor N.N. Vohra to make the Mughal road motorable before Eid, the Mughal road project authorities have failed to do so.

The Governor, during his visit on September 7 to the Mughal road project site at Dubjan in Shopian district, had directed the engineers concerned to make the road motorable at the earliest.

The 84-km-long Mughal road project is the shortest link between Jammu and Kashmir provinces. Out of the 84 km stretch, more than 42 km lies on the Bufliaz side in Jammu province and the rest 42 km lies on the Shopian side.

An employee of the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), the contractor for the project, disclosed that about 39.5 kms had been made motorable on the Bufliaz side, while more than 40 km had been completed on the Shopian side.

Sources said the two-month-long Amarnath land row agitation had disrupted construction work as the supply of construction material, explosives and fuel for machines was delayed.

A.K. Kachroo, executive engineer, Mughal road project, (Bulfliaz division), while confirming that the road couldn’t be made motorable on Eid, said it would be done by the first week of November.

“We will make the road motorable by the end of this month or start of November but that is subject to fair weather conditions”, Kachroo claimed.

Jammu, October 6
Even as the schedule of Assembly elections is yet to be announced in the state, Congress leaders have intensified political activities to garner support for the party.

Notwithstanding the flak the party drew from the public for its “dubious role” during the Amarnath land agitation, former Congress MLAs and other party leaders have been holding public rallies in their constituencies.

Prominent among those who have sounded the poll bugle include MP Madan Lal Sharma and his ex-MLA brother Sham Lal Sharma, former ministers Mangat Ram Sharma and Gulchain Singh Charak, former Speaker Tara Chand and ex-MLA from Gandhi Nagar Raman Bhalla.

During the campaign, the Congress leaders are evading the mention of Amarnath land row in their election speeches and are stressing on “unprecedented development works” carried out under the previous Azad regime.

To counter “bias with Jammu” bogey, they are making claims of providing equitable development to all three regions of the state during the party’s rule in the state.

They are also reiterating the party's commitment to delimitation of constituencies, which has become a hot issue ahead of the polls.

Some of them are even blowing the Congress-led UPA government’s trumpet, terming the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal as its major achievement.

Earlier, in a bid to secure their vote bank, a section of party leaders had also extended support to the land agitation, stating that they respect the aspirations of the people of Jammu.

Jammu, October 6
A number of Congress leaders in the state have refused to give up their demand for giving party mandate to new faces by dropping those former ministers who had dubious reputation and had ignored party workers.

A number of party leaders today said, “We have already apprised the Congress high command of the ground realities that had made it mandatory for sidelining those party leaders who had initially tried to counter the stand taken by the Sangharsh Samiti on the land row. It is for the party leadership to keep in mind our suggestion while selecting candidates for contesting the ensuing election. “They said we had conveyed to the senior party leaders from Delhi that the Congress boat had been rocked by the recent agitation over the land row. If they wanted the Congress to regain its lost ground, particularly in the Jammu region, tickets should be given to those new faces, who had a better record than several former ministers.”

Asked whether the high command would concede the demand of some Congressmen, party spokesman Ravinder Sharma said: “It is too early to say anything on the issue. First of all an election committee is to be constituted that will screen the candidates and forward the list to the party high command for final decision.”

Sharma said: “The election committee will be constituted soon after the election commission announced its poll schedule.”

Some Congress leaders wanted the party high command to take into account the campaign being launched against Congress by political groups that had supported the Sangharsh Samiti’s agitation over the revocation of the land diversion order.

Besides, it was a phenomenon observed everywhere that whenever work was carried out on highways, heavy vehicles used adjoining village roads to skip the patch, they said.

These vehicles damage village roads which were not meant to bear tonnes of weight, they added.

Jammu, October 6
Three persons were killed and 27 others injured in two road accidents in the Jammu region during the past 24 hours, police sources here said.

“Two persons were killed while 27 others were injured when an ill- fated mini bus in which they were travelling, skidded off the road and overturned at Barnarha, near Majalta in Udhampur district.

The vehicle was on its way from Ramkote to Manwal when it met with an accident.

The deceased have been identified as Mohan Lal (24) and Isher Dass (45),
residents of Majalta.

Motorcyclist Sonu of Chack Bagla (Sambh) died on the spot when his two-wheeler skidded off the road near Vijaypur on Jammu-Kathua yesterday. — UNI

Jammu, October 6
Parthenium hysterophorus, also called “Congress grass” - an allergic weed - has become a nuisance to the environment over the years. Its unrestrained growth has been threatening plants, animals and human lives equally.

The weed is 2-4 feet in height, grows during summer and attains flower in rainy season. It reaches its vegetative stage during winter and hence its life cycle goes on throughout the year.

The weed dominates the vegetation of other weeds and crops alike and inflicts allergies to animals and humans through direct touch or pollens in the air.

The plant with a natural inbuilt mechanism has the capability to grow under the oddest climatic conditions. Congress grass grows on unused land.

Though its ever-spreading wild vegetation is a cause of concern for agriculturists, doctors and common people, government is yet to evolve a way out of the problem.

“The weed unlike other plants is not consumed by cattle. It has occupied our pastures. We are almost ruined as there is scarce grass for our livestock. It is dangerous for human health, so we can not uproot it”, a farmer, Mulakh Raj, said.

Meanwhile, HoD, dermotology, SMGS Hospital, Dr Sanjay Gupta said: “Cases of contact or air-borne dermatitis or inflammation of skin due to Congress grass are reported mostly from February to October”.

Dr Gupta further said the weed affected the skin or respiratory system causing asthma and inflammation of the eyes.

“Those not immune to it should wear full sleeves and use anti-inflammatory creams.”

J.P. Sharma, professor at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) said the government was not acting enough towards uprooting the weed.

Jammu, October 6
Following delay in the completion of new premises for the offices, including that of the divisional commissioner, the restoration work on the century-old Mubarak Mandi complex, once the seat of power of the Dogra rulers in Jammu, has yet to be taken in hand, except for some preliminary exercise that was being carried out during the last one year.

The Mubarak Mandi complex has already been declared unsafe. After the government decided to convert it into a heritage complex, the restoration work had been entrusted to the Archeological Survey of India.

What seems to have unnerved employees working in several offices, housed in the complex, is that the entire complex had become unsafe.

Some of the employees continue to work in rooms, which are dark, dingy and in a dilapidated shape.

Former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had laid the foundation stone of the
new divisional commissioner’s office complex at the Rail head in Jammu in the
first week of June.

His government fell within one month and since then the work on the four-storey complex, costing Rs 12 crore, has been going on at a snail’s pace.

When senior functionaries in the divisional commissioner’s office were asked when they would shift to the new complex they said: “Judged by the current pace of work it may take another couple of years for the complex to be ready.”

Gupta covered the “process approach to quality” as espoused by the ISO
9001: 2000 system and the more advanced ISO 14000 certification which
assesses process related to improving environmental quality in addition to
the existing process.