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Friday Clashes Demonstrators throw stones at policemen during a protest in Srinagar on Friday. — Reuters
NC ‘good governance plan’ gets rolling
National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah and party chief Omar Abdullah release the Vision Document in Srinagar on Friday. Tribune photo: Mohd Amin War
BJP announces 43 candidates |
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Poll toughest challenge for Congress
NC to give Azad a tough fight
HC quashes detention of 3 Hizbul workers
3 Hizbul militants arrested
JMC meet ends on poor note
Kashmir to have modern sports injury treatment cell
Power shortage ‘unites’ opposition parties
PoK items on sale at the office of the Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Jammu. A Tribune photo
Ultras target Baramulla police station
Death in Accident
Cong expands state unit, inducts 18
Shopkeepers record low sales on Diwali
Vohra for timely payment of scholarships
Post-poll alliance
4 BSP leaders quit
Cellphones banned in exam halls
Tariq resigns from PDP
53 vie for 3 Poonch seats
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Securitymen among 50 hurt
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, October 31 Three civilians also received injuries while many vehicles were damaged. The police has blamed stone-pelting from protesters for the incident. Reports from other parts of the valley put the injury toll at over 30, taking the number of those injured to over 50. Kashmir Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom led a procession towards Lal Chowk, protesting against the government clampdown on separatist leaders. "India claims to be democracy, then why the government is throttling the dissenters," he asked? Commercial establishments observed a partial shutdown in Srinagar in the afternoon but many opened after a few hours. Meanwhile, addressing the Friday congregation at Jam a Masjid here today, Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has invited UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, currently on a visit to India, to tour Kashmir for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. He welcomed the statement by Ban Ki Moon asking India and Pakistan to resolve the issues amicably through negotiations. The Mirwaiz said the Kashmir issue had been the basic dispute between India and Pakistan for the past six decades which also figured on the UN agenda. Umar held that the conduct of elections in the state would not change the historical and significant status of the issue. The Mirwaiz said the elections was a futile exercise and the APHC had already rejected the elections that were aimed at "misleading the international community".
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NC ‘good governance plan’ gets rolling
Srinagar, October 31 The party’s 52-page Projecting his father Farooq Abdullah as the chief ministerial candidate, party president Omar Abdullah said the document is for good governance for 10 to 12 years. “We believe that while it is important to talk about resolution of Kashmir issue, the areas outside the jurisdiction of the state have not been included,” Omar commented. Omar said the party would be sending the copies of the document to all the state and national level parties, apart from Pakistan and the PoK. “We will bring out the document on the grant of internal autonomy to the state by February,” “It (Kashmir) is a political issue and needs political handling,” Omar said. He pointed out that the NC “has not sought to come to power by backdoor” even if it had the largest number of members in 2002. He also set at rest speculations over the possible coalition arrangements saying it was up to the people’s verdict whether they favoured a multi-party or single party in the elections. “We will not need outer support if people are with a single party. Let the results come out and only then we will be able to decide,” he said in reply to a question. Vision Document highlights
Omar from Ganderbal, Farooq from Srinagar Omar Abdullah, who unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly elections in 2002, would be the party’s candidate again from their home constituency of Ganderbal in these elections. Farooq Abdullah, who had been representing Ganderbal in the past and did not contest last elections, would contest from Srinagar.
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BJP announces 43 candidates
Jammu, October 31 Her name figured in the list of 43 candidates released by the party's Central Election Committee in New Delhi today. Among the prominent faces fielded by the party are state BJP president Ashok Khajuria from Jammu East, former state unit chief Nirmal Singh from Gandhi Nagar and former union minister Chaman Lal Gupta from Jammu West. Considered prestigious in the political circles, the party had a tough time selecting candidates for these three constituencies. The party's state vice-president, Prof Hari Om, resigned yesterday reportedly due to differences over the selection of candidates. The party has fielded its former state president Daya Krishan Kotwal from Bhaderwah, the Assembly constituency of former CM Ghulam Nabi Azad. However, the party is yet to finalise its candidates from Kathua, Hiranagar and Samba in the Jammu region.
The other candidates are Nazir Khan (Kupwara), Haleema (Uri), Nishar Ahmed Gilani (Sangrama), Damodar Singh (Baramulla), Nazir Ahmed (Gulmarg), Mohammad Ashraf (Pattan), Ab Hamid Malik (Hazratbal), Mohd Ashraf Azad (Budgam), Dr Ali Mohammad (Khansahib), Riaz Ahmed Manhas (Shopian), Manzoor Ahmed Kulgami (Kulgam), Ashiq Ahmed Dar (Anantnag), Gul Mohd Mir (Dooru), Mohd Sadiq Khan (Kokernag), Ishfaq Dar (Bijbehra), Sofi Mohd Yusuf (Pahalgam), Sunil Sharma (Kishtwar), Shakti Parihar (Inderwal), Ishtiyak Wani (Doda), Bali Bhagat (Ramban), Rajiv Charak (Banihal), Mohd Israel (Gulab Garh), Baldev Sharma (Reasi), Kabla Singh (Gool Arnas), Pawan Gupta (Udhampur), Dina Nath Bhagat (Chenani), Rakesh Anthal (Ramnagar), Master Lal Chand (Bani), Jagdish Sapolia (Basholi), Satish Sharma (Bilawar), Chander Parkash Ganga (Vijaypur), Jugal Kishore (Nagrota), Prof Garu Ram (RS Pura), Ch Shyam Lal (Suchetgarh), Ch Sukhnandan Kumar (Marh), Bharat Bhushan (Raipur Domana), Pt Govind Ram (Akhnoor), and Chaman Lal Kanathia (Chhamb). |
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Poll toughest challenge for Congress
Jammu, October 31 The high point in the Congress' graph came in 1972 when it won 58 Assembly seats, polling 55.53 per cent votes. However, following an accord between the then PM Indira Gandhi and National Conference stalwart Sheikh Abdullah in 1975, the party lost ground in the 1977 Assembly elections. It could only retain 11 seats, polling a dismal 15.98 per cent votes. The party, however, managed to recover some ground in the 1980s as it won 25 Assembly seats in 1983 and 26 in 1987. The party again witnessed a slump in its electoral fortunes as it won only seven seats in the 1996 Assembly elections despite the fact that its poll percentage remained almost the same as in 1987. The Congress again rose to power in 2002 in coalition with the PDP after winning 20 seats. Its poll percentage rose marginally to 21.38 per cent. Once equally dominant in the Jammu and Kashmir regions, the Congress has lost political space to the National Conference in the valley since 1977 while Jammu emerged as its stronghold. The party, which won 28 seats in Kashmir region in 1972, never managed to win over five seats thereafter. Surprisingly, the party could not retain a single seat in the valley in the 1977 Assembly elections. As far as the Jammu region is concerned, the Congress won 22 seats in 1983 and 26 in 1987. However, in 1996 the party put up a dismal show, winning only four Assembly seats. In the last Assembly poll, it won 15 Assembly constituencies from the province, polling 25.40 per cent votes. Political observers feel that the land row would definitely affect the poll prospects of the Congress. They, however, say the Congress could still hold on to a chunk of its votebank if the party plays its cards well. Infighting in the BJP and division of votes among the "pro-Jammu outfits" in its stronghold of Jammu region may boost its chances, they add. |
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NC to give Azad a tough fight
Udhampur, October 31 In 2006, when Azad contested the elections from the Bhaderwah constituency, the opposition NC did not field any candidate against him. More so, the NC openly supported Azad, who won the seat with a thumping majority. This time, the party has given a green signal to Mohammad Aslam Goni, to launch a campaign in Bhaderwah. Goni has already completed the first round of campaigning and is visiting every nook and corner of the constituency to highlight the “backwardness” of Azad’s hometown. Although other leaders are availing opportunities to attack Azad, while highlighting the backwardness of Doda district, former chief minister Farooq Abdullah and party president Omar Abdullah have chosen to remain silent. “I welcome the Congress’s decision to field Azad from his home constituency of Bhaderwah. This time it won’t be easy for Azad as he failed to fulfil his earlier promises”, asserted Goni. He said there was a strong anti-incumbency against the Congress. The launch of an aggressive campaign by Goni from Bhalesa reflects that the opposition has decided not to give a walkover to Azad this time. Only time will tell whether the NC will succeed in making inroads in the Congress bastion. But the aggressive campaign launched by the party against Azad indicates that relations between both parties are not as good as it was in 2005 when Azad had assumed charge.
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HC quashes detention of 3 Hizbul workers
Jammu, October 31 Mr Justice Sunil Hali of the Jammu Bench of the High Court quashed the order passed by the Rajouri DM on May 17 after which Karmat Ullah, Mohammad Qadeer and Mohammad Zulaf were detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) on the ground that they were associated with the Hizbul Mujahideen. The order of detention said the accused over-ground workers were found involved in aiding, providing food and shelter to the militants for which they were charged under various sections of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC). Nokia phones, cash, sim cards, besides other things, were recovered from their possession meant allegedly for distribution among militants, the order added. The detainees approached the High Court and filed a writ petition, challenging the DM’s order of detention. However, the respondent party objected to the writ petition, saying that the detention was approved by the Home Ministry and the detainees were lodged in the Rajouri district jail on May 24. But considering arguments of both sides, the High Court quashed the detention order of the accused over-ground
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Srinagar, October 31 Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted searches at main chowk Awantipora this afternoon and arrested Shafeeq Ahmed Shah, Mohammad Shafi Shah and Reyaz Ahmad Mir, a police spokesman said. He said the trio had gone to Pakistan for arms training many years ago and have returned recently via Nepal. Pakistani passports and identity cards were recovered from the possession of the militants, the spokesman said. — PTI
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JMC meet ends on poor note
Jammu, October 31 While criticising the NGO system prevalent in the JMC, corporators said the labourers hired through these NGOs for maintaining cleanliness and sanitation in the city had failed to perform their duties. Jaswant Singh Sudan, chairman, Public Health and Sanitation Committee, said the NGOs were not experienced enough due to which the entire city was dotted with heaps of garbage. Sudan said in some localities, garbage was lifted from drains and was left on the roads instead of disposing it of. Sudan said the corporation was deliberately ignoring the standing committee, while taking decisions regarding sanitation. He demanded that I-cards be issued, uniform and other accessories be given to safai karamcharis and a attendance register be maintained by the corporation. Former mayor Narinder Singh has asked the MC authorities to immediately address the issues raised by members of the standing committee. The corporators also demanded that traffic lights be installed in the city and defunct lamps be replaced on main roads. Commissioner Parshotam Kumar Sharma, mayor Kavinder Gupta, deputy mayor Daramveer Singh, joint commissioner J.S. Tandon and health officer K.D. Singh Sambyal were also present at the meeting.
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Kashmir to have modern sports injury treatment cell
Srinagar, October 31 Scheduled to be inaugurated on November 1 the cell "will come up without any assistance from state Sports Council and is entirely an independent concept" of Dr. Aijaz Ashai, one of the renowned Fitness Consultants and Physiotherapist and his partner Dr Suhail Mir. Dr. Ashai has been associated with Mumbai and Delhi teams, besides the Mahindra United Football team and the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association. Right now he is the physical trainer of the Indian rugby team and has carried out fitness camps in various parts of the country. Located at Kursoo Raj Bagh, a couple of km away from the city centre the cell is equipped with the latest machines being imported from a Canadian company, Biotec, thereby reducing instances of unnecessary surgeries. Expressing concern over increasing cases of avoidable surgeries in Kashmir, Dr. Suhail said, "it is unfortunate that players who suffer injuries while playing are unnecessarily put to surgeries when in most of the cases it could be avoided by proper treatment. “There are reports of increasing instances of such cases in Kashmir and keeping in view the requirement we have come up with a Sports Injury Treatment Cell of international standard". The cell would focus on increasing the fitness level of players and prepare them for different sports competitions. The cell is having different sections that would treat patients accordingly. These sections include physiotherapy-ortho, physiotherapy-neuro, musculo-skeletal disorders and others. Not only the players but aged people who come below the poverty line can also avail of the benefits. Services of female doctors would also be available at rehabilitation centre.
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Power shortage ‘unites’ opposition parties
Jammu, October 31 Leaders of the BJP, Panthers Party and NC argue that despite segregating the power budget from the main budget, the coalition government had failed to improve the power supply system. Since 2006, the then coalition government had introduced a separate power budget in the Assembly to improve the power scenario. In the power budget the government had announced that the annual power deficit of Rs 1,300 crore would be met from the Centre’s assistance - Rs 1,000 crore from the Ministry of Finance and Rs 300 crore from the Planning Commission. The purpose of this Central funding was to enable the government to reduce the Overdraft Bill and reduce the transmission and distribution losses by augmenting the transmission system. BJP president Ashok Khajuria said despite the Centre’s funding for the past three years, the report card of the Power He said power crisis had touched a new high with curtailment ranging between 11 to 13 hours Panthers general secretary Harsh Dev Singh said: “The government had promised that those areas where electronic meters had been installed, would receive uninterrupted power supply. But nothing of this sort happened.” Harsh Dev said during the past over five years, there was no improvement in the power supply and transmission system. He said transformers had outlived their utility and no step had been taken to replace them due to which people faced a lot of inconvenience. Harsh Dev along with NC leaders, including provincial president Ajay Sadhotra, said the government’s failure to improve power supply would be “our main poll issue.” The leaders said the former government had exhausted the funds meant for the purchase of power from the northern grid. Meanwhile, workers of these parties have already started staging protest rallies against power shortage.
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PoK items a hit with Jammu people
Jammu, October 31 They are now thronging the office of the Chambers of Commerce and Industries (CCI) here to buy basmati rice, onion, potatoes and garlic. Within few hours more than 60 per cent of the items were sold out. “When I came to know that the Pakistani items were kept on sale here, I rushed to see it; the quality of these items are relatively better and are also economical so I purchased 20 kg of rice, 5 kg each of onion and potatoes and 2 kg of garlic,” said Pawan Kumar, a resident of the Trikuta Nagar locality. The CCI officials, who helped initiate the trade ties between the two regions, were elated with the people’s response. “After the trade ties started between the two regions, both the sides have been sending the consignments as gifts to one another. But three days back I spoke to a PoK trader on telephone that now we should start the trade for commercial purposes,” Ram Sahai, President of Chambers of Commerce Jammu told The Tribune. “The trader sent a consignment of four items ---250 kg of basmati rice, 330 kg onion, 270 kg of potatoes and 17 kg of garlic along with a bill of Rs 35,500 (Pakistani currency),” Sahai said. Elated with the response, the CCI is planning to allow the traders from Jammu to purchase items directly from their PoK counterparts. The traders in Jammu said the freight limit on the trade should be waved off so that the items can be exchanged in bulk. “The government should restore telephone link between the two parts so that the traders can speak to each other,” Prem Kumar, a trader from Kanak Mandi said.
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Ultras target Baramulla police station
Srinagar, October 31 In another militancy-related incident, militants hurled a grenade on a police station in Baramulla, causing injuries to at least 13 persons, including six policeman and seven CRPF personnel. The injured have been rushed to the SMHS, Srinagar, for treatment. Those injured are inspector Bagmal, sub-inspector Ashok Kumar, SHC Subash Chander, constables Sevanand, Devinder Yadav, Kamlesh Kumar and Prashant, all from 92 battalion of the CRPF. Head constable Sonaullah, constables Mohd Shafi, Fayaz Ahmad, Pretam Singh, Khadim Hussain, Daleep Singh of the J&K police were also injured in the grenade attack. The police was on the trail of the militants who escaped after the attack.
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Angry mob blocks traffic
Tribune News Service
Jammu, October 31 Reports said a rashly driven minibus (JK02AD/8919) hit the middle-aged woman who died on the spot. Both driver and conductor fled following the incident. However, infuriated over the incident, people damaged the vehicle and blocked the busy road for nearly an hour. Shouting slogans against the traffic police, the angry mob said that deaths on roads had become an order of the day in the winter capital and the adjoining areas. They accused the traffic police of turning a blind eye to reckless driving by minibus drivers. The police shifted the body to the Government Medical College for autopsy. A case under section 304-A has been registered against the bus crew and efforts were on to nab them.
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Cong expands state unit, inducts 18
Jammu, October 31 AICC president Sonia Gandhi had approved the induction of 18 members, party general secretary and state in charge Prithvi Raj Chavan communicated the party’s decision to the state Congress today. Sonia inducted former ministers - Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Mangat Ram, Swarn Lata, former MP Janak Raj Gupta, MLC's -Fareeda Muneer, Lal Mohammad Sabir, former MLA Haji Abdul Rashid, and Choudhary Mehar Noor as members of the JKPCC’s committee. Shiv Dev Singh is the PCC general secretary, while Balbir Singh and Manmohan Singh are the new PCC secretaries. Darshan Singh (R.S. Pura), Nissar Rahi (Rajouri), Capt Mohammad Azam (Darhal) and Ghulam Ahmed Lone (Budgam) are the other PCC members. Mohammad Hanif Shah has been nominated as the working president for the district Congress committee, Doda; Haji Mohammad Amin as the working president, district Congress committee, Kishtwar, while Moti Lal Koul as chairman, Migrant Cell. — PTI
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Shopkeepers record low sales on Diwali
Jammu, October 31 The rise in the prices of gift items and global financial meltdown are being held responsible for the decline in sales. Some shopkeepers feel the two-month Jammu bandh had also contributed to the hard-pressed economic situation on Diwali. Ram Naryan, a shopkeeper from Bohri said: “Last year, I purchased gift items for Rs 50,000 and had good sales. But this year, I made purchases for Rs 25,000 and had only 40 per cent sales this year.” Echoing a similar view, Anil Kumar Arora, said due to the fall in the stock market, people had less money to spend and the rising cost of gift items had contributed to the low sale of goods. Dejected due to low business this year, Hemani Verman at Kachi Chowni, attributed the less turn over to the continuous fall in the purchasing capacity of buyers and the impact of global meltdown. Another shopkeeper at Nanak Nagar said: “Last year I registered a sale of Rs 2.5 lakh per day for three days on Diwali, but this time it declined to half of it. I am left with a huge stock of gift items.” |
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Vohra for timely payment of scholarships
Srinagar, October 31 An amount of Rs 19 crore has been released by the Centre for disbursement as scholarships this year, Vohra said addressing the fifth governing council meeting of the Council for Rehabilitation of Militancy Victims here yesterday. Vohra directed the divisional commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir to personally monitor the payment of scholarships to the beneficiaries. The Governor stressed the need for imparting vocational training to widows to enable them to become economically self-reliant. The governing council has released Rs 4.42 crore under various categories, including pensions to widows, handicapped and old persons, marriage assistance to young widows, scholarships to students, maintenance allowance for hostelers, psychological financial assistance and assistance in exceptional cases.
— PTI
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NC in two minds?
Tribune News Service
Jammu, October 31 NC patron Farooq Abdullah and party president Omar Abdullah, though whenever asked, rejected any pre-poll alliance and even ruled out the post-poll alliance, senior Abdullah has now changed tones. “We have already made it clear that the party would not enter into any pre-poll alliance and we don’t favour post-poll alliance as well,” he said. However, he added, let us wait and see what shape things take after the election.
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Jammu, October 31 The leaders, including two state general secretaries and a district president, tendered their resignation to party chief Mayawati and state president T.S. Langah. The resignation of the four leaders comes in the wake of former BSP state unit chief Yashpal Bhagat revolting against the party, after which he was expelled. — PTI
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Cellphones banned in exam halls
Jammu, October 31 The examination staff have been directed to keep a close watch on candidates to prevent them from indulging in copying. “ Instructions have been issued to all superintendents of examination centres to be alert to avoid copying in their respective centres,’’ JKBOSE chairman Deshbandhu told UNI. Prof Deshbandhu said: “ No candidate will be allowed to carry mobile phones inside examination halls. If anyone is caught carrying a mobile phone, a case of ‘unfair means’ will be registered,’’ Prof Deshbandhu added.
— UNI |
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Tariq resigns from PDP
Jammu, October 31 “I have tendered my resignation to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and I will contest the elections from Rajouri as an independent candidate”, Tariq said. The office-bearers of the Rajouri district PDP have also quit the party along with Tariq.
— PTI |
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53 vie for 3 Poonch seats
Rajouri, October 31 Of these candidates, 12 are independents, whereas the rest of the candidates belong to various political parties, including the Congress, BJP, NC, PDP, JKNPP, JKNDP, BSP, LJP and Samajwadi Party. While 17 candidates have filed their nomination papers in the Poonch-Haveli Assembly constituency, 21 candidates have filed from Mendhar and 15 have filed from the Surankote Assembly segment.
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More than 50 persons, including 20-odd security personnel, were injured when separatist protests broke out after Friday prayers at some places in the valley.
The National Conference here today unveiled its vision document for “good governance” ahead of the Assembly elections, beginning November 17.
