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J&K to act as Indo-Pak bridge one day: Mufti
NCP, RJD release lists
6 LJP workers hurt in lathicharge
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Omar: Time for one-party govt
Campaigning in full swing
Polls 2008
Vote without any fear: CEC
Micro-observers for critical stations
Vohra extends Gurpurb greetings
... reviews modalities for traders’ visit to PoK
14 killed as bus falls into Chenab
National Highway Project
Army to take steps for ‘clean’ image
NC leader escapes bid on life
BJP, Panthers candidates panicky
Cross-LoC trade volume down
Previous MLAs let down Nagrota: Manhas
Lok adalats settle 25 cases
Bear injures 2 women
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J&K to act as Indo-Pak bridge one day: Mufti
Jammu, November 12 Addressing his party’s first convention of workers after the Amarnath land agitation in the winter capital, Sayeed said: “Many people were surprised when we first talked about cross-LoC trade and dual currency, but today it has come true.”
“The traders from both the sides have agreed to carry out business transactions in dual currency. Similarly, our self-rule proposal would also materialise one day and we will act as a bridge between the two neighbouring countries of India and Pakistan,” he said. On the announcement of the Assembly polls, Mufti said the PDP had told the Election Commission that the atmosphere was not conducive for holding the elections in the state. “However, NC patron Farooq Abdullah said it was okay even if the polling percentage was five per cent, as he knew it that in case of more polling the winning prospects of the PDP will brighten,” he charged. Lashing out at the BJP for its demand of abrogation of the Article 370, Mufti exhorted the people of Jammu to send “only those representatives to the Assembly who can protect their identity.” The Article 370 provides special status not only to the people of Kashmir but also to Jammu counterparts, he added. Referring to the land agitation, Mufti said the proposal to allot land to the Amarnath shrine board had come up during his tenure too, but he didn’t give a nod to it. “I thought that the proposal will vitiate the state’s atmosphere and therefore I cancelled it. The shrine board was using land in Pahalgam as well as Baltal. I told them that there is no need for any diversion or transfer of land to it,” he said. He greeted his party leaders and workers for standing by the party in the most trying times when even the “Congress leaders had extended their support to the land agitation in Jammu.” On the charge of discrimination with Jammu, Mufti said the PDP-led government did not discriminate with any of the three regions of the state. “In fact an investment of Rs 3,000 crore was made in Jammu industry during my tenure,” he added. Blowing his previous regime’s trumpet, Mufti said his government ushered in a sense of security among the people and restored peace and tranquility in the state, particularly in the border areas. He said if voted back to power they would replace the atmosphere of mistrust with stability. Earlier, some Lok Janshakti Party activists reportedly raised slogans against the PDP near the rally venue. However, the police rounded them up in time.
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NCP, RJD release lists
Jammu, November 12 The candidates are Gulab Chand Bhagat (Raipur Domana), Romal Singh (Udhampur), Manohar Lal Rao (Bishnah), Parvez Iqbal Tak (Inderwal), Mohinder Singh Thakur (Ram Nagar), Sudershan Kumar (Vijaypur), Rajinder Koul (Habbakadal), Satish Gupta (Suchetgarh), Mohammad Paul (Chadoora), Shivdev Singh (Bani) and Shafiq Ahmed Jogal (Gulmarg). Thakur Randhir Singh said: “I along with senior office bearers of the party will not contesting the elections.” In the RJD list, Sayed Nabi will contest from Devsar constituency, Mistafa Malik from Wachi, Mohd Ismail Zargar from Kupwara, Syed Ayoub from Shopian, Mehraj Din Ganai from Sonawar, Hulzar Ahmed Ningroo from Pulwama, Bashir Ahmad Reshi from Kulgam, Mashes Padha from Jammu East, Bakhtawar Malik from Nagrota and Gurdeep Singh (SC) from R.S. Pura constituency. |
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6 LJP workers hurt in lathicharge
Jammu, November 12 Led by state LJP president Gurdeep Singh, over hundred activists of the party tried to gate crash into PDP headquarters to disrupt the foundation day function of the party at the Gandhi Nagar area of the city this afternoon, they said. However, the police deployed at the venue prevented them from entering and canecharged the protesters, they said. Amid clashes with police, they resorted to anti-PDP and anti-Mufti slogans and called PDP a supporter of militants and separatists. In the cane charge, six protestors were injured, they said. The function later continued with the former Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed taking part in it. — PTI |
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Omar: Time for one-party govt
Jammu, November 12 “The NC is the only party in the state which has its political base in every nook and corner and is thereby capable of understanding the needs of the entire state,” he said, adding that the party alone could provide a stable, effective and people-friendly government. Omar said the experiment of coalition government had failed in the state because various components of coalition were bonded by the lust of power bereft of any ideological understanding. He said six years of coalition government led to an administrative anarchy and chaos and brought the process of development in the state to a grinding halt. He said in the name of development, the PDP-Congress government in the state had given unemployment, financial mismanagement, poverty, bad roads, dry taps, poor health care and a crippled education system. He said the Congress-PDP misrule had brought misery to the people of the state and even their basic needs had not been catered to by an incompetent delivery mechanism, which was the outcrop of a defunct government. He promised that if the National Conference were voted to power it would empower the youth and women of the state so as to take it on the path of growth and development. He said the employment-oriented and people-friendly welfare programmes initiated by the National Conference regime would be re-launched with need-based modifications to uplift the plight of the masses, particularly the downtrodden and those living in the far-flung areas of the state. He said it was unfortunate that the erstwhile coalition government opened colleges and upgraded schools without creating necessary infrastructure, depriving young students of the quality education, thereby playing with their career. He said the NC, if voted back to power, would restructure the entire education system and make it more employment-oriented, focusing on the overall personality development of the students, so that they could compete with the very best in the country. He also expressed his deep anguish at the poor health care facilities in the state. |
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Campaigning in full swing
Jammu, November 12 As per official figures, 862 political meetings have been organised across the state with 406 of these taking place in Kashmir division and 456 in Jammu. While the NC has so far has held 197 meetings, the Congress has organised 178, followed by the PDP (166), BJP (63), BSP (45), Panthers Party (41) and the People’s Democratic Front (24). Independents have also organised 56 rallies and workers’ meetings. In Jammu division, enthusiasm is seen both among voters and contestants. Mainstream parties have held rallies in almost all constituencies with rallies having been organised in
Poonch, Bufliaz, Darhal, Shallan, Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda districts. Of the 456 meetings and rallies organised so far in the Jammu region, the Congress and the NC have held 115 and 92 meetings, respectively. The PDP with 59 public meetings and workers conventions, BJP with 53, BSP with 43 and Panthers Party with 37 have also been in the thick of election campaigning. Nearly 30 rallies and public meetings have been organised by Independents in Jammu Division. In the Kashmir valley, all frontline political parties have established direct contact with people by launching a door-to-door campaign and conducting road shows. Despite the separatists out to mislead people about the poll process, there has been an exceptional response to the filing of nominations for the first phase with 47 contestants in the fray in the three assembly constituencies of newly created Bandipora district alone. Out of the 102 candidates contesting the 10 constituencies in the first phase on November 17, the Sonawari Assembly constituency leads with 22 contestants while 19 will fight it out in
Bandipora. |
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Jammu & Kashmir Ex-Cong chief Kar to fight as Independent
Srinagar, November 12 Kar (88) filed his papers from Sopore, a separatist bastion where poll percentage has been abysmally low even by Kashmir standards, as he was a victim of a party coterie. His party has been ignoring him for the past few years as he suffered from health problems, making him launch intermittent attacks on the party. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party president Sonia Gandhi assured me of the ticket from Sopore, but we never know about the Congress as so many groups work at cross purposes all the time," he said. Party sources said Kar was too old for campaigning and they couldn't give the ticket from Sopore anyway as they had a winning candidate from there. Jammu-based Panthers Party, which has been sending overtures to any party rebel who has some roots in the valley, reportedly tried to rope in Kar but the veteran decided to go on his own. — TNS
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Micro-observers for critical stations
Jammu, November 12 Responding to media queries here, Jammu divisional commissioner Sudhanshu Pandey said besides micro-observers, we have provided adequate security to contesting candidates as per threat perception. Hypersensitive polling stations are being manned by the central police forces, he said, adding sufficient communication arrangements have also been made available to ensure free, fair and incident-free elections. It has been reliably learnt that along with micro-observers, the critical polling stations would be equipped with CCTV cameras. It may be stated here that polling booths that recorded over 75 per cent voters’ turnout or witnessed violence during the previous elections have been identified as critical polling stations and the states going to polls have been specifically asked to appoint micro-observers for such critical stations. Further, polling stations, which had witnessed over 75 per cent of votes polled in favour of one candidate, would also fall in the same category. Regarding first phase of polls beginning November 17, Pandey said, central police forces have already been moved and other poll-related arrangements too have been put in place. For second phase, almost half of the requirement of central police forces has been made, he said.
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Vohra extends Gurpurb greetings
Jammu, November 12 The Governor said the great Guru strove all his life for social justice and equality and to bring about peace and harmony in society. Vohra hoped that the Gurpurb would be celebrated with joy and fervour and in true traditions of the composite culture. |
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... reviews modalities for traders’ visit to PoK
Jammu, November 12 The Governor was informed that various trade and industry federations and the Fruit Growers Associations of both Jammu and Kashmir divisions had approached the nodal officer for cross-LoC trade with a list of members of the proposed trade delegation from the state for intensive trade-related discussions with their counterparts in PoK. After the meeting, a list of 119 persons, including 40 from Jammu division, was handed over to Ashok Bhan, DGP, CID, who assured the Governor that the comprehensive procedures in processing such matters notwithstanding, the required clearance of the names of traders in the delegation to PoK would be accorded within a day and forwarded to the respective RPOs on the same day. Normally, the request for issuance of 'permit' for cross-LOC travel is to be made by an applicant to the RPO. |
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14 killed as bus falls into Chenab
Udhampur, November 12 According to the police, the driver of the bus (JK06-743) lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a blind curve at Narghai, near Pul Doda, around 3.30 pm. The ill-fated vehicle then rolled into the river. Local people swung into action and started rescue operations. Nine passengers reportedly died on the spot while one woman succumbed to her injuries on the way to Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu. According to eyewitnesses, some passengers were washed away in the river. It is believed that four passengers, including a woman were washed away in the river. Although the local police with the help of the Army launched the rescue operation, the bodies of missing persons are yet to be found. Today’s was the third big accident in this area during the past one month. On October 30, eight persons lost their lives in an accident. Accidents due to poor road conditions and bad maintenance of vehicles are common in the region. |
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National Highway Project
Jammu, November 12 The Governor today reviewed the progress of the project at a high-level meeting held in Jammu. Vohra stressed on the need for conceptualising the second phase of the project, on the ‘most urgent basis’, keeping in view local requirements and concerns of the various other agencies of the local administration. “A dynamic approach towards resolving bottlenecks, if any, in implementation of the project, particularly in resolving all emerging issues, at high appropriate levels in the state should be adopted.” Vohra said. He also sought a time-bound action plan for the completion of this project and impressed upon the officers concerned to monitor the progress, both physical and financial, on regular basis. The chief general manager, National Highway Project of India, K.C. Varkeyachan, informed the Governor that the project envisaged four lane of the 400-kilometre highway from Lakhanpur to Srinagar. “Work is in progress at the 114-kilometre road from Lakhanpur to Jammu and the Srinagar bypass, which is estimated to cost Rs 580 crore,” Varkeyachan said. He added the first phase of the work was likely to be completed by September 2009. Varkeyachan said preliminary survey and draft detailed project reports were in the process of finalisation for the remaining 282-kilometre road, which was likely to cost Rs 8,500 crore and expected to be completed in five years. The main feature of this phase will be reducing the present distance from Jammu to Srinagar by about 52 kilometres by constructing 14 tunnels, two of which will be about 9 and 8.5 kilometres each. In addition, 34 bridges of different dimensions would also be constructed on the
highway. The meeting was informed that the state government had extended all possible assistance by ensuring the timely acquisition of land and clearance of the forest cases for the project. It was decided that an internal mechanism would be evolved for sorting out day-to-day issues with regard to the project and a recommendation made to the Centre for taking up the highway upgrade as a project of national importance. |
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Farooq rejects Obama’s Kashmir idea
National Conference’s chief ministerial candidate Farooq Abdullah today rejected US President-elect Barack Obama’s idea of appointing Bill Clinton to resolve the Kashmir problem.
Talking to The Tribune, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir described the issue as “bilateral” between India and Pakistan, and said it could only be resolved through a dialogue between the two countries. Abdullah also called for a time-bound resolution of the problem, adding “it was possible if the hearts of those involved in the process were clear.” About the US, he said, it had tried in the past to interfere in Kashmir, but without success. “There got to be a deadline to resolve the Kashmir issue. We can’t endlessly talk about it,” said the NC stalwart, who held a closed-door meeting with party workers in Srinagar’s Hazratbal constituency, from where he is contesting elections. The meeting was a low-key affair, meant to rejuvenate cadres, who gave clarion calls for victory. Riding on the failures of the Congress-PDP coalition, Farooq Abdullah wrested every chance to run down the coalition leaders, especially PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who yesterday said the NC had not done any development work in the state. “I have prepared a list of roads we laid during our rule,” said Abdullah, emphasising that people were in a “mood for change and will vote”. In his trademark flamboyant style, the NC patron called his cadres to rout the PDP from the valley, and vote for “good governance.” In his conversation with The Tribune, he referred to the 10 per cent matriculation results in Kashmir and said it was a shame. “There is no hope for our children. This is the legacy of the Congress-PDP misrule, which we will undo,” Abdullah said, insisting that the Hurriyat’s separatist politics would not be able to deter voters who want change. Promising to bring the Hurriyat on board for talks with the Centre, if voted to power, Abdullah blamed the separatists for economic losses in the valley. “People are sick of strikes. Once the new government comes, the Hurriyat will know their place,” Abdullah said, maintaining a guarded silence on the possibility of post-poll alliance with the Congress. Interestingly, the son-in-law of Abdullah’s close aide Mohd Syed Akhoon is pitted against Omar Abdullah in Ganderbal. While Akhoon, the MLA from Hazratbal vacated his seat to enable Farooq Abdullah to fight, his son-in-law Ishfaq Jabbar is challenging Omar on Congress ticket. That apart, Farooq Abdullah was confident of a good voter turnout, though he admitted that the Amarnath land row had bitterly affected the poll scenario. “Hindus and Muslims have been divided like never before. The PDP and Congress will be badly hit because of this controversy,” Abdullah said, criticizing the former government for mismanagement of the recently opened trade route across LoC. “There is no banking facility across the border. I don’t know how money is being exchanged expect through hawala,” he said, calling for opening of the branch of Jammu and Kashmir bank across the borders to ensure the trade doesn’t just remain symbolic. |
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Army to take steps for ‘clean’ image
Srinagar, November 12 Kapoor, while inaugurating Army Public Goodwill School in Pehalgam, said they were studying the case and would take necessary steps. The opening of the school is a significant measure in meeting the huge gulf between the quality education and the available standard of education in this part of Kashmir, which lacks good schools except for a few in Srinagar. The school, which is co-educational and residential, offers education from Class VI onwards till Class XII for 200 boys and 100 girls. However, families have shown reluctance in sending their daughters to the residential school, something expected in the conservative society of Kashmir. Gen Kapoor also interacted with students who showed their increasing ability to interact in English. |
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NC leader escapes bid on life
Srinagar, November 12 Gul, a three-time MLA, was visiting an ailing National Conference worker Mohammad Yousuf Bhat in the Chamar Doori locality when militants hurled a grenade towards Bhat's house, officials said. The grenade, however, exploded in the compound of the adjoining house, they said, adding no casualties were reported. Gul, who is contesting from Eidgah constituency, was at the house of Bhat, who was not keeping well, to enquire about his health, they said. — PTI
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Cross-LoC trade volume down
Srinagar, November 12 While on October 21, when the cross-border trade was started, 13 carriers of goods left for Pak-occupied-Kashmir and 11 from the other side arrived here, only nine carriers were sent from both sides yesterday. The total volume, official sources said, was of not much significance. “Both sides need to sit together and implement several things if they want this trade to flourish. I completely agree with grievances of fruits traders,” a senior official said. Some big fruits-traders in Kashmir, like those based in Srinagar and Sopore, had earlier said they had suspended sending any consignment as many sellers did not get any money in return for their goods already sent. They added that they had no idea what was the market for their products in PoK, or the prices at which they were being sold. However, the bigger trade bodies like the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries said it was imperative that traders were not discouraged by these problems and fight together to make it a success. “There is no doubt that there are certain issues which need to be solved if the government is sincere in running the cross-LoC trade. We are taking up the issues with authorities concerned,” an office bearer said. |
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Previous MLAs let down Nagrota: Manhas
Jammu, November 12 Addressing mediapersons here, Manhas said previous representatives from Nagrota had miserably failed to address even basic problems of the people. Nagrota constituency that shares its borders with Akhnoor, Reasi, Udhampur and Samba and has three major rivers (Chenab, Jhajjar and Tawi) is still without potable water, he said. He added that the vast constituency, even after 60 years of independence, doesn’t have proper irrigational facilities. Manhas said in the absence of a degree college and an ITI, youth of the area are deprived of their basic right to education and as a result unemployment has become a nagging problem for them. If elected, he would strive for setting up a viable educational infrastructure in the constituency, he added. |
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Lok adalats settle 25 cases
Srinagar, November 12 He said a lok adalat was held in the court premises at Ganderbal, in which 42 cases were taken up. Of these, 18 cases were decided amicably among the parties. A similar adalat was held at Munsif Court Sumbal, Sonawari. He said 20 cases were taken up for disposal, of which seven were disposed off amicably. — UNI |
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Bear injures 2 women
Srinagar, November 12 A wild bear appeared on Tuesday evening at Zargund village in Ganderbal district, when a group of women were on their way to home from fields after work. The bear attacked and injured two women, who were later hospitalised. — UNI |
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