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Panthers manifesto a bagful of promises
Photo I-cards before elections not possible: CEC
Pandey was close to people in state: CA
BJP, Muslim Morcha leaders boost BSP
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Kailash enthralls audience
Ploy to defame Hindu saints: VHP
PDP fields Baig from Baramulla
LUTF, Cong workers clash, one hurt
Sikhs hold key to poll outcome in Poonch
Mirwaiz under house arrest
Season’s first snow in valley
SP seeks stay on polls, HC says no
Omar for stipend to unemployed
Court convicts spice brand proprietor
HC dismisses petitions
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Panthers manifesto a bagful of promises
Jammu, November 13 The party has also promised political reservation to the Scheduled Tribes of Gujjars, Bakerwals and Gaddis. The party has also promised to grant refugee status to all migrants who were forced out of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999. Bhim assured the refugees from Pakistan, settled by the state administration in the state in 1947 to look after the international border, that their descendents born in Jammu and Kashmir would be granted civil and political rights as per international obligation and United Nation’s charter. The Panthers manifesto has declared to open all routes between the state and PoK that existed before 1947. The manifesto has promised to regularise the services of SPOs and Rehbar-e-Talim teachers who would complete two years in service. The party has also promised to implement the sixth pay commission for the employees of Jammu and Kashmir. The party also declared that the constitution shall be amended to the effect that there shall be no detention without trial and detainees who had completed two years under the PSA would be released forthwith. The party has also promised to provide Rs 3, 000 per month to every unemployed youth until they were employed. The party manifesto adopted Delhi’s declaration of JKNPP which stands for Amendment in Article 370 so as to empower the Parliament to legislate in respect of Jammu and Kashmir at least on the subjects which were included in the Instrument of Accession by the rulers of the state in 1947. |
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Photo I-cards before elections not possible: CEC
Jammu, November 13 Addressing mediapersons after taking stock of the situation in the Jammu region, the CEC said: “The EPIC percentage is low and except for one or two places its distribution seems difficult in the state. In the absence of EPIC, the remaining 13 documents specified by the Commission would be used to establish the voters’ identity.” The CEC said they have received various complaints regarding the government employees working for political parties and in one such case the Mahour SDM has been placed under suspension. On the other hand, the Zanskar SDM has been shifted following reports of his “biased functioning.” Regarding the security to the candidates, he said he has directed the DGP and other top police officials to ensure equitable security to all candidates. “None of the parties should feel that they have been discriminated against in providing security,” he said. On the poll boycott call of the separatists, Gopalaswami said this is not the first that somebody has given a boycott call. “Our job is to make proper arrangement for smooth conduct of polls. We are not bothered whether the polling percentage is one per cent or 100 per cent.” He, however, said the voters should be free to exercise their franchise. The polling should not take place under duress and the necessary directions regarding it have been issued to the police officials, he added. On the unprecedented poll schedule and inclement weather in the state, he said the elections had to be divided into seven phases in view of the polls in five other states. The number of constituencies going to polls in Jammu and Kashmir will increase after December 4 when the availability of security forces will be more, he said. Regarding the no dues certificate for power and water for the candidates while filing nominations, he said in view of the pleas made to the EC it has been decided that the candidates will only make a mention of it in an affidavit. |
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Pandey was close to people in state: CA
Jammu, November 13 The police swooped on Pandey’s chartered accountant, V.K. Kapoor, who told the police that he used to keep track of Pandey’s financial transactions. Kapoor, who was later released by the police after brief questioning, is a founder member of the Peeth headed by Pandey. The police did not rule out arrests in the coming days as it is probing upon the names that cropped up after the interrogation of Lt-Col P.S. Purohit, one of the prime accused in the blast case. The self-acclaimed Shankaracharya heads the K.S.A. Vedic Vishva Kalyan Trust and four of the six trustees are Padamshree awardees. Three of the trustees belong to the state. Pandey’s chartered accountant, V.K. Kapoor, is also one of the 10 founder members of the Peeth. Some of the motives of the Peeth were to “restore the age-old glory of Sharda Mandir in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir” to “make the nation aware about the dangers in Kashmir spreading in the country” to contribute to the “struggle of displaced Hindus in their rehabilitation” and to organise “Dharam Bachao, Desh Bachao Yatra” and the “Rashtra Raksha Yogna” on the birthday of Adi Shankaracharya. Pandey had also actively supported the land row agitation against the revocation of the forest land transfer to the Amarnath Shrine Board. Meanwhile, police sources said a team of ATS was expected to reach Jammu to investigate the state links of the saffron terror network. |
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BJP, Muslim Morcha leaders boost BSP
Jammu, November 13 Those who joined the party today were state Muslim Morcha’s general secretary Shoukat Bhatti, state secretary Rahat Hussain, BJP Billawar block president Parshottam Chand, BJP ward number 5 president Tarsem Lal and PDP’s youth wing Jammu urban general secretary Harneet Singh Sandy. Later addressing media mediapersons here today, BSP’s national general secretary Narinder Kashyap has claimed that party president Mayawati’s social engineering formula has made the outfit in Jammu and Kashmir as a force to reckon with. He went a step further exuding confidence that the party may get a majority in the strife-torn state and would form the next government on its own. Refuting allegations of cash for mandate that recently rocked the state unit as baseless, he said those who had been creating hurdles in the implementation of social engineering formula were shown the door by the party president. He said this time around the BJP, which has been exposed before the people for its divisive politics in the name of religion, would not be able to open its account in the state. |
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Kailash enthralls audience
Jammu, November 13 The event was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. Divisional commissioner Sudhanshu Pandey was chief guest on the occasion. Welcoming the guests, secretary of the academy, Zaffar Iqbal Khan Manhas in his welcome address stated that Kailash Mehra had earned name and fame at national and international level by singing Kashmiri, Dogri, Gojri, Pahari, and Badherwahi songs, adding that the magic of her voice reached across the globe through various concerts organised in different parts of the world by Kashmiri, Dogri, Gujjars and Pahari speaking communities residing outside the country. He also added that the state academy was going to initiate a series of programmes in all the regional languages of the state. |
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Arrests in Malegaon Case
Jammu, November 13 Addressing a press conference here today, state VHP president Ramakant Dubey said they only knew that Pandey had visited Jammu and held some religious programmes, but they never met him. Regarding reports of Pandey supporting the Amarnath land agitation, he said the stir received support from various quarters, including Hindu saints, and every individual had the right to do so. Apprehending threat to Sadhvi Pragya’s life, he demanded security as well as legal aid for her. He also stated that Hindus could never be involved in terror activities. However, he said if the government failed to provide security to the people they had every right to protect themselves. “If the government will harass our saints and malign Hindu outfits, the people will react in their own way,” he added. Dubey alleged that the UPA government was acting under the pressure of “outside forces” and its crackdown on nationalist forces had boosted the morale of anti-national forces active in the country. He also accused the government of making such moves to cover up its failure on all fronts and warned that it would have to pay a heavy price for it. He said the UPA government must come clean as to what relations its allies Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Yadav and Ramvilas Paswan had with an outfit like SIMI. |
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PDP fields Baig from Baramulla
Srinagar, November 13 A party spokesperson said while Baig will be the party's candidate from Baramulla which he won in the 2002 poll, NC defectors Iftikhar Hussain Ansari and Mohammad Dilawar Mir would contest from Pattan and Rafiabad, respectively. Other PDP candidates are Basharat Bukhari (Sangrama), Abdul Khaliq (Sopore), Ghulam Mohiuddin Shiekh (Gulmarg) and Shabir Mangral (Uri).
Cong names
3 candiates
New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday released the names of three candidates for the Assembly poll, replacing Ghulam Nabi Monga by
Mir Mushtaq Ahmad from Baramulla The constituency is going to the polls in the fourth phase on December 7. The other two candidates are Abdul Ahad Yatoo from Pattan and Ab Gani Dar from Rajpora constituency.— Agencies
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Sikhs hold key to poll outcome in Poonch
Poonch, November 13 The Sikhs here cannot on their own ensure victory for either of the Congress or the National Conference - the two main parties that vie for Sikh votes, but the Sikh vote can swing the poll for either when the seven-phase polls kick off on November 17. Mostly migrants from PoK, the Sikhs settled here walked over the mountain ridges to escape an onslaught in 1947. Some families that had separated at the time of Partition got continued to get united some years after the unfortunate event. Today, Sikhs constitute more than five per cent of the total population (roughly 7,000 voters out of more than 96,000 voters). Though, a predominantly Muslim area, the constituency has mostly remained peaceful. On the contrary, Sikhs who are mainly into trade have flourished. Yet, conscious of their minority status and bound by business interest, the Sikhs of Poonch have traditionally been inclined to support the ruling party at the Centre. They feel that since they are located on the LoC and many of their issues have international ramifications, only a government at the Centre is in a position to help them. Several visits by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to Poonch and choice of a Sikh as the country’s prime minister tend to give the Congress some edge over others. While, there are some Sikhs with linkages in Punjab, who tend to support the National Conference. There is a popular saying in Poonch that says ‘Unlike Sikhs elsewhere, the community here is more pragmatic than emotional.” Rajinder Singh, whose family took an arduous journey across the Peer Panjal at the time of Partition, says: “We belong here and our choice of candidates is based on who can perform to suit our needs. We hardly have any affiliations with Punjab. But we have linkages across the LoC as many families are still separated by this imaginary line.” Hailing originally from Khari Dharamsal, barely a few kilometres from the Poonch town into Pakistan, Janak Singh Gandhi, senior vice-president of the District Congress Committee, summed up the election mood of the Sikhs saying, “We were hurt following the Operation Bluestar on the Golden Temple in 1984, but with the Congress leadership’s efforts to woe the Sikhs and making a Sikh the Prime Minister and Army chief, most Sikhs here are now back in the Congress fold.” The Sikhs here are hopeful that once the government is formed, they will be able to persuade it to work on the extension of the Poonch-Rawlakote bus up to Panja Sahib - about 150 kilometres from here. Interestingly, Poonch-Haveli is one place where an independent Sikh candidate, Gursagar Singh is in the fray, banking on the Sikh votes. He is supported by the Socialist Democratic Party (SDP). But given the politics of the area he does not enjoy any special advantage. As caste rather than religion plays a more important role in politics here, the historic and much revered Gurdwara Nangli Sahib has had no political role to play and the Dera head Bhai Manjit Singh has played a non-partisan role, though he commands a considerable influence here. Poonch witnessed a bye-poll this year in which the Congress won this seat. But the Congress has dropped its sitting MLA Jehangir Mir and replaced with him Bashir Ahmed Naz who quit NC to join the Congress. The constituency is now witnessing a triangular contest between Bashir Ahmed Naz (Congress), Ajaz Ahmed Jan (NC) and Imtiaz Ahmed Bandey (PDP). |
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Mirwaiz under house arrest
Srinagar, November 13 “Mirwaiz could not take part in the general council meeting of the Hurriyat Conference as he has been put under house arrest since last night,” a party spokesman said. The meeting of the general council was chaired by senior Hurriyat leader Fazl Haq Qureshi during which final touches were given to tomorrow's anti-elections rally at Bandipora, which is going to the polls in the first phase. Mirwaiz appealed to priests (Imams) of all mosques in Bandipora district to offer Friday prayers collectively at the main Mosque in Bandipora. — PTI |
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Season’s first snow in valley
Srinagar, November 13 The high-altitude areas in north Kashmir received up to 9 mm of snowfall while central and south Kashmir went without it. However, rain lashed the entire area of the valley. Kupwara received 30 mm of rainfall and some snow. A Weather Department official said the maximum temperature in Srinagar was 8.1° C, almost 7 degrees below the normal temperature of 15° C. The minimum was 5° C and it is likely to plunge to zero in the coming days. The department has predicted rain and snow in the next 24 hours. However, the Jammu-Srinagar highway remained open and traffic was plying as usual. — TNS |
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SP seeks stay on polls, HC says no
Jammu, November 13 The Bench, comprising Mr Justice Y.P. Nargotra and Mr Justice Vinod Kumar Gupta, observed: “Since the election process has already commenced and is in progress, therefore, the petition does not deserve to be allowed.” The Bench further observed that since a counter affidavit to the PIL has been filed, the petitioner, if chooses, may file rejoinder within a period of two weeks. The petitioner said there could be serious constitutional crisis in J&K in case the elections are held without delimiting the territorial assembly constituencies. |
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Omar for stipend to unemployed
Jammu, November 13 Talking to mediapersons here, Omar yet again doled out his proposal saying: “If the NC was voted to power, we would provide stipend to the unemployed youth till they get employed in the government or private sector. We would also provide them training so as to bring optimum job opportunities to them.” Taking potshots at the erstwhile coalition government, he said the previous coalition regime had promised government job to at least one member in every family but that turned out to be a false promise. — TNS |
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Court convicts spice brand proprietor
Srinagar, November 13 S.R.Gandhi, municipal mobile judicial magistrate, Srinagar, convicted Nazir Ahmad Hagroo under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, declaring that the Food Department had proved adulteration charges against Hagroo beyond any shadow of doubt. Food inspector Ghulam Nabi Bhat had raided the premises of Minar Spices in Gurgari locality of Srinagar on June 18, 1984, and sealed samples of chilly powder in front of independent witnesses of the locality. The laboratory report said starch was mixed with spices. Counsel for the accused contended that as chilly powder was kept on a cement slab, some dust had got mixed with it when food officials collected its sample. Gandhi expressed his surprise over this contention in his judgement and said:"It is rather imaginary and as such needs to be rejected outright".
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RJD names 10 candidates
Jammu, November 13 They are Sayed Ghulam Nabi
(Devsar), Mustafa Malik (Wachi), Ismail Zargar (Kupwara), Syed Ayoub (Shopian), Mahraj Din Ganai
(Sonawar), Gulzar Nigroo (Pulwama), Bashir Reshi (Kulgam), Mahesh Padha (Jammu East), Bakhtawar Malik
(Nagrota) and Gurdeep Singh (R S Pura).— PTI |
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4 poll observers
Srinagar, November 13 S J Hyder has been appointed observer for Uri constituency, Sudhi Ranjan Mohanty for Rafiabad and Sopore, Benhur Mahesh Dutt Ekka for Sangrama and Baramulla and Tom Jos for Pattan and Gulmarg seats, an official spokesman said here today. — PTI
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Pak woman held on LoC
Jammu, November 13 The woman was roaming near Dadil forward post of the BSF in Sunderbani belt of Rajouri district early today. She has been identified as 32-year-old Asia Begum, wife of Sajjad, a resident of Patni village in Bhimber district of PoK. Asia told the BSF that she was beaten up by her husband and in-laws which made her cross the LoC. — PTI |
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5 kg of RDX seized in Poonch
Jammu, November 13 On a tipoff, police and Rashtriya Rifle troops launched a search operation in the Loran area of Poonch district yesterday, leading to the seizure of 5 kg of RDX and six black tubes filled with explosives from a hideout. — PTI |
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‘Bhang’ crop destroyed
Jammu: Officials of the state Excise Department and the crime branch along with police and revenue department staff destroyed ‘bhang’ over 3,000 kanals in Pulwama, Anantnag and Ganderbal
districts. According to an official statement, the areas covered under the drive included Tulkhan, Mlhore, Kalpora Anchen, Graragung, Khilan, Harraipora, Takibal, Kawani, Wachi, Dupatyar, Simthan, Loktipora, Frisal, Brew Bandana, Dograpura, Reshi Pora, Ghantal Pur, Krandi gam, Ghasi Mohalla and Khan Mohalla." —TNS |
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Staff warned
Udhampur: Taking serious note of the complaints about the involvement of some officials in political activities, Reasi district election officer (DEO) Sanjeev Verma has directed all controlling officers to keep a watch on the activities of government officials. The DEO warned that strict action would be taken against any officer or official found violating the code of conduct. The DEO has asked all controlling officers to constitute teams to check such violations. — TNS |
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Jammu, November 13
Srinagar, November 13
