|
|
Unexpected turnout leaves many speechless
69 pc polling in first phase
Polls 2008: Jammu & Kashmir
Whose manifesto is it? |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Army seizes 15 kg of explosives
High poll turnout ‘signifies’ change
For Talwara migrants, things remain same for last 10 yrs
NC promises more job avenues
Rebels pain in the neck for parties in Rajouri
No video coverage in polling stations
BJP, Panthers wrestle to bag pro-Jammu tag
Pooja bags first prize in collage competition
‘Complete development works in time’
Sappers celebrate 228th raising day
Basholi paintings on display
Bridge collapse: 3 more bodies recovered
|
|
Unexpected turnout leaves many speechless
Srinagar, November 18 "I believed they would remember the death of their neighbours and keep away from these sham elections. I am terribly disappointed," Bhat (36) told The Tribune. Another shock awaited him, he admits with a touch of surrender at the turn of events, when he found out that a kin of a deceased youth was a polling agent of a political party in his area, which falls in the Bandipora constituency, which notched up an impressive 57 per cent polling. The surprisingly good turn out in three constituencies of the valley, especially in more urban Bandipora, has not only stunned political activists like Bhat but also left many poll observers fumbling for answers to explain what almost everyone believed improbable on poll-eve. "I expected a turnout of not more than 20 per cent. And my guess was on the maximum side. I am still trying to figure out as to why voters turned up in such large numbers, more so as elections seemed to be largely free and fair," Showkat Ahmad Motta, a Kashmir-based journalist says. The high turnout has enthused political parties into chalking out more aggressive plans to reach out to voters as they had been earlier concentrating on local mobilisation of supporters, apprehending backlash if they went for bigger rallies. For once, it seems, the voice of Hurriyat leaders is not carrying the roar it used to only a week back. Syed Ali Shah Geelani and his moderate colleague, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, have, as expected, slammed the poll percentage as "fabrication of figures managed under coercion", but their rantings have gone largely unheard in an otherwise sympathetic local media. As the election battle in Kashmir reaches two Ganderbal constituencies on November 23, many say a good polling there would make the huge momentum generated in Bandipore yesterday unstoppable. In Srinagar, which is the ideological bastion of separatists, Rafiq Ahmed, another Hurriyat supporter, is almost devastated. "You never know about Kashmiri villagers. They were the ones who became militants first and then joined hands with the police. They raised azadi slogans two weeks back, and now they are voting. You can never predict them," he scowls. Not many, though, would be complaining. |
|
69 pc polling in first phase
Srinagar, November 18 This, according to an official spokesman, was with reference to the presiding officers' diaries of the 10 Assembly constituencies. The final poll percentage has been registered as 73.59 in Gurez, 57.24 in Bandipore, 59.64 in Sonawari, 74.23 in Nobra, 64 in Leh, 72.04 in Kargil, 72.51 in Zanskar, 74.38 in Surankote, 77.46 in Mendhar and 74.46 in Poonch-Haveli. The reports from about 10 snowbound polling stations in Leh were still awaited, the spokesman said. The polling percentage in these 10 constituencies in the 2002 elections was Gurez 76, Bandipora 31, Sonawari 56, Kargil 74, Zanskar 74, Surankote 40, Mendhar 60 and Poonch-Haveli 60. However, the candidates from Nobra and Leh were elected unopposed in 2002. Welcoming the good turnout, NC president Omar Abdullah has termed it as a positive indication towards a better future and a stable state. Addressing a series of public meetings in the Jammu region yesterday, the NC president said the huge turnout had proved everyone in the state wrong. This turnout was an eye-opener and proved that while the people of the state wanted the Kashmir issue to be resolved they also wanted to exercise their franchise to elect representatives to the state assembly who could work for the welfare of the people. Meanwhile, Tangmarag NC youth block president Abbas Wani along with 20 senior NC delegates joined the PDP here yesterday. |
|
Polls 2008: Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu, November 18 The community members feel that the successive state governments let them down despite promising rehabilitation in Kashmir and providing requisite employment to their children. Tearful Prithviraj, who lost his young son in militancy in the early 90s after which his wife became insane, says: “I have no desire to vote. The government, without my permission, built buildings on my orchards in Kashmir.” Signalling to leakage in the walls, he says, “What I have been given in return is a two-room tiny flat in Muthi-II where it is a nightmare to live with a family of 10. The paltry sum of Rs 4,000 is not enough to meet both ends.” He folds his hands and says: “I just want employment for my married son from the new government.” The displaced community is also not happy with the previous Congress-PDP regime’s project to allot them flats at Jagati, which is about 20 km from here. Nancy Dhar, a homemaker, says: “The new flats in Jagati are quite far. I cannot think of sending my young daughter to school from such a distance.” On the subject of voting, she too shrugged her shoulders in refusal. Inder Krishan, who was forced to start a shop of small gas-stoves in the camp after he lost his government job in CONFED due to prolonged illness, averred: “My bread and butter was snatched away from me when the honchos in my office hobnobbed and gave my job to somebody else when I took long leave to get treatment for my illness. I ran from pillar to post complaining to ministers but nothing worked. So there is no point to cast my vote for such people.” Ravinder Kumar Raina, president, Displaced Welfare Committee, says: “The government who gives special employment package to our children and permanent settlement as a separate homeland in Kashmir and not the temporary flats in Jammu will get mandate from us.” |
|
Whose manifesto is it?
Jammu, November 18 As both parties are eyeing the Jammu region for a sizable number of Assembly seats, they have taken due care to address the issue of regional imbalance in view of the voices of bias raised in Jammu during the Amarnath land agitation. The Congress as well as the BJP has promised setting up of regional councils for removing disparities, if any, among different regions in terms of funds, development and employment. They have also included the setting up of a delimitation commission in their respective manifestoes. This demand too was raised from various quarters to facilitate “political empowerment” of Jammu in the aftermath of the land agitation. Though the Congress had made this promise in its previous term too, it could not fulfil it due to “coalition compulsions”. The arch-rivals have also made an effort to widen their support base among the SC/STs. While the BJP has promised free of cost education and scholarships to the children belonging to SC/ST/OBC, the Congress manifesto talks of evolving a mechanism to monitor reservation policy in government jobs for the SC/STs. The latter also promises mobile schools and health units for the STs. Both the parties have also promised incentives for the industry. While the BJP intends to reintroduce tax holiday for 10 years for industrial units, the Congress talks of concessions for the industry on the lines of North Eastern states. As the region has a large number of refugees, both parties promise to address the problems being faced by West Pakistani refugees of 1947, besides the return and rehabilitation of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community. Similarly, both the parties promise implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission for the state government employees, regularisation of temporary workers engaged in various departments, rehabilitation of militancy-hit victims, hike in pension for elderly, creation of special cell for redressal of ex-servicemen's grievances, stipend for unemployed youth and empowerment of women. Political analyst Rekha Chowdhary opined that what brings the BJP closer to the Congress this time is its silence on the abrogation of Article 370 in its manifesto. “The BJP is trying to project its centrist face in a bid to cash in on the anti-incumbency against the Congress. It also feels that there are certain voters who would not be happy with its rightist position. The party is also eyeing a few seats in the valley, particularly the ones with Kashmiri Pandit electorate,” she said. She dubbed the BJP as the most expectant party in these elections, as it is hoping to get 10-12 seats and play a vital role in the government formation. Even as the BJP played an important role in the Amarnath land agitation, the Congress has scored a major point over the BJP by promising compensation to the farmers and trading community that suffered losses during the two-month long stir in the state. |
|
|
Army seizes 15 kg of explosives
Udhampur/Jammu, November 18 In another operation, the troops of Rashtriya Rifles seized 10 kg of explosives in the Chasana area in Reasi district. Meanwhile, sources in the police’s counter intelligence wing admitted that continuous influx of Bangladeshis to the restive state pose a threat to the safety of the people and militant outfit
HuJI, which has connections with the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), might use its sleeper cells to disrupt elections. A senior officer said in the backdrop of elections, the police has increased its vigil over such areas where these illegal immigrants were in concentration. “They work as labourers in factories and live in clusters located close to industrial estates in
Kathua, Samba, Bari-Brahmana, Gangyal and Udhampur. But there is a possibility that some among the workers are sleeper agents of the
HuJI, so we are on guard,” he said. K Rajendra, IGP (Jammu zone), said since these illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are a floating population, their verification has always been an ongoing process. When asked whether any exercise had been conducted in the wake of elections, the IGP said, “We constantly update our information. We have not lowered our guard.” A senior BSF officer, on the condition of anonymity, said since HuJI has spread its tentacles in the entire country and it has a link with Lashkar in Jammu and Kashmir, possibilities of sleeper cells among this floating population could not be ruled out and certainly they pose threat of a terror attack. |
|
|
Despite MC’s drive, parties defacing public property
Jammu, November 18 Posters, banners, plastic cut outs and wall writings continue to be seen at public places across the city. The political parties seem little bothered about the civic body's drive. A political outfit indulged in wall writing at Talab Tillo area even after the authorities whitewashed the same walls a few days back. The walls of women's college at Parade are also full of ads, including that of political parties. Same is the case with the two colleges in Jeewal. Prem Singh of Rehari said: “The municipal corporation has failed to restrain the people, particularly the political parties, from violating the Act. They are pasting the banners at public places at their own free will.” Sunita Kour of Gandhi Nagar said: “The corporation should take a strong action against the violators who are defacing the public property for the sake of vote politics.” On the other hand, the JMC has now decided to send another notice to the presidents of all political parties under which they would have to pay the amount that the authorities have spent on restoring the public property, which was defaced by them, to its original shape. JMC joint commissioner J.S. Tandon said: “We have asked them to pay the amount that we have spent for removing the banners, flags and whitewashing walls at several places in the city.” He said, “Though we have cautioned the political outfits by issuing notices, asking them to remove their posters and banners from the public places, they do not bother.” |
|
|
High poll turnout ‘signifies’ change
Jammu, November 18 Addressing a press conference here today, Gupta said as the Mufti did not have any election agenda, he was now making such allegations. The Mufti recently alleged that Sinha had hosted Dayanand Pandey, alias Amritanand, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, in 2007, a charge which Sinha had dubbed “malicious”. Meanwhile, hailing the poll percentage in the first phase of elections, Gupta said it clearly indicated that the people were in favour of change. “It is a clear reflection of the anti-establishment trend and the masses want to see the BJP in power,”
he claimed. Gupta said the high percentage of polling was a slap on the ideas and propaganda of the elements who gave a boycott call. He held the successive governments in the state responsible for non-resolution of the
Kashmir issue. He said the Congress, NC and the PDP didn’t want a solution as they “will not have any agenda for their survival if the Kashmir issue is resolved”. Gupta stated that the BJP had the potential to form the government in the state. |
|
For Talwara migrants, things remain same for last 10 yrs
Talwara (Reasi), November 18 The politicians, except exploiting the miseries of the migrants, have done nothing to ameliorate their lot, despite being the fact that the court has already given directions to the state government to treat these displaced people at par with the Kashmiri migrants. These displaced people have lost their faith in the politicians. “In 2002 Assembly elections, we had actively participated in the elections, but our conditions remained the same,” rued Sangram Singh of Budhal tehsil in Rajouri, presently putting up in this camp. He reminded that in 2002 Assembly elections, the migrants had to struggle hard to get voting rights in their camp. “In the last Assembly elections, politicians had promised to fulfill our demands, but after completion of the electoral process, elected representatives did not spare even some hours to visit our camps to inquire about our conditions,” he said. He said the migrants, this time, would participate in the elections only for the sake of participating in democratic process. Echoing similar views, Abdul Rashid, who migrated from Mahore tehsil, argued that displaced people would participate in the elections only to oppose boycott call of separatists. “We are very much aware that the politicians are not going to take up our case seriously, but we are participating in the elections only to give a message to the nation that the people have not lost hope in the democratic system of the country,” he said. Inhabitants of the five Assembly constituencies - Reasi, Gulabgarh, Darhal, Rajouri and Kalakot - have been putting up at the camp for the last 10 years. After infamous Prankot massacre in April 1998, mass migration of minorities was started from different areas of Reasi and Rajouri districts. After leaving their native places, these displaced people took shelter at Talwara and Pouni and, till date, they are living in same conditions. National leaders had promised all possible help to affected families, but nothing concrete has been so far done to permanently rehabilitate them. |
|
NC promises more job avenues
Jammu, November 18 “The party feels that if the common man is empowered and the process of governance is devolved to the grassroot level, the delivery mechanism is bound to become efficient for effective governance,” said Omar in a press statement here. Omar, who addressed a series of public meetings at Rajouri, said the model of regional autonomy as envisaged by the party would devolve power on the regional and sub-regional levels, thereby ensuring the participation of the people of all regions and sub-regions in the decision-making process. He said this model would also address the aspirations of the people living in different parts of the state. He said six years of Congress-PDP rule had given the state unemployment, financial mismanagement, poverty, bad roads, dry taps, poor healthcare and crippled education system. He said the first priority of the National Conference would be to take youth of the state out of hopelessness and despair by redressing their unemployment problem. To achieve this the party would come out with a special package and open new avenues for the unemployed youth. The party would ensure that there was at least one earning hand in each household, stated the press release, quoting Omar. |
|
|
Rebels pain in the neck for parties in Rajouri
Rajouri, November 18 In the multi-cornered contest, making any predications is not only futile, but certainly bound to prove wrong after the segment goes to poll during the second phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir on November 23. The obvious can, however, be stated without hesitation which is, “Rajouri, once dominated by militants, is today voting without any fear or hesitation”. Except for the Manja Kote area, which occasionally reports some infiltration attempts, this area is almost free from militancy leading to a fierce political fight. All four constituencies of Rajouri district namely Nowshera, Darhal, Rajouri and Kalakote will go to poll during the second phase. However, out of these, Rajouri is the most closely watched as here the Congress nominee, Shahbir Hussain Khan, is getting a tough fight from his own party rebel Chaudhary Qamar, who lost the 2002 poll from here to the National Conference (NC) candidate, Aslam Khan. This time too, sitting NC legislator is contesting, but is facing a stiff opposition from his own party rebel Chaudhary Talib, a former MP from Poonch. The infighting in the NC has greatly upset party president Omar Abdullah. Omar at a public meeting today said: “These dissidents will neither win nor let the party candidates win.” Again, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which is a formidable force in the valley, is getting a good response in the Jammu province as it is credited with “riding people of the humiliation at the hands of the security forces”. But in terms of dissidence, the PDP is in no better position. Party rebel Sharief Tariq, who hails from Rajouri city, is openly opposing the PDP’s official nominee, Master Tassaduq. The BJP, which is also trying to make its presence felt in the area, has its official candidate Vibodh Gupta facing lot of opposition from within the party ranks. State BJP leader Kuldip Raj Gupta’s supporters are reportedly openly opposing Vibodh’s nomination. With 23 candidates in the fray for the Rajouri seat, 1,06,125 voters are going to have to take a tough call. The Election Department has increased the number of polling booths from 100 in 2002 to 124 this time, anticipating an overwhelming response from the voters. |
|
|
No video coverage in polling stations
Srinagar, November 18 The EC had taken a serious note of the media coverage depicting photographs and video coverage in polling stations last evening. A full-page advertisement issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations published in a local daily today also showed similar pictures. However, as per EC guidelines, such kind of coverage from within polling stations showing voters casting their votes is not allowed. |
|
|
BJP, Panthers wrestle to bag pro-Jammu tag
Udhampur, November 18 Panthers Party candidate from Udhampur Balwant Singh Mankotia in a press conference today said the BJP-led NDA regime remained in power at the Centre for more than six years but Jammu was neglected during that regime. He lambasted the BJP for raking up religious issues to garner political support. Mankotia said earlier the BJP and its sister organisations exploited the masses in the name of Ram temple. Now the party has been trying to take mileage of the agitation on the Amarnath land row, he added. Mankotia highlighted his achievements as MLA and claimed the developmental activities were accelerated during the last six years. |
|
|
Pooja bags first prize in collage competition
Jammu, November 18 In the collage competition, Pooja Lander and Kanika Mahajan, both students of the Government College for Women, Parade, bagged first and second prizes, respectively. Suhani, a student of Law School, JU, clinched the third prize. Certificate of merit were given to Ashish Kant of KC Law College and Sonal Mahajan from GN College. In the cartoon making competition, Arjun Mahajan of GGM Science College bagged first prize, whereas Sagrika Chada from the Government College for Women, Parade, and Rahul from Law School, JU, got second and third prizes, respectively. Certificate of merit were also handed over to Renu Sharma and Reeta Sangral of the Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar. Earlier, in a flower arrangement competition, Alisha Kohli from KC Law College bagged first prize, while Mohua Gupta from the Psychology Department and Swati Rajpoot from Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, garnered second and third prizes, respectively. However, certificate of merit were awarded to Poonam Abrol of the Government College for Women, Parade and Rhinee Verma of Government PG College, Udhampur. |
|
|
‘Complete development works in time’
Jammu, November 18 He said: “In both urban and local areas there is need to improve the civic amenities and augment the essential services like water, power and road connectivity.” He asked for regular testing of the potable water, so that waterborne diseases do not occur. He also asked the agencies to bring satisfactory improvement in urban and rural sanitation and formulate immediate projects for the purpose for onward submission to the Union ministries concerned. Vohra also reviewed the functioning of the R&B, PHE, health, education, rural development, power and urban development. |
|
|
Sappers celebrate 228th raising day
Udhampur, November 18 Lt-Gen P.C. Bhardwaj, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, in his message complimented all ranks and civilians of the Corps of Engineers for their dedication and performance in the Northern Command theatre. The Sappers have played a pivotal role in construction and repair of the fence along the
LoC, construction of advance landing grounds for the IAF in Ladakh sector, and construction and maintenance of lines of communication for all military stations. The spirit of the Sappers is reflected in their motto of
`Sarvatra', implying that Sappers are available for any task, anywhere, any time, during war or peace. |
|
|
Basholi paintings on display
Jammu, November 18 Art critic Dr Lalit Gupta said the style of these miniature paintings, characterised by vigorous use of primary colours and a peculiar facial formula, prevailed in the 17th and early 18th centuries in the foothills of the western Himalayas in the erstwhile Jammu and the Punjab states. The earliest paintings in this style have been dated to the time of Raja
Kirpal, he said. |
|
|
Bridge collapse: 3 more bodies recovered
Srinagar, November 18 Official sources said, so far, they had recovered seven bodies, including many labourers and mostly outsiders, while search operation for extricating other missing persons was still on. Two among the three bodies recovered have been identified as Abdul Latief of Uri and Ranjan Singh of Bihar. The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. Governor N.N. Vohra had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the bridge collapse. The bridge connecting Karamateela and Bardi villages in Uri town had caved in, killing many labourers working under it. |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
