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Rajnath tries to sell Ram Setu
Campaign ends for phase VI
Phase V poll turnout revised
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Two Pak nationals cast votes?
Play key role, Smriti to women voters
BJP leader and TV actress Smriti Irani addressing an election meeting at Rehari in Jammu on Monday. Photo: Inderjeet Singh
Gujjars, Bakerwals for secular candidates
Elections largely free from terror
Panthers hails PM’s statement
Amarnath Land Agitation
Bid on PDP leader’s life
Right to Franchise Denied
NC woos unemployed
Order to deposit firearms
Ensure timely Haj flights: Vohra
354 pilgrims return
Ajatshatru promises tehsil status for Nagrota
Coercion reports false: Army
Students take out rally
Life returns to normal
Book fair inaugurated in Jammu
2 ultras held, arms seized
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Rajnath tries to sell Ram Setu
Braving cold winds, every political party today made a desperate bid to market their candidates to the people of this beautiful Bhaderwah valley in the Himalayas that boasts of 100 per cent literacy. Not leaving anything to chance for the sixth phase on polling on Wednesday, Doda district saw hectic political activity today, hours before the campaigning ended.
Unmindful of the psyche of this once militant-infested area, BJP president Rajnath Singh launched a tirade against the Congress, NC and the PDP, trying to sell his “Hindu card”. He virtually begged for votes in the name of issues like Ram Setu and Amarnath land dispute. “Once the NDA forms the government in a few months, we will not let the existence of Ram be challenged in issues like the Ram Setu controversy”. Though, Rajnath Singh started his speech by describing the beauty of the area and how it could become a “great tourist destination”, he went on to describe what he perceived as “discrimination” by the Congress and the PDP between the Kashmir and Jammu regions. Rajnath launched a tirade against the Congress, saying that despite the constituency having given the state its Chief Minister, the Congress failed to do any development. “The Chief Minister comes here in a chopper; it is you who need the roads”. “Vote for the BJP so that it can form the government in J&K”, he said. In contrast, state Congress president Saif-ud-Din Soz addressed a gathering of over 5000 in the main bazaar of Bhaderwah town and announced “I have two bits of good news to share with you. First, Azad he has already won, but I seek your vote to enhance his lead and secondly, the Congress is emerging as the single largest party and will form the next government not only in Jammu and Kashmir, but also at the Centre after the parliamentary poll”. The Congress is seeking votes in the name of development and stability. Azad is locked here in a contest with Mohammad Aslam Goni of the NC, Daya Krishan Kotwal of the BJP and Mujib Ali of the PDP. The Bhaderwah constituency has 92,000-odd voters, out of which 63 per cent are younger than 39 years, so development, jobs, stability and education are issues here. With the setting up of a Jammu University extension campus here in 2006 by the Congress, Azad is comfortably placed here. |
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Campaign ends for phase VI
Srinagar, December 15 Prominent among those contesting the elections in the sixth phase include two former Chief Ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad (Bhaderwah) and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (Anantnag). An electorate of 11,76,820 would decide the fate of 271 candidates in the 16 constituencies having 1475 polling stations. An electorate of 428415 will decide the fate of 104 candidates in six constituencies of Anantnag district for which 556 polling stations have been set up. Out of 556 polling stations, 243 are hypersensitive, 237 sensitive and 76 normal. There are 23 candidates in the fray from Anantnag, 12 from Pahalgam, 17 from Shangus, 20 from Kokernag, 12 from Beijbehara and 20 from Dooru. Prominent among those contesting from the district include PDP patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, former minister and state Congress president Peerzada Mohammad Sayed, two former ministers Abdul Rehman Veeri (PDP) and Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Cong) and Rafi Ahmad Mir. In Kulgam district an electorate of 287263 would decide the fate of 66 candidates in four constituencies of Noorabad, Kulgam, Homshalibugh and Devsar that have 360 polling stations In the six constituencies of Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts there are 101 candidates in the fray with an electorate of 461142 while 559 polling stations have been set up.
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Phase V poll turnout revised
Srinagar, December 15 An official spokesman said Pulwama district registered 46.09 per cent of polling, which was recorded at 47 per cent on the day of polling. In Shopian, the percentage which was earlier recorded at 48 per cent, has now increased to 50.65 and that of Kathua district has risen from 66 per cent on the day of polling to 70.47. The first four phases of elections have registered a 69, 67, 68 and 55 per cent turnout, respectively. |
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Two Pak nationals cast votes?
Rajouri, December 15 Sources in the district administration revealed that two members of this family, comprising Ghulam
Zohra, widow of Sarwar Hussain, at present settled in Ujhan (bearing number 1,286 in the electoral rolls for the Darhal Assembly segment), her two sons Mustafa Tariq (1,287) and Murtaza Tariq (1,288) and daughter Rafeen Tariq (1,289), voted in the recently held elections in the Darhal Assembly segment in this frontier district. They added that the members of this family casted their votes at Government Girls Middle School,
Ujhan, (polling station No. 23 of the Darhal Assembly segment) on November 23 in the second phase of the seven-phased Assembly elections in the state. The sources said the head of the family, late Sarwar Hussain Tariq, a Pakistan national, had migrated to the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in 1965 along with his wife Ghulam Zohra and had attained the Pakistani citizenship. In the PoK, Zohra had given birth to three sons and three daughters. On October 22, 1980, Sarwar Hussain, along with his wife and six children, came on a Pakistani passport to Ujhan in the Darhal area in Jammu and Kashmir on a one-month visa. However, before their visa would have expired, Sarwar managed to get it extended by another two months, the sources added. The government tried to deport the family to Pakistan, but Sarwar approached the high court seeking directions for resettlement in the state on the grounds that they were already the permanent residents of the state, the sources said. On August 19, 1982, the high court stayed their deportation and since then the family had been under surveillance, they added. Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir, B.R. Sharma told The Tribune that “I am not aware about the case. We will enquire into the matter and would take action. However, for that I would seek a report from the district electoral officer concerned into the matter”. Meanwhile, an officer in the district administration told The Tribune that the state government had already ordered a probe into the Pakistani family acquiring permanent resident certificates. |
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Play key role, Smriti to women voters
Jammu, December 15 Smriti said: “They have come out in massive numbers for the polling for better basic amenities and infrastructure. They have reposed their faith in the democracy by exercising their franchise.” She said the high voter turnout even “compelled” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take note of the ground reality during his yesterday's visit to the state. With the Jammu going to the polls in the last phase of the elections, she appealed to the electorate to unite and vote for the formation of a “nationalist government” in the state. Raking up the Amarnath land issue again, she said the BJP always supported the cause of the people in Jammu and respected their sentiments during the land agitation. “The electorate should vote the BJP to power in the strife-torn state,” she added. Complimenting the women for playing an active role during the Amarnath land agitation, she urged them to play a significant role in the Assembly polls too. “They should not forget the sacrifices made during the agitation and vote for the BJP, which is a party of nationalist ideology,” she said. Replying to a query on 33 per cent reservation to women, Smriti said: “Prior to the last Lok Sabha polls, the Congress had promised to introduce the Bill in Parliament but failed to fulfil its promise.” On terrorism, she felt that there was a need to deal with Pakistan in a strict manner so as to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country. |
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Gujjars, Bakerwals for secular candidates
Jourian, December 15 Here political parties, particularly those trying to garner votes by raking up religious issues, hold no relevance to these communities. During the land agitation, some unidentified protesters had attacked Taryoti Khud village here, setting ablaze nearly a dozen makeshift huts. Since then, a sense of fear-psychosis has gripped the Gujjars and
Bakerwals, who are now looking for candidates, who can ensure their safety. “This time we are not going to get swayed by platitudes alone,” Ahmed Din. They came in herds and attacked us. Even today our womenfolk, including children, continue to live the trauma, he added while recalling how a hutment where a minor girl was sleeping was set on fire. A Gujjar woman, Gul Bano, said: “Even today we don't wear our traditional clothes and ornaments just because of the fear that we would be identified.” Recalling the nightmarish experience on the fateful night, Bano said after the storm had settled, several politicians from different parties visited them and assured a safe and secure life. “But we can't trust them anymore. We have decided to cast our franchise to secular candidates,” she said. Though simpletons, these Gujjars and Bakerwals kept the cards close to their chests when it came to choosing candidates on December 24 when Akhnoor goes to the polls in the last phase. The community having a populace of nearly 13 lakh as per the 2001 Census had always played a significant role in deciding the fortunes of political parties in the state. However, another Gujjar Bashir Ahmed contradicted the figures saying that the community has a population of nearly 18 lakh. “Being a marginalised community, the political parties from time to time have exploited us for reaching into the corridors of power. They simply use us as a vote bank so as to get elected,” he said. Though the fate of candidates in Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua and Udhampur districts have been sealed in the
EVMs, the nomadic communities by and large have exercised their franchise in favour of the Congress and the BSP, said a prominent Gujjar leader on the condition of anonymity. |
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Elections largely free from terror
Jammu, December 15 The militants' second strike came at Braat Kalaan, 6 km from Sopore, on November 25, when unidentified men hurled a grenade during the door-to-door campaign of NC candidate Mohammad Ashraf Ganaie, killing one person and injuring two others. There was a lot of bloodshed in the last two Assembly elections. Scores of civilians, political activists and security personnel were killed in the violence unleashed by cross-border terrorists. The first poll-related violence in the 2002 elections was the killing of three NC workers in Badgam district. The candidates too were at the receiving end of terrorism. The first candidate to be assassinated was Sheikh Abdul Rehman, an Independent, who was killed on September 6, 2002. The second victim was the then Law Minister and NC candidate Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, who was gunned down during a public rally in his constituency. Sources in the Police Department said this time stringent measures had been initiated to thwart any terrorist attempt to disturb the poll process. "While vigil has been stepped up along the Indo-Pak border after a series of infiltration attempts in the past few months, the Centre has provided a large number of paramilitary forces for violence-free conduct of the elections," they added. DGP Kuldeep Khoda said there had been a change in the strategy to deal with the terror threat during the elections, which he would prefer to discuss after the poll process was over on December 24. Earlier, there were reports that a large number of terrorists had gathered on the launching pads on the other side of the border, waiting for an opportunity to sneak in to terrorise the electorate. They were also receiving support from Pakistani Rangers, a fact that was admitted by the BSF top brass. However, there has been a considerable decline in infiltration bids in the past few weeks.
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Panthers hails PM’s statement
Jammu, December 15 JKNPP chairman Bhim Singh, while welcoming the statement, also regretted that the state Congress Committee failed to provide a platform to the Prime Minister in Jammu and valley which he deserved being the
leader of the largest democracy of the world. He said small leaders of non-existent parties held their election rallies at Parade Ground, Jammu, and Central Places in the valley. “This is shocking that the Pradesh Congress leadership had to organise the Prime Minister’s meeting at a local Middle School in a Assembly segment in Jammu, whereas ignored the valley and held the his meeting in Shangus,” Singh said. He said: “This shows the failure of the Pradesh Congress.” Bhim Singh accused election observers of being “faithful representatives of Ghulam Nabi Azad.” He alleged that while in Jammu district, the public address system was not being allowed for canvassing, whereas in Doda, Shopian and other districts of the valley the Model Code of Conduct was being violated by the Congress, NC and the PDP. He said: “It appears as if the whole drama of the elections is to transfer power to the Congress, NC and the PDP.” He added that Panthers Party candidates in several constituencies were thrown out of the polling stations when they tried to check rigging organised
at the behest of the previous ruling parties. |
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Cong out to counter BJP propaganda
Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service
Bhalesa (Doda), December 15 Many Congress leaders as their individual capacity had rendered support to the SAYSS in its agitation. The SAYSS had spearheaded the 63-day long agitation in the Jammu region to restore land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. B.S. Slathia, who was the president of the Bar Association Jammu at the time of the agitation, has been campaigning in different areas of erstwhile Doda district in favour of former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Slathia cautioned people against game plan of the BJP. In the communally sensitive areas like Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar and Inderwal Assembly segments, BJP leaders have been repeatedly highlighting atrocities on people during the Amarnath land agitation and blaming the Congress for whole episode. Slathia campaigned in many remote areas to remove the misconception that only the BJP had played a role in the agitation. Slathia has been trying to convince the people that the PDP was responsible for the Amarnath controversy and Congress leaders played a positive role in solving the crisis. He suggested the people to cast vote on developmental plank and reject those groups who had been raking up emotional issue to further their political gains. Slathia said the land was returned to the SASB due to the sacrifices of people of Jammu irrespective of their party affiliations while BJP leaders were more concerned about communalising the issue.
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Srinagar, December 15 Zonal president of the PDP Ali Mohammad, along with his son, was going to Uranhall village of Homeshalibugh constituency of Anantnag district to attend an election rally of the party when he heard some unusual sound from beneath the vehicle. He stopped near Bijbehara, 45 km from here, immediately, the sources said. Getting suspicious, he took the vehicle to a workshop at Tulkhan-Bijbehara, where the IED was detected. Subsequently, a bomb disposal squad was called and the police informed. The bomb disposal squad removed the IED, weighing 3 kg, and later defused it, the sources said. Today was the last day for campaigning in the 16 constituencies spread over Anantnag, Kulgam, Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda districts, going to the polls in the sixth phase on December 17. — PTI
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Demonstration held at Kathua
Tribune News Service
Jammu, December 15 Reports said around 400 persons from ward Nos 12, 17 and Khakyal village staged a demonstration at Shaheedi Park in Kathua, accusing the election authorities of denying them their right to franchise on December 13. Describing it as a deliberate attempt by PLOs (officials deputed for revising electoral rolls), the protesters said they had been casting their votes in previous elections but this time around their names were missing from the revised electoral rolls. The angry mob, including women, shouted slogans against the election authorities and tried to block the road leading to Government Degree College. However, the police didn’t allow them to block the road, forcing them to shift their venue to Shaheedi Park. Meanwhile, the Kathua police today seized 5000 liters of lahan (illicit liquor) from a field, which was later destroyed.
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NC woos unemployed
Jammu, December 15 Interacting with a delegation of unemployed engineering graduates, diploma holders and ITI trained youth here today, Bakaya explained the contents of the ‘vision document’, especially the promise regarding the grant of stipend to the unemployed engineers and doctors and permanent jobs within the shortest possible time. He said the stipend so proposed would be a sustenance allowance for the unemployed youth and would be paid till they got suitable jobs. Meanwhile, Bakaya, in a statement issued here today, appealed to the Kashmiri Pandit voters in Jammu to come out in large numbers to cast their votes in favour of the NC, which he claimed “is the only party that can take care of the concerns of the community in particular and of the people of the state in general”. He also advised the Pandits to fill up the ‘M’ forms and convert them into votes in the remaining two phases.
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Srinagar, December 15 Polling in 21 segments of the state Assembly spread over Srinagar and Jammu districts will be held on December 24 in the seventh and final phase of elections in the state. All persons holding gun licenses in the territorial jurisdiction of Srinagar district had been directed to deposit their arms and ammunition in their respective police stations by December 22 till the elections were over, District Magistrate, Srinagar, Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo said. Kakroo also ordered the commercial establishments and shops falling within the radius of 200 m of polling stations in Srinagar district to remain closed on December 24 to avoid any law and order problem at the polling stations. Kakroo, who is also the district election officer (DEO), Srinagar, said the polls would be conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner. He requested the candidates to strictly adhere to the Model Code of Conduct. — PTI
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Ensure timely Haj flights: Vohra
Jammu, December 15 Vohra requested Union minister for civil aviation Praful Patel and chairman of Air India Raghu Menon to ensure the departure of Srinagar-bound flights from Jeddah by 11 am, or even earlier, so that they could reach Srinagar by 4 pm. The concern was expressed by the Governor as the Srinagar Airport lacks the night landing facility, as a result of which a special flight scheduled for Srinagar had to be diverted to Mumbai on Friday, causing inconvenience to the Hajjis. The Governor has also directed senior state officials and the State Haj Committee to coordinate the transportation schedule of the Hajjis with the Central Haj Committee, the Saudi Mission in New Delhi and Air India to ensure that the Hajjis are not faced with any avoidable inconvenience.
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354 pilgrims return
Srinagar, December 15 An official spokesman said the divisional commissioner, Kashmir, Masuad Samoon, deputy commissioner, Budgam, Muhammad Rafi, executive officer, State Haj Committee, Abdul Rashid Mir, and the director, Airports Authority, received the pilgrims at the airport. Meanwhile, according to the executive officer, State Haj Committee, the flight No. A1-2306 scheduled to arrive at the Srinagar airport at 11 am today will now arrive tomorrow. Similarly, the flight No. A1-2308 scheduled to reach here tomorrow at 11 am will now arrive on December 17 at the same time. The arrival of the flights is subject to timely departure from the Jeddah airport, the official spokesman said.
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Ajatshatru promises tehsil status for Nagrota
Jammu, December 15 He claimed that with a view to confusing the electorate the parties had fielded a large number of candidates. However, he hoped that the people of the constituency would elect the “right candidate, who knew their problems and would work to redress them”. Ajatshatru Singh, son of Dr Karan Singh, is contesting on the NC ticket from the seat, which will go to the polls on December 24 in the seventh phase of the elections. According to Manhas, a degree college and an ITI were urgently required at Nagrota, and promised the tehsil status for Nagrota if elected. He rued that Nagrota, which comprised Balwal and Dhandsal blocks, had never been considered for establishing a college since Independence. He flayed the previous governments for hiring teachers for measly Rs 1,500 per month and Rs 800 for anganwadi workers. He said being a resident of the constituency he was aware that the people needed basic amenities like potable water, irrigation, sewage system, educational institutions and others facilities.
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Coercion reports false: Army
Srinagar, December 15 “The Army is an apolitical organisation. The role of the Army continues to be on the effectiveness of the counter terrorist grid and preventing infiltration from across the LoC,” a defence ministry spokesman
said today. Reacting to local media reports alleging that Rashtriya Rifles troops coerced people at Dangerpura, Dadsar, Kachmulla and Sombran villages of Rajpora and Tral constituencies in Pulwama district that went to the polls in the fifth phase on December 13, the spokesman termed the reports as totally false, baseless and malicious. “The Army fully respects the democratic right of the people of the country. It only provides an environment free from terrorist activities in order to ensure that the citizens were made to feel secure and were able to carry out their day-to-day activities in a peaceful manner,” the spokesman said. He said the reports were intended to “malign the good image of the Army”.
— PTI
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Students take out rally
Jammu, December 15 Students of MAM College boycotted the classes and converged at the college gate where they raised slogans in support of
their demand. The protesters, led by city joint secretary of the ABVP Yasir Farooq Khan, later carried out a protest rally that passed through Vikram Chowk and concluded at Jewel Chowk. They were also joined by students of GGM Science College and SMR College for Commerce. The protesting students alleged that most of their syllabus is still pending as class work fell behind the schedule due to delayed admissions in the
wake of the Amarnath land agitation. Student leader Suresh Magotra said that the demonstrations would continue till the demand
was fulfilled. Magotra asked the students to come out on the streets to get the "genuine demand" conceded. |
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Life returns to normal
Srinagar, December 15 A large crowd could be seen at banks, ATMs, market places and other places of public utility as normal life resumed in the state. Traffic jams were witnessed at many places. “A large number of people are expected as activities resumed after a gap of three days. It is expected that there would be an undeclared curfew and strike on December 17 due to the elections,” Yasir Ahmad, a local, said.
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Book fair inaugurated in Jammu
Jammu, December 15 Chowdhary shared the honour of inaugurating the fair with two schoolchildren. Leading publishing houses from Jammu and a few from other cities are participating in the annual air. Books on national and international affairs, management, history, fiction, novels, and other bestsellers of subjects
are on display at discounted rates. Addressing the gathering, the GOC underscored the need for reading good books to constantly
enrich knowledge. |
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2 ultras held, arms seized
Jammu, December 15 On specific information, the police apprehended one militant and recovered one telescope and two pistol rounds from him in Dehote sector of the district today. In another incident, security forces intercepted a vehicle on the Doda-Batote road and arrested one Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant from it last night. One AK rifle with two magazines and 20 rounds of ammunition were seized from his possession.
— PTI |
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Braving cold winds, every political party today made a desperate bid to market their candidates to the people of this beautiful Bhaderwah valley in the Himalayas that boasts of 100 per cent literacy. Not leaving anything to chance for the sixth phase on polling on Wednesday, Doda district saw hectic political activity today, hours before the campaigning ended.
Jammu, December 15
