Jammu has become the centre of focus of all political parties for the seventh and last phase of polling on December 24. State and national leaders have started arriving here in large numbers to make their last ditch effort to ensure victory.

All accommodation in government and private guest houses as well as local hotels in Jammu have been occupied by state politicians as well as national leaders, forcing some of them to share rooms. Many of them, who were shuttling between different parts of the state, are now confined to the city and its neighbourhood after polls in other districts are over. Security forces from other places have also been rushed here.

The districts in Jammu that will see polling on December 24 along with Samba play an important role in the formation of the government in Srinagar with the largest number of seats (14) in the Jammu province. These include Ranbir Singh Pura, Suchet Garh, Bishnah, Akhnoor, Khour, Samba, Vijaypur, Chhamb, Jammu East, Jammu West, Gandhinagar, Nagrota, Marh and Raipur-Domana. Eight out of these are border constituencies.

Politicians, who have been addressing rallies and meetings in Jammu, include Bhoopinder Singh Hooda, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Omar Abdullah, etc. Narinder Modi was here two days ago and is coming back again. Sonia Gandhi and Sheila Dikshit is expected to addresses rallies next week as is Mulayam Singh Yadav. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already addressed a rally here. L.K Advani is also scheduled to address a rally on December 21, besides there are many other leaders who are just arriving here to contribute their bit to campaigning.

With a Kashmir valley-Jammu region divide having become more marked after the Jammu agitation, people in Jammu are aiming to out do the high polling percentage in the valley. This could translate into an all-time high polling, swinging many a political fortune.

During the current elections, Omar Abdullah-led National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are hoping to do well in the Kashmir valley that has a strong concentration of Muslim population.

Whereas the Congress and the BJP are slugging it out in Jammu province with the Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party and the BSP commanding some influence in pockets here.

The BJP is hoping to cash in on the Amarnath land row and the subsequent agitation that followed. The Congress is contesting on the issue of development and hoping to get some benefit of the development that took place during the party’s term in office. But at the same time the Congress is facing anti-incumbency and it appears that the BJP will improve its tally of seats in the Jammu area at the cost of the Congress.

Jammu, December 18
Even as the BSP made its presence felt in the last Assembly elections by winning one seat and polling 4.5 per cent votes, this time Mayawati’s elephant may play a spoilsport for political parties like the Congress, the NC and the PDP.

Though the BSP has fielded candidates in all 87 Assembly constituencies, its performance in Kathua, Ramnagar, Marh, Bishnah, and Vijaypur Assembly will be keenly watched.

In Kathua Assembly seat, BSP candidate Somnath Majotra is being seen as a front-runner, which is significant in view of the fact that his rivals include former power minister Babu Singh and sitting Congress MP Lal Singh.

In Ramnagar Assembly seat, BSP candidate Vinod Khajuria is giving a tough fight to former MLA and Panthers Party candidate Harsh Dev Singh. In Marh and Bishnah Assembly segments, the BSP has fielded NC rebels. In Marh, former police officer and NC rebel Jagjeet Singh Jagga is contesting on the party ticket.

Similarly, in Bishnah, the BSP has fielded Kamal Arora, another NC rebel, who switched loyalty after former state BSP president Yashpal Bhagat joined the NC and was allotted party ticket from Bishnah.

The BSP had opened its account in the state Assembly with Vijaypur seat in the last elections. However, with its winning candidate Manjeet Singh joining the PDP and another former party leader Satpal Bhagat jumping into the electoral fray as National Bahujan Party candidate, BSP nominee Jarnail Singh is having a tough time during these elections.

The BSP has adopted a social engineering formula, which brought it to power in UP, here too, hoping that it would do wonders for the party in the state as well.

Meanwhile, BSP general secretary Narinder Kashyap today accused the Congress of rigging the elections. He said the BSP had lodged a strong protest with the Election Commission, but was yet to receive any response from the latter. He charged the Congress with resorting to bogus voting and exploiting official machinery. He alleged that in Kathua Assembly seat, BSP supporters were prevented from casting their vote in booth numbers 12 and 40. He also accused the PDP of “capturing” booth numbers 40 and 41 in Rajpura segment.

Kashyap also alleged poll officials in some of the constituencies were supporting political parties. He also accused the Congress, the PDP and the NC of pressuring poll officials and resorting to bogus voting, adding that the party had filed a written complaint with the CEO as well as the EC in this regard. He also raised apprehensions of rigging in Bani and Basohli seats of Kathua district. Kashyap claimed that other political parties were “baffled” with the kind of response the BSP had received from the electorate. He exhorted the electorate to teach a lesson to all those parties that were indulging in violation of the code of conduct.

Jammu, December 18
State National Panthers Party supremo Prof Bhim Singh today warned the people of the state to be aware of dangerous designs of the Congress-PDP, which he alleged were conspired to sabotage the electoral process in the state.

He said: “The statement of foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee that the Congress and the PDP shall forge an alliance to form the next government reveals the truth that the PDP has been acting on behalf of the Congress to create hatred against the Army and preach secession to blackmail the Kashmiris.”

He urged the people to defeat this “dangerous alliance of the Congress and the PDP by defeating them in the remaining Assembly constituencies.

He accused the Congress-PDP of the Amarnath land row, which was created with an aim to create a communal conflict to divert attention of the people from the real issues emerging from the misrule and corrupt administration of the Congress-PDP government.

He described high poll percentage in snow-bound areas of Doda and Kishtwar as fraud and urged the Election Commission of India to cancel all polls where percentage was more than 60 per cent, as the percentage could not be more than 50 per cent in any situation particularly where polling stations in Neel Top, Mahu Mangat (Banihal), Micheal, Marwah -Dachan (Kishtwar), Kal Jugasar, Bhalesa (Bhadarwah), were under snow and cut off from polling stations.

Jammu, December 18
Displaced Kashmiri Pandit candidates are gung ho in their campaign in their constituencies. Despite the fact that the candidates never lived in these areas and faced the existing problems, they are able to interact with and convince people there.

BJP candidate Parikshit Koul from Amira Kadal and Sanjay Kachroo from Sonawar are the new young faces who are contesting for the first time.

Parikshit said, “Apart from me, many independents and other candidates belonging to different parties are contesting elections. But it does not deter us from campaigning for our issues.” Indeed, his fresh appeal and successful career are pulling a large chunk of youngsters toward him. Instead of holding large gatherings, he has been relying more on door-to-door campaign. “Door-to-door campaign has helped me to strike an instant chord with my voters whom I have not seen before. It also helps me to understand their problems in a much better way.” His plank to provide them world class hospitals, which will have a pool of specialised Kashmiri Pandit doctors working in various renowned hospitals in the country, is working well on people. “People here suffer from the paucity of good medical centres as well as basic medical amenities. All other planks will fail if people could not lead a healthy life, so this comes at the top of my agenda. Good infrastructure comes close second.”

Sanjay, on the other hand, has touched upon the severe employment problem that is rampant in the entire region. Earlier also, he had made efforts to bring some private IT companies here, but was rebuffed by stiff resistance from the government. Now, he is using this issue to the hilt in his campaign. He says, “My campaign hinges around the issue of employment generation through private sector, both in IT and power sector”.

Udhampur, December 18
After successfully conducting polling in all militancy-plagued areas yesterday, the Doda police early this morning achieved a big success by eliminating divisional commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Saifullah, alias Abdul Anas.

He was a resident of Pakistan, who had let loose a reign of terror in the Bhalessa and Gandoh areas of Doda district. Saifullah was active in Doda and Kishtwar districts and his main task was to coordinate all terrorist activities in this mountainous belt and to develop coordination between all militant groups active in this side of Pir Panchal.

DIG (Doda-Ramban range) H. K. Lohia said the elimination of Saifullah was a big success as he was coordinating terrorist activities in this belt.

Giving details about the encounter, Lohia said late last night the police got a tip-off that Saifullah was hiding near Amritgarh in the Charala area. As majority of cops were engaged in polling activities, a group of eight policemen rushed to the place and cordoned off the area. The cops started operation this morning and zeroed in on the house where Saifullah was hiding.

On being asked to surrender, the militant resorted to firing on the cops. In the ensuing gun battle, which lasted for over an hour, Saifullah was killed. One AK 47 riffle, two magazines and some explosives were also recovered from the spot, he added.

For the past more than one month, Saifullah was evading arrest but other members of his group were eliminated by cops on November 8 in the Baghwa area of Doda district. Since then, security forces were chasing the militant.

Sources said Saifullah was involved in as many as 20 killings at the Tanta, Gandoh, Cherala and Joora areas of Doda.

Jammu, December 18
After bearing the brunt of the two-month-long Amarnath land agitation, the student community has intensified their demand for some sort of “concession” in the ensuing examinations in colleges.

The protesting students from MAM College, GGM Science College, SPMR College for Commerce, Government College for Women and Law School of Jammu University (JU) converged on the university campus and raised slogans in support of their demand today.

The protesters rued that due to late admissions and and later delayed results classwork could not be started in time. “The re-evaluation results of BA-II and BSc-II are still awaited. How is it viable for such students to get admission and prepare the entire syllabus?,” they asked.

They said the exams were generally held in March and April and still 70 per cent of the syllabus was pending. “Teachers have not been in a position to conduct the first internal assignment test so far,” they said.

Earlier, only the Akhil Bharatiya Vidharthi Parishad (ABVP) was demanding an ‘open choice’, but today the National Student Union of India (NSUI) also joined the chorus, though with a slight difference.

The NSUI today demanded reduction -- that meaning question papers be set depending upon the proportionate completion of syllabus. State general secretary NSUI Shah Namaz Choudhary said, “In case of an open choice, the question paper is set from either the first three or last two chapters of the curriculum, as per the convenience of the paper setter. But in case of ‘reduction’ the paper would be set keeping in view the extent of syllabus covered by the teachers.” Later, the NSUI activists locked the examination block for some time and opened it only after the intervention and assurance by the dean, student welfare and controller examination.

Bisnah, December 18
Going by the pulse of people in the hometown of Kuldeep Verma, who had reportedly ended his life over the Amarnath land row, plans of certain parties to exploit the religious sentiments may recoil.

If the rally of National Conference president Omar Abdullah here yesterday was any indicator of the changed mood than people too felt that the land agitation had been a religious issue that aroused sentiments, but now it had died down.

With flags and buntings of various political parties and independents fluttering atop structures, one can hardly trust that Bishnah had witnessed violent protests in the aftermath of Kuldeep’s death.

Though Kuldeep originally hailed from neighbouring Punjab, the family had been living in Bishnah for the past over two decades and the father of the two had purportedly ended his life over the land dispute.

“At that time the people took to streets because their religious sentiment were hurt and the police had shown disrespect to the mortal remains of Kuldeep,” said Prem Chand, a Social Welfare Department employee.

Till recently, people here had been burning effigies of Kashmiri politicians, blaming them of hurting their sentiments, but now the land row impact had fizzled out, he added.

Even though the BJP desperately wanted to remind the people about the land dispute, it had died down, he said.

“Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed a rally here on December 16, tried to arouse passions and the BJP has also given Bishnah ticket to Kuldeep’s wife Shilpi. But I personally feel that she should have campaigned for the BJP than contesting the polls,” said Sanjay Kumar, a shopkeeper.

A tea stall owner near Bishnah police station, which was attacked by a big mob following clandestine ‘funeral’ of Kuldeep in the dead of night by the police, said that people’s memory is short-lived.

An old farmer from Mure Chak, Parshottam, said the land agitation was now a thing of the past because people had started toeing party affiliations.

“We suffered huge losses during the agitation and as of now have not been compensated, but undoubtedly the Amarnath land issue doesn’t attract too many people here anymore,” he added.

Jammu, December 18
Governor N.N. Vohra today reviewed the implementation of the return and rehabilitation package for the Kashmiri migrants and called for initiating an interaction with the migrants’ representatives on its various aspects, especially about the proposed locations for establishing transit clusters in the Kashmir valley.

Chairing a high-level meeting here this morning, the Governor observed that the positive response of the Kashmiri migrants about returning to their homes and hearths was a welcome development. He stressed that varied measures need to be taken for ensuring satisfactory conditions for their return and settlement.

The chief secretary informed that three sites had been identified in Baramulla, Anantnag and Kulgam districts for establishing temporary transit clusters, where the displaced families could stay to start their life afresh, with their majority brethren.

The Prime Minister’s return and rehabilitation package of Rs 1,618 crore envisages employment for educated youth, provision of help-for-self employment, renovation of left-out houses, resumption of agriculture and horticulture activities etc. Under the package, the first instalment of Rs 8. 35 crore has been released for the provision of housing, transit accommodation and the resumption of agriculture etc., in the valley. The guidelines for these various schemes have also been laid down.

Under the Prime Minister’s package, a provision has been kept for housing the migrant families those return to the valley. The deputy commissioners of Baramulla and Anantnag have been asked to identify suitable sites for this purpose. Among others, chief secretary S.S. Kapur, principal secretary to Governor B.B. Vyas, commissioner/secretary, revenue, Lokesh Jha, commissioner/secretary, General Administration Department, Basharat Ahmed Dhar, relief commissioner, migrants, Vinod Koul and special secretary, revenue, G.M. Rather were present in the meeting.

Srinagar, December 18
The separatists coordination committee has called for a protest strike and anti-election demonstrations after Friday prayers tomorrow as part of its poll-boycott campaign, while the authorities are expected to take adequate measures to prevent any untoward situation.

This comes at a time when the seven-phased election process comes to close with the last phase of elections being held in eight constituencies of the district on December 24.

Though senior separatist leaders, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Geelani, continue to be under house arrest to prevent them from leading any anti-election demonstrations, the authorities have been taking strict curfew-like restrictions on these occasions.

The programme over the past few weeks included a general strike and protest demonstrations following Friday prayers and the march towards the district headquarters where the elections are being held, which however, is being prevented.

It all began in August in the wake of the Amarnath land row when the committee spearheading the agitation held three major congregations after the killing of APHC leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz. He was killed in an incident of firing at Chehal on the Srinagar-Uri road on August 11.

Over the past several weeks when the six phases of elections were completed with an encouraging turnout all across the valley, the authorities imposed restrictions under Section 144 in Srinagar on all Fridays and the days of elections in other areas of the state.

The Mirwaiz, who delivers Friday sermons at the Srinagar’s main Jamia Masjid, has not been able to address the gathering through all these weeks. However, during his address on the occasion of Id prayers at the Jamia Masjid on Tuesday last, the Mirwaiz reiterated his call for “Lal Chowk Chalo” on the day of elections on Wednesday next.

Adequate arrangements have been made here to thwart any designs of the separatists to hold protest demonstrations during the days ahead. Reports here said that several separatist activists and supporters were being held by the police ahead of the polls.

Srinagar, December 18
Concerned over the losses suffered by the tourism sector due to the Amarnath land row and the Assembly elections, the Travel Association of Jammu and Kashmir decided to join hands and work together to attract tourists.

A joint meeting of the executive committees of thew Travel Agents Association of Kashmir and the Association of Jammu Travel Agents was held yesterday to discuss the present tourism scenario in the state. This is perhaps the first such initiative after differences over the Amarnath land row separated traders of both regions.

A press note said today that both associations had agreed to join hands to promote tourism by adopting joint measures to restore confidence among the intending tourists.

Later, a joint working group was formed to organise joint promotional events like road shows, seminars and tourism workshops, besides jointly attending travel marts in different parts of India and abroad. Both associations agreed to promote Jammu as a destination and include the Jammu region in their itineraries.

The state government would be requested to take positive and constructive steps in developing and promoting tourism.

The government was also requested to issue special tourist bus permits on soft loans to tour operators for conducting organised tours in the state. — UNI

Jammu, December 18
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has said that by turning out in huge numbers to exercise their franchise the people of the strife-torn state have given a befitting reply to the separatist groups that had given a poll boycott call.

Addressing a series of public rallies in the Vijaypur, Bishnah, Nagrota and Suchetgarh constituencies in the past two days, Hooda said the high polling percentage clearly showed that the people had voted for democracy, development and peace.

He said: "The people here have been facing the menace of terrorism for long and their participation in the poll process proves that they want to lead a peaceful life."

Hooda said the Congress was committed to unity, peace and development of the state. Buoyed over the recent Congress win in three of the five states, he exhorted the people to follow suit and vote the Congress to power in Jammu and Kashmir as well. He said the state had witnessed unprecedented development under the Congress-led coalition regime and the Congress would continue to pursue its development agenda if voted to power.

Srinagar, December 18
Hundreds of enrolled workers of the Jamaat-e-Islami, the ideological fountain of anti-India and pro-Pakistan sentiments in the valley, did a simple thing yesterday in Kulgam to ensure the defeat of those whom they loath to see in power: They mobilised their thousands of supporters to vote against them.

After standing by the boycott call of separatists and keeping away from several previous elections, the hardcore workers of the politico-religious organisation has apparently concluded that it’s better to have a friendly regime in the state than to keep away from elections and suffer at the hands of a hostile government. If its workers and supporters, estimated to be in a few thousands in Kulgam, voted in large numbers for the “defeat” of Yusuf Tarigami of the CPM due to the party’s atheist policy, they also supported the PDP in several places due to their long differences with the National Conference (NC).

Tarigam village, from where both Tarigami as well as Jamaat’s amir (president) Sheikh Ghulam Mohammad hail, voted with fervour and in numbers not seen after militancy erupted in 1989. “What we can do. Our supporters say all are voting and it would be foolish to not influence the elections,” a man from Sheikh’s family, who did not wish to be named, said. Villagers said instructions were given by Jamaat bigwigs to vote for “friendly” candidates.

Tarigami’s stature and work carried out by him meant that even some Jamaat workers stood by the son of the soil. “The ideology is weakening. People are guided by their personal likes,” Abdul Ajiz, a villager, said.

The Jamaat leadership has rubbished reports that its workers are voting or it has anything to do with the polling, but political watchers say this is just a public posture. “They are voting everywhere and in big numbers. They were reluctant in the initial phases, but once it became clear that voters are not dictated by the boycott call they started doing a lot to help a particular party in south Kashmir,” an official said.

The Jamaat used to fight elections till the “rigged” polls of 1987, but always remained a minor player in the political scene dominated by the NC. Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani is probably its most visible and known face. The hostility between the pro-Pakistan organisation and the secular NC has been legendary and political sources said it had a favourable disposition to the PDP in these elections.

Jhangar, Nowshera (Rajouri), December 18
Highly publicised by the Army and reportedly created by the state government, women village defence committees (VDCs) do not exist on ground here in the Jhangar area of Nowshera in this border district.

Despite the government showering praises on the women VDCs for countering militants and the Army carrying its gun-wielding pictures in its calendars, such women VDCs do not exist in the area.

Nowshera ASP Ramesh Bhat told The Tribune that he had no information about any women VDC working in the Nowshera area. The police had not issued any weapon to any women in the Jhangar area.

According to police records at Nowshera police station, no women VDC exists in the Jhangar area. Though some of the local women have been trained by the Army, they do not comprise any registered women VDC.

The records further suggest that no rifles have been issued to any woman in this area.

The records point out that the police has issued rifles, including .303 rifles and SLRs to VDC members in the Nowshera area, but none of the woman member has been issued a weapon.

“As per our records, there is no VDC in our area of responsibility. However, we have seen that some of the women here have received amateur-level training in firing from the Army,” a police personnel said.

An Army officer said the Army’s DAH mountain division had trained 60 women of five villages in Nowshera sector in handling sophisticated arms and ammunition as VDC member.