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UPA soft on terror, separatists: Advani
Mumbai attack should not derail peace process, says Mufti
Protesting students clash with police
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Bhim cautions people against ‘unholy’ alliances
JD (U) extends support
Bring Cong to power for development: Shiela Dikshit
Re-poll in Mendhar on Dec 22
Cong ignored Nagrota, says Ajatshatru
Residents rue encroachment by vendors
Highway closed after rain, landslides Students had to brave the cold commuting to school as heavy rain brought the mercury down in Jammu on Saturday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Jammu, Samba to play key role in govt formation
Rain pours misery on roads
Parties focus on development issues
Lensmen to boycott
CRPF, police functions
Phase VII: 31 women, 151 independents in fray
Lawyers hold anti-poll protests
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UPA soft on terror, separatists: Advani
Jammu, December 20 He said, the Central government’s soft approach toward terrorism and separatism was “no less a sin”. “Now, I leave it to people to decide whether the Congress was right in dropping POTA enacted by the BJP. The Congress had put the country’s security at risk all these years.” He also raked up the issue of hanging of terrorist Afzal Guru saying: “Had Afzal Guru been successful in carrying out the attack on Parliament in year 2001, none of us would have been here. There would have been no Parliament, no elections, and democracy either. To hang such a man, the UPA government has been dithering.” The agitation for the Amarnath shrine land would be registered as an historical event, as it was for the first time the people of Jammu fought for their rights unitedly without caring for their businesses coming to a halt for many months. Advani also sought to equate the agitation with the Praja Parishad Andolan in year 1951. “The agitation of 1951 and the Amarnath land agitation were not fights between Hindu and Muslim or Jammu and Kashmir provinces, but between nationalists and separatists. The Amarnath land agitation was a people’s movement, which must translate into votes on the polling day on December 24 in favour of the BJP, a nationalist force.” “The issue of refugees is another mounting problem. A large number of refugees vote but are not given any benefits. Every government made promises but did not facilitate their safe return to their homes, and employment for their children. These are the issues that all political parties have been capitalising on during elections,” Advani said. He said, “I am also a refugee, who came to India after Partition. Had I settled in Jammu and not in Delhi, I too would have been struggling for the reinstatement of my basic constitutional rights. Refugees here in Jammu should get all the rights that the refugees throughout the country avail of. The BJP will assure that these rights are granted to them if it is voted to power.” |
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Mumbai attack should not derail peace process, says Mufti
Nagrota, December 20 He said more confidence building measures should be adopted to establish long-lasting peace in the region. He suggested that both nations jointly face the menace of terrorism through a joint mechanism. Speaking at an election rally in the Narota assembly constituency, the Mufti said, “The peace process is a historical necessity for India and Pakistan”. While cautioning both nations to desist from the blame game, he said, “Instead of indulging in the blame game there is a need to move forward on the road of peace.” He said the Assembly elections in the state were a historical opportunity aimed at changing the fate of the people of the state. “The heavy turnout in the six phases of elections is an indication that the people of the state have endorsed the programmes and policies of the PDP-led government,” Sayeed said. He said his party had pioneered a political and economic agenda to fulfil wishes and aspirations of the people of the state. “Establishing sustainable peace and to consolidate the reconciliation process are on the top of the party’s agenda”, he said, adding that during a short period of three years, the PDP had established peace with ‘dignity and honour’. Lashing out at the National Conference (NC), he said the NC was spreading wrong notions to mislead the masses. The PDP patron said the way the people braving the hostile weather came out in a large number to exercise their franchise was an approval of his party policies. Without naming any political party, Sayeed said, “Unlike other political parties, we had not demanded any favour from Atal Behari Vajpayee at that time. We had rather suggested him to conduct free and fair elections to revive peoples’ faith in democracy”. He said the defeat of Omar Abdullah in the 2002 Assembly elections from Ganderbal, which was earlier considered as the citadel of the NC, was the turning point in the democratic history of the state. “Omar’s defeat in 2002 had revived peoples’faith in the electoral process”. “Gone are the days when rulers in Delhi used to take decisions about the fate of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. After the 2002 elections, it has become clear that only the people of the state would decide their representatives”, he said. |
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Protesting students clash with police
Jammu, December 20 “Jammu University has got to come out with revaluation of the second year exams. Moreover, they have not yet decided on our demand for ‘open choice’ in the examination. We demand it from the new Vice-Chancellor to find an immediate solution to the problem. If not, we will have to aggravate our protest. The authorities will not be able to suppress us,” Rajesh Kumar, president of the ABVP, the students wing of the BJP, said. The protesting students pelted stones on the police and smashed a police vehicle. Consequently, the police had to resort to baton-charge the students so as to bring them under control. Twelve students were injured in the clash. — ANI |
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Bhim cautions people against ‘unholy’ alliances
Jammu, December 20 The PDP and the Congress had already declared their alliance announced by the representative of the Congress-led UPA government Pranab Mukherjee confirming the Congress decision to continue with the PDP after the state gets over with the elections, he said. Bhim Singh also claimed that he had confirmed reports of an “unholy marriage of convenience” between the BJP and the NC. L.K. Advani and Farooq Abdullah had entered into a formal alliance, he said while talking to mediapersons here today. Bhim Singh described these alliances as anti-people, anti-national and a treachery against the people. Just ahead of the ‘key’ seventh-phase polls when 21 constituencies in Srinagar, Samba and Jammu districts would go to the polls on December 24, the Panthers Party supremo has urged the people of Jammu and Samba districts to reject these “dangerous alliances”. Seeking mandate for himself and party candidates from Jammu and Samba districts, he reminded the people that the BJP-led NDA government had chosen NC president Omar Abdullah as a Union minister and even today the Jammu Municipal Corporation had a BJP mayor with a NC deputy mayor. “It needs no further proof of the unholy marriage between the two (BJP and NC),” he said while trying to convince that the BJP, NC, Congress and the PDP have been furthering their malafide agenda under the garb of being messiahs of the people. He described these two (BJP-NC and Congress-PDP) combinations as a threat to the political integrity of Jammu province and claimed that the Panthers Party alone had been an alternative for the people of Jammu in particular. It may be recalled here that in a sudden development on December 3, Bhim Singh had filed his nomination as party’s chief ministerial candidate from Jammu East, thereby, twisting the entire political equation. |
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JD (U) extends support
Jammu, December 20 This was announced by Inder Mohinder Tar Singh, state president of JD (U) in a public meeting held at Chaug Chabotra, Jammu. While addressing election rallies in Jammu, Prof Bhim Singh condemned the state administration and returning officer of Jammu East for denying permission to hold public meeting at Parade Ground on December 21. He said the returning officer as well as district administration was working as agents of the Congress and free and fair elections could not be held. |
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Bring Cong to power for development: Shiela Dikshit
Jammu, December 20 Addressing a press conference after a short tour of Jammu to address election meetings at different places in the city, Shiela accused the BJP for dividing the people of the state on communal lines. She said voters were intelligent enough to differentiate which party would work according to their interests. She appreciated the people of the state for such a good turnout in the elections and expressed her hope that this trend would be followed in the last phase also. “The people of the state made an example in front of the whole country by voting in such a large number despite various odds, including hostile weather conditions and most importantly the boycott call by the separatists, but sidelining all those people come out and vote for the development and peace,” she said. Refusing to comment on the Amarnath land issue, Delhi Chief Minister said it was a past thing and it
had nothing to do with these elections. She said the nation had understood that the BJP was playing politics of division and people would repeat another Delhi during in the parliamentary elections and would also give another chance to the party to bring development in the state. |
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Re-poll in Mendhar on Dec 22
Rajouri, December 20 Giving details, district electoral officer, Poonch, Muhammad Afzal said the re-polling in Gursai D (92) and Khataan-A (79) polling stations, where there were allegations of irregularities, would be held on December 22. Former MLA and National Conference candidate from Mendhar Javed Rana and Congress candidate Majid Khan had alleged rigging by PDP candidate Rafiq Khan and had demanded re-polling in these polling stations. — TNS |
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Cong ignored Nagrota, says Ajatshatru
Nagrota, December 20 Addressing election rallies at Kaura, Damooni, Maangah and Simbal Lerh today, the scion of the princely family appealed to the electorate to reject “forces that have been giving hollow slogans in the name of development.” Claiming that the NC was the only party that cared for the poor and downtrodden, he regretted that no development work had been initiated by the Congress-led coalition government as well as by the previously elected BJP representative Jugal Kishore in the past six years. The Congress-led coalition dispensation had been incompetent as it failed to bring development to the Nagrota constituency, he said, adding that it did not even provide basic amenities like roads, water, electricity, health and education to the people. He promised all these amenities to the people it the NC was voted to power. “If the NC is voted back to power, curtailing inflation and employment to the unemployed would be the party’s top priority,” he said. To woo the youth, he said party patron Farooq Abdullah and president Omar Abdullah had promised to provide stipend to the unemployed youth till the time they got employment. Similarly, the NC would also lower the qualification bar to Class VIII for absorbing an optimum number of youth in the Police Department, he said. It may be stated here that Ajatshatru after his stint as a minister in the NC government had joined the Congress before returing to to NC this year. Meanwhile, Vijay Lakshmi Dutta, party’s women wing leader, said that false and hollow promises made by the Congress and PDP in the 2002 assembly elections would cost dearly to them. Campaigning for party candidate from Vijaypur assembly constituency, Surjeet Singh Salathia, she said that unfortunate era of coalition partners will come to an end because people, who felt betrayed, have decided to teach them a lesson.aOverwhelming response to NC in the entire state is symptomatic to the fact that people have made up their mind to us an absolute majority to form a stable government, she said. |
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Residents rue encroachment by vendors
Jammu, December 20 Besides the city’s main markets like Parade, Super Bazar, Indra Chowk and Jewel Chowk, these vendors have also encroached areas near government schools, offices and residential quarters. “Encroachment of footpath and roadsides by these fruit and vegetables vendors force us to walk on the main road. This not only obstructs the free flow of vehicular traffic but also threatens our life,” Manju Sharma, a commuter at Parade, said. “Many rehriwalas sell kulchas and junk food at our school gate and they are without license. They should be penalised for it because due to them the nearby main road witnesses traffic snarls, which disturbs our studies,” Ajay Pandita, a student, said. The scenario near government quarters on BC Road and at Panjtirthi is no different as vendors are selling fruits and vegetables in rehri-free zones, while the authorities concerned are turning a blind eye to it. Kamla Devi, a resident of government quarters at Jewel Chowk said: “Though these vendors are a big problem for us, it is the only way for them to earn their livelihood. The authorities concerned should pay attention towards their plight and allot them a separate place where they can do their business.” Municipal joint commissioner J.S. Tandon said: "Our entire staff is busy with election duties and we hardly get time to have check on them. People should come forward and make complaints against those rehariwalas who do not have licenses. We will take strong action against them.” |
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Highway closed after rain, landslides
Srinagar, December 20 Hundreds of vehicles, carrying passengers from Srinagar and Jammu, besides several hundred trucks with essential commodities and fruits were stranded on the highway at different places. Border Road Organisation (BRO) officials said they were doing their best to resume traffic and help those stranded on the highway on priority, but continual rain had made matters difficult for them. The traffic movement stopped in the noon and traffic police officials said they could not say for sure when it would resume. The rain was more intensive along the highway toward Jammu. The Met Department said it was 4.4 mm in Srinagar, and increased up to 23.2 mm in Qazigund, the last town of Kashmir, and shot up to 56.1 mm in Banihal, which is in Ramban district of Jammu province. The 296-km road is the only surface connection between the valley and the rest of the country and vehicular movement on it is severely affected in winters due to snow and rain. The Panthal stretch is especially vulnerable as stones frequently roll down onto the highway due to loosening of soil and could prove dangerous. The drizzle also hit campaigning in Srinagar, the only district left in the valley to face polls. Prominent leaders of both major political parties, the NC and the PDP, went around campaigning, but the attendance was thin due to the rain. Weather conditions deteriorated yesterday when it became overcast followed by rain that continued even today. The Met Department said upper reaches received snow and forecasted that the prevailing weather conditions might continue for another 24 hours. The traffic on the road was thin, but commercial establishments were opened after they were closed yesterday due to protests planned by separatists and resultant security measures taken by the authorities. The one positive side on the weather front was an increase in the minimum temperature from the sub-zero level and the officials said it was 4°C in Srinagar in the past 24 hours. The maximum temperature in the summer capital was 6.8°C. |
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Jammu, Samba to play key role in govt formation
Jammu and Samba districts will play an important role in the formation of the government in Srinagar with these districts having 14 Assembly seats out of the total 87. These districts will go to the polls on December 24.
Parties are continuing to harp on the Amarnath Land row and the Mumbai attack in Jammu and Samba districts. These two events have not only consolidated the Hindu votes, but narrowed the choice for voters from a multi-party contest to one mainly between the BJP and the Congress. Other parties like the NC, and the PDP are having a tough time in this region with each trying to sell their candidates saying “they would be part of the next government”. Issues raised by the PDP like ensuring de-militarisation and curbing “excesses committed by the security agencies” on innocent civilians, that were well received in the militant-infested areas, have no takers in the Jammu region. In fact, candidates like PDP’s T.S Bajwa, contesting in the Suchet Garh Assembly segment are well respected in the area, but they are not receiving the desired response from the voters because of the PDP’s pro-militant image in this region. The NC that has been taking a “hard line” in the valley has till recently only relied on Dr Farooq Abdulla, considered to be more liberal to campaign for the party in the Jammu region. The party leaders, including former ministers, who have been making speeches to appease the Muslim voters in the Kashmir valley, have avoided canvassing here, leaving the task to more moderate faces. National leaders from the BJP are raising the issue of the Amarnath land row and trying to cash in on the agitation that ensued in Jammu and its surrounding areas. The Congress is raising the issue of national security and also embarrassing the BJP by pointing out an incident where a militant was recently arrested in the Rajouri area driving the car of a BJP candidate from Darhal. The Congress is now alleging that the BJP candidate has close links with the militant. Jammu and Samba districts include Ranbir Singh Pura, Suchet Garh, Bishnah, Akhnoor, Khour, Samba, Vijaypur, Chhamb, Jammu East, Jammu West, Gandhinagar, Nagrota, Marh and Raipur-Domana. The BJP is expected to gain in this area that comprises of 80 per cent Hindus and 20 per cent Sikhs. Though the BSP has some pockets of influence, the party does not have much chance of electoral success. Since the nationalist sentiment runs very high in the border areas, a majority of the votes polled here will go either to the BJP or the Congress. Besides exploiting the Amarnath land row and the Mumbai terror attack, the political parties are also promising development, eradication of unemployment and elevation of some areas to the status of block or tehsil. As the day of polling nears, the international border with Pakistan that generally witnesses movement of BSF and Army vehicles is seeing more and more convoys of political parties. |
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Rain pours misery on roads
Jammu, December 20 Overflowing of drain water has been one of the main problems that the residents of the city of temples face regularly, particularly the residents of the low-lying areas that bear the brunt of the rains and the overflowing drains. Filth and garbage washed away by rainwater chocked drains. The overflowing drains waterlogged main roads that had developed potholes, particularly at places where pipes and telephone cables were being laid. Muddy water at bus stops made it difficult for drivers to stop buses at proper places, whereas passengers, too, faced difficulty boarding buses and other vehicles. Pedestrians could be seen wading through waterlogged roads near Science and Commerce College and at lower areas like Digyana, Gangyal, Talab Tillo, Ware House and Shakti Nagar. “Rainwater accumulates in holes on roads and get splashed on passengers whenever any vehicle moves around”, said Punit Sharma, a resident of Residential Colony at Ware House here. Ashu Gupta of Talab Tillo said, “Every year the rains bring misery to residents as the area gets waterlogged and we have to wade through water.” Lambasting the Municipal Corporation for adopting a casual approach toward the problem, Varun Sharma, a shopkeeper at Shakti Nagar, said, “During rainy season drains overflow and water enters my shop and I have to close the shop. I have complained many times to the authority concerned, but nothing has been done to resolve the problem.” All efforts to contact the mayor and the commissioner of the corporation proved futile. |
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Parties focus on development issues
Srinagar, December 20 The NC had its members representing most of the seats here. During the past six years of the Congress-PDP coalition government, the NC had been resenting the ruling parties’ role in “ignoring the development of Srinagar”. Out of eight constituencies in Srinagar, which go to the polls in the last phase on Wednesday, the NC members got elected from five constituencies of Hazratbal, Idgah, Khanyar, Sonwar and Batamaloo in the last elections, while two others, Zadibal and Habbakadal, had gone to independents and another to the Congress. The issue of Srinagar’s development figures among the priority areas of the ongoing campaign by the NC and PDP, ahead of the polling. NC president Omar Abdullah here today said his party was committed to develop Srinagar on modern lines while retaining its heritage and restoring its pristine glory. Addressing series of election meetings here today he said special emphasis would be laid to improve the civic amenities in the city. He said urban development of greater Srinagar would be taken up on most modern lines with a futuristic perspective. Omar said his party believed that infrastructure development was positively correlated with the economic development of the state. The PDP president Mehbooba Mufti in an election rally here today announced that besides launching an intensive program for the infrastructural development of the historic city of Srinagar, the PDP government would spread a network of skill-development, IT and other technological institutions across the city to have a productive human resource base with ample job opportunities. She said a world-class Sports Academy would be established in Srinagar to train our energetic young boys and girls in various sporting activities for national and international competitions. |
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Lensmen to boycott
CRPF, police functions
Srinagar, December 20 This was decided by the Kashmir Press Photographers Association (KPPA) at a meeting held here today, KPA president Farooq Javed Khan said. He said the decision was taken to register a protest against the CRPF and Police force for allegedly beating the members of the KPPA during the first six phases of the elections in the valley. Khan said the boycott would continue till the officials responsible for beating mediapersons, mostly photo journalists are punished. “We the photo journalists, express our grave concern over the deliberate attempts of the security agencies in preventing us from delivering our professional duties,” he said adding we were being abused, physically beaten and even detained without any provocation. — UNI |
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Phase VII: 31 women, 151 independents in fray
Jammu, December 20 Similarly, the 21 Assembly constituencies of these three key districts have as many as 151 independent candidates in the fray. The seventh phase has the highest number of women contestants compared to the previously six phases of the elections. Among 31 women contestants, 12 are in the fray from Srinagar, two from Samba and 17 from Jammu districts. While three women contested in the first phase, another two were in the fray in the second phase of elections. In the third phase, five women contested while 10 were in the fray in the fourth phase. Similarly, in the fifth phase, five women contested and the sixth phase had 11 women candidates. For the seventh phase, the women contestants from Srinagar district include Asiya of the PDP from Hazratbal constituency, Rabia (Independent) from Zadibal, Arifa Tariq Karra of the PDP and Jabeena Jan (independent) from Idgah, Saira Sameer of the NCP and Shameema Firdous of the NC from Habbakadal, Ahmreen Badar of the Congress and Afroza Qadir, Khazana Aziz and Sabiya Qadiri, all Independents, from Amira Kadal. Khem Lata Wakhloo of the Congress in Sonawar and Shameema Begum of the Panthers Party from the Batmaloo Assembly constituency are also in the fray. The 21 constituencies, also the highest in any of the phases, are Hazratbal, Zadibal, Idgah, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Amirakadal, Sonawar and Batmaloo in Srinagar district, Samba and Vijaypur in Samba district and Nagrota, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu East, Jammu West, Bishnah, RS Pura, Suchetgarh, Marh, Raipur-Domana, Akhnoor and Chhamb in Jammu district. In Samba district, Anita Devi of the PDP and Satwant Kour of the BJP will contest from Samba. Likewise, 17 women contestants from Jammu district in the seventh phase are Mumtaz Begum Salaria of the Lok Janshakti Party and Pushpa Devi (independent) from Nagrota constituency, Surjeet Kour of the PDP from Gandhi Nagar, Swarn Sharma of the Jammu State Morcha and Shanti Devi of the PDP are contesting from Jammu East, Veena Dogra of the Rashtriya Krantikari Samajwadi Party and Anju Koul, Kanchan Sharma and Geeta Thakur, all independents, from Jammu West. Shilpi Verma of the BJP, Sudesh Puri of the Lok Janshakti Party, Rajmohini Sharma and Gurbachan Kumari Rana (both independents) from Bishnah, Suman Lata Bhagat of the Congress in RS Pura, Anita Thakur of the Panthers Party and Neelam Devi, independent, from Marh and Neelam Devi of the Awami National Conference from the Raipur-Domana Assembly constituency are in the fray. Among 151 independent candidates from 21 constituencies, 57 would vie in Srinagar district, eight in Samba and 86 in Jammu district. |
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Lawyers hold anti-poll protests
Srinagar, December 20 The KBA members led by its president Mian Abdul Qayoum took out a procession from the lower court premises, raising slogans against the elections. As they reached near historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, a large number of police personnel stopped them. They later entered the court premises again. This was the first anti-poll demonstration at the Lal Chowk since the election process started in the valley with the holding of polls in the first phase on
November 17. The historic chowk remained sealed on all Fridays and on all poll days during the first six phases of the polling. Now the Coordination Committee (CC), spearheading the poll-agitation, has appealed to
the people to reach Lal Chowk on December 24 when the eight Assembly segments of
Srinagar district will go to the polls. — UNI |
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Srinagar, December 20
