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Protesting BSP workers lathicharged
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Defeated candidates to launch agitation
People must forgive, forget bitterness, says Vohra
PDP yet to decide its leader in House
BJP candidates find fault with campaign
Residents of border areas fear Mumbai aftermath
Attendants of patients rue lack of facilities
Rifle shooting, motor sports await recognition
Polls were ‘rigged’ in Banihal
Charak alleges rigging
Contest winners awarded
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Development, good ties with Pak priority: Omar
Srinagar, December 31 He emphasised the need for friendly relations with Pakistan for paving the way for an amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue. Omar held that the resolution of all issues was possible only through dialogue. He, however, cautioned against certain forces, which did not want the two neighbours to have good relations and restore peace in the state. Omar said the objective of his government would be to restore peace in the state. Omar Abdullah, 38, who would be the youngest state Chief Minister, was addressing a largely-attended public gathering at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium on his arrival from New Delhi here this afternoon after the NC and the Congress agreed to form a coalition government in the state. He was accorded a warm welcome by senior party leaders, newly elected members and workers from the airport to the stadium. He later drove to his Gupkar residence. The venue of his first public meeting, before taking over as Chief Minister, under high security cover, was the same where he delivered his first address after being elected as NC president in 2002. Omar said there was a need for development at the internal level and solve the problems of the people, who had suffered a lot over the years. On the external front, there was a need to develop friendly relations with Pakistan, he pointed out. He added that the two had countries fought three wars over Kashmir and lamented that the Indo-Pakistan relations had a direct impact on the people of the state. The NC president also promised the educated youth of the state that he would work to solve their problems during the next six years. He said the youth in particular and the entire population in general had great expectations from him and his government and vowed to come up to their expectations. Expressing gratitude to all those who voted in the elections, Omar said his government would work for all people of Jammu and Kashmir saying it was important that they voted. People want peace, development, roads, drinking water, power, check on price rise, end to corruption, and employment to the youth. “Insha Allah, my government will do it all”, he said and promised to provide at least one job to every house in the state. Omar said during his stay in the Union Capital, besides meeting Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi he met several ministers, including home minister P. Chidambaram and foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, and informed them about difficulties being faced by the people of the state over the years. |
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Srinagar, December 31 A Deputy Chief Minister from the Congress would also be sworn in at the same ceremony at Jammu, they said. Omar, 38, who will become the state’s youngest Chief Minister, will fly to Delhi tomorrow to hold consultations with the Congress leadership on distribution of portfolios. — PTI
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Protesting BSP workers lathicharged
Jammu, December 31 Accusing staff at counting centres of bungling during the last phase of counting of votes on December 28, Arora had been demanding the recounting of total votes polled in the entire Bishnah constituency. Independent candidate and last time winner Ashwani Kumar Sharma had been declared winner from Bishnah. Reports said the police resorted to a mild lathi-charge and teargassed the protesters to control them. They said the police had to “discipline” an unrelenting Kamal Arora, who was later taken into custody. Trouble erupted around 1.30 pm today when Arora along with nearly 4,000 supporters on tractors and an ambulance reached Kunjwani Chowk, the reports said. After reaching Kunjwani on the Jammu-Pathankot highway, Arora started addressing his supporters. Situation took an ugly turn when he refused to concede to the requests of the SHO concerned and SP, south, Mubassir Latifi to lift the blockade, they added. The reports said when the police tried to remove the protesters, it was pelted with stones, forcing it to use a mild lathi-charge. The protesters also damaged vehicles lined up on the highway. However, the lathi-charge failed to “dampen” the spirits of Arora’s supporters and eventually the police had to fire teargas shells. A large number of vehicles on both sides of Kunjwani were halted for over three hours. SSP, Jammu, Manohar Singh said the BSP candidate had brought over 2,500 supporters on 15 to 20 tractors to Kunjwani Chowk, where he started delivering a speech from a loudspeaker-mounted Maruti ambulance. Concerned police officers requested him to vacate the highway, but he remained adamant, said the SSP. The SSP said left with no option the police lathi-charged and teargassed the protesters. Later, Kamal Arora was taken into custody, Manohar Singh said, adding that the traffic was restored around 5 pm. |
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Defeated candidates to launch agitation
Srinagar, December 31 Addressing a joint news conference, they said their security was withdrawn before the results were out. They also threatened to commit en-mass suicide if harm was caused to any of the defeated candidates. “It was not election but selection and we want the ECI to take note of the same. There has been a large-scale tampering with electronic voting machines,” says Muzaffar Shah, senior vice-president, Awami National Conference (ANC). Interestingly, Muzaffar is nephew of the NC patron and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah. He is the son of former Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah. While Muzaffar lost from the Amira Kadal constituency, his mother (Farooq's sister) lost against her brother from the Sonawar constituency. The ANC could not open its account in the state Assembly. Sanjay Saraf, national vice-president, Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJSP), said proposed accord between the NC and the Congress for formation of the coalition government was bound to spell doom for the entire state. Shoaib Nabi Lone, defeated candidate from the Sangrama constituency, demanded that re-poll should be held across the state. These candidates belonged like the ANC, LJSP, Nationalist Congress Party and the Save Srinagar Front while some of them had contested the election as Independents. |
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People must forgive, forget bitterness, says Vohra
Jammu, December 31 Vohra expressed confidence that the people of the three regions of the state would recommit themselves to the task of fully restoring and further strengthening their most-cherished spirit of communal harmony, unity and amity. Extending New Year greetings to the people, Vohra observed that the recent historic Assembly elections had proved beyond doubt that the time-tested harmony and amity among people might be temporarily fractured by elements inimical to peace and stability, but could
not be shattered. “The spirit of brotherhood is ingrained in the unique and glorious ethos of this diverse state, which needs to be sustained and further consolidated”, Vohra said, adding that a great opportunity was awaiting people to usher in an era of peace, progress and overall development of all three regions. Speaking about the outgoing year, the Governor observed that wisdom demanded that all sections of society must “forgive and forget” bitterness that had been generated in the past months. Having drawn lessons from the happenings of the past summer “we must re-establish the foundations of mutual trust, which has been a binding force between our peoples in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh”, Vohra emphasised. “Our distinct character is our identity and this has made the state unique in the country and a jewel in the crown of India”, he added. Vohra described year 2008 as a watershed year, in which people scripted an agenda of peace and development for themselves through the power of vote. He said for nearly two decades the state had gone through a traumatic phase of senseless terrorism, impeding growth and development for many crucial years and jeopardising the future of an entire generation. |
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PDP yet to decide its leader in House
Jammu, December 31 According to Constitutional experts, with 21 seats, the PDP was entitled to elect a party MLA as leader of the opposition. They said under the Assembly Act the party that has 20 members in the Assembly was entitled to elect the leader of the opposition. They said the leader of the opposition would have the status of a Cabinet minister. PDP sources said the party leadership had four names — Mufti Mohd Sayeed, Mehbooba Mufti, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, a former Deputy Chief Minister, and Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari — in mind. While Mufti Sayeed was elected to the Assembly from the Anantnag constituency, Mehbooba made to the House from the Wachi constituency, Baig from Baramullah and Molvi Ansari from the Pattan constituency. The party sources said: “Since the Mufti has been seen attending the previous Assembly irregularly owing to his poor health, he may not opt for the post of the leader of the opposition. Also, he may feel uncomfortable in the House in presence of a Chief Minister who is younger than
his daughter.” They said the natural choice would be Mehbooba Mufti who is articulate in case she had no plans to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Anantnag
constituency. She had successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections after she vacated the Pahalgam seat to enable her father, Mufti Sayeed, who had been elected as the Chief Minister, to get elected to the Assembly. The sources said if Mehbooba had plans of contesting the Lok Sabha elections, Muzaffar Hussain Baig was the appropriate choice. The only thing that could come in his way is his health problem. He usually remains down with migraine problem and it was this problem that did not allow him to carry out sustained pre-poll campaign in the Baramullah constituency. In such case, the mantle of the leader of the opposition may fall on Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari who is senior vice-president of the party. |
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BJP candidates find fault with campaign
Udhampur, December 31 Annoyed over the apathetic attitude of the state leadership for neglecting rural candidates, BJP leaders pointed out that the party had lost as many as five seats due to the behaviour of the influential urban leaders. “The whole campaign of the party was confined to Jammu district only, especially Jammu city, to ensure the victory of some candidates who have godfathers in New Delhi”, alleged a defeated BJP candidate. He pointed out not even a single leader was deputed outer districts like Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Reasi. Resentment is brewing among party workers against Jammu-based leaders for neglecting those who contested elections from militancy-plagued areas. “Just to befool the contesting candidates, some Jammu-based party workers were appointed as in charge of each Assembly constituency, but none of these in charge visited remote areas to supervise the election process”, alleged a senior leader of Doda district while comparing the aggressive campaign of the Congress and the NC in this militancy-plagued belt with that of the BJP. He said a Jammu-based leader, who was made in charge of their constituency, even did not contact the contesting candidate what to say of supervising the election process. Instead of campaigning for us in the far-flung and remotest areas, the BJP leadership virtually hijacked the star campaigners, who came from different parts of the country and arranged their meetings only in some selective constituencies. The behaviour of the leadership reflects that the party was seemed to be not interested in opening its account in new areas. “While as former chief ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mufti Mohammad Sayed and Dr Farooq Abdullah themselves visited remotest areas to garner support for their candidates, BJP leaders on the other hand even failed to reach townships”, rued another defeated candidate, adding that “it seems that our leadership was contesting elections only in Jammu district”. The BJP has a strong base in Jammu district and there was need to depute senior leaders in far-flung areas to boost the morale of the party cadre. “Instead of deputing senior leaders at remote areas, the party leadership directed a large number of leaders from Himachal Pardesh to camp at Jammu only where the party was already in a comfortable position”, regretted a leader from Kishtwar. He said the BJP lost the Kishtwar Assembly seat due to the non-cooperative attitude of the Jammu-based leaders. |
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Residents of border areas fear Mumbai aftermath
Suchetgarh, December 31 Post the Mumbai attack, the war hysteria created between the two neighbouring countries has left thousands of residents of many border villages in confusion as they fail to understand what lies in their future. “During operation Prakram that followed December 13, 2001, terror attack on Parliament, there was a massive buildup of force on the border. We were asked to vacate our houses,” said Tirlochan Singh, a resident of Suchetgarh. The village is situated on the Zero line between India and Pakistan. The standoff during Operation Prakram had stretched for more than 11 months when the armed forces of both countries had made “eyeball to eyeball” contact. Though the standoff had ended peacefully, the residents of the border areas had to bear the brunt during that period. “Not only we were forced to vacate our property, but when we returned after more than 11 months, we had nothing to eat as we could not cultivate our land. Our fields were mined and the de-mining took more than seven years. At many places the process of de-mining is still going on,” another villager rued. As the war jingoism in the media is on its height, the residents of these areas pray that the situation passes of peacefully as the people here don't have the capacity to bear the brunt anymore. “We were the worst sufferers. We almost starved when our fields were mined and it was only last year that the government announced compensation and some portion of our land that falls on the other side of the barbed fence was de-mined and returned to us," said Swarn Singh, a resident of Chamb village. The farmers here say thousands of hectares of their cultivable land was made unfit for cultivation as it took more than seven years to de-mine the fields. Meanwhile, villagers in various frontier villages of the Jammu region say post Mumbai terror attack they have witnessed a remarkable increase in the activities of the Pakistan army across the border. However, on Indian side not much has been seen till date, they said. “The activities across the border has increase, at many places we see that the Pakistani army has replaced the Pakistani rangers and they have also deployed some big guns but on our side there is not much happening. It is usual patrol by the troops of border security force,” said Manoj Chand, another resident. SN. Acharya, Jammu-based PRO of the Ministry of Defence, said: “Nothing is going on at our side. There is nothing to panic about.” |
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‘No movement of Pak Army along LoC’
Rajouri, December 31 The Army sources said the reports saying that the Pakistan troops moved to forward posts on the border facing Rajouri and Poonch sectors in Kashmir were false. Jammu-based defence spokesperson SN Acharya told The Tribune that there were no reports of any major build up by the Pakistani army in the
forward areas. |
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Attendants of patients rue lack of facilities
Srinagar, December 31 According to attendants of patients, this is a common sight at the valley’s lone orthopaedic hospital at Barzulla as the hospital lacks wheelchairs, trolleys and stretchers. “To answer a nature’s call, I have to carry my son as he has been operated on his right leg and can’t move. Neither trolley nor wheel chair is available in the ward,” says Ghulam Mohammad. Absence of trolley or stretcher compelled Rafiq Ahmad to carry his mother on shoulder from casualty to vehicle at the time of discharge. “It is painstaking and troublesome, but every one is forced to do it here. We can’t leave patient to suffer. Being the lone orthopedic hospital in Kashmir, it lacks sufficient number of wheelchairs,” says Rafiq. Feroz Ahmad, another attendant of a patient said: “To take my patient for X ray, I had to wait for hours together to get a wheelchair. Insufficient wheelchairs create immense problems. I too would have followed the same tactic as other attendants do, but it is a delicate case as one of the fore and hind limbs of the patient are fractured,” says Feroz, while pointing to the patient. Medical superintendent of the hospital Mohammad Ramzan said more than a dozen trolleys and wheelchairs were available in the hospital. Blaming the attendants of the patients for their irresponsibility, Ramzan said: “They leave trolleys in the hospital compound unattended after using them.” |
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Protest against Israel
Srinagar, December 31 Hundreds of people gathered in a mosque near the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) here this afternoon on a call given by chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani to offer “Nimaz Jinazah” prayers to those who were killed in the Israeli bombing. Immediately after the prayers were over, people came out of the mosque, raising anti-US and anti-Israel slogans. Expressing solidarity with Palestinians, they, however, dispersed peacefully after they were not allowed to move toward the main road. However, Geelani had been put under house arrest since last evening to prevent him from leading the prayers. A spokesman for the Hurriyat Conference said a large number of CRPF and state police personnel had been deployed outside the Hyderpora residence of Geelani since yesterday. He said Geelani, who was released after about a month’s house arrest, was informed by a senior officer that he could not leave his house till further orders.
— UNI |
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Rifle shooting, motor sports await recognition
Srinagar, December 31 Although more than four years have passed, any decision about recognition is still awaited. Talking to The Tribune, Mohammad Iqbal, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir State Rugby Football Association, said rugby was under observation for four years now, but no decision had been taken regarding its recognition. “The State Sports Council had decided to keep under observation rugby for two years, but even after four years no decision had been taken about recognition. Our teams have performed well during the past few years and ours is a fit case for recognition,” says Iqbal. In addition to rugby, sports like rifle shooting, motor sports, triathlon, rowing, baseball and sepak-takraw were kept under observation for two years. Office-bearers of most of these sports associations say that they carry out regular activities and demand that the government should recognise those associations that are regular with their activities. P.S Gill, Director General, Youth Services and Sports, said that the respective associations had been asked to
present their papers as part of the recognition process. Gill, who is also secretary of the State Sports Council, said the final decision about recognition would be taken in the next meeting that was probably going to be held anytime in January 2009. |
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Polls were ‘rigged’ in Banihal
Jammu, December 31 Party workers appreciated the policy statement of Prof Bhim Singh, chairman of the party, that described the NC-Congress coalition as a total “disaster” and “anti-Jammu”. Sharma said it was the NC, PDP and the Congress that caused the agitation over the Amarnath Shrine Board land issue and hurt the sentiments of people. Meanwhile, Sewa Singh Bali, Ramban district president of the party, who contested the elections from Banihal, alleged large scale irregularities and bungling in the elections. Bali alleged in a press statement that poll staff deputed in Banihal were not properly trained. He urged the Election Commission to conduct a high-level inquiry into the matter and order a repoll in the entire Banihal constituency. |
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Charak alleges rigging
Jammu, December 31 Addressing media persons here today, Charak said the EC should hold a thorough probe into the entire election process in the Bishnah
constituency. |
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Contest winners awarded
Jammu, December 31 Jammu Bureau Chief of The Tribune Parneet Singh gave away the prizes to the winners who appreciated the move of The Tribune to connect with its readers
in Jammu. In the contest held on December 25, six prizes in first three categories were given out. The first prize LG 26 inches LCD television was won by Gurmit Singh Chadha of New
Rehari, the two second prizes of LG 310 liters refrigerator were won by Monika Hans of Trikuta Nagar and Prof B Labh of New University complex, Jammu, while three third prizes of Bajaj room heaters were given to Piyush Mamgotra of Purani
Mandi, Ravinder Sadhu of Mishriwala, Jammu, and VK Sethi of Channi Himat. Besides first three prizes, 50 consolation prizes were given to the winners. |
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