Jammu, March 13
Beset with male child syndrome, the dwindling sex ratio in the state yet again reflected “criminal psyche” of people towards fair-gender in the male-dominant society.

Fresh survey by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics for 2008 in all 22 districts of the state has once again brought to the fore a grim picture.

Among 22 districts, Udhampur has attained the dubious distinction of having lowest sex ratio of 880 females per 1,000 males in sharp contrast to 894/1000 males in 2006.

Likewise, 2008 statistics of Rajouri (895), Reasi (899), Samba (896), Jammu (889), Kathua (913), Kishtwar (931), Poonch (920), Doda (933), Leh (939), Kargil (916), Anantnag (944), Bandipora (948), Baramulla (939), Budgam (930), Ganderbal (948), Kulgam (908), Kupwara (930), Pulwama (933), Shopian (948), Srinagar (940) and Ramban (973) also reflect mindset of the people.

In 2006 Rajouri had 894, Jammu 878, Kathua 911, Poonch 906, Doda 943, Leh 951, Kargil 939, Anantnag 933, Baramulla 932, Budgam 923, Kupwara 917, Pulwama 961 and Srinagar had 950 females per 1000 males.

Official sources told The Tribune that female foeticide has gained alarming proportion in five districts of Jammu, Reasi, Rajouri, Samba and Udhampur where sex ratio is not even 900 females per 1,000 males.

A senior doctor of Government Medical College said: “Female foeticide has been going on in private nursing homes and the government has utterly failed to check the crime.”

“One girl child out of seven female babies is being eliminated inside mother’s womb in Jammu district alone,” he said, adding that if the trend continues, districts like Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur and Reasi in particular would witness a steep decline in sex ratio in the coming years. Time has come for the administration to tighten noose around disgruntled radiologists, and society at large, too, should wake up to the unethical practice, he said.

A retired official of the Directorate of Health Services candidly admitted that the state government has failed to implement the J&K Preconception and Prenatal Sex Selection/Determination (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 2002 in letter and spirit.

Though sex determination still goes on in various clinics, the government alone could not be held responsible for this malady, he said, adding that the people themselves were responsible for promoting the unethical practice. To get rid of the menace, the society had to be awakened and NGOs and schools should contribute their bit in educating the people and the children, he said.

Srinagar, March 13
The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti has taken a strong exception to the state government’s approach towards the identity of the community in the valley, as the pending Temple Bill was brought to the legislative Assembly on the last day of the session.

It has threatened to launch fast unto death in case the government failed to bring an ordinance by April 5 to ban the illegal sale deeds encroachments from April 1, 1990 up to date and declare all sale and lease deeds null and void. It has also sought to set up a commission of inquiry to find out as to how these temple properties had been illegally sold or leased by the unscrupulous elements with the help of some government officials.

KPSS president Sanjay K Tickoo said the delay in bringing the Temple Bill to the House showed that the government was “giving more and more time to those persons who were bent to vanish the identity of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley with respect to the temples and shrines verifying 5,000 years of history, culture, and heritage of the Kashmiri Pandits.” He also expressed concern over the role of BJP members of the state Assembly for not raising their voice against the government’s “conspiracy for not passing the Bill”. This showed that the BJP were not actually willing to save the minority religious places but cash the misdeeds of the state government endlessly for their vote bank outside the state.

Tickoo claimed that the government failed to provide protection to these temples, along with the assets of temples, allowing the miscreants to step and overtake these properties.

He added that former militants as well as people from outside the state had taken over the charge of these temples. The samiti said the government made false claims on the floor of the House that every shrine in Kashmir had been provided security and there was no such report of desecration and encroachments.

Referring to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s recent statement, the samiti president gave instances of various temples that had been encroached upon and desecrated in the valley. These included Gouri Shankar temple, Barbar Shah, Gosoun Bagh at Hari Parbat, land of Baba Dharam Dass at Barbar Shah, Sheetal Nath Temple and some others.

Jammu, March 13
The executive committee of ‘Vision Kashmir’, an organisation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits expressed unhappiness over delay in granting minority status to their community by the Central and the state governments despite knowing the intricacies and complexities involved in the situations under which they were forced to leave their homes.

Convener of the organisation Sunil Fotedar in the meeting said: “Jammu & Kashmir is the only state in the country without Minority Commission. Therefore, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) does not have jurisdiction over the state.” He referred to the December 1992 UN Declaration to strengthen the cause of the minorities, which state that the states shall protect the existence of the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities and encourage conditions for the promotions of that identity.

Fortedar said the demographic imbalance evident in dwindling population threatened to reduce Kashmiri Pandits to almost an extinction status so it should be declared as ethnic religious minority.

He said the commission had detailed discussion with members of the Kashmiri community during its visit to the state on March 30, and in a special report had made recommendations to the Union Home Ministry to accord state-level minority status to the Hindus of the state.

It also stated that Kashmiri Pandits should be declared as minority community at the national level, but the recommendations of the commission were ignored instead of implementing them. He pulled up the state government for not giving serious thought to constitute the state minority commission and implement the recommendations of the NCM.

Organising secretary Ashok Kaul said: “The time has come for Kashmiri Pandits to be assured of social and economic justice as the community’s struggle has gone unrecognised in this country, and so that the problems and grievances of the state minorities be addressed.

He said: “Our organisation will launch a nationwide campaign to invite the utmost attention of the political institutions of the country towards the plight of the minorities of the state, which include Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians.”

Secretary Sanjay Raina welcomed the decision of the National Conference-led coalition to set up a Kashmiri Hindu Shrine Board, and urged the government to elect elite members of the exiled community as members of the board. He also stressed upon establishing a council for promotion of the Kashmir language enabling exiled community with their traditions, customs, cultural, spiritual and religious manifestations.

Jammu, March 13
There is resentment among 184 families of displaced Kashmiri Pandits who have been allotted two-room tenement (TRT’s) in Nagrota 11 months ago against the infrastructure problems in the new accommodation. This has escalated their tiff with the Relief & Rehabilitation Commission in Jammu. The locality has become a bone of contention for the Relief & Rehabilitation Commissioner’s office as the allotment of remaining 200 vacant flats out of total 384 too has mired in controversy of doling out favors.

The flats do not seem to be on the expected lines for these people who had harbored high hopes after spending 18 to 20 years in one room tenement (ORT) or makeshift camps situated in different localities.

The most serious flaw is open manholes filled with sewerage located in block from G to M, though the manholes in block from A to F are properly covered.

The RRC, Vinod Kaul, said: “The blocks from G to M are vacant which is why manholes are open. We covered some of them, but people stole the manhole covers. New manhole covers are lying in store now. However, it is found that many families are still living in Block G. Besides, since the blocks in the building have no dividing walls or periphery wall, the children tend to come in these blocks to play and, therefore, can become a victim.” In this matter, Kaul assured of providing lids to those manholes that lie near the residential areas.

Adding fuel to the fire, the flaws in construction like seepage and chipping off plaster within one year of the construction has aggravated their anger. The administration in this regard took timely action as Kaul informed: “The construction of these flats cost us around Rs 17 crore. As per the deal, we had reserved 10 per cent of the amount due for the contractor for a year so that he does the repair work free of cost if it takes place within one year of the construction.”

The demand for a dispensary, school and community hall though was rebuff by the RRC saying that there is no need to provide for this infrastructure, since all these facilities are available in the old localities of Kashmiir Pandits.

People also asked for fresh water, as according to them, the water which automatically is filled up in their tanks in half an hour time gets sullied by monkeys who jump into the tanks by removing the lid.

“People have to take responsibility of their tanks and keep them safe from monkeys” said Kaul. 

Srinagar, March 13
The fragile normalcy in Srinagar downtown over the past one week was shattered once again after the Friday prayers today when fresh clashes between protesters and the police took place in the Jama Masjid area.

At least 24 persons, including eight police and CRPF men and six photojournalists, were injured in the clashes in Nowhatta, Rajouri Kadal and other adjoining localities this afternoon. The police lobbed tear gas shells and cane-charged the demonstrators indulging in stone pelting in protest against the recent killings. One youth was killed and at least 30 others got injured last Friday when the demonstrators took to streets in the same area protesting against the killing of two civilians allegedly at the hands of the Army at Bomai, near Sopore, in Baramulla district on February 21.

Fresh clashes took place in the Jama Masjid area after the Friday prayers even as the situation throughout the day was peaceful there. Normal life had been restored in the area after four days on Tuesday, coinciding with the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi celebrations when thousands of people thronged mosques and shrines across the valley like elsewhere.

Eyewitnesses said that agitated youths appeared in the Nowhatta area outside Jama Masjid and took out demonstrations against the Sopore killings and the killing of the youth in the Nowhatta area on Friday last. The police tried to chase them away while the demonstrators indulged in stone pelting prompting the police to lob tear gas shells to disperse them. At least 14 civilians were injured in the police action, besides six photojournalists, three CRPF men and five Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel. Till reports last came in, tension gripped downtown localities where normal life was affected after the Friday prayers.

Meanwhile, the separatist Hurriyat Conference has flayed the police for preventing senior APHC leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan from proceeding towards Sopore.

Udhampur, March 13
Even as the Congress high command has not yet finalised name of the candidate for the Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat, newly elected MLAs of this constituency have strongly opposed any attempt to repeat sitting MP Choudhary Lal Singh from this constituency.

In a letter, which was signed by the Congress MLAs of Udhampur, Doda and Kathua districts, party leaders have made it clear to the high command that they would not be able to manage votes for the party if sitting LS member Choudhary Lal Singh was renominated from this prestigious seat

In the 2004 LS elections, Choudhary, who was then Health Minister, had snatched this seat from veteran BJP leader Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, who had won this seat three times in a row.

“Our sitting MP is not in a position to retain this seat,” a senior Congress told The Tribune on condition of anonymity while admitting that all MLAs have urged the high command to field Azad to ensure victory of the party.

Although Lal Singh has a strong lobby in Delhi, he is finding it difficult to get the mandate due to his defeat in the recently held Assembly elections. 

Jammu, March 13
The recent statement made by Dr Farooq Abdullah that the BJP and the PDP have joined hands has been termed totally irresponsible and politically motivated by the BJP. Party spokesperson Ramesh Arora said the BJP always opposed the Kashmir-centric leaders and parties for discriminating against the Jammu region. “The BJP had voted in recent elections of the in favour of the JKNPP candidate and not the PDP candidate. Slogans raised by few local leaders against the BJP are political motivated.

Addressing mediapersons here, he said: “In the recent short session of the Assembly, the BJP took a tough stand over the issues like delimitation, unemployment and problems of the refugees. These were the commitments made in the election manifesto of the BJP, whereas the Congress and the NC have gone the other way. The Congress adopted queer silence in recent Assembly session over the issue of refugees, delimitation and unemployment although these have been incorporated all these in their election manifesto during the Assembly elections. The BJP will raise all these issues in forthcoming Parliament elections.”

Arora also said the BJP was a party with difference and had some ideology. The BJP had supported an independent candidate. He asked the Congress to come forward for their stand on the issue of autonomy. He pointed that the Congress and the NC did not have any Common Minimum Program as they just wanted to share power by one or the other way.

He said, “The BJP is committed to remove the difference of 37 and 46 seats. The BJP is confident that people have rejected the Congress in the Assembly elections and will reject them in LS poll also.”

Reasi, March 13
Braving militant threats, Rashid came all the way from Mahore to participate in the recruitment rally organised by the Jammu and Kashmir police.

Though militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen have warned youth against joining the police force, response to the recruitment rally was overwhelming and threats failed to dampen the spirit of aspirants.

A large numbers of youth, who were standing in queues waiting for their turn for physical tests, giving clear indications that people have taken a stand against militants.

“Over 3,500 youth turned up on first day to participate in the recruitment rally”, DIG, Udhampur-Reasi range, Gulzar Singh Slathia told The Tribune and added that majority of the youth were from militancy-plagued area of Mahore tehsil. The DIG said there was total transparency in the recruitment process.

Enthusiasm can be gauged from the fact that some covered a distance of more than 100 km to reach Reasi for recruitment. Shahnaz came all the way from Sungli to participate in the rally despite being the fact that militants have pasted posters in some localities warned the youth against joining the recruitment rally.

Increasing unemployment was one of the reasons of such a huge turnout in the recruitment rally.

“We are unemployed and this recruitment rally is an opportunity for us to get jobs,” Shahnaz said. He, however, aired apprehension of militant attack on his family at his native.

“Situation has changed, and today we don’t succumb to the threats of militants,” Alam Din of Juda village said. He pointed out that over 40 youth from his native place came to participate in the recruitment rally.

The police has started a special recruitment drive in the militancy-plagued areas to provide opportunity to the local youth to join the force. Being the militancy-plagued areas, even police officers did not expecting such an encouraging response from Mahore area.

Jammu, March 13
A Division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court today heard the arguments of Prof Bhim Singh on a writ petition filed by his party to seek delimitation of the Assembly seats in the state.

Bhim Singh submitted the documents relating to the 1941, 1961, 1971, 1981 and 2001 Censuses. He pointed out that there was an average increase in population of about 10 lakh between the two Censuses.

He said it was strange enough that the 1981 Census showed a population of 59, 87,389 whereas the that in 2001 had shown a population of 10,143,700, an increase of more than 40 lakh which was not possible. He also submitted the documents regarding the migration of Kashmiri Pandits and members of other communities from the valley, which was up to five lakh.

Other advocates, including Jammu Bar Association president B.L. Kalgotra, argued in favour of holding delimitation of Assembly constituencies. Advocate-General M.I. Qadri was granted a week to place his arguments. March 30 has been fixed as the final date of hearing in the matter.

Jammu, March 13
With the examination of optional subject taken on March 12, the annual examination of class X, State Board of School Education, started. The examination of main subjects will start tomorrow and will conclude on April 1.

Around 57,681 students will be appearing tomorrow in the examination. For conducting the examination smoothly, 615 centres have been created in the Jammu region, in which 180 examination centres have been created in Jammu district alone. Expressing it as student’s friendly step taken by the board, Dr Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, secretary of the board said, “Among these 615 examination centres, 10 more centres have been created for far-flung areas and these centres have adequate staff to facilitate smooth conduct of the examination.”

Srinagar, March 13
Following Eid-e-Milad big congregations were seen across the Kashmir valley today where a large number of people offered Friday prayers in mosques.

The main congregations were held at Hazratbal, Srinagar, Dargah Aaliya Khaja Sahib,
Baramulla and Aham Sharief, Bandipora where the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad was displayed after every congregational prayer. Congregations were also held at Pattan, Sopore, Kupwara, Handwara, Uri, Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama and other places in the valley.

Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq addressed the Friday congregation at Jama Masjid here.

Meanwhile, a Milad procession was taken out from Khanpora, Baramulla under the aegis of Janbaz Academy, Baramulla. The procession in which thousands of people, including students of different schools, participated passed through various markets of the town and culminated at Dargah Aalia Khuja Sahib, Baramulla. The participants recited verses from the holy “Koran” and paid rich tributes to Prophet Mohammad.