Jammu, June 5
Strongly castigating the Congress-led UPA government for its alleged weak-kneed approach towards Islamic radicals and separatists in the Kashmir valley, the VHP has threatened to launch a nation-wide agitation if the government failed to protect minorities in the state.

The VHP also held New Delhi responsible for the miserable plight of the Sikh community in the Swat valley of Pakistan, where the community was forced to pay ‘jazia’.

“New Delhi didn’t put any diplomatic pressure on Islamabad when atrocities were being committed upon Sikhs in Swat, and as a result the Talibani psyche has now engulfed the Kashmir valley, where the community is being targeted by Islamic radicals,” state VHP president Ramakant Dubey said this while addressing mediapersons here today.

In Budgam, the Islamic fundamentalists attacked Sikhs, torched their houses and vehicles and they (Sikhs) had to seek refuge in a gurdwara, he said. Whatever happened in Rangreth in Budgam district was the result of this psyche of intolerance towards the minorities, he said.

He said if the government failed to initiate reconciliatory measures to reverse the trend, Kashmir might witness another exodus.

It was an irony that Hindus and other minorities were unsafe in their own country, he said.

Describing Kashmir dispute a thorn in the flesh, Dubey traced roots of the chronic problem to “wrong policies of India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru”. The Union Government should shun the weak-kneed approach and should establish the doctrine of justice to all and appeasement to none, he said.

Meanwhile, the Bahi Kanahiya Jee Nishkam Seva Society today condemned the attacks on Sikhs in the Rangreth area of Budgam district.

Chief organiser of the society Mohinder Singh said: “Such types of communal clashes can not bear any fruits because since 1947 both majority and minority communities have been living in the valley and have proved their secular character since ages,” he said.

He appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to provide security to the Sikh community so that no such incidents are repeated in the future.

Srinagar, June 5
Shutdown and violence marked this Friday and Shopian, where two women were killed a few days ago, saw major protests after the prayers, leaving about 25 persons injured.

Several places in Srinagar like Batmaloo and Maisuma also witnessed clashes, leading to several injuries among protesters and security personnel. A total of 50-odd persons, including several security personnel, were injured today

The ongoing strike, which entered its fifth day today, has severely affected social and economic life in the valley and many families have cancelled the wedding celebrations as markets and traffic remain closed. Families have put out advertisements in local dailies informing the guests of calling off the celebrations. With strikes on lavish wedding functions have been reduced to simple nikah ceremonies.

Kashmir University has also postponed its exams and new dates, sources said, would be announced later.

Meanwhile, the police today refused to allow Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to hold a press conference, which he had called to disclose his future plans, and, his supporters alleged, cut off his phone connections.

“We do not know whether we will continue with the strike or not as Geelani sahib had to decide it. We are more worried about his condition as security personnel have confined him and are not allowing anybody to meet him,” his spokesperson Ayaz Akbar said.

Syed Ali Shah Geelani has extended the strike call in the valley for another two days. He has also called for a march to Shopian on June 8. Geelani is under house arrest and the police is unlikely to allow him or his supporters to further destabilise the volatile situation by organising the march.

In such a scenario, the strike in Kashmir is likely to continue tomorrow as hardline separatists led by Geelani want to exploit the situation to the hilt.

As expected, protesters assembled outside mosque after the prayers today and raised anti-government and Islamic slogans.

In Shopian, a large crowd wanted to take out a march but security personnel dispersed the crowd firing tear gas shells and using mild force. Official sources said several security personnel were also injured in stone-pelting by the crowd.

The family of the two women, whose mysterious death six days back has triggered these protests, has reportedly started a hunger strike to force the police to register a murder case. They allege both were raped and murdered, which the police says is not supported by evidence.

Srinagar, June 5
The truth behind the death of the two young women may still be shrouded in mystery but the catatonic handling of the case has put the state government on the defensive while presenting the dormant separatist group with an emotive issue to whip up public feelings against the government and security forces.

Many concerned with the sensational case believe that the flip-flop by CM Omar Abdullah over the nature of death of Neelofar Jan and Aasia has sent out confusing signals, allowing strengthening of the impression among masses that the government was hiding something.

While announcing the constitution of a one-man judicial commission headed by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court judge Muzaffar Jan on June 1, Omar Abdullah also said the initial probe had not pointed to rape and murder of the victims, as alleged by the Hurriyat and the PDP. A day back, senior NC leader and Cabinet minister Ali Mohd Sagar had claimed that the truth would be out in 48 hours.

“If not anything else, the CM made a downright immature comment. The Hurriyat and the PDP used it to whip up public passions, claiming that the government had already made up its mind and the judicial probe was an eyewash,” a senior official said.

He subsequently made an appeal to the masses saying he was also a brother and understood the agony of the victims’ family and “would do all he could to unravel the truth”. But as much as it reflected his sense of urgency to his supporters, it also underlined official vacillation. Many officials concerned with the probe believe that there was no need for keeping the issue alive for so long as the death by drowning, which the police believes was the likely reason for the duo’s death, could have been ascertained quickly. In fact, the first team of experts which carried the autopsy did not find any foul play, sources say, and one doctor shared it with the angry crowd waiting outside, triggering protests. Under pressure, the government ordered a post-mortem by another panel and, to cap it all, made contradictory statements.

“The judicial probe will take one month and the long time will be exploited by Hurriyat. If the government was sure of its case, it should have gone ahead and made it public rather keep the issue hanging for a month,” they said.

The upfront and quick handling of the Bomai case, in which two civilians were killed in the Army firing, by Abdullah, who ensured the shifting of Army camp from the village and punishment for the guilty soldiers, earned him kudos and allowed his party to sweep the elections in the valley. But this time, many say, he has tied himself in knots and, to a large extent, he is himself to blame.

Jammu, June 5
Prof Bhim Singh, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP), has demanded dismissal of the National Conference-led coalition government in the state.

Bhim Singh said there was a major law and order problem in the state and the administration too had become defunct.

“The life and property of citizens is under threat by anti-social elements in the valley. Most educational institutions are shut, shops and trading houses have been closed because the government has failed to protect the life, property and business of the masses,” Bhim Singh said, adding that innocent people were being killed in police custody or by unknown forces that were out to destroy peace in the state.

“Children, women and opposition political workers are being killed in broad daylight and the government has failed to act, ” he said.

The JKNPP chief said his party was a responsible opposition and could not be a silent spectator.

“Our party urges Governor NN Vohra to invoke Section 92 of the J&K Constitution, to dismantle the present government and promulgate Governor's Rule in the state to save the people of the state from destruction," Singh said

He also urged the Governor to constitute an advisory committee comprising members of the parties having representation in the Legislative Assembly to take measures to correct the law and order situation in the state.

Jammu, June 5
The National Secular Forum (NSF) and the Jammu University Research Scholar Executive Association (JURSEA) held a protest demonstration against the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and the Higher Education Department for not initiating any action against illegal private study centres of different universities.

The protest was held under the leadership of NSF president Vikas Sharma and Rakesh Chib at Fountain Plaza on the campus against director, Higher Education, ND Wani and JMC commissioner Mubarak Singh.

Addressing the protesters, Vikas Sharma said the NSF would take the issue of unauthorised study centres to a logical end and demanded from the JMC to initiate steps as these study centres were vitiating the atmosphere of residential areas by creating all sorts of nuisance and mess.

He also demanded from the Higher Education Department to come forward and make people, particularly innocent students, aware about the reality of such study centres.

Jammu, June 5
The health sector in the region is in shambles. The only government-run specialised gynaecology and paediatrics hospital in the region - Shri Maharaja Ghulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital - has only two ventilators.

Till two months ago, the hospital had only one ventilator for both paediatrics and gynaecological departments. A new ventilator, costing nearly Rs 8 lakh, has been set up in the neo-natal ICU of the paediatrics ward.

Sources, however, maintain that the equipment is of no use to the children who are more than a month old and brought here for the treatment of snake bites, poisoning, burns and shock.

According to them, the hospital draws an influx of nearly 1,200 patients in its OPD, besides 50-60 patients are admitted on daily basis in both wards.

“The hospital is faced with shortage of manpower, equipment and infrastructure. The authorities have time and again written to the government but nothing has been done in this regard,” they said, adding that the 550-bed hospital was overburdened with the burgeoning number of patients. The hospital accommodates more than 700 indoor patients on regular basis - a number beyond its existing capacity.

In the absence of life-saving equipments, patients either shift to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu, or to private nursing homes.

As the GMCH itself has shortage of ventilators, the patients have to be supported by manual ventilators or ambulatory manual breathing unit bags. It involves a lot of care to comply with all the requisite parameters.

Dr Rakesh Khajuria, in-charge of SMGS Hospital, said: “It is the only hospital of its kind in the region so problems do occur because of dearth of equipments and exceeding number of patients.”

Udhampur, June 5
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today asked police officers to discharge their duties with dedication and honesty. Omar Abdullah was addressing passing-out parade of 61 probationary officers at Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy here. The officers include 31 DSPs, one inspector and 29 sub-inspectors.

Complimenting them on the completion of their training, the Chief Minister said the police officers should work with determination in protecting the lives and property of the people.

DGP Kuldeep Khoda said it was an endeavour of the police to be a people-friendly organisation and for it continued reforms were being undertaken. He also stated that the department had submitted a proposal to the government for introducing commissionerate system for Jammu and Srinagar.

Leh, June 5
A mass cleanliness drive has been launched by the Ladakh Ecological Development Group, an NGO, to observe World Environment Day at Khardong Pass, a popular tourist spot, and some of the residential areas of Leh town.

Some foreign tourists also joined in the cleanliness drive at Khardong Pass.

The residential areas where the drive was launched, under the leadership of nambardar and president of the women self-help group of the area, are Skalzangling, Disketstal, Skampari, ManiTselding and Marpark.

Organiser Sonam Jorgyes said: “The cleanliness drive has been launched as part of an awareness campaign on solid waste management being held in the district.”

Rising awareness against the pollution in Leh town, schoolchildren have also taken out a rally in Leh markets.

JAMMU: The Adbi Kunj Literary Organisation in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages organised a multilingual poetic symposium to observe World Environment Day at KL Saigal Hall, here today. At the symposium, poets from the region voiced their concern over climatic changes and called for reducing the pollution level in Jammu and demanded a blanket ban on the use of polythene.

Some poets sarcastically referred to politicians’ concern for global warming and at the same time shielding those who have polluted the environment by setting up high industries, emitting toxic and dangerous gasses.

Sham Sunder Anand Lehar, noted Urdu poet, through one of his stanzas stated that rules were there to protect the environment but never implemented in letter and spirit.

Jammu, June 5
Prof Hari Om, who joined the Congress last year after being a member of the BJP for more than 20 years, showed remarkable courage in bringing to light the injustice done to Jammu while representing Kashmir at all pedestals by the party.

Stressing the need for secularism and democracy in the party, he said: “People of the Jammu province, especially Hindus, are disturbed owing to certain negative developments during the past five months. This is not a good omen for the Congress, which needs to be strengthen its support base in Jammu.”

He recounted five such important junctures where blatant injustice was done with Jammu.

Without naming Azad and Farooq Abdullah, he said, the party inducted both leaders of the same community, ignoring the legitimate claim of the Hindu community. He strongly recommended the name of Madan Lal Sharma for the Cabinet, who repeated his victory as an MP from the Jammu-Poonch seat, defeating strong BJP candidate Leela Sharma with an impressive margin.

He also rued the judgment of ‘Delhi-based ruling elite’ to give its support to the NC for the post of Chief Minister. He wanted Jammu to occupy this office for half of the term.

He, then, signalled towards the ignorance of the Hindu community while inducting ministers in the Cabinet as seven ministers were inducted from among Muslims and one from the Buddhist community for the Kashmir division, and just three were picked up for Jammu.

He also said the decision makers, both in Kashmir and New Delhi, meticulously excluded the Hindu minority from the Rajya Sabha election, and gave all four seats to the politicians belonging to the Muslim community - three from Kashmir and one from Jammu.

Finally, he lamented that all candidates for the Legislative Council were selected from among the Muslim community barring two non-Muslims, one Kashmiri Hindu and one Jammu Hindu who made it to the council with great difficulty.

Srinagar, June 5
A 55-year-old activist of the NC was shot dead by unidentified militants in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, official sources said today.

Mohammad Abdullah Geela, a shopkeeper, was shot dead last night inside his house at Sangerwari village, 55 km from here. Geela died on the spot. However, the gunmen managed to flee after the incident.

The security forces have launched a hunt to nab the militants involved in the incident, they said.

RAJOURI: Troops of the 19 Dogra seized 4 kg RDX, four RPG grenades, two UBGL grenades, 18 detonators with wire, 4 RDX batteries, pistol silencer and three radio set antennas in the Dabbi area of Balakote in Poonch district .

Troops of the 7 Kumaon and the police seized AK-56 rifles, AK 56 magazine, 53 AK rounds, a hand grenade, a satellite phone, Thuraya SIM card, two SIM cards of Ufone and Dujice from the Beri Rakh forest area in Mendhar this evening.

Meanwhile, the Poonch DC today ordered a ban on storage, sale, purchase and stitching of combat dresses by unauthorised civilians throughout the district for three months.

Jammu, June 5
Three persons were killed and 31 injured in road mishaps in and around Jammu today.

A tractor, on its way from Mendhar to Gursai Nallah, met with an accident at Harni Bazar, resulting into the death of a woman, Shaheen Akhter, a resident of Nar.

A motorcycle was hit by a bus at the local bus stand, injuring three persons. The victims were rushed to the local Government Medical College where Varun Gill succumbed to his injuries.

An Army vehicle collided with another Army vehicle at Chanderkote in which soldier, Karan Rayal, was killed.

An oil tanker, on its way from Jammu to Srinagar, plunged into a gorge at Tringla in Batote, resulting into injuries to two persons.

Similarly, a bus which was on its way from Surankote to Lar Sharief in Srinagar met with an accident at Bathuni in Rajouri, causing injuries to 16 passengers.

Eleven others were admitted to the GMC here after they sustained injuries in different road accidents.