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Omar tenders apology over Shopian case
I-Day peaceful amid strike
Celebrations in Ladakh
I-Day celebrated in Rajouri
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Patriotic fervour marks celebrations
Pak’s first national anthem was written by Indian
Parallel I-Day function a flop show
Ultras from valley sneak into Mahore
‘Beware’ of enemies of communal amity
Militants’ threat fails to deter people
Fraudulent consumer complaint dismissed with costs
Kite flying disrupts power supply
Youth booked on rape charge
Two more swine flu samples sent to NICD
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Omar tenders apology over Shopian case
Srinagar, August 15 “I cannot sideline the Shopian incident. We have not concealed anything. Initially, the government did commit some mistakes. I tender an apology,” he said after unfurling the Tricolour at the heavily-guarded Bakshi Stadium here on the occasion of Independence Day today. He assured the people that there would be no repetition of such incidents. “We have learnt lessons from the incident,” he said, seeking
cooperation of the people to nab the culprits. Underlining the importance of dialogue with Pakistan to resolve all issues, Omar said his government favoured a consistent and composite dialogue with the neighbour to sort out all problems and help create a palatable and peaceful atmosphere for people, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, to prosper. Speaking in the midst of watertight security and complete shutdown in the city, Omar told the gathering, which was considerably more than on previous occasions when crowd comprised more of government officials and security personnel than civilians, at the Bakshi Stadium that he
wanted complete normalcy to return to the state. In his childhood, he recalled, he would cycle down from his residence to Dal Lake and drink its water and enjoy the quietness and natural beauty. “I have a dream that the same day comes back to the state when there is no security nuisance,” he said in his ever-earnest style and touching a chord with his attentive audience. The Chief Minister said the protection of human rights was his top agenda. “We have shown by our actions that the violators of human rights would not be allowed to go scot free. Our government has brought the violators to book and worked for severe punishment to them.” Referring to the Assembly elections and the constitution of coalition government in the state, Omar said the NC-Congress coalition shared common principals of secular ethos, brotherhood, equitable development for all areas and it believed in providing equal opportunities of progress and growth to every area and every section of society without any consideration of region, religion, creed, caste or colour. “The benchmark of our functioning is public service irrespective of any consideration. Our politics is not based on regional or religious bias, nor we create a wedge between regions and various section of society for political gains,” he said. Omar expressed gratitude to the Central government, especially to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, for providing the highest ever annual plan of Rs 5,500 crore plus Rs 1,200 crore under the PMRP to the state and helping in the fast-track creation of public utility services. He also asked for people’s cooperation and asked how could the government strengthen and uplift the power sector when it had to purchase electricity worth Rs 2,200 crore yearly and received only Rs 700 crore as power tariff. Advocating a review in the Indus water treaty by India and Pakistan, he said this was yet another bottleneck for them to generate power from the rivers owned by the state. |
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I-Day peaceful amid strike
Srinagar, August 15 Normal life remained crippled today across the valley in view of the strike called by separatists and militants. Most of the shops and business establishments remained closed and transport off the roads in Srinagar and all major towns of the valley, in response to the strike call. The main road leading to the Bakshi stadium the venue of the Independence Day function was closed. Qamer Ali Akhoon, Transport and Consumer Affairs Minister, hoisted the national flag at Shopian, which had seen much unrest recently following the alleged rape and murder of two women, and students of various schools of the district took part in the march past. Ali Mohammad Sagar, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister, led the celebrations by unfurling the Tricolour at Pulwama police lines, while Peerzada Sayeed, Education Minister, did the honours at Anantnag. Sagar invoked the inclusive leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Moulana Azad and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to remind the audience of their rich heritage. Large contingents of the CRPF and the police patrolled the streets of Srinagar to ensure that the day went off peacefully and movements to sensitive areas like the Bakshi Stadium, where Chief Minister Omar Abdullah unfurled the Tricolour, and Lal Chowk were restricted. Shopkeepers preferred to keep their establishments shut to avoid security harassment as well as going by the call of separatist outfits, which had called for a strike. |
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Celebrations in Ladakh
Leh, August 15 Greeting the people on the occasion, Dorjey said the LAHDC had readied the vision document 2025, a blueprint for undertaking developmental activities in the district. He said it had prepared projects to implement the vision document. In other parts of the district, Nyoma Tsewang Dolma and Tsering Nurboo, SDM of Nubra and Khalsi, respectively, and GM Brakboo hoisted the national flag. |
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I-Day celebrated in Rajouri
Rajouri, August 15 Speaking on the occasion, Sham Lal said the coalition government was determined to lead the state on the path of peace and prosperity. He said focus would be laid on far-flung and inaccessible areas of the state for their overall development. Schoolchildren presented a colorful cultural programme on the occasion. Similar functions were also held at Nowshera, Sunderbani, Kalakote, Thanna Mandi, Koteranka, Budhal and all tehsil and block headquarters. Meanwhile, Independence Day was celebrated with enthusiasm in Poonch at district headquarters, subdivisions and tehsils here today. Minister for Revenue and Relief Raman Bhalla, who was scheduled to hoist the Tricolour at the district headquarters, could not reach the venue, as his chopper could not take off from the Jammu Airport due to inclement weather. The Tricolour was hoisted by acting Deputy Commissioner Rattan Lal Behlam. |
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Patriotic fervour marks celebrations
Jammu, August 15 State BJP president Ashok Khajuria hoisted the Tricolour at the party headquarters. Senior party leaders and activists of the party were present. The Arora Bans Sabha also organised a flag-hoisting ceremony. Sabha president Ramesh Arora along with office-bearers of the
sabha, along with Swatantar Arora, Deputy SP City, unfurled the national flag at Kachi Chawni
Chowk. The management, staff and students of LS Academy, Bri-Kamila, celebrated Independence Day with enthusiasm. Principal Bharti Slathia unfurled the national flag. Students staged a march past and later expressed their views on the relevance the day, highlighting the sacrifices made by freedom fighters. The Panthers Party hoisted the national flag at Rajinder Bazaar and Gandhi
Nagar. The state unit of the Rashtriya Krantikari Samajwadi Party also organised a function here today. Tanveer Hussain
Babzada, state president of the party, hoisted the Tricolour. He also paid tributes to the martyrs and freedom fighters. HL
Bhagat, principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Gharota, hoisted the national flag at the school and paid tributes to the martyrs. The J&K Samaj Kalyan Kendra held a function at Government Senior Secondary School for the hearing and speech impaired. The function was attended by a large number of students along with their parents and guardians. Inderjeet
Khajuria, president of the kendra, unfurled the national flag. The J&K Tourism Development Corporation Employees Union celebrated the day at the Tourist Reception
Centre, where SK Gupta, General Manager, JKTDC, hoisted the national flag. The Water Works Employees Association also celebrated the day and VK
Abrol, Chief Engineer, PHE, unfurled the Tricolour. Jammu university too celebrated Independence Day with patriotic fervour and gaiety. Vice-Chancellor Varun Sahni hoisted the national flag and released colourful balloons. An impressive function was held at Akhnoor subdivision, where Saugat
Biswas, SDM, unfurled the Tricolour at Government Boys Higher Secondary School,
Akhnoor. Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Minister of State for Cooperative, Industries and Commerce, unfurled the Tricolour at
Kathua. At Hiranagar, Durga Dass, MLA, and at Basohli, Jagdish Raj
Sapolia, MLA, unfurled the national flag, respectively. |
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Pak’s first national anthem was written by Indian
Jammu, August 15 Jagannath Azad, a Lahore-based Hindu poet and scholar of Urdu who wrote the first national anthem of Pakistan, has more than 70 books to his credit but his dream of getting “Rudad-e-Iqbal”, anthology of Iqbal’s philosophy and poetry could not go into press due to his sudden death in 2004. The manuscript of the anthology is with his son, Adarsh K Azad, a businessman based at Greater Kailash in Jammu. “I am willing to spend as much as possible but none of the scholars or academicians from an Urdu background is evincing interest in getting the anthology published,” Adarsh rued. “My father would often recall that he was surprised after his colleagues in Radio Pakistan, Lahore, approached him and told him that Jinnah Sahib wanted him to write the national anthem. They confided that “Qaid-e-Azam wanted the anthem to be written by an Urdu-knowing Hindu. Azad was of firm belief that Jinnah Sahib wanted a secular Pakistan," he recalled. “He wrote the national anthem on short notice --- just two days before Pakistan’s Independence Day on August 14 and it was approved by Jinnah in a few hours. It was sung for the first time on Pakistan Radio, Karachi, which was then the capital of Pakistan,” he said. However, his song remained as Pakistan’s national anthem for a year and a half. After Jinnah’s death, a song written by the Pakistani poet Hafiz Jallundri replaced the first national anthem. ”Due to communal tension in both east and west Punjab, my father’s friends suggested to him to migrate to India,” he said and added, “Consequently, he settled in Delhi in September 1947 and later came to J&K on the request of Sheikh Abdullah.” “My father-in-law always supported India-Pakistan friendship like his counterparts and friends in Pakistan Qatil Shefai, Josh Malihabadi and Hafeez Jallundri,” said social activist and Azad’s daughter-in-law, Reenu Azad. “He was a simple person, always engrossed in his thoughts. He was a non-political person with a firm faith in Hindu-Muslim unity. His ideology has great influence on us and it keeps guiding us to stand for humanity,” she added. The head of the Urdu Department in the University of Jammu, Prof Soab Inayat Malik, said, “He was the first researcher who introduced Iqbal in the right perspective in India. Azad discovered several facts about Iqbal and disclosed that Iqbal belonged to a Kashmiri Pandit (Sapru) family. He was given the title of Hafiz-e-Iqbal. He brought J&K on the literary map of world and was considered as ambassador of Jammu University. “Imtiyaz-e-Pakistan, the highest literary award of Pakistan, was conferred upon him during Zia-ul- Haq’s regime,” he said. Speaking over his unpublished work, Malik said, “The department is willing to offer any services to Azad’s family and we would be highly grateful to them if they seek any kind of help for its publication.” |
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Parallel I-Day function a flop show
Jammu, August 15 Much to the chagrin of the
CUAS, only a handful of people turned out at the City Chowk, putting up a dismal show. The CUAS had decided to boycott the government’s Independence Day functions. However, after unfurling the Tricolour in presence of a strong posse of cops, CUAS convener Paviter Singh, BJP state president Ashok
Khajuria, president of the J&K Petroleum Tankers Association Anan Sharma, CUAS co-convener Dev Raj Baru and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Mhay avowed to take the agitation to a logical
conclusion. Paviter Singh in his speech made it clear to the NC-Congress government that the CAUS would not settle with anything less than the central varsity in Jammu. However, the students leaders associated with the CUAS were conspicuously missing from the function. |
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Ultras from valley sneak into Mahore
Udhampur, August 15 The killing of 10 terrorists in the past five days in this belt, besides the arrest of an OGW from south Kashmir, who had been preaching secessionism in this area, is a clear indication that the militant groups have turned toward the Dewal and Gulabgarh areas of Mahore tehsil to strengthen their base in this area. A senior police officer told The Tribune that the security forces had been receiving information about the movement of some suspects in this belt during the past one month. Sources, quoting inputs of intelligence agencies, disclosed that one month ago there was not more than 25 active militants in the whole Mahore tehsil, but today their strength had doubled as some dreaded ultras from south Kashmir had managed to sneak into this belt. Though pickets of the security forces as well as the local police had been set up at some places to keep a check on the activities of anti-national elements, many routes remained unplugged and the militants had been using these to move from one side of Pir Panchal to the other. Although Mahore tehsil is the Pahari and Gujjar-dominated area, the belt bordering south Kashmir is dominated by Kashmiri-speaking people, so militants and OGWs from the other side of Pir Panchal can easily mix up with the local population here. “Four Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, who were killed on August 10, had recently entered Mahore from south Kashmir,” sources said. Gulabgarh belt is the remotest area of Mahore tehsil and some pockets of this region
have been still dominated by militants. |
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‘Beware’ of enemies of communal amity
Jammu, August 15 He urged the people to bond as a cohesive unit for defeating the nefarious designs of elements inimical to peace and tranquillity in the state. Addressing a gathering after unfurling the Tricolour at the Mini Stadium here today, Tara Chand recalled the contribution of gallant soldiers and freedom fighters, who laid down their lives for securing freedom. He also paid homage to Dr B R Ambedkar, the architect of country’s constitution. He said like other parts of India, Jammu and Kashmir had also a unique and diverse socio- religious fabric. Each one of us should contribute toward preserving the exemplary feature of unity in diversity for which India is known across the world, he added. He sought the support of the masses to achieve targets for overall progress of the state. The Deputy CM claimed that the government had launched a crusade against poverty, illiteracy and unemployment. It was committed to the equitable development of the three regions of the state, he added. Referring to the concept of greater Jammu and greater Srinagar with all advancement and affluence of modern cities as envisaged by former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, he said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would lead the state toward a new progressive epoch and open up new vistas of development. Maintaining that development of Jammu province, particularly of inaccessible and rural areas, was the priority of the coalition regime, Tara Chand said a massive road connectivity of far-flung villages under the Prime Ministers Reconstruction Plan was bound to accelerate the socio-economic development of these areas. The private sector was also being encouraged for creating job opportunities for the youth, he added. Listing major developmental plans of the government, the Deputy CM said the thrust was being laid on tapping the huge hydropower potential, besides using the same for providing better irrigation facilities to the farmers to boost the agriculture sector. Contingents of the police, armed forces and students of various schools presented an impressive march-past. A colourful cultural programme was also presented to mark the occasion. As a token of appreciation, Tara Chand announced Rs 1 lakh for the students who took part in the march-past and the cultural programme. |
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Militants’ threat fails to deter people
Udhampur, August 15 Thousands of people, including schoolchildren and youths, participated in the Independence Day functions. Locals also participated in the functions and saluted the Tricolour. At Mahore, hundreds of people were present when the Tricolour was hoisted amid deafening patriotic sloganeering. Similarly at Doda, people in a large number celebrated Independence Day. The national flag was hoisted at Higher Secondary School at Basantgarh, where a large number of people came from remote areas to witness the celebrations. In Gool, the main function was held at Higher Secondary School and the participation of students and locals was encouraging. Mohammad Sharief Niaz, a former Minister and sitting MLA, hoisted the national flag and took the salute in the Gandoh area of Doda. Police contingents and schoolchildren performed the march past. Children of various schools presented various cultural items. Niaz congratulated people on the occasion and said thousands of freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for independence. It was our duty to maintain communal harmony, unity and brotherhood now, he added. The main function in Udhampur district was held on the premises of Boys PG Degree College, where R.S. Chib, Minister for Technical and Medical Education, Youth Services and Sports, hoisted the national flag and took the salute at an impressive march past presented by the jawans of the JKP, Forest Protection Force, NCC students and children of various educational institutions. Complimenting people on the auspicious day, the minister recalled the services of front line leaders, including Mahatama Gandhi, and sacrifices by numerous freedom fighters. He said it was now our prime duty and responsibility, especially the youths, to keep this hard-won freedom intact by maintaining unity in diversity. Chib said the government was fully committed to the development of the state irrespective of regional imbalances, creation of ample employment avenues and ensuring socio-economic transformation of weaker sections of society. |
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Fraudulent consumer complaint dismissed with costs
Jammu, August 15
It directed the DGP to carry out fair and honest investigation so that offenders and their abettors/conspirators, alleged to be involved in fabricating public record with intention to defraud people, were identified and proceeded against in accordance with the law. Abdul Qayoom Wani, a resident of Magam village in Baramulla, filed a complaint alleging that his two-storey residential house, insured with New India Assurance Co. Ltd, was gutted in fire during the intervening night of February 25/26, 1997. The incident was reported under daily diary No. 10 on February 26, 1997, at Karuri police station. On the basis of the daily diary report, the SSP, Baramulla, informed the complainant that the case had been closed as an accidental one. The complainant got the loss assessed from Mir Bilal, an engineer, for Rs 8,89,622 as the construction cost of the gutted house. The insurer in a written reply termed the complaint to be not maintainable, being based on a false and fabricated estimate prepared by an engineer of his choice, who was named as the man behind the fraud and examined Shakeel Ahmed Bhat as a witness, who found the insured building intact and safe and further proved that the complainant’s family members were residing in the same house. The surveyor had written to the SSP, Baramulla, to get the matter re-investigated as the police report was not based on facts. The commission while dismissing the complaint observed that “having regard to the scheme of the J&K Consumers Protection Act, 1987, its object and purpose and the mischief it seeks to guard against, it is clear that in case the complainant’s attempt to commit a fraud has not been unearthed by the honest efforts of Shakeel, surveyor, the complainant will have reduced the Act as nugatory. In the administration of justice in criminal cases, the police has a very important role to play when entrusted with the statutory authority to investigate crimes and bring the offenders to book. But in the instant case, the fabrication of public record in form of a daily diary report to raise a false claim for getting Rs 9 lakh along with interest was considered as a trifling act not worth taking any notice. The complaint has been filed under a deep-rooted conspiracy hatched with the active connivance of some black sheep working in the Police Department, having all pervading protective umbrella from his/their superior supervising and controlling officer. Under the circumstances, a heavy legal duty was cast upon the SSP concerned to see as to whether police officials were involved in the fabrication of police record. When the protectors of law themselves become perpetrators of crime with impunity, what can happen to society in terms of creating anarchy and mayhem is an unimaginable situation.” The commission further appreciated the conduct of the public-spirited surveyor for having unearthed a fraud of great magnitude and saving the draining out of public money. |
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Kite flying disrupts power supply
Jammu, August 15 PDD staff ran helter-skelter to repair the damaged transformer and electricity wires in the city. The most affected places remain Panch Tirthi, Shalamar, Dhontli, New Plant, Pakka Danga, Talab Tillo and Pakka Danga. In a bid to free the entangled kites or snap the thread attached along with, kite-fliers damaged the power wires at many places. At some places, the electricity remains disrupted throughout the day. Due to rainfall at regular intervals, it became further difficult for the PDD employees to repair the damaged
cables. |
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Youth booked on rape charge
Jammu, August 15 The victim was allegedly raped by Amit Kumar when she was alone in her house, the police
said, adding when the girl tried to raise an alarm, the youth hit on her head with a sharp-edged weapon and escaped. She was later admitted to a hospital by her family members. A case of rape and attempt to murder has been registered against the accused and
efforts are on to nab him. — PTI |
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Two more swine flu samples sent to NICD Jammu, August 15 “The blood samples of a 23-year-old student from Pune and two-year-old baby boy having the symptoms of suspected swine flu were sent to the NICD today,” Dr RS Charak, state epidemiologist, told The Tribune. Asked about the reports of 19 persons, he said they may reach here this evening. However, as of now barring a 22-year-old girl, none had tested positive for the H1N1 virus, he added.
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