Jammu, November 2
Over a month after Rukhsana Kausar caught nation’s eye by killing a militant and wounding another in a nondescript village in Rajouri, the state government has finally fulfilled its promise of giving her and her two relatives jobs in the police.

“Rukhsana is now a special police officer (SPO) along with her brother Aijaz and uncle Wakalat Hussain,” said Jammu division IG Ashok Gupta.

Discounting rumours about shifting her to Delhi on security reasons after her village was attacked, the IG said there was no truth behind such news. “We are fully capable of providing her and her family full security,” he said.

Rukhsana had gone to Delhi to move later to Pune to attend a felicitation function held there. However, family sources said the function was now cancelled and she was returning to Rajouri.

Ever since the incident took place and President Pratibha Patil honoured her, many organisations in the country and abroad were seeking time from her to honour her, sources said.

She was scheduled to attend one such function in Pune while another function was slated to be held in Mumbai on November 26 on the first anniversary of the 26/11 attack.

Rukhsana was yet to respond to the police announcement of giving her and her two relatives jobs in the police department. She had stated in an earlier interview that she wanted a job for her brother.

Srinagar, November 2
As the seat of state government shifts from here for re-opening in the winter capital of the state next week, the arrangements with regard to the supply of foodgrain and other essential commodities for the winter months were reviewed here today.

Chief Minister’s Adviser Mubarak Gul presided over a meeting that was attended among others by Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Naseem Lanker and other civil and police officers, an official spokesman said.

The Power Development Department (PDD) authorities said the department had made all arrangements, including contingency plans, to meet any eventuality in case of heavy snowfall.

Regarding availability of foodgrains, it was said that the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD) Department was having adequate stock of essentials commodities, including foodgrain. It was claimed that there was 100 per cent stocking of foodgrain in remote areas like Kargil, Leh, Machil, Keran, Gurez etc. Around 50 lakh litres of kerosene and adequate supply of LPG was also available. The Chief Engineer (R&B) said 4,500-km-long road stretches would be cleared from this year while another 4,500-km stretches of interior roads/lanes would also be cleared.

With a view to keep Srinagar-Jammu highway open during winter months, the Beacon authorities assured that all necessary arrangements would be ensured for keeping the highway open and providing protection to the passengers.

It was also said 58 watering water pumps, 2,300 sweepers and nine suckers would be pressed into service for clearing snow and water logging.

Mubarak Gul impressed upon all officers concerned to keep their men and machinery in the state of readiness to ensure hassle-free movement of people in case of snowfall. He directed the CA&PD authorities to ensure availability of essential commodities to the consumers and take action against those found indulging in black marketing. He said two control rooms should be set up and kept functional round the clock. He instructed the Chief Engineer (Mechanical) that roads should be cleared using snow-cutters avoiding damage to the roads.

Srinagar, November 2
Supporting the idea of an intra-Kashmir conference over the past many years to discuss Kashmir, the Awami National Conference(ANC) has formally announced the launch of preparations for holding meetings at five destinations on either side of the LoC.

This was announced by party president Khalida Shah, widow of former Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah and daughter of Sheikh Abdullah, at her residence here yesterday.

The ANC proposes to hold the conference in Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit, she told reporters here yesterday. Seeking permission from the Centre, she added the whole exercise would be completed in the next six months.

The announcement was made following the return of her son and senior vice-president of the party, Muzaffar Shah after attending an intra-Kashmir conference in London recently. The conference was attended among others by APHC chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jamaat-e-Islami chief of PoK Abdul Rashid Turabi. The idea of such conferences to discuss Kashmir with the participation of representatives of the state on either side of the LoC had been launched by the former Chief Minister and Sheikh Abdullah’s close associate, Ghulam Mohammad Shah. The ANC’s founder leader, Shah, died early this year after his party unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly elections after 22 years.

“We are responding to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement on talks offer during his visit to the state last week”, Muzaffar Shah said. The proposed meet would discuss the viewpoint of different parties like greater autonomy demand of the ruling National Conference,the PDP’s self-rule formula and others, he added. He hoped that the Governments of India and Pakistan would facilitate this people- to- people dialogue initiated by the civil society itself. “People of Jammu and Kashmir look forward to all facilitation by Manmohan Singh's government to be provided for smooth conduct of this meaningful exercise which will suggest a solution to the burning Kashmir issue”, he stated.

The ANC leader urged the two neighbouring countries to suspend any backchannel diplomacy which could hamper the solution to the dispute, particularly once the civil society of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of caste, creed, colour, religion, region or political affinity was engaged in a dialogue by themselves for suggesting a just and equitable, peaceful and honorable solution to the dispute. 

Jammu, November 2
The Vichar Manch today condemned the government’s move on the return of displaced Kashmir migrants to the valley.

According to a statement issued here, Dr R.L.Bhat, vice-president of the manch, said:“To overturn all promises and assurances, the government has unilaterally come up with a hotchpotch plan of a restricted return. This is a betrayal of the promises, a sly scheme to deny return to the displaced.”

“It is unacceptable. It is calculated to keep displacing Kashmir Pandits(KPs) away from Kashmir. It does not address the all-important security concern. It wants to make the Kashmiri Hindus targets for the terrorists, if they choose to return”, he added.

The other members of the Manch said the displaced Hindus had already rejected the module. They wanted a return for all 60,000 KPs, but the government did not want to discuss these plans. 

Srinagar, November 2
Noted jurist and analyst AG Noorani has termed the PDP’s proposal on self-rule as the most pragmatic solution for the vexed Kashmir problem.

He said this while addressing a day-long seminar on the subject in the PDP’s effort to seek response from society on its self-rule proposal.

Speaking on the occasion, PDP patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayed urged the Centre to take some effective steps for reinforcing trust among the people of the state. He warned the state that speaking in different languages while reacting on different issues would jeopardise the peace process. He suggested that instead of speaking in different languages the government should come out with a clear policy and speak in one language on different issues. He pointed out that confusing statements on different issues had already harmed people of the state who had been bearing the brunt of the situation in the region.

Mufti said the self-rule document prepared by the party appeared to be gaining common ground because many political parties had been supporting important components of self-rule, including demilitarisation, revocation of draconian laws as Armed Forces Special Power Act and control over water management. He said these issues incorporated in the self-rule were now pursued by other political parties also.

Party president Mehbooba Mufti, former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and other senior leaders and representatives of society participated.

Jammu, November 2
The case of an interfaith marriage of a Sikh girl with a Muslim youth took a new turn today when the father of the girl said she was a major and could take her own decisions but he wanted to hear the decision himself and not through court.

The girl’s father today said he desperately wanted to meet his daughter to know the truth as there were diverse versions coming from the valley and different organisations.

A 20-year-old Sikh girl, who is a physiotherapist, allegedly married a Muslim youth, who drives a minibus in Srinagar on October 9. She reportedly changed her religion.

Talking to The Tribune, Singh, an engineer in the state irrigation department said, “All I want is to meet my daughter to know the truth and at the same time want answers to some questions. If she says that she married the Muslim youth of her own, then I figure nowhere because she is a major.”

It may be stated that several Sikh and Hindu organisations here yesterday served a 24-hour ultimatum to the state government to shift the girl from Srinagar to Jammu so as to record her statement before a Jammu court here.

The organisations here claimed that the girl had given her statement before a Srinagar court wherein she confirmed marrying the Muslim youth out of her own choice and was not under pressure.

She had been pursuing her BSc from women’s college in Lal Chowk and on October 19 she had to join her physiotherapy course in Lalyalpur Khalsa College at Jalandhar, he said.

After she went missing during the intervening night of October 17 and 18, the next day “we lodged a report with the police but on October 22 she appeared before a Srinagar court and gave a statement”, he said.

“But she refused to say anything to me”, he added. Smelling foul play behind interfaith marriage of his daughter with a minibus driver, Singh strongly felt that she had been “hypnotised” over the years.

Jhiri (Jammu), November 2
Lakhs of people from all over the country, especially from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pardesh, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, thronged Jhiri village, about 22 km from Jammu on the Jammu-Akhnoor national highway, to attend Jhiri Fair, popularly known as “farmers’ festival”.

Majority of them were newly wed couples who wished to seek divine blessings. Neeraj and Reshma, a couple from Rohtak, said, “Our parents were regular visitors to the fair and we are continuing the tradition.”

Harjeet Kaur, an octogenarian, said she had come there with her family to seek blessings for her daughter, who got married last month. The week-long event happens to be the biggest fair in the state. Devotees visited the place in hoards to pay obeisance at the shrine of Baba Jitmal “Jitto”.

Heavy rush of visitors and vehicles was visible on the Jammu-Jhiri road. Though all possible arrangements were made by the traffic police to ensure smooth flow of traffic, jams could not be avoided on the first day of the fair.

The fair is held on Purnima of November every year. The day is also known as Kartik Purnima and the birthday of the first guru of Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev, also falls on the same day.

The fair is held to commemorate the martyrdom of Baba Jitto, who fought against exploitation of farmers. “Baba Jitto belonged to Aghar village, near Katra. He was a regular visitor to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and this place also belongs to the devi,” said Ruldu Singh, a follower from Punjab.

The devotees were seen taking a dip in the holy pond known as “Babe-da-Talab” which is said to have power to cure skin disorders.

It is said that Baba Jitto, an honest Brahmin farmer and devotee of Mata Vaishno Devi, used to live at Aghar village. In his youth days, he decided to leave the village. He met Mehta Bir Singh, “vazir” of Ambgrota in Jammu, and urged him to provide him a piece of land for cultivation. Bir Singh signed an agreement with him and gave him a piece of barren land. Jitto was supposed to give one-fourth of his produce to the king.

Baba Jitto worked hard and converted the barren land into green fields. When, Bir Singh got the news regarding the good yield, he arrived at the fields along with his men and asked them to lift three-fourths of the crop leaving just a quarter with Jitto.

Baba Jitto asked him to follow the terms of the agreement. But his request was turned down. Later, Baba committed suicide leaving all surrounding grains red with blood. His seven-year-old daughter, Bua Kouri, also set herself ablaze. The fair is held in memory of Baba Jitto every year.

Jammu, November 2
Panun Kashmir (PK) led by Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo has demanded that it should be made part of negotiations on the Kashmir issue because of the fact that Kashmiri Pandits are the first and natural claimants of Kashmir. According to a statement issued here, the leaders of the Panun Kashmir said the exodus of the Pandits had added a different dimension to the issue and the Pandits want to get involved in the negotiations.

President of PK, Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, said at a time when a number of forces both within and outside the country had got active, it is imperative that everything was done before the public glare and knowledge.

Jammu, November 2
The Prime Minister’s package of employment for the displaced Kashmiri youth coupled with their return to the valley has led to a debate among the displaced people and the intelligentsia.

The Kashmiri Pandits under the banner of the JK Thinkers Forum, at a meeting today, suggested people-to-people dialogue to accelerate their return to the valley. Views were also expressed on the problem of J&K with a special focus on the return of the displaced people to the valley.

Expressing his opinion on the package, SK Santosh, a member of the forum, said: “It is easy to measure the physical distances but what is more important is to narrow down the mental distances between the Kashmiri Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits before they return to the valley.” “Recent statements of all Kashmir Pandit organisations urging for de-linking their return from the employment package speaks volumes about their alienation from the Kashmir mainstream,” he added.

Laying stress on restoring the faith between the two communities before asking the displaced people to return to their homeland, Dr BL Koul, another member of the forum, said: “Let all of us utilise our individual contacts to contribute in launching an initiative for fruitful interaction between the two communities.”

Rejecting the idea of settlement of displaced people at the district headquarters in the valley, advocate Badri Nath Pandita, another member of the forum, said, “Either I should go to my own village where I was brought up or there is no fun in my returning to the valley and settling down in a place away from my roots. I am better settled in Jammu,” he added.

On the contrary, Mohan Lal Raina, another member of the forum, said, “Most of the families of my village had sold their immovable properties and it is not possible for few of the residents of my village to settle down there.”

Jammu, November 2
Thousands of Sikhs from various parts of the Jammu region today gathered at Gurdwara Sri Guru Nanak Dev, Chand Nagar Jammu, to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Various preachers and Ragi jathas from Punjab and Delhi participated in the programme. Former Chandigarh Mayor Harjinder Kaur addressed the congregation and threw light on the life and preachings of the Guru.

The Sikhs also adopted a resolution highlighting their demands and asked the government to intervene in order to end the problems being faced them.

President of the District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in Jammu Dalip Singh, while highlighting the demands, said, “Recently, there have been a number of incidents in which Sikhs girls, particularly those in the valley, were forced or lured to marry Muslims.

This is a calculated move of some fundamental and communal elements and is not only a threat to the Sikh community’s honour but also has caused a serious damage to communal harmony and goodwill among the communities. Such activities and tendencies require to be curbed by the government with a heavy hand.”

He said the Sikhs had not got their share of representation in the state cabinet even though the former chief minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, last year had promised it.

He said around 45,000 Sikhs lost their lives during the tribal invasion of 1947 and a majority of those living in the state were uprooted from PoK. However, their status so far had not been defined as whether they were displaced families, refugees or migrants. A majority of them were living in camps in most unhygienic and inhuman conditions and could hardly afford two meals.They should also be treated on a par with the Kashmiri Pandit migrants,” said Dalip Singh.

The resolution further said recently Sikhs who visited Muzafrabad noticed that the historic Gurdwara of Guru Hargobind was in shambles. The Sikhs urged the government to take up the case through diplomatic channels and devise ways and means for maintenance and upkeep of the Sikh shrine.

Other demands included, changing of the name of the road leading from Bikram Chowk to Railway Station to Guru Gobind Singh Marg and establishment of a chair in Jammu University in honour of the Guru.

They also demanded due importance to be given to the Punjabi language and establishment of a minority commission in accordance with other states.

They also demanded a reservation quota of 2 per cent in all educational and technical institutes for students of the Sikh community.

Jammu, November 2
Thirtynine persons were injured in separate road accidents across the Jammu region,the police said today.

Reports said a Scorpio, on its way to Jammu from Srinagar, rolled down at Nagrota, near the traffic check-post, causing injuries to five persons.The injured were rushed to hospital.

A Swift car from Katra to Jammu overturned at Kalakupar in the Majalta area, resulting in injuries to seven persons.The injured were hospitalised.

In another mishap, a truck, on its way from Jammu to Srinagar, met with an accident at Peera on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, injuring two persons. Both the injured were hospitalised.

A Tata Mobile and a motorcycle collided at Chinar in Rembal in Udhampur causing injuries to motorcyclist Gagandeep of Garhi.

A Tata Mobile on its way from Jammu to Jhiri rolled down near Domana here, injuring 13 persons. The injured were admitted to hospital.