Jammu, November 10
Even as former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler has termed allegations against him as “all political”, protests were held at two places during his visit in Jammu. Tytler was in the town to conduct interviews of the candidates who have applied for the post of Pradesh Youth Congress (PYC) president.

The Nribhow Nirvair Organisation held a demonstration at the Exhibition Ground. Activists of the organisation had announced to march towards the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) headquarters at Saheedi Chowk, but their attempt was foiled by the police. A large number of police personnel were deployed at the Exhibition Ground to foil any attempt of the activists to march towards the old city. After mild scuffle with the cops, agitating youth dispersed from the spot.

Additional forces were also deployed near the PCC headquarters to foil any attempt of such organisations. Senior police officers were themselves keeping a watch during Tytler's stay at the party headquarters.

The National Secular Forum (NSF) also held a protest and burnt effigy of Tytler in front of M.A.M College, who, according to them, is responsible for killing thousands of innocent Sikhs in the 1984 riots.

Vikas Sharma, president of the NSF said the Congress government was rubbing salt on the wounds of Sikhs by deputing a person like Jagdish Tytler to the state.

However, Tytler termed such protests against him as “all political”. When mediapersons draw his attention towards the protests in the city against his visit, Tytler reacted “I don’t want to comment. It is all political”.

Jammu, November 10
Just a day after the Civil Secretariat started functioning in Jammu yesterday, a large number of employees are demanding attachment to the Srinagar secretariat, where a few employees are posted during the winter.

Unlike the last year, the requests are not getting a favourable response this time. Official sources said the council of ministers was not formed fully last year and as such some employees could be spared. But this time there was pressure of adjusting employees with different ministries.

“Each minister requires a number of employees and due to which the requests for attachment to the Srinagar secretariat can’t be accepted. Applications are piling, but there is no scope of accepting them,” said a senior official.

Some employees are always posted in Jammu or Srinagar for the benefit of public even if the darbar moves. Different ministers are allocated days to stay in Srinagar when the secretariat is in Jammu.

The sources said over 100 applications had been received and more could come. “The reasons are the same as cited by Jammu-based secretariat employees when the darbar moves to Srinagar. Employees give personal reasons, but only a few are usually genuine,” a senior official said.

“If you want to work in the secretariat, you should be ready to move every six months,” an official told employees seeking attachment to the Srinagar secretariat.

Pleasantries continued to be exchanged on the second day of the darbar move here today. Most of the visitors were seen sharing updated information and only a very few had actually come to the secretariat for official work.

“People are quite experienced. They give officials a few days to settle down. The secretariat would see rush in a day or two.”

Srinagar, November 10
The finalisation of location for the central university in Kashmir has hit a roadblock again. The state government had identified land for the purpose in Ganderbal district, the home constituency of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The land at Rakh-e-Kujar in Ganderbal district, about 30 km from the summer capital, has not been found suitable for setting up the university, for it mostly remains waterlogged. The vast patch of government land comprising over 4,800 kanals is located about 5 km away from the district headquarters.

Sources here said the land was not suitable for setting up the university. “The task of identifying an alternative piece of land has been assigned to the Deputy Commissioner concerned,” the sources added.

The government had identified two locations, both in the same area at Tulamulla and Rakh-e-Kujar, for setting up the university after the Centre granted a separate central university for the Jammu region. Though the central university was sanctioned in January, the agitation for setting up the central university in the Jammu region led to slow pace of work.

Since the Centre granted a separate central university for Kashmir, the earlier sanctioned central university would now be known as the Central University of Kashmir. Prof Abdul Wahid Qureshi, a former Vice-Chancellor of Kashmir University, Srinagar, had taken over as the Vice-Chancellor of the newly sanctioned central university early this year. 

The Central University of Kashmir has cleared decks for admissions to various courses, including information technology, business management and English language and literature. It would offer postgraduate degrees and research programmes in these disciplines, which would be started from the next academic session. 

Jammu, November 10
Two SRTC drivers, who made it to the history by driving the first bus to Muzaffarabd in the PoK, staged a protest along with other employees for better salaries here today.

These two drivers of the Carvan-e-Aman bus between India and Pakistan were heroes once, but now they were at the verge of starvation as they had not got salaries for the past more than six months. Ghulam Mohammed Wani (51) and Ghulam Nabi Wani (48) shared the tale of twist in their fortunes with The Tribune. “It was a frightening moment as various militant outfits had warned us not to drive the bus lest our families would be killed,” Ghulam Mohammed Wani said. “But we decided to do our job despite the danger. I drove the first Carvan-e-Aman bus flagged off by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on April 7, 2005,” he said. “PDP president Mehbooba Mufti was sitting in the front seat number one from Srinagar to the Kaman post,” Mohammed Wani said.

Various militant outfits had termed the bus as “moving coffins” and warned its drivers and passengers against travelling by it.

He said those were the moments of pride for them when the Prime Minister congratulated them for their act of bravery. But now their families were starving and children had been expelled from schools for the non-payment of fees.

Mohammed Wani said whenever there was an emergency and the government needed the help of the SRTC, they were projected as government employees, but when it was about giving benefits to them they were denied benefits referring them as corporation employees.

The SRTC drivers rendered services during the Kargil War of 1999 when private operators had refused to ply vehicles and two drivers were killed in shelling from across the border. These drivers also rendered services during earthquakes and other calamities.

“Since the Kargil War, 10 SRTC employees have lost their lives while discharging duty. But now we are forced to protest for our genuine demands,” said Ghulam Nabi Wani.

He said the since the onset of militancy in Kashmir around 360 SRTC buses had been destroyed in bomb blasts and the successive state governments did noting to replace these buses.

Shakeel Ahmed Suchay, chairman of the All J&K SRTC Workers Union, said, “A driver in Himachal gets Rs 14,000 per month besides the benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission, a driver in our state does not get more than Rs 8,500 per month.”

Jammu, November 10
Ahead of the scheduled visit of the general manager, Northern Railways, tomorrow, the railway authorities appear to be indifferent, as heaps of garbage lie scattered all over at Jammu Tawi railway station.

This usually crowded station sees a large number of passengers every day. It is said to be the most chaotic station that is not being properly managed and causes a lot of inconvenience to visitors.

“Major diseases like cholera or dengue can break out here. It stinks and mosquitoes breed here. The authorities concerned should take serious steps to improve the condition of the railway station,” suggested Sanjay Singh from Delhi.

Heaps of garbage could be seen lying not only near platforms, but also on railway tracks. The drinking water facility was also in a shambles and most of the taps were leaking.

“There is hardly any space left for one to breathe easy. Even restrooms at the station are in a bad shape, with little sitting capacity,” said Hari Singh Thakur from Hamirpur, who was in the city along with his family to pay obeisance at the Raghunath temple. Besides poor sanitation, stray dogs could be seen wandering at the railway station.

A former policeman, Daya Singh, rued that no visitor was checked at the railway station and the police there was not concerned about the security aspects.

On the other hand, AK Sharma, DTM, railway station, said, “Repair work is going on at platforms and it could be the reason for lack of cleanliness.”

Jammu, November 10
Amidst chaos and confusion, over 200 aspirants for the post of president of the Pradesh Youth Congress(PYC) turned up for interviews here today which were conducted by former union minister Jagdish Tytler and Youth Congress president Ashok Tanwar along with three other nominees of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) as part of a “talent search”.

Although the Congress leadership has been claiming that the selection would be made purely on merit, the kith and kin of party leaders and some blue-eyed boys of PCC members dominated the show.

Instead of directly projecting their kin before the visiting team, the Congress leaders 
deputed their supporters for the task.

As soon as Tytler and his team reached the PCC headquarters, supporters of candidates resorted to slogan- shouting in favour of their leaders. For more than half-an hour, there was total chaos and confusion.The interviews started at 2 pm and continued till late in the evening.Two PhD holders also applied for the post.

Interacting with mediapersons before interviewing the aspirants, Jagdish Tytler said the “talent search” was open for commoners and even youth with non-political backward were also welcome to join the PYC.

He claimed the experience of conducting the search had proved successful in many other states where candidates selected through such a process had won the elections and had effectively served the party.Youth Congress president Ashok Tanwar also addressed the media.

Jammu, November 10
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah has urged the Hurriyat Conference to participate in the dialogue process to find a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue. He urged all parties to contribute in restoring peace and normalcy in the state.

Farooq while addressing a gathering, after inaugurating a model village at Hullar, Kishtwar, asked the separatists to join the government in the dialogue process for a solution to all Kashimir-related problems.

He said: “The time has come that all parties should come forward and contribute their bit in solving the issue.”

He said much bloodshed had been witnessed by the people of the state and everybody should shed off their prejudices and work for a lasting and amicable solution.

Terming the Indo-Pak ties vital for the sub-continent, Farooq appealed to leaders of the countries to build bridges of friendship by resuming a composite dialogue, so that all issues could be settled amicably.

Farooq was accompanied by Minister for Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister for R&B GM Saroori, Minister for Higher Education AG Malik, Kishtwar MLA Sajad Ahmed Kitchloo, senior officers of the Rural Development Department and the district administration.

Sagar said a modern concept would be introduced in which the model villages would also be given proper irrigation, water facilities and health facilities would also be provided under one ambit.

Sagar asked the officers to ensure that the benefit of various flagship schemes introduced by the Centre percolates to the genuine people and beneficiaries.

He directed them to prepare genuine lists of the deserving beneficiaries, who would be benefited after proper verification from all quarters.

Farooq Abdullah also distributed appointment orders to 50 persons appointed as constable in the Police Department.

Jammu, November 10
Infuriated over water scarcity for almost two months and the subsequent supply of contaminated water, residents of the Railways Colony staged a dharna at railway line here and delayed the departure of Happa Express by nearly an hour yesterday.

Official sources said angry residents, including women and children, blocked the rail line and resorted to sloganeering. The departure of Mumbai-bound Happa Express was delayed by 45 minutes.

However, the train finally left Jammu around noon. The protesters lifted the blockade after the authorities assured them that the matter would be looked into.

The protesters said they had been facing acute water scarcity in the colony for the past two months and when the authorities restored regular supply, they used to get contaminated water.

Jammu, November 10
Eight passengers were killed and 36 injured, 17 of them seriously, when a mini-bus they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a 60-ft deep gorge near Gurdwara Nangali Sahib in the frontier district of Poonch this morning.

Three passengers were killed on the spot and five died while being shifted to the district hospital,Poonch.

Speaking to The Tribune, SSP, Poonch, Manmohan Singh said: “The mini-bus which had a capacity of only 20 was carrying 44 passengers”.He said eyewitnesses informed the police that the driver was over-speeding and the vehicle fell into the gorge when he lost control while negotiating a sharp curve. He said 17 of the seriously injured were shifted to Jammu whereas 19 others were admitted to district hospital,Poonch.

The bus was on its way from Bandi Chichian to Poonch.

Meanwhile, minister for health education and sports RS Chib visited the spot and sanctioned Rs 5000 to the injured.He also ordered an enquiry into the accident.

The deceased were identified as Arshad Ahmed of Bandi Chichian, Shamshad Begum of Kasba, a five-month-old girl, Baby, Talib Hussain Shah of Mandi, Mohammed Sharif of Bandi Chichian, Sarafraz Hussain Shah of Kasba, Mohammed Ashraf of Bandi Chichian and Mohammed Afzal of Noorabad.

Meanwhile, ASI Mudassir Hussain, sector officer, traffic, has been put under suspension for allowing the overloading of the mini-bus.