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Working Group’s Report on
Centre-state Relations
Parties hold protest
Members of the Jammu West Assembly Movement protest in Jammu on Friday.
A Tribune photograph |
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Panthers Party calls for Jammu bandh
Businessmen not hopeful
“Don’t come under separatists’ pressure”
Snow festival in Gulmarg
Governor for expanding NCC activities
Crime File
Fraudulent sale of house
13 stolen cars recovered in Budgam
Militant hideout busted in Poonch
CRPF party attacked, 7 injured
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Working Group’s Report on
Centre-state Relations Tribune News Service
Jammu, December 25 “It is a very complicated and sensitive issue. Without consulting the party high command, we will not comment on the recommendations of the Working Group,” vice-president of the PCC Abdul Gani Vakil told The Tribune. Distancing himself from the statement of Soz on autonomy, Vakil observed: “It might be Soz Sahib’s individual viewpoint. As far as the Congress is concerned, we are yet to take a decision on the issue.” Similarly, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand has also refused to comment on the suggestion of granting greater autonomy. “The party has yet not taken stand on this issue.So, without consulting the high command we cannot clear the Congress’s stand,” he said. In an obvious reference to the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Deputy Chief Minister said: “Unlike our political groups, we have to look into aspirations of all the three regions of the state as well as national interests.” Tara Chand, who was a Congress representative in the Working Group on Centre-State relations headed by Justice Sagir Ahmed, disclosed that during the deliberations he had taken the stand of the party to make the 1975 Indira-Sheikh Accord as the base of relations between Jammu and Kashmir and the Centre. Former minister and senior Congressman Gulchain Singh Charak, while disassociating himself from the statement of the PCC chief, said the Congress was neither supporting autonomy nor self-rule. “Ours is not a regional party like others. We have to take every section into confidence before taking decision on this sensitive issue,” he said. Although he refused to comment on statement of the PCC chief who supported the autonomy proposal, the Deputy Chief Minister made it clear that the party had not taken any decision on supporting this demand. Sources in the Congress disclosed that a group of Jammu-based leaders had urged the party not to take a hasty decision on the issue of autonomy. They expressed their resentment over the statement of the PCC chief who has supported the demand of autonomy.
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Parties hold protest
Jammu, December 25 The activists of Panun Kashmir assembled outside the stadium and demonstrated against the working group for allegedly ignoring their interest. As soon as the protesters tried to torch the effigy of the state government, the police intervened and whisked away the effigy. The police also did not allow the protesters to carry out rally to Dogra Chowk where they had intended to hold a protest. Following this the agitated activists raised slogans against the state government and torched the copies of report filed by the working group. President of the organisation, Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, while rejecting the Justice Sagir Ahmed’s report said: “The recommendations suggested by the report do not address the cause of the Kashmiri pandits who have been living in exile since militancy.” “The report is lopsided. It is against the wishes of nationalist people of Jammu, including Dogras, Ladakhi Buddhist, Gujjars and Kashmiri pandits,” Chrungoo said. He added, “The report is illogical, unrealistic, biased and anti-Kashmiri pandits.” Virender Raina, national spokesperson of the organisation, said the proposal regarding doing away with the Article 356 of the Constitution with regard to the state was dangerous from security viewpoint as the region was front line state of the country. Meanwhile, Jammu West Assembly Movement today criticised the state and central government over the PM’s working group’s recommendation on centre-state relations and price rise. The organisation held a demonstration at New Plots here this morning. Addressing the protesters, president of the organisation said the report completely ignores the people of Jammu and Ladakh region. |
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Panthers Party calls for Jammu bandh
Jammu, December 25 While the BJP has been devising a strategy to launch a mass movement on this issue, the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) has given a call for Jammu bandh on Monday to lodge protest against the recommendations. JKNPP chief Bhim Singh, while addressing a meeting of party workers, exhorted the people to shun their political differences and oppose the report, which according to him, was prepared to fulfill the agenda of the ruling National Conference. Terming the report as biased which deserved to be dumped without any further discussion, Bhim Singh appealed to the people, particularly the youth and students, to share the responsibilities for demonstrating the anger of the people of Jammu and Ladakh in particular by a peaceful bandh on Monday. He appealed to the leadership of the BJP, the Congress, the Jammu State Morcha, Left parties and other social groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, trade unions, bar associations, the Sangarsh Samiti, students and youth organisations to put their collective efforts to teach the Central and state governments a lesson. The All-Jammu and Kashmir Pahari Speaking Youth Forum (AJKPSYF) has also criticised the report and termed its as anti-Pahari. Gurdev Singh Thakur, president of the forum, said the Working Group’s recommendation squarely ignored the demand of Pahari people. National Congress Party (NCP) state president Thakur Randhir Singh while rejecting the report said that it was shocking that without consulting 90 per cent population of the state, Justice Saghir Ahmed had submitted his report. State president of the Janata Dal (United) Mohinder Tar Pal Singh termed the report as a fraud on people of Jammu and Kashmir and the country as a whole.
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Businessmen not hopeful
To encourage industry in the state, the central government had offered an excise refund package to the state industry for 10 years, but the package which was to end in 2012 was withdrawn thus sending many industries on the verge of closure. The worst-hit sector included the pharmaceutical and copper industry as almost the entire copper industry in the state had to wind up the business and many industries that had come to Jammu to take benefits of the excise refund package also had to shut shop. Adding to the worries of the industry in Jammu, the Income Tax and the central excise departments included the central excise refund package into the ambit of income tax as they said it was an income for the industries. The central government was also planning to impose the GST (Goods and Service Tax) on the industry, but the industrialists were worried that it would add to their burden. There has been an investment of around Rs 4,000 crore in the state industry, but due to the withdrawal of the package, the investment has fallen to only Rs 1,000 crore and the existing investment is also going down. In addition, the industry has been asked to pay a liability of Rs 500 crore in the form of taxes. “We have a young and dynamic chief minister in the state, who has brought some political stability in the state, but we don’t see anything spectacular happening in the coming year,” said Sanjay Puri, chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industries, J&K Chapter. The industrialists’ rue that around 70 to 80 per cent of the package for industries doesn’t reach them as it is stolen.The unit holders in Jammu say that until the government revives the central excise refund package and the tax holiday extended to the state, the industry would continue to suffer. Around 40,000 persons have directly been affected with the closure of various industries. The government also imposed a ban on sale and manufacturing of polythene which also affected a similar number of people. In the health sector the state has initiated public private partnership and the industry was hopeful that it would bring some investments in the state. The cross-LoC trade that was opened last year has not made any impact on the industry as the trade continues to be a blind trade where no exchange of currency takes place. The industrialists say that until and unless the government takes some concrete measures and revives the central excise refund package, the industry in Jammu would continue to suffer.
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“Don’t come under separatists’ pressure”
Jammu, December 25 Speaking at a seminar organised by the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Forum on the topic “Important Issues Concerning the State of J&K”, speakers cautioned the Centre government against succumbing before the pressure of separatists. The speakers warned that ethnic and religious minorities, including Hindus of Jammu, Kashmiri Pandits, Gujjars and other groups be taken into confidence while taking any decision on Kashmir. Eminent columnist Dr Jatinder Singh said, “Every civilization stands on a set of promises and when the promises are broken the civilization crumbles. The story of Jammu and Ladakh is a story of broken promises. Constant neglect and hurt pride resulting from New Delhi’s tendency to visualise the state of Jammu and Kashmir solely through the prism of the Kashmir Valley.” He further said the “quiet diplomacy” was yet another manifestation of discriminatory mindset because the primary focus of this exercise was the valley with little regard for the fact that Jammu and Ladakh too could have their own agenda for talks. “The misguided belief that appeasement of secessionist element is the best way to retain Kashmir as a part of India has led to gradual alienation of nationalist forces,” he observed. He further said the Amarnath land agitation last year was an outburst of cumulative social and regional injustice suffered in 60 years by all people of Jammu whether they were Hindus, Muslims
or Sikhs. Former Director General of Police MM Khajuria, Dr RL Bhat, retired Brig KS Kotwal and others spoke on the occasion and threw light on various issues concerning
the state. |
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Snow festival in Gulmarg
Srinagar, December 25 Officials said the outgoing year had been a good one in terms of tourist arrivals but weeks of civil strife over the Shopian incident in the peak months of summer were a blow to tourist flow. “It could have been much better. We might have touched figures not witnessed in the last two decades but for this," a senior official lamented. Some Indian as well foreign tourists were there today
also. Officials said the Tourism Department had been reaching out to travel operators eveywhere to send tourists to Kashmir so that they could usher in the New Year in the snow-filled Gulmarg. The highlight of the day was prayers by Muslims and Christians on Christmas today. "I prayed for peace and prosperity in this beautiful place. It is so cruel to see violence in Kashmir," Angelina, a
teacher said. |
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Governor for expanding NCC activities
Jammu, December 25 The Governor said this while addressing a contingent of 92 NCC cadets of Jammu and Kashmir who called on him at Raj Bhavan here today.The cadets, including 32 girls, will represent the state in the Republic Day NCC Camp at New Delhi. Vohra observed that the NCC inculcated discipline and the spirit of camaraderie and resilience, and added that there was an imperative need for enrolling a significant number of boys and girls in it, considering the large number of youth in the country.The NCC also provided a major opening for the cadets to join any of the three Defence Services. He presented a cheque for Rs 70,000 to the NCC Directorate, J&K, for various activities during the Republic Day Camp in Delhi. The Deputy Director-General, NCC, J&K Directorate, Brig Anil Gupta, thanked the Governor for visiting the NCC’s Special National Integration Camp at Leh in July this year.
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Three held for stealing sheep
Tribune News Service
Jammu, December 25 A police spokesperson said the accused committed the crime at the house of Kunj Lal, a resident Jawalapur Bunjwaj village, on Monday and fled. A case was registered at Kishtwar police station and SSP Kishtwar constituted a special crime investigating team, which nabbed the accused and recovered the sheep from their possession. The accused had been identified as Zulfkar Ali, a resident of Bonjwah, Abdul Qayoom, a resident of Thari and Zahir Ahmed, a resident of Kishtwar. Mystery shrouds
leopard’s death
A leopard was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the forest area of Kotranka village in Rajouri. Some villagers noticed the carcass when they were passing by to collect firewood and immediately informed local wildlife officials. Senior officials of the department concerned said the cause of death would be known only after a postmortem. A case had been registered in this regard and the police was making further investigations. |
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Five chargesheeted
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, December 25 The accused were produced in court here, the police said. The Rainawari police had registered a case in 2004 on a complaint of Abdul Ahad Sheikh that Manzoor Ahmad Malik had taken Rs 11.25 lakh from him and sold him a residential house belonging to a migrant on fake documents. The initial investigation was carried out by the local police and later transferred to the Crime Branch which found in its probe that accused Manzoor Ahmad Malik in league with his brother Mohammad Yousuf Malik had sold the house of Chuni Lal Koul and other co-owners on fake documents to the complainant Abdul Ahad while the actual owner had not executed any sale documents of the said property. They also took Rs 11.25 lakh from him.Both accused with the “active criminal participation” of Ram Dass Khajuria, Rakesh Kumar and Ashok Kumar, then officials of J &K Bank at its Link Road branch in Jammu, opened six fictitious bank accounts in the names of co-owners of the property to encash the bank drafts issued by the complainant in favour of the co-owners, the police said.
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13 stolen cars recovered in Budgam
Srinagar, December 25 The police said they had received reports about inter-state gang of criminals disposing stolen cars and had launched an operation to unearth the gang. Police officials said they had made few arrests in this regard. The stolen cars include five
Santros, one Tata Sumo, one Swift, one I10, one Maruti Zen, one Alto and three Maruti 800 cars. Kashmir has long been a favourite destination of car thieves to dispose their booty as the distance of the region often results in the police of other states ignoring such cases. A senior official said many cars and SUVs had also been taken to Leh and they were working to crack such cases. “We have more coordination with the police of other states and we are getting information,” he said. |
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Militant hideout busted in Poonch
Jammu, December 25 An army official said it had recovered a UBG launcher, a rifle, a Rocket Projectile Grenade, ten magazines, 160 rounds of Pika gun, 203 rounds of AK rifle and two grenades from the place. Meanwhile, the Rajouri police claimed to have arrested an overground worker (OGW) of the Hizbul Mujahideen and recovered a wireless set and huge quantity of medicines from his possession. The police said the medicines were actually government supply and were probably to be used by militants.An official said one more suspects was being questioned.
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CRPF party attacked, 7 injured
Srinagar, December 25 Militants hurled a grenade at a CRPF patrol party near the main chowk in Sopore , 52 km from here, around 2.30 p.m today , they said.The grenade exploded, causing splinter injuries to two jawans and five pedestrians who were later hospitalised. The whole area was immediately cordoned off by the reinforcements of the police and the CRPF and a hunt was launched to nab the militants involved in the attack. No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the incident.
— PTI |
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Delegation from Ladakh calls on Mankotia
Jammu,
December 25 The delegation raised many issues before Mankotia, including inclusion of the Bhoti language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. They said that people of the Ladakh region had been demanding for inclusion of the language in the Constitution for a long time. They further demanded opening of the Kailash Mansarover Yatra route via Demjok instead of Uttrakhand which takes only two days to reach Kailash where as via Uttrakhand it takes more than three weeks to reach the holy place. Mankotia assured full support to fight for their demands. |
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PDD staff continue protest
Jammu, December 25 |
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Christmas celebrated with fervour
Srinagar, December 25 Special prayers were held in churches here. At Holy Family Catholic Church,people prayed for the return of peace to the Kashmir valley. Children received candies, sweets and gifts from Santa Claus. “Christmas is a special day and it impresses upon people to follow the principles of love, compassion and brotherhood while ending animosity once for all,” said a
resident, David.
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BJP celebrates Vajpayee’s birthday
Jammu, December 25 |
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Protesting against recommendations of the PM’s working group on Centre-state relations, Panun Kashmir today held a protest demonstration near the MA Stadium.
Jammu, December 25
Tourism minister Nawang Ragzin Jora today kicked off a three-day-long snow festival in
Gulmarg. Jora said the festival in the snow-capped mountains of Gulmarg would bring in more tourists as the year came to an end.
Officials said the outgoing year had been a good one in terms of tourist arrivals but weeks of civil strife over the Shopian incident in the peak months of summer were a blow to tourist flow. “It could have been much better. We might have touched figures not witnessed in the last two decades but for this," a senior official lamented.
