Jammu, December 27
To make people aware about the consequences of the recommendations of the Working Group, the BJP organised conventions in Poonch and Rajouri districts. In the conventions, the BJP exhorted the leaders of all political parties to come on common platform and start decisive battle against discrimination and injustice.

On the occasion, member, national executive, Nirmal Singh expressed grave concern over the recent report of the Working Group and said it was politically motivated and prepared on the dictates of Congress and NC leaders. He said instead of recommending proper and immediate delimitation to grant due political representation to Jammu in the Assembly and end discrimination, it only endorsed what the NC had been stressing to not undertake delimitation till 2026.

He said the UPA government, under “quiet diplomacy” formula, had started talks with separatists and their masters without disclosing the agenda and the people with whom it was talking behind the scene and without considering the viewpoint of people.

State vice-president Chander Parkash Ganga appealed to the party activists to visit remote areas in order to expose the evil designs of the state government and the Centre.

Jammu,December 27
Noted Sufi singers Wadali brothers presented all genres of poetry ranging from bhajans, shabads, ghazals and other traditional kalaams at the Zorawar Singh Auditorium in University of Jammu yesterday.

Known for their trademark qawaali style, the maestros kept the music lovers engrossed in the jam-packed auditorium. The message all through their performance was communal harmony and love for humanity interspersed with references to Sufi saints. “O lal meri pat rakhiyo bala jhoole laalan” and “Tere ishaq nachaya kar thaiyaan-thaiyan” got accolades.

The elder Wadali amused the listeners with legendary love stories of “Mian Majnoon” whom he described as “aashiqaan de sardaar” and Heer- Ranja. The show started behind schedule by 45 minutes and then it again took 15 minutes to make arrangements. 

Jammu, December 27
The Reasi police today claimed to have arrested two thieves, allegedly involved in a theft which took place at a house in Mari village.

An police spokesperson said a case was registered against the accused for stealing some gold ornaments and cash from the house of Hukam Chand, a resident of Mari, on September 15, this year.

Acting on a tip-off, a special team nabbed the accused and recovered 70 gram of stolen ornaments and some cash from their possession.

Jammu, December 27
Fifty rare literary works in English, Persian and Sanskrit languages have been chosen to be rendered into Gojri - the third largest spoken language in the state.

Dr Javaid Rahi, a senior functionary at the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, said this in a meeting of prominent Gojri writers here today. He said this long-term project was initiated to bring landmark works into the ambit of Gojri literature to enrich tribal language spoken by the Gujjar tribe.

He said under this prestigious project 21 classics had already been published in Gojri language, which include work like Mathnavi Moulana Rumi, Gulistan-e-Saddi Rubiyat-e-Umar Khayam, Karwan-e-Madina , Shakespeare’s Othello and King Lear, Sanskrit’s Neelmat Puran, the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi “My Experience with Truth”, Shahan-e-Gujjars and others. This project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.

Dr. Rahi, who is also the project head and chief editor of the state academy, further said the project was aimed at revitalising the art of translation among Gujjars across the country. He said another objective of the rare effort was to connect Gujjars to their roots, which are spread over central Asia.

“The Department of Gojri, State Academy of Art, Culture and Languages has engaged 20 prolific researchers to translate 50 world class works of 18 legendary writers for an early compilation of the translation works,” Dr Rahi said.

“We are also working on the project of generation of high-quality translation tools such as dictionaries and software, translator education, information dissemination, development of scientific and technical terminology in Gojri, including promotion of machine translation and machine-aided translation,” Dr Rahi said. “From this year we are starting a translation journal in Gojri entitled “Sanjh”, which will enrich Gojri through translations of various subjects,” he said. He said: “After having completed the Gojri translation of all 50 world classics, the work would be made available on the Internet under e-literature project of Gojri, which is under way.”

Srinagar, December 27
At least 20 persons were injured today when members of the Shia community clashed with the police after they were prevented from taking out Muharram processions in violation of prohibitory orders in force in the city.

The police fired tear gas shells and swung batons to scatter stone-hurling protesters at several places in the city, officials said.

The trouble erupted when Shias, led by JKLF chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik, were prevented by the police from taking out a procession in connection with ninth Muharram in the Gowkadal area in uptown Srinagar. This sparked pitched battles between the protesters and the police that left 14 injured, the officials said.

The police also stopped Shias from taking out processions in Gojwara, Bohrikadal and the Rajourikadal areas in the old city, triggering skirmishes leaving six injured.

The police used batons and lobbed tear gas shells to restore calm in trouble-torn areas, officials said.

Meanwhile, the police has beefed up security in Srinagar and other places, especially those with substantial Shia population, and additional deployment of cops and CRPF personnel would be made for Ashura religious festivities, a major yearly event for Shias among Muslims, tomorrow.

Shias take out processions and observe public mourning of the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Mohammad. Police officials said senior officials have held meetings with local SDPOs and SHOs and instructions had been issued to ensure that the processions remain confined to the already-decided route.

The authorities have banned processions in large parts of Srinagar under Section 144 of the CrPC due to tension and clashes yesterday in which dozens of people, including many cops, were injured when Shias tried to lead a procession to the Lal Chowk.

Though prominent Shia clerics and leaders have called for peaceful observance of Ashura rituals, police officials said they apprehend that some group might resort to confrontation, especially after yesterday’s clashes. Police officials said they met Shia leaders in different localities to request them to keep the situation orderly by adhering to Section 144.

Jammu,December 27
The much talked-about Working Group report on the Centre-State relations was again in the news today.

This time, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chauhan rejected it and termed it against the nation.

Chauhan, who was here in connection with a function organised by the Panun Kashmir, asserted that the recommendations were one-sided, myopic and had not taken into consideration the interests of the nationalist forces, including displaced Kashmiri Pandits.

The Chief Minister asserted that the recommendations made in the report were fit to be” consigned to the flames”.

Attired in traditional Kashmiri pheran presented to him by the organisers, Chauhan asserted that the people were facing penalty due to the wrong polices adopted on Kashmir since 1947. ” The secessionist elements were being preferred to national forces every time”, he said.

Apprehending that things were not going in the interest of the nation , Chauhan, however, said no Indian would allow Kashmir to accede to Pakistan .” It is a battle for survival for everyone”, he said.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Uma Shanker Gupta, who accompanied the Chief Minister along with BJP national secretary Prabhat Jha, asserted that the successive governments had always adopted “double standards on Kashmir”.

The visiting leaders were also honoured with a sword by Mehar Singh, a World War- II veteran to highlight the sacrifices of Sikh Gurus and to express gratitude on behalf of the Panun Kashmir.

On the occasion, Panun adopted a resolution, demanding the establishment of a separate homeland for seven lakh Kashmiri Pandits in the valley, comprising the regions of the valley to the East and North of the Jehlum.

Panun Kashmir leader Agnishekhar said the homeland for the Kashmiri Pandits be placed under central administration with a union territory status till it evolves its own economic and political infrastructure.

About 2,000 delegates from across the world assembled here to participate in the programme which is being organised every year on December 27. It was on this day that the Pandits had to leave Kashmir in 1989. 

Gulmarg, December 27
More tourists are returning from Gulmarg disappointed than happy these days.

Hoteliers are unanimous that lack of snow has shorn the place of its charm, but domestic tourists, left with very limited choice as far as seeing snow is concerned, are coming nevertheless, albeit in limited numbers.

Gulmarg at its prime, which is usually in the last fortnight of February and early March, looks like a place straight out of arctic. White, glistening snow as far as you can see, playing host to lots of people, indulging themselves with skiing or just admiring the vast expanse of powder snow. These days the area under snow is limited and the level is so shallow that there is not much territory for sledging and skiing, the main fun for tourists. It’s been almost two weeks when snow fell last here.

“It has been a poor winter so far. It is not only about this year as snowfall has been erratic for the past few years. We have tourists but they want snow,”Assadullah, a manager of a hotel in Gulmarg, says. He says the occupancy rate is around 70 per cent these days which is good. And the hotel is full till December 31 as tourists not only from outside Kashmir but also local have their reservation done to usher in the New Year from the valley’s only snow attraction.

People connected with the tourism industry add that there is generally not much celebration in some of Kashmir’s towns, including Srinagar, on December 31 and Gulmarg, which has no local population and is essentially a tourist town, offers opportunities for fun and revelry.

Bashir Ahmad Lone, another manager, says his hotel’s booking is almost 100 per cent. He says lack of snow has been disappointing, but people are coming.

At a time when the industry is getting organised, a big chunk of tourists is routed through travel operators. “I came on December 24 amid snow with my family to spend three days in Gulmarg.Snow is less compared to what it was six years ago when I came here last. But my children are excited. This is the first time they have seen snow,” B.Y Patel, a businessman from Ahmedabad, said.

However, the good occupancy in a couple of premium hotels is also misleading as Gulmarg hardly looks like a place crowded with tourists. The absence of good budget hotels means that the place has mostly those tourists who come here in the morning from Srinagar and leave by the evening. Zahoor Ahmad, who offers ski equipments on rent to tourists, says business has been poor. But proper snowfall will change everything. 

Leh, December 27
The ongoing Maoist problem in the country has forced smugglers to change route for illegally transporting red sanders wood to China through Leh instead of the usual one via Nepal. The fact surfaced during the probe of seizure of 50 tonnes of red sanders here.The authorities came to know that the first illegal consignment of the wood was transported to China through Leh, official sources said.

“Because of increased Maoist movement, this route was explored. In 2007, the first illegal consignment of red sanders came to Leh and taken to China,” sources said. The investigation agencies have found that arrested alleged smuggler Ringzin Dorjey is just a small fish in the racket which is being run by a Tibetan couple settled here.

“Knowing that the police is keeping a watch on these activities, they tried to make it more legal by filling form 25 from the Forest Department and transporting illegal wood hidden under the permitted one,” an official privy to the investigations told about the modus operandi of the gang. “They have other novel ways to transport illegal wood under oranges, onion, cotton and floor etc. and pay taxes en route for all such things without being noticed by any checkpost,” he said.

The couple is so smart in its dealing that they have managed to give the illegal trade “the colour of white collar business”. The investigations have revealed that kingpin of the red sander wood smuggling is a Tibetan Refugee, who crossed over the border illegally in 1994, and married the daughter of another refugee settled in Leh. He was earlier running this business from Dhumcheley, near Leh, sources said.

The probe brought out that while the couple was storing legal wood in monasteries and in their depots, the illegal red sanders wood was allegedly stored with Ringjin Dorjey who was arrested during the searches, they said.

“The duo is so one step ahead in everything that almost they have taken this trade to white collar. The person in whose compound the red sanders wood was seized is just a custodian and plays active role in transport of the consignment to Dhumcheley,” a senior official said.

The police had busted the racket, seizing a consignment of 50 tonnes of red sander wood worth several crores of rupees in the international market last week and arrested Dorjey.

The product is used for making rifle butts, medicines, facial creams, fragrant furniture and other prized items. The consignment, originating from Andhra Pradesh and brought in boxes of oranges, was supposed to be smuggled out of the state. According to police sources, the wood was to be further taken to the Dhumcheley sector in the Nyoma region from where it was to be handed over to cross-border smugglers. Red sander is grown only in about 5.16 lakh hectares, most of it in the Seshachalam Hills and Kadapa, Chittor, Nellore, Prakasan and Kurnool districts bordering Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Over the centuries, this high-valued fragrant timber with characteristic grainy pattern has been part of dowry in Japan, where it is used to make traditional musical instruments. Red sander, scientifically known as pterocarpus santalinus, is used for treatment of diabetes and to reduce inflammation. — PTI

Jammu, December 27
Dogri play ‘Suno Ek Kahani’ directed by Balwant Thakur was featured at Natrang Studio Theatre today as part of its weekly theatre series.Natrang director Balwant Thakur said this year Natrang presented 52 shows in Sunday Theatre besides performing inside and outside the country.

He complimented the Sunday Theatre team for their selfless efforts and strong social commitment.

Today’s play was based on the story of a young girl ‘Guddi’ representing a major section of rural lower middle class adolescent girls, who are forced into matrimony at a very tender age.

Guddi is fully aware of the strains of early marriage, as it caused untimely death of her mother. She wants to grow and get educated before she takes up the responsibility of a married life. Her dreams are shattered when a ‘suitable’ groom is found and marriage date is fixed.

While the marriage ceremonies are being performed, help comes in the form of intervention by the legal authorities.

Dimple Sharma played the role of ‘baap’ while young Juhi Singh played the role of ‘Guddi’ with full theatrical versatility. The narrators of the play Mohit Sharma and Pankush Verma did multiple roles.

Rohit Verma generated repeated laughters through his comic acts. Gaurav Jamwal in his short entry gave engrossing performance. The chorus characters of the play included Rahul Singh, Mohd. Yaseen, Arvind Singh, Tajasvi Sharma, Sona Mehar, Romilla Besnet and Richa Sharma.

The lights were designed by Gaurav Jamwal and the music was composed by Suraj Singh. Sumeet Sharma did the presentations and also coordinated the show.

Jammu, December 27
After strengthening his own group in the party, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz has ultimately opened different fronts to put the rival faction on defence.

The Soz faction has chalked out a detailed programme to organise public rallies and also started luring potential leaders from other political group to especially project them from the Assembly segments where rivals have dominance.

Panthers Party leader Sardari Lal Dubey has joined the Congress, which is a clear indication that the pro-Soz faction has decided to come openly against the rival faction. Dubey had contested the last Assembly elections as candidate of the Panthers Party against former Minister Jugal Kishore Sharma from Reasi segment. Sharma is a confidant of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad so the pro-Soz faction was working over time to cut him to size.

Though Dubey had failed to secure a good number of votes as Panthers Party nominee, he was instrumental in the defeat of Azad loyalist. “Dobey’s joining would help our faction to project parallel leadership in the Reasi assembly segment”, a senior Congress leader said.

In the 1996 Assembly elections, Jugal Kishore was denied Congress mandate and arch rival Dubey was given the party ticket. Jugal had contested elections as an independent candidate and secured more votes than the official Congress candidate.

Sources said Yashpal Khajuria, a closed confident of Soz, was instrumental in luring Dubey to join the party. He has reportedly assured Dubey proper rehabilitation in the Congress.

Interestingly, Dubey is a leader with strong mass following, but an impressive function was organised at the PCC headquarters in which Soz especially came to felicitate him. Soz claimed that with the joining of Dubey, the party would be strengthened in Reasi district. All senior leaders of the pro-Soz faction were present when Dubey joined the party.

Insiders in the party said the pro-Soz faction was also in touch with leaders of other political groups to project them RS Pura, Nagrota and Jammu East segments to take on rivals.