Jammu, February 17
India is completely safe for players and tourists coming for the IPL cricket tournament, Hockey World Cup and the Commonwealth Games and no ‘Ilyas Kashmiri’ can dictate terms on who should visit the country or not, said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram here today.

He was reacting to the reported threat to visiting players given by Ilyas Kashmiri, commander of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI), in a communication to Asia Times Online yesterday.

Ilyas, who is also reportedly the handler of LeT operative David Headley, warned of more Pune like attacks, targeting foreigners, especially in the forthcoming international tournaments in different sports.

“No Ilyas Kashmiri or anyone can dictate terms to us. India is totally capable of securing itself and providing foolproof security to each player, coach or official,” Chidambaram said in response to a question on threats issued by Ilyas. “We are not deterred and we can’t be deterred by what Ilyas Kashmiri says. He can’t dictate our course of action,” he said.

Chidmabaram refused to comment on the Pune blast and the latest investigation about the persons responsible for it. “The police commissioner there is the right person for it. I am not their spokesperson,” he said.

Ilyas in the threat message had said, “We, the Mujahideens of 313 brigade, vow to continue attacks all across India unless the Indian Army leaves Kashmir. We warn the international community to help us in self-determination rule or face consequences.” Chidambram had yesterday admitted intelligence failure leading to the killing of 24 jawans in Mao-infested West Midnapore district in West Bengal.

Srinagar, February 17
Two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, while the police seized four hand grenades here today.

The police here said the two militants were killed in an encounter with the police and the security forces in the Chandoosa area of Baramulla district, about 65 km north of here, today. The encounter started this morning and continued throughout the day, resulting in the death of both hiding militants. The house of Nazir Ahmad Parra at Kachew Muqam village in the Chandoosa area was also damaged in the encounter, the police here said. The bodies of two militants were recovered from the debris of the house, and their identities were being ascertained.

Four hand grenades concealed in a polythene bag were seized from the main gate of the office of the State Forest Corporation (SFC) at Shalteng here yesterday, the police said.

Unidentified militants snatched service weapons from five police personnel posted on guard at a picket outside the houses of minority community members at Midoora, Tral in Pulwama district last night. Only two of the five policemen were on duty at the time of the incident, while three others were away unauthorisedly. All five personnel have been suspended and further investigations started.

According to DIG, North Kashmir, Qayoom Manhas, on specific information that two militants were hiding in the village, a search operation was launched by the police, CRPF and 52-RR last night. Contact was established with the militants early this morning and the encounter ensued. The two Jaish militants were killed. Two AK 47 rifles, four hand grenades and some ammunition was seized from the site of the encounter. However, the search at the encounter site is still going on, the police said.

Jammu, February 17
The much-publicised programme of the BJP to gherao Union Home Minister P Chidambaram proved a damp squib as the party failed to mobilise workers for the protest. As policemen deployed to clear the way for Chidambaram outnumbered BJP activists, those who were shouting slogans at Bikram Chowk could not even reach the road. The whole episode turned out be a ‘symbolic’ protest as BJP workers cooperated with the police to arrest them with ‘honour’.

To lodge a protest against the proposed surrender policy of the government, the state unit of the BJP had announced to gherao Chidambaram during his visit to the winter capital to chair a meeting of the Unified Command. The BJP had announced to gherao Chidambaram at Bikram Chowk and the party had given a call to its workers to reach the spot in a large number before the arrival of the union minister in the city.

Interestingly, when the cavalcade of Chidambaram passed through the Bikram Chowk area only a handful of workers along with BJP legislature party leader Chaman Lal Gupta were present. Before the arrival of Chidambaram they were shouting slogans, but as soon as the minister’s convoy reached near Bikram Chowk, all BJP workers maintained silence.

It was only after his cavalcade passed through the area, a large number of BJP workers turned up at Bikram Chowk and resorted to shouting slogans against the government.

Keeping in view the party’s claims, the police had arranged a large number of buses, but the strength of BJP workers was not on the expected lines. Senior police officers were deputed to foil any attempt by BJP workers to disrupt the movement of the Union Home Minister. After shouting slogans for about an hour, the agitating party workers were later detained by the police and taken to the District Police Lines, where they were released later.

Meanwhile, the BJP claimed that over 1,000 party activists led by Chaman Lal Gupta courted arrest. Gupta, while addressing party workers at Bikram Chowk, said today’s demonstration was against the surrender policy of the Central government and the BJP had organised it on the visit of the Union Home Minister to Jammu to convey the message that the BJP would not allow the UPA government to take decisions that would promote gun culture, demoralise security forces and weaken country’s sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress’ soft spot for separatists and anti-national elements was not in the nation’s interest.

Jammu, February 17
With just four days left for the Budget session of the state Assembly, an important Bill related to the protection of fair gender against domestic violence has not reached the State Law Department as yet.

Furthermore, though vetted during the coalition regime of the PDP-Congress, the present dispensation didn’t deem it fit to put the draft Bill on official website so as to invite suggestions from the stakeholders - particularly from women so as to come up with a holistic Act.

Hanging in a limbo since long for varied reasons, the Domestic Violence Act - introduced and implemented in the rest of the country in 2005 - has not seen the light of the day in restive state where women continue to die under mysterious circumstances.

The state Cabinet under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, which met here on February 15, had decided to introduce the Bill in the ensuing Budget session beginning February 22.

“The Bill has not been listed in the business of the state legislature because it hasn’t come to us as yet,” state law secretary GH Tantray told The Tribune. The Bill had been vetted long back during the tenure of former law secretary AH Kochak, and now two things (inviting suggestions from the public and then taking it to the legislature) cannot go simultaneously.

“If we put it up on the official website to invite suggestions, it would be delayed again because just a few days are left for the session,” he said.

However, if needed, amendments could be made later as well, Tantray added. But “Athwaas” - an alliance of women from Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu - has urged the Chief Minister to first post the draft Bill on the official website.

“We have learnt that the government has decided to introduce the Domestic Violence Bill. We welcome the decision to introduce it, but it would have been fair had the government posted the draft Bill on the official website of the General Administration Department inviting suggestions from the stakeholders,” a spokesperson of Athwaas added.

“Though the Law Department has already vetted the Bill, we wrote to the Chief Minister on January 16 to afford an opportunity to the fair gender, for which this important Act is being mulled,” she said.

It may be recalled here that last year Right to Information Bill was put up on official website for public scrutiny and suggestions from RTI activists. Legislations passed by the Centre necessarily do not apply to Jammu and Kashmir because of Article 370 and, hence, the state legislature has to pass a Bill in both houses to adopt legislations either verbatim or after making requisite amendments.

Jammu, February 17
The Supreme Council of the Panun Kashmir today urged the Centre and the state government that Kashmiri Pandit youths should be given all 6,000 jobs under the Prime Minister’s employment package, and that too without any condition.

According to a statement issued here, Dr Agnishekhar, member of the Panun Kashmir, stressed that both governments should desist from any attempt to harm the interests of the Kashmiri Pandit youths in the employment package.

“Incorporating any other section to be the partakers except Kashmiri Pandit youths in the employment package is totally rejected by the Panun Kashmir,” he said.

Agnishekhar alleged that the package had virtually been converted into an instrument of blackmail and exploitation by linking it to the return of the Kashmiri Pandit community to Kashmir.

The Panun Kashmir rejected the procedure which the government had laid down for the recruitment of the displaced youth. The Panun Kashmir members appealed to Kashmiri Pandit members of the apex committee to understand the gravity of the situation and not to be a party to the sell out camouflaged in the present form of the employment package.

The members further said the conspiracy of the state government to entrap young Kashmiri Pandit girls and boys under the irretrievable conditions imposed were to be exposed.

Jammu, February 17
Even as routine work in various state government departments, including the health sector, remained paralysed for the second day across the state, the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) today served an ultimatum on the government to fulfil its promise by March 10.

“If the government fails to implement its decision taken by a Cabinet sub-committee by March 10, the 4.50 lakh employees would again go on a three-day statewide strike from March 11,” EJAC leader Ram Kumar Sharma told The Tribune. He criticised the NC-Congress government for its non-serious approach towards the demands of the striking employees.

The dilly-dallying tactics of the government forced us to go on a two-day statewide strike from yesterday, he added.

Sharma said even if the three-day strike from March 11 failed to move the government, the employees would resort to other means.

Meanwhile, the employees took out a rally at the Government Medical College and Hospital here today. Though emergency departments were functioning in various hospitals across the winter capital, OPDs remained shut for the second day and as a result patients bore the brunt of the strike. The OPDs at the GMCH, SMGS Hospital, Gandhi Nagar hospital, Sarwal Hospital and Dental College remained paralysed with employees staging protests.

The employees have been demanding the release of arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission to employees and pensioners, conversion of COLA into DA with immediate effect and the implementation of the panel’s recommendations among other demands.

Udhampur, February 17
As part of the nationwide programme to create awareness about the public welfare schemes of the Centre, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) will organise the first public information campaign in Udhampur district in Town Hall, Ramnagar, from February 20.

Director, PIB, Jammu, Obaidur Rehman yesterday informed mediapersons that Dy CM Tara Chand would inaugurate the five-day event, which was the 13th in the series of campaigns being organised in the state. Twelve such campaigns have already been organised in Kishtwar, Ladakh, RS Pura, Reasi, Kathua, Bani, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Budgam, Bandipura and Poonch.

The flagship programmes of the UPA government, including Bharat Nriman, Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, NRHM, RTI, JNNURM, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid-Day Meal and Prime Minister’s new 15-point Programme for the welfare of minorities, will be highlighted at the upcoming PIC. Stalls will be set up by different departments to display their products/schemes and achievements in the form of brochures, posters, finished products for the benefit and information of the targeted beneficiaries of rural areas.

Since purpose was to reach out to people living in interior rural areas to disseminate information and create awareness among them about the ongoing schemes meant for them, Ramnagar was selected as the venue of the campaign instead of Udhampur, Rehman added.

Srinagar, February 17
A complete shutdown was observed for the second consecutive day today in Kulgam town of south Kashmir, where at least 17 persons were injured in clashes between protesters and the police yesterday.

Meanwhile, JKLF chairman Yasin Malik and separatist APHC leaders were prevented by the police from visiting the Kulgam area today.

A spokesman for the APHC said chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had condemned the police action and blamed the police and the CRPF for suppressing people’s voice in the area, which had led to clashes and injuries to several people. Some senior leaders of the APHC, who were on their way to Kulgam today, were prevented by the police at Pampore and not allowed to reach Kulgam. The JKLF chairman, along with his senior party colleagues, were also held by the police at Sangam, on the National Highway.

Udhampur, February 17
The much-touted computer literacy programme started a year ago in government schools in Udhampur district under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is yet to be implemented properly as computers allotted to several schools are still not being used. Not much use could be made either of computers donated by the Army to some schools under Operation Sadbhavna.

Sources attributed it to the tardy and indifferent official functioning due to which several government middle, high and higher secondary schools covered under the SSA and Operation Sadbhavna could not benefit much. The situation is deplorable, particularly in middle schools and to some extent high schools in which computer education is imparted as a subject. But this fact was overlooked while allotting computers to such schools.

The programme under the SSA envisaged the setting up of two computer-aided learning (CAL) centres having a computer and a printer in each of the total 19 education zones of the district. Around seven or eight computers were donated under Operation Sadbhavna to many schools. Though funds under the SSA were released early last year, CAL centres in some schools were still in the pipeline. Zonal Education Planning Officer (ZEPO), Chanani zone, Rajinder Chand claimed that computers had been supplied and installed in almost all schools identified for the purpose.

The sources gave examples of Government Middle School, Rathian, and Government High School, Chak, in the Udhampur zone and Government Middle School, Kud, in the Chanani zone where computer apparatus was in the hands of untrained teachers. The most glaring example is of Lower High School, Samroli, in the Chanani zone which was given a computer that cannot be operated due to lack of power connection. “ In the first place, how can you expect a computer illiterate teacher to educate students. The idea looks very funny in the case of schools having no provision of computer as a teaching subject. It is sheer wastage of funds,” commented a Headmaster of a middle school.

Though officials claimed that about 50 teachers had been given training in a phased manner in the entire district, the sources said this number was far less than that required because more schools were to be covered under the programme in the due course of time.

Interestingly, Chand claimed no laxity in the implementation of the programme and review of the schools covered under this so far would be done.

Srinagar, February 17
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called for consolidating and completing the ongoing development works and emphasised thrust on works currently in different stages of completion so that immediate benefit percolates down to people. The Chief Minister was reviewing the physical and financial achievements at a meeting of the District Development Board, Budgam, here today.

Reiterating that the developmental works and the implementation of other schemes should reflect on ground, the Chief Minister pointed out that to assess the progress registered, the mechanism of monitoring had been made more effective by roping in reputed consultancy, NABCOM, which would assess about 600 works all over the state. He exhorted the officers to extend all required cooperation to the agency for monitoring the designated works effectively, in a time-bound manner.

Omar approved an additional Rs 3.33 crore for various projects and schemes. These include Rs 1 crore for land acquisition, Rs 1 crore for micro works, Rs 37 lakh for Muhharam related arrangements, Rs 30 lakh for power transformer workshop, Chadoora, Rs 25 lakh for untied funds, Rs 55 lakh for IAY works and Rs 16 lakh for the Degree College, Beerwah.

Budgam District Development Commissioner Mohammad Rafi gave a detailed resume of the physical and financial achievements and said against the availability of Rs 76.11 crore, an expenditure of Rs 54.52 crore had been recorded during the current financial year, so far, making 71.63 per cent.