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Resumption of Indo-Pak talks vital for peace: Mufti
PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed addresses a rally in the Ranjan Jandyal area in Jammu on Sunday. Photo: Inderjeet Singh
NC-PDP war of words intensifies
NC leaders join BJP
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Class VIII Exam Results
Residents oppose shifting
of degree college
Govt staff to continue strike
Shopian Case
12 injured as bus overturns in Akhnoor
Kashmiri Pandits reject increase in relief
Operation Khoj
Inter-district Recruitment
Beig for dialogue with separatists
Two intruders shot dead near LoC
Rs 1.25 cr tubewell for Digiana
1 sustains burns in bus
stand fire
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Resumption of Indo-Pak talks vital for peace: Mufti
Gharota, April 4 Addressing a public meeting in this village, the Mufti observed that the peace process, initiated after 2002, had received a setback, especially after formation of the National Conference-led government in the state. But there was a need to remove the stumbling block to take the dialogue process and reconciliation to a logical end. “Neither India nor Pakistan can afford hostility for long because peace is imperative for development and economic growth of both the countries,” he pointed out and added that being an emerging economic giant in the world, India had to take some initiative for resuming dialogue with the neighbouring country. “The reconciliation and peace initiatives started after formation of the PDP-Congress regime in 2002 in the state are an irreversible process,” he observed and said there was no alternative to dialogue, which, according to him, was the one and only way to solve all issues, including the vexed Kashmir problem. He said the roadmap laid by the previous PDP-Congress government was the only way to establish lasting peace in the region. “We neither used security forces nor adopted oppressive measures to establish peace.Rather, we strengthened democratic institutions to restore people’s faith in the democracy,” he claimed. He added, despite having the largest number in the Assembly, the ruling National Conference had lost its credibility, as the government had failed miserably to fulfil its commitment to the people. “Instead of fulfilling the commitment, the ruling party has been trying to hoodwink the people by making false promises,’ he said and reminded that the PDP had just 17 members in the last Assembly, but the party had convinced successive union governments to endorse its policy of peace and reconciliation. “The PDP, through its pro-peace polices, even convinced both India and Pakistan to break the ice and take some confidence-building measures for the restoration of peace in the region,” he said.
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NC-PDP war of words intensifies
Gharota, April 4 After the PDP charged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with not listening to the problems of the members seriously and announced boycott of the Assembly, the ruling NC flayed the Opposition for politicising petty issues. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while addressing a public meeting at Kotranka in Rajouri on April 1, had flayed the PDP for boycotting the Assembly for a petty matter of security vehicle for one of its leaders. Today the PDP launched a counter-attack on the Chief Minister at a public meeting in this village. Though party patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed avoided a direct attack, his party leaders seized this opportunity to attack Omar Abdullah. A party leader and former Rajya Sabha member, while dubbing Omar as non-serious person, said Omar had no time to reply to queries of MLAs in the Assembly, but had time to watch movies. One after another PDP leader targeted Omar and defended the party’s decision to boycott the Assembly. |
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NC leaders join BJP
Jammu, April 4 The leaders along with their supporters joined the BJP in a public meeting held at
Vijaypur. A senior BSP leader Uttam Raj also joined the BJP. Manhas, while addressing the meeting, said the NC-Congress regime has failed to solve basic problems of the masses. He said it was a result of the anti-people policies that the miseries of the masses have been compounding with every passing day. “While our neighbouring states are touching new heights in agriculture and industrial sectors, in J&K no outsider prefers to set up industry due to constitutional bindings under Article 370,” he said, adding, “The poor farmers suffer due to less rains, delay in supply of seeds and
fertilisers.” He charged the coalition regime with meting out step-motherly treatment with the Jammu region. He asked the ministers and MLAs of the Congress hailing from Jammu not to become puppets in hands of the Kashmiri leaders for lust of power.
BJP vice president Chander Parkash Ganga also addressed the public meeting. |
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Class VIII Exam Results
Jammu, April 4 Total pass percentage was 91 per cent in the entire district, out of which the pass percentage of private schools was 97 per cent, while the government schools managed to get pass percentage of 85 per cent. “As compared to last year, a huge improvement was recorded in Class VIII results of government schools this year,” Chief Education Officer NR Dhingra said. Last year the total pass percentage was recorded as 86.44 per cent, out of which the pass percentage of the government schools was 72.84 and private schools was 95.20 per cent. Yet again, the students of private schools secured top positions. Mehak Gupta from St. Peters High School secured first position by achieving 96.8 per cent marks. The second was clinched by Anuj Masoon of Alexander Memorial School by scoring 96.4 per cent marks and the third position was clinched by Anshu Sharma of Nirmala High School Dhanger (Kaleeth) by securing 96 per cent marks. As many as 24,241 students appeared for the examination, in which 22,338 students qualified the examination, while 1,903 students failed to qualify the examination.
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Residents oppose shifting
of degree college
Inderkote (Bandipora), April 4 The residents apprehend that certain vested interests are trying their best to get the proposed college shifted from here. “These elements want the college to be located at Gouripora - Wangpora (Tabal Bagh), a few km from the proposed site, and are offering to sell their land there,” they allege. “We’ve information that they are demanding Rs 14 crore for the same and it is under active consideration of the government. But we fail to understand why the government needs to purchase land at a different site when it is already available in Inderkote. In case the proposed college is shifted, we will take to the streets and encroach upon the government land here.” A group of women led by a local resident, Fatima Begum, says students have to go to Srinagar for higher education. “In case the college is established here, they need not move out. Besides, the drop-out rate, especially among women, would also be checked to some extent,she says.” Say some other women: “This is a clear indication that they’ve sinister designs.” They, however, add that they will not let it happen. |
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Govt staff to continue strike
Srinagar, April 4 “We had held meetings with the government representatives, and though they have shown some flexibility on certain issues, there are two important issues which need to be resolved before we can call off the strike,” a member of the EJAC said. He said the two main demands were raising the retirement age and the payment of the arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission. “ The payment of arrears and raising the retirement age are the two main issues of the employees and the government says that it has to talk to Delhi as it does not have sufficient funds,” said the EJAC member. The employees said the government had already promised them that it would accept their demands.
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Shopian Case
Srinagar, April 4 This is one of the details to be presented before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court by the CBI in the ongoing hearing into the death of Aasiya (17) and Neelofar (22), last May, which led to widespread protests and bandhs that paralysed the Kashmir valley for 47 days. This information will be given in response to the queries posed to the CBI by the high court that had taken suo moto cognisance of a letter by an unknown criminologist disputing the CBI’s findings in the case. Official sources said other evidence that the CBI would present before the court to prove its case that the two women were not raped and, in fact drowned, was an analysis of the water found in the lungs of the deceased women. The water contained termites, which had been ingested while the women were drowning. The probe agency, which carried out the investigation with the help of forensic experts from AIIMS, will also inform the court that the doctors in Kashmir, who have been named as accused in the case, had stored the samples in empty jars of chewing gum and tamarind. The CBI, which will contest the so-called criminologist’s letter as mala fide, has also prepared a detailed medical examination of the hymen of Aasiya along with documents and microscopic slides to support its claim that she was never raped or sexually assaulted. Life in Shopian town, 51 km from here, had come to a standstill after the bodies of Neelofar and Aasiya were found in a stream in May last year. Protests were held claiming that the two had been allegedly raped and murdered. Four policemen, including the then SP Javed Mattoo were arrested. — PTI
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12 injured as bus overturns in Akhnoor
Jammu, April 4 According to information,the accident took place when the bus driver lost control over the vehicle on a blind turn and it overturned. |
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Kashmiri Pandits reject increase in relief
Jammu, April 4 To express their resentment against the callous and apathetic attitude of the state government, around 150 migrants of various camps like Purkhoo, Mishriwala, Nagrota and Muthi held a protest rally here under the banner of Panun Kashmir. Addressing the rally, Dr Agnishekhar, president of the Panun Kashmir, condemned the decision,urged the government to reconsider it and accept the demand for enhancing the relief from Rs 4000 to Rs 12000 per family. Meanwhile, R.K. Bhat, President, YAIKS, also expressed dissatisfaction over the meagre increase in the relief and demanded Rs 2000 per person per month. Talking to The Tribune, Santosh Bhat, who is living in the Purkhoo migrant camp, said:“The enhancement in the relief is very less as compared to the prices of essential commodities”. Expressing similar views, Ashok Raina of the Nagroota migrant camp, said: “It has become difficult to manage the household expenditure when the prices of essential commodities are so high. To minimise the sufferings of the displaced community, the state government should further enhance the relief.” As per the announcement, each migrant family having four members and more would receive a cash relief of Rs 5000 per month which would be Rs 1250 per person. The migrants would be paid it from this month onwards. They would also be paid the arrears with effect from July last year. Earlier, the migrants were paid an assistance of Rs 4000 per family with four members or above and Rs 1000 per person. However, talking to The Tribune, Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Raman Bhalla expressed gratitude to the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for enhancing the cash relief for the migrants.The minister regretted that instead of appreciating the move, the migrants were criticising it. Meanwhile, a Relief and Rehabilitation Department official said over 4,000 Kashmiri migrant families wish to return to the valley. “As many as 4,440 applications have been received from the Kashmiri migrant families which wish to return to the valley under the policy of return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants,” he said. Out of these applications, 1,682 families were still in possession of immovable assets and these applications had been referred for verification, officials said. The maximum 1,237 applications have been received from Srinagar followed by 1,140 from Anantnag, 462 from Baramulla, 431 from Budgam, 359 from Pulawama, 283 from Kulgam, 240 from Kupawara, 150 from Shopian and 98 from Ganderbal. No application has been received from Bandipore. So far, no migrant family has returned to the valley. However, creation of posts for the unemployed Kashmiri migrant youth is expected to be completed by May, after which their return to the valley will commence. “As such the real picture will emerge after May. As many as 3,000 migrant youths will be given jobs under special employment package and interviews have already been conducted,” the official said. The Centre had sanctioned a Rs 1,618 crore package for return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants. |
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Operation Khoj
Jammu, April 4 It may be stated here that one of the bloodiest gunbattles between the counter-insurgency forces and Lashkar militants resulted into the killing of 16 Pakistan militants and six soldiers in the Rajouri-Kalakote-Reasi area between March 27 and April 2. “So far, it has not been established from where the group had intruded into the Indian territory and the investigations are on, but they certainly had come from outside,” said defence sources. During wee hours of March 23, a young woman had claimed she had been kidnapped by a group of ultras near border village of Jogwan in the Khour area of Akhnoor subdivision. Even a police officer from Khour police station had confirmed to The Tribune that a woman aged around 28 years, who had gone to a field for cutting grass, claimed that she had been kidnapped by a group of suspected ultras and was hit with the butt of a gun by one of the ultras before being released. The woman stated that the incident happened around 5.30 am on the fateful day, said the officer. After the news spread like wildfire, security forces, particularly the Army launched a search operation in the area. “Something is there, but I can’t comment on it now,” the sources had told The Tribune. They (suspected ultras) did stop the woman and asked her few questions like shortest route to Rajouri. “Acting upon her disclosures, we immediately deployed our troops en route, likely to be adopted by them”, the sources had added. From the Akhnoor sector to Kalidhar, Sunderbani, Triyath, Mahore, Budhal and Koteranka, the troops were moved out to track down the ultras. “Soon after, we got the information our troops moved out and occupied the positions,” said the Army, adding that the LeT ultras might have come from along the Chenab. It may be stated here that 229-km long International Border (IB) mostly in plains of Jammu is being guarded by the BSF, while the Army is manning difficult hilly and rugged terrain of 749-km long LoC. “Though we are investigating, how come such a big group of the Pak ultras intruded into our territory without being noticed is a million dollar question that remains to be answered,” they added. The Army has repeatedly said the slain ultras belonged to Lashkar and had come from Pakistan. The IB exists up to Jogwan village from where LoC starts. The sources said to track down the ultras in an area of over 50 square km, the Army had to press into service around 1,000 troops on ground. They had infiltrated with weapons, ammunitions, sophisticated gadgetries and maps, added the sources. It may be stated here that memories of Chinore and Kaily Mandi encounters are still fresh in the minds of the people of Jammu.
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Inter-district Recruitment
Jammu, April 4 Though political parties have not yet shown any flexibility on their stands, sources said the government had been thinking seriously to continue reservation provision for the Scheduled Caste (SCs)/Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the new Bill so as to evolve a consensus before banning inter-district recruitment. The sources said before approaching the Opposition, the government first wanted to evolve a consensus among its own ministers on the issue. Serious differences emerged among Cabinet ministers in the meeting that was convened by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah a few days ago to discuss the issue. Those opposing the ban have already made it clear that they would not allow the government to snatch theconstitutional rights of the SCs/STs. Not only the Jammu State Morcha (JSM), but also the BJP and the Panthers Party are vociferously opposing the ban and even some Congress ministers have announced to stall the tabling of the Bill in the Assembly, if introduced in the present form. “We will support the Bill to ban inter-district recruitment provided reservation for SCs/STs continues in all districts,” Harsh Dev Singh, Panthers Party leader, said. “We have already made it clear that the rights of the SCs/STs should be protected at any cost,” he added. He regretted that instead of evolving a consensus, the government had been trying to create confusion over this issue. Reacting to the move to continue reservation for the SCs/STs in the new Bill, BJP leader Ashok Khajuria said: “Let the government come out with a proposal on this issue. Our stand on it is very much clear.” Engineer Abdul Rashid, Independent MLA from Langate, Kashmir, who has been vocally demanding the ban, is not opposed to the idea of continuing reservation for the SCs/STs to evolve a consensus on the issue. “If some political parties have made it an issue to rake up the sentiments of people, the government should take the decision which is acceptable to all sections of society,” he said.
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Beig for dialogue with separatists
Srinagar, April 4 “I appeal to all political parties to join hands and in one voice ask the Centre to initiate talks with separatists willing to talk to address the Kashmir issue,” Mehboob Beig, who is also a member of Lok Sabha, told mediapersons here. “Quiet dialogue initiated to resolve the Kashmir issue died a quiet death,” Beig said. Meanwhile, Beig has stressed for better execution and supervision of various centrally and state-sponsored schemes to realise maximum benefits from them. “Essentially the aim and objective of these schemes are flawless, yet the tangible results in terms of the benefits reaching to the people are marginal,” Beig said, adding that there is a need for finding ways and means to make improvement. Beig, impressed upon the district administration to ensure physical achievement by incurring funds under various schemes. |
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Two intruders shot dead near LoC
Srinagar, April 4 “In the wee hours today, our troops observed some suspicious movement near the LoC in the Keran sector. The alert soldiers fired at them, in which two militants were killed,” he said. The identity of the slain intruders was yet to be ascertained, but two AK assault rifles, six magazines, 96 rounds, three grenades, one ICOM radio set and a wire cutter was recovered from the site. “We expect this to be a hot summer as we expect a surge in cross-border infiltration and the militancy- related activities,” Brig Gurmeet Singh, Brigadier General Staff of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, said. He said the Pakistani government and intelligence agencies were providing active support to the infiltrators as they were carrying equipments that were only meant for the Army. He said along the LoC on the Pakistani side, there were 42 militant training camps, out of which 34 were still active, and 400 heavily armed ultras were waiting to cross over to this side. “They are desperately waiting to cross over to this side, but we are fully prepared to thwart their designs,” Brig Gurmeet Singh said. Meanwhile, the Army has been asked to remain alert along the LoC as it expects that more infiltration attempts would take place in the coming days. Jammu: Two minor brothers suffered splinter injuries when an explosive device went off in the forest area of Tain of Nowshera in Rajouri district on Saturday. The police said Nisar Ahmed and Liyaqat Ahmed, both residents of Thalka Nowshera, had gone to graze their cattle in the forest area, where they found a ball-like device. The device exploded when they fiddled with it, and caused splinter injuries to them, it said. It further said immediately after getting the information, a police party was rushed to the spot, which shifted the injured boys to the GMCH, Jammu. “The area was cordoned off and a search was launched. However, nothing wrong was found,” a senior police officer said.
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Rs 1.25 cr tubewell for Digiana
Jammu, April 4 The minister was addressing a large gathering after dedicating 35,000 GPH discharge-capacity tubewell at Roop Nagar in Digiana, coming up at an estimated cost of Rs 1.25 crore to the residents. Bhalla said on the completion of the tubewell, a population of 18,600 souls of Roop Nagar, Preet Nagar, Govindpura, Model Town, Digiana Ashram and its adjoining areas would avail the benefits of drinking water facilities. To deal with water scarcity in the remote and far-off areas, he said instructions have been issued to departments concerned to dig deep-drill hand pumps in the rural as well as urban areas to meet the requirement of drinking water in summer season. He said for improving the drinking water scenario in Kirayani Talab in Bathindi, the foundation stone has already been laid for construction of tubewell for which Rs 1.25 crore has been earmarked. He said the tubewell would be completed by June 2010 this year. —
TNS |
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1 sustains burns in bus
stand fire
Jammu, April 4 It said Tariq Mohammad sustained burn injuries when a bus (JK-02-2607) and a car (JK-02-N-7596) were gutted in flames.The injured was shifted to the GMCH, Jammu. The police said that fire was controlled it was ascertaining the cause. |
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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said the resumption of a high-level dialogue between India and Pakistan was vital for peace in the subcontinent.
Srinagar, April 4
