Srinagar, October 7
The state Assembly witnessed noisy scenes today as 15 members of the BJP and the Panthers Party were marshalled out after they came to the well of the House and some of them jumped into it while objecting to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s speech on the situation in the state yesterday.

BJP member Jugal Kishore, who was injured in the scuffle, gets treatment

High drama was witnessed when the Opposition members objected to the Chief Minister’s remarks and raised slogans. Two of them were seen jumping into the well of the House. When Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone asked marshals to take the protesting members out of the well, the members resisted, drawing the ire of the Speaker.He then ordered the marshals that the members be taken out of the House and prevented from re-entering it.At least four members, three of the BJP and one of the Panthers Party, received minor injuries in the scuffle with the marshals.One of the members of the security staff was also reportedly injured. The hall was later bolted from inside.

Earlier,as soon as the House assembled in the morning for the day’s proceedings,the BJP members rose from their seats and objected to the Chief Minister’s remarks made during a discussion in the Assembly yesterday.BJP MLA Jugal Kishore objected to the selection list of the KAS candidates which had been published recently. Some of the National Conference members, Ch Mohammad Ramzan, Nazir Gurezi and Shamima Firdous, M Y Tarigami of the CPM, Hakeem Mohammad Yasin of the PDF and Sheikh Abdul Rashid,an Independent, objected to the BJP member’s remarks.

However, Panthers Party MLA and former minister Harsh Dev Singh, drawing the Speaker’s attention to the Chief Minister’s remarks in the House yesterday, condemned the statement. He referred to four points raised by Omar Abdullah- on the state’s accession to India, not being a puppet government, eight- point package and Kashmir being an international issue. At this moment,the BJP members led by former union minister Chaman Lal Gupta,while raising slogans against the government, moved to the well to register their protest.

While the ruckus continued for about 10 minutes, the Speaker said the members had been repeatedly requested to maintain discipline and allow smooth functioning of the House. All of them would be allowed to express their views freely in a proper way, he said, adding that some members despite such assurances were indulging in hooliganism. “I will allow them if they do not damage papers or fight with the security staff ”, the Speaker said.

The members, however, did not return and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, intervening on the issue, said the BJP members were free to express their views. He maintained that the members listened to the speech of the Chief Minister yesterday and did not react.

Jammu, October 7
“I apologise to Priyadarshini and would not harass her again.” This undertaking was given not once but four times by Santosh Singh to the Delhi police when Priyadarshini Mattoo lodged four FIRs against him in different police stations for stalking and harassing her.She and her family accepted the apology hoping the man would be reformed.

Santosh did not keep his word and went on to brutally rape and kill Priyadarshani. And though the Supreme Court stated it was commuting the sentence as there was a chance he could be reformed, the aggrieved family does not see any hope.

“He apologised before me and in front of cops in a police station. But once out of the police net, he was again back to his harassing ways,” said Rajeshwari Mattoo, mother of Priyadarshini. ”My daughter had kept a copy of his signed apology. After her murder, the CBI took the papers and those were part of the case files,” added Rajeshwari.

The aged mother said if there was any chance of reformation,” my daughter would have been alive today”.

She recalled that once she was going in Delhi in a car with Priyadarshini when at the traffic lights, Santosh came and lay on the bonnet. “We were shocked and trembled with fear. This happened when he had already apologised in a police station few days ago. We were yet to react when he came near Priyadarshini, took the keys of the car and left us there. It happened in full public view and traffic cops were witness to it,” said Rajeshwari.

“When we lodged a complaint with the police, he gave another undertaking that he won’t harass Priya. We pardoned him as Priyadarshini didn’t want her precious time to be wasted in courts and hoped he would be reformed”,she said.

“Now, the Supreme Court is hoping he would be reformed. Going by what we have suffered, we have no hopes. But we are talking as victimised parents and not legal experts in the matter. The court may have reasons, but he won’t be reformed,” she said.

Jammu, October 7
Two school students were among seven arrested for allegedly killing 19-year-old Ali Asgar Jatt, a student of BA III and newly-elected president of the Students Council of Government Degree College, Rajouri.

A senior police officer said the students, belonging to rival factions, were involved in the murder that took place on October 5 evening. “But the involvement of school students was surprising,” he said.

The arrested students were identified as Sanam Shah and Sameer, both students of Class XII. However, the police has withheld the names of three more accused who are absconding. The officer added the police was interrogating the accused and the others would also be arrested soon.

Jaan Mohammad, SHO, Rajouri police station, said: “We have collected ample evidence that the students were present at the crime spot and played a vital role in the killing of Ali on the evening of October 5.” “We are about to solve the case as all accused have been arrested, expect for three who would be nabbed soon” the SHO added.

The police said the family members of Ali had alleged in their complaint that Ali Asgar was beaten to death by some persons near a water filtration plant on the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University road when he was returning home with his friends after celebrating his election victory on Tuesday. It further said those arrested yesterday included patwari Mohammad Afzal and his two sons, Naseem Shah and Tufail Shah.

Jammu, October 7
Terming demands of “azadi” and “autonomy” as drama to exert pressure on the Centre to get more funds, the Gujjar United Council today said a majority of people of the state were against such demands.

Addressing a one-day Gujjar conference at Rajouri, Chowdhary Qumar Rubbani, a member of the Gujjar United Council, said the government should take Gujjars and Paharis into confidence while reaching to any solution to deal with the present situation in the state.

He said demands of azadi and autonomy were a big conspiracy of certain political forces of the state. “These forces are hand in glove with local militant outfits and political forces across the border,” he alleged.

“The state’s population is about one crore. About 60 per cent of them are Muslims and the remaining are non-Muslims, which include Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and others. Around 20 per cent of the total Muslim population is Gujjars and 10 per cent comprises hilly people who speak their own dialects.

More than 30 per cent people are totally against azadi and so-called autonomy. Even the remaining 30 per cent Muslims, who are confined to two or three districts of the Valley, are also not in favour of Kashmir’s freedom,” Rubbani said.

“Why the Government of India does not want to talk to Muslim Gujjars and hilly people who are pro-India and have full faith in its Constitution?” he asked.

The conference demanded scrapping of controversial Inter-district Recruitment Bill, setting up of a tribal university for Gujjars and dismissal of the present government.

Among others who addressed the gathering were Abdul Rashid Kataria,

Mohammed Sharief, Nazir Hussain, Fazal Hussain, Abdul Rashied Chowan, Nisar Hussain and Anwar Hussain.

Udhampur, October 7
A meeting of district officers and prominent citizens of Udhampur convened by Deputy Commissioner Baseer Ahmed Khan has decided that local Sports Stadium would be the main venue of the Dasehra celebrations on October 17.

Khan directed officers of the Public Health Engineering (PHE), the Power Development Department (PDD), the Health Department and the Municipal Committee to make arrangements for drinking water, power, security, sanitation, medicare, seating and barricading. The district police was asked to deploy adequate police personnel at vintage points of the town, besides ensuring smooth traffic movement.

The Deputy Commissioner also asked officers of the Civil Defence and Fire Services to deploy vehicles at the venue to meet any eventuality. The Civil Defence Organisation would also provide services of its volunteers on first Navratra and Dasehra at the stadium. He also directed the Municipal Committee to give the town a clean look on the festive occasion well in advance.

The meeting was informed that the procession carrying tableau of Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita would start from Seetla Mata Temple, Chowk Chabutra at around 4 pm and after passing through the main bazaar, Gole Market, Mukerjee Bazaar, Court Road and Slathia Chowk, would culminate at Sports Stadium.

To keep a check on the prices and quality of the eatables during the festivals, a team of officers comprising Chief Medical Officer, Assistant Director, CAPD, Tehsildar, Udhampur, Executive Officer, Municipal Committee, Assistant Commissioner Meteorology and SHO, Udhampur police station, would conduct a frequent visit to different markets. Meanwhile, shopkeepers have also been directed to exhibit the rate lists of eatables of their shops for the information of general public.

Jammu, October 7
The All-J&K Plus 2 Lecturers Forum today expressed concern over the non-implementation of Cabinet decision taken on March 29 this year for regularisation of incharge incumbents in the department.

In a statement issued here in a meeting held today under the chairmanship of forum president HD Qureshi, the teachers appealed to the Education Minister for his personal intervention in the matter and to take up the issue of regularisation again in the state Cabinet for clearance.

They said the agenda would be discussed in the full house meeting on October 10 in order to evolve future strategies to resolve long pending issues like regularisation of incharge incumbents, removal of anomalies and re-organisation of the department, besides other issues.

Jammu, October 7
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s speech in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday regarding the status of the state in respect to the country has evoked strong reaction in the Jammu region. Taking serious note of the “controversial” statement of the Chief Minister, the Panthers Party has given a call for a Jammu bandh on Friday.

The BJP and other organisations of the Sangh Parivar convened an emergency meeting to devise strategy to counter the Chief Minister, who according to them had been preaching secessionism to accomplish the agenda of separatist outfits.

While winding up the debate in the Legislative Assembly yesterday, Omar had stated that the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the country had been done, but the state had not merged with the country.

“It (J&K) cannot be placed on a par with Hyderabad or Junagarh,” Omar had stated and added that the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India had occurred under an agreement.

Intellectuals, political and social groups have termed Omar’s statement as “anti-national” and demanded action against him for delivering such a provocative statement on the floor of the Assembly.

Eminent scholar and professor of the Department of Political Science University of Jammu, Raju Goel said, “Omar Abdullah seems to be acting as marketing manager of Syed Ali Shah Geelani”.

Goel sought a white paper and clarification on this speech as it was for the first time in the history of the state that a Chief Minister had invited an external agent to interfere in the internal matters of the country.

Taking a dig at the Chief Minister for making a distinction between merger and accession, he said that no one could challenge the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India but the unsolved question was the territory occupied by Pakistan known as PoK.

Lambasting the Chief Minister for terming the agreement with India as conditional, Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh said Omar Abdullah had literally come out with his hidden agenda as the spokesman of Syed Ali Shah Geelani as he (Omar) had violated the oath of the allegiance to the Constitution.

“We have made an appeal to all political parties, nationalists, patriotic people, youth and student organisations to observe a joint bandh tomorrow in Jammu against anti-national, anti-India and communally provocative statement of Omar Abdullah in the Legislative Assembly yesterday,” Singh said.

General secretary of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Surinder Choudhary, while terming statement of Omar Abdullah as highly provocative and anti-national, demanded immediate ouster of the government to protect the state.

“After setting Kashmir on fire, Omar has been desperately trying to create trouble in Jammu also,” cautioned Choudhary and asserted that the BSP would oppose any move to disintegrate the state from the rest of the country.

Srinagar, October 7
The BJP here today decided to boycott the remaining session of the state Assembly following a brawl in the House after they were marshalled out along with three members of the Panthers Party. The Panthers Party, led by former minister Harsh Dev Singh, also stayed away from the day’s proceedings after opposition members from the Jammu region were marshalled out.

However, after staying away from the House during Question Hour, Panthers Party members Harsh Dev Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yash Paul Kundal returned. They again staged a walkout after Singh made a statement on the remarks of the Chief Minister.

“Why do you doubt that it is an integral part (of India)?” Sagar asked Harsh Dev Singh, who retorted the objection was to the remark that Jammu and Kashmir was an “international issue”. Later talking to newsmen, BJP leader Ashok Khajuria said the party had decided to stay away from the remaining session of the House and threatened to launch an agitation in Jammu.

He blamed the coalition government for the present turmoil and alleged that protest calendars of separatists were being issued in consultation with coalition partners.

“The agitation will be held in a democratic manner,” he said. Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Chaman Lal Gupta later told The Tribune that the party had taken a serious view of the Chief Minister’s statement.

Srinagar, October 7
Governor NN Vohra has greeted people on the commencement of Navratras and prayed for communal harmony, brotherhood, peace and prosperity in the state. In his message, the Governor said the Navratras had a special significance in the state as the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi witnessed a huge arrival of pilgrims during this period.

Meanwhile, the Governor, who is also Chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, reviewed the arrangements for the Navratras at a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Board, RK Goyal, here today. Goyal stated that the nine-day long Chhat Chandi Yagya was being organised at the holy shrine during the Navratras in which a group of about 30 pujaris, led by Prof Vishwa Murthi Shastri, would participate.

Jammu, October 7
At least 12 activists of the BJP were injured when they clashed with the police. The clash took place when the BJP activists were carrying out a march in protest against the “attack” on their MLAs in the Assembly today. A large number of BJP activists, including female supporters, gathered at the BJP headquarters in the Kachi Chawani area this afternoon. When the police tried to disperse them, a scuffle broke out between the activists and the police at the Parade area. The police resorted to cane charge to control the BJP activists. As a result, about 12 activists were injured.

Rajesh Gupta, Jammu president of the BJP, said: “Our protest was peaceful and we did not violate any law. However, the police suddenly cane charged us, including our female activists, in which our 12 members were injured and taken to the hospital.” On the other hand, the police said protesters did not seek any permission from the administration and carried out their protest march in the ever-busy city markets, that too during the business hours.

SS Sambyal, DSP (City), said, “The protesters did not get any permission from the administration for carrying out the rally. We even told them to disperse, but when they did not budge from their stand, we mildly cane charged and dispersed them.”

Jammu, October 7
Activists of the Jammu West Assembly Movement (JWAM) today held a protest demonstration against the failure of the traffic police in controlling the traffic on city roads, in the Janipur area here yesterday.

They also burnt the effigy of the state government and demanded the intervention of the Chief Minister to solve the traffic problem of the city, particularly in the localities of the Jammu West constituency, which includes Ambphalla, New Plot, Janipur and Cannal Road. — TNS

Jammu, October 7
The DIET organised a two-day district-level science exhibition, which concluded today, at Government Higher Secondary School in Ramban district.

Around 48 schools of the district displayed their science models in the exhibition. According to a statement issued here, the theme of this exhibition was ‘Science and Technology for challenges in Life’.

In this exhibition, 48 models comprising 12 from higher secondary schools, 18 from secondary schools and 18 from elementary schools were exhibited. The exhibition was inaugurated by Ramban District Development Commissioner KB Mangotra yesterday. He was the chief guest of the function, and Chief Education Officer, Ramban, RP Gandotra was the guest of honour for the inaugural function.

In today’s valedictory function, Director of School Education Zahida Khan was the chief guest, and Principal, SIE, Jammu, Kuldeep Sharma was the guest of honour.

Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS) (boys), Banihal, GHSS (boys), Ghandri, and GHSS (boys), Ramban, secured first, second and third positions, respectively, in Higher Secondary category.

Srinagar, October 7
An international humanitarian medical aid organisation has begun providing “psychological assistance” to victims of violence in the Kashmir valley after over three weeks.

The Medicine Sans Frontiers (MSF) had stopped its work on September 12 due to the deteriorating law and order situation in the Valley.

“Despite the continuing tension, the MSF counsellors have restarted visiting patients in hospitals in Srinagar and are offering on-the-spot psychological assistance to the victims of violence and their families,” Majid Pandit, communication officer of the MSF, said.

“We are dealing with a population already heavily traumatised by over two decades of violence, and people are continuing to suffer psychologically,” Maria Veerart, MSF’s Mental Health Officer in Kashmir, said.

The MSF was extremely concerned that the recent violence may increase mental health problems in the Valley, she added. — PTI

Srinagar, October 7
As normal life continued to remain paralysed, stray incidents of stone throwing were reported from different parts of Srinagar city in which at least three school children were injured and damage caused to two buses.

Three school children were injured when protest demonstrators indulged in stone throwing in Rainawari area here this afternoon. A bus was also damaged in the incident, the police here said.

Another bus suffered damage to windowpanes when protesters threw stones on it in Naushera area on the city outskirts this afternoon. No one was injured in the incident, the police said.

Similar incidents were reported from Tengpora bypass area also where protesters attempted to block the traffic on the main road.

However, the police chased them away and the traffic plied normally on the Srinagar-Baramulla Road.

Normal life remained paralysed across Kashmir valley in response to the separatist bandh call today, as per the fresh calendar issued here the other day. All shops and business establishments were closed, though near normal traffic plied on the roads. Educational institutions and banks remained open, while there was thin attendance in schools.

Meanwhile, the Unified Command Headquarters (UHQ) today decided to revoke the Public Safety Act (PSA) against 12 youths, who had been arrested during the ongoing unrest in the Valley, official sources said.

The UHQ, which met for the second time in as many days, under the chairmanship of Chief minister Omar Abdullah, decided to release 12 youths, including some students, who were arrested under the PSA over the past couple of months, they said.

The sources added all cases had been reviewed and only 12 youths will be released in the first instance. They said the other cases would be reviewed at subsequent meetings of the UHQ.

The UHQ met yesterday but decided to meet again today to finalise the decisions, seeking some additional information about a few cases from the agencies concerned.

The meeting to review the cases of PSA detenues comes a fortnight after the Centre announced an eight-point package for normalising situation in the valley, which has been in a grip of protests, strikes and curfews since June 11. The state government has booked 322 persons, including 50 on the charge of stone throwing and 22 separatists for fuelling the unrest since January this year.

Srinagar, October 7
Seen as one of the biggest steps towards winning the hearts of people of the Kashmir valley, the removal of 16 bunkers from various parts of the Srinagar has been widely welcomed by local residents.

“The dismantling of the bunkers is a welcome step,” said Mubashir Ahmed, a postgraduate student of Kashmir University.

“The anger of the Valley people is genuine as they have just seen promises being made and many initiatives being announced and later forgotten. But the people here want steps to be implemented on the ground and the dismantling of the bunkers is a step in the right direction,” Mubashir said.

The process to dismantle the bunkers from the Anganwadi Centre, Wanihama, BD School, Batmaloo, Sonawar, Janab Sahib Soura, Hazratbal, PHC Palpora, Magarmal Crossing, Agricultural University, Shalimar, DAV School, and Bone and Joints Hospital in Barzulla is almost over.

“Earlier, whenever you entered the Bone and Joints Hospital, it seemed as if you were entering a cantonment. But now as they have removed the bunker from there, people feel much relieved,” said a doctor. “The common man in Kashmir wants to lead a peaceful life and we welcome any move of the state and the Central governments towards restoring normalcy in the Kashmir valley,” said Imtiyaz Ahmed, a local resident.

New Delhi, October 7
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s speech on Wednesday in the state Assembly asserting himself as not being a “puppet of the Centre” has evoked sharp response from the BJP calling him a puppet of the separatists, while the Congress defended ally National Conference leader.

BJP spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Husain demanded Abdullah’s resignation saying, “Omar Abdullah has no right to continue as the Chief Minister”.

Shahnawaz Hussain said, “There is no difference between his and the separatists’ statements,” adding “The NC speaks two languages - one in Kashmir, another in Delhi. We also seek an explanation from the Congress”.

But AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh came to Omar’s defence. He said, “What else do you expect him to say? (Omar) he is not a puppet.” Asked whether the statement was against the Centre’s policies, Singh said, “He is the Chief Minister of a state. He should not unnecessarily allow the message to go that he is weak and unnecessarily harassed and interfered with.