Srinagar, January 8
The PDP today alleged that the new hype about the BJP’s plan to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk here was the ruling National Conference’s outdated trick to divert 
people’s attention from its own “failures” and “governance deficit”.

“In order to divert attention of the people from its failures and governance deficit, the National Conference (NC) is engaged in the old and outdated trick of diverting people’s attention,” PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said.

Addressing a joint meeting of the party MLAs, senior leaders and district presidents of Kashmir here today, she claimed that as part of this strategy, the NC had created a new hype about the BJP’s plan to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk on Republic Day.

Terming the proposed flag-hoisting as a joint venture between the two parties, she said while the BJP was trying to “rake up emotive issues at the expense of Kashmir” by doing so, the NC “is using the occasion to present it as the sole issue facing Kashmir so that the focus is shifted away from its gross failures.”

Mehbooba accused the government of unleashing a reign of repression and failing in its basic duty of providing even a semblance of governance which, she claimed, had led to unprecedented sense of alienation and anger among people. “Instead of addressing this situation, the government had outsourced everything to its police and propaganda machinery,” she added.

The PDP president alleged the NC throughout its history had “exploited” the sentiments of the people and enjoyed “power without accountability”. She said the ruling party was “finding it hard” to retain its character as an effective political party.

Emphasising that her party played an effective role of the Opposition, Mehbooba said the NC-led coalition government had plunged the state into the worst crisis of its history. She added that the emergence of the PDP as a viable political force had unnerved the NC, which over the decades had enjoyed a free run of the political space in the state.

The PDP president alleged that the NC government had failed to provide basic amenities like electricity, ration and cooking gas and had been a partner in the scarcity of essentials, hoarding and profiteering.

She said the government machinery was hand in glove with hoarders and profiteers that had resulted in unprecedented price rise in the state.

Samba, January 8
As many as 100 historical forts located in various parts of the state will be renovated in a phased manner to restore their pristine glory.

Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora stated this here today while taking stock of the renovation and restoration work of the Samba Fort. MLA, Samba, Yashpal Kundal; Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Mubarak Singh; Director Tourism, Jammu, RK Verma; and Consultant, Archives, Khurshid Ahmad Qadri accompanied the minister.

Jora directed the officers and the executing agencies to take up the restoration and renovation work of the outer portion of the fort only after completing the interior works. He asked the Deputy Commissioner to ensure the early shifting of the school housed on the premises of the historical fort. He directed the officers concerned to demolish all newly constructed structures on the fort premises to maintain its heritage value.

Jora asked the officers to frame a comprehensive plan for the creation of facilities, including a cafeteria, to attract the tourists to the historical site. He stressed the need for creating such facilities at the historical place that could help in generating revenue for its maintenance.

The minister said the state had a vast potential for heritage tourism, which could not only become the means of revenue generation once fully exploited, but also generate employment for a large chunk of the youth of the state.

Reasi, January 8
The situation remained normal in Udhampur town as the police arrested two youths allegedly involved in a bid to kidnap a girl yesterday. A case of kidnapping was registered at City police station, Udhampur, on the complaint of the girl.

SHO, City police station, Arvind Sambyal said the preliminary investigation showed that both youths belonged to Jammu. They were identified as Rajan Dogra, alias Ashu, and Ashwini Sharma, alias Vicky, of Shakti Nagar, Jammu.

“The vehicle used by them, which was torched by the mob, belonged to some mahant of Jammu. Investigations are on to ascertain whether there were more youths involved in the incident,” said Sambyal.

According to sources, one of the arrested youths is the son of the owner of a popular ice cream parlour in Jammu, while the other is the grandson of the mahant. Meanwhile, the police has lodged a complaint against unknown persons involved in torching the vehicle used by the youths.

Following the incident at Chabutra Bazaar tension prevailed in Udhampur last evening.

The girl was coming after taking a tuition class along with another girl when the incident took place. Both girls are cousins. A protest was also organised in the town.

Srinagar, January 8
Security arrangements have been beefed up to thwart any designs of militants to create trouble on Republic Day. The police and the security agencies have been alerted to maintain a constant vigil here.

These measures have been taken in view of the two recent militant attacks here in the past two months. Three militants and a policeman were killed in a shootout at Qamarwari on the outskirts of the city on November 29 last year. In another incident, suspected militants attacked the Station House Officer (SHO), Batamaloo, here on January 4, injuring the SHO and a constable.

“It shows the presence of the militants though militancy has declined,” said a senior security officer. Various separatist organisations have already called for observing Republic Day as “black day”.

In view of the recent incidents, the police and the security agencies had been alerted to avoid any trouble in the Kashmir valley. The main Republic Day function would be held at the Bakshi Stadium here, while other functions would be held at various district headquarters and vital installations. The security around the vital installations had been geared up, the police said. “We are fully alert and are taking all possible measures to thwart any designs of the militants,” said P Tripathy, PRO of the CRPF. However, CCTvs are already in place at various vital points, while frisking and checking by the police has been launched in different areas of the city and elsewhere in the Valley. 

Jammu, January 8
Activists of the Panthers Party held a rally yesterday to declare the agenda adopted by the party for 2011.

The activists reached the party headquarters raising slogans amid the beating of drums here yesterday. On the occasion, senior party leaders, including party chairman Prof Bhim Singh, president Balwant Singh Mankotia, vice-president Daljit Singh Mankotia and state general-secretary Anita Thakur, were present for the declaration of the agenda, “Magna Carta of Jammu.”

The agenda demanded the reorganisation of the state through an amendment to Article 370 and the separation of powers for Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu regions. It sought separate Assemblies, budgets, chief ministers, secretariats, recruitments, planning commissions and separate delimitation.

However, the agenda stood for a common Governor and Chief Justice for the three regions, besides one state Assembly comprising legislators from the three regions. It also demanded a constitutional guarantee in reservation for the minorities, ST, SCs and OBCs in all three regions under the mandate of Article 370.

It further sought that all demands related to autonomy, self-rule, statehood and Article 370 should be addressed democratically in the light of the aspirations of people of the state. 

Jammu, January 8
The celebrations for the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh began with religious fervour here today. A nagar kirtan was taken out through the city. The Gurpurb falls on January 11.

A large number of devotees and various religious organisations participated in the procession, which started from Gurdwara Yaadgari Guru Nanak Dev Ji and culminated at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Nanak Nagar, where a special “ardaas” was performed.

The procession passed through various markets, including the Jewel Chowk, Bikram Chowk, Asia Crossing, Green Belt Park, Gandhi Nagar and other areas. During the procession, some Sikh devotees demonstrated their skills at “gatka”.

Meanwhile, the vehicular traffic came to a standstill, as all major roads were blocked till the culmination of the religious procession. A migrant labourer was injured near the Bikram Chowk here when splinters of a firecracker burst during the procession hit him.

The labourer, Vinod Chauhan, a resident of Bihar, was taken to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where his condition was said to be stable.

Jammu, January 8
The Gujjar-Bakerwal community yesterday urged the three-member Central Special Task Force (STF) constituted by the Union Home Ministry for Jammu and Ladakh to exclusively recommend the formulation of a special uplift programme for the speedy educational, social and economical development of the community.

Javed Rahi, secretary of the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, said the Gujjar-Bakerwal community constituted 80 per cent of the total Scheduled Tribe population in the state. “Ten per cent of the total ‘planned’ funds allocated annually to Jammu and Kashmir should be earmarked for the development of tribals alone, besides the Tribal Sub Plan grants.”

Rahi said they had sent a letter to the members of the Planning Commission about the urgent need for a special development programme for the nomadic community, which was the third largest community in the state. He added that in all states, except J&K, the Scheduled Tribes were rehabilitated on the forestland as per the Forest Act 2006 and the same should be extended to the state too.

Jammu, January 8
Expressing concern over the inordinate delay in opening the computerised toll plaza at Lakhanpur, the Citizen Forum has described the present toll post as a big source of corruption.

In a press statement issued here today, RK Chadha, president of the Citizen Forum, said the state government for last 15 years had been promising to set up of a computerised toll plaza at Lakhanpur, but nothing had been done so far. And as a result the present toll post had become a hub of corruption, he added.

“Over 15,000 commercial vehicles, goods transport and passenger buses as well as private vehicles enter or leave the Lakhanpur check post daily after paying the toll tax. The daily revenue collection at the Lakhanpur toll post comes to lakhs of rupees. But there is a great leakage in the revenue collection,” said Chadha.

He alleged that a major portion of the tax collected at Lakhanpur was being diverted to the Kashmir valley while only a
small part of it was being spent in Jammu for its development.

Chadha asked state Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather to regularly announce the amount of total revenue collected at the Lakhanpur toll post and where it was spent.

Srinagar, January 8
The temperature in the Kashmir valley saw some increase as the day was warmer by a few notches and the minimum temperature settled at -0.4°C.

The upper reaches of the Valley witnessed season’s second snowfall. Fresh snowfall is also expected in the plains in the next few hours. “There was snowfall in the upper reaches of Gulmarg and Gurez. Snowfall is also expected in the plains in the next few hours,” said an official of the state MeT Department.

He said, “Due to the nightlong cloud cover, the minimum temperature again rose in Srinagar today from -2.2°C to -0.4°C”. In the Pahalgam hill station, the minimum temperature was -1.8°C while in the Gulmarg ski resort it was -6°C.

“Leh and Kargil towns in the Ladakh region continued to reel under intense cold conditions. The minimum temperature recorded in Leh was -13.6°C while in Kargil town it was -10.4°C today,” he said. “Though there was a moderate snowfall in the upper reaches, we were expecting some precipitation in the form of light rain or snow in the plains,” the official added.

Jammu, January 8
Minister for School Education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, in the presence of Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla, laid the foundation stone of the Teachers’ Bhawan at Government Girls High School, Gandhi Nagar, today. The building is to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 3.16 crore.

Commissioner/secretary Naseema Lankar; Director, School Education, Jammu, Gulzar Ahmed Qureshi; Managing Director, J&K Housing Board, Daleep Thusu; Chief Education Officer, Jammu, Natha Ram Dingra were present on the occasion.

The proposed building will be constructed on an area of 10,902 sq ft, having three-seater bedrooms, a dormitory, dining hall, kitchen, store, guest room and a reception office.

Sayeed said on the completion of the bhawan, the training of teachers and exhibitions would be held in the complex. He asked the Housing Board authorities to complete the building by January 2012. He said the Centre had allocated Rs 60 crore under the Rashtriya Madhyamic Shiksha Abhiyan for the opening and upgrading of high and higher secondary schools in every constituency of the state with latest infrastructural facilities. He added as many as 69 schools would be built across the state and Rs 36 lakh would be spent on each school. 

Jammu, January 8
DGP Kuldeep Khoda inspected the police contingents presently undergoing a special orientation-cum-training course at the Police Training Centre, Sunjwan, here today.

While inspecting the centre, Khoda said the maintenance of law and order in the state was the top priority of the police. “For the purpose, the J&K Police is updating its training modules focusing on the modern techniques of mob control without causing loss of lives, besides ensuring professional policing,” Khoda added.

During his visit, the contingents demonstrated skills of special training that they were being imparted at the centre. Khoda said such training courses would be organised to train all subordinate ranks in a phased manner.

Later, he addressed a meeting of officers to discuss various issues related to special training courses. He also issued instructions for the allotment of a 100 KV generator set to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the centre. 

Udhampur, January 8
The General Officer Commanding, Ace of Spades Division, flagged off a motivational tour of a group of elders to Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai from Keri under the Operation Sadbhavna yesterday.

As per an official release, the tour is being organised by the Keri Battalion with a view to instilling a sense of awareness, spread the message of national integration and provide an exposure to the elderly about the pace of economic development and the way of life in other parts of the country.

The 12-day tour will provide an opportunity to 15 citizens from the remote areas of Rajouri district to visit industrial, religious and historically important places in Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai. They will also get an opportunity to interact with prominent political leaders, senior officers of the Army as well as the common man at these places. The group will return on January 18.