Jammu, January 21
Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar said today that the state government would not allow the BJP to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Republic Day “under any circumstances” as it could disturb the “fragile” peace in the Kashmir valley.

Talking to mediapersons here, the Law Minister said BJP leaders and activists were welcome to attend the National Flag hoisting functions in Jammu and Srinagar.” Such ceremonies are held on Republic Day and Independence Day at all district headquarters. We are not against the hoisting of the National Flag anywhere, but the manner in which the party wants to do it will lead to a law and order problem,” he said, and appealed to the BJP to drop the plan.

However, Sagar as well as Chief Minister Omar Abdulla have so far kept their cards close to the chest on how they will thwart the BJP’s Rashtriya Ekta Yatra and whether the yatra will be allowed to enter the state from the Lakhanpur border or not.

The government is yet to ban the yatra and has also not imposed Section 144 to prevent an assembly of people. The BJP is adamant on its plan and says it has permission to hold a public meeting at the Parade Ground when the yatra reaches here on January 25. President of the state unit of the party Shamsher Manhas says the party has the permission to hold a public meeting and will go ahead with its plan to hoist the National Flag.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister today refused to comment on the statement of senior BJP leader LK Advani that the move to hoist the National Flag was aimed at challenging separatists, and not the state government.

Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a book release function here, Omar said the government had already made its position clear on the issue.” I will not comment further,” he added.

Srinagar, January 21
The state government has directed the civil and police authorities to ensure that the law and order in the state is not disturbed in the run-up to the Republic Day celebrations.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had recently appealed to the BJP not to go ahead with its plan to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Republic Day as it would vitiate the atmosphere which witnessed a considerable improvement after the five-month-long unrest last year.

Security agencies have stepped up security arrangements and are working round-the-clock to prevent any trouble.The JKLF’s “Lal Chowk Chalo” call will also be prevented to maintain peace.

DGP Kuldeep Khoda directed officers to maintain a strict vigil to thwart any evil designs of anti-national elements for ensuring an incident-free Republic Day throughout the state.

He was addressing a meeting of senior officers of the civil administration,the police, the Army and the security forces to review the security arrangements for the celebrations.

Meanwhile, the JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik, who had earlier challenged the BJP to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk today reacted sharply to a statement of senior BJP leader L.K Advani about his party’s determination to go ahead with the programme.

Speaking at a gathering in memory of civilians killed by the security forces at Gawkadal in the Lal Chowk area on this day in 1990, Malik said the then NDA Government led by the BJP at the Centre had initiated the process to release separatist leaders when Advani was the Deputy Prime Minister.

The same government had also started a dialogue with the then united Hurriyat Conference and Pakistan.” Now, the party has declared a war on people of Kashmir”, Malik said.

Jammu, January 21
As the state government has hinted that the Rashtriya Ekta Yatra will not be allowed to enter Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP has drawn up a new strategy to ensure the presence of the maximum number of workers in Jammu before the start of the march to Srinagar.

Instead of entering the state by road along with the cavalcade of the yatra, activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), youth wing of the BJP, will reach Jammu by train and bus.

“We have asked our workers to reschedule their programme and reach Jammu by train or bus because the authorities have hinted that the cavalcade will be stopped at Lakhanpur,” a senor BJP leader told The Tribune. He added that the first batch of the party workers was likely to reach Jammu tomorrow.

A BJP leader said the party had booked some hotels and lodges to ensure proper arrangements for the party workers, who had advanced their visit to counter the government’s move. He added that instead of joining the cavalcade, a large number of party workers would reach Jammu through alternative routes.

State BJP president Shamsher Singh Manhas too admitted that the party had to draw up a new strategy, as the state government had announced to stop the yatra at Lakhanpur. Manhas confirmed that several batches of BJYM workers would start arriving in Jammu in the morning. “The state government has given us a challenge and we have accepted it,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, BJYM national general secretary Nitin Naveen, who was camping in Kashmir, told mediapersons that the party would hoist the National Flag at any cost. He said there was enthusiasm among BJP workers of the Valley who had assured the party that they would participate in a large number in the flag-hoisting ceremony at Lal Chowk. Naveen, who is a member of the Bihar Assembly, said in case the yatra was stopped, the party workers would start a satyagraha there.

BJP spokesperson Nirmal Kamal expressed reservations over the decision of the government not to allow the yatra from proceeding towards Kashmir.

Srinagar, January 21
The Centre's interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir today said most people who met them were not in favour of the implementation of UN resolutions on Kashmir, but favoured socio-economic and political empowerment of people.

Interacting with a group of local editors here, the interlocutors led by Dileep Padgaonkar said most of the people were in favour of development in the political, economic and social fields.

He said a majority of people in the state believed in democracy and wanted to resolve various issues in a democratic way.

On rejection of the talks offer by separatist leaders, the interlocutors said they had been receiving various letters seeking a resolution of Kashmir issue.

Dileep Padgaonkar and MM Ansari after meeting various parties in Jammu arrived on a three-day visit to the Kashmir valley on Wednesday.

However, Prof Radha Kumar could not arrive here after attending meetings with various political leaders in Jammu.

During their visit, the interlocutors met teachers of the University of Kashmir, Srinagar and representatives of various sections of society in Budgam district.

Srinagar, January 21
Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today stressed the need to take measures for positive and result-oriented tripartite talks between India, Pakistan and the people of the state to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Addressing a Friday congregation at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid here, the Mirwaiz said all efforts in the past for the resolution of the issue, whether talks between India and Pakistan or the Kashmiri leadership and the Centre, were a futile exercise.

The Mirwaiz,who is scheduled to address a two-day seminar in London next week,said he would inform the international community about the ground situation in the Valley, alleged human rights violations and the recent unrest in Kashmir.

Rejecting a fresh offer of talks by the Centre’s interlocutors, the Mirwaiz said the Hurriyat Conference had already submitted its suggestions to the government.

An improvement in the ground situation and a conducive atmosphere were necessary for any talks, he said, adding these suggestions had not been implemented on the ground.

The Mirwaiz held that the party, as part of its political and diplomatic policy, talked to both India and Pakistan for resolving the Kashmir issue.

He lamented that the Government of India adhered to its policy of “traditional delaying tactics” and therefore, the talks did not move in a positive direction.

Jammu, January 21
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the government was actively endeavouring to develop Urdu - the official language of the state.

He said measures had been already been taken for posting Urdu teachers in primary schools and propagating the language along with Hindi and English, and added that teaching Urdu at the primary level would help develop the language.

Speaking after releasing a book of Urdu poems, “Warood” by Khalid Karar at a function, Omar said the works of poets and writers infused enthusiasm in readers and encouraged propagation of the language.

He said for the development of Urdu, poets and writers had contributed a lot to the past and were also giving their best at the present.

This trend should continue as young poets like Karar had encouraged Urdu in the state through their works of high literary quality. He said the government would take all measures for propagating Urdu reading and writing in the state.

Speaking on the occasion Mushtaq Ahmad Bukhari, vice-chairman, Pahari Development Board, threw light on the poetic collections of Karar and said Poonch and Rajouri had produced writers and poets of immense fame.

He thanked the Chief Minister for presiding over the function and laid stress on giving a boost to Urdu reading and writing in the state.

Legislator Mohammad Yusuf Taing, in his address of welcome,narrated the role of Urdu in binding the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. 

Srinagar, January 21
Lt-Gen KT Parnaik, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, arrived here today on a three-day visit to the Valley, this being his first visit after assuming the charge of the Northern Command.

He was received by Lt-Gen SA Hasnain, GOC, Chinar Corps, at the BB Cantonment, a defence spokesman said.

Lt-Gen Parnaik interacted with senior officers and was briefed on the operational preparedness of the Chinar Corps and the prevailing situation. Accompanied by Lt-Gen Hasnain, he later visited the HQ, CIF (K), and interacted with officers there.

He was briefed on numerous issues by the GOC, HQ, CIF (K), the spokesman said.

Jammu, January 21
The BSF shot dead a Pakistan intruder in the Pargwal sector of Akhnoor subdivision today. In the gunfight that lasted nearly 40 minutes, the BSF troops also pushed back a group of three to four intruders, suspected to be Pakistan ultras.

“Today around 4.15 am, there was an intrusion bid by suspected ultras at the Rajpura border outpost near Chak Phagwari village in the Pargwal sector of Akhnoor, but troops of the 32 Battalion foiled it,” a senior BSF officer told The Tribune.

“The intruders opened fire on our troops but were engaged in a gunfight that lasted till 4.55 am. An intruder was shot dead”, he added.

The identity of the slain intruder was yet to be ascertained.

As a part of its strategy to tackle intrusion bids, the BSF has recently started fortifying the border, raising mounds, setting up observation-cum-ambush points and realigning the border fence.

Jammu, January 21
Umesh Singh, 50, who was working at a private chemical factory in Samba, was found dead at his rented accommodation near the bus stand in Samba town this morning.

The police said Umesh, a resident of Delhi, worked at Jai Shree Rasayan Udyog Ltd, Samba, and his landlord informed us about his death this morning. The landlord stated that when he knocked at the door of Umesh’s room, there was no reply. He later called the police. A police party was sent to the spot, which broke open the door and found the man lying dead on his bed, it added.

There were no injury marks on the body and after a post-mortem it was kept in the mortuary. Meanwhile, the police informed Umesh’s family members about his death, and they would reach Samba tomorrow. Inquest proceedings under Section 174 of CrPC have been started.

Meanwhile, two labourers were killed when a mound of earth fell on them near the Shiv Temple in the Sarwal area yesterday. The police said the deceased were installing a sewer pipeline when the mound of earth caved in,burying them. Sources said a private contractor had hired the labourers.

Jammu, January 21
Mystery shrouds the death of a young girl whose body was found at Balotra Chak village, near Ramgarh, in Samba district yesterday.

The girl was identified as 20-year-old Nisha, who worked as a beautician.

Her clothes were torn and there were deep stab wounds on the stomach, sources said.

They said a sharp-edged weapon might have been used to commit the crime, but the weapon had not been recovered so far. A cap and hair were recovered from the scene of the crime.

KK Sharma, SHO, Ramgarh police station said, “Yesterday, the body was spotted by some passersby, who informed us. An FSL team was called, which lifted samples from the spot. But so far, there have been no clues to suggest whether the girl was raped and murdered.”

He added that after a post-mortem the body was handed over to the family.

“The post-mortem report is awaited and the family members of the deceased have also not indicated if they suspected anyone’s hand in the murder. However, a hunt has been launched to nab the accused,” added Sharma.

The police said the victim’s family had told it that Nisha had gone to a nearby village for the make-up of a bride a day before her death, but didn’t return. She is survived by her parents and two brothers.

Meanwhile, there was tension in the area following the incident. The Ramgarh police has registered a case under Section 302 of the RPC.

Jammu, January 21
Two persons, including the cleaner of a speeding minibus, were injured after the vehicle overturned near Dreamland School in the Janipur area here today.

A police officer said that the minibus (JK-14-A-3045) was going towards the city when its driver tried to overtake another vehicle and lost control over it. The minibus overturned causing minor injuries to the cleaner and a passenger. The minibus was damaged.

Local residents and the police took the injured to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where they were recuperating.

The injured have been identified as the minibus cleaner, Kamal Kishore, a resident of Purmanadal, and a passenger, Harnam Singh, a resident of the Janipur colony. The Janipur police has started investigation into the incident.

Srinagar, January 21
The state government has sanctioned a relief of Rs 1.21 crore in favour of 38 militancy-affected families in Bandipora district.

The ex-gratia relief was sanctioned at a meeting of the district-level screening committee, an official spokesman said today. He added that Rs 4 lakh each would be provided to the next of kin of 28 persons killed in subversive activities.

As part of an ex-gratia relief policy, the government either provides Rs 1 lakh and a job on compassionate grounds or Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of a person killed in militancy-related violence. — PTI