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All entry points to state sealed
Six BJP youth wing activists arrested in Lal Chowk
12 Reasi schools record zero per cent result
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All parties’ Sikh panel flays Ekta Yatra
BJP hell-bent on disturbing peace, says Gul
BJP alters yatra plan following crackdown
BJP’s programme politically motivated: LJP
Romeo force draws up plan to thwart ultras’ designs
Consumer complaint against de-addiction centre dismissed
Carcasses recovered in Kathua
Dogri Sansthan to honour artists, writers
Mushaira enthrals audience
Cleaner killed as truck falls into gorge
Lt-Gen Parnaik visits Kupwara, Awantipora
Jawan hurt in landmine blast
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All entry points to state sealed
Jammu, January 22 Police sources revealed that though the official route of the yatra was the Pathankot-Lakhanpur highway, there was a possibility that the BJP workers may reach Udhampur directly by road, emanating from the Pathankot-Dalhousie highway and another connecting Bhadarwah in Kishtwar district with Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. The police has also sealed a narrow road connecting Gurdaspur with Kathua from the Punjab side. The sources said though senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said in New Delhi yesterday that the yatra participants would not proceed further if they were stopped in Jammu and Kashmir,
the police was not taking any chances. They added the police was ready with anti-riot equipment and mob clearance methods to thwart any law and order trouble. The Rashtriya Ekta Yatra being organised by the Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha, youth wing of the BJP, began from Kolkatta early this month. The yatra is proposed to culminate at Lal Chowk in Srinagar, where the
BJP plans to hoist the National Flag. The NC-Congress government led by Omar Abdullah had announced yesterday that the flag hoisting would not be allowed under any circumstances. The Congress, however, was maintaining a studied silence over the issue. The state Congress leaders
had so far not opposed the National Flag-hoisting plan. |
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Six BJP youth wing activists arrested in Lal Chowk
Srinagar, January 22 According to the police, six persons belonging to a political party were arrested and some posters were confiscated. The youths were holding the party flag and marching in the central Lal Chowk area, which has become the centre of attention in view of the BJP’s plan to hoist the National Flag on Republic Day. The state vice-president of the BJP, Sofi Mohammad Yousuf, told The Tribune that six persons from Srinagar downtown were arrested by the police in the Kralakhud area of the city near Lal Chowk last evening. The youths, belonging to the Yuva Morcha, were returning to their homes after attending a meeting of the party at its headquarters in the Rajbagh area. He said the youths were arrested during a routine checking by the police after it recovered party flags and posters from the vehicle. The BJP leader said he had approached police officers in this connection, who allegedly threatened him to desist from hoisting the flag. Sofi added that the police had also disallowed the holding of his press conference at a local hotel here this afternoon. The police had threatened the hotel owner, which had prompted him to return the advance money to Sofi. He had earlier in the day rushed to Jammu and returned to the summer capital after meeting the state leadership of the party. He said the party and its workers in the Kashmir valley were ready to welcome the national president of the Yuva Morcha, Anurag Thakur. He held that the party would go ahead with its programme in any case. Those arrested have been identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, Showkat Ahmad Mir, Waseem Hassan Bhat, Imtiyaz Ahmad Sheikh, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat and Hilal Ahmad Mir. According a PTI report, they were pasting posters on the city walls for publicising the culmination of the party’s Rashtriya Ekta Yatra at Lal Chowk on January 26. The posters had already appeared in Bemina and Tattoo ground areas of the city, but the police prevented the activists from pasting any more posters. The posters carried the images of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, among others. The BJP’s plan to hoist the National Flag has been challenged by the separatists, as JKLF chairman Yasin Malik has called for “Lal Chowk Chalo” on Republic Day. The government has decided not to allow any party to vitiate the atmosphere after the situation normalised in the Kashmir valley after a five-month turmoil.
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12 Reasi schools record zero per cent result
Udhampur, January 22 No student of 12 government high schools out of the total 21 schools could clear the annual secondary school examination conducted by the J&K Board of School Education, the results of which were declared on Thursday. A total of 853 students of these schools of Mahore tehsil, and a part of Reasi, which comes under the winter zone, had appeared in the examination. The chief education officer (CEO), Reasi, Kushal Kumar Sharma, attributed the poor results to the lack of teachers. Interestingly, all 71 students of Class X of Government High School in the remote area of Balmatkote, which is one of the 12 schools recording zero per cent results, walked 50 km for over two days to reach Reasi along with their parents last year to stage a demonstration against the lack of the teaching staff. On the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, the CEO had attached some staff there, but the result remained zero. The CEO admitted that it was due to lack of sincerity on the part of teachers in discharging their duties that the results had been so bad. “But the problem of staff seems to be the major cause, as almost all of the 173 vacant posts of teacher exist in the schools that have fared very poorly this year. We have written to the higher authorities about this, but nothing had been done so far,” Sharma said. But what about other schools, the results of which also could not be termed as satisfactory. Besides these 12 schools, the percentage of successful students is between 20 and 30 per cent in only four schools, while it is even lower in the other five schools. About taking any action against the teachers, the CEO said the Education Department was looking into the reasons for the poor results. “We are preparing a report and responsibility will be fixed accordingly. The increments of those found guilty may be stopped,” he added. |
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All parties’ Sikh panel flays Ekta Yatra
Srinagar, January 22 According to Jagmohan Singh Raina, chairman of the APSCC, the National Flag was hoisted in the Kashmir valley at nearly 450 places every year. At Lal Chowk, there were more than 10 spots where the Tricolour was hoisted. “We want to live in peace. After a long turmoil we have found a little hope for peace, but once again the BJP is playing with the sentiments of the minority communities by making them feel that the majority community in India can dominate the former any time on issues which have nothing to do with national interest,” Raina said. — TNS |
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BJP hell-bent on disturbing peace, says Gul
Jammu, January 22 Gul was addressing a function organised jointly by various NGOs working in Jammu today. He said the National Flag was being unfurled with full honour and respect all over the state even at the block and tehsil levels. He questioned the BJP leaders to clarify whether official functions of flag hoisting ceremonies in Jammu and Kashmir were irrelevant and the flag hoisting by a particular party was patriotic. He said the divisive politics of the BJP was detrimental to the interests of the country and the National Conference and the Congress would not allow the BJP to disturb peace and harmony in the
state. Gul said when the state government headed by Omar Abdullah was working towards bringing normalcy in the state, there were some political elements which for their own vested interests and vote bank politics were trying to disturb peace for cheap publicity. He said it was unfortunate that while the NDA government headed by former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee advocated dialogue with Pakistan and people of Jammu and Kashmir to find a solution to the Kashmir issue, the BJP today was hell-bent upon thwarting the major initiatives being taken by the coalition government in the state to find a lasting solution to the vexed issue. |
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BJP alters yatra plan following crackdown
Jammu, January 22 Earlier the party had announced that the yatra would enter Jammu and Kashmir on January 24 and before proceeding towards Kashmir, a rally would be held in Jammu on January 25. Though the party leaders are tight-lipped over the change in the yatra’s schedule, party sources said the decision was taken after the administration started a crackdown on the party activists reaching Jammu in advance. “No BJP worker has reached Jammu till this evening from outside the state. On the pretext of stopping the BJP workers from entering Jammu, the police has been harassing pilgrims of Mata Vaishno Devi,” said Prof Nirmal Singh, BJP national executive member. “Virtually coming under the pressure of the Hurriyat Conference and other anti-national groups, the state government has started harassing Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims in the name of foiling attempts of our workers from reaching Jammu. This is a glaring example of violation of the right to religious freedom.” Addressing a joint press conference this evening, the BJP leaders said the aim of the yatra was to pay homage to the martyrs like Brig Rajinder Singh, Maqbool Sherwania and Dr Shyama Parsad Mukherjee, who laid down their lives for the sake of Kashmir. Taking a dig at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his decision to stop the yatra, they said the Chief Minister had a strong separatist leaning and could not shy away from appeasing his mentors.
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BJP’s programme politically motivated: LJP
Udhampur, January 22 “We are not against hoisting the National Flag anywhere as it is a symbol of national pride for every Indian. But what is the need of such a move when the National Flag is traditionally hoisted in every part of the Valley, especially in Srinagar. Moreover, the move is ill-timed because the guns have been silent in the Valley for the past sometime,” said Sanjay Saraf, the national president of the Yuva Janshakti, the youth wing of the LJP. Saraf, who hails from Anantnag, said the BJP would do well to remember that it was an important component of the all-party delegation which visited the Valley recently. “What is the rationale of the proposed Ekta Yatra by the BJP if it believes that Kashmir is an integral part of the country. At best I can say that the move is fraught with the danger of derailing the process of dialogue, the only way to solve this basically political problem,” he added. Terming the flag hoisting move as a non-issue, the LJP youth leader alleged that the BJP was trying to divert the attention of the people of the country from serious issues like rising prices, black money in Swiss banks, CWG and 2G scams. “The timing of the move smacks of some secret deal between the Congress-led UPA government and the main opposition party, the BJP, so that public attention is diverted to a non-issue,” Saraf said apprehending any adverse fallout on the law and order situation in the Valley could affect the Jammu region that had already suffered a lot during the Amarnath shrine land row in 2008.
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Republic Day Tribune News Service
Jammu, January 22 A team of the Special Operation Group (SPG) cordoned off the the forest area in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district this morning. There are reports that four militants were seen in the area. The thick forest poses a big challenge to the security forces in tracing the militants. The Counter Insurgency Force (Romeo) took stock of the prevailing security situation in the area and chalked out a methodology for improving the security environment. The meeting chaired by the General Officer Commanding was attended by the DIG Rajouri and Poonch range, The Deputy Commissioners and the SSPs of Rajouri and Poonch districts and representatives of various security and intelligence agencies. While addressing the meeting, the General Officer Commanding stressed on the need for intelligence sharing by the fastest means and the conduct of counter terrorist operations based on specific intelligence inputs. He added that coordination between all security forces at various levels of functioning was the need of the hour to achieve a synergy in our operations against terrorists. Members expressed their views on improving the security situation and the measures to be adopted in ensuring foolproof security during Republic Day. Progress on the points and issues discussed during the previous meeting was also monitored. The General Officer Commanding complimented all participants for their valuable contributions.
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Death of
patient Legal Correspondent
Jammu, January 22 “The consumer fora created under the J&K Consumer Protection Act are not a money-minting counters for unscrupulous consumers, but are courts of equity to dispense justice in a speedy manner in the favour of only genuine and bona fide consumers. By filing this frivolous complaint, the judicial process of the commission has been abused. In case there is a commission of any criminal act, it is the function of the police to investigate and unfold the truth. Since the complainant is a hapless widow, we do not impose costs on her,” ruled the commission. The complainant’s husband, Sachin Pachnanda, had become an alcoholic and was admitted to the Mashwara Kendra De-Addiction Centre, Jammu, on March 21, 2005. On the day of admission, Rs 1,000 was received for his food and personal expenses. During the night of March 21, 2005, Sachin Pachnanda allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself. The post-mortem report showed the cause of death as “asphyxia as a result of contraction of neck ligature”. The complainant, while maintaining the consumer complaint, alleged that the de-addiction centre acted in a “defective and imperfect” manner causing death to her husband, and amounting to deficiency in services rendered. The de-addiction centre, while negating the contention of the counsel for the complainant, submitted that the centre was being run by a non-governmental organisation having an object to provide free services, preventive and curative in nature, to those segments of society which deviated from the path of virtues and become alcoholic or drug-addicts etc. The commission, while dismissing the consumer complaint, held: “The complaint is found to have been filed without ascertaining the initial stage as to whether the deceased, Sachin Pachnanda, was a “consumer” within the definition of the term as defined under the J&K Consumer Protection Act, 1987. There is no such allegation made in the complaint and supported by any evidence that he had been admitted in the rehabilitation centre against the consideration which is sine qua non for qualifying to be a consumer.”
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Exclusion of J&K Bank as govt’s banker Tribune News Service
Srinagar, January 22 In a statement issued by the PDP, party president Mehbooba Mufti said the decision was an enslaving mechanism of the state government that was already reeling under economic deprivation and a begging bowl syndrome caused by the sell-out of resources by the successive NC governments. “J&K Bank is not only a flagship financial institution of the state, but also represents the ability of our professionals to script a great success story,” she said, expressing apprehensions that the new arrangement could be the first step towards the liquidation of the bank as a state-owned company. In a statement, Mehbooba said while the NC’s autonomy resolution never made its way out of the then ally LK Advani’s shredder, the party seemed to be doing everything to further the surrender of whatever had remained of the autonomy. That became evident from the RBI statement that the decision was taken at the request of the state government. Mehbooba said intellectual capital, natural resources, fiscal stability and freedom were essential for any self-respecting people. She said the NC, in line with its heritage, continued to uproot these cornerstones, be it by way of chronology or dynasty. She added that the decision about J&K Bank was reminiscent of the surrender of the state’s rights over water resources to New Delhi in 1952, as also the right of the state legislature to amend its own constitution in July 1975 immediately after Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah came back to power.
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Carcasses recovered in Kathua
Jammu, January 22 Reports said the patrol party intercepted two unknown scooter-borne persons this morning. However, when asked to stop, they fled the scene leaving their scooter, a plastic bag and two spears. In the bag, the wildlife officials found the carcasses of three wild animals. The bag also contained five iron-traps used by them for trapping the animals. The department got the post-mortem of the killed animals conducted by the Animal Husbandry Department at Kathua. An FIR was also lodged at Billawar police station under the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Protection Act, 1978 (amended in 2002). The wildlife warden, Jammu, Tahir Shawl, said, “These animals are killed for their commercial value and meat. The killing or hunting of wild animals, except under certain conditions, is banned under Section 8 of the Act and warrants legal action,” the warden said. “Any person held guilty of committing this kind of offence, on conviction, is punishable with imprisonment for a term that may extend up to six years and a fine up to Rs 25,000,” he added.
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Dogri Sansthan to honour artists, writers
Jammu, January 22 Tara Smailpuri is famous for his humorous poems in Dogri. Suraj Saraf, a veteran journalist, writes extensively on Dogra culture while Desh Bandhu Dogra Nutan is a writer from Ramnagar who has made a significant contribution to the Dogri literature and culture. Santosh Khajuria is another Dogri poet known for his contribution to the Dogri culture, while Ravinder Jamwal is a well-known sculptor, who has contributed immensely to the Dogra culture through his art and sculptors. His works adorn most of the rotaries in Jammu. Prof Magotra said the Minister for Health, Horticulture and Floriculture, Sham Lal Sharma, would be the chief guest at the award giving ceremony to be held in the seminar hall of the Computer Science Department of Jammu University tomorrow. |
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Mushaira enthrals audience
Udhampur, January 22 Well-known and budding poets of the district recited poems in Dogri, Hindi and Urdu languages mainly on issues of social concerns at the mushiara. The audience, which included senior citizens and lovers of arts and literature, applauded the poets. The poetic rendition of the renowned Dogri poet, Bal Krishan Bhawnra, “Asein Dostein Ge Hamesha Ge Tangi, Reha Sochda Par Gaya Saath Langi”, was highly appreciated by the audience, while the Dogri poem, “Dogri Aey Jind Saadi, Dogri Panshan” by MK Pagal also elicited equally appreciative response. Among others, poet Jia Lal Jia, Mulkh Raj Bhamgi, Bachiter Singh, Madan Lal Kundal and MK Pagal presented their poetic compositions in different languages. |
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Cleaner killed as truck falls into gorge
Udhampur, January 22 The truck, which was going to Srinagar, fell into a 100-ft-deep gorge as its driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway-IA. The cleaner, who died on the spot, was identified as Mohammad Farooq of Mahore in Reasi district and the injured driver as Munshi Mohammad of Budhal also in Reasi district. The injured was taken to the Sub-District Hospital, Banihal.
— TNS |
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Lt-Gen Parnaik visits Kupwara, Awantipora
Srinagar, January 22 A defence spokesman said here that the Lt-Gen Parnaik interacted with senior Army officers and was briefed on numerous aspects covering operational preparedness, Sadhbhavana projects and other important issues. |
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Jawan hurt in landmine blast
Jammu, January 22 |
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