Jammu, April 22
Five of the seven suspended MLAs of the BJP today announced that they had withdrawn their resignation letters that they tendered in the aftermath of cross-voting in the Legislative Council elections, while the two others challenged the “discriminatory” action against them and accused the chief whip of the party, Ashok Khajuria, of playing a dubious role. The BJP leadership had suspended seven party MLAs for voting in favour of the candidates of the NC and the Congress in the Legislative Council elections.

Although the BJP leadership gave clean chit to Khajuria along with three other MLAs in the cross-voting episode, the suspended BJP legislators alleged that the chief whip of the party was instrumental in cross-voting due to his proximity to the NC leadership.

Addressing a joint press conference here today, Baldev Raj Sharma, MLA, Reasi, and Master Lal Chand, MLA, Bani, pleaded they were not involved in cross-voting. They said they were ready to undergo a narco test and brain mapping at their own expenses to prove their innocence. “We suggest narco tests and brain mapping of all 11 party MLAs to single out the black sheep,” said Baldev Raj.

“We fail to understand what parameters the party leadership has adopted to give clean chit to four of our colleagues and single out seven of us in the cross-voting episode,” they questioned and regretted that the party leadership had taken the decision to suspend them under the influence of some vested interests.

“A conspiracy was hatched by the coalition government with the help of some BJP insiders to tarnish the image of the party and its MLAs by accusing them of cross-voting,” they alleged. While pointing a finger towards Khajuria, they added that, “Everyone knows that who among the BJP legislators have been close to the NC”.

Trying to “expose” the role of Khajuria in cross-voting, Baldev Raj said, “As there were apprehensions of cross-voting, we had suggested to the party chief whip to issue a direction to the MLAs to abstain from voting. But our suggestion was overruled for the reason best known to the chief whip”. He said the decision of the chief whip not to issue a direction to the party MLAs to abstain from voting indicated his involvement in the cross-voting episode.

Meanwhile, five of the seven suspended MLAs, namely Baldev Raj Sharma, Jagdeesh Raj Sapolia, Bharat Bhushan, Master Lal Chand and Durga Dass, have withdrawn their resignation letters, which they had handed over to OP Kohli, in charge of the party affairs in the state, on April 13 over the issue. “We have withdrawn our resignations after we met the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Akbar Lone. We have asked the Speaker in writing that the resignation letters, which we handed over to the party leadership, should be treated as withdrawn,” Baldev Raj said.

However, two suspended legislators, former Union minister Chaman Lal Gupta and MLA, RS Pura, Prof Garu Ram, did not withdraw their resignations.

Jammu, April 22
As many as 1,179 displaced Kashmiri Pandit youth, who have been recruited to various state government departments in the Valley under the Prime Minister’s Employment Package for Kashmiri Migrants, are getting a good response from people there.

“Earlier, we feared that the people in the Valley would not tolerate us. But after we joined duty there, we realised that they were just like us as they helped us to adjust there,” said Meenakshi, a government teacher at Pulwama district.

Meenakshi, who had recently come here to meet her family, said, “The good response of the Valley residents was totally unexpected. With a change in mindset, they are no longer willing to fall prey to the designs of separatist leaders”.

Besides Meenakshi, many others, who were recruited as teachers, assistant engineers and junior engineers to various departments, were treated well by the Valley people. Another government teacher, Naveen Ganjoo, posted at Anantnag district, said, “I joined duty in the Valley three months ago and have not encountered any untoward incident. The people in the Valley are treating us like their brothers”.

He added that, “Initially, we found it a little difficult to get settled in Kashmir, but now things are quite well. Fundamentalism and communalism are fading there, as everyone wants peace”.

With the overwhelming response of the Valley people towards the Kashmiri Pandit migrants, who are being rehabilitated there, Vinod Koul, Commissioner, Relief and Rehabilitation (Migrants), said, “The Prime Minister’s Employment Package for the Kashmiri people has been successful, as 1,179 persons have joined duty in the Valley from December 2010 to January this year”.

He added, “Rehabilitation is a continuous process and the state government has been trying its best to provide maximum facilities to the migrants”.

Koul said at present they had provided transit accommodations to the fresh appointees. “Of 1,179 persons, about 950 are staying at the transit camps on a sharing basis and the remaining are living outside with their old neighbours or at rented accommodations”.

Jammu, April 22
Garnering support for Anna Hazare, an iconic crusader against corruption in the country, the ‘Roving Sikhs’, a musical band, held a rock concert on the premises of the City Square mall here this evening.

Hundreds of people, including passersby and shoppers, flocked the dais to cheer the band members during the concert. “Our group comprises doctors, engineers, businessmen, professionals and students. The theme of today’s function is ‘Resurgence’ for which we have chosen patriotic songs,” said manager of the band, Gurjeev Singh.

“Music is a powerful medium to attract people and this fact inspired us to hold a concert to make the masses aware about the menace of corruption,” he said. The artists, who performed on the occasion, included vocalist Rajdeep Singh, guitarist Gagandeep Singh, bass guitarist Gurpreet Singh, rhythm guitarist Deepjot Singh and synthesiser player Vidyut Gupta, besides sound engineer Shivam Soni and graphic designer, Arshdeep Singh.

Jammu, April 22
Alleging bungling and misappropriation of funds allocated under the Tribal Sub-Area Plan (TSP), the Jammu and Kashmir Gujjar United Front today demanded an audit of the funds sanctioned since 1998 for the betterment of the tribals living in various areas of the state.

Addressing a press conference here, Shah Mohammad Choudhary, president of the front, charged the successive state governments with giving fake utilisation certificates (UCs) to the Union government to siphon off the funds allocated for the development of the tribal community, especially the Gujjars.

“Every year the Centre provided Rs 50 crore for the betterment of the tribals, but the successive state governments misappropriated the grants, he alleged.

Choudhary also flayed the state government for not releasing funds under the TSP for 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. “The state government has not released funds for the past two years and no development work has been taken up in the areas inhabited by the Scheduled Tribes (ST),” he said.

While referring to various directions issued by the Union Planning Commission since July 2006, Choudhary said the state government had not earmarked funds out of the approved annual plan of the state in accordance with the population of the STs in the state.

He urged the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission not to approve the annual state plan until the state government segregated funds in proportion to the population of the STs and placed it at the disposal of the nodal agencies.

Jammu, April 22
Taking a cue from the action of the BJP high command to suspend seven of the party MLAs from the primary membership of the party for indulging in cross-voting in the favour of the candidates of the National Conference (NC) and the Congress, the PDP has trained its guns at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and dared him to prove his innocence in the infamous episode.

The PDP said those involved in luring the MLAs into voting for the candidates of the Congress and the NC were equally responsible for encouraging corruption. It asked Omar to prove his innocence in the cross-voting episode because the BJP had already initiated action against its legislators for voting for the candidates of the coalition partners in the Legislative Council elections.

In a joint statement issued here yesterday, PDP leaders said the decision of BJP national president Nitin Gadkari to suspend seven of the party MLAs had established that there was something fishy about the whole incident.

Jammu, April 22
After convening a meeting of experts to devise a strategy to maintain the sex ratio in the state, Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma today called officials of various departments to formulate a comprehensive policy to keep a check on the implementation of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act in the state.

Besides officials of the Health Departments, Deputy Commissioners from all districts of the Jammu province were present at the meeting.

The Health Minister gave strict directions to the Deputy Commissioners to strictly implement the PNDT Act to keep a check on the sex determination tests.

Sharma said the government had taken a serious note of the steep decline in the female sex ratio and stressed the need for taking a few coordinated efforts to stop the menace of female foeticide.

The minister directed the authorities concerned to keep a check on the functioning of all ultrasound clinics. He directed all ultrasound clinics to maintain a proper record of all patients, including their residential proofs and photographs.

Jammu, April 22
The First Lady, Usha Vohra, has highlighted the role of the Scouts and Guides movement in the balanced personality development of boys and girls and equipping them to face the challenges of nation building with courage and fortitude.

The First Lady was addressing the Cubs and Bulbuls Utsav organised by the J&K State Bharat Scouts and Guides at Jhiri, near here, today.

More than 200 Scouts and Guides in the age group of five to 10 years, called Cubs and Bulbuls, from various schools of Jammu are participating in this three-day programme, which commenced yesterday.

Usha Vohra observed that the Scouts and Guides movement promoted the spirit of camaraderie, brotherhood, selfless service to fellow beings and brought the best out of them for establishing a more healthy and harmonious society.

She called upon the children to work hard and achieve excellence in academics and extra-curricular activities for ensuring a bright future for themselves. She complimented the Camp Chief, Nasreen Khan, for her dedication.

The First Lady presented the Adil Khan Model Student Award to Rahil Sharma and Akash Sharma, both students of Mayur Public School, Jhiri, for achieving excellence in academics. The award comprised Rs 5,000.

Usha Vohra was presented a scarf and bouquets, besides a memento on the occasion.

Jammu, April 22
The Aman Jyoti Yatra arrived at Rajouri today amid much fanfare and excitement. On April 19, the Ace of Spades Division of the Army had embarked upon the yatra from Poonch with an aim to spread the message of peace, harmony, brotherhood and mutual tolerance.

The yatra, which will cover about 300 km from Poonch to Nagrota, is focusing on strengthening national integration and integrating the youth of the border regions to the mainstream.

Youth from Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri and Nowshera have formed an entourage and are relaying the Aman Jyoti from Poonch to Nagrota. The entourage is also undertaking a signature campaign and is interacting with eminent civil and Army dignitaries during their journey.

In Rajouri, the torch was received by the Rajouri Garrison Commander along with officers of the civil administration at the Salani bridge this morning. The torch was then taken through Rajouri city, where it was cheered by the locals, schoolchildren and Army personnel, who kept joining the yatra as it moved ahead.

Subsequently, the torch reached the Raina Auditorium, Rajouri, where it was welcomed by Irshad Hamal, Vice-Chancellor of BGSB University, and Major-Gen Om Prakash, GOC, Ace of Spades Division.

On the occasion, a colourful cultural programme, including dance and songs by the students of Valley View Army Public School, Army Goodwill Public School, Delhi Public School and International School, was also organised.

Hamal highlighted the efforts of the Army in bringing peace and stability in the region. The torch will be flagged off from the Rane Advance Landing Ground, Rajouri, for Nowshera tomorrow. Over the next four days, the entourage will travel through Nowshera, Sunderbani and finally reach Nagrota, where it ill be handed over to the GOC, White Knight Corps.

Jammu, April 22
A book on Dogri plays, Trifala, written by a noted artist of the state, ND Jamwal, was released at a function organised by the Samooh Theatre and the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages at the KL Segal Hall here today.

Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla was the chief guest while MLA, Bishnah, Ashwani Sharma was the guest of honour at the function. A distinguished Dogri writer and poet, Dr Jitinder Udhampuri, and Prof Champa Sharma presided over the function.

Mohan Singh, a prominent Dogri writer and activist, presented a detailed paper on the book. According to him, the book comprises three plays, including Bhaiwal, which is based on a historical story of a forgotten hero, Isso Megah, who was an associate of Bawa Jitto.

The second play, Suspense, a social satire, is based on the Dogra folk tale while the third play, Oh Kaun Ha, examines the man-woman relationship.

Bhalla, in his address, said literature was a mirror of society. He added a community or nation was known by its material progress but art and culture.

He said young and budding writers should take to writing plays in the Dogri language.

Those present on the occasion included Dr Gian Singh, Shiv Dev Singh Sushil, Khalid Hussain, Prof Shashi Pathania, Vishnu Dutt Sharma and Uday Chand. Sudhir Mahajan welcomed the guests while ND Jamwal presented a vote of thanks.

Srinagar, April 22
Pinning hope that tourism in Jammu and Kashmir would regain its glory and once again become the choicest tourist destination at a global level, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today drew attention of the public and government functionaries towards their joint responsibilities to take up this task as a mission.

“Jammu and Kashmir has been a tourist state since ages and the Valley received the name of ‘Heaven on Earth’ for its unparalleled and enchanting natural beauty. Human interference in the natural landscaping has badly impacted the ecology and beauty of the tourist areas,” he said. Omar added that the long period of militancy had added salt to the injury, giving a big jolt to the tourism sector.

Chairing separate meetings of the Gulmarg and Pahalgam Development Authorities at Gulmarg and Pahalgam today, the Chief Minister highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach by all stakeholders in the tourism sector to complement each others efforts in bringing back tourism on rails.

The Chief Minister said preservation and conservation of tourist areas was imperative to maintain the beauty and significance of tourist resorts to keep their attraction alive.

“Our endeavour is to enhance tourism related activities, provide employment opportunities to youth and to maintain and preserve the natural beauty of tourist places, so that people from outside the state love to visit Kashmir again and again,” he asserted.

The Chief Minister approved Rs 1 crore for the upgrade of the Tangmarg-Gulmarg road. He also approved improvement of the Baba Reshi-Gulmarg road and directed the authorities concerned to improve sanitation facilities at the health resorts. He also approved Rs 50 lakh for the Gulmarg Water Supple Scheme.

Srinagar, April 22
There is need for close coordination between the government and society for safeguarding environment from degradation in Jammu and Kashmir and roadmaps and action plans for sustainable development and conservation of earth resources in the state.

Renowned environment expert and the Head Department of Geology and Geophysics, Dr Shakil A Romshoo of the University of Kashmir, said, “There is need for partnership among the academia, government, industry and society to develop robust strategies and action plans so that the research outcomes could inform the planning process in the state to address the environment issues”.

He also provided an overview of the research work being conducted at the university to understand various pressing issues faced by Mother Earth in the state.

The University of Kashmir today organised a number of events, including a plenary session on the environmental scenario in the state and an interactive poster exhibition displaying the university’s research products on aspects of the environment.

The inauguration of World Earth Day was held at the Gandhi Bhawan and was presided over by Prof AR Yousuf, Dean Academic Affairs, and Prof S Fayyaz, Registrar of the university.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Yousuf emphasised the need for joint efforts among various departments of the university to understand the scientific, socio-economic and historical aspects of the Earth System.

Prof Fayyaz said the boundaries between various disciplines were thinning out and in order to understand the environmental problems being faced by society, it was important to evolve a multi-disciplinary approach.

Srinagar, April 22
After a few months, stone throwing was witnessed in Srinagar city today, as a group of protesters clashed with the police in the old town area.

As per eyewitnesses, a group of protesting youths pelted stones at the police after the Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid here. “The police resorted to a baton charge and fired tear-gas shells to disperse the demonstrators, who resorted to stone throwing,” a police officer said.

People after Friday prayers took out a procession from Jamia Masjid and tried to march towards Lal Chowk. However, they were intercepted by the police near Nowhata Chowk. “The police resorted to a baton charge and fired tear-gas canisters to disperse the protesters, who resorted to stone throwing,” an eyewitness said.

Earlier the chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, while addressing the Friday congregation, said the killing of the president of the Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadees, Moulana Showkat Shah, was a conspiracy hatched to divide the people of the state.

“The killing (of Moulana) was part of a conspiracy to weaken our struggle and divide the people of Kashmir. We appeal to the people of the Valley to maintain calm and we assure them that those behind the killing of Moulana would be exposed soon,” the Mirwaiz said.

He said the party did not accept or reject the claims of the state government regarding the assassination of Moulana Showkat.