Leh, May 17
Although Buddha Purnima in Ladakh, according to the local Buddhist calendar, falls on June 15, but like other parts of the country, it was also celebrated in Leh town with religious and traditional fervour today.

Bhumskor, a traditional religious procession in which devotees carry the teachings of Lord Buddha translated into the Bhoti language in 108 volumes, was organised.

The procession started from Chokhang Vihra, passed through Sangkar Gonpa Tsemo Fort and culminated at the Polo ground.

The Bhumskor was accompanied by monks of the Stakna monastery, who were playing all Buddhist religious instruments, and local musicians, who played their music instruments, followed by hundreds of devotees in their traditional dresses and jhankis of various schools of Leh town depicting the life of Lord Buddha.

Later, an elaborated cultural extravaganza was organised by the Ladakh Buddhist Youth Association to mark Buddha Purnima.

Thousands of people from all over Ladakh attended the function while the president of the All Ladakh Gonpa Association, Skabje Tokdan Rinpoche, was the chief guest. Religious scholars spoke about the teachings of Lord Buddha focusing on nonviolence, truth, and compassion.

Skits on Lord Buddha’s life, including his first sermon after 49 days of enlightenment, and devotional songs by schoolchildren were presented to mark the occasion.

Rinpoche, in his address, stressed on following Buddha’s teachings in daily life to make a healthy society. He also announced that on the invitation of Buddhist religious organisations, the Dalia Lama had agreed to visit Ladakh in 2012.

Earlier, president of the Ladakh Buddhist Youth Association Tsewang Thinless said all communities should strengthen the age-old communal harmony and resolve all problems together. Heads of other religions were also present on the occasion.

Jammu: Sangarsh, a movement for justice, equality, peace, prosperity and brotherhood, celebrated Buddha Purnima at the entrance of the University of Jammu here today. Pharma Surasak Suramuni, a Buddhist monk and scholar, was the chief guest on the occasion, while the president of the movement, Mahesh Kaul, presided over the function. The programme started with the garlanding of a Buddha’s statue.

Kaul appealed to the student community to spread the message of Lord Buddha among people so that a sense of security, love, compassion etc may prevail in society.

New Delhi, May 17
Though the BJP has scheduled for May 20 the meeting of its disciplinary committee to initiate action against its seven rebel legislators from Jammu and Kashmir, who indulged in cross-voting in favour of the candidate of the NC and the Congress in the Legislative Council elections on April 13, it is still unsure about how to handle the dissidents.

The party has invited all 11 MLAs, including the seven rebels led by former Legislature Party leader Chaman Lal Gupta, whom it suspended and issued a show cause notice in the aftermath of the cross-voting episode. The party gave them time till May 7 to reply and fixed May 10 for taking a final decision. In the meantime, the defiant legislators first wrote to the Speaker not to take cognisance of their letters of resignation from the Assembly (handed over to the party high command), if these were sent up by the party leaders. They also obtained a stay order from a Jammu and Kashmir court, questioning disciplinary action against them.

Simultaneously, Gupta wrote to all 11 legislators, including the four loyalists, to spell out whether they remained loyal to him.

The BJP high command, which deferred the disciplinary committee meeting for May 20, today summoned some of its well known legal advisers like Satya Pal Jain and Bhupendra Yadav to discuss the consequences of any action against the erring legislators.

While the party appeared willing to talk to all legislators, in an obvious bid to avoid precipitating the situation, Jain also seemed ready for a long-drawn legal battle and indicated that in such an event he would demand the opening of secret ballots to prove his point that the MLAs concerned defied the party whip.

Jain disclosed that the law against defection, which comes under the Tenth Schedule in the rest of India, was governed by the Seventh Schedule in Jammu and Kashmir in which it was the leader of the Legislature Party and not the Speaker, whose word is final on the defection issue. But significantly till April 13, when the cross-voting took place, Gupta was the leader of the BJP Legislature Party.

In any case it was obvious that the BJP high command was unlikely to spell out the last word on the cross-voting issue on May 20.

Srinagar, May 17
A day after PDP president Mehbooba Mufti claimed that the participation of people in the panchayat elections was a vote against the coalition government, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held an open darbar of newly-elected panchayat members at his home constituency of Ganderbal today.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed the government’s determination to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system in the state by transferring powers to the elected bodies to the possible extent.

“However, I am keen and determined to transfer powers to the elected bodies to the extent it is possible,” Omar said.

He said the holding of the panchayat elections in the state was an important and significant decision to empower people at the grass-roots level and ensure an area-specific development.

Interacting with elected panches and sarpanches of the Ganderbal constituency after inaugurating a four-day orientation course for them, Omar highlighted the role of panchayats in the socio-economic transformation and all round development.

“We decided to hold the panchayat poll on a non-party basis, but did not debar persons affiliated with various political parties from taking part in it,” Omar said. He asked the elected public representatives to devote all their attention to the development process and reach out to people without any political or other considerations.

The Chief Minister said in the three-tier panchayat system, the vice-chairmen of the District Development Boards would be the elected representative of the panchayats. “This will enable the panchayats to be an important part of decision making at the district level,” he added.

He said the election of women panches and sarpanches was yet another significant aspect of the panchayat elections to give special attention to problems of women at the panchayat level.

Jammu, May 17
Even as a faction in the Congress has been demanding the rotation of chief ministership in the state, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz tried to play safe on this vital issue today. Instead of debating the issue, Soz said the decision of the Congress high command would be final and acceptable to all workers.

Talking to The Tribune after attending a close-door meeting of the core group of the faction owing allegiance to him, Soz said the Congress high command was take the decision on the rotation of chief ministership and he had nothing to say on the demand repeatedly being made by a faction of the party.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma had a number of times demanded that after Omar Abdullah completed three years as Chief Minister, the post should be given to the Congress. Unlike other parts of the country, the tenure of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is six years and hence some Congress leaders have been demanding that the party should be allowed to head the coalition in the remaining three years.

Although it is believed that Omar is likely to continue as Chief Minister even after the completion of three years in January 2012, a demand started emerging in the Congress to take the front seat after January next year. In the previous Congress-PDP regime, both parties had entered into an agreement of rotation of chief ministership. Congress leaders had been demanding the implementation of a similar agreement in the present dispensation.

Although Soz claimed that the Congress had also strengthened its base in the Kashmir valley, he refused to comment about whether the appointment of a Congress leader as Chief Minister would help the party to further consolidate its base in the whole state, including Kashmir.

On the Dogra certificate issue, Soz defended Minister for Revenue and Relief Raman Bhalla for issuing the order regarding the certificate. “Now, the issue is resolved, as the Centre has issued a notification keeping in view the aspirations of the whole state,” he said when his attention was drawn towards a campaign launched by some pro-Jammu parties against the revocation of the Dogra certificate order.

Jammu, May 17
The Jammu State Morcha (JSM) appealed to the leaders of all political and social organisations to come together and chalk out a united plan for launching a protest to get justice for the people of the Jammu region. A meeting of the JSM was held under the chairmanship of Prof Varinder Gupta here today. The meeting elaborated the common agenda on which the struggle could be launched.

It demanded an independent political and administrative structure for the people of the Jammu region so that their exploitation at the hands of Kashmir leaders should be stopped.

The meeting also demanded that the functioning of the Central University of Jammu should be started and there was need to form a joint front to intensify the struggle for the Dogra certificate.

It demanded the bifurcation of the Civil Secretariat, directorates and state corporations and establishment of the bifurcated units in Jammu and Srinagar with each unit having a separate administrative staff, including the head of department, and secretary.

The meeting observed that it was the right time for launching a united agitation to get justice for the people of the Jammu region, as the final report of the interlocutors would soon be submitted and the Union government was expected to take certain steps to placate separatists and leaders of the NC and the PDP while ignoring the interests and aspirations of the people of the Jammu region.

HB Khajuria, Vishav Bandhu Gupta, Chandra Uday Sharma, Varinder Magotra, Surjeet Singh Jamwal, Dushyant, RC Gupta, Pushap Singh, Manav Gupta, Rajinder Gupta and Rattan Kapoor addressed the meeting. 

Jammu, May 17
To corner the coalition government headed by Omar Abdullah, the PDP has decided to launch an anti-corruption campaign. As corruption is the only issue that concerns all sections of society, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has decided to start the campaign from Jammu on May 20. Mehbooba, during her stay in Jammu, will address a series of public meetings as part of the campaign.

In connection with the scheduled visit of Mehbooba, a meeting of prominent party workers was held here today.

Addressing the meeting, former minister and spokesperson for the party Rangil Singh termed the coalition government headed by Omar Abdullah as the worst ever corrupt dispensation.

He added that during the past more than two years the state had become an epicentre of corruption and nepotism, as the present regime had legalised corruption through its misdeeds.

“The institution like the State Accountability Commission, which was constituted during the regime of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, has become defunct due to the non-serious attitude of the present government,” he said.

Taking a dig at the state government for its casual approach in constituting the Vigilance Commission, Rangil said nothing concrete had been done so far in this regard. Those who addressed the meeting included Daman Bhasin and Ved Mahajan.

Udhampur, May 17
IGP, Jammu zone, Dilbag Singh, who was the chief guest at the concluding function of the three-day traditional Moungri Mela at Sardabbar in the Panchari block of the district, announced today that a Bharat Darshan tour for the students of this remote hilly area would be organised in near future.

He stressed that such endeavours were vital for the exposure of students and the youth of far-flung areas to the rich national heritage as well as their cultural assimilation to prevent them from developing a feeling of isolation. On the occasion, he also highlighted the efforts of the state police to organise cultural activities among the youth to spot hidden talent among them.

The IGP referred to the music talent hunt show, Choona Hai Asmaan, which was recently organised by the police in the state and in which over 1,200 budding singers participated. Interestingly, 16 contestants, who were selected in the finals, are at present getting training from well-known Bollywood music director Ismail Darbar.

He also reiterated that the J&K police was committed to boosting sports culture in far-flung areas of the state where sports material would be provided to schools for creating better sports facilities for the students of the area.The Youth Services and Sports Department, Udhampur, organised a Rural Sports and Inter School Cultural Festival at the mela, the likes of which, the IGP said, played a significant role in maintaining peace and communal harmony.

The IGP also gave away prizes to the winners and the runners up in the sports and cultural competitions. In the finals of kabaddi (under-14), Government Middle School, Dubigali, secured the first position by defeating Government Higher Secondary School, Moungri. In volley ball (under-14), Government Higher Secondary School, Lander, defeated Government Higher Secondary School, Moungri. In the under-17 category, Damnote Club beat Lander Club in a tough fight.

Srinagar, May 17
Interlocutors Dileep Padgaonkar, Prof Radha Kumar and MM Ansari called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here on Tuesday.

In an hour-long meeting with the Chief Minister, the interlocutors briefed him about their present visit to the Valley. They apprised the Chief Minister of the progress made on interactions with various shades of opinion and political leaders in the state, an official spokesman said.