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Rehab Policy for Militants
Govt houses meant for J&K migrants sold off illegally
BJP activists burn copies of interlocutors’ report
BJP workers burn copies of interlocutors’ report in Jammu on Friday. Photo: Anand Sharma |
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Panun Kashmir finds report
Kashmir-centric
Karan Singh cautions against knee-jerk reaction to report
Valley residents not impressed by new suggestions
Kashmiri teen to go on marathon protest
Plight of
Pandits: Part III
Employees’ strike hits work for 2nd consecutive day
Empowerment of Panchayats
Geelani puts off hartal for Mela Kheer Bhawani
Militant loot arms from cops on picket duty
Staff shortage hits Rural Development Department
‘Put off strike by two days’
Women, children suffered most during militancy: CM
Tufail Mattoo Killing
Barripattan bridge reopened after 40 years
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Rehab Policy for Militants
Jammu, May 25 Further, they want an effective monitoring system to keep a hawk’s eye on Kashmiri militants, also called “misguided youth”, once they return home to join the mainstream. The state government, in consultation with the Centre, had announced the rehabilitation policy for Kashmiri militants in 2010. The government had selected four entry points, i.e. Poonch-Rawalakote, Uri-Muzaffarabad, Wagah in Punjab and IGI Airport in New Delhi, for the “misguided” youth to return. “The security forces are regularly recovering arms and ammunition besides smashing militant hideouts in the state, which proves that weapons and ammunition are still hidden in the jungles. If any Kashmiri militant is allowed to enter the state without checking his antecedents and at the same time his activities are not monitored properly, he may start indulging in militancy again. Things will get be back to square one then,” said a senior officer of a counter-insurgency unit. Last year, the security forces had eliminated top commanders of various terror outfits, throwing the activities of their groups in disarray. Even militants across the border could not succeed in their intrusion bids last year. If they come via Nepal or from any other route and go unnoticed, they can easily use these caches of hidden arms and ammunition for militancy, he added. “Though they can come from anywhere, the problem may crop up for us if they go unchecked and remain unmonitored,” he added. He referred to a recent incident wherein a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Tanveer Ahmed, of Doda had returned via Nepal two months ago, only to be arrested on May 16 from a hideout along with arms and ammunition. On the monitoring mechanism, IGP (Jammu zone) Dilbag Singh said since the policy had not assumed a formal shape, nothing could be said at this stage. Policy announced in 2010 The state government, in consultation with the Centre, had announced the rehabilitation policy for Kashmiri militants in 2010. The government had selected four entry points, i.e. Poonch-Rawalakote, Uri-Muzaffarabad, Wagah in Punjab and IGI Airport in New Delhi, for the “misguided” youth to return |
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Govt houses meant for J&K migrants sold off illegally
Chandigarh, May 25 To make matters worse, the Jammu and Kashmir Government “feels helpless” in initiating action against the culprits. The UT Administration, too, is yet to explain under which policy were the houses given to the Jammu and Kashmir Government. It has been asked to elaborate on the action being taken for the eviction of occupants and also for sub-letting and selling government properties. Miffed at the UT’s inaction on the matter, Justice Rajesh Bindal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Home Secretary, Chandigarh, to appear in person “to explain as to why the Administration is sleeping over the matter, where it has been found as a matter of fact from a report furnished by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir that persons are living unauthorisedly in houses belonging to the Chandigarh Administration”. The Jammu and Kashmir Government had earlier informed the High Court that 60 houses in Sector 29-B and Sector 26, Bapu Dham Colony, were “in possession of certain persons, which were initially given to the Jammu and Kashmir Government ”. Taking up the petition, Justice Bindal asserted: “From the contention of counsel for the Jammu and Kashmir Government, it is apparent that the government is feeling helpless in taking appropriate action in accordance with law against persons who are in occupation of government accommodation meant to be used as a night shelter during the period of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir. “The fact is that the persons are in occupation of the properties for the past more than 25 years, some of which have been sub-let and have been sold as well.” The scam surfaced during the hearing of a bail application filed by Rajinder Kumar of Sector 29. accused of trespassing into a house owned by the UT Administration, but handed over to the Jammu and Kashmir Government, he was booked on June 26, 2011, on a complaint by Assistant Labour Commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir. It was alleged that original occupant Baldev Singh had entered into an agreement with the petitioner and handed him over possession of the house. BARE FACTS
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BJP activists burn copies of interlocutors’ report
Jammu, May 25 Addressing the gathering, BJP state vice-president Chander Prakesh Ganga termed the report a futile exercise done to divert the attention of the people from the failures of the state and Central governments under the directions of the Congress-led UPA and state’s NC-Congress coalition. “Interlocutors have not shown any concern towards major issues of discrimination meted out to Jammu, Ladakh and nationalist forces in Kashmir. It has suggested the removal of the term ‘temporary’ in reference to Article 370, instead of supporting the abrogation of the Article, which is the root cause of all problems in the state”, Ganga said. The BJP said the report was also silent about the delimitation of constituencies in the state, which under the present status debarred Jammu of its political empowerment. He said it appeared that the report was meant to carry forward the pre-drafted agenda of the UPA and the NC government in the state as well to strengthen their demand of pre-1953 status. Alleging a pro-separatist approach of the UPA government, the Shiv Sena Hindustan alleged that the government seemed to be adopt the
pro-Hurriyat policies while ignoring the nationalist people of the
state.
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Panun Kashmir finds report Kashmir-centric The Panun Kashmir (PK), an organisation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, today termed the report of interlocutors as Kashmir-centric, which has ignored the nationalist people of other regions and minorities. The PK held a meeting of its political affairs committee to discuss the interlocutors report on Jammu and Kashmir under the Chairmanship of Prof ML Raina. It was attended among others by the PK president Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo and national spokesman Virender Raina. It said the report was unacceptable to them as it was silent about the refugees from PoK and had kept under wraps the problem of terrorism in Kashmir, which was continuing since over two decades. Ashwani Chrungoo said the report had made no mention about the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, the aborigines of the Valley, who are on the verge of extinction as a community.
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Karan Singh cautions against knee-jerk reaction to report
Jammu, May 25 “I am not prepared to give a snap judgment or snap reaction to the report of the interlocutors before going through it,” Dr Singh, a veteran Congress leader, told the reporters on the sidelines of a function. He said he would go through the report in totality before giving any reaction. “I am of the opinion that there should not be a knee-jerk reaction to such a report which has been prepared by the interlocutors after travelling the length and breadth of the state and interacting with thousands of people,” he said. Apparently giving importance to the report, the former Sadr-e-Riyasat said the interlocutors had visited all regions of the state and sought suggestions from all sections of society. “Jammu and Kashmir is a multifaceted state. An issue which is relevant for one region is irrelevant for the residents of another region due to the complexity of the state,” he pointed out. Dr Singh, who remained the Sadr-e-Riyasat of the state from 1952 to 1965 and later the Governor from 1965 to 1967, said: “I presume that the present report is extensive.” He, however, hastened to add during his tenure as head of the state, two commissions were constituted to look into the grievances of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “The Gajendragadkar Commission (1967) and Sikri Commission (1977) were constituted to look into the grievances of the people,” he said, adding that the recommendations of these two commissions were yet to be implemented. Dr Singh is son of last Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh.
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Valley residents not impressed by new suggestions
Srinagar, May 25 “The report has laid more emphasis on developmental rather than political issues. It has concentrated on confidence-building measures (CBMs) while the real issue (Kashmir) has been ignored,” said Nissar Ahmed, a government employee. In fact, Nissar’s views were echoed by students at Kashmir University who took a dig at the entire exercise. “We Kashmiris are not dumb that we can’t comprehend what the interlocutors were asked to draft. If this is the solution to the Kashmir problem, we will have to relearn the definition of the word problem,” said Souzeina Mushtaq, a university student. Another student alleged that the whole exercise was aimed at passing time. “The Union government again saw the Kashmir issue in administrative prism. The interlocutors again proved separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani right who had been claiming that it was only a time-consuming process. We want a political solution which has to be beyond the Indian constitution,” said Waseem, a Government Medical College student. A sociology student at Kashmir University, Mehrajudin Mir, opined that interlocutors’ report, it looked, “were views expressed not by them but by the Home Ministry.” “The report, it looks, is an attempt to divide and rule,” he alleged. “However, the report has some constructive recommendations that need to be implemented,” he added. A trader from north Kashmir said the only good thing that he could see from the report was to make the Line of Control irrelevant and make it a mere line on a map.
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Kashmiri teen to go on marathon protest
Srinagar, May 25 Tanveer, who is from the Rainawari area of the summer capital, has finished first in many marathons organised locally but feels that his talent is being wasted by the state government. “I have been running for the last seven years and have won every marathon that was organised here. But I am disappointed due to the indifference and apathy of the government as well as sports bodies,” said Tanveer. He said only the Army, police and J&K Bank had been organising marathons in the past. “The state Athletic Association, Sports Council and the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports have never bothered to acknowledge my talent nor conducted races,” Tanveer added. Stating that he had been approaching the authorities concerned for the promotion of athletics in the Valley, he said: “Neither is the government promoting athletics here the way it should be nor is it doing anything to promote me so that I can show my talent at the national level. Only the blue-eyed ones are promoted while commoners like me are left to fend for themselves.” Through his protest run, Tanveer said he wished to attract Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s attention so that he takes steps towards promoting marathon runners and athletics. “I also want to remind the Chief Minister that he had once said promoting sports was the priority of the government,” he said. Tanveer has also extended an open invitation to others, who would like to join him in the protest marathon.
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Plight of
Pandits: Part III
Jammu, May 25 Right from Kashmir, which is known for its cool weather, the exiled community stayed in the tented accommodation without any washroom, privacy and
security.
“The journey of migration started on that night only when a truck loaded with basic necessities and shared by two families took us to Udhampur where we stayed in a government school. It is difficult to recall how many families were there but the only thing I remember is that everyone there was miserably scared without knowing where they were going or what their destiny would be,” said Avinash Pandita, an engineer working in Delhi. “Then we were shifted to tents in Jammu. Moving from a big house in Kashmir to a tented accommodation was a terrible experience,” he added. Then in 1993, the inmates of these tents were shifted to one-room tenements (10 ft by 12 ft) provided by the government. Here also, a family of five or six was put in one room without any window or kitchen. But the only difference was that a community bathroom was there. “Those camps looked more like slums as their condition was very unhygienic. We left huge houses in Kashmir and the government put us in a shanty accommodation in these camps. We lived this kind of life for more than 18 years crying for justice,” said Anoop Tickoo. Then in 2011, the Kashmiri Pandits were shifted to Jagti Township where these families were provided with one room flat each. But even after 22 years of exodus, the question of return to the Valley still remains unanswered. Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla while commenting on the work done for the community, said, “We have taken several steps for the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits. Nearly 1,400 youth have got jobs in Kashmir under the relief and rehabilitation package announced by the Prime Minister in 2008 and those living in the camps have been allotted flats at Jagti, Muthi and Nagrota.” “The Cabinet is also revising the rehabilitation package so that the displaced community could rehabilitate themselves in the Kashmir valley. The Central Government is also keen to see the return of Kashmiri
Pandits.”
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Employees’ strike hits work for 2nd consecutive day
Srinagar, May 25 Barring the Civil Secretariat offices, work at other government offices was hit while several employees courted arrest during protests here. As the JCC had given a call to gherao the secretariat today, police personnel were deployed in strength on the roads leading to the secretariat to foil the bid. However, the protesting employees reached the Civil Secretariat in small groups to stage a dharna and later courted arrest. “Around 100 employees courted arrest today. Tomorrow we will take out a procession towards the Raj Bhawan. Some protesters were dragged to the police vans when they tried to stage a dharna outside the secretariat,” JCC leader Nissar Ahmad said. The JCC’s three-day-long strike call against the government’s alleged failure to fulfil their demands will end tomorrow. The future course of action will be decided tomorrow evening, Nissar said. The government had signed an agreement with the JCC leaders in September last year, according to which, a decision regarding the employees’ demands was to be announced by March 31, 2012. The JCC’s demands include release of arrears recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years and regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various departments. The government had cracked down on several senior JCC leaders, including Khurshid Alam and Abdul Qayoom Wani, during the intervening night of May 23 and 24. The JCC leaders were taken into preventive custody in a bid to foil their protest programmes outside the Civil Secretariat and Raj Bhawan. The senior JCC leaders were detained after their talks with the government had failed. The Secretary to Government, General Administration Department, Shiekh Mushtaq, had held a meeting with the employees’ leaders late Wednesday evening where they were urged to call off their strike and provide the government “a reasonable time” to take appropriate decisions over their demands.
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Empowerment of Panchayats
Jammu, May 25 The sarpanches and panches of 10 districts in the Jammu region have planned to take out a protest march from Exhibition Ground to the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, in favour of their “genuine demands” tomorrow. Nearly 500 sarpanches and panches from various parts of the region are expected to take part in the march. They will march with the Tricolour in their hand. “The government has made false and hollow promises with us and it has rendered the panchayats defunct,” a
sarpanch, who wished not to be identified, told The Tribune. The main demands of the sarpanches and panches include the implementation of a three-tier system, adoption of the 73rd Amendment through a special ordinance approved by the Governor, fixation of protocol for the sarpanches and panches and monetary incentives for them. Besides they are also demanding an exclusive right to contest for the posts of chairmen of the Block Development Council and the District Development Board and four seats of Member Legislative Council reserved for the
panchayats. While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had assured “complete empowerment” of the panchayats in the state, the Congress accused its ruling coalition partner of denying the panchayats their constitutional rights by showing “reluctance” to implement the 73rd Amendment in the state. |
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Geelani puts off hartal for Mela Kheer Bhawani
Srinagar, May 25 “I got calls from several Pandit brothers urging me to review the hartal call of May 29 as it would have affected the festival. Now, I appeal to the people to observe a shutdown on May 30 as it is our moral responsibility to respect their (Pandits’) sentiments,” Geelani said here while addressing a press conference at his Hyderpora residence where he has been placed under house arrest. The shutdown has been called on the third anniversary of the Shopian incident in which two women had died under suspicious circumstances triggering a wave of protests in the Valley. Even as Geelani’s shutdown calls have been questioned by many, he defended the same saying that “barring hartals, there is no other way to protest as bullets are fired at us if we demonstrate on the streets.” Flaying the authorities for disallowing him from offering Friday prayers “regularly” due to frequent house arrests, he alleged that the government was building bridges and recruiting youth in the police to “curb azadi sentiments”. He also claimed that “everyone”, including the panchayat members, was “demanding azadi”. Asserting that the interlocutors’ report that was made public yesterday had “validated” the stand of hardline Hurriyat, Geelani said: “It is an attempt to mislead the international community (on the Kashmir issue). We knew nothing will happen and that is why we did not talk to
them.” |
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Militant loot arms from cops on picket duty
Srinagar, May 25 “We have lodged an FIR against the militants and policemen deployed in Aarigam,” Awantipore Superintendent of Police Abdul Waheed said. “A massive manhunt has been launched to trace the militants responsible for snatching the rifles. We are also questioning the arrested policemen.” Police sources said three to five armed men entered the police post at Aarigam Tral at 10.30 pm on Thursday and at that time only two policemen were on picket duty. The two policemen were overpowered and before fleeing the militants took away three SLR rifles, one INSAS rifle, eight magazines and a radio set from the police post. Soon after the incident, police and paramilitary forces rushed to the village to launch a manhunt to trace the militants and recover the rifles. The security picket at Aarigam had been set up to guard Sikh families living in the village. Though, no militant group has so far claimed responsibility, the police suspects that Hizbul Mujahideen militants could be behind the incident. This is the second incident of weapon snatching in South Kashmir. On May 4, two pistol-borne youth had entered a picket to safeguard the minority community at Pargochi Shopian, and decamped with two SLRs. The state police had claimed that it had identified all the five accused involved in the Pargochi incident, but so far no one has been arrested.
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Staff shortage hits Rural Development Department
Leh, May 25 The monitoring and supervision work is also suffering as the existing staff is overloaded with additional charge of two or three posts. Moreover, long distance between one village and another makes it difficult for the staff to execute projects in time. Leh district has a sanctioned strength of 36 junior engineers in the Rural Development Department. Out of these, only four posts were filled till March 2012 and the remaining 32 posts were lying vacant. Recently, the Rural Development Directorate, Srinagar, has filled three other posts of junior engineer. Assistant Development Commissioner, Leh, Kunzes Dolma said, “To solve the problem of staff shortage, technical assistants engaged under the MGNREGA have been given additional charge of junior engineers. Leh has a sanctioned strength of 19 technical assistants under the MGNREGA. As many as 12 of them are posted at various block development offices and seven vacancies are under the process of recruitment.” In addition to this, two posts of Assistant Executive Engineer and three posts of Assistant Engineer are also lying vacant. When an Executive Engineer is on leave, the department remains defunct as the charge of an Executive Engineer can’t be given to a junior engineer and the execution of ongoing projects in the district suffers a lot. Not only technical works, but the administrative work in remote Nyoma and Panamik blocks is also affected. The post of Block Development Officer in these blocks is also lying vacant. In Ladakh, due to severe cold conditions, working season is only of seven months i.e. from April to October. During the rest of the months, the developmental schemes remain suspended. Moreover, due to lack of industry in the region, all the construction materials have to be stocked, which takes a lot of time and many a times it also delays the execution of
projects. |
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‘Put off strike by two days’
Jammu, May 25 While addressing a press conference at his residence, Geelani said the decision was taken after a large section of Pandits from across the country urged him to call off the strike in view of Zeshta Ashtami. “Respecting each others religion is a part of Kashmiriyat and he has done the same, said Ashok Ji Koul, a resident of Talab Tillo.
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Women, children suffered most during militancy: CM
Srinagar, May 25 “Even as society in general suffered a lot, the women and children were the most innocent victims of militancy who had no say and nothing to do with anything in this regard,” he added. “The psychological and physical trauma they had gone through in the period of disturbance has left a deep scar on them,” he said, adding that the state government was gradually pulling them out of this pain and providing a palatable and helpful atmosphere to heal their wounds and help them live a normal life. “Our endeavour has been to keep their optimism live and work for their bright future,” he said adding that the process of bringing them out of darkness was on. Omar said the visit of chairpersons of Social Welfare Boards from various states and their interaction with women folk of Jammu and Kashmir at various levels would help restore confidence of the women of the state who have suffered during militancy and also of those who are keen to serve society in various capacities.
— TNS |
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Tufail Mattoo Killing
Srinagar, May 25 The Director, FSL, was asked to take up the investigation of swabs to ensure that the special investigation team (SIT) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police probing Mattoo’s killing concluded the investigations into the case. The SIT head informed the court that they were waiting for the FSL report from Chandigarh for taking forward the investigations into the case. “We had sent oral and written communications to the Director, FSL, for the final report,” he told the court. The SIT head was directed to file a status report about the case on the next hearing in the second week of June. Tufail Mattoo, a teenager, was killed on June 11, 2010, when he was reportedly hit by a teargas shell fired by the police while he was returning home from tuition.
— TNS |
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Barripattan bridge reopened after 40 years
Rajouri, May 25 Madan Lal said it’s an historical bridge which was needed badly by the local people. It has been completed within two years and rebuilt at a cost of about Rs 13.5 crore. BRO Commandant P.Satyanarayan said, “The Baripattan bridge was constructed in 1932 and has a unique history. This bridge was very close to Pakistan and, therefore, it become an easy target for them to stop our movement. In every war, especially during the war of 1947, this bridge was damaged by Pakistan shelling. Later in 1971 war, it was completely damaged.” “It was needed badly by both local people and the Army, which faced lot of difficulties without this bridge. Even patients had to suffer a lot due to non-availability of a quality bridge,” he added.
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Jammu, May 25
Jammu, May 25
