The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	anti-islam film YouTube blocked in Valley Bismah Malik Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 22 The state government today blocked access to social video website YouTube in the Valley in a bid to curtail the circulation of an anti-Islam film. But the government orders on blocking the “insulting content” on the Internet failed to yield the desired results, as Internet users in the Valley continued to access the video and even download/upload the content from the website. Sources in the telecommunications department said its operations centres were located in Jammu and Chandigarh, where the Internet content was filtered and relayed to the state. The content was still available on the website despite the checks. The government had yesterday issued an order saying: “In the interest of public safety and for maintaining public order, the government has directed all licensed telecom service providers and Internet service providers to make arrangements to ensure that their subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir are not able to download or upload the insulting content.” “If necessary, due to technical reasons, the fully qualified domain names shall be blocked viz www.youtube. com, www.facebook.com, etc,” the order read. “They shall also ensure that the bulk mails that are being generated from their subscribers do not contain this file/version of this file or the content. In case of suspicion (or) detection, the same shall be blocked and filtered,” it said. Sources said the government was contemplating banning other popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, if necessary. On Friday, phone, cable television and Internet services remained suspended in the Valley, causing inconvenience to people, who described the move “a curb on the right to freedom of speech and expression”. “It is bizarre that we talk of respecting each other’s freedom of speech and expression when our own freedom of expression is being taken away,” said Imtiyaz, an electronics and communications engineer.
	Govt plugging anti-Islam video links Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 22 The state government has said it has “lost count” of the uniform resource locaters (URLs) of the anti-Islam film that have been blocked in the region, as more links to the video are being shut. The state government had gone into pre-emptive mode and formally requested the Union Home Ministry last week to block access to the anti-Islam film, fearing it could anger people in the Valley and lead to violence. “We have issued instructions to all service providers to block the video. We are working closely with them. Our attempt is to make sure that this inflammatory video is blocked,” said J&K Principal Secretary (Home Affairs) BR Sharma. He said they had blocked so many links to the film that they had now lost count. The state government had on Wednesday requested the Union Home Ministry to block access to the controversial film, which has sparked protests across the Valley.
	7 held for burning govt vehicle Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 22 The police has arrested seven youths suspecting them of setting ablaze a government vehicle outside the residence of Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand here during an anti-US protest march on Tuesday. The identity of the youths is being verified with the video footage of the protesters who burnt the vehicle, a police source said. The source said screening of the video and verification of the arrested persons will be completed by tonight. The source added that all the arrested boys are from the old city Srinagar. A senior police official said the arrested youths are lodged at the Kothi Bagh police station where investigation is going on. Sources had earlier said nine youths were identified for setting the vehicle ablaze during the protest march. A jeep, which belonged to the Municipality Department of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, was burnt by protesters outside the residence of Tara Chand near MA Road on Tuesday after they were intercepted by the police. The anti-US protest march which began from interiors of the city, known as the Downtown, was prevented by the police from entering the civil lines area leading to clashes between protesters and the police. The anti-Islam film has angered many in the Kashmir Valley and two widespread shutdowns within a week have been observed in the region as a mark of protest against the anti-Islam film. The state has requested the Union Home Ministry to block access to the film, fearing it could lead to deterioration in the law and order situation in the state.
	West-Pak refugee problem a humanitarian issue: Soz Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, September 22 While Kashmir-centric mainstream parties like the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are not openly supporting the demand of granting citizenship to West-Pakistan refugees, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz today said being a partner in the government, the Congress would evolve consensus to solve the humanitarian issue. Interacting with mediapersons after meeting with delegations of refugee organisations, Soz admitted that the issue of West-Pakistan refugees was purely humanitarian and this problem should be solved only on humanitarian grounds, without any play of politics. At least 25,262 displaced families from West Pakistan have been living in the Jammu region since 1947 but they have been denied citizenship and other basic rights. Soz said his party would discuss the matter with the NC to solve this humanitarian issue. “We will seek support from all parties, including the NC and the PDP, to evolve consensus on solving this problem once and for all,” he said. A party delegation, including MPs and ministers led by the PCC chief, had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister SK Shinde to solve the problem of the refugees. After the meeting, some fundamentalist groups in Valley had warned against granting citizenship rights to the West-Pakistan refugees. On the threat of some fundamentalist forces against the grant of citizenship to the refugees, a majority of whom are Dalits, he said the Congress would try to take every one into confidence. “There is no need to give importance to such forces,” he said, adding that a solution to the problem would be found in a democratic and transparent manner. Soz along with Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister Raman Bhalla, Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma, Lok Sabha member Madan Lal Sharma and party spokesperson Ravinder Sharma meet with different delegations.
	Soz supporters may switch loyalty to Azad camp Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, September 22 Amidst reports that Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will be given an important responsibility in organisation of the party at national level, loyalists of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz have started maintaining distance from him so as to shift loyalties at the appropriate time. Soz and his loyalist ministers today convened a day-long meeting to hold interactions with the representatives of various refugee organisations. Some “staunch” supporters of the PCC chief also met Azad to register their presence. Some senior Congress leaders, claiming to be Soz loyalists, skipped the meeting because Azad also arrived in Jammu today on a “private” visit and they did not want to give an impression to the rebel group that they are with Soz. Insiders in the Soz faction revealed that many supporters of the PCC chief had already opened channels of communication with detractors, who owe their allegiance to Azad. “It is a coincidence that Ghulam Nabi Azad arrived on the same day when Soz and his supporters convened the much- publicised meeting with the refugees,” sources said. “Many supporters of Soz, who have opened channels with the Azad faction, are in a dilemma because they do not want to seem dissidents at this juncture when there is total confusion and chaos in the party,” the sources added. “Some of the close aides of Soz are in constant touch with the rebel faction which would betray the PCC at the time of crisis. Those pretending to be loyalists of Soz are actually playing double agents,” the sources said. On the one hand, Soz loyalists have started maintaining distance from him and on the other hand, infighting in his (Soz’s) faction has also intensified. Leaders of the Soz faction were criticising each other publicly. During the election of the Pradesh Youth Congress, infighting in the Soz faction was exposed and this fighting has intensified during the past month.
	No threat to UPA govt, says Azad Tribune News Service Jammu, September 22 Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said there was no threat to the present UPA regime at the Centre. He said the government would complete its full term as the strength of the present government in the Lok Sabha was over 300. He said the party had successfully run a government with 250 members in the 90s. The Union Health Minister also hailed the recent reforms announced by the Union Government and said steps taken by the government were favourable to the nation. He argued that the FDI would create job avenues in the country and attract huge investments. Azad reached Jammu and met with various delegations. His supporters seized the opportunity to show their strength to their rivals.
	Make ground conducive to talks, Mirwaiz tells Centre Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 22 Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, has asked the Central government to implement the suggestions made by the Hurriyat to make the ground situation conducive to dialogue between India and Pakistan. He has further stated that separatists are not averse to talks and that killings and talks cannot go together. Mirwaiz said this while addressing a roundtable dialogue on human rights in India at Geneva, a Hurriyat spokesperson said. The roundtable was organised by Toronto-based International Council for Human Rights (ICHR) in collaboration with the International Human Rights Association of American Minorities (IHRAAM). “In his keynote address, the Mirwaiz reiterated that the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is committed to a meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute,” the spokesperson quoted the Mirwaiz as having said during the event. “He clarified that talks and killings cannot go together and India has to implement the suggestions given by the APHC to make the ground situation conducive to dialogue.” Welcoming Indo-Pak talks, the spokesperson said the Mirwaiz reiterated that people of the state supported the dialogue between the two countries. “The Mirwaiz, however, made it clear that not much can be expected if there is no movement forward on the core issue of Kashmir and genuine Kashmiri leadership is not associated with it,” the spokesperson said while referring to his address at Geneva. The Mirwaiz also stated that “India is living in the state of denial by not accepting the ground reality in Kashmir, adding that Kashmir struggle is peaceful and indigenous” in nature. He further expressed his “anguish over the impunity enjoyed” by the security forces under contentious laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA). “He expressed his anguish on the continued human rights violations under the garb of these laws, saying such laws give complete impunity to the armed forces operating in J&K from prosecution,” the spokesperson added. Hurriyat’s demands India should revoke ‘contentious laws’ like AFSPA and PSA from J&K Complete withdrawal of troops Remove bunkers from urban, rural and less populated areas Security forces must halt killings
	Anti-ragging drive reaches Kashmir Aditi Tandon/TNS New Delhi, September 22 Raj Kachroo, who is better known as the crusader for ragging-free campuses, will mark the beginning of a new dawn tomorrow. Decades after Kachroo left his home in the Valley after graduating from Amar Singh College, he is back in Kashmir. Kachroo wants to realise his dream of ragging-free campuses, which he has nurtured since the death of his son Aman. Aman was killed in 2009 in a ragging attack at Tanda Medical College. “For me, it is homecoming. I want to inspire faith among the parents of Kashmiri youth that they need not suffer on the account of ragging of their wards in colleges outside the state. There are several cases where Kashmiris pursuing higher studies in educational institutes across the country have returned home to escape ragging. We want to tell their families that there is help available with us and they need not suffer in silence,” said Kachroo on the eve of a massive awareness campaign he has organised at Sher-e-Kashmir University tomorrow to spread the message “stop-ragging”. The concert, whose hallmark would be Hindustani classical, Sufi and Kashmiri music by Dhananjay Kaul, will see the attendance of Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra, who, Kachroo says, has been a great supporter of the movement.
	Militant sympathisers present in force: DGP Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 22 J&K DGP Ashok Prasad today said there are “black sheep” in the force but their number is quite small. The state police chief was reacting to media reports quoting former Jammu and Kashmir Governor SK Sinha saying that 50 per cent of the policemen in the state were sympathetic to militants. “I don’t think it is a correct statement. We do have black sheep but the fact remains that a majority of the police force is committed and dedicated,” Prasad told reporters at a function. He said the presence of policemen sympathetic to militants was a “cause for concern”. “It is a cause for concern but they are few in number, may be one or two,” the state police chief said. Last month, a “rogue” policeman was arrested for carrying out 13 deadly attacks, including an assassination attempt on a Cabinet minister and a rifle-grenade attack on the civil secretariat. The attacks were carried out in and around the city over a span of 18 months. The arrest of Shigan, a constable with the armed wing of the J-K Police, had also led to the recovery of assault rifles, ammunition and grenades.
	Police recruit dies during cross-country Tribune News Service Jammu, September 22 A fresh recruit of the Jammu and Kashmir Police died after he collapsed during a 10-km-long cross-country at the Sardar Prithinandan Singh Police Training School (PTS), Kathua, this morning. The deceased was identified as Bilal Ahmed Dar (PTS No. 566), a resident of Sherpura in the Pattan area of Baramulla. Principal Ramesh Kumar Bhat said the recruit was shifted to the District Hospital, Kathua, where he was declared brought dead. “A board of doctors has been constituted for autopsy. Preliminary reports suggest that he died because of cardiac failure. The exact cause of death will be known only after the autopsy report is received,” he said. Sources said Bilal, who was participating in a cross-country — an essential part of physical fitness training for new recruits — collapsed just 400 metres short of the 10-km finish mark and was taken to the hospital. “The recruit was leading the race and developed uneasiness just 400 metres short of the finish mark. He collapsed near Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Kathua,” a source said. Sources said he had earlier too participated in a cross-country and won the contest. A board of three doctors, comprising Dr Anil Gupta, Dr BS Jamwal and Dr Nayima Choudhary, had been constituted for autopsy. Sources said four more recruits also fell unconscious due to dehydration but they were provided first-aid. “Their condition is stable,” the source added.