The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Facebook, YouTube banned in Kashmir, say telecom operators Information and Technology Minister denies any such move Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 2 The telecom operators today said they have been ordered by the Jammu and Kashmir Government to block user access to social networking website Facebook and video-sharing website YouTube in the Kashmir valley. A senior minister, however, said no such order had been issued. Officials of several private telecom companies told The Tribune that they have received the orders from the government and security agencies, which implement a ban on Facebook and YouTube. “We had received the order on Friday last to block the Facebook and YouTube. The order has been sent to all the telecom operators in Kashmir. We have implemented the orders immediately,” an official of a telecom operator said, requesting anonymity. A spokesperson for Bharti Airtel, which has a wide network coverage in the region, said they had blocked the websites after the government issued a directive. “Bharti Airtel is in compliance with all government directives on public access to websites. Therefore, select websites, as notified by the appropriate authorities, have been blocked,” its spokesperson said. Virendar Diman, nodal officer for Tata Teleservices, neither accepted nor denied that they had received the ban order. “I cannot share any such information,” he said. Internet users in Kashmir have been complaining for the past three days that they are unable to access Facebook and YouTube. Facebook has developed a wide-ranging audience in the Kashmir region where residents, many of them youngsters, use it for socialising and debate issues of political and apolitical nature. The Jammu and Kashmir Government, under the Indian Telegraph Act 1885, had on September 20 banned downloading and uploading of all contents related to an anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims”. The film’s trailer, which was released on YouTube, had led to major unrest in the region as protests continued for nearly a week in mid-September. In the order, issued by the state Home department, the government had warned that the two websites - Facebook and YouTube - would be blocked “if necessary”. A state minister, however, denied such order has been issued to block the access to these two websites. “There is no such order,” Information and Technology Minister Aga Ruhullah said. The government has already banned airing of Pakistani news channels in the Kashmir valley saying their broadcast of events, in the aftermath of the anti-Islam film protests, could have incited violence.
	Won’t allow govt to undermine democratic system: Mufti Tribune News Service Jammu, October 2 Taking a jibe at the National Conference-led coalition regime for allegedly indulging in deceit tactics to undermine the democratic institutions in the state, PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said his party would not allow the present regime to accomplish its design of eroding sanctity of institutions like the panchayati raj system. “Panchayati raj institution form the base of our democratic system and the PDP would not allow this vital institution to die at any cost,” he said while addressing a public meeting in the Latti area of Udhampur district. While paying tributes to Mahatama Gandhi on his 143rd birth anniversary, the PDP patron said the setting up of vibrant panchayati raj system was a dream of Mahatama Gandhi and the PDP was committed to fulfil that dream in Jammu and Kashmir. Taking a dig at the state government for not empowering the panchayats, he regretted that almost one and half years had passed after the completion of panchayat elections but neither the block nor the district committees had been constituted. He warned that his party would oppose gimmicks of the ruling NC to undermine the democratic institutions and to control these institutions through deceit tactics. “We will agitate for strengthening the democratic institutions in the state,” he said and assured the panches and sarpanches of Latti and adjoining areas that the PDP would take their struggle to a logical end. Reminding the gathering that it was during the PDP-led regime that elections to urban local bodies were held nearly after three decades, Sayeed recalled that the institution of urban bodies was constituted all over the state and the participation of people in urban local bodies elections was overwhelming at that time. “We had strengthened the institution of local self-government all over the state,” he said.
	Empowerment of panchayats Congress toughens stand Tells Omar to implement 73rd, 74th amendments for smooth functioning of coalition Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, October 2 Cautioning Chief Minister Omar Abdullah against adopting “delaying tactics” in extending the 73rd and the 74th Amendments of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress today made it clear that their implementation was necessary for the smooth functioning of the coalition government in the state. During a function held to observe the 143rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi today, the Congress leaders adopted a tough posture and ruled out any compromise on the issue of strengthening the panchayati raj institutions in the state. “From this platform, I appeal to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to not make empowerment of panchayats a prestige issue,” Congress stalwart and Member of Parliament from Jammu-Poonch segment Madan Lal Sharma said. “Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah are good friends but that doesn’t mean the Congress would sacrifice its ideology,” Sharma asserted, adding that the empowerment of panchayats was the core of the Congress ideology so it would not compromise on this issue. In a veiled attack on the Chief Minister for opposing the amendments, Sharma said, “We are running a coalition government but it does not mean that only the election manifesto of the National Conference will be implemented during the governance process.” “During the last Assembly elections, we had made certain commitments to people. So, we are duty-bound to fulfil them and empowering panchayats is one of them,” he said. The Congress leader said on the one hand, the National Conference leaders were publicly announcing that they would contest the next Assembly elections in alliance with the Congress but on the other hand, the government was overlooking the election manifesto of the party. “This policy is not going to strengthen relations between the two partners,” he asserted. Though Minister of Medical Education and Sports RS Chib preferred to play safe on this controversial issue, Minister of Health Sham Lal Sharma also seized the opportunity to give a message to the coalition partner. “We have not decided if we will contest the coming elections of the urban local bodies and the block development council as an alliance partner of the National Conference,” he said, adding that the decision in this regard would be taken after getting a feedback from the party workers. Veteran leaders Dharampal Sharma, Om Chopra and other activists also cautioned the Congress leadership against compromising on its ideology to help the Chief Minister.
	Farooq downplays differences between Cong, NC Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, October 2 Downplaying the widening differences between the Congress and the National Conference over empowering the panchayats, Union Minister for New and Renewal Energy Farooq Abdullah today made it clear that there was nothing like Rahul versus Omar on the issue of strengthening panchayati raj institutions in Jammu and Kashmir. “Both National Conference and Congress are committed to delegate powers to the panchayats,” he told reporters here today. He added that the coalition government between the two parties was working smoothly. “National Conference is in favour of empowering grassroot democracy and strengthening the panchayats,” he said. He refuted the reports that Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah were not on same page on the empowerment of panchayats. “Issue of empowering panchayats would be discussed in the Assembly and a decision would be taken according to the Constitution,” he said. Two coalition partners National Conference and Congress were at loggerheads over the issue of incorporating the 73rd amendment of the Indian constitution in the existing Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act. While the Congress is demanding the incorporation of this amendment, the National Conference has ruled out extending this amendment in Jammu and Kashmir. When asked about security of the panchayat members, the Union Minister said the issue was thoroughly discussed in the Unified Headquarters meeting and security would be provided to panchayats members. He took also Gujarat Chief Minister Narinder Modi to task for his (Modi’s) allegation on Congress president Sonia Gandhi. “It’s unfortunate that a person of the stature of Narendra Modi has made such allegations without any concrete proof,” he said. When asked about social activist Arvind Kejriwal forming a new political party, he said anybody in the democracy has a right to form a party. “At the end of the day, it is the people who decide the fate and one has to go to the people,” he maintained.
	Govt not serious about our security: Sarpanches Majid Jahangir/TNS Srinagar, October 2 A day after the Chief Minister directed the security assessment of elected panches and sarpanches at the Unified Headquarters (UHQ) meeting in the summer capital, the panchayat members claim that the government was not serious in providing security to them. “After the meeting on Monday it looked as if there was no patrolling going on in villages and now in the wake of recent killings of panchayat members, the government has decided to increase patrolling in the sensitive areas. If the state government is serious about the functioning of the Panchayati Raj System, they should provide security to panchayat members as early as possible,” Shafiq Mir, chairman, J&K Panchayat Conference, said. He said after the UHQ meeting, it looked as if the government was not serious about providing security to all the panchayat members. "The government does not look serious about our security. It is also not doing anything to create an atmosphere so that the panchayat members can feel secured. If we are scared, how can the Panchayati Raj System function? The need of the hour is to ensure safety and security of the panches and sarpanches,” he added. Another panchayat member said the government should take immediate steps for providing security to them. “In the wake of killing of two panchayat members last month, we are sacred. Any untoward incident will leave us with no option but to resign,” said a panchayat member from a neighbouring village in Baramulla where posters had recently appeared asking the panches and sarpanches to resign immediately. “We are also under pressure from our family members as they are also scared,” he added. Yesterday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had chaired the UHQ meeting to take stock of situation in the wake of recent killing of two panchayat members in the Valley. The meeting discussed ways and means to provide required protection to panchayat members to help them function smoothly.
	Security for sarpanches Despite yearning to see AFSPA go, govt again looks up to Army Ravi Krishnan Khajuria/TNS Jammu, October 2 While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah seldom misses any opportunity to rake up the issue of revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir, his government again had to rely upon the Army to protect the panchayat members in the remote areas of the state. Following the killings of three panchayat members this year in Kashmir and en masse resignations by others of their ilk, Omar had reportedly asked the security forces, including the Army and the CRPF, at the Unified Headquarters meet yesterday to throw a multi-layered security ring in vulnerable areas where threat perception to the elected representatives was more. “Though the Army will dominate the areas by intensifying patrolling in the areas where threat perception is more, we have been saying that the time is not ripe to demand the revocation of the AFSPA,” said a top Army source. Taking a call on the AFSPA at this juncture would be an amateurish move. The discussion on the security of elected panchayat members at the Unified Headquarters meet yesterday is self-explanatory. Let the parameters of violence come down and also wait and see what happens after the US troops pull out completely from Afghanistan in 2014, the source added. Thereafter, the situation can be analysed threadbare before taking a final call, said the source. “Over the years, the Army has brought near-normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. Though the Army’s prime job is to guard the frontiers, we are always up to the tasks being assigned to us from time to time,” he added. In case of panchayat members, security to every single member is not possible but the Army can dominate the areas and intensify the patrolling in the areas where threat perception is more, he said. On September 29, DGP Ashok Prasad had told The Tribune that the Jammu and Kashmir Police in tandem with the Army and the CRPF has expanded its network covering vulnerable areas more vigorously to ensure safety to panchayat members. The DGP had also stated that in the interiors the police was working in consultation with Kilo Force and Victor Force of the Army. During the Unified Headquarters meet, certain areas of north Kashmir were listed as vulnerable to threats to pancyahat members. At the meeting, it was felt that the Army and the CRPF with the help of spotters from the state police would ensure that no militant mingled with the local population. In February this year, militants had killed sarpanch Gulzar Mohammed Dar in Kulgam followed by the killing of sarpanch Ghulam Mohammed Yatoo on September 10 in Pattan.
	After CM’s disclosure, all Cong ministers under scanner Party workers ask high command to identify black sheep compromising Cong’s ideology Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, October 2 Facing embarrassment following disclosure by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that two Congress ministers had opposed empowerment of the panchayats, party leaders have urged the high command to identify the “black-sheep” who have been “compromising” on the ideology of the party just to remain in power. The disclosure has also punctured the Congress campaign advocating empowerment at the grass-roots level. “I have written a letter to the party command to press Omar Abdullah to disclose names of the ministers who had opposed the Congress stance,” Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma told mediapersons. “It is up to the high command to take decision on this issue,” he said. The Chief Minister had put the Congress, which has been demanding extension of the 73rd and 74th Amendments in Jammu and Kashmir, on the defensive by disclosing that two Congress ministers had opposed their party’s stand. Earlier, Lok Sabha member Madan Lal Sharma had also admitted that some of the party ministers were also responsible for the delay in panchayat empowerment. “Our own party men are creating a hurdle in strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions,” he had said. Sharma said the high command needed to take serious note of the overruling of the party ideology by the accused ministers. “It is an open secret that one of the senior leaders of our party and his delegation had met the CM to oppose the strengthening of panchayats,” Sharma said, without disclosing the minister’s name. Sharma said the high command also needed to analyse the performances of Congress ministers in the government. “Some Congress ministers, who indulge in corrupt practices, have held their respective ministries for the last 12 years,” alleged the Lok Sabha member, adding action should be taken against such ministers and young faces should be given a chance. He hinted a Cabinet reshuffle within the next 10 days.
	Union minister expresses concern over developments in J&K Asks state govt to ensure safety of sarpanches KV Prasad/TNS New Delhi, October 2 Noting with grave concern reports about mass resignations of sarpanches in Jammu and Kashmir on the issue of security, the Centre has asked the state government to ensure early and successful devolution of funds, functions and functionaries to the Panchayati Raj Instituions (PRIs) that would empower and ensure people’s participation in governance. In addition, the Centre also reiterated that in its experience devolution for line departments to support the panchayats in their functioning, instructions need to be more specific. The Centre underscored the essentiality that line departments should be advised to transfer the functionaries within a specified time period so that the panchayats are able to carry out their assigned responsibilities in the devolved areas. The Centre’s suggestions came in a letter Union Minister of Tribal Affairs and Panchayati Raj V Kishore Chandra Deo wrote to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and despatched yesterday. “The recent media reports about the mass resignations of sarpanches in J&K on the issue of security are a matter of concern. There is no doubt that the state government under your leadership is seized of the matter and committed to ensure the safety and security of the elected representatives of the PRIs’’, the letter said. It said the panchayats should be vested with the authority for certification of attendance, sanction of casual leave, imposition of minor penalty etc., and line departments instructed to draw and disburse salary taking the panchayat certification into account. The minister said the Centre has been provided financial and technical support to the PRIs in J&K through the state government and so far trained 400 functionaries as resource persons and trainers, who in turn, have been used to further impart training to the elected representatives. The state government reported that over 33,000 elected representatives were covered during 2011-12 when the first round of training was conducted. He said the ministry was processing a Rs 37 crore action plan for capacity building and training of elected representatives of PRIs sent by the state government while asking it to send utilisation certificates and liquidation of unspent balances be furnished at the earliest.
	LeT module involved in burning of shrine busted Majid Jahangir/TNS Srinagar, October 2 The J&K Police today claimed to have busted a module of pan-Islamic militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba by arresting six militants who were found to be involved in the burning of two religious places in central Kashmir's Budgam district. A police spokesman in Srinagar said during the investigations of the two cases it was found that the module was involved in the burning of the Baba Haneefuddin's shrine at Ratsuna in Beeru and a mosque in Narbal Magam. "Those arrested were identified as Zahoor Ahmad Khan, alias Zubair; Barkat Ahmad Malik, alias Abu Talha; Assadullah Dar, alias Assad; Aijaz Ahmad Dar, alias Imran; Rouf Ahmad Dar, alias Rafeeq and Farooq Ahmad," the spokesman said. "Among those arrested, Farooq has recorded a statement before the Judicial Magistrate that he had been directed by Lashkar militants in Pakistan to burn the religious places to ignite an agitation like that of 2010," a police officer said. The police said after the module was busted, the investigation was going on in the Dastgeer Sahib shrine fire case at Khanyar, which had sparked protests throughout the Valley. Baba Haneefuddin's shrine was gutted in a mysterious fire on the intervening night of July 14 and 15. The shrine which was made of wood was completely gutted three weeks after the Dastageer Sahib shrine was burnt down in a fire. After the fire at the Baba Haneefuddin shrine, the police had registered a case under Section 436 of the Ranbir Penal Code in the Beerwah police station.
	Foreign tour operators ‘discover’ Kashmir Want GoI to promote tourism in the Valley more vigorously M Aamir Khan Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 2 On their first visit to Kashmir and visibly impressed with its scenic beauty, a delegation of foreign tour operators are wondering why the Government of India (GoI) was “only promoting the Taj Mahal”. “It seems the Government of India is only pushing the Taj Mahal. I have never heard of Kashmir before being invited here. It is a place you must visit before you die,” Alex, a tour operator from Singapore said during an interactive session of a delegation of foreign tour operators held here today. “There is no media awareness on Kashmir’s floating markets (in the Dal Lake). These are better than those in Venice. The weather here is perfect,” he added. The Tourism Department has invited tour operators from 32 countries on a sightseeing tour so that more foreign visitors could come to Kashmir. Other tour operators, too, said the Centre needed to promote Kashmir tourism more forcefully. “We only hear about the Taj Mahal and Agra. Kashmir is never mentioned,” said Stanley, another tour operator from Singapore. Guandro Winaryo, an operator from Indonesia, said: “India must ensure that Kashmir is given more promotion. I will try my best to promote Kashmir tourism once I go back to my country.” While most of the tour operators from southeast Asia had come here for the first time, others said the situation in Kashmir had improved considerably. “I first came here in 2006 and today I was relieved to see less security presence and the tourism infrastructure too has improved,” said Shisha Raj from South Africa. However, the first-timers felt there were not many security checks and the state government must ensure the safety of foreign tourists. He said the Tourism Department should promote Kashmir through social networking websites like Facebook and YouTube.
	BSF braces for winter surveillance Ravi Krishnan Khajuria/TNS Jammu, October 2 After completing investigations on Pakistan’s trans-border tunnel in the Samba sector, the BSF has braced up for the upcoming winter season putting in place requisite measures to foil intrusion bids from across the 192-km-long International Border (IB). “After completing our investigations while digging up the trans-border tunnel up to the Zero Line in Chilyari a week back, we are on guard because militants are certainly present on the other side of the borderline and they make intrusions bids during the winter season,” BSF Jammu Frontier DIG NS Jamwal told The Tribune. Pakistani militants try to take advantage of foggy weather conditions to infiltrate into our territory in the winter but we are equally alert, said Jamwal. In fact, we take stock of the situation on a day-to-day basis, he said. The DIG, however, refused to give the figures and locations of militants kept in various launch pads on the other side of the IB. When asked if the BSF had been provided any equipment to detect tunnels along the IB, the DIG said, “All the procurements are done in Delhi and since the DG BSF is aware of the situation, some process must be definitely going on.” Earlier this year, the BSF had conducted trials of certain sophisticated surveillance equipment capable of monitoring through the fog to keep a hawk’s eye on the enemy including militants.