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Panchayats to boycott Legislative Council poll
No truth in govt claims on security to panches: JKPC
Northern Command bars phone calls from Pakistan
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State puts on hold tourism promotion in Israel
Leh, Kargil authorities join hands for region’s growth
Ladakhi Buddhists feel insecure: BJP
Khanday appointed as Financial Commissioner
Restrictions on sale of crackers
Governor hosts Flag Day function in Jammu
HC concludes hearing in Janglat Mandi case
Yousuf Death Case
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Panchayats to boycott Legislative Council poll
Jammu, November 7 The Conference smelt a conspiracy in the recent announcement of the Election Commission on conducting the much-awaited elections to the four seats of Legislative Council that falls in the panchayat quota. For these seats, only panchayat members are entitled to cast their votes The JKPC observed that the decision to conduct elections was taken on the recommendations of the state government only to divert attention from the basic issue of strengthening the Panchayati Raj in the state. “These elections are nothing but eyewash because panchayat members have never made such a demand,” chairman of the Conference Shafiq Mir told reporters. He said the real issue before panchayat members was the empowerment of panchayats by incorporating the 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution in the existing Jammu
and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act. “It is really unfortunate that instead of addressing the basic issue, the government is indulging in deceit tactics to erode the sanctity of democratic institutions like panchayats,” Mir rued, adding that fresh threats to panchayat members from militant outfits like Hizbul Mujahideen was also a serious issue but the government was adopting a casual approach towards it. Observing that the elections would create another hurdle in the empowerment of panchayats, he alleged: “When MLAs and MLCs are already against our empowerment, why should we add four more in this brigade.” JKPC general secretary Anil Sharma demanded that before conducting the elections, the government should implement the 73rd Amendment and complete the process of constituting the three-tier panchayat institution as in other parts of the country. “We appeal to the Election Commission to postpone these elections till the three-tier system of the Panchayati Raj is established in the state. The state doesn’t have block development councils, district development and planning board (zila parishads) and even panchayat-level judicial bodies. We fail to understand what has compelled the state government to announce these elections,” he said. The JKPC chairman claimed that they had the support of 33,000 panchayat members across the state. “We will appeal to all panchayat members to boycott the elections,” he said while claiming that the JKPC’s provisional body of Kashmir province had also endorsed the decision to boycott the elections. The Election Commission had announced elections to four seats of the Legislative Council from the quota of panchayat members on Monday. The elections will be held on December 3. |
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No truth in govt claims on security to panches: JKPC
Srinagar, November 7 “The government has been claiming that the security assessment process of panchayat members has begun, but we do not see any such thing happening,” said chairman of the J&K Panchayat Conference (JKPC) Shafiq Mir. “The government seems to be only making statements about our security and the reality is that they are not doing anything to instil a sense of security among the panchayat members.” A sarpanch from north Kashmir said panchayat members were living under constant threat after the killing of two panchayat members in September and the recent threat of United Jihad Council chairman and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salah-ud-din. “Since the killing of two panchayat members took place in September, we are really frightened,” said a sarpanch from north Kashmir’s Wagoora area. “The police is yet to identify the culprits who shot dead 38-year-old deputy sarpanch Mohammad Shafi Teli on September 23 at Nowpora Kreeri. The recent threat of Hizb chief has added to our woes,”
he added. The JKPC had recently said that in case the government failed to provide security to the panchayat members who are facing terror threat, it would move the Centre against the state government. “We are not asking for security for every one, but those who have been issued threats should be provided security at the earliest,” said Panchayat Conference spokesman Ghulam Hassan Panzoo. Minister for Home Affairs Nasir Aslam Wani, however, stressed that the process of security assessment to pancahayat members was going on. “The government is doing security assessment of panchayat members and there is no truth in the allegations that nothing is happening,” said Wani. |
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Northern Command bars phone calls from Pakistan
Jammu, November 7 “There are serious instructions from the top not to attend calls beginning with Pakistani ISD code ‘92’. Not only calls starting with code ‘92’ but all other suspicious calls have also been barred,” said a senior Army officer on condition of anonymity. Though it is a rule of thumb in the Army, the Northern Command has again reiterated all Army formations in the state not to discuss any military matter, even if trivial in nature, over the phone, he added. “PIO call our formations but they are simply not taken for security reasons,” the officer said. “With so many cellular companies in the fray providing mobile phone services in the country with different 10-digit numbers, it has become essential for us to keep in place a foolproof mechanism,” he said. There was a time when various Army formations in the state were getting calls from PIOs frequently but now their frequency has gone down considerably, the officer said, adding that this form of information technology-aided espionage has been taken seriously by the Army. The state has seven telecom companies: BSNL, Aircel, Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, Reliance and Tata Indicom. “The Army maintains a very high level of secrecy for obvious reasons. Forget about mobile phones, now even officials of the Defence Ministry go through a strict procedure of checks and counter checks before being given access to any senior Army officer on a landline telephone in the state,” said a source in the Defence Ministry. In August this year, a telephone call from Pakistan at Jodhpur railway station seeking information about the movement of the Army via train had prompted the Intelligence Bureau to warn the railway authorities not to share any information about the Army over phone. |
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State puts on hold tourism promotion in Israel
Jammu, November 7 Jews figure as the second largest group of foreign tourists to the Himalayan region, which has witnessed two decades
of insurgency, mostly
projecting the Islamic Jehadist ideology. Sources said due to pressure exerted by separatists, including the Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the government has decided to stop road shows and other cultural events in the Jewish country. “While promotional activities are going on in Europe and America to showcase the peaceful face of Kashmir, activities in Israel have been put on the back burner to ensure Hurriyat leaders do not get a new issue to bring youths back on roads,” said a
senior official of the Tourism Department. Officials claimed that there has been a public campaign at the academic level to not encourage Israeli nationals to visit Kashmir due to their suppression of the Palestinians and continued control of the Al Ashqa Mosque. “The government has put on hold several programmes, which were to be hosted in Israel. It could further inflame the situation as separatists have managed to create public opinion against the Amarnath shrine,” claimed an official source. Israel, on the other hand, has never issued any adverse advisory against Kashmir and its nationals have visited the state during the peak of militancy. The only attack on Jews was in 1991, when an Israeli tourist, Erez Kahane, was killed in a scuffle with terrorists after seven backpackers were kidnapped from a houseboat. However, hostages fought back and snatched automatic weapons from the militants, killing two terrorists in the struggle. Commissioner Secretary (Tourism) Atal Dullo remained tight-lipped on the issue. He said many events were being organised in different parts of the world. “I don’t know about Israel, but after Germany and Britain, we hope other countries will lift Kashmir from their negative list for travel.” Tourism (Publicity) deputy director Azmat Ali said some voices had been raised against the efforts but it would not affect the attraction jews had for Kashmir and Ladakh. “There is some public sentiment against our move, but it should not affect the tourism sector,” he said. Several western countries, including the United States, had issued travel advisories after the abduction of six foreign tourists by the Al Faran, a terrorist outfit, near Pahalgam in July 1995. Later, a Norwegian, Hans Ostro, was beheaded while an American, John Chides, managed to escape from their dragnet. The fate of four other tourists — American Donald Fred Hutchings, Britons Paul Wells and Keith Mangan and German Dirk Hasert — remains a mystery till date. |
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Leh, Kargil authorities join hands for region’s growth
Leh, November 7 The meeting was held to discuss common regional issues of the twin districts. It is being seen as a significant move as members of the LAHDC of both the districts have shared a platform for the first time since it was constituted 17 years ago. The members decided to put collaborative efforts for the overall development of Ladakh and to jointly take up regional developmental issues with the Central and state governments in future. Sources said the participants had decided to hold another joint meeting in Jammu wherein political representatives would also be invited. The meeting was held under the leadership of the chief executive councillor of the LAHDC, Leh, Rigzin Spalbar. Executive councillor for agriculture Sonam Dorje, executive councillor for Health Dr Sonam Wangchuk, executive councillor for the CAPD Ghulam Abass Abidi and executive councillor for Tourism Gurmat Dorje were among those in attendance. Chief executive councillor of the LAHDC, Kargil, Kacho Ahmad Ali Khan, led his team of executive members including executive councillor for Haji Ghuam Ameer and executive councillor for the CAPD Sajeed Quazim. |
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Ladakhi Buddhists feel insecure: BJP
Jammu, November 7 As per the hand-out issued by the party, Singh along with BJP MLA Jugal Kishore Sharma, while addressing a series of public meetings, said the recent incident in Zanskar had sent a wave of terror and insecurity among the community in Ladakh and that the administration was acting as a mute spectator. He said the BJP had been agitating for equal treatment to all the three regions of the state and for the preservation of the centuries-old culture and distinct religious identities. The party has been reaching out to the masses to garner support for the 2014 polls. Sharma said there was anger and resentment among the people of the Ladakh region because of the anti-people, anti-Ladakh and anti-minority policies of the successive governments of the Congress at the Centre and the Congress’ coalitions in the state. |
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Khanday appointed as Financial Commissioner
Jammu, November 7 The Cabinet accorded administrative approval for the construction of an alternate bridge (double-lane) next to the existing Abdullah Bridge in Rajouri at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore under the Special Task Force Programme for Jammu division. The Cabinet also accorded sanction to the creation of a post of Professor and a post of Associate Professor in the Department of Prosthodontics in the Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar. Meanwhile, Jeet Lal Gupta, Commissioner Secretary Social welfare, has been given an additional charge of the Housing and Urban Development Department till Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, who is undergoing training abroad, resumes his duties.
— TNS |
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Restrictions on sale of crackers
Rajouri, November 7 He said the restrictions were imposed for all the areas within the Rajouri and Nowshera municipalities. The concerned dealers can put up the stalls for sale of fireworks and crackers after getting clearance in each case from the Assistant Director Fire and Emergency Services, Rajouri, in respect of the Rajouri municipality. He said no person under 18 years of age or who was in a state of intoxication shall be employed for transportation of explosives or be allowed to enter in permitted premises. He said the explosives, which were not authorised under rules or prohibited under Section 6(A) of the Act, shall not be sold on the premises. He said in order to restrict the noise-level, chocolate bomb, chain cracker, dhani pataka, dadoma, seven shots, rocket bomb, garland patakas and stat bomb shall not be sold by the wholesale cracker dealer. “In case any wholesale or retail trader flouts the norms, the permission granted in his favour shall be cancelled and his stocks would be seized and he shall be liable for prosecution,” the district magistrate said. |
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Governor hosts Flag Day function in Jammu
Jammu, November 7 He asked the Youth Services Department to organise such activities on a regular basis as it would help in making the youth, particularly the scouts and guides, aware of their duty towards the nation. He asked Director Youth Services and Sports JP Singh to prepare and distribute pamphlets listing national duties in schools. Referring to the need for the establishment of a state-level training centre for the Bharat Scouts and Guides in Jammu, the Governor said he would discuss the matter with Minister for Youth Services and Sports RS Chib. First Lady Usha Vohra was also present on the occasion. The state commissioner, J&K State Bharat Scouts and Guides, ID Soni, dwelt on the activities of the organisation and its future plans. |
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HC concludes hearing in Janglat Mandi case
Srinagar, November 7 The petitioner, Zytoona Begum, in October 2011 had moved the high court alleging that her son, Abdullah Bhat, was killed in a fake encounter in Janglat Mandi and was later identified by the Army as foreign militant Mateen Chacha. Army Chief Bikram Singh, who was then a Brigadier commanding the Rashtriya Rifles in Anantnag in south Kashmir, was injured in the encounter, which the petitioners allege was stage-managed. “The single bench of Justice Hasnain Massodi after hearing the final arguments of all sides today has reserved the final orders in the petition,” said army counsel Karnail Singh Wazir after emerging out of the courtroom. He said no “time frame” for announcing the final verdict was set by the court. On November 1, Army counsels Karnail Singh Wazir and his associate had completed the arguments and had claimed the petition was part of a conspiracy to malign the image of General Bikram Singh. The petitioner in the case was represented by advocate Zaffar Qureshi, who also produced his rebuttal today before concluding his final arguments. The state government in the case was today represented by senior additional advocate general Ali Mohammad Margay. The state government in its submissions had termed the encounter “genuine”, saying that an FIR had already been registered in the case.
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Yousuf Death Case
Srinagar, November 7 The one-man commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice HS Bedi was appointed by the state government on November 18, 2011, to inquire into the case. Crime Branch counsel Mushtaq A Kathwari prayed that he be allowed to produce written documents sought by the commission within ten days. “The commission completed the proceedings after hearing the final arguments from all the sides,” the counsel representing the deceased’s family, Mushtaq A Dar, told The Tribune. The Commission is now expected to submit its final probe report to the state government any time, he said. Yousuf had died in police custody on September 30, 2011, after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had handed him over to the crime branch of the police on September 29, 2011.
— TNS |
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