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J&K mulls harsher penalty for female foeticide
Legislative Council Elections |
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Former BJP legislators to support National Conference candidates
Block Council elections deferred due to Azad’s intervention, says Congress
killing of two youths
Shant Mannu appointed
election observer
Hotel cook found dead
IED defused in Pulwama
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J&K mulls harsher penalty for female foeticide
Jammu, November 28 Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma not only wants female foeticide to be a non-bailable offence but also wants severe and exemplary punishments, including life imprisonment for parents going for female foeticide, minimum 10-year imprisonment for sonographers indulging in the illegal practice of determining the sex of foetus and life imprisonment
for doctors aborting female babies. “In the existing PC&PNDT Act, the offence is bailable and carries an imprisonment of three years for the guilty. I want to create a major deterrent against this offence for which mass awareness in society is needed,” said Sharma. “Female foeticide is more than murder. I would like the guilty to be booked under Section 302 of the Ranbir Penal Code (death sentence) but if that is not practical then let’s keep it to life imprisonment,” added Sharma. While guilty parents going for female foeticide and abortionists should get life imprisonment, sonographers should at least get a minimum punishment of 10 years in jail, said Sharma. He, however, said such stringent law would be
possible only after a thorough debate. A mass awakening in society is the need of the hour before our efforts turn out to be too little and too late, said Sharma. The Health Minister said he would try and garner support of society in his effort to make changes in the Act. Sharma has already sought the support of religious leaders in the state to fight the menace. On November 26, the Jammu and Kashmir State Supervisory Board (SSB) for PC&PNDT Act had decided to add more teeth to the existing Act by making a few changes in the existing rules. The new rules will have a provision of sentencing a person found running unregistered ultrasound clinics to three years’ imprisonment and slapping a fine up to Rs 50,000. The Board had also endorsed the recommendation to introduce the medical audit of ultrasound clinics to ensure proper monitoring under the PC&PNDT Act. Sharma is also the Ex-Officio Chairman of the State Supervisory Board. It’s a bailable offence in J-K
What Health Minister wants
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Legislative Council Elections
Srinagar, November 28 The issues range from corruption, misgovernance to holding of the panchayat elections and their empowerment. While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been counting on the achievements of his government during the last four years, the PDP has been criticising the government for its failure to come up to the expectations of the people. The Chief Minister had a whirlwind tour of the Valley last week, highlighting the achievements of his government. The thrust was on the panchayat elections that were held early last year after a gap of 33 years. The two coalition parties take the credit for conducting the panchayat elections after over three decades in the state. The Congress has been pushing for the empowerment of panchayats and paying honorarium to the panchayat members, even as the two parties have been jointly campaigning for the elections. National Conference (NC) leaders during their campaign across the state have been talking about holding of panchayat elections after a period of over three decades, adding that it indicated “intention of the coalition government to empower people at the grass-roots level” and involve them in policy framing and implementation of schemes. They pointed out that powers of 14 departments had been transferred to the panchayats under a Cabinet order, adding that steps would be taken to make the panchayats more effective and vibrant. Though the government has been criticised by the PDP for not being able to conduct the elections to the Block Development Councils, the ruling NC leaders have indicated that these would be held within a couple of months. On the other hand, PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is of the view that the administration in the absence of a pro-people political direction has failed in providing basic facilities like electricity, cooking gas, safe drinking water, roads and ration to the people. “There is complete lack of basic amenities,” Mehbooba said at a public meeting during an election campaign yesterday.
OMAR TWEETS
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on social networking site Twitter, “These MLC elections in the state have come at a good time because their results will have a bearing on the reshuffle that is being discussed.” |
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Former BJP legislators to support National Conference candidates
Jammu, November 28 This political development, however, gave enough fodder to the Congress, BJP and other opposition parties to take on the BJP rebels as they believed their decision had exposed the “tacit understanding” between them and the NC. The BJP claimed the decision would not affect the prospects of its candidates in the ensuing elections. It, however, lashed out at the rebels for their decision, saying it vindicated its position that they had cross-voted during the Legislative Council elections held on April 13, 2011. BJP state president Shamsher Singh Manhas said his party had nothing to do with the decision of the six expelled legislators. “We have expelled them from the party. They can support anyone now. But, it clearly indicates their tacit understanding with the NC,” Manhas said. In a press statement, Devender Singh Rana, political adviser to the Chief Minister, said the NC appreciated Chaman Lal Gupta and six other BJP legislators for extending their support to the NC in the Legislative Council elections but said they could only accept their support, if it was extended to both the candidates of the coalition, Sham Lal Bhagat of the Congress and Shehnaz Ganai of the NC, both from the Jammu province. Rana denied reports that the issue of the ensuing Legislative Council elections was discussed in the meeting between the Chief Minister and the six legislators. He said the BJP legislators raised some development issues. While the Congress preferred to maintain silence over the issue, a senior party leader said their (BJP rebels) decision was “self-contradictory”. “They call themselves the champion of cause for the Jammu people and support a Kashmir-based party,” the leader said. PDP spokesperson Naeem Akhtar said it was not surprising for his party. “Basically, they (BJP rebels) are NC’s proxy. The NC is a party which can go to any extent for its survival. Infact, Omar Abdullah has destroyed all institutions, including the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, by promoting corruption and cross-voting. He has even destroyed mainstream political parties comprising the NC, Congress and BJP.” Panthers Party chairman Harsh Dev Singh sought an explanation from the coalition partners. “On the one hand, the Congress has been demanding their disqualification from the Legislative Assembly and on the other these legislators have categorically said they were being protected by the NC. Both the coalition partners have made a mockery of the democracy and must explain the prevailing situation to the people,” Singh said. |
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Block Council elections deferred due to Azad’s intervention, says Congress
Jammu, November 28 “The BDC elections were deferred because it would be futile unless the depressed class of society, the SC, ST and women, are represented at the block and district levels in the Panchayati Raj system,” senior Congress leader GM Saroori said today. He was addressing panches and sarpanches of the Bunjwah, Saroor, Sarthal and Thatri areas of Drabshallah and Thatri block of the Inderwal constituency to garner support for the coalition candidates in the Legislative Council poll. Saroori said Azad was in favour of deferment of the Block Development Council poll for a short period for full empowerment of the Panchayati Raj system. “The holding of the elections for these bodies without necessary amendment, further powers and due representation to women and deprived sections of society would not have served the purpose of establishing a fully empowered Panchayati Raj system,” he said. He said the establishment of Panchayati Raj institutions would boost development work in villages. Saroori said Panchayati Raj was introduced by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and holding of panchayat elections after 30 years in the state was an achievement of the coalition government. He was canvassing support for Sham Lal Bhagat of the Congress and Shehnaz Ganaie of the National Conference. Saroori said the state government was committed to transferring more powers to Panchayati Raj institutions.
— PTI |
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killing of two youths
Srinagar, November 28 Following massive protests, the government had ordered a magisterial probe, which had blamed troops of 22 Rashtriya Rifles for the killings. In an RTI application filed in July this year, Shafaqat had sought information from the state home department about the action taken by the government after receiving the magisterial inquiry report. Besides, he had also sought the present status of the FIR registered in the case in Sopore police station. “The investigation of the case FIR 73/2009 registered under Section 302 of the Ranbir Penal Code at PS Sopore stands closed,” the reply from the government said. Adding that the charge sheet was produced against four soldiers from the Rashtriya Rifles unit concerned, the government reply to the RTI application states that the case has been submitted to the Central government for its sanction for the prosecution. “The sanction (for prosecution) has not been received so for from the competent authority,” the government stated in its reply furnished to the applicant last week. In this case, even as the Commanding Officer and the Company Commander of 22 Rashtriya Rifles had refused to appear before the inquiry magistrate for examination citing immunity enjoyed by them under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the Court of Inquiry ordered by Army on its own had held a junior commissioned officer and two soldiers of 22 Rashtriya Rifles accountable for various lapses in the case. The magisterial inquiry, conducted by the District Magistrate, Baramulla, soon after the incident took place, blamed the Rashtriya Rifles unit for the killing of the two youths and observed that the incident “was a case of failure of command and control on part of the Army.” |
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2 CRPF jawans injured in grenade blast
Anantnag/Jammu, November 28 Police reports said the injured persons have been identified as constable
Rao Vilas Pujar, ASI Venus Reddy and Umar Habib Jodisaz, a resident of the Sicop area in Bijbehara town. “The injured were
rushed to sub-district hospital, Bijbehara,” said a police officer. Constable Rao Vilas has been referred to Srinagar for specialised treatment. “The police has cordoned off the area and launched a manhunt to nab the culprits,” said Bijbehara DSP Sridhar Patil. Pak opens fire in Poonch again
With no let-up in ceasefire violation, the Pakistan army again targeted Indian forward posts with heavy machine gun fire in the Krishna Ghati (KG) sector along the Line of Control in Poonch district last night. Intelligence sources said Pakistan troops opened heavy machine gun fire from their Battal, Daku and Chuha posts targeting Kranti, Kirpan and Ghora posts of the Indian Army around 8 pm yesterday. The exchange of fire lasted till 10.30 pm but there was no loss of life or injuries to the Indian troops, he added. However, the officiating Defence PRO, SN Acharya, said there was no firing at the KG sector last night. The Pakistan army had been violating the ceasefire pact since the intervening night of November 25 and 26 in KG sector in a bid to push armed militants into the Indian territory. The truce deal between the two countries had come into force on November 26, 2003. |
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A display of artistic calligraphy in the age of keyboards
Srinagar, November 28 “We want to tell the new generation about calligraphy... we fear that even writing may soon become a thing of the past as children now only use keyboards. Learning about information technology is fine but we want them to know the rich past,” said Dr G.S. Khwaja, Superintendent, Epigraphist and Director (Epigraphy), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The ASI along with the J&K Chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is currently hosting a “travelling photo exhibition” on calligraphy at the Lal Ded Memorial Cultural Centre on the banks of the Jhelum in the old city. The exhibition will also travel to other cities like Lucknow and Bhopal and finally end its
journey in Hyderabad on December 7. Dwelling on the beauty of the art put on display at the exhibition, Khwaja said the most important factor in the art of Islamic calligraphy was the prohibition of depiction of human beings. “As a result, all efforts of graphic artists and calligraphers were diverted to making written words so beautiful that they could adorn the facades and interiors of buildings, pages of books, epitaphs, wall hangings, etc," he added. Convener, INTACH (J&K Chapter) Mohammad Saleem Baigh said
Kashmir had an age-old relation with Islamic history and art. The structure which houses the Lal Ded Centre had been identified as a heritage building by INTACH in 2006. It was recently thrown open after renovation work. The structure was first built in 1908 and converted into a school in 1920. The exhibition has put on display 90 panels with photographs of calligraphic works done during the reign of various Muslim rulers in the country. It also contains inscriptions written in Sanskrit and Dravidian languages. |
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Shant Mannu appointed
election observer
Srinagar, November 28 The elections for the two seats of the LC from the Kashmir province are being held on December 3. More than 18,000 elected panchayat members from the Valley are going to cast their vote to elect their representatives. “Shant Mannu today visited Kupwara district and took stock of arrangements made by the administration for the smooth conduct of the elections,” a government spokesman said here. He said Shant Mannu also took stock of randomisation of polling staff which would be deputed in 15 polling stations of the district.
— TNS |
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Hotel cook found dead
Srinagar, November 28 Mandan Singh, a resident of Bageshwar in Uttaranchal, was found dead at his rented house in the Brein area last night. He was working as a cook in Taj Vivanta at Kral Sangri, a police spokesman said. Inquest proceedings had been initiated to ascertain the cause of Singh’s death, he said. Meanwhile, the body of Mohammad Yaseen Mugal (45) was found in the Kalarooch forest in Kupwara district, the spokesman said. Mugal, a resident of Narizab village of Kalarooch, had left for the forest yesterday morning to collect firewood, he said. When he did not return home till late evening, a group of villagers went to search for him in the forest area and found him dead, the spokesman
said. — PTI |
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IED defused in Pulwama
Srinagar, November 28 The IED was detected and neutralised by a bomb disposal squad last evening, it said. A case had been registered and a hunt launched to apprehend the militants, the police said.
— PTI |
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