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Mufti defends party’s decision to boycott Budget session
‘Assembly has become a platform for anti-India speeches’
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Incorporation of 73rd Amendment
Despite 6 lakh jobless youth, govt re-employs 127 retired employees
Unemployment rate among women in J-K way below national average
Of Chief Ministers and wreath-laying ceremonies
State’s cellphone user base rises to 79 lakh
Private schools in Valley decide to function on Sundays
Attack on CRPF
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Mufti defends party’s decision to boycott Budget session
Jammu, March 17 As the ruling National Conference (NC) has been “taunting” the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with skirting its responsibility as the main opposition, Mufti said, “Instead of listening to dissenting voices, the arrogant ruling coalition with a dictatorial mindset has never allowed any debate on important issue.” On March 13, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had announced to boycott the remaining proceedings of the Budget session, which will be over on April 4, to protest against the state government for not allowing the Opposition to raise important issues. Although the coalition partners in the government had appealed to the PDP to reconsider its decision, ruling NC members in the Assembly were trying to give an impression that the PDP was shying away from debate on public issues by boycotting the proceedings. While addressing a one-day convention of party workers here today, Mufti launched a counter-offensive against the coalition regime on the issue. He alleged that the government had systematically eroded all democratic institutions in the state and had not even spared the Assembly. “The National Conference-Congress regime has systematically disempowered the Assembly by gagging dissent voices,” he said and added that even former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig was not allowed to speak in the Budget session. He said the NC-Congress coalition government was running away from debate and discussion in the Assembly and it was evident from the fact that since the formation of this regime not a single serious debate on any important issue was allowed by the government in the Assembly. “It is unfortunate that to accomplish its nefarious designs, the ruling coalition has degraded the institution of Assembly to such a low level,” he said and added PDP legislators were not allowed to raise day to day issues of people. Mufti said the House had been prevented from undertaking any meaningful discussion that could have helped in finding a way to respond to peoples’ concerns so there was no reason to attend the proceedings. “We did not want to be part of a process of demolition of democratic institutions, in the revival of which we had contributed substantially in the past years. People would get disillusioned with the highest democratic forum by witnessing the undesirable sight of the government pleading helplessness before its own forces and the Opposition not being allowed to raise issues and jointly finding solutions to them,” he said. |
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‘Assembly has become a platform for anti-India speeches’
Jammu, March 17 Sharma organised a public meeting at the border town of Bishnah today, in which a large number of people from various areas participated and took a pledge to oppose the “pro-separatist” policies of the state government. People warned that they would not hesitate to launch an agitation if the coalition government continued its appeasement policies towards anti-national elements. Addressing the gathering amidst anti-Pakistan and pro-India slogans, Sharma condemned the government for its “irresponsible” behaviour and actions that put the Kashmir valley in turmoil after the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Taking a dig at the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) for raking up the issue of Afzal’s hanging, in the Assembly, he said there was political one-upmanship between the two parties to hoodwink innocent people. “These so-called mainstream parties (NC and
PDP) are responsible for the increase in terrorist activities in Kashmir because they have provoked and incited people,” he alleged. He added that the two parties were trying to derail the peace process and normalcy for their petty political ends by indulging in secessionism and communal politics in and outside the Assembly. Referring to the statements of some NC and PDP leaders in the Assembly, Sharma regretted that during the on-going Budget session the Assembly was used as a platform for anti-India speeches. Referring to the action of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who broke down in the Assembly, on the issue of killing of a youth in Army firing, Sharma said not a single tear was shed for five CRPF personnel and two IRP jawans who were killed by militants in two separate incidents. |
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Incorporation of 73rd Amendment
Jammu, March 17 Addressing a press conference, general secretary of the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) Anil Sharma said, “We urge the government to bring in a Bill within seven days to implement all provisions of the 73rd Amendment Act. If the government fails to do so, we will go on a 72-hour-long hunger strike from March 24.” The AJKPC is an apex body of about 33,000 panchayat members. Sharma said their main aim was empowerment of panchayats. “We are not satisfied with the raise in the honorarium for panches and sarpanches, though we believe it is a step in the right direction. Our main objective is empowerment of panchayats and security for panches and sarpanches,” Sharma said. He said the AJKPC had been hoping that senior legislators such as Harsh Dev Singh of the National Panthers Party and CPM MLA MY Tarigami would raise their voice in support of the panchayats. “We expected that our senior MLAs will raise their voice in support of the panchayat members and will force the government to implement the 73rd Amendment Act, but they are discussing something else.” Stressing on the need for security to panchayat members, he said the government was spending crores on security of VIPs, but ignoring those who needed it the most. — TNS |
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Despite 6 lakh jobless youth, govt re-employs 127 retired employees
Jammu, March 17 The state government in a written reply to a query of BJP MLA Ashok Khajuria stated that in the past three years the government had re-employed and re-engaged 86 non-gazetted employees. Similarly, the NC-Congress combine had also re-employed and re-engaged gazetted officials. The government cited Articles 226 and 259 of the J&K Civil Services Rules under which it gave re-employment and re-engaged 127 retired officials and employees. “The re-employment of the government servants, as and when felt necessary in public interest, is either made with the approval of the Cabinet in respect of gazetted employees or with the approval of the Chief Minister through the Chief Secretary in coordination in respect of non-gazetted employees,” stated the government in its reply. In addition to it, a policy regarding extension in government service or re-employment of government servant has also been adopted vide government order number 376-GAD of 2007 dated April 4, 2007, read with government order number 726-GAD of 2007 dated June 25, 2007. |
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Unemployment rate among women in J-K way below national average
Jammu, March 17 As compared to the unemployment rate of 3.6 per cent for women at the all-India level, the state has recorded disturbing figures of 17.1 per cent unemployment rate among women, says the state government’s Economic Survey Report for 2012-13. The unemployment rate in J&K for men stands at 3.6 per cent. The number of women unemployed in J-K is far too high when compared to the neighbouring states Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. “The unemployment among women in Punjab is 11.7 per cent, Haryana 2.8 per cent, Delhi 2.8 per cent and Himachal Pradesh 2.5 per cent. The problem of unemployment among women is predominant in J&K. The gap between unemployment rate of women in J&K (17.1%) and that of all-India level (3.6%) is huge,” the report revealed. The unemployment is more prevalent in urban areas than in rural areas of the state. “The unemployment rate in the urban areas of the state stood at 6.5 per cent as against 4.9 per cent in the rural areas. The survey disclosed that the rural women unemployment in J&K stood at 19.3 per cent, which was far too high as compared to neighbouring states, including Punjab (11.4%), Himachal Pradesh (2.2%) and Haryana (2.2%), and the all-India figure of 2.5 per cent. The report said J&K also had the highest unemployment rate in North India with around 5.94 lakh youth registering themselves with the employment department for jobs. “A total of 5,94,172 youth were registered at the district-level employment exchanges across the state till September 2012. Out of these registered unemployed youth, 3,12,977 were from the Kashmir region and 2,81,195 from the Jammu division,” the report states. As per Census 2011, the literacy rate among women has increased from 43 per cent in 2001 to 58 per cent in 2011. However, the literacy rate among men recorded an increase of about 12 per cent, from 66.60 per cent to 78.26 per cent. The number of registered job seekers increased from 1,06,130 in 2008 to 5.94 lakh in 2012, registering an increase of 459.85 per cent. JOB TRAIL The number of registered job seekers in J&K increased from 1,06,130 in 2008 to 5.94 lakh in 2012, thereby registering an increase of 459.85 per cent The unemployment among women in Punjab is 11.7 %, Haryana 2.8 %, Delhi 2.8 % and Himachal Pradesh 2.5% |
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Of Chief Ministers and wreath-laying ceremonies
On August 2, 2002, then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah flew all the way from Srinagar to Jammu to lay wreath on the coffins of two policemen who were killed in an encounter on the outskirts of Jammu city.
It was on the same day that the Election Commission of India had announced the Assembly elections, but Farooq, instead of summoning the party leaders and discussing the strategy for the elections, chose to visit the District Police Lines, Jammu, to be with the policemen to express his solidarity with them. This is how Farooq Abdullah, currently Union minister, used to be with his men in uniform, whether in khaki or olive green. This used to send a message to the country that he cares for the people who were fighting Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. In July 1999, he was present at the wreath-laying ceremony at Pantha Chowk BSF headquarters in Srinagar. He laid a wreath on the body of a BSF DIG who was killed in the first fidayeen attack in Bandipore in north Kashmir. Then Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav was also present. From October 1996 to 2002, when he was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq would make it a point to visit the wreath-laying ceremonies and his speeches were filled with anger against Pakistan and terrorism. But everything changed after the 2002 elections. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, whose party had won 16 seats with a promise of “na grenade se, na goli se, baat banegi boli se” (“neither grenades nor bullets would serve any purpose, only dialogue can deliver”) and had become the Chief Minister with the support of the Congress, would not utter even a word of condolence or condemnation on the killing of the Army or paramilitary police personnel at the hands of terrorists or their planted mines. He did not issue any statement even on the killing of 28 BSF personnel in a mine blast in the Lower Munda area of Anantnag district, as he was advised that it would annoy militants and their sympathisers by some of his close aides. That evoked a lot of criticism in media and political circles. A fidayeen attack in the neighbourhood of his official residence in Srinagar in 2004, made him change his stance. He would issue statements condemning the incidents of violence by militants, but would shy away from calling them militants or terrorists, instead he invented the phrase “enemies of peace” for them. He, however, never went to any wreath-laying ceremony of soldiers or policemen. His successor Ghulam Nabi Azad, started a new cult. He would end his speech, even at places like Sopore - the strongest bastion of militancy to date - with “ Jai Hind” and would visit the Army and paramilitary forces camps to lay wreaths whenever there were such occasions. He would condemn the terror strikes in unequivocal terms, and was the great defender of security forces and their actions. And at the same time, he was also the first Chief Minister who got senior police officers arrested and their cases challaned in the court in 2007 when he discovered their involvement in fake encounters. Omar Abdullah, who lost elections in 2002, learnt not to condemn Pakistan for any terror strike nor would he blame militants. He was told that he and his party had lost the Assembly polls because of his and his father’s anti-Pakistan and anti-militancy utterances. At one point of time, he was a votary of “use of military operations” as one of the options to deal with militancy in the state, besides political ways to make Kashmir a peaceful place. That time, he was the Union minister in the NDA government. Now, he is the one who is following the footsteps of his rival in Kashmir politics, changing the course from anti-Pakistan to involving Pakistan in the resolution of Kashmir issue. He too is ruling the state with the support of 17 Congress MLAs, though his own party (NC) has only 28 seats, 16 short of the simple majority in the Legislative Assembly of 87 elected representatives. This policy was governed by the belief that shedding of the anti-Pakistan speeches like involving Pakistan in the dialogue process alone would deliver the Kashmir solution and there would be greater acceptability among the masses, particularly in the Valley - the biggest constituency for the National Conference. This ignores a cardinal reality that Pakistan itself is living on edges and is the biggest exporter of terrorism to other parts of the world, and is no longer the promised land for a majority of Kashmiris. On Wednesday - March 13 - when the news of the killing of five CRPF troopers came, Omar gave a bland statement in the Legislative Assembly, saying five CRPF troopers have been “martyred”, two fidayeen have been “neutralized” . That was all. A late evening press note, which was circulated at 10.31 pm on the day, said he had condemned the killings and offered his condolences. Next day - on March 14 - he did not visit the District Police Lines, Srinagar, to offer floral tributes to the five slain troopers. Only when he was told that the CRPF jawans were angry over his absence that he rushed to the airport to bid adieu to the coffins of five jawans. That was the first time in his more than four years as Chief Minister that Omar Abdullah had done that, and that too, after the heat he faced because of the on-camera protest by the CRPF men, who have been on the line of fire of terrorists on the ground. They also protect political leaders of Kashmir round-the-clock. |
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State’s cellphone user base rises to 79 lakh
Jammu, March 17 As per the 2011 Census, the total population of the state is 1.25 crore and going by the growth of the subscribers base, every person, barring children below the age of 12, probably owns a cell phone irrespective of his or her economical condition. According to the state government’s Economic Survey Report 2012-13, the number of cell phone subscribers had witnessed a phenomenal increase since the inception of cellular services in the state. “Earlier, the state was behind in the launch of cellular services due to delay in security clearances but later, it caught up with the rest of the country. Against the total subscriber base of 40,000 in 2004, the state has nearly 79 lakh cell phone connections with the addition of 18,752 in just one month in 2012,” the survey states. It said the number of mobile phone subscribers was 33 lakh by the end of 2009 and 52.96 lakh ending December 2011. |
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Private schools in Valley decide to function on Sundays
Srinagar, March 17 The classes in schools and colleges started late as the winter vacation was extended due to curfew and shutdowns. The 100-day winter vacations for schools this year invited criticism from educationists and civil society activists. After the schools reopened on March 11, there were only two working days (Monday and Tuesday) last week. Delhi Public School, Srinagar, which has 4,000 students on its rolls, had yesterday informed its students about attending the school on Sundays to make up for the lost studies. The school-based assessment tests for Class IX and X in all CBSE-affiliated schools of the Valley, including DPS, will be conducted between March 16 and 31 as directed by the CBSE. Some other private schools, including Islamic International School, Baghat, Barzulla; SSM Higher Secondary School, Parraypora, Baghat, and RP School, Sanat Nagar, have also started holding classes on Sundays. “We have no option but to remain open on Sundays since weekdays are wasted in curfew and strikes. Despite our repeated pleas, the state government has not taken effective measures to include education in the essential services and ensure safe movement of school students and school buses on strike and curfew days,” said GN War, member of the Kashmir Private Schools’ Association. The Muttahida Majlis Mashawarat, a separatist amalgam, today furnished the protest calendar for this week. It has called for protests in mosques, schools and colleges and a shutdown on Saturday. School managements in the Valley are facing a tough time to conduct classes smoothly amid protests and shutdowns. Director, School Education, Kashmir, Mohammad Shafi Rather said the schools in the Valley could take a call whether to remain open on strike and curfew days depending on the law and order situation in their areas. In 2010, when the Valley faced six months of unrest in the summer, schools had decided to remain open on Sundays, but the state government later directed the schools not to function on Sundays. |
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Attack on CRPF
Srinagar, March 17 The schoolteacher, Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, is a friend of a local guide, Bashir Ahmed Mir, who is already in police custody. Mir, a surrendered militant from Uri, was the first to have been arrested by the police after the fidayeen attack in Bemina, which left five CRPF men dead on Wednesday. A Pakistani militant, who operated under aliases Abu Talha and Talha Zarar, and a government employee, Pradeep Singh, who hosted the three militants in the Tangmarg area, are already in police custody and they were being questioned by the Special Operations Group of the J&K police. Sources said a police team from Srinagar recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from Dachi village near the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri last night. Dachi is the native village of Mir, who had been a known “asset” of various security agencies after he surrendered before the Army in 1993. Police sources said the way he helped the militants, it showed that he had switched sides. Police sources said it was Mir who facilitated the infiltration of three foreign militants into Kashmir through Uri sector and later planned their entry into Srinagar city. “He helped organise the fidayeen attack on Wednesday,” the police sources said. Mir had dropped the two fidayeen militants outside the CRPF camp in Bemina and also kept the other fidayeen, Abu Talha, at his blind brother’s home in Rampura Chattabal locality of the old city. Police sources said the names of few more persons, who had helped them carry out the attack, had surfaced during the questioning and raids were being conducted in various parts of north Kashmir to arrest them. “During questioning of the trio, we have come to know that some more militants will try to infiltrate and we have kept security agencies on an alert,” said a senior police officer. Senior police officers are tight-lipped about the investigations of the case. Meanwhile, the two fidayeen militants, who were killed in the encounter, have been buried in the outskirts of Srinagar after conducting their DNA tests. |
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coalition regime in the Assembly, lone Jammu State Morcha MLA Ashwani Kumar Sharma has kickstarted a campaign to mobilise public opinion against the parties.
On August 2, 2002, then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah flew all the way from Srinagar to Jammu to lay wreath on the coffins of two policemen who were killed in an encounter on the outskirts of Jammu city.
It was on the same day that the Election Commission of India had announced the Assembly elections, but
Farooq, instead of summoning the party leaders and discussing the strategy for the elections, chose to visit the District Police Lines, Jammu, to be with the policemen to express his solidarity with them.
