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State shelling out hefty sum to protect separatist leaders
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No infiltration this year, says Lt Gen Om Prakash
Jagti residents must abide by power agreement: Govt
No shutdown, calm Friday in Valley
Kashmir banks on Sonamarg snow fest to woo back tourists
1,852 SPOs absorbed in police: Omar
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State shelling out hefty sum to protect separatist leaders
Jammu, March 22 “The state government has spent Rs 9.47 crore on account of providing security cover to the Hurriyat and other separatist leaders from 2001 to 2012,” Omar said in a written reply to a question by an Independent MLA from Langate, Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rasheed, in the Assembly here today. Giving the break-up of the expenditure, the Chief Minster said Rs 4.56 crore was spent on account of salaries of Personal Security Officers (PSOs) and drivers of Hurriyat leaders for the period. An amount of Rs 71.10 lakh was spent on the fuel used in vehicles escorting Hurriyat leaders while Rs 3.79 crore was incurred on salaries of residential guards protecting their houses. Last year alone, the state government had spent Rs 85.50 lakh on account of salaries of PSOs and drivers of Hurriyat leaders. “About Rs 7 lakh was spent on the fuel used in their escort vehicles in 2012,” Omar said. The high-end security cover has once again exposed the double standards of the Hurriyat and separatist leaders who have been vehemently demanding revocation of the AFSPA and withdrawal of troops from the state, particularly the Kashmir valley, following the “significant decline” in militant-related incidents. Later, Engineer Rasheed said Hurriyat leaders should surrender their security cover on “moral grounds”. “I want to appeal to the Hurriyat leaders to withdraw their security cover as they are being protected by the same security forces which are involved in the killing of civilians in Kashmir. They should surrender their security on moral grounds as it doesn’t send across a good message,” Rasheed told reporters outside the Assembly. Recently, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had reportedly told the state government to go for a ‘detailed review’ of the security of separatist leaders in the Kashmir valley.
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Jammu, March 22 As soon as the proceedings of the House started this morning, Panthers Party member Harsh Dev Singh sought to draw the attention of Speaker Mubarak Gul to Thursday’s terror attack in which one BSF jawan was killed. “The government has given clear instructions to the security forces not to carry arms in the Kashmir valley. This direction of the government has virtually turned security forces personnel into sitting ducks”, he said while alleging that the government was discouraging security forces and encouraging anti-India forces. Jammu State Morcha (JSM) member Ashwani Kumar Sharma also joined Harsh Dev Singh and pointed out that terrorists were targeting security forces but the government has tied their hands to make them a soft target. “The recent attacks on security forces should be an eye-opener for those who have been demanding revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for petty political gains,” he said. The agitating opposition members were interrupted by National Conference member Naseer Aslam Wani, who argued that there had not been any order issued to disarm security forces. However, Wani was opposed by Balwant Singh Mankotia of the Panthers Party, who read an official order in the House in this regard. Congress members Mohammad Sharief Naiz and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori also supported opposition members on the issue. “How can jawans carrying lathis face terrorists armed with sophisticated weapons?” asked Naiz while strongly objecting to the government’s policy. Speaker pacified the members by assuring that Minister of State for Home Sajjad Kichloo would give a statement in the House after question hour. In the absence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Kichloo replied that this order was only for those security forces personnel deployed for law and order duty. “There was no provision of disapproving the use of firearms against terrorists” said Kichloo but the opposition members were not satisfied with his reply and resorted to sloganeering. National Conference members Mustafa Kamaal and Abdul Gani Malik defended the government but the opposition created uproar. “You are making security forces a soft target for terrorists,” shouted Mankotia and demanded that the order issued by the government to disarm security forces should be withdrawn immediately. JSM members also echoed the demand before the Opposition staged a walkout. |
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BJP holds protests across Jammu region
Jammu, March 22 A large number of party activists under the leadership of former state president Nirmal Singh blocked Jammu-Srinagar national highway at Nagrota for nearly an hour and shouted slogans against the state government. Nagrota is the Assembly segment of BJP state president Jugal Kishore Sharma, who has been suspended from the Assembly for showing “aggressive” behaviour to woman minister Sakina Itoo during discussion on a question regarding discrimination with the Jammu region over development. Addressing party workers, Nirmal expressed concern over the “misuse of the Assembly to propagate pro-Pakistani agenda”. “They way Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru has been shown high regard (addressed as ‘sahib’) by the state government, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Speaker Mubarak Gul, it is a clear indication that the dignity of the august House has been eroded,” he said while requesting the Union Government “to restore India’s writ in the J&K Assembly, where anti-national elements have been given the liberty to praise a dreaded terrorist like Guru”. Referring to Jugal’s suspension, he said it was an indicator of the medieval mindset of the Kashmir-centric political parties. “It is their hidden agenda to appease separatists and silence the voice of nationalists. Under such circumstances, the Chief Minister has lost the moral right to continue in office and the sooner he goes, the better it would be for the state,” he said. BJP Legislature Party leader Ashok Khajuria along with a number of party workers staged a demonstration at City Chowk in the heart of the walled city. BJP activists also held protest demonstrations at Purani Mandi Chowk, Maheshpura Chowk, Gole Market, Digiana Pulli Chowk in Jammu city and in Bishnah town in Jammu district. |
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No infiltration this year, says Lt Gen Om Prakash
Srinagar, March 22 “I will not say that it was a new infiltration. It is impossible to infiltrate during this period due to heavy snow. There are resident terrorists who carry out these attacks,” the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army's 15 Corps, Lt Gen Om Prakash said on the sidelines of a function in north Kashmir. “Last year, we achieved big success against these resident terrorists and killed nine ‘commanders’ and 108 terrorists,” he said. The state police had recently claimed that during the investigation of the recent fidayeen attack which left five CRPF men and two militants dead it was found that militants had infiltrated into the Valley in January and February. The police investigation was based on the questioning of four arrested persons, including Pakistani militant Mohammad Zubair, alias Talha Zaraar, and a guide of Uri, Bashir Ahmad. They revealed that the group of militants had infiltrated through the Uri sector of the Valley. “I am not too aware about the disclosures made by them. Their interrogation has been done by the police so I am not too sure what the actual things are. But we are always prepared to enhance our capabilities so that infiltration is minimised,” the Corps Commander said. About the recent militant attacks in the Valley, Lt Gen Om Prakash said these incidents had been happening in the past and a conclusion could not be drawn going by these incidents whether militancy was on the rise or on a decline. |
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Attack on BSF: Initial investigation by police hint at Lashkar role
Srinagar, March 22 Militant outfits Hizbul Mujahideen and Jamait-ul-Mujahideen had claimed the responsibility for the attack. “The preliminary investigations suggest that the men who carried out the attack were LeT militants, but may be Hizb had provided the logistic support. We are looking at all the angles,” said a police officer. “We are trying to find out whether those involved in the attack had infiltrated recently or it was an old module,” he said. The police said under a new strategy adopted by militant outfits, LeT was not owning responsibility for the attacks. “When the recent fidayeen attack was carried out at Bemina last week, its responsibility was also owned by Hizb. After the case was cracked, it was clear that LeT cadres had carried out the attack,” he added. Police sources said many people had been questioned in the case so far. “We are working on various leads,” the police officer said. Meanwhile, BSF IG, Kashmir Frontier, PS Sandhu today termed the attack on the BSF convoy yesterday an act of desperation. “The attack on the BSF convoy was carried out by elements which don’t want peace and prosperity in J&K. It was a cowardly act on part of those who did it,” Sandhu told reporters after the wreath-laying ceremony of the slain BSF constable at Subsidiary Training Centre, Humhama, today. “We showed restrain and will ensure maximum restraint in the future as well,” Sandhu said. Militants yesterday ambushed a BSF convoy, killing a constable and injuring two others on the outskirts of Srinagar city. |
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Jagti residents must abide by power agreement: Govt
Jammu, March 22 Nearly 5,000 people live in the township, constructed under the Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation Plan, to rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandits. Residents of the township get electricity for five hours a day. Giving information in the Legislative Council today, the government said the migrant families which had shifted to the township since March 2011 had not executed the agreement with the Power Development Department (PDD) and were not paying for the power they were consuming. “The grievances of people will be redressed if either individual families pay for the power they use according to their consumption or the Relief Organisation pays for the energy supplied to the township,” said the government. The state Power Ministry was responding to the question of MLC Vijay Bakaya in the Council. Data says since the camp became operational, 232.95 lakh units of energy have been supplied to the township, amounting to Rs 691.63 lakh which has not been remitted to the PDD by either people or the Relief Organisation, which maintains the township. The township project was started in 2007 and envisages construction of 4218 two-room flats for the migrants with facilities such as hospitals, schools, community halls and parks. In all, the project comprises construction of 176 blocks in six zones to house displaced people who left the Valley after militancy erupted in 1990. Community leaders say by shifting the displaced Kashmiri migrants from different localities to the poorly constructed migrant township, the state government had abandoned these people amid absence of basic facilities. |
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No shutdown, calm Friday in Valley
Srinagar, March 22 Though separatist leaders continue to be under house arrest and detention, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Mushawarat (MMM), a Joint Consultative Committee, and a conglomeration of separatist organisations, was constituted which has been spearheading the protest programmes every week. The separatist organisations with come under the MMM include both factions of the Hurriyat Conference and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). The MMM has been demanding the return of the mortal remains of Afzal Guru and JKLF founder leader Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, who was also hanged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail on February 11, 1984. Instead of Fridays, the MMM has over the past two weeks chosen Wednesdays for shutdown. Fridays have usually been marked by violence due to shutdown or “peaceful protests” after congregational prayers. Even as there was no call for protests today, some incidents of stone-throwing were reported in parts of north Kashmir and downtown Srinagar after Friday prayers. The authorities, banking upon the gradual improvement in the situation, did not impose restrictions in vulnerable areas, ensuring a peaceful day today. |
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Kashmir banks on Sonamarg snow fest to woo back tourists
Srinagar, March 22 Besides putting Sonamarg on the tourist map, the authorities and stakeholders are hopeful that the festival will woo back visitors and give a fillip to the tourism sector that has taken a hit after the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru last month. “There is still three feet of snow in Sonamarg. The road to the tourist spot used to open late but as it reopened earlier this year, we are making the most of it,” Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA) chief executive officer (CEO) Mohammad Yousuf Bhat told The Tribune. “Tourists did not know much about Sonamarg and they used to come here only in June-July. But now people are rushing to this place. In fact, around 300 vehicles, including those of tourists, came here on the day the road reopened. We are hopeful that more tourists will come here during the snow festival.” The Srinagar-Sonamarg road, which remains closed during the winter season, was reopened on Saturday after around five months. President, Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), Rauf Tramboo said a “wrong message” had gone from here last month and also after the recent fidayeen attack at Bemina, which had affected the tourism sector. While several tourist bookings had been cancelled earlier, visitors have started trickling in again. A Tourism Department official said around 500 tourists were coming here on a daily basis as compared to around 2,000 during the corresponding period last year. However, Tramboo said they were ‘cashing in’ on the comparative improvement in the situation and the stakeholders were hopeful that the Sonamarg snow festival would bring back tourists to the Valley. He also said Sonamarg in Ganderbal district had immense potential for hosting activities related to adventure sports and they would make the snow festival a yearly event from this year onwards. Tramboo said the festival would include snow-skiing championship, snow-boarding, mountain biking, snow baseball and snow zorbing, besides cultural events. The festival from March 24 to 26 is being jointly organised by the SDA, Department of Tourism, and Adventure Club of Youth Hostel,
Sonamarg.
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Railway reservation facility inaugurated at Kishtwar
Jammu, March 22 The Passenger Reservation System (PRS), which is situated in the general area of the Kishtwar Helipad, will meet the long-felt demand for provision of railway reservation facility in the remote region. The PRS will provide railway reservation facility to all civilians and Army and paramilitary forces personnel deployed in the region. The initiative has been fully designed and established with the efforts of Rashtriya Rifles Sector. The Indian Railways has extended all requisite assistance from conceptualisation to completion in making the facility fully functional in a span of three months. |
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1,852 SPOs absorbed in police: Omar
Jammu, March 22 In the four years of National Conference-Congress rule, only 1,852 SPOs have been regularised and absorbed as constables and followers in the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The state, as of today, has 25,474 SPOs. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a written reply today, informed the Lower House that 1,852 SPOs had been regularised in the state police as constables and followers since 2009 under a comprehensive policy which was exclusively formulated for the SPOs by his regime. He informed the House that 141 SPOs were disengaged during the last one year in Udhampur district largely due to their unauthorised absence from duty and involvement in various crimes. Omar said in order to absorb the existing SPOs in the Police Department, they, besides minimum engagement of three continual years, should have a good record in counter-insurgency operations, state and national-level sports events, besides ITI diploma in various trades or the All India Council of Technical Education diploma in
computers.
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Srinagar, March 22
