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Centre committed to overall
development in J-K, says PM
Omar warns against repealing Article 370
Militants gun down politician in Kashmir
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2 militants killed along LoC in Rajouri
Tributes paid to jawans killed in Srinagar attack
Amarnath pilgrims to reach base camps in Kashmir today
PM announces Rs 710 cr for rural road project
Congress delegation meets PM, demands
strengthening of coalition
Carry forward Indo-Pak talks: CPM to PM
Uttarakhand tragedy: 40 pilgrims from Akhnoor return home
Kashmiri Hindus Shrines Bill
Initial probe reveals LeT behind attack on Army convoy
Ladakh residents donate Rs 5 lakh
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Centre committed to overall
development in J-K, says PM
Banihal, June 26 “I want to assure you that the Central government is committed to development of J&K from every side,” Singh said while addressing a rally after inaugurating a 17.7-km rail link between Banihal in Ramban district of the Jammu region and Qazigund in south Kashmir. A large number of people attended the rally. The Prime Minister said on his visit to the state in 2004 he had announced a reconstruction plan for J&K, under which 67 projects were undertaken. Out of them, 37 had been completed and the rest of the projects were under various stages of completion. “The widening of the Khanabal-Pahalgam and Narbal-Tangmarg roads, establishment of 14 new degree colleges, 9 ITIs, upgradation of Srinagar airport to international standards, modernisation of J&K Police, Creation of 12 Tourist Development Authorities in the state were part of the reconstruction plan. Additionally, hydro power projects worth Rs 1,000 crore were undertaken in the Jammu and Ladakh regions to address their specific needs,” the Prime Minister said. While the Prime Minister spoke extensively on development issues, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said people in the state did not want to see bloodshed. “It was proved by the people who participated in large numbers when the panchayat elections were held,” she said. Sonia also extended an olive branch to Kashmir. “I fully know that at times certain incidents happen which are painful. I want to say that we understand the sentiments of the people of the state and we believe there is scope in our democracy to find a solution to every problem through dialogue and discussion,” the Congress president said. “I know people want to move ahead and look forward. They have an aspiration for a bright future,” she observed. Sonia said that people of the youth did not want violence to continue. “The youth wants better education and better employment avenues. The women want independence and that is why we have launched two schemes Umeed and Himayat programmes, which have started showing results,” she said. Sonia also urged the government to conduct local body elections in the state. She said that during the UPA’s two tenures they liberally funded the development needs of the state, particularly for infrastructure development. “The construction of the Mughal Road and tunnels on the Srinagar-Leh highway are some of the big projects undertaken during this period,” she said. |
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Omar warns against repealing Article 370
Banihal, June 26 The article guarantees a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, under which, among other things, no non-state subject can buy property in the state. “We the people of Jammu and Kashmir categorically tell them (BJP leaders) that the revocation of Article 370 is not possible at all and any attempt by anyone on this sensitive issue would be on our dead bodies,” Omar said in an address at the inaugural ceremony of the Banihal-Qazigund rail link. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders were present when Omar made the remarks, challenging the opposition right-wing party. The Chief Minister said the issue of revoking the Article was never touched during the six and a half years’ tenure of the government at the Centre led by the BJP. “They only raise the issue of Article 370 when the elections are in sight,” Omar said. The Chief Minister dared the BJP to touch Article 370 which, he said, had established Jammu and Kashmir’s relation with the Union of India. “You have to do it on our dead bodies,” Omar said. Omar said the National Conference and the Congress, which are coalition partners in the state, would foil all attempts made to weaken the state-Central relations. He said the two parties would work together to further cement and strengthen the relations. The Chief Minister said there may be some differences on “some political issues” between the coalition partners in the state, but they would continue to work together. “We will work together to cultivate and strengthen nationalism and the nationalist forces,” he said. Omar also predicted the return of the UPA-3 in power at the Centre after the parliamentary elections in 2014. |
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Militants gun down politician in Kashmir
Srinagar, June 26 Mir had unsuccessfully contested the state Assembly elections from Sopore constituency in 2008, a police officer said. Over the years, militants have targeted members of the mainstream political parties and have also killed Panchayat members. The officer said two unknown militants came to Mir’s office located at Shangargund locality and called him out. “As soon as he came out of the office, the militants fired indiscriminate at him and killed him on the spot. Some empty cartridges of 9 mm Shaheen pistol were recovered from the spot which suggest that the attack has been carried out by the militants of Hizbul Mujahideen,” the official said. Sources said Mir was considered to be police friendly and extended support to the police during community-policing initiatives. The slain politician had been provided security after he had received threats. A police spokesman said Mir died immediately after being shot by the militants. The spokesman said the police had launched an investigation into the killing. |
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2 militants killed along LoC in Rajouri
Rajouri, June 26 Senior Superintendent of Police
(SSP), Rajouri, Mubassir Latifi said, “A group of two to three militants were seen moving towards the Indian side of the LoC in the Keri forward area around 11 am.” “As they moved ahead, Indian troops guarding the border challenged them, resulting in a heavy exchange of firing between militants and Army personnel. Troops successfully eliminated two of the three militants,” the SSP said, adding one militant is still firing from heavy arms from across the border. A source said, “The firing is still on in the Keri sector which is hindering the body recovering process on the
LoC. However, security forces have recovered two AK-47 rifles, three magazines and two pouches from the possession of the slain militants.” Public Relations Officer,
Defence, SN Acharya has confirmed that an infiltration bid took place on the
LoC. He did not, however, confirm the number of militants eliminated. “Own troops claim to have caused casualties to the infiltrators, but we have not yet recovered the body of any militant.” The Rajouri SSP said, “Militants are continuously trying to infiltrate into the Indian side to disturb peace. Security forces and the police are vigilant to foil any such attempts in the future.”
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Tributes paid to jawans killed in Srinagar attack
Srinagar, June 26 Lt Gen Gurmit Singh, Chinar Corps Commander, and all ranks of Chinar Corps laid wreaths on the coffins of the slain soldiers as a mark of honour. Director General of Police Ashok Prasad also attended the ceremony and laid a wreath on the coffins of the soldiers on behalf of the state police. On 24 June, eight Army men were killed in an ambush on the Srinagar bypass road. The dead soldiers were identified as havildar Lalrohula from Aizwal district of Mizoram, LNK Z Lalringhetta from Mamit district of Mizoram, sepoy Pravin Das from Udalguri in Assam, sepoy John Lalumi Vajphei from Churachandpur district of Manipur, sepoy Moanung Sang from Mokokchung district of Nagaland, signalman Yadaiah M from Mahbubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh, signalman Girdhari Prajapati from Balia district of Uttar Pradesh and sepoy Adwaita Nandi from Bankura district in West Bengal. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad visited the Base Hospital at Badami Bagh cantonment in Srinagar to enquire about the health status of the injured soldiers. “The names of the martyrs will be engraved at the Chinar Corps memorial and their contribution towards peace in the Valley will become a part of history,” an Army spokesman said. “My heart goes out to the families and relatives of the martyrs. May God give them strength to bear the loss. Chinar Corps salutes them and their martyrdom will only strengthen our resolve to bring peace in Kashmir,” Lt Gen Gurmit Singh said while lauding the soldiers. |
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Amarnath pilgrims to reach base camps in Kashmir today
Jammu, June 26 The batch will be flagged off by Minister for Tourism Ghulam Ahmad Mir at 5 am. Senior officers of the administration in Jammu, including Divisional Commissioner Pardeep Gupta, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rajesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Ajit Kumar Sahu and Director (Tourism) Soujanya Sharma will also be present on the occasion. The pilgrims of the first batch will stay at Pahalgam and Baltal, the base camps of the two routes for the yatra in Kashmir, tomorrow and will leave for the holy cave and have “darshan” of the ice Shivalingam at the shrine on June 28. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Jammu-Kathua range Shakeel Ahmad Beig said adequate security arrangements had been put in place for a safe and incident-free pilgrimage. He said the first batch would be escorted by police as well as paramilitary personnel up to the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps to the cave shrine situated in the south Kashmir Himalayas at an altitude of 14,000 feet. The 55-day-long yatra would conclude on Raksha Bandhan on August 21. The Army and the Union Home Ministry had said the Amarnath Yatra was under terror radar and militants might try to disrupt the pilgrimage this year. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah however had described the threat perception to the yatra as a “gross exaggeration.” “To avert any untoward incident, the pilgrims will be protected till the cave shrine by a multi-tier security grid of Army, CRPF and J&K Police personnel,” a source said, adding that at least four companies of the CRPF along with J&K Police personnel had been deployed at Yatri Niwas in Bhagwati Nagar to sanitise the area. Soujayna Sharma, Director, Tourism, Jammu said elaborate arrangements had been made for pilgrims at the Bhagwati Nagar base camp. “All pilgrims will be provided free bedding at the base camp while three on-the-spot registration centres have been opened at Jammu Railway Station, Jammu Haat and Vaishno Dham for the convenience of the pilgrims. This year, there would be no registration centres at Pahalgam and Baltal,” he said. The state administration has announced that only 15,000 registered Amarnath pilgrims would be allowed beyond Pahalgam and Baltal on a daily basis. The yatra registration has been strictly done on the basis of health certificates issued by doctors and no pilgrim without obtaining the health and fitness certificate will be allowed to leave for the cave shrine. Pilgrims’ progress The 55-day-long Amarnath yatra, starting on June 28, will conclude on Raksha Bandhan on August 21 The pilgrims of the first batch will stay at Pahalgam and Baltal, the base camps of the two routes for the yatra in Kashmir, on Thursday and will leave for the holy cave and have “darshan” of the ice Shivalingam at the shrine on June 28 At least four companies of the CRPF along with J&K Police personnel had been deployed at Yatri Niwas in Bhagwati Nagar to sanitise the area At least 700 pilgrims, including 400 for Pahalgam and 300 Baltal routes, have already reached Jammu Haat to leave for Kashmir on Thursday |
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PM announces Rs 710 cr for rural road project
Srinagar, June 26 “The good news is that a note has already been prepared for grant of Rs 710 crore to the state under the PMGSY for land acquisition,” he said while adding that the proposal would receive the Union Cabinet nod soon. Singh stated this yesterday while chairing a high-level meeting on development issues here in which Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made a comprehensive presentation. Singh assured full support of the Centre to the state for its holistic and inclusive development. He said despite financial constraints at the Union Government level at present, he would use his influence to provide a substantial plan to the state for the current fiscal. “When it comes to financing Jammu and Kashmir, we do not count the financial constraints,” he added. The Chief Minister in his presentation gave a complete account of the achievements, problems and needs of the state to realise the ambition of providing better facilities to the people. Earlier, Omar, while explaining the development contours and economic indicators of the state, underlined the need for political resolution of grievances and aspirations of the state. Omar also talked about the resumption of sustained and meaningful dialogue with Pakistan and expressed the hope that the new Pak Premier would create conducive atmosphere for resumption for talks. He also pitched for restoration of internal dialogue with diverse political opinion in an inclusive manner. The Chief Minister lay stress on recommendations made by the Interlocutors. He also sought a comprehensive review of the cross-LoC trade and travel and demanded early provision of full body scanners to be installed at Poonch and Uri besides easing trade restrictions. He reiterated the demand for granting ST status to Pahari-speaking people. Omar said the average annual growth in the state had been achieved at 6.25 per cent. The robust plan allocations of Rs 44,000 crore for the 12th Plan, an Annual Plan of Rs 7,300 crore last year, and reasonable high increase in resources under 13th Finance Commission had given considerable fillip to the development activities, he added. Speaking about the security scenario, the Chief Minister claimed that the coalition government had lived up to its promises and expectations of people. He said 54 bunkers have been removed from Srinagar city while 179 schools, 37 hospital buildings, 33 hotels, 919 private buildings, 264 government buildings and 26 industrial units had been vacated from the forces. Omar said J&K’s economy had grown at 15.36 per cent last year. He said the state had received the highest ever plan of Rs 7,300 crore last year and is pitching for Rs 8,000 crore for the current year and Rs 600 crore under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad was also present in the meeting. |
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Congress delegation meets PM, demands
strengthening of coalition
Srinagar, June 26 The Congress, National Conference (NC) and other parties put forth their points of view through their respective representations before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre here yesterday. The Congress delegation was led by Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Saifuddin Soz, who is also the chairman of the Congress-NC Coordination Committee. The delegation comprised 20 members, including ministers and legislators. “We have demanded strengthening of the coalition,” said a senior member of the delegation. He said the delegation impressed upon the Prime Minister for smooth functioning of the coalition government. The decision on the pre-poll alliance with the NC should be taken up with the party leaders, which had been clearly conveyed to the Prime Minister, the Congress leader said. On the other hand, the NC sought early consideration of the autonomy resolution passed by the state legislature with a two-third majority and urged the Prime Minister to announce measures in this regard. The memorandum included the implementation of the working groups and the interlocutors, Indo-Pak talks, dialogue with all shades of opinion in the state, trade and movement across the Line of Control (LoC), opening of more routes, revision of a special package for Kashmiri migrants, special package for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971, package for earthquake-affected areas, rehabilitation and return of misguided Kashmiri youth from across the LoC, special recruitment package for the youth of the state in the Defence, paramilitary forces, Central government departments, banks and other Central government undertakings. On the LoC trade, the NC urged the PM to initiate measures for strengthening trade across the LoC and replace barter trade with financial transaction to make it more transparent, healthier and aggressive and to make the movement of people across the LoC less cumbersome. It also emphasised opening of the Jammu-Sialkote, Kargil-Skardu, Nowshera-Changar, Sagra-Tatapani and Mendla and Titwal routes. |
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Carry forward Indo-Pak talks: CPM to PM
Srinagar, June 26 Tarigami, during his meeting with the Prime Minister here yesterday, said the political process started more than a decade ago was shrinking and as such “losing its efficacy.” He said the leadership could not afford to put the political issues on the back burner, a party statement said. The statement said the CPM leader asked for seizing latest opportunities and carry forward the stalled Indo-Pak dialogue regarding improvement in
relations, people to people contact, cross-LoC trade and relaxation in visa regulations. Tarigami also demanded handing over of some J-K-based power projects to the state as a special case so that the energy crisis detrimental to the development of the state could be overcome. He also asked for the absorption of the youth of the state in public and private sectors across the country. The CPM leader expressed his concern over governance and said vast improvement was required to make it effective, transparent and accountable. |
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Uttarakhand tragedy: 40 pilgrims from Akhnoor return home
Akhnoor, June 26 The families of the pilgrims had been eagerly waiting for their kin who had gone on the yatra. Pandit Ganesh Dutt and his son, Ravi Kant, were among the group of pilgrims, and had to face a harrowing experience after the flood in Uttarakhand. Dutt’s wife Anita Sharma, had been waiting for her husband and son to return home. Dutt, a priest at Radha Krishan temple at Akhnoor (30 km from Jammu), was welcomed by his wife with moist eyes. “It was a tough time. There was no contact with them (Dutt and Kant) initially. For four days we had no information about them. The rumours were making the situation worse,” said Anita. “My son called on June 20. He said they were safe and will come back soon. His voice had changed. I felt relaxed that they were safe,” she said. Dutt had been performing the “char dham” yatra for the last 22 years. But this incident has changed his mind. He has decided never to visit the religious place again. “I will do an akhand path on amavasya every year and organise a bhandara also to thank Ganga Maiya for this new life. But tours to Haridwar and char dham are over,” he said. Another pilgrim, H Bawa, an Ayurvedic doctor, who also came back yesterday from Uttarakhand along with his wife, said, “It was my first trip to the religious place. I will never go there again. It is like a new life for us.” |
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Kashmiri Hindus Shrines Bill
Jammu, June 26 The Bill, which was tabled on the last day of the budget session, was referred to the Select Committee because there was no consensus among members on it. Keeping in view the importance of the Bill, every party wants to be the part of deliberations on it. On May 17, the Speaker had constituted the Select Committee headed by Law Minister Mir Saifullah to discuss the Bill, but there was no representative of the Congress, which is a part of the government, in this committee. The Speaker’s action had infuriated the Congress, which threatened to take up the issue in the next meeting of the Coalition Coordination Committee (CCC). Sources said after the congress resentment the Speaker finally nominated Indu Pawar as one of the members of the panel. The first meeting of the Select Committee was held today. The Congress member, however, was conspicuous by her absence. “Actually the Congress representative was informed about his nomination in the committee at the eleventh hour. So, the party leadership has asked its representative to skip the meeting,” sources said and added that the party leadership had decided to properly brief its representative before the next meeting, which was scheduled to be held on July 10. Kashmiri Hindus are seeking enactment of a law for the constitution of a board on the pattern of the Muslim Auqaf Board and the Gurdwara Prabandhak Board. After the Bill was tabled in the Assembly, some members raised objections over some clauses. The Bill was therefore referred to the Select Committee, which has been told to discuss flaws and lacunae in the legislation. |
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Initial probe reveals LeT behind attack on Army convoy
Srinagar, June 26 A dozen jawans of the Rashtriya Rifles were also wounded in the attack carried out by two militants riding a motorcycle. The last deadliest ambush was carried out by militants on July 2008 in which 10 soldiers were killed on the city outskirts at Narbal. While the Army has ordered a probe into the attack, the initial investigation has suggested the attackers were Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) cadres. “The initial investigation has hinted that the attackers belonged to LeT, not Hizbul Mujahideen which owned the responsibility for the attack,” a police officer said. “Hizb had also owned the responsibility for the Bemina fidayeen attack in March, but it was the LeT which had carried out the attack,” he said. The police also recovered the motorbike which was used by the militants to carry out the attack. “Militants had taken the motorcycle from two students at Baghat locality and abandoned it in Barzulla. We suspect that one militant is a foreigner and another is from south Kashmir,” the police officer said. While the police is investigating and trying to trace the militant group which carried out the twin attacks in Srinagar, the Army, too, has ordered a probe. The probe would check whether the standard operating procedure (SOP) was followed by various security agencies during the movement of the Army convoy. “As per the SOP, the Srinagar bypass road is to be sanitised and secured by the CRPF for the movement of security vehicles. The road opening party of the CRPF was deployed on this stretch, but the militants still managed to carry out the strike,” said a senior Army officer. “The probe will try to ascertain whether the SOP was adhered to or not,” he said. The quick reaction teams of the Army also failed to reach to the encounter site immediately after the shootout. “There were two teams of the Army highway security patrol which were barely two km from the attack side. Both were caught in a traffic jam so they could not reach the encounter site immediately,” the Army officer said. Another Army officer said the Srinagar bypass road was turning out to be the most vulnerable area in Srinagar as three attacks had taken place on the stretch in the past four months and 14 security men had been killed and many injured. “Militants are choosing their targets meticulously in Srinagar. On one side, the Srinagar bypass stretch comes under the control of the Budgam police and on other, it comes under the Srinagar police and the paramilitary forces. So militants take advantage of this and carry out attacks and escape,” he said.
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said that his government was committed to overall development of J&K.
Two militants were reportedly killed when the Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control
(LoC) in the Keri sector area of Rajouri district today. The incident occurred when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were on a two-day visit to the state.
A wreath-laying ceremony was held today at the Chinar Corps headquarters at the Badami Bagh cantonment in Srinagar to pay tributes to the soldiers who laid down their lives during the attack on an Army
convoy on the city outskirts on Monday.
The first batch of Amarnath pilgrims will leave for the Kashmir valley tomorrow from Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar, the base camp of Amarnath pilgrimage in Jammu, amid tight security arrangements.
A group of 40 people which had left from Akhnoor in Jammu on June 10 for the “char dham” yatra in Uttarakhand returned home yesterday.
The families of the pilgrims had been eagerly waiting for their kin who had gone on the
yatra.
Pandit Ganesh Dutt and his son, Ravi Kant, were among the group of pilgrims, and had to face a harrowing experience after the flood in
Uttarakhand. Dutt’s wife Anita Sharma, had been waiting for her husband and son to return home.
