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12,717 pilgrims to head for Amarnath shrine today
Omar’s remarks on special status of state spark off debate
Article 370 exists only on papers, says Hurriyat
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High Court grants govt one week to reply on use of pepper gas
Arms, ammunition seized near LoC in Kupwara district
Locals take joy ride on Banihal-Qazigund train
News analysis
Khurshid to chair Cong meet in Valley
40-member Pak group attends Chamliyal fair
Defence Minister urged to order probe into 1991 ‘mass’ rape incident
Quake-hit Doda region awaits announcement of relief package
Ladakh residents donate Rs 5 lakh to Uttarakhand victims
Quake-hit Doda awaits relief
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12,717 pilgrims to head for Amarnath shrine today
Srinagar, June 27 The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) this year has fixed a ceiling of 15,000 yatris per day on both routes to the cave shrine. This excludes pilgrims who travel by heli services up to Panjtarni, 6 km short of the shrine. Their number normally varies between 1,000 and 1,400, depending upon the number of sorties which are undertaken during the day, which would be based on the weather conditions. This was disclosed at a meeting held here today to review the final yatra arrangements under the chairmanship of Governor NN Vohra, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. The Governor has directed the CEO of the shrine board to obtain the final
reports from all camp directors on the arrangements put in place. The CEO has been directed to immediately speak to the Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police of Ganderbal and Anantnag districts to personally oversee the management of the Access Control Gates at Domel and Chandanwari and ensure that only those yatris who possess valid registration permits are allowed to embark on the yatra. Instructions in this regard have already been issued to the camp directors and police officers responsible for enforcing effective Access Control measures.
Weather monitoring
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Omar’s remarks on special status of state spark off debate
Jammu, June 27 The civil society has already initiated an academic debate all over the country on the topic. Omar yesterday attacked the BJP for raising bogey of the revocation of Article 370. “We the people of Jammu and Kashmir categorically tell them (the BJP) 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 yesterday. Omar’s political rival, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, had on Monday termed Article 370 as the Article of faith and warned that the PDP would not allow its further erosion. The Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre, a group of writers, thinkers and intellectuals, has started a campaign by holding workshops and seminars all over the country over the utility of Article 370. Instead of demanding the revocation of the Article, the Study Centre has been trying to highlight how the special status has been abused by the ruling elites of Kashmir to sabotage sincere attempts at strengthening democratic institutions in Jammu and Kashmir and to deny constitutional rights to the weaker sections. The Centre in collaboration with Mewar University has announced a national-level essay writing contest on the topic of Article 370. Law students from all over the country are eligible to participate in the contest. “There should be a debate all over the country on whether this article has given any benefit to the people of Jammu and Kashmir or the special status has been misused by the ruling elites of the state only to accomplish their nefarious designs,” said Goutam Mengi of the Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre. Mengi said the main aim of holding the essay writing contest was to initiate a debate on the Article. The BJP, on the other hand, today dared Omar Abdullah to hold an open debate on Article 370. “The National Conference leadership, particularly Omar Abdullah, must stop arousing the emotions of Kashmiris in the name of Article 370 and misleading them. He should rather give an account of the benefits, if any at all, his governance has bestowed upon the common man. The BJP challenges him for an open debate on the utility of the special status for the common man and the state,” said Jugal Kishore Sharma, state BJP president. |
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Article 370 exists only on papers, says Hurriyat
Srinagar, June 27 While addressing a rally at the inaugural ceremony of the Banihal-Qazigund rail link yesterday, Omar Abdullah criticised BJP leaders for calling for the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and warned that any such attempt would have to be done “on our dead bodies”. “Article 370 exists nowhere, except on papers. Besides, late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah virtually abrogated Article 370 in 1975 when he agreed for the appointment of designate governor by Delhi and also accepted to be sworn in as the Chief Minister and dropped his demand for the title of Prime Minister,” said a spokesman for the hardline Hurriyat. The spokesman said, “The National Conference (NC) is much aware that it (NC) was instrumental in the virtual abrogation and subsequent erosion of Article 370. The NC is also aware that New Delhi in no way would grant special status to J&K or allow its restoration.” |
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High Court grants govt one week to reply on use of pepper gas
Srinagar, June 27 In his submission to a division bench of the High Court, Advocate General Mohammad Ishaq Qadri representing official respondents in the PILs, said he had received a report by two scientists which said that pepper gas used on civilian protesters in Kashmir was harmless. Qadri sought time to file his objections based on
the report. Both pepper gas and pellet guns, currently being used by the police and paramilitary forces on civilian protesters, were introduced in Kashmir after the 2010 street protests. The three PILs, including the one filed by the moderate Hurriyat Conference seeking a ban on the use of pellet guns, were clubbed together by the court during a previous hearing and were listed today before a division bench headed by Chief Justice MM Kumar. However, after the submission by the Advocate General, counsel M Ajaz Dar, representing the Hurriyat’s PIL, submitted that his PIL dealt with banning the use of pellet guns on protesters and should be treated as a separate matter. However after hearing all the sides, the court granted the state government one week’s time to file objections to the three PILs that have been clubbed together. What PILs say
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Arms, ammunition seized near LoC in Kupwara district
Srinagar, June 27 A defence spokesman said the recovery was made on Wednesday after specific intelligence inputs. “The cache could have been used by militants for violent activities in the region, particularly with the Amarnath yatra beginning tomorrow,” the spokesman said. The recovery was made from Shamsabari near
the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara. “During searches, troops of 41 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion of Hajipir Brigade recovered two anti-tank mines, 55 anti-personal mines, 10 hand grenades, eight flame-thrower tubes, eight RPG rounds, two 105 mm artillery shells, 100 detonators, 1,500 rounds of AK ammunition and 35 kg RDX packed in 75 plastic containers,” he said. The spokesman said the cache was carefully concealed behind boulders in the thick jungles on the upper reaches of Shamsabari. “This is a major recovery and has thwarted the nefarious designs of militants who want to disturb fragile peace in the Kashmir valley. The cache could have been used by militants for violent activities in the region, particularly with the Amarnath yatra beginning tomorrow,” said Brig Ram Niwas, Commander of Hajibir Brigade. |
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Locals take joy ride on Banihal-Qazigund train
Srinagar, June 27 The train plied up to Banihal from the Valley for the first time today after it was flagged off yesterday. Many youngsters who travelled on the train said they were keen to make history by being among the first commuters to travel on the 17.7-km rail link connecting Qazigund town of south Kashmir with Banihal town of the Jammu region. “We have been travelling on the train in the Valley, but today I was keen to travel up to Banihal as this train chugged through an 11-km-long tunnel which is the longest tunnel,” said Abdul Rahman, a resident of Kanipora in Budgam. “I was keen to see the tunnel that passes through the Pir Panjal range. The train journey was memorable,” said Rahman. The first train left the Banihal station at 7.10 am and the first train from the Kashmir valley arrived at the Banihal station at 10.30 am. The Railways officials said there were many people at the Banihal station who greeted the commuters. “The Banihal station witnessed a huge rush. Nearly 2,500 passengers boarded the train on the first day at the Banihal station,” said a Railways official. “The passengers were keen to see the new train and the country’s longest and Asia’s second longest tunnel,” he said. “The train travel saved our time and money. It has also made the journey affordable for all. The government should immediately connect the train to Jammu so that it helps the people at large,” said Ghulam Muhammad (73), a resident of Banihal, who made his first train journey up to Nowgam in Srinagar today. |
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News analysis
Srinagar, June 27 He did not wait for an answer. He had his own answer for the question: “Either some part of it would be utilised for the project because elections are nearing, or it would be pocketed by ministers and officials.” Fayaz is directly connected with this question because he drives on the roads in the state, and the rural roads are in a pathetic condition. Reverse the clock to November 17, 2004, when Manmohan Singh first visited the Valley as Prime Minister and announced Rs 24,000 crore for education, infrastructure, connectivity and power projects under what came to be known as the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan. He was faced with a flurry of questions from reporters on how he would ensure that such a huge amount would be utilised without the money going into the pockets of ministers and bureaucrats. Kashmiris are sceptical about the utilisation of funds allocated by the Centre. “Rightly so, because we have not seen this money being utilised for the purpose it is provided for,” observed Nazir Ahmad, a retired government employee, who feels that “both the Centre and Kashmiris are cheated by the successive state governments.” It is not a commentary on a particular government. This is what the common people in Kashmir have seen that how the lack of scrutiny of the utilisation of Central funds has added corruption into the system. Nothing has changed for them over the decades. More than two-decade-long militancy has become an excuse to justify the absence of work culture, and to keep the common man away from the seat of power. The visit starting with the inauguration of the 850-MW Ratle project to the flagging off of a train from Banihal to Qazigund and in between the release of a postage stamp of Shair-e-Kashmir, a poet of Kashmir, was a “dream visit”. “I see it as a dream visit because during his two-day stay he was on the developmental plane which was taking off from one project to another,” observed Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir. There was no politics anywhere, though there were some attempts to drag the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi into some kind of a commitment in the run-up to the 2014 parliamentary and Assembly elections. It was development all the way and a clear message that development has to come first, politics can wait. Coming back to the question of Fayaz: where will the money go? The answer lies in the future, as the past has a very negative answer for it. |
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Khurshid to chair Cong meet in Valley
Srinagar, June 27 He will later interact with members of the civil society in the afternoon. The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee press and publicity secretary said the External Affairs Minister was scheduled to meet Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan in the evening tomorrow. On Saturday, Khurshid is scheduled to attend an international conference on ‘Cooperative Development, Peace and Security in Central Asia: Challenges and Prospects’, at the University of Kashmir. The External Affairs Minister will also inaugurate a new building of Iqbal Institute on the varsity campus. Senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs PR Chakravarty, Ajay Bisaria and L Savithri will accompany the minister. |
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40-member Pak group attends Chamliyal fair
Chamliyal (Indo-Pak Border), June 27 The shrine is situated 55 km southwest of Jammu in the Ramgarh sector of Samba district. However, the BSF, whose officers posed with Pakistani scribes for photograph sessions, didn’t allow Indian mediapersons to interact with them. They even refused the traditional interaction with the Chenab Rangers that takes place every year. When the Pakistani delegation returned to their territory, Indian mediapersons boycotted BSF DIG Varinder Singh’s press briefing. “We had sought a list of guests from them (Rangers) and for the first time they brought seven judges, seven journalists and other distinguished citizens in a delegation of 40 persons that also included their Sialkot District Officer Coordination Abid,” said a senior BSF officer, who declined to The Rangers were led by Sector Commander of 12 Chenab Rangers, Brigadier
Waseem. |
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Defence Minister urged to order probe into 1991 ‘mass’ rape incident
Srinagar, June 27 The women’s delegation visited Kunan Poshpora village in Kupwara on June 14, which was facilitated by Delhi-based Centre for Policy Analysis. Based on its report, the delegation has now submitted a memorandum to Defence Minister AK Anthony. Over 30 women were allegedly raped by Army personnel in the remote Kunan Poshpora village in Kupwara on February 23, 1991. The case was reopened by a magisterial court in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district after 22 years on June 19, with directions to the police to further investigate the matter within three months. “We the undersigned women’s organisations write to you to demand justice for the rape victims of Kunan Poshpora in J&K,” the women’s delegation has submitted in its memorandum to the Defence Minister this week. The memorandum has been signed by eight women, including Mohini Giri, Vimal Thorat, Sudha Sundararaman, Indu Agnihotri, Jyotsna Chatterjee, Sughra Mehdi, Annie Raja and Leila Passah, who represent various national women’s social organisations of the country, and were part of the delegation. “You may be aware that men of 4 Rajputana Rifles went in search of militants in Kunan Poshpora village on February 23, 24 in 1991,” the memorandum further states, adding that, “The men were ordered out of their houses and subjected to torture while security forces entered the houses inhabited only by women on the pretext of searching for militants. While doing so they subjected the women of Kunan Poshpora to rape and sexual abuse.” In the memorandum, the Defence Ministry has been requested for a “free and fair probe” during re-investigation of the case and constitution of a Special Investigation Team. Besides, the Army authorities have been urged to take “strict action” against security personnel responsible for the “ghastly act” and the cooperation of armed forces with the civilian probe.
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Quake-hit Doda region awaits announcement of relief package
Kishtwar/Doda, June 27 Though they are a bit disappointed on not having got the relief package so far and felt that the PM should have announced but they still hope that their concerns will be addressed by the central government as UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had shown interest in mitigating the problems of people of the area. “We were waiting that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may announce a relief package for quake hit areas of Doda and Kishtwar districts but people had to leave empty handed. But with the way other leaders had shown their concerns, hopes are still alive and in near future we may get a relief package,” said Muhammad Asif, 45, a local businessman from Kishtwar. The Prime Minister, along UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and others, was in Kishtwar on Tuesday to lay the foundation of 850-MW Ratle hydroelectric project. People had high hopes that some relief package may be announced for the quake-affected region. The issue was raised by Sonia Gandhi, Omar Abdullah and Azad. Even Azad and Omar had said there was a threat that the structures, which had developed cracks, may collapse during snowfall. “It was disappointing that the Prime Minister didn’t announce the package despite the fact that Sonia Gandhi and Azad had raised the pitch. We don’t know whether any package will be announced in the future but it was disappointing,” said Syed Asgar Ali, a member of the legislative council and senior People Democratic Party (PDP) leader from Kishtwar. In Doda which bore the brunt of the May 1 quake with 80 per cent structures developing cracks, were also disappointed with PM not announcing any relief. “We were waiting for help and at a time when Prime Minister was here, hopes were high but everything got shattered when he didn’t announce any package,” said Tilak Raj of Ghat, whose house got completely damaged in May 1 quake. He said it will be of great help if the Centre announced a relief package soon. |
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Ladakh residents donate Rs 5 lakh to Uttarakhand victims
Leh, June 27 The district police officer, Leh, has been collecting donation from people for the last two days at a donation camp. A bank draft in the name of the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand was handed over by Chief Prosecuting Officer, Leh, Phunchok Tsering to SSP, Leh, Vivek Gupta at a function held at the Leh police station on Monday. Tsering said, “People have been showing compassion for the victims of Uttarakhand and generously donating to help them restart their lives.” |
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Quake-hit Doda awaits relief
Kishtwar/Doda, June 27 Though they are a bit disappointed on not having got the relief package so far but they still hope that their concerns will be addressed by the central government. |
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For the first day of this year’s Amarnath yatra tomorrow, 12,717 pilgrims have secured registration to trek to the holy cave. Out of them, 6,150 will leave from Pahalgam and 6,567 via the Baltal route.
The Army recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunitions in Kupwara district yesterday.
A defence spokesman said the recovery was made on Wednesday after specific intelligence inputs.
“The cache could have been used by militants for violent activities in the region, particularly with the Amarnath yatra beginning tomorrow,” the spokesman said.
A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi took a train ride after inaugurating the Banihal-Qazigund rail link, it was the turn of people from the Valley who took a joy ride up to Banihal today.
