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Oppn insists on CBI probe into Kishtwar violence
The Army patrols Rajouri in the Jammu region on Monday. A Tribune photograph
Plea for inquiry, compensation to come up in SC
Omar: Modi yet to apologise for Gujarat riots |
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Vohra appeals for peace
Governor accepts Kichloo’s resignation
In midst of tension in J-K, this Doda village portrays communal harmony
NC, BJP in league over Kishtwar rioting: PDP
Activists of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front during a protest against Kishtwar violence,
in Srinagar on Monday. Tribune photo: Yawar Kabli BSF DG visits forward areas in Jammu
With NC under pressure, minister had to go
Food grain consumption in J-K below national average
Centre to strengthen drug testing facilities in states
Netra to keep eye on Srinagar
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Oppn insists on CBI probe into Kishtwar violence
Jammu, August 12 Sharma said judicial inquiries had been announced in many other incidents but “nothing had emerged from such inquiries”. PDP representative Ved Mahajan, who attended the all-party meeting convened by the Chief Minister, said nothing would emerge from the judicial inquiry. Earlier today Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reviewed the situation prevailing in Jammu at a meeting attended by ministers camping in Jammu. The meeting discussed various measures relating to the rehabilitation of the people affected in the clashes between the two groups. It was decided in the meeting to sanction immediate relief up to Rs 2 lakh each to those whose houses had been damaged and shops looted during the clashes in various areas of Jammu division. Later, chairing the all-party meeting here, the Chief Minister expressed satisfaction over the thaw in the situation and hoped that normalcy would prevail in the shortest possible time. Highlighting the role of civil society and political leadership in such challenging times, the Chief Minister said the government and all political parties besides the civil society had to work together for restoring peace for the larger interest of the state and its people. |
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Plea for inquiry, compensation to come up in SC
New Delhi, August 12 A bench comprising Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjana Desai asked the PIL petitioner, Sudesh Dogra, to immediately hand over a copy of his application to the Centre and the state government to enable its consideration tomorrow. On August 8, the bench had issued a notice to the Centre and the state government on a PIL filed by Dogra, political secretary of the J&K National Panthers Party, seeking a high-power judicial inquiry into the alleged BSF and police firing in Gool village of Ramban district on July 18, in which four persons were killed and 42 injured. Dogra has now moved an application in the PIL to include the Kishtwar incidents, which he said, were worse than the Ramban firing. Two persons were killed and over 60 injured in the riots by a mob which also set fire to 80 shops. “The situation demands a high-power judicial probe by a sitting judge of the High Court or the SC to bring the culprits to justice without delay and save the situation from taking an ugly turn,” he said. The petitioner also pleaded for a safe passage to hundreds of pilgrims stranded on the Paddar(Atholi)-Kishtwar stretch of the national highway in view of curfew in Kishtwar. He said the pilgrims should also be provided food and medical facilities. Dogra alleged in his application that the hate speeches delivered by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Eid incited and provoked the mob to go on a rampage and this aspect required to
be probed. In the PIL also, he had blamed such speeches by the Chief Minister for the “terrible atmosphere” prevailing against security forces, particularly the Army, BSF and the CRPF which were playing a
crucial role in the maintenance of law and order in the state. The petition also seeks security, boarding, lodging and medical facilities for pilgrims visiting the Amarnath and the Vaishno Devi shrines, who were affected by the curfew in the wake of the Ramban incident. |
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Omar: Modi yet to apologise for Gujarat riots
Jammu, August 12 Accusing BJP leaders of being “hypocrites”, he said the Gujarat Chief Minister had waited for days to call out the Army for controlling the riots in his state in 2002. “Would (Arun) Jaitley be so kind as to inform Parliament whether the Gujarat Home Minister or MoS Home resigned or even offered to in 2002!” Omar wrote on micro-blogging networking site Twitter while taking a dig at the BJP for creating uproar in Parliament over the Kishtwar violence. The Chief Minister today came under attack from the Opposition in Parliament for his government’s alleged failure in checking communal violence in Kishtwar. Yesterday, Modi had termed the detention of Jaitley at Jammu Airport as “undemocratic” and blamed the Omar government for hiding the truth about the Kishtwar violence. “Three unfortunate deaths — one Hindu, two Muslims — and we’ve a judicial inquiry with my minister resigning. Would the BJP care to recount the 2002 response … Oh that's right they can't because their star PM hopeful waited days to call out the Army and has yet to apologise. Hypocrites,” Omar wrote on his micro-blogging account on Twitter after accepting the resignation of his MoS Home Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo following the Kishtwar violence. He also said he had received the resignation of Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, who had been asked to be relieved of his responsibilities pending the outcome of the judicial inquiry. “I am forwarding the same to the Hon. Governor with the recommendation that it be accepted,” Omar wrote. |
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Vohra appeals for peace
Srinagar, August 12 The Governor also appealed to the leaders of all political, religious and social groups and members of the civil society to join hands to reinvigorate intercommunity bonds and strengthen societal harmony. The Governor, who has been closely monitoring the situation which evolved after the August 9 incidents in Kishtwar, has been briefed by the Chief Minister in the past three days, the statement said. |
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Governor accepts Kichloo’s resignation
Srinagar, August 12 Several parties, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had upped the ante for Kitchloo's resignation following violence in the Jammu region. On Omar's advice, the Governor accepted Kitchloo's resignation with immediate effect, a Raj Bhawan communiqué issued here said. Soon after Kichloo tendered his resignation earlier today, the Chief Minister said he recommended to the Governor that it be accepted. "I have received Kichloo's resignation, asking to be relieved of his responsibilities pending the outcome of the judicial inquiry?. I am forwarding the same to the Governor with the recommendation that it be accepted," Omar wrote on Twitter. Kichloo announced his resignation during a press conference at the winter capital. While Kichloo maintained that he was innocent and had secular credentials, several Hindu groups and the BJP had been demanding his resignation. Kichloo had been accused by the BJP of being a mute spectator after clashes broke out in Kishtwar on Eid-ul-Fitr on August 9. The state government had ordered a judicial inquiry into the Kishtwar clashes that later spread to other parts of the Jammu region. The judicial inquiry will be conducted by a retired HC judge in a time-bound manner. The NC legislator from Kishtwar, Kichloo was inducted in the council of ministers on January 15. slapgate minister *
Kichloo inducted in council of ministers on January 15, 2013 * Accused of slapping Kishtwar Development Authority CEO on April 18 ahead of CM's visit to Kishtwar *
Accused of being mute spectator when communal clashes broke out in Kishtwar on August 9 |
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In midst of tension in J-K, this Doda village portrays communal harmony
Doda, August 12 A Muslim-majority village, it has three hamlets nearby with a predominantly Hindu population and has a history of communal harmony for ages. Residents of the village have decided not to let anybody from outside vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of the area. The Imam of the Jamia Masjid, Sheikh Abdul Hafiz, called a meeting last evening which was attended by people from all walks of life who pledged to maintain communal harmony in the area. “We assured all non-Muslim communities in the area that we will not allow anything against them. We have a history of maintaining communal harmony and will not let any person breach it,” said Hafiz. He told the people to be vigilant of those forces from outside which were bent on creating a rift between the two communities. “I am confident that people in the villages are peace-loving. We have to be alert and vigilant and not let anyone from outside to shatter the peace,” he added. The example of communal harmony of the village is strengthened from the fact that the administration did not have to send any personnel of the police, Army or paramilitary forces due to fear of communal clashes. Quoting the Koran on the occasion, Muhammad Hanief Hashmi said, “Islam means peace and teaches its followers to protect neighbours and people from other communities at any cost. We must not fall prey to the communal clashes that broke out at Kishtwar.” He said people of both communities should talk to the people of Kishtwar and convey the message of peace and brotherhood. Former Member of Legislative Assembly from Doda Ghulam Qadir Wani gave the examples of 1947 and 1965, when people from both communities had maintained communal harmony. Scores of residents of Ghat and nearby hamlets Arnora, Bhadroon and Bari participated in the peace meet. “Every religion teaches peace and one should study religious books to understand the teachings and work for peace,” said Babu Ram of Bari village. Bhagat Roshan Lal of Ghat assured the gathering that there would be no untoward incident and gave a call for peace. Peaceful
Coexistence * Furqanabad Ghat village, 5 km from Doda, has history of communal harmony for ages *
After the Kishtwar violence, Jamia Masjid Imam called a meeting which was attended
by people from all walks of life * Residents of the village decided not to let anybody from outside vitiate the atmosphere |
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NC, BJP in league over Kishtwar rioting: PDP
Srinagar, August 12 Mehbooba also lashed out at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for projecting the dead in the Kishtwar rioting on religious lines. “They (NC and BJP) are helping each other. Otherwise, the Chief Minister has no business to divide people on religious lines by saying that two Muslims and one Hindu has died. What does he mean by this?” she asked. “They (NC and BJP) are in league with each other.” Three people have died in communal clashes with erupted in Kishtwar town and have since spread to other parts of the Jammu region. The state government has imposed curfew in many parts of Jammu division, including in Kishtwar town, and has suspended the Internet services on mobile devices. The PDP president accused the government of imposing curfew selectively. “There seems to be a method to madness between the National Conference and the BJP. Omar has said only two Muslims and one Hindu has died. He has taken immediate action and told the world that his Home Minister has resigned and comparisons are now being drawn in Kashmir,” she said. Mehbooba said no action was taken against any police or security forces officer who was involved in the killings of 110 protesters in the summer of 2010 in the Kashmir valley. “The game which is being played by the National Conference and the BJP is very dangerous,” the PDP leader said. She said parliamentarians who were discussing the situation in Parliament never “looked back” at Kashmir after 2010 when they visited the region during the summer unrest as part of the parliamentary committee. “Rather, the Chief Minister is on record for saying they (those killed in 2010) are stone-throwers, drug addicts and criminal elements. Unfortunately, whatever happens here provides him ammunition for his tweets,” Mehbooba said. The PDP leader also questioned the Chief Minister and his father and Union Minister Farooq Abdullah for supporting the NDA government when Gujarat riots took place in 2002. “I condemn Omar Abdullah’s statement dividing people on religious lines and also his selective justice,” she said. She said people would understand the “nexus” between the NC and the BJP and won’t fall prey to their “evil designs”. |
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Internet services remain suspended
Srinagar, August 12 Only broadband users of state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) telecommunications services could avail themselves of Internet facilities today. Other private telecommunications service providers, including Airtel, Aircel, Vodafone, Idea and Reliance, suspended their Internet operations on 2G and 3G services on mobile phones and dongle devices. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) wing of the police alerted telecom service providers in the state on Sunday to snap Internet services on cell phones and dongles. Official sources said Internet services had been barred due to provocative statements posted online by miscreants which created more trouble for the authorities in handling the tense situation after Kishtwar clashes. Only a small percentage of BSNL broadband users were able to access the Internet. Work at schools, colleges and public offices which reopened today after a three-day Eid break were affected. “We could not work today due to suspended Internet services. Most information technology offices were non-functional without Internet available,” said Muhammad Fayaz, management official with I-Quasar, a software technology firm based in the Sanat Nagar area in Srinagar. “Internet blocking is becoming routine in the Valley. The state government is not concerned about the losses we incur due to the abrupt snapping of the Internet,” he added. This year, the state government had imposed an Internet clampdown in the state thrice. The state government had snapped Internet services in February and March, sensing trouble after Afzal Guru's execution and the killing of two Baramulla youths in alleged Army firing, respectively. |
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BSF DG visits forward areas in Jammu
Jammu, August 12 He reached Jammu in a special BSF aircraft around 10 am. Accompanied by Special DG (West) Rajdeep Singh, BSF Inspector General (Jammu Frontier) SS Tomar, other senior officers and a team of officers from Delhi, Joshi visited forward areas on the border, said a BSF spokesperson. Joshi took up the present situation on the international border and discussed operational matters with field commanders of the BSF.
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With NC under pressure, minister had to go
Jammu, August 12
The National Conference was not only facing criticism from the Opposition over the role of its minister, the Congress, which is a part of the government, had also mounted pressure on the government to show Kichloo the door because the Jammu civil society has directly pointed its finger of suspicion towards the MoS Home. Although some Congress leaders were demanding Kichloo’s resignation, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz refused to endorse this demand because he wanted to discuss the issue with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah before taking any stand. Till Sunday evening, the Congress was hesitating to demand Kichloo’s resignation but the situation changed after last evening’s meeting of the civil society of Jammu which was convened to gauge the mood of the people. In the absence of the BJP, a majority of the civil society members made it clear to the government’s representatives that without removing Kichloo, it was not possible to restore peace in the Jammu region. National Conference and Congress ministers and leaders, who were present at the meeting, did not give any assurance but they said the feeling of the civil society would be conveyed to the Chief Minister. Fearing the re-occurrence of the 2008 agitation, Congress leaders this morning mounted the pressure on the coalition partner, National Conference, to seek Kichloo’s resignation to break the deadlock. Congress leaders were aware that protests against the Kishtwar violence had already started in rural areas of the Jammu region and there was a possibility of further deterioration of the situation if any emergent step was not taken. As the BJP had made Kichloo’s role in the riots an issue at the national and state level, the Congress ultimately convinced its coalition partner to seek the minister’s resignation to frustrate the BJP’s game plan to further rake up the issue. Had former Minister of State (MoS) Home Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo acted in a responsible manner, the riots would have been confined only to Kuleed Chowk and adjoining areas, said a majority of the Kishtwar riot victims. Hans Raj, convenor of the Santan Dharam Sabha, Kishtwar, alleged that the MoS Home along with other officials watched the riots as a mute spectator.
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Mid-day meal scheme
Jammu, August 12 As far as the cooking cost is concerned, it is also well below the national average of 86 per cent in the state. Other states and union territories under this category include Sikkim, Puducherry, Manipur, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Chandigarh, Assam, Mizoram, Kerala, Delhi and Tripura. “This is ironical. On the one hand, children in these states suffer from malnutrition and anaemia, and on the other, available resources under the scheme are being utilised sub-optimally. Moreover, the lack of synchronisation between the utilisation of food grains and cooking cost also reflects the lack of focus and effective monitoring,” the report said. Further, the scheme coverage in the states/UTs is below 70 per cent. J&K has the scheme coverege of (60 per cent), Chandigarh (43 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (54 per cent), Jharkhand (59 per cent), Delhi (63 per cent), Puducherry (66 per cent), Bihar (67 per cent) and Rajasthan and Gujarat (69 per cent). The report said it showed that the resources allocated under the scheme have not been fully utilised in these states. Sources said the guidelines for the scheme provided that the mid-day meal should be served to all children attending school on each working day. All the states/UTs have covered more than 90 per cent of the approved days at both primary and upper primary level. Bihar (78 per cent), Mizoram (86 per cent), J&K (86 per cent) and Assam (88 per cent) have covered less than 90 per cent of the approved days. Analysis of the report further revealed that less than 50 per cent school inspection has been reported from J&K, Jharkhand, Haryana, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram and Meghalaya for the financial year 2012-13. These state governments /UT administrations were advised to put emphasis on the inspection of the scheme at the school level for better implementation. The major goal of the scheme is to provide mid-day meal to each and every child in the eligible schools to enhance enrolment and retention for universal elementary education in the country. At the national level, 75 per cent of the enrolled children have been covered under the scheme during the 4th quarter of 2012-13. |
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Spurious Drugs Scam
Srinagar, August 12 In this regard, the government has envisaged large-scale capacity building, including upgradation of the existing laboratories and setting up of new laboratories and mobile units. This has been disclosed by the CDSCO in its status report to the J-K High Court, which in its July orders had asked the organisation to indicate the steps taken to restrict the transportation of substandard drugs to J&K. The court is hearing a public interest litigation seeking a probe into the spurious drugs scam, which has rocked the state. It also added that analysis reports of all drugs samples drawn from different parts of J&K had been received. Out of them, 27 drugs were found to be “not of standard quality”. “Out of the 156 samples drawn from various points of distribution channel in J&K, 49 samples were handed over (for analysis) to the Central Drugs Laboratory(CDL), Kolkata, and 107 samples were handed over to the Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory (RDTL), Chandigarh, through a special messenger on May 3, 2013,” the organisation has told the high court in the status report. The Director, CDL, has forwarded a list of 20 samples declared “not of standard quality’, it added. In the report, it has also been said that the Director, RDTL, Chandigarh, has forwarded a list of seven samples declared ‘not of standard quality’, thus taking the total number of drugs found to the substandard to 27 out of the sample size of 156. As regards the steps taken to restrict the entry of substandard drugs into the state, the CDSCO in its report to the high court has said that the organisation, which is the Central government’s regulatory mechanism, has been strengthened with deployment of the additional manpower. “The government has also envisaged large-scale capacity building of drugs testing in the country during the 12th Plan, including upgradation of existing labs, setting up of new labs, setting up of mini-labs at ports of entry, commissioning of mobile labs, special labs for testing medical devices and cosmetics etc,” stated the report submitted in the high court. After taking the report on record, the high court today directed other respondents to file their response. THE CASE FILE z The spurious drugs scam in J&K came to the fore when samples of antibiotic drug Maximixin-625 supposed to contain amoxicillin trihydrate and potassium clavunate, were lifted from Controller Stores Health, Barzulla, Srinagar, on February 2, 2013.The samples failed the identification test and the content of amoxicillin was ‘nil’ after analysis z Over 2.52 lakh fake Maximizin-625 tablets, which were found containing zero milligram of amoxicillin instead of containing 500 milligrams of amoxicillin, were distributed in the Valley and Jammu hospitals during 2011-2012 z In the wake of 27 drug samples being declared substandard by the CDSCO, the state government on August 4 said the licences of five erring firms which supplied these drugs had either been withdrawn or suspended indefinitely |
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Netra to keep eye on Srinagar
“The UAV will help provide a bird's eye view to security agencies in Srinagar,” CRPF public relations officer Kishore Kumar said. “The UAV will be operated jointly by the police and the CRPF for aerial surveillance from Tuesday,” he added. The UAV is being used as part of security measures in the capital ahead of Independence Day. The issue of security, particularly on Independence Day and Republic Day, remains a top priority for security forces as militants try to create trouble. Last year, Netra was used for surveillance for a day on Independence Day. This is the first time Netra will be used in the run-up to Independence Day. Jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and a group of former Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) students, Netra has a range of two kilometres and is equipped with thermal imaging cameras for night surveillance. UAVs are the most sought after equipment during counter-insurgency operations and are being used by the Army to check infiltration on the Line of Control. Sources said there was a general input about the presence in Srinagar and its outskirts of militants who might plan attacks in the days ahead. Security agencies had been put on alert to avert any such attempt. The sources said the CRPF and the police were stopping vehicles for frisking in many localities of the city and checkpoints had been set up in various parts of the city. “These steps have been taken as a precautionary measure,” Kishore Kumar said, adding that security agencies were vigilant on foiling militant plans. |
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The state government today ordered a judicial inquiry into the Kishtwar violence by a retired Judge of the High Court in a time-bound manner even as opposition parties remained adamant on their demand for a CBI probe to ascertain the “truth”.
Srinagar, August 12