Jammu, November 6
The Congress is fighting one of its most crucial political battles in the state as the defeat of its “lucky mascot” Ghulam Nabi Azad in the recent Lok Sabha elections has left the party demoralised. In addition, the party is ridden with factionalism and the groupism has trickled down to the grass-roots level during the last six years.

In the present situation, the Congress, which has been part of the government for the past 12 years in J&K, now stands on the edge of the state’s political arena with the party leaders finding it difficult to even keep the flock together.

The Congress situation can be gauged from the fact that the party is trying to lure some “tainted” BJP legislators who were not given the ticket by the saffron party as they faced cross-voting charges. The party is facing a dearth of potential and winnable candidates in many Assembly segments and this is the reason why the Congress is waiting for the BJP to release the list of all its candidates.

In 2002 and 2008, the Congress had aggressively fought the Assembly elections with a slogan to form the government on its own in J&K. But this time, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz has made a candid admission, before the campaigning, that the next government would again be a coalition. Although Soz claimed that no government would be formed in the state without the support of the Congress, he has already conceded defeat by admitting that the Congress is not going to form the government on its own.

Undoubtedly, unlike other parties, the Congress is the only party which has a base in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions but its vote bank is now shrinking in all these regions.

The emergence of the BJP in Ladakh, especially in two Assembly segments of Leh, is a setback for the Congress in Leh, which was once considered the citadel of the party.

The Congress was never a force to reckon with in Kashmir after 1975 but the party somehow managed a few seats in the Valley each time to make its presence felt. In 2002, the Congress had won five seats from the Kashmir valley, and this number came down to three in 2008. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has gradually been eating into Congress’s traditional vote bank in the Valley as Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and many of his party leaders are former Congress men.

Interestingly, the Congress high command has mostly appointed JKPCC chiefs from the Kashmir valley but the party has never emerged as a strong force there.

Notwithstanding the claims of Saifuddin Soz, the Congress influence is confined only to some pockets of the Valley due to the personal influence of some leaders there. Soz, however, claims that this time Congress is going to create history in Kashmir. “You will be surprised to see our performance in the Kashmir valley,” Soz says, adding that Congress workers had served people during floods.

The Congress vote bank in the Jammu region, which contributed a major share to the party tally in 2002 and 2008 Assembly elections, is gradually shrinking and the BJP has emerged as a strong force in that region.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had secured a lead in 24 of the 37 Assembly segments of Jammu province. The BJP’s entry into a reserved constituency like R S Pura is matter of concern for the Congress because such constituencies, which comprise Dalits and refugees votes, have been Congress strongholds.

In 2008 Assembly elections, the BJP for the first time won the R S Pura seat, which was an indication that the new generation of Dalits and refugees were tilting towards the saffron party in the plains of the Jammu region.

With regard to the mountainous regions of Jammu province, Ghulam Nabi Azad is still the party’s strength in the erstwhile Doda district, which comprises six Assembly seats. The Congress hopes to retain its tally of five seats there. But in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, Congress leaders have failed to place credible leaders. The death of party stalwart and prominent Gujjar leader Choudhary Mohammad Aslam has created a void which is difficult to fill. The Congress has failed to come up with a Pahari leader who will led Paharis from the front.

This time the Congress leaders have pinned their hopes on some crucial decisions taken by the present government at the fag end of its tenure. The much-touted package for refugees, which has been recommended to the Centre, and assurance of alternative land to border migrants at safer places would be election plank for the Congress.

Jammu, November 6
The Chenab region comprising Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban district has become the jugular vein of the Congress in the state and for Ghulam Nabi Azad it has become an integral part of his political career.

The Chenab region, commonly known as the Chenab valley, gave the Congress the strength in 2002 and 2008 Assembly elections to become part of the coalition governments in the state, first with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2002 and then in 2008 with the National Conference.

When Azad became the Chief Minister in 2005, people of the Chenab valley in general and the Bhaderwah Assembly seat in particular gave him strength.

Despite the fact that Azad paid no attention to the Chenab valley during militancy from 1990 to 2002, people supported him wholeheartedly when he needed votes in the 2002 Assembly elections.

Azad is well aware of this fact that his political career in the state is largely dependent on the Congress performance in the Chenab valley from where his party got five of six seats in the 2008 Assembly elections. These days he is camping in the region and is busy campaigning to get vote and support for the Congress candidates.

When Azad thanked youth of the Chenab valley for helping the people of the flood-hit Kashmir valley on his request during a rally in Doda yesterday, it showed how important the Chenab valley was for him.

These days also, he doesn’t want to leave his grip on the region and let any other party to intrude into his stronghold.

Though during the Lok Sabha elections in May this year, his calculation went wrong and the BJP managed to sneak into his safe zone and got the record number of votes from the Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar and Ramban Assembly segments of the Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat, it gave Azad a chance to revive his base in the region. 

Jammu, November 6
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz is optimistic that the Congress will emerge as the single largest part in the Assembly elections and be part of the next government.

"I cannot predict at this juncture which party will get how many seats but one thing is clear that the Congress will be the single largest party after the elections and the formation of the government will be impossible without the support of the Congress," Soz said.

To substantiate his claims, Soz argued that the Congress was the only party which had base in the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions.

"The way the Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust has offered support to the Congress is a clear indication of the growing acceptability of our party in every region and sub-region of the state," Soz said and asserted that the Congress had captured the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil, by defeating the National Conference (NC) which was an indication of "our growing popularity".

"The biggest achievement of our party is that we have addressed the aspirations of all regions and sub-regions of the state," Soz claimed and added that the Congress was the only party in the state which had a strong network in all regions.

Although Soz avoided naming any party, he said the base of other competitors was confined only to some particular regions. "Some of the parties are strong in the Valley, some in the Jammu region and some are confined only to Ladakh," said Soz, adding that the Congress has base in every nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides political empowering of the Ladakh region, the Congress has also initiated various steps to accelerate development activities in the cold desert. "It was all due to the efforts of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi that the Union Government had sanctioned funds for construction of the Zojila tunnel," Soz said and added that the Congress would contest the elections on the development plank.

When asked about the prospects of the Congress in the Valley where the NC and the Peoples Democratic Party are strong forces, Soz said the acceptability of the Congress was increasing in the Valley.

"Instead of forwarding any formula for solving the Kashmir problem, the Congress favours a dialogue with all stakeholders to evolve a consensus on contentious issues," he said, adding that during the recent floods, the Congress workers served the people with dedication and sincerity.

The JKPCC chief is confident that people of the Jammu region, where the Congress has a strong base, will reciprocate as, according to him, the party has confronted the coalition partner to address the grievances of the region.

As the coalition government which is at the fag end of its tenure has approved a relief package for the refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the displaced persons from Chhamb, Soz sought to take the credit of the decision. "It was all due to the Congress ministers that the package for refugees was ultimately approved," he said and sought to draw attention towards the stand taken by the Congress in extending the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the credit goes to the Congress for addressing the grievances of Other Backward Classes because the party had taken a stand to create an advisory board for them in J&K. "It was all due to our stand that the reservation of the OBCs was enhanced from 2 to 4 per cent," Soz said.

Tara Chand: Dalit face of the party
Tara Chand, who is the Deputy Chief Minister in the present coalition regime, is a Dalit face of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir. He is a popular leader in his home constituency of Khour from where he has won three consecutive Assembly elections in 1996, 2002 and 2008 as Congress candidate. Khour was once a stronghold of the Jan Sangh, but it was all due to the work of Tara Chand that this segment is known as the citadel of the Congress. Hailing from the remotest border village of Chak Malal, Tara Chand started his political career as district general secretary of the SC/OBC cell of the Congress. Later, he was appointed as general secretary of the Youth Congress. —DM

Sham Lal Shama: The pro-Jammu voice
Sham Lal Sharma has emerged as a strong pro-Jammu voice in the Congress who has been very vocal against the biased and discriminatory approach of Kashmir centric parties. Without caring for the consequences, he at times took on Chief Minister for not doing justice with the people of Jammu region. He even resigned from the council of ministers when the NC ministers opposed to the regularisation of daily wagers of various departments. He joined active politics in 2004 after his elder brother Madan Lal Sharma got elected to the Lok Sabha from the Jammu-Poonch seat and vacated the Akhnoor Assembly seat. In 2008, he again won the Assembly elections and in January 2009, he became minister in the Omar’s cabinet. His pro-Jammu stand has earned him great respect in politics. — AKT

Raman Bhalla: Has a mass base
Raman Bhalla has a mass base in Jammu and Kashmir. It was the result of his connectivity with the masses that he had survived the onslaught of the Amarnath land row and won the Assembly polls from Gandhi Nagar Assembly and that too by defeating BJP stalwart Nirmal Singh. A law graduate from Jammu University, Bhalla had joined the Congress in 1979. He became MLA in 2002 when he won the election from his home constituency of Gandhi Nagar. He served as minister in the PDP-Congress coalition. In the 2008 polls, he retained his seat. He is known for accelerating development in his constituency as he has the art of managing funds for his area. — DM

Ghulam Ahmad Mir: Always accessible
Ghulam Ahmad Mir initially emerged as a youth Congress leader and over the years has become a popular leader in south Kashmir especially his Dooru constituency. Considered accessible and connected to the grassroots by his followers, Mir is currently the state tourism minister and has taken several initiatives to boost the sector during the present term. Dooru used to be a NC bastion from 1957 to 1996 and after Mir’s entry, the Congress for the first time won here in 2002 and also in 2008. — TNS

Taj Mohiuddin: A Gujjar stalwart
Born on May 4, 1954, Taj Mohiuddin has emerged as a strong Gujjar leader over the years. He has been able to successfully consolidate the Gujjar vote in the Uri constituency of Baramulla district. Uri used to be a National Conference bastion and its leader Mohammad Shafi had won the Assembly elections from the constituency for five consecutive terms from 1972 to 1996. Due to the efforts of Taj, the Congress was able to make inroads into Uri and won the elections consecutively for last two terms. — TNS

Beerwah (Budgam), Nov 6
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today began his poll campaign by addressing a rally in central Kashmir’s Beerwah constituency, one of the two seats he will contest in the upcoming elections.

He launched a scathing attack against archrival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and termed the killing of militant commanders during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure as a “tragic note”.

Omar accused the PDP of “tactically choosing” not to support the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The Act which gives immunity to the armed forces operating in a ‘disturbed area’ has been criticised for being draconian and Omar has vociferously demanded its revocation over the past three years.

However, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had advocated revocation of AFSPA as early as 2006-07 when her party was part of the state coalition government.

Omar blamed the opposition party of playing petty politics on a sensitive and pro-people issue such as AFSPA revocation.

“The PDP during its tenure chose to remain mum on AFSPA and started issuing press statements on the issue only when they were sent to the Opposition benches,” he said.

“Our record on efforts for AFSPA revocation is self-evident and forthright. As soon as I became the Chief Minister, I asked not only for a political solution for the political problem of the state but also unambiguously sought the revocation of AFSPA,” he said.

The Chief Minister, who will contest the upcoming Assembly elections from the Beerwah and Sonawar constituencies, also criticised PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s ‘healing touch’ policy, saying it started and ended with a “tragic note of targeted killings of militant commanders”, brought to the dialogue table during the government of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.

While Omar is now critical of the killing of militant commanders, he had been an advocate of military action against them when his party was part of the BJP-led NDA government.

Omar kick-started his electioneering campaign from the Kandhama area of Beerwah where he addressed a gathering of party workers. Omar was welcomed in his new contesting ground by a rallying crowd of enthusiastic workers. The Chief Minister later said he was overwhelmed by the welcome, accorded to him by the people of Beerwah.

“You should not be thankful to me for choosing to contest from Beerwah, rather I should be thankful to all of you for accepting me with such enthusiasm and overwhelming affection,” he said, assuring the youth of Beerwah that he will “leave no stone unturned” to work with them. “Together we will script a bright economic, social and political future for Beerwah,” Omar told the gathering.

Omar said the National Conference had never abandoned its “principled stand” on restoration of internal autonomy and revocation of AFSPA. “I am proud that we have remained steadfast not only on our ideology but also our political stands on sensitive issues,” he said.

Jammu, November 6
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has appealed to the people of Chenab region to vote wholeheartedly for her party in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

She said, “People in the mountainous region had in the past voted for all parties except the PDP and it was time that they give a chance to this party which has established itself as a credible alternative to the now collapsing Congress and National Conference.”

Addressing a public meeting at Doda, she said, “The Chenab region has in the past voted for the Congress, National Conference and even the BJP, but that could not bring about any change into their standards of life and the area continues to face huge development deficit in roads, health, education, power and all other sectors.”

Mehbooba says the PDP has now become a pan-Jammu and Kashmir party by way of its pro-people agenda, credibility of its leadership, clean politics, vision, programmes and policies and it understands well what the problems of this state are and how they can be addressed democratically.

“We understand your problems and concerns in a better way than anyone else and it is only with your support that we can change the course of history,” she said and added that the performance of the PDP both in the government and in the opposition is in front of everyone to judge.

The PDP president says J&K is currently facing tough challenges of instability, mis-governance, unemployment, corruption, development deficit and host of other issues and it is only the PDP that has a comprehensive plan and vision to address these issues.

Referring to the tourism potential in Doda, Mehbooba said the mountainous belt was destined to become a leading tourism destination in the world, provided it was developed in a planned way.

Jammu, November 6
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the inclusive and pluralistic character of Jammu and Kashmir would be preserved at any cost and the PDP would forcefully resist any move that could have a negative impact on its distinct identity.

Addressing a public meeting at Ramban, she said the people had to be cautious about the forces which are hell-bent upon damaging the secular fabric and basic character of the state by trying to polarise the state, with an eye on the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Mehbooba said the PDP, under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was formed to represent and accommodate different regions and communities of the state and would continue with its mission to address the people’s issues and work for permanent peace and development in the region.

She said the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions were a part of a bouquet and must continue to be like that, adding the PDP will nurture the idea at any cost.

She said at the popularity level, the party had replaced the National Conference and the Congress which had failed to serve the people despite getting a long lease in power since Independence.

Mehbooba said the current electoral contest was directly between the PDP and the BJP but the BJP was unfortunately using negative tactics to improve its numbers in the Assembly.

The PDP president appealed to the people to vote for a strong and stable government so that all issues of rehabilitation, governance and development of the state were addressed with full confidence. 

Katra, November 6
MLA from Reasi Baldev Raj Sharma described the dropping of names of sitting MLAs as painful and unfortunate. He, however, said it would not affect their victory prospects in the Assembly elections.

Addressing mediapersons in Katra on Wednesday, Baldev Raj Sharma said, “Anyone who remembers the last Assembly election result will never support the myth of the Modi factor and it will not affect our vote share. We have the peoples’ vote and will repeat our performance,” said Sharma.

In the 2008 Assembly elections, the BJP had for the first time won 11 seats in the state.

On November 3, the BJP released the first list of 45 candidates. Most of the sitting MLAs were dropped while new faces were inducted.

The Central Election Committee of the BJP dropped seven of its 11 sitting legislators who were part of the cross-voting episode in 2011. The senior party leaders, Ashok Khajuria, Chaman Lal Gupta, Baldev Raj Sharma, Master Lal Chand, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, Durga Das, Garu Ram Bhagat and Bharat Bhushan, were not given tickets.

Only Chaudhary Sham Lal and Chaudhary Sukhnandan were given the party ticket. Lal Singh, who recently joined the BJP, has been fielded from the Basohli seat.

On the question of joining other party, Sharma said options were open for them to join other parties or contest the elections independently. He said: “We are confident of victory.”

However, experts said the altered political equation would deal a major blow to the BJP in Reasi and Udhampur. They said the sitting MLAs were popular in the area and boasted of a large number of supporters. 

Jammu, November 6
At the Gaik and Ezang Sumdap polling stations in the Leh Assembly segment of the Ladakh region, there are 12 voters each.

“The two polling stations, Gaik and Ezang Sumda, in the Leh Assembly segment have 12 voters each. At the Gaik polling station, there are five male and seven female electorates, while there are eight males and four females among the voters at Ezang Sumda,” the electoral rolls said.

Besides the Gaik and Ezang Sumdap polling stations, there are 36 polling stations, 23 in the Leh and 13 in the Nubra Assembly seats of Leh district, where the number of voters in each is less than 50.

The Leh and Nubra Assembly constituencies will go to the polls in the first phase of elections on November 25.

A total of 211 polling stations have been set up for 67,758 voters, including 34,148 men and 33,610 women, in the Leh Assembly seat.

In the Nubra constituency, 63 polling stations have been established for 13,054 voters comprising 6,570 men and 6,483 women.

As many as 20 polling stations have been set up close to the Line of Actual Control with China, while there will be four polling stations close to the Line of Control with Pakistan in Leh district.

As per the electoral rolls, there will be 83 polling stations, 27 in Nubra and 56 in Leh and the total number of voters would be either less than 100 or 100.

In the Nubra Assembly seat, the smallest number of voters would be 17, comprising eight men and nine women at the Sunudo polling station. The highest number of voters in the constituency would be 1,086 at the Diskit polling station.

Ladakh constitutes the two-thirds of the geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir. The region has two districts, Leh and Kargil, spread over 1.73 lakh sq km. The total area of Leh district is 82,665 sq km. Of the total area, around 37,555 sq km is under the illegal occupation of China, leaving 45,110 sq km with India. The total area of Kargil district is 14,086 sq km.

“The scattered habitations in the vast region that has high passes will throw a big challenge for the parties as they have to brave hostile weather conditions and tough terrains. The minimum temperature has already plummeted to freezing point while there are some polling stations where it would take almost two days trekking to reach the voters,” said a district election official.

The official said the health of the polling staff and security personnel, who will trek a long distance amid unfavourable conditions in snowbound areas to reach the polling stations in the region, would be a matter of concern for the Election Commission. 

Srinagar, November 6
The Congress on Thursday announced the names of 12 leaders who would be taking part in public debates ahead of the Assembly elections.

Saifuddin Soz, president, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), said five spokespersons had been nominated for the Valley and seven for the Jammu region.

“These spokespersons will participate in radio and television discussions and represent the JKPCC in the media as the situation demands,” Soz said. For Jammu, S Gurmukh Singh, YV Sharma, Shafeeq Mir, Aslam Goni, Surinder Khujuria, Indu Pawar and Rasheed Chowdhary would be the spokespersons. — TNS

Jammu, November 6
Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra today said the smooth conduct of the Assembly elections and creating a conducive atmosphere in the state was the top concern for the police.

He also made it clear that any attempt to vitiate the electoral process would not be allowed.

The DGP chaired a high-level meeting of police and paramilitary officers to discuss the election preparedness in Jammu province at the police headquarters (PHQ) here today.

He asked the security officers to adhere to the guidelines circulated by the Election Commission.

He sought reports from the officers about the deployment of the police and paramilitary forces in various areas of the province.

At the meeting, the officers talked about the contingency plan and deployment of forces for the security of candidates and polling booths.

The meeting was told that the constituencies has been categorised in different zones and sections and deployments made as per the requirements and sensitiveness of the area.

The Range Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) of Police and the District Superintendents of Police (DSPs) apprised the meeting about the arrangements made by them in their respective areas. They told the meeting that security of contesting candidates and venue of public rallies had been sanitised and the safety of dignitaries arriving to campaign for their candidates was being reviewed on a regular basis.

Some Range DIGs and DSPs attended the meeting through videoconferencing and briefed the meeting about the election preparedness.

The DGP stressed greater synergy among various security forces and agencies deployed for election duty, saying coordination among all stakeholders will help ensure a conducive atmosphere for the people to exercise their franchise.

K Rajendra, while discussing the arrangements of mobility and communication, emphasised strengthening the communication network and connectivity for quick response to any situation.

The DGP asked for smooth traffic regulation on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and other routes to ensure free movement of the candidates and the people.

The Additional Directors General of Police, SP Vaid, SM Sahai and VK Singh, who were present at the meeting, gave suggestions for the smooth conduct of the elections.

Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Rajesh Kumar also apprised the meeting about the deployment plan of the forces in various areas of the province. 

Srinagar, November 6
Langate legislator and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief Engineer Abdul Rashid today confirmed that BJP leaders had approached him and sought post-poll alliance in the coming Assembly elections.

Keeping his options open, Rashid said his party was ready to support anyone who helps Kashmir get out of the quagmire and was willing to resolve the Kashmir issue.

He, however, did not specify whether he will forge a post-poll alliance with the BJP if it emerges as the single largest party in the state.

“Yes, the BJP leaders met me. They sought my cooperation and wanted to have a post-poll alliance,” Rashid told reporters here.

“I told them that you will have to show some sincerity and commitment to resolve the Kashmir issue and just don’t pass the buck as the Congress did during its rule,” the AIP leader said when asked if he had a meeting with BJP and RSS leaders.

BJP leader and former RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav on Wednesday had told the reporters that during his recent tour of the state, he had met several political leaders in Kashmir, including MLA Rashid and former Kashmiri separatist and Peoples Conference head Sajjad Lone.

“I am a political leader, anyone can meet me. As a leader I can and am ready to meet anyone who can get the Kashmir out of the present situation. I am ready to support those who can resolve the Kashmir issue,” Rashid said.

Asked if he was ready to support the BJP after the elections, the Langate legislator said: “I have told them (BJP leaders) that they should break the tradition and resolve the Kashmir issue…and we may think of supporting…we are the victims.”

Batote, November 6
Traffic remained blocked on the Batote- Doda national Highway (NH244) following a massive landslide at Dharalta village last night.

According to the Officer Commanding, GREF (Beacon), SK Meena, boulders, soil and pine trees rolled down the hill on the road near the Chakwa bridge and blocked the traffic. Efforts were afoot to clear the road for one-way traffic by this evening, he added.

Hundreds of commuters travelling to Batote and Doda were stranded and were anxiously waiting for the clearance of the road. The house of Shambhu Nath, an engineer in the PMGSY department was damaged and his family had to be moved elsewhere. The house was being dismantled and will be relocated.

The inmates of nine nearby houses have been put on alert as the breach was widening till the last reports came in.

The landslide caught the Beacon authorities unprepared as the organisation has been in the process of moving their heavy machinery from the area following the government’s decision of handing over the 265 km Batote-Anantnag road via the Sinthan Pass in Kishtwar to the PWD. The handing over of the road from the Beacon to the PWD is yet to be done.

Srinagar, November 6
The September floods that submerged the parts of Srinagar city for more than a week also washed away the Valley’s only floating vegetable market, leaving scores of people involved in the trade in dire straits.

With their only source of livelihood lost, people living in the localities within the Dal Lake rued the official apathy and complained that they were on the verge of starvation.

Once known to supply vegetables to the entire Valley, these people today don’t have enough supplies to even feed their children.

The vegetable gardens developed by these people along the Dal have been swept by the gushing flood waters but they have reportedly not received any compensation for the loss.

“No one from the government side visited us to take stock of the loss. Many of us were involved in cultivating and selling of vegetables. We worked really hard to on our vegetable gardens, but floods took away everything from us. We are on the verge starvation,” said Abdul Rahman Want of Moti Kalan Mohalla.

The world famous Dal Lake is also known for its floating vegetable market, the one of its kind in India and second only in the world. The other being the rowing shops on the backwaters of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

“We even don’t have vegetables to cook for ourselves. We have been living on pulses for the last one month,” added Want.

Floating vegetable hawkers are a prime tourist attraction and the sales and annual turnover from them is estimated in the range of Rs 30-35 crore. There are no permanent shops on the lake only the floating market.

Around 10,000 kanals (1,250 acres) of land along the Dal Lake is being used for the cultivation of vegetables.

“This is a very old market where the sale and purchase of vegetables would take place between 5 am and 7 am every day. We used to supply vegetables to other parts of the city. The leftover supplies were sold to the roadside hawkers. However, post-floods we have not been able to produce anything,” said Muhammad Maqbool.

The locals alleged that they were not given any attention by the government and their loss has gone unnoticed.

“No one noticed our loss. It was the whole world for us. Our earning, everything depended on it. Even the damage to our homes has not been assessed yet,” said Hafeeza Want.

Srinagar, November 6
Devotees in the Valley thronged gurdwaras since early morning today to celebrate Gurpurb, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

The main function in the summer capital was held at the Chatti Padshahi Gurdwara at Rainawari.

Manjeet Singh, a devotee, said langar (community kitchen) along with ‘shabadh kirtan’ were held at all the gurudwaras, while religious heads also threw light on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism.

Manjeet said, on the occasion, 11 Sikh volunteers were honoured for carrying out exemplary rescue operations during the recent floods.

He said the day was celebrated with fervour in other parts of the Valley as well, including Tral, Baramulla and Pulwama.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in his Gurpurb message urged people to celebrate Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birthday with simplicity and keeping in mind the plight of sufferers of devastating flood and miseries of border shelling affected families.

The Chief Minister called for dedicating this year’s Gurpurb to the flood-sufferers and the sufferers of border shelling.

Omar asked people to contribute greatly for the rehabilitation and welfare of affected families.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz also greeted people on the auspicious occasion.

In his message, Soz said the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev would continue to inspire generations, leading them to the path of righteousness and brotherhood.

He hoped that the occasion would be a harbinger of peace, progress and prosperity for all the people.

Jammu, November 6
Guru Nanak Dev’s Parkash Utsav (birth anniversary) was celebrated with religious fervour here today.

All the gurdwaras were decorated with lights and flowers and heavy rush of devotees was witnessed in all the gurdwaras of Jammu throughout the day.

The main function was organised at Gurdwara Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Chand Nagar. Other gurdwaras, including Gurdwara Digiana Ashram, also celebrated it with zeal and enthusiasm. Many ragies and religious preachers threw light on the life of Guru Nanak Dev.

The leaders of various Sikh organisation of J&K, including Sikh United Front, Bhai Kanaya Nishkam Sewa Society, AISSF, Sikh Naujawan Sabha, Sikh Welfare Society and Guru Granth Sahib Study Circle, also participated in the celebrations.

Mahant Manjit Singh of Dera Nangali Sahib, Poonch, said Guru Nanak Dev spread the message of love, equality, humanity and brotherhood among people. He stressed for following the path of Guru Nanak Dev to serve the needy and work for the betterment of human beings.

Rangil Singh, PDP leader and former minister, said Guru Nanak Dev raised voice against cruelty of rulers of that time. Guru Nanak Dev toured the whole world to spread the message of love and equality.

Other who participated and spoke on the occasion included Harvinder Singh, CPO, Mohinder Singh, Paramjit Singh, Kulwant Singh, Surinder Singh Kala, Rajinder Singh, Harpal Singh Prince, Davinder Singh Bunty, Dr Jaswant Singh, Prof Hardev Singh, Balbir Singh Pinka and Gajjan Singh.

Jammu. November 6
Natrang’s globally acclaimed mega Dogri play “Bawa Jitto” held the audiences spellbound at Jhiri Mela-2014 for the second time. The supreme sacrifice of the folk hero of farmers, Bawa Jitto, was enlivened by Balwant Thakur’s superb direction.

The staging of “Bawa Jitto” was supported by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the district administration, Jammu. Natrang director Balwant Thakur took the initiative nine years back. With the help of the Jhiri Mela Committee he started presenting the world-class theatrical wonder based on the life and sacrifice of Bawa Jitto at the Jhiri Mela.

Speaking on the occasion, Padamshree Balwant Thakur said Jhiri could become an international cultural destination. “Now people specially come to witness this performance from all over north India. To cater to this large number of audiences, a huge stage is set with latest sound and light system to magnify the outreach of the performance,” he said.

He thanked Governor NN Vohra for extending whole-hearted support for the sustenance of this longest living theatre production of the country. He also appreciated the support of the district administration, particularly of District Development Commissioner Ajeet Kumar Sahu , SDM Marh, Sunaina Sharma and Jhiri Mela Committee.

“Bawa Jitto” portrays the age-old saga of exploitation of landless farmers by landlords. Due to the constant and persistent pressures of relatives, with a piece of land as the bone of contention, Jitto, a hardworking and landless, farmer is forced to leave his native village.

Jammu, November 6
Considered one of the biggest congregation of farmers in northern India, a weeklong ‘Jhiri’ fair commenced at Shamachak village, 22 km from Jammu, to remember the sacrifice of Baba Jitto who killed himself but didn’t submit to unjust demands of the local feudal lord some 500 years ago.

Every year, thousands of people from J&K, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh gather at the village to pay tribute at the ‘samadhi’ of legendary farmer Baba Jit Mal, popularly known as Baba Jitto in the Dogra folklore.

There are several folk heroes in the Dogra history but Jitto’s sacrifice has been kept alive for generations.

Devotees believe that visiting the shrine will bring good luck and prosperity to them.

“We visit here every year to seek pardon from the wrath of the holy spirit as we have faith on Baba who fought for the rights of peasants,” said Kulwant Singh, a farmer from Dinanagar town in Punjab.

Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu said elaborate arrangements had been made for the people. “The administration has provided every possible help to conduct the fair. Security arrangements have also been strengthened,” Sahu said. 

Jammu, November 6
The police today arrested two youths, including a law student, for allegedly hurting the sentiments of people by firing at a temple in Trikuta Nagar.

The incident also triggered protests in the area with the angry residents demanding a high-level inquiry into it. They alleged that it was be a “deliberate attempt” to create “communal tension” in view of the ensuing Assembly elections, the first phase of which would be held on November 25.

The accused have been identified as Sayed Shah Bukhari and Yasir Hussain Shah, both residents of Sania, Surankot, in Poonch district.

“Around 11 am today, we received information that two youths in an Alto car fired at the glass structure of a Shiv temple located on the banks of a canal at Trikuta Nagar. Soon after the incident, the information was passed on to all police stations and checking points of the district. The car was intercepted at a checking point on the Akhnoor road and both the accused were arrested,” Uttam Chand, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jammu, told reporters here this evening.

Flanked by SP (South) Rahul Malik and other senior officers, the SSP said a .12-bore gun and six cartridges were recovered from the possession of the accused persons by a police party, led by a Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), while the vehicle had been impounded.

“The preliminary investigation reveals that the main accused, Sayed Shah Bukhari, who is a student of a private law college, has been undergoing psychiatric treatment for the past few months,” the SSP said, adding that he used the licensed weapon of his father to fire at the structure of the temple.

He said they were investigating the incident as why the youth having psychiatric problem was carrying a gun and why he specifically targeted a temple. “A FIR under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 295 (defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the RPC has been registered against them,” he said.

To a query whether it was a “security lapse” as the “licensed weapon” was supposed to be surrendered before the police in view of the Assembly polls in the state, the senior police officer said they were in the process of collecting the “licensed weapons” from people and claimed it was not a security lapse.

“As elections have been announced a few days back, the process of collecting licensed weapons would be completed shortly,” the SSP said.

Meanwhile, nearly 100 residents, including youth and activists of the Bajrang Dal, gathered outside the Gandhi Nagar police station and demanded stern action against the accused.

They also alleged that the police was trying to shield the main accused by showing that he had some psychiatric problem.

Jammu, November 6
The police today arrested three persons and recovered Rs 81,000 fake Indian currency notes from their possession.

Uttam Chand, the SSP, Jammu, said a police party of the Pacca Danga police station during patrolling apprehended three suspicious persons, identified as Ghulam Mohudin Akhoon of Hathipora, Baramulla, Bilal Ahmad of Drangbal, Baramulla, and Ashok Kumar of Bharmeen Ramnagar in Udhampur district.

The police officer said on their physical frisking fake currency notes of Rs 81,000 were recovered from them.

To a query as whether the fake currency was being pumped in Jammu to woo voters during the ongoing Assembly elections, the SSP said they were investigating the matter.

He added that the police had arrested two more persons, including a truck driver, and recovered six bags of poppy husk from their possession. The arrested persons were identified as Manoj Kumar and Bhupinder Kumar of Hoshiarpur, Punjab.

Jammu, November 6
Security forces last night busted a militant hideout in Ramban and recovered a rich haul of arms and ammunition.

“On a tip-off about the presence of an arms cache in the dense Chaurangal forest of Ramban, a joint search operation by the Army and police was conducted,” said a defence spokesperson.

After intense coming operations, the well concealed militant hideout was discovered, he added.

Rajouri, November 6
Residents of Khawas and its adjoining areas in Budhal tehsil are facing an acute shortage of basic amenities for more than two months.

Residents blocked the Rajouri-Budhal-Reasi road and raised slogans against officials of the Public Health Engineering (PHE), Power Development (PDD), CA&PD Departments and demanded redressal of their grievances.

Local residents said the inhabitants of this area were the worst sufferers of floods and have been neglected by the administration.

“Despite a few kilograms of rations, tarpaulins and small tents at the initial stage, the authorities had left them on the mercy of God,” said Farooq, a social activist.

Locals have been protesting for restoration of drinking water schemes, power supply and sufficient supply of ration at fair price shops. But the authorities seem to be in deep slumber and nothing has been done to mitigate our problems, he alleged.

“What to speak of free rations for six months for us, the administration has even failed to provide adequate stocks and the poor were forced to purchase rations from the open market,” he added. The residents said, “The PDD department has failed to restore electric supply in many areas. As our area falls in the winter zone of the education department the final examination will be held in December. But in the absence of power, our children are unable to study.”

Rajouri, November 6
Stray incidents of stone throwing by miscreants during the past few days have been giving sleepless nights to the police.

Despite surveillance on anti-social elements, miscreants again threw bottles at shops owned by members of the minority community near Zhoola bridge on Wednesday.

A primary class student returning after tuition and a labourer were hit by glass splinters. At about 8.30 pm, another bottle was hurled near the tehsil office which fell on the roof of a parked car.

Following the incident, people assembled and expressed their resentment against the police for its failure to nab such elements who were active in the city since October 25.

Rajouri, November 6
A grenade was defused by the Army’s bomb disposal team in Nowshera tehsil today. The grenade was spotted in a rivulet bed by some people who were collecting sand on Wednesday evening.

Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police Rakesh Kumar said the grenade was rusted and might have moved to the area by the floodwaters.

Nowshera SHO Kuldeep Raj said last night some people, who were collecting sand from the rivulet at the Khit Hakima (Rajal) area, spotted the grenade and informed the police today.

The matter was discussed with the Army authorities and a bomb disposal team was rushed to the spot. After taking all possible security measures, the grenade was defused on the spot, he said.

Sources said the grenade was Pakistan made. The area was once an infiltration route and the grenade might have left by militants in the dense forests, the police said. — OC

Srinagar, November 6
A medical relief camp was organised by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Amar Singh Club, Sonawar, Srinagar, on Wednesday.

A large number of people visited the camp and took benefit of the services.

The camp was organised under the command of Rajendra Prasad, Commandant, 79 Battalion.

A CRPF spokesperson said doctors from 61, 79 and 132 battalions of the CRPF examined 630 patients during the camp.

Also, on the occasion, free medicines were distributed among the patients.

Srinagar, November 06
As a part of the nationwide ‘Swachh Bharat Campaign’, the Yes Bank today held a ‘Saaf Suthra Bharat’ campaign here.

Bank spokesperson said more than 10,000 people across nearly 400 branches of the country participated in the campaign.

The Srinagar branch of the bank conducted a cleanliness drive at the flood-hit Presentation Convent in Rajbagh.

Sister Aisha, the vice-principle of the school, said: “I am very happy and glad that Yes Bank has taken up an initiative of ‘Saaf Suthra Bharat’. In view of the recent calamity, there is an urgent need for joint efforts to revitalize the city.”

Rana Kapoor, the managing director and CEO of the bank, said: “The Yes community program is our pivotal social engagement program through which Yes Bank endeavours to make a meaningful contribution to the needs of the local community that we are a part of.”

Srinagar, November 6
The deluge has brought some relief to residents of Srinagar as far as cases of dog bite are concerned. Officials of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) say about 6,000 stray dogs have died.

Residents were facing a lot of inconvenience before floods with a large number of dogs roaming on the city streets — chasing vehicles and sometimes attacking bicycle riders, pedestrians, including schoolchildren.

Stray dogs had even become threat for soldiers patrolling the streets.

Due to sudden rise in dog bite cases across the city, resident had threatened the authorities of taking extreme steps to check the menace.

However, after floods, dogs from the city, mostly from areas such as Jawahar Nagar, Lal Mandi and Raj Bagh have disappeared.

“There used to be a huge presence of dogs roaming in lanes and thronging to giant dustbins installed by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation. They had become a threat to residents. Even adults were scared to come out alone,” said Muhammad Amin, a resident of Raj Bagh.

Officials of the SMC say that about 15 per cent of the population of dogs has decreased in the city due to floods. They said the carcasses were scientifically disposed of by the department, to check any threat of epidemic. The government had earlier this year claimed that the total dog population within the Srinagar city had come down from 91,000 to around 49,000 in two years, which had now come down to 43,000 post-floods.

“Nearly 15 per cent stray dogs have died in the floods according to our estimate. There were around 49,000 dogs in Srinagar,” said veterinary officer of SMC Dr Javaid Ahmad.

Jammu, November 6
The Volleyball Association of J&K has proposed to conduct trials to select players for a coaching camp prior to participation in the upcoming 41st Junior National Volleyball Championship for boys and girls to be held in Chandigarh from December 23 to 28.

The trials will be conducted at MA Stadium Sports Complex from November 11 to 13 at 2.30 pm onwards daily. The association has asked all the affiliated units, institutions and district volleyball associations to send their outstanding players for the trials.

The players born on or after January 1, 1997, will be eligible for the trails. They should bring original date of birth certificate with photograph affixed issued by the head of an education institution or medical certificate issued by a hospital approved by the Union Government (District Hospital, Udhampur) or municipality certificate or corporation certificate.