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Jammu & Kashmir Votes 2014
Abdullahs weakened special status of state, claims Drabu
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Security for polls reviewed
Omar never came across as strong Chief Minister: BSP
Omar govt turned transfers, postings into industry: BJP
Valley women break stereotypes by joining politics
Pandits insist on rehab blueprint
Modi to address rallies in Kishtwar and Udhampur
SC rejects plea on deferring Assembly polls
Phase II: 175 to try their luck from 18 seats
NC conniving with BJP to keep us out: Mehbooba
Constituency
watch: kangan
Azad attacks Omar on Food Security Act
67 villages to get electricity under RGGVY’s phase II
HPS students participate in athletics meet
Casual labourers protest, demand regularisation
Book on spiritual journey released
Udhampur school celebrates annual sports day
Written communication must for educational tours, CBSE tells schools
Backward classes union for consensus before casting vote
Lt Gen KH Singh tells girl students to work hard
Pak fires at forward posts in Sabzian, Mankote
522 recruits join as police constables
Governor briefed on SMVDU functioning
Six-year-old raped in Rajouri
Decide on mass promotion to students by Nov 25: HC to state
‘Josh unlimited’ kicks off at Kashmir varsity
Actor Vivek Oberoi hints at supporting BJP in elections
Central varsity celebrates Students’ Day
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AFSPA emerging as major poll issue
Arun Joshi Tribune News Service
Srinagar, November 17 AFSPA has become a major election issue with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah claiming that he “tried his best” but his “efforts were sabotaged by the Peoples Democratic Party and the Congress”. He was countered by both with the allegation that Omar did not move in a proper fashion on the issue. While PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has charged the Chief Minister with “hiding his failures”, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president Saifuddin Soz took refuge in his old assertion that he “wanted that all stakeholders should be taken on board.” Now, AFSPA is emerging as a big issue in the Assembly elections, particularly in the Valley, where people are angry over the overwhelming presence of the Army and afraid of its special powers. The Army has also taken steps to inquire into the circumstances leading to the death of two youth in Nowgam on November 3. The rules of the engagement were not followed, and Northern Command chief Lt Gen B S Hooda has admitted it was a mistake. The Machil case verdict by the Army and its response to the killing of two boys at Chattergam is being seen as an attempt by it to stop the demand for the withdrawal of AFSPA from some of the areas that have shown no signs of major violence for the past few years. But why did these incidents take place in the first place? This is because of the protective cover of AFSPA that made Army personnel act in the manner in which they did. In normal circumstances, more powers should make the soldiers more responsible. But, in the past it has been seen whether it was the case of the Pathribal civilian killings in 2000 or that of the killing of four youth playing cricket in 2004, the Army did not take a call. Instead, it took refuge under AFSPA to save itself from the normal judicial process. No plausible answers
This time, a high voltage election is going on in J&K, and the parties are raking up these issues. The killing of a civilian in Kulgam in south Kashmir is caught in conflicting versions: one, says he was killed in the Army firing, the other says he was killed while protesting the killing of two militants. Such conflicting versions are common in the militancy-hit era of Kashmir. The parties are asking: why should the Army be in the violence-free areas. Both the Army and the government haven’t come out with plausible answers so far. Budgam, the central Kashmir district, has shown no signs of any increased activity of militancy. The normal policing can handle the situation. The police and the CRPF don’t require extraordinary powers to deal with militancy. Times have changed, it should have been recognised. AFSPA grants immunity to the armed forces from acts of omission and commission during the anti-terrorist operations. This law was invoked along with the Disturbed Area Act (DAA) for the Kashmir valley and the 20 km radius of the Line of Control in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Pooncnch in the Jammu region. “It was a necessity that time. Everything had collapsed and the normal laws under the police Act were not working at all,” then Governor G C Saxena had told this reporter while explaining that why it had become necessary to grant such extraordinary powers to the armed forces. Saxena also acknowledged that “no law can be relevant in perpetuity”. He said so when state was looking back at the history of AFSPA in its 20th year in 2010. Today, the state stands on the threshold of completing 25 years of AFSPA in July next year, if the call is not taken on the subject before that. AFSPA was first invoked in July 1990 for the Valley and parts of Rajouri and Poonch. Later on, in August 2001, it was extended to the entire Jammu region, leaving only two districts of Kargil and Leh out of the category of the DAA and AFSPA. This tag that the Army wants to keep to avert future threats is bringing a bad name to it by incidents such as Chattergam. And people are suffering because they become victims and find that there is no door to knock for appeal. Need for assessment
It is necessary to have an objective assessment of the situation and the need for special laws. These laws have become a rallying point for secessionists and have strengthened the argument that the Government of India wants to utilise the forces and special powers to “subjugate” the people of Kashmir. What hardline Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani says openly, others echo, though the choice of words can be different. The Army’s stand:
It needs AFSPA to counter threats such as an unstable Pakistan and the emergence of Al-Qaida and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Kashmir, especially after the drawdown of NATO troops from Afghanistan. Terror attacks are taking place in south Kashmir and in Sopore in north Kashmir. AFSPA has not helped stop all attacks. On the contrary, in calm places such as Budgam, the Army has created a “situation”. Budgam was one of the areas that the state had suggested from where the DAA and AFSPA should have gone long ago. Srinagar, Jammu and Samba districts also fall in the same category. |
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Abdullahs weakened special status of state, claims Drabu
Jammu, November 17 He said the people were again being misled by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on revocation of the AFSPA, giving arbitrary powers to security forces in the state. Drabu was reacting to the statement of NC patron and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah that the BJP was trying to abrogate Article 370. “The relevance of Article 370 was eroded by the NC, especially the Abdullahs who were in power in the state after 1947, when several Central laws were implemented in the state,” Drabu said. “Despite the rhetoric over scrapping AFSPA, the NC-Congress government has not taken any sincere step in the last six years to do away with the Act which gives arbitrary powers to the armed forces,” he claimed. He said the PDP would engage the Hurriyat Conference to resolve the Kashmir issue if it was voted to power in the state. “The Hurriyat Conference has a stake in the future of J&K. There is no harm if the government engages it to find a common solution,” he said. The PDP candidate, who was on a two-day visit to Jammu, addressed several meetings in areas inhabited by displaced Kashmiri Pandits and met prominent businessmen. He said the PDP had been emerging as the frontrunner in the Assembly elections. He alleged that people across the state were fed up with nepotism and corruption under the present regime. He said the PDP was facing an aggressive BJP, but had an advantage as it had emerged as representative of the people across regions and religions.
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Srinagar, November 17 An official said during the meeting, the security scenario of the north Kashmir range was discussed to ensure peaceful and incident-free elections. A detailed discussion was held to strengthen the security grid and coordination among various security agencies and to strategise and fine-tune security plans. Various measures to check militant activities were discussed so that a congenial environment was created for peaceful polls, the official said. — TNS
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Omar never came across as strong Chief Minister: BSP
Jammu, November 17 Meanwhile, Showkat Gujjar, state president of the J&K Gujjar-Bakerwal Federation, and Ashutosh Gupta, president of the All J&K Tour and Travel Association, joined the BSP today. Kashyap announced five more candidates for various constituencies of the Jammu region. Showkat Gujjar was declared as the BSP candidate from Jammu East, Shiban Ji Langeh will contest from Gool-Arnas, Jawahar Singh from the Gulabgarh constituency, Mohammad Rafiq Inqalabi from Kalakote and Rakesh Bhagat will contest from the Chhamb (Khour) constituency. Kashyap said the BSP had declared its candidates for 60 seats in the state and was preparing for some more seats. On the BSP’s stand on Article 370, Kashyap said: “There are many other issues such as flood relief, SC-ST rights, employment and development of the state, which are more important than talking about Article 370.” “As per the Constitution, the Prime Minister can announce a special package for the state having Article 370 to connect it with the mainstream. The government should focus on this aspect for Jammu and Kashmir,” he added. Criticising the Omar Abdullah-led government, Kashyap said, “Omar may have run the government for six years with the support of the Congress but he never came across as a strong Chief Minister.” “People are fed up with National Conference-Congress and Peoples Democratic Party-Congress coalition governments. The BJP has no agenda for the common man. So people are seeing the BSP as the only alternative for good governance,” he said. ‘BSP only alternative for people’
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Omar govt turned transfers, postings into industry: BJP
Jammu, November 17 The saffron party alleged that the ruling coalition had converted transfers and postings of government officials into an industry. “The transfers and postings of government officers and officials have been converted into an industry run by the Omar Abdullah regime for the last six years. The government resorted to selective transfers of government employees on monetary considerations. We are totally against such malpractices and have been raising voice against it,” BJP state spokesperson Sunil Sethi told reporters here. Sethi said the NC-Congress coalition had failed to come up to the expectations of the common man. “The mass transfers and postings at the fag end of this government’s six-year tenure itself speak of the gravity of the situation.” He alleged that the coalition government has “systematically destroyed” the whole administrative system by resorting to such tactic which required to be enquired into. The BJP spokesperson, while appealing to the people of the state to vote for BJP candidates in their respective areas, said the party after achieving the “Mission 44 plus” would frame a transparent, fair and effective transfer policy for the employees and no pick and choose approach would be entertained at any level.
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Valley women break stereotypes by joining politics
Srinagar, November 17 Sarah Hayat Shah, Hina Shafi Bhat and Qurat ul Ayn of the NC, BJP and the PDP, respectively, made their debut in Kashmir politics this year and are the strong and articulate voices of their parties. Not only are these young women breaking stereotypes by joining mainstream politics, they have also become a part of the party campaign in a big way ahead of the Assembly elections. Hina Shafi, daughter of former NC MLC Muhammad Shafi Bhat, is often called the face of the BJP in the Valley. She was given ticket for the prestigious Amira Kadal constituency by the BJP. Hina is meeting people in the Amira Kadal constituency and spreading awareness about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development agenda. “Modi is a visionary,” Hina says, adding that the development agenda which Modi works on could alone revive the economy of the Valley. Hina shunned her medical profession to work as a full-time politician because she considers politics great social work. Echoing Hina’s opinions on politics, Qurat ul Ayn who studied politics and conflict studies at the Islamic University of Science and Technology in Awantipora joined the PDP youth wing in October. Qurat said the J&K politics and the administration were in desperate need of change, which could only be brought about by change of guard. “If we remain distanced from politics, we are never going to change it. It is true that the youth don’t like to involve themselves much into politics, but it is also true that they only have the capability of bringing in fresh ideas which our political system needs,” Qurat said. She believes PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is a source of inspiration to many Valley women whose voices have mostly gone unheard. Sarah Hayat Shah, who has a postgraduate degree in human geography from the University of New Castle and is the daughter of senior NC leader Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, is particularly popular for her rants at rival parties on media. She joined the NC in April 2014. Sarah feels that Omar Abdullah’’s new approach could bring about development in the Valley. She says some IT projects, implemented under the Omar Abdullah-led government, had not only brought in more transparency but also started an IT revolution in the state. Sarah is hopeful that the NC will emerge as a winner in the coming elections. She lauds the achievements of the NC government by writing on Twitter, “The achievements of the NC govt in empowering people, creation of core and social infrastructure, changing the paradigm of governance. The task is big but the state is on road to all-round development in the different sectors of the economy under the stewardship of CM Omar Abdullah.”
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Pandits insist on rehab blueprint
Jammu, November 17 Addressing a press conference, All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) chairman Vinod Pandit asked all national, regional and local parties to come out with a detailed draft on how they proposed to rehabilitate the community and address their aspirations after getting elected to the legislature. He said they had been hearing about theirdignified return and rehabilitation for more than two decades and were in no mood to be fooled by sloganeering. He demanded that top leaders of all political parties should officially declare their policy on Pandits. APMCC national spokesperson King Bharati said they would use the NOTA option if political parties fooled them again with slogans. He added that they would extend support to the party that came out with a blueprint in connection with their future. Six-point charter of demands
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Modi to address rallies in Kishtwar and Udhampur
New Delhi, November 17 Party officials say the PM will address an election rally at Kishtwar on November 22 and another one at Udhampur on November 28. On November 21, he will be in Jharkhand, where the venue is yet to be decided. Riding high on “positive response” from former separatist and People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone, the BJP continues to stand firm on “going alone” in the elections while remaining non-committal to the possibility of a post-poll alliance with him. According to party leaders, the meeting was successful in achieving its purpose —- dispelling the “anti-BJP, anti-Modi false propaganda” generated by parties in the state. Party national secretary Shrikant Sharma says the meeting “successfully destroyed all misconceptions about the PM and the BJP”. “Whether it is Sajjad Lone or any other person who has in his or her heart the country’s interest, our doors are open for everyone. However, Congress CMs also visit the Prime Minister and the meeting (between Modi and Lone) should also be strictly viewed in that context,” he said in response to the query on their future together. There are speculations that the BJP and Lone have reached a tacit understanding to keep the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at bay in the Valley, where the saffron party finds itself at a disadvantage. With the PDP hoping to make maximum gains in 46 Assembly seats in the Valley, sources say Lone’s People’s Conference is expected to counter the challenge by dividing its vote share. The saffron party is confident of doing well in the 37 Assembly seats in the Jammu region and four in Leh, party leaders claim. BJP leaders believe that a “sizeable number of Muslim youth” may opt for saffron party, keeping in mind their concerns about jobs and issues related to their community. Here is where Modi’s “regular visits, healing touch and pro-development image” and the added endorsement from the former separatist is expected to help, they said. In the absence of a prominent face in the Valley, Lone serves the BJP another advantage. The speculations are that he may be projected as an acceptable face in case there is a post-poll alliance between him and the BJP. Poll planning
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SC rejects plea on deferring Assembly polls
New Delhi, November 17 Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a Bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu that the state’s demand had been forwarded to the Finance Ministry and the Planning Commission. The government would take a decision based on their recommendations, he said. The state government told the Bench that it had approached the Central Board of Secondary Education and other statutory bodies in charge of conducting examinations for either promoting students without examination or deferring the examinations in view of the prevailing situation. The Bench was hearing a batch of PILs on relief work and other steps to tide over the crisis in the state, which was reeling under a financial crunch even before the floods in the first week of September. The Jammu and Kashmir Awami National Conference had pleaded with the court to direct the Election Commission to defer the Assembly elections, slated to be held in five phases from November 25 to December 20, till normalcy was restored. Arguing for the petitioner, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan pleaded that it would not be appropriate to hold elections now as most of the voters were not in a position to take part in the exercise. People who had fled as many as 390 villages, submerged following the floods, were yet to return, while houses and other buildings in about 2,600 villages were destroyed. A total of 3.54 lakh structures in the state were damaged. Of the 12.5 million residents, 7.2 million were eligible to vote. The floods had affected a total of 8 million people, directly or indirectly, he said.
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Phase II: 175 to try their luck from 18 seats
Jammu, November 17 On Monday, the last day to withdraw nominations, eight candidates retired from the electoral battle. Seven candidates are left in the fray from Karnah and 12 from Kupwara. Nine candidates are in the fray from Lolab and 12 from Handwara. Eleven candidates will try their luck in Langate and 15 in Noorabad. In Kulgam, eight candidates are in the fray. In Humshali Bugh, eight are in the fray. In Devsar, eight candidates are in the fray. Seven candidates are in the fray from Gulabgarh and 14 from Reasi. Gool Arnas will witness a contest between 10 candidates. Ten candidates will try their luck in Udhampur and seven in Chenani. Six candidates are in the fray from Ramnagar and 10 from Surankote. In the Mendhar Assembly constituency, 11 candidates are in the fray. Ten candidates are left in the fray from the Haveli segment.
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NC conniving with BJP to keep us out: Mehbooba
Srinagar, November 17 “Seeing a wave in our favour, NC leaders have started conniving with everybody, including the BJP and the RSS, to keep the PDP out of power,” she said. She was addressing election rallies in support of PDP candidate Fayaz Ahmad Mir in Kupwara district of north Kashmir. Referring to Mehboob Beg’s decision to quit the NC and extend support to the PDP, Mehbooba said some NC veterans had realised that only Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had the capability and wherewithal to face the divisive BJP in Kashmir. “That is why most NC veterans have started rallying behind the PDP’s agenda aimed at safeguarding the state’s political and constitutional status,” she said. She said people of Jammu and Kashmir had decided to reject the NC and the politicians being propped up in select constituencies for fragmentation of votes. She said the NC had conceded defeat when its chief ministerial candidate Omar Abdullah decided not to contest from Ganderbal. Mehbooba said the PDP
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Constituency watch: kangan
Srinagar, November 17 The PDP had managed to fetch 3,607 more votes than its political rival from Kangan, which forms a part of the Ganderbal Lok Sabha constituency. The margin of victory for the National Conference in the state elections on this seat has also significantly reduced over the years. However, it would not be a stroll in the park for the PDP as it faces a tough opponent in sitting MLA and Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad. Mian Altaf draws his lineage from Baba Nizamuddin, whose shrine at Baba Nagri, Wangat, draws a sea of devotees. The Gujjars of the area have great faith in the shrine and their faith in the heir remains unshakable. It is easy to conclude that the PDP is not pitched against the NC, but the Mian family On paper, the ruling National Conference might have retained Kangan since 1977 but in reality, the segment has always remained the fortress of Mian Altaf’s family. His father Mian Bashir Ahmad won the Kangan seat in 1967 and 1972 as a Congress candidate and before that in 1957 and 1962 Assembly polls Mian Altaf’s grandfather Mian Nizam-ud-Din had won the segment as an NC contestant. The Kangan Assembly segment though has a substantial non-Gujjar population which the PDP is looking to cash in on. The party would also be hoping that some of the old-timers shift loyalties this time around. The party is trying to woo the voters by highlighting the failures of the ruling dispensation. People lack basic amenities, face unemployment…most of the work has been done only in theory, claimed Bashir Ahmad Mir, PDP nominee for the Kangan seat. The only Gujjar leader in the fray, however, remains unperturbed. “A lot of development work has been done during the past six years,” said Mian Altaf. Even as most of the Gujjar members remain solidly behind Mian Altaf, the only worry for the NC representative would be the murmurs of dissent among a small section of the community on the ground.
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snapshots Former Union Health Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday castigated Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for not implementing the Food Security Act in the state. Azad said many schools and medical sub-centres had been opened in and link roads laid to remote villages during the UPA regime. BJP to launch ‘jehad’ against corruption
The BJP said on Monday that it would launch a ‘jehad’ against corruption if voted to power. State leaders Kuldeep Raj Gupta and Vibodh Gupta said the BJP would weed out corruption. Saroori woos voters in Doda area
Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Congress MLA from Inderwal, on Monday appealed to voters of the erstwhile Doda district to elect Congress candidates from all six Assembly segments. He promised a prosperous Chenab region. He blamed the PDP and the BJP of trying to divide the people. Raj Babbar to campaign in Valley today
Congress leader Raj Babbar will campaign in Bandipora and Ganderbal districts in Kashmir on Tuesday. He and JKPCC president Saifuddin Soz will address gatherings in Bandipora, Hajin and Lar. |
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67 villages to get electricity under RGGVY’s phase II
Jammu, November 17 A senior official from the office of the Development Commissioner (Power), J&K PDD, told The Tribune that the plan was prepared in 2013 and had been forwarded to the Ministry of Power, Government of India, by the Principal Secretary to the Government, J&K PDD, this year. He added that the draft plan was also placed on the website www.dcpjkpdd.in. The Tribune had reported in its October 27 edition that J&K was yet to submit REP project to the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), MoP, under the RGGVY. The PDD official clarified that the plan had been forwarded to the Ministry of Power, Government of India. The targets which are set to be achieved under the plan includes electrification of 30 un-electrified village through non-grid sources, electrification of 10,809 habitations through grid, a total of 2,53404 houses to be electrified under the RGGVY Phase-II and a total of 1,11,900 below poverty line (BPL) households to be covered under the RGGVY-II. Meanwhile, the project for electrification of inaccessible villages/habitations has been entrusted to the J&K Department of Science and Technology and the identified sites from various districts of the state have been cleared by the REC and are being taken up by the J&K Energy Development Agency (EDA) for execution. The RGGVY was launched in April 2005 by merging all ongoing schemes. Under the programme, 90 per cent grant is provided by the Centre and 10 per cent as loan by the REC to state governments. It is the nodal agency for the programme.
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HPS students participate in athletics meet
Jammu, November 17 Yasmeen Akhtar, a student of Class VII clinched gold medal in 100m sprint while Shaidu Akhtar bagged participation certificate in 600 m race.Gaurav Charak, Principal of the school, Anku Charak, vice-principal, Akashdeep Raina, in charge, and Ajay Kumar, physical instructor, were also present on the occasion and congratulated the athletes. Principal of the school said the school would try its best to promote physical education in the school.— TNS
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Casual labourers protest, demand regularisation
Jammu, November 17 Mohammad Gafoor Dar, state president of the JKNTUF, while addressing the workers warned the government for “sabotaging the genuine cause of casual labourers” who have been cheated time and again. He urged upon political parties to make their stand clear regarding regularisation policy of casual labourers engaged after 1994 and pay anomalies of various categories of employees. The demands of JKNTUF are regularisation policy for casual labourers of various departments, release of two DA instalments for state government employees, removal of pay anomalies, etc. Others who addressed the gathering included Vikram Jeet Singh, Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, Barkat Ali, Saleem Wani, Devi Dass, Ghulam Mohammad, Hamid and Zafar Iqbal.
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Book on spiritual journey released
Jammu, November 17 Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister praised the efforts of Girja Pandit in bringing out the book detailing about her spiritual journey. He said due to his preoccupation with the national as well as state scene during the elections, he is seldom left with time to devote on spiritual issues and this book was important for everyone. He praised the efforts of Girja Pandit in bringing out the book.
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Udhampur school celebrates annual sports day
Jammu, November 17 The chief guest of the programme was Brigadier Rajiv Joshi, Commandant, 3 ABW. The function commenced with the welcome of dignitaries by principal Rajesh Pandey and the Scouts and Guides. Thereafter, the school’s flag was hoisted and the sports events began. This was followed by the prize distribution function. The vote of thanks was presented by Ajay Hingonia, a teacher of the school.
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Written communication must for educational tours, CBSE tells schools
Jammu, November 17 As per the new guidelines issued for standard safety measures for the organisation of study tours, the head of the institution should ensure that an undertaking is taken from every participating student that they will abide by all rules and also that they have submitted the permission by their parents or local guardian before they participate in the educational tour. “The head of the institution should ensure issuing security I-cards to all such students and maintaining a separate data base of personal details like guardian/local guardian, home address, mobile, email, etc, of such students and the same is carried by the students on his person,” the guidelines claimed. “The head of the institution should ensure that written permission of one of the parents or the local guardian is submitted on behalf of every student wishing to participate in an educational tour,” it added. The guidelines said a briefing session must be organised before the tour to inform the students, parents and the accompanying teachers of the details of the tour, duties of every person and rules and regulations to be followed by the students. “The accompanying teachers must take notice of the weather forecasts and news broadcasts of the place of visit. They should be aware of the health condition of each student in order to find whether specific student should not be allowed to take part in any particular activity,” the guidelines maintained. “As per the guidelines, it is imperative for the accompanying teachers on educational tour to arrange medical attention for any sick member to see the doctor immediately and to take effective preventive measures,” an official of the Jammu Sahodaya School Complex (JSSC) said. The JSSC is an apex body of all CBSE-affiliated schools in J&K.
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Backward classes union for consensus before casting vote
Jammu, November 17 Abdul Majid Malik, president of the union, while briefing the media said the union would wait and watch and soon announce its decision to which side the state OBCs would cast their votes. “Vote should be cast under all circumstances but wait for the suitable time so that state OBCs can cast their votes in one direction and for one purpose for constitutional rights and social justice,” Malik added. He said only OBCs of J&K had suffered due to the alleged adamant behaviour and approach of the National Conference and the Congress under the garb of Article 370. “State OBCs have met PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, but both refused to accommodate the demands of the state OBCs. State OBCs now have no faith in these political parties,” the AIBCU president said. “State OBCs opined their faith in the BJP, which pleaded their case of due reservation during and after Lok Sabha elections. The union has written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, besides sending reminders to Amit Shah, Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma,” he said. The union had recently written to Avinash Rai Khanna for fulfilment of two demands, to incorporate due share of 27 per cent in BJP manifesto and political representation in the democratic set up, but till date no concrete result has come out. The All-India Backward Classes Union said any kind of development without constitutional rights was meaningless, baseless and senseless. Others who were present on the occasion included Puran Chargotra, Master Sain Dass, Mohammad Hussain, Sandokh Chand, Sardar Rajinder Singh, Surinder Kumar, Deepak Sangrampuria, Som Kumar, KD Dalmoatra, Darshan Kumar, Romesh Talk, Brij Mehra and Prof Kali
Dass.
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Lt Gen KH Singh tells girl students to work hard
Jammu, November 17 The students of Bhaderwah were on a 10-day tour to Delhi and Jaipur. The group was flagged off on November 8 from Batote by the GOC, Delta Force, said defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta. During the tour, the girls visited cultural and historical places at Jaipur, Delhi and Jammu which included Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Amber Fort, Jal Mahal in Jaipur, Red Fort, Lotus Temple, Kutub Minar, Metro ride in Delhi and Bahu Fort and Raghunath Market in Jammu. Delta Force has helped around 200 students belonging to economically weaker sections in securing free of cost admission under the Prime Minister’s special scholarship scheme in 2013 and 2014 in Pacific University, Udaipur, and Noida International University, Greater Noida, the defence spokesperson said. The girls were taken to Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, and Noida International University, Greater Noida, to interact with the students of J&K who are pursuing various graduation-level courses at these universities, he said. Lt Col Mehta said during the flagging-in ceremony, Lt Gen KH Singh congratulated the girls on successful completion of the tour. He urged them to share their experiences of the tour with their parents, friends and villagers. He exhorted the girls to work hard and achieve whatever they dreamt of in their lives. He said everything was possible by hard work and dedication and they should put in their best foot forward.
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Pak fires at forward posts in Sabzian, Mankote
Jammu, November 17 Meanwhile, a defence spokesperson said there were no truce violations by Pakistan in Poonch. Sources said troops of the 640 Mujahid Regiment opened small arms and automatic fire on Indian posts in the Sabzian sub-sector last night. “Around 10.30 pm yesterday, Pakistani troops opened unprovoked firing on Indian forward posts in the Sabzian sub-sector from their NCPP, Kalu ki Dheri and PDL 8412 posts. Indian troops also retaliated appropriately,” said an Intelligence source. The firing that was regular till 12.30 am continued intermittently throughout the night, he said. However, there were no casualties or injuries on the Indian side, he said. Similarly, around 8 pm yesterday, Pakistan troops opened unprovoked small arms fire on the Duba post (of India) in the Mendhar-Mankote area along the LoC. Troops of the 1st Mahar Regiment responded in equal measure and the gunfight lasted for about half an hour, said the source. There was no loss of life or injury on the Indian side. “In both incidents of unprovoked fire, Pakistani troops didn’t target border villages and hamlets. It has to be seen how things unfold in the coming days in the wake of the Assembly polls,” he said. Meanwhile, a porter engaged by the Army, sustained serious injuries in a mine blast near the Helmet Post along the LoC in the Mankote-Balnoi sub-sector around 3 pm today. The victim has been identified as Mohammed Rafiq of Dabraj village in the Mankote area. He was later airlifted in an Army helicopter to the Udhampur garrison hospital.
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522 recruits join as police constables
Reasi, November 17 Abinandan Sharma of Rajouri, who was the topper, was given out-of-turn promotion, Mohaammad Ashraf of Srinagar was given Rs 10,000, whereas Deepak Maski, Abinandan Sharma, Bilal Ahmed and Sumair Yaqoub were given Rs 7,500 each for their excellent performances during the training. Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra Kumar on Monday said the Jammu and Kashmir Police had assumed acclaim at national-level for its performance in maintaining peace and security in the state. “After joining the police family, the recruits have now been transformed into physically sound and mentally robust policemen and their sole motto should be to gain public trust and confidence by their deeds in the field. A policeman has great responsibility to tackle different situations with his professional skills and doing selfless duties,” the DGP said. — OC
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Governor briefed on SMVDU functioning
Jammu, November 17 Vice Chancellor of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) Sudhir K Jain called on Governor N N Vohra, Chancellor of the University, at Raj Bhawan here today. Jain briefed the Governor about several important issues relating to the academic and administrative functioning and expansion plans of the university. The Governor advised Jain to take all necessary steps to ensure that the university progressed speedily to develop a reputation as an institution of excellence.
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Rajouri, November 17 Around 10.30 am a boy, working as a domestic help in the house, lured the girl into a room and raped her. He is a resident of Rajdhani village in Manjakot tehsil. On hearing the cries of the girl, people rushed to the house and found her bleeding profusely. As the house is situated near to the police station, Inspector Yashpal Singh along with his team rushed to the spot and apprehended the accused, who is said to be a minor. The police have registered a case under Section 376 of the RPC. A senior police officer said the police was trying to verify the age of the accused from his school documents.“If the accused was not admitted to a school, a medical examination will be conducted to establish his age,” said the SHO. — OC
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Decide on mass promotion to students by Nov 25: HC to state
Srinagar, November 17 The directions were given by the Division Bench of the High Court following public interest litigation (PIL) opposing the postponement of school examinations in the flood-affected Kashmir. The PIL had termed the recent Cabinet decision about the conduct of such exams in March 2015, as “unreasonable”. As per the official figure, of the 11,628 schools in Kashmir, 1,096 school buildings were affected by the floods in September this year. While 601 school-buildings were partially damaged, 495 have been damaged fully. “Submission has been made by Riyaz Jan that for the classes from pre-nursery to 7th, the assessment of students is made by taking periodical examinations. The counsel submitted that in terms of statute, there will be no difficulty to the education institutions to promote students on the basis of their performance in the tests conducted during the (current) academic year,” a Division Bench comprising Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Justice Dhiraj observed. “The Additional Advocate General has sought time to convey the decision of the competent authority in this behalf. Respondent authorities may consider the submissions made at the Bar favourably,” the court observed. Though the High Court has sought the government response on the issue, the private schools operating in the Valley have already decided to grant mass promotion to students up to Class 7 in view of the devastating floods. Earlier, Amicus Curie GA Lone submitted that he would give further information to the Registry about other private institutions who have not been issued notices till date, wherein the schools have been directed by the High Court not to charge tuition fee and bus fare from students for September and October in view of the recent floods. The court directed Lone to give such information to the Registry during the course of this week so as to enable it to issue notices to those institutions while listing the matter for further consideration on November 25. Flood fallout
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‘Josh unlimited’ kicks off at Kashmir varsity
Srinagar, November 17 The event, “Josh Unlimited” gives a platform to bank employees to participate in multiple sports activities such as cricket, football, badminton, throwball, athletics, carom, chess and table tennis among others. The event was inaugurated by Ravi Narayanan, Branch Banking Head in Kashmir University (KU), Hazratbal, Srinagar. “I am happy that we have this excellent platform at HDFC Bank, which gives us the opportunity to participate in various sporting events. I hope to see many of my colleagues and their families during the course of this completion,” Narayanan said on the occasion. Around 200 employees and their families participated in the event.
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Actor Vivek Oberoi hints at supporting BJP in elections
Srinagar, November 17 The actor was seen campaigning for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the parliamentary elections earlier and was a part of many rallies organised by the BJP. However, without giving a direct reference to the BJP, Vivek said the new government which would be formed should focus on the “development agenda” which was what J&K would thrive on. The BJP has been promoting its 3Ps development agenda in the state referring to Paryavaran (environment), Parayatan (tourism) and Prakash (power) during its election campaigning. Vivek added that he might adopt a village in the Valley for pursuing the development agenda there if a new government based on this model was brought into power. The actor said he was ready to help the youth of the state come out of troubled times. Vivek also met a group of differently abled children on the occasion. Vivek distributed relief material among flood victims. The event was organised by the American Kashmiri Humane society on the Srinagar outskirts today. Vivek said there was a need to shed the bias against the people of Kashmir and northeast India to give the youth from these places a chance to connect with their counterparts in rest of the country. "We say we are ready to go to war but would never let anyone take our land as Kashmir is ours. We have raised this slogan of 'Kashmir hamara hai' (Kashmir is ours) so many times. When will we raise the slogan of 'Kashmiri hamare hai' (Kashmiris are ours)? When will we shed that bias? When would we say that the people of northeast are ours? It is not a matter of land but people. And when the people of Kashmir also shed that bias, then there will be a chance to be one and a connection will be created among the youth of the country," Oberoi said. (With inputs from PTI)
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Central varsity celebrates Students’ Day
Srinagar, November 17 “The Ministry for Human Resource Development (MHRD) has provided an opportunity to the students by inviting suggestions and innovative ideas from them through its website, which after a thorough evaluation and deliberations will be incorporated in restructuring the nation’s educational policy,” Prof Mehraj-ud-Din said while addressing the students during a function organised by the university to celebrate International Students’ Day at the Nowgam block. The university organised a group discussion on “Quality education for all” and an essay competition on “Creating employment opportunities through higher education” on the occasion. The Vice Chancellor asked the students to come up with proposals for holding seminars, symposia and other student-related activities. “The students should take an initiative in this regard as it would not only be beneficial for the institution, but also for their personal growth and overall development with regard to the academics,” Mehraj-ud-Din added. He said the number of students enrolled in educational institutions of India was set to reach 30 million, adding that strenuous efforts have to be made by the academicians in the educational institutions to provide quality education to the students and carve a niche for their institutions in the global arena. Registrar M Afzal Zargar described the students as “engineers of change.”
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Jammu, November 17
Jammu, November 17
Jammu, November 17
Jammu, November 17
Jammu, November 17
Jammu, November 17
Jammu, November 17
Srinagar, November 17
Srinagar, November 17
