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Release COLA

Sir,

Your editorial dated 26th Sept' 2000 regarding release of DA in favour of State Government Employees was in the right earnest. In this connection, one fails to understand, why the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and the Local Print Media shows 'Nelson's Eye' towards the release of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) in favour of employees of the Public Sector employees in the State of J&K.

The worker officers of PSU's have become the worst victims of the official apathy of the State Government in view of the denial of COLA since last 2 years. Moreover, it is not only the State Government employees but the employees of the State PSU's and public in general who are facing the brunt of price rise of the day to day necessities, as put forth in your editorial. Let it be known to the Govt of the day that it is the employee in the factories who is mainly exposed to the most hazardous jobs and is prone to many contagious diseases, like the employees working in the Cement Industry in particular. Hence, his medical bill is inflated and slices away the major portion of his meager salary.

Therefore, it is appealed to the Minister of Industries and Commerce in particular and Government of the day in general to realize the pathetic position of the thousands of employees and their families and release COLA in their favour, that has become overdue since long.

Yours etc.....
Rajendra Razdan
Jammu.

Possession of property

Sir,

Seven years after the forced displacement of Kashmiri Pandits from their homes and hearths and leaving behind their immovable properties worth crores of rupees in Kashmir valley, an Act came into being known as ''Jammu & Kashmir Preservation, Protection and Restraint on Distress Sales Act 1997. The title of the Act itself is self explanatory regarding the preservation and protection of Migrant properties in the Valley. The concerned District Magistrates are the custodian of such properties under the Act and the Act guarantees protection against encroachments, illegal occupation etc. with a further provision to recover compensation from the illegal occupants, encroachers. The Act also ensures restraint on distress sales of such properties. This Act had as such created a sense of security in the minds of migrants particularly the Kashmiri Pandits in sofar as their left over properties are concerned.

The immovable properties of the KPs have however suffered a heavy loss during the period of militancy. Most of the residential buildings have been reduced to dust by setting them on fire. Numberless buildings have been totally made un-inhabitable by removing all their doors, windows and wooden floorings. To utter surprise CGI sheetings have been removed from many buildings which is not possible without involvement of lot of time and labour. This type of damage to the KPs properties is a matter of great concern and speaks volumes about the conspiracy to deprive them to get any claim. The damages however are malicious in nature and the effected owners are entitled to get all the claims like exgratia and insurance for the same. The damage here is not restricted to the residential buildings only but fruit yielding trees and non fruit bearing trees have also been destroyed and this mindless damage to the KP properties still continues. It appears that the anti national elements still rule the roost in the Valley and are on heels to remove the roots of this ethnic community. Such elements have made fortunes out of the misfortunes of the displaced community.

The Government should implement the Act in its letter and spirit and at least ensure the protection of the remaining properties well before reducing these into historical ruins. Compensation to all sorts of damages should also be granted to the displaced community whom it took centuries and centuries together to make these properties in Kashmir. The rent cases of the properties occupied by Central and State Security forces and hanging in balance before the concerned authorities should be settled and released in favour of owners.

Yours etc...
Pyare Lal, Rehari Jammu.

Cricket in India

Sir,

The passion of cricket in India is great. But cricket is passing through a tough stage these days because of the match-fixing scandal that erupted a few month ago. In many cricket playing nations, there are several inquiries taking place. In South Africa, King commission has already imposed life ban on their ex-captain Hansie Cronje and have six month ban on their couple of key players. In Pakistan, the PCB has banned Salim Malik from playing and fined some of their players including Wasim Akram, Salim Malik, Ijaz Ahmed etc. Australian cricket board had also fined Shane Warne and Mark Waugh, a couple of years back.

In India, the CBI is handling the issue and the inquiry is on. Recent raids over the houses of cricketers by the Income Tax Deptt. is one of the steps of this inquiry. Many cricketers are scrutinized by the CBI personally. It seems that the CBI has got proofs about this scandal. Our BCCI has also left many players who are under observation from the national team, that will tour Nairobi for ICC knock out tournament.

So cricket at present, is in worse stage. But it is just a passing phase and I hope that cricket will regain its credibility as a ''gentleman's game.''

Yours etc...
Naresh Sharma
A student of F.E, G.G.M.
Science College.

Factually incorrect

Sir,

The book Death in Kashmir; by Pankaj Mishra is a convoluted piece of rambling most unsuited for worthy readers. In several places Mr Mishra is factually incorrect and he falsely accuses people and Government of India through tortuous verbiage to the point that it is almost libelous. His omissions are also appalling. In spite of his detailed description of the massacre of the Sikhs at Chittisinghpura in Kashmir, India, Mishra shows no sympathy for the Sikhs and the Hindus. He mentions nothing about the plight of the Kashmiri Hindu Pandits, has little mention of Sikhs' liberation of Kashmir from the Afghans in 1819 and the subsequent installation of Hindu Dogra dynasty in Srinagar.

Mr Mishra wrongfully accuses the Government of India with almost no evidence when it has been acknowledged even in Pakistan that the heinous murders were committed by the Harkat ul Mujahideen (HUM), a notorious fundamentalist Muslim group based in Pakistan. In Pakistan's newspaper The Nation on June 11,2000, Mr M Afzal Khan in an article entitled Creating shadow monsters writes: Pakistan is also accused of harbouring and supporting extremist religious groups active in Indian-held Kashmir, including the Harkat-ul- Mujahideen (HUM). The US holds HUM responsible for threatening attacks against American interests besides kidnapping of foreigners in Kashmir. The administration officials privately say they believe that the Harkat is responsible for massacre of 35 Kashmiri Sikhs on the eve of Clinton's arrival in New Delhi that set the tone of American pronouncements on Kashmir during his South Asian trip. A senior State Department official told this writer that there is clear evidence against HUM. When pointed out that it would have been the height of folly on part of any group or their alleged backers in Pakistan Government not to realize that far from inviting US involvement in Kashmir dispute, it would create an opposite effect and international revulsion, as it actually did. ''Yes they are that stupid,'' he responded in an agitated voice.

The commentary above clearly puts Mr Mishra's is credibility and motivations in serious doubt and the factual contents of his books are questionable.

Yours etc....
Dr C Chatterjee
Cchatterj@hotmail.com
California, USA