Pilgrims throng Jammu for registration

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 16: With the registration of Amarnath pilgrimage considerably picking up, 1292 yatris were registered at the TRC booking counters here today to have the darshan of Icy Lingam at the Holy Cave Shrine of Lord Shiva situated at an altitude of 3953 meters.

As usual there was a beeline of people in front of TRC registration counters waiting for their turn. Hundreds of people from the two neighbouring states of Punjab and Himachal, besides Union Territory of Chandigarh are daily thronging Jammu to make their advance registration.

The pilgrims registered today were given the different dates for the pilgrimage during the month long yatra beginning from July 2. This was stated by Mr Manhas, Deputy Director Tourism.

He said elaborate arrangements have been made to deal with any situation created due to unfair weather while making registrations at Jammu.

Showing optimism that the allotted quota of registration of 22,050 pilgrims will be completed by June 25 the last date of advance enrollment he, however, indicated that the number can increase by a few thousand in case of fair weather conditions.

He said so far 7821 pilgrims have been registered at five booking centres at TRC Jammu since the advance enrollment started on June 10.

He said maximum 735 pilgrims will be allowed to leave for Darshan daily from base camp Jammu.

However, the Department is tightlipped about the current registrations saying that a decision regarding this will be taken by the Government only.

Meanwhile, to provide the advance information to the pilgrims about the holy Amarnath cave and the terrain, the Tourism Department is also providing them the pamphlets which besides a diagram of the hill track contains other details for the Yatris convenience.

The pamphlets contain complete information about the altitudes and distances between different places from Pahalgam to Holy Cave. It guides the Yatris regarding the clothing and bedding they have to take with.

The yatris have been strictly asked to get themselves medically examined as they have to trek over the altitude of 14,000 feet. The frail, old and diseased people will not be allowed to leave the Jammu Base Camp. Moreover, no Yatri without the advance registration will be allowed to leave the Base Camp.

3 members of Laden gang arrested
Plot to blow up US embassy unearthed

NEW DELHI, June 16: In a major breakthrough, the Delhi Police has exposed an international conspiracy by Afghanistan-based terrorist kingpin Osama bin Laden to blow up the American embassy in the Capital and arrested three members of his gang, a senior police official said today.

Security around the American embassy in Chankyapuri was tightened immediately after the plot was discovered. Other adjoining embassies have also been told to be on the alert. This is the first instance of a Bin Laden operations in India.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (special cell) Ashok Chand told UNI that two of the Laden gang members — Sudanese national Abdul Rauf Hawash and Shamim Sarvar, a resident of Bihar — were arrested after raids in the Capital — and another one — Abbas — was nabbed in Udaipur. He did not rule out the possibility of a few more arrests in the case.

At least eight people with alleged Bin Laden links, including a Yemani national, were allegedly a party to the bombing plan, hatched in February this year and planned to be executed sometime next month.

The special cell chief said, "we have arrested three people so far and are now on the lookout for the remaining five. We won’t be surprised if there are some others also involved in the plan." A number of teams have been dispatched to several places to arrest other suspects.

Mr Chand said, "a pre-fabricated Improvised Explosive Device (IED), made of six kg of Research Developed Explosive (RDX), detonator, batteries and timer device, were seized from Hawash when he was arrested by the police from his hideout in Nizamuddin here late on Thursday night."

The interrogation of Hawash led to the arrest of Shamim, a post-graduate in Persian and Urdu from Patna University who later turned a religious preacher with a large number of followers.

Abbas was picked up from his house in Udaipur this morning. A special cell team had gone to Udaipur, where Hawash had created a base for Bin Laden’s operations in India, and stormed the hideout of Abbas with the help of local police.

Hawash and Shamim were arrested in a joint operation by the special cell, the South Delhi Police and central intelligence agencies.

On August seven, 1998, two major explosions near US embassies in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam killed at least 250 people, including a dozen US embassy officials, and left many others injured. In an apparent attempt to avenge the attacks on its embassies, the US Air Force on August 21 the same year attacked the suspected terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan and Sudan, a major base for Bin Laden’s operations.

The then US President Bill Clinton promised a sustained campaign against terrorism worldwide.

Mr Chand said the conspiracy to blow up the embassy was hatched at the instance of Yemeni national Abdul Rehman Al-Safani. The choice of US embassy was made because Bin Laden considers America as the biggest threat to Islam, the Sudanese national told the Delhi Police during interrogation.

Hawash said he bought a house in South Delhi for planning and carrying out the attack. He was paid an advance of Rs five lakh by Al-Safani to buy a car and arrange other logistics.

Hawash, who came to India in 1990-91 on a student visa and joined a educational institute in Udaipur, was allegedly directed by Bin Laden to set up a base in the Rajasthan town after he came in contact with the terrorist mastermind some time around 1998. It was only last year when he was directed to shift to Delhi and create a base here.

After meeting Shamim in 1998, Hawash, the senior police official said, motivated him to join the Jehad (holy war) of Bin Laden. (UNI)

Cong ruled States CMs to right size Govts

NEW DELHI, June 16: Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled States today agreed to "right sizing" their Governments, reduce revenue deficit, accelerate power reforms and invest more in social sectors to make the party-ruled States "models" for others.

A broad consensus on these issues was reached at a day-long conclave of Chief Ministers, chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi, attended by several senior party leaders, party spokesman S Jaipal Reddy told reporters at a joint press conference with Manmohan Singh and Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

In her opening remarks at the conference, Gandhi asked Congress-ruled States to "confront" the Centre when it denied their legitimate rights but to cooperate with the ruling NDA on national developmental issues and imperatives.

"To that extent, some dichotomy is inevitable in our stance," she emphasised.

Chief Ministers of ten party ruled States—Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Delhi, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram and Pondicherry attended the meeting besides AICC general secretaries. Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony could not attend the meeting because of pressing local problems, Reddy said.

Manmohan Singh said there was extensive discussion on five issues outlined by Gandhi in her opening remarks and there was a general emphasis that without good governance and fiscal (revenue) manoeuvrability it was not possible to accelerate economic development as well as implement schemes for weaker sections.

Manmohan Singh said the Chief Ministers emphasised the need for vigorous efforts to reduce the deficit within a reasonable time-frame of five years and cut in extra expenditure of the Governments.

Singh said it was suggested that lists of profit and loss making public sector enterprises in the party-ruled States be drawn up to decide which unit should be closed down and which one could be revived.

Keeping this in mind, there was a consensus on the Value Added Tax (VAT) but it was felt at the meeting that this required consensus among non-Congress ruled states, Singh said.

The Chief Ministers focussed on the need for power sector reforms in view of large-scale commercial losses and also outlined their perceptions about the management and modernization of the power units.

He said they also disscussed externally and centrally aided projects in rural, power, road and other infrastructural sectors.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh regretted the decision of the Centre to reduce import duty on edible oil and requested Gandhi to take up the matter with the NDA Government.

He said he had also requested Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to reconsider the Government’s decision on the issue as it was affecting farmers, particularly those growing soyabean in Madhya Pradesh.

Singh said there was a broader consesus among the Chief Ministers on reforms in power sectors and "we all agreed to implement schemes which have proved beneficial in other States".

Referring to decentralisation of power, he said Madhya Pradesh Government was trying to implement schemes suggested during Rajiv Gandhi’s time. Besides, he said the State Government was implementing its election manifesto and review his Government’s performence which has completed half of its tenure.

Singh said he has also suggested that forest conservation act be reviewed for the benefit of some States.

Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna spoke of transparency, accountability, reduction in non-plan expenditure besides "right sizing" the Government without affecting the functioning of the Government.

He said in Karnataka he had abolished 80 per cent of jobs forzen in the last 10 years and had decided to implement Madhya Pradesh’s district level Government to provide good governance in Karnataka.

Asked if Enron issue was raised at the meeting, Singh said the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilashrao Deshmuk did mentioned it but said that talks were on to sort it out.

However, he denied that Godbole Committee had recommended a judicial probe into the matter and said it was the state Government to deal with it. (PTI)

3 property dealers held
Another bid to capture Sidhra land thwarted

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 16: Police last night arrested three property dealers for instigating the migrants from Rajouri and Poonch districts to capture state land in Sidhra. Over 35 migrant families comprising 200 odd members including women and children were evicted from the forcibly occupied land by police parties.

Police sources said the migrant families putting up at Belicharana and Janipura were instigated by the property dealers from Rajouri, presently working here, to occupy Government land on the banks of Tawi river in Sidhra last night.

Migrant families—10 from Belicharana and 25 from Janipura—occupied the land and started raising their tents at about 2200 hours last night. Police got a tip off about the encroachment attempt. Police parties led by Additional SP Jammu Nissar Ahmed and Nagrota police station rushed to Sidhra and asked the migrant families to vacate the state land.

However, the families refused to retrieve. Police brought their own vehicles to Sidhra, forcibly lifted the people and sent them back to Belicharana and Janipura.

Police also arrested three property dealers from the spot. They have been identified as Tariq Mirza son of Abdul Rashid Mirza , Majhar Hussain Shah son of Ali Hussain Shah and Iftiyar Hussain Shah, all residents of Rajouri.

A case against the accused has been registered at Nagrota police station under Sections 447 A and 447 RPC and FIR No. 82/2001.

Police said all three accused were working as property dealers in Jammu. With an eye on the Government land, these property dealers instigated the people to capture the land but timely action by police foiled their nefarious designs.

Earlier also in March, Rajouri-Poonch migrants, putting up at Belicharana, had tried to encroach upon the Forest Department land in Sidhra by setting trees and bushes on fire. However, the fire spread killing four persons including two officials. Police had evicted the migrants from Forest land.

Shah favours people’s role in solving Kashmir problem

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, June 16: Reiterating his demand for holding elections in the State under the supervision of intellectuals of India and Pakistan, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah today made it clear that he was not for power but to bridge the gap between different sections of the society.

" We are ready to contest elections under the supervision of intellectuals but only to prove our representative character", Mr Shah said while addressing a meeting of the prominent citizens of Udhampur.

"For the last 15 days I have been touring in different regions of the Jammu and Ladakh to get aware of the problems of the people of these regions", he said and asserted that involvement of Jammu and Ladakh people was must for the lasting and viable solution of the Kashmir problem.

"Proposed dialogue between India and Pakistan is a good step but involvement of people of the State is essential for the lasting solution of Kashmir problem", he said.

"I have been trying my best to bring peace in this violence stricken State", he said and disclosed that he had met with about seventy five Members of Parliament (MPs) of different parties to develop a consensus.

Shifting all blames on the successive State Government for meting out step-motherly treatment with Jammu and Ladakh regions, Mr Shah said that ruling elites adopted ‘divide and rule police’ to govern the masses. "I do admit that discrimination has been meted out to Jammu and Ladakh region but successive State Governments are responsible for these discrimination", he said and declared that Jammu and Ladakh people would not be ignored by him while salvaging any solution of the problem.

Expressing his grave anguish over blood-shed and violence in the State, Mr Shah appealed all groups and people to intensify their efforts to bring peace and tranquillity in this violence plagued State. "It is duty of every resident of Jammu and Kashmir to contribute for the peace of the State", he said and exhorted the youth to come forward and shoulder their responsibilities.

JKDFP chief shifted blame on late Prime Minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and late Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah for the Kashmir problem. "It was all due to the wrong policies of the Sheikh Abdullah and Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru that we have been facing such a worst situation", he said.

Appreciating Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajapyee for inviting Pakistani military ruler, General Parvez Musharraf for holding discussion, Mr Shah hoped that the proposed dialogue between two heads of the neighbouring countries will be proved as a historical meeting. "Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajapyee has taken a bold and effective steps and it is duty of the every one to support Prime Minister’s efforts", he said and added that he has no doubt over the sincerity of Mr Atal Behari Vajapyee.

Mr Shah cautioned people against some elements, who according to him, are hell bent to sabotage on-going peace process. "I donot want to name these groups but people should have to remain vigilant of the nefarious designs of these elements", he said.

Later addressing a press conference, Mr Shah said that though this party has been advocating Azadi but they have not closed other options. "We have not closed other options. We will discuss other options also while reaching an agreement for the lasting solution of the problem", he said. Mr Shah assured the people of Jammu that their feeling and emotions would also be accommodated in solving the problem.

Replying to a question, Mr Shah said that he was not for power. "I have been touring different parts of the State to get aware of the wishes and emotions of the people", he said and added that his main aim was to provide healing touch to the woes of the masses.

3 militants killed in Kanachak; 3 escape

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 16: Security forces this morning foiled yet another infiltration attempt on the International Border in New Kanachak sector killing three militants. Three other militants escaped back to Pakistan.

Official sources said army and BSF jawans, who were maintaining a high sense of alert along the border, noticed movement of the militants in New Kanachak sector at 2230 hours last night and became alert. Troops lit up the area and saw six heavily armed militants sneaking into Indian territory taking advantage of darkness.

Without giving any chance to the militants, security personnel opened heavy firing on the infiltrators hitting three of them with bullets. Two of the militants were killed while another ultra was seriously injured.

Three other militants fled back to Pakistan alongwith the injured ultra. Bodies of the killed militants were lying right on the border and couldn’t be lifted by troops due to continued firing by Pakistan army. Latest reports indicated that the injured militant also succumbed to his wounds.

Sources said army officials of both sides had talks this morning on telephone set regarding lifting of the militants’ bodies. A flag meeting of two sides was expected to be held tomorrow on the issue.

According to sources, some arms and ammunition were also lying near the bodies of militants.

Last night’s intrusion bid indicated that Pakistan was trying to use Kanachak border maximum for pushing trained militants into Indian side. Last month, the militants had sneaked into this side in Kanachak and attacked police station with automatic weapons.

Retaliation by police guards had forced the militants to escape back to Pakistan. Prior to that a couple of infiltration attempts have been thwarted by army and police from Kanachak sector.

Alarmed over the situation, Additional SP Jammu Nissar Ahmed this afternoon convened a meeting of all border police station SHOs and police post Incharges at Akhnoor.

The SP directed all SHOs especially those posted in border areas of Kanachak, Domana, Khour, Akhnoor and Pallanwalla to maintain extra ordinary vigilance in view of stepped-up infiltration attempts from across the border.

Nissar Ahmed directed police officials to involve local people and Village Defence Committees (VDCs) and conduct night patrolling to check Pakistan’s designs.

‘How can we gauge an open mind’?
J&K integral part of India: Govt

NEW DELHI, June 16: India today made it clear that Jammu and Kashmir was its integral part, a day after Pakistani military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf sought to downplay the recent remarks of External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh on the issue.

"The External Affairs Minister was not giving his personal views or simply making a statement. He was reiterating institution of India," a spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry said in response to questions on Musharraf’s statement on Pakistan radio and television last night.

On Singh’s assertion that J and K belongs to India, Musharraf had regretted the remarks of the External Affairs Minister and hoped that he had not meant it.

"I think we cannot go ahead like this, I hope this was restricted to a statement only and he (Singh) did not mean that when we enter into a dialogue," Musharraf had said.

At his press conference on May 28, Singh had said "the whole of J and K is an integral component of India and that stand remains unaltered. The question of referendum does not simply arise."

The External Affairs Minister had also referred to a 1994 resolution of Parliament declaring that J and K is a part of India.

On Musharraf’s statement that he would be going with an "open mind" to India for the summit with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the spokesperson said "how can we gauge how open a mind is until it is opened".

Asked about the possible dates for the summit, which highly placed sources had indicated earlier this week that it could be held sometime in mid-July, the spokesperson said that the issue "is under very active consideration".

Official sources maintained that the dates would be possibly announced after Vajpayee’s return to Delhi next week from Mumbai, where he is recuperating in Breach Candy hospital after his right knee replacement surgery.

Singh, who is scheduled to begin an eight-day tour of Australia and New Zealand from June 19, met Vajpayee at the hospital yesterday. Reports here said that the proposed summit was also discussed.

The spokesperson said that no decision had yet been taken on the venue of the summit.

She referred to Singh’s comments on May 28 that these talks were being approached by India with "a sense of realism" and that "it is a long road to walk together".

Singh had said Vajpayee’s invitation to Musharraf had been "explicit" and spoken about picking up threads from the 1999 Lahore declaration as also the 1972 Simla agreement.

Gen Musharraf, during his two-hour-long interactive programme, had said that the Indian suggestion of an eight-point composite dialogue was acceptable to him only if it included Kashmir.

"My agenda is very clear. Kashmir is the agenda. We must talk of Kashmir. If India wanted to talk something else it is all right. If they use eight points and do not want to discuss Kashmir, it is unacceptable", he said.

The eight points Musharraf referred to were agreed by Foreign Secretaries of the two countries in 1998 envisaging a composite dialogue on peace and security including confidence building measures, J and K, Siachin, Sir Creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, economic and commercial cooperation and promotion of friendly exchanges in various fields.

Responding to a question on how his visit could achieve a breakthrough on Kashmir, Musharraf said the letter from the Indian Prime Minister inviting him for talks had mentioned Kashmir.

"I am going there with cautious optimism. I understand historically the talks held in the past did not make any progress. This is unfortunate", he said, adding that the chances of moving forward have never been "brighter than are now, at this moment". (PTI)

PM to be discharged on June 19

MUMBAI, June 16: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, recovering after right knee joint replacement surgery, will be discharged on June 19, official sources said today.

The Prime Minister would be discharged from the Breach Candy hospital on Tuesday afternoon and would immediately leave for New Delhi, they said.

US based orthopaedic surgeon Dr Chittaranjan Ranawat had performed the surgery on Vajpayee on June 7. He had done similar operation on the Prime Minister’s left knee in October last year.

Ranawat, who has since left for New York, had expressed satisfaction over Vajpayee’s recovery.

Vajpayee has been responding well to physiotherapy sessions undertaken with assistance from a team of doctors led by city-based Dr Nandu Laud.

A cheerful Prime Minister has been taking walks on the 7th floor of the hospital which is fully reserved for him, sources said. He has also kept himself posted with world development and cleared some official files from his hospital bed.

A one-kilometer-long cloth banner will be hoisted by BJP workers tomorrow along the street from the hospital to the famous Haji Ali Dargah, with good wishes for Vajpayee scribbled on it by citizens, according to party MLA Mangal Lodha.

The visitors to the Prime Minister today included Union Minister Maneka Gandhi. (PTI)

VP for all party meet on Kashmir

NEW DELHI, June 16: Former Prime Minister V P Singh today asked the Vajpayee Government to seek a consensus among all parties on the Kashmir issue before holding talks with Pakistan’s military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

"It is a welcome step to invite him (Musharraf) and is a good beginning. But it is not that this problem, which has been lying unresolved for so long, will be solved in a single round of talks," Singh told reporters here.

He suggested that the Government convene an all-party meeting, discuss the issues concerned and seek a consensus before holding parlays with Pakistan’s Chief Executive. (PTI)

Hurriyat leaders released

SRINAGAR, June 16: Six top Hurriyat leaders including its chairman Prof Abdul Gani Bhat and his predecessor Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who were placed under house arrest, have been released.

"Security forces deployed at the residence of all the six leaders were withdrawn around 1900 hrs yesterday," Hurriyat sources told UNI.

Prof Bhat and Mr Geelani along with Qazi Ahadullah, Ghulam Nabi Sumji, Bashir Ahmad Dar, Altaf Masoodi and Abdul Rasheed Untoo were put under house arrest yesterday after authorities apprehended violence in view of Mr Geelani’s call to protest against alleged atrocities by security forces in the Valley.

Javid Ahmad Mir of the JKLF, Awami Action Committee’s Shahidul Islam and human rights activist Mohammad Ahsan Untoo were detained as a precautionary measure.

They were also released at 1830 hrs late last evening, the sources added.

On Thursday, Mr Geelani was detained for some hours by police on his way to Shangus in Anantnag district, where six Lashkar-e-Toiba militants holed up in a mosque, were killed by the security forces after a 36-hour long siege by the security forces on Tuesday. (UNI)

BJP not to use Ram Temple as poll issue

SAHARANPUR (UP), June 16: Uttar Pradesh BJP today ruled out using Ram Temple as a poll plank in the upcoming State Assembly election saying this was not on NDA’s agenda.

"Ram Mandir is not on NDA’s agenda," senior BJP leader and HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi told PTI when asked whether the temple issue would be one of the poll planks of the party for the UP election. (PTI)

‘Need for a suitable legislation to ensure right to information’

PUNE, June 16 : Press Council of India (PCI) Chairman Justice P B Sawant today stressed the need for a suitable legislation to ensure right to information for the people.

"The right to information is already there since the freedom of speech and expression construes the right to receive full and truthful information," Justice Sawant said while delivering the inaugural address at a two-day seminar on "media accountability" organised jointly by the University of Pune Department of Communication and Journalism and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung of New Delhi here.

Although the right to information was already construed, a legislation was necessary to determine the type of infrastructure needed to facilitate the people in securing the right, he added.

The legislation could, thus, spell out the modalities like whom and how to approach to secure the right to information, Justice Sawant said.

The legislation could be enforced through an Ordinary Act and not necessarily through a constitutional amendment, he added.

Justice Sawant sought to debunk the argument that a free market was necessary for a free flow of information — a safeguard for democracy. A free market could come in the way of free flow of information by dictating certain information in view of market considerations, he added.

He said the media had emerged as a first estate, rather than a fourth estate, owing to its potential to criticise and comment upon any subject including the judiciary. All other institutions, unlike the media, can dwell upon only on the subject before them, he added. In a democracy, the power rests with the people. But it had now shifted to the media, and, more appropriately, to the people who control the media, Justice Sawant said.

The PCI Chairman asked if the media, which by and large was controlled by the private sector, could beallowed to run as a business.

However, to sustain itself, every profession needs to generate some surplus. But if profit becomes the sole motive, then social service, which was the very raison d’etre of the media, would take a backseat, he said. (UNI)

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