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Shutdown in Valley over ‘assault’
3 Lashkar militants, NC worker killed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Mar 20: Even as Kashmir valley today observed a near-total shutdown on Hizbul Mujahideen’s call over the alleged Police assault on the senior pro-Pakistan leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, security forces eliminated three Pakistani militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba in a clean operation at Behrampora village of Sopore.

Official sources in north Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that troops of Rashtriya Rifles 22nd and 28 battalions had laid an ambush at Malgunipora, Behrampora, in Sopore area early this morning after receiving information that a group of militants could pass through that locality. As soon as the men in ambush spotted the militants in movement, they opened fire and killed three of them in a brief encounter. Documents recovered from their possession suggested that all the three were Pakistani cadres of Lashkar-e-Toiba. They were identified as Abu Junaid, Abu Hanzla and Abu Dujana Shahbaz.

Three AK-56 rifles, one under barrel grenade launcher and eight grenades were recovered from the site of operation. Reports said that the operation was clean as neither the security forces nor any civilians suffered damage.

Over one thousand local people gathered on the spot and took custody of the dead bodies while shouting pro-Azadi slogans. Later, they performed the funeral with Islamic rites. The incident occurred in close vicinity of the Jamaat-e-Islami dominated hometown of the separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Reports from Kupwara said that militants attacked a patrol of security forces at Chingmulla village of Rajwar belt in Handwara. Officials said that a boy, namely Ghulam Ahmed Malik S/o Kamal Malik R/o Yangarhar sustained injuries in the exchange of fire.

Reports from Baramulla said that unidentified militants gunned down a ruling National Conference worker Mushtaq Ahmed Pir at Hatmullah in frontier district of Kupwara this evening.

Meanwhile, valley of Kashmir today observed a near-total shutdown over the Hizbul Mujahideen’s call in protest against the alleged Police assault on senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. It was after a long time that Hizbul Mujahideen called for a shutdown and first time that Lashkar-e-Toiba — which says that it does not believed in bandhs and hartals — supported the strike. Hizb’s call for shutdown came a day after it threated to strike with reprisals on the Police personnel, who, according to it, had been identified as Geelani’s assaulters.

As already reported, septuagenarian Jamaat-e-Islami leader Geelani had been taken into custody by Police on Friday last after he led a rally in protest against the desecration of holy Quran allegedly by VHP activists at New Delhi last fortnight. On that Friday too, Valley observed a total shutdown, on Geelani’s call, against the alleged provocative act. When on Saturday, Geelani was set free he clashed with Police while demanding release of all of his fellow detainees. On this occasion, he collapsed and has been discharged from Soura Medical Institute today only. Geelani’s supporters and Kashmir Police have been holding each other responsible for the Hyderpora clash.

Pakistan’s military regime, Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Al-Badr Mujahideen, Jamaat-e-Islami, World Islamic Students League and Hurriyat Conference condemned the incident and described it as an attempt of Police to eliminate the senior political leader. Initially, Hizbul Mujahideen — which had officially distanced itself from its political thinktank Jamaat-e-Islami — came out with a threat to revenge ‘assault’ on Geelani. It claimed that those responsible for ‘assault’ had been got identified. However, within a day it registered more solidarity with Geelani as it called for a shutdown in Valley which was observed today.

Reports said that shops, business establishments, banks, educational institutions and even a number of Government offices remained closed while as traffic was off the road. Only skeleton passenger services operated at some places. At Bohri Kadal and Maisuma localities of the capital city, protesters and Police entered into clashes. There was stone-pelting and baton charge. However, nobody was reported as injured.

IT made compulsory in Secondary Schools: Shafi

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 20: The Jammu and Kashmir Government have decided to make Computer education compulsory in Higher Secondary Schools in the State from the next academic session.

Announcing this in the Legislative Assembly, the State Education Minister, Mr Mohammad Shafi said that a comprehensive Rs. 18 crore Project has been formulated by the Government and sent to Centre. The Union Ministries of Human Resources Development and Home Affairs have assured full cooperation to its implementation. This will pave way for Jammu and Kashmir to enter into the Information Technology era in a big way opening vast opportunities of employment and placements within and outside the State.

The Minister was replying to the discussion on the demands of grants for the Departments of Education and Social Welfare in the second sitting this evening.

Describing it as a revolutionary step in the field of education, Mr Shafi said that the fast emerging importance of Information Technology at global level in the field of economic and industrial development can not be overlooked. The State Government, he said, has decided to embark upon an ambitious programme to introduce Information Technology at the secondary education level. The State is likely to get major foreign exchange from Information Technology sector in next 7 years, he added. He, however, made a fervent appeal to the legislators to contribute generously out of the CDF towards achieving this gigantic ambitious task, requesting them to allot atleast Rs. 10 lakh each for IT in Higher Secondary Schools in their respective constituencies.

In the technical education, Rs. 65 crore World Bank assisted project has been launched for upgrading the technical education in the Government polytechnics. An investment of Rs.10 crore is envisaged by the end of next fiscal year under the project. This, he said, would help in bringing qualitative improvement in existing infrastructural facilities. The project also envisages introduction of new-marketed disciplines which would help increase the intake of the Polytechnics from 550 to 900 students, the Minister added.

Mr Shafi said that every effort is being made to provide every school with the basic amenities in next two years. There will be no Primary, Middle or High School having not minimum basic requirements. He said a Rs.200 crore comprehensive plan has been formulated to provide accommodation to the Government Schools, adding that there are still 2500 Primary Schools which do not have their own buildings and are functioning in rented buildings. In the next 2 years, there will be no Primary School without its accommodation comprising atleast 3-rooms with the facilities of toilet block and drinking water.

He said additional 7,000 class rooms would be added to the Middle, High and Higher Secondary Schools and there will be no Middle School having not atleast 6 teachers in a span of one year. He said these efforts are important for bringing in improvement in the education system adding that there could not be economic and social prosperity without efficient and standard education set up.

The Minister also announced that the Government has also reviewed its policy of consolidation in Higher Secondary sector and a mechanism is being devised to ensure that each constituency has equal opportunity of educational facilities leaving no room for educational disparity. However, the priorities for upgrading Middle Schools to High and Higher Secondary Schools to Higher Secondary standard would be fixed in the District Development Boards where suggestions and recommendations of the legislators would be given due weightage.

Mr Shafi revealed that the Government have set up parent’s committees with schools in rural areas which will oversee the functioning of these institutions and ensure proper teaching and punctuality of the staff. In this way, the government have tried to involve people in the education system.

Referring to the issue of re-employment of terminated class IV employees of the Education Department, Mr Shafi said he would not like to announce any thing which can constitute violation of High Court order and that can entail contempt of court. He said the issue would be examined by the Government and whatever possible and within the law would be done. He said the case would have to be examined by the Law Department and subsequently by the State Cabinet to which the formal memorandum will be submitted.

Enumerating the achievements made by the Government during the last one-year, Mr Shafi said that significant improvement has been registered in the militancy ravaged education system. He said that his ministry has fulfilled its commitment made on the floor of the House to re-open 543 closed schools by introducing the novel Rehbar-i-Taleem scheme, which has benefited additional 60,000 students who were hitherto deprived of teaching facilities. He said despite heavy odds and meagre financial resources for education sector, the literacy rate in the State has increased from 32.68 per cent in 1981 to 59 per cent in 1996-97. It is likely to touch 70 per cent this year which will be known when the latest census figures are published. He said the dropout rate at the primary level has been brought down from 34.08 per cent in 1996-97 to 22.39 per cent in 1998-99 which is even less than the national level figure. The enrolment ratio in the State has increased from 67.60 per cent in 1996-97 to 79.95 per cent in 1998-99. The enrolment in primary schools has increased to 15.55 lakh students from 14.2 lakh students during last one year, he said, adding, that the enrolment in colleges and technical institutions has increased to 50,000 from 46,000 during the same period. Likewise, examination results have also improved to 25-30 per cent from 15- 20 per cent before three years due to corrective measures taken by the Government to restructure the shattered education system due to turmoil.

The Minister said that the Government have fulfilled its commitment towards rationalization of staff in the schools and colleges adding that all the 32 Degree Colleges, most of which were without confirmed and regular principals, are with full-fledged principals today. As many as 258 Lecturers have been appointed in Science and other streams through PSC. He said the amount raised by increasing the tuition fees in colleges has accumulated to Rs 10.81 crore and it is being spent for upgradation of the infrastructural facilities including laboratories in the colleges.

Mr Shafi proudly announced that the State Government has been able to provide UGC pay scales to the University and Colleges Teachers through University grants commission.

The cut motions moved by Mr Som Nath, Mr Ashok Khajuria, Mr Harshdev Singh and Mr. Prithvi Chand were rejected by the House while Mr M Y Tarigami withdrew his cut motion.

Later, the House passed the grants amounting to Rs 10,17,73,97,30 for the departments of Education and Social Welfare for 2001-2002.

Earlier, those who took part in the discussion on demand of grants include Mr Lal Singh, Mr Kafil-ul-Rehman, Mr M A Bhukhari, Mr Jagdish Raj Dubey, Mr Abdul Majid Mir, Mr Ashok Khajuria, Mujahid Mohammad Abdullah, Mr Harshdev Singh, Mr Khalid Najib Suharawardhy, Mrs Zubedia Salaria, Mr Sagar Chand, Qazi Jalal-ud-Din, Ch Piara Singh, Mr Abdul Wahid Shan, Mr M Y Tarigami and Mr R C Bhagat