NC is on its way out: Gupta

Excelsior Correspondent

DODA, Oct 4: The Union Minister of State for Defence and senior BJP leader Prof Chaman Lal Gupta today said that the ruling National Conference was on its way out as people are determined to punish it for its failure to tackle militancy and mitigate their sufferings.

Addressing election meetings at Ramban, Doda, Bhaderwah and Thathri, Prof Gupta accused State Government of being involved in misutilization of central funds and said that Centre made available Rs 2000 crore to the State as security related expenditure but this amount was criminally diverted for purchasing luxury items.

Prof Gupta dismissed as wishful thinking the claim of NC and Congress that they would get a majority in the election and form a Government. He said the leaders of these parties were building castles in the air and deliberately indulging in a flight of fancy to keep their flock together. He said the people are determined to pass on the initiative for formation of a Government to those who can ensure justices for all the three regions of the State.

Referring to rise of militancy in Doda district, Prof Gupta strongly pleaded for raising a new battalions to be called as Doda scouts and said that creation of Doda Scouts on the pattern of Ladakh Scouts will play important role to bring an end to terrorism.

The BJP leader said that the entire Doda region is in the grip of dry spell, resulting into widespread loss to standing crops but State Government had not asked for a central team for assessment of loss and payment of relief to the farmers. This shows how much NC and Congress are concerned about this area, he added.

He said that Doda region has tremendous potential for development of tourism, but unfortunately no attention was paid towards this area because of Government’s indifferent attitude. He added that vast majority of people in Doda district is below poverty line and tapping of its natural resources would bring a new change in the economic standard of the people.

DySP Jagtar Singh cremated with full state honour

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 4: Amidst cries and sobs of family members, relatives and friends and sombre expression on the faces of every police personnel, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Jagtar Pal Singh was cremated with full state honour at Channi Himmat Cremation Ground today.

His funeral started from his residence at Bathindi which was attended by people from all walks of life including a number of senior police officers. His departure from this world was an emotional affair for all those present in his last journey from residence to cremation ground.

All those present in his cremation were talking of his bravery for which he was recognized and will be recognised whenever there will be talk on bravery of police personnel.

Prominent civil and police officers who placed wreaths on the body of DySP were Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Anil Goswami, Director General of Police Mr A K Suri, IG Jammu P L Gupta, DC Jammu Rohit Kansal, SSP Jammu Farooq Khan, Additional SP Manohar Singh, SSP Kathua Amjad Parvez Mirza, SSP PCR Subash Raina and retired DG M M Khajooria.

MoS Defence Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, Congress leader Raman Bhalla, Minister for Sports and Employment Harbans Singh and Vishav Hindu Parishad’s state president Dr Rama Kant Dubey, former Principal of Government Medical College Dr Sheetal Singh and other prominent citizens also paid tributes to the martyr Jagtar Pal Singh.

The DySP was given last salute with the sounds of buggle and firing in the air for his supreme sacrifice.

The scene which made each and everyone present to bid adieu to martyr DySP emotional was litting of Jagtar’s funeral pyre by his minor son Latinder Singh. When the police personnel one by one placed wreaths on the body of DySP, Latinder was looking at them with glued eyes amidst sobbing of his mother and sister Gurpreet. But when he was asked to lit funeral pyre of his father, he virtually broke down.

It is out of the imagination of everyone that from which state of mind both the children of martyr DySP were passing through but one thing which will brim their chest with pride was that their father had lost his life for the sake of motherland.

According to friends of DySP, he was a very brave police officer and for him service for the motherland was his utmost and main duty. It was only due to his love for motherland that family members had to visit him where-ever he was posted.

His father DySP Sheetal Singh was the person whose bravery and love for motherland always encouraged Jagtar Pal Singh, who not only lived like his father but also died like his father—while fighting with terrorists.

Such was the height of bravery in DySP Jagtar Pal Singh that he voluntarily came forward to serve in Special Operation Group (SOG) in Srinagar and under the leadership of senior police officers like Dr S P Vaid, Farooq Khan, Manohar Singh and Manmohan Singh he eliminated a number of hard-core terrorists in Kashmir.

His bravery was rewarded by the Police Department by promoting him to the rank of DySP which boosted his morale and he in a big way started eliminating terrorists. Considering him as a threat, the terrorists started making attempts on his life and Department decided to transfer him to Jammu for a brief period. DySP Jagtar Pal Singh always used to tell his friends that death is eminent one should work as long as one can for motherland. And today his friends feel proud of having spent so many years with such a brave and true soldier of motherland. He was also honoured for his devotion and bravery a number of times.

Azad will give due attention to Doda : Dogra

Excelsior Correspondent

BHADERWAH, Oct 4: Senior Congress leader and Minister for Health in Punjab Mr R C Dogra has said that the PCC chief,Ghulam Nabi Azad will give due attention to his home district Doda if the Congress comes to power.

Addressing a massive rally at Seri Bazar in Bhaderwah today, the Punjab Minister said that the time has come to end the Abdullah dynasty rule and capture the power by Congress. He pointed out that the district has remained neglected and especially no attention was given to Bhaderwah constituency earlier represented by BSP leader Sheikh Abdul Rehman.

He assured the people that if Congress comes to power in the state, Mr Azad will give top priority to his home constituency and district Doda in particular. Mr Dogra pointed out that both Punjab and J&K have suffered a lot due to militancy. The people have thrown out the corrupt Akali Government in Punjab and it is going to happen in J&K now. Congress is the only party which can rule effectively and book the big fishes involved in corrupt practices.

Abdul Ghani Vakil from Kashmir and Naresh Gupta—PCC leaders also addressed the rally and appealed the people to support Congress candidate Mohd Sharief Niaz. They alleged that both BJP and NC are befooling the public and they are hand in glove with each other.

Mr Niaz assured the people of Bhaderwah to work with dedication to mitigate their sufferings and ensure better development in the area.

Agitating Polytechnic students gherao TEB Deputy Registrar

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 4: Aggrieved students of different Polytechnics in Jammu, today gheroed the Deputy Registrar of J&K Technical Education Board and kept him indoor in his office chamber for about 4 hours.

The agitating students raised slogans against the Technical Education Board and reiterated their demands before the Deputy Registrar Mr Jatinder Kesar.

It may be recalled that students of all five Polytechnics in Jammu are agitating against the alleged irregularities in the examination result of Ist, IInd and IIIrd years and poor pass per centage. They are demanding promotion of all students to the next class, re-evaluation of their answer sheets by Jammu teachers and introduction of carry-on system.

Today, a number of aggrieved students from different Polytechnics assembled near the Technical Education Board office around 10 am and held demonstration. Raising slogans in favour of their demands, they forced their entry into office chamber of the Board Deputy Director Mr Jatinder Kesar and gheroed him.

The agitators kept the Deputy Registrar confined indoor for about four hours till he assured the students of arranging their meeting with the Technical Board Director after latter’s arrival here from Srinagar on October 8.

Before dispersing from the office chamber and letting the Deputy Registrar free, the protesting students warned to intensify their ongoing protest if their demands were not conceded soon. Some ABVP and student leaders also addressed the protesters.

DGP denies criticising EC

Excelsior Correspondent

Jammu Oct 4: Director General of Police A K Suri today denied he had ever criticised the Election Commission for its direction to send Special Operations Groups of the state police to police lines during the third phase of polling.

Reacting to media reports in this connection, he regretted that criticism had been wrongly attributed to him. He had never criticised the Election Commission for any directive issued by it to the state police.

All directions, including that to confine SOGs to police lines, were implemented in letter and spirit and there was no question of criticising or even contesting these, he said.

Suri said that at the tributes ceremony for 5 martyred BSF men at Humama he had told media persons that the commission had to take a decision to send SOGs to barracks following unnecessary controversy raised on the role of this group.

He said police had lost 26 personnel during the elections which was a great loss. SOGs and local police had been instrumental in curbing militancy and had made several sacrifices. Its role in successfully meeting the attack on Bemina police housing colony and later in the Gogji Bagh encounter had frustrated bigger plans of the terrorists on the eve of the elections.

Criticism of the SOGs by some groups was not only unfortunate but also spoke of lack of correct appreciation of the role and contribution made by the brave and courageous group specially set up for anti-militancy operations.

SKIMS faculty alleges irregularities in selection list

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 4: Faculty staff of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) has alleged gross irregularities and brazen discrimination in recent selection list stating that the list is "full of discrepancies, favouritsm and nepotism".

A delegation of SKIMS doctors told EXCELSIOR that the recommendations of 28th Apical Selection Committee (APC) of the SKIMS were plagued with gross discrimination and violation of rules. Referring to the selection list, the delegation said that atleast nine selections were made on the basis of "nepotism and favouratism".

"The candidate, Dr Altaf Hussain Shera, bearing Serial No 3 in the selection list lacks three years of teaching experience, as per the criteria laid by SKIMS and AIIMS, New Delhi. He was even terminated from the services in 1987, after serving the Institute on adhoc basis for one year," they said.

"Likewise, the candidate Dr Ali Mohammad Buhroo (S No 4) has been selected twice in the session 2001-2002, as Associate Professor in 2001 and Additional Professor in 2002. The candidate on S No 5, namely Dr Ghulam Nabi Sofi does not have any research experience to his credit but still stands selected. The candidate on S No 6, Dr Abdul Rashid Lone does not possess the requisite qualification of DM in the concerned specialty," the delegated added.

They said that the appointees at S No 1, 2 and 3 of Government order No 692, namely Dr Arshad Iqbal Wani, Dr Iftikhar Mir and Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Khan were inducted in super-specialty departments "even as they do not possess requisite qualification of DM".

"One, Dr Reyaz Rasool figuring at S No 10, who enjoys a political clout, was selected on conditional basis even as he lacks requisite qualification," they revealed.

While expressing disillusionment with the prevailing system at the hospital, the delegation asserted that genuine and deserving candidates were dropped from the list. "This is not happening first time. It was DAILY EXCELSIOR last year, which unraveled the violations of rules in the selection list," said a doctor in the delegation.

The delegation while referring to the selection of Dr Irshad Ahmed Sirwal (S No 8 in the selection list) said that inspite of having 12 years of post DM experience, he was considered for Assistant Professor only, which is too low a post for him given to his specialisation and research work.

"In yet another brazen violation, one Dr G N Lone, who applied for the post of Associate Professor in the department of CVTS was out rightly ignored. He was declared the only eligible candidate by the screening committee besides having surplus experience and 15 research publications to his credit," they said. Added they: "Where such favouritsm and preplanned maneuvers are carried, nothing remains to say."

They observed that the main cause of brain drain and poor performance of the faculty members had its origin in practices like this. "We have been all along seeing how senior doctors were victimised in different ways and had finally to say good-bye to the otherwise prestigious Institute," remarked a doctor.

The delegation informed that inspite of repeated representations to the higher authorities including the Chief Minister, Minister of Health, Chief Secretary and Commissioner Secretary Health, nothing substantial and tangible headway is there into the "irregularities". They have again appealed to these authorities to consider the cases on merit and investigate into the matter.

Campaigning dull in ‘militants hub’

BATOTE, Oct 4: Doda, a sprawling hilly district where the dreaded Hizbul Mujahideen took birth and thrives with the other hydra-headed militant outfits, goes to the polls next week at a time when ultras have upped the ante with increasing attacks on civilians and security forces.

Home to the State chiefs of three political parties—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)—the tightest ever security arrangements are being planned for the last round Assembly elections, which is being held only in this district.

Long convoys of security vehicles can be seen on the Jammu-Srinagar highway and the Batote-Kisthwar road. Batote and other towns are awash with party flags, posters and buntings, but campaigning is subdued.

Only a few campaign vehicles can be spotted on city roads. Rural areas are mostly untouched by electioneering.

Dr G M Khan, the district general secretary of the Panther’s Party displays a warning letter he had received from the Tehrik-e-Jihad outfit. "There is only death for those who stand against us," says a one page note in Urdu.

Dr Khan says even election posters are missing in the most sensitive Nowgham sector of Banihal Assembly segment.

More than a dozen Sarpanches have resigned their seats last month after militants threatened them against participating in the polls.

"Beware danger ahead. Militant have begins" warns a hoarding near Kudh as one approaches Doda district on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.

Bhadarwah is the most high-profile of the six constituencies in the district going to the polls on October eight.

BJP State unit president Daya Krishan Kotwal, BSP State unit chief Sheikh Abdul Rehman, PCC chief Ghulam Nabi Azad’s cousin Mohammad Sharief Niaz and former State Advocate General Mohammad Aslam Goni of the ruling National Conferenc (NC) are locked in a contest with nine others here, made famous once by a Bollywood team that shot a Hindi film called "Noorie".

Sheikh Abdul Rehman of the BSP had defeated Mr Kotwal by a margin of 4,355 votes in the 1996 elections.

Congress candidate Mohammad Sharief Niaz, who hails from the rural Gandoh-Balessa belt of Bhaderwah, was first elected to the Assembly from the neighbouring Inderwal constituency in 1987. A former State Law Minister, the teacher-turned-politician is widely respected as a secular leader and had helped the Congress win a majority of seats in the Gandoh-Balessa area in the recent panchayat elections.

Mohammad Aslam Goni, who had joined the NC recently, has jumped into the electoral fray for the first time. As many as 91,180 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 107 polling stations —52 sensitive and 55 hyper sensitive — in Badherwa to decide the fate of 13 candidates in the fray.

State Home Minister Khalid Najeeb Soharawardhy, whose father Maulana Atta-Ullah Soharawardhy had won the Doda seat in 1996, is locked in a straight contest this time with Ghulam Qadir Wani of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who had polled 26 per cent of the votes in 1996.

Mr Khalid Najeeb Soharawardhy had won the Doda by election after his father died of illness in January 1997. Fifty-five of the 92 polling stations in the constituency are hyper sensitive. A total of 70,278 voters are eligible to cast ballots their here.

In Kishtwar, the BJP had polled 10,900 votes in the 1996 elections, but has not fielded any candidate this time. NC’s Bashir Ahmed Kichloo, a veteran leader and former State Minister, had won the seat by securing 50.61 per cent votes.

The NC has fielded Mr Sajad Hussain, son of Mr Kichloo, who died of cancer a few months ago. The Congress — which has won this seat thrice in the past as opposed to five times by the NC — has fielded Mr Ghulam Haider Sheikh. In all, nine candidates are contesting the seat. In Inderwal constituency, Mr Ghulam Mohammad Suroori, who was alleged to have distributed his election symbol "umbrella" to voters in the last elections, is contesting on the Congress ticket this time and is therefore promoting "the hand", the party symbol.

Fighting as an independent, Mr Suroori had polled 10,002 votes as against 11,097 votes by the NC’s Jalal-ud-Din Qazi in the 1996 elections. The BJP, which had polled 6,351 votes last time, has fielded Mr Salam Din of the Gujjar community.

Eighty-six polling stations have been set up for the 66,853 voters in Inderwal constituency. Forty-four of these stations are hyper sensitive while the rest have been categorised as sensitive.

For the reserved seat of Ramban, the NC is trying out Chaman Lal in place of Suram Chand who had lost the last elections by 2,236 votes to BJP’s Bali Bhagat, who is in the fray once again.

Mr Kaka Ram of the BSP and Hukum Chand of the PDP also are contesting. Ramban has only six candidates, the lowest number in the district.

The Congress has represented this seat four times and the NC thrice in the past, but the contest this time appears to be once again between the NC and the BJP.

Sixty-two of the 86 polling stations being set up for the 72,928 voters in the constituency are sensitive. The rest are hyper sensitive. Sitting MLA Mohammad Farooq Mir — who had won the neighbouring Banihal seat by a margin of 3,147 votes as an independent in the 1996 elections — is contesting on the NC ticket this time.

Former Pradesh Congress chief Mohammad Ayub Khan is being considered his main rival, but rebel Congressman Gazafar Ali, who is contesting as an independent, is likely to cut into his votes.

The BSP, which polled just 1.68 per cent of the votes last time, has fielded Mohammad Yousuf, while Mr Bahar Ahmad is fighting on the PDP ticket.

Eighteen of the 70 polling booths to be set up for the 59,118 voters in this constituency are hyper sensitive.

In all 56 candidates of different parties are contesting from the six constituencies of the district. All the 534 polling stations here have been declared either sensitive or hyper sensitive.

Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, his son and NC president Omar Abdullah, PCC chief Azad, Union Minister of State for Defence and BJP leader Chamanlal Gupta and Panther’s Party chief Bhim Singh are leading the election campaign of their party candidates in the last phase elections.

Forty-six of the polling stations in the district, the largest in the State, are so remote that polling staff and material would have to be airlifted.

The district has been divided into 28 zones for security purpose. Additional force is being rushed in to ensure peaceful polling in the district, considered the hub of the HM, the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Hizb-e-Islami militant outfits. (UNI)