India
won’t succumb to any pressure Excelsior Correspondent HIRANAGAR, Dec 7: Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee today declared that there will be no compromise on Kashmir and said the areas of Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan and handedover to China were also integral part of India. Addressing a massive public meeting in the sprawling lawns of Sports Stadium here this afternoon, Mr Vajpayee said there will be no compromise on Kashmir as well as unity and integrity of the country and "India won’t succumb to pressures from any quarters on this". In his brief speech lasting just 13 minutes, the Prime Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. "Not only this J&K but Kashmir which is being occupied illegally by Pakistan and the areas which Pakistan has handed over to China are also integral part of India", he declared amidst applause from the strong crowd which waited for more than four hours to listen to Mr Vajpayee on his maiden visit to Jammu as Prime Minister. The Prime Minister said India was keen to settle all outstanding issues with Pakistan bilaterally but would not succumb to any pressure as far as its territorial integrity and sovereignty was concerned. Asserting that Kashmir is ‘Raj Mukat of Bharat Mata’ (crown of India), Mr Vajpayee observed :"it wasn’t a small thing which can be gifted to anyone. We will defend even an inch of our land". Referring to the demand of self-determination in Kashmir by some pro-Pakistan groups, the Prime Minister asked :"did they (the Pakistan) ask us before handing over some of the areas of PoK to China". Asserting that tables have been turned against Pakistan, he said "today, Jammu and Kashmir was marching towards normalcy. People have been fed up with violence and gun culture and want peace to be restored". "While people of J&K want to lead a normal life getting job opportunities and development of industrial sector, the neighbour continued to send weapons and hired mercenaries to carry on the proxy war", Mr Vajpayee said without naming Pakistan. "Having miserably failed in proxy war in Kashmir, the neighbour has now opened second front in Jammu and on the International Border", he pointed out. Referring to recent heavy firing by Pakistan on the borders especially in Hiranagar, he said many people were forced to leave their house while a number of cattle were killed in Pakistan firing. But, he warned, Pakistan will never succeed to annex even an inch of Indian land by such firing incidents. Saying that Pakistan wants to internationalize the Kashmir issue, the Prime Minister asserted that it has suffered a major setback as all major world powers have rejected its plea for third party mediation on the issue. "There was total unanimity at the world fora that India and Pakistan should settle their all pending issues amicable and bilaterally", he said and added that "India was ready for dialogue with Pakistan. Mr Vajpayee said :" we follow the path of peace but won’t allow any country to disturb our peace. We know how to defend our territory". The Prime Minister said a wrong impression has been created by some quarters that Muslims don’t want to live in India. "This is absolutely false propaganda", he said, adding "thousands of Muslims gathered in Muslim-dominated Kargil area during his visit yesterday despite it being a Sunday and December 6 and a call for hartal given by some organisations. Muslims were shouting pro-India slogans alongwith Dr Farooq Abdullah". Mr Vajpayee said he visited forward area of Tangdhar in Kashmir valley today despite being told that there was great security risk for him in that area. "If people are living in Tangdhar amidst heavy Pakistan firing and jawans are bravely defending the area despite all odds there was no reason not to visit that area", he told the gathering. Governor Mr Girish Chander Saxena, Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, BJP MP from Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, Minister for Sheep Husbandry Mr Surjit Singh Slathia and MLA from Hiranagar Mr Prem Lal were present at the dais. Addressing meeting, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta listed local problems of the people which include compensation for the farmers whose land has been taken for construction of defence ditch, degree college for Hiranagar, construction of bridge at Basohli and upgradation of Jammu-Pathankot National Highway to four lane. Presenting a ‘pashmina shawl’ to Prime Minister on behalf of the people of Basohli, Prof Gupta hoped that this ‘shawl’ will remind him of the problems faced by the people of Basohli due to non-construction of bridge. He said Basohli-Kathua distance of 28 km will be increased to 90 km when Ranjit Sagar dam is made fully functional if the bridge was not constructed. Prof Gupta regretted that on the entire border belt of Hiranagar and other areas people were forced to watch Pakistan Television as Delhi Doordarshan channels weren’t visible here. He demanded that battalions of police and para-military be raised from amongst the youths of border areas. He also demanded creation of more tourism potential in Jammu. MLA Hiranagar Mr Prem Lal submitted a charter of demands to the Prime Minister for consideration immediately. The Prime Minister assured Mr Prem Lal of sympathetic consideration of the demands. A large number of people hailing from forward areas of Hiranagar had come to the public meeting hoping some kind of package from the Prime Minister in view of Pakistan firing. People from Basohli had also turned to the public venue in large number anticipating some sort of announcement regarding construction of the bridge. However, the Prime Minister made no announcement but said he had listened their all demands and would consider them. |
||
Third Front has lost identity, says Paswan MUMBAI, Dec 6: Senior Janata Dal leader Ram Vilas Paswan today said the Third Front had lost its identity and blamed the Communist parties for it. The CPI-M and other Left parties are acting as spokesmen of the front. They had declared the Front’s support to Congress even when the Lok Sabha results were just coming out, Paswan claimed at a press conference here. Every day these parties hold press conferences and issue statements declaring their support to Congress to form a Government, he said. In past nine months of the Vajpayee Government’s rule, he said, the third Front lost its identity because it’s constituents failed to take an independent stand on many issues based on ideological grounds and wasted their time only in declaring their support to Congress. As a matter of fact, there are two main formations —the BJP and Congress. Congress wants BJP to rule if it fails and similarly the BJP wants Congress in power if it fails (but neither want the Third Front), Paswan said, adding the BJP and Congress are interchangable coins. However, the JD leader said the Front still had not lost its relevance and said it has a good future. (PTI) BJP, NC flags flutter
together Excelsior Correspondent HIRANAGAR, Dec 7: Sports Stadium Hiranagar—the venue for the firstever public meeting of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee as Prime Minister witnessed a clash between BJP and NC supporters, both of whom had turned in large number to display their strength. The clash ensued as flags of both the parties—who were biggest rivals of each other eversince country’s independence before the BJP came to power at Centre early this year—had jointly displayed their flags all over the public venue. Some elder supporters of the BJP hailing from this border town didn’t like both the flags fluttering together and wanted that NC flags be removed from the meeting venue. The NC activists, sitting in the public meeting, objected to the remarks made by BJP activists and didn’t allow the removal of their party flags. The clash ensued much before the arrival of Prime Minister. Activists of both the parties started shouting slogans against each other. Police and para-military personnel, who had been deployed in large number at the Sports Stadium, pacified both the groups. Some of the BJP leaders including MLAs and other office bearers also objected to the NC flags fluttering alongwith BJP flags. However, a veteran BJP leader from Udhampur was seen pacifying the party leaders saying both the parties have an understanding at national level and as such there was nothing wrong in flags of both the parties fluttering together. But, a hard-liner MLA shouted towards an NC activist who was raising a party flag with the BJP describing them as ‘Jai Chands of Jammu’. However, the veteran party leader from Udhampur snubbed the MLA for raising voice against the NC. An elder activist of BJP, who identified himself as Mohan Lal, said he was shocked to see the BJP and NC flags hoisted together as his grand father had sacrificed his life during 1953 Praja Parishad agitation against National Conference. Mohan Lal said the ‘samaraks’ (statues) of two Praja Parishad activists Bikham Chand and Behari Lal, who had attained martyrdom in 1953 agitation, had been raised just few meters away from today’s rally venue where NC and BJP flags fluttered together. "Thank God, Shyama Parsad Mukherjee and Pt Prem Nath Dogra aren’t alive today to see this day", he remarked. Another veteran BJP worker, who had actively taken part in Praja Parishad agitation, collapsed at the venue after seeing both the party flags fluttering together. He left the meeting after regaining consciousness. Yet another BJP worker who identified himself as Roshan Lal continued shouting ‘Shyama Parsad Mukherjee Zindabad’ during the clash. He blamed both Central as well as State leadership of the party for this situation. Leaders of BJP and NC also shared the seats meant for VIP gallery. Civilian killed,
jawan injured Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Dec 7: Army today achieved a major success when it gunned down seven hardcore militants including six foreign mercenaries in a gun-battle at village Chambi Tarat in Gharad area, about seven kms North-East of Rajouri. A civilian was also killed in the encounter. Troops recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition besides Indian currency from the possession of slain militants. A Defence spokesman said troops of 39 Mountain Division, who had taken control of anti-militancy operations in the area just 40 days back, launched a massive search and combing operations in Gharad area this morning on a tip off about the presence of foreign mercenaries. Troops engaged a group of militants in the encounter after seeing them moving towards a hideout in mountainous area. A fierce encounter ensued between the two sides which continued over four hours. Troops gunned down seven militants in the encounter without suffering any casualty on their side. An Army jawan, however, sustained minor injuries during the exchange of firing. The spokesman said of seven slain militants, six appeared to be foreign mercenaries—probably hailing from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) while another militant was local. However, their identification hasn’t been established so far. Dead bodies of four militants have been brought to Darhal while two others were still lying at the site of encounter, which was going on when the reports last came in. More Army personnel have been dispatched to the area to continue the operation and eliminate the militants still hiding there. A civilian identified as Nazir Ahmed son of Mohammad Shaffi, a resident of Gharad was also killed in the exchange of firing. Reports said that he was shot dead by the militants. A deputation of local leaders led by Nirman Singh Chandan, NC leader met the district authorities here and demanded compensation for the family of Nazir Ahmed. Troops have recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from the encounter site including four AK-47 rifles and Indian currency worth Rs 15,000 which had been torn off by militants in four parts. Details of other arms, ammunition and explosives seized from the spot were being worked out. The spokesman said 39 Mountain Division has killed 45 militants in just 40 days of posting here. The Division has recovered 19 AK-47 rifles, three pistols, one Universal Machine Gun (UMG), 35 kgs of explosives, 60 grenades, seven radio sets and other weapons during these operations. Local people of Rajouri and other areas have strongly appreciated the Mountain Division’s operation against militants. Mr Vibodh Gupta, Mr Yogesh Sharma and Mr Sham Sood (BJP), Mr Kamal Bakshi, Mr Zulfikar Mathu and Mr Sunil Gupta have lauded the efforts of Army. Sources said seven slain militants were involved in a series of killings, kidnappings, rapes and other subversives activities in the border district of Rajouri. They belonged to notorious Zaki Group of Harkat-ul-Ansar, which had let loose a reign of terror in several hilly areas of this district. 4 militants killed Excelsior Correspondent/Agencies SRINAGAR, Dec 7 : Security agencies were today clueless about the militant outfit behind last night’s powerful explosion 3-Km away from the Guest House in downtown Srinagar where Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was staying during his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir. Sleuths working on the blast, viewed as a major security lapse, were, however, hopeful of coming up with some vital leads, though no militant outfit had so far claimed responsibility for the explosion, official sources said. A team of forensic experts early today collected splinters from the site of the explosion that occurred at the heavily-guarded Boulevard road, not far from the Nehru Guest House where Vajpayee was staying overnight. Security sources believed RDX was used in the explosion that damaged a public convenience and broke window panes of some buildings on the banks of the Dal Lake but caused no injury. They said this was the first time in nearly a decade that militants had succeeded in breaking the security cover and trigger an explosion while the Prime Minister was in the town. A team of journalists accompanying the Prime Minister was staying at a hotel, some 100-metre from the site of the explosion which was heard up to a distance of 10-Km around. Meanwhile, four militants including a self-styled battalion commander of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed and seven others arrested by the security forces while a National Conference leader escaped a bid on his life in Kashmir since last evening. The Hizbul Mujahideen battalion commander Bashir Ahmad Sheikh was killed along with Mohammed Iqbal Mochi — area commander of the outfit — and a Pakistani militant Muzamil in an encounter with Army troops in Handerpora in Anantnag last night. Four securitymen were reportedly injured in the encounter. Police repulsed a militant attack on the house of the National Conference block president Ghulam Ahmad Reshi at Kunzar in Baramulla District in north Kashmir last night, an official spokesman said here today. Police guards posted at Reshi’s house fired at the militants forcing them to retreat. No one was injured in the shooting, he said. Security forces shot dead a militant at Sheikhnar in Lolab Area of Kupwara District and arrested four militants —three from Baramulla and one from Badgam during search operations yesterday, the spokesman added. BSF held three Hizbul Mujahi-deen militants including self-styled platoon commander Javid Ahmad from different areas of Srinagar yesterday, a BSF spokesman said. Concept of Distt
Govts introduced BHOPAL, Dec 7: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh today created a history by chosing not to retain any portfolio with him while allocating portfolios among members of his newly constituted Council of Ministers today. However, he introduced the new concept of district administration by making the Ministers incharges of particular districts. Mrs Jamuna Devi (Women and Child Welfare), State Congress president Urmila Singh (Tribal Welfare), Col Ajay Narayan Mushran (Finance, Planning, Economics and Statistics ), Mr Mahendra Singh Kalukheda (Agriculture), Mr Narendra Nahata (Commerce and Industries), Mr Deepak Saxena (Public Health Engineering), Mr Hukum Singh Karada (Energy) and Indrajit Kumar Patel (Housing and Environment) have retained the portfolios which they held in the previous Congress Ministry. However, Mr Kalukheda has been given the additional charge of Cooperation and Ayacut while Col Mushran also got the charge of 20 Point Programme Implementation. Mr Sojatia will also look after the Medical Education Department. Mr Nand Kumar Patel will be the new Home and Aviation Minister. Mr Patel, who has been promoted to the Cabinet rank, was earlier Minister of State for Home. Mr Ravindra Choubey will be the new Minister for general administration, public relations and public grievances redressal while Mr Satya Narayan Sharma is the Minister for Commercial Taxes, including Excise. Congress Working Committee (CEC) member Arjun Singh’s son Ajay Singh ‘Rahul’ has been allotted Panchayat and Rural Development, Tourism and Culture. Mr Ram Chandra Singh Deo gets Water Resources (Irrigation) Development and Ms Vijay Laxmi Sadho will look after Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA). Mr Shravan Patel is the Minister for Public Works and Sports and Youth Welfare while Revenue and Rehabilitation has been allocated to Mr Prem Sai Singh. Mr Ratnesh Soloman, brother in law of AICC spokesman Ajit Jogi, has been given Forests. Mr Mahendra Bodh gets School Education while Higher Education, Mining and Manpower Planning go to Mr Krishna Kumar Gupta. Mr Chanesh Ram Ratiya will look after Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Development and Mr Dhanesh Patila is the Minister for Scheduled Caste Welfare, Dairy Development and Jails. Republic Party of India legislator Doman Singh Nagpure, who has been inducted into the Ministry as a Minister of State with independent charge following his party’s pre-poll understanding with the Congress, has been given Labour, Social Welfare and Backward Classes Welfare. Another Minister of State Arif Aqueel gets Independent charge of Minorities Welfare, Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation and Food. Meanwhile, under the new concept of District Governments, Mr Digvijay Singh will personally look after the affairs of Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Rewa districts of the State. After assuming office for the second consecutive term, Mr Singh had announced to introduce the concept of District Governments and to make Ministers incharge of districts so that they could coordinate the rural and urban affairs for the planned development of the respective regions. Mr Singh, who did not retain any department with him, has however decided to look after the matters pertaining to Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Rewa Districts. Tribal leader and Women and Child Development Minister Jamuna Devi will be the Minister incharge of Dhar district while MCCC president and Tribal Welfare Minister Urmila Singh will take the charge of Seoni district. By and large, most of the ministers were given the charge of their respective Home districts along with some other districts. While some of the Ministers have been given the charge of one district each, others were assigned the task of two or three districts. (AGENCIES) * According to local people of Hiranagar, the rally addressed by Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee was biggest ever rally to be held in the town. People waited for over four hours to listen to Mr Vajpayee during his maiden visit to Hiranagar as Prime Minister. * The Prime Minister reached the rally venue at 1525 hours as against the scheduled time of 1130 hours. However, the packed Sports Stadium waited till the last to listen to his speech, which lasted just 13 minutes. * Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah was busy at the dais taking photographs of Prime Minister and the crowd. When Prof Chaman Lal Gupta presented a shawl to Mr Vajpayee, Dr Abdullah was seen whispering with the Prime Minister. * Traffic on Hiranagar road had been closed right from the morning—several hours before the scheduled arrival of the Prime Minister. People had to travel several kms from National Highway to reach their houses in Hiranagar town and other areas. Traffic was restored at 1800 hours this evening. * The rally was held under tightest ever security arrangements both in Hiranagar town as well as on the International Border. The entire Hiranagar town had been made a security fortress with police and para-military personnel having captured all adjoining buildings for deployment. * Unable to stand for several hours to regulate crowd of fair sex, a woman police constable collapsed at the rally venue. She was shifted to an adjoining police camp for treatment. * The gallery meant for mediamen had been occupied by the BJP, NC leaders including MLAs and office bearers. The mediamen had to cover the proceedings by standing in the gallery. * Vehicles parking of the mediamen had also been made at ITI Hostel, about two kms short of the rally venue. The mediamen had to travel the distance on foot to reach the venue whereas the vehicles of other Jammu based leaders were allowed to proceed towards rally venue. * Minister for Sheep Husbandry Mr Surjit Singh Slathia shouted slogans like ‘Pradhan Mantri Zindabad and Farooq Abdullah Zindabad’ from the dais. The BJP MLAs and other leaders also responded positively both the times. After responding positively to Farooq Abdullah Zindabad, a BJP MLA downed his hand. * A banner at the rally venue read ‘Atalji is biggest natural resource of the country’. * At Jammu Airport when Mr Vajpayee was boarding helicopter for Hiranagar, a ‘baridaar’ from Katra caught hold of Vajpayee’s foot. He sought Prime Minister’s intervention towards their demands. Passengers put to
hardships Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU,Dec 7: Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee today came to the rescue of hundreds of passengers,whose entry into Jammu and Kashmir air space was restricted for hours together by the "over-zealous" Air Traffic Control (ATC) authorities. Informed sources told EXCELSIOR that the officials of ATC at local level, today closed the air-space for Jammu and Kashmir for almost a day in view of the Prime Minister’s engagements at Tangdar and Hiranagar where he visited by air from Srinagar. It was decided by ATC that till the Prime Minister was in Jammu and Kashmir air space, no other plane will be allowed to move. Accordingly the Indian Airlines and Jet Airways were informed and their entries into the J&K space were restricted,the sources said. The sources said that since Prime Minister’s visit got late at both these places, the ‘over zealous’ authorities at ATC didn’t allow any flight to operate,thereby putting hundreds of passengers to hardships, who had to wait for hours together. As the delay continued and no flight could take off for almost the entire day, Inspector General of Police Security Mr Vijay Raman took up the matter with the Indian Airlines and Jet Airways. However, it was conveyed to him that since the air space has been closed by ATC, no flight could be operated, the sources said. Finally, the matter was brought into the notice of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister’s Office at New Delhi , the sources said. The sources said that as the Prime Minister came to know about the entire incident, he immediately flashed the massage to the PM Office with the regrets that because of him, the common people should not suffer. The sources said that the authorities at PMO maintained that there was no such direction from Delhi end to close the air space and such a decision was taken only by ATC at local level. The sources added that soon after the directions, the air space was again opened and the two flights allowed to operate. India, Pak capable of solving Kashmir issue: Raje JOHANNESBURG, Dec 7: India has asserted that New Delhi and Islamabad were capable of solving the vexed Kashmir issue, saying the two neighbours have learnt a lot over the last 50 years. Kashmir is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan and there is no room for outside involvement, Minister of State for External Affairs Vasundhara Raje said concluding her four-day visit to South Africa yesterday. Stressing that India and Pakistan had learnt a lot over the past 50 years, she said the two countries needed to deal with each other to resolve the outstanding issues. Whatever happens in the sub-continent to be aware of and to sort out. We are not interested in outsiders coming in. We have to deal with the problems ourselves, Raje said in an apparent reference to South African President Nelson Mandela raising the Kashmir issue at the October NAM summit in Durban. The Minister said India’s stand-point was not a snub to South Africa but this is our long-standing position. Defending India’s nuclear tests, she said these were necessary for our defence and added that there is greater understanding from the rest of the world now that we have explained the reasons. On the Indo-South African ties, she said India regarded that country as an important ally. What’s important for us is that we have a strong, steady and firm relationship. We are increasingly moving to a better understanding. (PTI) JAMMU, Dec 6: Militants kidnapped a youth from his house at village Thangar Kangri, about eight kms from Sunderbani in Rajouri district last night. He has been identified as Mansa Ram son of Sain Dass of Thangar Kangri. Reports received here said five militants knocked at the door of Sain Dass’ house at 2200 hours last night. Mansa Ram, who opened the door, was dragged out by the militants and kidnapped at gun point. Militants forced Mansa Ram to carry their two large bags containing arms and ammunition towards upper reaches. Family members informed local police about the kidnapping immediately after the incident. The whereabouts of the youth remained uncertain so far. Police and security forces have registered a case and started searches to trace the youth and apprehend militants but no breakthrough has been made so far. Sources said the militants had escaped towards upper reaches of Sunderbani to store arms and ammunition in the already established hideouts. A full-fledged operation is being planned by the local police with the assistance of security forces to smash militants’ hideouts and eliminate them. Meanwhile, reports reaching here said that an encounter was going on between security forces and militants at village Chambir Tarar in Darhal area of the same district since this evening. Reports said the encounter started this evening when security personnel raided a hideout of the militants at Chambir Tarar near Darhal. Militants opened heavy firing on the security jawans, who returned the firing. The encounter was going on when the reports last came in. However, there was no report of any casualty on either side. Militants have been trapped in the hideout, the reports said. Meanwhile, a Defence spokesman said, Army foiled an infiltration attempt in Mandi Loran area of Poonch district this morning and recovered a large quantity of explosives. He said alert Army personnel deployed on the Line of Control (LoC) noticed a group of four-five militants trying to infiltrate into Indian territory from across the border. Army personnel challenged the infiltrators and asked them to surrender alongwith the explosives consignment being smuggled by them. However, the spokesman said, militants opened firing on Army jawans and lobbed explosives towards them in a bid to escape. Troops returned the firing and during exchange of firing, the militants managed to escape back to Pakistan taking advantage of darkness leaving behind the explosives, which were seized by the jawans. The seizure include a large quantity of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and detonators, which were being brought by the militants for triggering explosions in the border districts. Govt considering MSP for onions, potatoes NEW DELHI, Dec 7: Government today announced in the Lok Sabha that it was considering Minimum Support Price (MSP) for onions and potatoes and creation of a National Seed Bank to encourage increased production of these vegetables and prevent a repeat of this year’s situation. Intervening in a special discussion on the price situation, Minister of State for Agriculture Sompal said this was the first time onions and potatoes were being considered for MSP which he said was aimed at maintaining a flowing stock throughout the year. He said a national-level computer network was being set up to provide reliable information regarding availability of stocks of perishable items, besides another centre in the Agriculture Ministry to estimate all-India agriculture output on an annual basis. Amidst protests by opposition members that the Minister could only intervene and not reply to the debate, which remained inconclusive, Sompal said the Centre would take on 50 per cent of costs of setting up of cold storage chains across the country, with the rest of the burden being shared by the State Governments. The Minister said steps would be taken to strengthen the cooperative movement and streamline multiplicity of taxes at the wholesale market (mandi) level. Earlier, members from ruling coalition parties and opposition charged the Government with having conspired with hoarders and blackmarketers and slackening the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act. (PTI) |