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Situation
alarming in J&K NEW DELHI, Nov 16: Angered over the Centre’s attitude, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, whose National Conference is part of the BJP-led Government, today threatened to resign unless the state’s security and financial needs are met immediately. The situation in the state is alarming and if the Centre does not come to the rescue of the state immediately then it will be too late, he told PTI here. Demanding immediate attention of the Centre to heal the wounds of the state caused by the decade-old militancy, Abdullah said if I cannot keep my people happy and pull them out of the sad situation, I have no right to stay. As the Chief Minister prepared for a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Home Minister L K Advani and Defence Minister George Fernandes on Jammu and Kashmir, he said there was an immediate need to review the security network in the state besides deployment of additional forces in the wake of recent escalation of militancy. He said he would urge for better liaison between all the security-related agencies functioning in the state and upgradation of security network. Demanding that Centre should waive off the Rs 1250 crore loan to the state, he said a political decision has to be taken in this regard immediately. If this can be done in Punjab, why not in J and K. Before leaving for Durban, the Prime Minister had assured him that a decision on this would be taken soon, he said. Abdullah said he was not averse to a committee being formed by the Centre to monitor utilisation of funds in the state. During Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure a central committee was formed to monitor funds in Srinagar and we did not oppose it, he said. Elaborating on the financial condition of the state, the Chief Minister said Centre has to pay Rs 500 crore to the state for various security-related expenses which was even being accepted by them earlier. He said while Fifth Pay Commission had put an additional burden of Rs 700 crore on the state exchequer, release of two instalments of dearness allowances had put a burden of another Rs 400 crore. Now when I ask where I am going to get the money from, the Centre has no reply, he said adding all State Government employees had been put on par with the Central Government workers during the President’s Rule. About the displaced migrants of the state, at present camping in Jammu and other parts of the country, Abdullah said the Centre wants them back in their homes but even for that I have to chalk out a plan which will need central assistance. Abdullah said his party workers had to pay a huge price for restoring democracy in the state. Everyday my workers are being shot dead.... But what is the outcome of all these sacrifices when I cannot provide clean water, health services, schools and other basic needs to the people of my state. Urging the Centre to jump and move fast in restoring faith of the people of the state, Abdullah said a stitch in time saves nine. Abdullah said the State Government could hardly afford to pay the salaries of its employees, purchase power and meet a part of security expenses from the central grant. Referring to the growing unemployment in the state, he said there were an estimated 2.5 lakh educated unemployed youths in the state, who could become fodder for militants if they continued to be neglected. He said the Centre should have opened more industries in the state rather than trying to wind them up. Some industries which were opened earlier are in the process of being wound up which could also aggravate the situation in the state, the Chief Minister said. He also urged the Centre to immediately counter-guarantee its four power projects which could give a filip to the ailing economy of the state. States like Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh have water in abundance which could be used for generation of power, he said, adding my state has the potential of producing power which could fulfil the need of entire North India including its own. (PTI) |
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Inquiry
against human rights organisations demanded Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 16: The lecture of Mr Ved Bhasin, chairman and former Editor of the Kashmir Times Group of Papers, delivered at a seminar, organised by Indian Army here today, generated much heat, as the other participants including Rajya Sabha MP and former Editor-in-Chief of Indian Express, Mr Arun Shourie resented his remarks against the Army. The seminar on " Human Rights— Commitment of the Indian Army " was organised by 16 Corps, in which people from different walks of life presented their views. During his hour-long lecture, Mr Bhasin made a one point issue of only criticising the role of the armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir and charged the force with alleged human rights violations. Sharply reacting to his lecture, eminent journalist, Mr Arun Shourie expressed regrets that during his one hour speech Mr Bhasin only condemned the Indian Army and Indian democracy , but he (Bhasin) didn’t at all touch the atrocities committed by the terrorists. "For the last one hour Mr Bhasin has been continuously spitting undiluted language of Pakistani militants", Shourie said, adding, " in his lecture Mr Bhasin has termed terrorists as militants while as he has stoutly dubbed pro-India gun-men as renegades. This is a clear indication of his agenda", Mr Shourie said. Taking a cue from Mr Bhasin lecture in which he quoted report of human rights organisation, Mr Shourie raised doubts over the credibility of that organisation. "Reports of these organisations are game-plans of some anti-national agencies to defame armed forces to help terrorists", he alleged and added that on the basis of these reports intellectuals (like Ved Bhasin) have been launching prevaricating campaign against armed forces. Taking a dig at Mr Bhasin for quoting a human right report which was prepared by his own men, Shourie recited a couplet "Aap Hi Piye, Aap Hi Pilaye, Phir Aap He Phaire Matwala" Coming down heavily on Mr Bhasin for criticising Indian democracy, Mr Shourie dubbed him as a "miracle of democracy." "It is all due to the Indian democracy that you’re criticising Indian Army and that too at a function organised by the army", he reminded Mr Bhasin. Mr Bhasin was also taken to task by the Army officers who were attending the seminar. Brigadier Surinder Singh, while putting a question before Mr Bhasin, said :"It was really difficult for an Army men to listen your lecture. You were not delivering lecture but speaking language of Islamabad", he said and stoutly refused all allegations of Mr Bhasin like excesses of army during recent Lok Sabha polls. One of the senior Army officers could not control himself while Mr Bhasin was labelling all charges of human rights violation against Indian Army. He shouted "Sir, we have called very distinguished personalities to listen them. Don’t waste our precious time. We don’t want to listen to you". Earlier ,expressing grave concern over the suspicious role of some self-styled intellectuals, Mr Arun Shourie, a veteran journalist urged the Central Government to instigate an enquiry to investigate mushroom growth of human rights organisations in the country. "It is a high time to nail these organisations who have been fabricating prevaricating stories against Indian Army to accomplish Pakistani propaganda", he suggested and stressed the need of informating people about these organisations. Dubbing all reports of human right organisations as misleading and fake, Mr Shourie narrated an incident how People’s Union for Civil Liberty (PUCL) had formed a report regarding human rights violations in Punjab during militancy. Pointing towards Ved Bhasin, Mr Shourie said that some of our intellectuals and journalists became slaves of particular ideologies. "First feminism, then ecological movement and now our fashionable intellectuals have been fighting for the rights of homo-sexuals", he lamented and regretted that our so-called intellect class has been blindly following westernisation. Launching a scathing attack on a section of media for unnecessarily projecting militants, Mr Shourie regretted that instead of playing its role Kashmir press has became hollow and vomiting journalism virtually following dictates of militants. Terming humiliation of brave officers of Punjab Police as greatest shame, great-betrayal and great tragedy, Mr Shourie regretted that about 1500 Punjab Police officers, who had eradicated militancy from State after putting their lives on risk, have been facing trials in different courts in alleged human right violation. Pointing towards the militancy in the State, Mr Shourie said, " no doubt Pakistan has been fueling militancy in the State but it is also responsibility of the State Government to provide good governance to the people". Expressing his anguish over the reports of increasing alienation of the people in the State, Mr Shourie remarked "with heavy heart I am saying that State Government of Jammu and Kashmir is not giving good governance to the people of this militancy infested state despite being the fact that enormous funds have been provided by the successive Central Governments". Maj Gen C S Brar, in his address stated that fake human rights violation cases were being implicated against the armed forces to degrade the efficiency of armed forces in CI Operations thus creating attitudinal charges against the Army Officers due to the unwanted exposure. He wondered as how the forces should be made sensitive to human rights without making them over-cautious as it is bound to affect the decision making on the spot. In his address, the DG (Investigations) of NHRC Karthikeyan said that security force should try their best to allay the fears of the common people about operations by security forces and be more transparent in their investigative process. Brig IP Singh, Deputy GOC ‘Tiger Division’ and chief coordinator Brig KS Kotwal were also present in the proceedings. At the end of the Human Rights Seminar, mementos were given to all speakers and their active role felicitated by the COS 16 Corps. |
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Centre to set up tannery in J&K, says Umar Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Nov 16: The Union Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Mr Umar Abdullah today said the Centre would set up a tannery in Jammu and Kashmir for which raw mateial is locally available in abundance. Speaking at an impressive function organised by Sheikh Gowhar to launch the centre of M/s Study Web Computers Pvt Ltd, and branch of National Institute of Information and Technology here today, the Minister said at present this raw material is sent to Chennai due to which the State suffers heavy losses. The tannery, he said, would be a much desired boost to the leather industry in the State. He said two persons, one each from Jammu and Srinagar, will be sent to Chennai for training in tannery and leather manufacturing. Their expertise would then be utilised for the promotion of leather industry in the State, he added. Mr Gowhar is the Director of this enterprise. The Minister stressed the need for setting up of software industry in Jammu and Kashmir and offered loans to private sector for such ventures. He said the industry in the State suffered enormously during the last decade of militancy. While other states made strides in Information Technology, Jammu and Kashmir lagged behind because of the situation prevailing here. He said other states were provided Rs 10 crores each by the centre for setting up software technology centres but the State could not take benefit of this scheme. Mr Abdullah said the Information Technology is the need of the hour without which no development is possible. "We can not get back the years we have lost but there is scope for speeding up our efforts to make up the losses", he said. Describing the problem of unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir as serious, the Minister said that after taking over as a member of the Union Council of Ministers, he is considering various proposals to ease this problem. He said rapid industrial development is the only solution to the problem of unemployment, adding that the Government alone can not tackle it. The youth of the state will have to come forward and venture into this area in a big way. He said the total revenue of the State is Rs 300 crores against which the wage bill of the employees alone is Rs 600 crores. He ridiculed the APHC leaders for calling for azadi and asked where would they raise the money to sustain it. Mr Abdullah said the State is rich in traditional handicrafts like shawls and wood carving. However, he said, these handicrafts need to be marketed on a much wider scale in the world so that people around the globe not only hear about these items but see and have these also. He said the Centre would release Rs 7 crores to help promote this industry. He said being a state subject, he was aware of the problems faced by the people of the State and would do his best to ameliorate these. The Additional Chief Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Mr Mohammad Shafi, who presided the function, said that IT had shrunk the world into a global village and it is important that we take advantage of the technology. He said the state is suited for small industry for which purpose the Government provides subsidies. Many sick units have thus been revived, he said. Also present on the occasion were District Development Commissioner, Srinagar and Budgam and various officers. Earlier, Mr Abdullah arrived here on two day's visit to Srinagar. He was received at the airport by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Mr Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, senior officials and party workers. India stands for release of
Sharif ON BOARD PM’s SPECIAL AIRCRAFT, Nov 16: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today regretted the soft approach being adopted by the United States towards the military regime in Pakistan saying that possibly consideration of democracy was not uppermost for Washington. May be they (US) have some other consideration... May be the consideration of democracy is not uppermost for them, Vajpayee said when asked whether Washington had taken a soft line on Pakistan. Vajpayee told newspersons on board the special Air India aircraft while returning from Durban after attending the four-day Commonwealth Heads Of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) that Pakistan could be expelled from the 54-nation grouping if Gen Pervez Musharraf failed to expeditiously restore civilian rule. He said the Indian position at the summit was that early elections should be held in Pakistan and all political prisoners, including deposed premier Nawaz Sharif who is facing charges of treason and kidnapping, should be released immediately. The CHOGM had even considered expelling Pakistan, which has been suspended indefinitely from it, Vajpayee said explaining the three options considered by the Commonwealth leaders included suspension of Islamabad from the councils of the Commonwealth as also from its primary membership. Vajpayee said the third option to expel Pakistan was suggested and supported by many CHOGM members. The Prime Minister said he told the Summit that if there is no timely international intervention, then Sharif might end up the way Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (who was hanged) did. He said, on the question of restoration of democracy in Pakistan the Commonwealth’s view has become more emphatic with our intervention at the summit. It will not be compromised at all. The final declaration had made a categoric reference that a high-level Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) would keep a close watch on the developments there, he said, adding if democracy is not restored soon, Pakistan can even be expelled from the Commonwealth. On terrorism, he said CHOGM has strongly endorsed India’s stand and said it was time the United Nations took stringent and effective steps against state-sponsored terrorism. Stating the menace of cross-border terrorism faced by some member states was discussed exhaustively, Vajpayee said he explained to Commonwealth leaders that there had been over 40,000 victims of cross-border terrorist attacks in India since 1988. Most of those who lost their lives in these acts of terrorism were Muslims. Even minorities have been made targets in these attacks to deliberately tarnish the image of the Indian Government in the international arena, he said asserting that the struggle against terrorism has now truly become an international concern. Several Commonwealth states demanded the UN should take stringent measures against state-sponsored terrorism, Vajpayee said. Many countries demanded a strong stand against Pakistan, he said, adding African and Caribbean nations vehemently opposed the six-month time period, suggested by the CMAG led by Canada, for Islamabad’s return to democracy. Replying to a question on the postponement of SAARC Summit, he said the experience of the hard work that our diplomats had to do in getting the Summit postponed on the issue of military takeover in Pakistan is behind US. To another question, he said any referendum in Pakistan under military rule would hold no credibility. On the issue of trade relations and the forthcoming Seattle conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Prime Minister said at India’s insistence the final CHOGM declaration has clearly stated that all the decisions of the Uruguay round should be urgently implemented. Observing that extensive discussions took place on the WTO issue, he said a compromise declaration at the CHOGM had been arrived at. With India taking the lead, a strong demand was put forward that the concerns of the developing countries should be addressed in the WTO. He said CHOGM also decided that all future negotiations at the WTO should concentrate on specific issues. Among the developing nations there was an unanimous feeling that if they did not work together in the WTO on specific issues, it would become increasingly difficult to safeguard their interests, the Prime Minister said. Referring to discussions with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Vajpayee said it was decided that senior officials of the two countries would meet soon to strengthen bilateral relations. It was further decided that in future such meetings should take place frequently, he added. (PTI) |
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People asked to
support armed forces Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 16: Governor Mr Girish Chander Saxena today appealed to the people in general and media in particular to support armed forces in their campaign to quell insurgency in the State.Delivering inaugural address in the one day seminar on "Human Rights: Commitment of the Indian Army", organised by the 16th Crops at Tiger Auditorium, Mr Sexana said insurgency in the State has been completely transformed into a proxy-war. "Character of the militancy has been changed. Well trained terrorists of dreaded Lashkar-e-Toiba and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen have taken control of all militants out-fits " Governor said, adding, "foreign mercenaries, trained in sophisticated weapons and expert in guerrilla war, looking for soft targets to accomplish their nefarious task". Expressing concern over international terrorism particularly, when being exploited for gaining strategic objectives by some countries, he said that India especially Jammu and Kashmir is confronted with cross border terrorism. Governor said that recovery of the large quantity of arms, ammunition and other documents are testimony of the involvement of Pakistan. He said that since 1991 about 20,000 Klashinikov rifles, 1,000 Machine Guns, 8,200 revolvers and pistols, 1500 RPG, 3000 rockets, 35,000 hand-grenades, 500 anti tank mines, 6,000 IEDs, 2,400 wire-less sets, 20 tons of explosives and 2 tons of RDX were recovered from the militants. Appreciating armed forces for respecting civil rights of the people despite facing such hostile situation, Mr Sexana regretted that some people with petty interests have launched malicious and slanderous campaign against Indian Army. "Our army is fighting a war, that to under a Civil Law and it is really difficult situation ", he said and comended the armed forces for never using heavy weapons in a war like situation. " Indian Army have received high casualties while protecting civilians during encounters and other operations", he stated, adding, "the way how Indian Army had performed last rites of Pakistani intruders at Kargil is a clear example of the behaviour of the army". "They (army-men) even provide treatment to those who have killed their colleagues", he said while narrating various examples when soldiers provided medical aid to the wounded terrorists. Coming down heavily on some so-called human right activists for launching malicious campaign against Indian Army, Governor cautioned the people against these vested interests who want to create difference between army and civilian. " Human right became tool for anti-national elements to put armed forces at defence", he said and regretted that some media-men playing in the hands of anti-national forces by highlighting fabricated stories of human rights violations. "Pakistan and other anti-India forces have been using these cuttings at international fora to defame the country", he said. Narrating examples of gross human rights violations by the militant groups, Mr Saxena lamented that so-called ‘Mujahideens’ have forced mass exodus of minority from Srinagar. "What to say of minority even thousands of Muslims, who did not agree to gun-culture of militants, were forced to leave their native places", he said, adding, "so-called ‘freedom fighters’ have imposed restriction on the freedom of people by banning Cable TV and forcing Pardha on women folk" Governor Saxena, however, admitted that due to militancy some innocent civilians became victim of the cross firing. While asking armed forces to maintain maximum restrain during operations, he said, "Don’t intimidate by prevaricating allegation, keep moral high and go ahead with defeating Pakistan designs". "Terrorism is not confined to India only, it became a world problem today which required a uniform action plan from all the democracies of the world to eradicate it". Earlier in his welcome address, the COS 16 Corps, Maj Gen H S Kanwar, asserted that most of the allegation of human rights violations levelled against the army were baseless and devoid from the facts. In the light of difficulties faced by the Army in the proxy war scenario, he exhorted the media and the bureaucracy to be unbiased and balanced while reporting and dealing with alleged incident of human rights violations. He said that while the alleged human right violations get highlighted and were blown out of proportion, news-papers do not give much needed significance and due coverage to atrocities committed by the militants on innocent civilians. |
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Massive army hunt for Shakeel Ansari, others Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 16: Army continued a massive search operation in forest areas of Ramkot in Kathua district, bordering Udhampur and Jammu districts, to capture five absconding militants including Shakeel Ansari, a dreaded activist of Hizbul Mujahideen. Troops from Brigade Headquarters, Samba assisted by police teams of Kathua and Jammu have fanned out in the entire forest area around Ramkot to track down five militants, who were spotted in the forest area on the intervening night of November 14 and 15. Police confirmed the presence of Shakeel Ansari in the militants’ gang. Shakeel Ansari, young brother of another top militant Farooq Ansari, was a front ranking activist of Hizbul Mujahideen and ‘area commander’ of the outfit for Mahore. Kathua police have also alerted their counterparts of Udhampur and Doda to seal the forest areas leading to Ramkot to ensure that militants don’t manage to escape. "A security ring has been thrown around the forest area and all out efforts were being made to capture the militants—dead or alive", a police spokesman said. As reported, police had a close encounter with five militants but they managed to escape taking cover of the forest area on Sunday night. The fleeing militants had left behind a large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives, which were seized by the police. The militants were reported to be on their way to Udhampur and Doda after crossing the border and reaching Ramkot through forests. After militants’ escape, army was called out to eliminate the militants. Meanwhile, a militant gunned down yesterday by the BSF at Dhakikot in Mahore area of Udhampur district, has been identified as Abu Tufan, a foreign mercenary of Pakistan affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit. One AK-47 rifle with three magazines and 60 rounds, one Japanese radio set and one antenna were recovered from his possession. |
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Sharif’s party launches direct confrontation with new rulers ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML) today directly confronted the military rulers of the country by condemning the October 12 Army coup and calling upon democratic parties and forces within Pakistan and the world to exert pressure for restoration of democracy in the country. The first meeting of the parliamentary party of the PML and its allies held here today passed a resolution condemning the action of October 12 and also endorsed an earlier decision of the party’s central working committee to challenge the dismissal of the Sharif Government before the Supreme Court. The PML and its allies also expressed its appreciation of the decision of the Commonwealth summit and other international bodies demanding from the military regime the immediate release of Sharif and others and forthwith restoration of the constitution and democratic institutions. This was the first open condemnation of the military takeover and came significantly as Army authorities were moving to slap Sharif with treason and hijacking charges, which carry death penalty and also could lead to barring the deposed Prime Minister from contesting the elections. The resolution also called upon all the democratic parties and forces within Pakistan and the world to exert maximum pressure for the full and immediate restoration of civilian rule and democratic systems in Pakistan. Later PML leader and former minister Raja Zafarul Haq told reporters that the joint petition challenging the dismissal of Sharif Government would most probably be filed before the Supreme Court on Friday. Syed Zafar Ali Shah, a senior PML leader, has already filed a petition before the Apex Court challenging the Army coup and dismissal of the 32-month-old Sharif Government. Zafarul Haq added that in today’s meeting around 130 members of the National Assembly (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House) of various parties which were part of the previous Government participated. He also described the charges against Sharif before a Karachi Anti-terrorist Court as a baseless case and said that a five-member legal committee has been constituted to defend the former Prime Minister in the case the proceeding of which has already started. The proceeding in the case of alleged hijacking and endangering the lives of Gen Musharraf and nearly 200 other passengers of PIA plane against Sharif and four others has already started in Karachi. The attitude of the PML after today’s meeting showed a marked difference from its earlier stand in which it had clearly declared that it would not go for any confrontation with the military regime while refusing to even condemn the Army coup after the party’s first meeting nearly 10 days after the October 12 Army coup. (PTI) |
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Jawan killed as militants attack army camp Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Nov 16: One soldier of Rashtriya Rifles (RR) has got killed as militants have attacked a camp of security forces at Magam, Handwara. In other militancy-related incidents across Valley since last evening, gunmen have looted cash worth Rs 62,000 from a petrol pump at Shopian while as Kupwara police have smashed a militant hideout and recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that late last night, militants from a jungle attacked the company headquarters of RR 24 Bn at Magam, Handwara, in Kupwara district. One soldier, namely rifleman Nandan Singh, got killed. Troops retaliated but militants managed to escape with the advantage of thick forest and darkness. Sources said that a civilian got injured in exchange of fire. He was rushed to hospital for treatment. Sources said that men from police station Handwara apprehended one Ghulam Mohammad Kumhar S/o Mohammad Shaban Kumhar resident of Kralgund. He was described as an underground functionary of Jamaat-e-Islami and Hizbul Mujahideen. Two hand grenades were claimed to have been recovered from his possession. Sources said that a special contingent of District Police Lines Kupwara raided a militant hideout at Kalaroos last evening. Militants opened fire and managed to escape. Police conducted a search of the hideout and seized four AK-56 rifles with several magazines and ammunition besides 7 remote control devices, 7 grenades and a grenade-launcher. Reports available from south Kashmir said that late last evening, someone fired a single shot on the Railway Hut at Pahalgam. The guard retaliated. There was no damage. Sources said that according to the statement of a petrol pump dealer at Shopian town outskirts, a group of five masked gunmen appeared at the filling station last evening and alleged that the dealer was an informer of security forces carrying a wireless set. He was taken into the office. Cash worth Rs 50,000 was taken away from the locker and another 12000 from his pocket. The gunmen decamped with the cash. |
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Bihar Horticulture Minister sacked PATNA, Nov 16: Bihar Governor Suraj Bhan today sacked State Horticulture, Weights and Measure Minister Rakesh Kumar alias Samrat Chaudhury and directed the Rabri Devi Government to prosecute him for furnishing "fake age proof certificates" to become a minister. In a letter to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary, the Governor directed them to lodge cases of forgery, false declaration, fraud and misrepresentation against Mr Chaudhary, who was sacked by the Governor for being underage. The Governor also directed the State Government to recover the entire salary and allowances recieved by the minister during his tenure and asked the Chief Minister to go into the actions taken by him as a Minister and judge their validity. He said if necessary a notification could be issued in this connection. Mr Chaudhury, however, would cease to be a minister on November 19 after completion of his six-month tenure since he is not a member of either the State Assembly or the Legislative Council. Mr Bhan said there was ample proof to prosecute Mr Chaudhury for giving fake birth certificates to hold a constitutional post. (UNI) |
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Centre to review JK situation today NEW DELHI, Nov 16: The Union Home Ministry has convened a top-level meeting here tomorrow to have a first-hand assessment of the situation prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir particulary in the wake of stepped-up militancy in the recent past and the dismal economic scenario in the state. Official sources said the meeting will be presided over by Home Minister L K Advani and would be attended by J and K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Defence Minister George Fernandes, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh besides Planning Commission Chairman K C Pant, Chiefs of central para military Forces and the intelligence agencies. The sources said it had become imperative to review the action plan for the J and K following recent incidents of ambush of a heavily-fortified Army camp in Srinagar and the blast in Puja Express which claimed several lives. The Home Ministry is also seized of the situation in Pakistan following the ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif which may encourage the mercenaries and fan militancy in the Valley. The financial situation needs a careful review in view of the next budget. The meeting would be first of its kind after formation of the new Government at the Centre. (UNI) Security scenario in Kashmir has not worsened: Fernandes NEW DELHI, Nov 16: Security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir, both along the Line of Control (LoC) and in the Valley, has not worsened in recent months, Defence Minister George Fernandes asserted here today. I won’t say that situation has worsened. Both along the LoC and in the Kashmir valley there is not much difference in the situation from what has been there for the last nine years, Fernandes told reporters here. Asked whether tomorrow’s scheduled high-level meeting on Jammu and Kashmir was of special significance, he said: We regularly hold such meetings to review the situation in the state. Such meetings are held once in every two-three months. On Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah’s reported threat to quit unless the state’s security and financial requirements were met immediately, Fernandes said, I am not aware of such a threat. Anyway he (Abdullah) is also attending tomorrow’s meeting. We are going to discuss everything about Jammu and Kashmir. (PTI) |
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