Daily Excelsior.........State

Vajpayee Govt an alliance of opportunists: Kaldate

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 25: Dubbing the Vajpayee led coalition Government at Centre an alliance of opportunists, Janata Dal Secular (JDS) national general secretary, Bapu Kaldate said its fate is sealed in Bihar Assembly elections which are to be held early next year.

The JDS leader who was talking to media persons after the conclusion of one day session of Party’s State Executive said that the coalition partners in NDA have no identical ideology and BJP which is the major partner of the alliance has defaced itself to remain in power.

He however, maintained that the Party has not deviated from its hidden agenda on construction of Ram Temple, abrogation of Article 370 of Indian Constitution and Common Civil Code.

Criticising the economic policies of present Central Government he said the BJP is toeing the Congress lines in this regard and there is no difference in the policies of both the parties.

While ridiculing the statements of Home Minister, Mr L K Advani that militancy has been under check in J&K for last two years, he said the ground situation in the state is quite different as the militancy has spread its tentacles to safer areas.

He urged Government to adopt a tough course of action against the militants and also make elaborate arrangements for the employment of unemployed youth.

Mr Kaldate who was optimistic about the formation of Third Front as a viable alternative to both BJP and Congress at Centre said, the process has already been set in motion and here in J&K the Party has launched a struggle with Jammu Sangarash Morcha which includes CPI and CPM.

When asked who will be the other partners of the Third Front he said besides the leftist it can be NCP and SP.

The JDS leader said efforts are on to rejuvenate the party at national level and in this regard the beginning has been made from J&K.

Mr Surrinder Mohan former MP and veteran socialist while supporting the NC’s demand for more financial aid for the State, however, said that the J&K Government should also keep the financial viability in mind and maintain austerity measures.

Justifying the demand of Dr Farooq Abdullah in this regard he maintained that J&K has suffered heavy loss after the Kargil war as thousands of people were uprooted.

He also demanded that Government should take effective steps for passage of the Lok Pal Bill, Right to Information and Central Vigilance Commission bills in the Winter Session of Parliament which are aimed to eradicate corruption from public life.

Concerted efforts must for maintaining
communal harmony: VC

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 25: Professor R R Sharma, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu today said that serious and concerted efforts must be made to further strengthen communal harmony in a pluralistic society like ours, as divisive forces are active in the country.

Speaking at a function organised in connection with the Communal Harmony Day in the campus, Prof Sharma stated the objective of Chetana Yatra of Mr Bhim Singh travelling from Kargil to Kanyakumari is laudable indeed. He stressed that India was a multi-lingual, multi-ethnic country but there are strong bonds of basic unity in this diversity.

He said the message of communal harmony has to be spread with vigour all over the country. The endeavours of Mr Bhim Singh and his team will certainly make an important contribution, he added.

Prof Sharma appreciated that the Chetana Yatra received positive response in Kargil as well as in the Kashmir Valley.

Mr Bhim Singh, in his speech, outlined the mission of travelling from Kargil to Kanyakumari spreading the message of communal harmony, peace and love. He said his objective is to strengthen unity and integrity of the nation. Starting from Kargil few days back, the Chetana Yatra will conclude on December 31 at Kanyakumari.

Narrating his experiences in Kargil and the Valley, he said despite turbulent environs they moved all over and were even welcomed by the people.

Prof M C Sharma, Dean, Academic Affairs, underlined the need for maintaining unity and communal harmony so that India forges ahead on all fronts.

Prof N A Ganai, Dean, Students Welfare, said the framers of Indian Constitution had laid foundation of a secular State envisioning the unity in diversity. He called for strengthening communal amity and appreciated the efforts being put.

Mr Harish Dev Singh, MLA, while stressing peace and harmony criticised Pakistan for fomenting trouble in Jammu and Kashmir. He pleaded that PoK should be got vacated as per the resolution of the Parliament and provision kept in the State Constitution. He deplored the happenings in Pakistan where democracy has been derailed by military rulers.

The Vice Chancellor flagged off the Chetana Yatra for onward journey.

The function was attended by academicians, prominent citizens and students.

VC inaugurates IMS at Gangyal

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 25: Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, Prof R R Sharma inaugurated the Institute of Management Sciences at Gangyal, near here today.

Speaking to the selected gathering of staff members and other special invitees after the inauguration, Prof Sharma said that it took the University two long years to take a policy decision to authorise imparting instructions in Post Graduate courses leading to Master’s degree in non-government institutions.

Therefore, in the process grant of affiliation to the Institute of Management Sciences got delayed. In the end he wished success to the Institute in achieving academic excellence.

Mr Vidhi S. Singh, Chairman of the Institute gave brief account of other institutions being run by the Management of the Institute. He mentioned that the Management has its own campus at Purkhoo where two other institutions, National Polytechnic and IECS Polytechnic are functioning.

Earlier, Mr Ram Saroop Gupta, Director of the Institute while welcoming the Vice-Chancellor and other distinguished guests stated that the Institute is the first of its kind in the private sector in Jammu and Kashmir state for imparting Management education.

It stands approved by the All India Council for Technical Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, Jammu and Kashmir Government and affiliated with the University of Jammu with an annual intake of 60 students for running two years full time MBA programme, he explained.

Mr Gupta mentioned that the Institute has decided to educate and prepare the young men and women with additional input of improving their communication skills and decision making abilities.

He requested the Director College Development and the Vice-Chancellor for expediting the process for filling up the remaining unfilled and vacant seats in the Institution.

Prominent among those present in the occasion were Mr Davinder Singh, Director Colleges Development and Mr R S Chib, former Minister.

The proceedings of the inaugural function was conduced by Ms Renu Bangroo, Trustee of the Institute and she also offered vote of thanks.

In Defence
Army is humane, not inhuman

Dear Readers, We are in the third issue of IN DEFENCE and there has been a tremendous response from all those quarters who hold Armed Forces in high esteem. We have decided to document all such incidents that will act as a portrayal of the true picture of Armed Forces in sending the message that Army is of the people and for the people. If there are any such incidents that come your way, do please inform us. Find an armed force personnel awardee or look out for all those acts where the Army has sent the message of harmony and brotherhood amongst the local populace, or bring to our notice any thing that concerns the welfare of the jawans. IN DEFENCE will share all those moments with the civilians.

* Scores of valley youths in their teens have been rescued by Army from the clutches of militants while they were being taken forcibly across the border—— The Army comes to their rescue,bandages their snow-frost wounds and unites them with their anxious parents——. *Many civilians trapped due to heavy snow-fall at Jawahar Tunnel. Army begins search operations, rescues scores of civilians on way to Srinagar——.

* Bandipur remains cut-off from Srinagar— The militants have blasted the vital communication links. Army builds bridges in record time to restore the traffic movement——-

* Remote villages of Poonch and Rajouri without medicare. Army adopts the villages, constructs dispensaries and provides medicines ——.

These are few such instances that are ,however, sufficient enough to describe the role of Army during the past few years in Jammu and Kashmir , apart from guarding the tough terrains of this border state.

The construction of bridges,providing medicare or rescuing the trapped people is infact not the primary responsibility of the Indian Security Forces. The jawans, however, do it as a good will gesture and do it better than the civilian authorities and perform all such acts as a part of the duty when the civil administration at times fail to address to the grievances of the people.———All this is done to help the people of the State who are in destitute. The Army doesn’t perform such acts only in Jammu and Kashmir. Infact,it is in the habit of extending the helping hand to every one irrespective of caste, creed or region .

The efforts of Army have been always to build the bridges of love, and affection and spread the message of nationalism. Then why the walls of hatred are raised against Army by all those who knowingly remain ignorant to all such noble acts of Army?

We have a recent example of excellent role of Indian Army in caring for the sentiments of the people of Kupwara district. The people of this border district are in the practice of taking part in the Urs of Pir Baba Sai Mitha Paji, whose Ziyarat presently falls in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir . As per the practice, the Pakistani authorities were earlier allowing the opening of the border on the day of Urs. But for the past few years, the practice has been disbanded.—— and in absence of having a glimpse of Ziyarat, the locals were longing for the same. The Army understood the inner desire of the civilians. It did the noble cause. Arranged the similar gathering on this side of the border and honoured the religious sentiments of the locals, which were hurt by Pakistani authorities who claim to be co-religious of the people living on this side of the border.

It is not only the case of Kupwara Ziyarat. The Army jawans are seen performing their duties during Amarnath Yatra, maintaining the yatra traffic and helping the feeble, infirm pilgrims to have darshan. The men in uniform do the similar job at the Shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi.

While these noble causes undertaken by Army are ignored, unfortunately , the acts of alleged human rights violations are blown out of proportion.

In a confrontation between the security forces and the militants, it is but natural that the jawans will have to retaliate in self defence, and particularly when they are provoked. And rightly said by Dr Jatindra Singh in his recent write-up in " Tales of Travesty " that a jawan should not feel shy of treating a terrorist as a terrorist and how does one expect that a security personnel should remain mum if they suddenly find themselves under a guerrilla attack? In retaliation, the militants get killed because they invite trouble and some-times, the civilians too unfortunately become the target. But such acts are publicised , a mountain of a mole is created and abuses in crude language are showered on Army. The entire force is condemned and the reports of so-called-human rights violations are sent to the print.

It is admitted that there have been few instances when security forces might have resorted to certain degree of " excesses", but condemning the entire Army is uncalled for. For such an individualistic act, there could be definitely a solid reason , but unfortunately the reason is not looked into. The act is publicised and entire force subjected to criticism.

How many of the so-called champions of human rights have highlighted the role of Indian Army apart from guarding the borders? But such activists have many a times written volumes while discussing human rights. Let it be made clear that it is not the security force jawan who is to be told of human rights. He is aware of this right and their are many agencies that impart even training to the jawans while dealing with the question of human rights. The militants, infact , have to be told in bold letters of their human right violations. They are over the years the professional violators.

There is a little mention of Army-Civil relationship and those noble acts when the Armed forces are used in natural calamities in aid to civil power when all agencies charged with responsibilities fail to deal with these situations, generally fail. One should subscribe to the view of Lt Col Mukund Singh Jamwal that there is definitely a criminal lack of awareness or even interest amongst the general public about the ultimate weapon— the Armed forces— the " Brahma Astra" that is used by the Government as a last resort practically in every filed— right from maintaining internal security to providing of medicare facilities in the remote and far-flung areas.

One should not look into only one aspect of the so-called "excesses", but have a glimpse of the other side—— the other side of the coin that has infact a better story to tell in defence of the security forces. ——RAJESH BHAT

Hero’s welcome to Omar at Jammu

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 25: Amidst beating of drums, slogans and the shovering of flowers, thousands of National Conference activists including senior Party leaders, accorded rousing reception to Dr Farooq Abdullah’s son— Mr Omar Abdullah on his maiden visit to Jammu as Union Minister of State for Industry and Commerce today.

It was infact Omar’s day in the winter capital city today. The main route from Jammu Airport to the Civil Secretariat and the Zanana Park where a strong crowd of over ten thousand workers, was waiting eagerly for the glimpse of their young leader from J&K, was well decorated and the Party flags and the buntings were seen hanging at the main crossings.

Almost all the ministers, excluding the chief—Dr Abdullah, the Party legislators and other important functionaries of the NC with long cavalcade of the ruling Ministry had thronged the Jammu air port today. Carrying bundles of garlands, may be more than the weight of young Omar, the Party leaders and other workers were seen in a bee-line at the airport to accord " Hero’s welcome" to the newly inducted NC Member Parliament from Srinagar, in the BJP-led coalition Government at the Centre.

Elaborate security arrangements had been made by the Administration at the airport and even the press persons were not allowed to enter the main waiting hall at the Jammu Airport today.The outer main gate had been closed well before his arrival and the entry had been restricted for the commoners. As Mr Omar air-dashed from a Jet Airways flight and moved into the main hall, the crowd waiting outside started raising slogans for his praise and welcome. He was garlanded and received by the glaxy of ministers, Youth NC leaders and other activists.

He was taken to the city in the open and well decorated light vehicle, followed by a long, slow- moving cavalcade of the ruling party dispensation. Raising his hand in the air for his response to the public enroute, Mr Omar, accompanied by NC Youth leaders and other senior NC leaders kept advancing to the Zanana Park in vehicle, the site of the massive rally. The Union minister was welcomed at Satwari Chowk, Gandhinagar, Bikram Chowk, Dogra Chowk, Indira Chowk and Shalamar by various local organisations and the students.

The ministers including Mr Bodh Raj Bali, Mr Surjit Singh Slathia, Mr Sharief Tariq, Mr Nissar Ahmed Khan and Pt Govind Ram were already waiting at the rally site when the Omar arrived there. A strong gathering welcomed him chanting, slogans—" Omar Abdullah Zindabad, National Conference Zindabad..... Dr Farooq Abdullah—Zindabad".

Today’s rousing welcome of NC minister, in the BJP dominated winter capital city reminded the day when Dr Farooq Abdullah was given a hero’s reception by the people here after his Party came into power and he was elected as Chief Minister three years ago. It was infact the event when election was held after eight years’ militancy period.

Most of the Ministers from Kashmir were not visible at the rally site except Forest Minister, Ch. Mohd Ramzan and Minister for Parks, Gardens and Haj, Peerzada Ghulam Ahmed Shah, whereas, all from the Jammu region did not miss this important occasion.

The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah paid a brief visit to the rally site just when Mr Omar was addressing the gathering. Supporting his son, he extended gratitude to the people of Jammu in general and all the Party workers for according a grand reception to young Omar.