Prof Gupta, Omer being inducted
50-member Ministry to be sworn-in today

NEW DELHI, Oct 12: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who will be sworn in as Prime Minister for a third term tomorrow, is likely to induct a two-tier Ministry of about 50 members accommodating all the allies while retaining key portfolios of Home, Finance, External Affairs and HRD with BJP, the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), reports PTI.

With the DMK deciding to join the Government, a significant change in the new Cabinet will be the entry of Murasoli Maran, who is tipped to get the Commerce portfolio with one more Cabinet slot being offered to the party. There is talk of FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) being carved out of Industry Ministry to be annexed to Commerce.

Hectic consultations are on between the Prime Minister and various alliance leaders in which Home Minister L K Advani and BJP president Kushabhau Thakre are also involved. Jaswant Singh has emerged as the virtual chief negotiator for the Prime Minister in talking to allies.

The sealed envelop containing the names of the new Ministers is expected to reach Rashtrapati Bhavan tonight, sources in the Government said.

There is speculation that the incumbent in the Industry Ministry Sikander Bakht may be moved out of the Government to be accommodated elsewhere.

With TDP deciding not to join the Government, all indications are that Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi may get a second term.

The 20-strong JD (U) contingent mainly from Bihar is expected to bag adequate representation in both the tiers with George Fernandes retaining Defence and Sharad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan both slated to get Cabinet berths.

T R Baalu, who was another DMK representative in the United Front Government, is most likely to get Surface Transport or Power with cabinet rank if the Prime Minister decides to make any change in the energy portfolio.

DMK is also tipped to get another berth at the level of Minister of State for which a second term MP, A Raja, belonging to Scheduled Caste is the favoured contender.

By all indications the coveted Railway portfolio may be bagged by the eight-member Trinamool Congress and Mamata Banerjee is the hot favourite for the job. Another portfolio of Minister of State with independent charge is also likely to go to the party for which senior MP Ajit Panja is being tipped.

BJD, which put up an impressive performance in the company of BJP in Orissa, is expected to retain both the Ministers — Naveen Patnaik at the cabinet level and Dilip Ray as Minister of State.

Shiv Sena, a major ally with 15 MPs, is likely to get two Cabinet berths for incumbent Suresh Prabhu and Manohar Joshi, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and a Minister of State status for backbencher Anant Geete.

Two Tamil Nadu allies, PMK and MDMK are getting two Ministers each at the level of Ministers of State. N T Shanmugam and E Ponnuswamy are the likely candidates with the former getting independent charge of Health Ministry.

MDMK which was offered one Cabinet and a Minister of State berth in case Vaiko decided to join, is now understood to have settled for two Ministers of State with Senjee Ramachandran and M Kannappan tipped to become Ministers.

National Conference, which fought BJP in the elections, is likely to make an entry into the Vajpayee Ministry with Omar Farooq, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah’s son, tipped to become a Minister of State.

Akali Dal, which had suffered in the elections, may also get a berth but Surjit Singh Barnala is unlikely to be retained following his electoral defeat.

BJP’s Haryana ally, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) with five MPs, is understood to have decided not to join the Government.

Independent MP Maneka Gandhi, who won from Philibit with a huge margin, is expected to retain her Ministry.

Adequate representation will also be given to north-eastern states where BJP has increased its tally and where its allies have also won seats.

Our New Delhi correspondent adds:- BJP MP from Udhampur-Doda Prof Chaman Lal Gupta is being inducted into the Council of Ministers. Mr Omer Abdullah son of J&K Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah is being inducted as Minister of State of Tourism with independent charge.

Our Srinagar Bureau adds: National Conference elected Lok Sabha member from Srinagar and the State Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah's son Omar Abdullah today said that a Cabinet berth in the Union Government was the right of Mr Ali Mohammad Naik -- NC's senior leader and elected Lok Sabha member from Anantnag. Naik had to forfeit his position as the State's Revenue Minister when he was chosen as the party's nominee from south Kashmir.

In Radio Kashmir Sriangar's popular programme "Bil Mushafa", brodcast at 10.30 PM tonight, Omar Abdullah was candid enough to say that he was far junior to Mr Naik in politics inspite of the former having made his debut in Lok Sabha in March last year.

As the interviewer Ghulam Nabi Rattanpuri sounded the young Parliamentarian about his prospects of joining the Vajpayee ministry at the Centre, Omar quipped: "Several Chief Ministers, including Mr Apang and Mr Badal, promoted their sons over senior members of their parties and that it what brought about their political annihilation. My father is not going that way."

'Saudi Arab, Iran funding JK Madrasas'
Education system in a total shambles, says CM

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 12: Even as the Minister of School Education Mohammad Sharif Tariq tried his best to convince the House that nothing was amiss in the lower education institutions in Jammu & Kashmir, Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah spoke the Opposition language and remarked that the State's educational system was "in a total shambles."

In reply to the National Conference (NC) MLA Mohammad Sayeed Akhoon's starred Assembly question, Minister of School Education claimed that most of the schools in Kashmir valley had been provided with furniture and furnishing articles. He disagreed that people were giving preference to English medium schools for admission of their children due to the dilapidated condition of Government school buildings.

Tariq claimed that it was the English language medium of the private schools which was attracting the people. Making a significant announcement, he disclosed that English medium would be adopted by all Government schools as a Cabinet sub-committee had already been framed for the purpose.

Tariq's reply evoked a barrage of supplementaries from BJP's Shiv Charan Gupta, Panthers Party's Harsh Dev Singh as also NC's Saifullah Mir. The MLAs claimed that Government schools were in a shambles in everything ranging from the quantity and quality of teachers to furniture and buildings.

Shiv Charan Gupta said that he had seen most of the schools closed during his recent election campaign. He claimed that salaries of teachers were being sent to their home without any work and the NC Government had failed to take any action against the erring officials. Almost same was the observation of the questioner Akhoon who too said that he had found most of the schools closed. He assailed the Minister that he had never visited any schools in the capital city.

As Harsh Dev Singh lamented paucity of staff at several schools, Dr Abdullah intervened only to admit that the State's education system was in a total shambles. He said that a large number of teachers were running their private business while as quite a number of them were practising politics. He described it as "the biggest tragedy."

Dr Abdullah said a number of schools in Doda district stood closed due to militancy. He said that quite a number of the Jamaat-e-Islami schools were functional under different banners. Dr Abdullah said that Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran were funding the State's (separatist) educational institutions and cautioned his members to be careful.

The CM's reply pacified the members and the basic questioner.

Owns responsibility for party’s debacle
Sonia elected CPP chairperson

NEW DELHI, Oct 12: Congress president Sonia Gandhi was today elected unanimously chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party indicating that she remained the undisputed leader of the organisation despite the reverses suffered in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Senior Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed proposed her name and was seconded by former Union Minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari and a number of others. She was elected the chairperson of the CPP thereafter amid thumping of desk.

In her brief address, she owned moral responsibility for the party’s debacle in the recent Lok Sabha elections and pledged to initiate corrective action to strengthen the organisation. She also made it clear that she would devote more time for Parliamentary work. She would like the party to expose the misdeeds of the previous Government including the sugar imports from Pakistan.

The Congress is determined to keep up its fight against communal forces Mrs Gandhi said and asked the partymen not to be cowed down by the overbearing attitude of the Vajpayee Government.

With the election of Mrs Gandhi as the chairperson it remains to be seen whether the party would have a separate leader for the Lok Sabha as the Congress leader would have the status of leader of the opposition.

Ms Gandhi said she came to politics with a purpose, to contribute all that she could to the welfare of the people, to strengthen of the party and to preserve and furthering the secular heritage and traditions of the country.

Asserting that her resolve in this regard remained unshakable, she admitted that she might have made mistakes.

She said she could not fully follow her own promises made 18 months ago like the party should concentrate on working at the grassroots to regain confidence of the people, to communicate the party’s ideology and its fundamental values and to rebuild the organisation. While we have succeeded to some extent, it is evident that we have failed in other ways.

She said she required to draw strength from the dedication of the party workers and members of Parliament to rectify this situation. It is essential to examine as to where changes are required to rebuild the party’s relationship with the people, though this is not an easy and quick job. To earn confidence that is eroded is a formidable task. Yet,I commit myself to it, she said.

Ms Gandhi, who did not indicate whether she would be the party leader in the Lok Sabha or would nominate some one else, said: for my own part, as a newly elected MP, I intend to spend as much time as is possible in the House consistent with my other responsibilities and goals.

As the leading party of the Opposition, the Congress would be a constructive opposition but when national interest demanded we will be firm in expressing our disagreement with Government policies, programmes or misgovernance, Ms Gandhi said.

She told her party members to be vigilant in ensuring that the country’s defence was not neglected as it was done so criminally by the previous Government.

She said the party would insist on full disclosures of all that led to the Kargil crisis and cost the nation the martyrdom of hundreds of the best and bravest of the youths. The previous Government damaged the fundamentals of civilian-defence relations as no Government has done since independence. We have seen in our neighbourhood the tragic consequences of the politicisation of the armed forces, she said.

She wanted the members to persist with raising their voice in all matters related to national security, recalling that revelations from within the previous Government showed up that it was as one of the most corrupt.

She said the party should insist on getting to the bottom of the import of sugar from an ISI-related Pakistan agency and follow up the investigation on the residual Jain Commission matters by the CBI’s multi disciplinary monitoring agency.

She said she did not anticipate an easy future for the governance of the country. The ruling coalition now consisted of more parties and we fear that pulls and pressures within it will render it less than effective. This makes it all the more imperative that we are watchful at all times.

Ms Gandhi said the Pachmarhi declaration was the party’s clarion call and it was elaborated in the party manifesto. We must not be disheartened. We must look to the future with confidence ,she told her party MPs. (UNI)

Graft charges established against GM DIC, 10 others

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 12: The Vigilance Organisation has established graft charges against six Government officers and five private persons including the then General Manager District Industries Centre (DIC) Kathua Mr M L Wali. All of them had been charged with duping the state exchequer worth lakhs of rupees while their posting in DIC Kathua.

A challan against all of them was presented today in the Court after obtaining Government sanction for six officers for judicial determinations.

The challaned officers include M L Wali, the then GM DIC Kathua, C M Mansotra, the then Manager Projects DIC Kathua, R K Verma, the then store-keeper, Ram Nath Sharma, the then Accountant, the then Functional Manager and G D Sharma, the then Manager Credits.

Five private persons who have also been challaned include Ganga Dutt of Furniture Works Kalibari, Kathua, Rafiq of Rafiq Handloom Industry, Habib of Habib Enterprises, A V Sharma of AV Enterprises, Chand Nagar, Jammu and Sunil Kumar of Sheuj Nath Plastic Works, Industrial Estate, Kathua.

Details of the case revealed that during their posting in DIC Kathua, Mr Wali and his subordinate officers purchased ‘Merritt’ quality of sewing machines, leather soles, safety leather, bamboos, coarse cloth and knitting yarn.

All the purchased items were of spurious quality and didn’t vary with the items mentioned in the Notice Inviting Tenders (NIT). In the tender, the officers had called for the purchase of ‘Merritt’ quality sewing machines and made the payments accordingly. However, the Vigilance investigations revealed that sewing machines were of duplicate quality and not ‘Merritt’.

In the purchase of sewing machines only, the officers had committed an embezzlement of Rs 70,000. They paid Rs 2.78 lakhs to the private companies from whom the machines were purchased but the actual price of the machine was estimated at Rs 2.07 lakhs only.

Similarly, in the purchase of bamboos, the state exchequer was duped of Rs 63,000 by the accused officials and officers. In other purchases also, heavy losses were inflicted on the exchequer which were established.

Sources said during the course of investigations, the Vigilance Organisation recorded the statements of concerned officers as well as the private dealers involved in the irregularities. Samples of the items were also collected for expert opinion. The expert opinion confirmed the bunglings committed by the officers in connivance with the private dealers.

After obtaining Government sanction, the Vigilance Organisation today presented the challan in the case. The accused officers and private dealers have been booked under Sections 5 (2) Prevention of Corruption Act, 120 B, 420 A and 167 A RPC. However, no arrest has been made so far.

Student murdered inside Udhampur degree college

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Oct 12: In a sensational crime, a Part IInd year student was murdered inside the degree college here this morning by a student of the final year. The incident sparked off a wave of fear among the college students and triggered protests.

The deceased was identified as Daljeet Singh Kotwal son of a Gram Sevak and a resident of village Bashnoh in Panchairi block of this district. The accused identified as Ishpal Singh, a final year student of the degree college for boys and a resident of Udhampur has been arrested.

Police and degree college sources said the dispute arose after Ishpal Singh got a hockey from sports room of the college and started playing with his class-mates. Daljeet Singh, who also wanted to have the hockey, entered into arguments with Ishpal Singh.

The arguments took the shape of heated discussions during which Daljeet Singh mercilessly beat-up Ishpal Singh. In the melee, the turban of Ishpal Singh fell down. This provoked Ishpal who got off his ‘kirpan’ and inflicted two deep stab wounds on Daljeet Singh.

The staff and students of the College including Principal rushed to the spot immediately after getting a report and informed Udhampur police. A police party from Udhampur police station led by the SHO reached the college immediately and the victim, bleeding profusely, was rushed to district hospital.

The victim, who had sustained two deep stab wounds in his stomach, succumbed to his injuries soon after hospitalisation. His body was handed over to his family members after post-mortem in the hospital, the report of which was awaited. The student will be cremated tomorrow morning at his native village in Panchairi.

Soon after the incident, panic gripped the entire college and most of the students boycotted their classes in protest against the murder and demanding immediate arrest of the accused and severe action against him. Students voiced deep concern over the breach of law and orders in the college premises.

Udhampur police have registered a case in the murder and started investigations. The accused Ishpal Singh, has been booked under Section 302 CrPC.

SSP Udhampur, Mr Satvir Gupta said that the police party led by Additional SP Mr Surinder Gupta and DySP, Mr Sewa Singh nabbed the accused after searches were conducted for over three hours. He was apprehended from a hideout, Mr Gupta said.

Meanwhile, local citizens in Udhampur have expressed serious concern over a murder inside the college premises. They demanded that authorities at the helm of affairs in the college should ensure discipline in the institution so that healthy environment is created for studies.

Meanwhile, Principal, Staff and students of Govt. Degree College (Boys) Udhampur placed on record their deep feelings of shock and sorrow on the very sad and untimely demise of Daljeet Dev Singh Kotwal,' a student of BA Part-II of this College, they prayed to God for peace to the departed soul & fortitude to the members of the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.

HM ‘Area Commander’ arrested in Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 12: A dreaded militant of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit has been arrested by army and police in a joint raid conducted at his hideout in village Charad in Kishtwar tehsil of Doda district.

The arrested militant was identified as Mohd Yusuf Malik (code name Imran Khan) son of Lassa Malik, a resident of Charad village. He was an ‘area commander’ of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit for Charad village.

SSP Doda Mr Muneer Khan said troops of 11 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Task Force (STF) cordoned off a suspected hideout of the militants at Charad late last evening. The search operation was launched in the area on the basis of a tip off given by some local people that Imran Khan had come to review situation in the village with his local associates to step up the militant activities in the area.

As troops and STF jawans closed-in on the hideout, the militants started firing and tried to escape by jumping out of the hideout. However, troops returned the firing and chased the militant. After 20-minutes operation, troops apprehended the militant alive following a hot chase.

Troops and STF recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from the militant’s hideout which include two .303 rifles, two RPG rounds, two .303 bayonets, one remote control IED, 1000 electric detonators with lead, 120 SLR rounds, 150 UMG rounds and 10 meters remote-control lead.

Imran Khan was whisked away to an army camp where he was being subjected to sustained interrogation to ascertain clues from him about Hizbul Mujahideen’s activities in district Doda. Some sensational disclosures were expected of him during his continued interrogation.

Troops and police continued searches for some of his associates, who were still at large.

Militant killed in Rafiabad operation
Woman shot dead by RR jawan

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 12: After facing resistance in his abortive attempt to rape a young girl, a drunk soldier of Rashtriya Rifles (RR) has gunned down the mother of three girls and left her son wounded in Baramulla. Meanwhile, militants have shot dead a National Conference (NC) activist in Kupwara while as troops of RR have launched a major combing operation in Rafiabad area of Baramulla district as one militant had got killed and three were still trapped late tonight.

According to the statement of residents of Fatehpora--a small hamlet behind the degree College of Baramulla--at 2230 hours last night, an RR soldier appeared at the house of one Mohammad Ramzan Dar and asked him for guidance to the house of Sabir Rather. As he reached his destination and called out Sabir Rather, his wife 50-year old Hajra and son Ashir Ahmed Rather came out. Holding them outside, he intruded into a room and attempted to rape Sabir Rather's 19-year old daughter Fahmeeda. She and her two sisters raised commotion and screamed for help. As Hajira and Bashir responded, the soldier in mufti trained his gun on them. Hajira got killed and Bashir was left injured.

After committing the crime, the unidentified soldier fled from the village. Due to fear, the tuberclosis patient Sabir Rather did not come out.

Hajira's daughters, in their statement before police, said that the soldier in inebriated condition had a scuffle with their mother and brother and opened fire. They said that they could well identify the soldier from the nearby Sector-10 headquarters of RR as they had often seen him on ROP duty. Ramzan Dar too corroborated their statement and said that he spoke Punjabi and Hindi.

Baramulla police have lodged an FIR on the basis of the villagers' statement and began investigated into the case.

Reports from Baramulla added that troops of RR-28, 29 and 30 launched a massive combing operation in Dooniwara forest area in Rafiabad early this morning after receiving information that a big group of militants was present there. During the operation, exchange of fire took place in which one militant got killed and three of his associates were reportedly trapped. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the slain militant was believed to be the chief commander of Al-Badr militant outfit in north Kashmir.

Official sources at Kupwara said that during last evening, unidentified militants shot dead a former militant and activist of NC, namely Abdul Qayoom Mir S/o Sona-ullah Mir, resident of Rawatpora while he was busy in packaging the apples.

An IED planted by militants has been recovered from Batpora-Dyalgam road near Anantnag.

Meanwhile, militants today lobbed a hand grenade at the crowded General Bus Stand at Pulwama at 1345 hours. It exploded on road causing splinter injuries to 10 civilians. They were rushed to hospital where doctors declared three of them as seriously wounded. Glass panes of several parked vehicles got smashed.

PTI adds: Border Security Force (BSF) has claimed to have scuttled an attempt by ISI to revive Al-Fateh, a defunct militant organisation in Kashmir with the arrest of three of its top functionaries, a BSF officer said today.

The three top militants had been deputed by Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to recruit local youth and train them to carry out subversive activities, BSF Deputy Inspector General R P Singh told PTI today.

The militants are: Self-styled acting chief commander of the outfit Parviaz Ahmad Ganai, operational chief Shoukat Ahmad Bhat and Fayaz Ahmad. They later led the troops to a big cache of arms ammunition and other incriminating material from their hideouts last evening, he said.

Presenting the militants before mediapersons, Singh said the breakthrough was achieved by the 22nd battalion of BSF in close coordination with Yousmarg team of BSF Intelligence and police station Karan Nagar.

Acting on specific information provided by an officer from Yousmarg, the BSF team, with the help of local police, laid an ambush and arrested Parvaiz Ahmad Ganai alias Abdullah’ code name Saifullah Khalid’ last evening.

Parvaiz’s questioning led to arrest of Shoukat Ahmad Bhat alias Moosa’ from Barbarshah area of the city and Fayaz Ahmad alias ‘Zaffar’, company commander of the outfit from Qalamdanpora-Nawakadal, the BSF officer said.

Interrogation of the trio resulted in smashing of some of their hideouts and unearthing of a main arms dump of the outfit at Chrawani village, he added.

India expresses grave concern over Pak developments

NEW DELHI, Oct 12: India tonight expressed grave concern over developments in Pakistan and was closely monitoring the situation triggered by the dismissal of Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Reports emanating from Pakistan are a matter of grave concern and we are watching the situation, a spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office said here.

The Cabinet Committee on Security will meet soon after the swearing-in of the new Government tomorrow to consider developments in Islamabad.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is keeping himself fully abreast of the evolving situation in Pakistan, the spokesman said.

We are maintaining constant touch with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and all members of the Mission are safe, he added.

Former Foreign Secretary J N Dixit told PTI that the situation was extraordinarily volatile and unclear.

Resuming dialogue with an unstable Government would be difficult and we will have a tense situation at hand, the former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan said.

The United States, which had earlier warned Islamabad that it should not take any unconstitutional step, would find itself in a piquant situation, he added.

Former Director General Military Operations Gen V R Raghavan said the possibility of restoring the Lahore process will be wide open to question and the situation in Pakistan would be troublesome for India.

It is a tussle for power between Sharif and the military authorities. And the Army has acted, he told PTI.

Dr Sreedhar of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) said the struggle for power between the armed forces and civilian authorities has now come to fore. It was becoming obvious for some time that a showdown was imminent.

Sources monitoring the developments in Islamabad said Musharraf had expressed displeasure over certain acts by Sharif to divide the Army.

The Kargil Operations and backing of the Taliban in Afghanistan by the Sharif Government with the help of Army regulars, who were either disowned or called holy warriors, to achieve political objectives in the neighbourhood was also disliked by a major section of the Army brass.

The Army felt Sharif Government had failed completely on the diplomatic front after Kargil and top officers of certain field formations were convinced about the incapacity of the civilian Government to manage Pakistan’s national security, the sources said.

While Musharraf’s predecessor Gen Jehangir Karamat was forced to resign following his differences with Sharif on the issue of setting up a national security council to give a greater role to Army in administration, Gen Musharraf, a Special Services Group officer, became the second Army Chief to be forced out of office in as many years. (PTI)

Tanvir Jehan is DC Sgr, again

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 12: Mrs Tanvir Jehan, who had proceeded on two-months leave in wake of Lok Sabha elections in her home district of Srinagar, has again been appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar in place of Mr Isfandyar Khan. Khan, who was Additional DC Srinagar and was later appointed as DC Srinagar, has now been appointed as Additional Commissioner Kashmir against a specially created leave reserve post.

The post of Additional Commissioner Kashmir had already filled up with the transfer and appointment of Mr Nazir Ahmed Munshi.

Meanwhile, official sources told EXCELSIOR that Mr Dilbagh Singh (IPS) and Mr Ashkoor Wani would be appointed as DIG Baramulla and SP Kupwara respectively in a couple of days. Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has overruled the opposition of his Minister of State Home to the reappointment of the two police officers as DIG Baramulla and SP Kupwara and asked the Chief Secretary to issue the orders.

Singh and Wani had been shifted and attached to Police Headquarters and, consequently, replaced by Messrs Javed Makhdoomi and Mohammad Amin Shah, as Election Commission of India had conceded an objection by the Peoples Democratic Party candidate Muzzaffar Hussain Beg. Beg’s apprehension was that the officers, who had earlier been suspended in the so-called Anantnag police recruitment scandal, had been reinstated and posted in north Kashmir for rigging the Lok Sabha election in favour of the National Conference candidate.

Sources said that both Makhdoomi as well as Shah would return to their former places of posting i.e. DIG CID and SSP Crime Branch Kashmir, respectively.

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