Palki, chest remain in Tosha Khana
Dogra rulers’ treasure shifted to Civil Sectt amid protests

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 25: Amidst protest demonstration by different parties and subsequent mild lathicharge by police, the invaluable treasure of Dogra rulers was shifted from Tosha Khana in historic Mubarak Mandi complex to a strong room in the Civil Secretariat during four hour long operation.

The entire complex of Tosha Khana was fortified by deploying large number of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel during the process of loading invaluables in police trucks which were, later, escorted by several vehicles of police upto Civil Secretariat.

As soon as vehicles carrying police and CRPF personnel reached Mubarak Mandi complex, activists of Dogra Liberation Front (DLF), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party (JKPP) and West Pakistan refugees, who had prior information about the shifting of Dogra rulers’ antiques today, started raising slogans against the Government.

They even tried to prevent security personnel from carrying out their work following which police had to resort to mild lathicharge to push agitators away. As DLF president Ram Pal became very aggressive, he was dragged away from the spot, taken in preventive custody and later shifted to a police station.

While the protest demonstration was going on, the staff of the Tosha Khana with the assistance of police personnel opened the door of the room where the invaluables were kept, for the past several years, in presence of Deputy Commissioner Jammu Hirdesh Kumar Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mukesh Singh, Director Archives Khurshid Ahmed Qadri, Director Tourism Ajay Khajuria and Tehsildar Jammu R C Misri.

The shifting of invaluables which started at around 12.30 pm continued till 3 pm when all the antiques, barring a Palki and a chest, were loaded in the three police trucks. Palki and a chest could not be brought out of the door of the Tosha Khana because of its less width.

Some people had also gathered outside the complex to have the glimpse of the antiques particularly two gold thrones of Maharajas. However, they were not allowed to come near the trucks because of heavy deployment of the security personnel.

In the Civil Secretariat, all the invaluables of Dogra rulers were kept in a strong room developed specially for housing these antiques. "It was not possible to open the other bigger doors of the Tosha Khana as a double brick wall constructed around the room had virtually closed them permanently", Deputy Commissioner said.

"The Palki and a chest will remain in the same room for some time till some arrangements are made for bringing them out of the room", he further said and added that it was not feasible to keep the invaluables in Tosha Khana following the recent outbreak of fire that turned it unsafe.

Moreover, people have come to know about the location of Tosha Khana and keeping antiques particularly of gold and silver was not advisable from security point of view.

To a question, he termed the protest demonstration by some organisations as "uncalled for" and added that shifting of invaluables was necessary and need of an hour to prevent them from damage.

Earlier, while protesting against the shifting of invaluables to Civil Secretariat, leaders of different organisations expressed apprehension that Government may shift the antiques of Dogra rulers from Civil Secretariat to Srinagar where reportedly a museum is being constructed.

"Instead of shifting Tosha Khana invaluables to Civil Secretariat they should have been kept in any other portion of Mubarak Mandi Complex as both belong to the Dogra rulers", they demanded.

Strongly contesting the claims of the Government that preserving the antiques was the aim behind shifting them to Civil Secretariat, they said that even in the Civil Secretariat they will remain in damaged condition.

"All the antiques need timely preservation which can be possible only by way of providing them necessary treatment and keep them on display for the general public in the highly guarded portion of Mubarak Mandi Complex", they stressed.

Shifting from one locked room to another would not stop the plunder of the Dogra rulers’ invaluables, they said.

BJP activists were led by Kavinder Gupta, Shiv Sena by Annan Sharma, West Pak Refugees by Rajiv Chuni and Labh Ram Gandhi, Duggar organisations by Uday Chand and others.

KPs’ reject Musharraf’s formula on Kashmir

NEW DELHI, Dec 25: Kashmiri Pandits today rejected Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s four-point formula on Kashmir and said the latest indications emanating from the ongoing Indo-Pak composite dialogue process were confusing.

A resolution adopted after a day-long conference, organised by the Kashmiri Samiti, the apex body of Kashmiri Pandits, said it was not very clear what prompted Gen Musharraf to come out with this ‘‘out of box’’ formula but it was clear that the Government of India was willing to discuss it.

Without going into the merits and demerits of the formula, the Government of India was willing to ‘‘clutch any straw’’ that Pakistan offered without understanding how this formula would fit into the spectrum of Indian claims.

"There is a unanimous Parliament resolution of 1994 describing Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India and asking Pakistan to withdraw from the territory under its control and then recently, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared that there is no question of change of borders," the resolution said.

How could the two countries then discuss reduction of armies, creating five zones having self-rule and an overall joint control on the entire territory, it said and feared that the Government of India may accept the formula.

"The whole exercise leaves only the Kashmiri Pandits in the lurch. They are now in their 19th year of displacement and see little or no chance of their returning to their homes in the near future," the resolution said. The resolution demanded that Kashmiri Pandits be rehabilitated at their places of presented location in the country.

They, however, asserted that they were not against returning to Kashmir and threatened to resort to ‘direct action programme’ from January 20, 2007, (the day Kashmiri Pandits migrated enmasse from the Valley in 1990) if the Central Government failed to rehabilitate them within a certain time-frame.

Demanding their inclusion in any negotiations on Kashmir, the Kashmiri Pandits said they were very much a part of the political process and any process would be incomplete without their participation as they were the worst sufferers of terrorism in the Valley.

"Whatever the future of Kashmir, Kashmiri Pandits are an integral part of Indian ethos and civilisation and would like to contribute their mite in strengthening the country...They feel enough is enough and they cannot wait indefinitely for a situation that enables them to return to their roots," the resolution said.

It also demanded that the Centre urgently set up an agency which can gather all details of the losses incurred by the Kashmiri Pandits and formulate a policy of compensation and rehabilitation with their representatives.

"If no action is taken on these in a reasonable time-frame, the Kashmiri Pandits have resolved to resort to direct action. They are determined to end the stalemate that has been thrust on them," the resolution warned. Mr Sunil Shakdhar, Kashmiri Samiti chairman, asserted that Kashmiri Pandits would not give up their right to live in Kashmir.

He strongly objected to the word ‘migrant’ being used for Kashmiri Pandits who had left the Valley in and after 1990 following terrorism.

"Why are we being described as Migrants ? that way we are being clubbed with Bangladeshi migrants. We are in our own country and have been displaced from our homes," he asserted.

He cautioned against ‘‘political exploitation’’ and said that from January 20, 2007, they would launch a ‘direct action programme’ if the Government did not come out with a concrete programme for rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.

Dr L N Dhar, president of the Kashmiri Samiti, while rejecting so-existence with Muslims in the Valley, said Kashmiri Pandits should be rehabilitated at their present positions of stay, pending a resolution to the issue.

The Government should identify areas for rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits and rehabilitate them there, he added.

He also demanded that the Government declare null and void all distress sales of Kashmiri Pandits properties in the Valley, saying that 95 per cent of the Pandits had sold off their houses in the Valley since 1990.

The conference felt that the Government should initiate a process that would determine the extent of compensation to be provided to displaced persons.

Several prominent Kashmiri Pandits were felicitated for their contribution to the cause and for excelling in their respective fields. (UNI)

Getting passport easier from today

NEW DELHI, Dec 25: Acquiring of passports will be easier from tomorrow with the Government revising guidelines for the purpose, which includes doing away with the requirement of police verification in case of re-issue of the document.

An applicant will now be required to furnish only three out of 14 documents as proof, including one with a photograph, as per the new guidelines aimed at reducing the delays in issuance of passports.

A stamp of Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) will also not be needed if an applicant is matriculate. The eligibility criteria for ECNR so far was graduation.

The Government has also relaxed rules for obtaining certificate for waiver of police verification by extending the authorisation powers to Under Secretaries, Tehsildars and SHOs in this regard, official sources said here today.

For re-issue of passports, no police verification would be necessary either before or after issuance unless there is any negative information concerning an applicant, they said.

The passports will be required to be re-issued within four days, the sources said.

Changes have also been effected with regard to Tatkal scheme, under which a passport will have to be issued within 14 days, rather than 20 days as per the existing rules. A Tatkal passport may also be issued within seven days, if an applicant shells out Rs 500 extra.

Re-issue of passport under the Tatkal scheme will have to be done within three days. As per the changes, an applicant would not be required to cite reasons for applying for a Tatkal passport.

The MEA’s intention of doing away with the requirement of address verification of a passport applicant and depending only on individual’s identity has failed to take off because of opposition from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The MEA also intends to do away with the requirement of five-year address proof for people born in Jammu and Kashmir and residing outside the State. However, this proposal has also been shot down by the MHA.

While easing procedures for applying for passport, the Government is also examining suitable amendments to the Passports Act to provide for stricter penalties for those obtaining passports by fraudulent means.

The scheme allows an applicant to submit three out of a list of 14 stipulated documents along with his application. The 14 stipulated documents include Electors Photo Identity Card, Service Identity cards, ration cards, driving licences and PAN cards.

The Government is also working on the introduction of Biometric passports which will have a micro-processor based digital storage device embedded in them containing biometric features like fingerprints of the holder besides the general information concerning the document and the person concerned.

The scheme, to be introduced next year as a pilot project, will be introduced in the categories of diplomatic and official passports initially.

Others will be covered later, based on the experience of the pilot project. (PTI)

Old man’s legs broken in Pak jail for being ex-serviceman

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Dec 25: Such was the barbaric attitude of jail authorities with a former Indian Army soldier in Pakistan that nearly 70 year old Prakash Chand, who was among 70 Indian prisoners released by Pakistan army through Wagah border in Amritsar district on Saturday, has lost his both legs due to excessive torture. His both hands were also fractured.

Prakash Chand’s elder son, Pawan Kumar, a driver who had gone to receive his father at Amritsar, told the Excelsior on telephone that immediately after his father’s medical examination on the border, the doctors referred him to Civil Hospital, Amritsar.

"Both legs of my father, who was alright when he went missing in December 1999, had been broken in jail. He is unable to even stand on his legs and can’t walk. Doctors have told me that it was virtually impossible to treat his legs", Pawan Kumar said from Amritsar.

Quoting doctors, he added that legs of Prakash Chand were broken with splashing of lathis and iron rods. No treatment was given to him in jail in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

Hands of Prakash Chand were also fractured due to beating. He was unable to move his hands but, according to doctors, some treatment of his hands was possible. Pawan Kumar, who along with his younger brother Inderjeet Kumar, had been camping in Amritsar said it could take a three to four more days for treatment (whatever possible) of their father in Civil Hospital, Amritsar. Besides physical, Prakash has also developed mental problem for losing his legs.

Prakash Chand’s 58 year old wife Chanchalo Devi, when approached in her house at village Jugial under the jurisdiction of Rajbagh police station in Kathua district, recalled that her husband was perfectly alright when he suddenly went missing in December 1999. Prakash Chand had served Indian Army for a long time.

"For next six months, our family had no information of my husband. It was only in 2000 that we were informed by a policeman that my husband has landed in Pakistan", she said while sewing a new shirt awaiting the arrival of her husband since Saturday when he was released.

She was stunned to see the photograph of her husband in Sunday’s issue of the Excelsior in which he was being brought to this side picked up by two civilians as he was unable to walk.

"Woh Bilkul Pale Change The. Ae Patani Kis Tara Aoya (he was perfectly alright. I don’t know how this has happened)", she quipped and started cursing Pakistan army and jail authorities for breaking his husband’s legs for his only fault that he had served the Indian Army.

Only happy face in the house of Prakash Chand was that of her youngest daughter, Renu Sharma, who is scheduled to be married in February next year.

"I had never thought during last six years that my father will be able to attend my marriage. It’s like a dream coming true. Even if he can’t walk, I’m happy that he will perform my ‘kanyadan’ with his own hands", Renu, a student of 12th class, said. She was all praise for her friend Madhu, who helped her in carrying out her studies from 6th class onwards after her father went missing.

Renu’s elder sister, Santosh Kumari, who is married and had come to the house to receive her father, lamented that none from the administration ever bothered to help them during six years of distress "even though we were told that our father had been sent on a mission to Pakistan by an agency.

"We don’t know what is the truth but the fact is that we had to live a very tough life for last six years", she said.

Pawan Kumar said his father told them during last two days that he repeatedly asked Pakistan jail authorities for treatment but his request was always turned down. Pawan said his father claimed that there were several other Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails as he heard from fellow prisoners but all of them were kept in isolation and were mentally depressed.

India’s leadership must support peace process: Mufti

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 25: Former Chief Minister and chief patron of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has said that political leadership of the country, cutting across the party lines, must fully support the ongoing Indo-Pak peace process instead of playing politics over it for electoral gains.

In a press statement issued here today, Mr Sayeed expressed surprise and dismay over the remarks of the former Deputy Prime Minister and senior BJP leader L K Advani alleging that UPA Govt was making compromises on Kashmir. He said BJP as the main Opposition Party must stand behind the process initiated by its leader and the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of India and Nawaz Sharief from Pakistan in February 1999.

The PDP leader pointed out that present peace process got the much needed fillip when Mr Vajpayee extended hand of friendship to Pakistan from Srinagar in April 2003. " The subsequent positive response evoked among the people and the establishment on both sides gave the process the legitimacy and strength to move forward. During the NDA regime, the process gained substantial ground with the Congress at the Centre and the Government in the State fully supporting all the major initiatives and confidence building moves. Now, when peace process has reached the crucial stage, I am expecting a similar positive response from the BJP leadership to any move of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh aimed at consolidating the process", Mufti maintained.

Making a strong plea against exploiting the Kashmir issue for electoral gains, Sayeed said this human tragedy has dotted the region’s destiny for over five decades and the time has come to replace the gain with prosperity. "The pain of Kashmiris has reached a high level, where the yearning for peace has gained substantial ground", he said adding that destiny of the people not only from Kashmir but of entire J&K is linked to this peace process.

Sayeed said the challenges before both the countries now is to convert the favourable and refreshing circumstances into a meaningful and peaceful resolution process instead of wasting time on the past developments.

He expressed hope that BJP leadership, which played a crucial role in laying the strong foundations for peaceful and amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue, would play an equally responsible role in taking it to its logical conclusion by extending full support to the resolution process.

Majlis Fateh of Azad’s brother today

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 25: The "Majlis Fateh" of Late Ghulam Qadir Bhat would be observed at the residence of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad at Wazarat Road here tomorrow from 10 am to 12 noon.

Late Ghulam Qadir, elder brother of Mr Azad, passed away in holy city of Mecca some days back where he had gone to perform Hajj there.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister, who had gone to Mecca in connection with the last rites of his brother, reached back today. Large number of people, including Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, former Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed, Mr Azad’s Cabinet colleagues, Legislators, Cooperators and civil and police officers visited Chief Minister’s residence to convey their condolence on the demise of Mr Ghulam Qadir.

Bhandari shot dead in Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 25: An Awami League activist and contractor, Mohan Lal Bhandari was shot dead by militants at Chingam in Chatru area of Doda district this evening.

SSP Doda Manohar Singh said the militants opened firing on Bhandari, a resident of Padarkot, Kishtwar, from Chingam forests where he had gone to supervise work on a contract he had taken.

Bhandari, about 40, was hit by a volley of shots and died on spot.

Mr Singh said Bhandari had been allotted three PSOs, one by the Security wing and two by the district police. As the area where he was shot dead was a far off village, it couldn’t be ascertained as to how many PSOs were accompanying him.

"We have reports that one of the two district police PSOs, allotted to Bhandari, was not with him", he said, adding the militants fired bullets from a forest and escaped after killing Bhandari.

None other was injured in the firing, he said.

Bhandari has unsuccessfully contested last Assembly election from Inderwal Constituency.

Security forces and police parties rushed to the spot to bring body of Bhandari and launched a search operation for the militants involved in the killing.

Security forces recovered five kg explosives during a search operation at Katha, Mahore.

A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant Mushtaq Ahmed, 29, son of Jamat R/o Targain, Kotranka in Rajouri district was arrested by security forces at Karag.

Recoveries made from him include one SLR, one Chinese grenade, two SLR magazines, 34 rounds, two mobile recharge coupons and Rs 2800 Indian currency.

Col G S Sarna cremated

NEW DELHI, Dec 25: Colonel G S Sarna, who laid down his life fighting Pakistani mercenaries in Jammu and Kashmir, was cremated with full military honours at Brar Square here today.

Military officers, relatives and friends were present in large numbers to bid a tearful adieu to Sarna.

A wreath was placed on his body on behalf of Army Chief J J Singh.

Sarna, a dare-devil officer known for leading his men from the front, died Saturday when his men chanced upon an underground terrorist hideout at Patan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

He took over as Commanding Officer of a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in June 2005.

Sarna is survived by his wife Jasleen Kaur and five-year-old son Sahej Preet. (PTI)

Traffic suspended on Jammu-Srinagar highway after landslides

JAMMU, Vehicular traffic was today suspended on the 300-km Jammu-Srinagar highway following landslides triggered by rains near Panthal, about 168 kms from here. Ramban-Banihal sector.

Traffic was stopped shortly after 1300 hours as stones rolled down the hillsides at Panthal in Ramban-Banihal sector after heavy rains, officials here said, adding that areas around the Jawahar tunnel also experiencing light snowfall since this morning.

They said traffic was closed after nearly 500 vehicles passed the Panthal area.

However, other vehicles on the highway were stopped at different points, they said, adding the highway would be opened only after clearing of the stones and the snow. (PTI)