3 Cong leaders to get berth
Cabinet expansion before budget session

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 30: Expansion of the State Cabinet to induct three Congress leaders in the Ministry is expected to take place before budget session of the Legislature, beginning January 7.

Authoritative sources told the Excelsior that the Cabinet will be expanded with induction of one Cabinet Minister and two Ministers of State.

While senior Congress leader, Mula Ram, who represents Raipur Domana Assembly segment and was Social Welfare Minister in the coalition Government headed by PDP leader Mufti Mohd Sayeed for first three years, is all set to be inducted as a Cabinet Minister, Arvinder Singh Micky, MLC was likely to join the Ministry as Minister of State.

For the third slot, the choice is narrowed down to Ghulam Mohd Saroori, MLA Inderwal and Jahangir Mir, newly elected MLA from Poonch in the by-election held this month. Saroori represents Kishtwar district and Mir, Poonch. Both districts are without any representation in the Cabinet. Either of the two will join the Ministry as MoS, sources said.

With the induction of three new Ministers, the Congress will fulfill its commitment of giving representation to Dalits, Sikhs and far flung areas.

Sources said that induction of three Congress Ministers in the Cabinet was expected to take place soon after the swearing-in-ceremony of PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig as Deputy Chief Minister on December 10. However, it was delayed as initially Governor Lt Gen (retd) S K Sinha was out of State for one week. Later, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was indisposed during his visit to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and had to extend his stay in the Union capital.

Mr Azad returned here yesterday but relapsed after addressing two public meetings at Chenani and Banihal. The Cabinet expansion was expected to take place soon after the Chief Minister is up and about, sources said.

With the inclusion of Mr Baig in the Cabinet as Deputy Chief Minister, Incharge Planning, Law & Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism, the PDP has exhausted its quota in the Ministry and all three vacancies will go to the Congress, sources said.

As per the Constitutional provision, strength of the Ministry is restricted to 25. Presently, there are 22 Ministers, 14 of them with Cabinet rank including the Chief Minister and eight Ministers of State.

While Congress has six Cabinet Ministers including Mr Azad, Mangat Ram Sharma, Peerzada Mohd Sayeed, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Jugal Kishore and Gulchain Singh Charak, PDP has five—Mr Baig, Abdul Aziz Zargar, Tariq Hamid Qarra, Qazi Mohd Afzal and Dillawar Mir. Two Cabinet Ministers belonged to Leh and Kargil—Nawang Rigzin Jora and Haji Nissar Ali while another Cabinet Minister Hakeem Mohd Yasin belonged to PDF.

Out of eight Ministers of State, four belonged to PDP including Manjit Singh, Peer Mohd Hussain, Mohd Khaleel Band and Javed Mustafa Mir while three belonged to Congress—Babu Singh (Independent charge), Dr Ramesh Sharma and Prem Sagar Aziz. Aijaz Khan is an associate member.

The Cabinet expansion is expected to be the last one of the present coalition Government as the State was scheduled to go to elections next year.

Lakhs of Sadhus seek Sethusamudram scalp

NEW DELHI, Dec 30:Buoyed by the saffron surge in Gujarat, the Sangh Parivar today stepped up pressure on the Ram Setu issue with a huge VHP rally demanding scrapping of the controversial Sethusamudram project.

The rally which saw a galaxy of leaders from the Sangh Parivar and the BJP, including RSS chief K S Sudarshan, warned the Government that the people of the country would not tolerate any damage to the Ram Setu, which they believe has been built for the Lord’s conquest of Demon King Ravana.

"Not only Hindus, but Muslims and Christians also oppose the project," Sudarshan said to a loud applause from the gathering in which BJP chief Rajnath Singh and two party Chief Ministers Raman Singh and Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present.

Firebrand VHP leader Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia wanted the Government to pay heed to their demands reminding it that "we destroyed Babar’s structure in just four hours", an obvious reference to the demolition of Babri mosque.

Also significant were messages of support from former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, whose Shiromani Akali Dal is a part of the NDA.

In a clear move to revive its Hindutva plank, Togadia wondered whether the Government would have gone ahead with the project if it was "Ali Setu".

The VHP rally came a day after the BJP strategy group decided to begin a systematic study of the social and political profile of each of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies. A large number of religious leaders representing various ‘Mutts’ (monasteries) and ‘Akharas’ addressed the mega-rally urging them to participate in a movement to protect Ram Setu, which they wanted to be declared a "national heritage site".

All the speeches had a common refrain — scrap the Setu Samudram ship canal project off the Tamil Nadu coast and designate Rameswaram as a sacred pilgrimage town.

Several religious leaders assailed the Government for filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court "denying the existence of Lord Ram".

"Ram Setu signifies India’s cultural heritage. We will not allow the Government to go ahead with the project," RSS chief Sudarshan said.

He asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to succumb to the "pressure" from its southern ally, the DMK, and go ahead with the project.

"Government will face the consequences if it does not cancel the project," Sudarshan said.

"The Prime Minister should not think about the survival of his Government. If he scraps the project, he will get good wishes from crores of Hindus," he said.

Togadia said the VHP will launch nationwide protests against the project.

"We will go to each and every village to make the people aware about the evil designs of the Government," he said.

Togadia claimed that all the Hindu forces have joined hands to save the Ram Setu and the Government should not even think of destroying it. (PTI)

Fresh drive against illegal constructions in Dal

SRINAGAR, Dec 30: To restore the world famous Dal Lake to its pristine glory, the authorities resumed a fresh drive against the illegal constructions in and around the water body, a major attraction for tourists in the Summer capital.

Assisted by police, the officials of different department razed to ground more than hundred structures, constructed illegally at Chuntkul, an outflow channel of the lake despite some resistance.

More than three lakh trees were axed and hundred of illegal houses and other structures demolished in the lake during the past one year on the orders of Jammu and Kashmir High Court on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

The petition alleged that despite spending crores of rupees during the past 15 years, the condition of the lake has deteriorated.

Despite court orders, illegal construction in and around the lake, including green belt, was going on. Half a dozen officials of the Lakes and Waterway Development Authority (LAWDA) were suspended for allowing illegal construction in the lake after court orders.

To curb the fresh illegal construction, the authorities have decided to disconnect electricity and water supply to all houses and other structures constructed illegally in the lake, official sources said.

This was necessary to discourage all illegal constructions and remove encroachments to restore the lake to its pristine glory to some extent, they added.

The officials said the prestigious and world famous fresh water Dal Lake, in the heart of Srinagar, demands attention from one and all for protection and conservation.

They said all concerned departments have been directed that all encroachments and illegal constructions be removed immediately.

They said the court has issued contempt notices to various departments after a committee headed by Registrar Judicial Abdul Wahid in his report said these departments had implemented the court orders.

It has expressed its displeasure over slow conservation measures for restoration of Dal and directed lawda to speed-up its work.

It also directed the Vice-Chairperson of LAWDA to expand its activities and maintain a daily diary of the details of the works of whatever nature performed for restoration of the Dal.

The court directed that diary shall be submitted to the Chief Secretary for production with his observations to the court.

The court empowered the Chief Secretary to issue orders that may be necessary for conservation and restoration of Dal during the vacations in the High Court. (UNI)

Geelani's close associate among 3 detained under PSA
*Sent to Kot Bhalwal jail

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Dec 30: Authorities have detained three top hawala operators of hard-liner Hurriyat Conference, headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, under Public Safety Act (PSA) for a period of two years.

They include G M Bhat, a close associate of Geelani and a secretary in Geelani’s outfit, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Jamali Khan son of Abdul Karim Khan R/o Deoband, Saharanpur, presently putting up at Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi and Rajendera Jain, a prominent import-export dealer, based at Karol Bagh, New Delhi.

All three, who had confessed having pumped hawala money worth more than Rs 8 crore in Kashmir valley at the behest of Gulf, Pakistan and England based businessmen during last about three years, were part of a major hawala racket operating not only in Kashmir but entire country, official sources said.

A warrant ordering detention of the trio under PSA was issued by Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, O P Kalandria last evening on the recommendations of district Udhampur police, which had arrested the three accused along with others for being part of hawala network.

Soon after the Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur signed the warrant of three hawala operators under PSA, police authorities in Udhampur shifted them to Kot Bhalwal jail under tight security arrangements. The PSA detenues are mostly lodged in high security Kot Bhalwal jail.

G M Bhat’s son, Moheen Bhat, Jamali Khan’s wife, Sameena Khan and his driver, Danish, who were granted bail by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Udhampur few days back, have not been detained under PSA, sources said, adding they had only associated with the accused but were not directly connected with hawala operations.

Sources said a decision to detain G M Bhat, Jamali Khan and Rajendera Jain under PSA was taken at a high level meeting of police officers of Udhampur after evidence available with them confirmed that all three were hardcore hawala operators. The evidence was furnished to the District Magistrate for issuing the detention order.

It may be mentioned here that Jamali Khan, his wife Sameena Khan and driver Danish were arrested by Udhampur police on November 3 evening when they were travelling in a TATA Sumo to Srinagar after abandoning their Alto car which had met with an accident at Tikri. During search of a CNG kit, hidden in TATA Sumo, by a police naka party, nearly Rs 47 lakh worth hawala money was recovered from it.

Police had subjected the trio to sustained interrogation during which Jamali Khan disclosed that he had earlier also smuggled several consignments of hawala money from New Delhi to Kashmir, which were supplied to him by G M Bhat at his Okhla residence in New Delhi. He used to deliver the consignments to Bhat’s Hyderpora residence in Srinagar from where they were allegedly handed over to Geelani, who then used to disburse the amount hard-liner separatists and Hizbul Mujahideen commanders according to their strength.

During questioning of G M Bhat, the name of Rajendera Jain surfaced as major supplier of hawala money. Jain, who was running import-export business at Karol Bagh in New Delhi, used to supply hawala money to G M Bhat at the behest of certain businessmen of Gulf nations, Pakistan and England.

3 injured, 12 houses and 8 shops damaged
Maj has close shave in blast

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 30: Even as a Major of Rashtriya Rifles 46 Bn had yet another providential escape, two of his soldiers and a civilian sustained injuries and a number of shops and residential houses were damaged in a massive IED blast that rocked the garrison township of Baramulla in south Kashmir today.

Informed sources said that suspected militants caused a massive IED blast inside a single-storeyed shed, beside a branch of Jammu & Kashmir Bank Ltd near Azad Gunj Chowk at the district headquarters of Baramulla at 1215 hours today. Maj Ashish Khanna of RR 46 Bn, who headed Army's town deployment and is known for his high profile of counter-insurgency operations, had a narrow escape as his bullet-proof and blast-proof Rakhshak was hit and he remained unharmed. Sources said that Maj Khanna's vehicle was, as usual, parked just 6 metres from the site of the explosion. Similarly targetted at least twice in his three-year-long stint in Baramulla, Maj Khanna yet again appeared to be the real target.

Sources said that the militants caused the explosion successfully, most likely with the usage of a cellphone but they failed to harm the Army officer as he had just got into the vehicle and was inside. The targetted vehicle suffered some damage but only two of the soldiers sustained injuries. They were identified as Driver-Sepoy Harpreet Singh and Sepoy Naresh Kumar. Sources said that a 60-year old woman, Fatima Begum W/o Mohammad Shaban Bala R/o Arampora, also sustained minor splinter injuries.

DIG North Kashmir, Dr B Srinivas, confirmed that two soldiers and a civilian had sustained minor injuries in the blast. He said that the Rakhshak appeared to have been the real target but its operator, Maj Khanna, was completely unharmed. He said that the blast was so much powerful that it caused damage not only to the targetted vehicle but also to a number of shops and residential houses around. According to him, 8 residential houses and twelve shops suffered damage in today's blast. He said that the cowshed, beside J&K Bank building, were also damaged under the impact of the explosion. He claimed that there was no casualty in the blast that detonated nearly 12 Kg of RDX.

Hizbul Mujahideen has, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for the blast and said that one soldier was killed and two others, including Maj Khanna, were injured.

Meanwhile, Police today claimed to have recovered dead body of the second militant who was believed killed in an encounter between militants and security forces ar Larkigam, Drubgam, in Pulwama district two days ago. Official sources said that he was identified as Abu Shakir, a Pakistani militant of Jaish-e-Mohammad. As already reported, a local battalion commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Abdul Gani Dar alias Jhangvi, had died in the beginning of the gunbattle.

An official spokesman said that Police today arrested two persons, namely Ali Mohammed Dar S/o Abdul Gaffar Dar and Latief Ahmed Kaloo S/o Ghulam Mohammad, residents of Chattabal had kidnapped a Pampore girl when they were intercepted at Badyari Crossing on Dalgate. The duo was apprehended and the girl was recovered from them. In this regard, Police has registered a case FIR No: 285/2007, under section 363 RPC at Police Station Ram Munshi Bagh.

Independent sources said that the activists of the separatist leader Asiya Andrabi's NGO, FASE, did most part of the social policing---including lifting the girl from Regal Chowk and conducting her interrogation in which she revealed that she was being sexually exploited by a Srinagar-Delhi sex racket, also involving some Police officials. Sources said that exactly when the girl was scheduled to be picked up by two members of the racket and was supposed to be flown to Delhi, Asiya Andrabi and her associates informed Police which conducted part two of the dramatic arrest and picked up the duo. The girl, who revealed that she had been frequently sexploited by the racket but all against cash payment, has been given in custody of Women's Police Station Rambagh.

Bilawal is Benazir’s political successor

LARKANA/ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: Settling the succession issue three days after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, the PPP today annointed her 19-year-old son Bilawal to head the party and decided to take part in next month’s general elections.

Bhutto’s husband Asif Ali Zardari and her close confidant, Makhdoom Amin Fahim were named as co-chairmen of the party.

The decisions were taken at a crucial meeting of PPP’s central executive committee held in anscestral home of the Bhuttos in Naudero, Larkana, in Sindh province.

Bhutto’s will written on October 16, two days before her return from exile, was read out at the meeting in which she had named Zardari as her political successor if some unfortunate thing happens to her.

However, Zardari passed on the mantle to Bilawal, a student of Oxford University, which was endorsed by the meeting.

Addressing a crowded press conference, Bilawal, flanked by Zardari and Fahim, said that he would continue the struggle to restore democracy in Pakistan with as much vigour as his mother desired.

Now that he was the leader, PPP’s "long and historic struggle for democracy will continue with new vigour", Bilawal said adding "my mother always said that democracy is the best revenge".

Bilawal also said as he was pursuing his studies, his father would be looking after the party affairs in his absence. Once he finished his studies, he would take full control of the party, he said.

Zardari said the party has decided to participate in the January 8 elections and appealed to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s PML (N) to reconsider its decision to boycott the polls.

"We have decided to go for elections......We are grateful to Nawaz Sharif for announcing his boycott of elections but we appeal to him to end the boycott and take part", he said at the emotional press conference.

He also announced that Makhdoom Amin Fahim, a close confidant of Bhutto and vice chairman of the party, will be the PPP’s prime ministerial candidate in the elections.

This, he said, was mentioned by Bhutto in her will.

About Bilawal, who was using Bhutto as his surname, Zardadi said his son would henceforth be called as Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and carry forward the political legacy of the slain leader.

Rejecting the Pakistan government’s version about how Benazir Bhutto was killed, he demanded an international inquiry under un supervision as was done in the case of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri who was assassinated a few years ago.

"We demand a Hariri commission style investigation....We are writing to the United Nations for an interational probe into her martyrdom", Zardari said.

He maintained that Benazir Bhutto had a bullet wound in her head and this was corroborated by his sister who is a doctor.

On the government’s claim that Benazir Bhutto’s head was hit by the lever of the sunroof of her vehicle, Zardari said perhaps they have not examined the car which has a rubber cover on the roof from inside.

Bilawal has taken on the mantle of the party at a time when the country is passing through a serious political crisis and rising militant violence.

Born in September 21, 1988, Bilawal, a blackbelt holder in Taekwondo, is the third member of the Bhutto family to lead the party founded by her maternal grandfather, Z A Bhutto in 1967.

Amid acrimony over the circumstances of her killing, thousands of her supporters earlier today gathered outside the mousoleum where she was buried and chanted slogans against President Pervez Musharraf on the third and final day of official mourning.

"Curse on Musharraf, Musharraf is a killer," they said as they beat their chests.

Zardari told the mourners that Bhutto sacrificed her life for the sake of the country and for democracy. "Her blood will not be in vain..... Bhutto will remain alive in the hearts of people.... We will continue Bhutto’s mission," he said.

As speculation raged over the fate of the elections, Pakistan’s ruling party Pakistan Muslim League (Q) indicated said the elections may be delayed up to three to four months in the wake of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

"If you ask me for my personal opinion, I feel the polls should be delayed in view of the assassination of (former premier) Benazir Bhutto," party leader Tariq Azim said.

Expecting the authorities to announce postponement of elections within 24 hours, he said "we are looking at a delay for a few weeks......Upto three or four months".

Earlier, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s PML (N) party indicated that they are ready to reverse its decision to boycott the polls if PPP decides to take part in the hustings.

"We will definitely contest the elections if PPP decides to contest", a senior PML(N) leader Sadiq ul-Farooq said.

Meanwhile, millions of Pakistanis who struggled to buy food or petrol during three days of mourning for Bhutto saw life begin inching back to normal today as the violence appeared to ease.

Mob fury following the assassination of Bhutto left at least 38 people dead across the country. (PTI)

Dhumal takes oath as CM

SHIMLA, Dec 30: Professor-turned-politician Prem Kumar Dhumal, who led BJP to an emphatic win in the Himachal Assembly poll with his aggressive campaigning, today assumed office as Chief Minister of the State for the second time.

Governor V S Kokje administered the oath of office and secrecy to 63-year-old veteran BJP leader at a public ceremony at the historic Ridge Maidan here.

A three-time MLA who headed the BJP Government in Himachal for the first time from 1998 to 2003, Dhumal is the 16th Chief Minister of the State since it was formed in 1971.

The former professor of English in Punjab University, who was unanimously elected leader of the Himachal BJP Legislature Party yesterday, took the oath alone amidst chants of "Jai Shri Ram".

In a break from the past, the function, attended by a large number of people, was held at Ridge Maidan. Earlier, such ceremonies were held at the Raj Bhawan.

BJP stalwart L K Advani, party Vice-Presidents Shanta Kumar and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Chief Ministers of Punjab, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan-P S Badal, B C Khanduri and Vasundhra Raje respectively-attended the swearing-in.

Neither outgoing Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh nor any other Congress leader was present on the occasion.

Popularly known as "Sadak Wala Mukhya Mantri" for a number of road projects he took up in Himachal during his previous tenure, Dhumal launched an aggressive campaign for the Assembly poll which decimated the Congress.

Son of an ex-serviceman, Dhumal, who considers number nine as auspicious, took the oath exactly at 1125 hours.

The time (1+1+2+5) adds up to nine. The number also finds a place in Dhumal’s car plate.

Dhumal and Shanta Kumar, whose rift in the past was well-known, hugged each other after the oath-taking function.

Dhumal is likely to expand his Ministry after consulting the Central party leaders.

Asked about the composition of the ministry, he told reporters yesterday that "you (media) will be informed".

Dhumal was projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate by the BJP and his election as leader of the Legislature Party was a mere formality. (PTI)

Samjhauta Express resumes service

NEW DELHI, Dec 30: Indo-Pak Samjhauta Express, which was suspended due to security reasons in the wake of the assassination of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto, today resumed its service.

"The service of trans-national Samjhauta Express is being resumed from today," a Railway official said.

The decision was taken after consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and railway officials of Pakistan, another official said.

The bus and train service between India and Pakistan was suspended temporarily for security reasons in the wake of developments in the neighbouring country.

Meanwhile, no decision has been taken on the resumption of services of Thar express.

Samjhauta Express runs from Attari to Lahore on every Monday and Thursday and from Lahore every Tuesday and Friday. (PTI)