'Long delays defeating justice'
PM to open CMs, Judges joint conference today

NEW DELHI, Apr 18: Authorities have been warned that unless "something" is done about delays in justice delivery and huge case arrears, "the whole system would get crushed under its weight".

The warning comes on the eve of a Joint Conference of Chief Ministers and High Court Chief Justices from across India to be opened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow.

"The problem of delay and huge arrears stares us all," agenda notes for delegates point out, warning that "unless we can do something about it, the whole system would get crushed under its weight.

"We must guard against the system getting discredited and people losing faith in it and taking recourse to extra legal remedies with all the sinister potentialities."

Participants have been reminded that the "constitution of India reflects the quest and aspiration of the mankind for justice when its preamble speaks of justice in all its forms: social, economic and political."

"Those who have suffered physically, mentally or economically, approach the courts, with great hope, for redressal of their grievances. They refrain from taking law into their own hands, as they believe that one day or the other, they would get justice from the courts."

Justice Delivery System, therefore, is under an obligation to deliver prompt and inexpensive justice to its consumers, without in any manner compromising on the quality of justice or the elements of fairness, equality and impartiality.

"However, there is growing criticism— sometimes from uninformed or ill-informed quarters— about the inability of our courts to effectively deal with and wipe out the huge backlog of cases."

Notes also point to the effect of long delays in defeating justice "in quite a number of cases."

As a result of such delay, the possibility cannot be ruled out of loss of important evidence, because of fading of memory or death of witnesses.

The consequences thus would be that a party with even a strong case may lose it, not because of any fault of its own, but because of the tardy judicial process, entailing disillusionment to all those who at one time, set high hopes in courts.

"The delay in the disposal of cases has affected not only the ordinary type of cases but also those which by their very nature, call for early relief."

The notes say the problem is even more acute in criminal cases, in which a speedy process is considered essential to a fair trial. It "has remained a distant reality."

A procedure which does not provide trial and disposal within a reasonable period cannot be said to be just, fair and reasonable.

If the accused is acquitted after such long delay one can imagine the unnecessary suffering he was subjected to.

"Many times such inordinate delay contributes to acquittal of guilty persons either because the evidence is lost or because of lapse of time, or the witnesses do not remember all the details or the witnesses do not come forward to give true evidence due to threats, inducement or sympathy," the notes acknowledge.

"Whatever may be the reason, it is justice that becomes a casualty. We must realize that the very existence of an orderly society depends upon a sound and efficient functioning of criminal justice system."

Perennial judicial vacancies compound matters, especially given expert advice that India needed to quadruple the strength of judges in the first place.

As per the agenda notes, at the start of the year, India’s 21 High Courts had in place 593 Judges as against a sanctioned strength of 877— implying 284 vacancies or one in three judgeships vacant.

A Law and Justice Ministry source pointed out that the working strength has risen in the last quarter to 610 plus— but that also does not significantly change matters.

Vacancies also abound in lower courts— out of a 15,917 sanctioned strength, India had 12,524 subordinate Judges in place and 3,393 vacancies.

Vacancies evidently make no sense given the high pendency— close to 30 million cases.

They make even less sense considering that authorities know in advance exactly when a vacancy would arise and could easily form a pool from which to assign Judges as soon as posts become available.

Going by the average disposal rate per Judge, "we require 1475 High Court Judges and 21432 subordinate court Judges only to clear backlog in one year. The requirement would come down to 737 High Court Judges and 10716 subordinate Judges if the arrears alone have to be cleared in the next two years," the notes estimate.

"The existing strength being inadequate even to dispose of the fresh institution, the backlog cannot be wiped out without additional strength, particularly, when the institution of cases is likely to increase and not come down in coming years," they point out.

It is high time we make a scientific and rational analysis of the factors behind accumulation of arrears and devise specific plan to atleast bring them within acceptable limit, within a reasonable timeframe. We have, however, to put our heads together and find out ways and means to deal with the problem, so as to retain the confidence of our people in the credibility and ability of the system.

The 12-point agenda includes:

— Monitoring implementation of resolutions passed in the last conference in April 2007.

— Upgrading and augmenting infrastructure of subordinate courts.

— Headway in computerising justice delivery system.

— Steps to cut case arrears for speedy trial.

— Setting up fast track courts— magistrates and civil courts.

— Setting up Gram Nyayalayas.

— Promoting alternative dispute resolutions systems— mediation, conciliation, arbitration and plea-bargaining.

— Strengthening judicial officers’ training.

— Filling High Court and subordinate judiciary vacancies and enhancing Judge strength.

— Setting up evening shifts in subordinate courts.

— Having a ‘permanent mechanism’ to implement conference resolutions.(UNI)

Alok SSP Jammu, Johnny Leh, Nehru DC Kargil
4 SSPs among 8 transferred

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 18: The Government today ordered transfer and postings of eight officers including four Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and four civil officers and granted Selection Grade to three Under Secretaries.

Official sources said SSP Leh Alok Kumar has been transferred and posted as SSP Jammu in place of Parminder Singh.

Parminder Singh has been posted as SSP Traffic Jammu in place of Shafkat Watali, who has been shifted to IRP 11th battalion as Commanding Officer.

Johnny Williams will replace Alok Kumar as SSP Leh.

Alok Kumar had earlier been posted as Additional SP Bijbehara, SP Kulgam, SP Operations Doda, CO IRP Manigam and was presently posted as SSP Leh. During his posting at Bijbehara and Kulgam, Mr Kumar had launched a major offensive against cultivation of poppy straw and destroyed tones of crop producing narcotics.

Satish Nehru, Director Social Welfare, Jammu, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Kargil in place of Raj Kumar Bhagat. Mr Nehru had earlier served as Deputy Commissioner, Leh.

Mr Bhagat has been posted as Managing Director, SC/ST/BCs Development Corporation on deputation basis vice V C Sharma.

Mr Sharma has been transferred and posted as Director, Bureau of Public Enterprises in the Finance Department. During his posting as Director BPE, Mr Sharma will retain lien in his parent Corporation, sources said.

Laj Ram, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kathua has been transferred and posted as Director Social Welfare, Jammu replacing Satish Nehru.

Meanwhile, the Government has accorded sanction to the grant of Selection Grade of Rs 9,000-14,100 in favour of three members of Jammu and Kashmir Secretariat (Gazetted) Service-I (Under Secretaries).

They are Bashir Ahmad Lone, Under Secretary, Public Service Commission (PSC), Suraj Prakash Rukwal, Under Secretary in Chief Minister’s Office, Jammu and Dr Raj Kumar, Additional Private Secretary with Minister for Social Welfare.

Through another order, the Government today directed all Administrative Secretaries not to leave their headquarters for undertaking any visits outside the State from April 24-27.

The Government directive came following two days visit of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to Jammu on April 25 and 26. Dr Singh is scheduled to attend convocation of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board University at Katra, a public rally at Akhnoor to inaugurate newly constructed bridge over river Chenab and inauguration of Dul Hasti project.

"In case, participation of State Government representatives is essential in any meeting convened by any Ministry of Central Government at New Delhi or elsewhere in the country between April 24-27, the concerned Administrative Secretary shall, with the prior approval of the Chief Secretary, depute next senior officer available in his Department for the purpose", the order said.

Twice court martialled, Pak soldier leaves country
*BSF repatriates jawan in flag meeting

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Apr 18: To protest his court martial twice in a year, a Pakistan army jawan of 11 Punjab regiment, headquartered in Sialkot district, left his country and crossed over to this side from Ghrana border out post in RS Pura sector late last evening.

This was for the second time this year that a regular Pakistan army soldier was arrested in RS Pura sector. Three Pakistan army troopers (wrestlers) were nabbed by the BSF in same sector in January this year. They were repatriated the next day.

The Pakistan army soldier was repatriated to Pakistan Rangers by the BSF authorities in a Commandant level flag meeting at Octroi post at 5.50 pm today, in less than 24 hours after he was apprehended, for further handing him over to his Regiment.

The Pakistan army jawan, who was nabbed at Pillar No. 940 A in Ghrana BOP of RS Pura sector at 7.45 pm last evening, has been identified as Sepoy Zahir Mohd (No. 2404313) son of Mohd Wazir, a resident of village Birgum, Tehsil Lalkala, District Dir, Suba Sarhad, North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan. He was posted in Alfa Company of 11 Punjab Regiment of Pakistan army, presently headquartered at Sialkot.

Official sources said the BSF jawans of 129 battalion C Company observed movement of a civilian opposite Ghrana BOP in RS Pura sector late last night and alerted all BSF jawans on sentry duty in forward pillars.

The civilian, wearing Khan dress, was asked to hands up and surrender. The ‘intruder’ didn’t offer any resistance and surrendered soon after entering into the Indian territory. He was immediately whisked away by BSF authorities for questioning in their camp.

From his possession, security forces recovered Rs 1380 in Pakistan currency, a Nokia mobile telephone (model 1110), a black goggle, a wrist watch and an identity card of Pakistan army. He was wearing a Khan dress.

As the ‘infiltrator’ disclosed his identity as Pakistan army soldier, the local BSF authorities immediately sounded their top brass in Jammu as well as New Delhi.

Pakistan army authorities were also sounded about the arrest of their soldier on this side. Disclosures made by the detained jawan were cross examined with Pakistan army authorities and they were found correct.

Sources said 26 year old Zahir Mohd, who was enrolled in Pakistan army on January 21, 2001, was twice court martialled for indiscipline. He was first court martialled on July 27, 2006 and was awarded one year imprisonment. However, he contested the case and was re-instated.

Again, he was court martialled on April 30, 2007 and was awarded six months imprisonment. However, he again contested the case and was allowed to resume his duties.

After two court martials, he was told by his Commanding Officer Lt Col Saleem Arsad Aiyana (11 Punjab) that red entries have been made in his service book and he would soon be removed from the services. Agitated by the behaviour of Pakistan army officers, Zahir Mohd left for his residence. On Thursday, he rang up his Commanding Officer from Lahore but the officer refused to entertain his calls.

Zahir Mohd disclosed during his questioning that he made up his mind to leave the country after his Commanding Officer didn’t speak to him on telephone. He reached Sialkot yesterday and crossed the international boundary to enter the Indian side.

Sources said Zahir Mohd had expressed his desire to speak to electronic media especially the BBC to disclose that Pakistan army had been training Kashmiri and other militants in the training camps. However, the Indian side didn’t deem it fit to exploit the enemy soldier and preferred to repatriate him to Pakistan.

Villagers to get basic amenities: CM

Excelsior Correspondent

Kishtwar, Apr 18: Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the development offensive launched by his Government in the State is guided by his commitment to equal distribution of resources and facilities in different areas of the State, adding, he is concentrating on making basic amenities available to people at village level.

"Such brisk activities have never been seen in the State’s development arena", Azad said at the District Development Board meeting here today while referring to infrastructure building projects taken up across the State which, he added, adequately respond to earnest desire of people to progress and undo the spoils of long turmoil.

The Chief Minister chaired the meeting attended, among others, by Minister for Forest, Qazi Mohammad Afzal, Minister for R&B, Jugal Kishore, Minister of State for Tourism, G. M. Saroori, MP, Lal Singh, legislator Sajad Ahmad Kitchloo and senior officers. The meeting approved Rs. 33.13 crore annual plan for 2008-09 for newly created district of Kishtwar.

Mr Azad asserted that his prime concern is to make J&K a frontrunner state where people, even in the remotest corner, have basic amenities easily available. He said infrastructure in road, healthcare, education, drinking water and power is being developed and upgraded at village level. These activities, he said, are being seen and monitored on ground by people who are appreciative of the Government efforts.

He spelt out the priority of his Government in the extension of public utility services to far flung and hilly areas and said that lack of connectivity is the main reason for places like Marwah, Warwan and Machail remaining behind in the march to progress. He said roads being lifeline for any area, the Government is working on a time bound programme of connecting all villages with roads. He said road connectivity will open the unconnected areas for overall development. He called for speeding up the construction of Matigawran-Inshan-Marwah-Warwan road and asked officials to constantly supervise and monitor construction activities in their respective areas.

The Chief Minister issued instructions for early completion of Yourdoo footbridge at Marwah and public health centre at Warwan. He also told officials to complete all works on model villages in the district, as also in other two districts of Doda and Ramban, by June this year. He emphasized on completion of Tourist Reception Centre at Kishtwar by June and beautification and improvement of the pond in the town, besides electrification of Dachhan village by July this year. He also issued instructions for installation of solar lights in Machail Paddar. He asked the GREF officials to strengthen road shoulders from Kishtwar bus stand to helipad.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated OPD block of new upcoming district hospital completed at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. The Rs. 16 crore 100-bed hospital building will be completed by March next year. He laid foundation stone of IPD, Emergency and Operation Theatre block of the hospital. He announced a CT Scan for the hospital and asked officials to place order for it.

'Beware of Mufti's election stunts'
Geelani, Jamiat ask Kashmiris to stay away from mainstream political rallies

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Apr 18: Separatist hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the radical guerrilla outfit, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, have taken serious note of the increasing mainstream political activity in the Valley and asked the Kashmiris to stay away from rallies of all pro-India politicians. Geelani has also made frontal attacks on the PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who has been publicly seeking credit for releasing JKLF chairman Yasin Malik from jail and arranging former's treatment at a Mumbai hospital when he was Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir four years ago.

Apparently perturbed over some well attended rallies of National Conference (NC), Congress and PDP in Kashmir valley in the last few weeks, Syed Ali Shah Geelani today asked the Kashmiris to stay away from the public meetings of all mainstream political leaders. Addressing a gathering of his supporters at Arihal in Pulwama district, Geelani said: "Be it NC, PDP or any other pro-India party, they are all in the election campaign only to justify India's military occupation in Jammu & Kashmir".

Geelani said that the Kashmiris had given thousands of sacrifices for the right of self-determination given to them by the comity of nations, including India and Pakistan, in the UN resolution over 50 years ago. He asserted that the people of Kashmir would never forget their sacrifices for developmental works and sugar-coated slogans. He argued that allocation of funds and developments works were not New Delhi's blessing on Jammu & Kashmir but only a measly compensation of the resources exploited in the State.

"Our peoples' participation in the election and rallies of pro-India leaders is highly detrimental to the interests of the freedom struggle. This is an insult to the blood of hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris. These politicians want us stay away from our movement for Azadi. They boast of developmental works and call it a healing touch. But, I assure you that the blood of our martyrs would never go waste", Geelani grumbled. He made a fervent appeal to former militants to save themselves from "falling in the trap of these politicians" and asked them not to indulge in anti-militancy activities.

Making a special reference to the PDP patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Geelani said that "this shrewd politician" had raised the bogey of Pakistani currency in J&K after his "deceitful slogans" of self-rule and demilitarisation. He said that Mufti had left no stone unturned in hoodwinking the Kashmiris with a design to gain their support and sympathies. "This gentleman has had no remorse over the massacre after massacre of the Kashmiris when he was holding the portfolio of Home Ministry in India".

Geelani said that even during his tenure as Chief Minister of the State, Mufti had given a free hand to Army and counter-insurgents to continue their atrocities on the Kashmiris. "When journalists once complained to Home Minister Shiv Raj Patil that troops had committed rape on a mother and her daughter in Handwara, Mufti remarked that only the mother had been raped. Had this man an iota of genuine concern for the Kashmiri people, he would have resigned then and there", Geelani said about the former Chief Minister who has been publicly claiming credit for setting the hardliner separatist leader free and arranging his high quality treatment at a Mumbai hospital.

Meanwhile, in a statement faxed to Srinagar-based news agency KNS, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen spokesman, Jameel Ahmed, asked the Kashmiris not to get trapped in the gimmicks of "green handkerchief and Pakistani salt". He asserted that "freedom" was around the corner and participation of the Kashmiri people would only take away the goal of Azadi from them. He said that the world had no option but to resolve the Kashmir problem like it did in case of Kosovo and Serbia. He said that the resolution of the Kashmir crisis lay in nothing but addressing the political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"At this crucial juncture, the world should not get a feeling that the Kashmiris had abandoned their freedom struggle for making some puppets successful in the elections. All those people who have been acting under the camouflage of freedom struggle and have begun to say that participation in elections would not affect the movement, are actually playing a trick to benefit India. Their nexus with New Delhi can not be ruled out", Jameel Ahmed said without naming any separatist leaders. He called for total boycott to the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Two militants held in Bhadarwah

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 18: Security forces and police today apprehended two militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit from Seri Bazar in Bhadarwah town of Doda district and recovered arms, ammunition and incriminating documents from their possession.

They have been identified as Ikhlaq Ahmed (code name Muzamil Bhat) son of Hassan Din, a resident of Loharthawa, Chiralla and Abdul Samad Hajam son of Abdul Aziz Hajam, a resident of Balhal, Bharat.

SSP Doda Manohar Singh said the militants were arrested in a joint operation conducted by police, 4 Rashtriya Rifles, 113 battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 159 Territorial Army.

He said police had a specific information that top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant Ikhlaq Ahmed accompanied by an Over Ground Worker (OGW) Abdul Samad had come down to Bhadarwah from Chiralla for meeting top Lashkar militants Iqbal and Abu Yasir in upper reaches of Doda.

Police and security forces laid a trap for the militants and apprehended them at Seri Bazar this afternoon.

From their possession, police and security forces recovered one Chinese pistol with one magazine and five rounds, two mobile telephones, Rs 2050 in Indian currency, one purse with LeT sticker, one head band of LeT and a large quantity of incriminating material.

Both the militants were immediately whisked away to Bhadarwah police station where they were being subjected to sustained questioning. During preliminary questioning, they were reported to have admitted their links with two Pakistani militants of LeT outfit including Abu Akasha and Abu Jindal, who were operating in Bhadarwah and Chiralla area for past quite sometime.

Some hide-outs of LeT outfit have been disclosed by the arrested militants, sources said, adding that more arrests and recoveries were expected on their disclosures.

Sources said police and security forces have launched search operations in some areas to destroy hide-outs of Lashkar-e-Toiba militants on the disclosures of Ikhlaq Ahmed and his associates.

Meanwhile, security forces carried out another search operation in Tringla forests in Mahore area of Reasi district on an information about the movement of militants.

While the militants remained untraced, security forces destroyed a natural hide-out of the ultras and recovered one country made pistol along with 122 cartridges.

The searches were on to apprehend the militants, sources said.

Sarabjit's hanging again deferred

NEW DELHI, Apr 18: Pakistan has deferred the hanging of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national on death row in the neighbouring country, by another one month, his family confirmed today.

This came hours after External Afffairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee appealed to the Pakistani Authorities to grant clemency and show mercy to Sarabjit Singh.

In a statement, the External Affairs Minister said that whatever the legal position may be, on humanitarian grounds alone mercy could be shown to ‘’this unfortunate human being’’.

Sarabjit, who has been languishing in Pakistani jails for the last 18 years, faces gallows for his alleged involvement in bomb explosions in that country in the nineties.

His hanging was initially slated for April one but was deferred till April 30.(UNI)

Couple killed in highway mishap

Excelsior Correspondent

KATHUA, Apr 18: A couple was killed in a road accident near Dayala Chak on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway this evening.

A police spokesman said that mishap occurred when 35-year-old Pawan Kumar, son of Harbans Lal and his wife, Anju, residents of Bahu Fort area of Jammu were going on a motorcycle towards Kathua. Near Dayala Chak, their bike was hit by a truck No. HR 37A/7713, coming from the opposite direction at around 4.50 pm.

While husband was killed on the spot, the wife succumbed to injuries while being shifted to Hiranagar hospital. The police seized the truck and registered a case. The truck driver managed to escape from the spot. The bodies of the victims were lying in Hiranagar hospital. A message was flashed to their family in Jammu.

Army jawan commits suicide

Excelsior Correspodnent

JAMMU, Apr 18: An Army jawan today allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the third floor of a Transit Camp building at Panama Chowk in the city.

He was identified as 32-year-old, Lance Naik Bhawani Singh of 5 Rajput Regiment, Defence sources said.

Singh, who was a resident of Sikar in Rajasthan, had just returned from leave.

A court of inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

Increase in jawans' leave suggested

NEW DELHI, Apr 18: A Parliamentary panel has recommended 15 days additional leave for soldiers in order to reduce the level of stress among them.

The denial of leave has led to a significant increase in the incidents of suicide among the Armed Forces.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, in its latest report tabled in Parliament recently, said it had learnt that annual leave available to the service personnel gets exhausted in performing the accumulated family responsibilities and they did not have time for recreation with their family.

One of the reasons for stress among the soldiers was stated to be inadequacy of leave, it added.

The Committee suggested that desirability of providing an additional 15 days leave to the Armed Forces personnel while availing leave travel concession should be examined for implementation. (UNI)

BJP to launch agitation against price rise

NEW DELHI, Apr 18: Holding the Congress-led UPA Government fully responsible for the price spiral in the country, the BJP today decided to hold a nationwide protest agitation, the date of which will be finalised by it in consultation with the other NDA constituents here on Monday.

A meeting of the party office bearers chaired by BJP president Rajnath Singh also decided to organise ‘kisan adalats’ across the country from May 1 to June 15 to enlist farmers who did not get the benefit of the Rs 60,000 crore loan waiver announced by the UPA Government. Farmers will be asked to deposit debt-relief forms at these kisan adalats, party spokesman Prakash Javadekar told the media.

The BJP set up a 6-member committee to chalk out an action plan for the countrywide agitation against price rise. The committee, comprising of Sushma Swarwaj, Arun Jaitley, Vijay Goel, Balbir Punj, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Javadekar, could consider giving a call for a one-day "Bharat bandh" against the rise in prices of essential commodities, party sources said.

Attributing the price rise to "wrong policies of the UPA", a political resolution adopted by the BJP meeting charged the Government with having mortgaged the nation’s food security to market forces. It alleged that the Government has lost the power to intervene in the market after having emptied godowns which were filled up during the previous Vajpayee Government.

"Permission to multinational companies to purchase foodgrains has become an albatross round (UPA Government’s) neck," the resolution said, adding as against procurement of 230 lakh tonnes of foodgrains during the NDA regime, it was now hovering around 100 lakh tonnes. The Government has reduced allocations to States and monthly quota to people from ration shops,too, declined from 35 kg to 20 kg. Instead of focusing on procurement of foodgrains, the Government only took fiscal measures which failed to redress the situation.

The resolution said the UPA Government instead of solving the crisis started blaming States and attributing inflation to external factors. This only proves that the Government has no concrete measure to check the price spiral.

Demanding "white paper" on price rise, the BJP demanded adequate delivery of wheat, rice, sugar, edible oils and pulses through Public Distribution System at reasonable prices, restore States quota, regulate cement and steel prices and ban futures trading in foodgrains.(UNI)

Rahul sits on road dharna

JHANSI (UP), Apr 18: High drama was witnessed in this town in Uttar Pradesh today when Rahul Gandhi was stopped by the police while leading scores of farmers to meet the Divisional Commissioner provoking the young Congress leader to sit on the road on a dharna.

The General Secretary of the Congress was on his way for a meeting with P V Jaganmohan in a carcade which also included buses carrying the farmers but could not proceed after the local administration barricaded all roads leading to the DC’s residence since the office located nearby was closed being a holiday.

Rahul was on the concluding leg of his three-day visit of drought-prone Bundelkhand which is billed as an exercise to take on Chief Minister Mayawati for alleged acts of omission and commission in giving succour to drought affected farmers.

The administration was adamant that a delegation of not more than five people including the scion of the Gandhi-Nehru family will be allowed to proceed.

Soon arguments followed with local Congress leaders trying to impress upon the police that all the farmers from Ghisoli and Badora village accompanying Rahul and numbering nearly 300 should be allowed.

Some tense moments were witnessed when the Congress leader squatted on the road reportedly telling the local officials that farmers must be present when their grievances are brought before the district authorities.

The administration later relented and allowed the farmers to accompany Gandhi for the meeting with the Divisional Commissioner after identifying themselves.

In Delhi, Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari accused Chief Minister Mayawati of high-handedness and said it was "unfair" on the part of the police to stop Rahul.

After an hour long meeting, Rahul in a brief chat with reporters said the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) was a "powerful programme" for the poor.

"The programme generates jobs for many people and it is a matter of life and death for them," he said.

Gandhi submitted a memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner complaining of mismanagement in implementation of NREGP scheme in Bundelkhand region.

Several farmers alleged that they were being paid only Rs 60 a day when they were entitled to Rs 100.

They assured the farmers that any discrepancies would be rectified.

Rahul leading a delegation of farmers is in line with the call given by the Congress to fight the "misrule" of the BSP-led UP Government at a rally organised by the party’s State unit in Kanpur recently.

Sources said that at one stage when the district officials and the local Congress leaders were locked in arguments the Special Protection Group (SPG) conveyed to the Superintendent of Police, Jhansi, to keep in mind that Rahul was an SPG protectee in the event of any arrest.(PTI)