Jammu displays rare unity for restoration of land to Shrine Board
Over 2 lakh turn out for court arrests

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Aug 18: Over two lakh people including a large number of women and Saints carrying tridents, a symbol of Lord Shiva and lathis, joined by a number of Muslims including Gujjars and Sikhs took to streets in entire Jammu region today offering themselves for arrest on first day of three days ‘jail bharo’ programme in protest against delay in restoration of 800 kanals land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

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People who offered court arrest being taken to MA stadium in SRTC buses on Monday.

Scene on the roads in Jammu City, its outskirts and peripheries looked as all people including men, women, children and youth including elderly citizens besides entire Sadhu Samaj like Saints, preachers, pujaris and priests had come out of their houses and religious places to offer themselves for court arrest in response to a call given by Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS) and voice their resentment against complete failure of Central and State Governments to hear the voice of the people, whose agitation for restoration of the land today entered into 50th day and a complete bandh in 27th day.

From Rajouri to Lakhanpur and from RS Pura to Doda there was no police station left across the Jammu region where people in hundreds didn’t turn up to court arrest. Entire administration was completely left to the mercy of protesters especially in Jammu City and peripheries where people gate crashed into police stations, took control of entire complexes, hoisted tricolor and saffron flags, held ‘kirtans’ and put in place the pictures of Lord Shiva atop their roofs chanting ‘Bum Bum Bhole’, ‘Jo Hamse Takrayega, Choor Choor Ho Jayega’, ‘Hum Deewane Kahan Chale, Jail Chale Bhai Jail Chale’, ‘Jammu Ki Naariyan, Aag Ki Chingariya’, ‘Inqillab Zindabad’ and ‘Ek Do Teen Chaar, Bhole Aapki Jai Jai Kaar’.

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Youths damaging SRTC bus outside MA Stadium on Monday.

With police running short of accommodation and vehicles, they accepted arrest of very few people, mostly youths, and lodged them in Government colleges, schools, play grounds, stadiums and whatever accommodation was available near the police stations. Police officers were virtually seen pleading with the mob to leave their premises as they had no water what to speak of food to offer to the protesters. The poor arrangements for the agitationists further irked the people.

Police stations of Pacca Danga, City, Gandhi Nagar, Satwari, Sainik Colony, Kanachak besides Rehari and Talab Tillo police posts were completely sieged by the mob in thousands including women and Saints, who moved freely in every nook and corner of police stations, hoisted tricolor and saffron flags atop their roofs with women holding ‘kirtan’ inside beating coonch shells and slogan of ‘Bum Bum Bhole’, ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ renting the air repeatedly.

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Youths removing sign board of PDP after large number of people attacked the office of party at Gandhi Nagar on Monday..

People, mostly women, who couldn’t join the agitation directly, supported the protesters as they marched through the streets chanting ‘Bum Bum’ atop their houses. At several places, women offered water and biscuits to the people heading towards police stations.

"A history has been created. This is for the first time in Jammu region that the people, most significantly the women and even elderly citizens like octogenarian and septuagenarian, at some places even centurions, taking to the streets in every nook and corner of Jammu region and in one voiced raised the demand for restoration of the land to SASB", an octogenarian, Ram Prakash Verma, who offered himself for court arrest carrying a saffron flag, told the Excelsior outside Pacca Danga police station.

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A youth removing poster of former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad at Gandhi Nagar on Monday

A veteran of Praja Parishad and Roti agitation besides several other such movements and wars between India and Pakistan and India and China, Indrani, a war widow, remarked outside Gandhi Nagar police station: "I have seen all the agitations but never in my life I have seen a sea of humanity marching towards police stations offering themselves for court arrest without any fear for a movement. This is unheard of and I think such a movement will never repeat in my life".

Carrying a ‘chimta’ and dancing to the best of her stamina on the tunes of dhols outside the police station, she yelled: "this movement will definitely reach its logical conclusion".

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People unfurling Tricolour in the premises and roof top of Government Middle School Rehari where they were lodged after their court arrests in Rehari Colony on Monday.

Intelligence agencies confirmed that an estimated 70,000 people including a large number of women young girls and, at some places, even children turned out for court arrest but due to non availability of accommodation and buses to ferry the people to Government buildings very few of them could be detained. Even the people including top brass of SAYSS could not be arrested at many places. Reliable reports, however, confirmed that at least two lakh people came out of their houses across the region and offered themselves for court arrest across the region. A SAYSS spokesman said three lakh persons offered court arrest. All detainees at all the places, were released by late this evening unconditionally.

A visit to some of the places in Jammu, Samba, Reasi, Kathua and Udhampur districts, revealed that all roads from Cities, towns, semi-urban and rural areas including far off and remote villages, some of them along Indo-Pak border, were leading to police stations and police posts. Despite very few police and para-military personnel inside police installations, the protesters made no attempt to vandalise police stations and police posts, which were clearly at their mercy throughout the day, except for causing minor damage to a couple of SRTC buses outside MA Stadium, the Stadium office, some police booths, signboards of Congress and PDP leaders, an electronic channel’s office and PDP headquarters at Gandhi Nagar.

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Mob forcing entry in the Janipur Police Station offering themselves for court arrest on Monday.

Surprisingly, a police handout said that the SAYSS activists incited by their leaders today attacked the office of NDTV at Shastri Nagar. They vandalised the office causing extensive damage to the property of the office, the handout said. Within few minutes, NDTV came out with another handout which denied that there was extensive damage to the property of their office. "Only few window panes of our office were shattered by some unidentified miscreants and the reports of our office being vandalised are not true", the NDTV statement said.

Despite such a massive activity, the day passed off peacefully, official sources said.

Police had to open firing and lobbed teargas shells to control a large number of people including SAYSS and BJP leaders besides a huge number of women, who took out a procession in Udhampur town, marching towards the National Highway briefly and tried to gate crash into Udhampur police station. Shouting ‘Bum Bum Bhole’, ‘Yeh Bhagat Singh Kahaan Chale, Jail Chale Bhai Jail Chale’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, the marchers carrying tricolor entered the police complex and offered themselves for arrest.

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Mob trying to storm Udhampur Police Station to offer court arrest on Monday.

Police, which was not expecting thousands of people to turn up for the court arrest, opened firing on the protesters to scare them away and fired several tear smoke shells but all their attempts went in vain with crowd swelling with every passing minute. Ten agitationists sustained injuries in police firing and tear smoke shells with three of them being admitted to hospital.

Finally, the police accepted arrest of all the protesters and called vehicles from Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy, entire SRTC fleet of buses and trucks at their disposal and all private vehicles from the town and shifted the agitationists to degree college complex, which too fell short to accommodate such a large number of persons. The protesters remained at the degree college complex till this evening and then left for their houses. Three persons admitted in the hospital have been identified as Chanderkant Gupta, Ranjit Singh and Maan Singh while seven protesters, who were discharged after first aid, include Ravi Kapoor, Rattan Lal, Rakesh Kumar, Ajay Gupta, Vinod Gupta, Chain Singh and Rattan Kumar.

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People demanding Traffic Police booth on flyover bridge near Shiva Temple on Monday.

More than 10,000 people drawn from Rehari Colony, Sarwal, New Plots, Tope Sherkhanian, Subash Nagar, Rehari Chungi and parts of Janipura gathered at Rehari Colony where SAYSS convenor Leela Karan Sharma offered himself for court arrest at Rehari Colony police post. Panun Kashmir Movement president Ashwani Kumar Churngoo and Samiti leader Prabhat Singh also courted arrest along with Mr Sharma besides Pt Vidya Bhanu Shastri, BJP Corporators Arun Khanna and Usha Choudhary and a host of top brass of BJP and SAYSS leaders.

Mr Sharma was carried on his shoulders by the mob chanting ‘Bum Bum Bhole’ , ‘Yeh Mastane Kahaan Chale, Jail Chale Bhai Jail Chale’, "Cheen Kay Lenge Apna Haq’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. A large number of Sadhus and Saints hooted coonch shells as women beat ‘kirtan instruments’ when the Samiti rally, the biggest ever in the City, marched in every nook and corner of the locality. The mob assured their full support to the Samiti to take the agitation to logical conclusion. On the occasion, BJP Corporator Arun Khanna presented a purse of Rs 51,000 to Mr Sharma donated by the people for the agitation.

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People being taken to District Police Lines after they offered court arrest in Udhampur on Monday.

Though SDPO Bakshi Nagar Rupinder Chalotra appealed to the mob to maintain cool, few cops at Rehari Colony police post including the post building were virtually at the mercy of protesters. However, no damage was caused either to the police post or the school building where the agitationists were lodged.

With buses falling short, police arranged a private vehicle for the Samiti chief. The protesters were taken to nearby Government Middle School, Rehari Colony where they chanted religious slogans and held a ‘kirtan’. The people dispersed late in the afternoon.

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A massive crowd offering court arrest at Samba on Monday

Dancing to the tunes of dhols and coonch shells and raising ‘Bum Bum Bhole, ‘Inqillab Zindabad’ , ‘Ek Do Teen Chaar, Bhole Aapki Jai Jai Kaar’ and ‘Agar Bharat Mein Rahna Hoga, Vande Mataram Kehna Hoga’, a large number of people including traders, youths, women, young girls, children, youths and elderly citizens formed second biggest rally of the day outside Gandhi Nagar police station where Chamber of Commerce and Industry president and senior Samiti leader Ram Sahai and Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Gupta offered themselves for the court arrest.

With meager strength of police and para-military at his disposal, SHO Gandhi Nagar, Kulbir Honda was unable to control the mob despite keeping the gates of police station closed. Police wanted the protesters to straightway proceed to MA stadium, which had been converted into a temporary jail but the people were adamant to get themselves arrested inside the police station. Mr Sahai, who has extended traders’ full support to the bandh, was taken on their shoulders by the mob with ‘Bum Bum Bhole’ renting the air.

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A huge mob on way to offer court arrest at Hiranagar on Monday.

Police was compelled to open the gate of police station as the people including women were about to demolish it. While 800 people could find space inside the police station, others continued to move outside and gheroed it. Women sat inside the police station and started a ‘satsang’ singing ‘bhajans’ in praise of Lord Shiva and Durga Mata. For over an hour, there was no sign of a police station inside Gandhi Nagar police station complex with cops deserting it to escape the mob fury.

After more than two hours of protest, Mr Sahai, Mr Gupta and the protesters were released.

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Shouting ‘Bam Bam Bhole' people offering court arrest at Kathua on Monday.

Some protesters forced their entry into PDP headquarters in Gandhi Nagar and subjected it to heavy stone pelting. They removed a large hoarding of the PDP carrying photographs of Mufti Mohd Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti. Police fired teargas shells and indulged in lathicharge to disperse the mob. The mob made a second attempt to damage the PDP office but again they were dispersed. Protesters abused Muftis before dispersing.

Satwari police station, which too didn’t open the gate initially for the protesters, numbering over 8000 including a number of Sadhu Samaj and Samiti leader Annan Sharma besides a huge number of women, found the situation very tough with Sadhus and young turks climbing the gate and jumping inside the police station. Within few seconds, the police station was flooded with the protesters with a huge number waiting outside. Religious slogans like ‘Bum Bum Bhole’, ‘Jammu Kay Jai Chand Hai Hai’ and ‘Desh Kay Gaddaron Ko, Jute Maro Saalon Ko’ frequently rented the police station complex.

A Sadhu accompanied by a large number of women hoisted a tricolor and a saffron flag atop Satwari police station. It was a virtually field day for the mob inside police station for at least couple of hours with protesters sieging it, hurling choicest of abuses on Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti and women holding ‘kirtans’ inside. Outside the police station, an unending queue of people waited to force their entry inside but there was no space left.

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People holding demonstration before offering court arrest at Bari Brahmana on Monday.

After persuasion, the people agreed to leave the police station in the evening without causing it any damage.

Gangyal was another police station, which was gate crashed by the mob including women, led by Samiti leader Surinder Singh. Carrying lathis, sticks and idols of Lord Shiva, youths scaled walls of the police station and installed a picture of ‘Bhole Nath Ji’ atop the police complex. Police station was rent with ‘Bum Bum Bhole’ for more than one and a half hour. While some people managed to get entry inside the police station, others shouted religious slogans outside before dispersing.

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Former MLA Bishnah Ashwani Kumar Sharma alongwith others holding protest before offering court arrest at Bishnah on Monday.

Hundreds of people including Saints Rameshwar Dass and Mahant Shubh Narayan besides Shiv Sena president Ashok Gupta, Samiti leaders Narayan Singh and Surinder Aggarwal and BJP leader Romesh Arora and a large number of other prominent citizens gate crashed inside Pacca Danga police station. Every nook and corner of the police station including its premises, roofs, quarters and space outside barracks were captured by the people. National and saffron flags fluttered atop the police station with slogans of ‘Bum Bum Bhole’, raised in full voice, renting the entire City. Entire Sadhu Samaj stood atop the police station building and called upon the people to take a pledge to fight for the land till last drop of blood in their body. The mob raised their hands in chorus.

City police station, which virtually had no capacity to accommodate the agitationists, kept its gates open and advised the protesters, led by senior Samiti leader Brig (Retd) Suchet Singh to offer arrests in an adjacent park. With buses and police vehicles running short in the City, police had to arrange SRTC buses, matadors and even private trucks to shift the protesters of Pacca Danga and City police stations to MA stadium. A large number of Sadhu Samaj also joined the protestants at City police station. Near City police station, a protester hoisted a tricolor atop a mobile tower. Hundreds of people also offered court arrests at Bus Stand police station.

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People offering themselves for court arrest at Rajouri on Monday.

Talab Tillo was another police post after Rehari Colony where more than 8000 people gathered from different localities. The post was under siege of the mob for more than two hours. Majority of houses in Talab Tillo fluttered tricolor and saffron flags to support the protesters. Again, it was the ‘Bum Bum’ all the way. Samiti leaders Yashpal Gupta and Pawan Kohli also courted arrest at Talab Tillo police post.

At Bakshi Nagar, people not only captured police station but also the DySP’s office with Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president and Samiti leader Dr Rama Kant Dubey standing at top of the building and declaring that the mass movement of Jammu people will not stop till entire land was restored to the Shrine Board. All walls, roofs and family quarters of the police station were filled with the mob, which shouted ‘Jail Bharo Bhai Jail Bharo’, ‘Bum Bum Bhole’ and ‘Agar Bharat Mein Rahna Hoga, Vande Mataram Kehna Hoga’. Police didn’t confront the agitationists and shifted some of them to MA stadium in whatever buses were available to them.

Over 5000 people from Old Janipura, Janipura Colony, Roop Nagar and adjoining localities too forced their entry inside the police station and offered themselves for arrest. As only two SRTC buses were available with the police station, they accepted the arrest of about 200 persons, who moved to MA stadium with some of them sitting atop the roof while others were lodged in the nearby schools. Samiti leader Dev Raj Baru joined by Corporators Ravinder Gupta and Shrestha Jamwal, Charanjit Singh, Yashpal Sharma, Jeevan Kohli and a large number of prominent citizens got themselves arrested at Janipura police station.

Veteran BJP leader and former Union Minister along with a large number of workers offered themselves for arrest at Trikuta Nagar police station. Before getting arrested, people shouted religious and anti-Kashmir slogans.

At Nowabad police station, Samiti leader Inderjeet Khajuria along with a huge number of people courted arrest and were lodged in MA Stadium.

Sainik Colony was only police station where Congress Corporators Jai Singh, Kamal Singh, Mohinder Singh and Namrata Sharma made their presence felt and openly joined the ‘jail bharo andolan’ leading the mob along with Samiti leader Chander Mohan Sharma. Flags and tricolor were hoisted atop the building by the mob. Jai Singh has already extended full support to the bandh. Unconfirmed reports said a PCC (I) Secretary and some other party activists also joined the agitation today.

Barring four Corporators, no other prominent Congress leader was seen in the agitation though majority of Congress and workers and cadre could be seen openly joining the protests.

At Domana police station, a large number of people from Muthi, Barnai, Roop Nagar and Patoli Brahamana offered themselves for the court arrest. Police, however, handled the mob tactfully and had already arranged tents in a nearby playground to accommodate them. Some eatables were also arranged for the protesters, who left in the evening.

At Kanachak, it looked as the people from entire villages had come out of their houses and marched to police station. With no accommodation to lodge them, the police kept the protesters in open fields and asked them to leave in the evening. A large number of villagers from Gajansoo, Marh, Karloop, Gho Manasan and adjoining villages also offered themselves for arrest at Domana and Kanachak police stations.

People from Bantalab and Chinore courted arrest at Chinore police post and Domana police station. Samiti leader Udhay Chand led the protesters at Domana. A large number of people from Kot Bhalwal, Raipur and Ghrota offered themselves for arrest at Ghrota police station before taking out a procession.

As Jourian police post has been burnt down, people from the town and villages marched to Akhnoor town and joined the people there in hundreds shouting ‘Bum Bum Bhole’ and ‘Ranga Billa Hai Hai’ before courting arrest. The people numbering over 5000 were lodged in water-logged Boys higher secondary school, which was resented by the mob as no arrangements for food and water had been made for them. Similarly, people in large number including women courted arrest at Khour and Pallanwalla before taking out huge rallies.

At Bagh-e-Bahu police station, Samiti leader K K Paroch along with a huge gathering courted arrest.

At Jeevan Nagar, Digiana, a large number of Sadhus led the court arrest rally.

Besides MAM stadium and all educational institutions, mostly schools, which have been declared by the agitationists as ‘temporary jails’ for three days, people were also lodged in other Government buildings but authorities had no conveyance to arrest the crowd in thousands, which had to return disappointed with police being able to accept arrest of few hundreds of people.

As the agitationists were left freely in MA stadium with no arrangements for food and water, they damaged office of the stadium where they pelted stones on SRTC buses and tried to set afire one of them but the intervention of elderly people saved the situation. Several SRTC and police vehicles were damaged by the mob.

In RS pura town, the protesters had a confrontation with civil administration before courting arrest. They were drawn from RS Pura town and all rural areas of the villages. The protesters were lodged in the degree college. In Bishnah and Arnia towns, more than 2000 people offered themselves for court arrest and were lodged in Government higher secondary schools. Another mob of 2000 courted arrest at Miran Sahib and were detained in the Government school. In Nagrota and Jhajjar Kotli areas, a number of people offered court arrests.

There was no town or even rural area of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri and Reasi districts where people didn’t turn out for court arrest.

In Samba town, hundreds of people including scores of women marched towards women station shouting religious and anti-Government slogans. Sangarsh Samiti, Samba president Naresh Amba and Bar members besides a number of Sadhus joined them. They were lodged in lawns and police station and released later. ‘Naari Kahan Chali, Jail Chali Bhai Jail Chali’ and ‘Jahan Hue Balidan Mukherjee, Woh Kashmir Hamara Hai’ rented the air as mob ousted arrest at Samba in huge number.

In Ghagwal town of Samba district, people started march from Narsingh Mandir and joined by Mahant Ajay Dass Bairagi, Sanjay Kumar and Swaran Singh courted arrest at the local police post. In Vijaypur town, people offered themselves for court arrest and were lodged at BDO office while in Bari Brahamana town, the people were accommodated in tents after the arrests. In Ramgarh town, local people and Beopar Mandal leaders offered arrests. Samiti leader Rajneesh Kumar and Beopar Mandal president Koushal Sharma also offered themselves for arrest. At Rakh Badoi in Tarore, Samba, a large number of Muslims including Gujjars also joined the court arrest.

In Kathua town, men, women and children took out a huge procession in Main town before offering themselves for court arrest. Numbering about 5000, few protesters were lodged in Boys higher secondary school Kathua while arrest of others was not accepted due to shortage of accommodation. As the venue was water-logged, the people resented the attitude of administration.

Prominent among those who courted arrest in Kathua town include Khem Raj Khajuria, Prof Sain Dass, Surinder Mahajan, Som Raj Majotra and Sohan Lal Sharma among others

In Lakhanpur town of Kathua district, over 3000 people including women led by Samiti leader Nand Lal turned out for court arrest but only few of them, were arrested and lodged in Government high school.

Advocate Vijay Kumar led more than 3000 people for court arrests at Hiranagar. Again, some of the protesters were arrested and kept in the higher secondary school only to be freed later.

In Billawar and Badohli towns, about 3000 people each led by VHP leader Gurdeep Singh and BJP leader Jagdish Sapolia respectively came up for arrests but only few of them, were actually held due to shortage of accommodation in colleges and schools and the rest were asked to leave.

In Ramnagar town of Udhampur district, nearly 2000 people turned up for court arrests and few of them were detained and lodged in Town Hall. In Majalata again, about 2500 people came out in a procession to police station led by Sangarsh Samiti leader Raj Kumar but few of them were arrested. In Garhi Rhembal, Jib Thathi and Tikri, the number varied from 2000 to 3000 but only leaders were arrested and lodged in Government schools before being released. In Chenani, nearly 4000 people wanted themselves to be arrested but only 525 of them including 25 Muslims were arrested in support of the agitation.

In Reasi town, over 8000 people from Reasi town marched in a procession and offered themselves for court arrest. They were lodged in the degree college.

The protesters from town were released in the evening while those from rural areas were still camping in Reasi and Katra towns.

There was no food and water for the protesters which compelled the local people to offer biscuits and water to them.

In Katra town, over 2000 people turned up for arrests but only 400 of them were actually detained and were lodged in JKTDC Guest House. At Pouni, Jyotipuram and Talwara also, the people courted arrest.

In Doda town, a number of people from minorities turned up for arrests but only few of them were detained. The court arrest programmes were not held today in Bhaderwah and Kishtwar due to ongoing ‘Machail Yatra’.

In Sunderbani town of Rajouri district, more than 4000 people comprising women and children marched in the town and offered themselves for arrest. As accommodation ran short in ITI complex, which had been converted into makeshift jail, other people kept on shouting outside and blocked Jammu-Rajouri road.

In Rajouri town, a large number of people led by Kuldeep Raj Gupta, Vibodh Gupta, Yogesh Sharma, Dinesh Sharma and other Samiti and BJP leaders offered court arrests. Similarly, a large number of people courted arrest at Jawahar Nagar, Nowshera and Kalakot towns where they were accommodated in Government schools.

Meanwhile, all shops, business establishment, degree colleges, Government and private schools, industries and factories remained closed for 27th consecutive day of bandh in Cities, major towns, semi-urban and even rural areas of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur districts and Reasi town. Katra town observed bandh for 17th day. Shops of minority community remained closed in entire Jammu district.

As already reports, all kind of commercial traffic was also off the roads in these districts and towns including inter-State buses. Jammu-Pathankot and Jammu-Srinagar National Highways and Jammu-Poonch road via Akhnoor and Rajouri were also closed for traffic barring private vehicles which were also repeatedly interrupted by the mob by burning tyres.

Meanwhile, authorities were gearing up to meet with the situation tomorrow when a large number of women were planning to court arrest. The administration planned to keep them in make shift jails like today. Ladies police will also be deployed in strength tomorrow, sources said.

BJP supports nationalist forces in Jammu

NEW DELHI, Aug 18: As the people of Jammu and Kashmir are afflicted by the symptom of dangerous divide over the allotment of land for creation of infrastructure for Amarnath pilgrims during the two-month-long yatra period, the BJP today threw its weight behind the people of Jammu seeing it an essential conflict between nationalist and separatists forces.

This is not a problem of Hindus or Muslims but essentially of nationalist and separatist forces and the BJP was firmly on the side of the nationalists and appealed to them to speak up against the anti-national forces that seems to have taken over the leadership.

"They even go to the extent of raising anti-India slogans and did not mind carrying Pakistan flag," BJP spokesman Ravishankar Prasad told newspersons after a two and half hour meeting of the party office bearers.

The meeting was chaired by BJP president Rajnath Singh and was attended by party’s office bearers and Leader of Opposition L K Advani.

BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley, who has been the party’s face in the Governmental effort to find a solution to the J&K crisis, briefed the office bearers on the Amarnath land controversy.

In the resolution adopted by the meeting, the BJP recounted how the decision to allot land was taken after the Division Bench of J&K High Court directed the State Government to permit the land use for the convenience of Amarnath yatris in 2005. The Government headed by Farooq Abdullah had formulated the rules for creation of Shrine Board based on the report of Nitish Sengupta Committee which went into the issue and the Board was created by a resolution of the J&K Assembly on May 22, 2008.

The Congress and PDP coalition took the decision to allot 100 acres of land to the Shrine Board but "meekly surrendered" to the week-long protests of the separatists in Kashmir who carried out a disinformation campaign dubbing even the two-month-long yatra as an effort to change demography of the region, he said.

The party also decided to hold district level protests across the country where it would offer court arrests. The party would also hold seminars on situation in the State across the country for which a three member panel had been appointed to oversee the campaign.

Terming the protests in Jammu as ‘heroic people’s protests’ evincing participation from all sections and communities of the region to protest against discrimination over the years, he said the agitation started by Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti was completely democratic and patriotic for 38 long days. The State Government chose to surrender to the week-long protests, choosing to ignore the protests in Jammu, he alleged.

Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and the Centre should tell Pakistan in clear terms that India would not brook any interference in its internal matters.

Mr Prasad said the UPA had completely messed up the Amarnath issue making it unnecessarily complicated.

"If the law of the land and court orders are ernestly followed a solution can be found out," he said.

The party also condemned the routine and weak rejoinder by the UPA Government regarding Pakistan’s interference in affairs of Jammu and Kashmir, whereas the neighbour’s statements should have been forthrightly condemned.

BJP president in his opening remark at the meeting said Pakistan can’t expect confidence building measures from India while it was freely stoking terror and separatism on the Indian side.

In his concluding remarks, Mr Advani said UPA’s four years of rule had left range of issues for the opposition to capitalise, while the previous Congress Governments were scooping up just few issues like emergency and Bofors after completion of their terms in office.

The separatist elements had let loose two disinformation campaigns.

The future programmes envisaged by the party included ‘Dalit Reservation Bachao Andholan’, to protect the reservations for those SC and ST people who are getting converted into christianity and Islam and depriving themselves of their rights, he said. (UNI)

Ready for long battle: Samiti

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 18: Lambasting the Union Government for not showing any concern towards the Jammu people who are on agitation for last 58 days, Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS), spearheading the ongoing movement, today warned that it is ready for a long drawn battle.

"The Union Government should not remain under this impression that by prolonging the agitation the Jammuites will be fed up and disassociate from it. We are ready for a long drawn battle and will not give in till land is restored to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB),"convenor, Sangarsh Samiti, Leela Karan Sharma told reporters here.

Maintaining that the ball is in Centre’s court now, he said Samiti has already made it clear that it is ready for dialogue but till date no response was received by us from Central Government. "The stoic silence maintained by the Centre on the demand of nationalistic people of Jammu indicates that it is more concerned for Kashmir and not Jammu", he added.

Responding to a question that the prolonged agitation will add to the worries of people, especially dependent on daily earnings, Mr Sharma said that Samiti is aware of all this and it has contemplated a plan to provide ration and other material to needy people. Already the ration is being distributed by some philonthrophist agencies connected with Samiti in various parts of Jammu, he added.

Taking a strong exception to State Administration for harassing the Government employees rendering support to the ongoing movement, he warned that in case the Government continues this attitude Samiti will not take part in any type of dialogue with the State Government.

He said in this connection a letter has been written to B B Vyas, Principal Secretary to Governor in which serious resentment was expressed over Government’s attitude and discriminative policies towards Jammu agitation. He said, while no action has been taken against the employees in Kashmir supporting the secessionist movement, taking part in anti national and pro-Azadi protests, the Jammu employees are being harassed by administration.

Reiterating that there will be no compromise on the core issue, he said Samiti is committed to re-allocation of land to Shrine Board and restoration of all powers to it.

He said there is no question of let up in the present struggle till the settlement of demands as this time they interfered in SASB and next time they will interfere in Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB).

Reiterating that Samiti has no enmity with Kashmiris but their leaders who have been blackmailing India and misguiding the Valley people for their vested interests, he said, "this is a fight between the nationalism and anti-nationalism and not against any particular community,".

Warning the separatists not to blackmail India further on crossing over to Muzaffarabad, Mr Sharma said Pakistan is also not ready to accept the Kashmiri separatists and in case they (separatists) want they should be allowed to cross over to LoC. But later they should not be allowed to re-enter India, he added.

He said Indian people will not be cowed down now by the threat of Kashmiri leaders to go to UNO like 1947 as entire world knows that Kashmir is the gate way of terrorism and no one will come to their rescue. "The separatists should know that agitation has now started in PoK on closure of terrorist camps there", he added.

Mr Sharma said to save India it is our duty to save Jammu first. The people of country appreciate our agitation saying that Jammu has shown a way to entire nation.

He, while demanding a stern action against the terrorists and separatists, said that they be segregated and thrown out. But weak-kneed and vote bank policies of Centre are responsible for present mess in Valley.

He said Samiti will welcome Kashmiris if they want to live like true nationalists and warned them that in case they continue to blackmail, then entire nation can take on them. "They (Kashmiris) should know Indian Government can be weak but not its people", he added.

He also strongly condemned the attack on NDTV, Jammu branch saying that those who were involved in this attack can’t be the activists of Sangarsh Samiti.

Internationalising Kashmir intolerable: Cong

NEW DELHI, Aug 18:The Congress today denounced the march of the Hurriyat Conference to the United Nations Military Observers (UNMO) office in the Kashmir valley, and said Jammu and Kashmir was part of India and that any effort to internationalise the issue was not tolerable.

"It is unfortunate that the Hurriyat Conference and other separatist elements want to internationalise the Jammu and Kashmir issue," AICC spokesman Manish Tewari told mediapersons.

"There was no occasion for them to go to the UN office. There was no human rights violation," he said, while asserting that the Congress would not tolerate such activity.

In this context, Mr Tewari said that if any political party or group had any grievance, they should try to find a solution within the constitutional framework.

On the decision of the Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti to intensify its agitation over the land transfer issue, he said, "it is a proxy of the RSS, BJP and other Hindutva outfits."

"In fact, both the Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti and the Hurriyat Conference were the two sides of the same coin," he said, while adding, "they are trying to complicate the situation."

Asserting that any effort to use the Jammu and Kashmir issue for narrow political ends was condemnable, Mr Tewari said, "the responsibility lies squarely on the BJP to rein in on the Samiti and not to resort to any activity that further flares up the situation."

Asked if the handling of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir by the Centre was not adequate, he said "Indian State is not helpless to deal with any situation. We have dealt with militancy in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East."

It was only because of the sensitivity of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir that the Government was trying to find an amicable situation, he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appealed to all "right thinking" people and political parties to work together for restoring peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.

In an informal chat with reporters in Parliament complex after attending the swearing-in ceremony of noted economist C Rangarajan and former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna as Rajya Sabha members, the Prime Minister said everyone had an obligation and it was not a matter concerning any political party.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee termed the disturbances in Jammu and Kashmir over Amarnath land transfer as "undesirable" and appealed to all sections of the society to resolve it amicably.

"Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. The people of the State are secular in mind. All the problems should be resolved through discussions," Mukherjee said. (AGENCIES)

Hardliner separatist gets mandate of being "Kashmiris’ only leader"
Stronger Geelani’s new slogan: Ham Pakistani hain,
Pakistan Hamara Hai

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 18: Chairman of the hardliner faction of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani today sought the mandate of being "Kashmiris’ only leader" from a massive gathering of over one Lakh people and made it clear that nothing short of accession to Pakistan would be the solution of the vexed Jammu & Kashmir problem. He asked the United Nations (UN) to deploy its peace-keeping forces "for security of Muslims" in Jammu and conduct a referendum in the turbulent State according to its own resolutions.

Visibly triumphant and emboldened by a series of four massive rallies in the Valley in the eight days, septuagenarian separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, appeared to be the undisputed hero of thousands of Kashmiris at a massive congregation at the spacious Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) Grounds here today. Taking timely advantage of the pro-India as well as the pro-Azadi Kashmiri leaders’ losing ground, coupled with the State Government’s total surrender before him, Geelani projected himself as the "only leader of the Kashmiris" and got his claim endorsed by an enthusiastic audience of more than one Lakh people.

"This movement is required to be run by only one leader. For years, there has been a confusion of the leadership in this movement. It has not been decided till date. Do you all repose faith in Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s leadership?",Geelani asked the gathering and got the confirmation of "zaroor" with a thumping applause. With this endorsement, he concluded his fiery speech without paying any attention to his separatist colleagues on the dais—chairman of the so-called moderate faction of Hurriyat, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of JKLF, Mohammad Yasin Malik, and chairman of Democratic Freedom Party, Shabir Ahmed Shah.

According to KNS, a spokesman of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s faction of the Hurriyat, Shahidul Islam, as also the head of Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadith, Maulan Shaukat Shah, later stated that no single individual’s leadership was acceptable. Geelani subsequently said at a 3-minute press briefing in the evening: "I regret if anybody has got hurt or the unity has been imperiled by my slip of tongue". Without elaborating or taking questions from mediapersons, Geelani claimed that he was supportive of the unity (of separatist leaders). With regard to his earlier remarks, Geelani gave a clean chit to Srinagar-based journalists but maintained that their New Delhi-based organizations had been acting as "part of India’s war machine".

Geelani, whose cavalcade negotiated the distance of seven kilometers from his Hyderpora residence to TRC Grounds in over three hours, said that the people of Kashmir had the relation of religion with Pakistan. He said it was because of Islam that the people of Kashmir were "Pakistanis" and introduced a new slogan to his audiences. For ten times he chanted and aroused his rally "Ham Pakistani Hain, Pakistan Hamara Hai" (We are Pakistanis and Pakistan belongs to us). He asked the new leadership in Pakistan to strictly run that country on the tenets of Islam and asserted that secularism, nationalism and America’s world order were all unacceptable to the people of Pakistan.

Geelani expressed his pleasure over General Pervez Musharraf’s resignation and said that the outgoing Pakistan President had caused considerable damage to the interests of Pakistan, Islam and the Kashmir cause for the last eight years. Geelani said that Musharraf had created a confrontation between the people and Army in Pakistan and the people of that country had finally rejected him for good. According to him, Musharraf had also honoured "men of his own choice" and paid no attention to finding a solution to the (Kashmir) problem.

Seeking resolution of the Kashmir problem by way of implementation of nearly 60-year-old UN resolutions, Geelani asked the world body to take complete control of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, give the people two-odd options of living either with India or with Pakistan and hold a referendum. He said it was one-odd demand of the people of the State and claimed that all other demands, including opening of Srinagar-Rawalpindi Road for trade and travel, would be met automatically. He also sought complete withdrawal of the Indian armed forces from J&K.

Geelani said that today’s rally was for the purpose of asking the UN Secretary General, through a memorandum, to visit Kashmir and see how an overwhelming majority of the people was peacefully demanding implementation of the UN resolutions. He said that India herself had petitioned the UN for resolving the Kashmir crisis. According to him, people of State had given six Lakh sacrifices for implementation of the UN resolutions in the last 60 years. "Right to self-determination", according to Geelani, was the only demand of the Kashmiris. He gave assurance to the minorities that their faith, places of worship, life, property, dignity and culture would remain "fully safe and secure" after Kashmir’s separation from India.

Geelani said that five Lakh Muslims had been slain in Jammu in 1947 and ten Lakh forced to migrate in communal riots and the community was yet again facing "serious threat to life and property". He asked the UN Secretary General to immediately deploy "impartial peace-keeping force" in Jammu for protection of the Muslim community.

In his speech at the same dais over an hour before Geelani’s arrival, JLKF chairman Yasin Malik asked New Delhi to read "the writing on the wall" and take immediate steps for resolution of the Kashmir problem. In contrast to Geelani’s hardcore Pakistani slogans, Malik chanted "Aar bhi lenge aazadi, paar bhi lenge aazadi" and suggested that creation of a sovereign State of the territories under India’s and Pakistan’s control, would be achieved by "this popular movement". He asserted that mass movements had also broken the pride and prestige of mighty nations and India could be no exception.

In his speech, also before Geelani’s grand arrival, Mirwaiz Umar reiterated the Hurriyat Coordination Committee’s latest demands of withdrawal of Indian troops, revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, release of all Kashmiri political detenues and opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Road for trade before initiative of the tripartite talks between India, Pakistan and the Kashmir leadership. He sought the UN intervention for stopping "human rights abuse by forces" in J&K and said that the "freedom movement" would continue until resolution of the Kashmir problem.

Reminiscent of the turbulent days of March 1990, like three big rallies last week, today’s congregation was full of Pakistani flags, slightly identical Islamic flags and pro-Pakistan and pro-militant slogans.

As the authorities had completely surrendered before Geelani, removed most of the Police and CRPF bunkers overnight, deployed tankers of the PHE Department for providing water to the people in the rally and permitted the rally without permission, men on hundreds of vehicles and the venue shouted: "Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan, Pakistan se rishta kya la illaha illalla, Yehan kya chalega nizaam-e-Mustafa, Meri mandi teri mandi Ralwanpindi Rawalpindi, Bharat ka jo yaar hai gadaar hai gadaar hai, Bharat teri shamat aayi Lashkar (Toiba) aayi Lashkar aayi". Dominance of flags and slogans suggested that for thousands in the rally Azadi was just an acronym of accession to Pakistan.

Late last evening, authorities had withdrawn the earlier decision of imposing and implementing curfew with the help of Army and announced through media that the separatists’ rally would not be disturbed. Notwithstanding provocative anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans, CRPF maintained restraint and not a single incident of firing or baton charge was reported from anywhere. People too did not resort to anything beyond verbal and gesticulation. Army’s and State Government’s helicopters, carrying senior officials with video cameras, maintained surveillance over the rally for several hours.

Fearing extension of the UN Chalo march to Gupkar Road, that leads to the residences of three of the former Chief Ministers—Dr Farooq Abdullah, Mufti Mohamamd Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad, besides Governor’s residence and some military formations— authorities had negotiated a deal with Geelani and closed roads to Sonawar, Gupkar Road and Boulevard. DC and SSP Srinagar had visited Geelani’s residence in Hyderpora and requested him to address the rally at TRC Grounds rather than the nearby UNMOGIP headquarters.

Much like in 1990, women sang Wanwun for the people in the rally, people paid tributes to "martyrs" and the militants killed in the last 19 years and groups of youth had created kiosks for free distribution of cold drinks, juices, fruit and packed food on all roads leading to the destination of the rally. Hurriyat Coordination Committee has granted three days of relaxation in the strike over "economic blockade" and killing of over 20 people in Police and CRPF firing earlier this month but asked the Kashmiris to yet again assemble for paying of tributes to "martyrs" at a cemetery on the Eidgah Grounds here on Friday next.

All sign boards pulled down

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 18: Protesters, who were part of ‘jail bharo andolan’, today demolished all sign boards and hoardings of PDP and Congress leaders along Fly Over bridge, Vikram Chowk and Gandhi Nagar.

After being allowed to go by the cops from MA stadium, which had been converted into a make shift jail, the agitationists pulled down the hoardings of former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress leader and MP Madan Lal Sharma and a host of other erstwhile coalition partners.

They also removed ransacked police and Traffic Police booths and subjected the SRTC buses to stone pelting.

The PDP headquarters at Gandhi Nagar was also attacked by the mob.

MHA plays down march to UN

NEW DELHI, Aug 18: The Union Home Ministry did not find anything unusual in thousands of people gathering in the heart of Srinagar today while marching to the UN Office seeking its intervention amid shouting of anti-India slogans.

"People have been going there (UN Office). The process (of submitting memorandum) has been going on and people have never been stopped," Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta told reporters here while briefing on the overall situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the Centre’s concern is to ensure there was no disturbance, violence or loss of property.

"Necessary deployment of security forces was done and the whole thing passed off peacefully," he said when asked to comment on today’s march as thousands of people poured in to Srinagar and over two dozen political, business and social groups submitted a memorandum drafted by the separatist coordination committee to the UN office.

Asked specifically about incidents of hoisting Pakistani flag in Srinagar and raising of anti-India slogans in the Valley, Gupta claimed that action was taken on these matters and "there is no question of any compromise".

But he did not elaborate about the action taken and against whom.

To a query regarding modalities of dialogue between Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti and the key political parties of the State, including PDP, Gupta said efforts would continue to bring everybody to negotiating table.

"The Centre and the State are seized with the idea of evolving modalities," he said, while making it clear that it was not an international issue though Pakistan and some separatists have tried to project it that way. (PTI)

Rs 45 lakh stolen from JKBL

Excelsior Correspondent

POONCH, Aug 18: An amount of Rs 45 lakh was stolen by some unidentified persons under mysterious circumstances from the Surankote branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in district Poonch today.

According to the Bank authorities, the amount of Rs 45 lakh was stolen last night from an almirah of the Bank which they came to know only in the morning on reaching the bank today.

SDPO Surankote, Pradeep Singh Parihar told the Excelsior that the circumstances under which the theft took place, involvement of any of the bank employees cannot be ruled out. He said the almirah was not broken, nor there were any vital clues available to apprehend the accused on the grounds of suspicion but the crime scene pointed participation of internal persons,’’ he maintained.

" As per norms, any of the Bank’s understanding operating procedure is not allowed to keep amount exceeding Rs 10 lakh in the bank at the time of closure but the amount stolen was big one and not even kept in bank lockers, which hints at some planned conspiracy," the police officer added.

A case under section 379 RPC has been registered at Surankote Police Station while some of the bank employees are also being questioned and investigations were on, he asserted.

A senior Bank official disclosed that the Surankot branch can keep cash maximum up to Rs 20 lakhs but how they kept so much of amount there and that too, not in the locker but simply in an almirah points needle of suspicion towards some insiders. The police has taken help of sniffer dogs to investigate the case. Some clues have been developed by the investigating team about the suspects, he added.

Musharraf quits as Pak President

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: Facing an imminent impeachment, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today announced his resignation maintaining that he wanted to avoid the country being put into instability and confrontation.

"No impeachment or no chargesheet can stand against me.... But I think this is not the time for individual bravado... This is the time for serious thought.

"In the interest of the country, I have decided to resign. The resignation will reach the National Assembly Speaker shortly," the 65-year-old former Army Chief said in an emotional internationally televised address.

Musharraf’s decision brings to an end a bitter confrontation between the Presidency and the five-month-old PPP-led coalition Government that has been gunning for him since its victory in the February 18 elections.

With his announcement, all speculation about his putting up a fight in Parliament has ended but still it was not clear whether he would be given any immunity while he stays in Pakistan or a safe passage.

The ruling coalition, especially PML(N) chief Nawaz Sharif who was dethroned by Musharraf in an October 1999 bloodless coup and PPP chief Asif Ali Zardari, had asked him to quit to avoid being impeached. His spokesmen had always maintained that he would not quit under pressure and would face the impeachment, a motion regarding which was to be tabled in National Assembly tomorrow.

Musharraf was to be charged with various wrongdoings including violation of Constitution, murder of democracy and economic misconduct.(PTI)

4,000 BSF personnel placed at J&K Govt’s disposal

JAMMU: Nearly 4,000 BSF personnel have been withdrawn from counter insurgency and border duty and placed at the disposal of the Jammu and Kashmir Government to tackle the situation arising out of Amarnath land row.

"We have withdrawn troops recently and have placed them at the disposal of the State Government for law and order job," Inspector General (IG), BSF, Jammu frontier, A K Sarolia said today.

In view of the continuing agitation over Amarnath land transfer controversy, the State Government was facing shortage of forces to maintain peace and normalcy.

A large number of personnel from the army, CRPF, Rapid Action Force (RAF) and State police have already been deployed and the need for more troops will be met from the BSF.

"The BSF was withdrawn and deployed for civilian job as CRPF was being used to tackle the Amarnath protests," Sarolia said.

The troops were withdrawn from Dhamkund-Mahore-Gool belt of Ramban district and from Sunderbani in Rajouri district.

CRPF was withdrawn from Jammu airport and deployed for law and order and BSF troops replaced them there.

CRPF personnel were also replaced by BSF at several jails, Baglihar and Salal power projects, and for providing VIP security in Jammu and adjoining areas.

As per a Home ministry guideline, BSF was to be totally replaced by CRPF in counter insurgency job. CRPF has already taken over from BSF in Kashmir valley in general and Srinagar city in particular in 2006.

While BSF has already been withdrawn from Doda and Poonch areas in Jammu region from counter insurgency duties, withdrawal at other places in Ramban, Reasi and Rajouri district is in the pipeline. (PTI)

Valley life limps to normalcy, Jammu protesters court arrest

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: With separatists suspending their strike call for three days, life in Kashmir Valley, disrupted for over a week due to the agitation over "economic blockade", limped back towards normalcy today.

But in Jammu region, thousands of protesters, including women in good numbers, courted arrest in various police station areas for the second day to press their demand for return of 100 acres of land to Amarnath shrine board.

Schools, shops, business establishments and offices opened in the Valley as the Coordination Committee—an amalgam of separatists, social organisations, traders’ and employees’ bodies—decided to suspend the strike for three days beginning today.

Vehicles were plying in Srinagar and other areas on city and inter-district routes, official sources said.

The separatists had on Saturday announced the suspension of the strike call to provide relief to students, labourers and other sections of the society who were hit by the shutdown.

However, vehicles and business establishments perched black flags atop their buildings as a mark of protest and in support of the demands of the separatist groups.

The separatists had launched the agitation on August 11 demanding the opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road to end the "economic blockade" of the Valley in the wake of the shrine land stir. As many as 22 people were killed during the protests and in police firing.

The separatists have called for ‘march to Eidgah’ in downtown city on Friday when they will announce their future course of action.

Protesters, who included women, raised slogans of "bam bam bholey" and marched to police station in Jammu region as part of the three-day "jail bharo’ agitation called by the Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti (SASS).

The protesters courting arrest were being taken to M A M Stadium and school buildings in Jammu and later released, police said.

They said one protestor in R S Pura in Jammu district attempted suicide by allegedly consuming some poisonous substance during a rally. He was saved after he was shifted to a hospital, they said.

Curfew was relaxed in Jammu city for 15 hours from 0500 hours, while it was eased for nine hours in Samba. In Udhampur, authorities relaxed curfew for 17 hours from 0500 hours. It was also relaxed in Kishtwar for 3 hours from 0700 hours.

The district authorities will be reviewing the situation in Kishtwar town which was rocked by communal violence on August 12 in which 2 persons were killed and several others were injured.

Holding that the ball is in the Central Government’s court, SASS Convenor Leela Karan Sharma said that "It is they who have to put an end to the shrine land controversy.

"If the Centre is not interested, we, too, do not have a time frame for the agitation," Sharma said. "The agitation will continue in full force and the Samiti will collectively decide on its future course of action."

Sharma has warned the State Government that the Samiti will not take part in any dialogue with the administration if it "continues to harass" public servants who have rendered their support to the agitation.

Sharma said he had conveyed his views in this regard to B B Vyas, Principal Secretary to Governor N N Vohra.

"The Samiti issues a strong warning to the State Government against any such action and cautions that in the event of any such act on the part of state administration, it would not be possible for the Samiti to take part in any type of dialogue with the State Government," he said.

Police reports said the protestors peacefully courted arrest at 14 different places in Jammu, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Reasi districts.

Reports from Kathua said that two women were injured in stampede and two others fell unconcious due to suffocation when a mob entered a police station for courting arrest.

They were later shifted to a hospital, where their condition was state to be out of danger, the police reports said. (PTI)

BJP men to court arrest on SASB land issue

BANGALORE : Charging that the UPA Government has ‘crumbled’ under the pressure from anti-national and separatist forces in Jammu and Kashmir on the land allotment to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, BJP president Rajnath Singh today said one crore party workers would court arrest across the country to protest against the Centre’s stand on the issue.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the ineptness of the Centre in fighting against divisive forces was evident when people hoisted Pakistan flag in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk on the Independence Day and even tried to cross the LoC.

He said the UPA Government had completely messed up the issue of land allotment to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

Describing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as most alarming, he said "if the BJP could be served notice by the EC for allegedly circulating a controversial CD during the UP Assembly elections, which we never claimed as ours, then there should be at least some action initiated against all these parties which have turned grossly remained anti-national in their bid to appease separatist forces."

Cautioning that Government not play with the emotions of millions of devotees and immediately return the allotted land to the Board, the BJP president urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take immediate initiative to find a solution on the crisis in Jammu and Kashmir.

"By delaying finding a solution to the problem, the Government is turning the bad situation into worse," he added.

Stating that it was high time the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 be withdrawn, he said the Government should initiate a national debate on the issue.

If BJP comes to power on its own strength in the coming Lok Sabha elections, it would consider withdrawing the special status, he said.

Earlier, addressing the members of the party’s state executive, Mr Singh announced that his party workers would hold demonstrations all over the country on August 21, demanding immediate handing over of the land to the Shrine Board. (UNI)

Pak Parliament sets up panel to monitor J&K situation

ISLAMABAD : Ignoring India’s assertions that Islamabad should not interfere in its affairs, Pakistan’s Parliament today decided to set up a panel to monitor human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir and mobilise world opinion in support of the "right of self-determination" for Kashmiri people.

Ruling Pakistan People’s Party leader and Law Minister Farooq Naek moved a motion for setting up a special panel on Kashmir comprising parliamentarians in the National Assembly and it was passed unanimously by the lower house.

The motion said the committee would "monitor human rights violations" and "mobilise world opinion in support of the cause of right of self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir".

The panel will also "increase awareness within as well as outside the country about the Kashmir issue" and "solicit and provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir".

The committee will "monitor the performance of the organisations working on Kashmir" and "provide guidance whenever required". It will "consider and decide such other issues and matters" that would be referred to it by the National Assembly.

The motion came close on the heels of a war of words between India and Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which has witnessed violent protests in recent weeks.

India has rejected comments by Pakistani leaders and officials on the situation in the northern state as a "clear interference" in its internal affairs.(PTI)

Karvan-e-Aman bus service resume on August 21

Srinagar : The Karvan-e-Aman Bus Service between Srinagar-Muzaffarbad via Kamanpost Uri, will resume on August 21, an official announcement said today.

The service was suspended on August 14 in view of the unrest in the state due to Amarnath land row and 'Muzaffarabad Chalo'.

This was for the first time the bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was suspended since its inauguration by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on April 7, 2005.

However, the service remained suspended for about a month after the Amen Setu (peace bridge), on river Jhelum connecting both the Kashmiris and major portion of the road on other side was damaged in devastating earthquake on October 8, 2005.

Through this bus service, thousands of people from both sides of the Line of Control (LOC) had so far visited their relatives, separated since 1947.

The passengers from Muzaffarabad had to cover a distance of 50 km to reach Chakoti, the last military post from the Pakistani side.

The bus service between the divided Kashmir was established after 58 years following agreement between India and Pakistan to allow families separated since 1947 to meet each other.

The 170-km Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, also known as the Jhelum Valley road, was closed for traffic on October 27, 1947 when ''Kabailis (tribesmen)'' invaded parts of Jammu and Kashmir which came to be known as PoK.(UNI)

Jammu turns violent again tens of thousands court arrest

Jammu : After a brief lull, Jammu again witnessed aggressive protests today while tens of thousands of people turned up to court arrest in the region on the second day of 'jail bharo andolan' on the Amarnath land row.

Dozens of people, including police personnel, were injured in clashes at various places in the winter capital city as a complete shutdown was observed on the consecutive 27th day.

At Jewel Chowk area, over a dozen people were injured in police-public clashes. The violence started after rumours of former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah's presence at a government function at Abhinav Theatre where a Divisional Commissioner, Jammu and District Commissioner, Jammu were attending a cultural programme.

Thousands of people from the surrounding area marched towards the theatre, protesting against the authorities for organising cultural programme during unrest in Jammu.

After failing to stop the mob, police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) resorted to cane-charge and tear gas shelling while the protesters pelted stones and fired cracker rockets on the security forces.

Sub-divisional police officer (Jammu West) R K Chalotra, Dy SP, was shifted to the government medical college for treatment while several people were injured in the clashes, a UNI correspondent at the spot said.

Police-public clashes were also reported from several other places in the winter capital city and outskirt areas.

On the call of Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS), a conglomerate of several political and non-political outfits spearheading agitation for restoration of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASD), tens of thousands of people turned up to court arrest.

''In Jammu city, more than 1.3 lakh people courted arrested in 14 police stations followed by around 60,000 in 11 police stations of Jammu (rural),'' an SAYSS member said.

''In Kathua district, more than 50,000 people courted arrest at 13 places while the reports from udhampur, reasi and ramban districts said more than 70,000 people participated in jail bharo andolan'' the SAYSS communique said.