22,000 posts to be filled up in 6-8 months
CM announces fast track recruitment boards
Domicile certificate for West Pak refugees
Nod to Dogra certificate, Sharda Peeth University
Increase in retirement age not ruled out

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Jan 29: Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today announced "fast track selections" for 22,000 vacancies in non-gazetted cadre, a process to be completed in next six to eight months.

Mr Azad also announced several facilities for West Pakistani and PoK refugees including domicile certificate for the former but asserted that their demand for state subject rights couldn’t be considered as it required a Constitutional amendment in Legislature for which a consensus had remained elusive in an all party meeting.

In his 78 minutes reply to debate on the grants of his Departments which include Home, GAD, Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Information, Hospitality & Protocol etc in Legislative Assembly this afternoon, the Chief Minister told the House that there were 22,000 non gazetted cadre and 4978 gazetted cadre vacancies in the State.

Mr Azad delivered his speech amidst empty Opposition benches with entire National Conference not turning up after the House resumed its sitting after 325 minutes adjournment facilitating debate on the grants of CM’s Departments followed by Mr Azad’s reply. The Assembly, which had also debated the CM’s grants yesterday after NC’s walk-out, passed the grants this afternoon in the absence of 24 member strong Opposition party—the NC. Only two Opposition members—Harshdev Singh and Balwant Singh Mankotia were present during the CM’s grants. Despite Opposition’s boycott, 50 members, majority of them from treasury benches and allies besides all Ministers, barring one or two, were present during the CM’s reply.

"For gazetted cadre recruitment by Public Service Commission (PSC), the Government has increased the members’ strength and will fill the vacancies for speedy recruitment while for non-gazetted cadre, we have decided to set up district level recruitment boards which will be supervised by one member from Subordinate Services Recruitment Board (SSRB)", Mr Azad said.

As one member of SSRB will supervise each district level recruitment board, the Government has decided to increase the strength of SSRB members by five times for 6 months, he added and said all new members of the Board will be Government officers.

The Chief Minister announced that fast track selections will be done within two to four months of the initiation of process. On concern expressed by several members about candidates appearing in the district other than the district they belonged, he said the Government has worked out a solution to this problem. "Interviews in all districts will be kept on a single day. The youths will, therefore, prefer the district they belonged and will be unable to appear in other districts", he added.

The selection process will be held in a fair and transparent manner by the district recruitment boards under the supervision of a SSRB member, he assured the House.

Asserting that 90,000 Government jobs have been given by the coalition Government in its tenure which were in addition to employment avenues generated by private sector.

Pointing out that a consensus couldn’t be achieved in an all party meeting, called by him last year, on granting state subject rights to West Pakistani refugees, Mr Azad said the Government was ready to give all other facilities to them which were within the purview of State Government. He announced grant of domicile certificate in favour of West Pakistani refugees which will help them in recruitment in Army.

Intervening the Chief Minister, NPP leader Harshdev Singh asked the Chief Minister to name the political parties which had opposed state subject rights to West Pakistani refugees in all party meeting. "If a West Pakistani can become a Prime Minister of the country, why can’t he have the voting right here. This is the biggest tragedy", he shouted. The Chief Minister, however, refused to name the parties.

Mr Azad said all basic facilities to develop colonies of West Pakistan refugees would be extended. He added that the State Bank of India (SBI) or Lead Bank will be approached for providing loans to West Pakistan refugees without mortgage as they can’t purchase the land here, which could be mortgages, in the absence of state subject rights.

Regarding compensation for PoK refugees, he said the issue has been taken up with the Centre for 5 to 6 times increase and the Prime Minister has been urged to remove the ceiling of Rs 25,000 worth maximum payment. As the Government is unable to give plots to PoK refugees in urban areas, their case too is being recommended for compensation.

The Chief Minister also conceded the demand of NPP leader Harshdev Singh for issuance of Dogra certificate to Jammu youths which will given them 2 inches relaxation in height for recruitment in Army. He pointed out that Himachal Pradesh has also given Dogra certificate to all its youths.

On the demand raised by CPM leader Mohd Yusuf Tarigami for increasing retirement age of State Government employees from 58 to 60 at par with IAS cadre and Central Government employees, he said the Government was not against the proposal. "We have not shut our eyes to the demand. We have not said no to it", he said but added "at the same time the Government will have to strike a balance between unemployment and increase in retirement age".

The Government has sanctioned 2124 new posts for newly created administrative units, he said denying the charges by some members that no steps were being taken by the Government to make the new districts fully functional.

Denying the reports which had appeared in a section of media that Jammu region has been neglected in Working Groups’ recommendations, Mr Azad said the proposals cleared by the Centre recently for rehabilitation of orphans and widows of militancy victims will benefit both the regions. During last 10 years, 35 per cent civilians, killed by the militants, belonged to Jammu region. This way, he added, the widows and orphans in Jammu region will also be benefited.

Regarding Kashmiri Pandits, he said it has been proposed that they will be given employment incentives, financial help to repair schools and free ration on their return but till that is possible they will be given all incentives here. Agreeing with MLA Raman Mattoo’s demand that strength of Kashmiri Pandits in Government Departments has sharply gone down in view of more retirements and less jobs, the Chief Minister said it was true that more KPs have retired during the migration period but added that 2000 KPs have been recruited in Government Departments.

On another demand of Mr Mattoo for setting up of Sharda Peeth University on the lines of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah and Islamic Universities, Mr Azad said the Government was in favour of setting up such a University and will take up the issue with Mandir Trust proposed to be set up after passing of Kashmiri Pandit Hindu Shrines (Protection) bill, which is being introduced shortly. He admitted that land of temples has been sold in the Valley as alleged by Mr Mattoo.

He said bifurcation of Kashmiri Pandits' ration cards will be taken up as number of their families have multiplied.

Responding to the demand of Congress chief whip Prem Sagar Aziz, the Chief Minister announced a plot each in Jammu and Srinagar for all legislators provided that they had not availed a similar facility from the Government earlier.

He expressed satisfaction that the working of the police was appreciated by the members across board. He highlighted measures taken by the Government in improving the working condition of the police personnel especially their accommodation. He said compared to the 0.5% five years ago, the satisfaction level on this account had risen to 20.7% which was a record in itself. He said condition of inmates in prisons had also been improved and human rights organisations and NGOs were allowed to visit them and see their condition. He said a prisons modernization programme and providing additional accommodation for prisons was on the anvil.

The Chief Minister also gave details of measures taken by the Government to improve transparency and good governance in the State, besides developing work culture and responsive administration. He said last year he visited all the district headquarters and held meetings with district officers following which details of all development works being taken up at block, tehsil and district levels were displayed at the respective offices for the information of the public. He said the introduction of the institution of Additional District Development Commissioner to monitor development works had also yielded good results. He said the ADDCs had conducted 2427 inspections of development works in Kashmir and 3409 in Jammu division, benefiting both the Government and the people at large. He said the size of the ministry was the lowest ever in 60 years thereby putting no extra burden on the State exchequer.

Mr. Azad said for the first time in 60 years, there were as many as 14 local officers independently heading different departments in civil secretariat. He said promotion avenues of KAS officers were increased. Their cadre strength was increased by 130. He said steps were also taken for their training in prestigious institutes of the country to change their outlook and broaden their horizon.

The Chief Minister noted with satisfaction that 710 kanals 7 marlas of evacuee land had been retrieved during the last one years, of which 516 kanals and 15 marlas were in Jammu division.

Azad vs Khan vs Harshdev

"Aapko Kitne Saal Lag Gaye Assembly Mein Pahunchne Ke Liye (How much did it take you to reach Assembly)", Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad asked suspended PDP legislator Ghulam Hassan Khan while replying to debate on the grants of his Departments.

Mr Khan had said that there was some delay in providing infrastructure to newly created districts. His Shopian constituency was among eight new districts announced by the Government.

Mr Khan retaliated: "can’t this be done in double shift"?

The CM countered: "this (the raising of infrastructure) is being done in triple shift.

Mr Azad had a word of advice for Mr Khan. "Don’t do this in your constituency. You didn’t highlight the good word done but only raise the demands which have not been met with so far".

The Chief Minister, referring to Harshdev Singh’s demand for pruning the Council of Ministry, said there were 39 Ministers in the Cabinet in which Mr Singh was the Minister. "Presently, there were only 24 Ministers in the Cabinet, 15 less than the Ministry in which Mr Singh had served", he said. Prior to that also, there used to be 40 or above Ministers, he added.

Regarding Harshdev’s demand for action against a senior officer of district administration against whom a complaint had been made by an officer, the Chief Minister said he had inquired into antecedents of the complainant and he himself was involved in corruption cases. From his possession, the Vigilance had recovered stamps of Ministers, which were later stolen from the Vigilance office, he said without naming the officer.

"If such are the credentials of complainant, how will we act on his complaint"? he asked.

Purchase of microscopes
Govt sanctions prosecution of CEO, AO, 2 lecturers

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 29: Government today accorded sanction to the prosecution of in-service public servants—Jatinder Kumar Gupta, then Accounts Officer in the office of Director School Education, Balwan Singh, then Lecturer Geology, State Institute of Education, Rameshwar Kumar Sharma, then Lecturer Geology, SRML Higher Secondary School and Thakur Dass Sharma, then Chief Education Officer (CEO) Poonch, who were involved in the alleged purchase of microscopes on highly exorbitant rates by Education Department in 2004-05.

According to the Vigilance Organisation, microscope for examining properties of minerals was approved for purchase by these members of the Divisional Level Purchase Committee at the rate of Rs 1800 per microscope as against its actual rate of Rs 650 per piece thus undue benefit was conferred by these accused public servants upon the supplier and themselves with a corresponding loss to public exchequer.

The investigation conducted by the Vigilance Organisation revealed that Director School Education Jammu, who was the convenor of the Divisional Level Purchase Committee of Education Department invited tenders for purchase of educational equipments for the financial year 2004-05. He also constituted subject wise expert committees for examination and evaluation of samples of educational equipments. Lecturers of Geology Balwan Singh and Rameshwar Kumar Sharma were nominated as experts for Geology subject.

In pursuance to the tender notice, six firms including M/s Cosmopolitan Traders, Vir Marg Jammu quoted rates for supply of microscopes. The tenders were then opened and handed over to Accounts Officer Jatinder Kumar Gupta, who happened to be the Member Secretary of the Purchase Committee for preparation of comparative statement in respect of four lowest tenderers.

Though the tenderers were supposed to submit six pieces of each item as samples yet M/s Cosmopolitan Traders deposited only one sample of microscope. Moreover, Jatinder Kumar Gupta in furtherance of criminal conspiracy hatched with the accused supplier Jaswinder Singh Manocha, Proprietor of M/s Cosmopolitan Traders, didn’t obtain working manual, instruction manual for operation, catalogue, price list and guarantee card.

These conditions were willfully violated by the accused Member Secretary with the sole aim of conferring undue benefit upon the accused suppliers. The physical manifestation of dishonest intention on the part of accused Member Secretary can be gauged from the fact that as against the available rate of Rs 395 and Rs 1050 per microscope quoted by two lowest tenderers, the microscope was purchased at the rate of Rs 1800 per piece. The accused supplier, however, procured the supply of these microscopes from M/s Indo Sati Instruments, Chemicals and Laboratory Equipments at a much lower rate of Rs 650 per piece.

The Lecturers—Balwan Singh and Rameshwar Kumar Sharma were found part of the criminal conspiracy as they approved the microscope for examining properties of minerals which during investigation was found to be a dissection microscope.

The Chief Education Officers of Poonch, Kathua and Udhampur Thakur Dass Sharma, Prem Parkash Verma and Balbir Singh respectively too joined the conspiracy. While CEO Poonch purchased 25 microscopes despite the fact that Geology subject was not being taught in any of the schools of the district, CEO Kathua purchased 100 microscopes as against the requirement of two only. Similarly, the CEO Udhampur purchased 175 microscopes as against the requirement of two only. The Accounts Officer provided funds to the CEOs for purchase of microscopes.

During investigation, the purchased microscopes were found not fit for examining the properties of minerals thus entire expenditure of Rs 5,40,000 booked against the purchase of 300 microscopes was rendered waste.

As Prem Parkash Verma, son of Faqir Chand of Basholi, then Chief Education Officer, Kathua and Balbir Singh Jamwal, son of Thakur Sahab Singh of Tope Sherkhania and then CEO Udhampur have retired from service as such sanction for their prosecution was not required.

After going through the investigation conducted by the Vigilance Organisation, the Government accorded sanction to the prosecution of Jatinder Kumar Gupta, then Accounts Officer in the office of Director School Education, Jammu, Balwan Singh, then Lecturer, Geology, State Institute of Education, Rameshwar Kumar Sharma, then Lecturer, Geology, SRML, Higher Secondary School and Thakur Dass Sharma, then Chief Education Officer, Poonch for commission of offences punishable under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and RPC.

Rather, Tarigami call for CBI probe
House remains adjourned for 325 minutes

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 29: The House remained adjourned for 325 minutes today, the longest ever adjournment on a single day in current Assembly, which is in the last year, following uproar by National Conference members in the morning during Question Hour demanding resignations of two Ministers—Tariq Hamid Qarra, Incharge Finance and Qazi Mohd Afzal, Incharge Forests, indicted by Kundal Committee report.

Meanwhile, the National Conference today gave its second option to the Government—a CBI inquiry into allegations against the Ministers in Kundal Committee report. Same demand was made by CPM leader Mohd Yusuf Tarigami to break the stalemate arising out of daily protests and adjournments of Assembly.

As soon as the House commenced for the day, all NC MLAs were on their toes and moved towards front row shouting "Jor Se Bolo Shor Hai, Assembly Main Shor Hai, Har Taraf Shor Hai, Qazi Qarra Chor Hai". Leader of Opposition Abdul Rahim Rather reiterated the NC demand for resignation of the two Ministers.

Speaker Tara Chand tried to go ahead with the Question Hour but replies given by the Ministers were lost in the din. The Speaker repeatedly told the NC members that discussion on Kundal Committee report had been listed after the Question Hour and they could participate in that. However, there was no impact of Tara Chand’s appeal on the NC MLAs, who went ahead with the slogans "Sachai Ka Bol Bala, Choron Ka Moonh Kala".

PDP MLA Sartaj Madni countered the NC protests saying the Opposition MLAs were trying to find a way out to leave the House. In the process, he had heated exchanges with NC chief whip Mubarak Gul, which were not audible.

As NC members moved towards near Well of the House and started shouting loudly "Tanashahi Naheen Chalegi" and the Ministers’ replied to questions were not heard, the Speaker adjourned the House barely 12 minutes into the Question Hour till 11 am.

The House adjourned at 10.12 am, however, resumed only at 3.37 pm, a longest ever adjournment of 325 minutes in the current Assembly which, of course, included a lunch break. However, during the adjournment period, there was even no routine announcement of lunch break timing.

At 1.30 pm when the lunch break is generally announced by the Presiding Officer, all NC members started shouting slogans in the House though the House was adjourned. An Assembly Secretariat officer was seen telling some of the members that the House will re-assemble at 3 pm.

Thereafter, all members including from treasury benches and Opposition members left the House.

When the House re-assembled at 3.37 pm, the NC members didn’t turn up in the House facilitating smooth debate on the grants of Chief Minister’s Departments followed by the CM’s reply.

Addressing a press conference, Leader of Opposition Abdul Rahim Rather called for a time bound CBI inquiry as an alternative to Ministers’ resignation as a pre-condition for Opposition’s participation in House proceedings. However, he clarified, that the NC has not diluted its stand on resignation of Ministers and stick to the demand that both "tainted Minister" should go.

Questioning the Government’s intentions on a debate on Kundal Committee report, Mr Rather said even before holding the verdict, the coalition has given a clean chit to the two Ministers. "Law Minister (Muzaffar Hussain Baig) has announced in a meeting at Ganderbal that no Minister has been indicted in Kundal Committee report. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has also stated that there was no question of Ministers’ resignations. With such statements already pouring in from the alliance partners, what is the fun of our participation in the debate"? he asked.

Referring to the charges that the National Conference was not allowing proceedings in the House, the NC leader pointed out that the House was adjourned for half an hour by the Speaker in the morning and it remained adjourned till the afternoon with no further announcement and no reasons for its adjournment.

He took exception to some ruling party leaders going to the extent of even questioning Inquiry Committee report and attacking the inquiry , which, he pointed out, was conducted by no less a person than Chief Secretary of the State.

To a question, Mr Rather said he would have made the demand for CBI probe inside the House but was not allowed to speak by the treasury benches. "‘We are of the view that Vigilance Organisation or Crime Branch can’t hold inquiry against the sitting Ministers. If the Ministers resign and the Vigilance and Crime Branch probe can be held. But if the Ministers didn’t resign, the Government should go for a CBI probe", he added but insisted on resignations of the Minister.

CPM leader Mohd Yusuf Tarigami recalled that he had on September 8 last year demanded a CBI inquiry into mess in Forest Department.

"If the Government has nothing to hide, it should have no hitch in ordering a CBI probe into the allegation", he told mediapersons.

The irregularities pointed out in Kundal Committee report have been referred to Vigilance and Crime Branch, the State run organisations, they can come under influence, he said, adding the Government should order a CBI probe to end stalemate in the House, bring facts before people and satisfy the members.

"I hope a time bound CBI inquiry will address concerns of the members", Mr Tarigami said.

Opposition storms into Well, boycotts proceedings in LC

By Gopal Sharma

JAMMU, Jan 29: Opposition National Conference members stormed into the ‘Well’ of the Upper House, held demonstration for about half an hour and then boycotted the entire proceedings for the entire day here today.

They continued their protest demonstration even today, seeking dismissal of two People’s Democratic Party ministers, Tariq Hamid Qarra and Qazi Mohammed Afzal for their alleged involvement in the Forest scams and irregularities investigated by Kundal Committee recently. They raised anti-Government and anti-PDP ministers’ slogans. A new demand of conducting CBI probe into the whole affair was also raised in the House today.

The trouble erupted immediately after the Legislative Council commenced today’s business at 11 am in the morning with Question Hour. All the six National Conference legislators, Sakina Itoo, M Y Taing, Bashir Ahmed Naz, Devinder Singh Rana, T S Wazir and M R Qureshi stood up and drew the attention of the Chairman, Ghulam Nabi Lone towards the issue pertaining to Kundal Committee report and ouster of two tainted ministers who have been indicted by the Committee.

Senior NC legislator, Ms Sakina Itoo while taking up the issue with the Chairman said, "we wish to render cooperation for smooth conduct of business of the House. Our request is that a direction should go from the ‘chair’ for holding a CBI probe into the whole affair, before this, the two ministers should resign. If they come clean they should be reinstated with dignity and honour."

The Chairman, without completely listening to the plea of Opposition member in the Upper House, directed PDP legislator Mohd Sultan Panditpuri to start his question. He however, offered them to hold discussion on Kundal Committee report. Agitated over the response of the Chairman Ghulam Nabi Lone, the NC members alleged that Chairman was not doing justice to the chair and was trying to suppress the voice of the Opposition. Mr Rana alleged that he should depict a sign board writing Opposition is not allowed. He further alleged that mockery of the democracy can be witnessed in this House where Opposition members are not allowed to express their view point.

While Question Hour was going amidst noise and din, the NC members continued their protest and shouting of slogans. PDP ministers Dilawar Mir for PHE, Irrigation and Abdul Aziz Zargar ( Agriculture) intervened during the protest and said that NC members should behave like responsible Opposition. They were merely wasting the precious time of the House as its business was directly connected with the general public. They also had some heated arguments with the NC members who did not bother to buzz. At 11.11 am they trooped into the Well and continued their protest amidst shouting of slogans, "Tainted Ministers Ko Baher Karo,..... Qazi-Qarra Hai Hai,..... Gali Gali Mein Shor Hai....Qazi-Qarra .......Hain, Jammu Mein Bhi Shor Hai, Kashmir Mein Mein Bhi Shor Hai,......Akshardham Mein Bhi Shor Hai.....and so on."

The entire House appeared to be rocked amidst uproar and nothing was clearly audible in the Council and even the Press Gallery while the chairman and the selective members were using their headphones. Disorder, chaos amidst high pitched sloganeering continued up to 11.34 am and then entire Opposition staged walk out raising slogans against the Azad Government and the PDP ministers. The order in the Upper House was restored only after NC members walked out. Thereafter, NC members boycotted the entire proceedings of the House today.

Snowfall in Srinagar
500 Kargil passengers stranded

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 29: About 500 passengers have been stranded at Kargil for the past two weeks after AN-32 flights were cancelled due to heavy snowfall and slippery runway.

Official sources said 45 passengers, who were issued tickets for maiden AN-32 flight between Kargil to Jammu on January 1, are still stranded. Once a week flight could not operate because of heavy snowfall and slippery runway at Kargil.

Similarly, 55 passengers who were to travel from here to Kargil have also been stranded with okay tickets.

Thrice in a week flight between Kargil and Srinagar also remained suspended since January 12 as the runway remained slippery due to minus 19 degree celsius temperature during night and maximum minus six degree temperature during day.

They said it was not possible to allow landing of plane when the runway remained frozen and slippery.

As many as 102 passengers who were issued tickets from Srinagar to Jammu are stranded there and another 120 are in the waiting list, they said, adding the authorities have issued tickets to 75 passengers and more than 100 are in the waiting list at Kargil.

Meanwhile, the traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained suspended till 12 noon due to slippery road conditions between Ramban and Jawahar Tunnel.

An official spokesman said that due to overnight snowfall the stretch of highway between Ramban to Jawahar Tunnel became slippery forcing the Traffic Police authorities to suspend the vehicular traffic.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) took four hours till 12 noon to clear the highway of accumulated snow and later the vehicles were allowed from both sides.

Our Srinagar Correspondent adds: The summer capital of the State experienced fresh snowfall today while it was heavily snowing on upper reaches, including world famous ski resort of Gulmarg where water sources have frozen resulting in water shortage.

Tree and roof tops, electric poles and parks have turned white in the city and its adjoining areas after the fresh snowfall. Though snow had stopped, the weather was cloudy.

Snowfall, coupled with frequent power failure, water shortage and rise in the prices of essential commodities has thrown life out of gear in the Valley.

People at several areas took to the streets in protest against water and electricity shortage. Deputations from Bandipora and Pahalgam also complained about shortage of gas, kerosene oil, water and power in their areas to Chief Minister’s Advisor camping here.

The upper reaches in the Valley also experienced heavy snowfall since last evening.

A report from Gulmarg said it was snowing heavily since early today much to the delight of organisors of National Winter Games to be held from February 17.

About seven to 15 feet of snow had accumulated on the slopes at Gulmarg, Kongdori, Affarwat, seven springs and Khilanmarg.

However, the most attractive winter tourist spot is facing acute water shortage as almost all water sources have frozen because of low temperature.

The water pipes had also freezed, official sources said, adding efforts were being made to make alternative arrangement for water supply.

BJP pledges to strengthen NDA
'Mission power' at Centre possible: Advani

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: With focus on capturing power at the Centre, BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani today said the mission is possible if it remained a party with a difference and pledged to strengthen the NDA.

The two-day national council of the BJP, called to fine-tune the party’s strategy for upcoming Assembly elections and next Lok Sabha polls, concluded today with Advani singling out Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and denying suggestions that he (Modi) had become bigger than the party.

The meeting saw the BJP leadership projecting the "Gujarat model" for the way forward with Advani maintaining that Modi’s victory was not a flash in the pan but was the "triumph of good governance and development over vote bank politics".

The 80-year-old veteran as also the BJP top brass, including its chief Rajnath Singh, impressed upon the rank and file the urgent need to oust the "tottering" UPA Government headed by a "non-leader" Prime Minister, "taking orders from 10, Janpath".

The conference adopted a political resolution that came down heavily on the Congress-led coalition, faulting it on virtually every count from spread of terrorism, price rise, minority appeasement and weak leadership, an issue which the party plans to raise in a big way.

The message of the conference was that if partymen unitedly put the best foot forward to face the polls and were faithful to the alliance spirit of the NDA the magic figure of 273 could be achieved.

Leader after leader lavished praise on Advani as the council reaffirmed his candidacy for Prime Ministership but absent due to health reasons was party patriarch Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who led the BJP-led coalition for six long years. Advani expressed the possibility of Congress going in for Lok Sabha polls along with those of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh to cash in on the supposed anti-incumbency in the BJP-ruled States.

"It is not enough that we do well in Lok Sabha elections but we should strive to do the best in every single election till the Lok Sabha polls," Advani said driving home the point that party-run Governments will have to go the extra mile in the coming days.

While no leader spoke of Pramod Mahajan, partymen in private did speak of the late leader known for his organisational skills and whom Vajpayee had described as Lakshman with Advani as Ram.

Advani suggested that in 2004 polls, the party was not defeated as the difference between the seats won by it and that by the Congress was marginal. "2004 setback was not that big for the party, it was for the allies. It became an aggregate of the State results," he added.

In his hour-long concluding address, the leader of the Opposition put the blame squarely on the Congress for the current plight of Muslims and sought to project recent moves of the Government for their uplift as only vote bank politics.

The political resolution adopted by the council accused the Government of practising divisive vote-bank politics by incentivising conversion of Dalits to Islam and Christianity and going soft on terrorism. The party resolved to further strengthen the NDA but the deliberations did not specify any party though senior leader Sushma Swaraj asked local units to be prepared for alliances.

Advani, veteran of many a election battle, said that the party needed to factor in the anti-incumbency against MLAs, MPs and Ministers while devising poll strategy.

He emphasised that it was not enough that the BJP was a party with a difference but "our political activists should also be a politician with a difference and MLAs, MPs and Ministers should also be with a difference".

Swaraj said it was impossible to win elections without alliances and Advani suggested that the NDA can make it in the coming polls as BJP and its allies had won 361 of the Lok Sabha seats in one time or another in the last 20 years.

The refrain in the political resolution was that "India needs an effective leader (and) India has suffered because of an indecisive Prime Minister. It needs a strong Government."

Advani also launched an attack against Manmohan Singh saying the 7, Race Course road address, the Prime Minister’s official residence, has not much of a value as 10, Janpath, the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

He also targetted the Left for holding the veto power to all key decisions by the Government which he said has led to a "Kremlinisation of Indian politics".

"The national mood is best reflected in the fact that the Congress and the UPA have lost all the major State elections held in the past one year," he said, adding the BJP’s recent victories in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have established the acceptance of the party’s nationalist ideology and governance credentials.(PTI)

3 BSP MPs disqualified

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: Three BSP members of the Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh have been disqualified on grounds of defection to Samajwadi Party, giving a boost to the Mayawati-led outfit in the electorally crucial State.

Those disqualified by Speaker Somnath Chatterjee are Bhalchandra Yadav (Khalilabad), Ramakant Yadav (Azamgarh) and Mohammad Shahid Akhlaque and their seats in the House have been declared vacant.

Petitions for their disqualification were filed by the BSP under the 10th schedule of the constitution (anti-defection law) on the ground that the three MPs had "voluntarily" given up their membership of their party and joined the Samajwadi Party in November and December, 2006.

The Speaker referred the BSP petitions to the privileges committee, which inquired into the complaint and gave its findings. Later Chatterjee himself heard the MPs and the petitioner personally before giving his decision.

This is third major disqualification by the Lok Sabha Speaker after the coming into force of the Anti-Defection Law in 1985.

The first instance was the disqualification of 8 MPs in 1991 by the then Speaker Rabi Ray of the members who had sided with the late Chandrashekhar who had split the Janta Dal and formed a Government after the fall of the V P Singh Government. The issue, however, died as the House was soon after dissolved with the fall of the House Chandrasekhar Government.

The next instance of disqualification was that of the then Speaker Shivraj Patil of four MPs belonging to the Ajit Singh faction of Janata Dal, which had rescued the minority P V Narasimha Rao Government in 1993. The disqualification was challenged in the Delhi High Court.

The petitions were filed by Rajesh Verma, leader of BSP in Lok Sabha, who contended that the three MPs had incurred disqualification under the Anti-Defection Law and demanded that their seats be declared vacant.

After the privileges committee headed by Kishore Chandra gave its report, Chatterjee heard the MPs and Verma for four days from Dec 10 last year.

In three separate orders, the Speaker held that based on the case made out in the petition and material produced by the petitioner and the reply given by the MPs in their affidavits and during personal hearings they "voluntarily gave up" their membership of the party on which they were elected.

He quoted extensively from the judgements of the Supreme Court in a number of cases and the reports submitted by the privileges committee in these matters.

Chatterjee upheld the contention of the leader of the BSP group, who had produced clippings from nearly a dozen prominent newspapers and also a video clip in one case, to prove that certain speeches and utterances were made by the three MPs after their suspension from BSP and in favour of SP, which amounted to their voluntarily giving up their membership of the BSP.

In coming to his conclusion, Chatterjee relied on reports in various newspapers published from Uttar Pradesh to show that the MPs had spoken from public platform in favour of the Samajwadi Party.

The MPs were confronted with the pictures in which they figured along with the leaders of the SP and questioned on the aspect. But they failed to come out with plausible explanation and refused to counter the charges of the BSP.

Chatterjee observed in the case of Bhalchandra Yadav that in a democracy like India the press played a very vital role, specially in disseminating information regarding different political parties and persons in public life, as the MPs are.

"In our country, there is complete freedom of press and in matters of political events, it is expected that reports about the events would be published in the press and would factual," he said.

The Speaker said specially in this case all the leading newspapers of the country published from Uttar Pradesh did in fact report about Bhalchandra Yadav joining Samajwadi Party in the presence of one of their main leaders Shiv Pal Yadav and that he also addressed the conference, the subject of which was not indicated by Yadav.

Yadav never disclosed his version about the happenings and the events of that day, the Speaker said.

Chatterjee said "ordinarily, in my view in a democratic set up like ours, the newspaper reports though not strictly proved as per the law of evidence, can be taken as providing reliable circumstantial evidence, unless proved otherwise.

"There is no explanation why so many newspapers of great reputation and which are well established, should deliberately concoct the report against the respondent or why they should conspire to publish false and imaginary reports about the events of 15 November, 2006.

"Therefore, in my opinion, there are more than sufficient material to come to a finding in the matter about the respondent violating the provisions of Paragraph 2(1)(A) of the 10th schedule to the Constitution of India."

He said "in my opinion, really no answer has been provided by the respondent (Bhalchandra Yadav) in the present case on the material as they appear and for the reasons aforesaid, I have no hesitation in holding that the respondent in fact has incurred disqualification under paragraph (2)(1)(A) of the 10th schedule by reason of the events which took place on 15 November, 2006, as mentioned in the petition". (PTI)

Mufti for complete peace in J&K

JAMMU, Jan 29: People's Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said his party was focussed on bringing complete peace and normalcy to Jammu and Kashmir through "peaceful and amicable resolution" of the Kashmir issue.

Addressing the PDP workers from Kokernag (Kashmir) at his residence here, Mr Sayeed said the poll verdict of 2002 was a testimony of the people’s will and determination, which guarantees the durability of an eventual success of the party’s agenda.

"The PDP went to people with the agenda of peace with dignity at a difficult time and obtained the mandate to act upon, pursuing its commitment with resolute conviction," he said.

"The past five years have witnessed changes of great significance and importance on both the political and economic fronts in J&K," the former Chief Minister said.

The PDP leader further said he would continue to work towards achieving the objective of "sustainable and workable" peace in the State and the region, as the popular belief in the envisioned objectives of the peace process had grown manifold during these years.

"The constituency of peace has not only become larger but is gaining strength day-by-day," he said, adding that the democratic institutions should be allowed to flourish and assert fully by entrusting greater responsibility to the instruments of the State administration in matters of governance and security. (UNI)

SVO books DD Tourism, hotel owner

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Jan 29: State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) has registered a case against Deputy Director Tourism, Leh and a hotel owner for fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 7.068 lakh.

An official spokesman said that on the receipt of a complaint, State Vigilance Organisation started investigation during which it was established that owner of hotel Kaal, Putit Angmo, daughter of Chemith Tundup of Skara, Leh and Deputy Director Tourism, Leh Urgain Landoop after hatching a criminal conspiracy have drawn an amount of Rs 7.068 lakh as 30 per cent capital investment subsidy on the central heating system for the hotel in 2005.

During verification it was also established that the central heating system was not existing in the hotel and an incentive of 30 per cent on the work done estimate of the fixture items of the hotels associated with the tourism business was ordered by the Tourism Department.

While as subsidy was claimed for an estimated amount of over Rs 80 lakh, an amount of Rs 23.56 lakh was estimated cost of central heating system including Rs 80,000 as cost of boiler. Instead of the system having being installed, the accused fraudulently and dishonestly withdrew the subsidy amount of Rs 7.068 lakh and misappropriated the same.

During visit to the hotel, the engineering experts, who accompanied the Vigilance Organisation team, found some material procured by the hotel owner, stored in a room. The material was immediately seized as a piece of evidence.

NC to take fight to streets

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 29: After massive protests in the Assembly leading to frequent adjournments of the House, the NC now planned to take its fight seeking resignation of two PDP Ministers, to streets.

According to party sources, on January 31, all NC legislators including Leader of Opposition Abdul Rahim Rather were planning to march in the City after protesting in Assembly and staging a walk-out to highlight their demand.

The next day, the NC MLAs proposed to enter the House carrying banners and display them inside.

Other forms of protests are being explored if their demands—resignation of Ministers or CBI probe— were not conceded by the Government, sources said.

Recall Kashmir MPs: ANC

SRINAGAR, Jan 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Awami National Conference today demanded recall of all MPs, elected from the Valley, saying they had failed to raise the issue of violation of human rights in the State in Parliament.

"We demand recall of Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Abdul Rasheed Shaheen as they have failed to raise the issue of violation of human rights in the State in the House," ANC leader Muzaffar Shah told reporters here.

The Awami National Conference is headed by former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister G M Shah.

Asked if the party was also demanding recall of National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, a Rajya Sabha member, he quipped "why not"?

Shah said it was the duty of MPs to raise the issue at the highest law-making body of the country.

He said people outside Kashmir did not know what was happening in the Valley as media was not giving due importance to violation of human rights in the State.

Shah said the ANC had filed a petition in the State Human Rights Commission seeking details of all FIRs filed regarding violation of human rights.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the State Chief Secretary and the DGP were made respondents, he said.(PTI)

BJP likens Cong to car with no driver

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: The Congress-led coalition at the Centre was today likened to a "motorcar" whose brakes were with the Left parties while it was riding without a driver.

Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh told the party’s national council that earlier he used to believe that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in the driver’s seat but has now realised that he is not.

"The UPA is like a motorcar. The steering and accelerator is with 10, Janpath while the brakes are with Communists. Earlier I though Manmohan Singh was in the driver’s seat but I have come to know that he is not," Singh said.

10, Janpath is the official residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Another senior leader Arun Shourie was also caustic about the UPA Government remarking that its posture on the nuclear deal showed that it had "taken helplessness to new heights."

He was referring to Government’s decision to accept the US condition to open two-third of India’s nuclear plants (14 out of 22) for international inspection.

Shourie said the US, UK, France, Russia and China have opened only five plants out of 107 for such inspection but India alone decided to open 14 of its nuclear plants.

"These countries were even accorded prior notice facility for IAEA inspections. We don’t have that," he said.(PTI)

Pak for inspection of Baglihar
dam before its operationalisation

Islamabad : Pakistan hopes India would allow its water officials to inspect Baglihar dam before its operationisation.

''We noted reports about Indian plans for opertionalisation of the Baglihar dam and expect that the specifications of the dam will conform to those proposed by the neutral expert in its verdict,'' foreign office spokesman MUhammad Sadiq told a press briefing in Islamabad on Monday.

He said Pakistan Indus High Commissioner had requested for a meeting to inspect the dam before its operationalisation. In his verdict on the hydropower project in February 2007, World Bank neutral expert, Professor Raymond Lafitte had declared that it was a clear violation of Pak-India Indus Waters Treaty 1960 and New Delhi should modify its design.

The neutral expert in his verdict clearly stated that India should not have built the Baglihar hydropower project because it is negation of the Treaty facilitated by the World Bank. (UNI)

J & K Assembly adjourned sine die

Jammu : In an unprecedented move, Jammu and Kashmir government today tabled and passed in the Legislative Assembly the appropriation bill within four minutes amid uproar as the house was adjourned sine die by Speaker Tara Chand, thereafter.

In all, only 20 minutes ''under protest'' proceedings could be recorded in the assembly that witnessed the government passing the bill within four minutes in the second half before the budget session was adjourned sine die.

Earlier, three adjournments were witnessed in the first half as the National Conference (NC) legislators yet again created ruckus in the house, demanding vociferously the dismissal of ''tainted ministers'' from the government.

The NC lawmakers, who had come with the ''corruption'' as their main agenda against the Congress-PDP coalition government, forced first adjournment of one hour at 1007 hrs, just seven minutes after the commencement of proceedings in the house. (UNI)