Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 2: All Displaced Kashmiri Employees Forum (ADKEF) in a meeting while discussing various issues confronting the migrant employees has urged the Government to take immediate steps for settling them.
The meeting demanded that migration period be treated on duty and migrant employees be given promotion benefits. The meeting was chaired by M K Tickoo president of the Forum and it was also addressed by general secretary of the organization R K Razdhan. It said the future course of action will be taken in next meeting on July 4 which will be attended by representatives of all units.
ADKEF discusses demands
Punjab Singh is Shakha Sabha, president, Dasanu, Dinga Amb
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, JuIy 2: A meeting of Rajput biradari, Kandi area was held under the chairmanship of Kr Narayan Singh, president, Shri Amar Kshatriya Rajput Sabha, to elect Rajput Shakha, president, Dasanu (Dinga Amb), tehsil Hiranagar.
The biradari members elected unanimously the team of Rajput Shakha Sabha Dasanu (Dinga Amb) Hiranagar comprising of Punjab Singh as president, Shiv Ram as vice president, Shankar Singh as secretary, Puran Singh as cashier and Rashpal Singh, Krishan Singh, Balkar Singh and Babu Singh as organisers.
Narayan Singh, president Shri Amar Kshatriya Rajput Sabha thanked all the biradari members for unanimous election of president Shakha Sabha, Dasanu and wished that new team will work for strengthening the community and do good for the welfare of biradari.
Class 8th student hangs self
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, July 2: A class 8th student allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence in Tandar area of tehsil Chenani.
As per reports, class 8th student namely Gulshan Sharma (14), son of Pawan Kumar Sharma of Tandar, tehsil Chenani allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a fan hook at his residence.
Finding him hanging, family members informed the police and shifted the body to Sub District Hospital Chenani, where after conducting postmortem, it was handed over to family members for last rites.
A case has been registered at Chenani police station and investigation started.
Shri Chander Trust opposes Kashmiri Hindu Shrine Bill
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 2: Raising objections against the proposed ‘Kashmiri Hindu Shrines and Religious Places (Management and Regularization) Bill 2009’ the Shri Chander Chinar Bada Akhara Udasin Trust Srinagar has listed the reasons behind its reservations on the Government move.
In a representation, submitted to Mir Saifullah, Chairman of the Joint Select Committee for the Bill, Shri Chander Chinar Bada Akhara Udasin Trust explained that there was no logic of bringing religious institutions, which have functioned normally during the militancy and are not associated with the Kashmiri Hindus or their traditions, under the proposed Bill.
“Since the Bill is meant for protection and management of those Kashmiri Hindu religious places in Valley, which remained unattended due to eruption of militancy and consequent mass migration of Kashmiri Hindus, bringing institutions like our under the proposed legislation would amount to punishing us for the competence and courage to carry on under difficult circumstances,” said the Trust.
Quoting Section 3 (j) of the proposed Bill, according to which Kashmiri Hindu shrine means religious places and properties used by Kashmiri Hindus for their worship, the Trust said that it was not a Kashmiri Hindu Shrine because their religious place was neither built not associated with the persons claiming themselves as Kashmiri Hindus.
Terming the definition of ‘Kashmiri Hindu Shrines’ in the proposed Bill as highly objectionable, the Shri Chander Trust maintained that the Hindu religious places and temples are open to all Hindus for worship and prayer irrespective of their tradition.
Further, the Trust said, the proposed Bill in its present form is otherwise not legally sustainable and is in violation of the rights granted to the religious denominations by Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India. “The provisions of this Bill are an open discrimination against Hindus by un-necessary interference of Government in their religious affairs and encroachment of their religious freedom as there is no interference or appointment of Government nominees in other religious institutions like mosques, Gurdwaras and Christian Trusts,” it said in the representation.
Ambulance driver held with 1 kg charas
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 2: Narwal police arrested an ambulance driver along with one kilogram of charas.
A police spokesman said that, on specific inputs, police party from Narwal police post intercepted an ambulance bearing temporary registration number MP11TR/A-5859.
During checking, police recovered one kilogram of charas and arrested the driver of the ambulance, who has been identified as Sukhdev Singh, son of Raghubir Singh, a resident of Gardawali, tehsil Dasua, district Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
The ambulance belongs to Ravi Hospital in Pathankote and donated by State Bank of India (SBI).
A case under FIR number 122/14 under Section 8/20 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered at Narwal police post and investigation started.
Police team headed by SI Inayat Ali made the arrest under the supervision of SDPO East Mohammad Rafiq, SP South Rahul Malik and SSP Jammu Uttam Chand.
No ulterior motive behind molestation case: Preity Zinta
NEW DELHI, July 2:
Breaking her silence over questions raised in the molestation case against her ex-boyfriend Ness Wadia, Bollywood actress Preity Zinta today said there was no ulterior motive in her police complaint and that she did not need “cheap publicity”.
As the Mumbai Police continues its investigation in the molestation case, 39-year-old Preity took to Facebook to “set the record straight” in the wake of her filing the FIR against the industrialist.
The actress said she was shocked to see certain people question the motive behind her decision to go to the police.
Preity said violence and aggression against women is wrong, yet people try to point fingers at the woman who comes out with it trying to make her sound frivolous and with ulterior motive.
“Why did I report a personal matter to the police? personal matter? seriously? For the record this relationship was ended by me in 2009 and I don’t ever recall having gone to the police on any personal matter irrespective of what happened then. But now it’s been 6 years since the break up so this is not a personal matter (sic),” Preity said.
The actress also rubbished reports that she filed the case against Wadia for money, saying she did a commercial for the Go Air for free and also donated the money she won in ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ to the Wadia Children Trust.
“… IPL was my project from the start and for the record not only did I pay for myself (5 crores) when I got into the IPL (bid) I paid for Ness too! 5 crores ! (Proof of my financial commitment in the IPL is with the BCCI.) To be fair to him he did pay me back a couple of months later (without any premium) so Hope the money theory is put to end once and for all (sic),” she said.
The actress, who on June 30 got permission of the Mumbai Police to fly abroad, clarified that contrary to reports she did not file the case for publicity. “I don’t need publicity, specially cheap publicity.”
“jealousy ? Life moves on, people move on and so have I, and Happily so. I firmly believe and live by the principle that The Windscreen is always larger than the rear view mirror,” she added.
There were reports that the altercation occured as Wadia’s mother was left standing while Zinta’s people occupied the VIP seats but Preity denied it.
“50 seats and a VIP air-conditioned box (35 seater) was there, yet me and my friends sitting on 6 seats becomes an issue? All through the IPL, I have given almost all my seats to the players families so taking over seats at all games is a completely wrong accusation and disrespecting anyone’s mother is out of the question as I might forget my name but never my manners (sic),” she said.
The actress said she was left with no other option but to file a FIR.
“Why did I file a FIR with the police? Because after several warnings over the years i was left with no other option… The whole point of this is that violent physical or aggressive behaviour should not be tolerated by rich or poor, man or woman, celebrity or not!”
On reports that underworld don Ravi Pujari sent threatening messages to Wadia’s father Nusli, Preity said she was “clueless”.
Preity also blamed Wadia’s mother for not correcting him and herself for not walking out of the relationship earlier.
On June 12, Preity had accused Wadia of molesting, abusing and threatening her during an IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on May 30. Preity is the co-owner of Kings XI team.
Marine Drive Police had registered an FIR against Wadia under IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). (PTI)
Snooping reports: Ind summons top US envoy; says it is ‘highly objectionable’
NEW DELHI, July 2: Reacting strongly to reports of BJP being spied upon by US National Security Agency (NSA), India today summoned a top US diplomat here to raise the issue, saying it was “highly objectionable” and “unacceptable” and sought an assurance that it would not happen again.
“As a Government, we have already communicated to the US Government and we have said that we have seen reports in the US media regarding authorisation given to entities of the US Government to intrude upon the privacy of communication of Indian Government, its citizens and its entities.
“Now, we have also asked the US Government if such intrusions had indeed been authorised and taken place. And our view is that, should this have happened, these are highly objectionable,” the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said here.
However, the Spokesperson did not say who was the US diplomat summoned by the MEA, merely stating that the “messenger is not important” but the message, which was communicated “clearly, lucidly to the US Government and we will wait for the response”.
According to him, India has been told that US will revert once they make a judgement on what kind of information they are required to share on the questions asked by India, previously and now.
Significantly, the US currently has an interim ambassador, Kathleen Stephens, who came in after former US Ambassador Nancy Powell resigned from her post.
He said that, as has been the case in the past one year in response to similar disclosures of surveillance of Indian Government entities previously, the country’s concerns have been expressed clearly to senior officials of the US embassy here.
“And, in doing so, we have also sought an explanation on the information contained in these press reports and the assurance that such authorisation will not be acted upon by the US Government entities as far as Indian citizens, Indian entities and Government of India is concerned,” he said.
According to a document made public on Monday by ‘The Washington Post’, BJP figures in the list of foreign political parties along with Lebanon’s Amal, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and the Pakistan Peoples Party for which NSA was given permission to carry out surveillance.
“These are the entities about which the NSA may conduct surveillance for the purpose of gathering foreign intelligence,” the daily had said, citing documents provided to it by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Asked if these reports will have an adverse impact on Indo-US ties, the Spokesperson said “let’s wait for the outcome” of the US response and added that the ties were “broad-based” and multi-faceted”.
The document in ‘The Washington Post’ lists the 193 foreign Governments as well as foreign factions and other entities that were part of a 2010 certification approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The list includes India.
Incidentally, the reports come ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi — who has had an uneasy relationship with the US administration after it revoked his visa over the 2002 riots in Gujarat — to the US in September for a bilateral meeting with American President Barack Obama. (PTI)
Demands of autonomy, self-rule unacceptable: Jugal
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 2: Rejecting outrightly the pro-autonomy agenda of the NC and self-rule doctrine of the PDP, BJP State president and MP, Jugal Kishore Sharma today stated that the need of the time is to discard such divisive demands and strengthen democratic and nationalist forces in the sensitive border State of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
He tore into the NC and PDP leadership for their insistence on communal solutions to the so-called Kashmir issue and said that our State is as integral to India as any other State of the country.
The BJP MP said the slogans like autonomy and self-rule have all the potential of disturbing the socio-religious and political equilibrium in the State and, hence, these are utterly unacceptable. “The divisive propaganda unleashed by the NC and PDP will unleash forces which are against the unity and integrity of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh as well as the country as a whole.
The BJP is the only Party in the State which can meet the aspirations and needs of the people of its all three regions and keep it intact,” he said, and added that visionary leadership of the BJP has policies and programmes which will go a long way to ameliorate the lot of the people of the State and help them surmount the problems they have been facing since decades owing to the misrule of the NC, Congress and PDP.
Sharma ridiculed the statement of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah that Jammu and Kashmir is unique and that the NC would seek “political solution” to the so-called political issues of Jammu and Kashmir and said that it is not the Kashmir problem but problem in Kashmir created by vested interests and communal forces based in the Valley. He said the people of Kashmir, like the people of Jammu and Ladakh, are patriotic and have complete faith in the political and Constitutional organization of India and they would defeat the negative politics of the NC and Congress in the upcoming Assembly elections in the State.
“The BJP has adopted Mission 44+ as its goal in the coming Assembly elections. The party will, with the support of people of all the three regions, will surely achieve its mission and form the next Government in the State,” Sharma said, adding that a strong pro-BJP and pro-Narendra Modi wave is blowing across the State and this will certainly convert the people’s support base into votes and seats.
Power shut down
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 2: In order to carry out jumpering and stringing at Tower location No. 35 which will ensure the standby readiness of the 1st circuit which at present is out of circuit, 2 hours shut down between 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. any time subject to fair weather condition will be observed on July 3, 2014
During the shut down, the power supply to District Reasi shall remain affected on the issued date and time. However, power supply to Katra town shall be maintained from Jhajjar Kotli Grid Station.
LMD cracks down flour mills, paint manufacturers in Bandipora
Excelsior Correspondent
BANDIPORA, July 2: The Assistant Controller, Legal Metrology, Bandipora (LMD) during his routine inspection of the markets of Bandipora has imposed a penalty of Rs. 26,500 on the offenders of paint manufacturers for making mandatory declarations on Pre-Packaged Commodities by way of affixing individual stickers.
Some of the erring manufacturers whose cases are pending with the department have been served legal notices for compounding the cases being registered against them within stipulated time.
In addition, the Inspector Legal Metrology Bandipora booked some traders dealing in Wall Putty, Atta, Suji bags on sale for not confirming to the Packaged Commodity Rules.
The consumers have been advised to check the mandatory declarations on every Pre-Packaged Commodity so that they are not deceived. They are also advised not to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) which already stands mentioned on every packed bag.