Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 26: Some unidentified miscreants allegedly murdered a youth at Sua No. 1 in Dumi area under the jurisdiction of Kanachak police station last night. Body of the youth was recovered from the canal this morning.
The victim has been identified as Banarsi Lal, 28, son of Kaka Ram R/o Dumi.
Police said body of the youth was recovered from the canal this morning and sent to Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu for post-mortem.
Report of the post-mortem was awaited, police said.
Family members and local people of the area protested against the murder. Police said they have registered a murder case at Kanachak police station for further investigations but no arrests have been made so far.
The youth was working with a trading company at Narwal.
All angles in the case were being looked into, police said. SDPO Domana Sandeep Mehta was supervising investigations in the case.

NEW DELHI, Mar 26:
In a bid to resolve differences over the Tulbul navigation project in Jammu and Kashmir, India and Pakistan will hold Secretary-level talks here tomorrow after a gap of nearly a year.
Work was suspended in 1986 by India voluntarily following which talks were held at the Government-level. Before that, the matter was being handled at the level of the Permanent Indus Commission.
Sources said India will seek an early resolution to the vexed issue so that it can resume work on the project located on the Jhelum river in Jammu and Kashmir.
While India will be represented by Water Resources Secretary D V Singh, the Pakistani side will be led by its Water Resources Secretary Imtiaz Hussain Kazi.
The last round of talks were held in May last year in Islamabad. Last year’s bilateral talks were held after a gap of four years.
Nine rounds of Secretary-level talks have been held since work was suspended on the project, followed by five more meetings in 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 under Composite Dialogue between the two countries.
The Tulbul navigation project is located just below the exit of the Wular Lake. India envisages controlled release of water from the lake during the lean-season months of October to February to facilitate year-round navigation for trade, employment and encourage tourism.
New Delhi maintains that the regulating structure is permitted under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 for the non-consumptive use of navigation.
India has maintained that no “pondage” of water was being created over Jhelum.
Pakistan, however, contests the claim saying it as a “storage project” and charges India with violation of the provisions under the Treaty maintaining that New Delhi was stopping water, thus denying Islamabad its share.
The barrage also has the potential to disrupt the triple canal project of Pakistan-Upper Jhelum Canal, Upper Chenab Canal and the Lower Bari Doab Canal, claimed Pakistan.
India proposed to build the barrage in 1984. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 26: Chief Justice of State High Court, Justice F M Ibrahim Kalifulla is likely to take oath as Judge of Supreme Court on April 3.
According to the sources in the High Court, the notification regarding elevation of Justice Kalifulla as Judge of Supreme Court is expected to be received from the Union Ministry of Law and Justice by tomorrow evening.
Born on July 23, 1951, Justice Kalifulla was enrolled as an Advocate on August 20, 1975. He was an active Labour Law Practitioner as Partner of the Lawyer’s Firm called M/s T S Gopalan & Co., and appeared for various Public and Private Sector Undertakings, Nationalized and Scheduled Banks. He was the Standing Counsel for the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. On March 2, 2000, he was appointed as Permanent Judge of the Madras High Court.
After assuming the office, he rendered many landmark judgments. In a case relating to elections to Chennai City Corporation, Justice Kalifulla as part of the Division Bench rendered a dissenting judgment holding that the election in respect of 99 wards was liable to be set aside. The matter was referred to a third Judge, who also confirmed the view of Justice Kalifulla.
He was appointed as Acting Chief Justice of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir on April 7, 2011 and took oath as Chief Justice of High Court on September 18, 2011.
After the elevation of Justice Kalifulla, it is expected that Justice Virender Singh, the senior most Judge of J&K High Court will be the Acting Chief Justice.

NEW DELHI, Mar 26:
The Government was today caught in a fresh controversy over Army chief Gen V K Singh’s allegation that he was offered a bribe of ` 14 crore to swing a ‘sub-standard’ defence deal and a stunned Defence Minister ordered a CBI inquiry into it.
Parliament was rocked by the Army chief’s allegations which the Opposition said were serious and accused the Government of doing nothing about it.
Gen Singh had claimed in the media interview that a lobbyist who had “just” retired had offered him a bribe of ` 14 crore for clearing a file relating to a purchase of a tranche of 600 “sub-standard” vehicles of a particular make.
“Just imagine, one of these men had the gumption to walk up to me and tell me that if I cleared the tranche, he would give me ` 14 crore. He was offering a bribe to me, to the Army chief. He told me that people had taken money before me and they will take money after me,” Gen Singh said.
He said he was “shocked” by the offer and reported the matter to Defence Minister A K Antony, who “banged” his head and replied that such people should be kept out.
Gen Singh did not specify the time when the episode took place or the name of the person who made the offer.
Soon after the story broke out, Antony described the matter as “serious” and ordered a CBI inquiry.
Lt Gen Tejinder Singh, who was earlier blamed by the Army of leaking stories about snooping of Defence Minister’s phones and who is speculated in the media as the “lobbyist” who made the bribe offer, denied the allegation.
“I have nothing to do with the TATRA (trucks involved in the purported bribe offer). I have not worked for any private or defence company,” he said adding he would take legal action but did not specify as to against whom.
Tejinder Singh parried a question whether he ever raised the issue of defence contracts with the Army chief saying he had met Gen Singh two years ago and the Chief of Army Staff has nothing to do with high value contracts as they are handled by the Defence Ministry.
Asked in one of the interviews why he did not get the person arrested, Gen V K Singh said he could not understand the import of the statement and that is why he did not act against him.
“If a person who has just retired a few days ago tells you that you will get this if you do that thing and when you have never heard something like this, you would be shocked.
“I did not understand what he was saying and asked him to leave and then informed the Defence Minister about it,” he said.
“I think it would have been better had I complained against him. The way it was said, I could not understand what he was saying.
“He was just saying that if this file is cleared, this much amount will be paid. Everyone takes it what is your problem. It was not like he was giving me bribe in my hand. This was an indirect method and that is why no arrest was made,” the Army chief said.
Reacting to the media reports, the BJP accused the Government especially Antony of “silence and inaction” on a serious matter conveyed to him by the Army chief.
Calling an attempt to bribe the Army chief as “ very serious”, BJP leader L K Advani said there should be a “very speedy inquiry” and the results should be conveyed to Parliament immediately.
Former Defence Minister and another BJP leader Jaswant Singh said the silence, inaction and indecision which marks the style of functioning of Antony is extremely costly for the country.
However, BJP leaders M M Joshi and Venkiah Naidu questioned the Army chief for not filing an FIR against the bribe-giver.
CPI took a different stand on Army chief Gen VK Singh’s allegations saying why he did not say it before.
“All these days he (Army chief) was quite. When the decision on his age was taken now he is saying all these. Why he did not say it before?” CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari criticised Gen Singh saying as Army chief it was his duty to register a case against the bribe-giver and expressed surprise as to why he did not do so.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said, “Whenever such allegation is levelled by any senior official, the Government makes sure that it is clarified.”
“He (Gen Singh) has said a very serious thing in his statement and every thing should be made clear in black and white,” she said. (PTI)

By Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 26: Realizing the importance of pilgrim tourism, the Union Government will start funding three mega circuits—Spiritual Circuit for Jammu, Sufi Circuit for Kashmir and Buddhist Circuit for Leh from the next financial year beginning from April 1. Moreover, ` 800.15 lakh worth project for development of tourism spots along the historic Mughal Road is also expected to be sanctioned during the first quarter of the next financial year.
This information was provided by the Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora while replying to the discussion on the grants of his departments in the Lower House of State Legislature.
“The State is a tourist as well as pilgrim destination and pilgrim tourism is playing an important role in the development of the economy of the State”, Mr Jora said, adding “large number of pilgrims/ devotees from all parts of the country visit the famous religious places like Shri Mata Vaishnodevi, holy cave of Amarnath Ji, Shiv Khori, Shahdara Sharief and other famous religious places which give a boost to the economy of the State”.
Stating that pilgrim tourism has become a very important product area under the sector, the Minister said that arrival of pilgrims to Shri Mata Vaishnodevi has reached 101.15 lakh during 2011 and that of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra to 6.34 lakh, adding even the Shivkhori is emerging as another major destination with 15.14 lakh arrivals recorded in 2011.
“The other shrines and monasteries are also visited by devotees in large numbers throughout the State. There are number of shrines which are visited by lakhs of people during the festival days resulting in lot of economic activity for the locals throughout the year in general and during festive days in particular”, he said, adding “though Tourism Department has approved a scheme –Development of Pilgrim spots under the State Plan yet allocation for the same remains too meager vis-à-vis number of pilgrim places”.
Realizing the importance of pilgrim tourism of the State, the Union Ministry of Tourism has agreed to sanction three mega circuits—Spiritual Circuit for Jammu, Sufi Circuit for Kashmir and Buddhist Circuit for Leh, at a cost of ` 50 crore each, Mr Jora said, adding “the Union Government would start funding the projects from 2012-13 financial year”.
For the Spiritual Circuit, the Detailed Project Report has been prepared and is being sent for technical vetting before submission to the Union Tourism Ministry. Similarly, the DPR of the Sufi Circuit is under preparation and that of Buddhist Circuit has been submitted to the Union Ministry.
The Minister informed that keeping in view the historical and tourism importance of Mughal Road connecting twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch with the Kashmir valley, the Union Tourism Ministry is also likely to sanction ` 800.15 lakh worth project for the development of picnic spots along the road during the first quarter of the next financial year.
Since there are numerous locations along the Mughal Road which have potential to attract tourists both domestic and foreign, the State Tourism Department in the recent past conceived a project costing ` 800.15 lakh for creation of way-site amenities and development of picnic spots from Buffliaz up to Shopian, he said.
“The project has been prioritized by the Union Tourism Ministry and is expected to be sanctioned during the first quarter of 2012-13 financial year”, he said, adding “the virgin tourist spots along the historic Mughal road came to the light during the car rallies organized by the Tourism Department during the last two summers”.
About Nowshera to Buffiliaz, Mr Jora said, “two Development Authorities—one each for Rajouri and Poonch—have already been engaged in the creation of infrastructure related to tourism and stretch of Mughal Road from Nowshera to Buffiliaz also falls in the jurisdiction of these authorities”.
“A circuit development project for Jammu-Poonch-Rajouri has already been sanctioned by the Union Tourism Minister at a cost of ` 688.01 lakh”, he said, adding “an amount of ` 483.73 lakh stands spent on the construction of wayside amenities at Bhambla and Yatri Niwas at Rajouri. The construction of TRC at Dhani Dhar Fort Rajouri and way side amenities at Bufflian Poonch are likely to be completed during the current year”.
Saying that year 2011 has been the year of making history in terms of surpassing all previous records of receiving tourists and pilgrims in the State, he said that conducive atmosphere has made European Countries start considering withdrawal of negative travel advisories. The Germany has already withdrawn the travel advisory.
“Peace during the last year has given fresh impetus to the tourism activities in the State be it leisure or adventure tourism in the Valley and Ladakh or pilgrim arrivals to Shri Amarnath Ji and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrines”, he said, adding Kashmir valley received the highest ever number of 13.14 lakh tourists which was 79% higher over the previous year. Ladakh also witnessed an unprecedented increase in arrivals in 2011 which were 1.79 lakh, 136% more than previous year.
The Minister said that the Government has drawn a futuristic strategy for further growth of tourism sector, adding strategy drawn broadly includes development of infrastructure through public investment and by extending incentives for enhancing private investment, focused and regulated development of major tourist destinations by Tourism Development Authorities, promotion of the State’s USPs with a proactive publicity campaign, development of tourism product areas like heritage, adventure, golf, convention, pilgrim and eco-tourism, regulation of tourist trade for tourist facilitation and capacity building of local youth.
The Minister said that for development of tourism sector in the State, the Centre has so far sanctioned 117 projects costing ` 400 crore under Destination and Circuit Development Schemes. Out of these, 52 projects costing ` 186 crore have been sanctioned in the last three years. He said till date 47 projects have been completed out of which 40 have been completed during the last three years.
He said approval for restoration and conservation work on three buildings of Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex estimated at a cost of ` 25 crore is expected to receive soon from the Centre.
Mr Jora said that to extend holidays of visiting tourists and pilgrims new tourists spots are being developed and infrastructure is being created, adding that in this regard tourism ring corridors are being developed especially in Jammu division.
He said in Jammu division Lakhanpur-Sarthal-Bani- Basohli, Bhaderwah-Kishtwar-Sinthen-Anantnag and Jammu Rajouri Poonch Tourist circuits are being developed at an estimated cost of ` 24 crore to divert the pilgrim tourists towards these spots.
He said Sudhmahadev pilgrim site would also be developed, adding that beautification work on Tawi river banks at Lake View is also being taken up. He said cable car project from Mubarak Mandi Palace to Bahu Fort would be taken up soon. He said Border Tourism Development in Jammu division is also on focused attention of the Government.
The legislators, who took part in the discussion on grants, include Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, Harshdev Singh, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, Mohammad Sharief Niaz, Master Lal Chand, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Jugal Kishore, Rafi Ahmed Mir, Er Abdul Rashid, Krishen Chander Bhagat, Ashwani Sharma, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, Abdul Haq Khan, M Y Tarigami, T Namgyal, Ashok Kumar, Charanjit Singh, Mir Saifullah, Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, Abdul Majid Wani, Feroz Ahmed, Ch. Mohammad Ramzan, Baldev Raj Sharma and Balwant Singh Mankotia.

Excelsior Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Mar 26:Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today launched an interactive website aimed to facilitate job prospects for 40,000 youths from Jammu and Kashmir in a period of five years.
The website—www.Nsdcindia.Org/udaan—will be run by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). It will act as a platform to bring the unemployed youth of Jammu and Kashmir in touch with corporates seeking talented workforce.
Eight corporate houses, including HCL, Wipro BPO and Future Group, also signed an agreement with the NSDC in the presence of Chidambaram, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council Chairman C Rangarajan who headed the expert group to formulate a job plan in this regard.
“We are facilitating a unique programme that will be run by NSDC and the corporate sector. There are four firms (under the MoU) from the software sector, a couple (firms) in retail and others in services sector. This is a good beginning,” Chidambaram said as he unveiled the new website from his office in North Block here.
The youth of Jammu and Kashmir should be encouraged to take jobs in other States. The success of this initiative lies in the hands of NSDC, corporates and the youth, he said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today’s event marks an important step in increasing more employment opportunities for the youth of his State.
“The youth in my State are devoid of skill sets…Hence a scheme like Udaan assumes importance. This is a tentative start from today which will grow further,” Omar said as he lauded the corporates for showing interest in the initiative.
With the signing of the agreement and the launch of the web portal, the ball has been set rolling to provide required job skills and work to 40,000 J&K youngsters over a period of five years.
Omar said the word of mouth feedback from the youngsters who get recruited through this initiative will testify the success of this plan.
“There is a parallel problem of employment which is linked with the problem of employability in the State…There is no shortage of capital investment in the state but employment opportunities are minuscule,” he said underlining the need for such an initiative.
Pointing out the salient points of the new initiative, Union Home Secretary R K Singh said that through the website they (NSDC) will track each and every youth till he/she gets employed.
Graduates, post graduates and professional degree holders will be able to post their bio-data on the website which can be viewed by corporate recruiters who will subsequently send them invitations for training.
The Rangarajan panel in this regard had suggested a two- pronged approach for employment generation in Jammu and Kashmir: (a) identifying sectoral initiatives for growth and employment generation and (b) increasing employability of youth by improving skill sets.
‘Udaan’ is targeted at providing well-paid jobs to the trained manpower in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode between the NSDC and corporate houses.
The talent pool of J&K youngsters, in the absence of job opportunities, becomes alienated and their potential in turning around the State economy is wasted.
By providing them jobs, the scheme proposes to channelise their energies into creative pursuits.
Omar said while various measures have been initiated by the State Government to tackle unemployment crisis, it is the corporate sector which has to contribute positively and willingly in expanding the employment market of educated youth of the State. He said Rangarajan Report regarding employability of educated youth has been taken well care in the ‘Udaan’ initiative which at one hand provided for enhancing skill and on the other assured job opportunities to youth in corporate sector.
The Chief Minster said that the Centre, the State and the corporate sector have to work in coordination to make ‘Udaan’ a success. He called for a joint and visible involvement of all the three in this regard. He said the signing of MoU between National Skills Development Commission (NSDC) and Corporate Sector is a welcome step aimed at successful implementation of the programme in the State.
The programmes aimed at training of 8000 qualified youth of Jammu and Kashmir outside the State annually in a period of 5 years to enhance their employability in managerial and entrepreneurial skills, financial analysis, HR, marketing, business environment analysis, entrepreneur ventures, career and personal development, software engineering, JAVA programming, hospitality and tourism, real estate, textile and clothing, media and entertainment, CNC-machine operations, automobile services and sales.
A brief presentation on ‘Udaan’ by NSDC was made on the occasion while the signing of MoU between NSDC and Corporate sector also took place.
The function was addressed by Dr C Rangarajan while Secretary Home Department delivered welcome address and Joint Secretary (Kashmir) in Home Department presented vote of thanks. The Managing Director and CEO NSDC, various senior Central and State officers, senior representatives of various companies in corporate sector were present among others on the occasion.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 26: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad said today that he had only spoken to the Daily Excelsior yesterday during his one day trip to Bhaderwah and not to any other media organisation.
“The reports attributed to Mr Azad by other media organisations are not correct’’, a spokesman of the Union Minister said here in a statement issued from New Delhi.
He said reports have appeared in a section of local media that have been attributed to Mr Azad.
“Mr Azad wanted to clarify that he had not spoken to any media organisation, except Daily Excelsior’’, he added.
Commenting on other media reports, Mr Azad remarked: “they appeared to be the figment of imagination of certain vested interests, who thrived on the business of propagating false and unsubstantiated reports’’.
He said: “any other comment/statement attributed to him, whether direct or quoting sources, appearing in any media (other than Daily Excelsior) is false, misconceived and motivated’’.

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Mar 26: Main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Mehbooba Mufti, Legislature Party leader, today twice staged a walk-out in the Legislative Assembly in protest against the electricity crisis and `pick and choose’ in sanction of model villages in the State. NPP MLAs Harshdev Singh and Yashpal Kundal, JSM MLA Ashwani Sharma and BJP legislator Jugal Kishore Sharma too staged a walk-out on the issue of discrimination in construction of PMGSY roads and model villages in Jammu while ruling National Conference MLA Nazir Ahmed Gurezi walked-out of the House on being denied time by the Speaker to raise an issue.
Harshdev Singh, a former Minister even tore off the papers in the House before walking-out saying Jammu region was being discriminated in construction of roads. He asked Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar to rectify the mistake committed in ordering tenders for construction of the roads. He said the MLAs and not the Deputy Commissioners should be taken into confidence in identification of model villages.
At a time when most of the MLAs from the opposition benches were on their feet protesting on a variety of issues mainly what they called `pick and choose’ in sanction of model villages and discrimination with Jammu in construction of PMGSY roads, Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone had to intervene to ask the members to make decorum of the House and don’t convert it into ‘‘free for all’’.
‘‘You can ask for it (a supplementary, a question or raise any other issue) but there is a way. Eight to 10 MLAs can’t be allowed to speak on one question. I have asked Gaffar Sofi (PDP MLA) to raise the issue. Let him speak”, Mr Lone said as most of the MLAs from BJP, BJP rebels, Jammu State Morcha and even Congress including Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Mohammad Sharief Niaz, Vakar Rasool, Ashok Bhagat and Krishan Chander Bhagat were on their feet on the issue of construction of PMGSY roads and model villages.
NC MLA Nazir Gurezi entered into arguments with the Speaker saying he was not being allowed to raise the issue.
“Don’t do this. You are no body to ask me whom I have to allow to speak”, an angry Speaker said as Mr Gurezi walked-out of the House.
Mr Lone said every MLA has a right to raise the query but there is a way out. “Here no body knows who is asking what as all MLAs stand up collectively. You have raised the issue of model villages. I have allowed Abdul Rehman Veeri, MLA PDP but all of you have started shouting”, he regretted.
Despite the statement by the Speaker, PDP chief whip Abdul Gaffar Sofi continued to shout saying he has first been allowed by the Chair to raise the issue but no body was listening to him. PDP MLA and former Minister Javed Mustafa Mir supported his party colleagues.
A shouting Gaffar Sofi was in middle of the House. PDP MLAs led by Mehbooba Mufti staged a walk-out in the Assembly. However, PDP MLA Peer Mansoor Shah didn’t join the walk-out as the Speaker had switched over to his question. Mansoor Shah left the House after raising the question and supplementaries.
The PDP MLAs were protesting against discrimination in allotment of model villages in the segments held by them.
After the PDP walk-out, NPP Legislature Party leader and former Minister Harshdev Singh, his colleague, Yashpal Kundal, JSM MLA Ashwani Sharma and BJP MLA Jugal Kishore were on their feet protesting discrimination with Jammu region in construction of PMGSY roads.
Harshdev displayed tenders in the House saying roads were being constructed in Kashmir with 75 mm thickness including 50 mm bitumen and 25 mm macadamisation while in Jammu only 20 mm bitumen would be laid.
‘‘As PMGSY is 100 per cent Government of India sponsored scheme, the State Government didn’t have to spend even a penny on it. Still it was a case of brazen and blatant discrimination with Jammu that thickness of roads in the Kashmir valley has been notified as 75 mm as against just 20 mm in Jammu.
‘‘If your officers were involved in it take action against them but such a sheer discrimination with Jammu would not be tolerated”, Mr Singh said as he tore off the papers, threw them in the House and staged a walk-out.
Mr Sagar assured the agitated MLAs that he would look into the issue and rectify if any wrong has been done.
JSM MLA Ashwani Sharma, NPP MLA Yashpal Kundal and BJP MLA Jugal Kishore also staged a walk-out on the issue. Mr Kishore had heated arguments with Mr Sagar before walking-out of the House.
BJP rebels including Prof Gharu Ram and Bharat Bushan also protested in the House on discrimination in sanction of the model villages and roads under PMGSY.
Earlier, the entire PDP staged a walk-out in the House when Speaker didn’t allow the PDP members to raise supplementaries on the issue of power.
‘‘The question pertained to Chenani. There is no scope for other MLAs to raise the supplementaries”, the Speaker said turning down the request of the PDP members to ask supplementaries on the question of MLA Chenani Krishan Chander Bhagat.
‘‘It (the power) may be a problem but here I won’t allow supplementaries”, Mr Lone said.
However, PDP Legislature Party leader Mehbooba Mufti said the electricity was problem of everybody and the party MLAs should be allowed to raise the issue.
All PDP MLAs led by Ms Mufti staged a walk-out as they were not allowed to raise supplementaries.
NC MLA from Kishtwar Sajjad Kitchloo said the PDP had its convention at Nagrota and that was why they had staged a walk-out.
BJP MLAs including Ashok Khajuria, Jugal Kishore, Sham Choudhary and Sukhnandan Choudhary also created uproar in the House on the issue of Roshni scheme. They said the Government had ignored genuine cases of Roshni.
‘‘Roshni has become `andhera’ (darkness)”, they remarked.
Later, speaking to reporters outside the Legislative Assembly, PDP Legislature Party leader Mehbooba Mufti observed that there was nothing wrong in the demand for conversion of death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana into life term. Rajoana was facing death penalty in the killing of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and was scheduled to be hanged on March 31.
‘‘There is no one bigger than Rajiv Gandhi. If Sonia Gandhi can ask for converting death sentence of Rajiv killer into life imprisonment, there is nothing wrong in doing so here in case of Rajoana.
‘‘Terror is to be dealt on humanitarian basis also. Death sentence is no solution”, Mehbooba said.
Asserting that corruption is a social issue, she supported social activist Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption.
“Corruption is a social issue. Politicians are at helm of affair in this country but they are facing maximum charges of corruption,” Ms Mufti said.
She said it is good that at this age, Hazare is fighting against the menace adding, “Anna is supported by public because common man was fed up with corruption.”
The PDP leader alleged that no work is done in any department without ‘bribing’ the officials adding, “money is required for getting employment, development of the area and everywhere we go today.”
Hazare is fighting against corruption and this is high time, she said adding, “We must support his crusade against corruption.”
Ms Mufti sought registration of FIR against Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association president Dr Farooq Abdullah in connection with embezzlement of funds.
“Some of the members of the working committee of JKCA also want Dr Abdullah to quit as association head,” she said.
Dr Abdullah ‘misused’ JKCA funds for his personal benefits, Ms Mufti said, adding, that funds worth crores of rupees were being sanctioned by the BCCI to the JKCA for the welfare of the cricket every year but it is unfortunate that they were ‘misappropriated’ by the association head for his personal use.”
Mehbooba further alleged that registration of case against JKCA general secretary Ahsan Mirza is a ‘drama’.
“The police have been directed by the JKCA president to lodge FIR against the general secretary but no action was initiated further,” she alleged and added that the JKCA president himself is not clear on distribution of funds and he should also be ‘booked’ for embezzlement of funds.
The PDP leader added that Dr Abdullah was in London to attend Indo-Pak summit on June 26-27 last year when the transaction of funds was made.
“If former IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi, DMK MP Kanimozhi and former Telecom Minister A Raja can face action for corruption, then what were the reasons that Dr Abdullah is being treated as holy cow and no action has been initiated as yet against him,” she added.
Asserting that corruption has reached its height in the State, Mehbooba said: ‘‘everybody from top to bottom, including the Chief Minister and his brigade of Ministers and ruling party’s legislators were involved in the menace.’’

NEW DELHI, Mar 26:
The Centre today told the Supreme Court that it needs four months to decide on sanction for producing the Army officials charged with a “fake encounter” in Pathribal in J&K 12 years ago in which seven people were killed, saying matter involves the sensitive issue of human rights.
“It is the joint stand of Home and the Defence Ministries that prior sanction is needed to institute legal proceedings against Army officers as per AFSPA,” an affidavit filed by the Ministry of Defence before a bench of Justices B S Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar said.
The affidavit said “since the matter involves sensitive issues, including human rights, a practical solution should be found very expeditiously”.
It said the Centre would pass appropriate and judicious order on sanction for prosecution of eight Army personnel involved in the case.
The apex court, which is examining the immunity to Army personnel for encounters killings under Section 6 of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), was told by CBI that the protection granted in the law cannot be allowed to be “misused” in discharge of official duty.
The agency had during the last hearing said that the incident was “cold-blooded murders” and the accused officials deserve to be meted out “exemplary punishment” and should not be protected by AFSPA.
“It was a fake encounter with a motive…It can’t be termed as discharge of duty by the Army and these Army officials should not be protected by AFSPA,” senior advocate Ashok Bhan, appearing for CBI, had said.
CBI had said no prior sanction was required for prosecuting the Army officials and the need to ensure “public confidence in the rule of law and dispensation of justice” warranted their prosecution.
Bhan’s submission was contrary to the stand taken by Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra, who appearing for the Army officers, said prior sanction was mandatory for prosecuting the officials who otherwise are innocent.
The bench, which had asked CBI to explain what was the meaning of the expression “acting in discharge of duty or acting in purported discharge of the duty,” as provided in Section 6 of the AFSPA, posted the hearing for April 2.
The apex court had asked the Centre to convey its stand as to whether five officials, including a Major General, can be tried under the Army Act.
The Defence Ministry and CBI have differed on the immunity enjoyed by the Army under controversial AFSPA and other regular laws in encounter killings.
Malhotra, on behalf of the Centre, had denied that fake encounter killings had taken place in the specific case pertaining to J&K and another case relating to Assam pending before the apex court.
Another Additional Solicitor General Harin Rawal, appearing for CBI, had also insisted that they were “fake encounters.”
Rawal insisted the accused Army officials did not enjoy any immunity from prosecution while Malhotra argued they enjoyed protection in discharge of their official functions.
The bench passed the direction on a CBI’s application for vacating the stay granted by the apex court on the trial in a J&K court relating to the killing of 7 people by the Army allegedly in retaliation to the killing of 36 civilians by militants at Chattisingpora in 2000.
Rawal had earlier argued though the right to immunity under 197 CrPC was available to the officers but in the present case it has not been sought by the accused but by senior Defence Ministry officers, which was contrary to the law.
At an earlier hearing, irked by the Centre’s diverse views, the bench had said “you cannot say that an Army man can enter any house and commit a rape and say he enjoys immunity as it has been done in discharge of official duties.” (PTI)