TOP STORY OF THE DAY |
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| Information Department turning needles of clock back by 56 years | | | |
RUSTAM
JAMMU, Feb 11: J&K Information Department, which is under none other than the Chief Minister, is seeking to turn the needles of the clock by as many as 56 years. In other words, it is striving to restore the situation in J&K as it existed between 1932 and 1954 – period when the draconian J&K Press and Publication Act of 1932 was in operation and when the war-like restrictions on civil liberties, including on the Press, were the order of the day.
Under this anti-press and anti-democratic Act, the executive authorities absolute powers and could seize any press alleging that it had published article/articles considered by the executive authorities as seditious. So draconian was this legislation that even the then J&K High Court of Judicature could not come to the rescue of the press. The High Court of Judicature would express its helplessness and inability saying it had no other option but to “interpret the law as it”.
Take, for example, the judgment the Full Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Janaki Nath Wazir, Justice Jia Lal Kilm and Just... | |
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FRONT PAGE STORIES |
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| PC puts Omar in high politics stead, Okays his surrender proposal | | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 11: It was a lifetime political edge to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over his rivals in Kashmir when the Union Home Minister P Chidambram today put a seal of approval on former’s proposal of amnesty to Kashmiri militants who had crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir at different points of time in past 20 years. The move is being seen as a big image booster for Omar and perhaps one of the biggest confidence building measures of New Delhi in Kashmir.
Even as the Peoples Democratic Party leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister in 2004 had mooted this idea, but it was last week when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah put the proposal in black and white ... | |
| | | | Padma Shree Mohammad Deen was rewarded with more: blond Reshma and a Philips | | Informant of 1965 war rubbed shoulders with scientist Satish Dhawan and painter M F Hussain | | |
AHMED ALI FAYYAZ
SRINAGAR, Feb 11: Barrage of criticism to New Delhi’s ‘blunder’ of nominating an informant of security forces, Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Moma Kanna, for this year’s Padma Sharee award notwithstanding, prominent informants of Indo-Pakistan War in 1965 and the Pakistani tribesmen invasion in 1947 have also been rewarded with a little more or a little less. Mohammad Maqbool Sherwani has a community hall and a residential colony in Baramulla, besides a fashionable business street in Srinagar, in his name for helping the Indian Army repulse an armed invasion in 1947. Mohammad Deen Jagir of Tangmarg was rewarded for failing Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltor in 1965 with a... | |
| | | | 'Cross Border Infiltrations Won't Hit Indo-Pak Talks' | | | |
AGENCIES
New Delhi, Feb 11: India today said its Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan will "not be affected" despite increased infiltration by militants from across the border or the neighbouring nation failing to dismantle terror groups operating from its soil.
Defence Minister A K Antony, however, said Pakistan had taken "some action" against the terrorists responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks as per India's wishes and that was why India had taken a conscious decision to go ahead with the dialogue.
"It (infiltration and failure to dismantle terror groups) won't affect our dialogue or the scheduled meeting at the foreign secretaries level," Antony told reporters here on t... | |
| | | | Omar upbeat | | BJP AGHAST | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 11: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday welcomed the union government's willingness to grant amnesty to Kashmiri militants who want to return from Pakistan, saying it was a big gift for their families.
But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the move amounted to a reward for anti-national forces.
"It was needed. That's why we had been asking for it," Abdullah said in his immediate reaction to Home Minister P. Chidambaram's announcement in New Delhi Thursday that the union government had accepted the idea of granting amnesty to Kashmiri militants in Pakistan administered Kashmir who want to return without weapons and join the mainstream.
Chidambaram had ... | |
| | | | It was our idea: PDP | | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 11: Appreciating statement of Union Home PChidambram on the proposed surrender policy, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today said that it was endorsement of the policy being propagated by the party.In a statement issued here today, president of the party Mehbooba Mufti termed statement of Union Home Minister as
“welcome change” and hoped that other demands of like like revocation of draconian laws like Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) and demilitarization would also be fulfilled to normalize situation in the State . Mehbooba further said that further said that keeping in view the prevailing situation in Kashmir Valley, there was a dire need to
take ... | |
| | | | Azad in spot | | | |
ABID SHAH
NEW DELHI, FEB 11: The fast changing policy of Central Government on Kashmir has virtually left Union Minister for Health Ghulam Nabi Azad in cold.
Azad has been Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in the past besides being an astute hand at politics both at Central and State levels. But the recent diplomatic offensive vis-à-vis Kashmir led by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram almost in tandem with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has sealed doors for players others than the State Government and local Srinagar-based leaders.
They being whether from the mainstream parties or separatists’ ranks matter more, in the new scheme of things that are unfolding now by pushing persons lik... | |
| | | | Impressive Shobha Yatra taken out in city | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 11: An impressive Shoba Yatra on the eve of Maha Shivratri falling on February 12 was taken out here today. in Jammu city amid unprecedented security arrangements, with religious fervour and gaiety.
The religious procession, which commenced from the Ranbireshwar temple, near Parade Ground, passed through various bazars of the city, including Hari Market, Raghunath Bazar, Purani Mandi and Panjtirthi.
Route of the procession was decorated with buntings and flowers at various points while people showered petals as the religious procession passing through bazars.
People from all walks of life as well as saints, participated in the huge procession which consist... | |
| | | | Tight security for Shivratri celebrations | | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 11: Security in this winter capital of the state has been beefed-up ahead of the Shivratri celebrations here tomorrow.
As the Shivratri is going to be celebrated with zeal in the ‘City of Temples’ tomorrow, additional troops have been deployed in and around the city peripheries, a police official said.
‘’Security forces have been deployed in the premises of all famous temples besides tight security arrangements in the city,’’ a senior police official said.
He said that security personnel deputed in the temples would be maintaining tight vigil and keeping check on suspicious movements for the smooth celebrations as lakhs of devotees are expected to throng te... | |
| | | | Ex-JMC official acquitted of graft charges | | Nothing proved against Wattal, SVO tells court | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 11: The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Joint Commissioner Kiran Wattal, who was booked under Prevention of Corruption Act by State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) in December 2005, has been absolved of all the corruption charges against him by the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption.
The court directive came Wednesday after the SVO itself stated that "the investigation of the case against Wattal is closed as not proved".
It took SVO over four years to arrive at the final conclusion that no case of corruption could be worked out against him. During this period, SVO also took the assistance of financial experts to scrutinise the records of his family bus... | |
| | | | 2 HM ultras killed in Doda | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 11: Two Pakistan-trained Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) section commanders were killed by security forces in a gunbattle at Marmat in Doda today.
Acting on a tip-off about the presence of militants in Khadkal nullah area of Marmat, police and troops of 10 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) laid a cordon around the area late Wednesday night.
While making searches in the area this morning, troops came to know that the militants were hiding in a natural cave. Troops then laid a cordon around the cave and asked the militants to surrender. However, when the militants did not come out of the cave, the troops fired grenades to widen the mouth of the cave.
Police sources said soon afte... | |
| | | | Valley smiles at militants’ home coming talk | | | |
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 11: Bold decisions on resumption of talks with Pakistan and return of Kashmiri militants during the past ten days by New Delhi have not only sent right signals to right quarters but also made two former Chief Ministers of the state eat a humble pie.
Former Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah issued a statement which he was not supposed to issue. He ruled out talks with Pakistan unless Islamabad brought the persons involved in Mumbai attacks to justice. As a matter of principle such statement can either be issued by the Prime Minister or the External Affairs Minister. But reminiscent of his earlier regime, Farooq behaved as India’s Foreign Minister and ... | |
| | | | BSF trooper remanded to police custody | | | |
Early Times report
Srinagar, Feb 11: BSF trooper, Lukhwinder Singh accused of killing a Nishat Youth last week was today produced in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar. The CJM remanded him to police custody for eight days. The accused BSF trooper was yesterday handed over to the police by senior BSF officials. The CJM posed a volley of questions to the accused.
Bar secretary, Advocate GN Shaheen the BSF officials were trying to save the real culprits. “By handing over the accused, the officers are trying to shield an officer who was present at the spot where Zahid was shot dead. He demanded arrest of all the persons involved in the murder.”
Shaheen accuse the Chief M... | |
| | | | Omar's statement on PoK youths can't be faulted: Soz | | | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Feb 11: The ghost of factionalism seems to have again started hunting the State unit of Congress with Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress chief Saifuddin Soz today came out openly in support of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s proposal for a surrender policy for youths who had gone to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and welcomed the Centre's backing for such a move.
“Omar Abdullah's statement cannot be faulted. Recent statements from certain quarters have particularly raised questions on safeguards. This concern is justified, but, then, Government of India has already set in place instrumentality for necessary safeguards and precautions,” he said in a statement ... | |
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