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Chowki Choura unacceptable as block: Kathar, Kyur people

2/21/2011 12:10:39 AM

KUNAL SHRIVATSA EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Feb 20: The purported move of the government to shift Kathar and Kyur panchayats of block Akhnoor to the new proposed block of Chowki Choura is being strongly resented by the inhabitants of these areas. Criticizing the decision, a large number of inhabitants of 15 villages falling under Kathar and Kyur said that the decision is totally unacceptable to them. It is near impossible for them to reach Chowki Choura as there is no direct connectivity between the two panchayats and the proposed new block, the locals said “If our panchayats are added with Chowki Choura, we have to tread 20 kms that too in the absence of a link road or track. ...

Ban on pre-paid users soon; customers on receiving end

2/21/2011 12:09:42 AM

Mishu Gupta Jammu, Feb 20: The guillotine on the pre paid mobile subscribers is all set to fall on the end of this financial year with the fault being none of the users. Again government has sounded the alarm to the users to be prepared for the onslaught which may turn their way anytime ending March 31. It is being envisaged that nearly 40 lakh users may lose their connectivity if the process of re-verifying their identities is not completed by March 31 this year.This rationale has sent many uneasy churns among the users who are terming it as a jugglery done with them at government’s fancy.“ Why should we feel the heat,” said Priyanka Verma, a collegiate who said that in wake of prepa...

Stage set for confrontation on payment of arrears Employees adamant, Omar reasons empty coffers

2/21/2011 12:06:39 AM

Syed Junaid Hashmi Early Times Report JAMMU, Feb 20: Stage is set for showdown between the employees and the state government over the latter’s inability to clear pending arrears of the 6th pay commission within a stipulated period of time. Employees have called for striking work and holding protest demonstrations at the district headquarters all over the state on February 21 and if their leaders are to be believed, this is just the beginning of a long drawn battle. Leaders have already finalized the arrangements and pleaded with the employees to make the programme success. On the other side of it, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah too made intentions of the government clear, appealin...

Ensuring Congress’ demise: Azad’s support to NC not intriguing

2/21/2011 12:06:06 AM

MINCING NO WORDS NEHA EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Feb 19: Whenever Union Health Minister and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam visits Jammu, he creates problems for the Congress. He makes statements which not only give a further fillip to factionalism in the party, but also provoke the people of Jammu province, who have on occasions reposed their faith in the party hoping that it would counter the separatists and votaries of autonomy and work for the political and economic empowerment of Jammu and national integration. It would not be out of place to mention here that the Congress has always contested elections in Jammu province after 1977 on two specific planks -- national integration an...

Mistakes led to exodus of Kashmiri Hindus'

2/21/2011 12:05:51 AM

Patna: Union Minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said mistakes committed in the past led to the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir as also to the prevailing political uncertainty in the state. "It is our fault as the Kashmiri Hindus have been made homeless and forced to live outside," Abdullah said at an Urdu conference here. He said it hurts him that his Kashmiri Hindu brothers and sisters have been forced to live in hot and humid weather conditions elsewhere in the country, which they were not used to, having been lived in cold climate. He, however, did not elaborate on the "fault". Many Kashmiri Hindus, particularly members of the Pandit community, w...

`New Delhi, Interlocutors pursuing different goals’ Strike on Feb 22 against ban on Geelani

2/21/2011 12:05:38 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Feb 20: New Delhi’s nominated interlocutors on Jammu Kashmir and the Union Home Ministry seem to pursue diverse goals. Only yesterday the interlocutors invited Hurriyat (G) chairman for interaction with them and today the elderly leader was banned from leaving Delhi by the police. The separatist conglomerate had not out rightly rejected the invitation from the Interlocutors. A spokesman of the amalgam said last evening that the decision in this regard shall be taken when Geelani returns from New Delhi. Geelani it may be mentioned is currently in New Delhi for treatment. He was scheduled to arrive in the summer capital on February 22. Geelani’s spokesman while...

No end to factional war in state Congress, Soz-- Azad groups stick to their stand

2/21/2011 12:05:25 AM

Early Times Report JAMMU, Feb 20: Though Congress High Command is on the move to bring the two warring factions of Pradesh Congress on a single platform by putting up the services of some emissaries, there are no signs that the two factions will be willing to declare truce as both are up in arms for a show down against each other. The visit of senior AICC leader and Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad to Jammu on Friday and his public announcement ruling out rotational Chief Ministership and calling for total support to Omar Abdullah led Government did not augur well the faction led by PCC chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz. ITo outwit the Soz group and maintain its supremacy in the State C...

Nothing positive to emerge out of the interlocutors’ initiative

2/21/2011 12:04:59 AM

MINCING NO WORDS NEHA EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Feb 20: If someone in Jammu or Ladakh or in any other part of the country, excluding Kashmir, is expecting that the Delhi-appointed interlocutors would recommend a national, rational and secular solution to the issues facing the state, then he/she is living in fool’s paradise. These interlocutors have on occasions more than one clearly indicated that they are concerned more with those handful of Kashmiri separatists who have wrecked havoc in the state and promoted the Pakistani cause in the state and that they are least bothered about the bulk of population in the state that has nothing to do with communal and separatist politics. A re...

Insistence on autonomy, self-rule might lead to J&K’s balkanization

2/21/2011 12:04:45 AM

STARK REALITY RUSTAM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Feb 20: It was hoped that the ruling NC and the main opposition PDP would drop their demands – autonomy and self – rule considering the fact that the people of Jammu and Ladakh, who constitute no less than 50 per cent population in the state and occupy more than 89 per cent of the state’s geographical area, are vehemently opposed to these concepts. They are opposed to the idea of the state getting more autonomy and self-rule on the ground that these are divisive demands and that these demands, if accepted, would end the Indian presence in the state and enable Pakistan and fundamentalist forces in Kashmir to accomplish what they want to acc...