TOP STORY OF THE DAY |
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| Big fight begins in Srinagar between Farooq Abdullah and Maulvi Iftikhar | | 17 nominations for Srinagar LS seat, 6 for Sonwar Assembly segment, 3 for Hazratbal | | |
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
Srinagar, Apr 18: When Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah bulldozed his political opponents with the Indira-Abdullah accord in 1975, his Plebiscite Front rebel Sofi Mohammad Akbar vanished into oblivion in hometown Sopore and the Jamaat-e-Islami veteran Syed Ali Shah Geelani had already neutralised his own image of a revolutionary leader by participating in the dubiously held Assembly elections of 1972, Shia Muslim cleric Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari had little competition to grab the opportunity of emerging as Sher-e-Kashmir’s arch rival in Kashmir’s political landscape. Over two other competitors---Shameem Ahmed Shameem and Abdul Gani Lone---Ansari had the advantage of hailing from the core of Central Kashmir as also being the spiritual leader of a sizable votebank. Thus, he qualified well for an attack by Sheikh’s cubs while filing his nomination papers as an Independent candidate against Begum Akbar Jehan in February 1977.
Maulvi had remained a Member of Legislative Council since 1973 but he shot into veritable prominence when National Conference (NC) jihadi... | |
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FRONT PAGE STORIES |
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| LS Polls 2009 | | Udhampur-Doda polls to face massive jolts of boycotts | | |
Salman Imtiaz
Jammu,Apr 18: The main reason for the decline of voter turnout is a direct responsibility of those Politicians who made hollow slogans and false promises during the assembly elections held four months ago. Political parties including NC, PDP, Cong, and other small political groups secured votes in the name of development viz-a-viz (Bijli, Pani and Sadak), despite people elected a government though in a coalition but it failed, as per its to deliver as per its manifesto.
Assembly polls were inclined with the bias of regional and religions considerations besides basic amenities were the priority of the electorates. Politicians responded well with assurances but failed to pro... | |
| | | | Mahbooba foresees doom of Congress-NC alliance | | ‘1952, 75, 86 accords were disastrous for JK’ | | |
Early Times Report
GOOL, Apr 18: Ridiculing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s claim to strengthen the third generation friendship between Gandhi and Abdullah families, president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mahbooba Mufti on Saturday said that such “opportunist alliances” always proved disastrous for people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a public meeting at Gool in support of party candidate Thakur Balbir Singh, the PDP president said, “The fate of the present opportunist alliance no way would be different from the previous accords between two parties.”
Referring to 1952 Nehru-Sheikh accord, she said that with in a year after the accord Sheikh Abdullah was put behind the bars “e... | |
| | | | Udhampur-Doda polls to face massive jolts of boycotts | | LS Polls 2009 | | |
Salman Imtiaz
Jammu, Apr 18: The main reason for the decline of voter turnout is a direct responsibility of those Politicians who made hollow slogans and false promises during the assembly elections held four months ago. Political parties including NC, PDP, Cong, and other small political groups secured votes in the name of development viz-a-viz (Bijli, Pani and Sadak), despite people elected a government though in a coalition but it failed, as per its to deliver as per its manifesto.
Assembly polls were inclined with the bias of regional and religions considerations besides basic amenities were the priority of the electorates. Politicians responded well with assurances but failed to pr... | |
| | | | Mahbooba foresees doom of Congress-NC alliance | | ‘1952, 75, 86 accords were disastrous for JK’ | | |
Early Times Report
GOOL, Apr 18: Ridiculing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s claim to strengthen the third generation friendship between Gandhi and Abdullah families, president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mahbooba Mufti on Saturday said that such “opportunist alliances” always proved disastrous for people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a public meeting at Gool in support of party candidate Thakur Balbir Singh, the PDP president said, “The fate of the present opportunist alliance no way would be different from the previous accords between two parties.”
Referring to 1952 Nehru-Sheikh accord, she said that with in a year after the accord Sheikh Abdullah was put behind the bars “e... | |
| | | | EJAC accuses govt. of betrayal, to meet on April 20
| | No respite for govt. as employees again on war path | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr18: The trouble for the coalition government in Jammu and
Kashmir does not seems to be over even after it published the circular
regarding implementation of sixth pay commission report as the
employees seem to be again on a war path accusing government of
deliberately dropping the recommendations of Hasib Drabu and SL Bhat
committees.
It was reliably learnt that the Employees Joint Action Committee
(EJAC) has summoned an emergency meeting at Jammu on Monday, April 20
to discuss the issue and to decide on the future course of action.
Sources said that on one hand the state government employees heaved a
sigh of relief after the government issued SRO N... | |
| | | | Decision on troop reduction in J&K after summer: Army chief | | | |
Agencies
New Delhi, Apr18: The Indian Army chief on Saturday said that any decision on troop reduction in Jammu and Kashmir will be taken after this summer.
"It is premature to talk about troop reduction in Kashmir... this summer is crucial to decide whether troop levels in Kashmir can be reduced," Kapoor told a news channel.
There has been a rise in militant activity in the Kashmir valley with the Lok Sabha elections commencing across the country.
On the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Kapoor said: "Armed Forces Special Powers Act is needed to protect the troops legally."
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has sought repeal of the AFSPA an... | |
| | | | Ex-RAW chief says CI ops in India have failed | | ‘Intrusion deep-rooted, law deficient, rulers complacent’ | | |
New Delhi, April 19: In a rare admission, a former R&AW chief has said that counter intelligence operations in India have failed to prevent penetration by foreign intelligence agencies and once even a Prime Minister was under the cloud of suspicion.
"The shame lies in the fact that it (counter intelligence) could not prevent foreign penetration even into their senior ranks."
There was "a general belief in the country that the influence of foreign intelligence organisations has reached deep into the civil society.
"Suspicion was cast once even on a Prime Minister," Anand K Verma, former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) of the Cabinet Secretariat, said without e... | |
| | | | Lashkar warns of suicide attacks during polls | | | |
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Apr 18: Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Saturday threatened to launch suicide attacks during the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, asking people to participate in the poll process “at their own peril”.
“We will launch fidayeen (suicide) attacks during the poll process,” LeT spokesman Abdullah Ghaznavi said in a statement to Srinagar-based media outlets.
Warning the people against participating in the elections, the spokesman said “if people vote they will be doing so at their own peril”.
The terror outfit, which is allegedly behind the Mumbai attack last year, said New Delhi was trying to make stronger its “illegal occupation... | |
| | | | Woman, 2 LeT men killed in Doda gunbattle | | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 18 : Three Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, including a self-styled commander and his woman accomplice, were killed in a gunbattle with security forces in mountainous Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir this morning, an official spokesman said.
A counter-insurgency party of Rashtriya Rifles and state police zeroed encountered militants at Bhart area of Doda, about 160 kms North-East from here.
‘’As the troops approached a ‘dhok’ (temporary cattle shed) they were fired upon by the hiding militants and in the subsequent gun battle two militants were killed,’’ defence spokesman Lt Col Biplab Nath said.
The LeT militants, identified as Shahbaz, a self-styl... | |
| | | | Mumbai strike was a plot to capture J&K | | | | AGENCIES
Mumbai, Apr 17 : The horrendous attacks in Mumbai last year were aimed at destabilising India and capturing Kashmir and were supported by the Pakistan Army. This shocking revelation was made as the trial of the lone surviving terrorist Kasab began in a special court in Mumbai.
The prosecution charged Kasab with waging war against the country. The prosecution has charged Kasab with criminal conspiracy, waging war against nation and also under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Kasab has been made the prime accused in seven cases and a co-conspirator in five cases.
The prosecution, led by public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam, claimed that the handlers of the Mumbai attackers had... | |
| | | | Omar on Umrah with Srinagar scribes | | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Apr 17: In the thick of campaigning for the ruling coalition candidates in the current Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today left for his second Umrah in a year. He has also taken along with him editor of a leading English daily in Srinagar as well as the Srinagar Bureau Chief of a premier satellite news channel.
Even as some leaders of an Opposition party were reportedly planning to project it as a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, Omar Abdullah and his close aide, Nasir Sogami, left for New Delhi wherefrom they are scheduled to leave for Saudi Arabia on Saturday. NC’s political opponents have begun to make Omar’s spiritual odyssey co... | |
| | | | Lashker supporter apprehended in JK | | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Apr 17 : Army troops today apprehended one supporter of the Lashker-e-Toiba in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir today.
Acting on the information, troops raided a hideout and arrested one over Bilal from Beoli area of the distrtict today, army officials said.
He was later handed over to police for further interrogation in this direction, they said.
... | |
| | | | Naik takes over as new head of NRPC | | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, APRIL 17– Commissioner/Secretary Power Development Department, J&K, Mr. Sandeep K. Naik has taken over as the chairman of Northern Regional Power Committee (NRPC) from the state of Himachal Pradesh.
The function, organized at the headquarter of NRPC was attended by heads of distribution utilities of Jammu and Kashmir, Er. Ajat Gupta, Er. Mushtaq Ahmed and Er. A.K.Aggarwal, Member/Secretary of NRPC.
The Northern Regional Power Committee has been set up under the provision of the Electricity Act, 2003 and comprise of the states of Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal and the Union T... | |
| | | | EC orders repoll in 46 booths across 7 states | | | | AGENCIES
New Delhi, April 17: The Election Commission on Friday ordered repoll in 46 polling stations spread over seven states from tomorrow.
As many as 29 polling stations in Andhra Pradesh, five in Assam, two in Kerala and one in Uttar Pradesh will go for repoll tomorrow, the EC said.
One polling station in Jammu and Kashmir will witness repoll on April 19.
Five polling stations in Arunachal Pradesh and three in Nagaland will go to polls again on April 20.
As many as 124 constituencies spread across 15 states and two union territories went to polls yesterday in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections.
... | |
| | | | Farooq files nomination for Srinagar constituency | | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar: Former Chief Minister and president National Conference, Farooq Abdullah on Friday filed his nomination papers for Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary constituency that will go to polls on May 7 during the fourth phase of the five phase elections in the state.
NC president accompanied by his son Omar Abdullah and senior Congress leader and Union water resources minister Saif-ud-din Soz and senior members of his party submitted the nomination papers before the office of Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo who is also the returning officer for this parliamentary constituency.
Reports reaching Press Bureau of India said that as Farooq Abdullah left for ... | |
| | | | Tremors in Kashmir, no loss of life reported | | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR : Tremors jolted Kashmir Valley, forcing people to rush out of their homes in panic in the wee hours today.
According to head of the Project Coordinator Disaster Management in the office of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Aamir Ali, an earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale jolted Kashmir Valley at 0257 hrs, lasted for about ten seconds.
It was epicentre at 34.227 North, 70.054 East located in Hindu Kush region of Afganistan.
He said an aftershock of 5.1 magnitude was also felt at 0400 hrs this morning, the epicentre of which was 43 kms away from Jalalabad, Afghanistan, and 86 kms away from Kabul.
Mr Ali said there was no immediate report of any loss... | |
| | | | PDP asks parties to shun Kashmir issue from poll rhetoric | | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Apr 17-Hardening of stances and putting pre-conditions to the revival of Indo-Pak peace process were fraught with dangers for the South Asian region said Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in response to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s repeated assertion that he would not resume the dialogue with Pakistan unless that country convinced us of its commitment to eradication of terror. Mufti said the stance was not in line with the statesmanship shown by him and Atal Behari Vajpayee in initiating the process. “The peace process would not have seen light of the day in the wake of attack on Parliament and concentration of troops along the ... | |
| | | | Terror camps still 'existing' on other side of LoC: Army | | | | Agencies
NEW DELHI: The Army on Friday said that terror training camps are still ‘existing’ on the other side of the Line of Control and Pakistan is continuing its "support" for infiltration into India.
"The camps, which were there on the other side are still existing ... there is definite support for infiltration from the other side," Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor said.
"The kind of equipment with which these militants have been caught whether in terms of weapons or communication equipment indicates the tremendous amount of support given to them by the other side," he said.
Commenting on the issue of Taliban's infiltration into India, he said, "50% of the component of these (terr... | |
| | | | Racket at work inside parking lot at Railway Station | | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 17- Hundreds of passengers and local residents who daily park their vehicles inside parking lot of Railway station premises have been taken for a ride by the organized racket mushrooming in blatant connivance of senior railway authorities without any check.
For last couple of days, motor vehicle owners have been forced to pay Rs. 20 per car and Rs 10 for a two wheeler without duly informing the commuters.
In the absence of any fresh notification or a circular issued by the concerned authorities the contractor who is responsible for running the parking lot is charging hefty sum of Rs 20 for a four wheeler and RS 10 for a two wheeler.
Ironically, if some loca... | |
| | | | Rs 10 lakh compensation to officials who die in poll duty | | | | Agencies
New Delhi, April 17: Election officials and security personnel who lost their lives in Naxal violence during the first phase of Lok Sabha polls will get Rs 10 lakh compensation, the Election Commission on Friday said.
The Commission said the compensation amount has been doubled from Rs five lakh earlier.
Naxal violence claimed 18 lives in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa during yesterday's polling, the first of the five-phased staggered exercise.
The Commission in its communication to all states and Union Territories said that if the death is caused due to any violent acts of extremist or unsocial elements, the compensation would be Rs 10 lakh.
It cited instan... | |
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