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| Interlocutors' report officially out: Rules out return to pre 1953 position Clock cannot be set back but review Central laws, Art 370 erosion must be reappraised ' | | | | Early Times Report
New Delhi, May 24: Much to the disappointment of ruling National Conference, the three interlocutors appointed by Centre have ruled out a return to the pre-1953 position in J&K and recommended setting up of a Constitutional Committee to review all Acts and Articles of the Constitution of India extended to Jammu and Kashmir and upholding of Article 370.
The report of the interlocutors--Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and MM Ansari-- underlined that "the clock cannot be set back" but felt that the 'erosion' of Article 370 over decades needed to be "re-appraised" to give it more powers.
In their 176-page report, made public today, they have called for a review of all Central Acts and all Articles of the Constitution of India extended to the state after the 1952 Delhi agreement which also gave special status to the state under Article 370.
"This does not mean a pure and simple return to the pre-1953 situation. The clock cannot be set back. Instead, the group wants such a review to take into full account the changes that have taken place in the last six decades," th... | |
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| Review AFSPA, decrease presence of Security forces | | | |
NEW DELHI: The interlocutors' report on Jammu and Kashmir has recommended review of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the state and said the Defence Ministry needs to consider how to respond "positively" to the issue.
The 176-page report of the interlocutors--Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M M Ansari--which was made public today, also suggested decrease in the presence of security forces from residential areas and vacation of properties used by them to pave way for locals to carry out socio-economic activities.
The report sought amendments in the Public Safety Act (PSA) which gives sweeping powers to security forces to detain people on grounds of propagati... | |
| | | | Ready to meet Hurriyat, engage with separatist groups | | | |
NEW DELHI: The interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir will be ready to engage with separatists groups including Hurriyat Conference in the feedback process on their report submitted to the government.
"We will be more than willing to approach the separatist groups to engage with them let them give us their feedback on specifics on the report of what it said.
"Let them also know that the focus of the report is on the political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir...." Dileep Padgaonkar, one of the three interlocutors, said after government made public their report.
He said the government has encouraged them to get the feedback. "It is only after getting the feedback including from... | |
| | | | Interlocutors criticize JK media, suggest training for journos | | | | New Delhi: The interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir have criticised the role of the media and journalists in the state for "inventing events for political game" and suggested a short-term training to hone their reporting and writing skills.
"The role of the media, too, has been complex, combining positive peace support with mistruths that undermine peace initiatives. Barring a small handful of anchors and reporters, the national media have underreported conflict areas and tend to focus on moments of violence or recrimination.
"The local media, by contrast, have given far more attention to peace process developments but--as occurs routinely in conflict situations--there are some amongst them... | |
| | | | Omar, Mehbooba mum | | | |
Jammu: The Chief Minister did not comment on the report. He said: "I have not seen the report yet." Omar, by the way is on the net most of the time. Did he really not see the report?
Mehbooba Mufti has chosen to remain mum for the time being. The silence of these leaders has evoked more discussions than the report itself in the summer capital. ... | |
| | | | Confused' Interlocutors rule out autonomy, self rule But seek regional councils, restoration of Art 370 | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 24: Finally the cat is out of the bag. The report of New Delhi's nominated interlocutors on Jammu Kashmir is finally out. The report has shocked the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as well by ruling out restoration of autonomy and self rule. The report, in a way, has vindicated the stand of the separatists who chose to ignore the interlocutors.
While ruling out restoration of autonomy, the report said it will create a Constitutional crisis. However, the report recommends restoration of Article 370 in its original form. This reflects the `superficial' knowledge of the `confused' interlocutors viz-a-viz Jammu Kashmir. Autonom... | |
| | | | Pak interested in water than Kashmiris | | | |
Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 24: The interlocutors report submitted that one of the important aspect of Pakistan's Kashmir policy has been to get hold of river waters in J&K.
The interlocutors report says ironically, little attention has been paid both in Jammu and Kashmir and in the rest of the country to the significance of river waters in Pakistan's Kashmir policy. Pakistan's per capita water availability has declined from 5600 cubic meters in 1947 to around 1000 cubic meters till today.
It said country's ground water table is depleting in well over half of the canal commands. So is the water storage capacity due to the heavy silt-load carried by the Indus. That is why it is of t... | |
| | | | DFO, 15 others injured in timber mafia attack in Budgam | | Mian Altaf: Arms have been denied to FPF since 1996 but now we will equip our guards and detain smugglers under PSA | | | Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
BUDGAM, May 24: In a bizarre offensive, carried out audaciously in upper Budgam, members of a timber mafia have left 16 Forest officials, including Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Pir Panjal Division, injured in Arizal area of last evening. While as Minister of Forest, Mian Altaf Ahmad, has immediately ordered a major crackdown on the timber smugglers, Budgam Police, in coordination with officials of Forest Department and Forest Protection Force (FPF), have booked 23 of the assailants in a criminal matter and launched manhunt to arrest the most wanted of the timber smugglers and assailants.
Authoritative sources told Early Times that DFO of Budgam-based PP Division, Sy... | |
| | | | First Reaction Interlocutors' recommend limited accession, slavery for Jammu, Ladakh | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 24: The Government of India today made public the recommendations as contained in the interlocutors' report, which was submitted to the Home Minister on October 12, 2011, saying that these were the views of the interlocutors and not of the Government, that "the Government has not taken any decisions on the report yet" and that "the Government will welcome an informed debate on its contents".
Even a cursory glance at the recommendations made by the interlocutors would be enough to reach a conclusion that they have suggested something which, if accepted, would undo almost all that the Congress-led successive Governments in New Delhi, barring the one being led b... | |
| | | | Reactions: Political parties find interlocutors' report flawed vAnother fraud by HM: NPP | | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, May 24: Prof. Bhim Singh, Chairman-NPP and Member-NIC described the report of three-Musketeers (the so-called Interlocutors) as another fraud by the Home Minister of India with the nationalist, secular and oppressed people in J&K. This report has been made public to divert the attention of the people and the press from the rising anger of the people against the Price Hike of Petrol.
Three-Musketeers were sent to Kashmir in a conspiracy to sterilize the ground situation in Kashmir to save Omar Abdullah from the wrath of school going stone pelters who were fed up with his computers fiddling. It is shocking that over 50 crores of rupees were wasted for the pleasu... | |
| | | | Youth Congress elections further fuel infighting in PCC | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 24: Unity mantra among warring factions of Congress confined only to statements because on the ground, the leaders belong to different factions are fighting with each other openly.
The on-going elections of Pradesh Youth Congress (PYC) president have further fueled the infighting and both the factions have planted proxy candidates in each others constituencies.
Faction of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has fielded a number of candidates in the constituencies represented by the loyalists of Pradesh Congress Committee Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz. Similarly Soz loyalists have also fielded candidates in the constituencies represented by Azad supporters.
Source... | |
| | | | Using muscle against Govt employees would backfire | | | |
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, May 24: In nocturnal raids the State Government arrested senior leaders of the employees in Srinagar city and other places of the Valley.
Those prominent among the arrested employees leaders are Khursheed Alam, Abdul Qayoom Wani, Shabir Langoo and others. Despite these arrests the employees have gone ahead with their agitational programme bringing work to a standstill in most of the State Government offices in the Valley.
The agitating employees propose an hour long sit-in outside the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar and a massive rally from the Press Enclave to State's Raj Bhawan.
The State Government had discussions with the employees leaders before ... | |
| | | | BJP rejects interlocutors report at NE meet | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 24: BJP today while rejecting the interlocutors report on J&K said has been deliberately released 36 hours after the Parliament was adjourned,sine die. This has been done in order to avoid parliamentary accountability of the report.
The Party National Executrive meet which is in session at Mumbai said the BJP will react in detail after examining the report at length . The party, however, on a preliminary examination of the report expresses its disappointment on the same. The report is a verbose document written in denial about certain basic realities, it in a statement issued to press later added.
It said Pakistan has not reconciled to Jammu & Kashmir being... | |
| | | | Double-Speak For power NC compromises its stand on AFSPA | | | | Neha
JAMMU, May 24: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram was here in the State for a day on Wednesday. He visited the State to study the political situation. He had discussions with the Government officials as well as with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and others who matter in the State. He discussed everything with them. He discussed the arrangements made by the Shrine Board for the smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra which would officially start in the second half of June. He discussed the issue of Kashmiri Hindus return to the Valley. He discussed with the Chief Minister the issues relating to infrastructural development, as also the security-related issues. In fact, he discussed almost ev... | |
| | | | LT Gen Hasnain's Suggestion What will Kashmiri Hindus do in Valley? | | | | Rustam
JAMMU, May 24: General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, Lt Gen S A Hasnain on May 21 said that "this is the most opportune time for facilitating the return of the Kashmiri Pandits to their homes which in itself will be a major indicator of peace and tranquility in the Valley'' and that the "Army would provide all possible help to facilitate the rehabilitation and return of Kashmiri Pandits to Valley". "Their return to their homes will be the most essential milestone for restoration of everlasting peace in Kashmir," he also said. He made these suggestions while addressing a function organized by the Army at Migrant Camp Vessu in which he was the chief guest. The Deputy Commissioner... | |
| | | | Report will mean disaster: Swamy | | | | Early Times Report
New Delhi, May 24: Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy today said the interlocutors report on Jammu and Kashmir has several prescriptions that mean a disaster for national unity.
"There is nothing to discuss for the government to discuss in this report since it prescribes weakening and deleting any provisions in the Indian Constitution that strengthens national unity and proposing that would set Balkanisation of India," he said in a statement.
Contending that there is no such thing as "special status" for Jammu and Kashmir, Swamy said the interlocutors is for "mischief and thus should be thrown into waste paper basket."... | |
| | | | Employees strike cripples office functioning across valley | | | | Bashir Assad
Srinagar, May24: Strike by Employees of the Jammu and Kashmir Government across the state paralyzed work in government offices today. Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of various employees associations, has called for a 4-day strike against what they call government backtracking from its promise to enhance retirement age from 58 to 60 yrs. Work in most government offices across Kashmir valley was crippled by the employees' three-day strike that started here today. Attendance of employees in offices other than the Civil Secretariat was very thin and in some offices like Deputy Commissioners only private sections were functioning as part of emergency services. "... | |
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