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| Omar has no mandate to get back Pandits: Sheikh Nazir | | Geelani and Mirwaiz are right in opposing KPs' return' | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, July 22: In a significant political development, National Conference's General Secretary on 'medical leave' and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's uncle Sheikh Nazir has vehemently opposed the displaced Kashmiri Pandits' return and rehabilitation in the Valley's safe zones. According to him, Omar Abdullah has no mandate on the issue while as the radical separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Chairman of the Hurriyat Conference's so-called moderate faction Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were right in opposing the Pandits' return.
Replaced temporarily as NC's General Secretary by Minister of Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar last month, Sheikh Nazir has denigrated the minority community in a fashion unprecedented even in the rank secessionists' statements in an exclusive interview published in a Srinagar-based English daily newspaper today. According to him, Pandits have "one point agenda to mint money from wherever they can".
"Were Muslims not killed in Kashmir? Were only Pandits killed? If a few Pandits were killed, why this hue and cry? Does anyone have the... | |
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FRONT PAGE STORIES |
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| Was Maqbool Bhat really a NC worker? | | `Dr Farooq was a JKLF member' | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, July 22: Former National Conference General Secretary, Sheikh Nazir rarely opens his mouth but when he does, he causes an explosion. In a recent interview with a local newspaper, he said the JKLF ideologue, Maqbool Bhat was an NC worker when he worked for the Plebiscite Front.
Sheikh Nazir also went to the extent of saying that they (NC leadership) groomed him at Mujahid Manzil.
History is witness to the fact that Maqbool Bhat was part of Plebiscite Front but it is not proper to say that he was an NC worker, believes a noted Srinagar based historian. On the contrary, NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah was a JKLF member and had vowed to fight for liberation of Kash... | |
| | | | Fearing another defeat, Farooq decides not to contest election | | | | Rustam
JAMMU, July 22: NC working president and J&K CM Omar Abdullah on Sunday again declared that his father and party president Farooq Abdullah will not contest the upcoming Assembly election. He said the party has decided not to field him because he is not keeping good health. The declaration of Omar Abdullah that his father would remain out of the electoral arena this time has not gone down well with the old guards and the committed party workers, whatever their number now. Is health factor the sole reason behind the decision that Farooq Abdullah will not contest the upcoming Assembly election or there could be other reasons as well? The health factor could be one of the reasons and no... | |
| | | | Tragedy revisits Baltal base camp | | Bhandara gutted in fire; 4 die, 3 injured | | | Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, July 22: Tragedy struck at the Baltal base camp of the Amarnath Yatra in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district after fire broke out in one of the community kitchens (langar) resulting into the death of four persons. The fire broke out after a gas cylinder exploded with a big bang inside the kitchen.
Reports reaching here said that all the deceased were part of the Shiv Shakti Bhandara of Punjab and were busy in preparing breakfast for the Amarnath Yatris when the tragedy struck them. Other reports suggested that the Bhandara members were sleeping at the time of incident. The fire resulted in instant death to all the four persons with the fire being controlled so t... | |
| | | | Who was operating ailing Ch Aslam's CDF? | | | |
Abodh Sharma
JAMMU, July 22: With Congress stalwart and MLA Surnakot Choudhary Aslam critically ill for over last three years, letters of consent issued on his behalf for allocating funds under CDF have come under scanner and are indicating at a criminal breach of trust and misuse of public exchequer.
Sources close to Ch. Aslam divulge that the MLA was seriously ill for the last three years and was immobile and confined for the last two years and was no way in a position to read or comprehend letters, let alone write them under his hand and seal. Under such circumstances, who has been issuing letters of allocation of funds for development works in the constituency under CDF of the ail... | |
| | | | Prime land of CA to Hari Singh, Abdullah grabbed in Batmaloo | | Family running from pillar to post, authorities unmoved | | | Akshay Azad
JAMMU, July 22: On one hand Jammu and Kashmir state Government has been boasting high to rehabilitate uprooted families of Kashmir valley but when it comes to fulfilling the promises, the same Government shies away from its duties.
RC Gupta (Late), chartered accountant to former Maharaja of state Hari Singh and to first Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, had purchased around 11 Kanals of land in Batmaloo bypass area opposite Medical College Hostel Bemina.
The land was purchased in late fifties and till eruption of militancy in Valley family of RC Gupta had been getting crop share but with beginning of insurgency, firstly the crop share was stopped and after peace retur... | |
| | | | Congress on hunt for credible faces, many sitting legislators face axe | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 22: The Congress high command is preparing lists of candidates with clean public image who could be considered for the party mandate in the forthcoming Assembly elections. The party may also consider fresh faces, sources inform.
The party high command which decided to snap ties with NC is now in deep consultation mode to revive its political fortunes after it faced decisive defeat in the last Parliamentary elections.
"The party has taken a big political gamble by snapping ties just ahead of Assembly polls, but to capitalize on it, we need people with clean public image and understanding to project Congress vision and policies among the people," said a senio... | |
| | | | Bail hearing of encounter specialist SI deferred | | | | Asif Iqbal Naik
KISHTWAR, July 22: The court of Principal District and Sessions Judge, Bhaderwah, today deferred hearing on the bail plea of encounter specialist SI Shiv Krishan Sharma alias Sonu, lodged in Jammu jail along with his Personal Security Officer (PSO) for the last over one year for their alleged links with five militants arrested by the Doda police on May 23, 2013, for their involvement in a grenade attack on Thathri Police Station.
As per the details available with Early Times, as soon as the bail application of the SI came for hearing, the court decided to club it with that of other accused and decided to hear the final arguments of the accused tomorrow. The court decision ... | |
| | | | Estates' quarters officially vacant, unofficially occupied | | Does CM Omar know about it? | | | K Koushal
JAMMU, July 22: With the Assembly elections coming nearer, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is often heard in almost every public function talking about the eradication of corruption but it is strange that the Estates Department, which is presently headed by him, is alleged to be neck-deep in corruption.
According to sources, officials of Estates Department have remained unsuccessful to take action against the "corrupt" officials who are allegedly selling accommodation of the department to some people.
Irony is that the department has also failed to take action against the illegal occupants of estates' quarters.
Early Times has got to know from reliable sources that quarter No 7... | |
| | | | Beginning of the end of Sheikh family influence? | | Omar day dreams in Gurez | | | Early Times Report
gurez-synvak, July 22: National Conference working president Omar Abdullah while addressing workers' conventions in Gurez and Naidkhai-Sumbal, has said that National Conference would script a historic victory in the Assembly elections as the people of J&K would continue to repose their faith in a party that has not only proven to be a bulwark that protects the State's political interests and regional aspirations but has also ensured unparalleled and unprecedented development across the length and breadth of the State in the last five and a half years.
This has been equalled to day dreaming. Insiders reveal that Omar Abdullah is undecided as yet. He is scared about conte... | |
| | | | To cross examine witnesses in Kishtwar violence, Justice Gandhi reaches town | | | | Asif Iqbal Naik
KISHTWAR, July 22: Retired Justice RC Gandhi, appointed by the Government to probe into the August 9, 2013, Kishtwar violence that had claimed the lives of three persons and led to the burning down of public and Government properties once again reached Kishtwar along with other officials to examine the witnesses and other persons before submitting the final report to the Government as per the deadline fixed by the Supreme Court of India.
Justice Gandhi in his last leg of Kishtwar tour issued fresh summons to nearly 100 people who submitted their affidavits to the Commission. However, only a few people among those summoned by the commission turned up at TRC, Kishtwar, for ... | |
| | | | People find hard to digest Sagar's claim of NC getting majority in Assembly polls | | | | Shakeel A Khan
SRINAGAR, July 22: People of the valley find it hard to digest the claims of the National Conference general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar that his party is going to get the absolute majority in the coming assembly elections, forgetting the fact that the constituency he represents may also be clinched by the NC rivals.
People of the valley strongly believe that the man from Khanyar has taken over the job from Mustafa Kamal whose business in his capacity as the additional general secretary of the National Conference was to come out with the imaginative statements which had nothing do with the reality.
People say that the NC general secretary is misled as according to them ... | |
| | | | Govt recruited 3658 Headmasters, Subject teachers against approved target of 4318 | | No respect to MHRD Guidelines | | | Bivek Mathur
Jammu, July 22: In utter disrespect of the guidelines issued by Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), School Education Department, Jammu and Kashmir has failed to recruit the strength of Headmasters and Teachers in newly upgraded schools of Jammu and Kashmir. As per figures available with Early Times for the approved strength and recruitment of Headmasters and Teachers in newly upgraded school of Jammu and Kashmir as on May 26, 2014, for the last six years from 2009-10 to 2014-15, the state has recruited just 3658 headmasters and subject teachers against the set target of 4318 and that too in the single year-20012-13 respectively. In the year 2009-10, for 69 ... | |
| | | | Omar indecisive over constituency after Lok Sabha rout | | Abdullahs to surrender dynastic battle ground 'Ganderbal' | | | Javaid Naikoo
Srinagar, July 22: Fearing defeat in upcoming assembly elections after the rout to National conference (NC) during Lok Sabha elections, Abdullah's have finally decided to surrender their historical battle ground 'Ganderbal', thereby leaving Omar indecisive to select a constituency for himself. Sources said that as first list of candidates of NC Conference does not mention name of Omar Abdullah and the process of announcing further names of candidates has also halted since then, the problem lies in selecting secure constituency for Omar Abdullah who along with rest of party leaders fear defeat from historical political battle ground of Shiekh dynasty, 'Ganderbal' this time... | |
| | | | Deprived of RBA benefits, are women empowered in J&K? | | | | Avinash Azad
Jammu, July 22: In a sheer discrimination against them, the state government has deprived women married in backward rural pockets of the state of RBA benefits till they complete 15 years of their marriage.
The state government, in its notification issued vide government order No GAD 18/2006-I dated 27-02-2006, had directed the concerned departments that the female candidates who do not possess eligibility in terms of rule 2 of the J&K Reservation Rules 2005, including the one relating to 15 years of residence in a backward area, are not entitled to RBA certificate despite their marriage to a person belonging to a backward area.
"The government decision belies its claims of... | |
| | | | Non-performance disenchants people with electoral process | | | | Bashir Assad
Srinagar, July 22: The process of elections and campaigning has different dimensions in Kashmir. Candidates contesting elections function under maximum security. The routine fanfare accompanying such events is missing , even the people who come out to cast their vote generally remain away from the campaigning. Though initially from 1996 onwards, the enthusiasm was missing among the voters for the fear of gun, however, improvement in security scenario has not made much difference. Why? Even though elections rallies do often take place in rural areas, however, the participation in these rallies is still below the average but for different reasons.
The fact is that the rul... | |
| | | | Tampers records, forces people to sell land for peanuts | | Land mafia runs revenue office at Shivpora | | | Muhammad Mukaram
SRINAGAR, July 22: The land mafia is on prowl and hand in glove with the revenue officials at Shivpora, one of the prized locations in the summer capital of the state. The mafia operating in the Shivpora locality and its adjoining areas are enjoying the patronage of ministers and higher officials.
A group of residents told Early Times that Abdul Raheem Baba, the "kingpin" of the mafia, harasses the poor land owners and compels them to sell the land for peanuts. "He is the virtual Patwari of our area. Every time you visit the local office of the revenue officials you will find him sitting besides the Patwari and the Girdawar. Not only this he carries the official docume... | |
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