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Polls for new BJP State president in Dec

Over a dozen aspirants in race get 'active'

8/9/2012 12:24:06 AM

Early Times Report jammu, Aug 8: With schedule set for election of new president in the month of December, the State unit of BJP is witnessing a flurry of activity with aspirants for the prestigious post having become active in trying to garner support at personal levels in their favour much ahead of the commencement of formal procedural exercise associated with the polls. According to party sources there are as many as 12 functionaries in the State unit who are aspiring to become president of the BJP in J&K the polls for which are fixed in the month of December this year. Even as the number of aspiring candidates is far more this time, the fact remains many of them are neither compete...

Traffic signal lights: Specifications, conformity to tender document ignored

RTI filed seeking details

8/9/2012 12:23:47 AM

Abodh Sharma JAMMU, Aug 8: Alleging discrepancies, short comings and non conformity in the hyped project of installation of traffic signal lights in Jammu, an RTI activist has sought information under the RTI Act from Jammu Municipal Corporation which could bring to the fore the incongruity with regards to accomplishment of the important project. Alleging that the terms and conditions specified in the tender document were compromised in allotting the contract to Onyx, a Delhi based company, which had quoted lowest rates for the proposed project, the information seeker while talking to ET averred that the committee constituted by the Government in this regard had foregone the important asp...

Bedi Commission allows examination of 6 witnesses

Haji Yousuf death controversy

8/9/2012 12:23:23 AM

Early Times Report srinagar, Aug 8: While declining the appearance of four Delhi and Chandigarh based forensic experts, Justice HS Bedi Commission today allowed examination of six out of 11 witnesses proposed by National Conference (NC) senior worker Haji Syed Mohammad Yousuf's family. Haji Yousuf had died in controversial circumstances on September 29, 2011, after being given in custody of the State Crime Branch by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his residence. Purportedly confronted by two NC activists and aspirants for Ministerial berths, Haji had allegedly collected cash worth Rs 1.00 Cr but failed to return it to the two clients when neither of them was inducted as MLC or Minister, e...

Why was Sher-e-Kashmir arrested in 1953?

8/9/2012 12:22:56 AM

Early Times Report SRINAGAR, Aug 8: People by and large believe that Sher-e-Kashmir was dethroned and arrested on August 9, 1953 for resisting moves aimed at diluting internal autonomy of the State. But this is far from reality. He was taken into custody for seeking total independence for Jammu Kashmir. His (Sher-e-Kashmir) July 13, 1953 speech is very significant. He said, "These martyrs have prepared us for bigger sacrifices to achieve our freedom and our right to self-determination. If required, our youth would not desist from fighting a liberation war on the lines of Algerian people. I regret my mistake of coming in the way of merger with Pakistan. I had fears that they won't treat...

Forgetting Sheikh legacy!

8/9/2012 12:22:43 AM

Sher-e-Kashmir observed August 9 as a black day for the rest of his life. Even after assuming power with Congress support in 1975, he continued to observe it as black day. But times have changed and so has the situation in Kashmir. Sher-e-Kashmir was arrested for nurturing secessionist tendencies. Today's NC is not only rejecting the 1975 Accord but has been challenging `totality' of accession. But at the same time it is enjoying power with Congress support. Can today's National Conference afford to observe August 9 as black day? Interestingly, the NC has not been observing the day for the past many years. The NC leaders miss no opportunity to claim that the party was taking forward Sh...

End of tunnel from Pakistan found

8/9/2012 12:22:29 AM

Early Times Report jammu, Aug 8: The end point of an underground tunnel dug from Pakistan to push terrorists and weapons into Jammu and Kashmir has been found, police said today. The discovery was made by a geological team carrying out excavation of the area in Samba district where the tunnel was stumbled upon. Police officials told that the end point of the tunnel was distinct in shape. While the tunnel is oval shaped, the end is a semi-circle. "The semi-circle may be meant to provide space for gathering people," an official said. "We are still working on finding the opening. It could be at some other place." The oxygen pipes laid along the tunnel too end at this point. The end of t...

Heads must hang in shame over Sindbal murder

8/9/2012 12:22:06 AM

Early Times Report Srinagar, Aug 8: The clash between two groups of villagers in Sindbal village of Ganderbal district must come as a warning for all of us. While the immediate fallout of the clash has been the death of a village youth, its ramifications could be far reaching unless every responsible citizen of the State wakes up to the new challenge. Apparently the clash has occurred over the use of a Masjid loudspeaker in the village between followers of two different schools of religious thought. But, the stark reality that the same could culminate in the death of a local youth must hang every thinking and responsible head in shame. Religion is the spiritual way of binding not only the...

HC seeks fresh status report in Surankote massacre

8/9/2012 12:21:54 AM

Early Times Report SRINAGAR, Aug 8: The High Court directed the State Government to file a fresh status report in investigation of the death of 19 persons in a midnight massacre in Surankote area of Poonch district of Jammu region in 1998. Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir, who heard the matter admitted in February this year, issued directions to the government to furnish latest status report on the investigation within three weeks. The massacre according to the petitioners took place during the night intervening August 3rd and 4th of 1998 at Sailan, about 14 kilometers from Surankote. The dead included children, women and aged persons besides a pregnant woman Zareena. Relatives of victims h...

Senior NIA officers rush to Kishtwar

Amir Kamal killing aftermath

8/9/2012 12:21:37 AM

Asif Iqbal Naik kishtwar, Aug 8: Two days after the killing of Amir Ali Kamal, accused in last year September 7 blast outside Delhi High Court, the surrender militant cum police source Sajjad Ahmed Mir alias Rizwan guided Doda police and 10 RR to various Hizb hideouts in Kishtwar district including in Nagsini area and also in Chatroo area. During an interrogation with Doda police and 10 RR, Rizwan disclosed the information about various safe hideouts used by HM commander Jahangir Saroori, Chota Hafiz and other militants in Kishtwar district. Rizwan reportedly took the Doda police to Fambar area of Chatroo tehsil bordering neighboring district Anantnag of South Kashmir. He also took them t...

On I-Day eve, Army takes up massive exercise of identifying vulnerable places, suspects

8/9/2012 12:21:20 AM

Bharat Bhushan jammu, Aug 8: On the eve of Independence Day, Army has taken up the massive exercise of identifying vulnerable places and suspects in the areas that fall along the upper and lower Akhnoor roads here. The jawans of a Jammu-based regiment visited Sarpanchs and some elderly persons in Kot, Kale Gaon and villages close to Tumbar Khoo and spoke to them. At Tumbar Khoo, five militants, who had infiltrated somewhere from the border Kanhachak area, were shot dead by troops in a gunbattle a few years back. These jawans, who were in twos and threes, penned down the details gathered from the villagers on paper sheets and submitted them to their Commanding Officer (CO). Sources in Ar...

JU granting affiliation to pvt colleges without inspection

Office of CDC bye-passing laid norms, provisions

8/9/2012 12:21:03 AM

Early Times Report jammu, Aug 8: The Colleges Development Council (CDC) of Jammu University (JU) is working in an absolute arbitrary manner under the directorship of Prof Deshbandhu Gupta. In a latest move, the CDC is granting affiliation to the private B.Ed colleges for the current academic session without even going for routine inspections. Soon the office is going to declare B.Ed admission open in a hush-hush manner. As per practice and laid norms, the team of CDC has to inspect the temporary affiliated colleges before the commencement of academic session every year. But, this year the Director CDC didn't find enough time to constitute teams and inspect the colleges. Instead of going f...

Empowering Panchayat: Youth Congress hoodwinking people

Hollow Threat

8/9/2012 12:20:45 AM

Neha jammu, Aug 8: The devolution of powers of the 14 Government departments as announced by the State Government to the Panchayats is just an eye-wash aimed at hoodwinking the common masses. The Congress has been demanding implementation of the 73rd and 74th Amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act. The State Government is not serious in implementing these amendments. As such we are giving a timeframe of one week to the Government to implement the amendments. If they do it well and good, otherwise we would come on streets and raise agitation. From August 9 the Youth Congress activists would submit memorandum to the Deputy Commissioners across the State impressing upon them t...

Farooq, Omar speaking different languages

Pakistan & Army

8/9/2012 12:20:23 AM

Rustam jammu, Aug 8: Patron of National Conference and Union Minister for Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah and his son and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah are speaking different languages. This is not a new phenomenon. Abdullah family is known for speaking differently at different places. It speaks one thing in Kashmir, speaks another in Jammu and quite often takes complete U-turns in New Delhi. They speak the language that suits them. That's the reason the NC has been becoming unpopular with each passing day. However, it can be said that Farooq Abdullah is a mature and shrewd politician and that sometimes he does make points which make people appreciate him and his formulations. Take, for e...

Are Padgaonkar, Kumar, Ansari still interlocutors?

8/9/2012 12:20:03 AM

ET Report jammu, Aug 8: Are Dilip Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and MM Ansari, who worked as New Delhi interlocutors for full one year from October 13, 2010 to October 12, 2011, still the interlocutors? The impression was that these New Delhi's agents and track II operatives completed the job on time and that they were asked to bind up the day they submitted their highly controversial, divisive, Kashmir-centric and one-community-centric report to the Union Home Minister. They submitted their report on October 12, 2011. Padgaonkar that day gave the people to understand that their job was over and that they would be available to the Government if it needed some clarifications. This is also the ge...

August 9 episode was aimed at altering terms of accession: Tarigami

Demands restoration of Art 370 in original form

8/9/2012 12:06:01 AM

Early Times Report Srinagar, Aug 8 : The CPI(M) leader and sitting MLA, Mohd. Yusuf Tarigami has said that dethroning Sheikh Abdullah in n1953 was aimed at changing the terms and conditions of accession. He also urged New Delhi to shun its attitude of ' installing' leadership as per its convenience in J&K, "Barring the tribal raid and the division of the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir State, the episode of August 9, 1953 was not only one of the most tragic events in the history of J&K but had also such far reaching consequences that its ghost continues to haunt, not only J&K but the entire sub continent", Tarigami told . "I feel that the episode of August 9 occurred as a result of acute ...

19 school vans seized for illegal use of LPG cylinders in R S Pura

8/9/2012 12:05:40 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Aug 8 : Taking strong notice of illegal use of LPG gas cylinder putting school going children at risk, the Police today seized 19 school transport vehicles while police have made school administration of three top R.S Pura based schools namely Nagbani R S Pura, the Montisuri and a local convent school answerable for sideling the set norms for school transport, sources said.. Police sources said that administration the said schools have sidelined rules and regulations aside by putting the school children on risk of accidents due to overloading and illegal use of LPG cylinders. "Following repeated complaints about alleged overloading and illegal use of LPG cylin...

Pay income tax before fixed due date : ITC

8/9/2012 12:05:27 AM

Jammu, Aug 8 : Commissioner of Income Tax, Jammu and Kashmir Circle Arun Kumar Thatai today appealed the masses to pay their income tax before the fixed due date. Speaking in an interaction with the media persons, Commissioner said this afternoon said that the last date to file Income Tax return has been extended to August 31. "The last date of the submission of the advance tax is Sept 15 and assesses should deposit the advance tax for the financial year of 2012-13," appealed the IT Commissioner. He further said that the department has collected an amount of Rs 617.75 crore in the 2011-2012 financial year. "Against the target of Rs 580 crore, the IT department succeeded in generating Rs 6...

Geelani's tele address to slain militants funeral

Accuses New Delhi of genocide of JK People

8/9/2012 12:05:17 AM

Early Times Report Kishtwar, Aug 8 : Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani seems determined to defy the government restrictions. He addressed the funeral of slain Hizb commander through the medium of telephone today. Geelani with the help of his supporters addressed the gathering on mobile phone connected with loudspeaker and accused government of India of genocide of Jammu Kashmir people. During his 19 minute hate speech, the senior police officers who were present on the spot listening to his address. Geelani in his address urged the people to remain united and stressed need for revolt against the` Indian occupation' in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that over one lac people are b...

NC rejects Jethmalani as 'link between BJP and PDP'

8/9/2012 12:05:03 AM

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz SRINAGAR, Aug 8: Wary of the activity of some conflict managers from New Delhi, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's National Conference (NC) has dismissed head of the NDA-floated erstwhile Kashmir Committee and former union Law Minister of the Vajpayee government, Ram Jethmalani, as a 'broker between BJP and PDP'. Apparently stung by visits and meetings of eminent jurist Ram Jethmalani and conflict manager Madhu Kishwar with a number of separatist leaders and the PDP chief Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, NC has finally broken its silence with a hard-hitting statement today. "The mask of credibility of Jethmalani has slipped and it is now clear that his mission is to drum up support fo...