Jammu and Kashmir: News and Discussion

[SATISH]

I dont think this is any kind of start. Many officials have told this before but this time a conditional aid bill for Pakistan has been passed. This is a good sign. Hope this outright statement had something to do with the bill.

 

[Yusuf]

It's just part of the carrot and stick, crticize and laud policy of the US towards Pakistan. Don't be surprised if tomorrow someone in the admin lauds Pakistan for it's role in WOT and how it is taking steps to control terror against India. These are routine statements. Don't make much of it.

 

[bhramos]

yeah yusouf u r right.
but wat can US do.
it cant stop funding against WOT 2 PAK.

 

[I-G]

IAF helicopter hit by bullet in Doda, security increased

Drass (PTI): An IAF helicopter flying over Doda in Jammu and Kashmir was hit by a bullet following which high security arrangements have been made, a top air force official said on Sunday.

"High security and precautions are being taken while flying in J&K," Air Officer Commanding in Chief (AOC-In-C) Air Marshal J Chouhan said.

Referring to the incident, Air Marshal Chouhan, however, said that it has not been re-established that it was shot by militants.

"The hole which appeared on the tail was that of a bullet. It was flying over Doda," Air Marshal Chouhan told PTI. In Doda sector, Delta and Rashtriya Rifles (RR) ensure that area is safe for flying and necessary precautions are taken, he said.

The Hindu News Update Service

 

[I-G]

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti throws microphone at J&K Speaker
TIMESOFINDIA.COM 27 July 2009, 11:07am IST


NEW DELHI: There was ruckus in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Monday with legislators of the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) stalling the proceedings by shouting slogans against the government over the Shopian murders.

The PDP legislators gathered near the speaker's podium and Mehbooba Mufti even tried to fling a microphone at the Speaker.

The incident occurred after PDP leaders started raising slogans over the Shopian incident in which two women were raped and murdered in May.

Led by party president Mehbooba Mufti, PDP legislators started shouting slogans like "Produce the killers of Shopian" as the assembly session began.

After repeated requests by the Speaker failed to restore order, he ordered the dismissal of the PDP MLAs from the floor of the House. The MLAs, however, refused to leave and police officials had to forcibly escort them out of the assembly.

Pandemonium continued in the assembly till the PDP legislators were taken out of the House.

Mehbooba Mufti later accused the Speaker of using "unparliamentary" language and acting more like a "ruling NC worker" in the House.

Mehbooba Mufti said, "I took on the Speaker as he was ordering PDP MLAs out."

"We did nothing wrong. Speaker was at fault, she added.

PDP MLAs led by Mehbooba Mufti are now staging a sit-in dharna outside the assembly.

Meanwhile, the bail applications of J&K police officers Javed Iqbal Mattoo and Rohit Baskotra, arrested in connection with the sensational Shopian murder case, will come up for hearing on Monday at a court in Shopian.

The pleas of the two officers were moved on Sunday before the sessions court by senior Supreme Court lawyer Asim Mehrotra who flew into Srinagar to argue the case on behalf of Mattoo and Baskotra.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti throws microphone at J&K Speaker - India - NEWS - The Times of India

 

[I-G]

Infiltration bid foiled in J&K, three militants killed

Srinagar (IANS): Three militants were killed in north Kashmir's Kupwara district Monday when the army foiled an infiltration bid across the Line of Control (LoC), officials said.

"Three intruding terrorists were killed in the Tangdhar sector of the LoC and the army foiled the infiltration bid," a defence spokesman said here.

The operation against the intruders is still on.

The LoC divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

The Hindu News Update Service

 

[RPK]

Omar Abdullah threatens to quit

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today offered to resign from the post after a senior PDP leader made a serious allegation that he was involved in last year s sex scandal.


“I know it is a false allegation. But I want to resign till I am cleared of this false allegation. I cannot work till I am proved innocent. It is a blot on my character. Any amount of investigation by the Home department will not not help. Till I am able to prove my innocence, I am going to give my resignation to the governor", he told the state assembly a statement that shocked his party MLAs and ministers.

The MLAs and ministers physically restrained him from going out, telling him not not to resign and that the party would not not accept it.

He was virtually forced to take his seat by the ruffled members but he got up to shout at them saying allow him to take this first step. The whole drama began when PDP leader and former deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Beig levelled the allegation that Abduallah was involved in the infamous Srinagar sex scandal. He claimed he had a list of people involved in the scandal in which Abdullah’s name figured against No.102.

 

[RPK]

Omar's name did not figure in 2006 sex scandal case: CBI

NEW DELHI: CBI on Tuesday said the name of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah never figured in the 2006 sex scandal case in which two
ministers of the then PDP regime were arrested.

Highly-placed CBI sources said the name of the Chief Minister had never come up in any way during the probe and that the list of accused questioned by the agency consisted of a little over three dozen people.

The CBI said the name of the agency was being unnecessarily dragged into the controversy by a political party in the state.

While the list of accused questioned by the CBI was mere 37, PDP leader Muzzafar Hussain Beigh today claimed at the floor of the house that Omar's name was at serial number 102.

A senior CBI official, who probed the entire scandal on directions of the J&K High Court, said a list had been prepared and circulated in 2006 by people having vested interest possibly to target political opponents.

But the agency found that the list had no relevance whatsoever during the probe, the official said.

The CBI had arrested G M Mir and Raman Mattoo, both ministers in the then PDP-Congress Government, besides Iqbal Khandey, the former Principal Secretary to the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

 

[I-G]

Arms cache recovered from militant hideout in J&K

Jammu (PTI): A militant hideout was busted and a cache of arms was recovered by the police in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

A search operation was launched in Khour forests of Gulabgarh area, about 150-kms from here, in Reasi district on Monday by the police, who busted the militant hideout allegedly belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, police said.

During the raid, police recovered four grenades, some detonators, one shell rocket propelled gun, 130 rounds of AK ammunition and some explosive material, they said.

The Hindu News Update Service

 

[I-G]

Omar Abdullah resigns as J&K CM

Srinagar (PTI): On a day of dramatic developments, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday resigned after a senior PDP leader alleged in the State Assembly that he was involved in the 2006 sex scandal, a charge dismissed by him as false.

An emotional Mr. Omar Abdullah drove to Governor N.N. Vohra's residence at 3 pm shortly after announcing in the Assembly that he will tender his resignation and stay out of office till his name is cleared.

In his resignation letter, Mr. Omar Abdullah also asked the Governor to initiate an enquiry into the allegations levelled against him within a specified time frame. "I would be grateful if in a time bound manner you can enquire into the allegations levelled against me at the earliest," his political Advisor Davender Rana quoted Mr. Omar Abdullah as saying.

The whole drama began when PDP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Beig alleged that Mr. Omar Abdullah was involved in the infamous Srinagar sex scandal, which was investigated by the CBI.

Mr. Beig claimed he had a list of people involved in the scandal in which Mr. Omar Abdullah figured at No.102 while his father Farooq Abdullah's name was at serial No. 38.

However, CBI sources said there was no such list and all necessary action in the case had been taken. Two former ministers of the PDP-Congress Government — G.A. Mir and Raman Mattoo — and Iqbal Khandey, a former aide of the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, were among those arrested.

An upset Mr. Omar Abdullah said in the Assembly,"I know it is a false allegation. But I want to resign. Till I am cleared of this false allegation, I cannot work....It is a blot on my character.

"Any amount of investigation by the Home Department will not help," the 39-year-old National Conference leader told the State Assembly, a statement that shocked his party MLAs and Ministers.

Mr. Omar Abdullah was accompanied by Mr. Farooq Abdullah to the Raj Bhavan besides his political advisor Mr. Rana.

The MLAs and ministers physically restrained Mr. Omar Abdullah from going out of the Assembly, telling him not to resign and that the party would not not accept it.

Mr. Omar Abdullah, who came to power in January this year at the head of a NC-Congress coalition, was virtually forced to take his seat by the ruffled members but he got up to shout at them saying "allow me to take this first step."

Mr. Rana accused the PDP of levelling a "frivolous, fabricated, malicious and baseless" allegation against Mr. Omar Abdullah.

"Omar has proved to the world that he is not a politician of the ordinary mill... that he is a man of ethics and high morality and one who is going to change the discourse of politics in this country and the sub-continent," he said.

Mr. Omar Abdullah left Chief Ministership on an allegation which he believes is "false, absolutely concocted and malicious", he said.

Mr. Rana said the entire legislative party of the National Conference and the Congress tried hard persuade Mr. Omar Abdullah not to resign. "We all stood up for him... but he said no".

Referring to the CBI probe into the scandal and asserting that the guilty had not been punished, Mr. Beig said in the Assembly, "I have to say with regret, there is the name of Omar Abdullah, son of Farooq Abdullah, in the list. He has lost the moral authority to rule the State. He must resign."

The issue figured shortly after the Question Hour ended in the House which on Monday witnessed pandemonium after PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti wrenched a mike from the Speaker's podium and tried to remove one more, showing her protest over the issue of Shopian rape and murder case. She and other PDP MLAs were promptly marshalled out of the House.

In his response, an emotionally-charged Mr. Omar Abdullah, said he had not expected "things to fall to such depths".

Mr. Omar Abdullah said, "under the rule of law, one is innocent until proven guilty. It's my misfortune that this false allegation has been made against me by a member of the PDP."

He said one could ignore if it was an allegation of dacoity, theft or looting but this was a serious charge.

"The allegation made against me is false," he said.

The Chief Minister did not talk to the media after leaving the Assembly. He straightaway drove to his house where he confabulated with his party colleagues and also Congress leaders.

Mr. Farooq Abdullah, who had left for the airport to catch a flight to Delhi, returned home to join the process of consultations.

As Mr. Omar Abdullah and Mr. Farooq Abdullah came out, groups of NC workers blocked the way.

They raised slogans against PDP leaders including former Chief Minister Mr. Sayeed, Mr. Beig and PDP president Ms. Mufti.


The Hindu News Update Service

 

[I-G]

Body of jawan recovered

Srinagar (PTI): A decomposed body of an army jawan was recovered from Indus river, police said here on Thursday.

The partially decomposed body of Naik Kamal Bas Kumar of Army Signal Regiment, who was missing since July 4 was recovered on Wednesday from the river near NHPC Lachi in Leh town, 434 km from here, they said.

The Hindu News Update Service


RIP

 

[I-G]

Two CRPF personnel injured in J&K attack
PTI 1 August 2009, 12:02pm IST

SRINAGAR: Militants on Saturday shot at and critically injured two CRPF personnel deployed in the heart of the city, police said.


The incident took place at around 11:25 AM at Regal Chowk, they said.

The injured have been rushed to a hospital.

Two CRPF personnel injured in J&K attack - India - NEWS - The Times of India

 

[duhastmish]

--------------------------------------------
Return to work, Governor tells Omar
Express news service
Posted online: July 31, 2009 at 0516
Print Email
J&K GOVERNOR N N Vohra has rejected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resignation after inquiring into allegations levelled against him by PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh....
Related Stories
Hizbul Mujahideen militant arrested in J&K CBI probe demanded into encroachment of temple land in J-K Shopian: Four police officers sent to Central jail J-K CM Omar Abdullah resumes office We’re not the B-team of separatists, says Omar accuser Beigh
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU J&K GOVERNOR N N


Vohra has rejected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resignation after inquiring into allegations levelled against him by PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh. Omar put in his papers Tuesday, hours after Beigh claimed in the House that the CM's name figured in a list of suspects in the Srinagar sex abuse case.

“Based on the information supplied to him by the Union Home Ministry, there is no basis for Shri Abdullah seeking to resign,” a government spokesman quoted the Governor as saying. He said the Governor inquired into the matter after Omar handed his resignation letter. Since “there is no basis” for his resignation, “the Governor advised the Chief Minister to most vigorously devote himself to discharging responsibilities of CM,” the spokesman said.

Omar is likely to return to office on Friday. Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone said he took up the matter with the CBI director and the agency cleared the CM.

Meanwhile, Omar visited the holy shrines of Hazratbal and Makhdoom Sahib and paid obeisance after learning of the clean chit.

Later, he said he had been vindicated. “I had full confidence in my innocence but people would not have been completely convinced until this,” the CM said. “My conviction is that only a person with unblemished character has a moral right to hold positions where from he can serve people with full devotion.”

He added, “I firmly believed that those who resort to mudslinging themselves get exposed. The present event has cemented my belief further”.

The PDP, however, said that Omar’s resignation was a farce and that the Governor's communication brings no qualitative change.
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a good news indeed - omar has just proved why he is diffrent from rest of political garbage in our country - he stand above all so called youth leaders.
I would like to see now how does mufti sahiba respond!!!!

 

[Ray]

I know Muftoi Mehbooba and her crookery.

She is a crook and a crooked politician,

She is very pro militants!

I sounded her out when I was in Kashmir!

What a disloyal family. Her sister abducted by the terrorists was freed by giving in to their demands! Just because daddy was the Union Home Minister!

A more self centred and a selfish family you can never find!

Her father is the 'healing touch' wizard which allowed a free hand to the terrorist to spread terror more!

 

[Singh]

Ray sir, what's your opinion on the Ikhwahan, surrendered militants ?

And what if we float a muslim majority force in Kashmir valley, will that not help ? Earlier I used to balk at this suggestion but lately I think this would be a tremendous PR tool.

 

[Ray]

I have interacted with the Kuka Parray faction.

They are good!

There are a lot of Kashmiris joining the Forces.

The RR action in Lolab where a Kashmiri SF chap died is an example!

I had Kahsmiri boys in my own unit and they were good!

 

[Yusuf]

I just wonder why the Indian government has not done anything to get the Pandits back and also given incentives to others to move there and set up base including Muslims. It would have made a huge economic difference and that alone would kill any question of Azadi.

 

[duhastmish]

I just wonder why the Indian government has not done anything to get the Pandits back and also given incentives to others to move there and set up base including Muslims. It would have made a huge economic difference and that alone would kill any question of Azadi.

pundits would be more than happy to be back - if they will be kept alive. the issue is - terrorism in kashmir. and this terrorism is not allowing pundits to come back to their home. the problem are created by ex indian politcial scenario and i dont like to see it change- because its all about vote bank.
now the question of azadi will only be wiped with development, stopage of criminal activity by crpf and other officails in kashmir, and most importantly lettign voice of kashmiri come to rest of our indian people.(media)
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there is no question of azadi !!!!! everbody is askign for it - asam , punjab, kashmir everybody want their bloody state - leaders want their own strong hold. it will only ruin the region.
the question is - helping and development of kashmiri which they very well deserve!!!!!

 

[I-G]

RDX and other arms recovered in Poonch

Poonch (J&K) (PTI): A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including 20 kgs of RDX, was recovered by the security forces in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, defence sources said here on Saturday.

During search operations, army troops busted a militant hideout and recovered arms cache in Mandi area, about 210-kms from Jammu, last night, they said.

The recoveries included 20 kgs of RDX, two AK rifles alongwith their 44 rounds, one pika gun along with its 136 rounds, one pistol, 20 chinese grenades and two grenades of rocket propelled gun, they said.

It is suspected that militants had left the consignment of arms in the hideout to target the ongoing Budha Amarnath yatra, police said.

The troops had recovered an arms consignment, including five-kgs of RDX, in Kenu forest of Poonch district on July 26 also.

Budha Amarnath yatra commenced on July 27 from Jammu with about 1,000 pilgrims leaving from here to Budha Amarnath shrine in Mandi area of Poonch district.

The Hindu News Update Service

 

[I-G]

AFSPA being amended, says Chidambaram

New Delhi (PTI): The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is being amended and the government is looking at limiting the application of the legislation to some areas, Home Minister P Chidambaram said here on Saturday.

Mr. Chidambaram said that the Centre would have to take a decision on restricting the application of the controversial Act in some areas. The Act is currently enforced in Jammu and Kashmir and some parts of the Northeast.

"The AFSPA amendments are getting ready," he told reporters at a monthly press briefing here.

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have been demanding repeal of AFSPA contending that they give unfettered powers to armed forces, whom they accuse of high-handedness.

The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had also demanded withdrawal of the Act from the state and there have been deliberations with the armed forces over the issue.

"At the moment, we are looking at the amendments to the AFSPA. I cannot disclose the nature of the amendments because that has to go through the Cabinet process.

"We are also looking at limiting the application of the AFSPA to some areas," Chidambaram said in response to a question over withdrawal of the Act from Jammu and Kashmir.

"That (limiting the application) is the goal over a period of time. In consultation with the state government, we will have to take a look at that," he said.


The Hindu News Update Service