A total of 102 ceasefire violations
along the Line of Control (LoC)
in Jammu and Kashmir have taken place since 2010, the Government
said on April 25, reports Hindustan
Times. In a written reply
in Rajya Sabha (Upper House
of Parliament), Defense Minister
AK Antony said 44 cases of ceasefire
violations along the LoC in
Jammu and Kashmir were registered
in 2010. While there were 51
cases in 2011, seven such instances
have come to notice this year
[2012], he informed. Two Army
personnel and one Border Security
Force (BSF) soldier died in
these violations in 2010, he
said. "All activities across
LoC are continuously monitored.
Measures like strengthening
of defenses, deployment/redeployment
of troops, infrastructure development
and military modernization are
factored into our plans,"
he said.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Police
registered a case against All
Party Hurriyat Conference-Geelani
(APHC-G) leader Syed Ali Shah
Geelani, charging him with attempt
to murder and stone-pelting,
India Today reported
on April 26. Geelani had gone
to North Kashmir on April 6,
where he addressed a gathering
after offering Friday prayers.
The Police First Information
report (FIR) said that during
his speech, Geelani "provoked
and instigated people against
the State". "Soon
after the Friday prayers, Geelani
and his close confidantes addressed
a gathering of around 500 people.
They provoked people against
the State and their speech was
anti-State," the Police
said. According to the Police,
Geelani stated: "Indian
occupation of Jammu and Kashmir is illegal and we will continue with our struggle for
freedom." "He has
been booked under section 307
for an attempt to murder a Policeman
and section 336 for involvement
in stone-pelting," Police
said. The Police said his speech
caused hatred among masses against
the State. An unnamed senior
official informed that the case
has been filed about a particular
incident in which a Policeman
was assaulted that day and the
mob pelted stones. Since then
Geelani has not been allowed
to address any gathering. Geelani,
who arrived in Kashmir in March after three-month stay in New Delhi, had gone to
Baramulla on April 6 to address
people, adds Hindustan Times.
According to IBN Live Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah on April
26 said the Government will
soon bring a legislation to
provide Constitutional status
to panchayats (village
level local self Government
institutions). "In order
to do away with all rumours
and speculations being circulated
by some people regarding the
establishment of a powerful
panchayat system in the
state, we will provide constitutional
guarantee to the powers conferred
on the panchayats,"
Omar said. A relevant legislation
in this regard will be brought
into force, he said. Services
of 14 Government departments
have been conferred to panchayats
besides providing financial
support of Rs 40 crores [INR
400 million]. |
