Congress Govt falls in J&K

Zeenews Bureau Srinagar, July 07: The Congress government in J&K fell down on Monday as an embarrassed Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the Speaker to withdraw the Confidence Motion in the face of imminent defeat. Azad is currently on his way to the Raj Bhawan to submit his papers to Governor N N Vohra. 59-year-old Azad's announcement to step down from the top post came after an emotionally-charged speech in the House during which he gave indications that it was his farewell address to the legislators. As he ended his 130-minute-long speech, Azad told a packed state Assembly that he has requested Speaker Tara Chand to withdraw the confidence motion moved by him at the beginning of his speech. "I do not wish to put my friends in trouble whose heart is somewhere else and their party whip is somewhere else," Azad said. "I am satisfied with my work. The motive I came with, I have largely achieved it. I don't care who will be the chief minister. I don't care whether the government survives or falls... I have shown the way," Azad said in his speech which highlighted his government's achievements during the last two- and-a-half years. Meanwhile, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah while talking to a news channel, said that his party will not stake claim to form a government. He also completely ruled out any sort of a pre-poll alliance with the BJP in view of the forthcoming assembly elections in the restive valley. PDP, led by former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, had on June 28 withdrawn support to the Azad-led government on the Amarnath land transfer issue. Speculations are rife that President's rule might be clamped on the state for sometime.

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this day was due. it was Nabi Azad commonly known as Nabi Tulip who showed his shameless face by not resigning the day he was cought in land transfer issue. any government is fale in J&K state till the dispute will not is resolved. so they so called democratic governments in our state are pupets of indian government. LET KASHMIRI TO GIVE VIEW: 20-39% VOTE TUNOUT DOES NOT MEAN MAJORITY OF PEOPLE LIKE government while as 60-65% did not even like to vote under such governence in our state. - M.Mudasir - srinagar

kashmiris are least bothered about the person who heads the government. For them every body is a traitor. They are least bothered about the elections and want Government of India to fulfil the promise of holding plebicite in the entire state. - majid - kashmir

Kashmiris as a principal least bother about who will will be in chair. However, they would like have their rights, individuality, culture and secularism protected which is being eroded by every mainstream party whether national or regional in the name of security of nation thus alienating the Kashmiris further from India. Can Congress+ allies and Snagh Parivar have instrospection and look into genuine demands of Kashmiris for their own benefit. - Marshall - Kashmir

Whosoever comes into power the fact remains that the common masses of the state have to bear the brunt sitting at home during curfew and wasting their valuable time.Who will think of human resources and time management? - Kavita - Kolkata

It is a well deserved ending of the govt as congress govt tried to impose the hindutva agenda in kashmir by alloting the land to non kashmiri body.The fact that Kashmiris did not hurt even a single yatri during protests prove that kashmiri are non voilent and peaceful. The only demand of kashmiris is that the status quo should not be changed unless the dispute of Kashmiri is resolved as per the wishes of the poeple of Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir. - Ajaz Ahmed Kashmiri - Kashmir

Good riddance of a government that insulted the Hindus by first transferring land to facilitate their pilgrimage and then rescinding that order to appease Muslim fanatics. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Madrasa degree valid for railway jobs: Lalu

Indo-Asian News Service
Sunday, July 6, 2008 (Patna)
The Indian Railways have decided to accept Madrasa (Islamic seminary) degrees as valid for its job requirement, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said in Patna on Sunday.''Now students of Madrasa, like any educational institution, will be able apply for jobs in the railways,'' Lalu Prasad said. ''All the necessary official formalities in this regard will be finalised soon by the railways,'' Lalu Prasad said.The move is seen as part of Lalu Prasad's political strategy ahead of the parliamentary elections to woo Muslim voters. Early this year, the minister promised to increase the percentage of Muslim employees in the railways. But a latest report of a review meeting of the group of secretaries of central government last month found the railways were still lagging in recruitment of Muslims.Last year acting on the Rajinder Sachar Committee recommendations, the government issued directives to all ministries to improve participation of minorities in government jobs.Till February 2008, of the 67 departments and ministries under the central government, the railways had nearly three percent Muslim employees, which is well below the average five per cent mark.


I do not think Laloo Prasad Yadav can peremptorily decide that Madarssa degrees are valid for railway jobs. I hope this decision of his is tried in the courts of law as to consider its legal merits.

One more Congress MLA joins BJP in Karnataka

Bangalore, July 06: The Congress in Karnataka on Sunday suffered another jolt when party MLA J Narasimhaswamy resigned his Doddaballapur Assembly seat and joined BJP, a development that indicated continued desertion from opposition parties into the ruling side. Narasimhaswamy is the son of senior Congress leader and former Union Minister R L Jalappa, who had been sulking against the party leadership for sometime now. Narasimhaswamy is the fourth MLA from opposition ranks to walk into the fold of the saffron party since yesterday and second from Congress. In a sudden political development yesterday, Asnotikar Anand Vasant of Congress, elected from Karwar seat, resigned his Assembly membership and joined BJP along with two JDS members -- Balachandra L Jarakhiholi and K Shivanagouda Naik. Narasimhaswamy, defending his decision to bid adieu to Congress said: "I had to take the decision keeping in mind the development of my constituency.” He said he met Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar this morning and submitted resignation from his post. The development has shaken Congress and JDS, as it comes less than two months after the Assembly polls in the state. Karnataka went to the polls in three phases in May. With the resignation of Narasimhaswamy from his Assembly membership, the strength in the 224-member House has been reduced to 220. Bureau Report


Your comment(s) on this article
BJP should be vary of taking these opportunists into its fold. I hope the electorate would teach these opportunists a lesson when they stand for by-elections and all parties should understand that men of integrity would be more valuable for the polity, whichever party they are. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

This is cheap way of politics from BJP to remain in power. Hail yeddy & reddy bros. So how are these people different from congress or JDS? a burden on the economy for by-election...these 3 MLAs need to be taught a lesson when they go for votes - Venkat - UK

BJP against revoking land transfer order

Press Trust of India
Saturday, July 5, 2008 (Jammu)
Demanding that the Jammu and Kashmir government cancel the revoked order on land transfer to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), the BJP today asked Muslim organisations across the country to support the cause.''The revoking of land transfer order to SASB by the government is unfortunate and shameful,'' BJP President Rajnath Singh told reporters here.Alleging that the government had succumbed to the separatist forces on the issue, Singh said the state government and the Centre were equally responsible for the situation arising out of the cancellation of land to the shrine board.The BJP President said the decision to transfer land to SASB was taken with a view to providing facilities to the pilgrims through the board. But the state and central government yielded to separatists' pressure after they launched agitation in the valley and revoked the order.''Since the minority government in the state has no moral authority to cancel the order, the BJP demands the cancellation of the order immediately,'' Singh said.While welcoming the Muslim organizations, which supported the issue, the BJP president appealed to the community to come forward and fight against the decision.Rajnath vowed to cancel the order, if the people of Jammu and Kashmir helped BJP come to power in the state.

J&K Government must reinstate the order taking over 100 acres of land for the Amarnath Temple. While the Muslims in Kashmir are against the order in the name of Kashmiris vs. outsiders, what reason has the Muslims of the rest of India got to oppose the order? If they oppose the order it is clear that Muslims do not want Hindu temples to prosper. Since this is a Hindu majority country, Islam should be banned in India if Muslims are opposed to Hinduism.

Cong-Left playing game to divert attention from inflation: BJP

Jaipur, July 04: The BJP on Friday accused the Congress and Left parties of playing a 'game' on the Indo-US nuclear deal to divert public attention from price rise and inflation that has touched a 13-year high. Coming up with the allegation at a press conference here today BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy charged the Left parties with behaving like 'pranksters' with the Congress-led UPA on all issues. "Be it price rise, nuclear deal or development, the Left parties have been behaving like pranksters with the UPA, an alliance they supported at the Centre to serve their own interests," he said. Spelling the BJP'S stand on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Rudy said, the party believes that the country's nuclear programme should not be hampered and it should be ready to go for a Pokharan-III whenever required. He said the BJP would not object to such an agreement with the US. Claiming that the BJP had emerged as the political alternative at the national level after a series of electoral wins in states, Rudy said the party would contest the next general and Assembly polls on the issues of inflation, terrorism, Congress' appeasement policy, farmers' distress, and the Ramsethu project. On Amarnath land transfer row, the BJP leader said, the issue had exposed the Congress' non-secular credentials. Noting that inflation is constantly on the rise, the former Union Minister held the UPA responsible for "economic lawlessness" and demanded a white paper from the Centre on inflation and the anarchic conditions of the country's economy. "Inflation has become a death warrant against the common man which the UPA government has signed", he remarked. Bureau Report

The leftists are the biggest frauds. Their only objective is to keep BJP out of power. Since it has got to save its face and can't be seen supporting a Nuclear deal after having opposed it from the beginning, it is they who must have influenced SP to support Congress so that elections, which would favour BJP at this stage, could be avoided.

History will not forgive us if we don’t have N-deal: Kakodkar

Bangalore, July 05: Making a strong pitch again for operationalising the Indo-US nuclear deal, Atomic Energy Commission Chief Anil Kakodkar on Friday said "history will not forgive us" if it is not clinched. Kakodkar's strong statement came on a day when Left parties said they would vote against the UPA government in Parliament in case of a confidence motion if it took the next step to operationalise the deal. "Here is a chance ... without compromising on our principles, we can bridge energy security for the future," Kakodkar said in a public lecture on "Evolving Indian nuclear programme: Rationale and perspectives", organised by the Indian Academy of Sciences. Without mentioning the deal but giving enough indications that he exactly meant that, he said: "If we don't do now, history will not forgive us". He termed it (the deal) one of the most promising and viable way of bridging energy security for the future. Later, responding to reporters' queries on time-line for approaching the IAEA for a safeguards agreement and if the deal can be wrapped up year-end, Kakodkar said: "Sooner the better. But everything is not in my hands, know ?. But things are not in my hands". Earlier, he declined to comment on the raging political debate over the nuclear deal when an audience member posed a question. "That's part of politics; I don't get into politics". Bureau Report

But what about our right to conduct nuclear-tests? Can Mr. Kakodkar give an assurance that our rights won't be comprised by the Hyde Act?

Congress demands judicial probe in MP violence

Bhopal, July 05: Madhya Pradesh's opposition Congress today demanded a judicial probe into the violent incidents during VHP-sponsored shutdown in the BJP-ruled state, alleging the violence was sponsored by the state government. The bandh called yesterday to protest revocation of transfer of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board in Jammu and Kashmir was supported by BJP. "The violence was sponsored by the state government as police force was a mute spectator during the clashes in Indore where six people have been killed so far," state Congress President Suresh Pachouri told reporters here. "We demand from the Governor to institute a probe by a sitting judge of the High Court into the violent incidents", he said. He said the bandh supporters had "forced" a jeweller to immolate himself as he was protesting forced closure of shops by activists of saffron outfits. "We demand from the Governor to take constitutional actions (like invoking Article 356) in the state as the law and order situation was out of control. Even top officials in Indore have admitted that situation was not under control in the city," the Congress leader said. "Due to pressure from the government, the (Indore) administration failed in executing its constitutional duties", Pachauri alleged. Pachouri said Chouhan does not have any moral right to remain in power and should immediately step down. State Congress Campaign Committee Chairman Ajay Singh said the party will raise the issue in the assembly's monsoon session to corner the BJP government over the death of innocent persons. The Leader of the Opposition Jamuna Devi demanded a murder case be registered against those organisations which had called the shutdown. Meanwhile, CPI(M), in a statement here, demanded deployment of army in violence-hit Indore to prevent further flare-up. Bureau Report

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Any probe would trace the cause of the riots to the issue of Amarnath land transfer and would point to Congress handling of the issue as at the root of it all. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

True, we need a Judicial probe into the incident ASAP along with a probe into the K and J violence. PDP,NC,ISI, INC and Hurriyat leaders needs to be first probed. For impartial probe, MP probe must be done in UP or Maharastra and J and K probe must be done in neighboring HP or Gujarat. All the Presidents of the parties must be summoned for their part, be it BJP, INC,PDP,NC...still better arrest the Party Presidents and suspected functionaries, so that they dont tamper with evidence. - Gurunath Prakash - Hyderabad