In a significant development Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is slated to make a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir beginning June 7. The visit is expected to make an offer for talks with the separatist leaders besides the leaders of various political parties, among other things.
During his visit, Dr Singh is also expected to review the progress made by the round table on the peace initiative. Apart from this, he is also scheduled to address the convocation of the Sher-e-Kashmir Agricultural University.
The Prime Minister’s last visit to Jammu and Kashmir was in October 2009. Addressing reporters during his visit to Srinagar, he had then expressed the hope that the Hurriyat leaders would respond positively to his call for talks which would be for the benefit of the state.
The Prime Minister will also be meeting senior officials as well as police and Army officers during his visit to the state. In the run-up to his forthcoming Jammu and Kashmir visit, Mufti Mohammed Saeed who is a former chief minister of the state and patron of the Valley-based People’s Democratic Party (PDP) met Dr Singh on Tuesday.
The PDP leader reportedly called upon the Prime Minsiter to initiate steps that would help revive the peace process and provide some resolution to the Kashmir issue.
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Kin elated at court’s decision
AGE CORRESPONDENT
Kolkata
The Calcutta high court’s order on Tuesday for a fresh probe in computer graphics teacher Rizwanur Rehman’s death on murder charges has left his bereaved family members in Tiljala elated. It was the day for which they had been waiting for over the past two years ever since they lost Rizwanur on September 21, 2007.
From the very beginning, his relatives firmly believed that Rizwan could not have committed suicide but was murdered even though the CBI in its first probe concluded that his death was a suicide.
His elder brother Rukbanur Rehman said, “The high court has only vindicated our stand by directing the CBI to investigate the case afresh on murder charges. We are very much satisfied that our long-standing and only demand of treating my brother’s death as a murder has finally come true.” Mr Rukbanur Rehman added, “My mother is also satisfied. We now believe that justice will be delivered.” While Rizwanur’s family was in joy, the Todis were not happy with the court order.