Trains carrying BJYM workers diverted

Jammu Tawi, January 23
Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh (RSS) has vetoed the secret pact between government and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) over Ekta Yatra and plan for flag hoisting at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on January 26.Following the veto, a confrontation between state government and the saffron brigade is imminent as both the sides are fully geared up for the showdown. Even as J&K Police has launched a crackdown to foil the flag hoisting plan, sources informed that a number of BJP and its youth wing activists have managed to enter the state. According to sources in the Sangh Parivar, RSS has made it clear that hoisting of national tricolour at Lal Chowk by a handful of BJP leaders under government sponsorship is not priority but a message to the nation that despite being an integral part of India, nationalistic forces are not allowed to exercise such activities here.This was conveyed to the BJP leadership during an emergency meeting with RSS, late last night, sources informed adding that following the development,
4000 cops reach Lakhanpur, traffic suspended

Punjab refuses to help Jammu administration
By Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 23: Administration in Punjab today flatly refused to come to the help of authorities in Kathua district in stopping BJYM’s ‘Ekta Yatra’ from entering Lakhanpur, the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir prompting police and civil administration in Kathua to give a final touch to the measures to stop the yatra as soon as it enters the State on January 25 "at any cost’’.
Four thousand Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Jammu and Kashmir police and Haryana police personnel(40 companies) beside two platoons of lady constables have been stationed in full battle dress in Kathua district and will take positions at Lakhanpur on Jammu-Punjab border tomorrow evening to stop BJYM’s ‘Ekta Yatra’ at the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir "come what may".
All kind of vehicular movement at Lakhanpur from Punjab and all other States is being stopped from January 24 morning to ensure that no BJP or BJYM worker could manage to enter the State in the guise of Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrim or other passengers. All routes leading from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to Kathua, which skipped Lakhanpur, including from Bani, Basohli and Billawar have also been completely sealed.
While prohibitory orders were clamped in Kathua district today, similar restrictions will be imposed in Jammu and Samba districts tomorrow to thwart any move by the BJP and BJYM leaders and activists to march towards Jammu and Srinagar from these two districts, police sources said.
Gareeb Dass ‘GD’, DIG (Crime, Intelligence and Vigilance) in Police Headquarters has been designated as Officer on Special Duty to stop ‘Ekta Yatra’ at Lakhanpur when it would enter there after a rally at Madhopur in Punjab, bordering J&K, on January 25 morning. Several Revenue officials have been designated as Magistrates and would be deployed at various places between Lakhanpur to Kathua.
Official sources told the Excelsior that district administration of Kathua including SSP J L Sharma and Deputy Commissioner Zahida Khan besides OSD ‘GD’, DIG, met their Gurdaspur counterparts SSP Virender Pal Singh, Deputy Commissioner Prithvi Chand and SDM Pathankot Virender Pal Walia this evening seeking their help in controlling the mob along with them between Madhopur and Lakhanpur.
However, the Punjab officials flatly refused to oblige the officials of Kathua on the ground that they were under instructions from the Punjab Government to allow peaceful rally at Madhopur on January 25 and then let the yatra move towards Jammu. It may be mentioned that BJP is a coalition partner along with Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab Government
Later, ADGP Law and Order K Rajendra and IGP Jammu Dilbag Singh visited Lakhanpur and discussed the strategy to be adopted for stopping the yatra.
Immediately after their return, the senior police and civil officers in Kathua held their meeting at the district headquarters and gave a final touch to their strategy. Principal PTTS Kathua Ashok Sharma and Principal PTTS Vijaypur Pran Nath Sharma also joined the meeting as majority of their recruits have been deployed for maintaining law and order.
After a thorough review of the situation, the administration decided to stop every kind of vehicular movement towards Jammu from Punjab and other States from January 24 morning a day ahead of the scheduled entry of yatra to prevent BJP and BJYM activists from reaching Jammu.
Lakhanpur was divided into 7 sectors, each headed by a DySP. Twenty four gates have been installed at Lakhanpur. Riot control, water canon and teargas vehicles have moved into the town.
"All security arrangements would be put in place from tonight. We are equipped with CRPF, JKP and Haryana police with adequate number of lady constables. Magistrates have also been designated. Police and para-military personnel are fully geared to stop the yatra at Lakhanpur with minimum use of force’’, OSD Gareeb Dass told the Excelsior on telephone from Kathua.

He said no vehicle would be allowed to enter Lakhanpur from tomorrow morning. This restriction was also necessitated to prevent the civilians from getting trapped in any action against the ‘Ekta Yatra’. Police officers were confident that the senior leaders accompanying the yatra would prevail upon their workers and return from Lakhanpur peacefully on being stopped. However, they said, if they tried to forcibly enter the State and violate prohibitory orders "we will act and take all possible measures at our command to push them back’’.
Sources said 40 companies of para-military CRPF and police comprising about 4000 personnel including lady cops, have been kept at the disposal of district administration in Kathua and would move towards Lakhanpur tomorrow to take position to stop BJYM president Anurag Thakur led ‘Ekta Yatra’ tomorrow morning. One company of Haryana Police, which was at the disposal of Jammu Police, has also been shifted to Kathua. More force could be rushed-in if required, they added.
The ‘nafri’ has been mobilized from different districts of Jammu region and sent to Kathua. At least six other points, which lead from Madhopur to different parts of Kathua skipping Lakhanpur, have also been completely sealed by police and para-military personnel to prevent clandestine entry of BJYM workers from Punjab.
Sources said prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed in Kathua district by the District Magistrate while similar restrictions are being imposed in Samba and Jammu districts tomorrow. Depending upon the situation, the prohibitory orders could also be clamped in Udhampur district.
According to sources, the passenger buses from twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch have also been restricted. The restrictions would continue till January 25.
Sources said a number of people were sent to Katra town by the authorities after they boarded off the trains at Jammu as the administration anticipated them as the BJP and BJYM workers. This has added rush to the yatra, which today crossed 18,000 as against average of 10,000 to 12,000. Authorities feared that the BJP activists could try to march towards Tikri on Jammu-Srinagar highway from Katra, where they were being sent from the Railway Station.
Sources said the authorities were in dilemma as how to check the arrival of BJYM workers from the trains. They were in touch with Railways authorities on this issue.
The BJYM ‘Ekta Yatra’, as per the revised schedule, would enter Lakhanpur on January 25 morning after holding a rally at Madhopur, the last town of Punjab on J&K border.
Police said they would request the BJYM leaders and workers to return peacefully from Lakhanpur as the State Government has decided not to allow the yatra to enter the State on the ground that it could disturb peaceful atmosphere in the Valley.
The BJYM yatra had taken off from Kolkata on January 12 and proposed to reach Srinagar on January 26 to hoist tricolor at Lal Chowk on the occasion of Republic Day on January 26.
However, police warned that any one trying to violate the prohibitory orders and forcing entry into the State from Lakhanpur, would be dealt with under law. The police and para-military personnel would act as per the directions of senior police officers and Magistrates deployed at Lakhanpur.
"We will implement the Government directions not to allow the yatris in. That is very clear. The BJP and BJYM leaders have been apprised of the Government decision at the appropriate level. Still, if they try to violate the law, they will have to face the consequences’’, police said.
They added that police have planned to disperse the BJYM leaders and workers from Lakhanpur as it wouldn’t be possible to arrest such a large number of persons. However, if required, a Guest House has been kept as a stand-by jail to keep the BJYM leaders while the workers will be lodged in District Police Lines (DPL), Kathua. But, they too would be packed off in buses and sent back immediately after their detention. According to police, the priority would be to send back all the yatris from Lakhanpur itself.
Intelligence agencies have reports that since both the neighbouring States of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab are ruled by BJP along with their ally, a large number of people would gather at Madhopur especially from Himachal as Anurag Thakur happened to MP of the State and son of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.
"It would be an uphill task to disperse such a large number of rallyists unless they decide to revert on their own. Therefore, police and para-military personnel have been equipped with teargas shells, lathis and other equipments’’, sources said.
They added that Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma today called the State BJP leaders to discuss with them their proposed rally at Parade Ground on January 25. However, the BJP leaders didn’t turn up for the meeting.
The Deputy Commissioner has denied permission for holding the public meeting at Parade Ground to the BJP.
Sources said a strategy was in place at Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts from where the BJP and BJYM activists could try to march towards Srinagar to hoist tricolor at Lal Chowk. All the BJP and BJYM leaders and activists trying to march towards Srinagar would be detained, they added.
In fact, sources didn’t rule out the possibility of police making preventive arrests during next two days in different parts of Jammu to ensure that the BJYM workers didn’t manage to move towards Srinagar.
"If at all, the BJP and BJYM workers managed to move towards Srinagar, they would be detained under Section 144 CrPC and in anticipation of breach of peace’’, sources said, adding police and para-military personnel will be deployed in adequate strength from tomorrow.
DIG Jammu-Kathua range Farooq Khan said, hopefully, good sense would prevail upon the BJP leaders and workers and they would return from Lakhanpur. Otherwise, he added, all steps would be taken to stop the yatra at Lakhanpur and prevent any march of BJP activists from Jammu.


Trains carrying BJYM workers diverted
BJP deplores PM, firm on hoisting flag at Lal Chowk
NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR, Jan 23: Hitting back at Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for veiled advice against Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Ekta Yatra from Kolkata to Srinagar, the BJP today made it clear the yatra would not be rolled back and demanded curbs on separatists rather than on ‘yatris’ as security was further beefed up in the Valley and Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) braced up to hoist the tricolour at the Lal Chowk on Republic Day.
The CRPF will hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, Srinagar, on the 62nd Republic Day when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also decided to unfurl the tricolour in the same area.
Security forces have intensified security arrangements across the Kashmir valley, particularly in and around the Bakshi stadium, venue for the main function.
"The Commandant of local CRPF Battalion will hoist national flag on Palladium post at the historic Lal Chowk,’’ CRPF spokesperson Prabhakar Tripathi said. "This is nothing new as we have been hoisting the flag on Palladium post since it was set up there,’’ he said.
CRPF and other security forces across the Kashmir valley are unfurling the tricolour on their respective posts to celebrate the Day. Similar flag hoisting ceremonies are also held on Independence Day, he added.
A report from Ahmednagar said police and railway officials here hoodwinked Bharatiya Janata Party activists headed to Jammu and Kashmir for the Republic Day flag hoisting and shunted their special train back to Karnataka early today.
The Bengaluru-New Delhi Karnataka Express, whose 18 bogies were full of Karnataka BJP youth activists, arrived at Sarola station in the district and was due for onward departure to the north. The activists, estimated at around 1,500, were scheduled to join other colleagues from different States for the party’s Tiranga Yatra in Srinagar on January 26.
In a related development, J&K State vice president of the BJP Sofi Yousuf was taken into preventive custody by police last night. The arrest of Mr Yousuf came few hours after police arrested six BJP activists from Lal Chowk area when they were distributing some posters.
Police have intensified a vigil in Lal Chowk and its adjoining areas and hotel owners have been directed to inform police about the guests staying there.
Official sources said it was a preventive measure to avoid any law and order situation in Srinagar, where the BJP has decided to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk on January 26 despite permission being denied by the Government. They said Mr Yousuf was taken into preventive custody last night in the summer capital, Srinagar.
Mr Yousuf was among a four-member BJP delegation that met Inspector General of Police (IGP) S M Sahai, seeking permission and security for flag hoisting ceremony.
However, Mr Sahai has asked them to seek permission to district magistrate (DM), Srinagar. However, the DM has refused permission in view of the threat to peace in the Valley.
Police said there are intelligence inputs that BJP and JKLF activists are planning to stay in the hotels and other buildings in the area to come out on January 26 in Lal Chowk for hoisting flags.
Police reportedly searched the BJP office here yesterday and also seized some flags and posters.
Meanwhile, two youths were today detained near the Lal Chowk here as authorities have increased the vigil around the area to prevent BJP’s plan of flag hoisting.
"We have detained two youths as they were moving in a suspicious manner near the Clock Tower in Lal Chowk," a police officer said.
Official sources said the two were BJP activists and carrying a flag for hoisting it on the Clock Tower.
BJP activists might try to hoist the tricolour on the Clock Tower even before the Republic Day in view of the State Government’s decision to not allow the party to succeed in its plans, they said.
Flatly rejecting Prime Minister’s advice to exercise restraint in hoisting the national flag on Republic Day, the BJP today asserted that the party would go ahead with its Yuva Morcha Ekta Yatra and hoist the tricolour on January 26.
Expressing concern over unleash of fear and repression against the BJP Yuva Morcha activists seeking to join the Ekta Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, run Jaitley told reporters that the party was not at all apologetic to hoist the national flag in Jammu and Kashmir as well as other parts of the country.
"Flag hoisting is a peaceful assertion of the citizens to express the sense of national pride on Republic Day and the party is determined to go ahead with this peaceful assertion,’’ he said.
Alleging that the State and Central forces were trying to prevent the entry of BJP youths to join the Yatra, Mr Jaitley said it was reminiscent of what happened in Jammu and Kashmir in 1953 when Jansangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee entered the State without permit.
Fifty-eight years later, the same Governments are unleashing repression on the youth in a meek psychological surrender of the separatists, Mr Jaitley said.
The BJP leader said that the Ekta Yatra which started on January 12 had crossed 11 provinces and would enter Jammu and Kashmir through Lakhanpur. "We are getting reports that J&K Government will prevent the youth from entering the State. This kind of fear and repression by the State and Central Government forces is nothing but overreaction. The Yatra is against the separatist forces and has been peaceful throughout,’’ he said.
He further said the Prime Minister should explain how and why the hoisting of national flag is a devisive act and we totally reject this attitude.
Mr Jaitley said the Centre was a mute spectator when separatist forces were holding seminars discussing the ways of secession in the name of "free expression". The same Government feels that hoisting of national flag is divisive act. ‘’We condemn this psychological surrender.’’
As Dr Singh called for maximum restraint in sensitive areas like Jammu and Kashmir vis-a-vis the BJP’s youth wing’s plan of hoisting the national flag in Srinagar, the party’s patriarch L K Advani today said curbs should be targeted to those who have declared that the national flag would not be allowed to put up there.
"If the rationale for the prohibitory orders is apprehension of breach of peace, curbs should be targeted towards those who have declared that they will not let the tricolour be put up at the Lal Chowk and certainly not against those who have been repeatedly asserting that they will peacefully, and respectfully, unfurl the Tricolour at Lal Chowk,’’ Mr Advani wrote in the latest posting titled ‘Let not the State surrender to separatist’ on his blog.
Mr Advani said, "I wish the PM realises that these young men (BJP Yuva Morcha) led by Anurag Thakur are not trying to score a political point; they are challenging the separatists. And the State is surrendering to them !’’
Mr Advani also cited a Supreme Court judgement in relation to the citizen’s right to fly the national flag a fundamental right subject only to reasonable restrictions spelt out in two statutes.

The former Deputy Prime Minister said, "At 5 PM on January 20 at a function at the Vithal Bhai Patel Bhavan grounds, New Delhi, I formally handed over to Anurag Thakur, MP, and president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, a Tricolour Flag to be hoisted in Srinagar.’’
He expressed surprise that "A couple of hours later the J&K State Government officially announced that they would not allow the BJP to hoist the National Flag at the Lal Chowk, because it would be a programme which has the potential of vitiating the peaceful atmosphere in the State.’’
Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu also today made it clear that the national flag would be hoisted despite obstacles, being created by the Congress-led UPA Government.
"We are not trying to hoist Pakistan flag. We want to unfurl our national flag. Why should the Government object to this,’’ he told a press conference here.
Alleging that the Government was creating hurdles to prevent the programme, he said trains in which people were going to participate in the programme, were being stopped.
Warning the Government of dire consequences if the flag hoisting programme was prevented, the BJP leader said trying to spoil the flag hoisting was an arbitrary act.
He alleged that the Centre had aligned with the Trinamool Congress which was working together with the Maoists in West Bengal. Earlier, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy also had moved closer to the Maoists, he alleged
Maharashtra Police today diverted a Karnataka Express, carrying 2,000 BJP workers from the State, bound for Jammu to attend the ‘Ekta Yatra’ in Kashmir on January 26.
A BJP Spokesperson said the train that left Bangalore on Friday was halted in the early hours of today near Ahmednagar in Maharashtra by the police and immediately it was diverted back. "The train is now heading back to Bangalore and has left Gulbarga and will arrive here tonight,’’ he said. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, speaking in the city, condemned the act of the police.
"There are still someone who do not want Jammu and Kashmir be integral part of the country. I condemn the police high handedness in forcibly sending back the train,’’ he said. Meanwhile, the Ekta Yatra, reached Amritsar this evening.
The march, led by Anurag Thakur, president of BJYM, a youth wing of the BJP, received a warm welcome from saffron party activists and supporters as it entered the holy city. The Srinagar-bound yatra started on January 12 from Kolkata in West Bengal.
Dal Khalsa, a radical Sikh organisation, said the march would aggravate the already "volatile atmosphere in Kashmir". The Ekta yatra was a gimmick by the saffron party, Dal Khalsa secretary Kanwar Pal said. (Agencies)