Conflicting Connections

Arshid Malik

The conflict in Kashmir while providing an excuse for people to work lazily – and I am speaking particularly in context of people employed by the government and genetically in context of common people – the establishment in the state has also retrogressively employed the opportunity to blame the turmoil for its failures and this is not the case with any particular political party but all the political parties that have stayed in and out of power. So, in a way the use or rather misuse of the rhetoric of conflict has been subscribed to by the common people as well as different government regimes to their respective points of advantage from time to time. But now the scene is clearer and so to say there is some peace and stability in Kashmir. I used the word “some” in the previous sentence because I happen to be sceptically optimistic. A progressive practical debate has generated all over Kashmir which involves multi-faceted investments in industry and other developmental activities and that is for the common people since they have realized, my personal opinion stands, that countries that subjugate can be pretty cruel and unanswerable at times and this comes in the wake of the offensive of Israel against the innocent people of Palestine and it is wiser to stop lamenting about losses and attempt to build something solid which would prove to be the only saviour in tougher times.

Anyways, I am not out to jump at any conclusions but figuratively speaking what all can an enterprising person from Kashmir do about the economy of the state? Not much, my recent stints of experiences in the corporate sector as an employed professional and as a consequent visitor to government departments. I have seen very enterprising, well-educated and extremely talented folk go to the dogs when they eventually plan to give up hankering after government jobs and decide to setup something of their own. The budding to-be-entrepreneurs of Kashmir meet a very hedonistic agenda as soon as they enter government offices which are supposedly setup to aid the growth of industry in Kashmir. There is an eerie commotion coupled with a distinct smell of death and composite degeneration that haunts the patchily plastered rooms of every government office in Kashmir. Government departments and agencies which have been setup to aid the-to-be-entrepreneurs as for instance the various District Industries Centres, State Industrial Development Corporation, the Directorate of Industries and all other departments which are supposed to get themselves involved in the growth and promotion of the industrial sector in Kashmir are doing anything but that. These agencies are all up and about gobbling up money while costing heavily on the State Exchequer. The very filing of an application form for setting up a new industrial entity ends up as a bitter course meal in the multi-gamut menu. If you were to ask for a sheet of white paper you would be met with sarcasm such as “Ha! You did not even bring your own paper and you are here to set up an industrial unit. Go home, son/daughter and sit in your mother’s lap”. Now this is not an indictment but a case in point which I met while I was visiting a certain government office for some official work. The person is question who was greeted with this discreet sarcasm was discussing industry in Jammu and Kashmir with me outside for sometime before we both entered the office of this particular “sahib” as he had been out for lunch for a couple of hours. Anyways, the budding entrepreneur wittingly bore the sarcasm and then asked for some preliminary sets of application forms which ought to have been ready with the concerned “sahib” for free disposal proved hard to earn while the “sahib” was picking his teeth off the undercooked chicken which he was heartily complaining about. He was told to visit the office the day after since some other “sahib” was on leave and had taken along the keys to the treasure-house of a locker which contained all documents relating to setting up of new industrial units. The budding entrepreneur was truly let down as he had confided in me that he would complete the preliminary formalities that very day as per the notion which he had acquired after studying, deeply, some websites related to the department he was visiting. The subtext of the “sahib’s” message was clear, at least to me. So then, right from filing an application form for setting up a business entity to availing subsidies thereof are out rightly subject to the point whether the particular set of “sahibs” are present or on leave since they have the keys to the treasure-houses of lockers that line up almost every periphery of government offices comfortably like strung corpses. Oh! The smell of death!

Check the website of the Directorate of Industry and Commerce Department, J&K Government and skip to the “About Us” page. The very long paragraphs that adorn this chapter introduce you to the scenic beauty of the state and then take you on a historical tour. No, it is not the history of Industry in Kashmir but about but pure text book history about Kashmir. The “Home Page” draws a descriptive of the vision and mission of this particular department and it goes on to say under the vision, “To promote the balanced growth of Industry & Commerce in Jammu & Kashmir through sustainable utilization of natural resources and development of human skills”. Well, yeah. A preliminary application form for setting up an industry is spawned by corruption at the very root, what balance is it talking about. What has the department done about the utilization of the natural resources of Kashmir except for leasing out beautiful terrain to be devastated for digging up lime stone. The whole thing sounds like a farce in the face of blatant corruption that has seeped to the very foundations of the I&C and its concerned departments especially the DICs. Now go to the SIDCO website and you will find it identically farcical. It says, on the home page, “J&K SIDCO is the nodal agency for promotion & development of medium and large scale Industries in the state. Since its inception J&K SIDCO has acted as a prime mover in the State for promotion of Industrial ventures and thus is playing the role of “Institutional Entrepreneur”.” Promotion of industry, that’s a joke. The SIDCO has almost only played the role of land keeper of the various industrial estates in Kashmir and was deep into minting money by way of second sales and stuff till some wise-head out there in among the policymakers suggested that second sales or outright sales should be stopped. Yes, the subsidy section will put a sparkle in your eyes but wait till you go out to get it. And I am not talking of the “battles” that I&C and SIDCO have engaged in over “who gets what”. Now welcome to the J&K State Pollution Control Board. Pollution is a dear concern of this department and this is what it dedicates its website to. Bear with me, I did not write controlling pollution. I have noticed that every industrial unit that is violating the environmental and the laws that govern the safeguarding of the same are in full production without proper Effluent Treatment Plants and Waste Disposal Systems. It all goes under the hood. All they do, my wild guess is, keep the officials of the SPCB happy which is by way of bribing them. Elsewhere why hasn’t anything been done about the various cement industries which have wreaked havoc on the environment besides creating hazardous conditions for the sustenance of life in some prime cement producing areas of the valley. In the “About Us” page of the department you will find this – “Future Plans: To complete the ongoing infrastructure developmental activities, including the office-cum-Lab of Srinagar; to provide infrastructure with all facilities to all offices & laboratories of the Board; to complete Zoning Atlas for remaining districts of the state; to frame Eco-city concept for Srinagar & Jammu cities; to establish permanent ambient air quality monitoring stations; Up gradation of library facilities”. Controlling pollution figures nowhere till you read the last point which says “Enforcement of cleaner technologies (recover, recycle, & reuse concept)”; hey that sounds like the agenda of the European Union. The “Introduction” page is chit-clean which is some humbug as are all other sections. No charter here; no duties and roles. Well, I guess since this department is corrupt in all its entirety and culprit to the disaster that Kashmir is turning into ecologically they had better keep silent.

That was a web-walkthrough for you. Now, plan a visit. But do bear in mind that we have gone through a conflict!

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Social Control

We all take pride in calling ourselves Kashmiris. This is rightly so, for the place has a cultural history of more than two thousand years. An abode of knowledge and learning since ancient times, Kashmiris over the course of centuries have manifested ingenuity and excellence in innumerable domains of knowledge and learning. Great treatises on Hindu philosophy have been composed by natives of the land. Similarly Buddhism achieved great heights in Kashmir; many believe the Mahayana school of thought actually originated in Kashmir during fourth Buddhist council. After the mass conversion of people to Islam, Persian and Arabic scholarship achieved great prominence. Kashmir produced equals of Shiarazi and Hafiz.

A society whose cultural fabric is produced by such glorious threads of learning and knowledge should indeed be aware of its moorings. This heritage should indeed be passed on to all the generations to come.

But unfortunately, even though talking about this great cultural past is our favourite pastime, the collective conscience of so called Kashmiri society is denigrated to the lowest of the lowest. The conscience that simultaneously falsely gives us the Kashmiri character has collapsed beyond repair. The kind of moral corruption that has infested this character has lead to the poisoning of its very roots that surely will lead to its death. We may speak Kashmiri and eat wazwan for a long time to come but the land will be bereft of those values and ideals it had inherited.

Take the case of indecent and obscene behaviours that is rampant in our public domains. This immorality in the public parks, public transport, colleges and universities, tuition centres has surpassed all its limits. Young couples without any regard to the norms of decency can be seen engaged in indecent behaviours. Our public domains in past would be under the watchful eyes of social control. The social institution of control in Kashmir was intolerable to such activities. The learning centres of the past used to be khankahs, revered at par with the adjoining mosques. The irony of the situation is that most of us turn a blind eye to these activities. The boyfriend-girlfriend culture that our younger generations have lately found will further deteriorate the already weakened social control the society had evolved since hundreds of years. This is not to put a question mark on the freedom of our younger generations, especially women. But we should understand that the place is not part of western world, where such system evolved as part of their overall evolution into what they are. This indifference is a direct reflection of the society falling apart.

The kind of freedom the younger generations are being given will take death of morality. It is not that we should choke our younger generation by putting them under constant surveillance. But too much of freedom and no check can be detrimental for the whole society. Ones person freedom ends at the point where it starts hurting others!

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Being A Woman!

Be it workplace harassment, eve-teasing, indecent gestures at places of study, or violence at home, women live through unending nightmare in a ‘man’s world’. Syed Asma reports the challenging life of woman in a Muslim society which is beyond the ‘discrimination’, the ‘emancipated’ talk about

Inside a jam-packed bus, a school going student, barely in her teens, was standing near the door trying not to fall.

From the back end of the packed bus, a male passenger, who was in his early 50’s, called the little girl, “It doesn’t look good if a girl is standing near the door.” He then made some room near him and said, “Come…come and stand here.”

Almost everyone in the bus backed this elderly man and advised the little girl to come inside. The little girl obeyed dutifully and stood uncomfortably in the alley next to the elderly man.

But after a few minutes, as the bus stopped near a residential colony to let passengers deboard, the little girl almost jumped out, angrily. She had one of those hateful expressions on her face that puzzled everyone in the bus. People around could see her eyes filled with tears and her small cheeks turned red with rage. But before anybody could have asked anything she was out of the bus.

As the bus moved on, the elderly person who had offered little girl ‘breathing space’ next to him was now seated.

Mehru, a university student who was travelling in the same bus managed a seat next to the same elderly man.

All of a sudden Mehru slapped the elderly sitting next to her. There was a complete silence in the bus as nobody understood what has happened. “Get out of the bus or I will throw you out,” Mehru shouted at him. “This man is trying to take advantage of the situation,” said Mehru loudly addressing nobody in particular. “You know why that little girl rushed out of the bus angrily?” said Mehru. “He tried to molest her too,” she said raising her voice a bit higher expecting immediate reaction from the fellow passengers.

But to her dismay nobody said anything. “They all looked at me like fools. As if I was an alien and addressing rocks!” says Mehru angrily as she recalls the incident.

There was another elderly person sitting a few rows behind Mehru who finally spoke. “A girl should not be vocal about these matters,” he advised Mehru.

There have been incidents where teachers, lecturers and even professors were involved in cases related to harassment of girl students.

“It hurt me more than anything else. He was trying to patronise me by shifting the blame on me for speaking out against the perpetrator,” says Mehru.

Mehru looked straight into his eyes and told him to shut up or get the hell out of bus. “This man (pointing to the man sitting next to her) just tried to molest two girls, including a little girl and you are telling me to keep quite. You should have stoned him to death!” shouted Mehru at the passengers. “What kind of a society we live in!” Mehru asked angrily.

This is not an isolated incident where a girl is made to feel insecure. Mehru was bold enough to confront her perpetrator but there are cases, mostly unreported, where girls end up being victims.

Mehru’s friend Rifat, a university student, fells that women are no more safe in Kashmir as their counterparts (males) do not spare even elderly women when it comes to harassment.

“We have to face such situations day in a day out. A girl is not safe even inside an education institute,” says Rifat. “You can’t imagine what kind of favours teachers and professors ask from their girl students! It is disgusting and cheap,” claims Rifat. “It depends on a girl, how much she can resist. Some do, some don’t but a few succumb to pressure,” says Rifat.

There have been incidents where teachers, lecturers and even professors were involved in cases related to harassment of girl students. But most of these cases go unreported as students often fear for their careers. Then there are social stigma attached to such incidents that corners a victim rather than punishing the perpetrator.

This reporter came across one such unreported case where a mathematics teacher from government school Pulwama asked for sexual favours from his girl students promising them higher grades in examination.

“I was confused when I got less than expected marks in my maths paper. I requested my teacher to please re-check my answer sheet,” Rabia, who studies in 8th standard told Kashmir Life.

Without batting an eyelid the teacher told Rabia, “I know you deserve more than what you have got. I will recheck your paper but you have to give me whatever I ask.”

Rabia who had never come across such an awkward situation before could not react immediately. “But when I realised his intentions, I hit him back and ran away,” says Rabia, forcing each word out with difficulty.

Rabia did not attend school for next few days. She could not tell her parents either. “They will not understand, instead they would have blame me for it,” says Rabia. “I am waiting for my final exams to be over so that I don’t have to see his (maths teacher’s) face again,” says Rabia.

But not everybody is as fortunate as Rabia.

In south Kashmir’s Kulgam district a 12-year-old girl was raped by her teacher inside the school premises. As per the police records, the teacher, Fayaz Ahmad Raina, had taken the minor in an empty class room and shared luring video from his mobile.

After raping her, he left her unconscious in the classroom until a few students noticed her there and called for help.

Raina fled from the school but was later arrested by the local police. The family members of the victim lodged a complaint with the police who registered a rape case against Raina.

In another incident, a 12-year-old girl student was allegedly raped by her 60-year-old tuition teacher in Pantha Chowk in Srinagar outskirts.

But the most shocking of all the reported cases was rape of a 3-year-old girl child by a youth in South Kashmir. The incident happened when the girl’s mother had gone out to fetch water from a nearby stream.

The official data shows that the frequency of the rapes has increased over the years (Table 1).

“Harassment, molestation and rapes existed in the past as well but now they are more often registered with the police and in the courts and hence reported,” says Habeel Iqbal, a practicing lawyer.

But the number of cases reported across Kashmir are still less. Most of the cases remain unreported because of the stigma associated. Even if the parents are aware they choose to cover it up and live a ‘respectable’ life.

A similar ‘respectable’ life was lived by Rafia. It was 1999 when Rafia’s husband passed away. They had a daughter Hina who was then 3 year old. Rafia chose to remarry but was asked to leave Hina, which wasn’t acceptable to her. After a few years Rafia’s sister-in-law fell ill and passed away. Her parents decided to get Rafia married to her brother-in-law. Hina was then 7 year old. Since then her uncle, now her step father, sexual exploited her. Hina complained it to her mother but she told her that if she (Hina) does not compromise, her step-father would divorce Rafia and they will have to live as destitute.

For many years, Hina compromised but then one day she died after coming under a truck. Many say it was an accident and many believe it was a suicide.

Nighat Shafi Pandit, a social activist says that in most of the women exploitation cases another woman is the reason – in one way or the other.

“It is always another woman who lets u down,” she opines, “We (women) should understand that unless we don’t stand up against the violence, no one will bother to help us. Why are we waiting that men will give us our rights on a platter? We need to fight for it.”

Renowned sociologist Bashir Ahmad Dabla’s works also reflects the same, “violence against women is not only inter-gender in nature but is intra-gender as well which suggests that violence is committed against women not only by men but by women too.”

In 2011, Shazia Majeed, a librarian at Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora was found hanging at her home. She was survived by her husband and a son. Shazia, a topper from Kashmir University, got married a few years ago but her father says she was not happy as her husband constantly forced her to bring more money from her parents. He wanted to build a separate house for himself.

Shazia’s father says his daughter was murdered by her husband. “She was a victim of dowry and domestic violence.”

There are many such cases where victims end up losing their lives like Shazia. “This happens because we live in a confused society,” says Pandit. “Most of our men are confused. They reject non-working girls and choose working women instead, but at the same time cannot tolerate if their office going wife comes home late in the evening,” says Pandit.

“So a woman becomes a punching bag. She earns for the family like her husband and but at the same time has to take care of the family as a home-maker. A husband fails to understand that if his wife is sharing his burden by earning, he too has some responsibilities towards rearing children and other things,” says Pandit. “A woman must know to fight for her rights. That is the only way out of this mess,” feels Pandit.

Hafeeza Muzaffar, ex-member secretary, State Commission for Women (SCW) believes domestic violence always existed in Kashmir; the only difference is that now it is documented. She says she has seen violence in every sector of society against women who work, and those who are homemakers as well.

Haleema, a gazetted officer, has an interesting story to share. Her husband is an (gazetted) officer too.

Haleema was married at the age of 19 and had two daughters by the time she turned 23. “I had to suffer a lot as my husband and in-laws were cruel. But I managed to survive,” says Haleema.

After marriage Haleema continued her studies and graduated. She worked hard and cracked a competitive exam which put her at par with her government servant husband. They both drew more or less the same salary and had same status.

“Things changed completely after the exams. It gave self confidence. I don’t think you would believe but after that I once slapped my husband back and since then he has not even shouted at me. I know I did wrong but he wasn’t doing the right thing either. Every night he used to beat me and my daughters. I had to do it for myself and for my two daughters,” says Haleema.

Sociologists believe that violence against women is increasing because of increasing materialistic outlook in the society, prevalence of pre-marital and extra-marital affairs, extravagant marriages and sudden exposure to mass media.

Violence is not prevalent only in homes but at work places too. Harassment at work places is also a graving concern.

Farhat, a contractual employee in one of the reputed institutions of the Valley has filed a case of harassment against one of her senior colleagues. Though due to various pressures she had to withdraw the case but the accused was transferred to Kargil as a punishment.

“He judged me on my appearance and asked for the favours I cannot even dream of,” says an anguished Farhat. “Wearing vibrant colours and not covering my head does not make me a prostitute,” says Farhat.

“We live in a sick society dominated by men,” she says.

Experts believe that men exploit the system as there are no rules that safeguard a women’s dignity at a workplace.

Pandit says we have laws for every crime but the way they are implemented needs to be looked into!

Note: Some names have been changed to protect the identity of victims.

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Desperate Times

Tufail Mehraj

It always intrigues me: why our educational institutes have failed to mitigate a mounting pessimistic outlook adorned by our student community. Mine might be a highly subjective assumption. Or, for that matter a sweeping statement. But the other day my cousin studying at Srinagar’s Women College returned home, masking up a miffed face. Why? Because, some teacher had uttered personnel remarks to her with a motto to maintain a status quo: the boss is always right!

At first, my cousin communicated her pent up feelings in bits and pieces. But after regaining her calm and composure, she made a startling revelation: she feels, her “little abilities” are invoking an envious pulse in her teachers (at college). What? God damn it! My cousin is no Einstein in abilities.

Being a communication student, she frequently writes those reflective pieces on feelings, life struggles and dreams. Her write ups often find a space in popular print and web. But the content she generates has lately created a sense of discontentment among her mentors. Now, that is ironic! It is akin to envy your own children.

But here’s the kicker! Most of her teachers engaged as college lecturers are young. They were appointed soon after finishing their post graduation. With hardly five years of age difference (with students), an uncertain contractual assignment and social stress derail the interaction (maybe, unconsciously) of these young teachers with their students inside classroom. And the result: often an awkward one!

What the teacher is, says Karl Menninger, is more important than what he teaches. But perhaps while struggling to secure stable salary, better life and permanent job, these freshly appointed teachers often cut a sorry figure for themselves in student community. But hang on. This isn’t an attempt to paint everybody with the same brush. We have exceptions; hence, we don’t have an entire picture gloomy.

But the day she returned home fuming, my cousin recalls, how her teacher had taunted her in front of the entire class. Her newbie teacher was perhaps looking for the right occasion to vent her venom. Sounds cheesy, isn’t it? But then, any experience is worth an experience to quote. But anyways, we don’t send our young ones to educational institutes to bear the frustrations of certain misfit teachers. We know, we are legendary in blame game and master of “let it go” attitude. But kidding with the tender morale of our young is no kidding!

And mind you, these instances (where teachers resort to make personal remarks) aren’t confined to colleges only. Such examples exist very much in our universities as well. I remember an instance quoted by a friend whose stay in one of the departments of university was literally turned hell by her teachers. Why? Because of her ability to call spade a spade. To break her resolve, one of her teacher threatened her to dismiss her admission; while other vowed to devour her job.

Again, these examples might not exist in plenty. But we can’t deny how some of our esteemed teachers resort to such malicious wordplays to downplay their students’ stand on particular subjects. “Sir, I don’t think this is correct definition,” my friend once interrupted his teacher in university. “Look kid, I understand what your problem is. The fact is: you are the part of this class only to create chaos here. Either shut up or leave?” The poor fellow couldn’t raise anymore queries in his life thereafter!

But humour apart, such instances do bring bad name to our educational institutes. Mere word analysis won’t heal our educational institutes and liberate our mindsets. But yes, checking and cross-checking the code of conduct of those who serve in theses institutes will certainly bring a much needed change. Perhaps then, my cousin won’t have another reason to feel bad and dejected about her teachers. These are desperate times and desperate times call for desperate measures.

(The writer is pursuing Masters in literature and hails from Srinagar)

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One Last Time

With elections round the corner, the assembly had a brief six-day autumn session. But it was unimpressive and unruly by all means, excepting that the ruling NC pushed a resolution seeking resumption of talks in one house and made a serious bid to checkmate opposition in another, reports Shah Abbas

Given the BJP threatening to create history by emerging J&K’s largest party in elections, pressure was palpable on every MLA’s face.

Pic: Bilal Bahadur

Reporters were a terrible lot in the press gallery of J&K’s twin legislative bodies. Usually, they pounce on the question hour records to get the best of news. Unfortunately for them, the thick files lacked any major news. MLAs restricted questions to their respective constituencies with development as top priority.

Given the BJP threatening to create history by emerging J&K’s largest party in elections, pressure was palpable on every MLA’s face. So everybody flouted rules to play to the galleries. Perhaps for the first time, there was not a single sitting in which the Question Hour would follow the rules. Lawmakers force other issue and Speaker Mubarak Gull lacked means to avoid the situations.

They created ruckus for the time and they got it, they just wanted to convey that they are winning! After lot of high-voltage disruption that PDP triggered over stone pelters amnesty, when Speaker finally granted them time, party leader Abdul Rehman Veeri made a few brief references to the issue and ended by claiming his party has 41 berths in hand and will improve it to 50, this fall.

Almost a similar situation was created by BJPs Ashok Khajuria who sought time to speak. “There is massive load-shedding and taps are running dry in Jammu,” Kahjuria said. “But do not worry; this government’s days are numbered.”

In the midst of an off-the-script debate one day, Panthers Party lawmaker Balwant Mankotia shocked the house by revealing that after he had inaugurated a building, one of Omar Abdullah’s ministers visited the venue again: to break the actual plaque and replaced it by fresh one carrying his name!

Following it up, PDPs Veeri, went a step ahead alleging he was never invited by the government for such functions. “Ministers avoided my presence because they did not want my name to be associated with the inauguration of any facility,” Veeri alleged. Prompt came the reply from Mohammad Akbar Lone, Omar’s minister known for his body language: “Let Veeri prove it, I will resign or he should!”

But nobody bothered to take the talk forward as the house witnessed an unprecedented scene: BJPs elderly lawmaker Durga Dass from Hiranagar beating his chest and head and crying to get attention. When he finally got time, he took less time in revealing his problems than the time he consumed in seeking the attention of cameras: he wanted reduced power outages and improved water supply.

For the first time, people felt the absence of Mehbooba Mufti and Muzaffar Hussain Beig who knew the art of walking the talk. Mufti Sayeed continued his ‘boycott’, now for the sixth year, of the house. The session was so boring that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who graced the house on the first day briefly, skipped the session completely.

NC’s Kashmir Province president Nasir Aslam Wani making a point in the on going assembly session.

Pic: Bilal Bahadur

In such situations, reporters look towards the Elders, members of the legislative council. For at least three days, it was dominated by one issue: border situation and Delhi’s failure in resuming dialogue with Pakistan. But the details of this ‘crisis’ are interesting.

On Tuesday when NCs Dr Shehnaz Ganai moved a motion to discuss the situation arising out of shelling in areas straddling the LoC. As shelling on IB was dominating decision-making from Delhi to Srinagar, every MLA wanted to participate. The house finally upgraded it to a full length discussion for the next day.

On Wednesday when the business was out, it had listed a resolution moved by NCs Dewinder Singh Rana seeking a recommendation to Delhi that it must resume the dialogue, instead. It angered people across party lines. But Rana knew the art of managing the TV. “You do not want to discuss the issue because you are more concerned about your name that you are desperate to see in the newspapers,” Rana shouted. “People are dying on the borders and you are seeking brownie points.” After the TVs recorded the ruckus for half an hour, Rana walked out in protest. By the time, TVs were running the pandemonium; most of the Elders were at home, busy in lunch after the house was adjourned.

The resolution finally came up on Thursday and was sponsored by Chairman Amrit Malhotra. Supported by the secular trio – Congress, NC and PDP, the non-BJP house urged Delhi to resume dialogue with Pakistan for stability and peace. It also wanted centre to take “effective steps” for preventing shelling on IB and LoC and rehabilitate the displaced population.

There were not many interesting speeches excepting that of Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy (NC) and Naeem Akhter (PDP). “We lost eight thousand workers (during militancy) and now they (BJP) tell us we are anti-national,” Suharwardy said. “This is despite the fact that neither we flew militants to Kandhaar nor we tried to make money from the coffins in Kargil war.” He alleged that efforts were underway to create a situation akin to 1947 in J&K. “And this all (snapping of talks and border shelling) is being done for just an election,” he asserted.

Akhter said Kashmir, unlike India and Pakistan, rejected the two-nation theory and joined a secular India. “This is the only instance in more than 1400 illustrious years of history of Muslim world in which a Muslim majority area rejected a Muslim theocracy and joined a secular state. “While both the countries are free, we are reduced to slaves of the guns, who always seek protection and who have always been denied stake-holding in peacemaking and justice.”

Negotiations being inevitable, Akhter said war mongering is deliberately done to promote arms dealers, appeasing strategic communities and improve TRPs of TV channels.

The same day, when BJP literally threatened them for the resolution, nobody from either of the two houses reacted!

Both the houses, however, successfully managed a taint on PDP. NCs ‘stuntmen’ Bashir Veeri who came with an instance of conversion of a marsh in south Kashmir’s Marhama into a vast field for initially FCI go-downs and later a housing colony. This, according to the documents he placed on record, was done through a hiba (that usually is done in case of personal inheritance) and then a bank loan was raised against the wishes of the local population.

Done by a PDP district president, one of the documents had signatures of deputy speaker as witness. Veeri said the land grab is worth Rs 1600 crore and the party intends to use these funds for elections. In a bid to explain his position in the assembly, deputy speaker brought the issue to the assembly. And then it was out of PDP control.

While Chief Secretary is submitting a report to the legislative council, the case was already sent to the Police Crime Branch for a specialized investigation to be submitted within a fortnight. Ice on the cake was a mobile video showing top PDP leader defending the deal that sounded blatantly illegal.

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Er Rashid

It was one more mention of controversial village defence communities (VDC) in same space (JK Assembly) but in different time (2014). But one man (Er Rashid) was sticking to his old guards on government backed militia. So when Jammu based BJP’s member assembly pressed for regularisation and better remuneration for VDCs, the MLA Langate stood up and demanded the same. Why? Because he believes, he hails from even more dangerous area; and, he also should be armed with VDCs.

But Rashid who is often being accused for disrupting House wasn’t merely reacting on VDC issue. The moment Ashwini Kumar (Jammu based State Morcha MLA) remarked on the refugees, Rashid protested by saying: The refugees should be sent back to Pakistan. This led to an exchange of heated arguments between Rashid and BJP MLAs with the latter shouting “throw out anti-national elements, throw out Pakistani agents”.

A day after Rashid was seen labelling members of all political parties as anti-people and anti-Kashmiri. He confronted with NPP members for demanding the inclusion of word ‘secular’ to the preamble of the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution and accused them of being the citizen of that India which is led by a ‘communal leader’. India is not a secular country, Rashid shouted: Stop preaching us secularism, in your country, Muslims aren’t allowed to offer Friday prayers.

And when minister of state for home Sajad Kitchloo stood up to make his point, Rashid (who was sitting behind him) also stood up and told him: stop addressing the House; you are also an anti-Indian in the eyes of India. Rashid informed that some newspapers in Jammu have carried a report alleging: Kitchloo enjoys the patronage of militants in Jammu and Kashmir. As verbal heat started building up inside House, NC’s lady member Bimla Luthra objected Rashid’ remarks against Kitchloo, but she was retorted and described as deaf and dumb by the firebrand MLA.

But after retorting the lady member, Rashid’s remarks didn’t rest. He soon targeted NC and PDP legislators: you are all burglars who have sucked the blood of common people. Tum log kafan choor ho, he accused them, you all are sailing in the same boat.

Later Rashid alleged non-state subjects mostly Biharis have occupied government land in Kashmir while the government is acting as a mute spectator. But the government downplayed the accusation.

On Friday, Rashid stormed twice in the well and finally on the directions of the Speaker he was marshalled out from the House.

Bilal Handoo

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Briefing

JAMMU

Finally, she is back to business. Rajni Sehgal, the jailer at Kotbalwal who remained suspended for 15 months after her Pakistani prisoner Sunaullah Ranjay was killed by fellow prisoner Vinod Kumar in her jail on May 3, 2013. She will now head district jail Udhampur.

She, however, still faces charges of using prisoners to appear in examinations on her behalf.

POONCH

In an embarrassment to the army, a Brigadier posted along LoC was accused of sodomising his assistant (sahayak). Regular combat soldiers, Sahayaks are misused as domestic servants and there have been demands of abandoning these erstwhile Batmans. Forced to proceed on leave after the slur, the unidentified officer was attached for an enquiry. A report later said he has resigned. This is not the first such allegation in the armed forces, newspaper reports suggested, but in all the cases the officers were sacked.

EXHIBITION GROUNDS

It is called creating room in an overloaded bus. National Book Trust has its exhibition going on in the Kashmir Haat and one of the many stalls is the Millat Publications, a publication house run by Geelani’s Hurriyat. Located at a prominent spot, almost everybody who visits the exhibition essentially goes to this stall. It has been making a good business and some people who were desperate to get the writing of Geelani have had a goldmine opened for them. Other stall owners said the business was not so bad but the assembly session forced a no-parking restriction in the belt that reduced the footfalls.

DELHI

One of the first delegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi received was that of Kashmiri Pandits. Party gatherings apart, the next major delegation he received was a mixed delegation of Gujjar and Bakerwal youth. A Sadhbhavna effort, it was a delegation that an RR battalion of Romeo Force posted in Pir Panchal range that sponsored the Sair-e-Wattan (a visit to homeland). The delegation visited Modi after having a visit to Agra and Delhi. They shared their experience of visiting the mainland India and also conveyed the difficulties they face while living in Rajouri.

URI

Last week, it seemed as if R S Pora and Uri were two different territories. While R S Pora witnessed the fierce shelling, the first after 1971 war, Uri played host to a friendly flag meeting between the rival armies. Reason: India had to send home an aged Gujjar who had inadvertently crossed the invisible LoC. Mangta Khan, 72 said he was cutting wood in the forests of his Chapper village when he accidently crossed to this side of the invisible LoC on August 20. He was treated after being captured and was repatriated on August 23.

MUMBAI

Remember Kashmir’s Goglu, the man who went to Mumbai police and fabricated a story about his involvement in the July 10 Pune blast. A broke, he wanted to go to jail as indebted man was chased by the people from whom he had lifted money. Now Mumbai police is investigating his credentials in Srinagar. The detailed collected by Azad Maidan police revealed that he had cheated nine people of Rs 8.6 lakh promising them government jobs. A man who was a flea market minor was selling government jobs on Srinagar streets!

Poonch has 42 villages on its 103 kms of LoC and a population of 28464 people are living insides gates between zero line and the fence.

In Poonch, army is in occupation of more than 360 kanals of Waqaf land but pays rent for 21 kanals only.

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Shopian Gets Sadhbhana Centre: Army

KL Report

SRINAGAR

A multi activity centre with library, computer lab and internet facility, created by Army under Sadhbhavana at Shopian was inaugurated by the Sector Commander, Rashtriya Rifles, a spokesman of the army said.

The spokesman said the centre was established following a popular demand by the local youth and will go a long way in enabling their learning and creative use of time. Inauguration was followed by a friendly cricket match. A large number of youths attended the inauguration of multi activity centre.

The youth interacted with Army officers during the event. While addressing the youth, the Commander advised youth to make the best out of this facility for career guidance, educating themselves on job opportunities and preparing for various competitive exams. A Cricket match was also organised at the Batpora Stadium. SP Shupiyan and other civil dignitaries also graced the occasion, the spokesman added.

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India-Pakistan Needs To Fight Internal Enemies Jointly: Tarigami

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Stressing for the need to set dialogue process in motion, Communist leader Yousuf Tarigami said the recent diplomatic breakdown between India and Pakistan is a blow to the peace process aimed at normalization of relations.

Addressing a public rally at Mantribugh in Shopian district, Tarigami said skirmishes on LoC in terms of ceasefire violations is most unfortunate and a step backwards in the context of the growing public urge for peace and tranquility in the region. Tarigami said the dialogue process should not be held hostage to the domestic considerations in the two neighboring countries.

Urging the leadership of the two countries to play their roles in cessation of hostilities along the border, Tarigami said that the recent diplomatic deadlock needs to be reviewed and channels of communication be opened for the peace and amity in the region.

“Let India and Pakistan fight their greater internal enemies—poverty, corruption, diseases, natural disasters and sectarian violence jointly rather than aim their guns on each other,” he stressed.

The CPI (M) leader said that people of Kashmir are forced to bear the brunt of disruptions in dialogue. “It is the time that both the governments should realize urgency of this commitment and make serious efforts to move forward and revamp the stalled peace process,” he remarked adding that the real strength of the two nations lie in pursuing the process of dialogue.

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Police Arrests Pulwama Biker

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Pulwama police arrested a biker who fled away from a petrol pump brandishing a knife to the salesman after refueling his motorcycle, at Parigam.

A petrol pump owner reported to Pulwama police that during the intervening night of August 28/29, an unknown person came on motorcycle (JK01H/6505). After refueling the bike with petrol for Rs 1000 the motorcyclist brandished a knife to the salesman and fled away from the spot without payment.

Police registered a case in this regard and launched a search for the motorcyclist. Yesterday police struck a clue and arrested the motorcyclist Tariq Ahmad Dar son of Mushtaq Ahmad resident of Gundbagh Kakapora at Gurwan, Kakapora and seized the motorcycle. They recovered two knives and 03 cell phones from him.

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Road Accident: Minor Dies

KL Report

SRINAGAR

A minor died while another person was injured in two separate road accidents across the valley.

Police said an Alto car (JK13A/7134) hit a 3 year old boy Faiq Farooq son of Farooq Ahmad Malik resident of Katipora Yaripora at Katipora, in the jurisdiction of Police Station Yaripora, Kulgam, resulting in his on spot death. The driver along with his car fled away from the spot. However, when he reached Kanjikulla Yaripora, a violent mob set ablaze his vehicle. Police arrested the driver and registered a case in this regard.

Meanwhile, a Sumo (JK05B/0285) driven by Idrees Ahmad son of Abdul Rashid Awan resident of Salamabad Uri turned turtle near Gowa Chandanwari, Uri. The injured was shifted to PHC Boniyar. Police has registered a case in this regard.

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Balraj Puri’s Stand On Human Rights Was Appreciative: Geelani

KL Report

SRINAGAR

After the last rites of veteran journalist Balraj Puri, Kashmir separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has talked to his widow and conveyed his condolences.

“I was having personal relations with him and I found him a good and humble person. Being a king in the field of journalism, he was also having a deep political insight and with regarding to the human rights, his stand was very appreciative,” Geelani has stated in his message.

Meanwhile Geelani has termed the repeated arrest of Masarat Alam Bhat as the worst kind of state terrorism. He also expressed his deep concern over the continuous imprisonment of all the political prisoners including Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Amir Hamza, Mohammad Yousuf Falahi, Abdullah Nasir, Abdul Majeed Parray, Mohammad Altaf Khan, Asadullah Parray, Showkat Hakeem, Mehraj-ud-din Nanda, Molvi Sajad and Showkat Ahmad Kulgam.

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Denying Rift, Sagar Says NC’s 4th List On Way

KL Report

SRINAGAR

NC is releasing 4th list of its party candidates in coming days, party general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar told KNS. He maintained that the deliberations over the list are going on and Omar’s name is likely in the list.

However, sources in the party maintained that there are tensions over the mandate for Ganderbal, Bandipora and Tangmarg. Former Ganderbal DC Showkat Ahmad Mir is seeking mandate from Tangmarg asserting that though he was initially promised Ganderbal. Party, however is keen to send Dr Mustafa Kamal to Tangmarg to assert that Abdullah’s are there out in the field.

Sagar, however, denied all the reports stating that there is no rift within the party over the issuance of mandates.

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SSM College: Students Allege Harassment, Threats

SRINAGAR

KL Report

Students of the privately run SSM College have alleged the management is threatening them to ruin their careers by involving police, local news gatherer KNS said.

A delegation of computer Science students in a joint representation have stated that management has warned them against going to media or else their career would be ruined and FIRs will be registered.

“They called us and threatened us. They even tell us that FIRs will be registered against them so that they ever don’t get the job,” students alleged, according to KNS.

College, they alleged, is imposing hefty fines on them without any reason. “When they contacted the head of the institute, she maintains that even the chief minister cannot act against her,” KNS said.

The joint representation reads: “We the students of SSM college of Engineering and technology, department computer Science currently in 7th semester are facing tough times. The management of the college is being extremely harsh towards us. The reason of all this dates back to mid-July when we were given an undertaking by the authorities of the college we have completed maximum portion of their syllabus at that particular time (ie mid of July). However, all the students unanimously disagreed, as at that particular time we had completed approximately 30 percent of the syllabi. However, due to the issues with the delay in our degree, we were left with no other option but to sign the undertaking the next very day.”

They added that they were supposed to complete the degree by August-2014. However, as of now on August 30 2014, they are still in the 7th semester itself. “Every student of our batch (i-e all the branches including CSE) want our external exams to be conducted in mid-September. As we learnt from other branches that the signing of the undertaking was meant to be a formality for the conductance of our semester exams early, therefore just for that very reason we signed the same. However, when the representatives of our class (7th semester CSE) went with the undertaking to the VCP of our college on the very next day, she refused to accept the same, when she had already accepted the undertaking given by other branches. But a single day’s delay in the submission of the undertaking cost us a lot.”

The students in the representation stated that around two weeks later on August 7, after a unanimous apology by the students, they were finally issued the forms on the condition that they pay the late fee till the forms reach the controller’s office. “We were further informed that late fee would be w.e.f 24th July 2014, on 9thAugust 2014, it was also conveyed that the late fee would be Rs 100 per day which was summing up to around Rs 1500 per student on the same date.

Later all the students went to Kashmir University and informed the controller of examination about the issue. We were informed by the Controller examination KU himself that the students aren’t supposed to pay any late fee and the college authorities had clearly lied about it. Varsity sent a notice regarding this to the college. It was weeks’ notice and the university authorities strictly demanded the explanation from the authorities of SSM College regarding the same. The university mentioned in the notice that there were clear cut norms that the College is affiliated to KU and bound to follow its norms.”

They stated that they have apprehensions that the college will do anything to affect them academically “Now we are really worried that we have still one semester to go and we would have to face the strong consequences in future for getting up against what is wrong and unjustifiable. And if that happens, we want everyone concerned, to take a stand for us.”

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Drabu sees 2015 as ‘Year of the Youth’

AWANTIPORA

Eminent economist and PDP leader Dr Haseeb Drabu Sunday said that the state should declare coming year as the ‘Year of the Youth’.

Drabu, who is PDP’s Rajpora Constituency candidate for the upcoming state assembly elections, said that we need lot of activity for the youth. “Youth have been at the receiving end of the all crimes of social, political and economic hardships,” he said while addressing the award ceremony function of 18th All India Twenty-20 Cricket Federation Cup 2014 at Awantipora.

He said that the state needs to restore the confidence in the youth. “They should be able to compete; not only compete but also win ‘in the field’ and ‘off the field’ as well,” Drabu said.

“We have gone through turmoil in the last twenty years and these steps (organizing such tournaments) are the ways in which we can interact and share bonding,” Drabu said.

Drabu said that Kashmir has huge talent and what the state needs to do is to declare the coming year as the Year of the Youth. “We need to nurture the talent of our youth.”

“I would not talk about PDP here but what I feel is that we need to encourage sports at a measure level,” he said adding, “It should be a part of the youth policy.”

Drabu also said that he would personally influence corporate sector of Indian to invest in sports in Kashmir. He was accompanied by PDP Youth Wing President Wahid-Ur-Rehman Para, PDP South Kashmir Leader Muhammad Ashraf Mir, Dr Syed Muzammil Andrabi and Media Advisor Junaid Loan who were guests of Honour on the occasion.

On the occasion, Drabu felicitated the winning team of the tournament – “Mantaqi Sports” from J&K. A cash prize of Rs 31000 was given to the title holders of 18th All India Twenty-20 Cricket Federation Cup 2014 while Rs 21000 was awarded to Runner Up Team.

Pertinently, the tournament was organized by J&K state Twenty-20 Cricket Association and 16 cricket teams from across India were participating in the tournament which started on August 22. The matches were played in South Kashmir.

The Organizing Secretary of the tournament Syed Mohsin Andrabi said that they have been organizing such events since 2009.

“To give an opportunity to the cricket loving players of our valley we are holding such tournaments,” Mohsin said.

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2-Day Adbi Markaz’s Banihal Conference Concludes

SRINAGAR

KL Report

The two-day annual conference of Adbee Markaz Kamraz concluded at Banihal. It was attended by poets and writers from in and outside the State. The conference was held in the joint compound of Govt Degree College and Govt Boys Higher Secondary School Banihal. During the two day conference, besides several sessions of literary debates and discourses, Mushairas and book release events were part of the function.

On Saturday, inaugural session was presided by Prof Marghoob Banihali with Rafiq Raz, Brij Hali and Shehzadi Simon as Guests of Honour. AMK President Dr Aziz Hajni delivered the key note address. Session was conducted by Dr Shujaat Bukhari. AMK General Secretary Muhammad Amin Bhat presented the annual report. Books of Manshoor Banihali, Bashir Baderwahi and Late Sahmsuddin Shameem were released.

In another session Prof Shad Ramzan presented the Theme Paper. The session was chaired by Prof Muhammad Zaman Azurdah with Rukhsana Jabeen and Muhammad Rafi in the presidium.

On the second day Sunday, three resolutions were passed about preservation and promotion of Kashmiri language and literature.

AMK awards given away

Noted poet and writer Bashir Baderwai was conferred this year’s “Sharaf-e-Kamraz” award for his contribution towards Kashmiri literature.

“Jo-e Adab Kaij Nag Handwara” bagged the “Sharaf-e-Kamraz” award in the category of literary organisations, for their efforts on ground to reach out to poets and writers of Kashmiri language in Handwara and Langate areas of Kupwara district. The award was received by Spokesman Pervez Majeed and his colleagues of the organisation. “Sharaf-e-Kamraz” carries cash prize, memento and citation for the each awardee.

This year’s “Khilat-e-Hanfi Sopori” award was conferred to noted singer Waheed Jeelani for his contributions in promoting Kashmiri language and literature through music.

In the administration category, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla was coferred “Khilat-e-Hanfi Sopori” award for his contributions towards promotion of Kashmiri language as an administrator

In the media category of “Khilat-e-Hanfi Sopori” award was awarded to Kashmir News Service for providing generous space for the literary and cultural activities in Kashmir which help in promotion and preservation of Kashmiri language and literature.

The “Mohi-u-din Hajni Gold Medal,” which is given to a student who tops the MA Kashmiri examination of Kashmir University, in collaboration with prominent Kashmiri daily newspaper “Sangarmal” has been bagged this year by Bilal Ahmad Shiekh.

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Kousar Nag Has A Prabandhak Samiti?

KL Report

SRINAGAR

A press note issued by the state information department informed that ‘Kounsar Nag Yatra Prabandhak Samiti (KYPS)’ led by its Convener, Swami Kumar Ji, met governor N N Vohra at Jammu Raj Bhawan and “voiced the complaints faced by the devotees who were not allowed to undertake the Kounsar Nag Yatra via Kulgam last month.”

The Samiti urged Vohra to take timely action to ensure so that state government provided the necessary arrangements and security for this “important Yatra”.

The KYPS was informed, by governor, that the difficulties faced by the pilgrims would be duly conveyed to the state government, the press note said.

The delegation comprised Leela Karan Sharma, President State Vishwa Hindu Parishd, K K Khosa, President, Kashmiri Pandit Sabha, Jammu, Swami Ram Sharan Dass Ji, Laxmi Narayan Mandir, Bhari Dhari, Reasi, Shiben Khaibri, writer and social activist, Prabhat Singh, Gen Secretary Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Jammu, V Kashkari, Co Convener, J&K Nationalist Movement, Pairay Lal Bhat, Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra, Anand Nagar, Jammu, Taken Dass, Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Jammu and Avtar Krishen Trakroo, Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra, Jammu.

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Balraj Puri’s Death Widely Condoled

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Noted activist, veteran journalist and intellectual Padam Bushan Balraj Puri (born August 5, 1928) passed away on Saturday in the Government Medical College hospital at Jammu after a protracted illness. He was 86 and is survived by a daughter, son and their aged mother.

Puri began his journalist career as editor of a weekly newspaper in 1942. He has actively participated in preventing rioting during 1947 and was part of Quit India and Quit Kashmir movements. Later, Sheikh Abdullah government gave him the responsibility of managing the affairs of the refugees coming from Pakistan and PaK. He has remained very close to Congress leaders especially Nehru and Indira. Dr Farooq Abdullah also appointed him as the head of Regional autonomy Committee, a position he resigned after the government disagreed with his recommendations. Earlier in 1952, his regional autonomy suggestions were accepted by centre and the state governments and Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah jointly announced that in a press conference in July 1952. He was conferred Padama Bushan in 2005.

A prolific writer and author, Puri was active on human rights front during the initial years of militancy. His death has widely been condoled. Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah issued separate statements and both the houses recorded their condolence well before they were adjoured sine die.

Puri’s cremation is slated to take place at Jogi Gate in Jammu on Sunday.

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Omar Thanks People For Reposing Faith In Him

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Saturday gave full credit to J&K people for reposing faith in him and giving the chance to serve the state during the last about six years.

Addressing the Legislative House on the last day of the last session of the 11th assembly, Omar appealed people to come out in huge numbers and elect their representatives to get their day-to-day issues highlighted at the highest forum.

“You have witnessed that the current Assembly during the last about six years besides discussing all issues pertaining to daily affairs of life of the people also deliberated and discussed issues about accession, autonomy, Article 370, law and order, security, development, and politics”, Omar said. “We are here to represent your aspirations and our success is measured on fulfilling the promises.”

Attacking BJP without naming it, Omar expressed surprise over its attitude of taking advantage of poll boycott just for petty party gains. “Conspiracy is being hatched to hoodwink electorate by utilizing the impact of poll boycott in some areas and by dividing the people in different areas. The gulf they are creating for poll benefits cannot be engulfed even after years of completion of election,” Omar said. “They should fight the election on principals and ideologies and accept the people’s decision.” He referred to the divide created before 2008 elections and warned that attempts are being made to disturb peace and create wedge between various sections of the society.

Omar said that development of power remained on focus and the government during last about six years laid foundation for production of 1500 MWs of power as against 750 MWs since Independence to 2008. He said whosoever will inaugurate these projects in near future but the fact is that these projects will give considerable relief to the people on power supply front which has remained troublesome for a long time in the State.

The Chief Minister said the militancy has reduced by 80 percent and government’s various decisions regarding restoration of peace and tranquility have yielded positive results.

He said Rehabilitation Policy for youth who had crossed LoC and wanted to return peacefully was implemented during his tenure. He said 350 youth have returned back under this Policy in dignified way. He said Reservation for Pahari People passed in the current Assembly Session is yet another people-friendly and historic step taken by the government. He said reservation for OSCs has also been enhanced.

Highlighting the importance of Institutions, Omar Abdullah said that these institutions should not be denigrated on personal grounds. “We should not harm these Institutions by judging these on our personal grounds”, he said adding that the success of the Institution does not lie in the success or loss of any person. “If we win the election and describe the process rightful and true and if we lose it raise finger against it, that is not the criterion and it tells upon the Institution”, he said and added that the success of Institutions and the success of people is the ultimate goal and these should be the winners in all situations.

Omar Abdullah criticized a particular media house for handing over verdict of ‘anti-national’ to the duly elected House of people of Jammu and Kashmir for passing a resolution regarding the need of restoration of talks between India and Pakistan. He said that any anchor who has no experience of putting his life to risk just like the public representatives of Jammu and Kashmir to strengthen the Country and safeguard the State ought not to pass judgement in a television studio on the credentials of the elected representatives of the people who have taken oath for the Country and give sacrifice for it.

The Chief Minister said that the elected representatives differ in their political ideologies adding that some are against Article 370 while others are in favour of its further strengthening but all are on same page so far as the strengthening and safeguarding the Country is concerned.

The Chief Minister said that no State Legislative Assembly other than Jammu and Kashmir was attacked by militants and martyred the staff and security. He said there is no political party in Jammu and Kashmir whose members have not been killed and attacked by the militants. He said that keeping security personnel with Legislators is by compulsion as their life is always under threat. He said his Party, ‘NC’ has given sacrifice of its 8000 members for the State, Country and democracy. He said they have not done it to be declared anti-national by a TV channel.

“They have scarified for the Country and the State. We are saying to resolve the issues through the talks. What is the other way round? Should we say that war be waged putting the life of the Army and civilian to all kinds of risks and dangers that we will be declared Nationalists by the TV anchor?” he questioned and referred to the contribution of the public representatives towards strengthening of the Country, State and the democracy.

The Chief Minister also criticized the cancelling of talks by the Centre Government with Pakistan on the ground of separatists having tea with the Pakistan High Commission Authorities. He said such tea parties used to take place in the past from the time of Prime Minister Narsimha Rao but dialogue process between India and Pakistan was not stopped on this ground.

Omar Abdullah referred to the militant attacks on Parliament and on Mumbai and stopping of dialogue process on both the occasions. He said talks were re-started despite the fact that the conditions put forth by the India were not fulfilled by the Pakistan. He said dialogue is only way forward to address issues.

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After China It Is Himachal Encroaching Ladakh!

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Chinese Red Army encroaching pastures in Ladakh every summer is a routine. While it has always been making news, nobody felt attracted towards the other encroachment by Himacahal Pardesh.

That is exactly what a senior member of the legislative council Nurboo Giachan revealed on Saturday. He moved a calling attention motion seeking formal demarcation of the inter-state borders so that it does not create an ugly situation in coming days.

Nurboo said the crisis is reported from Sercho area of Nyoma block that borders three areas: Leh’s Nyoma, Kargil’s Zanskar and Himachal’s Lahul Spiti belt. While scores of herdsmen are encroaching upon the Ladakh territory, some from the neighboring state are erecting makeshift tea-stalls and other commercial facilities during summers when tourist traffic is on that side.

“They have got at least six kilometers inside our territory,” Nurboo later told reporters. “There have been verbal duels between the two sides this summer as the Himachal encroachers are staking clam over the meadows and pastures.” He said the area, if left unattended, could trigger a serious law and order crisis.

“The district administration Leh is already ceased of the matter,” the government said in a formal response. “Since the area falls on the border of Leh and adjoining district of Himachal Pardesh, generally people cross over to either side for garzing their cattle.”

State’s revenue ministry said the district administration in Leh has been asked to pursue the matter vigorously to ensure no permanent encroachment takes place in the area. “The issue of demarcation of boundary between Leh and Himachal Pardesh is being discussed between the district administrations of both the states to resolve the dispute,” the ministry stated in the house.

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2 Die, 01 injured in Road Accidents

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Two persons died while another was injured in separate road accidents across the valley, a police statement said on Saturday.

A LP truck bearing registration number JK16-0353 hit a pedestrian Mohammad Rashid Khatana son of Mohammad Abdullah resident of Potha Rajouri at Hung Park, Gund resulting in his on spot death. After performing all medico-legal formalities, the body was handed over to his next of kin for last rites.

Meanwhile, a bus bearing registration number JK01E/2484 driven by Abdul Majid Khan, resident of Hafruda hit and injured a pedestrian Habib Ullah Tantary son of Ghulam Mohammad resident of Bohipora at Regipora, Kupwara. The injured was shifted to District Hospital Kupwara where he succumbed to his injuries. The body was handed over to his next of kin for last rites.

In another accident, a Verna vehicle bearing registration number JK05D/ 5758 skidded off the road at Sangri Top, Sopore resulting in injuries to driver Mohammad Ishaq Tantary son of Mohammad Maqbool resident of Chankipora Sopore. The injured was shifted to M.I room 27RR camp Watlab for treatment.

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Protests Rock Tangmarg against ‘Waywardness’

KL Report

KUNZAR

Protests reverberated here in Kunzar town after Friday prayers with hundreds of people raising slogans against the immorality, wine selling and other objectionable ventures carried ‘under the garb’ of tourism on Srinagar-Gulmarg road.

People gathered at Kunzar Chowk after Friday prayers and took out a protest rally alleging that the authorities have failed to curb the ‘showroom menace’ wherein some showrooms and guest houses were selling wine and doing ‘objectionable trade’.

Protesters raised slogans, “sharab ko band karo, berah ravi phelane waloo ko lagam do, mujrimoon ko saza do, badnam showroomoon ko band karo” (Close wine selling, curb those who spread waywardness, punish the guilty, close notorious showrooms).

The protesters said that the unruly business of these showrooms was now open for one and a half year with a showroom at Dhobiwan flourishing waywardness and drugs against which the locals last year had protested.

“Recently in a guest house at Waihpora, locals and police caught hold of an illegal couple in objectionable position who were later arrested. Then came the news about Rahat Ghar, an orphanage near Chandilora where the minor Muslim girls were trained for dancing which in no-way is acceptable in a Muslim society, and now the Excise department and police has seized poppy (Fukki) worth Lakhs of rupees and also wine from two showrooms on the road,” the protestors said.

“Things are happening unabatedly as if it was normal trade. We were waiting for government action but it failed miserably and is registering mere FIRs when things get exposed,” one group of protestors alleged.

It is pertinent to mention here that police and Excise department on Thursday had seized 24 bags of poppy (Fukki) worth rupees ten lakh from Vishnu Dhaba, a showroom-cum-Dhaba on Srinagar-Gulmarg road and wine bottles from another show room at Batpora near Kunzar.

“Two persons have been arrested while the main culprit Ab Razaq Shah, the owner of the restaurant who is said to be the king pin of this trade, is absconding,” one of the protestors said.

Shah, a resident of Takiya Gonipora Kunzar, fled from the place, reports said. The two persons arrested were identified as Mushtaq Ahmad resident of Ratnipora and Abdul Ahad resident of Shrai Tangmarg.

Meanwhile Traders’ Federation of Tangmarg and Kunzar too expressed concern over the growing menace. And the religious scholars have taken serious notice of the growing menace of ‘showroom hooliganism’ and said that such things won’t be allowed to happen in the land of Baba Payam-Ul-Din Reshi (RA).

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Modi Breaks his Silence on Cancellation of Secretary Level Talks

KL Desk

SRINAGAR

After the cancelling Foreign Secretary Level Talks with its SAARC neighbour Pakistan, breaking his silence Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said that India was “disappointed” as Pakistan wanted to make a “spectacle” by meeting Kashmir separatist leaders but said efforts will continue to build peaceful, friendly and cooperative ties with Pakistan, reports said.

Modi, reports said, laid the ‘ground rules’ for future talks, asserting that “any meaningful bilateral dialogue necessarily requires an environment that is free from terrorism and violence”.

In an interaction with media personnel from Japan, he said, “India desires peaceful, friendly and cooperative ties with Pakistan…. India has no hesitation to discuss any outstanding issue with Pakistan within the bilateral framework that has been established under the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration”.

“We were disappointed that Pakistan sought to make a spectacle of these efforts and went ahead with talks with secessionist elements from Jammu & Kashmir in New Delhi just prior to the meeting of the foreign secretaries,” reports quoted as Modi having said.

He added, “We will continue to make efforts to build peaceful, friendly and cooperative ties with Pakistan.”

He recalled that he had a “very good meeting” with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in May, 2014, when he attended the swearing-in ceremony of his government here.

“We together decided that the foreign secretaries should meet and explore how to take relations forward,” he noted.

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Non-state Subjects Occupying State Land, alleges Rashid

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Amid ruckus in Legislative Assembly, Independent MLA Engineer Rashid Saturday targeted members of all the political parties for being anti-people and anti-Kashmiri. He confronted with NPP members for demanding the inclusion of word ‘secular’ to the preamble of the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution and accused them of being the citizen of that India which is led by a ‘communal leader’.

“India is not a secular country. It is the country of people of like Mohan Bhagwat and Praveen Togadia who are known for their anti-Muslim policies. Stop preaching us secularism, in your country Muslims are not allowed to offer Friday prayers,” Rashid shouted at them.

He added that India doubts the integrity of all Kashmiri leaders. “For India, every Kashmiri is anti-national. You term Chief Minister of the State as anti-Indian. When anybody talks in the House, you call him anti-national. For you Muhammad Yusuf Tarigami is also an anti-Indian. Tell me then who is an Indian here if all are anti-Indians,” he questioned.

When Minister of State for Home Sajad Kitchloo stood up to make his point, Engineer Rashid who was sitting behind him, stood up and told him to stop addressing the House as he (Kitchloo) according to Rashid is also an anti-Indian in the eyes of India. Rashid said that some newspapers in Jammu have carried a report alleging that Sajad Ahmed Kitchloo enjoys the patronage of militants in Jammu and Kashmir. He asked Speaker Mubarak Gul to take serious note of these reports and initiate action against these news papers. Rashid said that Kitchloo that it is useless for him to speak on behalf of India and in their eyes he is also anti-Indian. “On the directions of India you are suppressing the people here and yet you are labelled as anti-Indian so it is of no use for you to address here,” Rashid told Kitchloo.

National Conference member Bimla Luthra objected to the remarks made by Rashid against Home Minister while Rashid retorted and described her deaf and dumb. “You don’t know reality because you are deaf and dumb,” Rashid told NC female member. The Speaker while expunging the words of Rashid advised him to refrain from using un-parliamentary language in the House.

Attacking both National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party legislators when they were busy in levelling allegations and counter allegation over Marhama land scam, Rashid shouted at them that, “you are all burglars who have sucked the blood of common people.” “Tum log kafan choor ho, you all are sailing in the same boat,” he said.

Rashid stormed twice in the well and finally on the directions of the Speaker he was marshalled out from the House.

Rashid alleged that State Government did not come up with the reply about the total number of Bihari, Rajhastani and other non-state subject labourers in Kashmir. He said non-state subjects mostly Biharis have occupied government land in Kashmir while the government is acting as a mute spectator. From Qazigund to Kashmir, everywhere we find Biharis huts on government land. If the government fails to take action against them then these labourers will one day demand rights for them in the same way as refugees in Jammu division are demanding,” he shouted and added that he will oust all Biharis from Kashmir as Kashmir belongs to Kashmir’s. Rashid demanded an answer from the government and said that if government did not take measures in this regard then soon the demographic character of Kashmir will change.

Law and Parliamentary affairs Minister Mir Saifullah informed the House that no Bihari has occupied the state land. “They visit Kashmir to earn livelihood and return after spending a month or two here,” he said.

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Opening of Kargil-Skardu route under consideration” Govt

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Jammu and Kashmir Government has said that in order to check the abuse of trade at Line of Control, the officials of Industries and Commerce Department, Customs Department, Security Wing of State Police are working at the respective Trade Facilitation Centres.

The government further revealed that opening of additional trade routes like Kargil-Skardu is under consideration of the Industries and Commerce department.

The government according to CNS said that X-Ray machines and sniffer dogs are employed at TFC’s for scanning of goods. “Adequate staff of Indian Reserve Police have been deputed for guarding the X-Ray machines. Trucks loaded with goods are brought in and out in the shape of a convoy guarded by Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and CRPF personnel,” the government said.

The government added that three persons namely Muhammad Shafiq Awan son of Abdul Aziz resident of Sara Muzaffarabad, Showkat-ul-Habib son Habibullah Phaloo resident of Saderkote Payeen Kashmir and Tariq Ahmed Sheikh son of late Abdul Hamid resident of Tawheed Ganj Baramulla were found involved in unlawful activities of smuggling of contrabands and have been arrested and are under trial in District Court Baramulla.

The query about the measures taken to check the abuse of trade and the persons found indulging in unlawful activities and smuggling of contrabands was raised by BJP legislator Ashok Khajuria in the Legislative Assembly.

The government said that Line of Control Trade has been started as a Confidence Building Measure between Pakistan administered Kashmir and Jammu and Kashmir. The government said that this trade is custom free, however, the traders pay sales tax to the concerned department.

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JKCCS blames Govt for 380 Killings in last 5 ½ Years

KL Report

SRINAGAR

The Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS) Friday said that the State government ‘seeks to limit its responsibility to 134 civilians killed in 5 ½ years, when it in reality bears responsibility for a total of 380 civilians who have been killed from 2009 to July 2014.’

In a statement issued to KNS, a spokesman of JKCCS has said: “On 27 August 2014, Chief Minister [who also holds charge of Home Department] stated in the Legislative Assembly that from 2009 to July 2014, 134 persons had “lost their lives” in action by police and paramilitary forces.”

The spokesman added that this statement, reportedly made in the most benign language [for example the use of the phrase “lost their lives” as opposed to “killed”], is a pathetic defence of a tenure which has overseen widespread and systematic killings in Jammu and Kashmir at the hands of the Indian State forces.

“The government figures are based on the daily police press notes which are aimed at controlling the discourse and the damage caused by the actions of the armed forces. No independent or fair investigations are carried out to establish the culpability and circumstances under which these people were killed. The government’s culpability lies in directing and overseeing these killings and in taking no action.”

The JKCCS has said: “Further, the terminology of the Chief Minister’s response is expected and clearly indicative of the position of the government on the role of the armed forces. Killing of civilians is referred to as “engagements between protestors and deployment on the ground”, and killing of civilians by State forces by drowning [as perhaps in the case of Faizan Ahmad Buhroo by the SOG in 2010] is referred to merely as drowning.”

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Written Exams of Account Asstt/PET to start from 11:30 AM

KL Report

SRINAGAR

According to Secretary Service Selection Board (SSB), the timing for written examination for the posts of Accounts Assistant and Physical Education Teacher (PET) scheduled to be held on 30th August, 2014 in two sessions morning and afternoon respectively has been changed and now the written test shall commence from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM for forenoon session and 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM for afternoon session, an official statement said.

Accordingly all the candidates are directed to report to examination centres well in time.

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With Love from Kashmir, Ring goes ‘missing’ from Parcel

KL Report

SRINAGAR

A South Kashmir resident Friday alleged that Post Office employees stole his valuable ring that he had sent through a parcel to one of his friend in Madhya Pradesh.

Muhammad Maqbool Naikoo resident of Bongam Shopian told CNS that he sent a parcel vide invoice number 9172/N through post office Shopian to Bhopal Madhya Pradesh on August 13 this month.

“The parcel contained a valuable ring worth Rs 14,500 for which I received a proper receipt vide number 870813935. I was shocked when my shopkeeper friend from Bhopal informed me on phone that he refused to collect the parcel from the postman there as he found it torn,” he said.

Naikoo said that his friend who is the proprietor of Ratna House did not collect his parcel and accordingly the parcel was dispatched back to Post Office Shopian.

“The post office Shopian employees are insisting me to collect this parcel that is without the ring. How can I collect it when they have cheated me,” he asked adding that he has lost faith in the system and has pledged never to show up at any post office.

Chief Post Master General J&K Circle, Chander Prakash admitted that the ring in the parcel has gone missing. “We will conduct an enquiry and have conveyed to the customer to file a complaint in the office of Senior Superintendent Post Office at GPO Srinagar,” he said.

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Cop shot at in South Kashmir

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Suspected militants Friday shot at and critically injured a cop outside DC office in South Kashmir’s Islamabad district.

Police sources told CNS that PSO Fayaz Ahmed Bhat (638A), a resident of Katrosu Kulgam was guarding the front gate of the District Development Commissioner’s Office in Islamabad when two unidentified persons appeared there and one of them fired upon the cop at a point blank-range. The single bullet according to police hit the skull of the cop who fell down in a pool of blood.

“The injured cop was shifted to SKIMS where he is being treated upon by a team of doctors,” DIG South Kashmir Vijay Kumar said adding that the assailants fled from the spot soon after the incident.

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JKEDI Organises Loan Mela in Chenab Valley

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) organised entrepreneurship awareness-cum loan fair at Doda, an official statement said on Friday.

“At least 600 participants, including educated unemployed youth, Sarpanchs and officials from different government line departments were present on the occasion,” the statement said.

The awareness programme was held at Town Hall Doda. District Development Commissioner Doda, Shyam Vinod Meena was the Chief Guest and Commanding Officer 10 RR, Col Sunil Mishra was the Guest of Honour on the occasion. GM District Industries Centre, Doda, District Information Officer were also present, it informed.

“The awareness programme was regarding term loan scheme, the institute implements under National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC).”

Addressing the gathering, DDC Doda said, “People who lack commitment opt for government jobs only while entrepreneurs take up the responsibility and accept challenges in their lives.”

The DDC assured all possible support from district administration Doda for JKEDI’s initiatives to minimize unemployment through entrepreneurship.

Col Mishra in his address said entrepreneurship is the only option to curb growing unemployment among educated youth. He also assured army’s support to JKEDI and its pro-entrepreneurial initiatives, the statement said.

JKEDI Regional Coordinator, Jammu, Dr. Majid Manzoor Khan gave a detailed overview of all the schemes being implemented by JKEDI to the participants with special discussion on NMDFC.

Later on SVEEP awareness was imparted to participants. GM DIC Doda & DIO Doda was also present. DIO sensitized participants about summary revision, continuous updating, and importance of voting among others and appealed to spread message of voter registration among there near and dear ones.”

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