Sunday, 30 November 2014

A Home without Windows

The devastating floods of September made many people home-less. Some of them living in the make-shift camps are trying to fight the loss and putting themselves together to rise again. Syed Asma visits one such make-shift camp located in the middle of the City


Under construction Chinar complex in Munawarabad is a makeshift home for dozens of flood affected families.

Under construction Chinar complex in Munawarabad is a makeshift home for dozens of flood affected families.



Abdul Raheem Kumar, a 60 year-old-man puffing a cigarette is looking-out across the river Jhelum. Wearing a serious look on his face he does not talk much, his wife Rafiqa says. Kumar’s eyes are stuck at something very far. After staring at something for a long time, he looks at his wife and asks – why isn’t the noise in my head stopping?


“Since the flood stuck us, he is complaining of something unusual!” says Rafiqa, “usually we complain of headache, but he says some disturbing noise is going on in his head.” The doctors in SHMS have advised him to go for some medical examinations but the fear of being diagnosed with a non-curable disease is stopping him from consulting a doctor again, perhaps!


A resident of Bemina, Kumar and his family are taking shelter in an under construction building: Chinar complex at Munwarabad, Srinagar. It is a huge structure erected in Khyam chowk without doors and windows, even the walls inside are missing. An open staircase in the edifice caused a few causalities when the flood victims were residing there.


“A few of my friends got injured while we were playing in the building,” says Faizan, a 10 year old mischievous child who with his parents is residing there for a few weeks after floods. Two boys had a fall, one from the open staircase and another from an open slab and fell on the ground. He presently has a fractured leg and arm.


Faizan and his friends called it a ghost house as they had to live in those ugly raw cemented walls with no electricity for almost three weeks. “Ghosts would have eaten us up but we were smart enough,” Faizan winked.


The entire locality of Chinar Bagh was inundated in water and these helpless people could not even move to their relatives’ places as they mostly live near Dal Lake, Bemina, Mehjoor Nagar or Sumerbug. Almost all these families in this locality (Chinar Bagh), lost both their shelter and livelihood after the flood stuck.


The population in the area earns hand to mouth. Almost all of them are laborers and do not have many options and places to live in, so they collectively built up their new huts to face the approaching harsh winters.


They all lost everything and have to start from a zero!


Kumar used to run a tea-stall in Lal-chowk. The flood left him helpless – washed away his hut in Bemina and his cart in Lal-chowk. Kumar has had a tough life all through. He had a shop in Lal chowk which the government dismantled for being an illegal construction. Then he took loans from people and bought a hand-cart which the flood washed away.


Feeding the family of five – his wife, two sons and a daughter, Kumar had earned all his life; had built up a hut in Bemina and married off his daughter, he says. Flood destroyed everything. His daughter was married a month ago to a shopkeeper living in Sumerbug. “I had married my daughter in a comparatively well-off family. They owned a concert house and a shop in their locality. I thought she should live a luxurious life which I could never afford,” says Kumar, “but our plans can’t change our fate and destinies.”


“You know what, we are destined to suffer! Floods devastated her house, their shop and all the things that we gifted her in marriage,” sighs Kumar and turns away towards the Jhelum again. “Even her trousseau wasn’t spared,” shouted Rafiqa from behind.


Kumar lights up another cigarette and started staring again at something far away.


From a past few years they lived a relatively contended life. Earning almost Rs 10,000 a month, they could manage a good dowry for their daughter. Rafiqa, more expressive than her husband, points out to the same side at what Kumar is perhaps staring, she says it is the hut of my sister that is being re-constructed.


He (Kumar) must be looking on those wooden huts (dhokas) that are being re-constructed in Chinar Bagh, says Rafiqa, one of them is of our brother-in-law’s, Abdul Rashid Shoda. The entire population of Chinar Bagh who lived in the wooden huts were submerged in flood waters for one and a half month.


“He (Kumar) has lost all hopes,” says Rafiqa, “he is completely shattered.” His sons working as laborers are now helping people cleaning the flood affected houses or help them dismantle them.


Rafiqa pointing her finger at a reconstructed hut belonging to her sister. They had a four rooms hut. When the level of water raised, their hut got inundated, so, they had to leave hastily.


Their three month old grandson, the first one in the family, compelled them to leave everything aside and run for life. The first stop they chose to reside was Rafiqa’s hut in Bemina. As luck would have it, just a few hours later water ran into the lanes and roads of Bemina. Afroza, a new mother, along with her three-month-old son, had to walk through the flood water till they reached back to her home. What was left was the submerged ruins of their huts!


Unfortunately, the new born baby got infected and was admitted in the lone Children’s hospital in Sonawar for a week. Afroza says he still doesn’t sleep and give her sleepless nights as well.


Like Afroza there are many daughters sitting with their parents waiting for their in-laws to call them back. Besides, many of the marriages have been postponed as the huts and the trousseau along with rest of the property has been washed away with floods.






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Aspiration, Pledge, Vision and Manifesto

With nothing new to offer almost all the major political parties contesting in ongoing state assembly elections released their manifestos half-heartedly, Shah Abbas takes at look at who promises what


election-manifestos-of-NC,-Congress-and-PDP

Snapshots of election manifestos of NC, Congress and PDP.



It happens only in Kashmir. The political parties contesting elections do not want public to know their future plans much before polling. All the three main political parties in fray opted to issue their election manifestos either hours before polling or after the end of the first phase. The quick and visual difference of official documents of the main players is that NC and Congress manifesto has photographs of the Abdullah and Gandhi family members on their front and back pages respectively, while as PDP has decided to go without the photographs of Muftis on its cover.


With NC reiterating its traditional stand on issues like Article 370, revocation of AFSPA and autonomy in its nameless manifesto, its arch rival PDP has promised in “An Aspirational Agenda” to “Remodel the Political Structure, Reconstruct the Economy, Reform the Government, Revive the Civil Society and Rally the Youth” of Jammu and Kashmir apart from “Self rule”.


“The special status enshrined in Article 370 is required to empower the people of Jammu and Kashmir and help deal with the issues of identity, borders and governance,” the PDP manifesto says.


On the other hand NC’s ally Congress has failed to offer anything new and attractive to the voters in its manifesto.


It (Congress) has chosen to woo voters in the name of “development”. But the party has failed to explain the term “development” in its “Pledge for Peace, Prosperity and Progress”.


“NC has ruled the state for near about half a century and it has been promising Autonomy on every polling year,” said a political commentator adding “now it has added the revocation of AFSPA, in its latest election manifesto but everybody knows it did not do anything except issuing statements since last six years.”


But the Hindu Nationalist party, BJP has gone a mile forward in order to woo Kashmiri Pandits, by promising to reserve three out of 46 Assembly seats in Kashmir for the community.


The party also tried to flatter the Hindus of Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) by promising to reserve five out of the 24 vacant seats for them. They (Hindus) have migrated to parts in Jammu region from Pakistan in 1947, officially known as refugees from PaK.


BJP has also promised to make J&K a peaceful, progressive and developed state of the Union of India through “holistic” and “inclusive” development is its “Vision Document”.


BJP and PDP have a joint promise for women of the state. Both the parties in their “Vision document” and “An Aspirational Agenda” have promised to give 33 per cent reservation to women in the legislative assembly and legislative council.


But the BJP has kept mum on Article 370 and its abrogation. This according to many commentators is an attempt to minimize the apprehensions of most of the Kashmiri minds.


National Conference has described Article 370 as the “foundation” of the state’s relationship with the rest of the country, and will oppose any attempts to tamper with it.


“Restoration of autonomy is the only viable solution to the Kashmir problem,” says the NC’s manifesto”.


While releasing the party manifesto, PCCI chief Saifuddin Soz said the Congress will constitute two fully empowered regional councils, one for Jammu and another for Kashmir.


“If elected to serve, the party will constitute two fully empowered regional councils, one for Jammu and another for Kashmir. Also separate development councils operating under the umbrella of regional councils, one for Chenab Valley and another for Pir Panchal Valley will be set up,” he said.






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A Gain or Retain

The entry of Omar in Beerwah is sure to give some leverage to struggling NC in Budgam district that witnessed massive shift during Lok Sabah elections. Safwat Zargar travelled through Beerwah, Khan Sahib and Chrar-e-Sharif segments to gauge the public mood


Devotees jostling around famous shrine of Alamdar E Kashmirin Chrari Shareef. Pic: Bilal Bahadur

Devotees jostling around famous shrine of Alamdar E Kashmirin Chrari Shareef.

Pic: Bilal Bahadur



Colourful posters and buntings of different political parties hanging above the main intersection of Beerwah, adorn this sleepy and wintry town, in a festive look. Beerwah assembly constituency is witnessing massive poll activity after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, deserting his family bastion Ganderbal, decided to contest from here. Locals in the town say, with Omar’s decision, struggling NC has got some weight in the constituency.


The talk of the town is a triangular contest – National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and Congress – on December 9. However on the peripheries of the segment, affinities of locals shuttle between NC and PDP. In the previous elections, PDP’s doctor-turned-politician Shafi Ahmad Wani had outnumbered NC’s Abdul Majid Matoo by a margin of just 164 votes. But, PDP knows, instead of Matoo this election, it is Omar, and perhaps one of the reasons for its “massive” campaigning.


New to Beerwah, Omar, after filing his nomination papers on November 20, addressed a huge gathering in Beerwah town. He was quick to hit on his, off late, ending of controversial Tosamaidan lease to army and the creation of a sub division, two tehsils and three CD blocks in the constituency.


If development is Omar’s card, he has a chance to win, people say. At the same time, locals are also considering his “poor” track record as a chief minister.


“There has been no development in the area since last two decades. Even when we have water resources and a proposed power project in the area, we have no electricity,” says Abdul Rashid Beigh, a local shopkeeper. “Not even a single road has been built.”


Budgam-nominee Beigh isn’t totally wrong. Almost ten surveys have been done on Sokhnallah dam near Beerwah for a proposed power project. Nothing happened. Fifty-five Below Poverty Line (BPL) quarters were constructed in Magam and none in Beerwah, locals add.


During 2002 elections, Beerwah had sent its local candidate Mohammad Sarfaraz Khan of PDP to state assembly with a vote share of 66 per cent. However, residents of Beerwah say “he didn’t do much for his area.” After Sarfaraz’s death, his son Nazir Ahmad Khan, a youth leader for PDP in the area, distanced himself from the party and fought 2008 elections on the ticket of Jammu Kashmir Democratic Party Nationalist (DPN). He ranked third with 9958 votes. Only 1762 votes away from victory.


Among the many factors voters are weighing is the “access and proximity” of the candidate to the people. Current MLA Dr Shafi Ahmad Wani resides some 13 kilometres far from the main Beerwah town at Kanihama, Omar in Srinagar. Closest to the town is Khan.


“There is no doubt that Omar will attract votes for NC in Beerwah but at the same time a voter wants an easy access to an MLA,” says Shahid Rather, a student. “There are very less chances of that in case of Omar.”


The third main contender for Beerwah seat, Nazir Ahmad Khan of Congress, is capitalizing on his “closeness and friendly nature” towards people. Nazir enjoys “good” support of locals and youth of the area.


“Nazir will take around 10,000 votes from the constituency anyhow,” says Riyaz Ahmad, a Congress supporter. “But the challenge for him is to attract votes from the peripheries and strongholds of NC and PDP.”


Another resident, Sonaullah says the villagers had to collect money from their own pockets to repair the transformer and electricity lines few days ago. “When we approached Power Department, they didn’t pay any attention. This is where the role of a local legislator chips in,” he says.


In coming days, 92,996 voters will decide the fate of seven candidates in fray for 2014 polls in Beerwah. While the constituency has a mixed population of different religions and communities, party candidates disagree on the division of voters on sectarian lines. BJP, apparently eyeing on Sikh votes, has fielded Abdul Rashid Banday, a resident of Khag tehsil. Sajad Lone’s People Conference has given the mandate to Dawood Khan Lodhi, son of 2008 independent candidate Bilal Khan Lodhi.


One of the few constituencies from Kashmir valley dominated by less known parties, Khan Sahib in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, is geared up for a straightforward contest between four time MLA and former minister for Revenue Hakim Mohammad Yaseen and PDP’s advocate-turned-politician Saif Ud Din Bhat.


With an electorate of 86,018, seven candidates are in the contest; however, the response on ground divides the poll mood between Yaseen and Bhat.


The two were head-to-head in the 2008 contest as well but Hakim’s victory margin of votes was around 8400 votes. Known for his “wide” support base in the area, Yaseen is well known for outnumbering his opponents by high figures. In 2002 assembly polls, Yaseen defeated Abdul Gani Naseem of National Conference by a margin of 15,793 votes.


Naseem, who won the seat in 1996 on NC’s ticket, is since then struggling to attract votes. While as Naseem is Congress’s candidate this election, his 2008 stint as an independent candidate fetched him just 952 votes.


On development front, Khan Sahib looks ahead of the neighbouring assembly segments of the district. Locals say Khan Sahib has 98 per cent road connectivity, bridges, hospitals and primary health centres, just because of Yaseen.


“Khan Sahib is synonymous with Hakim Yaseen. There is no opponent who could attract his votes,” says Showkat Ali, a local resident.


In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, Khan Sahib voted overwhelmingly in favour of PDP. But Yaseen asserts “it was because his party didn’t contest parliamentary elections.” According to Yaseen, none of his supporters voted in that elections and for that reason the polling figure didn’t touch 26,000 votes, only 30 per cent of the total electorate. Figures of the last two assembly elections show approximately 50 and 75 per cent electors had cast ballot respectively.


Since last one and a half decade, NC has been replaced by PDP as Yaseen’s close contender. Replacing its former candidate Tariq Mohi Ud Din, National Conference has fielded a contractor-turned-politician Manzoor Ahmad Wani from the area, while as PDP sticks to Saif-ud-Din Bhat. Locals say though Wani is a “big contractor” he is new to politics.


“It’s a colossal task for even well-doing PDP to dislodge Yaseen. NC has no chance. The NC candidate has to arrange supporters for his campaigning from Budgam and Beerwah,” says Nisar Khan, a sumo driver.


A lawyer by profession, Bhat is trying to gather votes on the basis of “Mufti wave.” Against Hakim Yaseen’s figure of 22,616 votes in 2008, Bhat ranked second with 14,221 votes.


According to Bhat, despite losing in 2008 elections, he has worked continuously for six years for the “welfare” of people. Bhat, while acknowledging his contest with PDF’s Yaseen, says his work will yield him votes on December 9.


“The development in Khan Sahib is all farce,” he says. As per Bhat, current MLA Yaseen has been “selective” in development and facilities. “He has given all the departments and infrastructural facilities to his own areas while as other areas have to suffer,” Bhat claims.


During his “rigorous” campaigning for the party, Bhat, who is also the district president Budgam for PDP, usually highlights issues like “selective development, lack of planning and step-motherly treatment to other villages.”


“The constituency has 170 villages but one or two developed villages don’t mean the whole constituency is developed,” Bhat says.


Interestingly, part of the political alliance, Awami Muttahida Mahaz of which Hakim Mohammad Yaseen’s PDF is a member and which was approached by BJP to seek support in Kashmir valley, neither Sajad Gani Lone led People’s Conference nor Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded any candidate in Khan Sahib.


On Yaseen’s agenda is; the safe guarding of Article 370, due share of Kashmir in Indus water treaty and resolving of Kashmir dispute through talks. “Whichever party agrees with our terms, we will go with them,” Yaseen says.


Among many of the surprises thrown up by the results of 2014 Lok Sabha polls was the defeat of NC in Chrar-e-Sharif assembly segment of the Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary seat. The anti-incumbency wave had hit on the home constituency of finance minister and six-time undefeated MLA Abdul Rahim Rather.


Perhaps, it’s this anti-NC wave of parliamentary elections that has boosted the morale of PDP and Congress in the region. PDP has fielded advocate-turned-politician Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura against Rather, while as Congress’s Zahid Hussain Jan is due to magnet some votes from the Chrar town.


In the last two elections, it has been mainly an NC/PDP battle. However, the locals on the ground feel that PDP was never such close to clinching Chrar-e-Sharif like it is now. Approximately 69 per cent polling was witnessed in Lok Sabha polls in Chrar, however, against the legacy, most of the electors had voted for PDP.


Ghulam Mohideen Bhat, a local and a staunch NC supporter, feels Rather’s “indifferent and anti-local people attitude” had “disillusioned” his supporters. “We gave him a shock to wake up,” he says, while referring to Lok Sabha results.


“Whatever development has took place in Chrar town it is due to efforts of Zahid Hussain Jan of Congress during Ghulam Nabi Azad’s chief ministership,” says Mohammad Sideeq, a local of town. “I am voting for Congress.”


For 2014 polls, 78,348 electors are eligible to vote. But the ground mood suggests a “tough contest” between plough, and pen and inkpot.


Facing charges of corruption during his tenure as finance minister, Rather also seems to have felt the heat after Lok Sabha results. According to locals, Rather’s son, Hilal Rather is “continuously working in the constituency and distributing relief and other facilities among the locals.” But, will the “damage control” exercise yield votes for Rather?


“There is a 50/50 chance for NC and PDP. What PDP has gained from Rather’s failures is the balance in a one-sided contest,” says Mohammad Yunis, a private employee from the constituency.


After feeling a breather from the Lok Sabha results, PDP candidate Ghulam Nabi Lone from Hanjoora roams the constituency day and night and compiles the details of “mismanagement and lack of development in the area.”


Since last few months, Lone has got some advantages; some 2500 workers of NC joined PDP. From Rather’s home village Baadipora, around 47 locals joined hands with Lone.


Ghulam Mohideen Lone, father of PDP candidate Ghulam Nabi Lone, says “in Rather’s tenure, the area has witnessed no development. Only the Gujjar belt in Chrar-e-Sharif has witnessed some development because they vote for Rather.”


“The voting pattern on December 9 will surely reflect not only upon Rather’s work in the constituency but also on being a face of Omar’s failed government,” says Ghulam Mohideen Lone, who has also been a member of legislative council.


In Chrar town, the Gujjar/Kashmiri divide is visible. Asadullah Shah, a resident of town, claims that though the area is well connected with Budgam town, the main Chrari-e-Sharif has no connecting roads to other periphery areas.


Congress’s Zahid Hussain Jan, who lives in the main town, says most of the development that took place in the area was during the PDP-Congress coalition. He attributes the creation of Yusmarg development authority to former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.


“People support me because even without being an MLA, I worked hard to solve their problems at the party level,” says Zahid, who after getting Congress mandate in 2002 was replaced with Mohammad Maqbool Malla in 2008.


Unlike Khan Sahib, both BJP and PC have fielded candidates in Chrar where electors will be deciding the fate of nine candidates in the contest.






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Decks behind dykes


Er. Mohammad Ashraf Fazili


American author Mary Mapes Dodge’s story of the little boy who averted a flood disaster by sticking his finger in the dyke is famous all over the world. I had a poem about it (in our poetry book in FSC class) in SP College in 1957-59. The courage and sacrifice of the young boy who saved his country from drowning (least caring about his own life) mesmerises one.


A son of lockmaster, the 8-year-old nameless boy who lives near Haarlem one day discovers a leak in the dyke. The dyke is about to burst any moment. The little boy doesn’t think twice but sticks his finger in the hole. The water stops flowing. There he is, with nobody around to help the little hero. Evening comes and then night falls. It gets colder and colder. Apparently nobody in his family thinks of going to look for the little fellow. The result is that the child (numb with cold) is not found until morning (by the vicar).


Now his father and the authorities quickly take action and all ends well. By a curious whim of fate the anonymous hero erroneously became known under the name of Hans Brinker. It was not Mary Mapes Dodge who gave him that name, but unknown readers who couldn’t remember the names of the heroes in the book and got them mixed up. Its writer probably didn’t foresee that the story would become such a huge success. It was frequently reissued and adapted.


In comparison to this story we have this story by a columnist-cum-chartered accountant Abdul Majid Zargar about the drowning of Srinagar city that caused a loss of life besides made slush worth over a trillion rupees property. Post-floods, those responsible for floods are still at the helm of affairs.


Chief Minister Omar Abdullah admitted the brazen role of MLA Chadoora, Javaid Mustafa Mir in obstructing the breach of Kandizal area. The failure at political and administrative level to take necessary steps to save Srinagar city from ravaging floods is an unpardonable crime for which heads should have rolled and guilty behind the bars by now.


Omar terms Kandizal as a flood basin “that’s a 25-year-old perspective”. The fact of the matter is that presently more than 200,000 people reside in that area. The chief minister wants us to believe that mischief was played only by PDP’s Mir and quite conveniently omits to mention the resistance offered by his own friend and MLA Amira Kadal to open up flood gates at Padshai Bagh.


He skips to mention the role of his education minister Akbar Lone who refused to allow diversion of water to Wullar Lake by reportedly using choicest abuses and invectives for officials pleading for prompt diversion as per the standard operating procedure.


It is true that Kandizal breach took place itself but the crucial question is when. It was on 4th of September that Mustafa Mir along with his few goons brandished a gun at Kandizal site & threatened to kill any body & everybody who dares to breach it. It was on 6th September that water finally overflew Kandizal.


Kashmir is a graveyard of many reputations, writes Zargar, It has demolished many a kings, rulers & dynasties.


The author is a retired engineer and can be mailed at shahishaharyar2@gmail.com






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Talking Politics

In any part of the world manifestos are well thought out documents that reflect a political party’s stand on issues concerning people. But when it comes to Kashmir conventions are often sent to dustbins. It was only hours before the commencement of first phase of state assembly elections that the ruling National Conference remembered to release its party’s manifesto. A cursory look at the ten page document that was released by the party, development and rhetoric shadows the issues concerning masses. There is no mention of serious issues like human rights violations that are happening in the state in last two and half decades of conflict and under the NC government. No space is given to youth and issues concerning them. The manifesto talks about development repeatedly without really defining the kind of development they are talking about. There is no mention of cases pending against alleged stone-pelters. Does the party have any plan to rehabilitate youngsters who are booked under controversial laws like PSA!


There is no word regarding the system of delivery of justice in cases related to security. Is NC going to speed up the delivery of justice in cases involving officers in uniform? There are thousands of cases pending before high court involving men in uniform who are accused of human rights violations and even murder.


Another interesting manifesto that was released by the Congress party, a day after commencement of first phase of polls, talks about party’s past achievements and future plans. But the manifesto is silent on issues like human rights violations and delivery of justice in conflict torn Kashmir. Like NC, the key point of Congress’ manifesto is development that remains unexplained. Under the heading of ‘Reform Governance’ the party wants to put citizen safety and dignity on their priority list. But that is all that is being talked about citizens in Congress manifesto. Rest is left to ones imagination.


For state’s principle opposition PDP ‘self rule document will be the guiding framework for resolution of Kashmir issue’. The party wants to use Article 370 itself to restore the original special status of the state. PDP talks about empowering Institutions: Genuine autonomy will be given to institutions of probity, which include: state accountability commission, vigilance commission and organizations that deal with the right to information. But fails to add the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in the list of institutions of probity which need to be empowered.


Though the party talks about review of all the cases against youth and withdrawal of them after scrutiny, it skips important issues like rehabilitation of PaK retuned militants and their families.


The party also wants to review the use of inhuman crowd control methods like the pellet guns which dominated the debate in 2013-14.


But given the kind of situation that Kashmiris face while living under such a huge security setup, party manifestos seem to turn a blind eye towards men in uniform. There is no breather for the common man in a highly militarized set up.






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Dancing in Concertina Fence

A dancer performs at a BJP rally in Harnag area of Homeshalibugh, Kulgam on Sunday.

A dancer performs at a BJP rally in Harnag area of Homeshalibugh, Kulgam on Sunday.



Politicians getting delayed to venues for reasons of mobility or other preoccupations have finally revived the use of music and entertainment to mange the time deficit. These troupes attract good gathering and now even girls dance to the tunes of democracy, reports Suhail A Shah


A chubby middle aged woman clad in red overalls dances to the beats of drums and a harmonium. An ‘oddly’ dressed tall, lean man sings in a coarse, steady voice sending the men across the concertina wire into fits of whistling and shrieking while the women camp of the gathering hide their giggling faces in the loose ends of their head scarves.


The scene is of a Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in Harnag area of Homeshalibugh Assembly segment in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.


Political parties in Kashmir have been very busy campaigning and trying to woo voters, often organising several public gatherings every day, and they have found a very effective tool to keep the waiting people warm and glued to their seats.


Almost all the political parties have been hiring music bands, rock bands and solo singers to keep their audiences entertained while they wait for the leaders and the star campaigners to arrive.


The trick works almost always. Not only do the politicians manage to keep their audiences glued, they also often attract passersby who otherwise have no political affinities or are even loyal to the opponents.


Seventy-year-old Taja is one of the apolitical people who joined the BJP rally at Homeshalibugh Sunday, where BJP’s renowned Muslim face, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, was the star campaigner.


Taja was clueless when asked about BJP and Naqvi, or for that matter the party candidate for the constituency.


“I live nearby and I heard the music. I had not much to do at home so I decided to come here and enjoy the music for some time,” Taja said.


Some say that they come to drown their anxieties, anger and fears in the din of the music and all the hooting and shouting going on around it.


“I danced and whistled and made merry. The kind of outpour is unimaginable in Kashmir given our almost melancholic weddings and no parties to let your hair down,” said Muzammil Ahmad, a shopkeeper in Kulgam, who recently attended a CPIM rally.


Ahmad says he supports the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, “But I can have a little fun at the other rallies as well, isn’t it?” asks a grinning Ahmad.


A party worker, on condition of anonymity, said agreed that the tactic works almost always.


“The leaders have tight schedules and people tend to get restless waiting for them to arrive,” said the worker, “Music works.”


The main stream political parties have been using music to attract crowds for very long now; however the trend has ballooned during the ongoing election season in Kashmir.


The arrangement puts a little dent in the campaign budgets of the political parties and/or candidates but it has turned out to be a boon for the bands and singers who often remain out of work barring the marriage season in Kashmir and occasional bookings which are very few and far between.


Srinagar based six member rock band ‘Valley Boys India’ performing during BJP rally in Harnag, Kulgam.

Rock Band ‘Valley Boys India’ performing during BJP rally in Harnag, Kulgam.



A Srinagar based six member rock band ‘Valley Boys India’ has been performing at different Hotels across valley where they entertain tourists from the plains.


However this election season has been sort of a game changer for the band wherein they are experiencing open spaces and often interactive jubilant audiences.


“It is good money and the performances last just a couple of hours. Besides, crowds screaming and whistling is a dream come true for any musician,” says Muhammad Rafi, the lead singer at the band.


We have managed to perform at about a dozen different venues, all election rallies, in the past one month or so, says Rafi.


The ‘Valley Boys India’ band charges somewhere around 15,000 Rupees for a performance.


The Band recently performed at a CPIM rally in Kulgam district following which they have been able to secure another half a dozen performances in different parts of the district.


Then there are the smaller, conventional music troupes who remain the preferred lot in rural areas for they instantly strike a chord with the audiences unlike the modern bands.


Most of these troupes have a small boy, dressed as a girl wearing anklets, who dances and keeps the crowd on their feet. The boy is called ‘Bacche Kot’ in local parlance.


Things however; seem to be changing as was evident at the BJP rally in Harnag where the girl in red mesmerised the audiences with her singing and dancing. Dilber Ashiq Hussain and group, including the girl, charged the organisers 12,000 Rupees for the performance.


A member of the group however maintains that they prefer marriage parties over these kinds of performances.


“Money is good in marriages and the guests at marriages pay hefty tips. Here the audiences sit across the wires and the only people left to pay are the party workers and they don’t often pay much,” says the member.


But this is decent money nevertheless and the marriage season is over as well, he says, “We have had about 7 to 8 performances in the last month.”


With the election season already warmed up and still far from conclusion the bands and the folk troupes have their fingers crossed expecting more work to come.


The crowds meanwhile get entertained without having to pay for it. Whether the new regime in Kashmir will keep them warm and entertained, remains to be seen.






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Son in fray to reclaim slain father’s legacy

Bilal Handoo


Representational Pic.

Representational Pic.



The rumour is running rampant in the poll-bound town on the banks of Veshaw that Omar has fielded a novice (besides a minnow) against the seasoned Marxist leader in the poll turf where he has already clinched his hat-trick. The move is being read to facilitate the smooth sail of MY Tarigami for booking another berth in Legislature.


But detractors are cautioning MY Tarigami: don’t treat NC’s Kulgam face Imran Nabi Dar as underdog while anticipating your “assured” fourth consecutive assembly term. “Even,” they caution him, “invincible giants taste dust in the poll battlefield.”


The Veshaw which went berserk on September – deluding many parts of Kulgam, is apparently roaring once again in this election season. The mood on the ground is mixed. There are young who hands down want to weed out “deadwood” from the seat. On the other side there are old but loyal foot soldiers of the incumbent legislator who believes “status quo” is on cards. Between the perceptive generational gap, the town is all set to poll on December 2 for the second phase in 87 assembly seats of the state.


Imran Nabi Dar

Imran Nabi Dar



But before the fag end dawned over the poll campaigns in this part of south Kashmir, NC’s Imran was addressing his political rallies vowing to resurrect his father’s legacy on the seat. Before losing his father to blast in 2006, Ghulam Nabi Dar (his father) was NC’s MLA from Kulgam in 1977 and 1983 before losing it to MUF’s Haji Abdul Razak Mir in 1987 elections.


“After my father’s killing, I made up my mind that I will shoulder his legacy sooner or later,” says a sober but suave Imran while touring his constituency. As he waves his hands to youth on streets, he blurts out: “My priority is to channelize the talent of youth in the right direction.”


When cameras were mainly zooming, tilting and focusing in on Tarigami for being at the centre stage of Kulgam, Imran having Masters in media kept working to “connect with youth”—sans calling the attention of fourth estate. “You see,” he says, “when you are from socialist party (an apparent reference to Tarigami), you shouldn’t stick to capitalistic approach.” Besides, he continues, the state Marxist leader “failed” to strike a bond with youth “which I am sure will eventually doom his poll prospects this winter”.


Even in 2008, Tarigami had a narrow escape after migrant votes came to his rescue at an eleventh hour and eventually thwarted his staring defeat against PDP’s Nazir Ahmad Laway. He won by 236 vote margin. (Tarigami polled 17175 against Laway’s 16939 votes; while NC’s Safdar Ali Khan stood third in 2008 by polling 5792 votes.)


“But six years is enough time to turn the tables around,” says Imran. “This time around the total 2900 migrant votes of Kulgam are likely to favour BJP’s Lotus than Traigami’s Hammer and Sickle.”


But the lecturer-turned-politician, Imran’s candidature ran in rough weather with many saying that NC picked him from the Laway’s stronghold with a motive “to flip the change”.


The development came after Tarigami and “third front” didn’t field any candidate in Omar Abdullah’s new poll ground Beerwah. In response, many say Omar fielded Imran hailing from PDP’s bastion where the party candidate Laway managed 70 per cent plus polls in 2008.


“But how is this possible when my candidature from Kulgam was announced much earlier than Omar’s Beerwah candidature,” asks Imran, a part of Omar’s young team. “I am not contesting polls to damp PDP wave rather to reclaim my father’s legacy.” (On Nov 25, Omar himself visited and addressed a public rally at Kulgam and sought votes for Imran.)


On the other side of the poll plank, Tarigami is a confident man in the town presently anticipating his victory by playing “development” card in once stronghold of anti-India armed insurgency belt. Equally confident is PDP’s Laway for his “grassroot” touch.


But come mid-December, and it will almost certain whether or not Kulgam was only between CPI (M)’s Tarigami and PDP’s Laway, as is being projected by counting out NC. But among the eight candidates, Imran might emerge another giant killer. Maybe old equations would be redefined. Or, perhaps status quo would be maintained.


Just like valley’s weather, fingers behind votes are known for their uncertainty. The same fingers polled out giants like Dr Farooq and Ghulam Nabi Azad in summer polls. And if memories have escaped unhurt from amnesia since 2008, then the same fingers send an unconventional man from Langate to Legislature.


Who knows, maybe, another surprise might spring up from south.






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The former cop of Uri worth Rs 9.38 crore

KL Report


Srinagar


Raja Aijaz Ali Khan

Raja Aijaz Ali Khan



Former DIG Police and PDP candidate Raja Aijaz Ali Khan from Uri is worth 9.38 crore while his wife, a Zonal Education Officer has property worth Rs 2.68 crore.


According to the nomination papers, Khan has no cash in hand; however, the former cop has two bank accounts with a balance of 2738272 rupees, while as his wife’s three bank accounts has a total amount of 4349911 rupees. The former police chief also has an insurance policy for 10 lakh rupees and two vehicles – Scorpio and Maruti Alto – worth 11.32 lakhs.


In his immovable assets column, Khan has listed land and buildings at various places in and outside the state. He has some 8.3 acres of land worth 5 crores at various places in Baramulla and Srinagar. Khan also has non-agricultural land in Sidhra vihar at a market value of 40 lakhs. His wife also owns non-agricultural land in Sidhra Vihar and Nishat valued at 1.80 crore.


Khan, who joined PDP earlier this year immediately after his retirement, also owns three houses, one each in Srinagar, Baramulla and Gurgaon, worth 3.5 crore. His wife also owns a flat in Jammu valued at 30 lakhs.






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PDP’s Alam less ‘worthy’ than his wife

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Khurshid Alam

Khurshid Alam



PDP’s Khanyar candidate Muhammad Khurshid Alam is less worthy than his wife when it comes to bucks and belongings. While Alam owns movable and immovable assets worth Rs 5.63 lakh, his wife owns the same worth Rs 7.89 crores.


Alam has declared his assets in an affidavit filed to the Election Commission of India while filing his nomination papers.


Alam’s wife owns 3 cars (Safari, Scorpio and Indigo) and 12 trucks.


She owns agricultural and non agricultural land worth Rs 5,24 00,000; besides 1500 gms of gold worth Rs 3675000.


Her ‘modest’ husband, however, has two policy covers worth total Rs 13 lakh, while her policy own is worth Rs 10 lakh. Alam has taken Rs 3, 00, 000 loan, while the lady Alam has the same worth Rs 6526351.






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Saturday, 29 November 2014

Shopian Police recovers money ‘meant to influence voters’

Sheikh Hilal


Srinagar


Shopian police led by SHO Javid Ahmad recovered a sum of Rs 14 lakh from a tavera vehicle “meant for influencing voters in the poll-bound town”.


“We were on routine checking,” says SHO Javid, “when we found a bag full of currency notes inside one tavera.” The total sum recovered, he says, is Rs 14 lakh.


Bearing registration number JK01G 6922, the vehicle along with three persons on board are under police custody presently.


“One can’t carry more than fifty thousand rupees with him,” claims the SHO, “as it is against election rules; besides, very much doubtful.”


The three persons arrested have been identified as one Sheikh Masarat of Poshnoo Awantipora, Bilal Dar of Panzgaam Pulwama and Zahoor Fafooof Mehjoor Nagar Srinagar. “The trio say they work for a private security agency,” SHO Javid informs, “and the cash is meant for state bank ATMs, which is doubtful.”


SP Shopian Waheed Ahmad when contacted by Kashmir Life says: “The trio doesn’t carry any relevant document or identity with them which could justify their statement”.


Meanwhile the arrest has put police and public on the same page. The speculations in the poll-bound town are rife that the manner in which money was recovered could have been meant for “influencing” the voters.






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Sakina Itoo’s total property worth Rs 65,50,000

Syed Asma


SRINAGAR


sakina-Itoo Daughter of the slain speaker of the state legislator Wali Muhammad Itoo, 44-year-old Miss Sakina, Omar government’s social welfare minister and senior NC leader has a total property of worth Rs 65,50,000.


As declared by Sakina in her affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India, she owns a movable property worth Rs 59,32,000 which includes Rs 50,000 cash in hand, 800 grams of gold worth Rs 25,00,000 and deposits in banks and financial institutions worth Rs 33,82,000.


Besides this, Sakina, who is the only law maker of NC from south Kashmir has immovable self acquired property worth Rs 40,00,000 which includes house at Sanat Nagar. She has no commercial building or stakes in any other such venture.


A resident of Damhal Hanjipora in district Kulgam, Sakina has no agricultural or non agricultural land. She even does not own a vehicle. Seeking reelection from Noorabad, Sakina, a college drop out had taken loan of Rs 5,00,000 of which Rs 1,80,000 is still outstanding.


The only female face in Omar’s cabinet, Sakina has survived nearly a dozen attacks since joining politics in 1996






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Jammu Has Less Population, More Voters

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Kashmir’s voter percentage in the respective population is lower than Jammu, a Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) survey in 2014 summer said. The situation has not changed in ongoing assembly polls.


This apparently is because the people in Kashmir skip registering as voters for the last many years.


“The analysis of the EP ratio shows that all nearly districts in Kashmir division have low EP ratio,” the report said. “District Kupwara in the state is having a very low EP ratio of 0.40, whereas, district Jammu in the Jammu division shows the highest EP ratio of 0.62 as compared to other districts of the state.


In Kashmir division, Srinagar had the highest EP ratio of 0.62 followed by Shopian with 0.59.


The exact EP ratio in J&K is slightly problematic. “..in the state of J&K, there is heavy deployment of army and paramilitary forces who are also counted during the census but cannot be enrolled as voters in J&K,” the SVEEP report said. “The forces constitute about 3.3% of the total population.”


That is the main reason why SVEEP puts the EP in the state at 57.50 percent and not at 60.85%. There might have been some improvement between the Lok Sabha polls in mid summer and the ongoing assembly elections.


Given the chronic incidence of staying away from polls, after the last well-participated 1987 assembly elections, Election Commission had carried out a survey to understand the issue. There were only 15.86% respondents who did not vote because they lacked faith in the electoral democracy. This group was only next to 16.52% respondents who lacked an electoral photo ID card. Interestingly, 14.98% had their names missing in the electoral rolls.


Trying to find the reasons for non participation, the survey found apathy responsible for 18.50% cases and anger responsible in 37.01% cases.


Against a population of 12541302 (as per 2011 census), J&K had 6933118 voters registered at the time of the Lok Sabha polls. The numbers of voters had reached 7225559 when the Election Commission of India issued a notification on October 25. Officials in state electoral office said there could be some variations in numbers because of some additions in the subsequent days.


But there has not been major change in the EP ratio on regional basis. In October, Kashmir had voter population of 3753195, Jammu had 3311438 and Ladakh 160926. That meant Kashmir had the lowest EP ratio in all the three regions. Jammu topped with 61.88%, Ladakh had 55.39% and Kashmir had only 54.33%.






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Congress’s Devsar Candidate Slaps Cop On Duty

KL Report


DEVSAR


In a fit of rage, Congress candidate for Devsar Constituency Muhammad Amin Bhat Saturday slapped a police man on duty. Bhat allegedly stopped the policeman from frisking Congress workers and when the cop refused, he along with his workers not only manhandled him but also slapped him in full public view.Congress


Eyewitnesses told CNS that large number of policemen had been deployed at venue in Kelam Gund where former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was supposed to address an election rally. “The policeman in plain clothes was doing his duty and was frisking people. The frisking process irritated some workers who complained to Bhat and when the policeman refuse to oblige to Bhat’s plea, he (Bhat) slapped him and dragged him towards the road,” eyewitnesses said.


The victim cop told CNS on condition of anonymity that he will raise the issue with authorities. “He manhandled me while I was performing my duty,” he said.


Despite repeated attempts Bhat could not be contacted for comments.






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Mirwaiz Kick-starts Building 100 Dwellings For Flood Affected Families

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Mirwaiz Umar Farooq kickstarte

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in action



Launching his post-flood rehabilitation project to create living space for 100 families, separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was seen personally working on the first pilot flat. Wearing a construction hat and a worker’s dress, he personally was carrying the repair gears and was part of the team.


After floods, Mirwaiz set up Dar-ul-Khair for relief and rehabilitation. With relief over, he decided to construct permanent dwelling units for 100 families in the city.


“We have started working on the first set of projects in Mandir Bagh where four such units would be created,” an aide of cleric said. “The unit is spanned over 650 sq ft area envisages a kitchen, a bath-toilet unit, a store, a bed room and a living room.”


The families are being locally identified by the Mohalla committees and the process would continue. “Most of the families that would be given these units have already been identified,” he said. The dwellings are being constructed under the charity’s Akh-Akis initiative. Akh-Akis, a Kashmir word, means ‘helping’ each other.


The initiative would require around six crore rupees. “Initially, we had the idea of spending Rs 5.25 crore on 100 units but now as the work started on it, it seems it may touch Rs 6 lakh per unit,” Shahidulislam, who is associated with the initiative said. “Right now we have already raised more than one crore rupees and Mirwaiz Sahab is personally mobilizing resourcing every Sunday .”






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Ongoing elections just unconstitutional, undemocratic: Shabir Shah

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Shabir Shah In his statement from jail, the incarcerated leader of Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir (HCJK) and chairman Democratic Freedom Party Shabir Ahmad Shah Saturday while challenging the democratic and constitutional status of the ongoing assembly elections said that in a civilized society, such kind of elections cannot be termed as ‘democratic’ in any way.


“How can these elections be termed as democratic after putting thousands of political leaders and activists behind bars,” Shah said.


Reacting to speech made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Poonch, Shah said that declaring ‘victory of democracy’ in valley after staging the so-called ‘election drama is a big joke’. He said the election ‘drama’ cannot be termed as the voice of the hearts of people of Jammu and Kashmir as Modi claimed.


Shah challenged the “state stooges” of New Delhi to fight the “resistance leadership” in a political way. “Then they will come to know the reality of their so-called claims of democracy,” he said.


Reiterating his appeal for election boycott, Shah said whichever regime comes to fore due to these elections, will only follow the orders of their masters in New Delhi.


Shah said that conducting elections by arresting pro-freedom leaders, India wants to mislead the world that all is well in Kashmir.






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Friday, 28 November 2014

Modi Lashes out at NC, PDP, Congress in Udhampur

KL Report


UDHAMPUR


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday alleged Congress, National Conference and PDP of “looting” money meant for the development for Jammu and Kashmir. “Since last three decades large amount of wealth meant for the development of J&K is going in pockets of a few families,” Modi alleged adding “give a chance to BJP to rule J&K we ensure you to get back the looted money from the said families.”


Addressed an election rally at Udhampur Modi said that the BJP will ensure full development oof the state.


Earlier, a special plane carrying Modi landed at the technical area of Jammu airport around noon.


Udhampur and Poonch districts with three assembly constituencies each are going to polls on December 2 in the second phase of the five-phase state assembly elections.


“I visited J&K in the months of August, September, October and November,” Modi said adding “I will be visiting in December as well.”


“Every month I come here, there has been no PM who has visited J&K so often. Lakhs of families suffered during floods, I did not delay my visit even for a moment, after reviewing situation sent assistance for your service,” Modi said.


“I have come here with the aim of development and I have also come here to wipe your tears. We have decided to give proper assistance to J&K but we will make sure where this money is going,” PM Modi said.


Alleging all other parties of “emotionally blackmailing” the people of J&K, Modi promised “an accountable government”.


“Development has been stuck in Jammu and Kashmir for 30 years. Leaders from ruling and opposition indulge in corruption and emotional blackmail,” Modi said.


“It was Atal ji who dreamt of bringing railways here and it is us who are working to fulfil this dream,” Modi said.


Referring to the militant attack in Arnia sector PM said that militants are panicking because the people of J&K are determined to change their destiny through democratic ways. “People have rejected the bullet and shown the strength of the ballot,” he said.






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Thursday, 27 November 2014

Restrictions in Hajin to Prevent Protests

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Restrictions under Section 144 have been imposed in Kathpora, village of Hajin area in Bandipora district on Friday to prevent protests against the death of a former renegade and NC sarpanch Abdul Rashid Kabuli.


Kabuli succumbed in SKIMS Soura yesterday, after he was injured in a scuffle with a local gas dealer.


Curfew was imposed a day before in the village, however police sources said that after the situation was improved only restrictions have been put in place.


Pertinently, violent protests were held in the area against the death of Kabuli resulting in the burning of several structures.


Meanwhile, Police have started investigating the case and as at least four persons have been arrested in this so far.






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Firing Resumes in Arnia, Death toll Reaches 11

KL Report


JAMMU


While the Army had been conducting search operations to flush out remaining militants hidden in the area, firing between militants and forces in Arnia sector of Jammu and Kashmir has commenced again Friday morning.


Reports said that 11 people have been killed in the firing along the International Border.


On Thursday, four militants, four civilians and three army men were killed in the firing so far. The militants had taken refuge in a makeshift bunker wearing combat uniform from where they attacked two Army bunkers leading to a gun battle with the forces.


“3 civilians have lost their lives along with 3 army personnel, my condolences to the families. 4 militants have been neutralised in Arnia,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted.






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CAPD In Deep Slumber: Essential Commodities Sold At Exorbitant Rates

KL Report


SRINAGAR


At a time when floods have rendered thousands of homeless in valley, the prices of essentials in the summer capital are touching sky making the lives of flood victims more miserable.


People accused that CAPD department is in deep slumber and is doing nothing to check those who loot people in broad day light. “The vendors and the shopkeepers are keeping no rate lists displayed on their shops and the rates are really exorbitant to be accepted. There is no one to whom we could complain against such a crisis,” a resident of Gonikhan told CNS adding that market checking squads are just fulfilling a formality and are busy in collecting fines only.


“Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department through its market checking squads are busy in increasing their revenue. Instead of taking stringent action against the hoarders and those selling eatables on exorbitant rates, they always look for a chance to grab money from the offenders in the garb of imposing fine,” a resident of Chanapora said.


People alleged that the sellers are fixing the prices of fruits and other essential commodities at the will and that when people inform CAPD department they just assure action which proves a lip service only.


Reports said that mutton, chicken, vegetables and other essential commodities are being sold by sellers at exorbitant rates, much to the agony of flood hit people.


Despite repeated attempts, Director CAPD did not respond to phone calls.






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KU Students Organize ‘Election Boycott’ Rally

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Hundreds of Kashmir University students Thursday organized an ‘election boycott’ rally inside varsity premises and appealed people of Kashmir to refrain from casting their votes in favour of pro-India politicians.


University sources told CNS that around 400 to 500 male and female students assembled at University premises and organized a peaceful march in favour of election boycott. The protesting students carrying banners and placards while marching through different lanes of varsity alleged that Indian media in a bid to defame the freedom struggle in Kashmir misrepresents the high voter turnout in Valley.


“There are people who cast their votes with no malice intention, but unfortunately, the India media presents the facts in different way and it leaves no stone unturned to defame the ongoing freedom struggle,” the students said.


Amid pro-freedom and pro-Geelani slogans the students dispersed peacefully after the intervention of Varsity authorities which closed the gates and did not allow students to appear on main road.






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Chattergam Killings: Family Rejects Army Inquiry

KL Report


SRINAGAR


A day after Army claimed that it indicted eight soldiers and a Junior Commissioned Officer for killing 2 youth in Chattergam area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, the family members of slain youth Burhan Yousuf Bhat alias Fisal Thursday while terming the claim of Army as a hoax to hoodwink the people demanded that all the guilty soldiers should be tried in civil court.


“We don’t believe in their (Army) inquiry and who knows whether they have really indicted anyone or not. A murder case already stands registered in Police Station Chadoora and if Army brass are sincere then they should feel no hesitation in dragging these killer soldiers to civil court,” Muhammad Yousuf Bhat the father of one of the slain youth told CNS adding that even civil administration doesn’t know about the quantum of punishment given to erring soldiers who were held responsible for killing innocent people in past.


Bhat demanded that the photographs of all the 9 Indian soldiers should be published in daily newspapers so that people would come to know about those killer soldiers who played with the lives of innocent students.


‘I reject the inquiry that has been conducted by Army. Army is misleading the international community and human rights organizations by making such hollow claims that it will award punishment to the guilty while the reality is that they set the killers free without letting anybody know,” Bhat said.


He said nobody knows what happens inside an Army camp. “How can I believe them when I even don’t know which Indian soldiers are responsible for the killing of my son. Even I don’t know whether Army will put them behind the bar or let them go. So my demand is that all the soldiers including their officers should be tried in civil court and their photographs should be published in daily newspapers so that no solider in future will dare to kill any innocent in future,” he said.


Pertinently, Army had claimed that it indicted nine soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer of 53 Rashtriya Rifles for killing two youth in Chattergam Chadoora area of Budgam district on November 3.


Faisal Yusuf son of Muhammad Yusuf and Mehraj-u-din Dar son Ghulam Muhammad of Chattergam were killed while two other youth critically injured after soldiers of Army’s 53 RR opened fire on a Maruati Car at Chattegam on November 3, triggering Kashmir-wide rage and severe condemnation.






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Uri Close To My Heart, Reject ‘Political Tourist’: Taj

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Asking people to see through the motives of ‘political tourists’ who come to Uri for grabbing votes and power, senior Congress leader and Health Minister, Taj Mohi ud Din Thursday said his dream is to make the town one of the developed urban centres of the State.


Addressing a series of public meetings at Gawalta, Uroosa and adjoining areas, Taj said the town has seen phenomenal growth of social infrastructure during the last 12 years. He challenged National Conference leader Mohammad Shafi Uri to show what development he had undertaken during his 40 years of power except the “lone road to his home at Garkote.”


Taj described his opponents as ‘political tourists’ saying they only come during election time to ask for votes but remain away during the times the place needed them the most.


The Health Minister vowed to develop Uri as a model town in the state where the best of facilities would be laid. He said Uri is close to him and his heart beats with every resident of the constituency.


Asking people to vote for him, Taj appealed people to reject the people who come with catchy slogans but are hollow on deliverance.






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Jammu Encounter: 3 Civilians, 3 Army men, 3 Militants Killed

KL Report


JAMMU


An encounter between the security forces and militants near the international border in Jammu and Kashmir resulted the killing of at least nine people, including three civilians, three militants and three army soldiers, sources said.


They added the group of militants comprising seven to eight fired at a civilian vehicle after they infiltrated into the Indian side in Arnia area of Jammu district. The driver and two occupants of the vehicle were killed in this incident after which the militants entered an abandoned army bunker in Pind Khote village.


Army and the BSF engaged the militants in a sustained gunfight in which three militants have been killed so far. One junior commissioned officer of the army was also killed and four other soldiers were injured, sources said.






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Jammu Encounter: Death Toll Reaches 8

KL Report


JAMMU


An encounter between the Indian security forces and militants near the international border (IB) in Jammu has resulted the killing of eight people, including three civilians and an army soldier.


Four militants were also killed in the encounter in Arnia area.


Three civilians were also killed during the encounter.


“The group of militants comprising seven to eight fired at a civilian vehicle after they infiltrated into the Indian side in Arnia area of Jammu district. The driver and two occupants of the vehicle were killed in this incident after which the militants entered an abandoned army bunker,” sources said.






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Cong Provided Life Support to Omar’s Anarchic Rule: Mehbooba

KL Report


ISLAMABAD


Accusing Congress of sowing the seeds of divisive and communal politics in Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti Thursday said Congress can’t wash its hands off the morass of political uncertainty and economic instability Jammu and Kashmir is entangled in.


“It is ironic that Rahul Gandhi is criticizing his friend Omar Abdullah now after having destroyed Jammu and Kashmir together during the past six years,” Mehbooba said while addressing a series of election rallies in Dooru assembly segment to enlist support for PDP candidate Farooq Indrbai.


She said it was Rahul Gandhi who provided the lifeline to Omar in 2010 when hundreds of youth and children were being killed by NC-Congress coalition government in Kashmir. “Rahul pleaded for giving Omar ‘more time as he is young and learning’ while innocent blood was being shed on the streets of Kashmir by the government headed by his friend,” she said and added that Congress also extracted its pound of flesh when it needed to hang Afzal Guru in its failed bid to stop BJP march as Guru was pulled out of the row and sent to gallows out of turn. “Afzal was picked out of turn only as a return favor by Omar to his friend who had owed his survival to Rahul Gandhi in spite of his repeated failures,” she said.


Mehbooba said Congress even shielded Omar in the Haji Yousuf case which would rate as one of the most sensational cases of political corruption and murder in JK. “Even the Rs 113 crore Cricket Association scam, involving Dr Farooq Abdullah, was hushed up by Omar Abdullah-led government with the help of his friends in Congress,” she said.


Mehbooba said Congress and NC are equally responsible for creating political space for BJP in the State which has, in the last six years, seen the most incompetent and corrupt government headed by Omar Abdullah. “Congress kept Omar Abdullah government on life support system for its entire tenure as its ministers tried to outdo their NC colleagues in amassing wealth and looting the state,” she said and added that unfortunately all the Congress ministers involved in various scams and scandals were given mandate by the party like their cohorts in NC.


Mehbooba said PDP has set new and ethical standards of political morality and steadfastness thereby making the traditional political parties more accountable before the electorate. She said the State’s conventional political clan, which was used to deceiving the people in the name of one or the other juggling act, is stunned by this new reality and this has led its leadership to further confusion and desperation.


She reiterated her party’s resolve to realize the unfinished agenda of dignified political peace and sustainable economic prosperity for the people in all the regions and sub-regions of the State. “I assure you that PDP would realize this dream under the visionary leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed,” she said.


Referring to the local problems Mehbooba said the people have brought to her notice the widespread complaints about non-availability of ration, power and water for irrigation and drinking purposes. She said there is an acute scarcity of food grains which needs to be immediately addressed.


She said there is huge potential of tourism in the area and once voted to form the government the PDP will realize that potential for the benefit of the local people.


Mehbooba expressed concern at the reports of major geological changes taking place in the area as a result of the construction of railway tunnel. She was told that about a dozen springs had dried up after the construction of the tunnel. She said while development projects can’t be avoided the environment considerations must be kept in view so that Kashmir valley does not lose any of its valuable assets.






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SAARC Can Realize Full Potential if India, Pak Resolve Kashmir: Mufti

KL Report


ISLAMABAD


Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Thursday said SAARC can realize its full potential only if pestering issues between India and Pakistan are settled amicably to pave the way not only for enduring peace and stability in the region but broader economic cooperation between South Asian countries as well.


“SAARC leadership has to recognize the fact that the forum couldn’t take off effectively since its inception in 1985 because of the unresolved issues between India and Pakistan including the Kashmir issue,” Mufti said while addressing election rallies at Kulgam, Homshalibugh and Islamabad assembly segments.


Mufti said the current elections offer a historic opportunity to people of the state to send a strong message to the national leadership about their urge for peace and reconciliation between the two countries which could facilitate resolution and enduring peace. “A strong and inclusive mandate to PDP would enable it channelize this urge effectively and revive the initiatives of 2003,” he said.


Mufti said it is not only if issues between India and Pakistan are resolved, SAARC can realize its full potential of ensuring larger economic cooperation in the region as and when Kashmir is settled amicably. “In another way the forum can provide a space for the resolution of issues between India and Pakistan including Kashmir,” he said and added the political aspect of the issues between India and Pakistan would be easier to address if the economic space created in SAARC paradigm is ensured for a potentially rich place like Jammu and Kashmir.


“It is time that Jammu and Kashmir is brought out of the troubles that are not of its own making and its connectivity with the rest of the world is restored through traditional routes,” he said and added that the fast-changing equations in Jammu and Kashmir provide the country’s leadership not just a challenge but an opportunity as well to take a giant step towards making India at peace not only with its neighbors but with itself as well.


Mufti said the pain of the people in Jammu and Kashmir has reached a level where the hope of peace is sure to gain substantial local support. “The encouraging participation of people in the ongoing polls should not be misconstrued as the problem having disappeared without addressing it,” he said and added that the renewed trust people of the State have reposed in the democratic institutions, offers a fresh opportunity to work through peaceful and reconciliatory means towards addressing all the dimensions of the Kashmir issue in a manner that balances and promotes enduring political and economic stability in the State and the region.


Mufti called for speeding up and expanding the Indo-Pak peace process to find substantial solution to the problem of Jammu & Kashmir and addressing the legitimate aspirations of its people. “PDP visualizes a space of dignity, opportunity and prosperity for the people of Jammu & Kashmir in the paradigm of friendship and cooperative relationship between India and Pakistan,” he said and added that a decisive mandate for PDP would send a united message across from the State that people want resolution of the issue through peaceful and democratic means.


“I am especially humbled by the overwhelming endorsement of my party’s political and economic agenda by the State’s young population who have started playing decisive role in democratic exercises as is evident from first phase of voting. Time has come for the State’s youth to fully assert themselves to become active partners in political decision-making processes,” he said and reiterated his party’s resolve to work hand-in-hand with the progressive and democratic forces in the country and the region to facilitate dignified resolution of the Kashmir issue and the issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir.


“I assure my people that PDP would work towards accomplishing its unfinished agenda of securing dignified peace, lasting stability and inclusive prosperity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have suffered countless miseries over the years,” Mufti said and added that it would be his party’s endeavor to carry the voice of Jammu & Kashmir to all parts of the country and use all forums including the Assembly, Parliament and other democratic platforms to secure the political and economic rights of the State and its people.


“Today I urge everybody, cutting across the political divide, let us make a new beginning, and move forward to meet the great challenges people of Jammu and Kashmir are facing. Let us rise as one to meet these defining challenges of our time, so that our future generations, thank us and say truly this was the turning point in J&K’s turbulent history,” he said.






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Death Toll Reaches 4 in Jammu Encounter

KL Report


JAMMU


One army officer, a civilian and two militants were killed while three army men were injured in an encounter with a group of heavily armed militants, who has crossed over to Arnia sector on Thursday.


The militants had taken refuge inside an army bunker and were reportedly using the army ammunition already stored there.


The Inspector General of Police for Jammu zone, Rajesh Kumar, confirmed the casualty on the army side, but refused to divulge details before the conclusion of encounter.


Sources, however, said that the militants had come nearly two km inside the Indian territory behind the barbed wire fence and injured three army men before entering an army bunker near village Kathar. During the ensuing encounter with other army personnel, a militant was killed and a civilian injured. One army man also got injured.


One of the injured army man and the civilian later succumbed to injuries.






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Jammu Encounter: JCO, 2 Militants Killed

KL Report


JAMMU


A Junior Commissioned Officer was killed and two other soldiers were injured in an encounter in the Kathar village of Arnia sector in Jammu division of the state on Thursday during an ongoing encounter. Two militants were also killed, while two others continue to hide in a makeshift bunker.


Police sources said that as per initial reports from the area, a group of militants infiltrated from Arnia belt of Jammu district and resorted to firing. They added that the security grid of Army, BSF and police swung into action and launched a search for the militants in the morning.


Police sources said that the militants occupied a vacant army bunker in Pindi Khattar belt of Arnia border sector of Jammu district.


“The bunker was of Army’s 92 infantry brigade. A fierce encounter broke out. A soldier has been killed and two others are injured,” they said.


A car has also been seized in the area which might have been used by the militants, sources said.






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Army Arrests Suspected Militant Near LoC in Rajouri

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Army on Thursday claimed that its men arrested an armed militant in Rajouri near the Line of Control (LoC) who was trying move forward after infiltrating.


Troops noticed suspicious movement near the LoC in Leharan Company Operating Base in Lam Battalion area of Rajouri district around 0630 hours, sources said. They added the army personnel responded immediately and foiled an infiltration bid.


During search operation, a suspected militant was apprehended and one AK 47 with 30 rounds, one Pakistan made pistol and Rs 8100 Pakistan currency were seized from his possession.


The arrested accused was identified as Adul Qayoomi.






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Injured Sarpanch Succumbs, Restrictions after Violent Protests in Hajin   

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Authorities imposed restrictions at Kathpora area of Hajin in district Bandipora on Thursday after protests over the death of a local Sarpanch turned violent. Police fired many rounds in air to disperse the violent protesters.


Abdul Rashid Kabuli was injured a day before during a scuffle.


Local sources said that several shops were set ablaze as the news of death of Kobuli spread in the area.


Koblay, belonging to National Conference, succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS in Soura. He was injured in clashes with shopkeepers a day before.


A huge contingent of police and paramilitary personnel has been deployed in the area.


Kabuli was thrashed by people after he allegedly tried to manhandle a gas dealer when the later denied him a gas cylinder in Khatpora Hajin area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district resulting in a scuffle.






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Wednesday, 26 November 2014

9 Soldiers Indicted in Chattergam Killings

KL Report


SRINAGAR


Nine soldiers have been indicted for killing two youth in Chattergam area of Budgam district on November 3 and will face court martial, sources said on Thursday.


“Nine soldiers of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), including a junior commissioned officer, have been indicted for the firing incident in Chattergam area in which two youth were killed,” they said.


“The court of inquiry appointed to probe the firing has found gross violation of rules of engagement by the involved soldiers. They have been indicted. There has been a total failure of the command by the officer in charge,” they added.


Widespread public anger followed the killings of two youth – Faisal Yusuf Bhat and Mehrajuddin Dar – in Chattergam area of Budgam district on November 3 by a mobile vehicle check post set up by the soldiers of 53 RR.


The army had initially said the car in which the youth were travelling had not halted at the security checkpoint. Lieutenant General DS Hooda, GOC-in-C of army’s northern command, later admitted the deployed column of the RR had overstepped its brief and violated the rules of engagement while opening fire at the car.






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Encounter in Jammu, Army man Killed so Far

KL Report


JAMMU


One army man was killed and another injured in an encounter with a group of heavily armed militants, who according to defense sources has crossed over to Arnia sector from Pakistan on Thursday morning.


Police sources said that a group of four militants was spotted by local villagers at Pindi Kathar village in the morning, following which they immediately informed the BSF and the local police. The area was immediately cordoned and searches launched.


During the searches, the contact was established and encounter was in progress. The militants were hiding in the village, police sources said, adding that it was yet to be known whether they had taken anybody hostage.


Arnia was the worst hit by exchange of shelling between Pakistani Rangers and Indian BSF a month ago.






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JK Bank Inaugurates 4 Renovated Premises In Jammu

KL Report


SRINAGAR


With a view to provide improved banking experience of its esteemed customers through up-gradation of its infrastructure, J&K Bank Wednesday dedicated renovated premises to public at its business units in Janipur, T P Talab Tillo, Trikuta Nagar and Sohal in Jammu.


The Bank’s Vice President and Zonal Head (Jammu) Arvind Gupta inaugurated the four premises amid a large number of businessmen, valuable customers, senior citizens and other residents.


He reiterated the vision of bank’s leadership that the bank remains committed to provide the best ambience and services of international standards not only in urban centers but across the state.


He urged upon the people to avail maximum benefits from the banks customer friendly products especially Debit and Credit Cards, e-banking and Mobile Banking.


The Bank, he said, had undertaken a massive financial literacy and account opening drive to ensure universal access to banking facilities with at least one basic account to every household under the ambitious Pradhan mantra Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY).


Later during the day an impressive function was organized by the bank for the members of the Bari Brahmana Industrial Association (BBIA) at its Business Unit near Industrial Complex Bari Brahmana wherein general public was also present. Zonal Head appreciated the BBIA for its unstinted trust in the products and services of the bank by making it their preferred banker.


The members of the BBIA hailed the initiatives of the Bank in infrastructure up-gradation and appreciated the speedy delivery of customized credit products to the industrial clients






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Boycott Call Failed To Yield Results: Soz

KL Report


SRINAGAR


The state Congress chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz Wednesday termed the boycott call issued by the pro-freedom camp here as a ‘failed idea’, saying present polls indicate that people would not boycott any election in the state.


Talking to KNS, Soz remarked that the people of valley have once again proved that the boycott call of the separatist leaders promotes ‘negativism’ and that the idea of rejecting the democratic process has failed to yield any results on ground. “People want employment, good governance and better facilities for themselves. Boycotting polls will not benefit them and they have understood it.”


The state Congress chief remarked that he is hopeful of the positive outcome of the large participation of people in the first phase of elections and that the ground reports suggest a remarkable victory for the Congress party in most of the regions of Jammu and Kashmir.


He maintained further that during the first phase of polling, Congeess has taken control over Bandipora and Gurez. Soz also claimed to have won all the four seats of the Ladakh region including Leh, Zanskar, Nobra and Kargil.


Soz said that the peoples ‘ participation in the election fray would yield positive results for the Congress party in the state as the party has also performed well in the Chenab of Jammu and that BJP’s mission 44 would not see day’s light in JK as the people here at large have decided to keep communal forces at bay.






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