Srinagar: A day after the Centre submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court for abolishing triple talaq, Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric (Mufti Azam) Mufti Bashir-u-Din Sunday said that it is direct interference in the religious affairs of Muslims.
“Despite religious freedom guaranteed under the provisions of Indian constitution, Government of India is moving to court against triple talaq. It is direct religious interference,” Mufti Bashir-u-Din told KNS.
He added that government has no authority to challenge or change the Sharait law.
“The action of Government of India is highly condemnable. It can have serious consequences,” he added.
The centre is opposed to the Muslim practice of triple talaq, it has informed the Supreme Court, describing it as “misplaced in a secular country.”
In a 1985 judgment, the Supreme Court granted divorcee, Shah Bano, alimony for life. But following protests from Muslim leaders and others that the court was being intrusive, the judgment was overturned. (KNS)
Srinagar: Processions continue across the valley on 7th Muharram organized by J&K Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian. Muharram Processions were taken out from Undroon Kathi Darwaza Rainawari, Wata Magam, Patwaw, Karipora Budgam.
Instead of curfew imposed by state administration in Undroon Kathi Darwaza Rainawari, mourners take out the procession.
Mourners expressed outrage against the Indian repression and ban on Muharram processions while reading Marsia and lamentations.
They also condemned the continuous house arrest of President J&K Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian Aga Syed Hassan Almsovi Alsafvi from past 3 months. Aga Sahab could not accomplish his bounden duties in view of Muharram due to his continuous house arrest.
He could not participate in any Muharram procession of this year till date. Meanwhile, Aga Sahab expressed outrage over the martyrdom of 13th year innocent boy Junaid resident of Saidapora Eidgah Srinagar and declared it a ferocious fete of Indian force. He said on one hand State administration is showing fake care towards the educational future of students but on the other hand these children are targeted and killed by pellet shells. (KNS)
“Trigger happy forces need to be shown the red line”
Srinagar:Strongly condemning the inhuman killing of 12 year old Junaid Akhoon by the security forces, Tariq Hameed Karra has warned Government of India of dire consequences by waging war against unarmed protesting civilians.
“This unabated barbarism by security forces is not only aggravating the situation on ground but they are even more complicating it for both the central and the state governments to handle it for restoring peace and normalcy in the Valley,” Karra said in a statement issued to KNS.
“The trigger happy forces need to be shown the red line, lest their genocidical mode will annihilate one complete generation. If anybody thinks that by way of killing, blinding, physically incapacitating, jailing or maiming, Kashmiris would be brought on knees, then it is nothing more than day dreaming and looking for eutopias. It is further angering the people and increasingly adding up the alienation,” he added.
He said that by way of pursuing oppressive, repressive and suppressive policies, BJP and RSS are not rendering any service to the Indian State.
“On the contrary it is a disservice towards the country. The PDP’s criminal silence and inaction to stop the inhuman, barbaric and uncivilized atrocities perpetrated by security forces has exposed them fully for their complete surrender before RSS agenda for the sake of chair,” he added.
“Their gluing to chair is tantamount to be acting as collaborators and facilitators for implementing the fascist agenda in this Muslim majority State. After collaborating in their administrative, cultural and ideological ingression, PDP is now openly facilitating the relegious ingression of RSS on ground,” he said.
He said that waging war against Imams and religious scholars, crackdown and slamming of PSA on people coming out of mosques, locking down Sufi shrines and grand mosques and now disallowing Tazianas of Shia community in the month of Muharram stand testimony for putting fear in the minds of people for attempting compulsory Islamic duties and making Islamic congregation places as fearful places.
“It is a very well calculated RSS move to desist Muslims from their relegion and relegious places and unfortunately PDP is willfully facilitating it,” he said.
In the end, Karra extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for Junaid Akhoon’s eternal peace. (KNS)
“Ready to give concession to class 10, 12 students”
Srinagar: Government on Sunday said that it will go ahead with the planned examinations of class 12 and class 10, commencing from mid-November, this year.
However, it said that it is ready to give concessions to the students of both classes.
“Yes, we are aware about the student protests taking place. Authorities will go ahead with the examination, as scheduled. There will no change in the date sheet,” Zahoor Ahmad, Chairman Board of School Education told KNS.
He added that authorities are ready to give concession to the students. “The Kashmir has witnessed similar situations in 2008 and 2010. Students were provided concession. We are ready to provide it at this time as well,” he added.
However, he said that students have not so far made any representation before the BOSE authorities about their grievances and demands.
“Our doors are open for students. They should submit a representation in our office about their grievances and demands. Their every genuine demand would be given consideration. We assure them that no injustice would be done to them,” he added.
“Some protests have been reported in media who demand deferment of exams till everything is achieved. But large number of students plead that their syllabus and some laboratory works are incomplete. I think students concerned about their incomplete syllabus and laboratory works have genuine grievances,” he said while replying to a query.
Pertinently, students of class 12 and class 10 have been protesting across the Kashmir from past several days, demanding deferment of exams. (KNS)
Srinagar:Kashmiri traders on Sunday said that spreading of ongoing agitation to Chenab valley and Ladakh is the one of the biggest achievement of 2016 agitation.
They said that fiscal losses are revocable but not the precious lives lost in forces action.
“Now the pro-freedom protests have spread out of Kashmir. People in Chenab valley, Pirpanchal and Ladakh have observed shutdown to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. They have also raised their voice for right to self determination. This is one of the biggest achievements of this agitation,” Muhammad Yasin Khan, President Kashmir Economic Alliance told KNS.
He added that financial losses are revocable. “All these economic losses are revocable once the nation brings the ongoing movement to its logical conclusion. Presently, traders are suffering loss of Rs 123 crores to Rs 132 crores daily. But we are least bothered about these losses,” he added.
He said that traders, as a part and parcel of society, are much worried about those killed, maimed and blinded in forces action.
Hilal Ahmad Mando, Chairman Traders Federation Parimpora Fruit Mandi said that traders have extended their confidence to the joint resistance leadership.
“All traders have unanimously called on Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. We have expressed our conviction on their leadership and faith to follow their programmes in letter and spirit,” Mando told KNS.
“It is immaterial to us how much fiscal losses we are facing. Our heart goes out for those innocents killed in forces action. We are ready and prepared to carry on the movement till it reaches to its logical conclusion,” he said.
He urged Government of India to initiate dialogue with the stakeholders without any further delay to resolve long pending Kashmir issue. (KNS)
Srinagar: J&K Congress on Sunday revealed that some private school in Kashmir have innovated a new form of “recovering” fee from students.
A statement issued by the Congress quoting its Secretary General S S Channi said that exams are being conducted by sending questions papers to children by private school managements “forcing them to write answer sheets in their homes and send these back to school management”.
Surprised Channi termed it as “doing great injustice to Students”.
Terming it a move to “recover fee and other charges” from the students, he said, “if such type of things start happening in education sector, then it will be a dangerous proposition, a sort of compromise on the future of the children and it’s outcome would be so serious and damaging.”
“Exams shall have to be conducted as per norms laid down by CBSE and BOSE as that will only secure future of the students,” he said.
The current situation has disturbed the socio-economic scenario in the valley and despite that the parents would not compromise on the future of their wards by allowing conduct of exams in this manner, he observed.
He asked the Education Department and Private school owners not to play with the future of the students “by encouraging such unethical practices in order to recover the fee”.
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Srinagar:Incarcerated chairman of Jammu Kashmir liberation front Muhammad Yasin Malik has today been shifted to Srinagar central jail from JIC Hhumhama. Chairman JKLF who is ailing from a long time was kept in solitary confinement for a long time and because of this torturous confinement his health deteriorated considerably. Doctors many times advised the authorities to take care of his ill health but till today he was kept in a cell at JIC.
It is worth to mention that chairman JKLF was arrested on the evening of 8th July 2016 and from then he has been shifted to various police stations, jails and torture centers. JKLF while condemning the illegal and undemocratic confinement of Yasin Malik has termed the ongoing oppression in Jammu Kashmir as worst phase of state sponsored violence that Kashmiris have seen from last many decades.
JKLF also condemned the prolonged incarceration of its leaders and activists including vice chairman advocate Bashir Ahmad Butt ,vice chairman Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi , zonal president Noor Muhammad Kalwal , senior vice president Kashmir zone Muhammad Yasin Butt , JKLF zonal organizer Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri ,district president Ganderbal Jenab Bashir Ahmad Rather (Boya), senior members Fayaz Ahmad Mir from Ganderbal, Shabir Ahmad Ganaie of Kakapora Pulwama, Mushtaq Ahmad Mir of Kupwara , Assadullah Sheikh of Kulagam ,Muhammad Ishaaq Malik Kokernagh and many others. JKLF also condemned the continuous arrest and house arrest of APHC leaders including APHC (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, APHC (M) chairman Mirwaiz Muhammad Umer Farooq, Dukhtaran I Millat chief Mtr. Aasiya Andrabi ,Hurriyat leaders Shabir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Bilal Ahmad Sideequi, Muhammad Altaf shah, Ghulam Nabi Zaki, Zafar Akbar Butt, Ayaz Akbar, Doctor G M Hubbi , Hakeem Abdul Rashid and Advocate Muhammad Shafi Reshi and many others who are either languishing in jails or detained at their residences by occupational forces.
JKLF also strongly condemned the arrest of and various Ulema and religious scholars especially from south Kashmir and said that these kind of harsh oppressive methods of India and its Kashmiri stooges will never succeed in defeating the valor, passion and will of the people of Jammu Kashmir who are striving against illegal occupation peacefully.
The act of caring and hospitability assumes more significance in view of the ongoing civilian uprising in which 94 people have been killed and over 10, 000 injured in forces’ action since the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Srinagar: Locals on Sunday rescued an injured army man who met with an accident on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Lasjan locality of Kashmir capital Srinagar.
In a video captured on a cellphone, locals could be seen helping the injured army man to come out of the truck where he got stranded following the accident.
An army spokesman confirmed that the local youths helped the injured army man.
The act of caring and hospitability assumes more significance in view of the ongoing civilian uprising in which 94 people have been killed and over 10, 000 injured in forces’ action since the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Srinagar:Kashmir’s season of pleasure and plenty, the autumn, is here, but alas, the tragedy of the beleaguered valley this year has overshadowed everything that is good about the golden-brown season.
For anyone coming to Kashmir in autumn, nature could just not have been more rewarding.
A verdant countryside, crystal-clear waters in rivers and streams, and fields swaying heavily with grain are visible when pilots of incoming civilian flights announce they are landing at the Srinagar International Airport.
On the majestic Chinar trees, the fleshy leaves are changing from green through crimson to yellow. Orchards are laden with ripe apples waiting to be picked. Paddy fields await the harvest and the marriage season is reaching its peak.
These are some of the hallmarks of the Kashmir Valley’s autumn, but where are the tourists? Where are the groups of locals who would throng the Mughal Gardens with their families to relax in the soothing warmth of the autumnal sun?
Separatists call for protests and the forces place coils of razor-sharp concertina wire to thwart the protests. This is the depressing reality of the autumn in Kashmir this year.
For all of autumn, which is now approaching its end — as the morning and evening chill indicates, winter is already knocking at the valley’s door — nothing has moved here, quite literally.
No schools, colleges or universities for students, no main markets for shoppers, no public transport for commuters.
“It is extremely difficult for non-locals to believe how any place in today’s world can remain closed for such a long time. But as locals we have learnt to accept every tragedy and misery as part of our destiny,” said Srinagar resident Abdul Gani, 52.
After many years, the Kashmir Valley is missing its huge work force of non-locals who would be engaged for harvesting, threshing, winnowing and other agricultural operations in autumn.
With the beginning of the ongoing cycle of violence in early July, all non-local labourers, both skilled and unskilled, have left the valley. Even the brick-layers engaged by various kiln owners left three months before schedule this year.
“When 90 people are killed, 12,000 injured and dozens blinded by pellets, how can anyone expect to risk his/her life by working in Kashmir,” asked Ali Muhammad Dar, 69, a brick-kiln owner in central Badgam district.
The tourist towns of Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg have become ghost hill stations. All hotels, tea-stalls and handicraft shops at these places were closed by the middle of last month.
“We were completely sold out for autumn. We had a Bollywood multi-star shoot booking for 20 days this autumn. Every single booking has been cancelled. We have brought down the shutters on our hotel in Sonamarg,” said Suhail Mir, 37, the owner of Hotel Tranquil Resort, one of the best addresses in Kashmir’s golden meadow.
The sad story of scores of other hotels, guest houses and houseboats in Srinagar city is no different from Mir’s.
The tragedy for the valley’s tourist industry this year has been that it was caught unawares.
“We were at the peak of the tourist rush when the unrest started. We had made investments for autumn as we had huge bookings. All is finished now,” said another hotelier in Srinagar.
For public transport operators, the sword has been double-edged. “We have been grounded since July 9, the day trouble started here. Banks are continuously charging interest on our loan outstandings,” said a transport operator here who did not want to be named.
“Any public transport operator who dares to challenge the protest shutdown has to pay a high price. Protesters smash vehicles and in two cases, they even torched some autorickshaws,” he added.
Many well-to-do families have sent their children to join coaching centres in the winter capital Jammu as there is no hope of the valley’s educational institutions opening soon.
The crisp, clear morning air of autumn, its benign, soothing sun, orchards laden with fruit, mountain streams full of trout beckoning anglers, mountains seeking trekkers and mountaineers are all there, but, unfortunately, the Kashmir Valley has missed its tryst with autumn this year. IANS
