Category: Union Territory

My father faces a coronavirus death sentence in an Indian prison, having committed no crime.

By: Ruwa Shah

Like thousands of other young people, I, too, am worried about my elderly parents during this pandemic. I am especially concerned about my father, who is imprisoned in a small dingy cell in South Asia’s largest prison complex – Tihar jail – in India’s capital New Delhi.

My father, Altaf Ahmad Shah, or Abu as I call him, is 63 years old and has diabetes and hypertension. Hence, he is in the “high-risk” category of people who face potential life-threatening conditions if they, God forbid, contract coronavirus.

Abu was arrested in July 2017. He is not in prison because of any criminal activity. The reason for his incarceration is his political activity and his belief in the right to self-determination in Indian-administered Kashmir. Intimidated by my ailing Abu’s political aspirations, the world’s largest democracy imprisoned him, charged him with sedition and accused him of “waging war against the country”.

Abu has not been imprisoned for the first time. He has spent several years in different jails for supporting the resistance movement of Kashmir and being a member of the pro-resistance political group, Hurriyat Conference, headed by my grandfather, Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Tihar prison complex has about 16 prisons housing more than 17,000 inmates. Abu and many other Kashmiri political prisoners are kept in the so-called “high-risk security ward”.

Family visits for those in high-risk wards are different from the ones in general wards: they are shorter and take place later in the day once all other visits have finished.

During my meetings with Abu at Tihar jail in 2017-2018, I developed a stronger and more affectionate bond with him. Visiting Tihar has been more than challenging in every sense to me. Every Friday, I would prepare myself mentally to travel to that place that frightened me, but at the same time it meant half an hour of happiness for both of us. Those visits were always full of trauma, fatigue, intimidation, anxiety and fear.

When I went to meet Abu, I would have to wait for more than three hours in the waiting area, perched on a corner of a broken bench and overwhelmed with fear. I was not allowed to carry anything before entering the waiting area, except a little courage and desperation to see Abu.

As I and others waited, rodents, insects and stray dogs would lurk in the room. Many times, I fell sick after those visits, given the unhygienic conditions of the prison. Despite the heat and the humidity inside, visitors would not even get a glass of clean water to drink.

Whenever I asked Abu about the living conditions in the cells, he would dodge the question, but his physical appearance spoke for itself. He started looking weaker with each visit and much older, his hair and beard turning white.

Out of anger, I once asked him why he had chosen such a life that put him and our family in such great suffering. “You are privileged to see me and meet me. I am in the same prison where Afzal Guru and Mohammad Maqbool Bhat have been hanged and buried. Their families did not even see their dead bodies. They remained incarcerated even after their death,” he told me. Bhat and Guru were Kashmiris who were also arrested and charged with “waging war against the state”; they were hanged in 1984 and 2013 respectively.

Abu always tried to keep my spirits high, telling me to hope and pray for the day of his release. I last saw him on February 21 this year. It was one of the most emotional visits, as I had not seen him for more than a year. “Ah! Baedd chaham gamaeczh!” (Ah! You have grown up), was the first thing he said when he saw me through the window in the dim-lit room. He looked so old to me. But I did not say it.

A month later, India imposed a nation-wide lockdown due to the coronavirus. Prison visits were banned.

My worries about my father are fuelled by the fact that prisoners do not receive adequate health care in India. There have already been a few cases of Kashmiri prisoners whose severe health problems have been neglected.

Peer Saifullah, a 54-year-old Kashmiri resistance leader, was operated on for a brain tumour before he was arrested in 2017. He needs life-saving medication to survive and often falls unconscious in jail, but he told me, so far, he has been provided medical assistance just once. In one of his desperate messages, Saifullah wrote to me: “I am dying in this prison. I might not survive as my body is giving up now”.

In December last year, Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, a 65-year-old Kashmiri, died in an Uttar Pradesh jail. He had been detained under the Kashmir Public Safety Act – a law which allows Indian police to detain anyone who they suspect may commit a crime against the state.

There are hundreds of Kashmiris imprisoned outside Kashmir and most of them are pre-trial prisoners. News about their wellbeing and messages from them rarely make it out of the prisons where they are kept.

The outbreak of the coronavirus in India has spread more anxiety among hundreds of families of Kashmiri political prisoners. We all fear we may not see our loved ones again.

India currently has more than 500,000 registered coronavirus cases so far and at least 16,000 deaths.

Tihar jail reported its first coronavirus case in late May and there are rumours of an outbreak there.

In March, after prisoners started testing positive for the disease, the Supreme Court ordered early releases to decrease overcrowding. In April, former first chief minister Mehbooba Mufti was shifted from prison to house arrest; 65 prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir were also set free.

But so far, my father and his associates have not been released, despite the fact that none of the accusations against them have been proven in any court of law in India.

My mother, who has been unwell too since the arrest of Abu, frantically calls me every day to ask if there is any news. Last month, our bail plea was rejected, but our application to get my father checked at a hospital was accepted. Despite the court order issued on June 1 to grant Abu medical attention, the jail authorities have not yet carried it out.

As the coronavirus death toll surges and more people are reported infected with the virus, our hopes are dwindling that justice will be served and we will see our loved ones free, alive and well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ruwa Shah
Ruwa Shah is a student of cinema and TV and previously worked as a journalist
 @ruwashah15

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Kashmir Today and Kashmir Today does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

With inputs from Al-Jazeera

The Valley has been witnessing an unabated spike in Covid-19 cases and re-imposition of lockdown restrictions.

While Kashmir is set to welcome tourists after the administration opened the sector on Tuesday, the valley residents have ridiculed the decision which has come when the region is witnessing an unabated spike in Covid-19 cases and re-imposition of lockdown restrictions.

The tourism department officials said the protocol committees and health teams are on the ground, but they expect that it may take some time for trickling down of the message to potential visitors.

“We have started getting congratulatory messages from the outside tour operators and everything is in place. Our officials are on the ground to make sure that every precaution is taken. However it may take at-least two weeks to one month for the tourists to start bookings,” said Kashmir tourism director Nisar Ahmad Wani.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday decided to open the tourism sector in a phased manner with effect from Tuesday, allowing only by-air arrival. All incoming tourists must have confirmed hotel bookings for the duration of their stay and confirmed return air tickets besides compulsory RT-PCR testing of everyone on arrival.

Ironically, the order came on the same day when the administration imposed restrictions in parts of the valley, including Srinagar — the worst affected district— by designating over 88 containment zones amid a surge in coronavirus cases over the past few weeks. Earlier, the Amarnath pilgrimage was also given a go-ahead besides opening of parks.

These decisions have been sharply castigated by people even associated with tourism.

Ashfaq Siddiq Dug, president of Travel Agents Association of Kashmir, said it was an ill-timed move and an insult to the sensibilities of the locals.

“It is a shame. How can I welcome tourists when the locals are being herded into their homes? How do you expect tourism to flourish in this scenario and how can we be sure if they are not carriers,” asked Dug.

“The ground situation is not conducive. The decision to open the tourism sector is as good as building castles in the air. Probably it has a political angle to it to show to the world how much we are enthusiastic about starting tourism,” he said.

The number of people infected with the disease in J&K has already crossed 10,800 with 187 fatalities — 170 in Kashmir and 17 in Jammu division till Monday evening.

Moin-ul-Islam, an engineering student, questioned how locals will agree amid the dichotomy of the decisions. “This is why people don’t follow the guidelines. Locals asked to stay at home and tourists welcomed. How are we supposed to adhere to their orders,” he asked.

Others jibed whether only locals were susceptible to the virus and the visitors were immune. “Does the virus become hyperactive and harmful when it comes to dealing with the natives and goes into hibernation mode with respect to the visitors and pilgrims? Has the critical thinking in Kashmir been quarantined or put in isolation? Or, may be, declared a containment zone,” said author and political commentator Gowhar Geelani on Twitter.

The tourism director, however, defended the administrative decision saying that the people associated with the sector have been suffering losses. “Please ask those who are associated with tourism like pony riders, tourist guides and Shikara rowers whose families have been suffering from hunger. There are so many who really want it,” Wani said.

“We are not saying that we will bring them without taking all the precautions. We will follow proper protocol,” he said.

With inputs from The Hindu

PTI

The talks are taking place days after the implementation of the first phase of the disengagement process from the friction points.

Indian and Chinese military commanders on Tuesday began a crucial round of negotiations to finalise a framework for a time-bound disengagement process from friction points like Pangong Tso and Depsang as well as to pull back large number of troops and weapons from rear bases along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, government sources said.

The fourth round of Lt General-level talks began around 11:30 a.m. at a designated meeting point in Chushul on the Indian side of the LAC, the de-facto border between the two countries, the sources said.

The Indian delegation is led by Lt Gen Harinder Singh, the commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, while Major General Liu Lin, commander of the South Xinjiang military region, was scheduled to lead the Chinese side.

The key focus of the high level meeting is expected to be to a roll out of the phase two of the disengagement process including in Pangong Tso and Depsang, besides withdrawal of forces and weapons from the rear bases in a time-bound manner, the sources said.

The Indian side is expected to insist on “total restoration” of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to May 5 when the standoff began following a clash between the troops of the two countries in Pangong Tso, they said.

The sources said the two sides are also expected to finalise a roadmap for overall restoration of peace and tranquillity in the high-altitude region that witnessed an eight-week bitter standoff between the troops of the two countries.

The talks are taking place days after the implementation of the first phase of the disengagement process from the friction points.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has already completed pulling back troops from Gogra, Hot Springs and Galwan Valley and significantly thinned down its presence in the ridgeline of Finger Four in the Pangong Tso area in the last one week as demanded by India, according to people familiar with the developments.

In line with a mutually agreed decision, the two sides created a minimum buffer zone of three kilometres in most of the friction points where they were locked in a standoff.

The formal process of disengagement of troops began on June 6, a day after a nearly two-hour telephonic conversation between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on ways to bring down tension in the area.

The two countries have already held three rounds of Lt General-level talks and the last one took place on June 30 during which both sides agreed on an “expeditious, phased and step wise” de-escalation as a “priority” to end the standoff.

The first round of the Lt General talks was held on June 6 during which both sides finalised an agreement to disengage gradually from all the standoff points beginning with Galwan Valley.

However, the situation deteriorated following the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 as the two sides significantly bolstered their deployments in most areas along the LAC. The second round of talks took place on June 22.

The Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for over eight weeks since May 5.

The tension escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details. According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35.

Following the Galwan Valley incident, the government has given the armed forces “full freedom” to give a “befitting” response to any Chinese misadventure along the LAC.

The Army has sent thousands of additional troops to forward locations along the border following the deadly clashes. The IAF has also moved air defence systems as well as a sizeable number of its frontline combat jets and attack helicopters to several key air bases.

Srinagar: J&K’s BJP chief Ravinder Rana on Tuesday tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (covid-19).

Announcing it on twitter, the BJP leader said that he has a slight fever and no other symptoms.

Rana recently accompanied BJP national general secretary, Ram Madhav and Union minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh besides several other senior national and J&K leaders including vice president Avunash Rai Khanna to Bandipora to express condolences to a party leader who was killed along with father and brother by militants. (GNS)

Waseem Bari | Photo Credits: Twitter/Ram Madhav

Srinagar: The national leadership of Bhartiya Janta Party Youth Wing on Monday paid rich tributes to their slain leaders who were killed by militants a few days ago at Bandipora.

Poonam Mahajan paid tributes, called Wasim a great leader

The meeting was attended by all National Office bearers , States Presidents , and state in-charges of Youth BJP.

National Vice President BJP Youth Er Aijaz Hussain said that all the national leaders held virtual meeting, prayed for the departed souls, and discussed their contribution for the making up of the party in the Kashmir Valley.

How is #SelfieWithBoss? pic.twitter.com/bjHGVN7MIm

— Er Aijaz Hussain (@IAmErAijaz) May 6, 2019

“As we have said, all leaders have felt the pain of trio. Today a condolence meeting was held, in which the departed were remembered, by all the office bearers, and leaders,” he national leader, who is also the in-charge of BJP youth wing West Bengal said in the statement.

“Their separation has created a void in us which will be unable to fill. But we are strong ready to work for the peace, party and the national. We won’t let the enemy have easy ground,” he added.

Er Hussain said that National President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Poonam Mahajan, a parliament member graced the meeting. She had earlier spoken to the family of the slain on the phone.

Hussain had earlier paid visit to the family with all the national level leaders including Ram Madhav ji, the National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Dr Jitendra Singh MoS for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office; Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, State President BJP Ravinder Rana and others. The party had offered help to the family who also asked for stern action against medicos who desecrated the dead bodies of the martyrs,” he added.

“The meeting of Madhav ji, Jitender ji and Ravinder ji have boosted our morale, as well as the families of the departed,” he said.

Wasim Bari, who was the former district president of Bandipora, was killed along with the father, and brother outside his home by militants.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported seven more deaths due to covid-19 including a 65-year-old who died while his sample for the virus was being taken and a paramilitary CRPF Sub Inspector posted with 18th battalion at Uranhal Kulgam.

The fresh deaths take the fatality count due to the pestilence in J&K to 188—17 from Jammu and 171 from Kashmir Valley.

The deaths include two persons, both aged 55 years, from Nikat Arbal and Litter Pulwama respectively, CRPF trooper posted in Kulgam, 70-year-old man from Handwara, 73-year-old woman from Soibugh Budgam, 45-year-old from Sopore and a 65-year-old man from Rawalpora Srinagar who died while his sampling was being done at CD hospital, one of the exclusive facilities for the management of the covid-19 patients here.

Dr Salim Tak, Medical Superintendent at CD hospital told GNS that the quinquagenarian female from Pulwama was admitted on July 5. “She was suffering from Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bilateral pneumonia besides other ailments. She died today,” he added.

Earlier a 45-year-old man from Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district died of covid-19 at SKIMS Soura.

The quadragenarian was suffering from bilateral community acquired pneumonia (CAP) besides “multiple myelomas, thrombocytopenia and electrolyte dysfunction”, Dr G N Itoo, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, told GNS. He died at SKIMS Soura around 5:45 a.m., Dr Itoo added.

Meanwhile, a paramilitary CRPF trooper, who was posted in Kulgam, died at SMHS hospital. The trooper’s death is the second fatality due to the virus among the paramilitary ranks in Jammu and Kashmir so far.

Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital Srinagar, Dr Nazir Choudhary told GNS that the 55-year-old died at the hospital this morning. “His sample came out to be positive this afternoon,” he added. The 65-year-old man from Rawalpora Srinagar who had died due to cardiac arrest while his sample was being taken for covid-19 tested positive for the virus later in the day.

Dr Salim Tak told GNS that the man suffered cardiac arrest while his sampling was being done. “His sample was taken and it came positive for the covid-19 now,” he added. The other deaths include 555-year-old man from Pulwama, the 70-year-old man from Handwara and 73-year-old female from Sobugh Budgam, officials said. “They died in last few days and their sample same out positive today or late last night.”

Srinagar district with 46 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla (35), Kulgam (21), Shopian (16), Anantnag (14), Budgam (14), Jammu (10), Kupwara (11), Pulwama (6), Bandipora (3), Ganderbal (4) and Doda (2) while one death each has been reported from Poonch, Udhampur, Rajouri and Kathua. (GNS)

Complaints pouring frequently against some private schools of charging miscellaneous fee: DSEK

Srinagar: The government on Monday said it will cancel the recognition of the private schools that violate the orders of the School Education Department and charge miscellaneous fees in the name of tuition fee during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The School Education department also warned the management of private schools of strict action in terms of relevant provisions of law in case of any violation.

Following the government orders of de-recognition of involved private schools, the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) carried a series of stories wherein many private schools of Kashmir were allegedly charging the miscellaneous fee in the name of tuition fee.

In this regard, the Directorate of School Education Department (DSEK) issued a circular, asking the private schools to refrain from violating the government orders.

DSEK on June-16 issued circular— instructing all recognized private schools to charge only tuition fee from students on a monthly basis instead of quarterly basis for the lockdown period.

“No fee hike shall be made during the academic session 2020-21 and the annual fee, if any, can be charged monthly on a pro-rata basis, after schools reopen,” reads the circular.

DSEK in a circular said that the complaints are pouring on a frequent basis that some recognized private schools are still charging tuition fees as well as miscellaneous fees under the caption of tuition fee.

It further stated that no School shall deny access to online education, material or classes for the continuous assessment to poor and deserving students, who are unable to pay school fees due to the prevailing situation.

The School Education department impressed upon the recognized private schools to adhere to the instructions in letter and spirit.

“In case any violation or non-seriousness, strict action shall be initiated against the particular School in terms of relevant provisions of law, which includes de-recognition thereof without further intimation,” it reads.

In view of COVID-19 pandemic, the government earlier instructed the private schools in Jammu and Kashmir to extend the last date of deposit of school fees up to April-30 without any late fees.

“No school shall either charge any fee for the online learning, assignments or shall link the result of the child on the basis of home assignment, “the government directed—(KNO)

Srinagar: For the first time since 1948, there was no holiday and official function to commemorate the martyrs’ day in Jammu and Kashmir.

Officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the official function to commemorate the martyr’s days was not held as the official holiday of July 13 in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was omitted after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A in August last year.

A senior official said that in December last year, the list of gazetted holidays had no mention of martyr’s days on July 13, which was observed in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir to pay homage to July 13 , 1931 martyr’s.

Regional political parties used to pay homage to the martyrs on this day while the successive governments would organize official functions to commemorate this day in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.

Kashmir would commemorate July 13 as martyrs’ day and chief minister, ministers and DGPs used to pay tributes at the official programmes across the then state of J&K.

However, following the revocation of Article 370 on August 5 last year, the government had issued a list of gazetted holidays for the newly carved Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir wherein July 13 was omitted from the list.

The then prime minister of J&K, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, had declared July 13 as martyrs’ day in memory of those who revolted against the Dogra rule on July 13, 1931. Twenty-two people were killed in the protest against the then Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh.

December 5, the birth anniversary of former J&K Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah was also omitted from the list of official holidays in December last year.

In the new list of gazetted holidays, the government, however, declared October 26 as a gazetted holiday. On this day in 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh had signed the “Instrument of Accession” with the dominion of India.

Meanwhile, National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC), CPI (M) and Apni Party paid tributes to the July 13 martyr’s by issuing party statements—(KNO)

Asma Shakeel tops the list with 98.20% followed by Madiha with 97.60% & Maira with 97.20%

Srinagar: Delhi Public School Srinagar continued its successful legacy by attaining a 100% result in the CBSE Class 12th results declared today. Out of 268 candidates who appeared in the examination, 82% scored more than 80%, while 30% scored more than 91%.

The three toppers in order of merit are: Asma Shakeel (98.2%), Madiha (97.6%) and Maira Fatima Simnani (97.2%). Each of them credited the school for their success. Speaking on the role of the school, Asma said “The School gave me a platform to hone and refine my potential. It provided me the requisite exposure to not only excel academically, but also to excel at co-curricular activities like debating.”

Madiha echoed her, and said “My teachers guided me throughout the year. Even when the school was closed after August, my teachers were just a call away at any hour.” Maira Fatima also credited the school for her success saying “The school instilled in me the confidence to believe in myself and my potential. I owe my success to my teachers”.

The parents too expressed their gratitude to the school. Speaking on the role of the school, a parent said, “The school has always gone an extra step in providing my child a holistic education. Throughout my child’s education, each teacher took a keen interest in her education and development even when the situation was not conducive to education”. Pertinently, the school has been at the forefront of adopting digital education to minimize loss of education in response to the shut-downs. In the previous academic year, the school compensated for the loss of school time by ensuring special pre-recorded lectures and study material reached the students.

Moreover, the school has relied on a dedicated digital resources and Google classes along with offline multimedia content to ensure that the students don’t suffer from want of schooling. In yet another achievement, Asma Shakeel got a 100% scholarship to Georgetown University, Qatar as well as the very highly competitive and prized South Asia Excellence Award from Nottingham University, England.

The Excellence Award worth 6500 Euros is awarded to only two candidates out of more than 70,000 applicants. Congratulating the students on their stellar success, the Principal Alistair A Freese said “The results prove beyond doubt that the school stands head and shoulders above others in quest of its excellence.

Congratulations to all.” The Chairman Vijay Dhar also extended his congratulations and said “The children have done the whole school proud and proven that trying circumstances can’t defeat the combined will and dedicated effort of students and teachers. I dedicate this success to the school’s never say die attitude in the face of adversity”