Category: Union Territory

Jammu: More than 30 lakh LED bulbs have been distributed in Jammu and Kashmir during the past two months under UJALA scheme. The scheme was formally launched by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in the State on 28 August 2016.
UJALA, an acronym for Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All, is a scheme for registered domestic electricity consumers to be implemented by Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department in collaboration with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL).
Under the scheme consumers can buy 5 LED bulbs at the rate of Rs 20 each on production of photostate copy of photo identity card and latest electricity bill. In case of purchase of more than five bulbs, consumers need to pay Rs 75 per bulb.
Giving details of the distribution of LED bulbs made in J&K since the launch of the scheme, EESL authorities said that 3009379 bulbs were distributed among the registered consumers in the State till 8 November 2016. “This has resulted in per day energy saving of 1070737 kWh with the per day cost saving of Rs 4282948,” they said adding that the shift to LED bulbs has resulted in avoiding peak demand of 78 MW and 867 tonnes CO2 reduction per day.
The UJALA LED Bulbs are available at the nearest authorized Khidmat/CSC Kendra. Consumers are advised to log on to www.ujala.gov.in and click on ‘Jammu & Kashmir’ for further information regarding distribution centres and their respective contact details.
According to reports hundreds of people are visiting the authorized distribution centres in the State every day to get subsidized LED bulbs.
Speaking on achieving this milestone, Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, EESL said. “The response for UJALA from Jammu and Kashmir has been overwhelming. Every household that switches to LED bulbs will help the nation in fulfilling the vision of Power for All. We have ensured that these LED bulbs are within everyone’s reach by tying up with Khidmat/CSC Kendra throughout the state. The scheme will play a key role in bringing heavy energy savings in the state. We thank the consumers for coming in such large numbers and urge more consumers to come and be part of the LED revolution,” he said. 

A group of five persons, including former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, who visited Srinagar recently, released a brief report on their findings regarding the unrest in Kashmir.

A group of eminent citizens recently visited Srinagar to assess the situation in the Valley after months of protests and curfews. The group comprised former union minister Yashwant Sinha, Wajahat Habibullah, Air Vice-Marshal (Retd) Kapil Kak, Bharat Bhushan and Sushobha Barve. Barve is the Executive Programme Director of Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation that facilitated the visit for the group. The objective was to understand the psyche of the Kashmiri people after the recent unrest following militant commander Burhan Wani’s killing. Following the visit, the group has collectively released a brief report on its findings on the reason behind the Kashmir unrest, which has led to the death of nearly 100 people, and what can be done to restore peace.

A major finding stated in the report was that most Kashmiris felt the use of pellet guns as unfair, especially when it has been used on unarmed and peaceful protesters. The use of pellet guns have left children as young as 4-year-olds blind or partially blind, and has pitched Kashmiris against the security forces. The report also underlines the need to recognise the current situation in the Valley as a political one. It states that many Kashmiris feel the govenment of India needs to understand that the dispute cannot be solved through law and order measures but by dialogue between the government and its people.

Full text of the report:

Across the political spectrum, the Kashmiris we met spoke to virtually the same script about the history of the Kashmir issue. They may have varied in the exposition of a particular issue but basically all of them argued for a political solution to what they perceived as a political issue. They made the point that this is the fifth generation of Kashmiris which was protesting but to no avail. Each one spent a considerable amount of time recounting the activities of the security forces which had alienated the population of the Valley. Our interlocutors told us the reasons for the immediate anger and the long term anger which we are quoting below without endorsing them –

REASONS FOR IMMEDIATE ANGER:

1. Excessive use of force by the security forces The violence which began with the funeral procession of slain militant Burhan Wani has so far resulted in the death of nearly a hundred people. The question that most Kashmiris are asking is: Why were unarmed people going to offer last prayers for Burhan Wani fired at? They were not carrying any sticks, firearms or grenades that they represented a threat to the security forces. Nor did they attack the security forces. The firing at the funeral processions (there were nearly two lakh people gathered for the funeral and the last Namaz Janaza for Burhan Wani had been offered 40 times) is being seen as action of unaccountable security personnel and is being projected as an example of India’s ‘inhumanity’. 

The business and trading community is claiming that in the current situation it is not bothered about profit and loss but human loss and about the worsening situation in the Valley. They want an amicable resolution and end to violence by the security forces.

2. Use of pellet guns

Use of pellet guns for crowd control was the sorest point of all conversation with Kashmiris we met. They want the pellet guns banned and cannot understand why GoI is delaying this decision and why Indian security establishment is reluctant to give up this weapon. The use of pellet guns has led to several people, including children – some as young as 4-years- old – being blinded or partially blinded. These weapons, the Kashmiris point out, are not used in the rest of India even under grave provocation. They were not used in the Jat agitation in Haryana, the protests against Cauvery water sharing in Karnataka or the Patel agitation in Gujarat. All these agitations had resulted in large-scale damage to public property and in some cases even in gang rape of innocent women as in Haryana. Yet pellet guns were not used against the protestors. The fact that the use of pellet guns was reserved only for Kashmir elicited the most amount of anger against India and Indian security forces in the people we talked to.

Asked about stone-pelting, most Kashmiri leaders denied that youngsters were being paid to throw stones. They claimed that this was being done in ‘self-defence’ by unarmed people protesting against India. 

3. Night-time raids by security forces

These are ostensibly search operations which have resulted in destruction of property at Kashmir homes — windows, doors, and household goods. Apparently electrical and electronic gadgets are destroyed in the name of search operations. This continues even when the search operation yields nothing. One explanation we heard of this was that because the security forces get pelted with stones while returning to camp in the evening, they go back at night in anger to take revenge. That revenge in the form of wanton destruction of property to punish the people.

4. Misuse of Public Safety Act (PSA)

The PSA is seen as a revolving door process by the Kashmiris to keep people in jail. Brought into being to deal with timber smugglers by Sheikh Abdullah this draconian law, which does not require the victim to be produced before a magistrate and charged for up to a year, is used to keep trouble-makers in jail for longer than a year. As they are released in one case, another one under PSA is slapped on them in a different police jurisdiction.

However, the major misuse of the PSA is against minors. The amended Juvenile Justice Act for the state does not allow the police to arrest minors under PSA. Yet this has happened on a significant scale. The separatist leaders claim the number is about 6,000 while government sources place the figure at slightly less than half at 2,500. Even this is a large number of children. As there are no juvenile homes or Borstals for confining minors in J&K, they are kept with hardened criminals which can have long term deleterious impact on the minors imprisoned.

Kashmir leaders also allege that people arrested from the Valley are being housed in jails in the Jammu region so that their families cannot get easy access to them. This they claim is against a Surpeme Court order. Kashmir, they claim, has also become the only state which has run out of jail space and seeking to transfer the overspill to jails in MP and other states.

5. Destruction of electric transformers and crops in rural areas

A strange phenomenon of destruction of electric transformers in rural Kashmir is being reported. Apparently over 200 transformers have been destroyed – allegedly by the security forces. This again is apparently aimed at punishing villagers for either pelting stones at them or protesting against them. There have also been some cases of standing paddy crop ready for harvesting being set on fire at some places. It is not known who is behind this. However, the news of such incidents – some verified and others unverified — is also fanning anger amongst people.

6. Attacks on Kashmiris outside J&K

There have been some reports of Kashmiri students as well as some Kashmiri traders being attacked in states outside J&K. The Kashmiri people want the safety of students and traders to be ensured by the GoI. With everyone we strongly raised the issue of opening of schools.

REASONS FOR LONG-TERM ANGER:

1. Refusal to recognize Kashmir as a politically contentious issue

Across the cross section of people we met there was anguish about India not recognizing that Kashmir was a dispute. The refusal to see Kashmir as a political issue, people claimed, had resulted in the present situation because a political issue cannot be solved through law and order measures.

2. Refusal to recognize the emotional and sentimental aspects of the Kashmir issue

India, Kashmiri separatist leaders believe, has not understood the wounded psyche of the Kashmiri people. Therefore, it is unable to understand why Kashmiris have locked horns with the world’s largest democracy. Their argument is that because India does not see the psycho-historical aspects of the problem it tries to reduce it to issues of lack of development or economic growth, need to create jobs or offering economic packages and incentives. This has not suppressed the sense of hurt in the Kashmiri people or quell their political aspirations because these measures do not address the political issue of Kashmir.

3. Designating all Kashmiris as Pakistani puppets

There is also anger among Kashmiris that everything that happens in the Valley is being seen through the Pakistan prism and that this is being done to deny that they are free agents who are raising their own issues with India.

Another consequence of equating the protests in Kashmir with Pakistani machinations, they believe, is that every protesting Kashmiri can be equated with a terrorist and leadership, especially the Hurriyat Conference, is projected on a par with extremists when in fact, it was organised as the political face of a peaceful protest movement.

Even if GoI gets upset with the Azadi slogans, they argue, there is a need to recognize that the Kashmiris are upset and there is a sentiment for Azadi; and that this has little to do with Pakistan. Protestors pick up Pakistani and Chinese flags not because they want to solicit support from these countries but because they know that this riles India. And they want to rile India because it does not listen to them. “If everything that happens here is because of Pakistan, then what are we doing here?” a Hurriyat leader asked.

4. No dialogue with Pakistan

Kashmiri separatist leaders also think that unless India and Pakistan talk there can be no permanent solution to the Kashmir issue. While most of them recommend tripartite talks on Kashmir between India, Pakistan and the Kashmiri leadership (without specifying which leadership), others are willing for some other form of dialogue between the three as in Vajpayee’s time. They called it “triangular dialogue” – presumably one in which India and Pakistan talk to each other and each of them then talks to the Kashmiris also. There is widespread belief that without engaging Pakistan there can be no resolution of the Kashmir issue.

5. Vajpayee line on Kashmir jettisoned

Most Kashmiris believe that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sincere in his approach to resolving the Kashmir tangle. They quoted him as saying that Kashmir is an issue which needs to be resolved and that even if Kashmiris want to distance themselves, even that had to be done through cooperation and goodwill. They believe that Vajpayee saw the human aspect of the Kashmir issue and there was a need to once again appreciate the humanitarian aspects of the issue, irrespective of the state of India-Pakistan relations.

6. Indian public is indifferent to the plight of Kashmiris

Kashmiri separatist leaders believe that while Indian citizens are politically quite aware and quick to question the government, when it comes to the Kashmir issue, they keep quiet. This, they believe, is because they have been conditioned and encouraged to view the developments in Kashmir through anti- Pakistan glasses. GoI’s approach to Kashmir also pushes this point of view. As a consequence, even politically aware Indian citizens have no time for Kashmir.

7. Kashmir being pushed towards anarchy

The situation in the Valley is not being controlled by the separatist leaders as they were all in jail for four months since the day after Burhan Wani’s death. The Hurriyat leaders admitted that the street protester is not under anyone’s control. The streets are being controlled by youngsters who give the call for spontaneous protests. If this continued, they think that they would lose whatever little authority they exercise over the local population and they would not be able to give the protests any political direction. If such an anarchic situation was to develop in Kashmir, then India would have no reasonable person to talk to, they claim.

8. Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley

The Kashmiri Pandits who have continued to live in the valley since 1990’s want to be treated on par with Kashmiri migrants and be given same benefits as them because in a sense they are also migrants who have shifted from the original villages to towns. This had been agreed to by the former PM Dr. Manmohan Singhbut never implemented. Because of the ongoing agitation, many of the Pandit families, whose breadwinners were employees of commercial establishments were now deprived of a livelihood. The Kashmiri Pandits fear that in light of breakdown of law and order and withdrawal of security their own security was compromised leading to the migration of employees to Jammu where they were not getting salaries unlike other employees who were not able to their offices.In consequence, out of remaning 850 familes, 350 families were planning to migrate.

9. Regression from autonomy to uniformity; togetherness to communalism

Kashmiris believe that today Indian politics has taken such a turn that there is no willingness to listen to even demands for autonomy. Today Kashmir issue is being seen as Hindu vs. Muslim and governance is seen as Jammu vs. Kashmir.

RECOMMENDATIONS: WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE:

The sense of despair and desperation in Kashmir is increasing by the day. There was unanimity among the civil society and mainstream political leaders that dialogue must begin with the inclusion of the separatist political leaders. The question then is how to ease the existence of ordinary Kashmiris while leaving aside the complexities of resolving the Kashmir issue permanently.

After listening to a cross-section of Kashmiri voices, the group came to the conclusion that some small steps can be taken by the State government and the Union government to bring some semblance of normality in Kashmir. These proposed steps are listed below.

Steps that the J&K state government can take:

1. Start the process of reopening schools and as a precursor to this, release forthwith all first time offender school children and minors arrested under PSA.*

2. Consider postponing school examinations to a later date instead of insisting on holding them from November 15. Children who have been in jail have not probably had access to textbooks and other teaching material. They should be given sufficient time to prepare for exams.*

3. Repeat offenders amongst minors must be shifted out of adult jails and put up in temporarily designated juvenile detention centres and given psychological counseling.

4. Compensation must be announced for the next of kin of the civilians killed and for those wounded in police or action by the other security forces. This money may be transferred as DBT to designated accounts to prevent extortion and rent-seeking from the suffering families by the state bureaucracy.

5. Rehabilitation packages must be announced to ensure the life-time income needs of those permanently blinded by pellet guns.

6. Compensation and free treatment (both in India and abroad, if necessary) at state government expense for those who have been partially blinded by pallet guns.

7. Set up a blind school in Srinagar for children blinded by pellet guns. The state does not have a blind school and this may be a means of rehabilitation by the state to provide education for children with blindness or partially blindness.

8. Order a judicial commission into excesses by the police, especially the wanton use of pellet guns. While it is widely accepted that such commissions rarely lead to any conclusions, they serve a therapeutic purpose of allowing people to emotionally express themselves and it also helps project the state government as an accountable institution.

*Syed Ali Shah Geelani reciprocated this sentiment when the group met him for a second time to urge him to allow children to go to school, although he couched this in rhetoric that made it the responsibility of the state government to provide the secure conditions for children to attend school.

Steps that the Union government can take

1. Ban the pellet gun with immediate effect as a crowd control weapon. This will have a salutary impact on the Kashmiris. This is not something that should be left to committees or to the security forces.

2. Work with the media not to escalate the situation in Kashmir. Educate media owners about the sensitive nature of the Kashmir issue and not add fuel to the fire in search of viewers and revenue.

3. Dispel the perception that Kashmir and Kashmiris are mere tools to be used for electoral purposes.

4. In its interactions with Kashmiris the centre might reiterate the approach enunciated by the Hon’ble PM that Kashmiris are Indians.

5. GOI move quickly to give facilities of migrants to Pandits continuing to reside in Kashmir Division of J&K.

Although separatist leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq talked of being prepared for a dialogue (Geelani talked of “unconditional” talks), it was not within the competence of this group of concerned citizens to suggest when or if such a dialogue process should be started.

However, what we would like to emphasise is that we noted an overwhelming sentiment amongst the Kashmiris we interacted with for setting up a permanent process of dialogue with New Delhi. One of the reasons why so many doors were opened for us by the separatists and ordinary Kashmiris alike was because they saw our visit as a beginning of engagement with ordinary Indians.

The agenda of alliance of the BJP-PDP Coalition Government also commits to a dialogue with all the stakeholders. We recommend that such a dialogue is initiated at the earliest. The Kashmiris we interacted with acknowledged that we had limitations in leveraging the complexities of the Kashmir issue. Yet, there was a consensus that we repeat our visit and continue this engagement with them.

The Story Was First Published On Indian Express

Srinagar: Hurriyat (G) on Friday strongly condemned the government’s refusal to allow its chairman Syed Ali Geelani to offer Friday prayer, continued siege of the Jamia Masjid Srinagar, arrest of pro-freedom leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik ahead of “Youm-e-Istiqlal” at Jamia Masjid Srinagar.
In a statement issued to Kashmir Today, Hurriyat (G) said that “Geelani Sahab today tried to reach Jamia Masjid Srinagar, but the large contingent of police force locked the main gate. Even after repeated knocks they didn’t open the gate.”
Hurriyat spokesman said that stopping an individual from performing his or her religious responsibilities is gross violation of human rights and interference in the personnel and religious rights.
He said that “by doing so Indian rulers and their local voices have very well explained the real essence of Indian secularism and their hollow slogans of religious freedom, individual liberties and equal rights is nothing but the age old deceitful slogans of the imperialistic mindset which they have been using to befool others.”
Strongly condemning the siege of Central Jamia Masjid Srinagar for last 4 months and not allowing Friday’s prayers, Hurriyat (G) said that local government has purposefully joined hands with the preachers of Hindutwa to implement the Nagpour agenda.
“They have waged war against the whole community by forcefully preventing people from their prayers,” he said.
Commenting on not allowing Friday prayers in Jamia Masjid, Hurriyat (G) said that this is the worst and autocratic attitude of interfering in the religious obligations of the people. “Indian patriots, secularists and those claiming to uphold the “Kashmiryat” and Kashmiri hospitality, need to introspect themselves, as to why they can’t dare to come on TV screens to deliver the sermons on these glorifying actions of their Kashmiriyat.”
While commenting on the role of ‘puppet regime’, Hurriyat (G) said that, for those claiming to be the tallest activists of human rights, locking down the central mosque in capital city of the only Muslim Majority state of their “safest country for Muslims” could be the highest award. “These faceless stooges should be ashamed of themselves that the grand mosque is waiting for namazis and no azan is reverberated for the last four months.”
Hurriyat (G) said that demonizing Muslims and proudly celebrating Diwali is nothing but appeasement of their coalition partners, fearing being categorized as staunch Muslims.
The spokesman said that these collaborators no doubt have Muslim names, but their conduct and mindset is totally un-Islamic and anti-Muslim as they ever before have mortgaged their faith for their petty and mean interests.
Hurriyat (G) said that “these paid agents of Saffron Brigade will never ever be able to dent our resolve for freedom.”
Meanwhile Hurriyat (G) has condemned the arrest of pro-freedom activist Abdul Ahad Parra from Rajbagh.
Hurriyat said that, government through its authorities is itself deflating the balloon of so-called battle of ideas by the undemocratic, unethical and illegal actions.

Srinagar: A little girl from Bandipora has become world champion in Kick Boxing and has created history in winning a gold medal in the game under the age of eight (8).

Tajamul Islam, a class two student, is in Italy where she participated in World Kick Boxing Championship which witnessed participation of ninety countries.

Coach of Tajamul Islam (8), Master Fasil Ali, who is an international kick boxing player himself, said that Tajamul participated in the world event with support from Kick Boxing Federation of India.

“It was five-day world championship in Italy,” he said.

In five days, Fasil informed, Tajamul won six games.

On Wednesday, he said, “Tajamul won gold medal defeating her rival from United States.”

Fasil said that it was for the first time that a player from sub-junior category won a gold medal in the game. “She created the history by becoming first such player,” he said. “She is just an eight year old player.”

Earlier, Tajamal created a wave of admiration and awe across valley with her nomination. Before participating at the global platform, the Bandipora girl had many feats under her belt.

Srinagar: Authorities on Friday imposed curfew in parts of Srinagar to prevent a protest march called by the separatists, officials said.

Meanwhile, life remained affected on the consecutive 126th day on Friday due to a separatist-sponsored strike.

“Curfew had been imposed in seven areas to maintain law and order,” said a police official. Separatists had called for the march to the Jamia Mosque in the city’s Nowhatta area. Congregational Friday prayers have not been allowed inside the mosque during past 17 weeks.

    Reports said that all roads leading to Srinagar’s main Masjid were sealed since Thursday evening with massive deployment of paramilitary forces and imposition of strict curfew and restriction in old Srinagar city.

Separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has been kept under house arrest while Muhammad Yasin Malik was arrested and shifted to the Srinagar central jail on Thursday. Syed Ali Geelani continues to remain under house arrest.

    Syed Ali Geelani, witnesses told news agency CNS was locked inside his Hyderpora residence when he tried to march towards historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar. Geelani, along with his party activists came out of his room around 12:15 PM to march towards Jamia Masjid but was the police locked the gate of his house.

    Reports said that strict restrictions were imposed in old Srinagar city where authorities arrested Mirwaiz Umar Farooq when he tried to proceed towards historic Jamia Masjid.

    A protest march was also carried out in Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar city in which large number of people participated. The agitated protesters were stopped by police who in turn pelted stones on them. Police used tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters. Clashes between pro-freedom protesters and government forces continued for hours.

   Pro-freedom marches were taken out in different parts of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district. Large number of people participated in a pro-freedom rally that was held at Ganistan Sumbal. The march was led by senior separatist leader Abdul Samad Inqalabi. Clashes broke out in Palhalan area when youth resorted to stone-pelting shortly after Friday congregational prayers. Earlier, a pro-freedom  rally was taken out in the area that was led by Tehreek-e-Hurriyat District President Baramulla Abdul Gani Bhat. Bhat also addressed a large gathering and stressed upon the people to follow the resistance leadership program in letter and spirit. Pertinently, police have been continuously raiding the residential house of Bhat while he has so for managed to evade the arrest.

    Government forces had to fire tear smoke shells to disperse protesters who were raising anti-India and pro-freedom slogans soon after Friday prayers in Bandipora.

   People after offering congregational prayers tried to assemble in Main Chowk and started raising slogans. However, the protesters pelted stones on forces as they reached the spot. The forces fired tear smoke shells to disperse protesters that led to clashes. Forces fired dozens of tear shells and resort to pellet firing to disperse the angry youth.

   Police in Aloosa area of Bandipora while foiling a proposed pro-freedom rally arrested three youth during clashes.

   Earlier in the morning scores of youth engaged police in clashes that lasted until prayers were concluded. Locals in Aloosa accused forces of ransacking the houses and other private property. Clashes were also reported from Papchan area of Bandipora.

   Clashes broke out in Tahab and Naira areas of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district when a large number of people hit to roads and pelted stones on the government forces. People were agitating against the arrest of youth during nocturnal raids. Eyewitnesses told CNS that government forces arrested at least 10 youth from Tahab and Naira during raids on Thursday night. Pertinently, Naira is the native village of PDP youth leader Waheed-yr-Rehman Parra.

    Witnesses and reports said that people from these villages first staged a protest outside police station Pulwama while shortly after Friday prayers youth took to roads and clashed with deployed government forces. Youth played Kashmiri patriotic numbers on the loud speakers of the mosques. Reports said that many people were injured during these clashes.

    Pro-freedom marches were carried out in different parts of South Kashmir shortly after Friday congregational prayers. Reports said that large number of people participated in such marches in Shopian, Kulgam, Tral, Anantnag and Pulwama. 

   Pro-freedom marches were taken out in Rohmu, Mitrigam and Gosu Pulwama as well.

      Tehreek-e-Hurriyat district president for Anantnag Mir Hafizullah led a pro-freedom procession at Bado Mehand area of Bijbehara town. Witnesses said that large number of people participated in the rally.

Srinagar: Hurriyat (M) on Friday said that authorities imposed severe curfew and restrictions from Thursday evening, sealing all roads leading to the historic Jamia Masjid and stopping Kashmiri Muslims once again from offering congregational Friday prayers for 19th week in a row.
Resistance leadership had asked people to head towards the mosque and break the siege and observe Friday as Youm-e-Istiklaal offering congregational prayers at the Masjid.
Authorities sabotaged the programme from Thursday evening by placing the Mirwaiz under house arrest, arresting Malik and detaining him at Central Jail Srinagar while continuing to keep Geelani under house arrest.
When Hurriyat (M) Chairman broke the cordon to come out of his residence and move towards the Jamia Masjid, the police contingent present there immediately arrested him and whisked him away.
Earlier, talking to media persons outside his residence, Mirwaiz said, “The anti-Muslim ruling regime has once again barred us from offering Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid and other main Masjid’s across the valley.”
He said “as Muslims it greatly pains and hurts us that we are forcefully stopped from offering prayers at the Jamia Masjid and from listening to and delivering Friday “vaz” a centuries old tradition of religious propagation and education in Kashmir.”
Mirwaiz said “our religious rights are under assault and as a subjugated people we know it is being done to inflict collective punishment upon us and show utter disregard and despise for our religion and religious sentiment. What is shameful though, is that some who have Muslim names are collaborators of such perversity and oppression.”
He added that condemning such people is futile.
Mirwaiz said despite such assaults our commitment and support for our freedom struggle will not waiver.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat (M) spokesman condemned the ruling class for sabotaging the programmes of the unified resistance leadership with brute force and termed the house arrest the Hurriyat (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq, shifting of JKLF chief, Muhammad Yasin Malik to Central Jail Srinagar, continued house arrest of veteran resistance leader, Syed Ali Geelani and house arrest of Hurriyat leaders Moulana Abbas Ansari, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza, Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam, and Engineer Hilal Ahmad War as ‘an ideological defeat of the ruling class’ and said the action of teargas shelling of peaceful unarmed protestors at Narbal, Bandipora and other areas by government forces that resulted in injuries to dozens of people was deplorable and shameful.

 

Jammu: Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar Friday said the cherished dream of ‘Make in India’, ‘Start up India’ and ‘Digital India’ can be accomplished if the students imbibe in theelves the attitude to emerge as the job providers rather than job seekers.
He said this in his inaugural address at the 2-Day “National Conference and Exhibition on “Emerging and Innovative Trends in Engineering Technology” (NCEEITET-16) organized by GCET in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur at GCET Campus, Chak Bhalwal, Jammu on Friday.
Akhtar stressed upon the engineering institutions to correlate their academic programmes for harnessing the practical skills of the engineering students to emerge as “job providers rather than job seekers” to accomplish the most cherished drea of ‘Make in India, Start Up India and Digital India’.
Laying stress on the role of engineers as the “creators and innovators” for the overall well being of the society in the prevailing era of globalization, the Minister said the need of the hour is to make technological developments accessible to the needy and down-trodden regions of the country.
The Education Minister also spoke upon the science-society dynamics in the communication of science and technology and stressed upon the need for the participatory approach between the industry and the student community for spreading the scientific temper in the development of the global economy.
He emphasized upon the young students to come forward with creative thinking to strengthen the pace of technological development.
Minister for Health and Medical Education, Bali Bhagat and Minister of State for Information, Education, Technical Education, Culture, Tourism, Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks, Priya Sethi also graced the occasion as the Guests of Honour.
Commissioner/Secretary Higher Education Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon was also present as Patron of the event while Dr Renu Goswami, Director Colleges attended the function as a Special Guest.
The Health Minister, Bali Bhagat in his address congratulated the Principal GCET for organizing such informative programmes for providing a platform to the amalgam of academicians, technocrats, researchers and students to exchange their knowledge and innovative ideas.
The Minister stressed upon the engineering fraternity to make innovative inventions for the betterment of the society. He said focused attention is being paid to upgrade the infrastructure in the collage. He hoped that the students would strive hard and bring laurels in the field of science and technology. He said the repair work of college road has been taken up and would be completed shortly.
Minister of State for Education, Priya Sethi, urged the young engineers to contribute in the process of employment generation by emerging as entrepreneurs in the nation-building process.
She said technology has a critical role to play in addressing each of the major challenges the world faces, yet it also poses significant economic and social risk. She said as we enter the fourth industrial revolution, it is vital that we develop shared nor and protocols to ensure that technology serves humanity and contributes to a prosperous and sustainable future.
Commissioner Secretary Higher Education, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon urged upon the Engineering institutions to forge collaborative alliances with the R&D institutions of the industry to harness the growth, creativity and the skills of young aspiring engineers.
Manish Tewari, AGM, Power Grid delivered the keynote address on renewable energy resources. He emphasized the need for innovative, efficient, pollution free and robust energy resources with minimum losses in view of the depleting conventional energy resources viz, fuel, coal etc.
In the second keynote address Kaustuv Roy stressed upon the engineers to work in the direction of driving the change and creating the new opportunities for low cost environment friendly, sustainable innovations in ter of technology to make the human lives easy and comfortable.
Earlier in her welcome address, Principal GCET, Dr Sameru Sharma highlighted that the purpose of organizing such events is to forge collaborative alliances amongst the amalgam of Academicians, Technocrats, Researchers, Students and Industry Professionals in addition to the exchange of knowledge about the latest developments in the field of Science & Technology.
She expressed her gratitude to IIT, Kharagpur, especially to Dr S S Pathak and his team for their collaboration and cooperation in organizing this event. She thanked all the dignitaries, participants from CPUs/PSUs, various organizations and Educational Institutions for accepting the invitation to this event.
The conference aimed to provide a common platform to create a connect between the academicians, students, researchers and industry experts to share their innovative ideas with a focus upon the areas of Advanced Software Processing, Renewable Energy and Construction Technology in view of the growing technological advancements in present competitive global world.
The two day conference comprises of the Invited talks, plenary talks by eminent speakers and resource persons followed by two technical parallel sessions for the contributed paper presentations.
In addition to this, the Conference also show cased an exhibition by reputed industries and companies such as PGCIL, NHPC, CVPP, KONKON, J&K Bank, BSNL, JKPCC, JKSPDC, SIEMENS, JKEDA, CADD Centre, Vioyant, Sterlite, Aptech,Toshiba.
The exhibition also marks the display of Innovative Projects/Working Models on theme topics by the participants. An added feature of the event was a Tech-Fest and Cultural Programme organized by the students of GCET.
On this occasion, the proceedings of the Conference were also released by the dignitaries.
Later the Ministers inaugurated the newly constructed Library Block of the College. The construction work of Library Block was completed at a cost of Rs 1.98 crore. 

‘Choose honest leader who’s a deep thinker, don’t jump and drown in river’

‘We have to change Lal-Chowk into Istaq Lal-Chowk’

Kashmir issue: We have drawn lines and sketch, only Indo-Pak need to add colour

‘Break walls, join hands, draft resolution to impress Indo-Pak for talks’

Srinagar: “I won’t speak in a traditional way today. This is not a plain talk, but a message to Indians, Pakistanis and Kashmiris—which also includes people of Jammu and Ladakh. Don’t read my speech in words or sentences, understand its pain and message,” this is how the former chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and Muslim Conference Chairman Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, opened up with his speech.

“Darkness is your candle”, Bhat quoted famous saying of Rumi, adding, here Rumi doesn’t talk about the light of moon or stars, he talks about understanding, and the light of mind.

“You won’t get anything if you don’t have deeper understanding of the situation,” he said relating it with the present Kashmir unrest and its future.

“It is the light of mind and faith. If you don’t have a deeper understanding where do you go? If you jump into a river, you will surely drown if you don’t know swimming. Everybody in Kashmir has now become a leader. There are all leaders around and no people. This has to end,” he said.

Bhat said people will have to choose the most honest, sincere person who has deeper understanding of things as their leader. “I will want capable people to come forward. I never shall contest elections. Even if Kashmir achieves freedom, I won’t choose power,” he said. 

Bhat said while addressing a jam-packed audience at his official residence here, before releasing his book “Beyond Me”. The audience mostly comprised educated class, thinkers, journalists, writers, academicians and lawyers.

Terming Kashmir as a foundation stone of darkness that has engulfed whole of the south-Asia, he said the line that was drawn by Cyril Radcliffe along with a representative of Congress and Muslim League, only to be redrawn later gave rise to the darkness in Kashmir, India and Pakistan, otherwise what was the need to redraw a line that was already drawn.

He said India entered into Kashmir with a roar of gun amidst the noises of democracy. “The collective soul of Kashmir was deeply wounded that time. Soul doesn’t shout slogans, but soul never forgets the lessons it is taught. So we vividly remember the lesson like sharp minded students we have been taught by none other than India’s first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, that Kashmiris will be give a chance to decide their fate,” Bhat said, adding, even after 70 years Kashmiris have not forgotten the lesson and will never even forget.

“Kashmiris are very sharp minded people. I will say sharper than people of many regions around us. It is our (Kashmiris) sharp mindedness that we have been able to lock horns against the world’s second largest populous country,” he said.

He said, “We have to change Lal-Chowk into Istaq Lal Chowk. It is already lal (red), but we have to convert it into Istaq Lal Chowk where we will decide our fate,” said the senior Hurriyat leader.

Bhat said Kashmir is inexplicitly linked to the future of the whole south Asian region.

Senior Hurriyat Conference leader and Muslim Conference Chairman Professor Abdul Gani Bhat today said they have drawn the lines and the sketch and it is now India and Pakistan who have to add colour to this sketch, and start a meaningful and sustained dialogue process. “Start dialogue and we know how to guide you,” he said.

Asking people to raise one slogan… “We want dialogue, Hum Baat Cheet chahtey hain, masail ka hal chahtey hain aur Shaandar kal chahtey hai,” it will lead to togetherness and its message will flow from Kashmir,” he said.

He said he would want the leaders of all the recognised parties to break the walls of egos and join hands conjointly and draft a resolution to impress upon India and Pakistan to start a sustained dialogue process involving a third friendly country.

“This friendly county will play a vital role between India and Pakistan to sustain with the dialogue during the time of crisis between the two countries,” he said.

He said the worlds two big powers are in south Asia which have changed the dynamic of politics here. “America is in Afghanistan and China is in Pakistan,” he said, underscoring the need to understand the importance of these two countries in south Asia.

Bhat said there is not only an issue of Kashmir between India and Pakistan, but there is another rising issue of water, and its solution is also through Kashmir. (PTK)

JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik Shifted to Central Jail Srinagar

Srinagar: Chairman Jammu Kashmir liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik who was arrested by police yesterday has been shifted to central jail Srinagar. Immediately after arrest, JKLF chairman was taken to police control room hospital for necessary medical checkup and after wards late last night was shifted to central jail Srinagar on remand up to 16^thNovember 2016. Yasin Malik who was arrested by police on 8^th July 2016 was released on 29^th October 2016 after a 115 days of incarceration. Terming re-arresting of Muhammad Yasin Malik and other resistance leaders as worst kind of dictatorship under the disguise of so-called democracy, JKLF vice chairman Mushtaq Ahmad Ajmal said that curbing peaceful voice of people by arrests, nocturnal raids, curfew and restrictions cannot be termed but as worst dictatorship and choking space on peaceful activities actually amounts to denying democracy and freedom of speech. While condemning the house arrest of veteran resistance leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Muhammad Umer Farooq and disallowing Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar, JKLF vice chairman said that the tall claims of democracy and battle of ideas have been exposed now as from last four months even Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid have been banned by so-called democratic rulers. He said that blanket ban on all peaceful political activities, arresting thousands of youth, resistance activists and students, continuing wave of destruction by Indian forces and police throughout Kashmir valley, nocturnal raids, beatings and humiliating common people are glaring example of duplicitous politics of pro-India politicians and parties in Jammu Kashmir. JKLF vice chairman said that various JKLF leaders and activists including ailing JKLF vice chairman advocate Bashir Ahmad Butt, vice chairman Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi, zonal president Noor Muhammad Kalwal (Kotbalwal jail), ailing zonal senior vice president Muhammad Yasin Butt, zonal organizer Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri, District president Ganderbal Bashir Ahmad Rather (Boya) , JKLF activists Fayaz Ahmad Mir of Ganderbal , Shabir Ahmad Ganaie of Kakapora Pulwama, Mushtaq Ahmad Mir of Kupwara, Assadullah Sheikh of Kulgam, Molvi Reyaz of Sopore, Muhammad Ishaaq Malik Kokernagh, sahib khan Trehgam , Ghulam Mohi Ud Din Kunanposhpora and  thousands of other innocents , youth and students are languishing in jails and police stations. He said that the spree of arrests, nocturnal raids and terrorizing peaceful political activists, leaders and their families is most undemocratic and act of unilateral violence and putting thousands of people behind bars and widespread use of black laws to suppress people’s voices has exposed the hollowness of the tall claims of democracy and battle of ideas.