Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • ‘Coordination’ not ‘unity’ between  Geelani, Shah’s Huriyat

    Srinagar: A day after a show of unity between the Huriyat (G) Chairman Syed Ali Geelani and Huriyat JK Shabir Shah was shown during the protest sit in, the leaders of both the amalgamsThursday stated that it would be too early to predict unity among both groups.

    However, both the amalgams maintained that there will be close coordination between the two over the serious issue pertaining to Kashmir in the near future. “We have some exceptions with some pro-freedom camps here, rest we want closer ties with the separatist leadership of Kashmir,” said Huriyat (G) chief spokesman Ayaz.

    He maintained that though it should not be termed as final unity among the separatist groups but a unanimous approach to deal with some serious issues. “Geelani sahib wants to give message that over the serious issues, the leadership here is one. We have some exceptions but rest it will be all unanimous,” remarked Akbar.

    Meanwhile, senior Huriyat JK leader Shabir Ahmad Shah told KNS over phone that it would be too early to assume a general unity among the pro-freedom camp and that over the serious issues, there will be coordination between the two amalgams. “I had already stated that we will be having a close coordination. Now the time has come and the same shall be implemented on ground.”

    Shah told KNS that his amalgam and the Huriyat led by Syed Ali Geelani will have a mutual coordination over the issue of the issuance of permanent settlement to Pak refugees issue and the boycott for the forthcoming assembly polls.

  • CET  paper leak Scam 2012: Another absconder surrendered before anti corruption court

    Case registered, sent to central jail

    Srinagar: Another absconder from South Kashmir on Thursday surrendered before the anti corruption case   in connection with the CET paper leak scam-2012.

    According to the reports received by KNS, an absconder namely Fida Hussain Wani who works in the office of the CMO Anantnag as statistical assistant, surrendered before the anti-corruption court. Wani was later shifted to Srinagar’s central jail by the crime branch department of Jammu and Kashmir.

    Sources told KNS that when Wani earlier absconded, the crime branch and had asked his department to order his suspension after which he presented himself before the court, confessing his crime of purchasing the question papers from the broker. Reports maintained that Fida Huusain had bought question papers of CET year 2012 for his brother namely Obaid Husain. The Crime Branch has earlier  asked for the cancelation of the admission of Obaid.

    Sources had earlier confirmed to KNS that out of the three arrested, one had surrendered after his property was confiscated. All the three accused are now under judicial custody in central Jail Srinagar. Reports maintained that two out of three accused now in central jail are senior officers in the forest department while as the third is assistant executive engineer. “These three arrested officers had purchased papers for their wards and were wanted in the matter,” a senior officer in the crime branch told KNS.

    On May 23, the High Court had reprimanded the Crime Branch for its slow pace in arresting the absconders. So far the Crime Branch has produced charge sheet against 45 accused including the former BOPEE chairman Mushtaq Ahmad Baqaal, alias Pir in the matter. Some parents and their wards have also been booked for securing admission through fraudulent means. Last month, the high court which is monitoring the investigations directed: “…all the codal provisions should be pressed into service to arrest these 17 absconders by tightening the noose so that the society at large may feel that justice is been done to those who are law abiding.”

  • Gear up for upcoming assembly elections: DGP asks police

    Review law and order, assess security situation in North Kashmir

    Srinagar: Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra Kumar on Thursday stressed on police to maintain law and order, strengthen relations with the public, minimize collateral damage and prepare for the upcoming assembly elections.

    According to KNS correspondent, while addressing the first meeting on law and order and assessment of security situation in Baramulla, after assuming the charge as DGP of Jammu and Kashmir Mr Kumar stressed on the police to streamline its functioning and strengthen the public relations.

    He emphasized on effective coordination between different security agencies to yield better results law and order results. Mr Kumar stressed that police should gear up for the upcoming assembly elections. Mr Kumar appreciated the better coordination and delivery by police during the just concluded Lok Sabha elections and stressed on the officers to chalk out comprehensive strategies to pre-empt and meet any kind of eventualities during the upcoming assembly elections.

    He announced that police will organize a sports festival in which around 40 teams will participate in North Kashmir. Different tournaments involving cricket, football, volleyball and Kabadi shall be held during the festival starting from August this year.

    The meeting which lasted for over four hours in Baramulla police lines was attended by senior police officers including IGP Kashmir A G Mir, DIG North Kashmir Range Ghulam Hassan Bhat, SSP Baramulla Mir Suhail, SP Handwara Maqsood-u-Zaman, SP Kupwara Abdul Jabbar, SP Bandipora and all additional SPs of North Kashmir range.

    The DGP was also briefed on law and order situation in North Kashmir range by DIG North Kashmir Ghulam Hassan Bhat. After the meeting was over, Mr Kumar addressed a gathering of over 5000 police constables wherein he discussed their rights and duties assuring them of full support for their welfare.

  • Government in JK cannot be formed without Congress support: Sham Lal Sharma

    ‘Can’t understand NC’s autonomy and PDP’s Self Rule’

    Srinagar:  Senior Congress leader and minister for PHE Sham Lal Sharma Thursday stated that without the support of the state Congress, the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir is almost ‘impossible’.

    Sharma while talking to KNS stated that the state Congress has strengthened its grounds in the state from the last 12 years and that no government in the state could be formed without the support of Congress. “The past record suggests that coalition government formation has become inevitable in the state. Whenever there is coalition, it will be with the state Congress.”

    The senior Congress leader also took jibe at the demands put forth by the NC and Congress over restoration of autonomy and self rule respectively- maintaining that he still could understand such political demands raised by NC and Congress from the past several years.  “I think autonomy means power to people and not the one being raised by NC. Also the self rule is merely a slogan by the PDP and no concrete document has been produced by the party so far.”

    Commenting over the recent controversy that erupted after the government enhanced the retirement age of the state employees here, Sharma told KNS that holding of the separate press conferences by both Congress and NC leadership was the lack of communication between the two parties and that the same has been rectified later. “I think the blame game should end now. It is not the time to hold the collar of each other but to provide good governance to the people of the state at large. This blame game must end. For both good and the bad decisions, both NC and Congress is responsible as we run the state in a joint effort.”

    Maintaining that the repeal of Article 370 is a hollow slogan being raised by the BJP to mislead people, Sharma stated that the masses here must not be swayed away by such tactics and that the state has other priorities. “We have the basic issues in the state that need to be looked into and 370 slogan is nothing but the politics being played to hinder development and resolution of the basic issues of the people here.”

    Sharma while commenting over the issue of pre-poll alliance between NC and Congress for the forthcoming assembly polls in the state, stated that the decision can alone be taken by the party high command at New Delhi and that his personal opinion over the issue is not important. “I think the decision is well within the domain of party high command whatever the instructions would be, the state unit has to oblige it.”

  • Beg salvo a pressure tactics to get ministerial berth: NC insiders

    Has never asked for ministry, will never quit NC: Beg

    Srinagar: National Conference senior leader and former Member Parliament Dr Mehbooba Beg’s brazen allegations against his party colleague and finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather are seen as a pressure tactics adopted by him to get accommodated into the council of ministry through the route of Legislative Council.

    Senior leaders in National Conference have taken Beg’s salvo against Rather and NC senior leadership as a ‘manipulative negotiation’ to settle scores with the party leadership. “I have heard that Beg sahib had informed the party leadership some 15 days ago that he should be accommodated in the council of ministry through the route of Legislative Council. But the party is yet to take any decision on this as the present MLCs have few years left in their tenure,” a former minister and senior leader of NC told KNS, pleading anonymity.

    Another former minister and senior leader of NC added that Beg has almost conceded his defeat in the upcoming assembly elections and is now trying to sustain in the political realm. “Given the PDP’s strength in south Kashmir which is acknowledged by one and all, I think Beg wants to be in the good books of the opposition party in view of the just concluded Lok Sabha results,” the former NC minister added. He said that Beg wanted that South Kashmir be given some representation in the council of ministry so he had approached the party leadership for the same. “He has been adamant on this issue seeking a ministerial berth and wanted the NC leadership to go for a reshuffle in the ministerial council,” the NC senior leader informed KNS.

    When contacted, Dr Mehboob Beg  told KNS: “I have not asked for ministry to my party leadership. The remarks I made are based on the feedback I have got from the  party cadres, workers in South Kashmir.”

    Asked why he pin pointed the finance minister in his speech and why not the whole leadership for dismal performance in just concluded Lok Sabah elections, Beg said that he has nothing personal against Mr Rather and the appointments in Jammu and Kashmir bank can be verified by anyone.  “If appointments in JK Bank are done under certain norms and guidelines, then why most of the employees in JK Bank are form from Charar-e-Shareef alone. Whey not from any other place especially in the south Kashmir.”

    Asked if he is being offered any safe constituency by the opposition PDP for the upcoming assembly elections, Beg refuted the assertion saying that he is not in touch with any political party nor will he do that. “It is not for any political mileage but I wanted to know the reason for our humiliating defeat in just concluded Lok Sabah elections. And whatever I said yesterday is based on the feedback and what conclusion I had arrived at after meeting my party workers in South Kashmir.”  When asked will he quit National Conference, Beg said: “No why should I quit. I will never do that.”  The former MP said that the NC leadership has taken note of his remarks made on his father’s anniversary but they have not contacted him sofar.

  • Three Gujjars from J&K qualify IAS

    Srinagar: Three Gujjars from J&K have qualified IAS of which results were declared Thursday.

    The selected candidates are Owais Ahmad Rana Bajad s/o Zahour Rana R/o Kalaban Mahndhar, Poonch, Qamar ul Zaman Chowdhary s/o Zaman Chowdhary R/o Surankote Poonch and Mehtab Ahmed Jagal, R/o Gursai Mendhar.

    Pertinently, this is for the first time three gujjars got selected in IAS from J&K.

  • Juniors alleged ragging in SP College

    Srinagar: Senior students in the hostel in Sri Pratap College campus Srinagar allegedly ragged a group of students. Junior students from Drass and Gurez were thrashed, paraded and later humiliated by some of the senior students. They protested against College administration and said that there is no hostel warden in the campus.

    Some students told CNS that they were ragged because there is no warden in the hostel. “How come College authorities allowed these students to rag us when it is a crime and banned by the Supreme Court of India,” a student from Gurez said.

    College sources told CNS that there is an officiating warden in the college who leaves the college at 4 pm on regular basis.

    Principal SP College, Professor Muhammad Yaseen told CNS that it was not ragging but some senior students wanted to have an introduction of the junior students. “The matter has been resolved and I think they are friends now,” he said.

    The Principal further said that government is in the process of creating a Warden post for the college and hopefully the college will have a Warden in near future. “A professor is acting as officiating Warden and he is performing his duty in letter and spirit,” he said.

    Pertinently, the Supreme Court of India has banned the ragging in the educational institutions and has described it a disorderly conduct, whether by words spoken or written, or by an act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any student, indulging in rowdy or indisciplined activities which cause or are likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in a fresher or a junior student and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the psyche of a fresher or a junior student.” (CNS)

  • Karra calls for thorough probe into JK Bank recruitments

    ‘Govt must come clean on charges of nepotism in appointments’

    Srinagar: Senior PDP leader and Member Parliament, Mr Tariq Hameed Karra has sought a thorough probe into the revelations by a senior National Conference (NC) leader that hundreds of backdoor appointments were made in J&K Bank by the present government on the behest of the Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather.

    “As the charges of favouritism in appointments in JK Bank against the Finance Minister have been levelled by a senior NC leader and former Member Parliament Dr Mehboob Beg, these need to be probed thoroughly as the people have every right to know the truth,” Karra said in a statement issued here today.

    He said unemployment being the major concern of every stakeholder in the State, nobody can be allowed to play with the future of educated unemployed youth by resorting to nepotism in recruitments. “By resorting to alleged backdoor appointments in J&K Bank, the State’s Finance Minister is not only promoting mediocrity in the Bank, but is striking at the very foundation of this premiere financial institution which is already under cloud because of the surfacing of various shady dealings,” he said.

    Reiterating his demand for a white paper on the functioning of J&K Bank, Mr Karra said the disturbing reports appearing in a section of the press over the past few days regarding the messy state of affairs in the Bank have set the alarm bells ringing and people must know what is going on inside the Bank.

    He said as J&K Bank touches everybody’s skin in the State, the Government and the Bank authorities must come clean on the alarming reports of backdoor appointments, manipulating profits, massive discrimination in deposits and advances within and outside the State and deteriorating fiscal health of the Bank.

    “It is the responsibility of the Government and the Bank authorities to come clean with a White Paper on the issue, sooner the better,” Mr Karra said and added that not only is the State’s economy but the hard-earned money and livelihood of thousands of people in Jammu and Kashmir is closely linked with J&K Bank and any mishap in the institution could prove catastrophic for the entire State and its people.

  • This happens only in Kashmir! Matriculate heads JK Housing Board

    Srinagar: This happens in Kashmir only. A matriculate, Ram Pal Sharma is the Managing Director (MD) of J&K Housing Board.

    Sharma, who was engaged as a junior assistant/Typist in J&K Housing Board in 1981, is now the MD of the Board with the blessings of Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who was the Chairman of the Board.

    Before Sharma, the post was held by a technical person of the level of Chief Engineer because the department has been established particularly for construction works in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Official documents in the possession with CNS reveal that Sharma was engaged in the department as a Junior assistant/Typist vide order number HB/Estt/8/81/377-78, dated 01-05-1981 for the period of one month.

    RP Sharma served as Junior assistant/Typist in the Housing Board for one year, 7 months and 22 days in 1981-82. He was promoted as Junior Stenographer on 24-12-1982 in 1150-2050 pay grade.

    On 17-01-1991, RP Sharma was again promoted as Senior scale Stenographer in 2000-3200 grade. On 10-07-1999, Sharma was again promoted as Liason Officer in 7500-12000 grade.

    Again in 2007, an unprecedented change was effected in the hierarchy of the J&K Housing Board, by virtue of which the post of Deputy Secretary was created only to accommodate Sharma. He was later elevated to the rank of Secretary.

    However, the order issued by the MD at that time, promoting Sharma as Secretary faced strong objections from the Board of Directors. The other Board members were all senior IAS officers. In the meeting held on 21.05.2010, they openly criticized the promotion of RP Sharma to the rank of Secretary, to the utmost embarrassment to Deputy CM Tara Chand, who was chairing the meeting.

    The Board of Directors, including the then Commissioner Secretary, said that Sharma was not qualified for the gazetted post of Secretary, which has been always held by a KAS Officer. Sources said that senior Board members even directed Sharma to leave the meeting venue.

    Subsequently, an order was issued on June 25, 2010 withdrawing and canceling the illegal promotion of Sharma to the post of Secretary. But Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand intervened, and ensured that Sharma is promoted to Secretary’s rank. On April 10, 2012 RP Sharma was promoted as Secretary of the Board, overlooking the objections of the Board of Directors.

    On September 4, 2013, the J&K Cabinet, vide its decision No. 196/25/2013 ordered the transfer of Kiran Wattal, the then Managing Director of J&K Housing Board, to Jammu Municipal Corporation as Commissioner. In a seemingly simple move, the additional charge of Managing Director of the Housing Board was given to Ram Pal Sharma till further orders.

    Even after a year, Sharma, a matriculate, is still holding the charge of the Managing Director of J&K Housing Board.

    RP Sharma got his first major appointment as Liaison Officer of the Housing Board, and was later was promoted as Deputy Secretary in 2004, by superseding many officers senior to him. The documents available with the CNS show the Deputy Chief Minister approved Sharma’s promotion as Secretary in the grade of 15600-39100 with pay band of Rs 7600 on May 14, 2010.

    The approval letter said that Sharma would take the charge of Secretary on the transfer of the then Secretary Fayaz Ahmad Bala, a KAS Officer.

    A  letter was shot the next day to the Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD) by the MD of the Housing Board, asking GAD not to depute any officer as Secretary to J&K Housing Board, and to depute only Deputy Secretary in the future.

  • Militants attack house of Chief Minister’s OSD in Baramulla

    ‘Attackers tried to get inside my residence’

    Srinagar: Suspected militants on Wednesday attacked the house of Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, sources and locals said.Official sources told GNS that at around 8: 30 pm, militants fired upon the house of Tariq Ahmad Kakroo, who is OSD to CM, in posh Kanispora in the district, which is some 48 kilometers from the summer capital.Residents told GNS that they heard burst of fire in the area. Sources said Tariq was present inside the house at the time of attack but escaped unhurt.“I was present in my house. Suddenly heavy firing started on my house and the attackers tried to get inside my residence but guards and my PSOs retaliated and foiled their attempt,” Tariq Kakroo told GNS over phone. He said no one was injured in the attack.Sources said that soon after the attack, huge contingents of police’s Special Operation Group, army and paramilitary forces reached the spot and started massive searches in the area.Kakroo informed GNS that a public ‘Durbar’ was scheduled to be organized on Thursday at his residence in which people were supposed to interact with the senior officials.Kakroo is the son of Retired Chief Justice Nisar Ahmad Kakroo. (GNS)