Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • 26 percent polling in Srinagar Constituency: Govt

    ‘There are many reasons for low turnout’

    Srinagar: Despite brisk polling in rural parts of Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, the overall turnout remained low and was recorded 26 percent amid protests and clashes.

    Addressing a press conference in Banquet Hall, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Umang Nirula said that the Srinagar constituency which comprises of three districts – Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam – recorded 26 percent pollingWednesday.

    In 2009, the Constituency had recorded 25.55 percent polling, according to officials.

    “Srinagar district recorded 11.46 percent polling, Ganderbal recorded 45.61 percent polling and Budgam recorded 39.50 percent polling,” he said.

    There are 15 segments in Srinagar constituency and the lowest polling was recorded in Habba Kadal segment with 4.3 percent and highest was recorded in Charar-e-Shareef with 65 percent, according to official figures.

    In Srinagar, Hazratbal recorded 17.92 percent polling, Zadibal recorded 5.59 percent polling, Eidgah recorded 10.85 percent polling, Khanyar recorded 10.22 percent polling, Habba Kadal recorded 4.3 percent polling, Amira Kadal recorded 7.73 percent polling, Sonwar recorded 17.14 percent and Batamaloo recorded 12.98 percent.

    Budgam recorded 38.67 percent polling; Chadoora recorded 35.38 percent polling, Beerwah recorded 32.64 percent polling, Khan Sahab recorded 28.83 percent polling and Charar-e-Shareef recorded 65 percent polling.

    The Ganderbal segment recorded 30.5 percent polling and Kangan recorded 60.5 percent polling.

    On being asked why Srinagar constituency recorded low turnout despite large scale detentions and no militant attack, the CEO replied by saying there are reasons. “There are local issues, many issues, bigger issues,” he said.

    The officials also said that there was no bogus voting in any polling station of Srinagar constituency.

    Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Mr. Abdul Gani Mir said that an official has been suspended after two journalists were thrashed by police last week in Kulgam district.

    “We have suspended an official and the investigation is on,” he said.

    The IGP said baring stray incidents of stone-throwing, the polling in Srinagar remained peaceful and day passed off peacefully. (GNS)

     

  • Both mainstream, separatists thank people on polling day

    This happens in only in Kashmir

    Srinagar: As the polling was held in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday, the statements contrary to each one continue to pour in both from the separatist as well as the mainstream camp.

    With the separatist leaders lauding people for boycotting the polls, the mainstream here is thankful to the people for voting in their favour. Also the administration expresses satisfaction that the polling day ended peacefully with the people fearlessly moving towards the polling booths.

    The situation of such nature could be witnessed only in Kashmir when people are being congratulated for both boycotting and their participation in elections at the same time.  During the afternoon hours all the factions of the Huriyat conference issued their respective detailed statements wherein they have hailed the efforts of people in making the boycott cal successful. They also through their statements maintained that today’s boycott must act as an eye opener for the international community about the aspirations of the people of Kashmir at large.

    Contrary to this, the mainstream camp here also followed the suit with the different wording. They rather hailed the courage of the people for coming out in open to cast their votes. Pro-establishment parties were also thankful to the people for voting in their favour. (KNS)

     

  • Detention of ‘stone pelters’ facilitated smooth poling day: DGP

    Srinagar: As Srinagar went for polls on Wednesday the police said that the detention of over 500 youth in the city and its adjoining areas allowed a smooth conduct of polls across the Srinagar Lok Sabah constituency.

    While talking to KNS, Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad stated that youth detained by the police ahead of the Srinagar polls were known ‘stone pelters’ and possibly could have disrupted today’s polling in various areas.  “We only detained the people who had a record of the stone pelting from the last three years and the reason for their detention was to ensure no disruption in law and order on the day of polling in Srinagar. We are satisfied that the polling took place in more conducive atmosphere as compared to the last one,” the state police chief told KNS.

    He added that after some stone pelting incidents in south Kashmir on April 24, police assessed the situation and found some ‘agencies’ were behind funding the stone throwing incidents. “People there were doing it mainly for the money. In Srinagar- police detained the professional stone pelters so that people could feel secure in casting their votes,” Prasad added.

    Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) central Kashmir Syed Afad-ul-Mujtaba told KNS over phone that the day passed off peacefully and that the major challenge for the police was to ensure no law and order problem during the day. He added that the ‘trouble mongers’ were detained by the police as to ensure their safety as well.  “The people we took into preventive custody were the persons having a strong background of the stone throwing. We didn’t want anyone to instigate them on the Election Day. The situation could have turned ugly. It was for the safety of all.”

    The DIG central Kashmir maintained that police did its job well and the same reflects through the fact that the people were roaming around the Srinagar fearlessly and also the voters were not scared in walking towards the polling booths. 

  • Youth killed, Woman among 5 injured in Old city

    Srinagar: A youth was killed and five persons including a woman were injured in Nawakadal area of Old city here in Srinagar Wednesday evening.

    Official sources told GNS that paramilitary CRPF opened fire on a group of protesters at Nawakadal following injury to one of its personnel in Stone pelting.

    They said a group of protesters had assembled at Nawa Kadal and were protesting against ongoing elections in the state.

    The protesters pelted stones wounding a paramilitary personnel identified as Sandeep Kumar of 131 Bn. Subsequently, the forces opened fire besides resorting to pellet firing. The injured persons have been identified as Bashir Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of Gratbal , Nazir Ahmad Kaloo and Haleema Bano wife of Reyaz Ahmad Sheikhsaz of Gretbal Nawakadal.

    While Bashir Ahmad was hit by a bullet in abdomen and Haleema was hit with pellet on head, sources said, adding that the injured Bashir later succumbed to injuries at SKIMS Soura.

    Medical Superintendent, SKIMS Farooq Ahmad Jan told GNS that a youth was brought dead to the hospital. He had received bullet in abdomen.

    At least three more persons were injured in the clashes that erupted in other localities of down town Srinagar after the news of youth’s killing spread.

    Meanwhile, Chairmen of both the factions of hurriyat conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq And JKLF Chief Yasin Malik have called for shutdown on May 01 (Thursday) against killing of youth in old city. (GNS)

     

  • Vote to NC is vote to Rahul: Omar

    Omar Addresses Election rallies, workers meeting at Uri, Baramulla, Sangrama

    Uri: Saying that every vote cast in favour of National Conference in the current Lok Sabha Elections in Kashmir Valley will be a vote for paving the way to make All India Congress, Vice President, Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister of the Country, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who is also Working President of National Conference Wednesday said that the leadership of PDP is part of a tactical understanding aimed to bring Narendra Modi to power.

    According to a statement issued to KNS,  Omar said: “Infact PDP is the hidden face of BJP and its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Jammu and Kashmir,” adding that BJP wants to implement its anti-Jammu and Kashmir agenda through the PDP leadership as it did earlier in 2002 during the Chief Ministership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Addressing Election rallies and workers meeting in Uri, Baramulla and Sangrama today after casting his vote in Srinagar in the morning, the Working President, National Conference said that the alliance between National Conference and Congress is aimed at safeguarding the Country’s pluralistic ethos and keeping communal and anti-Jammu and Kashmir forces away from the power in New Delhi.

    Omar Abdullah said in contrast PDP, for the thirst of power is in league with communal forces represented by BJP to help Narendra Modi to become the Prime Minister of India. He said that deceptive politics and double faced strategy of PDP for power politics has got unearthed in the current Lok Sabha Elections when PDP fielded its candidates in Jammu and Udhampur constituencies against Congress-NC joint candidates, Madan Lal Sharma and Ghulam Nabi Azad to effect a division in votes and help BJP. “You have to read between the lines and understand this clandestine bonhomie between Narendra Modi and PDP leadership”, Omar Abdullah told the people asking them to foil the designs of these two parties to divide the people for their vested interests.

    Describing Rahul Gandhi as an honest statesman and a true and tested friend of Jammu and Kashmir and an ideal representative of the secular, democratic traditions of India, Omar Abdullah said that our efforts should be to make him the Prime Minister of the country by exercising our franchise in favour of NC-Congress joint candidates and defeating communal forces. He said that the people of the State have to vote in favour of Rahul Gandhi to ensure peace and stability and liberal help to the State for its holistic and comprehensive development and this can be possible when we return NC-Congress joint candidates to the Parliament.

    “A person like Narendra Modi nurturing a particular ideology and being totalitarian in approach cannot suit a secular and democratic India where various sections of the society are living in harmony since centuries”, he said. Omar Abdullah appealed to the people of Baramulla-Kupwara constituency for voting whole-heartedly and in large number in favour of NC-Congress joint candidate, Sharif-ud-Din Shariq to strengthen Rahul Gandhi and the secular democratic characteristic of the Country. The Elections rallies were also addressed by the President, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee, Prof. Saif-ud-Din Soz, Health Minister, Taj Mohi-ud-Din and various leaders of National Conference and Congress.  (KNS)

     

  • Injured youth succumbs

    Srinagar: Youth who was hit with a bullet succumbs to his injuries at hospital. Meanwhile, aggrieved people of the area have taken out a procession amid pro-freedom slogans. Locals said that people are heading towards the hospital to receive the body of youth.

     

  • Mehbooba thanks people, appreciates administration

    Srinagar: Appreciating the role of administration and police in ensuring a congenial atmosphere for a peaceful polling in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today thanked the people for having voted for a change in the state.

    In a statement the party president Mehbooba Mufti said a new chapter in the history of the state would be opened on May 16th when results of these elections are announced.

    Mehbooba said it was satisfying that after the sponsored disturbances in South Kashmir to enforce a selective boycott, the conduct of elections were better managed in Central Kashmir districts. She said with people’s support PDP would strive to carry forward its mission of taking the state out of its problems. She expressed confidence that with an anticipated win of PDP in all the three parliamentary seats of the valley Kashmir would enter an entirely new era of peace, justice and development.

    The candidate for Srinagar parliamentary constituency Tariq Hameed Qarra has also thanked the people of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts for coming out to vote for strengthening the democratic system

     

  • JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik congratulates people for exemplary boycott

    This is a good omen for resistance movement and at the same time an eye opener for those who dream of defeating the freedom movement by their oppressive measures: Yasin Malik

    Srinagar: Exemplary boycott by the people of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderba is another glaring example of peoples love for the freedom movement. Despite war like situation created by police and forces, spree of arrests, restrictions, mobile and bogus voting’s, coercion and corruption, people of Kashmir by boycotting Indian elections have yet again displayed their love for martyrs and freedom movement. This was stated by the chairman Jammu Kashmir liberation front (JKLF) Mohammad Yasin Malik who along with several other leaders and hundreds of JKLF workers and sympathizers is languishing in police custody from 17th April 2014, in a press statement issued today. Yasin sahib while congratulating the people of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal for giving an overwhelming support to the boycott call given by JKLF and other resistance forces said that this is a good omen for the resistance movement and at the same time an eye opener for those who dream of defeating the freedom movement by their oppressive measures.

    Yasin Malik said that despite thousands of young boys and hundreds of leaders and activists being jailed, intimidating  statements by authorities, mobile and bogus voting’s and other oppressive measures by rulers vast majority of Kashmiris rejected the Indian elections. He said that in order to decrease the shame of low voting, authorities had made arrangements of mobile voters and bogus voting’s and for the whole day vehicles carrying these bogus voters were seen and even chased at many places by the people .Even police claimed to have arrested some bogus voters at khayam and habakadal.

    Yasin sahib while hailing the spontaneous peaceful protest across all the three districts by people said that today yet again people have demonstrated their love and passion for the freedom movement. Yasin sahib said that despite every tactics pro India parties, rulers and their forces failed to change the will of the people and this must serve as an eye opener to all those who oppose freedom and sacred cause and dream of defeating it.

    Yasin Malik said that like south Kashmir today hundreds of polling booths witnessed zero polling and many more less than 2 percent. Even at many villages in Ganderbal and Budgam boycott was total. Giving examples of some places ,Yasin said that Barsoo,Tulmulla,Betawaina in Ganderbal witnessed almost zero percent polling while as at Khurhama till 3: pm only one vote was casted, at Wakoora it was 20,at Nagbal it was 15 out of 800, at another booth in Nagabal it was 45 out of 600, at warpora Budgam after coercion by army only 13 votes out of 475 were casted, at Gerand Khurd only 8 votes were casted out of 1650 ,at Hadipora Mehand out of 850 only 11 ,at Soyabugh Dahermuna out of 2900 only 11 and at Soyabugh out of 5800 only 40 votes were casted. He said that at Aareth Wadwan no vote, at Sanoor no vote, at Shehlipora 200 out of 2800 were reportedly casted. In majority of polling booths in Srinagar city no vote or few votes were casted for the whole day. Yasin said that instead of casting votes people at hundreds of places kept chasing mobile voters and protesting against the drama of Indian elections. Among these places Kangan, Ganderbal, Betweena,Tulmola, Baroosa, Saloora, Zainakot, HMT, Rainawari, Maisuma, Batamaloo, Tengpora, Soura,Buchpora,Basant bagh,Kralpora,Mahjoor Nagar and other are worth to mention.

    Yasin Malik said that peoples respond to JKLF and other resistance forces boycott call and these spontaneous protests have proved that Indian rulers and their kashmiri stooges despite arresting whole leadership, activists and thousands of youth have not and will never succeed in weakening the desire and passion of resistance of people of Jammu Kashmir.

    Yasin sahib hoped that people of Baramullah, Bandipora and Kupwara will also follow the people of central and south Kashmir and boycott the drama of Indian elections on 7th may 2014.

    Meanwhile JKLF district president Kupwara Rafiq Ahmad war was today early morning arrested by police at Dewaspora while he was on his mission of boycott campaign. Also another senior activist from Zainakot Mohammad Ramzan Sofi was also arrested by the police. JKLF strongly condemns these arrests and oppressive measures.

     

     

  • Cases registered against fake Facebook Pages: Police

    Srinagar: Police on Wednesday said some admins of fake Facebook pages have been posting incorrect frivolous and fake information on social networking sites particularly Facebook, police has found the following Face book pages indulging in posting such baseless information.

    1. Kashmir News Agency
    2. Loving Kashmir
    3. Youths of Downtown-Kashmir
    4. 24X7 Breaking News
    5. Kashmir Banega Pakistan
    6. Pahallan the city of Hurriyat G.
    7. Ganderbal News Agency
    8. All(J&K) Breaking News Alert
    9. True Muhajid
    10. Election Boycott Bandipora
    11. Voice of Kashmir Youth
    12. Youths of Down Town

    “Police has registered case against these Facebook pages and the persons running these pages are being identified.Action has been initiated against the page Admins who have been found copying and pasting wrong information of the above pages,” a police statement said.

     

  • Arrests undemocratic, uncivilized: Untoo

    Srinagar: Condemning the fresh arrest spree across the valley, the International Forum for Justice and Human Rights – JK (IFJHR-JK) Tuesday said the administration cannot justify its actions in the name of “security concern” due to which uncertainty has been created.

    “Where on earth does police arrest youth for conducting smooth elections, this is totally undemocratic and unacceptable to any democratic nation,” chairman IFJHR-JK, Muhammad Ahsaan Untoo said.

    He demanded unconditional release of all those arrested persons accused as stone pelters and trouble mongers by the government. “Around 700 persons have been so far arrested in various districts of Kashmir and are ‘wrongly’ labeled as threat to free and fair conduct of elections,” he said.

    Lashing out at police, Untoo said that arresting 700 youth tantamount to arresting 700 voters. “How come in a democratic setup authorities allow the “police-dictatorship”. This is a sheer violation of basic human rights,” Untoo said.

    The HR forum Chairman also castigated authorities for detaining vehicles in the name of security concern. “These methods are, in no way, justified to ensure the peaceful atmosphere in the valley. Instead such actions will contribute to the chaos and uncertainty in the valley,” he vowed.

    “The International Forum for Justice and Human Rights will not allow any kind of human rights violation from any sector of the administration and we will continue to raise our voice against such injustices taking place in the name of whatever conditions. We also urge administration to immediately release the youth in the better interest of peace in the valley,” Ahsaan Untoo added. (GNS)