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‘People exercised their franchise with enthusiasm’

Srinagar: National Conference Leader and Candidate from Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora Parliamentary Seat, Sharif-ud-din Shariq has thanked the people of Baramulla, Kupwara and Banidpora Districts for exercising their right to vote and reposing and re-investing faith in him and National Conference.

Shariq said that the people, despite perceptions of threat and uncertainty came out to endorse National Conference in large numbers. “The enthusiasm of the common-man in choosing his representatives is the indomitable spirit of democracy for which National Conference has rendered innumerable sacrifices and it is this very spirit that we salute”, Shariq said.

Stating that National Conference was committed to continue to serve the people of J&K with utmost dedication and passion, Shariq said that the party believed in the values of secularism, pluralism and amity between people of all faiths. “We stand for the unity and integrity of the State of J&K and represent its glorious history of amity and brotherhood and will continue to safeguard J&K from communal forces and their proxies within the State”, Shariq said.

Sharif-ud-din Shariq said that he was confident of a thumping victory and re-election from the Baramulla Parliamentary Seat. “From the outpouring support for National Conference witnessed today in North Kashmir, I am confident of a thumping victory thanks to the support of the people and the blessings of God. Upon re-election, I will continue to raise my voice for my people in the Lok Sabha and represent their needs, demands and aspirations with a continued sense of accountability and public service”, Shariq said while adding that National Conference had never lost the Baramulla Seat in the past and will never lose it in the future as well, thanks to the love and affection of the people for the party.

Shariq thanked the Election Commission, the State administration, the polling staff that had been placed on election duty and the security forces and police personnel who ensured the smooth conduct of the elections. Shariq also condemned sporadic episodes of violence and expressed his solidarity with a CRPF Jawan who was injured in an explosion.

Srinagar: Hurriyat (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, Wednesday blamed an officer of the Indian army for forcing to vote in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

While rejected the government figures of voter turnout, the octogenarian leader said:  people of Jammu and Kashmir have shown their affiliations with the freedom movement.

Geelani said:“Indian army left no stone unturned to force the people of Tangdar, Uri, Gureez and Bandipora to vote in elections, but despite the tremendous pressure from the army, people showed courage and stayed away from the election drama.”

He said: “Major Ragu of 14-RR today once again came in civics in Bandipora areas and threatened the locals to cast votes, but the bold and brave people resisted him and took out a huge procession and raised anti-India, anti-election, pro-Islam and pro-freedom slogans.”

While terming the people from Lolab, Lalpora, Trehgam, Kupwara, Baramulla, Sopore, Bandipora, Pattan, Palhalan, Dooru, Sumbal and Sonawari as the assets of the freedom movement, Geelani said that these people are filled with the emotions of freedom and the people of Kashmir have made a history by boycotting elections.

The people of the entire North Kashmir, especially Sopore, Pattan, Langate, Sonawari, Palhalan, Sumbal, Hajan, Bandipora, Kupwara, Batagung and other major towns rejected the decisive policies of the local pro-Indian parties and stayed away from this military operation, he said. (GNS)

We are highly thankful to the people of Kashmir in general and people of north Kashmir in particular.

Despite difficult conditions the boycott in Baramullah, Sopore, Pattan, Bandipora, Rafiabad and many other areas shows the love of masses for the freedom movement.

SRINAGAR: North Kashmir, which mostly comprises of Far flung hilly areas which are close to cease fire line and where every inch is covered and governed by Indian army, has overall boycotted the Indian elections drama and has proved its loyalty with the sacred sacrifices of martyrs. Despite intimidations, bribes, corruption, coercion, official facilitation of pro election rallies and blanket ban on resistance camp leadership’s entry in north Kashmir and other oppressive measures like these, this show of resistance is commendable and we are highly thankful to the people of these areas. This was stated by the detained chairman JKLF Mohammad Yasin Malik while hailing the people of north Kashmir in particular and people of whole Kashmir in general for Exemplary boycott of the Indian elections drama.

Yasin Malik who is in police custody from 17^th April 2014 along with many other leaders and activists said that people in most areas of north Kashmir today heard and responded to boycott call by pro freedom camp and it has actually boosted our moral. This is yet another glaring example of the people’s resistance against slavery and oppression. He said that Indian and its Kashmiri puppets using their forces, police and authorities tried every means to stage the election drama but vast majority of the people of Kashmir rejected this drama and announced their allegiance with the freedom movement. This should serve as an eye opener to India and its Kashmniri puppets who have been often describing these elections as an alternative to the right of self determination.

Yasin Malik said that today in north Kashmir where most of the areas and people are forced to live under the shadow of military garrisons and camps, scores of villages and areas recorded zero to 2 percent voting despite coercion by army and forces. Hundreds of places witnessed spontaneous peoples protest against these farce elections. At many places army came out to force people for voting and even cane charged them. Army and police thrashed women at Bandipora to force them for voting but failed to break their will. Bertah, Zainageer,Nopora and many more areas also witnessed this coercion. Yasin said that the exemplary show of resistance by people at Pattan, Palhalan,Hajin,Shumaryaal, Ajas, Rawathpora ,Seer Jageer,Ladoora,Azad Gaunj, Baramullah town, Sopore town, Watergam, Behrampora,Achabal Papachan ,Seelo,Feteh Gad ,many areas of Tengmarg, Hardashiva,Dooro, Zainageer, Hetlangoo, Aadipora, boomai , Naberpora, Ishtanigoo and many more areas is actually worth to be praised and saluted. He said like in south and central Kashmir there were scores of polling booths where no vote was casted.

Yasin Malik while hailing the spontaneous peaceful protest by people said that today yet again people have demonstrated their love and passion for the freedom movement and martyrs. He 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. He said that despite difficult conditions the boycott in Baramullah, Sopore, Pattan, Bandipora,Rafiabad, Palhalan,Zainageer and other areas shows the valor ,zeal and passion of people living there and we salute them for this Selfless love towards Martyrs and their movement. JKLF has strongly condemned the attack of forces by police and forces at neberpora bandipora in which a young boy firdous ahmad has been seriously injured. JKLF while condemning the brutal use of force prays for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Meanwhile police have arrested a front Sympathizer Abdul Rehman Mir from Brath today. It is worth to mention that JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik along JKLF leaders advocate Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi, Imtiyaz Ahmad Bitta, Master S M Afzal, Mir Siraj ud Din Dawood, Ashraf bin Salam, Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri, Mohammad Rafiq war, Mohammad Azam Zargar, Mohammad Jamal, Abdul Rehman Pahalwan, Mohammad Shafi Lone, Mohammad Akbar Wani and Mohammad Sultan and many others are languishing in different police stations

Srinagar: With Tulip Bloom-2014 over, the Indra Gandhi Tulip Garden, Siraj Bagh, Cheshmashai will remain closed for the general public from 7th May 2014. The communication in this regard has been issued by Director Floriculture. (GNS)

‘Indians should change their colonial mindset’

Srinagar: President Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) Dr Nisar ul Hassan hascondemned the beating of Kashmiri students in Greater Noida. “Few months back Kashmiri students were expelled from Meerut University and later charged for sedition for cheering Pakistan cricket team’svictory,” said a DAK statement issued to KNS.

“This vendetta against our students by Indians is shameful and is intolerable and unacceptable. India is sending Kashmiri students for various courses outside state and in bargain demand killing of their sentiment. Indians must understand that emotions are natural and cannot be doctored.”

Dr Hassan said: “Kashmiris have to say no to such courses which are at the cost of their national cause as it is bigger than our lives. This Vengeance against Kashmiris by Indians is safe to conclude that Kashmiris are not safe in India. Indians should change their colonial mindset. Indians should acknowledge and realize the historical fact that Kashmir is a dispute and has been illegally occupied by Indian state.”

He added that: “Indians must know that their state in order to continue their illegal occupation have crossed all human rights violations in Kashmir. Kashmiris outside state represent pain and sufferings ofKashmiris and have an obligation to protest against illegal occupation of Indian state. Indians need to lay emphasize on their policy makers to give Kashmiris their right of self determination which is in the interest of Indian state and south east Asia at large.”

A tough fight between big players expected

Srinagar: With 18 candidates in fray in North Kashmir’s Baramulla parliamentary constituency and a registered electorate of 11, 5200, a close contest between the big political players is expected on May 7. The details available with KNS informed that the greater number of candidates fighting the polls in North Kashmir shall have a direct impact on the margin of the votes that will go to the winning candidate. With PDP claiming to emerge with a thumping victory from the North Kashmir Lok Sabha seat, Peoples’ Conference claims to surprise many during this election season. NC’s Sharief- ud-Din Shariq has already maintained that he has won the fight.

During the election of 2009-Shariq emerged as the winner for NC- Congress coalition with 203022 votes while as the PDP candidate Mohammad Dilawar Mir lagged behind with 138208. As per the data available, the Baramulla seat was won over by Syed Ahmad Aga of Indian National Congress (INC) in 1967. In 1971, the seat was again bagged by the same candidate of the Congress. In 1977, the National Conference took control of the seat with its candidate Abdul Ahad getting 147222 votes. In 1980-the seat was again won by NC’s Khwaja Mubarak Shah with 178533 votes. Muzaffar Hussain Beigh at that time being an independent candidate managed 75256 votes. In 1984- Saif-ud-din Soz of the National Conference emerged as the winner from North Kashmir’s turf with 234357 votes in his kitty.  Congress again took control of the seat in 1996. That time Ghulam Rasool Kar of INC got 110331 votes.

In 1998- Prof Soz from National Conference won in Baramulla with 131164 votes.  In 1999, Abdul Rashid Shaheen of National Conference again won this Lok Sabha seat with 84243 votes.  Muzaffar Hussain Beigh as an Independent candidate again turned out to be a runner up from the constituency, managing 48130. In 2004- Abdul Rashid Shaheen of National Conference won the seat with 127653. Nizam-ud-Din Bhat of PDP became runner up with 117758. In 2009, the coalition candidate of Congress and NC Sharief-ud-din Shariq won the seat managing 203022 votes.

Interestingly, 27 candidates have entered the fray from Baramulla and Ladakh parliamentary constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir. While 18 candidates had submitted their papers for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, nine contestants have entered into the fray from Ladakh parliamentary constituency.

National Conference leader and sitting MP Sharif-ud-din Shariq, former Deputy Chief Minister and PDP candidate Muzaffar Hussain Baig and independent MLA and president of Awami Itehad Party Sheikh Abdul Rashid are the prominent faces who would enter into the tussle today. Ghulam Mohammad Mir of BJP, Syed Mohammad Rafiq Shah of National Panthers Party, Mohammad Shafi Bhat of Bahujan Samaj Party, Salam ud din Bajad and Khursheed Ahmad Khan of Peoples Conference are the other prominent candidates who have filed their nomination papers from the constituency. Prominent among those who filed their papers for Ladakh parliamentary constituency included joint candidate of ruling National Conference and Congress Tsering Samphel, and BJP’s Thusptan Chewang and Tsering Dorjey as covering candidate. Several independents are also in the fray including Syed Mohammad Kazim who enjoys the backing of the religious schools of Kargil. 

Continues with its boycott campaign

Srinagar: “Our martyrs laid down their lives for the sacred cause of our freedom and it is our duty to safeguard these sacrifices. Indian elections are a process to make us forget these sacrifices and as a living nation it is our moral responsibility to boycott all such efforts and processes,” this was stated by JKLF in a press statement issued today on the martyrdom day of JKLF martyr advocate Peerzada Iftikhar Ahmad of Pamposh Colony Chanapora.

According to a statement issued to KNS, a JKLF delegation led by district president Budgam Gulzar Ahmad Pahalwan today visited Chanpora and paid glowing tributes to Shaheed Iftikhar. He was accompanied by Molvi Ramzan, Molvi Ab. Rashid and A A Sarwar.

Meanwhile JKLF leaders continued their Public awareness program asking people to keep away from Indian elections throughout north Kashmir. JKLF district president Baramullah leaders Abdul Rashid Magloo, Molvi Reyaz and Gh. Qadir khan visited  Meeran Gund, Nawpora, Hygaam and Reej  areas of Baramullah while as Professor Javed along with Farooq Ahmad, Fayaz Ahmad etc visited Goshabugh, Aglar, Wusan ,Markipora ,Sharpoo and Sultanpora  in Pattan and appealed people to boycott Indian elections on 7th may 2014. Leaders while addressing various corner meetings and campaigning house to house also distributed pamphlets. The JKLF leaders while condemning the continued detention of resistance leaders and hundreds of youth across the valley said that These revengeful acts of state violence are an evidence of the defeat the rulers and their masters in Delhi have suffered at the hands of Kashmiri masses leaders appealed people of north Kashmir to remember sacrifices and boycott Indian elections.