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  • Don’t kill local militants in encounters unless they fire at you: GOC to his men

    Srinagar: With the expiry of the Tosamaidan lease to Army on Friday, GOC 15 Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Gurmeet Singh said that he has already forwarded his recommendations to the Government and it is now responsibility of the Government to take a decision in this regard.

    Gurmeet Singh told Srinagar based news gathering agency CNS that that there is a requirement for Army to have land in Kashmir for carrying out artillery drills. “As far as Tosamaidan issue is concerned, we have already forwarded our recommendations to the government. I can’t have independent comments on the issue as there are people in Army who are superior to me. If I will comment beyond this, that means I will create confusion. My only comment is that I have sent my recommendations and now Government will take a decision in this regard, “Lieutenant General Gurmeet Singh said.

    Responding to a query, Gurmeet Singh said that every Kashmiri youth is not a ‘Slumdog millionaire’ but a ‘slumdog trillioner’ (referring to the Bollywood movie Slumdog Millionaire’) replete with aptitude and talent. “These youth were born during turmoil and yet they have capabilities and can do wonders. Instead of following the footprints of my predecessors, I tried to customize the things and I felt that local militants are misguided youth. I instructed my subordinates not to kill local militants during encounters because it is my personal belief that they have been subject to false propaganda. I told my officer’s not to target any local militant unless he fires at you,” Singh said.

    Elaborating further, Singh told CNS that instead of killing notorious local militants the Army honoured his word and apprehended the militants like Talib Lali and Hizb District Commander Major Saqib. “Very few people know that during an ambush in Tral, Army instead of killing two extortionists who were carrying toy guns apprehended them. I awarded the Army commander who was handing that operation for using his brain and respecting my word,” he said adding that that we could have easily killed a 22 year old “drug addict” at Boniyar Uri who came close to our ammunition point, putting the lives of Army personnel into danger but we didn’t do that just because you can’t be a good soldier unless you are not a good human being.

    GOC 15 Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Gurmeet Singh told CNS that after the Hyderpora deadly militant attack in which 8 of their jawans were killed, he carried out in depth introspection and, “I came to conclusion that Army ought to carry out truthful, professional, and ethical operations only. I have understood that unethical operations can have short term gains for you but at the end of the day you are the loser. Besides, there are so many agencies operating in Jammu and Kashmir and you can’t keep anything under carpet for a long time. Keeping these things into mind, I instructed my soldiers to be humane and during every counter terrorism operation, ensure the safety of common people,” he said adding that you will find a total change amoung soldiers operating in Kashmir.

    “If my soldier fails to eliminate a militant with single bullet during the encounter then I feel that his training has gone to waste. There is no fun to create panic and chaos in and around encounter site by firing hundreds of bullets. I have talked to 47,000 soldiers ever since I assumed the charge of GOC here and I have told them to ensure the safety of common people,” he said adding that pro-people approach helped us to eliminate most of the foreign militants. “You will not believe that all the foreign militants killed so far during the initial months of the current year were eliminated with the help of local people who provided information to police to Army about their presence in the area,” Singh said.

     

  • Maqbool Bhat’s brother arrested in Hyderpora attack

    SRINAGAR —  Police in Kashmir have booked Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Maqbool Bhat’s younger brother Zahoor Bhat for the attack on an Army convoy ahead of UPA chairperson and PM Manmohan Singh’s visit in June last year.

    Bhat, a senior JKLF member, has been booked for murder and criminal conspiracy in the attack which had left eight Indian Army men dead and 12 more injured.

    Police has accused the Pakistan’s Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit for carrying out the attack on June 24 in Hyderpora on the outskirts of Srinagar city.

    “Bhat has been taken on a judicial remand in the Hyderpora attack case and has also been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) vide detentions orders passed by District Magistrate, Budgam, against him on March 29 in the same case,” The Tribune reported.

    A supplementary charge-sheet filed by police in the case blames Bhat for being ‘involved in hatching a criminal conspiracy with other terrorists … of being affiliated with the LeT’.

    Bhat’s family has refuted the allegations and approached the high court. In her habeas corpus petition, Bhat’s aged mother submitted that her younger son Zahoor was never released since his arrest by the police in Kupwara in October 2013 and was thereafter booked twice under the PSA.

    “In the supplementary chargesheet, it has been alleged that Zahoor was apprehended by the Budgam police at Humhama on the Airport Road on March 7,” The Tribune reported.

     

  • TBF threaten mass migration to Tosa Maidan

    Srinagar: The activists of Tosamaidan Bacho Front (TBF) Friday threatened that if the lease agreement is extended in Army’s favor, they would permanently relocate in Tosamaidan to face all ‘Inevitable’ dangers.

    According to the reports received by KNS, the activists of TBF and RTI movement Friday staged a protest demonstration at Jamia Masjid Beerwah which reportedly was attended by a large number of people.

    Addressing the gathering, the deputy chairman of TBH Molvi Mohammad Maqbool  stated that the lease agreement of the tosamiadan must be extended and that the same has made the lives of the inhabitants living in the areas ‘miserable’. “The streams have turned poisonous and the fear is being unleashed upon the children of tosamaidan. They are frightened and many have lost their lives.”

    He added that if the lease agreement is extended, they will go for the mass migration to Tosamiadan and will settle there along with their families.

    The activists also cautioned that if the relocation of the artillery fire range is done in the area, the same will be opposed tooth and nail. Later the procession reached near JK bank Beerwah and dispersed peacefully. (KNS)

     

     

  • BJP rubbishes Geelani’s claims

    Srinagar: The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has denied that the party’s prime-ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s representative have met any pro-freedom leader of Kashmir.

    Talking to GNS, Advocate Ramesh Arora, who is in charge of BJP’s Kashmir affairs, said no one from the party approached any Kashmiri separatist leader. “We didn’t approach them.

    “We have not been authorized to meet any of them,” he said.

    A senior BJP leader in New Delhi said that the party can’t take any initiative over Kashmir until it retains power. “I don’t think anyone from party have met Geelani or any other separatist leader. We are not in the power yet so approaching them won’t serve any purpose at this movement,” he told GNS over phone from New Delhi.

    Meanwhile, BJP’ National vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqwi when contacted by GNS refused to comment. “I don’t want to comment over it,” he said. (GNS)

     

  • Dr Farooq’s remarks about SAD unwarranted: Dr Shanti Singh

    Srinagar: Criticizing National Conference president, Dr Farooq Abdullah for his unwarranted remarks about Shrimoni Akali Dal (SAD) the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) youth leader, Dr Shanti Singh has said NC has always exploited the minority communities particularly Sikhs in the state to remain in power.

    He said NC has never been serious to resolve the issues, problems of Sikhs besides taking votes from them from last many decades. He said NC is directly or indirectly responsible for many ugly episodes in the state’s recent history which inflicted gravest injuries to the Sikhs of the Valley.

    Dr Shanti questioned how SAD has become ‘communal’ now given the fact till yesterday it was a close ally of NC in the state? “SAD has always being supporting NC and it was not communal then. And now when it took the historic step to extend support to PDP, the ruling party has started feeling frustrated,” he added.

    Dr Shanti said in 1996 NC has been the ally of BJP which is responsible for the killings of hundreds of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002 and now they are in the lap of Congress which is responsible for the massacre of thousands of Sikhs in New Delhi in 1984.

    “The Congress vice president, Rahul Gandhi even in his recent TV interview agreed about the involvement of few Congress leaders in the killings,” he said and appealed the people particularly the Sikh community to vote for PDP in the forthcoming elections.

     

  • The Battle of Abdullahs versus Muftis

    SHEIKH QAYOOM -IANS- AUTHINT MAIL

    As the election campaign in the three Lok Sabha constituencies of the Kashmir Valley gathers momentum, one wonders whether these elections are about issues or families or both. The relative affluence in comparison to other parts of India has made electioneering different in the Valley.

    Poll issues like farmer suicides, landless labourers, promises of largesse to people living below the poverty line are not, strictly speaking, relevant in the Valley. There is hardly any Kashmiri who does not have a house to live. Hardly anybody without two square meals, hardly a farmer who owns land that can’t be cultivated or has raised borrowings that might become a reason for suicide.

    All children in cities, suburbs and villages go to schools and colleges. Post-graduates and even doctorates not getting jobs do not surprise visitors who once thought a matriculate had an inalienable right to get a government job in Kashmir.

    Roads in cities and towns have potholes, but thanks to the national flagship road building programmes in rural areas, villages in Kashmir have blacktopped roads that make connectivity and access easier for people living there.

    You hardly come across a Kashmiri who does not own a mobile phone, and many have phones with dual SIM cards.

    Arch rivals in these elections are the ruling National Conference (NC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the Congress is an alliance partner of the NC.

    The Valley has three Lok Sabha seats – Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag.

    Both the NC and the PDP have promised better healthcare, more employment opportunities and better governance.

    While the NC is headed by the Abdullahs (Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father Farooq Abdullah) their traditional rivals, the Muftis, head the PDP.

    Both these families strongly dismiss allegations of family-driven politics, but it is a fact that elections in the Valley have been political wars between these two families as the separatists stay away from these elections.

    The Muftis accuse the Abdullahs of misgovernance and corruption, while the Abdullahs say the Muftis hobnob with the Bharatiya Janata Party at the national level and are forging an unwritten understanding with the separatists in the Valley.

    Both the NC and the PDP are trying to chip into the separatist sentiment by promising internal autonomy and self-rule.

    The NC calls this brand of perceived “Independence within India” as autonomy, while the PDP calls it self-rule.

    Chief minister Omar Abdullah says elections in Kashmir are only about development and routine administration.

    “These are about Bijli, Pani and Sadak (electricity, water and roads), while the ultimate resolution of the Kashmir problem will have to be worked out by New Delhi and Islamabad,” he says.

    The PDP tries to be one up on him and says if people bring it to power, It has a roadmap for the resolution of the Kashmir problem.

    The separatists have called for a complete boycott of the Lok Sabha elections, but they know their appeals in the past haven’t moved beyond major cities and some towns.

    “Who takes care of our day-to-day problems of unemployment, education, healthcare, the menace of drug abuse? Do these vital issues wait till the Kashmir dispute is finally resolved”, said a senior Jamaat leader, the parent organization of hardline Syed Ali Geelani.

    Farooq Abdullah is seeking re-election from Srinagar, while Mehbooba Mufti seems to be well entrenched in south Kashmir’s Anantnag.

    PDP’s senior leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh is challenging Sharief-ud-Din Shariq of the NC in Baramulla.

    Farooq Abdullah is a heavyweight, but many here believe PDP’s Tariq Hamid Karra could spring a huge surprise if he manages to dismantle the fortress the Abdullahs have built for over 60 years.

    Baramulla, it is generally believed, can be won by either the NC or the PDP with both having an equal chance of victory.

    Anantnag goes to the poll April 24, Srinagar votes April 30 and Baramulla May 7.

     

  • “India sells participation of Kashmiris in elections”: UJC Chief

    No poll boycott campaign means betrayal with freedom movement

    Srinagar: While appreciating the separatists who are busy with the election boycott rallies in Kashmir, United Jihad Council (UJC) chief Syed Sallahudin has asked the pro freedom leadership who are yet to start their poll boycott campaign that their inaction will tantamount to pro-India stance and betrayal with Kashmir’s freedom movement.

    Quoting UJC chief, Syed Sadaqat Hussain spokesman of the UJC has said in a statement issued to KNS that the pro freedom leadership who are yet to start poll boycott movement should launch a massive anti-election campaign otherwise their tag of treachery will not fade till the Day of Judgment.

    Sallahuddin has said that besides safeguarding their own individual and family interests, the mainstream parties are in one voice ‘fulfilling the Indian agenda in Kashmir’.   The UJC chief has said that no one will be allowed to betray the sacrifices offered by Kashmiri martyrs.

    The UJC spokesman has said that under military massive occupation elections have no relevance and importance in Kashmir. “Through these elections India is trying to further strengthen and legitimize its occupation in Jammu and Kashmir,” said Sallahudin while addressing a high level meeting.

    The UJC chief has observed that the Indian leadership is selling elections held in Kashmir as an endorsement of Kashmiri people to the so called accession with its dominion. “This negative propaganda can be countered only through a complete poll boycott    in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite understanding this reality, those who will participate in these elections will be betraying lakhs of martyrs who have given their precious lives and those innumerable women whose chastity and modesty was compromised by the occupying forces,” Sallahudin has said. (KNS)

     

  • 300,000 children visited 135 bedded G B Pant hospital last year

    What happened to new children hospital? Asks CSFK ‘700 days have passed since the announcement was made’

    Srinagar:  Civil Society Forum Kashmir (CSFK)-Health has strongly condemned the delay in construction of new paediatric hospital and calls it criminal on the part of concerned authorities for taking the Health and medical facilities of even infants, small and sick children for granted.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, CSFK has said that it fails to understand how can be health issues taken non-serious and uncalled on part of the Government. “Instead it should have been the top most priority of state Government to provide better Health Care and medical facilities to infants, new born babies, small and sick children.  Even after requesting and reminding every door of Secretariat not a single file moved. Society will hold government responsible for this mess,” the CSFK has said.

    A spokesman of the CSFK-Health has observed that GB Pant Hospital Srinagar, the only tertiary care Hospital catering to entire child population of Kashmir Valley, is in news headlines every now and then. “The newspaper reports almost daily highlight the huge rush of patients, backbreaking wait of outdoor patients in queues, cinema crowd like scenes in casualty, sharing of single bed by two or three patients in indoor wards, hospital corridors witnessing beelines of desperate attendants.”

    CSFK-Health has said that more than 3,00,000 children visited the hospital during the preceding year ending 31th March 2014 as outdoor patients, out of which more than 22,000 children were admitted as indoor patients. “This huge rush of patients can never be adequately cooped up in a facility where official bed strength of paediatric patients is just 135 beds.  It is only because of dedication of present team of Doctors that hospital is still operational.”

    The statement added that 700 days have passed since the day when Union Health Ministry and Government of Jammu & Kashmir State made an announcement of establishing a new 300-bedded child health Institute in Srinagar repeatedly in various press conferences and also while interacting with a delegation of Civil Society Forum Kashmir (CSFK).

    The announcement by Government despite being on the aftermath of hundreds of infant deaths in GB Pant Hospital Srinagar, in the First four months of the year 2012, proved hoax. “Not to talk of establishing a new children Hospital in a fixed time frame, the proposal has not even seen the light of drawings on paper at architectural stage despite lapsing of almost two years. This amply demonstrates the lack of political will, administrative inertia, red tapism, regional bias and ignorance about impending catastrophe for the health of future generation of Kashmir Valley.” (KNS)

     

  • 5 Kashmiris lodged in Jaipur jail since 1996 Bar to take up their cases in Rajasthan High Court

    Srinagar: The Kashmir Bar Association has said that it will take up the cases of five Kashmiri prisoners lodged in Jaipur jail before the Rajasthan High Court.

    In its jail visit report released today, the Kashmir Bar Association has said that the Kashmiri prisoners lodged in different jails in the country are not treated fairly and justice is not being meted out to them, in accordance with the law.

    Mian Abdul Qayoom, the president of Bar Association while referring to the five Kashmiri prisoners            Farooq Ahmad Khan resident of Anantnag, Abdul Gani Gooni resident of Bhaderwah/Doda, Lateef Ahmad Waza resident of Srinagar, Ali Mohammad Bhat resident of Srinagar and MirzaNisar Hussain a resident of Srinagar lodged in Central Jail Jaipur, Qayoom has said that they have fallen prey to ‘brutal and barbaric tactics’ of the police and despite their best efforts to persuade the courts to remedy the wrongs the courts have not come to their rescue.

    The Bar president has said that though the aforesaid five Kashmiri prisoners have not complained much about food and other amenities to which they are entitled to under jail manual, but the Bar team could gather from the discussion held with them that they are given barely two cups of tea in the morning and evening and a few chapattis at 10:00 a.m. in the morning and 4:00 p.m. in the evening, with a small quantity of Dal.

    The jail report says all of the five prisoners had been arrested in 1996 at different places inside the State, but were later brought to Jaipur and booked in FIR No. 148/96 u/s 302/307 IPC and 4/5 Explosive Act of Police Station Mohwa, Rajasthan, registered on 22.05.1996 in connection with bomb blast which occurred in a bus at Samlate, which was on its way from Agra to Jaipur.

    The Bar president has said that the five Kashmiri jail inmates are not allowed any non-veg food inside or outside the jail and for years together, they have not even been provided with an egg. “The Bar Association has, accordingly, decided to take up the matter before J&K High Court and Rajasthan High Court and if necessary before the Supreme Court as well.” (KNS)

     

  • PDP created push Autonomy resolution in back burner: Sagar

    Srinagar: Maintaining that the creation of PDP was done to dilute  the Autonomy resolution passed by the state assembly, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats and senior National Conference leader Ali Mohammad Sagar today said the party is trying to mislead the people by spreading false propaganda for their ulterior motives without bothering to remember the history about its creation, its motive and the so called Self-Rule document projected by the leaders of the party as a historical document   has yet to see the day of the light and come up in the public domain. According to a statement issued to KNS, Sagar was addressing a huge gatherings at different places  in the old city, Srinagar, here today. Senior leaders of National Conference and other prominent persons from different fields of life present on the occasion. Sagar said that the self-rule document was drafted to push the autonomy resolution to the back burner by the PDP at behest of their political masters and now they are maintaining that NC traded Autonomy to power. “These speaks a lot about their hypocrisy and double speak as the Patron of the party is known for floating obnoxious ideas and telling lies”, he added and maintained that the people are wise enough to understand their mechanizations and would give befitting reply to them, which will serve as a lesson to these forces of chaos and confusion. “The people of the state are well aware of the fact the patron of the PDP during his tenure as the  Union Home Minister  was instrumental  for the enactment of provisions of certain draconian Acts and presiding over several massacres which took place across the valley besides, ensuring the people are subjected to miseries and hardships”, Sagar said they are masters in spreading lies as they  are real enemies of the state and its people as they enjoy a cosy relationship with the rightist organizations of India, who have a history of being anti Kashmiri. Appealing the people to vote en-mass for Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Sagar said that PDP is targeting National conference by launching vicious propaganda against it, as they are in a habit of doing so since long and have always been defeated in their nefarious designs by the masses. Coming down heavily on the hypocritical attitude of the PDP for trying to promote of the Srinagar city, Sagar said that it is a recorded history that the city of Srinagar was subjected to worst form of discrimination during their regime. “People of the city are aware of the fact that various projects for ensuring holistic development of the historic city were put in back burner during their regime and people were subjected to political victimization’’, he added. (KNS)