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Srinagar: BJP’s Sopore Unit on Wednesday organized a historical Tanga rally in the town and stated that Sopore town will be again developed as ‘Chota London’ but it has been neglected over the past seventy years by the previous government regimes.

The historical tanga rally was organized from Malbugh landmark to Goodwill school in Sopore. It was a first kind of its rally in which scores of Tanga’s were used for DDC election campaigning in the town.

Party’s State General Secretary and Incharge Kashmir, Vibodh Gupta said that party will restore the pristine glory of Sopore town and make it ‘Chota London’ again.

Addressing the party workers at Sopore, Gupta said people of Kashmir have supported the mission and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is a because of good policies of centre government that peace has been restored in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Gupta said Sopore has been neglected over the past 70 years and it has also suffered by terrorism and separatism.

“The historic fruit mandi will be developed as international mandi as per international standards and it will support as a backbone for fruit growers in the area,” he said.

Gupta said apart from developing the main town, the party is planning to setup cold storage facilities in the fruit mandi, so that they can sell their crop anytime.

“By these things ailing fruit economy will revive in the area and they can wait and sell their fruits at any time during the year,” he said.

While referring to NC and PDP leaders, Gupta said from the past 70 years they have looted and exploited the resources of Jammu and Kashmir and built their houses and properties.

“Why these so called NC and PDP leaders boycotted the Panchayat elections citing restoration of Article 370 and 35A reasons but same people are now fielding their candidates everywhere,” he questioned.

Gupta said both NC and PDP leaders want that there should be no grass root level development in Jammu and Kashmir but peace are aware and are exposing the dual faces of these leaders.

“Modi Ji has a strong vision for Jammu and Kashmir and its people, party will left no stone unturned in doing that,” he said.

On the occasion, BJP’ UT Spokesman Abhijeet Jasrotia said that BJP has a clear agenda of development and prosperity in the region.

“People of Kashmir will see a new dawn of development in coming years, rather than being exploited by two families from the past 70 years,” he said.

Jasrotia said there will more employment opportunities in coming future opening of more hotels, educational institutions and other industries.

““People were kept away from the grass root democracy in the region and three tier governance systems but Modi Ji’s mission of development is strong for Kashmir,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, State Secretary BJP, Dr Fareeda said people should support the developmental agenda of BJP.

“We are hopeful that people will support the change. They will say no to traditional and family politics,” she said.

She said there will be women empowerment, youth will get employment opportunities and more skill schemes would be made for educated youth in the region. (PTK)

Srinagar: A day after the father of former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Shehla Rashid exposed her ‘anti-national activities’ and also took the name of IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal, the latter on Tuesday maintained his distance.

Shah faesal in a series of tweets said said that as far as my name has been dragged into the family dispute of a former colleague, I want to clarify that I have neither met any terrorist nor consulted directly or indirectly, nor Only talked to them for support or benefit. In 2018, even in America, I have been very careful with my actions and statements and never said anything on the security and integrity of the country.

In a series of tweets, Faesal clarified that he has “neither met nor consulted any of the terror accused persons, directly or indirectly, not to speak of seeking their support or benefitting from them”. He added that in the US too in 2018, he was “very careful” with his “actions and utterances and never said anything prejudicial to the security and integrity of the country”.

He also said that he is aware of the redlines and very clear on his stand, adding that he feels “extremely sad to see my name being dragged into something with which I am not even remotely associated.”

“As far as my name has been dragged into the family dispute of a former colleague, I want to make it clear that I have neither met nor consulted any of the terror accused persons, directly or indirectly, not to speak of seeking their support or benefitting from them,” he tweeted.

“In the US also, in 2018, I have been very careful with my actions and utterances and never said anything prejudicial to the security and integrity of the country. Having been in the IAS, I am fully aware of the redlines and am very clear about where I stand,” Faesal also tweeted.

The controversy came after the father of Shehla Rashid filed a complaint against her Daughter.

In a letter to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, Abdul Rashid Shora (father) also alleged that he feared for his life after receiving threats by his daughter’s armed “bodyguard” into leaving the family’s Srinagar home as he disapproved of her political and financial dealings.

He alleged that Shehla received the money by businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali for joining the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement, a party which was launched by Shah Faesal, an IAS officer.

“Just two months before the arrest of Zahoor Watali and (ex-MLA) Engineer Rashid in a terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, I had been called to the former’s residence at Sanat Nagar in Srinagar. It was June 2017 and Shehla was in her last semester at JNU. They asked me to make Shehla join the JKPM party (which hadn’t been formed then) and they would give me ₹3 crores,”. (PTK)

Srinagar: Denying the allegation of threatening her father with death, student leader Shehla Rashid on Tuesday said that it was baseless.

“Whatever allegations have been made against me by my father are baseless,” Rashid said.

She added, “First of all, I don’t regard it as an allegation because it is like a fictional story. It would have been an allegation if there was any proof or document. It is nonsense and false.”

She said, on the contrary, she had given a statement on how her father has been involved in violence against her, her mother and sister.

Abdul Rashid Shora, the father of former JNU students’ union leader Shehla, has alleged that he is facing a threat to life from his daughter.

In a letter to the Jammu and Kashmir DGP, Shora said, “I am under a constant threat to life from my daughter Shehla Rashid Shora who is supported by my elder daughter Asma and wife Zubaida as well as her security guard Sakib Ahmad. This started in 2017 when Shehla all of a sudden joined Kashmir politics.”

“I was called by one Zahoor Vatali, who was arrested in a terror funding case under UAPA in August 2017, just two months before he was nabbed and former MLA Rasheed Engineer at his residence in Srinagar in June 2017. They offered me Rs 3 crore for Shehla to join them,” he claimed.

Abdul Rashid said that he had asked his daughter not to take this money because it was coming from illegal channels and would be used for unlawful activities. (PTK)

Srinagar: Former chief minister J&K Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the thrashing of innocent civilians with batons and then force them to chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’ seems GoI’s ‘vision’ for integrating J&K into India now.

Taking to micro-blogging site twitter, Mehbooba said “Army personnel drags civilians out of their homes in the middle of the night, thrash them with batons & then force these innocent men to chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’. Seems like this is GOI’s ‘vision’ for integrating J&K into India now”.

The former chief minister was replying over the incident took place two days back in Srinagar’s HMT area where militants attacked Army’s kilo force unit and killed two of its personnel.

As per media reports Army went to berserk after the attack and thrashed dozens of civilians mercilessly. (KNS)

Srinagar: Coaching Centres have been permitted now to operate and run classes.

As per the new guidelines issued by Ministry of Education, Government of India, Coaching Centres and Institutions shall be permitted to run classes outside the containment zones only.

Pertinently, all the zones in Kashmir Valley have been designated as ‘orange zones’.

A Srinagar based coaching centre owner told KNT that there are no containment zones in Srinagar and as per new guidelines, coaching centres in Srinagar can operate provided they follow Covid related SOPs strictly.

As per the guidelines, the Coaching Centres have been asked to strictly follow the SOPs related to Covid-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Education as per KNT has stated that Higher Education Institutions will be permitted only for Research Scholars (Phd) and PG students in Science and Technical streams requiring lab experimental works. (KNT)

Jammu: Security Forces noticed a suspicious movement of a ‘Pakistani jet’ along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Monday morning, officials said.

A security official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that a chain of smoke was noticed in Poonch sector and which seemed to of a Pakistani jet.

“The smoke chain suggested a movement of a Pakistani fighter jet,” a security official said, adding that “efforts are on to find out what kind of jet it exactly was.” An alert was sounded soon after the movement of the jet was noticed in entire Poonch area—(KNO)

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has prematurely retired its first employee under new rules.

According to an order, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Board of School Education prematurely retired it’s one of the employee who has already completed i27 years of service on October-14-2020.

The order issued by BOSE chairman Veena Pandita reads, “In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 226 (2) of the Jammu and Kashmir civil service regulation, the chairman of BOSE hereby gives a notice to one of the employees’ orderly that he having already completed 27 years’ service on October-14-2020 shall retire from service with immediate effect forenoon of December-01.”

Pandita said that the retired employee is allowed three months’ pay and allowances in lieu of three months’ notice—(KNO)

Srinagar: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Sunday said people can catch flu and Covid-19 at the same time this winter which increases the chances of death.

“Having flu and Covid-19 together puts you at significantly increased risk of dying,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

“According to a study carried out in United Kingdom during the early phase of pandemic, people infected with both viruses were 2.27 times more likely to die than those with Covid-19 alone and 5.92 times more likely to die than those without any of the infection,” he said.

“The researchers involved in the study analysed data on almost 20,000 people who were tested for both Covid and influenza. A total of 58 of those tested were positive for both viruses. 43 percent of those with co-infection died, compared with 27 percent of those who only had the coronavirus.”

Dr Nisar said getting infected even with one infection makes you more vulnerable to getting sick with the other.

“If you contract flu, your defenses go down, and you are at a higher risk of getting severe Covid-19 infection and that increases your risk of ending up in ICU or on a ventilator,” he said.

“Symptoms of flu and Covid-19 are pretty similar. So it is difficult to distinguish the two.”
“The best way to know if you have the novel coronavirus or the flu is to get tested for both viruses,” Dr Nisar said.

“We can’t be complacent about flu which can alone cause lot of trouble and with Covid-19 still raging, two together can wreak havoc,” he said.

“That makes this year’s flu vaccine vitally important. Influenza vaccine will not only protect you from flu, but it will also offer some protection against Covid-19 infection.”

“It is never too late to get your flu shot. If you haven’t got yourself vaccinated yet, go and get it now. Vaccination should continue to be offered throughout the flu season which begins in October and can last as late as May.

People should continue to follow Covid-19 precautions that will also help guard against flu,” said Dr Nisar.

Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti Sunday today questioned GOI if revocation of Article 370 has resolved everything, why nine lakh troops are still in Valley and not on borders.

She accused BJP of “murdering the democracy” in the name of District Development Council (DDC) polls and said candidates were confined to their homes while others enjoy full freedom.

“Whosoever tries to raise voice against BJP’s excesses is called as anti-national and booked under UAPA. There seems to be no place for real democracy in BJP’s India,” Mehbooba said while addressing a presser at her Gupkar residence.

PDP Chief Mehbooba said whenever BJP minister vist Kashmir, they speak about revocation of Article 370 and claim it has been hurried.

“So, if all issues have been resolved, why nine lakh troops are still in Kashmir. All the forces should have been on borders,” she said.
Regarding a question about the good number of voting in the phase one of the DDC polls, she said: “Highest poll percentage have no bearing on the Kashmir issue. Elections were held in past as well. Kashmir is an issue which needs to be resolved.”

She accused BJP of managing election affairs at their own will. “They dub Muslims as Pakistanis, Sikh’s as Khalistanis, students as anti-national, women protests anti-national. I want to ask them if everyone is anti-national and is being slapped for raising voice against the suppression, who is Hindustani then, is it BJP only? ,” she asked.

On a question about Roshni “Scam”, she said “it’s not a scam but was a scheme for poor. If BJP is serious about the land grab issue, it should go after big fish, not the poor people who don’t even 5 marlas of land . Notices are being sent to the poor, once such notice is with me,” she said.

Taking a dig at BJP for SMC elections, she said,” if Model Code of Conduct is in place, how come SMC Mayoral elections were held. They are themselves murdering democracy. This is real dictatorship.”(KNS)