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‘Vehicle used by militants seized, attackers identified, search Ops on at 8 places in South Kashmir, will get those involved in act soon’

Kulgam: Inspector General of Police Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar Friday said that Lashkar-e-Toiba and TRF militants are involved in the killing of three BJP men including a youth leader at South Kashmir’s Kulgam district and the police has seized the vehicle used by militants while all attackers have been identified.

Talking to reporters at the site of the incident, the IGP said yesterday at around 8 pm, militants from the LeT and TRF came in a vehicle and resorted to indiscriminate firing at the BJP youth leader Fida Hussain and his two colleagues.

“Then the militants fled in the same vehicle. We seized the vehicle near Achabal area of Anantnag. With the help of our technical and human intelligence, three militants who carried out the act include a local militant Nisar Ahmed Khanday, Abbas Shiekh, who was earlier with Hizb and later joined LeT, and third one may be a foreigner,” he said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

He said police had provided protection to slain BJP youth leader Fida Hussain and he was lodged at Hotel Dolphin, Pahalgam. “Recently, he gave undertaking that he can roam around without security. Now we are investigating what were they doing in Kulgam area,” he said, adding that at least 1690 BJP workers, leaders, activists were lodged in various hotels while 157 were provided with security cover on the basis of threat perception.

“We urge BJP leaders, workers, activists not to venture out without their security guards and don’t go to areas that are quite far,” he said. The IGP while replying to a query said that operations are on at seven to eight places across South Kashmir. “We will get the militants involved in the act soon,” he said—(KNO)

Say Govt fails to check violation by people

Srinagar: As there is no letup in novel corona-Virus positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir, the administration has miserably failed to check violation of the COVID-19 protocol by the people ever since the lockdown was lifted in the Union Territory.

Experts, however, have warned of serious consequences in case the people stop wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing as the deadly disease is all set to ‘intensify’ during upcoming winters in Jammu and Kashmir.

A leading pulmonologist at Valley’s lone tertiary care hospital SKIMS Soura while talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said although the disease has nothing to do with climate; but the situation may turn ugly during winters in case the people stop wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing.

He said the people of Kashmir are prone to winter health issues like flu and cold and the same may cause them to fall prey to deadly disease if people continue to violate the protocol.

“There is every possibility that there would be a spike in positive cases of Corona-Virus during winters in Jammu and Kashmir as winter related health issues also spikes in cold weather conditions,” he said, adding that the people need to take serious precautionary measures to save themselves from falling prey to novel Corona-Virus.

He also said the government other than turning a blind eye towards the carelessness approach adopted by the people should wake up on the occasion and ensure everyone follows the protocol in letter and spirit.

“I see a sharp spike in positive cases; people need to take this disease seriously before the situation turns alarming. Wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing is the only measure to stay away from this deadly disease which so far has claimed millions of lives world over,” he added—(KNO)

Srinagar: A Kashmiri Pandit body Thursday said they have been betrayed and demanded immediate ban on the sale of any kind of land in J&K.

Satish Mahaldar Chairman Reconciliation, Return and Rehabilitations of Migrants in a statement to news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) says the Government of India notified land law for Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2020, the law paves the way for any citizen of India to buy land in J&K.

“Kashmiri Pandits feel betrayed. For 31 years we have been waiting for return and rehabilitation in our land of origin. Without getting us rehabilitated in our land, the Government of India has thrown open the Kashmir land for sale. Is this justice?” he asked.

“Since 1989, the community has suffered genocide and ethnic cleansing in the valley. The successive governments in the Centre and State failed to protect its own people in the valley. The governments remained a mute spectator and what happened to the community can also be termed as democide. The forced exodus took a heavy toll on the community.

Kashmiri Pandits were killed, their properties looted, burnt, temples desecrated, many women kidnapped, gangraped and murdered. The forced exodus has cut us from our roots. This has affected our unique religious, cultural and traditional identity,” the statement reads.
“Today, we feel we feel this government has completely betrayed us. If the earlier ones did nothing to help us get our land back in Kashmir, this government has made sure that we remain in exile forever,” it reads.

“Some leaders are individually happy but for me and for the five lakh Kashmiri Pandits living in exile, it is a sad moment. Perhaps, a reminder of the bitter truth that being a Hindu in the Hindu majority land can be a curse.”

“Exodus has scattered the community and after this order the community will always remain scattered, lose its ethnicity and die a slow death.

A community which has a 5,000 year history in Kashmir is finally being slow poisoned by the powers that are there,” the statement says.

Mahaldar said, “Our constitution has ensured singularity in plurality, diversity in unity and safeguarding of minorities, but the successive governments have failed to protect the ethnicity of the minority in Kashmir.”

“This order of the Govt of India sounds like death knell for the KP community.

The blame for this should also go to the leaders of the community, who have failed to take up the cause of the community. Each of these leaders may have gained on their individual level, but on the community level they have failed. In fact, they are majorly responsible for the present state where in the Government of the day and the political diaspora gives a damn to the community because we are neither financially reckoning nor electorally decisive.”

He said this order has made it clear that the community is not of any importance to this government or the political class. “Three decades later, we continue to live away from our land, we continue to wait for a probe into our exodus, we continue to wait the justice. And as we await justice, this order has left us in shock.”

“It seems that J&K has been put up for sale. Rich and powerful will buy lands and take over the place whereas the original aborigines will continue to live in exile. We fear that land sharks will usurp our lands, including our temples, shrines and other KP institutions.”

We demand that there should be an immediate ban on the sale of any kind of land until the Kashmiri Pandit community is rehabilitated, he said.

“We demand that those 419 families be rehabilitated, who a year ago had given in writing to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs that they want to return. We request all parliamentarians kindly come forward and help to rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandit refugees in Kashmir.” (KINS)

Srinagar: Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah Thursday lashed out at the Government of India for “criminalizing dissent and branding those seeking protection of their honor and integrity as anti-nationals.”

He accused the Centre of compelling the mainstream politicians of J&K to quit Politics.
He said this during his address to party workers in a function at Nawa-e-Subha here.

He asked the central government to come clear what they are seeking from us. “The government has started coercing us through various means so that we could call a day to the mainstream politics,” he said, as per KINS correspondent.

He said ground situation has changed a lot since August 05 last year has changed the ground situation. “Last year, we were eyeing on elections and now we are fighting for our rights,” he said.

Omar also stated that the leaders have joined hands to fight in unions but it is unfortunate that those who raise their voices for their identity and other rights are being termed as anti-nationals. “The government while abrogating the special status claimed that the decision was taken for the integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the union of India.

However, the fresh decision on land law has put a question mark over the claims,” he added.
“Delhi left no stone unturned to weaken and divide the mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. We (mainstream parties) remain busy in opposing each other till last year. As our voices got weaker, the government succeeded in their plans and snatched our identity. We have joined our hands now. But, I wish this alliance among the mainstream parties would have been forged a couple for years back,” he added. “Had this alliance take place a few years back, the situation could have been different,” Omar said.

He said August 5 decesion taken last year has forced mainstream parties to join hands.
“Today, I am not counting seats as this fight is not for the power. (lanat hai hum par agar in haalat mein aaj bhi hum kursi ke liye lad rahe hai’ (Shame on those who fight for petty power amid ongoing tumultuous situation).”
He said people will never forget the leaders if they keep eyeing on the secretariat and the power.

Regarding the repealing of land law, Omar questioned “ if nobody can buy land in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and many other States of the country, but here in Jammu and Kashmir, the rich section has been given open land to throw people of J&K out. Amid this situation, they are expecting silence from us, which is not possible. We will fight and are not ready to lose it. I don’t know how long this fight will continue, but will fight it tooth and nail.”

“We are being tagged as anti-national for fighting for our rights. I must recall the role played by Maqbool Sherwani, who under this (NC) flag played a pivotal role in 1947,” he said.
He also said that whatever has been snatched from J&K people, was mentioned in the constitution, adding that it was the Maharaja Hari Singh, who granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and the government has demolished the constitution and those who are fighting constitutional rights are being tagged as anti-nationals.

“In Nagaland, leaders have clearly rejected Indian constitution, flag and sovereignty, but despite this, talks are being held with them. But, when people in Jammu and Kashmir are raising voice for their identity, land and other rights, you are tagging them as anti-nationals,” he added.

About today’s protest by PDP against land law, he said the party leaders in Jammu were allowed to carry out a protest rally yesterday but in Kashmir the leaders from same party were detained (KNS)

‘We can go to any extent to defeat intentions of Centre’

Srinagar: Slamming the administration for foiling PDP’s protest against new land law, it’s president Mehbooba Mufti Thursday asked Centre to fight with China who killed 20 Indian soldiers in Ladakh.

“You are using suppressive measures on people of J&K. But why don’t you fight with China who killed our 20 soldiers. You can try to suppress us but we will foil your plans for which we can go to any extent,” Mehbooa told reporters at her residence as per news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

She claimed there was lawlessness. “Laws are being passed illegally. People of Jammu and Ladakh have also realised intensions of New Delhi,” she said.

“PDP workers were peacefully protesting against land law passed by BJP govt to loot J&K land. Our workers were arrested and I wasn’t allowed to meet them. Neither civil society nor politicians can talk here, the entire J&K has been converted into a jail,”she said.
Earlier, authorities on Thursday morning foiled PDP’s protest against the new land law in Jammu and Kashmir.

Since morning, heavy deployment of security personnel was made in and around PDP office in Srinagar.

Eye witnesses told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) that area around PDP office was sealed by the police to foil proposed protest of the PDP. Several PDP leaders were also arrested.

In her tweet, PDP president said, “PDP office in Srinagar sealed by J&K admin & workers arrested for organising a peaceful protest. A similar protest was allowed in Jammu so why was it thwarted here? Is this your definition of ‘normalcy’ thats being showcased in the world?”

Mehbooba, who recently formed the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and others for restoration of the special status, has been unapproving of the recently passed law that delimits sale of non-agricultural land in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir land law was revised by the Centre last week as the Ministry of Home Affairs said no domicile or permanent resident certificate is required for purchasing non-agricultural land in the erstwhile state. (KINS)

Srinagar:  After suffering huge losses since August last year, a ray of hope has arisen among tourism players in Kashmir as tourism has started picking up in the valley.

Since August 5 last year when Narendra Modi-led government abrogated Article 370, tourism has been badly hit by the lockdown. Then COVID-19 lockdown further aggravated the problem.

Mohammad Ali, a resident of Mumbai, came along with his wife and two children to Kashmir last week. “We have been here for last one week and roamed around Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Mughal Gardens, Pari Mahal, Dal Lake. We did not face any problem here. We are again planning to visit either in December or January to see snow,” he told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

Prominent tour operator of Kashmir, Rouf Tramboo, said tourists have started coming to the valley.

“It is a very positive sign that tourists are coming to the valley. There has been a good response from tourists  who have shown willingness to visit Kashmir,” Tramboo said.
On Tuesday, Tramboo also see-off a group of tourists from Calcutta Westbengal for trekking to Kolahai in the valley.

“It was a pleasure to see off a group of trekkers from West Bengal who left for 9 days Sarbal – Kolahai – Tarsar trekking trip,” he said.

Tourism sector has been badly hit since August 5 last year due to restrictions imposed by the government after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 and then COVID-19 lockdown.

As per figures of tourism department, 43000 tourists visited Kashmir between August and December last year. While in 2020, only 19,000 tourists visited Kashmir till September this year.
Bashir Ahmad, a hotelier said tourists are visiting Kashmir for the last few weeks and mostly visit Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Mughal Gardens and Dal Lake.

“Tourists have also started bookings for the winter months when Kashmir receives snowfall,” he said.

Director Tourism, Kashmir, Nisar Wani also said there has been a positive response from tourists in the last few weeks.

“We are receiving positive feedback from different states and many people want to visit the valley especially during winters,” he added.
Meanwhile, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor Baseer Ahmad Khan has said that government is committed to revive cultural activities in Jammu and Kashmir and every effort is being made in this regard.

He said that while we are opening up, after a long time in view of the pandemic, we need to roll out programmes on ground for reviving the cultural activities.  He directed the officers that cultural activities should not be restricted to Jammu and Srinagar cities but the activities should be rolled out in all the districts.

“We have reached a stage where we need to pick up and roll out activities with renewed energy and enthusiasm. The tourism and cultural departments complement and supplement each other and their coordination will go a long way in the promotion of cultural activities,” he said as per news agency KINS.  

The Advisor sought the calendar of activities that the cultural department has planned in the coming days and said that role of the cultural department in preserving and promoting the cultural activities is paramount. (KINS)

“Lanath Ho Hum Par Agar Aaj Bhi Hum Kursi ki ladayee ladrahay hai: Omar Abdullah mutters at party headquarters Srinagar.