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Delegation likely to visit Kashmir again

Srinagar: The delegation led by former union Finance Minister that called on various stakeholders during its three day visit to Kashmir is likely to impress Delhi to resolve political issues in Kashmir as no economic package would satisfy the people in valley.
One of the members of delegation, wishing anonymity told KNS that all members made censuses that Kashmir is political issue.
“We met various stakeholders including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, civil society members and traders. We concluded that people of Kashmir wants resolution of political issues and no economic package could substitute that,” he said.
He added that they would inform the authorities in Delhi about ground reality and demands and perception they gathered from the ground zero.
“On our part, we will make sincere effort and plea for political issue to be resolved on priority. After meeting various stakeholders, we understand that only resolution of political issues can bring permanent peace,” he told KNS.
He added that the delegation would likely make another visit to Kashmir and would call on all the stakeholders again.
The delegation had earlier said that the talks with separatist leaders were held in cordial atmosphere.
Others who are part of the delegation include: Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka and former Union Minister for Rural Development, Former Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities and Chief Information Commissioner of India Wajahat Habibullah, Former Air Vice Marshal, Bharat Bhushan, Journalist (Editor of Catch News) Kapil Kak, and Executive Director, Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation Sushoba Barve. (KNS)

‘Your challenge is a 10-yr old boy on the street with whom you need to deal with compassion’

UDHAMPUR: Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti Friday, said the policing in Jammu & Kashmir involves many challenges as, more than just law and order, the police force has to deal with extraordinary situations in J&K unlike other states of the country.

“I must admit that our police force works in very peculiar and difficult circumstances unlike their counterparts in other states,” the Chief Minister said while addressing the cadets at the Attestation-cum-Passing out Parade of 17 Probationer Dy SPs and 106 Prosecuting Officers at the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy (SKPA), here.

Also present on the occasion were Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Parkash, MLA, Udhampur, Pawan Gupta, Director General of Police, K Rajendra Kumar, Director General, Prisons, S K Mishra, Spl DGP Coordination, Dr S P Vaid, CVC, Kuldeep Khuda, and Director SKPA, Rajesh Kumar among the senior officers of the Army, Police and civil Administration.  

Felicitating the cadets for successfully passing out from the academy as officers, the Chief Minister said it shall mark a new beginning for them and they need to prove their mettle, be worthy of the uniform that they are clad in. Complimenting the excellence shown by the women cadets during their training period, the Chief Minister said that women in police force are second to none in performing professional duties in an efficient manner and have an important role to play.

Observing that being part of the police force, gives one the best opportunity to serve the nation, Chief Minister said that it is the police that brings a sense of security to the people. She added that the state of Jammu & Kashmir presents itself as a beautiful land of diversity that exhibits a unique sense of oneness and brotherhood, which is also reflected and symbolized in our police force.

Chief Minister said that when the nation was being divided on the basis of religious lines, Jammu & Kashmir provided a unique window rejecting the religious divide and sided with India on the basis of multi-culturalism, secularism and inclusiveness. And unfortunately it was the baggage of 70 years of that division that J&K has been carrying along, resulting in colossal tragedies to the state. “The problems we are facing today were inherited from the partition,” she said.

Putting emphasis on better policing, Chief Minister told the cadets that it is not only policing that they shall need to carry out, but also parenting, especially to the misadvised youth who present a bigger challenge. “Your challenge is the 10 year old boy on the street with whom you need to deal with more compassion and as a younger sibling”, she said. She emphasized that since common people in the state have realized the futility of the gun resulting in waning of militancy over years, “forces averse to peace are now instigating youngsters to violence with stones.”

Ms Mehbooba said that war is no solution to the problem and that Pakistan should initiate dialogue for peace. “Jung kisi masley ka hal nahin hai, ultimately humein dosti kar leni chahiye (War is no solution, ultimately we have to form a friendly relationship). Pakistan should initiate dialogue instead of indulging in cross border firing,” she said. “India and Pakistan need to sit together like civilised nations and talk, and I think there is a need for Pakistan to take the initiative,” she added.

Referring to the recent turmoil in the Kashmir valley and particularly its impact on the education sector, the Chief Minister said that certain people have utilized school going children for their vested interests by keeping them away from schools. Expressing pain and anguish on the recent reports of schools being gutted down, the Chief Minister made a pointed reference to the ones instigating poor children and misguiding them to violence with the aim that any reaction, if, leading to injuries or fatalities would become a feeder to prolong the turmoil, which has over a period of time only brought miseries to the people. She added that students are keen to attend schools but fear intimidation by miscreants.

Urging the police to deal with the situation with self-discipline, the Chief Minister said that the police have a big role to play in maintaining peace and tranquility.

The Chief Minister said she considers herself to be more active human rights activist who has actually worked for the people on ground in time of peak militancy and has moved from one corner of the state to the other to campaign for upholding rights of the people.

The Chief Minister said that violence has never helped address any situation but it is only dialogue process, which is the way out. She said that certain political groups who earlier shut their doors to talks, agreed to meet the recent civil society group from New Delhi, something what should have been done earlier to save the turmoil from extending so long.

The Chief Minister said that the Government is all for the welfare of the police personnel. She said that certain reforms are required to be brought about in the Police Acts, however such reforms should start right from the academy itself.

The Chief Minister said that the Government will work towards providing best facilities at the Academy. “You need to be the best among the lot and develop as an elite police force”, she added.

The Chief Minister said that there has to be no room for corruption and absolute transparency shall also have be maintained in the recruitment process at all levels. She also enumerated various steps being taken and proposal being considered for the welfare of police force.

In his address the Deputy Chief Minister congratulated the newly passed out trainees for entering in a service crucial to nurture peace, protect the life and property of citizens, curb crimes and maintain law and order for all round progress and development. He advised them to perform their duties with dedication, commitment and devotion to achieve the tangible results in maintaining peace.

Making his remarks the Director General of Police K Rajendra congratulated the officers and wished all the best   for their better future in the police force. He impressed upon them to work with honesty and dedication to come up to the expectations of people and the police organization. He lauded the role of JKP in dealing with difficult law order situations and helping in maintaining peace.  He said that during their basic training course they were put to training in different areas of policing like investigation skills, crime control, weaponry, terrorism and counter action, information technology and disaster management etc.

Earlier, in the welcome address, Director SKPA gave detail of various components of training imparted to the passing out trainee officers.

The Chief Minister also inspected the parade and took salute at the March Past. She also gave away prizes to the best adjudged trainee officers. Among the Probationer Dy SPs, Dr Sunniya Wani was adjudged as All Round Best Cadet and was awarded the Sword of Honour and CM’s certificate of appreciation. Akash Kohli won the best rider, Sahil Mahajan the best sportsman, Sharad best marksman, Sheikh Adil Mushtaq was adjudged first in outdoor while as, Sakib Gani as first  in indoor activities. He also won second all round best cadet award. Among the prosecuting officers Bazila Bashir was given all round best Cadet award and best in indoor activities. While as, Sidharth Thakur was adjudged best in outdoor activities.

Srinagar: The Jamia Masjid in Nowhata area of Srinagar city continued to remain shut for the 16th consecutive Friday’s which is not new when we look at the Kashmir history. The ban of offering prayers at Jamia Masjid is centuries old practice that has been adopted by rulers to crush and hurt the sentiments of Kashmir populace from time to time.

    “The irony is that this issue seems to be immaterial for the present government. Earlier it was Omar Abdullah led government that had earned an ignominious distinction of developing a custom of sealing the Grand Masjid but unexpectedly Mehbooba Mufti led government followed suit,” a renowned cleric told news agency CNS.

    When we look at the annals of the history we find the practice to disallow prayers at Jamia Masjid began in 1819 when Moti Ram the Kashmir Governor for Sikh monarch Maharaja Ranjit Singh put curbs on offering prayers in Jamia Masjid. The incumbent Indian MoS for External Affairs M.J.Akbar in his book: ‘Kashmir-Behind the Vale’ gives a detailed account about the cubs put by Moti Ram on the prayers at Jamia Masjid. Akbar writes: “The Jamia Masjid remained closed from 1819 to 1842 for 23 consecutive years. Moti Ram did it to hurt the pride of local Muslim population.”

   M.J.Akbar writes that a Sikh commander Phula Singh even had wanted to blow up the revered ‘Khankah’ Shah Hamadan mosque in Srinagar, but was later dissuaded from doing so. “It was during this rule that cow slaughter was declared a crime punishable by death and to scare Muslim population the Governor Moti Ram publicly hanged Muslim butchers without any trial.”

    Shams-ur-Rehman who has written a booklet on the history of Jamia Masjid maintained that though Jamia Masjid was re-opened in 1842 by last  Sikh rule governor Shiekh Imam-ud-Din but for 11 years then rulers allowed prayers only on Fridays. “The Masjid would be opened for just few hours on Fridays and closed again. It was only after 1898 the Masjid remained open for devotees though closed occasionally.”

    Jamia Masjid was constructed by Sultan Sikandar, father of Zainul Aabideen alias Budshah between 1389-1420.

     The practice to seal this Grand Masjid yet again started during Omar Abdullah government in 2008, who had then refused to comment on the issue. Following suit, the current PDP-BJP Government prefers to seal the Masjid to curb imminent anti-India protests. Though renowned clerics including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq frequently condemned the government move, but till date government didn’t come up with any satisfied answer. “It is a shameful act to turn Jamia Masjid into a garrison and it is directed interference in our religious affairs,” Mirwaiz told reporters before he was detained by police while trying to march towards Jamia Masjid from his Nigeen residence.

    Almost all the PDP ministers showed reluctance to talk on the issue while Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said that the final decision maker is the Chief Minister of the State as she heads the State Home Department. (CNS)

‘Not possible for police to patrol all schools’

Srinagar: With the reports that government is mulling to engage security patrol around school buildings, the Special Director General of Police, Coordination, Law & Order, S P Vaid Friday made it clear that it is not possible for them to guard all schools in the valley.
However he said that all the Station House Officers (SHOs) have been directed to nab the culprits involved in burning of schools.
“Since the large number of police men is busy in maintaining law and order in the valley, how could we expect that they will also guard all the schools in the valley? At this juncture, it is not possible for us to deploy police in every school,” S P Vaid told KNS over phone.
However he said that Police is identifying the miscreants behind this act and all station house officers (SHOs) have been directed to nab the culprits. “I want to inform you that police have already detained around 15 people related in the case of torching incident of two Sumo vehicles in Parimpora of Srinagar and the mysterious fire in some areas of the city. I have directed all the SHOs to identify and book the culprits behind burning of schools in the Valley,” he said.
Vaid said that such miscreants are the enemies of society. “These schools will take a lot of time to rebuild the infrastructure; thousands of students are enrolled in these schools. It will impact the overall schooling of the children. People should thick over it and should identify these miscreants,” DGP suggested.
Vaid further suggested that the education department should ply their role in this matter. “I suggest the authorities in the education department that they should ask the Chowkidars (Peons) to stay at their schools 24*7 so that these incidents won’t happen,”.
The top cop also warned that nobody will be allowed to take law in his hands. “Some miscreants in Srinagar and other parts of the valley are continuously taking law and order in their own hands. I would like to inform that they would not be given free hand to disturb law and order,” he said.
In the past three months around 25 government schools buildings were set ablaze by unknown persons in Kashmir, causing fear psychosis among the teachers.
From the last two days alone, four government schools have been set ablaze in mysterious circum stances in Srinagar city, Anantnag, Bandipora and Baramulla districts.
On Wednesday night, a state-run school was torched in Pattan in Baramulla district.
Vaid further told KNS that the law and order situation is on priority and the supervisory officers have been asked to ensure checking of their jurisdictions frequently to bring visible changes in the day-to-day functioning.
He stressed upon cops and officers working in the field to respond to public grievances quickly. “People have full trust in JKP and are visiting police stations, police posts and police offices with their problems with the hope that the grievances would be solved on priority.” he said.
He stressed to enhance cooperation among the agencies to ensure safety and security of the people at every level. “JKP has been facing hostile situations in some parts of the state and the force has dealt these situations with professional expertise, using minimum force,” he said and added that JKP with other security agencies has always ensured to avoid loss of life and property of people while dealing with these situations. (KNS)

Udhampur: Lashing out at the separatists, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Friday alleged they were not allowing schools in the Valley to function because they wanted a new generation of uneducated youths who can pelt stones and can be used as “cannon fodder”.

She said the separatists were exploiting children from the poor families by instigating them to attack army camps, police stations and CRPF camps and were using them as shields, while their own children were safe.

“If the youths get education they won’t pelt stones for them. The (separatist) leadership want a generation of uneducated youths who can pelt stones for them,” Mehbooba said in a scathing attack on separatists during a passing out parade of police officers in Udhampur.

“Today I see that big leaders feel if schools open, poor children will get education and then they will not have time for stone pelting or might not be ready for that,” she said.

Stressing that leaders who give preference to the future and education of the children are needed and not the ones who use them as cannon fodder, she said, “for three months our schools are closed, we tried and even Delhi sent big delegations.

“Our Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) came thrice, our Finance Minister (Arun Jaitley) went there and an all party delegation also went to meet them but they closed doors for them.

“The reply to the request of a civil society delegation led by Yashwant Sinha, which completed its three-day visit to Kashmir yesterday, was given by burning of two schools,” the chief minister said.

“A civil society delegation went to meet them (separatists) and they opened their doors for them. The team requested them that the future of children was getting spoiled and for God’s sake help to let the schools open and the reply came in the form of burning of two schools,” Mehbooba said.

With the unrest in the Valley continuing for over a hundred days, she alleged that the separatists wanted that the children should get hurt to keep the “pot boiling”.

“They feel that let the children of poor people die. What will happen if they get injured or die they are not rich kids. It is a big challenge for us because till now they have handed over the gun to poor children and now they are using them as shields,” she added.

“Amongst all those killed or injured, 99 per cent were small kids, not one from the rich family, not a single child of those leaders have been injured, only poor kids” Mehbooba said.

She said that first the separatists thought that the uneducated youths would pick guns for them, but the youths in the past 25 years has realised that gun will not solve any problem.

“Children are not ready to pick up guns. Now they want a generation of illiterate children who can pelt stones for them, not only pelt the stones but in the process lose their lives.

“I was told that girl students want to go to school but are afraid that they would be attacked by stone pelters when they see them in the white uniform,” Mehbooba said. (PTI)

Urges Indian intellectual class to raise voice in favour of Kashmiris; ‘For greater goals require great sacrifices’

Srinagar: Hailing the spirit and resolve of youths towards the freedom movement, the incarcerated chairman of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabir Ahmad Shah on Friday said the anti-movement elements “within our ranks should be isolated”.

In a statement issued to Kashmir Today Shah saluted the steadfastness of the people particularly the youths saying ups and downs do happen during the struggle but “we should exhibit consistency while resisting the oppression”.

“For greater goals require great sacrifices. History is witnesses to the fact. We have been struggling for the last 70 years and have rendered invaluable sacrifices since then. Some Mir-e-Jafars (traitors) are hell bent on creating pessimism in people’s minds and need is to keep our resolve of freedom intact and not get dejected in any way,” he said.

“The slavery in Jammu Kashmir has reached its peak. We’re not allowed to perform our religious obligations while our mosques are sealed; nor are we permitted to express condolence over killings with each other,” Shah added.

He appealed the well-to-do people across the State to “extend every possible help to the affected families”. “Though everyone is duty-bound to share his/her responsibility, but the elders of the localities, Imams, and local committees are expected to play a major role in this regard,” he said.

Expressing deep grief over the continuous “state-sponsored oppression” in the State, the DFP chairman said Indian rulers and their “collaborators” are living in a fool’s paradise that they can “break the pro-freedom spirit and resolve” of the people of Jammu Kashmir through such “coercive” measures.

Shah urged the intellectual class of India to “question the aggressive approach of your rulers and ask them why they are after just defence procurement rather than overcoming the human issues like poverty, hunger, and diseases and also why it is involved in continuous human rights violation in Jammu Kashmir”.

“The people of India must realize that the resolution of Kashmir dispute will bring economic prosperity and development to their country,” he said.

Shabir Ahmad Shah said force and suppression cannot change the historical reality that the people of Jammu Kashmir have never acknowledged the “forcible and illegal occupation” of India. “Reality is that Kashmiris have been resisting the Indian forcible rule for the last 70 years and will continue their struggle for freedom,” he said.

Condemning the arrest of youth and elderly people, Shah said the “so-called” rulers have waged a war against the people. He said those languishing in jails are subjected to inhuman treatment.

Meanwhile, Shah reiterated his appeal to people to make the protest program issued by the resistance leadership a success.

Srinagar: Amidst bird flu scare, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today said that it is safe to eat properly cooked poultry meat.

With apprehensions among people of getting bird flu through consumption of poultry, President DAK Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement To Kashmir Today said that there is no risk to catch the disease from eating chicken or other poultry products.

There is no threat of bird flu transmission to humans by way of eating poultry.

Till date, there is no evidence that people have become infected after eating contaminated poultry meat that has been properly cooked.

However, one needs to make sure that the meat is not raw, uncooked or partially cooked.

Cooking of poultry at or above 70 degree centigrade kills the virus.

But slaughtering, defeathering and eviscerating of diseased birds pose a risk to humans.

Birds in Delhi, Gwalior and Kerala have tested positive for H5N8 that has been detected in India for the first time.

WHO considers the virus less likely to transmit to humans, but there are chances.

In view of that, centre has issued a health advisory to states asking them to minimize bird-human interface to prevent outbreak of bird flu.

It is suspected that migratory birds that are natural reservoirs of the virus might have brought the virus.

Kashmir being the favorite destination of migratory birds during winter, the virus can be introduced in the valley through them.

Poultry farmers need to be made aware about the sickness to ensure that no diseased bird enters the food chain.

The veterinarians must get activated for active surveillance; stockpile logistics like PPE and Tamiflu and prepare for the worst, just in case.