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Srinagar: Relief from the scorching heat is expected in the coming days as the weather men Mondaypredicted Rain and thundershowers associated with strong winds at some places over Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the reports received by KNS, Kashmir valley witnessed much increase in the temperatures during the last few days with today’s temperature recoded as 32.8.

In Jammu, the temperatures on Monday were recorded as 41.5.  The people of the region from the last several days are witnessing unabated increase in the temperatures. In Leh, the temperature remained 30.2 on Monday.

The state metrological department Monday maintained during the last 24 hours there is a possibility of light rain and thundershowers towards afternoon. Maximum and Minimum temperatures will be around 30°C and 14°C respectively in Srinagar. In Jammu, the weather department predicted rain and thundershowers. Maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 38°C and 28°C respectively. Ladakh will be partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 28°C and 9°C respectively.

‘Community cannot return to get uprooted again’

Srinagar: Castigating Kashmir’s separatist camp over opposing separate land given to Kashmiri Pandits , the amalgam of the Pandits  Monday stated that the community cannot return to a future of insecurity and uncertainty, only to be uprooted again

According to the reports received by KNS, Rattan Lal Bhat, a senior leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Vichar Manch (JKVM) stated, “Minority Hindus got exiled because the security of life was taken away. That situation can arise any time in the Valley. Kashmiri Pandits cannot return to a future of insecurity and uncertainty, only to be uprooted again.”

He maintained that the opposition to rehabilitation of Pandits  at one location by separatists  is ‘unfortunate’ and that they want Kashmiri Pandits to return to divided habitations so that the minority Hindus would be at the mercy of Hurriyat and militant leaders.

Welcoming the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the rehabilitation policy of the Pandits , Bhat stated that the security is the major concern for the Pandits  and

“Any attempt to alter the constitutional position of the state would change the ground situation. Likewise, any plans to scatter the returnees, by splitting the single-place rehabilitation demand, would proportionately reduce the sense of security among them,” he said. Interestingly, Panun Kashmir is demanding to carve out of a homeland in Kashmir within the Indian constitution and with Union Territory status

Srinagar: With the defense minister asking separatists to initiate talks on Kashmir under Indian constitution ambit, the pro-establishment parties here differ in the opinion over the issue with the opposition PDP stresses for the ‘unconditional’ talks with the separatists.

“We cannot expect the separatists to give up the demand. If there are pre-conditions set, then what is dialogue all about,” asked PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar. He further told KNS that BJP government at New Delhi must adopt Vajpayee’s line of action wherein he had unconditional dialogue with the separatist groups of Kashmir.

Akhtar stated that the new government took the appreciative step by addressing the external dimension of the problem and that the government should replicate what Vajpayee had done, ‘or else we will reach nowhere’.

Over the statement of AFSPA revocation by Arun Jaitley wherein he maintained that the scraping of the law depends on the situation on ground, Akhtar stated that the same is an important issue and cannot be ‘evaded’.  “It was not expected even that the law would go by Jaitley’s statement. Omar Abdullah reduced it as a mere slogan. At one time he stated that the law would go within two three days. The statement of such nature was made just to hush up the matter of Haji Yousuf’s murder case. Later Omar stated that it is his mission of life to revoke AFSPA- May god grant him more life,” said PDP chief spokesman. He added that PDP hopes that the revocation of the AFSPA shall be addressed with the consensus of all the stakeholders.

The state Congress here while commenting upon the AFSPA revocation stated that the law must go from the areas that are normal with less or no activities of violence. “We say that AFSPA must be revoked from the areas that are normal and have less or no militant activities,” said senior Congress leader and state Congress vice-president Ghulam Nabi Monga. He added that the dialogue between New Delhi and separatist leaders must be initiated at an earliest. “Why separatists are reluctant in entering into the dialogue. Let they put their demands on table and so that basic issue gets addressed by both the parties for prevalence of peace in the region.”

Srinagar: Terming the ruling coalition a misfortune for the people of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, Monday said even after having been rejected in the Lok Sabha (LS) polls the government is still unable to address the real issues of the people.

According to a statement issued to KNS, on the occasion Nazir Ahmad Laway, district president Kulgam; Farooq Ahmad, zone president and Shiraz Ahmad, youth leader were also present. Addressing various roadside meetings in Kulgam constituency, Mehbooba came down heavily on the National Conference-Congress government for its befooling tactics which it has been resorting to in sheer desperation after facing complete rout in LS polls. “Though the government may be trying to undo the wrongs it has committed in the state for last almost six years with an eye on assembly elections but there is a strong missing link still prevailing between its working and the people,” said Mehbooba. She said fact of the matter is that the government will be known more for its anti-people policies and the war it has unleashed on every section of the society than anything good, and everyone understands its policies and the approach it adopted for its survival without caring for people’s issues.

She said the people clearly see through the objectives of NC-led government’s announcement politics which is aimed at only befooling the voters in the hope of being able to somehow stick to power. And it is now enough frightened by the prospects of defeat in the assembly elections slated later this year. “Although, in desperation they are now trying to reverse the anti-people policies they had adopted for last six years but on the ground they have completely forgotten the people and their problems,” she said.

Mehbooba said as the farming activities, these days, are at peak throughout the Valley and the demand for irrigation waters is at crucial stage but at many places the people have to badly suffer due to lack irrigation waters. “And even drinking water problems have accentuated in spite of heavy rains and water bodies full of water,” she said adding at many places paddy seedling beds have dried because of lack of water.

Mehbooba said there is a crisis of payment in the state and even bills under NRGEA are not paid to the daily earners. She said such a situation has not arisen first time in the state but it has been a routine of sorts under the present government and the people have to face the maximum brunt of the fiscal crisis and mismanagement in the system. She said the bad fiscal scenario has not only affected the contractors and employees only but it has also hit a large number of claimants seeking GP fund, gratuity etc. Mehbooba said previously the temporary gap in revenue and expenditure would be covered by borrowing from the J&K Bank, but everything has changed when this government handed over the management of its finances to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and sidelining its own bank.

Mehbooba said the people are facing immense problems due to lack of ration at many places and the landless families both in rural and urban areas have to suffer more because of the government’s callousness. She said her party has brought this problem to the notice of Central government and told the concerned minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, that due to scaling down of ration quota to consumers in J&K numerous families have been pushed to starvation in many areas.

Expressing concern over the bad condition of roads in entire Kashmir Mehbooba said pitiable condition of roads present a sad commentary on the performance of this government. She said the government is brazenly sleeping over the matter and is not taking steps to mitigate the people’s problems. On the occasion the PDP Chief, who represents South Kashmir in the parliament, announced assistance for various developmental projects in the area from her MPLAD funds. 

NC Holds Provincial Working Committee Meeting

Adopts Various Important Resolutions

Srinagar: National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah has summoned a meeting of the Party Central Working Committee (CWC) on the 18th of June at 9:00 am at the Party Headquarters at Nawa-e-Subah Complex in Srinagar to discuss various important measures and party’s overall strategy for the forthcoming Assembly Elections in the State.

Meanwhile, according to a statement issued to KNS, National Conference held a special Provincial Working Committee Meeting for Kashmir Province at NC Headquarters in Srinagar today. The Provincial Working Committee Meeting was presided over by National Conference General Secretary Haji Ali Mohammad Sagar. The National Conference Provincial Working Committee for Kashmir Province adopted a resolution to welcome the decision taken by the party High Command in appointing Ali Mohammad Sagar as the General Secretary of the party and also acknowledge with a lot of gratitude the role played by Sheikh Nazir Ahmed (Advocate) for the last more than five decades in strengthening the party in various key positions of responsibility, a role and service that is unparalleled and will be remembered for generations to come.

The Provincial Working Committee also adopted a resolution pledging to continue its unflinching and unfaltering faith in the leadership of Honorable Party President Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Honorable Party Working President Omar Abdullah while appreciating the role played by them in leading the Party and the State with a progressive, inclusive vision and inspiring leadership in spite of various challenges in the State.

In another resolution adopted by the Provincial Working Committee the party expressed its gratitude and appreciation towards the Chief Minister of J&K Omar Abdullah and the State Government for taking landmark steps of enhancing the recruitment and employment policy, of meeting the genuine demands of Rehbar-e-Taleem Teachers, of enhancing the retirement age of State Government Employees from 58 to 60 years and of increasing the upper age limit of eligibility to apply for government employment from 37 to 40 years.

The Provincial Working Committee also urged the State Government to, create more job opportunities for the youth, implement further infrastructural improvements in the power distribution system in order to mitigate problems faced by consumers, reduce the power tariff by taking into account the financial hardships of the common masses, allocate and allot ration to consumers as per the Census of 2011 and hence in a manner and measure of proportion that is just and adequate as per the requirements of the individual consumer.

Various members of the Provincial Working Committee spoke on the occasion and reiterated their unfaltering faith in the party leadership and its mission of public service. Introducing the resolutions for the Provincial Working Committee Meeting and the agenda for the meeting, Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani reiterated the faith of the party in the leadership of Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah and welcomed the appointment of Haji Ali Mohammad Sagar as the General Secretary of the party. Nasir Aslam Wani also lauded the historic contribution of Sheikh Nazir Ahmed (Advocate) in nurturing the party cadre and strengthening the ideological edifice of the party.

Delivering the key-note address, NC General Secretary Haji Ali Mohammad Sagar implored the rank and file of the party to continue to support the directives of Party President Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Working President Omar Abdullah in letter and spirit, as has been done in the past with utmost dedication. Ali Mohammad Sagar rehashed the glorious history of National Conference and said that it was Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who delivered Kashmiris from the yoke of slavery, feudal suppression and economic exploitation. Sagar said National Conference had rendered enormous sacrifices to uphold the dignity and integrity of the State and had safeguarded the State from nefarious designs of vested interests at every crucial juncture in history. Ali Mohammad Sagar asked the members of the Provincial Working Committee to work with utmost dedication and sincerity to serve the mission of the party and alleviate the issues faced by the common man.

The NC General Secretary said the party leadership was committed to taking all necessary measures to enhance the party’s performance in the forthcoming Assembly Elections in the State. Ali Mohammad Sagar assured the party cadre that all decisions would be taken after consulting them and evolving a consensus at the grassroots level.

Also addressing the Provincial Working Committee Meeting, NC Additional General Secretary Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal said that National Conference was a historic political movement based on the edifice of struggle and sacrifice and that the Party would script a glorious future for the people of this State. Dr. Kamal lauded the services rendered for National Conference and its cadre by Sheikh Nazir Ahmed (Advocate) and welcomed the appointment of Haji Ali Mohammad Sagar as the new NC General Secretary. Dr. Kamal said that Ali Mohammad Sagar had risen from the grassroots level and had the potential to revitalize the rank and file of the party.

All member of the Provincial Committee, National Conference Ministers, MLAs, MLCs, Provincial Committee of Youth National Conference, District Presidents of the Parent and Youth Wing of the Party for Kashmir Province and representatives of the Women’s Wing and the J&K National Conference Students’ Union were also present in the meeting.