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Omar Abdullah said his 232-day detention period has made him “bitter”, “resentful” and “angry” but it won’t change his time-tested stand that Jammu and Kashmir “is an integral part of India”.

PTI

New Delhi: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah says in a new book that he will neither be “Indian enough for right-wing nationalist politicians” nor “Kashmiri enough for those who don’t see Kashmir’s future as part of India”.

It is therefore best to be true to oneself, Mr Abdullah said in the recently launched “India Tomorrow: Conversations with the Next Generation of Political Leaders”.

Mr Abdullah was detained when the government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 and bifurcated the state into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh on August 5 last year.

He said his 232-day detention period has made him “bitter”, “resentful” and “angry” but it won’t change his time-tested stand that Jammu and Kashmir “is an integral part of India”.

“Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India. As much as I would like to say that my detention and the circumstances of the 5th of August have caused me to shift my thinking on that, it hasn’t,” he said.

“Because the position I’ve taken takes into account all sorts of factors, and I do not believe that Jammu & Kashmir has a future for itself outside of its relationship with India,” Mr Abdullah said in an interview to the authors, Pradeep Chhibber and Harsh Shah.

The book gives readers a snapshot of contemporary Indian politics through interviews of 20 of the country’s most prominent next-generation politicians, reported news agency Press Trust of India.

“I have reconciled myself to the fact that I will never be Indian enough for right-wing nationalist politicians. But then I’ll also not be Kashmiri enough for those who don’t see Kashmir’s future as part of India. And, therefore, it is best to be true to oneself,” Mr Abdullah said.

Nothing, he claimed, justifies “what India did in J&K on the 5th of August, 2019”. Not mincing his words, the 50-year-old politician claimed he believes Jammu and Kashmir has been treated “very, very badly” and “every single promise made has been broken”.

That said, Mr Abdullah is very clear that he won’t ask the government of the day to reverse its position on the revocation of Article 370 and Article 35 A or convert the newly formed Union Territory back into a state.

“…why would I ask Mr Modi to reverse what Mr Modi has done? It’s stupid. It’s pointless. It’s just tokenism. It’s the worst form of politics because all I’d be doing is trying to appease the voters, knowing full well that nothing will come out of it. And I don’t want to do that. I think the politics of appeasement is the worst thing I can do to people here,” he explained.

The National Conference has challenged the Centre’s decisions to scrap provisions of Article 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir and divide it into two union territories, in the Supreme Court.

Discussing his eight-month detention, which he initially thought would last for “a week or two”, Mr Abdullah said he still struggles to understand why he and other leaders, part of the mainstream, were treated the way they were.

“We put our lives on the line to fight elections in Jammu and Kashmir. And ironically, that was cited as a reason to continue to detain us. One of the clauses in my detention order talks about how I was able to influence people to come out and vote in large numbers in spite of a boycott call and a terror threat,” he alleged.

“I never realised that this was something that could be used against me. Tomorrow, how am I going to convince people to come out and vote? What am I going to tell them?” he asked.

Mr Abdullah was taken into custody soon after the Centre announced it was scrapping Article 370 on August 5, 2019. He was charged under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in February and released on March 24, 2020.

His father, former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, was also charged under the PSA and released on March 13 after 221 days in detention. PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti continues to be under detention at her home.

According to Omar Abdullah, he went through the entire spectrum of emotions during his detention period – “from anger to frustration to resentment to bitterness to sort of resigning myself to what had happened, and then going back to being angry about being detained and frustrated about it”.

“So, I mean, the overwhelming feeling that I have come out of detention with is a whole lot of bitterness and anger, which I’m trying to come to terms with. But I think it will be a while until I do,” he added.

Rajnath Singh holds a meeting to review the ground situation.

File photo of a banner erected by the Indian army near Pangong Tso lake near the India-China border in Ladakh. | Photo Credit: AP

Chinese troops engaged in “provocative action” along the disputed boundary in Ladakh once again on August 31 even as Commanders of the two sides were in discussion to de-escalate the situation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. As Brigadier-level talks continued for the second day in Chushul on Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a high-level meeting to review the ground situation.

“We have taken up the matter of recent provocative and aggressive actions with the Chinese side through both diplomatic and military channels and have urged them to discipline and control their front line troops from undertaking such provocative actions,” MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in response to a query. Due to the timely defensive action, the Indian side was able to prevent these attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo, he stated.

A defence source said that on August 31, PLA troops came closer to the posts dominated by the Indian Army two days back but “they were dissuaded.”

Mr. Srivastava said the Foreign Ministers and Special Representatives had agreed that the situation should be handled in a responsible manner and either side should not take any provocative action or escalate matters. The Chinese side violated this understanding and engaged in “provocative military manoeuvres” in the late night of August 29 and 30 in an attempt to change the status quo in the South Bank area of Pangong Lake. The Indian Army took “appropriate defensive measures” along the LAC in order “to safeguard our interests and defend the territorial integrity.”

The actions and behaviour of the Chinese side since earlier this year along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) had been in clear violation of the bilateral agreements and protocols concluded between the two countries to ensure peace and tranquillity on the border, the spokesperson noted.

Mr. Singh held a meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Bipin Rawat and the three Service Chiefs to discuss the developing situation on the ground in Ladakh, a second defence source said.

At Chushul, the Brigadier level talks began around 9:30 a.m. and went on till about 6 p.m., the first source said. “The talks are a confidence-building measure to ensure the situation on ground doesn’t escalate,” the source stated on the outcome of the talks.

Troops on two peaks

A third defence source said the Army deployed troops on two peaks in the Chushul sector near the Spanggur gap on the Indian side of the LAC but also claimed by China to pre-empt a PLA action to occupy them. At Monday’s talks, China demanded that India withdraw from the peaks, it has been learnt.

An official said this was an attempt by China to change the alignment of the LAC in the South Bank of Pangong after making ingress up to Finger 4 on the North Bank since the stand-off began in May first week. Unlike the North Bank, where the Army only undertakes patrols, in the South Bank, it has a firm presence and has significantly strengthened its defences in the area in the last few years, including deployment of tanks.

There was no change in the ground situation on the North Bank and other stand-off areas, the first source said. Chinese troops continued to occupy the ridge lines of Finger 4, and in the last two months, have undertaken a further build-up, which showed they were preparing to stay for the winter, the source added.

The two sides have held five round of Corps Commander talks so far since May in addition to military talks at other levels but the talks have hit a stalemate after some initial disengagement. It was during the first phase of disengagement the clashes occurred at the Galwan valley, resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian personnel and an unknown number of Chinese personnel.

With inputs from The Hindu

‘Security Forces have successfully blocked the supply chain of weapons to militants’

Baramulla: The army on Tuesday said that Pakistan has adopted a new trend to drop arms and ammunition close to the line of control (LoC) to fuel militancy in the valley but the same has been blocked by the security agencies jointly.

Addressing a press conference, General officer Commanding (GOC) of 19 Infantry division, Baramulla, Major General Varinder Vats said that Pakistan is frustrated due to blockade of infiltration and cooperation between the security agencies had forced it to push more advanced weapons into the valley. “But the halt in supply chain has left militants high and dry. In South Kashmir, militants possess only pistols,” he said.

He said that Pakistan is unrelenting in its effort to push in arms to strengthen militancy in Kashmir but alert troops along the LoC have been able to defeat the attempts.

The tactics used by Pakistan to smuggle weapons into India after facing frustration as all its infiltration bids have failed and that it was now trying to push in weapons by dumping the same in the areas close to the LoC, the army officer said.

“Pakistan task the Over ground workers (OGWs) who reside in villages close to the LoC to deliver the weapons to militants. But so far all such bids have failed,” he said, while referring to the multiple hideouts busted by the army in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Talking about the arrest of two local youth believed to be involved in yesterday’s grenade attack in Baramulla, the GOC said that two arrests have been made apparently and these individuals are suspected to be involved in the grenade lobbing. “We can’t connect the two with today’s development of busting of multiple hideouts,” the GoC 19 Infantry said—(KNO)

Srinagar: President Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries KCCI Sheikh Ashiq today strongly projected demand of compherensive economic revival package for Kashmir with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The meeting was attended by other business heads of Jammu also and started at 4 PM on WebEx platform called for revival of bsuienss activities in J&K.

Sheikh Ashiq spoke on issues being faced about ecnomics and finances of businesses in Kashmir.

“We Gave reference of earlier meetingss with Finance Minister in March and after that everything got derailed with the covid 19 pandemic. We reminded her about those assurances,” Ashiq said, ” we have been on the receiving end since August 5 last year. covid pandemic added to our miseries. We sought special package for Kashmir which will cover all the sectors.”

He also raised the issue of technical issue of RBI announced package. which affected thousands of our businessmen.

“Those accounts which were not overdue on 5th august couldn’t avail benefits as we suggested should have been standard on 5th august,” he informed Finance Minister.

Ashiq also sought interest waiver of buinesss accounts since August 5 lockdown.
Ashiq also informed the Finance Minister about the formation of commitee for economic revival of J&K on the directions of LG Sinha after KCCI raised the issue with him.

“We sought her support to the LG administration for the economic revival package. We have submitted memorandums to GOI also about those issues which we projected with LG also.”

informed her that KCCI will always advocate opening of businesses not their closure,he said. “More than half a million unemployed youth has been added to the unemployment youth numbers after August 5. I advocated for revival packages of all sectors.” (KNS)

Srinagar: Though the authorities have announced that social distancing and wearing masks are mandatory in all public places, however, many across Kashmir are flouting social distancing norms and mask rules.

“This is pathetic to see such a large number of people shopping. Some are even not wearing masks. I came out to purchase medicines for my ailing father but no social distance norms are being followed,” Mohmmad Aslam, a resident of Jawharnagar, Padshahibagh told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

Customers on tuesday were seen moving from one shop to another without following the social distancing norms. Most of the shops were over-crowded here in Srinagar.

“This is scary to walk through markets. Government eased out restrictions but people are thronging markets unnecessarily,” said Aliya, a resident of Bemina.

“People are thronging markets without following norms which is a matter of grave concern,” said a shopkeeper at Lalchowk.

He said it was important to underline the importance of strictly following the COVID protocols.

Some shopkeepers have arranged sanitisers so that customers would disinfect their hands before purchasing.

People also could be seen on the streets or on Boulevard along the banks of Dal Lake without wearing masks or maintaining social distance.

This is despite authorities having announced that wearing masks was mandatory in all public places.

“Look vendors are selling barbecues and fried fish on the banks of Dal Lake. Neither these sellers nor customers are wearing masks. I do wear a mask to protect myself but it won’t make any difference as less than 10 percent of people are wearing masks,” Imran Ahmad, a resident of Nishat.

He said the government should take strict measures to ensure people wear masks. “If wearing a mask has been made mandatory they are why law enforcing agencies are not implementing these guidelines. Why don’t they fine those who are not following COVID guidelines,” he asked.

The government advisory has exhorted upon the people not to step out of home, unless absolutely necessary. “If you have to move out for unavoidable reasons, ensure that you wear a mask and practice social distancing, personal hygiene and frequent hand washing with soap and water,” it reads. (KINS)

PTI

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday withdrew the additional excise duty of 50 per cent levied on liquor after the outbreak of COVID-19 as a new excise policy for the remainder of 2020-2021 financial year came into force in the Union Territory, a senior government officer said.

Excise Commissioner Rajesh Kumar Shavan said the new policy for the first time provides for reservation of 12 per cent to six categories of people, including ex-servicemen, those belonging weaker sections and unemployed youths, in opening bars and restaurants at tourist destinations across the Union Territory.

“The additional 50 per cent excise duty on liquor (which was levied in May), commonly known as corona tax, has been withdrawn from today after the implementation of the new excise policy,” Shavan told reporters here.

He highlighted various features of the policy and said it focused on transparency in the liquor trade, besides boosting revenues through rationalization of duties.

In the policy objectives, the government notification among other things said it was meant to rationalise the number of taxes, duties and other levies to optimize revenues for common good and check bootlegging or smuggling of bottled in origin (BIO) brands in the UT from outside.

It said the objective is also to provide choice of brands and adequate places for consumption to its consumers and a level-playing field to those in this business.

“There was a notion that poor people were not getting representation in the trade which is only meant for rich people. The government has taken a considerate and judicious view and for the first time in the past 70 years reservation is being given to six categories of people who also included specially-abled and Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and other backward classes.”

According to the notification, 12 per cent of the total liquor vends to be auctioned at any time in future is proposed to be earmarked or set aside for these categories. Within the overall ceiling of 12 per cent quota, each of these six categories may be assigned two per cent of actionable liquor vends.

To encourage unemployed youths, the excise commissioner said special concession on license fee would be given to those who wish to open bars and restaurants at tourist places, including Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg, and areas falling under the jurisdiction of tourism development authorities like Mansar and Kishtwar.

“There will be transparency in issuance of licenses, he said, adding there is a provision in the new policy to open new outlets in unserved or under-served areas in the UT.

As per the notification, the bars located at tourist places of Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and areas falling under various Tourism Development Authorities shall pay half the amount of prescribed annual license fee subject to review on yearly basis by the authority concerned.

Shavan said army and paramilitary forces would get liquor at much cheaper prices as the excise duty and import duty on the Canteen Stores Department (CSD) would be 25 per cent less than that on civil for all types of liquor.

There are 600 companies supplying liquor to the army and paramilitary forces and 80 per cent of the consignments come from outside J&K, he said.

He said there were some high and premier brands which were hitherto not available to the consumers in Jammu and Kashmir, but the government has now decided to encourage import of these brands and has decided to levy 20 per cent tax, instead of 35 per cent on such brands.

PTI

Jammu: An organisation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits ‘India 4 Kashmir’ on Monday slammed the Gupkar Declaration and said the community was at the forefront of the fight to revoke Article 370 .

The declaration is a resolution issued after an all-party meeting on August 4, 2019, at the Gupkar residence of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, a day before the Centre announced its decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and split it into two union territories.

The organisation also condemned and disowned support to the declaration by certain fringe elements of the Kashmiri Pandit community.

Kashmiri Pandits have always been at the forefront of the fight for abrogation of article 370 and 35A, it said.

The reaction comes after a delegation of Kashmiri Pandit entrepreneurs on August 27 called on National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah here and extended its support to Gupkar Declaration.

India 4 Kashmir has condemned and disowned support to the Gupkar declaration by certain fringe elements of the Kashmiri Pandit community, the organisations spokesperson in Delhi Sakshi Mattoo said.

She also said a statement about the meeting reeks of suspicion as it does not mention a single name of the so-called delegation members that called on former chief minister Farooq Abdullah.

The Centre on August 5 last year had abrogated Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and divided it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Col Tej K Tikoo, President All India Kashmiri Samaj, in his statement denounced the Gupkar declaration.

He said “Kashmiri Pandits have always been at the forefront of the fight for abrogation of article 370 and 35A”.

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (BOSE) on Monday said it has devised a mechanism to promote the aspiring candidates of annual and bi-annual private examinations of Class 10th and 12th, who have already passed two or more subjects.

According to a notification issued by the government, the annual and bi-annual private examinations of session 2019-20 of Kashmir division, and winter zone areas of Jammu division, which were scheduled to be held in the months of March-April 2019 could not be conducted in view of COV1D-19 pandemic followed by nationwide lockdown.

The notification, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reads, “Candidates who have already passed two or more subjects shall be promoted to higher class as per the following formula.”

BOSE said this decision was taken to save the academic career of the students that were supposed to appear in these examinations in March-April 2020 and had submitted the permission cum admission forms for the examination. The marks in fifth subject shall be awarded by taking mean of the marks scored in the already passed four subjects.

The BOSE notification reads that the marks in the fourth subject shall be awarded by taking the mean of the marks scored in the already passed three subjects and marks in the fifth subject shall be awarded by taking the mean of four subjects.

“The marks in third subject shall be awarded by taking the mean of the marks scored in already passed two subjects. Marks in fourth and fifth subjects shall be awarded by taking the mean of the marks scored in three and four subjects respectively,” it reads.

BOSE said that all such candidates who are declared pass by applying the mechanism devised by them shall be granted admission in Class 11th for current session in relaxation of 65 per cent requirement of minimum attendance as one time exception.

“Examination of Class 10th and 12th in respect of candidates falling in the category that is fresh or fail in all subjects and re-appear in four subjects of Class 10th and 12th of Kashmir division and winter zone of Jammu division shall be conducted preferably in second quarter of September 2020,” reads the notification.

It was also stated that all such candidates of 10th and 12th who are declared successful in the examination of annual or bi-annual private of 2019-2020 session shall be allowed to appear in 11th standard.

“The provisional admission of such candidates who fail to qualify the annual or bi-annual private examination of 2020-2021 shall be treated cancelled and they shall not be allowed to appear in the HSP-II in annual regular 2021-22 examination,” BOSE said.

The candidates who have applied for division improvement or appearing in an additional subject of HSP-II 2019-20 shall also be allowed to appear in the forthcoming examination—(KNO)

Srinagar: Srinagar district—the summer capital of J&K continues to be the hot spot of Covid-19 as Srinagar district alone has reported over 24 percent positive cases and over 31 percent deaths in J&K UT.

As per the official data available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), among total 37,698 cases Srinagar district has 9273 positive cases which 24.59 percent of the total cases.

There are 28,917 positive cases in Kashmir division, so the share of Srinagar district in positive cases of Kashmir division is 32.06 percent.

Out of 703 total deaths reported so far from Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar alone has reported 221 deaths which is 31.43 percent of the total deaths.

In Kashmir division alone, there are 637 deaths, among them 221 are from Srinagar which is 34.69 percent of the total deaths reported in Kashmir division.

Out of total 9273 positive cases in Srinagar, 7480 have recovered so recovery rate of the Srinagar district is 80.66 percent while as recovery rate of whole J&K is 76.96 percent—(KNO)

Srinagar: Describing encroachments over Baghe-Mehtab Flood Channel and illegal landfilling of Narkara wetland a measure threat in the context of floods, Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD) has requested the general public to desist from such illegal acts.

This was stated by Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) IFCD, Mrs. Ambreen in an informal chat with news agency Kashmir Dot Com- (KDC) on Monday, who is in charge of Bage-Mehtab and Rambagh flood channels.

She said that Doodh Ganga Nallah which travels 42 Kilometers from Peer Panchal Range to Srinagar is a flashy nallah and its discharge velocity becomes very high, whenever there are rains, which increases the risk of floods in low lying areas of Srinagar.

She said, “Like a flood mitigation measure, in case of rainfalls, the excess water of nallah is diverted to Narkara, as a flood mitigation measure through Baghe-Mehtab flood channel, where it is retained for few days to be diverted back into the nallah after water level recedes.”

“However, some miscreants have resorted to encroachments in the channel as well as in Narkara wetland, due to which the water holding the capacity of the channel has reduced to an alarming level, resulting in a flood threat to the low lying areas of South Srinagar Baghe-Mehtab, Chanpora, Natipora, Barzalla, Sanat Nagar and adjoining areas,” she said.

She requested the general public to desist from resorting to the illegal activities of encroachments in the flood channels and in the wetlands, which are the only safety from floods for South Srinagar areas, in case of incessant rainfall.

“Landfilling of the wetlands poses a major flood threat, which in any case should stop immediately,” she added.

While referring to the 2014 floods, she said that we ought to learn lessons from it and avoid the activities, which may increase the flood threat.

“Department has already taken necessary measures of drudging of the Nallah and also the flood channels in phase 1 and the phase 2nd is in its offing,” she said.

“Now it is the people who have to do their bit, to desist from the activities, which may pose a flood threat to the vulnerable areas,” she went on to add.

About Narkara wetland being officially declared a flood basin, the AEE said that the process of the declaration is going on and very soon this wetland will be notified as a flood basin. (KDC)