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Srinagar: Government on Wednesday said that all schools and colleges shall remain closed for two more days in Kashmir Valley.

Minister for Education Altaf Bukhari when contacted by news agency GNS said that all schools and colleges shall remain closed for Thursday and Friday.

The minister said that the schools and colleges in Valley shall resume from Saturday except those in south Kashmir districts where will reopen on Monday.

He said that all exams scheduled for these two days will also be postponed and fresh dates will be notified later.

While schools up to 8^th class were scheduled to re-open on March 5 after winter vacations while high and higher classes resumed last week. (GNS)

Says India’s claims of being secular and tolerant bulldozed to earth.

Srinagar: Appealing Indian politicians and Policy makers to wake up and learn lessons from what the intolerant and radical elements are doing in India…AIP Supremo and MLA Langate Er. Rasheed has said that domolishing statues of those who were its own legends has exposed the level of radicalization within indian society. In a statement issued today Er. Rasheed said, ” Just for ideological difference, the way different groups are destroying statues of Lenin, Ambedkar, Periyar and others is deplorable and condemnable. It seems evident that there is a huge gap over distrust between various school of thoughts when it comes to religious, social or political ideology. Those accusing Muslims especially Kashmiris of promoting radicalization and giving them sermons of tolerance stand exposed after dirty scenes are being seen at Tripura, Calcutta, Karnataka and Meerut. While Muslims and Dalit’s have been crying everyday about the injustices and discriminations with them but nobody would bother to pay them any heed and would dump the organized display of religious intolerance by calling it propaganda against Indian state. However now when Indians are destroying statues of those with who’s philosophy and ideology some one doesn’t agree, it is enough to redd down the lines that where India is heading to”. Er Rasheed added that New Delhi and it’s proxies would often abuse Muslims and Kashmiris by creating Caliphate euphoria and give a notion as if Muslims are the only intolerant community on earth and muzzling their voice is a service to humanity, but now when followers of different religious and Political thoughts are not tolerating even the statues of their opponents, no one is safe in India he said, ” One needs not to forget that when Taliban were accused of demolishing few statues in Bamyaan, whole world got united against them and destroyed their kingdom, which were otherwise doing justice with every section of society without being biased. One has a right to know if Indians named, shamed and defamed then Taliban regime and even correlated many incidents in Kashmir with the Talibani act of demolishing statues, what should be given the name to all that happening from Meerut to Calcutta. With every passing day the Hindu radical elements are gaining power not only on streets but in Govt as well and India seems to be becoming most radical and intolerant country. ” Er Rasheed added that the act of destroying statues of Lenin by rightest forces and then the other similar incidents in different parts of country have bulldozed the claims of India being a tolerant, secular, inclusive, moderate and vibrant democratic society. He added if Indians would condemn the Talibani acts in Afghanistan then entire India should own the fact that Talibanization of India is being implemented on a war footing basis in India.

Electricity liabilities reach to Rs 4,000 cr

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BIPL-Formul plumbers’ meet: Employment generation, CSR our motive: Ashiq Banday

Banday Impex Pvt Ltd (BIPL), the makers of Rehmat Spices, who are appointed as authorised all India dealer for Formul-Turkish PP-R Pipes & fittings, held plumbers’ meet at Hotel Centaur and also launched the products of its new business venture.
Speaking on the occasion, Ashiq Banday, CEO of Banday Group of Companies, said BIPL is committed to provide quality products to the people besides helping the society through various activities under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

He said they have already made a big name in the spices with their brand Rehmat Spices owing to the quality of the products.
“Our mission is not only the company or business growth but social responsibility. Though business growth is motive of every company, but we at BIPL want to contribute to the society as well. We also want to pay back to the society which has been our strength by accepting our products,” he said.
Enumerating about the CSR initiatives, Ashiq Banday said they will cover the plumbers under accidental insurance.
“We want security of those who work with us and are our corner stone.”
He also announced that the company would adopt cancer and Hepatitis ‘C’patients and bear their treatment expenses.
“My aim is to help patients whether rich or poor. ”
“We have responsibility towards lower section of the society also. It is our moral responsibility to stand for those who can’t afford expensive treatments.” he added.
BIPL has already been contributing to the society by generating employment and providing job to the educated deserving youth.
“Our motive is to create employment for skilled/ educated youth also. Directly or indirectly hundreds of hundreds of people are associated with our company.”
BIPL also plans to enter into education sector with the establishment of school which will provide international standard quality education to the students.

Srinagar: A militant was killed in an encounter at Pahnoo area of Shopian district in south Kashmir on Sunday evening.

Army’s Srinagar based defence ministry spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia told news agency GNS that militants attacked Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) of army’s 44 RR at Pahnoo village at around 20:00 hours.

The fire was retaliated triggering off a gunfight, the spokesman said.

He said that in the exchange of gunfire a militant was killed and his body along with an AK-rifle was recovered.

The spokesman said that the identity of the militant is being ascertained.

The operation in the area is still going on, Kalia said. (GNS)

AS Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party completed three years in power in restive Jammu and Kashmir State, for the first time the PDP is talking about breaking away with an alliance. The reason behind current acrimony between the two parties is not any political issue.The cause following the PDP’s anger is the participation of the two BJP Ministers in a rally organized by Hindu Ekta Manch, which says the case of rapeand murder of a minor girl should be handed over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and calls for release of accused arrested on the charges of the rape and murder.Senior PDP leader and minister for education Altaf Bukhari said his party would end the alliance with the BJP if it fails to deliver justice in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu’s Kathua district January this year. Bukhari said that they will take thiscase to logical end and won’t spare the culprits no matter who stands with whom. Bukhari said the case was under investigations by the Crime Branch and the investigation of the Crime Branch is doing the job professionally.On Wednesday two BJP Ministers, Minister for Forest Chowdhary Lal Singhand Minister for Commerce and Industries Chander Prakash Ganga, attended a rally organized by the Hindu Ekta Manch. Three people, including Special Police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surinder Kumar, have been arrestedso far. The Hindu Ekta Manch has been demanding the release of Khajuria. Ganga in the rally had said they also want the real accused to be punished but they will not allow people to be picked up randomly. While as in his address, Lal Singh raised question over the state government’s decision to handover the case to the Crime Branch. Singh said the government committed a blunder when officials from Kashmir were specially called for the investigation and said, “Were the officials from Jammu incompetent to dothe investigation?”Another senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said the police was known for its investigative skills and nobody can question their professional capabilities. He said the same politicians who today question professional capabilities of thepolice and want it to off the investigation, make a beeline to offer tributes when any personnel of the same force sacrifices his life while fighting elements inimical to peace. He said there can’t be double-standards in valuing responsibilities of police in one breath and demeaning the institution in another breath.A senior PDP leader while pleading anonymity said that if the BJP will do politics over the minor girl’s rape and murder, then what is left in the coalition.

Courtesy : Outlook

Says Who Will Stoop Low To Play Politics Over Children

Srinagar: PDP’s senior leader and education minister Syed Altaf Bukhari on Saturday said that the party will quit if the government failed to provide justice to Asifa Banu, the 8-year-old girl who was brutally raped and murdered in Kathua district of Jammu in January this year.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, the minister also ruled out demand for CBI probe by some groups including BJP, the alliance partner of PDP in ruling coalition in the state.
“As far as the incident is concerned, it is a highly shameful. Children have no religious and it can happen to anyone. It is highly unfortunate that such an incident took place. We will take it to the logical end, let me assure you,” Bukhari said.
“We will not spare anybody no matter who stands by somebody or who does not by somebody. This is a humanitarian issue and the day we feel that we cannot provide justice to the girl, you will not see any of us, you won’t see my Chief Minister here,” Bukhari said in a reassuring tone. He was responding to the questions on open challenge thrown to the Chief Minister’s writ by two cabinet ministers– Chander Prakash Ganga, and Chowdary Lal Singh. One of them, Ganga even went on to call ongoing probe by crime branch as ‘Jugle Raj’.
To other question, Bukhari said the case was handed over to crime branch by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. “Our police are professional one. We are not divided (PDP and BJP). Who will play politics on children? Who will stoop so low? They are also seeking investigation. The investigation is being carried by CB and it will be taken to the logical conclusion,” he added.
Attending an event organised by the Hindu Ekta Manch, a right wing group that opposes the crime branch probe into the brutal rape and murder of Asifa, the two BJP ministers reportedly asked the crime branch of police “not to arrest anyone”.
Asifa Banu was found dead near her native village Rassana in Hiranagar on January 17 after being missing for a week. Later medical reports confirmed she was raped before murder.

Kathua Shuts Down For CBI Probe

With two BJP ministers in the state cabinet having thrown their weight behind it, the campaign to transfer the Kathua rape-and-murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has gathered new strength as the town witnessed several protest demonstrations and a shutdown on Saturday against what the organizers termed as “harassment” from state authorities.
The Kathua Bar Association and the newly-formed Hindu Ekta Manch held a sit-in along with various other groups, expressing loss of faith in the Crime Branch investigations which they said had taken the shape of harassment of the local people, reports from Kathua said.
Groups of youth had made rounds of marketplaces and commercial areas the previous evening asking traders to keep their shops and businesses closed on Saturday to support the campaign.
“We are here to press for a CBI probe…We have lost faith in the crime branch investigation as politics is being played under the garb of probe,” Hindu Ekta Manch president Vijay Sharma said at the sit-in, alleging that the investigators were harassing a particular community.
Bar Association president Anil Andotra stressed that a fair investigation would restore people’s faith in the system.
Two Special Police Officers, Deepak Khajuria and Surinder Kumar, and a 15-year-old boy are in custody in the case involving the abduction, rape and murder of an eight-year-old Bakarwal girl in the Kathua district of the Jammu region in mid-January.
At a rally this Thursday, commerce minister Chander Prakash Ganga and forest minister Lal Singh had openly likened the Crime Branch (CB) investigations to “jungle raj” and declared their support to the campaign to take the case out of the CB’s hands.

The Hindu Ekta Manch, which came into being around the time the police and the CB made its arrests, has so far taken out several rallies, some of them brandishing the national tricolour to denounce the investigations by state authorities.
The use of the flag had prompted a severe reaction from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti who tweeted that it amounted to an insult to the tricolor and its desecration.
Both the state’s opposition parties, the National Conference and the Congress, however, have called upon the CM to take action against two of her cabinet colleagues who, they said, were working to polarize the district on communal lines by questioning the impartiality of the Crime Branch and accusing it of succumbing to “pressure from the other community.”
Asifa Banu, an eight-year-old Bakarwal girl had gone missing on January 10 from her home in the Rassana village in the Hira Nagar area of the Kathua district, and her body had been found on January 17, after which the police arrested one minor boy.
Two Special Police Officers, Deepak Khajuria and Surinder Kumar, were taken into custody subsequently when with mounting Bakarwal protests over the slow pace of the police investigation, the government first ordered a magisterial probe and later handed the case to the Crime Branch.
According to police authorities, the medical examination of the victim has confirmed that the child had been subjected to rape, and even drugged so as to prevent her from calling for help.(with PTI inputs)

‘People must limit consumption of roasted meat, dried vegetables’

Srinagar, Feb 24: Kashmir’s leading cancer specialist and senior consultant Surgical Oncology at Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, Dr Sameer Kaul on Saturday said that people in Kashmir must limit consumption of roasted red meat and dried vegetables to prevent an alarming rise in Upper Respiratory Tract Cancers.
Speaking on the sidelines of the cancer clinic, Dr Sameer Kaul said that the Upper Respiratory Tract cancers especially Gastro Intestinal cancers are the most common cancers in J&K and there has been an alarming rise in the incidences during last decade.
“The most common reasons for these kinds of cancers are unregulated consumption of pickled & dried vegetables, and red meat in roasted and grilled form. People must limit this kind of food to prevent the alarming increase in these cancers,” he told media during an awareness program at Kashmir Clinic here.
The program was organised by Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi following the increase in cancer patients at the health institution over the years.
He said the lack of awareness was also a major factor in the increase of cancer in Kashmir.
“There is no authentic scientific research done in J&K on the incidences of cancer so far because there was no cancer registry in tertiary care hospitals in the state. Whatever is available is based on clinical experience and observational studies by doctors. So, we can’t really aware people fully with authenticity about cancer treatment, its prevention, and other things,” Dr Kaul said.
According to him, the treatment facilities available for cancer in J&K are largely obsolete.
“Now it’s time for precision oncology where a personalized treatment is given to the patients using genetic mutation at the molecular level. The treatment targets a particular cell without affecting the normal cell unlike chemotherapy and radiotherapy,” the Oncologist said.
He said the cancer treatment facility for J&K patients must be upgraded so that they get benefited and cancer incidents are reduced.
“Government must bring an insurance policy for people so that they can afford expensive treatment for various diseases. It is nearly impossible for low middle-income families to afford modern cancer treatment even if they sell their everything,” he said.
Dr Kaul believes that health insurance will solve the majority of the health-related problems for 80 percent of the population.
“Government should also encourage private partnership in the health sector so that competition increases. This will directly benefit the poor people as they will get affordable treatment,” he said.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Public Works Minister and official spokesman of the J&K government Naeem Akhtar has said that China is on its way to assuming a “much bigger role in Kashmir” and the Jaish-e-Mohammad has been veritably “adopted” by Beijing, said a media report on Tuesday.
“It’s the “growing influence of China” which has made it imperative to engage with Pakistan, ” Akhtar told The Indian Express
“Unlike earlier, the great game is literally being played inside Kashmir,” The Indian Express reported quoting Akhtar. “The Kashmir issue isn’t limited to the fight between India and Pakistan now. There is another major factor involved.”
According to report, Akhtar said,”It isn’t Pakistan alone, it is China too. General (Bipin Rawat) said that the Army is ready to fight on both fronts. But there aren’t two fronts anymore. Now it is one single front, circling around. From Bhutan to Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Valley to Jammu, Sri Lanka and Maldives, it is all one front. Pakistan and China aren’t separate”.
“All the big attacks inside J&K or even outside during last more than three years are attributed to Jaish-e-Mohammad, a group led by Masood Azhar,” said Akhtar. “How can one not see that he (Masood Azhar) has been adopted by China? There are reports of some action taken against Hafiz Saeed. What about Masood Azhar? Even a lesser figure like Salahudin has been listed as a global terrorist in UN but the great wall of China has been erected around Azhar. China has been regularly vetoing attempts to designate him (Azhar) as a terrorist in United Nations. Such things don’t happen without reason. Why only him? Why not others? Why didn’t China block such moves in UN against other people? The China connection needs to be understood”.
“At this point, talking to Pakistan and initiating policies of reconciliation inside Kashmir is in the national interest. It is in our national interest that Pakistan doesn’t get irretrievably sucked up by China,’’ he said. “And when we say talk to Pakistan, we are addressing our own Central government because they have to take that step. We aren’t seeking anything from anybody other than the central government. That’s our right”.