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  • Classes V to IX students stand promoted

    State govt orders ‘no-detention’ policy for Class XI as well

    Srinagar: In a major relief to students, the government today announced mass promotion for students of Classes V to IX and Class XI in all government and private schools across the Valley.A J&K Government spokesperson today said the authorities decided to waive the term-2 examination for the students of Classes VIII, IX and XI for all government schools and the recognised private schools for the current academic session due to the prevailing situation in the Valley.This year, the board exams for only Classes X and XII are being conducted amid tight security arrangements as the schools and colleges remained closed for long.An official for the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) said the decision of mass promotion had been taken as the students could not attend classes for the past four months due to unrest and the students were only able to appear for the term-1 exams before July.“The admission for the new academic session is usually done in November in the winter zone and it is imperative that the new session commences on time so that the interest of the students is safeguarded and normal academic activities are restored,” the official said.The order issued by the DSEK read that all students from Classes V to IX and Class XI in government schools and recognised private schools of the Kashmir valley would be elevated to the next level with immediate effect.“As a consequence, the new academic calendar for the schools will commence in the Valley forthwith,” the order stated. The official said the decision would be implemented in continuity of the “No-Detention” policy for Classes V to VIII for the current academic session. The government in September had decided to bring back the detention policy up to Class IX to check the learning levels among students. (TNS)

  • Mehbooba for developing model livestock, milk villages to harness JK’s rural economy

    Modern abattoirs coming up at Jammu, Srinagar

    JAMMU: Stressing the need for giving major push to rural economy, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today called for devising a model for developing livestock in the State for which she suggested developing breed-specific villages.

    Chairing the first ever meeting of the Jammu & Kashmir Animal Welfare Board here this morning, the Chief Minister said livestock and dairy have good potential for employment and asked for devising means to tap this major resource of rural economy. She also asked for dovetailing various schemes like RKVY and other national dairy development schemes in this regard to achieve the desired results.

    Minister for Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Abdul Ghani Kohli and Minister of State for Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Mir Zahoor Ahmad were present in the meeting.

    Mehbooba Mufti suggested identification of villages, particularly in border areas, to be adopted as milk villages whereby all the facilities of treatment and welfare of livestock besides market support would be made available. This could be done on the lines of saffron village, apple village, basmati village etc. schemes which would not only institutionalize the otherwise routine village activity but also create job opportunities for the rural youth, she observed.

    The Chief Minister also advised for linking these villages with cooperative units so that after their successful operationalisation these model villages can be replicated all across the State. She suggested that some portion of funds from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of the legislators could be used on such initiative or one village in each constituency can be adopted by respective legislators so that these milk or livestock villages are developed in convergence mode, in a short time and without any major financial hassles.

    Mehbooba Mufti asked the concerned Departments to work together to hammer out what needs to be done to address the issues of fodder, livestock health and marketing in these villages for which she asked them to devise a plan of action.

    The Chief Minister also enquired about the status of construction of new abattoirs at Srinagar and Jammu and issued strict instructions for maintaining hygiene and cleanliness at these places.

    The Chief Minister was informed that Rs 28 crore ultra-modern abattoir at Srinagar and two modern abattoirs at Jammu have been approved by the Centre and work on these would start soon. She urged the concerned Department to expedite the work on these projects.

    Earlier, the Chief Minister was briefed about the composition and activities of the board by the concerned officials.

    Financial Commissioner, Planning & Development and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, B B Vyas and Administrative Secretaries of various Departments, Directors of Animal & Sheep Husbandry also attended the meeting.

  • Lower classes have read nothing from Term-2: Directorate of School Education writes to Govt

    PSAK has no authority to announce decision on conduct of examination

    Srinagar: Directorate of School Education Kashmir has written to the government that lower classes have not read anything from the Term-2 syllabus and appropriate decision may be taken in the interest of students at large, about conducting annual examinations.
    Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, Director School Education, Kashmir, told KNS that they have written to the government about the facts on ground.
    “We have communicated to government that students have not read the term-2 syllabus. We hope that the decision from the government may come within two or three days,” he said.
    He said that term-2 begins usually from July. “We are aware about the facts. Schools have remained closed from past four months now. Students of lower classes have not read anything from the term-2 syllabus,” he said.
    He added that class 11 students, who were appearing in Term-1 examination, are yet to appear in pending papers.
    “The term-1 tests of class 11 were going on when unrest erupted. However, the decision about conducting examination of class 11 is prerogative of Board of School education,” he said.
    Asked, if his office has recommended mass promotion for the lower classes, he said: “It is the government that will take decision. I have communicated facts to it.”
    Meanwhile, sources told KNS, that education minister Naeem Akhter is personally looking into the matter. “The Minister is likely to announce final decision in this regard shortly,” they said.
    On November 12, this year, Private Schools Association of Kashmir (PSAK) announced to provide “provisional promotion” to all classes except class 10th and 12th with immediate effect.
    “Private Schools Association Kashmir has no authority to announce any decision on the conduct of examination from nursery to class 7th. It is holy and soly the Education Department of the Jammu and Kashmir government which has to take the decision on the conduct of examinations,” he said while responding the decision announced by PSAK.
    Replying to a question on fee payments in private schools Director School Education Kashmir said since a public interest litigation on fee waiver is pending disposal before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court the authorities of Private Schools should not enforce any decision on fee payment till the PIL is decided by the court.
    On March 7, 2015, within days of government formation, the then Mufti Muhammad Sayeed-led Coalition Government ended uncertainty on the flood-hit 2014 academic session of Kashmir division and winter zone of Jammu division by announcing mass promotion to all students from Class I to Class XI with the exception of class X.
    The schools have remained closed from July 8, this year. 

  • People of Kashmir have won a moral victory by refusing to yield and submit to oppression: Joint Resistance

    ‘Road got cleared, we moved closer to our goal’
    Srinagar, Nov 16: Resistance leaders Syed Ali Geelani,Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik in a joint statement said that people of Kashmir have  won a moral victory by refusing to yield and submit to oppression. We have made it clear to India that come what may we will be masters of our destiny. 130 days of continuous protest with wholehearted support and participation of people and offering of tremendous sacrifices has no parallel in the current world. It gives us a measure of our strength. Only a nation which has deep commitment, resilience, determination and courage can sustain this kind of struggle. The people of Kashmir have shown to the world that they have a deep thirst for freedom for which they are prepared to stake their lives, their livelihood, their education, their everything.
    The Indian state along with its ethically and morally bankrupt local facilitators lie totally exposed before us and the world. It is quite evident that the only way that they can control us is through brute force. Surely that is unsustainable.
    We have a long struggle ahead of us, we have to prepare ourselves, we have to survive and sustain ourselves to be able to fight this cunning and brutal oppression. We are face to face with an enemy who refuses to acknowledge and recognize the truth and uses every means-lies and obfuscations to undermine our just struggle.
    This enemy is not going to yield easily. Not only do they control us militarily they also control our means of livelihood, our education, our channels of communication.
    How we move forward and carry our struggle towards its goal is a serious question as our sacrifices are immense. 
    On the one hand is the unbroken spirit of our youth who are on the streets resolute and continue to offer sacrifices. Their resistance and their passion for Azaadi is immense and is our most valuable and enduring resource. On the other hand, are the demands and needs for survival, for sustenance.
    What is most important is that we do not lose initiative. While leadership has to take control be proactive and devise a long term strategy, People have to inculcate resistance culture within and make resistance a way of life. The meaning and understanding of protest has to be extended, mechanisms for public participation in decision making and implementation have to be created  educating people about the history of our movement specially our youth has to be foregrounded to ensure the continuity of our movement. A transition from short term agitation to long term initiatives, programs and sustainable modes of protest has to be made. The leadership is working at making this transition. 
     
    In the Meantime, some days back  a meeting with a cross section of people and organisations was held and suggestions invited. The response was overwhelming. While their was unequivocal support by one and all to continue the protests, pressing concerns of students and sustenance of certain segments of society greatly affected during the last four months was brought to the fore and discussed. These concerns have to be addressed while simultaneously carrying our struggle forward.
     
    The current struggle has taken our movement forward by opening out the possibilities and the scope of our struggle. The road has got cleared we have moved closer to our goal. We now have to consolidate our gains and inshallah by the grace of almighty Allah and by the power of our commitment, victory will be ours. 

    Activities

    Friday, November 18
    (No Relaxation)
    Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Budgam, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Islamabad Freedom March
    From 9 am,March one & all towards your respective District Headquarters;
    Post Friday prayer, hold Freedom Congregationat the place identified and agreed upon locally and mutually;
    Resistance/Masjid Committees/Youth Volunteers of these Districts coordinate & ensure the arrangements

    Saturday, November 19
    (Full Day Relaxation)
    General Relaxation
    People are requested to use exclusively public transport on these days for the support of transport community;
    As a social and community responsibility, encourage your family and friends as well for the same .All vehicles should hoist black flags as a mark of protest .

    Sunday, November 20
    (Full Day Relaxation)

    Monday, November 21
    (No Relaxation)
    District level protests
    March one & all form entire Jammu & Kashmir to their respective district head quarters
    Resistance/Masjid Committees/Youth Volunteers of Srinagar and all other districts coordinate & ensure the arrangements

    Tuesday, November 22
    ( No Relaxation)
    Women’s DayAssemble & Occupy local chowks and centres fromZuhr to Asr in the vicinity of your mohallas, villages and localities;
    Protest with Flags, Placards and Banners with Freedom messages and slogans

    Wednesday, November 23
    (Relaxation from 4 pm to 7 am)
    MawerQalamabad, Narwav, Nowgam, Surasyar, Doderhama-Beehama, Batmaloo, Karimabad, Kanji Ullar, Redwani, Breng Freedom March
    From 7 am,March one& all from Kupwara to MawerQalamabad, Baramulla to Narwav, Bandipora to Nowgam, Budgam to Surasyar, Ganderbal to Doderhama-Beehama, Srinagar to Batmaloo, Pulwama to Karimabad, Shopian to Kanji Ullar, Kulgam to Redwani and Islamabad to Breng;
    Post Zuhr prayer, hold Freedom Congregation at the place identified and agreed upon locally and mutually;
    Resistance/Masjid Committees/Youth Volunteers of these Blocks coordinate and ensure the arrangements

    Thursday, November 24
    (Relaxation from 4 pm to 7 am)
    One Day Azadi Convention & solidarity with LoC march from Azad Kashmir
    Neighbouring villages and localities organize one day Azadi conventionfrom 11 am to 4 pm in respective areas;
    Deliberate and discuss ways and means to strengthen the ongoing People’s uprising for freedom from Indian occupation;
    Resistance/Masjid Committees/Youth Volunteers of these areas coordinate and ensure the arrangements

    Directions For All Days
    1. Protests be held across Jammu & Kashmir.
    2. Shutdown across Jammu & Kashmir on all days except for the relaxation mentioned in the program.
    3. Relaxation period is for all.
    4. Public & private vehicular movement not to be stopped after 10 pm to 7 am on all nights.
    5. Lockdown all the routes entering your Mohallas, Villages and Localities by every means during night to protect people in general and youth in particular from the raids and arrests by Indian forces and J&K Police.
    6. Play Islamic and Azadi Taranas from Maghrib to Isha on all days.
    7. Paste this Protest Program Poster on the entrance of every mosque and in Market places, Mohallas & Local Chowks.

  • If Conducting Exams Means a Powerful Surgical Strike, Then Afzal Guru’s Son Has already Carried the Largest Against India

    Accuses India Media of provoking Militants against students

    Srinagar: AIP Supremo and MLA Langate Er. Rashid today asked the Union Ministers and Indian media to stop talking what he termed as “childish and idiotic” by claiming participation of students in examinations as India’s victory.

    In a statement issued to Kashmir Today, he said, “Prakash Javedker by calling conducting of exams as a powerful surgical strike has made a joke of himself and disgraced his own stature. One fails to understand how participating in exams means victory of India’s stand as from resistance leadership to parents nobody has ever said that we should not provide best possible education to our children. The way Javedker has made a childish claim it seems as if Kashmiris as a nation were against educating their children and now their children have defied them,” he said.

    Er Rashid said it seems so clear that Govt. of India wants not only to politicise education but also is trying to provoke hardcore elements including militants to attack the students, so that Govt. of India defames the resistance movement.

    He said even if participating in exams means a powerful surgical strike, then Javedker should know better that it was Galib, the son of Afzal Guru, who slapped on face of Indian state by participating in exams at a stage when he was in deep shock and was mourning the unlawful hanging of his father but still showed courage and talent by securing very high percentage of marks.

    Er. Rasheed said the way Indian media is projecting conducting of exams as India’s victory has absolutely no logic and every opinion maker in India needs to realise that the reason for asking postponement of exams had nothing to do with politics but was purely an academic issue.

  • Kashmir wasn’t and will never be integral part of India: Farooq Abdullah

    ‘We lost our constitution, flag; won’t allow anyone to snatch our rights’

    Srinagar: National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah today said Kashmir was never and will never be integral part of India. He criticized the Centre for not accept Kashmir problem as political dispute, adding, New Delhi will never believe Kashmiris and will never accept Kashmir problem.

    He was speaking at party Head quarters while addressing party workers. “Kashmir is not an integral part of India.

    “People who are shouting Aazadi (freedom slogans) hardly know what Aazadi is all about. Our young generations know what India did in Kashmir which is why the youth are today on roads for freedom,” he said.

    Farooq Abdullah addressing workers during a party convention at Nawa-e-Subh headquarters in Srinagar on Wednesday.
    Farooq Abdullah addressing workers during a party convention at Nawa-e-Subh headquarters in Srinagar on Wednesday.

    He asked both India and Pakistan must talks on Kashmir issue. “That is the only solution to this long pending problem; otherwise it will keep on escalating.”

    “We are concerned about peace. Indian and Pakistan must sit down and hold talks about the Kashmir issue,” he said.

    The former J&K Chief Minister said that in the year 2000, the J&K assembly unanimously passed the Autonomy resolution calling for restoration of pre- 1953 position to the state, but what has happened to that resolution.

    Farooq Abdullah said: “I have nothing personal with PM Narendra Modi. But yes, I am against Narendra Modi and his party’s aim to abrogate Article 370 to merge Kashmir with the Indian Union. This is not possible till NC is there. We lost our constitution, our flag and we won’t let anyone to snatch our rights from us,” he added. (PTK)

  • JKLF Chief Yasin Malik Released

    Srinagar: Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik was on Tuesday released.

    Malik was arrested on last Thursday from his Maisuma residence, a day ahead of the Jamia Masjid march called by the joint resistance leadership. 

    “I have been released on bail after spending seven days in prison,” Malik told.

    Malik was released on October 29 after spending nearly four months in custody. He was arrested on July 8, the day when Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter at Kokernag in South Kashmir. Pertinently, Malik along with the Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani and Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq are jointly spearheading the ongoing agitation in Kashmir.

  • Undeterred by eye injuries, students appear for boards

    Pulwama: Aitha Hussain, 16, requested doctors to reschedule his third surgery on his left eye. He had to write his Class X exam, which he did today, enduring the pain in his eye and head.Almost blinded in the left eye, Hussain, a Class X student in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, refused to take the assistance of a helper to write his examination. Hussain struggled to write and positioned his answer sheet to his right eye. Writing in a straight line is becoming difficult for this young boy but he is unwilling to give up. “I will write as much I can, without anyone’s help,” murmurs Hussain.A lead pellet had penetrated the eyeball of Hussain’s left eye and severely damaged the retina.Most of the students in this examination centre at Government Women College, Pulwama, were conscious that he had lost eyesight from his one eye. Hussain sits composed and hardly tilts up his head. “I am fine and will finish it soon,” he said.Hussain was hit by a pellet on August 24 during protests at his Pichoo village in south Kashmir’s volatile Pulwama district. He was immediately moved to the Ophthalmology Department of Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital where he has undergone two major surgeries.After completing his General Science examination, he said, “We have to study before and after Azadi.”Hussain is an average height boy. Dressed in a black trouser and jacket, he had come to the exam centre wearing black sunglasses and a cap to save his wounded eye from the irritating light of winter sun and dust.Another boy, Suhaib Nazir Parray of Uzrampathri village in Pulwama, also appeared in the Class X examination at Mahjoor Memorial Government Higher Secondary Institute, Pulwama. Parray has a smeared vision in his right eye after he was hit by dozens of pellets during protests on July 29. However, doctors have assured Parray that he will regain his eyesight but he faced difficulty in writing his examination. “I can’t write in a straight line. I am struggling to keep my words within the lines,” Parray said.Officials at the hospital said 25 students of Classes X and XII had approached them for certification of visual impairment to seek a helper to write their examinations.After schools were shut for four months amid protests and separatist shutdown calendars, the government held examinations for both Class X and Class XII which were attended by over 90 per cent students. Tribune News Service

  • Post-Burhan, number of militants up by over 50%

    Ready to tackle militancy, which will be main threat in coming months: CRPF IG
    Srinagar: In the last four months of unrest, the number of militants in Kashmir has seen a sharp rise of over 54 per cent from less than 200 to nearly 300, posing a challenge to the security forces which are already battling infiltration and ceasefire violations.The number of militants has increased despite 44 of them getting killed this year so far. A majority of the militants were eliminated along the LoCwhile attempting to infiltrate during the unrest following the killing of Burhan Wani on July 8.“Militancy will be the main threat in the coming months and the forces are ready to tackle the situation,” said Inspector General, Operations, CRPF, Kashmir, Zulfiqar Hassan.According to official figures, 179 militants were active before the unrest broke out in July and now the number is between 275 and 300.The increase in the number of militants has been largely due to the spurt in infiltration and nearly 50 local youth have taken up arms during the unrest.The new recruits are mostly associated with indigenous militant group Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashkar-e-Toiba, which continue to remain the most dominant outfits in Kashmir.A senior police officer said at present nearly 220 militants were listed with various security agencies in Kashmir. Of them, 115 are locals and the rest foreigners. The rest of the militants are yet to come on the security radar, even as there are inputs about their presence in various districts.“Those militants who have not been listed have sneaked in recent months and are hiding in forest areas,” the officer said, adding that the increase in number of militants is a cause for concern.A senior officer of the Central Armed Police Forces said the coming months would bring a whole lot of challenges on the militancy front.  Tribune News Service
     
     

  • If PM has guts, he must have a dialogue on Kashmir: Aiyar

    BENGALURU: Former Union minister and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar and noted historian Ramachandra Guha said it needs guts to sit and talk and resolve the Kashmir issue. At a ‘Kashmir Flashpoint’ event organised by the Indian Economic Trade Organisation in association with Lehar NGO and Tawazun Foundation on Monday, Aiyar said India-Pakistan Partition was an accident.
    “If Pakistan was not divided, there would be 1.5 billion Indians today. Kashmir issue needs to be resolved with one-on-one talks with the people concerned in Pakistan. Manmohan Singh (former PM) tried talking to some of them which did not happen,” he said.
    Referring to Prime Minister Modi, he said those who have guts to conduct surgical strikes, seem to have no guts in holding dialogue and resolving the issue. “If they had sat for dialogue, things would not have turned that ugly in Kashmir,” he said.
    “How many surgical strikes will they conduct? The number of surgical strikes on Pakistan for occupying Kashmir is more than the terror attacks by them on Kashmir in India. But the consequences of attack remains the same. Both are increasing,” he said.
    Guha said while the present Congress is a corrupt party filled with cronies, the BJP is no better and it has its hands dirty when it comes to Kashmir.
    “If Modi has the courage, he should go to Kashmir and talk. He mentioned that the Nehru-Gandhi family has been a curse to the Congress party, especially when it comes to Kashmir. “Apart from Morarji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Nehru, other Indian Prime Ministers have not done much for Kashmir,” he said.
    Guha said in 1949, Sardar Vallabhai Patel in a letter to G D Birla, mentioned that Kashmir will give a headache in the coming days. “Even after so many decades, Kashmir is still a headache, the problem is not resolved,” he said.
    A S Dulat, former RAW chief, said the events during the last four months in Kashmir have been extremely depressing. “Today, the boys on the street, the children of the revolutionaries feel alienated and there is a lot of hatred. They also have more determination and hence have a do-or-die attitude to carry it till the end, which is dangerous,” he said.
    “Hence, it is necessary to engage in talks and to never stop talking,” the former RAW chief added. Agencies