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  • Nawakadal Killing Father challenges police

    Father challenges police to prove subversive antecedents of Bashir

    He was preparing for marriages of his two sisters: Father

    Srinagar: Challenging police to prove that his son was involved in stone pelting at anytime, anywhere, Mohammad Shafi Bhat father of Bashir Ahmad the youth who got killed in Nawakadal firing incident on April 30 evening said he wants justice and not any blood money from the government.

    Talking to KNS, Bhat said his son’s killing has shattered the entire family but he will muster courage to pursue his case till the culprits are brought to justice. “My son who was preparing for the marriage of his two sisters, was killed in a cold blooded murder in the evening,” Bhat told KNS in a feeble tone.

    Bhat said his son was completely innocent and his antecedents can be verified from the locals who know him in the area. “You can ask about his background from anyone you like here and if it is proved that he was involved in stone pelting or in any kind of subversive activities, then I will never ask for anything,” Bhat claimed.

    Bashir’s father said that his deceased son was completely busy with Pashmina weaving trade and had no time to roam here and there. “From work he would straightway come to his home and whenever he would go anywhere, he would ask the permission from his family,” he said, while pledging to pursue his son’s case till the security force personnel responsible for his killing are brought to justice. (KNS)

  • Omar addresses election rallies at Machil, Keran, Sumbal

    Appeals people to rally behind NC-Congress alliance

    Says PDP out to divide J&K society

    Machil: Addressing Election rallies in remotest areas of Machil and Keran as also at Sumbal in Sonawari tehsil on Friday, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah who is also the Working President of the National Conference, in his fervent appeal to the electorate of Baramulla-Kupwara Parliamentary constituency asked them to rally behind the NC-Congress alliance and vote in huge numbers in favour of the alliance candidate to contribute positively for keeping communal and opportunist elements away from grabbing power in New Delhi.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, Omar said that the anti-J&K agenda of BJP, being hiddenly nurtured by PDP in the State, is dangerous move which people need to understand and foil with full force. “This can be done when the voters come out in large numbers on 7th of May, 2014 and support NC-Congress coalition candidate defeating PDP which is acting as the tentacle of BJP in Jammu and Kashmir and deceiving people”, he said and cautioned the voters against the unholy partnership of BJP and PDP to divide the society in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Working President, National Conference said that the track record of the PDP candidate contesting Lok Sabha election from Baramulla-Kupwara constituency has been poorest of all as MLA which is fully before the public. “A person who was not able to represent the Baramulla Assembly constituency as MLA, how can he be of any help to the people of the three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora constituting the Parliamentary constituency of Baramulla-Kupwara”, he questioned and said that the performance of Sharif-ud-Din Shariq in the Parliament to voice the concern of Jammu and Kashmir and its people is glaring and documented in the business records of the Parliament of India.

    Omar said that the current Lok Sabha election has put the people of Jammu and Kashmir in a crucial test where they have to make important decision to reject the deceptive forces represented by PDP and communal forces led by BJP. He said the league between these two parties to supplement and complement each other for power politics is now openly before the people and they have to foil their designs by handing over them miserable defeat in the election.

    Omar said that NC-Congress coalition is for safeguarding the secular democratic credentials of the Country and nurturing communal harmony, brotherhood and solidarity in the State besides carrying forward its peace and development agenda in the State with commitment and sincerity. The Working President, National Conference said that Lok Sabha Election is for electing the Parliament and the Prime Minister of the Country.  “The Congress-NC alliance is openly supporting Rahul Gandhi in this regard”, he said and added that Narendra Modi and BJP are known for their communal ideology aimed at dividing the society and creating fissures between various sections of the society and different regions in the Country. He said anti-J&K agenda of BJP and the ill-gotten utterances of Narendra Modi against the people of Jammu and Kashmir are also known to all. He asked the people to answer Narendra Modi and BJP by ensuring the defeat of their PDP agents in the State. The election rallies among others were addressed by Higher Education Minister, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Legislator, Aga Rahullah and senior NC leader, Aga Mahmood. (KNS)

     

  • Meerut varsity row: Admission of 16 Kashmir students cancelled

    Srinagar: The Swami Vivekananda Subharti University (SVSU) in Meerut has canceled admission of 16 Kashmir students who were among the 67 students expelled by the varsity over cheering for Pakistan during a cricket match against Indian in the month of March, this year.

    The SVSU had expelled 67 Kashmir students after they cheered for Pakistan when it defeated India in an Asia Cup match which was held at Bangladesh in the first week of March.

    The expelled students came back to Kashmir and the incident turned into a major controversy. The police in Uttar Pradesh also charged students with sedition. However, they were dropped after the issue rocked Kashmir and became attention of international media and Pakistan government even offered admission to the country’s institutions.

    Soon after the incident, the university authorities had setup a committee for enquiry into the whole episode.

    Sources have told GNS that the varsity authorities in its enquiry have found 16 Kashmir students guilty and have decided not to allow them again in the varsity.

    One among the sixteen students whose admissions have been cancelled however told GNS that they were yet to receive any communication of this nature from the varsity.

    While confirming that 16 students will not be re-admitted in the varsity, Rabia Baji – who facilitates the admission of Kashmir students in outside universities and colleges under

    Prime Minister scholarship scheme – told GNS that the varsity authorities have found them guilty of creating disturbances after Pakistan defeated India.

    “The varsity has disallowed 16 students,” she said, adding: “The step has been taken in order to avoid any kind of disturbance in the future.

    The varsity authorities don’t want repeat of previous episode. ”I want them to migrate in any other institution,” she added. (GNS)

     

  • ‘Bullets for stone not justifiable’Killing was avoidable, CRPF didn’t follow SOP: Radha Kumar

    New Delhi: Condemning the killing of Srinagar youth, Former woman interlocutor Professor Radha Kumar Thursday said that the unfortunate killing could have been avoided if armed men would have followed standard operating procedures (SOP).
    “This is a tragedy and whosoever are responsible for this killing should be booked and punished. There was no need to pump bullets in the body when they could have easily dispersed the protestors by resorting to aerial firing,” Kumar told Srinagar based news gathering agency CNS adding that bullets for stone is not justifiable.
    “I fail to understand why they (CRPF) shoot to kill. Were protestors so much violent that CRPF personnel had no alternative but to kill a teenager. This is not the way and it augments alienation,” she said.
    Radha Kumar alleged that CRPF did not follow SOP while dealing with the protestors in Kashmir. “The top brass of CRPF always claim that its men follow standard operating procedures (SOP) while rendering operational duties in the Kashmir Valley. But things are different as they never follow these procedures,” she said.
    She told CNS that it is the right time for the government to instill confidence amoung people by going for a time bound inquiry and book the culprits. “People in Kashmir don’t believe in probes and commissions as they are never made public. This is the high time that the report about this killing should be made public and guilty be punished without any consideration,” she said. (CNS)

  • ‘Death of Pashmina goats threatens Cashmere wool supply’

    ‘Global Initiative’ to protect Pashmina eco-system launched

    Srinagar:  The death of Pashmina goats in large numbers in the Indian Himalayas during past some years is threatening supply of silky cashmere wool. Thousands of nomads rear these goats in the inhospitable terrain of Ladakh, a high-altitude desert known for its dramatic landscape of towering mountains and arid plains. “For past few years, a large number of goats have died of starvation in the Changthan region as the fodder remains buried under heavy snow,” said Babar Afzal, a Pashmina activist while apprising Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Shantmanu, about the situation today.  Afzal, who is working for the rights of the Pashmina community and for saving the Pashmina goat, said a global initiative to protect the Pashmina Eco-System has been launched. He said the initiative is aimed to protect the rights of Pashmina goats, shepherds, people associated with Pashmina and their families, yarn weavers , manufacturers, craftsmen and buyers. Afzal said under the initiative, the Himalayan Abstract Artist & Social Entrepreneur has been hosting art exhibitions, press conferences, conclaves, talks and personal interactions with the stakeholders in an attempt to sensitize them towards the specie and ensure that a larger community participates and celebrates this magnificent specie. Afzal informed the Div Com that the “incredible” initiative was becoming a “National Voice.” Afzal said the initiative works on three point program viz. to preserve the Pashmina Goat, create awareness about the fake Pashmina and create a retail fair trade platform for Pashmina industry. He said the fake Pashmina was destroying the real Pashmina industry in Jammu and Kashmir and under the initiative “we are working to eradicate this menace.” He said the retail fair trade proposed under the initiative would represent over 3,00,000 strong community of shepherds, weavers and craftsmen linked with the Pashmina eco-system, a statement here said. The divisional commissioner Jammu appreciated the work and initiative of Afzal and assured his support to the initiative, the statement said. Babar informed the Div Com that the initiative has a full-fledged program aimed to promote Pashmina goat campaign, Pashmina fair trade expositions, Pashmina goat conclaves and Pashmina testing service for purity. “All these initiatives are being put together to ensure that the Pashmina Eco-system is enhanced,” he said, adding that it would help everyone linked with Pashmina trade. Afzal informed Shantmanu that he will hold a number of Pashmina goat conclaves under the initiative across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. “All the stakeholders including the Department of Animal Sheep Husbandry, Industries Department, Handloom and Handicrafts Department, Tourism Department, Municipalities of J&K, Academic Institutions, Scholars, Chambers of Commerce & Industries and WWF India would be invited to participate and work towards developing the landscape and future of the Pashmina Eco-System,” he said.  “Shantmanu extended his full support to the initiative,” it said. Pertinently, Afazal had recently been in news for serving a legal notice to Kumar Mangalam Birla for stopping the airing of a misleading advertisement regarding Pashmina. On the conclusion of the meeting Afzal presented to Div Com, Jammu an emblem “Care for Pashmina Goat”.

     

  • National Conference commemorates ‘May Day’

    Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Sheikh Nazir advocate Labour Rights

    Srinagar: Advocating restoration of labour rights, National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Monday said that the Labour class should be given all such rights which would help to uplift them not only economically but also collectively.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, the NC president Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that ‘May Day’ gives them an opportunity to remind the government that constitutionally they are protected and their rights be implemented.

    The President NC said that even though the labourers have all along been working under tremendous difficult situations it is sad that they have not been rewarded and continue to draw very minimum wages. He said, the labour class has been contributing in the overall development of the county and we should appreciate their efforts. He added that everyone should realize their contribution in restoring all such rights for their safe future.

    Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that NC leadership has great respect and admiration for the labour class as they played an important role in the movement started by NC leadership against the then tyrants.

    “The movement against the tyrant rulers was actually started by labourers of ‘Reshim Khan’ , Silk Factory, Zaldagar and artisans from  Srinagar who supported Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah in difficult times and supported his programs against the oppression of the oppressor” he said.

    Meanwhile, National Conference General Secretary Sheikh Nazir Ahmad Advocate has also expressed his total support with the labour class with the hope that both state and central governments would work to restore the rights.

    The General Secretary said that the May Day is being observed on May 1st all over the world with the objective that their rights would be restored so that the widening gap between different classes of the society gets reduced. Sheikh Nazir (Advocate) also said the party supports the movement of labour class and demands that their rights should be restored without any further delay. (KNS)

  • HCJK warns against bloodshed of freedom loving Kashmiris

    Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir said Killing another youth on the streets of Srinagar, has once again proved that India considers Kashmiri people as its conquered slaves and whenever it wants it kills our youngsters without being questioned. According to a statement issued by HCJK to KNS, this kind of situation is an eye opener for those elements who swear by the Indian democracy day in and day out. These elements should know that to protest is a democratic right of every human being and such protests take place in every part of India but they are not killed by bullets like Kashmiris. One fails to understand how these anti-Kashmir elements come before the common people after their own neighbours are killed and massacred by the men in uniform.

    Irony is that after killing and injuring Kashmiris, the so called rulers impose curfew and stop the near and dears of the victims to reach and console them. A simple question can be asked to these so called rulers that after killing Bashir Ahmad what name can be given to imposing curfew on the victims of oppression. India and its local collaborators are busy in the same kind of oppression since more than six decades but sorry part of the story is that the local collaborators still try to deceive their own Kashmiri brethren.

    Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir warns these anti-Kashmir elements to stop the bloodshed of innocent freedom loving Kashmiris and reign the men in uniform from showering bullets every now and then otherwise the bloodshed will lead to a situation which cannot be controlled even by their masters sitting in New Delhi.

    Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir considers the arresting of its leaders Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mushtaq-ul-Islam and Mohammad Yousuf Naqash and other hundreds of pro-freedom leaders and activists as a sign of dictatorship and strongly condemns it.

    Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir clarifies that the freedom loving people have chosen the path of resistance for themselves and the same path will lead to the goal of freedom. (KNS)

  • Omar ‘most incompetent and inefficient’ CM in JK’s history: Sajjad

    ‘In race to beat to Jagmohan’s human rights abuses record’

    Srinagar: Strongly condemning the killing of youth at Nawakadal Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir people’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone today said Omar Abdullah has proven to be the ‘most inefficient and incompetent’ chief minister of the state in the history of Kashmir.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, Lone has said the unabated killing of teenagers is worrying and demands immediate remedial measures. “Mere tokenism of condemnation and ordering of probes is not going to put an end to such acts of violence,” Lone said. He said it is not for the first time that such grave human rights violations are being witnessed in the state. “The men in uniform involved in the grisly killing should be put behind the bars and dealt sternly, “Lone said. Lone said Omar Abdullah and his government have once again failed to ensure the safety of its citizens. “ He and his colleagues are in the race to beat the record of Jagmohan in the human rights violations, “Lone said,“Since he overtook the charge of chief minister in 2008, Omar Abdullah is credited with many human rights violations. The highlights of his achievements are the Shopain rape in 2009, more than hundred killings in 2010, and more recently the murder of youth at Naidkhah and now at NawaKadal and many more such acts. (KNS)

     

  • Soz condemns Nawakadal killing, welcomes judicial enquiry  

    Srinagar: Prof. Saifuddin Soz President Pradesh Congress Committee has strongly condemned the killing of a young boy Bashir Ahmad Bhat, who was killed in the firing by the CRPF at Nawakadal-Srinagar last evening after the polls were over.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, Soz while welcoming the Judicial Enquiry ordered by the state Government, asked the Police Administration of the State to take up the matter straight with the CRPF top brass as to why the CRPF Personnel could not have used teargas shell instead of straight firing on the youth.

    “The eye witness have confirmed the fact that it was, by and large, an unprovoked firing. That this deplorable incident happened after the peaceful day of polling in the City, is extremely unfortunate. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,” the statement issued by Soz to KNS said. (KNS)

     

     

  • Killing youth for poll boycott is barbaric: DAK

    ‘Time for civil disobedience’

    Srinagar: President Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) Dr Nisar ul Hassan has said that killing of a youth in downtown Srinagar is a vendetta against people of Srinagar as they rejected farce elections by boycotting polls. In a statement issued to KNS Dr Hassan said “This is the worst example of brutality and barbarism. People in Kashmir by staying away from polls have once again dismissed New Delhi’s illegal occupation. Security forces  have been given a license to kill and are on a mission of killing spree especially youth in order to sustain their illegal occupation. They are continuing bloodbath in Kashmir to suppress the sentiment. India is carrying out genocide of Kashmiris under well planned policy to continue their illegal control.”

    He said: “Kashmiris have to realize that nobody is safe in Kashmir as these serial killings are state backed. Kashmiris have no other option than to continue their protests against oppression. We have to make sacrifices in order to achieve our goal. We should have a craving for martyrdom to defeat our enemy.”

    The DAK president said: “It is time for civil disobedience as it is the most important tool of freedom struggle. The biggest tribute to the martyred youth  from employees would be to boycott  poll duties which is their obligation towards civil resistance. People should stop paying tax to the oppressors to initiate civil resistance. People instead should contribute to the institution of freedom on regular basis so that victim families are taken care of. The mission of freedom will be accomplished only if freedom movement is institutionalized and civil resistance is started.” (KNS)