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In an interview published on The Hindu website, the Chattisgarh CM drew a connection between Rajasthan political events with Omar’s release

National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s comments in an interview published on The Hindu website drawing a connection between the political events in Rajasthan with his release from detention as “downright malicious and false”.

Speaking on former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot’s rebellion, Mr. Baghel told The Hindu, “And as far as Sachin Pilot is concerned, not that I have been tracking the Rajasthan events so closely, but it does make one curious why Omar Abdullah was released? He and Mehbooba Mufti ji were booked under the same sections of the law, while she is still languishing, he is out. Is it because Mr. Abdullah is brother-in-law of Sachin Pilot?”

The National Conference has issued a statement on the subject, and Mr. Abdullah said in a tweet, “I am fed up of the downright malicious and false allegation that what Sachin Pilot is doing is somehow linked to my or my father’s release from detention earlier this year. Enough is enough. Mr @bhupeshbaghel will be hearing from my lawyers.”

Mr. Pilot is married to Mr. Abdullah’s sister Sarah Pilot.

The National Conference said in its statement that Mr. Baghel’s comment, apart from being false and scurrilous, was defamatory to the reputation of Mr. Abdullah. “It is within the province of public knowledge that the release of Mr. Omar Abdullah happened after judicial intervention was sought from the Supreme Court and illegal order of detention of Mr. Abdullah was challenged,” it said.

Mr. Abdullah’s ‘illegal’ detention order was revoked by the government during the course of the proceedings before the Supreme Court, it stated.

The two sparred over Twitter following Mr. Abdullah’s threat to take legal action. “Please do not try to turn this tragic demise of democracy into an opportune moment @OmarAbdullah ji. The ‘allegation’ was only a question asked, and we will keep asking it, as will the country,” Mr. Baghel said.

In a counter to this, Mr. Abdullah said the Congress did not know friends from foe. “You can send your answer to my lawyers. This is what is wrong with the @INCIndia today, you don’t know your friends from your opponents. This is why you people are in the mess you are in. Your “question” was malicious & will not go uncontested,” he said.

With inputs from The Hindu

Srinagar: The deadly Coronavirus on Monday claimed ten more lives in Kashmir division of the J&K UT, taking the total number of people who died of the pandemic to 256. All ten deaths were reported from Kashmir.

Officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that six patients who died include a 65-year-old woman from Pulwama, a 45-year-old man from Nehama Pulwama, a 65-year-old man from Patosa Rafiabad Baramulla, a 69 year old man from Tankipora Srinagar, a 72 year old male from Zonimar Srinagar, a 67-year old male from Zakoora Srinagar, a male patient from from Habbakadal Srinagar, 73 year old man from Kupwara, a woman from Shadipora Kupwara and a man from Anantnag.

An official from SMHS told KNO that a 65-year-old woman from Pulwama who was admitted on 10 July and was suffering from bilateral Pneumonia, died at SMHS last night.

He said that a 60-year old male from Tankipora Srinagar who was admitted on 14 July with community acquired pneumonia died at SMHS on Monday.

He further added that a 72 year old man from Zonimar Srinagar, who was admitted on 19 July died at SMHS on Monday and was tested positive after his death.

He said that a patient from Zakoora who was admitted on 16 July and was suffering from Puneumonia and other ailments died on Monday afternoon

A male patient from Habbakadal who was admitted on 14 July died at SMHS on Monday evening, he said adding that patient was suffering from hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and bilateral pneumonia.

An official from SKIMS Soura said that a 45-year-old man from Nehama Pulwama, who was admitted on 12 July, died at SKIMS on Monday. He said that a 65-year-old man from Rafiabad Baramulla, who was admitted on 17 July also died on Monday morning.  Both the patients were suffering from Pneumonia and other ailments, he said.

An Official from Kupwara told KNO that a 73-year-old man from Nagri Malipora Kupwara who died on Friday was tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

He said that another male patient who was tested positive and was undergoing treatment at JVC died on Monday. An official from Anantnag said that a man from Anantnag who was undergoing treatment at SKIMS died at SKIMS on Monday evening

With ten more fresh deaths, the death toll due to deadly Coronavirus has mounted to 256 in J&K including 236 from Kashmir division and 20 from Jammu division—(KNO)

SRINAGAR: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan has expressed grief over the sad demise of mother of Farooq Khan, the Advisor to Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.

In his condolence message, Advisor Baseer Khan prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul as well as fortitude and strength for the bereaved family.

Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has announced that Friday, July 31, will be the first day of Eid Al Adha.

The court said that tomorrow (Tuesday) is the 30th of Dhu Al Qaeda, and Wednesday, July 22, will mark the first of Dhu Al Hijja. Since the first day of Eid Al Adha always falls on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijja and one day after Arafat Day, Friday, July 31, will mark the first day of Eid Al Adha.

The announcement follows a confirmation by the moonsighting committees formed to determine the beginning of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar.

The announcement follows a confirmation by the moonsighting committees formed to determine the beginning of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar.

The committees confirmed that the crescent of Dhu Al Hijja was not visible today (Monday) and will be clearly visible after the sunset of tomorrow (Tuesday). This means that Wednesday, July 22, will be the first of Dhu Al Hijja that marks the start of this year’s Hajj season, which will be limited to only 10,000 pilgrims from within the Kingdom due to the coronavirus pandemic.

– Agencies

‘Administration should announce measures put in place for testing, quarantining Amarnath Yatris’

Srinagar: Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam expressed his serious concern over the “silent arrival” of at least 10,000 non-local labourers in Kashmir and asked the government to come clear where these people are tested for COVID-19 and quarantined for the same.

He also asked the government to come clean about the testing and quarantine facilities set up for the Amarnath Pilgrims, who are set to arrive in Kashmir today as annual pilgrimage commences tomorrow.

“This is quite strange that at least 10,000 non-local work force has arrived silently in Kashmir in times of pandemic crisis. They are arriving at a time when COVID-19 is at its peak and cases are showing a huge spike. When Srinagar is under tight lockdown so are other district headquarters, what was the need to bring in outside workforce that too in a huge number when pandemic is at its peak,” Grand Mufti told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Government must clarify where these non-locals are tested for Covid and if anyone is positive where they are quarantined, Mufti Nasir asked. “Majority of these non-local laborers mingle with the common people of Kashmir and they can pose a huge risk not just for themselves, for the entire Kashmiri population as they spread to various parts of the Valley,” he said.

The Grand Mufti also asked the government to name the places where Amarnath Yatris would be quarantined and tested for Covid-19. “Now that the government has decided to go ahead with the pilgrimage, there seems to be no testing facility for the pilgrims and also the quarantine centres for them,” he told KNO

“The Yatris too spread in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and also to Anantnag district of South Kashmir. Besides, they stay in Srinagar also. Government hasn’t so far stated anything about the facilities put in place for testing the Yatris and quarantining them.”—(KNO)

1206 cases recorded in last 7 days

Srinagar: The re- imposition of restrictions in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir has failed to curb dreadful surge of COVID-19 cases, raising questions about the strategy adopted by the authorities in the district.

Shockingly, the COVID- 19 cases which were supposed to decrease post the imposition of fresh lockdown on July 13 have worryingly gone up. As per the details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), 456 persons tested positive for the virus in the week before the lockdown. After imposition of the lockdown, 1206 cases have been witnessed in the district in the past seven days.

With 1206 fresh cases, Srinagar continues to remain on the top of the Coronavirus cases list among all the districts of the Union Territory.

On Monday, when the lockdown was re-imposed, a total of 101 cases were reported from Srinagar district. However, the cases started witnessing a surge from Tuesday as 127 persons were tested positive. On Wednesday, the cases witnessed further spike as 153 tested positive while on Thursday, a total of 259 persons tested positive in the district.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the district recorded 152, 124 and 290 cases respectively, thus taking the total number of cases in the week to 1,206.

Meanwhile, a prominent flu expert, Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan told KNO that “lockdown doesn’t mean that we have absolute guarantee that the virus will not move”. “It still moves and people still have to follow the guidelines amid the lockdown,” he said.

He said that the lockdown period should be utilized to create awareness so that things can change on the ground. “The virus is going to stay and the next two-three months are crucial. We should not allow it to spread further by adhering to the guidelines ,” he added—(KNO)

Srinagar: At a time when COVID testing laboratories are already overburdened with the testing of samples after Kashmir witnessed a steep spike in COVID positive cases, Government has allowed entry of thousands of Brick Kilin workers from outside.

According to the official figures, it is estimated that since July 14 with 60 to 70 buses carrying around 2,500 workers to the valley each day.

According to the reports, the labourers brought in hoards from outside are being accommodated by the brick kiln owners in shacks near the brick kilns against the Government set guidelines which say that all the passengers coming to J&K by train, air or road are supposed to remain under institutional quarantine for 14 days after being tested for coronavirus.

A health expert, who is dealing with COVID 19 crises, said that if 60,000 labourers who work in 350 brick kilns in Kashmir arrive here and go for testing and quarantine as per the protocol it would water down all our efforts in containing the spread of COVID 19 here.

“Almost everyone in administration is puzzled by the decision of Government to allow entry to these workers here. Everyday testing laboratories report positive cases in hundreds. Now in this scenario how can resource-starved place in terms of machinery and manpower grapple testing of these workers and among them positive cases in hospitals,” he told KNS.

Meanwhile a video has gone viral on social media in which these brick kiln labourers entering Kashmir via road categorically denies going through any testing. It has raised serious concerns among netizens over the protocol being followed by the Government in allowing these workers in Kashmir.

President Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Ashiq asked the government to come clean over the issue.

“Why Government is maintaining silence over the issue. We urge come clean on this subject and not allow a single person in Kashmir without being tested. Every person whosoever enters Kashmir should be dealt with as per set protocol,” he said.

Ashiq also demanded augmentation of health infrastructures like ventilators and emergency beds and testing facilities.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole has yet to respond to the questions from KNS. The story will be updated when KNS receives a reply.(KNS)