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Afzal’s hanging, corruption to dominate Assembly session
Govt mulls change in norms to appoint ombudsman
Omar assures all help to artisans for their welfare
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Kashmir’s first music doctorate quits music after ‘spiritual
transformation’
Young sports stars are faces of hope for strife-torn
state
HC quashes termination of constable
Youth Cong demands ST status for Koli community
PDP to oppose passage of police Bill
Sarpanch shot dead in Baramulla
MP Ratanpuri writes to PM, seeks return of Afzal’s body
Centre’s decision on Afzal’s body soon: Minister
BJP to rethink on LC election boycott
Omar reviews expansion plan at Hazratbal shrine
Guv greets people on Guru Ravi Dass Jayanti
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Afzal’s hanging, corruption to dominate Assembly session
Srinagar/Jammu, February 24 As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Independent legislator have announced to vociferously take up the issue of Afzal Guru’s hanging, the BJP, the Panthers Party and the CPM have decided to take the government to task on “rampant corruption, bad administration and misgovernance”. “Guru’s (hanging) and its aftermath is the dominant issue while misgovernance, corruption and unemployment are the other issues,” PDP spokesman Naeem Akhtar said about the party’s agenda during the winter session of the Assembly. The spokesman said PDP’s legislature party will meet on February 27 to chart out the exact course of action. Independent legislator Shiekh Abdul Rasheed, also known as Engineer Rasheed, said he would raise the issue of Guru’s hanging in the Assembly. The legislator, who in the past had submitted a resolution seeking amnesty for Guru, said he had submitted four resolutions before the Assembly. “When I enter the Assembly on 28th (February), I want to see the faces of (Chief Minister) Omar Abdullah and (PDP president) Mehbooba Mufti, how sad and happy they are,” Rasheed said. The resolutions include the demand for return of Guru’s body as well as that of Mohammad Maqbool Butt, who was hanged in Tihar jail in 1984 and is buried there. Other two demands include the demand for “Naga-type ceasefire” with Kashmiri militants and a resolution against capital punishment,” he said. “Our Assembly should give the message that we are against capital punishment. At least a discourse will begin around it,” the legislator said. A senior member of the ruling National Conference, however, said the party would concentrate on issues of governance and on how to speed up such efforts. Mustafa Kamal, the legislator of the ruling party, said the party would raise issues of employment, power crisis, agriculture, horticulture, handicraft, tourism, education, health and peace and stability in the region. “Power crisis in the state will also be an issue. The crisis will not be as severe in sometime but the government will have to clarify how quickly the issue can be solved. And the related issues like those related to NHPC will also come up,” Kamal, who is an MLA from Hazratbal constituency, said. Kamal, however, acknowledged that political issues, including Afzal Guru will be raised by others in the session. “Political issues will also come up which also includes that of Afzal Guru. May be we will not raise the issue but someone will,” he said. Panthers Party MLA Harsh Dev Singh said rampant corruption and failure of the government on all fronts will be important issues to be raised by the opposition. “The present government is deeply involved in corruption and we will try to expose the government,” he said. Echoing similar views, MY Tarigami, CPM MLA, said corruption was a big issue. “Misgovernance, lack of accountability and bad-administration are some of the issues likely to storm the Assembly,” he said. He alleged that corruption had crossed all limits. He quoted reports of some Central government agencies which have pointed out misuse of funds of various centrally sponsored schemes. “Funds meant for the centrally-sponsored poverty alleviation schemes have been diverted for other purposes,” he said. State BJP president Jugal Kishore Sharma said his party would not hesitate to join other opposition groups to expose the present regime on corruption, mis-governance and administrative failure. “It is a result of mis-governance that a majority of the population in the state is facing shortage of ration,” he pointed out. He said his party would strongly take up the issue. He said the BJP would oppose new recruitment policy of the government. — MY Tarigami, CPM MLA
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Govt mulls change in norms to appoint ombudsman
Srinagar, February 24 The office of the ombudsman in each district of the state, which was to be established by the end of October 2012, has been authorised by the Centre to receive complaints from those working under the MGNREGA programmes on any matter relating to its implementation and facilitate their disposal in accordance with the law. “We are seriously looking into the criteria to appoint ombudsman once again in each district of the state. An ombudsman has to have a legal background as he has to issue summons, call for the records. And only a person with a legal background can become one,” said a senior official of the J&K Rural Development Department. “We think that the one who is appointed as ombudsman should at least be a retired Chief Judicial Magistrate or above.” The official said a proposal to make these changes in the criteria to appoint the ombudsman will be submitted to the government soon. As the state has no ombudsman, the task to redress grievances in the job guarantee scheme is difficult. Directions to set up the office of the ombudsman by the Union Ministry of Rural Development were issued in September 2009 asking the states to implement directions in this regard. As per the norm, the ombudsman has to be appointed for two years, which can be extended by a year. Minister for Rural Development and
Panchayats, Ali Mohammad Sagar said the process to appoint ombudsman in each district had been set in motion. “Appointing ombudsman is a necessity as we will be able to get additional grants under the MGNREGA later,” Sagar said. Certain changes to appoint the ombudsman are being looked into.
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Omar assures all help to artisans for their welfare
Srinagar, February 24 The Chief Minister said his government had initiated innovative measures for the development and growth of this living heritage and the people associated with it. Addressing a function organised by the Directorate of Handicrafts, Kashmir, to distribute modern carpet looms and Artisan Credit Cards to beneficiaries at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre here, the Chief Minister said financial handholding and extension of support by way of providing tool kits to artisans was a part of the comprehensive strategy formulated for the holistic welfare and growth of handicrafts, handlooms and artisans. “Some unscrupulous traders have damaged the reputation of Kashmiri handicrafts by manufacturing and marketing spurious items. I have asked the officials concerned to keep a vigil on such activities and ensure reputation of the trade as has been its hallmark in the past,” he said and told artisans to play their role in stopping such elements to defame the trade. “Your workmanship is par excellence, unparalleled and of highest class in the world. You have magic in your hands and your art pieces are mesmerising,” he told artisans, assuring them all help from the government for their welfare and development. The Chief Minister underlined the need to develop new designs and conserve the ancient and heritage designs to strengthen the marketability of the arts and crafts of the state. He said Handicrafts Development Institute was working on the aspect and had created some innovative designs, suiting the market trends. Omar said under an innovative measure, various handicrafts and artisans in Shehr-e-Khas (old city area of Srinagar) had been brought under the handicrafts cluster development project which also aimed at creating direct market liaison of artisans with buyers. The Chief Minister said the registration of artisans and providing them Artisan Credit Cards on the pattern of Kisan Credit Cards would ensure an easy flow of finance for them to strengthen their units and upgrade economy. Omar presented Artisans Credit Cards and released a book titled “Haroof-e-Hunar Qadam-b-Qadam”
on the occasion.
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Kashmir’s first music doctorate quits music after ‘spiritual
transformation’
Asim was once a rising star in Kashmir’s music industry with the release of six music albums, in which he had sung and composed music till 2010. His songs “Loola
baryo”, “Brahm dith saaqi” and “Trovthas be kyazi sare-rah” became instant hits. “I will not continue with music, I have left it,” Asim said. Talking about his transformation from a musician to a ‘thinker’, he says music has been part of a rigorous discourse in Kashmir over recent days when an all-girls rock band quit following a fatwa by region’s Grand Mufti who termed the music as
“haraam”. The debate, which continued to grab headlines for over a week, ended when 2001 Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru was hanged on February 9 shifting the line of discourse. “Music been declared ‘haraam’ because a person cannot resist it. There are 90 per cent chances that music can take you to the devil and only ten per cent, which is in its purest form, can be the way to meet God,” he says citing examples of
Azaan, call for prayers and recitation of Quran. Asim claims to have solved all unresolved questions of life, death and ‘nature’ by trying to understand the mechanism and ‘chemistry’ of music. The 32-year-old former medicine student claims he has a scientific reasoning for all his conclusions. His reasons also have basis in Kashmiri Sufism, a local form of Islamic
mysticism. Asim, a resident of north Kashmir’s volatile Sopore town, opted out of studying medicine before becoming a professional musician. He did his graduation and post graduation in music and completed his doctoral thesis titled ‘Secrets of Music’. During his talk, Asim traverses on the timeline of centuries and ideas as varied as the process of life and death to many unexplained cosmic occurrences to Mughal emperor Akbar’s court musician
Tansen. He uses religious scriptures and references as basis for many of his conclusions. “Time will come when science will reach the point where they will understand what I am saying,” he says. "I have answers for how the music works, what is, its mechanism and chemistry which is beyond what science has understood so far.” Before his ‘spiritual transformation’, Asim was working on a film ‘Sukoon’ which was completed in 2010 and is yet to be released. “I will release at an appropriate time,” he said.
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Young sports stars are faces of hope for strife-torn
state
Jammu, February 24 “A disturbed state, which does not have any sports policy, keeps producing sportspersons of mettle for the country. Whatever they have achieved today is because of their hard work and killer instinct. They started from a scratch,” said Sanjeev Sharma, renowned sports analyst. He said in 2001 speedster Surinder Singh Bagal from Jammu had represented the Board President’s XI against Australia in cricket. “Though he made it to the India ‘A’ team against England in November last year, 12 years on today all-rounder Parvez Rasool from Kashmir hogs the limelight for his scintillating performance against Australia,” Sharma
said. Mehraj-ud-Din Wadoo, with the dint of his hard work and determination made it to Indian soccer team, he
added. Wadoo scored the winning goal against Bangladesh in the SAFF Cup finals at Karachi in 2005 and was a member of the Indian squad that won the Nehru Cup in 2007, the AFC Challenge Cup 2008 and the Nehru Cup in 2009. Fencer Ujjwal Gupta, 23, from the winter capital has also developed the habit of biting the gold every time he picks up his saber. “I won four gold medals for India at the 2nd South Asian Fencing Championship in 2012 and in the team event. Besides, winning two gold medals in South Asian Championship at Chennai in 2010,” Ujjwal
said. Ujjwal had also represented India at the Cadet Asian Fencing Championship in Kuwait in 2006, Senior Wold Fencing Championship at St Petersburg in Russia in 2007. He feels the state needs to match other states in terms of infrastructure and encouragement to sportspersons. Another sports star Arun
Malhotra, a soccer player from Jammu, who plays for the ONGC and is based in
Dehradun, also had his rendezvous with success from 2002 to 2006 when he represented Indian soccer team in various tourneys. “Take any sports, there is no dearth of talent in the state but the state government till date has not provided sufficient football fields,” Malhotra said. “I nurture the dream of opening a soccer academy to hone budding footballers,” he
said. Malhotra trains young footballers during his vacations here.
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HC quashes termination of constable
Jammu, February 24 He was answering the important proposition of law as to whether the alleged FIR in which the petitioner stood already acquitted prior to his appointment could be made the basis for his dismissal five years after his appointment. Petitioner Amit Singh was appointed and posted in 128th Battalion of the
CRPF. It is contended that the petitioner performed his duties for almost five years with dedication and devotion. His services came to be terminated because of the fact that he was allegedly involved in a criminal case registered prior to his appointment. The reason for terminating his services is the receipt of an verification report, which revealed the petitioner’s involvement in an FIR at the Bishnah police station under Sections 341, 323 and 147 of the
RPC. The counsel for the petitioner appended a certified copy of the order passed by the Judicial Magistrate,
Bishnah, whereby he stood acquitted in the FIR. The HC while allowing the writ petition observed that, “If a constable is involved in any criminal offence, he cannot possibly be held to be suitable for appointment to the post till he is acquitted of the charges levelled against him.” “The authorities should condone the minor indiscretions made by young people rather than brand them as criminals for the rest of their lives. The young people often commit indiscretions and the approach of the state should be to condone such indiscretions. The modern approach should be to reform a person. After all, youth will be youth. They are not expected to behave as mature as older people. Since the petitioner stands acquitted, his order of discharge or termination is quashed,” the court held. |
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Youth Cong demands ST status for Koli community
Jammu, February 24 He appealed to the Union Government and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene in the matter and solve the long-pending demand of the community. He alleged that despite being included in the ST category, Gaddis and Sippis were totally ignored by the previous regimes and were facing a discriminatory and step-motherly treatment. “These tribes are having a low literacy rate and negligible representation in government jobs and other important assignments,” he said.
Pathania said, “It is very unfortunate that there is no separate advisory board for the development and uplift of the Gaddi and Sippi tribes whose population is about 2.5 lakh.” He demanded restart of
pre-matric scholarships under the ST category for the Gaddi and Sippi tribes, establishment of hostels for students at Jammu,
Srinagar, Udhampur, Ram Nagar, Gandhi Top, Dudu, Chenani, Doda, Ramban,
Bhaderwah, Bani and Kathua and one per cent seat reservation in all professional colleges of the state for them. He also supported the demand of the community for enlisting the Gaddi language in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of the state. |
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PDP to oppose passage of police Bill
Srinagar, February 24 In a statement issued here today, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the police in the state definitely needed drastic reforms, but many provisions of the Bill were undemocratic and anti-people and would take the state back to the medieval times when khaki uniform struck terror in the hearts of people. “J&K has the dubious distinction of having been reduced to a police state outside the democratic system of the country but the proposed Bill would actually covert it into a lawless state. If this Bill is allowed to pass in its present form, we will have an Ikhwani state in which the thanedar and not the democratic institutions or the elected representatives will set rules for society,” she said. “On the one hand, the government is making noises on scrapping the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and on the other, it is proposing to
provide similar immunity and unbridled powers to its police and taking them out of all civilian control and guidance.” Mehbooba said the proposal to create special security zones and legalisation of the village defence committees, which could be administered according to the discretion of the police through special police officers, was dangerous for any society but for a conflict-ridden area it could be a sure prescription for continuing the disturbed conditions and denial of basic rights. She said the backdrop of Afzal Guru’s hanging should have led the government to introspect on the effects of having an unjust system which alienated a generation of youth and forced them to take up arms.
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Sarpanch shot dead in Baramulla
Srinagar, February 24 Sarpanch Javid Ahmed Wani was shot at by militants in his courtyard at 7:25 pm in his native village of Kulantara Payeen Kreeri in Baramulla district. “Wani was rushed to the Sub-district Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. Wani had received two bullets in his abdomen,” the police said. Soon after the attack, senior police officers rushed to the spot. No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. On September 23, last year, deputy sarpanch Mohammad Shafi Teli, 38, who was also a member of the NC was shot dead in a neighbouring locality of Nowpora, only 10 km from Kulantara Payeen village. Wani is the second panchayat member who has been shot dead this year. On January 11, sarpanch Habibullah Mir of Gooripora village in Sopore was shot dead when he was on way to a construction site in the village. A day after the killing
of Mir, militants shot at a woman panch, Zoona, in Hardshiva village of Sopore. The police suspect Hizbul Mujahideen behind the two attacks on panchayat members in Sopore. Nearly 100 panchayat members from various villages of Sopore had resigned through newspaper advertisements. |
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MP Ratanpuri writes to PM, seeks return of Afzal’s body
Srinagar, February 24 “If the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has no problem in receiving Afzal’s body and has recommended his burial according to the wishes of his family, why should the Central government deny them this generosity. A last glance at the dead body of their dear one and burial at the native place may act as a small gesture and a healing touch to the family and may also assuage the feelings of the agitating public at large,” Ratanpuri wrote in the letter which was handed over to the Prime Minister in Parliament three days ago. Ratanpuri, who is a member of the National Conference, said handing over Afzal’s body would “arrest the alienation of Kashmiris”. “If we want to arrest the alienation of Kashmiris, if we desire peace in J&K, if we believe that Kashmir is a part of democratic India and life in Kashmir is as precious as in New Delhi, you may kindly facilitate transfer of Afzal’s body to his native place at the earliest,” the Rajya Sabha member said in his letter. Talking to The Tribune from Delhi, Ratanpuri said he also staged a protest inside Parliament. “I felt it was important to take up the issue in Parliament. We in Jammu and Kashmir perceive it (Afzal’s hanging) as another instance of differential, callous and insensitive attitude,” he said. National Conference chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said, “If any such request has to be made, it will be written by the party president or the general secretary.”
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Centre’s decision on Afzal’s body soon: Minister
Srinagar, February 24 The state government, on February 13, had forwarded the request of Afzal’s widow Tabassum and other family members to the Secretary of the Union
Ministry of Home Affairs for returning Afzal’s body to them to enable them to perform the religious rites. “We had forwarded the request of the family a day after we received the request from them. The Chief Minister also took up the issue with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister during his recent visit to New Delhi. The Union government is now likely to take a final decision on the issue within a week,” said state Home Minister Sajjad Kichloo. The clamour for returning Afzal’s body is growing in the Kashmir valley. Both separatists and many mainstream politicians are demanding the return of his body. Sources said while a section of the UPA-led government in New Delhi was against the return of Afzal’s body in view of its possible fallout in Kashmir, some thought otherwise. “That is why the Union Government has not said no to the family’s request. Discussions over the issue are going on and the Centre is yet to take a final call on the request,” said a senior Congress leader.
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BJP to rethink on LC election boycott
Jammu, February 24 As Dodha was projecting himself as a candidate belonging to the Kashmiri Pandit community, a group within the BJP has asked the state leadership to rethink its earlier decision to boycott the elections to be held on March 7. Keeping in view the prevailing situation in the Legislative Assembly, the 11-member BJP group (including seven MLAs expelled from the party) holds the key as their support is crucial to ensure victory of the fourth candidate from the quota of four seats for the Upper House from the Valley. “In view of the new developments, we will re-devise our strategy,” BJP state general secretary (organisation) Ashok Koul said. Koul added that the party would take a decision at appropriate time. Chaman Lal Gupta, who is heading the group of seven MLAs expelled from the BJP, said he would also convene a meeting to take the final decision. He said the decision of the BJP to boycott the Legislative Council elections was not binding on them. “Let us wait for an appropriate time,” he said. BJP sources said a meeting of the core group of the party was held on Thursday to discuss the issue and a senior leader of the party had opposed rethinking of the earlier decision to boycott the elections. “The leader said casting the vote in favour of the candidate supported by the PDP will give a wrong message,” sources said. A general secretary of the party pointed out that the party should support Dodha, because he belongs to the minority Kashmiri Pandit community. Sources said the general secretary also argued that instead of indirectly supporting the coalition candidate by boycotting the elections, the party should support Kashmiri Pandit candidate because the community was a traditional vote bank of the BJP. State BJP leaders said a group of Kashmiri Pandits have already held a meeting with the BJP national leaders to seek support for Dodha. “A senior national leader of the BJP has assured that the issue would be discussed in the national executive committee meeting on March 1, 2 and 3 and a final decision in this regard will be taken after consulting local leaders,” sources said.
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Omar reviews expansion plan at Hazratbal shrine
Srinagar, February 24 “Omar, who is also the chairman of the Waqf Board, directed for early formulation of the expansion plan so that it could be discussed in the next Waqf Board meeting,” an official spokesman said. “In order to facilitate the devotees and make the surroundings of the shrine more beautiful, a well-planned expansion programme is the need of the hour,” Omar said and told Waqf Board officials to take early action in
this regard. The Chief Minister also paid obeisance at the shrine and prayed for peace and development of the state.
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Guv greets people on Guru Ravi Dass Jayanti
Jammu, February 24 He said Guru Ji’s teachings of peace, harmony, love and compassion have influenced millions of people and continue to inspire the coming generations to work for a harmonious society, based on equality and social justice. He prayed for peace, progress and prosperity in the state.
— TNS
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Srinagar, February 24