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Govt not keen on forming commission
KPs brought along spicy recipes
Physically challenged, but with big dreams
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Terror victim’s son struggling to get justice
‘Installation of statues JMC’s biggest achievement’
A music legend passes away
Ban on prepaid connections boon for painters
Jammu diary
Stress on inclusive approach to help special kids
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Govt not keen on forming commission
Jammu, November 17 The government has neither come clean on the issue nor has it bothered to constitute a truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) to look into it. Surprisingly, a majority of disappearances in the past 20 years of insurgency have been reported from the Jammu region, especially from militancy infested districts of Doda, Poonch and Rajouri.
While the government has no accurate figures, the APDP claims that a whopping 8,000 persons have gone missing so far. “We believe that in the past two decades of militancy, more than 8,000 persons have gone missing,” APDP coordinator Parvez Khurram told The Tribune. Whether picked up by security forces, police or militants, ultimately it is the responsibility of the government to help families living in mental agony, he said. He also contested the figures being produced by the successive governments from time to time. In 2005, the then Law Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig had put the figure at 3,931 and this year, the government has so far put it at 3,429, out of which 2,367 persons belong to Jammu and 1,062 Kashmir valley, Khurram claimed. He said to soothe the frayed nerves of such families, desperately hoping for the return of their kiths, the government should thoroughly probe the cases of disappearances, including enforced disappearances, which was possible only through a commission. In May 2003, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had taken a strong exception on missing persons in the restive state.
Former Law Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig feels that a commission should be constituted to go into the details. “If the government comes up with a commission, we would be able to know how many among the missing persons crossed over to Pakistan or PoK and hence, would be in a much better position to calculate the figures of missing as well as dead,” Beig told The Tribune. The PDP leader feels that the union government should also support the APDP demand of setting up a commission. Law Minister Ali Mohammed Sagar said, “Different agencies have been projecting different figures excluding those who either crossed over to Pakistan or are in jails, but certainly, it’s a human problem and the government is gravely concerned about it”. “However, the government has not yet decided to set up a commission,” he added.
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Politician speak
A portion of APDP’s collection of contradictory statements made by the successive regimes from time to time in the media:
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KPs brought along spicy recipes
Jammu, November 17 These dishes mixed the Jammuites in its own colour by introducing new choices in the market for them to eat. It is hard to dissuade yourself from eating delicious Kashmiri food like "rogan josh, kalya, ristta, yakhni, kabab, damaloo, rajma, saag and nadru yakhni". These delicious dishes are available in all famous hotels and restaurants of here. However, some Kahmiri Panidts have also opened their own restaurants and hotels where these particular dishes are available. "We have not forgotten our traditional dishes even after migration. Earlier migration affected the menu of our marriages as only vegetarian dishes were prepared but now non-vegetarian menu has also come back", said Kishani Pandita, a resident of Bohri. Santosh Bhat, a resident of Purkhoo Camp, said, "The tasty and spicy Kashmiri dishes had its influence over the people of Jammu as they also prepare majority of Kashmiri dishes during their marriages and other functions." Be it a non-vegetarian or vegetarian menu, preparation of green leafy vegetable called "kadam ka saag" is a must to be served in Kashmiri families. Prior to their exodus in 1990, they were so nostalgic about it that they used to specially get it from the valley once in a year. Now it is being cultivated in Jammu and in rest of the country. It is consumed by local population also as one among their regular dishes. However, the case with other displaced communities is not the same. They are missing their traditional dishes. The PoK refugees of Mirpur are missing their traditional dishes. Rajiv Chuni, state president of SOS international organisation of PoK refugees, said, "Earlier during marriage parities we used to prepare "kyur" because we used to have more sweet dishes in marriage celebrations. One person could eat 10 to 15 Kyur (Mithi Rotti) but now it is neither available in the marriages nor is it being prepare in any house of Mirpur refugee because they do not know the method to prepare it." They are also missing "guchi-chawal" (rice with dryfruit called guchi). "Though Guchi is available in the market but it is not affordable for a common Mirpuri family to purchase. 1 kg of Guchi is being sold at Rs. 40,000 to 50,000 and we can not purchase it. In Mirpur it was cultivated by every household and was cooked with rice daily", said Rajiv Chuni, He added, "Migration snatched away everything from us our home, business, traditional food, culture and language also." The Kashmiri Muslims who have either migrated from the valley also own hotels and restaurants here. There delicious Kashmiri "wazwan" is being served to the customers. This "wazwan" includes around 30 non-vegetarian dishes. A majority of the dishes prepared in wazwan are as similar to the dishes prepared by the Kashmiri Pandits. The famous items which are being served in the Wazwan are "rista, seekh kababs, tabak maz, roganjosh, yakhni, gushtaba, meethi maz, and kurma". These delicious and mouth-watering dishes are available in all famous Muslim hotels and restaurants here.
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Physically challenged, but with big dreams
Jammu, November 17
The physical handicap hardly dampens their zeal for life. After prosthesis, artificial limbs, callipers, crutches and knee guards etc seldom let them feel incomplete. Like any other child of their age they dream of taking long strides on the path of life. Pooja lost her lower limbs early in childhood. Parents abandoned her in a hospital. But the trust reclaimed her and she has been living at the centre for the past eight years. Looking into her eyes full of confidence one can hardly judge that she is walking on artificial limbs. She can go upstairs and descend with ease. Studying in the seventh standard, she wants to live a dignified life. Her roommate, Bhavana has limb impairment. She has been here for the past three years. Her father, a vendor, admitted her into the home due to limited financial sources. A quick learner, Bhavna is studying in the second standard and has big dreams. Sameena Bano of Bhaderwah has also been sharing the same room for the past nine years. Her parents visit her twice a year but she is happy with the fellow mates and looks forward to improving her life. The home was inaugurated in March, 1976, by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. "We don't let the feeling of disappointment grow in these children. They are differently abled," said president of the trust Joginder Chhatrapal, a retired senior newsreader from AIR with limb impairment. "I took my handicap as a challenge and decided to work for the welfare of people with different abilities," he said, adding that "It's the mentality of the parents generally that they bring them here. They visit them once or twice a year. They come to collect the money when these children get disability allowance from the government." There are as many as 49 inmates in the 5-18 age group. The home admits only special children who want to read. It has an in-home school up to the fifth standard whereas for the upper-class students, the institution has arranged two buses to ferry them. However, after the age of 18, they are sent for some vocational course so that they start earning their livelihood. "The passouts from this institution are rendering their services in government departments like education, health, telecommunication and railway etc," said Chhatarpal. "With the persistent pulse polio immunization drives, poliomyelitis has been eradicated. But the number of hearing impaired is recording an increase. As there is no hostel facility for them, we have started constructing one," he added. The home has two large dormitories each for boys and girls, physiotherapy and OPD consultation room etc. Tutors and doctors visit the institution regularly.
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Terror victim’s son struggling to get justice
Jammu, November 17 In the wee hours of May 11, 2008, two armed militants had stormed into the house of Hoshiar Singh. The encounter that followed killed six people and injured two others, including the daughter of Hoshiar Singh, Bindu Sambyal, and her mother-in-law, Darshana Pathania. The government at that time had assured the family members of the peace activist that it would look after all expenses for the treatment of the injured, but nobody cared for the family. “Officers and ministers, who visited our house, promised us that all benefits, including the treatment expenses of the injured, would be looked after by the government, but nothing was done,” said Lok Sevak, son of Hoshiar Singh. He said since then he had been running from pillar to post to get justice for his sister, who was injured in the attack and had undergone four surgeries, but hadn’t recovered so far. “She is still bedridden. The government promised that Bindu would be given a government job, but nothing had been done for her. Two members of her family were injured in the attack and they are dependent on others. The government has failed to fulfil its promises,” Sevak said. He said as per the then rules of ex-gratia, the family members of the militancy victim were entitled for a cash relief of Rs 1 lakh and a job. Though he was given the money, no government job was given to any of the family members. His mother, too, was a government employee and under the SRO 43, one of the family members would have been suitably accommodated at her place. That too was not done. The government ‘owed’ us three jobs, but so far not a single government job had been given to us, Sevak said. Meanwhile, the Internationalist Democratic Party, whose national general secretary was Hoshiar Singh, has also been demanding a judicial probe into his killing saying that the activist was killed under a deep-rooted conspiracy. The party members earlier this year had sat on a relay hunger strike demanding the enquiry into the killing. The strike was called off only after the intervention of senior officials. “He was made a victim as he had attained popularity in the district. We suspect he was killed because he fought against the drug mafia active in Samba against whom he had raised a voice and tried to educate the youth about the menace of drugs,” said a party functionary. |
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‘Installation of statues JMC’s biggest achievement’
Jammu, November 17 A staunch RSS man, Gupta has revived the fortunes of the BJP in Jammu city. He started his political career from Punjab where his father was serving. He was a class X student when he was sent to the jail at the time of emergency. In 1989, he became state secretary of the Punjab unit of the ABVP. After his father returned to his native place, Kavinder became active in political activities of Jammu and Kashmir. Kavinder became president of the state unit of the BJYM-youth wing of the BJP in 1993 and had remained on this post for three years. As the first five-year term of the JMC is going to be expired by the end of January, 2010, Gupta, who remained on the chair for three years, highlights its achievements. In his conversation with The Tribune, Gupta shares his experiences. Q. Being the first Mayor of the Jammu Municipal Corporation, what were the challenges before you? A. It was a challenging job. Civic body elections were held after a long gap of 20 years. Neither the bureaucracy nor the ruling parties were prepared to decentralise the power. It was more challenging in Jammu as the corporation was constituted for the first time and the powers of the body were not identified. The biggest task before me was to get powers restored to the JMC. Q. Now, the first term of the JMC is going to be completed. Are you satisfied with your performance? A. We made every possible effort to make this prestigious body more vibrant and democratic. Braving all hurdles, we got funds for the development and betterment of Jammu city. Powers have been decentralised and the corporators have been empowered with adequate decision-making powers. Q. What are your notable achievements as Mayor? A. Before the constitution of the JMC, city residents were facing the problem of sanitation. We formulated a comprehensive project to solve this problem. Furthermore, the JMC has taken effective steps to develop parks and gardens in the city to make it more beautiful. Our biggest achievement is the installation of statues of prominent Dogra personalities. A long pending demand of residents was fulfilled after a statue of Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler, was installed. We have also installed statues of Jai Parkash Narayan. Besides, the JMC has also decided to install statues of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and veteran Jan Sangh leader Dr Shyama Parshad Mukherjee. Q. Any future plan for the development of the city? A. We have taken a big project of organic waste management. Before the completion of the present term, this project would be completed.
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A music legend passes away
Ghulam Hassan Sofi, the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi award, 1989, apart from SaMaPa's Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah award for lifetime achievement in 2006, among many others, passed away in SMHS hospital in Srinagar on November 9. Ghulam Hassan Sofi was born on July 8, 1932, in Dalgate, less than a km from the Radio Kashmir, Srinagar. When the family got the first letter in Urdu from Radio Kashmir, Srinagar, in 1948 (around the time when the radio station started to air its services from Srinagar), for recording of his musical composition, it was a unique experience then. Sufi began his career as a singer by recording his musical composition for broadcast on December 17,1948. Among others who guided him in his early days in music was Gil Ded, an elderly woman in their neighbourhood, recalls his younger brother, Ghulam Mohammad Sofi. For over three decades Sofi remained associated with Song and Drama Division, Government of India, and frequented Radio Kashmir, Srinagar, for recording his compositions which made him popular across Kashmir. His deteriorating health over the past five years had rendered him out of the active musical scene, but his compositions continue to provide solace to the music lovers. One of the most popular of these compositions "Afsoos Duniya....", with 14 stanzas had been the "best performance" that was recorded in three days (18-20 April, 1982), recalls younger Sofi. But, unfortunately there is no one in the family to continue with the legacy of Ghulam Hassan Sofi, who had no children. Though the government had extended all help for his treatment while admitted to the local hospital, the family members lament that it had not helped the artist through his life. "He was a great man, who gave new dimension to light music. He started with folk, gave it Sufiyana touch and switched over to light music. He got fame in light music (chhakri), but made his name and fame in ghazal", comments Rafiq Masoodi, Director, Doordarshan Kendra, Srinagar, having known Sofi closely for about three decades. |
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Ban on prepaid connections boon for painters
Jammu, November 17 Similarly, gazetted officers of both state and Central government departments are also in high demand for certifying the identity of those subscribers intending to have new post-paid connections. Following the ban on prepaid connections on account of security reasons, most of the shopkeepers franchising for different telecom agencies are replacing their old signboards to carry the new message that they now deal with post-paid connections. As these agencies functioning are coming out with attractive post-paid connection plans, a number of painters here have accordingly been engaged to design new signboards to attract the subscribers. These signboards are being prominently fixed at different mohallas of the city, rotaries and along the road dividers. The new signboards now read as: “Post-paid connections are available here”. Billu painter of Vikas Nagar Sarwal said during the past seven days, he painted a number of city walls to attract the subscribers who now intended to switch over from prepaid to post-paid connections. This had fetched me a good amount, he said. Santokh Singh of Jewel Chowk said he, too, made a good money by making new glow signboards and advertisement banners, wherein the message of the availability of post-paid connections was conspicuously displayed. Meanwhile, the BSNL, J&K Circle, has already begun the exercise of converting its prepaid connections into post-paid connections. An official of the BSNL said till November 15, the organisation had already circulated eight lakh forms among its distributors. |
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Life moves slowly in border areas
Life moves slowly on routes leading to border villages. While people are seen zipping past on bikes, cars in Jammu or travelling in minibuses that always seem to be racing against time, people travel on tongas (horsecarts) most of the time or ride bicycles in border villages. Roads leading to R S Pura or Abdullian or other border areas always have school children as well as elders riding tongas (See picture). One wonders when the government will fulfil its promise of rural transport to provide much-needed relief to these people. Crowded always
The city railway station is one of the most crowded ones as 25.000 or more persons board or deboard trains here everyday. Other cities suffering such rush have made substations before the main railway station to decrease the rush as well as to provide easy access to residents whose colonies fall on the way. If there were substations near Sainik colony or Channi Himmat, many passengers belonging to these and adjoining areas could have disembarked from the trains, reach home or offices quickly, besides decreasing rush at the railway station. God’s grace
“Time flies” goes the saying and rightly so. Once a lawyer recalled how an influential businessman, currently going through a turbulent phase, had manhandled people for parking their two-wheelers on the congested road leading to the lawyer’s residence. The businessman along with his confidants had visited the lawyer’s residence in a luxurious Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). “They alighted from the SUV, pushed two-wheelers into the drains, kicked and slapped their owners and left the place. None even dared to whisper a word of protest,” recollected the lawyer. However, the businessman is today wanted in connection with a serious case and approached the same lawyer for fighting the case. Really, dhoop and chhaya is all Prabhu Ki Maya. Disputed
tributes
Life and death are in the hands of God and various political parties take no time in sending condolence messages to newspaper offices for publication. On the demise of a senior political figure in the state recently, public relation offices of various political parties became active in sending their condolence messages. Instead of homage paid to “the departed leader”, it was inadvertently written on some press notes that tributes were paid to the “disputed leader”. It seems disputed is a word is etched on everyone’s mind in this state, called by some as a disputed region. (Contributed by
Jupinderjit Singh, Ravi Krishnan Khajuria and Tejinder Singh Sodhi)
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Stress on inclusive approach to help special kids
Srinagar, November 17 Such observations came to light during a programme conducted by the Human Welfare Voluntary Organisation (HWVO) and the Life Help Centre for Child Care (LHCCC), both non-government organisations working for special children, on the Children’s Day. “The programme was conducted so as to make special children feel that they are being cared for and the society respects them,” Feroze Ahmad, president, HWVO. He said the purpose of such activities was to convey a message to society that inclusive approach was needed for sustainable help of such children. “People should realise that there are such children in the society. A mechanism for their care and needs has to be build for their future. People should also identify such kids in the community so that they are given prevocational and vocational training,” said Feroze. He added that the government had a major role to play. Special educators of both organisations felt the need to organise such events frequently “so as to build confidence among such children.” Suraiya Akther, office secretary of the LHCCC, said, “The government needs to take up the issue of physically and mentally challenged seriously and chalk out concrete plans for their welfare. |
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Meanwhile, families of missing persons continue to live on the edge, in hope and despair. They regularly stage protests in Kashmir under the banner of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), but the successive regimes continue to give the cold shoulder to the human problem.
The NHRC, then headed by AS Anand, had set a deadline of six weeks for the state government to furnish detailed information and measures initiated to prevent disappearances.
Srinagar, November 17