Kashmir-J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha paying obeisance at Shri Amarnathji Shrine- Umar Ganie
Considering the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been decided to keep the annual pilgrimage “symbolic” this year, with no physical darshan by the devotees…reports Asian Lite News
The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine on Monday.
Sinha, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), performed puja at the shrine, accompanied by senior officers from the army, civil administration, police and SASB.
“May the divine blessings of Lord Shiva ensure good health and happiness in everyone’s life and bless us with strength to overcome the ongoing health crisis,” Sinha said.
The annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine is a testimony to the tradition of cultural syncretism in Jammu and Kashmir. But considering the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been decided to keep the annual pilgrimage “symbolic” this year, with no physical darshan by the devotees.
Kashmir-J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha paying obeisance at Shri Amarnathji Shrine- Umar Ganie
However, respecting the sentiments of the devotees, the SASB has arranged for live telecast of the morning and evening ‘Aarti’ from the holy cave shrine.
All the traditional religious rituals shall be performed at the shrine as per past practice, the Lt Governor said.
“The J&K government has taken a slew of measures to reduce the spread of the virus and every arrangement has been made to ensure that Covid appropriate behaviour is being followed during the Aarti and other rituals.
“Let us resolve to effectively deal with the pandemic by following the Covid guidelines and work towards furthering human welfare,” Sinha said.
Both the morning Aarti at 6 a.m. and the evening Aarti at 5 p.m., each for 30 minutes, will be live-streamed on SASB’s official website and on the app specifically dedicated for the devotees.
The devotees can pay virtual obeisance through SASB’s portal www.shriamarnathjishrine.com/AartiLive.html.
The same may also be streamed through the shrine board’s mobile based application which can be downloaded from Google play store.
Security forces believe that the spread of Wahhabi sect has changed the paradigm of militancy in Kashmir….reports Asian Lite News
The influence of Wahhabism has changed the nature of insurgency in Kashmir.
During the last 10-15 years, the Ahle-Hadith (Followers of Wahhabism) controlled mosques have doubled from 1,000 to 2,000.
The funding of these mosques is lavish so that they look grand, attractive and pompous in comparison to the traditional Kashmiri mosques built by followers of Sufist Islam.
The Ahle-Hadith controlled mosque takes hardly six months to complete because of the lavish funding from the gulf.
The Salafis sport beards, wear a skull cap and their pants or lowers are always worn above the ankle.
Security forces believe that the spread of Wahhabi sect has changed the paradigm of militancy in Kashmir.
From seekers of the so-called ‘Azadi’, majority of the youth under the influence of the Wahhabi sect are claiming to be fighting for the global cause of establishing the Islamic Caliphate.
Terrorist organisations spread all over the world, controlled by the followers of Wahhabism, are based on Ibn Taymiyyah’s principles and traditions.
These terrorist organisations rely on references taken from Ibn Taymiyyah’s books especially his Mardin Fatwa in which he says one can kill anyone to achieve his target.
The influence of Ibn Abdul Wahhab’s intolerant and supremacist theology has spread to many parts of India especially to Kashmir.
Textbooks taught in the Salfi-Wahhabi Madrassas include controversial books like Taymiyyah’s ‘Majmua Fatwa’ (Compilation of his fatwas), Ibn Abdul Wahhab’s ‘Kitab al-Tawheed’ (Book of monotheism), ‘Taqwiyatul Iman’ (Strengthening of religion) and ‘Sirat-e-Mustaqeem’ (The straight path) authored by the hardcore Indian clerics Shah Ismail Dehlvi and Syed Ahmad ‘Shaheed’.
Syed Ata Hasnain, former GOC of Srinagar based 15 corps said, “Wahhabism has not been understood by the Indian nation, nor by the armed forces.
“The manner in which Wahhabiyat was introduced in Kashmir. The manner in which mosques changed hands in 10-15 years (referring to the early 90s when militancy was at its height) from the local Sufi maulvis to the ones who came from central India e Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.”
In ‘Kashmir-the rise of a hard faith’, author Tariq Mir says, “The rise of this dogmatic faith has raised a host of fundamental questions. Is Kashmir headed the way of Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the Islamic radicalism has fueled a nihilistic ideology of settling disagreements through violence?
“Does its rise mean the complete dominance of Pakistan-based jihadists?
“How might Sufis beat back this onslaught in an age of globalization, free travel, and religious satellite channels constantly beaming in a stream of foreign cultural prejudices?
“Will Kashmir’s unique identity survive in this turbulent neighbourhood? Or will Sufism soften this hard faith, too, and tame its dogmas and thus serve as a lesson to the larger region awash in Islamic radicalism?”
The spread of the Wahhabi sect is gradually changing the religious and the socio-cultural scene in Kashmir.
Instead of extending time in prayer and penance during the five-times daily ‘Nimaz’, as is practised by the followers of the Sufist Islam in Kashmir, the Salafis end their prayers in less than 10 minutes.
They do not observe the birthday of the Prophet of Islam known as the ‘Eid-e-Milat’.
The Safis do not believe in observing nightlong prayers like the night of the ‘Shab-e-Baraat’ as do all other Muslims following practices other than Wahhabism.
The spread and influence of this sect in Kashmir is clearly depicted in the declining numbers of devotees seen at the Hazratbal shrine, the shrine of Sheikh Humza Makhdoom, the shrine of Kashmir’s patron saint, Sheikh Nuruddin Wali at Chrar-e-Sharief town, the Baba Rishi shrine at Gulmarg and scores of other shrines spread through the length and breadth of the Valley.
The arrival of the Wahhabi sect in Kashmir has similarities with the rule of the local King, Sikandar, the iconoclast, who ruled Kashmir from 1389 to 1413 A.D.
Known locally as ‘Sikandar Butshikan’
His rule virtually terminated the longstanding syncretic and tolerant culture of Kashmir and in its rigorous abidance by Sharia, severely oppressed the Kashmiri Hindu population.
‘Music, dance, gambling, intoxicants, etc. were prohibited and the office of ‘Shaikhu’l-Islam’ was established to enforce these rules.
“Brahmans were forcibly converted, Hindu and Buddhist shrines of worship were destroyed, Sanskrit literature were purged, ‘Jizya’ (Tax on religious minorities) was imposed for those who objected to the abolition of hereditary Varnas and caste marks were prohibited.
If left unchecked the spread of the Wahhabi sect in Kashmir would usher in an era of intolerance and religious frenzy that would finally wipe out all socio-religious customs, practices and traditions of tolerance.
As a keen Kashmir observer said, “Would this become a colossal tragedy in which Kashmir would lose everything, including its name and innocence?
“Or, as a hardcore optimist believes, would Sufist Islam with its historical moorings withstand the Wahhabi onslaught?
“Would Kashmir’s tradition of tolerance and brotherhood overcome the Wahhabi tempest and reclaim the land of the Sufis?
Would the Maulvi’s ‘Azaan’ from Sheikh Humza’s mosque-shrine and the sound of the ‘Shank’ from Sharika Devi’s temple in its neighbourhood beckon humankind to its eternal reality of oneness and co-existence?
Srinagar: A view of deserted Srinagar Railway station
Lt governor, Manoj Sinha asserts that the ongoing road and railway construction projects will transform the face and economy of J&K….reports Sheikh Qayoom
There can be no development without road and rail connectivity, this is the mantra adopted by the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to ensure all inclusive development in Jammu and Kashmir.
To achieve this objective, the national flagship programme, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has come handy for the J&K government.
“In the ongoing financial year, 2021-2022, we are building 4,500 km long roads under the PMGSY.
“The roads so constructed will connect 150 habitations across J&K those have remained unconnected so far.
“Fourteen new bridges are also being constructed during this fiscal. The government has allotted Rs 4,089 crore as annual budget for 2021-2022.
“This is 467 crore more than last year’s budget. An online monitoring system has been devised through which all project works right from the DPR stage till their final completion are monitored online,” said a senior official of the public works department.
The official also said that national level consultants are being engaged for developing monitoring mechanisms to keep an eye on the roll-out of third party inspection systems.
In addition to construction of 4,500 km road length under the PMGSY-1 and PMGSY-2 during the current financial year, J&K government has decided to upgrade 1,750 km long existing roads.
“Black-topping of 8,000 km long roads in cities and towns is going on. A total of 250 crore is being provided to ensure pothole free roads,” the official said.
In addition to this, the road transport and highways ministry with its arms like the NHAI and NHIDCL in concert with the border roads organisation and J&K public works department is currently engaged in completing a series of projects.
The 8.5 km long Qazigund-Banihal tunnel across the Pir Panjal Mountain range laid at a cost of Rs 2,100 core on Srinagar-Jammu highway is ready to be thrown open.
The heavy vehicle trial run of the tunnel was completed on Tuesday and the tunnel is being thrown open shortly.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha
This tunnel will reduce the distance between Qazigund and Banihal town from the existing 36km by 15 km besides by-passing the Jawahar Tunnel and the Shatani Nallah stretches of the highway those become slippery and snowbound during the winter months.
The other ongoing projects include Srinagar-Jammu-Lakhanpur highway, Srinagar Ring road, Jammu Ring road and the tunnel at Z-Morh on Srinagar-Leh highway in addition to the Zojila tunnel that will make the Srinagar-Leh highway an all weather road.
With its rapidly growing rail and road connectivity and the ongoing construction of the Jammu Ring road, Jammu division will get a huge economic boost with its flourishing religious tourism, Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and star-ups in businesses like wood grain work, basmati rice trade, carpets, electric and electronic items.
Four-lanning of Jammu-Srinagar highway and construction of rail link between Udhampur town and the Valley is going on.
The rail link to Valley includes the construction of World’s highest railway bridge called the Chenab Bridge in Ramban district of J&K.
The bridge is 1,315 metre long and 359 metres above the river bed level. The arch of the bridge, which was recently completed, is an engineering marvel. It is 35 metre higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The construction of the bridge involved fabrication of 28,660 MT steel, 66,000-cum-concrete, 10-lakh-cum earthwork and 26 km long motorable approach.
�Tekla’, the most sophisticated software has been used for structural detailing of the bridge. Structural steel used is suitable for minus 10 to 40 degrees Celsius.
The bridge is being constructed by Konkan railway corporation at a cost of Rs 1,486 crore.
Lt governor, Manoj Sinha asserts that the ongoing road and railway construction projects will transform the face and economy of J&K.
Given the colossal amounts of money being spent on road and rail projects in J&K, Sinha’s assertion is not an over statement.
J&K has an identified capacity of 16,475 megawatts of hydro-electric power, but at present the generating capacity of its projects is only 3400 megawatts…reports Asian Lite News
Despite 100 per cent electrification, Jammu and Kashmir continues to battle for electric energy.
J&K has an identified capacity of 16,475 megawatts of hydro-electric power, but at present the generating capacity of its projects is only 3400 megawatts during peak season when local rivers have maximum discharge.
“Demand during winter is 3500 megawatts, but generation that time is only around 800 megawatts.
“80 per cent power is, therefore, imported from outside.
“The real problem is not how much we generate, but whether we have the money to buy power?
“Average cost at which we buy power is Rs 7 per unit. This is made available to the consumer at Rs 2.9 per unit for domestic use, at Rs 4 for industrial use and at Rs 5 per unit for commercial use on an average.
“Thus the government has to cross subsidise. What actually ails the power sector is 60 per cent aggregate technical and commercial losses (ATNC) that includes 40 per cent pilferage.
“Our agreements with consumers are for 1400 megawatts and we supply 1700 megawatts and still there is dearth of supply on ground.
“To address our electric power woes, the remedy lies in making a huge transmission capacity.
“Generation within or buying from outside is not the actual problem because in most cases, the generation cost would be higher than the rate at which we can buy power from outside.
“We were allotted a coal belt 12 years back. We have still not utilised this because it has not been decided whether coal should be transported to J&K for generation in Kathua district or whether generation should be undertaken at source to avoid the huge transportation charges.
“There are 15 power generation plants in J&K, all hydro based.
“Out of UT owned projects, Baglihar project stage 1 and stage 2 generate 450 megawatts each. This is the highest generation in the UT owned projects.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha
“But, the second unit of Baglihar generates 450 megawatts only for 4-5 months after which it is shut because of minimum water discharge during winter months.
“This is because while stage 1 of Baglihar project is built down a small dam, stage 2nd is run of the river project constructed at the tail race of stage 1,” said a senior engineer of the PDD who wished not to be named.
“Unless we produce enough energy there is little chance for industries to come up in a big way in J&K.
“This is the basic reason why we have not been able to create any major industry especially in the Valley,” said Khwaja Nisar Hussain, retired chief engineer.
There has been a lot of debate on whether the national hydroelectric power corporation (NHPC) owned projects in J&K can be transferred back into the UT’s ownership.
The general refrain has been that because of the NHPC ownership J&K is forced to buy its own power.
Wular Lake, Bandipora district, Jammu and Kashmir.(wikipedia)
The argument looks logical, but the point is that J&K did not have the financial strength to build these projects on its own.
Except for the royalty fixed on these projects, the rest of the local requirement of electric power is met by purchase from the national grid.
Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha-led government and the Centre have signed several MOUs in the power sector, aimed at drawing an investment of Rs 35,000 crore for the UT.
This ambitious plan will help J&K generate 3500 megawatts which will make the UT both self-sufficient and surplus in electric power generation.
“J&K will turn from a power deficit to power surplus region within four years and there would be uninterrupted power supply throughout the UT for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes,” Sinha said while unveiling the government’s vision on power self-sufficiency.
These MOUs were signed between the power development department (PDD), J&K, NHPC and the J&K power development corporation.
As per the provisions of the MOUs, the projects constructed by the NHPC will be handed over to J&K after 40 years of commercial operation which was not the case in earlier projects allotted to NHPC.
Sinha also said that an overhaul is being made in the power infrastructure, management and distribution with the support of the union government without any expenditure by the UT.
“In the past, J&K was deliberately prevented from attracting investment and despite having abundant potential for power generation, its energy needs were not addressed.
“With the execution of new mega power projects, a number of other employment avenues would also be generated for the locals,” Sinha said.
Given the generous financial and technical support by the union government, J&K is turning a new leaf in power generation.
From a deeply power starved state to a self-sufficient, electric power selling UT during the next four years. This would be a quantum leap in the real sense of the word as described by Lt. Governor Sinha.
Home Minister Amit Shah says the meeting discussed delimitation exercise and restoring statehood as promised in parliament, reports Asian Lite News
The high-profile all-party meeting called by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir concluded at the Prime Minister’s official residence in New Delhi on Thursday evening.
The meeting which began at around 3 pm IST and was attended by 14 prominent leaders from the Union Territory.
Several leaders who attended the meeting said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that assembly election will be held in J&K soon after the delimitation process is completed.
During the meeting, the government shared a presentation on the developmental projects and schemes in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources say Modi expressed satisfaction with the “acceleration of development” in the UT and said that it is “creating new hope and aspirations among the people”.
The PM reportedly also said that political differences would arise but everyone should work in the national interest so that the people of J&K benefit from it. He stressed that an atmosphere of safety and security needs to be ensured for all sections of society in J&K.
ainstream political leaders who are part of the Peoples alliance for Gupkar declaration (PAGD), said on Tuesday that they will be attending the all party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24
Another crucial statement came from Union Home Minister Amit Shah who said, “We are committed to ensure all round development of J&K. The future of Jammu and Kashmir was discussed and the delimitation exercise and peaceful elections are important milestones in restoring statehood as promised in parliament. Today’s meeting on Jammu and Kashmir was conducted in a very cordial environment. Everyone expressed their commitment to democracy and the constitution. It was stressed to strengthen the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, former J&K Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, the party had raised five demands during the meeting. “We demanded statehood for J&K should be restored at the earliest. The prime minister and the home minister had promised in Parliament to restore J&K’s statehood at the appropriate time. We told the government that now is the favourable situation for it. We also demanded the government to hold assembly elections in J&K at the earliest,” Azad said.
The Congress leader said the Congress party also demanded that efforts must be made to ensure return of Kashmiri Pandits and their rehabilitation.
Among the leaders who are participated in the meeting were Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad, Tara Chand and GA Mir; National Conference’s Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah; PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti, J&K Apni Party’s Altaf Bukhari; BJP’s Ravinder Raina, Nirmal Singh, and Kavinder Gupta; CPM’s M Y Tarigami; National Panthers Party’s Prof Bheem Singh; and Peoples Conference’s Sajad Gani Lone.
Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Home Secretary also attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Muzaffar Baig, chairman of the People’s Conference said, “We were all in agreement that we must work for democracy and development of J&K. The PM listened very patiently. He was reassuring and responded to all points raised in the meeting.” People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone said the meeting was cordial. “We came out quite positive that hopefully there will be some delivery for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
J&K Apni Party’s Altaf Bukhari said PM Modi heard everyone and asked all to participate in the delimitation process. “We have been assured that this is the roadmap towards elections,” Altaf Bukhari said.
This was the first high-level interaction between the Centre and political leadership mainly from Kashmir since August 5, 2019, when the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and the state was bifurcated into two union territories.
However, the government skipped inviting Hurriyat. Reacting to the meeting held today, Altaf Hussain Wani rejecting the conference said that holding talks with “so-called politicians” and giving the impression that the situation in Kashmir is returning to normalcy, is wrong. “The Indian government has always betrayed the people of Kashmir,” he said, adding that there was no other option for the people of Kashmir but for them to be given the right to self-determination.
Talking heads
“We requested PM that our fight will continue but it’s essential to reverse some decisions that aren’t at all in the interest of J&K. It was given the status of a UT, people don’t like it. They want full statehood for J&K with J&K cadre restored.“
Omar Abdullah, National Conference
“People of J&K are angry and humiliated since August 2019… … we will constitutionally, democratically and peacefully struggle for the restoration of special status, which was granted to us by former PM Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.”
The announcement was made by Dr Abdullah after the PAGD meeting, which was held here at the Gupkar Road residence of the NC patron….reports Asian Lite News
Mainstream political leaders who are part of the Peoples alliance for Gupkar declaration (PAGD), said on Tuesday that they will be attending the all party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24.
The announcement was made by Dr Abdullah after the PAGD meeting, which was held here at the Gupkar Road residence of the NC patron.
“Since all of us are part of our political parties and we have received individual invitations, it has, therefore, been decided today that all of us will go and attend the Prime Minister’s meeting”, Dr Abdullah said.
He added that there is no fixed agenda for the June 24 meeting and all of us are free to voice our demands and feelings.
M.Y. Tarigami, the CPI-M leader, who has also been invited to PM’s meeting told the media, “We will not ask for the stars. We will only appeal to the Prime Minister to restore to us what is guaranteed by the Constitution”.
Muzaffar Shah, leader of Awami National Conference, said there is no change in the PAGD demand for restoration of statehood and the special status to J&K and this demand is non-negotiable.
Mehbooba Mufti said since the PAGD has decided that the invitation by the Prime Minister is on individual basis, she would also attend the meeting personally.
At least 14 mainstream political leaders including four former chief ministers, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Ghulam Nabi Azad are among the invitees to the PM’s all party meeting.
Others include, Sajad Lone of the Peoples Conference, Syed Altaf Bukhari of JK Apni Party, Professor Bhim Singh of J&K Panthers Party and others belonging to the BJP and the Congress in the UT.
Three central ministers, home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and MoS (PMO) Jitendra Singh, will also attend the June 24 meeting to be held at the Lok Kalyan Marg residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Modi’s invite to the J&K politicians has gone out on 19 June 2021, exactly three years after the PDP President Mehbooba was removed as Chief Minister, the Assembly was placed in suspended animation and the erstwhile State was brought under Governor’s rule on 19 June 2018, reports Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
For the first time after the June 2018 breakdown of the PDP-BJP government and imposition of the Governor’s/President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited the Union Territory’s mainstream politicians for a meeting at his residence in New Delhi. The invitation has been delivered telephonically to at least 14 leaders — including four former Chief Ministers and heads of all the major parties — by the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Saturday, 19 June.
According to knowledgeable sources, the roundtable meeting to be attended among others by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, would begin at 3.00 pm on Thursday, 24 June, with no specific agenda. However, much of the deliberations are presumed to remain focused on holding of the Assembly elections and restoration of Statehood which have collectively surfaced as the two key demands of different political parties after termination of J&K’s special status and bifurcation into the two UTs.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, which created the separate UTs of J&K and Ladakh, extended the rights of holding immovable properties, government jobs and scholarships to everybody holding a domicile certificate and applied most of the Central laws to Jammu and Kashmir, was tabled during the President’s rule on 5 August 2019 and passed with the majority vote in both Houses of the Parliament.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Modi’s invite to the J&K politicians has gone out on 19 June 2021�exactly three years after the PDP President Mehbooba was removed as Chief Minister, the Assembly was placed in suspended animation and the erstwhile State was brought under Governor’s rule on 19 June 2018. Finally, the Assembly was dissolved and the President’s rule was imposed in November 2018 after the political parties failed to form a new government of the elected representatives.
Nine months later, in August 2019, the BJP-led Central government engineered a tectonic shift in the erstwhile State’s organisation, breaking it into the two UTs of J&K and Ladakh. The special constitutional provisions of Article 370 and 35-A were abrogated and the legislature’s Upper House — Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council — was abolished.
While the UT of Ladakh, which had only four Assembly segments out of 87 in the erstwhile State, was created with no legislature, the UT of J&K retained the Legislative Assembly of 83 seats– 46 in Kashmir and 37 in Jammu�with provision of the addition of seven new segments.
The Election Commission of India’s Delimitation Commission, headed by Justice (retd.) Ranjana Desai, has been working on delimitation of the new constituencies since March 2020. The commission has been granted an extension of one year on 6 March 2021 and it is expected to complete its exercise in the next few months. Thereafter, the UT’s first Assembly elections would be conducted by the Election Commission of India, subject to an appropriate security scenario.
The Delimitation Commission has associated with itself as members all the five Lok Sabha members of the J&K UT�BJP’s Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma and National Conference’s Dr Farooq Abdullah, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Justice (retd.) Hasnain Masoodi. However, the NC’s MPs have not attended any meeting with the Commission, contending that their party had challenged legality the J&K Reorganisation Act in the Supreme Court of India and refused to accept the changes introduced by way of the August 2019 legislation and the Presidential orders invoked thereafter.
For the first time, early this month, Farooq Abdullah seemed to be relenting on the NC’s maximalist position when he asserted, following a working committee meeting of his party, that the J&K parties had not shut their doors to any offer of negotiations from the Centre. The NC’s change of heart is said to be the result of the ‘pressures within’ as most of the party’s leaders are believed to be in favour of contesting the next Assembly elections irrespective of achieving their proclaimed goal of the restoration of Article 370 and 35-A and J&K’s Statehood.
The new vibrations in the J&K parties, particularly in the NC, are widely being interpreted as acceptance of the August-2019 changes as fait accompli. Senior NC leaders are currently holding the view that boycott to the delimitation process and the forthcoming Assembly elections could render their party irrelevant as their traditional competitors, notably the Congress and the BJP, besides Altaf Bukhari’s Apni Party (AP) and Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference (PC), seemed to be ‘impatient’ to fill up the vacuum and grab the power.
Remarkably, all the apprehensions of a fresh turmoil, clashes and violence in reaction to the August-2019 changeover have proved wrong as there has been no stone pelting, no street turbulence in Kashmir in the last 22 months.
Top NC and PDP leaders had initially resorted to an extremely tough posturing, ruling out participation in any elections until ‘complete withdrawal of the changes made in August 2019 and thereafter and restoration of all that has been snatched away illegally from Jammu and Kashmir’. On more than one occasion, former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti had asserted that they would not be associating with any democratic exercise until achieving the objectives of the post-2018 alliance called �Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration’ (PAGD).
The PAGD had been formed as a conglomerate of seven mainstream political parties after Mehbooba Mufti’s release from a prolonged detention in 2020. Restoration of Article 370 and 35-A besides restoration of Statehood was its key demand. In October 2020, Congress broke away from the PAGD but six parties�with the NC and the PDP at the front�contested the District Development Council (DDC) elections as an alliance against the BJP and the AP. Out of 280, it bagged 109 seats. Among the individual parties, the BJP stood first with 75 seats and the NC second with 67.
After the Congress party’s departure, the PAGD suffered a major setback in January 2021 when Lone’s PC moved out over the issue of �proxy candidates’ in the DDC elections. Significantly, there was no PAGD meeting after the DDC election results were declared on 22 December 2020. The first meeting of the alliance later took place at Mehbooba’s residence on 9 June, 2021. Farooq asserted after the meeting that the J&K parties had not shut their doors on the Centre.
Significantly again, Farooq, Omar and Mehbooba have diluted their posturing and stopped issuing rhetorical statements, interviews and tweets in the last over two months. Omar, in particular, has ignored most of the political developments and dedicated his Twitter handle to amplification of the Covid-related issues. The frequency of the two former Chief Ministers’ anti-BJP, anti-Centre rhetoric has drastically reduced in the last 8 weeks.
There have been terse reactions with many in the social media asking how Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah would be accommodating and hosting the same Kashmiri politicians whom they used to project as �anti-national, pro-separatist and pro-Pakistan’ until recently. Some are particularly mentioning Shah’s thread of tweets on 17 November 2020 in which he had repeatedly called the PAGD as �the Gupkar Gang’.
But many of the serious political analysts are counting it as the BJP-led Centre’s achievement that the Kashmiri leaders had begun to accept abrogation of Article 370 as fait accompli. They are pointing out that these leaders’ main demand now is the restoration of Statehood which is Shah’s own commitment to the Parliament on 5 August 2019.
“In the past, all of New Delhi’s offers, invitations, talks and negotiations were only for the separatists, for the Hurriyat and the militants�in other words for Pakistan and her terrorists. This is for the first time that the Centre is completely ignoring the separatists and negotiating with only the mainstream politicians elected by the people in the past and sworn-in to uphold India’s sovereignty and integrity in J&K”, observed a Delhi-based commentator. He claimed that the participation of the Kashmiri politicians in the delimitation process and the Assembly elections would be a ‘game changer’ as it would lend legitimacy to the Indian narrative across the world and leave Pakistan and the militants with no locus standi.
(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
Former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti has confirmed that she has received a formal invitation from New Delhi for the meeting scheduled on June 24…reports Asian Lite News
Amid reports that New Delhi is extending invitation to all mainstream political parties in J&K, former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti confirmed on Saturday that she has received the invitation while NC patron, Dr Farooq Abdullah said he is yet to receive it.
Former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti has confirmed that she has received a formal invitation from New Delhi for the meeting scheduled on June 24.
“Yes, I got a phone call from Delhi inviting me for a meeting on June 24. The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi”, Mehbooba told reporters.
She, however, added that she hasn’t decided yet whether she would attend the meeting.
Dr Farooq Abdullah told some reporters that he hadn’t received any invitation from Delhi so far.
“Once we receive such invitation, we will meet to decide the strategy to be adopted regarding the invitation”, Dr Abdullah told reporters.
Sources close to People’s Conference chief, Sajad Lone told IANS that he has also received the invitation to attend the June 24 meeting.
CPI-M leader, M.Y. Tarigami said he has so far received no formal or informal invitation from Delhi regarding the meeting.
Tarigami has said that sources in Delhi have confirmed to him that all mainstream leaders of J&K would be invited to attend the proposed meeting.
J&K Apni Party chief, Syed Altaf Bukhari said, “Solution to J&K’s problems lies in New Delhi. We have stated openly that we have a relation with Delhi.”
“Solution to J&K’s problems lies in New Delhi and not in Islamabad, New York or London. Delhi’s invitation to J&K’s political parties is a welcome development”.
Bukhari sarcastically added that all these parties called Apni Party the King’s party so far. “Now who is the king’s party?” he said.
He added that since job security and security to own land has been restored to people of J&K through the good offices of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, statehood would also be restored in future.
Kashmiri farmers carrying baskets of Strawberries inside their farm during corona curfew , on the outskirts in Srinagar, Kashmir India (Pic from Umar Ganie)
That the development of the people of region remains one of the top priorities of the Narendra Modi government has once again been proved as the J&K administration led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is going all out to provide all facilities to farmers, reports Ateet Sharma
As much as 60,000 hectares of Basmati agricultural land will be converted into a more productive one as the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration has decided to provide good quality seeds at cheaper rates to around 7.5 lakh farmers in the Union Territory.
In a campaign to increase the productivity of Basmati agricultural land, the farmers of the region would be provided high quality seeds at a cost of Rs 16 crore and encouraged to switch over to organic farming.
Basmati, a long grain aromatic rice known for its superior aroma and distinct flavour, has for many years generally been grown in the sub-tropical plains of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.
As per the Agriculture Department of the UT, J&K accounts for nearly two per cent share in the all India area and 1.60 per cent share in production of Basmati rice. Approximately around 90,000 farming families are involved in Basmati cultivation in J&K, out of which more than 90 per cent are small and marginal farmers having low investment and risk bearing capacities.
India is the largest exporter of Basmati rice, sending it over to 80-90 countries all over the world including USA, European Union, Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Commonwealth of Independent States, etc.
Kashmiri farmers carrying baskets of Strawberries inside their farm during corona curfew , on the outskirts in Srinagar, Kashmir India (Pic from Umar Ganie)
Basmati rice grown in the Ranbir Singh (RS) Pura area of Jammu, including the famous Mushk Budji variety grown in higher reaches of Kashmir valley like Anantnag and Budgam, is now in a huge demand. The Geographical Indication (GI) tag – a sign on products that have a specific geographical origin and the product may have special quality or reputation – has also led to the overall economic prosperity of the producers, including those engaged in the farming of R.S. Pura rice and the world famous Pampore Saffron.
“From carpets to saffron, from apples to Basmati, what is not there in Jammu and Kashmir? Even during the lockdown caused by corona, the government took care that the apple growers here have least of the problems,” PM Modi had said while launching the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT scheme for all residents of Jammu and Kashmir last December.
A new dawn in Kashmir
That the development of the people of region remains one of the top priorities of the Narendra Modi government has once again been proved as the J&K administration led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is going all out to provide all facilities like harvesting, management and processing to the farmers and providing linkages for their products to national and international markets.
Highlighting the various initiatives undertaken by the government to bring reforms in the horticulture sector, Sinha revealed on Tuesday that the UT administration has signed an MoU with NAFED through which 5500 hectares of high density apple, walnut, mango and litchi would be cultivated in the next five years.
Kashmiri farmers carrying baskets of Strawberries inside their farm during corona curfew , on the outskirts in Srinagar, Kashmir India (Pic from Umar Ganie)
For this, an investment of about Rs 1700 crore will be made in the Union Territory. Three cold storage clusters will also be set up at Kathua, north Kashmir and south Kashmir with an investment of Rs 500 crore which will provide more convenience to the farmers.
“GI tagging of regional products is being done to further empower the farmers through effective marketing of their products. The quality of many of our products like saffron, walnut, cherry, strawberry, plum, almond and apricot is no less than those produced in other countries. Kashmir’s saffron was launched in Dubai in December after the GI tagging. The world market was dominated by the Iranian saffron but now Kashmir’s Saffron is making its mark in the global market,” remarked the Lt Governor.
The government is also focused on increasing the income of farmers and providing employment to more and more youth in collaboration with the administration and scientists, researchers related to agriculture. To promote agriculture and horticulture in Jammu and Kashmir, the current year’s budget has been increased to Rs 2008 crore, which is Rs 695 crore more than the previous year.
Agricultural universities of Jammu and Kashmir are also being roped in for promoting food processing units and agriculture related start-ups. Despite the corona pandemic, scores of agricultural programmes have been organized in the past 10 months. With the help of Krishi Vigyan Kendras, effort is being made to reach out to every farmer to ensure the use of innovation and technology in agriculture and allied sectors.
Sinha said that, in order to take technology to the fields of farmers, it has been decided to provide machinery worth Rs 65 crore to the identified 30,000 farmers, besides providing modern irrigation facilities to 25,000 farmers at a cost of Rs 91 crore.
Further, the state-of-the-art training will also be imparted to around 35,000 farmers to implement new experiments in agriculture with the changing environment for which provision of Rs 26 crore has been kept.
Special provision has been kept in this year’s budget for skill development and employment generation opportunities of rural youth, one of the focus areas of the J&K government.
“We have made a provision of Rs 74 crore to increase the capacity of cold storage as well as provide employment opportunities to our youth,” Sinha said while stressing on building a strong framework for farmer-industry connect, besides giving a determined push to agricultural entrepreneurship.
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Pakistan had banked its relations with India over the August 5, 2019 decision by the Narendra Modi-led government, which abrogated Article 370 and 35A, changing the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmi, reports Hamza Ameer
Amid reports circulating that India may be looking into bringing about more bifurcation and demographic changes in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has warned New Delhi against any attempt to further make demographic changes in what it calls Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to “perpetuate its illegal occupation”.
“No new instrument of occupation shall have any legal effect. India cannot change the disputed status of IIOJK, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, nor can it force Kashmiris and Pakistan to accept illegal outcomes,” the Pakistan foreign office said.
While the Pakistan foreign office did not mention what new changes are being brought into Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian government, the statement certainly has faded the hopes of a dialogue, which were recently shared by Prime Minister Imran Khan, who said that Islamabad could resume talks with New Delhi if India gives a roadmap to reverse the changes it brought almost two years ago to the ‘disputed’ region.
Indian Army Chief reviews security situation along LoC in Kashmir.
he recent restoration of ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) eased tensions between the two nuclear powered archrivals, which had been eyeball to eyeball against each other for some time.
And the recent statement of Khan also seemed to move the hopes forward towards a dialogue between the two countries. However, the foreign office statement has made it clear that hopes of any positive forward movement in Indo-Pak relations may just remain as hopes.
“We urge India to reverse its unlawful and destabilising actions, ensure full compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions, and refrain from any further steps that might imperil regional peace and security in South Asia,” the statement from Pakistan foreign office maintained.
“We call upon the international community, including the United Nations, world parliaments, international human rights and humanitarian organisations and the global media to take immediate cognizance of the situation. India must be stopped from any further illegal action in the occupied territory,” the statement added.
Pakistan had banked its relations with India over the August 5, 2019 decision by the Narendra Modi-led government, which abrogated Article 370 and 35A, changing the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, bifurcating it into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Pakistan has made it clear that there can be no talks until India reviews and reverses its decision of August 5, 2019.
‘Onus is on Pakistan’
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General M.M. Naravane had earlier said that the ceasefire is holding along the Line of Control, and the onus to sustain it lies with Pakistan.
On the second day of his two-day visit to Kashmir to review the security situation along the LoC and in the hinterlands, General Naravane told mediapersons, “We entered this (ceasefire) understanding with Pakistan at the end of February. The ceasefire is holding as of now. The responsibility and the onus of making the ceasefire hold are squarely on Pakistan. We are willing to observe the ceasefire as long as long as they do.”
General Naravane also said the terror infrastructure across the LoC is intact and forces cannot lower their guard.
“While the ceasefire is on, the other activities they are indulging in are continuing, i.e., the terror infrastructure which is there on the other side of the LoC, the terrorist camps etc. Therefore, there can be no slackening as far as we are concerned in our levels or preparedness,” the army chief said.
The ceasefire agreement along the LoC between India and Pakistan militaries was revived in February this year.
Indo-Pak border
Earlier, the COAS, accompanied by Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Y.K. Joshi and Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen D.P. Pandey, visited different formations and units, where the local commanders briefed General Naravane on the existing security situation and the measures taken to foil infiltration by terrorists from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
The COAS interacted with the troops and complimented them for their high morale and the state of operational preparedness.
While appreciating the current state of peace prevailing along the Line of Control, General Naravane cautioned all the commanders and troops to not let their guards down and to remain prepared to meet any emerging security challenges effectively, the army said.
The army chief also complimented all the government agencies for their close coordination in maintaining peace in the region and for reaching out to the people wholeheartedly to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
