HAZRATBAL
It was not illegal but unprecedented it certainly was. A candidate who had applied for appointment as junior assistant as a female appeared for written test as male. Application was made in March 2011 and the test was conducted in January 2013 and in between, there was gender shift. The University of Kashmir registrar said they had the issue whether the candidate is same and it tallied, “The candidate was carrying a certificate as well. For us it was no case and we are not interested to know why it happened.” But the fact is that even males could be females and vice-versa in Kashmir!
DELHI
It was waiting to happen. Last month, Omar Abdullah literally raided a party that his father, Dr Farooq hosted at Kashmir House. With Ghulam Nabi Azad, Saif ud Din Soz, Dr Sameer Kaul, Justice (retd) Markandey Katju and many others in audience, Omar intervened when Dr Abdullah went to dice and started singing. “They are not appreciating you, they are laughing at you,” Omar was heard saying while getting dad back to his seat. “It does not behove a cabinet minister and a party president.” Result: almost everybody fled without having dinner.
RAJOURI
In the euphoria of revenge, the Army forgot to even put the taps on. In Upper Balnoi in Mendhar, residents would get water from Army tankers on daily basis. But as crisis escalated, residents did not get water for many days. As Pakistan closed the gates near the Chakan da Bagh crossing point on LoC for trade and travel, 123 residents of Kashmir are stranded on either side of the line – 65 PaK residents in J&K and 58 J&K residents in PaK. Now efforts are underway to get them either via Uri or through Wagha. Long live the peace process!
MUMBAI
Actress Katrina Kaif is planning a private Kashmir visit. Along with her mom, Susanna Turquotte, and sister, Isabella, she would be in the snow-covered valley anytime. The overnight trip is completely private. It has been widely reported that the Bollywood heartthrob has Kashmir ancestry but nobody has the address. She is otherwise supposed to be in the Valley for 50 days in March with Hrithik Roshan. By the way, Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor would stay at Khyber Resorts from next week!
HYDERABAD
It happened unfortunately with the state’s under-20 women’s hockey team. Its coach, Angat Singh, was arrested for sexually assaulting players and was remanded to judicial custody in Chanchalguda prison till Jan 28. The arrest was effected after five players of Punjab, playing for J&K team, complained to the police. They alleged that their coach sexually assaulted them during the train journey from Nizamuddin to Hyderabad. Once the team was knocked out of the tournament, five players refused point bank to travel back home with the coach. Investigation led to revelation, a case and the arrest.
NAGPUR
It was a problem that erstwhile Mrs Gaffar Bhai created. Three years back, Nagpur don Gaffar Bahi’s wife fell in love with a Kashmir student and fled Nagpur to settle in the valley. The don reacted by beating Kashmiri youth studying around. They went to him, begged and were pardoned. But recently, he felt the pangs of separation. He went to the Vasant Rao Naik Sarvishiksha Mahavidyalaya campus where 150 Kashmiri students are studying. The cycle was repeated, sending the Kashmiri youth to hunt for shelter. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah arbitrated peace and the don was arrested!
