SRINAGAR
Kashmir literally celebrated a low key Eid this year. It was partly because of the fear that something untoward may happen and partly the less levels of noise were the youth had exhausted the fire-crackers stocks a few days early. An encounter taking place on the eve of Eid in DPS added to the fears across Srinagar and blocked south Kashmir’s Srinagar package for a day. Trade says business was down and most of the business transacted outside shops in flea market. Even authorities were apprehensive. They prevented two major gathering in TRC and Radpora but permitted Eidgah without Mirwaiz. Some youth took this as offence and created a spectacle. However, the Kremshore village witnessed the worst as a young man Munir Ahmad Bhat was electrocuted while pitching a tent for Eid prayer gathering.
JAMMU
Sana Dua, a lawyer turned model, was crowned Ms India first runner up 2017. Dua is a profession lawyer whose family has army background. After graduating in law, Dua practiced at the bar for a few months and then jumped into glamour, her new career finally. Dua was crowned as Femina Miss India J&K 2017 on April 16, 2017 at Delhi’s Leela Ambience Palace, during the North Zone crowning of Femina Miss India 2017. She represented the state in the overall competition that concluded at Yash Raj Studio Mumbai Saturday night, reports added. Earlier she was crowned Femina Style Diva 2016. She will now represent India at Miss Grand International 2017.
SRINAGAR
J&K consumed a credit of Rs 16802.34 Cr and 71 percent of it (Rs 11906.37 Cr) belongs to J&K Bank, the state owned entity which is the main player in the banking sector of the state. The banking sector witnessed fall in credit deposit ration from 49.11 pc from 31, March 2016 to 44.63 pc on March 31, 2017. Chairman J&K Bank who heads the State Level Bankers Committee attributed the fall to the huge surge in deposits because of de-monetisation coupled with very low credit off-take.
DELHI
Sage has published Khalid Bashir’s book Kashmir: Exposing the Myth behind the Narrative. The 412-page paperback is a thorough analysis of the historical sources on which Kashmir’s historic narratives are based. A well researched book has challenged the narrative that forcible mass conversion of Hindus was key to Kashmir’s transition to Islam. He believes that a minority of Kashmiri Brahmans and their progeny who did not convert to Islam built and successfully perpetuated this narrative over the centuries. Exploring the authenticity of that narrative, the book exposes many fallacies used to uphold falsehood of history. Poet Khalid Bashir authored the book after heading Information, libraries and archives departments and the state Cultural Academy.
WASHINGTON
After making a purchase of nearly US $ 2 billion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally had a meeting with the American President, Donald Trump. But what was interesting that Kashmir cropped up in one or the other way. While the White House spokesman termed Kashmir as “Indian administered Kashmir”, the only solace that Delhi got was the US included United Jehad Council chief, Syed Salahuddin in the global terrorist list. However, he was termed to be an ISIS man. While it will help the Muzaffarabad based 70-year old “militant” leader improve his profile, the fact is he is far away from ISIS. Incidentally, the American futwa came a day after the rebel leader announced a week long programme for Kashmir, a job that was normally falling in the domain of separatist triumvirate: Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik.
