MUMBAI
Dangal girl Zaira Wasim turned musical now. In her second film also prodced by Amir Khan, Zaira is playing the role of a girl from a conservative background, whose family does not approve of their daughter’s forays into music. She composes music and uploads secretly on the internet and becomes the Secret Superstar, the name of her film. But at a promo, when a reporter asked him why Kashmir has unequal opportunities for women, she retorted: Kaun Bola.
LEH
As the tensions between China and India peaked over Doklam, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama flew to Leh, for his yearly summer sojourn. Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti who flew to receive the Lama, within days after accusing China of fomenting trouble in Kashmir, praised his utterances on Islam and tolerance. Nobody even mentioned his failure in prevailing over the Burmese army that is engaged in a pogrom on Muslim minorities, some of whom live in Jammu, as refugees.
SPAIN
A Srinagar boy’s short film, Hardouk Ooush (Autumn Tears) was selected for international film festival in Spain. Wasaf Jeelani, 24, the writer and the director of the film, said he was inspired from Anton Chekhovs short story Misery. This movie aims “to present a perspective on forced disappearances in Kashmir.”
RAJOURI
Apparently copying the Khap wrath from the Indian plains, a Panchayat asked a married youth, Fazal Hussain, 25, from Targain village, to drink girl’s urine if he failed to pay money to her parents. The family had accused him of having an illicit relationship with her. He denied the allegation but Panchayat insisted. Fazl finally jumped into Samsar Sar lake and killed himself. Before committing suicide, he recorded his last message in which he denied the charge insisting the girl was like his sister.
UDHAMPUR
2010 batch IAS officer, currently posted as Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur was attached to GAD – not suspended by the way, after his raunchy pictures went viral on social media. In three photographs, he is seen with two young girls, possibly in a hotel room. Basically from Katiyar (Bihar), Kumar is from a modest background and is bachelor. Udhampur, interestingly, is his favourite posting. He did his probation there and was later posted as well. This posting, during which he gave J&K some rare demonstrative pictures in governance, is his third posting in the hill town in seven years.
BUDGAM
NC’s young members created news after they gave slip to their security, donned helmets and rode motor cycles for fresh air. It was Agha Ruhullah doing it in a picnic spot in Budgam and Tanvir Sadiq repeating it near Botanical gardens. When Ruhullah, an MLA, reported it on his FB, Sadiq is reported to have appreciated the “daring move”. The fact of the matter is the people secured by police enjoy least routine freedoms unless in a highly secured environment.
