SRINAGAR
After dripping Martyrs Day (July 13) as a public holiday post-2019, Lt Governor’s administration prevented a memorial function at Srinagar’s Martyrs Cemetery in Srinagar. While Mehbooba Mufti claimed she was kept under house arrest, Omar Abdullah was denied his security cover and transport. The latter came on foot from his Gupkar Home to the Nawa-ie-Subh complex for a memorial function. The two former Chief Ministers said the efforts were aimed at “distorting history”, which, they said, they will not allow. However, all the Kashmir political parties observed memorial functions – away from the cemetery.
Omar tweeted a video clip of his walk. “Dear @JmuKmrPolice, don’t think that refusing to give me my escort vehicles & ITBP cover will stop me. I’ll walk to where I have to get to & that’s exactly what I’m doing now.”
July 13, 1931, is a watershed date in Kashmir’s history as it marked the beginning of freedom from despotic rule. It began with police firing on native protesters creating a situation that thousands of people divided across Jammu and Kashmir for many months later. Eventually, the Dogra rule collapsed in 1947, coinciding with the partition. The BJP government dropped July 13, as a public holiday and instead included the birth anniversary of Kashmir’s last Maharaja as a public holiday.
“For us, those who sacrificed their lives for democracy to take root in J&K will always be admired for their act of courage. We won’t allow you to distort our history or forget our heroes. On the occasion of Martyrs Day, I salute their courage for valiantly fighting against despots to the end.” Mufti wrote on Twitter. “BJPs own heroes Vir Sarvarkar, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Gowalkar& Godse who spread hatred & division can’t be forced on us.”
Since 2019, no memorial function was allowed at the graveyard where political leaders used to go to pay homage to the martyrs.
In Jammu district breast cancer among females is the most common malignancy followed by cervical cancer.
JAMMU
BJP leader and former MLC, Surinder Choudhary has quit the party and joined National Conference. In his resignation tweet, Choudhary accused Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief of encouraging favouritism and corruption. Welcoming Choudhary into NC, Omar Abdullah said: “You cannot think of the pressure which was put on Choudhary to stop him from joining the National Conference. Officers who are supposed to serve the public are being used to put pressure on the BJP’s opponents. I want to tell the officers that this is not your job and this administration is not going to stay forever.” Omar said the administration is being misused for politics. Recently, he said, a leader of a regional party had decided to join the NC but was forced to give up succumbing to the pressure from the BJP even though he is not affiliated with the party.
Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura has 40 per cent of faculty positions (290) vacant. The government wants the selections made by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission.
DELHI
True heroism lies in our acts of honor and honesty that leave an indelible mark on the lives we touch. ASI Darshan Kumar and HC Satpal of the J&K Police proved this saying correct. They found a bag that contained ₹80000, a mobile phone, and Yatra documents. They traced out its… pic.twitter.com/aLSMRxl3If
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 10, 2023
Home Minister Amit Shah lauded two Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel for their “acts of honour and honesty” after they returned a bag containing Rs 80,000 in cash and other valuables to an Amarnath pilgrim. Terming it an “example of integrity”, Shah tweeted: “True heroism lies in our acts of honour and honesty that leave an indelible mark on the lives we touch. ASI Darshan Kumar and HC Satpal of the J&K Police proved this saying correct. They found a bag that contained Rs 80000, a mobile phone, and Yatra documents. They traced out its owner, a pilgrim, and handed it over to her. I appreciate them for being an example of integrity.”
DPR for MetroLite system for Jammu and Srinagar suggest a cost of Rs 10599 crore including Rs 5734 crore for Srinagar and Rs 4825 crore for Jammu.
SRINAGAR
On July 10, Jammu and Kashmir Police formally arrested 10 persons including the son of former Hurriyat Conference chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat. They have been accused of hatching a “conspiracy” of reviving banned organisations Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and Hurriyat Conference. FIR No 23/2023 under Sections 10, 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act & Section 121A of IPC stands registered in Police Station Kothibagh. “Initial investigation has also revealed that they were in touch with entities based abroad, few of them were members of many groups that propagate secessionism like Kashmir Global Council headed by Farooq Siddiqui and Raja Muzaffer of JKLF,” a police spokesman was quoted as saying. “Under the garb of manufactured pretext, this meeting which took place, the real agenda of the meeting was discussing the strategy of revival. Initial investigation has also revealed that a similar preliminary meeting took place on 13th June 2023, which was attended by most of them.” Those arrested include Mohammad Yaseen Bhat (Nigeenbagh), Mohammad Rafiq Pahloo (Natipora), Shamsudin Rehmani (Lalbazar), Jahangeer Ahmad Bhat (Batengo Sopore), Khurshid Ahmad Bhat (Rawalpora), Shabir Ahmad Dar (Badamwari Sopore), Sajad Hussain Gul (Pantha Chowk), Firdous Ahmad Shah (Abiguzar), Parray Hassan Firdous (Lawaypora) and Sohail Ahmad Mir (Peerbagh). The meeting, police said, took place in a hotel.
In Chenab Valley districts, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have identified “accurate locations”, cell phones and other details of 40 militants living in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
LADAKH
Home Ministry is unlikely to accept statehood for Ladakh as the political alliance of the region is seeking. Instead, it is being offered two additional districts and strengthening of the two Autonomous Hill Development Councils at Leh and Kargil. Ladakh leadership had been demanding protection for unique culture under Sixth Schedule, statehood, two Lok Sabha seats and first right on jobs. They are reportedly not being given statehood and instead, Nubra and Zanskar are expected to be two new additional districts. This is not being demanded by the political elite of the region but is a suggestion from BJP’s Ladakh leadership. In anticipation of a united front for demanding its rights, the Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil had passed separate resolutions seeking Sixth Schedule-like status to Ladakh. Leh Council is headed by the BJP while NC is ruling the Council in Kargil.
As many as 12 couples tied the knot in a mass marriage function organised by an NGO in Srinagar. They went to their new homes from the function.
KUPWARA
From remote Machipora in Handwara, Danish Javid Bhat, 16, has been selected for the Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Programme in Science as part of the Sakura Exchange Programme which is going to be held on November 5, 2023. He is in the tenth class. His ticket to this prestigious programme was earned through his ingenious creation: a versatile, multipurpose stove, which he showcased at the esteemed National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC). Youngest of three siblings and a student at Government Boys High School, Danish credits his inspiration for the model stove to his surroundings. “The traditional Chimney and the stove which we locally use here in Kashmir contributes to air pollution,” Danish, son of a tractor driver, said. “This gave me the idea to embark on my innovative journey of creating a multipurpose stove.” Danish studied at Upper Primary School (UPS) Machipora and after his middle joined Government Boys High School Bedreher. Conceived during his primary school days, Danish said he is still working on his stove to make it efficient. “It works on wood but I am looking forward to operating it on electricity or solar light,” he said. “The stove has four compartments in which four different foods can be cooked at a different temperature simultaneously. It is portable and most importantly it can be used to warm rooms as well.”
As of May 31, 2022, there were 663511 unemployed youth in Jammu and Kashmir.
KULGAM
In Kulgam’s Munad Gufan village, Momin Ishaq Teli, 12, has made two innovations. One, the video which went viral on social media, is a versatile multitasking machine that can function as a freezer, cooler, room warmer, and refrigerator. Earlier he invented an egg incubator that can hatch up to 50 eggs at once. His machine operates on electricity and solar power. It can keep 7 kgs of material cool at -15 degrees Celsius. The rare side innovation offers the facility of hot and cold AC.
MADINA
The pilgrims are expected to start returning home on July 18. They will bring with them detailed narratives of how the Hajj Committee bungled their sacred pilgrimage. The Hajj Committee pilgrimage from Srinagar was the most expensive in India in 2023. Now, the arrangement they had made for the pilgrims makes it the most mismanaged as well. Pilgrims told reporters on the phone that they faced shaming inadequate accommodation and even a lack of food. “We had tents booked in Mina, but when we reached there, they were already occupied,” Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, a resident of Chanapora, has said. “We were asked to make adjustments, but there was no available space, not even an inch.” He claimed he had no food for two days. The waiting period for the use of the bathroom was 30 to 50 minutes.
KISHTWAR
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered the sealing of two madrasas – Madrasa Taleem-ul-Quran Tatani Suroor and Madrasa Asraful Aloom Drabshalla in Kishtwar. Officials have said the two seminaries are affiliated with Jammu-based Maulana Ali Miyan Nadwi Education Charitable (MAMNEC) Trust, which has been accused of violating Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) norms under an order (No: 301/FCRA/2023/696-714) passed on June 14 by Divisional Commissioner Jammu. Nearly 100 students are enrolled in the twin seminaries. The managers, however, said they have no affiliation with the Trust. “The madrasa runs on donations and public funds from people across Jammu and Kashmir,” Mohammad Arshad, (administrator) of Madrasa Taleem-ul-Quran has told The Wire. “If a single transaction is found in our bank account which is linked to MAMNEC Trust, the government should hang us. But shutting our madrasa where young children get religious education without any reason is unjust and wrong.” Earlier, the administration, by invoking the Divisional Commissioner’s order, had sealed Jamiat-us-Salihat and at least two other madrasas in Jammu for having links with MAMNEC Trust. However, the High Court had revoked the decision. A Government of India survey in 2013, suggests Jammu and Kashmir has 372 madrasas. However, Dr Nisar A Bhat Trali’s book on Madrasa Education in Jammu and Kashmir puts the number at 499 with 16 of them in the Kishtwar district.
