LOC Tense
In yet another incident of fresh ceasefire violations on the international border between India and Pakistan, five troops of the countries were killed in exchange of fire at various outposts of Samba sector in Jammu region of the state Tuesday.
“The Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing at our positions on the LOC in Pallanwalla sector of Jammu district around noon today (Tuesday). They used small arms and automatics,” defence ministry spokesman Colonel Manish Mehta said.
In response to the firing from Pakistani Rangers, Indian troops, according to reports, in retaliation killed four Pakistani Rangers, raising concerns of escalation in border tension between the two arch-rivals.
Days later, intelligence sources said Pakistani Army troops have crossed several posts which are normally manned by Pakistani Rangers.
While saying that situation is under control, BSF officials say they have seen some movement on the Pakistani side but the situation is under control so far. They add the movement of Pakistani Army started after Tuesday firing incident.
Taking note of the border violations National Conference Thursday condemned the fresh firing between the armies of India and Pakistan in the Samba sector in Jammu region.
“The frequent border skirmishes are childish exercises which have never yielded anything other than killing the innocents on both sides of the border. The brunt of the border firing has to be ultimately faced by the people living in the border areas who are compelled to leave their homes,” General Secretary of NC, Ali Mohammad Sagar said.
Islamabad killings
Castigating police for its “tardy” approach into the killings of two youth in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district during 2010 pro-freedom movement, J&K High court slammed Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Police for slow investigation in the case.
“The investigation of the case is tardy…investigating agency has to gear-up and ensure completion of the investigation at an earliest,” a bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir observed while hearing a petition filed by the families of the victims.
Two youth – Bilal Ahmad Najar and Noor-ul-Amin Dugga were killed on September 19, 2010 when police opened fire on the funeral procession of another youth Maroof Ahmad Nath who had drowned in Jhelum on September 13 after being chased and CRPF personnel.
During the hearing of the case, SIT informed the court that 47 witnesses have been examined so far out of 101 witnesses. However the court observed “It is true that number of witnesses was examined but it is also a fact that pace of the investigation is very slow and unacceptable.” It also asked the SIT to examine the remaining witnesses immediately and speed up the investigation.
After the killing, the families of the two youth sought the intervention of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Anantnag to direct the SSP to register a case to probe the killings.
Finally, a case was registered after court directions and since then High Court is monitoring investigation of the case. Earlier, the court had termed the probe as “fishy” and had directed the state counsel to suggest any other officer to investigate the case.
Detained Again!
At least 10 students from Jammu and Kashmir were detained by Rajasthan police Thursday after violent protest broke out between the students and University security staff inside NIMS University Rajasthan situated on Delhi-Jaipur National Highway.
The clashes between the students and the university security staff took place after university authorities put restrictions inside the hostel ‘A’ and ‘B’ of Gandhi Block ahead of “New Year 2015 celebrations”.
While talking to Kashmir Life, a student from Jammu and Kashmir said that the situation took ugly turn when university guards beat a student from Bihar as a result of which his leg developed a fracture and was later hospitalized.
They said, “the news of beating of Bihari student spread like a wildfire as a result of which the students barked inside the rooms of warden and put it on fire, besides burning the moveable items and other goods kept inside the warden room.”
“Soon police contingent from nearby police station entered inside the hostel premises and started packing the students inside police gypsy.” They added that police also entered inside the hostel rooms of students of J&K and bundled them in police vehicle despite the fact that JK students pledged innocence. They said that several other students hailing from different states were also arrested.
The students further added that ‘Secretary to Chancellor’ Ms Pournima was also injured in the incident when she tried to pacify the students. They said that JK students had become easy and soft target in the country while the trouble shooters manage to escape every time.
“We demand an independent probe in midnight hooliganism incident inside the university hostel and make an appeal to state government to intervene into the matter,” the aggrieved students said.
The reports said that many students from Jammu and Kashmir have left the hostel fearing harassment on part of the police and university authorities.
No Relief Yet
The people of Kashmir valley have always remained at the receiving end, be it any uncertainty, political or natural. Four months have already passed since the devastative floods hit valley, but the victims are yet to be rehabilitated. People are suffering, first by the floods and then by elections.
Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, reviewed the relief and rehabilitation measures underway in Kashmir and Jammu Divisions after which he claimed to have distributed an amount of Rs 156 crore in Kashmir and Rs 42 Crore in Jammu among the flood affected families.
Besides that an ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh, by the government in favour of all those families whose next of kin lost their lives due to September Floods, has been handed over to the affected people.
If reports are to be believed then people across the valley are still waiting for their share of compensation to rebuild their houses. The worst part of the story is the harsh winter season has already started and no major work is happening in Kashmir and the financial year will be over soon.
As per reports, under the plan for these victims J&K was supposed to get a Special Plan Assistance of Rs 2,064 crore but only Rs 904 crore stands released and the rest is in waiting.
4 MP’s Retiring
By the end of February 2015, state unit of Congress and National Conference will be missing from Parliament for the first time in the political history of J&K since 1947.
Former Health Minister in UPA-II and Congress veteran Gh Nabi Azad, Congress state chief Prof Saif-Ud-Din Soz, former broadcaster and NC foot-in-mouth MP from South Kashmir, Gh Nabi Ratanpuri and NC’s MP from North Kashmir, Muhammad Shafi Uri are the four Members of Parliament who are retiring in February 2015.
This year, Jammu and Kashmir voted six candidates to parliament three each from PDP and BJP. As the four last time-nominated MPs shall demit their offices in coming February, the next nominations shall take place once new dispensation is formed.
Among the four MPs, only two, belonging to National Conference fought in recently concluded Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Elections. But only Uri’s Muhammad Shafi could sustain in active politics by defeating Congresses big man Taj Mohi-Ud-Din who added to the state kitty during his last 12 years of service in PDP-Congress and NC- Congress coalition governments. Cop-turned-politician PDP’s Raja Ajaz Ali was also defeated by Shafi.
In the last session of Parliament that concluded recently, Rajya Sabha bade farewell to the retiring four MPs.
“The members, who are retiring, have made rich contributions in the deliberations of the House and I wish to place on record my personal appreciation for the courtesy, consideration and cooperation extended to the Chair (by the retiring members),” Chairman Hamid Ansari had said.
Boycott or For Election
For more than two decades of political history of conflict zone, Kashmir, the pro freedom groups have never been so desperate for the formation of government. Why not? The election 2014 has made history when the two regions of state have elected separately: 28 for PDP from Kashmir and 25 for BJP in Jammu.
If government will be formed without BJP, its leaders say it will be injustice for the people of Jammu. Whatever the case may be, Kashmir separatism is showing their interest in mainstream politics.
Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, a senior leader from moderate Hurriyat group rightly said, “Snakes can marry rats and bulls chase lizards – anything can happen with reference to the formation of the government but at present we can say let us not count stars which lie beyond.”
Bhat met Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at his residence recently. If sources are to be believed both enjoyed the meeting which last for 5 long hours over Wazwan. Soon after becoming talk of the town, he informed “Mufti was his school and college friend.”
On the other side Shabir Ahmad Shah, who has remained in jail for more than a decade, recently said in a statement that ‘Kashmiris didn’t vote for Mufti to tie up with Sangh Parivar’. But if elections are “not an issue” for separatists then why to bothered about who will form the government, and with whom!
The government formation challenge also engulfed the hardcore group of Hurriyat chairman, Syed Ali Geelani which made him to speak “people in Kashmir should be united to defy the communal agendas of the party in Valley. It is high time for Kashmiri people to get united to strive hard for right to self determination and keep the communal agendas of BJP at bay.”
But Geelani was not clear in his statement if the other mainstream political parties like National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, or Delhi based Congress were better than BJP for a common Kashmir.
