INSULTED: BJP activists attacked the vehicle of Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather’s vehicle and tore the state flag fxed on the car besides causing partial damage to it. The incident took place when the minister was passing by the BJP office in Kachi Chawni, Jammu on January 26.
ABUSED: A National Conference leader and member of legislative council (MLC), Altaf Ahmad Wani allegedly abused and attempted to attack the SHO of police station Aishmuqam. The MLC was apparently angry with the police officer, over his calling some NC workers to the police station after a brawl with some local media men earlier in the day. The SHO fled from a window and hid himself, a Jammu based newspaper reported.
DISCUSSED: Asia’s biggest literary festival, in Jaipur, Rajasthan has given pride of place to Kashmir as it was debated by eminent writers and political analysts during the Jaipur Literature Festival at the Diggi Palace. The session, conducted by senior journalist and author M J Akbar, debated the demand for plebiscite, considered the idea of cessation, plight of Kashmiri Pandits and Army excesses. The panelists — Nitasha Kaul, Rahul Pandita, Mirza Waheed, Swapan Dasgupta and Basharat Peer — expressed anguish over the future of Kashmir’s youth and said both India and Pakistan were not doing enough to solve the problem.
EXPLODED: At least 13 mines exploded in a fire incident along the Line of Control in Poonch district. The fire broke across the LOC in Chaken da bag and later spread to this side. There were no casualties.
ATTENDED: The CEO of Rahim Group of companies, Abdul Hamid Bhat, has become the first Kashmiri entrepreneur to have been invited to 21 IAVE World Volunteer Conference 2011 at Singapore. The three-day event will run in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the UN International Year of Volunteers and IAVE’s 40th anniversary.
REVEALED: J&K police claimed that some BJP workers in the state were involved in stone pelting on police in the summer agitation last year. At least two of the seven BJP workers arrested for trying to put up posters in Lal Chowk have been involved in stone-pelting incidents, police said.
DECLARED: Following Income Tax surveys in their premises, the owners of three nursing homes in Kashmir have declared Rs 2 crore as undisclosed income.
DECIDED: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has decided not to allow shooting of Bollywood films giving adverse image to Kashmir. The plot of a film will first need to be approved by Chief Minister’s office only then the shooting will be allowed, he told a Delhi based newspaper.
HIRED: More than 150 new recruitments have been made in the overstaffed State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC). The government previously has taken several measures to make the ailing corporation financially viable including curtailing the staff strength in the department.
ARRESTED: Separatist leaders Yasin Malik, Bilal Ghani Lone, and Shahid-ul-Islam were arrested along with scores of their supporters when they showed up in Maisuma area of Lal Chowk on Jan 26. JKLF leader Yasin Malik had called for a Lal Chowk march to counter the BJP’s flag hoisting plans in Lal Chowk on Republic Day.
NOMINATED: The executive council of Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir, has nominated Syed Afaq Qadri as Interm President FCIK after Shakeel Kalander completed his term as the president. The council also nominated a team of nine members to assist him to take care of the affairs of the organization till new body is in place. A five member Election Commission will conduct the fresh elections of the Executive Council and Administrative Council for 2011-2013, which will be completed by April 15.
RELEASED: BJP leaders arrested on their entry into Jammu & Kashmir as part of their ‘ekta march’ have been released. The party is mulling to take legal action against the state government for stopping and detaining its leaders during the march.
