Kashmir, Jammu traders seek stringent action against business saboteurs

Business alliance urges PDP to review coalition with BJP

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz 

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SRINAGAR, Oct 12: In a significantly positive development, traders in the polarised Kashmir and Jammu provinces have disowned the saboteurs of peace and business and demanded stringent action against the miscreants involved in attacking truckers and passengers on Srinagar-Jammu highway.

JCCI chief Rakesh Gupta, flanked by KCCI President Mushtaq Ahmad Wani, asserted that the law enforcement agencies should arrest and prosecute all the miscreants involved in spreading rumours and engineering attacks on the hapless drivers and conductors.

“There are some external forces who want to create wedge between the people of the state; who carry such incidents to divide us, but we won’t allow them to succeed in their nefarious designs,” Gupta said. "These are politically motivated attacks aimed at creating disturbance. Government should unveil all the mischievous characters and bring them to justice", JCCI chief Gupta demanded.

Condemning the attacks on Kashmir-bound truckers in Udhampur, the businessman alleged that these were "politically motivated attacks on truckers aimed at creating disturbance" in the peaceful atmosphere of the state.

“We have to remain vigilant and united and do not have to surrend before these forces. We want to protect each community and believe in co- existence,” he asserted. He said it was for the first time that traders in both regions were on one page to defeat the saboteurs of peace and business atmosphere. He demanded that the forces behind the agitation must be made accountable and unmasked.

“Government should trace out the disruptive elements and punish and prevent them from their nefarious designs,” the JCCI President said.

Gupta accused that government has failed to give protection to the people of J&K. “Political leadership is not serious to prevent such external forces from carrying out such attacks. But JCCI will take every possible step to ensure security of Kashmiri drivers in Jammu for the smooth conduct of trade between the two regions,” he said.

He said such incidents could lead to trifurcation of the state which will have a negative impact on the J&K economy. “I told the DGP that such incidents could have serious repercussions in the future. We have to respect each other’s religious sentiments and trust on each other and defeat attempts aimed at dividing us. We have learnt lessons from 2008 when we lost everything,” he said.

 He said while as economy of the state was already in doldrums, certain agencies wanted to push us in worst situation so that J&K won’t become economically independent and self-reliant. “We are already dependent on Indian government and are out with a begging bowl.”

Wani said Mr Gupta was in Srinagar to express solidarity with the Kashmiri truckers who had been attacked in Udhampur. Both chambers said they would fight all such elements jointly who want to dilute the identity of the permanent residents of Jammu & Kashmir by debating on sections of the constitution.

In a related development, Kashmir Economic Alliance alleged at another news conference that BJP and its ideological allies were attempting to spoil Valley’s fruit industry with a turmoil in the thick of season. It advised Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed and his PDP to review their alliance with BJP for power.

As the apple harvesting season is at its peak in Kashmir province, traders smelt a "deliberate plan" to sabotage fruit industry through mob attacks like the one in Udhampur.

“As Diwali is nearing, the demand for Kashmiri apples has been surging. Presently 1000 to 1500 trucks laden with fruit are dispatched to different Indian markets. But some miscreants are trying to sabotage this fruit industry,” KEA President Showkat Chowdhary alleged. He said Kashmiri traders would not remain silent if Kashmiri drivers were any more attacked in any part of the Jammu region again.

Chaudhray clainef that the attacks were carried out deliberately to sabotage the fruit industry of Kashmir. He

warned strong reaction if Udhampur-like incidents were repeated in the Jammu region.

Asking chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to clear his stand, Chowdary said that these attacks were being carried out under the RSS agenda. “PDP government should come clear to either stop these forces from attacking Kashmiris or pull out from the government, which is backed by the RSS,” Chowdhary said.

He threatened that Kashmiri traders would go for complete boycott with their Jammu counterparts if Jammu traders failed to condemn and stop attacks on Kashmiris in their region.

“This is the last warning to the government as well as to miscreants. If safety of Kashmiris is not ensured, it will have serious repercussions from our side as there are 80 percent truckers from the Jammu region, who also ply on Kashmir roads,” Chowdhary warned.

He demanded that strict punishment should be given to the culprits and all those involved in attacks must be booked under PSA.

END 

http://news.statetimes.in/kashmir-jammu-traders-seek-stringent-action-against-business-saboteurs/

[Published in today's STATE TIMES]

PDP MP Karra says Sangh Parivar is burning J&K for Bihar elections

'Consequences of economic blockade will be disastrous for Jammu'

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz 

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SRINAGAR, Oct 10: Senior PDP leader and Lok Sabha member from Central Kashmir, Tariq Hameed Karra, on Saturday held the coalition partner BJP and the Sangh Parivar squarely responsible for the rising communal tension, including last night's attack on Kashmiri truck driverd in Udhampur, and warned that consequences of an economic blackade to the Valley could be dangerous for Jammu.

In a strongly worded statement, Karra asked the Government to take stern action against the radical Hindutva elements, who he said, seemed to be "hell bent upon vitiating the atmosphere in the State for vested political interests". 

“BJP and its allies in Sangh Parivar should understand that choosing J&K as a turf for playing perilous games for electoral gains in Bihar would have disastrous consequences as J&K is a sensitive state and any fresh trouble in the area would have huge diplomatic implications,” Karra said.

"The elements trying to foment communal trouble in Jammu region, should realize that they will be causing immense harm to the economic interests of the Jammu region by their diabolic actions", Karra added.

“By trying to choke supply lines to Kashmir, the Sangh Parivar will be responsible for countermining the economy of Jammu region, which is predominantly dependent on Kashmir’s huge consumer market,” he said and added that such disturbing acts could also fuel a wave of backlash in Kashmir, which is struggling to cope up with the tragedies of turmoil and uncertainty.

Karra demanding booking of the people responsible for the Udhampur attack under Public Safety Act and other anti-terror laws. He contended that the petrol bomb attack on unsuspecting truckers was an act of terrorism and the persons responsible for it should be booked under the anti-terrorism law.

END

[Published in today's STATE TIMES]

Ruckus in Assembly over Udhampur incident 

○ Govt sending 4 family members of injured truckers to Delhi

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, Oct 10: Before the brief autumn session of the State Assembly ended with a bad note on Saturday, opposition National Conference members created a pandemonium over last night's attack in which miscreants have torched a truck and left its Kashmiri driver and conductor injured.

Led by MLA Abdul Majid Bhat Larmi, NC's members at tge beginning of the Question Hour expressed concern over the midnight attack on the Kashmiri truckers and demanded stern and immediate action and arrest of the people involved in the incident. The injured truckers are residents of Uranhal and Botengo villages, both in Larmi's constituency of Homeshalibug in Kulgam district.

Minister of Horticulture Abdul Rehman Veeri, who replies on behalf of Minister incharge Home Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, responded to the uproar and informed the House that the Police had quickly rescued the two injured persons, Showkat Ahmad and Zahid Ahmad. Another driver Rameez Ahmad escaped unhurt.

Veeri said the two injured were rushed to hospital in Udhampur and later driven to Jammu for specialized treatment. He said three of the accused persons, identified as Bala Bahadur Singh, Sunder Singh and Sunil Singh, were arrested and manhunt was launched to arrest five others of the accused.

Veeri said that DGP had flown to Udhampur and a matter of attempted murder had been registered in FIR No 368 under sections 307, 336, 437, 147, 148, 120B and 427 RPC.

Not satisfied with the Minister's statement, opposition walked out in protest. NC's Ali Mohammad Sagar said the Mufti government had no courage to admit that the accused were from the coalition partner BJP. He alleged that BJP was provoking Kashmir and vitiating the atmosphere by resorting to communal tactics. Independent MLA Engineer Rashid termed the accused in the case as terrorists and insisted the state government had no will to proceed against them.

Later, an official release said that IT experts had also examined the CCTV footage which established involvement of the arrested persons. Security has been enhanced along National Highway and in Udhampur town.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag Muneer-ul-Islam, who is currently also officiating as DC Kulgam, told STATE TIMES that both the injured truckers had been airlifted to Delhi and admitted in Safdar Jung Hospital. He said that the District administration acquired and handed over four air tickets to two each members of the victims' families who would be ferried to Srinagar on Sunday morning to catch Srinagar-Delhi flight of Go Air at 7.30 a.m. 

He said that he also provided Rs 20,000 to the four passengers in addition to Rs 50,000 for each injured from the Red Cross fund. Besides, Government had also made all arrangements of transportation and boarding and lodging in 3 reserved rooms of J&K House as long as their presence in New Delhi was necessary to look after the injured at the hospital.

END

With NC mum, Mufti buries beef Bills in Upper House too

○ Delhi gets two 'secularism resolutions' passed: One by NC in Assembly, another by PDP in Council 

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Apprehensive of yet another polarisation on the religious lines in Jammu and Kashmir on the pattern of the 2008 turbulence, Centre on Friday managed to bury two private members' Bills in the Legislative Council after blocking three identical bills on decriminalisation of cow-slaughter and beef consumption in Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

Sources revealed to STATE TIMES that Omar Abdullah’s National Conference, that had moved the two pro-beef Bills in the Upper House had been "neutralised" overnight after New Delhi learned about its plans to hold a press conference and demonstrations against the Speaker's negative treatment to its three Bills in Assembly. Reports that could not be confirmed immediately said that some top BJP leaders managed to resolve the crisis through the NC patriarch Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Surprisingly, NC abandoned its plans of holding the press conference as well as the demonstration. Contrary to a many speculations, it did not make a murmur of protest in either of the Houses and extended unprecedented cooperation to the Treasury Benches and the Speaker. On certain occasions, it appeared that Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and NC President Omar Abdullah were members of one party.

In reply to one of Mr Abdullah's questions, Mufti assured the Leader of the Opposition that his government would formulate a detailed project report in near future and develop Tossamaidan of his Beerwah constituency as one of the best tourist attractions of the State.

Contrary to the chaos witnessed in both Houses in the last four days, there were no altercations, heated exchanges, clashes or walkouts on Friday.

None other than Mr Abdullah got up to propose a resolution to be passed in the Assembly that, according to him, would make an appeal to the people to maintain communal harmony. He asserted that a chain of developments, including some BJP MLAs' physical assault on the independent MLA Engineer Rashid, had created a situation that could vitiate atmosphere in the two regions of the State.

Chief Minister readily agreed and appreciated Mr Abdullah’s initiative. Following Mufti’s approval, the resolution was unanimously passed by the Assembly. Within minutes, an identical resolution was moved by senior PDP leader and Minister of Education Naeem Akhtar in the Legislative Council and was unanimously passed by the House.

Mufti and Akhtar asserted that the resolution would send a message of religious harmony and brotherhood "against the growing extremism across India".

Referring to BJP MLAs' assault on Er Rashid, Omar said that the message of extremism had gone across with the incident. “Whatever happened yesterday is not the real face of the J&K. Not only do the people talk about that unfortunate incident in India but also across the world. It is this place from where Mahatma Gandhi saw a ray of hope of secularism when the country was being divided,” Omar said in a brief address in Assembly. He said that the popular slogan "Hindu Muslim Sikh Ittihad" was coined in Kashmir.

Omar said that under a well planned conspiracy efforts were being made to divide the people in the name of the religion. “We have different religions but we must respect each other’s sentiments and maintain brotherhood", he said.

“Everybody’s religious sentiments must be respected and there should be no place for the extremism. We have to rectify what went wrong yesterday and pass a unanimous resolution to reject extremism and maintain brotherhood,” Omar asserted.

While seconding Omar, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said Mahatma Gandhi saw a raw of hope from Kashmir at the time of Partition. Usually unexpected from him, Mufti showered praises on the NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and recalled his contribution to secularism in the State.

“I will talk about pre-1947 when freedom struggle was going on across the country and during that period people of J&K under the leadership of Shiekh Muhammad Abdullah presented their different roadmap and strategy,” Mufti said. “Prior to 1947, when Mohammad Ali Jinnah came to Kashmir, people here under the dynamic leadership of Shiekh Mohammad Abdullah took a different stand and strengthened the Indian secularism,” he said.

Mufti was all praise for Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and said he had a vision for the betterment of J&K.

“Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah developed a different road map and turned Muslim Conference into National Conference to give good governance. In 1938, when Muslim conference was turned into National Conference, it gave a new roadmap under the leadership of Shiekh Abdullah who was a visionary personality but could not take his mission ahead due to we people. We are here because of Sheikh Abdullah", Mufti said.

“Now we have to show the way and reject extremism. India has diverse people and we have to economically empower it for that we all have to be united. Seventeen crore Muslims who live in India have maintained secularism. If we are divided in the name of religion then we will destroy the country,” Chief Minister added.

Taking a cue from the completely changed atmosphere in the Assembly, Chairman of Legislative Council Haji Inayat Ali declared adjournment of the day's Business at 1.00 p.m---exactly when the deliberations on calling attention motions ended. Consequently none of the 10 private members' Bills came up for discussion. NC MLC Dr Bashir Veeri's and Qaisar Jamsheed Lone's pro-beef Bills figured at serial numbers 7 and 8 respectively. Chairman ignored NC's lackadaisical appeal to extend time for a discussion on its beef Bills.

END

[Published in today's STATE TIMES]

Two ML leaders picked up as Police smell a rat in SI Altaf's killing in 'mysterious encounter'

○ LeT claims it was a well-planned strike executed by only 2 militants 

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Jammu and Kashmir Police have initiated an inquiry into the assassination of the top counterterrorist operative Altaf Ahmad Dar who died in a dramatic encounter in Bandipore on October 7th.

Well placed sources disclosed to STATE TIMES that a team of officials had been constituted to find whether Altaf's killing was the result of a chance encounter or a planned target killing by militants. As only one specific target has been hit and eliminated with a burst of AK-47 and none else has been injured, Police are investigating if there was involvement of any insider and if the militants had laid a counter-trap with full knowledge of Altaf's undercover operation.

Also being investigated is why Altaf and several others of the Police party were unarmed and the operation had been launched without the association of well-equipped quick reaction commandos.

Two of the separatist Muslim League leaders, namely General Secretary Showkat Hakeem and Merajuddin Manda have been arrested and subjected to sustained interrogation. Both are reportedly residents of Sumbal area of Bandipore district.

Meanwhile, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba on Friday claimed to have killed Altaf Dar in a "well planned operation". In an e-mail to media, including STATE TIMES, LeT chief spokesperson Dr Abdullah Gaznavi said that the organisation's chief Mehmood Shah appreciated Altaf's killing by the militants. "LeT does never spare its enemies. It was a well planned action to eliminate Altaf Dar and was carried out by just two of our militants who both reached back to their hideout safely", LeT chief said in a communication to his cadres.

"Altaf Dar's killing has broken the backbone of the Indian forces and similar actions would continue in future", LeT chief spokesman, quoting the organisation's head, said.

"LeT warns all such officers to dissociate themselves from the occupying forces and do not subscribe to the occupation of the Kashmiris. His death has caused a wave of jubilation in Kashmir and ended a chapter of terror", LeT chief said.

Unprecedented in the history of last 25 years, Jammu and Kashmir on Friday organised Quran Khwani for Altaf at the Jamia Masjid of Srinagar District Police. Senior Police officials including IGP Kashmir Javaid Mujtaba Gilani and DIG Central Kashmir Ghulam Hassan Bhat participated in the Quran Khwani along with other ranks and a group of citizens. 

According to the Police officers who inducted him in a crack counter-insurgent unit in 2006, Altaf Dar's death is as big a shock to the State Police as the "killing of over 100 SPs". They have rated him as number one in the entire counterterrorist grid in the State.

END

[Published in today's STATE TIMES] 

PDP-BJP alliance bulldozes pro-beef Bills after assault on Er Rashid

○ CM condemns assault, Dy CM refuses to condemn or apologise

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Oct 8: Strictly as per the strategy STATE TIMES had exposed on October 2nd, the PDP-BJP coalition on Thursday bulldozed all the three pro-beef Bills of the Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly with the argument that no time was left for the scheduled item of the introduction of Private Members Bills.

Chaos and confusion marked the proceedings in both Houses of Legislature as the ruling BJP MLAs assaulted independent MLA Engineer Rashid in Assembly even before the Speaker's arrival at 9.55 a.m. As soon as Rashid entered the House and was about to take his seat, BJP MLAs Ravinder Raina, Shakti Parihar, Gagan Bhagat, Neelam Langeh and Rajiv Sharma accosted him without any instant provocation and roughed him up.

The MLA was pulled, pushed, slapped and dragged even as he too attempted to retaliate with full force.

While he was being manhandled, members of the opposition----Mohammad Akbar Lone, Altaf Wani and Majid Bhat of NC, Usman Majid of Congress and Hakeem Mohammad Yasin---rushed to Rashid's rescue. The BJP members said that they were "emotionally outraged" over so-called beef party which Rashid had organised on the previous evening at MLAs Hostel.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah was in chair while as Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed arrived a little after the physical assault on the MLA.

With the Speaker's entry, Omar got up amid a protest by the united opposition and condemned the assault. He said hooliganism in the House was completely unwarranted and unacceptable. He alleged that with the assault on an MLA, BJP had established its involvement in the lynching of a Muslim Mohammad Akhlaq who died in an attack in Dadri, close to the union capital, last month.

Omar said that whatever the provocation, the assault could not be justified. "Slaughtering a swine and eating its meat as well as consumption of liquor is prohibited in my religion. Does that mean we we can attack the people taking the swine flesh and liquor?", Omar shouted. He said that never before had a member been assaulted in the state Legislature this way.

Even as the entire Opposition walked out in protest, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed severely condemned the attack on the MLA. He implored members to control their emotions and sentiments. He asserted that the Legislature's sanctity and credibility should not be undermined in any circumstances.

Dy CM Nirmal Singh did neither condemn the attack nor apologise to the MLA on behalf of his party. He, however, said "it should not have happened".

"I don't approve of it", Dy CM asserted.

In both the Houses, BJP leaders linked the assault to Rashid's organising so-called beef party at MLAs Hostel on Wednesday evening. In Legislative Council, Law Minister Basharat Bukhari condemned the attack on Rashid and said his beef party should not have prompted BJP members to attack a colleague. Some BJP MLCs confronted Bukhari aggressively and shouted on him that their religious sentiments had been outraged.

Referring to the recent developments, Bukhari said that High Court had called for prosecution of the people under RPC. Subsequently Supreme Court stayed the High Court order for two months. As such nobody could presently stop a Muslim from consuming beef. Even as the Minister was critical of the MLA's way of holding a beef party, BJP members almost grappled with him.

Amid a chain of chaos and unruly scenes, Speaker in the Lower House announced adjournment of the House till Friday pleading that no time was left to take up the scheduled pro-beef Bills. He contended that Business Advisory Committee had in the past decided that there would be only one sitting and that would expire at 1.30 pm. He did not listen to the united Opposition's demand that the time be extended and discussion on the three Bills be taken up. Opposition asserted that Speaker was conveniently invoking the minutes of a Business Advisory Committee meeting of 2012. It claimed that no such decision had been taken by BAC for the current session.

PDP's Ministers Basharat Bukhari and Abdul Haq Khan supported Speaker's contention that the time for today's sitting was limited to only 1.30 pm.

END

[Published in today's STATE TIMES]

An IT wizard, a great investigator

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Officers of operational background in Jammu and Kashmir Police revealed to STATE TIMES that Altaf had voluntarily joined SOG Srinagar. 

"He purchased a laptop out of his salary and became an IT expert in a short span if time. He was unmatched in tracking the militants through Internet, analysing call detail records, navigating locations, tracking incriminating cyber traffic and using electronic data as evidence in terrorism related cases", said an officer. He said that Altaf had saved his life in two fierce encounters with militants.

Director SSG and former DIG Central Kashmir Syed Ahfadul Mujtaba said: "SI Altaf came in contact with me when he was a constable and I was SSP Srinagar in 2006. He had a great sense for investigation and even as constable contributed a lot in the investigation of fake encounter case of Ganderbal"

Mujtaba added: "Everyone speaks a lot about Altaf's counter terrorism operations and rightly so, but mainly he remained an investigator to the core. He contributed a lot in natorious murder case of Asrar Mushtaq and also Nazir Mahajan who had been killed by his son. Though he rose in ranks for his anti-militancy operations but all his operations basically were investigation based. He was one of the best police officer I have come across. May his soul rest in peace".

SSP Jammu Uttam Chand said: "Though his martyrdom is first and foremost an irreparable personal loss, I must say that J&K police stands poorer today with his passing away. For Altaf wasn't merely a person of great intuition and drive. He also possessed that qualities which are rarely to be found together---The combination of intelligence and bravado".

He added: "His contribution will forever be counted as a defining one in breaking the backbone of militancy. And though we may not be able to have another Altaf, his sacrifice only strengthens our resolve to continue our fight against terror. He leaves behind a little bit of himself in all of us; if not his abilities, at least his commitment and resolve to accomplish his unfinished task".

END

[Published in today's STATE TIMES]