State

Industrial Development Scheme meaningless in absence of peace initiative: Masoodi

Published

3 years ago

January 10, 2021

Srinagar, Jan 10: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Member of Parliament from Anantnag Hasnain Masoodi on Sunday said the new industrial policy would not fetch any result without taking into cognizance political aspirations of people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

In a statement to ANH, he emphasised that the recently announced Rs 28,400 crore Industrial Scheme would not fetch any results in absence of an aggressive peace initiative to address the political aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

Masoodi has reminded the Government that earlier such announcements – Rs 6165 crore package announced by Late Prime Minister Vajpayee in 2002 and Rs. 80,000 crore package announced by Prime Minister Modi in 2015, have not changed anything on ground.

“The alienation, despite such announcements, has been ever increasing and that the unconstitutional measures of 5th August 2019, nothing less than an misadventure, have further widened the gulf. Hundreds of lives have been lost in about a hundred encounters, quite a few in urban areas of Srinagar and Jammu.

Government does not even, one and a half years after assault on the special status of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, muster courage to restore the Internet at the speed available in other parts of the Country exposing millions of students and businessmen to immense loss and inconvenience.

The preventive detention law, an anathema to Constitution, continues to be invoked with impunity and young and old detained hundreds of miles away from their homes, “he said.
In such a scenario he said the Industrial Development Scheme, in absence of a result oriented peace initiative, is like changing the bed linen of a hospital bed instead of providing medical care to cure the patient.

Masoodi has implored trade bodies like CC, CCI, PHD not to merely parrot the welcome statements made for political reasons or remain confined to OTS, Subsidies and other Incentives but recognise universal role of such bodies and articulate the public sentiment in a lawful, dignified and effective manner.

The trade bodies must realise that peace and development go hand in hand and peace would not be possible without political aspirations respected and addressed. It is to be realised that there can be no “islands of prosperity “ in a “sea of pain and agony”, the statement adds

It is stated that while the Prime Minister, as announced by Home Minister at Imphal on 27th December 2020, “gifted” ILP – Inner Line Permit to Manipur, the Prime Minister painfully without any cause or justification “denuded” Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh of Special Status guaranteed under the Constitution, Delhi Agreement 1952 and Kashmir Accord 1975 taking away land rights, control over resources and employment rights of 1.25 crore Permanent Residents of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and paving way for transfer of thousands of acres land. Under the ILP system, the statement reminds, a Citizen cannot enter a ILP State without Permit or stay for more than the period allowed under the Permit, while Jammu and Kashmir had far less autonomy under special status taken away last year.

Masoodi has asked the Government of India to undo the 5th August 2019 decisions, restore autonomy provided under Delhi Agreement 1952, initiate dialogue with all the stakeholders for lasting peace and open the historical and traditional routes between all the regions of Jammu and Kashmir to facilitate trade, travel and people people contact in an important region of South Asia.

State

LG unveils statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Charkha at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar

Published

6 mins ago

October 2, 2023

Asian News Hub Webdesk

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and a Charkha installation, as a mark of tribute to the Father of the Nation on his Jayanti, at Civil Secretariat.

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“Pujya Bapu always believed that the message of Charkha’s circumference is much broader than its tangible circumference. The goal of the Charkha is to serve mankind, to live without hurting others, to create an inseparable bond between the rich and the poor, capital and labour,” the Lt Governor said.

Charkha was used as a significant tool by Bapu in the fight against British Rule. It is a symbol of Swadeshi movement, self-reliance and economic freedom, he said.

Paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, the Lt Governor said the ideals of Bapu are for all humanity.

“I hope our officers, inspired by Bapu’s ideas and ideals, will continue to work dedicatedly for the dignity of every citizen in the society, for equality, social justice, and for a developed and self-reliant Jammu Kashmir,” the Lt Governor said.

The Lt Governor reiterated the commitment of the UT Administration to develop the villages as the centre of socio-economic growth and transform the lives of the rural population.

Today, villages in Jammu Kashmir are witnessing unprecedented growth due to the availability of various sources of income. New entrepreneurs are starting their new innings from villages. In terms of basic facilities, the gaps between village and the city are disappearing, the Lt Governor said.

Following the ideals of Pujya Bapu, J&K in 2021-22 had established 21,640 manufacturing and service units in the villages with the help of KVIC, providing employment to more than 1.73 Lakh. In the last Financial Year, more than 10,628 new units had been installed, he added.

The Lt Governor congratulated the Jammu & Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) for the installation of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and Charkha. He also called for collective efforts by all the stakeholders for promotion of Swadeshi products.

There is a need to promote city-based Self Help Groups engaged in Khadi, which has become a new fashion statement for youth, he said.

Dr Hina Shafi Bhat, Vice Chairperson, KVIB; Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Sh R K Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department; Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor; Administrative Secretaries and senior officers of UT and Police administration also paid their tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.

State

Our endeavour is to root out fear from common man’s heart and mind: Spl DG Swain

Published

53 mins ago

October 2, 2023

Asian News Hub Webdesk

Our fight is against those who promote violence, Challenges before J&K police different than other forces, Our fight is for public

Jammu and Kashmir police’s Special Director General (CID) RR Swain Monday said that police is trying its every bit to root out fear from the common man’s heart and mind while the fight against those who promote violence is purely for the general public.

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Talking to reporters on the side-lines of a mega marathon organised by the J&K police, the special DG (CID) said that J&K is police quietly fighting against the enemy which is “organised” after using the outside support and influence. “To fight some people who promote violence needs an extra bit of valour and that is found within the J&K police. Challenges before J&K police are quite different than what other forces are facing,” he said. “We are fighting this battle quietly, silently for the common man who is sitting in a far off village. Our fight is for a small farmer, a lawyer, a Khateeb and a small journalist or for that matter a common man who respects and abides by the law.”

J&K police had organised a massive marathon in which participants from Kashmir, Jammu and other parts of the country participated. The event coincided with Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation.

The top police officer said: “Gandhiji always promoted non-violence.”

Swain said: “We will have to make the distinction between peace loving people and those whose ulterior motive is violence. So our fight is against those projecting violence. Our fight is for the general public and our endeavour is to root out the level of fear from common man’s heart and mind,” Swain said. KNO