Says educational system being attacked, aimed at snatching education; Refuses to comment over registration of 9 FIRs against Yasin Malik in 1987
Srinagar, June 26: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday asked people not to lose hope; else the situation in Jammu and Kashmir would be made worse than Gaza here.
Addressing a press conference here at her Gupkar residence, Mehbooba, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the educational institutions are being attacked here now as the government has come up with an order, directing closure of the educational institutions run by Falah-e-Aam (FAT), an affiliate of banned Jamaat-e-Islami, schools functioning on state lands and other things.
“Is Jamaat-e-Islami a criminal organization? Do they give arms training in schools? These schools are teaching students as per the syllabus issued by the government,” she said, adding that such attacks are aimed at snatching education as well as push the lakhs of people to the wall.
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Reacting over the statement of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, Mehbooba said that it is being told that the electricity cannot be provided free from now onwards, but the fact is that people here have always paid whatever they have been supplied. “We are paying for whatever is being supplied to us. The electricity generated from Kashmir is being supplied to many other places and instead of returning our electricity, we are being told no free electricity shall be provided for which they are already paying,” she said.
About the recent encounters, she said that the local youth picking up guns are being killed every day here, which indicated that the recruitment of local youth is high. “I want to appeal to the people to stop joining the armed struggle as we need you here. These people (security forces) are being paid for these operations,” she said.
I request youngsters and parents to stop youth from picking guns, save your lives. They (forces) get money by killing you. I request them to stop picking gun: @MehboobaMuftipic.twitter.com/xIHee5hBMl— The Asian News Hub (@AsianNewsHub) June 25, 2022
“It seems that Amarnath yatra is being conducted for the first time this year. These pilgrims are our guests and people here welcome the yatries. There is no adverse situation for them,” she said.
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Furthermore, Mehbooba said that the employees are being thrown out of services on the charges of corruption and militancy without even proving the allegations. “At present the situation is different, but people must not lose hope; the situation here would be made worse than the Gaza strip. The way properties are being seized seems that our situation would be worse than what Israel has done with Gaza,” she said.
However, Mehbooba refused to comment registration of nine FIRs against Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief, Muhammad Yasin Malik in 1987 by saying that she doesn’t want to go into the past.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot and Sara Abdullah are divorced declared. It was revealed in affidavit filed for Rajasthan Assembly Polls 2023, News 24 reported.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot declared himself as divorced while filing his nomination for Tonk constituency for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly Polls 2023. Pilot’s divorce news broke out after the former Chief Minister of Rajasthan after he submitted affidavit.
In the form, Sachin Pilot wrote divorced in front of his wife’s name. However, he has also mentioned Sara Pilot’s name while also giving details of her assets.
Citing ‘fear factor’ as the reason behind delay in assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference vice president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday sought answers from the Election Commission of India “for allegedly depriving people of democratic rights.”
While addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Omar blamed the Election Commission of India for “taking decisions in accordance to the BJP”.
“I have nothing personal with BJP. I have complaints with ECI stated it will hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir after considering all the factors. I want to know what factors they are looking at? There is only one factor that is fear factor,” he said.
Omar said that a “fear” is prevailing within BJP, especially after failing to gain a majority in the LAHDC-Kargil polls.
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“Earlier they (BJP) would hide behind Raj Bhavan now it is Election Commission. If there is anything else other than the fear factor, we want to hear. Is internal security not robust? You can’t deprive the people of their democratic rights of having an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir,” he asked.
Omar said: “They (government) are claiming that the situation has changed post-August 2019. They also release figures about a large number of tourists coming to Kashmir. The election commission earlier said that a vacuum needs to be filled. We want to know what the factors left to fill the vacuum are.”
Omar said they have no hopes of elections in Jammu and Kashmir especially after the results of LAHDC- Kargil polls.
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“If democratic rights are not restored then political parties will have no choice other than to come on to streets. The Supreme Court recently told the government to hold Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections. It seems they have now no courage left to hold these elections. If it was up to them, the BJP would even delayed parliament elections but they couldn’t do it because of the compulsion of forming government at the center,” he said.
Omar claimed the BJP’s defeat in the LAHDC- Kargil polls result of bifurcation of the erstwhile state.
“The results are proof that the bifurcation hit the people of Ladakh equally as it hit the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The results were less about development but more about the bifurcation of the erstwhile state. It is true that people of Ladakh distributed sweets earlier but now their social act visits are protesting,” he said, adding that “Now the BJP will cover defeat by claiming that Kargil is a Muslim majority district. Even Leh is also a Muslim majority district despite the fact a good population of Buddhists lives there. Our Buddhists candidate from Padam emerged victorious.”
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Regarding forming an alliance with Congress during elections, Omar said that India Alliance has not taken any decision of seat sharing yet.
“No talks about seat sharing yet by the India Alliance. We are ready for the discussions,” he said.
On the Palestine and Israel war, he termed it ‘unfortunate’ given heavy loss of lives.
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“It is unfortunate that deaths are happening from both sides. Violence whether it is in the Middle East or Jammu and Kashmir, innocent people suffer. We can hope and pray for normalcy,” he said. KNO
National Conference president and member parliament Dr Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said that opposition parties would hold a protest on October 10 against BJP-led government.
Talking to reporters after chairing a meeting of opposition parties in Jammu, Abdullah, who was flanked by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, CPI (M) leader Muhammad Yosouf Tarigami and other leaders, announced that opposition parties would stage a peaceful protest against BJP-led government on October 10.
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“The constitution is suspended and the democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir are under attack,” he said.
He said that they have unanimously decided to stage a peaceful protest on October 10 and would seek necessary permission from divisional commissioner for the same.
Abdullah questioned New Delhi and LG-led administration over delay in holding elections in Jammu & Kashmir.
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“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir keep chanting that everything is fine here( J&K), but the big question is that if everything is normal here and despite the delimitation and finalization of voter list, why elections are not being conducted?” he asked.
He further said that government has promised to hold Urban Local Bodies and Panchyat elections but changed its decision overnight to make people more confused.
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Those who attended the meeting included PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, her party’s general secretary Amreek Singh Reen, Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani, Congress working president Raman Bhalla, CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, Dogra Sardar Sabha chief Gulchain Singh Charak , Jammu and Kashmir Shiv Sena (UBT) president Manish Sahni, Awami National Conference senior vice -president Muzaffar Shah, National Conference provincial president, Jammu, Rattan Lal Gupta, party MP Hasnain Masoodi, Mission Statehood president Sunil Dimple and former MP Sheikh Abdul Rehman.
Representatives of various other parties, including the CPI, Akali Dal (Amritsar) and the Internationalist Democratic Party also attended the meeting. KNO