PPP Chief Arrested from PPP Headquarter Rajbag today by State Police

Srinagar, March 12, 2010: The Flying Squad of J&K Police raided the PPP Headquarters, Rajbagh today and arrested the party Chairman Hilal Ahmed War. War’s arrest is seen as a preventive measure by the State police against a possible post-namaz rally that the Hurriyat (G) had announced. Chairman PPP, while endorsing Hurriyat (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s call had urged the people to take to the streets and register a peaceful protest in the form of a rally. “People should come out in large numbers in response to Geelani Sahab’s call and protest peacefully,” said War. 

The PPP Chief has been lodged in Police Station Rajbagh. A party spokesperson condemned his arrest in strong words saying it amounted to State oppression and a denial of right to expression. “This highhandedness of the State shows the times we are living in. If one is not even allowed to demonstrate peacefully, it leaves a big void for violent demonstrations,” said the PPP Spokesman. Geelani and War had urged youths to make sure no stone-pelting incident occurred.(Writer-South Asia)

Ministry of Minorities in India released List of Scheemes

By: Sheikh Gulzaar

Srinagar: As the Indian Constitution is committed to the equality of citizens and prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. It is the responsibility of the state to preserve, protect and assure the rights of minorities. The United Nations Declaration on the Human Rights of persons belonging to National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities enjoins states to protect the identity of such minorities within their respective territories and also to encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity. Appropriate emphasis is therefore required to be given to protect the interests of minorities and ensure that they do not lag behind in the progress and development of the society.

On 23-10-1993 Government has notified Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Zorastrians (Parsis) as “the minority communities” under clause [C] of Section 2 of the NCM Act, 1992. The International Information Resource Centre has just released Database of Government Funding Schemes for NGOs/Institutions in CD-Rom/Print/e-mail edition.

This is a first database of its kind which covers all Government Financial Schemes in all the sectors including the policies, guidelines, Notifications, Circulars & Press Releases, Application Forms, Declarations, Specimens, and hundreds of schemes of Government of India.

The database of Government of India Schemes is a outcome of a survey of all Government Institutions and Departments during the last five years. Editor Sheikh Gulzaar from International Information Resource Centre and his colleagues have collected details of Government Funding Schemes.

Government at both Central and State levels encourages particulars of the NGO's in developmental and welfare activities. Certain approved programmes are implemented through NGO's. International Information Resource Centre has published 850 pages of e-book on the Government of India schemes and centrally sponsored schemes. The database of Government of India Schemes is an outcome of a survey of all Government Institutions and Departments during the last 3 years. More details:

International Information Resource Centre
Ist Street, Nambalbal, Pampore PPR J&K 192121, Contact person:
Ed. Sheikh Gulzaar, (Programme Incharge)
Ph: 09858986794, 01933-223705
E-mail: iirc@rediffmail.com
web : http://ngoinindia.blogspot.com

Ginkgo (Ginkgo Biloba) Plants Development in Kashmir (India)

(Announcement) GREETINGS from far away Pampore.I’d like to tell readers about a very special man I have met here. His name is Ed. Sheikh GULZAAR.He is a plant breeder who collects rare and vanishing species of plants, herbs and spices. For the past 20 years he has devoted himself to developing many varieties of plants that can survive in difficult conditions. His one wish is to share his seeds of wild herbs and flowers with plant lovers elsewhere. He is happy to send seeds to all friends readers living in colder climates. Please write to: Mr. Sheikh GULZAAR PO Box 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001 THE STATE OF KASHMIR (Via New Delhi-India) e.mail: cikashmir@gmail.com http://www.chenabindustries.blogspot.com

India-Pakistan pilgrimage for peace and harmony

Srinagar: Feb, 08: More than a dozen NGOs from India in association with their Pakistani counterparts are planning a march in May this year to promote peace and harmony in the region.

According to Feroze Mithiborwala - President of Awami Bharat, the March that would be a combination of a Rath-cum-Padyatra would begin from Mumbai and follow the route from Dahanu (Maharashtra), Surat, Baroda, Ahmedabad, Mehsana - (Gujarat), Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Ajmer, Jaipur (Rajasthan), Agra, Mathura - (Uttar Pradesh), Delhi, Panipat - (Haryana), Chandigargh (Haryana-Punjab), Ludhiana, Amristsar (Punjab), Wagah (India-Pakistan border) before entering Pakistan and culminating in Karachi.

The march is expected to travel over 2000 kilometers in India and around 1000 kilometers in Pakistan by May 31, 2010.

Stating that a consensus is building for India and Pakistan peace and a vast majority of people in both the countries are in favor of peace, Feroze Mithiborwala said, "At the time when both the governments are now conducting discussions, we would only be adding to the climate & creating a larger space within the people of the two countries, as well as the powers that be."

Titled as India-Pakistan pilgrimage for peace and harmony, the march has been borrowed from Mahatma Gandhi's Salt Satyagraha launched during the British rule in the Indian subcontinent.

"Considering the religio-cultural history of South Asia, that has a deep devotion to Sufi & Bhakti Saints & for where Pilgrimages, either to Amarnath or Ajmer, are a holy & spiritually purifying act, we chose the name for our peace march", added Feroze.

"Throughout the course of our journey for peace, we would appeal to people to contribute a Mutthi bhar mitti - fist full of soil, that would then be collected from every city, town & village along the way. By this, people would feel that they are a part of the larger process of peace & unity", he said.

Noting that Peepal is the tree under which Buddha received his enlightenment and South Asia currently needs a generous dose of the same kind of enlightenment, he said, "We will also carry saplings - preferably Peepal from each of these places & plant them in the "GARDEN OF PEACE" that we will create along with a "PILLAR OF PEACE" or Bharat-Pakistan Shanti Stambh. This could then be made in all the cities towns & villages across the two countries."

"We do need a lot of emotional markers on our cultural landscape - We will create the same with the soil of the two countries", he noted. (Writer-South Asia)