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Saturday, November 5, 2011

India will Fail in Kashmir as U.S. in Afghanistan: Imran Khan

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Lahore: It was a real show of power from the cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan who with his 100,000 flag-waving supporters rallying near the Minar-e-Pakistan monument, saw himself establishing as a real force in Pakistani politics, reports SiliconIndia (31/2011)

Talking up the issue of the rights of Kashmiris at the heavily electrified political rally, he said the Indian Army will fail in Kashmir as the U.S. army did in Afghanistan. "Did the Americans succeed in Afghanistan? Is the Indian Army more powerful than the U.S. Army? When the Americans couldn't succeed, how can you succeed with 700,000 troops that are involved in excesses?," he asks as the crowd cheered.

"No army has been able to solve any country's problems at any time," he said demanding that the Indian troops should be withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir. The chief of Tehreek-e-Insaf also asked Hindustan to give the people of Kashmir their right to self-determination. He said his party would "stand with the Kashmiri brothers and speak for their rights at all forums".

Khan who founded his political party 15 years ago is trying hard to translate his fame into votes. Focusing on the core issues in the country such as corruption, lack of education, rising prices, inflation and unemployment, the cricketing legend is expanding his political base ahead of the 2013 general election. A poll conducted by the U.S.-based Pew Research Center back in June sees Khan as the most popular political figure in Pakistan.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Monday, October 3, 2011

Kashmir: pre-53

Photo: International Info.Res. Centre

Modi fast; Bypassing Congress Muslims; J&K: maintain pre-1953 status

The Milli Gazette
Published Online: Oct 02, 2011

Narendra Modi’s fast has two clear implications, first either his is genuine change of heart towards Muslims falling short of saying sorry for 2002.Two,he is trying to show that he was sensitive to their needs so that he can easily mount the Delhi throne. It is ironical that a Muslim baiter now desperately needs them to project his benign image. If Modi means what he says, then it may be a watershed in Hindu Muslim relations and communal tensions can be a thing of the past. If he becomes the prime minister and reverts to being a poster boy of Hindutva, then god saves Muslims. So there are two basic requirements that ModI should satisfy. First he should stand tall over Sangh Parivar and make them see reason. Two, he should atone for 2002 by offering apologies and by generously compensating the victims. However, international implications of Modi becoming India’s prime minister should not be lost site of. Imagine the leader of a major country delivering an address on human rights in the UN General Assembly but having a terrible record of mass murders. If that PM is Modi then it can be devastatingly embarrassing for India.
Yunus Chitwala
adilchita[@]yahoo.in
II
The Supreme Court’s order over the petition filed by the widow of former MP Ehsan Jaffery, who was killed in the Gulberg Society carnage, is being deliberately misinterpreted by the BJP as a clean chit to Narendra Modi. The way a few electronic news channels went gaga inferring the verdict as a reprieve to Mr.Modi is appalling. Some media houses have gone a step further to portend Mr.Modi as a fit case for the BJP’s future Prime Ministerial candidate. One must remember that, the Supreme court had taken a sympathetic view over Ms.Jaffery’s petition filed in the year 2006 and directed the SIT to probe the alleged complicity of Mr.Narendra Modi and others in the post Godhra riots. Again, the Supreme Court appointed amicus curiae in the Gulberg Society case, to investigate independently on the complaint filed by Zakia Jaffery. What is disappointing however, is that the apex court, by asking the SIT to submit its final report in the magistrate court, has pushed the matter back to square one, conforming to the adage “justice delayed is justice denied”.
Sultan Mohiuddin
sultan_awaz[@]yahoo.co.in

III
It is alarming to read that Narendra Modi will be BJP`s prime ministerial candidate for the next Lok Sabha elections in 2014. It is time for all Muslims to unite and vote en-block to one party at the centre. At state level they can choose any secular party of their choice but at the centre if all do not give vote to one party then he will sure to become the Prime Minister and turn every state into a Gujarat State. So even though Muslims could not get much congress they do not have any other choice for the lok sabha elections. For Modi `s thoughts please refer to RSS and VHP websites for their ideology. He is a Fascist and wishes to kill all non-hindus! Remember more than 10000 muslim men, women, and children were killed, raped and tortured in Gujarat. Remember Advani`s speeches, Remember Babri Masjid, Remember the riots the country had and the number of Muslims who were killed and tortured. The BJP will sure to show its true colours when it gets power at the centre. It will change the constitution, implement uniform cil code and exterminate Muslims. Let us not repeat the same mistakes of the past when Vajpai became the PM. This time their lives are at stake. No doubt Congress has kicked Muslims but BJP will sure to go for the Kill. So which is better? Kick or a kill?
Ahmed[@]gmail.com

IV
Mahatma Gandhi is father of nation but more than this identity, he was a personality who gave us the tools of non violence and sacrifice: “The Satyagrah”. We all know that Satyagrah is a tool to become inclined ourselves towards spiritualism, towards purity of soul and towards self control. But nowadays everybody can see that how some selfish people are misusing the name of Gandhi and his tool of Satyagrah. We all already know that how the same Gujrat, the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, has become witnessed of violence and politics of hate. Some people destroyed the Gandhian values, integrity and harmony of society. Now the same people are trying to market their fast on the name of Satyagrah. This is absolutely objectionable because it is totally against with the concept and objective of Gandhian Satyagrah. The recent drama of Modi’s fast shows that politicians are ready to sell the values, only to make their personal benefits. This was not the time when there was any issue to observe the fast. Fast on the name of harmony by Modi Ji is itself a joke. Reality of Gujarat is known to everyone. Mere clean chit by court in lack of sufficient proof never mean that riots victims will forgive the accused persons. Why there were no fast observed after the riots?
Ravi Nitesh, New Delhi
ravinitesh]@[gmail.com

V
Guajrat Cheif Minister Narendra Modi was on fast for social harmony for three days during 17-19 September in Ahmedabad. Almost all the sections of the society took part knowingly or unknowingly, voluntarily or forcibly. The so called Muslim leaders and ordinary Muslims (mostly illiterate and paid) remained present at the venue. Mainstream media has highlighted only one side of the coin. Let us see the other side of the coin. Let us hear opinions and views of certain Muslims who came over to Ahmedabad from various parts of the Gujarat. (1) One of the participants from Rajkot said that they have been brought in Ahmedabad in A C bus and have been paid wages for one day by BJP. They do not know the purpose for which they have been brought to Ahmedabad. (2) One of the participants from Surat said that they have come over in Ahmedabad for picnic. They do not know what is going on here (3 ) One of the riot affected persons who came from Vadodara was not allowed to hand over his memorandum to CM . He said that those Muslims who came over here are “bikau” persons, who have not undergone pains of 2002 riots. We have seen our dear ones being killed and raped and are still waiting for justice. (4) Riot victims from Godhra called the Muslims attending CM’s fasting as rented and shameless Muslims.
Farooq Abdul Gaffar Bawani, Rajkot, India
mohammed.galeriya]@[yahoo.co.in
VI
The utter refusal of Mr.Narendra Modi to put on skull cap offered by so called cleric has only insulted Islam and exposed his game plan to resort all permutation and combination to realise his dream of becoming the next PM of India. It amply makes it clear that he has done so to get persuasion from the Hindu community and keep them united on communal ground. Of course, those clerics must think twice before attending the Programme. Modi wants to give a communal colour to accomplish his program.
Wakeel Ahmad, Gaya
wakeeldel]@[gmail.com
VII
In April this year Hazare had praised Modi’s development work in Gujarat, only to invite flak for overlooking the state’s poor law and order record under the chief minister. A month later, Hazare said he was dismayed by the level of corruption in the state saying, “When I went to Gujarat, I saw scams in the state and therefore decided to retract my earlier statement.” Now Anna Hazare should ask Modi to disclose to people how his sadbhavna show was financed.
Dr Mookhi Amir Ali, Santacruz West, Mumbai 400054
drmookhi]@[hotmail.com
VIII
N.R. Madhava Menon, the legal luminary, has said; don’t think for the common man a grievance is any different from an FIR [first information report]. A legend goes that when Lal Bahadur Shastri was the union railway minister and a major railway accident took place. Shastri, taking the moral responsibility for it, resigned forthwith. There was not even a hint of a suggestion from any source that he is directly or indirectly responsible for the accident. During the Sadbhaavna mission of Narendra Modi a journalist suggested to him if he would accept moral responsibility for the events of Gujarat 2002. Narendra Modi expressed outrage at such a suggestion. His counter question was, all the FIRs registered in connection with the 2002 riots, have you anywhere seen the name Modi? The very absence of an FIR filed against him is taken by the chief minister is taken by him as the evidence of his clean hands.
Dr Mookhi Amir Ali, Santacruz West, Mumbai 400054
drmookhi]@[hotmail.com
IX
The three-day fast for peace drama was staged by Modi only to divert public attention from his government avenging treatment with the brave IPS officers like Sanjiv Bhat who dared expose the reality about Gujarat governments? involvement in the 2002 riots. There are no two opinions that these officers are facing prosecution merely because they tried to bring before the world the truth that exposes the real face each time and again is tried to be made hidden behind the slogans of so-called inclusive and rapid progress by the Hindutva play boy. It is surprising that the person who shattered peace in Gujarat was on a mission to propagate peace and harmony among Indians.
A Hameed Yousuf, Ulsoor, Bangalore-08
ahameed12]@[gmail.com

X
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi ended his three day fast at the hands of all religious representatives at Ahmedabnad on Monday (19.09.11) evening. Syedna BURHANUDDIN SHAB THE HEAD OF DAWOODI BOHRA COMMUNITY deputed some ladies robed in Community Dress to greet Modiji for his successful fast(it is supposed that witout Raza of Syedna Saheb nothing is performed even meetin gof husband/wife is regulated by Raza) The Press captioned the group of ladies as representatives of Muslim Community.The question arises whether Muslim Community accept this representation on their behalf. As on the other hand Gujrat Cheif Minister Narendra Modi refused to put on “Skull Cap” offered by a muslim cleric during his three day Sadbhavana fast here. May I request The Ulemas of Deoband, Barelly and other Distinguished Accademic personalities to let know the Umma about the relations between Bohra community and Muslim at large. in the light of newspapers heading and caption published in various newspapers.Should we take the representation of Bohra ladies as representation of Muslim at large.
Salim Pasha
salim.pasha]@[yahoo.com
XI
Life is full of strange paradoxes. The best example is the fast taken by Narendra Modi for three days in the name of Sadbhavna (Harmony), to mark complete peace, unity and harmony. This came in the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict which has asked the trial court to examine all the evidence and amicus curie’s report so that his culpability or otherwise in Gulbarg society case is decided. The SC order has directed the Special Investigation Team to file its final report into the allegations of Narendra Modi being the architect-in-chief of the 2002 Gujarat massacre. Ironically, this was interpreted by BJP as a clean chit to Modi. Which made Modi in turn took sigh of relief and pronounced, ‘God is great’. However, if God shows greatness to those families affected in riots, then what would Modi pronounce. Modi is trying to deflect all the criticism against him by saying that it is an insult to the six crore Gujaratis. This ploy may not work as a large number of citizens from Gujarat know that Modi may be the elected Chief Minister of Gujarat, but he is not the one who represents the essence of ‘Gujarat of Gandhi’ or Gujarat of dalits, Adivasis and Minorities. Modi has done his best to create an image of ‘man of development’, but the real credit goes to the policies which have supported the large corporate houses, who have got state loans at minimal rate of interest, while the fact is the farmers continued to commit suicide burdened by loans etc. It is remarkable that while ‘vibrant or shining Gujarat’ is projected, the ‘whining Gujarat’ is cleverly hidden from public vision. The claims of Harmony in Gujarat are far from true.
Mohd Ziyaullah Khan, Nagpur – 440013
writeziya]@[gmail.com
XII
Why there is a sign of repent at this time after a decade. Why not at the time of 2002? At that time, Modi was the Hitler of modern Gujarat who crossed all the brickbats of human civilization and become an ugly monster. Modi knows well after the verdict of Supreme Court he would certainly come for justice. He repented for his sins, which he committed earlier. His fast is nothing but purification before death. Mr. Modi in his open letter to the people of the Nation and Gujarat dedicated his fast to the society and basically aims for the unity, harmony and brotherhood. Mr. Modi trying to wiped out his sins merely on 3 days fast. Is it possible for the Muslims of Gujarat to forget the horrible communal riots? a. Do the Muslims of Gujarat forget the deaths of uncountable youths? b. Do the Muslims of Gujarat can forget the death of every member of the family? c. Do the Muslims of Gujarat forget the only bread earner of the family who lost his life in the communal riot? d. Do the Muslims of Gujarat forget the chastity of their sisters and daughters? e. Do the Muslims of Gujarat forget the worship places, which had been vandalised in the communal riots?
Zuber Ahmad Khan, Navi Mumbai
contact.z]@[rediffmail.com

Bypassing Congress Muslims
The Indian National Congress stands for secularism and has been fighting forces of Hindu communalism and Hindutva led by RSS and its political wing BJP. It is therefore both distressing shocking that the Chief Minister of Delhi had appointed a BJP man who was a prominent leader of “support Bajpai Committee” in the Lok Sabha elections of 2009 as Vice Chairman of Delhi Urdu Academy ignoring claims of several Congress Muslims who were quite competent to hold this post. By choosing a BJP man the chief minister has strengthened BJP. Similarly the Editor of an Delhi Urdu Daily who had offered unconditional apology to RSS for writing against it has been appointed as advisor on minority education by the Union Minister of HRD. One wished that the Chief Minister of Delhi and the HRD Minister had not patronized a BJP man and a man who had apologized to RSS.
Dr. M. Hashim Kidwai, Ex-MP, Mayur Vihar, Delhi-91

Honour killing or dishonour murder
In today’s Deccan Herald there is news of so called honour killing. It is not at all an honour killing rather a gruesome murder of a Muslim youth who had some affair with a caste Hindu girl. The lovers wanted to get married but the parents of the girl were not agreed for this marriage. They planed to kill the boy and killed. The love affair does not progress until and unless the girl gives lift to the boy. If the parents of the girl threatened and given some punishment the boy had forget the girl. But they kept till the affair matured and the duo took the decision to get married. At this stage the boy was killed mercilessly with out the fear of law. If you see the present state of affair hundred of Muslim girls are getting married with Hindu boys and visa versa. In the film industry we see high level actors and actresses are getting married also in big cities we can come across number of such examples. Amir Khan and Sharuhk Khan have married with caste Hindu girls. No ob-jection was made from any side. In the caste Hindus the marriages are late and difficult due to want of suitable bridegrooms the girls cannot wait many years and they select any good looking lad with good earning other caste’s boys and go for registered marriage.
Dr Maqdoomi, Hyderabad
drmaqdoomi]@[yahoo.com

Sky rocketing prices
On account of sky rocketing prices of essential commodities, the country today is facing a most formidable solution defying crisis which has made the life of the common man extremely miserable. On this account the congress and its leaders who are committed to the welfare of the common man are rightly very much perturbed. But they should not feel depressed as the past history tells us how a similar crisis which had also similar huge proportions had been successfully solved by one of its most popular and legendary leader Rafi Ahmad Kidwai. During the 50s the country had to face the food problem and in those days it had to face the worst food situation. The target of self-sufficiency had totally failed and there was a cut in rations by one/third on account of food grain shortage. Semifamine conditions prevailed through out the country. Black-marketing and hoarding were responsible for worsening the situation. Kidwai who had been given the food portfolio not only successfully tided over the crisis but made the country self sufficient and over and above all this he proved to be a miracle man by converting the country into the land of plenty.
Dr. M. Hashim Kidwai, Ex-MP, Mayur Vihar, Delhi-91

Take a U-turn from nuclear energy
The tenth day of the anti-nuclear collective fast at Tamilnadu Koodamkulum has ended. Many of the fasters are in critical condition. The Tamilnadu CM Jaylalitha is rightly in panic. Unfortunately what she has done is passing the buck to the centre. The centre in its usual feet-dragging fashion sent an emissary to ?diate? with the people. The protesting people expect much more from Jaylalitha. They want her to use her power as the state CM to defy the centre and halt the work at the power plant till the fears of the populace are allayed. This is an opportunity for Jaylalitha to take up the mantle of an anti nuclear activist. In the days when the whole world is in the process of rethinking the nuclear option our government is going full steam ahead with Mithi Virdi nuclear power plant in Gujarat, Jaitapur in Maharashtra, Chutke in MP, Kevada in AP, Fatihabad in Haryana, Koodamkulum in Tamilnadu. While Indian government is in the process of dotting the entire Indian landscape with NPPs [nuclear power plants]; the list of the countries abandoning the nuclear energy is lengthening.
Dr Mookhi Amir Ali, Santacruz West, Mumbai 400054
drmookhi]@[hotmail.com

Taliban fury
After Ahmad Wali Karzai, Burhanuddin Rabbani’s assassination in the high profile green zone is yet another clever tactic of Taliban to negate peacekeeping or any interlocution with the current government. The question is for how long the indoctrinating and self counselling terms like, he is the martyr of peace, etc, will continue in hostile war zones like Afghanistan and does calling anybody a martyr after his murder, justify government’s responsibility of lacking basic security system round the state ? The current bleak Afghan scenario, on one hand, speaks of the failure of NATO forces and America’s war on terror and reflects of the revenge for the west’s moral travesties and its unwanted and forcible interference in the sensitive zone and on the other it speaks of the contemporary Afghanistan security institution, which is going from bad to worse. Why are Taliban killing everyone coming in their path, whether a peace advocate or a pro-Afghan government person and what they exactly want to convey to the state apparatus, still remains to be explored and analysed in a right perspective. It also speaks of the government’s basic misunderstanding and myopic vision about the Taliban psyche and myth of the highly claimed peace process. Seeing the circumstances, there is no use of establishing peace counsels at this odd moment but an unconditional dialogue with Taliban, and a political will to reach to a basic consensus with the extremist ideologies like that of Taliban, by finding a middle path to be followed for the future. This can work on the ground level otherwise open murders and continuous terror fury will continue impoverishing afghan society of its basic identity, social, cultural, economic and educational progress. Also seeing the pathetic prospect of Afghan Diaspora, craving for the peace in their home land, there is need of a serious political will to solve the basic issues and start a willful negotiation with Taliban, to curb such a horrible state of affairs.
Adfar Rashid Shah, JMI, New Delhi
adfer.syed]@[gmail.com

PM’s tour of America no gain but loss
Our Indian diplomats should understand the purpose of Manmohan Singh’s tour of United States. It is nothing but US diplomacy to make a contract of some sophisticated defence weapons from US in the backdrop. Chinese boarder intervention and getting advance 300 Km area in the Indian Territory. India might have contacted US to get US support against China. US will warn China subject to the condition of purchase of certain antimissiles or other costly weapons worth of billions of dollars. In the fear of China’s further advancement in our territory our PM will agree to the Arms deal and will make the advance payment .The talk in the general assembly and against US policy is just to misguide the people
Dr Maqdoomi, Hyderabad
maqdoomi]@[yahoo.com

Veerappa Moily is calling for a national debate on the scope of the Right to information act. It is his contention that the information which Subramanian Swamy obtained was on the opinion of one minister on a matter on which two ministers may disagree. This, in his view, happens during the course of decision making and need not come into public domain. Moily must note that the matter on which Pranab Mukjerjee opined was not the merit or demerit of how the spectrum should be allotted. Pranab or his office has opined, quite categorically, on the action or inaction of P Chidambaram which altered the course of a particular decision so enormously. Subramanian Swamy understands the concept of “argumentative India” like anybody else. What he is trying to put the finger on is the culpability of the finance minister.
Dr Mookhi Amir Ali,
Sushma, Dadabhai Rd., Santacruz West,
Mumbai 400054
drmookhi[@]hotmail.com

GDP growth?
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while addressing the United Nations General Assembly, said that ‘a fast-growing India can expand the boundaries of global economy. Despite global financial crunch India is growing at close to 8 per cent’. What does it mean to aam admi in India, at a time when corruption has penetrated into veins of our country weakening its socio-political fabric? A majority of people do not know and even do not want to know what the GDP and economic growth is. Having seen the usual queue of beggars at Delhi’s historical Jama Masjid and child labour at India Gate, the grade card of 8 per cent GDP growth holds little or no relevance.
Shafaque Alam
New Delhi
shafaquealam[@]gmail.com

J&K: maintain pre-1953 status
Implement the recommendations of Interlocutors with immediate effect and maintained the status prior to 1953. New Delhi should grant Autonomy / independence to the Kashmir, so that the Kashmiris don’t have to depend on anybody. They can live with honour and resources. Any further delay in decision-making in favour of Kashmiris could be disastrous for both Kashmiris and India. The Kashmiris do have the efficient leadership, resources and the capacity to govern their own nation in a peaceful manner. Nothing will go wrong if Indian Government provided absolute autonomy or maintained the status before 1953 to Jammu & Kashmir, as suggested by the Interlocutors for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. As the same was in practiced in the state prior 1953. However, after a series of constitutional amendments diluted the state autonomy and gives Authority to the centre on the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Zuber Ahmad Khan, Navi Mumbai
contact.z[@]rediffmail.com

LAWMAKERS GRIEVED GRAVES

Tuesday, September 27, 2011 was just a routine day of business in the history of state assembly. The issue of unmarked graves dominated Day 2 of the brief autumn session. Just how did the lawmakers grieve over the anonymous graves that dot the troubled state’s landscape?

House resumes at 10:00 hours and Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone finds Ms Mehbooba Mufti and other PDP lawmakers on their toes. She started impressing upon the chair that their adjournment motion be accepted because the unmarked graves report of SHRC is highly sensitive. For the last one and a half months, she said, nobody in our country opened his mouth on this issue. These graves are not in Africa. Unlike British parliament, our parliament did not discuss it. There are 3000 graves, she said.

Lone says he is equally concerned as son of the soil but is bound by the House rules. “Heavens would not fall if you suspend the routine business and permit the discussion,” Ms Mufti said. “Let this house send a message out that it is concerned.”

The argument for rules and their suspension went on. Molvi Iftikhar Ansari, Muzaffar Hussain Beig, Javed Mustafa Mir, Rafi Ahmad Mir, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat and many others intervened. The Speaker stuck to his guns. In between there were heated exchanges. Some lawmakers from Jammu even suggested a separate PDP-NC house. At one point of time, the Speaker suggested to Ms Mufti that “we all are equally blamed for whatever has happened and you (read PDP) can not escape unscathed.” In the end, the question hour was almost over and the Speaker finally ruled: “I reject it.” The PDP brigade walks out, never to return for the day.

The House takes up the short duration discussion at around 12:15 hours. Mir Saifullah, one of NCs best debating lawmakers, starts his speech. The official gallery is empty. State Police Chief, Chief  Secretary, Additional DG, Home Commissioner – all are out. Almost all the ministers are out, probably clearing files or busy in meetings in their allotted rooms in the House building. The opposition is now restricted to BJP and Panthers Party.

“Had Kashmir issue been solved, we might have not been counting the graves now,” Mir started. He talks of UN resolutions, agreements between India and Pakistan and finally picks up the threads of turmoil from 1989. From Hawal massacre he moves to Handwara and then offers certain specific instances of those gone missing. “There is no place where there is no graveyard,” he said and mentions Master Ali Mohamad, Wali Mir, Roug Shah and a young bridegroom who was blown to death and whose family got just a few kilograms of his body.

He talks about some specific killings that took place during the earlier PDP government. Mir sees a hope in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and talks between India and Pakistan. In between there is a verbal duel between BJP’s Ashok Khjuria and NC Kafil-Ur-Rehman. As Mir starts concluding his almost 40 minutes long speech, Chief Minister, Law and Finance Ministers are back on their benches, so is an officer in the official gallery.

Congress’s Ashok Kumar takes over. “There is requirement of reconciliation and rehabilitation,” the lawmaker says. He says the issue of unmarked graves is humanitarian and not political. He wants a commission to look into it. NC’s Aijaz Ahmad Jan talks about Master Mumtz of his area who was detained and is missing with an enquiry still on. Insisting that there were such graveyards in his area as well and demands chief minister to announce a commission so that people get justice.

Congress’s Mohammad Sharief Niyaz said TRC should happen. He wants a holistic view of the issue that should take care of the people who have gone across and settled on the other side of the LoC. There are skeletons being recovered from forests. “There is requirement for a complete investigation from all angles,” he said.

It was Kafil-Ur-Rehman, NC’s Karnah MLA who stunned the house. “In our area there are so many gorges where there are many hundred skeletons,” he said. It was his reference to the two brothers who went out and never came back when he mentioned again: “There is a gorge that is 1000 ft deep and people have seen crows hovering around there.”

He says the “un-natural division” has led to a series of massacres in his area – 5000 people in one snowstorm and 4000 people in the wars of 1965 and 1971 and 6000 others who led in shelling for all these years. “But some people have taken the contract of exploiting the issues,” he said and ended by reciting the famous couplet about a victims plight of where he will trace his killer because the assassin has used the hand-glouse!!

Nazir Gurezi who represents another border belt talks about Mufti Sayeed’s appointment by Jogmohan who, he alleged, spearheaded massacres in Kashmir. Then he bashes Ms Mufti for praising Modi. He mentions the killing of six persons by Mufti’s guards and finally ends with the suggestion of a commission that will take care of things from 1990.

Panthers Party’s Harsh Dev Singh while expressing concern over the issue of unmarked mass graves said that the matter should be probed properly and truth must come out. “It seems we are playing politics over dead bodies,” he said. “It is a grave issue and we should see the other side of the picture as well.”

BJP’s Ashok Khajuria expressed concern and raised the issue of Kashmiri pundits who , he alleged, were brutally killed by the militants. He specially mentions Sarla Bhat, who, according to him was killed on a band saw. His speech was interrupted by many lawmakers from the treasury benches. “If you can listen from barrister Mehmood Choudhary, why cannot you listen to me,” Khajuria said. “You people are fed by India and you conspire against her.”

It was the turn of the chief minister Omar Abdullah to wind up the debate. He started with the attack on opposition, which he believes is raking up issues for scoring political points. “These graves belong to 1990-2006 era and we could have easily said that we are not contributors to it so we are not responsible but we cannot say that,” he said.

Omar talked about a “disinformation and misinformation” campaign that gives an impression as if Kashmir is Cambodia or Nazi Germany. Almost reprimanding his party men for ‘mixing up many issues’ and ‘creating problems’ by generating a wrong impression, Omar said there were no mass graves. He made a particular reference to Kafil-Ur-Rehman, a lawmaker from border area of Karnah. “You better go and inform the SHRC,” an angry Omar told Rehman when the latter started explaining his utterances.

“Let me make it clear there are no mass graves,” Omar said. “There are graves carrying one body each though in a few there are more than one body which have been buried as per the Islamic rites.” He said these are unmarked graves and that is not very different from whatever happens in the periphery where people usually avoid having tombstones.

Hundreds of people, Omar said, having gone across the LoC for training have settled there and the state government with MHA is making efforts to get the willing ones back. He maintained that a large number of disappeared persons are living normal lives across the border but they still exist as disappeared persons here. He said there might have been a number of persons who might have been killed in the training camp mishaps, which is normal even in regular military training academies.

Omar said every killing cannot be attributed to the security forces. Recently, some surrendered Hizb militants led the security forces to a forest where they had killed and buried two civilians and they were there for the last seven years. “We are holding security forces responsible for everything and we are condemning them well before they are proven guilty,” he asserted.

It was at the peak of his speech that chief minister reiterated that the recommendations made by the SHRC investigation on the unmarked graves issue would be implemented. The government cannot suppress the truth. “Families having their persons missing should go and lodge an FIR with our human right cell and deposit their DNA samples,” Omar said. “The families would have to help us indicating in which graveyard they suspect their member could be buried so that we will do the needful.” He, however, insisted that this cannot happen overnight.

Already, he said, work had started correlating the FIRs registered with the police with the graves. He termed the task difficult because there are many conflicting numbers about graves in circulation. He referred to Poonch where 2500 such graves are reported to exist. Police records suggest the security forces have killed 2136 militants in that area of whom 2090 are foreigners. “They are buried there but they are foreign militants,” Omar said.

He referred to the recent instance in Gurez where seven of the 14 militants, whose names are not known, where buried. “Right now, we know who are buried in Gurez but after 20 years these could become other unmarked graves,” he asserted. Militants from 12 countries, Omar said, including Russia, Chechnya, Sudan, Pakistan, Britain and Afghanistan have been killed in encounters in J&K and their graves do exist here.

Putting the death toll of civilians in the state since 1990 at 17000, Omar said the people have a right to seek answers about their loved ones. “There would be some uncomfortable questions but we have to respond to them,” Omar said.

On the utopian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Omar said it is possible only if India and Pakistan cooperate. “We need to know how many youth who had gone for training were killed while handling arms,” Omar said asking if Islamabad can ever offer details. “They pushed their regulars into Kargil and when they were killed they never identified them. How can they help in giving us these details now?”
For more details: 
http://www.kashmirlife.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=15&Itemid=163

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Unmarked graves result of impunity enjoyed by forces under AFSPA: Prashant Bhushan

SRINAGAR, October 1: Calling for DNA profiling in the anonymous/unmarked graves, senior Supreme Court lawyer and influential core member of team Anna, Prashant Bhushan  Friday said unbridled impunity to forces  under Armed Forces Special Powers Act  (AFSPA) has led to  thousands of such graves across the State, ISHFAQ TANTRY reports in Rissing Kashmir (30/10/2011)

“Primarily, I was here to appear in 1996 Baderwah civilian killing case, which was listed before High Court today. This is one of the case which indicates how large number of  persons were killed in Kashmir over the years by forces”, Prashant Bhushan, a leading Supreme Court lawyer, said while addressing a press conference, here today.

He said in the particular (Baderwah killing case) involving death of three persons in a fake encounter, the charge sheet was filed but subsequent trial ended in acquittal of the main accused because the initial investigation had loopholes.
Linking the Baderwah fake encounter case with discovery of unmarked and unknown graves in Kashmir, Bhushan said if the fourth person in the case, Talib Hussain, who escaped from clutches of the accused would have been killed,  all the three persons would have been buried in an anonymous or unknown grave somewhere.

“That is why we say that anonymous grave issue, as reported by the SHRC in its investigation,  is important to be probed. The DNA profiling should be done and it should be matched with the DNA profiles of the missing persons, whose list is available with APDP,” he said.

He said Baderwah case is one such case, which can be re-investigated and perpetrators, howsoever influential, be brought to the book. “Because of the impunity enjoyed by armed forces under special powers like AFSPA, such crime are repeated time and again”.

Linking impunity of troops under special powers with mass anonymous graves, team Anna member said this cycle of impunity needs to be broken. “It will be broken only when we can provide justice  to victims by  bringing culprits, howsoever big or influential they may be, to book. For this reason, we are demanding that AFSPA should be removed and DNA profiling  of victims in unmarked  graves be carried out,” he said.

About Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq proposal to seek support of team Anna  on mass grave issue, Bhushan said the matter  is under consideration.“  I am here in my individual capacity. But the proposal is before the core group and I hope it will be considered soon”, he said.

He, however, dismissed the proposal of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to setting up Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to probe issues like unmarked graves.  “It (TRC) won’t serve any purpose. TRC has its uses but it cannot be a complete substitute for booking persons involved in heinous crimes. Here (in Kashmir) we are dealing with accountability of forces who have committed heinous crimes,” he said.

The SC lawyer linked the mass graves issue with unresolved nature of Kashmir issue. “The longer the Kashmir issue festers, the larger number of forces would operate  in Kashmir and it would result in larger number of human rights abuses  like existence of unmarked graves,” he said.

He said conditions should be created conducive for political solution  to the Kashmir problem.
Baderwah Case hearing

Meanwhile, High Court Friday posted the  writ petition seeking reinvestigation into 1996 fake encounter case  for hearing on October 10.

“ The court  will not proceed into the case till Advocate General causes his appearance”, Justice Hasnain Masoodi observed  after  the petitioner lawyer Prashant Bhushan pressed  for issuing notices in the case and the recall of the  case records.
The defence counsel also pleaded  for reinvestigation of the case on the pattern of Best Bakery, Rubabudin and Zahira Sheikh cases wherein Supreme Court ordered reinvestigation and set up the Special Investigation Teams.

Earlier, senior additional Advocate General informed the court that the office of the Advocate General has not received any notice for the assistance of AG in the case from the bench. “The AG’s office has no such information. Advocate General cannot appear in the case, as he has already boarded the plane,” he informed the court.

The families of  Baderwah fake encounter victims, Fazal Hussain Dar, Fareed Hussain Dar and Mohammad Hussain Lone, who were killed in 1996,  had  on  September 21, 2011 approached  High Court with a petition seeking  re-opening  and  reinvestigation of the  case. (Writer-South Asia)

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Medicinal trees and seeds for sale

Goji berry seed/plant for sale
The JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre Srinagar is responsible for development of hundreds of well known medicinal/fruit/ornamental plants.  JKMPIC one  of  the premier institution  involved in production,  development, introduction, & manufacturing of  Medicinal, Fruit,  Ornamental Plants and seeds. 

Availability of  Seed/Planting material
(The following seeds  and planting material is available for distribution/purchase for growers, institutions, universities, associations and NGOs)

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Aconitum heterophyllum                  
Abies pindrow                                  
Acacia melanoxylon
Atropa  belladona                                                                
Asparagus racemosus                    

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Buxus wallichiana                 

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ABOUT OUR SEEDS
The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre-JKMPIC specialises in seeds and plants that are the backbone of organic and permaculture systems. These include a wide range of open-pollinated, heirloom medicinal, fruit, herbal, vegetable seeds, rare edibles, living mulches, green manures and insectary plants for beneficial insects.


SEED QUALITY
We specialise in high quality seed with a guaranteed viability and purity and so we appreciate very much when gardeners let us if know they have an occasional problem with seed germination. This allows us to further improve our growing information and triggers additional germination testing to pinpoint any problems. Germination testing is carried out on a regular basis to check that the viability of seed is being maintained throughout the year.

OPEN POLLINATED SEEDS/Non-hybrid
Our seeds are nearly all open-pollinated and so are able to be grown again from seed you save yourself. Open-pollinated seeds are genetically diverse treasures that have been passed on from generation to generation. When you buy and plant open-pollinated seeds you are helping to protect this valuable resource for the future.

SEED SAVING
Saving open-pollinated (OP) seeds protects our global food heritage.Growing open pollinated seeds and saving some for next year's crop is a practical and economical option for home gardeners.

HEIRLOOM SEEDS
Most of our open-pollinated seeds are also considered heirloom or heritage seed. These are herb, flower and vegetable varieties that were bred and handed down by generations of gardeners and farmers. These varieties have stood the test of time, gardeners have saved them year after year because they were recognised for their superior qualities such as great flavour, good yield or disease resistance.

SEED PACKING
Our seeds are packed in simple plain paper, 90 mm x 145 mm, re-sealable packets with an inner cliplock plastic bag that is also resealable. Our intention is to avoid as much as possible glossy paper and full-colour printing due to its greater environmental impact. The paper packets can be composted. The inner cliplock bag helps greatly to maintain the seed's viability as it resists moisture far better than just a paper packet alone.

GROWING INFORMATION
Seed packets are printed with detailed growing information to help you with successful seed raising. In addition a free leaflet Successful Seed Raising Guide is provided with each seed purchase. Or you can read more

SEED TREATMENT
Please be aware that much of the seed retailed in South Asia  is chemically treated with fungicides. The JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre does not use chemical treatments, our organic solution to weevils is diatomaceous earth, the grey, powdery coating on some of our seeds. Sometimes a hot water seed treatment is worthwhile if you have been having persistent disease problems.

For more details:-
Sheikh GULZAAR
Head
The JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
R&D division : Sonamarag (Kashmir)
Ph: (Resi) 01933-223705
Mob: 09858986794