Govt’s muscular militaristic approach won’t solve Kashmir problems: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday said the government’s “muscular militaristic approach” won’t help in solving problems in Kashmir. He also came out in support of Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra for saying that the rules of engagement for handling conflicts calls for restraint. “The fundamental flaw is the belief that a muscular militaristic approach will lead to a solution in Kashmir,” Chidambaram tweeted. “Governor Vohra is absolutely right when he said that rules of engagement for handling internal conflicts called for ‘restraint’, he added. The former home…

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Kashmir turned into a garrison ahead of Jan 26: Opposition walks out of assembly

The opposition National Conference on Tuesday staged walkout from the Legislative Assembly to protest against “turning of Kashmir into a prison” ahead of January 26. As soon as proceedings of the House began, NC legislators stood up and protested against the “harassment” of people by the government forces in Kashmir ahead of R-Day. “Kashmir has been turned into a prison. Why are people being harassed?” asked Ali Muhammad Sagar of the National Conference. He said that people are not being allowed to come out of their homes in Kashmir. The…

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Govt pushes for inclusion of Kashmir cricketers in IPL

As the three Kashmiri cricketers have got their names listed in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) player’s auction, J&K Government is also using its influence as a last attempt to make their entry into teams. The 2018 IPL player auction in Bengaluru on January 27-28 has created a buzz ahead of the 11th season of the T20 league. From an original pool of 1122, there will be 578 cricketers up for auction; of these, 360 are Indian and the rest overseas players. The list of 578 includes 244 capped…

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Apprehending fidayeen attacks, coaching centers closed till January 27

Amid looming threats of fidayeen attacks by militants ahead of Republic Day, the J&K Government has shut private coaching centers in Srinagar. “We have been asked to stay closed till January 27,” said an employee of a private coaching centre at Parraypora in Srinagar. He said the coaching center administration had asked the authorities to allow them to run the classes for pre-medical National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and engineering entrance examinations but to no avail. “Engineering examinations are scheduled in March and NEET is scheduled in May. It is unfortunate…

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WGFI & IISM celebrated World Snow Day at Gulmarg

The Winter Games Federation of India in association with the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM) celebrated World Snow Day in Gulmarg on Sunday. A statement issued by the institute said the day was celebrated all over the world to ‘bring children to snow and promote snow sports among our future generations’. It said 90 children from Kashmir and many from other statesparticipated in the celebrations. JS Dhillon, Director, IISM, said many children were interested to pursue snow sports but there was a huge gap in the knowledge on…

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Govt has failed to protect border dwellers: Ajay Sadhotra

National Conference (NC) leader Ajay Sadhotra has said the BJP governments at the Centre and the state have failed to protect the lives and property of the people living along the International Border and the Line of Control. During his visit to border villages from Chakrali-Gajansoo to Lalyal Camp and Kanachak in the Marh block, the NC leader condemned the frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan. “I have come to enquire about your condition,” he told border residents and expressed shock and grief over the killing of people and expressed sympathies…

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LeT tells Valley women to observe “Islamic dress code”

Terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) threatening Kashmiri women on Monday to be prepared for “consequences” if they did not observe the “Islamic dress code”. It circulated handwritten posters, asking women to follow a “Taliban-type dress code” — that is, a burqa, which leaves just the eyes exposed. “Kashmiri women, particularly from Shopian district, are resorting to waywardness. So they need to observe Islamic dress. Even the hands of the women should not be exposed,” read the posters, which bore LeT stamps. Police didn’t make much of the posters, but said they…

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Surrounded by Pak on Three Sides, Mortar Shells Rain on Kashmir’s ‘Basmati Villages’

12 people, including 5 soldiers, have lost their lives in the fresh bout of firing along IB and LoC while more than 50 civilians have been wounded, an indication that populated areas are being targeted. The farmers of villages in RS Pura and Suchetgarh sectors – known for growing the fabled basmati – are living in fear due to the roaring guns on both sides of the restive international border. This sowing season, they are fearful of stepping on to their fields, lest unexploded shells that are littered around might…

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Famed Kashmir’s traditional wicker craft struggles to survive

Passionate about music, 26-year-old Shabir Ahmad Bhat of Kanil Mohalla, Chrar-e-Sharief always wanted to become a singer. But “fate did not support” him for that. Soon after completing his secondary education, Shabir has to leave his studies and start traditional family profession of kanil kaem (wickerwork) to provide some help to his economically distressed family. Now for more than 10 years into the profession, Shabir says, the demand for wicker craft has so much dwindled that he is hardly able to make his ends meet. A master craftsman, Shabir not…

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Glacial lakes make J&K vulnerable to flash floods

With rapid melting of glaciers creating glacial lakes in various mountain ranges of Jammu and Kashmir, state government has failed to devise a mechanism to avert disasters even as environmentalists have warned of flash floods due to outburst of these lakes. Studies have shown that most of the glaciers in J&K are receding due to climate change at an average rate of 20 metres per annum. Melting glaciers erode land and fill up the space creating glacial lakes. Experts said there are more than 100 glacial lakes spread across different…

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