Month: February 2016

Protests across Jammu over JNU row

Editor

BJP’s aggressive campaign against separatism symbolised by the events at Jawaharlal Nehru University has put the Congress on the back foot as the latter had defended those who stirred anti-national emotions in New Delhi. A majority of the people in Jammu joined the BJP-sponsored demonstrations in solidarity against the “anti-national” elements. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had supported JNU students. As the JNU controversy is directly related to “religious separatism” of the Kashmir Valley, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to target the Congress on the issue and it has…

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Identify non-performing officers, says Governor

Editor

Stressing upon accountable and responsive governance, Governor NN Vohra today issued directions for identifying non-performing officers. The Governor passed these directions while reviewing issues related to the Vigilance at a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat. Chief Secretary BR Sharma, Principal Secretary to Governor PK Tripathi and General Administration Department (GAD) Commissioner Gazzanfar Hussain attended the meeting. Gazzanfar informed that 91 FIRs were registered during 2015 involving 158 gazetted officers and 118 non-gazetted officials. The consent for prosecuting 32 cases, involving 22 gazetted officers and 40 non-gazetted officials, has been…

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‘Thank you JNU’ posters surface in Srinagar

Editor

Soon after the Friday prayers at the old city Srinagar, a group of youth, shouting pro-freedom slogans, tried to take out a march towards Nowhatta Chowk. For the first time since row over Pro-Azadi protests in Jawaharlal Nehru University erupted, protesters in old city Srinagar carried banners “thank you JNU.” Some of the protesters were also carrying posters of parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru, who was hanged in Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013, police said. Soon after the Friday prayers at the old city Srinagar, a group of…

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Anti-NFSA protests continue in Kashmir Valley

Editor

Consumers appeal authorities to take necessary steps Protests against National Food Security Act (NFSA) refuse to die down as people in Kashmir Valley Friday rallied against Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD) department in north as well as in central Kashmir, demanding its rollback. Hundreds of people in Kangan staged protest demonstration demanding NFSA revocation. Terming the NFSA as an anti-people act, the protesters from various areas after Friday prayers assembled at Main Chowk Kangan in Ganderbal district and held a protest demonstration against the NFSA implementation, demanding its roll…

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Modi to take call on govt formation

Editor

The pace of the government formation process has picked up in Jammu and Kashmir and the first major signs are likely to appear by Sunday. It is expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have seen the thrust areas and the time-line of the important clauses of agenda of alliance before Sunday to facilitate further movement in giving a long-awaited popular government in Jammu and Kashmir. This sensitive border state is without a political government since the death of chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7. Currently, it is…

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State bans pvt hotel meetings; officials to travel in economy

Editor

The cash-strapped Jammu and Kashmir today unveiled a slew of austerity measures “to promote fiscal discipline” and cut extravagant expenditure on official meetings, conferences, air travel of bureaucrats and purchase of new vehicles. The state government, administrated by Governor NN Vohra, has barred officers and officials from holding of meetings and conferences at private hotels and travelling first class on domestic and international visits regardless of entitlement. It has also discouraged the holding of exhibitions, fairs, seminars and conferences outside the state, except exhibition for tourism or handicraft promotion. Furthermore,…

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Dachigam to be thrown open for tourists: Secy Tourism

Editor

TAAK, PHAROA release directories at OTM, Mumbai Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department organized a press conference at OMT, Mumbai on Friday. A large gathering of exhibitors and visitors participated were present on the occasion. Chief Guest Secretary Tourism J&K Farooq A Shah gave full profile of the J&K and highlighted the features of its three regions. He said besides existing destinations, new destinations like Gurez are being promoted in a big way by the government. He also said J&K is the only state having tourist police who ensure every smooth…

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Clashes in Srinagar as cops stop protest march

Editor

Security forces on Friday scuttled a march here by a group of youth carrying posters of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and messages like ‘Thank you, JNU’, leading to clashes near the historic Jamia Masjid. Soon after the Friday prayers at Kashmir’s main mosque, a group of youth, shouting pro-freedom slogans, tried to take out a march towards Nowhatta Chowk, police said. Some of the youth were carrying the flags of Pakistan and ISIS terror group as also the posters of Afzal Guru who was hanged in New Delhi’s Tihar…

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#SeditionDebate: Everything you need to know about Umar Khalid, the man they’re calling ‘Kashmiri traitor’

Editor

On the evening of 9 February, 30 minutes before the scheduled start of a cultural event organised by the Democratic Students Union (an ultra-leftist group) titled ‘A Country without a Post Office’ to protest against the “judicial killing” of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat, the university administration of Jawaharlal Nehru University cancelled the event. Dozens of students gathered on the Sabarmati lawns — including Kashmiri students — to protest against the cancellation and raised slogans. One among them was Umar Khalid. Former DSU leader Khalid, 28, resigned from his post…

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JNU fallout to decide J&K govt formation?

Editor

With the JNU row showing no sign of ebbing, a dark shadow has been cast over the turbulent PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu & Kashmir. Sources said PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who has kept the alliance on hold since her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s demise on January 7, has now decided to wait and watch how the JNU episode unfolds before making any formal announcement. On Wednesday, BJP’s prime negotiator with PDP, Ram Madhav, had met Mehbooba in an attempt to break the logjam that has fanned uncertainty in the state.…

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