Month: June 2016

Article 370 on sale?

Editor

Ruckus over mining lease to non-local in JK; Speaker orders inquiry, says House insulted; Opposition seeks resignation of Minister; BJP joins anti-government protest Speaker of J&K Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta Friday ordered an inquiry into issuance of mining lease to a non-local in Jammu and Kashmir under a controversial notification that was put on hold by him, while remarking that the Government has “insulted” the Chair and the House. The Speaker, while questioning the Government decision, directed for strict action against erring officials after members, cutting across parties and including…

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Clashes erupt in north, south Kashmir, Srinagar after Friday prayers

Editor

Clashes erupted in north Kashmir’s Sopore town on Friday after some youth threw stones on forces personnel. According to witnesses, scores of youth assembled at Main Chowk and started shouting pro-freedom, anti-India slogans. They later began throwing stones at the police and paramilitary personnel deployed there. Witnesses added that the police and paramilitary forces in the area retaliated by lobbing tear smoke canisters. As the clashes intensified, the shopkeepers downed shutters of their shops and traffic was also affected. Police summoned reinforcements to the area and chased away the youth. No one was…

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J&K Govt rules out ban on liquor, says freedom of choice can’t be enforced

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir government today ruled out ban on sale or trade of liquor in the state, saying there is freedom of choice and decisions cannot be enforced on others. “There is a demand for banning liquor but I believe that the issue needs to be addressed on the basis of freedom of choice,” Minister for Finance Haseeb Drabu said while speaking during the Zero Hour in the Legislative Council. “As a state policy, we cannot enforce our decisions on others, there is a freedom of choice and let the…

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Masked men raise Pakistan, ISIS flags in Srinagar

Editor

Masked men in Kashmir raised Pakistan and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) flags and pelted stones at policemen after Friday prayers in protest against New Delhi’s rule. The protesters also raised pro-Pakistan and pro-freedom slogans at the rally in Srinagar. Protestors pelted stones at security personnel who in turn fired tear gas shells to disperse them. Several incidents of pro-Pakistan rallies have been reported in recent times in Kashmir, which both India and Pakistan claim in full but rule in part. Flags of militant groups like ISIS,…

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KCCI to protest against online portals for marginalising tourism business

Editor

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) on Friday said that the trade body would stage a protest against what it said marginalisation of the business of tour operators of Kashmir by Online Travel Portals (OTPs). A statement issued here termed it an “unethical” business way by offering Discounts or Coupons or Vouchers to customers who book Kashmir Packages, particularly Hotel bookings online. “This unethical & illegal practice by these OTP’s have made Tour/Travel operators to suffer badly and if this trend continues, it will render them jobless leading…

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Advani, Dy CM Inaugurate Sindhu Bhavan at Leh

Editor

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Member Parliament, LK Advani along with Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh today inaugurated Sindhu Bhawan at Choglamsar, Leh. The state of the art Bhawan, would provide all the requisite boarding and lodging facilities to the yatris coming for the Sindhu darshan festival. The festival is organized every year drawing a large number of people from different parts of the country. Minister for Ladakh Affairs and Cooperatives- Chhering Dorje, Chief Executive Councilor, Dr. Sonam Dawa, Member of Parliament, Thupstan Chhewang were also present on the…

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Muslim League accuses Radisson Blu management of harassing Muslim employees

Editor

After the recent Abaya ban controversy at Delhi Public School (DPS) Athwajan Srinagar it is now Masrat Alam led Jammu Kashmir Muslim League that has alleged Radisson Blu management after taking control of the Mumtaz Group of Hotels in Kashmir is forcing local hotel employees to shave their beard and those who don’t oblige are being fired from the job. In a statement to news agency CNS, Muslim League General Secretary Muhammad Rafiq Ganaie said that Radisson Blu General Manager at Grand Mumtaz Hotel Srinagar Raj Deep has been forcing…

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DPS Row: An Alumna Speaks Up

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By Ann Saad Keeping the recent rush of write ups on Delhi Public School (DPS) abaya row in mind, let’s put the things in perspective. Kashmir isn’t a normal place, so let’s not try hard to normalize a situation or a place by keeping a very narrow vision. DPS came to Kashmir in 2003 and I was one among the first students to join the school. My parents had waited so long for the school to finally open. The craze of nyebrem Indian teachers teaching their kids had gripped my…

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PDP used goons, official machinery in Anantnag by-polls: Congress

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Congress today blamed PDP for using muscle power and official machinery during polling in Anantnag on Wednesday. In a statement here a Congress spokesman said, “Despite having crossed all limits in just concluded Anantnag by-polls, the PDP- BJP coalition could not ensure the percentage of votes in the as was expected by them, which is indicative of the resentment against PDP for having betrayed people for power.” The Congress spokesman also accused PDP for using muscle power during voting in order to secure votes for “RSS backed Chief Minister Mehbooba…

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SMC, Revenue evacuate 17 kanals of land at HMT

Editor

In a joint inspection by officials of Revenue department and Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Wednesday evacuated 17 kanals of illegally occupied land at HMT opposite Ansari Toyota at outskirts Srinagar. A team, headed by Sub District Magistrate (SDM) Srinagar west, Rifat Naseem reached the spot and evacuated the land with the help of revenue and SMC officials. Tehsildar HMT Showkat Ahmad told Kashmir POST that it was government land and it was allotted to people in past under the scheme “Grow More Food’’. He said that people were not growing…

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