‘Beti Bachao, Bahu Lao’ Hindu outfit plans campaign to counter Love Jihad

Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM), affiliated to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), plans to convince in six months 2,100 educated Muslim girls to marry Hindu boys. Announcing a campaign to counter ‘love jihad’, Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM), affiliated to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), plans to convince in six months 2,100 educated Muslim girls to marry Hindu boys. State president of ‘Bahu Beti’ cell of HJM Ajju Chauhan and HJM city unit president Jitendra Pratap Singh told media persons that 15 Muslim girls had been convinced in the last one year and their…

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Centre’s mission Kashmir seems to be losing steam

The visit to Kashmir this week by the Centre’s representative, former Intelligence Bureau Chief Dineshwar Sharma, has ended with even less hope that a way forward will emerge. In fact, commenting on the visit, former RAW chief and long-time IB operative Amarjit Singh Dulat remarked that ‘I hope they don’t reduce him (Sharma) to a zero.’ Dulat, who has led the Centre’s covert talks initiatives in the past, acknowledged that hope appears to have dimmed. Increased Numbers To be sure, a larger number of delegations met Sharma than during his…

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Zakir Musa’s portrait displayed during Milad procession in South Kashmir

In an extraordinary development in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, the Sufi sect of Muslims displayed portraits of militants including that of al-Qaida’s Kashmir chief Zakir Musa during the Eid-ul Milad procession on Friday, police sources said. Al-Qaida emphasises on Wahhabism that discourages shrine-going and even observing the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. Milad celebrations are in complete contradiction with the philosophy of al-Qaida, which propagates extremism and call for Islamic caliphate. Security forces allowed the procession but there were clashes in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district after some youth who were…

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Tibetan Muslims who have made Kashmir their home

Sometimes when you think you know a place, you come across a fresh aspect of it, which reminds you how little you know. I’ve been visiting Kashmir fairly regularly for more than twenty years. I have been to Hari Parbat fort, the magnificent Mughal-era monument which dominates the Srinagar skyline. But I had never before come across the small, quiet, community that nestles in its shadow. Two thousand or more Tibetans have made their home in Srinagar. These are Tibetan Muslims. A few Muslim families remain in the Tibetan capital,…

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India must ‘Cherish and Nurture’ its Muslims: Obama to Modi

India needs to “cherish and nurture” its Muslim population, which is integrated and considers itself Indian, former US president Barack Obama said on Friday. It is an idea that needs to be reinforced, he emphasised at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit here. Obama touched on a host of topics, including his relationship with Narendra Modi and Manmohan Singh, terrorism, Pakistan, the hunt for Osama bin Laden and his love for Indian ‘dal’ and ‘keema’, during his address and the question-answer session that followed. Obama, the first African American president of…

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47 HIV positive cases in Leh dist

In all, 47 people were diagnosed with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) at the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre, SNM Hospital, in Leh district. Of them, 27 patients are locals. This was stated by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Leh, Dr Yangchan Dolma while sharing the present scenario of HIV-AIDS patients in Leh district at an awareness function organised on the occasion of World AIDS Day at Leh. The CMO said with the early intervention and timely anti-retroviral therapy treatment, two babies were saved from infection from their mothers. Counsellor Stanzin…

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Congress fields most candidates with criminal cases, BJP has more crorepatis in Gujarat elections: ADR

An analysis of affidavits of 923 candidates by ADR shows that Congress has 31 (36%) candidates having criminal cases whereas ruling BJP which has fielded 22 (25%) candidates with criminal record. The Congress has more candidates with criminal records than the BJP in 89 seats that is going to polls in the first phase on December 9, says a report of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released on Friday. An analysis of affidavits of 923 candidates by ADR shows that Congress has 31 (36%) candidates having criminal cases whereas ruling BJP which…

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Majid Khan footballer who gave up gun sent outside state for education

The Army has taken 20-year-old Majid Khan, the footballer-turned-Lashkar-e-Toiba militant who renounced violence and returned home a fortnight back, outside the state for his studies. The decision to shift Majid for education outside the state was taken with the approval of his family, a defence official said. “Majid wanted to continue his education and the Army facilitated it and shifted him outside the state. He has again taken up his studies,” the official said, wishing not to be named. However, he did not divulge the where he was sent for…

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Why deaths no more depress Kashmir’s Gravediggers

Death can never be a cause for jubilation, but for a community living in Kashmir, death is not depressing either. In fact, death keeps them alive. They are the Malkhaish or Kabr-e-Mali’e, the professional gravediggers who earn their bread by digging graves for the dead. Showkat Ahmad Hafiz, is busy in sharpening a set of digging tools at his Srinagar home. For last one week, he hasn’t dug any grave which is his only source of sustenance. “Digging graves keeps us going,” the pale looking Showkat, who is in his…

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Amnesty to stone pelters leaves BJP legislators upset

Wanted party brass to push cases of cadre, Jammu youth too A day after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had ordered the withdrawal of stone-throwing cases against 4,327 youth of the Kashmir valley, anger brewed in the local unit of the BJP as the party’s lawmakers cautioned that this action would prove disastrous in the Jammu region. The Chief Minister, reportedly on the recommendations of the Centre’s special representative Dineshwar Sharma, had announced amnesty for first-time stone throwers. Resentment shown by local party leaders, including lawmakers, is an indication that the…

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