In countries like Finland, the sun sets for as little as 55 minutes a day at this time of year The holy month of Ramadan is now underway, with Muslims fasting from dawn to dusk to observe the period. But what happens when you live in a country where the sun never, or scarcely, sets? Muslims living in the Arctic Circle are experiencing some of the most challenging conditions for Ramadan as they can experience 24 hours of sunlight. People observing it will not consume food or drink, smoke or…
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Ruckus over Sadhvi Prachi’s remarks on Muslims
Whosoever has said this is wrong: Govt Quote “Muslims are equal stakeholders in the country. There is no need to divide the House. Our state is facing many problems and we want to grapple with them. We all have to live in this country as equal stakeholders.” Naeem Akhtar, Minister for Education The Legislative Council today witnessed a ruckus over the remarks of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sadhvi Prachi against Muslims. As the council proceeding began, National Conference’s member of Legislative Council (MLC) Shehnaz Ganai raised the issue and…
Read More41% increase in crime against women in JK since 2008
There has been a 41 percent increase in crime against women over the last eight years in Jammu and Kashmir, the government revealed on Tuesday. In 2008, 2087 cases of crime against women were registered in the state while in 2015 this figure went up to 3535. In a written reply to a question by Naresh Kumar Gupta in the Legislative Council, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, who also holds the Home portfolio, said the crime rate against women has shown a marginal increase in respect of certain offences and decrease…
Read MorePolice foil KEA’s bid to shut liquor shops
Police on Sunday foiled attempt of Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) to shut down liquor shops in the summer capital. An amalgam of traders, hoteliers and transporters, the KEA had organized a protest rally from Press colony to Lal Chowk. The protest rally was led by newly elected KEA, Chairman, Muhammad Yusuf Chapri and other executive members of the alliance. The protestors tried to march towards Boulevard and other areas to shut down liquor shops. However, a police contingent intercepted them near Regal Chowk and lodged them at police station Kothibagh.…
Read MoreLog out to get ‘de-radicalised’: Kashmir to monitor social media and counsel radicalised youth
Project to include Islamic discourse by moderate Ulemas, rehabilitation of former militants and counseling detainees In January when United Arab Emirates deported Sheikh Azhar-ul-Islam with two others for being ‘radicalised’, he became the first Kashmiri youth to be arrested by the National Investigation Agency of suspected links with the militant Islamic State (ISIS) group. The 25-year-old from Kangan in Ganderbal district was studying for Bachelors in Education, when he suddenly left for the UAE. Local police believes that Sheikh became attracted to the IS ideology hearing sermons in the local…
Read MoreAmmunition depots in J&K are live bombs: Devinder Rana
Speaker Legislative Assembly, Kavinder Gupta, on Wednesday directed the Government to conduct safety audit of all Army ammunition depots in J&K in the wake of the fire in a depot in Maharashtra which killed 17 people. The Speaker issued the direction after National Conference MLA Devinder Rana raised the issue in the Legislative Assembly. “These ammunition depots (in J&K) are live bombs and could be disastrous for the population living around them,” said Rana, pointing towards the treasury benches. He said over the years huge population has settled around these…
Read More5.4% Increase in liquor consumption, Can Govt follow Bihar to ban liquor?
Bihar is not the lone state in India which banned liquor trade. States such as Kerala, Nagaland, Gujarat and Lakshadweep have already stopped liquor business. Jammu and Kashmir witnessed an increase of 5.4 per cent in liquor consumption in the last fiscal year compared to 2014-15 and the state revenue rose by 20 per cent. A total of about 5.75 crore bottles of Indian manufactured foreign liquor, whiskey and beer were consumed during 2015-16 compared to 5.46 crore bottles in the previous fiscal. These figures were submitted in the Assembly…
Read MoreSupreme Court issues notice on High Court order on Food Safety Act
The Supreme Court today issued notices to the respondents, including Registrar General, J&K High Court, in a petition challenging High Court orders asking all food manufacturing/ processing units operating in the region to file an affidavit indicating as to how and in which manner the food manufacturing/ processing units are following the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Act, 2006. The apex court issued the notices after admitting a special leave petition (SLP) filed by the J&K Traders and Manufacturers Federation, who have challenged the High…
Read MoreOnly 4 of 117 traffic violations catch eye of police
The Indian road rules, titled “Rules of the Road Regulation”, brought into effect in 1989, cover seven major traffic offences related to documents, driving, towing, pollution, motor vehicles, commercial vehicles and parking. In Jammu and Kashmir, wrong parking, non-possession of driving licence or registration certificate of the vehicle and driving without a helmet are the only cognisable offences while many in the list of 117 other offences either go unnoticed or do not catch the attention of the Traffic Department. Most of the offences are penalised through cash payment or…
Read MoreGovt imposes ban on sale of loose cigarettes, beedies, tobacco in J&K
With a view to discourage the consumption of cigarettes and tobacco by the people, especially the younger generation, the Government has put a complete ban on the sale of loose cigarettes, loose beedies and loose tobacco in the State with immediate effect. As per a notification issued by the Department of Health and Medical Education which reads “ in the interest of public health and in consonance with the section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and…
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