Tag Archives: Jammu and Kashmir

India

New era of development has begun in Jammu and Kashmir: Amit Shah

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Newsroom24x7 network

We want youth to pick up books instead of stones, instruments instead of weapons and to do well in life

Work on a 500 bedded hospital in Srinagar has been completed at a cost of Rs. 115 crore, today foundation stone also has been laid for Handwara Medical College, work to construct roads worth Rs. 4,000 crore also has been started

We have started a rolling trophy for cricket, football and basketball, Kashmiri youth has immense talent and this trophy will connect youth with these sports

Today, a big programme is starting under which 75 Sufi religious places including temples, gurudwaras and Muslim religious places will be upgraded at government expenses to restore the Ganga-Jamuni culture

Union Minister for Home and Cooperation, Amit Shah, on the third day of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir inaugurated and laid foundation stones of various development projects in Srinagar today. Many dignitaries including the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh were also present on the occasion.

In his address, Amit Shah said that on 5th August 2019, the Government had taken a decision and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a new era of development has begun in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the Valley and by the year 2024 beautiful results will be seen. He said that all-round development of Kashmir is the heartfelt wish of Narendra Modi and I have come only to speak about development. But before that I also want to speak about what is on my mind. I was taunted, cursed, I was condemned in very strong words and I want to speak openly with you today, and that is why today I am I am standing before you without any bulletproof protection and security.

The Union Home Minister said that Farooq Abdullah has advised me that the Government of India should talk to Pakistan, but I want to tell Farooq sahib and especially all of you that if I want to talk, then I will talk to my brothers and sisters and the youth of the Valley. He said that we want to talk with you, that is why while talking to the youth, I said that I want to be friends with the youth of the Valley and I extended a hand of friendship to them. I am sure of this because there is no ill will in our intention and we do not harbour any ill feelings. This step has been taken with the sole aim of developing the Valley, Jammu & Kashmir and the newly formed Ladakh. I tell you that what Kashmir needs, will be seen before your very eyes by 2024. Shah said Kashmir is very close to Narendra Modi’s heart, whenever he speaks, he wants to know whether all the schemes are being implemented properly or not, he asks whether the benefits of all the schemes like the rest of the states of India are reaching the beneficiaries or not.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah offered prayers at Maa Kheer Bhawani Temple in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on October 25, 2021.

Amit Shah said that I want to assure you that the people should get rid of fear from their hearts, no one can disturb the peace and development journey of Kashmir and they can trust the Government of India. The intention and motive of those who disturb this journey of development s not clear. They ask why was curfew imposed after August 5, why the internet was shut down. They mislead the youth of Kashmir and today I want to answer all of them and say that the people of Kashmir have as much right over the country as I do. He said that after August 5, if the internet had not been shut down, had curfew not been imposed, then who would have died in the situation that would have arisen by inciting the sentiments of the youth, and the answer is that the youth of Kashmir would have been killed. We did not want anyone to fire at the youth of Kashmir. Whether these people want to understand or not, these three families have ruled here for 70 years, we understand how big the burden of a funeral of his young son is for an aged father. 40,000 people were killed in the Valley when they were in power and till date there is no condemnation of terrorism and terror. They say it is not good if someone is killed, but they do not condemn the one who killed. I have come here to make it clear to you that we will not allow them to be killed, we will not allow them to disturb peace and peace and harmony will prevail here.

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that many people raised questions that after the abrogation of Article 370, the land of Kashmiris in the Valley will be snatched. You ask in your village how much land has been lost in two years. These people spread lies, it is not true. If you visit your village, then tell me that the land has not been taken away in my village. These people want to keep development divided, they want to save their power, they want to continue corruption that they have been indulging in for the past 70 years. He said that the Lieutenant Governor has given jobs to more than 20,000 people and I can claim that neither a single recommendation was made nor a single person had to pay money. The era of giving jobs to people close to you is now over. Those who have talent, who have ability, who want to devote their youth for the development of Kashmir, are getting jobs. It is causing pain to them that people are getting jobs without their recommendation, and they are wondering how is this happening. I want to say that this will happen now and now the corrupt practices of these three families will not work.

Amit Shah said Sufism had come to India from Central Asia and Iran via Kashmir, and Kashmir had presented Sufism to the whole of India. I have come to meet Sufi saints and hope has arisen in my mind that there can be peace forever in Jammu and Kashmir. Appealing to the youth of Kashmir, he said that what good did those who placed stones and weapons in your hands do. They talk about Pakistan. Pak Occupied Kashmir is nearby, ask whether villages there have electricity, hospitals, medical colleges, drinking water, toilets for women. There is nothing there and these people talk about Pakistan. I have come to tell you that you have as much right in India as any citizen of India. You have as much right to development and the treasury of the Government of India as every citizen of India has. The people of Kashmir have to take this process forward with determination.

The Union Home Minister said that three families ruled for 70 years. I want to ask that why did the youth and women of Kashmir for 70 years not have the right to become Panchs, Sarpanchs, to contest elections in Taluka Panchayats and Zila Panchayats. For 70 years, 87 MLAs 6 MPs were made out people in your close circle. They are afraid that today a person who has become a sarpanch, tomorrow he will go to the tehsil panchayat, then he will go to district panchayat, thereafter to district panchayat, then he will become an MLA, and all this without their recommendation and the one who has become an MLA could also become the chief minister. If one of you becomes the Chief Minister, what will happen to these families who ruled for 70 years? Today 30,000 people have become elected representatives of the people of Kashmir through the democratic process. I want to tell the youth of Kashmir that they should join the democratic process and carry forward this process which has been stalled for years. You can also become an MLA, a member of the Lok Sabha, a minister in the Government of India and the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and no one can stop you.

Amit Shah said that these people were ruling for 70 years stalling democracy, and then Narendra Modi took democracy to the villages and homes. Everyone has cast their votes fearlessly, up to 98 percent voting took place and people are doing their work today. People from the hills never received the benefit of reservation, but now they will start getting it. I ask you whether gas cylinders reached every women’s house in the valley for 70 years, we have tried that gas cylinders should reach every house. Electricity is reaching every house in Jammu and Kashmir. Why did not all this happen in 70 years, who had stopped it from being done. But how could that have been done, as they used to go to England for 6 months in a year. I hope that the next Chief Minister of Kashmir shall also be one who does not go to London, but instead visits Anantnag in Kashmir and listens to the voice of the people of Kashmir.

Shah said Narendra Modi has started giving houses to 55,000 people in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which more than 20,000 people have got houses. He said that I promise you that before December 2022 no one will be homeless and everyone will have their own house. Modi has completed the work of providing toilets in every household of Kashmir, the work of providing pure drinking water from taps has also started in every household. The work of providing tap water has been completed in two districts of the Valley and will be completed in 11 other districts by December this year. By December 2022, the work of providing tap water to every household in Kashmir will be completed. Shah said that I want to know from those who ask questions again and again that why did they not provide gas, toilets, houses, electricity and drinking water from the tap in every house.

India

5 Army personnel martyred in Jammu and Kashmir; 2 terrorists killed

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Srinagar: Five Army personnel were martyred and two terrorists killed in encounters between security forces and terrorists in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

One JCO and four jawans succumbed to critical injuries in an encounter in Poonch district.

A terrorist killed by Police and security forces in Kashmir on Monday 11 October has been identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF). He was involved in recent civilian killing at Shahgund Bandipora, according to IGP Kashmir.

Encounter started at Khagund Verinag area of  Anantnag Sunday night andGundjahangir in the Hajin area of Bandipora early on Monday. 

Police said in a statement that a video clip is being circulated on social media in which false allegations were being made about the facts of Monday’s operation at Gundjahangeer Hajin.The clips were being engineered to rouse passions and to disturb law and order, the police said.

World

Afghanistan, Taliban and the capitulation by the US

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Lalit Shastri

The United States has buried the past and seems to have forgotten its war against terror that started in the wake of the 9/11 attack on America. For the purpose of counterterrorism, the US wants to engage with the Taliban that unleashed terror and violence against the people to capture power and formed a government in Afghanistan along with other terrorist outfits like the Haqqani network using weapons of mass destruction left behind so insanely by the US and its allies.

Look at the travesty – the Taliban Government will be inaugurated on 9/11.

With the Taliban in power in Afghanistan, the US has changed track. Now the US will not be engaged in any war against terror. The war has ended and there are no enemies. Now the buzzword is counterterrorism. The spirit – when it comes to confronting terror and fighting terrorists and those harboring the terrorists – has mellowed down and the (US) approach now is outright sheepish.

Of course, one would be totally off the mark if one were to give the US any credit for acting against the harbourers of terrorists all these years because it remained in the forefront when it came to funding and arming Pakistan to the hilt and using it as a US colony to train, arm and build an army of jihadis and terrorists to fight the Russians when they were in Afghanistan before 9/11. The trend continued even long after the Russians left Afghanistan.

Look at the language of diplomacy they – the Americans – are using after The Taliban have created a new interim government that includes Sirajuddin Haqqani as Afghanistan’s interior minister. As leader of the Haqqani network, known for its al-Qaeda links, he is on the FBI’s most wanted list and is a designated global terrorist. On the surface, the Taliban is opposed to the Islamic State of Khorasan but the knowledgeable are talking of the links between the Haqqani network and ISIS-K. The link between the Haqqani group and Al-Qaeda is also too well known and thats where lies the convergence among terror groups that are now in power in Afghanistan.

The much hyped Doha talks that culminated in the sudden capitulation by the US

The US is neither naive nor ignorant not to understand the Jihadi ideology and goals. The way the Americans and partners left Afghanistan after a series of Doha talks can be summed up as nothing else but as capitulation. The Americans chose to leave the hapless citizens of Afghanistan at their own mercy after promising them the moon and this is one of the darkest chapters in human history. The world has watched the horror unfold – we have seen how people wanting to flee from the Taliban were clinging to a US Boeing C-17 on the Kabul runway. We have seen women being lashed, beaten and even killed by the Talibani fighters only because they were women. But all this has failed to stir the sensibilities of those in power in the US.

On 8 September, coinciding with the announcement of an interim government in Afghanistan, and following the US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken’s talks with allies and partners on Afghanistan, the readout by the US State Department spokesperson said that the US will continue to press for an orderly transition of power to an inclusive government with broad support, especially women and minorities.

Blinken has gone on record seeking unity among nations to hold the Taliban accountable on counterterrorism while stating that every diplomatic, economic, political, and assistance and tool will be used to uphold the basic rights of all Afghans; support continued humanitarian access (obviously with the support of Pakistan, which has all along been and still remains a safe haven and breeding ground for terrorists) to the country (Afghanistan); and ensure the Taliban honors its commitments (what about the commitments at Doha that were blown to bits when the Taliban unleashed terror and violence against the people of Afghanistan).

On leaving Afghanistan, the way it did, the US in an effort to salvage its image, now at the rock bottom, tells the world that its a mission brought Osama bin Laden to a just end along with many of his Al-Qaida co-conspirators. The US also reminds all about the cost in terms of 2,461 U.S. service members and civilians killed and more than 20,000 who were injured, including 13 U.S. service members who were killed in the second fortnight of August by an ISIS-K suicide bomber.

Is it only failure of the US intelligence to forwarn about the collapse of the Afghan military and the opening up of Kabul to the Taliban within a matter of 24-hours or there is more to it …? The world expects the knowledgeable to throw light on this…. At this stage one cannot help but throw up this question.

The US President and others in the US administration have gone on record saying that they have succeded in insulating their country from terrorist threat like necver before. Well thats too self-centred a position to be taken by a nation that shouts from rooftops about its might, both military and ecomomic, and pretends to be the saviour of democracy and protector of human rights across the world. The terrorists in Pakistan and their operatives and sleeper cells in India are bound to be emboldened with the Taliban now in power in Afghanistan.

The US has left a gaping gap by abandoning the war against terror. For a country like India which is busy restoring normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, a new war begins. If India joins the chorus with the US, it would only end up turning a blind eye to the new dangers and threats the country now faces due to the abdication of the role, the US undertook 20 years ago. In this abdication the US media too has chosen to become a partner: For the New York Times, those who have usurped power in Afghanistan are “Stalwarts” (Taliban Appoint Stalwarts to Top Government Posts). As per the Cambridge dictionary, “stalwart” means “loyal, faithful and dependable”.

India

Meeting on J&K is an important step in the ongoing efforts towards a developed and progressive J&K: PM Modi

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Our priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy in J&K.

Delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that J&K gets an elected Government. – Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called Thursday’s (24 June 2021) meeting with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir an important step in the ongoing efforts towards furthering all-round growth and building a developed and progressive J&K.

In a series of tweets after the meeting, the Prime Minister said.

“Today’s meeting with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir is an important step in the ongoing efforts towards a developed and progressive J&K, where all-round growth is furthered.

Our priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy in J&K. Delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that polls can happen and J&K gets an elected Government that gives strength to J&K’s development trajectory.

“Our democracy’s biggest strength is the ability to sit across a table and exchange views. I told the leaders of J&K that it is the people, specially the youth who have to provide political leadership to J&K, and ensure their aspirations are duly fulfilled,” the PM said.

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