Internet Gag in Kashmir

Posted on by Editor

Over the past few decades the medium of Internet has emerged as the lifeline for carrying our daily chorus of life  . Internet  has multiple positives -We access news and other related websites to update ourselves about the current affairs, we rely on the communication platform it offers to communicate with the world. Be it using a social networking website like Facebook, twitter  to post what’s happening in our lives and connecting with global audiences , or using an application like Whataspp, Skype or Viber to talk to our dear ones; web is the medium. Be it to get  information or to entertain ourselves, Internet is always our first choice. Even in many places internet is  used  to order food and used as medium to  shop in fast life of current times .

Unfortunately, the conflict ridden valley of Kashmir has suffered a lot due to frequent internet gags over the past few years and Infact has seen more gags imposed on internet  than war devastated Yemen, Iraq and Syria etc . Now in latest shocker and seen as a reaction to students agitation Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered suspension of internet services in the trouble-hit valley for a period of one month or till further orders.

As per the government directive, social networking sites to be suspended include Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, QQ, WeChat, Ozone, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Skype, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram, Reditt, Snapfish, YouTube (Upload), Vine, Xanga and Flickr.

 

Masses and all voices of sanity are aghast over the move  and demand that this latest internet gag should be revoked to prevent further damages.

Maxillofacial Surgery Fully Developed In Kashmir: Dr. Mohammad Shakeel

Posted on by Editor

Dr. Mohammad Shakeel , Head of Department  Dentistry &  Maxillofacial surgery SKIMS Medical College is a well-known name in the world of Maxillofacial related paradigms. He can be undoubtedly termed as father of Maxillofacial surgery in Kashmir.

In an exclusive interview with The News Kashmir Magazine , Dr. Mohammad Shakeel  talks to Rameez Makhdoomi.

 

Sir What challenges you faced while establishing Maxillofacial Department at SKIMS ?

First of all there was no concept of maxillofacial surgery overall in  Kashmir and that too particularly in SKIMS. It was a small Dental Department with a one chair, so when I joined with post graduation in 1978-79 in the subject I made it clear that we needs beds, separate theatre operating ward and related infrastructure .The authorities were bewildered that he is a dentist and why he needs all this?  not knowing  that Dentistry was my basic while maxillofacial surgery PG and a specialty like any other surgery Plastic surgery , Neuro surgery  etc     .So I had to face lot of music but during the era of Zaragar sahib as Director the Department grew substantially .

We are thankful to Allah we in 2014 in Kashmir conducted a mega conference on Maxillofacial with 300 surgeons from India and 12 international faculty.

Sir you also do  surgical cleft  and give hope to defaced faces by natural or other causes , how does it feel that you give hope to helpless ?

Believe me it is really great feeling. I have seen patients who have told me that  to cure deformity lip, pellet ridden face they have sold their valuables but due to my contacts with reputed philanthropic organizations I have been able to do 2000 free cleft surgeries and giving hope to hopeless.

 

How far has pellets wrecked havoc on faces here and is their hope for pellet victims they can recover face, lip injuries etc?

 

We operated good number of pellet cases and there is definitely a hope for them and we have been successful already in this regard.

How do you view the standard of maxillofacial Department JVC You are heading ?

Maxillofacial surgery has grown to a big potential . This centre if you analyze  is at par with any European Maxillofacial centre . Unfortunately we do not have enough number of beds, enough theatres, less staff but work vise we are top.

In past 20 years Maxillofacial has grown a lot and we are being invited as international faculty.

What has motivated you to serve your native land despite having opportunity to go global?

I love to treat people . I am a Doctor suppose I would have been labour; I would have had more testing life but God has given me this status so I take it opportunity to serve my people and I also advise youngsters to treat their own people first because everyone owes to his land lot.

What would you like to see more happening with reference to development of Maxillofacial department?

We would like to have separate ward, separate theatre and post graduation started. We have enough talent but we need this infrastructure.

Any special memory since your surgeries provides hope to hopeless?

Recently we operated a 29 year old youth whose face had lot of defaced and his family had gone to everywhere and we successfully via maxillofacial surgery changed his total face. This was positive metamorphosis for him.

Are you satisfied with growth of Maxillofacial related paradigms in India ?

Yes maxillofacial departments and related things in India have grown a lot and even in Kashmir it has grown a much .

Can our Maxillofacial Department compete at global level?

Absolutely over department can compete at global level. If our Department would not have been of global level than we would have not international faculty of maxillofacial visiting us, as in 2014 a dozen reputed international level Maxillofacial faculty came here.

Do you have coordination with globally reputed Maxillofacial institutes ?

Yes definitely we have lot of efficient coordination with reputed globally renowned Maxillofacial institutes and I can send youngsters to diverse reputed fellowships throughout world. I am associated with world renowned international organization “Operation Smile” and In January I Was invited and we did more than 160 surgeries and now I am once again being invited.

Your message to Doctors and Masses?

Doctors should work wholeheartedly and contribute to benefit to mankind and masses should trust doctors and not show trust deficit.

 

 

‘Challenge Accepted, Will Capture Delhi,’ Mamata Banerjee To Amit Shah

Posted on by Editor

Courtesy : NDTV.

Edited by Raija Susan Panicke

KOLKATA: Challenge accepted, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said today, vowing to “capture Delhi.” She was responding to BJP chief Amit Shah’s targeted attack on her and her Trinamool Congress during a two-day visit to the state aimed at rapidly expanding his party’s footprint in West Bengal, where it has so far had limited political presence. Mr Shah has handed his Bengal BJP team the task of uprooting the ruling Trinamool Congress by 2019.

“I accept the challenge of those who challenge me. We’ll capture Delhi,” Mamata Banerjee declared, accusing the BJP of trying to “intimidate” the Trinamool Congress. “They come from Delhi and spread lies. They are in a hurry (to capture power in Bengal)….They cannot handle Gujarat, but they are eyeing Bengal,” the Chief Minister added.

She criticised the BJP chief ‘s booth-level interactions and visits to modest village and slum homes, saying, “They go to slums in the morning and eat dinner at five star hotels at night. Such is their double standards…I go to the slums everyday. It is not right to call the poor, poor. I respect all the poor and struggling people.”

Amit Shah picked West Bengal to begin a 15-day journey across five states where the BJP has traditionally been weak. The immediate aim is to strengthen the party cadre in each and win many more parliament seats from there by 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek a second term.

The BJP chief challenged Ms Banerjee directly on her turf. After visiting Naxalbari in north Bengal, where he ate lunch sitting cross-legged in the tin-roofed hut of farm worker Geeta Mahali, Mr Shah went to Mamata Banerjee’s assembly constituency Bhawanipore in south Kolkata and visited three homes in a slum. He was greeted warmly by residents who showered him with flower petals and offered him sweets.

amit shah having lunch on banana leaves
Amit Shah began his 15-day visit across 5 states, where BJP has traditionally been weak, from Bengal.
Mr Shah discussed their problems and promised the people of Bhawanipore that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “chariot of victory” will roll into Bengal in 2019″ bringing with it the development that, he said, they have been denied.
For today’s counter-attack, Ms Banerjee chose Birpara, which is part of the Madarihat assembly constituency, one of four seats that the BJP won in the West Bengal elections last year. “I have come to Birpara before. Birpara voted for BJP, not the Trinamool, but I have come here again to show that the BJP lied before the election. They said they would open seven tea gardens in the region. That has not happened,” the Chief Minister said.

Mr Shah has alleged that Bengal under Ms Banerjee “symbolises unemployment, violence and appeasement politics.” As he wound up his Bengal visit, Mr Shah told party workers today reach out to the people, who he said have become “disillusioned” with the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress, while the opposition Congress and CPI-M have “significantly lost” their political relevance. The BJP must take advantage of that and bring more people into the party’s fold, a Bengal BJP leader quoted Mr Shah as saying.

The BJP’s message, Mr Shah instructed, must be that “development in Bengal is impossible without the BJP.”

With inputs from PTI

Perils of Caste System on Kashmir

Posted on by Editor

Caste System is rotting the soul of Kashmiri society. Today or tomorrow, the Kashmiri society will have to undergo a serious change or chemotherapy and we all have to pass through sever pain in knowing the demons of caste system. It is well observed by sane voices that Kashmiri society can never achieve its noble objectives and become developed with these caste discriminations or caste existence. It is to be noted that this menace of the caste system exists in countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and other few nations.

In kashmir although caste system does not necessarily manifest itself into brutal violence like many other parts of world   but has serious unfavorable consequences  on the intellectual development of the Kashmiri society as it leaves people divided into water tight compartments. In Kashmir, we have had the tradition of calling some castes such as Quershis, Makhdoomis, Qadris, Andrabis etc as the so called higher castes while a number of castes are termed as the so called lower castes which is totally against the spirit of our great religion Islam.

We have also developed a shameful lexicography in this regard”. We even as a matter of great concern tend to break relations if a so called upper caste family enters into relation with the other family which is deemed low caste by our backward society.

Without a doubt the dark realities of caste system demand that every young Kashmiri should seriously commit to fight against the casteist mentality and irrational social norms which suffocated human aspirations and dreams. We need to launch a serious reform and revolution to end this menace.

Angry Students, Simmering Summer

Posted on by Editor

Sana Khan

The unprecedented lava that had taken its space in the hearts and minds of Kashmiri Students has erupted with a bang .Protests carried out throughout the length and breadth of valley bear testimony to this fact.

Like Insha Mushtaq of Sedow Shopian blinded by pellets fired by the government forces emerged as the face of 2016 agitation and represented the state brutality in the similar way Iqra  student of Bcom First Year Nawakadal college  injured seriously in head  has emerged as face of this student movement.

Pertinently the harsh force unleashed on Pulwama Government Degree college students by Government forces on 16 April triggered these protests; as students  were bust with studies and some were killing time in the lawn and the corridor. The calm was turned into the unease when police party entered into the premises of the college.

“We were surprised to see men in uniform entering into the college which was really unexpected and against the rules of the college,” says a student of college Basit.

With the blink of eyes, all the students came out of the classes and started protest against the presence of cops in college. Students believe that police were trying to chase stone pelters in the college.

Protest turned into clashes after security forces used teargas canisters to disperse the protesters to continue the chase. “It was not about the chase, it was about the respect of the college. It was not the place where terrorists are manufactured, it is the college where boys are taught the meaning of life,” Basit says.

It took no time to convert a college into the battle zone; forces were continuously firing the tear gas shells. The cost of the battle was 54 injured students which included scores of female students as well. News was spread across whole Pulwama that trigged more clashes in the area. Some injured were shifted to SMHS hospital; some were treated in the sub district hospital and locally.

“The buildings of the college were not visible for few seconds due to the huge amount of tear gas smoke; all the girls in the college were screaming and were asking for help. Clashes continued for hours,” Basit recalls.

Soon after the end of the clashes Kashmir University Student Union (KUSU), asked all the colleges of valley to hold protest against the use of forces on the college student.

The Monday was marked as the day of rage  by the student of all colleges of the valley. Protests were reported in the most of the colleges across Kashmir. To disperse the student protests forces used water cannons, but the students were not backing a single step.

“We were protesting on the real cause by the forces didn’t allowed us to do so, but we didn’t went back,” a student of women’s college Srinagar said.

The two main college located in the heart of city were turned into war zones- Siri Pratab (SP) College and the Women’s college Srinagar. After the water cannons were empty, forces used tear gas shells to disperse the students in responses they pelted stones.

Government Degree College Islamabad, Baramulla, Beerrwah, Spore Nawakadal, Ghandi college, Amar Singh college, Magam, were also on boil after the protests turned into clashes.

Longest clashes were reported from SP College for five hours, on the same day during the clashes in Baramulla Boys Degree four youths were arrested and few students were injured as well.

Before the end of the clashes mobile internet facility was snatched across the valley and social media was banned.

Authorities ordered to shut the higher secondary, colleges and university for two days, which was extended to the 22 April.After the two days of student agitation mobile internet was restored but with 2g service.

 

Muzzling Media

Posted on by Editor

Farzana Mumtaz

In contemporary times, media is considered as the fourth pillar of the state all over the world; first and foremost British Member of Parliament Lord Macaulay had given this important status to the media . Pertinently, Media  plays  an important role in changing and influencing the thoughts of the people. Media has a great power to influence what we think about things happening.

Unfortunately, in the conflict ridden Kashmir especially since past three decades Media has been at receiving end especially from men in uniform, unknown gunman and unruly mobs. To add to woes, censor and restrictions have made the job of Media tough in Kashmir.

Just recently, prominent photojournalist Touseef Mustafa was manhandled by police .Pertinently, he works for the International Agency ‘Agence France Presse’ (AFP) and told media that police stopped them when they tried to enter inside Hurriyat headquarters at Hyderpora, where a joint meeting of Resistance leadership was underway.

 

“As police arrested Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yaseen Malik and tried to bundle them into police vehicles, we as part of our profession and duty clicked photographs. To my utter surprise, a police officer stopped me and tried to snatch my lens. When I resisted, he manhandled me. The behavior and action of the said police officer was uncalled for,” Mustafa said.

Last year only media during unrest faced tremendous wrath and restrictions. As a result The Editors Guild of India had condemned the “unwarranted muzzling” of the media in Jammu and Kashmir

In a statement, guild president Raj Chengappa, general secretary Prakash Dube and treasurer Seema Mustafa  had stated : “The Editors Guild of India strongly condemns the efforts by the Jammu and Kashmir government to gag the media in the state… It is extremely unfortunate that the state government, under fire for its poor management of the law and order situation in the Valley, has sought to shoot the messenger..”

The statement had quoted reports regarding police raids on newspaper offices and harassment of journalists. “We are also aghast to note that the media censorship will continue, for a minimum of three days if not more. This is a direct assault to the freedom of the press in India and the guild strongly condemns this unwarranted muzzling of the media. The Editors Guild of India requests the state government to immediately lift the censorship and refrain from any action to intimidate the press,” the statement added.

Ajaz War, President Jammu and Kashmir Young Journalist Association , while speaking on the issue stated – “The misuse of power for muzzling the media has, unfortunately, been a routine than an exception in Kashmir valley . Smart, fair, independent journalism is essential for a democracy to function well so muzzling of media in Kashmir should stop.”

In nutshell, media is facing tremendous perils in Kashmir.

 

Crucial Bypolls

Posted on by Editor

Rameez Makhdoomi

The upcoming by elections to Lok Sabha seats of Anantnag and Srinagar Parliamentary seats are slated to be much  crucial from the political realities paradigm. Pertinently, just few days back the  Election Commission of India (ECI) announced schedule for Bye-Elections to Srinagar and Anantnag Lok Sabha Constituencies according to which elections on these seats would be held on April 9 and April 12, 2017, respectively.

With this  announcement of the election schedule, Model Code of conduct comes into force with immediate effect in the districts in which the whole or any part of the Parliamentary Constituencies going for bye-elections is included.

On ground zero, the elections are said to have bearing on the electoral prospects of parties ruling in the state. The PDP-BJP Government came into existence in Jammu and Kashmir to surprise of many after the fractured verdict of 2014 elections and since  then the journey of the government has been quiet turbulent. Just after becoming Chief Minister the health of PDP Stalwart and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed worsened and the condition gradually deteriorated, and he was put on ventilator support. Finally he died on 7 January 2016 due to multi-organ failure  leaving the government in limbo.

After much parleys and governor rule for few months PDP BJP Government again stitched alliance and this time created history as Mehbooba Mufti on April 4, 2016 became the first woman to hold the office, she succeeded her fatherMufti Mohammad Sayeed in the role, a few months after his death in January 2016. Mehbooba is India’s second Muslim woman chief minister after Syeda Anwara Taimur of Assam.

Pertinently, the euphoria lived very short as the agitation post killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in July 2016 dented image of Mehbooba Mufti. It is in this back drop the upcoming elections hold a key with experts stating that having presided over so many deaths, blindings and injures it is difficult for ruling PDP to win the elections.

Bilal Bashir Bhat, a Journalist Stated – “ Considering what has happened in the past two years of PDPBJP rule in the state and a manner in which tough times have engulfed the state make the journey to victory tough for the ruling coalition.  With so many killings, injuries and issue after issue surfacing It would be tough task for the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to retain both the Lok Sabha seats. Certainly the contest looks all the more interesting. anti-incumbency factor, PDP’s joining hands with BJP and civilian killings  in Valley last year , the ruling party may find it difficult to retain both the seats.”

The verdict day would be certainly one to be worth analysis for major political players on PDP,BJP, NC, Congress.

 

Promoting Communal Harmony : Mother HelpAge Sets Great Example

Posted on by Editor

 

Global Charity Organization Mother HelpAge in an unprecedented step to bridge gaps in the state of Jammu and Kashmir has provided lotus stem, Walnuts to Pandits on Shivratri eve recently . Pertinently , the step has been lauded by one all and the move has become viral on the online world with netizens all in praise for it. The Mother HelpAge team was warmly received by the Pandit community and heart warming scenes were witnessed on the occasion. Since its inception Mother HelpAge has been providing relief to pain hit people round the world and taking measures to hone the skills of vulnerable communities and taking efforts to promote harmony, peace worldwide.

Justice Delayed, Justice Denied

Posted on by Editor

News Kashmir Exclusive

 

Recently in a landmark   verdict  Delhi Court acquitted  two Kashmiri youth Mohammad Rafiq Shah, Mohammad Hussain Fazili  of all charges against them viz-a-viz 2005 Delhi Bomb blast case.

This has raised a serious concern on overall justice system of the country with voices stating that  while  the verdict is on one hand victory of truth and justice but on the other hand has exposed the role of security agencies in fabricating false cases against Kashmiris and ruining their future. And also judiciary taking too long to pronounce judgment.

From Politicians, activists  to victims all are expressing their dismay over torture, imprisonment suffered by these youth of  Kashmir during so many years and also the trauma caused to their families.

News Kashmir spoke to all relevant voices in this regard

Victim Take

Mohammad Rafiq Shah

After spending  12 years in prison on charges of  blasts in Delhi in 2005 that killed 67 people just before Diwali, youth Mohammad Rafiq Shah of Srinagar was acquitted  by a court of all charges and News Kashmir caught up with Rafiq at his home Shuhhama in Srinagar.

Rafiq states –

“ I was in 2005 picked up from my home in Srinagar and framed in Delhi blasts the city which than I had hardly seen then . No doubt these 12 years I have gone through lot of trauma and I am feeling relaxed now. The toughness of life in prison is known to everyone .I told even the Judge when he pronounced the judgement that Justice has prevailed .My family, friends and teachers  stood behind me like anything. Still I used these 12 years in prison to get knowledge and learn. Perhaps for being Kashmiri Muslim I was punished and being active as a university student against every sort of injustice I guess didn’t go well with setup and I was wrongly framed .”

Rafiq Shah expresses gratitude towards her lawyer  Rebecca John for fulfilling her responsibilities efficiently in all these years.

Politician Take

Engineer Rashid, Awami Ittihaad Party President

 

Er Rashid said -“While court has acquitted Mohammad Rafiq Shah and Mohammad Rafiq Fazili but the million dollar question is still there that who will compensate 11 precious years of these innocents, which they were forced to spend in torture cells and various jails. We need not to forget that there are many more Kashmiris like these innocents languishing in torture cells and notorious jails for none of their faults. A youth Bashir Ahmad Baba, whose father is suffering from cancer is languished in Ahmadabad Jail for none of his fault.  Nobody can justify the trauma, pain, harassment and humiliation their families passed through all these years. While the third accused Tariq Dar has been convicted he has already spent more than the period he has been sentenced to jail. The judgement should act as an eye opener for those who have one point agenda to make life of Kashmiri youth miserable and like a hell and get benefits out of sufferings of people of Kashmir”.

Activist Take

Mir Imran, Human Rights Defender –

“The acquittal of three Kashmiri youth after spending 12 long years proves the allegations of being Kashmiri Muslim a venerable target for security agencies whenever something unpleasant happens as correct and also raises question mark on entire justice system as to why for no fault of their youth of Kashmir have to spend the prime of their lives in jails under harsh conditions. According to the law, if a person is in Jail for over Six months and the trial does not begin and if the Sentence is not more than three years, then bail should be given and in this case they spend 12 long years in prison and unfortunately all the three had been tortured by the prison staff in jail. Now we all know that these were false charges. It is the need of the hour that we educate and aware people of Kashmir of their rights especially at the police station level where a lot of exploitation is bound to happen”