News Kashmir Magazine

News Kashmir Exclusive

Youth is the season of hope and optimism  but   in Kashmir over the past three decades of never ending bloodshed , violence and unresolved issues Youth have bore the worst brunt of  all the bleak situations. Killings, protests, agitations , curfews, blinding, uncertainties, strikes have made youth of Kashmir to be always feel at  receiving end.

Everyday young educated minds getting killed in gunbattles and encounters is causing much worry to voices of sanity in Kashmir.

Democracy is the pulse  for our political system and Youth are its integral dimension . The  gross human rights violations faced by the youth of Kashmir coupled with absence of concrete political space in Kashmir is stated by many experts to be among the prominent reasons of youth being pushed to wall as youth neither find any respectable jobs nor any good  space in mainstream nor separatist polity.

Youth of Kashmir continue to remain disgruntled and get thus easily motivated by the violent path and have worryingly enough developed love towards death and hate towards life.

Young people are not given opportunities to prove themselves claiming that they are not equipped with experience to participate actively in the governance of the state.

Dynasty politics and its upper hand in mainstream polity of the state is a matter of great concern and a contributing factor in pushing youth to wall, according to ground zero voices.

Lateef ahmed , a youthful voice states “ We are aware about the importance of the young people in nation building  but we are losing our youth to never ending bloodshed and mayhem. Lack of political space is making matters worse for our youth. No doubt political parties in the mainstream and separatist polity need to show more generous approach while inducting youth into the polity and party fold but on the other hand youth too need to come forward and be patient while choosing politics as it demands lot of strength of mind. We also as society elders need to teach the youth of the Kashmir value of life .”

On the otherhand of the spectrum, steadily ban on student politics should be lifted in the state.

Many great minds are product of the student politics and have learnt lot through t and experts are of  firm belief that time has come to lift ban on the student politics in our part of the world. With time we should lift ban at student politics in top universities and regulate it in an effective way so that youth anger gets less. Jobs too need to be provided to youth at good pace to kill their alienation and also given more freedom from fear.

News Kashmir Exclusive

Over the past few weeks few media reports are doing round that  the government of India is seriously thinking  to divide the state of Jammu and Kashmir into three parts i.e Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. This demand has been more vocal in Ladakh region and also among some quarters in Jammu region with Kashmir opposing it.

According to these very media reports, PM Modi wants to solve the issue of Kashmir before 2019 general elections and it is also possible that PM Modi may himself in a month or so announce trifurcation of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

As a matter of fact, he demand for separate state has been very high in Ladakh region. All Religious Joint Action Committee (ARJAC) leaders passed a resolution demanding union territory status for Ladakh. In a memorandum to Prime Minister, ARJAC leaders had said, “Ladakh is fundamentally different from Kashmir in all respects — culturally, ethnically and linguistically. Over the years the successive governments of the state have adopted a policy of discrimination and subversion towards the region with the sole objective of stifling its people and marginalizing its historical, religious and cultural identity.” The ARJAC leaders further said, “In modern times, when the whole subcontinent has passed through the process of decolonisation to enjoy the fruits of national Independence, we, the people of Ladakh, and our land still continue to suffer under the old concept of colonial administrative structure, which suited the imperial interests and feudal rulers under the name of the pseudo-state of Jammu & Kashmir.”

The ARJAC memo further stated, “Our humble submission is that we are neither the problem nor part of any problem involving the state. Rather we are the solution. We firmly believe that all of us live only if India lives. Our commitment to patriotism is firm and unequivocal. Our people and soldiers have never hesitated to make supreme sacrifices in the discharge of their duties towards the country. We shall never fail the nation.”

Many a sane voices see the plans to divide Jammu and Kashmir state into three parts as a ploy to divide and rule.

Mir Imran, Human rights defender stated “ Trifurcation of the Jammu and Kashmir into three regions I. e Jammu, Ladakh, Kashmir is news that has been doing rounds since long, but it will not help in anyway settling the political issue of Kashmir as whole state under UN charter is disputed. Trifurcation of the state will lead to such deep communal polarization that communal riots will become order of day. Plus all the sane sections of the state will with full tooth and nail oppose the division of the state into three parts as this goes against the ethos and identity of the state. Divisions won’t carry us anywhere but will add to our problems and create other issues as well. If government of India goes ahead with its idea of dividing the state it would be disaster met with heavy resistance from people of the Jammu and Kashmir state.”

News Kashmir Exclusive

In dramatic developments for the mainstream polity in the trouble torn state of Jammu and Kashmir the prominent mainstream parties national conference and Peoples Democratic Party have decided to boycott the upcoming local body and panchayat polls. Two days after the profreedom camp  in Kashmir called for boycott of the municipal and panchayat elections, mainstream National Conference also decided to stay away from the polls.

The National Conference on Wednesday announced its boycott of the upcoming elections announced by the Governor’s Administration to be held around October-December this year. Pertinently, The party sought clarification from the Central Government about the protection of Article 35A in and outside the courts.

National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah after chairing the party’s core group meeting at its party headquarters at “Nawa-i-Subh” Complex in Srinagar, told reporters that his party won’t contest the upcoming panchayat and municipal elections as the situation was not conducive for the elections. Just before , the NC core group meeting had a detailed discussion about the prevailing situation in the State with particular reference to Article 35A of the Constitution. The meeting felt that any tinkering with Article 35A  has disastrous consequences not only for the State but for the entire country.

The core group said that the role of the Central Government and the Governor’s Administration vis-a-vis Article 35A in the Supreme Court clearly goes against the wishes and aspirations of the people of the State.

The party alleged that announcement of municipal and panchayat polls by Governor’s Administration was taken hastily without taking into consideration the prevailing situation created in view of unnecessary attempts to fiddle with Article 35 A. NC vice-president Omar Abdullah in a tweet said, “It is now for the Central government to clarify whether it stands with regard to Art 35A. It is not enough to use panchayat & municipal elections simply to delay proceedings in the court”.

On the otherhand, Jammu and Kashmir’s People’s Democratic Party has also indicated it has reservations about local bodies’ poll in the state a day after its bitter political rival National Conference said it would boycott the elections. The PDP, which ruled the state till recently with the BJP, said the centre’s decision to seek deferment of Supreme Court hearing on Article 35A till after the panchayat elections, smacks of conspiracy.

Speaking to NDTV, former chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that people are expecting mischief after the centre sought that the hearing on Article 35A in the Supreme Court be deferred.”It is difficult to ignore the public sentiment. There is apprehension that Article 35A may be fiddled with once these elections are over,” said Ms Mufti.

Ms Mufti, who also headed the PDP-BJP government in the state till the BJP pulled off support in June, said the decision of National Conference to boycott elections has made these polls meaningless. “National Conference is the main regional party. What is the credibility of these elections when there is no contest?” she said.

The analysis is that with this decision the mainstream polity seems to be going into a big mess .