News Kashmir Magazine

News Kashmir Exclusive
Political uncertainty and Kashmir valley or at larger spectrum State of Jammu and Kashmir have unfortunately enough assumed the status of being synonymous to one another. Frequent
Governor rules, Unsure alliances, awkward combinations have become the fate of commoners of the state as a result the overall spectrum especially with reference to development has suffered a lot . The stateof Jammu and Kashmir  is currently under Governor’s rule following the death of the Mehbooba’s father and then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7.

 

 

 

“If they cannot make the government, then they should make it clear so that we can take the next stand, whatever it is.

 

Why keep people waiting in a situation where terrorism is all over,” NC patron and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah told reporters recently .

 

“As far as I am concerned the point here is that the two (PDP and BJP) have the mandate. BJP here (in Jammu) and PDP there (in Kashmir). I would request them, for God’s sake get on with their job,” he added.

 

While targeting the two parties over the uncertainty, Abdullah said, “People want a government, so that their difficulties could be removed. That is very important.” His comments came as the suspense continued for the 13th day over government formation with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti keeping her plans secret.

 

While talking to News Kashmir Magazine Amir Suhail , a research scholar states – ” Political uncertainty over the decades has loomed large over the state of Jammu and Kashmir since last many decades and has had adverse impacts on the polity and governance paradigms of Jammu and Kashmir .Political parties have played with sentiments of masses of state and have never been able to provide any serious governance as evident from frequent political stalemate in the state. Kashmir with already a burning dispute added by this governance chaos the realities get blurred.”

Opposition National Conference has already raised lambasting tone while criticised PDP and BJP for maintaining uncertainty over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir and asked the coalition partners to come clear on the issue without keeping the people waiting.

 

 

On the otherhand, President of state unit of BJP Sat Sharma said the government will be in place very soon.

 

PDP has said Mehbooba is in the process of reviewing the implementation of the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ during the 10-month-rule of PDP-BJP government headed by her father and a decision would be taken in due course.

 

PDP has said it was “highly unlikely” that it would form the next government with BJP till “we receive concrete assurances on key issues flagged by our party leader Naeem Akhtar last week.

 

Commoners too are upset with this uncertainty.

Shabir Ahmad, a commoner states – “ The common  men of Jammu and Kashmir have always craved for effective governance but what we have achieved so far is quiet appalling as all political parties have not concentrated on the governance front and a stable government since many years especially due to era of coalitions has just been restored to a mere dream.”

Uncertainty and era of unsure alliances and frequent governor rules have certainly on ground zero added to frustration of masses.

News Kashmir special

With the death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on 7 th January 2016 marks an end of political era for the Jammu and Kashmir state. He left a noted impression on the political spectrum of the state via his political skills and knowledge. Pertinently  on 24th December, the 79 year-old leader was airlifted to AIIMS in the national capital from Srinagar after he complained of exhaustion.

 

 

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was born in Baba Mohallah at Bijbehara in January 12, 1936. Having graduated from S.P. College in Srinagar, he went on to obtain a degree in law, and a post-graduate degree in Arab History from Aligarh Muslim University. He started a law practice in Anantnag / Islamabad.

 

Pertinently  since childhood days   Mufti Sayeed was interested in the world of politics as he in 1950s, had joined the Democratic National Conference (DNC) led by G.M.Sadiq. He was appointed district convener of the new organisation, the first formal post he held.

 

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was elected to the Assembly from Bijbehara in 1962, and retained the seat in 1967.

 

As a result, he was appointed a Deputy Minister by G.M. Sadiq. In 1972, he became a Cabinet Minster and also Congress party’s leader in the Legislative Council.

 

In 1975 he was made the leader of the Congress Legislature Party and president of Pradesh Congress. In 1986, he was appointed as the Union Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He quit as tourism minister in 1987, left the Congress and co-founded Jan Morcha with V.P. Singh. In1989, he won the Lok Sabha election from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh as a Janata Dal candidate and became the Union Home Minister in Prime Minister V.P. Singh’s cabinet. He achieved the distinction of being the First Muslim Home Minister of the country . However, saw his image dented to an extent when the  government headed by V P Singh accepted the demand by a militant group that five of their men be set free in exchange for release of kidnapped Rubaiya, one of his three daughters.

 

After national stint Mufti Sayeed focused on local politics once again. In 1998, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed won the Anantnag / Islamabad Lok Sabha seat, but soon resigned from both his position and the Congress party to launch his own party Peoples Democratic Party in the state. He was unanimously elected the first president of the party.

 

PDP participated in 2002 assembly election and went on to form a coalition government with Indian National Congress.

 

In 2002, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for a term of three year and in 2015 surprising all he formed alliance with BJP.

Political Highlight

During his more than 5 decade long political career, Politically, the highlight of Mufti Sayeed’s career is that he stood firm against the Abdullah family’s and the NC Party exclusive dominance over the Jammu and Kashmir’s politics. He had opposed the Rajiv-Farooq accord through which the Congress forced an NC-Congress alliance in 1986 – with catastrophic consequences, including the ham-handed rigging of the 1987 elections. Without a hint of ambiguity he would  have obtained a senior ministerial position for himself in the state if he had fallen in line. But he took the much tougher decision at that juncture of the history and it was to leave the party with which he had been associated since his youth.

 

Noted Obituaries

As the news of death reached the online world as well as the real world got filled with tributes and even rivals cutting across political divide paid tribute.

“Mufti Sahab’s demise leaves a huge void in the nation & in J&K, where his exemplary leadership had a major impact on people’s lives. RIP. What stood out about Mufti Sahab was his statesmanship. In his long political journey he won many admirers across the political spectrum. Mufti Sahab provided a healing touch to J&K through his leadership. He will be missed by all of us. Condolences to his family & supporters.”

Narendra Modi (Prime Minister)

 

Heartfelt condolences on the passing away of J&K CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

Pranab Mukherjee (President)

 

Deeply pained to learn of J&K CM’s demise.He was known for his love for common people, specially the underprivileged.

Rajnath Singh (Home Minister)

 

Deeply saddened by the demise of Mufti Sahab, he was a rare politician. My condolences to his family & supporters in this hour of grief.

Amit Shah (BJP President)

Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Dr Molvi Muhammad Umar Farooq has also condoled the demise of Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

“Condolences on the demise of Mufti Mohammad Syed, express my sympathy with the bereaved family,” Mirwaiz said in a tweet.

On the otherhand, Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani condoled the demise of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

In a statement issued  the octogenarian leader expressed sympathy with the family of Sayeed, who passed away early morning today at AIIMS in New Delhi.

“Death is an ultimate truth. Whether one is a king or a commoner, everyone has to die,” Geelani was quoted as saying in the statement. “Every death is a lesson for a wise human being and a reminder that his name should be remembered for good even after his death.”

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah expressed his shock and sympathy at the demise.“Just heard the terrible terrible news of Mufti Sahib’s passing away. I’m shocked & deeply saddened. May he rest in peace,” tweeted Abdullah.

“My heartfelt sympathies to Mrs Syed, Mehbooba & the entire family in this most difficult of times. My & my family’s prayers are with them,” he added.

 

 

 

Conclusion

Under the  visionary leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed  PDP has now emerged as a dominant force in Jammu & Kashmir politics and is considered a strong political force and contributions of Mufti Sayeed in this regard stand out.

Be it political, negotiating, diplomatic, building grassroots, bold decisions and above all maturity Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had all of them and logically the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir will miss him . From an simple  lawyer to becoming the only Muslim Home Minister New Delhi has seen so far was an achievement in itself . Mufti Mohammad Sayeed carved a unique position for himself in national and Jammu and Kashmir politics. This demise definitely marks an End of an Era.

 

News Kashmir Exclusive

Health sector, which is one of the main indicators of the development of any concerned nation, society or region has always presented bleak picture in Kashmir. Ventilators are key component of any concerned health sector. A medical ventilator (or simply ventilator in context) is a machine designed to mechanically move breathable air into and out of the lungs, to provide the mechanism of breathing for a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently.

 

While modern ventilators are computerized machines, patients can be ventilated with a bag valve mask,

 

a simple hand-operated bag-valve mask. Ventilators are chiefly used in intensive care medicine, home care, and emergency medicine (as standalone units) and in anesthesia (as a component of an anesthesia

machine).

 

When one takes a look at availability of ventilators in the Kashmir hospitals it provides dismal picture. Even the prime public hospitals in Kashmir are failing to have the desired number of ventilators. The lone pediatric hospital of Valley, GB Pant, too faces the shortage of ventilators. There are only 18 functional ventilators. Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital, Srinagar has only 12 functional ventilators

Dr Nasir –ul- Hassan , Doctors Association Kashmir President , while talking to News Kashmir stated -” Ventilators are key to every health sector in the world. Ventilators have a key role in saving human lives everywhere but be it tertiary or peripheral hospitals ventilators are in very short supply in Kashmir .SKIMS with just more than two dozen ventilators and SMHS has just a dozen odd ventilators and rural hospitals are having no concept of ventilators at all. Our patients are dying for the want of ventilators as basically all critical patients need ventilator support .We are building big hospitals which I prefer to call recreational centres as they are not able to save patients and are just feeding employees. Ventilator related paradigms need a big overhaul if we want to achieve desired excellence in the health sector.”

A look at emergency of the most of the rural hospitals is enough to prove the sick nature of hospitals. Ironically, the crucial department like emergency is marred by widespread chaos and huge flow of patients. Virtually, the all important ventilators are nonexistent in our rural hospitals . Worryingly enough, there is no concept of ventilators in rural healthcare of Kashmir.

On the condition of anonymity, a senior Doctor at Bandipora District Hospital stated – ” Lack of ventilators is direly marring the health sector of Kashmir and it is the patients who are at the receiving end of all this .We have just one ventilator at Bandipora Hospital and this shabby condition especially with reference to poor availability of ventilators in our health sector is a big drawback in our health sector .”

There should be five ventilators for 100 beds and no hospitals in our part of the world are matching this set criteria. Experts and masses are urging on the government to improve the healthcare facilities in Kashmir and in this regard increasing the number of ventilators and providing every hospital with ventilator is the need of hour.

Rameez Makhdoomi

A vibrant  education system is the cornerstone of a developed and progressive nation. Several Legislations have been passed to change the face of education towards betterment. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE),  an Act of the Parliament of India enacted on 4 August 2009 is one visionary act, which describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 in India under Article 21A of the Indian Constitution. India became one of 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child when the act came into force on 1 April 2010 barring Jammu and Kashmir as Jammu and Kashmir enjoys the special status under Article 370 of the Constitution. Central laws are not automatically applicable to J&K state under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and have to be passed via state legislature.

Right to Education act contains a number of positives that can really change the dynamics of education sector Of Jammu & Kashmir.  Right to Education Act makes education makes it a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools.

The Right to Education Act also aims to contain undue influence of private schools as It requires all private schools to reserve 25% of seats to children from poor families (to be reimbursed by the state as part of the public-private partnership plan). It also prohibits all unrecognized schools from practice, and makes provisions for no donation or capitation fees and in added brighter paradigms no interview of the child or parent for admission.

Pertinently, the non-implementation of Right to Education Act in Jammu and Kashmir has worried many sane voices who point out that when we are at forefront of getting draconian laws implemented why not brighter legislations like Right to Education Act. Despite assurances government has not implemented this visionary act.

“Considering the poor educational status  of our state. Right to Education Act is a very bright act as  It envisages that  all private schools to reserve 25% of seats to children from poor families (to be reimbursed by the state as part of the public-private partnership plan). It also prohibits all unrecognized schools from practice, and makes provisions for no donation or capitation fees and no interview of the child or parent for admission. when we are at forefront of launching the black-laws why can’t we have the bright laws like right to education act ,” states Faizaan Bhat, a columnist on education issues.

Sheikh Sameer, Educationist states – “Right to Education act should be without any ifs and buts implemented in Jammu and Kashmir. As we are very well aware that this historical legislation has been implemented across India except J and K pending passage by Assembly. This act makes elementary education fundamental right from six to 14 and also tames the monopoly of private education system. Education is cornerstone of every civilization. It will be panacea for child labor also. Some capitalistic and hegemonic private schools associations might try to scuttle the implementation of this act as it envisages some reservation for deprived sections and thus we have to remain focused to get this act implemented soon .”

Certainly the opinion shapers, masses and intellectuals in unison are calling for immediately implementing Right to Education Act in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

News Kashmir Exclusive
Food insecurity fears are once again marring the masses of Kashmir courtesy a recent CAPD order to limit the supply of ration.
Protest, anger, dismay is brewing in entire Kashmir valley against the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) department at several places for issuing a circular that five kg ration will be provided to each family member each month in the state. The Srinagar city summer capital of the state was rocked with protests against this order at several places like at Gawkadal, Nawa Bazar,Karanagar etc.
Eyewitnesses accounts stated that the large number of disturbed people while staging recently a protest outside Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department locked the main gate of the office building. The protesters did not allow any employee or even the Director to enter into the office.
It is worth mentioning out here that the Consumer affairs & Public Distribution Department, Jammu and Kashmir, is entrusted with the responsibility of providing direct supply of essential commodities like Rice, Sugar, and Kerosene to consumers and ensure smooth supply of cooking gas to the consumers.
Astonishingly enough, there are also lot of discrepancies in the Fresh Forms provided by CAPD to check defects in the consumer database. It was disgusting feeling for many consumers to see that the basic details like photograph, name, parentage and address, which happen to be incorrect, are already been printed on the forms, without any mandatory blank space for making correction in those fields.
Masses are also totally shocked and angry with the order. Sheikh Sameer, a consumer states –“ The CAPD department by announcing five kg ration per head has made the common man very angry and thus forced all of us to raise voices against the department as the same amount of rice is not sufficient for us and we need to bear in mind that we are a place that heavily depends upon the ration . CAPD Should have also designed effective forms as in the wake of the discrepancies, CAPD should have come up with new forms designed in accordance with the necessities of making corrections. ”
On the otherhand, the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali described the move aimed by opposition to launch misinformation campaign on this issue.
In an official handout issued to press, Ali said some political parties have launched a misinformation campaign on NFSA to mislead the people and bar them from taking benefit of this historic scheme.
“The people should not fall prey to any propaganda and should try to take benefit of this revolutionary scheme,” he said, adding “as the implementation of NFSA would go a long way in plugging the pilferages in the existing public distribution system, the elements who were thriving on the loopholes in the system are also responsible for spreading canards regarding the scheme.”

News Kashmir Analysis

Jammu and Kashmir is a mountainous state built from three primary regions: Jammu (the winter capital), the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh; its capital in the summer is called Srinagar.

The tough terrain aided by political turmoil has ensured Jammu & Kashmir especially the Kashmir Valley remains backward in terms of overall developmental scenario. The successive central governments at New Delhi have found answers in announcing the packages to deal with the developmental issues and also try to address political aspirations via these packages.

 

During his recent visit to Kashmir,Prime Minister Narendra Modi   announced a Rs 80,000 crore package for Jammu and Kashmir and said it should be used to transform the state, devastated by floods last year, into a modern, progressive and prosperous one.  Prime Minister added –“There would be no dearth of money for the state’s development, the Prime Minister promised, saying, “This Rs 80,000 crore is not a full stop. It’s only the beginning…Not only is Delhi’s treasury for you but so is its heart.”

However , even this much of package failed to douse the grievances and anger. Just days after the announcement of this package while commenting on  the government plan of giving mere Rs 2000 crores rehabilitation package as “insult to the injury” of flood-hit people of valley of Kashmir, the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation President Haji Mohammed  Yasin Khan  recently stated  “PDP befooled people only to come to power, and to be in power.”

“What we have learnt is that Rs 800 crore are for affected shopkeepers and Rs 1200 Cr for damaged houses. What will each of the flood hit get when the total number of affected families is 15 lakhs?” Khan questioned, in a statement.

 

In a related development just on the heels of PM Narendra  Modi’s announcement of a Rs 80,000 crore package for Jammu & Kashmir, the Union Cabinet few days back  cleared a proposal to provide 3,000 state government jobs and 6,000 transit accommodations in Kashmir for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore.

While talking to News Kashmir, R K Bhat, organization of Kashmiri Pandits Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj stated- “ These packages just represent politics and in actual paradigms and lag the vision to rehabilitate the Pandits back in their native places. The real stakeholders are not taken into consideration while framing the packages for Pandits community as a result nothing much is achieved. We were few years back when we returned as employees back to our native land promised lot but nothing concrete was done as a result many left the job. The burning veracity  is that the government couldn’t even rehabilitate 2000 KP youths during the last 8 years who had volunteered to serve in Kashmir valley which means not even 5 percent of the whole package has been implemented so far.”

On the otherhand due to lack of holistic vision the demand for more packages continues to be raised now just days back Fruit Growers cum Traders Union (FGTCU) demanded Rs 2890 core compensation for horticulture.

 

Addressing media persons FGTCU president Bashir Ahmad Bashir said t devastated floods in September 2014 hit the horticulture industry very badly.

“Every stock of fruit stored in godowns, shops, residential house and other places got destroyed. Even the trucks loaded with fruits could not reach to desired destination as roads were blocked by flood waters,” he said.

Be it package with reference to development of Kashmir or  Concerning Pandit rehabilitation and return to their native land the ground pulse is that there is more rhetoric and politics in packages than addressing the serious concerns.

News Kashmir Exclusive
Kashmir possesses huge capacity to harness hydro-electricity and does produce an impressive amount of electricity. But, inspite of these very facts the power situation deteriorates as soon as winter sets in, and most of the areas of Kashmir are thrown into darkness with never ending load shedding.
As a matter of fact, the power generation in Kashmir, which is said to be capable of generating more than 20000 MW power, seems by and large a Delhi-controlled affair as State government has failed to bring back the ownership of several power projects .
Students are undoubtedly the most terribly affected by this unbridled load shedding, which have brought exam preparations to a near standstill. The negative impacts of load shedding are beyond description – From Housewife to students, Doctor to Technocrat ,Professional to Labourer everyone seems to be badly hit by the current spell of never ending load shedding throughout the length and breadth of the valley . Pertinently, the load shedding is more badly affecting those students who are either attaining online education or depend upon online mediums for their education.
With these unabated power cuts the resentment and anger is also growing among masses of Kashmir from North to South. Be it Downtown and uptown areas of Sumer capital Srinagar the power crisis is deepening. Recently, the people of Maisuma, Gaw Kadal, Basant Bagh and other adjoining areas staged protests in heart of the City and blocked vehicular movement at Budshah Chowk. The protesters, mostly women, said that the PDD is resorting to ‘unnecessary load-shedding’ of power which causing lot of problems to them. Pertinently, Protests also broke out at Koil village of Pulwama district in south Kashmir against unscheduled power curtailment.

Power protests have even history of turning violent and claiming precious lives. A class 12 student was killed and two persons injured when Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel guarding National Hydroelectric Power Corporation projects in Kashmir had opened fire on people protesting against power shortage in Boniyar area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district at the start of year 2012 . The CISF personnel at that juncture had opened fire, killing Altaf Ahmad Sood (18) son of Bashir Ahmad of Barnait, Boniyar on the spot. Parvaiz Ahmad son of Ghulam Hassan and Abdul Majid son of Wali Muhammad, both of Boniyar, were injured in that firing incident .

While talking to News Kashmir Magazine Beenish Parray, a Writer States – ” As soon as long spell of winter dawns on Kashmir power cuts become a norm. Be it downtown, uptown areas of Srinagar or for that matter rural areas the power crisis makes life terrible for the masses especially students undergoing different exams .Government should immediately revisit the policy of long and unscheduled power cuts as it is making life difficult for masses. Power is one of the most basic necessities in our age and we should be provided with regular electricity.”
Without ambiguity the nutshell analysis is that Kitchens, IT Centers, Study Rooms, Industrial sectors , Prayer Places all other significant spheres of life are getting adversely hit by the peril of sustained load shedding and the problem demands instantaneous action otherwise the lava of anger generated would not have good consequences. Government should take necessary steps to curb load shedding before this problem goes out of hand and people are forced to protest aggressively.

Rameez Makhdoomi

The PDP – BJP coalition government was formed in February 2015.This was done after a series of serious deliberations between the two parties amidst a fractured electoral verdict in Jammu and Kashmir. Many believe that nine months down the line all looks doomed for PDP and the question Is PDP Perishing has started to invoke a debate. Political analysts feel that PDP has fast lost its popularity since it has formed the government with BJP. Resurgent protests and killing of civilians has made road tough for PDP.

Pertinently, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, a top PDP Leader and parliamentarian in a sensational  interview with NDTV has signaled that future of PDP Looks quiet bleak.

Mr Baig, who was the first to support the PDP’s alliance with the BJP, an ideological opposite, told NDTV that he now fears the way the PDP-led coalition government is functioning will “lead to its (PDP’s) annihilation.”

 

Ahead of a joint rally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in Srinagar, Mr Baig had written a letter to PM Modi on “rising intolerance in the country and failure of PDP-BJP alliance.

“One of the most important reasons for the higher voter turnout in the J&K Elections was the ‘fear’ of the BJP entering the valley, a sentiment which was fully exploited by the PDP during their campaign. PDP sought votes from the people on the pretext of stopping the BJP from coming to power, but what happened later is history. Forming coalition by PDP and BJP was reckless and it went wrong for Mufti in Kashmir and BJP in Jammu. PDP seems to have softened its stand on the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the BJP, which has been demanding the abrogation of Article 370, has taken a complete U-turn, deciding to maintain a status quo. The way things are working as of now, it is unlikely that the PDP-BJP alliance will complete six years in the office. It is destined to fail by its contradictions. The PDP looks to be big loser politically ” – Raies Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, Lawyer at High Court of Delhi and Former Student Leader at University of Delhi.

From Coffee Shop gossip to street talk, from analytical paradigm to grassroots the downslide of PDP as a potent political force is not only being felt but discussed threadbare.

 

Senior Activist and AIP State Secretary Tanveer Hussain Khan stated – ” PDP seems to be fast losing its electoral and popular base. South Kashmir once party bastion is also simmering with anger against the party especially in backdrop of latest volatile situation of the area and accord of PDP with rightwing BJP. If PDP continues at this pace it has every chance of getting decimated and could well become history.”

“BJP too is making things tough for PDP as a series of growing acts of intolerance and rising communal tendencies under BJP rule at Center has been a focal point since past  one year in Indian Polity. These series of developments are strengthening roots of Separatism and weakening the mainstream in Kashmir ,” added Tanveer Hussain Khan.

Nevertheless, the question of debacle of PDP and debate over it despite it being in  Power has started to take roots.