It is sad part that communal politics is taking centerstage in our part of the world.Following threats by Shiv Sena, the world renowned singer from Pakistan Ghulam Ali concert, scheduled to be held in Mumbai on October 9, has been cancelled.

 

The Sena, earlier  had clearly  threatened to stage a protest during the performance of the leading Pakistan singer at Shanmughananda Hall, holding it will oppose cultural and sporting relations with the neighbouring country so long as it refused to curb terrorism.

 

In a letter to the management of the Shamughananda Hall, Shiv Sena’s film wing “Chitrapat Sena” said if it went ahead with the programme featuring the artist from Pakistan they would have to face the “anger of Shiv Sena and the patriotic people.”“Through this letter, we want to convey to you that if you invite Pakistan artist to the show you will have to face the Shiv Sena’s wrath… Which is why we ask you to prohibit the Pakistan artist from coming to the programme, or else you will have to face the anger of Shiv Sena’s and the patriotic people of the country,” Chitrapat Sena Vibhag Pramukh Mangesh Satamkar said in his letter.

He had further added that  it has been a long standing and of Shiv Sena that until the neighbouring country stopped terrorism activities there should be no cultural, sporting and political relations with Pakistan.

Pertinently, playing negative politics over music and sports has marred the overall environ of peace process in our already fragile region. Shiv Sena warning will add more negativity to already pessimistic outlook between India and Pakistan existing with reference to  strained relations.

Autumn session of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly begins on Oct 3. The session is expected to generate a lot of heated debate in the backdrop of several burning issues especially the expectation of fierce discussion on bill seeking lifting of beef ban.

In an significant development recently, National Conference legislators  submitted a bill in the legislative assembly seeking abolishment of the constitutional provisions criminalising slaughter of bovines in the state. It is worth pointing out here that recently the Jammu and Kashmir high court on September 10 ordered the state police to ensure strict implementation of a  law which ensures the  banning of the sale of beef after a petitioner argued the slaughter of bovines hurts the sentiments of some communities. The same move had generated lot of outrage in the nook and corner of Kashmir with many terming it as a direct interference in the religious affairs of majority Muslim community.

 

While on suggestions by some members regarding fair reporting of the session, the Speaker said the Information Department would request mediapersons to be impartial while reporting the proceedings. He said that the media has an important role in highlighting public issues and hoped that its would discharge its duties with utmost care and responsibility.

Pertinently, the Legislator from Khansahab constituency in Budgam district, Hakeem Muhammad Yasin, has also submitted a bill in the Assembly seeking ban on sale of liquor in the state.

In his bill, Yasin has however sought exemption on sale of liquor and its consumption by tourists visiting the State.“The tourists should be exempted from the ban. However Government should regulate consumption of liquor by tourists,” he has mentioned in the bill.

Overall, the upcoming Autumn Assembly session is expected to generate lot o heated debate.

Children are innocent flowers and the killing of children in any human conflict is highest form of barbarity. Killing of Burhaan by unknown gunman in restive North Kashmir township of Sopore or sweeping of Aylan Kurdi by sea waves , A Syrian Kurdish refugee boy fleeing war or killing of scores of children in conflict zones like Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Nigeria, Somalia etc is a heartrending affair. When the children should be given utmost care and affection the sanity in many parts of world is turning into insanity as we see children used as soldiers by extremist groups and militias ,bombarded to death in airstrikes or mortar shelling of so called civilised states. Scores of child soldiers are losing their precious lives in conflicts and are shamefully enough used as executioners of their rivals by various extremist groups in present world of ours which speaks volumes of callousness that has hit humans in many parts of the world.

The barbarity the present day humans have shown to the children is simply baffling and questions whether we have really achieved civilization or that is mere rhetoric.Killing of any human life in violent conflict is a shameful aspect and barbarity shown towards children is more condemnable and should aghast every conscience human.

Let us for the smile of children and for their innocence learn to solve issues ,conflicts and disputes in a humane manner rather than adopting a brutalizing approach which makes us less human more beast.

Education is the cornerstone of every civilized society. A strong education system has been the backbone of every  developed and progressive nation. Private Schools are very much needed in this day age, nobody can deny this veracity. Private Schools in our part of the world without ambiguity have played positive role in transforming educational and academic picture on several fronts. But all this is just one side of spectrum on the other side of spectrum there is widespread disappointment too.

Many believe that some Private Schools behave like capitalist empires by charging exorbitant fees from school children and thus putting heavy burden on their parents. Even in name of one activity or other Parents are being fleeced by School authorities of private schools and what is alleged and often the case that from concerned authorities there is no strong check on these schools by authorities.

Many experts are stressing that Jammu & Kashmir government should show immediately the required eagerness to implement the historic Right to Education Act in the state .

 

As a matter of fact, the Right to Education Act makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools. 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 no interview of the child or parent for admission.

 

The need of the hour is thus to strictly monitor the working of these private schools and do not allow them to trespass rules and regulations.

A few days back acting on a public interest litigation brought by a  lawyer, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court instructed law enforcement officials to “strictly enforce” an 1862 ban on slaughtering cows, which had been imposed by the then maharaja, a Hindu.

This has lead to wave of  anger in Kashmir. A day after Jammu High Court banned sale of beef in Muslim majority State of Jammu and Kashmir, leaders from mainstream politics, socio-religious organizations, pro-freedom camps and civil society expressing displeasure over the court order saying that it sounds strange to impose the will of some religious fanatics over the vast population of the State.

Muslim scholars and pro-freedom politicians have condemned the decision stating that it not acceptable to them adding that they  will do whatever is possible…calling It is a direct interference in  religious affairs,” and making it clear “beef is halal (prescribed by Muslim law) for Muslims and  will continue to consume it.”

Interestingly the decision to enforce Kashmir’s beef ban comes amid growing public fears that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is imposing the dietary restrictions of some of India’s religious faiths on the entire population — ostensibly out of respect for “religious sentiments”.

Many Kashmiris openly question that   Why no ban on liquor, which is hazardous and proscribed by all the religions, and why ban on beef that is permitted by the religion they follow.

As a matter of fact, Twitter and Facebook users openly reacted over the court decision, terming the direction ‘politically motivated’ and irrelevant. Prominent civil Society member, Sakeel Qalandar, said that the ruling of the court will not stand firm in the Muslim majority State. “The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir gives freedom to the people and nobody can suggest or dictate them what what they should wear or eat,” he said that the ban will be ineffective.

Beef Ban order has definitely raised tempers in Kashmir.

In September 2014, the Kashmir region suffered disastrous floods across many of its districts caused by torrential rainfall and the floods were epic in nature as in History  of Kashmir they were one of the worst floods witnessed in Kashmir causing great damage in form  of tremendous economic loss and some human loss.

 

On September 7 and 8, in many parts of Srinagar’s neighbourhood, the water was about 12 feet (3.7 m) deep, submerging entire houses. Stranded residents left their homes to move in with friends or relatives in safer areas. In Srinagar , most of the city areas were submerged under water. The river Jhelum spilled over submerging Maisuma, Bemina Sonwar Bagh, Shivpora, Batwara, Pandrathan, LalChowk, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Gogji Bagh and Wazir Bagh neighbourhoods of city.

After one year, we are  not sure that what steps have been taken or what steps would be taken to prevent a reputation of deluge like 2014. The environmental concerns remain – Illegal constructions still mar Kashmir, Wetlands being destroyed by human greed and Government apathy continues, Green gold in form of forests being vandalized continues and above all conversion of prime tourist resorts into concrete jungles continues .Unfortunately post one year of floods there are many questions and very few answers .

 

The Flood raised many other   unanswered questions as to how almost all Srinagar was flooded in matter of just few days rain, Why did our entire drainage system collapse like pack of cards, why was government machinery absconding for so many days and why did entire communication system give-up and took days to recover. Victims continue to raise hue and cry over lack of help by the authorities especially with reference to letting them down on rehabilitation front.

 

The heating of the India-Pakistan Line of Control with increased firing and targeting of civilians, has caused concern in all the voices of conscience in both the regions

As a matter of fact, the term Line of Control (LoC) refers to the military control line between the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of the former princely state of Kashmir and Jammu—a line which, to this day, does not constitute a legally recognized international boundary but is the de facto border. Originally known as the Cease-fire Line, it was redesignated as the “Line of Control” following the Simla Agreement, which was signed on 3 July 1972. The part of the former princely state that is under Indian control is known as the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The two parts of the former princely state that are under Pakistani control are known as Gilgit–Baltistan and termed as Azad Kashmir (AJK) by Pakistan . Its northernmost point is known as the NJ9842.

The rising of tensions at Line of Control has always made people living in border areas of both sides of Jammu and Kashmir pay a very painful price in form of losing precious human lives, properties , devastation of agricultural produce and loss of academic knowledge to students living in these areas

With the increase in violence on Line of Control the Valley of Kashmir witnesses increased tensions and violence which makes lives of people miserable. The need of the hour is that both India and Pakistan calmly ponder over the situation and have some sort of reflection of human pain and solve their issues and conflicts in an amicable manner. Heating of LOC also entails a deadly blow to already stalled peace process and makes the initiation of talks even more difficult task. Time that both countries adopt path of wisdom and shun aggressive path of violence and normalising LOC in this regard can be a major step

Recently, the Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar stated that all the ReTs, regularised or otherwise, have to appear for screening test as directed by J&K High Court to verify their degrees. All this was followed by strong protests, strike  from ReT Teachers. But just few days back,  succumbing to mounting pressure from the J&K government, an association of Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers  said it will “cooperate with the authorities in identifying teachers with fake degree certificates.”

Pulse on ground is that these steps initiated by the present State Government to refurbish the public education system of the Jammu & Kashmir state , which has been over the past few decades  going to rot are the steps taken in right direction. In recent years corrupt practices, abnormal student-teacher ratio, poor condition of schools are some of the permanent grey features defining the bleak scenario related to our public education system.

The student-teacher ratio has   been quiet abnormal in the government run schools. At some public schools of Kashmir, a very few teachers have to cater to hundreds of students. While in some parts of the Kashmir Valley, twenty to twenty five teachers are rendering education to just five to ten pupils. At a number of places in Kashmir, the education system is literally being conducted under open air and the frequent climatic vagaries bring to grinding halt the functioning of such open air schools. But in past few months the government has shown will to correct these lacunae by closing many school  with poor student roll. In a bid to reform school education system across Jammu and Kashmir, the state government has decided to close down 3000 such surplus schools.

Even the transfer system in Government schools has faced sharp criticism as it has been found marred by nepotism and corrupt practices. Now the present Education Ministry has shown the desired will to change this flawed transfer policy as well.

 

 

One hopes that present momentum of initiating series of crucial steps to reform Pubic Educating System will be continued till the Pubic Education System of Jammu & Kashmir is brought back on right tracks.

 

Naeem Akhtar, Education Minister in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, claims that he is “guardian of 16 lakh students” and has vowed to go ahead with the government’s proposed screening test for Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers. He is on record saying that the protest demonstrations and sloganeering will neither deter him nor force him change his mind.

 

This issue raises three critical points: one, why did the previous governments appoint ReT teachers without any screening test? Doesn’t this indicate systemic rot and raise serious doubts about the credibility and integrity of recruiting agencies? Two, why are the teachers scared of any screening test? Doesn’t this reflect ‘lack of confidence’ in teachers often referred to as ‘builders of the nation’? Three, why is the police dealing with protesting ReT teachers as if they are the most wanted criminals?

 

If the government, as per its claim, wants to bring education on the right track and its sole aim is not to disgrace the teaching community, one would like to know why the government did not take the ReT teaching community into confidence before going public with the screening test move. Wasn’t it important to let the teachers know that the government intends to bring a transparent system in place?

 

It is a welcome step if Naeem Akhtar wants to improve education system and aims to make parents feel proud of admitting their wards in government schools, but he should not remain blind to the fact that all missionary schools and elite English medium schools in Srinagar and major towns of the Kashmir valley have become dens of corruption, where a student admitted in pre-nursery and nursery is charged between INR 70,000 to 100,000 in the name of admission fee? Isn’t this brazen corruption and commercialisation of education? Isn’t this a bribe camouflaged as ‘admission fee’?

 

A common Kashmiri would want to know from the education minister what his plans are to stop this shameless and blatant corruption thriving in broad day light!

All said and done, the pragmatic solution to the prevailing problem of ReT is to appoint a committee of credible members of the civil society which will hold rounds of deliberations with representatives of the ReT teaching community. Only a meaningful dialogue will sort out this mess. Deadlock, protests by teachers, crackdown by the police, obstinacy and rigidness on part of the government, etc, will not solve anything. One can only hope that better sense prevails.

Fifty-three year old Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, convicted for his ‘involvement’ in a series of bomb blasts in Mumbai in March 1993 which killed 257 people, was executed by hanging Thursday morning at the Nagpur Central jail, after the Supreme Court of India rejected his final clemency plea. President of India and Governor of Maharashtra also rejected his mercy petitions.

What does Yakub Memon’s hanging convey to over 14 per cent population living in India, the minority Muslim community?

And what does Memon’s hanging mean to Kashmiris?

Amnesty International, the London based leading world human rights body, described Memon’s execution as “cruel” and “inhuman”, rightly so.

More than two-thirds of world nations have abandoned capital punishment. It appears archaic and outdated to see people being sent to the gallows in the 21st century. Around 140 countries are against the use of death penalty, and it is utterly sad that India — which aspires to be an emerging world power and sells its model of democracy to the entire world — continues with executions.

Anyway, the Muslim majority Kashmir valley saw angry and strong reactions from politicians across the ideological divide over the hanging of Memon. This hanging is being interpreted as a message to Muslims that Indian judiciary and institutions will not deliver justice to them. Muslim leaders are concluding from Memon’s execution that Indian judiciary is in a hurry to execute Muslim convicts and adopts humane approach in relation to the convicts belonging to other communities, especially the majority community.

Even some Indian experts are raising serious doubts over the judicial processes followed and entire drama surrounding Memon’s capital punishment. The question everyone appears to be asking in Kashmir is this: why are Rajiv Gandhi’s killers not hanged? Why not hang killers of Beant Singh?

Mohammad Afzal Guru, convicted in the attack on Indian Parliament in December 2001, was hanged in February 2013 in Tihar jail. Even his body was not handed over to his family in Sopore.

Amnesty International makes a lot of sense by saying that Memon’s execution will not deliver justice for the 1993 Mumbai blasts and that it is a misguided attempt to prevent terrorism, and a disappointing use of the criminal justice system as a tool for retribution.

The larger question, however, remains why hang people in the first place?