Srinagar, Apr 12 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national General Secretary Ram Madhav on Friday interacted with the first voters in Srinagar and told them that casting ballots was the festivity of democracy.

Madhav who had arrived Srinagar for just an hour or two interacted with almost 200 first time voters in a hotel here and asked them to cast the ballots and elect the representative sensibly.

He told the first time voters that those who casted their votes in Kashmir so far were only being remembered during votes and are being forgotten after the elections are over.

Madhav has told them Khalid Jahangir who is party’s candidate for Srinagar Lok Sabha polls was the second Narendra Modi in Kashmir.

Later, Khalid also lashed out at the regional parties here for betraying the people every time.

BJP’s candidate for Srinagar LS constituency also said that he will try to end the sufferings of people if he is voted to power in the elections. (KNS)

DM orders undertaking accessibility audit of Srinagar schools

Srinagar, April 12 : District Magistrate Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Friday issued an order directing ten errant schools notified as polling stations in the district to immediately allow construction of ramps at their premises as part of the ECI-mandated Assured Minimum Facilities at polling stations.

The order states the setting up of ramps for Persons with Disabilities or PwD voters at notified polling stations is mandated as per the directions of the Supreme Court with the aim  to facilitate them in exercising their right to full and effective participation and inclusion in society.

The order states that hindrances in this regard are undue and account for serious violation of provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act 1951.

The order also orders constitution of a committee headed by the Joint Director Planning which will undertake accessibility audit of all government and private schools in the Srinagar district and submit compiled findings in the regard within a period of one month.

It states that enabling a barrier-free environment for students with special needs in schools is mandated under the J&K Persons with Disabilities Act 1998 as well as the central Scheme for Implementation of Persons with Disabilities Act 1995.

It also states that construction of ramps in schools as part of other measures for facilitating children with special needs is also mandated in the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights’ Manual On Safety and Security of Children.

The accessibility facilities at schools will be measured against the guidelines of the Supreme Court, Election Commission of India, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, National Disaster Management Authority among others ensuring safety of children, providing barrier-free access to schools and enabling education of children with special needs. (GNS)

Political situation in Kashmir highly sensitive: Mirwaiz

Srinagar, April 12 : Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said that the present prevailing political situation in Kashmir is “highly sensitive and fragile” and that the indiscriminate use of pellet guns resulting in the killings of innocents is “extremely painful”.

According to GNS, Mirwaiz while addressing the congregational Friday gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid, said that the use of pellet gun has yet again claimed the life of a class 7 student Owais Mushtaq Mir in Handwara are of Kupwara despite the fact that entire international community including the United Nations in its report had called for a complete ban on use of pellet guns in Kashmir.

He said recently the EU parliamentarians had also asked the Government of India to ban the use of pellet guns. The scars left behind by the lethal pellet guns in 2016 are still afresh as many youth were killed and blinded yet it is unfortunate that the use of pellets continues unabated in Kashmir with the result that a budding flower was crushed forever, he said.

Mirwaiz also criticised the ban on civilian traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway for twice a week calling it an “autocratic” decision by the rulers. He said the ban is leading to immense hardship and difficulties for the people.

Miwaiz said that pressure was mounted on leadership through ED and NIA to silence the voices seeking resolution of the Kashmir dispute even as his house was raided and many notices were sent to him.

Mirwaiz said that a collective decision was taken after which he decided to face the NIA in New Delhi. He said he was asked about the various organisations which he heads including Anjuman Auqaf Jamia, Anjuman Nusratul Islam, Darulkhair APHC and AAC the details of which they had seized during the raid as well recommendations for visa to Pakistan by Kashmiris and recommendation to medical colleges in Pakistan about which he appraised them.

Mirwaiz said his life and Hurriyat’s stand is an open book and there is nothing to hide. “APHC believes that Kashmir is a lingering political issue that has to be resolved. There was no other alternative than its resolution. Kashmir is yearning for a peaceful resolution since 1947 and today Kashmir’s fourth generation is getting consumed demanding the peaceful solution of the issue,” he said.

Mirwaiz said that the pulpit of Jamia Masjid represents the aspirations of people of Kashmir who have sacrificed a lot for its peaceful resolution.

It was represented by Mirwaiz Moulana Muhammad Yousuf Shah (RA) in 1947 and also by the “Shaheed-e-Milat” Moulana Muhammad Farooq (RA) in 1975 in public rally in Srinagar where he coined the idea of resolving the issue through tripartite dialogue, he said.

Mirwaiz said that on every stage, he has been stating that Kashmir issue was a political reality and nobody can turn their back on it.

Kashmir issue doesn’t pertain to any one particular party, organization or a leader but it was a people’s issue and all political parties of the entire J&K endorse that, Mirwaiz said.

He said India and Pakistan fought many wars on Kashmir in which thousands of soldiers died on both sides but nothing was achieved and yet again the armies of both nations are at loggerheads.

It is clear that through military approach the nature of Kashmir issue cannot be altered and it’s high time that the political measures are taken to address the issue, he said.

Mirwaiz said “intimidation or harassment” cannot make him change his political stand on Kashmir which is based on reality.

Any government that comes to power in India or Pakistan has to save themselves from engaging into a full-fledged war and the only way-out is to take concrete steps for the resolution of the vexed issue of Kashmir, Mirwaiz said adding that he will continue to represent the people’s aspirations and emotions. (GNS)