Kupwara 31 March: Urging those who boycott the elections and call casting votes as betrayal from the cause, AIP parliamentary candidate from North Kashmir Er. Rasheed has asked masses and sensible voices to revisit their strategies and not play down the negative impact of huge election boycott.

During his vigorous mass campaign Er. Rasheed on Sunday addressed public gatherings at Herri, Laderwan Kawari, Awoora, Hayhama, Drugmulla, Lolab,  Sogam, Wawoora, Warnow Lolab, Lalpora, Surigam, Kanthpora and other places and urged masses to come out in huge numbers and vote for AIP to make a positive change on the political spectrum of J&K.

Er. Rasheed said “The proxies of New Delhi including PDP, NC and PC have not only created traditional cadres and have full backing of state apparatus, AIP is contesting election against all odds and is truly trying to make efforts to tell the world truth about Kashmir and Kashmir issue.

AIP promises to speak not only the truth but not to compromise on the aspirations, sentiments and sacrifices of people. Non-participation by sensible voices will ensure victory of murderers, exploiters and anti-Kashmiri forces. There is a huge need to change the strategy to make world community and Indian masses heard and understand the reality about Kashmir issue.

It may look strange but the fact is that NC, PDP and PC being the biggest beneficiaries of election boycott are doing everything to ensure that people don’t vote for a change”.

Er. Rasheed thanked masses in Kupwara and Lolab areas for turning in huge numbers despite the dirty tricks being played by so called regional parties and assured people that he will represent them with commitment, sincerity and dedication.

Er. Rasheed said “While Peoples conference preferred to get engaged in horse trading to grab power, NC and PDP cried victim seeing their dynasty rule under threat, without introspecting why people started hating them.

Er. Rasheed said those who invented PSA, gifted power projects to New Delhi, imposed AFSPA and are architects of all miseries, rather confessing their guilt’s are playing politics of exploitation and hypocrisy”. 

Stating that the undemocratic measures taken by the Central government are pushing the people of the state into a corner, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said that need of the hour is that the Government of India must stop this muscular policy and understand that dialogue is the only way forward.

Mehbooba while addressing workers conventions in Pattan and Sonawari stated that it was the agenda of the PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed that accorded a sigh of relief to the people of the state after 2002 elections.

She said that prior to that, dialogue with Pakistan, reconciliatory approach and pitching for peace used to be considered as a taboo within the political landscape.

She said that it was Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who initiated an era of reconciliation in Jammu and Kashmir and laid foundation of the ideology that declares that the state must become a bridge of friendship between India and Pakistan.

The Former Chief Minister said that the previous coalition of PDP and BJP was dictated by the numbers of the election results in which both the parties were at par and forming coalition was a brave attempt to engage with the new India which is dominated by the Hindutva forces.

Mehbooba said that the PDP successfully resisted for four long years the policies of the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir and that it has now become visible that how the BJP is trying to divide the state, divide communities and undermine the vital institutions of the state. “One could imagine at present what havoc would the BJP have created, if it would have been left alone after the 2014 polls,” said PDP President.

Mehbooba, however, said that when there was no presence of BJP in 1996 in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Farooq Abdullah with sixty MLAs aligned unnecessarily with the BJP with a sole objective to secure a junior ministerial berth for his son.

She added that soon after Dr Farooq joined hands with the BJP, he gave away whatever was left of state’s economic prospects in the shape of power projects to the centre. She added that Farooq Abdullah consolidated forces of official terror and patronised and promoted them while making BJP Halaal in Kashmir politics.

The PDP President Mehbooba Mufti in her address also expressed serious concern over the prevailing situation in the state and said that the repressive measures and iron fist approach are being rigorously implemented with common masses threatened, intimated and harassed by the government at large. She reiterated PDP’s stand vis-a-vis banning the socio-political and religious organisation- Jamaat-e-Islami, terming such a measure as undemocratic, unconstitutional and an attempt to hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims all across.

The PDP President added that her party will remain in the forefront to oppose any move aimed at harassing, suppressing and targeting the people of state and that the policies being adopted by the central leadership towards the state are turning the already crises ridden region into a war zone.

Senior PDP leader Dr Mehboob Beg also spoke on the occasion and asked people to strengthen the PDP and support it during the coming elections by voting overwhelmingly in its favour. (KNS)

Asia’s largest tulip garden, which has about 12 lakh tulips of 51 varieties in its lap on the banks of world famous Dal lake in the summer capital, Srinagar, was thrown open to visitors from Sunday, marking the beginning of new tourism season in the Valley.

The Tulip Garden in the backdrop of mighty Zabarwan range of mountains, was thrown open for public, including tourists and locals, on Sunday, where about 3000 people visited the garden on the first day.

Rehan Showket

Srinagar, March 31 : A day after a Sub-Inspector of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) committed suicide in north Kashmir, another trooper of the paramilitary force shoot himself dead in Srinagar on Sunday morning.

“Constable Ramphul Meena (belt number 127020492) of ITBP 11 bn today morning shoots himself with his service rifle INSAS inside a camp at Sericulture Office Solina area of Srinagar in central Kashmir while he was on duty,” a police officer told GNS, adding that the trooper suffered serious injuries in the incident.

Following the gunshot, the colleagues rushed towards the trooper and found him in a pool of blood, he said, adding that the injured was immediately taken to SMHS hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

It was not immediately known why the trooper took this extreme step, he said.

Meanwhile, the officer said that a case has been registered and further investigations have been taken up.

On Saturday morning, an ITBP sub-Inspector identified as Chander Mani of 4th Adhoc G Coy ended his life in a similar manner at Town Hall Kunzer in Tangmarg area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. (GNS)