KD NEWS SERVICE

SRINAGAR, Mar 6: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday said that the implementation of GST in the State of Jammu and Kashmir has crippled the handicrafts tourism and industry sectors of the state.

Quoting Nasir Hamid Khan, Senior Vice President, KCC&I the spokesman stated that the KCC&I, along with a majority of other stakeholders, had opposed the implementation of the law primarily on the ground that is would dilute the unique constitutional status and autonomy the State of Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed. The impact has crippled our Handicrafts, Tourism and Industry sectors. The refunds to industries are lingered on for months together on one pretext or the other. In its report given in 2018, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture had also raised red flags over the implementation of GST on Tourist related activities. It has recommended that it “must be reconsidered” and done in a cautious manner in order to ensure that the delicate state of the tourism sector should not be adversely affected.

The report had further underlined the sensitive nature of our State and stated that the implementation of GST on Tourism would have “manifold effects, mostly negative, on the economy in the Region’. Earlier recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee’s on the need for capping airfares has also been ignored by the Union Government. The KCC&I has been demanding bringing air travel under the Essential Services Act of the State in view of the frequent closure of the only road link to Kashmir. Although the Ministry of Civil Aviation, under the UDAN Scheme for the promotion of regional connectivity for making flying affordable, proposes 30-minute flight to cost only Rs 1,200/-, the citizens of our State are being forced to pay more than Rs 20,000 for the same distances.

In addition, in the past three weeks, a sinister campaign targeting the tourism sector has been started on the social media and sections of the electronic and print media. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & industry in consultation with other tourism players would be constituting a joint team for visiting friendly domestic tourism markets and interacting with our counterparts.

The Government on its part needs to sort out connectivity, infrastructural and taxation issues which are proving to be the biggest impediments in our growth. The Government is on the record about the stressed condition of our economy from losses suffered from 2014 onwards. Various policy measures announced with much fanfare to support the business community by earlier Governments have not been acted upon. They stand shelved, modified and diluted.

As a result of the above factors, the stress on various sectors of our economy, especially tourism, handicrafts and industry, has reached a critical breaking point. There is an immediate need for all stakeholders to put in serious and effective efforts in a salvage operation. The sinister attempt to target our tourism and handicraft sector by goons and hooligans is condemnable and deserves a strong response.

Srinagar, Mar 06 : Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik on Wednesday said that the ban on Jamaat e Islami, arrest of hundreds of its leaders and cadres, the assault on the State’s hereditary state subject law fresh spree of raids by NIA and ED are all authoritarian decisions aimed at weakening the people’s movement and to intimidate leadership and people of Kashmir into submission to give up striving for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

JRL said that people and leadership are engaged in a political and human struggle for Kashmir resolution as per the internationally accepted and democratic principle of self determination. 

Leadership said that authoritarianism is no solution to issues and will not yield the results that GOI wants as has been proved in the last three decades. Talks and dialogue is the most peaceful and democratic manner to address issues and bring peace in the subcontinent. 

Leadership urged the Imams and Khateebs to highlight the issue on coming Friday and asked people to peacefully protest against these arbitrary and authoritarian moves which include banning and arrest of Jamaat cadres, attempt at diluting hereditary state subject laws and Raids on leadership. (KNS) 

Wahid Bhat

SRINAGAR, MAR 06 : Senior leader of ‎Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Kavinder Gupta said that some NC, PDP and congress leaders receive funding to create volatile situation in Kashmir.

In an exclusive conversation with News agency Gupta said that the leaders from NC, PDP or congress speak language of Pakistan as they are receiving funds from Pakistan.

He further added that some people receiving funding from Pakistan, in which national conference and congress leaders including PDP are involved. “It is confirmed that they got funding from Pakistan, that is why the we have seen shutdown, strike calls in Kashmir” .

He further added that the Congress is behind the stone pelting in Kashmir. He added that once congress forms government in Kashmir they will provide crores of Rupees to militants families.”.

Gupta added that the senior leader of Congress visits Pakistan and ask for support to form government”.

He added that Congress has “always played the politics of blood, if anyone is singularly responsible for the mess in Jammu and Kashmir, it is the Nehru family. “Not just in 1947, even post-1947, repeatedly, whatever happened in Kashmir, if one person can be blamed for that, it is Nehru and congress himself,” Gupta said.    

He added that the congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad trying to protect their mistake which they have done in Kashmir, whatever is happening in Kashmir is the mistake of congress and BJP will solve it now”.     

Gupta further added, “Article 370 and article 35A of the Constitution are temporary laws which can be removed without a vote in the Parliament that once BJP will get full majority in State then BJP will removed 370, and 35A”.

He further added that whatever is happening in Kashmir it’s all because of article 35A. “The mistake which was done by Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and Nehru reason behind crises in Kashmir”, he said.

He further added that uncomfortable truth is that Article 35A is a political tool by politically irrelevant groups like the Hurriyat to keep the embers of separatism burning; though things have improved dramatically under the Narendra Modi dispensation”. 

Gupta further added Article 35A issue, that it was extra constitutional from its inception is now well established. We have lived with this 70-year-old mistake foisted upon us by a short-sighted Nehru despite the fact that the Jammu & Kashmir Constituent Assembly was disbanded on January 26, 1957. (PTK)

Srinagar, Mar 06 : Deputy Inspector General of Police NKR Mohammad Suleiman-IPS today visited District Kupwara and chaired a security review meeting with the officers of the district at DPO Kupwara besides, interacts with Jawans of the district at District Police Lines Kupwara.

During the meeting, DIG NKR took stock of security scenario in the District and preparedness of upcoming General Elections. He also exhorted upon the officers to work with zeal & zest and to prioritize the redressal of grievances reported at respective Police Stations in a professional manner.

Later, DIG Mohammad Suleiman visited District Police Lines Kupwara and held interaction with the officials and jawans of the district. He patiently listened to the grievances put forth by the Jawans. The DIG redressed some grievances on the spot and assured the Jawans that rest of the issues will be sorted out shortly.

During his visit to Kupwara, the DIG was accompanied by SSP Kupwara, ASP Kupwara, DySP Hqrs and other officers of the district.