Several party workers resign in Kashmir

Naveed Ul Haq

Budgam, Aug 10: Day after militants shot at and critically injured a 38-year-old BJP worker in Ompora area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district while he was on a morning walk, succumbed to his injuries at SMHS hospital on Monday morning.

Officials told KNO that Abdul Hamid Najar son of late Muhammad Jammal Najar, of Ompora area of Budgam, was critically injured when militants fired upon him while he was on a morning walk on Sunday.

“He was rushed to SMHS hospital, Srinagar, where he succumbed to his injuries today morning,” they said.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir BJP president, Ravinder Raina took to his twitter and said that “Deeply saddened as I lost another friend in Kashmir, dynamic BJP leader Sh. Abdul Hamid Najar who was critically injured in attack in Budgam succumb to bullet injuries. Shame on U Pakistan, sacrifices of BJP workers can’t go in vain, U have to pay the heavy prize Pakistan.”

Jammu and Kashmir BJP vice-president, Sofi Yousuf and senior leader Altaf Thakur had also visited SMHS hospital on Sunday to see the injured worker.

Meanwhile, several BJP workers in the Kashmir have disassociated themselves from the party following attacks on several BJP workers over the past few weeks.

Fearing attacks from militants for being affiliated with the BJP, five workers resigned in Budgam, three in Baramulla and one each in Bandipora and Ganderbal since yesterday.

An official said that office secretary BJP Budgam, Sameer Ahmad Shah son of Gulam Mohi-ud-din Shah, a resident of Humhama, Budgam resigned from the party.

Meanwhile, BJP’s constituency president Chare-Sharief, Wali Mohammad Bhat, Avtar Singh, general secretary, general secretary, district Budgam, Ghulam Rasool Bhat and Imran Ahmad Parrey, general secretary M. Morcha, Budgam, a resident of Dooniwari, Chadoora also announced their resignation and disassociated themselves from the BJP.

District secretary BJP, Bandipora Mohammad Yaqool Malla son of Abdul Khalik Malla, a resident of Shelvat, Sonawari also resigned from the party.

In Baramulla, BJP constituency president Farooq Malik also resigned from the basic membership of the party. BJP general secretary, Gulmarg constituency, Mukhtar Ahmad also took to social media and shared his resignation letter.

Meanwhile, an independent sarpanch, Rayees Ahmad from Darnabal Takyabal area of Tarzoo in north Kashmir’s Sopore town also resigned from the post.

In Ganderbal, a BJP worker Abdul Aziz Chichi son of Abdullah Chichi, a resident of Setrina Kangan also resigned from the BJP.

Srinagar, Aug 10: Jammu and Kashmir  Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha has strongly condemned the killing of political leader from Budgam, Abdul Hamid.

Abdul Hamid succumbed to his injuries after being shot by the unknown gunmen.

The Lt Governor expressed anguish over the killing and said that the heinous act is an attempt to spread fear and there can be no justification for such attacks.

The society does not have any space for perpetrators of violence and those involved in this cowardly act shall be brought to justice, he added.

In a condolence message, the Lt Governor has conveyed his deepest sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.

Pulwama, Aug 10: Suspected militants on Monday evening lobbed a grenade towards the residence of a panch in South Kashmir’s Tral area.

An official told KNO that militants hurled a grenade towards the residence of Bupinder Singh of Tral, Pulwama.

“The grenade exploded outside the house of Panch and there was no injury or loss of property during the incident,” the officials said.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 10: J&K’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday called on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice-President Venkaih Naidu in New Delhi.

Sinha, who is in New Delhi since Sunday, called on President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning.

“Shri, Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir called on President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan,”  President’s secretariat tweeted. Later, he met Vice President Venkaih Naidu at Upa -Rashtrapati Nivas.

Sources told KNO, Sinha is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi before his return to J&K.

This was Sinha’s first visit to New Delhi after he was sworn-in as second LG of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory.

New Delhi, Aug 10: Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing on UGC case till Friday, asking Delhi and Maharashtra governments to clarify if the Disaster Management Act, under which the states claim to have cancelled the final year examinations, can override the notification of UGC.

Maharashtra and Delhi, hit hard by the Covid 19 pandemic, had opposed the UGC’s directives and announced cancellation of the final year examinations in the state universities.

A bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice MR Shah raised questions in this regard to the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for UGC.

During the hearing, Mehta argued that the University Grants Commission (UGC) is authorised to award the degree, then how can the state governments decide to cancel the exam?

He also said that the students must continue to prepare for the exams, adding “If exams aren’t conducted, students can’t get a degree. That’s the law.”

Notably, in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, a number of petitions from across the country have been filed in the Apex Court, demanding cancellation of final year exams of various courses.

Sajid Raina

Bandipora, Aug 10: A fresh wave of panic gripped north Kashmir’s Bandipora district after at least 45 nonlocal workers  tested positive after large scale sampling initiative started by the administration.

An official said  at least 45 non local labourers who recently came to Bandipora for to earn a living were found infected with the pendemic after the large scale testing was started by the administration to test the non-JK residents living in rented accommodations.

He said that the whole locality where  positive cases were reported have been sealed and patients were shifted to level second Covid-19 hospital Pazalpora, Bandipora for treatment.

“Further samples are being taken randomly for testing while people have been also advised to stay at homes and inform at the helpline number if they exhibit any symptoms, ” the official said. “Most of the new patients are asymptomatic. We are sending nearly 400 random samples every day for testing.”

Tehsildar Bandipora Rouf Iqbal said that the number of covid cases in the district have been increasing rapidly in the last few days following which a strict curfew was imposed in the entire area.

If the number of cases increases in the coming days, the strict curfew will remain in force in the area, he said. He said, the health department started mass sampling at about six places in the town today, during which hundreds of locals, including non-local workers, were sampled.

However, locals blamed the administration and said that no inspection was carried out by the management on the arrival of the non-local workers. “Now the general public here is also at risk of contracting the virus as the workers are roaming freely without observing the quarantine period,” they alleged.

“When these non-local workers came I talked to them and they said we have not been checked anywhere by the administration,” said a local, adding these labourers are being ferried in violation of all guidelines and SOPs, risking the lives of general public.

When contracted Chief Medical Officer Bandipora (CMO), Dr Bashir Ahmad Khan said that every non local who has come here is being tested.

“We are keeping an eye on the outsiders and our health staff is implementing a good strategy through which we will reach every non local who has come from outside,” he said.

The CMO said that they have now sealed off the entire area and everyone is being tested for covid-19 through which we will know the situation in the next two days. (KNO)

Leh, Aug 10: The National Conference (NC) suffered a major set back when entire Leh unit in Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh of the party joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

The BJP received shot in the arm in the Himalayan region when over a dozen local leaders and workers resigned from the party following militant attacks in the Kashmir valley during the past about one month.

A BJP spokesman said that NC has been totally wiped out from Leh as 66 NC leaders and workers resigned from the party and joined BJP on Sunday at a simple function.

He said the units of Zanaskar and Nobra have also joined the BJP.

He said those who joined the BJP after resigning from NC included sitting councilor, P Wangdan Shunu and Dorjay Angchuk.

Welcome the leaders and workers who joined the BJP, Member Parliament (MP) Ladakh constituency, Namgyal said it was a historic day for the people of Ladkh and BJP.

He reiterated that BJP is committed to work for the betterment and development of the UT.