Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, Aug 6: The appointment of a senior BJP leader and former union minister, Manoj Sinha as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir has triggered speculations that move is aimed at starting the political process in Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Deputy Chief Minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State and senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “Three time Member Parliament Manoj Sinha is an experienced hand and is a tall leader of Uttar Pradesh. He will play a crucial role in reviving the political process in J&K.”
BJP’s Organizational Secretary for J&K Ashok Kaul told Precious Kashmir that party welcomes the decision of the high command and exuded hope that many things will move in coming days.
Asked whether Sinha’s appointment will pave the way for revival of the political process in J&K Koul said, “Even the former LG (Girish Chander Murmu) could have revived it.” He refused to elaborate further.
Asked whether recent statements of the former LG Murmu about restoration of 4G internet in J&K and Election Commission of India taking strong exception to his statement about timings of assembly polls in the Union Territory led to his ouster, Koul said, “The decision came from the top leadership. We are just foot soldiers and aren’t aware about what transpired at the top level.”
Meanwhile, National Conference Member Parliament Justice (retired) Hasnian Masoodi said, “Former LG Murmu was a bureaucrat and he was staying away from the political parties. Sinha is a politician. His appointment may provide some relief to BJP leaders in Jammu,”
Soon after Sinha was appointed as new Lieutenant Governor of J&K, media reports started claiming that reins of J&K have been handed over to a seasoned politician with a reason. “It seems that New Delhi is keen on empowering the political leadership in Kashmir and Sinha could play a pivotal role in reaching out to the politicians,” said an analyst.
He said, “BJP leaders in J&K during the past few days have dropped enough hints about political scene being all set to change in the Union Territory and Sinha’s appointment could pave the way for it. We need to look towards positives rather than talking about other things.”
The analyst said, “Kashmir based parties apparently are willing to start the political activities but the leaders of these political formations are awaiting response from the government.”
According to a report by The Hindu, Sinha’s quiet and down-to-earth nature will help in reaching out to the people in the state.
In fact, with Sinha’s appointment, the government hopes to reach out to the people of J&K with a soft political touch, Hindustan Times reported.
“The Centre realised that a bureaucrat as L-G was not working well. There was a political vacuum that was created last year with the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories and the abrogation of Article 370,” The Print reported.
Who is Manoj Sinha
Senior BJP leader, Manoj Sinha, former Union Minister in the first term of the Narendra Modi government hails from Uttar Pradesh.
Known as ‘vikas purush’ (leader involved in development), Sinha, a three-time Lok Sabha MP, was tasked with the charge of the Communication Ministry as Minister of State in 2016 when the telecom industry was engaged in the sale of spectrum.
Sinha, a B.Tech in civil engineering, has been credited with overcoming the menace of call drop.
Elected to Lok Sabha in 1996 for the first time, Sinha, an agriculturist, is the first politician to be elected as LG of the Union territory.
Sinha was elected to Lok Sabha in 1999 and 2014, and was a front-runner for the post of Uttar Pradesh chief minister after the party walked away with 265 seats in the 403-member assembly.
He began his political career after being elected President of the Banaras Hindu University Students Union in 1982 and has been actively involved in working for backward villages.
Sinha resigns from BJP
Srinagar, Aug 6: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor designate Manoj Kumar Sinha on Thursday resigned from the basic membership of Bharatiya Janata Party.
BJP President J P Nadda tweeted that party has accepted Sinha’s resignation and wished him all the best for his new assignment.
Murmu appointed Comptroller and Auditor General
New Delhi, Aug 6: GC Murmu, who resigned as Lieutenant Governor of Jammu Kashmir, has been appointed as the country’s new auditor general.
Murmu had resigned from his post in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday and Manoj Sinha was appointed as his successor.
The post of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) was expected to fall vacant this week as incumbent Rajiv Mehrishi turns 65. The Comptroller and Auditor General is a constitutional post and cannot be left vacant.
“Rajiv Mehrishi is turning 65 on August 8. That is why the government is in a hurry to look for a replacement,” a senior bureaucrat in the cabinet secretariat told NDTV.
A highly influential post, former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai had authored a report that triggered the 2G telecoms spectrum scandal, widely seen as one of the biggest contributors to the 2014 defeat of the Congress. In years since, the report failed to hold up in court.
Murmu’s resignation came days after a controversy over media reports quoting him that elections in the union territory can be held after the ongoing delimitation exercise. Elections have not been held in Jammu and Kashmir in the two years since the elected government collapsed, with the poll body citing security concerns.
Reacting to the reports, the Election Commission had, in a strongly-worded statement, said that decisions on timing of elections could only be made by it.
The GC Murmu-led J&K administration also faced controversy over its opposition to restore 4G internet services in the union territory. It has cited increased militant activity as the reason behind its move in the Supreme Court in response to petitions seeking restoration of high-speed internet.
Murmu, a 1985-batch Gujarat cadre officer, worked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was the Gujarat Chief Minister.
After Modi became the Prime Minister, the officer joined the Union Finance Ministry. He became part of the expenditure department as a joint secretary.
The senior bureaucrat was expected to retire on November 30 last year. But before that, he was appointed the first Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir after the state’s division into two union territories came into effect in October.
Don’t interfere’: India slams China after Beijing’s failed attempt to raise JK at UNSC
New Delhi, Aug 6: India on Thursday slammed China after the latter’s failed attempt to raise internal matters of the country, including Kashmir.
‘We have noted that China initiated a discussion in the UN Security Council on issues pertaining to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir….We firmly reject China’s interference in our internal affairs,’ External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
The Spokesperson asked China to draw proper conclusions from such ‘infructuous attempts’.
He said this was not the first time that China had sought to raise a subject that is solely ‘an internal matter of India.’
As on such previous occasions, this attempt too met with little support from the international community,
he said.
Pakistan had on Wednesday sought a discussion on Kashmir to coincide with the first anniversary of revocation of Article 370 and China raised the matter on behalf of Pakistan.
The UNSC, however, refused to intervene and rebuffed China’s attempt, making it clear that the matter needed to be resolved by India and Pakistan bilaterally. Four of the five permanent members- the US, UK, France and Russia-supported India.
‘…Almost all countries underlined that J&K is a bilateral issue and did not deserve time and attention of Council,’ T S Tirumurti, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said in a tweet.
This was the third time during the past one year that China has raised the matter at the UNSC.
16 more die of COVID-19, J&K Toll 444
Nadeem Nadu
Srinagar, Aug 5: J&K on Thursday reported sixteen more deaths related to COVID-19, taking the fatality count due to the virus to 444—409 in Kashmir and 34 in Jammu division.
Official sources told GNS that among them includes a 55-year-old Naib Tehsildar from Shopian, and two paramilitary CRPF men and an elderly man, from Kupwara district, who died on the way while being shifted to Srinagar.
“It’s with huge grief that we share the demise of our Naib Tehsildar, Wachi Maqbool Wani Sb after he lost his battle against Covid y’day at SKIMS. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. He was a gentle, hardworking man & an asset for the Distt. May Allah SWT grant him Jannat.Aameen,” Deputy Commissioner Shopian Yasin Choudhary said.
Two of the deaths were reported from Kupwara and include a 75-year-old from Rawalpora Kralgund who admitted at SMSH Hospital Srinagar where he died while other— a 70-year-old from Bagath Mohalla Drugmulla who tested positive today and died near Pattan while he was being shifted to Srinagar hospital on referral for further treatment by a local hospital, a senior official from the district told GNS.
Three deaths were reported from Pulwama district and include a 70-year-old from Monghama Tral was sampled on July 27 and tested positive subsequently, a 58-year-old woman from Gusoo and 60-year-old from Kadlabal Pampore.
Two of the victims belong to Jammu and one to Rajouri district who had died few days back at SKIMS Soura and was included in today’s list.
Regarding one of the victims from winter capital, sources told GNS that a 44-year-old man from Jhullaka Mohalla who was suffering from multiple ailments and had tested positive for COVID-19 died last night in the GMC Jammu. “Admitted on August 5, the man was diagnosed with Hypertension, TYPE 2 diabetes mellitus and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, said a senior doctor at GMC Jammu.
Among others, the others victims include a 55-year-old patient from Chitragam, an 82-year-old man from Nowgam Srinagar, an 80-year-old male from Malbagh Srinagar and a 75-year-old man from Bandipora who was operated for Stomach Cancer died at SKIMS Bemina. “Admitted on Aug 4, he was also suffering from pneumonia and was shifted to ICU yesterday and died today at 6.00 p.m,” a senior doctor
A 33-year-old paramilitary CRPF trooper from 179 Batallion who was admitted on August in “critical condition of severe Pneumonia and respiratory failure” died today at 4.30 p.m. at the hospital, one among the exclusive facilities for the management of the covid-19 patients.
Another 50-year old CRPF man died at CD hospital in Srinagar late this evening.
Two deaths were reported from Baramulla district including a 63-year-old man from Baramula who was having hypertension, community acquired pneumonia. Admitted on July 31, the sexagenarian died today at SMHS hospital, a senior doctor there said.
Regarding other death from the north Kashmir district, sources said the victim was a 60-year-old from Dogba Sopore and died at local SDH. She was admitted on July 31 with “hypertension, T2DM, and with bilateral CAP” and died due to “cardiopulmonary arrest” at 9 p.m. today. Also a 65-year-old man from Budgam died to the virus, the officials said.
With these deaths, the overall tally has risen to 444 in J&K, 34 in Jammu and 409 in Kashmir.
COVID-19: 499 new cases take J&K tally past 23000 mark
Nadeem Nadu
Srinagar, Aug 6: Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday reported 499 fresh covid-19 cases including 91 travelers, taking the total count of infected persons past 23000.
Among the fresh cases, 73 cases were reported from Jammu and 426 from Kashmir Valley including 34 from CRPF, two from BSF and six from BB Cantt.
Giving district wise breakup, sources said that Srinagar reported 113, Baramulla 44, Pulwama 9,
Kulgam 20, Shopian 8, Anantnag 73, Budgam 52, Kupwara 17, Bandipora 49, Ganderbal 41, Jammu 51, Rajouri 5, Ramban 1, Kathua 6, Udhampur 2, Samba 5, Poonch 1 and Kishtwar 2.
In Kashmir, Srinagar tops the list with 5699 cases followed by Baramulla with 2041 , Pulwama 1743, Kulgam 1572, Shopian 1500, Anantnag 1490, Kupwara 1181, Budgam 1438, Bandipora 914, and Ganderbal 603.
In Jammu division, Jammu district has 1412 cases, Rajouri 751, Ramban 575, Kathua 565, Udhampur 595, Samba 467, Doda 299, Poonch 252, Reasi 198 and Kishtwar 159. With the new cases, the tally overall has risen to 23454—18181 in Kashmir and 5273 in Jammu.
A number of cases were confirmed at CD hospital and SKIMS Soura, they said.
The CD cases include female (55) from Nawab Bazar, female (50) from Pulwama, male (32) from Alochibagh, male (28) from Momin Abad, male (35) from Shopian, male (50) from Srinagar, male (35) from Nowshera, male (34) from Botshah Mohalla Lal Bazar, male (53) from Hawal, female (28) from Nowshera, male (58) from Lal Bazar, male (90) from Ompora Budgam, female (30) from Bemina, male (48) from Hawal, male (30) from Jawahar Nagar, female (45) from Rainawari, male (27) from Pattan, male (65) from Khanyar, male (23) from Illahibagh, female (70) from Mirgund Pattan, male (70) from Pinjoora Tangmarg, female (73) from Nowshera, male (70) from Rawalpora, male (65) from Batamaloo, male (23) from Hawal, female (NA) from NA, male (55) from Batamaloo, male (38) from Mehjoor Nagar Srg, female (60) from Safakadal, female (59) from Kursu Srg, male (30) from Hyderpora Srg, female (60) from Buchpora Srg, female (71) from Lalbazar, male (35) from Buchpora Srg, male (42) from Hazratbal Srg, two females (60, 25) from Rawalpora Srg, female (35) from Chanapora Srg, male (50) from 44 Bn Crpf HMT, male (41) from Aali Kadal Srg, male (45) and female (40) from Mehjoor Nagar Srg, male (35) from Habak Srg, male (80) from Jawahar Nagar Srg, male (56) from Barsoo Pulwama, two males (75, 50) from Bemina Srg, male (26) from Srinagar, female (60) from Tral, female (77) from Dalgate Srg, male (65) from Kupwara, female (70) from Salia, male (70) from Waghama, female (65) from Sadiqabad, male (02) from Budgam, female (60) from Kupwara, male (85) from Nawakadal Srg, male (NA) from Panzgam Kupwara, female (65) from Rajbagh Srg, female (58) from Telbal Shalimar.
The Anantnag cases include male (35) from Verinag, male (60) from Anantnag, male (50) from Wanpoh, male (65) from Sarnal Anantnag.
The Shopian cases include male (38) from Shopian.
The Pulwama cases include male (31) and female (35) from Tral Pulwama.
The Budgam cases include male (25) from Baharampora, male (26) from Sonpah, male (46) from Choon, male (22) from Dalwan Ch Sharief, male (50) and female (30) from Kralpora Chadoora, male (65) from BK Pora Chattergam, female (26) from Zinipora, female (33) from Nowgam Railway, female (34) from Ichigam, female (23) from Migrant Colony Shiekhpora Ompora, male (35) from Ompora, female (30) from Baghi Mehtab, male (43) from Ompora, female (36) from Yachgan, male (27) from Check Post, female (17) from Heewader, male (60) from Wulna Ichigam, female (60) from Mamath, female (24) from Putlibagh, female (20) from Shunglipora, female (33) from Sholipora, male (32) from Housing Colony Ompora Budgam, female (40) from Ompora Budgam.
The Kupwara cases include male (41) from Karnah, female (45) from Halmatpora, male (28) from Lolab Kupwara.
The Baramulla cases include male (32) from Manasbal, male (40) from Pattan Baramulla.
The Bandipora cases include male (29) from Nowpora, male (63) from Gurez Bandipora.
The Srinagar cases include male (32) from Barbarshah, male (35) from Hawal, male (38) from Baghi Mehtab, female (50) from Soura, female (41) from Padshahi Bagh, male (44) from Soura, female (54) from Safakadal, female (48) from Nowshera, male (68) from Mallabagh, female (15) from Noorbagh, female (55) from Dargah, female (65) from Fateh Kadal, female (45) from Harwan, male (60) from Dalgate, female (35) and male (65) from Nowpora, male (40) from Elahibagh, male (21) from Buchpora, male (68) from Dirshkadal, female (60) from Safakadal, male (61) from Noorbagh, male (65) from Kathidarwaza, female (58) from Shamiswari, male (42) from Rainawari, male (70) from Alamgiri Bazar, male (65) from Nowpora, female (55) and two males (30, 60) from Chanapora, male (16) from HMT Srinagar.
The Ganderbal cases include female (28) from Dammol, male (75) from Wakoora Ganderbal.
The CRPF cases include two males (48, 39) from 23 Bn Crpf Karan Nagar Srg, four males (39, 47, 35, 39) from 21 Bn Crpf Dalgate Srg, six males (50, 27, 28, 37, 56, 29) from Gc Crpf Rambagh Srg, two males (34, 30) from 29 Bn Crpf Rawalpora Srg, male (39) from 49 Bn Crpf Karan Nagar Srg, male (35) from 117 Bn Crpf Wazirbagh Srg, male (35) from 184 Bn Crpf Sonwar Srg, six males (24, 31, 26, 36, 26, 51) from 73 Bn Crpf Bemina Srg, ten males (35, 35, 30, 28, 27, 28, 24, 24, 24, 40) from 44 Bn Crpf Zainakote Srinagar.
The BSF cases include two males (30, 39) from Ch Bsf Humhama Srinagar.
The BB Cantt cases include six males (30, 29, 46, 25, 33, 30) from BB Cantt Srinagar.
Moreover, 464 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged from various hospitals—105 from Jammu Division and 359 from Kashmir Valley. (GNS)
COVID-19: 904 more die in India, toll 40,699
More than 50000 cases recorded in a day, tally crosses 20 lakh mark
New Delhi, Aug 6: India saw yet another massive spike of 56,282 COVID-19 cases for the eighth consecutive day on Thursday, while 904 more people lost their lives.
The total number of cases now stand at 19,64,537 while the death toll has risen to 40,699.
The tally includes 5,95,501 active cases and 13,28,336 cured/discharged/migrated.
As per Union Health Ministry data, India has reached 66.31 pc recovery rate and while the death rate has declined to 2.07 per cent.
A total of 2,21,49,351 samples have been tested for COVID as per the Indian Council of Medical Research till Wednesday.
On a brighter note, the number of recovered cases have exceeded the active ones by 7,32,835.
As a percentage of total cases, the active cases a have seen a significant drop from 34.17 per cent on July 24 to 30.31 per cent as on Thursday.
As a result, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) has been low when compared to the global average and has been progressively falling. The Case Fatality Rate stood at 2.07 per cent.
In the 24-hr spike in active cases, maximum 3,810 was reported from Maharashtra, followed by Andhra Pradesh 1,322, Tamil Nadu 968, Bihar 908 and Assam 807. Among daily recoveries, Andhra Pradesh topped the charts with 8729 cured and discharged.
Under the ‘Whole of Government’ approach, the public and private sector resources are combined towards the Covid-19 response and management under the Centre-led strategy. Focused implementation of “Test Track Treat” strategy by the Union and state/UT governments, ramped up hospital infrastructure and testing facilities, and emphasis on treatment of the hospitalised patients through the Standard of Care protocol advised by the Centre have effectively ensured that mortality of Covid-19 patients is contained.
Meanwhile, Centre has released Rs 890.32 crore as the second installment of the COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package to 22 states/UTs, including Telangana, Karnataka and West Bengal.
The other states include Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, an official statement here said.
The amount of financial assistance is based on the Covid-19 caseload in these states/UTs.
BJP Sarpanch shot dead in Qazigund
Srinagar, Aug 5: Suspected militants on Thursday shot dead a BJP Sarpanch at Vessu village in Qazigund block of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Official sources said the militants fired upon the Sarpanch identified as Sajad Ahmad Khanday near his residence at Vessu, leaving him critically injured before fleeing. He was shifted to GMC Anantnag, they said. Medical Superintendent GMC Dr Mohammad Iqbal Sofi said that Khanday was brought dead to the hospital.
This is the second attack of its kind in less than 48 hours as a BJP Panch Arif Ahmad was critically wounded after militants fired upon him at Akhran Qazigund on the evening of August 4.
Police in a statement issued here said that “Sarpanch was accommodated in secured migrant camp Vesoo but today he went to his house without informing police.”
“Today at about 0930 hours Kulgam Police received information about a (militant) crime incident at Vessu area where (militants) had fired upon a BJP Sarpanch. Senior police officers reached at the crime spot,” a police spokesperson said, adding, “Preliminary investigation revealed that (militants) fired upon the BJP Sarpanch identified as Sajad Ahmad Khanday son of Ali Mohammad resident of Vessu Kulgam due to which he got injured. He was shifted to nearby hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries,” he said, adding, “The Sarpanch was accommodated in secured migrant camp Vessu but today he went to his house without informing police.”
Police have registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law, he said. “Investigation is in progress and officers continue to work to establish the full circumstances of this (militant) crime.”
Chairmen BDC Boniyar, MC Baramulla among 3 persons booked for ‘assault’ on women councilors
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 6: Police on Thursday filed a case against chairman of BDC Boniyar, chairman MC Baramulla and a councilor for “house trespass and “assault” on two women councilor with intention to “outrage their modesty” in a hotel at Affarwat in Gulmarg.
The FIR—06/2020 was filed in police station Gulmarg on a complaint filed by the two women councilors (name withheld) that the chairman BDC Boniyar Bilal Ahmad Mir, Chairman MC Baramulla Omar Azhar Kakro and Ashiq Hussain Ganaie (councilor) came to their hotel room and abused their children and attacked them physically at around at 11:30 p.m., a police officer told GNS.
The case has been registered under IPC section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty” and 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint.”
SSP Baramulla Abdul Qayoom told GNS that there was some altercation between the two sides. A case has been registered in this regard and investigation taken up, the SSP added.
If convicted, they face imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both under section 354 IPC. For house trespass, a convicted can be imprisoned for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
