Month: July 2022

Former Minister and senior National Conference leader Mr. Ajay Kumar Sadhotra today lashed out at the BJP for dilly-dallying elections to Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, saying that the saffron party was scared of the people due to its wrong policies, primarily downgrading the state into a Union Territory. According to a statement issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS), “In the face of stiff resistance by the people and their alienation in the wake of 2019 political developments, the BJP is in a state of quandary due to imminent defeat and therefore it has been depriving the electors their right to choose their own government”, Mr. Sadhotra said while addressing Public Meeting at Thathar in Jammu North Assembly Constituency. Ram Pal Former Minister and Zonal President of Jammu ...

Only 16 percent of women and 34 percent of women in Jammu and Kashmir have comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and just 26 percent of women are tested for HIV during ANC, the National Health and Family Survey-5 (NHFS-5) has reported. Official data with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that 84 percent of women in Jammu & Kashmir have heard of HIV or AIDS. In urban areas, 88 percent know about HIV or AIDS, compared with 83 percent in rural areas. “Women age 25-29 are more likely (86%) than older women age 40-49 (81%) to have heard of HIV or AIDS. Women with no schooling (66%) and women with no regular exposure to media (81%) are less likely than other women to have heard of HIV or AIDS,” the survey said. "Men are slightly more likely than women to know about H...

Satish Mahaldar, Kashmiri Pandit Activist and president of Jammu Kashmir Peace Forum has written to Police officials to draw their attention to communal flare-ups by sections of Kashmiri Pandits. "Respected sir, we would like to draw your attention to “ Communal flare-ups by selective Kashmiri pandits trying to disturb communal harmony in Jammu Kashmir. We seek immediate action against such people under the provision of law," Satish has written in his complaint directed to the ADG of Jammu Kashmir Police, Vijay Kumar. He said the communal messages had been circulated in over 200 Whatapps groups and Facebook pages. A copy of the message was accessed by The Kashmiriyat circulated in the name of Kundan Kashmiri, Community Sevak & President KPC. The message asked people to not ret...

Union Minister for Tourism, G K Reddy on Monday said that 1.05 crore tourists have visited Jammu and Kashmir in the first six months of the year 2022. Replying to a query by Mala Roy in Lok Sabha, the Union Minister, as per a document available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that tourism sector in J&K is one of the core sectors of economy. “As a result of the initiatives taken by the J&K Government in private as well as Government sectors there has been a significant hike in the tourist footfall despite of the Covid challenges,” he said. In the year 2020, he said, the tourist footfall was 41267, which has increased to 1.05 crores during the first six months (January-June) of the calendar year 2022. He said that J&K has seen tourist flow in all...

Jammu Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has announced a 10 per cent reservation in Jammu and Kashmir police for Army men who return after three years of service under the widely criticized Agniveer Scheme. Addressing the 16th edition of the ‘Awaam ki Awaaz’ program which is aired on All India Radio (AIR), LG Manoj Sinha also considered suggestions for coaching facilities for the aspirants. "From today, ten percent reservation to Agniveers will be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir Police," Manoj Sinha said. It is pertinent to mention that other states including Haryana have already announced reservations for Agniveers in their state police force and a few other departments.

More than 1.83 lakh pilgrims have performed the ongoing Amarnath Yatra in Srinagar so far, as another batch of 5,649 Yatris left Jammu on Monday for the Valley, officials said. Officials added that 1,83,811 pilgrims have performed the Yatra till now while a record number of 18,972 pilgrims had ‘darshan’ at the Amarnath cave shrine on Sunday. Yatra was resumed from both Baltal and Pahalgam routes on Sunday after an improvement in weather along the two routes. Another batch of 5,649 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the Valley on Monday in two escorted convoys. Of these, 3,091 pilgrims are going to Pahalgam while 2,558 will be going to Baltal. Those using the shorter Baltal route have to trek 14 km to reach the cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above sea leve...

The UP Police lodged an FIR against unidentified persons amid the row over namaz inside the recently inaugurated Lulu Mall in Lucknow, police said. The FIR was registered on the complaint of Shishir Chaturvedi from Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha. This comes after a video went viral in which some people can be seen offering namaz inside the mall. "One Shishir Chaturvedi from Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has lodged a complaint regarding the reading of namaz at Lulu Mall. Appropriate action will be taken after the investigation," Ajay Pratap Singh, Police Station Incharge, Sushant Golf City, Lucknow said.

Two army officers including a JCO were killed, while four others sustained injuries in an accidental grenade blast that occurred in Mendhar sector of Poonch district last night. Oficial sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the blast took place when troops were performing their duties along the Line of Control in Mendhar sector, resulting in injuries to six army personnel including an official and a JCO rank army personnel. They said that the injured were immediately airlifted to Udhampur, where an officer and a JCO succumbed to their injuries—(KNO)