What J&K Is Talking About
DGP Accuses Mehbooba of Calling Killers Innocent
The Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Dilbagh Singh on Thursday said that some people are looking at killers as innocent people. He was referring to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's claim that the DGP's assertions on the Rambagh encounter were nonsense and that innocents had been killed. On Wednesday, the Jammu and Kashmir police shot dead three terrorists, one of them identified as Mehran Yaseen Shalla, a top commander of The Resistance Force (TRF). PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had earlier on Thrsday said "legitimate doubts are looming" over the authenticity of the encounter in Rambagh area of the city here in which police killed three militants. [26 November 2021]Columnist Questions Double Standards over Killings
Columnist Emaad Makhdoomi writing in News18 has raised the question of "why is there no uproar over the innocent families of the many police personnel, security forces and other civilians who were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorism." He says it is understandable that the killings of civilians in the Hyderapora encounter has prompted outrage but what about the killings of others by militants? Expressing this in an article titled "Why is There a Different Benchmark for Outrage over Killings in Kashmir?", the author observes "political parties are again shamelessly exploiting the anti-India sentiments of the gullible Kashmiris for the Hyderpora incident and have no interest in getting justice for the families of the people killed during the encounter." [24 November 2021]Mehbooba Milking Hyderapora Civilian Killings
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti to extract political mileage for herself is milking the human tragedy of the Hyderapora civilian killings. Every Kashmiri politician is aware how emotive the civilian deaths are but most have not fanned the flames of discontent and grief any further. Mehbooba Mufti, on the other hand, has made it a daily agenda. On Sunday, she led a protest march from her Gupkar residence to Raj Bhawan in Srinagar on the issue, demanding the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha apologise for the issue and holding placards saying "Stop Killing Us" as if Pakistan backed militants are not murdering Kashmiris and other civilians. [22 November 2021]Administration Orders Probe into Civilian Encounter Deaths
It appears that public outrage has compelled the J&K administration to order a magesterial probe into the Hyderapora encounter killings where two local businessmen were killed. A magisterial inquiry by officer of ADM rank has been ordered in Hyderpora encounter abd the LG has promised action will be taken as soon as report is submitted. The administration would have done well to have immediately responded to the allegations of the families of the killed person. Now the killings as well as the probe have snowballed into a major political issue. [19 November 2021]Civilian Deaths in Encounter Raise Grave Misgivings
The death of two civlians - a small businessman and a dentist - during an encounter in Srinagar's Hyderpora has raised grave misgivings among the local people and politicians who fear this could be a case of deliberate killings by the security forces. Two terrorists were killed during the encounter and the civilian deaths are attributed to cross firing. The police claim that the dentist, who also ran a fake call cantre, was an active militant helper. His family has denied the claim. Meanwhile, Kashmiri politicians across the board have demanded a judicial probe into the matter. [17 November 2021]Politician Claims no Kashmiri Leader attended Funeral of Civilian shot by Terrorists
BJP leader Yudhvir Sethi claimed Kashmir based political leaders who are wholly and solely responsible for the present Kashmir scenario. He lamented that not a single of these leaders condemns Pakistan for exporting terrorism to the Valley and India while they keep demanding initiating dialogue with Pakistan. Sethi said that what could be more astonishing than the fact that not a single political leader attended the Janazah of a salesman killed in a terrorist attack in Srinagar. [10 November 2021]Mehbooba Uses Trrorist Killings to Justify Stance
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has not stopped using the terrorist killings in Kashmir Valley to justify her political stance that the central government's policies has not led to peace. On Monday too she repeated that the government's claims of normalcy were belied by the situation on the ground. In comparison she has never blamed Pakistan for sending in terrorists and assasins. Neither has she blamed the facless killers murdering innocent people in the valley. According to her, all the fault for the killings lie with the central government led by the BJP. [9 November 2021]Excessive Reaction Against Kashmiri Students?
The appeal by the mother of one of the three Kashmiri students, who were arrested in Agra for pro-Pakistan slogans during the India-Pakistan cricket match, has highlighted the humanitarian aspect of the whole issue. The mother of one of the studentshas appealed to the authorities to have mercy upon her and forgive her son if he has committed any mistake. Nothing could be more pathetic than this. The Indian authorities need to be magnanimous on this issue and not take it so seriously. The common feeling in the Valley is that all those arrested for cheering Pakistan in a cricket match must immediately be released. [29 October 2021]Truth About 1947 Invasion Suppressed
The truth about the 1947 October invasion of Kashmir by Pakistan backed forces has unfortunately been forgotten by most in the Kashmir Valley thanks to the efficacy of Pakistani propaganda. Most Kashmiris in the Valley today either are not aware or choose to ignore the fact that it was Pakistan that precipitated the war in Kashmir by sending in Afghan invaders followed by regular Pakistan Army forces. Kashmiris defended Srinagar against the attackers but in many places Kashmiri women were raped and killed, towns looted by the invaders. Finally, in desperation the Kashmir maharaja acceded to India, an action that was formally accepted by the then Governor General of India, Lord Mountbatten. Kashmir was saved by the arrival of Indian army. Since then Pakistani propaganda has tried to distort truth and force its own narrative. [28 October 2021]
