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‘Black Day’ observed to mark anniversary of Pakistani invasion of J&K

Srinagar (NVI): Big hoardings, with messages like ‘Black Day for Jammu and Kashmir’, were put up at several places in Kashmir to mark the anniversary of Pakistani invasion of Jammu and Kashmir on this day in 1947.

While in Kashmir, the anniversary was marked in such a fashion, the occasion saw protests and demonstrations against Pakistan at several places, including Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Balistan as well as foreign cities like London.

It was on this day in 1947 when Pakistani tribals, armed and backed by Pakistani army, invaded Jammu and Kashmir under ‘Operation Gulmarg’ with the motive of merging it forcibly with Pakistan against the wishes of the princely state. It resulted in a war between India and Pakistan but a ceasefire called for by the United Nations divided the state and ensured that Pakistan remained in illegal control of parts of J&K.

To present the correct narrative about the entire issue, a symposium has been organised in Srinagar titled ‘Memories of 22 October, 1947’.

This assumes significance as Pakistan and its proxies have been projecting a wrong narrative on the issue. The museum features photos and videos from Baramulla’s Mission Hospital where many had taken refuge during the invasion but were not spared. The raiders killed even the nurses who were attending on patients there.

According to estimates, about 40,000 people were killed by the Pakistani forces during the invasion, while many non-Muslim women were raped or abducted. The raiders also indulged in mass looting and destruction.

Retired Pakistan Army Major General Akbar Khan, who was involved in the operation, has documented how it was planned and executed. He has mentioned in a book how the Pakistan Army mobilised tribals (afradis), armed them and guided their operation to annex Jammu and Kashmir, before joining them formally.

Oct 22 will always remain a black day in history of J&K: LG Manoj Sinha

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said that October 22 will always remain a black day in the history of J&K, and on this day, the younger generation has to be made aware that Pakistan did not only shed the blood of innocent people and “Kashmiriyat” but also tried to divide people, a move that failed.

The LG made these remarks during his inaugural address at the National Symposium and Exhibition on “Memories of 22 October 1947” at SKICC on the banks of famous Dal Lake in Srinagar.

“The two-day Symposium and Exhibition is a medium to expose the atrocities inflicted by the Pakistani government and its army upon innocent women, children, and men of Jammu & Kashmir on October 22, 1947,” the LG said.

He said that the day reminds people of J&K and the rest of India, of all the atrocities meted out by Pakistan and its army on innocent civilians including young kids and women. “Even after 73 years, the pain and terror of Operation Gulmarg of Pakistan are fresh in our memories,” he added. 

The two-day event being held on 22nd and 23rd October is organized by the National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology at SKICC, Srinagar. A publication on “Memories of 22 October 1947” was also launched on the occasion.

Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel graced the occasion through virtual mode.

The Lt Governor thanked the Union MoS for Culture and Tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel, and Raghvendra Singh of the National Museum for exposing the truth of the black day of October 22, not just before the people of J&K, but the entire country and the whole world by organizing two-day National Symposium and Exhibition on “Memories of 22 October 1947”.

Terming them as a collective enemy of humanity, the Lt Governor said that the entire world knows about the actual perpetrators of terrorism and it is high time we join to defeat their evil designs by spreading communal harmony and love for humanity.

“We have decided to educate our new generations how this land, that preaches universal brotherhood, was trampled by Pakistan, its army, and its government on October 22, 1947. It was their mission to plant the seeds of communal hatred among the peace-loving people,” he said.

“Pakistan has been blatantly claiming that the raids were made by tribal Pashtuns, while the truth is that it was the Pakistan Army dressed as tribals. It is necessary to break the misconceptions that have been spread over the years. It is necessary to unmask Pakistan and its sympathizers,” he added.

It is documented that the Pakistani army and its proxies crossed Garhi Habibullah and attacked Muzaffarabad, and just as they ruthlessly killed civilians, they also murdered some of the soldiers.

-ARK

PM to inaugurate key projects in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate three key projects in Gujarat on October 24, including the ‘Kisan Suryodaya Yojana’ for the farmers of the state, via video conferencing.

Under this scheme, farmers will be able to avail power supply from 5 am to 9 pm. The state government has allocated a budget of Rs 3,500 crore for installing transmission infrastructure under this scheme by 2023.

Furthermore, he will inaugurate the Paediatric Heart Hospital attached with U N Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre and a mobile application for tele-cardiology at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.

PM Modi will also inaugurate the ropeway at Girnar on the occasion.

Initially, there will be 25-30 cabins, with a capacity of 8 people per cabin. A distance of 2.3 kms will now be covered in just 7.5 minutes through the ropeway. In addition to this, the ropeway will also provide a scenic view of the lush green beauty surrounding the Girnar mountain.

-CHK

250 to 300 terrorists ready to infiltrate into Kashmir from Pak side: Army

Narco smuggling
Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (File Pic)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): The Army today said that at least 250 to 300 militants are ready to infiltrate into this side of LoC before snowfall but the counter-infiltration grid is robust and soldiers are ready to foil all such bids.

Speaking to media at Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, General officer Commanding (GoC) of north Kashmir based Kilo Force, Major General HS Sahi said that the Army is getting continuous inputs about the presence of 250 to 300 militants at the launch pads who are ready to sneak into this side to foment trouble.

“But our counter-infiltration grid along the LoC is very active and robust. We are maintaining the highest level of vigil and all bids being made by the militants to sneak in, will be foiled,” the GoC said.

It may be recalled that recently, General officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar-based Army’s 15 Corps, Lieutenant General B S Raju had said that this year so far, Army has been successful in foiling infiltration along the LoC. He had stated that only 30 militants had managed to infiltrate into this side compared to 126 last year from January to October 1.

Major General HS Sahi, while replying to a query, said that north Kashmir is heading towards peace since the past two months and militants haven’t been able to carry out any strike. “Four youths including the two, who surrendered today, had gone missing from Sopore area in the past one month. Two of them were arrested in Srinagar 20 days ago and the two remaining surrendered today. So all four are back home,” he said.

The GoC Kilo Force said that security forces will provide a chance to every local militant to shun militancy and join the path of peace. Asked whether the Army had advocated any rehabilitation policy for the surrendered youth, he said that the Army and Police have sent some recommendations to the J&K administration regarding surrender policy but so far there is no final draft. “Till new policy is rolled out, we will follow the existing one,” he said.

-ARK

Gen MM Naravane commissions INS Kavaratti into Indian Navy

INS Kavaratti (Image credits: @indiannavy)

New Delhi (NVI): Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane today commissioned anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ship INS Kavaratti into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam.

Indian Navy, in a statement, said the warship portrays the growing capability of the force.

“Designed by Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design, the ship portrays our growing capability in becoming self-reliant through indigenization,” Indian Navy stated.

The event marks the formal commissioning into the Navy of the last of the four ASW Corvettes, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited, Kolkata (GRSE), a release by the Ministry of Defence stated.

Named after the capital of the Lakshadweep group of islands, INS Kavaratti has been constructed using high-grade DMR 249A steel produced in India. The sleek and magnificent ship spans 109 meters in length, 14 meters in breadth with a displacement of 3,300 tonnes and can rightfully be regarded as one of the most potent Anti-Submarine Warships to have been constructed in India, the release read.

“The ship is manned by a team comprising twelve officers and 134 sailors with Commander Sandeep Singh at the helm as her first Commanding Officer. The ship would be an integral part of the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command,” it read.

The unique feature of this ship is the high level of indigenisation incorporated in the production, accentuating the national objective of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Eastern Naval Command(ENC), Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena (Retd), CMD, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited, Kolkata (GRSE), Kolkata and other dignitaries were also present during the commissioning ceremony.

Furthermore, General Naravane was presented a guard of honour on arrival at the Naval Jetty.

-CHK

Two newly recruited Al-Badr militants caught alive in J&K’s Sopore

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir police today said that two newly recruited militants of Al-Badr terror outfit surrendered before security forces during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Shallpora, Tujjjar Shareef area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

A police officer said that on specific information, a joint CASO was launched by Sopore Police, Army’s 22-RR and CRPF at village Shallpora in Sopore.

“During the search operation, two militants were spotted hiding in a residential house, who turned out to be local newly recruited Al-Badr militants, who had joined the outfit on September 23 by circulating their photos of affiliation on social media holding grenades,” the officer said.

He said that before any engagement, their family members were brought in on the spot to persuade the militants to surrender. “The militants were persuaded by the collective efforts of security forces and their family members, who responded and surrendered before the security forces along with incriminating materials,” the officer said, adding that the arrested duo were identified as Abid Ahmad War and Mehraj-ud-din War, both residents of Wadoora in Sopore.

Regarding the incident, a case has been registered at Police Station Bomia and investigation has been taken up, police said.

Talking to reporters, General officer Commanding (GoC) of north Kashmir based Kilo Force, Maj. Gen. HS Sahi said that two militants accepted the surrender offer. “They were not carrying any weapons but they are involved in grenade throwing incidents. They have been missing for almost a month. Police will investigate with which outfit they were in touch and what activities they carried out,” he said.

-ARK

Bihar Deputy CM tests Covid positive

Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi

New Delhi (NVI): Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Sushil Kumar Modi, has tested positive for the coronavirus disease today.

The BJP leader has been admitted to Patna’s All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Modi, 68, made this announcement on Twitter and wrote, “Tested positive for CORONA. All parameters perfectly normal. Started with mild http://temp.No temp. for last 2 days. Admitted to AIIMS Patna for better monitoring. CT scan of lungs normal. Will be back soon for campaigning.”

The declaration comes amid full-scale campaigning for the three-phase Assembly Election that is less than a week away.

The assembly election in the state will be held on October 28, November 3 and 7 for a new government and the results will be declared on November 10.

-CHK

Shipping Ministry amends Right of First Refusal license to prioritise Indian vessels

New Delhi (NVI): In a major boost to shipbuilding in India, the Shipping Ministry has amended the existing Right of First Refusal (ROFR) licensing norms and now the first priority in chartering of vessels will be given to ships built and flagged in India as well as owned by Indians.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today said, “Ministry of Shipping is working with a focused approach to promote shipbuilding in India as per AatmaNirbhar Bharat vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

“The revision of ROFR licensing conditions is a giant step towards AatmaNirbhar Shipping. It will promote ‘Make in India’ initiatives through self-reliance and will give a strategic boost to domestic Ship building industries, contributing towards long-term economic growth of India,” he added.

To promote the demand of the ships built in India, priority in chartering of vessels is given to vessels built in India, flagged in India and owned by Indians under the amendments in the guidelines of the ROFR.

The second priority will be given to foreign built, Indian flagged and Indian-owned vessels while the third priority will be given to Indian built, foreign flagged and foreign-owned ships.

The minister said the idea was to enhance India’s share in global shipbuilding from barely one per cent at present to 3 per cent in the next five years.

All vessels flying the flag of India (i.e. registered in India) up to the date of issue of new circular by the Director General of Shipping shall be deemed to be Indian built vessels, the Ministry of Shipping said in a statement.

Besides, the foreign flagged vessels permitted by DG (Shipping) for chartering by an Indian citizen/company/society, who is building a ship in an Indian shipyard for registration under the Indian flag, as a temporary substitute for the Indian ship under construction, shall come under first priority provided 25 per cent of the contract money has been paid to the Indian shipyard and 50 per cent of the hull fabrication has been completed, as certified by recognised organisation, the statement added.

The duration of licence to such chartered vessel shall be limited to the period of building of the ship, as mentioned in the shipbuilding contract.

It is to be noted that Ministry of Shipping has made provision for long-term subsidy for shipbuilding activities under shipbuilding financial assistance policy (2016-2026). The Ministry has already disbursed an amount of Rs 61.05 crores till date under this policy.

It is an endeavour of the Government to further incentivise shipbuilding by providing additional market access and business support to ships built in India.

-CHK

Canadian Parl committee labels China’s treatment of Uyghurs as ‘genocide’

'Chinese are not considered murderers for killing Uyghurs'

New Delhi (NVI): A Canadian parliamentary committee has classified China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region as genocide while outlining several reasons behind its decision including Beijing’s use of mass detentions, forced labour camps, invasive state surveillance and population control methods.

The Uyghurs are recognized as native to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwest China. They are considered to be one of China’s 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities.

However, China has oppressed the Uyghur minority for years now, besides people in Tibet, as Beijing has almost turned the region into a surveillance state.

“The Subcommittee unequivocally condemns the persecution of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang by the Government of China. Based on the evidence put forward during the Subcommittee hearings, both in 2018 and 2020, the Subcommittee is persuaded that the actions of the Chinese Communist Party constitute genocide as laid out in the Genocide Convention,” read a statement by the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

The Subcommittee has also warned that if the international community doesn’t condemn the persecution of Uyghurs by China, then it will set a wrong precedent.

“If the international community does not condemn the human rights abuses in Xinjiang province by the Government of China, a precedent will be set, and these methods will be adopted by other regimes. Complacency is entrenched by a lack of access to Xinjiang; by the lack of free press; and through the silencing and harassment of Uyghurs living abroad,” the Subcommittee said in its statement.

The decision was made after the Subcommittee convened urgent meetings to understand the latest developments in the plight of the Uyghurs on 20–21 July this year, building on the important testimony of seven witnesses over five sessions before the body in 2018.

“The Subcommittee was profoundly disturbed by what it heard and is convinced of the need for a strong response. The Subcommittee heard that the Government of China has been employing various strategies to persecute Muslim groups living in Xinjiang, including mass detentions, forced labour, pervasive state surveillance and population control.

“Witnesses were clear that the Government of China’s actions are a clear attempt to eradicate Uyghur culture and religion. Some witnesses stated that the Government of China’s actions meet the definition of genocide as set out in Article II of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention),” the statement read.

Interestingly, China has recently been elected into UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) despite its treatment of Uyghur Muslims.

Apart from China, Pakistan was also elected into UNHRC despite its abysmal human rights record and gross human rights violations in Gilgit Baltistan and Balochistan regions where it is oppressing minority communities for raising their voices.

Several activist groups have condemned the UN body for electing such authoritarian regimes. Both China and Pakistan were elected to UNHRC during the 75th General Assembly Session at the UN headquarters in New York.

-ARK

Govt eases visa, travel restrictions for Indian, foreign nationals, except tourists

Covid-19 cases

New Delhi (NVI): In a major initiative, the Central Government today made graded relaxation in visa and travel restrictions for more categories of foreign nationals and Indian nationals who wish to enter or leave India.

Under this, it has been decided to permit all OCI and PIO card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a tourist Visa, to enter by air or water routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts, according to a statement issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

This includes flights operated under Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements, or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the statement further read.

All such travelers will, however, have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding quarantine and other health/COVID-19 matters, it added.

Furthermore, under this graded relaxation, India has also decided has also decided to restore with immediate effect all existing visas (except electronic visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa). If the validity of such visas has expired, fresh visas of appropriate categories can be obtained from Indian Mission/Posts concerned.

“Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can apply for a Medical Visa including for their medical attendants. Therefore, this decision will enable foreign nationals to come to India for various purposes such as business, conferences, employment, studies, research, medical purposes etc,” MHA stated.

-CHK

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