Re: Internal Security Watch

[Prem]

[Neshant]

of course it should be abolished.

the whole idea of 370 is unfair to other states.

[SSridhar]

In a first, PoK becomes PoJK in MHA document - Vijaita Singh, The Hindu

For the first time ever, an official document of the NDA government has referred to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) as Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The change is significant as it is in line with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s narrative on unified Kashmir, although it was thus far restricted to party pamphlets and manifestos.

The reference figures in the 2014-15 annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which was tabled in Parliament. Under the sub-head “Cross LoC Trade between J&K and PoJK,” the report says: Till 2015 December, 45,486 trucks have crossed over to PoJK and 28,891 trucks have crossed over to India’s side through these two routes — Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalkote routes… Security clearance has been accorded for the visits of trade delegations from J&K to PoJK.”

Organiser , mouth-piece of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, has on many occasions referred to PoK as PoJK and even called for freeing it from illegal occupation by Pakistan.

[member_29350]

And the same paper has this tissue of lies and half truths

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/re ... 390294.ece

liberal use of the word regime, and the fake 'kashmiriyat' nonsense

t sought to realign existing social structures replacing them with a more interwoven social fabric, diluting religion-informed identity and giving way to a more syncretic consciousness — ‘Kashmiriyat’, erected on the shared values and cultural mores of the indigenous communities. Though religion continued to play a significant role, it enriched the idea of Kashmiriyat making it more versatile and acceptable.

nice trope isn't it? I searched for a KPandit and asked him how his kashmiriyat feeling is, he told me to F right off. I wonder if the writer and the paper even know this

[CRamS]

of course it should be abolished.

the whole idea of 370 is unfair to other states.

I agree, but the time is not yet ripe. Some Indian nationalist party like BJP has to get a strong foot hold in the valley in collusion with nationalist valley Muslims, however few they may be. Only then something like this can be contemplated.

Meanwhile, DDM has been howling from their roof tops on how desperate BJP has been to be in power in BJP bla bla, spearhead by that foul-mouthed dorknob. Little do they even understand the statesmanship and reasonable compromise by BJP involved in the BJP PDP alliance given the constraints they face in the valley. It now truns out the MM after talking tough has agreed to form a govt. Wonder how ISI let her do this? Bigger game in the offing? Because on the face of it, it does look like a cave in on her part

http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/ms-muftis-e ... ll-1290492

[SSridhar]

So, Afridi is right after all,

With significant support, Pakistan 'feel at home' in Mohali - ToI

For the second game in a row, the Pakistan cricket team found good support from fans when they took on Australia in a World Twenty20 group match here today.

Non-stop chants of 'Pakistan jeetega' and 'Afridi lala and 'Afridi lala' were heard minutes before the start of the game at the 27,000 capacity venue.

Pakistan had good support even in the game against New Zealand here, something that was acknowledged by captain Shahid Afridi.

"We are here for Afridi," Amir, who hails from Anantnag but is studying in the nearby Rajpura, told PTI.

While most supporting Pakistan were Kashmiri students and Mohammad Bashir alias 'Chicago Chacha', locals were also spotted rooting for the neighbouring nation.

"We had to be here for Afridi. This could be his last game before retiring. It is not so much about Pakistan for us{Nobody believes this coming from ungrateful Kashmiris}. It is all about Afridi," said Sarabpreet, who lives in Patiala and had come with his brother.

Businessman Rameez Riyaz, who came from Anantnag {We know these Anantnag-types}with his brother, said they were huge fans of Afridi.

"We are here for three days and will also be watching the next game here between India and Australia. We love Afridi and have been following his career very closely. Knowing that this could be his last international match, we did not want to miss the opportunity," said Rameez.

[Prem]

http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/ms-muftis-e ... ?site=full
So Mehbooba Mufti Caved In Completely With The BJP

Followed by her initial bravado and bluster, where she declared she wasn't afraid of going it alone if her legislators decided to disagree with her, there was a relatively longer phase where the party's stand was riddled with mixed-signals and enormous contradictions. The final phase of the two-and-a-half-months-long rebellion coincided with Ms. Mufti's meeting with the Prime Minister in Delhi recently, where the meeting in itself was portrayed as the long-awaited Confidence Building Measure (CBM). Pertinent to add Ms. Mufti's meeting with BJP President Amit Shah earlier in the same week had failed to provide an outcome. Back in the Valley from Delhi, Ms. Mufti informed her legislators and workers that the Prime Minister had assured her of all help for the state. She then went on to use this assurance as the justification for her drastic climb-down after promising the people of the state the moon for the last two months. For two and a half months Ms. Mufti kept reiterating how mere assurances weren't enough; now, she is portraying a general and vague verbal assurance as an achievement that called for an immediate reconciliation between the two parties.
A day after Ms. Mufti's meeting with the Prime Minister, the BJP came out to deny that Mehbooba Mufti had raised any demands in the meeting and went on to say the meeting didn't even involve a discussion on government formation in the state to begin with. To add insult to injury, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav said the Prime Minister had asked Ms. Mufti to talk to BJP leaders about her issues instead of bringing them to him. So what exactly was Ms. Mufti trying to achieve for two and a half months? As she says she stands satisfied after her meeting with the PM, the people of J&K remain perplexed.

[chetak]

http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/ms-muftis-e ... ?site=full
So Mehbooba Mufti Caved In Completely With The BJP

Followed by her initial bravado and bluster, where she declared she wasn't afraid of going it alone if her legislators decided to disagree with her, there was a relatively longer phase where the party's stand was riddled with mixed-signals and enormous contradictions. The final phase of the two-and-a-half-months-long rebellion coincided with Ms. Mufti's meeting with the Prime Minister in Delhi recently, where the meeting in itself was portrayed as the long-awaited Confidence Building Measure (CBM). Pertinent to add Ms. Mufti's meeting with BJP President Amit Shah earlier in the same week had failed to provide an outcome. Back in the Valley from Delhi, Ms. Mufti informed her legislators and workers that the Prime Minister had assured her of all help for the state. She then went on to use this assurance as the justification for her drastic climb-down after promising the people of the state the moon for the last two months. For two and a half months Ms. Mufti kept reiterating how mere assurances weren't enough; now, she is portraying a general and vague verbal assurance as an achievement that called for an immediate reconciliation between the two parties.
A day after Ms. Mufti's meeting with the Prime Minister, the BJP came out to deny that Mehbooba Mufti had raised any demands in the meeting and went on to say the meeting didn't even involve a discussion on government formation in the state to begin with. To add insult to injury, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav said the Prime Minister had asked Ms. Mufti to talk to BJP leaders about her issues instead of bringing them to him. So what exactly was Ms. Mufti trying to achieve for two and a half months? As she says she stands satisfied after her meeting with the PM, the people of J&K remain perplexed.

Govt formation in states is a party issue and PM has no role to play in it.

They (PDP) are all trying to set up Modi as the fall guy incase it sours again.

[Prem]

Mehbooba Mufti to swear in as J&K CM on April 4
Kharbooza Khao Mehbooba

Jammu: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti will take oath as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on April 4."Mehbooba Mufti will take oath of office as the chief minister on April 4," PDP sources told IANS here.With this, the suspense over when the PDP-BJP alliance will take office has finally ended.The decision to take oath on April 4 has been conveyed to Governor NN Vohra, the sources said.Jammu and Kashmir was put under Governor's Rule on January 8, a day after the then chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed passed away in New Delhi.PDP sources told IANS that the decision to take oath earlier than expected was necessitated to set to rest media speculation that a tug of war had started between the PDP and the BJP over portfolio distribution.

[LakshO]

NIT Srinagar shut after clashes over India-West Indies semi-final match in world T20

[shravanp]

Govt formation in states is a party issue and PM has no role to play in it.

They (PDP) are all trying to set up Modi as the fall guy incase it sours again.

It's PDP that needs BJP, more than BJP needing PDP. That's how the narrative now looks like.

[wig]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu- ... 16867.html
Fear psychosis grips over 1,500 non-Kashmiri students at NIT

Fear psychosis has gripped more than 1,500 non-Kashmiri engineering students at National Institute of Technology (NIT) following a clash between two groups of students over defeat of the Indian cricket team against West Indies in the World Cup T-20 semi-finals on Thursday.
Although the CRPF has been deployed on the NIT campus, non-local students are allegedly facing life threats through “social media” and “phone calls” as some “outsiders” are bent upon “teaching a lesson” to the students who dared to oppose those who were mercilessly beating them for not celebrating the victory of West Indies against the Indian team.
The non-local students alleged they were asked to vacate their hostels amid bad weather. They were also being threatened with dire consequences for “hoisting the Tricolour” inside the campus.
“We were mercilessly beaten up by security guards while local people as well as students from Kashmir University pelted the students with stones who opposed to join Kashmiri students in celebrating Indian team’s defeat. An attempt is being made to force non-Kashmiri students to leave the Kashmir valley on the pattern of exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. Now, a curfew-like situation prevails on the campus,” a second-year student of BTech told The Tribune over phone from Hazartbal late this evening.
A first-year student alleged, “When we objected to anti-India slogans on Thursday night, security guards beat up some local students. In the morning, when non-local students came to know about the incident, they held a demonstration outside the Director office. A large number of outsiders, mostly from Kashmir University, at the behest of local faculty members, entered the complex and entered into a scuffle with us. They hoisted the Pakistan flags and roughed up non-local students who were holding national the Tricolour.”
The student alleged that the NIT authorities called the police which resorted to using tear-gas and lathicharge on non-locals. “Many non-local students received injuries in lathicharge,” the student alleged.
“We are being threatened of dire consequences. Besides, the authorities have also warned that they will suspend and rusticate all non-local students who were part of protest. However, they are silent on the entry of outsiders into the campus,” they alleged.
“We appeal to the state and Central governments to look into the issue and initiate strict action against those who disrupted peace on the campus and harassed non-local students,” they said.

[Prem]

[Yagnasri]

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinio ... -srinagar/

So now Bharat mata ki Jai also can not be said.

[Chandragupta]

Could BJP not play hardball with Mufti? She has just been sworn in as the CM, her dad passed away just recently, is she not in a vulnerable position? Add to that a BJP majority government in Delhi. BJP leaders in J&K could have brought the heavens down on the NIT fiasco, yet nothing is being done.

[Pranay]

Just finished reading an excellent book - A Long Dream of Home (The Persecution, Exodus and Exile of Kashmiri Pandits) by Siddhartha Gigoo & Varad Sharma

Eye opening (for me) first person accounts of what the Kashmiri Pandit population experienced. A must read!

[Rahul M]

if possible plz give a more detailed review in book review thread.

[SanjayC]

Just finished reading an excellent book - A Long Dream of Home (The Persecution, Exodus and Exile of Kashmiri Pandits) by Siddhartha Gigoo & Varad Sharma

Eye opening (for me) first person accounts of what the Kashmiri Pandit population experienced. A must read!

Bought it after your recommendation. They don't have a kindle edition yet. Had to buy hard copy.

[Pranay]

SanjayC - Great!

Also - A small snapshot of the local atmosphere as experienced by non-kashmiri students at NIT... one wonders what the Pandits would have experienced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1fYEPksmao#t=307.555

[shiv]

Here is the J&K thread

[Peregrine]

J&K firing: Handwara girl says no soldier molested her, accuses local youth of harassment

SRINAGAR: A Kashmiri girl, who was reportedly molested by a soldier, has denied that ever happened and has instead alleged that local boys harassed her and also began the riots that led to the killing of two young men when the army fired on protesters in Handwara on Tuesday.

In a widely circulated YouTube video interview, the teenager narrated the sequence of events and clarified that she was not misbehaved with or molested by a soldier.

"I went to the (public) washroom and handed my bag to a friend. When I came back, a Kashmiri student heckled me and snatched my bag. The boy in school uniform slapped me and asked 'if there were no boys in the valley' (angrily insinuating that the girl was in a relationship with a soldier). I was shocked and confused about what he had said. Suddenly, several boys gathered. The boy asked me to go to the police station with him. There was a police uncle nearby. I told the boy to return my bag so that I could go to police station with the cop. He said he would not return my bag and started abusing me."

Violent protests erupted in Handwara on Tuesday afternoon following rumours that a teenage girl was molested by a soldier of the Rashtriya Rifles in a camp in the middle of Handwara in north Kashmir.

An agitated mob set ablaze an Army picket, pelted stones, attacked Jammu & Kashmir police personnel and attacked the local police station. Police officers were beaten up by the mob. The soldiers opened fire and three people including a woman were killed.

"There was no soldier there (near or in the washroom). I saw Hilal (an acquaintance). He slapped me and asked me what I was doing there. I asked him how he too could accuse me of any such thing (allegation of an illicit relationship) knowing me and our family. He too started abusing. It seemed that they had conspired in advance. The boy instigated all other boys too to create trouble," the girls says in the video.

Defence spokesman Col Manish Kumar said the Handwara girl's revelation has exposed the malicious intent of the perpetrators. The video clearly implicates local youth and shows how false propaganda resulted in massive protests, he said.

Meanwhile, one of the injured in Tuesday's firing, Raja Begum, who was admitted in SKIMS, succumbed to her bullet injuries later that night, taking the death toll to three. She was hit by a stray bullet in Tuesday's firing.

Protests erupted in the Langate area after her dead body arrived home on Wednesday.

Authorities imposed curfew in the six police station areas of Srinagar city and in Handwara in Kupwara district on Wednesday. The situation in uptown Srinagar was normal. Shops and business establishments were functioning as usual in several areas.

Added Later : Handwara girl says no Army man molested her



Cheers

[arun]

X Posted from the “Indian Foreign Policy” thread.

Excerpt from the final communique of the OIC meet dealing with Jammu & Kashmir shows yet another misstep regards the Islamic Republic of Pakistan by the BJP led Government of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi:

FINAL COMMUNIQUE OF THE 13TH ISLAMIC SUMMIT OF THE HEADS OF STATE/GOVERNMENT OF THE OIC MEMBER STATES

Date: 15/04/2016

21. The Conference reaffirmed its principled support forthe people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realization of their legitimate right to self-determination, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. It further reaffirmed that Jammu and Kashmir is the core dispute between Pakistan and India and its resolution is indispensable for bringing peace in South Asia.

22. The Conference called on India to implement numerous UN resolutions on Kashmir which declare that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir would be made in accordance with the will of the people expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. It further reminded the international community of its obligation to ensure implementation of UN resolutions on Kashmir and fulfill the promise made with the people of Jammu and Kashmir 68 year ago.

23. The Conference affirmed its support to the wide-spread indigenous movement of the people of the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOK) for their right to self-determination. It urged that freedom struggle must not be equated with terrorism.

24. The Conference expressed concern at the indiscriminate use of force and gross violations of human rights committed in IOK by Indian security forces which have resulted in killing thousands of innocent and unarmed civilians as well as injuring hundreds of others including women, children and elderly, most recently the killing of a 22 year old woman, Ms. Shaista Hameed in Pulwama on 14 February 2016.

25. The Conference welcomed the establishment of a standing mechanism by the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) for monitoring the human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The Conference called upon India to allow the OIC Fact Finding Mission and the international human rights groups and humanitarian organizations to visit IOK. The Conference endorsed the recommendations of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir. It took note of the Memorandum presented by the True Representatives of the Kashmiri People to the Contact Group at its recent meeting.

26. The Conference called on the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) to undertake activities to protect holy sites in Kashmir and preserve cultural rights and Islamic heritage. The Conference appealed to the Member States and Muslim institutions to grant scholarships to the Kashmiri students in deferent universities and institutions in OIC countries.

OIC declaration on Jammu & Kashmir proves former Ambassador M.K.Bhadra Kumar was right when he dismissed the agreement on terrorism between India and Saudi Arabia concluded earlier this month as being about Iran rather than the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s and BJP Party’s spin that it targeted the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Very disappointing that the Saudi’s have certainly befooled our Prime Minister at the minimal cost of granting a civilian award. Then off course there is the separate but related matter of the counter-terrorism agreement with the UAE which once again was touted as a major success against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:

A second outcome of Modi’s Saudi visit, duly highlighted by our spin doctors, is that the two countries are entering an unprecedented level of cooperation and coordination in the security field in the fight against terrorism. The joint statement devoted four paragraphs to it.

However, a dark cloud has appeared on the horizon in no time, with a Saudi official claiming that they read the joint statement largely as aimed at Iran, which, they believe is fostering terrorism in the region. Of course, our security czars had assumed that Modi brilliantly secured Saudi Arabia’s support in controlling Pakistani state sponsorship of terrorism.

In fact, the Pakistani coverage of Modi’s Saudi visit confirms an impression that Salman may have used Modi’s shoulder to take a pot-shot at the Iranians. Perhaps, that explains why Salman felt so obliged to Modi as to confer the Abdulaziz Sash, our PM’s controversial reputation on the Arab Street as the “butcher of Gujarat” notwithstanding.

Unsurprisingly, adrenaline began flowing in the Saudi veins and they have since imposed new measures against Iran by closing the Saudi air space to Iranian civilian flights and prohibiting tankers carrying Iranian crude from transiting Saudi waters (external links here and here).


Salman probably concluded that with Modi on his side, Iran’s regional “isolation” is now complete. Indeed, the Saudis have offered to Modi that they can replace Iran as India’s key energy partner in the region. They are paranoid about the prospect of an imminent reset of India-Iran ties.

Rediff

[Supratik]

This is a regular statement from OIC. The Ummah will never stop supporting Islamist insurrections world over. SA is a safe haven for terrorists and terror funding directed aginst India. If India can get co-operation on both that will be an impediment to Pak sponsored terrorism. Bhadrakumar and Rediff are not credible sources of information.

[soumik]

We need to take off the kid gloves and stop being politically correct, Kashmir cannot be solved in a day or an year , the minds of generations that are poisoned will only be cleansed over years here's what I propose.
1)The Border must be completely sealed and the Separatist leaders and their families exiled from Kashmir and declared as persona non grata.Be prepared for international hue and cry , brush it off using economic clout.
2)Create a strict Media conduct role in Kashmir similar to what the Pakistani and Chinese media follow in militancy affected regions.
3)Create a format wherein every Kashmiri desirous of a Job or education in any other state of India or abroad signs and seals a document declaring the state an unequivocal part of India and also calls for the abolishment of Article 370.Similar laws to apply for all Kashmiris applying for any business, education or job in the state as well.
4)Dilute article 370 slowly by removing barriers to trade and migration in the state one by one.
5)Create kibbutz type localities with veterans and Kashmiri pundits encouraged to shift to the valley.
6)Create a cabal of loyal clerics who can be given control of mosques and Dargahs in the valley by Indian Muslim bodies.
7)Fund loyalist politicians to suppress any neo separatism.

[chetak]

the situation is being controlled from across the border.

They are basically sticking it mehbooba mufti and challenging the writ of the Indian state.

The IA is the fall guy as usual because it then hits at the core of the Indian state.

They fomented trouble at the universities and now every dead kashmiri body brings them publicity and global eyeballs

the hurriyat and it's minions are in full cry

[vasu raya]

In Kashmir, 'Fearless Mobs' Help Militants Escape

KAKAPORA: In a graveyard at his school in Indian Kashmir, principal Ghulam Ahmed Bhat stares sadly at a mound of freshly dug earth after another former pupil was killed in the region's conflict.

University student Shaista Hameed was caught in crossfire during a gunbattle between soldiers and militants in February, after she joined scores of residents who poured onto the streets to help the rebels escape.

Senior police officers say locals' efforts to help militants -- by putting themselves in harm's way -- is a worrying recent development in the decades-long insurgency in the disputed Himalayan territory.

"She had been one of the brightest students of the school," Bhat said of the 22-year-old, whose grave is adorned with flowers in Kakapora town in the Kashmir Valley.

Hundreds of mainly angry youth have converged in recent months on the scene of gunbattles that regularly erupt between government forces and militants opposed to Indian rule of the Muslim-majority region.

Often pelting stones and hurling abuse, they attempt to distract security forces to help trapped rebels escape their cordon. In several instances they have succeeded, security officials say. Three people including Hameed have been killed and scores injured.

"It becomes an extremely difficult task dealing with humongous mobs turning up during our counter-insurgency operations," Nalin Prabhat, inspector general of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force, told AFP.

"They try to take away our actual focus at hand which is to neutralise the terrorists."

Indian forces have been battling militants wanting independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan since an armed insurgency erupted in 1989. Tens of thousands of people, mainly civilians, have been killed.

Violence has sharply declined in recent years following a major crackdown by the hundreds of thousands of forces deployed in the region. But mass protests were staged in 2008 through 2010 against Indian rule.

Today, about 200 militants, mostly locals, are active across Indian Kashmir, down from several thousand in the 1990s, according to security officials.

'Huge new challenge'

A recent uptick in militant attacks has galvanised frustrated young Kashmiris, many of whom deeply resent the military's presence, and regularly hear allegations of rights abuses and repression, political historian Siddiq Wahid said.

"How can we forget what has been done to generations of Kashmiri people?" said a student in Kakapora taking part in the street actions.

Last Tuesday, angry residents in northern Handwara stormed an army bunker after a soldier was accused of molesting a local girl. Soldiers fired into the crowd, leaving three people dead, while two others have been killed in protests against the firing in recent days.

Bhat said it is difficult to stop his former students taking part in the distraction efforts or even joining the militants' ranks. Three ex-students turned rebels are also buried in the graveyard on the school's grounds.

"The militants may be underground but everyone knows who they are. They (locals) identify with them and their cause. They choose to be a part of fighting all this (through street action)," he said.

In March, a group of nine heavily armed rebels were trapped in an open field not far from Kakapora as troops moved in. Hundreds of villagers armed with stones descended on the field, as word quickly spread.

"Yes, it is a huge new challenge," Prabhat said, confirming the incident.

He said residents' efforts to thwart security operations were being orchestrated by "stooges and agents of Pakistan".

Government forces have been forced to change their counter-insurgency operations, becoming even more clandestine, to avoid tipping off villagers and causing civilian casualties, he added.

"We are now having to fight two-way battles, with the armed militants on one hand and fearless mobs on the other," another senior police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

A month before the March incident, police and the army ordered residents within a two-kilometre radius to stay indoors during gun battles.

On the day Hameed died, local rebel Adil Ashraf was killed in the gunfight.

"My sons left home to safeguard their self-respect and fight for the nation," Ashraf's mother Rafiqa, whose second son is also a militant, told AFP.

"Stones are the people's weapon," she said, referring proudly to the support her sons have received from locals.

[prahaar]

JK jihadis are messing with the army at their own peril. Islamists are known to have Duryodhana syndrome, talking big while falling down. There is no love lost between the valley jihadis and Modi. He has been to Lal Chowk to unfurl the tri-color, so he is under no illusions about the rabid Hurrirats either. The unrests in Gujarat/Haryana/AP/JK, points towards carrot and stick from Unkil. If Modi sarkar keep on track for another two years, it may be challenging to dislodge Modi in 2019.

[sivab]

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-f ... my-2202541

First artillery gun in 3 decades to be inducted in army

The first artillery gun after three decades — a 155mm/45-calibre Dhanush gun — will be inducted in the Indian Army, said defence minister Manohar Parikkar during an event organised by ex-servicemen in Panvel on Thursday evening. The last artillery gun — a Bofors gun — was inducted in 1984.

By the next month, the Dhanush artillery gun, a towed howitzer with a strike range of 38km developed by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) in Kolkata, will be handed over to the Indian Army. Dhanush artillery guns are also called 'desi Bofors'.

Parikkar said: "The required critical trial of the gun has been completed and, by next month, the gun will be inducted in the artillery." He added that this is the first gun to be inducted in the Indian Army artillery after the Bofors gun.

The gun has been developed by the OFB after going through the design and voluminous documents that were delivered to India under the first phase of the Transfer of Technology (ToT) as part of the Bofors gun deal in the late 80s. The Swedish Bofors company (now owned by Britain's BAE System) could not complete the ToT for the 155mm howitzer with 39 calibre to India as the deal got embroiled in a major political row in the 80s over alleged kickbacks.

However, during this period, OFB manufactured and supplied several components or spare parts to keep the Bofors howitzers operational in India, especially during the Kargil war.

In addition, Parikkar also informed that in the next four months, a self-propelled gun developed by L&T and specially designed for operation in the desert areas bordering Pakistan will also be inducted.

Taking note of the Indian Army facing an acute shortage of artillery, Parikkar said that in two-three years, all artillery deficits will be covered. "The intention of our government is clear when it comes to strengthening our forces," Parikkar said.

On the Kashmir issue, the defence minister said that freedom has been given to the forces to take action, without needing to wait for orders. "The lives of our security personnel are more important than that of our enemies," Parikkar said. He added, in regard to the recent Pathankot attack, "I do not see this as a terror attack. This is similar to war and we will give a befitting reply. We will decide the nature of the reply — how, when and where."

[CRamS]

the situation is being controlled from across the border.

They are basically sticking it mehbooba mufti and challenging the writ of the Indian state.

The IA is the fall guy as usual because it then hits at the core of the Indian state.

They fomented trouble at the universities and now every dead kashmiri body brings them publicity and global eyeballs

the hurriyat and it's minions are in full cry

Absolutely, not an ounce of doubt about it. Sad part is that KMs are being used by cannon fodder by Pakis. To counter this kind of evil, either one needs to be militarily powerful enough to annihilate TSP. or have a powerful media. Note the parallel here. Whether its in during US/UK gang rape of Iraq, or what happens routinely in Palestinian areas; CNN/Fox/BBC will report the same tactics with a diametrically opposite narrative. They will place the blame squarely on the "terrorists" for providing the saintly white soldiers who fired, Peter Bergen like "experts" will go into gory detail on the tactics, i.e., using civilians as cannon fodder, and paint a picture of whites confronting evil. In J&K, the same BBC/Fox/BBC will cover it just as the ISI doctors ordered. Oh so innocent KMs p!ssfully protesting, but "big baad cowardly" Indian army shot and killed unarmed civilians.

[Melwyn]

Very peaceful civilians stoning Army. Just imagine the level of restraint being shown by the Army. Any other place in the country would have resulted in open firing.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 8469767016

[sanjaykumar]

Thanks IA, for giving the KM an opportunity to do some work.

[wig]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/commen ... 24189.html
Kashmir may witness many Handwaras by Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

A dangerous situation is unfolding in Kashmir and it appears a deliberate attempt to up the ante. It was predictable to any one who observes the Jammu and Kashmir situation on a regular basis. South Kashmir was far too volatile and the north far too quiet over the last few months. The conditions were ideal for a return to the street turbulence witnessed during 2008-10. Sopore, Handwara, Baramula and Pattan are competing centres for attention. Bandipura too has been without political or terrorist activity for some time. All of them have distinct separatist bases with a large cadre of over ground workers (OGWs). Terrorist strength has dwindled due to an effective anti-infiltration grid and effort of the security forces in the hinterland. Separatists cannot afford to allow their movement to flag off beyond a certain threshold and the youth-based militancy in south Kashmir is increasingly out of control of the United Jehad Council with whom the separatists have a good working linkage. The stamina of the public for another round of street turbulence has resurged. This was evident from the manner in which mobs attempted to intervene in the operations of the Army's Victor Force in south Kashmir and turned out to pay tribute to dead terrorists. The local media has largely been eulogising the terrorists in south Kashmir, with pro- separatist commentaries. The return of a government also triggered the idea of agitation.
With Governor's rule an agitation loses its political effect and the response by the state is far more robust. With an elected government in place the situation helps to create hype; response comes under scrutiny and with a coalition government dissensions increase on how to handle the turbulence Separatists create situations in which the security forces are offered few options but to respond. Recall how the Muzaffarabad March of August 11, 2011, was set up and Sheikh Abdul Aziz was virtually led to his death through a conspiracy. His death is still believed to have been at the hands of terrorists concealed in the mob. The manner in which the recent Handwara incident panned out was typical of a deep-set conspiracy to bait the Army. The targeting and burning of the bunker was done deliberately to invite response. The Army could not have had a benign response as the safety of its men was involved.
The attention of the Army will shift to internal security and the terrorists and their handlers will hope that the anti-infiltration grid will be less focused allowing more terrorists to infiltrate, leaders to be brought in and the critical supply of arms and ammunition replenished. Separatists want India and Pakistan to talk but perceive that their own role is being marginalised, hence the necessity to project their relevance. Street power is considered an appropriate means to draw attention. If the India-Pakistan peace process does progress, the importance of Handwara- like situations will enhance — with separatists constantly seeking their space.
The spiralling violence is a part of the overall plan of action and reaction. Cadres are usually on the ready for this and professional rabble-rousers move from town to town, with teams of stone throwers. The Baramula agitation, for example, is almost entirely instigated from Sopore and carried out by the Pattan youth. The Army has the experience to handle this although many of the officers and jawans may be new to this game due to turnovers. However, there is an institutional memory and the JK police will help in briefing them on past responses. The Army must keep itself out of the agitation as in the past, notwithstanding deliberate attempts this time to bait it. This is not a conventional internal security situation. Remember, the Army is on a counter-terrorism grid. Flag marches will have to be dispensed with as this brings the mobs in contact with soldiers. The CRPF and JK police have enough experience but must ensure that a repeat of 2010 is avoided at all cost. The optimum amount of anti-riot gear is learnt to be still eluding these forces for which responsibility must be fixed. Senior police officers have to ensure that their sub units are never too small to get isolated and, therefore, targeted.
My personal experience tells me that the clergy plays a crucial role in subsiding tempers. The Amir e Jamat of the Jamat e Islami (K), who is located at Kulgam in south Kashmir can play a positive role. In such mass agitation, a sane voice will help and his services must be requested. If need be, SAS Geelani and his ilk should be physically isolated and prevented from accessing any communication resources such as mobile phones. His bandh calls had reached a point where no one was responding to them. Obviously Handwara is a method to regain his lost space.
All the above is well said and is fine as an approach towards prevention of a negative situation followed by avoiding worsening if it occurs. However, there is an element within the separatists and a very influential one which is instigating an irrational approach. It is catering for a conventional benign Army response of controlled use of violence.
The overall response of the security forces has been relatively benign, although some may term my usage of the word as an oxymoron. It's not easy to be facing mobs and attempting to be “good guys”. Before long, tempers will have flared.
In 2010, Geelani was initially ill- advised to increase the pitch of the agitation by targeting Army camps. When a veiled warning from the Army was received, he sensibly held back.
It seems this time the separatists have concluded that the Army will be benign and defensive so as not to draw the ire of human rights activists. Those promoting violence on the streets need to be aware of the phenomenon of unpredictability which the Army follows as an essential principle of security. In needling the Army, the separatists may just cross the threshold. It is their intent to sacrifice a few lives in the street to raise passions but beyond a point they too realise that loss of lives flags down a movement rather than take it forward.
There is a dire need for messaging at this time. The parents must know that their sons in the streets are being instigated. Even with best of intentions of the security forces, lives will be lost if a threshold is crossed. Is it difficult to get this message across? Perception management isn't the strongest area of any government establishment but this time sincere efforts must be made to shift blame squarely to the perpetrators who care least for young lives.
Some elements of the local media are attempting to egg on the new government to take a hard stance against the security forces. The Army Commander has made an early visit to ascertain and be briefed.
This is the time when the political leadership and the Army need to be demonstratively on the same page. Separatists and elements of the negative media will paint perception of division of opinion and attempt to project the CM as anti-people. This must not allow the working to be dented. The Durbar is still at Jammu but an advance element of the government must move to the Valley to nip the happenings in the bud. If not, there will be no rest this summer in the salubrious environs of the pristine Valley.

[Leonard]

We need to really the spray this crap below on these rioting/terrorist goons ..

Can someone ask the ARMY to buys 100,000 gallons of this stuff below, and each of the APC and police vehicles should be equipped with these well protected portable tanks filled with these ..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_(weapon)

>>
A BBC reporter describes its effects as follows:

“Imagine the worst, most foul thing you have ever smelled. An overpowering mix of rotting meat, old socks that haven’t been washed for weeks – topped off with the pungent waft of an open sewer. . .Imagine being covered in the stuff as it is liberally sprayed from a water cannon. Then imagine not being able to get rid of the stench for at least three days, no matter how often you try to scrub yourself clean.”[5]

A reporter for Reuters described its effect in the following words:

Imagine taking a chunk of rotting corpse from a stagnant sewer, placing it in a blender and spraying the filthy liquid in your face. Your gag reflex goes off the charts and you can't escape, because the nauseating stench persists for days
<<

The "abduls" after getting sprayed with this stuff, will not be able to even hide in their mohalla, let alone procreate ..

May be we can set up a "online crowd funding campaign" to help the ARMY purchase the SKUNK juice ..

[sanjaykumar]

Must have been invented by the Swedes. Much like their swedentrunk. Yeah they were widely feared in Europe for their savagery.

[SSridhar]

X-Posted from STFU-TSP thread

ISI-funded Kashmir Centre reincarnates from a PO box in Brussels - Anubhuti Vishnoi, Economic Times

Brussels-based Kashmir Centre, which came under the scanner five years ago for allegedly using ISI funds to lobby for Kashmir, may have closed its upscale 12 Rue Belliard office, but it continues to operate a post box out of there.

While there is no sign of Kashmir Centre activity in the Belgium capital, curiously, its post box is being shared by another organisation fighting for Kashmiri rights — International Council for Human Development (ICHD), which was at the forefront of organising protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visited Brussels in March to attend the European Union-India summit.

Ali Raza Syed, chairman of ICHD, claimed to ET that his organisation has nothing to do with the Kashmir Centre or Ghulam Nabi Fai, a Kashmir-born US citizen who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in July 2011 for allegedly being a paid agent of Pakistan's Inter-State Intelligence (ISI). FBI in its courtfilings against Fai — perhaps the most visible face of Kashmiri activism in the West till then — had alleged that ISI had links with Kashmiri Centres in London and Brussels. Syed also chairs the Kashmir Council, EU, that together with ICHD is vocal on the right to self-determination in Kashmir.

"We are not responsible for the activities of Fai. His message was simply the right to self-determination in Kashmir. We are not associated with the Kashmir Centre or connected with it. We are against all kinds of extremism and want a peaceful way," Syed told ET.

ICHD operates out of a modest office on Avenue Des Vaillants in Brussels.

Syed said the protest against Modi was not the last one even if the Belgian authorities are keeping a close eye on a range of organisations following the Brussels terror attacks in March.

"We did protest and will continue to. Our voice should be heard and to protest is the right of the people. We can even protest against the Belgian government if necessary. We believe in peaceful protests and follow the law of the land," Syed said.

"Our strategy is simple — to remind India and the international community about the lives lost in Kashmir and the need to resolve this. Our main objectives is to bring peace with justice. We are against all kinds of extremism," he said.

Syed emphasised on the need to win 'hearts and minds' in Kashmir, repeal draconian laws and involve Kashmiris in any dialogue on Kashmir.

"The question is can PM Modi take real courageous steps that his predecessors could not? We have written to PM Modi and posed four questions to him, asking him to do away with draconian laws, create an environment for talks, opening up of the LoC and so on," he said.

"India should be asking, what for the first time you have people from the valley — young, educated Kashmiris — taking up arms now? Earlier, it was from other areas. Force is not going to solve this issue either through militancy or through the army. The only way is to talk," Syed added.

He also said the new PDP government in Jammu & Kashmir must "see the feelings of the people" and try not to do things that the people will not accept. "The first things to be done is repealing the Public Safety Act. The new government must do this to calm things down and win hearts and minds."

The ICHD chairman also said the NIT Srinagar controversy — started with a clash of students following India's elimination from the T20 World Cup — was "exploited by some extremist elements" and sparked an unfortunate chain reaction. "The NIT issue was not a problem...it should not have been exploited... Everybody has a right to support any team they want to and that should be respected. This kind of thing can be avoided...but it shows that there is lack of space to express feelings, there is frustration among students... no liberty," Syed said.

[SSridhar]

Operation on against militants in Kashmir - The Hindu

A major operation against hiding militants is under way in a forest range in north Kashmir’s Handwara area in Kupwara district.

An Army man is believed to have died in the ongoing operation.

Preliminary reports suggest that the Army started a combing operation on Tuesday night in Rajwar forests falling in Bawan-Watsar area, more than 70 km away from Srinagar.

A police official confirmed to The Hindu that there was an exchange of fire between the militants and the security forces on Tuesday night.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the soldier fell into a gorge near the encounter site.

The army is yet to officially confirm any casualty as the operation was on till reports last came in.

[SSridhar]

J&K infiltration, attacks surge, so does number of terrorists killed - Bharti Jain, ToI

As fresh attacks targeted at police forces shatter the calm in Srinagar, the latest infiltration figures from Jammu and Kashmir have corroborated the big jump in number of terrorists who have successfully crossed over from Pakistan.

As many as 26 terrorists infiltrated in the first four months of 2016, just a tad lower than the 33 infiltrations seen in all of last year. Sources said the high infiltration, attributed to attempts by Pakistan-based outfits to push in as many terrorists as possible this season and the low snowfall last winter, is balanced out by the surge in number of terrorists killed this year. 45 terrorists were neutralised in encounters by security forces until April 30, compared to 46 killed over 12 months in 2015.

What is heartening is that casualties among civilians and security forces in terror related incidents across J&K have been limited at three and eight respectively. The figures for (entire) 2015 were 17 civilians and 39 security personnel respectively. The figures, however, will look different by the end of May. Earlier this week, three policemen were killed by Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists in Zadibal and Tengpora areas in Srinagar. The same day, two terrorists were neutralised in the J&K capital in an anti-militancy operation.

Infiltration, according to intelligence sources, has seen a surge in the past month, with a top officer putting the number of terrorists who may have successfully sneaked in at 50. "More terrorists are coming in but then more terrorists are being killed in encounters," the officer said. The agencies see a hot summer ahead in J&K.

Sources in the central security establishment indicated that the twin attacks in Srinagar this week have served as a wake-up call for J&K police, which seemed to have got complacent after a three-year calm. "They are now more alert and going for intensive operations to tackle terrorists," the officer said.

[Supratik]

Separatists call shutdown in kashmir over Sainik colony and Pundit rehab issues. BJP should not come under pressure and relent.

[svenkat]

https://www.pgurus.com/congresss-chenab-valley-resolution-raises-tensions/

ensions are rising in Jammu province following the Jammu & Kashmir Speaker’s decision to accept a Private Member Resolution by Congress MLA G.M. Saroori for a separate Chenab Valley Hill Development Council, on the lines of the Leh & Kargil Hill Development Council.

On May 31, the Speaker also accepted for discussion Saroori’s resolutions for immediate survey for laying of railway line from Gool-Kishtwar and Jammu to Poonch via Rajouri, and a separate special financial component for erstwhile Doda district to bring it at par with other districts of the State.

Saroori justified a separate Hill Development Council for the Chenab Valley on grounds that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had supported it while in opposition; he expressed confidence that the ruling People’s Democratic Party and the main opposition party, the National Conference, would support his resolutions.

The move has inflamed large sections of the majority community in Jammu province, who argue that there has never been any geographical entity called Chenab Valley in the State and that the intent of the resolution is to separate erstwhile Doda district from Jammu province, thereby creating a Hindu Jammu and Muslim Jammu, a plan originally envisaged by Australian jurist, Sir Owen Dixon, in his proposal to the United Nations way back in September 1950.

Dixon, who arrived in India in May 1950 as special representative of the UN, suggested to the Security Council that since Jammu is mainly Hindu, Kashmir Valley predominantly Muslim, and Ladakh Buddhist, a plebiscite embracing all communities would cause Partition-style refugee problems.

He mooted a “plebiscite by areas” only in regions where the will of the people was unclear, that is, where the communal balance was uncertain. Dixon assigned Ladakh to India, the Northern Areas and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) to Pakistan, split Jammu between the two, and envisaged a plebiscite only in the Kashmir Valley. Thus, Dixon proposed that Pakistan keep the territory it had grabbed and tried to extract more strategic Indian territory to it.

Dixon wanted to join the predominantly Muslim Doda, Rajouri and Poonch districts to Kashmir valley (and go via plebiscite to Pakistan). Hindu-dominated Kathua and Jammu would stay with India.

Since then, this so-called Chenab solution has repeatedly surfaced as a ploy to take the Muslim-majority areas of Jammu out of the province. Dixon wanted the north of Chenab to be declared as the ‘new’ international border. As Nehru could hardly take such a deal to the cabinet and survive politically, it died a natural death.

Around the time of the Agra Summit in 2001, Gen. Musharraf proposed seven councils – a variant of Dixon. Musharraf suggested two regional councils in Jammu (along Hindu-Muslim demographic lines), two in Ladakh (along Buddhist-Muslim demography) and one for Kashmir (to maintain its Muslim character). Later, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s special expert Wajahat Habibullah mooted the same division of the state at the Working Group on Centre State Relations at its last meeting on 2 September 2007. Officially, Habibullah was invited to speak on panchayati raj!

The attempt to create an administrative model for Jammu province that will coincide that the demographic divide and deepen religious cleavages has since been the endeavour of all regimes in the State. The Congress member’s resolution has been virulently opposed by the new public opinions forum, Jammu For India, which argues that this “break-Jammu resolution”, if accepted by the Assembly, would only help the protagonists of Greater Kashmir to achieve their cherished 68-year-old goal and help Pakistan to establish complete control over the precious Chenab waters.

JFI convener, Prof Hari Om, former head of the department of History, University of Jammu, Jammu, who was expelled from the Bharatiya Janata Party for opposing the unequal coalition with the People’s Democratic Party, argues that Pakistan has never been interested in the people of Jammu & Kashmir, but keeps the pot boiling in the State in order to gain total control of the precious waters of the Indus; “the very survival and existence of Pakistan depends on the Chenab waters.”

The pro-Pakistan elements in J&K have long attempted to dub the erstwhile Doda district as “Chenab Valley” in order to serve Islamabad’s interests. Jammu For India warns that acceptance of the Congress members’ resolution that seeks to separate erstwhile Doda district from Jammu province and the setting up of an autonomous hill council development in this area would facilitate the establishment of Greater Kashmir and dismemberment of Jammu province. JFI has called upon all Jammu-based legislators to ensure the defeat of the Congress resolution which seeks to destroy the distinct identity and personality of Jammu province.

[Gagan]

Very peaceful civilians stoning Army. Just imagine the level of restraint being shown by the Army. Any other place in the country would have resulted in open firing.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 8469767016

I see a problem here.
Everyone respects raw power. More so these louts.

These guys should have been surrounded with superior force and beaten up badly.

Letting these incidents slip by, only encourages these goons. It gives them a sense of victory, which is really bad for the peace process overall.
I've lived in J&K long enough, know the psyche very well.

Just my do paisa.