In Jammu & Kashmir, Amarnath yatra comes as a blessing to impoverished women

To earn a living, women-run self-help groups stitch raincoats, tracksuits and sleeping bags for officials and pilgrims, also giving a boost to the local economy. Arjun Sharma and Ajay SinghSamba, Jammu: Sushma Devi, a member of Baba Hardev, a self-help group (SHG) in Jammu's Samba district, stitches raincoats and tracksuits for pilgrims visiting the Amarnath cave shrine. She's part of a 13-member women’s group that works across different SHGs in Samba, for whom the annual yatra has become a means to ameliorate their families’ financial constraints. The 13 members of Baba Hardev also make these garments for officials of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, who are deputed at different locations in Kashmir, including the base camps of Baltal and Nunwan.The initiative to involve these women in stitching the tracksuits and raincoats was taken after it was decided that these shrine board officials, at the base camps of the 43-day-long pilgrimage, would wear uniforms in the form of tracksuits, says Indu Kanwal Chib, director of the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM). “It was also important to provide them with raincoats as the weather is unpredictable in these areas in the Valley, and monsoon is already here,” she adds.Baba Hardev SHG's members made raincoats for officials and pilgrims in Amarnath.The recent cloud burst and the resultant flash floods, in which several Amarnath pilgrims died, is an example of how extreme and erratic the weather can be in the region. After these women provided the required material to the officials, they decided to stitch the same for the pilgrims. Within just a week of the yatra's commencement on June 30, over one lakh pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine in Kashmir. The union territory administration permitted women in at least seven districts to set up stalls at different locations along the route. In fact, women in Samba had their stalls erected along the national highway in the district, from where the pilgrimage passes after entering Jammu & Kashmir.Clinging to hope with 'Umeed' The JKRLM's Umeed scheme aims to alleviate poverty by identifying and organising the poor and engaging them in livelihoods that enable them to tap into their potential. Its mission is to reach out to 66% of the rural population across the 125 blocks of Jammu & Kashmir and link them to sustainable livelihood opportunities. Panchayats and district development councils identify women in need for the SHGs. The government provides Rs15,000 on the initiation of a SHG, followed by other monetary help, including Rs40,000 as a loan to these women. They can also seek a loan to purchase raw material for the products they make.Sushma, who has a daughter and a son, says the Baba Hardev SHG under Umeed provides her much-needed financial help to sustain her family. Her husband works as a daily wager with the Jal Shakti department, but doesn't earn enough to sustain a family of four, including their children's education expenses.During other times of the year, Sushma sells homemade snacks and other eatables; this is her first time catering to the pilgrims. She's also started a boutique at her home, where women from nearby villages come to get their clothes stitched. Exploring various livelihood optionsWomen in Samba and other districts of J&K are also engaged in making bamboo products, rakhis, file covers and other handcrafted items. Before the pilgrimage, this used to be their primary source of income.Sonia Kumari, who works with another SHG in Samba, earns Rs4,500 to Rs5,500 every month through the sale of bamboo buckets and other showpieces as well as sleeping bags. For the Amarnath pilgrimage, the buckets are filled with sweets that are offered to the deity as prasad and sold to the pilgrims going to or returning from the holy cave shrine.  “The women of our SHG purchase the cloth, foam and zipper to make the sleeping bags from Pathankot in Punjab as the raw material is cheaper there,” says Sonia. “We earn a profit of nearly Rs300 on each sleeping bag. The sale has increased owing to the inflow of pilgrims, and a stall has been set up along the national highway near a prominent temple in Samba.” Since the beginning of the Amarnath yatra on June 30, Sonia has been earning Rs2,500 a week just by selling sleeping bags. Members of the group divide the total money earned through the sales in accordance with the tasks they undertook.Women preparing buckets for sanctified sweets in Samba district for people visiting the Amarnath temple. Empowering women the SHG wayChib says many such SHGs also operated in Kashmir, especially in the villages of Kulgam district, stitching gloves, socks and other woollens for the pilgrims.“At least seven to eight SHGs there work towards making essentials, including raincoats, woolens and sleeping bags. The shrine board paid nearly Rs4.5 lakh to produce them for the Amarnath officials,” she adds. Nilofer (last name withheld on request) from Kulgam district had been struggling with financial difficulties. The 32-year-old mother of two couldn’t even afford to send her children to school till last year. Her husband works as a helper of a truck driver and is mostly away from home, travelling with his vehicle to Punjab, Haryana, New Delhi and other places.  “I joined an SHG under the Umeed scheme in the area to support my family financially. Here, we make snacks, woollen gloves and socks. The opportunity not only allowed me to earn but also provide better education to my children. While the Amarnath pilgrimage provides much needed financial support to those directly associated with it, even the SHGs providing essential items to the pilgrims are benefitting,” says Nilofer.   Edited by Rashmi Guha Ray

In J&K, the army is preventing the radicalisation of youth

J&K Army organised a welding workshop for training the youth (Photo Credits: Umar Shehzaad)By Arjun Sharma and Umar ShehzaadFrom skill development initiatives to invitations to Republic Day celebrations, the army has several measures in place to win back trust and help the locals Jammu/Doda: On a sunny February afternoon, 22-year-old Junaid Bhat was busy cutting wooden logs to make an Almirah at a small shop in Jammu Division's Kishtwar district. In this mountainous region—one that has witnessed some of the worst incidents of terrorism—Bhat wasn't just another ordinary carpenter going about his day. As the nephew of the longest surviving commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit in the region — Mohammad Amin alias Jehangir Saroori; the young man was fully aware that the police and the Army may be keeping a vigil on him.The Army provided Bhat with vocational training as a carpenter about seven months ago to prevent him from going astray like his uncle. "The Army trained me as a carpenter for 90 days, after which I was issued a government certificate. Neither any Hurriyat (separatist) leader nor any government officials supported us," said Bhat, who believes that he has understood the value of hard-earned money and peace.Bhat was one of many to receive such support from the Army in the state. Many young people in the area had taken up arms in the 1990s and early 2000s due to sustained propaganda by Pakistan. Since then, villages in Kishtwar have generally relied on the Army's help as the government machinery cannot reach and help these villagers due to its mountainous topography. Information from locals can be a game-changer for security forces; hence they are always willing to help the villagers. Part of this strategy is providing employment opportunities through skill training to local youth. The Army has been scaling this up aggressively over the past few years in the wake of new threats to lure youngsters. This is one of the supposed reasons that terrorism in Kishtwar and adjoining Doda district has decreased significantly, especially since the abrogation of section 370. "The path of terrorism will lead only to death by bullet," Bhat told 101Reporters, adding that officials have never harassed him for his connection to the uncle. He even made appeals to Mohammad Amin to surrender himself to the Army. "The army had also helped my uncle's (Saroori) son to get immediate medical help when he injured his leg," added Bhat.The Army also assisted women with their health concerns. Pregnant women face hardships as the Macchal sector in Kupwara — a hotbed for terrorism that gets cut off from the rest of the valley during the snow. Along with other remote regions, the Army also held regular medical camps as government doctors are not available in these places. J&K Army helps Pregnant women in remote areas (Image sourced by Arjun Sharma)'No stone left unturned'After having suffered for many years, the women in the terror-infested regions of J&K are now trying to learn new vocations and earning alongside their husbands.The Army trained nine women hailing from remote areas of Thakrie block in Kishtwar in tailoring, after which they formed a self-help group. This course was carried out under the supervision of the District Social Welfare Department, and certificates were awarded from Menrol Skills Pvt. Ltd on successful completion.Even in the Rajouri district along the LoC, which had witnessed many incidents of terrorism, the Army has left no stone unturned to help the youth. Regular workshops to train them are held. At the culmination of the Workshop, the participants are awarded certificates from the National Skill Development Council (NSDC).22-year-old Junaid Bhat was busy cutting wooden logs at a small shop in Jammu Division's Kishtwar district (Image sourced by Arjun Sharma)Murtaza Malik, 23, a resident of Darhal in Rajouri, said that the Army recently provided him training in welding, after which he has been able to start his workshop. "The only concern is that in small places like Darhal, there may be few people in need of welding. The initiative by the Army is appreciable, but the youth of far-flung regions must also be provided opportunities by the J&K government in starting their own business. But, unfortunately, most such schemes are only on papers," lamented Malik.Unfulfilled Expectations From The GovernmentLike Malik, most villagers believe that the government should also do its job of creating employment opportunities for the youth. However, Irfan (name changed on request), 36, from the Doda district, said there is stigma in his family members since his brother was an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for LeT. However, he had surrendered in 2020. "No private establishment is ready to provide a job to my brother as there is a label of former OGW on him. The government should come forward and provide jobs to the surrendered OGWs so that they can assimilate into the mainstream," Irfan told 101Reporters. People within the region are unaware of government schemes, and government officials generally don't reach such remote areas.Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior official of the Kishtwar district administration told 101Reporters that "the government staff is not well trained. They also do not have the necessary resources to reach far-flung areas when everything is covered under snow during extreme winters. So most of the time, the district administration requests the Army for the help of locals in these far-off villages. We understand that there are loopholes in the system but then what matters is that someone comes to the rescue of villagers." 'Trust Is A Two-Way Street'Being a Muslim dominated region, Kishtwar and Doda districts have witnessed several alleged fake encounters, custodial deaths etc. Arrests in the Kashmir valley have also created a sense of fear even in the Jammu division. However, these initiatives by the Army have been able to build trust again to a certain extent.On January 26, 2022, Irfan was invited to the Republic Day event at Doda by the 10 Rashtriya Rifles (10 RR), where Lal Din Gujjar, father of Nazir Gujjar alias Abu Manzil, a hardcore terrorist operating from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), unfurled the flag of India.  "Who would have thought that the father of a wanted militant would unfurl the tricolour on Republic Day?" questioned Gujjar. He said that if people at large start trusting the Muslim population of J&K, terrorism will be wiped out soon."Many sons of the region have already lost their lives after picking up guns. It was time that elders started trusting the Army to send a message to the younger generation to end the bloodshed. However, trust is a two-way phenomenon and can be achieved only if both sides agree on some points," Gujjar told 101Reporters. Company Commander of Indian Army's 10 RR, Major Mohammad Navaid in Doda, said that efforts are afoot so that no youth goes towards militancy and takes up arms. "Inviting families of militants on Republic Day function will make the kin a part of mainstream so that there is no stigma on them and they can assure their family members to return and surrender for the better," he added.

Dalit women in Punjab shun caste vocations to knit a different life`

By Arjun Sharma and Sukhcharan PreetA group of women in Barnala’s Sukhpura Mour village have knitted themselves a lucrative livelihood through their hosiery skills, allowing them to escape caste-based discrimination and abuse.  Barnala: It wasn’t easy for Gurmeet Kaur, a Dalit Sikh from Punjab, to smash the long legacy of caste-based discrimination. The 55-year-old, like many other Dalit women, worked at the homes and farms of upper caste ‘Jat’ Sikhs. But, in 2016, Gurmeet realised that this work was not her only destiny. Along with several other Dalit women of Sukhpura Mour village in Barnala district, she was able to break free from the shackles of caste vocations through knitting.This knitting group in Sukhpura Mour comprises 18 women. Clothing companies in Ludhiana — a major hub of hosiery — place orders for sweaters with this group and provide them with wool. They are paid per sweater. The women divide work amongst themselves based on the availability of knitting machines. At present, only seven women in the village of nearly 2400 have knitting machines while the rest sew the woolens. Women owning a machine get Rs 50 to Rs 60 per completed sweater. The ones without a machine help out in sewing the knitted pieces. They are paid Rs 15 to Rs 20 per piece.While the women work within a framework of mutual understanding, they are not organised or registered as an SHG. A self-help group is eligible for many services from banks, including loans on low-interest rates. The group in the village instead easily avails loans from local money lenders and are able to repay them on time due to ample orders. The group was founded by Saravpreet Kaur 15 years ago. A non-Dalit, she was married off at the age of 19 and witnessed extreme poverty. To make ends meet, the young woman decided to start a knitting business. With the help of her parents, she was able to procure a knitting machine by availing a loan of Rs 12,000 from a village moneylender. Some of the women gather to collect and tally the finished clothes (Picture credit - Sukhcharan Preet)Later, Saravpreet purchased another machine with her own money. Soon more women from marginalised backgrounds joined in. Today 13 out of 18 members in the group are Dalits. However, the women claim that there have been no tensions due to the caste composition of the group. The women in the village have almost forgotten their caste division and work together to earn a living.When the group started 15 years ago, the women used to only knit sweaters for locals. Soon they came to know that the hosiery units from Ludhiana outsource work. These women then reached out to some of the units in Ludhiana and were initially given a small order, which they completed in time. Now they don’t require any marketing as they are directly connected with the factories in Ludhiana and get orders regularly. Every few months, the women with machines visit units in Ludhiana, 70 km away, accompanied by their male relatives. They deliver the finished goods and are allotted a fresh quota of wool for new orders. The business thrives through the year, as big brands continue giving orders even during summers so that finished products can be stocked for winters.  Vandana Sharma, a senior fashion designer at Arora Knitfab, Ludhiana told 101Reporters that many units, plagued by labour issues, outsource this work to local women in different parts of Punjab. “This benefits both the manufacturing units as well as these women who are able to earn a living. This process also helps in empowering women financially,” added Sharma. Sharma’s belief resonates with Gurmeet who, as a former domestic worker, earned Rs 2,500 per month.  “My husband was a daily wager who used to earn nearly Rs 5,000. However, three years ago, he had to leave work due to his old age. Health issues, including my knee problems, further drained us, and I got a sewing job from two women who own knitting machines in our village,” said Gurmeet. Though she still cannot walk properly due to her bad knee, she now earns nearly Rs 8,000 per month.Some women have also purchased knitting machines, costing almost Rs 25,000, through micro-financing companies operating in the area. During the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns, payment of these loans became a significant hurdle. There were very few orders from hosiery companies in Ludhiana. Gurmeet Kaur displays some of the clothes she has made (Picture credit - Sukhcharan Preet) Another member, Rani Kaur, 50, a Dalit woman from neighbouring Kothe Nimwale village, told 101Reporters that she purchased the knitting machine for Rs 22,000 two years ago. Like thousands of other Dalits in Punjab, she was an agricultural labourer before starting her own business. “I used to earn Rs 5,000 per month by working for nearly 10 hours on the landlord’s field. However, I now earn around Rs 18,000 on an average in a month. I also have two helpers who sew the knitted clothes. I pay them Rs 18 per piece,” said Rani.During the lockdown, Rani said that she struggled to pay the loan she had taken from a local money lender for the knitting machine as there was no work and no income. "But, I somehow managed to surviv that period,” she added.  The pandemic has worsened the financial insecurities amongst Dalits, who comprise 32 per cent of the population in Punjab — the highest in any state. Dalit women, especially in the Malwa region of Punjab, where both Rani and Gurmeet live, have faced excessive discrimination for years. NGOs and organisations working for Dalit women have claimed that harassment at work is common for these women.Meanwhile, an upper-caste Sikh, Saravpreet Kaur, believes that awareness and empowerment through work can end discrimination to a large extent. “We work as a group with no caste-based stratification. There are women, including Dalits, who own machines, and others who sew the parts of the clothing. Both go hand in hand, and one is incomplete without the other,” she said. The group plans to buy more machines in the coming months and provide employment to others in the surrounding villages. “Getting a loan is easy. It is more difficult is to convince Dalit women that their life is beyond the fields and homes of landlords. Once they understand this, there would be no dearth of work and money for Dalit families,” said Rani Kaur.

As paddy, wheat profits dwindle, farmers in Punjab switch to alternate crops

By Arjun Sharma and Sukhcharan Preet.With traditional wheat and paddy cultivation proving economically unviable and ecologically damaging, farmers embrace new crops to resuscitate the struggling agricultural sector.Barnala: Declining soil quality due to the constant overuse of pesticides and other chemicals in wheat and rice cultivation has driven many farmers in Punjab to shift to alternative crops that have shown promising results.Punjab, famously called the 'food bowl of India', is currently witnessing a downward spiral in the cultivation of traditional crops, with farmers turning to relatively new crops such as turmeric, strawberry and mushroom.For the first time, Punjab was not the largest contributor of wheat in the country as Madhya Pradhesh usurped the title in 2020. The share of Punjab in the central pool has either remained constant or declined since 2018, which has prompted agricultural experts to press for diversification of crops in the state.The area under paddy cultivation has also fallen over the years as many farmers have abandoned the traditional wheat-rice cycle. Govt data shows that the paddy cultivation area in Punjab in 2009-10 was 28.02 lakh hectares, which remained almost constant until 2011-12 at 28.18 lakh hectares. The area increased in 2015-16 and reached 29.75 lakh hectares, and the ascent continued until the following year, reaching 30.46 lakh hectares. In 2017-18, however, the area decreased to 28.45 lakh hectares that further declined to 27.36 lakh hectares in 2019-20, a 2% decline in ten years.As per the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the soil health of Punjab has declined over the years after the green revolution. "Under intensive agriculture, the alluvial soils are showing multi-nutrient deficiencies and low organic carbon levels. The declining soil health is causing a reduction in factor productivity and stagnation in crop productivity. The central part of the state (3.16 million ha) under the rice-wheat system faces the problem of falling water table due to overdraw of groundwater. The southwestern part (1.41 million ha) is underlined with poor quality groundwater on the one hand and is threatened on the other hand by waterlogging and secondary salinity with the introduction of canal irrigation and rice cultivation in place of cotton," a study by ICAR stated.Rashpal Singh with officials from the Krishi Kendra (Picture credit - Arjun Sharma)Exotic crops trump water-intensive wheat-paddyAtinder Pal Singh, a farmer from Kattoo village in Barnala district of Punjab, worked as an assistant professor in a private college after completing his MSc in Agricultural Science from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) before leaving his job to start farming. After much deliberation with family and friends who had considerable farming experience, Atinder decided to cultivate turmeric.Buoyed by profits from the new crop in 2017, he decided to process and package the produce himself before selling it at a retail outlet in 2019. This year he planted turmeric on nine acres of land. He said that if a farmer sows and processes the turmeric himself and sells it for Rs 200 per kg, the farmer can earn Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh. "I have set up a processing unit based on the research of a friend who is an agronomist. It cost Rs 1 lakh. The unit cleans the turmeric with steam which keeps the nutrients intact compared to boiling and cleaning," he told 101Reporters. He has also planned to set up a lentil processing project at the cost of Rs 4 lakh.Dr Harjot Singh, Assistant Professor, Center for Agricultural Sciences, Barnala, conceded that farmers could profit from processing and selling high-quality turmeric under alternative farming.Dr PS Tanwar, Associate Director of Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Barnala, said alternate crops are becoming more popular among farmers. "While wheat and paddy do not bring much profit to the farmer, exotic crops, on the other hand, sell as soon as they reach the market. Farmers also understand that the future lies in alternative crops. That is why many of them are leaving wheat and paddy and are gravitating towards high valued crops," he explained.  (top) Strawberries being packed at Rashpal Singh's farm; (bottom) Deepak Kumar stands next to his mushroom harvest (Picture credit - Arjun Sharma)Mushroom and strawberry fields usher in regenerationAnother crop that has attracted many young farmers is mushroom which is both viable and profitable.  Generally, farmers in Punjab cultivate only seasonal mushrooms, but Deepak Kumar, a farmer from Barnala, has installed an indoor facility to grow button mushrooms. Kumar, who opted for agriculture as a profession, conducted much research and concluded that rice and wheat crops were not as lucrative as they used to be.Mushroom can be cultivated throughout the year in Kumar's indoor unit, giving him an edge over other farmers who grow only seasonal crops. He revealed that he had spent nearly Rs 50 lakh on this project. "I am quite satisfied with the quality of mushrooms from my facility. I have also provided employment to nearly 20 women as farm labour for mushroom cultivation," Kumar told 101Reporters. Punjab Agriculture University has also invented the technique of drying mushrooms with which farmers can generate more revenue by turning them into powder.Once an alien crop for Punjab, strawberries are now being grown in different parts of the state. In the Malwa region, though not very common, many farmers cultivate strawberries and sell the produce in the markets to register sizable profits.Rashpal Singh, a farmer from Baloke village, has secured a niche for himself. Singh has been cultivating strawberries since 2012 — starting from less than one acre, he gradually increased the cultivation to four acres of land. He explained that strawberries are grown in Punjab only in the winter season. The crop is sown in October and starts bearing fruit in January. He said that by planting strawberries correctly, a farmer could earn anywhere from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh per acre.Besides selling in Punjab, Rashpal also sells his crop in Delhi. "Earnings depend on the quality of fruit produced. Sometimes there is damage to the fruit due to weather or disease. However, strawberry is better than rice crop as it earns more income for a farmer," Singh said.

Rajouri lynching victim was the sole breadwinner of a poor family

Aijaz Dar, who was killed by alleged cow vigilantes in Jammu’s Rajouri district, leaves behind a family who are too poor to even afford firewood in the winter. Rajouri: Sitting on a chair in a dimly lit room, a grey-bearded man quietly wept. A walking stick lay by his side. Wearing a skull cap and talking to himself, Mohammad Afzal Dar barely noticed the goings-on around him. Only a few days ago, his 24-year-old son Aijaz Dar, was lynched in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, allegedly by ‘cow vigilantes’. He was the only breadwinner of the family, which includes his three younger sisters. The senior Dar had suffered a massive paralytic attack seven years ago after which he hasn’t been able to walk without a stick. He mostly remains in bed and rarely comes out of his house.Located on a hill in Rajdhani village in Thanamandi, Dar’s house is sparse, made up of stones and has only two rooms where the family of six, now five, lives. It is a 20 km drive from the district headquarters of Rajouri and after that, a nearly 500-metre walk to reach Dar’s home. The village has a population of nearly 3,000 people and a steady stream of locals, relatives and officials have been visiting the house since the night of Aijaz’s murder.  At around 9 pm on June 21, Aijaz Dar and his cousin Rashid Aziz had left home in a mini truck along with a driver, Maqbool Mir, to purchase a buffalo from Muradpur in Rajouri district. Having made the purchase, they started back home at around 2 am the next day. However, the trio was intercepted and attacked by a group of alleged cow vigilantes carrying batons and swords. The driver had managed to escape and drove to the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu but Aijaz, who was badly injured, could not be saved. The driver and the cousin escaped with injuries.  The Muslim-dominated district was left in shock when the news of Aijaz’s murder spread like wildfire. Worried that the incident could spark communal tensions in the area, the police were prompt to act. Authorities have so far arrested five men. Aijaz Dar's father, Mohammad Afzal Dar (centre), steps out of his home in Rajdhani village in Thanamandi. (Below) The three young sisters of the victim, who are now responsible for the household (Picture courtesy: Arjun Sharma)Price of Aijaz’s life - Rs 25,000“I want justice,” murmured Dar. “Aijaz was our only hope as he used to transport loads, including sand and gravel to construction sites, on his two horses to earn a living. He was bringing a buffalo after purchasing it from a local market and not a cow,” the father said, asking if ‘Gau Rakshaks’ now even kill Muslims who carry buffalo.The three sisters - Uzma Dar (20), Kalsoom Akhter (18) and Shaista Dar (16) - are unmarried and the entire responsibility of the household has now fallen on their shoulders. Their mother, Haseena Akhter, is unwell and is on regular medication. The family is so poor that they are worried about being able to afford firewood to survive the cold winter. Some Muslim organisations have collected some funds for the family but that will not last long. The family was also provided with a relief of Rs 25,000 by the district administration. “They have decided the value of my son's life at Rs 25,000,” said Dar, wryly.The eldest daughter, Uzma Dar, has demanded that she and her sisters be provided jobs by the government to help the family face an uncertain future. The local Panchayat has also decided to provide some funds for the family until they receive a government job. The Sarpanch of the village, Gafoor Dar, said that the panchayat has also decided to provide the family with a ‘pacca’ home under the union government’s housing scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojna. “We have written to the government for funds to provide a proper house to the family,” he said.

Brought together by the pandemic, residents of Rajouri heal old communal scars

In this Muslim-dominated district along the LoC, local civil society actors are coming together to help Hindu migrants in distress. Rajouri: In the midst of all the despair and hopelessness left behind in the wake of the deadly second wave of COVID-19, a sleepy Muslim-dominated district in Jammu and Kashmir has become a beacon of hope and communal harmony.  Several Muslim activists in Rajouri have joined hands to help the predominantly Hindu migrant daily wagers who had come to J&K from different parts of the country to earn a living.  After a spate of deaths and infections were reported in the union territory, the administration of J&K imposed a strict curfew in late April, restricting the movement of people and shutting down most work. This lockdown, which had been put in place till the end of May, has directly impacted the livelihoods of these daily wagers. While a partial unlock has been announced in June, it's not expected to bring much relief to these migrants. Rajouri district is located in the Jammu division of the UT and is close to the Line of Control. It had frequently witnessed firing from across the border until early this year when India and Pakistan agreed to strictly follow the ceasefire. As per official records, the district has witnessed 149 deaths due to COVID-19 and 8,778 cases of infection since the start of the pandemic last year.  In Rajouri, where Muslims constitute over 62% of the population and Hindus make up around 34%, the different community members usually live in dedicated colonies inhabited by their own. But curiously, many of the migrant Hindu families reside in Bela Colony and Kheora, which are Muslim-dominated areas.  Shafqat Mir, one of the activists who distributed rations and other essential commodities to the Hindu workers, said that these migrants have nowhere to go during the lockdown. “While they are not able to earn anything during the lockdown, they do not possess enough savings to eat food even twice a day.” Mir said that they are providing food to at least 200 Hindu families till the lockdown ends. “Flour, rice and pulses are also being distributed among the poor in Rajouri who cannot afford to eat amid the lockdown. These people include those who are self-employed.” Kamlesh Kumar (42), a migrant worker from Bihar residing in Bela Colony of Rajouri, was left without any work after the lockdown. Kumar worked as a mason and was paid at the end of each day’s work. “I, along with my wife and two children, could sustain ourselves for only three days after a lockdown was imposed. After this, I borrowed Rs 3,000 from a local building contractor who often gives me work. However, the money was exhausted in just 15 days.” “Then, I received a call from the contractor who said that some people were distributing free rations to workers and I could approach them. From them, I got flour, rice and other eatables for my family. The local Muslims have really come to our aid,” said Kumar. Tense situations have risen in the past when communal disharmony cast a shadow over the population of Rajouri. However, these Muslim activists believe that it is now time to forget about those divides created along religious lines and work to strengthen the social fabric of the town. Tazeem Dar, a youth leader from a political party, is distributing free rations, vegetables and soaps to the poor Hindu migrant families. “I am a human before I am a politician. I will talk and act like a politician when the time comes but this is not that time. People believe that Hindus and Muslims in J&K do not live in a cordial atmosphere. We are helping defeat the ideology of hatred and letting people know that the virus does not discriminate between Hindus or Muslims and that we need to unite as humans to defeat it,” said Dar. The local Islamic Welfare Organization has also extended a helping hand during this time of need and is helping the unprivileged, irrespective of their religion. They have ordered two oxygen concentrators, 400 oximeters, high flow oxygen masks and sanitisers, to be distributed on demand. They also plan to distribute rations and vegetables in far-flung areas of Rajouri district.With inputs from Jamsheed Malik

BJP wins Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council polls, but vote share shrinks

Jammu: While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was able to win the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh elections, the party has suffered a setback as it came down to 15 seats from 18 seats it had won in 2015. This was the first election after the bifurcation of J&K into two Union Territories.Congress won nine seats in the cold desert. The party had won five seats in last election. While National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not contest the LAHDC polls, first timer Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was not even able to open its account.However two independent candidates also won from Chushul, and Nyoma, both located close to Line of Actual Control (LAC) where Indian and Chinese troops have been standing eyeball to eyeball since months now.The elections to LAHDC Leh were held on October 22 amid the Covid-19 pandemic as well as Chinese aggression in Ladakh. BJP has been able to consecutively wrest control of the council for two times. It was for the first time able to win the council polls in 2015, a year after the party had won Lok Sabha polls.One of the major reasons why BJP had to witness decline in its seats despite the fact that the only Member Parliament (MP) from Ladakh comes from the saffron party is due to the doubts among the Ladakhis regarding the sixth schedule. Residents of Ladakh are demanding sixth schedule to protect their environment and culture from outer influence. When the region was a part of J&K, it was protected due to Article 370 that did not allow ‘outsiders’ to buy land in the state.However it was not only the demand for sixth schedule but also the choice of candidates that helped Congress in gaining seats. Rinchen Angmo, a journalist based in Leh believes that Congress had fielded young and new faces than BJP that became a major reason for increase in number of seats for the former.“People in Ladakh who were already disturbed due to doubts regarding implementation of sixth schedule, found fresh and young faces as more promising. This became a reason that Congress was able to gain seat share in the council” said Angmo.BJP was expecting above 20 seats as the party had fulfilled the demand of Ladakhis for making the region a UT. The demand was there for over 30 years but successive governments had ignored it. It was before the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 that the announcement was made by senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari that Ladakh will get UT status which came true only in 2019.BJP MP from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, tweeted, “Major victory for BJP in UT Ladakh. BJP won 15 out of 26 seats in the Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council. BJP will form LAHDC Leh once again”.BJP candidate Kunzang Lotus from Hundar said that the party won because it had fulfilled all the promised it had made. “Creation of UT for Ladakh was one such promise that no party had ever tried to fulfill. It was the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi under which such a mammoth task was undertaken people got what they wanted. The party has won the election with a majority and will form the council” said Lotus.He said that work on the Zojila Tunnel has started and that is another reason for the victory of the party.On the other hand Congress believes that the results are a mirror to BJP and its “false promises”.Rigzin Tsering, a Congress candidate who won from Sakti constituency said that his party gained four seats while BJP lost three seats. “Even as BJP won the polls, it cannot claim that it is a thumping victory as the party has actually rolled down to 15 seats from 18 in 2015. It is due to the lies and false promises that BJP was not preferred by a large number of people”.Tsering further said that his party would continue fighting for sixth schedule that will ensure a safe future for the people of Ladakh.Interestingly BJP had lost Thiksay constituency in 2018 by-election to Congress that it was able to wrest again this time.

Santosh Trophy: No representation from J&K due to Kashmir lock-down irks Jammu

Jammu & Kashmir: After missing two important football tournaments including Sub Junior National Football Championship and Senior Women’s National Football Championship, J&K football team is all set to remain absent even from the prestigious Santosh Trophy due to the lockdown and communication blockade in Kashmir.With most of the telephone lines still not accessible and suspension of mobile and broadband internet services in valley, the registration process for the team could not be completed in time and sent to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) leaving the fate of 20 football players from J&K team hanging in balance.However the situation has irked the players and football enthusiasts from Jammu region who are now up in arms against the J&K Football Association terming it discrimination against Jammu. Some senior football players and coaches from Jammu have also shot off letters to the higher ups questioning as to why a team from Jammu, that has no restrictions on communication, is not representing J&K for Santosh Trophy. J&K’s match against Punjab is scheduled on September 22 in Uttrakhand.J&K Santosh Trophy team is constituted of players from J&K Police, J&K Bank, Forest Department, Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs among other government offices as well as some senior players not employed by government. A total of 20 players are sent for the Santosh Trophy by J&K Football Association every year. When contacted Ramesh Chander, Vice President of J&K Football Association (Jammu Zone) said that the head-office of association is located in Srinagar and no senior office bearer could be contacted for the past one month. “The password and software that is used to upload the documents and profile of the players from J&K team is present with the staff in Srinagar. Registration of players is not possible without these details” said Chander.When asked if the association tried to contact the AIFF directly, Chander informed that any communication with the national body would be done only by the head office in Kashmir.Women football players from Jammu were also left disheartened after they were not able to take part in the Senior Women’s National Championship 2019-20. J&K is scheduled to take on Telengana on September 15 during the tournament. However the latter will walk over the J&K team in its absence. Registration process for the women team could also not be completed due to the similar technicalities.A senior football coach from Jammu who did not want to be named said that this was a clear case of discrimination against Jammu by Kashmir centric football association. “Why cannot a team from Jammu be sent to represent the state in Santosh trophy. Why is it that even as Jammu that constitutes of 10 out of total 22 districts (Two in Ladakh) of J&K has to suffer because Kashmir is under a lockdown?” questioned the coach.The coach also said that J&K used to send its football team even during the peak of terrorism in 1990’s and “not sending a team from J&K will send a very wrong signal to the world and could benefit those who are in need of propaganda against India” he said.It has been reliably learnt that the J&K State Sports Council has also been informed about the matter and the body has entered into the scene.Secretary of the Council, Naseem Javed Chaudhary told 101Reporters that the body has come to know about the situation where no team is being sent for the Santosh Trophy. “I am in talks with the AIFF and the state football association. I hope we will be able to find a middle path soon so that at least J&K can represent in the prestigious football trophy” said Chaudhary.

Sikh man linked to Pak PM’s party seeking asylum in India

A Pakistani Sikh who was a lawmaker and a member of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party is seeking asylum in India on the grounds that the minorities are not safe in the Muslim-majority country. Baldev Kumar, 43, was a Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He was associated with the country’s ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He is a Sahajdari Sikh who hails from Barikot city in Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Three years ago, he was framed in a murder case; he was acquitted only last year. “Atrocities on Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan are increasing by the day. Not only are girls from minority communities being converted and forced to marry Muslim men but we are also being implicated in false cases,” Kumar told 101Reporters.He came to India with his wife and two children on August 12 via Wagah border and is desperately seeking asylum before his three-month visa to India expires. The family is staying in Khanna town in Punjab's Ludhiana district. Kumar is seeking asylum from the Indian government on the grounds that minorities are not safe in Pakistan. He has not applied for asylum formally and has only appealed for it through the media.He was charged with murder of a fellow Sikh MPA from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in April 2016 and thus arrested. MPA Soran Singh, the then advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, was gunned down near his house in Buner district in April 2016. The PTI had expelled Kumar after his arrest. In April 2018, the anti-terror court in Buner declared him innocent, a month after which he took oath as an MPA. Three days after his swearing-in, Federally Administered Tribal Areas were merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, ending his stint as a legislator.He contended that the police arrested him merely on suspicion.“People back in my country had thought that it would be a naya [new] Pakistan after Imran Khan took oath as the Prime Minister. However, the situation has now turned grave. Minorities like me are desperate to come to settle in India, where the minorities live with respect and dignity,” he averred.He claimed that the instances of forced conversion of Sikh and Hindu girls in Pakistan’s Sindh province are much higher than what is known. “Girls are forcibly picked up by members of majority community and converted. Even the police don’t act in time and allow the perpetrators to convert and marry these young girls,” he alleged.Indian connectionKumar had got married in 2007 to Bhavna, an Indian citizen and a resident of Khanna, where they are putting up in a two-room rented accommodation. His in-laws are footing the bill. He has one more pressing concern: his 11-year-old daughter who is suffering from Thalassemia and needs regular blood transfusion. She has to be taken to Rajindra hospital in the adjoining Patiala district every two weeks.Kumar says he will not leave India and go to Pakistan at any cost as he fears for his life. “Minorities do not have any rights in Pakistan. They [extremists] can kill me on my arrival to Pakistan. I request the Indian government to grant me asylum,” he pleaded.Responding to a question about Kartarpur corridor—the four-kilometre route between two Sikh shrines in India and Pakistan, facilitating visa-free movement of Sikh pilgrims of both the countries—he said the Sikhs have been betrayed. He said their Gurus were backstabbed by the very people in Pakistan who are now advocating the corridor.He also hailed scrapping of Article 370 in Kashmir and compared Modi to a lion, fearlessly taking tough decisions.Kumar said he won’t mind working anywhere if he is granted asylum. “I have no political goals. I will work in India anywhere but it has be a place where I get respect. I am seeking asylum only because my self-respect was at stake in Pakistan,” he asserted.-Ends-

Security tightened in Punjab ahead of I-Day; passengers frisked at railway stations

Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab: As intelligence agencies suggested a possible attack by Pak-based terrorist groups during the Independence Day, security agencies have put most vulnerable regions such as Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab on high alert. Operation alert exercises are however underway from August 7 to August 21 on the western border to foil any infiltration bid.All the key airports of the country have been put on high alert by Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.Punjab has received specific inputs regarding a possible terror attack after which security on railway stations across the state has been beefed up. The alert is being taken seriously by the authorities in wake of separatist propaganda by Pakistan and arrest of many Kashmiri terrorists from educational institutions in Punjab last year.Security at railway stations in Ludhiana, Patiala, Jalandhar and Bathinda has been strengthened and frisking has become a routine affair. Senior police officials of these districts are also making rounds of the railway stations regularly so that no stone is left unturned regarding security.One of the main cities of the state, Ludhiana is in the focus from where not only trains to different states run but it also houses some of the top industrial units and even military cantonments. Metal detectors and additional Railway Police Force have been deployed at the Ludhiana railway station.Mohali that is a neighboring city to Punjab’s capital Chandigarh and home to IT industry has also been placed under security. Many check-posts have been installed in the city to keep a tab on the incoming vehicles, especially from other states.Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police of Ludhiana Gurpreet Singh Sikand said that checking at railway station will continue till August 15.Sikand said, “We have at least 250 personnel who will keep an eye on the railway station in Ludhiana till August 15. This is a special checking, and police are not ignoring any aspect keeping an eye minutely. We are also asking the visitors at railway station the reason for their visit to Ludhiana”He also clarified that inspection is not specifically regarding the abrogation of Article 370 and its fallout but due to August 15 and festival of Eid that is approaching.It has been reliably learnt that the police in all districts have received instructions from the police headquarters to intensify the security arrangements.On the other hand Railway Protection Force (RPF) has also beefed up the security. RPF has stationed men not only on the platforms but also inside trains to keep a check on passengers.The Khalistan connectionPunjab being a border state with Pakistan has been subjected to propaganda by the neighboring country in the past. Pakistan has in the recent past also made a major push for the Khalistani movement. Many Khalistani separatists were seen in videos and pictures in November last year during the foundation laying of Kartarpur corridor, a road that will allow Sikhs on the Indian side to visit a shrine related to the memories of first Sikh master Guru Nanak Dev in Kartarpur of Pakistan. Punjab police had increased its vigil even at the institutions where Kashmiri students are studying in the state. Three Kashmiris were arrested with AK-47 and explosives from an educational institution in Jalandhar in October last year. In April this year, another Kashmiri student was arrested from Central University at Bathinda on basis of terror links.Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh had from time to time stated that Pakistan was trying to spread terrorism in the state.J&K tightens securityIn the backdrop of the prevailing situation in Jammu & Kashmir, the General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh chaired a meeting of the Core Group of Intelligence and Security agencies at Srinagar to review the operational readiness to meet any contingency that could adversely impact the security situation in J&K. He stated that necessary security arrangements had been put in place for ensuring peace and security.According to an army spokesperson, Singh highlighted that during the past few days, Pakistan had intensified its efforts at increasing strength of terrorists in launch pads along the Line of Control, initiating ceasefire violations and trying to push infiltrators across the LoC. The army is also keeping an eye over the hate campaign on social media by Pakistan.The Army Commander also stated that security forces were maintaining a high state of alertness and readiness to counter any inimical designs.Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan after the abrogation of Article 370 had stated that Pulwama like attacks could take place on security forces in J&K after which a close eye is being kept on the highway where columns of security forces are frequently moving these days.