Police detaining handicapped people during rally at Srinagar.
SRINAGAR, Mar 24: Dozens of physically challenged persons protested against the State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu for not announcing any relief for them in the budget.
Protesting under the banner of JK Handicapped Association, they said that it was disappointing for them to be ignored by the Finance Minister.
“Thousands of physically challenged have been forgotten by the PDP-BJP alliance. No relief package has been announced for us,” President of the Association Abdul Rashid Bhat said.
He said the new Government has followed the footsteps of its predecessors which too had brushed them aside.
He said the Government should announce some relief for them, else they will keep protesting.
“Ignoring us is a human rights violation and all the successive Governments have committed it.”
The agitated persons also said they have not been paid any compensation after floods devastated their office in the city and damaged all the sewing machines on which they worked to earn for their livelihood.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Rufi Khan and others seeking implementation of resolution passed in Chief Justices’ Conference, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Bansi Lal Bhat today granted two weeks time to the State on the assurance of Advocate General that immediately after the Budget Session the Cabinet will consider the issue involved in the appointment of Member Secretary JKSLSA.
When the matter came-up for hearing, Advocate General gave an assurance to the Court that immediately after budget session, Cabinet will take into the consideration the issue.
Upon this, Court granted two weeks time and directed Registry to list the PIL on April 15, 2015.
BJP leaders during a press conference at Jammu on Tuesday.
JAMMU, Mar 24: Commenting on the controversy and confusion regarding the applicability of Armed Force Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the State, BJP State spokesperson Farooq Khan said that the said Act is very much in force and no area has been denotified for the purpose of the applicability of this Act.
While talking to reporters along with two other spokespersons of the Party Lalit Moza and Balbir Ram Rattan here today Khan said, the debate in this regard is uncalled for and politically motivated.
He, while explaining the issue, said that Disturbed Area Act (DAA) 1997, which is under discussion has no relevance whatsoever with the continuation of AFSPA in the State. In fact, AFSPA is a self-contained Act, which came into being in the State in September 1990 with retrospective effect from July 1990, while the said DAA was not even borne on the Statute Books of the State. Any notification under AFSPA regarding denotification of any area of the State has to be issued by the Governor or Government of India. The confusion, which is deliberately being created that AFSPA is dependent upon DAA for its existence in the State, is far from truth. Even the agenda of governance unambiguously says that only the Centre in this regard will take the final view.
As for the BJP, Khan said that it holds the view that nothing shall be done that hampers anti-insurgency operations in the State and undermines the resolve of the security forces to maintain internal and external security. The State BJP, once again, reassures the nation that it shall not allow anybody to tinker with Indian sovereignty and integrity of the Nation.
Khan was flanked by BJP State Spokespersons Lalit Moza and Balbir Ram Rattan.
JAMMU, Mar 24: Peer Mitha police arrested four drug peddlers along with large quantity of intoxicant capsules near DC Office crossing.
Addressing a press conference, SP City Shiv Kumar Singh Chouhan said that on specific information, police team from Peer Mitha police station raised a naka near DC Office crossing and intercepted a Maruti car bearing registration number JK02U-9011.
SP further disclosed that during checking, police recovered 236 intoxicant capsules and 140 tablets and arrested all the four persons traveling in the car.
The accused have been identified as Fazan Mir, son of Firdous Mir of Srinagar, Naresh Singh, son of Partab Singh and Sharukh Khan, son of Zakir Hussain, both residents of Sidhra and Ammer Khan, son of Nazar Ali Khan of district Reasi, SP added.
A case under FIR number 19/15 under Section 8/21/22 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered at Peer Mitha police station and investigation started, SP stated.
Police team led by SHO Peer Mitha police station Inspector Javed Akhtar made the arrest under the supervision of DySP City Perbeet Singh, SP City Shiv Kumar Singh and SSP Jammu Uttam Chand.
SSP Samba, Joginder Singh and Commandant-38 Battalion, CRPF, distributing ‘Masquito Nets’ among flood affected people at Uttar Beheni in Samba.
JAMMU, Mar 24: 38 Battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) under its Civic Action Programme today distributed ‘Cotton Durries’ and ‘Mosquito Nets’ for the flood affected villages of Samba district.
The aids were extended during a programme organized by the Battalion at Uttar Beheni.
Joginder Singh, SSP Samba inaugurated the programme in the presence of Ranbir Singh, Commandant-38 Bn CRPF and Deputy Commandants, JP Sharma, Anil Kumar and Neelam Kaninwal.
The aids were distributed among the flood affected people of village Kotwalta, Uttar Beheni, Kameela, Suchani and Sangwal.
Prominent personalities of the area and Sarpanchs and Panchs of the area were also present.
Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, Mar 24: Police recovered a missing woman after one year from upper reaches of Dhundrath.
As per police sources, a missing report was lodged by Saif Din, son of Hakim Din of Dhar Dhundrath, district Ramban with police post Rajgarh that his wife went missing.
Acting on the complaint, police started investigation and finally recovered the woman from upper reaches of Dhundrath after one year.
Further investigation into the case is going on.
A scene from the play ‘The Last Colony’ staged by NNKCS Jammu in Chalo Theatre in Haryana.
JAMMU, Mar 24: Natraj Natya Kunj Cultural Society (NNKCS) Jammu, today performed its highly acclaimed multilingual play “The Last Colony” in Chalo Theatre, a National Theatre Festival being organised by Ras Kala Manch, Haryana, from March 21 to 27 at Radha Krishan Sabhagar, Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak.
Written by Kumar A ‘Bharti’ and directed by Abhishek Bharti, this experimental play is a result of two months long physical theatre workshop which was conducted by Abhishek Bharti. Though originally based on the theory of Brazilian Theatre director Augusto Boal’s concept of Theatre of Oppressed and Poland Theatre director Jerzy Grotowski’s concept of Poor Theatre, the play emphasizes on the fact that social and intimate violence by individual or group perpetrators are not the only oppressors of women.
Obviously, the script was adapted from true events which were infectiously lapped up by the global media.
‘The Last Colony’ echoes the plight of today’s women and their constant struggle, the language of the drama ranged from Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri dialogues, heightened with an effective emotional plane and powerful expressions. The director used the challenging theatrical strategies taking it to a different sphere altogether, used chorus as a backdrop, prop or setting to support the central subject and interaction of Actors with audience.
The director emphatically bolstered the burning issue through an aesthetic collage of choreographed movements, stylized stances and dance postures. With the mature acting skills of the artists, background setting and a strong concept the play come out as a pure visual treat for viewers.
Those who acted in the play included Aaditya Bharti, Manik Sharma, Kannav Sharma, Amandeep Sharma, Lalit Sharma, Vishal Bhat, Karan Mehra, Vishal Pandita, Safir Sabah, Surbhi Balgotra, Neha Bhat, Shubhangi Dhamir, Dipshi Mahajan and Niharika Sakshi.
Back stage team included Assistant Director Aaditya Bharti, Choreographer Romit Sawhney, Set and properties designed by Niharika Sakshi, Karan Mehra, Vishal Pandita and Dipshi Mahajan. Lights were designed by Amandeep Sharma and Pawan Sharma, Make-up by Safir Sabah and Dipshi Mahajan, Costumes designed by Sonia Dubey while Music, Design was given by Abhishek Bharti.
