As the All Party Delegation Arrives in Srinagar today and several members including those of the CPI(M) and Congress push for an open and honest dialogue, Greater Kashmir reported that a youth from Qazigund died with pellet injuries, head wound. Ahangar was hit by pellets during clashes with government forces today in Vesso village of Qazigund in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Meanwhile, the visit is being greeted with cautious optimism, almost a sense of deja vu, given New Delhi's track record — not helped by the cynical politics of Pakistan-inspired separatists –-to keep the conflict on the boil.
A youth with multiple pellet injuries and a head wound was declared dead on arrival at District Hospital Anantnag, doctors said on Saturday, September 3. They said that Basit Ahmad Ahangar, son of Ghulam Muhammad Ahangar, resident of Vessu, had suffered multiple pellet injuries in his legs. “He had a head wound as well,” said a doctor, who didn’t wish to be named reported Greater Kashmir.
Greater Kashmir also reported that extensively that ahead of the visit of an all-party delegation to Jammu and Kashmir, political parties today pitched for holding dialogue with "all stakeholders", including Hurriyat, to douse the unrest and banning the use of pellet guns by security forces. After a meeting held by the government to brief the MPs who are part of the 30-member delegation, leaders from Congress and CPI(M) said all stakeholders should be approached during the two-day visit of the delegation to Jammu and Kashmir beginning Sunday.
Meanwhile, Kashmir Times reported that five news channels have been prohibited from reporting on news in the Valley. Reports said district magistrate Srinagar in this regard has sent notices (vide order number Lgl/144-CrPC/4859-60) through SSP Srinagar to SEN Digital Network, JK Media Network Service and Take One Media asking them to block the news channels like KBC, Gulistan TV, Munsiff TV, JK Channel and Insaaf TV.
The order issued by District Magistrate Srinagar reads: “whereas Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar has informed that Cable Operators operating in District Srinagar are transmitting various programmes which has created law and order problem in the Valley in general and Srinagar in particular as these cable operators transmit programmes which promote hatred, ill-will, disharmony and a feeling of enmity against the sovereignty of State. Besides some of the channels transmitted by the cable operators viz: KBC, Gulistan TV, Munsiff TV, JK Channel and Insaaf TV have started to telecast programmes which have potential of causing mental and physical harm to particular functionaries of Government. Besides, these programmes have caused feeling of prejudice to the maintenance of harmony and public peace.” The order further reads that, “whereas, Cable Television Network (Regulation Act, 1995) provides a mechanism to regulate the operation of television network and in order to prevent the breech of peace and to stop incitement and instigation of the public to cause mental and physical threat to particular functionaries of the Government.”
Greater Kashmir reported extensively on the meeting of the All Party delegation in Delhi. "Government should invite Hurriyat for talks with the all-party delegation…. The invitation extended to others should be given to Hurriyat also. It is up to them whether they want to meet the delegation," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said.
Yechury said government should make "tangible" announcement like a ban on pellet guns, withdrawal of AFSPA from civilian areas and rehabilitation and compensation package for those who lost their lives in recent violence as a follow up of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement of taking peace initiative on the basis of 'Insaniyat, Jamuriyat and Kashmiriyat'.
The delegation will interact with individuals and groups aiming to bring peace in the Valley, which has been facing unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the UPA is open to holding dialogue with all stakeholders. After returning to Delhi on Monday night, the delegation would meet once again "and the government will take action based on their suggestions," he said.
Apart from the Home Minister and Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh, those who will be part of the all-party delegation include Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, his Lok Sabha colleague Mallikarjun Kharge, senior Congress leader Ambika Soni, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP), JD-U leader Sharad Yadav, CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI leader D Raja, NCP's Tariq Anwar and Trinamool Congress' Saugata Roy, Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut and Anandrao Adsul, TDP's Thota Narasimham, Shiromani Akali Dal's Prem Singh Chandumajra, BJD's Dilip Tirkey, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, AIUDF's Badaruddin Ajmal and Muslim League's E Ahamed will be part of the delegation.
TRS' Jitendra Reddy, N K Premchandran (RSP), P Venugopal (AIADMK), Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Y B Subba (YSR-Cong), Jaiprakash Yadav (RJD), Dharamveer Gandhi (AAP) and Dushyant Chautala (RLD) are also in the team.BSP and Samajwadi Party have extended their support but have not been able to nominate any of their members.
Meanwhile The Times of India on Sunday led with four column story featuring the hate-filled words of Hizbul chief, Syed Salahuddin screaming, "We'll flood Valley with Suicide Bombers, says Hizbul chief. The story can be read here. The web edition had this headline "Will turn Kashmir into a graveyard for security forces."
Clearly, not the best of climate for any ice-breaker attempts in the Valley.