Nagpur: Making a sensational allegation, Congress’ Maharashtra President Nana Patole on Sunday said that the RDX used in the 2019 Pulwama terror strike was sent from Nagpur.
“I want to inform you all… The 300 kgs used in that terror strike was despatched from Nagpur. Who sent it, from where was it sent?” he asked.
Addressing a massive rally of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Patole said that even a CBI inquiry was also ordered into the matter, but almost four years later, there has been no outcome of its investigations.
Patole’s statement came with reference to the recent revelations made by former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Satya Pal Malik that has created a huge political row.
At the rally, Shiv Sena-UBT President and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed the government of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis for duping the people of the state and diverting attention from the real issues confronting the masses.
“They are accusing me of discarding Hindutva… What is their brand of Hindutva, assaulting a woman and then threatening her with arrest, not lodging her police complaint,” said Thackeray.
He was recalling the attack on party activist Sonali Pawar-Shinde in Thane on April 3, followed by a huge protest march taken out by the MVA to the city Police Commissionerate the next day.
Attacking Bharatiya Janata Party Minister Chandrakant Patil for his remarks that “no Shiv Sainiks were present during the demolition of the Babri Mosque”, Thackeray hit back: “If there were no Shiv Sainiks, then was it your uncle (there)?”
Several AMVA top leaders like NCP state President Jayant Patil, senior leader Anil Deshmukh and others also gave fiery speeches at the second ‘Vajramooth Rally’ in the series of public meetings planned over the next couple of months.
New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday accused the central government of indulging in “headline manipulation” and diverting attention from former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satypal Malik’s allegations over the 2019 Pulwama attack.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged on Twitter that the “Modi machine” has quickly either suppressed the “revelations” or diverted attention from them by generating other headlines and debates, an apparent reference to the narrative around the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf.
And see how the Modi Machine has quickly either supressed the revelations or has diverted attention from them by generating other headlines and debates. https://t.co/sS9WSq275b
The BJP has cited Malik’s past remarks, including the one that mocked former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as a “political juvenile”, and slammed him as the “disgraced governor of Jammu and Kashmir”.
BJP’s I-T department head Amit Malviya had on Saturday tweeted an old remark of Malik, who has become a strong critic of the government in recent years, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “best PM” for Jammu and Kashmir, to hit out at his “U-turn”.
And before Congress minions get all excited about Satyapal Malik, their new found knight in the shinning armour, here is what he had to say about Rahul Gandhi.
Congress’ media department head Pawan Khera also slammed the government on Sunday, saying questions do not vanish by “headline manipulation”.
Questions do not vanish by headline manipulation.
Questions only increase.
▪️why clean chit to China? ▪️why no JPC on Adani? ▪️where did 20K crores come from in Adani’s shell companies? ▪️why no answers on Pulwama? https://t.co/eiLapKp936
He said, “Questions only increase. Why clean chit to China? Why no JPC on Adani? Where did 20K crores come from in Adani’s shell companies? Why no answers on Pulwama?”
Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor put out a Twitter thread summarising the “revelations” made by Malik which he said had been “under-reported” by the media.
This thread summarises the startling revelations in ex-J&K Governor Satyapal Malik’s interview with Karan Thapar in @thewire_in which has been shamefully under-reported by our media: 1. CRPF asked for aircraft to fly their personnel; this was refused by the Home Ministry.
Tharoor said the “revelations” were on matters of national security which ought to be of concern to the nation.
“There is no national security interest involved in suppressing the story, only the political interests of the ruling party. The media should press GoI for an honest admission of failure and corrective action. The 40 jawans won’t come back to us but they and our nation deserve the truth,” Tharoor said.
The Congress had on Saturday demanded that the Centre reveal the outcome of the probe into the 2019 Pulwama incident in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed and asked why the paramilitary personnel were “denied” aircraft and made to commute by road despite the terror attack threat.
Ramesh had accused the BJP-led Union government of “minimum governance and maximum silence” and sought its response to the allegations made by Malik, who was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir at the time of the Pulwama terror attack.
There has been no reaction from the government since Malik’s interview to a news portal was released, while the BJP has said that there were serious questions about his credibility and cited various statements made by him in recent years.
Sharing a clip of a recent interview, in which Malik withdrew a controversial comment he claimed Home Minister Amit Shah had made, Malviya had said Malik admitted to “lying and making up baseless stories on what Home Minister Amit Shah had said about Prime Minister Modi”.
“No one took him seriously even when he made these allegations back then. But it raises serious questions on his credibility,” he had added.
Srinagar: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday alleged Atiq Ahmad and his brother’s killing in Uttar Pradesh was a “clever diversionary tactic” to shift attention from the “revelations” made by former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik about the Pulwama attack.
Malik, in an interview with a news portal, had claimed that there were lapses in security protocol that led to the February 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.
Mufti said in a tweet in Hindi, “Uttar Pradesh has slipped into anarchy and jungle raj. Cold blooded murders and lawlessness is being celebrated by rabid right wingers amidst slogans of Jai Shri Ram.
The People’s Democratic Party chief added, “A clever diversionary tactic to shift attention from Satyapal Malik’s damning revelations about the Pulwama attack and corruption.”
UP has slipped into anarchy & jungle raj. Cold blooded murders & lawlessness is being celebrated by rabid right wingers amidst slogans of Jai Shri Ram. A clever diversionary tactic to shift attention from Satyapal Malik’s damning revelations about Pulwama attack & corruption. https://t.co/Ovrjl9JdQB
Gangster-politician Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction on Saturday night while being escorted by police personnel to a medical college in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj for a checkup.
Says govt committed to provide best healthcare, high-tech equipments to Health centres of JK
Pulwama, April 15 (GNS): Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Bhupinder Kumar, today presided over a felicitation ceremony held to recognize outstanding performance of Pulwama district in health sector.
District Development Commissioner, Pulwama, Baseer-Ul-Haq Choudhary, Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Rather, Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Sachin Kumar, SSP Pulwama, Mohammad Yousuf, CMOs Pulwama and Shopian, State Tuberculosis Officer, District Tuberculosis Officers, doctors, paramedical staff, health workers and other concerned were present on the occasion.
On the occasion, the participants took an oath against drug abuse.
Various speakers emphasized the need to raise awareness about the ill-effects of drug abuse and help the affected people reach de-addiction centres. They appealed to the gathering, especially the youth, to unite and fight against drug addiction, terming the menace as one of the stumbling blocks for India to achieve its full potential.
On the occasion, Bhupinder Kumar expressed happiness over the fact that recently Pulwama has been declared as TB free district. He said that the entire Kashmir division is gradually moving towards Tuberculosis (TB) elimination. “TB incidences are declining in Kashmir. We will achieve TB elimination by 2025 intensified and active case finding and case screening is being done regularly,” he added.
He appreciated the untiring efforts of health employees in achieving these significant landmarks. He lauded the district administration led by Baseer-Ul-Haq Choudhary for his unparalleled support and guidance.
Secretary said that the department has done an extremely wonderful job in achieving brilliant results during the last few years in TB elimination. He praised the work of State Tuberculosis Officer, Chief Medical Officers Pulwama and Shopian, District Tuberculosis Officers, Block Medical Officers and most importantly the outstanding role of the ground staff.
He said that twin districts of Pulwama and Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam were declared TB free recently, while twin districts of Srinagar and Ganderbal received gold Medals.
Hailing the achievements of Director Health Services, Secretary Health said that it has been made possible only by coordinated efforts of the department under the dedicated work of Doctors, paramedical staff and all the field workers.
On the occasion, he also felicitated doctors, health workers, field staff and paramedical staff of Pulwama/ Shopian for their commendable contributions in the health sector. He said that Pulwama and Anantnag districts in south Kashmir have been declared tuberculosis free in the second round of the sub-national certification for TB elimination of India recently. He added that three districts (Budgam, Pulwama and Anantnag) are the only districts that have been declared TB-free so far. “Srinagar has got a gold medal while UT J&K has got bronze and most of the other districts have maintained the status quo. Pulwama now has the distinction of being among the only three districts with TB free status,” he added.
Secretary lauded their tireless work during the Covid-19 pandemic and in TB elimination. He said that the fight against Covid and TB was almost impossible without the work of health workers while the support of allied departments was paramount. He also complimented anti-TB medical personnel, Pulwama for achieving the target in two years ahead of the National target.
On the occasion, Deputy Commissioner said that only with the strenuous efforts of Health society Pulwama and its associated officers/officials/ workers, health sector is witnessing reformation of the district’s health sector which is being acknowledged at national level as the District received back to back recognition for TB free and Kayakalp awards.
It has been a proud moment for the district administration and all of us that the district received Kayakalp “Award to Public Health Facilities” 2022-2023 besides one Community Health Centre Pampore, 05 PHCs, 01 NTPHC and 04 HWCs have qualified for awards under Kayakalp.
He added that following the National ambitious goal of achieving TB Free India by 2025, District Pulwama is privileged to hit the milestone two years ahead of the National target.
Director Health Services Kashmir, appreciated the work of the health care workers and credited the low mortality rate during the Covid-19 pandemic and the TB elimination in the District to them.
Later, Bhupinder Kumar felicitated the toppers of the recently declared results in class 8, besides felicitating the media fraternity of Pulwama for their commendable role in disseminating information regarding COVID-19 and TB in the district.(GNS)
Satya Pal Malik, the last Governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir who oversaw heightened times that include the abrogation of Article 370, stated in an interview that the Prime Minister squelched him by saying “tum abhi chup raho” when he as governor reported that the Centre’s own mistakes were to blame for the Pulwama massacre.
Malik also said that the Prime Minister is ‘ill-informed’ and ‘does not hate corruption very much’ in an interview with journalist Karan Thapar for The Wire news portal that was posted on Friday night.
Malik mentioned the bombing of the CRPF convoy in Pulwama in February 2019 which claimed the lives of 40 jawans and was turned into an election issue by the BJP in the interview.
“CRPF members requested an aircraft to transport their members because such a sizable convoy seldom travels by road. They enquired the home ministry. They refused to give. They only required 5 aircraft, but they weren’t provided with any,” Malik said.
He recalled the Prime Minister calling him on the evening of February 14, 2019, from outside the Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.
“I told it to the PM the same evening. This is our fault. Had we given aircraft then this would not have happened. (To that), he told me, “Tum abhi chup raho….’ I had already said this to a couple of channels. He said, ‘Yeh sab mat bolo, yeh koi aur cheez hai. Hame bolne do….’
Malik also said that the National security advisor Ajit Doval also asked him to stay quiet. “Yeh sab mat boliye. Aap chup rahiye (Don’t say all this. Stay quiet)….’ Mujhe lag gaya tha ki ab yeh sara onus Pakistan ke taraf jana hai toh ‘chup rahiye’ (I feelthat the onus was shifted to Pakistan, so ‘stay quiet’),” Malik said.
He said that none of the link roads to the highway where the convoy was travelling had been blocked, blaming the CRPF and the Union home ministry.
“It was 100% an intelligence failure,” the former governor stated. He further stated that the vehicle that crashed into the convoy was travelling through the nearby villages for 10–12 days prior to the explosion while carrying an estimated 300kg of explosives without being seen.
He claimed that even though Pakistan was the only place where such a massive amount of explosives could have arrived, the deaths were due to these security failings.
When the interviewer asked the former Governor if the Prime Minister used the Pulwama issue for the sake of the upcoming general election, Satyapal Malik just smiled. “Ha ya Na.. kuch nahi kar raha hu,” he added.
Malik stated that while not being informed beforehand of the Modi administration’s intention to revoke the state’s special status, he was aware of it because it had been discussed and was on the agenda.
“Just a day before (the abrogation of special status under Article 370), I got a call from the home minister saying he was sending me a letter that I needed to get passed by the committee and send by 11 a.m. the next day,” Malik explained.
Malik further said that if he had been consulted, he would have advocated against reducing Jammu and Kashmir to a Union Territory. He speculated that this was done because the Centre feared an uprising and wanted the police under its control.
Malik stated he found Modi ‘ill-informed’ during their conversations on Kashmir in 2018, after Modi had already been in power for four years.
Malik rehashed past claims of corruption in an insurance contract and a power project that he had halted as governor in the interview. In conjunction with his charges, he implicated a business, a former Jammu and Kashmir minister, and RSS leader Ram Madhav. For these claims, Ram Madhav has filed a defamation suit against Malik.
“I can safely say that the PM does not hate corruption very much,” Malik claimed, adding that he was relocated from Goa, where he was governor, a week after complaining to Modi about suspected corruption there.
However, he claimed that the Prime Minister had supported him when he stopped the ‘dodgy’ projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
Malik further stated that despite a recommendation for Z+ security and a residence for him due to an alleged danger from Pakistan, he is now protected by a single cop. “Sarkar chahti hai saale ko koi maar de,” he said when asked about the absence of protection.
“If we could only work honestly in Kashmir. We never had free and fair elections there. We rigged the results. We don’t elicit trust because of these tricks,” he remarked.
Malik disputed charges made by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti that he denied her an audience to lay a claim to lead the government when he dissolved the J&K Assembly in 2018.
“I was not in contact with him (Modi),” he explained. It was Eid and there was no one in my office to operate the fax machine or anything else. I was in Delhi at the time. I arrived at 4 p.m. My chief secretary and our intelligence head arrived and informed me that there is a majority and that if they submit the letter, I will administer the oath. But what exactly is the rule? Twitter is not where governments are formed,” he remarked.
“I dissolved the Assembly after 8 p.m,” Malik stated. “She had the entire day to herself. There are three flights every day between Srinagar and Jammu. We are heading to Delhi and will decide tomorrow,’ stated Farooq Abdullah Sahab’s party. Ghulam Nabi Azad has not said unequivocally that they will support it. Only Mehbooba stated that she had a majority. There was horse trading going on at a large scale. She herself had complained and demanded that the Assembly be dissolved soon, ‘Our MLAs are being poached, we are being pressurised’. Farooq himself used to complain..if they were incompetent, I am not responsible for that..Of course, she is lying. She never called me in that period of time,” he added
Malik remarked that the Adani-Hindenburg row would be to the Modi government’s detriment if the opposition comes together for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
“It’s (the Adani-Hindenburg scandal) an election issue. If they (the Modi government) do not improve, the Adani (row) will destroy them. If the opposition has a one-on-one debate, they (the Modi government) will not be rescued. He (the PM) couldn’t say anything in his defence,” Malik remarked.
Srinagar, Apr 08: Burglars decamped with an ATM of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in main town area of Pulwama district, officials said on Saturday.
They told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that burglars took away the ATM along with cash near Government Degree College Pulwama last night.
They said that it wasn’t immediately known how much amount the ATM was containing.
They said police have registered a case and started investigations into the matter—(KNO)
Srinagar, Apr 07: An elderly man died while 5 others were injured in a road accident in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the accident took place in Khamri village of the district, resuting in injuries to at least 6 people.
He said that all injured were shifted to a nearby hospital, where one of them was declared dead on on arrival.
“He has been identified as Ab Gani Shiekh son of Sonaullah Shiekh,” the official said.
Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident—(KNO)
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Saturday conducted raids in Achan village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama in connection with the killing of a Kashmir Pandit.
Quoting an official, KNO reported that SIA is conducting raids at Achan in connection with the investigation of killing of Kashmiri Pandit Sanjay Sharma.
He said the sleuths of the investigating agency assisted by the local police and CRPF are carrying out raids in the native village of Sharma.
Notably, Sanjay Sharma (40), who was working as a bank ATM guard, was killed by militants on February 26.
Srinagar, Mar 29: The Jammu & Kashmir State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Saturday conducted raids in Achan village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama in connection with the killing of a Kashmir Pandit.
An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that SIA is conducting raids at Achan in connection with the investigation of killing of Kashmiri Pandit Sanjay Sharma.
He said the sleuths of the investigating agency assisted by the local police and CRPF are carrying out raids in the native village of Sharma.
Notably, Sanjay Sharma (40), who was working as a bank ATM guard, was killed by militants on February 26.
SRINAGAR: Anantnag and Pulwama districts have achieved tuberculosis-free status under India’s sub-national certification program for TB elimination, officials said here on Tuesday.
Dr Adfar Qadri, the State Tuberculosis Officer, informed the news agency KNO that Anantnag and Pulwama districts have been declared tuberculosis-free, adding two more districts to the list.
She announced that Srinagar was awarded the gold medal, while the Union Territory received the bronze, and the majority of other districts have maintained their current status. Additionally, she proudly stated that the region now has three districts with TB three status, with Budgam having achieved this status in 2021.
“Kashmir received three gold medals last year, and now we have achieved an even higher level of success with the declaration of Pulwama and Anantnag as tuberculosis-free.” She added.
“TB incidence is declining in Kashmir. We will achieve TB elimination by 2025 as we are doing intensified and active case finding and case screening,” she said.
Notably, there are 4 categories of recognition in achievement of reduction of case targets, the top spot being TB-free status meaning 80% reduction.
The other categories include gold medal category (over 60% reduction), silver medal category (over 40% reduction) and bronze medal category (over 20% reduction).
Budgam was the first district to be declared TB free. Sub-national certification is an initiative to mark the progress of districts, states and UTs towards TB free status, which was initiated in 2020 to achieve the target of TB free India by 2025. (KNO)
