Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 19: HomeGuards of the State under thebanner of All J&K Home GuardWelfare Association today tookout a protest rally from MubarakMandi, demanding implementa-tion of Supreme Court order

regarding bringing HomeGuards at par with regular con-stables of police department.

Hundreds of Home Guardsdrawn from various parts ofJammu region today assembledat Mubarak Mandi complex andregistered their protest againstthe PDP-BJP CoalitionGovernment in the State forignoring the SC order, in whichthe State administration wasdirected to bring Home Guardsof J&K at par with constables inPolice Department.

Later, the protesting HomeGuards in the form of a rallymoved towards Governor Housebut the police restricted theirmove and the Home Guards hadto return from Pacca DangaChowk. Addressing the protest-ers, Kamla Sharma, president ofthe association, said that the

Government had sought aweek’s time to implement theSC order but it has elapsed thestipulated time and did nothingto implement the order.

Lashing out severely on theState Government, for ignoringdemands of Home Guards,Kamla said that on one side

G o v e r n m e n thas given per-manent jobs to9000 stone pel-ters and surren-dered militantsof the State andon the others i d e ,G o v e r n m e n thas deliberatelyignored theHome Guardsof the State,who on thestake of theirlives are servingin the State in all

conditions on a salary of Rs 545per month only.

Slamming the MLAs andMLCs of the State, she said thatit is shameful that those who callthemselves as the representa-tives of the people has no time toraise the issues of the HomeGuards in the ongoing AssemblySession. She warned theGovernment of playing with thefuture of Home Guards by notimplementing judgments of SCand J&K High Court, in whichGovernment was asked toabsorb Home Guards as regularconstables.

She urged the Government toimplement the judgments ofboth the courts without anydelay otherwise the Associationwill file contempt petitionagainst the Government inrespective courts.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 19: Stagedunder the banner of PerformersKashmir Collective, the playMazhab Nahin Sikhata exposedthe nefarious designs of inimi-cal forces from across the bor-der to divide J&K society onreligious line and made a clari-on call for amity and brother-hood, at the Abhinav Theatre,here today.

Directed by young RohitBhat, and performed underMinistry of Culture's CulturalFunction & Production GrantScheme, the play symbolicallyalluding to J&K, revolvesaround to neighbors who live ina divided house called FirdousManjil. Where one part is beau-tiful and bigger, vibrant, whilethe other is in a poor condition.

The mischief mongers,exploiting the religious senti-ments sow the seeds of hatredbetween the two. But the patronof the house with bigger portion

foils their evil designs andthrough his compassion andoverarching humanism bringseveryone together.

In the prevailing socio-political climate wherein voic-es from within the Valley havestarted raising questions aboutthe misplaced notions of sepa-ratism, that since three decadeshas wreaked havoc in the 'para-dise', the play Mazhab NahinSikhata has come out asemphatic denouncement of thedisruptive forces aiming tocreate a wedge from within thepluralistic fabric of Indian soci-ety.

The actors who enacted dif-ferent roles were Sapna Soni asFirdous, Puneet Bali as Yaseen,King C Bharati as Uncle, RaniBhan as Noor, Vinay Pandita asAyaaz, Rahul Pandita as AzadAbhay Rajput as Jackob. Othermembers of the cast were AshishBhat, Nikhil Dhar, RameshPandita, Daizy Bazaz,Meenakshi Bhan, Sakhsham

Bhat, Ishu Bharati Pandit,Shivesh Bhat and Harsh.

Despite the long drawndialogs heavy on the ears, oftenas conversation pieces betweentwo characters, the cast was suc-cessful in communicating themessage of the play. VeerjiSumbli's with his ingenious useof materials successfully createdthe feel of a Kashmir ruralhousehold.

The music was operated bySunny Mujjoo, costumes byBharati Koul, props by RajniBhatti, makeup by ShammiDhamir.

Vision 2021 launches mentorship platform for J&K youth

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 19: With anobjective of economic, socialand personal development ofJammu Kashmir youth, NewDelhi based social enterprise`Vision 2021- One MillionYouth for Peace' launched itsmentorship platform `VisionMatrix', here today, in partner-ship with J&K Police.

Director General of Police,Dr S P Vaid formally launchedthe mentorship platform underCivic Action Program.Speaking on the occasion, hesaid that Jammu and KashmirPolice has been promotingvarious programs aimed athelping youth of the State toharvest their talents and helpthem rise high on ladder of suc-cess and self actualization whilethis event with Vision 2021team was one of such efforts.

Commanding officer IR15th BN, Anita Sharma and thefounder of Vision 2021, RachnaSharma welcomed the guests

and highlighted the aim of theprogramme.

Deepika Arora - Regionalvice president - Eurasia ofworld's largest hotel chainWyndham Hotel Group;Shayamal Vallabhjee - founderof HEAL Institute, SportsScientist & High PerformanceCoach; Bhawna Agarwal - CEOof Gadgets 360; Ashvini Jakhar- founder and CEO of e-com-merce company Prozo.com;Mayyur R Girotra - founder ofone of India's leading fashionhouse Mayyur R GirotraCouture; Sakshi Vij - founder ofMyles Cars; and Saurav Arora -founder of imhere24x7, gavelectures aimed at motivating theyouth to work hard and withperseverance.

Mentor panel discussion andopen question answer sessionbesides Mentee exercise for stu-dents was also held at the event.

Spl DG V K Singh, DG/Commandant General SDRF/HG/Civil Defence, DilbagSingh, IGP Personnel, J P

Singh, IGP Headquarter,Surinder Gupta, IGP Armed/IR,Jammu, Shafkat Ali Watali,DIG IR Jammu, Vijay Kumar,senior police officers and stu-dents of various schools attend-ed the event.

Vision Matrix mentoringplatform connects emerging/established leaders - Ivy LeagueSchools' alumni, head honchosof FORTUNE 500 companiesand renowned leaders acrossvarious fields and industries toprovide academic, career, andpersonal guidance to menteesfor a period of at least one and ahalf year.

With an agenda of covering22 districts across the State,Vision Matrix today kick start-ed the program with 30mentees and mentors. Thescreening process of thementees for the

Mentoring Program was ini-tiated at the event through anactivity where students sharedtheir aspirations with VisionMatrix.

Protest demonstrations, meetings, rallies mark observance of Holocaust Day by exiled KPsExcelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 19: ExiledKashmiri Pandits observed the29th Holocaust Day in differentparts of country today by holdingprotest demonstrations, publicgatherings and sit in dharnas.

A strong joint demonstrationwas held on the Holocaust Dayhere today. The day is observed bythe displaced community everyyear in remembrance of what wasdone to it 28 years ago on 19-20January night in the Valley ofKashmir. A large number ofactivists of the community assem-bled at outside the Raj Bhawanhere at 10 AM and sat on a sit-in-protest there.

Those who addressed the

demonstrators included AshwaniKumar Chrungoo, president,Panun Kashmir, Adv. RavinderRaina, president, All StateKashmiri Pandit Conference,Swami Kumar Ji, Chandji Bhat,president, BJP Displaced DistrictPresident, Vinod Pandit,President, APMCC, RakeshKaul, of Samporan KashmirSangathan, Dr T K Bhat, generalsecretary, ASKPC, SheilaHandoo, BJP leader, KusumLata, Virender Kaul, T K Bhat,Kamal Bagati, P L KoulBudgami, King C Bharti, ShibanKhaibri, Ashok Kangan, VijayBhat of PK, T K Koul, DayaKrishan etc.

Ashwani Chrungoo, in hisaddress said that Kashmiri Panditcommunity cannot afford toignore the scars of history and19th January is an important datefor the community to learn les-sons for the future. “We aredeeply rooted in the ethos ofKashmir as a living civilizationand the Kashmiri Pandits have aninalienable right on the land ofKashmir''.

Ravinder Raina, Adv, presi-dent of ASKPC laid emphasis onthe survival issues of the commu-nity. He asked the government tosettle the issue of one time settle-ment of the over aged youth of thecommunity and urgently completethe process of the recruitmentunder PM's package plan.

Swami Kumar ji in his addressappealed to the people to showunity at all levels and be ready forthe sacrifices in this regard.

Chandji Bhat, president, BJPdistrict displaced unit categoricallysaid that the time has come for theKashmiri Pandits to raise their

voice for redressal of their issuesloudly since there is a favorableGovernment at the Centre thistime.

Vinod Pandit, president,APMCC vehemently advocatedthe issue of Sharda Yatra in thePOK. He said that the KashmiriPandits have an equal right tomake its demands known to thegovernment and the people andneed their redressal as well.

Rakesh Kaul said that theHealth Insurance issue also needsa review in order to accommodateall strata of the displaced society.

ADKUF headed by itsChairman DN Kissu jointly withKashmiri Pandit Conferenceobserved Holocaust day by hold-ing protests at various places in

Jammu. Protests followed bywearing black badges/ Caps torefresh the wounds of genocideand forced mass exodus lightswere also switched off from 6 to7PM.

Among others Prof GL Koul,PL Sudeshi, CL Koul, PhoolaBhat, ML Pandit, PN Raina, BNBhat, CL Zutshi and ML Kouladdressed the meeting.

Addressing the PK activistsmeetings at Delhi and Mumbairespectively organized to observethe Holocaust Day the PK conven-er, Dr Agnishekhar and its chair-man, Dr Ajay Chrungoo said thattime has come when entire com-munity should with one voice ded-icate themselves to strugglelaunched by PK for separatehomeland in Kashmir as per MargDarshan resolution of 199. They

said that there was no solution toKPs problems without separatehomeland and regretted the attitudeof the present Union and StateGovernment towards the exiledPandits which has been concernedfor rehabilitation of stone peltersand not the victims of terrorism.

A protest demonstration washeld by Kashmiri Khatri HinduMaha Sabha at Jagti to observe theHolocaust Day under the leader-ship of Engineer Ramesh ChanderMahajan.

Another protest demonstrationwas held near Raj bhawan by Jagtiinmates led by Sunil Pandita andVijay Kaul who highlighted themiseries of the exiled Pandits.

JTC also observed theHolocaust Day at Jagti under theleadership of Shadi Lal Pandita. Heaccused the Government of its totalfailure in rehabilitating the commu-nity. AMCCC also observed theHolocaust Day at Jagti under theleadership of Desh Rattan its presi-dent. Addressing the gathering onthe occasion, he said it is unfortu-nate that Union Government dur-ing last 29 years failed restore theirhomeland to Pandits.

KPC also observed HolocaustDay at Dwarika, New Delhitoday under the leadership of itspresident Kundan Kashmiri inwhich the demand for settlementof Pandits at one place in Valleywas termed the only solution totheir problems. KPC activistswore black badges and switchedoff the lights of their residencesfor two hours in the evening as amark of protest.

Kashmir Samiti Delhiobserved the Holocaust Day atAmar Colony New Delhi andtorched the effigies of terrorists andseparatists.

Holocaust Day was alsoobserved at Sharda Colony PatoliBrahmana, near, here by KPs of thearea under the leadership of B LKher. Dr Ramesh Bhat and Nath JiBhat spoke on the occasion andstressed on the unity in the commu-nity. They said the communityshould launch a struggle for itsrehabilitation and restoration of itsrights.

Any bid to distort our heritage will not be tolerated: PoK DPs

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 19: Old age dis-placed persons from erstwhileparts of Jammu and Kashmir(Now PoK) today said that anyattempt to distort our historic her-itage will not be tolerated.

In joint press conference heretoday, Prof NN Sharma, Prof JSMangal, VK Datta, ParveenKumar Bali, Gurmeet Singh Isher,Col OP Bakshi and others allegedthat under a well-knit conspiracy,a plot is being created to spoil thecase of PoK DPs as some handfulKashmiri migrants in a form ofdelegation recently approachedGovernment for the reopening of

Sharda Peeth (Temple) inMuzaffarabad and the same wasimmediately recommended by theBJP Central Minister to HomeMinistry for consideration.

They said that there are vari-ous religious places in PoKinclude Nageshwer Maha Devlocated in the village Graha,where there was a holy spring andevery year we used to organize aBesakhi Mela at this place; DeviGali and Plangi Devi were anoth-er important Hindu Shrines apartfrom the Dera of Sant Bhai RochaSingh, a Sikh shrine ofRawalakote, Chhati Patshahi atNiluchi in Muzaffarabad,Gurudwara Ali Begh in Bhimber,Khoiratta in Kotli, Mangla Templein Mirpur and Sharda Temple inMuzaffarabad and we havedemanding to visit these religiousplaces for the last seven decades.

“We have made our demandsbefore various successiveGovernments but nobody tooktrouble to act upon. PoK DPs also

knocked the doors of every politi-cal party but all turned deaf ear toit. As it a known fact that ShardaPeeth does not belong to only onecommunity as the Goddess is wor-shipped by all the Hindus ofJammu and Kashmir and rest ofthe country. PoK DPs once werethe inhabitants of PoK and if anyreligious place is situated there,then, the inhabitants of that specif-ic region have their right over it. Itis known fact that PoK DPs usedto live in Muzaffarabad then howa specific community claimingtheir right over this specific templewhich is known as Sharda Peeth.Kashmiri Pandits have nothing todo with Sharda Peeth as this issue

is being erupted deliberately toderail the cause of PoK DPs”, theysaid.

They further said that in 1994,Parliament of India has passed aresolution that PoK belonged toJ&K India will get it vacated. Butfor the last more than 7 decadesnothing has happened. The PoKDPs are still living in sub-humaneconditions since long and haven’tgot compensation fromGovernment like KashmiriPandits who are getting monthlycash compensation of Rs 10000,free ration, free accommodation,reservation in Government jobs,reservation in technical and pro-fessional colleges across the coun-try and many more. Why isGovernment adopting the discrim-inatory approach between KPsfrom Valley and DPs from PoK?”they asked.

“We warn BJP ledGovernment not to make anyattempt to distort our historicalheritage, “ they maintained.

PoK DPs addressing joint press conference in Jammu onFriday. — Excelsior/Rakesh

Artists staging play ‘Mazhab Nahin Sikhata’.

Dignitaries during launch of ‘Vision Matrix’ at Jammu on Friday.

Kashmiri Pandits protesting on 29th Holocaust Day in frontof Raj Bhawan at Jammu on Friday. — Excelsior/Rakesh

Canadian Urdu writer deliversextension lectures at JU

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 19: Dr TaqiAbedi, Honorary Professor and aCanadian Urdu writer, deliveredtwo extension lectures to the stu-dents, scholars, faculty membersand members of the civil society,here today.

The first extension lecture wason the topic"Relevance of Gulzar'sPoetry in the present era" whilethe 2nd lecture was on ''RomanticPoetry of Akhter Sharani''.

In the first lecture, Dr TaqiAbedi described the poetry ofGulzar important in the sense thathe has done some experiments inhis poetry. "Though Gulzar isassociated with film industry, he

has maintained the standard ofUrdu poetry," he opined andappealed the scholars to work onthe poetry of Gulzar, which hasseveral dimensions.

Regarding Akhter Sharani, DrTaqi Abed inform that he is thegreat romantic poet who died atthe age of 43 years. He wroteshort stories, columns for news-papers, editorials for papers,translation, criticism etc.Describing Akhter Sharani a mul-tidimensional personality, TaqiAbedi described his death inearly age as a great loss to theUrdu language and literature.

Earlier, HoD Urdu, ProfShohab Inayat Malik introducedDr Taqi Abedi to audience.

SDPO Jammu West reviews security Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 19: SubDivisional Police Officer (SDPO),Jammu West, Pranav Mahajan,today reviewed security situation

in Bus Stand and Jewel areas. The Officer held a meeting

with the Hotel Association wherethe hotels falling within the busyand heavily frequented JewelChowk and the adjoining areasparticipated. The SDPO Westhighlighted the various securityrelated concerns and sought activecooperation and support of thehoteliers. He emphasized that notonly the CCTVs need to beinstalled but that they should be ofgood quality and should be strate-

gically placed for which the policewill render all the possible help.

He told the hoteliers that underno circumstances any person witha weapon should be allowed tostay in their premises. He further

added that a complete and exhaus-tive identification of all the staffmembers should be carried out.

SHO Nowabad, InspectorNeeraj Bhagat, apprised the hote-liers about different channels ofcommunication through whichthey can contact the police in casethey notice any suspect. He furtherinformed that a WhatsApp grouphas been created by him in order toensure instant and reliable infor-mation flow between the policeand the Hotel Association.

Home Guards taking out a protest rally inJammu. — Excelsior/Rakesh

SDPO Jammu West, Pranav Mahajan and others during asecurity review meeting in Jammu.

Home Guards take out protest rally

Shri Amar Kshatriya RajputSabha holds meet

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Jan 19: ShriAmar Kshatriya Rajput Sabha helda meeting under the chairmanshipof its President Narayan Singh atvillage Panchari.

In the meeting, large numberof people from Panchari and sur-rounding villages along withbiradari members participated,who while speaking raised variousissues including declaration ofgazetted holiday on birth anniver-sary of Maharaja Hari Singhfalling on September 23 each year,removal of social evils within thebiradari, recruitment of educatedRajput youth in Army and beltforces with special drive in ruralareas, road connectivity fromPanchari to Sanasar via Landher,widening of Udhampur toPanchari road, reservation to eco-nomically weaker sections andnon-execution of work for con-struction of model villages ofPanjer and Saddal perished in landslides in the year 2014.

While speaking, NarayanSingh assured the biradari mem-bers that for the construction ofSabha Bhawan at Panchari districtUdhampur the land should beidentified, so that steps to constructthe Bhawan could be initiated.With regards to social evils, thebiradari should minimize theexpenses on social customs andfunctions, he added.

For recruitments in belt forcesand declaration of gazetted holidayon birth anniversary of MaharajaHari Singh, the issues are beingtaken up with appropriate Forum,Singh informed, adding that theregarding road connectivity fromPanchari to Sanasar via Landherand widening of road fromUdhampur to Panchari, the con-cerned Minister will be apprised.

President further advised thebiradari members to take care oftheir children and provide goodeducation so that the childrencould face the competition. Healso advised the Rajput youth toremain united, shun bad habits andbecome true Rajputs. He alsoasked the gathering to remain unit-ed so as to get the demands ful-filled from the Government.

On the occasion, a committeewas formulated under MahatamaSingh President Block Panchari inwhich Baldev Singh, Ex-Sarpanch, Parbhat Singh, Ex-Sarpanch and Dalveer Singh, Ex-Panch have been nominated asmembers, Surinder Singh, RattanSingh, Mulkh Raj and KailashSingh as Youth President, seniorVice-President, Vice-President andAdvisor respectively.

Among others present wereCaptain Arjun Singh DistrictPresident Rajput SabhaUdhampur, Happy Jamwal YouthPresident Rajput SabhaUdhampur, etc.

Mazhab Nahin Sikhata: Clarion call for amity, brotherhood

DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2018 (PAGE 9)