Removing AFSPA: Firstly, Let the people of J & K Rejoice Peace !

RAMAN SHARMA

     Citing figures and data's the political class in the state of Jammu and Kashmir are           always so active to debate the issue of Armed forces special power act   imposed in the state. In Kashmir, the leaders of political parties including that          of ruling party and opposition both always orchestrate to remove the Armed           Forces Special Power Act, their argument is that from 1990 to till date lot of     improvement been witnessed in the state and now there is no reason for     keeping the army here in the state and the special powers of the armed forces   must be stripped of.

     Obviously there appears some justification in their argument because the           number      of terror related incidents have gone very low. Whereas in year           1990 there          were around 4100 terror related incidents and more than 1000           killings of   terrorists, civilians and armed forces. And if we compare the figures           of year       1990, 1991 with regard to killings/Injuries and terror related           incidents across          the state   with the year 2012 then of course this years has            been proved as one of the most peaceful year in the entire history of armed           struggle in the State.

     But the real question here arises that who should enjoy this violence free           atmosphere, only Foreign delegates and other national dignitaries or Big Wigs           of Bollywood, why the people of state not permitted to rejoice the peace, why           they are not allowed to feel the secured atmosphere if there is any. Why only   lip service that the situation has improved in the state but no permission to   celebrate the rejoice of peace. The  innocent people of the state have scarified    their dear ones for this peace. The politicians and the government must allow      the common people to rejoice the peace. Even today in the state of Jammu       and Kashmir the innocent citizens are not allowed to celebrate the so called improved situation (if any) in the state. Even today the communication system         of the state is micro-managed by the Home Ministry. Why ? if there is peace           then why not the people of Jammu and Kashmir can enjoy the means of communications as other people of the country enjoying elsewhere in Delhi or      Mumbai. If the situation is so improved that  politicians of the highest repute    and positions are orchestrating  for revocation of AFSPA then why even today a young student in J & K  cannot easily get a mobile connection in his name. Why Pre-Paid cell phones from the other parts of the country goes off just after crossing the river Raavi (Lakhanpur). Why innocent people of the state are even deprived from using SMS service from their pre-paid mobiles.  There is no harm to debate revocation of Armed Forces Special Power Act from the state of Jammu and Kashmir but before that these political leaders must make the people of the feel that the situation has improved for everyone especially for the ordinary people. The citizens here cannot be compelled to agree with the graphs and figures of lowering militancy tally in the state of Jammu and Kashmir because they want tangible change where they can celebrate this era of peace. Firstly  let them feel and enjoy the so called  peaceful situation. No agency other then the People of the state can judge and tell whether the situation has improved factually or it's just political gimmick. Raman Sharma is an RTI activist and can be reached [a] jkrtiact@gmail.com, mob: 9796811012. published in JKNEWSPOINT 

  

Last Cabinet Expansion

Why Minority Community of J & K Ignored again? 

RAMAN SHARMA

The people belonging to minority community of Jammu and Kashmir State once again been disappointed by the Congress Party, United Progressive Alliance Chairperson  Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh where they  have ignored the sentiments of the minorities communities of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and did not include any member of the minority community of the state in recently expanded union council of ministers, though there were two competent candidates and  elected Lok Sabha Members from the state namely Choudhary Lal Singh and Madan Lal Sharma both two times member parliament (both from Jammu region).

Now all doors are closed for the Jammu leaders as Prime Minister has made it clear that it was last cabinet expansion of the present government and now there is hardly any chance for the inclusion of these stalwarts.

 The people of the state especially of Jammu region were expecting the inclusion of their leaders in the Union Cabinet or at least in the council but for the reasons best known to the Congress party and its leadership, State's minority community is denied any representation in the union government.  At present there are two ministers from state of Jammu and Kashmir in the Central government and both belong to majority community. The ministers are Union Cabinet Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah (NC) who is  Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar and Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Cabinet Minister for Health and Family Welfare who is a Rajya Sabha MP.

It is obviously very disappointing for the minorities of the state of Jammu and Kashmir that their directly elected members who had successfully contested the election are denied any opportunity; it is pertinent to mention here that parliamentary constituencies of Madan Lal and Choudhary Lal Singh collectively consist of 37 Assembly Segments.

In 2014 assembly election in the state Congress Party shall have to repent for ignoring these two leaders. Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha Constituency represented by Madan Lal Sharma holds as many as 20 Assembly segments like Samba, Vijaypur, Nagrota, Gandhinagar, Jammu East, Jammu West, Bishnah, R S Pura, Suchetgarh, Marh, Raipur Domana, Akhnoor, Chhamb, Nowshehra, Darhal, Rajouri, Kalakot, Surankote, Mendhar and Poonch-Haveli whereas Udhampur-Kathua Lok Sabha Constituency represented by Choudhary Lal Singh hold as many as  17 assembly segments including Bani, Banihal, Basohli, Bhadarwah , Billawar, Chenani , Doda, Gool-Arnas, Gulabgarh, Hiranagar, Inderwal, Kathua, Kishtwar, Ramban , Ramnagar, Reasi and Udhampur. The Congress leadership is absolutely misguided by its advisors but in the coming days it has to pay the price for its failure to give due right to the minority community of the state as the party always orchestrate so loud for providing equal rights to every community. If Congress party fails to give any proper justification then obviously the party would face a tough time and then even these two MPs who fought so hard during the crucial times for the party would also not be able to convince the people. The writer has no relationship with any political group or individual and the views are solely his own and he does not support or oppose any party or person.   About Raman Sharma, he is an RTI Volunteer and can be reached [a] jkrtiact@gmail.com, M: 9796811012

published in Northlines, Earlytimes and others.

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with regards !

Raman Sharma
97968-11-0-12 
my blog:  http://jkrtiact.blogspot.in/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jkrtiact

Last Cabinet Expansion

Why Minority Community of J & K Ignored again? 

RAMAN SHARMA

The people belonging to minority community of Jammu and Kashmir State once again been disappointed by the Congress Party, United Progressive Alliance Chairperson  Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh where they  have ignored the sentiments of the minorities communities of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and did not include any member of the minority community of the state in recently expanded union council of ministers, though there were two competent candidates and  elected Lok Sabha Members from the state namely Choudhary Lal Singh and Madan Lal Sharma both two times member parliament (both from Jammu region).

Now all doors are closed for the Jammu leaders as Prime Minister has made it clear that it was last cabinet expansion of the present government and now there is hardly any chance for the inclusion of these stalwarts.

 The people of the state especially of Jammu region were expecting the inclusion of their leaders in the Union Cabinet or at least in the council but for the reasons best known to the Congress party and its leadership, State's minority community is denied any representation in the union government.  At present there are two ministers from state of Jammu and Kashmir in the Central government and both belong to majority community. The ministers are Union Cabinet Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah (NC) who is  Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar and Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Cabinet Minister for Health and Family Welfare who is a Rajya Sabha MP.

It is obviously very disappointing for the minorities of the state of Jammu and Kashmir that their directly elected members who had successfully contested the election are denied any opportunity; it is pertinent to mention here that parliamentary constituencies of Madan Lal and Choudhary Lal Singh collectively consist of 37 Assembly Segments.

In 2014 assembly election in the state Congress Party shall have to repent for ignoring these two leaders. Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha Constituency represented by Madan Lal Sharma holds as many as 20 Assembly segments like Samba, Vijaypur, Nagrota, Gandhinagar, Jammu East, Jammu West, Bishnah, R S Pura, Suchetgarh, Marh, Raipur Domana, Akhnoor, Chhamb, Nowshehra, Darhal, Rajouri, Kalakot, Surankote, Mendhar and Poonch-Haveli whereas Udhampur-Kathua Lok Sabha Constituency represented by Choudhary Lal Singh hold as many as  17 assembly segments including Bani, Banihal, Basohli, Bhadarwah , Billawar, Chenani , Doda, Gool-Arnas, Gulabgarh, Hiranagar, Inderwal, Kathua, Kishtwar, Ramban , Ramnagar, Reasi and Udhampur. The Congress leadership is absolutely misguided by its advisors but in the coming days it has to pay the price for its failure to give due right to the minority community of the state as the party always orchestrate so loud for providing equal rights to every community. If Congress party fails to give any proper justification then obviously the party would face a tough time and then even these two MPs who fought so hard during the crucial times for the party would also not be able to convince the people. The writer has no relationship with any political group or individual and the views are solely his own and he does not support or oppose any party or person.   About Raman Sharma, he is an RTI Volunteer and can be reached [a] jkrtiact@gmail.com, M: 9796811012

Blood Written RTI: A Wake up Call for Society!

Raman Sharma

10/29/2012

Recently a shocking event happened when a youth hailing from Jammu appeared before the media with an RTI application written with his own blood. While exhibiting his Blood Written- RTI, Deepak made a volley of allegations against the Public Information Officer and the State Information Commission and if there is some substance in his allegations then there must be an independent probe to find the facts of this case. The state administration and society must take cognizance of the entire episode.
Whilst interacting with Journalists this young man elaborated an apathetic story which he claimed compelled him to take this extreme action, narrating his plight he informed that he is being made run from pillar to post and victimized by the authorities to seek information from a government department. He informed that way back in April-2011 he had submitted an RTI application with a state government department and till now he got nothing but false, fake and illogical communications from the department. Showing date wise documentary evidences he also accused and blamed the Jammu and Kashmir State Information Commission of being insensitive towards the sufferings and grievances of the RTI applicants. 
Anyhow it doesn't matter who is responsible the Public Information Officer, Public Authority or the State Information Commission but the most worrying part in this entire episode is that the innocent people here are so helpless, annoyed and frustrated that they do not even hesitate to take such an extreme step of pain and bleeding own blood, we the people must not ignore this call and must awake, we cannot afford to ignore this act and if we try to be ignorant of such happening around us then I am afraid anyone of us may be the next target of these powerful people who are so reluctant that they have made their mind not to allow citizens to exercise their right. 
The people at the helm of affairs should also spend some time to know the cause of so much anger erupting in the minds of innocent citizens. Now people are so disappointed and irritated that they do not have faith in our system. Due to delay in judicial system the people are now inventing new methods to ventilate their protest and anger. I cannot judge the action of this person who wrote RTI plea with his blood but of course anyone can calculate the degree of his suffering that forced him to bleed. Once again I would urge all the concerned individuals and the institutions that are blamed by this young man that they should introspect that where the fault lies and try to remove. Let's not see this case with the glasses of Right to Information Act, there may or not be any fault of the information officer and the commission but it is about the present system, when in our democratic system the people are the masters then why only the people become the victim of this complexed system. 
Raman Sharma is an RTI activist and can be reached [a] jkrtiact@gmail.com. Mob 9796811012.

published in Early Times and The Northlines on 28/10/2012 and 29/10/2012 http://www.thenorthlines.com/newsdet.aspx?q=57727

Replacing word "Darbar"

GAD shuns ‘darbar’ word

published in all newspapers of J & K

Jammu, Oct 16: Finally the state government has decided to replace the word “Darbar” in its official communications with General Administration Department issuing formal orders in this regard.

GAD has vide circular no. 32/GAD dated 15/Oct/2012 impressed upon all the government functionaries, divisional and district administration to ensure that the words "Public Grievances Camp" are used in all relevant communications instead of the word “Darbar”.

This development has come in the wake of an appeal cum objection filed by a Jammu-based RTI activist Raman Sharma, who had urged the Chief Minister to issue a direction to the government departments not to use word “Public Darbar” for official meetings of the ministers and the officers.

Sharma had argued that it was against the values and democratic principles of equality.

In his appeal through Chief Minister Grievance Cell (no. 32045 dated May 19,2012) Sharma has demanded a direction for everyone right from ministers to junior-level officers to avoid words like “Darbar” in official press-notes and communications.

“Nowadays the word ‘Darbar’ is in vogue in the official press releases of the state’s Information department. Junior officers are blatantly using this word to appease ministers and senior officers. Right from public meetings of cabinet ministers to those of the officers of the rank of SDM, everybody uses the word ‘Darbar’ instead of ‘Public Meeting’,” Sharma had pointed out.

He had regretted that when the people of this country and particularly of Jammu and Kashmir state have negated the idea of monarchy some 60 years ago and chose a democratic set-up, it was unfortunate that even today after more than six decades the shadow of monarchical system continued to exist in the mindset of our ministers and bureaucrats.

http://dailykashmirimages.com/kinewweb/news-gad-shuns-%E2%80%98darbar-word-32777.aspx

Replacing word "Darbar"

"SAVE MY TAWI"

"SAVE MY TAWI"

MUBARAK MANDI: Out of Rs. 300 Crores for renovation, Only 1 percent Spent in 4 years

No Time Limit fixed for Mubarak Mandi Heritage Project

Out of Rs. 300 Crores for renovation, Only 1 percent  Spent in 4 years

Jammu: In a  shocking respond of an RTI query, the Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society has admitted that out of Rs. 300 crores only 1 percent amount has been spent for the renovation of the Historical Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex  so far.

The RTI application dated 24/Sept/2012  filed by activist Raman Sharma reveals that  the total estimated cost of the Mubrak Mandi project is Rs. 300 crore out of which only Rs. 3.52 crore has been utilized by the society for the restoration of a portion of the historic symbol of this Dogra Heritage and  the renovation work is carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India which has also submitted utilization certificate dated 23/Jan/2012 amounting Rs. 3.52 Crores (Rs. 284,19,466 for conservation work and Rs. 67,49,534 as departmental charges) dated 23/Jan/2012 .

In his application RTI Activist Raman Sharma has asked information on total 10 points, with regard to point no. 2 of the RTI query, the MMJHS vide their communication letter no FD/MMJHS/9173 dated 04/10/2012 has  informed that the government of India has sanctioned Rs. 4.37 Crores for renovation/Restoration of erstwhile Army Head Quarter and Rs. 8.51 Crore stands released under 13^th finance commission for restoration of Raja Amar Singh Palace, Dogra Art Musesum, Badi Deori, Royal Court, Gadvai Khana and Mahal of Raja Ram Singh's Queens.

However the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society has divulged a very astonishing fact, while replying to point no. 6 and 7 related to scheduled  time limit fixed for completion of the ongoing restoration project, the reply signed by  Executive Director of the MMJH society acknowledges the fact that no time limit has been fixed for the project.  On the question of inspections of the construction site and recommendations thereafter the society has stated that frequent inspections on ongoing project is done by the governing body as well as the Executive Committee Members (official/Non official) of Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society and the members check the work as per the estimates and there are no recommendations whatsoever.

It is also informed that till date 4 governing body meetings held under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Chief Minister and 20 meetings of the Executive Committee held under the Chairmanship of Chairman Executive Committee of Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society. It is pertinent to mention here that this historic project was commissioned in October 2008 and the people of Jammu region were jubilant for the initiative of state and union governments to take up the renovation project.  If the pace of work continues to be like this then this project would not be even accomplished in 100 years  because in 4 years only 1 percent of amount utilizes.

published in various