National News
Why Farooq Abdullah is Villain No. 1 in the eyes of Kashmiri Pandits?
A majority of Kashmiri Pandits view Farooq Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, as the main culprit behind the atrocities committed against them.
They believe that he was responsible for all the events that preceded the mass exodus of the minority community and the advent of terrorism in the Valley.
Farooq Abdullah was the Chief Minister from November 7, 1986 to January 18, 1990. It was this period which saw Kashmir gradually falling down the precipice, and despite warnings by intelligence agencies the indifference seemed insurmountable.
In February 1986, massive communal attacks occurred in South Kashmir. Muslim mobs looted and plundered or destroyed the properties and temples of Kashmiri Pandits.
Ghulam Mohammad Shah, the brother-in-law of Farooq Abdullah, was the Chief Minister then. He failed to curb the violence and called in the army to curb the mayhem.
His government was dismissed in March 1986 by the then Governor Jagmohan. It was reported that Mufti Sayeed, then a Congress leader, had instigated the violence as he was keen to be the Chief Minister and replace Shah.
Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister then who later gave Sayeed a seat in the Rajya Sabha and also made him a Union Minister. In November 1986, after months of hectic parleys, Rajiv Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah signed an accord and the latter was reinstated as the Chief Minister.
It was this period that saw the build up to the pogrom.
Ramesh Raina, President (All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS), said, “This 1986-1989 period is significant in the history of Kashmir, which is often ignored. The exodus did not happen overnight. There was full preparation for this. Abudllah fooled the nation with this accord. You can say he was incompetent and he didn’t have any control, or you can say he was totally involved, knew everything and let things build up.”
Panun Kashmir leader Ramesh Manvat said, “Muslim Conference, the original avatar of ‘National’ Conference started as a group to fight for the rights of Muslims in Kashmir in 1930s; turned their tide against then Maharaja Hari Singh; nourished the dream of an Independent Kashmir (following their call of ‘Quit Kashmir’ in 1940s) — leading to the dismissal of its founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1950s … The legacy of communal Muslim mindset and inconsistencies in National Conference’s approach towards minorities — Kashmiri Pandits and the ‘idea of India’ they represent have been carried forward by Farooq Abdullah, during his long reign as CM of J&K.
“Farooq Abdullah, as a tacit supporter of the happenings on the ground was busy playing golf and giving joy rides to Bollywood heroines, before finally choosing to run away to London when Kashmir was burning and a full-blown genocide of Pandits was taking place.”
Former Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir, Shesh Paul Vaid, tweeted on March 16: “Many people in the country do not know this #KashmirFiles fact: first batch of ISI trained were arrested by J&K Police but ill-thought political decisions had them released and the same terrorists later on led the many terrorist organisations in J&K.”
Vaid was the DGP of J&K from December 31, 2016 till September 6, 2018. He also added in his tweet: “Some of the notorious names: Mohammed Afzal Sheikh of Trehgam Rafiq Ahmed Ahangar Mohammad Ayub Najar Farooq Ahmed Ganai Ghulam Mohammed Gujri Farooq Ahmed Malik Nazir Ahmed Sheikh Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din Teli. Could this have been possible w/o the knowledge of the Union Govt of 1989?”
The fact that the intelligence agencies had repeatedly been alerting about the hordes of Kashmiris, especially youth, crossing over to PoK for arms training, went largely unheard of.
A lot of kidnappings were taking place, especially of the government employees, a maximum number of them were Kashmiri Pandits, but no action was taken.
Threats were openly given in local newspapers, posters were pasted and hit-lists made, but the administration seemed lifeless. The then Governor Jagmohan had mentioned the situation to then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi through letters dated April 20, 1990.
“Need I remind you that from the beginning of 1988, I had started sending ‘Warning Signals’ to you about the gathering storm in Kashmir? But you and the power wielders around you had neither the time, nor the inclination, nor the vision, to see these signals. They were so clear, so pointed, that to ignore them was to commit sins of true historical proportions,” Jagmohan wrote in the letter.
His fear came true and the minorities and moderates had to bear the brunt even as Farooq Abdullah left the Valley for London soon after.
“Fifty per cent Kashmiri Pandits fled on January 19. It did not happen suddenly. Farooq Abdullah knows all. He has to answer,” said Ramesh Raina.
“Farooq Abdullah ran away to London while the Valley was burning. He was the founder member of Alfata, JKLF. While he was in chair, youth were freely transported to Pakistan through the LoC. How was it possible without his knowing?
“Why were terrorists being released from jail then? Why did he resign overnight and the next day the exodus happened? It was all planned because then all would have come to his head. So he resigned. But could the exodus have happened without a plot behind it,” he asked.
While Farooq Abdullah was in J&K, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the Home Minister at the Centre. His role as HM is also questioned by the community.
Surinder Kaul, the chief of Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, said, “After we were forced to flee from Kashmir, we staged protests. I remember one meeting with then Home Minister Mufti Sayeed in 1990. All he had to say was ‘yes, this is not ok’.
“He had no answers to our questions. We told him, ‘why the local police and intelligence network had just vanished. Why was no one doing their work? Why was there no security’. But he just kept mum. That day I realised that the state and Central power system of our country had collapsed and no one was there to help us.”
“Farooq Abdullah has double standards. He always speaks one thing in Delhi and another in Kashmir. He never provided good governance. He protected the elite and never worked for the common people. To keep his fiefdom alive, he divided the communities. When Kashmiri Pandits were being killed, maimed, women were gang-raped, loot and arson had become the order of the day, where was he,” Kaul asked.
There have been times when Farooq Abdullah had borne the brunt of Kashmiri Pandits’ ire. In 2019, when he tried to meet a group of Kashmiri Pandits, who had come to Srinagar on a pilgrimage visit, he had to make a hastened retreat after slogans were raised against him.
Kashmiri Pandits feel that if Farooq Abdullah had taken strong steps, Kashmir would not have fallen to terrorism and the minorities would not have been tormented and forced out.
The community is seeking answers, and wants a judicial commission be instituted and Farooq Abdullah to be the first one to be investigated.
Crime
Police official suspended over case involving Telangana minister’s former OSD

Hyderabad, Aug 25: Inspector of Jubilee Hills Police Station in Hyderabad has been suspended over Forest and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha’s former OSD, N. Sumanth’s case.
Muttu Yadav, the Inspector (Station House Officer) of Jubilee Hills Police Station, faced the action over the alleged delay in filing the First Information Report (FIR) and failure to trace Sumanth.
Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar issued orders, suspending the SHO. A departmental inquiry has also been ordered into the handling of the case by the police.
Sumanth remained at large in a case of alleged assault on a real estate businessman. His driver was picked up by police on Sunday.
Sumanth and five others were booked following a complaint filed by the realtor, who alleged that he was assaulted with iron rods and that the accused demanded Rs 10 crore from him.
An attempt to murder case was registered against the former OSD and five others.
A zero FIR was registered against N. Sumanth and five others at Medipally Police Station of Malkajgiri Police Commissionerate last week.
Later, the case was transferred to Jubilee Hills Police Station of Hyderabad Commissionerate.
Gongidi Harikrishna, a resident of Boduppal, lodged a complaint. Harikrishna alleged that he was assaulted with iron rods and sticks and threatened with dire consequences.
The case was registered against former OSD Sumanth, Ramu, Prashanth, Arun Kumar Reddy, Karthik and Mahender Reddy under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The complainant said Sumanth and others assaulted him on July 30.
Harikrishna stated that Sumanth asked him to meet at Ramu’s office. Sumanth allegedly abused him and hit him with an iron rod. On Sumanth’s direction, others also joined the assault.
The complainant claimed that he sustained a fracture to his left hand, bleeding injuries and other injuries and that he underwent surgery on August 10.
The case was registered amid a controversy involving Minister Konda Surekha’s family.
Her daughter Konda Sushmitha’s recent remarks against Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy triggered a storm in the ruling Congress party.
At her mother’s birthday celebrations in Warangal district, Sushmita declared that she would contest from Parkala Assembly constituency in the next elections even if she was denied a party ticket. She also made allegations of corruption against the Chief Minister’s family.
Taking serious note of the allegations, the disciplinary committee of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) issued a show-cause notice to the minister.
Surekha distanced herself from her daughter’s remarks, saying the latter expressed her personal views.
National News
KMVSTDCL funds routed to Rahul Gandhi’s house, alleges Karnataka BJP leader

Bengaluru, Aug 25: Former Karnataka Minister and BJP leader, B. Sriramulu, on Tuesday alleged that the funds allegedly misappropriated from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited (KMVSTDCL) were routed to the residence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Addressing the media at the BJP state headquarters Jagannatha Bhavan in Bengaluru, Sriramulu alleged that BJP leaders had raised slogans in the Assembly claiming that the misappropriated Valmiki Corporation funds had reached Rahul Gandhi’s residence and the government curtailed the Assembly session.
Sriramulu said the BJP has decided to undertake a padayatra from September 1, led by state BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra, BJP leaders Gali Janardhana Reddy, R. Ashoka, Bangaru Hanumantu and other party leaders.
The 10-day padayatra will begin in Raichur on September 1 and conclude in Ballari on September 10, he said.
“The padayatra will highlight issues including the government’s alleged negligence towards irrigation, corruption in the ST Corporation and the Valmiki Corporation issue. The Congress has been neglecting Dalits. The BJP is undertaking this major padayatra because we will not allow injustice to be done to Dalits,” Sriramulu said.
Sriramulu accused Congress leaders of shedding “crocodile tears” over issues concerning Dalits.
He alleged that the government had curtailed the Assembly session after taking note of the BJP’s protests over the issue.
“Protests were held in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. Congress leaders have betrayed Babasaheb Ambedkar, Babu Jagjivan Ram and the Dalit community,” he alleged.
It can be noted that the Valmiki Corporation scam involves the alleged illegal diversion of funds from the KMVSTDCL.
The alleged scam came to light in May 2024 following the suicide of 52-year-old corporation superintendent Chandrasekar. P., who left a suicide note detailing unauthorised fund transfers and corruption.
While initial irregularities centered around smaller figures, investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) pegged the total misappropriation and diverted funds at around Rs 89 crore.
Funds earmarked for tribal welfare projects were illegally moved to unauthorised bank accounts—including bogus accounts opened using forged KYC documents at the Union Bank of India’s MG Road branch in Bengaluru—and later layered through shell cooperatives like Hyderabad’s First Finance Credit Cooperative Society.
The then-Karnataka Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare was identified by probe agencies as a primary mastermind behind the layering and siphoning of the funds. Nagendra previously resigned from the Cabinet, faced arrest, and later secured bail.
Currently, Nagendra has recently taken charge of Minister for Planning and Statistics in the Cabinet led by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. BJP and JD (S) have announced that they will agitate until Nagendra is sacked from the Cabinet.
Crime
Delhi Police arrest 20-year-old, recover 200 quarters of illicit Haryana liquor

New Delhi, Aug 25: Prompt action by the staff of Delhi’s Hauz Qazi police station led to the arrest of a 20-year-old man on Tuesday and the recovery of 200 quarters of illicit country-made liquor being transported for illegal sale in the national capital.
The police also seized a grey-coloured scooty used for transporting the liquor. A case under the relevant provisions of the Delhi Excise Act has been registered, and further investigation is underway.
According to police, the incident took place on August 24 at around 10.30 p.m., when staff of PS Hauz Qazi were conducting routine patrolling in the area of Lal Kuan Road near Farashkhana Road.
During the patrolling, the police team noticed a person on a scooty coming from the Lal Kuan side. On spotting the police personnel, the rider suddenly turned the vehicle around and started moving in the opposite direction, raising suspicion.
The police team immediately followed and intercepted the scooty. During the subsequent checking, a heavy white plastic bag was found placed on the vehicle. The rider allegedly failed to provide any satisfactory explanation regarding the contents of the bag.
Upon checking the bag, the police recovered 200 quarters of country-made liquor, each containing 180 ml. The bottles were bearing the label, “For Sale in Haryana Only”.
The rider was identified as Akash, a resident of Burari in Delhi, aged about 20 years. The recovered liquor was taken into possession in accordance with the law, while the scooty used for its transportation was also seized.
Accordingly, FIR No. 389/26 under Sections 33 and 38 of the Delhi Excise Act was registered at PS Hauz Qazi, and further investigation was initiated.
The recovery was made by a police team comprising SI Ranvijay Singh, In-charge of Police Post Rodgran, Head Constable Paramveer, and Constable Daya Chand. The operation was carried out under the leadership of Inspector Amrender Kumar Suman, SHO of PS Hauz Qazi, and under the overall supervision of Rajiv Bhardwaj, ACP, Kamla Market.
Police said the alertness and prompt response of the patrolling team led to the interception of the accused and the recovery of a substantial quantity of illicit liquor. The seizure of the scooty allegedly used for transportation has further strengthened the investigation into the illegal transportation and supply of liquor.
During interrogation, Akash disclosed that he used to procure illicit liquor from areas near the Haryana border and subsequently supply it in and around the Sadar area of Delhi to earn money and meet his personal expenses.
The accused was further questioned about the source of the recovered liquor and the persons allegedly involved in its procurement and supply. Police said efforts are underway to identify the source and ascertain whether other persons are involved in the illegal liquor supply network.
Police records revealed that Akash, son of Pappu, was previously involved in an Excise Act case registered at PS Burari. He was named in FIR No. 254/25 under Sections 33 and 38 of the Delhi Excise Act.
Further investigation is in progress.
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