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Ladakh-Kargil Polls: National Conference-Congress Combine Registers Absolute Majority

By LokMarg 8th October 2023

The alliance of the National Conference and the Congress won the 5th general elections of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) on Sunday with an absolute majority.

The National Conference emerged victorious as the single largest party winning 12 seats while Congress secured 10 seats in the first-ever polls held since Ladakh was carved out as a Union Territory (UT) in 2019, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council said.

The results of the 5th general elections of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) are a boost to the INDIA bloc as this is the first election in Kargil post the formation of the alliance which has been formed to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls scheduled to be held in 2024.

The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) won 2 seats and INDP won 2 seats, officials said on Sunday.

The fifth Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil election was conducted on October 4.

The National Conference (NC), Congress, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were in a tight contest.

The administration nominates four members with voting rights to the 30-member Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil.

Congratulating the party on their ongoing lead in the LAHDC election, Congress General Secretary in Charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said that the results coming in the council election are a direct impact of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra outreach in Ladakh in September.

“The national media of course will blank it out, but trends coming in show Congress leading convincingly in the elections to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil with an almost complete wipeout of the BJP. This is a direct impact of Rahul Gandhi

continuing Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ladakh last month,” Ramesh posted on X.

Congress leader KC Venugopal also extended his wishes to the winning candidates in the LAHDC Election adding that these results will mark the beginning of a new democratic dawn in Ladakh and Kargil.

“We have registered a resounding victory in the Ladakh-Kargil Autonomous Hill Council elections after 10 years! Along with our INDIA partner National Conference, we have swept the entire region in its first election after the abrogation of Article 370,” Venugopal posted on X.

“Rahul Gandhi ji’s Bharat Jodo Yatra last month across the region has given the people of Ladakh and Kargil the faith that the Congress and INDIA have a deep concern about the issues they face and the need for their democratic sentiments to be given a voice. Congratulations to all victorious candidates and I am confident this will usher in a new democratic dawn in Ladakh and Kargil,” the Congress leader added.

The counting of votes started for LAHDC elections amid high-security arrangements on Sunday.

This time, 65 per cent of voters turned up in the Kargil district as per the cumulative figure of 3rd round of voting for the 5th LAHDC elections. (ANI)

Seminar Of Shia Muslims In Kargil Hails India

By LokMarg 17th October 2022

A seminar titled “Imam Khomeini the Pivot of the World Unity” was organised by the JK People’s Justice Front of Srinagar at the Syed Mehdi Auditorium, Kargil, which was attended by prominent personalities from Kargil and Kashmir valley.

A variety of audiences took part in the programme from different backgrounds and beliefs. Also, several college and Higher Secondary School students also attended the seminar.
While speaking at the event, Chairman JK People’s Justice Front Aga Syed Abass Rizvi called India as a “mother” and attacked Pakistan for targeted killings in the country.

“India is like a mother where different religions are flourishing together, whereas on the other hand in Pakistan target killing of minorities is common, specifically of Shia Muslims. The Shia community forms only 20 per cent of the total Pakistani population. They are also followers of Islam, but still, the Shia community doesn’t hold the status of equality in the state of Pakistan,” he said.

Chief Coordinator JK People’s Justice Front Syed Mubashir Kazimi also criticised Pakistan for attacks on holy sites saying, “There is no record of blasts in the holy places of minorities in India whereas it is common in Pakistan.”

“Any kind of intoxication is Haram in Islam, but Pakistan makes all-out efforts to push drugs into our society and drugs are ruining the younger generation and we all have to come together and unitedly fight this evil,” said another prominent personality Sheikh Abdullah Jaleeli.

Sheikh Muhammad Hussain Lutfi of Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust Kargil stressed the India-Iran relations saying, “India-Iran relationship has always been strong since time unknown and it should further be strengthened.”

He also said that other diplomats holding charge of religion, culture and education shall visit Kargil and Kashmir valley to further strengthen the Indo-Iranian relationship.

Syed Mohammad Kazim Sabiri, the Chief Guest of the seminar called India is the most trusted friend of Iran.

“India supplied technology to Iran when it was in most need and India had always been a trusted friend to Iran and its masses, so that friendship should be continued and expanded, at any cost,” he said.

Aqleemah Banoo, a religious scholar and a teacher in a local Maktab also addressed the audience and stressed that more opportunities must be made available to the girls to prove to the world that the Shia community is a progressive community, unlike what’s happening in our neighbourhood.

Several other speakers including Syed Tayyeb Rizvi of Anjumane Sahib Zaman, Moulana Zahid Hussain representing Anjumane Sufi Noorbakshia, Sajjad Hussain Kargil, a prominent social activist, and Mohammad Sajjad Khan, a public speaker took part in the programme. (ANI)

Made-in-India Light Combat Helicopters Prachand Inducted Into IAF

By LokMarg 3rd October 2022

The first batch of indigenously-developed Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) named ” Prachand” was inducted into the Indian Air Force on Monday in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The induction ceremony was held in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur, where the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Anil Chauhan was also present, along with the Union Minister.

While speaking on the occasion, Singh said that LCH will enhance our capability and will boost defence production and it proves India’s commitment towards self-reliance in Defence production.

“There could not have been a better timing for LCH induction than Navratri and in the land of warriors, Rajasthan,” Singh said, adding that the LCH is a result of research and development for two decades.

“For a long time, there was a need for attack helicopters and during the 1999 Kargil war, its need was felt seriously. The LCH is a result of research and development for two decades and its induction into IAF is an important milestone in defence production,” Singh further said.

The new chopper getting inducted into the force is capable of aerial combat and will help the force combat slow-moving aircraft, drones and armoured columns during conflicts. The induction ceremony will be led by Rajnath Singh who has played a crucial role in progressing cases for buying indigenous platforms for forces.

He was also present in the Cabinet Committee on Security which cleared the purchase of 15 of these LCHs for the air force and the army.

Hailing the service of the Indian Air Force, Singh said that IAF has played an important role in the nation’s security whether it was internal threats or external war.

“IAF has always strengthened national security with their courage and bravery. The induction of indigenously developed LCH will increase the efficiency of IAF. It has always supported indigenously developed defence products like Marut, Light Combat Aircraft, Aakash Missile System, Advanced Light Helicopter and now LCH. It shows IAF’s trust towards indigenously design and development,” Rajnath Singh said.

Defence Minister also talked about the key feature of this made-in-India LCH and said it perfectly meets the needs of our armed forces.

“LCH is capable of dodging the enemy, carrying a variety of ammunition, and delivering it to the site quickly. LCH perfectly meets the needs of our armed forces in various terrains and it is an ideal platform for both our Army and Airforce,” he added.

Giving reference to the Ukraine-Russia war, Rajnath said, “The conflict or earlier conflicts teach us that heavy weapon systems and platforms, which are unable to move rapidly across the battlefield, have a low capability, and become easy targets for the enemy.”

He considered the defence of the nation as the top priority and said that the government is fully committed to it.

“I can say with full confidence that in the coming time, India will be first whenever there is talk of superpowers including military power in the world,” he said.

“For the nation’s security, it is the job of the government to ensure armed forces are equipped with the best equipment and platforms. Irrespective of the geopolitical scenario, it is their job to keep National security on alert. Against the backdrop of certain events in the past, the government has focused on indigenisation in defence production and preparedness. They are getting positive responses from services, research and development, start-ups, and public and private sector industries. All are coming together to give a new height to defence production,” Singh further said.

“Time requires to shift towards such equipment and platforms that could are easy to move, more flexible and also more lethal. I like to appreciate HAL engineers for putting all these features in LCH. And don’t get confused with the ‘Light’ word associated with it but the task it will deliver is ‘heavy’,” he said.

The light combat helicopter is a dedicated combat helicopter designed and developed indigenously in India. It has been manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Of the 15 limited series production helicopters approved, 10 are for the IAF and five for the army. It can land and take off from an altitude of 5,000 metres with weapons and fuel, the officials said.

The choppers have been flown extensively in Ladakh and the desert sector to meet the requirements of the armed forces. The IAF has inducted multiple helicopters to its fleet in the last three-four years with the induction of the Chinooks, Apache attack helicopters and now the LCHs.

CCS met under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 30, 2022, in New Delhi. The CCS has approved the procurement of 15 Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Limited Series Production at the cost of Rs. 3,887 Cr along with Infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 377 crore.

Light Combat Helicopter Limited Series Production (LSP) is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state-of-the-art modern combat helicopter containing approximately 45 per cent indigenous content by value which will progressively increase to more than 55 per cent for the SP Version.

“This helicopter is equipped with the requisite agility, manoeuvrability, extended range, high altitude performance and around-the-clock, all-weather combat capability to perform roles of Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Destruction of Enemy Air Defence (DEAD), Counter Insurgency (CI) operations against slow-moving aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs), high altitude bunker busting operations, counter-insurgency operations in the jungle and urban environments, and support to ground forces and would be a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force and Indian Army,” said the Ministry of Defence. (ANI)