Day: June 13, 2017

BJP MLA spits venom against Kashmiri Muslims, video goes viral

Editor

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Raja Singh has asked Hindu pilgrims intending to visit Kashmir for the Amarnath Yatra this year not to buy anything from “traitor Kashmiri Muslims” to avenge the attacks on Indian soldiers in Kashmir. The video, which was first uploaded on his ‘Sri Ram Channel’ on YouTube, last month, has since been removed. However, the video has gone viral on Whatsapp and other file sharing websites. “To those who visit Amarnath and other holy sites in May, June and July, my request is that don’t…

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Forces ‘Ransack’ shops after locals celebrate Pakistan Champions Trophy win

Editor

Local sources said that youth burst firecrackers to celebrate the Pakistan cricket team at around 10:30 pm last night. Government forces on Monday night allegedly vandalized dozens of shops and vehicles in Vehil village of Shopian after locals burst firecrackers to celebrate Pakistan’s win over Sri Lanka in the ongoing Champions Trophy in England. Local sources said that youth burst firecrackers to celebrate the Pakistan cricket team at around 10:30 pm last night. However, forces personnel rushed to the village and fired several rounds in air soon after the celebrations.…

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Lack of fear among young Kashmiris exacerbates situation in the Valley

Editor

The confrontation between civilians and Indian Army in Kashmir is reaching a tipping point. Almost every other day, men, women and even children, especially in south Kashmir, scuttle the cordon and search operations of security forces. It is a dangerous proposition fraught with life risk, but at the centre of these theatrics is the absence of fear among people. It is also the right time to ponder why we are where we are today. During the 2008 and 2010 unrest in the Kashmir Valley, and many short-lived agitations before that,…

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Storm struck, 6 Power towers in Vijaypur lie uprooted

Editor

At least six high-tension (HT) towers, installed by Sterlite Power, a power transmission company, for the Jalandhar-Samba-Amargarh distribution line have been lying uprooted in the Vijaypur area since Thursday night, hinting at use of “substandard” material. The towers got uprooted during a windstorm. Although no loss of human life was reported, it has raised a question on the quality of material being used for the execution of the Centrally sponsored power projects in the state. The 400 kV D/c Jalandhar-Samba-Amargarh transmission line being executed by Sterlite Power (Sterlite Grid Limited)…

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State won’t surrender special powers, assures Haseeb Drabu: GST Row

Editor

A day before the crucial all-party meeting on the goods and services tax (GST), businessmen and hoteliers of the Kashmir valley met Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu and were yet again given the assurance that the new law would not have an effect on J&K’s special status. The marathon meeting with the Finance Minister that lasted around three hours comes a day after the business community met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, where they unanimously opposed the extension of the GST to the state, fearing it would affect Article 370. “Our stand…

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What is BJP and Rajnath’s ‘Permanent Resolution’ for the Kashmir issue?

Editor

Over the past two weeks, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has made several curious statements about the government’s plans for a “permanent resolution” of the Kashmir issue. In one of the earlier statements, he cryptically remarked that the government has indeed “come up with a permanent solution to solve Kashmir”. He continued that “the initiative has begun” and the government is “moving forward”. Subsequently, he repeated the statement again and added that the government will “take people into confidence” about the solution. Vague Words Although Singh has given no details about…

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Agenda of Anxiety: third year, little progress

Editor

The PDP-BJP rule in Jammu and Kashmir might have entered its third year, but the Agenda of Alliance (AoA)—the governance document of the coalition partners—has seen little progress on ground, especially with regard to the key political component of holding talks with the Valley’s resistance leadership. While some PDP leaders blame the “hostile situation” for delay in implementation of the AoA, many clearly appear anxious in the wake of fears that the party might “lose the ground” if steps are not taken urgently to “address the gaps.” On May 31…

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Govt to promote pilgrimage tourism with renewed push: Nirmal Singh

Editor

Government has decided to use social media to attract the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims to the potential tourist destinations and prolong their stay in the state. Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Nirmal Singh, while reviewing the arrangements for the annual yatra here today, asked the tourism department to reach out to the pilgrims through social media to invite them to the places of attraction both in Kashmir and Jammu division. “The govt should keep record of pilgrims including their phone numbers at the time of registration, many also get short period SIM…

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Militants lob grenade at CRPF camp in Tral, two jawans injured

Editor

The security forces have cordoned off the area after the attack and a hunt was on to nab them. Two jawans were injured on Monday night when terrorists lobbed grenade on a CRPF camp in in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, prompting the security forces to cordon off the area. The incident took place in Tral in Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The security forces have cordoned off the area after the attack and a hunt was on to nab them. Earlier in the day, the security forces recovered a huge quantity…

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Students protest youth’s death in Shopian district

Editor

Students held protests today over the recent killing of a college youth in south Kashmir’s Shopian district. Dozens of college and higher secondary school students in Shopian came out on roads raising anti-India slogans and pelted stones on security forces, nearly 60 km south of Srinagar city. As soon as the morning assembly was over, students of Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Shopian, came out on roads. The protest spread over to the local college, where students hoisted a Pakistan flag on the main entrance. Students from both the educational…

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