BJP opposes unilateral ceasefire, says army having an upper hand

Coalition partners of People Democratic Party (PDP), the Bharatiya Janta Party has opposed unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir in view of holy month of Ramzan and the Amamrnath Yatra as it asserted that militants would get a chance of regrouping. “Like Vajpayee era, there was a unilateral ceasefire. Similarly, a ceasefire should be announced in the month of Ramzan. It was not discussed nor we agreed on this,”BJP’s spokesperson, Sunil Sethi told media at the BJP headquarter in Jammu. “We want government to deal with the stone-throwers with stern action. Unilateral…

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Azadi not possible, you can’t fight us: General Bipin Rawat to Kashmir youth

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat has said the youth in Kashmir must not get “carried away unnecessarily” and understand “azadi” is not possible as the security forces will always fight those who want to secede, the Indian Express said on Thursday. Gen Rawat told the Indian Express in an interview that he was concerned that the youth in the strife-torn state are picking up guns and “those who tell them (that) this path will bring azadi … misleading them”. “These numbers (of militants who are killed in gunbattles with…

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President Ram Nath Kovind to visit Siachen base camp today

President Ram Nath Kovind will visit the Siachen base camp, world’s highest battlefield, on Thursday and interact with soldiers. President Kovind, who is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, will be the first President to visit this camp since the visit of then President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2004. According to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President will also visit the Kumar post, located at 4,800 metres, from where supplies are dispatched to pickets on the Siachen Glacier. This is the second visit of President Kovind to the strategic Ladakh…

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Univarsities across Kashmir witness student protests against civilian killings

Students of different universities of Kashmir valley Wednesday protested against the killing of civilians and Assistant Professor turned militant, Mohammad Rafi Bhat. Scores of students of University of Kashmir protested in solidarity with the Assistant Professor turned militant who was killed during an encounter in Badigam village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Sunday. Eyewitnesses told Kashmir Post that the students of different departments assembled outside the Iqbal Library and started demonstrating against the killings. The protesting students at KU were carrying a banner reading “In memory of Shaheed Dr…

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Court seeks report on mowing down of youth by police vehicle

The court of chief judicial magistrate Srinagar has directed SHO Noorbagh to file a status report in the case of Adil Ahmed Yadoo of Safa Kadal here who was crushed to death by a police vehicle on 5 May 2018. The court issued directions after the family of the victim moved an application through counsels advocate Bashir Siddiq and Muhammad Ashraf Bhat. The 18 year old youth was crushed to death by a police armoured vehicle in downtown Srinagar amid protests following a firefight between militants and government forces, a…

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Pune’s former mayor, Rajlakshmi Bhosale faith in Kashmir tourism unshaken

Rajlakshmi Bhosale was on her way to Srinagar when she got the news of the killing of a tourist in a stone pelting incident. But the General Secretary of Nationalist Congress Party in Pune and former mayor of the western Indian city let her earlier experience of travels to Kashmir guide her rather be panicked by the news of the death of 22-year-old R Thirumani of Chennai after he was critically injured near Narbal when his vehicle was caught in a stone throwing protest. Bhosale flew from the hills of…

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Deploying NSG will boost forces but elite commandos should be shielded from stone pelters

Reports in the media indicate that the elite National Security Guard (NSG) is to be deployed in Kashmir as part of the counterterrorism grid. According to home ministry officials, the force would be directly involved in specific counterterrorism operations particularly in hostage situations as well as have a role in training the state police and the CRPF in an increasingly complex security scenario. There is also a hint that the NSG is being deployed to keep its specific skills honed for its actual task, which is as the country’s quick…

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PM Narendra Modi likely to visit J&K later this month

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir for two days later this month during which he will inaugurate a hydro-electricity project and participate in the 100th birth anniversary celebrations of Ladakhi spiritual leader Kushak Bakula and a university convocation, officials said here today. While the dates are yet to be officially announced, the officials said most probably the prime minister will arrive in Srinagar on May 19 and dedicate to the nation the 330 MW Kishanganga hydroelectric project, whose progress was monitored by the PMO. The…

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All Party Delegation appeals for ceasefire during Ramadan, Yatra

APD to visit Delhi to meet PM If AoA implemented, situation can get better The All Party Meeting (APM) convened by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday appealed Government of India (GoI) to consider a unilateral ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir starting from Ramzan in mid May till the completion of the Amarnath yatra in August. “The GoI should announce unilateral ceasefire starting from Ramzan till Amarnath yatra,” Mehbooba told reporters after conclusion of four-hour All Party Meeting (APM) convened by her to discuss the present situation in the Valley…

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