Is there a design to fracture mandate in Kashmir as alleged by Omar Abdullah?

On the stump across Kashmir, the former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has warned of the attempts being made to divide the mandate in Kashmir Valley, apparently to benefit the BJP in the state. Omar’s worry springs from the growing challenge from the otherwise marginal political parties like People’s Conference headed by Sajad Gani Lone and the launching of a political outfit by the IAS officer turned politician Shah Faesal. This, he thinks, will divide the vote in the Valley rendering any Valley-based party incapable of forming the government on…

Read More

After polls, Chowkidar will be behind bars: Rahul Gandhi

At a massive election rally in Nagpur on Thursday evening, Gandhi said if the Congress and its allies come to power, an inquiry will be conducted against Modi over his alleged involvement in the Rafale deal A day after Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi said in Gondia that Opposition leaders will be in Delhi’s Tihar jail after the polls, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that all those who “claim to be chowkidars will find themselves in jail after the elections”. At a massive election rally in Nagpur on…

Read More

‘Turning Kashmir into Palestine’, allege politicos over barring civilian traffic from highway

It is a move that could plunge the Kashmir Valley into a perpetual state of crisis. Reeling under New Delhi’s rule at the moment, Jammu and Kashmir has been hit with the controversial decision to ban movement of civilian traffic in for two days a week (Sunday and Wednesday), for free movement of convoys. A statement issued by government in this regard, said, “There will be a complete ban on civilian traffic on the highway during these two days from 4 am to 5 pm. This prohibition will be from…

Read More

Distrust, Discontent and Alienation: Kashmir During the Modi Years

The Modi government has done little to stem disaffection in the Valley, but a fair amount to intensify it Sorting out some papers, I came across an old essay in an obscure periodical on a topic of contemporary relevance. Published in December 1973 in the Sarvodaya journal Bhoodan-Yagya, it was written (in Hindi) by Chandi Prasad Bhatt, the pioneer of the Chipko andolanand, arguably, of modern Indian environmentalism itself. However, the essay I speak of was not about the major themes of his work, environmentalism and sustainable development – rather, it dealt…

Read More

From Saffron to Green BJP changes its​ color for Kashmir

While BJP’s national stand is to give a befitting reply to Pakistan’s misadventure, its Anantnag Lok Sabha candidate says, we want good relations with Pakistan Khalid Jehangir, the BJP candidate for Srinagar Lok Sabha polls, on Monday used green colour in newspaper advertisements to remind Valley residents that the hue is often used to woo voters. Jehangir, however, said the use of the colour was not intentional. “I am a saffron man. It hardly matters which colour I use in advertisements,” he told Kashmir Post, adding, “I don’t see colours…

Read More