Day: August 29, 2020

New rules leave J&K Chief Minister powerless over Police, IPS Officers

Editor

The President of India will have the final say in case of differences between the LG of the Union Territory and the Council of Ministers. In the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, when it had special status, the chief minister was the most powerful person in the decision-making process. Now, the rules brought by the Centre for the government in the Union Territory of J&K make it unambiguously clear that the chief minister and her council of ministers would not have any say in matters related to the Indian…

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Pakistan-Saudi Rift & Kashmir Issue

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Pakistan’s criticism of Saudi-led Muslim bloc OIC for its inaction on the Kashmir issue has threatened their ties. by Asad Hashim Pakistan has reaffirmed the strength of its relations with Saudi Arabia this week after a diplomatic spat sparked by perceived inaction by the Gulf kingdom on the issue of Kashmir threatened to derail what has been one of the South Asian country’s strongest alliances in the region. Earlier this month, Pakistan accused the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a bloc of 57 Muslim-majority countries that is led by Saudi…

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Delhi Police being accused of Torture, Violence, Serious Rights Violations During Riots: Amnesty Report

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The report quotes accounts of victims of the riots, and says the police’s behaviour reveals a pattern of human rights violations and rampant impunity. Human rights organisation Amnesty International has accused Delhi Police of committing serious rights violations during the Delhi riots and even “indulging in violence with rioters”. It has called on the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to initiate “a prompt, thorough, independent investigation” into all such allegations against law enforcement officials. The 20-page report made public on August 28, which documented first person accounts of riot victims…

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Why Muslims fast and mourn on Ashoura

Editor

The day commemorates the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad who died at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Ashoura is marked on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, by all Muslims. It marks the day Nuh (Noah) left the Ark and the day Musa (Moses) was saved from the Pharaoh of Egypt by God. The Prophet Muhammad used to fast on Ashoura in Mecca, where it became a common tradition for the early Muslims. Ashoura this year will be marked in most places…

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696 Fresh cases of coronavirus reported in J&K

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Seven deaths in Kashmir valley As many as 696 new Covid cases — 202 from the Jammu division and 494 from the Kashmir province — have been reported in J&K during the last 24 hours, thus taking the total number of positive cases in the UT to 35,831. Also seven Covid-19 deaths, all from the Kashmir valley, were reported from J&K. As many as 651 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals — 195 from the Jammu region and 456 from the Kashmir valley. According to the official bulletin…

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Unlock 4.0: What to expect from Sept 1

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Unlock 4.0, the fourth phase of opening of the economy after coronavirus lockdown, will start from September 1. This phase comes at a time when India’s Covid-19 tally has crossed the 3.46 million mark and the number of deaths due to the disease have gone up to 62,550. Officials have said Unlock 4 guidelines, which will be announced later this week, only mention the activities which will be prohibited while the rest can resume. Here is a look at what will change during Unlock 4.0: • The Centre is likely…

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Gupkar declaration tool to gain sympathy for power, asks cadre to get ready for polls: Ram Madhav

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Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) Kashmir Unit Friday said Gupkar declaration is used as a tool to gain sympathy and power. Party’s senior leader and Media-in charge, Manzoor Bhat said those who are claiming restoration of Article 370 and other things are living in the “fool’s paradise”. “They want to create the same pressure group like “All Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite Front”, in 1955, which was founded by Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg, just to gain power. Now it is the same frustration for power and chair but people have rejected them…

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Modi’s ‘Settler’ masterplan for Indian Kashmir

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Parvaiz Bukhari Prime Minister Narendra Modi is changing Indian Kashmir’s residency laws for the first time since 1947, in a bid to snuff out any challenge to the disputed territory belonging to India. Drawing comparisons with Israel’s “settler” tactics in the Palestinian Territories, Modi’s Hindu nationalist government aims to change the demographic makeup and identity of the Muslim-majority region, critics say. AFP looks at the background, what the new rules are and their implications for the area’s 14 million population. What has Modi done in Kashmir so far? The Himalayan…

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