Month: January 2016

Shutdown continues in Pulwama for 13th Day

Editor

For the 13th straight day, the strike in southern Pulwama Town continued over the demand of installing a militant memorial at ‘Shaheed Park’ in the area. Eyewitnesses told Srinagar-based news agency GNS that all the markets of the Town and its adjoining localities were closed while the traffic also remained off the roads. Reports said that the shutdown was also observed in Kakapora hamlet of the Pulwama district. The situation in the Town remained peaceful throughout the day and there was no protest or stone-pelting incident. Meanwhile, reports said police…

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BJP to open cards after first move by PDP for Govt formation

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Ram Madhav, Avinash Khanna hold meet with state leaders in Jammu Although the alliance partners have denied differences, the BJP is awaiting a word from the PDP on government formation in the state. “We are waiting for a response from the PDP in this regard. Let the PDP take an initiative in government formation,” said Avinash Rai Khanna, BJP national vice-president and in charge of J&K affairs, after coming out of a three-and-a-half-hour-long meeting with party leaders. BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav, who was the architect of PDP-BJP government…

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PDP will tie up with Congress or BJP? Mehbooba keeps everyone guessing

Editor

Keen to reset terms of coalition, but will not overturn her late father’s last biggest political decision, suspense surrounds government formation in Jammu and Kashmir after Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away. Mehbooba Mufti, who has been almost unanimously picked to be the next chief minister, is in no hurry to form a government. Speaking to the NDTV, sources said that Mehbooba was hurt the way the BJP government at the Centre treated PDP in relation with the release of economic packages. Political circles were teeming with speculations that an alliance between…

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SVC recommends restoration of land worth crores to J&K Govt

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The State Vigilance Commission (SVC) today recommended restoration of prime land worth crores of rupees to the state government after the land was ‘illegally sold’ off by some private persons to other people. During an enquiry into an alleged illegal transfer of land, it surfaced that Kulwant Singh and Bikarm Singh of Tral in Pulwama district have sold prime state land, vested in them by virtue of section 4 and section 8 of The J&K Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976, SVC officials said. Kulwant Singh, while recording his statement during proceedings…

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Omar rules out unilateral support to PDP in govt formation

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As suspense mounted over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tonight ruled out the party’s unilateral support to PDP from outside in any new dispensation with Congress backing. Omar, a former chief minister who was the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s predecessor, also regretted the political uncertainty in the state where some people are “fishing in troubled waters” and asserted that an “accountable government” should be in place at the earliest. The state, where PDP is in alliance with BJP, is currently under Governor’s rule. “I…

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Clashes Occur at Funeral of Rebel Commander in Kashmir

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Clashes have erupted in Kashmir after police fired tear gas to stop thousands of people from marching in the funeral procession of a rebel commander killed in a clash with government forces. Police Inspector-General Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani said the militant, Sajad Ahmed Bhat, was killed in the clash Monday night on the outskirts of Srinagar, the main city in the disputed Himalayan region. On Tuesday, thousands of people chanting slogans against Indian rule assembled in the militant’s home village and tried to march on the highway connecting the region…

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Cold wave condition in Kashmir is likely to intensify further

Editor

Cold wave continued across the Kashmir on Tuesday as the Met Office said its intensity is likely to further in the days to come. “Because of clear night sky the present cold wave condition in the (Kashmir) valley is likely intensify further as we expect weather to remain dry during the next 24 hours,” a meteorological department official told IANS on Tuesday. “The minimum temperature was minus 0.8 in Srinagar today (Tuesday) while it was minus 2.1 in Pahalgam and minus 6.0 in Gulmarg. Leh town recorded minus 13.1 and…

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Mehbooba maintains the suspense

Editor

She had confided to BJP leaders her disappointment with the Centre over flood relief assistance Monday went by without Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti taking oath as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in a sign that she was determined to take the post on her own terms. This was acknowledged by her ally, BJP, with its general secretary Ram Madhav (who had helped to negotiate the alliance) saying: “It is for the PDP to take the first call… It has to decide on its leader and come…

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Omar derides speculation on govt formation, Mehbooba’s critics

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Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today scoffed at speculations over government formation in the state, saying they were nothing more than well crafted smoke and mirrors, and decried criticism of PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti. “You have a grief stricken daughter who isn’t ready to take over just yet. All the other stuff is well crafted smoke & mirrors, nothing more,” Omar wrote on Twitter. He said there was “so much needless speculation about what is & isn’t happening in the PDP or BJP and all of it…

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Hurriyat (G) to reward toppers: Geelani

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Felicitating the students of class 10th, especially Ghalib Afzal Guru, who bagged 19th position in class tenth exams, the Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani on Monday announced that his amalgam would reward top 20 position holders. Geelani praised the teachers of all the schools who showed best performance in the 10th class exams including a school at Dooru, Sopore, namely Unique Public School. “The performance of our children in studies despite living in the worst kind of conflict zone of the world is very encouraging and praiseworthy. Kashmiri…

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