August 2017 | Page 18 of 24

BJP introduces grassroots campaigners modelled on RSS pracharaks in J&K

August 8, 2017 Editor

These foot soldiers will highlight policies and programmes of the party in a bid to increase its mass base in the Muslim majority state. The BJP, which is enjoying power for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, has borrowed a concept of grassroots campaigners from its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to increase its “mass base” in the Muslim majority state. The party has deployed “alp-vistaraks” (short-time workers) and “dirgh-vistaraks” (full-time workers) in the state, modelled on RSS’s pracharkas or campaigners, the corps of volunteers who serves as a…

Article 35A abrogation will threaten JK’s existence: Farooq Abdullah

August 8, 2017 Editor

Opposition National Conference (NC) President and former chief minister, Farooq Abdullah Monday said the existence of Jammu Kashmir would be under threat if Article 35-A was abrogated. Addressing a news conference after chairing a joint meeting of opposition parties at his Gupkar residence in Srinagar, Abdullah said if Article 35-A was abrogated, it would have dangerous consequences for all three regions of the State – Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu. “Besides, it will also have its ramifications on entire country,” he said a day after returning from New Delhi. The meeting…

Won’t tamper with Article 35A & Article 370 till alliance with PDP is intact: BJP

August 8, 2017 Editor

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said it has decided not to tamper with or challenge any of the constitutional provisions of the state, including Article 35-A and Article 370, till its alliance with PDP remains intact. “I can tell you with full authority that BJP is not interested in challenging or tampering with any of the constitutional provisions of J&K, be it Article 35-A or Article 370,” BJP’s chief spokesman for J&K, Sunil Sethi told Kashmir Post over phone from New Delhi. He said though BJP’s ideological stand is…

Joint Separatist Leadership warn Govt, call for shutdown on Aug 12

August 8, 2017 Editor

The joint separatist leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik on Monday called for Kashmir-wide shutdown on August 12 against the “ongoing genocide of Kashmiris, onslaught on common people and attempts to change the state subject law in Jammu and Kashmir.” In a joint statement here, the leaders said: “People of Kashmir will observe a complete shutdown on Saturday (12 August 2017) and register their protest against these anti-Muslim and anti-Kashmir actions.” They said the ongoing “killing spree, genocide of young Kashmiris, hooliganism of government…

Amarnath Yatra 2017 ends on high note

August 8, 2017 Editor

Despite terror attack, over 2.6 lakh devotees paid obeisance during 40-day pilgrimage The last batch of pilgrims performed the final puja at the holy Amarnath cave shrine on the auspicious occasion of Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan), marking the conclusion of this year’s yatra. The 40-day-long yatra started on June 29 on the occasion of Purshotam Purnima from the Chandanwari and Baltal routes and concluded today with a special puja at the cave with the holy mace (Chhari Mubarak). After performing the daylong puja, devotees started their return journey towards Panjtarni…

Supreme Court to hear plea today on Muslim minority status in J&K

August 8, 2017 Editor

Top court to hear a plea questioning the minority status of the Jammu and Kashmir`s Muslims The Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear a plea filed by Ankur Sharma, questioning the minority status of the Jammu and Kashmir`s Muslims. Earlier, the top court asked the Centre and State Government to sit together and deal with the issue jointly. In February, the court had imposed a cost of Rs 30,000 on the Centre for not filing its reply to a PIL alleging that minority benefits are being enjoyed by majority Muslims in the…

India, US conspiring to sabotage Indus Waters Treaty: Khawaja Asif

August 7, 2017 Editor

Pakistan has accused India and the US of being “involved in an international conspiracy to sabotage the Indus Water(s) Treaty”,+ reported Pakistani media. India is “also supporting the conspiracies being hatched by Afghanistan against Pakistan”, isn’t giving any response to “Pakistan’s peace initiatives” and is, like Afghanistan, involved in a “blame game” with Islamabad as the target, said Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s new foreign minister. In his first press conference since being appointed foreign minister, Asif also reportedly said that “Pakistan’s desire for peace and good relations with neighbours should not…

Venkaiah Naidu (NDA candidate) wins vice presidential election with 516 votes

August 7, 2017 Editor

The ruling NDA candidate and former Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu was on Saturday elected as the next Vice-President of India. Naidu defeated the Opposition candidate and former diplomat Gopalkrishna Gandhi by a margin of 272 votes. Naidu secured 516 votes as against 244 got by Gandhi. In all 771 out of 785 MPs cast their votes. Votes of 11 MPs were declared invalid. Fourteen MPs of different political parties did not vote for varied reasons. Three hundred and eighty one votes were needed to win. The ruling NDA candidate…

Fest aims to put Gurez on adventure tourism map

August 7, 2017August 7, 2017 Editor

In an effort to put the virgin locations of Gurez on the tourism map, a three-day ‘Gurez Festival’, organised by the government, started on Saturday. The festival will promote Gurez as a destination for adventure sports activities. “Gurez has a lot of tourism potential. There is scope for all activities, including trekking, mountain biking and white water rafting, which need to be promoted through such festivals,” said Tourism Director, Kashmir, Mahmood A Shah. Adventure sports activities like trekking, white water rafting, mountain biking and angling will be part of the…