Year: 2017

Manmohan led panel arrives in Jammu, begins peace mission

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Over 12 delegations give suggestions for ‘restoring normalcy’ in the state After interacting with over a dozen delegations from a cross-section of society, the Congress high-powered “policy planning group” on J&K today started its mission to “reach out to the people” for initiating peace in the state. The group, headed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, comprises senior functionaries of the party. After reaching Jammu thisafternoon, members of the group held discussions with executive committee members of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) before starting an interaction with…

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NC delegation calls on Rajnath Singh, raises issue of Article 35A

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A delegation of the opposition National Conference, led by former chief minister Omar Abdullah, on Sunday conveyed to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh the party’s concern over the Centre’s ambiguity in defending Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 35A of the Constitution. The delegation called on Singh, who is on a four-day visit to the state, here this afternoon. “While highlighting the political, historical and constitutional context of the state’s special status, Omar registered the party’s concern and disappointment over the central government’s ambiguity in defending the state’s special…

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Militants step up attack, 7 Cops killed in 15 days

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On Saturday evening, when militants carried out an attack in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district despite beefed-up security ahead of Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit, it left Constable Imtiyaz Ahmad dead. Constable Imtiyaz became the seventh policeman in the past fortnight who was gunned down by militants. This year, the J&K Police have lost 25 policemen — highest in over a decade. In June, eight policemen were killed — the highest in a month. After a relative lull in attacks on the police for nearly two months after June, militants have…

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Will make J&K ‘Heaven On Earth’ says Rajnath; Talking development in times of suppression meaningless says Geelani

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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that no force can stop India from “again making J&K a heaven on earth”, even as he strongly lauded the “bravery” of the police and other security forces “in fighting militancy in Kashmir.” Addressing police and CRPF personnel in Anantnag on second day of his four-day visit to J&K, Rajnath said that “the nation is indebted to the supreme sacrifices of police and other security forces personnel and no amount of money can compensate these sacrifices.” “We will again make J&K a…

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Rajnath meets Mehbooba in Srinagar, vows to keep open mind on Kashmir Issue

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Rajnath, who is here on a four-day visit, has said he was going to Jammu and Kashmir with an open mind and was willing to meet with anyone who could help in finding solutions to the Kashmir issue. Union home minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Srinagar on Saturday to hold talks on the Kashmir issue. Rajnath, who is here on a four-day visit, has said he was going to Jammu and Kashmir with an open mind and was willing to meet with anyone who could help in finding solutions to…

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Eat beef in your country and then come to India: Tourism Minister

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Newly sworn-in Union tourism minister K J Alphons has an advice for foreigners visiting the country: Eat beef in your own countries and then come to India. Asked whether cow vigilantism and restrictions on beef consumption in several states had affected India’s hospitality sector, the minister said on Thursday: “They [foreigner tourists] can eat beef in their country and come to India.” He was speaking on the sidelines of the 33rd annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators in Odisha’s capital city. Alphons’s comment comes just days after…

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Release separatists so that they can speak to Rajnath: Farooq Abdullah

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Farooq Abdullah alleged that senior journalist Gauri Lankesh was killed because she wrote about how the RSS was weakening the country. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said on Friday that the NIA should release the separatist leaders so that they can tell Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh what they want during his forthcoming visit to the state. Speaking to the media here on the sidelines of a function to remember his father and founder of National Conference, late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah on his death anniversary, Abdullah alleged…

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Gunfight rages in Sopore; Clashes erupt near gunfight, Internet suspended, Schools closed

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Gunfight broke out in Reban village of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday morning, police said. An official said that a search operation was launched in the area following inputs about the presence of militants around 3 am. “As the forces approached towards the suspected spot around 8 am, militants opened fire,” said the official, adding that the forces retaliated, triggering a gunfight. Meanwhile Internet services have been suspended and schools closed in Sopore town “as a precautionary measure”. Clashes erupted between protesters and government forces near the…

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67% literacy rate in J&K, Govt taking steps for 100% literacy: Edu Secretary

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Secretary School Education, Farooq Ahmed Shah, on Friday said 67 percent of Jammu and Kashmir’s population is presently literate and the government has taken “all adequate steps” to upgrade the education standard to further increase the literacy rate. Shah said the government’s mission is to achieve 100 percent literacy in the state. He was speaking at a function organized at Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh, to celebrate 51st International Literacy Day (ILD) as Saakshar Bharat Mission (SBM). The function’s special emphasis was on ‘Adult Education in J&K’. It was…

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Amid reshuffle talk BJP brass calls RSS leader to Delhi

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Amid rumours of reshuffle in the ministers from the BJP quota, top Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader of J&K Ramesh Pappa has reached New Delhi as the party leadership wants to take him into confidence before taking any step. “RSS prant pracharak Ramesh Pappa, who was in Srinagar for organisational work, has air-dashed to New Delhi for an unscheduled visit as the BJP leadership is mulling some changes in the Council of Ministers,” a source told Kashmir Post, adding that, “the high command wants to take the Sangh Parivar on…

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