Month: March 2019

The sacrifice of martyrs being used by BJP for vote bank​: Shiv Sena

Editor

Shiv Sena has launched the attack on Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ally saying that those seeking votes on the basis of the martyrdom of brave jawans’ are ‘culprits’ and should be held responsible for politicising the sacrifice of our brave-hearts. In an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena says that those ‘questioning the authenticity’ of air strike are equally responsible for ‘insulting’ the valour of our forces. The editorial reads, “To blame political opponents by calling them anti-nationals is inappropriate.It is a breach of freedom of expression. There…

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Extend UDAN scheme to Kashmir: Tourism Body

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With the skyrocketing airfares shooing away intending tourists to Kashmir, the Valley-based tourism players Monday asked why the central government was not extending its air travel scheme, which facilitates cheaper airfares to several destinations, to Kashmir.The government of India in 2016 launched UDAN (ude desh ka aam nagrik) scheme to make air travel affordable for people through subsidised ticket prices and to provide air connectivity to smaller towns. The aim of the scheme is to connect major cities with tier-II and tier-III cities at a price of Rs 2,500 per…

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The surgical​ strike was done for sole purpose of winning LS polls: Farooq Abdullah

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National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Monday made serious allegations against the BJP-led government, saying it ordered the air strike in Pakistan’s Balakot with the “sole purpose” of winning Lok Sabha elections.The Srinagar MP alleged the BJP has “failed” on all fronts and it was apprehended that there would be a fight or skirmish with Pakistan before the polls so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi becomes some kind of an “avatar” without whom India cannot survive. “This surgical strike (air strike) was done only for the purpose of election…totally for…

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Amid the threat of nuclear war, Kashmir is no longer safe for Kashmiris

Editor

When the first fighter jets tore through the sky over his home in Srinagar, Kashmir, 50-year-old Mohammad Yusuf knew immediately that something was very wrong. As a maths teacher, Mr Yusuf has worked at schools no more than 10km (six miles) from the “Line of Control”, the de facto border agreed by India and Pakistan between their respective territories in Kashmir. Yet until last week he had never heard the roar of jets flying low overhead, never mind in Srinagar itself – the summer capital of India’s Jammu and Kashmir…

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VVPATs at all booths, Candidate photos on EVMs among firsts this election

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Voters in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will find, for the first time, the faces of the candidates along with their respective party symbols in the electronic voting machines (EVMs), the Election Commission (EC) announced here on Sunday as it released the seven-phase schedule of the world’s largest democratic exercise. The commission has introducing a slew of new or improved measures as it aims to make the elections free, fair and transparent – with a dash of eco-friendliness thrown in for good measure. The poll panel announced that for the first time Voter…

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World looks away as Kashmiri’s are stuck in the middle of potentially nuclear conflict

Editor

When Adil Dar rammed a car stuffed with explosives into a paramilitary convoy in Indian-administered Kashmir last month, I didn’t make much of the news. I was travelling across northern India at the time. Having been born and brought up amid a conflict that has defined the life of every young Kashmiri for the past three decades it just seemed more of the same: military cordons, gunfights, curfews, blown-up houses, maiming and the death of our friends and acquaintances. But the magnitude of this attack by Dar, a 22-year-old Kashmiri,…

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No terrorists will be allowed to attack from Pakistani soil: Imran Khan

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Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said no militant group would be allowed to operate from Pakistani soil to carry out attacks abroad, days after his government announced a sweeping crackdown against Islamist militant organisations.Pakistan faces growing international pressure to rein in Islamist groups that carry out attacks in India. The February 14 attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel and led to tension between the nuclear-armed rivals as India conducted airstrikes in Pakistan’s Balakot region.Both countries carried out aerial bombing missions last week and even…

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Complete Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover within 2 months: DC Srinagar

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Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Friday strictly instructed the concerned executing agencies to complete the Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh Flyover within two months.The DC who made these instructions in a meeting with executing agencies and contractors of the project assured the latter of timely provision of construction material and payments. He strictly directed the concerned agencies and contractors to work day and night in double shifts and ensure that the ?341 crore project is completed without any further delays.Dr Shahid Iqbal said the work will be monitored on daily basis,…

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‘Ensure India’s forces aren’t used for political gains’: Ex-navy chief Admiral L Ramdas to Election Commission

Editor

Former chief of naval staff, Admiral L Ramdas (retired), has written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) expressing “concern” and “dismay” over what he sees as the misuse of the air strike in Pakistan to “influence the electorate”. Admiral Ramdas led the Indian Navy from 1990 to 1993 and was part of naval blockade of East Pakistan during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The operation, one of the most effective naval blockades, prevented Pakistan from evacuating over 90,000 soldiers from Bangladesh. They eventually surrendered before the Indian Army. Ramdas…

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Rahul condemns violence against Kashmiris, Centre issues fresh advisory

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Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday condemned the violence against Kashmiris and said India belonged to its citizens from every corner of the country.Gandhi’s reaction came after two Kashmiri vendors selling dry fruits were thrashed by a group of saffron-clad men in Lucknow on Wednesday. Tweeting a video of the incident, the Congress chief said: “While I’m disgusted by this video of Kashmiri traders being attacked in UP, I salute the braveheart who challenged the attackers. India belongs to its citizens, from every corner of our nation. I strongly condemn…

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