Farooq Abdullah questions reliability of EVMs

Barely few days ahead of commencement of general elections, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Sunday raised questions over reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM).“April 18 is the voting date (in Srinagar). Do check the machines (EVM) while casting voting and remain cautious. These machines have been manipulated. I said the same thing in Kolkata,” said Abdullah while addressing an election rally at Rajbagh here. Continuing with his doubts about the EVMs, Abdullah, who is contesting Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, said, “You vote for one party and the vote get…

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Highway Ban: People Speak

Defy the national highway banning and go wherever they want to: Mehbooba Mufti Lift travel restrictions or face agitation: Farooq AbdullahOmar Abdullah slams Govt over highway closureHighway ban collective punishment for people: Retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi Defy the national highway banning and go wherever they want to: Mehbooba Mufti Peoples Democratic Party President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Sunday asked people to defy the national highway banning and go wherever they want to. “If Government of India thinks they can suppress the people of Kashmir by such things then…

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National Highway goes out of​ bounds for locals

The ban on movement of civil vehicles on highway from Baramulla to Udhampur was enforced by troops on Sunday, causing chaos across the Valley. The police, CRPF and Army men had set up barricades and placed concertina wires in different areas on the highway to restrict movement of civilian vehicles. The force personnel were manning different areas on the NH 44, the only road link connecting Kashmir with rest of the world.The curbs threw life in valley out of gear as there was negligible movement of civil traffic on the…

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Despite US saying no Pakistani jet shot down, New Delhi still insists it did

INDIA has insisted it did shoot down a US-supplied Pakistani Air Force F-16 fighter jet contrary to a recent US report stating the opposite A document published by Foreign Policy on Thursday cited two unnamed US officials who argued a recent count of Pakistan’s F-16s showed none missing after a dogfight with the Indian Air Force (IAF) on February 27. The encounter left at least one Russian-built Indian MiG 21 Bison destroyed. The plane’s pilot was forced to eject and was consequently captured on the Pakistani side of the so-called…

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Kashmir situation being used for gaining political mileage​: Mehbooba Mufti

Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party BJP are using Kashmir situation for political ends after “miserably failing” to deliver on 2014 election promises. “Militants’ killings, raids on Hurriyat leaders, air strike inside Pakistan are being used by the BJP for political ends. They have failed to deliver on poll promises,” Mehbooba told a public rally at Uri. “I don’t mind being called a soft separatist if the BJP considers talking about resolution of Kashmir issue and safeguarding special status…

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Battle of nerves for Jammu LS seat, Modi to hold rally in Kathua on April 11

With just days left for polling in the Jammu-Poonch parliamentary seat, arch-rivals BJP and Congress are leaving no stone unturned to reach out to voters in this politically significant Lok Sabha seat in the state. It will witness polling on April 11 in the first phase of the elections for the six seats of Parliament in J&K. With the Congress forging a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference (NC) and the PDP not fielding any candidate to consolidate “secular forces” aimed at stopping the spilt of Muslim votes, the election…

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Security Cover of 919 “Undeserving Persons” removed in J&K, PDP cries foul

Security cover of 919 “undeserving persons” in Jammu and Kashmir has been withdrawn, thereby freeing 2,768 police personnel and 389 vehicles, the Home Ministry said on Friday. The list of persons whose security cover has been withdrawn by the Jammu and Kashmir administration include 22 separatist leaders, in a clear message to those involved in “anti-national activities”. The move came following the strict stand taken by the central government on inappropriate usage of scarce police resources in Jammu and Kashmir. It was observed by the home ministry that many undeserving…

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Is there a design to fracture mandate in Kashmir as alleged by Omar Abdullah?

On the stump across Kashmir, the former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has warned of the attempts being made to divide the mandate in Kashmir Valley, apparently to benefit the BJP in the state. Omar’s worry springs from the growing challenge from the otherwise marginal political parties like People’s Conference headed by Sajad Gani Lone and the launching of a political outfit by the IAS officer turned politician Shah Faesal. This, he thinks, will divide the vote in the Valley rendering any Valley-based party incapable of forming the government on…

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After polls, Chowkidar will be behind bars: Rahul Gandhi

At a massive election rally in Nagpur on Thursday evening, Gandhi said if the Congress and its allies come to power, an inquiry will be conducted against Modi over his alleged involvement in the Rafale deal A day after Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi said in Gondia that Opposition leaders will be in Delhi’s Tihar jail after the polls, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that all those who “claim to be chowkidars will find themselves in jail after the elections”. At a massive election rally in Nagpur on…

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‘Turning Kashmir into Palestine’, allege politicos over barring civilian traffic from highway

It is a move that could plunge the Kashmir Valley into a perpetual state of crisis. Reeling under New Delhi’s rule at the moment, Jammu and Kashmir has been hit with the controversial decision to ban movement of civilian traffic in for two days a week (Sunday and Wednesday), for free movement of convoys. A statement issued by government in this regard, said, “There will be a complete ban on civilian traffic on the highway during these two days from 4 am to 5 pm. This prohibition will be from…

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