Month: April 2019

Distrust, Discontent and Alienation: Kashmir During the Modi Years

Editor

The Modi government has done little to stem disaffection in the Valley, but a fair amount to intensify it Sorting out some papers, I came across an old essay in an obscure periodical on a topic of contemporary relevance. Published in December 1973 in the Sarvodaya journal Bhoodan-Yagya, it was written (in Hindi) by Chandi Prasad Bhatt, the pioneer of the Chipko andolanand, arguably, of modern Indian environmentalism itself. However, the essay I speak of was not about the major themes of his work, environmentalism and sustainable development – rather, it dealt…

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From Saffron to Green BJP changes its​ color for Kashmir

Editor

While BJP’s national stand is to give a befitting reply to Pakistan’s misadventure, its Anantnag Lok Sabha candidate says, we want good relations with Pakistan Khalid Jehangir, the BJP candidate for Srinagar Lok Sabha polls, on Monday used green colour in newspaper advertisements to remind Valley residents that the hue is often used to woo voters. Jehangir, however, said the use of the colour was not intentional. “I am a saffron man. It hardly matters which colour I use in advertisements,” he told Kashmir Post, adding, “I don’t see colours…

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Outrage across Kashmir Valley over banning​ civilian traffic on the ​highway

Editor

Response in the form of a “joint line of action” will be worked out very soon: Syed Ali Geelani  Highway closure order ‘dictatorial’, govt should withdraw it, says MirwaizHighway open even during Kargil War, rights of people being tampered with: FarooqGovt should formulate a people-friendly strategy, says Azad Omar Abdullah asks the governor to review civilian traffic ban orderCivilian traffic ban on highway ‘unjust, uncalled’ for: MongaTraffic ban tantamount to intrusion on civil liberties: Altaf BukhariDisallowing civilian traffic during convoy movement will prove disaster for economy: KCCIHighway decision taken in…

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At SKIMS, five lives lost in a month to ‘Transfusion Reaction’

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In a shocking revelation, five patients have died of blood transfusion reaction at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura while the sixth one is battling for life in the intensive care unit (ICU). A senior doctor at SKIMS told The Kashmir Post that five patients have died due to blood transfusion in the past one month suspecting use of substandard equipment in the blood bank and during transfusion process.“Two patients died in a surgical intensive care unit, one in gastroenterology, on in general surgery and the fifth one in…

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Modi, BJP responsible for ‘Worsening’ Kashmir situation: G N Azad

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Senior Congress leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad Wednesday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government for “worsening” the situation in Kashmir during its stint in power. Addressing a party workers’ convention in Lolab, Kupwara, Azad said: “The situation in the Kashmir Valley had considerably improved when there was a Congress government at the Centre till 2014. The situation deteriorated after the came to power and created a situation like nineties in the Valley. If anyone is squarely responsible for the deterioration of the situation…

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Govt bans civilian traffic on highway on Sundays, Wednesdays

Editor

The government on Wednesday banned civilian movement on Srinagar-Jammu highway on two days in a week (Sunday and Wednesday) for smooth and safe passage of security convoys. “Keeping in view the large movement of forces on highway during the parliamentary polls and associated possibility of any fidayeen attack on security convoys, the Government has notified two days in a week for the movement of forces convoys from Srinagar to Jammu. During these days, no civilian traffic would be allowed on the Highway,” an official spokesman said. The ban has imposed…

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Congress banners flooded within BJP rally venue in Jammu

Editor

The BJP leadership faced a piquant situation on Wednesday as one portion of the venue where party’s national chief Amit Shah addressed an election rally was facing two houses flooded with banners, flags and posters of Congress leaders. The two houses belong to senior Congress leader Ashwani Khajuria, who had intentionally covered them with flexes of party stalwarts. Interestingly, the stage where all senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, were sitting was facing the houses. “As our house is situated just in front of the stage prepared for Amit Shah’s…

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NC-Cong coalition was close to revoking armed forces Act claims Azad, No one can dilute AFSPA says Amit Shah

Editor

Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday claimed that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) would have been revoked from a few districts had the NC and Congress coalition remained in power in the state for a year more. “A time had come when it (AFSPA) would have been removed from a few districts. Had we remained in power for a year more…the way things were returning to normal…probably it (AFSPA abrogation) was a question of a few months…from top, militancy was coming down to zero…the ultimate (aim)…

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Scrap sedition law and Kashmir policy from Congress manifesto become Arun Jaitley’s targets

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The Congress has said it will review force deployment in Kashmir and omit the sedition law Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, who was deployed by the BJP today to counter the Congress’s manifesto, said the promises made by Rahul Gandhi were “unimplementable” and “dangerous”. He reinforced his party’s focus on national security, the main campaign plank of the BJP, by focusing largely on sections in the manifesto that were on Jammu and Kashmir and on omitting Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code that defines the offence of sedition. The…

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Amit Shah ‘Daydreaming’ about abrogating Article 370: Mehbooba Mufti

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Mufti said the Constitutional provision is a bridge between the people of the state and India PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday said BJP president Amit Shah was “daydreaming” about abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution that provides special status to the state. Mufti said the Constitutional provision is a bridge between the people of the state and India. “I want to tell Amit Shah that you are daydreaming if you think you will abrogate Article 370,” Mufti said while addressing a workers’ meet…

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