June 2021 | Page 5 of 11

GoI to restore J&K’s Statehood, PM Modi to discuss blueprint on June 24 Meet

June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 Editor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will discuss restoring Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)’s statehood when he meets mainstream political parties from the region on Thursday — a significant milestone that India’s top leadership has set its eyes on after months of strategising by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, CNN-News18 has learnt from official sources. The sources, who are privy to the developments, said J&K will be granted statehood soon, as promised in the past by PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah, but there will be no talks on restoring the…

As GoI extends olive branch differences start to emerge among J&K politicos

June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 Editor

Differences emerge among Jammu and Kashmir politicos as Narendra Modi extends olive branch, including necessitating the restoration of Article 370 as a condition for the resumption of any political engagement with the Centre on Kashmir Differences have erupted among Jammu and Kashmir’s political parties over key issues, including the restoration of Article 370 and the delimitation of Assembly constituencies after the Central Government invited the UT’s politicos for an all-party meeting.The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), one of the constituents of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) or Gupkar Alliance, an…

Back to back lockdowns triggers a wave of suicides in Kashmir

June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 Editor

Two ventilators of SMHS Hospitals were sustaining two young men at the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) in the week that just ended. Both between 30 and 40 years of age had attempted to end their lives. While one among the duo just got shifted to a ward where his grief ravaged family awaited him. The other was not so lucky and his family’s grief multiplied on Saturday when they were told to take his body. Suicides have increased dramatically in the past one month in Kashmir, coinciding with the…

Why Modi’s meet with J&K parties is crucial, and what’s likely to be on the agenda

June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 Editor

Why Modi's meet with all J&K parties is crucial, and what's likely to be on the agenda

The all-party meet in Jammu and Kashmir is the first such exercise since the Centre announced the abrogation of the erstwhile state’s special status and its bifurcation into two Union territories in August 2019 The Central Government has called a meeting of all the regional political parties of Jammu and Kashmir. Various media reports confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to chair a meeting with all political parties from the Union Territory on 24 June. The meeting is also likely to be attended by Union Home Minister Amit…

J&K’s economy on brink of collapse: Omar Abdullah

June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 Editor

National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Monday said the economy of Jammu and Kashmir is on the brink of collapse as every sector in the union territory has suffered losses in the last two years. Addressing a meeting of the party’s constituency in-charges of north Kashmir’s Baramulla District at party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha here, Abdullah expressed concern over the soaring unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir and the alleged rising incidents of suicide among the youth. The economy of J&K, it goes without saying, is at the brink of collapse.…

Delimitation exercise kicks off in J&K

June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 Editor

The delimitation commission for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has kicked off the exercise by writing to all 20 District Commissioners (DC), seeking basic demographic, topographic information as well as the local administration’s impressions of political aspirations of the district. According to government sources, the letter went out to all DCs in June first week, and while the commission asked for a response within two days, it was sent off, by all DCs, at the end of the week. The commission was set up in February-March 2020 to…

Eviction Notice: Shopkeepers protest as ‘Army asks them to vacate’ to accommodate ex-servicemen in Khrew

June 19, 2021June 19, 2021 Editor

Eviction Notice: Locals allege ‘Locks were broken & goods thrown out’, Shopkeepers protest as ‘Army asks them to vacate’ in Khrew

Shopkeepers whose shops have been handed over to ex-servicemen on Saturday staged a protest along with their children in Kashmir capital Srinagar, seeking the intervention of the Army Commander into the matter. At least 27 people both local and non-locals have lost their shops after they were asked to vacate by 31 Sub Area Commander. These shops are located at Corps Battle School (CBS), Training Schools in Khrew village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The evicted shopkeepers along with their children emerged in Press Enclave Srinagar to register their protest.…

Suspicion about vaccination videos fuels attacks on health workers in Kashmir

June 19, 2021June 19, 2021 Editor

As the Indian government struggles to expand a Covid-19 vaccination program dogged by shortages and bureaucratic missteps, its health workers in Kashmir are facing another challenge: attacks by residents. In recent weeks, health workers in the Indian-controlled part of the region have reportedly been attacked multiple times for taking videos of vaccinations, including inside people’s homes. Many Kashmiris said that they did not want to be filmed because appearing in videos could indicate support for the Indian government and its policies. Kashmir, a largely Muslim region of about eight million…

Cherry harvesting begins in full swing as COVID restrictions relaxed in Kashmir

June 19, 2021June 19, 2021 Editor

Following relaxation in lockdown rules, the harvesting of the cherry crop is in full swing in the Kashmir valley. As the pandemic has impacted the horticulturists and the marketing of their produce, the government is helping them sell the crop. Abida Malik, an officer of the Department of Horticulture said, “The pandemic had already delayed the season, and with restrictions on movement, the growers (cherry farmers) were facing difficulties in marketing their produce. The government has, therefore, decided to help the growers market it through them. This will ensure that…

Petrol crosses Rs 100 mark in Kashmir

June 19, 2021June 19, 2021 Editor

Petrol prices went above Rs 100 a litre in Kashmir today. The oil marketing companies hiked the oil prices by over 20 paise per litre. With this hike the petrol price went to Rs 100.04 per litre in Kashmir division. As per the price list, the diesel on Friday was priced at 91.38 per litre, extra-mileage petrol which is also known as power product at 103.71 a litre. Earlier on Monday, the price of petrol in UT of Ladakh also touched Rs 100. Petrol and diesel rates in the country…