Opposition Alleges Rashtrapati Bhavan Used ‘President of Bharat’ in G20 Dinner Invite The opposition Congress party on Tuesday alleged that the Rashtrapati Bhavan had sent out an invite for a G20 dinner, with the invite reading ‘President of Bharat’ instead of the ‘President of India.’ Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the development was “deeply disturbing” and that it “undermines the basic values of our Constitution.” He also said that the Article 1 of the Constitution, which defines India as a “Union of States,” would now have to be changed…
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Omar Abdullah denies coalition rumours with BJP: Calls them Baseless
National Conference leader and former Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir said that there was no question of joining hands with the Bhartiya Janta Party while maintaining that alliance with PDP will be decided only with time. “Those spreading and starting this narrative that JKNC was going to join BJP for power are those who are in hands in glove with them. (BJP) First, they need to answer why are/ were they with they BJP enjoying the privileges and benefits from BJP,” Omar Abdullah told Quint during an interview, without naming…
Read MoreTruth at Risk: Mehbooba raises concerns over Journalism in Kashmir
Mehbooba Mufti Expresses Concerns Over Truth in Jammu and Kashmir Following BBC Report on Journalism in the Region Truth has become a casualty and stating facts can invite punishment in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief was reacting to the Jammu and Kashmir Police warning of legal action against the BBC for a report titled “Any story could be your last: India’s crackdown on Kashmir Press” on the state of journalism in the Union…
Read MoreKashmir’s dark side: How black magic is destroying lives
By : Mehr-u-Nisa Zargar By early May, Shoby Jan, a resident of the Kachdoora area in south Kashmir’s Shopian allegedly showed an immense transformation in her behaviour. It was not normal. After days of struggle, her husband Muzaffar Ahmed Sheikh got in touch with a faith healer from Qazigund in the Kulgam district. The “faith healer” came to her house in Kachdoora and right away said, Shoby was possessed by a Djinn. After the “revelation” Shoby started facing a social boycott. Nobody visited her or went close to talk to…
Read MoreStabbing in Srinagar Claims Life of Teenager
A juvenile on Saturday stabbed to death a 15-year-old boy in Srinagar, sending shock waves across the city. The incident happened in Chinar Bagh area of Dalgate in Srinagar and the accused was arrested. “A juvenile (name withheld) apprehended for stabbing and murdering a 15-year-old boy in Chinar Bagh area. The weapon of offence was also recovered on the instance of the accused. This knife was thrown by the accused in a marshy area after the crime. FIR No 36/2023 was registered in Kothibagh Police Station,” Police said in a…
Read MoreKashmir’s Mental Health Crisis: The Invisible Scars of Conflict
After consulting with several doctors in the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aayat Hameed was advised to seek help from a mental health expert for her bouts of unspecified anxiety, random palpitation attacks and occasional but strong suicidal thoughts. A psychiatrist diagnosed her with acute depression. On a recent hot summer day, Hameed was among scores of other patients visiting a mental health clinic in Srinagar, where she had been undergoing rounds of counselling along with prescription medication. “I realized seeing a psychiatrist or reaching out to someone you trust…
Read MoreKashmir Grapples with Prolonged Dry Spell: 80% of Region Experiencing Moderate to Severe Dryness
By Faizan Arif Over the past four weeks, Jammu and Kashmir has been grappling with a significant shortfall in rainfall. According to India Meteorological Department data related to the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), approximately 80 percent of the area in Kashmir region (8 out of 10 districts), has been impacted by moderate to extreme dryness between August 3rd and August 30th. The SPI, relying on precipitation data, is a widely utilized index for characterizing meteorological drought on a range of timescales. This index is negative for drought and positive for…
Read MoreCombatting Youth Drug Addiction: A Multi-Front Battle in Kashmir, from Mosques to Classrooms
Religious centres and educational institutions are assuming a new role in Kashmir by doubling up as counselling and testing centres to curb the fast-spreading menace of drugs. These rare interventions come as the Valley is battling a drug addiction crisis; over 10 lakh people were officially designated drug addicts by the Jammu and Kashmir administration this year. Otherwise restricted for the clergy, the pulpit at Magam Imambara in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, where Shia Muslims organise large religious congregations, recently saw Muzaffar Khan, a clinical psychologist who heads the Drug De-Addiction and Rehabilitation…
Read MoreJ&K Transport Association’s Strike brings Jammu to Partial Standstill
The All Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association (AJKTWA) called a strike on Friday, September 1, 2023, to press their demand for the removal of a toll plaza along the Jammu-Pathankot highway. The strike caused a partial standstill in Jammu, with public transport not operational and commuters and students facing difficulties. The members of the AJKTWA staged a protest at the toll plaza, demanding its immediate removal. They said that the toll plaza is causing financial hardship to them and their families. They also said that the toll plaza is…
Read MoreMirwaiz Umar Farooq Under House Arrest for 210th Consecutive Friday, Calls for Release Grow Louder
The prolonged house detention of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a prominent religious figure, has sparked concern and calls for his release. Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar expressed deep dissatisfaction with the authorities for keeping him under house arrest for over four years. In an official statement, the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid emphasized that today marks the 210th consecutive Friday that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been denied the opportunity to perform his vital religious duties, such as offering Friday prayers and delivering sermons. The statement further lamented that due to his extended…
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