Category: Community

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

Editor

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

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Security cover of 919 “undeserving persons” in Jammu and Kashmir has been withdrawn, thereby freeing 2,768 police personnel and 389 vehicles, the Home Ministry said on Friday. The list of persons whose security cover has been withdrawn by the Jammu and Kashmir administration include 22 separatist leaders, in a clear message to those involved in “anti-national activities”.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?

Editor

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

Editor

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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Omar Abdullah and Gautam Gambhir get into Twitter fight

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Abdullah recently said he would work towards restoring the posts of PM and President for J&K Gambhir responded by saying Abdullah needs a cup of strong coffee or a Pakistani passport Abdullah in turn replied saying Gautam Gambhir should stick to tweeting about the IPL Pigs flew, Pakistani passports were mentioned, cricketing skills were debated and advice to clean reading glasses were given as former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and cricketer-turned politician Gautam Gambhir clashed on Twitter this afternoon. Abdullah and Gambhir, who recently joined the Bharatiya…

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BJP rally in Rafiabad sees an​ attendance of 78 people

Editor

It must be a record of sorts in Kashmir, even for the BJP. The party, which hopes to win “all three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir”, managed to get only 78 people for its maiden rally in the area of Rafiabad in north Kashmir on Sunday. It was an embarrassing moment for Mohammed Maqbool War, who is fighting on a BJP ticket, and lives just three kilometres from the venue of the rally in Rohama area of Rafiabad. There were more security personnel guarding the venue than the number of…

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Arrogance and Miscalculations have weakened Modi’s Hand in Kashmir

Editor

The Centre’s decision to appoint a ‘representative’ for dialogue with Kashmir comes from a position of self-inflicted weakness. It is a good thing that the Centre has appointed a ‘representative’ to talk to Kashmiris of all shades. It would have been a far better thing if this sort of inclusive move had been made before a lot of Kashmiris got the impression that the Centre was running out of options. The tragic irony is that it is exactly three years to the day since Prime Minister Narendra Modi began to toss away…

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SC hearing of Articles 35-A and 370, Bar asks members to remain available

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Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Srinagar has asked the following members of the association to remain available in the Supreme Court on 27 and 28 of March, 2019—so as to cause their appearance in the cases relating to the setting aside of Articles 35-A and 370 of the constitution of India, if those cases are taken up for consideration, on any of the aforesaid dates: M. A. Qayoom, President, Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, General Secretary, Z. A. Shah, Senior Advocate & Executive Member, Z. A. Qureshi, Senior Advocate &…

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Why young Kashmiris are joining an insurgency against India

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He was the kind of professor students adored, always ready to help with books, advice or small loans. His colleagues in the sociology department found him reliable and ambitious, a scholar whose research on consumerism might propel him to a post elsewhere in India. So it was out of character when Mohammad Rafi Bhat failed to attend a faculty meeting at the University of Kashmir one Friday afternoon last year. His family, too, had no idea where he was. Two days later, when his colleagues turned on their televisions, their…

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Pak approves plan to open Sharda Peeth in PaK, KP group hails the decision

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The Pakistan government on Monday approved a proposal to establish a corridor that will allow Hindu pilgrims from India to visit Sharda Peeth, an ancient Hindu temple and cultural site in Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK), according to a media report. The Sharda Peeth corridor, when opened, will be the second religious tract after Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan-controlled territory that will connect the two neighbouring nations. India had already sent a proposal to Pakistan to open the temple corridor, the Express Tribune reported quoting sources in Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.“After…

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