General News Archives | Page 170 of 378

PDP advocating for a joint initiative to safeguard J&K’s interests

May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 Editor

Expressing concern on the attempts being made to fragment the mandate in Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today asserted that it shall be open for a joint response to the new political challenges the state was facing. A PDP spokesman, in a statement, said that the concerns were expressed by the members of political affairs committee of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Democratic Party which met here under the chairmanship of party president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. He said that the party patron Muzaffar Hussain Beig, Abdul…

14 Hours by road or Rs 14000 Jammu-Srinagar flight, Repeated landslides on national highway continue to haunt commute

May 29, 2019May 29, 2019 Editor

Frequent landslides at vulnerable spots on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway have forced the Centre to send a high-level team from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which visited the affected areas of Ramban today. As uncertainty looms over the 270-km stretch following regular blockades, airfares between the two state capitals have spiralled, with tickets selling as high as Rs 14,000 for a one-way trip. Sources say the blockade of the highway on a regular basis is creating hurdles in the smooth movement of security forces in the Valley. With the annual…

Don’t fall prey to BJP’s false promises, will surpass 1996 tally in Assembly elections: Devender Rana

May 29, 2019May 29, 2019 Editor

National Conference (NC) provincial president and former MLA, Devender Singh Rana on Tuesday asked people of Jammu not to fall prey to “false” election promises of Bharatiya Janata Party. Hitting out at BJP’s state chief Ravinder Raina for his assertion that his party would get over 50 seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections and new Chief Minister would be from Jammu, Rana said, “BJP has a history of fooling people using such emotional statements during elections.” “In 2014 state Assembly elections, the BJP promised people that if the party was…

BJP bating for the early abrogation of Article 370, 35A

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019 Editor

State BJP chief Ravinder Raina Sunday said his party was for early abrogation of Articles 370 and Article 35-A of the constitution. He also exhorted confidence that the BJP would form the next government in the State on its own. Raina said his party would work for de-freezing of the eight assembly seats reserved for the refugees from Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) and revoking of the cumbersome M-Form exercise for Kashmiri migrant pandits before the next assembly polls. “Article 370, a temporary transititional provision, is the biggest injustice with the…

Indications what lies ahead in J&K post BJP 2.0

May 25, 2019May 25, 2019 Editor

The right wing party’s stance on Kashmir and increased attempts to polarise Jammu will only aggravate the situation in the valley, which had witnessed unprecedented oppression accompanied by a rise in militancy under the previous Modi regime. Ever since exit polls came out, people in the Kashmir valley have been too anxious about the prospects of Bharatiya Janata Party coming back to power. And now that the BJP has won, it seems that their worst fears are going to come true. Despite a myriad of issues plaguing the Indian population–…

NC sweeps Kashmir, BJP wins Jammu & Ladakh, India gets Modi 2.0

May 24, 2019May 24, 2019 Editor

The BJP has repeated its 2014 victory by retaining the Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh Lok Sabha constituencies, while the National Conference swept all three seats in the Valley. The saffron party has scripted a new history by increasing victory margins on the seats manifold due to the Modi wave. Notably, two arch-rivals — National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party — had supported the Congress candidates on both the Jammu and Udhampur Lok Sabha seats, but the party failed to win any seat. Union minister and sitting Lok Sabha member Jitendra…

Highway ban lifted, Security arrangements for Amarnath yatra reviewed by the governor

May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 Editor

Following a review of the security situation in the State and of the requirement of the government forces’ convoys, the Governor Tuesday decided to lift the remaining restrictions on civilian movement on NH-44 connecting Srinagar to Jammu with effect from May 27, 2019. An official spokesman said these restrictions had become necessary following the movement of the government forces on an unprecedented scale after the Pulwama attack. He said the government forces were required both for anti-militancy operations and for smooth conduct of general elections. In order to facilitate safe…

Due to recurring landslides, Jammu – Srinagar national highway continues to remain shut

May 15, 2019May 15, 2019 Editor

Recurring landslides hitting Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Digdol area here have put the district administration and Traffic police in quandary. The only all-weather road that connects Kashmir with rest of the country has not been “restored fully” for the vehicular movement since last Wednesday, when several landslides blocked the highway. And, owing to a fresh landslide that hit the highway on Tuesday morning at Digdol, around 3000 Srinagar-Jammu bound vehicles, including some 300 light motor vehicles, remained stranded on around 20 kilometers of road stretch in the Ramban district till…

National Conference leader Devender Singh Rana bats for regional autonomy in Jammu and Kashmir

May 13, 2019May 13, 2019 Editor

National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana Sunday said the regional autonomy to the three regions under the overall superintendence of the state government is the only way forward in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the move is necessary to assuage the political aspirations of the people and address to the political dimensions of the state. “Such a mechanism will provide a sense of political empowerment and end the apprehensions of discrimination among the people,” Rana said at a function in Samba district. He said regional autonomy together with well-structured…

Kashmir Apathetic, Jammu Enthusiastic: J&K Election 2019 Review

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 Editor

Amidst calls for boycott, sporadic incidents of violence and massive security arrangements, the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir concluded on May 6. While voters in Jammu and Ladakh thronged to the polling stations, Kashmir valley saw one of the worst turnouts in the recent decades. The elections in Jammu and Kashmir had hogged the headlines when Election Commission felt that the environment was conducive to hold Parliamentary elections but not assembly polls, owing to the security situation in the Valley. While the regional political parties – Peoples Democratic Party…