Category: General News

General News

Dissolve Assembly to end horse trading: Omar to Vohra

Editor

‘No improvement in Kashmir situation under Governor’s rule’ Former chief minister Omar Abdullah Monday demanded dissolution of Legislative Assembly to put an end to rumor mongering over government formation and horse trading of legislators. “National Conference is demanding dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly. The rumors mongering of horse trading of legislators or breaking of political parties for alleged formation of alternate government will be solved with the dissolution of assembly,” he said addressing media persons at party headquarters here. “We are not demanding immediate polls. We understand that to…

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Govt formation possible? BJP leaders hold meet with Sajad Lone

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Days after pulling out of the government with its coalition partner Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national General Secretary Ram Madhav Wednesday held a two-hour long meeting with senior BJP leaders and People Conference (PC) Chairman Sajjad Gani Lone here in a local hotel. Madhav was accompanied by BJP State President Ravinder Raina and some former ministers of the party including former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta. According to sources privy to the meeting, Sajad is believed to play a “crucial role in the future…

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Amarnath Yatra flagged off from Jammu, Gets largest-ever security cover

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The first batch of 2,995 pilgrims, including 120 sadhus, left the Jammu base camp in 110 vehicles on Wednesday morning for the holy Amarnath shrine in south Kashmir. The convoy was escorted by security forces. K Vijay Kumar and BB Vyas, both Advisers to the Governor, along with Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam flagged off the first batch of pilgrims. A traditional puja was performed before the flagging off ceremony at Bhagwati Nagar here. This year, two convoys departed from Jammu — one for Chandanwari at Pahalgam and another for Baltal…

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UN report opportunity for India, Pakistan to reboot Kashmir Policy

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The exhaustive 49-page report, which urged all parties to end the cycles of violence and ensure accountability for past and present abuses, has generated palpable buzz in both India and Pakistan. The political dimensions of the dispute between India and Pakistan have long been centre-stage, noted the report, but this is not a conflict frozen in time. “It is a conflict that has robbed millions of their basic human rights, and continues to this day inflict untold suffering,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, urging…

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Governor’s rule in J&K presents chance to formalise ‘All-Party Long-Term Strategy’ for state

Editor

The recent collapse of the PDP-BJP political coalition in Jammu and Kashmir, has once again led to the imposition of Governor’s Rule in the state. This is undoubtedly a combination of political gamesmanship and the deteriorating security situation in the Valley. The killing of the journalist, police personnel and the army soldier on his way home for Eid, were the proverbial ‘last nail in the coffin’. The timing of the abrogation of the alliance was to a great extent, influenced by the increased threats to the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra. A…

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Governor’s rule in J&K is not muscular policy: NN Vohra

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In an exclusive interview with HT, NN Vohra said governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir would mean better governance and more focus on development. Governor’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir does not mean a hard line, muscular security approach, as many commentators believe, the state’s governor indicated in his first interview after this was enforced on June 20, a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) broke its alliance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and pulled out of the Mehbooba Mufti government. On the contrary, it means better governance…

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BJP ‘Disowned its own initiative’: Former CM Mehbooba Mufti hits back in anger

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “disowned its own initiative” in Jammu and Kashmir by withdrawing from the coalition government, said Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday, reacting in detail after resigning as the state’s chief minister. Mehbooba, who led the coalition government, wrote on Twitter to express her opinion after the state came under governor’s rule on June 20 and BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said the “PDP-led government” had discriminated against Jammu and Ladakh regions. “Allegations of discrimination against Jammu & Ladakh have no basis…

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Amit Shah’s anti-PDP tirade draws flak, even from BJP’s own, PDP hits back

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All political parties, including the BJP, have termed saffron party president Amit Shah’s allegations against the PDP’s discriminating policies with Jammu and Ladakh as half-truths. Most leaders were of the view that Shah’s speech made in Jammu on Saturday lacked conviction as he desperately tried to safeguard the BJP. “Whatever Amit Shah said in Jammu indicated two things: one, he was totally defensive; and two, he virtually exposed his own ministers. While they were in government, the BJP ministers did not assert their position and authority just to keep the…

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BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh warns Kashmir journalists to ‘Mend their ways’

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BJP’s Choudhary Lal Singh on Friday warned journalists to ‘mend their ways’ over their reporting on the Kathua rape and murder case, with an apparent reference to the assassination of Kashmir journalist Shujaat Bukhari. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Choudhary Lal Singh on Friday warned journalists to ‘mend their ways’ over their reporting on the Kathua rape and murder case, with an apparent reference to the assassination of journalist Shujaat Bukhari. The forest minister in the previous PDP-BJP government, Singh was asked to resign from the cabinet in April after…

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NC favours dissolution of assembly; PDP, BJP remained silent during all-party meet

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The National Conference along with other parties urged Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra to take some confidence building measures besides carrying out a crackdown on corruption and cleaning the governance system. The governor, who had called an all-party meet to seek opinion of political representatives on the governance of the state, was apprised of their views by representatives of all political parties in the state. The National Conference and other parties including Panthers Party also favoured an immediate dissolution of the state assembly and to make atmosphere conducive for…

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