General News Archives | Page 213 of 361

Center must safeguard Article 370 or PDP-BJP alliance may fall apart: Muzaffar Baig

July 1, 2017 Editor

As controversy over implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST J&K refuses to die down, senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig has said that if New Delhi refuses to ensure safeguards to protect the state’s fiscal autonomy and Article 370 under the new tax regime, then separation of the alliance partners, PDP and BJP, was a possibility. He blamed the government for its failure to create awareness about the GST, saying “some people” in the government who were responsible for “spreading the message” remained in deep slumber which allowed misunderstanding…

After Air India, will BJP government look to sell Kashmir citing expenditure: Shiv Sena

June 30, 2017 Editor

The Shiv Sena on Friday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government’s decision to privatise Air India, saying tomorrow the government may similarly look to sell Kashmir citing expenditure on its security. In an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena said, “Air India is an icon of the country’s pride and prosperity. If this decision was taken by the previous Congress government, the BJP would have heavily criticised it and asked if the government cannot run the national carrier how is it going to run the…

India must seek ways to pacify youth; Pakistan-stoked anger gives China strategic edge

June 30, 2017 Editor

The recent agreements between India and US to purchase American armaments call for a quick analysis of the challenges on the ground. The sobering fact is that the threat of conflict could turn out to be far closer than the prospect of those armaments becoming operational. China’s response was immediately belligerent. It described the prime minister’s visit to the US as provocative. And it extended its own border provocations from Arunachal Pradesh to Sikkim on the other side of Bhutan. As if that weren’t enough, there are disconcerting reports of…

As centre rehearses GST implementation, J&K to take final call today

June 30, 2017 Editor

A mega rehearsal was conducted on Wednesday night in the Central Hall of Parliament ahead of the historic launch of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at midnight on June 30. The new tax regime will come into effect from July 1, but Jammu and Kashmir has not yet taken a call on its implementation. The state government will take a final call on Thursday after a meeting of the all-party consultative group, the state’s Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu has said. Drabu said the Mehbooba Mufti government is “genuinely interested”…

Cong to give go-ahead to new tax structure in J&K

June 30, 2017 Editor

Due to the tough stand taken by leaders from Jammu and Ladakh, the Congress has decided to support the extension of GST to J&K. The party has convened to its legislator, Aijaz Ahmed, who is the party’s representative in the consultative committee on the GST, to clear the Congress’ stand on the issue. Highly placed sources said after hectic deliberations among senior leaders, a draft was prepared to extend support to the extension of GST to J&K with some conditions. Serious differences came to the fore in the executive committee…

Centre plans to reach out to Kashmiris : Hansraj Gangaram

June 24, 2017 Editor

The Centre is chalking out a programme to reach out to the Kashmiris, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said on Friday. He told Kashmir Post that he would likely visit the Amarnath shrine next week, and the process of opening a dialogue could be started then. He did not identify the groups with whom the dialogue would be initiated. “It’s our wish to go to the Kashmiris and tell them of the development story. It’s our responsibility to talk to the people; we are looking for a…

It’s official: Twin capitals (Jammu & Kashmir) to go ‘Smart’

June 24, 2017 Editor

The twin capitals of J&K — Srinagar and Jammu — are to be developed as Smart Cities after they won the competition by proposing to ensure coordination among various agencies for better delivery of services. The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Department today announced the names of 30 cities during the third round of the Smart City Challenge in which 45 cities contested for 40 slots. Out of the total 30 selected cities, Srinagar was placed at the 10th position while Jammu was ranked 21st. Officials said the…

Do not test patience of police: Mehbooba Mufti

June 24, 2017 Editor

Denounces the lynching of police officer as a shameful act Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today termed as “shameful” the lynching of police officer Mohammed Ayub Pandith and warned that things would get difficult if the police lost their patience. “What can be more shameful than this (lynching of officer)? I want to say that the J&K Police are one of the best police forces in the country, they are brave but they are showing the maximum restraint (while dealing with the law and order situation) because they feel that they…

ED books Hafiz Saeed, Hurriyat, Hizbul, Lashkar members for money laundering, to probe hawala links

June 24, 2017 Editor

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday registered a case against Hurriyat Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Saeed and members of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s Hurriyat Conference, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Dukhtaran-e-Millat under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED will investigate the flow of funds through Hawala and other illegal channels, both domestically and abroad, for funding separatists and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir, said ANI. As per News18, the ED has established money trail between Hafiz Saeed and Hurriyat On June 4, the National Investigative Agency raided 33 locations at Srinagar, Delhi and…

Resistance camp mustn’t be involved in dialogue: Panun Kashmir

June 23, 2017 Editor

The Panun Kashmir today asserted that separatists and extremist elements in the Valley could not be stakeholders in talks as they were responsible for the present turmoil. Addressing a press conference, Panun Kashmir president Ashwani Chrungoo said any talks with separatist in Kashmir were tantamount to granting legitimacy to the so-called ‘azadi gang’, inciting violence against security personnel. He emphasised that no government at the Centre was mandated to discuss the issues related to sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. The Panun Kashmir has said that Pandits, who have…