Category: General News

General News

Pandits cannot return to Valley till normalcy returns: Rahul Bhat

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Bollywood actor and Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat today said the community could not think of going back to the Valley unless the Army was called back and situation became normal in Kashmir. Bhat was addressing a press conference in Jammu, where he announced that he is going to start the shooting of his film of Kashmiri Pandit boy “To hell with the heaven”. While talking about the present situation in Kashmir for the return of Kashmiri Pandits, Bhat said, “I do not have any political agenda, but I think the…

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Ties with PDP strong, says BJP

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Dismisses rumours that it is exploring other options to form govt A day after the Peoples Democratic Party cleared that it was not “in a hurry” to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir, its coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party today said it was not exploring any other option on government formation and its alliance with the PDP was “strong”. “We have not received any official communication (on government formation) from the PDP so far but our alliance with the PDP is strong and intact. We are not exploring any…

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JK Govt formation: Numbers firmly in PDP-BJP’s favour, but here are the other equations

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PDP had bagged the highest number of seats out of total 87 in 2015 assembly elections.  The demise of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 has created a power vacuum in Jammu and Kashmir. With the possibility of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti becoming the next CM, there have been a lot of uncertainty surrounding the continuation of the BJP-PDP alliance in the state. After a party meeting on Sunday, it was reported that Mehbooba will not overturn her father’s decision and continue the alliance with BJP. Also, the…

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Farooq bats for dissolution of Assembly, fresh polls

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National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah today called for dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and holding fresh elections if PDP and BJP fail to form a government, after he retracted from his yesterday’s statement that his party would think over if a proposal to form the government comes from the saffron party. “If they (PDP and BJP) cannot solve the problems of the people, the assembly must be dissolve and hold new elections,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a private function here today. Asked to comment…

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MLA from Kashmir to attend Islamabad meet, Hurriyat too invited

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Separatist groups and two Jammu and Kashmir legislators have been invited to a conference on Kashmir set to be held in Islamabad, and at least one legislator on Friday said he will attend. The invitation for the January 20-21 Round Table Conference has been issued by Sardar Muhammed Yaqoob Khan, president of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Those invited include all constituents of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, civil society members and legislators Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami (CPI-M) and Engineer Rashid (Independent) — the latter said he will take part. A spokesman for Rashid, who…

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PDP signals fresh engagement on ‘Agenda of Alliance’

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Party meeting likely by weekend Curtains seem to have fallen over the possibility of a government being in shape in the near future as the signals from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti are clear that a new set of terms need to be negotiated with BJP to continue the alliance. Though BJP is hiding its nervousness by downplaying the latest vibes from PDP, it is becoming clear that the two parties are not on course of getting on together as they were until January 7. PDP, which holds…

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PDP-BJP govt did ‘absolutely nothing’ for 10 months: Omar

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Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the PDP’s review of the performance of its coalition with the BJP was a vindication of opposition charge that the government did “absolutely nothing” in the past 10 months. “Effectively making our point that their government did absolutely nothing for 10 months,” Omar wrote on Twitter. The opposition National Conference working president was reacting to PDP statement that the party was reviewing the progress made on its ‘Agenda of Alliance’ with the BJP before taking a decision on continuation…

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NHAI fails to provide basic amenities on highways

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In the absence of washrooms and rest houses on the national highways, travellers are dependent of dhabas. Despite charging a heavy toll, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has failed to provide basic amenities to commuters on the highways. The much-hyped programme of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ is being ignored on the national highways of Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the rest of India. People can be seen attending to nature’s call on the roadside of national highways. Travelling on the highways is very difficult for women as…

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Uncertainty remains as PDP in no hurry to form government

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The PDP seems to be in no hurry on the government formation even as the party gave indications about its next move. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, which remains the centre of attention following the death of her father and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, is yet to open her cards. “The family is still in shock and grief,” said a senior PDP leader. “Things will settle down in due course of time,” added the PDP leader, giving an impression that Mehbooba was in no hurry to succeed her father. With…

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BJP maintains silence on PDP’s ‘tough’ stance

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As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has adopted a “tough posture” by seeking concrete action to implement the “Agenda of the Alliance”, the BJP is maintaining a guarded silence to avoid any controversy at this crucial juncture. “There is no need to react on individual statements of some PDP leaders. Let the party (PDP) leadership officially clear its stand,” state BJP president Sat Sharma said when his reaction was sought on the reported statement of former Education Minister Naeem Akhter. Akhter, a senior PDP leader, today said his party expects…

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