Faith Flows Freely: Crystal Clear Spring Marks Auspicious Kheer Bhawani Mela

Faith Flows Freely: Crystal Clear Spring Marks Auspicious Kheer Bhawani Mela

Many Pandits who had migrated to different parts of the country in the 1990s in the wake of raging militancy attend the annual festival of Zyestha Ashtami Thousands of Kashmiri Pandits converged at the Kheer Bhawani temple in Kashmir Valley’s Ganderbal district to attend the annual festival of Zyestha Ashtami on Friday. Many of them had migrated to different parts of the country in the 1990s in the wake of raging militancy. “My family has been here for the past four days. The Kheer Bhawani temple has been of great importance…

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Omar Abdullah Slams Proposal to Postpone J&K Elections Amid Attacks

Omar Abdullah Slams Proposal to Postpone J&K Elections Amid Attacks

Srinagar: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that it would a matter of shame if the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were postponed due to a series of attacks by the “extremist forces” in the Jammu region over the past few days. Reacting to former Army Chief General (retired) V P Malik’s suggestion to postpone assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by a year, Abdullah said it would be akin to giving in to the extremist forces. “Yes, please feel free to give in to these extremist…

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Kashmir in the Dark: Powerless Nights and Unanswered Questions

Kashmir in the Dark: Powerless Nights and Unanswered Questions

Blackouts and Broken Promises: A Tale of Two Cities in Jammu and Kashmir By: Javid Amin In the heart of Jammu and Kashmir, a tale of two cities unfolds—a story etched in darkness and disparity. While Jammu basks in the uninterrupted glow of electric lights, Kashmir grapples with an ever-worsening power crisis. Homes plunge into darkness for hours on end, a cruel reminder of a broken promise—the promise of a life illuminated by reliable power. This isn’t a seasonal inconvenience; it’s a systemic failure with far-reaching consequences. During peak winter…

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Mirwaiz Urges Strict Action Against Public Drinking Violations in Kashmir

Mirwaiz Urges Strict Action Against Public Drinking Violations in Kashmir

The Muttahida Majlise-e-Ulama, an amalgam of religious scholars headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Saturday urged the Jammu and Kashmir administration to strictly implement laws banning drinking in public places. The MMU expressed concern over a video circulating on social media in which some tourists can be seen consuming alcohol while taking a ride on a shikara in the Dal Lake. The group asserted that the people of Kashmir are hospitable and respect tourists, but any “un-Islamic” or “unethical” act will not be tolerated. “The MMU expresses serious concern over…

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NC-Congress Alliance Surges Ahead with 41% Vote Share in J&K Lok Sabha Polls

NC-Congress Alliance Surges Ahead with 41% Vote Share in J&K Lok Sabha Polls

An analysis of the Form 20 result sheets of all five parliamentary constituencies from the UT revealed that 51.59 lakh people cast their vote in the elections The INDIA bloc partners National Conference (NC) and Congress have received 41.6 % of the total votes polled in the Lok Sabha elections, an analysis of the Election Commission of India data shows. In contrast, the parties that opposed the bloc — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Apni Party (AP) and People’s Conference (PC) — collectively managed to muster 31.7% of the votes. An analysis…

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Ghulam Nabi Azad’s DPAP Falls Short in Maiden J&K Polls

Ghulam Nabi Azad’s DPAP Falls Short in Maiden J&K Polls

The DPAP’s candidates only managed to bag 80,264 votes from the three Lok Sabha constituencies it contested in Jammu and Kashmir, which has around 54 lakh voters The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), a party floated by former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad with a lot of fanfare, has failed to make a significant mark in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election in Jammu and Kashmir. The DPAP’s candidates only managed to bag 80,264 votes from the three Lok Sabha constituencies it contested in Jammu and Kashmir, which has around…

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Election Commission Signals Imminent J&K Polls, Invites Symbol Applications

Election Commission Signals Imminent J&K Polls, Invites Symbol Applications

The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held for the first time since the Abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The Election Commission of India on Friday invited applications seeking allotment of ‘common symbols’ from registered unrecognised parties in Jammu and Kashmir, hinting that the assembly polls in the union territory for the first time after the Abrogation of Article 370 are imminent. According to the poll body’s statement, they have decided to seek the allotment of the symbols under Para 10B of the Election Symbols (Reservation…

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Engineer Rashid’s Surprise Lok Sabha Win Sends Shockwaves Through Kashmir’s Political Landscape

Engineer Rashid’s Surprise Lok Sabha Win Sends Shockwaves Through Kashmir’s Political Landscape

Leaders from Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party have expressed interest in contesting the impending Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections Jailed former legislator Engineer Abdul Rashid springing a surprise win in the Lok Sabha polls from Baramulla has sent the alarming bells ringing within the region’s traditionally dominant political parties — especially the National Conference (NC), the Peoples Democratic Party, the People’s Conference and the Apni Party. Of the 18 assembly segments falling under Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, Rashid led in 14 assembly constituencies in four districts at certain places leading…

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Kashmir Witnesses June Snowfall Amid Intermittent Rains

Kashmir Witnesses June Snowfall Amid Intermittent Rains

With the weatherman predicting light wet spell till tomorrow, several higher reaches of Kashmir on Friday experienced fresh snowfall while the plains received rains, bringing down the mercury in the Valley. The weatherman, however, has predicted another heat wave from June 10. Affarwat area of Gulmarg, Razdan Top, Zojilla, Sadhna Top and Sinthan Top experienced fresh snowfall today, which resulted in a slight fall in the mercury. Reports reaching here said that a few inches of rainfall has been recorded at multiple places today while the intermittent rainfall continued for…

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Omar Abdullah Sparks Controversy: Rashid’s Poll Victory a ‘Win for Separatism’

Omar Abdullah Sparks Controversy: Rashid’s Poll Victory a ‘Win for Separatism’

‘Extremely’ disappointed with remarks, says PDP | Voters the masters in democracy: Apni Party Former Chief Minister and National Conference vice-president today kicked off a political storm when he quoted a news report that described his rival Engineer Rashid’s victory from the Baramulla constituency as a win that “will empower secessionists” and give Kashmir’s “defeated Islamist movement a renewed sense of hope”. PDP leader Waheed ur Rehman Parra was the first politician to criticise Omar’s interpretation. Parra said he was “extremely disappointed with Omar Abdullah’s regressive stance, echoing the divisive…

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