Saturday, September 21News and updates from Kashmir

Month: August 2024

‘Alliance beneficial’: Congress gains ground as prominent rights activist joins party

‘Alliance beneficial’: Congress gains ground as prominent rights activist joins party

REGIONAL
Bhat Yasir As the race for the Kashmir elections picked up, prominent socio-political activist and DDC Sangrama Irfan Hafiz Lone joined Congress on Saturday. Lone, who is also a lawyer, was among the advocates who represented petitions against the abrogation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court. Sources told The Kashmiriyat that Lone is likely to be a candidate for the Kreeri-Wagoora constituency, where he will enjoy the support of the National Conference. In 2020, he won the DDC Sangrama seat as an independent candidate, defeating Shoaib Nabi Lone, who is now part of Engineer Rasheed's Awami Ittehad Party. He said, “I have been in the public eye for the past 25 years. I was protesting at Jantar Mantar for our rights when that place was unknown to most people.” “I have nev...
Election Commission defers counting of votes in Jammu Kashmir to October 8

Election Commission defers counting of votes in Jammu Kashmir to October 8

REGIONAL
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made significant changes to the election schedule for Haryana and Jammu Kashmir. While the polling date for Haryana has been moved from October 1, 2024, to October 5, 2024, due to concerns about the Bishnoi community's participation in the Asoj Amavasya festival, the counting date for Jammu Kashmir has also been revised. Originally set for October 4, 2024, the counting of votes in Jammu Kashmir will now take place on October 8, 2024, to align with the new counting date for Haryana. The ECI's decision to change the poll date for Haryana came after representations from various political parties and the All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, who highlighted the potential impact on voter turnout due to the festival. For Jammu Kashmir (Phase-III), as...
‘How are transfers being made in Kashmir with model code of conduct in place?’ asks Aga Ruhullah

‘How are transfers being made in Kashmir with model code of conduct in place?’ asks Aga Ruhullah

REGIONAL
Asma Bhat Senior National Conference (NC) leader and Member of Parliament from Srinagar, Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, has raised concerns over the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to order transfers while the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in effect. Addressing a press conference at the NC headquarters Nawa-e-Subh in Srinagar, Ruhullah questioned the timing of these transfers. “We wonder why these transfers are taking place when we are about to see polls and when MCC is in vogue,” he stated. He further revealed that the NC has sent a letter to the ECI, seeking an explanation for these transfers during the ongoing Code of Conduct. “I am surprised Baramulla SSP was transferred within 10 days only and a new one posted there. This is what we were worried about. During our mee...
Government bans 156 drug combinations, 34 multivitamins under review

Government bans 156 drug combinations, 34 multivitamins under review

INDIA
The Indian government has banned 156 drug combinations, including popular medications like Paracetamol and Cetirizine. Alongside this ban, an additional 34 multivitamins are currently under review. The ban follows a thorough evaluation by an expert committee appointed by the Central Government, which deemed these Fixed-Dose Combinations (FDCs) irrational. The Drugs Technical Advisory Board also reviewed these FDCs and concluded that they lack therapeutic justification and may pose risks to human health. As a result, the manufacture, sale, or distribution of these drugs has been prohibited under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The Health Ministry has banned several fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs due to safety concerns. Among them, the combination of Acec...
‘To consolidate votes’, Four DPAP candidates withdraw forms from Chenab valley

‘To consolidate votes’, Four DPAP candidates withdraw forms from Chenab valley

REGIONAL
In a significant development from Ghulam Nabi Azad's home turf in the Chenab Valley, four candidates from the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) have withdrawn their nomination papers ahead of the assembly elections, leaving only two candidates from the party in the fray. The withdrawals have opened the field for Congress and National Conference (NC) candidates to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The first to withdraw was Muhammad Aslam Goni, the DPAP candidate from Bhaderwah, a constituency where Azad himself was elected to the legislative assembly after becoming Chief Minister in 2006. Goni stated, "I watched a rally of the BJP leader. They are spending huge sums on election rallies. I will support the secular forces, and the withdrawal of my candidature is aime...
Rahul Gandhi to address rally in Anantnag Kashmir on Sep 4

Rahul Gandhi to address rally in Anantnag Kashmir on Sep 4

REGIONAL
As the first phase of Jammu Kashmir Assembly elections approaches, the election campaign is gaining momentum in the region. Senior Congress leader and the party's Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, is scheduled to visit Kashmir on September 4 to address a significant rally in the Dooru Assembly segment of South Kashmir's Anantnag district. Ghulam Ahmed Mir, a senior Congress leader and the party's former J&K president, confirmed Gandhi's visit, highlighting the importance of the rally in Dooru. Mir, who is also the Congress candidate from this constituency, expressed optimism about the impact of Gandhi’s visit, stating it offers a valuable opportunity to strengthen voter confidence. “Rahul’s vision and speech always serve as a great morale booster for both the contesting c...
UP government to pay upto Rs 8 lakh to ‘social media influencers’ for promoting government policies

UP government to pay upto Rs 8 lakh to ‘social media influencers’ for promoting government policies

INDIA
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved a new social media policy that allows influencers to earn up to Rs 8 lakh per month by promoting government schemes on platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. According to the policy, the maximum payouts are set based on platform and content type: Rs 5 lakh for X, Rs 4 lakh for Facebook, Rs 3 lakh for Instagram, and Rs 2 lakh for other social media platforms. On YouTube, payouts range from Rs 8 lakh for videos to Rs 4 lakh for podcasts. The policy also introduces guidelines to regulate objectionable content and outlines the role of the digital agency 'V-Form' in managing advertisements. The agency will oversee the dissemination of videos, posts, and tweets. An earlier version of this report inaccurately mentioned penalties f...
Congress-NC alliance displaying greater loyalty to Pakistan than to India: BJP’s Tarun Chugh

Congress-NC alliance displaying greater loyalty to Pakistan than to India: BJP’s Tarun Chugh

REGIONAL
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh cautioned the people of Jammu Kashmir against the malicious designs of the NC-Congress alliance, alleging they are playing into the hands of Pakistan. Chugh accused former chief minister Farooq Abdullah and his National Conference (NC) party of advocating the reinstatement of Article 370 and seeking dialogue with Pakistan to discuss autonomy for the state. These pose a danger to the stability of J&K, he said. “The people of the Union Territory should be wary of the malicious designs of the NC-Congress alliance. They are playing into Pakistan’s hands,” Chugh said, while addressing a meeting of party workers here this evening. Campaigning for the BJP candidates, Chugh said, “The sole agenda of the NC-Congress alliance, which is aligned ...
Remembering A.G. Noorani: The lawyer who shaped Kashmir’s legal and political discourse

Remembering A.G. Noorani: The lawyer who shaped Kashmir’s legal and political discourse

WRITE-UPS
A. G. Noorani, a distinguished Indian lawyer, constitutional expert, and author noted for his voluminous publications on legal and political matters, notably those pertaining to Kashmir, died in Bombay, leaving a legacy to be remembered. His work has influenced the academic and legal discourse on Kashmir, displaying a thorough awareness of the region's history, politics, and complex connection with India. Born September 16, 1930, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, Abdul Gafoor Noorani was pursued a career at law, eventually becoming one of India's most renowned constitutional attorneys. He has also written extensively for journals, newspapers, and books, frequently focused on civil freedoms, human rights, and the Kashmir conflict. Noorani's participation in Kashmir originates from his...
Delhi trekker’s body recovered at Naranag in Kashmir

Delhi trekker’s body recovered at Naranag in Kashmir

REGIONAL
Shah Basit  The body of a non-local trekker was recovered at Naranag today, while the whereabouts of others from the group remain unknown An official told The Kashmiriyat that a team of Jammu Kashmir Police from Kangan have taken custody of the body for medico-legal formalities. He identified the deceased has been identified as a 44-year-old man from South West Delhi whose name was Rohit Sayal aged about 44 yrs S/O Jatinder Paul R/O South West Delhi Sector No 19 reached at Naranag. Authorities are continuing their search for the remaining trekkers, with more information expected to follow as the situation unfolds.