Sunday, February 23News and updates from Kashmir

Politics

Turncoat politician unnerved as BJP facing bleak prospects in Jammu, PDP on Devender Rana’s statement

Turncoat politician unnerved as BJP facing bleak prospects in Jammu, PDP on Devender Rana’s statement

POLITICS
Reacting to a recent statement from BJP’s Devender Singh Rana, JKPDP has termed it as his desperate effort to salvage his dwindling stature in the party and also the bleak prospectus facing his party. “Devender Singh Rana, has displayed a clear sense of political desperation as he attempts to deflect attention from his own political choices and wavering allegiances. Rana's political journey is marked by his transition from the National Conference to the BJP, raising questions about his true motivations. His inclination towards business interests and political opportunism has been evident in his career, and his recent statements appear to be a calculated effort to sidestep criticism and regain political relevance,” JKPDP Chief Spokesperson Syed Suhail Bukhari said. “Rana's party revok...

When will people queue outside polling stations, Omar Abdullah takes a jibe at BJP

Politics, REGIONAL
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday offered a backhanded compliment to the Jammu and Kashmir administration, saying the “queues” outside the Independence Day function venue were “excellent” but asked when assembly elections will be held. “Excellent. So when can these same people expect to be queueing outside polling booths for assembly elections?” Omar said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Abdullah was responding to media reports about long queues outside Bakshi Stadium here, the venue of the main Independence Day function in Jammu and Kashmir. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti also extended good wishes on the 77th Independence Day. “Happy Independence day to my fellow countrymen. May the idea of INDIA that binds us together triumph,...

Is BJP’s argument weak that its leaders threaten the Supreme court’, asks Omar Abdullah on Irani’s remarks on Article 370

POLITICS, REGIONAL
Jammu Kashmir National Conference working president Omar Abdullah Wednesday said the Centre should wait for the Supreme Court's decision on Article 370's abrogation rather than "threatening" it, saying remarks by some BJP leaders over the sub-judice matter "almost tantamount" to contempt of court. His comments came after Union minister Smriti Irani, while participating on the debate on the no-confidence motion against the central government in the Lok Sabha, said "Article 370 will never be restored". Abdullah said he feels surprised to hear such remarks from responsible BJP leaders, PTI reported. "The issue is before the SC, let the SC take a decision. Why are they threatening the SC? A Union minister has made such remarks today in Parliament that they will never allow it to happe...

‘For Kashmiris, it’s not merely legal, but a matter of our sentiments’, Mehbooba Mufti on Article 370 hearing

POLITICS, REGIONAL
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday expressed happiness over the arguments in the Supreme Court during the hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370, but said it was a test of Jammu and Kashmir’s decision to accede to India. The top court is hearing several petitions challenging the nullification of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which split the erstwhile state into two Union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. “I am happy over the arguments in the SC. These are the issues me and PDP have been raising since 2019. The SC is fortunate that it does not face any hurdle, but our people are either arrested or put under house arrest for the same arguments that the decision taken in Parliament trampled the Constituti...

Maintain decency in virtual spaces, fight propaganda with facts, figures: Omar to party’s SM team

Politics
National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah Monday chaired a meeting of the party's Media and Communication wing at the party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha. Exhorting the party's social media functionaries to enhance communication with constituents and build awareness around the party's initiatives, Omar as per a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the social media has risen to play a significant role in the communications strategies of the party's policies and programmes. “We should also use different social media platforms to keep the general public informed and updated about important issues and engage with them at a deeper level. Additionally, social media is an excellent space for campaign messaging,” he said. Omar asked the functio...

NC, PDP to keep political differences aside, fight ‘onslaught’ on people’s rights & dignity

Politics
Amid rife speculations of cracks in the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), following the verbal spar between two youth leaders of the National Conference (NC) and People's Democratic Party (PDP), both parties on Tuesday decided to set aside political differences and fight for the people’s “rights and dignity”. According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), both NC and PDP, through their spokespersons, said that despite their “political differences,” they must “rise to the occasion and present a united front” to fight the “onslaught” on rights and dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq told KNO that at a time when the case challenging the abrogation of Article 370 is being heard tomorrow in the Supreme Court, there shoul...

Mufti Sayeed put precondition before PM Modi for govt. formation in J-K: Mehbooba

Politics
PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had put a precondition before Prime Minister Narendra Modi for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015, seeking an assurance that Article 370 of the Constitution will not be removed by the Centre, party president Mehbooba Mufti claimed on Monday. Addressing a gathering on the 24th foundation day of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) here, Mufti said her father Sayeed was not power hungry and wanted to deliver Jammu and Kashmir from its problems and troubles. “When Mufti sahib had 28 seats (in the 2014 Assembly polls), he met Modi and gave his list of conditions for government formation. He took the assurance from the BJP government (at the Centre) that (Article) 370 will not be touched. He tied their hands. He was not after power, otherwis...

‘Reorganization Act is sub judice, introducing new laws to J-K illegal’, Hasnain Masoodi in opposition to centre’s bills regarding J-K

POLITICS, REGIONAL
Hasnain Masoodi, Member Parliament from south Kashmir’s Anantnag has opposed the bills regarding Jammu Kashmir scheduled to be tabled in the lower house on Wednesday. The Central Government has introduced three bills namely The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order, 1956, will also be introduced today in the Lower House. The first aims to reserve three seats in the assembly of Jammu Kashmir, dissolved since 2018 while the Scheduled Caste Bill aims to provide reservation to extend reservation to several Pahadi classes. MP Hasnain Masoodi on Wednesday opposed the bills and said that the introduction of the bills was hi...

‘Defeat BJP to protect justice’: 26 parties agree to jointly contest 2024 elections

INDIA, Politics
The opposition meeting in Bengaluru ended on Tuesday with sources saying it has been decided by all 26 parties to collectively contest against the BJP-led NDA under the banner of the “Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (India)”. The 26 opposition parties have decided to give a new name to their alliance, which will be known as Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (India), Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said. “The war is now between India and NDA, Narendra Modi vs India, their ideology and India. No one is able to fight the idea of India in history,” said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. While the leaders were giving further details of the deliberations, sources said that they have signed a pact in this regard over seat sharing and the creation of stat...

Mehbooba Mufti asks court to take notice of Assam CM’s statement targeting Muslims

POLITICS, REGIONAL
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma blaming Muslims for price rise shows the utter failure of the BJP-led government to control unemployment and inflation. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister added that while the judiciary took action against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for raising questions on corruption, it should also take suo-motu notice of Sarma’s remarks. “Assam CM blaming Muslims for crippling price rise shows BJP’s utter failure on unemployment, inflation and lack of development. Himanta Biswa is openly urging Hindus to forcibly take away even their meagre forms of livelihood — vegetable vendors and kirhana shops. “While the judiciary took quick action against Rahul Gandhi for raising legitimate questions on corrupt...