News Analysis India

Tag: Jammu and Kashmir

  • Two years of Art 370 abrogation: Parties vow to continue struggle for restoration of J&K’s special status

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The PDP, Congress, People’s Conference, and Apni Party on Wednesday questioned the BJP government on the achievements it made since revoking Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as they vowed to continue their struggle to get the erstwhile state’s special status restored.

    The National Conference, however, targeted Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari, who has announced to launch an agitation for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, as a “frenzied attempt” to keep himself and his party relevant.

    On August 4, the parties asked if the BJP government had managed to eradicate militancy, create jobs or rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandits in the valley.

    President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti termed August 5 as a “black day” in the constitutional and democratic history of the country, saying the “draconian steps” taken in 2019 have not only “betrayed” the trust of the people, but also complicated the issue of the erstwhile state further.

    In a statement issued here, Mufti said August 5 has become a reminder of the “subversion of the democratic and the constitutional system of the country and how the trust of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and all the democrats of the country was betrayed”.

    Mufti said Jammu and Kashmir has to become a bridge of friendship rather than a bone of contention between India and Pakistan and the PDP will continue to strive to see this happen.

    Reiterating that the party would continue to struggle and strive for the restoration of the rights and identity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti said no amount of “coercion” would dissuade the party from advocating its core agenda of peace with dignity through dialogue and reconciliation.

    She said two years after the Constitutional provisions were revoked, none of the stated goals of the government “that were used to camouflage the betrayal” of bringing Kashmir closer to India, ending militancy, bringing development to the state, have been achieved.

    Corroborating her views, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma asked whether the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status has ended militancy.

    “There were around 70 active militants in 2014, while the number is over 200 today, despite the elimination of hundreds of terrorists since then,” the Congress leader said.

    Sharma also asked how many jobs were provided in the government sector in two years as the then governor S P Malik had made an announcement of providing 50,000 jobs in three months.

    He said the demand for restoration of statehood with the protection of genuine rights to land and jobs remained high on the Congress’s agenda along with that of holding early assembly elections to provide an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The People’s Conference said August 5 will perpetually be remembered as a “dark day” and “a day of disempowerment” in the history of the erstwhile state.

    Party spokesperson Adnan Ashraf Mir said the decisions taken on August 5, 2019 are spiteful and contrary to the ideals and values of a democracy and the federal character of the Indian State.

    The People’s Conference (PC), he said, is committed to continue its principled struggle for the rights and dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and that it will pursue this agenda through democratic and legal means.

    Highlighting that the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A has incremented the trust deficit among the people, Bukhari said he strongly hopes and believes that the Supreme Court will restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

    Bukhari said if the apex court’s verdict disregards the peoples’ aspirations, the Apni Party “will have no choice but to chalk out other peaceful means to pursue this goal with New Delhi”.

    “We believe that the solution to the socio-economic and political problems faced by the people in J-K lies with New Delhi, so it will be unwise to disengage or dissociate ourselves from pursuing the redressal,” he said.

    The Apni Party chief had on Tuesday vowed to launch a peaceful struggle for the restoration of Article 370 of the Constitution if the apex court did not restore it.

    Taking a swipe at Bukhari, NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said in a statement: “The remarks are a failed attempt to save his credibility on ground.

    The radical changes in the views of Bukhari are well expected in view of people’s immense support for the efforts of Farooq Abdullah for the restoration of J&K’s constitutional status.

    “His politics follows a simplistic maxim; it is to be on the good side of the BJP. But it has not fared well with the people. This recent statement of his should be seen as a last-ditch effort to save some credibility, if any at all,” he said.

    Bukhari, however, blamed traditional political parties for their policies of deceit and intrigue, saying it is not the BJP alone, but other political parties who have been pivotal in doing away with the special status of J&K.

    “History bears witness to the facts that how J-K’s political parties have played a collaborators’ role in eroding Articles 370 and 35-A from time to time for their lust of power,” he said.

    “Now, they are shedding crocodile tears and sermonising on the subject. It’s a shame for them. They should rather confess and apologise to the people for their criminal silence,” he added.

  • Aug 5 to be remembered as ‘day of disempowerment’ in Jammu and Kashmir’s history: People’s Conference

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: On the eve of the second anniversary of revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, the People’s Conference on Wednesday said August 5 will perpetually be remembered as a “dark day” and “a day of disempowerment” in the history of the erstwhile state.

    “August 5th is seen as a day of disempowerment, a reminder of the humiliation that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were subjected to,” party spokesperson Adnan Ashraf Mir said in a statement here.

    He said the decisions taken on August 5, 2019 are spiteful and contrary to the ideals and values of a democracy and the federal character of the Indian State.

    “These decisions contravene the very ideas of justice and dignity that form the core of the political system and constitutional philosophy of the Republic of India,” Mir said.

    The party led by Sajjad Lone stated that the decisions of August 5, 2019 have dealt a severe blow to the collective sentiment of the people who championed the cause of Indian democracy, and those who upheld the electoral system through participation got the worst treatment despite their sacrifice for democracy in J-K.

    “By revoking Article 370 of the constitution and downgrading J-K into a Union territory, the government of the day has inflicted irreversible humiliation to the advocates of mainstream in J-K and pushed them against the wall,” Mir alleged.

    The People’s Conference (PC), he said, is committed to continue its principled struggle for the rights and dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and that it will pursue this agenda through democratic and legal means.

  • Army helicopter crash: Search operation for missing pilots resumes in Jammu & Kashmir’s Kathua

    By PTI

    JAMMU: The search operation to trace the missing pilots of an Army helicopter that crashed into the Ranjit Sagar dam lake in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua resumed on Wednesday, officials said. The crash occurred on Tuesday morning.

    The rescue operation was suspended at night. The dam is located about 30 kilometers from Pathankot in Punjab and the lake in which the helicopter crashed is shared by Punjab and J-K governments. Deep sea divers of the Navy are also part of the operation, the officials said.

    The depth of the crash site has been measured to be over 200 feet. Some pieces of the helicopter were found on Tuesday after forces and boats were mobilised for the search operation, Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) RC Kotwal had said.

    Eyewitnesses had said the chopper was flying over the lake when it suddenly came down and crashed into the water. During Tuesday’s search operation, a helmet, two big size bags, one shoe, I-cards and some helicopter parts were recovered.

  • I was deeply jaded but politicians can’t mourn for long: Omar Abdullah on Article 370 abrogation

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: Two years after the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was abrogated and he was detained for 234 days, National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that after initially being “deeply jaded” he had realised that as a politician he didn’t have the right to “mourn” for long and could not let down the people struggling for their basic constitutional rights.

    On the eve of the second anniversary of the nullification of Article 370 of the Constitution, the former chief minister of the erstwhile state which has been bifurcated into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, said that what had been done on August 5 had come as a shock to most people who were affected by the “sudden, unexpected and unconstitutional blow”.

    Abdullah, who spent seven months in detention which was challenged in the Supreme Court, recalled, “I was a deeply jaded and disappointed individual. I found it difficult to motivate myself even to indulge in basic political activities possible in the prevailing situation. But as the saying goes ‘if you want the rainbow, you have got to put up with rain’. So here I am doing the best I can for the people.”

    He said that the workers and leaders of the National Conference had made immense sacrifices for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Hundreds of our workers and several of our leaders have fallen to the bullets of militants. I thought of all this when a certain light inside me was getting dimmer during my solitary confinement. I realised I could not just walk away,” he told PTI.

    There is no doubt in Abdullah’s mind that the abrogation of Article 370 was unconstitutional which had been challenged as such on behalf of his party in the Supreme Court. “I have hope and faith in the Supreme Court which had said that they could turn the clock back if merited. I am sure that someday justice will be done to the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh,” the NC vice president said.

    Answering a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with mainstream leaders of Jammu and Kashmir on June 24, Abdullah said that the initiative needs to be followed up on the ground to produce meaningful results.

    “The prime minister candidly spoke of reducing the “doori” (distance), both physical and mental, between Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. We now await the start of the follow-up to that meeting,” he said.

    “There is so much talk of development, development. We would welcome that if it really happened. The administration needs to go beyond inaugurating projects for which work had begun during the time of elected governments,” the NC leader said.

    About the claims of substantial improvement in the law and order situation, he said, “You cannot gag the people and then claim all is well. In the last two years people are not allowed to do even peaceful protests. The due process of law is ignored. On the one hand a rosy picture of the situation is painted and on the other hand the Centre tells Parliament that statehood will be restored when the situation normalises.”

    In any case, the people cannot any longer continue to be deprived of an elected government through free and fair elections in a full-fledged state, Abdullah emphasised. Both restoration of statehood and holding of early elections have been promised at the highest levels by the Centre.

    “That should be the order — restoration of full, undiluted statehood, followed by Assembly elections. There is no better way to reduce, to a large extent, the trust deficit to which the prime minister obliquely referred,” he said.

    Abdullah was categorical that he would not be contesting elections for the foreseeable future but made it clear, “I will continue to be with our people and serve them even if I am not in the Assembly.”

  • Just six instances of ceasefire violations along LoC, IB since India-Pak agreement in February

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Only six incidents of ceasefire violations have been reported ever since India and Pakistan agreed in February to observe all pacts related to cross-border firings along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

    Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said as many as 5,133 incidents of ceasefire violations were reported in 2020; 3,479 in 2019; and 2,140 in 2018.

    In written reply to a question, Rai said following scheduled talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan over hotline, a joint statement was issued on February 25, 2021 in which both India and Pakistan agreed to the strict observance of all agreements, understandings and ceasefire along the Line of Control and all other sectors with effect from the February 24-25 midnight 2021.

    While there were 380 incidents of ceasefire violations in January and 278 in February, there was not a single incident of ceasefire violation in March, just one in April, three in May and two in June.

    The minister said immediate and effective retaliation by the Indian Army and the BSF personnel is carried out during instances of unprovoked firings and ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB).

    Rai said the government’s consistent position has been that India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan and is committed to addressing issues, if any, bilaterally and peacefully in an atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence.

    The onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive atmosphere by taking credible, verifiable and irreversible action to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross-border terrorism against India in any manner.

    India and Pakistan continue to maintain regular channels of communication through the respective High Commissions and other established mechanisms, he said.

    The minister also said that according to reports, representatives of various political parties in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have welcomed the joint statement and several countries have issued statements welcoming the development as an important and positive step.

  • Encounter breaks out in J&K’s Bandipora between security forces and militants

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, police said.

    Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Chandaji area of Bandipora in north Kashmir after inputs were received about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

    A gunfight has started between militants and troops at Chandaji area of Bandipora in north Kashmir. @NewIndianXpress
    — Fayaz Wani (@iamfayazwani) August 3, 2021

    He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire on the forces, who retaliated.

    The exchange of fire is underway and further details are awaited, the official said.

  • Remain cautious about nefarious communal designs of anti J-K forces: Farooq Abdullah to people

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday asked the people to remain cautious about the “nefarious communal designs” of anti-Jammu and Kashmir forces, saying the regional harmony and brotherhood is the key to the development of the region.

    Addressing a delegation of noted personalities, politicians and socio-political activists from Jammu at his residence here, Abdullah said J-K is suffering from political, developmental and economic maladies, which have been compounded by the ongoing Covid pandemic.

    “The communal forces of the country are taking the region towards a dangerous situation by perusing narrow and divisive brand of politics,” he said, adding people need to remain cautious about the “nefarious communal designs of anti J-K forces”.

    ALSO READ | Omar Abdullah speaks up against Jammu and Kashmir Police order on security clearance

    Abdullah, who is the Member of Parliament form Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, said there has been no effort to leverage J-K’s potential to widen its prosperity as well as social security of its populace.

    “Every single opportunity has been left unutilised to alleviate people’s sufferings. The administration is living in denial,” he said.

    “With such a bleak record on economy, development, job creation, justice, equality, equity, and respecting federalism, it is no wonder that the communal forces will unleash the spectre of communalism.

    “We all have to pose this question to us as to what that ugly communal politics foretells for Jammu and Kashmir. While the macro picture of J-K is alarming, that of Jammu region is no different,” he added.

    Abdullah said his party has long been advocating joining of diverse streams of thoughts to form a “mighty river” of progress and advancement.

    “We have had enough of it. Now is the time to join our efforts to put the country, particularly JK on the path of progress. Our vision is not blinkered; we see our people irrespective of their caste, creed and religion,” he added.

    The NC president said the region is on a tipping point of history that demands people to work unitedly to secure a promising future for future generations.

    “We all irrespective of our linguistic, regional, religious affiliations have to protect the unique constitutional position and the individuality of our socio-cultural and political system.”

    “NC will continue to fight for political empowerment of the last person living in Gurez, Rajouri, Bani-Basouli and Kishtwar. We will continue with our struggle in a constitutional and peaceful manner,” he said.

  • Stone pelters in Jammu and Kashmir can’t get passport or job

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR:  The Jammu and Kashmir administration has now decided to deny stone-pelters security clearance for passports or government schemes or jobs. The instruction on Sunday was issued through a circular issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Special Branch-Kashmir (SBK). It directed all its field units to ensure that during verification of papers, the individual’s involvement in law and order, stone pelting and other crimes prejudicial to the security of the state be specifically looked into and corroborated from the local police station’s records.

    It also directed the field staff to look for digital evidence like CCTV footage, photographs, videos and audio clips, quadcopter images available in the records of police, security forces and securi ty agencies for verification. “Any person found involved in any such case must be denied the security clearance,” the circular instructed.

    The order was issued over a month after the Jammu and Kashmir government amended service rules and made it mandatory for new recruits to submit details of mobile phone numbers used over last five years, information about in-laws, registration number of vehicles owned and used; details of educational qualification and details of loans within two months.

    The new recruits were also asked to give details of association with Jamaat-e- Islami; membership of club or society or association or trust or charity groups; membership of any political party and participation in any political activity; and membership of family members or close relatives with any political party. The Jammu and Kashmir government has so far sacked at least 18 employees, including two sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salah-u-Din, for their alleged involvement in antinational activities.

    Omar Abdullah condemns orderThe NC leader said an adverse police report cannot be a substitute for being found guilty in a court. Police had created an adverse report to justify his PSA detention that would never have stood up to legal challenge, he tweeted

  • Omar Abdullah speaks up against Jammu and Kashmir Police order on security clearance

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: An adverse police report cannot be a substitute for being found guilty in a court of law, National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah said on Sunday.

    The remarks came a day after the CID wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police ordered the denial of security clearance required for passport and other government services to all those involved in stone-pelting or subversive activities.

    “An ‘adverse police report’ can not be a substitute for being found guilty in a court of law.

    A year and a half ago J&K police were able to create an ‘adverse police report’ to justify my detention under the Public Safety Act that would never have stood up to legal challenge,” the NC leader wrote on Twitter.

    ALSO READ | J&K Police to deny security clearance for passport, govt services to stone pelters

    He was referring to his PSA detention after the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019.

    The former chief minister of the erstwhile J-K state said guilt or innocence must be proven in court and should not be based on unproven police reports.

    “They did the same with scores of others, many of whom had these police reports tossed out by the courts. An executive order cannot replace a court of law. Guilt or innocence must be proven in court & not based of vague unproven police reports,” he added.

  • J&K Police to deny security clearance for passport, govt services to stone pelters

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: The CID wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police has ordered the denial of security clearance required for passport and other government services to all those involved in stone-pelting or subversive activities.

    In an order issued on Saturday, the senior superintendent of police (SSP), CID, Special Branch (SB), Kashmir, has directed all the field units under it to ensure that the person’s involvement in law and order, stone-pelting cases, and other crime prejudicial to the security of the state be specifically looked into during verification related to passport, service and any other verification related to government schemes.

    “The same must be corroborated from the local police station records,” the order read.

    The SSP also said digital evidence like CCTV footage, photographs, videos and audio clips, quadcopter images available in the records of the police, security forces, and security agencies be also referred during the verification.

    “Any subject found involved in any such cases must be denied the security clearance,” the SSP, CID-SB, Kashmir said.