Page 2 - Jammu And Kashmir Politics

Doors of party always open for secular-minded people: J&K Congress chief

Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Vikar Rasool Wani Saturday said the doors of his party are open for secular-minded people and closed for those with a communal mindset. He termed the Democratic Azad Party headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad branch of the BJP and claimed it is "collapsing under its own weight". Wani also extended support to the Kashmiri Pandit migrant employees and Jammu-based reserved category staffers who are on protest strike here since May demanding relocation outside the Valley following targeted killings by terrorists. "The Democratic Azad Party headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad is a branch of the BJP but those who have gone there from the Congress are secular-minded people. "Our party's doors are open for them and a decision to reinduct them into the Congress will be taken at an appropriate time," Wani told reporters here. He was responding to a question about whether the Congress will accept the recently expelled DAP leaders, including former deputy chief minister Tara Cha

Resigning from Cong in support of Azad was blunder: Ex J&K DyCM Tara Chand

Resigning from the Congress in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad was a "blunder", former Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief Minister Tara Chand said on Saturday - two days after he along with former minister Manohar Lal Sharma and former legislator Balwan Singh were expelled from the Azad-led Democratic Azad Party (DAP). More than 100 office bearers and founding members of the DAP announced their resignation from the party in support of the three leaders, who decided to reach out to the people before taking a decision on their next course of action. Chand, however, said they will remain secular till their last breath and would have no objection in joining the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra when it enters Jammu and Kashmir. "The decision of the DAP to expel us without any reason or justification came as a big surprise to us. Today, we feel that our decision to resign from the Congress in support of Azad was a blunder," Chand, flanked by the leaders and activists, told reporters here. He

9 Kashmiri Pandits killed in J&K in 3 yrs: Union Minister of State for Home

Nine Kashmiri Pandits have been killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir since 2020, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said four Kashmiri Pandits were killed in 2022 and as many in 2021, while one was killed in 2020. The victims include a person belonging to Kashmiri Rajput community, he said. Replying to another question, Rai said the Union home ministry has spent about Rs 2,815 crore for various aspects of security in Jammu and Kashmir in the last three years. The minister said Rs 1,267 crore was spent in 2019-20, Rs 611 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 936.095 crore in 2021-22.

NC will not beg Centre for polls in JK, will be ready whenever held: Omar

National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah Wednesday said his party will not beg the Centre for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking to reporters after a party function in Pahalgam, in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, he said the delay in the polls does not worry his party. The BJP is "scared" and lacks the courage to conduct the polls in the Union territory, he added. "We will see to it whenever elections take place. But I have been saying this, we will not beg for these elections," Abdullah said. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the NC would be ready whenever the Centre decides to conduct polls in the Union territory. The party is ready, but "we will not beg for it", he said. "BJP members are scared, they do not have the courage to conduct the elections. Let them find the courage, plunge into the fray and then we will see where people stand," Abdullah added. Asserting that the party's public meetings were not a signal to its workers that the

Restore democratic rights of people of J-K: NC to govt on Constitution Day

The National Conference on Saturday asked the government to restore the democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking on the Constitution Day, NC MPs Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi said people of Jammu and Kashmir are being "denied" their rights enshrined in the Constitution of India. The BJP-led central government has disrespected the Constitution while dealing with Jammu and Kashmir, they alleged. "Had the present ruling dispensation been so considerate of supremacy of the Constitution, it would not have kept the erstwhile historic state under the spell of long undemocratic rule of outsourced bureaucracy, they said in a statement.

'Clandestine approach' to add outsiders: Experts on J-K electoral rolls

A day after the final electoral rolls of Jammu and Kashmir were published, some experts and political parties on Saturday questioned the record addition of over 11 lakh voters to the list, saying it appears that authorities adopted a "clandestine approach" to add outsiders to the list. Out of the 11 lakh new voters, 3 lakh are first-time voters. Eight lakh new voters across different assembly segments can change the total vote bank equilibrium in favour of the ruling party, political expert A N Sadhu said. CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami said non-BJP parties have formed a committee to discuss the issue. The final electoral rolls of Jammu and Kashmir were published on Friday with the highest-ever addition of 11.28 lakh new voters. Taking into account the deletion of names from the electoral rolls, the net increase stood at 7,72,872, a 10.19 per cent increase in registered electors over the draft roll, Joint Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Anil Salgotra had said. The .

Farooq Abdullah not to seek re-election as NC chief in Dec 5 polls: Party

National Conference (NC) said its president Farooq Abdullah has refused to seek re-election to the post, elections for which will be held on December 5

Jairam Ramesh calls Kiren Rijiju 'distorian' over the Nehru J-K debate

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said he spoke to a BJP ideologue about Union minister Kiren Rijiju's criticism of Jawaharlal Nehru on the Kashmir issue and was told that Nehru being vilified is one thing, but erstwhile ruler Hari Singh being exalted as a benevolent hero "takes the cake". Rijiju had stated that Nehru's "blunders", which included enacting Article 370 and taking the dispute with Pakistan to the United Nations, caused much tragedy, drained the country's resources and cost thousands of lives of soldiers and civilians in militancy. "I spoke to a BJP ideologue this morning about Kiren Rijiju, the latest entrant to the club of Distorians," Ramesh said in a tweet. "He (the BJP idealogue) sent me the following message: The strange thing is, Nehru being vilified is one thing, Hari Singh being exalted as some sort of upright & benevolent hero takes the cake," the senior Congress leader said without naming the "BJP ideologue". Hari Singh was the last ruling ...

Ahead of polls, AAP sets up 2 bodies of Kashmiri-displaced people in Jammu

In a bid to increase the footprints of the party in the region, the AAP on Friday announced formation of two bodies of Kashmiri-displaced people in Jammu., The party, as it made the announcement, also claimed that it will form next government in Jammu and Kashmir as people have made up their mind give them a chance. "People in Jammu and Kashmir are watching the model of governance of Arvind Kejriwal ji in Delhi and Punjab. They have made up their mind to elect AAP government in J&K. We will form government here," MLA Delhi and In-charge of J&K unit of AAP, Durgesh Pathak told reporters here. "People have tested National Conference, PDP, Congress. BJP is currently ruling here through backdoor. They tested them, and now they have made up their mind to vote AAP to power here," he said. Earlier, Patahak administered oath to the newly-appointed office bearers of the party. The party announced two panel for Kashmiri-displaced people -- a 16-member provincial level panel headed by M .

PM enjoying power while Kashmiri Pandits continue to be refugees: Rahul

Hitting out at the Centre over the alleged exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is enjoying power while members of the minority community continue to be refugees in their own country. The BJP has ruined the good work done by the UPA, the former Congress chief said. As terrorists carried out a number of targeted killings recently, 10 Kashmiri Pandit families left their village, Choudharygund, in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district out of fear and reached Jammu, according to residents. Members of the minority community, who have since been camping in Jammu, ruled out any plan to return to the Valley. However, authorities in Shopian have attempted to put up a brave face by claiming no exodus of Kashmiri Pandits has taken place from the south Kashmir district. "There have been 30 targeted killings in Kashmir this year. The exodus of Pandits is increasing rapidly. The BJP has ruined the good work done by th

Nehru made 'blunders' on Jammu and Kashmir, PM Modi corrected them: BJP

The BJP on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi corrected "blunders" of Jawaharlal Nehru related to Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India by nullifying Article 370 and demanded an apology from the Congress. Addressing a press conference on the 75th anniversary of the region's accession, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that the first prime minister committed five blunders, including delaying action on the accession proposal of the region's king Hari Singh. Jammu and Kashmir, and the country in general had to pay a price for it while this allowed Pakistan to capture a part of the region (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), he said. Bhatia quoted from Nehru's statement to assert that the king had first mooted the idea in July 1947 but the then prime minister dithered and allegedly prioritised his and his friend's interests, a reference to Sheikh Abdullah, while neglecting the country's. Hitting out at the Congress, he said, "If a timely action was taken, then there would be no p

Congress demands white paper from Modi govt on 'plight of Kashmiri Pandits'

The Congress on Thursday attacked the BJP over the alleged exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from south Kashmir's Shopian district and demanded that the Modi government release a white paper on the plight of the minority community during its eight-year rule. The opposition party also hit out at the BJP-led Centre over the targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir and said the government must apologise for it. As terrorists carried out a number of targeted killings recently, 10 Kashmiri Pandit families left their village, Choudharygund, in Shopian out of fear and reached Jammu, according to residents. Members of the minority community, who have since been camping in Jammu, ruled out any plan to return to the Valley. However, authorities in Shopian have attempted to put on a brave face by claiming no exodus of Kashmiri Pandits has taken place from the district. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress' media department head Pawan Khera said tha

I have a clear intention that I don't want to talk to Pak: Amit Shah in J-K

Rejecting any dialogue with Pakistan on Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that his government was more interested in talking to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and assured them that assembly polls will be held with "full transparency". At his first public rally in the Valley after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, Shah, in his 27-minute speech at Showkat Ali stadium in Baramulla district, trained his guns at leaders from opposition parties NC, PDP and Congress with frequent references to the "three families", "Mufti and company" and "Abdullah and sons". The Home Minister blamed Abdullahs (National Conference), Muftis (PDP) and Nehru-Gandhi (Congress) for the "lack of development" in Jammu and Kashmir as they ruled the erstwhile state for most of the years since the country's independence. "Those people who ruled here for 70 years advise me to talk to Pakistan. I have a clear intention that I don't want to talk to Pakistan, but I want to talk to

Election in J-K after electoral rolls are published: Amit Shah in Baramulla

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday ruled out holding dialogue with Pakistan and asserted that the Modi government will wipe out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir to make it the "most peaceful place in the country". Addressing a public rally in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, Shah also said that assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted with "full transparency" once the Election Commission completes the exercise of publishing the revised electoral rolls. Urging the youths to shun the path of violence, Shah said terrorism has claimed 42,000 lives in Jammu and Kashmir since the 1990s and asked whether it has ever benefited anyone. He blamed the families of the Abdullahs (National Conference), Muftis (PDP) and Nehru-Gandhi (Congress) for the lack of development in Jammu and Kashmir as they ruled the erstwhile state for most of the years since the country's independence. The Union minister lashed out at those advocating dialogue with Pakistan. Some people sa

Don't touch innocents, don't spare guilty: Shah to J-K security agencies

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level security meeting in Jammu and Kashmir

Shah announces reservation for Pahadi community under ST category in J-K

The reservation quota for the Pahadi community "will not affect the reservation for Gujjar and Bakerwal community under the Scheduled Tribes category," Amit Shah said

Kashmir gets 'Azadi' from Pakistan sponsored separatists, eccentric leaders

Three years after the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir's special status separatists and the mainstream leaders, who used to claim that 'Azadi sentiment' in Kashmir is 'deep rooted,' stand exposed

Article 370 did not obstruct J-K's development, says former CM Azad

Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said Article 370 was not an obstacle in the development of Jammu and Kashmir, and claimed that the erstwhile state had performed better that national average on 30 indices. The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir also claimed that he never ruled out the possibility of the restoration of Article 370, but said it could be a time-consuming process, adding only Prime Minister Narendra Modi could do so immediately. "It (Article 370) was not an obstacle. (As the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir), I introduced a three-shift work system, Assembly sittings were held six days a week, roads were built, a network of schools and colleges was created and environment clearances were given," Azad told reporters here. The former Union minister, who recently quit the Congress, said he had even countered Modi in Parliament on Article 370. "I have countered the prime minister and the home minister in Parliament on this issue. I have ...

Modi is quicker than cheetah when it comes to evading issues: Owaisi

In a left-handed compliment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday suggested that he is quicker than the cheetah when it comes to evading serious issues. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader, who arrived here on a two-day Rajasthan trip, called the recent Varanasi court order in the Gyanvapi mosque- Shringar Gauri case a setback and said it went against the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. He also criticised the Uttar Pradesh government's move to conduct a survey of madrassas in the state. Owaisi's cheetah remark made in a lighter vein, he said -- came when reporters asked the Hyderabad MP to comment on plans to reintroduce the fast big cat to the country. Modi is set to release eight cheetahs being brought from Namibia into the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on his birthday on September 17. Owaisi said the prime minister moves faster than the cheetah when issues like inflation or unemployment are raised, his

At Kashmir rally, Azad slams parties for promising restoration of Art 370

As he prepares to launch his political party, former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday slammed those promising the restoration of Article 370 even though it was not in their hands and said he would not mislead the people over the issue. In his maiden rally in Kashmir Valley after quitting the Congress last month, he said only a government with a two-thirds majority in Parliament can ensure the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. "Azad knows what can and cannot be done. I or the Congress party or the regional parties cannot give you back Article 370, neither can (TMC chief) Mamata Banerjee, or DMK or (NCP chief) Sharad Pawar," the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said. The former Union minister said he would not raise issues over which he has no control. "Some people have been saying that I don't talk about Article 370. I want to tell them that Azad does not befool people for electoral gains," he said at the public meeting at Dak Bungalow ...