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The attack on the special status of Jammu and Kashmir did not start in 2019 but in 2015 when the PDP formed a government with the BJP, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Saturday. "The BJP has caused maximum damage to Jammu and Kashmir. Everything was snatched from us. The map has not remained, our identity under threat and special status gone," Abdullah said, addressing an election meeting in Mirgund of Budgam assembly segment. He accused the opposition PDP of facilitating the BJP's plans. "In the 2014 elections, late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter went from door to door on the plank of keeping the BJP out. The people voted for them in numbers, but soon after the elections, they (PDP) joined hands with the BJP," the NAC leader said. Bypolls are being held in Budgam assembly segment on November 11 as Abdullah had vacated the seat last year, retaining Ganderbal seat after winning both segments in the 2024 assembly elections. The attack on the special status of Jammu and
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday called Israel's attack on Iran a "brazen act" by a state that appears to have gone "rogue". "Israel's attack on Iran is yet another brazen act by a state that appears to have gone rogue. The silence of the global community, particularly the Western powers led by the United States is both alarming and telling. This silence amounts to tacit approval," Mufti said in a post on X. Israel attacked Iran capital Tehran early Friday in strikes that targeted the country's nuclear programme and raised the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq. Mufti said in the case of India-Pakistan tensions, the US never fails to assert that its intervention has been crucial in preventing an escalation, "yet when it comes to Israel's relentless bombardment of Gaza or its latest strike on Iran, that same urgency is conspicuously missing". "T
People's Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed Para on Saturday criticized the government over the post-abrogation promise of development and industrialization in Jammu and Kashmir and said no major investment has taken place so far in the Union Territory. He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have expressed concerns that current development will lead to destruction in the region. "While discussing allocations here over the last five years following the abrogation of Article 370, this move was justified with the claim that there would be large-scale development, industrialization and significant investments in J&K. However, this has not materialized," Para said during discussions on departmental allocations in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. Taking a swipe at the government, he added, "The reality is that 50 per cent investment has gone down, with very little investment actually taking place as far as industrialisation is concerned." The PDP leader said there is a growing ...
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday held a protest march here against Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Sunil Sharma over his remarks on the 1931 "martyrs" and sought an apology from the BJP legislator. Led by PDP leader Iltija Mufti, party leaders and activists marched from the party head office here towards the Lal Chowk City centre but were stopped by police near Polo View. The protesters, carrying placards reading "Martyrs of July 13, 1931 are our heroes" and "July 13, 1931 sacrifices will never die", raised slogans against Sharma and the BJP. Those martyrs sacrificed their lives to end the "autocratic" rule in Jammu and Kashmir, Iltija told reporters. "We will not accept the disrespect of the martyrs. Had they not sacrificed their lives, democracy would not have been established here," she said. She said the PDP would not allow the BJP to erase "our collective memory". "We will foil all such plans of the BJP. Those 22 martyrs are our heroes an
People's Democratic Party (PDP) Saturday launched a signature campaign here to garner support for a complete ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir. The signature campaign, aimed to garner support for a bill proposed by the party MLA Mir Mohammad Fayaz that seeks a complete ban on liquor in the union territory, was launched by party leader Iltija Mufti at the PDP head office here. Mufti was scheduled to kick-start the party's campaign at Sher-e-Kashmir Park, however, the police did not allow them to reach the venue and the campaign was launched at the party office instead. "We are here for a serious issue. Drugs and alcohol are spreading like wildfire. PDP MLA from Kupwara has introduced a bill in the J-K assembly seeking a ban on alcohol. We have started the signature campaign from the PDP office," Mufti told reporters after launching the campaign. She said the consumption of drugs and liquor is affecting the moral fabric of society. "Our aim is to create an awareness against drugs.
People's Democratic Party (PPD) leader Iltija Mufti accused the chief minister Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kasmir of cancelling at least 1.5 lakh ration cards.The PDP leader who is a vocal critic of the National Conference government also complained about the power curtailments durin the ongoing winter months.Speaking to reporters here on the "Cancellation of BPL rations cards", Iltija Mufti said, " The new government had in their election manifesto promised to provide 10 kilograms floor and rice for free for every month".The PDP leader asked the ruling National Conference government: "If you cannot provide anything to people, then do not snatch either. You have at least cancelled 1.5 lakh ration cards. Each ration card has at least 6 family members. You are witnessing the number of families getting affected".Iltija Mufti asked the people around, "This is the first day of 'Chillai Kalan' (40-day period of harsh winter in J & K). Is there electricity around?"To which the crowd ...
The People's Democratic Party (PDP) has said that governing Jammu and Kashmir requires a "delicate dance" with the Centre. "Governing J&K effectively requires a delicate dance with New Delhi, as acknowledged by the new government (in Jammu and Kashmir)," the PDP said in its monthly newsletter 'Speak Up' The party said its late patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed knew that for J-K's larger interest, unconventional paths must be explored, urging the BJP to adopt a more conciliatory approach akin to that of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "So, even with BJP's limited local influence, strategic engagement is necessary to leverage what rightfully belongs to J&K. Recent arbitrary dismissals of two employees, even with a popular government in place, raise questions. For now, all eyes are on the new government," the party said. The PDP said in Jammu and Kashmir, winning an election might be the simplest part of the political journey. "The real challenge is managing the complex web of public .
'Hindutva' is a disease which is defaming Hinduism and leading to "lynching and persecution" of minorities especially Muslims, with the BJP using it to strengthen its vote bank, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija on Sunday said. BJP took exception to the remark and demanded an apology for the "derogatory words". "Ram the deity must hang his head in shame & watch helplessly as minor Muslim boys are whacked with chappals only because they refuse to chant his name. Hindutva is a disease thats (sic) afflicted millions of Indians & sullied a Gods name," Iltija wrote on X, reposting a video of an incident where a Muslim man is being beaten. Later, talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Jammu, Iltija defended her remark and accused the BJP of allowing such a situation to take place in the country. "There is a big difference between Hindutva and Hinduism. Hindutva is about the feeling of hatred, which (Vinayak Damodar) Savarkar (who developed the Hindu ...
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said it was "disheartening" that the country's largest minority was facing "unprecedented threats" as it celebrated Constitution Day. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) supremo referred to the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, where four people died during protests against a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque. The government on Tuesday kick-started yearlong celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. "Today, as we celebrate Constitution Day, it is disheartening to see the largest minority in our country facing unprecedented threats. Their dignity, lives, livelihoods and places of worship are under attack, contradicting the Constitution's guarantee of equal rights and dignity for every citizen, regardless of their background," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief said in a post on X. The violence in Sambhal, where four people died, "is a painful reminder of this harsh reality", she said. "This trend o
A group of MLAs, including from the PDP and the Peoples' Conference, on Thursday submitted a fresh resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly demanding immediate restoration of Articles 370 and 35A in their original form. They also called for the reversal of all changes introduced in the Union territory after the erstwhile state was stripped of its special status in 2019. The Modi government abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Article 35A gave special rights to the permanent residents of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution comes a day after the assembly passed a resolution, brought by the ruling National Conference (NC), asking the Centre to work out a constitutional mechanism for restoring special status of the erstwhile state and hold dialogue with the elected representatives over the issue. The fresh resolution on Thurs
Political parties in the Kashmir valley on Wednesday welcomed the resolution passed in the assembly seeking a dialogue between the Centre and elected representatives for the restoration of special status of the erstwhile state. "This resolution is historic and I congratulate the members of the House," CPI(M)'s MLA from Kulgam, M Y Tarigami said. He said it has been "our commitment that we will restore what has taken from us on August 5, 2019". "Today, the House fulfilled its promise by passing the resolution and demanded that the Government of India take forward the process of restoration of Article 370 by starting the dialogue process immediately," he added. The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution asking the Centre to hold dialogue with elected representatives for restoration of special status of the erstwhile state. PDP's youth leader and MLA Pulwama, Waheed Para also welcomed the resolution. "It is a welcome move. We welcome it wholeheartedly. This has
Days after the Ganderbal terror attack, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said Jammu and Kashmir is bearing the brunt of the animosity between India and Pakistan, and reconciliation between the two is the only way to stop such incidents. Seven people a local doctor and six non-local labourers were killed and five injured when terrorists attacked their camp in Gund in Ganderbal district on Sunday. The labourers were working on a tunnel project. "The people of J&K are stuck in the animosity between the two countries. Their lives and their property are getting destroyed because the two countries are fighting each other. "J&K is bearing the brunt and the poor non-local labourers are also suffering because of that," Mehbooba told reporters after visiting the residence of Dr Shahnawaz Dar, who was killed in Sunday's attack, in Naidgam village of Budgam district. The former chief minister said Dar was serving the people and was an honourable man but suffered because of the ...
It is a "very auspicious day" as people of Jammu and Kashmir have got their government after several years, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday on the swearing-in of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. "Today is a very auspicious day. People of Jammu and Kashmir have got their government after several years. People have elected a stable government. People of Jammu and Kashmir suffered a lot especially after 2019, and we hope that this new government will heal the wounds we got," she told reporters after attending Abdullah's oath ceremony. She, however, expressed hope that the government would pass a resolution condemning the Centre's August 5, 2019 decisions of abrogating Article 370, and bifurcating J-K into two union territories. "We hope that the government will pass a resolution condemning the decision of August 5, 2019, that the people of J-K do not accept those decisions," she added. The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J-K also expressed hope that the ...