Page 18 - Jammu And Kashmir Politics

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 ...

Will announce formation of new party within 10 days, says Ghulam Nabi Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad, who recently parted ways with the Congress, on Sunday said he will announce the formation of his new political party within 10 days and asserted that its ideology will be "independent". The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the agenda of the new political outfit would be to struggle for the restoration of J and K's statehood and to fight for the job and land rights of people. "I thank my colleagues who stand with me and are the base of my new party which, God willing, will be announced within the next 10 days," Azad said addressing his maiden public rally in the Kashmir Valley after resigning from the Congress on August 26. Speaking at a public meeting at Dak Bunglow in Baramulla in north Kashmir, Azad said his new party will be 'Azad' (free), like his name, in its ideology and thinking. "My party will be Azad. Many of my colleagues said we should name the party as Azad. But, I said never. But, it's ideology will be independent, which will not join or

Azad starts meeting delegations ahead of finalising name of his new party

Several delegations on Monday visited former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad at his residence here, a day after he returned from Delhi to a warm welcome by his supporters after quitting Congress last month to launch his own party. The delegations comprising large number of people from the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and Chenab valley including Doda, Bhalessa, Khara, Batyas, Chilly and Gandoh, Kishtwar and Banial visited Azad at his Gandhi Nagar residence, Azad's close aide said. Addressing his first public meeting after returning from Delhi on Sunday, Azad had said that he is staying for four days in Jammu to meet delegations from different parts of the region before visiting Doda, Kishtwar and Kashmir. The process of interactions started this morning with various delegations visiting Azad and extending their support to him. The process of interactions will continue till Wednesday, the aide said. Azad, 73, ended his five-decade-long association with the Congress on

Register as voters to defeat vested powers: Farooq Abdullah to J&K natives

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Monday urged the natives of Jammu and Kashmir to register themselves in the electoral rolls so the "powers" that intend to "import temporary voters to win seats" are defeated. He said the first assembly elections in the Union territory will not just be about electing a government or forming a ministry but protecting Jammu and Kashmir's identity and dignity. "Allowing non-locals to vote in Jammu and Kashmir will be disastrous. The powers that are pitted against NC are so insecure about the support from genuine voters that they have to import temporary voters to win seats," Abdullah said at a workers' convention in Shopian. The Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar said such "nefarious designs" will not help if the people of the now Union territory get to exercise their franchise. "It is for you to stop them No one else can. If you come out and register as voters and subsequently vote in huge numbers, there is nothing that can touch our uniq

J-K Chief Electoral Officer calls all party meeting for summary revision

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer called for an all-party meeting which is scheduled to take place on Monday at around 4 pm for the summary revision of electoral rolls

Azad twisting facts in his favour to befool people of J&K, claims Congress

The Congress on Sunday hit back at Ghulam Nabi Azad accusing him of working at the behest of his "political bosses" and said he was twisting facts in his favour to befool the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said Azad has again made a blatant attempts to distort history in an attempt to generate an undue sympathy from the people of the Union territory. "Ghulam Nabi Azad while continuing to fulfil his role assigned to him by his bosses today again made a blatant attempt to distort history in an attempt to generate an undue sympathy from the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Ramesh said in a statement while making a sharp rebuttal of Azad's claims made at a rally in Jammu. Ramesh claimed that the former J&K chief minister was lying while saying he fought first election in which he was elected to Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket on his own without any help from anyone. "This is a white lie. In 1980, he was elected as a Lok Sabha member .

Ghulam Nabi Azad says his fight for justice for people of J-K will continue

Former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said his fight to ensure justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir will continue till his last breath as he called for united efforts to bring down the "walls of hatred" for prosperity and development. Azad dismissed the remarks of Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari that he had voted for the abrogation of Article 370 in Parliament on August 5, 2019, as a deliberate attempt to "mislead the public" due to growing support of the people and leaders for him. "My fight for people to ensure justice to them will continue till my last breath," he said addressing a public rally, his first in Jammu after ending the five-decade-long association with the Congress. Thousands of his supporters including several former ministers and legislators accorded a warm welcome to Azad at the Jammu Airport and the venue of the public meeting, amid high pitch sloganeering in his favour. "We need support from each other. We have to get united and bring down th

Azad to hold public meeting in Jammu on Sept 4, first after quitting Cong

Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the Congress last week and has decided to float a political party, will hold a public meeting on September 4 at Sainik Colony in Jammu

J-K DGP calls for 'strategically planned' final assault against terrorism

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh on Monday said a "strategically planned" final assault on terrorism is required to eradicate the menace from the Union territory. The security situation in Jammu and Kashmir has shown a marked improvement in the past around three years and the culture of bandh has almost ended. "We have to put in more efforts to consolidate peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir," Singh said while chairing a crime review meeting at the police headquarters here. Addressing the meeting, the DGP said, "With the joint efforts of police and other security forces, the security situation in the Union territory has shown a marked improvement during the past around three years." He directed officers to increase the area domination exercise, particularly in border belts, to restrict terror activities. "At present we have reduced the number of active terrorists in J&K and...strategically planned final assault is required to march towards a ...

Azad says forced to leave Congress, praises PM Modi for showing humanity

Days after his resignation from the Congress, Ghulam Nabi Azad has alleged that he was 'forced' to leave the party, and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'showing humanity'

Ghulam Nabi Azad timed his exit from the Congress for a 'bigger' role

Azad is not known to act impulsively. It would seem his hand was forced by the oncoming Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) elections. Its outcome will set the stage for his national political ambitions

Azad to launch own party, set up J-K unit within fortnight: Confidante

Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad is all set to launch his own party and its first unit would come up in Jammu and Kashmir within a fortnight, his close confidant G M Saroori said on Saturday. Saroori asserted that the restoration of the pre-August 5, 2019 position of Jammu and Kashmir will be part of the party's manifesto. A former minister who was among several prominent Congress leaders of Jammu and Kashmir who resigned from the basic membership of the party in support of Azad, Saroori said their leader was ideologically secular and there was no question of him working at the behest of the BJP. He also claimed that hundreds of senior Congress leaders, Panchayati Raj Institution members and prominent workers have tendered their resignations after the former chief minister ended his over five-decade-long association with the national party. "Azad is coming to Jammu on September 4 to hold consultations with his well-wishers before the launch of our new party," Saroori, a form

People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration is intact, says Farooq Abdullah

People need both patience and tolerance and unless these two things are there, no alliance can succeed

Voting rights to non-locals, meeting underway at Abdullah's residence

The meeting started at the high security Gupkar road residence of Dr. Abdullah

Sajad Lone's PC opts out of meeting called by NC over J-K voter list

The efforts of the National Conference and PDP to put up a united front against the "inclusion of non-locals as voters" in Jammu and Kashmir suffered a setback on Monday as the People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone opted out of the "all party" meeting scheduled at the residence of the NC president. The National Conference called the meeting after remarks related to the addition of voters in the revised rolls by the Union Territory's Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar raised hackles of the regional parties. If this effort (all party meeting) was serious, it would not be held under media gaze. Had it been serious, we would have met and you (media) would not even know about it. I don't agree with the politics of Farooq Abdullah but I have immense respect for him, Lone told reporters. He said the meeting seemed to be a point-scoring exercise and he would not want to be a part of it. One lady (Mehbooba Mufti) says call an all party meeting and the other makes (phone) calls for