Tag: Article 370 abrogation

Re-construction of battered wooden footbridge in J&K’s Baramulla all set to complete
15Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Re-construction of battered wooden footbridge in J&K’s Baramulla all set to complete

Jammu and Kashmir’s status change into a Union Territory has proved to be a game changer with many development projects, which were nowhere near completion for years, being finished within months.One of the projects is an extremely important footbridge connecting Old Town and New Town in the Baramulla district of North Kashmir. "Earlier the footbridge connecting Old Town and New Town was made of wood and was in very bad shape. With Jammu and Kashmir getting UT status, the work to construct a proper bridge commenced and now is going to be completed," said Abid Salaam, Corporator of Municipal Council Baramulla.In 2014, the wooden footbridge --- lifeline of the residents of the Old Town --- was damaged due to the floods. People used to travel across by boats as most of the big business establ
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A year after Article 370, Kashmir valley voter turnout a big number to watch
12Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia, Opinion

A year after Article 370, Kashmir valley voter turnout a big number to watch

Last year, on August 5, the Narendra Modi government in the Center effectively revoked Article 370 that conferred special status on Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and bifurcated the state into two Union territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.Now, a year has passed and still there is little convergence of views on the move. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to assert that the decision was in the interest of Kashmir and the nation at large, mainstream political actors in Kashmir continue to oppose it.In an opinion piece, former chief minister Omar Abdullah wrote that unless the central government restores statehood to J&K, he will not participate in elections.In making this threat, Abdullah is raising a metric which has often been seen as the most important measure of de
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India slams Turkey for its Kashmir remark on Article 370 abrogation
12Aug By Nectar GanNo Comments
Politics

India slams Turkey for its Kashmir remark on Article 370 abrogation

India has slammed Turkey’s remarks on the abrogation of Article 370 saying that the statement is “factually incorrect, unwarranted” and that Turkey should not interfere in the internal matters of India.The remark by Turkey was made on the first anniversary of the revocation of certain provisions of Article 370 that removed the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.Calling it interference on Ankara's part, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "We have seen the statement. It is factually incorrect, unwarranted.""We would urge the government of Turkey to get a proper understanding of matters and refrain from commenting on matters internal to India," he added.The Turkish foreign ministry had criticized India’s decision to revoke Jammu and
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Separatist leaders signed ‘good behaviour bond’ before release from detention: J&K Police Chief
11Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Separatist leaders signed ‘good behaviour bond’ before release from detention: J&K Police Chief

Around 504 separatist leaders, who had been detained in light of the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, were released after they signed a 'good behaviour' bond, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police chief Dilbag Singh said.He said that out of 350 separatists who were sent to jail, only 50-60 are still behind bars even as others were released."A total of 504 separatist leaders belonging to Hurriyat Conference and Jamaat-e-Islami (JK) and others have been released so far after they signed good behaviour bond," Singh said.Over 5,500 youth were detained by the security forces on August 5, 2019, after the abrogation of Article 370, but were let off after few days of counselling. “Cases were filed against 1200 for indulging in violent acts,” Singh said."We will review the cases of other 50-60 peopl
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Article 370: Can Jammu and Kashmir regain statehood?
9Aug By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Opinion

Article 370: Can Jammu and Kashmir regain statehood?

Soon after the Indian government announced abrogating the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 in 2019, converting the state into two Union Territories, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said it was a "temporary" situation.PM Modi said statehood of Jammu and Kashmir would be restored at "some point of time".In March this year, PM Modi told a visiting delegation of politicians from Kashmir that "the government will work with all sections of the population to realize the hopes of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir at an early opportunity".Union Home Minister Amit Shah also told the Jammu and Kashmir leaders that "visible changes will be seen on the ground in the next few months".However, around 10 days after the meeting, the coronavirus lockdown had to be imposed across the coun...
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Jammu and Kashmir: A year without Article 370
8Aug By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Opinion

Jammu and Kashmir: A year without Article 370

It has been a year since the government of India scrapped Article 370 (and Article 35A), taking away the special status of Jammu & Kashmir and bifurcating it into two Union Terrirtories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Undoubtedly, August 5, 2019, was a watershed moment, popularly dubbed as “historical blunder being corrected in one stroke”. Of course, the cynics cried foul – ranging from the killing of a democratic polity, recommitting a historical blunder, a betrayal, to a sinister ploy to alter Kashmir’s demography, so on and so forth.Nonetheless, it was a monumental step taken by the Narendra Modi government to seal Kashmir’s fate. In one stroke it removed all the ills of Kashmir misfortune, which boosted national domestic confidence, struck a deadly blow to Pakistan’s ostentatious
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Pakistan pushing terrorists in Kashmir to disrupt peace in Kashmir
8Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Pakistan pushing terrorists in Kashmir to disrupt peace in Kashmir

During the last week of July, Indian Amy had reported repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan, saying these violations are being done to push more terrorists in the Kashmir Valley in the wake of first anniversary of abrogation of Article 370 on August 5.The most recent one took place on July 23 in Nowgam and Tangdhar sectors of frontier district of Kupwara in north Kashmir. Senior Indian Army officials of the Srinagar-based 15 corps said that on the LoC, the number of ceasefire violations have gone up since last year and has remained high since.“The Pakistan Army is keen on pushing more terrorists,” a senior Army officer said. “First anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 is very near and we believe they might try to disrupt the prevailing peace.”The figures available with the Indi
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Kashmiris celebrate one year of abrogation of Article 370 with fervour
6Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Kashmiris celebrate one year of abrogation of Article 370 with fervour

As the abrogation of Article 370 completed its one year on August 5, hundreds of Gujjars, Bakarwals and other Kashmiri sightseers from Kupwara, Tangdhar and Handwara in Jammu and Kashmir celebrated Bangus Awaam Mela, rejecting Pakistan's efforts to create a false narrative about abrogation of Article 370.The Annual Fair saw participation with great fanfare for two days since it kicked off on August 3.Rustic games like horse racing, sheep herding, Tug of War and Wood Chopping competitions were organized on the first day in which the Gujjar, Bakerwal communities from various Bhaiks living in the meadows during the summer months actively participated.On the request of senior community members, a veterinary and medical camp was also organized by the local Rashtriya Rifles unit. A total of 679 ...
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Article 370 abrogation impact: Decline in stone-pelting incidents, strikes in Kashmir
5Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Article 370 abrogation impact: Decline in stone-pelting incidents, strikes in Kashmir

After the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, people of the valley have reported a significant drop in the incidents of stone pelting and militancy, saying the youth is now more focused on their studies.“The youth here has become prudent. The game that few people played with the youth of Kashmir has stopped. They know it very well that they will get nothing from militancy. Today’s youth is focused on their studies. All the protests and stone-pelting incidents that we used to see every day no longer takes place,” says Mohammed Yousuf.Stone pelting, as the name suggests, refers to assault by throwing stones, by a section of Kashmiri youth on security forces, deployed for crowd control. There were 2,653 incidents of stone-throwing in 2016. A probe by the National Investigating Age
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