Kashmir Updates: Governor Satya Pal Malik lists how life has improved after Article 370 move
The Congress on Saturday slammed the Modi government for stopping an opposition delegation from visiting Srinagar and asked why the delegation was sent back if the situation in J&K is normal as the government has claimed.
A delegation of opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, which wanted to visit Kashmir Valley to take stock of the situation thereafter the abrogation of Article 370 provisions, was not allowed to leave Srinagar airport on Saturday by the state administration and had to return to Delhi.
The development came a day after the Jammu and Kashmir government issued a statement asking political leaders not to visit the Valley as it would disturb the gradual restoration of peace and normal life.
The leaders from nine political parties, who had flown to Srinagar on Saturday afternoon but returned within hours, lashed out at the government, questioning its claim of "normalcy" in the Valley.
Here are the latest developments:
07: 55 pm: Minority Affairs Ministry team in Kashmir on August 27-28 to identify developmental projects: Naqvi
A Minority Affairs Ministry team will visit the Kashmir Valley for two days from Tuesday to identify the areas to implement centrally-sponsored development projects after provisions of Article 370 were abrogated, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
He also asserted that those opposing the government's withdrawal of J&K's special status, acting as per their "political prejudice", will also come around to support the move after seeing its impact.
"A team of senior officials, including the secretary, will be visiting the area (Kashmir Valley) on August 27-28. The team will explore development possibilities -- where schools, colleges, skill development centres can be opened," Naqvi was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
06: 45 pm: Governor Satya Pal Malik lists how life has improved after Article 370 move
Jammu and Kashmir Satya Pal Malik released a list of benefits for the people of the state after Article 370 move.
06: 15 pm: Got a taste of draconian administration in J-K yesterday, tweets Rahul Gandhi
"It's been 20 days since the people of Jammu & Kashmir had their freedom & civil liberties curtailed. Leaders of the Opposition & the Press got a taste of the draconian administration & brute force unleashed on the people of J&K when we tried to visit Srinagar yesterday," Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Sunday.
It's been 20 days since the people of Jammu & Kashmir had their freedom & civil liberties curtailed. Leaders of the Opposition & the Press got a taste of the draconian administration & brute force unleashed on the people of J&K when we tried to visit Srinagar yesterday. pic.twitter.com/PLwakJM5W5 Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 25, 2019
04:28 pm: Situation not normal in Kashmir: D Raja
Describing the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 by the NDA government as "unconstitutional and undemocratic," Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja said on Sunday the situation was not normal in Kashmir.
Raja was part of the 11-member delegation of opposition parties from Delhi which wanted to visit the Valley to take stock of the situation there after the revoking of the Jammu and Kashmir's special status. However, the leaders were not allowed to leave the Srinagar airport by the administration on Saturday.
"This situation is not normal at all (in Kashmir). People should understand this. No telephone is working there. They (the government) say that landlines are working, but no, we tried. No internet is working, no telephone working," the CPI leader said at a party meeting on "Abrogation of Article 370 and Kashmir Situation".
1:44 pm: BSNL landline turns lifeline for communication-starved Kashmiris
BSNL landline phones have become a lifeline for the people of Kashmir since all cellular phones were snapped across Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.
As a preventive measure to maintain law and order in the wake of the abrogation of Articles 35A and 370, authorities suspended all phone connectivity and internet facility in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.
A total communication blackout followed the snapping of mobile phone and landline connections, leaving lakhs of locals without any access to the outside world.
Kashmiris were unable to speak to their friends, relatives, and children studying in educational institutions or carrying out their business activities outside the state.
To provide relief to the people, the authorities decided to restore BSNL landline phones in the state in a phased-manner after August 20.
State government spokesman Rohit Kansal said that out of 96,000 landline phones, over 80,000 have already been made functional, although the broadband internet facility on these connections continues to remain suspended.
(IANS)
1:05 pm: J&K Governor defends communication blackout
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik defended the communication blackout in Valley. He said there is no harm in a blackout if it saves lives. He also said that there have been no incidents of violence in J&K in the past 10 days.
Satya Pal Malik: In all the crises that happened in Kashmir in the past, at least 50 people used to die in the first week itself. Our attitude is such that there should be no loss of human lives. 10 din telephone nahi honge, nahi honge, lekin hum bahut jaldi sab wapas kar denge. https://t.co/QXCu1EEItuANI (@ANI) August 25, 2019
12:30 pm: J&K state flag removed, tricolour seen atop Civil Secretariat in Srinagar
Till the last week, both the flags were seen atop State Civil Secretariat together.
State government officials confirmed to India Today that only the national flag will take precedence at all government offices.
#Exclusive
J&K flag removed, Tricolor seen atop Civil Secretariat in Srinagar.
India Today's @PoojaShali gets us more on this#ITVideo
LIVE at https://t.co/4fqxBVUizL pic.twitter.com/ZrdTy8QCC9India Today (@IndiaToday) August 25, 2019
12:08 pm: Will of people vital: Former Mumbai cop questions Centre over scrapping of Article 370
Former Mumbai police officer Julio Ribeiro has said people's will is the "crux of the matter" in issues like Jammu and Kashmir, and he would not have taken decisions like the ones taken by the Union government from a "moralistic" perspective.
Ribeiro, widely credited for tackling terrorism as the head of Punjab Police with a strong hand in 1980s, said from the policeman's perspective, he will give full marks to the government's "clever" moves in Jammu and Kashmir.
12:07 pm: Kashmiri Pandit community holds rally in US to support revocation of Article 370
The Kashmiri Pandit community in the US held a rally applauding the Indian government's decision to revoke the Article 370 of the Constitution that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian government on August 5 revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
11:50 am: Landline telephone services restored in most places of the Valley, say officials.
11:30 am: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted saying there is nothing more political and anti-national than the shutting down of all democratic rights taking place in Kashmir.
there is NOTHING more political’ and anti national’ than the shutting down of all democratic rights that is taking place in Kashmir. It is the duty of every one of us to raise our voices against it, we will not stop doing so. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 25, 2019
8:30 AM: Situation in Valley
The administration in Jammu and Kashmir is maintaining normalcy amid restrictions in some sensitive areas. A close watch is being kept on cross-border terrorism and law and order situation.
There has been a steady decline in incidents of disturbance. Day-time restrictions have been lifted from 69 police stations in Kashmir and 81 police stations in Jammu.
Landlines are being restored in the areas where restrictions have been lifted and would take little more time due to the manual interventions. 8 new exchanges comprising 5,300 connections would be restored over the weekend.
1,500 primary schools and 1,000 middle schools are operational in the state and the attendance is picking up gradually. The education department is making efforts to operationalise the schools in the areas where there are no restrictions in place.
8:00 am: J&K police, BSF chiefs take stock of security scenario in South Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbagh Singh and BSF Director General Rajnikant Mishra on Saturday visited south Kashmir, considered hotbed of militancy in the state, and took stock of the security scenario there.
After a first-hand assessment of the security situation, they expressed satisfaction over the relative peace in the region and while praising the collective efforts of the police and all security personnel in containing the situation, expressed their resolve to continue the fight against terrorism, said an official spokesperson.
ALL THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY
What is Modi govt trying to hide, asks Congress after Rahul Gandhi sent back from Srinagar
The Congress on Saturday slammed the Modi government for stopping an opposition delegation from visiting Srinagar and asked why the delegation was sent back if the situation in J&K is normal as the government has claimed. The party also asked what the Modi government was trying to hide by not letting the delegation enter Kashmir.
Taking to Twitter, the Congress said, "If the situation in Jammu & Kashmir is "normal" as the govt claims, why has the delegation of Opposition leaders led by Shri @RahulGandhi been sent back from Srinagar airport? What is the Modi govt trying to hide?"
Earlier, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot criticised the Centre for stopping an opposition delegation from visiting Srinagar and said the government instead itself should have sent an opposition leaders' team there to check the facts and win people's trust to its decision.
J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik: Invited Rahul Gandhi out of goodwill, he politicised the issue
J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik said that while he had invited Rahul Gandhi purely out of goodwill, the Congress leader started politicising the J&K issue. He also said that the political parties should keep in mind the national interest in such situations.
His statement came hours after a delegation of opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi was denied permission to step out of Srinagar airport and was sent back an hour after landing in the city.
The J&K Governor said, "There is no need for him now, he was needed when his colleague was speaking in Parliament. If he wants to aggravate the situation and come here to repeat the lie he told in Delhi, it is not good."
First invite, then detain, says Congress leader Anand Sharma
Taking a dig at the Jammu and Kashmir administration for not allowing him to visit Srinagar, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Saturday said he has seen "such hospitality for the first time".
"I have seen such hospitality for the first time -- first invite, then detain," Anand Sharma said in New Delhi upon his return from the Valley.
The Congress leader said that the restrictions imposed in Jammu and Kashmir were a "big challenge for Indian democracy."
"People are in pain. No one knows what is happening there," Anand Sharma said.
He said the situation was "bad on the ground" but the government was projecting as if everything is normal there. "Such things should not happen in India. Political leaders should be released from house arrest," he demanded.
"There was no reason to stop us. We are responsible leaders and we had gone there on (the government's) invitation," Anand Sharma said.