Kashmir Live Updates: Owaisi slams clampdown, says emergency-like situation in Valley

Border Security Force keeps vigil along the India-Pakistan International Border (IB), ahead of Independence Day.

JAMMU: Border Security Force keeps vigil along the India-Pakistan International Border (IB), ahead of Independence Day. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/wQzFqIgmwK

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2019

Department of Computer Science & IT, Jammu University: Counseling for admission to Master of Computer Applications (MCA) course in Dept of Computer Science & IT, Main Campus, Offsite Campus & affiliated govt & private colleges, shall start from 16 August

Reacting to the Pakistani minister's tweet asking all Punjabis in Indian Army to deny duty in Kashmir, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh tweeted: Stop trying to interfere in India's internal matter. And let me tell you that the Indian Army is a disciplined and nationalist force, unlike your Army @fawadchaudhry. Your provocative statement will not work, nor will the Soldiers in our Army follow your divisive diktats.

A true democracy is celebrated when people are not closed without reason by their own government. People of india have every right to know the whereabout of three former Chief ministers of Jammu & Kashmir.

Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) August 13, 2019

Alleging that the Centre had entangled India in "quick sand" by revoking special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, MDMK general secretary Vaiko has said "Kashmir will not be a part" of the country when the centenary of its independence is celebrated.

Vaiko, known for his abrasive remarks on several issues, made the dramatic assertion while reacting to a question from reporters on Monday on film star Rajinikanth lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for junking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu and Kahsmir will host an investors'summitfrom October 12 to October 14. "This will be first-ever global summit being hosted by the state till date.The inaugural session of the summit will be held in Srinagar on October 12," J&K Principal Secretary (Commerce & Industry) told ANI.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik, who is locked in a dragged battle with Rahul Gandhi over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, has said that the Congress leader was responding to fake news.

On August 11, Rahul Gandhi had said: "Reports of unrest are emanating from J&K where the government has imposed a media and communications blackout. I urge the government to take urgent steps to ensure the safety of every citizen in J&K and to lift the veil of secrecy."

Responding to the allegation, Governor Satyapal Malik offered to facilitate Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Valley so that he can assess the situation. Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accepted the invitation.

The governor has now advised Rahul Gandhi to update himself on the situation in Kashmir by watching "various Indian channels which have reported the correct position in the Kashmir Valley".

"Rahul Gandhi is politicizing the matter by seeking to bring a delegation of Opposition leaders to create further unrest and problems for the common people," a statement from the J&K governor said.

Raj Bhawan J&K clarification on recent Tweet of Sh @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/UFYApPFO39

DIPR-J&K (@diprjk) August 13, 2019

The Home Ministry is planning to block 100 URLs for allegedly engaged in spreading fake news in Jammu and Kashmir. The decision, sources say, was taken on basis of the feedback and in consultation with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Information Bureau, military agencies, Ministry of Information and Broadcast and Ministry Planning.

The restrictions imposed in Jammu and Kashmir on people's movement and communications were a trade-off between inconvenience and loss of life and any decision on lifting them will be taken by the local administration, a top government official said on Tuesday.

"If the trade-off is between inconvenience and loss of life, if the trade-off is between peddling fake news leading to loss of life and people's inconvenience, what should we choose?

"However, the administration is mindful of the difficulties being faced by people and trying to minimise the inconvenience. Any such decision will be taken by the local administration," the official said.

"We are hopeful that once the full dress rehearsals for Independence Day being carried out in various districts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh conclude, there will be further relaxations," J&K Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal said. Kansal said the administration was hopeful that Independence Day celebrations would be carried out in a "grand and benefitting manner" in all parts of the state.

Kashmir Times Editor Anuradha Bhasin on Tuesday filed plea in the SC seeking directions for restoration of all modes of communication, including mobile Internet and landline services, throughout Jammu and Kashmir in order to provide an enabling environment for the media to practice its profession.

In the petition, the editor has said she is seeking a direction for the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration to immediately relax all restrictions on freedom of movement of journalists and media personnel in Kashmir and some districts of Jammu.

Sources have told Aaj Tak that several Pakistani handles are spreading fake news on Kashmir. Sources say Pakistani handlers have set up control rooms to spread propaganda. To tackle these handles, the Home Ministry and Jammu and Kashmir administration have sent requests to the service providers.

Congress leader Anand Sharma asks the government to allow Opposition leaders to visit Jammu and Kashmir. "This (blockade) is not good for the image of a country like India. The government must restart political dialogue."

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has criticised the Narendra Modi government's move to revoke the powers of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. In her first comments on the issue, Priyanka called the move "unconstitutional".

Top Jammu and Kashmir official has said Independence Day will be celebrated on a grand scale.

#WATCH Jammu and Kashmir: Dress rehearsals underway at Srinagar's Sher-i-Kashmir stadium ahead of #IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/BqBPKYd913

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2019

In an unprecedented move, a senior US Congressman has apologised to Indian Americans for not consulting them before shooting off a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to express his concerns on the situation in Kashmir after India scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Congressman Tom Suozzi in a letter to Pompeo on August 9 said the action by the Indian government in Kashmir "risks provoking mass social unrest..."

"These new restrictions on the autonomy of the state and the rights of Kashmiris could also embolden extremists and terrorists to act," Suozzi said in his letter after India scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories.

(PTI)

Prohibitory conditions further relaxed in parts of Kashmir, Jammu almost entirely free of restrictions, says J&K Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal.

SC says it will wait for the return of normalcy in J&K and will take up the matter after 2 weeks.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to pass order on the clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir.

Attorney General replied,'we are reviewing the day-to-day situation. It’s a highly sensitive situation, it’s in the interest of everyone. Not a single drop of blood has been shed, no one died. SC says,'we post the matter for hearing after two weeks and we will see what happens.' https://t.co/Q2JdjBB0NK

ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2019