Setting the tone for the party's election campaign in the upcoming Assembly polls in Jharkhand, Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday described the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bold decision for securing India's integrity and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to clear his party's stand on it.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shahs-call-for-hindi-as-national-language-triggers-political-row-249706">Shah</a>, who kicked off the BJP's 'Janadesh Yatra' here, also addressed a rally and devoted most part of his speech on Article 370, a clear indication that the issue with fervour of nationalism will be at the top of party's campaign theme.

"By removing Article 370, Modi Ji has shown Pakistan its place and shown it to the world that Kashmir is an inalienable part of India. No one can raise an eye on Kashmir now," he said.

Accusing Congress of putting roadblocks when the Prime Minister takes bold decisions for securing India's integrity and security, Shah asked Congress to clarify whether it stands with India's interest or otherwise.

"When Article 370 and 35A were removed, Congress opposed it tooth and nail. Rahul Gandhi opposed surgical strikes, sought proof of airstrikes and supported the JNU 'tukde tukde' gang. Take a decision in which direction you want to move," he said.

Shah said that the BJP has always maintained that Article 370 is against the unity and integrity of India but Congress has always opposed the stand.

"Congress party must clarify whether they stand with India's interest or otherwise," he said adding that when Rahul Gandhi goes for campaigning in Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, he should tell the voters whether he is in support of the removal of Article 370 or opposed to it.

Suggesting the opposition that when the country's interests are in question, Shah said the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-eyes-200-seats-in-west-bengal-249864">BJP</a> always stood strong with the government on matters of the nation's security and integrity and stressed that no one should get bogged down by party politics.

He reminded the Congress that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, despite being in opposition, wholeheartedly supported the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1971 when Bangladesh got independence.

"When in the 1990s, Pakistan had raised the Kashmir issue in the United Nations, the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao requested Atal Ji to present India's stance in UN, which he accepted willingly despite being in the opposition in Parliament," Shah said.

"As the elections are around the corner, the people of Jharkhand should decide whether they are with Modi Ji, who abrogated Article 370 or with them who wants it to be continued," the BJP president added.

Jharkhand, along with Haryana and Maharashtra, is set to hold assembly elections later this year.

Earlier, Shah hailed Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and appealed to the people to elect the BJP back to power to keep the fast-paced development going on in the state.

He also hit out at the Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) led opposition's alliance and claimed that when both were in power they did nothing for the state's development.

"The Congress gave Jharkhand Rs 55,200 crores in 10 years but the Modi government gave Rs 1,45,345 crores in half the period," Shah said. 
The BJP president asserted that Naxalism is on the decline in Jharkhand since the Modi government is in power, and various welfare schemes have been successfully implemented in the state.

Shah also recalled the creation of Jharkhand and said the BJP always supported the demand of the people for a new state.

"This dream was realized by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government. Atal Ji laid the foundation and Modi Ji brought fast-paced development in Jharkhand. Modi Ji's vision for a developed Jharkhand was implemented seamlessly by the Raghubar Das government," the BJP president said.

Setting the tone for the party's election campaign in the upcoming Assembly polls in Jharkhand, Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday described the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bold decision for securing India's integrity and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to clear his party's stand on it.

Setting the tone for the party's election campaign in the upcoming Assembly polls in Jharkhand, Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday described the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bold decision for securing India's integrity and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to clear his party's stand on it. Shah, who kicked off the BJP's 'Janadesh Yatra' here, also addressed a rally and devoted most part of his speech on Article 370, a clear indication that the issue with fervour of nationalism will be at the top of party's campaign theme. "By removing Article 370, Modi Ji has shown Pakistan its place and shown it to the world that Kashmir is an inalienable part of India. No one can raise an eye on Kashmir now," he said. Accusing Congress of putting roadblocks when the Prime Minister takes bold decisions for securing India's integrity and security, Shah asked Congress to clarify whether it stands with India's interest or otherwise. "When Article 370 and 35A were removed, Congress opposed it tooth and nail. Rahul Gandhi opposed surgical strikes, sought proof of airstrikes and supported the JNU 'tukde tukde' gang. Take a decision in which direction you want to move," he said. Shah said that the BJP has always maintained that Article 370 is against the unity and integrity of India but Congress has always opposed the stand. "Congress party must clarify whether they stand with India's interest or otherwise," he said adding that when Rahul Gandhi goes for campaigning in Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, he should tell the voters whether he is in support of the removal of Article 370 or opposed to it. Suggesting the opposition that when the country's interests are in question, Shah said the BJP always stood strong with the government on matters of the nation's security and integrity and stressed that no one should get bogged down by party politics. He reminded the Congress that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, despite being in opposition, wholeheartedly supported the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1971 when Bangladesh got independence. "When in the 1990s, Pakistan had raised the Kashmir issue in the United Nations, the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao requested Atal Ji to present India's stance in UN, which he accepted willingly despite being in the opposition in Parliament," Shah said. "As the elections are around the corner, the people of Jharkhand should decide whether they are with Modi Ji, who abrogated Article 370 or with them who wants it to be continued," the BJP president added. Jharkhand, along with Haryana and Maharashtra, is set to hold assembly elections later this year. Earlier, Shah hailed Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and appealed to the people to elect the BJP back to power to keep the fast-paced development going on in the state. He also hit out at the Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) led opposition's alliance and claimed that when both were in power they did nothing for the state's development. "The Congress gave Jharkhand Rs 55,200 crores in 10 years but the Modi government gave Rs 1,45,345 crores in half the period," Shah said. The BJP president asserted that Naxalism is on the decline in Jharkhand since the Modi government is in power, and various welfare schemes have been successfully implemented in the state. Shah also recalled the creation of Jharkhand and said the BJP always supported the demand of the people for a new state. "This dream was realized by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government. Atal Ji laid the foundation and Modi Ji brought fast-paced development in Jharkhand. Modi Ji's vision for a developed Jharkhand was implemented seamlessly by the Raghubar Das government," the BJP president said.

With Kashmir top on agenda, Shah kicks off campaign in Jharkhand; slams Congress

Highlighting the achievements of the first 100 days of his government on his 69th birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Article 370 was abrogated to solve a decades-long problem and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the inspiration behind the decision.

He also said that his government has taken several steps in the first 100 days of its second tenure to double the income of farmers'&nbsp;families.

"The country is realising Sardar's dream of Ek Bharat, Shreshta Bharat (One India, Great India). Today, the country is trying to complete the tasks which were left incomplete during Independence and years thereafter," he said."People of Jammu and Kashmir had to face discrimination for 70 years.

The entire nation suffered the ill-effects and violence, unfulfilled hopes and aspirations. The country has taken an important decision with the inspiration of Sardar Saheb," he said while addressing a public meeting here at the site of Sardar Sarovar Dam.

In August, Parliament had scrapped Article 370 which gave special rights to Jammu and Kashmir and also bifurcated the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Modi said the decision has been taken to follow a new path to solve the decades-long problem.

"I am confident that with the active support of millions of colleagues from Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Kargil, we will be able to create a new stream of development and trust. I am fully committed to the unity and greatness of India. We have strengthened this commitment in the last 100 days," he added.

The Prime Minister, who was on a visit to his home state, outlined the benefits of PM Kisan scheme and pension scheme for farmers and small traders.

"Continuous efforts are on to double the income of every farming family of the country including Gujarat by 2022. After the formation of the new government, several steps have been taken in this direction in the last 100 days. Farmers are getting benefits of PM Kisan scheme. Pension scheme for farmers and small traders has also been started," he said.

The National Pension Scheme for traders and self-employed aims at providing a minimum assured pension of Rs 3000 to small traders and self-employed after attaining the age of 60.

Around three crore small traders are expected to benefit from the scheme.

Modi said that the Statue of Unity brought Kevadia and state of Gujarat on the tourism map of the world.

The Prime Minister highlighted that more than 23 lakh people have come to see the tallest statue of the world since it was unveiled last year.

"The discussion of the Statue of Unity is natural when it comes to tourism. Due to this, Kevadia and Gujarat have figured prominently on the tourism map of the whole world. It was unveiled only 11 months ago, but so far more than 23 lakh tourists have come here from within the country and around the world," he said.

"An average of 8,500 tourists are coming every day to the Statue of Unity. I am told that on the day of Janmashtami last month, more than 34,000 tourists reached here. Only 10,000 visit Statue of Liberty in America every day. It was constructed 133 years ago," he added.

Modi had announced to build the statue when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat in memory of India`s first Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Patel who is credited with uniting all 562 princely states of pre-independent India.

The 182-metre statue is located on Sadhu Bet Island on Narmada river in Gujarat.

The Prime Minister said that when all projects related to Statue of Unity will be completed it will pave way for new employment opportunities for local people."Statue of Unity is also becoming a new medium of employment for the tribal sisters, brothers and youth of this place.

In the coming days when the roads and other projects related to tourism here will get completed, it will generate new employment opportunities," he said.

Highlighting the achievements of the first 100 days of his government on his 69th birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Article 370 was abrogated to solve a decades-long problem and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the inspiration behind the decision.

Highlighting the achievements of the first 100 days of his government on his 69th birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Article 370 was abrogated to solve a decades-long problem and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the inspiration behind the decision. He also said that his government has taken several steps in the first 100 days of its second tenure to double the income of farmers' families. "The country is realising Sardar's dream of Ek Bharat, Shreshta Bharat (One India, Great India). Today, the country is trying to complete the tasks which were left incomplete during Independence and years thereafter," he said."People of Jammu and Kashmir had to face discrimination for 70 years. The entire nation suffered the ill-effects and violence, unfulfilled hopes and aspirations. The country has taken an important decision with the inspiration of Sardar Saheb," he said while addressing a public meeting here at the site of Sardar Sarovar Dam. In August, Parliament had scrapped Article 370 which gave special rights to Jammu and Kashmir and also bifurcated the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Modi said the decision has been taken to follow a new path to solve the decades-long problem. "I am confident that with the active support of millions of colleagues from Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Kargil, we will be able to create a new stream of development and trust. I am fully committed to the unity and greatness of India. We have strengthened this commitment in the last 100 days," he added. The Prime Minister, who was on a visit to his home state, outlined the benefits of PM Kisan scheme and pension scheme for farmers and small traders. "Continuous efforts are on to double the income of every farming family of the country including Gujarat by 2022. After the formation of the new government, several steps have been taken in this direction in the last 100 days. Farmers are getting benefits of PM Kisan scheme. Pension scheme for farmers and small traders has also been started," he said. The National Pension Scheme for traders and self-employed aims at providing a minimum assured pension of Rs 3000 to small traders and self-employed after attaining the age of 60. Around three crore small traders are expected to benefit from the scheme. Modi said that the Statue of Unity brought Kevadia and state of Gujarat on the tourism map of the world. The Prime Minister highlighted that more than 23 lakh people have come to see the tallest statue of the world since it was unveiled last year. "The discussion of the Statue of Unity is natural when it comes to tourism. Due to this, Kevadia and Gujarat have figured prominently on the tourism map of the whole world. It was unveiled only 11 months ago, but so far more than 23 lakh tourists have come here from within the country and around the world," he said. "An average of 8,500 tourists are coming every day to the Statue of Unity. I am told that on the day of Janmashtami last month, more than 34,000 tourists reached here. Only 10,000 visit Statue of Liberty in America every day. It was constructed 133 years ago," he added. Modi had announced to build the statue when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat in memory of India`s first Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Patel who is credited with uniting all 562 princely states of pre-independent India. The 182-metre statue is located on Sadhu Bet Island on Narmada river in Gujarat. The Prime Minister said that when all projects related to Statue of Unity will be completed it will pave way for new employment opportunities for local people."Statue of Unity is also becoming a new medium of employment for the tribal sisters, brothers and youth of this place. In the coming days when the roads and other projects related to tourism here will get completed, it will generate new employment opportunities," he said.

Patel inspired decision on J&K; took multiple steps to double farmers' income by 2022: PM in Gujarat

Supreme Court on Monday directed the government to ensure restoration of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir but made it clear that the government cannot compromise on national security.

Supreme Court on Monday directed the government to ensure restoration of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir but made it clear that the government cannot compromise on national security. The top court was hearing PILs challenging the communications blackout in the state following the abrogation of Article 370 which gave special status to the state. Attorney General KK Venugopal told the top court that the valley has remained calm while Solicitor General Tushar Mehta noted that no loss of life has been reported in the valley since August 5 when the Centre revoked Article 370. The apex court asked the Union Of India and Jammu and Kashmir government to file an affidavit in the case, and fixed the matter to September 30 for further hearing. Earlier, the apex court set up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear all the petitions related to the abrogation of Article 370 in the first week of October. During the hearing, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said that he may visit the valley if the requirement arises. "If the requirement arises, I may visit Jammu and Kashmir," Gogoi said.

Supreme Court directs Centre to ensure restoration of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir 

Given the speed and alacrity with which Pakistan has moved after August 5, 2019, the day the constitutional and administrative decisions on Jammu &amp; Kashmir (J&amp;K) were taken by the Indian government, proves the dismay caused in Pakistan. As long as a special status existed for J&amp;K, separatism was a live phenomenon. The Pakistani narrative has seen much traction in Kashmir because it was against India, although, it hardly supported the core Kashmiri intent of Azadi. The Indian argument that history had overtaken the UN resolutions on J&amp;K and these were now void flew in the face of the special status India continued to accord to J&amp;K, leaving it as a territory whose status had yet to be settled. However, the abrogation of J&amp;K’s &nbsp;special status and its down gradation to a union territory put a spoke into Pakistan’s larger game plan because India put the stamp of integrated Indian territory on J&amp;K. 25 years ago through another bold action India had passed an All Party Joint Parliamentary Resolution on February &nbsp;22, 1994, declaring that the entire territory held by the then Maharaja of J&amp;K belonged to India.&nbsp;

The Pakistan Army along with the other elements of the deep state know that time is not on their side and that India’s new approach to countering the proxy hybrid conflict could get more effective by the day. As it is the three track strategy of instigating internal turbulence through established networks, external castigation of India by influential members of the international community including institutions, and enhancing alienation using its usually very effective communication strategy, has thus far all come cropper. However, Pakistan’s strategic thinkers would also be closely monitoring the situation within J&amp;K and re-strategising based upon some assumptions.

The start point is the projection by Pakistan that the Kashmiri population has not accepted the Indian government’s decisions. For that there is a need for the world to see that their is violence and mayhem on the streets. By itself that may be insufficient although Pakistan would be happy to see some casualties; in 2016 by contrast 40 or more people had lost their lives in four weeks of agitation; this time it’s just one. The agitation mode is subject to will and stamina and needs much effort at mobilisation. The communication lock down has effectively denied a toehold in this sphere. A series of supplementary violent acts by terrorists against the Army and Police organisations sustains longer than agitation. Hence the need for increasing the strength of terrorists. Local recruitment under current and foreseeable future circumstances will be difficult especially under high levels of army and police deployment and surveillance. Gulmarg and its vicinity has been devoid of infiltration for sometime. Suddenly a surge of activity is taking place there. The Haji Pir bulge is a suitable launch pad and the routes lead directly into South Kashmir where the fulcrum of the current resistance exists. It is also likely that Pakistan will use other less frequented routes and cater for high level levels of attrition that could result from encounters with the Indian Army; this has long been JuD chief Hafiz Sayeed’s strategy. It’s a situation very akin to 1991-92 when foreign terrorists were first used in Kashmir to boost militancy. &nbsp;

Apprehension that a big terror attack in &nbsp;Southern or Central India is in the offing could prove right too. With the Islamic State (IS) terror attacks in Sri Lanka on April 2019 the scope for execution and denial by Pakistan has increased manifold. Tactical alliance between terror groups for temporary mutual gain is also not unknown; the ISI garnering services of the IS thus remains plausible. Pakistan’s international focus will remain the projection of the idea of ‘false flag’ in relation to a high profile terror attack, mostly involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs) anywhere in Kashmir’s hinterland or in rest of India. India has worked insufficiently on this till date and its diplomatic campaigns must include nailing the Pakistani lie on false flag.&nbsp;

The adoption of offensive information and psychological warfare awaits the lifting of the communication lockdown of Kashmir. Mobile internet facility being denied in Kashmir has been frowned upon by Indian intelligentsia and international clamour to restore this ‘human right’ has been increasing. Pakistan’s propaganda machinery awaits the full lifting of the lockdown to flood the networks of social media with enough seditious literature and messages.

While Indian counters to this have been developing these are yet insufficient; this is where the focus of Delhi’s efforts must lie forthrightly and boldly citing national security and adopting a balanced attitude towards human rights.

This is the other issue on which the UNHRC will not remain the last bastion of Pakistan’s focus of painting Indian human rights record in different colours. We should remain alert to continuing our efforts to counter Pakistan’s propaganda in international think tanks and the high profile media where Pakistani traction continues to remain high.

Pakistan will find that the partial and progressive success of Indian agencies in taking control of financial networks will largely block its ability to mobilise support and run terror activities. It’s strategy is once again likely to shift towards fake currency and funding from within India. This is where other borders such as along Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab are likely to be activated for induction of fake currency.

Lastly, the diplomatic support to India and relatively cool attitude towards Pakistan on the part of GCC countries is likely to peeve Pakistan no end leading to renewed efforts by it to cultivate negative opinion on India in these important nations. The media in these countries is important too and it’s opinion makes international opinion in the Islamic world. India’s engagement with the GCC media too is warranted even as all eyes now await 27 September the day the UN General Assembly.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-jk-pakistan-s-next-steps-2789585">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Given the speed and alacrity with which Pakistan has moved after August 5, 2019, the day the constitutional and administrative decisions on Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) were taken by the Indian government, proves the dismay caused in Pakistan.

Given the speed and alacrity with which Pakistan has moved after August 5, 2019, the day the constitutional and administrative decisions on Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) were taken by the Indian government, proves the dismay caused in Pakistan. As long as a special status existed for J&K, separatism was a live phenomenon. The Pakistani narrative has seen much traction in Kashmir because it was against India, although, it hardly supported the core Kashmiri intent of Azadi. The Indian argument that history had overtaken the UN resolutions on J&K and these were now void flew in the face of the special status India continued to accord to J&K, leaving it as a territory whose status had yet to be settled. However, the abrogation of J&K’s special status and its down gradation to a union territory put a spoke into Pakistan’s larger game plan because India put the stamp of integrated Indian territory on J&K. 25 years ago through another bold action India had passed an All Party Joint Parliamentary Resolution on February 22, 1994, declaring that the entire territory held by the then Maharaja of J&K belonged to India. The Pakistan Army along with the other elements of the deep state know that time is not on their side and that India’s new approach to countering the proxy hybrid conflict could get more effective by the day. As it is the three track strategy of instigating internal turbulence through established networks, external castigation of India by influential members of the international community including institutions, and enhancing alienation using its usually very effective communication strategy, has thus far all come cropper. However, Pakistan’s strategic thinkers would also be closely monitoring the situation within J&K and re-strategising based upon some assumptions. The start point is the projection by Pakistan that the Kashmiri population has not accepted the Indian government’s decisions. For that there is a need for the world to see that their is violence and mayhem on the streets. By itself that may be insufficient although Pakistan would be happy to see some casualties; in 2016 by contrast 40 or more people had lost their lives in four weeks of agitation; this time it’s just one. The agitation mode is subject to will and stamina and needs much effort at mobilisation. The communication lock down has effectively denied a toehold in this sphere. A series of supplementary violent acts by terrorists against the Army and Police organisations sustains longer than agitation. Hence the need for increasing the strength of terrorists. Local recruitment under current and foreseeable future circumstances will be difficult especially under high levels of army and police deployment and surveillance. Gulmarg and its vicinity has been devoid of infiltration for sometime. Suddenly a surge of activity is taking place there. The Haji Pir bulge is a suitable launch pad and the routes lead directly into South Kashmir where the fulcrum of the current resistance exists. It is also likely that Pakistan will use other less frequented routes and cater for high level levels of attrition that could result from encounters with the Indian Army; this has long been JuD chief Hafiz Sayeed’s strategy. It’s a situation very akin to 1991-92 when foreign terrorists were first used in Kashmir to boost militancy. Apprehension that a big terror attack in Southern or Central India is in the offing could prove right too. With the Islamic State (IS) terror attacks in Sri Lanka on April 2019 the scope for execution and denial by Pakistan has increased manifold. Tactical alliance between terror groups for temporary mutual gain is also not unknown; the ISI garnering services of the IS thus remains plausible. Pakistan’s international focus will remain the projection of the idea of ‘false flag’ in relation to a high profile terror attack, mostly involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs) anywhere in Kashmir’s hinterland or in rest of India. India has worked insufficiently on this till date and its diplomatic campaigns must include nailing the Pakistani lie on false flag. The adoption of offensive information and psychological warfare awaits the lifting of the communication lockdown of Kashmir. Mobile internet facility being denied in Kashmir has been frowned upon by Indian intelligentsia and international clamour to restore this ‘human right’ has been increasing. Pakistan’s propaganda machinery awaits the full lifting of the lockdown to flood the networks of social media with enough seditious literature and messages. While Indian counters to this have been developing these are yet insufficient; this is where the focus of Delhi’s efforts must lie forthrightly and boldly citing national security and adopting a balanced attitude towards human rights. This is the other issue on which the UNHRC will not remain the last bastion of Pakistan’s focus of painting Indian human rights record in different colours. We should remain alert to continuing our efforts to counter Pakistan’s propaganda in international think tanks and the high profile media where Pakistani traction continues to remain high. Pakistan will find that the partial and progressive success of Indian agencies in taking control of financial networks will largely block its ability to mobilise support and run terror activities. It’s strategy is once again likely to shift towards fake currency and funding from within India. This is where other borders such as along Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab are likely to be activated for induction of fake currency. Lastly, the diplomatic support to India and relatively cool attitude towards Pakistan on the part of GCC countries is likely to peeve Pakistan no end leading to renewed efforts by it to cultivate negative opinion on India in these important nations. The media in these countries is important too and it’s opinion makes international opinion in the Islamic world. India’s engagement with the GCC media too is warranted even as all eyes now await 27 September the day the UN General Assembly. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

J&K: Pakistan's next steps

On August 5, by revoking the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir (J&amp;K) by Article 370, India scored a major victory against cross-border terrorism as well as separatism in the Valley. Hailed by many as a constitutional coup, the move paves the way to for the full integration of J&amp;K into the Union of India. This should have happened way back in 1947, after the signing of the instrument of accession on October 26. However, better late than never. Even if turning the former state into two union territories is unprecedented in the history of independent India, national interest as well as the good of the people of the region, is paramount.

Ladakh, which is also a separate Union Territory, will now have a much better chance to protect its unique religious and cultural heritage. The fragile Himalayan ecology of one of India’s most beautiful, rugged, and inaccessible parts must be preserved by regulating the pace and quantum of both development and access to the region. What is more the overt and covert Islamisation of the largely Buddhist area will also be checked. In a few more decades, the entire state, not just the Valley, faced the very real danger of not just being alienated, but lost to India, both culturally and politically. That most Indians understood this instinctively and emotionally even if not intellectually or rationally, is evident in the overwhelming public support for the government surgical strike on Article 370.

But what we might have perhaps failed fully to grasp is that though the constitutional battle has been won, the war over Kashmir is still being waged, but on other fronts. We have very carefully to monitor as well as manage the global narrative on Kashmir. This has been stacked, by and large, against India in the past. Both in the media and only marginally less so in international multilateral or bilateral fora, the United Nations (UN) being the key example of the former, as the United States is of the latter. Luckily, Pakistan has not made much headway in either so far. After getting US President Trump to offer to mediate, Pakistan’s Imran Khan had to eat humble pie after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi got Trump to retract. While US meddling, given their own troubles in Afghanistan, cannot be ruled out, India has managed to make its position loud and clear.

As to the UN, it has several platforms where Pakistan is likely to mount its Kashmir offensive. The latest skirmish, at the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), is only one instance. India came out on top. On Tuesday, Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, denounced Pakistan’s “state sponsored terrorism” and underscored India’s right to revoke J&amp;K’s special status. Highlighting Pakistan’s shoddy and shameful human rights record, she sarcastically questioned our neighbour right to point fingers at us when “trampling upon them [human rights] at will in their own country.” She accused Pakistan’s of pushing a “malicious political agenda under the garb of human rights.”

Projecting India as a law-abiding, sovereign power, Singh said, “These decisions were taken by our Parliament after a full debate that was televised and enjoyed widespread support. We wish to reiterate that this sovereign decision, like other legislations passed by Parliament, is entirely internal to India. No country can accept interference in its internal affairs, certainly not India.” On Wednesday, first secretary to India’s permanent mission at the UNHRC, Geneva, Vimarsh Aryan, followed up by exposing “Pakistan’s hysterical statements with false, fabricated narratives aimed to politicise and polarize this forum.” Himself from J&amp;K, Aryan excoriated Pakistan for being “the epicentre of global terrorism,” encouraging violence by calling for jihad in J&amp;K and elsewhere.&nbsp;

In addition to trying to foment trouble in the Valley and mounting international pressure on India, Pakistan will also encourage its friends and proxies in foreign media houses to push its case. The leading newspapers and TV channels, not to mention national broadcasters, have often fallen for its victimhood narratives. In India, too, the last vestiges of Lutyens Delhi will also scream day in and day out that things are not normal in Kashmir. But when were they normal, we might ask them. Normalcy is only now returning to the region with the anomalous 370 and 35A being altered. Both India and the world need to accept the new normal in Kashmir. For this the narrative and diplomatic war must supplement the battle-ready formations on the border and the internal law and order machinery in the new Union Territory. Coming back to the UNHRC, let’s be fully prepared for Imran Khan’s tirade on 27th September. &nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-kashmir-the-new-battlefront-2789583">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

On August 5, by revoking the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) by Article 370, India scored a major victory against cross-border terrorism as well as separatism in the Valley.

On August 5, by revoking the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) by Article 370, India scored a major victory against cross-border terrorism as well as separatism in the Valley. Hailed by many as a constitutional coup, the move paves the way to for the full integration of J&K into the Union of India. This should have happened way back in 1947, after the signing of the instrument of accession on October 26. However, better late than never. Even if turning the former state into two union territories is unprecedented in the history of independent India, national interest as well as the good of the people of the region, is paramount. Ladakh, which is also a separate Union Territory, will now have a much better chance to protect its unique religious and cultural heritage. The fragile Himalayan ecology of one of India’s most beautiful, rugged, and inaccessible parts must be preserved by regulating the pace and quantum of both development and access to the region. What is more the overt and covert Islamisation of the largely Buddhist area will also be checked. In a few more decades, the entire state, not just the Valley, faced the very real danger of not just being alienated, but lost to India, both culturally and politically. That most Indians understood this instinctively and emotionally even if not intellectually or rationally, is evident in the overwhelming public support for the government surgical strike on Article 370. But what we might have perhaps failed fully to grasp is that though the constitutional battle has been won, the war over Kashmir is still being waged, but on other fronts. We have very carefully to monitor as well as manage the global narrative on Kashmir. This has been stacked, by and large, against India in the past. Both in the media and only marginally less so in international multilateral or bilateral fora, the United Nations (UN) being the key example of the former, as the United States is of the latter. Luckily, Pakistan has not made much headway in either so far. After getting US President Trump to offer to mediate, Pakistan’s Imran Khan had to eat humble pie after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi got Trump to retract. While US meddling, given their own troubles in Afghanistan, cannot be ruled out, India has managed to make its position loud and clear. As to the UN, it has several platforms where Pakistan is likely to mount its Kashmir offensive. The latest skirmish, at the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), is only one instance. India came out on top. On Tuesday, Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, denounced Pakistan’s “state sponsored terrorism” and underscored India’s right to revoke J&K’s special status. Highlighting Pakistan’s shoddy and shameful human rights record, she sarcastically questioned our neighbour right to point fingers at us when “trampling upon them [human rights] at will in their own country.” She accused Pakistan’s of pushing a “malicious political agenda under the garb of human rights.” Projecting India as a law-abiding, sovereign power, Singh said, “These decisions were taken by our Parliament after a full debate that was televised and enjoyed widespread support. We wish to reiterate that this sovereign decision, like other legislations passed by Parliament, is entirely internal to India. No country can accept interference in its internal affairs, certainly not India.” On Wednesday, first secretary to India’s permanent mission at the UNHRC, Geneva, Vimarsh Aryan, followed up by exposing “Pakistan’s hysterical statements with false, fabricated narratives aimed to politicise and polarize this forum.” Himself from J&K, Aryan excoriated Pakistan for being “the epicentre of global terrorism,” encouraging violence by calling for jihad in J&K and elsewhere. In addition to trying to foment trouble in the Valley and mounting international pressure on India, Pakistan will also encourage its friends and proxies in foreign media houses to push its case. The leading newspapers and TV channels, not to mention national broadcasters, have often fallen for its victimhood narratives. In India, too, the last vestiges of Lutyens Delhi will also scream day in and day out that things are not normal in Kashmir. But when were they normal, we might ask them. Normalcy is only now returning to the region with the anomalous 370 and 35A being altered. Both India and the world need to accept the new normal in Kashmir. For this the narrative and diplomatic war must supplement the battle-ready formations on the border and the internal law and order machinery in the new Union Territory. Coming back to the UNHRC, let’s be fully prepared for Imran Khan’s tirade on 27th September. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Kashmir: The New Battlefront

India has said its quite confident at United Nations Human Rights Council ( UNHRC) even as Pakistan tries to rake up Kashmir at the Geneva-based institution and highlighted Islamabad's poor track record on the situation of minorities.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "We are quite confident that the members of UNHRC, they are aware of our position on Article 370 and the steps we have taken in J&amp;K to ensure normalcy."

Calling Pakistan's situation quite desperate, Raveesh Kumar said, "In case of doublespeak, its quite audacious on Pakistan that the country which is harbouring terrorists, which is the epicentre of terrorism, is pretending to speak on behalf of the global community on human rights, this is very rich. Their record of persecution of minorities ethnic and religious I don't think I need to explain."

Adding further he said, "Repeating a lie, 4-5 times doesn't turn out to be gospel truth that came out very clearly at UNHRC."

The 42nd session of the Human Rights Council is underway in Geneva from September 9-27.&nbsp;

On Tuesday clashes emerged between India and Pakistan as Islamabad raised Kashmir at the forum as they put out there national statements and right of reply.

Asked about the joint statement Pakistan has claimed on the behalf of 58 countries on the situation on Kashmir, Raveesh said, "If they got support, you would have known, it is not a secret session of UNHRC."

Explaining further Kumar said, "The list of countries who support them you have to ask them to provide. we do not have the list. You have to understand, there are 47 members including India and Pakistan, they are claiming 60, so either they have gone beyond to wider international community."

Pakistan has been hoping to bring a resolution against India or a special session on Kashmir but has failed due to lack of support.

MEA Secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh in Geneva who is leading the India delegation in Geneva on Thursday met United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet and briefed her about India's concern on cross border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

India has said its quite confident at United Nations Human Rights Council ( UNHRC) even as Pakistan tries to rake up Kashmir at the Geneva-based institution and highlighted Islamabad's poor track record on the situation of minorities.

India has said its quite confident at United Nations Human Rights Council ( UNHRC) even as Pakistan tries to rake up Kashmir at the Geneva-based institution and highlighted Islamabad's poor track record on the situation of minorities. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "We are quite confident that the members of UNHRC, they are aware of our position on Article 370 and the steps we have taken in J&K to ensure normalcy." Calling Pakistan's situation quite desperate, Raveesh Kumar said, "In case of doublespeak, its quite audacious on Pakistan that the country which is harbouring terrorists, which is the epicentre of terrorism, is pretending to speak on behalf of the global community on human rights, this is very rich. Their record of persecution of minorities ethnic and religious I don't think I need to explain." Adding further he said, "Repeating a lie, 4-5 times doesn't turn out to be gospel truth that came out very clearly at UNHRC." The 42nd session of the Human Rights Council is underway in Geneva from September 9-27. On Tuesday clashes emerged between India and Pakistan as Islamabad raised Kashmir at the forum as they put out there national statements and right of reply. Asked about the joint statement Pakistan has claimed on the behalf of 58 countries on the situation on Kashmir, Raveesh said, "If they got support, you would have known, it is not a secret session of UNHRC." Explaining further Kumar said, "The list of countries who support them you have to ask them to provide. we do not have the list. You have to understand, there are 47 members including India and Pakistan, they are claiming 60, so either they have gone beyond to wider international community." Pakistan has been hoping to bring a resolution against India or a special session on Kashmir but has failed due to lack of support. MEA Secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh in Geneva who is leading the India delegation in Geneva on Thursday met United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet and briefed her about India's concern on cross border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

United Nations Human Rights Council members aware of our position on Article 370: India

Indian intelligence agencies have intercepted code words used by Pakistan army and terror groups to send messages to their handlers in Jammu and Kashmir.

Days after the abrogation of article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Pak army and terror organisations have been reported to have used FM transmission stations to send messages.&nbsp;

While the code words were being used to escape the radar of defence and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, Pak army also directed the signal corps to move the VHF radio stations closer to the LoC. The VHFs (very high frequency) radio stations were used to play 'quami taranas', Pakistan's national anthem, for almost a week after the abrogation of Article 370.&nbsp;

The signals were used by terror outfits like the LeT, JeM and Al Badr to communicate with their local cadres in Jammu and Kashmir.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Saturday said that, "there are <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/determined-to-protect-kashmiris-from-pak-terrorists-nsa-doval-248234">Pakistani communication towers 20 kilometres</a> along the border, they are trying to send messages, we heard intercepts, they were telling their men here 'how so many apple trucks are moving, can’t you stop them? Should we send you bangles?" Doval said.&nbsp;

Pakistan is trying to create trouble in Jammu and Kashmir, he added, stating that "some 230 Pakistani terrorists were spotted, some of them have infiltrated, some arrested," Doval was quoted by news agency ANI.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Indian intelligence agencies have intercepted code words used by Pakistan army and terror groups to send messages to their handlers in Jammu and Kashmir. Days after the abrogation of article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Pak army and terror organisations have been reported to have used FM transmission stations to send messages.

Indian intelligence agencies have intercepted code words used by Pakistan army and terror groups to send messages to their handlers in Jammu and Kashmir. Days after the abrogation of article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Pak army and terror organisations have been reported to have used FM transmission stations to send messages. While the code words were being used to escape the radar of defence and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, Pak army also directed the signal corps to move the VHF radio stations closer to the LoC. The VHFs (very high frequency) radio stations were used to play 'quami taranas', Pakistan's national anthem, for almost a week after the abrogation of Article 370. The signals were used by terror outfits like the LeT, JeM and Al Badr to communicate with their local cadres in Jammu and Kashmir. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Saturday said that, "there are Pakistani communication towers 20 kilometres along the border, they are trying to send messages, we heard intercepts, they were telling their men here 'how so many apple trucks are moving, can’t you stop them? Should we send you bangles?" Doval said. Pakistan is trying to create trouble in Jammu and Kashmir, he added, stating that "some 230 Pakistani terrorists were spotted, some of them have infiltrated, some arrested," Doval was quoted by news agency ANI.

Jammu and Kashmir: Intelligence agencies intercept codes sent by Pak army over FM transmission to terrorists

Why does India get bad press internationally? The answer lies within complex layers of history and culture. Global media coverage of Kashmir is just the latest example of how misinformed, inaccurate and biased Western reportage on India can be.&nbsp;

Exhibit one: The New York Times editorial board wrote: “The Indian government’s decision to revoke the semi-autonomous status of Kashmir, accompanied by a huge security clampdown, is dangerous and wrong. Bloodshed is all but certain. The United Nations recommended holding a referendum to let Kashmiris decide their fate, but that never happened.”&nbsp;

Note the confidence with which The New York Times makes the assertion: “Bloodshed is all but certain.” Worse is the newspaper’s reference to the United Nations “recommending holding a referendum”, without mentioning the fact that the UN had set a pre-condition for Pakistan to vacate PoK before any referendum could be considered.&nbsp;

Exhibit two: Reuters reported: “Police used tear gas and pellets to fight back at least 10,000 people protesting Delhi’s withdrawal of special rights for Jammu and Kashmir in its main city of Srinagar on Friday, a police official and two witnesses said.”&nbsp;

Reuters’ sources? An unnamed police officer and two anonymous “witnesses”. The report of “a crowd of 10,000” protestors has been disproved by on-ground accounts from credible, independent Indian journalists. Reuters’ reportage clearly does not meet the standard of accurate and responsible journalism.&nbsp;

The New York Times editorial board has often been forced to apologise for inaccurate commentary. The BBC’s and Al Jazeera’s editorial coverage of Kashmir has been equally tendentious. Neither media organisation sufficiently stressed Pakistan’s malignant role in abetting terrorism in Kashmir. Without context, such journalism sets a low bar for itself.&nbsp;

Now history. Days before J&amp;K acceded to the Indian Union on October 26/27,1947,&nbsp;Pakistan connived with Britain to annex J&amp;K by force. Islamabad, with tacit support from the British, sent tribal Afridi fighters towards Srinagar. What transpired subsequently is well-documented. The Afridis were stopped just outside Srinagar and evicted by the Indian Army.

For Britain and the West, post-independent Pakistan has served as valuable geostrategic real estate. It helped thwart Soviet influence extending beyond the Khyber Pass. Pakistan plays the supplicant, ever ready to do the West’s bidding. The US prefers doing business with dictators — in the Middle East, South America and South Asia. Pakistan’s long line of military dictators, from the 1950s right up to Pervez Musharraf, has served Washington well.&nbsp;

The West’s pro-Pakistan tilt was evident when US President Richard Nixon and his Machiavellian Secretary of State Henry Kissinger tried to goad China into opening a second front against India during the 1971 Bangladesh war. A timely Indo-Russian treaty of peace and friendship signed astutely by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with Moscow in August 1971, kept the Chinese at bay.&nbsp;

The US attempted, unsuccessfully, to help the beleaguered Pakistani Army by sending its Seventh Fleet to the Bay of Bengal in December 1971 to intimidate India.&nbsp;

While Independent India developed into a socialist democracy, Pakistan emerged as a capitalist dictatorship. For the US, socialism was culturally and politically anathema. It welcomed Pakistani dictators, but had little love lost for socialists like Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.&nbsp;

The US, Britain and other Anglo-Saxon nations have a grim record of committing historical crimes: trafficking Africans to North America during the centuries-long Atlantic slave trade; invading and colonising countries; waging extra-territorial wars; destabilising elected governments; supporting apartheid in South Africa; dispossessing Aborigines in Australia and indigenous Indians in the US; imposing a racist White Australia immigration policy; and segregating African-Americans in the southern states of the US till as late as the 1960s.&nbsp;

Western media tries its best to avoid highlighting these issues. It was only when Democratic Presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris raised the issue of reparations for slavery that the US media gingerly took cognisance of it with a nervous editorial twitch.

Warren has gone further by suggesting compensation for indigenous Indians whose land was usurped by European settlers in the US. &nbsp;

Amidst all this, India is a tempting target. A large, diverse democracy, it has multiple mutinies, as the late VS Naipaul wrote, going on raucously at the same time. These provide easy pickings for Western journalists. They have learnt their lesson the hard way after the French magazine Charlie Hebdo was attacked by Islamist terrorists, several of its staff killed and the publication eventually forced to change ownership. The lesson learnt? It is safer to criticise India. Indians don’t hit back.&nbsp;

India, in fact, provides Western media an invaluable additional resource: Indian journalists. These editorial sepoys can be inveigled to write how brutish and viscerally communal India is. Were Western journalists to write the same articles, they would be accused of racism. Indian journalists thus serve as useful surrogates. The Indian government has compounded the problem by not having daily briefings to provide timely information on key political and economic issues, allowing international media to misinform and distort as it has done in its reportage on Kashmir. &nbsp;

India has real problems of poverty, corruption and sectarianism, but there are gripping stories as well of startups, space technology and the rise of a new Dalit entrepreneurial class.&nbsp;

You won’t find much reportage on these in the Western media that picks its Indian mutinies carefully.&nbsp; 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-foreign-media-s-india-bias-2789101">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Why does India get bad press internationally? The answer lies within complex layers of history and culture. Global media coverage of Kashmir is just the latest example of how misinformed, inaccurate and biased Western reportage on India can be.

Why does India get bad press internationally? The answer lies within complex layers of history and culture. Global media coverage of Kashmir is just the latest example of how misinformed, inaccurate and biased Western reportage on India can be. Exhibit one: The New York Times editorial board wrote: “The Indian government’s decision to revoke the semi-autonomous status of Kashmir, accompanied by a huge security clampdown, is dangerous and wrong. Bloodshed is all but certain. The United Nations recommended holding a referendum to let Kashmiris decide their fate, but that never happened.” Note the confidence with which The New York Times makes the assertion: “Bloodshed is all but certain.” Worse is the newspaper’s reference to the United Nations “recommending holding a referendum”, without mentioning the fact that the UN had set a pre-condition for Pakistan to vacate PoK before any referendum could be considered. Exhibit two: Reuters reported: “Police used tear gas and pellets to fight back at least 10,000 people protesting Delhi’s withdrawal of special rights for Jammu and Kashmir in its main city of Srinagar on Friday, a police official and two witnesses said.” Reuters’ sources? An unnamed police officer and two anonymous “witnesses”. The report of “a crowd of 10,000” protestors has been disproved by on-ground accounts from credible, independent Indian journalists. Reuters’ reportage clearly does not meet the standard of accurate and responsible journalism. The New York Times editorial board has often been forced to apologise for inaccurate commentary. The BBC’s and Al Jazeera’s editorial coverage of Kashmir has been equally tendentious. Neither media organisation sufficiently stressed Pakistan’s malignant role in abetting terrorism in Kashmir. Without context, such journalism sets a low bar for itself. Now history. Days before J&K acceded to the Indian Union on October 26/27,1947, Pakistan connived with Britain to annex J&K by force. Islamabad, with tacit support from the British, sent tribal Afridi fighters towards Srinagar. What transpired subsequently is well-documented. The Afridis were stopped just outside Srinagar and evicted by the Indian Army. For Britain and the West, post-independent Pakistan has served as valuable geostrategic real estate. It helped thwart Soviet influence extending beyond the Khyber Pass. Pakistan plays the supplicant, ever ready to do the West’s bidding. The US prefers doing business with dictators — in the Middle East, South America and South Asia. Pakistan’s long line of military dictators, from the 1950s right up to Pervez Musharraf, has served Washington well. The West’s pro-Pakistan tilt was evident when US President Richard Nixon and his Machiavellian Secretary of State Henry Kissinger tried to goad China into opening a second front against India during the 1971 Bangladesh war. A timely Indo-Russian treaty of peace and friendship signed astutely by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with Moscow in August 1971, kept the Chinese at bay. The US attempted, unsuccessfully, to help the beleaguered Pakistani Army by sending its Seventh Fleet to the Bay of Bengal in December 1971 to intimidate India. While Independent India developed into a socialist democracy, Pakistan emerged as a capitalist dictatorship. For the US, socialism was culturally and politically anathema. It welcomed Pakistani dictators, but had little love lost for socialists like Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. The US, Britain and other Anglo-Saxon nations have a grim record of committing historical crimes: trafficking Africans to North America during the centuries-long Atlantic slave trade; invading and colonising countries; waging extra-territorial wars; destabilising elected governments; supporting apartheid in South Africa; dispossessing Aborigines in Australia and indigenous Indians in the US; imposing a racist White Australia immigration policy; and segregating African-Americans in the southern states of the US till as late as the 1960s. Western media tries its best to avoid highlighting these issues. It was only when Democratic Presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris raised the issue of reparations for slavery that the US media gingerly took cognisance of it with a nervous editorial twitch. Warren has gone further by suggesting compensation for indigenous Indians whose land was usurped by European settlers in the US. Amidst all this, India is a tempting target. A large, diverse democracy, it has multiple mutinies, as the late VS Naipaul wrote, going on raucously at the same time. These provide easy pickings for Western journalists. They have learnt their lesson the hard way after the French magazine Charlie Hebdo was attacked by Islamist terrorists, several of its staff killed and the publication eventually forced to change ownership. The lesson learnt? It is safer to criticise India. Indians don’t hit back. India, in fact, provides Western media an invaluable additional resource: Indian journalists. These editorial sepoys can be inveigled to write how brutish and viscerally communal India is. Were Western journalists to write the same articles, they would be accused of racism. Indian journalists thus serve as useful surrogates. The Indian government has compounded the problem by not having daily briefings to provide timely information on key political and economic issues, allowing international media to misinform and distort as it has done in its reportage on Kashmir. India has real problems of poverty, corruption and sectarianism, but there are gripping stories as well of startups, space technology and the rise of a new Dalit entrepreneurial class. You won’t find much reportage on these in the Western media that picks its Indian mutinies carefully. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Article 370 abrogation: Foreign media’s India bias

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday asserted that the dilution of Article 370 would accelerate the process of development in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and said any talks with Pakistan now would be held only on Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

"Abrogation of Article 370 paved the way for the extension of various schemes and legislations, including 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments to strengthen the funds and functions of local bodies," he said.

The Vice President was interacting with a delegation of Sarpanchs (Village Heads) and Panchs (Panchayat Members) from Jammu and Kashmir and told them that Article 370 was only a temporary and transitory provision in the Constitution.

"Talks with Pakistan would be held only on PoK, the safety, security and integrity of the nation are paramount for every Indian," he said, according to an official statement.

Referring to the holding of Panchayat elections under the Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir after a long gap, Naidu expressed his happiness that 74 per cent of the electorate voted and around 3,500 of the 4,483 Panchayats have been elected.

"With the dilution of Article 370, the Panchayats would now become more dynamic as the 3Fs - Funds, Functions, and Functionaries would be devolved to them. The financial power of Panchayats has also been increased by 10 times enhancing their financial powers up to Rs 1 lakh," he said.

He pointed out that the Panchayats were vested with powers to raise their own resources by increasing taxes. "The Panchayats are also now empowered to conduct an audit of schemes like ICDS and PMAY to improve the quality of delivery," he added.

Observing that greater devolution of funds, functions, and functionaries would enable the 3-tier administrative system to function more effectively, he said, Jammu and Kashmir was losing around Rs 4,000 crores for not conducting Panchayat elections as per the norms set by the 14th Finance Commission.

"Now that elections have been conducted, the funds recommended by the Finance Commission will start flowing. I am happy to know that Rs 500 crore have already been released and another Rs 3,000 crore will be released shortly. This will be a big game-changer for the Panchayat system," he said.

The Vice President also suggested that holding elections to local bodies every five years should be made mandatory.

"There should be no discretion or scope for the states to either postpone or advance them," he said.

Stating that effective local governance was key for better implementation of development and welfare initiatives and for better service delivery, he said that the funds allocated to the local bodies should go into the accounts of Panchayats, municipalities, and corporations and spent in accordance with the resolutions of the respective bodies.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday asserted that the dilution of Article 370 would accelerate the process of development in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and said any talks with Pakistan now would be held only on Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday asserted that the dilution of Article 370 would accelerate the process of development in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and said any talks with Pakistan now would be held only on Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). "Abrogation of Article 370 paved the way for the extension of various schemes and legislations, including 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments to strengthen the funds and functions of local bodies," he said. The Vice President was interacting with a delegation of Sarpanchs (Village Heads) and Panchs (Panchayat Members) from Jammu and Kashmir and told them that Article 370 was only a temporary and transitory provision in the Constitution. "Talks with Pakistan would be held only on PoK, the safety, security and integrity of the nation are paramount for every Indian," he said, according to an official statement. Referring to the holding of Panchayat elections under the Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir after a long gap, Naidu expressed his happiness that 74 per cent of the electorate voted and around 3,500 of the 4,483 Panchayats have been elected. "With the dilution of Article 370, the Panchayats would now become more dynamic as the 3Fs - Funds, Functions, and Functionaries would be devolved to them. The financial power of Panchayats has also been increased by 10 times enhancing their financial powers up to Rs 1 lakh," he said. He pointed out that the Panchayats were vested with powers to raise their own resources by increasing taxes. "The Panchayats are also now empowered to conduct an audit of schemes like ICDS and PMAY to improve the quality of delivery," he added. Observing that greater devolution of funds, functions, and functionaries would enable the 3-tier administrative system to function more effectively, he said, Jammu and Kashmir was losing around Rs 4,000 crores for not conducting Panchayat elections as per the norms set by the 14th Finance Commission. "Now that elections have been conducted, the funds recommended by the Finance Commission will start flowing. I am happy to know that Rs 500 crore have already been released and another Rs 3,000 crore will be released shortly. This will be a big game-changer for the Panchayat system," he said. The Vice President also suggested that holding elections to local bodies every five years should be made mandatory. "There should be no discretion or scope for the states to either postpone or advance them," he said. Stating that effective local governance was key for better implementation of development and welfare initiatives and for better service delivery, he said that the funds allocated to the local bodies should go into the accounts of Panchayats, municipalities, and corporations and spent in accordance with the resolutions of the respective bodies.

Dilution of Article 370 will accelerate development, talks with Pakistan only on PoK: Naidu

India on Tuesday slammed the mention of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/unsc-closed-door-meet-russia-supports-india-says-no-unsc-role-in-jammu-and-kashmir-issue-243493">Jammu and Kashmir in China-Pakistan joint statement</a> during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and raised its concerns regarding the massive infrastructure project—the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Rejecting Jammu and Kashmir's reference, the ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, 'J&amp;K is an integral part of India.'

The joint statement issued last week said, "Both sides further exchanged views on the situation in Jammu &amp; Kashmir. The Pakistani side briefed China on the situation, including its concerns, position, and urgent humanitarian issues. China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation."

Watch: Understanding China's stance on Kashmir

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&nbsp;Both Pakistan and China have been trying to rake up Kashmir at international forums after New Delhi's August 5th decision to remove the special status for the erstwhile state. On August 16 India was able to thwart a joint effort by Bejing and Islamabad to raise Kashmir at United Nations security council with Pakistan keen on an emergency session on Kashmir, which could not happen due to lack of support at the council.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, New Delhi has expressed its concern to "both China and Pakistan on the projects in so-called “China Pakistan Economic Corridor” saying it "resolutely opposed to any actions by other countries to change the status quo in Pakistan occupied J&amp;K" and asked them "to cease such actions."

CPEC passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir, a region that has been under Pakistani occupation since 1947. India has boycotted China's One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative due to CPEC, which New Delhi says violates its sovereignty.

India on Tuesday slammed the mention of Jammu and Kashmir in China-Pakistan joint statement during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and raised its concerns regarding the massive infrastructure project—the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

India on Tuesday slammed the mention of Jammu and Kashmir in China-Pakistan joint statement during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and raised its concerns regarding the massive infrastructure project—the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Rejecting Jammu and Kashmir's reference, the ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, 'J&K is an integral part of India.' The joint statement issued last week said, "Both sides further exchanged views on the situation in Jammu & Kashmir. The Pakistani side briefed China on the situation, including its concerns, position, and urgent humanitarian issues. China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation." Watch: Understanding China's stance on Kashmir Both Pakistan and China have been trying to rake up Kashmir at international forums after New Delhi's August 5th decision to remove the special status for the erstwhile state. On August 16 India was able to thwart a joint effort by Bejing and Islamabad to raise Kashmir at United Nations security council with Pakistan keen on an emergency session on Kashmir, which could not happen due to lack of support at the council. Meanwhile, New Delhi has expressed its concern to "both China and Pakistan on the projects in so-called “China Pakistan Economic Corridor” saying it "resolutely opposed to any actions by other countries to change the status quo in Pakistan occupied J&K" and asked them "to cease such actions." CPEC passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir, a region that has been under Pakistani occupation since 1947. India has boycotted China's One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative due to CPEC, which New Delhi says violates its sovereignty.

India slams Jammu and Kashmir's mention in China-Pakistan joint statement; raises concerns on CPEC

India and Pakistan will speak at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday with Islamabad all set to rake Kashmir issues at the international human rights forum. The 42nd session of the Human Rights Council is being held at its headquarters in Geneva from September 9 to 27. 
 
Islamabad is in full mood to use the forum to rant on Kashmir. Pak Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi himself is in Geneva and is accompanied by several high profile officials including the envoy of the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan - Tehmina Janjua - and Acting Permanent Representative‪ of Pakistan ‬to the United Nations. 
 
Qureshi is scheduled to speak at the council on Tuesday at 3.30 pm IST. Pakistan plans for a resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, though the country lacks support for its passage. 
 
India is led by a high powered delegation led by Secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh and Indian envoy to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria. India has been engaging with several UN HRC members to thwart any Pakistani attempt to internationalise Kashmir. India has briefed several foreign envoys in Delhi and has also reached out to global capitals. 
 
On Monday, in her opening statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet slammed both India and Pakistan for the situation in Kashmir. 
 
"In relation to Kashmir, my Office continues to receive reports on the human rights situation on both sides of the line of control...I continue to urge the Governments of India and Pakistan to ensure that human rights are respected and protected," she said. 
 
She urged New Delhi to ease the current lockdowns or curfews in Jammu and Kashmir to ensure people's access to basic services. 
 
The Council is made of 47 Member States, which are elected by the majority of members of the General Assembly of the United Nations through a direct and secret ballot. 
 
The development comes weeks after India was able to thwart a joint China-Pak initiative to rake up Kashmir at the United Nation Security Council (UNSC). Islamabad wanted an emergency session on Kashmir at the UNSC and for this, a consultative meet was held on August 16. 
 
The meeting took place at the request of China which took up the letter of Pakistani foreign minister in the aftermath of New Delhi's decision to remove the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, granted under Article 370 of the Constitution. 
 
In the aftermath of India's decision, Pakistan has been trying to internationalise Kashmir by reaching out to global capitals but has not got any traction. 
 
New Delhi has reiterated on every platform that the government's move is an internal matter of India. 
 
Speaking after the UNSC consultative meet, India's permanent envoy to United Nations Syed Akbaruddin after had said, "Article 370 is internal matter.. these have no external ramifications." 
 
On talks with Pakistan, Syed said, "Using terror to push goals is not the way normal states behave... stop terror to start talks." 
 
The outcome of the August 16 meeting was considered a big diplomatic victory for India as consultations did not lead to any formal meeting which Islamabad was keen to have.&nbsp;

India and Pakistan will speak at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday with Islamabad all set to rake Kashmir issues at the international human rights forum.

India and Pakistan will speak at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday with Islamabad all set to rake Kashmir issues at the international human rights forum. The 42nd session of the Human Rights Council is being held at its headquarters in Geneva from September 9 to 27. Islamabad is in full mood to use the forum to rant on Kashmir. Pak Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi himself is in Geneva and is accompanied by several high profile officials including the envoy of the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan - Tehmina Janjua - and Acting Permanent Representative‪ of Pakistan ‬to the United Nations. Qureshi is scheduled to speak at the council on Tuesday at 3.30 pm IST. Pakistan plans for a resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, though the country lacks support for its passage. India is led by a high powered delegation led by Secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh and Indian envoy to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria. India has been engaging with several UN HRC members to thwart any Pakistani attempt to internationalise Kashmir. India has briefed several foreign envoys in Delhi and has also reached out to global capitals. On Monday, in her opening statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet slammed both India and Pakistan for the situation in Kashmir. "In relation to Kashmir, my Office continues to receive reports on the human rights situation on both sides of the line of control...I continue to urge the Governments of India and Pakistan to ensure that human rights are respected and protected," she said. She urged New Delhi to ease the current lockdowns or curfews in Jammu and Kashmir to ensure people's access to basic services. The Council is made of 47 Member States, which are elected by the majority of members of the General Assembly of the United Nations through a direct and secret ballot. The development comes weeks after India was able to thwart a joint China-Pak initiative to rake up Kashmir at the United Nation Security Council (UNSC). Islamabad wanted an emergency session on Kashmir at the UNSC and for this, a consultative meet was held on August 16. The meeting took place at the request of China which took up the letter of Pakistani foreign minister in the aftermath of New Delhi's decision to remove the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, granted under Article 370 of the Constitution. In the aftermath of India's decision, Pakistan has been trying to internationalise Kashmir by reaching out to global capitals but has not got any traction. New Delhi has reiterated on every platform that the government's move is an internal matter of India. Speaking after the UNSC consultative meet, India's permanent envoy to United Nations Syed Akbaruddin after had said, "Article 370 is internal matter.. these have no external ramifications." On talks with Pakistan, Syed said, "Using terror to push goals is not the way normal states behave... stop terror to start talks." The outcome of the August 16 meeting was considered a big diplomatic victory for India as consultations did not lead to any formal meeting which Islamabad was keen to have.

Pakistan to take up Kashmir issue in UNHRC; India all set to resist Imran government's move

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is turning back to normal as the majority of areas continue to function peacefully without any day-time restrictions, said official sources in the government of India.

"91 per cent of Kashmir valley is free from any day time restrictions, while all of Jammu and Ladakh regions are free from any day-time restrictions," said sources.

Adding that telephone and mobile communications have been restarted in the majority of the regions, the sources added, "All landlines are functional. Mobile facility restored in all districts of Jammu and Ladakh division and Kupwara district of Kashmir."

The administration is also going to launch the biggest ever recruitment drive in the two Union territories to fill up close to 50,000 positions lying vacant in the government sector.

The information has come almost a month after the Central government scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Centre, in August, had also bifurcated the state into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The sources also added that there were hardly any instances of violence reported from the Valley region and the minuscule number of protests which took place were handled by the police without any significant damage to life and property.

"The situation has remained peaceful across the Kashmir valley. There has been no incident of major violence. Not even a single live bullet has been fired. There has been no loss of life. Some protests have been handled by local police while exercising full restraint," the government sources said.

All primary, middle and high schools are running with improved performance while the banks and ATMs are functioning normally in the region.

They also said that the administration has set up a media centre to enable both the local and national media houses to cover events in the region.

A media centre has also been set up in Jammu and Kashmir to enable the media to cover events in the region. While regular press briefings are being held, over 400 press passes have been issued, the majority to local journalists.&nbsp;

"All mainstream newspapers are being printed. Satellite channels and cable TV networks are operational," the sources said.

" The full focus is on returning the situation to normalcy. Some remaining restrictions on the communications and preventive detentions remain intending to maintain public law and order.&nbsp;

These restrictions are being reviewed continuously and being eased by local administration based on the ground situation," they added.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is turning back to normal as the majority of areas continue to function peacefully without any day-time restrictions, said official sources in the government of India.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is turning back to normal as the majority of areas continue to function peacefully without any day-time restrictions, said official sources in the government of India. "91 per cent of Kashmir valley is free from any day time restrictions, while all of Jammu and Ladakh regions are free from any day-time restrictions," said sources. Adding that telephone and mobile communications have been restarted in the majority of the regions, the sources added, "All landlines are functional. Mobile facility restored in all districts of Jammu and Ladakh division and Kupwara district of Kashmir." The administration is also going to launch the biggest ever recruitment drive in the two Union territories to fill up close to 50,000 positions lying vacant in the government sector. The information has come almost a month after the Central government scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The Centre, in August, had also bifurcated the state into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The sources also added that there were hardly any instances of violence reported from the Valley region and the minuscule number of protests which took place were handled by the police without any significant damage to life and property. "The situation has remained peaceful across the Kashmir valley. There has been no incident of major violence. Not even a single live bullet has been fired. There has been no loss of life. Some protests have been handled by local police while exercising full restraint," the government sources said. All primary, middle and high schools are running with improved performance while the banks and ATMs are functioning normally in the region. They also said that the administration has set up a media centre to enable both the local and national media houses to cover events in the region. A media centre has also been set up in Jammu and Kashmir to enable the media to cover events in the region. While regular press briefings are being held, over 400 press passes have been issued, the majority to local journalists. "All mainstream newspapers are being printed. Satellite channels and cable TV networks are operational," the sources said. " The full focus is on returning the situation to normalcy. Some remaining restrictions on the communications and preventive detentions remain intending to maintain public law and order. These restrictions are being reviewed continuously and being eased by local administration based on the ground situation," they added.

91 per cent of Kashmir Valley region free from any day-time restrictions

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Centre will not scrap Article 371 of the Constitution, which grants special provisions to the north-eastern states.

Addressing the 68th Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council here, he said, "Article 371 is not a temporary provision like Article 370 was. It is a special provision. We respect that and will not tamper with it."

He accused opposition parties of sending a wrong message to the people of the north-eastern states that Article 371 will be scrapped.

"It is unfortunate that the opposition claimed that the BJP government at the Centre will now scrap Article 371. It is pertinent to clarify this because a few people do not want peace in these states and want to create a divide," he said.

Last month, the central government had scrapped the Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Centre also bifurcated the state into two Union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Centre will not scrap Article 371 of the Constitution, which grants special provisions to the north-eastern states.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Centre will not scrap Article 371 of the Constitution, which grants special provisions to the north-eastern states. Addressing the 68th Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council here, he said, "Article 371 is not a temporary provision like Article 370 was. It is a special provision. We respect that and will not tamper with it." He accused opposition parties of sending a wrong message to the people of the north-eastern states that Article 371 will be scrapped. "It is unfortunate that the opposition claimed that the BJP government at the Centre will now scrap Article 371. It is pertinent to clarify this because a few people do not want peace in these states and want to create a divide," he said. Last month, the central government had scrapped the Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The Centre also bifurcated the state into two Union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

We will not tamper with Article 371, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah

During an interaction with the group of journalist, Doval said that restrictions have been lifted from J&K

NSA Doval on Army presence in J&K

Pakistan has rejected the Indian government's request for President Ram Nath Kovind's plane to use its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-loses-8-million-after-pakistan-closes-its-airspace-to-indian-flights-206919">airspace</a> during his upcoming visit to Europe on the back of ongoing India-Pakistan tensions. The President will be in Europe from 9th to 17th and will visit Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia.&nbsp;

"Indian government had asked Pakistan use its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-partially-closes-its-airspace-with-india-on-eastern-front-241404">airspace </a>for its president's movement. Given the current situation we have decided not&nbsp;to give the permission to India for this airspace usage”, says Pakistan foreign minister SM Qureshi said.

Also read--&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-karachi-airspace-shut-three-routes-till-august-31-246139">Pakistan: Karachi airspace shuts three routes till August 31</a>

Pakistan&nbsp;government&nbsp;sources said&nbsp;Prime Minister Imran Khan had himself endorsed this decision to decline usage of Pakistani airspace for the Indian president’s movement.

Interestingly, Qureshi announced&nbsp;it even before notifying the Indian government. Before every VVIP visit outside India, New Delhi requests the neighbouring country over which the plane passes for use of airspace.&nbsp;

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-denies-use-of-airspace-to-kovind-248280/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Last month India had requested Islamabad to grant the use of airspace for Prime minister Narendra Modi's visit to France which the country allowed despite&nbsp;the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions.

It&nbsp;led to considerable political fallout in the country since on one hand, the Imran Khan government&nbsp;was castigating India on its August, 5 internal decision to remove the&nbsp;special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and on the other hand allowing the use of airspace by Indian VVIPs.

The Pakistan government&nbsp;after a cabinet meeting had then announced that it is considering closing its airspace for India but the airspace remained&nbsp;open and no decision was taken.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-reopens-airspace-month-after-balakot-strikes-205877">Pakistan had closed its airspace on February 27 </a>after India's counter-terror operation in Balakot on February 26 on the back of the&nbsp;Pulwama attack on February 14 that killed more than 40 Indian security personnel.

The closure lasted for more than four months and&nbsp;caused considerable problems globally especially to Afghans who could easily travel to India.

The closure of&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;airspace&nbsp;had affected around 600 flights that operate everyday across the India-Pakistan&nbsp;airspace&nbsp;boundary with the flights re-routed to the Arabian sea&nbsp;airspace.

Pakistan has rejected the Indian government's request for President Ram Nath Kovind's plane to use its airspace during his upcoming visit to Europe on the back of ongoing India-Pakistan tensions.

Pakistan has rejected the Indian government's request for President Ram Nath Kovind's plane to use its airspace during his upcoming visit to Europe on the back of ongoing India-Pakistan tensions. The President will be in Europe from 9th to 17th and will visit Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia. "Indian government had asked Pakistan use its airspace for its president's movement. Given the current situation we have decided not to give the permission to India for this airspace usage”, says Pakistan foreign minister SM Qureshi said. Also read-- Pakistan: Karachi airspace shuts three routes till August 31 Pakistan government sources said Prime Minister Imran Khan had himself endorsed this decision to decline usage of Pakistani airspace for the Indian president’s movement. Interestingly, Qureshi announced it even before notifying the Indian government. Before every VVIP visit outside India, New Delhi requests the neighbouring country over which the plane passes for use of airspace. Watch Video: Last month India had requested Islamabad to grant the use of airspace for Prime minister Narendra Modi's visit to France which the country allowed despite the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions. It led to considerable political fallout in the country since on one hand, the Imran Khan government was castigating India on its August, 5 internal decision to remove the special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and on the other hand allowing the use of airspace by Indian VVIPs. The Pakistan government after a cabinet meeting had then announced that it is considering closing its airspace for India but the airspace remained open and no decision was taken. Pakistan had closed its airspace on February 27 after India's counter-terror operation in Balakot on February 26 on the back of the Pulwama attack on February 14 that killed more than 40 Indian security personnel. The closure lasted for more than four months and caused considerable problems globally especially to Afghans who could easily travel to India. The closure of Pakistan airspace had affected around 600 flights that operate everyday across the India-Pakistan airspace boundary with the flights re-routed to the Arabian sea airspace.

Won't let Indian President use our airspace: Pakistan

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ahead-to-day-2-of-packed-russia-visit-pm-modi-holds-talks-with-japanese-malaysian-counterparts-247669">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> and Malaysian PM Mahathir bin Mohamad met on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok during which the former raised the issue of Zakir Naik's extradition and also discussed the need for legislative changes to Jammu and Kashmir.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, "PM Modi raised the issue of Zakir Naik and both sides decided that officials will keep in touch regarding it and it's an important issue for New Delhi".

New Delhi has sent an extradition request to Malaysia but no action has been taken by Kuala Lumpur. India-born Zakir Naik is wanted in India and is known for his hate speeches. In 2017, India had revoked his passport and declared him an offender. He currently resides in Malaysia which has given him a PR-Permanent Resident status. There is now growing criticism of Naik in Malaysia as well where he has been involved in hate speeches against minority Hindu population.

Removing the special status for Jammu and Kashmir was another key point that was discussed. "The rationale behind the reorganisation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir" will give "effective governance and socio-economic" development to the region, the prime minister told his Malaysian counterpart.

Terror was also discussed and "how to cope with the growing global terror". Mahathir acknowledged that "terror is a global problem" and "terrorism in any form is something Malaysia is against", Gokhale said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Malaysian PM Mahathir bin Mohamad met on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok during which the former raised the issue of Zakir Naik's extradition and also discussed the need for legislative changes to Jammu and Kashmir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Malaysian PM Mahathir bin Mohamad met on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok during which the former raised the issue of Zakir Naik's extradition and also discussed the need for legislative changes to Jammu and Kashmir. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, "PM Modi raised the issue of Zakir Naik and both sides decided that officials will keep in touch regarding it and it's an important issue for New Delhi". New Delhi has sent an extradition request to Malaysia but no action has been taken by Kuala Lumpur. India-born Zakir Naik is wanted in India and is known for his hate speeches. In 2017, India had revoked his passport and declared him an offender. He currently resides in Malaysia which has given him a PR-Permanent Resident status. There is now growing criticism of Naik in Malaysia as well where he has been involved in hate speeches against minority Hindu population. Removing the special status for Jammu and Kashmir was another key point that was discussed. "The rationale behind the reorganisation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir" will give "effective governance and socio-economic" development to the region, the prime minister told his Malaysian counterpart. Terror was also discussed and "how to cope with the growing global terror". Mahathir acknowledged that "terror is a global problem" and "terrorism in any form is something Malaysia is against", Gokhale said.

Modi-Mahathir meet: Zakir Naik, revocation of Article 370 discussed

In an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-maldives-pakistan-raises-kashmir-in-another-international-forum-in-colombo-247399">embarrassment to Pakistan</a>, its lawyer at the International Court of Justice Khawar Qureshi has said that it would be "extremely difficult" for his country to prove the charge of genocide in Kashmir for want of evidence.

Qureshi's statement comes at a time when Pakistan is blatantly threatening to approach the ICJ against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-makes-u-turn-says-pakistan-would-not-use-nuclear-weapons-first-247323">India over Kashmir </a>after India abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. &nbsp;

The lawyer said that Pakistan can approach the ICJ under the Genocide Convention of 1948 to which both the South Asian nations are signatories.

"ICJ is the main court of the United Nations. There is a convention called the Genocide Convention of 1948 to which Pakistan and India both are signatories. The state that has committed genocide, about to commit genocide or and failing to prevent genocide can be made the subject to the proceeding before the ICJ," Khawar Qureshi said during a talk show on a Pakistan news channel 92 News.

"However, in the absence of these pieces of evidence, it is extremely difficult for Pakistan to take this case to the ICJ," he said.&nbsp;

India's decision has been hailed internationally with several countries calling the move as India's internal matter even as Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the issue.

Islamabad has found itself completely isolated despite desperate attempts aimed at internationalising the issue.

Pakistan has approached various world leaders, including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Jordanian King Abdullah II to seek their interventions into the issue, but in vain.

However, Pakistan has been told to engage bilaterally with India to end tensions. India has repeatedly made it clear that talks with Pakistan are only possible after Islamabad stops sponsoring terror.&nbsp;

In an embarrassment to Pakistan, its lawyer at the International Court of Justice Khawar Qureshi has said that it would be "extremely difficult" for his country to prove the charge of genocide in Kashmir for want of evidence.

In an embarrassment to Pakistan, its lawyer at the International Court of Justice Khawar Qureshi has said that it would be "extremely difficult" for his country to prove the charge of genocide in Kashmir for want of evidence. Qureshi's statement comes at a time when Pakistan is blatantly threatening to approach the ICJ against India over Kashmir after India abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The lawyer said that Pakistan can approach the ICJ under the Genocide Convention of 1948 to which both the South Asian nations are signatories. "ICJ is the main court of the United Nations. There is a convention called the Genocide Convention of 1948 to which Pakistan and India both are signatories. The state that has committed genocide, about to commit genocide or and failing to prevent genocide can be made the subject to the proceeding before the ICJ," Khawar Qureshi said during a talk show on a Pakistan news channel 92 News. "However, in the absence of these pieces of evidence, it is extremely difficult for Pakistan to take this case to the ICJ," he said. India's decision has been hailed internationally with several countries calling the move as India's internal matter even as Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the issue. Islamabad has found itself completely isolated despite desperate attempts aimed at internationalising the issue. Pakistan has approached various world leaders, including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Jordanian King Abdullah II to seek their interventions into the issue, but in vain. However, Pakistan has been told to engage bilaterally with India to end tensions. India has repeatedly made it clear that talks with Pakistan are only possible after Islamabad stops sponsoring terror.

Lack of evidence to prove 'genocide' in Kashmir: Pakistan's ICJ lawyer

The Counter Insurgency Force (Uniform) of Indian Army is organising the first Army recruitment rally in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.&nbsp;

The seven days recruitment rally through Army Recruitment Office, Jammu, commenced on September 3 at Subsidiary Training Centre (STC) of Jammu and Kashmir Police at Talwara, Reasi and will continue till September 9.

"This rally is being conducted to provide employment to youth from seven districts - Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur, Ramban and Reasi," Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said in a release.

"Over 29,000 aspiring youths from Jammu Region have registered and are likely to be screened for their physical and medical fitness during the week-long Army recruitment rally in Reasi. On the first day of the rally, more than 2,500 candidates from districts of Kishtwar and Ramban converged for the physical fitness tests," the release added.

The vacancies are open for six categories which are Soldier General Duty, Soldier Technical, Soldier Technical Nursing Assistance (AMC)/ Soldier Technical Nursing Assistance Veterinary, Soldier Clerk, Store Keeper Technical and Soldier Tradesman.&nbsp;

The recruitment process is divided into several categories and rounds which include physical fitness test, medical test and written test. Selected candidates will be inducted into the various arms and services of the Indian Army.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Counter Insurgency Force (Uniform) of Indian Army is organising the first Army recruitment rally in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. The seven days recruitment rally through Army Recruitment Office, Jammu, commenced on September 3 at Subsidiary Training Centre (STC) of Jammu and Kashmir Police at Talwara, Reasi and will continue till September 9.

The Counter Insurgency Force (Uniform) of Indian Army is organising the first Army recruitment rally in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. The seven days recruitment rally through Army Recruitment Office, Jammu, commenced on September 3 at Subsidiary Training Centre (STC) of Jammu and Kashmir Police at Talwara, Reasi and will continue till September 9. "This rally is being conducted to provide employment to youth from seven districts - Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur, Ramban and Reasi," Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said in a release. "Over 29,000 aspiring youths from Jammu Region have registered and are likely to be screened for their physical and medical fitness during the week-long Army recruitment rally in Reasi. On the first day of the rally, more than 2,500 candidates from districts of Kishtwar and Ramban converged for the physical fitness tests," the release added. The vacancies are open for six categories which are Soldier General Duty, Soldier Technical, Soldier Technical Nursing Assistance (AMC)/ Soldier Technical Nursing Assistance Veterinary, Soldier Clerk, Store Keeper Technical and Soldier Tradesman. The recruitment process is divided into several categories and rounds which include physical fitness test, medical test and written test. Selected candidates will be inducted into the various arms and services of the Indian Army.

First Army recruitment rally in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 commences at Reasi

Home Minister Amit Shah told a citizens group from Jammu and Kashmir on Monday that repeal of 370 in Jammu and Kashmir will open multiple doors of progress and assured them that local bodies will get "enough" funds for development works. 
 
It was the first such meeting of a citizens group from Jammu and Kashmir with Shah since the repeal of Article 370 and reorganisation of the state into two Union Territories. 
 
The meeting was also attended by Ministers of State for Home Nityanand Rai and G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Home Secretary AK Bhalla and All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Association Chairman Anil Sharma. It discussed the agenda of development of Jammu and Kashmir. 
 
Sources in the ministry said that Shah told the sarpanches that they should take responsibility of development works in their areas. He said local bodies will now get "enough" funds for development as was the case with other states. Shah said the repeal of Article 370 will be beneficial to the state and open more doors of development in the Valley. 
 
"Employment opportunities will come to your home and your future will be brighter," Shah told the group. The home minister also met a group of apple growers from Kashmir who apprised him of their problems. He assured to look into their issues. Meer Junaid, a sarpanch who was present at the meeting, told ANI that Shah assured them to give statehood to Jammu and Kashmir once normalcy is returned. 
 
"The Home Minister presented a roadmap for the development of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Home Minister Amit Shah told a citizens group from Jammu and Kashmir on Monday that repeal of 370 in Jammu and Kashmir will open multiple doors of progress and assured them that local bodies will get "enough" funds for development works.

Home Minister Amit Shah told a citizens group from Jammu and Kashmir on Monday that repeal of 370 in Jammu and Kashmir will open multiple doors of progress and assured them that local bodies will get "enough" funds for development works. It was the first such meeting of a citizens group from Jammu and Kashmir with Shah since the repeal of Article 370 and reorganisation of the state into two Union Territories. The meeting was also attended by Ministers of State for Home Nityanand Rai and G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Home Secretary AK Bhalla and All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Association Chairman Anil Sharma. It discussed the agenda of development of Jammu and Kashmir. Sources in the ministry said that Shah told the sarpanches that they should take responsibility of development works in their areas. He said local bodies will now get "enough" funds for development as was the case with other states. Shah said the repeal of Article 370 will be beneficial to the state and open more doors of development in the Valley. "Employment opportunities will come to your home and your future will be brighter," Shah told the group. The home minister also met a group of apple growers from Kashmir who apprised him of their problems. He assured to look into their issues. Meer Junaid, a sarpanch who was present at the meeting, told ANI that Shah assured them to give statehood to Jammu and Kashmir once normalcy is returned. "The Home Minister presented a roadmap for the development of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Jammu and Kashmir citizens group meets Amit Shah, assured of enough development funds

Imran Khan-led <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-accepts-pakistan-offer-of-consular-access-for-kulbhushan-jhadav-hopes-for-free-fair-meeting-247069">Pakistan government</a> has restored partial trade with India <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-suspends-cross-loc-trade-with-pakistan-in-jammu-and-kashmir-211807">bowing down to domestic pressure</a> from its traders.&nbsp;

Pakistan will now import life-saving drugs from its arch-rival.

These medicines include those for cancer, tuberculosis and cardiac problems.

Pakistan imports almost 50 per cent of raw materials for medicines from India.Pakistan gets cheap Raw materials from India and China only, those from Europe and other places are relatively expensive due to higher labour cost.

These medicines include These live-saving drugs of Cardiac, Diabetes, Cancer and TB medicines. In total, 820 chemicals for medicines are imported by Pakistan from India. At least 62 chemicals are those on which Pakistan is entirely dependent on India. At least 23 from these 62 are those which are life-saving drugs.

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Watch: Face-off between Indian &amp; Pakistani lawmakers in Maldives

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Pakistan's imports have already entered negative growth with almost all countries, except India, as Islamabad mostly imports raw materials from New Delhi.

On August 10, Pakistan had formally suspended its trade relations with India, in retaliation against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/removal-of-article-370-heralds-an-era-of-progress-for-jammu-and-kashmir-242889">New Delhi's decision to revoke Article 370</a> that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Imran Khan-led Pakistan government has restored partial trade with India bowing down to domestic pressure from its traders. Pakistan will now import life-saving drugs from its arch-rival.

Imran Khan-led Pakistan government has restored partial trade with India bowing down to domestic pressure from its traders. Pakistan will now import life-saving drugs from its arch-rival. These medicines include those for cancer, tuberculosis and cardiac problems. Pakistan imports almost 50 per cent of raw materials for medicines from India.Pakistan gets cheap Raw materials from India and China only, those from Europe and other places are relatively expensive due to higher labour cost. These medicines include These live-saving drugs of Cardiac, Diabetes, Cancer and TB medicines. In total, 820 chemicals for medicines are imported by Pakistan from India. At least 62 chemicals are those on which Pakistan is entirely dependent on India. At least 23 from these 62 are those which are life-saving drugs. Watch: Face-off between Indian & Pakistani lawmakers in Maldives × Pakistan's imports have already entered negative growth with almost all countries, except India, as Islamabad mostly imports raw materials from New Delhi. On August 10, Pakistan had formally suspended its trade relations with India, in retaliation against New Delhi's decision to revoke Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan restores partial trade with India, bows down to domestic pressure from traders

Former US Ambassador to India has slammed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-saudi-crown-prince-discuss-kashmir-issue-third-time-246030">Pakistani prime minister</a> Imran khan for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/pakistan-trying-hard-to-spread-false-narratives-on-jammu-and-kashmir-246411">increasing the volatility in the region</a>.

Former envoy Tim Roemer's comments came after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-prime-minister-imran-khan-calls-us-president-donald-trump-to-discuss-kashmir-243492">Imran Khan </a>wrote an opinion piece in a US Newspaper.

Khan accused India of not wanting to have a dialogue for peace.

He threatened that there would be severe consequences for the whole world over Kashmir, especially if a nuclear war takes place.

In a tweet, Roemer tagged Imran's opinion piece and said that the US Should continue to back India.

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Pakistan PM Imran Khan hypes the Kashmir situation, personally attacks PM Modi, and increases the volatility in the region. US policy should remain steady toward strategic relations with India, emphasize CT cooperation, and push Pakistan for real results. <a href="https://t.co/VeAG7PepFJ">https://t.co/VeAG7PepFJ</a>
— Tim Roemer (@Tim_Roemer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tim_Roemer/status/1167851401231441920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Roemer said that Pakistan PM Imran Khan hypes the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-passed-in-rajya-sabha-with-125-members-in-favour-240893">Kashmir situation</a>, personally attacks PM Modi, and increases the volatility in the region.&nbsp;

US policy should remain steady toward strategic relations with India, emphasize counter-terror cooperation, and push Pakistan for real results.

Tim Roemer was the American ambassador to India from 2009 to 2011 during the leadership of President Barack Obama.

Watch: Imran Khan's Flop 'Kashmir Hour' in Pakistan

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He oversaw several policies increasing cooperation between India and the United States.

One of the key policies was the counterterrorism cooperation initiative with India which focussed on areas such as money laundering, terror-financing and border security.

Former US Ambassador to India has slammed Pakistani prime minister Imran khan for increasing the volatility in the region. Former envoy Tim Roemer's comments came after Imran Khan wrote an opinion piece in a US Newspaper.

Former US Ambassador to India has slammed Pakistani prime minister Imran khan for increasing the volatility in the region. Former envoy Tim Roemer's comments came after Imran Khan wrote an opinion piece in a US Newspaper. Khan accused India of not wanting to have a dialogue for peace. He threatened that there would be severe consequences for the whole world over Kashmir, especially if a nuclear war takes place. In a tweet, Roemer tagged Imran's opinion piece and said that the US Should continue to back India. Pakistan PM Imran Khan hypes the Kashmir situation, personally attacks PM Modi, and increases the volatility in the region. US policy should remain steady toward strategic relations with India, emphasize CT cooperation, and push Pakistan for real results. https://t.co/VeAG7PepFJ — Tim Roemer (@Tim_Roemer) August 31, 2019 × Roemer said that Pakistan PM Imran Khan hypes the Kashmir situation, personally attacks PM Modi, and increases the volatility in the region. US policy should remain steady toward strategic relations with India, emphasize counter-terror cooperation, and push Pakistan for real results. Tim Roemer was the American ambassador to India from 2009 to 2011 during the leadership of President Barack Obama. Watch: Imran Khan's Flop 'Kashmir Hour' in Pakistan × He oversaw several policies increasing cooperation between India and the United States. One of the key policies was the counterterrorism cooperation initiative with India which focussed on areas such as money laundering, terror-financing and border security.

Imran Khan hypes Kashmir situation, personally attacks PM Modi, says former US envoy to India

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/interpol-secretary-general-jurgen-stock-calls-on-home-minister-amit-shah-246898">Union Home Minister Amit Shah</a> on Sunday slammed Rahul Gandhi stating that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/article-370-abrogation-rahul-gandhi-should-listen-to-his-constructive-critics-246267">former Congress president should be "ashamed"</a> that his criticism of the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status is being cited by Pakistan against India.

"Congress has objected to the scrapping of Article 370. Even today, the statement Rahul Gandhi gives is praised in Pakistan. His statement is included in Pakistan's petition. Congress members should be ashamed that their statements are being used against India," Shah said at the inaugural function of Health and Wellness centre in Silvassa at Dadra Nagar Haveli.

Recently Pakistani Minister for Human Rights, Shireen Mazari, had stated that she wrote a letter to 18 United Nations Special Procedures mandate on the Kashmir issue. In her letter, Mazari had claimed that Rahul Gandhi has noted that people are dying in Jammu Kashmir.

While addressing the gathering, the Union Home Minister also claimed that revocation of Article 370 has also opened doors to the development and will curb the menace of terrorism in the region.

"With the withdrawal of 370, the road of development has opened in Jammu and Kashmir, the last nail in the coffin of terrorism has been laid, the task of integrating Jammu and Kashmir with India has been done. Everyone is with the government on this decision but some people are opposing it as well," Shah said.

The union minister also talked about the existing water crisis in the country and assured that the Centre will make efforts to conserve the precious resource by constructing new dams and finding ways to save water.

"Narendra Modi ji has formed a separate ministry for conserving the water. This ministry will make efforts to store water and expand the capacities of the dam. Water will be provided to every household, village and farms. The ministry will also work towards developing the technology in which less water will be used to grow the produced," home minister said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday slammed Rahul Gandhi stating that the former Congress president should be "ashamed" that his criticism of the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status is being cited by Pakistan against India.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday slammed Rahul Gandhi stating that the former Congress president should be "ashamed" that his criticism of the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status is being cited by Pakistan against India. "Congress has objected to the scrapping of Article 370. Even today, the statement Rahul Gandhi gives is praised in Pakistan. His statement is included in Pakistan's petition. Congress members should be ashamed that their statements are being used against India," Shah said at the inaugural function of Health and Wellness centre in Silvassa at Dadra Nagar Haveli. Recently Pakistani Minister for Human Rights, Shireen Mazari, had stated that she wrote a letter to 18 United Nations Special Procedures mandate on the Kashmir issue. In her letter, Mazari had claimed that Rahul Gandhi has noted that people are dying in Jammu Kashmir. While addressing the gathering, the Union Home Minister also claimed that revocation of Article 370 has also opened doors to the development and will curb the menace of terrorism in the region. "With the withdrawal of 370, the road of development has opened in Jammu and Kashmir, the last nail in the coffin of terrorism has been laid, the task of integrating Jammu and Kashmir with India has been done. Everyone is with the government on this decision but some people are opposing it as well," Shah said. The union minister also talked about the existing water crisis in the country and assured that the Centre will make efforts to conserve the precious resource by constructing new dams and finding ways to save water. "Narendra Modi ji has formed a separate ministry for conserving the water. This ministry will make efforts to store water and expand the capacities of the dam. Water will be provided to every household, village and farms. The ministry will also work towards developing the technology in which less water will be used to grow the produced," home minister said.

Home Minister Amit Shah slams Rahul Gandhi for objecting to Article 370 abrogation

Pakistani politician and Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has said that the revocation of Article 370 is absolutely an internal matter of India.

Hussain welcomed India’s move to scrap Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and said that Government of India took this decision with the overwhelming support of the people of India.&nbsp;

In a video released on Saturday from London where Hussain is living in exile, he said that Pakistan misuses Kashmiris and drives them to a corner where they have no choice except to hoist Pakistani flag and chant slogans for making J&amp;K party of Pakistan.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> London: Founder of Pakistan’s Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, Altaf Hussain sings 'Saare jahan se acha Hindustan hamara.' <a href="https://t.co/4IQKYnJjfB">pic.twitter.com/4IQKYnJjfB</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1167829752255848454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"Pakistan invaded Jammu and Kashmir and for that purpose used people of the tribal belt of Pakistan, arming them to attack and free J&amp;K. Following this, the Maharaja of J&amp;K approached India for help, consenting to merge the princely state with India. Pakistan fought four wars with India over the region but faced a humiliating defeat in all those four fights. Pakistan had not stopped conspiring against India and continued to infiltrate Indian territory with armed non-state actors in form of Jihadists," Hussain said.

Highlighting the plight of minorities in Pakistan, he said, “Pakistan’s military butchered unarmed and defenceless innocent Mohajirs, Balochs, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Hazarwalls, Gilgitis.”

Pakistani politician and Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has said that the revocation of Article 370 is absolutely an internal matter of India.

Pakistani politician and Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has said that the revocation of Article 370 is absolutely an internal matter of India. Hussain welcomed India’s move to scrap Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and said that Government of India took this decision with the overwhelming support of the people of India. In a video released on Saturday from London where Hussain is living in exile, he said that Pakistan misuses Kashmiris and drives them to a corner where they have no choice except to hoist Pakistani flag and chant slogans for making J&K party of Pakistan. #WATCH London: Founder of Pakistan’s Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, Altaf Hussain sings 'Saare jahan se acha Hindustan hamara.' pic.twitter.com/4IQKYnJjfB — ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2019 × "Pakistan invaded Jammu and Kashmir and for that purpose used people of the tribal belt of Pakistan, arming them to attack and free J&K. Following this, the Maharaja of J&K approached India for help, consenting to merge the princely state with India. Pakistan fought four wars with India over the region but faced a humiliating defeat in all those four fights. Pakistan had not stopped conspiring against India and continued to infiltrate Indian territory with armed non-state actors in form of Jihadists," Hussain said. Highlighting the plight of minorities in Pakistan, he said, “Pakistan’s military butchered unarmed and defenceless innocent Mohajirs, Balochs, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Hazarwalls, Gilgitis.”

Watch: Pakistani politician and MQM founder Altaf Hussain sings ‘Saare jahan se achha Hindustan humara’, terms Article 370 internal matter of India

Setting the tone of party's campaign in the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand, BJP working president J P Nadda on Saturday told the workers to dominate the electorate with issues like abrogation of Article 370 and triple talaq and not to get dominated by their queries and problems.

"The leader is one who dominates and the follower is one who gets dominated. When you are among the people, they will pose ten questions.

But you have to bring them to the issues of Article 370 and triple talaq," he said amid the chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai.'

Nadda, who is on a two-day visit to the state to take stock of the election preparedness, was addressing 'Shakti Kendra Sammelan'&nbsp;here in Palamu district.

"If people say that they will vote you but ask who will be your candidate...tell them that the candidate will be the symbol of BJP. We have to dominate. We have to convey our point effectively," he said.

The senior BJP leader said that there was an "electrifying effect" of the abrogation of Article 370 and people are joyous after the decision.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have made the dream of one nation-one Constitution true. The decision will benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh immensely," he said.

Referring to Pakistan's letter to the United Nations alleging human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir with mention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks, Nadda hit out at the opposition party, saying that the prevailing situation in the Muslim-dominated state was due to its wrong policies.

"The Congress party has betrayed the people of Jammu and Kashmir while three families looted the state and hampered its development. The people of the state were not getting benefits of the Central government schemes," he said.

The BJP leader also slammed the alliance of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress in the state and said they have neither leader nor intentions.

"We have a leader, policies and intentions. We have workers and the atmosphere is also in our favour whereas the opposition parties lack all these," he said urging the party workers to work at booth level for the next four months to win the election.

Nadda said the BJP was the world's largest political party with 18 crore members, and only seven countries have more population than the number of BJP workers.

"This is the power of our organisation. Except the BJP no one will be able to break this record," he said.

He claimed that during the recent membership drive the party has added the highest number of members in West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Setting the tone of party's campaign in the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand, BJP working president J P Nadda on Saturday told the workers to dominate the electorate with issues like abrogation of Article 370 and triple talaq and not to get dominated by their queries and problems.

Setting the tone of party's campaign in the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand, BJP working president J P Nadda on Saturday told the workers to dominate the electorate with issues like abrogation of Article 370 and triple talaq and not to get dominated by their queries and problems. "The leader is one who dominates and the follower is one who gets dominated. When you are among the people, they will pose ten questions. But you have to bring them to the issues of Article 370 and triple talaq," he said amid the chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai.' Nadda, who is on a two-day visit to the state to take stock of the election preparedness, was addressing 'Shakti Kendra Sammelan' here in Palamu district. "If people say that they will vote you but ask who will be your candidate...tell them that the candidate will be the symbol of BJP. We have to dominate. We have to convey our point effectively," he said. The senior BJP leader said that there was an "electrifying effect" of the abrogation of Article 370 and people are joyous after the decision. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have made the dream of one nation-one Constitution true. The decision will benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh immensely," he said. Referring to Pakistan's letter to the United Nations alleging human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir with mention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks, Nadda hit out at the opposition party, saying that the prevailing situation in the Muslim-dominated state was due to its wrong policies. "The Congress party has betrayed the people of Jammu and Kashmir while three families looted the state and hampered its development. The people of the state were not getting benefits of the Central government schemes," he said. The BJP leader also slammed the alliance of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress in the state and said they have neither leader nor intentions. "We have a leader, policies and intentions. We have workers and the atmosphere is also in our favour whereas the opposition parties lack all these," he said urging the party workers to work at booth level for the next four months to win the election. Nadda said the BJP was the world's largest political party with 18 crore members, and only seven countries have more population than the number of BJP workers. "This is the power of our organisation. Except the BJP no one will be able to break this record," he said. He claimed that during the recent membership drive the party has added the highest number of members in West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.

Dominate electorate with issues like abrogation of Article 370, triple talaq: Nadda to BJP workers

BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday asserted that Ram Temple will be built in Ayodhya in the same manner by which Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir.

Thakur, who is known for making controversial statements, said, "Ram Mandir will be built in Ayodhya, the same way Article 370 was removed from Jammu and Kashmir. Nothing will happen to me till the construction of the shrine in Ayodhya."

"Everyone believes now that removal of Article 370 has united the country. Now a grand Ram Temple will be built and we all witness it soon," she said while speaking to reporters in Indore.

Recently, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sunil Bharala gave a statement on similar lines.

He told ANI, "Temple of Lord Ram will be built during the tenure of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He is a decisive man, he will be the one to build the temple with his own hands, he has 'apaar shakti'&nbsp;in him."

"The day-to-day hearing on Ayodhya matter is taking place in the Supreme Court and a decision will be taken soon in the favour of the construction of Ram temple... Even the Muslim community supports this," he claimed.

Fourteen appeals are pending before the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya among the three parties- Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

The 16th-century Babri Masjid was demolished on 6 December 1992.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday asserted that Ram Temple will be built in Ayodhya in the same manner by which Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir.

BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday asserted that Ram Temple will be built in Ayodhya in the same manner by which Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir. Thakur, who is known for making controversial statements, said, "Ram Mandir will be built in Ayodhya, the same way Article 370 was removed from Jammu and Kashmir. Nothing will happen to me till the construction of the shrine in Ayodhya." "Everyone believes now that removal of Article 370 has united the country. Now a grand Ram Temple will be built and we all witness it soon," she said while speaking to reporters in Indore. Recently, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sunil Bharala gave a statement on similar lines. He told ANI, "Temple of Lord Ram will be built during the tenure of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He is a decisive man, he will be the one to build the temple with his own hands, he has 'apaar shakti' in him." "The day-to-day hearing on Ayodhya matter is taking place in the Supreme Court and a decision will be taken soon in the favour of the construction of Ram temple... Even the Muslim community supports this," he claimed. Fourteen appeals are pending before the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya among the three parties- Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. The 16th-century Babri Masjid was demolished on 6 December 1992.

After removal of Article 370, Ram temple will now be built in Ayodhya: Pragya Thakur

Giving a stern reply to Pakistan over its continuous rant about Kashmir, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the neighbouring country has no locus-standi on matters related to the region.&nbsp;

Addressing the 26th 'Kisan-Jawan Vigyan Mela' in Leh, Singh underlined that Islamabad's cries over Kashmir were uncalled for as the region was never a part of Pakistan. "I want to ask Pakistan when was Kashmir yours that you cry for it? Pakistan itself was carved out of India. We respect Pakistan's existence but that doesn't mean they can make any statements regarding Kashmir," Singh said.&nbsp;

''Pakistan has no locus standi on this matter,'' 'Rajnath Singh further&nbsp;added.

On August 5, the Centre had abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, doing away with the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The region was also re-organised into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir with the legislature and Ladakh without legislature.

Pakistan has been rattled by the Indian government's move to strip the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and has found itself completely isolated despite desperate attempts aimed at internationalising the issue.

Since New Delhi's landmark decision, Pakistan has ramped up its anti-India rhetoric.&nbsp;

Despite focusing on the dwindling economy and terrorism emanating from its soil, Islamabad has been crying hoarse over Kashmir and also went to the extent of threatening nuclear war.&nbsp;

India has maintained that Kashmir is New Delhi's internal matter but the neighbouring country has downgraded bilateral ties with and said it will consider all steps to counter what it described "illegal steps".

Giving a stern reply to Pakistan over its continuous rant about Kashmir, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the neighbouring country has no locus-standi on matters related to the region.

Giving a stern reply to Pakistan over its continuous rant about Kashmir, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the neighbouring country has no locus-standi on matters related to the region. Addressing the 26th 'Kisan-Jawan Vigyan Mela' in Leh, Singh underlined that Islamabad's cries over Kashmir were uncalled for as the region was never a part of Pakistan. "I want to ask Pakistan when was Kashmir yours that you cry for it? Pakistan itself was carved out of India. We respect Pakistan's existence but that doesn't mean they can make any statements regarding Kashmir," Singh said. ''Pakistan has no locus standi on this matter,'' 'Rajnath Singh further added. On August 5, the Centre had abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, doing away with the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The region was also re-organised into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir with the legislature and Ladakh without legislature. Pakistan has been rattled by the Indian government's move to strip the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and has found itself completely isolated despite desperate attempts aimed at internationalising the issue. Since New Delhi's landmark decision, Pakistan has ramped up its anti-India rhetoric. Despite focusing on the dwindling economy and terrorism emanating from its soil, Islamabad has been crying hoarse over Kashmir and also went to the extent of threatening nuclear war. India has maintained that Kashmir is New Delhi's internal matter but the neighbouring country has downgraded bilateral ties with and said it will consider all steps to counter what it described "illegal steps".

Pakistan has no local standi on Kashmir: Defence minister Rajnath Singh

Spiritual guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev spoke to WION on a range of issues. In an exclusive conversation with WION's Sidharth MP Sadhguru said that the sustainable development of this country depends on putting an end to everything temporary and transient.

Here are excerpts from the conversation.&nbsp;

WION: How far have we come as far as the 'Rally for Rivers' initiative is concerned and how are we taking it forward from here?

Sadhguru: Rally for Rivers essentially was an awareness campaign and thanks to people of India, 162 million people endorsed their support. Because of the support, the Government took it up and within two and a half months, the policy recommendations that we made became official. Niti Aayog sent these recommendations for all 29 states. 4 states are already in an aggressive mode of implementation while other states are in different levels of debate and discussion.

WION: What is the 'Cauvery Calling' initiative all about?&nbsp;

Sadhguru: 'Cauvery Calling' is a different type of a project, we involve farmers, government and the larger society. Farmers shift to 1/3rd agro-forestry. We have converted 69,760 farmers in Tamil Nadu into agroforestry in last 18 years. In 5-7 years, farmers' income will increase anywhere between 300-800 per cent. Nearly 70,000 farmers are there like that. At the current rate of conversion of 3000-5000 farmers per year, it will take 80 to 100 years for 1/3rd of the land to come under agroforestry. Cauvery Calling is an effort to crush this 100-year possibility to a 12-year project. For this, we needed an incentive from the government for the farmers.

First 4 years, when they shift to agroforestry, there is a little bit of loss of revenue, for that we wanted a subsidy. We have been working on this for the last 2 years. Both governments gave a clear positive signal that they will bring about an economic incentive for farmers to move from regular farming to agroforestry.

Right now 42 per cent of agri land in Tamil Nadu has been declared as fallow land, most fertile land is declared fallow and moving towards desertification. If this has to change, we need to put organic content into the soil - leaves and animal waste. Right now we are looking at transforming the Cauvery basin. 1/3rd of it must come under some shade, so we need to plant 242 crore trees. That is a big number but the farmers are going to plant it. The government is giving subsidy for the transition for 4 years, now the challenge is to raise that many saplings. We are looking at crowd-sourcing the funds as it costs 42 rupees per sapling. We want to raise saplings on a war footing. We are training farmers to use this as an enterprise, if they grow healthy saplings we will buy back and use it for agroforestry purposes.&nbsp;

WION: There have been a lot of clamouring calls for river Interlinking across the country, how do you view the viability of the project?&nbsp;

Sadhguru: If it is done for flood mitigation for certain rivers in certain parts of the country it is ok, for small projects. Large scale projects of river interlinking will be a disaster for this nation because our rivers are not of that volume. In a tropical nation, if you try to transport water in open canals, the loss that happens due to evaporation and thirsty land which sucks it out. It is not a viable thing and even economically it is not viable. These are European and North American models, it can’t be implemented here as we have a different climate and soil condition. River linking on a large scale won’t work. If you need to transport water for human consumption, it has to happen in a closed pipeline, it cannot happen in an open canal.

 
WION: The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-looks-to-neighbours-for-amazon-support-defends-record-246468">lungs of the earth, the Amazon</a>, have been burning. What is the lesson that India and the World can learn?

Sadhguru: Look at the images of the burning Amazon and Central Africa, people are saying the rain forest is burning. But rainforest cannot burn, there is too much humidity in the rain forest for it to burn. These are forests where all timber has been removed, only undergrowth and few small trees are left and that is burning. Probably they want it to burn because they are trying to turn it into cow pastures. All those importing beef from Brazil must know if they need to grow that many beef cattle they need plains and grasslands. That’s what they are trying to do. Which is what every developed nation did in the past. If you want to save ecology and put forests back, eat sensibly. We are not eating sensible, our way of food consumption is ecologically too expensive. It is for beef cultivation that they are clearing the forest. Instead of just telling them don’t clear the forest, see the source and augment the nation. If not forestry put agroforestry back

 
WION: You were there at ISRO, Sriharikota watching <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/third-lunar-bound-orbit-maneuver-for-chandrayaan-2-performed-successfully-isro-246182">Chandrayaan-2 launch</a>, there’s barely a week to go for the moon landing now, your thoughts?

Sadhguru: Its an exciting moment for India, fantastic for Indian scientists. Meeting leaders and scientists of ISRO has been an eye-opener for me. The general image of most government-related institutions is that they don’t perform. This is a phenomenal example of an organization functioning. It is not just about landing on the Moon, its the way they are operating, the passion, involvement, the cost at which it is being done. When I walk into ISRO, I have tears in my eyes; looking at these people, as simple as they seem, as brilliant as they are, what they are doing is fantastic. It is a great pride of the nation, our nation has so many problems and issues to settle, but ISRO is a bright spot for India.&nbsp;

WION: How do you view the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/article-370-abrogation-rahul-gandhi-should-listen-to-his-constructive-critics-246267">abrogation of Article 370</a> and the communications blockade in Jammu and Kashmir?

Sadhguru: I am no expert in constitutional matters. Every Indian, mainly the youth, our next generation should know which is India, which is not India. If I think this is my chair on which you are sitting unnecessarily, I get worked up. Tell me clearly if this is my chair or not. Why keep this in suspense? When they wrote the article, they clearly said it is temporary and transient. Please define to me, what is the idea of temporary and transient in this country. Are 72 years enough temporary, or do you want to wait for 700 years? If you make that clear for all the people of India and the soldiers who are dying on the borders, in this friction of not knowing which is what, like the families who are suffering. End everything temporary and transient if you are looking for sustainable development of this nation.

Spiritual guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev spoke to WION on a range of issues. In an exclusive conversation with WION's Sidharth MP Sadhguru said that the sustainable development of this country depends on putting an end to everything temporary and transient.

Spiritual guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev spoke to WION on a range of issues. In an exclusive conversation with WION's Sidharth MP Sadhguru said that the sustainable development of this country depends on putting an end to everything temporary and transient. Here are excerpts from the conversation. WION: How far have we come as far as the 'Rally for Rivers' initiative is concerned and how are we taking it forward from here? Sadhguru: Rally for Rivers essentially was an awareness campaign and thanks to people of India, 162 million people endorsed their support. Because of the support, the Government took it up and within two and a half months, the policy recommendations that we made became official. Niti Aayog sent these recommendations for all 29 states. 4 states are already in an aggressive mode of implementation while other states are in different levels of debate and discussion. WION: What is the 'Cauvery Calling' initiative all about? Sadhguru: 'Cauvery Calling' is a different type of a project, we involve farmers, government and the larger society. Farmers shift to 1/3rd agro-forestry. We have converted 69,760 farmers in Tamil Nadu into agroforestry in last 18 years. In 5-7 years, farmers' income will increase anywhere between 300-800 per cent. Nearly 70,000 farmers are there like that. At the current rate of conversion of 3000-5000 farmers per year, it will take 80 to 100 years for 1/3rd of the land to come under agroforestry. Cauvery Calling is an effort to crush this 100-year possibility to a 12-year project. For this, we needed an incentive from the government for the farmers. First 4 years, when they shift to agroforestry, there is a little bit of loss of revenue, for that we wanted a subsidy. We have been working on this for the last 2 years. Both governments gave a clear positive signal that they will bring about an economic incentive for farmers to move from regular farming to agroforestry. Right now 42 per cent of agri land in Tamil Nadu has been declared as fallow land, most fertile land is declared fallow and moving towards desertification. If this has to change, we need to put organic content into the soil - leaves and animal waste. Right now we are looking at transforming the Cauvery basin. 1/3rd of it must come under some shade, so we need to plant 242 crore trees. That is a big number but the farmers are going to plant it. The government is giving subsidy for the transition for 4 years, now the challenge is to raise that many saplings. We are looking at crowd-sourcing the funds as it costs 42 rupees per sapling. We want to raise saplings on a war footing. We are training farmers to use this as an enterprise, if they grow healthy saplings we will buy back and use it for agroforestry purposes. WION: There have been a lot of clamouring calls for river Interlinking across the country, how do you view the viability of the project? Sadhguru: If it is done for flood mitigation for certain rivers in certain parts of the country it is ok, for small projects. Large scale projects of river interlinking will be a disaster for this nation because our rivers are not of that volume. In a tropical nation, if you try to transport water in open canals, the loss that happens due to evaporation and thirsty land which sucks it out. It is not a viable thing and even economically it is not viable. These are European and North American models, it can’t be implemented here as we have a different climate and soil condition. River linking on a large scale won’t work. If you need to transport water for human consumption, it has to happen in a closed pipeline, it cannot happen in an open canal. WION: The lungs of the earth, the Amazon, have been burning. What is the lesson that India and the World can learn? Sadhguru: Look at the images of the burning Amazon and Central Africa, people are saying the rain forest is burning. But rainforest cannot burn, there is too much humidity in the rain forest for it to burn. These are forests where all timber has been removed, only undergrowth and few small trees are left and that is burning. Probably they want it to burn because they are trying to turn it into cow pastures. All those importing beef from Brazil must know if they need to grow that many beef cattle they need plains and grasslands. That’s what they are trying to do. Which is what every developed nation did in the past. If you want to save ecology and put forests back, eat sensibly. We are not eating sensible, our way of food consumption is ecologically too expensive. It is for beef cultivation that they are clearing the forest. Instead of just telling them don’t clear the forest, see the source and augment the nation. If not forestry put agroforestry back WION: You were there at ISRO, Sriharikota watching Chandrayaan-2 launch, there’s barely a week to go for the moon landing now, your thoughts? Sadhguru: Its an exciting moment for India, fantastic for Indian scientists. Meeting leaders and scientists of ISRO has been an eye-opener for me. The general image of most government-related institutions is that they don’t perform. This is a phenomenal example of an organization functioning. It is not just about landing on the Moon, its the way they are operating, the passion, involvement, the cost at which it is being done. When I walk into ISRO, I have tears in my eyes; looking at these people, as simple as they seem, as brilliant as they are, what they are doing is fantastic. It is a great pride of the nation, our nation has so many problems and issues to settle, but ISRO is a bright spot for India. WION: How do you view the abrogation of Article 370 and the communications blockade in Jammu and Kashmir? Sadhguru: I am no expert in constitutional matters. Every Indian, mainly the youth, our next generation should know which is India, which is not India. If I think this is my chair on which you are sitting unnecessarily, I get worked up. Tell me clearly if this is my chair or not. Why keep this in suspense? When they wrote the article, they clearly said it is temporary and transient. Please define to me, what is the idea of temporary and transient in this country. Are 72 years enough temporary, or do you want to wait for 700 years? If you make that clear for all the people of India and the soldiers who are dying on the borders, in this friction of not knowing which is what, like the families who are suffering. End everything temporary and transient if you are looking for sustainable development of this nation.

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev speaks to WION on Amazon fires, Article 370 and much more 

Following days of restrictions, mobile phone services have been resumed in five districts of Jammu region.

Starting Wednesday night, the services were restored in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch districts. The services were suspended across Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, given security concerns in the region following Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370.

Defending restrictions on the use of mobile phones and internet, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik had said that the curb has been imposed as these facilities were abused as "a weapon" against the country and mostly exploited by terrorists to mobilise the people.

"There is much hullabaloo over the absence of telephone facilities. I want to say that people should wait for 10 more days. For us every life is important. Please try to understand the reasons behind these restrictions. Who uses phone and internet? It is of little use for us but is mostly exploited by terrorists and Pakistanis," Malik said.&nbsp;

Following days of restrictions, mobile phone services have been resumed in five districts of Jammu region. Starting Wednesday night, the services were restored in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch districts.

Following days of restrictions, mobile phone services have been resumed in five districts of Jammu region. Starting Wednesday night, the services were restored in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch districts. The services were suspended across Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, given security concerns in the region following Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370. Defending restrictions on the use of mobile phones and internet, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik had said that the curb has been imposed as these facilities were abused as "a weapon" against the country and mostly exploited by terrorists to mobilise the people. "There is much hullabaloo over the absence of telephone facilities. I want to say that people should wait for 10 more days. For us every life is important. Please try to understand the reasons behind these restrictions. Who uses phone and internet? It is of little use for us but is mostly exploited by terrorists and Pakistanis," Malik said.

Mobile phone services restored in five districts of Jammu

Pakistan’s frustration is that abrogation of Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir will expose its terrorists fuelling the proxy war in the valley, out of the umbrella of local political patronage. The separatists will be exposed and its terror industry in Kashmir over the decades will start crumbling.

Pakistan Army, ISI and political class have enjoyed power domestically, on their narrative of efforts of Kashmir’s liberation so far; hence Indian action has disturbed their plans. China’s disgruntlement stems from the fact that Ladakh becoming a Union Territory&nbsp;weakens their false, incremental claims in that region, besides weakening Pakistan’s proxy to keep Indians engaged on their behalf.&nbsp;

Pakistan has been waging hybrid war with a large number of terrorists, along with separatists instigating violence, coupled with conventional ceasefire violations at LoC. Its efforts to re-ignite hybrid war post abrogation of Article 370 have not met much success because of heavy deployment of forces and alertness of Indian security forces and restrictions on mobile and internet.&nbsp;

Pakistan’s irrational actions like degrading diplomatic relations with India, scrapping trade ties, stopping rail communication and blocking air routes have been to its disadvantage. Pakistan and China went through a diplomatic offensive by approaching UNSC for an informal meeting, which also yielded no results as the world community did not find it worthwhile to even issue any joint statement.&nbsp;

On sidelines of G7 Summit, Prime Minister Modi while talking to US President Donald Trump ruled out any mediation efforts by any other country, which Pakistan was vehemently trying. This has put to rest all diplomatic efforts by Pakistan seeking mediation of Kashmir Issue.&nbsp;

Enhanced military deployment along the LoC is part of escalating the hybrid war. Attempts to infiltrate terrorists is to create fear psychosis among people of Kashmir.

China seems to be signalling moral and material support to Pakistan through MoUs for defence capacity building and cooperation during the visit of Deputy Chairman of its Central Military Commission, which seems to be more of optics as China already accounts for more than 70 per cent of import of military hardware to Pakistan. After UNSC embarrassment China has been relatively quiet on propaganda or rhetoric.&nbsp;

Pakistan has enhanced the dimension of warfare by graduating to all-out ‘Information Warfare’ (IW), which encompasses propaganda, fake news, threatening statements, rhetoric and invisible cyberwar. Their first narrative is to give religious colour to propaganda campaign, &nbsp;and restrictions on internet and mobile (which is the lifeline of its terror networking, propaganda campaign) as atrocities on Kashmiris. The aim is to garner support on the global platform. Unfortunately for them, except for members of their terror industry and their sympathisers, not very many have bought this narrative.&nbsp;

The second narrative is posing threat from India, posing helplessness, repeatedly threatening the world of its nuclear status and it’s irrationality to get into nuclear exchange, blackmailing world community to intervene and save the situation. The third narrative is to blackmail the US for its need to quit Afghanistan and blackmail China for protecting its economic interests and workers in the country. However, Imran Khan’s acceptance of approximately 40,000 terrorists operating in Pakistan and the threat of Pulwama type attacks do not deter India.

Pakistan’s targets for information warfare are different for each type of narrative. For religious agenda, it is targeting people of Kashmir valley, Muslim diaspora (like planned processions in UK), Khalistan terrorists and sympathisers.

It is also targeting some disgruntled elements in India including political opponents trying to fish in troubled water by following a narrative against the national mandate to score some petty political gains. The methodologies adopted for IW ranges from running psychological operations, electronic warfare, misinformation campaigns, information attacks and manipulating public perception through social media. Mobile, internet and radio transmissions are fast modes of connectivity being used. Structured television programmes are also being made by Pakistan.

Fake and old videos are being played up as the current situation in Kashmir, which are getting identified to be of different incidents globally on investigations. Pakistan has also influenced some international news agencies to carry fake news on their behalf.

Information war by Pakistan cannot be taken lightly and needs to be combated professionally. One of the best methods of combating it is to flood the global environment with hard facts to counter fake news and propaganda. India had anticipated the security challenges arising out of such decision and has done its best to quarantine the potential problem creators and flash spots with tight restrictions.&nbsp;

Kashmir valley has been quite peaceful after India strengthened the security force level in the valley and imposed restrictions on the use of mobile and internet there to ensure the safety of citizens. India’s priority is to save the lives of innocent people.

With Pakistan openly trying everything possible to re-ignite Kashmir valley through its terrorists, Indian administrators and security forces will have to strike a fine balance by relaxing restrictions with an option to re-clamp the same again if problem creators pose threat to prevailing peace. &nbsp;

The criticism of the government for imposing restrictions by those who abused power when Article 370 is natural, but if it can save lives of innocent people then it can be endured.

The recent attempt of Pakistani PM Imran Khan trying to portray himself as the poster boy for Kashmiris must be rebutted with his continued silence over atrocities in Balochistan and Xinjiang. Indian secular fabric is strong enough to not&nbsp;fall prey to religious fundamentalism, but counter-propaganda speeches may well be the need of the hour to quarantine the thought process of innocents from radicalised sleeper cells.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Pakistan’s frustration is that abrogation of Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir will expose its terrorists fuelling the proxy war in the valley, out of the umbrella of local political patronage.

Pakistan’s frustration is that abrogation of Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir will expose its terrorists fuelling the proxy war in the valley, out of the umbrella of local political patronage. The separatists will be exposed and its terror industry in Kashmir over the decades will start crumbling. Pakistan Army, ISI and political class have enjoyed power domestically, on their narrative of efforts of Kashmir’s liberation so far; hence Indian action has disturbed their plans. China’s disgruntlement stems from the fact that Ladakh becoming a Union Territory weakens their false, incremental claims in that region, besides weakening Pakistan’s proxy to keep Indians engaged on their behalf. Pakistan has been waging hybrid war with a large number of terrorists, along with separatists instigating violence, coupled with conventional ceasefire violations at LoC. Its efforts to re-ignite hybrid war post abrogation of Article 370 have not met much success because of heavy deployment of forces and alertness of Indian security forces and restrictions on mobile and internet. Pakistan’s irrational actions like degrading diplomatic relations with India, scrapping trade ties, stopping rail communication and blocking air routes have been to its disadvantage. Pakistan and China went through a diplomatic offensive by approaching UNSC for an informal meeting, which also yielded no results as the world community did not find it worthwhile to even issue any joint statement. On sidelines of G7 Summit, Prime Minister Modi while talking to US President Donald Trump ruled out any mediation efforts by any other country, which Pakistan was vehemently trying. This has put to rest all diplomatic efforts by Pakistan seeking mediation of Kashmir Issue. Enhanced military deployment along the LoC is part of escalating the hybrid war. Attempts to infiltrate terrorists is to create fear psychosis among people of Kashmir. China seems to be signalling moral and material support to Pakistan through MoUs for defence capacity building and cooperation during the visit of Deputy Chairman of its Central Military Commission, which seems to be more of optics as China already accounts for more than 70 per cent of import of military hardware to Pakistan. After UNSC embarrassment China has been relatively quiet on propaganda or rhetoric. Pakistan has enhanced the dimension of warfare by graduating to all-out ‘Information Warfare’ (IW), which encompasses propaganda, fake news, threatening statements, rhetoric and invisible cyberwar. Their first narrative is to give religious colour to propaganda campaign, and restrictions on internet and mobile (which is the lifeline of its terror networking, propaganda campaign) as atrocities on Kashmiris. The aim is to garner support on the global platform. Unfortunately for them, except for members of their terror industry and their sympathisers, not very many have bought this narrative. The second narrative is posing threat from India, posing helplessness, repeatedly threatening the world of its nuclear status and it’s irrationality to get into nuclear exchange, blackmailing world community to intervene and save the situation. The third narrative is to blackmail the US for its need to quit Afghanistan and blackmail China for protecting its economic interests and workers in the country. However, Imran Khan’s acceptance of approximately 40,000 terrorists operating in Pakistan and the threat of Pulwama type attacks do not deter India. Pakistan’s targets for information warfare are different for each type of narrative. For religious agenda, it is targeting people of Kashmir valley, Muslim diaspora (like planned processions in UK), Khalistan terrorists and sympathisers. It is also targeting some disgruntled elements in India including political opponents trying to fish in troubled water by following a narrative against the national mandate to score some petty political gains. The methodologies adopted for IW ranges from running psychological operations, electronic warfare, misinformation campaigns, information attacks and manipulating public perception through social media. Mobile, internet and radio transmissions are fast modes of connectivity being used. Structured television programmes are also being made by Pakistan. Fake and old videos are being played up as the current situation in Kashmir, which are getting identified to be of different incidents globally on investigations. Pakistan has also influenced some international news agencies to carry fake news on their behalf. Information war by Pakistan cannot be taken lightly and needs to be combated professionally. One of the best methods of combating it is to flood the global environment with hard facts to counter fake news and propaganda. India had anticipated the security challenges arising out of such decision and has done its best to quarantine the potential problem creators and flash spots with tight restrictions. Kashmir valley has been quite peaceful after India strengthened the security force level in the valley and imposed restrictions on the use of mobile and internet there to ensure the safety of citizens. India’s priority is to save the lives of innocent people. With Pakistan openly trying everything possible to re-ignite Kashmir valley through its terrorists, Indian administrators and security forces will have to strike a fine balance by relaxing restrictions with an option to re-clamp the same again if problem creators pose threat to prevailing peace. The criticism of the government for imposing restrictions by those who abused power when Article 370 is natural, but if it can save lives of innocent people then it can be endured. The recent attempt of Pakistani PM Imran Khan trying to portray himself as the poster boy for Kashmiris must be rebutted with his continued silence over atrocities in Balochistan and Xinjiang. Indian secular fabric is strong enough to not fall prey to religious fundamentalism, but counter-propaganda speeches may well be the need of the hour to quarantine the thought process of innocents from radicalised sleeper cells. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Pakistan trying hard to spread false narratives on Jammu and Kashmir

The challenges following the historic revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status straddle two broad categories. First, maintaining peace in the Valley in the immediate aftermath of the Parliament approving the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. That phase is now over.&nbsp;

The second, more difficult task, is to sustain peace in the Valley in the long term. There is a powerful confluence of vested interests arrayed against allowing peace to settle in the Valley.&nbsp;

Pakistan has used Kashmir to prosecute its 30-year-long proxy war with India. The end of J&amp;K’s special status has dealt Islamabad an existentialist blow.&nbsp;

At the meeting this week between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit in France, the bogey of US “mediation” in J&amp;K was buried.&nbsp;

By unleashing jihad in Kashmir three decades ago, the renegade Pakistani Army sought not only to make India bleed by a thousand cuts, but to stamp its centrality within Pakistan. Globally, it projected Pakistan as a victim of Indian aggression in a disputed territory. That narrative is now thoroughly discredited.&nbsp;

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared publicly that the only topic of discussion henceforth with Pakistan — once it ceases sponsoring terrorism against India — will be Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). His statement that India’s no-first-use nuclear doctrine is no longer cast in stone has further unnerved Islamabad. By responding with nuclear jingoism, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has exposed Islamabad’s paranoia.&nbsp;

Low-intensity jihad is a lucrative business. It has helped boost Pakistan’s defence budget to nearly 4 per cent&nbsp;of GDP, among the highest ratios in the world. The Pakistani Army skims the cream off defence contracts into the foreign accounts of Rawalpindi’s Generals. The last 30 years have built the personal wealth of Pakistan’s senior military officers. Unlike armed forces officers in democracies, they suffer no oversight from the civilian government. That business model could be disrupted by India’s new policy on Pakistan and J&amp;K.&nbsp;

Hurriyat separatists are the other big losers in J&amp;K’s new status, liberated from the suffocating grip of Article 370. The Hurriyat reports to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s notorious spy agency, through the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi. The separatists act as a conduit for the ISI’s terror funding. They also provide ready cash to stone pelters to hinder counter-terror operations by Indian security forces. That business model, too, is now broken.&nbsp;

What about mainstream political leaders “locked up” in palace hotels and guest houses? This week, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti declined the government’s offer of conditional release. Some argue that India has alienated these legitimate representatives of the Valley. That is debatable. The Valley’s feudal dynasts, who won rigged elections in the past and spoke with forked tongues in support of separatists, are part of J&amp;K’s discredited political ecosystem. &nbsp;Within this ecosystem flourishes corruption, nepotism and misgovernance. Elections in the new delimited J&amp;K Assembly will separate the wheat from the chaff.&nbsp;

Another key to returning Kashmir to normalcy will be the success of the global investors conference to be held in J&amp;K in October. Co-hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the conference is expected to attract companies ranging from Reliance Industries and Kotak-Mahindra Bank to multi-nationals in infrastructure, healthcare, hospitality and information technology.&nbsp;

For the first time in 70 years, non-Kashmiri employees of these companies will be able to enrol their children in government schools in J&amp;K.&nbsp;

Not everyone in India is happy with the liberation of Kashmir from the chains Article 370 bound it in for 70 years. In a democracy, dissent is both welcome and necessary. A plurality of voices helps provide nuance to every issue. Let’s examine two such voices.&nbsp;

The first is Pratap Bhanu Mehta, vice-chancellor of Ashoka University. Mehta wrote recently in a leading daily criticising the Supreme Court’s anodyne reaction to several petitions filed with it against the abrogation of Article 370:

“Our legal abdication on liberties is a sign that we are not ready to treat Kashmiris as ordinary Indians and that we are willing to debase ourselves in the face of an executive that is acting more colonially than a colonial power.” Mehta is wrong. Parliament reflects the collective will of the people, a point the Supreme Court, too, made during the brief hearing it gave the petitioners. To portray an empowering legislation on Article 370, approved by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, as worse than the action of a colonial power, as Mehta does, exhibits prejudice, not reason.&nbsp;

The second example is equally telling. Ashok Varshney, a professor at Brown University, wrote in the same daily: “Only in one democratic sense — democracy as a system of electoral power — can the decision to change Kashmir’s status be called potentially legitimate. In all other democratic senses, we have witnessed severely anti-democratic conduct. It was electorally-enabled brute majoritarianism.”&nbsp;

The speciousness of this argument is obvious. Democracy is not a malleable concept. If majoritarianism is bad in the rest of India — and it is — it is bad in J&amp;K as well. Varshney can’t have it both ways: good in J&amp;K, bad in the rest of India.&nbsp;

The next few weeks will reveal how Kashmiris react to their new status — and how Pakistan-sponsored terrorists and the corrupt local political ecosystem come to terms with their own diminished status.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-kashmir-winning-the-peace-2785720">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The challenges following the historic revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status straddle two broad categories. First, maintaining peace in the Valley in the immediate aftermath of the Parliament approving the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

The challenges following the historic revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status straddle two broad categories. First, maintaining peace in the Valley in the immediate aftermath of the Parliament approving the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. That phase is now over. The second, more difficult task, is to sustain peace in the Valley in the long term. There is a powerful confluence of vested interests arrayed against allowing peace to settle in the Valley. Pakistan has used Kashmir to prosecute its 30-year-long proxy war with India. The end of J&K’s special status has dealt Islamabad an existentialist blow. At the meeting this week between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit in France, the bogey of US “mediation” in J&K was buried. By unleashing jihad in Kashmir three decades ago, the renegade Pakistani Army sought not only to make India bleed by a thousand cuts, but to stamp its centrality within Pakistan. Globally, it projected Pakistan as a victim of Indian aggression in a disputed territory. That narrative is now thoroughly discredited. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared publicly that the only topic of discussion henceforth with Pakistan — once it ceases sponsoring terrorism against India — will be Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). His statement that India’s no-first-use nuclear doctrine is no longer cast in stone has further unnerved Islamabad. By responding with nuclear jingoism, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has exposed Islamabad’s paranoia. Low-intensity jihad is a lucrative business. It has helped boost Pakistan’s defence budget to nearly 4 per cent of GDP, among the highest ratios in the world. The Pakistani Army skims the cream off defence contracts into the foreign accounts of Rawalpindi’s Generals. The last 30 years have built the personal wealth of Pakistan’s senior military officers. Unlike armed forces officers in democracies, they suffer no oversight from the civilian government. That business model could be disrupted by India’s new policy on Pakistan and J&K. Hurriyat separatists are the other big losers in J&K’s new status, liberated from the suffocating grip of Article 370. The Hurriyat reports to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s notorious spy agency, through the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi. The separatists act as a conduit for the ISI’s terror funding. They also provide ready cash to stone pelters to hinder counter-terror operations by Indian security forces. That business model, too, is now broken. What about mainstream political leaders “locked up” in palace hotels and guest houses? This week, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti declined the government’s offer of conditional release. Some argue that India has alienated these legitimate representatives of the Valley. That is debatable. The Valley’s feudal dynasts, who won rigged elections in the past and spoke with forked tongues in support of separatists, are part of J&K’s discredited political ecosystem. Within this ecosystem flourishes corruption, nepotism and misgovernance. Elections in the new delimited J&K Assembly will separate the wheat from the chaff. Another key to returning Kashmir to normalcy will be the success of the global investors conference to be held in J&K in October. Co-hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the conference is expected to attract companies ranging from Reliance Industries and Kotak-Mahindra Bank to multi-nationals in infrastructure, healthcare, hospitality and information technology. For the first time in 70 years, non-Kashmiri employees of these companies will be able to enrol their children in government schools in J&K. Not everyone in India is happy with the liberation of Kashmir from the chains Article 370 bound it in for 70 years. In a democracy, dissent is both welcome and necessary. A plurality of voices helps provide nuance to every issue. Let’s examine two such voices. The first is Pratap Bhanu Mehta, vice-chancellor of Ashoka University. Mehta wrote recently in a leading daily criticising the Supreme Court’s anodyne reaction to several petitions filed with it against the abrogation of Article 370: “Our legal abdication on liberties is a sign that we are not ready to treat Kashmiris as ordinary Indians and that we are willing to debase ourselves in the face of an executive that is acting more colonially than a colonial power.” Mehta is wrong. Parliament reflects the collective will of the people, a point the Supreme Court, too, made during the brief hearing it gave the petitioners. To portray an empowering legislation on Article 370, approved by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, as worse than the action of a colonial power, as Mehta does, exhibits prejudice, not reason. The second example is equally telling. Ashok Varshney, a professor at Brown University, wrote in the same daily: “Only in one democratic sense — democracy as a system of electoral power — can the decision to change Kashmir’s status be called potentially legitimate. In all other democratic senses, we have witnessed severely anti-democratic conduct. It was electorally-enabled brute majoritarianism.” The speciousness of this argument is obvious. Democracy is not a malleable concept. If majoritarianism is bad in the rest of India — and it is — it is bad in J&K as well. Varshney can’t have it both ways: good in J&K, bad in the rest of India. The next few weeks will reveal how Kashmiris react to their new status — and how Pakistan-sponsored terrorists and the corrupt local political ecosystem come to terms with their own diminished status. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

With many shibboleths shattered, big challenge for India now is to maintain peace in Jammu and Kashmir

Russia on Wednesday supported India on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/article-370-abrogation-supreme-court-review-petitions-in-october-notice-sent-to-centre-246156">abrogation of Article 370</a> in Jammu and Kashmir and called it a sovereign and internal matter.&nbsp;

Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev stated that the abrogation is a sovereign decision of the Indian Government.&nbsp;

"All matters between India and Pakistan can be resolved through the Simla agreement. It is an internal matter of India," he said.&nbsp;

Deputy Ambassador Roman Bushkin said, "it is the concern of the international community of growing importance of disarmament".

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Russian envoy to India Nikolay Kudashev, speaking to reporters in Delhi, today reiterated Moscow's stance on Kashmir &amp; said abrogation of article 370 is India's internal matter
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Calling India a "responsible player," Bushkin said any escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan is a concern.&nbsp;

"We would prefer more dialogue between the two nations. India has no first use doctrine. Dialogue must be streamlined as per the mutually accepted condition," Bushkin added.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday heard petitions challenging Central government’s decision to&nbsp;abrogate Article 370&nbsp;and referred the matter to a 5-judge constitution bench. The matter has now been posted for review in October.&nbsp;

The top court has also issued notices to the Centre and state seeking their response on the issue.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Over 10 petitions were filed in the top court related to the recent developments in the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;

Russia on Wednesday supported India on the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and called it a sovereign and internal matter. Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev stated that the abrogation is a sovereign decision of the Indian Government.

Russia on Wednesday supported India on the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and called it a sovereign and internal matter. Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev stated that the abrogation is a sovereign decision of the Indian Government. "All matters between India and Pakistan can be resolved through the Simla agreement. It is an internal matter of India," he said. Deputy Ambassador Roman Bushkin said, "it is the concern of the international community of growing importance of disarmament". Russian envoy to India Nikolay Kudashev, speaking to reporters in Delhi, today reiterated Moscow's stance on Kashmir & said abrogation of article 370 is India's internal matter — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) August 28, 2019 × Calling India a "responsible player," Bushkin said any escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan is a concern. "We would prefer more dialogue between the two nations. India has no first use doctrine. Dialogue must be streamlined as per the mutually accepted condition," Bushkin added. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday heard petitions challenging Central government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 and referred the matter to a 5-judge constitution bench. The matter has now been posted for review in October. The top court has also issued notices to the Centre and state seeking their response on the issue. Over 10 petitions were filed in the top court related to the recent developments in the Kashmir Valley.

Article 370 abrogation: Russia supports India, says 'matter should be resolved through Simla accord'

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