Amid the raging controversy over release of a Kashmiri separatist leader, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asserted that his government's top priority was national security and not the continuance of the government in the state where the Bharatiya Janata Party is an alliance partner.
Under attack over pro-Pakistan slogans and flags being waved at a rally by hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on Thursday said it was "not acceptable" and "will not be tolerated'.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, a coalition partner in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led government in Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday criticised the controversial decision to release hardline separatist leader Masarat Alam and said its ministers and legislators will meet to discuss the party stand over the "unilateral" step.
The re-opening of the state government offices in Srinagar after the annual Darbar Move was marked by citywide shutdown and protests.
Fate of 271 candidates including two former chief ministers -- Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad -- would be sealed on Wednesday, as 16 constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir go to polls in the sixth round of the seven-phase assembly elections.As many as 20,000 additional security forces personnel and nearly 10,000 local policemen have been deployed at 1,268 polling stations set up in the 16 assembly seats spread over five districts.
Hitting back at the Peoples Democratic Party, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday accused its leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed of "shutting his eyes" to the sex scandal when it first surfaced in 2006 as his own people were involved.
Mufti sent a communication to the chief minister asking him to withdraw the security provided to him.
Dr Singh, who arrived at Jammu airport by a special plane from New Delhi on Friday afternoon, flew in a helicopter to the Chenab bridge site, about 27-km from Jammu, and dedicated it to the nation. Governor Lt. Gen. (retd) S K Sinha, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed were among others who received the prime minister at the airport and also accompanied him to the bridge site.
Addressing a public meeting in Mahore town of Reasi district on Sunday, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party patron said: "Jammu and Kashmir should become a model among the SAARC countries by allowing both Indian and Pakistani currency to operate in the state." Mufti defended his proposal by quoting the example of European Union, where he said "free travel was possible among 40 countries without any visa restrictions."
The Gujarat police have arrested Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari from Mumbai in connection with an FIR registered against him for allegedly delivering a hate speech and are bringing him back to the state, an official said on Monday.
Maintaining that it would put up candidates in all six Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday ruled out alliance with any party during the upcoming parliamentary polls.
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and People's Democratic Party leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has demanded that the Centre investigate the role of Lieutenant General (Retired) S K Sinha in the Malegaon blast as during the latter's tenure as the state's governor, religious leader Dayanand Pandey used to visit Kashmir regularly and was treated like a state guest.Sources close to Lt Gen Sinha rejected Mufti's charges as outrageous.
A total of 78 Muslims were in the fray in the Lok Sabha elections this year, a significant drop from the last polls when 115 Muslim candidates were fielded by various parties.
"We are feeling quite uncomfortable over some of your actions and undesirable utterances especially which hurt patriotic sentiments," read a letter to Mufti signed by three leaders.
"God forbid if they (militants) would have done something. It would not have been possible to have smooth conduct of the elections," Sayeed said.
Sayeed, Abdullah and Bhat appeared together at the centenary celebrations of S P College where they studied 50 years ago.
Claiming that the state has not changed a bit and the arrests and killings continued, the Hurriyat spokesman said a lot of noise has been made about the dialogue process.
The Union home ministry has sought a report from Jammu and Kashmir government on circumstances leading to release from jail of hardline separatist leader Masarat Alam, who has over 15 cases pending against him.
Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma angers Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed over the use of 'improper' language while conversing with Chief Secretary Sudhir Belloria
The United States ambassador expressed his countrys interest in helping end cross-border terrorism and aiding the economic development of Jammu and Kashmir.\n\n\n\n\n\n
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has approved the project plan for the South Campus of Kashmir University for which over 15 hectares of land has been acquired at Fatehgarh near Anantnag.
Chief Minister Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed assured the team was free to meet whoever they want as\n\nthe government believed in transparency.
'Alienation has to be addressed,' says Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.
The chief minister, however, said the bridge connecting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to this side, Aman Setu, will take some time to be repaired.
To support the widows and orphaned children of the killed ultras, Jammu and Kashmir Council for Rehabilitation of Militancy Victims on Thursday widened its area of action and included dependants of militants killed over 15 years
A rotating chief ministership as a way to appease factions can work only if there is a credible guarantor, explains Aditi Phadnis.
The choice of 'Hari Niwas' conversion into the chief minister's residence came following growing security concerns for the chief minister.
JKLF leader Yasin Malik on terrorism and independence.
Under the Indo-Pak agreement for the launch of bus service, any permanent resident of Jammu and Kashmir can travel only between two parts of undivided state on a permit.
