'If the country felt very strongly about the BJP, then why did the country not put money where the mouth is?'
Union Minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday ruled out any problems with ally Congress in Jammu and Kashmir.
'We have lots of expectations from Omar Abdullah. He is dynamic, very sharp, intelligent and has the zeal to work for the people. He has a fire in him and he wants to do something concrete for the people. Besides, he is soft-spoken, not arrogant and has tonnes of patience,' says Abdul Rahim Rather
Relentless heavy rain led to a landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hill on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least five people and injuring 14, officials said.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has convened a meeting at his residence on Thursday for chalking out the future course of action on 'Gupkar Declaration' with regard to the special status of Jammu and Kashmir which was revoked by the Centre last year.
Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a 29-year-old Kashmiri pony ride operator, was killed by terrorists in Pahalgam while trying to save tourists from an attack. Shah was the only Kashmiri and Muslim victim of the attack, which saw terrorists demand tourists recite Islamic prayers before shooting them. His brother, Syed Naushad Shah, described Adil as a "righteous" man who ran towards the terrorists to stop them from killing more people. The attack has left a pall of fear over Pahalgam, with tourists fleeing the area and businesses shuttered.
Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar was Kashmir's leading venue for protests where fortified defences had been set up by security forces. Today a group of youngsters dances at the Chowk and makes reels.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appreciated Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for taking up the broom and cleaning a street in Srinagar, saying it was a "wonderful effort" which will strengthen the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign.
The BJP on Monday took strong exception to remarks by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over the hanging of Afzal Guru, alleging that he was speaking the language of separatists and trying to provoke the people of the Valley.
This is first picture of 49-year-old Omar to have appeared in public domain after five months of captivity. It showed him smiling in a snow covered jacket and sporting an unkempt greyish beard.
Chawdhary announced this after laying a wreath at the Amar Prahari memorial at the BS Headquarters in Jammu in remembrance of the fallen soldiers.
A terror attack on tourists in the Pahalgam area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district has left several injured. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack, calling it an abomination. Several political leaders from the region have denounced the attack and called for a thorough investigation. The attack has raised serious questions about the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, with the incident being described as the most unfortunate and shameful act by the JKPCC.
The officials said that intelligence agencies had been alerted about the possibility of a terror attack, but the inputs were utilised at another place, some 90 kilometres away from the site where the attack took place, resulting in a key security lapse.
The People's Democratic Party and the National Conference -- the two Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) partners in Jammu and Kashmir -- will be taking on each other on the three Lok Sabha seats in the valley.
Rescue operations continue in Kishtwar, J&K, following a devastating cloudburst. Anxious relatives cling to fading hope as the search for the missing enters its third day.
A chopper carrying Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday made an emergency landing in Kishtwar district shortly after take-off due to a technical problem, but no one was injured in the incident.
Heavy rains battered Jammu and Kashmir, triggering floods, damaging infrastructure, and disrupting normal life. Authorities issued advisories and rescue operations were conducted.
Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP accused National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah of leaving them "no option".
Pakistani wives of former militants rehabilitated in Kashmir have pleaded with the government to allow them to stay, stating they would rather die than return to their native country. The women, who came to Kashmir under a 2010 rehabilitation policy for former militants, have been asked to leave by the police. They say they have built lives in Kashmir and fear for the future of their children if they are forced to return.
The dastardly dimensions of the attack are gradually sinking in even as the Government of India announced its immediate diplomatic and other retaliatory measures. It is generally expected to be followed up with punitive military action across the LoC, sooner than later, observes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
'The Indian embassy did send a bus to evacuate us along with an Indian embassy official, but Urmia University is not giving us permission to leave.'
After record rains wreaked havoc in Jammu and Kashmir over the past two days, the death toll in related incidents rose to 41, most of them victims of the landslide on a Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route, while there was some let-up in the showers on Wednesday, allowing relief efforts to pick up pace.
The story of two Adils, one a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist and the other a pony 'wallah' who died protecting tourists, highlights the contrasting realities of life in Kashmir. While the terrorist, Aadil Thokar, is accused of the deadly attack on tourists in Baisaran, the heroic pony 'wallah', Syed Adil Hussain Shah, sacrificed his life to save them. Their stories, though separated by a tragic event, reveal the deep-rooted conflict and the enduring spirit of compassion in Kashmir.
Transcript of the Omar Abdullah chat.
"The group should not be of bureaucrats or retired officers but comprised of political persons having full knowledge of Jammu and Kashmir. The team should come with open mind and interact with people in Kashmir, Jammu, Leh and Kargil," Omar Abdullah said in the state assembly.
Two persons from Uttar Pradesh were shot at by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district on Friday evening, officials said.
Drones were sighted and explosions were heard in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, a day after India thwarted attempts by the Pakistan military to attack Indian military installations using drones and missiles. The drones were also engaged in Udhampur and Nagrota of Jammu and Punjab. Heavy cross-border shelling started along the International Border in Suchetgarh and Ramgarh sectors of Jammu and Samba districts. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appealed to residents to stay indoors and ignore rumors.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday made it clear that reduction of footprints of security forces and phased withdrawal only needs a "courageous statesman" and not referendum.
After the Chenab bridge, Modi also inaugurated India's first cable-stayed rail bridge over the river Anji. The prime minister then walked on the Chenab rail bridge holding the tricolour.
Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday backed Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah saying Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani had attacked the CM without getting the "real context" of the remarks made by him on the issue of the state's accession to India.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk called off his hunger strike as protests for Ladakh statehood and Sixth Schedule extension turned violent. The BJP office was set on fire, vehicles were torched, and clashes erupted, leading to the imposition of prohibitory orders.
Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy and president of the ruling National Conference Dr Farooq Abdullah filed his nomination papers from the prestigious Srinagar parliamentary constituency on Monday. The constituency goes to polls on April 30.
"If they are a terror organisation, why are you (GoI) talking to them? If they are not a terror organisation, why are you banning their bank accounts. Why are you not recognizing their government? Make up your mind," he said.
Murli Manohar Joshi demanded an apology from Omar Abdullah for saying that Jammu and Kashmir had not merged with India but it agreed to be with India under the accession instrument which had the clearance of the then Viceroy of India Lord Mountbatten.
Omar Abdullah said that if The Kashmir Files was a commercial movie, no one has an issue, but if the film makers claim that it is based on reality, then the facts are the other way round.
In a statement, the state public health engineering minister, Taj Mohi-ud-Din on Monday said that 'the coalition government led by Omar Abdullah will continue its full term'.
The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) demolished a dozen shops belonging to displaced Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu city, allegedly without issuing notices, sparking protests from various sections demanding action against the officials. The shops were located on JDA land and had been built by displaced Kashmiri Pandits near the Muthi camp three decades ago. The demolition drive sparked outrage from political parties, including the BJP, PDP and Apni Party, and several Kashmir Pandit organisations, who condemned the JDA's action and called for the construction of new shops to help the displaced community sustain their livelihood.
As night fell over Chositi village, rescuers worked frantically and pulled out 167 people from under mounds of rubble. Of these, 38 are in a serious condition, officials said. The death toll went up steadily as the day progressed and there were fears it could rise further.
Mantoo said the decision to meet the Abdullahs was taken at an emergent meeting of senior functionaries and district presidents of the Jammu Province two days ago, soon after restrictions on the movement of Jammu-based National Conference leaders were lifted.
Taking to Twitter to express his anger, Abdullah, who is also the vice president of the National Conference, said that he would be taking legal action against the Chhattisgarh chief minister for his comments made during an interview to a prominent English newspaper.
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