Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday hit out at the Central Industrial Security Force over the killing of a youth during firing on protesters, calling it a "murder" and alleged that the "excessive" force used was "unwarranted and inexcusable".
Amid a raging debate over AFSPA, a focused internal political dialogue must be launched in Kashmir to reassure the army that yet another hard-won peace will not be squandered by political lethargy, writes Ajai Shukla
Expressing concern on the shocking revelations made by David Headley implicating the Inter Services Intelligence with 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged the Central government not to suspend the composite dialogue with Pakistan.
Anguished over disruptions in Parliament on the issue of FDI in retail, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the time has come for "no work, no pay" for MPs if minimum hours of business were not transacted .
"The response to the rehabilitation policy (for militants in PoK) has been better than expected. We have received 600 to 700 applications," Omar told media persons in Srinagar.
Wrapping up his "productive" visit to the national capital, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had a meeting with Army chief General V K Singh on Tuesday morning during which the two discussed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and security-related issues
The Jammu and Kashmir cabinet is unlikely to take any final call on the partial revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act as proposed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, top government sources told rediff.com.
The Jammu and Kashmir cabinet is unlikely to take any final call on the partial revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act as proposed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, top government sources told rediff.com.
The crucial meeting of the Unified Command HQ, presided over by Abdullah, lasted over three hours. However, it only witnessed presentations by every stakeholder -- the state government, the Army, heads of paramilitary forces in Kashmir and intelligence agencies -- but no discussions, sources attending the meeting told rediff.com
After his tough talk with the army for withdrawing Armed Forces Special Powers Act from parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said his government has the authority to revoke the controversial law and sought a 'workable' solution from the army.
Terming the bi-annual shifting of state capital as a "necessary evil", Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday advocated a reverse 'darbar move' so that the government stays with the people when they are facing hardships due to extreme weather.
An anti-corruption court on Tuesday rejected the plea of the family of the ruling National Conference activist Sayeed Mohammad Yusuf, who allegedly died in police custody on September 30, for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe.
The Jammu and Kashmir government attached two senior police officials, including the Inspector General (Security) on Thursday, for lax security arrangements for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at an Independence day function, during which a suspended head constable hurled a shoe at him.
Commenting on state Congress president Saifuddin Soz's statement, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said he will hold talks with the alliance party over plans to withdraw the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Soz had slammed Abdullah for not consulting the Congress or the home minister on the AFSPA issue. "I am not going to react to what Professor Saifuddin Soz has said. As a chief minister, I am well aware of my responsibilities," said Omar.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's recent announcement on limited withdrawal of the Disturbed Areas Act from Jammu and Kashmir has led to "utter confusion" and its price is being paid by ordinary civilians, People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti alleged.
The reports of withdrawal Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Disturbed Areas Act, which give extraordinary powers to security forces, from Jammu and Kashmir have given rise to a raging debate in the country. While most agree that these laws should be revoked, there are divergent views over whether this should be done is a phased manner or not. Vicky Nanjappa reports
The controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act may soon be withdrawn from some parts of Jammu and Kashmir as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday briefed Union Home Minister P Chidambaram about the improved security situation in the state.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday met Governor N N Vohra and briefed him about the prevailing situation in the state. The meeting came in the backdrop of the row over the alleged custodial death of a National Conference worker. "The chief minister called on the governor here this afternoon and discussed with him the prevailing situation," official sources said. The sources said Omar briefed the governor about the steps taken by his government.
Raja Ijaz, inspector general crime of Jammu and Kashmir police, has denied comments attributed to him by Syed Talib about his father Syed Mohammad Yousuf, who died under mysterious circumstances after a meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Refusing to take the detention of Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan in the United States seriously, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said that it happened "all the time and to all sorts of people".
Voicing hope that President Asif Ali Zardari's visit would mark the start of a "sustained" process to resolve all issues between India and Pakistan, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday said it would be a "forward movement" if the Pakistani leader comes to Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has advanced his trip to Jammu and Kashmir by a day. Earlier he was to visit the state on October 5 to take stock of the situation faced by the sarpanches, but now he is visiting the state on the night of October 4.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram will chair a high-level security review meeting in Jammu next week to discuss the preparedness of Jammu and Kashmir Police and paramilitary forces ahead of this summer.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was not impressed by the opening ceremony of Indian Premier League's fifth edition and termed the show as 'tacky'.
In this exclusive interview with rediff.com, Geelani outlines why he rejected Abdullah's move. Geelani terms the relative calm in the valley this year as 'the silence of the graves', saying that the sentiments of the Kashmiri people are being suppressed with force.
Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has demanded the resignations of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father, union minister Dr Farooq Abdullah.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday announced general amnesty scheme for youths involved in over 1,200 cases of stone pelting in the Valley during last summer's unrest.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday reiterated his idea of setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to probe all the killings in Jammu and Kashmir in the past 21-years.
US Senator John McCain met Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah immediately after his arrival in Srinagar on a two day visit.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has said its helicopters were used by top functionaries of the state including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as these had proved to be very important tools in better governance. "Choppers are important tools of effective and efficient governance where the chief minister and other ministers can attend to their office work and be with people in various far-flung areas in the shortest possible time," an official spokesman said.
Abdullah, who was a Lok Sabha member when the government accommodation in high security Gupkar area was provided to him in 2002, released a letter on his Twitter handle that he had written in July this year.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has complained to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh against the army's public criticism of him and his government, following which Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General B S Jaswal has tendered an apology. The controversy arose after the army's Northern Command based in Udhampur issued a press release on the encounter that took place on November 29 on the outskirts of Srinagar.
Union Minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday ruled out any problems with ally Congress in Jammu and Kashmir.
It was a candle light dinner for Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday night as he directed disconnection of power supply to the VIP grid including his residence to divert the scarce electricity for maintaining essential services.
The chief minister has to often face hostilities on Twitter where users continuously taunt and abuse him.
Sticking to his demand for revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from those areas where normalcy has returned, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the move will ensure that benefits of peace in the state percolate to all sections of the society.
Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said the efforts of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah are to denotify the Disturbed Areas from some places in the state, a move which will pave way for removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who took his ministers to a remote town near Line of Control (LoC) on Wednesday, has said the next month's cabinet meeting will be held at another LoC town of Gurez in Bandipora district.
"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.
Backing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir interlocutor M M Ansari on Tuesday said the Centre must give "full support" to the plan for partial revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the border state at the earliest to reduce any "trust deficit".
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