The government is open to discussions on all issues, the prime minister told journalists in Parliament complex ahead of the beginning of the session.
Reacting to National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah's appeal to separatists to come forward for talks to solve the Kashmir issue, the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference on Monday termed the suggestion as one born out of "frustration".
India must sit tight and not succumb to pressure tactics. After the relative peace that Kashmir has got used to, let there be a dose of unrest for the Kashmiri to come to his collective senses.
Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad are both set to enter the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir. Congress president Sonia Gandhi cleared their names and both the Congress leaders would be filing their nomination papers on Tuesday.
When Omar Abdullah took his first plunge into Kashmir politics in 1998, the odds were stacked heavily against him. Separatists were at their peak and the National Conference, founded by his grandfather, Sheikh Abdullah, almost 50 years ago, was seen as a stooge of New Delhi.
National Conference president Omar Abdullah is all set to become the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir with his father Farooq Abdullah and the party clearing his name to head a coalition with the Congress after a night of confusion. 38-year-old Omar, whose father and party patron Farooq was projected as the chief ministerial candidate during campaigning, will travel to New Delhi for talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The National Conference, which is emerging as the single largest party in a hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir, has made a clean sweep of the eight constituencies in Srinagar. Considered to be stronghold of the separatists, the city recorded 20 per cent polling in the final phase of elections held on December 24.
Virtually endorsing Omar Abdullah for the chief ministership, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that his son could better serve the people of Jammu and Kashmir and he himself would prefer to remain a member of Parliament."Why not? Omar is a young man. If he could serve better, why not," Abdullah said when asked if Omar could be the choice of the National Conference for the chief minister's post
Friday prayers have not been allowed at Jamia Masjid - the grand mosque of Kashmir in downtown (old city area) - for the past over two months now.
The two leaders also discussed the special category status promised to the southern state.
Union Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said that army should reopen the alleged Patribal fake encounter case so that "the justice is served".
'...for three hours to the seven or eight of us who spoke at the meeting.' 'Talking together and allowing us to express our thoughts on these important issues is a good beginning.'
The delimitation commission will visit Jammu and Kashmir between July 6-9 and interact with political parties, public representatives and officials of the UT to gather 'first hand' information of the mega exercise to carve out new constituencies, the EC said.
Clearing all confusion, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah on Monday said he would recommend to his party that his son Omar Abdullah should be the new chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. His remarks assume significance in the wake of his statement on Sunday night that he would like to be the chief minister, which created confusion.
"Here I would like to say very frankly, we owe a lot to the militant organisations who did not use the gun because in case they had used the gun, we would have been in trouble. I think Pakistan did put pressure on them that they should not do anything to affect the elections," he told media persons in New Delhi.
He attended the meeting as a special invitee for being a former president of the BCCI but not as CCI representative.
The National Conference, the People's Democratic Party and the Congress on Saturday said they will take a call on attending a meeting with the prime minister in Delhi after deliberations within their respective parties, while the Bharatiya Janata Party expressed hope that all invitees will take part in the all-party deliberations.
No one from Pravin's family was present at the wedding.
While the leadership of the biggest Opposition party, the Congress, has not reacted, even non-Congress and (now) anti-BJP parties like the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) have voiced no view on Banerjee's appeal, reports Aditi Phadnis.
The polling was slated for March 5, March 7, March 9, March 12, March 14, March 16, March 18 and March 20.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who is opposed to the execution of Mohammed Afzal, has said the death punishment for the Parliament terror attack convict is "too extreme".
Victims claim that a year later, many have not received even the first installment of relief.
The chief patron of opposition National Conference told reporters here that as per media reports, Afzal appeared to be\ninnocent and he had not been given a chance to defend himself.
It is for the first time in the history of Independent India that not a single Muslim is part of the Union Cabinet.
"Several innocent people have been killed and I strongly feel violence should come to an end," Abdullah said.
'Alienation has to be addressed,' says Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.
Sayeed, Abdullah and Bhat appeared together at the centenary celebrations of S P College where they studied 50 years ago.
The Kolkata club also roped in former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah as a member of its executive committee.
The authorities also sealed the Lal Chowk city centre - the commercial hub of the city - by placing barricades and concertina wires on all entry and exit points leading to the area.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said a consensus had been worked out by which Ranbir Singh Mahendra would continue for another year following which Sharad Pawar would take over the BCCI in 2006.
"For a solution to the Kashmir issue, we can look at Switzerland where people of different ethnicities live in an autonomous and proper democratic set-up. Kashmiris may like to have such a system," he said.
Sachin and Sara Pilot will be on Simi Garewal's show.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday hit out at its rival parties in Jammu and Kashmir, saying their stand on a number of issues, including the demand for restoration of Article 370, is the same as that of countries like Pakistan, and asked the Congress if it agrees with the "anti-national" views of the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party over its support to them.
The weekly flea market opened in Srinagar on Sunday as several vendors put up their stalls on the TRC Chowk-Polo View axis, the officials said.
"Any fight with the Congress will remain in the state. At the national level, we will fight together, this I am saying from the heart..." she said.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances