Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Friday that another constituent of the separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference, the Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement, has rejected secessionism and declared complete commitment to the unity of the country. This marks the 12th Hurriyat-linked organization to break off from separatism and reaffirm their trust in the Indian Constitution. Shah attributed this trend to the unifying policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, which he believes has "tossed" separatism out of Jammu and Kashmir.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that two more constituents of the Jammu and Kashmir-based Hurriyat Conference, J&K Tahreeqi Isteqlal and J&K Tahreek-I-Istiqamat, have abandoned separatism and pledged allegiance to the new India envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This development follows similar declarations from the Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement (JKPM) and the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Political Movement (JKDPM) on Tuesday. Shah stated that under Modi's leadership, separatism is on the decline and the unity of India is growing stronger in Kashmir.
Simultaneous polls will help save resources, spur development and social cohesion, deepen "foundations of democratic rubric" and help realise the aspirations of "India, that is Bharat", the panel had said.
While a tweet from a close aide of the Gandhi's and the Chief Whip of the party in Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh took a dig on Azad for accepting the award, Congress stalwarts from the G-23 group have congratulated him for the 'well-deserved' award.
Azad ended his five-decade association with the Congress last month, saying the party was comprehensively destroyed and lashing out at Rahul Gandhi for "demolishing" its entire consultative mechanism.
It was also learnt that Gautam Navlakha, a shareholder in NewsClick, remained involved in anti-Indian and unlawful activities such as actively supporting banned Naxal organisations and having anti-national nexus with Gulam Nabi Fai, an agent of Pakistan's ISI, it stated.
The court passed the order after taking cognisance of a charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Sources said the process was stuck since Rahul Gandhi is not willing to contest the election for the post of Congress president, although all the efforts to convince him are still going on.
Prominent G-23 members including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal and Manish Tewari have not been included in the Congress list of star campaigners for West Bengal assembly elections.
Nomination papers of Pranab Mukhejee, for the Presidential poll on July 19, are being readied, according to sources. Senior Union ministers and Members of Parliament have been summoned to Parliament House on Wednesday to affix their signatures on Mukherjee's papers.
Congress party circles are talking about a major Cabinet reshuffle on September 18. Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, Public Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad and Social Justice Minister Mukul Wasnik are said to be tipped for party organisational work, while party spokesman Janardan Dwivedi and his junior Manish Tiwari are likely to be included in the Union Cabinet.
A senior party leader on the condition of anonymity said the CWC meeting will be called next week although the agenda is to be worked out and finalised.
Taking a strong exception to National Conference leader Mustafa Kamal's remark on Indo-Pak talks, Union minister Gulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday night asked the party to clear its stand on the issue.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday directed Telangana Congress members of legislative assembly and Parliament to withdraw their resignations, paving way for United Progressive Alliance to come out with a package for Telangana.
Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan on Monday had an hour-long meeting with Union Minister of Health Gulam Nabi Azad and discussed with him the hot subject of auction of medical seats in private medical colleges for a cost of Rs 70 to 80 lakhs.
As Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad is busy in solving the Telangana crisis, India's health service is deteriorating more and more. With Azad's ministry not initiating any new reforms for urban or rural health care in the last few years, the country's poor are facing hard times.
Two suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, masquerading as labourers, were arrested by the Himachal Pradesh Police in Kotla area in Kangra district of the hill state in the wee hours on Wednesday.
Construction delays, inclement weather, red tape if these were not enough reasons to worry Indian Olympic Association chief Suresh Kalmadi in the run up to the Commonwealth Games, then a possible dengue outbreak in New Delhi is sure to break him down to tears.
"Since home minister has called a meeting of the chief ministers on internal security on Januray 6, I hope to take over before that so that I could represent J&K as the chief minister. But we have few formalities. The governor's rule has to be revoked before that," Omar Abdullah said.
Pranab Mukherjee Gulam Nabi Azad and Ahmed Patel will liaise on behalf of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, while Gujarat Chief Miniser Narendra Modi, Jaswant Singh, S Gurumurthy and Cho Ramaswamy are the pointsmen for Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate L K Advani.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad and other leaders claimed the countdown for the ouster of the BJP and its allies from power in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls had begun.
Former chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah sought to play down the demand by saying that it was a populist comment made by a small-time politician.
"It does worry me. These trends are the outcome of unfortunate things happened in July and August. The question is that secularism is getting shrunk at the cost of development," Azad said, adding that it should be 'a worry for each and every Indian'.
Mehbooba Mufti, president of People's Democratic Party, claimed that she has surrendered her security, and so has her party legislators.
The BJP blames the UPA government for its 'soft' attitude towards militants.
Mukherjee has been entrusted with the task of handling the stand off between the two stalwarts before it gets out of hand, according sources close to external affairs minister.
The CLP will meet at 11 am at Vidhan Bhavan, party spokesman Anant Gadgil said.
PDP leaders were asked to go out of the House after they attempted to tear the constitution.
After some recent events that turned against the party, including the Congress' G-23 Group asking for a revamp in the party, Congress leader and MP Manish Tiwari has been included in the star campaigners list of Congress for Assam and West Bengal Assembly polls.
The police, however, said that if their involvement is established in the course of investigations, legal action will be taken against them.
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