It will be the year of preparation for the electoral test in Uttar Pradesh, due in 2022. But before that, the West Bengal Assembly election will set the mood for the rest of 2021.
Exuding confidence over an upbeat investment climate and a resurgent tourism industry, Jammu and Kashmir Government on Monday sought fiscal incentives to speed up economic growth and greater central assistance to boost agriculture, irrigation and sma
'It's a matter of great pride that no student of Army Goodwill Schools has ever joined terrorism.'
"This is Narendra Modi government, nobody can dilute the AFSPA as we are standing like a rock behind the security forces, protecting (our) border," Shah asserted.
The army on Saturday said the food packets recovered from the six slain terrorists, involved in the attack on the Uri camp, bore marks of the Pakistani establishment.
'Our policy seems to be to give away part of J&K, even though we are entitled to the entire state.' 'The Congress has done so, and the BJP is following the same policy.' 'No one is applying their mind to the legal position.' 'Kashmir is not a part of Pakistan under its own constitution.'
Nearly two years after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two UTs and revocation of its special status, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held talks with top political leaders from the erstwhile state, and said the Centre's priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy there for which delimitation has to happen quickly so that polls can be held.
Here are 10 important quotes from the PM's televised address:
As the Congress vehemently opposed the scrapping of the Constitutional provision that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, some party leaders raised voices of dissent and supported the government move.
'People will feel cheated as they always felt a part of India. We want to be with India and we want people of India to accept us.' Laway tells Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Tharoor questioned the alleged arrest of leaders and said, "if we alienate them, who's left?"
She said Modi has the mandate to take bold decisions on the lines of Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the resolution of the problems in and around Jammu and Kashmir.
The Manmohan Singh government issued the orders on Wednesday, more than a week after the 70-year-old former Union home secretary quit the post.
'The scheduling of Imran Khan's visit to Beijing and its focus on the J&K situation underscores that Beijing shares the Pakistani concern that tensions with India are only going to escalate further in the period ahead,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
"These camps are sponsoring terrorism in northeast and have links in J&K," BSF Additional Director General A K Mitra said.
Mir's son, Zahoor Ahmed Mir, said his father's security was withdrawn two months ago and all efforts to get it back had fallen on deaf ears.
The Sena alleged that the meeting between Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit and separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani at a time when secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan have just resumed, has been "inspired" by Sayeed.
'It is a very hard won situation that the army has brought about in J&K in 25 years, we don't want to fritter it away...' 'By 2010-2012 the terrorist strength had come down to 300, 400. From a high of 3,000 to 4,000 to 300 to 400 was no mean achievement for the army,' says Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
'Given the present force levels, India cannot fight and win.' 'India can't hope to terminate the conflict on India's terms and impose the nation's will upon the adversaries,' says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd).
'Mufti Mohammed Sayeed says nothing can deter him from his "healing touch" policy. Can people who constantly fear acts of terror ever be "healed" by any potion at all until terror itself is killed at the roots?' asks Arvind Lavakare.
This is significant in the context of recent intelligence reports that Pakistan is imparting winter fighting training to some terrorists.
Please be mindful of your language so as to not hurt anybody's sentiments. Convince Kashmiris that the nation is with them.
A top army official said on Tuesday that the assaults were carried out recently as Pakistani posts were supporting infiltration inside India.
This is the seventh consecutive day that Pakistan has targeted forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC).
'A sense of purpose is lacking in India's diplomacy.' 'This is what happens when foreign policy becomes the stuff for grandstanding before the domestic audience,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Outgoing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah categorically said on Thursday night that there was "no deal" or any "discussion" going on between his National Conference and the Bharatiya Janata Party over the issue of government formation in Jammu and Kashmir.
'The most unfortunate part is that after precipitating the crisis situation on Tuesday, the government ducked and took help from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to 'de-escalate' the situation.' 'Make no mistake, this fateful move has grave implications.' 'You don't take help from the wolf to guard the sheep, right?' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'We were advocating Indian democracy and Indian Constitution. The other side (separatists) questioned Indian Constitution, democracy and accession. This action of scrapping Article 370 has vindicated their point.'
'In the last 55 years India and Pakistan have gone to wars, but nobody spoke about scrapping the Indus Waters Treaty.'
G C Murmu rarely speaks in public and when he does, his statements are always in lockstep with the thinking within this government.
Hitting back at Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah for his dynastic politics jibe, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday termed it as "hypocrisy," saying the party should first "lecture" its friends in Maharashtra and Punjab.
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