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.
National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah defended Aamir Khan, saying that the actor never said that he wanted to leave the country.
The governor's remarks came in reply to a letter by National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah earlier in the day, expressing concern over the reports of changes proposed to the procedure of granting permanent residence certificates in the state.
He said it would have been impossible for parties with 'opposing political ideologies' to form a stable government.
Drabu said the GST regime will roll out in the state at midnight on Friday, making Jammu and Kashmir the last state to join the new tax regime.
The governor said he wanted polls to take place in the state and an elected government to function.
The BJP general secretary said it was untenable for them to continue in the alliance.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that the 'opportunistic BJP-PDP alliance' set fire to Jammu and Kashmir, killing many innocent civilians and brave soldiers, and that the damage would continue even if the state was put under central rule.
An emotional farewell was given to the valiant army jawans who lost their lives in the Uri attack, as their last rites were performed in their respective native villages with full military and state honours.
The Opposition National Conference and Congress lawmakers on Friday disrupted proceedings in both houses of the Jammu and Kashmir legislature, accusing the government of misleading people on the issue of transfer of power projects to the state, and created ruckus in the assembly as Speaker directed marshalling out of some members.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
