As the central government convenes a crucial cabinet meeting amidst the ongoing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress and some other political parties have begun their politics over the issue of national security by giving adjournment motions in the Parliament.
According to ANI, Congress MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, K Suresh and Manish Tewari have given Adjournment Motion notice in Lok Sabha. Congress MPs Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Ambika Soni, and Bhubaneswar Kalita have given Adjournment Motion notice in Rajya Sabha, over the Kashmir issue.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi has given Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha over Kashmir issue.
P Binoy Viswam has given notice in Rajya Sabha, under rule 267, for suspension of the business today, over the Kashmir issue.
However, Rajya Sabha Chairman Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has decided to delay the Zero Hour due to some urgent legislative business. Zero Hour submissions will be taken up in the House today after the completion of Legislative Business listed for the day.
Last night, restrictions have been imposed in several districts of Jammu and Kashmir as the Valley remained on edge with authorities stepping up security deployment. Mobile Internet services have been suspended in the Kashmir Valley and satellite phones are being provided to police officials and district magistrates. Internet services were entirely shut down in several parts of the Valley.
Meanwhile, National Conference leaders Omar and Farooq Abdullah, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti have had their movements confined as the government has imposed section 144 since midnight. Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference’s chief Sajad Lone has been placed under house arrest too.
The government has issued an order stating that IPC section 144 would come into effect in Srinagar from the midnight of August 5 and remain in force till further orders. While ruling out curfew, the order also said public meetings or rallies would be disallowed and there would be “no movement of public and all educational institutions shall also remain closed”.
Social media was abuzz with excitement following the recent developments in Kashmir late night on Sunday which continued post-midnight. As circumstances appeared to escalate throughout the night, the ‘secular liberal’ sections of Indian Twitter suffered a terrible meltdown.
In certain ways, the meltdown even transcended that on the day of election results by a significant margin. The ‘liberal’ mask that some used to wear on social media fell off and the bigoted face that lies underneath became quite apparent.
AAP National Social Media Coordinator, Abhijit Dipke, joined Zainab Sikander in tweeting poetry that speaks of the destruction of Hindu idols.
Jab arz-e-Khuda ke kaabe se
Sab but uthwae jaenge
Hum ahl-e-safa mardood-e-harm
Masnad pe bethae jaenge
Sab taaj uchale jaenge
Sab takht girae jaenge
Barkha Dutt appeared to be saying “This can’t be happening” in nearly every tweet of hers.
No matter what the decision in Jammu and Kashmir one simply cannot support placing elected representatives under house arrest. Place 144, bar rallies and meetings for law and order, but why not take them into confidence. This decision by stealth is unnecessary.
People, who under ordinary circumstances, consider the glorification of the Indian Army as hypernationalism made no effort to hide their great love Kashmiri separatists.
Repeat after me. The land of Kashmir is nothing without it’s people. The notion of a geographical mass is meaningless without the people living there. #KashmirBleeds
— Arnav Das Sharma ارناو دس شرما (@arnav_d) August 4, 2019
Freelance protester Shehla Rashid belted out a tweetstorm where she claimed that “India has turned Kashmir into a black hole”.
1) India has turned Kashmir into a black hole right now. With normal life thrown out of gear, no clarity on the situation, no advisory/communication for local people from the government, there’s panic, speculation and rumor-mongering all around. Phones and internet are off.
— Shehla Rashid شہلا رشید (@Shehla_Rashid) August 4, 2019
Then, there were the special breed of liberals who blamed Indian nationalism for the plight of Kashmir while completely forgetting the Islamist terrorism sponsored by Pakistan that has been going on there.
Many of us stand with Kashmir and are praying for Kashmir but are unwilling to openly state who Kashmiris are really under threat from. Because that would involve calling out many holy cows. Oppression carried out in the name of nationalism is also oppression.
While people all over India watched the developments with anticipation and trust on the decisions of the government they have elected with an overwhelming majority, the ‘liberal’ cabal appeared to be in a world of their own. Tacit support to Jihadist ideology while attempting to undermine Indian nationalism has, of course, always been the hallmark of liberals.
When Mohinder Amarnath started his run-up to deliver the 6th ball in 52nd over at the Lords, little did he know he was going to script history. The ball swung inwards, hit the pads of Michael Holding and rest, as they say, was history. India lifted their first-ever World Cup defeating the mighty West Indians. The defining moments of Indian Cricket, which made Indians glued to the game for 36 years and counting.
Every sport has had its watershed moment. If Sania Mirza made Tennis look cool among Indian sports fans, Sushil Kumar’s Bronze at 2008 Beijing made sure we tune into wrestling during London and Rio. Mary Kom’s Bronze in London inspired a generation to take up the sports. Saina Nehwal’s Bronze at London made Badminton a household name. Indoor halls sprouted across the country. Kids carrying their Yonex kitbags, riding a 2 wheeler with their parents became a familiar sight even in smaller towns.
Around the same time, an aspiring kid from a small town called Amalapuram in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh and a lanky kid from Goregaon, Mumbai started weaving their dreams to represent their country one day in Badminton. They were soon spotted by Gopichand and brought together the Pulella Gopichand Badminton Academy at Hyderabad, the mecca of Indian Badminton. They paired up to play in the Men’s Doubles category.
Yesterday, Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Chandrasekhar Shetty created history at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, as they defeated the reigning world champions Li/Liu to win their first-ever super series Gold medal in Men’s Doubles category. This can be the watershed moment for Indian Doubles Badminton which has been long ignored and always seen as a second fiddle to the much elite Singles events.
The road to the top has not been easy. Doubles Badminton in India was never cool, so to say. What added to the agony was, Chirag/Satwik being India’s top doubles shuttlers, never had the big stage experience. Sure, they have won smaller BWF events like Hyderabad Open, Mixed team event at CWG or runners up at Syed Modi International. But, at a big stage like a super series, as much as the game, one also needs the nerve. As the newly appointed Indonesian doubles coach Flandy Limpele puts it, the players are really good but mentally weak and that’s exactly what he said he was going to work on.
Satwik was out of the circuit for later part of 2018 and early part of this year nursing a shoulder injury and stiffness. Chirag took a break to prepare for his college exams. They got together again in May and played some international events to get back into the circuit. Winning the Brazil International Challenge and getting to the semis of Denmark IC restored some confidence before going to the big stage. Their real journey started this year, only 2 weeks back at Jakarta, Indonesia playing one of the marquee events of BWF, The Indonesia Open. Their journey was cut short at the 2nd round when they met the favourites, current World no 1 Kevin Sanjaya/Marcus Gideon, but they did show some flashes of brilliance, however lack of match practice was clearly showing. Kevin/Marcus went onto win the tournament.
Next week, in Japan open, they went one step ahead to QF before succumbing to home favourites and world no 2 Kamura/Sonoda. But this match really showed us what the pair is capable of. At 21-18, 21-19, the match could have gone either way. They didn’t lose their heart and marched on to Bangkok with all vigour.
They entered the Thailand Open as unseeded players. Beat World no 7, Alfian/Adrianto in straight games in the 2nd round. They faced the former World Champions, the Korean pair of Ko Sung/ Shin Baek in the semis and came out with flying colours.
The final was against the reigning World Champion Chinese pair Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen. The Indian pair started well and maintained their lead throughout the first game and eventually took it 21-19. 2nd game started fine as well but at 17-all, the Chinese changed gears and levelled the game 1-1 winning 21-18. Chirag and Satwik were a little shaky at the start of the decider and were soon trailing at 0-4. However, soon they took things in control and kept it really simple. Satwik, who is still not 100% fit could not use his USP, the swashbuckling smashes. So they kept the shuttle low and attacked at the first opportunity. While Chirag was lightning fast at the net, Satwik guarded the backcourt. The one aspect, where all Indian doubles shuttlers lack against their Asian counterparts, is a defence. But Satwik and Chirag showed some brilliant defence and retrieval abilities in the game.
However, at 18-19, this 32 shot rally changed everything and gave them the much-needed fillip and a match point. From there, they just needed to keep their cool and a simple push from Satwik, in the end, scripted history for Indian Badminton.
No, a Thailand Open is not as big as a World Championship, a World Cup or an Olympics. But every sport needs a launchpad. A win at world stage to set you up for the bigger thing. Saina’s semifinal in 2011 Denmark Open super series set the ball rolling for her before she captured the big stage at London. Chirag and Satwik have caught Indian Badminton fans imagination for long but they lacked a big win at a world stage. Sure, they have made their marks before like coming close to defeating the legendary Boe/Mogensen at All England in 2017 but this win at Bangkok changes everything.
Recalling the match, Satwik said, “I was not playing like usual but I kept telling myself that it’s just one more match, one more match. I was so calm and whenever I got a chance, I wanted to finish the shot. I could see that they didn’t want to lift the shuttle for me”.
“I can’t believe that we’ve just beaten the current world champs. They are really good attacking players so our plan was to keep the shuttle low”, his partner Chirag added.
They would attain a career-high ranking and break into top 10 when the new world rankings are released tomorrow. Sports is uncertain and one can’t say how they would fare from here. However, this occasion calls for throwing the caution to the wind and savour the moment. As their opponent Liu puts it, “They are a big potential threat for a long time.”
In a historic move today, Narendra Modi led Indian Government revoked Article 370 in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The state was further bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Here are the updates till now:
6: 52 PM
The Reorganisation Bill, per which Article 370 has been scrapped and Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh declared Union Territories by the Modi government went to vote in the Rajya Sabha. The automatic voting system developed a technical problem and hence, paper strips were distributed to the members for voting. The Bill passed with 125 Ayes, 61 Nos and 1 Abstain.
5:30 PM
Union Home Minister Amit Shah tables the Constitution (application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order 2019 in Lok Sabha. TMC walks out of Rajya Sabha. Meanwhile, in Rajya Sabha, HM Amit Shah stumps the opposition.
Shah said how the removal of 35A will make Kashmir an integral part of India in true sense.
HM Amit Shah: Ayushman Bharat scheme is there but where are the hospitals? where are doctors and nurses? (in Kashmir) Those supporting 35A please tell me which famous doctor will go and live there and practice? He can’t own land or house nor his children can vote. pic.twitter.com/vhMaNcJHl1
HM: GN Azad said inter-state marriages are taking place. If a J&K girl marries a man from Odisha,will she&her child get any rights in J&K? You’re happy that inter-state marriages are taking place, even though there is no law,but set them free,J&K will mix with India in true sense pic.twitter.com/qJh6OeRiYc
He questioned whether Congress and opposition wants Kashmir to be stuck in the 18th century. He added how those who provoke Kashmiris and are rooting for Article 370 have their own children studying in London and US.
HM: You stand here in Parliament and say bloodshed will happen in Kashmir..what message are you sending to the valley? You want them to continue living in 18th century system,don’t ppl there hv right to live in 21st century?Those who provoke have kids studying in London and US pic.twitter.com/N4ST8NPKLJ
Invoking Nehru, under whose rule Article 370 was brought up, Shah said that Nehru had said that Article 370 will fade away on its own. However, it was kept and preserved so carefully that even after 70 years it didn’t fade.
Amit Shah: Jawaharlal Nehru Ji also said “370 ghiste-ghiste ghis jaayegi”, magar 370 ko itne jatan se sambhalke rakha, 70 saal hue, ghisi nahi. Everyone accepts it’s a temporary provision, but can temporary continue for 70 yrs, when will it go, how will it go? pic.twitter.com/qmXFeDlcde
Home Minister Shah also added that when time comes, Jammu and Kashmir will again be made into a state. But when time comes.
Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha: Several MPs have asked how long will J&K remain a Union Territory- I want to assure them when situation gets normal & the right time comes, we’re ready to make J&K a state again. It may take a little longer, but it will become a state once again, one day pic.twitter.com/obORN7lm4R
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Bhubaneswar Katila resigns after Congress says it does not support revocation of Article 370.
3:30 PM
Telugu Desam Party and Aam Aadmi Party extend support to revocation of Article 370. The NCP says it will abstain from voting.
2:30 PM
Home Ministry issues orders to states and union territories to stay alert and put law enforcement agencies on high alert following revocation of Article 370.
Ministry of Home Affairs: It is requested to take special care to ensure the safety and security of residents of Jammu & Kashmir, especially the students in various parts of the country. https://t.co/G1GQgXxQDV
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, while extending support to revocation of Article 370 said that today we have taken back Jammu and Kashmir, tomorrow we will take back Balochistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir as well.
Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena in Rajya Sabha: Aaj Jammu & Kashmir liya hai. Kal Balochistan, PoK lenge. Mujhe vishwaas hai desh ke PM akhand Hindustan ka sapna poora karenge. pic.twitter.com/l8Gdq64Mu2
MDMK opposed the move in Rajya Sabha. CPI(M) too opposed the move.
1:15 PM
Indian Army and Indian Air Force put on high alert after revocation of Article 370. Additional troops flown in to Kashmir.
1:00 PM
JDU does not support the revocation of Article 370. BJD extended support to scraping Article 370. BJD MP Prasanna Acharya said that today in real sense Jammu and Kashmir has become part of India. AIADMK, too, extended support to revocation of Article 370 in the Rajya Sabha.
12:15 PM
BSP supports scrapping of Article 370.
Satish Chandra Mishra, BSP MP, in Rajya Sabha: Our party gives complete support. We want that the Bill be passed. Our party is not expressing any opposition to Article 370 Bill & the other Bill. pic.twitter.com/ajRNKwsUlf
PDP MP Nazir Raza Ahmad Laway and MM Fayaz protest in Parliament premises after resolution revoking Article 370 from J&K moved by HM in Rajya Sabha The 2 PDP MPs were asked to go out of the House after they attempted to tear the constitution. MM Fayaz also tore his kurta in protest.
PDP’s RS MPs Nazir Ahmad Laway&MM Fayaz protest in Parliament premises after resolution revoking Article 370 from J&K moved by HM in Rajya Sabha; The 2 PDP MPs were asked to go out of the House after they attempted to tear the constitution. MM Fayaz also tore his kurta in protest pic.twitter.com/BtalUZMNCo
Ladakh to be Union Territory, Jammu and Kashmir to be Union Territory.
11:30 AM
In a historic move by the Modi government, moves to revoke Article 370 and Article 35A. Uproar in the Parliament after the resolution seeking removal of Article 370 in J&K is moved by Home Minister Amit Shah. President Ram Nath Kovind has given the assent. Article 370 and by default Article 35A gone, as of now.
Resolution brought in by HM Amit Shah
11:20 AM
HM Amit Shah moves to scrap Article 370. Government brings in proposal to remove Article 370. Historic move by the government.
10:30 AM
Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaches the Parliament. He will speak in Rajya Sabha at 11 am and in Lok Sabha at 12 noon.
Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives at the Parliament. He will speak in Rajya Sabha at 11 am and in Lok Sabha at 12 pm today. pic.twitter.com/odN52wDLIa
Cabinet meeting at PM residence concludes. Home Minister Amit Shah to make a statement in the Parliament at 11 am.
9:45 AM
Top ministers present at PM residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Cabinet meeting underway. Decision on Jammu and Kashmir to be expected soon. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha Chairman has decided that due to urgent legislative business, Zero Hour submissions will be taken up in the House today after the completions of Legislative Business listed for the day.
9:00 AM
The security build-up in the state of Jammu and Kashmir has been heightened up as the union government on late Sunday night imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC in Srinagar district and placed the top leadership of the state under house arrest.
National Conference leaders Omar and Farooq Abdullah, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, among others under house arrest. Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference’s chief Sajad Lone has been placed under house arrest too.
The government has issued an order stating that IPC section 144 would come into effect in Srinagar from the midnight of August 5 and remain in force till further orders. While ruling out curfew, the order also said public meetings or rallies would be disallowed and there would be “no movement of public and all educational institutions shall also remain closed”.
Internet services were entirely shut down in several parts of the Valley.
Just before he was placed under house arrest, NC leader Omar Abdullah had tweeted, “I believe I’m being placed under house arrest from midnight tonight & the process has already started for other mainstream leaders. No way of knowing if this is true but if it is, then I’ll see all of you on the other side of whatever is in store. Allah save us.”
Further, the government has also banned large gatherings and public meetings as a precautionary measure. Schools and colleges in Jammu, Kishtwar, Resai, Doda and Udhampur districts were also ordered to remain closed on Monday, the officials said.
Sushma Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu said that all schools, colleges, and academic institutions, both private and government, are advised to remain closed as a measure of caution.
With mobile internet and landlines cut, the key administrative officials and top security officials in Jammu and Kashmir have been given satellite phones to keep in touch with the centre about the law and order situation in the state.
Reportedly, schools to reopen normally today in Ladakh region after summer vacations, classes to resume normally in colleges and other educational institutions too. Restrictions under Section 144 CrPC have not been imposed in the Ladakh region.
The situation in the Valley is tense after the Indian Army detected a Pakistan-backed attempt to attack the Amarnath Yatra. Soon after, an infiltration bid by Pakistani military personnel was foiled by the Army. Multiple Pakistani soldiers died in their failed attempt.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah met NSA Ajit Doval and other senior security officials yesterday. A crucial cabinet meet is also slated to occur in few minutes from now as circumstances continue to remain tense.
Whenever India-Pakistan conflict comes to limelight, some statements of Indian left-liberal chatterati are always used by Pakistan to propagate its propaganda. In a repeat of such situation, now Pakistanis are using comments and analysis of Indian secular journalists to attack India, when panic had gripped Pakistan and political parties and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir over the rapid deployment of additional forces in the state by the Indian government.
Zaid Hamid, a Pakistan based radical Islamist, today used tweets of controversial journalist Barkha Dutt to claim that India is trying to expand the conflict along the entire LOC and to try capture strategic regions inside Pakistan. He speculated that a massive crackdown in Kashmir will follow an attack on Pakistan. He lamented Pakistan, its government and media are not ready for this.
Indians are doing military build-up in Kargil too…
Clearly they are going to expand the conflict along entire LOC and try to capture strategic regions inside Pakistan.
A massive crackdown inside Kashmir to follow an attack on Pakistan.
Our nation, Govt, media are not ready ! pic.twitter.com/wGpulBbLCB
Zaid Hamid made this analysis based on a series of tweets posted by Barkha Dutt. When Congress was in power, journalists like Barkha Dutt had direct insider information from the government, which has stopped now after the Modi government came to power. This has left her and many others speculating and wondering what is happening in J&K, as govt is sharing information only on a need to know basis.
Barkha Dutt said she believes that internal issues, like the increased terror threat in the state, particularly on Amarnath Yatra, and the speculation that Article 35A will be repealed, are absolute red herrings, and the reasons of India’s quick action in the state are external. The former NDTV editor had claimed that the current happenings in Jammu and Kashmir are linked with US President Donald Trump’s offer of meditation and the latest situation in Afghanistan. She said that instead of looking at the situation from the prism of Srinagar, one should look at what is happening in the Kargil-Ladakh area, along with Poonch Rajouri at the other end.
The Radia tape famed journalist said that if the government’s move was related to Article 35A, they would have waited till the end of Amarnath Yatra. Therefore, the Indian government is reacting to something which is already in play or pre-empting something they may be coming, which she speculated to be related to Afghanistan, Trump, Pakistan, China. She meant that she does not believe the government version that the government’s moves are due to increased terror threat in the state.
This tweets by Barkha Dutt provided enough ammunition to Zaid Hamid to claim that India is mobilising troops in Kargil too, a clear indication of aggression against Pakistan. He, with most people in Pakistan, is already claiming that India’s military build-up in the valley is to attack Pakistan occupied Kashmir, and not to control terror activities in the Indian side of the border.
With this levels of military build-up, it is clear that India is planning to attack Pakistani Kashmir and capture maximum territory or inflict serious damage to us.
This is not about controlling Kashmiri youth…it’s about an invasion & war.
Pakistanis, get your guns ready… pic.twitter.com/TwaYos7TVy
The tweets of Barkha Dutt came as a golden opportunity to present as proof of his claim, which Hamid readily used.
It may be noted that Barkha Dutt had also said that India’s mobilisation may be due to the expected rise of the Taliban after the US withdraws from Afghanistan. She had tweeted that threat assessment is external, from possible Taliban attacks probably enabled by China. This version is actually in the line of Indian government’s version, as it says that there is increased threat perception from terrorists across the border. But Zaid Hamid chooses to ignore those comments by her, as it does not suit his propaganda.
Indians are doing military build-up in Kargil too…
Clearly they are going to expand the conflict along entire LOC and try to capture strategic regions inside Pakistan.
A massive crackdown inside Kashmir to follow an attack on Pakistan.
Our nation, Govt, media are not ready ! pic.twitter.com/wGpulBbLCB
It is important to note that the Indian government never said that Article 35A was the reason behind military build-up and cancellation of Amarnath Yatra. It was entirely a media speculation. Therefore, to call is red herring is completely misleading.
Barkha Dutt’s theory of increased threat from Taliban partially matches with government’s explanation of increased threat perception, therefore there is no reason for her to claim that government used any red herring to explain its actions.
As the Unnao rape victim continues to struggle for life in hospital, the truck that was involved in the accident of her vehicle has come under scanner as one claim of the truck owner has been refuted. The overspeeding truck had hit the vehicle which had caused the death of two aunts of the victim, while the victim and her lawyer sustained grievous injuries. It was found that the number plate of the truck was blackened with grease.
Soon after the incident, the driver and the cleaner of the truck were arrested, and later truck owner Devender Kishore Pal was also taken into custody. Pal had said to the police that the number of the truck blackened because he wanted to evade the agents of his lenders as he had not paid the EMIs for the loan taken for the truck. He had said that the had missed a few instalments of his loan, and feared that the finance company will seize truck.
But the finance company has contradicted the version of Pal, saying that there was no question of seizing the truck as no EMI was pending on the loan. Talking to media, a manager of Orix finance company has revealed that Devender Pal was never threatened about payment of instalments. He said that Devender is an old customer of the Japan-based finance company who has been paying the instalments regularly. Although few instalments were skipped, they were paid later. He also added that the company has never seized any vehicle plying on the road, and therefore there must be other reason for blackening the number plate of Devender’s truck, the manager said.
It may be noted that the CCTV footage of the toll plaza at Lalganj in Rae Bareli also questions the version of the truck owner. The CCTV footage shows that when the truck had entered the toll plaza, its number plate was clean and it was not yet blackened, and the registration number was clearly visible. This means grease was smeared on the number plate after the truck had exited the toll plaza, if the number was hidden to avoid finance company agents, it should have been hidden all along.
On 28 July, when the victim of Unnao rape was travelling to Rae Bareli with her two aunts and her lawyer Mahendra Singh, their vehicle was hit by Devender Kishore Pal’s truck, which had killed the two aunts, while other two persons were seriously injured. BJP MLA from Unnao Kuldeep Singh Sengar is named as one of the accused in the case in the chargesheet filed by CBI. He is in jail since last after he was arrested by CBI. After the accident, a murder case was also filed against him, and Sengar was expelled by BJP from the party. The accident case also has been handed over to the CBI by the Supreme Court.
Parody Nation Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan today took to Twitter to claim that India has violated international humanitarian laws by “attacking innocent civilians” across the Line of Control near Jammu and Kashmir.
He has pleaded the United Nations Security Councils to take note of this situation.
“I condemn India’s attack across LOC on innocent civilians & it’s use of cluster munitions in violation of int humanitarian law and it’s own commitments under the 1983 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. UNSC must take note of this international threat to peace & security,” Imran Khan said in a tweet.
I condemn India’s attack across LOC on innocent civilians & it’s use of cluster munitions in violation of int humanitarian law and it’s own commitments under the 1983 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. UNSC must take note of this international threat to peace & security.
The statement came in the wake of the Indian Army foiling the attacks by the Pakistan army’s Border Action Team (BAT) on forwarding post in Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, killing at least five to seven Pakistani intruders.
After a successful operation, the Indian Army had offered Pakistan Army to take over the dead bodies of their five to seven Pakistan BAT army soldiers and terrorists. However, Pakistan denying the claims had refused to accept the dead bodies of their soldiers.
Pakistan Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Saturday night denied the Indian claim as “mere propaganda” and said that India was “trying to divert the attention of the world form the situation of Kashmir.”
Similarly, the Foreign Office also issued a statement at about mid-night to reject the claims by India. “We reject Indian allegations of cross-LOC action by Pakistan and possession of bodies,” FO said.
Pakistan PM in his Tweet, pretending to be the torch-bearer of peace and amity, which is ironic as it is his country which has been sheltering and harbouring terrorists and terrorism for an endless time now, reiterated that the only way to ‘end the long night of suffering for the people of Occupied Kashmir’ is to let the US mediate.
“President Trump offered to mediate on Kashmir. This is the time to do so as the situation deteriorates there and along the LOC with new aggressive actions being taken by Indian occupation forces. This has the potential to blow up into a regional crisis,” Imran Khan said.
Last month, during Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s maiden visit to the US as head of state, US President Trump had stirred up a storm when he claimed that PM Modi had requested him to meditate on the Kashmir issue. Trump was, however, called out for his lies after India had clarified that no such request was made.
Trump again, at the beginning of this month offered to intervene on the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan. This time too, India asserted that any talks on the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan will only be bilateral.
My grandmother passed away three years ago due to cancer and medical negligence, which is pretty common in small towns. The doctor was treating her for gastric issues for three to four years and later we came to know it was stage four stomach cancer. On the day the reports came, the doctor said she will live maximum for 3 months more but she managed to live for 14 months after that. Her death was painful for obvious reasons and she passed away in pain, the image which I can never delete from my mind.
Since her death, every year on her ‘barsi’, my family donates food and stationery to handicapped kids and as I stay far away from my hometown, I donate to ‘Gaushala’ or a meal to a poor person. Like every year, this day was little heavy for me as all my family groups were flooding with images of my grandma and it brought back all the memories of her. To avoid the flux of emotions, I switched to Twitter, my go-to escape and there I saw this video:
*सोनी चैनल पर प्रसारित kBC कौन बनेगा करोड़ पति का 3 मिनट 20 सेकेंड का छोटा सा हिस्सा है। मानवीयता को शर्मसार करनेवाला ये दृश्य/वृत्तांत । अगर आप देखना चाहें ।*??? pic.twitter.com/yaSOFNuOUE
This video completely broke me. I was crying like anything because I felt the helplessness of those old people mentioned in the video. I could imagine the pain they must be going through in their lives. Thanks to this video, I decided to donate in an old age home today rather than ‘Gaushala’ (as I keep donating there regularly). I searched for old age homes near to my location in justdial, and called up the first one. The lady over the phone told me they need groceries and medicines. I asked her to WhatsApp me the list, I will try to manage whatever I can. I purchased around 50% of items she mentioned in the list and bought some medicines (cough syrups and paracetamols) and reached to this ‘Manuski Old Age home’ in Lohegaon area of Pune.
Upon entering the premises, the lady thanked me a lot for randomly calling her and bringing groceries as it is very difficult for them to sustain. I went inside the hall and saw around 4 aged people sitting/lying on their respective beds. Two of them had urobag attached to them, one grandma, who had lost her eyesight last year was trying to listen to television by staring off the wall and another grandma was just sitting idle in her thoughts. I peeped into the other room and saw four more beds on which three aged ladies were asleep. Once again, I was into tears. I couldn’t control my emotions seeing such “slow-time waiting for death” environment. I was lost and suddenly the nurse there tapped me and said “You should talk to them”.
I sat down with one grandma, she said “I am here for a year now and will stay here till my death as my son doesn’t love me anymore. I had four kids, three of them passed away in an accident and the fourth son refused to keep me. I get a pension on my husband’s name, I donate all to this house and they keep me very lovingly and takes care of me. I enjoy here.” She then showed me pictures of her kids and her dog whom she adopted when he was just six days old and he lived with her for 14 years. Then the nurse said, you know she sings very well, and then she sang a song for all of us.
After the song, she pointed towards another grandma who was sitting there lost in her thoughts and said, “Look at her, always sleepy. She is elder to me but I keep her as my daughter because she has a memory problem”
I went to her and touched her feet. She asked me to sit down. I asked her “Dadi! Where do you belong?” She said, “Nearby, Khadki area of Pune. My son went on a leave with his family so he dropped me here for some weeks. My man passed away five years ago, his pension comes to my account now. He was a tank mechanic in 512 Pune (some cantonment area). My only son got four male kid, who all are married and one has a six-year-old kid as well”. Then she asked me about my marital status, I said: “Dadiji I am getting married soon”. She said, “No matter what, never stop your wife from working or studying if she wants to. She should be independent without your presence”. She added, “Always do ram-bhakti if you want to get success in life. I always prayed to Ram and that’s why he gave me four grandsons”.
I tried to talk to the aged uncle sitting there with attached urobag. He just said, “My daughter in law doesn’t like me, that is why I am here”. He didn’t talk any further.
I was there for good 60-70 minutes. The lady told me they all just woke up for tea and supper. Now they will have dinner at around 8-8:30 and will go to sleep by 10-10:30 pm. They wake up by 5am to do some pooja and walk around the premises.
Author at the Manuski Old Age home in Pune
Families are becoming more and more nuclear today. Our parents stayed in the same city as of their parents but now most of us are settled outside and away from our homes. Today my grandfather is 78, and he stays with my Dad who is 52. But I at the age of 26 is already settled away from hometown and my brother in another city. I don’t know what will be the future when I will turn 52 and my Mom-Dad will cross the 70s. Today after visiting this Old Age home, I have realised no matter what, I should be taking care of my parents with all means I could. There shouldn’t be any excuse when it comes to taking care of them in their old age. I can see everything but cannot see my parents rotting away in some old age home in their last days. Nothing comes before and above them. My dad taking care of my grandad is an example from which I got to learn and in future, my kids will learn the same.
While taking care of our parents, we all be should be donating some amount of such old age homes. Your one-time spending in a Starbucks cafe can provide 10 days of ration for an aged person in such homes. Just search on google about nearby ‘Old age homes’ and visit. They have no one to talk to, they feel elated when you listen to their stories.
Chirag Barjatya is a Cinematographer, Blogger and Certified Nutrition Coach, he tweets at @chiragbarjatyaa
The Anti Corruption Bureau has sent a notice to the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti over the case of appointments in Jammu and Kashmir Bank.
Notice received by Mehbooba Mufti
The Anti Corruption Bureau notice to Mehbooba Mufti says that during the course of the investigation, it has emerged that few appointments in the Jammu and Kashmir Bank case were made on the recommendation of few ministers.
The notice asks Mehbooba Mufti to clarify whether such references had her endorsement, verbal or otherwise.
Mehbooba Mufti on her part proceeded to play the victim. She tweeted, “Not surprised to receive a letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Concerted efforts are being made to browbeat mainstream leaders & thwart potential efforts for a collective response. I am too small an entity vis a vis the cause that unites us today. Such tactics won’t work”.
Not surprised to receive a letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Concerted efforts are being made to browbeat mainstream leaders & thwart potential efforts for a collective response. I am too small an entity vis a vis the cause that unites us today. Such tactics won’t work pic.twitter.com/RUUbRRpK2v
Mehbooba Mufti essentially proceeded to call herself a mainstream leader and insinuate that this was an intimidatory tactic by the Modi government. Also, in a rather petulent response, she said she was too small an entity vis a vis “the case” that unites all leaders today. She did not elaborate what that “cause” was.
In June this year, the J&K governor’s administration had sacked J&K Bank chairman Parvez Ahmad Negroo over wide-spread irregularities and corruption under his nose, following which the ACB sleuths conducted raids on the corporate office of the bank on TRC Road, Srinagar.
The effect of newly enacted Triple Talaq law is already being reflected in the society as a Muslim man named Mohammad Ali has returned to his wife fearing arrest after the historic Triple Talaq bill became a law making the illegal divorce a punishable offence.
According to the reports, Nasima, who lives in Saharanpur, was married on 22 April 2015 to a person named Mohammed Ali. After their marriage, Mohammad Ali began to harass her demanding dowry. In addition to that, Mohammad Ali also allegedly had an affair with another woman in Uttarakhand.
About 14 months ago, Nasima was constantly abused and threatened by Mohammad Ali and his parents demanding dowry. As Nasima’s parents did not provide him with the money, Ali threatened to divorce her and drove her out of the house in January this year. For the last eight months, Nasima has been living in her maternal home in Saharanpur. The couple has twin children.
Nasima had even sought the help of the police and demanded action against her husband’s family. She had even registered a complaint against six people including her husband and her in-laws with Saharanpur SSP.
Incidentally, the Narendra Modi government passed the historic Triple Talaq bill in the Parliament. As the bill came into effect and made triple talaq a criminal offence with three years of imprisonment, Mohammad Ali and his family has now promptly returned back to Saharanpur to bring her wife and his twin children back to their house in Dehradun. Interestingly, Nasima’s father-in-law has now promised to present a 750 square feet plot to her.
Speaking to the media, Nasima thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for passing the Triple Talaq bill. She added that although her husband did not give her illegal ‘Triple Talaq’, but the fear of arrest made him return to her and her children.
The historic triple talaq bill passed by Narendra Modi led NDA government makes a declaration of talaq-e-biddat in spoken, written or through SMS or WhatsApp or any other electronic chat illegal. Talaq-e-biddat refers to the pronouncement of talaq three times by a Muslim man in one sitting to his wife resulting in an instant and irrevocable divorce.
The triple talaq bill also makes a declaration of talaq-e-biddat cognisable offence that gives a police officer powers to arrest the offender without requiring a warrant. A Muslim man pronouncing instant triple talaq attracts a jail term of three years under the triple talaq bill. The accused under the triple talaq bill is entitled to bail, which can be granted by a magistrate. But the bail can be granted only after the magistrate has heard the aggrieved woman.
