Jammu & Kashmir live updates: GOI remove all provisions of Article 370
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Amid rumours of Geelani’s death, J&K reviews security
By Hakeem Irfan, Updated: Jan 03, 2020, 05.42 PM IST
Jammu and Kashmir police discussed what is informally referred to as a ‘G-Plan’ during at least two top-level meetings in December, said senior government functionaries.
His ‘funeral gathering’, an official said, cannot be allowed to get out of control.
The govt gets regular updates on his health and has prepared a blueprint on the preparedness for his funeral.
The Jammu & Kashmir administration has reviewed its plan to tighten security in Kashmir to brace itself for any eventuality following multiple rumours that ailing 90-year-old Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani is no more.
Jammu and Kashmir police discussed what is informally referred to as a ‘G-Plan’ during at least two top-level meetings in December, said senior government functionaries. The ‘health of Geelani’ will remain a talking point within the administration in 2020, as was the concern in past few years. His ‘funeral gathering’, an official said, cannot be allowed to get out of control.
“How to go about it (funeral gathering) was discussed at the meetings, like many other issues that have to be dealt with in 2020,” a senior government functionary told ET. The govt gets regular updates on his health and has prepared a blueprint on the preparedness for his funeral.
“We have to remain alert in case of any development. We have to think ahead and be prepared for any scenario,” a senior police official told Economic Times.
The administration has been able to control the situation successfully after August 5, when J&K’s special status was revoked, and the official claimed that they would not want to take any chance in this regard as well.
“His health, his funeral and aftereffects of his death have remained a talking point within the administration for a few years now. For example, in 2018, when he fell acutely ill, the government actively discussed the issue at many meetings,” a senior government official told ET. That year, officials would often say that normalcy in Kashmir is dependent of two things, “health of PDP-BJP coalition and the health of Geelani.”
“And then the BJP pulled out of the coalition and rest is history…” said another government official.
Geelani has been under house arrest since 2010 and was allowed to visit doctors in and outside the state a few times, a senior government official said. The government doesn’t allow anybody, other than close relatives, to visit Geelani at his residence in Hyderpora. He is allowed to visit the hospital for regular checkups. He was recently shifted to a local hospital briefly after he complained of chest pain. According to officials, he was suffering from acute chest infection recently, which triggers multiple problems, because of the intake of high doses of antibiotics.
Geelani is suffering from multiple ailments including cardiac and renal dysfunctions and the harsh winter has added to his age-related problems. Geelani used to move to Delhi during winters, but has stopped this practice for the past few years now.
Amid rumours of Geelani’s death, J&K reviews security
By Hakeem Irfan, Updated: Jan 03, 2020, 05.42 PM IST
Jammu and Kashmir police discussed what is informally referred to as a ‘G-Plan’ during at least two top-level meetings in December, said senior government functionaries.
His ‘funeral gathering’, an official said, cannot be allowed to get out of control.
The govt gets regular updates on his health and has prepared a blueprint on the preparedness for his funeral.
The Jammu & Kashmir administration has reviewed its plan to tighten security in Kashmir to brace itself for any eventuality following multiple rumours that ailing 90-year-old Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani is no more.
Jammu and Kashmir police discussed what is informally referred to as a ‘G-Plan’ during at least two top-level meetings in December, said senior government functionaries. The ‘health of Geelani’ will remain a talking point within the administration in 2020, as was the concern in past few years. His ‘funeral gathering’, an official said, cannot be allowed to get out of control.
“How to go about it (funeral gathering) was discussed at the meetings, like many other issues that have to be dealt with in 2020,” a senior government functionary told ET. The govt gets regular updates on his health and has prepared a blueprint on the preparedness for his funeral.
“We have to remain alert in case of any development. We have to think ahead and be prepared for any scenario,” a senior police official told Economic Times.
The administration has been able to control the situation successfully after August 5, when J&K’s special status was revoked, and the official claimed that they would not want to take any chance in this regard as well.
“His health, his funeral and aftereffects of his death have remained a talking point within the administration for a few years now. For example, in 2018, when he fell acutely ill, the government actively discussed the issue at many meetings,” a senior government official told ET. That year, officials would often say that normalcy in Kashmir is dependent of two things, “health of PDP-BJP coalition and the health of Geelani.”
“And then the BJP pulled out of the coalition and rest is history…” said another government official.
Geelani has been under house arrest since 2010 and was allowed to visit doctors in and outside the state a few times, a senior government official said. The government doesn’t allow anybody, other than close relatives, to visit Geelani at his residence in Hyderpora. He is allowed to visit the hospital for regular checkups. He was recently shifted to a local hospital briefly after he complained of chest pain. According to officials, he was suffering from acute chest infection recently, which triggers multiple problems, because of the intake of high doses of antibiotics.
Geelani is suffering from multiple ailments including cardiac and renal dysfunctions and the harsh winter has added to his age-related problems. Geelani used to move to Delhi during winters, but has stopped this practice for the past few years now.
Amid rumours of Geelani’s death, J&K reviews security
'Out of frying pan into fire' for detained Kashmiri leaders?
The UT administration, headed by Lieutenant Governor Marmu, is weighing options to release most of them before the end of January.
Published: 04th January 2020 06:45 PM | Last Updated: 04th January 2020, 06:45 PM
NC president Farooq Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and other leaders during an all party meeting. (File Photo | PTI)
SRINAGAR: For many mainstream political leaders presently under detention in Jammu and Kashmir, it could well be an 'out of the frying pan into the fire' situation.
The UT administration, headed by Lieutenant Governor G.C. Marmu, is weighing options to release most of them before the end of January.
But highly placed sources told IANS that many of these detained politicians, who have held important portfolios as ministers in the past state governments, are likely to be picked up by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) 'for causing huge losses to the exchequer through fraudulent work allotments, swindling of huge government subsidies and also for gross abuse and misuse of official position that literally amounted to loot and plunder of government funds'.
It may be recalled that Sheikh Imran, the former mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, was picked up by the sleuths of the ACB immediately after he was released from detention last week.
Imran has been accused of inflating bills and invoices in one of his business units for which he obtained huge subsidies from the government for an investment he had never made.
Some officials of the state industries department, who allegedly helped Imran to claim subsidies, are also going to be booked along with him, sources added.
There are still 29 political leaders of mainstream parties who are under detention inside the MLA hostel in Srinagar that has been declared as a sub-jail.
Three former chief ministers, Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti also continue to remain under detention since August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated.
Omar and Mufti have been lodged in two government quarters adjacent to Maulana Azad road in Srinagar while the elder Abdullah is in detention at his high security Gupkar Road residence.
"Many of the detained political leaders have clear cut cases of corruption, nepotism and favouritism against them and all these cases have resulted in huge siphoning of public funds.
"Tenders have been allotted to blue-eyed contractors without public notice, purchases have been made without asking for competitive rates and over a dozen other instances of gross misuse of power by these politicians have come to light", sources said.
"All of them are looking for their political resurrection by going to the people once they are released from present detention.
"If many of the prominent leaders among them fall into the ACB net it would be an out of the frying pan into the fire situation for them", said sources.
Reliable sources said at least five senior leaders of political parties are likely to be booked immediately by the ACB after the UT administration decides to set them free.
A statement made on Friday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in which he asserted that nobody ever said the detained mainstream political leaders were anti-national, only brought short-lived relief for the detained leaders.
"Amit Shah said they are not anti-national, but he never said they are honest. Politics is a separate ball game while the law acting against corruption is an entirely different thing", said a senior BJP leader.
Would the dream of regaining political power end for some detained Kashmiri leaders because their hands would be full defending themselves against corruption charges after their present detention ends?
'Out of frying pan into fire' for detained Kashmiri leaders?
The UT administration, headed by Lieutenant Governor Marmu, is weighing options to release most of them before the end of January.
Published: 04th January 2020 06:45 PM | Last Updated: 04th January 2020, 06:45 PM
NC president Farooq Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and other leaders during an all party meeting. (File Photo | PTI)
SRINAGAR: For many mainstream political leaders presently under detention in Jammu and Kashmir, it could well be an 'out of the frying pan into the fire' situation.
The UT administration, headed by Lieutenant Governor G.C. Marmu, is weighing options to release most of them before the end of January.
But highly placed sources told IANS that many of these detained politicians, who have held important portfolios as ministers in the past state governments, are likely to be picked up by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) 'for causing huge losses to the exchequer through fraudulent work allotments, swindling of huge government subsidies and also for gross abuse and misuse of official position that literally amounted to loot and plunder of government funds'.
It may be recalled that Sheikh Imran, the former mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, was picked up by the sleuths of the ACB immediately after he was released from detention last week.
Imran has been accused of inflating bills and invoices in one of his business units for which he obtained huge subsidies from the government for an investment he had never made.
Some officials of the state industries department, who allegedly helped Imran to claim subsidies, are also going to be booked along with him, sources added.
There are still 29 political leaders of mainstream parties who are under detention inside the MLA hostel in Srinagar that has been declared as a sub-jail.
Three former chief ministers, Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti also continue to remain under detention since August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated.
Omar and Mufti have been lodged in two government quarters adjacent to Maulana Azad road in Srinagar while the elder Abdullah is in detention at his high security Gupkar Road residence.
"Many of the detained political leaders have clear cut cases of corruption, nepotism and favouritism against them and all these cases have resulted in huge siphoning of public funds.
"Tenders have been allotted to blue-eyed contractors without public notice, purchases have been made without asking for competitive rates and over a dozen other instances of gross misuse of power by these politicians have come to light", sources said.
"All of them are looking for their political resurrection by going to the people once they are released from present detention.
"If many of the prominent leaders among them fall into the ACB net it would be an out of the frying pan into the fire situation for them", said sources.
Reliable sources said at least five senior leaders of political parties are likely to be booked immediately by the ACB after the UT administration decides to set them free.
A statement made on Friday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in which he asserted that nobody ever said the detained mainstream political leaders were anti-national, only brought short-lived relief for the detained leaders.
"Amit Shah said they are not anti-national, but he never said they are honest. Politics is a separate ball game while the law acting against corruption is an entirely different thing", said a senior BJP leader.
Would the dream of regaining political power end for some detained Kashmiri leaders because their hands would be full defending themselves against corruption charges after their present detention ends?
'Out of frying pan into fire' for detained Kashmiri leaders?
Where is the flood of "atrocities" images from Kashmir after resumption of internet?
I thought there would be mountains upon mountains of dead bodies from the way newspaper reports were saying. Xd
I thought there would be mountains upon mountains of dead bodies from the way newspaper reports were saying. Xd
New political front takes shape in Kashmir, and it’s ready to look beyond Article 370
Political activity in Kashmir is gaining pace with the phased release of several leaders detained when the Modi govt scrapped Article 370.
By Azaan Javaid
5 January, 2020 5:21 PM IST
File photo | Protests in Soura, Downtown Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir against scrapping of Article 370 by Modi govt | Photo: Praveen Jain for ThePrint
Srinagar: A new political front is in the works in Kashmir, amid the phased release of leaders detained when the Narendra Modi government scrapped Article 370 last August, ThePrint has learnt.
The new formation is likely to draw its ranks from various political outfits in Jammu & Kashmir, and could include activists, analysts and former journalists.
Crucially, it might prioritise statehood and a permanent domicile law over the restoration of Article 370, under which Jammu & Kashmir enjoyed special status, individuals privy to discussions about the new front said.
According to the sources, the proposed front will be announced as soon as all stakeholders arrive at a consensus.
“We have to fight with the BJP within the system laid down by it. There are no other options,” a politician involved in the talks said.
‘Trying to reach a consensus’
In one of its most controversial decisions, the Modi government stripped the state of Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and split into two union territories — J&K and Ladakh — in August.
The decision was accompanied by the detention of hundreds of local political leaders to reportedly prevent blowback against the revocation of Article 370, which was seen by Kashmiris as a condition for their accession to India in 1947.
As a result, political activity in the state came to a halt until the first batch of releases in October.
While several senior politicians including former chief ministers Omar and Farooq Abdullah (National Conference) and Mehbooba Mufti (Peoples Democratic Party) remain in detention, many have since been freed.
Speaking to ThePrint, former J&K deputy chief minister and senior PDP leader Muzaffar Baig admitted that several local stakeholders were ready to overlook Article 370 for the larger interest of the region.
“I have been meeting a lot of people in my individual capacity… People who are concerned about the welfare of J&K, like activists, political leaders, journalists,” added Baig, who has often expressed his displeasure with the PDP leadership. “We are trying to reach a consensus and talks have been underway.”
Referring to the petitions filed in the apex court against the scrapping of Article 370, he said, “If the Supreme Court gives directions in favour of scrapping Article 370, there are many in Kashmir who would instead demand full statehood and a new domicile law for J&K.”
“I think the central government has recently given indications that it is considering the two options for J&K.”
If these two things materialise, Baig added, “there are many individuals and well-wishers of J&K who would like to work for its uplift”.
J&K, he said, is one of the oldest states of India, “and it is imperative that it continues to be a state”.
“In a union territory, everything is managed by the home department and all powers lie with the lieutenant governor. In such a scenario, the assembly has far less power,” he said.
“But if statehood is restored and a domicile law introduced under Article 371, which exists (makes concessions) for hill states, we will be able to secure important areas like jobs. There are 70,000 to 80,000 unemployed youths in J&K,” he added.
‘People are coming together’
While Baig claimed the discussions were centred on the Supreme Court order, sources said the formation may come into being sooner, given the role of other “key individuals”.
These include former PDP leader Altaf Bukhari and former MP and Congress leader Tariq Kara. According to sources, Kara recently met “leaders of a regional political party to hold talks”.
Approached for comment, Kara said he was not in Kashmir and would not be able to discuss the matter over the phone. Bukhari, however, said “people are coming together to work for the welfare of the state”.
“A lot of things have changed in the Valley and there is a lot of hopelessness, but that doesn’t mean that we leave politics and sit at home,” he said over the telephone. “There is no denying that people are coming together to work for the welfare of the state. Our state’s existence has ended; we have to work to bring it back into existence.”
“As of now, I don’t belong to any political party, so I am meeting a lot of people. If there is a need to create a group, it will be created. I appeal everyone to unite and be part of a single group to work for the welfare of J&K.”
Meanwhile, there is speculation that the central government plans to free all the detained politicians soon, barring members of the Abdullah and Mufti families and their confidants, whose release may be delayed.
This decision, sources said, is meant to give politicians from National Conference, PDP and Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference time to decide whether they wish to stand by the Gupkar declaration, or be part of the new political landscape.
Signed by all major political parties of Kashmir a day before the scrapping of Article 370, the Gupkar declaration termed any move against the constitutional provision an act of war against the people of the state.
New political front takes shape in Kashmir, and it’s ready to look beyond Article 370
Political activity in Kashmir is gaining pace with the phased release of several leaders detained when the Modi govt scrapped Article 370.
By Azaan Javaid
5 January, 2020 5:21 PM IST
File photo | Protests in Soura, Downtown Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir against scrapping of Article 370 by Modi govt | Photo: Praveen Jain for ThePrint
Srinagar: A new political front is in the works in Kashmir, amid the phased release of leaders detained when the Narendra Modi government scrapped Article 370 last August, ThePrint has learnt.
The new formation is likely to draw its ranks from various political outfits in Jammu & Kashmir, and could include activists, analysts and former journalists.
Crucially, it might prioritise statehood and a permanent domicile law over the restoration of Article 370, under which Jammu & Kashmir enjoyed special status, individuals privy to discussions about the new front said.
According to the sources, the proposed front will be announced as soon as all stakeholders arrive at a consensus.
“We have to fight with the BJP within the system laid down by it. There are no other options,” a politician involved in the talks said.
‘Trying to reach a consensus’
In one of its most controversial decisions, the Modi government stripped the state of Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and split into two union territories — J&K and Ladakh — in August.
The decision was accompanied by the detention of hundreds of local political leaders to reportedly prevent blowback against the revocation of Article 370, which was seen by Kashmiris as a condition for their accession to India in 1947.
As a result, political activity in the state came to a halt until the first batch of releases in October.
While several senior politicians including former chief ministers Omar and Farooq Abdullah (National Conference) and Mehbooba Mufti (Peoples Democratic Party) remain in detention, many have since been freed.
Speaking to ThePrint, former J&K deputy chief minister and senior PDP leader Muzaffar Baig admitted that several local stakeholders were ready to overlook Article 370 for the larger interest of the region.
“I have been meeting a lot of people in my individual capacity… People who are concerned about the welfare of J&K, like activists, political leaders, journalists,” added Baig, who has often expressed his displeasure with the PDP leadership. “We are trying to reach a consensus and talks have been underway.”
Referring to the petitions filed in the apex court against the scrapping of Article 370, he said, “If the Supreme Court gives directions in favour of scrapping Article 370, there are many in Kashmir who would instead demand full statehood and a new domicile law for J&K.”
“I think the central government has recently given indications that it is considering the two options for J&K.”
If these two things materialise, Baig added, “there are many individuals and well-wishers of J&K who would like to work for its uplift”.
J&K, he said, is one of the oldest states of India, “and it is imperative that it continues to be a state”.
“In a union territory, everything is managed by the home department and all powers lie with the lieutenant governor. In such a scenario, the assembly has far less power,” he said.
“But if statehood is restored and a domicile law introduced under Article 371, which exists (makes concessions) for hill states, we will be able to secure important areas like jobs. There are 70,000 to 80,000 unemployed youths in J&K,” he added.
‘People are coming together’
While Baig claimed the discussions were centred on the Supreme Court order, sources said the formation may come into being sooner, given the role of other “key individuals”.
These include former PDP leader Altaf Bukhari and former MP and Congress leader Tariq Kara. According to sources, Kara recently met “leaders of a regional political party to hold talks”.
Approached for comment, Kara said he was not in Kashmir and would not be able to discuss the matter over the phone. Bukhari, however, said “people are coming together to work for the welfare of the state”.
“A lot of things have changed in the Valley and there is a lot of hopelessness, but that doesn’t mean that we leave politics and sit at home,” he said over the telephone. “There is no denying that people are coming together to work for the welfare of the state. Our state’s existence has ended; we have to work to bring it back into existence.”
“As of now, I don’t belong to any political party, so I am meeting a lot of people. If there is a need to create a group, it will be created. I appeal everyone to unite and be part of a single group to work for the welfare of J&K.”
Meanwhile, there is speculation that the central government plans to free all the detained politicians soon, barring members of the Abdullah and Mufti families and their confidants, whose release may be delayed.
This decision, sources said, is meant to give politicians from National Conference, PDP and Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference time to decide whether they wish to stand by the Gupkar declaration, or be part of the new political landscape.
Signed by all major political parties of Kashmir a day before the scrapping of Article 370, the Gupkar declaration termed any move against the constitutional provision an act of war against the people of the state.
New political front takes shape in Kashmir, and it’s ready to look beyond Article 370