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Farooq Abdullah heckled, violent incidents mar Eid festivities in Kashmir valley

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Farooq Abdullah heckled, violent incidents mar Eid festivities in Kashmir valley

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah was heckled during Eid prayers at the 17th century Hazratbal mosque in Srinagar on Wednesday, for his emotional speech in which he raised slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” at the end of the all-party prayer meeting for former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday.

In other parts, violent incidents were reported with militants killing three policemen and a BJP leader.

Before the prayers, as the Imam spoke about Article 35-A (State Subject Law), Abdullah walked in. People started booing at him, with those present for the Eid prayer demanding his removal from the Masjid, reported Free Press Kashmir.

With the intervention of the Masjid Committee, Abdullah prayed at the Masjid but did not wait for the Khutbah (sermon). As soon as the prayer finished, Abdullah got up to leave. Some protestors took their shoes in their hands while shouting ‘Shame Shame’.

“I did not leave the venue and completed my prayers,” said the 80-year-old parliamentarian from Srinagar. “They are my own people. They are misguided and I cannot escape my duties of being their leader,” Abdullah was quoted as saying later by news agency Press Trust of India.

Abdullah wondered why the issue was being blown out of proportion by a section of the media. “A politician, at times, has to face people’s anger. I only hope these misguided youths are counselled properly,” he said.

Later in the day, Abdullah said he was not a person to be cowed down. “Agar yeh samajhte hai ki ise azadi aayegi toh mein inko kehna chahta hun ki pehle begaari,beemari aur bhookmari se azadi pao (If the people want freedom, they should first get freedom from bonded labour, illness and shortage of food),” ANI quoted Abdullah as saying.

“Azadi [freedom] won’t be achieved by shouting slogans, because in reality the border dividing India and Pakistan in Kashmir has not moved anywhere in the past 70 years. People behind booing and heckling should know that I won’t be cowed down or silenced by such acts,” said Abdullah.

The Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar said the time was right to have a peaceful dialogue between India and Pakistan. “There is a need to get rid of hatred. This country belongs to Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians and all those who live here,” Abdullah said.

Elsewhere in the valley, violent incidents marred Id festivity in Kashmir as suspected militants shot dead three policemen and a BJP activist on Wednesday, the police said.

An official said a policeman, Fayaz Ahmed Shah, 34, was fired upon by the militants when he went to offer Id prayers in Kulgam’s Zazripora area. Another policeman, Mohd. Yaqoob, died after gunmen fired upon him outside his house at Pulwama’s Louswani area.

In the third attack on the police, a sub-inspector, Muhammad Ashraf Dar, was shot dead at his house at Larve village. Dar, posted at District Police Lines, Budgam, was on leave to celebrate Id at home.

In another incident, a BJP activist was shot dead in Pulwama. The body of Shabir Ahmad Bhat was found at Litter Rakh. The victim went missing around 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Director General of Police SP Vaid said, “The political activist chose to go home in south Kashmir without the personal security officer, which proved fatal for him.”

He said the two deceased policemen [Yaqoob and Dar] “had ignored the advisory asking policemen not to go home without seeking permission and unprotected.”

The National Conference and the CPI(M) have condemned the killings. “My unequivocal condemnation of the use of violence to settle political differences,” said NC vice-president Omar Abdullah.

CPI(M) leader and MLA Kulgam, MY Tarigami said such incidents are “inhumane and unfortunate.” “The perpetrators of violence have achieved nothing except for rendering irreparable loss to the families of those killed,” he said.

Violence also erupted in parts of Srinagar and Anantnag after Id prayers. Security forces used teargas shells to contain the situation.

India News

Delhi elections: While voting, remember who is responsible for polluted air, dirty water, broken roads, says Rahul Gandhi

With around 1.56 crore registered voters, this election is under close scrutiny, as it has the potential to shape Delhi’s governance moving forward.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday appealed to the Delhi voters to cast their votes responsibly and said that while voting, remember who is responsible for polluted air, dirty water, and broken roads in the capital.

As voting for the 70 Assembly seats kicked off earlier today, Gandhi took to X and said, “Every vote you give to Congress will protect your rights, strengthen the Constitution and put Delhi back on the path of progress.”

“While voting, remember who is responsible for polluted air, dirty water, broken roads. Who committed the biggest scam in Delhi while talking about doing clean politics?” he added.

Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit, running against Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, called on Delhi residents to vote in large numbers to safeguard their rights.

As polling continues until 6 PM, the election is proving to be a tense affair, with the three major parties—AAP, BJP, and Congress—making their cases for leadership in the national capital.

Earlier in the day, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal urged Delhi voters to recognize the crucial role of their votes in determining the city’s future. He stated, “Hooliganism will lose, and Delhi will win.”

In a message shared on X, Kejriwal emphasized, “Your vote is more than just a button; it is the cornerstone of a bright future for your children. It provides an opportunity for good schools, excellent healthcare, and a dignified life for every family.” His appeal coincided with the start of voting for the Delhi assembly elections.

With around 1.56 crore registered voters, this election is under close scrutiny, as it has the potential to shape Delhi’s governance moving forward.

In his appeal, Kejriwal stressed the moral and political importance of the election, urging citizens to favour “truth, development, and honesty” instead of “politics of lies, hatred, and fear.” He encouraged voters not only to cast their own votes but also to motivate friends, family, and neighbours to do the same.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi joined in the call for voter engagement, characterizing the election as a struggle between good and evil. “This is a contest between hard work and hooliganism,” she stated, motivating citizens to vote for progress and “goodness.”

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva also appealed to voters, asking them to support his party’s vision of a “clean, well-governed, and prosperous” Delhi under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He urged citizens to vote for the BJP’s lotus symbol, highlighting the need to bolster the “double-engine government” for Delhi’s future development.

Polling is taking place at 13,766 stations across Delhi’s 70 assembly constituencies, determining the fate of 699 candidates, with results set to be announced on February 8.

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India News

Hooliganism will lose, Delhi will win: Arvind Kejriwal

With around 1.56 crore registered voters, this election is under close scrutiny, as it has the potential to shape Delhi’s governance moving forward.

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On Wednesday, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal urged Delhi voters to recognize the crucial role of their votes in determining the city’s future. He stated, “Hooliganism will lose, and Delhi will win.”

In a message shared on X, Kejriwal emphasized, “Your vote is more than just a button; it is the cornerstone of a bright future for your children. It provides an opportunity for good schools, excellent healthcare, and a dignified life for every family.” His appeal coincided with the start of voting for the Delhi assembly elections.

With around 1.56 crore registered voters, this election is under close scrutiny, as it has the potential to shape Delhi’s governance moving forward.

In his appeal, Kejriwal stressed the moral and political importance of the election, urging citizens to favour “truth, development, and honesty” instead of “politics of lies, hatred, and fear.” He encouraged voters not only to cast their own votes but also to motivate friends, family, and neighbours to do the same.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi joined in the call for voter engagement, characterizing the election as a struggle between good and evil. “This is a contest between hard work and hooliganism,” she stated, motivating citizens to vote for progress and “goodness.”

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva also appealed to voters, asking them to support his party’s vision of a “clean, well-governed, and prosperous” Delhi under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He urged citizens to vote for the BJP’s lotus symbol, highlighting the need to bolster the “double-engine government” for Delhi’s future development.

Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit, running against Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, called on Delhi residents to vote in large numbers to safeguard their rights.

As polling continues until 6 PM, the election is proving to be a tense affair, with the three major parties—AAP, BJP, and Congress—making their cases for leadership in the national capital.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to X to say, “Every vote for Congress will protect your rights, strengthen the Constitution, and set Delhi back on the path of progress.” He added, “While voting, remember who is accountable for polluted air, dirty water, and broken roads. Who perpetrated the biggest scam in Delhi while claiming to advocate clean politics?”

Polling is taking place at 13,766 stations across Delhi’s 70 assembly constituencies, determining the fate of 699 candidates, with results set to be announced on February 8.

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India News

Delhi elections: President Murmu, Rahul Gandhi, CM Atishi cast votes

Polling began at 7 a.m. across 13,766 stations in the national capital, with 1.56 crore eligible voters set to decide the fate of 699 candidates contesting across 70 assembly constituencies.

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Voting for the Delhi Assembly elections commenced on Wednesday, with prominent political leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu, Union Ministers S. Jaishankar and Hardeep Singh Puri, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, among the early voters.

Polling began at 7 a.m. across 13,766 stations in the national capital, with 1.56 crore eligible voters set to decide the fate of 699 candidates contesting across 70 assembly constituencies.

Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, AAP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, and Chief Electoral Officer R. Alice Vaz were also among the early voters.

After casting his vote, LG Saxena described the election as a “festival of democracy” and urged all Delhi residents to participate actively. “Today is a day of duty, not a holiday,” he emphasized.

Union Minister S. Jaishankar, who voted early, remarked, “I have always been an early voter, a Delhi voter. The people are in a mood of change.”

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, the AAP candidate from Kalkaji, visited the Kalkaji temple to offer prayers before casting her vote. She framed the election as a “battle between good and evil, between work and hooliganism.”

Manish Sisodia, AAP candidate from Jangpura, echoed similar sentiments, stating, “I have cast my vote for a better Delhi and for a better life for its people. I appeal to voters to support better education, healthcare, and other essential facilities.”

The Delhi Assembly election witnessed a triangular contest between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress. While the AAP is aiming for a third consecutive term, the BJP and Congress are striving to regain their foothold in the capital.

Prominent candidates, including AAP’s Greater Kailash nominee Saurabh Bharadwaj, BJP’s Karawal Nagar candidate Kapil Mishra, and Congress’ New Delhi candidate Sandeep Dikshit, were among those who exercised their franchise early in the day.

With polling underway across the city, authorities have ensured tight security and smooth arrangements at all voting stations. The election results are scheduled to be announced on February 8, 2024.

As Delhiites turn out in large numbers to cast their votes, the election is being seen as a crucial test for the political parties vying for control of the capital. The outcome will not only shape Delhi’s future but also set the tone for the upcoming national elections.

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