English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

J&K: Govt says restrictions to continue in parts of Kashmir, lifted completely in Jammu

Published

on

J&K: Govt says restrictions to continue in parts of Kashmir, lifted completely in Jammu

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Prohibitory orders imposing wide-ranging restrictions on movement and communication will continue in parts of Kashmir for some time but have been lifted completely in Jammu region, said media reports the government said today (Wednesday, Aug 14).

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is under control and that there have been no major injuries to anyone, said reports quoting the officer. The announcement comes a day after the Union Home Ministry said that “The restrictions in #JammuKashmir are being eased out in a phased manner in the Valley and the situation in the Jammu division has been restored after assessment by relevant local authorities.”

J&K has been under an unprecedented security cover and prohibitory orders banning large gatherings since August 4 – a day before the government announced withdrawal of special status for the state and its bifurcation it into two union territories. 

As part of a complete communications blackout, phone services and internet connections remain suspended. Top officials are using satellite phones to communicate. More than 50,000 security personnel are on streets.

Almost 400 political leaders of the Kashmir Valley, including two former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, are under detention.

“Restrictions imposed in Jammu have been completely removed. They will continue in some places of Kashmir for sometime,” said Additional Director General of Police Munir Khan at a press conference in Srinagar.

There have been only a few pellet injuries that have been treated, he said. The officer said the main focus at the moment is to ensure peaceful Independence Day celebrations across the state.

He said his message to Kashmir would be to “celebrate 15th August with high fervour”. The officer also added that the main focus currently is to ensure peaceful Independence Day celebrations across the state. “Our biggest endeavour is to ensure there is no civilian casualty,” Khan told reporters.

Asked about the number of people detained, Khan said he would not talk about individuals. “In a law and order situation like this, there are different kinds of detention… preventive detention to ensure the established miscreants do not vitiate the peaceful atmosphere… so you have to take preventive steps,” he said.

J&K Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal, who also addressed the media, said the overall situation remained calm in the state. “Further relaxations in prohibitory orders have been given in a large number of areas, including in Srinagar, and these relaxations will continue to be given till this afternoon,” he said.

On all other fronts — civil supplies, national highways, airport, medical facilities — the situation was normal, Kansal said.  “Local authorities, as before, are keeping a close watch on the situation and offering relaxations wherever the situation warrants it,” he said.

On Tuesday, the government had justified the curbs, saying as a trade-off between restrictions and loss of life, the government chose restrictions.

The Supreme Court, which heard a petition against the lockdown on Tuesday, said the situation is “sensitive” and the government should be given more time to resolve it.

Meanwhile, the government, which had earlier slammed foreign media, especially BBC, for reports on a large-scale protest in Srinagar, conceded that there had been some unrest. The MHA spokesperson tweeted about “Stories in media on a said incident in Soura region of #Srinagar” to say: “On 09/08, miscreants mingled with people returning home after prayers at a local mosque. They resorted to unprovoked stone pelting against law enforcement forces to cause widespread unrest.”

“Law enforcement authorities showed restraint and tried to maintain law & order situation. It is reiterated that no bullets have been fired in #JammuAndKashmir since the development related to #Article370,” the MHA spokesperson added. 

Restrictions have been imposed on a number of occasions earlier — even during auspicious occasions such as Eid for apprehensions about breach of peace.

Eid-al-Adha or Bakrid had passed peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, barring a few sporadic incidents, the government had said. But the mood was subdued as the streets of Srinagar remained deserted under the watchful eyes of the security personnel. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Centre issues notice to Wikipedia on complaints of bias, inaccuracies

The government also questioned why Wikipedia should not be classified as a publisher, rather than an intermediary.

Published

on

Centre issues notice to Wikipedia on complaints of bias, inaccuracies

The Centre on Tuesday has issued a notice to Wikipedia over multiple complaints about bias and inaccuracies on the platform. The government in its letter to Wikipedia highlighted that a small group of editors appears to have significant control over the contents, particularly influencing its neutrality. 

Reports said that the government also questioned why Wikipedia should not be classified as a publisher, rather than an intermediary. However, neither Wikipedia nor the government has issued an official statement on the matter so far. 

Wikipedia, popularly known as free online encyclopedia, allows volunteers to create and edit pages on a wide variety of topics, including people, issues and various fields of knowledge. This recent development follows two months after the Delhi High Court slammed Wikipedia and also warned it of a potential ban in India during a case filed by news agency ANI, which alleged that its Wikipedia page contained inaccuracies and defamatory content. 

In the last hearing, Justice Subramonium Prasad further observed that Wikipedia might not be entitled to defend the defamatory edits since it claims to be only an intermediary. The Delhi HIgh Court also questioned if Wikipedia is an intermediary, why is it bothered? It added that if somebody else has edited and that addition is without basis, then it comes down.

It further stated that Wikipedia is not here to protect the editors but is a mere wall. The court opined that it will only see whether the opinion given in the encyclopaedia does not depict the correct picture, as not true representation of the article. However, Wikipedia clarified that it was not defending the statements or edits made on Wikipedia’s page about ANI. It further sought to assist the court in the matter, particularly with regard to the architecture of the platform. 

Notably, Wikipedia has faced growing criticism for alleged bias and inaccuracies, especially amid the ongoing US presidential elections. Elon Musk, owner of X, has publicly accused Wikipedia of supporting far-left ideologies. He also urged the public to stop donating to Wikipedia, claiming it is controlled by far-left activists.

Continue Reading

India News

JMM-RJD-Congress are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators: PM Modi at Jharkhand rally

Narendra Modi further claimed that if the bad policies of JMM, Congress and RJD continue, the adivasi society in Jharkhand will shrink

Published

on

JMM-RJD-Congress are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators: PM Modi at Jharkhand rally

Ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly election, PM Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the incumbent Hemant Soren government, accusing it to put appeasement at the top of its agenda.

While addressing a rally in Jharkhand’s Garhwa, the Prime Minister said the coalition government of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and RJD are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators. He said that the JMM-RJD-Congress government has taken appeasement to its peak, and that these parties are destroying the state’s social harmony. He alleged that the parties are supporters of infiltrators, and to get votes of Bangladesh infiltrators, they are getting them settled across Jharkhand.

The Prime Minister stated that when schools disallow Saraswati Vandana, one can imagine how big the danger is. When there is stone-pelting during festivals, Maa Durga is stopped and curfew is imposed, one knows how dangerous it is, he continued. The Prime Minister also added that when the issue of infiltration goes to court and the administration denies, it becomes clear that the government machinery has been infiltrated. PM Modi was referring to allegations that a Muslim teacher stopped prayers to Goddess Saraswati at a school in Jharkhand’s Giridih.

Narendra Modi further claimed that if the bad policies of JMM, Congress and RJD continue, the adivasi society in Jharkhand will shrink, and advised people to use their vote to uproot this infiltrator coalition. He maintained that Jharkhand’s swift development is possible only if it has a government that expedites the implementation of central schemes.

Referring to the JMM’s decision to replace Champai Soren as Chief Minister after Hemant Soren was granted bail in a money laundering case, PM Modi said that the party has left no stones unturned in humiliating an adivasi son. He asked how the party will take care of the people of the state when nothing matters to them more than family. He added that he does not have a family, and the people are his family. He also mentioned that Champai Soren, once a trusted lieutenant of Hemant Soren, is now with the BJP.

Slamming the ruling coalition of corruption, he said that corruption hollows out the country like termites, and destroys the poor, Dalits, people from backward classes and tribals. He claimed that Jharkhand has seen for five years the corruption of the JMM-Congress-RJD government.

He also referred to the massive cash haul from the home of Congress’s former Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu last year. Mentioning that mountains of cash are recovered from the home of Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP, he questioned if this money didn’t belong to Jharkhand.

Continue Reading

India News

Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over resolution against Article 370 abrogation

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing the session, said that the resolution has no importance and it is only for the cameras.

Published

on

Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over resolution against Article 370 abrogation

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday witnessed chaos after People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para moved a resolution opposing the abrogation of Article 370 and called for restoring the union territory’s special status.

Waheed Para, the PDP MLA from the Pulwama Assembly seat, submitted the resolution to newly elected Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather and requested for a discussion on the matter during the five-day session, despite not being a part of the agenda.

It was submitted that although the agenda of the House has been finalised, they believe that the authority as the Speaker allows the inclusion of the resolution, as it reflects the sentiment of the people at large. After the resolution was submitted, all 28 Jammu and Kashmir BJP MLAs stood up to oppose the move, leading to noisy scenes inside the Assembly.

As the members protested, BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma demanded Para’s suspension for bringing the resolution in violation of Assembly rules. The agitation continued even after the Speaker repeatedly requested the protesting members to take their seats. He asserted the resolution has not come to him yet and when it does, he would examine it.

While the BJP members refused to call off their protest, National Conference MLAs slammed them for interrupting the proceedings of the House. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing the session, said that the resolution has no importance and it is only for the cameras.

The Chief Minister added that how the House will reflect and discuss this matter will not be decided by any one member. If there was a purpose behind the resolution, then they would have discussed this with the government before, he continued.

Nonetheless, CM Abdullah also admitted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir do not approve of the decision taken on August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also said that his government will make all efforts for the restoration of full statehood. He mentioned that restoration of full statehood would be a reciprocation of the faith reposed by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in democratic institutions.

Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed that she was proud of Waheed Para for submitting the resolution.

Notably, Article 370 was a provision in the Constitution that granted special autonomy to the region of Jammu and Kashmir. It also allowed the state to have its own constitution, flag, and autonomy over internal matters except defense, communications, and foreign affairs.

However, the Centre on August 5, 2019 revoked Article 370, effectively removing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and reorganising it into two Union Territories namely, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com