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.

In a tragic incident, nearly 20 people were killed after a Garwal Motors Users bus fell into a 200-metre deep gorge near Uttarakhand’s Kupi in Ramnagar at Pauri-Almora border on Monday. The injured are being hurried to the hospital and a search operation is currently underway. At least 35 people were inside the bus when the accident occured.

The fatal accident was reported to authorities at around 9 am by passengers who had fallen from the bus during the accident. Police and teams from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are at the accident site in Marchula’s Salt area. 

Speaking to the media, District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey said that the bus was going from Garhwal to Kumaon where the accident took place at Marchula in Almora. Sanjay Kumar, Salt Sub-District Magistrate stated that some of the passengers have been rescued and admitted to hospital. 

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each for the injured. The Chief Minister also directed the Commissioner of the Kumaon division to carry out a magisterial inquiry into the incident. 

Taking to social media platform X, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief, and said that a very sad news has been received about the casualties of passengers in the unfortunate bus accident that took place in Marchula of Almora district. He added that the district administration has been instructed to carry out relief and rescue operations swiftly. 

Furthermore, CM Dhami stated that the local administration and SDRF teams at the accident site are working rapidly to evacuate the injured and take them to the nearest health centre for treatment. He mentioned that instruction have also been given to airlift seriously injured passengers if required. 

In a tweet, the Prime Minister’s office also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap in Almora, adding that the injured would be given Rs 50,000.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the decrease in tuberculosis (TB) incidence is a result of India’s dedicated and innovative efforts, asserting that the nation will continue to strive for a TB-free India through collective action.

His comments followed a statement from Health Minister J.P. Nadda, who highlighted that the World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged India’s “remarkable” progress, noting a 17.7% reduction in TB cases from 2015 to 2023—more than double the global decrease of 8.3%.

In a post on X, Modi praised the achievements by stating, “Commendable progress! The decline in TB incidence is an outcome of India’s dedicated and innovative efforts.” He reiterated the commitment to pursuing a TB-free India with a united approach.

BJP president and Union Health Minister JP Nadda also mentioned on Saturday that, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, our government has expanded and strengthened the National TB Elimination Programme,” mentioning initiatives like the Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana, which provides essential nutritional support to TB patients, as well as the introduction of the BPALM regimen, a new treatment for Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis.

He acknowledged the dedicated healthcare workers of the Health Ministry, recognising their crucial role and commitment in the ongoing battle against tuberculosis.

“I also acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Health Ministry’s dedicated healthcare workers, whose unwavering commitment and hard work play a crucial role in this fight against tuberculosis,” Nadda said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India has recorded a decline of 17.7 percent in TB incidence from 2015 to 2023. This rate is more than double the global decline of 8.3 per cent.

In a post on X on Saturday, Nadda emphasised that ṭhis acknowledgment reflects India’s transformative approach to TB care and control. He mentioned that the government has expanded and strengthened the National TB Elimination Programme by taking key initiatives such as the Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana to provide essential nutritional support to TB patients.