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Amid Article 35A debate, rising encounters Rajnath begins 4-day J&K tour

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Rajnath Singh

Union home minister to spend two days each in the Valley and Jammu region, will speak to Governor, political leaders, Armed Forces and common folk on range of issues. Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah says he isn’t hopeful of any outcome from the visit

Amid soaring tensions across Jammu and Kashmir over the controversial issue of possible repeal of Article 35A, Union home minister Rajnath Singh and a high-level delegation of his ministry arrived in Srinagar, on Saturday, for a four-day visit to the restive state. The home minister has stated that he is visiting J&K with an “open mind” and is will meet anyone “who is willing to engage in a dialogue on finding a solution to the Kashmir problem”.

During his stay, Singh is scheduled to meet J&K Governor NN Vohra, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, members of the Armed Forces and paramilitary posted in the state and a cross- section of common citizens.

Mehbooba MuftiIt may be recalled that while addressing a BJP event in Lucknow on August 18, Singh had said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government will find a solution to the “Kashmir problem” by 2022. While that may be a tall and ambitious target, Singh’s immediate challenge will be to quell rising tensions in the Valley over the upcoming verdict of the Supreme Court on a petition that seeks quashing of Article 35A – a provision in the Indian Constitution under Article 370 that grants special rights and privileges to the State and its citizens.

During proceedings in the case, the Centre had – through its Attorney General, KK Venugopal – for the first time taken a stand that the petition against Article 35A raised “very sensitive” questions that required a “larger debate”. Prior to Venugopal’s submission on behalf of the Modi government, successive Union governments had stood by the J&K government and told various courts that Article 35A would not be diluted in any form.

Venugopal’s suggestion had indicated that the ruling BJP – which has advocated repealing Article 35A in its successive poll manifestos over the past few decades – would not stand with the J&K government if the apex court decided to quash Article 35A. J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had, in what was hitherto thought unthinkable, personally driven down to meet her arch political rival, National Conference chief Dr Farooq Abdullah, to discuss ways of ensuring that the Article – which she said was “synonymous with J&K’s existence as an Indian state” – is not repealed.

While the Union home minister will definitely hear the opinion of Mufti and other political stakeholders in the state on the Article 35A issue, it will be interesting to see how Separatists in the Valley – both hardline and moderate factions of the Hurriyat Conference – respond to Singh’s visit.

File photo of Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq delivering a sermon at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid

File photo of Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq delivering a sermon at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid

Singh’s visits also coincides with the ongoing raids by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Separatist leaders in the Valley – including high-profile members of the Hurriyat Conference like Syed Ali Shah Geelani and his family, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and others – with the ostensible aim of finding the source of their funds, which the investigating agency has claimed come from Pakistan “to fund terror and violence in Kashmir”. The Hurriyat leaders have been extremely vocal against the NIA raids.

Another thing to look out for will be Singh’s discussions with officials of the Indian Army and paramilitary forces. Ever since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July last year, every encounter of an alleged terrorist or militant – local or Pakistani – that has taken place in the Valley has resulted in violent protests by the civilian population against the security forces. The use of human shields, pellet guns, pava shells, etc by the security agencies, particularly the Indian Army against the civilians has further intensified tensions in the region. In fact, even on Saturday, shortly before Singh’s arrival in Srinagar, an alleged militant was gunned down by security forces in a joint operation with the state police in Baramulla district’s Sopore town.

During his four day visit, the Union home minister will travel from Srinagar to Anantnag, Jammu and Rajouri. He is being accompanied by Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba and other senior bureaucrats of the ministry. Singh is expected to review works carried out in the state under the Prime Minister’s Development package and attend a Comprehensive Security Review meeting with the Cheif Minister and the top brass of the Army, CRPF and J&K police. Meetings with students and common citizens are also on the cards while no interaction with Separatist/Hurriyat leaders has been scheduled.

But will Singh manage to make the Kashmiri people believe that Prime Minister Modi’s assertion in his Independence Day address of solving the problems of Kashmir “by embracing people” and not by bullets and recrimination is indeed a line that the Union government was willing to pursue?

Farooq AbdullahFormer J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah, the tallest political leader in the state at the moment, has said that he did not expect any concrete outcome from Singh’s visit.

“I have no expectation at all. He (Singh) will come; he will meet as he had done before. He led a delegation of MPs (earlier). What happened to that delegation and their recommendations? Nothing happened then and I expect nothing to happen now,” Abdullah told reporters ahead of Singh’s visit.

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Chhattisgarh liquor scam: Bhupesh Baghel says his son has not received summons, ED created media hype

Following the searches, unconfirmed reports emerged that Chaitanya had been summoned to appear before the ED on March 15. Baghel, who was present during the raids, dismissed the ED’s actions as a result of the BJP’s frustration.

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Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday refuted reports that his son, Chaitanya Baghel, had been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked to a money laundering case in the state. Baghel stated that his son had not received any official notice from the central agency to appear before it.

Media personnel gathered outside the Baghel residence in Bhilai (Durg district) and the ED office in Raipur amid speculation that Chaitanya had been called to record his statement on Saturday. When asked if his son would appear before the ED, Baghel responded, “The question of going to the ED office does not arise if no notice has been received. When summons are served, they will be complied with.”

Speaking to reporters outside his home, Baghel accused the ED of creating unnecessary media hype and being used as a tool to defame political opponents. “It is the ED’s job to create a media frenzy. The agency is being misused to tarnish reputations. They have been doing this for years. I was implicated in a CD case for seven years, but the court recently discharged me of all charges. This is a BJP conspiracy to malign politicians,” he said.

On March 10, the ED conducted searches at Baghel’s residence in Bhilai and 13 other locations, including the premises of Laxmi Narayan Bansal, alias Pappu Bansal, an alleged associate of Chaitanya. The raids, carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), lasted about eight hours, during which the agency reportedly seized ₹30 lakh in cash and several documents.

The alleged liquor scam, as per the ED, took place between 2019 and 2022 during the Congress government’s tenure in Chhattisgarh, led by Baghel. The agency claims the scam caused a massive loss to the state exchequer, with over ₹2,100 crore in illicit gains allegedly funneled to a liquor syndicate.

Following the searches, unconfirmed reports emerged that Chaitanya had been summoned to appear before the ED on March 15. Baghel, who was present during the raids, dismissed the ED’s actions as a result of the BJP’s frustration.

The Congress party has strongly opposed the ED’s actions, with party workers burning effigies of the BJP-led central government and the ED on March 11 in protest. The party has accused the BJP of using central agencies to target political opponents and undermine democracy.

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Shiv Sena leader Mangat Rai murdered in Punjab: 3 arrested after brief shootout with police in Moga

In a bid to escape, Rai attempted to flee on his motorcycle, but the assailants pursued him and fired again, ultimately hitting him. Despite being rushed to a hospital by the police, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

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Punjab Police have arrested three individuals linked to the murder of Mangat Rai, the Moga district president of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, officials confirmed on Saturday. The suspects were apprehended following an exchange of gunfire with police in Malout, Muktsar district.

Rai, 52, was shot dead late on Thursday night while stepping out of his house to buy groceries. According to police, three unidentified assailants attacked Rai around 10 pm. The first bullet missed him but struck a 12-year-old boy who was caught in the line of fire. Rai attempted to flee the scene on his two-wheeler but was pursued by the attackers, who fired again, this time fatally injuring him.

Rai was rushed to a hospital by police, where he was declared dead. The injured boy is currently receiving medical treatment.

While investigators suspect the murder may be the result of a personal rivalry, Rai’s family has denied any enmity, stating that he had no conflicts with anyone.

The arrests mark a significant breakthrough in the case, with police continuing to probe the motive behind the attack.

In a bid to escape, Rai attempted to flee on his motorcycle, but the assailants pursued him and fired again, ultimately hitting him. Despite being rushed to a hospital by the police, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Investigators are considering the possibility that the murder was the result of a personal rivalry; however, Rai’s family members have asserted that he had no known enemies. The police continue to gather evidence and investigate the circumstances surrounding this alarming incident.

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RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav asks on-duty cop to dance during Holi celebration, video goes viral

The video captures Yadav, smeared with colors, singing a song and instructing the policeman to dance. He is heard saying, “I will play a song, and you will have to dance. If you don’t, you will be suspended.”

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A video of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Tej Pratap Yadav, son of former Union Minister Lalu Yadav, has gone viral on social media, showing him pressuring an on-duty police officer to dance during Holi celebrations at his residence in Patna.

In the clip, Yadav is seen threatening the officer with suspension if he refused to dance, leading to widespread criticism from political opponents.

The video captures Yadav, smeared with colors, singing a song and instructing the policeman to dance. He is heard saying, “I will play a song, and you will have to dance. If you don’t, you will be suspended.”

Yadav further added, “Ek ganna bajayenge, usme tumko thumka lagana hai, bura mat mano Holi hai. Aaj nahi thumka lagaoge toh suspend kar diye jaoge” (We will play a song, and you will have to dance to it. Don’t feel bad, it’s Holi. If you don’t dance today, you will be suspended). The policeman eventually complies, dancing as Yadav sings.

The incident has drawn sharp reactions from political leaders, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain condemning Yadav’s behavior. “He asked his bodyguard to dance; otherwise, he would suspend him. He has no power or authority to suspend anyone. This is Nitish Kumar’s government, not Jungle Raj. Using such language is unfortunate. RJD leaders have not evolved,” Hussain stated.

Janata Dal (United) (JDU) spokesperson Arvind Nishad also criticized Yadav, linking the incident to the past governance of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi. “The order given by MLA Tej Pratap Yadav to the police personnel assigned to his security to dance while on duty is a reminder of the Lalu-Rabri regime. His threats and actions are inappropriate. The way Holi was celebrated during their rule and how he recreated that chaos truly brings back memories of those days. In today’s governance, it is unimaginable how someone can behave in such a manner,” Nishad remarked.

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