‘Most irresponsible politics ever’: BJP lashes out at Rahul Gandhi, dismisses his ‘U-turn’ on J&K

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday claimed that by calling Kashmir India’s internal matter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had made a U-turn after earlier insulting the country with his “irresponsible utterances” on the situation in the region. The ruling party alleged that Gandhi’s comments had been used by Pakistan in its application to the United Nations.

Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily blames Jairam Ramesh for ‘policy paralysis’ during UPA-2

Congress leader and former Union minister M Veerappa Moily on Wednesday blamed party colleague Jairam Ramesh for the “policy paralysis” during the second tenure of the United Progressive Alliance government. He made the accusation while condemning Ramesh’s remark that demonising Prime Minister Narendra Modi all the time would not help the cause of the Opposition.

‘Heading towards presidential form of government’, says West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday cautioned that the country was heading towards a presidential form of government. She accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of horsetrading that brought down the Karnataka government, and said that it would target West Bengal next.

INX Media case: P Chidambaram’s interim protection from arrest by ED extended till Thursday

The Supreme Court on Wednesday continued hearing former Union minister P Chidambaram’s plea against the Delhi High Court’s refusal to grant him bail in the INX Media money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate. The top court extended his interim protection from arrest in the case till Thursday, when the hearing will continue.

Top mountaineering authority to deny permits to climb Kanchenjunga as Sikkim protests lifting ban

India’s top mountaineering authority, the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, has said it will not issue permits to scale the Kanchenjunga, which is the third highest peak in the world at 8,568 metres, and many other peaks that are considered to be hallowed by locals. This came a week after the Union Home ministry lifted an 18-year-old ban on scaling the range.

Bihar: Acid thrown at 16 members of a family in Vaishali district for trying to stop molestation bid

At least 16 members of a family in Daudnagar area of Vaishali district in Bihar were attacked with acid on Wednesday for trying to stop some youths from allegedly molesting a woman. At least eight of them were seriously injured.

Centre constitutes Group of Ministers to look into problems facing J&K, Ladakh: Report

The central government on Wednesday constituted a Group of Ministers to look into development, economic and social problems in the newly-constituted union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The union territories will come into existence on October 31.

NRC verification process should not be used to target Muslims, says US religious freedom commission

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent, bipartisan panel set up by the American government, on Tuesday said the verification process under the National Register of Citizens in Assam should not become a means to target the Muslim community. The commission is tasked with reviewing violations of religious freedom abroad, and makes recommendations to the US president, secretary of state and Congress.

China’s concerns on J&K’s special status misplaced, no implication for LAC, says Indian envoy

India’s ambassador to China on Tuesday assuaged Beijing’s concerns over the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, describing them as misplaced. Ambassador Vikram Misri made the comments at his first press conference since the Indian administration’s August 5 declaration.

SC seeks responses from Centre, J&K administration on plea to withdraw restrictions on journalists

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration on a petition seeking the withdrawal of restrictions imposed on journalists in the state. The restrictions were imposed on August 5, when the Union government scrapped special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

Supreme Court allows Sitaram Yechury, law student to visit Jammu and Kashmir

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury and a law student to visit Jammu and Kashmir as it heard a batch of petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The top also referred the petitions to a five-member Constitution Bench to examine the matter in early October.

Unnao rape complainant’s uncle charged with forgery in attempt to murder case

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday charged the uncle of the Unnao rape complainant with forgery. The uncle is presently serving a 10-year jail term in an attempt to murder case in 2000. The police alleged that the accused made changes to a copy of a court judgement using a whitener. The Unnao police had filed the case in March this year.

‘Ram Setu is an ancient Indian engineering marvel’, HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal tells IIT students

Union Minister for Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal on Tuesday said that the Ram Setu was an ancient Indian engineering feat that astonishes the world till date, and asked engineers to conduct fresh research on the subject. He made the comments while addressing students at the 65th convocation of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

Jammu and Kashmir: Former CM Mehbooba Mufti’s mother denied permission to meet her

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s mother Gulshan Mufti was denied permission for a short meeting with her daughter. The Peoples Democratic Party chief has been under house arrest since the Centre’s August 5 declaration to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of the Constitution.

Delhi HC asks Centre to respond to Shah Faesal’s plea seeking copy of lookout circular against him

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the Centre’s response on a petition by Kashmiri politician Shah Faesal to give him a copy of the lookout circular issued against him. Faesal has been under detention in Srinagar since August 14.

Judge who rejected P Chidambaram’s bail appointed chairperson of Appellate Tribunal for PMLA

Justice Sunil Gaur on Wednesday was appointed the chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal for Prevention of Money Laundering Act, days after he rejected Congress leader P Chidambaram’s anticipatory bail plea.

Scrapping of J&K special status: Constitution Bench to hear petitions challenging Centre in October

The Supreme Court on Wednesday referred a batch of petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to a five-member Constitution Bench. The court also issued a notice to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government.

Rahul Gandhi says Kashmir is India’s internal matter, blames Pakistan for instigating violence

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said there was no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in the Jammu and Kashmir matter, and called Islamabad the ‘prime supporter of terrorism’. Gandhi said even though he disagreed with the government on many matters, he wanted to make it “absolutely clear” that Kashmir is India’s “internal issue”.

Jammu and Kashmir: Supreme Court to hear multiple petitions challenging Centre’s decisions today

The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear a batch of petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

West Bengal government to introduce bill against mob lynching

The Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal is planning to introduce an anti-lynching
bill in the Assembly. The draft bill proposed a maximum punishment of life imprisonment and fines ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

Help us find our jailed editor, Kashmir news website appeals

News website The Kashmiriyat on Tuesday sought help to find its editor Qazi Shibli, who was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police on July 25. Shibli was reportedly detained in connection with his tweets leaking details about impending troop movements in the state last month.

Shah Faesal was detained for instigating people at Srinagar airport: J&K government to Delhi HC

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal had been detained for trying to instigate people at the Srinagar airport against the “sovereignty and integrity of the country”. The government said Faesal’s custody was not unauthorised as the detention was under an order from an executive magistrate.

J&K: Press Council reverses position, will oppose media curbs in Supreme Court

The Press Council of India, whose support for media restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir had led to criticism this week, has now decided to change its stance in the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, the council proposed to its members that its plea should not approve of any sort of media restrictions.

Government yet to decide how to utilise Rs 1.76 lakh crore given by RBI, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the government was yet to decide how to utilise Rs 1.76 lakh crore that it will get from the Reserve Bank of India.

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