TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, whose party left the Modi government over special status to Andhra Pradesh, voiced his support for the scrapping of Article 370 on Twitter.

NEW DELHI: In a major success for Modi government, several non-NDA, non-UPA parties on Monday supported government’s resolution in Rajya Sabha to abrogate Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

These parties having no political affiliation with either ruling BJP or Congress include Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Aam Adami Party (AAP), AIADMK, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSR Congress.

BSP MP Satish Chandra Mishra, while supporting the resolution in the House, said: “Our party gives complete support. We want that the Bill be passed. Our party is not expressing any opposition to Article 370 Bill and the other Bill.”

BJP member Prasanna Acharya announced the party’s decision to support the resolution in the House, putting the “nation first” and said Kashmir become an integral part of India in “real sense” after the abrogation. “In a real sense, Jammu & Kashmir has become a part of India today. My party supports this resolution. We are a regional party but for us, the nation is first,” Acharya told Rajya Sabha.

Supporting the resolution, AIADMK’s A Navaneethakrishnan cited late Jayalalitha to emphasize that she always wanted the special provision to go.

“Amma (as Jayalalitha was popularly known) was well known for upholding sovereignty and integrity. So AIADMK party supports the two resolutions, Reorganisation Bill and the Reservation Bill,” he told Rajya Sabha.

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, whose party left the Modi government over special status to Andhra Pradesh, voiced his support for the scrapping of Article 370 on Twitter.

“Telugu Desam Party supports the Union Government as it seeks to repeal Article 370. I pray for the peace and prosperity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister tweeted.

AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been at loggerhead with the Centre, took to Twitter to announce his party’s decision to support the government on the resolution.

He said: “We support the government on its decisions on J&K. We hope this will bring peace and development in the state.”

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSRCP also supported the resolution in the House.

The resolution to do away with the provision was introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha. Shortly after the introduction of the resolution, President Ram Nath Kovind came out with a notification — The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 that will come into force immediately. The order will supersede the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 as amended from time to time.

The resolution was met with stiff opposition from the main Opposition Congress, DMK, MDMK, with DMK chief MK Stalin calling the move “murder of democracy”.

Later, the Constitution (application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019, which scrapped Article 370 was taken up in Lok Sabha.

Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) faction, which supports the BJP, said the saffron party should keep its poll promise of a permanent 

Mufti described the Modi government’s decision to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution as “the darkest day in Indian democracy”.

SRINAGAR/ NEW DELHI: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah were formally detained and taken to a government guest house ‘Hari Niwas’ in Srinagar on Monday night, hours after the Rajya Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill. The bill seeks to divide the state into two Union Territories — Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir. 

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and People’s Conference leaders Sajad Lone and Imran Ansari were also arrested.

Mufti and Abdullah are among those placed under house arrest since midnight Monday.

Sources said Mufti was arrested on the orders of the Executive Magistrate in Srinagar and shifted to Hari Niwas guest house.

In his order, the First Class Executive Magistrate cited apprehensions of law and order situation and breach of peace and tranquillity in Kashmir. 

“Your (Mufti) activities are likely to cause breach of peace keeping into consideration your recent activities that may likely lead to serious law and order situation and breach of peace and tranquillity in Kashmir,” the order said. 

It said Mehbooba and her party activists were about to proceed in a procession in public which could threaten law and order. “Keeping into consideration the present situation in Kashmir…I do hereby immediately order your detention,” said the Executive Magistrate.

Mehbooba Mufti had described the Modi government’s decision to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution as “the darkest day in Indian democracy”.

The overwhelming mandate that Modi ji got had given us hope that like a statesman he too would tread the path taken by Vajpayee ji & reach out to people of J&K. What an utter betrayal of trust.

“Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K,” the former Chief Minister tweeted.

“It will have catastrophic consequences for the subcontinent. GOI’s intentions are clear. They want the territory of J&K by terrorising its people. India has failed Kashmir in keeping its promises,” she said.

With mobile Internet and SMS connectivity, landline services and TV channels suspended, panicked people were unable to reach out to their friends and family members with the Valley being cut off from the rest of India.

Authorities imposed an overnight curfew in Kishtwar, Rajouri districts and Banihal area of Ramban district, Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar Angrez Singh Rana said. Restrictions continue to be imposed in many districts of Jammu division and Srinagar.

The Army, meanwhile, moved six columns to Jammu to maintain law and order.

The government had imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC in Srinagar district midnight Monday as a precautionary measure and banned public movement, while all educational institutions, including universities in Srinagar and Jammu, were closed.

Officials said all public meetings have been banned and only identity cards of essential services officials were treated as movement passes and police and civil administration officials were provided with satellite phones to communicate orders.

Meanwhile, barricades were erected on many arterial roads, including the entry and exit points to Srinagar, and riot control vehicles were put on standby in sensitive areas.

While tourists and students have been leaving the Valley in droves since the last two days, tour operators said they received cancellations from foreign and domestic tourists after Article 370 was revoked.

“We have seen around 30% increase in booking cancellations by travellers heading to Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and other parts of Kashmir Valley in the past three days,” said Aloke Bajpai, CEO & co-founder, Ixigo.

Sources said Azam Khan’s arrest for custodial interrogation is imminent, especially after the ED also lodged a case against him.

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan has moved the Allahabad High Court for anticipatory bail after 64 cases were filed against him by the Uttar Pradesh Police over the last three months, sources said on Monday.

The application is expected to come up for hearing in a day or two.

District Magistrate of Rampur Aunjaneya Kumar Singh told reporters that all the 64 cases were serious and 28 of them were filed in just one month.

He said: “Many more people are expected to come forward and complain against the MP now”.

“Twenty seven farmers have lodged cases saying their land was forcibly grabbed by Azam Khan. There are 13 cases of election rules violations, threats to officials and communal speeches by him during elections. Chargesheets have been filed by the police in all these 13 cases,” the DM said.

Sources said Azam Khan’s arrest for custodial interrogation is imminent, especially after the Enforcement Directorate also lodged a case against him. He has also been enlisted as an organised land grabber by the state government on July 12.

Sources said the arrest is likely to happen after the Parliament session gets over.

Meanwhile, Azam Khan said: “I am paying the price for winning the Rampur seat and defeating the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). A political vendetta has been launched against me by the Yogi government.”

The Samajwadi Party has threatened a state-wide agitation if the UP government moves to arrest Azam Khan, who has accused the district officials of Rampur of implementing the BJP agenda against him.

A bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and B R Gavai said that it is not an “ordinary case” and requires hearing before passing any order.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said it will hear in May next year a plea by former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was awarded life term by the Delhi High Court in a 1984 anti-Sikh riot case, seeking suspension of his sentence.

A bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and B R Gavai said that it is not an “ordinary case” and requires hearing before passing any order.

Kumar, 73, who is lodged in jail, resigned from the Congress party after he was convicted and awarded life term by the high court.

The case in which he was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment Raj Nagar Part one area of Southwest Delhi on November 1-2 in 1984 and burning down of a gurudwara in Raj Nagar part two.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the intensity of rainfall will continue for the next 24 hours.

MUMBAI:: Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) railway station on Sunday after the Central Railway announced the cancellation and diversion of trains due to the heavy rainfall and waterlogging in Mumbai.

Coming to the aid, BMC Ward officer from L Ward distributed food packages and tea to the stranded passengers at the railway station.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the intensity of rainfall will continue for the next 24 hours. In view of the same, the Mumbai University has postponed its exams for students of open learning, which were scheduled for Monday.

“University has postponed its exams for students of open learning, scheduled for 5th August, in view of forecast of heavy rains,” said Vinod Malale, Mumbai University Public Relations Officer (PRO).

In addition, schools and colleges in Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Mumbai city and Mumbai suburbs will also stay closed on Monday.

“Due to the IMD warning for tomorrow, holiday declared for schools and colleges in Mumbai & MMR, Palghar, Thane, Raigad districts,” CMO Maharashtra tweeted.

About 150 students of MIT College who were stranded due to waterlogging inside the college building were shifted to a safe place by fire brigade Pune team.

Jammu and Kashmir sans Ladakh will now be a Union Territory with a legislature. Ladakh will also be a UT without a legislature. 

NEW DELHI: Article 370, which extends special status to Jammu and Kashmir, has been scrapped, home minister Amit Shah announced in parliament.

Jammu and Kashmir will also be “reorganised,” Shah told the Rajya Sabha. Shah said the UT in Ladakh will have no legislature like Chandigarh while the other UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature like Delhi and Puducherry. 

“The Article-370, notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this article, the President may, by public notification, declare that this article shall cease to be operative or shall be operative only with such exceptions and modifications and from such date as he may specify: Provided that the recommendation of the Constituent Assembly of the State referred to in clause (2) shall be necessary before the President issues such a notification,” read out Shah in the ruckus in the Upper House of Parliament.

Ghulam Nabi Azad countering Shah’s Rajya Sabha address said, “Entire valley is under curfew, political leaders including three former chief ministers are under house arrest. There is a war-like situation in the state, so this should be discussed on priority”

The groundbreaking announcement came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a cabinet meeting at his residence this morning.

Darkest day in Indian democracy: Mehbooba

Among the first to slam the historic decision was former J-K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. The PDP leader who is reportedly under house arrest said, “Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy. Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K.”

Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy. Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K.

It will have catastrophic consequences for the subcontinent. GOIs intentions are clear. They want the territory of J&K by terrorising it’s people. India has failed Kashmir in keeping its promises

What are Article 370 and 35A?

Cabinet meetings generally take place on Wednesdays, though there are instances when it has been called on other days to consider important issues.

Shah is reportedly have briefed the Cabinet about the J&K situation and measures taken to address challenges posed by alleged Pakistan sponsored terrorism.

After addressing the Rajya Sabha, Shah is expected to address Lok Sabha at 12 PM.

Before the Cabinet meet, the PM reportedly chaired a meeting of the Cabinet committee on security. 

According to media reports, Amit Shah also had a one-on-one meeting with the Prime Minister.

Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad met the Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the Cabinet meeting, with the government likely to table legislative proposal to give effect to decision concerning the state.

The cabinet meeting was scheduled with just three days of the Budget session of Parliament remaining. BJP leaders, however, argued that the security build up is to “scorch remnants of terrorism in the Valley ahead of the Assembly polls.”

Meanwhile, the state has become a fortress with deployment of over 38,000 additional security forces. Senior political leaders from the Valley have been put under house arrest. The internet and telephonic services have also been disconnected in the valley.