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.

MP Surendranagar, leaving Rajya Sabha as Samajwadi Party MP, comes barely a fortnight after the Samajwadi Party lost MP Neeraj Shekhar, who quit Rajya Sabha to join the BJP.

LUCKNOW: The Samajwadi Party on Friday suffered yet another jolt when its MP Surendra Nagar, resigned from the Rajya Sabha. He is expected to join the BJP in a day or two.

This development comes barely a fortnight after the Samaajwdai Party had lost an MP to BJP – Neeraj Shekhar, son of late Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, had quit Rajya Sabha to join the BJP.

According to sources, Nagar, who is a prominent Gujjar leader from western UP, gave his resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and it has been accepted.

Nagar met senior BJP leaders in Parliament after his resignation which clearly indicates that he will join the saffron party and may be re-elected to the Upper House on its ticket.

Apart from Neeraj Shekhar and Surendranagar, Congress MP Sanjay Singh has also resigned from the Rajya Sabha to join the BJP. All three are likely to be returned to the Rajya Sabha from UP.

As per the district police authorities, after the incident, Azam, Zahid and Guddu Sonkar, now in police net, had provoked Khaliq’s family to issue a false and fabricated statement.

LUCKNOW: Revealing the truth of the Chanduali incident where a teenage boy had died of burns, the district police arrested three persons for allegedly spreading communal hatred on social media by claiming that the boy was set ablaze by some elements for refusing to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan in Syedraja area of eastern UP district on Sunday. The boy had succumbed at Varanasi divisional hospital on Tuesday, police said.

As per the district police authorities, after the incident, Azam, Zahid and Guddu Sonkar, now in police net, had provoked Khaliq’s family to issue a false and fabricated statement that he was set afire by four youths on refusing to chant ‘Jai Sri Ram’.

According to Chanduali Superintendent of police, Santosh Kumar Singh, during investigation it came to light that the victim Abdul Khaliq, 17, went to Shaheed Kale Khan Baba mausoleum for ‘learning’ some magic and set himself on fire there. His slipper and half burnt clothes were also recovered from there, he added.

According to the cops, after the incident Khaliq’s statement was initially recorded in which the boy said he went for attending nature’s call near Manrajpur village where four youths with their faces covered allegedly caught him and poured kerosene on him before setting him afire. Then he changed his statement saying four persons met him near Kshatem village, which is around 2 km off Manrajpur in opposite direction. He later on changed his statement over the spot of the incident.

“The boy is constantly changing his statement. CCTV footages examined by police do not show him in certain places he mentioned,” said the officer.

The district police chief had rebut the claim of the victim and his family saying that discrepancies were found in statements of the boy and that of an eyewitness, a newspaper hawker Dinesh Maurya.

As per the SP, the eyewitness confirmed that there was no one around and the victim was alone at the time of incident. “Till noon it was a case of boy being set afire by unidentified men. But in the afternoon, the victim and his mother were allegedly convinced by some anti-social elements to draw ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan into it to get immediate attention,” said the officer.
 
However, later the mother of the deceased accepted that her son was not set ablaze for refusing the slogan, said the police sources.

The police authorities said that the three persons arrested also spread the rumour on social media with an intention to create religious frenzy. They said a probe revealed that they were involved in spreading false information. Thereafter, a case was registered against them under section 153 A (promoting enmity on different groups on ground of religion), 295A (malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings), 420 (cheating), 120 B (conspiracy), 182 (false information) of the IPC and the 66 IT Act was registered against them and the trio was subsequently arrested.

The Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan fell vacant after the death of BJP leader Madan Lal Saini on June 24

NEW DELHI: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh may be renominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Congress from Rajasthan, party sources said.

The Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan fell vacant after the death of BJP leader Madan Lal Saini on June 24.

He was elected to the Upper House last year.

With the Congress in a majority in Rajasthan, the party is likely to win the seat.

The party, sources said, is actively considering nominating Singh for the lone seat and if elected, he will have a Rajya Sabha term up to April 3, 2024.

The Election Commission on Thursday issued a statement listing out the schedule of election for filling up the Rajya Sabha seat in Rajasthan.

The election to the seat will be held on August 26 and the result will be declared on the same day after counting.

The notification for the election will be issued on August 7.

August 14 will be the last date of nominations and after scrutiny on August 16, candidates can withdraw their application till August 19.

Singh has been a five-time Rajya Sabha member from Assam and has been a member of the Upper House for almost three decades.

His term came to an end on June 14.

There has been no vacancy for the Congress after that and Singh could not be renominated as the party is not in power in the northeastern state.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission also declared that election will be held for one Rajya Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh on August 26, with the same schedule as that for Rajasthan.

The seat had fallen vacant after Neeraj Shekhar resigned his seat on July 15, 2019.

Shekhar, the son of former prime minister Chandra Shekhar was a Samajwadi Party leader and has since joined the BJP.

The TMC supremo said she would not be able to participate in the rally because of some pre-scheduled engagements.

KOLKATA: MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday endorsed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s demand to replace EVMs by ballot papers and said the Trinamool Congress supremo has assured him of her support in his party’s fight to save the democracy.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena supremo said he came to Kolkata to invite Banerjee to attend an anti-EVM rally in Maharashtra on August 21.

The TMC supremo, however, said she would not be able to participate in the rally because of some pre-scheduled engagements.

“I’ve come here to invite Mamata ji for a rally scheduled in Maharashtra on August 21 to demand bringing back ballots in place of EVMs. This will be an anti-EVM movement. She is one of the key leaders in the country, voicing concern against EVMs,” Thackeray told reporters, with Banarjee by his side.

The MNS chief said Banerjee assured him that she would support his party to “save the democracy”.

Thackeray also referred to his visits to the Election Commission to demand reintroduction of ballots in elections.

“The situation which has emerged is not right. There were at least 370 constituencies in the country where there were problems regarding EVMs during the elections,” he said.

“When most of the countries across the world have stopped using the EVMs, why are we (India) using it?” asked Thackeray.

Asked if the rally scheduled in Maharashtra would be an anti-Modi move, Thackeray said, “This is not an anti-Modi rally but an anti-EVM one. But if it develops into an anti-Modi movement, there is no problem.”

Banerjee endorsed Thackeray’s remarks and asked why was India still using voting machines when countries like the USA and Japan have stopped using them after coming to know of their drawbacks.

Raising doubts over authenticity of polling through EVMs, the chief minister said one particular party predicted even the seat it would win in the election much before the polling.

Banerjee recalled that the TMC along with 23 other political parties had approached both the Election Commission and the Supreme Court against the use of EVMs in the elections but their complaints were dismissed.

The legislation provides for stricter punishment for various traffic-related offences as well as higher penalties. But that is just not it, click here to read more.

NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to tighten road traffic regulations such as the issuance of driving licence and imposed stricter penalties for violations in an attempt to improve road safety.

The Upper House passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 with 108 votes in favour and 13 against it, with three amendments moved by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.

The legislation was passed by the Lok Sabha on July 23 but the bill will be sent to Lok Sabha again because of a typo.

Replying to a debate on the bill, Gadkari allayed concerns of states, saying the Centre was not encroaching on any of their rights including the right to levy vehicle registration charge and permit fee, besides posting of officials.

Not a single penny of state revenue would be taken by the Centre, he asserted. Also, the rights of the states to set up driving training institutes too will remain untinkered.

The legislation provides for stricter punishment for various traffic-related offences as well as higher penalties, including compensation of Rs 5 lakh for death and Rs 2.5 lakh for grievous injury in a motor vehicle accident case.

Gadkari said the legislation will instil fear of law in people who violate traffic rules as an intelligent traffic system will monitor traffic offences.

The minister said India was facing shortage of 22 to 25 lakh drivers and to fill this gap, driver training institutes were planned pan India and the Centre was ready to provide Rs 1 crore subsidy for each centre.

He said such centres were not needed in metropolises like Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai but in remote rural areas to uplift tribals and poor and 1,000 such centres were planned.

The minister also allayed fears of members regarding roping in of corporates, saying no rights were being given to companies and in fact a few firms had come forward with Rs 20-25 crore free-of-charge training centres under CSR.

Gadkari said the process for obtaining driving licenses would now be computerised and anyone, whether a minister or MP, will get licenses only after passing online tests.

He said the government has no intention to intervene with the power of states and state transport corporations were free to run their buses.

He advocated the London transport model, stating that many state government undertakings had turned NPAs and the government was also exploring bringing in foreign funds.

The minister made it clear that vehicle registration rights remained with the states and asserted that the Centre was not benefitting by even a rupee. He also stressed on the need to promote electric buses and having a transport policy. He said a 265-seat bus skybus was planned between Dhaula Kuan and Manesar.

The bill proposes a National Transportation Policy for ushering in guidelines on the transportation of goods and passengers.

The minister said it will be framed only after holding consultations with the states.

Once the bill becomes a law, the new vehicles will be registered at the dealers level and it will eventually remove buyers’ interface with the registration authorities.

The bill, which was pending for approval in the Rajya Sabha, had lapsed after the term of the 16th Lok Sabha ended.

It proposes Rs 10,000 fine for not giving way to emergency vehicles and Rs 10,000 for driving despite disqualification.

Aggregators violating driving licences will be fined up to Rs 1 lakh.

The proposals are based on the recommendations of transport ministers from 18 states, which were vetted by a standing committee of Parliament.

The bill includes penalties in the range of Rs 1,000- 2,000 for over-speeding.

Driving without insurance will be punishable with Rs 2,000 fine, while driving without helmets will attract Rs 1,000 penalty and 3-month suspension of licence.

Also, the guardian/owner will be deemed guilty in case of road offence by juveniles, while registration of the vehicle will be cancelled.

As per the new provisions, “guardian/owner shall be deemed to be guilty and there will be a penalty of Rs 25,000 with three years imprisonment and cancellation of registration of the Motor Vehicle”.

Traffic violations would now attract a penalty of Rs 500 in place of Rs 100 earlier, while disobedience of orders of authorities will attract a minimum penalty of Rs 2,000 in place of Rs 500 earlier.

Penalty for unauthorised use of vehicles without licence has been proposed at Rs 5,000 while those driving without licence will have to shell out the same amount and those found driving despite disqualification would be fined Rs 10,000.

Penalty for dangerous driving would be increased to Rs 5,000 from Rs 1,000, while drunken driving under the proposed new law would attract a fine of Rs 10,000.

“If aggregators are found violating lincensing conditions, they will be charged a sum of up to Rs 1 lakh” while overloading of vehicles would attract a penalty of Rs 20,000.

Earlier participating in the debate, members raised concern over the growing number of road accidents and said that there should be a compensation mechanism for the deceased.

The Congress alleged that the Centre has “hoodwinked” the Rajya Sabha on the bill as it was “defective” and not in the form passed in the Lok Sabha last week.