Jammu & Kashmir crisis LIVE Updates: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday moved government resolution in the Rajya Sabha to revoke Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. As soon as he moved the resolution, the opposition parties created ruckus in the House, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House briefly. Earlier in the morning, the Union Cabinet met at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence amidst speculation that the Centre may take some decision on Jammu and Kashmir. Last night, former chief ministers Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and other state leaders were allegedly put under house arrest in Srinagar as the authorities imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC. Farooq Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference chairman Sajjad Ghani Lone also claimed to have been put under house arrest by authorities. State administration officials told news agency PTI that restrictions on the movement of people came into force in Kashmir at the crack of dawn, adding that internet services were entirely shut down in several parts of the Valley. They added that former CMs Omar and Mehbooba will not be allowed to move out of their respective houses in view of the restrictions.
On the other hand, Congress leader Usman Majid and CPI(M) MLA MY Tarigami claimed that they have been arrested around midnight. However, no official confirmation of the arrests was immediately available. The PTI report said that there will be no movement of public and all educational institutions will remain shut on Monday as there will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies. After the Jammu and Kashmir administration curtailed the Amarnath Yatra and asked pilgrims and tourists to return at the earliest on Friday, political leaders claimed that the developments were linked to BJP’s agenda to revoke Article 35A which grants special status to the border state. They have said that locals are in a panic mode following the decision and heavy deployment of security forces
Amid the current uncertainty in Kashmir, there have been concerns by state political leaders that that BJP led Centre has plans to do away with Article 370 and Article 35A. The Articles give special rights and privileges to the state in government jobs, institutions and land. The uncertainty in Kashmir was triggered following a massive security deployment and a government advisory asking tourists and Amarnath Yatra pilgrims to return immediately. Since then, state political leaders have questioned the Modi government’s decision and linked the developments to the BJP’s agenda to revoke the Articles. However, Governor Satya Pal Malik has said that nobody has discussed with me anything and wait till Monday or Tuesday.
Source : Times of India