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Congress leader and son of Maharaja Hari Singh who signed Instrument of Accession, Dr Karan Singh, welcomes abrogation of Article 370

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leader and son of Maharaja Hari Singh who signed Instrument of Accession, Dr Karan Singh, welcomes abrogation of Article 370

Senior Congress leader and son of Maharaja Hari Singh, the last king of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, who had signed the Instrument of Accession agreeing to accede to the Dominion of India, Dr Karan Singh has welcomed the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Statement issued by Dr Karan Singh, Congress leader and son of Maharaja Hari Singh (image: ANI)

In his statement, the last ‘Yuvraj’ of Jammu and Kashmir said that the drastic step taken by the Indian government appears to be enjoying an overwhelming support of the Parliament as well as around the country including region of Jammu and Ladakh.

He says that he has been pondering over the issue and does not think that blanket condemnation of the step is appropriate. He says that he had suggested recognition of Ladakh as a union territory back in 1965 itself when he was the Sadar-i-Riyasat of the state. He also mentioned that the discriminatory Article 35A had to be addressed and the fresh delimitation will ensure fair division of political power between Jammu and Kashmir regions.

With regard to Kashmir, he said that the political dialogue must continue and would be unfair to dismiss the two major regional parties as ‘anti-national’. He urged the politicians to hold a political dialogue and insisted that the communal harmony should be maintained. He added that his sole concern is to further the welfare of all sections and regions of the state.

Congress leader Karan Singh joins long list of prominent Congress leaders who have come out in support of Modi government’s decision to dilute Article 370 making Jammu and Kashmir a part of India without any riders attached. Earlier, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Deepinder Hooda, Janardan Dwivedi have come out in support of abrogation of Article 370. Congress’ chief whip Bhubaneswar Kalita even resigned from Rajya Sabha over Congress’ stand on Article 370.

Rajasthan: Dalit woman commits suicide in Bharatpur after allegedly tortured and threatened by police

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Dalit woman commits suicide in Bharatpur after allegedly tortured and threatened by police

A Dalit woman named Amita Devi (35) allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself to death on Tuesday due to torture by police. She took the extreme step in her house at Bhandor village in Sewar police station area of Bharatpur district in Rajasthan.

The family members of Amita have alleged that she was tortured and abused by the police who took her to the Sewar police station on Monday to inquire about her husband who had reportedly eloped with a young girl from the village 15 days ago.

Even after being released she was constantly being threatened by the police which made her take the drastic step, alleged the Dalit woman’s family members.

The Police were informed of the suicide and they promptly reached the spot.

According to sources the Dalit woman’s husband had eloped with a schoolgirl living in the same village 15 days ago. Acting on the complaint lodged by the young girl’s parents, the Sewar police picked up Amita Devi and her brother-in-law from their house and took them to the police station for investigation suspecting that she was aware of her husband’s whereabouts.

During interrogation, Amita was allegedly thrashed and humiliated by cops who told her that they would beat her up again if she didn’t give up her husband’s location.

Depressed after she returned home from the Sewer police station at around 11 pm on Monday night, Amita narrated her ordeal to her younger sister.

Humiliated by what transpired the 35-year-old locked herself in her room and was found hanging from the ceiling on Tuesday morning, the sister said.

The family demanded a probe against the Sewar police personnel in abetting the death, following which an inquiry has been started against the cops. The police have, however, denied the charges against them saying that Amita Devi was not tortured or threatened by them.

This is, however, not the first time Rajasthan police has been accused of this kind of mistreatment and brutality. A similar case where Rajasthan police had been charged for allegedly gang-raping and brutally beating up a Dalit woman in Sardarshahr Police station in Churu, Rajasthan had been reported on July 16, 2019.

A 35-year-old Dalit woman and her brother-in-law Nemichand were allegedly illegally detained by the then SHO and other police officers. The woman had alleged that she was raped, tortured and beaten up after her brother in law died in police custody. Subsequently, an FIR had been registered against the then SHO and five to seven other police officers.

Here is how the Narendra Modi doctrine has broken all psychological barriers and left Pakistan clueless

Abhishek Banerjee
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Here is how the Narendra Modi doctrine has broken all psychological barriers and left Pakistan clueless

Among the “retaliatory measures” announced by Pakistan yesterday, and I kid you not, is a threat to observe Aug 15 as a Black Day.

Yes, you may burst out laughing.

What else has Pakistan got in its arsenal? For one, they are sending the Indian High Commissioner back home. Which can only be good news for him and his family? I hope he will be reassigned to a better, more livable country soon.

Anything else? Well, they are suspending all bilateral trade with India. That’s a big move for a country that is currently rationing roti, naan and possibly “timatar.” This will also mean that Pakistan will have to sell more donkeys to China in order to earn precious bits of foreign exchange.

Is it beneath us to revel in the misery of a neighbour? I couldn’t care less. We have tried to treat them well, be good neighbours, for 70 years. Enough. What is that colloquial Hindi saying about knowing the difference between those who respond to “laat” and those who respond to “baat“? Pakistan has richly qualified to be among the former.

So what else can Pakistan do? Stop some cultural exchange program with India? Review the Indus Water Treaty and decide to build a dam that will stop the river from flowing upwards?

Basically, Pakistan has been blindsided by what should be termed as the “Modi Doctrine.” Keep raising the stakes and calling the bluff of the other side.

For decades, we tried to keep our peace and avoid stepping on their toes. By acting crazy, Pakistan got away with everything. After every terrorist attack, we would call their diplomats, use some stern language and then send them home with a dossier.

Because we had so much to lose and they had nothing to lose, they could basically do whatever they wanted. This is the irony where the crazier party wins.

Modi’s solution was to call their bluff. We wouldn’t cross the LoC because we thought it would send the crazy Pakistanis over the edge. Even at the time of the Kargil War, we did not cross the LoC. But when Uri happened, India went right ahead with a surgical strike across the Line of Control. The response left the Pakistani establishment numb with surprise.

Then Balakot. After the Pulwama attack, the Pakistani establishment was expecting a second surgical strike. They had their Army ready to prevent Surgical Strike #2. They were waiting for it. As Modi later explained in one of his rallies, “Hum upar se chale gaye” — we went over their heads. We sent the Indian Air Force and bombed a terrorist camp not in PoK but in Pakistan proper.

Once again, India had raised the stakes. Called their bluff.

Now Kashmir and Article 370 are a purely internal matter of India, a fact that India’s principal opposition party may or may not understand. But as with many other things, India has come to expect a nuisance from Pakistan in our day to day lives, as with flies when we lay out the food on an outdoor picnic.

At one stroke on Monday, Aug 5, India moved to fully integrate Kashmir with the rest of our country. The Pakistanis, who thought they had built up some kind of pressure by meeting with the Americans, were left at a loss for words.

Each of these was just a psychological barrier: the LoC, the border, Article 370. And we have called the bluff of all elements, both domestic and foreign, who warned us of all sorts of consequences.

Did any country in the world speak in favour of Pakistan after Balakot? No. In fact, they got rebuked even by their Chinese benefactors.

Any significant violence in Kashmir after Article 370 was revoked? No! If Pakistan wants to jump up and down and make a fool of itself over India’s internal administrative affairs, it is not our problem. They say they are going to the UN Security Council. Fat chance they have there. The recent 15-1 thrashing to Pakistan at the International Court of Justice should tell them where they stand on the global stage. Has any other Muslim nation said anything against India’s move in Kashmir? No, but significant ones like UAE have welcomed it. The Chinese did make some feeble noises about Ladakh, but a stern rebuke from India sent them packing.

We are not a world power if we can’t do things unilaterally. The Modi doctrine is to act first and then ask the world to deal with it.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, when we keep raising the stakes, we take advantage of surprise away from terrorists.

What will Pakistan do now? Send more terrorists to India? But should another major terror attack happen, Pakistan no longer knows what to expect. How far will we go? Will the Indian Air Force strike Rawalpindi next time? Will we block the Indus river and finish agriculture in all of Pakistan? They don’t know.

We’ve had enough of them getting their way because they act crazy. They are not actually crazy. The Pakistani Army establishment wants to live just as much as we do. We know they don’t want to die in a nuclear conflagration. Now the onus is on them to think carefully before doing anything against us. Because there is no saying what we will do in response.

The finest part of the Modi doctrine is that it is permanent. No future government can now dilute this doctrine. Because public pressure simply would not allow it. After Pulwama, there was anger but also deep confidence among the masses. We knew India was going to punish them. The only question was when and how much. The sense of helplessness that was common in the old days was no longer around. No future Prime Minister can now deviate from this path, because people would hold them to Modi’s standards.

Hopefully, Pakistan gets it. Perhaps that’s why they are “retaliating” by observing Black Day on this or that occasion. Good to see that they are developing techniques for anger management.

In an act of bravery, Muslim woman tears up triple talaq paper in front of her husband, says ‘it won’t work anymore’

OpIndia Staff
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In an act of bravery, Muslim woman tears up triple talaq paper in front of her husband, says ‘it won’t work anymore’

In an exemplary act of bravery, a Muslim woman belonging to Rampur of Uttar Pradesh tore the piece of talaq paper at a counselling centre in Moradabad, where the couple had gone for a ‘mediation’, while saying that “this (triple talaq) won’t work anymore”, reports Times of India.

Reportedly, the husband of the victim, who works as a labourer had given her ‘talaq’ on a piece of paper and threw her out of the house. The woman with all her courage has now stood against the oppression by tearing off that illegal divorce paper.

The victim woman had complained to Moradabad SP that her husband would often harass her for dowry. On July 1, the husband had written talaq thrice on a piece of paper and handed it over to her. The SP had then asked the couple to visit the Nari Utthan Kendra counsellor.

On Tuesday, Sandhya Rawat, the counsellor at Nari Utthan Kendra counsellor had asked the couple to appear before the centre for a counselling session. As counsellor listened to the couple, the woman tore the ‘talaq’ paper in front of her husband. The husband then agreed to take her back.

“The woman is 52-year-old while her husband is 55. During the counselling session, the woman showed courage and made it clear to her husband that she was not going to leave him, and there was no use of writing ‘talaq’ on a piece of paper. We shot the entire scene in our mobile phone when she was tearing the ‘talaq’ paper,” Rawat reportedly said to TOI.

“This video of tearing the paper with talaq written on it will certainly help. We’ll use it to convince other quarrelling couples,” said Rawat terming it as an emotional moment.

Reportedly, the woman was married to him for 26 years and belonged to a poor family. The husband is a labourer and the couple has three children. The eldest son is 19-year-old.

The victim had lodged a complaint around 11 years ago after being fed up of her husband for harassing her over dowry. The matter was resolved after families from both sides reached out and took prompt initiatives, said counsellor Ritu Narang said.

The effect of newly enacted Triple Talaq law is already being reflected in the society as a similar incident took place in  Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh after a Muslim man named Mohammad Ali returned to his wife fearing arrest after the historic Triple Talaq bill became a law making the illegal divorce a punishable offence.

The historic triple talaq bill passed by Narendra Modi led NDA government makes a declaration of talaq-e-biddat in spoken, written or through SMS or WhatsApp or any other electronic chat illegal. Talaq-e-biddat refers to the pronouncement of talaq three times by a Muslim man in one sitting to his wife resulting in an instant and irrevocable divorce.

The triple talaq law also makes a declaration of talaq-e-biddat cognisable offence that gives a police officer powers to arrest the offender without requiring a warrant. A Muslim man pronouncing instant triple talaq attracts a jail term of three years under the triple talaq law. The accused under the triple talaq law is entitled to bail, which can be granted by a magistrate. But the bail can be granted only after the magistrate has heard the aggrieved woman.

Molestation accused ‘journalist’ Vinod Dua lies again, this time on Trump’s statement on Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370

Nirwa Mehta
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Molestation accused ‘journalist’ Vinod Dua lies again, this time on Trump’s statement on Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370

Molestation accused purveyor of fake news ‘journalist’ Vinod Dua was caught spreading lies yet again. In a video uploaded last night on media house ‘HW News Network’, Dua asks a pointed question whether Jammu and Kashmir is indeed an internal matter of India.

At around 2 minutes into the video, Dua says that it is still not clear whether the Kashmir issue is an internal matter (something that India has always maintained) or whether it is a bilateral matter or whether it is an international matter. India has always maintained that PoK is a part of India and is under illegal occupation of Pakistan

He adds how Trump had also offered to mediate in the matter, “Donald Trump ne bhi shaamil hone ki peshkash ki hai. Ki Bharatiya Pradhan Mantri ne mujhse kaha tha ki main madhyasta karu (Donald Trump had also offered to get involved. That Indian Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] had told me that I should intervene).” Dua then plays the clip of Trump’s meeting with Pakistan PM Imran Khan held last month where he made that statement.

However, soon after India had made its stand very clear that the Kashmir issue continues to be a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan and India shall not accept third party intervention.

Not too surprisingly, Dua does not mention that the Ministry of External Affairs has already clarified India’s stand on Trump’s offer. He also plays Congress’ goof-up clip from the Lok Sabha where Congress’ leader of opposition Adhir Ranjan Choudhary also confused the state of Jammu and Kashmir for the region of Kashmir which is illegally occupied by Pakistan. He also adds how SP MP Akhilesh Yadav also brought up the matter and asked whether J&K is indeed an internal matter. He conveniently forgets to add that Akhilesh Yadav had also displayed his ignorance since through the decades and despite the change in governments, India has always maintained that PoK is a part of India.

He brings up a 2016 article by Karan Singh, son of Maharaja Hari Singh, erstwhile King of Jammu & Kashmir who signed the Instrument of Accession. Congress leader Karan Singh, too, had then said that stating that Jammu and Kashmir is not an international matter will dilute India’s position on it. Amusingly, in a statement released today, Karan Singh has actually welcomed the step.


In a very snide remark, he then takes on Home Minister Amit Shah and questions how does he plan to take back PoK and Aksai Chin (which is disputed region with China). “Hum jaan de denge, jaan de denge, lekin kaise lenge aur jaan kaise denge yeh mamla abhi baki hai,” he said. Interestingly, these are the very people who would go all guns blazing at any military solution to the illegal occupation of POK by Pakistan.

Dua reads out Pakistan’s and China’s criticism regarding the abrogation of Article 370. However, Vinod Dua doesn’t bother informing his viewers of the strong stand India has taken against the ‘concern’ shown by China. India, in categorical terms, told China that this is India’s internal matter and just as India doesn’t interfere in the internal matters of other countries, other countries should do the same. While taking China as a yardstick in his show, Dua, who seems to be ever so concerned about the Muslim population of the world, doesn’t once talk about the treatment met out of Uighur Muslims in China. Any journalist worth his salt would question China as to what right it has to pontificate to India when a rebellion brews in its backyard and Muslims are shoved in concentration camps across the country.

Further, he mentions how in the Pakistan Assembly Imran Khan mentioned dilution of Article 370 will lead to ethnic cleansing. “Imran Khan ne apni parliament mein kaha hai ki woh UN security council ko approach kar sakte hai. Unhe yeh darr hai ki India is initiating ethnic cleansing in Kashmir to wipe out the local population,” Dua reads out. He says that what Khan says does not surprise him but he wants clarity from our own government on this issue. The valley has been quiet with no reports of violence being reported against Kashmiri Muslims. In fact, reports have now emerged that migrant workers are being threatened by Kashmiri Muslims to leave the valley. While Dua’s heart bleeds for the Kashmiri Muslim population, not once does he stop to consider how this movie affects the Kashmiri Hindus who were raped, killed and driven out of the valley in the 1990s by Jihadis in the valley. What this decision means to the Hindu population in exile is that they will finally be able to go back home without the shadow of discriminatory laws hanging over their heads. In fact, Dua completely forgets what this move does for Ladakh as well. It is almost as if for this molestation accused journalist, Jammu and Kashmir do not exist beyond South Kashmir.

Any journalist worth his experience would be at this point questioning Pakistan about the atrocities it heaps in Balochistan on its own people. One has to wonder why Vinod Dua, while parroting Imran Khan’s lies on ‘ethnic cleansing’ of ‘Kashmiri Muslims’, wouldn’t raise the question about what right does Pakistan have to question any other country when the Pakistan Army and ISI have raped, killed, abducted and cleansed Balochistan of the Balochi people. In fact, the atrocities are such that Pakistan has even used F16s against their own population in Balochistan. But, of course, real, pertinent questions would only rain on Vinod Dua’s propaganda parade.

Then in the most bizarre manner, he turns his attention on memes which followed after the Article 370 was diluted. This was almost like fact-checking an Internet meme. Except, Dua, whose own daughter is a ‘comedian’ and often takes liberties with her ‘jokes’ under the cloak of ‘artistic freedom’ couldn’t even take a joke, however distasteful it might be.

Essentially, Dua lies and misleads his viewers by questioning whether Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter or an international one despite multiple clarifications from the government and the ministry that it continues to be an internal matter, except for PoK which remains a bilateral matter.

The fact that Jammu and Kashmir is now a part of India without any riders and conditions has taken the ones who never wanted to bring a solution to the Kashmir issue by surprise. The same can be evident from propaganda spread by propagandists like Dua who chooses to mention only selective information which could have dangerous repercussions on national security.

Meanwhile, to answer your question, for the nth time, Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an internal matter for India. The portion illegally occupied by Pakistan is also part of Indian union territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Hope that clears the air for him.

Rajasthan: Imran, Khalid, Anwar shoot a man, Bajrang Dal claims they said ‘this is not Kashmir, 370 will be celebrated with bullets’

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Imran, Khalid, Anwar shoot a man, Bajrang Dal claims they said ‘this is not Kashmir, 370 will be celebrated with bullets’

In a deplorable incident, a young Bajrang Dal activist, Rishiraj Jindal was shot dead by few Muslim men in Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar district, Rajasthan on Monday night. The accused have been identified as Imran, Khalid and Anwar.

As per reports Rishiraj and his friends were celebrating a friend’s birthday near the green valley resort in Pirawa town when the three accused entered the party and shot at Rishiraj and his friends. While the others had a thin escape, Rishiraj was shot dead. The accused fled thereafter.

The Bajrang Dal activists have claimed that the three Muslim youths interrupted the party and asked Rishiraj and his friends to stop the celebrations. Irked by the noise of the firecrackers and loud music, Imran, Khalid and Anwar started shouting at the boys.

Implicating that the party was organised to celebrate the abolition of Article 370, Imran said: “This is Pirawa, not Kashmir, you cannot celebrate the abolition of Article 370 here”. Meanwhile, he allegedly took out a gun and started shooting randomly. The other two miscreants also started shooting at the group of boys. One bullet hit Rishiraj Jindal who immediately died on spot.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flcSiHJPnNs]

Rajasthan police have, however, ruled out the Article 370 angle and said that the incident transpired as the two groups got into an altercation over the noise of crackers and loudspeakers which were being used during the birthday party.

The situation in the area where the incident transpired is said to be grim. Protestors have taken to the street and the town has been completely shut down. Police personnel have been deployed to maintain peace in the area.

The Bajrang Dal activists have gathered outside the police station demanding a probe into the incident. The activists have said that they will continue to protest and not claim the body of the deceased until the culprits are caught and booked within 24 hours.

India responds to Pakistan downgrading diplomatic ties with India, says decision on Article 370 entirely internal matter of India

OpIndia Staff
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India responds to Pakistan downgrading diplomatic ties with India, says decision on Article 370 entirely internal matter of India

A day after Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with India along with suspending trade relations, External Affairs Ministry of India has released a statement saying the government of India regrets the unilateral steps taken by Pakistan.

India says that the intention behind the steps taken by Pakistan is to present an alarming picture of India-Pakistan ties to the world, but the reasons cited by Pakistan are not supported by facts. The statement says the recent decisions of the Indian government and parliament are aimed at extending development opportunities to Jammu and Kashmir, which were earlier denied due to a temporary provision in the Indian Constitution. Removal of those provisions will also result in the elimination of gender and socio-economic discrimination in the state.

India has reiterated that the decisions regarding Article 370 are entirely internal matters of India, and the constitution of India is a sovereign matter of the nation. Seeking to interfere in that jurisdiction by invoking an alarmist vision of the region will never succeed, the statement says.

The MEA has said that government of India regrets the decisions of Pakistan, and urges the country to review them so normal diplomatic ties are maintained.

The full statement issued by MEA is given below:

On Pakistan’s Unilateral Decision in respect of Bilateral Relations with India

August 08, 2019

1. We have seen reports that Pakistan has decided to take certain unilateral actions in respect to its bilateral relations with India. This includes the downgrading of our diplomatic relations. The intention behind these measures is obviously to present an alarming picture to the world of our bilateral ties. The reasons cited by Pakistan are not supported by facts on the ground.
2. Recent decisions by the Government and Parliament of India are driven by a commitment to extend to Jammu and Kashmir opportunities for development that were earlier denied by a temporary provision in the Constitution. Its impact would also result in the removal of gender and socio-economic discrimination. It is also expected to result in an upswing of economic activity and improvement in the livelihood prospects of all people of Jammu and Kashmir.
3. It is not surprising that such developmental initiatives that could address any disaffection in Jammu and Kashmir should be negatively perceived in Pakistan, which has utilized such sentiments to justify its cross-border terrorism.
4. The recent developments pertaining to Article 370 are entirely the internal affair of India. The Constitution of India was, is and will always be a sovereign matter. Seeking to interfere in that jurisdiction by invoking an alarmist vision of the region will never succeed.
5. The Government of India regrets the steps announced by Pakistan yesterday and would urge that country to review them so that normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved.

New Delhi
August 08, 2019

 

 

On August 7, Pakistan had announced several reactionary steps after Article 370 was abrogated by India. After a meeting of National Security Council Headed by prime minister Imran Khan, Pakistan had decided to downgrade diplomatic relations, suspension of bilateral trade, review of bilateral arrangements, taking the matter to UN including the security council. They have also decided to observe 14th August in solidarity with Kashmiris, and 15th August as black day.

Thousands of migrant workers flee Kashmir following hate crimes and threats by local Muslims: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Thousands of migrant workers flee Kashmir following hate crimes and threats by local Muslims: Report

Migrant workers from Bihar, many of whom are Muslims themselves, were forced to flee from Kashmir after being threatened by locals following the abolition of Article 370, Rahul Pandita reported in the Open Magazine. The migrants are desperate to leave Kashmir and they are fleeing in thousands, the report said.

“They were hurling abuses at me and asked me to leave; they said they will kill me otherwise,” said 56-year-old Surinder Mahato. 25-year old Aslam claimed that he was beaten by a few locals in Srinagar. He said, “They took away my bag and said: Bhaago Bihari idhar se (Run away from here, Bihari).”

“One Kashmiri came to me the previous night and said if I see you tomorrow, I will beat you up and burn you with kerosene oil,” said another migrant worker. Most of the workers who travel to Kashmir to earn their wages do so because of the cool summer-time weather. They are also able to save more, claimed the report.

The plight of migrant workers in Kashmir reveals the dark underbelly of Kashmiri separatism which is a toxic blend of racial and religious supremacy. It is also a slap on the face of liberals who explicitly support Kashmiri nationalism despite the fact that it is akin to the White Supremacist ideology of the Ku Klux Klan.

SC refuses to grant an urgent hearing on a petition filed by infamous ML Sharma challenging the scrapping of Article 370

OpIndia Staff
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SC refuses to grant an urgent hearing on a petition filed by infamous ML Sharma challenging the scrapping of Article 370

On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant an urgent hearing on a petition filed by advocate ML Sharma challenging the scrapping of Article 370, reports Live Law.

According to the reports, a Supreme Court bench consisting of Justice NV Ramana declined to pass any order for urgent listing of the matter before the court.

Advocate ML Sharma, known for his frivolous PILs, had moved Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution challenging the Constitution (Application to Jammu & Kashmir) Order.

In his petition, Sharma had stated that the said Presidential Order, which has the effect of scrapping the special status of the state of J&K is unconstitutional as it was passed without taking consent from the state assembly. The petition also stated that Article 370 cannot be nullified by exercising powers under Article 370 itself and hence the Order is ultra vires. 

During the hearing, Advocate ML Sharma said the reason for the urgency for filing a petition was that Pakistan may take the matter to the United Nations and we will lose Kashmir forever. “Can UN stay Indian Constitution’s amendment”, asked Justice Ramana.

The Centre had on Monday revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two union territories – Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Manohar Lal Sharma is a notoriously known filling frivolous Public Interest Litigations (PIL) and earning court’s wrath. The Supreme Court has time and again refused to entertain PILs filed by ML Sharma.

In July this year, he had gone to the Supreme Court questioning the use of EVMs in elections and had sought the cancellation of recently concluded Lok Sabha election. However, the Supreme Court rejected his petition.

In December last year, advocate Manohar Lal Sharma had earned court’s wrath and was asked to pay fines several times in the past. He was fined ₹50,000 and ₹25,000 by the court on two occasions in 2014 for wasting the court’s time with frivolous petitions.

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had said that the day has come to ban him from filing PILs. The court made such remark due to the history of Sharma’s petitions.

Here is why UK MP Liam Byrne ‘condemned’ India’s decision to abrogate Article 370, and it has nothing to do with India

OpIndia Staff
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Here is why UK MP Liam Byrne ‘condemned’ India’s decision to abrogate Article 370, and it has nothing to do with India

Liam Byrne, Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, United Kingdoms from the Labour Party, came out against India on Twitter and said that the decision of the Indian government to integrate Jammu and Kashmir completely with the Indian Union was ‘unacceptable’.


While Byrne’s statement appears terribly misinformed and quite malicious, a quick check at his background provides an explanation for his conduct. He has been an elected representative from the Hodge Hill constituency since 2004. The demography of his constituency gives away the reason for his statement.

Hodge-Hill has an over 40% Muslim population, 41.5% to be precise, and at least 12.10% of the constituency’s population was born in Pakistan. Of course, the percentage of the population having a Pakistani heritage is much higher. While Indian born population is merely 0.60%.

His constituency, while it was has a 41.50% Muslim population, has only a 0.40% Hindu population, 0.60% Sikh population and 0.20% Buddhist population.

Demography stats of Hodge Hill based on people’s country of birth
Source: QPZM LocalStats UK
Hodge Hill’s religious demography
Source: QPZM LocalStats UK

Moreover, nearly 20% of the constituency’s population don’t even speak English. While the Urdu speaking crowd consists of 6.20% and 3.30% speak Pakistani Pahari.

Languages spoken in Hodge Hill
Source: QPZM LocalStats UK

 

A politician’s primary concern is always securing reelection. Thus, it isn’t any surprise that Liam Byrne has come out all guns blazing on an issue that is strictly India’s internal matter. While one would have expected Byrne to be more concerned with the chaos his own country is on the verge of due to Brexit, he has to take a stand on the issue to appease sections of his own constituency.

Byrne would also be better advised to protect the little girls in his own country from the Pakistani Muslim grooming gangs rather than lecture India regarding its internal matters.

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