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Hindustan Times
36 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Wrote to parties to push for bill on statehood restoration in Parl: Omar
As demand for restoration of statehood has gained momentum, chief minister Omar Abdullah said he has written to several parties with a sizeable presence in Parliament, seeking their support for the introduction of a Bill for the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir in the ongoing Monsoon session. J&K CM Omar Abdullah. (File) J&K CM had written to 40 MPs, including the Congress president Malikarjun Kharge, and other prominent Lok Sabha members urging them to raise the issue of J&K's statehood in the Parliament. 'I have written a letter to all those parties who have a good number of MPs in Parliament and requested them to help on the promise made to J&K on statehood and raise the issue in Parliament so that a Bill is brought in this session itself and J&K gets its statehood back,' Omar told reporters in Srinagar. 'The act of reducing J&K from a state to a Union territory in 2019 and the prolonged delay in restoring its status as a full state... has profound implications for the future of Indian polity,' the three-page letter stated. The CM said the reorganisation of J&K into a UT in August 2019 was presented as a 'temporary and transitional measure' and cited repeated public assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On the Supreme Court likely to hear a plea for the restoration of statehood on August 8, Omar said the restoration should come through the court if the government does not do it. 'It is a good thing and I hope the Supreme Court keeps in mind is that when they gave a judgement on the August 5 case (in December 2023), they had said that the statehood should be restored as soon as possible. Now, many years have passed but we have not got it yet,' he said. The CM also highlighted the 'remarkable and enthusiastic participation' of the people of J&K in last year's assembly elections and said that they turned up in record numbers and demonstrated an unshaken faith in our constitutional processes and democratic institutions. In a 'respectful acknowledgement' of this, his government's first act was to pass a unanimous resolution calling for the immediate restoration of statehood. He said had the SC not set a deadline for conducting assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, 'perhaps I would not have been talking to you as the chief minister today'. 'We got elections last year as SC had set a timeframe. Otherwise they (centre) would have never held elections and I wouldn't have been a CM. Let's hope, government gives a time for statehood restoration. It has been promised to people of J&K in parliament, meetings and rallies.' Will take issue in INDI alliance meeting: Farooq Abdullah National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said that he will raise the issue of statehood of J&K in meeting of INDI alliance. 'Congress president has called a meeting of alliance parties and will raise the issue of J&K's statehood. They have been supporting us on this,' Farooq told on sidelines of function. PDP, NC on same page on statehood demand The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) welcomes the recent appeal by chief minister for a collective push toward restoring statehood in J&K. However, JKPDP expresses concern over the selective focus on statehood, while overlooking the far more critical demand for restoring Article 370 and Article 35A, which form the constitutional foundation of Jammu and Kashmir's identity, rights, and autonomy. JKPDP chief spokesperson Mehboob Beg said that while the party wholeheartedly supports the call for statehood and stands ready to back any meaningful initiative that fulfils promises made to the people in Parliament, public forums, and before the Supreme Court, it is disheartening to see that the NC, under CM Omar Abdullah's leadership, has not demonstrated equal urgency or clarity on the restoration of J&K's special status. 'The abrogation of Article 370 and 35A in August 2019 was a historic betrayal that struck at the heart of our political and cultural identity. Ignoring this reality while demanding statehood alone dilutes the larger struggle for justice and dignity,' Beg said. 'Statehood without special status is akin to treating the symptoms while ignoring the root cause,' Beg asserted. The JKPDP reiterated its position that statehood, while important, cannot be the ultimate goal. The restoration of Articles 370 and 35A must remain central to any political roadmap for Jammu and Kashmir.
The Hindu
36 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Trump non-committal on whether extra India tariffs will go with Russia-Ukraine ceasefire
U.S. President Donald Trump did not confirm whether the additional 25% tariffs he had announced on Wednesday (August 6, 2025), on Indian exports to the U.S., for New Delhi's trade in arms and energy with Moscow, would be cancelled if Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire. 'Well, we'll determine that later, but right now, they're paying a 50% tariff,' Mr. Trump told a reporter who asked if the additional 25% tariff on top of the 25% 'reciprocal tariff', would go following a ceasefire. Mr. Trump was taking questions at an event at the White House with Apple CEO Tim Cook. The President said he would be imposing a tariff of 100% on computer chips and semiconductors, while announcing that Apple would invest $100 billion in the U.S. Mr Trump had reportedly told European allies on Wednesday that he would have an in-person meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week and had plans for a follow-up with Mr. Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Also, on Wednesday, Mr. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Mr. Putin on Wednesday. Talks 'productive' Mr. Trump described the talks as 'productive' and said he did not know if the additional tariffs on India had anything to do with this. 'And as you know, we put a 50% tariff on India on oil. They're the second largest [purchaser of Russian oil]. They're very close to China in terms of the purchase of oil from Russia. So, I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but we've had very productive talks today,' he said. After imposing additional tariffs on India for trading in arms and energy with Russia, U.S. President Donald Trump said other countries could follow suit, suggesting China by name as a possibility. Asked why he was 'singling India out' for additional tariffs, Mr. Trump said, 'It's only been eight hours. So let's see what happens over the… You're going to see a lot more. You're going to see so much secondary sanctions,' he said.
India.com
36 minutes ago
- India.com
Inside Operation Akhal – India's Biggest Forest-Based Offensive To Smoke Out Terrorists From J&K's Densest Terrain
Akhal Forest/J&K: Operation Akhal, one of the most high-tech and large-scale counterterrorism offensives in Jammu and Kashmir, entered its sixth day on August 6. Joint forces of the Indian Army, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have zeroed in on the dense Akhal forest, uncovering a terrorist hideout that points to an entrenched and well-equipped presence of militants in the area. Acting on precise intelligence, the joint security forces have cordoned off nearly eight kilometres of forest terrain. Over 1,500 personnel, including elite PARA commandos, Rashtriya Rifles (RR), SOG units of J&K Police and CRPF troops, are involved. Throughout the operation, intermittent firing and explosions shook the region. Six soldiers have sustained injuries. Official confirmation so far acknowledges the killing of one terrorist, whose body has been recovered, although field reports suggest up to three may have been neutralised. Security forces uncovered a fortified terror hideout deep within the Akhal forest, stocked with supplies and gear. The dense terrain provides natural camouflage and has become a strategic refuge for terrorists following intense crackdowns in urban areas after the abrogation of Article 370. Over the past four years, militants have increasingly shifted to forested zones, taking advantage of the cover and adopting guerrilla tactics. Groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and The Resistance Front (TRF) have made forest regions like Akhal their operational bases. Intelligence inputs reveal a sharp decline in local recruitment, with only four local youths joining terror groups in 2025. The vacuum has been filled by Pakistani nationals trained in guerrilla warfare. These foreign terrorists are believed to be responsible for major attacks carried out from forest hideouts over the past few years. Operation Akhal is part of a larger counterinsurgency strategy that includes prior operations such as Operation Mahadev, Shiv Shakti and combing operations in regions like Dachigam, Lolab, Aragam and Shamsawari. Since January 2025, more than 40 terrorists have been killed in forest encounters, including 15 in the Jammu region alone. To tackle this new threat landscape, forces have upgraded their surveillance and combat tools. Operation Akhal marks the use of HAL Rudra attack helicopters equipped with high-resolution thermal imaging, electro-optic tracking and targeting systems developed by Israel's Elbit Systems. These choppers provide critical support by identifying heat signatures of terrorists even in dense foliage. Advanced drones, FPV hexacopters and satellite imagery are providing real-time surveillance. AI-driven analysis tools are helping trace brief communication signals. FPV drones with live feeds enable precise monitoring of terrain and enemy movement, while thermal imagers and night-vision goggles aid in night operations. Ground forces are fully outfitted with the latest weaponry. Army soldiers carry Israeli-made 7.62mm Negev LMGs and AK-203 assault rifles. Rocket launchers and UBGLs help them engage fortified positions. The SOG operates AK-pattern rifles, submachine guns and Sterling SMGs for close encounters. CRPF units mirror this arsenal. Snipers are armed with Sako TRG 42 rifles and SIG716i systems. All personnel wear bulletproof vests and are backed by armoured troop carriers designed for high-altitude and rocky terrain. Operation Akhal is not limited to neutralising militants. Its strategic goal is to dismantle the entire terror infrastructure hidden within the forests. It aims to locate and destroy permanent militant bases that have allowed insurgents to regroup and launch attacks with impunity. The operation is a turning point in the fight against forest-based militancy. By targeting hideouts in difficult terrain using precision warfare and state-of-the-art surveillance, the security forces are sending a message that forests will no longer be a safe haven for terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
