Mehbooba Mufti, the President of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP,) Omar Abdullah, the Vice President of the National Conference Party and Sajjad Ghani Lone, a political leader, were put under house arrest.
While I’ve been focused on Kashmir I must add a word for people in Kargil, Ladakh & Jammu. I’ve no idea what is in store for our state but it doesn’t look good. I know many of you will be upset by what unfolds. Please don’t take the law in to your own hands, please stay calm.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 4, 2019
Violence will only play in to the hands of those who do not have the best interests of the state in mind. This wasn’t the India J&K acceded to but I’m not quite ready to give up hope yet. Let calm heads prevail. God be with you all.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 4, 2019
On the 4th of August, the State Government issued an order and put these three leaders under house arrest during late night. Before the house arrest, the political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir held an all party meeting in Srinagar and discussed the situation in the Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir.
Later, the Government imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) around midnight, on the 5th of August. Section 144 of the CrPC restricts every form of public gatherings and rallies in the State.
Satyapal Malik, the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, said, “There will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order. It should be noted that there will be no curfew in place as reported in a section of the media.”
All educational institutions and offices are also closed due to the current situation in the State. The Central Government increased the security in the State and deployed additional troops.
Recently, the Government deployed 28,000 soldiers to tighten the security in the Kashmir Valley. However, the Government did not give any reason regarding the same.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government also stopped the Amarnath Yatra, citing a terror threat.
Irfan Pathan, the mentor of Jammu and Kashmir cricket teams, also stopped the trials for the Under 16 (Vijay Merchant Trophy) and Under 19 (Cooch Behar Trophy) squads and left Srinagar.
Irfan said, “We have for the time being postponed the second phase of junior team trials…since there has been a government advisory, I had a meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association…Accordingly, it was decided that boys need to be sent back home (sic.)”
It is suspected the Central Government is going to abrogate Article 35A and Article 370.
If the Central Government repeals Article 35A and Article 370, it may initiate a protest in Jammu and Kashmir and worsen the current situation in the State.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organised a Union Cabinet Meeting to discuss the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting started at 9:30 A.M., on the 5th of August.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is conducting the meeting at his residence. Amit Shah, the Home Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, the Defence Minister of India, Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Law Minister of India and other Cabinet Ministers are attending the meeting.
The reason for the sudden Cabinet meeting seems to be important as the Cabinet meetings usually take place on Wednesdays, instead of Mondays.
Amid the tension in Kashmir, the Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Indian National Congress (INC) passed an adjournment motion notice in the Parliament for today’s parliamentary proceedings.
On the other hand, a few MPs of the PDP, Nazir Ahmad Laway and Mir Mohammad Fayaz, protested outside the Parliament and gave a Zero Hour notice in the House due to the issue.
The Cabinet meeting is underway.
Stay tuned for further updates.
