He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured an optimum utilisation of resources to successfully fight oxygen shortage during the second wave of coronavirus in the country.
Delivering his keynote address during the HT Leadership Summit here, Shah said the country has given a strong reply to the cross-border terrorism perpetrated by Pakistan, "hitting it in its house" by way of surgical strikes conducted by defence forces.
No one believed that Article 370 and 35A can be repealed but Prime Minister Narendra Modi did it in 2019, he said.
"I can say that there is peace now in Kashmir, investment is coming and tourists are flocking."
"Kashmir slowly is getting back to normal to stand in unity with the country," he said.
He said the Modi government made it clear through its armed surgical strikes into Pakistan that breaching Indian borders was not that easy.
This feat till now was only known to be done by Israel and the US but India too now is in that list.
"We want peace with everyone... the security of our borders is our top priority and we have given a definite and loud message in this context."
"Due to this, India now has a different acceptance in the world," he said.
Talking about the recent challenges posed by the COVID-19, the home minister said PM Modi's effective policies brought out the economy, hit by the pandemic, in quick time.
"Indian economy is growing fastest in the world now," Shah said.
Lauding Modi's leadership, Shah said it was the first time that India's security policy "came out of the shadows" of its foreign policy.
He said in last 10 years before Modi government came to power (2014), there was a "policy paralysis" in the country, the Prime Minister's office was "compromised" and India's respect in the world had come down.
"We got political stability in 2014 as there was an era of coalition governments for long in the country," the home minister.
He is likely to outline the government's vision on Jammu and Kashmir, and how it plans to bring about development to the now Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The government has planned to rope in big investors into the state, fast track the Srinagar Metro and involve people in the development process, all of which officials say were earlier being hampered by Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
With the separatists and pro-independence sympathisers under lockdown, the NDA government plans to roll out big time development in the two border Union Territories.
Pakistan, which has been insisting on terming Kashmir as a disputed international issue and has expelled the Indian envoy in Islamabad, could find mention in the Prime Minister's speech.
The Prime Minister's speech comes ahead of his August 15 Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, where he spells out his vision for the nation.
The main Independence Day function was held at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium here where Malik hoisted the tricolour.
This was the first Independence Day in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and the splitting of the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir with an Assembly and Ladakh sans one.
All roads leading to the venue were sealed off. Security forces were deployed in large numbers at the stadium and outside. Only those with passes were allowed to go in.
According to the police sources, Lashkar and Jaish militant outfits have been active in the state and there were inputs of possible militant strike. In view of these alerts, the security forces were extra alert.
Mainstream political leaders were not present in the function as most of them have been arrested after the scrapping of Article 370. However, some second rung BJP leaders were present.
Addressing the gathering, Malik said the government was committed to the safe return of Kashmiri Pandits who had fled the Valley in thousands in 1990 after militancy erupted in the state.
Malik said that stone-pelting incidents had come down and the recruitment of Kashmiri youth in terror outfits had also reduced.
Kashmir has been witnessing restrictions on the movement of people and traffic after the abgrogation of Article 370. Communication network have been curbed and security is cautious. But no case of fatal casualty has been reported after the revocation of Article 370.
Independence Day celebrations were held in all the district headquarters. But with a total clampdown in Kashmir Valley, there were hardly any people on road, and vehicles didn't ply as well. Educational institutions and business establishments remained closed.
Security forces were deployed in strength in the market places and the highways. Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Army were seen carrying out regular patrolling in all the towns and villages of the erstwhile state.
Government Spokesperson Rohit Kansal said that reasonable restrictions have been put in place to maintain law and order in the Valley. He further said the situation in Kashmir continued to be calm as no major incidents have been reported due to which the government has given further relaxation in prohibitory orders in many areas.
"We are reviewing the situation on a regular basis. All necessary steps to relax prohibition will be taken," Kansal said.
In a series of tweets, the Information and Public Relations Department of the Jammu & Kashmir government said: "At a time when the government is trying to protect the people of Jammu & Kashmir from the threat of cross border terrorism and attacks by militants and separatists and gradually trying to restore public order by controlling miscreants and mischief mongers, attempts should not be made by senior political leaders to disturb the gradual restoration of normal life.
"Political leaders are requested to cooperate and not visit Srinagar as they would be putting other people to inconvenience.
"They would also be violating restrictions that are still there in many areas. Senior leaders should understand that top priority would be given to maintaining peace, order and preventing loss of human lives."
A delegation of nine opposition parties led by Gandhi will visit Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday to meet the people and party leaders in the region where restrictions have been imposed since the abrogation of Article 370.
A senior Congress leader told IANS that "Rahul Gandhi along with senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and leaders from CPI, CPI-M, RJD, DMK and others will be part of the delegation".
Saturday's visit to Srinagar will be Gandhi's first visit since the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party are not part of the delegation, the Congress leader said.
Earlier, Azad was not allowed to enter Srinagar once and Jammu twice and was sent back to Delhi. Similarly, CPI and CPI-M General Secretaries D. Raja and Sitaram Yechury were also not allowed to enter Srinagar and were detained at the airport and then sent back to Delhi.
Earlier this month, Gandhi also had a run-in with Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik on Twitter. The Governor had said that Gandhi was trying to politicise the matter of Jammu and Kashmir and that he should visit the valley if he wants to know the "real ground situation."
According to reports in the Pakistani media, Ahmad made this prediction at an event here organised to show solidarity with Kashmiris.
"The time of the last battle for the liberation of Kashmir has arrived and this time the war with India will be full and final," Ahmad said.
He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of creating trouble in Kashmir and said: "It is all because of 'Hitler' Modi that we smell war over Kashmir".
He said the fate of Kashmir will be decided by Kashmiris and not by the United Nations.
He said if the United Nations had wanted, a plebiscite could have been held in Kashmir.
Ahmad urged the world community to shun its silence on the festering Kashmir dispute. "We are fortunate that we have an ally like China on our side on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Ahmad said that Modi sees Pakistan as the only obstacle in the way of India's hegemonic designs in the region and beyond. "It is because of Modi that Kashmir is on the brink of destruction today," he added.
Just three days ago, Ahmad had said that the war would not be one between just India and Pakistan but will encompass the whole of the Indian subcontinent.
Twenty-two sarpanchs from Kashmir, who bravely contested the panchayat elections in spite of threat to their lives from terrorists, met Shah and other top officials of the Home Ministry.
Shah will be listening to all of them and hold talks to bring normalcy in the valley, sources said.
This is the first delegation from the Valley to meet the Home Minister after the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
"If the government has so much confidence in its policies, then why did it detain opposition leaders at Srinagar airport? The people and parties who held the Indian flag in Kashmir for last 70 years, why were they put under house arrest?" Congress MP and spokesperson Manish Tewari said at a press conference.
Tewari was responding to a question over the issue of Kashmir being internationalised and the government accusing the Congress of speaking the language of Pakistan.
The Congress leader said if the BJP government have so much confidence in its "policies" and when it thinks that the decision has been taken in the "country's interest" then what is the need to arrest a number of leaders, shutting down schools, colleges, universities, internet, telephone and mobile connections?
"The reality is that this (abrogation of Article 370) was a very wrong step which will have very adverse effect in the future," Tewari said.
Slamming the government for describing the opposition as anti-nationals for questioning its policies, he said, "A very different kind of discussion is going in the country since last five years that is if you raise questions against government politics then you are anti-national."
Tewari asserted that Congress does not need a certificate on nationalism from the BJP.
"Calling a wrong policy wrong is the right of the people. In a democracy it is the right of every citizen and a political party to question," he said.
"And when you raise questions, and being labelled as anti-national such thinking and ideology weakens the country and is not in the interest of the nation," Tewari said.
On the delay in announcement of Haryana and Delhi Congress chiefs, he said, "A decision will be taken by party President Sonia Gandhi at an appropriate time."
Ahead of the Assembly elections in Haryana later this year, the Congress is still unable to control the infighting among its top brass in the state.
Meanwhile, on the other hand the ruling BJP has started its poll campaign in the state ahead of the election.
In the 2014 Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party had improved its 2009 tally from four to 47, followed by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) with 19 legislators and the Congress, which came third with 15 seats.
The handles were suspended by Twitter following the objection by the Indian authorities in view of false and provocative content being disseminated through the accounts.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) raised the issue of suspension of tweets and blocking of Twitter accounts with the Twitter administration on Wednesday, reported Dawn news.
The PTA has termed the Twitter administration's approach as biased. According to the statement issued by the regulator, it has also requested Pakistani social media users to report any Twitter account suspension on the pretext of posting Kashmir content to the PTA.
The PTA has already received 333 such complaints which were sent then to Twitter to be restored, however, only 67 accounts were restored, reported Dwn news.
The PTA said Twitter has not responded officially nor given any reason for the suspension of these accounts.
The regulator said it is already making efforts to engage with Twitter to ensure freedom of expression for social media users in Pakistan.
It said it has invited Twitter's administration for a meeting in Pakistan or anywhere they prefer in order to have meaningful discussions and devise a workable arrangement. But Twitter is yet to respond, PTA said.
Dawn reported in August that some 200 Twitter accounts were suspended for apparently posting about Kashmir. The claim came from journalists, activists, government officials and fans of the military tweeting.
Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor had then said the authorities had taken up with Twitter and Facebook regarding the suspension of Pakistani social media accounts.
Under The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, PTA is the sole body that can officially block access to unlawful online content on the internet and take it up with relevant platforms in cases where the PTA is unable to block them because of technical grounds.
"Articles 370 and 35A were highly discriminatory against all indigenous Kashmiri minorities - Sufi Muslims, Shia Muslims, Ahmadi Muslims, Dalits, Gujjars, Kashmiri Pandits, Kashmiri Sikhs, and Buddhists," the Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA) said in a release.
The KOA said these articles stripped minorities from attaining educational and scholarship opportunities and deprived them of equal opportunities in business and employment and were also extremely regressive for Kashmiri women.
"Article 370 and 35A allowed a breeding ground for armed violence in Kashmir," it said adding that "the campaign of intimidation and harassment had been ongoing in the valley for decades with the growing influence of the strait-laced interpretation of Islam, propagated through 'Wahhabism' and Pakistan was able to capitalise on this by financing, arming and training militant groups across the border."
Over 500,000 Hindus and Sikhs were ethnically cleansed out of their homes with a purpose to create a minority-free Kashmir valley, it said. Yet, because of Article 370, the government remained a silent spectator in the 1980s.
"Removal of these articles will help curtail terrorism in the valley. We believe that to curtail the foreseen unrest and retaliation by militant groups, temporary proactive measures of added security, restrictions, and internet regulation, placed by the government of India, are crucial to curb terrorism and prevent the loss of civilian lives," it said.
The abrogation of Article 370 by the Indian government and the advisory before that saw the boys being asked to leave the state. There was a month of inactivity from early August till the start of September when the players did not have a place to stay. It was then that mentor Irfan Pathan spoke to officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, including CEO Ashiq Ali Bukhari and planned to give advertisements on television which drew the Kashmiri players to report to the JKCA office in Jammu.
"The plan worked after we put out the advertisement late August. Then we decided to bring them to Baroda and hold a camp before the Vijay Hazare Trophy," Irfan told IANS.
Due to the curfew in many parts of the valley after the state got special status, the players could not be contacted and it was then that Bukhari and administrator C.K. Prasad finally met in Delhi to create a solution.
The camp has been underway from August 6 at Baroda under the watchful eyes of Irfan but to come this far, it was nothing short of a struggle. First the JKCA had to stay away from the Vizzy Trophy after it failed to connect with the players due to a communication breakdowm in the valley.
"We had started the camp in mid-June and we had made good progress. When the camp got called off in early August, it was time for the matches and training. We know that we are running behind time but we needed to find a way to make sure boys stay in good frame of mind to play a certain level of cricket," Irfan said highlighting the problem they faced in the lead up to the Vijay Hazare Trophy which begins on September 24.
There is only one ground in Jammu and it became impossible to practice there as other age-group players also needed to train. Usually, the team trains in Srinagar till early November and then shifts to Jammu during winters.
"It is not an ideal situation. We are slightly under-prepared but we will try our best," Irfan said after the boys -- 26 of them led by captain and India international Parvez Rasool, trained for the first time in Baroda.
It was a five-hour long session with a lunch break in between but the highlight was a bonding session as Irfan stressed there will be a lot of fun games done to keep their mental health in the right space."When I met them, they did look rusty due to lack of training. But in the next couple of weeks they will pick up hopefully," said Irfan, who has been doing a lot of personal talk with each of the players to keep them in the zone.
With preparations not being ideal, Irfan, who has played 29 Tests, 120 ODIs and 24 T20Is for India -- and won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, said the aim is to take one day at a time and ensure the boys perform to the best of their abilities.
"We need to think about now. We need to think about getting back to playing cricket. Once the tournament starts, expectations will automatically come. This camp will go on for a maximum of two weeks."
The Vijay Hazare Trophy is likely to be played across four venues -- Bengaluru, Jaipur, Baroda and Dehradun.
"If required, I will go and personally check, I will speak to the Chief Justice today," said Gogoi, while replying to senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, who claimed that there are extreme difficulties in accessing the High Court under the alleged lockdown situation in the erstwhile state.
The advocate was arguing for child rights activists Enakshi Ganguly & Shanta Sinha, who moved the apex court through a petition challenging the illegal detention of children in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of the erstwhile state.
The court observed that it is a serious concern if people are facing issues to access justice.
"You have made a statement that you cannot move the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Is anybody coming in the way...Not being allowed to access the High Court is a serious concern," said the Chief Justice replying to the advocate who contended that under the existing restrictions it was not possible to move the High Court.
Gogoi also told the lawyer that if the information placed before the apex court was found to be incorrect then the lawyer will face consequences.
In the letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the Jammu and Kashmir administration, Kashmiri Pandit Satish Mahaldar and his team said: "As a follow-up measure and in accordance with the wishes of our repected and beloved Prime Minister, a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits wants to go to Kashmir and meet various leaders, including religious leaders like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and civil society activists."
According to the letter, "This would be the first positive step towards building a positive inter-community relationship to promote peace and development in the Valley."
"It would also ensure stability and help remove the fear of violence or war between communities. A responsible and positive inter-community relationship will enhance a peaceful atmosphere," it added.
The Kashmir Valley has been under a security clampdown since the revocation of Article 370 -- that accorded Jammu and Kashmir a special status -- on August 5. All its political leaders, including former Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah as well as separatist leaders are under house arrest.
On August 5, the government abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.
Rawat added that communication lines between terrorists and their handlers have been broken while there was ample connectivity amongst local people.
"If you look at the ground situation, the killings are down and the violence is down. Terrorists have been kept at bay. We will gradually start easing the pressures on the people. But let me tell you one thing, there is no clampdown on people," said General Rawat.
As per the Army Chief, trade and business were functioning in full swing in the valley, although local shopkeepers were yet to open their shutters.
"The brick kilns near Srinagar are operational. People are working in them. People are collecting sand on boats from the Jhelum river. In the orchards, apples are being collected in heaps, packed into boxes and loaded on trucks. Hundreds of trucks are moving out. Shops are, however, opening from behind while their front shutters are being kept closed. Planes are flying in and out of the airport. That means taxis are also plying in which people are reaching the airport. Clampdown is a facade used by terrorists to create a fear psychosis among people," he added.
Rawat further said that terrorists were misinterpreting the meaning of Islam in order to perpetuate and justify violence.
"I feel the interpretation of Islam by some elements who possibly want to create disruption is being fed to large number of people. I think we should also have preachers who convey the correct meaning of Islam," he added.
"A survey will be conducted in the Valley to identify the temples and schools, assess their condition to revive and restore them for their use as they remained shut or abandoned over the last 20 years as normal life remained disrupted due to terror activities," Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy told reporters here.
Defending the abrogation of the Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution that gave a special status to the border state but deprived its people from benefits, Reddy said even several cinema theatres remained closed for years, as the state was under the grip of terrorism and separatism.
"An estimated 50,000 temples have remained shut for over the last two-three decades due to unrest in the Valley. As normalcy returns across the region, they will all be renovated and thrown open to the people from across the country," Reddy told reporters here at the BJP party's state unit office in the city.
He said development of the state would be put on fast track once the normalcy was restored. With the formation of two Union Territories Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh, Reddy said, state-owned lands would be de-notified and allotted to prospective investors for opening up manufacturing units, educational institutions and services to spur growth and provide jobs to thousands of people.
As part of its commitment to involve the locals in the socio-economic development of the region, 5 people from every village will be selected and given government job.
"A special drive will also be launched to recruit the state's youth into the three defence services. More universities will be opened and tourism infrastructure enhanced to attract more tourists from across the country and overseas," noted Reddy.
Noting that the government was as much committed as the people are for Kashmir, the minister said recovery of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) was very much on the government's radar.
"The whole country is for taking back the PoK territory as it is a part of the Valley and the undivided region. It is on our agenda. We are ready to give up our life to regain the PoK," said Reddy.
Elections to block development councils in the two UTs will be held by this year-end and elections to the J&K state at the earliest.
"The newly-elected sarpanchs (heads of local bodies) will be trained to take up development works in the region soon," said Reddy.
It is learnt from official sources that the bench will begin hearing the matter from the first-week of October. The petitions have challenged the constitutional validity of the Centre's decision and subsequent presidential orders on scrapping the provisions of the Article, which actually made it a dead letter in the Constitution.
Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in August, while referring the petitions to the Constitution bench, had said that a larger bench will begin hearing the matter effective from the first week of October.
Several petitions have been filed in the apex court, which includes pleas by the National Conference, Sajjad Lone-led Peoples Conference and several other individuals, and also a plea by advocate M. L. Sharma, who was the first to move the court on the matter.
These petitions have also challenged the bifurcation of the state into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The Union Territories will come into existence on October 31. Besides the Constitution bench set up to conduct the hearing on Article 370, the top court has also constituted a three-judge bench for hearing matters related to the capital punishment and two other benches with two-judges to conduct hearing on tax matters.
Media reports quoting Ajay Kumar Roy, Deputy Director-General with the Department of Posts in India, said Pakistan's customs department in an order on August 23 stopped both export and import of mails.
The unilateral order came into effect on August 27.
Letters and publications originating from Pakistan were earlier mailed to India via Saudi Arabia airlines, a report added.
Chandigarh-based Indo-Pak peace activist Chanchal Manohar Singh told IANS that the stopping of the postal service is a gross violation of human rights.
"It is also a setback for the literary world in India. People in Punjab were fond of reading 'Punjab Dey Rang', a quarterly magazine published in Gurmukhi script from Lahore and now it has stopped coming," Singh, who took 18 delegations to Pakistan and received five from Pakistan in 15 years, said.
He is the Chairman of the Society for Promotion of Peace and demanded the immediate restoration of the postal service as it is impacting the common man.
"I understand the anguish of the Kashmiris seeing their fellow Kashmiris in Jammu and Kashmir.... Anyone crossing the LoC to provide humanitarian aid or support for Kashmiri struggle will play into the hands of the Indian narrative," Khan said in a tweet.
Tension between India and Pakistan escalated after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status on August 5.
Pakistan has downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.
Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric
Khan's advice comes a day after tens of hundreds of emotionally charged Kashmiris from different parts of PoK set out in vehicular and motorcycle rallies to Muzaffarabad on the call of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, the Dawn reported.
India has been condemning "provocative and irresponsible" statements against it by Khan over abrogation of provisions of Article 370.
In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Friday said the comments made by Khan do not behove the post he holds.
In his maiden speech at the UNGA last month, Khan raised the Kashmir issue and demanded that India must lift the "inhuman curfew" in Kashmir and release all "political prisoners".
"I think he is not unaware of how international relations are conducted. On that basis, he gives such statements. He had given an open call for Jihad against India. This is not a normal behaviour," Kumar said.
Addressing the 2018 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) probationers, the Minister urged them to make tough yet correct decisions and said that some bold measures are necessary for people's benefit without getting bogged down by the fear of a backlash.
"Not a single bullet had been fired or not a single person had died after the abrogation of Article 370. Only 10 police stations of Kashmir, out of 196, have Section 144 in force," he said.
Shah reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir would not remain a Union Territory (UT) forever and that statehood would be returned once the situation normalises.
"All regional identities are inherently protected by the Indian Constitution. Article 370 was the root cause of cross border terrorism," he said.
Speaking on the need for a National Register of Citizens (NRC), he asserted that it was essential not just for national security but for good governance as well.
"NRC must not be seen as a political exercise as it is very important to have a national citizen register in order to ensure that benefits of development reach all our citizens," he said.
Referring to the need to improve police efficiency, Shah told the probationers that as IPS officers, their job would be to ensure that there is freedom to take required decisions and owning up of responsibility at all levels, without overstepping of boundaries.
He urged the young officers to encourage and inspire their staff and build the capacity of constables.
"An organization can only be as strong as its base, and the base of the police system is the constable," he said.
Speaking on the increasing proportion of women in police at every level, Shah said that lady IPS officers can inspire other women to join the police.
"Gender-based reservation was not the answer to the issue of inadequate representation of women in the police. There is a need to change the societal mindset in this regard. This would gradually happen," he added.
On police reforms, he said: "Reforming the system does not mean shunning the old ways of policing totally, rather it is a continuous process of adaptation of the old methods to address new challenges."
Noting that the government is committed to police reforms, Shah encouraged the probationers to individually carry out small yet important improvements in local police functioning, wherever they were posted.
"Maintenance of law and order is very important to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a $5 trillion economy."
The Minister urged that the fear associated with the police be removed by bringing in positive behavioral change in personnel and said that the IPS as an institution must make this change percolate to the grassroots.
"Minimum use of force and maximum effectiveness should be the motto of police everywhere. There is a need of human touch and sensitivity in the police to gain peoples' trust."
The Minister called for a conceptual change in the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and said that the amended code must be in line with India being a welfare state.
Noting that the purpose of the CrPC has shifted from the preservation of the British Empire to the welfare of people, Shah said this has to be reflected in the provisions and application of the code.
Speaking at the foundation day celebrations at Maharashtra's Nagpur on Tuesday, Bhagwat said that in such incidents, the RSS members do not get involved and rather they try to stop it. He said that the kind of harmony that should have been in the society is still not there.
He also said that the RSS is trying to thwart such violent incidents. Such incidents have had no tradition in the country, but there are efforts to portray them as so and by using terms like lynchings, they want to malign the country and the Hindu society.
He further added that certain elements of society are trying to divide the country. They want to create a fight between the two communities by dragging the Sangh name in the incidents. Attempts are being made by vested interests to create distrust, fear and hostility among sections who have not yet come in contact with the Sangh.
Bhagwat said that diversity is an intrinsic strength of the nation. But the diversity of caste, creed, language and region are being used by vested interests to separate one from another, turning them into differences, imposing fabricated identities on manufactured separations, he further added.
He said that for the last nine decades, the RSS has been working for creating "ekatmata" (unity), "sadbhavana" (goodwill), "sadacharan" (good conduct) and "sadvyavahar" (good behaviour) in the society, and a clear vision and devotion towards the nation.
He appealed that whatever the difference of opinion be, howsoever provocative actions might have taken place, society must act by remaining within the limits of the Constitution and repose faith in the police and the judicial system.
The RSS Chief hailed the Centre for the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the move of the re-elected regime to nullify the Article has once again proved that it has the courage to fulfill the expectations and respect people's sentiments and wishes in the interest of the society.
Speaking on the economic situation in the country, Bhagwat said that the international effect can be felt here also. The trade tussle between the US and China is going to affect all the countries.
There was a general sense of relief among the people around 12 noon when parents, relatives and friends started seeking welfare from each other after remaining cut off for over 70 days.
"It is a great sense of relief. Looks like we have suddenly again been catapulted from the stone age into the present times," said Bashir Ahmed rather jovially as his mobile phone started ringing in the Srinagar city.
A top official told IANS: "Since the mobile phones have started working again in the valley, we hope the anxieties of parents, professionals and the business community have been addressed."
The official said it is hoped that after the resumption of mobile phones, parents will find it easy to send their children to schools, colleges and universities.
"We hope phone connectivity will also address the problems of the transport operators in the valley.
"This was one of biggest issues raised by the transport operators in their meetings with us regarding resumption of public transport in the Valley," the officer added.
People were seen using mobile phones on roads, market places, inside offices and banks talking to each other and expressing satisfaction over the administrative decision.
"Communication would be fully restored once the internet services are resumed on both fixed landline and the mobile phones.
"Resuming mobile phones without the internet is only half of the good job done. We expect resumption of internet in the Valley as the next logical step," said Zubair, a scholar in the University of Kashmir.
The economist-turned-politician also said that agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) should not be used to settle "political scores".
Singh's comments came at a time when prime minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have been attacking Congress on Article 370 during the campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, while NCP leaders including Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel are being investigated by the ED in various cases.
Addressing a press conference here, Singh said the Congress opposes the "high-handedness" with which Article 370 of the Constitution -- which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir -- was introduced in Parliament.
Earning goodwill of the people of Jammu & Kashmir was necessary before such a move, the former prime minister said.
"Congress voted in favour of the move (the abrogation) in Parliament, not against it. Congress feels that Article 370 is a temporary measure, but if a change is to be brought, it has to be with the goodwill of the people of J&K," he said.
The ED, under the NDA regime, has got more powers than ever, and should not be used for political vendetta against leaders of "different hues", Singh said.
"Our hope is these powers will be used not to settle political scores," he said, expressing confidence that the government will do justice to Praful Patel.
Asked about the BJP's poll promise to seek Bharat Ratna for V D Savarkar, who was an accused in the Mahatma Gandhi assassination case but was acquitted, Singh said the Congress only opposes Savarkar's Hindutva ideology.
Referring to the Hindu Mahasabha leader with a reverential "Savarkar-ji", Singh said former Congress prime minister, late Indira Gandhi had issued a postal stamp in Savarkar's memory.
"(But) we are not in favour of the Hindutva ideology that Savarkar-ji patronised and stood for," Singh said.
Singh also hit out against the NDA government's Citizenship Amendment Bill, calling it a divisive move that discriminates against the Muslims by facilitating Indian citizenship for persons of all faiths except Muslims.
He also claimed that for the first time in the history of Parliament such a divisive bill has been tabled.
On the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Assam, Singh said the BJP expected that it will exclude Muslims, but 12 lakh out of the 19 lakh people who could not establish their citizenship status were Bengali Hindus.
There is a need to look at things in objective manner in matters such as the NRC, and while people would want to identify foreign nationals and ensure they do not get any benefits, we need to look at the issue with full sympathy as a "human problem", Singh said.
Congress does not need anyone's certificate about its patriotic credentials, as its record during the freedom struggle is well-known, he said, adding that the BJP or its parent RSS were not part of the nationalist movement.
"Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind has been wiped out," Dilbagh Singh said in a press conference in Srinagar.
He said after Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind chief Zakir Musa was killed, command was given to Hamid Lelhari. He had motivated Naveed and Junaid of Pulwama to join him. The outfit had been coordinating with Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen.
"Lelhari was active since 2016. He was involved in the attack at Kakapora. He was also involved in the killing of policeman Fayaz Ahmed and civilians. He was also involved in harassing people at Awantipora and Pulwama," Singh said.
All the three Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind militants killed were Kashmiris. The second militant killed was identified as Naveed. Junaid, the third killed had his militant brother also killed in an encounter earlier.
"We feel sorry that two of them were from the same family and on the wrong path," Dilbagh Singh said.
He said after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, lesser number of local boys have become militants as compared to earlier. He said five to six boys are missing during this time, "Maybe they are missing due to some other reasons and not militancy," Dilbagh Singh said.
"We want boys who are treading the wrong path to shun violence and return to normal life. Guns won't help," the police chief said.
He said a sizeable number of militants have infiltrated after August 5. Many attempts have been foiled at Keran, Machil and Uri sectors.
About detained youngsters, the DGP said a lot of misinformation is being circulated. He said detentions have been made on solid grounds.
"Four out of five people detained have been released. We are not fond of keeping people detained unnecessarily," Singh said. "After verification and counselling detained boys were set free. They have not created any issues after release.
"Juveniles arrested or detained in some instances where age is doubtful were referred to juvenile justice board".
About reopening of schools and colleges in Kashmir he said exams are in the interest of the students. "We will support where ever necessary. We will create a general security environment. Quitting school is not an option," Dilbagh Singh said. "We appeal to kids to come and sit in exams."
Dilbagh Singh said Pakistan has openly said that Pulwama-like attacks will happen, but "we will not allow that. We are vigilant".
He said security has been alerted for the upcoming block development elections on October 24.
Increased movement of public transport, opening up of shops for longer duration and vendors resuming their business pointed to a return of normalcy in the region on Wednesday.
Heavy snowfall on November 7 had brought life to a standstill and disrupted power supply to Kashmir.
It took the authorities three days to repair the damaged electricity poles and transmission lines across Kashmir.
"Earlier, mornings used to see brisk business, but snowfall has slowed down activities in Kashmir for the last couple of days," said Alim Muhammad, a shopkeeper at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. "We now keep open till noon to make up for the losses suffered."
A shutdown was triggered in Kashmir following the scrapping of Article 370 on August 5. The government had deployed more than one lakh CRPF and police to keep a lid on the situation. It also suspended landline and mobile communications and the Internet.
The landlines and mobile voice calls were restored after several weeks but the Internet continues to be down.
On November 12, the shutdown in Kashmir completed 100 days.
Before the snowfall the shops used to open for a couple of hours in the mornings and evenings, but after the snowfall the situation seems to have changed.
"I was mostly working from my home since the shutdown but for the last two days I am working from my shop," said Raju, a barber in Batmalloo Srinagar.
Public transport which has remained off the roads for the last three months is also making a comeback with minibusses plying on some routes in Srinagar.
However, it will be interesting to see whether Kashmir will witness full normalcy at the onset of the winter or those seeking to prolong the shutdown resist normalcy.
Public transport which suffered most of the losses due to the shutdown has also withdrawn from the roads.
Kashmir has witnessed a lockdown and internet blockade for over 100 days after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5.
After the move on Article 370, Kashmir business opened in the mornings and evenings for only a few hours.
Signs of normalcy first appeared after snowfall on November 7 with markets staying open throughout the day.
Public transport was also back on the road.
However, the semblance of normalcy proved short-lived after suspected militants warned shopkeepers through posters about violating the shutdown.
"Last week I kept my shop open till 6 p.m., but since two days I am keeping my shop closed, not even opening briefly in mornings and evenings," said a shopkeeper at Lal Chowk, Srinagar.
District Magistrate Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has issued a strict warning to the 'miscreants' threatening residents of Srinagar from carrying out their businesses as normal.
The warning came in response to the threats through posters that warned of action against opening shops or going about other routine affairs.
"The aim of such tactics seems to create fear among the population," Choudhary said.
He assured the general public that the district administration in association with the district police is closely monitoring the situation.
He has urged the people to report instances of intimidation to local police stations and assured action against the 'miscreants'.
The police have downplayed the threat by the miscreants and said the situation is under control returning to normal.
"Situation has improved to a great extent, shops have opened in cities and rural areas and traffic is plying normally, both commercial and private, there are traffic jams, the situation is under control so far as law and order are concerned, DG police Dilbagh Singh said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, internet continues to remain suspended in the Valley since August 5.
While landlines and postpaid mobile voice calling has been restored, the prepaid mobile phone service has remained suspended since then.
The mainstream political leaders including three former chief ministers - Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti continue to remain under detention.
Last week 35 detained leaders were moved to the MLA hostel in Srinagar from the centaur hotel along the banks of the Dal Lake.
Their relatives have complained of lack of facilities at the new location.
The sources said keeping in view the huge unemployment among educated youth, the Union Territory administration is likely to give domicile rights to residents so that only they can apply for government jobs in J&K.
"Domicile rights of residents of J&K would be protected with regard to employment in Union Territory government jobs and purchase/ownership of land.
"This concession is likely to be announced soon as work is underway to formulate the new rules regarding the domicile rights of J&K UT residents," the sources said.
After revoking of Article 370 and 35A, both the parallel flag and Constitution of the state in addition to exclusive rights of permanent residents of J&K to buy/sell land were abolished.
There has been a growing demand, both in the Jammu region and the valley, that given the economic backwardness and huge unemployment in J&K, domicile rights of the residents must be protected.
This has been in addition to the demand for continuing the exclusive rights of local residents to apply for government jobs in the newly-carved out Union Territory.
While confirming that domicile rights were in the offing for residents, the sources, however, did not comment as to how long the domicile rights would be protected in the new Union Territory.
In an open letter to the country's citizens on the first anniversary of his second term as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi said in 2019 the people of India voted not merely for continuity but also with the dream of taking India to new heights and making it a global leader.
The decisions taken in the last one year are directed at fulfilling this dream, he said.
In the last one year, some of the decisions were widely discussed and remain etched in public discourse, Modi said.
"Article 370 (abrogation) furthered the spirit of national unity and integration," he said of the Centre's decision to abrogate Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcation of the state into Union Territories in August last year.
Penned a letter to my fellow citizens.
It takes you through the year gone by and the way ahead. https://t.co/t1uHcAKkAH pic.twitter.com/Ci8TImK3CU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 30, 2020
Referring to the Supreme Court's unanimous judgement on the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Modi said it brought an amicable end to a debate persisting for centuries.
The Supreme Court, in a landmark verdict in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title case last year, paved the way for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
"The barbaric practice of Triple Talaq has been confined to the dustbin of history," Modi said in reference to the legislation last year that made giving instant oral triple talaq or talalq-e-biddat a criminal offence with provisions of jail term up to three years.
Referring to the amendment to the Citizenship Act, Modi said it was an "expression of India's compassion and spirit of inclusiveness".
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslims from three neighbouring Muslim majority countries on the ground of religious persecution. Its passage last year had prompted intense protests in various parts of the country with the Opposition parties and social groups alleging that it was discriminatory.
Listing other key decisions of his government that added "momentum to the nation's development trajectory", Modi said the creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff was a long-pending reform that has improved coordination among the armed forces.
At the same time, India has stepped up preparations for Mission Gaganyaan, he said.
"Empowering the poor, farmers, women, and youth has remained our priority. PM Kisan Samman Nidhi now includes all farmers. In just one year, more than Rs 72,000 crore has been deposited in the accounts of over 9 crore 50 lakh farmers," Modi said.
The Jal Jeevan Mission will ensure supply of potable drinking water through piped connections to over 15 crore rural households, he said.
Modi said a huge campaign for free vaccination is being conducted for better health of the country's 50 crore livestock.
"For the first time in our country's history, farmers, farm labourers, small shopkeepers and workers in unorganized sector are assured the provision of regular monthly pension of Rs 3,000 after the age of 60 years," he said.
Besides the facility of availing bank loans, a separate department has also been created for fishermen, the prime minister said, enumerating the steps taken by his government.
Several other decisions have been taken to strengthen the fisheries sector which will boost the blue economy, he said.
"It has been decided to constitute a Vyapari Kalyan Board for timely resolution of the problems of the traders. Higher quantum of financial assistance is being provided to more than 7 crore women attached to self help groups," Modi said in his letter.
Recently the amount for loans without guarantee for self-help groups has been doubled to Rs 20 lakh from the earlier Rs 10 lakh, he said.
"Keeping in mind the education of tribal children, we have begun the construction of more than 400 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools," Modi said.
Asserting that several people-friendly laws have been ushered in during the last year, the prime minister said Parliament has broken the decades-old record in terms of productivity.
"As a result, whether it be the Consumer Protection Act, the amendment to Chit Fund Law or laws to provide more protection to women, children and Divyang, their passage in the Parliament was expedited," he said.
As a result of the policies and decisions of the government, the rural-urban gap is shrinking, Modi said, adding that "for the first time, the number of rural Indians using the internet is 10 percent more than the number of urban Indians".
"The list of such historic actions and decisions taken in national interest would be too long to detail in this letter. But I must say that every day of this year, my government has worked round the clock with full vigor, taking and implementing these decisions," Modi said.
Today, 130 crore people feel involved and integrated in the development trajectory of the nation, the prime minister said.
"The light of Jan Shakti' and Rashtra Shakti' has ignited the entire nation. Powered by the Mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' India is marching forward in all spheres," he said.
(PTI)
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The Pakistan government will also be changing the name of its main Kashmir Highway in the capital Islamabad to Srinagar Highway in solidarity with the Kashmiri people.
Prime Minister Imran Khan will be heading to Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan administered Kashmir and will be addressing the legislative assembly.
Kashmir solidarity rallies will be taken out in major cities of Pakistan and across the Pakistan administered Kashmir.
Ahead of the big day and activities, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, along with Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf visited the Line of Control (LoC) to express support and solidarity with the Kashmiri residents.
Qureshi was taken to the Chirikot sector of the LoC where he was briefed about the security situation and the ongoing conflict, which Pakistan calls India's ceasefire violations.
"Kashmiri people have rejected Indian government's August 5 actions last year," said Qureshi, adding that "for the first time in 50 years, the UN Security Council held meetings on the Kashmir issue".
"Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) role is appreciable. OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir has raised its voice against the Indian illegal actions and endorsed Pakistan's stance on the issue," he said.
Qureshi said India is isolated on the Kashmir issue as it has put hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris in a lockdown for an year.
"India is isolated, Iran has kicked out India from its port of Chabahar, Nepal has also claimed its territory and what happened with India in Ladakh, the world also saw it," he said.
During the briefing of military officials, it was said that the ceasefire violations on the de factor border have intensified since 2016, after the killing of Burhan Wani.
"So far, 115 civilians were martyred and 614 other wounded in Indian ceasefire violations," said Major General Amer Ahsan Nawaz, Commander of the area.
It was also briefed that Indian ceasefire violations have increased since 2016.
"Indian forces have carried out 578 CFVs in 2016, 2,329 in 2017, 3,348 in 2018, 3,526 in 2019 while 1,875 so far this year," the commander said.
This claim of Islamabad is countered by New Delhi, who accuses that there have been at least 2,027 times as of June 10.
(IANS)
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