If India becomes communal,Kashmir not to remain with it:Farooq

April 27, 2014

Srinagar, Apr 27: Union Minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said communalism is not acceptable to the people of Kashmir and they will not remain with India if the country becomes communal.farooq_abdullah

"Pray to God to save us from communal forces so that we can move forward. India cannot become communal. If it becomes communal, then Kashmir will not remain with India.

Communalism is not acceptable to Kashmiris," Abdullah told a poll rally at Khanyar in old city here.

The NC head took a dig at BJP leader Griraj Singh and VHP's Praveen Togadia, saying "they say those who do not vote for Modi should go to Pakistan. (I say) Those who vote for Modi should drown in the sea."

The nation belongs to its people and they will decide what to do, he said. As Abdullah arrived at the venue, an explosion was heard causing panic and sending security forces into a tizzy.

The explosion sounded like a grenade blast. However, police did not confirm it. The rally continued as people did not leave the venue.

The NC chief said he is not scared of such attacks, adding "even if they throw thousands of grenades, Farooq Abdullah will neither get scared nor will turn back."

Those who carry out such attacks will be defeated, he said. "God willing, we will win and push them away."

On PDP patriarch Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's allegations that the National Conference might resort to tactical rigging in Srinagar and Baramulla Lok Sabha constituencies, Abdullah said it is actually the Peoples Democratic Party which "steals" votes.

"He tells me we are the ones who steal votes. They are the ones who steal votes and they will continue to do so. But we will fight them," Abdullah said.

He criticised Sayeed for accusing his party of engineering "selective boycott" in parts of south Kashmir parliamentary constituency on the polling day on April 24.

"Well obviously in elections, there is bound to be these things. When people get nervous, they start thinking that they are losing, they will use all sorts of methods to create these troubles.

"We have faced them before and we will continue to face them in the future as well. But, we are not going to be defeated," the NC patriarch said.

Defending his controversial comment of labelling the people of Kashmir as "big thieves" with regard to power theft, the Union minister said the people of Kashmir are poor and have to resort to stealing of the electricity.

"You (Sayeed) say Farooq Abdullah calls us (Kashmiris) thieves and you (people) vote for him (Abdullah). Yes, we steal electricity. What can we do, there is poverty. We have to resort to such things. Gas prices have reached sky high.

"You say Farooq Abdullah says this and that. Mufti, you are the biggest thief yourself. Let you have a debate with me and then we will see," he said.

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Agencies
June 26,2020

New Delhi, Jun 26: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday said the central government cannot shirk its responsibility of securing our borders with China and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the nation into confidence on the situation in Ladakh.

In a video message put out as part of the Congress party's campaign to honour the Army personnel who sacrificed their lives in Ladakh, she asked why the country's soldiers were martyred when China has not captured any Indian territory, as claimed by the Prime Minister.

"Today when there is a crisis-like situation at the India-China border, the central government cannot shirk its responsibility (of securing them)," she said in a video message as part of 'SpeakUpForOurJawans' campaign.

"The country wants to know if China has not captured our land in Ladakh, as claimed by the Prime Minister, then why were our 20 soldiers martyred," she asked.

She said while the Prime Minister says there is no intrusion into Indian territory, experts after seeing satellite images talk of the presence of Chinese troops in our territory confirming the intrusions.

"When and how will the Modi government take back from China our land in Ladakh? Is our territorial integrity being violated by China in Ladakh? Will the Prime Minister take the nation in confidence on the situation at the border?" Gandhi asked.

She said the government should give full support and strength to the Army, saying "this will be true patriotism".

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News Network
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: As the counting of votes for the Delhi Assembly polls began, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday raised doubts on EVMs, alleging that no machine having a chip is tamper-proof.

He called upon the Election Commission and the Supreme Court to take a fresh look at the use of EVMs in the country.

"No machine (which) has a chip is tamper-proof. Also please do for a moment think, why no developed country uses EVM," Singh said in a tweet.

"Would CEC and Hon Supreme Court please have a fresh look on EVM voting in India? We are the largest democracy in the world, we can't allow some unscrupulous people to hack results and steal the mandate of 1.3 billion people.

"If they match the votes in the counting unit. Declare the result. If they don't match then count the ballots of all polling booths in the assembly. It would convince everyone and save time also as this has been the consistent argument of CEC in favour of EVM," the Congress leader said.

Polling for the 70-member Delhi Assembly polls was held on Saturday.

The Election Commission on Sunday announced that the final voter turnout was 62.59 per cent, five per cent less than 2015.

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News Network
January 30,2020

New Delhi, Jan 30: Tension spiralled in Jamia Nagar on Thursday after a man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, injuring a Jamia Millia Islamia student before walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting "Yeh lo aazadi" amid heavy police presence in the area.

Massive protests erupted in the area after the incident with hundreds of agitated people gathering near the university, breaking barricades and clashing with police personnel.

The man, who identified himself as "Rambhakt Gopal", was subsequently overpowered by police and detained. He was taken into custody and was being interrogated, police said.

The entire drama, which triggered panic in the area, was captured by television cameras that showed the man in light coloured pants and a dark jacket, walking away on an empty road barricaded by police, turning around and shouting at the protesters in Hindi, "Here, take this freedom."

The gunman went live on Facebook before the brandishing the gun. Police said they were verifying whether it is his real name.

Before the attack, the man also put out messages on Facebook stating "Shaheen Bhag Khel Khatam" (Run Shaheen, the game is over). Another message stated, "Please wrap me in saffron in my last journey with slogans of Jai Shri Ram". His Facebook profile was deleted after screenshots of his posts were circulated widely on social media platforms.

Several students recapped how their peaceful march on Gandhi's death anniversary became violent.

"We were moving towards the Holy Family Hospital where the police had raised barricades. Suddenly, a gun-wielding man came out and opened fire. One bullet hit my friend's hand," Aamna Asif, a student of economics at the university, told PTI.

She said her friend, Shadab Farooq, a mass communication student, was trying to calm the attacker but he shot at him injuring his left hand.

Farooq, who belongs to Kashmir, was taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

Ragibh Naushad, an LLB student at the university, said, "The Jamia Coordination Committee organised a march to pay homage to Gandhi ji on his death anniversary. It started at 12 noon from Gate number 7, but police denied the permission and stopped the march near the Holy Family hospital.

"A man named Gopal, came there and started brandishing a weapon and later shot a round. He was also chanting pro-CAA slogans."

The incident led to panic in the area.

Khalid Hassan, a JMI alumnus, said initially many were not sure whether it was a gunshot or a tyre burst.

There was heavy police and media presence when the incident took place.

The students were heading from Jamia to Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat. The march was stopped at the Holy Family Hospital near the university.

Chinmoy Biswal, DCP (southeast), said the students wanted to take out a march from Jamia to Rajghat but were denied permission.

"They were being repeatedly told that the protest should be carried out peacefully. We had barricaded the road just before the Holy Family hospital. Meanwhile, a person was seen in the crowd who waved something which appeared to be a weapon."

"We have detained him and are interrogating him. One person has also been injured," Biswal said.

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