India Herald
Web: www.india-herald.com • Editor@india-herald.com • Tel: 281-799-9459
20 Pages
VOL. 25 • NO. 32 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 • P.O. BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017699 • 25 cents
J&K loses its special status; ‘Political surgery’ to cure ailment
Ending Jammu & Kashmir’s special status in the Indian Union, the government of India extended all provisions of the Constitution to the State in one go, downsized the State into two Union Territories and allowed all citizens to buy property and vote in the State. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah piloted two special resolutions and a Bill creating the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh through the Rajya Sabha on Monday. While the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature, the one in Ladakh will not. The first resolution informed the House that the President had used his powers under Article 370 to fundamentally alter the provision, extending all Central laws, instruments and treaties to Kashmir. However, the drastically
altered Article 370 will remain on the statute books. The government’s surgical strike on the State’s autonomy came as telephone and Internet services in the Valley were suspended, former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti remained under arrest and thousands of additional Central security personnel were deployed in the area. Shah said that if the Union Territory model worked well, the government would also consider giving Jammu and Kashmir the status of a State again and “no constitutional amendment would be required.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present during the proceedings. Shah said the Resolution for Repeal of Article 370 of the Constitution of India “would pass every legal scrutiny” and he was aware that an “NGO
Kashmiris abroad welcome the move
The Indo-American Kashmir Forum hailed the government’s move with a great sense of relief. “Imagine if the constitution of Texas did not allow residents of any other state in the U.S. to move into Texas and buy a home, and the federal government allowed this?” said one Kashmiri activist in Houston “This was the ludicrous situation in the state of Jammu and Kashmir until now.” The Indo-American Kashmir Forum, working with Hindu American Foundation to advocate for the rights of the minority population of Kashmiri Hindus (Pandits) who have been under forced exile from their homeland, expressed hope that the human rights situation that has prevented normalcy from returning to the state of Jammu & Kashmir can finally start improving. “By creating a special situation for Kashmiris such that they were never fully integrated into India, corruption and special interests of leaders of Kashmir has been the result, leading to the poor economic conditions existing in the state.” The only people to lose from this decision are those special interests and corrupt political, community, and religious leaders whose only aim has been to hold onto power over their constituencies. IAKF was established in 1991 to inform the world community of the oppression against Kashmiri Pandits that led to their forced exile from Kashmir due to the influx of fundamentalist Islamic terrorism. IAKF wishes to raise awareness of the human rights violations suffered by the Pandit community, many of whom are still living in makeshift ‘refugee’ camps in Jammu, India. The organization seeks the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Kashmir valley with guaranteed security and freedom to exercise their religious faith and cultural way of life without fear or intrusion. For more information, please visit www.iakf.org.
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brigade” supported by some parties would challenge it. Slamming the Congress, Shah said, “It was your policy that has killed so many people, more than 41,000, since 1988. Why aren’t youth in Rajasthan, Gujarat or Odisha misguided? Because there is no Article 370 in these States.” Dismissing concerns that there would be “bloodshed” in the Valley, Shah said this was a “new experiment” and everyone should support it. “Terrorism cannot end in the State till Article 370 or 35A continue. They are an obstacle to development. We want to embrace the Kashmiri youth. The move will bring development, tourism and industries to the State. These opportunities till now were controlled by only three families,” he said. Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday night reviewed See KASHMIR, Page 3
Show promoter recognized
On Friday July 26, MB Entertainment by Mousumi Banerjee presented Richa Sharma’s Sajda tour at the Stafford Center. Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella, left, presents a proclamation congratulating Mousumi Banerjee for bringing the acclaimed concert tour to Stafford. Right, Karl Kalra, national promoter for the show. More on Page 5.
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