
PDP protest foiled by police in Srinagar, several detained
The PDP said the protest that began from party headquarters was aimed at highlighting key civic issues, including rising electricity tariffs, acute shortage of drinking and irrigation water, and the demand for shifting Kashmiri detainees back to local jails.
A PDP spokesperson said the party had planned a demonstration but was prevented by police, who detained senior leaders and workers activists.
The detained among others included senior leaders Abdul Haq Khan ,Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, Basharat Bukhari, Zahoor Ahmad Mir and several former legislators.
PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti accused the administration of showing disproportionate urgency in suppressing peaceful protests by her party, while failing to address pressing public issues in Jammu and Kashmir.
"It appears that the administration only flexes its might when it comes to foiling PDP protests & detaining our workers. If only this same power & urgency was applied to address the worsening water crisis, skyrocketing power bills, alarming 17.4 % unemployment rate and unresolved issue of political prisoners," Mehbooba said in a post on X.
"We've witnessed our protests being silenced when we raised our voice against unconditional scrapping of Article 370 and human rights violations but now even raising concerns over governance failures has become a punishable act," she added.
UNI MJR PRS
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


United News of India
44 minutes ago
- United News of India
Trump announces 25 pc tariffs on S.Korea and Japan, threatens five other nations with 40 pc duties
Washington, July 7 (UNI) President Donald Trump on Monday said the US will impose 25% tariffs on goods from South Korea and Japan by August 1, while also threatening to hit five other nations with import duties of up to 40% by next month. President Trump posted two nearly identical letters, addressed to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, on his Truth Social media platform outlining the new tariffs. A 90-day freeze on country-specific U.S. tariffs on dozens of nations, including Japan and South Korea, is scheduled to expire on July 9. In his letters to Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, President Trump cited unfair trade balances. "Our relationship, unfortunately, has been far from Reciprocal," the letters read. Trump added in each letter, "We look forward to working with you as a Trading Partner for many years to come. If you wish to open your heretofore closed Trading Markets to the United States, and eliminate your Tariff, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter." President Trump on Monday afternoon also announced separate tariffs on an additional five trade partners. Myanmar and Laos both face a 40% tariff rate; South Africa imports will be subject to 30% duties; and goods from both Malaysia and Kazakhstan will be taxed at 25%, Trump said in letters posted on Truth Social. Those tariffs are scheduled to kick in August 1 as well, CBS News reported. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing Monday that Trump is set to sign an executive order extending the July 9 tariff freeze. The order delays the deadline to "August 1 so the reciprocal tariff rate, or these new rates that will be provided in this correspondence to these foreign leaders, will be going out the door within the next month," Leavitt said. Leavitt added that Trump plans to send tariff letters to "approximately 12 other countries" informing them of new U.S. levies on their goods. She did not indicate when the notices will be sent out, but said Trump will post them on Truth Social "so you can enjoy them yourself." Trump is also expected to announce more deals with U.S. trade partners before the beginning of August, she said. Trump said in each memo that the letter "demonstrates the strength and commitment of our Trading Relationship," and that "we invite you to participate in the extraordinary Economy of the United States."The 25% levies apply to "any and all Japanese products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs," Trump added in his letter to Japan's Ishiba. He also warned that if either South Korea or Japan raises tariffs on the U.S., the Trump administration will reciprocate by adding that figure to the 25% baseline rate. The 25% tariff is in line with the so-called "reciprocal" rates that President Trump said South Korea and Japan would each face when he unveiled country-specific duties on April 2. At the time, the Trump administration said it would impose tariffs of 24% and 25% on imports from Japan and South Korea, respectively. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed the Trump administration would be making "several announcements in the next 48 hours" of trade deals. Bessent claimed that his inbox has been full of offers after Trump elevated his threats to re-impose reciprocal tariff rates. UNI RN


United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
National strike unnecessary, politically motivated, says FETO
Thiruvananthapuram, July 8 (UNI) Terming it politically motivated and unnecessary, the Federation of Employees and Teachers Organisations (FETO) has urged employees to reject the strike announced by left-leaning service organisations in Kerala in support of the national strike called by a few trade unions on July 9. "The primary demand of the strike is the withdrawal of the four new labour codes. However, the modernisation of outdated labour laws is a longstanding and common demand of the working class," FETO Kerala General Secretary J. Mahadevan said today. "The Wage Code and the Social Security Code, in particular, are historically significant and highly beneficial to workers. Despite 44 labour laws being consolidated into four codes, the trade unions calling for the strike have not clearly stated which specific provision they oppose," the FETO leader pointed out. Before these codes were passed in Parliament, the Union Labour Ministry held several rounds of discussions with trade unions and employer organisations at the national, state, and sectoral levels, he clarified. The FETO state committee noted that the current strike is merely a continuation of an annual ritualistic protest lacking genuine purpose, he said. When it comes to government employees, the central government has been providing dearness allowance and implementing pay revisions consistently, he added. "In contrast, the Left government in Kerala, which came to power promising to withdraw the contributory pension scheme, has not fulfilled that promise. Moreover, it has withheld several entitlements such as dearness allowance, leave surrender, and other benefits," he charged. "The pay revision that was due to be implemented from July 1, 2014, has been delayed by over a year. If the left-aligned service organisations in Kerala are sincere, they should be protesting against the denial of these benefits by the Left government," he said. FETO also demanded that the administration and the police ensure the safety and travel facilities of employees who choose to reject the strike and report for duty. This was stated in a joint press release by FETO State President A.J. Srini, General Secretary J. Mahadevan, and State Treasurer C.K. Jayaprasad. UNI DS ARN


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Why J&K Deputy CM is turning up heat on L-G Sinha over ‘dual power centres'
Barely a few weeks after Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha claimed his limited administrative authority, J&K Deputy Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Surinder Choudhary on Sunday raked up the issue of dual power centres in the Union Territory (UT), saying the elected government was 'not able to do enough for the people'. Asking Sinha why he was not returning the file relating to the Transaction of Business Rules (TBR) that would define the respective powers of the L-G and the elected government, Choudhary said, 'We are pained that we are not able to provide jobs to our youth even eight months after assuming power.' Choudhary was flagging off a bus from Jammu to the remote Daddal Kalasara village via Sunderbani in the border Rajouri district. He said the Omar Abdullah-led J&K government, like other elected governments of the country, wanted to take 'big decisions' for the welfare of the youth and the elderly but was unable to do it due to 'dual power centres'. The Deputy CM's bid to reiterate such remarks assumes political significance as he has been seen taking a more vocal stand on the issue as compared to Abdullah, who has been emphasising on 'cooperating' with the L-G for people's welfare since taking charge last October. After having emerged as a giant killer in the 2024 J&K Assembly polls, when he defeated then state BJP chief Ravinder Rana, Choudhary's vociferous stance on issues like statehood, power distribution, and restoration of special status are aimed to claim that the people of Jammu, like their Kashmiri counterparts, are not happy with the Centre's move on August 5, 2019, when it abrogated Article 370 and downgraded J&K state to a UT. Sources said Choudhary's position is meant to help the NC keep its vote base intact in Kashmir as well parts of Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley in Jammu while steering the party to take on the BJP in the latter's bastions of Jammu, Samba and Kathua. The Deputy CM has raised these issues in the Assembly too. Amid protests by the BJP MLAs, it was Choudhary who moved a resolution in the House urging the Centre to hold dialogues with the elected representatives of J&K over restoration of Article 370. After the NC-led government recently alleged that the L-G's move to transfer 48 officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS) violated the provisions of the J&K Reorganisation Act, it was from Choudhary's home in April that the ruling MLAs 'warned Delhi for the last time' against interference. On Sunday, reminding Sinha of his recent statement that only 'the police came under him', Choudhary also urged the J&K BJP leaders to take up the issue with the L-G. However, the BJP claimed that the powers of the L-G as well as the elected government were 'clearly defined' in the J&K Reorganisation Act. 'The issue concerns the L-G and the government. Both should take care of their respective domains and sort out any confusion instead of making the people suffer,' BJP vice-president and Jammu North MLA Sham Lal Sharma said. On June 14, in an apparent bid to put the controversy over the existence of 'two power centres in the UT' to rest, Sinha had said that only the police came under him while the rest of the administrative departments fell under the purview of the elected government. He subsequently echoed this while responding to state Education and Health Minister Sakina Itoo's criticism.