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India.com
26 minutes ago
- India.com
Is J&K Getting Statehood Back? Flurry Of Secret Meetings Spark Speculations Ahead Of Article 370 Abrogation Anniversary
New Delhi/Srinagar: Six years after the abrogation of Article 370, a flurry of closed-door meetings between India's top leadership and the President of India has triggered speculation about the possible restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. The timing of the meetings, ahead of August 5 (the Article 370 abrogation anniversary), has fuelled further speculation across political circles and online platforms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 3, but no official statement was released following the meeting. That same evening, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also visited the President for a one-on-one discussion. The back-to-back nature of these visits, both unaccompanied by formal press releases, caught the attention of observers. The buzz intensified as Shah separately held a series of other meetings. Among those he met were Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Sat Sharma, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta and All J&K Shia Association President Imran Raza Ansari. These interactions came as the Centre reportedly firmed up plans for a key National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MPs' meeting scheduled for today (August 5). While no official agenda has been made public, the sequence of developments has set off widespread speculation that a major policy announcement regarding Jammu and Kashmir could be on the horizon, possibly including a legislative step towards restoring statehood. Social Media and Analysts React Social media users and political commentators have been quick to pick up the signals. Retired Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon, widely followed by key defence leaders, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, cautioned against haste. 'There is a lot of speculation about what may be announced on August 5. The peace in Kashmir has come at a great cost. We should not rush into any hasty decision. The consolidation phase is still going on,' Dhillon wrote on X (formerly Twitter). There is a lot of speculation about what may be announced tomorrow (5th Aug). The peace in Kashmir has come about at a great cost of human lives of security forces personnel and innocent civilians. It's fragile still as was evident from the Pahalgam terror attack. For the sake… — KJS DHILLON (@TinyDhillon) August 4, 2025 Six years after abrogation of #Article370, #Kashmir is undergoing a historic transformation. From record tourism to world-class infrastructure, J&K is no longer trapped in inertia. The Chenab Rail Bridge, AIIMS, Vande Bharat, & Smart Cities— KASHMIR BADAL RAHA HAI!@TinyDhillon — Sehrish Bashir (@SehrishB_) August 4, 2025 Geopolitical analyst Arti Tikoo Singh echoed similar concerns. She said there was widespread chatter about the potential division of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate states. 'Strong rumours are circulating that the Centre might grant statehood. What is even more bizarre is that rumour mills are suggesting that Kashmir and Jammu will be separated and reorganised. If either is true, nothing could be more disastrous,' she said. Strong rumours are circulating in Jammu & Kashmir that the Centre may grant statehood to the Union Territory on the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370. That is, tomorrow. What's even more bizarre is that rumour mills are suggesting that Kashmir and Jammu will be… — Aarti Tikoo Singh (@AartiTikoo) August 4, 2025 Another user wrote, 'Is GOI going to give J&K complete statehood? It would be surprising and ill-timed.' Is GOI going to give J&K complete statehood? It would be surprising, and ill timed. 5th August is already historic enough. The government has no need to be compulsive about doing something historic every 5th of August. Give 5 more years at least to settle down things in J&K. — MIMAMSA (@MimamsaSutras) August 4, 2025 Govt. may avoid needless rush in decision that may undo whatever gain has been made. @TinyDhillon knows abt J&K much more than many politicians. — Chandrahas Shetty. (@chan_sim) August 4, 2025 Absolutely bang on target EVER IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS PLEASE READ THIS TWEET... IT'S FEELING OF WHOLE NATION... — Aditya Sharma (@adisonu31may) August 4, 2025 The Long Road Since August 5, 2019 On August 5, 2019, the Centre abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The region's special constitutional status was scrapped and its legislative powers were transferred to the Centre under the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019. Since then, both Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah have repeatedly spoken about restoring statehood, but no formal timeline has been offered. In December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 and asked the Centre to restore statehood 'at the earliest'. The government, in response, assured the court that it would do so. But no concrete move has followed. The demand for statehood regained momentum in 2024 after Assembly elections were held for the first time in over 10 years. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, in alliance with the Congress, pressed for full restoration of statehood. The April 22 Pahalgam attack momentarily dampened the campaign, but the Congress resumed its demand during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, including a protest at Jantar Mantar. Will Fresh Elections Be Part of the Deal? Reports also suggest that the Centre might tie the restoration of statehood to the holding of fresh Assembly elections, replacing the current UT-based legislative structure. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah commented on this possibility in June. 'I have read that statehood will be restored, but Assembly elections would have to be held afresh. Let them do it, who has stopped them?' he told reporters. For now, the series of meetings and rising political chatter signal that a major announcement regarding Jammu and Kashmir may not be far off. But until an official word comes, statehood remains an open question and one that continues to stir political and public debate.
India.com
26 minutes ago
- India.com
US tightens rules for issuing Green Cards with focus on married couples; how will it affect Indians?
(Representational image: New Delhi: America has tightened the rules for issuing green cards for married couples. The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has issued a guideline in this regard. It talks about tightening the scrutiny of family-based immigrant visa applications, especially marriage-based applications. Its purpose is to eliminate fraudulent claims and ensure that green cards are approved only based on genuine relationships. This decision will also have a direct impact on Indian citizens, as Indians make up a large number of foreigners living in America. When were the new rules implemented? The new rules regarding green cards have come into effect on August 1. It also applies to all pending and newly filed petitions. USCIS has said that fraudulent visa petitions undermine confidence in family-based methods of obtaining lawful permanent resident (LPR) status. In such a situation, we are committed to keeping Americans safe by detecting foreigners with bad intentions. What are the new changes? The new guidelines tighten strict scrutiny and documentation processes. These include improved eligibility checks and adjudication processes for family-based petitions. Clear documentation along with photos, shared financial details and family affidavits will be required to prove a bona fide marriage. Couples will also undergo mandatory personal interviews, aimed at evaluating the authenticity of the relationship. Along with this, there will be a thorough scrutiny of immigration history. USCIS has added more stringent checks to its policy, especially for applicants who are already in the US on other visas and seek status adjustment through marriage. If a US citizen sponsors a foreign spouse, such as someone from India, then the couple will now have to provide solid proof of a bona fide relationship. What is the Green Card? The Green Card is officially called the US Permanent Resident Card. It is proof of the right to live and work permanently in the USA. It looks like a plastic card. It contains the person's information, photo, and fingerprints. The Green Card holder is considered a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR).
The Hindu
36 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP leader Amit Malviya's ‘no language called Bengali' jibe sparks outrage, leaves Trinamool fuming
A day after a communication from the Delhi Police, describing Bangla as 'Bangladeshi language', evoked strong criticism from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya's remarks on Monday that there was no language called 'Bengali' sparked further outrage in the political and social circles of West Bengal. Mr. Malviya, who heads the BJP's IT cell and is the party's co-observer in West Bengal, justified the Delhi Police's description in a social media post. 'There is, in fact, no language called 'Bengali' that neatly covers all these variants. 'Bengali' denotes ethnicity, not linguistic uniformity. So when the Delhi Police says 'Bangladeshi language', it's shorthand for the linguistic markers used to profile illegal immigrants from Bangladesh — not a commentary on Bengali as spoken in West Bengal,' Mr. Malviya said. The remarks left the Trinamool Congress leadership fuming, with several leaders of the party condemning them strongly. The TMC accused the BJP of 'systematically promoting xenophobia and othering, with Bengalis being deliberately targeted across states'. 'Such dangerous narratives must be condemned and resisted at every level,' the party said. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh equated the remarks to 'linguistic fascism'. 'The BJP is hellbent on erasing one of the richest, oldest, Constitutionally-recognised languages of India just to whitewash the Delhi Police's bigoted profiling tactics. This is linguistic fascism, plain and simple. We dare the BJP to say this on the floor of the Parliament. We dare them to erase Bengali from the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. We dare them to call Kobiguru's [Rabindranath Tagore] Jana Gana Mana a foreign song,' Mr. Ghosh said. West Bengal Minister Shashi Panja described the BJP leader's assertions as an attempt to erase, belittle, and vilify the culture, history, and pride of Bengal. 'In his usual cocktail of arrogance, ignorance, and deep-seated hatred, @BJP4India's certified troll and keyboard mercenary @amitmalviya has now declared that 'there is no language called Bengali'. This is a calculated attempt to erase, belittle, and vilify the culture, history, and pride of Bengal,' Dr. Panja said. 'The BJP is threatened by Bengal. By its intellect. By its spine. By its refusal to bow down. And so, they try to delegitimise our language, our people, and our very existence,' she said. Apart from leaders of the ruling party, prominent people of the State criticised the BJP leader's comments. The controversial remarks have come at a time when the TMC has been raising its pitch in protest against the alleged targeting of migrants from the State over the past few months. The party has called for a 'language movement', and invoked Bengali asmita (identity) over such protests. More migrants return In another development, a group of migrant workers hailing from West Bengal's Dakshin Dinajpur district returned from Delhi. In a video shared on social media by the State's ruling party, the workers said that some men in uniform wanted money from them. The Trinamool Congress said they were being subjected to brutal torture simply for speaking in Bangla. 'They were beaten, abused, and extorted by @DelhiPolice, which allegedly demanded bribes of ₹5-7 lakh for their release. These are Indian citizens, targeted solely for their language and identity. This is a hate-driven crackdown on the Bengali identity, enabled and emboldened by the Bangla birodhi (opposed) BJP regime,' the party posted on social media. A few days ago, 12 youths, of whom 10 were from Pingla, and the remaining two from the Sabang police station area of Paschim Medinipur district, returned from Gujarat and alleged torture by the Gujarat Police.
