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Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'24 Times!': Kharge Grills Govt on Pahalgam Attack, Trump Ceasefire Claim; RS Adjourned Amid Chaos
Day 1 of the Monsoon Session 2025 turned stormy as Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge took on the government in the Rajya Sabha, demanding answers on the Pahalgam terror attack, the Operation Sindoor air strikes, and Donald Trump's repeated claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Kharge said the terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack remain unneutralised and flagged the J&K LG's admission of intelligence failure. He reminded the House that Trump had made the ceasefire mediation claim 24 times, casting a shadow on India's strategic autonomy. Union Minister JP Nadda responded that the Centre was open to a discussion, but protests intensified, leading to adjournment till 12 PM.#mallikarjunkharge #operationsindoor #trumpceasefireclaim #rajyasabha #pahalgamattack #modigovt #parliamentstorm #indiausrelations #kashmirterror #rule267 #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews Read More
News18
14-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
LG Manoj Sinha Starts Drive To Help Those Who Lost Their Dear Ones To J&K's Terrorist Violence
J&K LG Manoj Sinha's five-pronged plan includes government jobs for needy, loans at low interest rates, speedy hearing of cases, release of land if encroached and helplines Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has begun a major exercise to heal the wounds of those who lost their loved ones to terrorist violence over the past three-and-a-half decades. The administration is reaching out to these families who have been waiting for justice and help for decades and is going to provide help, including jobs. Here's what was done as part of the drive at the North Campus of Kashmir University in Baramulla on Sunday, July 13. The auditorium was packed with women, youth, elderly and children. On the stage, in the presence of Sinha and senior officials, from the Chief Secretary to the DGP, an announcement is made from the stage – 'Wajahat will give the welcome speech." Wajahat is not the name of any officer, but he is a Kashmiri youth, a resident of Baramulla. He runs a voluntary organisation to reach out to the authorities and administration on behalf of those who lost their loved ones to terrorism that started in the valley in 1989. He tells what the alliance of leaders and separatists who instigate terrorism to take advantage of the 'conflict economy' in Kashmir has done to the families of those who fell prey to terrorism. In many cases, neither was an FIR registered, nor was any compensation given, leave alone government jobs. 'These businessmen of terrorism did not believe in wiping the tears of the victims' families," he said. 'Due to this, the terrorists who killed innocent Kashmiris got jobs, but the families of their victims did not. That too when a special law was made in Jammu and Kashmir was aimed at giving government jobs to the families of the victims of terrorism to help them, so that they could run their household comfortably," he said. Wajahat is telling with great courage how the terrorists were declared Mujahid and Shaheed in the Kashmir Valley, while the martyrdom of those who fought against terrorism and did not bow down to the terrorists was not only forgotten, but their families were also left at the mercy of God. The limit was reached when the families of the victims of terrorist violence were threatened, they were silenced, they did not even have the courage to raise their voice against injustice. But the circumstances that arose after the abolition of Article 370 in 2019 started changing the situation for such families, he said. The first thing was that the attitude of the administration had started changing, the power had gone out of the hands of those who had ruled the politics of Kashmir for decades, and who had played an important role in instigating terrorism and separatism. The reins of power had come into the hands of the central government led by Narendra Modi, which was engaged in changing the picture of Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory. However, it took time for this government to pay attention to such victims of terrorism. The system had become so rotten that all such people were forgotten. The victims of terrorism and their families had become a part of government files and court case papers, a thick layer of dust had settled on them in the form of government neglect. How Sinha began the drive After the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the attention of Sinha suddenly went to such families. Last month, when he was meeting some people in Anantnag, the district in which Pahalgam is located, there was a girl among them, whose 'SPO' father was killed by terrorists years ago. On finding the constitutional head of the state in front of her, she could not control her pain and while crying, she narrated the story of the plight of her house, on hearing which Sinha also became emotional. The girl was telling how her father was killed and her mother raised her children by washing utensils and sewing clothes in other people's houses. None of the family members got a job or any financial help. On the contrary, the terrorist who killed her father got a government job. Sinha was stunned to know this. For Sinha, the story of this girl's family was a testimony to how the governments here gave the gift of government jobs to terrorists or their supporters, kept them in the system, the terrorists kept trying to weaken the system with full force and the families who lost their loved ones did not get any help, leave alone a job. After listening to the girl's story, Sinha started working on it on a war footing. He immediately called a meeting of senior officials and instructed that all the victim families who lost their loved ones in terrorism should be identified. Such people were not only to be identified, but they were to be given every kind of help as per their need. Sinha's five-pronged plan includes arrangements for government jobs for the needy, loans at low interest rates if they want to do business, speedy hearing of cases of terrorist violence, release of land if it has been encroached, and special helplines and assistance cells so that the affected families can easily reach the administration for all these tasks. People like Wajahat have come forward to help Sinha in this mission, who are no longer afraid of terrorists. In the last five-six years, he has seen that now the people associated with law and order have no nexus with terrorists; rather, they are engaged in eliminating them strongly. This is such a system in which terrorists and their supporters are being dug out one by one, they are being dismissed from government jobs. So far, more than 80 such people have been dismissed, who have had links with terrorism. The effect of this changed environment was that within just a few weeks, many such families came forward who had lost their loved ones, but due to the fear of terrorists, they were afraid to express their pain, let alone expect government help. Stories of pain and loss After Wajahat's welcome speech, people started expressing their pain one after the other. Adil Yusuf Sheikh, who came from a village in Kupwara, was telling how the terrorists who entered his house in April 2003 shot his father, mother, minor sister without giving any reason. His mother was also pregnant at that time. Yusuf had to lose all these members of his family together, but there was no relief, no help. Raja Begum, who also came from Kupwara, was telling how the terrorists who entered her house in 1992 shot her husband Ghulam Hassan, two sons Irshad and Javed along with daughter Dilshada, when this family refused to give them shelter in their house. Raja Begum's entire family was destroyed, but the system did not pay attention to them. A similar story was that of Suhail Yusuf Shah, from October 2002, when his mother Haseena and uncle Ghulam Ahmed Shah were shot dead by terrorists in Saugam area, when they asked Ghulam Ahmed to become a terrorist like them and he refused. First the terrorists shot Ghulam Ahmed and when Haseena came in front of them with a glass of water for them, they showered bullets on her too. The terrorists left comfortably, a case was registered, but neither any arrest was made nor any help was received. Everyone's story, one more painful than the other. One person narrated how he lost his father, but till date neither did he get a government job nor were his father's murderers punished. Another told how first his one brother was killed, and then two more were killed. One resident told how the family members of the deceased had to face a lot of trouble even to get the succession certificate. A young man narrated his story in Hindi-Urdu, a woman spoke about her pain in Kashmiri, a girl spoke in English about how her father suddenly grew up after the murder of his father. An old woman was narrating how her son was murdered and she had to run the house by washing utensils to feed her grandchildren. All eyes were moist on hearing the stories. While consoling the victim families, Sinha called 40 such people on the stage and gave them government jobs. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : jammu and kashmir manoj sinha view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 14, 2025, 19:38 IST News india LG Manoj Sinha Starts Drive To Help Those Who Lost Their Dear Ones To J&K's Terrorist Violence Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha: I take full onus for Pahalgam, was a security failure
File photo: J&K LG Manoj Sinha (Picture credit: PTI) LG Manoj Sinha, who completes five years at J&K Raj Bhavan, told TOI's Bharti Jain that the Pahalgam terror attack was a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack. 'The intention of the neighbour (Pakistan) was to create a communal divide. ' 'I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure.' Excerpts from the interview: Has the Pahalgam attack shattered the myth that terrorism is on the wane in J&K? What happened in Pahalgam was very unfortunate; innocent people were brutally killed. I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure. The common belief here has been that terrorists do not target tourists. The location where the attack took place is an open meadow. There is no facility or room for security forces to be present there. This was a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack. The arrests made by NIA in the case corroborate local involvement but it would still be wrong to conclude that the security environment in J&K stands completely vitiated. The attack was a debilitating and deliberate strike on the nation's soul. The intention of the neighbour (Pakistan) was to create a communal divide and trigger a backlash against the people of J&K living in other parts of the country, adding to the feeling of alienation. Pakistan doesn't want J&K to be peaceful and prosperous. In the past five years, the J&K economy's size has doubled. Tourists have been flocking in high numbers. This (attack) was a hit by Pakistan at the economic well-being of Kashmir. But condemnation and protests by the people of Kashmir following the attack provided a befitting reply to Pakistan and terror outfits. They were clear signs that terrorism is not acceptable here anymore. There has been no attack in J&K since Operation Sindoor. Do you think this will hold? Operation Sindoor has drawn red lines for Pakistan. India has made it clear that any terror attack will be considered an act of war. The manner in which our forces carried out precise hits against terror facilities in Pakistan, and when it tried to target our military and civilian assets, how they destroyed their airbases, conveyed a stern message to Pakistan. Still, a country that has made terrorism its declared state policy, is not to be trusted. I am confident that the home ministry, defence ministry and our intelligence agencies are keeping a watch on Pakistan. But it is a fact that there has been no terror attack in J&K after Operation Sindoor. Is local involvement in Pahalgam attack a worry for security agencies? Local terror recruitment is at an all-time low. There has been just one incident of local recruitment this year as compared to 6 to 7 last year; there was a time when this figure used to be 150-200. But it is also a fact that Pakistan has facilitated the infiltration of a large number of terrorists in both Jammu region and Kashmir region. How has the Pahalgam incident impacted tourism in J&K? Tourist arrivals had almost stopped after the Pahalgam incident. We believed that the Amarnath yatra would be turning point. What is the status on tourist destinations closed after Pahalgam attack? We have already opened many. Others will be opened too in a phased manner. This is being done after finalising a robust security plan for each one of them.
News18
13-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
'Terrorism Taking Its Last Breath': J&K LG Manoj Sinha Sends Clear Message After Pahalgam Attack
Last Updated: J&K LG Manoj Sinha said Pahalgam attack had three main objectives: to create fear, disturb communal harmony, and provoke a nationwide backlash against Kashmiris. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that terrorism is taking its 'last breath" in the Union Territory, which is at the cusp of becoming a 'terror-free region", following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. In his first exclusive interview since the incident, Sinha told News18 that the overwhelming public response against the attack marked a critical turning point in the fight against terrorism. 'Terrorism is taking its last breath. The way people came out in large numbers against the Pahalgam incident shows the end is near," LG Sinha said. The attack, which took place in the tourist hotspot of Pahalgam, broke a long-standing belief that terrorists would not target such destinations. 'There was always this belief that terrorists never attacked tourist spots in the Valley. That myth was shattered on April 22," Sinha said. Despite the shock, Sinha described the aftermath as a moment of unity and resilience for the people of the region. 'The people of J&K, especially in the Valley, stood united against terrorism. That was a silver lining, a turning point. History is witness that whenever and wherever people have united against terrorism, terrorism has ended. The police and security forces played a crucial role." 'Pakistan Cannot Digest Kashmir's Progress' 'But the way the Government of India handled it, the terrorists failed in their design. Pakistan cannot digest the prosperity and integration of Kashmir," he said. In response to the attack, the administration has taken swift action to strengthen security at tourist locations. 'We decided to create a foolproof security infrastructure at all tourist destinations. We will soon hold a security review meeting. The places that were earlier closed will be reopened," the LG said. He confirmed that more tourist sites across the Valley will reopen in phases, helping to sustain the tourism boom. Amarnath Yatra Numbers Rise Despite initial fear following the attack, the annual Amarnath Yatra has seen a strong turnout. 'Initially, registrations dipped. But we contacted those who had registered before April 22 via SMS, assuring them of security. That outreach worked," Sinha said. 'So far, 85,000 of those pilgrims have turned up. I'm told that over 1.66 lakh pilgrims have already had darshan of Baba Barfani in just the first few days. Though the Yatra duration is shorter this year, the signs are extremely encouraging." 'When there is faith, fear cannot deter people. Pilgrims are being protected by a three-tier security apparatus and provided all necessary facilities." Crackdown On Terror Links In Govt Sinha also revealed that the administration has taken concrete steps to purge the system of individuals with terror links. 'We've terminated around 77 people who were either terrorists themselves or had direct terror links. Many were part of the system," he said. He added that the administration is now focused on ensuring justice and support for genuine victims of terrorism. 'Her mother had to beg to feed her daughters. I became emotional. I called a meeting with the CS, DGP, and other officials to formulate a policy: if no FIR had been registered, we'd ensure it is. If compensation hadn't reached them, we'd deliver it. If they wanted to start a business, we'd get them PM Mudra loans." 'Earlier, there were loopholes and misuse. Now we've built strong safeguards to ensure that only the actual victims benefit." 'The real victims will get a job where they were denied, an FIR would be registered if it wasn't earlier, their cases would be reinvestigated, and culprits punished." He further said: 'Every district has set up a helpline for these victims who call and get help. There are cases who were denied justice for decades. We will reach out to them and ensure justice is provided. There are some cases where the properties of the victims were taken over by the terrorists — we will ensure the same is restored." 'In the earlier system, while the victims got nothing, the terrorists got government jobs. But that is bound to change, and the change has started taking shape." Sinha On Talks With Pak On demands for dialogue with Pakistan, the LG was unequivocal. 'These decisions are taken by the Government of India. When the PM has clearly stated that terror and talks, terror and water cannot go together, we must ignore those giving sermons about talking to Pakistan," he said. 'The government's policy under Prime Minister Modi is very clear — there will be no compromise on terror." The LG noted that the ground situation in the Valley has transformed. 'There are no strikes. No stone pelting. Nightlife is back. Cinemas have reopened. And in 2025, only one local youth has been recruited by terror outfits," he said. 'We will not buy peace. We will destroy the terror ecosystem." Highlighting the region's economic growth, Sinha said tourism has become a powerful engine of prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir. 'The economy of J&K has doubled. Over 5,000 new hotels have opened in five years. People who had one hotel now have two. This progress — Pakistan cannot tolerate," he remarked. On Statehood: 'The Sequence Is Clear" On the issue of restoring statehood, Sinha pointed to the roadmap already laid out by the Union Government. 'On August 5, 2019, the Home Minister said: first delimitation, then elections, and then restoration of statehood at the appropriate time. Delimitation and elections have happened. Statehood, too, will be restored — at the time the Government of India decides." Clarifying the administrative structure, the LG said: 'Law and order and policy matters lie with me. Everything else is with the elected government. I don't hold anything back. Anything that benefits the public — I give my assent to it." 'The State Reorganisation Act defines the roles. If there's ever confusion, it's resolved through correspondence." tags : jammu and kashmir manoj sinha Pahalgam attack view comments Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India First Published: July 13, 2025, 10:33 IST News india 'Terrorism Taking Its Last Breath': J&K LG Manoj Sinha Sends Clear Message After Pahalgam Attack Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
J&K LG sacks 3 UT staff for terror links
NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: J&K LG Tuesday dismissed three J&K govt employees after they were found to be transporting arms, explosives and narcotics to and arranging logistical support for operatives of LeT and Hizb to carry out terror attacks in the UT. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This takes the total dismissals ordered by Sinha under Article 311(2)(c) of Constitution, since he took office, to over 75. All three govt employees sacked in the latest round - Malik Ishfaq Naseer, a constable; Ajaz Ahmed, a teacher in school dept; and Waseem Ahmad Khan, a junior assistant in GMC, Srinagar - are currently in jail on terror charges. Naseer was recruited as a constable in J&K Police in 2007. His brother Malik Asif Naseer, a Pakistan-trained terrorist of LeT, was killed by forces in 2018. Malik, however, continued his terror activities, using his cover as a constable to avoid suspicion. His LeT link was exposed in Sept 2021 when cops found him to be helping LeT drop arms, explosives & narcotics, guided by GPS, at pre-shared coordinates facilitated by him to his Pakistani handlers. Ahmed was recruited as a teacher in 2011 but led a double life as a terror associate of Hizb in Poonch region. He was helping the outfit in smuggling arms and ammunition. Khan's terror links with Hizb were exposed with his arrest in Aug 2018. Sources said he was one of the conspirators behind killing of journalist Shujaat Bukhari in June 2018.
