Category: General

New Delhi, General Secretary of Congress, Jairam Ramesh, criticized the BJP-led government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly suspending democratic processes in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly criticizing the government’s actions following Modi’s visit to Udhampur.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Ramesh accused the BJP of halting nearly all levels of democratic governance in the region and refusing to initiate fresh elections. He expressed these concerns in light of Modi’s recent activities in Udhampur, suggesting they were part of efforts to maintain control in the former state.

The Congress leader highlighted that since the BJP government withdrew support from the Mehbooba Mufti-led government in 2018, citing security concerns, Jammu and Kashmir has been governed directly by the Union Government, leaving the local population without an elected government. Furthermore, Ramesh pointed out that four seats in the Rajya Sabha have remained vacant due to the absence of assembly elections, which the Supreme Court of India has now instructed to be conducted by September 2024.

Geneva, The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) is scheduled to conduct its inaugural visit to Albania from April 14 to April 20. The visit aims to assess the treatment and protection of individuals deprived of their liberty in various detention facilities across the country.

According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the SPT delegation plans to visit multiple sites, including prisons, police stations, and detention centers. The visit will facilitate meetings with Albanian government officials, the national preventive mechanism of Albania, and representatives from civil society organizations.

The delegation, led by Vasiliki Artinopoulou, will evaluate the measures Albania has implemented to prevent torture and ill-treatment of detainees. They will also provide recommendations to enhance the country’s adherence to its treaty obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, which Albania ratified in 2003.

The SPT’s mandate includes all State parties to the protocol. At the conclusion of their visit, the SPT will deliver confidential preliminary observations to the Government of Albania. The delegation members include experts from Greece, Lebanon, Georgia, and Montenegro, supported by two human rights officers from the SPT Secretariat.

Srinagar, A new railway line planned through the apple orchards of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir is posing a significant threat to the livelihoods of millions of local farmers who depend on apple cultivation. This development has sparked widespread concern and protest among the agricultural community.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the railway project, extending about 190 kilometers across the scenic valleys of the region, includes a section between Islamabad, Bijbehara, and Pahalgam that will directly impact numerous orchards. Farmers, such as Muhammad Shafi, face the prospect of losing their farms, which are crucial for their income and represent a substantial part of the local economy.

Apple farming is a cornerstone of the Kashmiri economy, supporting approximately 3.5 million people and contributing notably to the region’s GDP. The current plans have not only raised economic but also environmental concerns, with activists like Raja Muzaffar Butt warning of potential deforestation and ecological damage.

The implementation of the railway has been marked by tension, including land surveys conducted under police supervision, which have not included formal notices to the farmers. This has led to protests in various districts, including Shopian, where farmers are vehemently opposing the acquisition of their ancestral lands.

For many like Shafi, the project threatens not only their livelihood but also their heritage. The disruption caused by the railway construction has left many in the community grappling with the potential loss of their lands and the heritage associated with them. This situation highlights the ongoing struggles and the delicate balance between development and cultural preservation in Kashmir.