Congress slams Union ministers' visit to J&K, calls it a 'sign of panic, not normalcy'

Slamming the Union Ministers' visit to Jammu-Kashmir, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Manish Tewari, on Thursday, called it a sign of panic, not normalcy. He added that 36 Union Ministers travelling around the Union territory as quck fix will not work. The group of Union Ministers are scheduled to visit the Valley from 18-24 January.

Congress slams 36 Union Ministers visit to J&K

J&K: Locals welcome administration's order to partially restore internet in the valley

Union Ministers' J&K visit

Earlier on Wednesday, the Centre released a list of 36 Union Ministers including top cabinet ministers like Smriti Irani, Piyush Goyal, Ravi Shankar Prasad will visit Jammu-Kashmir later this month to spread awareness about the positive impact of abrogation of Article 370 provisions and the development measures taken by the government for the region, according to PTI. The schedule for the visit of the ministers to the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be finalised at a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on January 17. The visit which is coordinated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah will witness each minister visit the Valley for 1-2 days.

Union ministers to visit Kashmir to spread awareness about positive impact of scrapping Art 370

Current scenario in Kashmir

The Centre recently extended the NC patron Farooq Abdullah's detention was extended by another three months under the Public Safety Act (PSA). While several minor political leaders have been released from detention, prominent mainstream leaders - Mehbooa Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Sajid Lone, etc remained detained in Jammu and Kashmir till a date which the Centre claims will be decided by the local administration. Since the revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories, the Valley continues to be under lockdown. 

Mobile internet restored in Ladakh's Kargil district 145 days after snapping services

While post-paid mobile services and landlines have been restored, the internet is still suspended, inspite of Supreme Court's order to review all curbs while terming internet as a 'fundamental right'. The J&K administration has agreed to set up 400 internet kiosks and have restored 2G internet connection in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi. On the other hand, mobile internet was restored in Kargil district in the Union Territory of Ladakh in the last week of December.

Though markets and road transport has been improving, locals are still being targetted for breaking curfew by terrorists. The Centre has stated that train services, hospitals and other services have resumed normally. The Centre is reportedly in talks with a new group of politicians in Jammu-Kashmir Valley to determine the political scenario.

READ | Internet shut down in J-K cannot be indefinite, says SC