61 security personnel, 11 civilians killed in Jammu and Kashmir in 4 months: MHA
Jammu: Sixty-one security personnel and 11 civilians were killed while 142 people were injured in 177 terror-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in the first four months of 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said.
The statement by Sulekha, Director, MHA came in response to an RTI plea filed by social activist Rohit Choudhary of J&K. She said that the injured included 73 security force personnel and 69 civilians.
Earlier, General Officer Commanding in Chief (GoC-In-C), Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said 86 terrorists were killed this year in the state and vowed that operations against the ultras will continue.
"During this year, we have neutralised 86 terrorists so far. Twenty terrorists were also apprehended. Our operations against terrorists will continue. A number of ultras have been brought back to the mainstream with the help of their parents, teachers and senior citizens," Lt Gen Sinbh had said at a function in Udhampur last Monday.
He also said 450 terrorists were operating in Jammu and Kashmir and the terror infrastructure across the Line of Control (LoC) was intact with the full support of Pakistan as 16 terrorist camps were operating in the neighbouring country and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
