Muscular policy won't work in Kashmir, says Mehbooba
Srinagar, June 19: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti asserted on Tuesday that a muscular policy won't work in the state and also ruled out any other alliance to form a government after the BJP quit the PDP-led alliance.
Addressing the media after submitting her resignation to Governor N.N. Vohra and after chairing a meeting of her party colleagues, Mehbooba Mufti outlined the successes of her PDP-BJP coalition government and warned against a "muscular policy".
"We hold that a muscular policy cannot work in Jammu and Kashmir," she said. "We cannot treat J&K as an enemy territory."
But she did not spare the militants either.
"The ceasefire (of Ramadan) brought relief to people but unfortunately the other side (separatists) did not give a positive response and instead they wanted the ceasefire to end."
The PDP leader said there was insecurity among the minorities in the country after the Modi government came to power in 2014.
"There were incidents of cow vigilantes. We dealt with these incidents with firmness and have tried to keep the three regions of the state together.
"Our workers suffered at the ground level. We made tireless efforts for reconciliation and dialogue and we will continue to do so in the future."
The Chief Minister recalled that her father, the late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, forged an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a lot of deliberations.
"It took us many months to work out an agenda of alliance based on reconciliation and dialogue. The BJP had support in the Jammu region and the PDP had support in the Valley.
"There was apprehension regarding Article 370 and the special status of the state. We protected Article 370 and Article 35A."
She said 11,000 cases against youths were withdrawn, a ceasefire was announced and an offer of dialogue was made to the separatists.
Asked if she was shocked by the BJP's sudden decision to pull out, she said: "Nothing has shocked me... We were offered support by the Congress and the NC, but we chose to align with the BJP for reconciliation and dialogue because this party held power in the country.
"Breaking the alliance is BJP's prerogative and they have done it."
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US issues 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil amid Iran war
New York/Washington (PTI): Amid the escalating conflict with Iran, the US said it is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.
"President Trump's energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday.
He said this "deliberately short-term measure" will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, as it only authorises transactions involving oil already stranded at sea.
"India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of U.S. oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate pressure caused by Iran's attempt to take global energy hostage,” Bessent said in a post on X.
US President Donald Trump had imposed 25 per cent punitive tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, with the administration asserting that Delhi's purchases were helping fuel Russia's war against Ukraine.
Last month, the US and India announced they had reached a framework for an Interim Agreement on trade, and Trump issued an Executive Order removing the 25 per cent punitive tariffs on India, noting the commitment by New Delhi to stop importing energy from Moscow and increase purchasing American energy products.
A statement from the Department of Treasury titled 'Authorizing the Delivery and Sale of Crude Oil and Petroleum Products of Russian Federation Origin Loaded on Vessels as of March 5, 2026 to India' said that "all transactions prohibited...that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the sale, delivery, or offloading of crude oil or petroleum products of Russian Federation origin loaded on any vessel, including vessels blocked under the above listed authorities, on or before 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, March 5, 2026 are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, April 4, 2026, provided that the delivery or offloading of such crude oil or petroleum products occurs at a port" in India and the purchaser of such crude oil or petroleum products is an entity organised under the laws of India.
The general license issued by the Treasury Department said it does not authorise any other transactions or activities prohibited by any other Executive order, including any transaction or activity involving Iran, the Government of Iran, or Iranian-origin goods or services that is prohibited by the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations.
