Changes in J&K led to loss of autonomy: UN experts

India’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and enact new laws could curtail political participation of Muslims and other minorities and lead to potential discrimination in employment and land ownership, two UN human rights experts said on Thursday. The concerns were expressed by Fernand de Varennes, special rapporteur on minority issues, and Ahmed Shaheed, special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, even as a delegation of 24 envoys wound up a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to assess the ground situation. India responded, saying concerns expressed by experts “disregards the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral” part of India and the decisions were “taken by the Parliament of India”, external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said. In a statement issued in Geneva, de Varennes and Shaheed said: “The loss of autonomy... suggests people of Jammu and Kashmir no longer have their own government.”

THE DEPUTY LEADER OF OPPN IN VIDHAN SABHA, HAD STAGED A PROTEST ON THE HIGHWAY NEAR JAGRAON, ALLEGING DISCREPANCIES IN COUNTING

LUDHIANA: Jagraon police have booked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saravjit Kaur Manuke, her husband Sukhwinder Singh, 11 party workers and 40 unidentified supporters of the MLA, for staging a protest on the highway on Wednesday and disrupting the flow of traffic.

Manuke, who is also the deputy leader of opposition in the Vidhan Sabha, had staged a protest on the national highway near Jagraon, with her supporters, alleging discrepancies in the counting of votes.

The MLA and her supporters have been booked under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant, 283 (danger or obstruction in public way), and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code. Besides, she and her supporters were booked under Section 8B of the National Highway Act. The case has been registered on the complaint of Jagraon city SHO Gaganpreet Singh. The SHO said he was deployed at DAV College, Jagraon, to ensure a peaceful counting process.

Following their defeat in the municipal council elections, the

AAP leader and her supporters had left the counting centre at DAV College and staged a protest on National Highway, near Pahalwan Dhaba, leading to inconvenience for commuters. Following this, the leader and her supporters had also carried out a march in Jagraon city area in violation of the Covid-19 guidelines. They had also violated Section 144 of the CRPC imposed in the area in wake of elections. Manuke said, “Sadly, the government is using police to muzzle voices of dissent. There was a clear violation of the election code of conduct during the counting. When we raised an objection, we were booked. But the people of Punjab are watching this blatant lawlessness and will give Congress a befitting reply in the upcoming elections.”