SRINAGAR: National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said he was "going off-grid for a few weeks" after two "deeply disappointing" days, both professionally and personally.

Omar’s announcement came in the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 and Delhi High Court rejecting his appeal seeking divorce from his estranged wife.

The former chief minister posted on X that the last two days have been deeply disappointing both personally and professionally.

“Who was it who said it’s not how hard you can hit, it’s how hard you can get hit & still keep moving forward? The last two days have been deeply disappointing both personally & professionally but I refuse to give up & slink away,” Omar said.

“It’s that time of the year when I take some time to be with those I care about, to refresh, recharge & come back stronger. I’m going off-grid for a few weeks. Will come back early in the new year fighting fit & ready to face the challenges that 2024 will throw at me, including at least two elections in J&K. The fights & struggles will continue,” he added.

After the SC verdict which put a stamp of approval on the union government's decision on August 5, 2019 to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution of India that gave the erstwhile J&K state a special status, Omar had said he was disappointed but not disheartened. He vowed to fight for the restoration of the rights of people of J&K. (UNI)

SRINAGAR: The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Tihar jail superintendent to produce the banned Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front leader, Muhammad Yasin Malik, via video conferencing only and not in person on August 9, when the appeal moved by NIA seeking the death penalty for him is listed for hearing.

Separatist leader Muhammad Yaseen Malik in currently serving life imprisonment for the alleged role in militant financing in Jammu and Kashmir. 

A division bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Anish Dayal allowed an urgent application moved by Tihar jail authorities to produce Malik through video conferencing.

The court modified its earlier order passed on May 29 issuing production warrants against Malik for August 09.h

The jail authorities had moved the application citing heavy security issues” in producing Malik physically in court.

The Tihar jail authorities, in the application, submitted that Malik has been lodged under the category of very high-risk prisoners and thus, it is imperative that he is not physically produced in order to maintain public order and safety.

Malik was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special NIA court in May last year. He had pleaded guilty in the case and did not contest the charges against him.

LSRINAGAR: Congress leader Saifuddin Soz on Tuesday said that Ghulam Nabi Azad showed an 'extreme act of disloyalty' to Congress.

  Saifuddin Soz said Azad cannot convince the people that he was justified in his "extreme act of disloyalty" to the party.

   In a statement to KNT, Soz said he feels sad about Azad showing himself in poor light at the fag end of his political career.

    "The feeling is widespread that Mr. Gulam Nabi Azad deserted the Congress party, at last, which had bestowed upon him so many honours, all through his career. The general run of people, especially the people in Jammu and Kashmir, assert the fact that Mr. Azad cannot convince the people that he was justified for this extreme act of disloyalty to the Congress," Soz said.

   “The other public reaction is that Azad is seen moving closer to the BJP and his participation in electoral politics will cause division of votes, particularly in Jammu province, which will result in indirect support to the BJP,”  the former Union minister said adding that this seems to be an organized effort."

    Soz said ultimately the Congress will not suffer any setback as the people think that Azad's action constitutes "extreme disloyalty" to the party which had accorded dignified positions to him all through his political career.

   "People also feel that Mr. Azad's action against the Congress has come at a time when the party is leading the campaign against fascist forces in India," he said.

    “The common people's feeling is that Azad's political stature has received a "setback" which can never be repaired, Soz said. Azad will soon start feeling the effects of the social and political wilderness of "unimaginable proportions", he said. (KNT)