India revokes special status for Kashmir. Here's what it means - CNBC

An Indian soldier looks towards the site of the Uri attack on September 18, 2016.

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The Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) is in lockdown after the government revoked a special status granted to the troubled region.

On Monday, Interior Minister Amit Shah told India's parliament that the federal government would scrap Article 370, a constitutional provision that grants special status and allows the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir to make its own laws. The order was subsequently approved by the Indian President.

CNBC takes a look at what this means for Kashmir and for the Muslim-majority state's relationship with India.

What is Article 370?

Article 370 of the Indian constitution carves out a special status to the state of J&K. It also limits the Indian parliament's power to make laws for the state. In effect, the special status, which is described as "temporary" allows the state of Jammu & Kashmir to have its own constitution, its own flag and take decisions except for any matter that is related to defense and foreign affairs. The temporary provision was included in the constitution on 17 October, 1949.

This special status dates back to the end of British rule in India in 1947 when Maharaja Hari Singh of the then colonized state of Jammu & Kashmir signed a Treaty of Accession for the state of J&K to join the Indian side.

Meanwhile, Article 35a, which was added to the constitution in 1954 under Article 370 gives the state of Jammu & Kashmir the right to decide who its permanent residents are. The clause further gives special rights to residents in government jobs, when buying property in the state and for educational scholarships among others.

The state defines its permanent residents as those that are "born or settled within the state before 1911 or after having lawfully acquired immovable property and resident in the state for not less than 10 years before that date."

The law bans non-permanent residents from settling in the state, buying land, and taking government jobs or scholarships.

Why is the Indian government revoking Article 370?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party had pushed for an end to Kashmir's special constitutional status, arguing that such laws had hindered its integration with the rest of India.

India's government wants to strengthen its influence over its only Muslim-majority region.

In the run up to the most recent elections in May this year, Modi's Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) had promised a firm policy action to bring peace in the Jammu & Kashmir region.

"In the last five years, we have made all necessary efforts to ensure peace in Jammu and Kashmir through decisive actions and a firm policy. We are committed to overcoming all obstacles that come in the way of development and providing adequate financial resources to all the regions of the state. We reiterate our position since the time of the Jan Sangh to the abrogation of Article 370," according to the manifesto.

On Monday, Interior Minister Amit Shah introduced the measure in parliament amid massive protests from the opposition as well as regional parties in J&K. Opposition parties have condemned the government's proposal, calling it "undemocratic."

Shah also said the state will be divided into two union territories – Jammu & Kashmir, which will have its own legislature, and Ladakh, which will be ruled directly by the central government and will have no legislature of its own. A union territory is a type of administrative division in India. Unlike the states of India, which have their own governments, union territories are federal territories governed directly by the main government.

What's the situation on the ground?

India has deployed tens of thousands of troops across the Kashmir valley in anticipation of a backlash of the revoke.

Indian authorities banned public movements, shut down schools and colleges indefinitely and put two former chief ministers of J&K — Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — under house arrest ahead of the announcement.

The two leaders took to Twitter to express their disappointment over the decision and warned of consequences.

Indian media reports suggest that mobile internet services have been suspended in Kashmir Valley and Satellite phones were being used by security officials.

Critics on Twitter have condemned the move, calling it "authoritarianism." Indian-author Ramachandra Guha blamed the government for taking action without a proper debate.

What is Pakistan's response to this?

On Monday, the Pakistan government strongly condemned India for taking "illegal steps" in its decision to revoke special status for Kashmir. This according to Reuters, citing a government statement.

The Pakistan government also warned that it will "exercise all possible options."

"As the party to this international dispute, Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps," Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement.

How Kashmir got here?

India and Pakistan's conflict over the mountainous region of Kashmir dates back to 1947 when both countries became independent from British colonial rule.

The entire subcontinent was partitioned into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan, which led to a mass displacement as people migrated from one country to the other. Outbreaks of communal and religious violence killed hundreds of thousands of people in the subcontinent during that time.

Jammu and Kashmir was a former princely state where a large number of people were killed and others were driven away by the violence during the partition. Since then, India and Pakistan have fought multiple wars over the region — both countries claim the region in full but control only parts

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2019-08-05 10:38:05Z
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Kashmir in lockdown as India reveals plan to change state's status - CNN

A broad communications blackout left many people without access to the internet and phone services across the territory, with measures also in place to prevent public meetings.

According to CNN affiliate CNN-News18, the politicians under house arrest include at least two former chief ministers of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which encompasses the section of the disputed territory controlled by New Delhi.

Kashmir is one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints. Claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan, it has been the epicenter for more than 70 years of an often violent territorial struggle between the nuclear-armed neighbors. A de facto border called the Line of Control divides it between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Extra troops have been moving up to Indian-controlled Kashmir in recent days, while a major annual Hindu pilgrimage to a mountain shrine in the region was called off. Until last week, Indian authorities explained the move as a response to intelligence about a growing security threat in the region.

But on Monday, the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it was moving to revoke a provision known as Article 370. In place since 1949, it gives Jammu and Kashmir the power to have its own constitution, flag and autonomy over all matters, save for certain policy areas such as a foreign affairs and defense.

The Modi government said it would introduce measures to modify Jammu and Kashmir's administrative status from a state to a union territory. In the Indian system, state governments retain significant authority over local matters. But New Delhi has more of a say in the affairs of a union territory.

The remote mountainous region of Ladakh, currently part of Jammu and Kashmir, will also be separated and turned into a standalone union territory, the government said.

Modi's interior minister, Amit Shah, announced the measures in parliament, prompting an uproar from opposition parties.

"We stand by the constitution of India. We will give up our lives for the protection of the constitution of India. Today, the BJP (Prime Minister Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party) has murdered the constitution and the democracy of the country," said Ghulam Nabi Azad, from the opposition Congress Party.

While anticipating opposition in the region, analysts said the security crackdown would -- for now -- restrict the ability of ordinary Kashmiris to react.

"They've put the state under a heavy security lock down and will shoot at sight anyone who tries to come out on the street," said Ajai Shukla, a New Delhi-based defense analyst and former military officer.

"It will be difficult for Kashmiris to come out with the conditions imposed, which I expect to continue for the immediate future."

Manoj Joshi, from the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation think tank, said the announcement would come as a "psychological shock" to Kashmiris.

"The so-called autonomy has eroded over the years," he said. "It was more of a symbolic thing but symbols are important, particularly in the context of Kashmiri politics and we may see more alienation.

Jammu and Kashmir is the only Muslim-majority state in Hindu-dominated India.

"It's a dramatic step with huge political risks. But on the other hand, the BJP as a party has never denied that it wants Article 370 to be abrogated."

Ahead of Monday's announcements, the mood in Kashmir was already tense, as residents rushed to secure essential supplies.

"There is panic all around and no one knows what is happening," Manzoor Ahmad, a local government employee in Srinagar, the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir, told CNN.

"Kashmiri weather and politics you should never trust," Shaheena, a teacher in Srinagar, the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir, told CNN.

Nikhil Kumar and Swati Gupta reported and wrote from New Delhi, while Mukhtar Ahmad reported from Srinagar

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2019-08-05 09:57:00Z
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India Moves to Revoke Kashmir’s Special Status Amid Crackdown - The New York Times

SRINAGAR, Kashmir — The Indian government said on Monday that it was removing the special status that has existed for decades in Kashmir, a disputed mountainous region along the India-Pakistan border.

Amit Shah, the home minister, made the announcement revoking Article 370 of the Constitution in the upper house of Parliament on Monday morning, as opposition lawmakers exploded in an uproar.

In anticipation of the announcement, which many analysts predicted could set off rioting and unrest, India had flooded Kashmir with thousands of extra troops. The Indian authorities also evacuated tourists, closed schools and cut off internet service.

For many years, Kashmir has been governed differently than other parts of India, and the government’s decision is widely seen as a blow to Kashmir’s autonomy. India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party, known as the B.J.P., has deep roots in a Hindu nationalist ideology and one of its campaign promises during the election this year had been removing the special status of Kashmir, which is predominantly Muslim.

“Today the B.J.P. has murdered the Constitution of India,” said Ghulam Nabi Azad, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, an opposition party.

The Indian government also announced that it would support a parliamentary bill to split the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes the Kashmir Valley, into two federal territories — Jammu and Kashmir, which will have a state legislature, and Ladakh, a remote, high-altitude territory, which will be without a legislature.

Mr. Shah said the government had the legal authority to end Kashmir’s special status. Some analysts said that was not so clear and that the issue would most likely end up before India’s Supreme Court.

A sense of panic has spread across Kashmir as millions of residents woke up Monday to deserted streets. Relatives of Kashmiris who could be reached by phone said that many people were fearful about stepping outside and were waiting in their homes for news about what was going to happen next.

Many Kashmiris had feared that the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would either remove their region’s special status or turn Kashmir into a federally ruled territory.

Image

Barricades being set up by the Indian police in Jammu, Kashmir, on Monday. A sense of panic has spread across Kashmir as millions of residents woke up Monday to deserted streets.CreditChanni Anand/Associated Press

Separatist groups, including some that are armed and maintain links to neighboring Pakistan, have been chafing for independence from India for years. Analysts say that any steps that reduce Kashmir’s autonomy could demoralize the Kashmir public further and provoke an outburst of serious violence.

[Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir.]

Over the last few days, the authorities in Kashmir had been issuing satellite phones to senior police officers so they could communicate in case the cellphone network was disrupted, which happened around midnight going into Monday, according to widespread news reports.

The authorities have also restricted the movements of prominent Kashmiri political leaders, including Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, according to many reports in the Indian news media.

Ms. Mufti, the most recent chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said in an interview before Mr. Shah’s announcement on Monday that Kashmiri politicians were coming together to defend against any possible moves by India to remove the special laws that grant limited autonomy to Kashmir under the Indian Constitution.

“There will be chaos if our identity is compromised,” Ms. Mufti said. “We will go to any extent to preserve that identity guaranteed under the India Constitution.”

Security officers have evacuated thousands of tourists, mostly Indians, telling them it was dangerous to be in the valley and that militant groups might be planning an attack.

Janvi Singh, an entrepreneur from Mumbai, saw her vacation suddenly cut short.

She had just arrived at her hotel in Gulmarg, a scenic mountainside town, on Friday when government officials knocked on the door of her room and told her she needed to leave immediately.

“They didn’t take no for an answer,” Ms. Singh said.

For decades, Kashmir has been plagued by turmoil. When India and Pakistan won independence from Britain in 1947, Kashmir originally opted to remain a small independent state.

But soon after independence, militants from Pakistan invaded Kashmir and Kashmir joined India for help. India and Pakistan then fought several wars over the area and today most of Kashmir is administered by India, with a smaller slice controlled by Pakistan, which like Kashmir is majority Muslim.

Tensions reached a breaking point in February, when a Kashmiri militant rammed a vehicle filled with explosives into a convoy of Indian paramilitary forces traveling on a highway, killing at least 40 soldiers. A banned terrorist group, Jaish-e-Muhammad, which is based in Pakistan, claimed responsibility.

Image

A woman and child walking past security personnel in Jammu on Monday. Analysts say that any steps that reduce Kashmir’s autonomy could provoke an outburst of serious violence.CreditRakesh Bakshi/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

It was the worst attack in the region in three decades, and set off a tense military standoff between India and Pakistan that culminated in a dogfight between Indian and Pakistani warplanes. Pakistan shot down and captured an Indian pilot, who was soon handed back to India.

Over the last year, activists say, the hunt for separatists has intensified, pulling ordinary Kashmiris into the fold.

Indian Army officials said Friday that they had specific information about a planned attack by Pakistan-based militants on Hindu pilgrims and tourists.

But many Kashmiris were skeptical of those claims and wondered if there was another explanation for the sudden troop buildup in the region, already one of the most heavily militarized areas in the world.

Many residents are now panicking. People are hoarding supplies, causing shortages of medicine and baby food. Many fuel stations ran dry as thousands of people lined up through Friday and Saturday nights to fill their cars with gas.

“All the hotels in Gulmarg are empty,” said Muzamil Ahmad, director of an upscale hotel there.

Germany, one of the few Western countries that had earlier removed restrictions on travel to the region, issued a travel advisory asking its citizens to avoid the valley. Britain, Australia and Israel issued similar warnings.

Along the Line of Control, the name of the disputed border between Pakistan and India, both sides have been building up their troop levels.

On Saturday, Pakistani officials accused India of using cluster bombs along the border that killed two civilians and wounded 11 on the Pakistan side. India denied it used cluster bombs, which have been criticized across the world as being dangerous to civilians.

Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan said on Sunday that the only road to lasting peace in South Asia ran through Kashmir.

“President Trump offered to mediate on Kashmir,” Mr. Khan said on Twitter, referring to his recent meeting with President Trump in Washington. “This is the time to do so as situation deteriorates there and along the LOC with new aggressive actions being taken by Indian occupation forces. This has the potential to blow up into a regional crisis.”

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2019-08-05 08:37:30Z
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India Moves to Revoke Kashmir’s Special Status Amid Crackdown - The New York Times

SRINAGAR, Kashmir — The Indian government said on Monday that it was removing the special status that has existed for decades in Kashmir, a disputed mountainous region along the India-Pakistan border.

Amit Shah, the home minister, made the announcement revoking Article 370 of the Constitution in the upper house of Parliament on Monday morning, as opposition lawmakers exploded in an uproar.

In anticipation of the announcement, which many analysts predicted could set off rioting and unrest, India had flooded Kashmir with thousands of extra troops. The Indian authorities also evacuated tourists, closed schools and cut off internet service.

For many years, Kashmir has been governed differently than other parts of India, and the government’s decision is widely seen as a blow to Kashmir’s autonomy. India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party, known as the B.J.P., has deep roots in a Hindu nationalist ideology and one of its campaign promises during the election this year had been removing the special status of Kashmir, which is predominantly Muslim.

“Today the B.J.P. has murdered the Constitution of India,” said Ghulam Nabi Azad, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, an opposition party.

The Indian government also announced that it would support a parliamentary bill to split the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes the Kashmir Valley, into two federal territories — Jammu and Kashmir, which will have a state legislature, and Ladakh, a remote, high-altitude territory, which will be without a legislature.

Mr. Shah said the government had the legal authority to end Kashmir’s special status. Some analysts said that was not so clear and that the issue would most likely end up before India’s Supreme Court.

A sense of panic has spread across Kashmir as millions of residents woke up Monday to deserted streets. Relatives of Kashmiris who could be reached by phone said that many people were fearful about stepping outside and were waiting in their homes for news about what was going to happen next.

Many Kashmiris had feared that the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would either remove their region’s special status or turn Kashmir into a federally ruled territory.

Image

Barricades being set up by the Indian police in Jammu, Kashmir, on Monday. A sense of panic has spread across Kashmir as millions of residents woke up Monday to deserted streets.CreditChanni Anand/Associated Press

Separatist groups, including some that are armed and maintain links to neighboring Pakistan, have been chafing for independence from India for years. Analysts say that any steps that reduce Kashmir’s autonomy could demoralize the Kashmir public further and provoke an outburst of serious violence.

[Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir.]

Over the last few days, the authorities in Kashmir had been issuing satellite phones to senior police officers so they could communicate in case the cellphone network was disrupted, which happened around midnight going into Monday, according to widespread news reports.

The authorities have also restricted the movements of prominent Kashmiri political leaders, including Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, according to many reports in the Indian news media.

Ms. Mufti, the most recent chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said in an interview before Mr. Shah’s announcement on Monday that Kashmiri politicians were coming together to defend against any possible moves by India to remove the special laws that grant limited autonomy to Kashmir under the Indian Constitution.

“There will be chaos if our identity is compromised,” Ms. Mufti said. “We will go to any extent to preserve that identity guaranteed under the India Constitution.”

Security officers have evacuated thousands of tourists, mostly Indians, telling them it was dangerous to be in the valley and that militant groups might be planning an attack.

Janvi Singh, an entrepreneur from Mumbai, saw her vacation suddenly cut short.

She had just arrived at her hotel in Gulmarg, a scenic mountainside town, on Friday when government officials knocked on the door of her room and told her she needed to leave immediately.

“They didn’t take no for an answer,” Ms. Singh said.

For decades, Kashmir has been plagued by turmoil. When India and Pakistan won independence from Britain in 1947, Kashmir originally opted to remain a small independent state.

But soon after independence, militants from Pakistan invaded Kashmir and Kashmir joined India for help. India and Pakistan then fought several wars over the area and today most of Kashmir is administered by India, with a smaller slice controlled by Pakistan, which like Kashmir is majority Muslim.

Tensions reached a breaking point in February, when a Kashmiri militant rammed a vehicle filled with explosives into a convoy of Indian paramilitary forces traveling on a highway, killing at least 40 soldiers. A banned terrorist group, Jaish-e-Muhammad, which is based in Pakistan, claimed responsibility.

Image

A woman and child walking past security personnel in Jammu on Monday. Analysts say that any steps that reduce Kashmir’s autonomy could provoke an outburst of serious violence.CreditRakesh Bakshi/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

It was the worst attack in the region in three decades, and set off a tense military standoff between India and Pakistan that culminated in a dogfight between Indian and Pakistani warplanes. Pakistan shot down and captured an Indian pilot, who was soon handed back to India.

Over the last year, activists say, the hunt for separatists has intensified, pulling ordinary Kashmiris into the fold.

Indian Army officials said Friday that they had specific information about a planned attack by Pakistan-based militants on Hindu pilgrims and tourists.

But many Kashmiris were skeptical of those claims and wondered if there was another explanation for the sudden troop buildup in the region, already one of the most heavily militarized areas in the world.

Many residents are now panicking. People are hoarding supplies, causing shortages of medicine and baby food. Many fuel stations ran dry as thousands of people lined up through Friday and Saturday nights to fill their cars with gas.

“All the hotels in Gulmarg are empty,” said Muzamil Ahmad, director of an upscale hotel there.

Germany, one of the few Western countries that had earlier removed restrictions on travel to the region, issued a travel advisory asking its citizens to avoid the valley. Britain, Australia and Israel issued similar warnings.

Along the Line of Control, the name of the disputed border between Pakistan and India, both sides have been building up their troop levels.

On Saturday, Pakistani officials accused India of using cluster bombs along the border that killed two civilians and wounded 11 on the Pakistan side. India denied it used cluster bombs, which have been criticized across the world as being dangerous to civilians.

Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan said on Sunday that the only road to lasting peace in South Asia ran through Kashmir.

“President Trump offered to mediate on Kashmir,” Mr. Khan said on Twitter, referring to his recent meeting with President Trump in Washington. “This is the time to do so as situation deteriorates there and along the LOC with new aggressive actions being taken by Indian occupation forces. This has the potential to blow up into a regional crisis.”

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2019-08-05 07:52:51Z
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India Moves to Remove Kashmir’s Special Status Amid Crackdown - The New York Times

SRINAGAR, Kashmir — The Indian government said on Monday that it intended to remove the special status that has been bestowed for decades on Kashmir, a disputed mountainous region along the India-Pakistan border.

Amit Shah, the home minister, made the announcement in Parliament on Monday morning.

Before the announcement, thousands of extra troops had already been deployed across the valley in anticipation of the news, and internet service was cut late Sunday. The Indian authorities also closed schools and evacuated tourists.

A sense of panic has spread across Kashmir as millions of residents woke up Monday to deserted streets. Relatives of Kashmiris who could be reached by phone said that many people were fearful about stepping outside and were waiting in their homes for news about what was going to happen next.

Many Kashmiris had feared that the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was planning to remove the special status that governs Kashmir or turn Kashmir into a federally ruled territory, both moves that are likely to ignite turmoil.

Separatist groups, including some that are armed and maintain links to neighboring Pakistan, have been chafing for independence from India for years. Analysts say that any steps that reduce Kashmir’s autonomy could demoralize the Kashmir public further and provoke an outburst of serious violence.

[Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir.]

Over the last few days, the authorities in Kashmir have been issuing satellite phones to senior police officers so they can communicate in case the cellphone network is disrupted, which happened around midnight going into Monday, according to widespread news reports.

Image

Barricades being set up by the Indian police in Jammu, Kashmir, on Monday. A sense of panic has spread across Kashmir as millions of residents woke up Monday to deserted streets.CreditChanni Anand/Associated Press

The authorities have also restricted the movements of prominent Kashmiri political leaders, including Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, according to many reports in the Indian news media.

Ms. Mufti, the most recent chief minister of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes the Kashmir Valley, said in an interview before Mr. Shah’s announcement on Monday that Kashmiri politicians were coming together to defend against any possible moves by India to remove the special laws that grant limited autonomy to Kashmir under the Indian Constitution.

“There will be chaos if our identity is compromised,” Ms. Mufti said. “We will go to any extent to preserve that identity guaranteed under the India Constitution.”

Security officers have evacuated thousands of tourists, mostly Indians, telling them it was dangerous to be in the valley and that militant groups might be planning an attack.

Janvi Singh, an entrepreneur from Mumbai, saw her vacation suddenly cut short.

She had just arrived at her hotel in Gulmarg, a scenic mountainside town, on Friday when government officials knocked on the door of her room and told her she needed to leave immediately.

“They didn’t take no for an answer,” Ms. Singh said.

For decades, Kashmir has been plagued by turmoil. When India and Pakistan won independence from Britain in 1947, Kashmir originally opted to remain a small independent state. Kashmir is majority Muslim as is Pakistan, while India is majority Hindu.

But soon after independence, militants from Pakistan invaded Kashmir and Kashmir joined India for help. India and Pakistan then fought several wars over the area and today most of Kashmir is administered by India, with a smaller slice controlled by Pakistan.

Image

A woman and child walking past security personnel in Jammu on Monday. Analysts say that any steps that reduce Kashmir’s autonomy could provoke an outburst of serious violence.CreditRakesh Bakshi/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Tensions reached a breaking point in February, when a Kashmiri militant rammed a vehicle filled with explosives into a convoy of Indian paramilitary forces traveling on a highway, killing at least 40 soldiers. A banned terrorist group, Jaish-e-Muhammad, which is based in Pakistan, claimed responsibility.

It was the worst attack in the region in three decades, and set off a tense military standoff between India and Pakistan that culminated in a dogfight between Indian and Pakistani warplanes. Pakistan shot down and captured an Indian pilot, who was soon handed back to India.

Over the last year, activists say, the hunt for separatists has intensified, pulling ordinary Kashmiris into the fold.

Indian Army officials said Friday that they had specific information about a planned attack by Pakistan-based militants on Hindu pilgrims and tourists.

But many Kashmiris were skeptical of those claims and wondered if there was another explanation for the sudden troop buildup in the region, already one of the most heavily militarized areas in the world.

Many residents are now panicking. People are hoarding supplies, causing shortages of medicine and baby food. Many fuel stations ran dry as thousands of people lined up through Friday and Saturday nights to fill their cars with gas.

“All the hotels in Gulmarg are empty,” said Muzamil Ahmad, director of an upscale hotel there.

Germany, one of the few Western countries that had earlier removed restrictions on travel to the region, issued a travel advisory asking its citizens to avoid the valley. Britain, Australia and Israel issued similar warnings.

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2019-08-05 06:55:21Z
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India scraps special status for Kashmir amid crackdown - CNBC

Border villagers play cards as they sit near a Indian post at Chandu Chak village of Ranbir Singh Pura sector near the India-Pakistan international border, about 35km from Jammu on February 28, 2019 in Jammu, India.

Nitin Kanotra | Hindustan Times | Getty Images

India's government on Monday revoked the special status of Kashmir in a bid to fully integrate its only Muslim-majority region with the rest of the country, the most far-reaching move on the troubled Himalayan territory in nearly seven decades.

Interior Minister Amit Shah told parliament the federal government would scrap Article 370, a constitutional provision that grants special status for disputed Kashmir and allows the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to make its own laws.

"The entire constitution will be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir state," Shah said, ending the state's rights to make its own laws. In a subsequent order, India's president approved the government's changes.

The step would also mean revocation of a bar on property purchases by people from outside the state. Such plans have in the past provoked warnings of a backlash in Kashmir, which is claimed by both India and Pakistan.

The law had also reserved state government jobs for residents, as well as college places, in an effort to keep the state from being overrun by people from the rest of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party had pushed for an end to Kashmir's special constitutional status, arguing that such laws had hindered its integration with the rest of India. 

Political leaders in Kashmir had warned that repeal of the law would trigger widespread unrest.

Since last year, Kashmir has been ruled by the Indian federal government, after Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew from a coalition there with a regional party.

Monday's announcement came hours after authorities launched a clampdown in Kashmir by suspending telephone services and placing state leaders under house arrest. 

Telephone and internet services were suspended early on Monday, and state leaders wrote on Twitter that they had been put under house arrest.

On Sunday, a meeting of regional parties had vowed to safeguard the region's special status, saying any move to scrap the privilege would amount to aggression against the people of the state.

Tension had risen since Friday, when Indian officials issued an alert over possible militant attacks by Pakistan-based groups.

Pakistan has rejected those assertions, but thousands of alarmed Indian tourists, pilgrims and workers streamed out of the region over the weekend.

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2019-08-05 06:26:32Z
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Iran says it seized foreign oil tanker in Gulf for smuggling fuel - CNN

The tanker was intercepted Wednesday night by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's 2nd Marine Corps, according to Iranian news agency ISNA.

Iran's state media Press TV said the vessel had seven crew members and was carrying 700,000 liters of fuel, or about 4,500 barrels. If full, this amount would make it a relatively small tanker.

The nationalities of the ship and of the crew have not been revealed.

Ramadan Zirahi, commander of that naval unit, told ISNA that the vessel carrying the "seized smuggled fuel" was transferred to Bushehr and that the fuel was delivered to the National Oil Distribution Company of Bushehr in coordination with the judiciary.

Zirahi said the 2nd Marine Corps floating units were guarding the national interest and "will not hesitate for a moment."

Iran's seizure last month of two tankers -- one Panamanian-flagged and one British -- marked an escalation in the standoff between the Islamic Republic and Western powers after US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal last year.

Iran has released nine of the 12 Indian crew members who were on board the Panamanian-flagged tanker that it seized after claiming the vessel was carrying 1 million liters of smuggled fuel.

Iran has granted consular access to 18 Indian crew members of the seized British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero.

• Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz

• May 8, 2018
• November 5, 2018
• April 8, 2019
• June 20, 2019
  • Iran shoots down a United States military drone. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claims that the drone was shot down after it entered the country's territory, while the US claims the drone was shot down in international airspace.
• June 24, 2019
• July 1, 2019
• July 4, 2019
  • The Iranian oil-carrying vessel Grace 1 is seized by British authorities near Gibralter. Gibraltar's territorial authorities had reason to believe the ship was "carrying its shipment of crude oil to the Baniyas Refinery in Syria" in violation of European Union sanctions, it said in a statement. Iran called the act "piracy."
• July 10, 2019
• July 14, 2019
• July 18, 2019
  • US officials say the US Navy has destroyed an Iranian drone using electronic jamming, in a defensive action after it came too close to naval ship USS Boxer took. However, Iranian officials deny that any of their drones have been downed.
• July 19, 2019
  • Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announces that its navy has captured the British-flagged oil tanker, Stena Impero. It accuses the British tanker of "violating international regulations."
  • A second tanker, the Liberian flagged MV Mesdar, was also seized, one US official tells CNN.

Source: CNN

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https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/04/middleeast/iran-tanker-seizure-intl/index.html

2019-08-04 15:44:00Z
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