Srinagar, July 26: The ongoing Shri Amarnathji Yatra 2026 achieved a significant milestone today as total pilgrim turnout surpassed the four-lakh mark.

In a post on X, the Lieutenant Governor said: “By Lord Shiva’s divine grace, the holy Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra has crossed a remarkable milestone and more than 4 Lakh pilgrims have already completed the sacred journey. Till now, 4.14 Lakh devotees have received darshan. I bow with reverence to Baba Amarnath for this blessing and extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this journey a truly divine experience for all.”

Budgam, July 26: Security forces have clarified that there was no restriction on the offering of Friday prayers or the Azaan at Pakherpora Mosque on 24 July, addressing reports circulating on social media that suggested otherwise.

A senior district police official told news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that on the basis of serious intelligence inputs, a cordon and search operation (CASO) was being conducted in the general area of Pakherpora for the past few days. During the operation, some devotees travelling from outside the locality may have experienced temporary inconvenience in reaching the mosque owing to the security measures in place.

The official, however, emphasised that no restrictions were imposed on religious observances at the mosque. The Friday congregational prayers and the Azaan were conducted as scheduled on the said day.

The security forces have urged members of the public to refrain from relying on or sharing unverified information and to refer to official sources for authentic updates, particularly on matters relating to security and public order.

Srinagar, July 26: The PDP President Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar have reopened one of Kashmir’s deepest political wounds: the legacy of the 2016 unrest and the use of force against civilians. While the PDP president intended to distinguish between law-and-order situations elsewhere and the security challenges posed by militancy in Kashmir, one phrase, “banta hai”, came to define the entire speech, eclipsing her broader message.

Addressing students protesting over the NEET paper leak, Mehbooba contrasted police action in Delhi with the situation in Kashmir. In doing so, she suggested that security forces in Kashmir were confronting militancy, adding that there “was militancy there” and that “it banta hai”, a phrase many interpreted as justifying the use of force against Kashmiri protesters. Critics quickly isolated those words from the larger speech, transforming them into a potent political weapon.

The backlash was immediate because the comment struck at a deeply sensitive memory. For many Kashmiris, 2016 remains synonymous with pellet injuries, civilian deaths and mass protests during the PDP-BJP coalition government led by Mehbooba Mufti. Any suggestion, even if unintended, that those actions were justified was bound to provoke outrage.

The National Conference sensed an opportunity. Party leaders demanded that Mehbooba apologise, arguing that no democratic leader should appear to legitimise excessive force against civilians. The controversy also enabled the NC to reinforce its long-standing narrative that the PDP cannot escape responsibility for decisions taken during its coalition with the BJP.

NC leader and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq called on Mehbooba to apologise, arguing that her remarks appeared to equate routine public protests with militancy.

“Are those who protest against reservation militants? Are those who protest for basic amenities also militants? This is shameful coming from a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sadiq said, adding that Mehbooba owes an immediate apology to the people of J&K.
NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar accused PDP president Mehbooba Mufti of justifying the use of force against Kashmiri protesters, including young people and children.

“I am appalled beyond words. @MehboobaMufti unabashedly and casually brands every Kashmiri protester a ‘militant’. The kids, the little girls… just everyone was a militant, she says,” Dar posted on X.
“Even shame must be ashamed today. Her hypocrisy is uglier than what I believed.”

Altaf Bukhari’s Apni Party similarly criticised the remarks, saying that describing the suffering of Kashmiri protesters as something that “banta hai” amounted to lowering the political discourse and undermined the pain experienced by thousands of families.

“This is, after all, the same leader who justified the killing of Kashmiri children by asking, ‘Kya woh doodh aur toffee lane gaye the?’ (Had those children gone out to fetch milk and toffees?),” Bukhari said.

The Awami Ittehad Party was even more scathing, accusing Mehbooba of “political hypocrisy” for condemning police action against students in Delhi while, in its view, rationalising actions taken against Kashmiri youth during her own tenure. It argued that she owed an apology to young Kashmiris rather than attempting to recast her record.

On social media, however, the debate was more nuanced than the political rhetoric suggested. Critics widely shared clipped videos containing only the “banta hai” phrase, arguing that Mehbooba had inadvertently admitted the legitimacy of the state’s response during 2016. Supporters countered with longer videos, insisting that she had been explaining the distinction between counter-insurgency operations and ordinary policing rather than endorsing civilian casualties. The resulting information battle became less about what she said in full and more about which clip viewers encountered first.

Politically, the controversy exposes the PDP’s continuing dilemma. Since 2019, Mehbooba Mufti has positioned herself as one of the strongest critics of the Centre’s Kashmir policy and a defender of civil liberties. Yet every attempt to reclaim that space is overshadowed by the legacy of her party’s alliance with the BJP and the events of 2016. Her opponents understand this and have repeatedly sought to bring that period back into public debate.

In the end, the storm over “banta hai” is about more than a single phrase. It illustrates how, in Kashmir’s intensely polarised politics, a few words can outweigh an entire speech, and how unresolved memories of 2016 continue to shape the credibility of today’s political leaders.

Srinagar, July 26: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has landed at the centre of a fresh political storm after drawing a parallel between Gen Z protesters at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and agitators in Kashmir, asserting that force was justified in the Valley under the guise of fighting militancy.

Her comments, made during her Jantar Mantar appearance earlier this week, in which she attempted to defend past crackdowns on local demonstrators, drew swift, sharp backlash from the rival political parties, who revived her infamous 2016 “milk and toffee” quote to accuse the former chief minister of blatant hypocrisy.

At the Jantar Mantar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief appeared to defend past usage of pellet guns in the Valley, saying it was different in Kashmir as the security forces were fighting militancy, while simultaneously opposing police action against student protesters in the national capital.

Reacting sharply to the statement, the National Conference (NC) posted on its official X handle: “If you happen to be a Kashmiri who is protesting for his/her rights, ‘aap pe force use karna to banta hai’ (it is justified to use force against you). Wow.”

NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar accused the PDP chief of unabashedly defending the use of brutal force against local youth and children.

“I am appalled beyond words. @MehboobaMufti unabashedly and casually brands every Kashmiri protester a ‘militant’. The kids, the little girls… just everyone was a militant, she says,” Dar posted on X.

“Even shame must be ashamed today. Her hypocrisy is uglier than what I believed.”

Demand for an apology came from NC leader and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq, who questioned whether everyday civil demonstrations were now being labelled as armed resistance.

“Are those who protest against reservation militants? Are those who protest for basic amenities also militants? This is shameful coming from a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sadiq said, adding that Mehbooba owes an immediate apology to the people of J-K.

Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said he was “neither shocked nor surprised” by the PDP chief’s remarks, citing her controversial record during her tenure as chief minister during the 2016 summer unrest in the Valley.

“This is, after all, the same leader who justified the killing of Kashmiri children by asking, ‘Kya woh doodh aur toffee lane gaye the?’ (Had those children gone out to fetch milk and toffees?),” Bukhari said.

He added that the region has not forgotten the human toll of her administration’s policies.

“It was under her government that pellet guns were used against protesting children. Hundreds of young boys and girls lost their eyesight or suffered permanent injuries because of those pellets. These are painful memories that no amount of political rhetoric can erase,” he said.

The PDP declined to give any comments about the controversial remarks, but unofficially, its leaders said that Mehbooba’s statement had been taken out of context.

Srinagar, Jul 26: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today attended the sacred Harbah festival at Anantnag and paid obeisance to Mata Sidh Lakshmi. He also extended greetings to all the devotees who participated in the annual Hawan.

Speaking on the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor said the Harbah festival is a profound moment of devotion, gratitude, and inner experience. He emphasized that Teerathraj Lok Bhawan at Anantnag, with its tranquil and divine surroundings, stands as a living symbol of India’s eternal spiritual tradition.

“Every stone, every stream, and every breath here conveys the immortal consciousness of our sanatan culture and spiritual heritage which has guided humanity for centuries along the path of truth, compassion, and dharma,” he said.

Highlighting the historical significance of the sacred temple, he recalled its ancient name Lokpunya as mentioned in Kalhana’s Rajatarangini. The Lieutenant Governor noted that the annual Hawan and flag hoisting are rekindling the flame of devotion, service, sacrifice, patience and social harmony.

The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted the challenges of modern life, observing that while science and technology have brought the world closer, they have also led to rising loneliness and division. He stressed that spiritual values must remain the foundation of society and underlined the importance of unity, compassion, and respect for all.   

“The Harbah festival reminds us that true devotion manifests as service to humanity, mutual respect, and selfless love,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

He also laid out his vision for a peaceful and prosperous society and made three key appeals to the people. The Lieutenant Governor said spiritual values must guide individual and institutional conduct to build trust and prosperity. He said mental and spiritual health must be given equal importance alongside physical strength in today’s fast-paced life and youth responsibility must be nurtured through selfless action and dedication to the nation.  

Calling upon the younger generation of Jammu Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor urged them to remain connected not only with modern education but also with cultural and spiritual values.

“True knowledge is realized through humility, and its strength becomes sacred when used in the service of others,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

Padma Shri Brij Lal Bhat; Swami Sriram Charana Aravinda Dasa, Director Projects, ISKCON; Shri Javid Iqbal Mattoo, DIG South Kashmir; Shri Amod Ashok Nagpure, SSP Anantnag; Dr. Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag; Shri Sanjay Koul, President, All Minority Employees Association Kashmir; senior officials of Police and Civil Administration, members of Teerathraj Sidh Lakshmi Peeth Trust, prominent citizens and devotees in large numbers were present.