Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators on Friday staged a protest inside the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, demanding the establishment of a National Law University (NLU) in Jammu as the second phase of the Budget Session commenced.

The BJP MLAs raised slogans while seeking clarity from the government on the proposed location of the university. They said Jammu has long been deprived of premier educational institutions and called for an immediate decision.

The legislators held placards inside the House and continued sloganeering as proceedings began, briefly disrupting normal business.

The second leg of the Assembly’s Budget Session opened amid protests, with opposition parties expected to corner the government over poll promises, regional concerns, and the issue of restoration of statehood.

Meanwhile, in a post on X, Sajjad Lone wrote, “In October last year, CM Omar Abdullah assured the Assembly that National Law University would start functioning from Ompora, Budgam, Kashmir, from 2026. Why no notification has been issued yet to establish Law University in Ompora, Budgam, Kashmir, as per Section 3 of J&K’s NLU Act?

The authority to establish the University rests with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. If J&K opts for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) conducted by a consortium of more than 20 Law Universities across the country for admissions in these varsities, then chances of starting classes in 2026 are impossible because this examination has already been conducted,” he said. (KNC)

National Conference (NC) leaders, led by Tanvir Sadiq, on Friday staged a protest outside the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly expressing solidarity with Iran amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.

Speaking to the media, Tanvir Sadiq said, “We stand in solidarity with Iran. The entire National Conference and the J&K government stand together. Just as Omar Abdullah had earlier condemned the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, we are here today united. I have given a call attention and moved an adjournment motion.”

“We believe no country has the right to attack another, and the killing of a religious leader in such a manner is condemnable. The top leadership of the country should also condemn it,” MLA Tanvir said.

The protest highlighted the party’s stance on international issues and called for a unified condemnation of violence against religious and political leaders. (KNC)

A female assistant professor was killed and her husband was injured in a road accident in Kallar area of Rajouri district on Thursday.

Officials told that a Maruti Swift car met with an accident at Kallar this morning. In the incident, a lady, Dr. Tabassum Naz, an assistant professor posted at Degree College Poonch, was killed, while her husband received multiple injuries. He is being treated at GMC Rajouri.

Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident. (GNS)

Chaitra Navratri has drawn a huge rush of pilgrims to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, with over 2.69 lakh devotees offering prayers at the cave shrine during the ongoing festival.

“The yatra is going on smoothly. There is a huge rush. As many as 2,69,716 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the temple till March 25,” a senior official of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said.

Hundreds of devotees, chanting ‘Jai Mata Di’, are trekking along the serpentine pathway to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple to pay obeisance.

Chaitra Navratri, being observed from March 19 to March 27, is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Navdurga and holds special significance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, which records one of its highest pilgrim footfalls during this period.

According to the data, 31,815 pilgrims paid obeisance at the temple on the first day of Navratri on March 19, while 34,805 devotees visited the shrine on March 20, 41,078 on March 21, 43,482 on March 22, 45,478 on March 23, 38,158 on March 24 and 34,900 on March 25.

The registration of pilgrims was suspended twice for brief periods to manage the heavy rush of pilgrims, they said.

Katra, the twin routes and the Bhawan temple area, dazzling with lights and flower-decked decorations, resonate with spiritual fervour and traditional gaiety as the nine-day-long festival of Chaitra Navratri began amid multi-tier security.

Authorities have put in place multi-tier security arrangements at the Katra base camp and en route to the shrine to ensure a safe yatra.

The Board has deployed volunteers to guide pilgrims, manage the anticipated rush and ensure smooth movement along the 13-km yatra route, the official said.

This year, the Shrine Board introduced wireless communication to enhance coordination and communication along the yatra route. A multi-tier security grid involving the police, CRPF, other paramilitary forces and quick-response teams (QRTs) is in place throughout the festival, officials said.

The sacred Shat Chandi Maha Yagya commenced at the revered Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on March 19, heralding the auspicious beginning of Chaitra Navratri, officials said.

The divine vibrations of Vedic chants and rituals at the holy cave are invoking blessings of peace, prosperity and well-being for all humanity, they said.City & Local Guides