Day before J&K visit, EU MPs meet PM Modi, NSA Doval

A delegation of over 25 European Union MPs on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval ahead of their planned visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, sources have said.

The delegation was briefed about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and cross-border terrorism emanating from across the border, they said.

During their visit to Jammu and Kashmir, where normal life continues to remain affected for 86 days now, they will meet residents and owners of the boats in Dal lake. Media reports suggest that the visit was an "unofficial" one, and the members have organised it "in personal capacity".

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said in a tweet that she hoped that the iron curtain between Kashmir the world be lifted. She said that the Indian government must be held accountable for "pushing Jammu and Kashmir into turmoil".

The delegation of EU members of parliament will meet Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday evening.

Internet services -- across all platforms -- continued to be snapped across the valley since the night of August 4 -- hours before the Centre announced its decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the state into two Union territories.

The internet services were snapped, along with mobile and landline telephone services. While landline services were restored gradually first, postpaid mobile services were restored only last week. Pre-paid services continue to remain barred.

Most of the top-level and second-rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody, while mainstream leaders, including two former chief ministers -- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti -- have either been detained or placed under house arrest.

Another former chief minister and the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah, has been arrested under the controversial Public Safety Act, a law enacted by his father and National Conference (NC) founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1978 when he was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

(With inputs from PTI)