Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday arrived in Jammu on the three-day J&K visit, amid a string of developments unfolding – both on the political as well as security front.
The Home Minister arrived in Jammu in the evening. He was received at the airport by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.
From the airport, he drove to Raj Bhawan, where he held interaction with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.
After a brief stopover at the Raj Bhawan, he visited the BJP headquarters and interacted with the party legislators and other senior leaders.
The Home Minister’s visit to Jammu coincides with the Foundation Day of the BJP which is on April 6, which incidentally falls on the occasion of Ram Navmi.
Sources said during his meeting with the party leaders and legislators, the Home Minister discussed with them the resumption of the budget session of J&K Assembly after a 12-day long recess period from tomorrow.
The session, resuming on April 7 and lasting till April 9, is all likely to be stormy as the NC and opposition members have moved resolutions on restoration of statehood and there is also likelihood of the discussion in the wake of recent strain in the relations between Raj Bhawan and the NC-led alliance government over the JKAS officers’ transfer issue.
NC and alliance partners in their recent meeting have already dropped hints to adopt a hard stance over transfer, dual power structure and other related issues, eliciting oblique responses from Raj Bhawan as well.
NC and allies have indicated that the issues will figure in the session, which will also see resolutions seeking statehood and other prickly issues.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the HM took feedback from MLAs about security situation, especially of the forest and border belts. "He was also apprised about narco terrorism and drug mafia. The HM has assured us that PM Modi and Home Ministry will crush the terrorism in J&K."
"He also gave us guidance on how to deal with J&K government's unconstitutional resolutions in Assembly on Waqf Amendment Bill, restoration of statehood and Art 370 as the government wants to divert attention from real issues," he said
Sharma said this meeting has given new energy to the party leaders.
On April 7, Home Minister would visit Border Security Force (BSF) BOP Vinay at 10:30 am in Kathua where he is likely to have a meticulous assessment of operational preparedness along the borders and efficacy of the anti-infiltration grid with the top brass of BSF and other paramilitary forces engaged in anti-terrorist operations.
From there, he will return to Raj Bhawan, Jammu where he is, at 2 pm, scheduled to meet the families of the police personnel killed in recent Kathua encounter and distribute the appointment letters to the Next of Kin of the security personnel, who lost their lives in the line of duty, on compassionate grounds under SRO 43.
His last major engagement in Jammu before heading to Srinagar may be a visit to the residence of the senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma in Gandhi Nagar and a one-to-one talk on political developments.
In Srinagar, he would have a night halt at Raj Bhawan, and his major engagements on April 8 will be the review of ongoing development projects in J&K, including the execution of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) at 11 am.
This will be followed by a high-level review meeting vis-à-vis J&K security at 1 pm, to be attended by the Union Home Secretary and other senior officers of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), top brass of intelligence agencies and central paramilitary forces.
Security review meetings may be spread in two parts – including Unified Headquarters, focused on synergized anti-terrorist operations ensuring a 360-degree security grid.
Security preparedness related to Amarnath Yatra and the inauguration of “Train to Kashmir” (scheduled for the third week of April by the Prime Minister) may form the agenda of the second meeting.
The Home Minister may also inaugurate or lay the foundation stone of some specified development projects also virtually from the Raj Bhawan. This engagement may see the presence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as well.
Shah will return to the union capital on April 8 afternoon.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the HM took feedback from MLAs about security situation, especially of the forest and border belts. He was also apprised about narco terrorism and drug mafia. The HM has assured us that PM Modi and Home Ministry will crush the terrorism in J&K.
He also gave us guidance on how to deal with J&K Govt' unconstitutional resolutions in Assembly on Waqf Amendment Bill, restoration of statehood and Art 370 as the government wants to divert attention from real issues.
Sharma said this meeting has given new energy to the party leaders.