Home minister Amit Shah said the Narendra Modi govt has prepared a seven-year blueprint under which central troops will be pulled back from law and order duties in Jammu & Kashmir, leaving J&K police exclusively in charge of that domain. He also said assembly elections in Kashmir would be completed before Sept 30.
“The plan is already under implementation... we have been strengthening J&K police, which are now leading all anti-terror operations with central forces in a supporting role. Earlier, J&K police were not trusted by the establishment in Delhi. We have brought a qualitative change in J&K police... they are now in the forefront of all operations, earlier the Army and central forces were taking the lead,” Shah said in an interview to J&K-based channel Gulistan News.
Shah said post-election, taking the blueprint further, “we will surely hand over law and order duties entirely to J&K police while the (central) troops gradually return to the barracks”. He also declared that with the situation in J&K getting normal, “we will soon consider reviewing the coverage of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) there”.
The minister said assembly elections in Kashmir would be completed before Sept 30, in line with the order passed by the Supreme Court. “Restoring full democracy in Jammu & Kashmir is Modi ji’s assurance given on the floor of Parliament and will be fulfilled,” he added.
Asked about BJP’s electoral prospects in J&K, Shah said the aim behind introducing positive changes in J&K, starting with the nullification of Article 370, was not to immediately strengthen BJP politically in the region. “We will patiently make our place among the people of J&K and build our organisation there. Our aim is to ensure that people elect their own representatives and reject dynastic rule limited to three parties. All those who speak the language of Pakistan will get a befitting reply in this election,” he said.
The home minister ruled out the possibility of holding any dialogue with separatist groups. “We will talk to the youth of Kashmir and not to organisations that have roots in Pakistan... the latter are responsible for the deaths of 40,000 youths of J&K” he said.
