JK News Today
Jammu, February 14:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reflected on the changes Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed in the recent years, and hinted that the implementation of AFSPA in J&K , along with Northeast could be reviewed .
“We have asked all states to send their views. It is true that the situation has changed and on the basis of this, we need to review the implementation of the law and not the law itself,” Amit Shah said in reply to a question on the repeal of AFSPA in the North-east and in Jammu and Kashmir.
He also praised Jammu and Kashmir police for eliminating all those involved in the targeted killings in Kashmir .
What changes do you see on the ground in Jammu & Kashmir?
There is a lot of change on the ground. There are many laws that are necessary for ensuring democracy, such as the anticorruption law, reservation for SCs and STs, women’s welfare policies, but these were missing from there. Now, all this is ensured and the changes are visible. Secondly, through panchayat elections that were conducted, 36,000 people have become involved in the democratic process and are strengthening the roots of democracy. This has never happened before. Earlier, democracy meant six MPs, 90 MLAs and three families; today, it means 36,000 people in various positions. There are no middlemen and the money for the welfare of the people goes straight into the bank accounts of the local elected representative and beneficiaries. Third, there is a lot of change in the situation of terrorism and the Hurriyat. Now, there is no stone pelting and no protests. The Tricolour can be seen fluttering on January 26 and August 15, and this is good for the nation.
Cross-border terrorism from Pakistan still continues.
Till the time Pakistan decides to stop sending people across, infiltration will continue. They will try to come here and we will catch them and kill them… this process will go on. India can only take decisive action; it cannot take the decision of not sending people across.
Drones have emerged as a security concern.
I think in the next six months, our security agencies, our engineers and DRDO will have found a way to counter this problem. Work is at an advanced stage now.
You recently said about ₹50,000 crore worth of investment will come to the UT. Do you think captains of Indian industry are ready to take the risk of investing when Pakistan has changed its terror tactic to lower casualty, targeted killings.
Till Friday, ₹32,000 crore of investment has already come. It is in various stages; land has been brought, so investment will keep coming in. Of this, 47% is in the Valley.
There is unrest among political parties in J&K about the delimitation process.
Delimitation is an administrative process and I don’t think anyone should have a problem with it.
But in the Jammu region, your own party people have a problem with the redrawing of constituencies.
The election commission does not belong to the government or any party. It is a constitutional entity, a neutral body. They have made a software for the delimitation of the whole country; which takes into consideration the topography of the land and there are laid down rules for population and geographical aspects.
Has the government formulated a policy to ensure there is no recurrence of targeted killings that happened in Jammu & Kashmir in recent times?
The Jammu & Kashmir police have neutralised all those who were behind these targeted killings.
The police force itself has suffered heavy casualties in recent times.
Earlier, they could not fight; now they are fighting on the forefront. Earlier, the government would not allow them to fight; only central agencies would fight. Today, the Jammu & Kashmir police are doing a very good job and the casualties are fewer compared to terrorists.
