Srinagar: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday reached out to Jammu and Kashmir police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) which have suffered significant casualties from escalated terror attacks in the recent weeks to assure them the country’s outright support in their endeavour. He also pledged the Centre’s all administrative and logistic assistance to them.
“I don't have words to praise your bravery. Even the Prime Minister has praised your courage,” he said during a meeting with the J&K policemen at the district police lines in southern Anantnag.
Later while interacting with their counterparts from the CRPF at its 90 battalion headquarters in the town, the Home Minister said that the country was equally proud of the force personnel. In a tweet, he reiterated it by saying “We are proud of our CRPF personnel. Courage cannot be purchased from any market. You are born with unassailable & unmatched courage.”
Anantnag with three others districts of south Kashmir-Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama- has witnessed maximum number of militancy-related incidents and violence compared to rest of the Valley during past couple of years. Both the J&K police and the CRPF have been at the receiving end and it was apparently for that reason that the Home Minister who is on a 4-day visit of Jammu and Kashmir chose to reach out their officers and jawans in Anantnag.
On Saturday itself, soon after the Home Minister’s arrival in summer capital Srinagar, a J&K policeman Imtiyaz Ahmed was killed and his colleague Shakeel Ahmed was critically injured in a militant attack at Anantnag’s main bus terminus.
A strike called by an alliance of key separatist leaders against the Home Minister’s visit disrupted normal life across the Valley. In Srinagar, the J&K police and central paramilitaries continued to enforce a security lockdown in six police station areas. An official spokesman said that restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC remained in force in the areas of police stations Nowhatta, Maharaj Gunj, Rainawari, Khanyar, Safakadal, and Maisuma of the summer capital “as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident”.
However, the Home Minister during his interaction with the J&K police and the CRPF jawans, hoped that “Kashmir will be free from terror and no force in the world will be able to stop it from becoming heaven again.”
Acknowledging the J&K police personnel were working in difficult and life threatening situations, the Home Minister said that orders have been issued for bullet proof vehicles at all police stations in the State and that jawans should also get bullet proof jackets. “You are working in extremely challenging conditions here”, he said and informed that funds for purchasing bullet proof and setting up a trauma centre for the J&K police personnel have been released.
On the occasion, he remembered ASI Abdur Rasheed and Imtiyaz Ahmed saying their supreme sacrifices have been made for Jammu and Kashmir. He said, “I’ve seen the picture of martyred ASI Abdul Rashid’s daughter. I saw her face drenched with tears. It is difficult to forget that picture.”
While speaking at the Sainik Sammelan at the CRPF base, the Home Minister said that its men were born with “unassailable and unmatched courage”. He said it was his aim to provide, at least, Rs. 1 crore to the family of a martyr from the Central paramilitary forces. He said, “We are ready to give more facilities to our CAPF personnel. The government will consider helicopter services for CRPF in J&K.”
He conveyed a message from Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to them and the J&K policemen that the government acknowledges their “good work” and appreciates their “bravery and valour.” The Home Minister asked them to share their grievances directly with him.
The Home Minister also had had meeting with the leaders and representatives of various political, social and trade organisations here to know their view on the issues confronting the State.
An official release said that the delegations which called on him “to apprise him of the prevailing situation in the State and the way forward” included those of the coalition partners Peoples’ Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, opposition National Conference (NC), the Congress, the Peoples’ Conference headed by Sajjad Gani Lone who is also a minister in the State government, the Peoples Democratic From, Democratic Party (Nationalist), Awami Itehaad Party, the Kashmir Society, J&K National Panthers’ Party, All J&K Panchayat Association, All Party Sikh Coordination Committee and Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad. Union Home Secretary, Rajiv Gauba was also present during these meetings.
Singh reiterated that he is willing to have discussion with anyone with an open heart to bring peace to Kashmir. He also appealed to the people to come forward to have a discussion if they have any complaints or qualms. He said, “I appeal to everyone to come forward to have a discussion. If you have any complaints or qualms, I am ready to have talks with an open heart”.
