‘Startups have replaced street violence in Naya Kashmir’
*Got sound sleep after killing of Pahalgam attackers
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 9: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today declared that present Government at the Centre will make Jammu and Kashmir terror-free and said the fear of Pakistan has slowly ended which was evident with people hitting roads for weeks together in protest against the killing of 26 civilians in Pahalgam on April 22.
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Declaring that terrorism is taking its last breath, Sinha, in a programme on national Hindi news channel tonight, said now educational institutions and businesses run in Kashmir like other parts of the country. The hartal calendars are not issued by Pakistan but event calendars are issued by the administration.
“I think fear of Pakistan has slowly ended. After Pahalgam terror attack, people took to streets and protests continued for a week. People have realized that their future is with India. Terrorism is taking last breath. Terror ecosystem has been effectively targeted. Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Amit Shah) believe in establishing and not buying peace,’’ he said.
The Lieutenant Governor declared that this Government will make Jammu and Kashmir terror-free.
Asked about ‘Naya Kashmir’, Sinha said the Naya Kashmir is where there is no street violence but Startups are running, jobs are not given to supporters of terrorists but members of terror victim families and terror sympathizers are dismissed, educational institutions run like rest of the country, people enjoy night life on the banks of Jhelum and markets and people don’t have to go to Jammu and Chandigarh to watch movies as cinema halls have reopened.
“Things have changed and the people of Kashmir have right to live with free will,’’ he asserted.
He said he got good sleep after April 22 Pahalgam terror attack only when three terrorists involved in the attack were killed. He said forensic examinations have confirmed that weapons recovered from the slain terrorists were similar to the ones used in Pahalgam attack. Two persons who helped the terrorists and those who provided water and shelter to them have also confirmed that the terrorists were Pakistanis and involved in the attack.
In reply to a question that Omar has described Pahalgam terror attack as security failure, Sinha said he (Omar) should also say that hartal culture has ended, there is no stone pelting now, Pakistan calendars are not issued and educational institutions are running very smoothly.
On difference between the previous and current Prime Ministers, the Lieutenant Governor said when over 150 innocent civilians were killed in Mumbai terror attack in 2008, the then Government of India just submitted dossiers to Pakistan. However, when Pahalgam terror attack took place, Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) openly declared that any act of terror will be treated as an act of war.
“The Prime Minister has also made it clear that neither terror and talks and terror and trade will be held together nor water and blood will flow together, he said.
To a question that 90 attacks have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A, he said there has been decline of 70 percent in the killings of security personnel and 80 percent in civilian killings while recruitment in terrorist ranks which used to be between 125-175 in a year has come down to just one this year.
Responding to a question that he has more powers in Jammu and Kashmir though Omar Abdullah is the elected Chief Minister, Sinha said there is no truth in it.
“Law and order, security and All India Services are with me while rest all departments related to development are with the Government. I know my boundaries and will never cross them,’’ he said.
On distribution of job letters by him instead the Chief Minister, the Lieutenant Governor said the appointment orders given by him pertained to family members of terror victim families who were denied justice for 30 years.
“These jobs pertained to law and order and their powers is with the LG. We will also register FIRs where they were missing in the killing of innocent civilians. Some people will get self-employment. Properties of innocents snatched by the terrorists will also be restored,’’ he added.
One the names of operations against Pakistan and terrorists as Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, Sinha said the name ‘Sindoor’ was given as terrorists had snatched ‘sindoor’ of our mothers and sisters while Dachigam hills where the encounter took place leading to killing of three terrorists involved in Pahalgam attack are called as Mahadev ridge.
On Chief Minister Omar Abdullah being compelled to scale the wall to pay tribute on July 14, Sinha said there were some restrictions on July 13. “The Chief Minister was going to Civil Secretariat on July 14 but suddenly took the turn towards graveyard. Omar’s father, Ministers and people entered through main gate. Security people told him that the wall is high’’.
Sinha said Shri Amarnath Ji yatra was successful with 4.12 lakh pilgrims paying obeisance. These four lakh people will inform 40 lakh that there is peace and this will give boost to tourism, he added.
He maintained that prior to Pahalgam terror attack, tourist footfall had considerably gone up with 2.38 crore tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir last year and over 2 crore the previous year and all of them had returned safely.
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