Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 22: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is arriving in Srinagar tomorrow on a two-day visit, the first by any representative of the Union Government since present unrest broke out on July 8 soon after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen divisional commander Burhan Wani.
He will hold high level review of security situation with special reference to present unrest, measures required to control it and ensure that it doesn’t occur again, security scenario on the borders and progress of Shri Amarnath Ji yatra in South Kashmir Himalayas during his two-day stay in the Valley. He will have detailed meetings with Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti separately.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Singh, who had recently announced in the Parliament that he would shortly visit Kashmir for on-spot assessment of the situation, will stay at Nehru Guest House and would like to meet as many delegations as possible from people, trade, social and all others organizations and political parties to elicit their view point behind the present unrest and steps required to control it.
“The Home Minister has conveyed to the State Government that he wants to inter-act with delegations of as many organizations and political parties as possible during his two-day stay in Srinagar so that he get to know direct view of the people of the Kashmir valley on present unrest, which has led to about 45 deaths and left more than 3600 others including 1500 security personnel injured,” they said.
In view of Rajnath’s desire, the administration in the Valley had called number of organizations and almost all mainstream political parties for inter-action with the Union Home Minister.
While Singh will meet delegations of social, trade and people’s organizations tomorrow at Nehru Guest House soon after his arrival in the summer capital of the State from New Delhi at 11 am tomorrow, he will inter-act with delegations of political parties separately on Sunday before returning to New Delhi.
Throughout the day tomorrow, the Union Home Minister will meet the delegations with a view to have “direct connect” with the people of Kashmir and elicit their views on Kashmir situation with particular reference to presence unrest after Burhan Wani’s killing.
According to sources, the Union Home Minister would like to have “all kind of opinion” on Kashmir and, it was in this context, that he would meet all organizations, which want to inter-act with him. The organizations and political parties have also been asked to bring with them their suggestions or memorandums in writing, if they wish to submit them to the Union Home Minister, who will be accompanied by top officers of the Home Ministry including those dealing with Jammu and Kashmir desk and officers of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
Tomorrow evening, Rajnath Singh will have lengthy meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti followed by similar meeting with Governor NN Vohra to have their view point on the situation and suggestions to restore peace and normalcy in the Kashmir valley.
Rajnath Singh has already made it clear that the Government was ready to form an expert committee to find alternatives to the pellet guns, whose use has evoked condemnation from several quarters including the Chief Minister, who had described the pellet guns as “cruel method of crowd control”.
Apart from meeting the delegations, the Governor and the Chief Minister, Rajnath Singh will have high level review of security situation tomorrow evening with security forces, Jammu and Kashmir Police, civil administration, Intelligence agencies among others. Top brass of security and Intelligence agencies, JKP and civil administration will attend the meeting.
Sources said the present unrest, situation on militancy front and borders and various other security related matters would figure in the meeting. Rajnath would have first-hand account of the situation from top brass of administration and security agencies and steps need to bring back peace in the disturbed Valley.
Rajnath Singh could make a statement in the Parliament on his return to New Delhi from Srinagar after two days visit.
So far, nearly 45 people have been killed in the protests and over 3000 injured, 1500 of them para-military personnel, during the protests which erupted after the killing of Burhan Wani at Kokernag in the afternoon of July 8.
Rajnath Singh will be first senior functionary of the Central Government, who is visiting Srinagar since the unrest broke out after Burhan Wani’s killing,
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