Will meet top officers, people; visit borders
*RDD Panel returns, seeks details on Panchayat polls
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 19: The Parliamentary Committee of Home Ministry will be visiting Jammu and Kashmir for on-spot assessment of the security and border situation and related issues for six days from April 26.
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Headed by BJP veteran Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, the Parliamentary Committee on Home has 31 members including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Supriya Sule, Ajay Makan, Kapil Sibal, Derek O Brien and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring among others.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Parliamentary Panel will be in Jammu and Kashmir for six days from April 26 to May 1.
It will visit both Jammu and Kashmir divisions and meet top brass of the Home Department and senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) deployed in the Union Territory and engaged in anti-militancy operations.
Though the visit is a routine, it assumed significance as it comes close on the heels of spurt in terrorism in the Jammu region with gun battles taking place in different areas during past one month in which five terrorists (two in Kathua and three in Kishtwar) have been killed while four police personnel were martyred.
There was also increased activity on the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan army repeatedly violating the ceasefire in Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu districts. Few days back, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of Army was martyred on the LoC in Keri Bhattal area of Akhnoor sector while thwarting intrusion bid by the terrorists. A number of infiltration attempts have been foiled by the Army on the LoC.
Sources said besides meeting top officials of Home, Police and CAPFs, the Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs is also expected to visit the International Border and meet the BSF officers to ascertain facts about infiltration of the terrorists from Pakistan. It was also expected to interact with people’s representatives and the local people to take feedback from them on different aspects.
“The Parliamentary Committee is also expected to tour hinterland areas of Jammu and Kashmir including those once infested by the terrorism,” the sources said.
Generally, the sources said, not all 31 members undertake visit to States/Union Territories but since Jammu and Kashmir is a sensitive region, majority of members are expected to join to take assessment of the situation.
Though the Committee hasn’t finalized its tour itinerary so far, the possibility of the MPs meeting Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and some elected representatives including the Ministers and MLAs is also not ruled out.
The Committee had to submit its report to the Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj headed by its Chairman Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka and comprising among others Jammu-Reasi Lok Sabha Member Jugal Kishore Sharma also undertook a visit to Jammu and Kashmir and returned to New Delhi from Srinagar yesterday.
The team met senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir Government and took a feedback from them on the working and funding of three-tier system of Panchayati Raj Institutions including the District Development Councils, Block Development Councils and Panchayats.
The team also took a briefing on delay in conduct of elections to Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir.
It may be mentioned here that five-year term of Panchayats ended on January 9, 2024. Since term of the BDCs was co-terminus to the Panchayats, they too ceased to exist.
However, elections to the Panchayats couldn’t be held as the Central Government passed a legislation granting reservations to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). Subsequently, a Commission was set up for determining percentage of reservation which submitted its report to the Government in February.
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