Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today held high level review of security situation of Kashmir, which has been facing unrest for the past one month now, leading to about 56 deaths and left nearly 6000 people injured amidst reports that the Central Government was considering various options to control the situation and restore peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
After Rajnath Singh, Manohar Parrikar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other top officials of the MHA reviewed latest situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajnath and Doval briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various aspects of the situation and the options, which the Centre can take to restore peace and normalcy in the Valley, which has been shattered after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen divisional commander Burhan Wani.
Sources told the Excelsior that the Union Home Minister and the NSA gave detailed briefing to the Prime Minister on the situation prevailing in the Valley for past one month, steps already taken by the Centre to defuse the crisis and further options under consideration of the MHA to help restore peace in the Valley, which has regularly been facing violent protests from the people.
“Various options figured in the meeting,’’ sources said, adding the Home Minister later also discussed some of the options with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
At present, they said, all options are open and a decision was likely to be taken in the next couple of days as the Union Government didn’t want to prolong the unrest, which has sent wrong signals across the country including the world community as Pakistan was already hell bent to exploit the situation.
“The Centre has discussed both hard and soft options. A decision would be taken soon,’’ they said.
According to sources, Modi was appeared to have reviewed the situation with Rajnath Singh and NSA and gave his view point.
As Congress has once again given a notice in the Rajya Sabha for full-fledged discussion on Kashmir, tomorrow or the day after, the Centre could come out with its stand in the Parliament also.
Prior to the review of security scenario, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Officer (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh also called on the Union Home Minister and gave him detailed brief on the situation with particular reference to Kishtwar, which had faced trouble last Friday but thereafter complete normalcy has been prevailing in the sensitive town.
Sources said Rajnath Singh, Parrikar, Doval, Mehrishi and other top officials of the NHA including those heading Jammu and Kashmir desk had detailed review of security situation in Kashmir, which hasn’t shown any sign of improvement despite deployment of more Central forces in the Valley.
Singh and Parrikar also took feedback from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on the prevailing situation and the assistance Centre could offer to her to defuse month long tension and prevent it from further flare up. Mehbooba gave her viewpoint of the situation and listed measures the Government of India can take to help resolve the crisis.
According to sources, the Union Home Ministry has reports from Central Intelligence agencies that militants were quite often mixing up in the people’s rallies and creating trouble by firing at security forces from within the mob and encouraging protesters to target security forces and police camps.
In such a scenario, they said, the para-military forces and police were left with very little options.
The Government was anticipating more trouble in the coming days especially on August 14 and 15.
During month long trouble, Rajnath Singh had chaired nearly half a dozen meetings in New Delhi to review security scenario of Kashmir besides visiting the Valley for two days to meet with Civil Society and political leaders to ascertain their opinion.
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