Tag: kashmir troops

Speculation, Fear as J&K Govt Orders to Stock up on Fuel, Make Schools Available for Forces

The unusual orders and government’s efforts to dispel ‘rumours’ have triggered memories of last August when a build up of troops preceded the sudden announcement of the Article 370 move.

Srinagar: Amid the ongoing face-off between India and China in Ladakh, two government orders have triggered a fresh wave of anxiety among people in the Kashmir Valley.

In an unusual move, an advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor has directed that the Valley stock up on enough LPG cylinders to last two months.

An official said advisor Farooq Khan held a meeting on June 23 where he passed directions to ensure that there is sufficient stock of LPG cylinders in the Valley “as supply gets affected due to closure of [the] National Highway on account of landslips.”

Although the stated cause was landslides, a separate order passed by the director of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumers triggered further speculation has he described it as a “most urgent matter.” The director asked oil companies to ensure adequate stock of the LPG at bottling plants and godowns, so that they can last for up to two months.

This is the first time that the government has ordered fuel to be stocked up at the peak of the summer. Fuel and other essentials are stocked up in the Valley at the beginning of winter every year when the Srinagar-Jammu highway shuts down for days and sometimes weeks.

In a separate order, the Superintendent of Police for Ganderbal in central Kashmir requested the administration that 16 educational institutes in the district, including schools and ITI buildings be made available for security forces.

“In view of SANJY (Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra) and due to the dearth of accommodation facilities in district Ganderbal for incoming CAPF (Central Armed Police Force), it is requested that the accommodation centers/education institutions may kindly be made available for accommodation of the companies,” the order reads.

An official from the school education department said the requisition from the police was “unusual.” “This is the first time that we have been asked to keep the school buildings available so that the yatra can be conducted,” he said.

Though the build-up assumes significance in view of the upcoming yatra, the government is, however, yet to take a final call on whether the annual pilgrimage to a cave located at 12,756 feet in south Kashmir will be conducted at all amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Speculation of a troop build up has been further fuelled by the fact that Ganderbal is beside Ladakh, which has been the hotspot of India-China tensions.

Collective anxiety

The orders have led to fear among people in the Valley at a time when jets have been hovering over skies on a daily basis for the past several weeks.

“Government orders are creating panic in Kashmir,” tweeted National Conference vice president, Omar Abdullah.

Though a statement from Food, Civil Supplies and Consumers late on Sunday evening tried to “dispel rumours,” and sought to highlight that the fuel stock-up order was to prevent any shortfall during the ensuing monsoon (which may lead to the closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway), many have questioned the logic of the clarification.

“Everyone knows that the highway is closed in the winters. It is unheard of that the highway will be closed for an extended period of time during summer. Both the order and the clarification have added to the confusion,” said a member of Kashmir Chambers of Industries and Commerce, which is an amalgam of Valley-based trade and business bodies.

People are now reminded of the days prior to August 5 last year when the Centre read down Article 370 and bifurcated the state of J&K into two Union Territories.

Also read: Kashmir: Slain Militant’s Mother Arrested Under UAPA for ‘Recruiting Militants’

For more than a week, several government orders asking tourists and Amarnath pilgrims to leave Kashmir, deploying additional companies of paramilitary forces, and ordering that essential commodities be stocked up had added to speculation then.

Last August too, then J&K governor Satya Pal Malik and officials from state administration and J&K police had repeatedly asked people “not to believe in rumours”.

Aatif Hassan, a resident of uptown Chanpora locality of Srinagar, said the orders have led to “a fresh wave of panic.”

“What are they (the government) up to now? Everything has been taken away from us,” he said, referring to the Centre’s August 5 decisions. “It seems the government wants to keep us in a continuous state of panic and unease.”

Article 370: New Delhi Briefs Foreign Envoys, Indian High Commissioner Summoned in Pak

The last time that the diplomatic community in Delhi was summoned on the same day to South Block was in the aftermath of Balakot airstrikes in February.

New Delhi: Even as Rajya Sabha was deliberating scrapping Article 370 – which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir – the ministry of external affairs did a series of briefings for foreign envoys to convey that the reorganisation of the state was a purely “internal” matter.

In Islamabad, the Pakistan foreign secretary summoned Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria and issued a “strong demarche” on the change in status of J&K.

Pakistan also called on India to “halt and reverse” these “unlawful” actions.

During the day and well into the evening, as the ‘elders’ were debating the four bills on J&K tabled by home minster Amit Shah, cars with diplomatic number plates and fluttering flags went up and down Raisina Hill.

First, the MEA only called the ambassadors for the P-5 countries – the US, the UK, France, Russia and China – to meet with senior level officials at South Block.

Also read: Kashmir Explainer: From Article 370 to Article 3, Modi-Shah Upend the Constitution

Thereafter, a decision seem to have been made to expand the circle. Towards the evening, ambassador countries with whom India has strategic relationships, like Australia and Indonesia, were also seen arriving. These were largely one-on-one meetings.

Late evening, most of the ASEAN ambassadors were also called for a briefing by the MEA secretary in charge of that geographical division.

All of them seemed to have been communicated the same line.

According to sources, MEA officials wanted to stress that the matter related to the proposals for Article 370 and the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir is a domestic matter. “It was, inter alia, highlighted that the proposals which are currently under consideration of the parliament of India are internal to India.”

Further, sources added that the ambassadors were told to tell their capitals that the change in status was “aimed at providing good governance, promoting social justice and ensuring economic development in Jammu and Kashmir”.

The last time that the diplomatic community in Delhi was summoned on the same day to South Block was in the aftermath of Indian airstrikes at Balakot in Pakistan in February.

Also read: India’s ‘Unilateral Steps’ Cannot Change Kashmir’s Disputed Status, Says Pakistan

Reacting to criticism, a senior Indian official claimed that briefing the ambassadors was not equivalent to letting the rest of the world have a stake in the Kashmir dispute. “Many of the envoys had approached us and then we thought of expanding it to countries that are important to us. Even Indian ambassadors abroad ask for briefing from their host foreign office on domestic issues – and get it. It doesn’t mean that they are asking to internationalise the matter. This is diplomatic courtesy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan foreign secretary Sohail Mehmood told the Bisaria that India’s “unlawful” actions were in “breach of international law and several UN Security Council resolutions”.

“The foreign secretary also condemned the preceding pre-meditated steps such as complete lock-down of IOK, deployment of additional 180,000 troops, imposition of curfew, house arrest of Kashmiri leaders and suspension of communication services, among others,” said a statement issued by the Pakistan foreign office.

Mehmood also expressed that “Pakistan’s consistent opposition to all Indian attempts to change the demographic structure and final status of IOK was emphasised”.

During the day, Pakistan had issued a public statement in which it voiced the right to “exercise all possible options”. It also said that India’s “unilateral steps” would not change the “disputed” status of Kashmir.

Article 370 Revoked: J&K Leaders Detained, PM Modi Praises Amit Shah

The debate on two resolutions scrapping Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and making it a union territory are currently under discussion in parliament.

New Delhi: After a hectic day in parliament with Union home minister Amit Shah pushing four bills on Jammu and Kashmir, including reading down Article 370 of the constitution, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti was taken into custody and shifted to Hari Niwas guest house.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has also reportedly been detained. Both leaders, along with a few other mainstream leaders, had been put under house arrest last night.

Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference leaders Sajjad Lone and Imran Ansari have also been arrested, officials said.

While news of the arrests was coming in, Shah took to Twitter in the evening to congratulate the “entire nation” for the decision. “This historic decision will usher in a new dawn of peace and development in J&K and Ladakh region,” he wrote.

Shah accurately highlighted the “monumental injustices” of the past and presented the government’s vision for the people of Jammu and Kashmir in Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted late Monday evening.

On Monday, Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed in Rajya Sabha. This Bill is to implement 10% Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill was also passed in the Rajya Sabha in the evening and will be brought to Lok Sabha tomorrow. Under it, the Centre’s plan envisions two separate lieutenant governors, one for Ladakh and one for J&K.

“The union territory of Ladakh will be without legislature. Further, keeping in view the prevailing internal security situation fuelled by cross-border terrorism in the existing state of Jammu and Kashmir, a separate union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is being created. The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be with legislature,” Shah said.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Monday evening, Union home minister Amit Shah said “removing Article 370 is the only way forward for India. Both Article 370 and Article 35A, he said, have done “great damage” to Kashmir. Article 370, Shah said, was anti-woman and hindered development in the state. Poverty in the state, the home minister added, was also because of Article 370.

“Big companies, hotels wants to go to the area. Youth will get jobs, become guides. But changes cannot be made owing to Article 370,” Shah said.

The home minister further said that to uproot militancy, it was imperative to remove the “obstacle” of Article 370. Addressing concerns about bifurcating the state into two union territories, Shah said that J&K could be made a state again “as soon as normalcy returns”.

Shah had earlier in the day announced several cabinet decisions and proposed resolutions affecting the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under the Indian constitution. Revoking Article 370, which grants the state special status, has been a longstanding promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Shah first proposed a resolution which read down Article 370’s provisions. It recommends that the president issues an order deleting all the clauses of Article 370, and brings J&K in line with the rest of India instead of being granted special status.

While the debate continued in parliament, 8,000 CRPF personnel were reportedly airlifted to Kashmir. This is in addition to the high military and paramilitary presence already put in place on Sunday. The Indian Army and Air Force are on high alert, ANI reported.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an order to chief secretaries and director generals of police across the country and the Delhi police commissioner, saying that security agencies may be put on maximum alert soon. According to ANI, the MHA asked agencies to take “special care to ensure the safety and security of residents of Jammu & Kashmir, especially the students in various parts of the country”.

National security advisor Ajit Doval and the home secretary are reportedly making their way to Kashmir.

Nationalist Congress Party, meanwhile, decided to abstain from voting on the matter.

Congress P. Chidambaram weighed in on the issue on Monday afternoon, saying: “One of the honourable members has said you have corrected an injustice. History will prove you to be wrong and future generations will realise what a grave mistake this house is making today.” He further requested the Centre not to dismember Jammu and Kashmir, saying it would be a “monumental blunder” and a “cardinal sin”.

Ghulam Nabi Azad of Congress said the NDA government had put an end to all the integration [of people of J&K with the rest of the country] that had been taking place in the past 30-35 years.

In a setback for Congress, Rajya Sabha MP and chief whip Bhubaneshwar Kalita resigned from the membership of the House on Monday opposing the party’s stand on the reading down of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu announced in the House that he has accepted Kalita’s resignation.

In parliament on Monday morning, opposition leaders tried to make their voices heard as speaker M. Venkaiah Naidu called upon home minister Amit Shah to table the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 “and other related laws” in the Rajya Sabha.

The J&K reservation Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on July 1, will allow 10% reservation for economically weaker sections in educational institutions and public employment in the state.

When Shah began speaking in parliament, he said that he was introducing four Bills on Jammu and Kashmir. The first announcement was that the cabinet thinks that Article 370 of the constitution – which grants special status to the state – should be scrapped. The law, he argued, had allowed “three families to loot J&K for decades”.

Shah’s announcement was met with loud protests from opposition leaders in the House.

The government has been careful not to scrap or even amend Article 370 – in any case, the power for that vests only with parliament and with the now defunct constituent assembly of Jammu and Kashmir. Instead, it has made use of the existing power of the president – acting on the advice of the state government – to decide which part of the constitution would apply to the state by saying, through the order, that henceforth the entire constitution would be applicable. What is not clear, legally, is the government’s ability to use a presidential order to add a clause to Article 367 of the constitution. That addition redefines the reference to the constituent assembly of J&K in Article 370 as its state legislature.

The Bahujan Samaj Party will support all of the the government’s resolutions, party MP Satish Chandra Mishra said. The Biju Janata Dal, which claims to follow an equidistant policy with respect to both the national parties, also supports the government resolutions. Prasanna Acharya, BJD MP, said that since “Bharat Mata is supreme for us, we support the resolution”. He also said that no one bothered about the plight of Kashmiri Pandits all this while, and his party is happy that all Kashmiris will get their due following the resolution. The YSR Congress Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi also supported the resolution, as did the AIADMK, Aam Aadmi Party, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front.

Other opposition leaders, however, held that the Centre was acting “surreptitiously”.

“If there was anything permanent it was Article 1 of the constitution, what was temporary was Article 370,” said Bhupendra Yadav, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP and national general secretary of the party. He added that Sikkim was integrated into India in 1974 and the parliament passed the resolution in only one day. So why is the government being targeted on the J&K resolution, he asked.

Yadav forgot to mention that it was Article 370 which made Article 1 of the constitution applicable to J&K to the list of states in Schedule 1. Article 370 (1(c)) says: “The provisions of article 1 and of this article shall apply in relation to that State”, i.e. Jammu and Kashmir.

Faizan Mustafa has explained in the Indian Express why it is not correct to call Article 370 “temporary”:

It is the first article of Part XXI of the Constitution. The heading of this part is ‘Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions’. Article 370 could be interpreted as temporary in the sense that the J&K Constituent Assembly had a right to modify/delete/retain it; it decided to retain it. Another interpretation was that accession was temporary until a plebiscite. The Union government, in a written reply in Parliament last year, said there is no proposal to remove Article 370. Delhi High Court in Kumari Vijayalaksmi (2017) too rejected a petition that said Article 370 is temporary and its continuation is a fraud on the Constitution. The Supreme Court in April 2018 said that despite the headnote using the word “temporary’, Article 370 is not temporary. In Sampat Prakash (1969) the SC refused to accept Article 370 as temporary. A five-judge Bench said “Article 370 has never ceased to be operative”. Thus, it is a permanent provision. …Article 370 is not an issue of integration but of autonomy. Those who advocate its deletion are more concerned with uniformity rather than integration.

“Since J&K is under president’s rule currently, the Centre and parliament reserves the right to bring all these resolutions,” the home minister said. “Congress party has amended [Article] 370 twice in 1952 and 1964 through this route.” Shah was responding to Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav, who asked the government to clarify what powers it had to bring these executive orders as the power to do this rests with the J&K assembly.

President Ram Nath Kovind has issued a presidential order on Jammu and Kashmir, exercising his power under Clause 1 of Article 370. This presidential order has done away sections under Article 35A, which gives the state’s government the power to define permanent residents and give them special rights and privileges with regard to employment, acquiring immovable property, scholarships and other forms of aid in the state.

Responding to the morning’s proceedings, former J&K chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti said this was the “darkest day in Indian democracy”.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah also said that the decision was a “total betrayal of the trust of people of J&K” and will have “dire consequences”, NDTV reported.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the BJP has “murdered” the constitution and India’s democracy. The Janata Dal (United), a BJP ally, also said it did not want Article 370 revoked and did not support the government. JD(U) MPs walked out of the house to express their dissent.

Left parties called for a protest in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the government decision.

BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav, meanwhile, said this was a “glorious day”.

The Pakistan government has condemned the resolutions. “No unilateral step by the Government of India can change this disputed status [of Jammu and Kashmir], as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council resolutions,” it said in a statement. “Nor will this ever be acceptable to the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan. As the party to this international dispute, Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps.”

When Amit Shah was entering parliament, AFP journalist Prakash Singh took a zoomed in photograph of a document he was carrying. It said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the nation on August 7. It also said, “All party meeting to be announced, government prepared for possibility of violent disobedience in sections of uniformed personnels and enhanced security measures in states like UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala.”

Hours of dread

Amid reports of cellular, internet, landline and cable TV services being snapped in many parts of the state and political leaders being placed under house arrest, dread had settled over Jammu and Kashmir.

The Union cabinet met at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Monday morning. The cabinet normally meets every Wednesday, and the reasons behind convening a meeting on Monday was not disclosed by the government before parliament. Home minister Amit Shah will reportedly be making an announcement in the Rajya Sabha at 11 am and in the Lok Sabha at 12 pm.

At the same time as the cabinet meeting, opposition leaders met in the parliament complex to discuss the situation.

Sources confirmed to the Indian Express that former state chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah have been placed under house arrest. PTI reported that Congress leader Usman Majid and CPI(M) MLA M.Y. Tarigami also claims to have been arrested around midnight.

Curfew in Kashmir. Image: PTI

Authorities clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Srinagar, which prohibits the assembly of more than four people at a time. “There shall be no movement of public and all educational institutions (in Srinagar district) shall remain closed,” PTI quoted an official order as saying. “Identity cards of essential services officials will be treated as movement passes wherever required.”

The authorities have also imposed night curfew in Kishtwar, Rajouri districts and Banihal area of Ramban district, PTI reported. Authorities in Jammu have also reportedly imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC in the district and banned all types of congregation.

As per the order, there will be no movement of public and all educational institutions shall also remain closed.

Just an hour before the curfew was imposed, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that he has been informed that he and several mainstream leaders were going to be “detained” and that an “unofficial curfew” was about to begin.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also tweeted about the curfew. “Hearing reports about internet being snapped soon including cellular coverage. Curfew passes being issued too. God knows what awaits us tomorrow. It’s going to be a long night,” she said.

ANI confirmed internet services have been been partially shut down in the state.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted in response to Omar Abdullah’s post, saying that parliament is still in session an that “our voices will not be stilled”.

Union home minister Amit Shah held a meeting with top security officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and home secretary Rajiv Gauba on Sunday, PTI reported.

The state has been on edge for the past two weeks with additional paramilitary forces being deployed several thousand at a time. Additional paramilitary forces, which arrived in Kashmir in the past few days, have been deployed across the city and in other vulnerable areas of the Valley, officials reportedly said. Several checkpoints and barricades have been set up.

Barricades have been erected on many arterial roads, including the entry and exit points to Srinagar. Riot control vehicles have also been kept on standby in some areas where apprehension of law and order disturbances is more, officials added.

The Amarnath Yatra was also brought to an abrupt halt on Friday after the state government asked all pilgrims and tourists to leave the Valley in the wake of intelligence inputs of ‘specific terror threats’ to the pilgrimage.

Also read: Amidst Kashmir Panic, Political Parties Want Centre to Break the Silence

The state is currently under President’s rule.

The developments in the state have launched much speculation about plans to modify the special status granted to the state under the constitution, strike down Article 35A or tinker with Article 370.

Just on Sunday, Yoga guru Ramdev demanded the withdrawal of Article 370, saying there should be “one constitution, one rule in the country”. He underlined his confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah would scrap the provision.

Also read: Why Article 35A Matters

“I assure you that there is no plan at any level to abrogate Article 35A this time. All what you are hearing are rumours being spread by some people with vested interests,” J&K governor Satya Pal Malik told reporters on July 31.

The Anantnag district administration, in view of “panic stocking”, ordered all fuel station dealers not to sell petrol or diesel without permission from the district magistrate or an authorised officer.

Various educational institutions in Kashmir Valley also directed their students to vacate hostels.

The authorities in Jammu and Udhampur district ordered closure of schools and colleges as precautionary measures. The University of Jammu will remain closed on Monday and all scheduled examinations have been postponed.

Delhi Metro Put on High Alert After Centre Proposes Resolutions on J&K

Commuters will have to go through additional checks by the CISF personnel at many stations, security officials have said.

New Delhi: A ‘high alert’ has been sounded in the Delhi metro network in the wake of the developments related to Kashmir and the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations, officials said on Monday.

A fresh advisory has been issued, over an existing one, to ensure that no untoward incident takes place in the mass-rapid rail network that runs across the National Capital Region, the security officials said.

Commuters will have to go through additional checks by the CISF personnel at many stations, the officials said.

The ‘high alert’ is based on non-specific inputs and it has been issued keeping in mind the latest developments in the Parliament on Jammu and Kashmir and the Independence Day celebrations slated for August 15, according to officials.

Also read: Sensex, Rupee Slump on Yuan Woes and Kashmir Tension

Additional CISF troops, counter-terror reaction teams and security gadgets have been inducted to ensure that passengers face the least hassles while getting frisked and that any emergency situation is responded too quickly, the officials said.

About 28 lakh commuters use over 220 stations of the Delhi Metro Rail Network (DMRC) daily to reach destinations in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Gurgaon.

As 10,000 Additional Troops Are Sent to Kashmir, Mehbooba Criticises Centre

The home ministry said the personnel will be deployed to strengthen the counter-insurgency grid and law and order duties in the Valley.

New Delhi: The Centre has ordered rushing of about 10,000 Central forces personnel to the Kashmir valley in order to strengthen counter-insurgency operations and law and order duties there, officials said on Saturday.

They said the Union home ministry has ordered the deployment of 100 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) on July 25 on an “immediate” basis.

Officials said that 100 more companies are expected to be sent to the valley.

One CAPF company comprises about 100 personnel.

The latest units will be drawn from the CRPF (50 companies), SSB (30) and ITBP and BSF will contribute 10 each, they said.

The ministry has said that these personnel will be deployed to strengthen the counter-insurgency grid and law and order duties in the Kashmir Valley, they said.

Also read: Behind the Spurt in Recent Encounters Lies the Flow of Recruits to Militancy in Kashmir

They are being air lifted and sent by trains, officials said.

It is understood that the new units will reinforce the strength of the security forces already present in the valley who are conducting the annual Amarnath Yatra and carrying out counter-terrorism operations daily, they added.

The troops will be addition to about 65 regular battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force in the valley and over 20 other battalions of other forces deployed to conduct the yatra that will end on August 15.

One CAPF battalion has about 1,000 personnel.

The new strength of the troops will also help in the conduct of the assembly polls in the state that are expected to be held in some time, they said.

Mufti critcises Centre

Saying that Jammu and Kashmir is a “political problem” which would not be solved by military means, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday criticised the Centre’s decision to deploy additional 100 companies of central armed police force (CAPF) to the valley.

Mehbooba, the president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also said the Centre needs to “rethink and overhaul its Kashmir policy.”

“Centre’s decision to deploy additional 10,000 troops to the valley has created fear psychosis amongst people. There is no dearth of security forces in Kashmir. J&K is a political problem which won’t be solved by military means. GOI needs to rethink & overhaul its policy,” Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.

The Centre on Thursday ordered deployment of additional 100 companies of CAPFs “in order to strengthen the CI (counter-insurgency) grid as well as for maintaining law and order situation” in Jammu and Kashmir.