Caravan News
NEW DELHI – An all-party meeting has been called in Jammu and Kashmir today evening by former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, following rising tension over the build-up of troops – 35,000 soldiers have been dispatched over the past two weeks – to address an increase in cross-border infiltration attempts. The call also comes amid concern the increased security presence is part of the centre’s plan to deal with the fallout of withdrawing special status given to Jammu and Kashmir.
She also claimed police did not allow a meeting to be held at a local hotel. “The political parties here had decided to hold a meeting, at a hotel today. But police has issued an advisory to all hotels not to let political parties hold any meeting in hotels. So we’re holding a meeting at 6 pm today at my home,” she told ANI.
Ms Mufti tweeted earlier, alleging panic and distress had been “willingly” created by the evacuations of Amaranth yatris and tourists, even as Kashmiris were being given neither relief nor security.
“Evacuate yatris, tourists, labourers, students & cricketers. Willingly create a sense of panic & distress but don’t bother giving Kashmiris a sense of relief or security. Kahan gayi insaniyat, kashmiriyat aur jamhooriyat?” she wrote.
Evacuate yatris, tourists, labourers, students & cricketers. Willingly create a sense of panic & distress but don’t bother giving Kashmiris a sense of relief or security.
Kahan gayi insaniyat, kashmiriyat aur jamhooriyat? https://t.co/Y45AxiMwwq— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 4, 2019
Her tweet was a reference to an unprecedented travel advisory issued by the Jammu and Kashmir government urging all Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and tourists to leave the state “immediately”, after the Indian Army said it had recovered a Pakistan Army landmine from along the yatra route.
The warning, criticised by Ms Mufti, her rival, National Conference chief Omar Abdullah, and the Congress, caused widespread panic, with tourists rushing to leave and residents lining up outside department stores for food, water and essentials. It also led to the UK and Germany warning its citizens against travelling to the state and asked those already there to leave.
Earlier today, sources told NDTV that multiple infiltration attempts had been made from across the Line of Control between July 29 and July 31. Intelligence agencies suggested that a massive terror attack – along the lines of that which killed 40 soldiers in Pulwama in February – is being attempted.
Yesterday, Ms Mufti had said all political parties in the state should work together to stop the centre from “toy(ing) with J&K’s special position”.
“Workers of all political parties should come together so a message can be given to Centre that they can’t toy with J&K’s special position. Recent developments in J&K have created fear among people&it’s unfortunate that Centre isn’t issuing a clear statement,” she tweeted.
Mehbooba Mufti, who led a fragile and short-lived coalition government between her PDP and the BJP that fell last year, earlier warned her former allies against interfering with Article 35A.
“We want to tell the Central government that tinkering with Article 35A will be akin to setting a powder keg on fire,” she said last week, adding, “If any hand tries to touch Article 35A, not only that hand, but that whole body will be burnt to ashes.”
Article 35A allows the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define who is a permanent resident of the state. It also grants residents of special rights and privileges, such as the right to own property in the state.
Yesterday, National Conference chief Omar Abdullah met Governor Satya Pal Malik for clarification over the centre’s plans for the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 35A.
The Governor assured him that no such plans were in motion, but Mr Abdullah insisted that the centre make a statement to that effect in parliament, saying, “… the governor is not the final word on Jammu and Kashmir. The Government of India is.”
