Centre wants terrorism to end in Kashmir: Rajnath Singh
Army chief says anti-militancy ops will continues as earlier
Lucknow/New Delhi, Jun 20: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said that the Centre wants “terrorism” to end and peace to prevail in Kashmir.
“Our only aim is that terrorism should end and peace should prevail in Kashmir and our government will work keeping this in mind,” he told reporters here.
He was responding to a question about BJP pulling out of its over three-year-old ruling coalition with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a surprise announcement yesterday, the BJP said it was withdrawing support to its alliance partner PDP, prompting Mehbooba Mufti to resign as the Chief Minister.
The BJP said it had become “untenable” for the party to continue in the alliance government.
Jammu and Kashmir was today placed under Governor’s rule. This is the fourth time in the last decade that the state has been put under Governor’s rule.
Meanwhile, Army chief General Bipin Rawat today said militants in Jammu and Kashmir had continued with their activities during Ramazan, necessitating suspension of the ceasefire by the Centre,.
Governor’s rule in the state is unlikely to have any impact on ongoing military operations, the Army chief said.
Operations in the Valley would continue as earlier, Rawat told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
“Operations were being carried out earlier as well. Then we saw a phase of suspension of operations because we wanted people to get a chance to offer their prayers during Ramazan without any kind of problem. Despite that, terrorists continued with their activity, which is why the suspension of operations was cancelled,” he said.
Action that was being taken earlier would continue, Rawat asserted.
Referring to the imposition of Governor’s rule in the state after the BJP pulled out of its alliance with the PDP, he said, “We don’t think there will be any impact. We don’t have any kind of political interference.”
There has, he said, never been any kind of restriction on the force on how it should conduct its work.
The government forces have very strict rules of engagement and “take action” in accordance with them, Rawat said.
The ceasefire announced by the Centre for the month of Ramazan was revoked on Sunday. Aurangzeb, an Army soldier, was killed by militants and journalist Shujaat Bukhari was shot dead two days ahead of Eid.
