Centre mulls steps to avoid repeat of ’10 summer in Valley

SRINAGAR: The Centre is taking several measures to ensure that the coming summer in Kashmir won't be bloody, but inputs warn of a repeat of street protests like recent years. 

Centre's concerns are reflected in the many initiatives and the repeated visits of Army chief Gen V K Singh to Kashmir in recent weeks. 

Sources said Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps has been undertaking, and would initiate, many measures as part of efforts to ensure civil unrest is not repeated. The Army formation is undertaking programmes for direct and indirect youth contact, so that they remain engaged and do not get distracted. A senior officer said the entire effort is to place the "awaam" (people) ahead of "jawan" (soldier). Until now, one of the standard slogans for Army units in the Valley has been "jawan aur awaam", which will now be reversed. 

Gen Singh, who visited Srinagartwice in a month, has cautioned the leadership of security forces in the Valley to be on watch against street violence and possible mistakes that could be further exploited by protestors, a senior Army officer said. 

The Army chief went to Srinagar on February 15 and then again on March 21, to review the situation. He met with Army top brass and senior officials of other security agencies. "Gen Singh had a detailed interaction with the corps commander and other senior officers where he was briefed on the security scenario along the LoC and within the state," sources said. Intelligence agencies have warned of increase in infiltration from Pakistan in the coming months, after the snow melts at higher reaches of LoC. 

Gen Singh's repeated visits were prompted by intelligence reports that spoke of separatist groups in Kashmir planning to engineer street violence again this summer. He specially cautioned security forces against "excesses", which have in recent summers set off the cycle of violence. 

What has the Centre worried is also the fact that in recent days, political leaders, especially from PDP, and separatists have been invoking the images from West Asia and threatening to do similar civil protests in the Valley. 

Along with various initiatives for youth contact, New Delhi hopes the imminent submission of the final report of Kashmir interlocutors would have a calming effect on the Valley. The Kashmir interlocutors are expected to submit their final report in a week's time, sources said. 

The interlocutors have already recommended several measures as part of efforts to find a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue. They have also sought dialogue with Pakistan, besides engaging Kashmiri separatist leaders.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Centre-mulls-steps-to-avoid-repeat-of-10-summer-in-Valley/articleshow/7840070.cms

Omar foils BJP's flag-hoisting plan

JAMMU: Police on Wednesday released four top BJP leaders detained as part of the crackdown on the saffron party's Ekta Yatra to hoist the tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on the Republic Day.

The state government deployed thousands of troops and arrested hundreds of BJP activists to foil the march "aimed at vitiating the state's peaceful atmosphere" on Tuesday.

Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar and Shanta Kumar were released from a hotel in Kathua, where they were being held, after the official Republic Day celebrations ended at Jammu's Maulana Azad Stadium. Officials said a case against the four for violating prohibitory orders in Kathua was withdrawn before their release. DIG Gareeb Dass escorted them to Jammu where they addressed party workers at BJP's state headquarters.

"The yatra has concluded because it was to culminate on January 26. Now it is for the government to answer why opposition leaders were kept in custody on Republic Day," Swaraj told reporters.

The BJP leaders earlier spurned Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah's invitation to attend the celebrations in Jammu or Srinagar. "It was a face-saving exercise. We were released at 12.40 when these functions had concluded," said Swaraj.

Republic Day celebrations ended peacefully in Kashmir amid heavy security. Police said BJP activists made several attempts to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk. "Seven BJP workers were arrested around Lal Chowk while trying to hoist the flag there," said an officer. One worker was identified as Gurgaon's Srikant Sharma. "He was arrested after he appeared at Lal Chowk carrying the flag in the morning."

Hundreds of troops carrying automatic rifles, patrolled empty streets and put up barricades to prevent a separatist march to Lal Chowk. "Curfew was imposed in several parts of Srinagar," the officer said.

Several separatist leaders, including JKLF leader Yasin Malik, were arrested to foil their Lal Chowk march.

BJP youth wing president Anurag Thakur, who led the yatra from Kolkata, claimed three activists managed to unfurl the tricolour at Lal Chowk. "The culmination of the yatra with hoisting of the tricolour at Lal Chowk is the victory of nationalism."

Blocking yatra shores up CM's image

J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah's tough handling of BJP's Tiranga Yatra made him unpopular with the saffron party but it appears to have improved his image in the Valley.

The Rising Kashmir newspaper, that was scathing in its criticism of his handling of the summer agitation in the state, likened Omar's approach to the yatra to his grandfather Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's crackdown on Bhartiya Jan Sangh leader Shyama Prasad Mookerjee's march in 1953.

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Omar-foils-BJPs-flag-hoisting-plan/articleshow/7368954.cms

Won't give up, we will enter J&K again: Sushma Swaraj

CHANDIGARH: Hours after being deported out of Jammu, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said that she, Jaitely and Anant Kumar will once again lead BJP workers to enter J&K on Tuesday.

"If we had our say we will reach Lal Chowk at Srinagar on January 26 with large number of people to hoist the national flag," she added.

Sushma tweeted, "We did not come for a Satyagraha. We have come for Tiranga Yatra. Won't give up. Come what may...We will enter J&K again."

Around 50,000 BJP and BJYM activists are likely to gather at Madhpur on Tuesday morning where first they will be addressed by senior party leaders and then they will head for Lakhanpur border to enter J&K.

Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Anant Kumar held a close door meeting alongwith BJYM national president Anurag Thakur to decide their strategy for Tuesday morning.

Anurag Thakur before heading for meeting with top BJP leaders told TOI that they are determined to enter Jammu to hoist national flag at Lal Chowk.

The three leaders were brought to Lakhanpur border from Jammu airport under tight security. Even the doors of their cars were locked and were opened only by security officials when the cavalcade reached Lakhanpur.

They were brought to Lakhanpur border in three bullet proof amabassador cars which were further surrounded by four gypsys and one jammer.

Meanwhile, reacting to the move by Omar Abdullah government to forcibly move them out of Jammu, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitely said that the situation in J&K today is worst than it was in 1953 when one needed a permit to enter the state.

"Today you can physically pick up people and throw them out of the state," he said.

He described the Jammu and Kashmir government's action against them as "unprecedented and undemocratic."

Jaitely said "I don't know whether there is any rule of law left in the country and in this state. There is absoutely no law."

He said the Yuva Morcha is determined to proceed ahead with the yatra.

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Wont-give-up-we-will-enter-JK-again-Sushma-Swaraj/articleshow/7357326.cms