SRINAGAR JULY 27 (PTK): Tensions have escalated in Kashmir Valley in the last few days as the rumours regarding scraping of most contentious Article 35A started making rounds on social media and it seems that these rumours contain some reality as last evening the government has taken a late nighttime decision of deploying more 100 companies of paramilitary forces in the valley.
The move has come just a few days after visit of National Security Advisor’s to Valley. Uncertainty has prevailed in the valley after some sudden moves from Union Government like deployment of troops and Valley has been left on guessing and on edge. The sudden deployment sparked panic in the valley on Friday, with speculation rife about the abrogation of Article 35A
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) pledge to scrap Articles 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir, was a major plank.
Former state chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said, on Twitter has said, “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. Government of India needs to rethink and overhaul its policy,”.
“Instead of de-militarising the paramilitary personnel who were brought here for election purpose months before, government has decided to bring more forces personnel and saying that they have been brought for “counter insurgency operations” seem lies clearly.” a local stake holder said.
“The preparations are on to take a controversial decision and centre is waiting for end of Amarnath Yatra otherwise it would have been done before a month. The summer vacations in schools were kept short as the officials know that schools may face a long closure in coming months’.” sources have revealed to PTK.
A senior police official Munir Khan on Saturday said rumours being shared on are baseless. “Reality is that 200 training companies of paramilitary forces were in Kashmir since the commencement of Urban Local Body elections. In the first, 100 companies will replace the training companies and in next phase another 100 companies will replaces the rest of the training companies. These apprehensions related to Article 35A are totally unfounded.” he said.
Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir remain divided on the issue of continuing with the state’s special status. While the BJP is in favour of scrapping Article 35A, J&K National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party have always opposed the move. The separatists of the state have always been warning the government of an uprising if anything happens with Article 35A. Several petitions challenging this article have been already filed in Supreme Court but no decision has been taken upto now and were deffered time after time.
Article 370 of the Constitution promises autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A gives special privileges to “permanent residents” of the state, while defining who the “permanent residents are
Article 35A, which was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order, accords special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and bars people from outside the state from acquiring any immovable property in the state. It denies property rights to a woman who marries a person from outside the state. The provision, which leads to such women from the state forfeiting their right over property, also applies to their heirs. (PTK)
