PM must convene all party meet over escalating terrorism: Gupta

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 28: Provincial president of the J&K National Conference for Jammu region, Rattan Lal Gupta raised serious concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, urging the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene an `all party meeting’ to discuss the alarming rise in terrorism across the Jammu region.
He pointed out that terrorism, which was once largely contained upto the Valley, has now started spreading across Jammu region, putting civilians and security forces at heightened risk.
Paying heartfelt homage to the martyrs, the senior NC leader has expressed profound grief over the martyrdom of four brave jawans in the Rajbagh area gunfight in district Kathua. He extended condolences to the bereaved families of the fallen heroes, emphasizing that their supreme sacrifice should not go in vain.
Gupta reminded the Prime Minister of his earlier all-party meeting of J&K political leaders called in 2021, where he had assured the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. He also recalled PM Modi’s commitment to bridging the `Dilli ki Doori’ (distance from Delhi) and `Dil ki Doori’ (distance from the heart).
Taking a dig at the BJP-led Central Government, Rattan Lal Gupta stated that Home Minister Amit Shah had assured the nation on the floor of the Parliament that the abrogation of Article 370 would put an end to terrorism in the region. “However, since the Dhangri killings in 2023, terrorism has escalated in the Jammu region, shattering the claims made by the Centre. The sacrifices of our security personnel and innocent civilians highlight the failure of this policy,” he asserted.
The senior NC leader expressed resentment against the Centre for holding multiple high-level law and order meetings concerning Jammu and Kashmir while ignoring the Chief Minister who is heading the J&K Govt. “How can officials discuss security matters without involving the elected leadership? Such an approach only deepens the governance crisis in J&K,” he questioned.