Will chair Unified Hqrs, yatra security meetings separately
*Several development projects to be dedicated to J&K
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 3: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has extended his visit to Jammu and Kashmir by a day and will now be meeting the BJP MLAs here besides chairing two crucial separate security review meetings of Unified Headquarters and annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath yatra. He will be dedicating a number of multi-crore projects to the people of the Union Territory through virtual inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony.
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Official sources told the Excelsior that instead of his previous schedule of visiting Jammu and Kashmir on April 7 and 8, Shah will be reaching Jammu in the afternoon of April 6. A meeting with 28 BJP MLAs and some senior leaders has been added to his tour itinerary which will taken place in the evening of April 6 coinciding with Ramnavmi celebrations.
Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh will be joining Amit Shah in Jammu.
The Home Minister will take feedback from 28 MLAs of the BJP especially about budget session of the Legislature which will resume on April 7 after 12 days break and is scheduled to adjourn sine die on April 9. The BJP MLAs performance in the Assembly during first budget session of the present Government will come up for review during the meeting.
The BJP had won 29 seats, all in Jammu region, in the Assembly elections held in September-October, 2024 but its seats were reduced to 28 following death of party stalwart Devender Singh Rana, who was elected from Nagrota seat. By-elections to Nagrota and Budgam seat, vacated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who retained Ganderbal, are yet to be held.
Shah is also expected to review political situation in Jammu and Kashmir with the party MLAs though no major elections are scheduled. However, elections to Panchayats and Municipalities are pending.
Shah will be in Jammu till the afternoon of April 7 and will then proceed to Srinagar. He will return to New Delhi on April 8 afternoon.
The Home Minister, as per the sources, will be chairing two crucial and separate security review meetings.
One of the security review meeting will be the Unified Headquarters in which Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, top brass of Ministry of Home Affairs, Army, paramilitary forces, Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP), Intelligence agencies and civil administration will be present.
The Unified Headquarters will review security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with special reference to the Jammu region where infiltration attempts and movement of terrorists in upper reaches of Kathua, Udhampur and other districts has become a cause of concern.
“The Unified Headquarters is expected to draw strategy for ensuring zero infiltration and elimination of terrorists from the mountains and forests of the Jammu region besides the Kashmir Valley,” the sources said.
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, MHA officials dealing with Jammu and Kashmir, Heads of Intelligence agencies and paramilitary forces from New Delhi will also join Amit Shah in security review meetings.
Sources said second meeting will be held exclusively for security and other arrangements for annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji in South Kashmir Himalayas scheduled to be conducted between July 3-August 9.
“Besides security, other arrangements to be made for the yatra will also be discussed,” the sources said.
The Home Minister will also inaugurate and lay foundation stone of multi-crore projects virtually from Srinagar.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will also be joining the function for dedication of developmental projects by Shah. He is likely to have separate meeting also with the Home Minister.
In Jammu, Shah is scheduled to undertake tour of the International Border. He will meet family members of police martyrs.
Two terrorists were killed and four police personnel were martyred in Kathua encounter last week. Searches continued for three remaining terrorists at different places.
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