Top brass of para-military, Intl agencies, J&K to join
CRPF functions begin today, DG to address parade
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 15: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will now visit Jammu for two days instead of earlier schedule of one-day tour and hold high-level review of security situation and development works in Jammu and Kashmir with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, top brass of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), J&K Police, Intelligence agencies and civil administration.
As per the revised schedule, Shah will reach Jammu in the afternoon of March 18 and address CRPF Raising Day Parade at MA Stadium here on March 19 followed by security review meeting. He will return to the Union capital in the evening of March 19.
Earlier, Shah was scheduled to visit Jammu on March 19 only to address the first-ever CRPF Raising Day being observed in Jammu.
Official sources told the Excelsior that top officials of all para-military forces, Intelligence agencies, Jammu and Kashmir Police and civil administration will attend the security review meeting which will be the Home Minister’s second in the Union Territory in less than five months. He had visited J&K for five days from October 23-27 last year and reviewed security scenario, development works etc in Kashmir and addressed a rally in Jammu.
The CRPF Raising Day functions will start with DG Parade at MA Stadium tomorrow which will be addressed by CRPF Director General Kuldiep Singh, who has already reached here along with other top officials of the para-military force.
Senior officials of para-military forces and Intelligence agencies will reach here from New Delhi and Kashmir in the next couple of days. The officers of civil administration and Jammu and Kashmir Police are already in Jammu monitoring security and other arrangements for the Home Minister’s visit.
Security review by the Home Minister comes close on the heels of recent killings of three Panchayat members and two security personnel who had come home on leave in Kashmir. At the same time, there has been no let up in the killings of militants. A number of militants including top commanders of the outfits have been gunned down by the security personnel in the Kashmir valley.
Barring twice when the Raising Day of CRPF was observed at Nimach (North Indian Mounted Artillery and Cavalry Headquarters) in Madhya Pradesh, the para-military force’s annual functions have always been held in New Delhi and NCR and this is for the first time when the function has been shifted out of these places to be held at Jammu.
Sources said Jammu has been chosen as venue for Raising Day as CRPF is playing major role in anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir and is instrumental in killing of several militants in the Union Territory especially in the Valley.
“The paramilitary force will show its strength with the function in Jammu,” sources said, adding since there are a large number of troops deployed in the Union Territory, holding the Raising Day in Jammu will send a good message across.
“Holding CRPF’s Raising Day in Jammu is aimed at sending another message to the militants in Jammu and Kashmir and their mentors across the border that security forces were fully geared up to face all challenges and dismantle the terror ecosystem,” sources said.
It may be mentioned here that the Border Security Force (BSF) had also shifted it’s Raising Day from Delhi-NCR to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan last year.
“This is for the first time when a paramilitary force is shifting its Raising Day venue from Delhi-NCR to Jammu and Kashmir. After the abrogation of Article 370, terrorism is in control in the UT. There are fewer incidents of stone pelting and infiltration. It would be better to celebrate the day here to give a positive message, especially from the place where the force has the highest deployment and maximum operations,” the officials said.
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