Will also assess LS poll preparedness of BJP
To attend VBSY programme during day-long visit
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 5: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is visiting Jammu on January 9 for yet another high-level review of security situation in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, which will be second assessment within a week, join a programme of ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ and review BJP’s preparedness for Lok Sabha elections as the party geared up to win three seats this time as against two of 2014 and 2019 in J&K.
On January 2, Shah reviewed security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with particular reference to Rajouri and Poonch which witnessed surge in terror attacks last year leading to martyrdom of 19 soldiers in four incidents, in New Delhi with LG Manoj Sinha top officials of MHA, Army, paramilitary forces, and civil and police officers of J&K.
This will be second highest review of the situation by Shah and third by a senior Central functionary as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (joined by LG Manoj Sinha) visited Rajouri on December 27 for on spot assessment of the prevailing scenario following martyrdom of four soldiers and subsequent killing of three civilians under mysterious circumstances at Dera Ki Gali in Surankote area of Poonch district on December 21.
Top officials told the Excelsior that during his one-day visit to Jammu on December 9, Shah will be accompanied by Union Home Secretary AK Bhalla, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Deka, chiefs of all paramilitary forces and senior officers from other security agencies.
Joined by LG Manoj Sinha and senior officers from civil and police administration of the Union Territory, Shah is expected to visit Rajouri and Poonch districts including some forward areas during which he will meet top Commanders and senior local officers of the administration to discuss the steps required to curb the menace of terrorism from the border areas.
BJP UT chief Ravinder Raina had camped in Rajouri-Poonch for three days including Topa Peer, the village where encounter followed by civilian killings took place. The Defence Minister and the Lieutenant Governor also visited the site and met with Army Commanders, kin of dead civilians and injured in the hospital. Besides security review, the Union Home Minister is also expected to meet civilians.
On his return from Rajouri-Poonch, Shah will attend a programme here on ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ which has been going on in every nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir and helping the people a lot in attaining benefits of welfare schemes of the Government of India and the UT administration.
Later, the Home Minister will meet senior leaders of J&K unit of the BJP to discuss party’s preparations for Parliamentary polls in the UT.
The BJP this time is quite confident of winning three Lok Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir as against two (Jammu and Udhampur) which it won in 2014 and 2019 for two consecutive terms. After fresh delimitation, the BJP is planning to go all out to capture Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri (APR) Lok Sabha seat which has sizeable population of minority votes besides the Pahari Kabila to whom the Government is going to give Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in last session of the Parliament of present Government scheduled in first half of February. The party is also gearing up to put up a good show in Srinagar and Baramulla Parliamentary constituencies.
“The Home Minister’s visit to Jammu is expected to give big boost to BJP’s preparations for Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in April-May this year,” the BJP leaders said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to visit Jammu either by the end of January or start of February to launch multiple projects running into hundreds of crores in the Union Territory.
Sources said the Central and UT Governments are concerned about security scenario in Rajouri and Poonch districts where 19 bravehearts of Army sacrificed their lives in four incidents. Seven civilians were also massacred by the terrorists at Dhangri in Rajouri district. However, security forces have also eliminated over 30 terrorists in the two districts, both on Line of Control (LoC) and hinterland.
Massive search operations have already been launched jointly by Army, paramilitary forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) in mountains, caves, forests and other vulnerable areas in the two districts to eliminate the terrorists.
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