PM appeals for calm in Kashmir Valley

Modi reviews crisis, says no innocent should be harassed.

Concerned about the violence in the Kashmir Valley, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level security meeting on Tuesday, within hours of returning from a five-day visit to Africa. Among those present at the meeting were home minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley, defence minister Manohar Parrikar, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, minister of state in the PMO Jitendra Singh, national security adviser Ajit Doval and senior officials from Central security and intelligence agencies.

Sources said the Centre has activated the Srinagar-based Unified Command, headed by state governor N.N. Vohra, to launch a major damage-control exercise and contain the violence in the Valley amid intelligence reports that subversive elements could trigger further trouble on July 13, marked as Martyrs’ Day, and the Friday prayers on July 15.

Prime Minister Modi, sources added, has given a clear directive to the security agencies that normalcy should be restored in the Valley at the earliest and that no innocent person should be harassed by the security forces.

The Prime Minister has also issued an appeal to people in the Valley to maintain peace.

“PM has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss,” MoS in the PMO Jitendra Singh said. He added that the Centre will provide all possible assistance to the state government.

The PM was given a detailed briefing on the prevailing security situation in the state and the ongoing Amarnath Yatra. Mr Modi, sources said, expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements made for the annual pilgrimage to the cave-shrine.

Sources said the Centre was concerned that the state government’s initial reaction had been slightly slow in containing the fallout following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on Friday.

“The state government was fully aware that Burhan Wani was the poster boy of militancy in the Valley and that his killing could trigger violent reactions. The state government should have taken preventive measures immediately, like banning mobile and Internet services, imposing curfew in sensitive areas and deploying additional local police in such localities. These actions need to be taken by the state, and not the Centre which can only provide reinforcements,” a senior security official said.

After the meeting with the PM, home minister Rajnath Singh and NSA Ajit Doval held a separate round of discussions to review the prevailing security scenario in the Valley and how terror groups from across the border might try and take advantage of the situation. It was decided to further strengthen the anti-infiltration grid. Further Central paramilitary forces have been kept on standby to be rushed to the Valley at short notice even as 2,000 additional CRPF personnel have been sent to Kashmir since Sunday.

A group of Muslim preachers and Imams also met Mr Rajnath Singh and issued an appeal to the people in the Valley to maintain peace. A delegation of imams is also expected to visit the Valley in the next few days.

The home minister and the NSA have been regularly updating the PM on the Kashmir situation. Sources claimed the PM expressed “unhappiness” over the media coverage of the Kashmir violence, saying Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani has been portrayed as a “hero”.