Conflict

Ceasefire violations: Mehbooba meets Rajnath, seeks community bunkers

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Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, who is on a visit to New Delhi, called on the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh to discuss the ceasefire violations and evacuation of residents of border villages who have been suffering due to continued shelling in the State.

The Chief Minister sought immediate construction of more individual and community bunkers besides other relief measures for the victims of cross LoC firing in the State.

Mehbooba Mufti also discussed with Rajnath Singh the implementation of Agenda of Alliance in the State and the necessary steps to be taken for its expeditious execution.

The recent escalation in the ceasefire violations across the Line of Control (LoC) went to a point that the administration in Uri had to evacuate people and declare an ’emergency’.

According to reports, Pakistan Army, using public address systems asked the people living near the LoC in Uri to move to safer places. 

In the latest face off between the two nations, heavy artillery was used, however the Indian Army chose to ‘downplay’ the escalation and called it a ‘local phenomenon’. 

“It is more of a local affair in a specific region where due to their (Pakistan’s) action we have reacted at specific places. We don’t intend to open an entire front (but) we will retaliate if Pakistan does any aggressive action and tries to push the infiltrators,” said Lt Gen AK Bhatt, General-officer-commanding (GoC) of 15 corps based in Srinagar.

He also ruled out any announcements from the Pakistani side.

“There were no announcements…but they advised a few villages to vacate for safety reasons,” said Bhatt.

Who said what: 

Chairman of the Hurriyat (G) Syed Ali Geelani termed the violations as an attempt by India to shift attention from the Kashmir dispute and mislead it’s own population about it.

In a statement, Syed Ali Geelani has sought UN intervention in addressing the Kashmir issue, saying it is the main reason for prevailing tensions along the Line of Control.

Geelani stressed upon the leadership of both the countries to exhibit political maturity, saying Pakistan has a right to defend its territory from Indian aggression, however keeping in view the loss of precious lives, appealed to observe restraint and patience.

Hurriyat (M) chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq while expressing concern asked both India and Pakistan to hold dialogue and find a political solution of the problem.

“We feel both India and Pakistan should hold dialogue as soon as possible. Till the time basic issue of Kashmir is not resolved, and both the countries will not take initiatives at their levels to resolve it, peace in south Asia is not possible. Nor will stability occur between relations of the two countries. We have always advocated for political solution to resolve Kashmir issue. This is only possible when all the three stakeholders are involved under a process,” said Mirwaiz.

ALSO READ: Citizens across divided JK urge India, Pakistan to end LoC hostilities 

Mehbooba Mufti, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir has time and again advocated for talks between India and Pakistan in order to stop the blood shed in the valley.

Mehbooba recently in a tweet had said that she would be called anti-national for advocating dialogue between the two countries.


However, her alliance partner, BJP, had different views. Recently In an interview with the Indian Express, the National Secretary of the ruling party, Ram Madhav said that she can have her view, but cannot decide on Indo-Pak talks.

“Talking or not talking to Pakistan is not for the Jammu and Kashmir alliance to decide, but the government of India. Mehboobaji can have a view, because she feels that if the two governments talk to each other, there could be de-escalation of violence. But the alliance cannot take a view, its view is limited to the affairs of the state,” Madhav said.

He added, “If the CM feels India-Pakistan talks will help contain infiltration and bring peace in the Valley, allow her to have her view. But she is not going to decide it.”

ALSO READ: A day after Mehbooba’s call for Indo-Pak talks, her alliance partner BJP says ‘not the right time’

After the attack on the Sunjawan Army Station in Jammu, the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while saying the Pakistan will ‘pay for its misadventures’, said that they are escalating the situation at the borders in order to help infiltrators.

The union Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently said that Pakistan should not misinterpret “powerful” India’s “decency”.

“Three-four days ago, Pakistan Rangers held a flag meeting with our BSF DG. (The Rangers) assured that the ceasefire violation would not take place. But despite this, Pakistan has been violating ceasefire,” Singh said.

“Not saying much, I just want to say our politeness and decency has a limit and we want to maintain good relations with all and also with our neighbours. But our decency should not be wrongly interpreted,” he said.

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