Worsening law and order led to pullout, says BJP

Jammu, June 20

The deteriorating law and order situation in J&K was the main reason for the BJP to pull out from the government and pave way for Governor’s Rule to ensure restoration of peace and normalcy, state party chief Ravinder Raina said on Wednesday.

Raina said the decision was not abrupt but had been under consideration for the past three months. “The Centre was watching the law and order situation in the state, particularly in the Valley,” said Raina, addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.

“The only alternative was Governor’s Rule because there will be a single line administration. There might be political compulsions for parties in handling such a tough situation but during Governor’s Rule, we are of the opinion that anti-terror operations and operations against anti-social elements will easily be carried out,” he added. Raina, who was flanked by several top BJP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta, said restoration of law and order was the need of the hour.

He indirectly indicated that the PDP was soft on anti-national elements and that hindered the Centre’s decisions on tackling militancy. “We were under constitutional obligation in 2015 to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir after receiving a huge mandate from Jammu, but coalition compulsions hindered various developmental works and anti-terror operations that finally made us pull out from the coalition,” said Raina.

To a query on the BJP’s failure to contain terrorism in J&K despite being in power at the Centre and the state, Raina said: “The state affairs are controlled by the state government which has a particular department to tackle such situations”.

The home department in J&K was under former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

He denied any politics behind the decision to pull out from the government and said it was done in the interest of the nation. Raina said the government was not able to carry out the anti-terror operations as the BJP wanted them. “We wanted terrorist-free Kashmir to allow people to live their lives with honour and dignity and without any fear,” he said.

Asked whether the Army would be given a free hand to deal with the situation under Governor’s Rule, Raina said the Army always enjoyed a free hand and was fully capable of dealing with any challenge. “We believe the nation stands first and the Tricolour is our priority. The BJP is not after power. Had it been our aim, there were still three more years left to govern the state,” he said. — TNS/PTI

Three policemen injured in militant attack

Anantnag: Three police men were injured on Wednesday when militants attacked their vehicle in the Pampore area of Pulwama district along the new alignment of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. “Militants opened indiscriminate fire on a patrol vehicle of the police, leaving three of our men injured,” a senior police official said. He said one of the injured, Tanveer Ahmad, was shot in the head and was taken to Srinagar in a critical condition. “The other two are being treated at Pampore Sub District Hospital,” the official said. Following the shootout, the area has been cordoned off and searches were being carried out to nab the attackers. OC