On the last day of his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah removed the bulletproof glass shield that was erected at the podium at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre, before starting his address. Shah then started his speech by stating that he had removed the shield because he wanted to speak to the people of J&K without any hindrance.
“I was taunted, condemned. Today I want to speak to you frankly, which is why there is no bulletproof shield or security here. Farooq Sahab (referring to NCP leader and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah) has suggested that I speak with Pakistan, but I will speak to the youth and people of the Valley,” Shah said.
Before this, Shah went to the home of a local Kashmir resident and had tea with him. Shah, who was accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, then dialled his number from the local resident’s mobile handset and asked him to save his number and call him anytime he needed any help.
Shah also did an extensive review of the security scenario in the region while interacting with officials of various concerned departments. All these steps are being seen as part of confidence building measures (CBMs) in the state as the government moves towards conducting Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an announcement of which is likely to be made by the Election Commission of India (ECI) soon after Shah returns to Delhi.
Earlier in the day, Shah, donning a traditional pheeran, offered prayers at the Kheer Bhawani temple in Ganderbal district. This was Shah’s maiden visit to J&K following the abrogation of Article 370 and comes amidst the sudden spurt in killing of migrants by Pakistan-backed terror groups. At least 11 non-local migrants have been killed in such attacks in the last one month.
Official sources said that 5,000 additional troops have been sent to Kashmir to protect citizens and installations from terror groups. Twenty-five companies each of BSF and CRPF are being moved to Kashmir in view of the deteriorating situation in the valley. The last time the BSP was deployed in the valley was in February 2019 before the scrapping of Article 370.