Srinagar- Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir from September 30 where he is planned to pay obeisance to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, address two rallies and review developmental activities, party leaders said on Saturday.
J-K BJP general secretary and former minister Sunil Sharma told a press conference here the visit should not be linked to yet-to-be announced assembly polls, even though a senior leader said on the condition of anonymity the “rallies will be the beginning of the BJP’s election campaign”.
Sharma told the media, “Election is the prerogative of the ECI (Election Commission of India) which is an autonomous institution and scheduling dates are up to them. The BJP is ready. This (Shah’s visit) is a routine visit and linking it with polls is not right.”
He said Shah will arrive at Jammu on September 30, address a rally in Rajouri (Jammu division) on October 1, and leave for Kashmir the same evening. He will address a rally in Baramulla town at 11 am on October 2.
Shah will pay obeisance at the revered shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi on October 1 before addressing the rally, said the leader quoted above on the condition of anonymity.
Talking about the rallies, Sharma said there are many expectations and hopes of people across Kashmir from the BJP and the Central government.
“Every person has faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. To give that belief a shape, to fulfil those expectations, and to assess the developmental activities of the UT’s LG administration, the Union Minister will arrive in J-K on September 30,” he said.
He said people from across Kashmir, especially north Kashmir, will attend the rally. “People from south Kashmir will also attend it.”
Sharma said the Union minister will speak about various developmental activities undertaken by the Centre. “He will also speak about new steps taken by the Centre on the developmental front,” Sharma added.
The Union Home minister’s visit will be a big step to strengthen the belief of the people in the BJP and the Central Government, the BJP leader said.
“It will be the Union home minister’s direct dialogue with the people of Kashmir in the form of the rally,” he added.
The BJP leader said there will be many other official engagements but refused to share the details.
“But, as far as the party programmes are concerned, delegations from across party lines, or even business leaders, intellectuals, can meet him. Party activities will be discussed with senior leaders as well,” he said.
Asked if Shah will lay the foundation stone for the proposed cancer hospital in Eidgah area of the city here, Sharma said according to the information the party has, there is a session on developmental activities.
“Perhaps, the foundation of the cancer hospital will also be laid and other developmental activities will take place,” he said.
While the party officially said the visit was not linked to the polls, the BJP leader quoted above without being named said, “Home Minister Shah’s visit to address two mega public rallies will be the beginning of the BJP’s election campaign from the Muslim majority districts.”
“Both Rajouri and Baramulla are home to a large population of Pahari-speaking people who have attached high hopes from the BJP for grant them scheduled tribe status,” the leader told PTI.
He said the home minister will directly speak to the Pahari community.
He also said that after his public rally at Rajouri — the hometown of J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina — the home minister will return to Jammu the same day (October 1) and inaugurate the Jammu-Akhnoor flyover along Jammu-Poonch national highway and several other projects.
He will chair a meeting of senior BJP leaders before leaving for Srinagar in the evening, the leader said.
The ongoing Special Summary Revision of electoral roll in Union Territory is scheduled to end on November 25 with the publication of the final voter list.
High Level Security Meet On Cards
Shah will chair a crucial security review meeting in Srinagar during his visit next week, reports said.
Quoting official sources, a local news agency reported that Shah will travel to Srinagar from Baramulla and chair a high level security meeting in the capital city to review progress on anti-militancy operations, infiltration and law and order.
“He will also review developmental projects and meet officials from the civil administration,” they said.
Sources said the security review is likely to take place at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar where J&K LG Manoj Sinha, J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh, ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, top officials of army, BSF, CRPF, intelligence and other security agencies will be present. “A separate review will be about developmental projects in J&K where heads of various departments will be present,” they said.
On August 25, Shah chaired a security review meeting on J&K in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Army Chief Manoj Pandey, Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and Research and Analysis Wing Chief Samant Goel. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Kuldiep Singh, Border Security Force (BSF) chief Pankaj Singh and National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General Dinkar Gupta also attended the meeting.
Earlier, Shah had held meetings in May and June where security preparations related to Amarnath Yatra were discussed. Post abrogation of article 370, the Home Minister has been personally reviewing security of J&K. He has already announced zero tolerance for militancy.
A BJP leader, privy to the Shah’s J&K visit, said that there was a possibility that the Home Minister may visit a few families of martyrs in Kashmir.
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