Home Minister Rajnath Singh will commence his four-day tour of Jammu and Kashmir from today.
The trip comes amid NIA raids against the separatist leaders and their supporters. It also comes at a time when there have been a number of security operations against militants and impending threat of another separatist agitation against Article 35 A in the Supreme Court. Singh's statement that he is going to the state with an open mind has given hope to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and other mainstream parties that the Centre might take some people-friendly measures.
“I am going with an open mind and am willing to meet all those who come to meet me,'' Sigh told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Delhi on Friday. ''We want a resolution to the problems.” He will be accompanied by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and senior officers of ministry.
Singh is scheduled to meet Governor N.N. Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other senior BJP leaders in the state. He will also review prime minister’s development package and security situation in the state.
Singh is expected to meet different delegations at Srinagar and Jammu. He will meet the officials of police, CRPF and BSF jawans deployed in the state. The minister will also be briefed about the security situation in the state and would chair the review meetings with top security officers.
“Rajnath Singh is following Prime Minister Modi's Independence Day address,'' said BJP's spokesman Khalid Jehangir. ''It is rare that a home minister will be staying for four days and meeting people in Jammu and Kashmir.''
Sources in PDP said they are hopeful of an offer for dialogue to be made by the Union minister for resolving the issue peacefully. PDP cancelled a scheduled party rally as it coincided with Singh's visit.
Sources said the party has planned a rally at Sheri Kashmir Cricket Club to mobilise support for the party in view of the growing disenchantment among the workers. Some party leaders believe that a rally during the home minister's visit was not the right thing to do as it would not attract much attention. The rally would have put pressure on the security forces who want to focus on security during the Union minister's visit.
“Let us hope for the best. We expect some good announcements by home minister,” a PDP leader said.
Meanwhile, the separatists have called for a strike to protest Singh's visit and the recent raids and arrests by the NIA of several separatist leaders.
Singh has repeatedly said the Centre is working on a permanent solution to Kashmir problem. The separatists as well as the mainstream parties suspect that Singh's statement for a permanent solution has to be linked to the abolition of Article 35 A of the Constitution that bars citizens of India other than the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir to settle in the state.
