Jammu, 25 March 2023,(KAT) : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today declared that the administration is ready to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir whenever the Election Commission of India (ECI) takes a call even as he charged the neighbouring country (Pakistan) with trying to give message that J&K isn’t peaceful ahead of G20 meeting in Srinagar in May.
In an interview to Doordarshan, Sinha while responding to a question on conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir referred to the statement of Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Amit Shah) which he made in Parliament.
“Delimitation Commission has completed its task. Updated electoral lists have been published. There are Constitutional bodies in the country for certain tasks . It is the Election Commission which has to take decision on Assembly elections in J&K. Whenever the Commission decides, the administration is ready to hold elections,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Replying to a question on targeted killings, he said the neighbouring country (a reference towards Pakistan) is frustrated over India holding G20 Summit, whose meeting will be held in Srinagar in May.
“The neighbour didn’t want India to get G20 Presidency. They want to give message that Jammu and Kashmir isn’t peaceful. One incident in Kashmir becomes topic of discussion. However, we are working in this direction and a day will come when no such incident will take place,” Sinha said.
Reiterating the charge that peace was bought earlier, the Lieutenant Governor said now Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central Government and J&K administration are hitting at entire ecosystem of terrorism and the security forces have achieved very good results.
“Many militants including foreigners have been killed. No top commanders of the militant outfits have been left. Earlier, the militants used to upload pictures on Social media. Today, they are frightened. Many youth were misled. Stern action is being taken against financers of the militants. There is good coordination among security forces. Coming days would be much better,” he asserted.
At the same time, Sinha said, there have been clear directions to security agencies and administration that common man shouldn’t suffer. “The people shouldn’t face any problem. Some instances have come to our notices in which action has been taken. Our message is loud and clear that accused shouldn’t be spared and common people shouldn’t suffer”.
To a question on objections raised by former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti on dismissal of employees, Sinha said the employees who have been sacked for their separatists and terror links have been served with full dossiers.
“Sardar Patel and Baba Saheb Ambedkar had while framing Constitution stated that there has to be a law for removal of those from services who are threat to the state. We have sacked employees for their links with separatists and terrorism and proper investigations and more will be removed. All this is being done for restoration of peace,” Sinha said.
Describing it as another major sign of normalcy in Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor said 300 small and big movies have been shot in the Valley in one year. Moreover, cinema halls are running in Srinagar, Shopian and Pulwama and the administration is trying to open them in all districts.
Today, youth have laptops, cricket bats and table tennis rackets in their hands instead of stones,” he added.
To a question on anti-encroachment drive, Sinha said the Government is framing a Policy to ensure that common man shouldn’t be affected.
“Even during the drive, there were clear instructions that poor people shouldn’t be hit. Only influential persons who had grabbed land for their next five generations were evicted from the State land,” he said, adding the Government will give land vacated from encroachers for establishing industry and making schools, colleges, hospitals etc.
Gandhis playing snowballs show
improvement in situation
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said improvement in situation in the Kashmir valley can be well gauged from the fact that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi with her (Priyanka’s) children enjoyed snowballs in Gulmarg where earlier there used to be blasts and firing.
Responding to a question on Rahul Gandhi’s charge of presence of militants in his rally in Srinagar during ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, Sinha said their (Congress) leaders sought security which was provided to them.
“We facilitated ‘yatra’. They faced no problem here. They were permitted to hoist tricolor in Srinagar,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi along with kin were seen playing snowballs in Gulmarg during their visit later. “Earlier, there used to be blasts and firing. Now, 1.80 lakh record tourists have visited J&K. This shows how situation has improved,” he added.
However, Sinha said giving statement is “political compulsions’ (of Rahul) but is for the people to judge—(KAT)