New Delhi: Two days after National Security Adviser Ajit Doval returned from a visit to the Valley, the Centre on Saturday has decided to deploy 10,000 additional paramilitary troops in the region.
During his three-day tour, Doval had held detailed discussions with senior officers of the state administration, police, paramilitary forces, army, state and Central intelligence agencies, they said.
Centre moves 10 thousand more troops to J&K However, the move is termed to be significant in the backdrop of BJP campaign promise of removing Article 35A.
According to reports, the entire operation to deal with the law and order fallout in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 35A has even been code-named.
The arrival of additional companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) has started in the Valley over the past three days.
Special flights carrying CAPFs have landed at the Srinagar airport during the last three days, while convoys carrying additional companies of these forces are reaching the Valley through the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.
This is reportedly intended to augment an already overwhelming component of these forces in Kashmir.
Over 450 companies of CAPFs (40,000 troops) are already deployed for the security of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra and other security-related duties in the Valley at present.
While the Union Home Ministry has issued an order saying that the troops will be for strengthening the "counter-insurgent grid" and for maintaining law and order in the valley, JK Police said the troops will be deployed in north Kashmir where the security situation is still seen as a challenge.
"The NSA has made it clear in his interactions with the state police top brass that the maintenance of law and order is the duty of the state police and all needed support and assistance is being made available to the local police so that they deal with the obtaining situation firmly and effectively," top sources said.
Addressing a National Conference workers meeting in Srinagar on Thursday, former JK chief minister Omar Abdullah had asked the Centre to wait for the verdict of the Supreme Court where a bunch of petitions challenging Article 35A and Article 370 are pending.
"Why should you hurry? We will respect the decision of the Supreme Court as we have always done," Abdullah said.
He also asked the government to clear the air on 'rumours' that there would be another long spell of trouble in Kashmir after August 15.
All regional parties of the state, including the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement (J&KPM) and others are opposed to any tinkering with Articles 35A and 370 that give special status to J and K.
Among the centrist mainstream parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party stands for the abrogation of these articles arguing they are roadblocks not only in the integration of the state with the rest of the country but also in the development of Jammu and Kashmir.
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