In report on J&K situation to PM and Amit Shah, NSA says locals supportive of Centre's decision

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval held a review of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir at the backdrop of the Narendra Modi government's move to scrap Article 370, Article 35A and bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories (UTs) with two Lieutenant Governors. While Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature, Ladakh will be a UT without a legislature.

After the meeting on Tuesday, Doval submitted a report to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The review was attended by senior stakeholders at the location and Doval also met the locals.

The NSA Advisor gave directions that the common person should not face any hardships. He added that essential food supplies, emergency assistance and provisions should be made available on priority to the people. The concerns of the people should be given topmost priority, added Doval.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is normal, according to Doval. There is peace and no untoward incident or agitation has taken place due to cooperation and support of local population. The people have also been moving about with their essential work, he added. 

The statement of Amit Shah, "Jammu and Kashmir will become a state again, one day, at the appropriate time if the situation improves and that we don’t want it to remain UT forever", has been welcomed by the local population. 

The locals are supportive of the decision taken by the Centre and feel the change was well planned. They feel reassured by the statements and actions of the Centre. Doval said, "Feeling that local politicians had vested interests and took people for a ride."

After reaching Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir, Doval and Jammu and Kashmir Police DGP Dilbag Singh interacted with the security forces and learnt about the situation.

Doval also told the security forces about himself. DGP Singh also told the soldiers how the NSA chief is supporting their work. The NSA also met the people of Shopian and spoke to them.

Doval has been keeping a close watch on the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir, especially on Monday when Article 370 was revoked. Article 370 gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Centre's decision have been opposed by several politicians in the Valley. PDP's Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference's Omar Abdullah were taken into preventive detention on Monday night.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday alleged Union Home Minister Amit Shah of lying in Parliament, asserting that he is under house arrest and not staying inside his home at his will.

Speaking on the abrogation of Article 370, National Conference (NC) president he accused the Centre of stabbing the people of the state. He added that the people will go to the court against the move by the Centre. He also called the move undemocratic. "India fought for its independence for a hundred years. Seventy years of fight for right is not going to change. We will continue to fight," said Abdullah.

Speaking from outside his residence in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said, "As soon as the gate will open our people will be out, we will fight, we'll go to the court. We're not gun-runners, grenade-throwers, stone-throwers, we believe in peaceful resolutions. They want to murder us. My son (Omar Abdullah) is in jail."

"You can see I forced myself outside to talk to you. The home ministry is lying in Parliament that I'm not under house arrest. Why will I sit in my house when my state is getting burned, when my people are being executed in jails and punished. This is not the India I believe in. India is a democratic India, a secular India. This is totally undemocratic," also said Abdullah. 

"There is a case in the Supreme Court, why can't they wait? They have stabbed the people of the state. They want to murder us, fire here (pointing his chest)," added the NC president.

"How could I go when my doors are locked Parliament," replied Abdullah when asked why he didn't attend Parliament.

The Centre had left nothing to chance and had already deployed additional troops to Jammu and Kashmir, also because of the prevailing situation and possibility of Pakistan-backed terrorists trying to create unrest. The decision on Jammu and Kashmir is in line with what the BJP had promised in its manifesto before the Lok Sabha election 2019.