JK won't remain UT forever; statehood to be restored once situation improves: Amit Shah
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir will not remain a Union Territory (UT) forever and the statehood to it would be restored once the security situation is improved there.
Interacting with the probationers of the 2018 batch of the Indian Police Service (IPS) here, Shah also said "not a single bullet has been fired or not a single person has died" after the abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and its division into two UTs on August 5.
Shah said Jammu and Kashmir would not remain a UT forever and the statehood would be returned once situation is normalised, according to an official release.
The home minister said the notion that only the Article 370 protected the Kashmiri culture and identity was a wrong one, saying all regional identities are inherently protected by the Indian constitution. Misuse of the Article 370 is the root cause of cross-border terrorism, he said.
Shah said only 10 police stations areas in Kashmir, out of 196, have Section 144 of the CrPC in force.
On making "tough, yet right decisions", Shah said some bold decisions are necessary to be made for people's benefit, without getting bogged down by the fear of a backlash and referred to the decision taken on Article 370 by the Narendra Modi government.
Referring to the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which is being updated in Assam, the home minister said the NRC was essential not just for the national security but for good governance as well.
He said the NRC must not be seen as a political exercise, as it is very important to have a national register of citizens in order to ensure that benefits of development reach all citizens. Shah encouraged the IPS probationers to be proud to be part of a service that is continuously working to ensure safety and security of the people.
He said contrary to the image of police portrayed in popular culture, it is these officers, from top to bottom, who are responsible for maintaining law and order and safeguarding the internal security of the country.
Shah said there is a need for bringing in a positive change in the public perception about police and asked the young probationers to focus on honest performance.
Asserting that an image is made by not one incident but continuous performance and delivery, he encouraged the new officers to introspect each day and ask oneself what one has done for the betterment of the society, besides the official duty.
Giving his views on reforms in the policing system, Shah said reforming the system does not mean shunning the old ways of policing totally, rather it is a continuous process of adaptation of the old methods to address new challenges.
He noted that the challenges faced by societies change, and so should the responses to them, from laws to technology. The home minister said the government is committed to police reforms and encouraged the probationers to individually carry out small yet important improvement in local police functioning, wherever they were posted.
Shah called for a conceptual change in the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and said the amended codes must be in line with India being a welfare state. He noted that the purpose of the CrPC has shifted from preservation of the British empire to the welfare of people, and this has to be reflected in the provisions and application of the code.
Shah advised the probationers to "never run from responsibility and never compromise with discipline". He said all three sections of society - the people, the government and the bureaucracy - need to carry out their respective responsibilities honestly in order to effectively implement the Constitution in its letter and spirit.
Maintenance of law and order is very important to achieve Prime Minister Modi's vision of a USD 5 trillion economy, he said. Shah expounded on the changing role of police and said the colonial role of police as an agent of fear is not the reality of today.
He called for the fear associated with police to be removed by bringing a positive behavioral change in the personnel and added that the IPS as an institution must make this change percolate to the grassroots.
He said the minimum use of force and maximum effectiveness should be the motto of police everywhere and called for the need of human touch and sensitivity in the police to gain peoples' trust.
Talking on how the efficiency of working of the police be improved, Shah told the probationers that as IPS officers, their job would be to ensure that there is freedom to take required decisions and owning up of responsibility at all levels, without overstepping of boundaries.
He urged the young officers to encourage and inspire their staff and build capacity of constables. He asserted that an organisation can only be as strong as its base, and the "base of the police system is the constable".
Speaking on the increasing proportion of women in police at every level, Shah said lady IPS officers can inspire other women to join the police.
He said that gender-based reservation was not the answer to the issue of inadequate representation of women in the police.
The home minister also spoke of the need to change societal mindset in this regard and expressed confidence that this would gradually happen.
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Nicobar Tribal Council Alleges FRA Violations in Great Nicobar Wildlife Sanctuaries
Sri Vijaypuram (Port Blair): The Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar has alleged fresh violations of the Forest Rights Act in the notification of three wildlife sanctuaries linked to the Centre’s ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar Island project, even as the Calcutta High Court is set to hear petitions challenging the mega project over similar concerns next month.
The Union government had, in October 2022, notified three wildlife sanctuaries in parts of Little Nicobar Island, Menchal Island and Meroe Island for the conservation of leatherback turtles, megapodes and coral ecosystems. The move came after the government acknowledged that the proposed infrastructure project on Great Nicobar Island would affect coral colonies and nesting habitats of endangered species.
However, the tribal council has maintained that the sanctuaries were declared without consultation with the Nicobarese communities who traditionally inhabit and manage these islands.
In a letter dated April 23 addressed to the Assistant Conservator of Forests of the Nicobar Forest Division, the council reiterated its opposition to the sanctuaries and objected to the formation of a committee to determine eco-sensitive zones around the protected areas.
The council said its chairman had not been consulted before being included in the committee and was informed of his membership only a month after the committee was constituted.
The three notified sanctuaries include the Leatherback Turtle Sanctuary in parts of Little Nicobar Island, the Megapode Sanctuary covering the entire Menchal Island and the Coral Sanctuary spanning the whole of Meroe Island.
According to the council, Menchal and Meroe islands hold deep cultural and spiritual significance for the Nicobarese community, which believes the islands are inhabited by the spirits of their ancestors.
The council demanded that the sanctuary notifications be revoked and the eco-sensitive zone committee dissolved, alleging that both decisions were taken against the wishes of the indigenous community.
Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh has written to Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram alleging violations of the Forest Rights Act in the process of obtaining consent for diversion of forest land for the Great Nicobar project.
Ramesh argued that consent should have been obtained through the Tribal Council representing the Nicobarese communities instead of through Gram Sabhas representing settler families. He also questioned how the government-controlled Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti could provide consent on behalf of the Shompen community, classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
He urged the Tribal Affairs Ministry to intervene and seek withdrawal of clearances granted for the project under the Forest Rights Act.
Earlier, Ramesh had also written to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav alleging that environmental impact studies for the project were conducted in haste and without the detailed seasonal assessments mandated under environmental laws.
The dispute dates back to 2022 when the Andaman and Nicobar administration initiated the process for notifying the three sanctuaries before holding Special Gram Sabhas for diversion of forest land linked to the Great Nicobar project.
In May that year, the administration invited objections and claims regarding the proposed sanctuaries. Subsequently, on July 19, the Nicobar Deputy Commissioner certified that no objections or claims had been received.
The tribal council later wrote to the district administration stating that the notification process was carried out without ensuring that residents of Little Nicobar Island were informed as required by law. It alleged that no public announcements seeking objections were made in villages such as Bahua, Muhincoihn and Kiyang, whose residents traditionally use and manage parts of the notified areas.
The council said the Nicobarese community had protected the islands and wildlife for generations through customary practices and traditional belief systems.
It further argued that the sanctuaries would interfere with long-standing rights over forests and coastal areas. They noted that these areas are used for rituals, plantations, collection of forest produce, construction of huts and canoes, harvesting medicinal plants and worship.
In November 2024, the council objected to draft Island Coastal Regulation Zone plans, demanding basic infrastructure, instead of proposed eco-tourism activities in the sanctuaries. The council demanded better public restrooms, jetties, water facilities, pathways, and mobile connectivity.
The Nicobar administration issued a clarification in May 2025, stating that the sanctuaries would not affect hunting rights available to Scheduled Tribes in the Nicobar Islands. The council, however, rejected the clarification, stating that their dependence on forests and coasts extended far beyond hunting activities.
Earlier this month, a Bench led by the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court dismissed preliminary objections raised by the Union government against petitions challenging the diversion of forest land for the Great Nicobar project. The matter has now been listed for final hearing in June.
