Rajnath in Kashmir to take call on ceasefire extension
Srinagar, June 7: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived here on Thursday for a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to review the security situation amid an ongoing Ramadan ceasefire which the militants have flouted.
In his meetings with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Governor N.N. Vohra and security and intelligence officials, Rajnath Singh and his senior officials are likely to take a call on whether to extend the ceasefire beyond the Muslim month of fasting that ends of June 15.
However, since the annual Amarnath pilgrimage is beginning on June 28, some security officials both in Delhi as well in Srinagar don't favour the idea of continuing with the halt in anti-militancy operations in the state.
Since the central government announced the ceasefire decision on May 16, militants have re-launched hit-and-run grenade and IED attacks on security forces
Before leaving Delhi, Rajnath Singh said his visit will also involve interaction with youths, people living in border areas and other sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir.
While the state government wants the continuation of the Ramadan ceasefire beyond Eid, informed sources suggested the field commanders of the Army have argued that the cessation of hostilities from only one side was helping the militants to regroup and recruit boys.
On Thursday evening, Rajnath Singh is likely to attend an Iftar party hosted by Mehbooba Mufti.
Another important agenda on the Home Minister's priority list would be to deliberate upon the response of the separatist leaders to the offer of talks.
While Rajnath Singh has said that the central government was ready to talk to everyone including the separatists, BJP's National General Secretary Ram Madhav recently made an offer to the separatists to engage in a meaningful dialogue and end the Kashmir imbroglio.
The separatist leaders have been demanding clarity in the talks offer so that their engagement in the dialogue would yield results.
The Muzaffarabad-based conglomerate of armed groups, the United Jehad Council (UJC), has applied breaks on any imminent possibility of the Kashmiri separatist leaders to engage with the government.
A statement issued by the UJC a few weeks earlier said talks would only be held with the government once India accepted Kashmir as a disputed territory.
In addition to his all important security and political agenda, the Home Minister will also review the implementation of various Centrally sponsored developmental programmes.
On the second day of his visit, he will review the security along the international border in Jammu and also deliberate on the situation arising because of the migration of border residents each time Pakistan violates the bilateral ceasefire on the border.
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Fire breaks out at Nature Bazaar in south Delhi, around 50 shops gutted
New Delhi (PTI): A major fire broke out at Nature Bazaar in south Delhi's Andheria Mor area on Sunday morning, gutting around 50 shops and triggering a massive firefighting operation, an official of the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said.
According to the DFS, a call regarding the blaze was received at 7.37 am, following which 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to control the flames. No injury to anyone has been reported so far.
The fire erupted at the Nature Bazaar market located near Andheria Mor in the Lado Sarai area, where several temporary and semi-permanent shops selling handicrafts and other items are set up, he said.
Thick plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the market complex as the fire rapidly spread through multiple shops in the crowded marketplace.
Firefighters launched an extensive operation to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further.
Around 50 shops were gutted in the incident, causing heavy damage to goods and structures, the officer said.
Fire personnel were continuing efforts to completely douse the flames and carry out cooling operations in the area. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
Police officers also reached the spot to assist in crowd management and facilitate firefighting operations.
