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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Telangana CM urges Amit Shah to increase sanctioned strength of IPS officers in state
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday night and urged him to increase the sanctioned strength of IPS officers to the state in view of its growing administrative and security needs.
The two leaders also discussed the recent surrender of several senior Maoist leaders before the Telangana Police and other issues.
"During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the issue of Maoist surrenders and their rehabilitation. The chief minister informed Shah that significant improvements in policing have taken place in Telangana over the past two years," an official release here said.
Highlighting that 591 Maoists have laid down their arms and joined the mainstream of society during this period, the chief minister said the state government was providing them compensation and rehabilitation assistance as per the rules.
He requested the Union home minister to extend financial support from the central government for development works in the backward regions of the state.
Reddy also urged Shah to increase the sanctioned strength of IPS officers to the state from 83 to 105 in line with the state's growing administrative and security needs, the statement said.
The first cadre review after the formation of Telangana was conducted in 2016, while the next review, due in 2021, was delayed and finally carried out in 2025. Even then, only seven additional IPS officers were allocated to the state, the chief minister informed Shah and requested that the third cadre review be conducted in 2026 as per the schedule.
Reddy explained that Telangana, like the rest of the country, is facing several modern challenges, including cybercrime, drug trafficking, white-collar crimes, and other emerging security threats.
He highlighted the reorganisation of the Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Malkajgiri Police Commissionerates, the proposed formation of the Future City Commissionerate and the rapidly growing population in Hyderabad to underline the increasing administrative requirements of the state.
