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| No to CBI probe in Kathua case, yes to Ramzan ceasefire | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 16: BJP's appeasement policy has assumed dangerous proportions. This is what today's Union home Ministry's decision on ceasefire during the month of Ramzan suggests. It also suggests that the Narendra Modi Government and the BJP are on different pages.
It was on May 9 that Chief Minister stated that there was consensus in the all-party meeting -- held in Srinagar -- over the issue of unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir during the month of Ramzan. A day later, J&K BJP and newly-appointed Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta contested the Chief Minister's claim and said there was no consensus in the meeting as claimed and that they were opposed to the idea of unilateral ceasefire as it was fraught with dangerous ramifications. Independent MLA from Kashmir Engineer Rashid, NC MLA Choudhary Ramzan and CPI-M MLA Mohd Yousuf Tarigami also contested the consensus claim and said there was no discussion on the issue in the meeting.
A day later, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharam made a very strong statement and declared that the army would eliminate all terrorists and that the Army had gained an upper hand and the gains would not be allowed to be squandered.
All these statements of the BJP, BJP Deputy Chief Minister and Defence Minister had given the nation to understand that the Modi government was unlikely to announce a unilateral ceasefire. It was a wrong assessment. For, the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday belied that hope and announced ceasefire during the month of Ramzan.
In fact, Union Home Minister himself informed Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti that her request of ceasefire during Ramzan has been accepted.
"Home Minister Rajnath Singh called me saying the Centre has decided a ceasefire during the month of Ramzan. It is very good news. I hope that everybody supports this initiative," Mehbooba Mufti was quoted as saying.
The Ministry of Home Affairs also issued a statement on the decision. It said: "The Centre asks Security Forces not to launch operations in Jammu & Kashmir during the holy month of Ramzan. Decision taken to help the peace loving Muslims observe Ramzan in a peaceful environment. Security Forces to reserve the right to retaliate if attacked or if essential to protect the lives of innocent people. Government expects everyone to cooperate in this initiative and help the Muslim brothers & sisters to observe Ramzan peacefully and without any difficulties. It is important to isolate the forces that bring a bad name to Islam by resorting to mindless violence and terror".
Reacting to the decision, PDP Youth Wing President Waheed Para said. "The Centre has asked security forces not to launch operations in Jammu & Kashmir during the holy month of Ramzan".
The last time the Vajpayee government announced an unilateral ceasefire during the month of Ramzan was in November 2000. It had liquidated 233 security forces personnel and 543 civilians. It was on May 31, 2001 that unilateral ceasefire was withdrawn.
It is strange that the people of Kathua had been demanding CBI probe into the alleged Kathua rape and murder case since January 17, 2018, saying a CBI probe alone could do justice to the poor girl and save the people of Kathua from harassment, victimization and bring the real culprits to justice. The Bar Council of India, the Group of Intellectuals and Academicians, the Jammu lawyers, the civil society groups in Jammu and the people of Hiranagar all favoured CBI probe. Not only this, at least 9 BJP lawmakers also directly and indirectly also supported the demand for a CBI probe. Besides, women of Rasana had been sitting on fast-unto-death for more than 40 days. But all these pleas failed to move either the Union Home Minister or any other Union Minister. Leave aside the Prime Minister.
The announcement of ceasefire during the month of Ramzan and the indifferent attitude of the Union Government to the popular demand in Jammu for CBI probe into the Kathua case has only exposed the BJP's and its brazen appeasement. |
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