GoI Deploys 28,000 Troops In Kashmir Valley

Approximately 28,000 troops of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) were deployed in Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir, on the 1st of August.

On the evening of the 1st of August, the Government of India (GoI) ordered for the deployment of 28,000 troops in a few areas of Jammu and Kashmir.  Last week, the GoI deployed as many as 10,000 troops.

The decision to send the troops was taken after Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor, came back from a three day visit to Kashmir Valley, starting from the 24th of July to the 26th of July.

The move was taken in the wake of an upcoming event on the 15th of August.  Based on the intelligence reports, there are possibilities of a terror attack on Independence Day, the 15th of August.

A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said, “Government was pumping in security to have Indian flags flying on August 15 by Panch and Sarpanch. While the Jammu and Kashmir’s BJP core group met in Delhi and spoke of the party’s preparation for the Assembly polls (sic.)”

It is also speculated the security was beefed up as the GoI plans to abrogate Article 35A.

However, the political parties of Jammu and Kashmir and the Governor of Kashmir, Satyapal Malik, are against the demolition of Article 35A.

Omar Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of the State, Farooq Abdullah, the Chief of the National Conference and Masoodi, a retired justice, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding Article 35A.

Omar Abdullah took to Twitter and said, “Having received a number of requests especially from @MehboobaMufti Sahiba & as a follow up to today’s meeting with @PMOIndia, @JKNC_ President Dr Farooq Abdullah Sb will be reaching out to political leaders of the state to meet on Sunday to discuss the prevailing situation (sic.)”

Speaking about the Centre’s move to abrogate Article 35A, Mehbooba Mufti said, “Touching Article 35A will be like touching a dynamite, it will burn not just the hand but also the entire body will turn to ashes.”

The speculations came after Amit Shah, the Home Minister of India, during the Lok Sabha session, said the scrapping of Article 35A and Article 370, which ensures the State has a special status, will be a step towards the merging of Jammu and Kashmir and India.

Article 35A gives power to the legislature of Jammu and Kashmir to give special rights to permanent residents.  On the other hand, Article 370 provides a special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir.

However, the scrapping of Article 35A and Article 370 is not yet official and the reason for deploying more CAPF troops was not revealed either.

Stay tuned for further updates.