Days before the start of the holy month, home minister Rajnath Singh conveys the decision in a series of tweets. CM Mehbooba welcomes it.
New Delhi: The central government has announced a ceasefire in the Kashmir Valley during the holy month of Ramzan which is due to start this week depending on the sighting of the moon.
The decision comes days after chief minister Mehbooba Mufti demanded a ‘Ramzan ceasefire’, and just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state Saturday.
“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,” home minister Rajnath Singh tweeted from his official handle.
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.
HM Shri @rajnathsingh has informed the Chief Minister, J&K of Centre’s decision.
— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) May 16, 2018
The home minister also called for restraint from security forces, even if attacked.
“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 (sic),” he wrote.
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.
— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) May 16, 2018
Singh said the Centre’s decision had been conveyed to the chief minister, who welcomed the decision in a tweet.
“I wholeheartedly welcome the Ramadan ceasefire & would like to thank @narendramodi ji & @rajnathsingh ji for their personal intervention. My gratitude also to the leaders & parties who participated in the All Party Meeting & helped build consensus towards this announcement,” Mufti said.
I wholeheartedly welcome the Ramadan ceasefire & would like to thank @narendramodi ji & @rajnathsingh ji for their personal intervention. My gratitude also to the leaders & parties who participated in the All Party Meeting & helped build consensus towards this announcement. 1/2
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 16, 2018
State BJP was not in favour
The Centre’s decision is a major development for the Kashmir Valley, which has seen prolonged unrest with dozens killed and hundreds injured in the last two months. On a single day in April, 20 people were killed, including 13 militants, four civilians and three security personnel. On 6 May, 10 people — five militants and five civilians — were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir.
In the all-party meeting convened by Mufti last week to discuss the security situation in the Valley, consensus was formed to push for a ‘Ramzan ceasefire’ proposal within the state and across the Line of Control and international border with Pakistan, along the lines of then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s initiative in 2003.
Mufti has reiterated that there is an urgent need to reach out to the people, especially the youth of Kashmir, who have been picking up guns in increasing numbers.
However, the state BJP, which is part of the ruling alliance with Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party in J&K, had registered its opposition to this demand, saying it would be “against the national interest” and would “wash way the Army’s efforts”.
“We are in complete disagreement and the chief minister cannot pressure us on this. It is not going to do any good. The Army’s operations to neutralise militants have been successful,” Jammu & Kashmir BJP spokesperson Sunil Sethi told ThePrint.