Shah in J&K for security review, asks party MLAs to be assertive in House

SRINAGAR: Amid the face-off between Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and CM Omar Abdullah, Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday arrived in Jammu on a three-day J&K visit to review the UT’s security and developmental scenario. On the first day, Shah met the party leaders in Jammu and devised a strategy for the remaining part of the budget session of J&K Assembly beginning from Monday.

He was received at the airport by the L-G and Union MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh and BJP leaders. It is Shah’s first visit to J&K after Omar Abdullah led government assumed power in October last year.

After a brief stopover at Raj Bhawan, Shah visited BJP headquarters at Trikuta Nagar, Jammu, and interacted with party legislators.

“The BJP legislators informed the HM that they have very vociferously foiled every attempt of the ruling party and other legislators of raising contentious Article 370 issue,” BJP sources said.

The party legislators also informed him that the budget session of J&K Assembly will resume on Monday after a 12-day long break.

The resumption of three-day remaining Budget session from tomorrow is likely to be stormy as the ruling-NC and its alliance members are mulling to move joint adjournment motion seeking suspension of the business on Monday to discuss the passage of Waqf Amendment Bill and transfer of 48 J&K Administrative (JKAS) officers by Sinha on Eid without taking the CM into confidence.

Sources said if Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather agrees on the adjournment motion, the session may be extended by a day or two. The HM would visit BSF BOP Vinay in Kathua on Monday morning. Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the HM took feedback from MLAs about security situation.

He was also apprised about narco terrorism and drug mafia. The HM has assured them that terrorism in J&K will be crushed. He also guided them on ways to deal with the J&K govt’s “unconstitutional” resolutions in the Assembly.