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Jammu & Kashmir heads towards Governor's Rule as Bharatiya Janata Party-PDP break up

Jammu & Kashmir heads towards Governor's Rule as Bharatiya Janata Party-PDP break up

New Delhi, June 19 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir hurtled towards Governor's Rule on Tuesday after the Bharatiya Janata Party announced that it had pulled out of the alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party in the militancy-hit state.
"It has become untenable for BJP to continue in the J&K government," BJP general secretary Ram Madhav told reporters here.
The decision was taken after BJP chief Amit Shah held detailed consultations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, key party leaders, Ministers and legislators from the state.
"In today's situation, radicalism, terror and violence has increased," Mr Madhav said.
He also thanked the Central government for its positive role and support in ensuring development for the state."But I feel sad to tell that the person who is responsible for running the state of affairs has failed...It seems the state government has failed," he said but maintained BJP would not like to question the Chief Minister's intent.
"The present situation cannot be handled by the present government....it is time the administration be taken over by Governor NN Vohra. After the killing of editor Shujaat Bukhari, we could not ask for extension of non-initiation of combat operations against militants," Mr Madhav said.
Endgame:
In Srinagar, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti resigned.'Mehbooba Mufti has resigned and I have handed over the letter to Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhavan,' senior PDP leader, Naeem Akhtar told reporters.
When asked why the BJP pulled out from the government, Mr Akhtar said, 'You all have seen on the television channels… they said we were soft.'
Ms Mehbooba was scheduled to address a news conference at 1700 hrs.
PDP and BJP continued coalition government after the death of chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed three years ago. The government was later headed by Ms Mehbooba.The PDP-BJP formed a coalition government in 2014 when no single party got majority in the general assembly elections in the state after NC-Congress completed six year term headed by Omar Abdullah.
PDP with 28 MLAs and BJP 25 formed the government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who described it as a joining of the North Pole with the South Pole.
After the demise of Mufti, the coalition government was headed by Mehbooba Mufti when both the parties decided to work under Common Minimum Programme.
Uneasy head:
Answering questions, BJP leader Mr Madhav, who was the chief architect of BJP-PDP alliance, said "Suspension of anti-combat operations during holy month of Ramzan was announced as a good gesture. This was done from a position of strength. This opportunity was not accepted ....so to bring things under control, we have taken today's decision.'
He said, besides security-related issues and 'rise of radicalism' in the state, there had been a sense of discrimination, too, among the people of Jammu and Ladakh regions because no adequate developmental works were carried out in these areas despite generous funding from the Centre.
Mr Madhav said during the past three years, over 600 terrorists had been eliminated in various operations.
"As for the question of why now, I can tell you that we are not satisfied with the role of the state government and so we have decided to pull out of the ruling coalition," he said.He said law and order is always a state subject and under the present regime in J&K, even "fundamental rights of citizens including right to life and free speech are in danger.'"In broad daylight they came to a high security zone and killed Shujaat Bukhari....," the BJP leader said.
At the end of the holy month of Ramzan, the Centre announced that the non-initiation of combat operations against militants would end.
The PDP of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had insisted that the Centre needed to reach out to the separatists, an argument rejected by the BJP leadership outright, especially after the killing of Editor Bukhari and Rashtriya Rifles jawan Aurangzeb.
Sources said the Union Home Ministry's special peace initiative-non-initiation of combat operations included -- did not yield expected results.
No truck with PDP, asserts Congress:
The Indian National Congress ruled out any truck with the PDP in the state.Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, told reporters here, 'the BJP cannot run away from its responsibility over the situation in J&K. In fact, the first criminal in this entire episode is the Central Government.'
'Mr Azad, however, ruled out any alliance with the PDP. 'There is no question of an alliance with the PDP.'The Congress leader said, 'I had warned the Prime Minister that alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party was an Himalayan blunder.'On Mr Madhav's assertion that the alliance with the PDP had become untenable, the Congress leader, a former Chief Minister of the state, said, 'The party is making excuses now. They are covering up corruption. They cannot shy away from the total disaster on their part.'Mr Azad said 'In the past three years, the PDP-BJP Government ruined the state. The last three years have witnessed the maximum number of casualties of Army jawans and the maximum number of civilian killings. They ruined Kashmir and have now pulled out. The people's suffering will end now. Whatever has happened is good. People of J and K will get some relief.'
AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala said, 'the BJP's lust for power stoked the fire of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. In four years, 373 jawans were martyred while 273 civilians were killed.What was achieved out of it (alliance between BJP and PDP)? There is a saying that 'what is the point of awaking after all has been lost. After stoking the fire, you have become a spectator.'
Terming the BJP pullout from the PDP-led government as 'opportunistic' and an 'act of political immorality,' AICC leader Kapil Sibal said, 'An opportunistic BJP. First an opportunistic alliance with PDP Now an opportunistic breakaway. Both acts of political immorality. Kaise desh badlega.'
Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of ruining the state.'After ruining it, BJP pulls out of Kashmir,' Mr Kejriwal tweeted.He said, 'Didn’t BJP tell us that demonetisation had broken the back of terrorism in Kashmir? Then what happened?'
In public interest:
Answering questions in the media conference where he announced the saffron party's decision to pull out of the Mehbooba Mufti-led ministry, Mr Madhav said: "It is time that the matter (governance) is taken over by the Governor and the situation is restored to normalcy....Then we can take the political process forward".He said besides the deteriorating law and order situation, the "rise in radicalisation and terrorism are also matters of concern" for his party.He added that the party's decision was taken in the "larger public interest.'
To a specific question on the timing of the BJP's decision after three years of sharing power with PDP, which is known for pro-separatist stance often, Mr Madhav said: "The state of Jammu and Kashmir has faced ups and downs many times....There was rise in violence and terrorism in past also, there was also controlled situations".
He said, "We came to the conclusion that the present situation cannot be controlled by this government (headed by Mehbooba) at this juncture" and pointed out that in the given situation: his party finds its "continuous in the alliance government untenable".Answering questions, BJP leader Madhav, who was the chief architect of alliance between the two parties, said "Non-initiation of combat operations against militants during the holy month of Ramzan was announced as a good gesture. This was done from a position of strength. This opportunity was not accepted ....so to bring things under control, we have arrived at today's decision.'He defended BJP's original decision to share power with PDP saying that was done only to respect the mandate of the people.
On the ground:
Life was crippled due to a strike in south Kashmir district of Kulgam and Anantnag, while partial shutdown was observed in Pulwama.Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in Kulgam, where a youth Aijaz Ahmad Bhat was killed and another injured when security forces allegedly opened fire to disperse demonstrators at village Akhran last evening. Work in government offices, banks and other establishments was affected due to strike. Majority educational institutions also remained closed as a precautionary measure, the official sources said.Additional security forces and state police personnel were deployed in the main Kulgam town and other sensitive areas to prevent any law and order problem. The authorities have also suspended mobile internet service in the district to prevent spread of any rumours.Life was also partially affected in Pulwama, where business and other activities reopend this morning.However, as the day progressed some shopkeepers closed their establishments as a precautionary measure, the sources said, adding that very few vehicles were seen plying on some routes, fearing stone pelting.
Traffic was plying normally on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, though additional security forces had been deployed at Pampore, Awantipora, Bijbehara and other places to prevent any stone pelting.Life returned to normal after business establishments were closed this morning in Shopian. Life was affected in south Kashmir district of Anantnag, where people observed the death anniversary of the Mirwaiz of south Kashmir Qazi Nissar, who was assassinated on this day in 1994 by unidentified gunmen at Dialgam .
Troops launched a Cordon and Search Operation in the woods on Tuesday in the frontier district of Kupwara where firing was heard last night, official sources said.With the first light this morning, troops resumed CASO in Bandipora forest where so far four militants have been killed and a soldier was martyred. The search operation was launched on June 9, when a group of infiltrators sneaked into this side from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).They said some firing shots were heard when a patrol of the Army was passing through Dedikote forest in the frontier district of Kupwara last night. Troops retaliated. The militants later fled from the area under the cover of darkness in the dense woods.Troops deployed in the nearby camps were immediately alerted, they said. A massive CASO was launched against the hiding militants. However, so far, no contact could be established with the ultras.
Delhi calling:
A UNI report from Jammu said Mr Amit Shah had on Monday summoned the party’s ministers from the state and senior cadre to Delhi. According to party sources, the ministers and BJP state president Ravinder Raina were summoned by Mr Shah for the consultations in New Delhi on Tuesday.
In Srinagar, the National Conference said it favoured imposition of Governor's rule in the state.Addressing a news conference after meeting the Governor at Raj Bhavan this afternoon, vice-president of the NC and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he had apprised Mr Vohra that the party would not extend support to form any government in the state.'I have also informed Governor that the party was also not interested to form the government, however, would extend all support to restore peace in the state”.'The NC urged the Governor that situation should be made conducive for holding elections in the state,' Mr Abdullah said.After the fractured verdict in 2014, the party was not in the position to form the government, he added.
UNI Team RP1833

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