The Week India – July 14, 2019

JULY 14, 2019 • THE WEEK 17

elections did not figure in the discus-

sion, but the party was ready to con-

test whenever the Election Commis-

sion announced the polls. “We have

the support of hundreds of panchs

and sarpanchs, and municipalities

in Jammu and Srinagar are already

under our control,” said Khanna. “We

are aiming to get 44 plus [of 87] seats

in the assembly.”

On the second day of his trip, Shah

visited the home of inspector Arshad

Khan at Balgarden in Srinagar. Many

saw the visit as a recognition of the

role the Jammu and Kashmir Police

plays in the fight against militancy

in the state. The police’s role often

gets overshadowed because of the

attention that the media and the

Centre give to the Army and Central

forces. Since 1989, about 1,600 men

of the state police have been killed in

attacks by militants and in anti-mili-

tancy operations in the state.

HELP AT HAND

Home Minister Amit

Shah visits the family

of slain Jammu and

Kashmir Police

inspector Arshad

Khan in Srinagar

We have the support

of hundreds of panchs

and sarpanchs. We are

aiming to get 44 plus

[of 87] seats in the

assembly.

Avinash Rai Khanna,

BJP state in-charge

PTI