CURRENT EVENTS
JAMMU & KASHMIRShah met Khan’s parents and
handed over an appointment letter
to his widow; she was given a job
in the state health department.
Khan was injured on June 12 when
he rushed to the aid of a CRPF
party that was under attack from a
Pakistani militant at K.P. Road in
Anantnag. Five CRPF men and the
militant died in the attack. A bullet
had pierced Khan’s liver and intes-
tines and he was taken to hospital.
He was later airlifted to Delhi for
treatment at the All India Institute
of Medical Sciences, where he died
on June 17.
There were emotional scenes at
District Police Lines in Srinagar,
where Khan’s body was kept for
wreath laying. The video of Haseeb
Mughal, the senior superintendent
of police, Srinagar, bursting into
tears while carrying away Khan’s
four-year-old son, Ubhan, went
viral on social media. “We are
pleased that the spouse of our slain
colleague got a government job,”
Mughal told THE WEEK. “Usually,
such cases take a minimum of six
months, but this one was settled
in a week.” He said since most
policemen were locals, the media
had not focused on the police’s
sacrifices. “We hope it changes
now,” he added.
Though he met many people
on his visit, Shah notably did not
meet any regional leaders, which
was seen as a snub to them by
the BJP government. The party
has been highly critical of the
National Conference and the
People’s Democratic Party,04 and
has accused them of perpetuating
dynasty politics and misrule. Shah
recently moved a bill in the Rajya
Sabha to extend President’s rule
in the state by another six months.
It was passed on July 1. Appar-
ently, the BJP wants the Election
Commission to hold elections in
the state after Amarnath yatra. The
party believes it can use its success
in the Lok Sabha elections to its
advantage in the state polls.SAFE PASSAGE
Indo-Tibetan Border
Police personnel stand
guard along the route to
the Amarnath shrine
Taking aim
n The BJP wants to increase its support
base in Kashmir using its political and
organisational strength.
n But, given that it wants to abolish arti-
cles 370 and 35A, the BJP would find it
difficult to do so in the near future.
n The party also wants delimitation of
assembly constituencies.
n In 2002, the state government barred
delimitation till the first census—after
2026—was conducted.
n The BJP could get the governor to
amend the Representation of the
People Act to allow for delimitation.
n This, however, needs approval from
Parliament.
n The BJP hopes the delimitation would
increase the number of assembly
seats in Hindu-dominated regions;
Kashmir has 46 to Jammu’s 37. Lada-
kh has four.
n The BJP is unlikely to hold talks with
Hurriyat Conference outside the ambit
of the Constitution.
n The government has come down hard
on separatists and has arrested many
for terror funding.PTI