After rushing 25,000 additional forces, IAF, Army put on high operational alert in J&K
New Delhi, Aug 02: The government has pressed into service Indian Airforce aircraft and the heavy lift plane C17 into service in Jammu and Kashmir. This has been done for the rapid induction of CRPF and other paramilitary forces into the Valley.
Both the Air Force and the Indian Army have been put on high operational alert in view of the ongoing situation in Kashmir.
It
may
be
recalled
that
on
Thursday
over
280
companies
of
security
forces
were
being
deployed
in
the
Valley.
This
move
came
after
the
government
rushed
10,000
troops
to
Jammu
and
Kashmir
last
week.
The
security
forces,
mostly
CRPF
personnel,
are
being
deployed
in
vulnerable
spots
in
the
city
and
other
parts
of
the
valley,
sources
tell
OneIndia.
Centre rushes 25,000 additional forces to Valley, as speculations regarding Article 35A grow
While no official reason has been given, sources say that it is to ensure security in the Valley.
All major entry and exit points of the city have been taken over by the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPFs) with token presence of local police, they said.
Local residents have started panic-buying essentials as they are linking the deployment of forces to apprehension of deterioration in the law and order situation.
The Centre had earlier ordered deployment of about 10,000 central forces personnel to Kashmir in order to strengthen counter-insurgency operations and law and order duties.
In order to strengthen the Counter Insurgency grid as well as for maintaining law and order situation in J&K, deployment of additional 100 companies of CAPFs are ordered, the Home Ministry had said in an order, while deploying the troops earlier.
It may be recalled that National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval had visited the Amarnath shrine and returned to Delhi last week. There is speculation rife that the move could be focused around the removal of Article 35A in the state. The last time such a huge deployment was made was before the Balakot air strike.
Sources tell OneIndia that there is a move to make fresh measures in the state. He however did not spell out clearly, what the move was. Each company comprises around 100 security personnel.
What
is
Article
35A:
What is Article 35A? The Article empowers the legislature of Jammu and Kashmir to define permanent residents of the state and also provide special rights and privileges to such persons. Prior to 1947, Jammu and Kashmir was a princely state under the British Paramountcy.
The people of the princely states were "state subjects", not British colonial subjects. In the case of Jammu and Kashmir, the political movements in the state in the early 20th century led to the emergence of "hereditary state subject" as a political identity for the State's people, and the legal provisions for the recognition of the status were enacted by the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir between 1912 and 1932.The 1927 Hereditary State Subject Order, passed by the Maharaja due to the pressure of the Pandit community which had launched a "Kashmir for the Kashmiri" movement, granted to the state subjects the right to government office and the right to land use and ownership, which were not available to non-state subjects.
Following the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the Indian Union on 26 October 1947, the Maharaja ceded control over defence, external affairs and communications (the 'ceded subjects') to the Government of India . The Article 370 of the Constitution of India and the concomitant Constitutional Order of 1950 formalised this relationship.
Discussions for furthering the relationship between the State and the Union continued, culminating in the 1952 Delhi Agreement, whereby the governments of the State and the Union agreed that Indian citizenship would be extended to all the residents of the state but the state would be empowered to legislate over the rights and privileges of the state subjects, who would now be called permanent residents.
What Article 35A states?
"Saving
of
laws
with
respect
to
permanent
residents
and
their
rights.
-
Notwithstanding
anything
contained
in
this
Constitution,
no
existing
law
in
force
in
the
State
of
Jammu
and
Kashmir,
and
no
law
hereafter
enacted
by
the
Legislature
of
the
State:
(a)
defining
the
classes
of
persons
who
are,
or
shall
be,
permanent
residents
of
the
State
of
Jammu
and
Kashmir;
or
(b)
conferring
on
such
permanent
residents
any
special
rights
and
privileges
or
imposing
upon
other
persons
any
restrictions
as
respects-
(i)
employment
under
the
State
Government;
(ii)
acquisition
of
immovable
property
in
the
State;
(iii)
settlement
in
the
State;
or
(iv)
right
to
scholarships
and
such
other
forms
of
aid
as
the
State
Government
may
provide,
shall
be
void
on
the
ground
that
it
is
inconsistent
with
or
takes
away
or
abridges
any
rights
conferred
on
the
other
citizens
of
India
by
any
provision
of
this
part."