Take part in JK civic polls: Rajnath to parties; Inaugurates ‘smart-fence’ projects in Jammu

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Jammu, Sep 17: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday appealed to political parties to participate in the forthcoming panchayat and urban local body polls in Jammu and Kashmir, in the wake of the NC and the PDP announcing a boycott of the elections.

Singh’s appeal came after the two major regional parties — the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party — announced that they would not take part in the elections as the Centre has not cleared its stand on Article 35A of the Constitution.

“I would like to appeal that all the political parties should participate in the political process. This will provide an opportunity to them to interact with the people,” Singh said at a press conference in Jammu.

Article 35A was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order and accords special rights and privileges to the Jammu and Kashmir citizens. The Article, which denies property rights to a woman who marries a person from outside the state, has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the matter is still under consideration.

To a question, the home minister said India has made all efforts to improve its relations with Pakistan and cited the impromptu visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to that country to buttress his point.

“But we cannot change the behaviour of Pakistan. They will have to understand how to behave with a neighbour,” he said.

Earlier, Singh inaugurated two smart fence pilot projects along the Indo-Pak border near in Jammu. “Border security is our top most priority. I am happy to inaugurate two pilot projects under CIBMS (Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System) today. We have already identified vulnerable areas and gaps on all borders,” he said.

Singh arrived in winter capital and inaugurated the project at BSF Headquarters, where an e-inauguration function was held.

He was accompanied with Union Minister of state for PMO, Jitendra Singh and DG BSF K K Sharma.

The pilot phase of  two projects, each covering a 5.5 km-border stretch along the International Border in Jammu, are set to get a first-of-a-kind high-tech surveillance system that will create an invisible electronic barrier on land, water and even in air and underground, helping the Border Security Force (BSF) detect and foil infiltration bids in the most difficult terrains.

Rajnath.

CIBMS involves deployment of a range of state-of-the-art surveillance technologies — thermal imagers, infra-red and laser-based intruder alarms that form an invisible land fence, aerostats for aerial surveillance, unattended ground sensors that can help detect intrusion bids through tunnels, radars, sonar systems to secure riverine borders, fiber optic sensors and a command and control system that shall receive data from all surveillance device in real time.

The programme is a more robust border management system which is seamlessly integrating modern technology with human resource, a Home Ministry official said.

“Based on integrated border management system, this virtual fence would be first of its kind initiative in India,” said the official.

The officer said the CIBMS is designed to guard stretches where physical surveillance is not possible either due to inhospitable terrain or riverine borders.

 

NC, PDP reacts

‘Delhi didn’t listen to us, why should we’

Srinagar, Sep 17: Hitting back at Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for appealing them to participate in the Municipal and Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the two top regional mainstream political parties National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said “Delhi has not listened to our appeal and why should we listen to appeal of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh when a decision to hold Municipal and Panchayat elections has been taken without our consent and knowing our reservations about Article 35-A and vulnerable security scenario in the state.”

Talking to Kashmir News Service National Conference (NC) General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said “We demanded a clear cut clarification on Article 35-A which is our constitutional right but New Delhi turned a deaf ear to our demand and reservations about the security scenario in the State. The elections are being held when Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) and Operation All Out is continuing unabated. Question arises that amid killings how can elections be held in such a vulnerable security scenario amid brewing resentment among people on Central Governments objectionable stand over Article 35-A.”

Responding to Union Home Ministers appeal for participation in Panchayat and Municipal elections the chief Spokesman PDP Rafi Ahmad Mir told KNS “we wanted a clarification of the Central Governments stand on Article 35-A and expressed our reservation on conduct of elections in the present hostile security environment. They should have listened patiently to our demands and we had also demanded an all-party meet to evolve a consensus over the issues and the suitability of time and atmosphere for elections. They have not considered our suggestions and we have also taken a decision keeping in view the public outrage against the petitions filed in the Supreme Court against Article 35-A and the present hostile security scenario in the state.”

Reacting to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s appeal for participation in elections, PDF chairman and MLA Khan Sahib Hakim Mohammad Yaseen said “Home Minister is appealing us when the government has already announced poll schedule for Municipal and Panchayat elections without our consent. The decision to hold elections without listening to our demands on Article 35-A and present security scenario is murder of democracy and shows brute arrogance of the government. Saddened to hear champions of democracy beating drums of democracy without giving any due regard and respect to the largest political parties in the state. We have taken a decision and won’t listen to any appeal from any quarter on our boycott to Municipal and Panchayat elections.” (KNS)

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