‘No Shot Fired In J&K After Article 370 Removal'

In his first interview since BJP returned to power, Home Minister & party chief Amit Shah talks about Kashmir, NRC, economy and the coming Assembly polls.

- Rahul Kanwal in New Delhi

In His first interview after Article 370 was abrogated, Union Home Minister Amit Shah dismissed reports of violence on the ground and said Jammu and Kashmir is very peaceful. Incidentally, Shah’s statement came on a day when postpaid mobile services were restored in the Valley after more than 70 days of lockdown. The Home Minister also held Article 370 responsible for the killings of 40,000 people.

“There is no curfew anywhere and no shoot-at-sight order after the abrogation of Article 370. Section 144 has been imposed only in six police station areas. The apple business is running smoothly. There is traffic on roads and markets are also reopening gradually. Overall, the situation is good. People are going to masjid to offer Friday prayers. There is peace in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions. Mobile services and voice calls have also resumed.”

J&K LEADERS’ DETENTION

When asked about the detention of former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Shah said when a decision is fresh, it is natural for people to be shocked. “If someone tries to incite then it will be difficult to control the situation. Some 4,000 people were detained as a precautionary measure, of which less than 1,000 are in jail today. More than 800 of them were caught stone-pelting. Why was Sheikh Abdullah jailed for 11 years when there was Article 370? Congress didn't say anything because it was in power. They justified it by saying that he incited people. But now for over two-and a-half-months, they are making an issue out of it,” he said.