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Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha: I take full onus for Pahalgam, was a security failure
File photo: J&K LG Manoj Sinha (Picture credit: PTI) LG Manoj Sinha, who completes five years at J&K Raj Bhavan, told TOI's Bharti Jain that the Pahalgam terror attack was a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack. 'The intention of the neighbour (Pakistan) was to create a communal divide. ' 'I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure.' Excerpts from the interview: Has the Pahalgam attack shattered the myth that terrorism is on the wane in J&K? What happened in Pahalgam was very unfortunate; innocent people were brutally killed. I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure. The common belief here has been that terrorists do not target tourists. The location where the attack took place is an open meadow. There is no facility or room for security forces to be present there. This was a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack. The arrests made by NIA in the case corroborate local involvement but it would still be wrong to conclude that the security environment in J&K stands completely vitiated. The attack was a debilitating and deliberate strike on the nation's soul. The intention of the neighbour (Pakistan) was to create a communal divide and trigger a backlash against the people of J&K living in other parts of the country, adding to the feeling of alienation. Pakistan doesn't want J&K to be peaceful and prosperous. In the past five years, the J&K economy's size has doubled. Tourists have been flocking in high numbers. This (attack) was a hit by Pakistan at the economic well-being of Kashmir. But condemnation and protests by the people of Kashmir following the attack provided a befitting reply to Pakistan and terror outfits. They were clear signs that terrorism is not acceptable here anymore. There has been no attack in J&K since Operation Sindoor. Do you think this will hold? Operation Sindoor has drawn red lines for Pakistan. India has made it clear that any terror attack will be considered an act of war. The manner in which our forces carried out precise hits against terror facilities in Pakistan, and when it tried to target our military and civilian assets, how they destroyed their airbases, conveyed a stern message to Pakistan. Still, a country that has made terrorism its declared state policy, is not to be trusted. I am confident that the home ministry, defence ministry and our intelligence agencies are keeping a watch on Pakistan. But it is a fact that there has been no terror attack in J&K after Operation Sindoor. Is local involvement in Pahalgam attack a worry for security agencies? Local terror recruitment is at an all-time low. There has been just one incident of local recruitment this year as compared to 6 to 7 last year; there was a time when this figure used to be 150-200. But it is also a fact that Pakistan has facilitated the infiltration of a large number of terrorists in both Jammu region and Kashmir region. How has the Pahalgam incident impacted tourism in J&K? Tourist arrivals had almost stopped after the Pahalgam incident. We believed that the Amarnath yatra would be turning point. What is the status on tourist destinations closed after Pahalgam attack? We have already opened many. Others will be opened too in a phased manner. This is being done after finalising a robust security plan for each one of them.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP seek LG's intervention as mandatory Urdu test for revenue official recruitment sparks outrage in Jammu
File photo: J&K LG Manoj Sinha (PTI) JAMMU: The mandatory requirement of knowledge of Urdu for recruitment as naib tehsildars (revenue officials) in Jammu and Kashmir has triggered uproar in the Jammu division, with J&K BJP brass meeting LG Manoj Sinha on Thursday to press for scrapping the move. The J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB) issued a notification on June 9 for the recruitment of 75 naib tehsildars, with Urdu language test designated compulsory to qualify for the post. The notification has youths and organisations up in arms in the Jammu region, where students mostly study Hindi or Punjabi. Students and BJP-affiliated organisations have held protests decrying the move and accusing the Omar Abdullah government of depriving Jammu's youths of employment opportunities. J&K BJP president Sat Sharma and leader of opposition in the assembly Sunil Sharma on Thursday called on the LG and sought his intervention. Pointing out that the UT had five official languages — Hindi, English, Kashmiri, Dogri and Urdu — they said making the knowledge of one of these languages mandatory violated the constitutional principles of equal opportunity and administrative impartiality. The move created an unfair barrier as it was disadvantageous to aspirants from the Jammu division, they stressed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Walgreens Hides This Cheap 87¢ Generic Viagra from Seniors – Here's Why fridayplans Learn More Undo BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa described the eligibility criterion as a 'conspiracy to block Jammu youth from securing govt jobs'. Former deputy CM Kavinder Gupta of the BJP demanded an immediate review of the decision and called for ensuring a level playing field to all candidates, irrespective of their regional and linguistic backgrounds. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists held a massive protest in Jammu against what they termed a discriminatory and biased provision. ABVP, too, organised protests at all district headquarters in Jammu. Lashing out at the Omar govt, head of J&K chapter of BJYM, Arun Prabhat, said: 'The imposition of Urdu is a deliberate attempt to exclude deserving candidates from Jammu. Such regional discrimination will not be tolerated and we demand an immediate rollback.' A controversy over the issue in the past had prompted the J&K administration to decide in Nov 2022 that Urdu would not be mandatory for the naib tehsildar recruitment test, whenever these are held. Since then, JKSSB had not advertised any vacancies for the post or initiated the recruitment process. However, J&K Urdu Coordination Committee, Kashmir wing, had at that time expressed disappointment over the decision.
