President Ram Nath Kovind approves of Governor’s rule in JK

TODAY, the President Ram Nath Kovind has approved of the Governor’s rule in Jammu Kashmir after the 3 years alliance BJP & PDP has ended.

Jammu Kashmir was brought under Governor’s rule on Wednesday after President Ram Nath Kovind approved the recommendation forwarded by Governor NN Vohra. The Governor had made the recommendation on Tuesday after the Mehbooba Mufti government fell in the state, following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decision to end its more than three-year-old alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Governor Vohra had sent a report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs after holding talks with all leading J&K politicians following the dramatic development. CM Mufti had immediately resigned after the BJP announced its decision in New Delhi.

BJP leader Ram Madhav had said in the afternoon at a press conference that it had become untenable for the party to continue its alliance with PDP in Jammu Kashmir as terrorism and radicalisation were on an upward trajectory in the state.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh met top officials, including Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and those from the Intelligence Bureau to review the ground situation in the sensitive state.

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It is for the eighth time that Jammu Kashmir has come under the Governor’s Rule in the last four decades. Governor Vohra, a former civil servant, is now in-charge of affairs in the state – he was first appointed the Governor on June 25, 2008, and re-appointed for a second term in 2013. His term ends later this month and is likely to be replaced, said highly-placed sources.

The BJP’s decision came just two days after the Home Ministry decided against extending the unilateral ceasefire announced for the month of Ramzan. Operations against terrorists in the state have resumed following the Central government’s decision.

The Union government had announced the suspension of operations against terrorists on May 17 to provide a conducive atmosphere in the state during the fasting month of Ramzan. However, terrorists used the opportunity to carry out greater strikes in the Valley.

As per officials, while 18 terror incidents were reported between April 17 and May 17 this year, the figure jumped to more than 50 during the suspension of operations.

Among the terror-related incidents recorded in the state where the brutal killing of an Indian Army soldier by terrorists, attacks on civilians in favour of a moderate approach, and gunning down of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari, who was a strong voice of peace.