Srinagar, Dec 29: Stating that no political or social worker is under detention at present, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the opposition political parties enjoy complete freedom to hold rallies and meetings across J&K.
In an inrterview with Zee News, the LG said “there are no restrictions on political parties in J&K to hold their political rallies… they are free to do their politics and they are doing that… And not a single political or social worker is under detention or arrest,” Sinha said in an interview to a national TV channel on Wednesday evening.
He said the decision about holding polls in J&K will be decided by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Sinha said they have not illegally evicted politicians from bungalows, rather some politicians were given alternate accommodations, based on the assessment of security agencies, but they refused to accept.
With regard to evictions, the LG said, they have followed due process of law.
“There is a committee which makes a regular assessment of security threat perception vis-a-vis all protected persons. On the basis of threat perception, houses were allotted to the protected persons. There was a directive from the High Court and accordingly following due procedure of law and fresh assessment by the Committee, the concerned persons were evicted,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Even when the president retires, he/she is given an alternate accommodation, Sinha added.
He said the ECI had directed them to evacuate the main govt accommodations under possession of politicians and provide alternate accommodations to them like former chief ministers, ministers etc and the same law is in place across the country.
“This is in every part of India. There is no such discrimination,” Sinha said.
On protesting Kashmiri pandits, the Lieutenant Governor reiterated his commitment for fool-proof security of Kashmiri Pandit migrant (PM package) (and other) employees working in Kashmir.
He said that he was misquoted by the media regarding protesting employees in Jammu seeking their relocation on the pretext of security threat.
About Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, the LG said they would allow and ensure the safe Yatra of Rahul Gandhi in J&K if the situation with regard to Covid-19 remains normal.
On the recent amendment in land laws, the LG said the government land was sold in peanuts. “We have only stated that new auctions need to be done as per Supreme Court guidelines as the old laws were regressive,” Sinha added.
‘Kashmir to host 3-days G20 event’
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said that Kashmir valley will host a three-day G-20 event and preparations to this direction have been started.
“There will be a three-day G-20 event in Kashmir valley. The security situation is normal and Kashmir is set to host the G20 event. The G20 meeting will happen in Kashmir for three days,” Sinha said.
He said there is no confirmation about holding a G-20 event in Jammu so far, but the administration in Jammu too wants an event. “As of now there is no such confirmation,” he said.
‘Massive campaign against narco-terrorism on’
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said that narco-terrorism is a biggest challenge in the present times. There are 247 districts including 10 districts of JK which are victims of drugs and narco-terrorism.
To a question pertaining to the growing threat of narco-terrorism, LG Sinha said, “We don’t consider the youth addicted to drugs as culprits. But we are going all out against the carriers who induce them to drugs, deliver them and make them addicts,” he said.
The LG added that the J & K government has launched a massive campaign against narco-terrorism and some decisions have been taken at the Home Ministry level to deal with this threat. “narco-terror is a conspiracy of our neighbour. Pakistan is responsible for it. They promote narco-terrorism,” he said.
He said the Sarpanchs and Youth Clubs will play an important role in fighting narco-terorism in J&K. “Conspiracies are being made to ruin the youth of our country since India is a youth power and some elements don’t want India to prosper. So they are trying to throw our youth into drugs,” he said.
He said they want a corruption free, drug free and unemployment free J&K.
