Governor rule in J&K to end soon: Vohra

Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra on Monday hinted that the new government in the state would be in place “very soon.”

“I am hopeful that the present spell of governance under my charge will soon come to an end, when the elected representatives form the government and take over the responsibility of running the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir,” Vohra said in his address, after hoisting the Tricolour on the occasion of the 66th Republic Day, at MA Stadium in Jammu.

Referring to the imposition of the Governor’s Rule in the state earlier this month, he said, “The recent elections  did not yield a clear cut verdict. And while talks between the leading political parties were underway, the caretaker chief minister (Omar Abdullah) decided to step down. This unforeseen development led to the imposition of the Governor’s Rule.”

The Governor observed that after the successful conduct of elections to the state Assembly, which were visibly free and fair, “I believe that the people’s mandate shall very soon lead to the installation of the next government.”

Expressing serious concern over repeated ceasefire violations and continuing attempts at infiltration across the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC), Vohra said, “In the Jammu region, there were two terrorist attacks across the IB last year. The repeated instances of unprovoked heavy firing from across the border caused loss of innocent lives and damage to the properties of those who are living in the villages along the border.”

He observed that maintenance of peace and public order was imperative for securing sustained growth and development.

“Because of the consistently negative trans-border factors and recurring challenges to the maintenance of peace and normalcy, Jammu and Kashmir has continued to face varied hurdles in maintaining the required pace for securing its growth and developmental goals,” Vohra added.

The governor observed that rehabilitation and reconstruction work began as soon as the flood receded and, thanks to the timely efforts put in by the authorities, there was no occurrence of any kind of epidemic.

Kashmir shuts down

Normal life across Kashmir was paralysed on Monday in response to the strike call given by separatists but official functions for the Republic Day passed of peacefully throughout the state, DHNS reports. Eyewitnesses said the police and the Central Reserve Police Force guarded roads while armoured vehicles were stationed at sensitive points across Srinagar.  Security was also heightened around Bakshi Stadium, the main venue of the Republic Day function.

Meanwhile, for the first time in a decade, mobile phones and Internet services were not snapped when the Republic Day parade began at Bakshi Stadium and at district headquarters. These services used to remain shut on Republic Day and Independence Day after militants used a mobile phone to trigger a blast outside Bakshi Stadium in 2005.