Amit Shah to address public rallies in Jammu and Kashmir on Oct 1, 2

Union home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day visit from October 1, where he is expected to make some announcements, including granting tribal status to the Pahari community living in the Union Territory (UT).

This will be Shah’s second visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the special status of the erstwhile state was revoked on August 5, 2019. Last October Shah had visited Kashmir in the wake of rising attacks on minority community members by the militants in the Valley.

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Kashmir Affairs in charge, Sunil Sharma said that the Home Minister will address mega rallies in Rajouri district of Jammu and Baramulla in north Kashmir on October 1 and 2 respectively.

“The Home Minister will arrive in Jammu on September 30 and on October 1 he will address a mega rally in Rajouri. He will also address a mega rally in Baramulla town on October 2,” Shamra said and added that Shah will talk about several issues with the people of Kashmir.

However, Sharma eluded the question when asked whether Home Minister’s visit was related to holding of much awaited Assembly elections in the UT. “Relating the visit with the holding of elections in J&K soon would be wrong, as this is a routine visit. He (Shah) had yesterday visited Bihar as well,” he said.

Shah can meet with leaders of different political parties and panchayat representatives during his stay, sources said. He is also likely to hold separate meetings with members of the business community, especially hotel owners and businessmen related to tourism and other allied sectors.

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The Home Minister is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone for a Cancer hospital, being constructed by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, in the Valley.

The visit of Shah assumes significance as Assembly polls in the UT may be held in April-May next year. J&K government has already said that almost all the preparations have been made for the elections and it was up to the Election Commission to decide the date for the polls.