Bilal Bashir Bhat
Srinagar, Aug 03 (Only Kashmir): Questioning on the tall claims of security arrangements for Amarnath Yatra pilgrims, former Inspector General (IG) BSF B. N. Sharma criticized the administration for cancelling the annual Amarnath Yatra, said this “poor” step helps the “plan to disrupt Yatra” without firing a single shot.
“If they had plan to disrupt Amarnath yatra, they succeeded without firing a single shot & forcing govt to cancel yatra. Aim acheived. If these were the levels of much talked about security arrangements for yatra, glad it has come to end without any incident taking place. Poor,” the former top cop tweeted.
If they had plan to disrupt Amarnath yatra, they succeeded without firing a single shot & forcing govt to cancel yatra. Aim acheived. If these were the levels of much talked about security arrangements for yatra, glad it has come to end without any incident taking place. Poor.
— 🇮🇳 BN Sharma Ex IG BSF (@BholaNath_BSF) August 3, 2019
He further stated, “Risk element always exists with Yatra that needs elaborate massive security arrangements. To me looks if some serious threat suddenly emerged to Yatra for which our security wasn’t prepared to tackle & cope up. There is a difference in stopping & calling of Yatra. A sign of real worry.”
Risk element always exists with yatra that needs elaborate massive security arngmts. To me looks if some serious threat suddenly emerged to yatra for which our security wasn’t prepared to tackle & cope up. There is difference in stopping & calling of yatra. A sign of real worry.
— 🇮🇳 BN Sharma Ex IG BSF (@BholaNath_BSF) August 3, 2019
Pertinently citing the reasons “latest intelligence inputs of terror threats with specific targeting of the Amarnath Yatra” the Governor administration, what they say “in the interest of safety and security of the tourists and Amarnath Yatris” asked Yatris and Tourists to curtail their stay in the valley immediately and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible.
Earlier, the Army on Friday said that an M-24 sniper rifle, IEDs and landmines belonging to the Pakistani Army along with a telescope were recovered from a terror cache along the Amarnath route.
Meanwhile, terming the security advisory for the Amarnath pilgrims as “unprecedented”, the senior Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad addressing a presser said, “Never ever in the past, during MMS, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Narsimha Rao’s time, did the government ask the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims to curtail their stay and go back. This is unprecedented. Incidents related to terrorism happened in Kashmir even during the previous governments but this [security advisory for Amarnath pilgrims and tourists] has never happened before.”
In the meantime, Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani in a statement said that chaotic and confusing situation has panicked every individual. Increasing the forces deployment, rumors of tempering special provisions of state, suspension of Yatra, evacuating tourists, students and yatries has created a war-like situation.
