J&K Ramzan Ceasefire: Satisfied With Move as Common People Were Benefited, Says Union MoS Home Hansraj Ahir

New Delhi, June 15: Union Minister Hansraj Ahir has called the suspension of a ceasefire during Ramzan a "good decision" taken by the Indian government and also expressed his satisfaction over a month-long ceasefire. He said "The result of the suspension of operations in J&K during Ramzan has been good. Common people were satisfied with the decision. Whether to extend the suspension of operations or not will be decided by the government." The statement has come amid the news which was doing rounds that Centre is thinking of extending the Ramzan ceasefire. However, later it was also reported that it won't happen because Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to begin from June 28.

Ahir, the MoS for Home Affairs, said the Ministry was supposed to decide on whether to extend the Ramzan ceasefire on Thursday, but has decided not to take an official call till Eid al-Fitr. The motive behind keeping the operations on halt during the holy month of Ramzan in order to facilitate the peace-loving Muslims to observe the fasts in a peaceful environment.

Over not extending the Ramzan ceasefire, a top leader was quoted by the Indian Express as saying,"The announcement on the halting of operations was till Ramzan, and the unilateral suspension will end on Eid. The government is unlikely to extend it because the Amarnath Yatra will begin within days, and we have to sanitise the corridors. We cannot keep the hands of the Army tied."

Last year militants attacked the pilgrims of the Amarnath Yatra who cordoned one of their travel buses. Around eight people were killed by the terrorist and several others were injured.

A day ahead of the conclusion of the holy month of Ramzan and the festival of Eid, senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari, editor of English daily ‘Rising Kashmir’ was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in front of his office at Press Enclave in Srinagar. One of his Personal Security Officer (PSO) was also shot dead, while the other is critically injured. On the same day, a soldier of the Rashtriya Rifles Battalion of the Indian Army who was returning home for Eid was abducted by militants; and later his bullet-riddled body was found in a village in Pulwama. Reportedly another soldier and two militants were killed in a gunbattle in Bandipora on the eve of Eid.

The militant brutality has exposed their intent to sabotage the measures of peace such as the suspension of the ceasefire decision taken by the Indian government. Moreover, an explicit announcement over the suspension of the ceasefire will not be made and it will automatically end after the Eid celebration day. The action will be seen. Reportedly the army had shot more than 35 infiltrators near the Line of Control (LoC) and in other areas during the suspension of operations which proved no positive gestures after the suspension of ceasefire over a month.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 15, 2018 06:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).