Countdown on For End Of Article 35A : Kashmir on edge

New Delhi/Srinagar: In a sudden move, the Union Home Ministry late on Friday deployed 10,000 paramilitary personnel in Jammu and Kashmir, leaving the valley guessing and on edge.

The development follows National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's visit to the valley to take stock of security and infrastructure development in the state.

The sudden deployment sparked panic in the valley with speculation rife about the abrogation of Article 35A. BJP's pledge to scrap Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir was a major poll plank.

Article 370 of the Constitution promises autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A gives special privileges to "permanent residents" of the state and it defines who the "permanent residents" are.

Jammu & Kashmir has already seen deployment of an additional 40,0000 paramilitary personnel due to the ongoing Amarnath Yatra. The Union home ministry has said the deployment is part of a routine induction and de-induction process.

The troop deployment, a person familiar with the development said, was happening in a phased manner with some forces being airlifted to Srinagar and some being transported through convoys.

While the deployment began on Thursday evening, troops guarding the Amarnath Yatra will also be inducted into the valley, based on orders from the Centre.

"The order of additional deployment is to strengthen the counter insurgency network and maintain law and order in the state. There is no reason to panic," said a senior Union Home Ministry official, requesting anonymity.

However, people in the Valley familiar with the development said troops that have been brought in from other states were "in the process of being inducted and trained to prepare for a big event after the conclusion of the Amarnath Yatra on 15 August."

Stakeholders, who had expressed willingness to conduct a dialogue with the Centre, however, came down heavy on the government following additional deployment.

"The fact in Kashmir is that there is already heavy militarisation. So instead of de-militarising, the Centre has sent in more troops and we fail to understand why there is a sudden movement in both North and South Kashmir," Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told Mint.

The political establishment in the valley has also hit out at the Centre for arbitrarily injecting more military in the state. "Centre's decision to deploy additional 10,000 troops to the valley has created fear psychosis amongst people.

There is no dearth of security forces in Kashmir. J&K is a political problem which won't be solved by military means. Government of India needs to rethink and overhaul its policy," former CM Mehbooba Mufti said, on Twitter.

The Friday night deployment comprises paramilitary forces from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).