DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 12:31:40 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/article-370/village-defence-committees-aid-security-forces-neutralise-terrorist-threat-449729.html Srinagar Aug 13 In the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 2019 and in response to shifting terrorist strategies there has been a recalibration in the approach to counterterrorism efforts A significant development in this respect has been the revival of defunct Village Defence Committees VDCs in regions like Rajouri and Poonch once considered relatively free from militancy which have witnessed the resurgence of terrorist activities prompting a strategic response that involves revitalising local defence mechanisms The VDC members played a decisive role in neutralising a terrorist during an encounter in the Gunda Khawas forest area of Rajouri district on August 5 They were the first to detect the presence of a group of terrorists in the village In a swift response the VDC in collaboration with the police engaged in gunfire resulting in the elimination of one terrorist Their rapid action shielded the villagers from the terrorists gunfire while continuous patrolling was undertaken to safeguard the community from potential terrorist threats Recounting the operation Yashpal a VDC member said After sensing some movement we conducted a joint operation against an unknown individual One person attempted to intercept him but he opened fire at us During our retaliation he was neutralised The other militant managed to escape into the jungles but we remain vigilant and will track him down soon Surjeet Thakur another VDC member emphasised the need for enhanced security measures People are feeling insecure due to an atmosphere of fear Our youth are feeling unsafe I appeal to the administration to establish a post of paramilitary forces in the area to ensure safety The VDC had limited ammunition whereas the terrorists were armed with automatic rifles Its challenging to counter automatic rifles with old guns We take pride in our accomplishments If we are equipped with automatic rifles we will stand shoulder to shoulder with security forces in the fight against terrorists Thakur said The revitalisation of VDCs in Rajouri and Poonch districts following the tragic massacre at Dhangri in Rajouri on January 1 gave new life to these committees The Dhangri attack saw terrorists assault four houses resulting in the death of four people including a fatherson duo besides injuring six others The following morning a powerful IED explosion claimed the lives of two minor cousins The rejuvenated VDCs are at the forefront of the battle against militancy in Jammu and Kashmir complementing the efforts of security agencies to eradicate terrorism The General Officer Commanding of Armys Romeo Force Major General Mohit Trivedi emphasised the coordinated efforts between the security agencies and the local populace This operation was the outcome of coordination between security agencies and the people Our ongoing operations in the area have been shrinking the space for the terrorists These synergised operations will persist against antinational elements he said The role of VDCs has become pivotal as security agencies intensify their efforts to eliminate resurgent terrorism from the Pir Panjal region These committees comprising skilled individuals collaborating closely with the security forces have proven their efficacy in the remote areas of Jammu province Instilling a sense of security among the populace the VDCs stand as a deterrent against terrorist threats IANS https://dailyworld.in/article-370/village-defence-committees-aid-security-forces-neutralise-terrorist-threat-449729.html Sun, 13 Aug 2023 11:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/article-370/delimitation-sparks-concerns-over-representation-for-pok-refugees-449730.html Srinagar Aug 13 Amid the recent developments allowing Pakistanoccupied Kashmir PoK refugees living in other parts of the country access to Jammu and Kashmir domicile an unresolved issue has emerged casting a shadow over the delimitation of assembly seats in the region The PoK refugees residing in Jammu express their discontent with the delimitation process citing the omission of areas under Pakistani occupation from the equation Rajiv Chunni a prominent PoK refugee leader highlights a historical incongruity in the allocation of assembly seats Harkening back to the 1950s the establishment of 100 seats saw 75 designated for Jammu and Kashmir while 25 were allotted to PoK Strikingly despite an increase in the number of seats for Jammu and Kashmir over time the number of seats granted to PoK has remained static The number of seats for PoK should increase corresponding to the increase in population in those areas Rajeev Chunni said Hasnt the population of PoK increased since the area was allotted 25 seats Recently the Delimitation Commission in Jammu and Kashmir unveiled a draft proposal outlining the distribution of assembly seats An expansion from 83 to 90 seats was recommended However this proposition found itself ensnared in a web of criticism from various quarters The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Alliance PAGD a confluence of regional parties staunchly rebuffed the proposal asserting an alleged bias and expressing concerns over glaring population disparities The local leaders of BJP however welcomed the recommendations by the Commission Parliament resolution firmly states that entire Jammu and Kashmir with areas under Pakistani occupation are a part of India hence the delimitation should have been done for the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir including areas under Pakistani occupation Chunni said We are asking the question that after the abrogation of Article 370 where do the PoK refugees stand Chunni termed as unjust treatment the Centres decision to reserve one seat for refugees in the assembly One seat has been reserved for refugees that includes 1947 refugees and refugees from 1965 and 1975 wars this is injustice he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/article-370/delimitation-sparks-concerns-over-representation-for-pok-refugees-449730.html Sun, 13 Aug 2023 11:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/article-370/jammus-rs-pura-border-thrives-as-peace-revives-prosperity-449731.html Srinagar Aug 13 In a heartening turn of events tranquility and optimism have returned to the RS Pura border region adjacent to the international border in Jammu best symbolised by the flourishing crops that now adorn the area The resumption of border tourism at RS Puras Suchetgarh post and the accelerated pace of the fourlaning road project stand as beacons of progress and growth Merely a few years ago relentless crossborder firing from Pakistan had disrupted the lives of farmers in the region The constant threat of firing had forced local residents to leave their homes to seek safety Previously we couldnt tend to our farms due to constant shelling from Pakistan Now peace has returned to the border villages and we are working in our fields without living in fear anymore said Roshan Lal a farmer at the zero line in RS Pura A turning point came in November 2003 when a Ceasefire Agreement was inked between India and Pakistan This brought hope to the beleaguered populace as migrants returned to reestablish their lives and livelihoods Regrettably the ceasefire lost meaning as sporadic firing and mortar attacks persisted from Pakistans side A glimmer of hope was rekindled in 2021 when the ceasefire agreement was reinstated between the two nations From that point onwards a tranquil atmosphere has prevailed in the border areas significantly benefitting the local farmers who have returned to their fields with renewed enthusiasm The restoration of peace has enabled residents to resume their daily lives without the constant shadow of conflict looming over them There arent any ceasefire violations anymore Earlier we were living in constant worry but now we feel much safer Pakistani shells used to land in our villages before but firing has ceased for the last four years shared Darshan Kumar another farmer The positive changes have been manifold The lush fertile fields narrate the tale of revived prosperity and happiness Border tourism has been resumed at RS Puras Suchetgarh post attracting visitors and fostering economic growth Additionally the momentum gained in the fourlaning of roads promises improved connectivity and enhanced infrastructure for the region paving the way for further development opportunities IANS https://dailyworld.in/article-370/jammus-rs-pura-border-thrives-as-peace-revives-prosperity-449731.html Sun, 13 Aug 2023 11:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/article-370/why-nc-pdp-cling-on-to-the-restoration-of-article-370-449734.html Srinagar Aug 13 The regional National Conference NC and its political rival the Peoples Democratic Party PDP have come together as strange bedfellows to defend Article 370 for more than one political reason Sleeping with the enemy for political expediency could not be better understood than by the coming together of the NC and the PDP in the alliance for Gupkar Declaration headed by NC President Farooq Abdullah The Gupkar alliance seeks restoration of Article 370 and statehood for JampK as it existed before August 5 2019 The PDP came into existence in 1999 on the premise that the people needed a regional mainstream alternative to the hereditary rule of the NC Not one manifesto point of PDPs electoral campaign said anything remotely good about the NC NC had got the autonomy resolution passed by the state Assembly and later the same was sent to Delhi where it found no takers The PDP in its game of oneupmanship on the NC came out with the idea of selfrule Both autonomy and selfrule had different names but the same inherent spirit to preserve the unique position of JampK in the Indian union as guaranteed by Article 370 Politically both autonomy and selfrule were intended by the two local mainstream parties to present an achievable alternative to the separatists clamour for secession from India Without agreeing that the two were carved out with one singular intent to get local public support in strife torn Valley both NC and the PDP called their formula as seeking a respectable place under the Indian sun While Delhi did not find anything that could be discussed with the state government with regard to the autonomy resolution PDPs selfrule formula was not treated very differently by the central government Still then for both the NC and the PDP to remain politically relevant among the people of Kashmir drumming the slogans of selfrule and autonomy were largely part of political survival for the two parties The strategy of seeking votes in elections while holding tight to their demand for selfrule and autonomy stood both the PDP and the NC in good stead till Delhi decided to do away with Article 370 When Article 370 was abrogated on August 5 2019 the NC and the PDP were politically dumbfounded While the separatists demanded secession and the two mainstream parties demanded more concessions under selfrule and autonomy the ground under their feet had started shaking dangerously Delhi had taken away what remained with JampK by abrogating Article 370 as a distinction with other states in the union If there was any peculiarity in the states accession with India with regard to other states on August 5 2019 that had vanished The NC and the PDP had little choice than seek restoration of Article 370 if these two parties wanted to remain locally relevant If the NC and the PDP behaved like the centrist BJP that stood for abrogation and the Congress that did not oppose the abrogation then they would have lost their raison detre as local mainstream parties In a nutshell seeking restoration of Article 370 after the NC and the PDP lost on their demands of autonomy and selfrule is like clinging to the straw How long can they remain afloat with the slogan seeking restoration of Article 370 would depend on the outcome of the constitutional issue being heard by the fivemember bench of the Supreme Court IANS https://dailyworld.in/article-370/why-nc-pdp-cling-on-to-the-restoration-of-article-370-449734.html Sun, 13 Aug 2023 11:18:00 +0530