Jammu And Kashmir : No Immediate Plans To Withdraw Troops , Says Centre

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The Centre has no immediate plans to withdraw security forces from Jammu and Kashmir, where Article 370 has been revoked, in view of the continued tension in the region, Minister of State for Home G Kishan has said.

“Why will we withdraw troops immediately from there when Pakistan is trying to provoke?

Pakistan is trying to provoke Kashmirs and disturb the peace so that it can go to international community (to complain). The decision on whether to withdraw or not will be taken by the local administration,” Reddy told PTI when asked whether the centre had any plans to with additional forces.

He said the situation in J&K was peaceful now and Home Minister Amit Shah was regularly monitoring the situation.

Reddy pointed out that schools had opened, Section 144 had been withedrawn, government offices had started working and some of the controls imposed had been relaxed.

Internet and telephone services had also been restored, barring in a few districts (four or five), he said.

Asked why opposition leaders were not being allowed to hold meetings in the state, he said government has taken precautions in view of Pakistan’s intentions and the opposition leaders should have patience.

“Pakistan would like to see peace disturbed in J&K to tell the world that the government of India’s decisions vis-a-vis the state are wrong,” he said.

“There is a lot of time. You can go to Jammu and Kashmir… Hold peace for some days. Let’s see Pakistan’s problem now. After that, Rahul Gandhi can hold any number of meetings. Who is saying no? Have patience,” he said.

Asked for his comments on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the reports of violence, he said “small incidents” are not happening for the first time.

Now there was no “tense situation in Jammu and Kashmir”, where there used to be months-long curfew with leaders jailed for years in the past as well, he said.

“This is not new. We took some decisions like imposing restrictions as a precautionary measure, keeping in view Pakistan’s attempts to provoke and conspire to somehow disturb law and order in Jammu and Kashmir. Certainly not to inconvenience people,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an eve