"Ramzan Ceasefire Was A Positive Initiative," Says Mehbooba Mufti

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Thursday that the decline in stone-throwing incidents in the Valley when the anti-militancy operations were suspended for Ramzan vindicated her stand that it was a positive initiative which needed to be continued to improve the situation.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Union minister Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said stone-pelting incidents in Jammu and Kashmir had come down during the suspension of operations in the month of Ramadhan.

"During the period from May 17 to June 17, 2018, as many as  117 incidents of stone pelting were reported in Jammu and Kashmir as against 219 during the period of April 15 to May 16, 2018," Mr Ahir said.

"Decline in stone pelting incidents during ceasefire vindicates our stand that it was a positive initiative that brought a sense of relief amongst the masses. Its continuation would have further improved the situation," Ms Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.

The centre on May 16 had issued instructions to the security forces and the Army not to undertake offensive operations during the period of Ramadhan in Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah said the major cause of the stone-pelting in the Valley is the crack-downs or the cordon and search operations which did not take place in the month.

"But they forgot to add the context - crack downs or cordon/search ops (operations) stopped during that period so a major cause of the stone pelting disappeared for the month of Ramzan (Ramadhan)," he said on Twitter.