Amit Shah lauded the efforts of the local administration in Jammu and Kashmir
Praising the Central Reserve Police Force or the CRPF, the country's largest paramilitary force, Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said in a few years' time the force may no longer be needed in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast.
This is for the first time that the government at the highest level has broadly indicated doing away with massive security deployment in Kashmir and also set a timeline of achieving it within a few years.
"The resolve with which CRPF has been working in Kashmir, Naxal areas and Northeast, I'm confident that within next few years, in all three regions, we may not require use of CRPF and maintain complete peace in three regions. I'm confident. And if it happens, the whole credit goes to CRPF," Mr Shah said at the 83rd raising day parade of the CRPF in Srinagar's Maulana Azad Stadium.
The CRPF has a huge presence in Kashmir. Around one fourth of its total manpower is deployed in the region to deal with militancy and law and order situation.
Besides the CRPF and J&K police, the Army, BSF, ITBP and SSB is also deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for counter terrorism and law and order duties.
This is for the first time that the parade has been held outside the CRPF headquarters in Delhi.
The Home Minister said the biggest work done in Jammu and Kashmir is that the central forces have taken "decisive control" of the fight against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
"I believe the biggest achievement after abrogation of 370 is security forces having a decisive control on terrorism," said Mr Shah.
The Article, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019, and the state was bifurcated into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The Home Minister said the situation in the region has improved and talked about democracy at grassroots level and investment of Rs 33,000 crore in J&K.
He also welcomed the efforts of the local administration in its crusade against corruption and taking developmental activities to new heights in the Union Territory.