Day after Rajnath visit, BJP brass calls Nirmal to Delhi

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 26

A day after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh ended his second visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the eruption of violent protests in the Valley, the Central government has called Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh to Delhi to seek local unit’s opinion on the prevailing situation in the state before initiating some confidence-building measures.

Although the local BJP unit has not been taken on board by the high command on important policy matters on Kashmir, the Deputy Chief Minister has reportedly been called to brief him about steps to be initiated from the state government’s end to restore normalcy in the Valley where curfew was extended today in some towns of south Kashmir to foil separatists’ call for fresh protests.

Sources said the Deputy Chief Minister, who was in Srinagar in view of Rajnath Singh’s visit to the Valley, was told to reach Delhi for meeting with central leaders.

Wrapping up his second visit to Kashmir on Thursday, Rajnath said preparations had begun to send an all-party delegation to the state to restore peace in Kashmir. Rajnath had appealed to all sections of society in the state to join hands for restoration of peace and normalcy.

Regarding summoning of Nirmal Singh, the sources said, “The Union government wants that before the arrival of the all-party delegation, there should be a proper ground work on the side of state government so as to ensure that all sections of society meet the delegation.” 

The sources further informed that other reason of calling Nirmal Singh to Delhi was to explore possibility of extending visit of the all-party delegation to Jammu also.