NSA Ajit Doval had lunch with locals at Shopian yesterday

The national security advisor Ajit Doval, yesterday visited Kashmir after the implementation of the bill abrogating article 370 duly passed by both houses of parliament and finally signed by the president of India Ram Nath Kovind. A remarkable gesture indeed.

After this historic decision of the BJP led NDA government, the national security advisor Ajit Doval was the first senior-most bureaucrat who visited Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir, now a union territory and walked on its roads and streets, interacted with the local populace and even ate snacks at the roadside shop.

This was indeed an extremely kind gesture on the part of the NSA to visit Shopian as a commoner, walk freely on the streets and roads without bothering for his safety and security and interacting with the people.

He also interacted with the security forces personnel on duty acquainting himself about the security situation on the ground, especially after the abrogation of article 370, an unusual and unique decision taken after 70 years of India’s independence and accordance of the special status through implementation of this special act in 1954. It is firmly believed that this idea was the brainchild of the NSA who’d advised prime minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to do away with Article 370 in Kashmir before it is too late. It’s not a coincidence that just after few days after the US President Donald Trump’s desire to mediate in Kashmir tangle on the request of Pak PM Imran Khan when he visited white house, the Indian government has initiated a quick action to do away with article 370 granting Ladakh and J&K union territory status and showing the world that Kashmir is an inalienable part of India and no power in the world can snatch that from us.

While freely interacting with the residents of Shopian, standing on the street eating Biryani with the Muslims Doval assured them that after the abrogation of article 370 they should not feel deprived of anything. They will be taken care of by the government, their children will prosper, their career will be made and they will progress by all means he asserted. He was also seen sitting on a roadside eating Biryani and freely interacting assuring the local Shopians that they will now progress more than before and would get all privileges. God’s grace will shower on them he assured them.

Thereafter he met the J&K police personnel and CRPF jawans lauding their tireless and dedicated efforts in protecting the law and order of the state and the border of the country and sacrificing their precious lives. He said their patriotic contribution and martyrdom will never go in waste. The entire nation is with them always. NSA Doval reminded the Jawans of J&K police about his 5-decade old association in the police department and its various pros and cons. He extended his gratitude to CRPF jawans for their outstanding contribution in fighting terrorism and safeguarding our countrymen. He assured them that the entire nation recognizes their patriotic contribution and stands with them incessantly.

This tour of NSA Ajit Doval was to assure the people of Kashmir about the government’s commitment to ensure their safety and security and better future prospects for them and their children after the abrogation of article 370. It’s perhaps for the first time that any NSA has visited a strife-torn state so freely and interacted with the common people after the abrogation of article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir.

Editor, Strategic Affairs and Internal Security # BTVI n a Kashmiri Aditya Raj Kaul tweeted in appreciation of NSA: Ajit Doval eating lunch with locals in Shopian of South Kashmir in the afternoon. Normalcy being slowly restored in Kashmir. What a remarkable gesture by the NSA. Interacting with people on the ground and checking on safety security and well being.

It may be recalled that Shopian in South Kashmir is a highly sensitive, terrorist infested area of Kashmir.