BJP presided over 'unprecedented deterioration' in Jammu security situation: Cong

NEW DELHI: The Congress Saturday accused the BJP of presiding over an "unprecedented deterioration of security" in Jammu and claimed the Union Territory's administration led by the lieutenant governor was showing "incompetence" in managing the situation.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed four questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his political rally in Jammu on Saturday.

Why has the security situation in Jammu deteriorated, he asked.

"The BJP, despite its claims to be the monopolist of nationalism, has presided over an unprecedented deterioration of security in Jammu," Ramesh said in a post on X.

The Congress leader said militancy in Jammu is making its presence felt after a gap of nearly 15 years.

Around the start of 2024, the administration claimed that the number of active terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir had come down to double digits -- 31 -- with four active terrorists in the Jammu region, he said.

"Now, in a startling about turn, the officials say there are around 50 to 60 terrorists, who have successfully intruded into the interiors of Jammu in April-May," Ramesh said.

The increase in terrorist activity has had terrible consequences, the Congress leader said.

"In the past few months, we have seen a significant presence of militants in areas which had been declared militancy-free, and an increase in the number of fatalities of our security personnel and civilians," he said.

"Around the same time that the non-biological PM was being sworn in, a terrorist attack in Reasi took the lives of nine innocent pilgrims. The L-G administration has shown unprecedented incompetence in managing this security situation," he said.

It has been ably supported by the defence ministry and its "ill-conceived" Agnipath scheme, which has "systematically undermined popular interest in army recruitment in Jammu -- a key recruitment centre for the army historically", Ramesh said.

Why has the BJP let security in Jammu go downhill so rapidly, he asked.

Ramesh further asked what vendetta does the BJP have against the people of Jammu.

"One of the BJP's flagship initiatives has been to scrap the Durbar move, the annual shift of the J-K state government from Srinagar to Jammu in the winters.

"The Durbar move has historically been a tremendous stimulus for Jammu's economy, with businessmen in Jammu's famed Raghunath Bazaar and Apsara Road waiting for winters and the bulk orders that would come in from Valley-based customers," he said.

In the post on X, Ramesh said the L-G administration claims they saved Rs 100-200 crore or so by ending the Durbar move, but the cost inflicted on the local economy has been much higher.

"The Durbar move was also a symbol of the collective history and heritage of Jammu and Kashmir -- it created an emotional bond between the two regions and acknowledged the significance of Jammu city," the Congress leader said.

Why has the BJP so ruthlessly deprived the people of Jammu of this economic stimulus and political recognition, Ramesh asked. "Why was more care not taken to support the economy of the region when the Durbar move was scrapped?"

He further asked why has there been a sharp increase in narcotics smuggling in the Union territory.

"One fundamental reason for the upsurge in terrorist activity, particularly in Jammu, is the sharp rise in narcotics smuggling over the last few years with the International Border in Jammu, rather than the LoC in Kashmir, being the primary area of operation for the smugglers," Ramesh said.

He claimed narcotics consumption has seen a 30 per cent hike in five years and the smuggling rings have become very sophisticated with the involvement of even government officials.

Between 2019 and 2023, the state police and other security forces seized over 700 kg of heroin valuing roughly Rs 1,400 crore in the international market, Ramesh pointed out.

This is apart from the 2,500 kg of charas and nearly 1 lakh kg of opium derivatives seized across Jammu and Kashmir in the same period, he added.

The Congress leader alleged that Jammu and Kashmir has even become a transit destination for drugs, routing them to states like Punjab and Gujarat, and even international markets.

"Former J-K DGP Dilbag Singh has gone on record to say that the 'drug menace is a bigger threat than militancy'. Six years after having acquired unelected power, what has the Union government achieved in curtailing the drug menace?" Ramesh said.

The Congress leader also claimed that without statehood and a functioning system of political representation, governance across Jammu and Kashmir has "collapsed".

Policing has deteriorated and there has been a steep rise in criminal activity in Jammu, he said.

"Theft and violent crime are now rampant. Corruption has reached unprecedented levels with outsiders belonging to the RSS cabal monopolizing all government contracts and seeing astronomical increases in their wealth," Ramesh alleged.

He further claimed that employment opportunities have dwindled, with aspirational youth being forced to leave Jammu for employment even as the administration has zero interest in development.

"Neighbouring state governments have established IT parks in Mohali and Chandigarh, but Jammu has seen no investment of that kind. Finally, even basic administrative tasks like electricity bills are seeing massive mismanagement," Ramesh said.

Arbitrary, inflated bills are being charged from simple households, with some homes receiving bills of up to Rs 33,000 per month, he alleged.

"Is this collapse in governance a reflection of incompetence, or a reflection of the BJP's ill-will to the people of Jammu?" Ramesh said.