End of agitational terrorism: Stone pelting, hartals decline in J&K post-2019

The Union Government announced on Wednesday that not a single stone-pelting incident has been reported in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, highlighted the significant improvement in the law and order situation in the Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

In 2018, Jammu and Kashmir experienced 1,328 stone-pelting incidents, but this number dropped to zero after the abrogation of Article 370. Additionally, 52 calls were made for organized hartals in 2018, but none have been issued since 2019.

The number of terrorist-initiated incidents also saw a sharp decline, from 228 in 2018 to 46 in 2023 and only 11 as of July 15 this year. Encounters between security forces and terrorists decreased from 189 in 2018 to 48 in 2023, with 21 encounters recorded up to mid-July 2024. Unfortunately, these encounters resulted in the deaths of 10 security personnel and 14 civilians.

Minister Rai emphasized that the post-abrogation period has ushered in an era of peace, progress, and prosperity for the region. He noted that schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, and other public institutions have been functioning smoothly without strikes or disturbances over the past four years. The previous practices of daily hartals, strikes, stone pelting, and bandhs have become a thing of the past.

Rai also highlighted the enthusiastic participation of Jammu and Kashmir's residents in the recent Lok Sabha elections, which saw record voter turnout. The improved law and order situation attracted 2.11 crore tourist visits in 2023, with foreign tourist arrivals increasing by 2.5 times. This harmonious environment has enabled the government to initiate and implement various socio-economic development projects.

Active terrorists would be either arrested or eliminated

The Minister asserted that terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir will either be imprisoned or eliminated, emphasizing the Modi government's zero tolerance for terrorism. Rai assured that recent terrorist activities would soon come to an end. "Terrorists will not succeed in their design," he asserted.

In the past few days, 28 terrorists have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir, though some security personnel have also lost their lives, which is very unfortunate, Rai said. Since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, security forces have killed approximately 900 terrorists in the region, according to the minister.

"The Modi government has zero tolerance for terrorism. We will end terrorism. They (terrorists) will be either in jail or will be eliminated. I want to assure the House," Rai declared.

Rai highlighted a significant drop in terrorist incidents under the current government. Between 2004 and 2014, when the UPA was in power, there were 7,217 incidents of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. This number has decreased to 2,259 since the BJP came to power in 2014.

Rai also pointed out that during the UPA's rule, 2,829 citizens and security personnel lost their lives due to terrorist activities. Since 2014, this number has decreased by 67 percent, and there has been a 69 percent reduction in terror incidents.

He stressed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are now living in a more peaceful environment with full security guarantees.