J&K Bills: Punjab bans celebrations, protests

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh directed the police to be prepared to thwart any attempts by Pakistan to create disturbances

August 05, 2019 03:44 pm | Updated 03:46 pm IST - CHANDIGARH

CM Amarinder Singh

CM Amarinder Singh

Apprehensive of an adverse reaction from Pakistan to the developments in Kashmir, the Punjab government on Monday prohibited any kind of celebrations or protests that could vitiate the atmosphere.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh directed the police to be prepared to thwart any attempts by Pakistan to create disturbances.

The Chief Minister was reviewing the law and order situation in the wake of the revocation of Article 370 in Kashmir. Top police and civil brass attended the meeting, which took note of the volatile situation.

“Pakistan may not take this lightly and could resort to some act against India,” said Capt. Amarinder. He asked the police to be ready for any eventuality. He has has ordered increased security for the 8000-odd Kashmiri students in the State and directed the Superintendents of Police and Deputy Commissoners to meet them and talk to them personally.

The Chief Minister, who is personally monitoring the situation, has also ordered scaling up of security in districts that border Kashmir. He reiterated his earlier directions to the police and the district administration to ensure smooth and safe movement of those leaving Kashmir via Punjab.

The border areas of the state have been on heightened alert for the past two days, since tourists and Amarnath Yatris were asked to leave the Valley, citing security concerns.

Capt. Amarinder flayed the manner in which the Centre imposed its decision on Kashmir. He said the democratic fabric of the nation had been ripped apart with this unprecedented violation of the constitutional norms.

“It is a dark day for the Indian democracy,” he said, adding that the Constitution had been rewritten without following any legal provisions. “Such a historic decision should not have been taken and pushed through in this arbitrary manner,” he noted.

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