Srinagar, Dec 18: Security forces said on Wednesday that a large cache of arms, ammunition and narcotics was recovered during searches in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Kupwara district.

Officials said on Wednesday, “Security forces, including the Army and the police recovered four pistols, six pistol magazines, four kilograms of narcotics, and other incriminating materials during a search operation in the general area of Amrohi, Tangdhar in Kupwara District.”

Security forces have started an aggressive campaign against terrorists, their Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and sympathisers in order to dismantle the terror ecosystem in J&K.

Properties worth multiples of crores belonging to drug smugglers and peddlers have been attached in Kashmir Valley after obtaining requisite orders from the competent authority.

Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha has been chairing top-level security meetings.

During these meetings the LG has given clear orders to the security forces to go all-out against the terror ecosystem.

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah is chairing a top level security review meeting regarding J&K on Thursday in Delhi.

Chiefs of Intelligence agencies, police, CAPFs and others connected with the anti-terrorist grid in J&K will attend the meeting.

Security forces revised their strategy after terrorists carried out some dastardly attacks in the aftermath of peaceful people participative Lok Sabha and legislative Assembly elections in J&K.

These elections were witnessed by diplomats of many countries and this, according to Intelligence agencies, has frustrated the terror handlers sitting across the border in Pakistan.

Intelligence inputs indicate that the terror handlers have given directions to terrorists in J&K to give dying terrorism its last push.

Heightened vigilance is also being maintained at the border in J&K following reports that terrorists are waiting at the launching pads to sneak into the Indian side of the border before the mountain passes are closed by this season’s snow.

New Delhi: Opposition MPs including Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi held a protest in the Parliament premises against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar on the Rajya Sabha during the Constitution debate.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, MPs including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Varsha Gaikwad, Kumari Selja, AAP MP Sanjay Singh, RJD MP Manoj Sinha along with others participated in the protest.

The Opposition MPs were seen carrying pictures of Babasaheb Ambedkar. They have alleged that Amit Shah insulted Ambedkar in his speech yesterday.

About Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Remark

This came after Amit Shah lashed out at the Congress party and said that it had become a ‘fashion’ for the party to take Ambedkar’s name.

“If they had taken the name of God so many times instead of Ambedkar then they would have got heaven for seven lives,” Shah said.

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2 pm after the opposition protest.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh On Amit Shah’s Remarks

Earlier today, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh in reply to Shah’s remarks in Parliament on Babasaheb Ambedkar said that the BJP was habituated to “chant” the name of the first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to disguise their inability to tackle problems of inflation, unemployment and inequalities faced by the country.

Jairam Ramesh pointed out, “To escape the present-day challenges, they have to chant Nehru’s name. If they don’t, people will ask them what they are doing about inflation, unemployment, and inequalities”

“Yesterday, the Home Minister gravely insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar. He said ‘You people keep chanting Ambedkar, Ambedkar. It would have been better if you chanted the name of God.’ If this isn’t an insult to Dr Ambedkar, then what is? The truth is that the BJP, the Prime Minister, and the Home Minister repeatedly insult Ambedkar and blame the Congress party instead,” Jairam Ramesh said.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh On Amit Shah’s Remarks

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday lambasted Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on BR Ambedkar and said that the nation will “definitely respond” to it.

Taking to X, Rajya Sabha MP Singh said, “How much Amit Shah, Modi and the entire BJP hate Baba Saheb Ambedkar… such hatred on hearing Baba Saheb’s name… the nation will respond, Amit Shah ji will definitely respond.”

Chandigarh, Dec 18: Protesting farmers, whose bid to enter Haryana in support of their long-pending demands was foiled thrice, will halt trains in Punjab on Wednesday to lodge their protest and press their demands for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops among other things.

A group of 100 farmers’ representatives who were going to New Delhi to press their demands were recently stopped by the Haryana Police by bursting teargas shells and water cannons and this latest bid to halt trains in Punjab to lodge their protest is bound to lead to more trouble even as passengers are expected to face inconvenience.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that activists of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha would block rail traffic from 12 noon to 3 P.M. on Wednesday.

He urged the protesting farmers to avoid isolated railway tracks and assemble at railway stations only in their respective villages, towns and cities for the ‘Rail Roko’ protest.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav, along with Union Ministry of Home Affairs Director, Mayank Mishra, on Sunday met farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast unto death to press the Centre in support of the growers’ demands, enquired about his health and requested him to end his fast that entered the 23rd day.

This has been the first meeting between the Union government and a farmer leader since talks with farmers remained inconclusive in February.

The 70-year-old cancer patient Dallewal has been fasting at Khanauri, the border point between Punjab and Haryana, since November 26 in support of their demands that comprised loan waiver and reforms to improve conditions in the agricultural sector.

After meeting the farmer leader, Yadav had told the media, “We came to enquire about the health of Dallewal.”

Without mincing words, he had said, “We have heard whatever his (Dallewal) demands are. There was no proposal of any kind (over the demands). I came here to hear him and also for implementation of the Supreme Court order.”

DGP Yadav had said, “We have appealed to Dallewal that the government has taken note of his situation, and the Punjab government has said that they will talk to Dallewal and his associates and provide them with medical assistance.”

Despite assurances by the government officials, fasting farmer Dallewal remained adamant on continuing with the fast unto death, farmer leaders said.

Doctors have advised immediate hospitalisation of Dallewal as due to the prolonged fast he turned weak.

Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana this week said that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should follow his Haryana counterpart and promptly resolve the issues of protesting farmers.

“Since the Haryana Chief Minister is providing MSP on all crops, the Punjab government should also follow the Haryana government’s policy in the interest of Punjab’s farmers,” the Agriculture Minister said in a statement on Monday.

On the farmers’ call to resume the Delhi march, the minister said Punjab and Haryana are the biggest producers of foodgrains for the central pool and farmers of both states were getting the benefit of MSP. He said the Punjab government should also ensure that all farmers of Punjab could sell their produce on MSP like they do in Haryana. The Punjab Chief Minister should play his role and come forward to talk to the farmers so that they can return to their homes.

The minister said the Supreme Court had already formed a committee of experts to resolve this issue but the farmer leaders did not attend the meeting with the committee appointed on this matter.