Article 370 : MHA issues advisory to states to ensure public order and protect Kashmiris across the country

The advisory has been sent to chief Secretaries and DGPs of all States and Union Territories apart from Delhi Police commissioner. The advisory has asked the officials concerned to pass immediate instructions to all security forces and agencies to put them on “maximum alert” and to “preempt” attempts at disruption of public order. Asking forces to ensure maintained of communal. Amity across the country, it has advised that Special attention be given to “communally sensitive and fragile areas.”

Expressing concern for the safety of students and workers from Jammu and Kashmir living in other parts of the country, the advisory said, “It is requested that special care is taken to ensure safety and security of residents of Jammu and Kashmir, specially students hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, in various parts of the country.”

It said governments must give ample publicity to measures taken by them to ensure their safety in order to inspire confidence and that public must be sensitised against any mischief.

Article 370 scrapped: Full text of President’s Order

Alerting the states on possible circulation of fake messages on social. media, the advisory said, “… issue suitable instructions to security and law enforcement agencies to. keep a vigil against circulation false, unverified news, rumours and unscrupulous messages on social media aimed at disrupting peace and public tranquility, and inciting violence and communal discord. ”

Home Minister Amit Shah Monday announced scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution that provides special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Shah said the state will now be divided into two Union Territories — Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir. While the Ladakh UT will be without a legislature, the UT of J&K will be with legislature. The president’s order invited objections from many opposition parties, inlcuding the mainstream parties of Jammu and Kashmir. Follow LIVE updates here 

Former Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah condemned the move, warning the decision will have “far-reaching and dangerous consequences”. Abdullah, who was put under house arrest Sunday midnight, said that the government’s decision was “unilateral and shocking”. Mufti, whose PDP had allied with the BJP earlier, called it the betrayal of the trust people of Jammu and Kashmir. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government has turned J&K into a “non-entity by making a Lt Governor there, so that you can appoint even a peon or a clerk, sitting in Delhi.”

Following Shah’s announcement in the Rajya Sabha, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) also imposed a red alert on the entire DMRC network. The high alert, based on “non-specific inputs”, has been sounded in the wake of developments related to Kashmir and the upcoming Independence Day celebrations.

Kashmir has been in the grip of panic and confusion over the past week amid heavy deployment of security forces and cancellation of the Amarnath Yatra. Late Sunday, the J&K administration imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC in Srinagar district with effect from August 5 midnight. The restrictions remain in force until further orders