SRINAGAR, Oct 21:Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Wednesday said the state will always remember those police personnel who have fallen in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives for safeguarding the future of our citizens.“We can never repay debt of our police martyrs. We salute our heroes and pray for their eternal peace and highest place in Heaven,” he stated.
The Chief Minister said this during his keynote address on the Police Commemoration Day, where senior police officers and jawans congregated to pay respects to the martyred personnel and their families.Former Chief Ministers, Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, Minister for PHE, I&FC, Sukhnandan Kumar, Minister for Transport, A. G. Kohli, Deputy Chairman, Legislative Council, Jahangir Hussain Mir, Legislators, Farooq Andrabi. Abdul Rahim Rather and Raja Manzoor and Rani Bloeria, Principal Secretary Home, R. K. Goyal and Director General of Police, K. Rajendra Kumar were present on the occasion.
Referring to the supreme sacrifice of 10 gallant CRPF personnel at Hot Springs, Ladakh, in 1959 while repulsing Chinese aggression, in whose memory Police Commemoration Day is observed every year today, the Chief Minister commended J&K Police for exercising restraint and minimising collateral damage on the law-and-order front. “Police should also focus on prevention of crime by strengthening prosecution wing so that the criminals do not go scot-free,” he said, while highlighting the scourge of rising drug addiction, violence against women and other crimes taking root in the society.
Laying stress on the noble message of peace preached by Islam, Mufti Sayeed reiterated that gun will never be a solution to any problem. “Na Bandook Se Na Goli Se, Baat Banegi Boli Se. I feel pain when I see Islam's message of peace being distorted in such manner,” he stated.Taking a detour to the events between 1947 and now, Chief Minister referred to the political space created when Sheikh Abdullah returned to power in the state. “He gave good governance and created much-needed political space for leaders like me,” he added.
Reflecting upon certain disturbing incidents of the past few days, Mufti Sayeed said such acts of intolerance and hate are hitting at India’s core values and posing a grave threat to the country’s plurality and inclusiveness. He cited the example of Pakistan, which was still in search of a political model that matches one which has been perfected by India. “I compliment the opposition in piloting a resolution which was unanimously passed by the State Legislature that conveyed message of peace and communal harmony to the rest of the country,” he said, while recalling the events of 1947 when Kashmir became a torchbearer of peace for the country which was burning in communal frenzy that led to partition.
Quoting former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee’s statement “friends can be changed, not neighbours”, the Chief Minister said if India has to become a world power, it will have to maintain friendly relations with all its neighbours. He said uncertainty and violence on borders impacts the local population most and derails the government’s efforts for ushering in a new era of development in the state.
Immediately upon his arrival, a Roll of Honour was presented in memory of those policemen who died in the past one year. He also laid floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Memorial and shook hands with some of the audience members.Later, he also offered refreshment to the policemen who donated blood during a Blood Donation event, organized on the occasion.
Earlier, DGP read out the names of 437 police personnel across the country, including 24 from J&K Police and 15 from CRPF and BSF, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty in the past one year.Paying homage to all martyrs, he made a special mention of SI Altaf Ahmad Dar, who was killed by militants in Bandipora recently.
The DGP also highlighted various welfare schemes run by J&K Police that provide financial assistance to the families of martyred police personnel, in particular towards their rehabilitation and education of children.Since the inception of militancy in the state, 966 officers and jawans of J&K Police and 486 SPOs have died in service of the state and the country.
Also present to pay homage were senior police officers including ADGPs including S. M. Sahai, V. K. Singh and Dilbagh Singh, IGPs SJM Gillani and J. P. Singh, DIGs and SSPs of J&K Police and the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Lone.
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