Jammu and Kashmir: BJP’s promise is to eliminate terrorism, but how much has terrorism reduced

New Delhi : Assembly elections are being held in Jammu and Kashmir after 10 years. Terrorism is a big issue in this election too. While BJP is constantly saying that terrorism has decreased after the BJP government came to power at the center and then after the removal of Article 370, Congress is cornering BJP over the terrorist incidents in Jammu region. While stone pelting incidents in Kashmir are now negligible, terrorism and infiltration from Pakistan have decreased. But in the Jammu region, which remained peaceful for about 20 years, terrorists have carried out many incidents in the last four years. Terrorists have carried out many ambush attacks on security forces here and 10 soldiers were martyred in the months of June and July this year alone.

33 soldiers were martyred in 2023

If we look at the data from 2010 till now, terrorists were less successful in their plans in 2011 and 2012. On the other hand, the country lost a large number of its soldiers in 2016, 2017, 2018. According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, 69 security personnel were martyred in Jammu and Kashmir in 2010, 31 in 2011, 18 in 2012, 53 in 2013. This figure was 47 in 2014 and 41 in 2015. In 2016, 88 security personnel were martyred in terrorist incidents and operations to deal with terrorists, 83 in 2017, 95 in 2018, 78 in 2019. 56 soldiers were martyred in 2020, 45 in 2021, 30 in 2022, 33 in 2023. So far this year, 20 soldiers have been martyred in various operations to deal with terrorists and in ambushes by terrorists. So far this year, 39 terrorists have been killed, which also includes terrorists killed while trying to infiltrate the LoC.

what do the experts say

Experts believe there are many reasons for the increase in terrorist incidents in Jammu. Four years ago, when tensions with China started on the LAC, many soldiers were removed from here and sent there, which reduced the number of soldiers here and the terrorists took advantage of this. With the control over terrorists in Kashmir, the terrorists were trying to re-establish themselves in Jammu for many years. With the decrease in the number of soldiers, human intelligence also decreased. The terrorists took advantage of this. However, now the Indian Army has increased the number of soldiers there. Along with this, the security forces are continuously conducting joint operations against the terrorists in the dense forests of Jammu.

How much impact will it have on the elections

In the assembly elections, BJP is counting the benefits of removing Article 370 and is also promising to completely end terrorism. BJP is also accusing the opposition parties that they want the return of terrorism and separatism and hence are talking about bringing back Article 370. BJP has been stronger in Jammu. But everyone’s eyes are on what will be the impact of the terrorist incidents in the Jammu region. However, BJP leaders are constantly trying to tell that the kind of development that has taken place in Jammu and Kashmir in the last ten years had never happened before.