No Decision to Extend Ramzan Ceasefire Beyond Eid, Says Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: The Union government has not yet taken a call whether to extend the Ramzan ceasefire beyond Eid or not.

Speaking to News18, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “The ceasefire was announced till June 16. Any further decision on this matter will be taken only after June 17."

Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday evening on the status and sources told News18 that after taking into account all aspects of the security scenario in Kashmir, both have agreed to put on hold any decision to extend ceasefire.

Sources said that the Home Minister has conveyed to the Prime Minister that the Ramzan initiative has achieved its purpose of giving relief to common Kashmiris.

"It is true that the ceasefire was welcomed by Kashmiris but there is a real threat to the Amarnath Yatra for which security forces need full freedom," an official privy to the discussions told News18. One of the proposals on the table is to give the ceasefire a break for the Amarnath Yatra and implement it again after the yatra ends in July.

Amarnath Yatra begins June 28.

An additional 34 CRPF companies have been deployed to provide additional security to the yatra owing to imminent threats by terrorists.

Last year, 204 CRPF companies were deployed for the yatra while this year a total of 238 companies are being deployed. Additional steps like supervision of camps by officers at the level of SP and SSP have also been taken.

Drones will be deployed to monitor the yatra route and all vehicles will be fitted with RFID tags for better coordination.

Despite all of these measures, the security establishment is worried about the fallout after the ceasefire ends. "If terrorists can target a man like Shujat Bukhari in the heart of Srinagar, imagine what they would do to people from all parts of the country," an official said.

Sources said a final decision on the ceasefire could be taken next week.