Modi to address 2 rallies today in Kashmir, security beefed up

Even after terror attacks shook the Kashmir valley on Friday, there has been no change in the travel plans of prime minister Narendra Modi who will be headed to Srinagar on Monday for an election rally. Modi will address two election rallies in Jammu & Kashmir. One of them at Cricket Stadium, Srinagar in Kashmir Valley and another at Raya More in Vijaypur Constituency of Samba district in Jammu region. The campaign for the third phase ended on Sunday, the polling date for this phase is 9 December.

Jammu and Kashmir, which is in the midst of its five-phase state assembly elections, on Friday faced four terror attacks, which were aimed at undermining the legitimacy of the democratic process. Referring to the way the army neutralised the attack, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 15 Corps, Lieutenant General Subrata Saha, said that the martyred soldiers protected innocent civilians from being hurt in the attacks.”It is their brave fight that ensured that the attack on civilian targets was avoided and any harm to innocent civilians particularly in this period during the elections was avoided,” he stated.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the army for its selfless sacrifice and patriotic spirit on the occasion of Armed Forces Flag Day. “Our Armed forces have always risen to occasion and performed every duty with patriotic spirit. Their selfless dedication is outstanding,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile, Modi will also  visit the army’s Badami Bagh headquarters also to pay tributes to the soldiers killed in deadly militant attack in Uri on Friday.

“The Prime Minister, before addressing the election rally here, will visit the local army headquarters to pay tributes to the soldiers who laid down their lives while repulsing the militant attack in Uri,” a state BJP leader said.

Eleven security force personnel--eight soldiers and three policemen--were killed in the predawn attack by militants on an army camp in Uri area of Baramulla district on Friday. All the six militants involved in the attack were also killed.