Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said terror incidents had been down in J&K and the new proposed law would provide rights and justice to those who had been treated unjustly and insulted and ignored for 70 years.

This Bill is to give rights and representation to displaced Kashmiris, said the minister while replying to a debate in Lok Sabha (LS) on the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2023. The Bills were passed by the Lok Sabha.

Earlier, there were 37 seats in Jammu, now there are 43, said Shah. Earlier, there were 46 seats in Kashmir, now there are 47. Another 24 seats are in PoK and these have been reserved since PoK is ours, said Shah announcing the distribution of seats.

The Bill will empower the Lieutenant Governor to nominate not more than two members, one of whom shall be a woman, from the community of Kashmiri migrants and one member from displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking about terrorism, Shah said during the 1994-2004 period, a total of 40,164 incidents of terrorism were registered. During the 2004-2014 period, a total of 7,217 incidents of terrorism took place. During the 2014-2023 period, under the Narendra Modi Government, the total incidents of terrorism registered have been around 2,000, which marks a 70% reduction in the incidents of terrorism from what it was earlier.

In the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the government had a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and its approach was to dismantle the terror ecosystem. Terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir have shown a declining trend over the last about six years (since 2018) with 2023 registering all-time low numbers, he stated in a written reply.

Giving out figures, the minister said that till November 15 this year, 41 terrorist-initiated incidents were reported in J&K as compared to 125 last year, 129 in 2021, 126 in 2020, 153 in 2019 and 228 in 2018.

Similarly, 44 encounters were registered this year in J&K preceded by 117 (2022), 100 (2021), 118 (2020), 102 (2019) and 189 (2018). A total of 13 civilians were killed in such incidents during 2023 while the previous figures in this context were 31 (2022), 41 (2021), 38 (2020), 44 (2019) and 55 (2018).

A total of 20 security forces personnel were killed in the line of duty in terrorist incidents this year in the Union Territory as compared to 32 in 2022, 42 in 2021, 63 in 2020, 80 in 2019 and 91 in 2018, the data said.

Two over ground workers of terrorists were arrested along with arms and ammunition at Behrote village of Rajouri district, the police said on Wednesday. Mohd Farooq and Mohd Nazir were arrested during a cordon-and-search operation. A pistol, two magazines, 30 bullets and two grenades among other items were seized.