SRINAGAR: After the United States designated the militant outfit The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha made a strong statement on Saturday.
TRF was behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
He said there are still a few elements in the region who "speak the language of TRF."
He also asserted that terminating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is a befitting response to Pakistan and would have far-reaching consequences, as the country heavily depends on the Indus river system.
“India's water will now flow within India and remain in India. With the termination of IWT, we now have full control over the Jhelum and Chenab rivers,” LG Sinha said at a function in Jammu.
He also said that the termination of IWT would benefit J&K immensely, which will be able to harness its real hydro power potential.
“The barren areas of Jammu can be irrigated and there will be new momentum in the development of infrastructure in J&K.”
India suspended IWT with Pakistan after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 25 tourists and a local pony wala were killed.
"India will now create infrastructure, power plants and diversion to new areas with proper infrastructure to use the water and it will enable construction of new reservoirs," he added.
The Lieutenant Governor observed that IWT was a historical mistake, unfair, one-sided, and hampered infrastructure development in Jammu Kashmir and restricted growth of development projects.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also backed the Central government’s decision to put the 1960 IWT in abeyance and termed the treaty as the “most unfair document” to the people of J&K.
In a separate function, Sinha, while addressing the Provincial Arya Mahasammelan at SKUAST Jammu, said there are few elements who speak the language of TRF.
“Police and security forces are committed to ensure peace and action against such elements as per the law,” he said, adding every citizen of J&K has the onerous responsibility to build Terror-free and Drug-free UT.
He recently issued a strong warning to elements peddling narratives that mirror the ideology of terror outfit TRF.
“Some people are giving irresponsible statements by saying that guests are spoiling the culture of J&K. They are stating there is a demographic invasion and alcoholism is spreading. This is the similar narrative as of terror outfit TRF. I appeal to those making such statements to stop peddling such a narrative. We have already lost many innocent lives due to similar statements in the past,” the Lieutenant Governor said.