After Shopian, NSA Ajit Doval visits Downtown Srinagar to monitor situation

NSA Ajit Doval interacted with security personnel and locals in Downtown area of Srinagar.

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After his much-talked about interaction with locals over lunch in Shopian, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Thursday undertook a visit to the Downtown Srinagar.

In an over two-hour visit to an area considered to be Srinagar’s most difficult part, NSA Ajit Doval engaged with security personnel and locals in Downtown.

NSA Doval also had lunch with CRPF personnel deployed in Downtown -- infamous for stone-pelting.

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On Wednesday, NSA Ajit Doval shared lunch with locals in Shopian. During his visit to the militancy-infested south Kashmir, Doval had assured the locals that their security is the government's responsibility.

"Everything will be alright. Your safety and security is our responsibility," Doval told people in Shopian district.

Doval was seen eating food on a footpath outside closed shops and talking to locals. He exchanged views with them on the security situation and the government's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 and bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh.

NSA Ajit Doval’s visit had sparked a controversy after Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said "anyone can be brought along with money".

"Paise dekar aap kisiko bhi saath le sakte ho (Anyone can be brought along with money)," Azad said when asked about Doval's visit.

Doval arrived in Kashmir on Tuesday, a day after the Centre revoked the provisions of Article 370, which gave special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir. He is reaching out to the local population in the Valley as a confidence building measure (CMB).

READ | NSA Ajit Doval shares snack with locals in Shopian

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