MADAN MANTOO
SRINAGAR: Even before landing at Srinagar for a two-day trip to sensitive Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday found himself entangled in a raging controversy over his reported remark ‘terrorists killing terrorists policy’ with mainstream National Conference and Congress fuming and targeting both BJP and PDP.
In a chat with national daily, the Defence Minister had said, “Our proactive attitude is to identify terrorists and then effectively neutralise them. Every case is handled firmly with clear-cut intelligence for targeted kills. We ensure minimal collateral damage. You have to neutralise terrorist through terrorist only. Why my soldier has to do it all the time?”
Tech savvy National Conference Working President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah found an immediate connect to Parrikar’s statement with Chief Minister and former Union Home Minister Mufti Sayeed and tweeted, “Looks like (Chief Minister) Mufti (Mohammad) Syed (sic) is reviving & empowering the Ikhwanis (counter-insurgents). That’s the only way to carry out ‘terrorists killing terrorists’ policy of MOD.”
National Conference has been accusing Mufti of spearheading ‘genocide’ in Kashmir during his tenure as Home Minister at the outset of Pakistan sponsored terrorism in the Valley. Soon after his relinquishing the coveted Home Ministry, several groups of counter-insurgents, known as Ikhwanis had surfaced in Kashmir, which made all the difference in security environment. They had actively helped the security forces to tackle militancy in the Valley during second half of 1990s and early 2000s. Some of the prominent Ikhwanis even found themselves in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature as well.
Omar Abdullah got ready support from Pradesh Congress President Ghulam Ahmed Mir, who claimed that the Mufti led government, was hell-bent to revive Ikhawani culture in the Valley once again.
“Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has been exposed before the people of the State and present situation would lead Valley at the brink of another disaster”, Mir told a Srinagar based news agency. He also claimed that Mufti has been installed by the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir to revive Ikhwan culture so that to make people terror stricken once again.
Reacting to scathing attacks, Education Minister and close aide of the Mufti, Naeem Akhter retorted, “Let Omar Abdullah keep tweeting. The working is to widen democratic space in the State.” He added that everyone in the State knows the parentage of Ikhwanis and no one should have any doubt about it that it was National Conference which unleashed terror in Kashmir.
“For six years continuously, from 1996 to 2002- NC had established structure of their own. It was Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who ended it all and people heaved a sigh of relief,” Akhtar maintained.
Meanwhile, soon after his arrival, the Defence Minister held separate meetings with Governor N. N Vohra and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and discussed, inter allia, the overall security situation, according to an official spokesman.
At Raj Bhavan, he discussed with the Governor various important matters relating to effective management of internal and external security, particularly in the backdrop of several terrorist infiltrations from across the IB in the past year and a half and the more recent encounters in the Valley.
The Governor stressed the need for urgent strengthening of the BRO’s resources for ensuring the maintenance of the vital road networks and strategic connectivities in J and K. He also solicited Parrikar’s personal intervention for the return of certain pieces of the land to the State Government, particularly those at Satwari, Jammu; Army Transit Camp in the Jammu University; and land for the long pending extension of the Kargil Airport runway, about all of which he had earlier written to the Defence Minister.
During late evening meeting at the CM residence, the two leaders discussed several strategic issues related to prevailing security situation in the State.
The Chief Minister took up with the Defence Minister matters related to civil aviation which included allowing night-landing facilities at Srinagar Airport and expansion and development of Jammu and Kargil Airports. He also highlighted the need for creating parking bay facilities at the strategically-located Leh Airport.
The sorting out of civil aviation issues will pave way for operation of additional flights to J and K which will go a long way in bringing down spiraling air fares during peak tourist season.
Mufti Sayeed also impressed upon Manohar Parrikar the urgent need to expand Jammu Airport, which is inadequate to handle additional flight operations. He said State Government will facilitate removal of bottlenecks in transfer of land to the Airport Authority of India, paving way for its expansion.
With inflow of pilgrims to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine at Katra increasing every year, the Jammu Airport requires expansion and up-gradation for increasing intake capacity and improving facilities for the passengers.
Mufti Sayeed also raised the issue of entrusting maintenance of National Highways in J and K, especially Srinagar-Jammu (NH1-A) and Batote-Kishtwar-Sinthan, with Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
In his meeting with DG BRO yesterday, the Chief Minister had laid emphasis on having a single chain of command for maintenance of the vital Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, some patches of which are in a very critical condition.
The Chief Minister also raised the issue of removing restrictions on making Industrial Estate, Ompora, in Budgam functional. The issue of enhancement of compensation on account of death or injury due to operation of field firing ranges was also discussed.
Mufti Sayeed also raised the issue of reconciling excess land presently with the army. He said an institutional mechanism has to be put in place between the officials of State Government and the MoD so that the issue is resolved in a time-bound manner.
The Chief Minister made a special request for vacation of Tatoo Ground by the army, which is in the heart of the summer capital, so that civic facilities are developed in the larger public interest. He also raised the issue of transfer of Khurbathang Plateau to LAHDC, Kargil.
The issue of enhancement of rentals for land in possession of the army was also discussed in the meeting.
The Defence Minister assured the Chief Minister early positive consideration by his ministry, the spokesperson said.
Earlier, accompanied by Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, the Defence Minister conducted an aerial survey of northern glacier Siachen and interacted with troops at the base camp.
Quoting defence sources, PTI reported that Parrikar landed at Thoise in Ladakh region this morning and flew in helicopter to the Siachen base camp where he laid a wreath at the War memorial. He interacted with the troops and praised their courage and devotion to duty.
He later went to Leh where General Officer Commanding of the Army’s 14 Corps briefed him about the situation along the Line of Actual Control on the Chinese side and the Line of Control along the Pakistani side.
