Ravinder Jalali
After the Mehbooba Mufti was sworn as the Chief Minister of our State there seems to be upsurge in the militant activities in J and K particularly in Kashmir Valley. Only a couple of days` back militant attacked passengers in bus near Kud in Jammu Division, which was on way to Jammu from Srinagar, killing a woman and injuring another. The militant was neutralised by the police on the Naka near Kud thus avoided, which could have turned into a big carnage. Since the PDP is in command so the problem is on her side. It is always easy to raise any issue even it may be a frivolous one for the opposition because they have not to face the music. The same reason applies to PDP who was enjoying rather reaping the benefits of the militant activities going in the State. Since the birth of PDP is out of womb of militancy, it is normal for the PDP to sympathise with the militants and that was evident immediately after winning the Assembly elections, the former Chief Minister and father of Mehbooba Mufti, thanked the separatists and the Pakistani establishment for the smooth conduct of the elections in J and K, ignoring the sacrifices made by the security personnel.
As it is natural for any political party or person to be relevant in Kashmir, one has to be pro-separatists and pro-militants and can not afford to gain the displeasure of these groups. When ever there is to be killing on either side whether security people or militants, the political leadership in Kashmir cutting across all barriers shows sympathy towards militants and castigate the security personnel, the same way as the separatists are doing. Since the PDP is in power they are supposed to condemn the attack and place wreath on the body of deceased security personnel representing Indian forces whether they are in police or army. The ruling PDP MLA from the area (Batmaloo) to which the slain militant belonged, tried to turn the killing of militant as a fake encounter, in the Assembly.
In a quick succession of events recently, we saw militants attacking the police and para-military forces openly in broad day light and inflicting deaths and injuries to many and after committing the heinous act, they run away from the scene and are not traceable. The recent attack by the militants on the police personnel in Srinagar city three local police men were killed and their arms snatched. Only a few days back an attack was carried on the BSF convoy near Bijbehara, which incidentally is the home town of Chief Minister, where three BSF men were killed and many injured. Militants struck in the Anantnag District near bus stand killing two police officers in broad day light and fled away. As per reports three militants armed with rifles and ammunition appeared openly in general bus stand of Anantnag and fired at the cops and killed them on spot. Needless to mention that bi-election to Anantnag Assembly constituency was held on 22nd June where the present Chief Minister is contesting. The seat fell vacant due to the death of her father Mufti Mohd. The curious part is that the twin attack came in the home Distt of Chief Minister and at a time when election was going to be held.
The attack on the cops in Anantnag has more to say. Firstly they attacked during day time and did not ambush the army as they did in Bijbehara on BSF convoy. Even on BSF convoy it can not be exactly said that it was an ambush because they came openly and one of the militants stood in front of the BSF vehicle on the high way which made the driver of the vehicle to stop it and other militants fired on the BSF personel who were inside the bus. The important part in all these incidents is the security or police personnel did not retaliate. On one side it can be appreciated that there was no reaction from the force and had it been there the civilian loss could not have been ruled out. Though it suits politically to leaders who appreciate the role of forces in not retaliating and thus saving the other people in the vicinity. But is it the role of security forces not to respond, not to talk of acting against those who are to attack or ambush them. Now the question is where did they disappear? They did not evaporate in the air or went underground. They would have been there. This is clear indication and is sufficient to prove that these terrorists have all the support from the people living around that area. They have the hide out there otherwise they can not disappear. If it would have been a suicide squad one can understand that they will fight to the last as they don’t have any support to hide and getting themselves killed is the only remedy. Such an attack can not be ruled out anywhere in India but after committing the crime they can not escape and hide out any where. But they can escape and hide where there is local support that becomes shield for them which restricts the forces from retaliation. Such attacks also get political protection if the police reacts and some causalities take place and it become a fodder for the blood thirsty politicians of running their lucrative shops.
The DG, BSF said the target was Amarnath Yatra but at the same time assured that it would be incident free. Though everbody wish the Yatra to be incident free but the BSF convoy which is supposed to protect the Yatra came under attack and are not able to make their movement, incident free how he can claim that the Yatra will be incident free. The security forces are not to be used as cannon fodder but they are there to kill the enemy and not themselves. Security forces have to strengthen the fences along borders so that the infiltration is arrested at the ab-initio. The security forces should have orders to retaliate to overcome those who are bent upon to disrupt the peace and attack them. These people are not actually anti-Yatra but they are the enemies of the people of J and K whose livelihood is linked with the Yatra.
Recently a separatist leader Yasin Malik was shown in TV channels slapping a police person in Lal Chowk in Srinagar and the police turned to be mute. There was no reaction from the government agencies also and perhaps no FIR has been lodged against him. Why so? The government has to answer. Tomorrow if an ordinary person slaps any policemen then how the filing of FIR against that ordinary person will be justified?
All these incidents including the recent one at Kud in which militant was killed speaks it self about the morale of militants going high in the present PDP-BJP combine government. It seems that the government has decided to be lenient against these separatists and perpetrators of crime. The government which is shared by both the PDP and BJP owes answer to the people of nation in general and of State in particular and the BJP has to do more introspection as being in the State as well as in the Centre.
