For the first time, the head of the Government in the State has peeled the beans about the root of seven week long strike and unrest in the Valley. Mehbooba Mufti minced no words in making pointed reference to the vested interests having pre-planned disruption of law and order whenever opportunity appeared. If the killing of the commander of a designated terrorist organization based in Pakistan is to be taken as the real cause, many questions arise needing an answer. How come a crowd in thousands assembled for the funeral in minutes, turned into a slogan mongering mob, raised slogans against India, waved anti national flags, and allowed camouflaged terrorist fire shots in sky as departing ‘Salam’ to their “hero”? Was this the first encounter that had taken place in Kashmir? Was Burhan more powerful than Akbar Bhai who had almost taken control of Sopore town in early 1991-92? Evidently, what followed the killing of Burhan was meticulously planned and executed by vested interests.
What are the ulterior motives of a handful of conspirators with vested interests? They want to bring pressure on the Coalition Government and force it to quit under the pretext of collapse of law and order. These vested interests, who the Chief Minister thinks do not comprise more than 5 per cent of the total population are working on the instigation and prompting of external handlers. These destabilizing forces are not happy with the State taking big strides along the path of development. They want to derail the development process in the State. That the unrest was pre-meditated is proved by the fact that the miscreants brought out teen-aged children to serve as shield against the retaliatory action by the security forces. Having brought these children and urchins to threaten attacks on police posts and CRPF camps, their handlers would leave them there and run away so that these small boys become the fodder for the guns of the security forces. It will be seen that very large number among the killed comes from the poor families. Who among the stalwarts of separatist organizations sent his son or close relative to rub shoulders with the stone pelting youth to win laurels? Should not so-called human rights activists like Amnesty International raise the issue of violation of the rights of children in this case? The Chief Minister believes that 95 per cent of Kashmiri people are peace loving and want normalcy. This, therefore, means that the Government has to provide 95 per cent of population in Kashmir safety and security against the misdeeds of a handful of people who are working not for their but for the interests of their handlers.
The Chief Minister has made a cogent point that disruption of law and order and unrest in the valley were created at a time when it was the peak season for tourists and pilgrims to visit Kashmir. Tourism is among important industries in the valley on which thousands of working families depend. The nefarious design of depriving hundreds and thousands of families from making their livelihood during the months of summer is a clear proof that the vested interests working on the behest of their handlers are the enemies of the toiling masses of people in Kashmir. The Coalition Government was poised for carrying forward the developmental programme dreamed by late Mufti Sayeed. It had found environment conducive for taking up the thread where it was left owing to the demise of Mufti Sayeed. Unfortunately, malevolent elements viciously planned to derail the programme of development just because they are not happy with PDP joining hands with BJP to run the administration of the State. After the demise of Mufti Sayeed, Mehbooba had been conducting long and intense interaction with the Central Government to devise some mega projects that would give immense boost to the developmental infrastructure of the State. In the areas of education, medical sciences, road connectivity, social welfare and many other sectors, meaningful breakthrough was on the anvil. This was not palatable to the miscreants and they stage managed violent demonstration and mass rallies.
Chief Minister rejected accusations that security forces had used excessive force. Two security force personnel lost their lives in these clashes and half of the injured persons are from police and security forces. This shows that security forces maintained maximum restraint and at the cost of their own safety. She had full praise for the people of Jammu region who did not allow emotions overcome them and no retaliation was made. This was laudable and showed that secularism remained deeply entrenched in Jammu region. She said thousands of Kashmiri boys and girls had sought admission in various educational institutions outside the State not only because of facilities and scholarship provided by the centre but also because of the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty created in Kashmir. We appreciate Chief Minister’s pragmatic response to the tense situation in Kashmir. For the second time she has appealed to the saner elements in Kashmir society to help restore normalcy.
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