The Telegraph
SRINAGAR
There has been unprecedented increase in the number of forces personnel manning Kashmir streets since the mass civil protests were triggered on July 09, 2016. (KL Image: Shah Hilal)
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has been asked to read the riot act to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti during his two-day Srinagar visit that began on Wednesday, said a source.
Rajnath is expected to tell Mehbooba on behalf of the Delhi (Union Government) that she will have to round up within a fortnight “80” listed “over-ground workers” operating in the Valley for militant outfits.
The source said that Delhi was concerned about the prospects of the “cycle of violence” completing 50 days by end-August and was keen to break it “sooner than later”.
If Mehbooba failed to deliver, Delhi might consider asking the BJP to pull out of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir and bringing the state under the Raj Bhavan’s rule with a new governor.
“Sending Rajnath Singh was the Centre’s last attempt to try and salvage the situation. If this fails, the government has to look at tougher options,” a government source said.
Delhi is apparently peeved with Mehbooba for “allowing political expediency” to get the better of governance and the restoration of law and order.
“South Kashmir is the hub of the on-going violence where Mehbooba’s People’s Democratic Party has vast pockets of influence. But she is not visiting the region despite winning her election recently from there. She’s scared stiff, she does not want to antagonise her vote banks,” said a BJP source.
The Delhi’s information is that “80 identified over-ground workers” were “inciting, organising and supporting” the stone-throwers.
The perceived role of the Jama’at-e-Islami Kashmir is also under the scanner. Mehbooba is being pressured to crack down on the Jama’at, too. Jama’at-e-Islami is J&K’s largest socio-politico-religo organization whose one time leaders include Syed Ali Geelani and Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai as well.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his security advisors are expected to firm up the next course of action on Kashmir once Rajnath shares his assessment.
“Tougher action is a double-edged sword because if it spirals out of control, there will be more trouble. Obviously, the government has given the chief minister a long rope,” said the government source.
Asked if the separatists were being reached out to, a source in Delhi said: “No, there is no talk with the separatists. But the home minister is meeting representatives of every political party. Many of them are in touch with the separatist leaders, so he will get a sense of what that side is thinking about.”
(This news item first appeared in The Telegraph Calcutta, India with minor changes.)
from Kashmir Life http://ift.tt/2bkYYZc
via IFTTThttp://ift.tt/1iGhVXj
No comments:
Post a Comment