-Deepak Zazia from Jammu-
Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh was right when he mentioned during Accession Day function at Jammu on October 26 that some forces in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) are trying to change discourse after appointment of Dineshwar Sharma as Centre’s representative to hold
dialogue with different sections of the people.
After Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced appointment of Dineshwar Sharma as Centre’s
representative to hold dialogue, some politicians were quick to claim that BJP Government’s aggressive policy on Kashmir has failed. They claimed that BJP Government at the Centre has got ready to start dialogue because policy to contain terrorism has not yielded any results.
Opposition Outcry
Prominent among those who were quick to condemn Centre’s policy on Kashmir was former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of J&K who observed that Centre has failed to contain
militancy that’s why Union Government has appointed Dineshwar Sharma to start dialogue.
After appointment of Dineshwar Sharma as ‘interlocutor’ on October 23, Omar Abdullah had tweeted, “What does this mean for the NIA
investigation in J&K? Will investigation be suspended to facilitate dialogue with detained Hurriyat leaders?”. Omar had further tweeted “The acceptance of the political nature of Kashmir issue is a resounding defeat of those who could not see use of force as a
solution”.
Omar Abdullah and some other Kashmir centric parties and so-called liberal fundamentalists observed that appointment of Dineshwar Sharma is defeat of Union Government’s Kashmir Policy.
But within 12 hours after his appointment, National Investigating Agency (NIA) had arrested Syed Salahuddin’s son in Delhi and later raided his residence at Budgam in Central Kashmir.
Appointment of Dineshwar Sharma was announced on October 23 and Salahuddin’s son was arrested on October 24. NIA arrested Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin's son Syed Shahid Yusuf in connection with its probe into terror funding in J&K.
NIA Tightens Noose
An NIA spokesman said 42-year-old Shahid was arrested in Delhi after he was called for questioning at the NIA headquarters in an old case of terror funding registered in 2011. The NIA alleged that Shahid used to
receive funds through a US-based
international wire transfer company from Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, another accused in the case who is absconding and based in Saudi Arabia.
The agency alleged Shahid was “one of several Indian contacts of Bhat” who had been in telephonic contact with him for receiving money transfer codes.
The NIA claimed, so far he had received a total of nearly Rs 4.5 lakh through eight international wire transfers.
The case, registered by the NIA in April 2011, relates to the transfer of money from Pakistan to J&K through hawala channels via Delhi, which the agency believed was used in funding terrorism and secessionist activities.
The NIA has so far filed two charge-sheets against six people, including GM Bhat, a close aide of pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammed Siddiq Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga. All four are in judicial custody. Two others—Mohammed Maqbool Pandit and Bhat—were also charge-sheeted by the NIA but are absconding. An Interpol Red Corner notice has been issued against them.
Crystal Clear Policy
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh made it clear that there is no change in Centre’s aggressive policy on Kashmir after Dineshwar Sharma’s appointment. Singh, who is Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office, said that anti-militancy operations and NIA raids would continue simultaneously with ‘sustained’ dialogue.
He warned that some groups are trying to change
discourse on Kashmir by claiming that BJP has taken ‘U’ turn. “There is no U turn. Our policy is crystal clear on Kashmir. Only unsolved issue in J&K is liberation of the parts of the State, illegally occupied by Pakistan”, he said and mentioned about unanimous resolution passed by the Parliament in 1994.
“We have set discourse on Kashmir and will not allow anyone to change it by launching malicious campaign”, Singh said while making indirect reference towards former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
In an obvious reference towards Omar Abdullah, the Union Minister mentioned that while announcing
appointment of Dineshwar Sharma Union Home Minister has not stated that NIA raids would be stopped. To
substantiate his argument, Singh pointed towards arrest of Salahuddin’s son followed by raid on his house in the Valley.
During the last one year, over 170 terrorists have been eliminated by the security forces in Kashmir Valley. The slain terrorists included self-claimed commanders such as Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Abu Dujana and Burhan Wani’s
successor Sabzar Ahmad Bhat of the Hizbul Mujahideen.
While 48 LeT militants were killed, 42 Hizbul militants were eliminated along with three of the Al-Qaeda-linked Zakir Musa group, and another 54 unidentified militants were killed, mostly on the Line of Control.
According to a report more terrorists were killed this year in J&K than were recruited. Intelligence records say around 71 were recruited in 2017, while 135 terrorists have been killed in security operations, the report said. n
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