Politics

Mehbooba playing with fire with BJPs help in J & K

Is J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti pandering to the families of stone pelters?

January 11, 2017

Kin of protesters killed during Kashmir unrest to be paid Rs.5L compensation – Mehbooba

[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]I[/dropcap]f Kashmir based mainstream political parties have been accused of tinkering with the idea of ‘soft separatism’ to ensure their own survival and remain relevant in the eyes of their passionate voter one of the ruling national party Bharatiya Janata Party – running an alliance government with the PDP in the state of Jammu and Kashmir has touched a new low by way of surrendering its might by agreeing to the idea of providing hefty compensation to kin of those protesters who were killed in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

In 2010 when more than 110 youth were killed in the sporadic incidents of violence witnessed on the streets of Kashmir valley Omar Abdullah led alliance govt had announced a similar compensation package…

When the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was announcing the details of the compensation package the lower house of the state assembly witnessed pin drop silence.

Not a single BJP legislator even for once raised his voice before the leader of the house and sought a clarification how the same state machinery which had registered 2690 cases of stone pelting and 16 cases of weapon snatching against the stone pelters during the five month long period of unrest can take a u-turn so easily to hand over a relief cheque of compensation to the next of kin of those who became victims of mindless violence.

Interestingly, Mehbooba shied away from clarifying whether the policemen killed by stone pelters would be entitled to equal amount of compensation or not.

This is not for the first time violent stone pelters, who had been regularly challenging the writ of the Indian nation on the streets of Kashmir valley by waving Pakistan flags and chanting slogans of Azadi outside religious places, had been compensated by the state government by adding premium to the task of pelting stones on the security forces deployed for law and order duties.

In 2010 when more than 110 youth were killed in the sporadic incidents of violence witnessed on the streets of Kashmir valley Omar Abdullah led alliance govt had announced a similar compensation package for the next of kin of youth killed in the violent clashes with the security forces.

Before the beginning of the Budget session of the state assembly the PDP-BJP alliance govt was claiming that the state has acted responsibly and managed to restore law and order across volatile places in the South kashmir and other vulnerable places but before the presentation of the budget the state govt suddenly changed its tune and went on to announce compensation package for the next of kin of deceased killed in the firing by security forces to contain the public anger.

The alliance government also changed its script.

From claiming that the stone pelters were waging a war against the state by targeting the uniformed soldiers, security personnel and police the state govt painted them as victims in one go.

The miseries of these security personnel were compounded soon after all those people who were booked for raising anti-national slogans and waving enemy flag in Kashmir were labeled as victims entitled for compensation package.

Job offers for the needy

[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]I[/dropcap]ronically, the ex-gratia and the jobs have been committed before the findings of Special Investigation Team, which is yet to be set up. If the government has reached a conclusion before investigation then where is the need for a probe panel.

“Had a kid gone to buy a toffee from an army camp? A 15-year-old boy who attacked a police station (in south Kashmir), had he gone to buy milk? Don’t compare the two,” Mehbooba had told a press conference, inferring that the boys actually indulged in violence.

While announcing the slew of measures being taken for rehabilitation of those killed or injured during the Kashmir unrest, the Chief Minister has given an account of the damages caused during over 120 days of trauma and turbulence across the Valley.

During this period, 16 incidents of weapon looting from security forces have taken place while over 4,500 personnel of police and security forces were injured while safeguarding the life and property of the people. Who took away the weapons? Who injured thousands of security personnel? Who damaged over 50 police and security camps?

In fact, Mehbooba herself had spoken out the truth on 25 August 2016 in presence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh by asking that “those hit by bullets or pellets had not gone to fetch milk or toffees”.

“Had a kid gone to buy a toffee from an army camp? A 15-year-old boy who attacked a police station (in south Kashmir), had he gone to buy milk? Don’t compare the two,” Mehbooba had told a press conference, inferring that the boys actually indulged in violence.

Applying ‘healing touch’ may be alright when the Valley is witnessing a semblance of peace but the government must, at the same time, understand that incentivizing violence will not only encourage others to take law into their own hands but prove detrimental to national interest. Secondly, hard earned money of the Indian taxpayer cannot be utilized for anti-national separatists or their lackeys in whatsoever manifestation-a stone pelter or a street urchin waging war against the country.