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| | New Delhi seeks secure zones for KPs in Valley, security agencies raise red flag | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 21: With respective governments being unable to pursue Kashmiri Pandits to return to the valley, BJP led Union Government is now toying with the idea of settling them in highly secured security zones in various parts of Kashmir valley, something which is being strongly contested and resisted by security and intelligence agencies. Union Home Ministry has already in a letter to the NC-led coalition government asked it to indentify land for creation of such secure rehabilitation zones in Kashmir valley for settling Kashmiri Pandits in phase-wise manner. State government, which had by that time, gone into election mode preferred not to respond to the request of the Union Home Ministry, fearing violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and possible backlash in Kashmir valley since the idea was mooted earlier also but has always found few takers in the majority community.
What has caused the concern is that security agencies have raised red flag against the move. They are highly sceptical of the plan and have been saying that not only the plan is unworkable in the wake of the fact that post-US pull out from Afghanistan, Pakistan's ISI and terrorist outfits are planning to renew offensive in Jammu and Kashmir. They have further said that the move if at all made would put huge monetary cost in terms of men and material to secure the localities where Kashmiri Pandits would be settled.
These agencies have already communicated to the Union Home Ministry that more than 400 terrorists are still operating in various parts of Kashmir valley. These include terrorists of two dreaded organisations i.e. Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
Both could target Kashmiri Pandits, the agencies have cautioned the Home Ministry. They have further said that this rehabilitation could also pit the two communities against each other.
These security agencies have warned that they would not be able to contain the situation if at it deteriorates after the Kashmir Pandits are rehabilitated in highly secure security zones. Besides these issues, sources said that a major issue relates to the place where the state government and centre separately want to resettle Kashmiri Pandits.
New Delhi wants to resettle Kashmiri Pandits in one location possibly close to Srinagar while the outgoing NC-led government wanted to resettle them at four locations i.e. Vessu (Kulgam), Khanpur (Baramulla), Hawal (Pulwama near Srinagar) and Kupwara.
Due to onset of militancy in the State of Jammu and Kashmir in early 1990s, most of the Kashmiri Pandit families including some Sikh and Muslim families migrated from the Kashmir Valley to Jammu, Delhi and other cities in different states. At present there are about 62000 registered Kashmiri migrant families in the country. About 40,000 registered Kashmiri migrant families are residing in Jammu; about 19,338 registered Kashmiri migrant families are in Delhi and about 1995 families are residing in other state.
Union Home Ministry is providing various rehabilitation facilities to the Kashmiri migrants and has announced various Packages for them from time to time. It announced a comprehensive package amounting to Rs. 1618.40 Crore in the year 2008 for the Return and Rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Migrants. Package provides for financial assistance for purchase, construction, repair of houses in the Valley, construction of transit accommodations, scholarship to the students, employment, assistance for agriculture and horticulture and waiver of interest on unpaid loans.
But this package failed to enthuse Kashmiri Pandits and just one family returned to the Kashmir Valley. Apart from rehabilitation, state government jobs have been provided to 1466 migrant youths and 469 Transit accommodations have been constructed in the Kashmir Valley. In the inaugural address to the joint session of Parliament on June 9, 2014; Narendra Modi-led Government outlined plans for rehabilitation and return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits.
Subsequently, Finance minister Arun Jaitley announced Rs. 500-crore special package for rehabilitation of Kashmir Pandits in the Union Budget 2014. The scheme, part of the BJP's election manifesto, aims to encourage the return of displaced Pandits to the state with 'dignity, security and assured livelihood.' |
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