Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 8: The J&K Government has prepared one more rehabilitation policy calculated to mainstreaming terrorists in Kashmir. As per the new surrender and rehabilitation policy, each surrendered terrorist would be entitled to "Rs 5-6 lakh fixed deposit with a lock-in period of 3 years, Rs 5,000 monthly stipend during lock-in period, self-employment under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana & Himayat and accommodation in Jammu/Srinagar".
Entitled to Rs 5 lakh-6 lakh as fixed deposit, the surrendered terrorist will be able to "withdraw the money after the lock-in period of a minimum three years, subject to continued good behaviour as certified by the CID".
The draft policy prepared by the Home Department under the directions of K Vijay Kumar, Advisor to Governor NN Vohra, inter-alia, reads: "The objective is to offer an opportunity to terrorists who eschew the path of violence...The policy is particularly aimed at economic rehabilitation, enabling them to lead a normal life and contribute towards society's progress..."
"Militants placed on the list of the Subsidiary Multi-Agency Centre (SMAC) - a nodal agency comprising officials for security and intelligence inputs - will be eligible for incentives. A militant who has surrendered will be referred to as a 'renouncer'. He will surrender only before the designated authorities - divisional commissioners, district magistrates, top police officers and heads of operational units not below the rank of Commandant," the draft policy further reads.
The draft surrender and rehabilitation policy is unlikely to produce the desired results. For, a number of those who joined, and continue to join, terrorist ranks belong to well-to-do families and are highly educated, including those doing Ph.D., university teachers and policemen. Over 100 youth from Kashmir took to arms only this year. Many of those who joined terrorist ranks or took to gun have declared in clear terms that their aim was to give a different orientation to Kashmir and that they were against Indiat. "Our aim is to get Kashmir liberated from the occupying forces and from India," they said umpteen times.
Besides, the rehabilitation policy has the potential of inducing youth to enact one or two terror acts and then surrender to get what the draft rehabilitation policy provides for. Where is the guarantee that the surrendered terrorist will not rejoin the terrorist ranks after availing of the benefits of the new rehabilitation policy?
India perhaps is the only nation which is soft towards those who violate the law of the land, target symbols of the state and launch attacks on army camps and police stations. This is not the way to tackle the menace of terrorism. India has to follow the Chinese or Israeli or Myanmar approach if it really means business. It should remember that Kashmir is the most privileged region in the country in terms of employment and Jammu and Ladakh the most under-privileged. For example, out of nearly 4.5 lakh jobs in the government and semi-government establishments in J&K, the share of Kashmir is almost 3.7 lakh. In other words, the causes of terrorism in Kashmir are deeper and the former Chief Ministers, including Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have all said a number of times that "financial packages and more jobs will not solve the Kashmir issue". |
