Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 15: Now, when the separatists in Kashmir have been rendered irrelevant and forced to seek recluse in oblivion, it is worth to mention that erstwhile regimes in Jammu and Kashmir used to spend crores to provide security cover to these pro-Pak elements.
Post August 5, 2019 the separatists in Kashmir have become non- existential entities and aren’t even ready to step out of their homes, leave alone instigating people to protest. However, it is surprising to see that on these elements, the past governments had been spending crores out of the taxpayers’ money to provide them with security.
In the past 10 years, the government has spent more than Rs 100 crore on the security of the separatist leaders. For the security of the Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the government has spent more than Rs 26 crore. Ironically, it is the same Mirwaiz who has been time and again found celebrating the win of the Pakistani cricket team against India and chanting pro –Pakistan slogans at the public podiums.
Another senior leader of the Hurriyat Conference (G) led by Syed Ali Geelani has got the security cover from the government worth Rs 10 crores during the past 10 years. It means one crore has been spent on his security every year. As per the reports, on the security of Aga Syed Hassan, a separatist from Geelani’s camp, more than Rs 10 crore were spent by the government out of the public exchequer.
Interestingly, it is the same Syed Ali Geelani who claims that Kashmir is the “natural part” of Pakistan and has been castigating the Indian government time and again. He is the person who spearheaded the 2016 unrest after the killing of militant Burhan Wani.
On another separatist Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, government has spent Rs 21 crore on his security. On providing security to Movli Abbas Ansari Rs 10 crore have been spent, while on Bilal Gani Lone’s security Rs 16 crore have been incurred.
Reports reveal that the government during the past ten years in Jammu and Kashmir has spent around Rs 34 crore on the security of another separatist leader namely Saleem Geelani.
On the security of another separatist leader Abdul Gani Shah, Rs 87 lakhs have been spent while the government has spent Rs 27 lakhs on the security of Zafar Akbar Bhat during the past 10 years.
One wonders whether the separatists would even dream of such heydays now. For people, let bygones be bygones. |
