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| Fidayeens take advantage from warring NC, PDP | | | ET Plus Report
Jammu, Mar 14: Militants have succeeded in taking advantage of the growing political uncertainty, the result of growing feud between the PDP and the NC and uneasy alliance between the Congress and the NC and of the unending shutdowns and protest rallies, leading to clashes between the security forces and the protesters. And this advantge, these militants have taken, is reflected in the fidayeen attack on a CRPF camp and that too close to the Police public school in the otherwise sensitive area of Bemina on Wednesday.
That it was a major attack is evident from the ferocity of the gun and grenade strike in which five CRPF personnel were killed and several others including some civilians were injured. If two fidayeens were killed should not be treated as a great relief or achievement by the Government.
Why should not the militants, some calling them activists of Lashkar-i-Toiba and others finding them belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen, take advantage of growing anger and anguish of top leaders of the PDP and the ruling National Conference first over the execution of the Parliament attack convict, Mohd Afzal Guru and then on refusal of the Centre to concede their demand for handing over Guru's body to his family members?
Why should not militants raise their head and establish their presence by attacking the CRPF camp when the ongoing budget session of the State legislature has been a scene of bedlam over Guru's issue? And why should not they carry out gun and grenade attack on the CRPF camp when the attention of all the security and intelligence agencies has been diverted by the street protests and clashes?
It was naturally a security lapse when a couple of militants sneaked into a group of boys, playing cricket in the field close to the police public school in proper kit, to attack the CRPF camp. It was definitely a security lapse as terrorists, dressed as cricketers, were able to get very close to the CRPF camp.
The terrorist strike has given rise to many opinions, observations and analyses. One finding Pakistan hand behind the attack. Others see the hand of Lashkar-i-Toiba, yet others find Hizbul Mujahideen responsible for it despite the fact the Hizb spokesman has denied any responsibility for the attack.
The Union Home Secretary, R.K. Singh, basing his statement on inputs from intelligence agencies, has gone to the extent of claiming that four terrorists had crossed into Kashmir from across the LoC and out of them two had been eliminated in Wednesday's incident and two others were still at large. He had also claimed that the two militants, killed in CRPF camp attack, were foreign mercenaries and later it was found by the security forces that one of them was a local boy.
In fact during the last over one year attempts were being made by various forces at destabilsing peace in Kashmir. In the initial stages the Valley witnessed political and security uncertainty when militants started attacking Panches and Sarpanches forcing about 80 elected Panchayat committee members to resign.
It was followed by a row over the Union Government's refusal to concede the demand for withdrawal of AFSPA and troops from within the civilian areas of the State. The lid to the Pandora's Box was lifted by the execution of Afzal Guru and by the Government's refusal to return Guru's mortal remains to his family members in Kashmir.
And the separatists fully exploited the situation by inciting people to stage protest demonstrations. While trying to re-establish their presence and relevance separatists saw to it that their call for shutdowns and street demonstrations received full support from people in the Valley.
The way Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and the PDP leaders indulged in breast beating over Guru's issue, over misuse of powers by the Army and the paramilitary forces under the cover of AFSPA and over the killing of three boys in self defence by the security forces provided sufficient encouragement to the separatists and the terrorists for indulging in acts of subversive violence.
These terrorists were not bothered if Omar Abdullah, by fulminating against Guru's execution, was trying to keep intact the vote bank of the National Conference, which faced enormous threat from the PDP. They were simply interested in destabilsing peace, in escalating the level of security instability.
Both the State and the Central Governments and the top functionaries of the security forces need to understand that there was utmost need for them to support each and very move for upgrading the border management so that not a single terrorist was able to cross into Jammu and Kashmir.
Secondly, the two principal mainstream political parties, the NC and the PDP, need to suspend their campaign in favour of withdrawal of troops and the AFSPA from the State. Let there be the status quo so that security forces were not demoralised.
There is need for a working relation between the State Government and the Centre and this can be possible if Omar Abdullah remains bothered by peace and progress in the State instead of thinking about electoral gains during the next Assembly elections, due in 2014.
Chances for it are remote because Omar is keen to retain power and the PDP is eager to regain power. |
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