Early Times Report
KISHTWAR, Oct 24: It is now almost clear that the Omar Abdullah-led coalition government is not interested in bringing to justice the perpetrators of the August 9 Kishtwar violence. That day, fanatics and anti-India elements had targeted the minority community, set on fire their properties, looted, plundered and ransacked their shops and burned down their vehicles, including cars. The Kishtwar violence and the barbarities committed by the communal forces on the minority community had created furore in the Parliament for two days, August 12 and 13, and created volcanic situation in Jammu province, which observed three-day-long massive bandh. It was under pressure that Omar Abdullah announced that he would appoint a retired judge of High Court to probe into the violence. The nature of anger was such that Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo, who belongs to Kishtwar and who was very much there in the town on that black day, had to resign to help normalize the situation.
Omar Abdullah ordered a time-bound probe on August 12 and on August 24 and appointed Justice (Retd) RC Gandhi to look into the circumstances leading to the violence and fix the responsibility so that the perpetrators could be brought to justice. The commission was given one month's time. Since the commission could not do anything during the stipulated period, it was given an extension. But reports suggest that the commission has not been able to do anything because it is not getting support from the government. The commission had requested the government to provide a prosecuting officer, an assessor and an attorney so that the probe could be started, but the government has not considered the request in full. According to a report, the prosecuting officer and the assessor joined the commission only on October 21. As for the attorney, the government has yet to place him at the disposal of the commission. "Without an attorney, a prosecuting officer and an assessor, the commission couldn't have cross-examined evidences and reviewed affidavits related to the probe," the report said.
Why this reluctance on the part of the government? Doesn't it want the people to know the truth? The government must cooperate with the commission in its own interest. To delay things would mean the government wants to shield the culprits. |
