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| ‘Scope for speedy withdrawal of troops, paramilitary forces limited’ | | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Feb 1: Senior police functionaries in Srinagar find no scope for handing over the law and order to the police in Jammu and Kashmir.
While commenting on the latest statement of the Defence Minister, A K Antony, in which he had said that the ultimate aim of the Government was to handover the law order in Jammu and Kashmir to the police these functionaries said that there were three inherent odds against the move to withdraw troops and the paramilitary forces within the state, especially within the valley.
Explaining it they said that first of all the numerical strength of the police was not sufficient to meet the new challenges that could be posed by the militants and the separatists. They said no doubt the police strength had increased from 30,000 in 1989,when militancy took roots, to over 1.20 lakh at present it was no adequate to meet added responsibilities that may fall on its shoulder when the Government withdrew troops and the paramilitary forces. In addition to this majority of the policemen are yet to be equipped with sophisticated weapons. They said besides giving improved weapons to the police they need better communication and transport system. Since over 30 per cent of constabulary had been utilized for providing security cover to political leaders and bureaucrats not many companies were available for taking on militants.
Secondly, during the last three months agencies across the LOC and the IB had intensified their activists by supporting and assisting militants in infiltrating into Jammu and Kashmir. Reports from across the border said that the establishment in Islamabad had no total control on the militants and their supporters because these terrorist groups, both operating within Pakistan and in Jammu and Kashmir, continue to receive patronage from elements within the Army, the ISI and the Special Service Group. These three agencies are behind the anti-India Jehadi groups, including Lashkar-i-Toiba, Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami and Harkat-ul-Mujaideen.
Security experts in Jammu and Kashmir are of the opinion that these agencies have revised their anti-India activities and this may be one of the reasons behind rise in the rate of infiltration and in the revival of militancy related violence.
The Defence Minister had said that while there has been rise in the level of infiltration bids there has been drop in the militancy related violence and the situation was further improving which may enable the government to handover the law and order to the police. Antony is not totally incorrect as the state Government reports said that there has been 30 per cent fall in the incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir during the last one year. But there were elements, operating in the state, that were trying to fuel trouble. Some of these elements were inciting people to take to the streets which poses severe threat to law and order and peace. And for tackling the situation additional companies of security forces were required.
Official reports said that anti-India forces were trying to take advantage of the growing unemployment and poverty in the state by luring groups of youth to militancy. In this connection fresh recruitment drive has been launched and the fresh recruits receive arms training in make-shift training camps set up in remote and hilly villages. These reports said that once the law and order was handed over to the police it could have a healthy impact on the role of the separatists and the PDP, demanding withdrawal of troops. The separatists and the PDP favour withdrawal of troops so that incidents of human rights violations were very rare.
A senior police officer said "we can take control of law and order provided we have sufficient force besides sophisticated weapons, gadgets, transport and communication system. We need at least 20 additional police battalions." He said the centre sanctions two additional police battalions after two years and this it meant that it may take another five to seven years for raising the numerical strength of the police making it fit to take on the militants.
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