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| Good decision if Geelani's threatening did not prompt it? | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announcement's to grant one time amnesty to stone pelters by withdrawing cases against them ahead of the Holy Eid has come as a welcome step. But there are some strong fears which the common man expresses about what prompted the decision. People argue that beyond the apparent goodwill, there is a serious underlying message in this decision.
Kashmiri separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani has threatened an agitation after the Eid festival if all arrested youth and political prisoners are not released by the State government before the Eid festival.
Geelani has threatened to spearhead an agitation on the lines of the unrest that hostaged peace and tranquility in the Valley last year and the year before. Although Geelani has claimed the proposed agitation would be peaceful, given the track record of the senior separatist leader, it is clear that by threatening an agitation, Geelani has put the State government on notice-release arrested youth or be prepared for another bloody agitation.
Omar Abdullah has been voicing satisfaction over the prevailing peace in the Valley. He has also expressed happiness over the wonderful tourist season in the Valley this year plus the incident free annual Amarnath Yatra during which around six hundred thousand Yatris from different parts of the country prayed inside the Holy Cave Shrine and also had Darshan of the Holy Lingam inside the Holy Cave.
Security and maintenance of law and order is not only the desire for every Chief Minister of the State, it is also part of his duty. The Chief Minister is bound by the constitution of the country as also the constitution of the State to protect the lives, property and religious beliefs of the people. Any Chief Minister who fails in ensuring these basic rights of the people in the State has little right to continue in the chair. Therefore, Omar Abdullah's happiness and satisfaction over this summer's peaceful atmosphere in the Valley is a natural thing which everybody in the State and outside it expects.
But, hasn't the Chief Minister wittingly or unwittingly conveyed an impression that the announcement to withdraw cases against the stone pelters was prompted by the threatening delivered by Syed Ali Shah Geelani? Couldn't the State government have made the same announcement before Geelani issued his agitation threat? Why did the Chief Minister hurry his decision?
Highly informed sources told Early Times, Omar Abdullah initially wanted to make the announcement in a coordinated and streamlined manner. It is now reliably learnt that the State government had earlier decided to release the arrested youth in batches.
It is also known that the State government had even devised a mechanism for the releasing the stone pelters. All this was hurriedly brushed aside by the Chief Minister who appeared to be in some kind of a panicky haste to make the announcement.
The government has said only those arrested stone pelters would be released against whom there are no charges of heinous crimes, one wonders since when has the IPC or the RPC started treating stone pelting as a petty offence?
The State government has not only to exhibit passion and goodwill; it has also to exhibit a strong will power and intention to maintain law and order. It has also to send an unequivocal message to the separatists that whatever the consequences of the State government's decision to maintain law and order in the Valley, it cannot succumb to blackmail.
If the separatist leaders start calling all the shots by pulling strings from behind the curtain, then it is better the reins of power are handed over to them directly and in full public glare. Let there be no remote controlling of the situation by anybody including the separatist leaders. If Geelani has such a strong clout over the Omar Abdullah run government in the State, it is better he gets into the driving seat personally. Omar Abdullah can do himself and his party justice only by behaving as the man in power and not as the man who fears agitations or protests. Does he fear Geelani? People have the right to know. |
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