Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who holds charge of the Home Department, today admitted in the Legislative Assembly that 280 youths have joined militancy during last three years, the highest being 126 in 2017 even as she reiterated that ‘Agenda of Alliance’ (reached between PDP and BJP) was aimed at initiating sustained and meaningful dialogue with all “internal stakeholders” including all political groups irrespective of their ideological views and predilections.
In a written reply to the question of National Conference member and former Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar in the Legislative Assembly today, Mehbooba informed that 66 youths had joined militancy in 2015 and the number went up to 88 in 2016 and 126 in 2017, totaling 280 during the past three years.
Reproducing the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ between the two coalition partners, Mehbooba said, it had asserted that the coalition Government will seek to support and strengthen the approach and initiatives taken by the Government to create reconciliatory environment and build stakes for all in the peace and development within the sub-continent.
“The same will be pursued by taking Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) such as enhancing people to people contact on both sides of the LoC encouraging civil society exchanges, taking travel, commerce, trade and business across the LoC to the next level and opening new routes across all three regions to enhancing connectivity,” she quoted the AoA.
“The earlier NDA Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee had initiated a dialogue process with all political groups including the Hurriyat Conference, in the spirit of ‘Insaaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Jamhooriyat”, she quoted the AoA, adding “following the same principles, the coalition Government will facilitate and help initiate a sustained and meaningful dialogue with all internal stakeholders, which will include all political groups irrespective of their ideological views and predilections. This dialogue will seek to build a broad based consensus on resolution of all outstanding issues of J&K”.
While the question didn’t come up for discussion during the Question Hour, Sagar raised it during Zero Hour saying as the Chief Minister has reiterated commitment of talks with Pakistan, the BJP was “misleading the people” by taking contradictory stand.
“We too want talks between the two neighbours to end bloodshed,” Sagar said.
National Conference MLA Devender Singh Rana said the Government had promised plots and rehabilitation of the dwellers of Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) but now a statement has come that the proposal of plots has been shelved in view of security considerations.
Rana demanded that a House Committee should be set up for inter-action with the border dwellers, listening to their problems and demands and submit them to the Government for resolution.
“It’s time to provide succor to the border dwellers. Mere statements won’t do,” Rana remarked.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri reiterated that the Government stands for talks with both internal and external stakeholders and it was committed to the Agenda of Alliance.
According to data placed before Parliament in March last year, there has been a steady increase in the number of youths taking up arms in the Valley from 2014 onwards, as compared to 2011, 2012 and 2013.
In 2010, 54 youths joined militancy. This dipped to 23 in 2011 and slipped further to 21 in 2012 and 16 in 2013.
In 2014, the number shot up to 53 and went up to 66 in 2015 before touching 88 in 2016, according to the data.
The spurt in locals joining militancy began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter in South Kashmir on July 8, 2016.
National Conference leader Ali Mohammed Sagar’s question in the Assembly also related to separatists detained in the past three years.
According to Mehbooba, certain separatist leaders, including two women, were detained under provisions of the Public Safety Act to prevent them from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State or maintenance of the public order.
The Chief Minister, who also holds the portfolio of the Home department, said 2,694 people, including 96 women, are lodged in different jails of the State.
The 228 convicted prisoners include eight women. Besides, there are 2,156 under trials, including 88 women. Of the 213 detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and NDPS Acts, one is a woman, she said.
She said details of prisoners (state subjects) lodged in various jails outside the State are not maintained by the Home Department.
No person affiliated with any recognized political party is under preventive detention as on date, she added.
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