Security of several political leaders downgraded
Over 1000 PSOs, 100 vehicles withdrawn
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Feb 20: Coming down heavily on Hurriyat Conference, other separatist leaders and even mainstream politicians, the Government tonight withdrew/downgraded security cover of 18 more separatists and 155 political leaders, irrespective of their party affiliation including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Yaseen Malik, Shah Faesal, former IAS officer and Wahid Parra, a PDP leader.
“Nearly 1000 Personal Security Officers (PSOs) and large number of Security vehicles will be free with withdrawal/downgraded security cover of separatists and mainstream politicians,” official sources told the Excelsior.
The Government order comes just days after the Government withdrew security cover of four separatist leaders including Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq.
Among the leaders, whose security has been downgraded/withdrawn, included Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Aga Syed Mosvi, Maulvi Abbas Ansari, Yaseen Malik, Saleem Geelani, Shahid-ul-Islam, Zaffar Akbar Bhat, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza, Farooq Ahmed Kichloo, Masroor Abbas Ansari, Aga Syed Abul Hussain, Abdul Gani Shah and Mohammad Musadiq Bhat.
Among 155 mainstream leaders, whose security cover has been withdraw/downgraded, were Shah Faesal, 2010 IAS batch topper, who had recently resigned from the services, and Wahid Parra, a PDP leader.
Sources said the mainstream political leaders, whose security cover has been withdrawn/downgraded, belonged to almost all political parties including PDP, National Conference, BJP and Congress.
“Security cover to number of political leaders had been given beyond entitlement or requirement. Like some of the politicians falling in X or Y category had been given security cover enjoyed by Z category,” sources pointed out and said all additional facilities granted to mainstream politicians has been withdrawn or provided as per their entitlement only now.
Sources said at least 1000 PSOs would be free for security duties after withdrawal from the separatists and mainstream politicians. Similarly, they added, a number of security vehicles, which had been allotted to political workers beyond their entitlement, have also been withdrawn.
Nearly 100 additional vehicles will be available to police now for security duty, sources said.
An official statement described the Government decision to withdraw/downgrade security cover of separatists and mainstream leaders as “a major step”.
The Home Department said it was felt that providing security to these separatist leaders was wastage of scarce State resources which could be better utilized elsewhere.
Ironically, Hurriyat Conference (HC) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) had no Government security. Geelani is being put under house arrest and at that time police guards his house to curb his movement and Yasin Malik is picked up and put behind bars every now and then.
Among others National Front chairman, Nayeem Ahmad Khan was arrested by National Investigation Agency (NIA) in terror funding case in July 2017. He is jailed since then and so is Hurriyat Conference leader Shahidul Islam, who was also arrested by NIA in 2017 in the same case.
It may be mentioned here that the Government withdrew security and other allied arrangements of four separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Gani Lone and Shabir Ahmad Shah four days ago.
The order to withdraw security was issued after Home Minister Rajnath Singh last week directed the Government to do so.
“There are some elements, who were hand in glove with militant organizations, and ISI across the border. They are involved in conspiracies too. They are toying with the future of the people, especially the youth of J&K. There are some elements here who take money from Pakistan and ISI. I have told the officers that the security provided to such people should be reviewed”, the Home Minister had said here.
However, out of these four Shabir Shah was jailed for last two years for alleged terror funding case.
Hurriyat Conference chairman said it was the Government decision at that time to give security to them and they had not requested for it. “It was their decision to provide us security that time. Today it’s their decision to remove it. It’s not an issue for us”, he had said when his security was withdrawn.
Mirwaiz was provided security when his father, Mirwaiz Moulana Farooq was killed in early 1990s and so were Bilal Lone when his father, Abdul Gani Lone was killed and Abdul Gani Bhat when his brother was killed.
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